[2] JVL was inaugurated in July 2017, and Jenny Manson, an activist in Jews for Justice for Palestinians and former Labour councillor, was elected chair.

[5] The launch featured historian and Oxford University professor of international relations Avi Shlaim, former Court of Appeal judge Stephen Sedley, and the Jewish Socialists' Group's David Rosenberg.

[13] JVL's media officer Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi wrote that one of JVL's roles is "to clarify the distinction between Jew, Israeli and Zionist so that people are less likely to fall into antisemitic generalisation when talking about Israel's role in Palestine",[14] to offer "an alternative to the JLM's pro-Israel agenda",[15] and that the JLM does not have "the right to speak as the Jewish Labour Movement on behalf of all Jews in the Labour party".

[40] Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, referred to JVL as "a tiny organisation whose odious views are representative of no-one but themselves".

[42] JVL defended former London mayor Ken Livingstone,[4] supported Jackie Walker,[43][44] who they described as being a victim of a "vituperative campaign ... based on this sliver of quasi-fact",[45] deemed accusations of antisemitism against Moshé Machover as "ill founded",[46][47] opposed and condemned the expulsion of Marc Wadsworth,[48][49] who they said was being "punished in advance of investigation and hearing of the case",[50][51] welcomed the lifting of Derby North MP Chris Williamson's suspension,[52] and called the National Executive Committee's ruling not to endorse him as a Labour candidate for the 2019 United Kingdom general election a "dangerous development for everyone who stands for justice for Palestinians and for democracy and freedom of expression in Britain, including within Labour".

[58] In March, JVL organised a smaller counter-demonstration,[59] attended by around 30 people according to The Independent,[60] at a protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party, held in Parliament Square, London.

In a statement, JVL said it was appalled by an open letter, issued jointly by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, which said to Labour MPs that there was a "repeated institutional failure" to properly address antisemitism.

The organisation responded: "They do not represent us or the great majority of Jews in the party who share Jeremy Corbyn's vision for social justice and fairness.

"[64] In the same month, JVL issued a statement saying they "strongly condemn the Israeli army's violent response to the Land Day demonstration in Gaza, killing 15 Palestinian civilians and wounding hundreds more", and called "for an unconditional end to Israel's inhuman siege of Gaza and its brutal occupation of the West Bank which has destroyed the lives of generations of Palestinians.

It may be manifested in violence; denial of rights; direct, indirect or institutional discrimination; prejudice-based behaviour; or verbal or written statements.

In July, JVL said that Labour's code of conduct "offers a constructive framework for moving forward in this difficult area" and encouraged "free speech on issues to do with Israel and its treatment of the Palestinians, and with Zionism."

[16] JVL contributed to the consultation on Labour's code of conduct by rejecting suggestions that comparisons between Israel and "features of pre-war Nazi Germany" or apartheid-era South Africa were "inherently antisemitic", arguing: "Drawing such parallels can undoubtedly cause offence; but potent historical events and experiences are always key reference points in political debate.

"[75] The JVL's guidelines on antisemitism included the view that "Jews, Israelis and Zionists are separate categories that are too frequently conflated by both supporters and critics of Israel.

[77] JVL also organised and hosted the premiere of the documentary film The Political Lynching of Jackie Walker, from which 200 people were evacuated after a bomb threat.

[78][79] In a statement, the organisation said the film "is an incisive and chilling exposé of attempts to silence critics of Israel, in particular those who support the socialist project of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

A. Epstein, Mike Leigh, Michael Rosen, Avi Shlaim, Gillian Slovo, Annabelle Sreberny, Walter Wolfgang, Peter Buckman, Erica Burman, Keith Burstein, Miriam David, Michael Ellman, Nick Foster, Susan Himmelweit, Selma James, Ann Jungman, Frank Land, Gillian McCall, Helen Pearson, and Ian Saville.

Signatories to JVL's letter included Oxford University professor Avi Shlaim and human rights lawyer Geoffrey Bindman.

[85] In the same month, JVL stated that "pressure was put on organisers" of the Greenbelt Festival, which withdrew an invitation to one of its co-chairs, Leah Levane, to sit on a panel.

[87] Similar venue denying campaigns were mounted against Momentum activist Jackie Walker,[88][89][90] Chris Williamson,[91][92] who was suspended as MP,[93][94] and Labour Against the Witchhunt.

JVL expressed fears that the pledges would silence any criticism of Israel and reverse steps made under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership towards a progressive foreign policy.

[100] In February, the Board of Deputies of British Jews was accused of defending the occupation of Palestine after it condemned the United Nations for listing companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements.

[26] The initiative was supported by the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union, former Labour MP Laura Pidcock, and retired Aslef president Tosh McDonald, among others.

[109] In August, in response to David Evans, the general secretary of the Labour Party, ordering Labour branches and the Constituency Labour Party not to discuss investigations into antisemitism, a related libel settlement and the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism, JVL said "there is nothing illegitimate" in members seeking to debate the differing views that are widespread at all levels of the party, and called Evans "to withdraw this draconian attempt to silence the membership by forbidding legitimate and necessary debate on important matters of concern to us all".