1284 - 13th October 2022

The F factor!

care home

of

Israel and Lebanon agree

‘historic’ sea border deal

by Michael Daventry mike@jewishnews.co.uk

Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid this week hailed a new deal to demarcate his country’s sea border with Lebanon as a “historic achievement”.

The nations have reached a deal after months of negotiations brokered by the United States.

It is a landmark moment in relations between countries that have been bitter enemies for decades and are technically still at war.

US President Joe Biden said it “will provide for the development of energy fields for the benefit of both countries, setting the stage for a more stable and prosperous region”. He added: “It is now critical that all parties uphold their commitments and work towards implementation.”

Lapid called it a “historic achievement that will strengthen Israel’s security, inject billions into Israel’s economy, and ensure the stability of our northern border”.

The two leaders also spoke on the phone this week, with Biden thanking Israeli negotiators and telling Lapid: “You are making history.”

The agreement is expected to allow both countries to drill and produce natural gas in their parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Disputed waters between the countries would have a demarcated line and it is understood that Lebanon would be allowed to produce gas from the Qana natural gas field, but pay royalties for any gas extracted from the Israeli side of the line.

A tweet from Lebanese president Michel Aoun’s o ce said it hoped “the agreement on the demarcation will be announced as soon as possible”.

It added: “The final version of the o er satisfies Lebanon, meets its demands and preserves its rights to its natural wealth. President Aoun will hold the necessary consultations on this national issue in preparation for the o cial announcement of the unified national position.”

But despite cautious signs welcoming the deal from Lebanon’s head of state, the leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group was noncommittal.

Hassan Nasrallah said on Tuesday he was waiting for a formal announcement first: “For us, what is important is when the Lebanese o -

cials that represent the Lebanese state say. [If they say] this understanding or agreement will achieve the Lebanese formal demands for the Lebanese government then for us, we are set.”

The Israeli security cabinet met yesterday to discuss the deal after defence minister Benny Gantz asserted that it did not compromise Israel’s security interests. He said during a visit to the Israeli-Lebanese border: “The State of Israel is interested in having a stable and prosperous

Lebanese neighbour. The agreement in discussion is just and positive for both sides.”

Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party, which are leading in the polls ahead of next month’s Knesset election, criticised the agreement, tweeting that Lapid had handed “a huge Israeli gas reserve to Hezbollah, something Netanyahu never agreed to.” But Netanyahu stopped short of saying he would cancel the deal if he is elected after 1 November.

For two nations still at war, this is a triumph

by Michael Daventry mike@jewishnews.co.uk @michaeldaventry

There is a risk of exaggeration when describing this deal, especially after listening to Yair Lapid and Joe Biden calling it “historic”.

Without doubt this is an important agreement to divide resources in the Mediterranean, and it is all the more significant because it is forged between countries still technically at war.

In nearly 75 years of existence, Israel has never had normalised relations with Lebanon. The neighbours have never exchanged ambassadors and Lebanon turns away anyone with an Israeli passport stamp.

The land border between them remains disputed –Israel controls territory that

Lebanon claims as its own –and the presence of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed group, with thousands of rockets pointing south towards cities such as Haifa makes the situation there almost as tense as the frontier with Gaza.

To have come to an agreement amid all this is a remarkable achievement.

But it’s important not to be carried away: this not a peace deal. We are not about to see Lebanon’s president appear alongside leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the next Abraham Accords summit.

What it does do is introduce a fresh topic of debate in an otherwise lacklustre Knesset election campaign. Both Lapid and defence minister Benny Gantz have hailed the agreement; opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu has denounced it.

It’s a di erent story north

of the border. Lebanon is in a protracted economic crisis and struggles even to produce enough electricity for its people. Its political divisions are chronic, thanks in no small part to Hezbollah, which means we won’t see a burgeoning Lebanese gas industry anytime soon.

But if the promise of possible future riches helps to rally Lebanon’s deeply fractured society into solving its deep problems, this deal will be remembered as a triumph.

Health inquiry / Smeeth peerage / Tory quits / MP deselected

NHS to probe Jewish health care concerns

Smeeth is poised to become Labour peer

The campaigner against antisemitism

Ruth Smeeth is to make a return to Westminster after being nominated for a peerage, reports have claimed.

The former Labour MP and senior figure in the Jewish Labour Movement has been named on a list of new political peerages expected to be announced by Downing Street within days.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Smeeth has been nominated by Sir Keir Starmer. Former deputy Labour leader Tom Watson, who also spoke out about antisemitism in the party under Jeremy Corbyn, is also said to be on the list.

There are 15 Tories on the list, drawn up by Boris Johnson, for new peerages. Labour is expected to get eight new members of the Lords.

Sir Michael Hintze, the businessman and Conservative donor, is also reportedly on the former prime minister’s list. He has given £4.7m to the party.

Paul Dacre, the former Daily Mail editor, is also set to become a Tory peer

Former Stoke on Trent North MP Smeeth lost her seat at the 2019 election and has since worked as chief executive of Index on Censorship since.

Hertsmere Tory quits party

A Conservative councillor reprimanded over his involvement in a “negative” election campaign that “may well have encouraged” antisemitism has quit the party.

The NHS has announced it will investigate health inequalities a ecting Jewish communities for the first time, writes Lee Harpin.

It inquiry follows evidence of low immunisations, high Covid-19 rates and higher breast cancer risks in the community. The evidence will be examined through a year-long review commissioned by the NHS Race and Health Observatory.

There are concerns that potential barriers and ‘blind spots’, combined with a lack of understanding of specific needs, are contributing to inadequate healthcare. Dr Habib Naqvi, director of the Race and Health Observatory, said: “Deeper understanding is needed into why inequalities are continuing to persist for the Jewish population. There is clear evidence that culturally sensitive, tailored engagement and commu-

nication, delivered through the correct platforms, can yield positive results with increased access to health services and better health outcomes.

“This work will enable us to take another step towards ensuring healthcare services and interventions do not leave any of our communities behind.”

Prof David Katz, executive chair of the Jewish Medical Association, welcomed the review, saying: “The pandemic not only highlighted inequalities but also demonstrated that for interventions to be e ective they need to be both evidence-based and community-based.” For the review, the observatory will work closely with the NHS Jewish Sta Network.

CORBYNITE SAM TARRY DESELECTED IN ILFORD

A Labour shadow minister who once claimed antisemitism was being exploited to smear Jeremy Corbyn has been deselected as the party’s candidate for Ilford South at the next general election.

Sam Tarry, who previously ran Corbyn’s leadership campaign, was defeated by Redbridge Council leader Jas Athwal, after a tense hustings on Monday evening in front of local party members who voted to oust him.

Ahead of Monday’s vote, one senior Labour o cial had described the selection contest as a “battle for the heart and soul of the party”.

Former trade union ocial and Momentum director Tarry’s deselection was allowed to take place after every local branch in his constituency voted to trigger the full reselection proceedings.

Jewish former MPs such as Luciana Berger, Louise Ellman and Ruth Smeeth –faced calls for their deselection by hard-left activists.

Paul Morris, a Bushey Heath councillor, said he was continuing as an independent due to the length of time an appeal over the decision was taking, adding that this was an “appalling process that has taken an inordinate period to resolve and remains in abeyance”. He and four other Hertsmere Tories were rapped following an investigation by the Conservative Party Central O ce,triggered after the Hertsmere Labour Party accused the Tories of “inciting racial hatred” .

It related to abuse sent to Labour candidate Dan Ozarow, who is Jewish, in the run-up to a by-election in Borehamwood in 2020. He was subjected to taunts –including being labelled a “Jew c***”, a “Nazi”, and told he “lacked a Jewish soul” – after a now deleted 2015 article claimed he had signed a letter defending Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism claims. Morris will now sit as an independent.

Only the hastily called December 2019 election prevented expected deselections from taking place, and allowed candidates from the pro-Corbyn wing, who like Tarry all campaigned in favour of open selection contests for all MPs, to be installed.

Athwal, a strong supporter of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, had been an outspoken critic of Corbyn’s failure on antisemitism, and has built strong links with the Jewish community in the east London borough.

Ironically, Tarry became the first Labour MP to be deselected since 2010, with new leader Starmer bringing in a rule change that made it harder to deselect party representatives.

It followed an ugly culture that developed under Corbyn’s leadership in which MPs not seen as supportive of the former leader – including

antisemitism, and an culture that developed ship in which MPs not

Athwal, a close ally of shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, had been controversially blocked from standing as the Ilford South candidate ahead of the 2019 election, in what many alleged was a “stitch-up” led groups by Momentum to favour Tarry and the proCorbyn wing of the party.

The review will look at evidence of low immunisations, high Covid rates and higher breast cancer risks

News / Bus attack bounty

£30k reward to catch yobs who abused Jewish children after police end search

by Lee Harpin

A five-figure sum – put up by Jewish News, Jewish Chronicle and Campaign Against Antisemitism – is being o ered as a reward for anyone with information that helps convict antisemitic thugs who abused a busload of Jewish children in Oxford Street last year.

The £30,000 bounty was issued after it was understood police had ended their investigation into the sickening incident that took place during Chanukah.

At the end of November, three young men approached a bus carrying young Jewish passengers out celebrating Chanukah in central London. One is alleged to have made a Nazi salute, others were reported to have sworn at passengers, spat at the bus, and banged its side with their shoes, which is considered a serious insult in some Muslim countries.

Announcing its unusual decision to team up with two Jewish newspapers to o er a financial reward for information, Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said the abuse directed at passengers was racially motivated and “shocking”.

Despite the incident having taken place on one of Britain’s busiest and most surveilled streets –and despite three appeals – the Met told Jewish News it had abandoned its search in July.

“On 29 November 2021, o cers responded to calls about antisemitic abuse being directed at passengers on a private bus in Oxford Street,” it said. “The bus left the scene to avoid further confrontation and o cers met it nearby. The suspects also left the area and could not be located. Footage was shared on social media and we issued an appeal for anyone who recognised those involved to come forward.

“Two further appeals including photographs of people said to have been involved, were issued. The only names provided in response to those appeals have been eliminated from our enquiries. The identity of those involved is still unknown. A decision was taken in July to close the case.”

However, new Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley insisted on Wednesday that his o cers were “still trying to identify” the people responsible for the incident – despite his own press o ce confirming the case was closed.

Sir Mark Rowley

It added that “hate crime of any kind is unacceptable” and that “should new information come to light that provides a realistic line of enquiry, we will of course be willing to carry out further investigation”.

Speaking to the London Assembly’s police and crime committee on Wednesday, Rowley said it was “inaccurate” to report that the probe into the attack on had been shelved. He was responding to concerns raised by Hammersmith and Fulham assembly Tony Devenish, who referenced last week’s Jewish News report revealing the Metropolitan Police press bureau had issued a statement stating that a “decision was taken in July to close the case”. Devenish asked the commissioner about the decision taken to drop the investigation, adding “a lot of people are upset about that” and called for action to “reassure the Jewish community about antisemitism.” Rowley, who took over from Cressida Dick in the role last month, responded by saying: “Antisemitism is unacceptable” before adding “and that reporting is inaccurate, as I

understand it.” He continued: “We have some images on that case and we are still trying to identify the people who were guilty of that.”

Rowley’s confirmation that police were continuing the investigation had initially been welcomed by Andrew Gilbert, co-chair of the London Jewish Forum (LJF) and a member of the London Jewish Police Forum (LJPF). He added he would “urgently ask the Met to go forward with a renewed attempt to identify the perpetrators by using Crimestoppers with a reward or by any other way they choose.”

However, as Jewish News went to press last night, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police’s press bureau stepped in to correct the new commissioner, saying: “The article you published was correct.

The case was indeed closed in July. The commissioner’s briefing note for his appearance this morning wasn’t as clear as it could have been on this point. We have raised this at our end and obviously regret it was suggested your reporting wasn’t accurate.”

A CAA spokesman said: “Despite the video going viral and all the resources at its disposal, police have failed to make any arrests. If even high-profile hate crimes such as these are not solved and the perpetrators brought to justice, what hope do the many other antisemitic crimes against

Jews have of being satisfactorily investigated?”

Reward payable upon CAA determining, at its discretion, that there has been a successful conviction as a result of information you provided, and only after the deadline to appeal such a conviction has passed. If you contact police directly and do not also contact CAA, you may be ineligible for the reward, given CAA may be unable to contact you or determine that it was your information that led to the conviction. For full terms see antisemitism.org/terms

Despite video of last November’s attack going viral on social media, police have been unable to identify any of these men

Main images: CCTV of the men abusing the bus passengers. Above: A Campaign Against Antisemitism protest at the BBC’s coverage of the attack

Welby ‘concern’ over embassy

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has expressed concerns about the impact of any move to transfer the UK’s embassy to Jerusalem in advance of a peace deal with the Palestinians, writes Justin Cohen.

Lambeth Palace joined a growing chorus of political parties and faith leaders raising reservations in recent days, after Liz Truss announced during the Tory leadership campaign that she would “review” a move.

The prime minister told Conservative Friends of Israel at the time she understood the sensitivities around the embassy’s current location in Tel Aviv and the review would aim to ensure bilateral ties were on the strongest possible footing.

But further debate was sparked – not least within the Jewish community – after Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl threw her weight behind a move.

A spokesperson for Lambeth Palace told Jewish News: “The Archbishop is concerned about the impact of moving the British

Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem before a negotiated settlement between Palestinians and Israelis has been reached. He is in touch with Christian leaders in the Holy Land and continues to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

The intervention came one day after the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, expressed “profound concerns” about the review. So did Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Lib Dem foreign a airs spokesperson Layla Moran said the move would be a “provocation”, adding: “The UK should under no circumstances be taking steps which risk inflaming tensions and damaging the prospects of peace.”

Former Foreign Secretary William Hague said that such a move would be a “breach of UN security council resolutions by one of its permanent members” and “break a commitment to work for two states”.

Labour opposes Jerusalem shift

Labour has confirmed it would oppose moving the UK embassy to Jerusalem, writes Lee Harpin

A spokesperson for shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said the party’s position on the issue had not changed: “We do

not want the move to happen and we will oppose it.”

SNP foreign a airs spokesperson Alyn Smith also condemned Truss’s pledge to “review” the matter, saying it was “inconsistent with inter-

national law and does nothing to help bring about a peaceful two-state solution”.

The issue has divided the community since it was raised by Truss, and backed by the Conservative Friends of Israel

group, during her leadership campaign.

Many fear a move would serve only to heighten tensions with the Palestinians, and should be completed only after a settlement has been achieved.

REFORM: THIS RISKS PEACE

Reform Judaism has also issued a warning to the government in the embassy debate, saying taking such action “might undermine peace in the region”.

The Movement for Reform Judaism, which represents about a quarter of a liated Jews in the UK, stressed it is “unequivocally Zionist” and has a “non-negotiable commitment” to Israel’s security.

But citing “the pursuit of peace” in Israel as “the highest ideal and priority”, it added the “only just a realistic solution” to the Middle East conflict is “two viable states”.

Meanwhile, in response to Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl’s speech at the Conservative Friends of Israel event supporting the government’s proposal, a letter has circulated within the community backing her remarks.

The letter, signed by more than 300 people,

including Board honorary o cer Edwin Shuker, says the signatories “applaud” van der Zyl on her comments. It adds: “We note with dismay that certain groups that are active on the fringes of our community have now launched a politicised campaign criticising your call... such views are the domain of a tiny minority.

“Their ‘arguments’ don’t just run contrary to the views of the vast majority of Jews but are full of internal contradictions and do not withstand close scrutiny.”

From the other side, Jewish News understands that more than 220 people have sent letters to the Board president expressing concern at her speech, while the “pro-peace” organisation Yachad has urged supporters to write directly to van der Zyl as part of a ‘no embassy move’ campaign.

Welby with Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis at the Kotel

Special Report / Syrian child refugees

‘We want to live... there

Richard Ferrer

a

Beside a motorway on the outskirts of Amman, indistinguishable from the surrounding wasteland, is a godforsaken place 50 children call home.

To refugee aid agencies it is nameless –one of dozens of “random camps” dotted between the Jordanian capital and Syrian border, 30 miles north. To those who must live here, stuck in the mud with nowhere else to go, it is called Aishwarya.

Three rows of tents, a water tank and a chemical toilet cover roughly the size of a football pitch. The biggest tent, sleeping around 20, has been made homely with rugs, sofas, pillows and pink plastic flowers wrapped around the steel poles keeping it up.

A tiny television hangs on the far wall, displaying the words ‘No input signal’.

I’m here in late September – weeks before the nights turn cold – with the Jordanian Red Crescent, to see how NGO Magen David Adom UK has joined the international relief e ort to support Syrian refugees.

Its first shipment, 103,000 items ranging from blood pressure tablets to skin infection cream, arrived the previous week. A second delivery is due next month.

We are invited to hand out gifts – school bags and books, pens, pads and toys. The children line up excitedly to receive them. Some o er a fist bump or high five. A few answer questions filtered through an interpreter, who turns fast-paced Arabic into single, simple English sentences. Broken lives in broken English. Everything is broken.

One girl, who is perhaps aged 10, in a baggy white t-shirt, long black skirt and sandals, tells the interpreter: “We came here for the future but now we are stuck. We want to live; there is no life here.” I ask who “we” is – did she arrive with her mother and is her mother still here? What happened to her father? Does she have siblings?... but she’s already walking away – keener on the queue than my questions. Her gift is a school bag. A school bag for a child who doesn’t go to school.

A little boy with skin sores, perhaps caused by poor hygiene, emerges from the

a

refugee camp in

to

world’s

to see how

UK

refugee crisis

Aishwarya is one of numerous ramshackle camps near the Jordan-Syria border

queue proudly holding his new magnetic drawing board. Another girl of similar age, still waiting her turn, has an eye infection that has spread to her cheek. The adults in the camp want to arrange a hospital visit and hope we might help. We have a meeting at the Jordan Red Crescent Society the next day so promise to mention her.

There’s no school transportation so under13s are expected to attend camp lessons run by parents. Only the most enthusiastic are encouraged to learn. Over-14s work the land with the adults to ensure there is food to eat.

There are two meals a day, breakfast at 7am and supper at 8pm, made from vegetables and dairy derivatives.

Camps on private farmland receive electricity, depending on the generosity of the landowner. Those without are forced to divert electricity from lampposts.

Sicknesses change with the season. Heading into autumn, the children are at risk from asthma and bronchitis. Most ailments can be easily treated with paracetamol or common antibiotics but bringing even everyday medicines into the camp is a challenge. Rare genetic abnormalities, due to intermar-

riage, are sometimes seen. The average family has between five and seven children. Child marriage is common.

12-year Syrian civil war

bordering countries – Jordan,

The ongoing 12-year Syrian civil war has caused the world’s worst refugee crisis. Four bordering countries – Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon – now host more than 18 million people in need of constant humanitarian support. The Hashemite Kingdom has 700,000 (half of whom are under the age of 18), comprising seven percent of its total population. And, according to Jordan’s Syrian Refugee A airs Directorate, there’s no hope in sight. “Refugees

will remain refugees

will remain refugees and camps will remain camps,” it recently said.

Without the oil trillions of other Arab states, a struggling economy and 40 percent youth unemployment, Jordan must rely on NGOs such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), International Health Partners, American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) and, since 2020, Magen David Adom UK –which primarily funds Israel’s Red Cross.

youth unemployment, Jordan must

At ANERA’s headquarters in Amman earlier that day, a young sta member – who asked to remain anonymous for reasons that

Handing out gifts (top) to children in Aishwarya camp; and a little boy looks pleased with his magnetic drawing board

Jordanian Red Crescent president Dr Mohammed Al-Hadid

there is no life here’

struggle is that politicians don’t want them to move forward.”

She continues: “Generation Z is less afraid to speak truth to power, especially on social media.

“We are not going to put up with the old systems of control that force us to prove we are not who the other side suspects and fears – be it Jews, Arabs or Syrian refugees here in Jordan. We are burned out by instigating governments who instil hatred.

“Why is it such a big deal to open borders to refugees? Giving people access to what they desperately need shouldn’t be political.

These people need empathy, compassion, citizenship and basic rights.”

The next morning, the ANERA woman’s words still ringing in my ears, I visit the Jordan Red Crescent Society hospital in Amman, where more than 700 operations on child refugees (funded by the Qatari and Kuwaiti red crescents) have been performed so far this year.

Jordan Red Crescent president Dr Mohammed Al-Hadid is immediately asked about the little girl with the eye infection we met in Aishwarya. Can she be helped? “If she needs an operation she will be sent here,” he says. “Thanks to support from red cross societies, including the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, we can perform operations even if patients cannot a ord to pay.

“We have 20 surgeons arriving from Kuwait next month to perform 100 operations on Syrian refugees in the space of four days. If this girl can be identified and diagnosed then, yes, she might be one of those we help.”

soon become clear – describes the process of sending medication into the camps.

“We have sta on site who electronically catalogue every prescription so it goes to the right patient. We’ve begun measuring the impact our medication has on the population’s general health but it’s a long-term project. We’ve just received our biggest sea shipment of medication for chronic illnesses, worth £1.2 millon. This will make a big di erence on the ground in the coming months.”

ANERA also supports refugees socially and economically through education and job creation schemes. “There’s no transportation between the camps and schools so education is poor or non-existent,” the sta members said.

“Refugees must go to Egypt (300 miles away) to get a basic work permit. They cannot get a car, a loan, buy a property or access

skilled jobs, even if they are qualified. It’s pure discrimination.”

Has ANERA faced opposition to its work with MDA UK, a charity funded by British Jews ostensibly for Israel, or for receiving supplies from Israeli medical giant Teva Pharmaceuticals? “We have Christians, Muslims and Jews on our board, which helps navigate some of the political bureaucracy,” she says. “We are proudly apolitical and take neutrality very seriously. Empathy is the driving force of our work.”

Suddenly, she veers o script with a withering attack on the political status quo.

“Poltics, however, does get in the way. We need to remove the vicious cycle of division here in the Middle East. We are victims of politicians who don’t represent our best interests. One of the main reasons refugees



Find out how you can support MDA UK’s crucial work in Jordan by visiting mdauk.org

Left: one of Aishwarya’s largest tents, made homely with rugs and cushions. Below: a baby is cared for in the camp

Syrian refugee Samah Aloshi in Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, near the border with Syria

Philby and the Tel Aviv party

by Lee Harpin lee@jewishnews.co.uk @lmharpin

The left-wing daughter of a Jewish Russian gold tycoon reported her suspicions about the KGB spy Kim Philby to a former MI5 o cer at a 1962 cocktail party in Tel Aviv, newly released files reveal.

Flora Solomon, who went on to become a senior executive at Marks & Spencer, had been a close friend of the man who became known as Britain’s most notorious traitor for nearly three decades.

But she kept the fact that Philby was spying for Moscow a secret for 24 years. She eventually broke the news to Victor Rothschild at the Tel Aviv gathering because she disliked the way her friend had become a staunch anti-Zionist.

Files released by the National Archives confirm that Solomon first learned about Philby’s recruitment by the Soviets in 1938, on his return from reporting on the civil war in Spain for The Times. At a meeting in 1938 in a London restaurant, Philby told her: “I am 100 percent on the Soviet side and I am helping them.”

viewed about the revelation by Rothschild and MI5 o cers Arthur Martin and Peter Wright, also revealed Philby tried to recruit her as a Soviet spy at the same meeting.

prime minister who had been deposed by Lenin.

Files also reveal that Solomon did not wish to betray Philby and kept her secret for so long because she herself was sympathetic to the communist cause until the 1950s.

She changed her mind allegedly in the face of Soviet aggression and the threat of the nuclear bomb.

Martin, however, after he interviewed her formally, said he believed that Solomon’s true reason for betraying Philby was because of the anti-Israel reports he had been writing in The Observer

Solomon, who was later inter-

She turned down the o er of work but remained in contact with Philby, who she said developed a “fixation” with her.

A widow herself, Solomon was having an a air with Alexander Kerensky, the former Russian

Using Solomon’s evidence, an MI6 o cer, Nicholas Elliott, was sent to Beirut to confront Philby, but found his quarry had already fled the country.

The Times and whose book about the Philby a air was adapted by ITV as the drama A Spy Among Friends, now says he believes Solomon’s confession in Tel Aviv was “the moment that cracked the Philby case”.Philby’s grave in Kuntsevo Cemetery, Moscow

Ben Macintyre, who writes for

ROSEN COVID CALL-UP

Former children’s laureate Michael Rosen was among the speakers at a Westminster Abbey service for those who died during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hundreds of bereaved relatives and NHS key workers attended the service, during which church o cials blessed

trees and saplings before they were planted in a living memorial garden on Tuesday.

They will grow at the National Memorial Arboretum in the National Forest at Alrewas, near Lichfield, Sta ordshire.

The hour-long service of prayers, hymns and readings

from guests was led by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle. Rosen, an author and children’s laureate 2007-2009, su ered badly with Covid-19. He was put in a coma and lost his sight in an eye and hearing in an ear as a result of microbleeds in his brain.

Chagall looted by Nazis to go under the hammer

Technicians at Phillips Berkeley Square in central London hang Le Père by Marc Chagall, a portrait of his father painted in 1911, which is to be sold at auction next month, where it is expected to fetch more than £7 million. The work is one of 15 the French government is arranging to restitute for the families and descendants of Jews whose homes were looted by the Nazis.

been deposed by Lenin.

her formally, said he

KGB spy Kim Philby and (inset) remembered on a Soviet stamp

Outrage at Kanye’s ‘Jewish

West, whose social media accounts have been locked, performing in Israel in 2015

Rapper Kanye West has had his Instagram and Twitter accounts locked after posting inflammatory messages about “Jewish people”, writes Lee Harpin.

His Twitter account was locked on Sunday after one of West’s tweets said he was going “death (sic) con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE”. The tweet was subsequently removed because it violated the service’s policies against hate speech.

He wrote in a series of messages: “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE The funny thing is I actually can’t be AntiSe mitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”

A Twitter spokesperson told BuzzFeed News: “The account in question has been locked due to a violation of Twitter’s poli cies.”

West, who now calls himself Ye, had earlier had a conversation with the rapper and producer Sean “Diddy” Combs, who he

then accused of being controlled by Jewish people.

“This ain’t a game,” he wrote to Combs on Instagram. “Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influ ence me.” He captioned the post of the text exchange, “Jesus is Jew”.

Social media company Meta also report edly restricted West’s Instagram account after the rapper’s message to Diddy about being controlled by Jewish people.

The rapper recently sparked anger after wearing a“white lives matter” T-shirt during Paris fashion week.

He also dressed models in the shirt con taining the phrase that the Anti-Defamation League considers a “hate slogan”.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, West claimed that Jared Kushner, the Jewish son-in-law of former United States President Donald Trump, negotiated Middle East peace deals between Israel and Arab states “to make money”.

SCOTTISH CAMPUS SAYS NO TO IHRA

Scottish community leaders have reacted angrily after Aberdeen University rejected adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism in favour of a controversial alternative.

After a two-year consulta tion, the university adopted the Jerusalem Declara tion of Antisemitism (JDA) instead of International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) guidance, claiming the latter impacted on freedom to criticise Israel.

At one meeting of a task force to discuss the definition, JDA supporters cited “recent

high-profile cases which had resulted in academics losing their jobs”, an apparent ref erence to the dismissal of Professor David Miller from Bristol University. Claims IHRA had been “weaponised in the sector” were also raised.

The decision to adopt the JDA definition, which stresses evidence-based criti cism of Israel as a state is not antisemitic, ignored an earlier recommendation by the insti tution’s race definitions task and finish group which pro posed in May 2021 that IHRA should be adopted, according

to a report by Scottish online publication The Ferret

A spokesperson for the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities condemned Aberdeen’s decision to adopt the JDA, saying: “If the critics of the IHRA Definition had taken the trouble to read it, they would see that far from ‘defining antisemitism as any critique of the state of Israel’, it explicitly says the opposite. The second paragraph begins” ‘criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.’”

Charity Tzedek to shut after 32 years

Tzedek – the charity established 32 years ago as the UK Jewish community’s response to extreme poverty –has announced it is closing down.

Miles Webber, the chair, said: “We recognise it is no longer right to ask the Jewish community to choose between di erent global development charities which are all doing great work. For this reason, after serious consideration, we will be closing the curtains on an era. Tzedek will be ceasing operations as a charity e ective immediately.”

The charity’s work had frequently

been praised, including for campaigns such as Live Below the Line, which urged the community to live on £1 a day for a week to experience what it was like for those in poverty.

Thousands were lifted out of poverty each year thanks to Tzedek. The charity worked in partnership with the UK Jewish and global communities to “bring about lasting change in the pursuit of a just world and the alleviation of extreme poverty”.

Webber confirmed in a statement that the Tzedek board were “deeply disappointed by this development”

but said two of the organisation’s flagship programmes will continue thanks to the support and leadership of World Jewish Relief (WJR).

The Chief Rabbi’s Ben Azzai programme, which was delivered by Tzedek, will now be supported by WJR, and Tzedek’s partnership with the Ghana Developing Communities Association will also continue its development work under WJR.

“Our legacy also lives on through our inspiring young alumni who founded Young Social Enterprise, which was incubated at Tzedek and

is now preparing to stand on its own leg,” wrote Webber.

Explaining the decision to close, he said the charity had “witnessed a significant shift in attention away from our work, which builds on steady, sustained change over time, and requires communal commitment to maintain.”

In a message to those who had donated to the charity, he confirmed: “If you have generously agreed to a direct debit or regular standing order, please cancel these at the earliest opportunity. Any funds received after 30 September will be directed to supporting our partners in support of their vital work.”

Liverpool Reform Synagogue members celebrated the 90th birthday of their Emeritus Rabbi Norman Zalud on Yom Kippur.

The Movement for Reform Judaism praised Rabbi Zalud’s “remarkable” career, in which he has been a trained cantor, a prison chaplain, a hospital chaplain and a special needs teacher, to name just a few of his roles.

The synagogue said it was “overwhelmed” to

have welcomed representatives from communities that Rabbi Zalud has previously served, as they joined the celebrations.

The nonagenarian can count stints at Jackson’s Row, Cheshire Reform, Blackpool, Southport, Manchester’s Sha’arei Shalom, as well as Liverpool.

He worked with the Blackpool community for more than 40 years, taught special needs children at Delemere Forest School, served as chaplain to

11 prisons across the north-west, as well as helping patients at Southport and District Hospital

“My personal motto has always been ‘Have prayer book will travel’,” he said, with a smile. “I think I’ve lived up to that. To see so many people who have come from far and wide to celebrate with me has been simply wonderful.”

The Reform Movement wished Rabbi Norman “Ad me’ah ve’esrim’ – may you live until 120!”

Are your savings keeping up with the soaring levels of inflation?

• With the current rate ofinflation at a staggering 10.1%(August 22 CPI Data), savers face theirgreatest threat since 1982

Atthisrate, £100,000 left in a non interest earning bankaccount will havethepurchasing power of less than £62,000 in only 5 years time.

TheBank of England predicts inflation will continue to growthis year, potentially reaching over 13%.

The purchasing power of £100,000 in 5 years time with inflation at 10.1%

£74,927

£61,811

James, Golders

provide you

a managed,tax

investment portfolio thatcan combine growth potential

help protect your savings fromthe impacts ofinflation.

A Tzedek-partnered trip to Ghana, where the charity worked for decades

Honoured: Rabbi Norman Zalud

Sports stars rebuked for ‘racist’ posts

Cricketers Azeem Rafiq and Andrew Gale were among five individuals formally reprimanded by the Cricket Discipline Commission this week for breaching rules with historic social media posts found by the CDC to constitute “racist and discriminatory conduct”.

The decision follows publication by the commission of adjudicator Chris Tickle’s rulings on charges against the players laid by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

These judged Rafiq, Gale, England batter Danni Wyatt, Evelyn Jones and Jack Brooks to have acted in a way “prej udicial to the interests of cricket”.

All the individuals admitted culpa bility, with the CDC adjudicator issuing a formal reprimand in each case.

Rafiq and Gale used antisemitic terms

in unrelated posts that emerged in the aftermath of Rafiq’s accusations of insti tutional racism at Yorkshire, which sent a shockwave through the game last year.

Yorkshire paid six-figure sums to both, settling Rafiq’s employment tribunal and Gale’s unfair dismissal claim.

Rafiq, who expressed contrition for the Facebook messages in question, issued an unreserved apology after the announcement of the disciplinary action.

He tweeted: “This summer, I unequiv ocally accepted a charge from the ECB regarding my antisemitic social media post from 2011. You will hear no com plaint from me about the CDC’s decision.

It is deserved and I fully accept this rep rimand. I want to repeat my apology to the Jewish community.

“I remain ashamed and embarrassed.

I hope I have demonstrated that I am trying to educate myself about the hor rors and prejudice the Jewish commu nity has historically – and continues – to face. I will keep trying and I thank the Jewish community for the forgiveness and kindness shown to me so far.”

The written reasons for Gale’s censure acknowledge his exchange with Leeds United’s then head of media Paul Dews – first reported by Jewish News – was intended to be “humorous rather than offensive” and that he was “unaware” of the offensive meaning of the term ‘Y**’.

England Women’s players Wyatt and Jones, meanwhile, both appeared in a 2013 Instagram post alongside former West Indian player Shanel Daley that featured “fancy dress and blackface” as well as inappropriate captions.

Borehamwood agrees twinning with Israeli town

by Justin Cohen

A formal signing ceremony between Borehamwood and Elstree and Shoham in Israel is due to be held within weeks after the twinning was ratified by the two authorities.

The first such link-up between the UK and Israel for several years is

expected to bring cultural, economic and social benefits to both towns.

The twinning was proposed by Labour’s Jeremy Newmark and Conservative Mayor Sandra Parnell, vice-chair and chair of the council’s international affairs committee.

Parnell this week attended Succot celebrations in Shoham.

The pair said: “This is an incred ibly exciting development for Bore hamwood and Shoham.

“It is a natural partnership that will bring economic growth and other tangible benefits to both towns, particularly in education, sports and culture. It is also a part nership that will deepen the strong

bilateral ties between the UK and Israel.”

Shoham Mayor Eitan Petigro and head of the municipality’s inter national affairs committee Peleg Reshef said: “Elstree and Boreham wood are wonderful places which in many ways are similar to Shoham. I have no doubt that kids, youth and

grown-ups alike from both commu nities will be able to enjoy the fruits of this twinning agreement.”

The first meeting of an advi sory group planning to encourage sporting links between clubs in the two towns met last month. Barnet has been twinned with Ramat Gan for more than two decades.

Azeem Rafiq meets Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert

Exceptional care from a compassionate team

Hendon Hall has been lovingly restored into a luxury care home, boasting exceptional five star style facilities and award-winning care. Transformed from an 18th Century Manor House, featuring a variety of spacious accommodation, options include studios, one bedroom apartments as well as specialist dementia care facilities. We’d love to welcome you into our home to meet the team, our residents and view our luxury facilities.

Why not

us for

Bake Off Open Weekend

FRIDAY 14TH & SATURDAY 15TH

10.30AM - 2.30PM

Open Weekend

SATURDAY 19TH & SUNDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 10.30AM – 2.30PM

Cosy Café

THURSDAY 1ST - THURSDAY 8TH DECEMBER 10.30AM - 3.30PM

Financial Seminar

WEDNESDAY 14TH DECEMBER 11AM - 3PM

For more details contact Rakhee or Andreea on 020 3130 6776 or email enquiries.hendon@signaturesl.co.uk

Manhunt as soldiers killed

A second Israeli soldier died in a shooting in the West Bank on Tuesday as a manhunt continued for the gunman responsible for killing a teenage soldier in East Jerusalem over the weekend, writes Michael Daventry.

The latest shooting happened northwest of the Palestinian city of Nablus, close to the Israeli settlement of Shavei Shomron. Patrol sergeant Ido Baruch, 21, was killed.

The IDF said the soldiers came under fire from a pair of assailants who later fled. Road blocks were put in place on Wednesday in an e ort to track them down.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid said it turned the Succot holiday into a “sad, painful day”, adding: “I send condolences to his family and friends in his brigade. These words cannot express the great sorrow and pain. We will not stop until we catch the killers.”

It came after another drive-by shooting at

Russia this week criticsed Israel

its condemnation of Moscow’s attacks on Ukrainian cities, saying

had failed to do the same for Kyiv’s “terrorist attacks on civilians of Donbass”.

The statement by Russia’s

an East Jerusalem checkpoint claimed the life of 18-year-old Noa Lazar and wounded civilian security guard David Morel, 30.

Israeli security forces have named 22-year-

old Udi Tamimi as a suspect and believe he fled into Shoafat refugee camp.

But a manhunt in the camp and across the wider West Bank had not yielded a result as Jewish News went to press on Wednesday.

Lazar’s death was mourned across the Israeli political establishment. “It was with a broken heart that I received the news of the death of Sergeant Noa Lazar of the Erez Battalion, who was murdered in a shooting attack by a vile terrorist,” Lapid said.

“On my behalf and on behalf of the Government of Israel, I send condolences to her family and friends: there are no words that can ease this terrible loss. We will not rest until we bring these heinous murderers to justice.”

Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “no cure” for heavy grief and that he and his wife shared in the family’s sorrow.

The week’s events marked a wave of vio-

lence between Israelis and Palestinians that have made 2022 the deadliest year in the West Bank since 2015.

A series of nightly IDF raids since the spring has claimed the lives of over 100 Palestinians.

Among them was Mahmoud Mohammad Samoudi, a 12-year-old boy from the Palestinian village of Al-Yamun, who was wounded during an Israeli raid in nearby Jenin last month. He finally succumbed to his wounds on Monday.

The IDF operations began after a spate of attacks by Palestinians earlier this year that saw 19 people killed within in Israel.

embassy in Israel came hours after Prime Minister Yair Lapid denounced the barrage of fatal bombardments across Ukraine. The Israeli leader said these targeted “the civilian population in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine”.

In its comments, the embassy asserted that its attacks were “a high-precision strike on the facilities of military control, communications and energy systems of Ukraine.

“It’s worth noticing, that, unfortunately, Israel chose to stand

silent during eight years of ongoing Ukrainian terrorist attacks on civilians of Donbass, to turn a blind eye to the recent murderous Ukrainian attack on a refugee convoy in the Kharkov region, monstrous murders of civilians by Neo-nazi Azovs

in Kupyansk and other Ukrainian cities, [the] vicious murder of a Russian journalist Darya Dugina, [the] recent Ukrainian terror attack on the Crimean Bridge as well as other numerous horrific and unpunished crimes of the Kyiv regime.”

Suspect: Udai Tamimi

Bravery of the youth in Iran

Many of us will have been moved by the photographs of Ira nian women, young and old, ripping off their headscarves in recent weeks. They are being astonishingly brave – and a lot of them are of school age.

Think of the schoolgirls who were pictured gesturing at a portrait of ayatollahs Khomeini and Khamenei, the two men who have been Iran’s supreme leaders since the 1979 revolu tion. Think of the schoolgirls appearing to heckle a speech by a member of the feared Basij paramilitary force.

These are brave acts because they are instances of open defiance in a country where the authorities are often brutally violent. That was the case, it seems beyond doubt, with Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old ethnic Kurd who died after spending time in police custody.

She had been picked up by the morality police – allegedly for violating in some way the Iranian law requiring all women to cover their hair with a headscarf – and fell into a coma. The authorities say she suffered a heart attack. Her family says she had no underlying health problems and that she was beaten in custody. Since her death nearly a month ago, protests have spread across Iran. Many have been killed; many more have been arrested.

This isn’t the first time people have risen up against the authorities, but one remarkable thing about these protests is that the schoolgirls taking part are barely old enough to remember the last major wave of demonstrations in 2009. But is this a turning point?

So far, the men at the top have responded exactly as those of us who have been observing Iran for years would expect – by blaming Israel. It’s plainly ludicrous to accuse another country of causing Amini’s death, and there’s little to suggest that outsiders have done much to encourage the subsequent rebellion either.

What appears certain is that these protests are a sign of the people’s genuine anger, but are spontaneous and disorganised. It does not appear that there is any individual or group leading them. The answer to whether these protests might lead to real change depends entirely on the Iranians themselves.

Send us your comments

One-sided on Silwan

You claim to support the Jewish community but publish an opinion piece on your website headlined ‘Silwan is invisible, yet in plain view to all of Jeru salem’ by Atira Winchester of the New Israel Fund, without any other opinions to balance it.

It is a perfect example of a one-sided selective political opinion and completely incorrect.

Jews lived in Silwan for thousands of years before Islam existed and Arabs only came from Arabia in recent history. I doubt that there is an Arab building in the neighbour-

hood that is more than 150 years old.

Jews living in the area were ethnically cleansed from there in 1948. Winchester actually uses the term Palestinians but at that time the Palestinians were Jews who lived in Israel, at which time I believe they were in the majority in Silwan (pictured).

What motivates Atira Winchester to write in this manner? Pieces like this only serve, wrongly, to turn the public against Israel and Jews.

Adrian Korsner N20

BLOODMOBILE DEFENCE

Josh Aronson writes that the magnificent gesture by Jewish News of donating a bloodmobile to Israel “isn’t right” because of the “ridiculous rule” that blood donations from British peo ple are prohibited in Israel.

Blood donations from people who lived in the UK between 1980 and 1997 are prohibited because of the possible risk of transmitting the human form of bovine spongiform encepha lopathy, known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD).

As far as I know, the ban also currently applies across Europe and America, although Australia has recently lifted it. A blood mobile will enable hundreds of lives to be saved immediately.

As soon as blood from UK donors is deemed by Israel to be safe, the ban will be lifted.

Kay Bagon, Radlett N20

Support your Jewish community. Support your Jewish News

Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community.

Unlike other Jewish media, we do not charge for content. That won’t change. Because we are charity-owned and free, we rely on advertising to cover our costs. This vital lifeline, which has dropped in recent years, has fallen further due to coronavirus.

Today we’re asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.

For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.

Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.

You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with. 100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity.

Support Jewish News by visiting our donor page at jewishnews.co.uk

HATE CRIME HITS US ALL

Another month arrives, and we have another dreadful hate crime report showing how abuse target ing Jewish people in the UK is on the rise.

The reports from the Commu nity Security Trust make sobering reading forus all, but last week’s Home Office report from police forces in England and Wales was bad news for all faith minorities, not just British Jews. Of course, Jews are among the worst hit, with the report showing a staggering 49 percent increase on the previous year.

Once more we seem to be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Mr S Sonning N3

Jewish media can thrive in post newsprint world

ALEX BRUMMER CITY EDITOR, THE DAILY MAIL & CHAIR OF JEWISH

Less than a decade ago, it looked as if it was all over for printed newspapers as we know them. The rise of social media giants, the BBC’s online output and regional presence and seeming failure of British (and for that matter, American) titles to adapt to new online challenges made it look as if the printed word would su er the same fate as the VCR, CD and county cricket.

Once upon a time in our own community, there was hardly a Jewish household in Britain that didn’t pick up the Jewish Chronicle and feel the need to record the hatches, matches and dispatches in its ‘Social & Personal’ column. When the London Jewish News (now this august outlet Jewish News) was launched, full of all the community happenings you could print and free at your local deli, bus stop or shul, the JC su ered a blow.

In spite of all the challenges from the surging cost of newsprint, distribution

costs and the loss of advertising revenues to the social media giants, there are still ten national newspaper titles on sale in newsagents and supermarkets up and down the land. And in the Jewish community the JC and Jewish News compete for the same advertising and best stories, while other titles including the Jewish Telegraph (in Manchester) nibble around the edges.

How has this adaptation happened? British newspapers have taken the same skills and content developed in print and placed them online.

The creator of Britain’s campaigning and entertaining newspapers was the man known in the trade as ‘The chief’ – Lord Northcli e, founder of the Daily Mail

As new biography by philo-Jewish historian Andrew Roberts recounts, Alfred Harmsworth at the turn of the 20th century was one of the most powerful figures in Britain, controlling 40 percent of the UK press. Having founded the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror, he went on to become proprietor of The Times and the Observer as well.

Arguably he changed the course of British

history too with his constant attacks on Viscount Asquith’s government and its prosecution of World War One, leading to his replacement by Lloyd George and new more aggressive generals.

Roberts also reveals in detail Northcli e’s antisemitism, based partly on the view that Jews were a dominant force in Kaiser’s Germany and as a result British Jews might be less patriotic than other citizens. If Northcli e, Alfred Harmsworth, had lived until the 1930s, he might have held a di erent view.

The reason I mention Northcli e is when the techniques he deployed in the printed word were applied online in this century – they continued to work.

The Daily Mail Online became the biggest newspaper site in the world with its combination of old -fashioned news skills and showbiz and royal gossip.

At the other end of the political spectrum, the Guardian also has gained a big American following. It took Brits at the Wall Street Journal and New York Times to convert American publications to upmarket US online sites. One of the things that has been

learnt from this revolution is that the online editions allow the paper versions to survive, in some form, and indeed prosper on much smaller circulations and in new formats than once seemed possible.

In the Jewish world, Jewish News, by aligning itself online with the Times of Israel and other Jewish publications, is also devising a new strategy.

As well as the online Jewish News updates around the clock, its blogs, podcasts and other digital access points provide the readership and commercial space for a community paper to reach younger and broader audiences.

It means Jewish News is still distributed across London and elsewhere and can create great colour magazines and supplements focusing on homes, kosher foods, kitchens and fashions as well as serious journalism such as editor Richard Ferrer’s excellent interview with Lord Levy in the Rosh Hashanah edition.

The transition to new formats and approaches can be perilous and di cult. But with the right community support, there is no reason why, like our national titles, it should not succeed.

At last, an open platform to share our Jewish story

HANNAH ROSE RESEARCH FELLOW

CENTRE FOR

STUDY OF RADICALISATION

Last week I found myself in the second row of the Royal Court Theatre watching a wonderful actress recount how my family came to the UK and wondering why on earth people care about my story. What I realised throughout Jews. In Their Own Words was not the importance of my story, but the collective power of the storytelling of the Jewish experience in the UK.

In a society where antisemitism flourishes through the social acceptance lent to the practice of blocking Jews out of conversations about us and reflexively mistrusting our concerns, it is all the more valuable Jewish people have been given an open platform.

Not just an open platform, but a two-hour slot where we can be frank, honest and, in a world where the punchiest comeback wins regardless of content, we can take the time to explain ourselves and introduce the nuances and inner conflicts which truly represent us.

A great strength of the play is its ability to tell not just the headline stories but those

of Jewish people going about their everyday activities, jobs and social lives.

Through my work at UJS, I was somewhat used to being included in the “…and others” after a list of high-profile names, but it is the interweaving of all interviewees’ stories which adds colour to the raw data of antisemitism of which we are all increasingly aware.

While the Labour Party has taken productive steps to turn around institutional and structural issues, the experiences of Jewish people involved in antisemitic progressive spaces remain largely unknown. So too do national conversations about antisemitism omit the long-term real-world e ects which sustained antisemitism abuse and bullying can have. In wider progressive spaces, the problem persists and the impacts remain.

This is why I chose to be involved; to share my experiences with a scriptwriter and director who I trusted to honour and highlight Jewish voices. Having only experienced the occasional Twitter pile-on and the odd in-person confrontation, I do not pretend to be the worst hit by this issue. When the storm does come, I pick my battles, lock my Twitter, block every troll and wait for it to pass. I often choose not to speak about the abuse I receive, as I believe that it just doubles the problem. And while I try to be brave and educate and speak out, the second I

❝

IT’S CATHARTIC TO SEE THOUGHTS WE CAN’T QUITE EXPRESS ELOQUENTLY LAID OUT ON STAGE

receive abuse I, and probably most Jews, want nothing more than for it just to go away.

In Jews. In Their Own Words, this is what I discuss; having to make choices about my career, my social media presence, the level of abuse which I can tolerate and the balance which I am forced to build between my Jewish pride and my mental health.

The opportunity to show wider society the absence of blackshirts marching on the streets does not equal the absence of antisemitism. The platform to express the diversity in background and experience of our community, and give an insight into our collective thinking.

I’m grateful for the opportunity this play has given me and other Jews to share our experiences, speak openly, be unafraid of having our words twisted and collectively reach audiences that individually we never would have.

For those very familiar with the issue, it is a cathartic experience to see those thoughts you cannot quite express laid out eloquently on stage by a phenomenally talented cast. For

those who want to learn more, I encourage you to enter with an open mind, and in the knowledge that this play is the product of delicate and very real human experiences.

Poster for the Royal Court Theatre play

Superb care in a settingfamily

Looking for a care home for yourself or a loved one? Then you could do no better than to join us as part of our Springdene family. Unlike other care homes, which are often part of large corporations, we are a family business. And we’re still run by the same family that founded it more than 50 years ago. New residents at Springdene can be sure of a warm reception. All our homes – Spring Grove in Hampstead, Spring Lane in Muswell Hill and Springview in Enfield – are rated as good by the Care Quality Commission.

Residents enjoy hotel-style luxury, with their own spacious room, complete with full en-suite facilities, personal telephone and wi-fi. There are three delicious meals a day, with a varied choice of menus.

And there are lots of regular activities, including quizzes, short stories, art competitions and poetry readings, live-streamed concerts and film-showings on a big screen, as well as walks in delightful gardens. We’ve a great team, o ering wonderful care and everyone is brilliantly looked after.

As our motto says:

The

Hampstead

in comfort, Spring Grove

Cottage

One

is

Road

local shops,

Muswell Hill

the

London, Spring Lane

a short distance from Muswell Hill

Enfield

Opinion

Embassy debate far more complex than first appears

LYN JULIUS CO-FOUNDER,

In the face of opposition from, archbishops, Arab spokesmen and Labour politicians, Liz Truss (backed by Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl) supports moving the British embassy to Jerusalem. The popular argument against this move is that it would be ‘an obstacle to peace’ and legitimise the ‘illegal’ annexation of Arab territory.

Underlying the naysayers’ assumptions is that East Jerusalem is at least as Arab as West Jerusalem is Jewish: Israel is not entitled to claim sovereignty over the whole city. Although sovereignty is not the same as ownership, we are treated to tales of Jewish ‘settlers’ taking over Arab homes in Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah. The only just solution, they claim, is to revert to the status quo ante the 1967 war.

But this is to ignore the fact that the eastern part of Jerusalem only became Jew-free when some 3,000 Jewish inhabitants were ‘ethnically cleansed’ in 1948. Scores of shuls were destroyed and cemeteries desecrated during 19 years of ‘illegal’ Jordanian occupation. The city was reunited in a defensive war – when Israel

responded to a Jordanian attack, recaptured the eastern side of the city and annexed it.

The issue of land ownership in East Jerusalem is far more complex than many imagine. Mount Scopus – the original site of the Hebrew university campus and the Hadassah hospital – remained a Jewish enclave in Jordaniancontrolled territory. Yemenite Jews who had lived in Silwan (Kfar Shiloah) since the 19th century were forced to evacuate their homes in 1938 when the British admitted they could no longer protect them against Arab violence and harassment. Ditto in Hebron, which Jews evacuated after the 1929 massacre.

It is also a little-known fact that hundreds of thousands of Arab squatters in ‘Arab’ East Jerusalem live on Jewish-owned land. The Jewish National Fund bought hundreds of individual parcels of land in and around Jerusalem during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The Shuafat refugee camp is built on JNF land, as is the Kalandia refugee camp, which the UN seized without permission. Other parcels of land in ‘Arab’ East Jerusalem were cut o from their Iraqi and Iranian-Jewish owners after coming under Jordanian rule. In total, 145,976 dunams (one dunam = 1,000 sq metres) of Jewish land is said to have come under Jordanian control. Another 16,684 dunams of Jewish land in the

❝

THE TAKEOVER OF JEWISH HOMES WAS NEVER CONSIDERED AN ‘OBSTACLE TO PEACE’

rural West Bank – including the Gush Etzion settlements, land between Nablus, Jenin and Tulkarm, and in Bethlehem and Hebron – were seized by the Jordanians after 1948.

The Golan Heights are almost universally considered ‘Syrian’ territory and yet the JNF lays claim to 73,974 dunams in southern Syria.

Those who defend ‘Arab’ property rights in Jerusalem ignore the fact that there was an exchange of land and property between Israel and the Arab countries, as well as a population swap between Palestinian and Mizrahi refugees. The latter were thrown out of Arab countries and now form a majority of Israeli Jews.

On the macro-level, and with very few exceptions, no avenue is open for a Jew to get restitution for property seized in Arab countries. It is estimated that Jews expelled from Arab countries as ‘the Jewish minority of

Palestine’ owned some 100,000 sq km of deeded property, equivalent to four or five times the size of the Jewish state. Many cities in the ‘Arab’ Middle East and North Africa had large Jewish populations. Baghdad was a quarter Jewish. When over 90 per cent of Iraq’s Jews left for Israel in 1950 – 51, property seized by the Iraqi government included three hospitals, 19 Jewish schools, 31 synagogues and two cemeteries.

Jerusalem is an exception. After 1967, Jews evicted by the Jordanians in 1948 were presented with the rare opportunity to recover their properties in the Old City and East Jerusalem. A 1970 law enables Jewish owners to sue for restitution. But there is one important caveat: the law protects tenants who pay rent.

Across the Arab world, Jewish property has been abandoned, sequestered or sold well below market value as Jews left in haste or were driven out without compensation.

Those who disapprove of a British embassy in Jerusalem are sanctioning the principle that ‘ethnic cleansing’ is a legitimate way of appropriating property. The Arab world must be Jew-free (Arab states have banished 97 percent of their Jewish population) . The takeover of millions of dollars’ worth of Jewish homes, shops, o ces and property by Arabs has never been considered provocative or an ‘obstacle to peace’.

Quite simply, Carlo was love on four short legs

sofa, my body failed to respond to the brain’s command. It really is quite extraordinary how grief can take control.

Nothing prepares you for the loss of a pet. So few words describe the moment of pure devastation when you realise one of the best friends you will ever have has gone forever.

It has been just over two weeks since we said goodbye to Carlo, our 14-year old miniature dachshund. I received the dreaded phone call at 1:50am. Despite the hour, I had just arrived at the studios, preparing to do a piece on air. It didn’t sink in at first. I managed to do my work pretty much unscathed. I felt a bit numb but that was it. It was only when I arrived back at the family home, surrounded by my parents, Monty, our other sausage dog, and the memories of Carlo that I broke down.

For two days I was inconsolable. The pain, a physical pain, was like having someone place a really heavy object on you, crushing your body beneath it. I couldn’t really hear anything or anyone, I couldn’t really see anything as my eyes were so blurred from crying. Every time I even thought of getting up from the

Our religion constantly teaches us about the importance of family. For me there was no doubt Carlo was a massive part of the Dave household. He was always pleased to see us and he was quite simply love on four short legs. All he ever did was sit by us, keep us company and ensure that at our saddest of times he was there to make sure we were OK. The irony was I don’t recall a sadder time than learning he had left us. Only the memory of him can help us now.

There was never any mistaking Carlo’s

Jewishness. He was one of the first to be at the foot of the table on a Friday night, poised for his weekly treat, a slice of challah. Shabbat dinners will simply never be the same without him looking up longingly, reminding us of this unhealthy tradition.

Of course it’s not just my immediate relatives who are feeling his loss. Monty, our other Miniature Dachshund, has also been a little o -kilter since Carlo’s passing. He occasionally winces by both the front and back door as if, somehow, his adopted brother will come back to him. I hope for his sake he realises sooner rather than later this can never be.

I dare say there will be some who read this who think I can’t be in my right mind even to speak about Carlo as if he were a person. I feel sorry for you if that is the case as you can’t possibly have known the faithfulness of a canine companion and the near-unconditional love given in return. The only caveat I found for that level of a ection was some dog biscuits once in a while.

TREAT –

In summary, I shall never forget the 11 wonderful years we had with Carlo (we adopted him at the age of three, in case you think my maths doesn’t add up). I know I will

keep him in my heart forever and even though he might not be here any more to make the world seem that little bit more bearable I’ll take comfort from simply looking up at the sky and the thought that one day, in the hopefully distant future (PG), he’ll greet me like he used to when my time to join him comes around.

Sleep well, sausage.

WAS

OF

AT TABLE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, POISED FOR HIS

Carlo (right) commuting with brother Monty

A look

Is there an F Factor?! Gorgeous Provence Half-term Ideas

LIFE Inside

Mummy’s the word

Sarah Miller meets the Jewish star of Monster High: the Movie

What do Cleopatra and Queen Esther have in common with a 1,600-yearold mummy? This question might stump some, but for one young actress both female icons provided the perfect inspiration for her latest role – and it’s a ‘dead’ exciting one at that.

American-Jewish actress Jy Prishkulnik is playing Cleo de Nile, a centuries-old teenage mummy in Monster High: The Movie, a High School Musical meets The Addams Family-style liveaction romp based on Mattel’s popular Monster High fashion dolls first launched in 2010.

Released in time for Halloween, the film, directed by Todd Holland, is the first of a two-part reboot of the brand that also includes a forthcoming animation series about the oddly beautiful, but scary dolls.

Ancient and sultry Jy is every bit ‘gore’-geous as the popular high achiever Cleo de Nile, but also somewhat of a mean girl to her fellow classmates. Some suggest that her too-tightly-woven bandages have hardened her heart.

Cleo thinks she has life all wrapped up, until the arrival of Clawdeen (Mila Harris), the half-werewolf, half-human who threatens the very existence of Monster High with her homo sapiens genes, for only those with “true monster hearts” are allowed at the school.

While Cleo is only loosely based on her historical counterpart, Queen Cleopatra, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, researching more into her helped Jy to “fill in the blanks” of her character.

“Cleopatra was not actually Egyptian. For starters, she had no Egyptian blood whatsoever. She was from the Macedonian kingdom in Greece, but she came to Egypt with her family, who stole the throne, and then she eventually came to power,” the bubbly 23-year-old actress enthuses during our chat.

“Cleopatra was also one of the first Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt who actually spoke the language of her people. She learned it so that she would be able to hear their needs and really engage with them in a meaningful way.

“In some ways, she reminds me a lot of Queen Esther, who also came into power and did so much for her people.”

Jy was equally struck by how both Cleopatra’s and Esther’s actions were impacted by being outsiders – Esther as a Jew and Cleopatra as a foreigner.

It’s a message not lost on the young actress, who is a first generation American and the daughter of two immigrant parents. Her father Jake (born as Yakov) is originally from Israel, while her mother, Elizabeth, was brought up Roman Catholic in Italy. Neither was particularly religious, she says, but aged 12 Jy developed an interest in learning more about her Jewishness and discovered a sense of belonging she had not experienced before.

Jy says: “I was born in Brooklyn, New York, but grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where there’s a pretty considerable Jewish community. We didn’t really observe Shabbat, but we would celebrate the major holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah and Pesach. When I was 11, I said to my dad, ‘Shouldn’t I be studying for my bamitzvah?’

“So, every week I would go to temple and I really found a love for the spirituality and the sense of community. Ever since then, I’ve just had a really strong connection with my Judaism and what it means to me.”

Jy’s identity has been strengthened, she says, as a third generation Holocaust survivor. Both her father’s

parents – Isaiah, who escaped from Ukraine and Esther, from Poland –are in their 90s and alive and well in Israel today.

“I think one of the most profound stories my grandmother told me was that she was about three when her family had to flee. Her mother had just gone to the shop and they were faced with this choice to leave and never see her again or wait and potentially be killed.

“They ultimately decided to leave and unfortunately never found out what happened to her. Over the course of the war, my grandmother and her younger sister, Rivka, who was just a baby, were separated. Eventually, now aged eight, my grandmother ended up in Israel and every day she would visit the displacement centres hoping to be reunited with her baby sister.

“One day she saw this little girl and they locked eyes across this crowded room. They had found

each other, but they couldn’t communicate because they didn’t speak the same language - Rivka hadn’t learnt to speak Polish by the time they had left. But they were alive and reunited.”

Having Holocaust survivors in her immediate family has, says Jy, informed her decision to become an actress.

“I get to tell the stories of those who didn’t get to tell their own stories, whether that be in realistic fiction or even complete fantasy,” explains Jy, who moved to Los Angeles at the age of 16 to pursue a career in acting. “The background is what enriches the character, so I just use my own experiences to sort of connect the dots and bring in that sense of realness to whatever film I’m doing.”

There’s certainly far more to Cleo de Nile’s fashionista monster than

Jy Prishkulnik as the ancient mummy Cleo de Nile in the first of a twopart reboot of the Monster High brand

meets the eye, though it goes without saying that Jy definitely enjoyed her time on the colourful set in Vancouver.

“Right away I could tell that it was going to be a great job, because everyone was just so excited to be there. Everyone recognised what a special thing this was to be the first live-action representations of these beloved characters.

“We had two weeks of boot camp, which was just prep – preparing the dances, figuring out all the costumes, getting the wigs cut, doing lots of screen tests and making everything perfect. I do remember showing up on the first day and learning what turned out to be the easiest dance but worrying how I was going to do this in heels! I was terrified.”

For all her initial fears, Jy never tripped over her words – or her heels – and the end result is a delightfully ghoulish film that has a monster message at heart for tweenagers who feel they don’t quite fit in.

“Just like any teenagers, these monsters start o insecure, but eventually learn the biggest lesson of all - being proud of who you are and having confidence in yourself.”



Monster High: The Movie is available to stream on Nickelodeon UK and Paramount Plus

Ghoulish students Clawdeen Wolf, Draculara and Frankie Stein in the film

THE FACTOR

We’re not sure what they put in the Palwins down at Finchley Reform Synagogue (FRS) but it seems to have made the shul a breeding ground for extremely talented Jewish youngsters, with three 17-year-old members shortlisted for national awards in literature and music in recent weeks alone.

ISAAC REUBEN

JCoSS pupil Isaac wrote a 40-minute play called Last Resort that was one of half a dozen shortlisted for the National Theatre’s New Views competition. It received a professional rehearsed reading at the institution and although he didn’t end up winning, he was more than happy to have got that far. The play follows a woman who is in therapy because she has tried to kill herself at a climate protest. “It explores the psychology of grief and the mentality of power,” he says. The NT allocated a director and cast three actors for the rehearsed read-through.

“We spent a full day there. I got to really contribute to the directing process,” says Isaac, who wrote Last Resort after attending a playwriting course at school.

While the mechanics of the play came from class, the idea behind the script came at least in part from Isaac’s civic engagement. He is in one of two Barnet seats on the Youth Parliament, which he describes as “a kind of pressure group that holds conferences, lobbies cabinet, assists in the House of Commons… it’s the political voice for youth in the UK”.

He cites the Youth Parliament’s influence in the introduction of mandatory sex education in schools a few years ago. “At the moment there’s a lot of work around mental and physical health, things like ending conversion therapy, modernising education… things that impact youth.”

What next for Isaac? Could he be the next Howard Jacobson or Harold Pinter? “I am looking at writing further plays,” he says. “I’d like to write a full-length play next. This feels like just the start, to be honest. I’ve learnt that if you develop good characters, they almost end up writing themselves. Also, that dialogue can draw on real people – people who you know.”

What does he think the secret to

a good play is? A long pause. “For me, it’s to get you thinking about something you weren’t already thinking about, to leave you asking questions.” Bravo. Encore!

DORA FIDLER

Dora Fidler is obsessed with notebooks. A self-confessed “big reader”, she was never far from a novel, nor from a notepad, pen to hand. “I’d write random things down. I can still remember some of the storylines,” she says. “I was always reading and always writing. I think if you’ve read lots of books when you’re younger, you probably think it’s quite normal to write a book.”

She’s made a start, as one of five shortlisted candidates for this year’s BBC Young Writers’ Award (YWA) with Cambridge University, chaired by BBC Radio 1’s Katie Thistleton.

Entrants were asked to write a story in up to 1,000 words and Dora wrote The Poltergeist in the style of a diary, about a mysterious knocking heard at the family home. It was voice-recorded, uploaded to Radio 1’s Life Hacks as a 10-minute production, and certainly keeps your interest, exhibiting a daring turn of phrase, such as the alternative aunt who “smells of rosehips and bullsh*t”.

She wrote The Poltergeist without having a competition in mind, and when she heard about the BBC award, she had to cut it down substantially. “That’s when I shared it with my mum,” she recalls.

“It’s really weird sharing your writing for the first time, not just because it’s personal but because it’s entirely yours, unlike acting for instance, where you’re saying someone else’s lines. Thankfully, my mum liked it, so I shared it with my dad, then my grandma, and they all encouraged me to enter.”

A drama, English literature and psychology student at Mill Hill County High School, Dora wants to head to London when she goes to university next year, hopefully to study creative arts and humanities at UCL’s new Stratford campus. Has it made this budding author an o er yet? “No, I still need to write my personal statement,” she says, guiltily. Well, Dora, don’t forget to mention that you got shortlisted for the BBC Young Writers’ Award – it ought to look quite good on paper.

JAREN ZIEGLER

If you’re a classical music fan, remember the name Jaren Ziegler. He cleared a path to the grand final of the BBC’s Young Musician of the

ning the strings final in September, a feat that brought him fame and fortune, as well as a photograph in the Ham & High.

Jaren, who attends University College School, said: “It’s been an ambition of mine just to get on the programme. I auditioned two years ago and didn’t even get past the first hurdle, so this is amazing.”

His mother, Lana, first got him interested in music when he was only two. Then, at the age of six, he picked up a viola and a love a air with the instrument began. “

There are so many gifted Jewish musicians,” he says. “It is a real ambition of mine to make performing a professional career. I think our Jewish communities are encouraged to love music. And we’re brought up with so many

inspiring tunes. It’s got to be a factor.”

Jaren already performs in major cities around the world as a member of the LGT Young Soloists group (sponsored by LGT Private Banking) and has recorded at Abbey Road studios.

He’s a busy young man, with trips to Vienna and Sydney to look forward to in the coming weeks, and argues that the perception of classical music as a relaxing tool is all wrong. “There’s a stereotypical view about classical music, that it’s kind of posh and relaxing, which is completely false in reality. You have to be patient, listen to it closely, and appreciate what it’s all about. I think it should be introduced to young children as a matter of course.”

Year 2022 last Sunday after win-

Dora Fidler

Isaac Reuben

Jaren Zeigler

Autumn sunshine in PROVENCE

Louisa Walters tries to cling on to summer in the home of rosé wine

Every sunny day in October is a jewel to treasure, but if you want to cling on to summer longer, you’ll need to head south. Autumn is mild and long in Provence, in southeastern France, with a kaleide scope of colours lit by the warm sunshine, the wine harvest in full throttle and temperate evenings well into November.

In the Luberon region, an hour’s drive from Marseille airport, long roads traversing verdant countryside eventually narrow into a majestic, sweeping driveway lined with cypress trees. This is the approach to Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa, formerly an 11th century hamlet owned by Cisterian monks. Swiss entrepreneur and cycling enthusiast Andy Rihs bought it and developed it into a unique retreat that opened in 2008. It was extended in 2016 with more rooms and a spa, and five new interconnecting suites are due to open early next year. These will have private access to the spa and are billed as offering an idyllic home away from home. If I had a home this idyllic I’m not sure I’d ever leave it.

The elegant resort is designed like a village, with each of 63 bastides (rooms) having its own front door to the ‘street’. The 100-acre estate is lush with lavender fields, vineyards and even a forest; the tranquillité that settles on your shoulders when you arrive eventually trails down to your toes by the time you leave.

While the older rooms are more country chic and the new ones more modern and earthy, all are pervaded by space, refinement and unbri dled luxury; plus wooden beams, exposed stone and huge beds. A lovely post-Covid touch is that every

guest receives a brand-new goose down pillow, which they can either take home or leave to be donated to a charity.

The day starts with an elegant buffet breakfast; this being France, naturally the bread and pastries are exceptional, but I tried to veer towards fresh omelettes that are cooked in front of you, and the plen tiful choice of cheese, fruit, cereals and yogurt.

Andreas Rihs was a passionate cyclist and established a cycling centre on the property which is highly regarded and makes the resort a destination for many two-wheeled holidays. It offers racing bikes, moun tain bikes, road bikes, electric bikes, children’s bikes and even carriages for the little ones, so that was my hus band sorted for the morning: he set off on a three-hour tour of the estate and nearby villages with a guide, while I made my way to the stunning indoor pool for an aquafit session with a personal trainer. I’m not sure how much the session did for my fitness but it was a good way to practise counting to 20 in French.

There are two magnifi cent outdoor pools too, and after a morning of activity we spent a lazy afternoon by one of them. Cushioned sunloungers are positioned under canopies for shade –you just pull them forward if you want to sunbathe. I love this idea.

As the sun goes down,

dinner is set up on a terrace under a pretty, leaf-lined canopy at Les Vignes, where local produce and vegetables from the estate are used to create beautiful Provençal Medi terranean dishes. Executive chef Thierry Enderlin has worked here for six years. He came to Coquillade after working all over the world and the knowledge and skills he acquired have reaped huge rewards for guests. Overlooking the pool is an authentic Italian restaurant, La Cipressa, where the antipasti and dessert buffets are reminiscent of those I used to see in Italian hotels when I was younger – and the truffle pizza I had there was absolutely everything a pizza should be. In low season not all restaurants are open every day, but there is an Asian menu available every day at lunchtime in the Lalique bar/lounge and on its terrace. It is very unusual to get this type of food in Provence and really marks out Coquillade as somewhere unique. The dishes are light and fresh and just the thing for the middle of the day when you know what treats await in the evening.

The sun was late to show its face on our second day, so we holed up in the spa. The list of what’s available here would fill the whole of this page but of particular note was incredibly well-equipped changing rooms and the truly personal attention of all the staff. A sauna, hammam steambath, relaxation room and herbal tearoom are just some of what we used and we both enjoyed the decadent pam pering of a couple’s full body scrub followed by massage, plus a facial.

Wine growers have been pro ducing in this region since the 13th century. We visited the estate’s Aureto (meaning ‘light breeze’) winery, where we did a tasting and savoured a range of superb cheeses with rustic bread. Aureto wines are served all over the hotel, and the rosé, of course, is exceptionally good.

Guests have use of the hotel’s tiny Smart car, so went on a little adven ture to Roussillon, just 15 minutes

JEWISH PROVENCE

away, famous for the ochre stone in glorious shades of deep orange only found in this part of Provence. We wandered through the pretty village with its plethora of boutiques, art galleries and cafes, plus views of the dramatic Wild West-type landscape from every street corner.

As we head into autumn proper, venturing deep into the countryside of Provence could be just the way to stop those summer days drifting away. Rooms at Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa start at £650 a night including a welcome gift, a selection of the minibar, breakfast, access to the spa, fitness classes, and access to the Aureto Winery throughout your stay.

France has the largest Jewish population in Europe and the third largest in the world, after Israel and the United States. Paris is the centre of Jewish life in France today, but for many centuries, that centre was Provence. In the Middle Ages, waves of expulsions swept across Europe, and Jews were forced to either convert to Christianity or leave. The Catholic Church had long-held territory in southern France, mainly in Avignon, where Jews lived in relative freedom under the Pope’s protection. Known as Les Juifs du Pape (the Pope’s Jews), they built thriving communities and there even emerged a new dialect, shuadit, a mix of Hebrew and Provençal. Antisemitism, however, reared its ugly head and, over time, the Pope’s Jews were subjected to more restrictions. Eventually, they were allowed to live in only four cities – Avignon, Carpentras, Cavaillon and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue – in small ghettos with gates that locked them in at night. After the French Revolution, Jews were granted full citizenship and started to move to other parts of France.

Avignon Synagogue, built in 1846 on the site of the 13th-century original, holds services daily. Next door is a matzah bakery. Nearby is the site of the old ghetto, marked by Rue Juiverie (Jewish Street).

Carpentras synagogue, built in 1343, is the oldest in France that still holds services. In the basement there are the remains of an ancient mikveh and matzah bakery. Outside the town is a Jewish cemetery dating to the 14th century.

Cavaillon Synagogue has a beautiful interior but is no longer active. It hosts the Musée Judéo-Comtadin, with remnants of a matzah bakery and other his torical artefacts.

Les Vignes

JN Junior

The big question

Genius Jenna says: Budding builders and determined designers take note. This month is an important one for architects (professionals who plan and design buildings). Some of us might be junior architects this week, helping to create a succah for the festival of Succot.

A succah is a similar to a hut, topped with branches and often decorated with harvest or Jewish themes. A succah is used for eating in, spending time with friends and family in, and even sleeping in! And next week (18 October), the Architect of the Year will be crowned in London, organised by Building Design. Buildings can reveal a lot about the history of an area, and some look really impressive. I love the Shard in London, with its 11,000 glass panels. The Shard was the vision of the late Jewish property developer Irvine Sellar. Other Jewish people responsible for amazing buildings are Daniel Libeskind, known for the Jewish Museum in Berlin, and David Marks, known for the London Eye, the British Airways i360 tower in Brighton and the Treetop Walkway at Kew Gardens.

Showman, age seven, London

I loved visiting the CN Tower in Toronto – the tallest building in the western hemisphere. When we got to the revolving restaurant near the top, we couldn’t see anything at first because it was cloudy. But soon after, I got a great view of the city. The best parts were watching planes landing at a nearby airport, and looking through the glass floor. I couldn’t believe how far away the ground was!

Good news for...

… ospreys! A pair of osprey chicks have been bred for the first time in the UK for hundreds of years. Ospreys have generally been considered extinct in England since the 1800s, so the birth of the chicks on the Bolton Estate in north Yorkshire is cause for celebration and signifies a resurgence of the bird of prey, as the osprey is recovering across several areas of the country. Ospreys are now found breeding in Cumbria, Northumberland, and north and west Wales, and a trust is now trying to reintroduce them to East Anglia as well.

New Book

Children’s author Alison Grunwald has written the latest instalment in her popular Whatever Next, Grandma! series.

Aimed at children aged 6-9, Grandma Gets a Bump on the Head follows the adventures of Grandma, who sustains an egg-sized bump on the head, which leads to a confusing trip to the supermarket when her words come out backwards! Alison, a grandmother of eight, says: “In this story, Grandma is at her most birdbrained, and unaware of her startling effect on everyone she talks to. Not surprisingly, this doesn’t prevent her from being bossy and demanding. Gertrude, her faithful black and white cat, meanwhile, is doing a brilliant job scaring away the pigeons partying in Grandma’s garden. She’s had a fantastic idea: if only their brains could swap over, then Grandma would be a genius – and Gertrude would get some peace and quiet. But with another six Grandma and Gertrude adventures in the pipeline, I can’t make any promises.”

Alison, who is married to Henry Grunwald, president of World Jewish Relief for 46 years, is a former radio journalist, counsellor and teaching assistant. She wrote her first Whatever Next, Grandma book in July 2020, and quickly wrote 11 more stories, which she says were a wonderful respite from concerns about the Covid pandemic.

Grandma Gets a Bump on the Head is published by Blue Robin Press and

Five things to enjoy this month:

Literary Festival at the Southbank Head to the Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival for a free programme of family activities, including a doodling session with illustrator Tom Gates and author Liz Pichon. There’s something for all ages. 20-30 October. southbankcentre.co.uk

Dinosaur World Live

Dare to experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family, followed by a meet and greet opportunity. 1-3 November. radlettcentre.co.uk

Mexican Family Fiesta at Kew Gardens

Enjoy the vibrancy of Mexican culture this halfterm at Kew Gardens. Activities include dress-up stations, carnival dance workshops, parades and art installations. 22-31 October. kew.org

Hocus Pocus for Halloween

The Disney film Hocus Pocus (rated PG) will be presented live in concert in London later this month: 26 October at the Eventim Apollo. disneytickets.co.uk/eventim.co.uk

5Harry Kane at the Museum of London Spurs supporters can still head to the Museum of London for a display celebrating Harry Kane, the Tottenham Hotspur striker and England captain. museumoflondon.org.uk

your favourite building and why?

for laughs!

of Jewish building is

of

Ivor Baddiel

Alison

Business

Sonhaus

AFFORDABLE

High-end holiday homes that would fit in well on TV’s SellingSunsethave just become a whole lot more accessible, thanks to a new, luxury second-homes business.

Sonhaus, founded by former Rothschild financier Jacob Lyons, is revolutionising the second homes market by giving buyers the opportunity to co-own a multi-million-euro luxury home at a fraction of the price of full ownership. The fractional ownership busi ness model means that up to eight owners can share the investment of the property – and a Sonhaus-developed algorithm ensures that every owner can visit on the dates they want.

The properties, kitted out with Restoration Hardware furniture and products by Tech nogym, Bang & Olufsen and Gaggenau, are in some of Europe’s most desirable second-home markets including Marbella, Mykonos, Ibiza, the Algarve and Mallorca. Each is fully main tained and managed by Sonhaus – a traditional

pain point of owning a second home, says Lyons, who launched Sonhaus this year as an antidote to the challenges experienced by friends with high-end properties in second-home markets.

Lyons explains: “Sonhaus set out to trans form the second-home market by tackling the greatest challenges to owning a luxury second home: the high upfront cost and the ongoing cost and hassle of management and mainte nance, yet with all of the benefits of owing a tangible asset.

“We realised that most second homeowners neither can nor wish to spend more than a small fraction of a year in their properties. By sizing the upfront investment and management costs of a home directly to the use of that home, buyers can afford to own a home that perfectly suits their needs and yet is beyond their wildest dreams. Administration and maintenance are taken care of by our on-site team, year-round. Homeowners can simply turn up and enjoy their villas as and when they wish.”

The company recently signed a distribution partnership with American real estate firm The Agency, founded by Mauricio Umansky, with well-known The Agency partners David Parnes and James Harris, of TV’s Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles, representing Sonhaus. Sonhaus is now looking for partners in the UK to market its properties. Big commissions are on offer.

The fractional second-home market is worth more than €500bn in Europe alone, according to Sonhaus data. This is expected to increase as people opt for homes over hotels.

“An increasing number of people are being priced out of hotels and holiday rentals,” says Jamie Shalson-Marshall, the company’s head of commercial and agency relations. “For large families that need multiple rooms, hotels become super-expensive, and then there’s the

issue of availability and securing the rooms you want for the dates that you want.”

Covid has created a rise in remote working, and ‘workations’, as people extend their trips and realise the idea of working from anywhere.

Shalson-Marshall is predicting a workfrom-holiday-home trend (cue WFHH). He is already seeing more corporates buying fractional ownerships of luxury holiday homes as an employee incentive. “Bloomberg or Face book will pick up three fractions and staff can use it as a ‘work from holiday perk’. I predict that this will become mainstream.”

Lyons formed Sonhaus in 2021, turning an early career in mergers and acquisitions at Rothschild Bank into a career as one of Europe’s foremost experts in real estate acqui sition, structuring and financing. In 2004, he co-founded the Rivercrown Group, buying and exiting real estate companies and portfolios with an aggregate value of several billion euros.

Lyons teamed with Shalson-Marshall during Covid. Having worked in recruitment for over a decade, Shalson-Marshall had “had enough” and decided to try his luck as a real estate agent. “I started letter-dropping and popped one in to Jacob to try and sell his house. He got in touch with me – it was a case of right place, right time.

“And now I can honestly say I have the best job in the world. I am travelling around top-tier locations, seeing the best villas and meeting with the best agents. What could be better?”

When he is not travelling, Shalson-Marshall mentors and offers careers advice to under-priv ileged teenagers. He is a supporter of Chabad globally and attends St John’s Wood Synagogue. Lyons is a board member of Western Marble Arch shul and his charitable interests include PJ Library, the Israel British Alliance, Chabad and the Stamford Hill Soup Kitchen.

Lyons (seated) and Jamie Shalson-Marshall

Some of Sonhaus’ second-home properties

MAKING SENSE OF THE SEDRA

REBBETZEN ILANA EPSTEIN

MARBLE ARCH SYNAGOGUE

Life is a journey

Usually in life we celebrate the achievement, the graduation, the election win, the paying of the mortgage. It’s rare to celebrate while in the middle of a degree, while on the campaign trail, or while making the monthly repayments. Yet Sukkot is just that: a celebration of the journey.

On Shabbat Chol Ha’moed Sukkot, we will read from two Sefer Torahs. In the first Sefer Torah we will read from Exodus 33. It’s a really interesting place to start a story.

We meet Moses just after he has witnessed the Children of Israel

sinning with the Golden Calf. He has smashed the first set of tablets, the wrongdoers have been punished and Moses has interceded with God on behalf of the people. We enter the story as Moses is climbing up Mount Sinai again to plead the case for the Children of Israel. Moses asks God to rea rm that he remains close to the people, and that this latest episode has not caused Him to finally walk away. Moses asks God the unthinkable: that God show his face to Moses.

God responds: “You will see My back but My face may not be seen.”

In Rabbi Sacks’ words, this is “a metaphorical way of saying that only in retrospect do we see the presence of God. We live life forward but understand it only backwards.”

We then read of Moses inscribing the second set of tablets and we read

of the three main holidays and of the injunction of mixing meat and milk.

One may think it strange to go from raging anger to setting up a schedule to dietary laws, but if we understand Sukkot for what it is – the celebration of the journey – this all makes sense.

While Pesach celebrates our leaving Egypt, and Shavuot celebrates the receiving of the Torah, Sukkot does not celebrate us entering the Promised Land. In fact, we don’t have a biblical holiday that does celebrate that. Rather, Sukkot celebrates our journey in the desert. Is a journey worth celebrating? This one was.

We were in the desert for 40 years, and during that time, though we did a fair bit of complaining, by and large we were protected during the day by clouds and at night by pillars of fire. Food was literally manna from

PROMOTED CONTENT

heaven. And all we had to do was have faith. Faith that, step after step, we would be looked after and protected.

When we sit in our sukkahs in 2022, we celebrate that we are still on the journey. Had we celebrated the end of the journey, then perhaps

we would have expected perfection, but we are not there yet. For now, the journey continues but, as we are told in the Torah, it is a joy-filled journey –Sukkot is known as zman simchateinu – the season of our happiness. Because a good journey is a joyful thing.

Give the Gift of Limmud this Chanukah

By Adam Rossano Limmud Executive Director

Ok, it may feel a little early to be thinking about Chanukah presents but if the supermarkets can start playing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” immediately after Halloween, surely we can start to look ahead to Chanukah now we’re on the other side of Yom Kippur!

For more than 40 years, Limmud volunteers have been organising unique gatherings that celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of Jewish life. Limmud promises to take you one step further on your Jewish journey, wherever you find yourself and whatever that should be for you. The flagship Limmud Festival is back in person in Birmingham this December for the first time since 2019 and will be a five day immersion into Jewish learning, music, dance, film, history, ritual and so much more. Participants choose their own adventure from a programme offering hundreds of varied sessions, while also socialising and connecting with other participants people they may not otherwise cross paths with, of all ages, backgrounds and identities, from every denomination and none, coming from across the UK and around the world. At Limmud Festival, everyone is equal we

are all students and anyone can be a teacher. Sessions are offered by world renowned experts as well as everyday creatives, hobbyists and lifelong learners.

Like many organisations, Limmud pivoted to the online space during the pandemic and held several successful virtual events, bringing Jewish learning to the homes of around 5,000 participants. We’re proud of what our volunteers created during the pandemic, and yet nothing can replace the quality of the in person experience. I’m excited about the fantastic programme of sessions offered at Limmud Festival this

year, and equally excited about the magic that will happen in between sessions. The lively conversations at the bar, the Jewish geography in the queue for lunch, the shared panic over how to choose between three amazing session options in the next slot, the debate that continues long after the session ended, the collective light of hundreds of Chanukah candles, the feeling you get when you find yourself dancing the night away in a room where you were learning a Talmudic story not two hours earlier these moments are what it’s all about. Being in community together, encountering difference and broadening

our horizons. These are the moments we’ve missed out on over the last few years and I can’t wait to be back.

Limmud Festival will take place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole from 23 to 28 December. Super Early Bird pricing is only available until 19 October so book today to access the lowest price available. Visit www.limmud.org/festival to learn more. To receive 5% off, use this discount code when booking: 3AKPWP

We are committed to making Limmud Festival affordable the price should not be a barrier to anyone wishing to participate, especially in these challenging times of economic instability. Volunteers that sign up as Festival Makers and give a few hours a day to helping run Festival receive a 50% discount, as well as the pride that comes from joining the team making Festival happen. Bursaries are also available and handled in confidence to ensure you only pay what you can afford. Ask this question over your Shabbat dinner table this week: Will Limmud Festival be the place you, your family and friends spend Chanukah this year, taking the next steps on your Jewish journeys? I truly hope to see you there.

our thought-provoking series, rabbis, rebbetzins and educators relate the week’s parsha to the way we live today

Chanukah at Limmud Festival

Sukkot celebrates a good journey, during which all we needed was faith

Progressive

LEAP OF FAITH

BY RABBI DEBORAH BLAUSTEN FINCHLEY REFORM SYNAGOGUE

is for living

Life is transient, unstable and genuinely difficult. How can we find purpose and meaning, maybe even joy, against this backdrop? This is the question asked by the author of Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) in the megillah we read during the festival of Sukkot.

If you do one thing this Sukkot, read Kohelet. Kohelet tells of how he set out to pursue the things in life that he thought would bring him happiness. When he accumulated and achieved all he had set out for, he found himself deeply unsettled and disturbed by the futility of it all. Kohelet feels despondent about how ephemeral even those things that so many aspire to turned out to be. We’re mortal, objects are breakable, everything is fleeting.

Judaism is a future-oriented tradition. Our texts are deeply focused on our descendants and on bringing a di erent world into being. Kohelet is a momentary antidote to our future obses-

sion. He knows that instability and fear about the future can be paralysing. He’s also learnt the hard way that focusing on what you don’t have can seed deep feelings of inadequacy, and that so much of social interest in achievement and accumulation is about projection and imagination rather than reality. Reading Kohelet’s slightly moody musings o ers counterbalance to the weight of the world on our shoulders.

Rabbi Harold Kushner writes of Kohelet’s message: “Instead of brooding over the fact nothing lasts, [Kohelet says] accept that as one of the truths of life and find meaning and purpose in the transitory, in the joys that fade. Learn to savour the moment. Learn to savour it because it is only a moment and will not last.”

Yom Kippur took us to a place where we sat heavily with the gravity of every action we take in the world; Sukkot brings a di erent energy. During Sukkot we’re reminded that we can’t live our lives only through earnest and detached contemplation, sitting in white and fasting, removed from the world. We also have to savour and embrace the experience of living, and we

have to understand that it’s the ups and downs of life that create the texture of our experiences, that make it real.

Life is precious because it is finite. Sukkot pulls us back down to earth and impels us to understand that, and to live it well.

Antiques Buyers

Antiques

furniture

Bedroom Suites. Chests of drawers.

Cocktail Cabinets. Furniture by Hille.

Archie shine. G plan etc in Walnut. Mahogany. Teak

Rosewood.

Jewellery.

A stimulating series where our progressive rabbis consider how Biblical figures might act when faced with 21st-century issues

During

Professional advice from our panel / Ask Our Experts

Ask our

Our trusty team of advisers answers your questions about everything from law and finance to dating and dentistry.

This week: Negotiating private health cover, dealing with a laptop that’s full up, and advice on setting up a broking service

GEE

past two years that AXA has been incredibly sympathetic. Do also look at the outpatient cover.

AS COMFORTING AS A

OF

Dear Trevor

I am desperate to maintain personal health cover bearing in mind the waiting times for NHS treatment. With rising costs of living, what would you advise my family to do to reduce our premiums? Rochelle

Dear Rochelle

Phew! This is the most relevant question today, so let us go through your options. First, and only if financially possible, do everything to maintain private health cover since the NHS is not necessarily accessible.

Also, request a discount from the insurer. Explain that you wish to continue your plan, but that other costs are causing you to reconsider.

All insurers have a discretion, with some being much better than others. I have found in the

One client I advised this week realised it was more economic to have £0 outpatient cover, since paying for a low limit was disproportionately expensive, since even at the £0 level, with Aviva, they still maintained their MRI/ CAT/Pet scans cover.

Hospital lists are a personal choice, but the less costly countywide lists from insurers such as Freedom, Aviva, Vitality, AXA still include some of the central London units. So, consider whether the extra ones are worth the extra expense.

Savings may also be achieved by looking at placing family members on separate plans, which can reduce the premium significantly, although of course medical history would always be considered, and I will advise on that.

As a FCA-regulated company, you receive all the advice you want without any charges, so do give me a call and we can discuss your options.

You can reach me on 020 3146 3444.

market as an appointed representative?

James

Hi James

IAN GREEN

SPECIALIST

MAN ON A BIKE

Dear Man on a Bike

I have bought my daughter a laptop for university. She’s very happy with it but the space is filling up on it because the hard drive is quite small. What can we do about this?

Julia Dear Julia

With laptops becoming thinner and lighter many models now come with a solid state disk instead of the

traditional hard drive. These are like memory sticks. They are much smaller, lighter, faster and have no moving parts. The only downside is that they tend to have a smaller capacity; usually 256Gb or 512Gb. This can cause them to fill up quite quickly, especially with photos and music.

Luckily, with the avail-

ability of cloud storage such as Dropbox, One Drive and Google drive, your daughter can keep her files on the cloud and only download the ones she needs to work on on to the laptop.

It has the added advantage of serving as a backup should anything happen to the laptop. We often set this up for clients and it works well.

JACOB BERNSTEIN

FINANCIAL SERVICES (FCA) COMPLIANCE RICHDALE CONSULTANTS

Hi Jacob

Having worked as an insurance broker for the last few years and also now having qualified as a mortgage adviser, I would like to set up my own business providing mortgage and insurance broking services. Would you recommend applying for direct authorisation or first testing the

Many new brokers choose to start out as an Appointed Representative (AR), since that way their principal firm takes a proactive role in compliance oversight and support. Whilst the principal firm is likely to require you to follow strict processes, equally, this is likely to mean fewer obstacles for you.

Should you instead seek to become Directly Authorised (DA), while you will have complete autonomy over your activities, it will be entirely your own responsibility to ensure that you are complying with FCA regulations. As a result, most DA firms

require the ongoing support of a compliance consultant, meaning you will need to consider the cost of this support, as well as other DA costs such as professional indemnity insurance, FCA fees, client money audits, etc.

It is also important to note, that currently it is taking up to 12 months at a cost of £2,500 to become DA as a mortgage and insurance broker. In contrast it can take as little as four weeks with far lower initial fees, to become an AR.

At Richdale we specialise in supporting both new and established brokers on this journey, whether it be as their principal firm or by supporting them in becoming directly authorised, and providing all the necessary support thereafter.

TREVOR GEE

•

PATIENT HEALTH

JEWELLER

EMPLOYMENT LAW AND DATA PROTECTION

EMMA GROSS

Qualifications:

• Specialist in claims of unfair dismissal, redundancy and discrimination.

• Negotiate out-of-court settlements and handle complex tribunal cases.

• HR services including drafting contracts and policies, advising on disciplinaries, grievances and providing staff training.

• Contributor to The Times HRMagazine and other titles.

SPENCER WEST LLP 020 7925 8080 www.spencer-west.com emma.gross@spencer-west.com

VACANT PROPERTY SECURITY

STUART WOOLGAR

Qualifications:

• CEO of London’s largest guardian company with more than 20 years’ experience

• Well-known and highly regarded British security industry expert.

• Specialists in securing and protecting empty commercial and residential properties.

• Clients include small private landlords to major national property companies and managing agents, as well as those in the public sector.

GLOBAL GUARDIANS MANAGEMENT 020 3818 9100 www.global-guardians.co.uk info@global-guardians.co.uk

COMMERCIAL LAWYER

•

JONATHAN WILLIAMS

Qualifications:

•

JEWELLERY CAVE LTD 020 8446 8538 www.jewellerycave.co.uk jonathan@jewellerycave.co.uk

DIRECTOR OF LEGACIES

CAROLYN ADDLEMAN

Qualifications:

•

ADAM LOVATT

Qualifications:

• Lawyer with more than 11 years of experience working in the legal sector.

Specialist in corporate, commercial, media, sport and start-ups.

• Master’s degree in Intellectual Property Law from the University of London.

• Non-Executive Director of various companies advising on all governance matters.

LOVATT LEGAL LIMITED 07753 802 804 adam@lovattlegal.co.uk

CHARITY EXECUTIVE

SUE CIPIN

Qualifications:

• 20 years+ hands-on experience, leading JDA in significant growth and development.

• Understanding of the impact of deafness on people, including children, at all stages.

• Extensive services for people affected by hearing loss/tinnitus.

• Technology room with expert advice on and facilities to try out the latest equipment. Hearing aid advice, support and maintenance.

KKL EXECUTOR AND

COMPANY 020 8732 6101 www.kkl.org.uk enquiries@kkl.org.uk

REMOVALS MANAGING DIRECTOR

STEPHEN MORRIS

Qualifications:

STEPHEN MORRIS SHIPPING LTD 020 8832 2222 www.shipsms.co.uk stephen@shipsms.co.uk

JEWISH DEAF ASSOCIATION 020 8446 0502 www.jdeaf.org.uk mail@jdeaf.org.uk

PRINCIPAL, PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL

LOUISE LEACH

Qualifications:

• Professional choreographer qualified in dance, drama and Zumba (ZIN,

DANCING WITH LOUISE

0621 7833 www.dancingwithlouise.co.uk Info@dancingwithlouise.com

•

FINANCIAL SERVICES (FCA) COMPLIANCE

JACOB BERNSTEIN

INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS SPECIALIST

LEE SHMUEL GOLDFARB

Qualifications:

• Hands-on service, with

• Get the most

• UK leader

Hargreaves

CURRENCIES DIRECT 0786 0595 890 / 0207 847 9400 www.currenciesdirect.com/jn lee.goldfarb@currenciesdirect.com

ISRAELI ACCOUNTANT

ADAM SHELLEY

Qualifications:

Professional advice from our panel / Ask Our Experts

LEON HARRIS

Qualifications:

• Leon is an Israeli and UK accountant based in Ramat Gan, Israel.

• He is a Partner at Harris Horoviz Consulting & Tax Ltd.

• The firm specializes in Israeli and international tax advice, accounting and tax reporting for investors, Olim and businesses.

• Leon’s motto is: Our numbers speak your language!

HARRIS HOROVIZ CONSULTING & TAX LTD +972-3-6123153 / + 972-54-6449398 leon@h2cat.com

ALIYAH ADVISER

DOV NEWMARK

Qualifications:

• Director of UK Aliyah for Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organisation that helps facilitate aliyah from the UK.

• Conducts monthly seminars and personal aliyah meetings in London.

• An expert in working together with clients to help plan a successful aliyah.

NEFESH B’NEFESH 0800 075 7200 www.nbn.org.il dov@nbn.org.il

DIVORCE & FAMILY SOLICITOR

VANESSA

Qualifications:

•

ACCOUNTANT

• FCCA chartered certified accountant.

• Accounting, taxation and business advisory services.

• Entrepreneurial business specialist including start-up businesses.

• Specialises in charities; Personal tax returns.

• Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation Volunteer of the Year JVN award.

SOBELL RHODES LLP 020 8429 8800 www.sobellrhodes.co.uk a.shelley@sobellrhodes.co.uk

IT SPECIALIST

LISA WIMBORNE

Qualifications:

Able

CHARITY EXECUTIVE

LLOYD PLATT & COMPANY SOLICITORS 020 8343 2998 www.divorcesolicitors.com lloydplatt@divorcesolicitors.com

IAN GREEN

Qualifications:

• Launched Man on a Bike IT consultancy 15 years ago to provide computer support for the home and small businesses.

• Clients range from legal firms in the City to families, small business owners and synagogues.

• More than 18 years’ experience.

MAN ON A BIKE 020 8731 6171 www.manonabike.co.uk mail@manonabike.co.uk

INSURANCE CONSULTANCY

ASHLEY PRAGER

Qualifications:

• Professional insurance

aviation,

• Specialist in insurance and reinsurance disputes, utilising Insurance backed products. (Including non insurance business disputes).

• Ensuring clients do not pay more than required.

RISK RESOLUTIONS 020 3411 4050 www.risk-resolutions.com ashley.prager@risk-resolutions.com

CAREER ADVISER

JEWISH BLIND & DISABLED 020 8371 6611 www.jbd.org Lisa@jbd.org

LESLEY TRENNER

TELECOMS SPECIALIST

BENJAMIN ALBERT

Qualifications:

• Co-Founder and Technical Director of ADWConnect – a specialist in business telecommunications, serving customers worldwide.

• Independent consultant and supplier of Telephone & Internet services.

• Client satisfaction is at the heart of everything my team and I do, always

ADWCONNECT

0208 089 1111 www.adwconnect.com hello@adwconnect.com

WORDSEARCH

CODEWORD

finished crossword,

letter

the alphabet appears as

the

and

Fun, games and prizes

SUDOKU

SUGURU

Stirling

WESTLON HOUSING ASSOCIATION

Accommodation

Dave & Eve House

ADVERTISE IN THE UK’S BIGGEST JEWISH NEWSPAPER

IN THE

LESS