A case of return to sender?

COMMUNITY members have expressed concern over a leaflet being dropped in mailboxes around Jewish Melbourne.

The AJN has received phone calls from worried readers regarding the anonymous flyer, which includes headlines and summaries of selected newspaper articles from the past seven years.

Deborah Stone, executive director of the Anti-Defamation Com mission, confirmed “The organisation had received several calls from Jewish people who felt harassed or vilified by the leaflets painting Israel as a villain and taking news events out of context.”

The double-sided brochure features snippets of articles published in The Age from as far back as 2004, negatively portraying Israel.

“This is mindless mudslinging, which makes no contribution to civilised debate. Unfortunately some of this mud sticks and we are now facing a situation where both Israel and Jews are consistently tainted by  vilifying attacks,” Stone told The AJN. “We have to take proactive steps to show the world that this is neither the country nor the community we are.”

Stone pointed to educational initiatives and multi-faith programs as the necessary steps forward.