1308 - 30th March 2023

National strikes and intense public anger across Israel force coalition to delay despised judicial reforms. So...

Now what, Bibi?

VOICE OF THE JEWISH NEWS

Last week, this newspaper said Israel was fast approaching its moment of reckoning. It’s fair to say that it arrived.

Vanishingly few weeks in a nation’s history can accurately be described as ‘seminal’, yet that is exactly what we have just witnessed.

Hundreds of thousands of patriotic Israelis were already on the streets crying ‘Shame’ at Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition for stubbornly pursuing what most

felt was a lurch into autocracy. When one of his ministers finally advised that they pause, he was sacked. For millions, it was the final straw.

Those who remember 9/11 will recall watching the TV with their mouths open in stony silence for what felt like hours, numbed by the images and information coming through, struggling to fully comprehend the enormity of what had just happened.

Continued on page 20

Seven days that shook Israeli socie

by Jotam Confino in Tel Aviv jotam@jewishnews.co.uk @mrconfino

Mass protests, a general strike and a potentially seismic political U-turn over the fate of the country’s judiciary has condemned Israel to days of chaos that many fear will be forever etched on the country’s timeline.

As Israelis headed into Passover, there was a largely welcome pause on proposed controversial laws that would strip judges of power and hand it instead to politicians.

A politically battered Benjamin Netanyahu, whose latest stint in o ce is unravelling faster than anyone predicted, halted the so-called “reforms” until the Knesset returns from recess to allow for meetings between ministers and opposition leaders and for a process of dialogue and compromise.

President Isaac Herzog began a series of marathon talks designed to reach a broad consensus, but demonstrators said they would continue protesting, after Netanyahu warned the new laws would be implemented one way or another.

The plans, pushed by Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, would significantly alter the balance of power between Israel’s executive, legislature and judiciary. Several of the most prominent diaspora Jewish leaders have warned against them.

After 12 weeks of protests, the schism that engulfed the country over Sunday and Monday was prompted by Netanyahu firing his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, after Gallant broke with his coalition

London keeps up the chorus of discontent

Pro-Israel democracy campaigners are to stage their next London demonstration to coincide with Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations, it has been confirmed, writes Lee Harpin.

Organisers from the Defend Israeli Democracy movement which has staged mass protests in Israel and three others in the UK confirmed the plan for another “large event” on Sunday 30 April.

Last Friday, visiting Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was greeted by a chorus of boos and the Hebrew chant of “busha (shame)” as more than 2,000 people, from both the Israeli and UK Jewish communities, staged a protest outside Downing Street.

In unprecedented scenes, Netanyahu was photographed shaking hands with Rishi Sunak on the steps of the prime minister’s residence while nearby protesters held up Israeli flags and shouted “Netanyahu go to jail, you can’t speak for Israel.” One sign branded Netanyahu a “dictator on the run.”

Arriving for the meeting at 9.30am, Netanyahu in previous years would have

been forgiven for thinking

UK Jewry had turned out en masse to o er him a warm welcome, so plentiful were the Israeli flags held by many of those who joined the demo.

But as has been the case at mass protests within Israel, and among communities across the globe, the Israeli flag has been “reclaimed” by a movement angered by Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition.

It has focused on proposed changes to the judiciary that would give the government sway in choosing judges and limit the Supreme Court’s power to strike down laws.

Joining the mainly Israeli dominated protest in Westminster on Friday were several senior figures from the community here.

Masorti Judaism’s Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, who spoke at the protest later in the day, told Jewish News he had joined the demo “because I believe the reputation of Israel, and Judaism is at stake”.

He added “it was extremely important” to attend the protest because “the core of Judaism is truth, justice and dignity for everybody”.

Wittenberg added: “These things are being denied, and we have to stand up for them

Thousands at one of the many demonstrations

Fiery scenes in the streets of Tel Aviv on Monday after Netanyahu dismissed Israel’s defence minister. Inset: With Rishi Sunak last Friday

ty and democracy

colleagues to say a pause was needed for dialogue. Hours later, that is exactly what Netanyahu agreed to.

As a consolation prize to his apoplectic coalition partners – and in return for their support for a pause – Netanyahu approved a new and armed ‘national guard’ under the control of farright security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

News of the developments came amid scenes of chaos after the Histadrut labour federation announced a general strike. Ben Gurion Airport came to a halt, as did universities, malls, councils, schools and nurseries. Israeli diplomats resigned, while sta in embassies, including London, also joined the strike.

As protesters blocked the country’s main motorways, young and old waved Israeli flags as they were knocked o their feet by police water cannon. The scenes were broadcast globally, with commentators calling the mayhem unprecedented.

Earlier, Ben-Gvir threatened to resign if the legal reforms were halted, leading Netanyahu in his TV address to say they would still happen.

The far-right racist organisation La Familia joined right-wing counter-protesters, chasing and beating random Palestinians in East Jerusalem as well as two journalists from Channel 13 and public broadcaster KAN. They also tried to attack the anti-reform protesters.

What comes next politically is unclear. Support for Netanyahu, whose own legal woes continue, has nose-dived, while on Tuesday, Herzog

in the name of the founders of Israel.”

Mitzvah Day founder Laura Marks was also at Friday’s demo, holding an Israeli flag. She said: “I’m here in a personal capacity to stand with my friends in the pro-democracy movement in Israel.

“I love Israel. It is in my heart and soul. And I love its respect for people who are LGBT+, of multiple religious denominations, non-Jews and of course women.”

Yachad director Hannah Weisfeld added: “The 2,000strong demo that greeted PM Netanyahu serves as a reminder to him his position is more and more untenable.

“Israelis and diaspora Jews are united in their commitment to safeguarding the checks and balances on this extreme right wing and racist government.

ISRAEL’S UK EMBASSY

JOINS

STRIKES AS ANGER SPREADS

said talks between ministers and the opposition had been held in a “positive spirit”.

On Wednesday, Herzog met representatives from the United Arab List, the Arab-Israeli faction Hadash-Ta’al, and the Labour Party, whose leader Merav Michaeli said: “We will only accept a full removal of the dangerous coup bills. Netanyahu is not removing them. He is buying time at the expense of our democracy.”

Labour lawmaker Gilad Kariv warned the new national guard “must be under the police, rather than under [the far-right organisation] Lehava and the rest of the Kahanists”.

Former Israel police chief Moshe Karadi said Ben-Gvir would “recruit the hilltop youth” for his own “private militia”, which he would use to further his “political needs”.

In response, Ben-Gvir said: “Nobody will scare us. The reform will pass. The national guard will be established. The budget that I demanded for the National Security Ministry will pass in full. Nobody will succeed in changing the decision of the people.”

Israel is heading into a highly-sensitive period, with Ramadan and Passover colliding next week. The past couple of years have seen intense clashes during Ramadan between Palestinians and Israelis on Temple Mount, near the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Security o cials have warned high tensions between Israelis and Palestinians could explode during Ramadan, adding that proper security arrangements are not being made.

“We are heeding the call for support from our allies in Israel who have been on the streets for 12 consecutive weeks.”

Rabbi Jeremy Gordon of New London Synagogue said he had also attended Friday’s protest “because of my vision of Israel, which is a vision of a country that is free and believes in checks and balances”. He added:”I’m pained and saddened by the way it appears to have been pulled away from that.”

Rabbi Gordon said he was inspired by the way the movement was “holding together by talking about Israel, and holding flags up with shared democratic values. It’s very inspiring.”

Sharon Shochat, a demonstration organiser originally from Israel, said: “The moment Netanyahu walked in

to shake Sunak’s hand with the crowds roaring in the background ‘shame’ was gratifying.

“Israel in London showed up today and can feel proud of this amazing achievement, that Bibi Netanhahu was shamed, with his pants down, ridiculed and detested.”

Many protesters arrived at Friday’s demo holding selfmade placards.

They included a teenage boy, who held up a sign saying: “Israeli democracy is receding faster than Bibi’s hairline.”

Another banner said: “Rishi! Do Not Let Bibi Turn Israel Into Another Iran.”

A large white placard featured a picture of Netanyahu alongside that of Russian president Putin, with the wording “The Guilty”.

The 30 April Defend Israeli Democracy protest has been arranged after deliberation with the movement’s organisers who have decided to continue their action despite the present negotiations said to be taking place within Israel’s government.

With both the UK parliament and Israel’s Knesset in recess for the forthcoming holidays, it was decided to wait and stage the next demo at the end of the month.

Organisers have urged more members of the UK community to attend.

The Israeli embassy in London joined a strike of diplomats around the globe as protests against a judicial overhaul reached record levels.

The unprecedented decision came a day after the Israeli consul general in New York, Asaf Zamir, announced his resignation following the dismissal by Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant.

Israel’s embassy in Wash-

ington DC also announced it would join the strike with sta announcing the building was closed “until further notice”.

The diplomatic strikes came after the head of the Histadrut labour federation announced an “historic” strike on Monday.

“We are all worried about Israel’s fate. Together we say, enough!. We have lost our way — this is not about left or right. We can no longer polarise the nation,” Histadrut chief Arnon Bar-David said.

Diaspora minister calls off UK trip over

Israel diaspora minister and leading Likud Party member

chaos at home

Amichai Chikli cancelled a planned visit to the UK amid the growing political chaos.

Chikli, o cially minister of diaspora a airs and minister for social equality, was due to meet a government minister and communal organisations including the Board of Deputies.

Israeli sources confirmed the metings were postponed.

Meanwhile, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a visit to London faced large demonstrations from Israeli and UK Jews when he met Rishi Sunak in Downing Street last weekend. An earlier visit by foreign minister Eli Cohen, who met with his UK counterpart James Cleverly, went ahead without issues.

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Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely

No show: Amichai Chikli

WE BELIEVE IN A COMMUNITY WHERE WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE FREE FROM VIOLENCE.

UK Jews ‘grounded’ in support of Israel

Despite all the unrest of the past several months, British Jews remain “grounded” in their support for Israel, according to polling collected by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, writes Lee Harpin.

But director Jonathan Boyd, presenting an acrossthe-range snapshot of British Jews at a House of Lords reception on Thursday evening, said recent figures showed “disapproval ratings” of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of around 70 percent.

Eighty percent of British Jews disapproved of Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister, while just 30 per cent disapproved of the former prime minister and now Israeli Opposition leader, Yair Lapid.

Dr Boyd’s presentation, hosted by JPR president Lord Leigh, was divided into three “Vs” — viability, vulnerability,

83% of Deputies back motion of ‘grave concern’ over Israel

A motion confirming the Board of Deputies is “gravely concerned” the new Israeli government “includes individuals whose views and actions are in contrast to the tolerant and inclusive values of our community” passed this week with overwhelming support, writes Lee Harpin.

British Jewish society, which, after a marked decline in population in the mid-1950s, has now recovered and is increasing. Between comparisons of Census figures and JPR’s own research, Jewish Britain could now comprise as many as 310,000.

Much of this rise, he said, was due to the Charedi element, now representing 25 percent of the whole of British Jewry and likely to become much more in the coming years.

This trend, he said, needed to be viewed against a marked increase in secularism across the whole of British society.

After the vote at Sunday’s monthly Board plenary, a resounding 83 percent of Deputies backed a motion that did not condemn Israel but focused on politicians who it said have “demonstrated hostility on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, or Jewish denomination”. It was amended from an early version of the motion which included the names of far-right Israel politicians “Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Avi Maoz”.

Even Deputies who had previously been cautious about public criticism of Israeli politics felt inclined to support the amended motion.

“Today’s result shows that the centre ground of the Board has shifted to a position much more critical of the Israeli government,” was the verdict of one deputy, who spoke to Jewish News, following the vote.

TRANSFORMING LIVES FOR 90

Another senior deputy told the meeting, which was not streamed on the Board’s social media platforms, that the result of the vote on the motion would be keenly watched by government ministers.

Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies, later said: “This meeting, conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding, showed the Board at its best. All those who spoke both for and against the motion were clearly united by their love of Israel.

We hope other conversations on this topic can be conducted in a similar spirit, where Jews come together in an exchange of views underpinned by civility.”

The motion was proposed by Amos Schonfield (deputy, Masorti Judaism) and Harriett Goldenberg (deputy, Liberal Jewish Synagogue). The amendment to the motion was proposed by Dori Schmetterling (deputy, New West End Synagogue) and John Melchior (deputy, United Synagogue).

ISRAEL’S ENEMIES ARE HAPPY WITH THIS MESS

BY DR MICHAEL MILSHTEIN TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY

The growing public and political protests against judicial reform in Israel are not only a ecting its internal arena but also its external image. This unprecedented crisis is developing at an extremely sensitive time for Israel, when the state needs to focus on existential external challenges, particularly the Iranian nuclear threat, and make a historic decision regarding it as soon as possible.

Instead, for the last four years, Israel has been gradually drowning in a painful internal crisis that draws most of its energy and attention. During these four lost years, Iran continued to develop its nuclear program, terrorism in the Palestinian arena increased, Hamas became stronger and the Palestinian Authority weaker.

In fact, a vacuum is being created in the West Bank, a severe situation that will force Israel to take full responsibility for this area and push both sides, even without a plan or intention, towards a one-state situation. This would mean a joint existence of two communities hostile towards each other.

Israel’s enemies are demonstrating their broad satisfaction in the light of the internal crisis. They emphasise what they consider to be a new phenomenon reflecting the growing

deterioration of Israel, particularly the dispute among IDF reservists about serving after the judicial reform is completed and the serious discourse about a future dramatic economic crisis as a result of the government’s policy.

Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas have declared these as “positive” signs for the coming destruction of Israel. In the meantime, Israel’s enemies are promoting provocative moves, such as the terror attack at the Megido Junction two weeks ago directed from Lebanon, to check if the operational and intelligence capabilities of Israel are still e ective.

In the current situation, there are many reasons why Netanyahu’s government must immediately abandon all the moves – currently only frozen – regarding judicial reform and start a frank internal dialogue.

This dialogue will allow for changes in the judicial system but in an agreed and stable manner. If Netanyahu insists on promoting unilateral legislation, it will cause not only damage to Israel’s image and status in the international arena and deepen the internal split, but also create dramatic security strategic threats.

This time there is no consensus or united front inside Israel, which enabled it to face and overcome its enemies in the past.

The government may well reap political achievements for the right-wing camp, but it will undoubtedly cause severe national damage for Israel as a whole.

• Dr Milshtein is head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University

Protesters make their feelings known about Netanyahu outside Downing Street

Netanyahu in London

YEARS

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Let’s make sure we can continue to help for as long as we are needed.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING BOOST FOR COMMUNITY Minister ‘proud’ of UK-Israel ties

Home Secretary Suella Braverman used a speech at the Community Security Trust’s annual dinner to announce a “£1million funding boost and a new dedicated police taskforce” to counter “vile antisemitic attacks”, writes Lee Harpin.

Synagogues and faith schools will be given £15million for protective security measures in 2023-24 as part of the Jewish Community Protective Security grant, a £1 million increase on last year, she confirmed.

This will fund increased protective security, including security guards and other security measures such as CCTV and alarm systems to protect against persistent hate crime, anti-social behaviour, terrorism and state threats.

In addition, senior policing leaders, ministers, the Community Security Trust, and other stakeholders will form a new Jewish Community Police, Crime and Security Taskforce.

The Taskforce will strengthen accountability and enhance efforts to combat antisemitic crime and violence against Jewish communities.

It will provide a regular forum to discuss with operational partners, communal security concerns relating to policing, terrorism, state threats, hate crime, and public order matters.

Chaired by the Home Secretary, it will meet for the first time in late spring, and three times a year thereafter.

Braverman said: “Antisemitism is one of the great evils in the world. It is vital that all people, but especially political leaders, challenge antisemitism whenever and wherever they encounter it. Attacks on the Jewish community are abhorrent. I applaud the police’s efforts to tackle these crimes, but we must go further to ensure the criminals who threaten the safety of Jewish communities feel the full force of the law.

“I am proud to be working closely with the Community

Security Trust and colleagues in policing and beyond to help protect the UK’s Jewish community, go after antisemitic offenders, and stamp out racism in all its forms.”

CST’s chief executive Mark Gardner said: “This announcement is hugely welcome, given the continuing threats of terrorism and antisemitism that are faced by British Jews. CST will continue to do everything we can in partnership with the Home Office.”

The first meeting of the task force is likely to consider whether it is necessary to review operational policing guidance in light of concerns shared by the Jewish community. This could include guidance on specific chants, banners and emblems which are antisemitic and ensuring police and the CPS are using their powers to arrest and charge criminals who pose a threat to the Jewish community.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch MP has told Conversative Friends of Israel (CFI) supporters that she is “proud” to be building stronger UK-Israel ties , writes Lee Harpin.

Addressing 200 people at the CFI parliamentary reception on Tuesday, the cabinet minister discussed her work towards an enhanced UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement, saying it focused on “innova tion, digital, technology, and the economy of the future”.

The event included a special thanks to the former Conservative chancellor and home secretary, Sajid Javid, with Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely calling him “a very special friend”.

Javid was pivotal in the government’s decision to proscribe Hezbollah and to

ban local councils from instituting their own policies to boycott Israeli goods and services.

Hotovely thanked him for “standing on the front line” in defending Israel.

“Your friendship is one of the greatest things that happened for the Israel-UK relationship”, she said, adding that the “iconic photo” of Javid at the Western Wall “won the hearts of the Israeli people”. Javid said it was “truly humbling” to receive a letter of thanks from Israeli President Isaac Herzog and highlighted his “attachment and love of Israel”.

He added that he would “continue to support Israel in every way that I have done” despite stepping down as an MP at the next general election.

Security boost: Home Secretary Suella Braverman

Kemi Badenoch

No... Jeremy Corbyn

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

Jeremy Corbyn has been formally blocked from standing as a Labour candidate at the next general election.

The party’s national executive committee (NEC) on Tuesday voted 22-12 for a motion in the name of Keir Starmer which said the party’s prospects of winning the next election would be “significantly diminished” if Corbyn stood again in Islington North.

Shadow cabinet member and Labour national campaign coordinator Shabana Mahmood, who seconded the motion, said: “Jeremy Corbyn is a barrier to winning elections. His behaviour since resigning as leader in the aftermath of one of our worst ever election defeats is a threat to winning.”

She said the motion might not have mentioned antisemitism directly but was drawn up to ensure the issue “cannot be allowed to

fester any longer” among the electorate and the party needed to be “free of the stain of what the EHRC found”.

The Jewish Labour Movement said: “The changes to the Labour Party must be permanent, fundamental and irrevocable. The Labour Party is changing for the better. If you do not like this, the door is open.”

Veteran Jewish Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge said: “Keir has done the right thing. It’s now time to move on.”

Corbyn has been sitting as an independent since losing the Labour whip in 2020 after claiming the EHRC report into antisemitism in the party while he was leader had “overstated” the problem for political reasons.

He resisted calls to o er a proper apology to the Jewish community for his actions, and failed to delete the Facebook post responding to the EHRC report.

The result of Tuesday’s vote – which reflected the dominance the pro-Starmer wing of the party now has on the NEC – also appeared to

suggest there had been five abstentions, mainly from trade union representatives.

Corbyn is now expected to stand as an independent in Islington North, which he has represented since 1983. His supporters are confident he can retain the seat, but historically it has proved hard for candidates standing as independents to beat the main political party they once represented in elections.

Labour strategists are also convinced the image of Corbyn standing against Labour at the next election will play out well among voters who may previously have been scared o backing Starmer’s party in other seats.

In an interview with Times Radio ahead of the NEC result, Momentum founder Jon Lansman criticised the decision to block Corbyn standing as a Labour candidate but added he would not canvass for the former leader in Islington North if he stands as an independent, saying: “I want to see Keir Starmer elected.”

Starmer’s NEC motion said the “Labour Party’s standing with the electorate in the country,

and its electoral prospects in seats it is required to win in order to secure a parliamentary majority and/or win the next general election, are both significantly diminished should Mr Corbyn be endorsed by the Labour Party as one of its candidates for the next general election”. It added Labour’s hopes of victory in 2024 “are not well served by Mr Corbyn running as a Labour Party candidate”.

HUQ SORRY FOR PIC WITH ANTI-ZIONIST

Labour MP Rupa Huq has issued an “unreserved apology” and deleted a tweet of a photograph of her alongside the notorious antiZionist activist Hilary Wise inside the Houses of Parliament, writes

Lee Harpin. The Ealing MP posted the picture on her o cial Twitter page as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign staged a lobby day of MPs. She said of the tweet that Wise was among constituents who

arrived at parliament to see MPs, adding: “Having been made aware of this individual’s previous comments, I wish to disassociate myself from these opinions and make an unreserved apology for any o ence.”

Former Labour member Wise once suggested claims of antisemitism under Jeremy Corbyn were a “smear” and urged party members to watch Al Jazeera’s The Lobby to “see what we are up against”.

Corbyn with Labour leader Keir Starmer

Huq with Hilary WIse (left)

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

News / BBC praise / Societies thanked Thanks for refugee aid, says top BBC presenter

A leading figure at the BBC this week praised the Jewish community’s “generous response” to the Afghan refugee crisis during a moving event heralding the official launch of HIAS+JCORE, writes Adam Decker.

BBC News chief presenter Yalda Hakim, whose parents fled Afghanistan when she was a baby, said: “I am so grateful for the work your organisations do for the Afghan community.

“I know many synagogues were full of clothes, nappies and food for the families who arrived in this country.”

The two leading charities, which focus on supporting refugees and asylum seekers, opted to merge last year following the devastating scenes in the Ukraine.

Addressing more than 200 guests, HIAS+JCORE chair Adam Rose explained: “Joining forces with HIAS enables JCORE to do more campaigning with a louder voice and a bigger reach. With this new arrangement, we gain access to a more global platform as part of a worldwide campaign and network of activists.”

London-based JCORE, the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, has provided a Jewish voice on race and asylum issues for nearly 50 years.

Across the Atlantic, HIAS, originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, was founded in 1881 to support Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe.

Upon merging, critical support will be provided to people forcibly displaced in 23 countries across Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.

Additional capacity will also bolster programmes including JCORE’s befriending project for young unaccompanied asylum-seekers.

HIAS president and CEO Mark Hetfield said: “The refugee convention of 1951 was written out of the ashes of the Holocaust to ensure that never again would anyone be trapped inside their country of persecution.

“As Jews we have an obligation to protect the human right to seek asylum. HIAS joining with JCORE is proud to be part of a global response working together to welcome the stranger.”

JCORE founder and executive director Dr Edie Friedman received the loudest cheer on saying: “Now we are facing our biggest challenge, the UK’s Illegal Migration Bill.

“I think it is important that we call out this legislation and the Rwandan scheme for what they are: truly shameful.”

Dr Friedman was later presented with the inaugural Lord Dubs Award, a new annual honour celebrating major contributions to improving race relations and refugee rights.

The event concluded with the formal introduction of HIAS+JCORE’s new executive director, Rabbi David Mason.

The outgoing Muswell Hill shul rabbi said: “I want to mobilise the whole UK Jewish community to support refugees and asylum seekers, as well as for a society that combats all forms of racism along with growing antisemitism.”

TRIBUTES TO BURIAL SOCIETIES FOR EFFORTS DURING PANDEMIC

The community this week paid tribute to what became known as the “unsung heroes” of Jewish burial societies whose immense efforts during the height of coronavirus saw them deal with more than 100 deaths a week, writes Joy Falk.

Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl honoured members of the Chevra Kadisha (Jewish burial society) organisations at a special event in Parliament on Thursday, three years after the announcement of the first lockdown.

Describing their efforts as “nothing short of heroic”, she explained that within the first two months of the pandemic more than 400 members of the Jewish community had died from Covid-19, with more than 100 deaths in just one week in mid-April.

“The pressure this put

on our burial societies was enormous,” she said. “Having already given of their time for many years with no expectation of reward, they now had to prepare far more bodies for burial in a far shorter time period without fully understanding of the nature of Covid transmission or the risks involved.”

She said: “It is right and

fitting that they be honoured today. They have long been the unsung heroes of our community, volunteers who selflessly put in significant time and effort to ensure that our community’s deceased are buried with dignity and sensitivity, according to Jewish law.”

Finchley and Golders Green MP Mike Freer

said: “The pandemic was uncharted waters for the country; we didn’t know how it would play out.

“The fact that so many of you put yourselves at risk to prepare the bodies for burial without knowing the impact on your own lives and health is a real testament to your selfless dedication.”

The Chevra Kadisha organisations honoured included the United Synagogue Burial Society, the Adass Yisroel Burial Society, the Federation of Synagogues Burial Society, North West London Chevra Kadisha, the S&P Sephardi Community Burial Society, the Joint Jewish Burial Society the Liberal Judaism Funeral Scheme, the Glasgow Hebrew Burial Society, the Gateshead Kehillah Chevra Kadisha and burial representatives from the Manchester Kehillah.

Yalda Hakim spoke at the HIAS+JCORE launch this week

A cleaner in synagogue during the height of the pandemic

Property restitution / Painting verdict / News

Pickles: Time almost over for restitution

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

UK special envoy for post-Holocaust issues Lord Pickles has hosted a meeting of envoys from America, Europe and Israel to discuss emergency steps to address the injustices over property restitution.

Foreign secretary James Cleverly also spoke at the historic meeting in Westminster to express the UK government’s continued commitment to ensuring property stolen in the Nazi era is returned to its rightful owners.

“This is the last big push,” said Lord Pickles, who had worked tirelessly on the issue in the UK before the current collaboration with envoys from 12 countries, and a team of experts on looted art.

“We need to get a grip on this in the next five years, or it will be too late,” he added.

Pickles confirmed there are some five million items, some valuable, some not, that are being asked to be returned to families or individuals who suffered at the hands of the Nazis.

He stressed the main issue at stake was the restoration of “dignity” for those still waiting for stolen items to be returned. With fewer and fewer survivors still living, there was increased urgency to solve the problems around the issue.

Wednesday’s initial meeting focused on “talking about the problems around looted art,” Ellen Germain, the US special envoy for Holocaust issues, confirmed.

“It’s not about property, it’s not about money, it’s not about art, it’s about justice, which is late but not too late,” Israeli special envoy for the restitution of Holocaust era assets, ambassador Yossef Levy, said. “Justice for the Holocaust survivors and justice for the millions of Jews who did not survive the Holocaust.”

The envoys explained how political developments such as the war in Ukraine, and the uncooperative attitude of governments in Poland and Hungary over property restitution had come to impact on the task of returning property stolen.

But there are “success stories,” Mark Weitzman from the World Jewish Restoration Organisation said, citing countries such as Lithuania and Latvia. Moldova was taking its first real concrete steps but still had more to do – “it’s uncomfortable history for many people and countries, it challenges their national narrative.”

Lord Pickles said he had met representatives from Croatia, who were “enthusiastic” on the issue “and wanted to learn”. The Conservative peer said he “left the meeting with a feeling of optimism.”

Pickles also raised the ugly spectre of German citizens in the 1950s walking around streets wearing clothing or other items stolen from Jews murdered in the death camps. US envoy Germain spoke of the task of discovering whether there is a legal process in a particular country to recover looted art, which “may have been sold to their current owner without them knowing” it was actually stolen.

In a tweet Cleverly later thanked Pickles for “convening this important meeting” adding that his work is “greatly appreciated.”

The envoys – who also included representatives from Austria, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Netherlands and Romania – have agreed to meet again soon.

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A Cambridge museum should surrender a 19th-century painting stolen by the Nazis from its Jewish owner to his descendants, a government panel has said.

The Spoliation Advisory Panel, a body of judges and historians that investigates claims for Nazi loot, found the oil landscape by French realist Gustave Courbet was seized from Robert Bing

in occupied Paris in 1941 because he was a Jew.

It said Cambridge University’s Fitzwilliam Museum should return it to his heirs, though this is not legally binding.

The 1862 work La Ronde Enfantine depicts a forest scene and was taken from Mr Bing’s apartment in May 1941 by two men from the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter

Rosenberg (ERR), a German task force responsible for acquiring cultural loot in occupied lands.

Bing later joined the French Resistance and was awarded the Croix de Guerre.

The painting was earmarked for the personal collection of Hermann Goering, one of Adolf Hitler’s leading henchmen, who plundered property worth hundreds of millions of pounds in the war.

Museum ‘should give looted art to owner’s family’

US soldiers with artworks stolen by the Nazis

Masterpiece: The plundered 19th century painting

Lord Pickles with Holocaust survivor Ben Elfgott and former Labour MP Ed Balls

Hit show removes ‘antisemitic’ joke

by Sam Baker

Producers of a hit West End musical have removed a joke from the script after an audience complaint that it was antisemitic.

In emails seen by Jewish News, producers of Pretty Woman the Musical, Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), agreed to remove a quip that contained a play on the words ‘sabbatical’ and ‘Shabbat’.

In response to the complaint from Lara Lewis, 39, of Hampstead Garden Suburb, ATG said: “It is a simple switch to button that scene di erently and [we] will subsequently cut the line.”

The show had previously contained an exchange between two main characters named Kit and Rachel:

Rachel: Where’s Vivan?

Kit: She’s on a paid sabbatical

Rachel: I didn’t know she was Jewish! ATG confirmed the decision to drop the line was supported by the show’s US-based director Jerry Mitchell and writer J.F. Lawton, who wrote the original screenplay for the 1990 film.

The producer added that no audience member had previously complained about the line. Lewis told Jewish News that although the gag was “not the most serious in the world,” she was “absolutely delighted” that ATG had decided to remove the line.

She added: “I am not calling [ATG] antisemitic as such, but it just felt out of place and was incredibly jarring.”

Currently showing at London’s Savoy Theatre, the show is an adaptation of the 1990 film starring Julia Roberts.

The original film, about a wealthy businessman who pursues a relationship with a Hollywood prostitute, did not contain the shabbat pun, although the picture’s gender politics have been questioned in recent years.

In her original complaint, Lewis accused ATG of “not understanding the issue” and needing to “further educate itself”.

She added: “It’s important to remember that even seemingly innocuous comments can be harmful or o ensive when they rely on stereotypes or assumptions about a person’s identity.”

Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust, said: “The theatre appears to have responded with sensitivity to the complaint they received, and the minor change they made to the script avoids any potential misunderstandings in future without significantly a ecting the musical itself.

“While this is not the most serious example of antisemitism in theatre, when it is easy to make a small change like this then it makes sense to do so.”

Some viewers in the US, where the musical originated, took a di erent view. Writer Sandi Masori asked: “Is it because we are such great patrons of theatre that we deserve to have a mention, nod or joke tossed out to us? I was glad to have my Jewish angle without resorting to playing ‘guess if any of the actors are Jewish.’”

ATG has been approached for comment.

Jews most likely to

People who identify as Jewish and Sikh are more likely to own their own home than members of any other religion, new census data shows, writes Joy Falk.

Over two-thirds of people identifying as Jewish (71.2%), Sikh, (77.7%) Hindu (67.9%) and Christian (68.6%) live in households that own their home while the figure drops to 56.7% for those identifying as Buddhist and 45.6% as Muslim.

People who identify as Muslim are nearly four times more likely to live in

overcrowded homes than the overall population while those who told the census they are Christian are less likely to have a high-level qualification such as a degree.

Those who identify as Hindu have the lowest preva-

lence of disability and the highest percentages of good health.

Some of the di erence is down to the age profile of religious groups but other factors are likely to have contributed including income, employment and cultural background, according to the O ce for National Statistics (ONS).

The census took place in England and Wales on March 21 2021 and included a range of questions on housing, education and wellbeing, as well as asking everyone to indicate which group best described their religion.

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New mystery in Beth’s custody battle for twins

A social media post by a leading European rabbi in support of a British solicitor estranged from her children has vanished from the platform, writes Michelle Rosenberg.

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt is president of the Conference of European Rabbis, the main Orthodox rabbinical alliance in Europe. Tweeting from a convention i n Vienna for rebbetzins of European Jewish communities, he shared with his 2,485 followers that the women had observed a respectful moment of silence to say Tehilim (psalms of David) for Beth Schlesinger (née Alexander), mother of twins Samuel and Benjamin. The post has now disappeared from the rabbi’s account.

Ms Alexander has been in a prolonged dispute with her Austrian ex-husband, Dr Michael Schlesinger, since shortly after the twins’ birth nearly 13 years ago. He has retained sole custody of the children in Vienna since 2011. In January 2022, Alexander was told she would have no contact with her sons because of a new ruling by an Austrian court.

A letter from Rabbi Goldschmidt to the Chabad rabbi of Schlesinger’s synagogue in Vienna, dated 4 November 2022, pleaded with him to get involved.

It read: “No mother deserves to be blocked from her children. The emotional abuse of a Jewish mother through the weaponising of secular courts must be decried and put to a stop.

“I am deeply concerned not only for Beth’s well-being, but for her children, who are left motherless. Please let us know if there is anything the Conference of European Rabbis can to do help reunify a mother and her children.”

During many battles in court, Schlesinger has challenged Ms Alexander’s fitness as a mother, while she has accused him of calling on his contacts in the Vienna Jewish community in order to impede her relationship with the children.

Last year, Jewish News reported a letter from Vienna Jewish community president Oskar Deutsch o ering to help Alexander to take part in the barmitzvah of the twins was denounced by the furious mother of two, whose Facebook support group has nearly 7,000 members, as “a whitewash” and “a tissue of lies”.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis flew to Vienna in 2018 to try to resolve the situation but was unsuccessful.

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OFSTED UNDER ATTACK AFTER HEAD’S SUICIDE

Former Ofsted chief and interim JFS headteacher

Michael Wilshaw has addressed calls to pause school inspections following the suicide of a head teacher.

Ruth Perry took her own life while awaiting an Ofsted report that downgraded her school, Caversham Primary in Reading, to ‘inadequate’.

Sir Michael, told BBC Breakfast Ofsted had been a force for good for 30 years. He added:

“The debate now is whether to continue with grades ... there are problems in doing away with that the next chief inspector will have to address because a judgement of ‘good’ is what parents want to see.”

Food bank charity raises £1.1m in 36hr campaign

A charity supporting more than 20 food banks across north London has raised £1.1million in a 36-hour fund-raising drive.

Food Bank Aid had more than 5,500 donations, beating the target of £1million.

The charity was founded by Hampstead Garden suburb resident Naomi Russell in her garage in March 2020.

Over 30 schools also participated in the run-up to the campaign, and over 10,000

children saw a video produced by Food Bank Aid for schools, as well as wearing ‘Don’t Turn Your Back’ stickers to help raise awareness.

Every donation was doubled by generous matchers, and 100 percent of monies is being spent on food and goods for the food banks. The further £100k raised is being used for extra food for school holidays.  To donate see www. charityextra.com/food bankaid

has challenged Ms Alexander’s fitness as a

Rebbetzin Yemima Mizrahi from Jerusalem addressing the Vienna meeting. Inset: Beth Alexander with her twins

Sir Michael Wilshaw

Shaping the future of Holocaust memories

The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), with the government and the German embassy, is holding a Holocaust Testimony Forum on 19 and 20 April at Lancaster House in London, writes Michelle Rosenberg.

The conference, featuring academics, educators, historians, descendants of Holocaust survivors and refugees, will facilitate conversations between world-renowned experts to re-evaluate and access the many ways Holocaust testimonies have been collected, displayed and curated since the end of the Second World War, and reimagine their future usage.

Participants include Prof. Dan Stone, James Bulgin, Dov Forman and journalists Natasha Kaplinsky, Daniel Finkelstein and Jonathan Freedland.

Also in attendance will be survivors Eva Clarke and

Jackie Young, plus Kurt Marx, who came to the UK on a Kindertransport.

The conference has four primary aims, including shedding light on how Holocaust testimonies have been collected and how di erent methodologies have influenced the collected narratives.

The forum will also seek to engage with how testimonies have been displayed in the past and how they can be

used in the future and discuss exploring testimonies as a form of social action in fighting prejudice and antisemitism.

A fourth aim will be to create dialogue among Holocaust testimony stakeholders, highlight good practice and launch a joint initiative to create a portal through which archives of testimony from UK survivors can be accessed. 

To find out more visit ajr.org.uk

Labour apologists invade online antisemitism talks

Organisers of an event to encourage “respectful debate about factionalism in the Labour Party” after publication of a report by barrister Martin Forde have told Jewish News they regret people may have used the platform “to contest the scale and nature of antisemitism in the party”.

The online forum organised by the think tank Compass aimed to discuss claims in the Forde Report concerning the negative impact of factional in-fighting on tackling Labour’s antisemitism crisis under Jeremy Corbyn.

Addressing the meeting himself, Forde raised the point “denialism” over Labour’s antisemitism problem was a concern.

Daniel Levy, son of Labour grandee Lord Levy, agreed, while also suggesting the Israeli government used the allegation of antisemitism to silence criticism on the Palestinian issue.

Jewish News was alerted to the fact that messages appeared in the chatroom throughout the meeting openly denying the scale of Labour’s antisemitism crisis.

One participant had been expelled by Labour for online posts which included claims Keir Starmer was controlled by “Zionist paymasters”. Other messages supported disgraced ex-MP Chris Williamson, and included claims Israel mounted a “campaign” against Corbyn.

NOA GIRLS WINDFALL

A charity that provides mental health support to Jewish teenage girls in London has been awarded a £40,000 grant by the London Freemasons to support a new sports programme, writes Sam Baker.

The money will help Noa Girls to run its ‘healthy body healthy minds’ programme over the next two years.

This aims to boost mental health through sport and exercise by tackling “unique challenges” girls face such as low self-esteem, poor body image and eating disorders.

Noa Girls supports 12-14-year-old Jewish girls from London’s orthodox com-

munity and the latest programme will o er therapy and mentoring plus opportunities to take classes in self-defence, dance and other pursuits, along with ‘equine therapy’ – a form of equestrianism to treat poor mental health.

Noa Girls CEO Naomi Lerer said: “We’re so grateful

to London Freemasons for their very generous grant. It enables us to expand our vital and transformative personal fitness programme and o er more girls in our service this life-changing support.”

Paul King of London Freemasons added: “I’m really pleased we’ve been able to help Noa with this excellent project to help girls who are really struggling.

“It’s a hugely valuable programme proven to be of enormous benefit to those with mental health challenges and other serious issues, giving them a chance to move forward with their lives.”

A recent ceremony at London’s Kindertransport memorial

Noa Girls CEO Naomi Lerer

The Rabbi Sacks Legacy has unveiled a new interactive family activity for Passover.

Made available by the charitable trust which honours the life and teachings of former Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks, the free-todownload and use scavenger hunt is a creative way for families to celebrate the holiday while exploring its deeper meanings and significance. It is available for download at www.rabbisacks.org/seder.

It was inspired by an essay by Rabbi Sacks called The Missing Fifth, in which he wrote: “Just as an x-ray can reveal an earlier painting beneath the surface of a later one, so beneath the surface of the Haggadah there is another pattern to be discerned.”

Joanna Benarroch, chief executive of The Rabbi Sacks Legacy, said: “The Seder is a time for people to join together and share insights about Passover. We are proud to o er this new activity, based on the teachings of Rabbi Sacks, to engage, challenge and inspire.”

Rabbi Sacks passed away in November 2020, when his professional initiative, the O ce of Rabbi Sacks, transitioned to The Rabbi Sacks Legacy to perpetuate his memory.

inclusive siddur to combat learning di culties

Leading learning disabilities charity Kisharon marked World Autism Acceptance Week by launching a new inclusive siddur, writes Michelle Rosenberg.

Kisharon produced a film to promote Siddur Lakol, the first Orthodox siddur using icons for people with learning disabilities and autism.

It is suitable for all ages and opens the doors for everyone with a disability to feel included in a service. The siddur is a tailor-made United Synagogue edition produced in partnership with JWeb working in collaboration with Gesher School and Kisharon and with the endorsement of Norwood and Langdon.

Siddur Lakol, ‘A Siddur for Everyone’, features clear print with simplified translations and accessible transliteration of core prayers. A particular focus has been placed on the Kabbalat Shabbat service, as a number of United Synagogue communities, pioneering inclusive services, have found them successful. They also feature heavily in the Friday tefillot (prayers) of many Jewish schools.

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a set of graphic icons to help those with autism spectrum conditions convey their thoughts and needs. All tefillot and songs appear with matching PECS to o er a more meaningful prayer experience to those dependent on them.

The siddur has been produced in both A4 and A5 formats, providing options to support people with a wide range of disabilities. Larger font sizes will help people with visual disabilities and the larger edition may help people who find it di cult to hold and read smaller siddurim.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said: “Our tradition teaches that the Jewish people are just like a Sefer Torah – a complete and perfect whole. If one single letter is missing, then the entire scroll is not able to be used. Similarly with the Jewish people, every single person counts.

“Our concept of community, within which every single person is valued, underpins our commitment to making everyone feel welcome and included in our synagogues.

“At the Pesach seder we declare “The Torah speaks to four types of children” and they are all

equally ‘echad’ – one. All our children are exceptionally precious in our eyes.

“Siddur Lakol is an outstanding publication, produced by a team with deep knowledge and expertise, which celebrates inclusion and seeks to make Shabbat accessible to people with disabilities. My hope is it will not only serve as a way of making religious services more inclusive, but will also prompt a community-wide conversation about what more we can do to ensure every aspect of Jewish life is accessible to all.”

Kisharon director of operations and development Hadassa Kessler, who narrates the video, said: “Siddur Lakol will open the doors to orthodox Jewish communal life for those who may have felt excluded, making synagogue attendance, or even prayer at home, more engaging and meaningful.”

Sefer Torah dedicated in honour of Leonie Lewis

Within a month of the sudden death of community champion Leonie Lewis last April, her family commissioned a Sefer Torah in her name, written in Jerusalem, writes Michelle Rosenberg.

A Jewish community powerhouse for decades, awarded an MBE in 2017, Lewis died at the age of 66 following a diagnosis of lymphona.

A Hachnasat Sefer Torah, welcoming a scroll to its new home, was held in Pinner last week, bringing the streets to a halt for 30 minutes while the procession proceeded to the synagogue of which Lewis was a proud member.

The scroll, by sofer Nachum Blotnik, was finished by family and friends with local assistance from sofer Chaim Lopian at the Lewis home. It was then paraded through the streets with songs by Shlomie Gertner and his choir.

Once in Pinner United synagogue, it was greeted by the other sifrei torah, singing and dancing and speeches from Pinner synagogue Rabbi Kurzer and Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum, dean of the London School of Jewish Studies and a

long-time friend of Leonie.

The sefer torah was leined on the following Shabbat before being taken to be donated and used in the Keter Torah community in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA, where Leonie’s elder son Adam lives.

Rabbi Shalom Baum, Rabbi of Keter Torah said: “We are privileged to be the shul where the Torah being written in memory of Leonie Lewis will find its home. Mrs Lewis was a living Sefer Torah, imbued with the personal and com-

munal values of our Torah, as understood by our Sages.”

Leonie Lewis’s life was dedicated to service.

A founding director of the Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN), she was a trustee and council member of the Faith Forum for London, joint vice-president of the United Synagogue, former co-chair of United Synagogue Women, adviser to the Children’s Aid Committee and assessor for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Icons from The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

Leonie (inset) and her Sefer Torah

Rabbi Lord Sacks

Photo by Kisharon

Whodunnit? The publisher!

Publisher HarperCollins has revised multiple novels by the famed mystery writer Agatha Christie to remove references to Jews and other minorities deemed offensive by sensitivity readers.

The edits add Christie to a growing list of British authors whose work is getting tweaked for contemporary audiences.

Roald Dahl, the children’s book author whose family recently apologised for his antisemitism, also had versions of his books recently revised to eliminate potentially offensive language.

Christie, whose midcentury detective novels featuring the characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple made her one of the best-selling fiction writers of all time, included references to Jews in several of her books that prominent critics found antisemitic. She also included

racist language that was more common during her time of writing, including the N-word and the term “oriental” to describe characters with Asian heritage.

According to a Daily Telegraph report, descriptions of characters as Jewish, Black or “gypsy” have been scrubbed from multiple books. In one example, Poirot’s description of a character as “a Jew, of course” in The Mysterious Affair at Styles has been deleted.

The Forward noted in a 2020 analysis that right after World War II and the Holocaust, Christie authorised her US publisher to remove other language about Jews that the company deemed controversial.

The Guardian reported that at least one of the titles of her books was changed to remove racist language in the 1970s.

Radio Aryan ‘joked’ about being avowed racist

A podcast host on trial accused of stirring up racial hatred claims he was joking when he described himself as an “avowed racist”. James Allchurch, 51, from Pembrokeshire, is on trial at Swansea Crown Court charged with 15 counts of distributing audio material to stir up racial hatred over a two-year period.

The charges relate to recordings uploaded to a website named Radio Aryan, which has since been renamed

Radio Albion. Giving evidence this week, Allchurch denied that the podcasts –covering topics including grooming gangs, immigration, slavery and crime –encouraged hatred or racial violence. He acknowledged using “impolite language” to describe mixed race people and was asked whether they would be upset by what he said.

“I am not speaking to them,” Allchurch said. “My audience is other nationalists

who at the time used similar or worse terminology.”

Judge Huw Rees asked the defendant if he accepted that members of the public had “unfettered access” to the website where the recordings were available.

Allchurch replied: “They had to know the address, they had to know the name and look it up. We didn’t advertise anywhere that wasn’t already within the nationalist community.”

Sacha Baron Cohen’s brother out of party

One of actor Sacha Baron Cohen’s older brothers has been expelled from the Labour Party over his involvement with a proscribed organisation. Amnon Baron Cohen confirmed to Jewish News this week that he had been ousted from Labour over his involvement with the Trotskyist Socialist Party. Amnon, a computer scientist, was spotted attempting to sell copies of the far-left political party’s newspaper The Socialist in Parliament Square on Monday.

Mia Janin inquest review set for today

A review is scheduled to take place at Barnet Coroner’s Court today (Thursday) into the tragic death of JFS schoolgirl Mia Janin, ahead of a full inquest. The year 10 JFS pupil took her own life aged 14 in March 2021, having suffered from bullying on social media and at school. She was the only child of Marisa, who died four months later, and Mariano Janin. The mother and daughter were buried side-byside on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Agatha Christie pictured at her typewriter in 1946

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Terrorist suspects arrested in Greece

Greek authorities have arrested two men they said were planning mass terrorist attacks on Jewish sites in Athens, including a Chabad outpost and a Jewish restaurant. Israel’s security service Mossad, which contributed to the investigation, told Associated Press the two Pakistani nationals are also part of an Iranian terror network. A third man is wanted for questioning. The group reportedly entered Greece from Turkey illegally four months ago. Mossad said had assisted in unravelling “intelligence of the infrastructure, and the connection to Iran”.

Kanye ‘able to like Jews again’

Racist rapper Kanye West returned to social media this week with an apparent change of heart following previous antisemitic rants.

In his first post this year, West, who is now legally known as Ye, told his 18.1 million followers on Instagram that after watching Jewish actor Jonah Hill in the 2012 action comedy film 21 Jump Street he felt able to “like Jewish people again”.

Accompanying the post was a promotional video for the film, which also stars Channing Tatum and was a spin-o from a long-running American TV series .

One of the world’s most successful

Failure over anti-hate pledge

Eighteen months after representatives of 37 European nations made commitments to combat antisemitism, only 16 percent of European Jewish leaders said they felt their countries had implemented those promises, a World Jewish Congress report has revealed.

The pledges were made at the Malmö International

Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism in October 2021, during which “states committed to supporting many initiatives dealing with combating antisemitism, fostering Jewish life, and promoting Holocaust remembrance.”

Just under half (49 percent) of the Jewish leaders and professionals surveyed said their

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governments have at least partially implemented the plans they committed to.

WJC president Ronald Lauder said: “We have seen too many times that people will come together, say all the right things, make the right commitments, but fall short on the follow-through. The truly hard work is the actual implementation of good ideas.”

musicians with more than 160 million records sold, Ye gave an interview last December with US conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in which he praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

In a post later removed by Twitter, Ye also vowed to go “deathcon 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE”.

West’s post about 21 Jump Street, the only one on his recentlyrestored Instagram account, elicited an outpouring of jokes.

One Twitter commentator, with reference to another Hill film, wrote: “Bro is gonna convert to Judaism after he sees Superbad.”

The Jewish comedian Alex

Edelman o ered another suggestion, naming the notoriously-antisemitic head of the Nation of Islam: “Does anyone know somebody who can screen 21 Jump Street for Louis Farrakhan?”

Hill has not yet commented publicly on West’s latest comments. His other starring roles have included the recent comedy You People about a relationship between a Jewish man and a Black woman.

The film, which included West’s music on its soundtrack, was meant to show how “people grow to understand each other” through challenging encounters, its producer said.

MUNICH: NO WAY TO BAR WATERS

Weeks after Frankfurt cancelled a Roger Waters concert over his anti-Israel activism,

Munich’s mayor says he cannot find legal reasons to support it.

“We do not currently see any legally secure possibility… to reverse the decision already made,” mayor Dieter Reiter said. “I do not want to have him here, but now we’re going to have to endure it.”

Former Pink Floyd bassist Waters is suing the Frankfurt municipality after the city

blocked him from performing in May at the Festhalle, a venue that was also the site of the deportation of 3,000 Jews during the Holocaust.

Munich Jewish community president Charlotte Knobloch criticised Munich, saying it had “missed a chance to follow through with deeds on their many declarations of intent against antisemitism”.

Waters in action on stage

West is an enthusiastic Jonah Hill fan

The of Israel

Originally from Manchester and now living in Tiberias, photographer Julian Alper gives Jewish News readers a seasonal sense of animal life in Israel.

THIS WEEK: Frogs

At this time of year, a chorus of frog croaks is heard by Israel’s rivers and lakes. Male frogs call out to attract females. They inflate vocal sacs (little bubbles) at the sides of their face to amplify the croak.

Silent majority is loud and clear

Continued from page 1

This week felt a little like that, albeit to a far lesser extent. It had the same dropped-jaw can’t-look-away horror to it, left you in the same seminumbed silence, took a similarly long period for it to sink in.

What we and everyone else around the world saw was Israel toying with the entire post-war project to tear itself apart, in public, over a farright political plan to hobble Israel’s judges, so a bonfire could be lit under equal rights in the country. The sacking of Yoav Galant, which opposition leader Yair Lapid said “crossed a red line”, proved to be the spark.

Within hours, millions of frustrated Israelis ground the country to a halt, after Israel’s main trade union called an immediate general strike.

Hospitals, universities, schools, Ben-Gurion Airport, councils, nurseries, the civil service, and much of the country’s tech industry all came to a shuddering stop. Thousands blocked the main motorways, as Israeli diplomats around the world resigned. Others laid low in embassies as protesters gathered outside.

It was sudden, global, impressive, and unprecedented. Readers will struggle to compare it. Netanyahu, who had been in the UK just hours earlier, looked unusually rattled. Of course, he took to the TV to blame “extremists” for the protests.

Yet that’s the rub: these certainly were not extremists. They were the (normally) silent majority, the moderates, many having never protested anything in their lives, but who felt moved to do so here.

Young and old, these were no subversives being pummelled and knocked off their feet by powerful police water cannon.

Simcha Rothman, one of two right-wing politicians pushing the legal reform, seemed to channel Donald Trump when he urged their supporters to take to the streets and “not give up on the people’s choice”.

As he did, the clouds darkened. It was too late. Netanyahu caved. He had to. He acknowledged what many protesters had long warned of: that he would tear the country in two if he persisted. Did he take responsibility for holding Israel to ransom? No. Did he resign? Of course not.

British Jews have long held Israel’s democracy aloft in the face of hatred and diminishment, proud of its robustness in a region of tinpot dictators. That is why Jews both within and outside Israel abhor the current Israeli government’s power grab at the expense of the justice system, which should be independent.

To say it undermines Israeli democracy is an understatement.

THIS WEEKEND'S SHABBAT TIMES...

Judiciary should oversee legislation, not create it

Is Jewish News not embarrassed to score an own goal in its take on Israel’s proposed judicial reforms?

You wrote in your editorial (16 March) that 1977 was a game changer in the election of “hardcore rightwinger (read proud Jew) Menachem Begin” as prime minister – yet “he never questioned the importance of an independent judicial system that would protect human rights and stand independently of government”.

Quite! Until then the High Court did, indeed, follow that model so he had no need to question its role. It was only years after Begin left office in the early 1990s that the left-leaning Supreme Justice Aharon Barak, realising the left was unlikely to regain power, decided to vest it with powers it had never had hitherto.

In so doing he usurped the role of the elected government to enact the manifestos voted for and ensured that the court would

The column headlined ‘Why are Orthodox leaders silent on Israel’s direction?’ by Dr Sheldon Paul Stone (16 March) was interesting and of much value in light of current events in the Jewish state.

There is a phrase: ‘Evil flourish when good people keep schtum’ .Thank you, Jewish News for publishing a wide range of thoughts, opinions and ideas.

I guess that we, all of us, agree that democracy, honesty, equality and respect for all people is fundamental to us, Jewish people.

We may agree to disagree but cannot compromise with some of our brotherines disrespecting others’ rights to safety and honest and fair living.

Irith Sassoon Finchley

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always be a tool of the left by giving the most senior justices the right of veto of future appointments to the Bench.

He did it surreptitiously and without democratic mandate, so today’s Supreme Court is vastly more powerful than during Begin’s premiership – and other western democracies. The judiciary is supposed to oversee legislation not create it.

That a few of the “elite IDF reservists are refusing to serve” certainly is an indicator “of something very rotten”… the refusal of Yair Lapid and other former ministers to accept that they lost the election, and their incitement of the populace to overturn it by non-democratic means.

Democracy depends on the losing side accepting the result.

Begin’s most enduring legacy was never to divide Jews from each other, but to bring them together through compromise…. a lesson Jewish News has yet to learn.

Warren S Grossman, Leytonstone

Jewish News can dress up the “Israeli awakening” whichever way it likes (16 March), but the real “awakening” is by the Israeli left, shocked because its hold on power, by way of the Supreme Court, is coming to a long overdue end.

Of course, it doesn’t admit to it, crying foul of the democratic process which didn’t go its way. Selectively quoting people who agree with you is an old tactic which proves nothing.

Your contrived comparison between “secular left wing Zionists who founded the state” and “the hardcore right winger Menachem Begin”, is as offensive as it is historically inaccurate and just confirms your bias against Orthodox Judaism.

Rochelle Morris, Maida Vale

THE JACOB FOUNDATION

Jewish News is owned by The Jacob Foundation, a registered UK charity promoting cohesion and common ground across the UK Jewish community and between British Jews and wider society. Jewish News promotes these aims by delivering dependable and balanced news reporting and analysis and celebrating the achievements of its vibrant and varied readership. Through the Jacob Foundation, Jewish News acts as a reliable and independent advocate for British Jews and a crucial communication vehicle for other communal charities.

WISE

HEADS,

Sanity is greatly lacking these days from so-called leaders. Israel’s government of coalition is acting at breakneck speed to amend laws, especially ones to absolve various individuals of any past misdemeanours and to place in high office a few who you would question their ability to even run a bath.Egos are to the fore and therefore hope of a change of direction is unlikely. As we proudly reach our 75th anniver-

75 YEARS ON

sary, the hope is for wise heads to prevail. Our ountry and people must be the rallying cry – anything less will be to the detriment of us all.

Stephen Vishnick, Tel Aviv

Letter writer Michael White is wrong when he says we shouldn’t hang our dirty laundry in public. Jews can’t stand by when fascist dictators look to assume control.

Israel once stood proud as the only democracy in the Middle East. As Jews it’s our role to be a light unto the nations andto ensure it remains so. This government’s words and actions will add fuel to the already boiling fire of antisemitism. It is our responsibility as Jews to call it out.

Michael Lepek, By email

BOARD SHOULD BE SILENT

Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl completely misses the point as to why her intervention in the Government’s latest proposals to stem illegal immigration are completely out of order.

It has nothing to do with right or left wing bias, and everything to do with the inappropriateness of the supposedly only democratic representative body of Anglo-Jewry commenting on a contentious matter beyond its remit, without the approval of those it represents. Polls consistently show that the huge numbers of migrants entering this country illegally is the number one concern of people across the political spectrum.

Ms van der Zyl’s justification for advocating open borders from the Devarim verse “to love the stranger because you were strangers in the Land of Egypt” is a deliberate misinterpretation of the commandment never intended to sanction law breaking.

She doesn’t say why the Board deems this issue to be of “clear significance to the community”. Most of us within the community would think that trying to obstruct the elected government from upholding the law is not in our best interests. Stephen Green, NW6

HOSPITAL

MEALS

Once again this year, my committee will be making meals available in many London hospitals, kosher for Pesach under Kedassia supervision (under the London Beis Din).

We are offering, as usual, main meals (to include vegetarian and puree meals), soups and desserts as well as disposable cutlery packs. In addition to lunch and dinner, we are again offering kosher breakfasts for Pesach.

Anyone needing to use this service should check carefully that any food offered by the hospital bears our yellow label or buff-coloured (for puree meals) on the outside of the packaging, stating that the food is kosher for Passover. In the event of any query or problem, patients or their relatives should contact the catering officer at the hospital.

Michael G. Freedman Chairman, Hospital Kosher Meals Service

MUSEUM MARVEL

What an inspiration Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori is. Thank you for featuring him as the first person to stage a Holocaust exhibition in the Arab world at the Crossroads of Civilisations Museum in Dubai.

When I read about initiatives such as this I forget about all the negative stories and cultural and religious tensions that exist and believe – if only for a moment – that there is hope for the future.

I have been to Yad Vashem, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC and look forward to visiting Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori’s exhibition in Dubai. Emma Estos, By email

HONOURED TO BE AT THE PALACE

Vivian Wineman’s excellent article on your website headlined ‘Loyal address to the new King’ makes mention of the Anglo-Jewish Association, the other privileged body in our community that was honoured to be part of the loyal address ceremony this month.

Although much junior to the Board today, the AJA was founded in 1871 by leading members of the Anglo-Jewish community to represent views on matters relevant to Jews and to facilitate education through operating a network of Jewish schools across the British Empire.

The AJA continues to be active in defending the interests of Jews – through its ongoing roles as a founding member of the Claims Conference and The Memorial Foundation for Jewish

Culture. Together with the Alliance Israélite Universelle, the AJA is a constituent of the Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations and is represented at a number of non-governmental bodies, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, UNESCO and the United Nations Association.

The work of the CCJO is now advanced by Rene Cassin, the charity which the AJA is now delighted to support as a strategic partner, and which is named after one of the drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as mentioned in Vivian’s article.

We also sponsor the National Holocaust Centre’s programme to empower non-Jewish students to combat antisemitism.

Michael Newman President, AJA

‘I assure you that no Passover rules were broken!’

It may be the season for jokes, but this is ridiculous

Sometimes, the news from Israel is so surreal it’s di cult to know whether to laugh or cry.

Take, for example, a press release from the o ce of President Herzog, no less. “In honour of Passover, Ramadan and Easter”, the statement intones, “President Isaac Herzog invites members of the public to submit requests of pardons, especially requests for the erasure of criminal records.”

Well. Where to start? The president is a lovely man with decent instincts, and my guess is such an invitation has been issued regularly by most of his predecessors — though Moshe Katzav, in issuing one, might have been thought to have a conflict of interest, given that he ended up in jail, presidency curtailed, after being found guilty of rape and other sexual o ences.

My mind, however, was gripped by more recent examples of how the criminal world manifests in Israeli society.

Look no further than the Shas founder and politician Arye Deri, convicted of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in 1999, jailed for three years and yet, like whack-a-mole, popping up again in 2021.

Despite Deri saying he would resign from political life as part of a plea bargain for tax o ences, the 2022 elections saw him re-entering government as interior minister and health minister.

At the beginning of 2023, Israel’s High Court ruled Deri’s previous criminal record prevented him from serving in cabinet and he was duly dismissed. But on 15 March — yes, just two weeks ago! — a legal loophole, the so-called Deri Law, was magically found, which will enable his reappointment.

I wonder that the MKs devoted any time to devising obscure solutions to the Deri issue. They should simply have waited for President Herzog’s festive invitation to apply for pardons.

Meanwhile, the “justice minister” — and, believe me, those quotation marks have earned their place — Yariv Levin, seemed to

find no problem in attending a Purim party at the home of a well-known Israeli crime figure, Rafi Chaim-Kedoshim.

The energy minister, Yisrael Katz, went to this party, too. Warm hugs were filmed as Levin and Chaim-Kedoshim, who has served four terms in prison for acts of violence, kidnapping and extortion, greeted each other.

Chaim-Kedoshim claims he has repudiated his criminal life and turned to religion. I mean, I know Purim is renowned as the festival of practical jokes, and that one should drink until one cannot distinguish day from night, but, you know, really?

Didn’t Levin and Katz consider the optics of attending such a party? Once again, the promise of a presidential pardon is waiting in the wings.

Should President Herzog consider pardons, I wonder, for such decorations of the political scene as Bezalel Smotrich?

His public utterings about Palestinians and Jordan have left the hapless foreign minister, Eli Cohen, trying to clear up his mess as Israel waits to discover if its ambas-

sador to Amman will be expelled by a furious Jordanian government.

And finally, of course, there is the prime minister himself, currently in the middle of a long-running corruption trial and – as I write – facing charges of contempt of court. This latest comes at the request of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel which says that Netanyahu is allegedly violating a conflict-of-interest agreement, meant to prevent him from dealing with the country’s judiciary, while he is on trial.

The prime minister and his wife, Sara, were on a shopping trip/minor political encounters in London last weekend. Apparently there was no time in his packed schedule for a meeting with communal leaders where some honest opinions might have been aired.

Instead, the Netanyahus received the welcome they deserved. He’d better hope he is high on Mr Herzog’s pardon list, though what pardon there can be for someone hell-bent on systematically destroying the country is a moot point.

JENNI FRAZER

Israel requires a prime minister of the people

HEN MAZZIG

For the past 10 weeks, protests have taken place in Israel and around the world against the judicial overhaul in Israel. Last Friday I joined the latest gathering in London, during the visit of Israel’s prime minister to the UK. It was so inspiring to see so many Jews and Israelis joining together to raise the Israeli flag in support of democracy.

It was even more meaningful as I saw the anti-Israel protests on the opposite side, with Palestinian flags calling for the destruction of the country. The lines were drawn and the distinction was clear; our protest was to protect Israel against people who wished to end it as a Jewish state and those who wished to end its democratic nature.

I am deeply concerned about the potential consequences of the (now delayed) judicial overhaul. The proposed changes to Israel’s legal system represent a significant threat to the rule of law and the principles of democracy. It’s also

a threat to all minorities in Israel, including LGBTQ+, women, and Arabs.

The legislation would undermine the independence of the judiciary, which is one of the most important safeguards of our democracy. Thus, the judiciary must remain independent from political pressure and influence to ensure that equality, justice, and the rule of law are upheld. The changes would give the government greater control over the appointment of judges, thereby reducing their independence and increasing the likelihood of political interference in legal proceedings. It will also limit the ability of the judiciary to strike down unconstitutional laws and policies.

In today’s government, with politicians like minister Bezalel Smotritch, who are not hiding their hatred of the LGBTQ+ community and Arabs, we must all be terrified of this ideology being unleashed on the people of Israel.

And no, democracy doesn’t mean the majority can do what they want in a country, and a government isn’t chosen to rule as royals. As Israeli army veterans, pilots, top tech leaders, former heads of Mossad and Shin

Bet, join some 250,000 Israelis, who go out to protest every week, there’s a horrible divide, and the government must fix it.

To reiterate, these protests are not just about defending the independence of the judiciary but about defending the principles of Israel’s existence as Jewish and democratic.

While I agree there is a need for some reform and a constitution in Israel, this fanatically fast-moving extreme legislation is far from a genuine attempt to improve the system.

As Israeli citizens and as Jews who love Israel, we have a responsibility to speak out against any attempts to undermine our democratic institutions and the rule of law.

I was deeply inspired to see so many Israelis in the UK joined by British Jews and together manifesting our love for Israel. Nothing is as challenging yet powerful as criticising your home in a foreign land. It is a testament to how far we have come as a country and as people.

Most importantly, we have shown the likes of former Labour leader and notorious antiZionist Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters – who so often claim every criticism of Israel is

met with claims of antisemitism – how wrong they are. We have shown Britain Israel is still a true democracy.

In a time when many Jewish institutions are worried about the faith of the Jewish people and the connection between Israelis and diaspora Jews, in this one moment at the protest in London, I saw the answer: through supporting Israel critically and with love.

I was proud to join the protest in London and in Israel a few weeks ago, as they are an essential expression of dissent and a reminder that democracy cannot be taken for granted.

In the face of growing global authoritarianism and democracies shifting their systems to darker ones, those who love Israel must speak out now because we might be unable to do so later. It is also time for Mr Netanyahu to decide: are you the prime minister of the people of Israel or just yourself?

 Hen is author of The Wrong Kind of Jew: A Mizrahi Manifesto. He is a senior fellow at The Tel Aviv Institute. Follow him: @henmazzig

Bruised Bibi will take Israel to the brink – and beyond

RICHARD MIRON

Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to hollow out Israeli democracy may have been seen off for the moment, but he remains a clear and present danger to the country’s social fabric.

Bibi began his professional career in marketing and has spent decades since selling himself as Israel’s saviour. But now Israel needs saving from him

Back in the 1970s, the youthful Netanyahu was working as the marketing director of a furniture company in Boston when the then Israeli ambassador to Washington picked him – out of the blue – as his deputy.

From there he began to ascend the greasy pole of Israeli politics, becoming his country’s ambassador to the UN in the 1980s.

It was the launch pad – at home and overseas – for his ambitions.

Bibi was in huge demand as a spokesman possessing fluent American-accented English, a sharp turn of phrase and telegenic good looks. His CV since then is well known, and he is now the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history, after Ben Gurion.

But where Ben Gurion was responsible for building the fledgling country up to become a functioning and strong state, so Bibi is tearing it down, preying on dysfunction and weakening the foundations that hold the country together.

When I was in Israel in the 1990s, Bibi was leading the opposition and the charge against the Oslo peace process with the Palestinians.

He didn’t just oppose the policies of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin but put himself in the midst of e orts to demonise the government as a whole.

I recall seeing him on TV at a right-wing demonstration in Jerusalem in 1995 as his supporters burnt pictures of Rabin adorned with a ke yeh while calling the prime minister a traitor.

Netanyahu excelled in fanning the hatred but then denied responsibility for its consequences when disaster struck and Rabin was assassinated.

For Netanyahu, incitement and falsehoods have been useful tools to be deployed for selfpromotion. When he became prime minister for the first time in 1996, he was caught on microphone counselling a revered Sephardi rabbi that left-wingers have “forgotten what it means to be Jewish”.

I recall the uproar this caused among

many Israelis who saw in Bibi an unprecedented willingness to pick away at the fragile social fabric for political advancement.

He has pursued the politics of division time and again over the years. On election day in 2015 he claimed (falsely) a right-wing government was “in danger” as left-wing NGOs were bussing in Arab voters in droves to vote against him.

Bibi is Donald Trump’s Israeli twin. Like Trump he is willing to see the country burn so he can remain in power.

The current crisis in Israel is a direct consequence of Netanyahu’s desperate wish to avoid the legal peril in which he finds himself having been indicted on corruption charges.

Rather than allow a trial to proceed, he has decided disassembling the integrity of the country’s judicial system is the way to go.

In this he has found common cause with the most extreme religious and nationalistic elements in the country, who for their own reasons want to put the courts under their e ective political control.

The past few days have seen a sharp popular rebuke to Netanyahu and his allies’ aim to turn Israel into yet another Middle Eastern autocracy. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis – not just from the left – turned

out to prevent Bibi’s power grab.

Like Trump, Bibi called right-wing thugs out on to the streets to attack those who have rallied for Israel’s democracy.

But in the face of overwhelming numbers on those streets he has been forced to retreat temporarily by delaying his plans to eviscerate the judiciary.

Bibi may be down but he is not out, and he is utterly determined to pursue his goals whatever the cost.

He has just announced he is putting Itamar Ben-Gvir, the extreme right wing minister of internal security in charge of a new ‘National Guard’.

This new and superfluous body is aimed at circumventing the established security forces and carrying out the will of its political masters to crush any legitimate opposition.

Israel has faced many crises before and overcome them. But this one is di erent, as it has threatened the fragile unity that holds the country together.

Many in Israel are celebrating the victory of people power, but this is dangerously premature. Bibi is a man unchanged and so long as he remains in power Israel is in peril.

 Richard Miron is founder and director of Earshot Strategies Ltd

Critical time to save Holocaust memories

uncontrollably. His parents survived and the family made it to safety in the UK, but his vocal cords were badly a ected and his voice permanently changed as a consequence.

When Rishi Sunak announced shortly before HMD in January parliament will soon legislate to build the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, my first thought was about the many survivors and refugees I had interviewed in the past 20 years for the AJR Refugee Voices Archive and how pleased they would be to hear this pledge from the current prime minister to memorialise the Holocaust.

The testimony of one particular interviewee, the journalist John Izbicki, came to mind. He recalled as an eight-year-old boy in Berlin watching from the window as Nazi stormtroopers ransacked his parents’ shop on the evening of Kristallnacht. Knowing his parents were inside, he shouted and cried

When Holocaust testimony moves to the political centre stage, voices like those of John Izbicki will have a strong presence.

DR BEA LEWKOWICZ DIRECTOR, AJR REFUGEE VOICES ARCHIVE WE MUST ENSURE THE STORIES OF ALL BRITISH SURVIVORS AND REFUGEES

Next month, the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), with the government and the German embassy, is organising the International Forum on Collecting, Preserving and Disseminating Holocaust Testimonies.

The gathering will o er a chance to reflect upon and confront the history and dissemination of Holocaust testimony and the challenges facing us in the future.

We will present a range of topics, to be discussed by thought leaders including Daniel Finkelstein and Jonathan Freedland, Dan Stone and James Bulgin, and Dov Forman. We will also be joined by survivors Eva Clarke and Jackie Young, and Kurt Marx, who came to the UK on a Kindertransport. Why is it critical now to think about Holocaust testimonies?

Broadly speaking, the capturing and

dissemination of testimonies shapes a variety of agents and environments: a) interviewees and their families; b) the academic ‘users’ of testimonies and their areas of research; and c) the broader educational and learning fields – use of testimonies in schools, digital and non-digital learning platforms, local museums, televisions and documentary productions, exhibition installations. In recent years, with Holocaust denial and distortion on the rise, the words of the eye-witnesses have gained even more significance.

For some years now, most institutions

dealing with Holocaust testimonies have been thinking about the future of Holocaust education without survivors. Di erent institutions and groups have developed new resources or interactive recordings which respond to the questions of the viewer.

Some organisations have trained second and third generations to tell the stories of their parents or grandparents.

However, we need to be clear about the limitations and challenges of new media as well as those aspects of the original oral histories in supplying vital communicative signals and contexts. Now that there is a very high chance that testimonies will be high on the political and media agenda, the forum’s focus on the past and future of Holocaust testimonies is very timely.

By understanding how Holocaust testimonies have been collected and displayed over time and in different cultural and memorial contexts, we can create an important dialogue which will ensure that the stories of all British Holocaust survivors and refugees, such as John Izbicki’s, will be represented.

4 Q’s

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FULL TIME HEADTEACHER Required for September 2023

Salary L15-L21 (£66,073 - £76,003). Contract: Permanent

Menorah Foundation School is a popular and well-established voluntary aided primary school catering for the Jewish community. We are recruiting for a Headteacher with a clear vision and the ability to nurture, inspire, challenge and motivate both pupils and staff.

As Headteacher, you will be joining a thriving community with a strong Jewish ethos and a commitment to excellence in education. The school is embarking on a transition from a two to one-form entry with exciting and ambitious plans for redevelopment of the premises in the near future.

You will be responsible for providing dynamic and strategic leadership to ensure that the school continues to provide a first-class education to its students. The Governing body are seeking a candidate who will champion collaborative working and continue to raise standards of teaching and learning, building on the good leadership recognised by Ofsted (July 2019).

The ideal candidate will have:

A track record of outstanding leadership, with experience of organising and inspiring a team of teachers and support staff.

A deep understanding of current educational policies and practices, with the ability to implement and evaluate them effectively.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with students, parents, staff and the wider community.

A commitment to ensuring that all students are supported to reach their full potential, regardless of their background or abilities.

The ability to drive improvement in academic standards and student outcomes, while maintaining a focus on the holistic development of students

Respect and support the ethos and culture of the school in close collaboration with our Jewish Studies department.

We welcome applicants of any faith and background. If you are a dynamic and inspirational leader with a passion for education and a commitment to ensuring that all students achieve their potential, we would love to hear from you.

You are encouraged to visit our school and meet our dynamic staff and our enthusiastic children who have a genuine thirst to learn. To arrange a visit or to request an application pack please contact Mrs Gibbs, on 020 8906 9992 or cgibbs@menorahfoundation.co.uk

Closing Date: Midday Monday 17th April 2023

School Visits: Details upon request

Interviews: Week beginning 24th April 2023

Menorah Foundation School, Abbots Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 0QS

Menorah Foundation School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Please note this post will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. We value diversity in our workforce and positively welcome applications from all sections of the community.

1 POKÉMON FOOTBALL SHOWDOWN

After representing Barnet and winning the borough qualifier in the Pokémon schools cup, (the largest primary-aged cup competition in England), Alma Primary in Whetstone went on to represent Middlesex at the South East Regional finals and won. Now it’s off to the National Finals in May at Aston Villa Stadium to play schools from all over the country.

2 MARSHA’S CULINARY MEMORIES

Friends and family of Marsha Schultz, who sadly passed away in 2021 after a brave battle with ovarian cancer, held an online cookery event with chef Denise Phillips, who demonstrated some of Marsha’s favourite recipes. Marsha, a talented cook originally from Leeds, was a member of Northwood United Synagogue and was keen to raise awareness of the disease.

3

MAYOR COMMUNITY AWARDS

Joe Burchell, honorary life president of Catford Synagogue, has been honoured at the London Borough of Lewisham Mayor awards. He received the Special Recognition Gold award for 50 years of service in the community. He is pictured with the three mayoresses of Lewisham.

4 MOSAIC MOJO

Mosaic Jewish community in Stanmore hosted Jeremy Sassoon’s Musicians of Jewish Origin (MOJO) show, highlighting the music of the Great American Playbook and some of the best Jewish singers and songwriters over the last century. This was the second major concert in Mosaic Culture Hub’s comprehensive new programme of music, arts and entertainment events.

5 SMASHING SCHOOL FUNDRAISER

Menorah Foundation School raised more than £365,000 in a 36-hour fundraising campaign. Holli Hunter, acting head, said: “We are grateful that in the midst of financially challenging times, Menorah Foundation is now able to move forward stronger.”

6 PESACH READY

At Kisharon’s Tuffkid nursery in Barnet, Pesach cleaning is being taken seriously, with the children using dustpans and brushes, sponges, mops, brooms and scourers to rid the nursery of chametz. Each child made their own Haggadah and learned about the seder. Nursery staff brought the Pesach story to life by bringing in live locusts.

7FREEDOM CONCERT FOR UKRAINE

Sha’arei Tsedek North London Reform Synagogue raised more than £3,600 with a concert for Ukraine. The brainchild of Anthony Cohen, the event featured the Tsedek and Zemel choirs, Koleinu Band and other musicians. Anthony said: “I have a close association with a band in Lviv called Shtrudl and know how the war in Ukraine is devastating for performers.”

Superb care in a setting

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When Susan Sandler wrote the beloved Jewish romantic comedy Crossing Delancey, she drew on her relationship with her grandmother.

“Like all grandparents, she just had this essential wish for happiness,” says Susan by Zoom from New York. “And for my Bubbeh, it was about finding someone who loved me and who would protect me, and who would be good to me.”

Happiness, and the search for it, is now also integral to her first documentary, Julia Scotti: Funny That Way. The eponymous New Jersey native used to perform stand-up as Rick Scotti and when Susan met her, at a comedy festival on the island of Nantucket, in Massachusetts, she was in the process of rebuilding her career after withdrawing from comedy for a decade, following her transition in 2000, aged 48.

“I went to see Julia’s show and I fell in love. I fell in love with the voice. I fell in love with her courage, everything about her.”

They became friends and built the trust essential to documentary making. Julia gave the director access to “intimate materials” including journals, letters, VHS recordings of old performances and home movies. “And then she let me bring the camera into every corner of her life,” says Susan.

They filmed from 2016 to 2020, during which time Julia never asked to see footage, nor held anything back. “There were no parameters. It was complete and total trust,” says

FunnyGirl

Crossing Delancey writer Susan Sandler tells Stephen Applebaum why her latest project is close to her heart

Susan, who teaches screenwriting at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. “And the responsibility of a filmmaker to honour that trust is something I take very seriously. There was nothing I wanted to do that would harm her, or in any way cause her any pain.”

There had been enough pain in Julia’s life already. Some was her own, and some was that of her children from her second of three marriages, Emma and Dan, who were too young, at 12 and 9, to understand what was happening when their father transitioned. They became estranged for 14 years.

When Susan started filming, “it was very fresh,” and Dan, a comedy sketch writer who

seems to have inherited Julia’s funny bones, had only just begun to email and text her. “Emma was a longer road to getting back in touch,” says Susan. “We have a scene in the film where she is seeing Julia perform for the first time, and it was incredible to be able to shoot that.”

People did not have the language to talk about gender dysphoria when Rick, who appeared on bills with Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rick, dropped his bombshell, explains Sandler. “There was no context, culturally. No one around them had anything to point to. And the children were growing up in a very conservative community, largely Italian and Catholic. So it became a really punishing kind of identity for them, with a lot of shame.”

For years, even Rick did not understand what he was feeling. In the documentary, Julia and Dan watch a videotape – given to them cold by Susan, knowing it would be provocative – of him doing a gag about ugly men becoming ugly women with the same voice. It makes uncomfortable viewing, but Julia has enough distance now to analyse what was happening.

“It’s clearly transphobic, and it’s not even funny, it’s just disturbing,” o ers Susan. “When Julia talks about that, she’s acknowledging what a lot of trans folks and gay folks have gone through, which is recognising periods in their life when they were struggling so much that they attack themselves in the process of trying to figure out their identity. She feels bad about it, it was hurtful, but it was herself who she was hurting.”

As part of her new act, Julia reveals she is trans and asks if there are any trans

people in the audience. “Early on, there would be silence”, recalls Susan. “But over time, there began to be more and more trans folks in the audience, which was, for us, a wonderful thing.”

In the background, though, is the Trump administration’s attacks on America’s trans community. Placards at a demo read ‘Love Trumps Hate’ and ‘Protect Trans Kids’. Julia does a joke about not being allowed to use women’s toilets; and Emma worries about what she faces on tour, “which is terrifying when you think of the vulnerability of a performer on stage,” says Susan.

She covers all of this with a light touch in the film, and says that when they began, “it was incidental that Julia was trans”. Her storytelling focus was always Julia’s journey and how her family was returning to her life. “What we’ve observed over the past few years internationally, the way that transgender folks have been politicised, and everything that has happened that has made it a culture war – none of that was ever a part of the process for this film, or for Julia’s saying yes to me. There wasn’t an agenda, ever, in terms of any political agenda.”

 Julia Scotti: Funny That Way is on Amazon Video and Bohemia Euphoria 31 March 2023

Julia Scotti’s Prime Video show

Julia Scotti

Julia Scotti and Susan Sandler

Afor our feast times

Joanna Nissim celebrates Sephardic traditions at her seder table

When I married my Iraqi-Indian husband, I didn’t marry just him; I married his family and an entire Sephardic community. A community that consists of nationalities and traditions spanning from Iraq to India, Iran, Yemen, Morocco and beyond. With that comes an incredible array of different minhags and recipes assigned to each festival and Shabbat. There are common threads through many of the recipes and ones I grew up with but the Sephardic ones may use more spices or have a slightly different name.

The same thread that runs through many dishes is no exception at Pesach. Most notable is the Sephardic charoset that we call halek. Called haleg by the Persians, helayk by the Iraqis and halek by the Indians, the sticky, syrupy sweetness that we have on our seder plate is served in a matzah sandwich with lettuce and is universally loved. For generations it was made by members of the community in a painstaking process, by boiling down dates and passing them through a cheesecloth. The sweet date syrup is mixed with chopped walnuts and almonds and

a host of different spices depending on the tradition of each family. Not only is it on our seder plate as a symbol of the mortar applied by the slaves to build but is used throughout Pesach as a condiment to pretty much everything. My mother-in-law would have it every morning, slathered on matzah with a cup of coffee and would say this is the best way to start her day!

The one thing that most Sephardic food has in common is the use of spices. Passed down through generations, the subtle fragrances that adorn the festive dishes are unique. With the correct ratio of each spice to enhance the dish and give character, these dishes are elevated to something special with a unique and celebratory feel.

An abundance of fruit and nuts that grow in these exotic Middle Eastern countries meant that it was second nature to decorate their dishes with them, along with amazing spices such as saffron. Saffron is, by the gram, more expensive than gold and so you can’t get anything more decadent to put on a celebration dish.

Stuffed Potatoes

Sephardic Jews love to stuff food! Mahasha, a popular dish among Iraqis and Iraqi Indians, is scooped out vegetables filled with meat, rice, fruit, nuts and spices and cooked in a tomato sauce. The Syrians stuff many vegetables also, as well as grape leaves in a dish called Yabra which is then cooked with apricots and a tamarind sauce called ou. Chickens are stuffed with a hashu or hashwa - a rice, again beautifully spiced with fruit and nuts. These impressive dishes look fabulous on any table for a special occasion and no matter how many times we have seen them, they command the same oooohs and ahhhhhs due to the amount of work that goes into making them.

No matter your background, Pesach is always a huge amount of work, from the cleaning and shopping to the hours of preparation and cooking. However, in these turbulent times in which we live, the festivals are a constant and we are honoured to continue these incredible traditions that have lasted the test of time and really do celebrate life and the Jewish people.

Ingredients

10 all-rounder potatoes

500g beef mince

1 tbsp of tamarind paste or ou

1 tbsp of tomato paste

1 tsp of allspice

Method

Salt and pepper to taste

Tomato sauce

1 large onion, finely diced

2 tbsp dried mint

2 tins of plum tomatoes (or

To make the stuffed potatoes

one tin and 1 jar of passata)

The juice of a lemon

1 tbsp sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Make the filling by mixing the minced beef with allspice, salt/pepper, tamarind and tomato puree and leave to one side whilst you prepare the potatoes.

2. Peel the potatoes and halve, lengthways. Cut a tiny slice off the bottom so that they stand up.

3. Scoop out the inside with a melon baller or teaspoon.

4. Fill the cavity with the minced beef mix.

To make the sauce

1. Dice and fry the onions on a low heat until they are soft and golden in a large casserole dish with a lid.

2. Add the dried mint and tomato paste.

3. Add the tinned tomatoes and/or passata.

4. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes until the tomatoes have started to break down.

5. Add the sugar and lemon and more mint if required and leave for 20 minutes until you have a cohesive sauce.

6. Place the stuffed potatoes into the sauce in one layer.

7. Add a little more water if required to come up to the top of the potatoes but not covering them.

8. Cover and put in the oven at 170/180 for one hour until the potatoes are soft and cooked through.

Kuku Sabzi

Ingredients

1 lb of fresh shredded coconut, or 1lb of dried coconut soaked in water for 1 hour and drained

1½ cup of sugar

2 tbsp of orange blossom water

Method

Ingredients

2 thawed rounds of frozen spinach

A bunch of coriander

A bunch of dill

A bunch of parsley

Method

A tsp of turmeric

Salt and pepper to taste

1½ tsp of baking powder

1 tbsp of natural yogurt

5 eggs

1. Wash and finely chop all the herbs.

2. Wring out the frozen spinach and finely chop.

3. Beat the eggs with the yogurt, salt and pepper well.

4. Mix in the spinach and herbs well.

5. Mix in the baking powder well ensuring that there are no clumps (the mixture should resemble the texture of cake batter).

6. Pour into a lined loaf tin or small cake tin and bake at 160C for 50 minutes.

7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients

1 litre of almond milk (or full-fat dairy milk)

6 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp rose water

1 tbsp cardamon water or 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed and removed

Method

before putting in the bowls

4 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla

To decorate: Flaked almonds

Ground cardamom

Coarsely ground pistachios

1. Add enough of the milk to the cornflour to make a loose paste.

2. Heat up the remaining milk with the sugar, rose, cardamom and vanilla.

3. Once small bubbles form, whisk in the cornflour slurry and keep mixing until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

4. Once thickened, place into bowls and leave to cool.

5. In a separate bowl, grind up pistachios and flaked almonds. Add half a teaspoon of ground cardamom and sprinkle on top of the set milk.

6. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Mahallabi

Half a cup of peeled pistachios

The juice of half a lemon

Flaked almonds to decorate

Orange zest (optional)

1. Soak and drain the coconut if using dried coconut.

2. Put the coconut into a saucepan with all the other ingredients and bring to the boil.

3. Mix every few minutes so that the coconut doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has evaporated.

4. Turn into a dish a serve at room temperature.

Optional – sprinkle the flaked almonds and grate some orange zest on top to serve

Candied Coconut & Pistachio

JN Junior

The big question

Who would you ask a question to and what would it be?

Genius Jenna says: Pesach is nearly here, which means people all over the world will be eating matzah, digging out the Haggadahs and having a seder night, or two.

The Jewish holiday centres around the retelling of the biblical story of the Jewish people being freed from slavery in Egypt and this miraculous exodus. We will drink four cups of wine (or grape juice!), taste the bitterness of slavery with a bite of maror (bitter herbs), and sample the sweetness of freedom with a mouthful of charoset (a sweet mixture of wine, apples, and nuts). It is also tradition for the youngest child at the seder to present ‘The Four Questions’ (Mah Nishtanah) where we ask about certain Passover rituals that make ‘this night’ different to all other nights. These questions include: why is matzah eaten? Why do we eat maror? Why is the meat that is eaten exclusively roasted? And why do we dip food twice? Questions are such an important way for us to find out about people and the world. If I could ask anyone a question, it would be David Attenborough. I would ask:

Jacob Lewis, Age 9, North London

My family and I are big Star Wars fans, and we love watching the films together. In 2012 Disney bought the Star Wars franchise and made films 7, 8 and 9. For some people, Disney has ruined Star Wars. My question would be to George Lucus, who made the films: “If Disney hadn’t bought the Star Wars franchise, how would you have ended the films and what do you think of Disney’s interpretation?”

Good news for..

FANS OF HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

There is going to be a new live-action How To Train Your Dragon film. Unrelated to the animated trilogy, this film, based on the book by Cressida Cowell, is expected to hit our screens in March 2025. It will be produced by Marc Platt Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures, with Dean DeBlois, who also directed the animated films in the series, set to return to write and direct this one too. Popcorntastic!

Hands

On!

Sign

With Ivor Baddiel

What did King Arthur say when Sir Lancelot turned up to the round table in a purple and orange suit of armour? Why is this knight so different to all other knights?

Circa at the Southbank Centre

What’s On This Month... 1

A symphony of acrobatics, sound and light is taking place at the Southbank as the unique circus by Circa brings its Humans 2.0 to London. Directed by Yaron Lifschitz, it will run at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall from 12-16 April. For those aged over 8. www.southbankcentre.co.uk

2

London Children’s Ballet – Snow White

Young audiences will enjoy watching young performers in The London Children’s Ballet performance of Snow White. Peacock Theatre (Sadlers Wells) 13 – 16 April. www.sadlerswells.com

Compiled by Candice Krieger

3 4

BBC Earth Experience

Experience an unforgettable journey through the natural world, exploring the seven continents on an epic scale as the BBC Earth Experience has just opened in Earls Court, London (30 March). www.bbcearthexperience.com

Easter Run Regent’s Park

5

5

The London Easter Run returns to Regent’s Park. There’s a main 10k race, an Adults Fun Run plus a shorter Children’s Race www.nicework.org.uk/races/london-easter-10k

Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure

Beatrix Potter’s much-loved characters come to life in a live immersive outdoor experience for families in London’s Covent Garden. The Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure runs until 16 April. www.peterrabbiteasteradventure.com

Business / LocalGlobe

With Candice Krieger candicekrieger@googlemail.com

SHOWING THE WAY TO FEMALE INVESTORS

The world of venture capital can often seem murky and intimidating to those that want to take their startup to new heights or even invest in the next big thing themselves. Former City executive Catherine Lenson is on a mission to shift that image and make sure a more diverse group of people not only receive the cheques but sign them too.

Having spent 13 years gaining increasingly senior roles at UBS, Lenson in October 2017 took a leap to lead the HR operation at SoftBank Investment Advisors, Softbank’s corporate venture fund, and would become its first female managing partner. She went from being part of the HR team to being the most senior person in HR. “I’d also gone to an absolute startup,” she explains.

The pandemic posed particularly dramatic challenges as the company tried to look after sta all around the world. “E ectively, I was

in the lead in the firm in thinking about what that meant for our employees,” Lenson says. In one instance, she recalls “in India, we were literally buying oxygen and getting it to people’s families”.

Reflecting on previous roles, Lenson said in her corporate life she would “more often than not be the only woman in the room, certainly the most senior woman”. However, she says she was “surrounded by amazing male

mentors”, something she values to this day. Mentoring others is also important to her, as is doing other things that actually “move the needle”. Ultimately, this boils down to hiring senior women and investing in femalefounded companies.

“At the end of the day, you’ve either got to hire into women senior positions, or you’ve got to fund female founders who are building businesses,” she says.

During her time at SoftBank, the investor said “it became clear that one of the big topics that was going to be on the agenda was the distribution of capital within the founders that exist in the world. And so, if you look at the surveys over the last few years, in the UK, something like one and a half percent of all venture capital invested has gone to allfemale founding teams, which is an extraordinarily low percentage.”

Lenson is also keen to highlight that women and those from diverse communities should not be put o from being investors because they assume doing so requires putting huge amounts of money into a business.

people. But with that are people challenges,” she says. “How do you motivate Gen Z? What does the future of work look like? What does the post-Covid workplace look like? Those things are all translatable across both the professional world and in my communal environment.”

Indeed, technology related to the future of work is an area in which Lenson believes there are exciting startups and investment opportunities.

“I think it’s a sector that’s still relatively underdeveloped compared to some other kind of enterprise software,” she reveals.

Getting backing for female founders might still be something of an ongoing battle but one thing is clear – “there is no shortage of female talent. And getting a more diverse group of people investing in firms might also lead to a wider range of founders receiving investment. With the tech sector going through a tumultuous time, getting the widest range of talent involved in both sides

of the investment process is crucial.”

In fact, she says, “most female angels writing cheques are writing cheques of £1,000, £2,000, maybe even £10,000”.

Not nothing, but “an amount of money that many women I’ve spoken to can imagine in their lifetime having access to”.

It’s vital, according to Lenson, to have people from minority communities in the rooms where investment decisions are made.

ting huge amounts of money into a business. she people from minority communities in the rooms where investment decisions are made.

“Not only are we backing female founders, but we’re also creating wealth for female investors, by allowing women to be on the cap tables. By the way, the same goes when you talk about black-owned businesses. We don’t just want black founders; we want black investors on the cap tables benefiting from the growth of the businesses. That’s incredibly important.”

Lenson will be a position to work with more such firms earlier in their journey. Earlier this week she announced she had become a venture partner at London seed-stage investment firm LocalGlobe.

Lenson’s business career has also fed into her communal life, most notably when she was involved in appointing the rabbi in her shul in Hadley Wood. The benefit of communal involvement works both ways. For instance, Lenson feels being a director of the University Jewish Chaplaincy gave her skills in the fundraising space – an area in which she is not involved in her professional life.

goes when you talk about black-owned their journey. Earlier this week she in Hadley Wood. The benefit instance, Lenson feels University Jewish Chap“The one thing that

“The one thing that connects everything is

City high-flyer Catherine Lenson tells Charlotte Henry she has a message for ambitious women from the heady world of venture capital – do not be afraid

AT BUSINESS MEETINGS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT I WAS THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM

MAKING SENSE OF THE SEDRA

BY REBBETZEN LISA LEVENE HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB SYNAGOGUE

Transforming ourselves with prayer

What are the lessons we learn from the service in the Mishkan and Beit Hamikdash and the many laws of korbanot (often translated as sacrifices) that our sedra Tzav, and the whole book of Vayikra (Leviticus) speaks of?

Our rabbis describe the times we live in now as “hester within hester” (hiddenness within hiddenness). Although amazing things take place every moment, our hearts can sometimes be so blocked that we remain unmoved and forget that it is God

who is running it all. We forget to stop and ask ourselves what is happening to us and why, individually and collectively? Does it matter that we will never truly be able to understand God’s reasoning?

When we read about the korbanot this week, for me it serves as a reminder that korban is often mistranslated as sacrifice. The root of the word korban is karov, the Hebrew word meaning ‘to come close’. Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch (18081888, Germany) explains that the one who brings the korban ‘deserves to have a close relationship with God’.

Following the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, tefillah (prayer) has replaced sacrifices.

Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner (19511992, America) teaches, that “the purpose of prayer is not to change

God’s will – rather, it is an opportunity to transform ourselves. Our prayers enable us to open our hearts to enable self-reflection and introspection, thus being a way for us to engage in a conversation with God and build a relationship with Him.”

Whether we receive what we have ‘asked for’, or not, is not the point. Each prayer is a rung on the ladder of connection. Even though we may not understand the reasons why we are not always given what we pray for, this seeming refusal can be out of love too. Living in our world of hester and physicality makes this even harder to internalise, but if we pause, we can appreciate that approaching prayer with this mindset will help us to develop a heartfelt closeness and connection to God.

May we all be blessed to approach

our tefillot in this way, with genuinity, a desire for personal growth and closeness to the Master behind the

world of hester, God!

This is a lesson I personally take away from this week’s sedra.

Each prayer is a rung on the ladder of connection

Progressive Judaism

LEAP OF FAITH

BY RABBI DANNY RICH VICE PRESIDENT OF LIBERAL JUDAISM

Feuding families should remember the Jewish demand for forgiveness

The forthcoming coronation of King Charles III and the publicity surrounding the thoughts and movements of his second son, Prince Harry, have inevitably led to schools of thought or camps which either consider Britain’s royal family inherently dysfunctional, or seek to portray one or more of its members as blameworthy and others as innocent.

Family – royal or common – broiguses are nothing new and the families of the Torah are no exception. Indeed, the very first Torah family was riven by sibling murder when Cain killed Abel. After that we see

Abraham destroy his father’s livelihood, the rivalry between Esau and Jacob and Joseph’s arrival in Egypt, resulting from extreme jealousy among brothers. The fact the Torah records such disputes reminds us all families do get into arguments and they are a normative and indeed required part of family life.

It is also true to observe the Torah families are not without success. That of Adam, Eve and Cain produces the human race; Abraham dramatically establishes himself as the first monotheistic family; Jacob and Esau become tribes in their own right although the rivalry continues;

Happy Pesach

Family Seder, 5th April 2023, 5:00pm at SWESRS Seder night using the children’s Haggadah with fun songs and lots of activities

The menu will include veggie matzah pizza for children and veggie matzah lasagna for adults

If you would like to reserve your place or for more details please call the office or visit

stimulating series

Joseph becomes senior adviser to the pharaoh and in that role is able to save his family from starvation and be reconciled with them; Moses and Aaron liberate the Hebrew slaves and their sister, Miriam, serves as a role model for women in leadership roles. While thus acknowledging the reality of family strife, Judaism has a package of values which should minimise both the depth and length of such. Members of families have obligations to each other, expressed best by the prophet Malachi (3:24): “Elijah will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents.” This sentiment applies to other family members too. Our Mishnah – and particularly Pirkei Avot (2:4 and 1:6) – advises against hasty judgement and commends its charitable opposite. The famous Jewish scholar Hillel observed: “Do not judge others until you have found

yourself in their position.”

Having one’s own children is the best recipe for understanding the perceived mistakes of one’s parents.

In a world of social media and obsession with family disputes, we should remember Judaism demands the respect of every person’s dignity

and the prohibition of public humiliation. Unresolved family disputes lead frequently to participants convinced of their own arguments, and more. Perhaps such persons might be reminded of the Jewish demand for forgiveness and the obligation to spread happiness.

A

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

The Royal Family has experienced its fair share of broiguses

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• 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

Email: sales@jewishnews.co.uk

LESLEY TRENNER

Qualifications:

• Provides free professional one-to-one advice at Resource to help unemployed into work

• Offers mock interviews and workshops to maximise job prospects

• Expert in corporate management holding director level marketing, commercial and general management roles

RESOURCE 020 8346 4000 www.resource-centre.org office@resource-centre.org

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 and internet services

• Client satisfaction is at the heart of everything my team and I do, always striving to find the most cost-effective solutions

ADWCONNECT 0208 089 1111

www.adwconnect.com hello@adwconnect.com

ANTIQUES

Top prices paid

Antique – Reproduction – Retro Furniture (any condition)

Epstein, Archie Shine, Hille, G Plan, etc. Dining Suites, Lounges Suites, Bookcases, Desks, Cabinets, Mirrors, Lights, etc.

House clearances

Single items to complete homes

MARYLEBONE ANTIQUES - 8 CHURCH STREET NW8 8ED 07866 614 744 (ANYTIME)

0207 723 7415 (SHOP)

closed Sunday & Monday

STUART SHUSTER - e-mail - info@maryleboneantiques.co.uk

MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT US BEFORE SELLING

WESTLON HOUSING ASSOCIATION

Sheltered Accommodation

We have an open waiting list in our friendly and comfortable warden assisted sheltered housing schemes in Ealing, East Finchley and Hendon. We provide 24-hour warden support, seven days a week; a residents’ lounge and kitchen, laundry, a sunny patio and garden. For further details and application forms, please contact Westlon Housing Association on 020 8201 8484 or email: johnsilverman@btconnect.com

Are you happy paying big household bills?

Would you like to pay less? Find out how

THE JEWISH NEWS CROSSWORD

9 General survey (8)

10 African wildlife tour (6)

11 Join up (6)

12 Rod for roasting meat (4)

14 Flow away (3)

15 Tired opening of the mouth (4)

16 Person who steals (6)

18 Word for expressing the time (6)

20 Gala procession (8)

22 Rich, fertile mud or soil (4)

23 Chinese temple (6)

24 Tenacious (6)

DOWN

2 Pleasant cooking smell (5)

3 Chic (7)

4 Make a fast buck (9)

5 Golf-ball stand (3)

6 Take great delight (5)

7 Toothed cutting tool (7)

11 Involved (9)

13 Corresponding (3,4)

Fun, games and prizes

SUDOKU

Fill the grid with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains the numbers 1 to 9.

SUGURU

ACROSS

1 ___ call, signal to take action (4-2) 5 Careful use of money (6) 8 Part of the ear (4)

WORDSEARCH

The listed words to do with The Lion King can all be found in the grid. Words may run either forwards or backwards, in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction, but always in a straight, unbroken line.

GO HT RA WB AB OO

15 Christmas chocolate cake (4,3)

17 Dixieland stringed instrument (5)

19 Latest trend (5)

21 Going through (3)

HILARIOUS HEBREW Word of the Week

Learning Hebrew can be fun and sometimes hilarious! Join one of the WZO's Ulpan classes near you and find out for yourself! The subsidised Ulpanim are based in North West and East London, Manchester, Brighton, Borehamwood and Bushy. Contact- ulpanuk@wzo.org.il or call 020 83715336

Each cell in an outlined block must contain a digit: a two-cell block contains the digits 1 and 2, a three-cell block contains the digits 1, 2 and 3; and so on. The same digit must not appear in neighbouring cells, not even diagonally.

AFRICA BABOON CANYON CUB DESERT DISNEY

EXILE GORGE HYENAS JUNGLE KINGDOM LIE

LIONESS

LIONS

MEERKAT REIGN RIVALRY ROAR

Last issue’s solutions

Crossword

SCAR SKY STAMPEDE TIMON WARTHOG WILDEBEEST

ACROSS: 1 Balloon, 5 Gorse, 8 Apart, 9 Broiled, 10 Alarmed, 11 Mop up, 12 On call, 14 Repeal, 18 Hails, 20 Modesty, 22 Supremo, 23 Rebel, 24 Yodel, 25 Scenery.

DOWN: 1 Bravado, 2 Llama, 3 Optimal, 4 Nobody, 5 Groom, 6 Relapse, 7 End up, 13 Clipped, 15 Endorse, 16 Loyalty, 17 Emboss, 18 Husky, 19 Steal, 21 Sable.

From

See next issue for puzzle solutions.

All puzzles © Puzzler Media Ltd - www.puzzler.com

the book Hilarious Hebrew- the Fun and Fast Way to Learn the Language, available on Amazon and in book and gift shops throughout London. www.hilarioushebrew.com