The ten biggest Jewish Chronicle stories of 2017

10. Spurs and the Jews: the how, the why and the when

This exclusive extract from a history of Tottenham Hotspur was actually published on the JC towards the end of 2016 but has retained readers’ interest all year.

The article explained how the North London club established its deep and abiding links with the UK’s Jewish community.

9. Van attack outside kosher restaurant in Barcelona

August saw an islamist-inspired terror attack in Barcelona. The culprit, later revealed to be 22-year-old Moroccan Younes Abouyaaqoub, was later shot by Spanish police after a five-day manhunt.

8. Meet my secret ex: shock jock Howard Stern

An entertaining case of mistaken identity described by JC Features editor Keren David kept readers chuckling through July.

7. Sarah Halimi: Beaten, tortured and killed — yet France turned a blind eye

Michel Gurfinkiel’s forensic examination of an horrific murder in Paris earlier in the year made for bleak, but essential, reading in August.

6. Morrissey: Israel haters are just ‘jealous’ of the country

The former Smiths singer turned part-time controversialist ensured a run in the headlines last month by releasing an album with some unabashedly pro-Zionist songs.

5. If Trump live tweets Jared and Ivanka’s Seder …

A playful piece from Simon Round imagined the Social Media President’s response to being invited to the most important meal of Passover.

4. Anger over 'Star of David' symbol on Labour poster

In April of this year a group of Jeremy Corbyn supporters in Bristol erected a banner showing Magen David earrings on Theresa May "to highlight her relationship with Israel."

Nima Masterson, one of the organisers who put up the banner, told the Bristol Post that the intent was not to be antisemitic. She explained that the earrings were “a tiny element" of the whole banner.

3. Swiss parliament to vote on banning kosher meat imports

A bill was introduced in the Swiss Federal Assembly in August which was intended to make it illegal to import any meat slaughtered in what the law would deem to be an inhumane fashion.

This would have included both kosher and halal meat. In classic Swiss style, the issue was settled with a delicate compromise.

2. Father’s shock as 16-year-old daughter kicked and punched by antisemitic gang

As well as being physically assaulted in this vile attack, 16-year-old Hannah Goldberg was told "Hitler should have killed all you Jews when he had the chance… you should have all been gassed".

Hannah’s father Alex, the Jewish Chaplain at the University of Surrey and Chaplain to Surrey Police, later said in a post on Facebook that he is proud of his daughter, Hannah, “for standing up to sexism, racism and religious abuse,” but “less proud of the police service that I have worked with for over two decades in failing to respond to three girls being attacked and racially abused.”

1. Exclusive: No 10 knew about Patel meetings

This political exclusive by JC editor Stephen Pollard was by far our best-performing story of the year, spreading like wildfire across social media, propelled by Robert Peston, Laura Kuenssberg and Owen Jones.

It revealed that Number 10 had instructed the then Development Secretary Priti Patel not to include her meeting with the Israel foreign ministry official Yuval Rotem in a list of meetings with Israeli officials.

It was a sensational scoop - which was firmly denied by No 10. 

That was the JC's 2017. Be sure to visit the site every day in 2018 for even more scoops, enlightenment and entertainment.