A Brave Stand Against Antisemitism

I love Jay Nordlinger's "Impromptus" columns, and in the last one I read, he praised the great pianist Evgeny Kissin for his brave stand against antisemitism. This is what he wrote:

"Friends, I can’t tell you how unusual this is: A classical musician — a very famous one — has spoken out in behalf of a very unpopular cause: Israel. For a story, go here. I am speaking of Evgeny Kissin, the 38-year-old pianist. He was born and raised in the Soviet Union, and in 2002 became a British citizen. He was a child prodigy. When we first knew him, he played in his red Young Pioneers scarf. He ditched that scarf long ago.
Kissin sent a letter to the BBC — a phenomenally eloquent one — blasting the organization for its 'slander and bias' against Israel. He said that, listening to the BBC, you could hear echoes of 'the old Soviet anti-Zionist propaganda.' When he became a British citizen, he explained, he was 'inspired and proud to belong to the country of Winston Churchill,' whose contempt for anti-Semitism was total. He quoted a Churchill line: 'There is no anti-Semitism in England because we do not consider ourselves more stupid than the Jews.'
A profound comment, to be reflected on.
Anyway, Kissin said that the BBC 'had always been a beacon of light, of truth and objectivity to those of us behind the Iron Curtain, in the ‘Evil Empire.’' Yes, a famous artist actually used the phrase 'Evil Empire,' without irony. Why wouldn’t he? He lived there (and in a privileged position, which is interesting). 'Reaching out to far corners of the world, [the BBC] was the voice of a country which for us was a model of democracy and human rights.' And now? The Beeb has disgraced itself, with scurrilous coverage from the Middle East.
In writing his letter, Kissin stuck his neck out. The classical-music world, like the arts and academia at large, is not exactly friendly toward Israel. An anti-Israel stance is de rigueur and chic. Some musicians — I think I have spoken before about Nigel Kennedy, the British violinist — actually boycott Israel. I wonder whether Kissin will suffer any professional setbacks for his speaking out. He is famous and well-established, yes. But the arts world can be ruthless. I know famous musicians who you might think would be perfectly protected. But they keep mum on certain issues, lest they run into difficulty.
In any case, I bow deep to Kissin, somewhat stunned by his clarity and courage."