Image by Getty Images

(JTA) — A Reform movement youth leader in Britain who participated in a public “Kaddish for Gaza,” was removed as a leader of the youth group’s summer tour in Israel.

Nina Morris-Evans was dropped Monday as a tour leader for the summer teen tour of the Reform movement’s youth wing, RSY-Netzer. The Movement for Reform Judaism said the move is “in the best interests of the participants,” the London-based Jewish News reported.

Her firing came a month after the group had confirmed that she would still lead a tour, despite her participation in the mid-May event in which several dozen young people gathered outside Parliament Square and recited Kaddish, the Jewish mourning prayer, for Palestinians killed by Israeli forces during clashes on the border with Gaza as part of the so-called March of Return. Morris-Evans retained her position after apologizing for describing the Palestinians deaths in the clashes in a subsequent op-ed for the Jewish News as “murder.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

She said at the time: “I hope that my deep love for Israel, my acknowledgement of the difficulties that have risen from my actions and my intention to ensure these young people have the best month of their lives will make me the kind of leader that you can feel proud of.”

On Monday, however, a joint statement issued by RSY-Netzer, Reform Judaism and UJIA, which oversees Israel tours from 13 religious and ideological movements, said: “Over the course of extensive dialogue with an Israel tour leader, unfortunately it has become clear to RSY-Netzer, Reform Judaism and UJIA, that we cannot arrive at a position of certainty that (her) leading tour is in the best interests of the participants.”

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount