JEWISH LEADERS in New Jersey were critical of the violent reactions in the Muslim world to cartoon caricatures of Mohammed that appeared in a Danish newspaper, and accused Muslim leaders of hypocrisy for condoning anti-Semitic cartoons in their own countries.

“Any newspaper editor should exercise judgment over cartoons or any material that is offensive or inflammatory — not because they don’t have the right to print it but because it might generate more anger and hatred than light. That’s part of freedom of speech,” said Max Kleinman, executive vice president of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey. But, Kleinman said, he was ”very concerned” about the issue and the reaction in the Muslim world. “To have embassies burned down and people killed from rioting — which I’m sure has been fomented by many demagogues — is just a horrible situation that violates the tenets of the Abrahamic religions that you should not murder your neighbor.”

Kleinman also noted that Israel and Jewish groups have long complained about anti-Semitic material appearing in the Muslim press. “What makes this even more ironic is the same world that is condemning these cartoons prints anti-Semitic cartoons and publishes The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a forged document. We’ve reached a point where responsible leaders of Islam really have to speak out and condemn these attacks, these violent demonstrations, and these burnings — even while they may criticize the printing of these cartoons.”

Etzion Neuer, NJ regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said his organization found some of the cartoons” troubling,” but he too defended the freedom of the press as a “cornerstone of democracy.”

Neuer also pointed out the “despicable and outrageous” anti-Semitic caricatures that appear across the Muslim world. “Arab and Muslim leaders refuse to take any action to prevent anti-Semitism in widely circulated newspapers, many of which are state-sponsored,” Neuer said.

In an editorial, The Star-Ledger criticized the European newspapers for showing “lousy judgment” in publishing the cartoons and inviting the “inevitable response.” It also said that many Arab leaders “show similarly poor judgment when they goad their followers to rabid anti-Western demonstrations and turn a blind eye to rampant anti-Semitism in their own press.”