FR
EE
In his father’s It’s a no him footsteps from Why Simon quit It’s a family affair as Isaac Herzog is named Israel’s next president
•
23 Sivan 5781
•
Issue No.1213
•
P11
Pages 2 & 16
VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY 3 June 2021
Israel’s X Factor
@JewishNewsUK
Things are looking up for...
Luciana Her career after Westminster, family life, antisemitism and Labour’s failure to cut through under Keir Starmer EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, PAGES 8-9
Jewish teachers bullied by students over Israel One reveals pupils put ‘Free Palestine’ stickers in her hair by Joshua Salisbury josh@jewishnews.co.uk @josh_salisbury
Jewish teachers this week revealed they have become targets of fanatical abuse in the classroom in the wake of the IsraelHamas conflict – with one quitting after being obsessively tormented by pupils. The teacher at a secondary school in Mill Hill told Jewish News she has handed in her notice after being repeatedly subjected to shouts of “Free Palestine” and trolling on social media from students. In one case, she told how students called her a “bitch” online among other vile exple-
tives, which she reported to the police. The incidents worsened before a large proPalestine demonstration in London, she said, causing her to have two panic attacks after suffering three abusive incidents in one day. “They were emboldened,” she said. “It was difficult, I had a good relationship with these students, they loved to learn, but I saw them in a different light. They began to see me not as a teacher who is also Jewish, but as a Jew.” One of the students responsible was suspended and forced to write an apology letter, she said, and the school held an assembly in an effort to crack down on teachers being abused. She added that while she loved the role and the school, she felt unable to continue. “Some
staff feel like we’ve been gaslighted by some members of the school,” she said. A second teacher, who also works at a secondary in north London, alleged that students had competed to stick Free Palestine stickers in her hair after they discovered she was Jewish. “The whole school was full of Palestine flags, the pupils all began shouting ‘Free Palestine’,” she said. “At the beginning, I thought they were just making a statement at all the teachers, but then I realised it was targeted at me and other teachers who are Jewish.” The incident caused her to break down and left her unable to take her class that day. A third, a teaching assistant in Slough, shared Continued on page 5
A Palestinian flag on a school window
2
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
News / New president / Peace letter / Irish criticism
Herzog follows in father’s footsteps by Michael Daventry mike@jewishnews.co.uk @michaeldaventry
Isaac Herzog will become the first Israeli to follow his father to the presidency after being elected the country’s 11th head of state. The Jewish Agency chairman and former Labor Party leader secured the votes of 87 Knesset members on Wednesday, more than any other presidential candidate in Israeli history. His opponent Miriam Peretz won 26 votes. It was a remarkable margin of victory given the political divisions that have prevented the formation of a stable government since 2019. Herzog vowed to be “everyone’s president, to listen to any position and listen to any person”. He added: “It is essential to tend to the bleeding wounds in our society. We must defend Israel’s international standing and its
good name among the nations, combat antisemitism and hatred of Israel, [and] protect the pillars of our democracy.” The president-elect, whose nickname is Bougie, comes a wellknown Zionist family. His father, Chaim, served a decade as president until 1993, and his uncle, Abba Eban, was Israel’s first foreign minister. His grandfather was the country’s first Ashkenazi chief rabbi. President Reuven Rivlin, whose term ends in July, said he was “proud to pass the baton to you in a month”. Benjamin Netanyahu, who defeated Herzog in the 2015 general election, offered his congratulations and wished him success. “President Chaim Herzog represented Israel in a way that inspired respect, even admiration, around the world and within the country and I am certain, Bougie, that you will continue precisely in this manner,” the prime minister
President-elect Isaac Herzog with the popular Portnoy Brothers band at a Jewish News event held in Tel Aviv in 2018
said. He wished Herzog success “on behalf of all citizens of Israel”. Israel’s presidency is a mostly ceremonial role, although Herzog
will have power grant pardons, a question that may arise in Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial. • Editorial comment, page 16
Different kind of president BY NATHAN JEFFAY POLITICAL ANALYST
As Israel’s next president, Isaac Herzog is expected to redefine the post to give huge emphasis to diaspora Jewry. The Irish-born politician, who beat social activist Miriam Peretz in Wednesday’s Knesset vote, currently heads the Jewish Agency, the world’s biggest organisation involved in promoting Israel-diaspora ties. “He has a very, very high level of familiarity with the diaspora Jewry, and it will be higher up in his agenda than it has been for a very long time in the president’s office,” Jonathan Rynhold, a politics professor at Bar Ilan University, told Jewish News. President Reuven Rivlin has forged strong connections with diaspora Jewry, including non-Orthodox communities, but it was a learning curve. He comes from a family of traditional Jerusalemites and initially found some of the ways of the American community strange. He is on record from 1989 disparaging Reform observance as “not Judaism”, and has refused to refer to Reform rabbis as rabbis. By contrast, Herzog has long advocated for religious pluralism, and is known to feel comfortable in Reform shuls. At the same time, he is proud of the heritage of his grandfather Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, the first Chief Rabbi of Israel.
MPS BACK COEXISTENCE FUND At least 65 parliamentarians have added their signatures to a letter to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab calling on the government to commit to an International Fund for IsraeliPalestinian Peace. The letter, which was put together by the Britain-Israel All Party Parliamentary Group, has been signed by MPs and peers from the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats. The heads of Labour Friends of Israel, Conservative Friends of Israel and Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel have also signed it. The Britain-Israel APPG is calling on the UK to “substantiate its support for peaceful coexistence” by playing “a decisive leadership role” and committing to the idea.
The letter states that recent outbreaks of violence in Israel and Gaza are “indicative of a failure by the international community” to invest in sustainable initiatives aimed at promoting peace. The International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian peace is an initiative championed by ALLMEP, a coalition of organisations aimed at establishing long-lasting peace between Israeli and Palestinian communities. The funds are intended to provide an annual purse of £140 million “dedicated to creating the civic foundations upon which a lasting peace can be built”. In 2018, Theresa May’s government confirmed its support for the concept, a move the United States has also taken.
Dublin and Belfast criticism Ireland’s Parliament has branded Israel’s handling of the West Bank a “de facto annexation” in a rare use of the term by officials of an EU member state. The designation came in a non-binding motion passed Tuesday by the Dáil, the lower house, by Sinn Fein, a nationalist left-wing party. Foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney, who is not from Sinn Féin, also used the term in a debate in parliament earlier this week. A draft amendment to the motion calling to expel the
Israeli ambassador to Ireland and impose comprehensive sanctions against Israel failed to pass. The motion said the Irish Dáil “declares that Israel’s actions amount to unlawful de facto annexation of that territory and calls on the government not to recognise as lawful any situation created by any such serious breach of international law”. The European Union considers Israel’s application of its civil laws in eastern Jerusalem and the Golan Heights annexation, but describes
Israel’s presence in the West Bank as “occupation”. Meanwhile, Belfast City Council has passed a motion calling on the UK to expel Israel’s ambassadors in the UK and Republic of Ireland. A meeting on Tuesday evening saw a motion passed, proposed by councillor Fiona Ferguson from the People Before Profit Alliance Party and supported by Sinn Féin and the Green Party, that calls on the British and Irish governments to remove Israeli envoys from their posts in the countries.
3 June 2021 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3
‘Anti-Zionist’ letter / Labour training / Starmer confident / News
Strictly-Orthodox leaders attack ‘pro-Zionist’ rallies Fourteen strictly-Orthodox rabbis have signed an explosive open letter condemning Jews who join “pro-Zionist” rallies and opposing those who lobby the government to support Israel, writes Adam Decker. The notice, backed by a number of rabbis from the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (UOHC), has appeared in some synagogues in London and Manchester. It condemns “provocative actions and public demonstrations by the Zionists, which can only create antagonism between our communities”. Last week, a delegation led by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis held
a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street. There, Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl asked the government to call on social media companies to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which includes antiZionism, and requested Ofcom monitor firms’ adherence to that standard. The 14 rabbis, in a tone not unlike the vehemently anti-Israel sect Neturei Karta, wrote: “We were shocked to learn it was widely publicised over the media channels that the Charedi Jews in England have some connection with the provoca-
tions against the non-Jewish countries by the Zionists in the Holy Land and in the rest of the world. “The notion that anti-Zionism is antisemitism is simply untrue; many great rabbis today and in past generations have been against Zionism. “The Jewish people have lived in many countries over the past 2,000 years and having their own state is not intrinsic to their identity. One who opposes the current state of Israel does not necessarily oppose the Jewish people.” The letter concludes: “For many years, we have lived peacefully and safely alongside all our neighbours;
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis with Prime Minister Boris Johnson
may God help that this continue. Whoever takes part in the abovementioned actions (joining ‘proZionist’ rallies and lobbying the UK government to support Israel) does not represent us.” A senior member of the strictlyOrthodox community told Jewish News: “This letter is not signed by
the UOHC or anyone speaking on its behalf. It was created by zealots who succeeded in whipping up concern by completely misconstruing a meeting that took place. “No senior community rabbonim signed the letter and some signatories have rescinded when they realised that they were duped.”
LABOUR MEMBERS OFFERED TRAINING
Starmer: we’re dealing with it
Labour general secretary David Evans has emailed party members inviting them to “awareness raising training sessions on understanding antisemitism”, writes Lee Harpin. In an email sent on Wednesday he said the sessions would cover “what antisemitic incidents look like in the UK and the world today”. The online events are to be hosted
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted Labour has “begun” to deal with its antisemitism problem during a television interview with Piers Morgan. The Labour leader told the presenter :“We had to make changes, so on things like antisemitism, it was really important to me and to the party, I think, to the country, that we dealt with antisemitism. “We’ve begun to do that,
by Mike Katz, the Jewish Labour Movement’s national chair, and Rebecca Filer, JLM’s national organiser. They will focus on “ identifying different elements of antisemitism and how members of the Labour Party can create a welcoming environment for Jewish members.” Evans, who revealed he had undergone training himself said
Labour is built on the values of solidarity, equality and respect. He said: “When I became general secretary of the Labour Party, I made my priorities clear. I want to ensure our party is a welcoming environment for all our members. In order to tackle antisemitism, it is vital to understand it.” The first online session takes place on 14 June.
The connec
Agam (14) has had her life turned around thanks to Youth Futures
..
taken some really, really important steps. We’re turning the party around.” In a wide-ranging interview for Morgan’s ITV Life Stories series, the Labour leader spoke about his childhood, the death of his mother and his strained relationship with his father. When asked what he was proud of since becoming leader, Starmer referred to his work on tackling antisemitism.
t io n
s continue
with
a UJIA le gacy gift
.support . andUJIA’s Nina wants to mentoring there long into the future.
When Nina Padwick looks back on her life, some of her most treasured memories occurred in Israel. Her personal connection with the country is something she is keen to secure long into the future. By leaving a legacy gift to support Israel’s underprivileged children, Nina will change the lives of those who represent her hopes and dreams for the future, in a meaningful and enduring way. To find out more about the huge difference a legacy gift to Israel through UJIA can make, call Harvey Bratt on 020 7424 6431 or email harvey.bratt@ujia.org United Jewish Israel Appeal is a registered charity No. 1060078 (England & Wales) and Sc 039181 (Scotland).
4
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
News / Durban boycott / App ‘stories’ / Norwood hack
UK poised to join boycott of ‘racist’ Durban conference by Lee Harpin lee@jewishnews.co.uk @lmharpin
The UK government is set to announce it will boycott the forthcoming Durban IV conference in New York over “serious concerns” about past issues over antisemitism and anti-Israel hatred. A senior government source confirmed to Jewish News that Britain will join the United States, Canada and Australia in avoiding September’s 20th anniversary of the World Conference against Racism. The UNESCO-organised event had previously been blighted with one-sided attacks on Israel including in 2001 a draft resolution which likened Zionism to “racism”. The Jewish Leadership Council, Board of Deputies and Conservative Friends of Israel groups have written to foreign secretary Dominic Raab urging the UK to boycott the event. Jewish News understands that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was made aware of widespread objections to UK participation at Durban IV during a meeting with Jewish communal organisations last month. The PM is believed to have taken
UN secretary general Kofi Annan at Durban I in 2001
up the issue again following the UN General Assembly meeting on 20 May. The source also confirmed there was “zero support” for UK participation at the event amongst the current cabinet. But there has been concern that the Foreign Office had up until now been “dragging its heels” over an official announcement on the UK boycott. A letter sent jointly by the JLC and the Board to the foreign secretary said that despite being known as a conference against
racism, Durban “is remembered by the international Jewish community as a “hostile showcase for open antisemitism”. It noted that the antisemitic forgery Protocols of the Elders of Zion had been distributed in the conference venue. On 20 April, Raab said the UK would “obviously” attend September’s UN General Assembly but added that the government “will not support any partisan or political attacks on Israel”. The conference is scheduled for 22 September in New York.
Instagram denies censorship claims Instagram has dismissed claims that it suppressed proPalestinian messages during the conflict with Israel in Gaza, writes Lee Harpin. The platform revealed that until now its app had favoured original content in its ‘stories’ feature over existing re-shared posts from users. This meant that during the Gaza conflict re-shared messages in support of Israel or the Palestinians got less prominence than original posts. Instagram says that in the future it will now give equal treatment to both original content and reshared posts. The company, which is owned by Facebook, admitted that the current system had a “bigger impact than expected”. This was an unintended sideeffect rather than an attempt at censorship, it added. A spokeswoman said the logic for prioritising original posts was that most Instagram users had more stories to follow than time to check them – and the company believed
people were “more interested in original stories from their closest friends”. “It’s also caused people to believe we were suppressing stories about particular topics or points of view. We want to be really clear – this isn’t the case,” she said. “This applied to any post that’s re-shared in stories, no matter what it’s about.” In recent weeks users and employees at Facebook had questioned how it handled posts about the Gaza conflict on its site and on apps such as Instagram. The Financial Times reported that up to 50 employees had raised concerns about supposed suppression of pro-Palestinian content. Instagram says the shift towards equal weighting of original posts and re-shared stories will happen over time. “We still think people want to see more original stories, so we’re looking at other ways to focus stories on original content through things like new creative tools,” it told the BBC.
ANTI-ZIONISTS HACK CHARITY Norwood’s social media accounts were hacked by Palestine activists with calls to wipe Israel off the map plastered on to its Twitter and Instagram. The charity supports about 2,500 people with learning disabilities, mental health and wellbeing issues, and their families. A spokesperson told Jewish News: “We became aware that Norwood’s social media accounts were breached with content posted from the Free Palestine movement. As a British charity, our Norwood’s Instagram account was targeted duty is to support vulnerable members of the accounts had strong passwords and security. It British Jewish community and, as such, we added: “Every Jewish organisation should check condemn as abhorrent all hate crimes.” The CST condemned the action as “abso- that their social media accounts are protected lutely sick” and urged communal organisations by strong passwords and two-factor authenticato be vigilant, as well as check all social media tion. CST can provide advice on how to do this.”
don’t forget me
All we could ask was: why?
And don’t forget to leave a gift to World Jewish Relief in your Will
BY BEVERLEY JACOBSON
you can help end jewish poverty
Last Thursday, after our social media accounts were hacked by Palestine activists, we were inundated with messages of support from other charities, community organisations and members of the public, many of whom could only ask: why? That’s a question we can’t answer. We aren’t known for posting political content. Our strapline says proudly that we are “the UK’s largest Jewish
For more information about leaving a gift in your Will, or about our Free Will service, please contact Richard Budden richardb@worldjewishrelief.org 020 8736 1250
www.worldjewishrelief.org/will
reg. charity 290767
CEO, NORWOOD
charity” and, as several of our channels were targeted at once, we can only conclude that the breach forms part of the wider picture of antisemitism. Our duty is to support vulnerable members of the British Jewish community and beyond and, as such, we condemn all hate crimes, whomever the target. Whatever your views about tensions in the Middle East, importing those tensions to the social care sphere is unjustifiable, and to target a charity such as ours is as incomprehensible as it is counter-pro-
ductive in serving your cause. The vulnerable people we support will always remain our reason ‘why’. We were especially gratified by those members of the public who sent messages of support and shared links to our website’s donation page, widening our circle of support and donations as far afield as Canada and the US. While the past few days have been saddening for everyone in our organisation, the message of hope and solidarity that has come out of it has been truly heartening.
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
5
/ Provocative filming / Facbook abuse / Teachers’ torment / News
YouTubers’ stunt ‘incitement’ Two Muslim YouTubers have been accused of a “direct and deliberate act of incitement” after confronting Jews in Golders Green Road about Israel and Palestine. Mohammed Hijab and Ali Dawah, who have a million subscribers on YouTube between them, shared videos of themselves asking Jewish people to condemn Israel’s actions. In Hijab’s video, ‘Pro-Israeli Makes Chilling Comments’, he is pictured next to a van displaying messages relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as messages invoking the Shoah. One said: ‘Did we not learn from the Holocaust?’, against the backdrop of survivors standing behind barbed wire. In Dawah’s video, ‘Muslims confront radical Israelis – police called’, he is seen following visibly Jewish people,
Mohammed Hijab is filmed next to a van featuring images from the Holocaust
including with children, and asking them if they condemn what Israel does. The two clips, which have been viewed almost 300,000 times, feature several police officers, who were called amid the confrontations.
A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust said: “We see it as a direct and deliberate act of incitement that was inevitably going to alarm the community and stir up tensions. “It’s the equivalent of Britain First
going to Newham or Tower Hamlets and confronting Muslims on the streets there.” Police said: “We have been made aware of concerns from the community and will liaise with the appropriate partners.” When asked why he protested in Golders Green, Hijab told Jewish News: “We did not intend to go to Golders Green to speak to only Orthodox Jews, but pro-Israeli Zionists.” Asked about the Holocaust messages, he said it “was to demonstrate that just as the rest of the world watched on while Jewish people were brutally incinerated at the hands of fascists so, too, it looks on while Arab Palestinians are brutally bombed in the most densely populated area in the world”.
JEWISH FACEBOOK GROUP ABUSE ‘DISGRACEFUL’ A moderator of a Facebook group set up to serve London’s Jewish community during the recent conflict in Israel and Gaza has said he has received appalling abuse from some of those using the platform. Jon Stein, one of at least three Jewish Community London moderators, wrote: “The
amount of abuse the moderators and myself are receiving from this group is a disgrace. “We are being hammered on Facebook and Twitter for being too left, too right, racist, sexist and according to one I am personally radicalising the community and should be ashamed of myself.”
Jewish Community London, which appeared at the start of the latest conflict, had grown to 10,000 members by last week. But it has proved hard to edit out offensive and at times racist remarks. In a long message on the site, Stein wrote: “Nobody is forced to be here. Nobody is
forced to read the content of this group. If you don’t like it, leave. “If you can’t handle the emotional rollercoaster of talking to people of the same religion, maybe social media isn’t for you.”
Bullied out of the classroom Continued from page 1 details of a complaint she had raised with her school around Pesach after allegedly being told by a colleague that the Israeli flag was racist. “She went on to my Facebook profile and the next day demanded I remove the Israeli flag because it was ‘racist’,” said the assistant. She moved classes but claims she continued to face anti-Jewish sentiment. All three did not want to be identified out of fear that abuse would worsen or their schools would act against them. The reports come after at least 25 members of the NEU teachers’ union resigned at JFS citing its allegiance with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and a failure to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. An NEU spokesperson said: “We are appalled by recent attacks on the Jewish community and will continue to stand in solidarity with all those facing racism and oppression.” Alex Brummer, Page 18
This is Pears Court. This is your Retirement Living with Jewish Care.
Charity Reg No. 802559
We’ve been blown away by the level of interest in our brand new one and two bed apartments nestled in acres of beautiful woodland on the Stanmore/Hertfordshire borders. To request a brochure or visit our show home call 020 8922 2200, email retirementliving@jcare.org or visit jewishcare.org/retirementliving Pears Court advert JN 165x260mm v3.indd 1
The Ronson Family Community Centre is at the heart of the Sandringham site, offering a range of events, activities and Shabbat and festival celebrations. Find out more about being part of a thriving Jewish community with the peace of mind 24-hour support brings.
The establishment of Pears Court has been made possible thanks to the exceptional generosity of the Pears Foundation
06/04/2021 15:49
6
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
News / Israel-Hamas aftermath
May was worst month ever for antisemitism More than 350 antisemitic incidents were reported in the last three weeks of May, making it the highest month since records began, writes Jack Mendel. The Community Security Trust (CST) confirmed that there were 351 incidents of antisemitism from 8 May until 1 June, eclipsing the previous highest total of 317 recorded in July 2014, at the height of the last war between Israel and Hamas. CST reports 351 incidents of antisemitism More than 320 of the incidents were believed to be motivated or linked to of Rabbi Rafi Goodwin, for which two events in the Middle East, while 122 were arrested. Four people were also arrested after a convoy of cars displaying were online and 229 offline. In the first week of May there were Palestinian flags drove through areas 25 incidents of antisemitism reported. of London with a passenger shouting These included the assault in Chigwell through a loudspeaker calling for
Jewish women to be raped. There were reports of mezuzahs being removed from Jewish homes in Borehamwood. A spokesperson for the CST outlined the number of incidents was likely being under-reported owing to the time required for processing the incidents. It said: “Every time Israel is at war, antisemitism hits record levels in the UK, and this is another depressing month to add to those in 2014, 2009 and 2006. “However, there is nothing inevitable about this; it happens because some people choose to attack, abuse, threaten and harass British Jews and being angry about Israel is no excuse.”
Royal Free Hospital ‘cut-throat’ claim was false An allegation that a staff member at the Royal Free Hospital made a cut-throat death-threat gesture to a Jewish patient has been found to be false after an investigation was carried out. The director of communications at the north London NHS hospital confirmed yesterday that following a “thorough”
probe into last week’s allegation, the claim was found to be “fictitious and has subsequently been withdrawn”. In a statement, Ian Lloyd confirmed: “Following a thorough investigation, I can confirm that the allegation was fictitious and has subsequently been withdrawn. As I am sure you will appreciate
this has been an upsetting episode for many people connected with the Royal Free London – and in particular our colleagues in the phlebotomy service. We will be ensuring they are supported.” Last week, Jewish News carried a report confirming the incident was being investigated.
SAVE THE DATE
LIPSTADT: THREATS ARE SIMPLY RACIST by Lee Harpin lee@jewishnews.co.uk @lmharpin
Professor Deborah Lipstadt has described the threats made to the Jewish community on the streets of London in recent weeks by pro-Palestinian activists as “antisemitism pure and simple”. Addressing an event hosted by Holocaust Educational Trust for its ambassadors , the eminent Holocaust historian and activist said: “When you begin to attack Jews in the streets of London and begin to say horrific things like ‘rape Jewish women’ that is antisemitism pure and simple.” The American academic also spoke of how some antiIsrael protesters had resorted to what she said was “softcore denial” of the Holocaust during the current outcry over Israel’s actions against the Palestinians in Gaza. She said: “Someone who says there were no gas chambers is looked upon as an idiot or a hater. But there is
softcore denial that we see very strongly. It doesn’t deny the facts of the Holocaust, it changes and moulds the facts. “One need not agree with the policies of the state of Israel. But when you begin to depict Israel and the giver of genocide, when you begin to talk about Israel as Hitler, that is softcore denial. That is a form of distortion.” Lipstadt, best known for winning the libel suit filed against her by the Holocaust denier David Irving in 2000, had spoken to HET ambassadors alongside experts in the field.
The ‘antisemitic’ convoy
2021
ISRAEL
JNF UK Legacy Mission
4- 13 October ◆ Walk in the footsteps of history ◆ Celebrate Israel’s amazing achievements ◆ Enjoy the trip of a lifetime
£1,500 per person excluding flights No single supplement
TOUR THE LENGTH & BREADTH OF ISRAEL IN LUXURY & COMFORT
ACCOMPANIED BY AN EXPERIENCED GUIDE
EXPERIENCE FIRST-HAND THE JNF UK PROJECTS IN THE NEGEV
To register your interest, please contact the JNF UK legacy department
Tel: 020 8732 6129 Email: legacymission@jnf.co.uk
Registered Charity No. 225910
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
7
WHAT IS THE POINT? THE POINT IS FOR US TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY PLEASE LEAVE A GIFT IN YOUR WILL TO A JEWISH CHARITY
For more information on leaving a gift in your Will to one or more of our 43 Jewish Charity partners, please visit www.jewishlegacy.org.uk, email gina@jewishlegacygiving.org.uk or call 020 3375 6248.
Promoting leaving gifts in Wills to Jewish Charities
JL JC ADVERT JUNE 2020.indd 1
16/06/2020 15:48
8
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Jewish News meets... Luciana Berger
‘I’d do it all again’ In her first post-MP interview, Luciana Berger speaks to Lee Harpin about standing in Finchley and Golders Green in 2019, her new career, family life, rising antisemitism in the wake of the Gaza conflict and Labour’s failure to make its mark under Keir Starmer In her first major interview on life after Westminster – and reflecting on almost a decade spent as an MP and leaving the Labour Party – Luciana Berger insists she has no regrets. Now blossoming once more in a senior role at the global communications firm Edelman, the Wembley-born former shadow Cabinet minister said she had “absolutely no regrets” over her decision to leave the Labour Party – a move that ended her high-profile political career. Berger, who turned 40 earlier this month, also spoke of the “massive change”, as she began her job with the leading public relations company from home while lockdown regulations during the pandemic were at their highest level. She also spoke openly of her and husband Alistair Goldsmith’s pride at ensuring their two children, Amélie, four, and Zion, two, grow up with a “strong Jewish identity”. We met up for the exclusive Jewish News interview at a coffee shop only a short distance away from the Edelman office in central London. In the most unlikely of scenarios, the firm shares the very same large office block as Labour, the political party Berger so famously walked out on in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to deal with antisemitism. The former Labour MP said she was keen to fully return to office work as soon as social distancing regulations allowed, not least because 10 months after starting her new job, she has yet to meet many of her Edelman colleagues in person. It was “a bit unusual at first”, Berger said of working in the same building as Labour Party HQ. She has bumped into former general secretary Lord Iain McNicol, but hasn’t yet seen any Labour MPs or party staffers. “Some days I come in and there are television cameras outside, like there were during the week of the most recent local elections,” said Berger. “The journalists look at me, and they are a bit confused.” Berger was first elected as the MP for Liverpool Wavertree in 2010 and I suggest that it must have been unsettling leaving behind a politician’s job in the manner in which she did in the last election. “Anyone who does something they are passionate about for close to a decade would find the transition out a journey,” she says. “I was in a role that was more than a job; it was my passion, it was my vocation, it was an enormous privilege and responsibility to be an MP. I lived and breathed it every minute. “On top of that, I had to say goodbye to Liverpool, the city that had been my home for 10 years, coupled with a pandemic, and looking after very young children (then aged one and three).” Back in February 2019, when she famously
announced she was resigning from Labour after branding the party “institutionally antisemitic”, Berger was hailed by all sections of the Jewish community as a heroine, or indeed even a mensch. Fast forward just a few months and, after announcing she would take on the sitting Tory MP Mike Freer in Finchley and Golders Green for the Liberal Democrats, Berger was subjected to the most vicious taunts, some from members of her own community for daring to stand against a politician they backed. She will not discuss the slurs or those who made them. But of her decision to contest a seat she failed to win, she is adamant.
❝
I AM PROUD OF THE DIFFERENCE I MADE TO THOUSANDS OF MY CONSTITUENTS DURING MY 10 YEARS “I would do it all again. I stand by every single decision I made – they were absolutely the right decisions.” Emphasising her point, she adds: “I don’t regret the stand I took. The decision I made to leave the Labour Party, I’d do that again. “Some people said it was a brave thing to do. But that’s only because there were just a handful of us who made that decision. “I knew that in good faith, at any future election, I could not go and knock on doors and ask people to vote for me, and by extension possibly get that guy [Jeremy Corbyn], into Number 10. I was also so grateful for the opportunity to stand in Finchley and Golders Green. “I am proud of my record, from the laws I was able to influence and change from opposition, particularly in the field of mental health – the difference I made to thousands of my constituents during my 10 years, locally and nationally.” We discuss the immediate aftermath of her election defeat. A sad time for Berger, her family, and those who knew how much she had put into political life. “I didn’t prepare myself,” Berger admits. “An election campaign is all-consuming. |We built the campaign more or less from scratch. There were so many good people involved. We were focused on winning.” While she did not win the seat, the result showed Berger had taken the local Lib Dem vote from just 3,463 at the previous 2017 election to 17,600 this time around. For a defeated MP, the move out of Westminster is “brutal”, Berger says. There is the on-going case work to hand over to your
successor, the data protection responsibilities and the need to tell the team who previously worked for you as an MP that they are being made redundant. “Parliament put up signs saying ‘Welcome to the non-returning members centre’,” she recalls of the day she had to move out of her Westminster office. “And then I had to pack up my home and say goodbye to Liverpool.” Berger talks with deep affection for Liverpool, the city from which it appeared she received a lot of the antisemitic hate directed towards her during her latter days as the Wavertree MP. But she points out it was the city she was “privileged to represent”, in which she met her husband, where their two children were born, and where she still has so many memories of the good friendships she made. The antisemitism she received came from “a very specific, tiny element”, says Berger. “The overwhelming majority of my friends, my neighbours and constituents are warm, generous people. “I count it as an honour to be called, as some have said, an ‘honorary Scouser’. “Liverpool will always hold a special place. It is a proud city of outsiders, with a strong history of many different waves of immigration. The unsavoury elements were confined to the far-left and to the far-right in wider Merseyside. “I will always take my children back to Liverpool, we will be there often as my husband is a massive Red [a Liverpool FC fan].” The halt to a parliamentary career did hold some benefits though – no more long car journeys each week between her home in Golders Green and her constituency home with two young children. And unlike in 2017, when daughter Amélie was born, Berger would not have to jump straight back into election campaign mode. She has also enjoyed spending more time with family and friends. “I’ve loved being able to see so much more of my close friends and
On the 2019 campaign trail with Hugh Grant
family this past year, albeit mostly outdoors on long walks.” She praises her husband for being a “brilliant dad” and reveals how she has taken on more childcare than she did while an MP. “I do a lot more nursery pick-ups and drop-offs, which is a particularly joyful element of my day,” smiles Berger. “During the first lockdown, I found myself thrust into the role of head of home nursery. I thought it was going to be a breeze – little did I know how challenging it would be. Thank goodness for Golders Hill Park. “I came out of that period with every admiration for our early years professionals who do such a remarkable job.” Berger, who is a vice-president of the Jewish Leadership Council and attends all its meetings and contributes to the mentalhealth task force for Jewish schools, remains dedicated to wider commitments to the community. A member of a synagogoue in north London, she says that having attended preShabbat services on Zoom “it is just not the same” as being inside a synagogue building, as part of an in-person congregation”. Friday nights are important at home, says Berger. “Amélie gets very upset if she doesn’t get challah,” she adds. “We’ve also taken great pleasure in teaching her how to say the Shabbat prayers. Chanukah was meaningful last year. There was something particularly uplifting seeing both the children take part while we were in the midst of terribly challenging times.” Berger reveals that, from September, Amélie will attend a local Jewish primary school whose “ethos and values” she and Alistair share. Music executive Goldsmith is enjoying career success in his partnership with established manager Jonathan Shalit and their venture, Chosen Music. The pair have scored several Top 10 hit records so far, most recently with the signing of the artist Nathan Evans and the biggest British song of the year, Wellerman. Six months after her election defeat, Berger set out on a new career path herself landing the role of managing director of the public affairs and advocacy practice at Edelman UK. She leads a team who help clients in the food and drink, renewables and technology sectors with their government relations. It was “a massive change, amplified by the fact that I started in lockdown”, she says of the new lifestyle “It’s fair to say I am not a work-from-home enthusiast” says Berger, of the lockdown Zoom conversations that have dominated her role so far. She says she has been “one of the first back” into the office because she likes to be around people. “I get to work with some brilliant colleagues, including some of the best creatives. I thrive in this environment.”
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
9
Help give a blind Israeli the gift of independence – Sponsor a puppy today! 020 8090 3455 israelguidedog.org.uk
NORTH WEST LONDON
JETS FC FA Charter Standard Club Luciana with husband Alistair, daughter Amélie and son Zion
More recently, she has also been appointed as a non-executive director of online car retailer Cazoo, where she will join the board and become chair of its Environment, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) committee ahead of a £5billion US merger later this summer. As for the Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer, Berger says it is “struggling to hold the government to account and make a mark”. She also confirms, when asked, that she has neither had a conversation with Starmer nor with any senior Labour party representative since the day before the Equality and Human Rights Commission report into antisemitism was published in October. Berger does not place on the new Labour leader all the blame for the failure to cut through during the pandemic. “It has been a very challenging time for politics per se,” she acknowledges. “Politics can’t be done properly as in normal times. That puts any opposition party at a disadvantage. “In the same way I reflect on my own recent experience, it is the same for politics. People can’t come together or discuss things in the same way.”
Berger says the performance of Boris Johnson’s government will be properly appraised when the official enquiry into his handling of the pandemic takes place. “We all have very short-term memories,” she says, reflecting also on the UK’s success with the vaccine roll-out. She praises the UK’s scientists, medical workforce and civil servants who are doing a “remarkable job”. “Compared to our European neighbours, and I know this from my work, the delivery of our vaccination programme is streets ahead,” she adds. “We overlook the year of pain we’ve experienced up until this moment.” Berger confirms she remains a member of the Lib Dems, but has decided not to engage in any party political activity since the election. “I’m taking some time out.” As for a possible return, one day, to frontline politics? Berger says it’s a question she gets asked all of the time, most recently on a break in the Cotswolds with a friend to celebrate her 40th, when they bumped into two “lovely” residents of Finchley and Golders Green on a walk. “Who knows what the future holds?” she adds. “I’m really happy where I am now. But never say never.”
FREE GIRLS ONLY FOOTBALL
TRAINING SESSIONS WEDNESDAYS THROUGHOUT JUNE 2021 Ages 5 – 9: 4.30 – 5.30 Ages 10–15: 5.30 – 6.30
Mill Hill Powerleague, Pursley Road, NW7 2BB
TRIALS ONGOING FOR BOYS FOOTBALL TEAMS ON WEDNESDAYS THROUGHOUT JUNE 2021 Playing in the Excel Sunday League, Maccabi GB Junior Football League and the Watford Friendly League
Ages 5-10: 4.30 – 5.30
Mill Hill Powerleague, Pursley Road, NW7 2BB For more information, visit our website
nwlj.co.uk
and / or contact Aaron Weichselbaum at: aaronnwlj@hotmail.co.uk | 07956121740
Providing Quality Football to the Community For Ten Years Football Coaches are FA Qualified & DBS Checked
Registered charity no: 1027996
Jewish News meets... Luciana Berger
10
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
News / Caring clothing / Italian appeal NEWS IN BRIEF
COMMEMORATION OF FARHUD HELD A commemoration was due to be held on Tuesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Farhud, a pogrom in Iraq during the Second World War in which 180 Jews were killed and hundreds more injured. The event, hosted by Board of Deputies vice president Edwin Shuker, was due to feature witness testimony and discussion of the records that are still available. The Farhud took place during Shavuot in 1941 after riots broke out in Baghdad following Britain’s victory in the war against the pro-Nazi regime in Iraq.
Teen’s style offers breath of fresh air by Candice Krieger @CandiceKrieger
A 14-year-old girl from Manchester whose father died suddenly while running has set up a clothing line to promote mental health awareness. Father-of-two Andrew Cohen, 41, was jogging in UNI LOOKS UNCLEAR 2017 when he suffered a heart Orly, above, attack. His daughter, Orly, a and one of her ON IHRA DEFINITION Year 10 pupil at Alderley Edge City University of London has designs, right School for Girls in Cheshire, pledged to “recognise” the Intercame up with the OC Designs national Holocaust Remembrance clothes line during lockdown, with some of the Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemproceeds going towards a charity the family are setitism – but only on a ‘non-exclusive’ ting up in his name. basis. Students at the university had Orly said: “I had wanted to start a business for a while voted that the institution should and during home school I was looking for things to do, so not recognise the widely-accepted it seemed like the right time.” definition of antisemitism, despite All of her designs promote mental health and wellcampaigns from Jewish groups. The being, which she says has in part been inspired by her university announced in an email experience. “My calm design, for example, which has to staff that it would recognise the ‘breathe and breathe out’ on the sleeve is a reminder that definition, but this “will be reviewed sometimes we all need to take a moment. And thinking within years,ADVERT or as necessary”. HALFtwo PAGE JAN 2020:Layout 1 09/01/2020 16:04 Page 1
about my dad, it makes me want to take a moment.” She acknowledges home school was hard for a lot of people’s mental health. “I know people who have struggled a lot, especially during Covid.” Orly, who studies art and design and technology as part of her GCSEs, draws the designs on an iPad and has a machine that prints them onto the clothes. She sells them through Instagram. The teenager lives with her mother, Hannah, and younger brother, Brody. Her father was wellknown in the South Manchester Sports community for his long-standing association with the South Manchester Sports Club. The family is setting up The Andrew Cohen Charity to raise money for the club, towards which Orly will donate some of the proceeds from her creations. She adds: “My dad was an accountant so my interest in business came from him and I think he would like that I was doing this and using my business brain.” Visit @ocdesignns
UK appeal for Italian orphan An Israeli boy who survived a cable car crash in Italy that killed five other members of his family has begun to eat “soft and light” foods. Eitan Moshe Biran, 5, escaped with multiple broken bones when a snapped cable sent his gondola lift tumbling down part of the mountain overlooking Lake Maggiore in the north of the country. His parents, younger brother and two greatgrandparents were among 14 passengers killed in the tragedy on 23 May. He is recovering in a hospital in Turin, local media reported this week. The cable car’s service manager Gabriele Tadini has been placed under house arrest after admitting to investigators that he had deactivated an emergency brake system that could have prevented the tragedy. He and two other men remain under investigation on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and negligence. Eitan’s father Amit Biran was studying at the University of Pavia near Milan and worked in his spare time as a security guard for the Milan Jewish School. His wife Tal Peleg-Biran, 27, and their two-year-old son Tom also died, along with two great-grandparents, Barbara and Yitzhak Cohen, aged 71 and 83. An appeal by the Jewish charity GIFT to raise funds to support Eitan had attracted £7,000 in donations by Wednesday.
Aliyah Investment & Tax Planning for UK Olim ✓ 10 years tax free income ✓ No tax on pension income
✓ No inheritance tax ✓ Specialist investment management for Olim
• The leading provider of Aliyah investment services for over 15 years • Unrivalled expertise advising UK Olim • Considering Aliyah? Contact our specialist team who will be pleased to share their knowledge and experience with you 020 8202 1944 RJUKGoldersGreen@RaymondJames.com www.goldersgreen.raymondjames.uk.com 843 Finchley Road, London, NW11 8NA
Simon Benarroch FCSI Chartered Wealth Manager
Golders Green
Raymond James Investment Services Ltd is a member of the London Stock Exchange and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales number 3669657. Registered office: Ropemaker Place, 25 Ropemaker St, London EC2Y 9LY.
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
11
Show stopper / Synagogue funding / Judge honoured / News
Cowell ‘no option’ on Israel Simon Cowell had “no option but to pull out of X Factor Israel” after his production team raised serious concerns about travelling to the country to work following the recent conflict with the Palestinians in Gaza, writes Lee Harpin. Jewish News revealed last week that the music mogul was “bitterly disappointed” at having to drop his role as a co-judge on the new season of the Israeli version of the show. Reshet 13, the Israeli television channel airing the fourth series, initially tried to dismiss our report, claiming Cowell had raised concerns during the
It’s a ‘no’ from Simon, whose team was concerned about Israel
recent conflict but insisted he would still go ahead and judge the series.
But a source close to Cowell has now confirmed the decision to Jewish News. The produc-
tion team were seen as crucial by Cowell in ensuring he was projected in the correct fashion throughout the series, which is due to air later this year. “Simon works really closely with his crew on all of his shows, and believes they are vital in making sure the programme’s he appears in put across the sort of production values he admires,” said the source. “Some of this crew were not in favour of going out to work in Israel on X Factor and, in the end, Simon thought it best to offer his sincere apologies and pull out of doing the show. “It’s a real shame, but there
were legitimate concerns among some of the crew. In the end, he was left with no option but to pull out of X Factor Israel.” The conflict between Israel and Hamas raged for 11 days, with at least 240 people killed. A ceasefire was agreed on 21 May. Another source added: “Simon will always be a friend of Israel. But unfortunately, it was not just about him in this situation.” X Factor Israel’s new series will go ahead without Cowell and his team, using producers who have worked on previous shows in the country.
FUNDING FOR SANDY’S ROW Israeli uni honours UK judge London’s oldest surviving Ashkenazi synagogue has received a financial boost from the government’s £1.57billion Culture Recovery Fund to help fund repairs during the pandemic. Sandy’s Row synagogue in London’s East End has been awarded £25,000 for essential construction work, which will stop water seeping through the roof and eroding the Grade II listed building’s masonry. Lifeline grants from the
Culture Recovery Fund are designed to protect heritage sites and ensure jobs and access to culture and heritage in local communities are protected during the months ahead. Sandy Row’s president Harvey Rifkind said: “It will make a significant difference to the work we need to carry out so the synagogue can continue to play an important part in the life of our community.”
OUS H ON EN S R ME W OP M A H NO
Baroness Hale, the first female president of the UK Supreme Court, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Bar-Ilan University in Israel. The citation mentions her “outstanding efforts on behalf of women and minorities, and to secure elevated rights for all citizens, as well as her dedication to the protection of democracy and basic human rights”. The baroness, president of the court
from 2017 to 2020, said she has visited Israel six times. She added: “I am bowled over by the honour Bar-Ilan has bestowed upon me. It was a big surprise but that makes it an even bigger honour.” Hale recently delivered an address on legal dilemmas in religious feminism at a conference hosted by Bar-Ilan’s Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women.
NEWS IN BRIEF
JDA BOSS RECEIVES LIFETIME AWARD The head of the Jewish Deaf Association has been given a civic award for her charity work. CEO Sue Cipin was presented with the Barnet lifetime achievement award, which is given to one person a year for ‘exceptional’ commitment. She was handed the honour by Deputy Mayor, Councillor Lachhya Bahadur Gurung, after being nominated by Mike Freer MP and Rabbi David Lister of Edgware United Synagogue. Cipin said: “I am so proud of the incredible work all our staff have done.”
MARQUESS TO BE ISRAELI CITIZEN A leading British aristocrat has decided to take out Israeli citizenship – and despite the recent Middle East fighting, the Marquess of Reading says he is “more determined than ever” in his support for the country. Lord (Simon) Reading says he and his wife Melinda have Israeli visas, which will be transitioned into full citizenship when he next visits, hopefully in October. He was recently involved with the dedication of a new Magen David Adom ambulance in the name of Prince William, which will be stationed in Nazareth.
E
welcome home... Providing compassionate residential, nursing, dementia and respite care. HAMMERSON HOUSE, N2 NIGHTINGALE HOUSE, SW12 REGISTER YOUR INTEREST & FIND OUT MORE 020 8673 3495 INFO@NIGHTINGALEHAMMERSON.ORG NIGHTINGALEHAMMERSON.ORG Registered Charity 207316
12
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
World News / Israeli election / Controversial posting / Alderney atrocities
Coalition in the balance As a midnight deadline drew closer, it became increasingly clear that – aside from getting rid of Benjamin Netanyahu – the kaleidoscope of parties hoping to form Israel’s next government agreed on precious little else, writes Michael Daventry. Many hoped time would soon be up for a prime minister who generated such strong feelings in his 12 uninterrupted years of power that he can inspire right-wing Jewish nationalists and left-wing Arabs to seek common ground against him. But when Jewish News went to press, Israelis were still waiting to know whether opposition leader Yair Lapid would succeed in herding together eight of the Knesset’s 13 political parties into a deal. Earlier in the week, it looked as if he was on the verge of succeeding
after he lured Naftali Bennett, the former Netanyahu ally who now leads the right-wing Yamina Party. Bennett publicly broke his ties with Netanyahu last Sunday in a speech during which he said the prime minister needed to go. But it takes more than televised declarations to build a coalition and this one, if it emerges, will be built on some of Israel’s toughest and most protracted political negotiations. Bennett was set to become prime minister as part of a rotation arrangement with Lapid, even though the latter leads a much larger party in the Knesset. The United Arab List led by Mansour Abbas was also involved, most likely by providing the votes to prevent the government from being toppled in exchange for more
Yamina leader Naftali Bennett gestures during a Knesset session
funds for Arab areas. Measures to repeal the deeply divisive Nation State law, which Israeli Arabs say relegated them to second-class citizens, were dropped. Yet despite the concessions, every passing hour and day without a deal strengthened Netanyahu’s hand.
He has tried, so far unsuccessfully, to coax away members of Yamina and New Hope, the other rightwing party set to join the new deal. By Shabbat, we will have a better idea of whether he is firmly out of power. • Editorial comment, page 16
‘Arab-Jewish solutions in a coalition’ Tensions between Arabs and Jews in Israel will fall significantly if attempts to build a new non-Netanyahu government succeeds, a leading Arab politician has said, writes Nathan Jeffay. Issawi Frej of the Meretz Party, who has spent recent weeks trying to calm tensions in
mixed cities as riots raged, said: “From the first night I was urging people to calm things, in interviews and on social media.” He told Jewish News coalition talks may yield a government that will not only rebuild relationships, but improve them significantly. He spoke soon after the Yesh Atid party
leader Yair Lapid announced Meretz and Labour have agreed to join it. This means Lapid now needs to secure the support of other parties, including the right-wing Yamina. “The reality is we’re all going to be staying here and we need solutions for living together in this complicated reality.”
GOOGLE BOSS’ BLOG UPSET Google’s global head of diversity strategy once wrote a blog in which he alleged Jews have an “insatiable appetite for war and killing” and also claimed they should have more “compassion” because of the Holocaust, writes Lee Harpin. Kamau Bobb (pictured) – the Global Lead for Diversity Strategy and Research at Google and the founding senior director of the Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech – made the claim in a 2007 blog post published on his website and titled If I Were A Jew. Bobb wrote: ‘If I were a Jew I would be concerned about my insatiable appetite for war and killing in defence of myself. Self defence is undoubtedly an instinct, but I would be afraid of my increasing insensitivity to the suffering of others.” He also used the example of Kristallnacht, the Nazi pogrom against Jews in 1938, and the Holocaust victim Anne Frank to question why Israel lacks “compassion” towards Muslims in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank. An email seen by Jewish News, reportedly written by Bobb, says: “I am deeply sorry” for expressing “hurtful views”. The blog was highlighted in a report by The Washington Free Beacon website.
Nazi crimes on British soil A report on Nazi concentration and death camps set up during the Second World War on the Channel Islands that was uncovered in the Russian State Archives details some of the atrocities leading to the deaths of at least 700 people incarcerated at the sites. Sections of the Report on Atrocities Committed in Alderney, 19421945 were published last weekend for the first time by The Sunday Times. The report was compiled by intelligence officer Captain Theodore Pantcheff for the British government following the liberation of the Channel Island of Alderney in 1945 after Germany’s defeat. The history of the Nazi occupation of Alderney is murky because the residents were evacuated before the Germans came in 1940, leaving few witnesses. The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles occupied by the Germans in the war. Pantcheff spoke to German guards and prisoners and estimated the number of people who died on the island to be about 400. The number was accepted by his superiors, who were allegedly embarrassed that the Nazis had set up a camp on British soil. Accepted histories of Alderney
hold that there were some 6,000 Jewish and Russian slave labourers on the island who were brought there to build massive fortifications. Most of those sent to the camps were Russian, Polish and Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians. There were also French Jews, along with German and Spanish political prisoners. They were held
Policeman and a German soldier
in at least two camps at Lager Sylt and Lager Norderney. Contrary to Pantcheff’s estimate, at least 700 people are believed to have died at the hands of the Nazis in the camps. Pantcheff found evidence of mass graves of the hundreds who were starved, beaten, tortured or shot to death by the Nazis. According to Pantcheff’s report, SS soldiers who were guarding the prisoners were rewarded with extra leave for “every five dead prisoners”. He wrote that a “common cause” of death in 1943 was starvation “assisted by physical ill-treatment and overwork”. Workers were beaten on all parts of their bodies and SS troops would try to earn the extra leave by “shooting prisoners for the smallest offences”. Pantcheff learned from prisoners that guards would throw a cigarette butt on the floor and then shoot anyone who tried to pick it up. He wrote that one witness told him the walls of Norderney commander Karl Theiss’ office were repainted “three or four times to remove blood stains”. Another claimed that 300 to 400 Jews were buried in mass graves on Longis Common on Alderney. Only a few of the Germans who
Darkest days: Remains of the site of a Nazi camp on Alderney
ran the camp were ever brought to justice, even though Pantcheff’s report provided a list of the names and crimes committed. There have been requests in Parliament to locate the mass graves on Alderney. In January, MP Matthew Offord called on the government to release information about mass graves on the island. In a debate following Holocaust Memorial Day, Offord told the Commons: “I’ve been advised that a considerable amount is already known of what lies beneath the ground.” A year earlier, Offord had
pushed for the excavation of graves to try to identify bodies, but in January he said he had changed his mind as Jewish religious law discourages moving buried remains. There are only 397 known prisoner graves on the island. In 2017, an investigative report by former top British army officers claimed that the casualty figure was probably much higher than 700 and was more likely 40,000 to 70,000. The report asserted that the true horror of the Nazi killings on the island was covered up by British military intelligence.
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
13
14
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Special Report
Israel is GUILTY of genocide? Human rights lawyers say NO The country might seem guilty as charged on the streets, but not in a court of law, writes Ben Sales When actor Mark Ruffalo apologised last week for posts that “suggested Israel is committing ‘genocide,’” it wasn’t clear what comments of his own he was speaking about. But he drew attention to a loaded word that has leapt into public discourse in the past two weeks, during and after the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Accusations that Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza have flown freely, from seasoned activists to the Palestinian foreign minister to people wading into the Israeli-Palestinian issue for the first time on social media. Tweets with the words “Israel” and “genocide” appeared as often as thousands of times per hour on Twitter during the 11-day conflict, in which more than 250 Palestinians and a dozen Israelis were killed. But even human rights lawyers who have been deeply critical of
Israeli policy and actions in Gaza and the West Bank say the genocide term doesn’t apply. As some Palestinian advocates are making the case that Israeli policy in Gaza fits some definitions of genocide, Jewish and Israeli human rights lawyers across the political spectrum use words like “ridiculous” and “baseless” to describe the accusation. Israel’s policy “doesn’t even begin to meet the threshold of what genocide is, and I think it cheapens the very important and grave concept of genocide,” said Michael Sfard, a prominent human rights attorney who wrote a legal opinion last year arguing that Israel is committing the crime of apartheid. Meanwhile, some Jews say that hearing the country be accused of genocide feels like a special affront given its connection to the Holocaust, the Nazi genocide that gave rise to the term. “Specifically picking the crime
Posters accuse Israel of genocide
the Jewish people have suffered, perhaps more than any other people in history, is not only to accuse us of a great crime but to negate our suffering as a people,” said Eugene Kontorovich, an international law scholar who has defended Israel’s wartime conduct.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK? H AV E Y O U R S AY I N T H E F U T U R E OF OUR SIXTH FORM TA K E O U R S U R V E Y
WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.CO.UK/R/4IC6
According to an analysis by the Network Contagion Research Institute, which studies the spread of hate online, tweets including the words “Israel” and “genocide” were posted hundreds of times per hour throughout the fighting. At one point on 14 May, tweets with those two words were shared more than 2,000 times an hour. One tweet about “the ongoing Israeli genocide in Palestine” was shared more than 3,700 times. “In order to commit the crime of genocide, one needs to have an intention to exterminate, in whole or in part, a group,” Sfard said. “And in the 30 years of my activism and more than 20 years of litigation, I haven’t seen a shred of evidence that Israeli officials and decision makers hold such an intention.” According to the United Nations, “genocide” consists of “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” That can include killing members of the group, inflicting serious bodily harm on them, preventing births, forcibly transferring their children or creating “conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.” Sari Bashi, a human rights lawyer and prominent activist for the rights of Palestinians in Gaza, said Israel’s military conduct in Gaza was “unlawful” — but not genocide. She also said Hamas committed war crimes by firing rockets at civilian populations but not “terrorism,” politically motivated violence usually perpetrated outside the confines of an armed conflict. Bashi said: “I think people often throw around strong terms. I don’t think you hear international lawyers or human rights groups issuing reports analysing why it’s genocide because it’s not.”
£90
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
15
Festival success / Online education / Military appointment / Diaspora News
A semblance of normality in the Jewish world resumed last Sunday as 1,000 Russian-speaking Jews converged on Moscow for one of the first large in-person events since Covid-19 closed borders and businesses in March 2020. Delegates came together outdoors along the city’s canal for Limmud FEST, the first Limmud FSU face-to-face event since last spring and 15 years since the first staging of the Russian-language version of the Jewish learning festival. Many had not seen each other since February last year in Vienna, when the last Limmud FSU took place. Days later, the world went into lockdown. Chairman Matthew Bronfman and president Aaron Frenkel said Limmud FSU events have led to 70,000 Russian-speaking Jews convening in more than a dozen countries, mainly across North America and Europe. The event, which took place shortly after a ceasefire was declared between Israel and Hamas, was supported by the Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG), the Claims Conference, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish National Fund-KKL and Nativ, which is run from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. “For Russian-speaking Jews, culture and community have long been the cornerstone to reclaiming and developing our Jewish identity,” said GPG chief executive
Your weekly digest of stories from the international press PORTUGAL
MYANMAR
UNITED STATES
BRAZIL
A new Holocaust Museum has opened in the city of Porto, which has a 500-strong Jewish community, with curators showing how Portuguese citizens were named Righteous Among the Nations by Israel’s Yad Vashem for saving Jews during the Second World War. The museum’s entrance mirrors an arrival at Auschwitz by train.
Jewish slave ownership and support for Confederacy has not been brushed under the carpet in the new Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans. On display is the Confederate States’ two-dollar bill, which bears the likeness of Judah P. Benjamin, a high-ranking Confederate Jew who ardently defended slavery.
Some of Limmud FSU’s events last weekend
Marina Yudborovsky. “From its inception, Limmud FSU has been a flagship initiative in this regard, bringing thousands of Russian-speaking Jews worldwide to the next step of their Jewish journey. It is only fitting that as the Jewish world emerges from the pandemic, Limmud FSU comes alive in Moscow, where it all began.” Limmud FSU founder Chaim Chesler said it was “a true celebration of our return to face-to-face programming”, adding that its Moscow venue was “very significant”. Co-founder Sandy Cahn said it was hoped one- and three-day events across the Russian-speaking Jewish world would return over the next seven months.
Under large tents, delegates enjoyed musical performances, martial arts classes, film screenings, presentations and Jewish cooking demonstrations, with discussions ranging from Israeli wines to Jewish ethics and even Frisbee tossing. “You see thousands of young people who are interested in what Limmud is, in their Jewish roots, in their culture, in their religion, in politics,” said Alexander Ben Zvi, Israel’s ambassador to Russia. “It makes you proud.”
Thousands mark World ORT Day Jewish youngsters from countries as far afield as Panama, Ukraine, Italy, Brazil, Russia, Argentina, Israel, Kyrgyzstan and France have connected online for the annual celebration of education network World ORT. Appropriately enough during a pandemic, the theme this year was connection, as children exchanged messages and postcards of where they live “to share a feeling of togetherness”. Students took part in a quiz, participated in special lessons that took place in Russian, Spanish and English, and produced Instagram Reels – short films on the social media platform – showing the value of connection in their communities in order to convey a spirit of tikkun olam (healing the world). Mikhail Libkin, director of ORT Russia and a graduate of an ORT school in Moscow, spoke about life growing up in the former Soviet Union, while Amelie Esquenazi, World ORT networking coordinator in Latin America, described her family’s escape from Eastern Europe during the Holocaust and her upbringing in Mexico. The network’s chief executive, Dan
WORLD NEWS IN BRIEF
Student Karina Smirnova in St Petersburg takes part in the ORT Day quiz
Green, said technology helped. “Many students joined the sessions remotely from home due to severe Covid restrictions in their countries,” he said. “Our Israeli students took part amid the rocket attacks. “With so much uncertainly around the
world, it was vital we continued with the yearly festival of activities to ensure our students had an opportunity to interact with their peers in dozens of countries. “I hope next year we will celebrate in person.”
The parents of a Jewish journalist who has been detained by the military junta in Yangon have pleaded for him to be released. Danny Fenster, from Detroit, had been covering the military coup in February and its violent response to protests for an independent news site in Myanmar. He is now being held in a notorious jail.
Tributes have been paid to one of the world’s most influential architects and urban planners after he died in Brazil, aged 83. Jaime Lerner was lauded as ‘a great Jew and a great man’ by Isac Baril, president of the Parana Jewish federation. Lerner was most famous for his Bus Rapid Transportation system, copied the world over.
GERMANY’S FIRST MILITARY RABBI IN A CENTURY Germany’s Bundeswehr has appointed its first military rabbi in nearly a century, in a move applauded by Jewish leaders across the continent. After an appointment ceremony in Leipzig on 21 June, Rabbi Mordechai Eliezer Bala will supervise pastoral care for around 300 Jewish soldiers currently serving in the country’s armed forces. It is a far cry from the 1930s, when Hitler purged the German army of Jews, and comes after 18 months of planning between German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and the Central Council of Jews in Germany. The German Bundestag (parliament) approved the decision to renew the position of military rabbis in the Bundeswehr (German military) last year. Council President Dr Josef Schuster announced the appointment of Bala, who is a member of the German Rabbinical Committee and winner of the Maharal Matanel prize at the biennial convention of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER). Up to 10 more rabbis will be appointed to the Chief Military Rabbinate. “Apart from the practical benefit to 300 Jewish soldiers
Photo by Eli Itkin
Face-to-face restored in Moscow for Limmud FSU
Rabbi Mordechai Eliezer Bala pictured at the biennial convention of the Conference of European Rabbis in Antwerp in May 2019
serving in the Bundeswehr, this is a clear statement from Germany,” said CER president Pinchas Goldschmidt. “In this appointment, I see a clear statement sent out to Europe and the whole world, especially in these challenging times; no, in the great thousand, to antisemitism.” Kramp-Karrenbauer, who submitted the bill to restore military rabbinical activity, said: “This is a historic day for Germany. It is a return to an ancient tradition and a sign of solidarity and recognition towards Jewish soldiers.”
16
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Editorial comment and letters ISSUE NO.
1213
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
VOICE OF THE JEWISH NEWS
One common cause Send us your comments Getting rid of Benjamin Netanyahu is pretty much the only thing on which the kaleidoscope of parties in the potential unity government agree. After well over a decade at the top, Israel’s prime minister generates such strong feelings that he can inspire right-wing Jewish nationalists and left-wing Arabs to seek common ground against him. That’s why as many as nine of the Knesset’s 13 parties could be involved in the new unity government, if it emerges in the coming hours. Yet there are questions about what it can do in power. Israel’s main Arab parties are likely to be involved, possibly with ministerial responsibilities, but more likely by providing the votes to prevent the government from being toppled. The numbers illustrate how extraordinarily fragile this unity government would be. Israeli governments need 61 seats for a Knesset majority and the seven parties in the likely coalition have 58 seats between them. The Arab parties have another 10, but not all will support a Bennett-Lapid deal. It would only take a handful of MKs to switch everything yet again.
High-flying family Meanwhile, when it comes to the mostly ceremonial role of Israel’s president, Jews the world over will warmly welcome Isaac “Bougie” Herzog’s election by the largest margin in the country’s history. A considerate, decent man who as chairman of the Jewish Agency has built strong ties with the diaspora, especially in Britain, he is the best choice out there to help heal Israel’s fractious political divide. His victory also seals the Herzogs’ status as Israel’s unofficial royal family — now boasting two presidents and a Chief Rabbi.
PO Box 815, Edgware, HA8 4SX | letters@jewishnews.co.uk
Let’s have a two-state rally I write regarding the recent pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel marches in London and cities around the UK and indeed around the world. As we know the recent violence in Israel and Gaza has had a knock-on effect on us in this country. Israel has lost some of its support and we have been disappointed about that. And we have seen the huge rise in antisemitic incidents and felt upset and angry. We think, ‘Don’t people understand that Israel was only defending itself from Hamas rockets?’ And we go out on the street and wave Israeli flags to show that we support our homeland. This, however, doesn’t support the cause of
Sketches & kvetches
A calming influence In her exclusive interview with Jewish News this week it is apparent that Luciana Berger is on the way to becoming as successful in her role with a global communications firms as she was in her near decade career in Westminster. But reflecting on the recent spike in antisemitism in this country as a result of the recent conflict between Israel and the Palestinians the former Labour MP and Finchley and Golders Green election canidate also makes a plea for “moderate voices to be louder” at this time of inter-communal strife. Even though a return to frontline politics does not seem immediately likely, the Jewish community, and the wider population at large, would surely benefit from calmer voices such as Berger’s being back at the very forefront of political life.
Shabbat goes out Saturday night 10.17pm
Sedra: S helach Lecha
Chai’s doors are open once again, delivering our Big
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances” – Shakespeare
of Care
Care is at the heart of everything we do. We are delighted that the doors to Chai’s flagship centre in North West London are now open and we are able to resume face-to-face complementary therapies. This is a much-anticipated and welcome addition to all the specialised support and care that we are still providing for our clients through telephone, Skype and Zoom. For more information please call 0208 202 2211 or our Freephone Helpline on 0808 808 4567 or visit www.chaicancercare.org. Registered Charity No. 1078956
DON’T REFUSE SUPPORT I attended last week’s proIsrael rally. I did not see Tommy Robinson or know he was there, but the comments made about him in your article and editorial seemed out of touch. Seeing and hearing him on a news broadcast, and his views on and support for Israel, are rather different from the news we mostly get from our media.
We have many Jews who do not support Israel, so let’s not refuse any support we are given. His visit to Israel and speaking to both sides, Muslims and Israelis, has further strengthened his views. Many will disagree with me. I’m not defending his past – but Israel’s future is more important. Sidney Sands, Finchley
BASHING ISRAEL NOW ‘PC’
THIS WEEKEND'S SHABBAT TIMES... Shabbat comes in Friday night 8.57pm
peace, which is surely what matters most. And peace will only happen when there is a two-state solution: a secure Israel and a secure Palestine. Yes, I know this will be difficult to achieve but this is the reality. So if we want peace, and if we want to show we are not as fanatic as the other side, Israel supporters should go out on the streets waving two flags, a Palestinian one and an Israeli one. In fact why don’t we have a Two States Rally at which everyone comes along expressing support for a two-state solution? I would love to see a sea of Israeli and Palestinian flags mingled together. Hayley Tontovic, By email
I write regarding your front page headline, ‘Not the country we know’. Sadly, this is the England we know, with the mainstream media usually concerning itself only with the plight of Palestinians. When it comes to di-
versity and equality, Jews and Israel are seemingly excluded. It seems politically correct to demonise the democratic state of Israel and Jewish people, while supporting the actions of terrorists. J D Milaric, By email
3 June 2021 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
17
Editorial comment and letters
The reasons to march Over the past few weeks, there have been increasing numbers of protests in London against Israel (pictured). Some have been extremely hostile, including well-publicised vile chants against Jews calling for their rape and murder. Why have there not been as many vocal and high-profile demonstrations in support of Israel, pointing out that 4,000
rockets were aimed at the Jewish state? Hamas has never said it wants to live in peace with Israel or recognise the state. Its sole objective is the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. Keep this in mind the next time you are asked to march in support of Israel. Malcolm Silverman, By email
NEUMANN WUZ NOT ROBBED Jonathan Neumann’s column in last week’s newspaper should surely have been captioned “failed candidate” for Board of Deputies president not “former candidate” (Jewish News, 27 May). Losing by 56 to 44 percent is a convincing defeat. The words ‘grapes’ and ‘sour’ spring to mind. Er... didn’t Mr Trump claim, ‘We wuz robbed?’ We can argue about how defensive the Board should be of Israel, but it is no more obliged to support every decision of that country’s government than we are to support every decision of ours. The ‘ordinary’ Jews to whom
Mr Neumann refers (is he one or is he extraordinary?) mostly support Israel’s right to defend itself as vigorously as needed, but do not necessarily subscribe to the ‘my country right or wrong’ doctrine. Should Israel be condemned for retaliation to Hamas, a terrorist group, when it fires rockets at Israel? No. Turning a Nelson eye to some of its more dubious decisions is free for comment and criticism, as many of its own citizens do. Keep knocking the Board and see who else will represent us. Barry Hyman, By email
ph ysi Runn cal ly + ing vir tu
ally
T H E YOUTH CLUB FO R YO UN G J E WI SH PE OP LE WITH LEA R N I N G D I F F I CU LT I E S, DIS AB ILITIES A ND AUT I SM GROW MEET, CONNECT, We meet in the safe setting of our Covidsecure community centre in Edgware. Participants take part in different activities, many of which they’ve chosen themselves. These include arts and crafts, cooking, sports, music, drama, trips away and more! Members grow in confidence by making friends, learning new skills, volunteering and having fun - all in an inclusive and welcoming environment.
For more information about Langdon Brady Club and/or to sign up please contact Daniel Sinclair, Youth Services Manager on 020 8731 1308, email danielsinclair@langdonuk.org or visit www.langdonuk.org/bradyclub
E FUN H A N G O U T + H AV During term time, we meet: ages 9–11 - Sunday evenings ages 12–15 - Wednesday evenings ages 16–19 - Thursday evenings ages 20–25 - launching Winter We also run seasonal schemes during school holidays.
facebook.com/langdonbrady Reg. Charity No. 1142742. • Company No. 7621714
18
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Opinion
Better to fight a union from within than resign ALEX BRUMMER
CITY EDITOR, THE DAILY MAIL
I
n the early days of my newspaper life, I rose through the ranks of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) to serve as deputy father of Chapel at The Guardian. It was my job to secure the best pay deal from careful employers. My devotion to a union concerned with securing the best working conditions for reporters was unwavering even after, in later years, I had risen to be associate editor. The NUJ was about making sure wages kept up with inflation. After the widespread introduction of computers, ensuring access to treatment for repetitive strain injury (RSI) became a priority along with accessible redundancy terms. When I transferred to the Daily Mail in 1999, I took my union membership with me. In contrast to The Guardian, the union played no role in the annual pay round. Over time, I was alienated from the way in which the NUJ became suborned by left-wing influencers such as former colleague Seumas Milne, who
eventually joined Jeremy Corbyn’s team when he was leader of the opposition. The NUJ drifted needlessly from its core role in protecting the interests of reporters, abandoned any pretence of political neutrality and adopted causes. Reporters who were expected in print to maintain a semblance of neutrality on the Middle East were urged to align themselves with the Palestinian cause. The agenda for the NUJ’s conferences could easily have been confused with the UN General Assembly. I decided that there was no point in sending a slice of my salary each month to such a toxic union and resigned. With the benefit of hindsight that was gesture politics and an act of cowardice. As a senior Jewish journalist on a national newspaper, who over the years regularly had reported on the Middle East from both Washington and the region, it should have been incumbent on me to try to change minds from within. Outside the NUJ there was no possibility of changing dialogue at all. The unions in Britain are a diminished force. The number of members has shrunk dramatically from the heyday of more than
❝
FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE PALESTINIAN ADVOCATES, IT’S A CASE OF GOOD RIDDANCE
13 million in the 1970s, when they frequently brought the economy to the kind of halt only a pandemic can produce now. As numbers have shrunk to 6.6 million so has direct influence over the economy. Increasingly the unions have been adopted by radical elements who turned Palestinian rights into their cause. There is nothing wrong per se with that except when the advocacy of rights for one group comes at the expense of another. Adoption of the Palestinian cause has led to unadulterated hostility towards Israel and a drift into antisemitism. As Jewish News reported, at least 25 members of the teaching staff at JFS have withdrawn from the National Education Union after one of its leaders, Kevin
Courtney, spoke at Palestine Solidarity Campaign rallies. It is commendable when teachers’ unions seek to protect the working conditions and health of educators. But when teachers, who should be neutral, take part in events where antisemitic tropes are indulged it crosses into dangerous territory. Similarly, it is distressing when such a high-profile and much loved actor as Maureen Lipman resigns from the Equity actors’ union because it is seen as “fanning the flames of antisemitism”. It is particularly difficult for Jewish actors because so much of the profession is still a closed shop. Personally, even though it no longer makes any sense for me to be part of a union, I deeply regret having left the NUJ. A one-off gesture of resignation does draw headlines and media attention. But, as far as the Palestinian advocates inside the trade union movement are concerned, it is a case of good riddance. It frees them to pursue the cause without constraint. In democratic organisations, it is better to oppose from the inside. That can be painful. Poisonous abuse is not acceptable or comfortable and should never be tolerated.
Why Hamas’ allies would not be drawn into conflict PROFESSOR ITAMAR RABINOVICH TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY
D
uring the height of the Syrian civil war, Israel kept a low profile. Its policy was shaped by a decision not to be drawn into the war and to limit its responses and actions to direct challenges, to the interdiction of the transfer of advanced weapons from Iran and Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and curtailing Hezbollah’s efforts to install itself in southern Syria and build one long front from the Mediterranean to the Golan. This phase ended after December 2016, following the victory of Bashar al-Assad and his supporters, Russia and Iran, over the opposition. In the aftermath of this victory, Iran’s policy of saving the Assad regime was transformed into an effort to build a land bridge through Iraq and Syria to the Mediterranean and to build its own arsenal of precision guided missiles and rockets in Syria. From 2018 to 2021, Israel has conducted a persistent campaign against this Iranian effort, which has met with partial success: Iran’s efforts in Syria were limited but not stopped.
It is against this backdrop that the recent round of fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took place. Iran’s intervention in Syria benefited from this round of fighting – Israel’s efforts and its air force were focused on the fighting in Gaza, essentially giving Iran a free hand in Syria for approximately two weeks. There were also some pressures on Iran and Hezbollah to join the fray. After all, Hamas is their ally, it is supported by Iran and regards itself as Hezbollah’s disciple. At the same time, neither Iran nor Hezbollah wanted to open a fully fledged front with Israel, so instead made symbolic contributions. Iran sent an armed drone from either Syria or Iraq that was shot down by the Israeli Air Force. Hezbollah allowed a small Palestinian organisation to fire four rockets from south Lebanon into northern Israel. But there is another dimension to this issue.
❝
During the past two decades, Iran has built an impressive arsenal of rockets and missiles in Lebanon, managed and occasionally operated by Hezbollah. The size of this arsenal is significant – well over a hundred thousand – but only a small part of the arsenal is composed of longrange precision-guided heavy missiles. This arsenal is designated as a deterrent against an Israeli attack on either Iran’s nuclear installations or on Hezbollah itself. In 2006, during the ‘Second Lebanon War’, Israel had a taste of this arsenal’s destructive potential. Since then, the arsenal has been enlarged and improved. Iran’s major effort is invested in enhancing this arsenal further, specifically with precision-guided missiles, and trying to build its own capacity in Syria. In some respects, the round of fighting between Israel and Hamas can also be seen as a dress rehearsal for a potential new round
NEITHER IRAN NOR HEZBOLLAH WANTED TO OPEN A FULLY FLEDGED FRONT WITH ISRAEL, SO INSTEAD THEY MADE SYMBOLIC GESTURES
with Hezbollah. Since 2006, given the devastation caused by its confrontation with Israel, Hezbollah has been careful to avoid another war. But this could escalate at any time and, if it does, Israel would be subjected to missile attacks on its cities and essential installations. In parallel, Israel has been building its own ability to intercept Hezbollah’s missiles. Hamas’s relatively crude rockets were largely intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome. A different, more sophisticated system has been developed to intercept Hezbollah’s arsenal but, in the event of another round, it is assumed that Israel would sustain significant damage before its air force and other units of the IDF would be able to neutralise Hezbollah’s arsenal. There is no doubt that both Iran and Hezbollah have watched Israel’s performance against Hamas’ rockets and have drawn their own lessons. Now that the fighting with Gaza is over, it can be expected that the Israeli-Iranian conflict in Syria will resume. One of the many challenges facing Israel’s leadership is its ability to sustain these efforts without sliding into yet another war against an adversary that possesses an even more sophisticated arsenal of missiles and rockets and other military capabilities.
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
19
20
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Opinion
Unis are failing most basic responsibility BRADLEY LANGER
FORMER UJS CAMPAIGNS HEAD
D
uring what is the busiest time of their academic year, while Jewish students have had to complete coursework, sit online exams and all during a pandemic, they have now also been forced to endure online abuse, direct harassment and even death threats. In just the past two weeks days, CST figures have shown antisemitism has risen by almost 500 percent with Jewish students on the front line. For me, university was where I learned independence, found lifelong friends, and gained valuable life skills such as how to drink, cook (enough to get by) and how to get served quicker at the bar. However, university was also where I learned about how to confront antisemitism. My experiences included a lecturer who asked if we kicked Palestinians at J-Soc events, having to confront two course mates who
were openly discussing the control of the Rothschilds and two members of a sports team wearing t-shirts with swastikas and the phrase “the Jews deserved it” drawn on. I would love to say that I fear, but sadly I know, that too many Jewish students relate to my experience. Antisemitism can come from anywhere or any person, and universities must be doing so much more to deal with instances when they arise and educate students and staff in order to prevent it. On this front, too many universities are failing miserably. As head of campaigns at the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) I have, too often, seen how universities have found it easier to dismiss instances of antisemitism or kick the reports they receive into the long grass, rather than actually deal with the incident, or even support the victims. Earlier this year I undertook research that showed that only twenty-nine universities in the UK had adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. The adoption of the IHRA definition
❝
I SAW TWO MEMBERS OF A SPORTS TEAM WEARING T-SHIRTS WITH SWASTIKAS ON
of antisemitism is only a first step and I am proud of that, due to the hard work of Jewish students, UJS and our allies, over one hundred higher education institutions have now done so. However, this is nowhere near enough. As seen by the action (or inaction?) of Bristol University over the ongoing saga surrounding their lecturer, David Miller. This crucial adoption CANNOT be a tick-box exercise. Universities must be obligated to actually use it. Trust has broken down between Jewish students and universities, many do not see the value in reporting antisemitism to their universities anymore. The need for actual zero tolerance has been pushed to the forefront.I have been fighting campus antisemitism for six years, first as a student and then as a UJS staff
member and last week was the worst I have ever seen. I have had to deal with Jewish students receiving death threats, J-Socs receiving antisemitic comment after antisemitic comment and the National Union of Students (NUS) blaming antisemitism, not on antisemites but on the “Israeli forces’ violent attacks on Palestinians”. Our message to universities and the NUS is clear; Jewish students do not want to hear you speak against antisemitism, they need to see action. Now is the time to prove to you have their backs. Jewish students should be able to enjoy university without the fear of antisemitism and harassment. It is the most basic ask and yet it is one which British universities do not seem to grasp.
The tragic day Jews and Arabs became adversaries LYN JULIUS
CO-FOUNDER OF HARIF, THE UK ASSOCIATION OF JEWS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
I
t was early on 1 June 1941 that the woman who delivered milk to Ivy Shashoua’s house in Baghdad warned: ‘Stay at home.’ Trouble was brewing for the Jews that day. The milk woman led Ivy’s family to a small room. They spent 12 hours there without food and water in the Baghdad heat, thinking they were safe. Meanwhile, they could hear screams and gunshots as a mob ran riot through the streets, murdering and raping Jews, mutilating babies and stripping bare Jewish homes. This was the Farhud, an Arabic word for ‘forced dispossession.’ The rioting went on for two days (although the British army, at the gates of Baghdad, could have intervened to stop it). At least 180 Jews died (some say as many as 600); 900 homes and 586 Jewishowned shops were destroyed. The dead were
hurriedly buried in a mass grave. The Farhud was incited by pro-Nazi Iraqis who seized power in a coup two months earlier. It marked an irrevocable break between Jews and Arabs and paved the way for the dissolution of the 2,600-year-old Jewish community barely 10 years later. Loyal and productive citizens comprising a fifth of Baghdad, the Jews had not known anything like it. Other ‘Farhuds’ followed in other Arab countries and just under a million Jews fled. Communities predating Islam and the Arab conquest by a millennium were driven to extinction within a generation. But the Farhud was not just another anti-Jewish pogrom. Its Nazi inciters had a more sinister objective: the round-up of Jews, their deportation and extermination in desert camps. The inspiration behind the coup and the Farhud itself, came from the Palestinian Grand Mufti, Haj Amin al-Husseini. Moving to Iraq in 1939 with 400 Palestinians, he whipped up local anti-Jewish feeling. An illiterate populace imbibed bigotry through Nazi radio propaganda. Before fleeing Iraq with the Mufti and Prime Minister Rashid Ali
❝
THE FARHUD CEMENTED A WARTIME ARABNAZI ALLIANCE DESIGNED TO KILL JEWS
to spend the rest of the war as Hitler’s guests, Yunis al-Sabawi, who translated Mein Kampf into Arabic, instructed the Jews to stay in their homes so they could more easily be rounded up. The Farhud cemented a wartime ArabNazi alliance designed to rid the world, including Palestine, of the Jews. The Mufti's post-war legacy of Islamised antisemitism endures in the kindred ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood – as seen in the latest conflagration between the Brotherhood’s Gaza branch, Hamas, and Israel. In London, in the US, Canada and Germany, Jews have been subject to verbal and physical attacks and intimidation in a reminder that mob violence has long been an instrument of political coercion in the Muslim world. Farhud survivors could not rely on the
police for protection – indeed, some police joined the rioters. Jews turned to their Muslim neighbours to save them – and many did. But some had evil intentions. The milk woman who Ivy Shashoua thought would save the family had planned to kill them and steal their possessions. In the end, a Muslim friend rescued them. Two ingredients were present in the Farhud: incitement and the failure of the forces of law and order to protect the Jewish minority. Fear of a second Farhud, and mistrust of the Iraqi police and army, were major reasons why 90 percent of Iraq's Jews fled to Israel after 1948. If the authorities in western countries do not deal firmly with antisemitic incitement and attacks, diaspora Jews will feel they have no choice but to move to the only country that will protect them – the Jewish state.
www.jewishnews.co.uk
21
3 June 2021 Jewish News
JDA’s door-to-door hearing aid service is a lifeline at this time of isolation
E
G D I R
“ I had a chat with my best friend from school.
DB E R Y IN VER AY! W E SD O R N U TH
For the first time in years, she can hear properly on the phone. We love a little gossip. Guess what, Shirley has remarried for the sixth time! ”
Thanks to JDA, everyone can have clean, working hearing aids and remain connected to their loved ones and the world around them at this difficult time. To book an appointment: North London Email andrew@jdeaf.org.uk or call 020 8446 0214 Redbridge Email richard@jdeaf.org.uk or call 020 8551 7700
020 8446 0502 www.jdeaf.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1105845 Company Limited by Guarantee 4983830
22
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Scene & Be Seen / Community
1 CHARITY CHAMPS Following Chelsea’s Champions League win last weekend, two Jewish Care eleven-a-side teams met at Stamford Bridge for a friendly socially distanced fundraising football match, raising £14,000 for the charity. “This honestly has to be the best day of my life,” said one player, Didier Levenfiche. Jewish Care’s director of fundraising and community engagement, Adam Overlander-Kaye, added: “There was a great atmosphere and it was fantastic to welcome spectators and players.”
2 PEACE CARDS
The children at the Aleph Centre at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue sent their good wishes and prayers for peace to children in Sderot by designing and creating cards for them during their cheder class on Sunday, 23 May. The colourful cards contained messages of positivity from the pupils inspired by conversations with their teachers about the challenges facing children in Israel during the recent outbreak of conflict.
And be seen! The latest news, pictures and (virtual) social events from across the community Email us at community@jewishnews.co.uk 1
2
3
4
3 KINDEST CUT
Teenager Ora Kutner chose to cut her long hair in aid of Chai and Zichron Menachem charities, raising more than £3,500 so far. Ora grew her hair for four years before cutting it to raise money for the two charities. It will be donated to Zichron Menachem to create wigs for children, alongside money for the two charities.“Chai supported our family from the start and throughout my mum’s treatment, and we are thankful for all that they did for us,” she said.
4 TESCO SUPPORT
Pupils at Kisharon Noé School joined thousands of children across the UK in Walk to School Week, to reduce air pollution and congestion. The school ran road safety sessions focussing on independent travel and some classes toured the local area exploring safe places to cross the roads. The pupils were all rewarded with a badge from Barnet Council for their participation.
Your family announcements Joshua Doctors celebrated his barmitzvah Ohr at Yisrael Elstree Federation Synagogue
Zachary Grant celebrated his barmitzvah at Cranbrook United Synagogue Photo by Gary Perlmutter
Photo by Paul Lang Photography
Photo by The Photo People
Matthew Page celebrated his barmitzvah at Chabad Buckhurst Hill Synagogue
Have you had a recent simcha? Send your picture to picturedesk@thejngroup.com
3 June 2021 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
23
Book / Weekend
A novel business idea! Jenni Frazer speaks to first-time author Adam Leigh about his humorous take on digital start-ups
A
dam Leigh gets all his best ideas in the bath, but when he is in the throes of writing, his head is filled full-time with ideas – be he in bath, bed or synagogue. In The Curious Rise of Alex Lazarus, Leigh’s first novel, he has produced what Guardian journalist Jonathan Freedland has described as “a new genre: the fictional business memoir”. His protagonist, Alex, whom the amiable Leigh insists is not an alter ego, meets a fellow parent in the park one day while their toddlers scrap in the sandpit. And suddenly advertising exec Alex has a great idea – he and Julian, the other parent (who just happens to be a hotshot lawyer) should abandon their jobs and set up a parenting website. They do and all kind of mayhem ensues. The first surprise, perhaps, is how Jewish the book is, but maybe it’s not surprising since Leigh is a former co-chair of Highgate Synagogue and a trustee of World Jewish Relief. There is an opening scene with an all-too believable rabbi addressing the faithful on Rosh Hashanah, but it is fair to say he is offering a universal message. At the core of the book is a discussion of ambition and what it means. That’s what he wanted to write, says Leigh, himself a former advertising honcho who now runs a successful executive search agency with his wife, Hannah. “I started to write about ambi-
tion and I began a cultural history. I wrote about 100 pages, but then I put it aside because I felt it read like a thesis,” he explains. Along with writing about ambition, his ambition was, in fact, to write a book. In 1999, Leigh and his close friend, Maurice Helfgott, were watching their toddlers in the park and tossed around, semi-jokingly, the idea of a parenting website. They’d laughed about it over the years because neither of them did anything to put the plan into action, but it became Leigh’s lightbulb moment. What if, he thought, his fictional protagonist Alex Lazarus actually managed to launch a successful business – and the business was a fictional version of his and Helfgott’s long-standing joke? “Initially, I became obsessed with writing a business plan, not least because I couldn’t really remember the ideas we’d had in 1999, other than something like, if you wanted to buy an obscure birthday present, how would you get it delivered. “But I felt, for the purposes of the book, that the [fictional] business had to work and had to be credible.” Accordingly, Leigh has written a “how-to” guide to launching a digital start-up as part of his very funny novel, with advice on seeking financing, putting in place the best computer brains and always having a stable financial officer who can oversee projects when the business
founders may have lost sight of their original targets. On several occasions, Alex and his partner Julian are obliged to go through humiliating “hazing” when asking for investment. One couple makes them go through rounds of Trivial Pursuit, while a rather poisonous Israeli tech king, Moshe, is obnoxious to the two men, almost as an article of faith. But this is drawn from life, as Leigh explains: the entrepreneur Saul Klein once told him he makes prospective pitchers write a notional Wikipedia entry for their proposed business. “So, one of the first things I did
was to write a Wikipedia entry for PrimaParent.com (his fictional company) to try to imagine the plot – and at the same time I did a huge amount of research about growing a digital business.” After 30 years in advertising, subsequent business ventures and having realised his ambition to write a novel, Leigh is now well into his second book. Readers will be charmed to hear it is “a romantic comedy about a kosher butcher”, and no, he is not joking. “It’s called Chicken Wars and it’s about the choices we make in life versus the duties and responsibilities we have. It’s about someone who always wanted to work in TV, whose family has a kosher chicken business.” His hero has a nice life when we first meet him: he’s married, works in TV, and is happy. “But then his father drops dead in the shop after a row with a customer and our man is forced to take over the business. Twenty years later, he is lonely and unhappy, divorced with a couple of recalcitrant children. He goes out on a blind date, all his creativity stifled, and meets a woman who owns a vegan cafe. “He panics when she asks him what he does and says he works in TV.” Oh, dear. I can’t wait. The Curious Rise of Alex Lazarus by Adam Leigh is published by Whitefox Publishing, priced £8.99. Available now
A look
Inside Schwimmer returns: Friends star reprises spy role for Sky comedy
Mental health in focus: Photographer Rankin gets on board for fundraiser
Food: Whip up a Waldorf salad!
24
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Weekend / Entertainment
COMEDY
NETFLIX
13: The Musical
Intelligence Series 2 David Schwimmer is back as a brash American secret agent in Sky One’s Intelligence, which returns next week. After narrowly avoiding extradition to the United States on charges of treason, NSA agent Jerry Bernstein (Schwimmer, pictured right) finds himself the centre of attention once again when the Russians obtain a cyberweapon Jerry himself helped to develop. With his intel vital to the safety of the nation, he is more than willing to once again step into the role of the office alpha male and
save the day. But with the stakes so high, and with him still facing demons from his past, can he avoid a national disaster? The Friends star is joined by Nick Mohammed as his clueless junior analyst sidekick Joseph Harries, alongside Sylvestra Le Touzel, Jane Stanness, Ollie Birch and Diane Morgan. Intelligence begins on Tuesday, 8 June, 10pm on Sky One and Now TV
Will & Grace star Debra Messing is set to feature in Netflix’s adaptation of 13: The Musical. Following a move from New York City to small-town Indiana, young Evan Goldman (played by Eli Golden) grapples with his parents’ divorce, prepares for his impending barmitzvah and navigates the complicated social circles of his new school. Messing stars as Evan’s mother, alongside a cast that features Gabriella Uhl, JD McCrary, Frankie McNellis, Lindsey Blackwell, Jonathan Lengel, Ramon Reed, Nolen Dubuc, Luke Islam, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Kayleigh Cerezo, Wyatt Moss,
THRILLER
Liam Wignall and Khiyla Aynne. Directed by Tamra Davis, the show is adapted from Dan Elish and Robert Horn’s Broadway hit, which also opened in the West End in 2012. Three-time Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, who served as composer and lyricist for the original, has written new music for the Netflix version. The original 2008 Broadway cast was notable for marking the professional debuts of Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies, before the pair went on to star together in Nickelodeon series Victorious.
DOCUMENTARY
Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein’s Shadow
Lisey’s Story Jennifer Jason Leigh stars alongside Julianne Moore (pictured, inset) in thriller Lisey’s Story, which begins on Apple TV+ this weekend. Based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King, and adapted by the author himself, the deeply personal eight-part thriller follows Lisey Landon (played by Moore, pictured above) two years after the death of her husband, famous novelist Scott Landon (Clive Owen). A series of unsettling events causes Lisey to
face memories of her marriage to Scott that she has deliberately blocked out. The Apple Original limited series is directed by Pablo Larraín, and hails from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Lisey’s Story is adapted from King’s 2006 novel that was written as a what-if after he was hit by a van in 1999. The show begins tomorrow, 4 June, on Apple TV+
DRAMA
Echo 3 Game of Thrones actor Michiel Huisman has landed a lead role in Apple’s Echo 3, an action-thriller drama based on Israeli series, When Heroes Fly. The Dutch-Jewish actor (pictured, inset), most recently seen in The Flight Attendant, will star alongside Luke Evans in the show from The Hurt Locker screenwriter Mark Boal and Keshet Studios. Set in South America, Echo 3 follows Amber Chesborough, a brilliant young scientist, who goes missing along the Colombia-Venezuela border. Her brother and husband – two men with deep military experience and complicated
pasts – struggle to find her in a layered, personal drama set against the explosive backdrop of a secret war. Huisman will play Prince, a member of the Echo 3 team and Amber’s husband. Shot in English and Spanish, the series is based on the award-winning Israeli drama created by Omri Givon and inspired by the eponymous novel by Amir Gutfreund.
A new docuseries is set to lay bare the complicated and mysterious life of Ghislaine Maxwell and her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein’s Shadow, which airs on Sky Documentaries later this month, investigates the powerful, connected and mysterious heiress to the Maxwell fortune, whose life is rocked by a series of scandals and accusations when she meets Epstein, the convicted serial sex offender. The three-hour documentary will untangle the complicated story of power, sex and money, leading to
Maxwell’s arrest and pointing to her upcoming trial. The heiress is the ninth and youngest child of Elisabeth and the late media mogul Robert Maxwell and grew up in luxury in a 53-room mansion in Oxfordshire, before attending Oxford University and joining her father in the publishing industry. A prominent socialite in London’s social scene, she moved to New York following her father’s death in 1991 and it was there that she met Epstein. Many of Epstein’s accusers have mentioned Maxwell’s involvement in his crimes, and the 59-year-old is now in prison awaiting trial next month on charges of enticement of minors and sex trafficking. The series will air on Sky Documentaries and Now TV from 28 June
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
25
Photography / Weekend
Facing up to mental health Celebrated photographer Rankin has captured the portraits of youth ambassadors as part of a £500,000 campaign for mental health support in schools. Beyond, a mental health charity helping young people that was founded by Jonny Benjamin in 2018, aims to highlight the “urgent” need for better access to support services in the wake of the pandemic with its #BrakeTheSystem campaign. Rankin’s portraits of 24 young people – including six Jewish youth ambassadors – were shared this week on social media by wellknown personalities including Stephen Fry, James Arthur, Frankie Bridge, Sheridan Smith, Roman Kemp and Laura Whitmore. “The fact 75 percent of young people in the UK who have a mental health issue can’t access the treatment they require is scandalous,” said Benjamin. “We need to tackle this urgently, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, which has seen children’s mental health services receive their highest number of referrals on record.” The money raised will go towards “immediate mental health support into schools and colleges that need it the most”. Rankin said he and his team had undertaken the photography work pro bono, because the cause was close to his heart. One of those photographed, Jacob People, said: “This campaign is incredibly important right now because, more than ever, the uncertainty is flowing through the minds of young people.” Visit crowdfunder.co.uk/now-and-beyond or donate £5 by texting BEYOND 5 to 70085.
Rankin and Beyond team up to campaign for better mental health in schools, writes Joshua Salisbury
Top: Lizzy Connick and Gabriella Spillman; middle: Beyond CEO Louisa Rose, Archie Lyons and Brady Isaacs Pearce; bottom: Adam Gross, Abbie Mitchell and Beyond founder Jonny Benjamin
26
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Weekend / Food & Drink
WALDORF SALAD
W
e created this very simple, whip-it-up-in-three-minutes version of the classic salad. If you love blue cheese and toasted walnuts with a little dried fruit, you’re going to love our simple take on a Waldorf salad. Like all salads in this book, this one doubles easily if you’re having someone over for lunch.
To make the crispy fried shallots and salad: 1. Peel and slice the shallots into very thin rings using a mandoline or a sharp knife. 2. Combine the shallots with the avocado oil in a tall, heavy-bottomed saucepan or small Dutch oven. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. 3. After three to four minutes, the oil will start to bubble, as the shallots release their water. 4. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring from time to time, until the shallots look golden brown and the bubbling subsides, about eight more minutes. 5. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. The shallots will crisp up as they cool. 6. Take ½ cup of the crispy fried shallots and combine with all of the other ingredients in a large stainless-steel bowl. 7. Top with the dressing, and using tongs, toss until well mixed and dressed. Note: The crispy fried shallots will keep for up to one week at room temperature in an airtight storage container.
SALAD SERVES 1
INGREDIENTS 2 cups mesclun greens 2 cups baby spinach ½ Honeycrisp apple, diced ½ Williams pear, diced ¼ cup crumbled Danish blue cheese ¼ cup toasted walnuts 2 tablespoons dried cranberries 1 teaspoon minced rosemary Crispy Fried Shallots (makes 12 portions): ½ pound (about 6) large shallots 4 cups avocado oil
To make the dressing: In a blender, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil. Process on mediumhigh speed until smooth and well combined, five to six seconds. Be careful not to overblend, as the dressing can become too thick! Add the salt and pepper, adjusting the seasoning to taste. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. This dressing will keep, refrigerated, for up to seven days.
For the Classic Balsamic Dressing (makes 2 cups): ½ cup (125ml) balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1⅓ cups (325ml) olive oil ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Adapted from Mandy’s Gourmet Salads by Mandy Wolfe, Rebecca Wolfe and Meredith Erickson, published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited priced £25 (hardback). Available now
Be Fruitful FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
HIGH QUALITY FRUIT AND VEG DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR
ORDER ON WHATSAPP FRESH PRODUCE STOCKED EVERYDAY!
IF YOUR BUSINESS IS STILL IN BUSINESS, YOU NEED OUR HELP. In these difficult times our readers can’t find you without a personal introduction. Monday – Friday NEXT DAY DELIVERY 6:30 – 18:30 GAURANTEED! Sunday 6:30 – 16:30
SAME DAY DELIVERY FOR ORDERS PLACED BEFORE 12PM
DELIVERY LOCATIONS
EDGWARE. STAMORE, HENDON, HATCH END, PINNER, GOLDERS GREEN, BUSHEY, RADLET, TOTTRIDGE, BOREHAMWOOD, DAVID ZAX FINCHLEY, MILL HILL
17 Glengall Road Edgware HA8 8TB
Tel: 0208 958 1388/0208 958 5053 Whatsapp: +44776 711 4444 Web: www.andrewsbefruitful.co.uk
We can provide the opportunity by creating sharp and interesting editorial in an original layout that tells the story of your company. Presented in print and online with links to your website or service. CREATE YOUR BESPOKE ADVERTORIAL NOW and spread the word about you. sales@jewishnews.co.uk or call 0207 692 6929
www.jewishnews.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
27
28
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Business / Sports technology
candicekrieger@googlemail.com
With Candice Krieger
FOOTWEAR TECH THAT’S TRANSFORMING FOOTBALL The founder of a sports technology company that designed the first foot-mounted wearable device accepted by FIFA tells Candice Krieger how it enables players to up their game
F
ormer Arsenal the ball. The data is then manager Arsène analysed, enabling managers Wenger was so and coaches to gain a better impressed with understanding of their an Israeli creaplayers’ and team’s tion that helps performance. track footballers’ progress First adopted by on the pitch that he invested Maccabi Tel Aviv, its in the start-up behind it. And SQUAD Solution is now he’s far from the only big name used by hundreds of profesto have his head turned by the sional clubs worldwide, and work of Playermaker: Manchester the company recently launched City, Glasgow Rangers and the Guy Aharon the UNO by Playermaker, aimed Argentinian national team all now at amateurs of all ages. use the company’s revolutionary footwear Chief executive officer Aharon, who device, which recently became the first commercially launched the product in 2019, foot-mounted wearable device accepted says: “We saw a huge spike in demand for datainto FIFA’s innovation programme, FIP. driven sports technology solutions, including Playermaker, founded by former Israeli navy the likes of FitBit and Peloton. When we started officer Guy Aharon, transforms the way football our research into the market, we identified there teams use data. Its signature product attaches was a need for a solution that could be used by to a player’s boot, tracking their technical, professionals, yet also could be accessible and tactical and physical movement on and off easy to use for all types of players.
“We also wanted to create a solution that had the potential to be used across multiple sports.” He adds: “As many popular sports are played with the feet, we decided to design a product that could track performance on this part of an athlete’s body, differing from other devices that already exist, worn on the wrist or chest.” The connected fitness market (where equipment can be connected to a smart device
The revolutionary footwear device by Playermaker. Inset: Company backer Arsène Wenger
and data collected and stored when you move) has seen exponential growth over recent years. Think Peloton, FitBit, Strava and Apple Fitness+. And the pandemic has dramatically accelerated this trend. In the absence of gyms, adoption of digital fitness and wellness solutions soared. Wearables, connected devices and apps have become the new norm. “We were fortunate that the pandemic seemed to really accelerate the connected fitness industry as a whole,” acknowledges Aharon. “During lockdown, we were pleased to see an increase in demand for our solutions, as they allowed players to continue to track their performance even when training remotely. “Players at clubs such as Hull City and Norwich arranged for the devices to be sent to player’s homes so they could continue to use them, and apparently players were using the devices to host competitions with their teammates who were scattered around the country.” The pandemic also fast-tracked the launch of the UNO by Playermaker. “We surveyed the market and identified there was an opportunity to provide an individual solution for players to keep their skills sharp when they weren’t able to go to [their] usual group training sessions.” Playermaker picked up a host of awards last year including; Best Wearable Technology at the Sports Business Awards, Sports Innovation Award at the Sports Technology Awards, Innovation Award for Enhanced Coaching Solution by AI Global and Best Athlete Footwear Performance Analysis Device by AI Global. The business is thriving within the football sector, arguably the toughest sporting industry to break into. And in a market dominated by products for men, Playermaker is also creating devices for women to ensure the next generation of females achieve their full potential. Aharon is also keen to take the technology
to other sports – it is already being used by athletic clubs across the world. “As we continue to grow, our main focus is to continue to provide a product that is loved by athletes and those aspiring to become better at their chosen sport.” The Playermaker tech was invented, developed and manufactured in Israel, where its headquarters reside. The company has grown to a team of more than 50, with offices in the UK and US. Wenger, who has often been vocal about the benefits he believes technology can bring to football, invested in Playermaker after Aharon arranged a training session in the Frenchman’s garden so he could see it in action. “Once he saw it, the technology impressed him so much he decided to give us his backing. Arsène has impacted the core of the solutions with his vision and experience. Playermaker is very proud to have his support and be able to share our successes with him.” The digital fitness industry is being disrupted at an unprecedented pace. Consumer demand for out-of-studio experiences and connected/ social fitness continues to drive innovation. “The market has significantly changed in the past year. There is a growing number of consumer health and wearable companies that are listed and growing exponentially coming closer than ever to achieving unicorn status. The increase in special purpose acquisition companies also indicate that connected fitness is generating more and more interest in the market.” But with more sports technology businesses identifying opportunities, combined with the unpredictability and pressures of the pandemic, it has never been a more competitive space. “As a result, the companies that can demonstrate the tangible difference their solutions make to consumers will be better placed in the long-term,” notes Aharon, who says the biggest challenge has been disrupting the traditional way in which sports has been played and sports business operates. “Once the industry understands the benefits technology can bring, however, it becomes a no brainer.” www.playermaker.com
3 June 2021 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
29
Orthodox Judaism
SEDRA
Shelach lecha
Torah For Today Involuntary manslaughter
REBBETZIN VICKI BELOVSKI The image of the spies returning from their exploration of the land of Israel with a bunch of grapes so huge one person could not carry it is very striking. It is sometimes seen on Israeli wine bottles and is the logo of the Israeli Tourism Ministry. What was so special about these super-size fruits? And how, in a pre-genetically modified era, could they be such a bad thing? The commentator Rashi suggests the grapes were carried by eight men, using two poles, with one man carrying a fig and another a pomegranate. Since there were 12 spies, this meant two of them, Yehoshua and Caleb, were empty-handed, possibly because it was beneath their dignity to carry objects in this way or, as commentators suggest, because displaying fruit like this was intended to denigrate the land and they wished to play no part in it. The spies felt inadequate when
they saw the fortified cities and settlements spread around the land and projected this inadequacy onto the way they were perceived. “We looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to them.” The 10 spies used the fruit to emphasise the “giant” status of its current inhabitants. In the same way as many people begin a complaint with a compliment, the spies demonstrated the fruitfulness of the land and continued: “All the people who we saw are men of great size,” with an unspoken “just look at the size of the fruit!” Yehoshua and Caleb retained their strong self-image, carried out the original mission and therefore did not participate in carrying the fruit, knowing the use to which the other spies would put it. ◆ Vicki Belovski is Senior Rebbetzin of Golders Green Synagogue
Struggling to cope is more normal than you think. Uncertainty and isolation can cause any of us to experience feelings of distress or anxiety. Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to face it alone.
BY RABBI ARIEL ABEL In recent weeks, a cable car crashed in Mottarone, near Lake Maggiore, Italy, resulting in 14 deaths, including five members of an Israeli family. An investigation is now underway into suspected involuntary manslaughter and negligence. Elsewhere, 45 people were recently crushed to death on Mount Meron in Israel and, only a fortnight ago, two people were killed and nearly 200 injured when rows of synagogue stands collapsed in Jerusalem. What does the Torah say about involuntary manslaughter? The guiding principle is that there is both private and corporate responsibility for death and damage to lives. Adam mu’ad le’olam, one is always forewarned, meaning that strict liability applies even to one’s property, such as an animal losing control or by extension a machine malfunctioning.
Compensation is hardly a comfort in the dreadful case of an entire family being wiped out in such a disaster. The Torah illustrates the concept in civil law of involuntary manslaughter in the guise of an ox that runs amok and gores a human being. Other examples of responsibility for the demise of a human being is demonstrated by the repentance of Reuben noted in the Midrash for not
having been able to save Joseph from being sold into slavery; a fate that brought him as close to death as imprisonment on false charges of adultery. Later, Jacob protests the taking of Benjamin to Egypt as tantamount to inviting a fatal end to the brother of the lost son of his beloved Rachel. “Should a calamity befall him, I will descend to my grave in grief,” cried Jacob. This passage provides a moral subtext to involuntary manslaughter; with not enough care taken, one might as well foretell the accident waiting to happen. The trust of innocent citizens in workmanship hinges on excellent maintenance of facilities, and a full and thorough enquiry is required to ascertain that such a tragedy never repeats itself. ◆ Rabbi Ariel Abel is chaplain to HM Forces, Merseyside
If you need support or are supporting someone who needs help, contact Jami. jamiuk.org/get-support or call 020 8458 2223
If you’re struggling to cope or need immediate help, contact Shout’s 24/7 crisis text service. Text Jami to 85258
Free, safe and anonymous online counselling and support. qwell.io/jami
Change the life of someone living with mental illness. Donate today at jamiuk.org/donate Registered charity no. 1003345
30
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Progressive Judaism
The Bible Says What? ‘Our greatest leader was also the most humble’ BY RABBI MARK GOLDSMITH Moses fought against injustice when he saw an Egyptian taskmaster beating an Israelite slave. He demanded repeatedly that Pharaoh let the Israelites go free from slavery. He led his people through the Red Sea and for 40 years in the wilderness. He overcame obstacles and taught us the Ten Commandments, the Mitzvot and the Shema that is the core of Jewish prayer to this day. Yet in Numbers (12:3), we are told: “The man Moses was very humble, more humble than any other person upon the face of the earth.” How can this be? Humility in Jewish understanding is not self-abasement. It is not letting people walk all over you or staying in the corner and letting others do the work. Humility (anavah), is, according to the teachers of Mussar, Jewish social ethics, occupying your rightful space – neither too much nor too little. According to Rav Abraham Isaac Kook: “When humility effects
depression it is defective; when it is genuine it inspires joy, courage and inner dignity.” Realising it is you who is needed to make a difference in a particular situation is a humble act. However, pushing yourself forward when you cannot possibly help is arrogance. Refusing to stand up and offer your help is needless self-abasement. As Alan Morinis writes: “Being humble doesn’t mean being a nobody, it just means being no more of a somebody than you ought to be… arrogance has an insatiable appetite for space, the opposite extreme is self-abasement.” Humility means leaving room for others to do their bit, but making sure you do your best as a person who, like all others, was created in the image of God. Being humble like Moses means to stand up and make the difference you can achieve.
◆ Mark Goldsmith is Senior Rabbi of Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue
Progressively Speaking Giving up time for others enriches our own lives BY RABBI AARON GOLDSTEIN As this week marks National Volunteers’ Week, it is a time to celebrate and reflect on those who give up their time to help others. My first real volunteering experience, at the age of 18, still informs my world view decades later. It came during my shnat sherut (year of service) in Israel. I did my fair share of painting bus stops, bomb shelters and other community spaces. I was proud to receive an award for introducing music therapy into two Ashkelon schools that supported children with mental and physical disabilities. I was grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Israeli Arabs in the chicken houses. These activities capture some of the elements of being a volunteer, one of which is being generous with one’s time and skills. The Hebrew for volunteer is founded on the Biblical word for a ‘freewill’ or ‘votive’ offering. There was no obligation to bring them, but one was moved, inclined, willing to give more than was required. The Torah
describes such people as nadiv lev – a generous heart – or ruach n’divah – a willing spirit; and it is found as a parallel to words meaning noble. Another element is doing the work everyone assumes happens by a miracle – the washing up after a communal meal, the stacking of chairs, the stuffing of envelopes! But through volunteering, we often meet people who enrich our life experience. Mitzvah Day is one example, where members of our synagogue have forged new friendships with neighbours of different faiths. And of course there are opportunities to fill in the gaps where society doesn’t provide.
The Ark Synagogue has been at the forefront of innovative care or welfare provision for its members. The formation of a volunteer Care Team to support the needs of congregants was ahead of its time in providing training for volunteers. Our Bereavement Support Group was the first synagogue-based group to provide such a service and was granted the Queen’s Award for its voluntary work. If ever we needed proof on the importance of volunteering, the pandemic really showed it. Whether through small acts of kindness – such as checking in on a lonely neighbour – or huge national efforts to look after the most vulnerable in our society, it was incredible to see the whole country come together to help others. That volunteering spirit is something I’m sure will continue long after this week and long after this pandemic is finally over. ◆ Aaron Goldstein is Senior Rabbi at The Ark Synagogue
Need cash fast?
Sell your gold and coins today!
We wish to purchase any Diamond & Gold Jewellery
9 ct per gram £15.51 14 ct per gram £24.19 18 ct per gram £31.02 21 ct per gram £36.19 22 ct per gram £37.88 24 ct per gram £41.35
Platinum 950 per gram £23.12
Silver 925ag per gram £0.50
Half Sovereigns £151.54
Full Sovereigns £303.08 Krugerrands £1286.27
We also purchase any sterling silver candlesticks and any other sterling silver tableware
Can’t choose the diamond ring you are looking for? Come and see us in our North London showroom for the best engagement ring selection. We can create the design of your dreams... and at a wholesale price! We can supply any certificated GIA or HRD diamond of your choice.
Personal & confidential Customer Service Price Offered Instantly Same Day payment A free valuation from our in house gemmologist and gold experts on anything you may wish to sell. If you are thinking of selling, the price of diamonds has never been higher! In any shape, size, clarity or colour. WE PAY MORE than all our competitors. Try us, and you will not be disappointed!
Jewellery Cave Ltd, 48b Hendon Lane, London N3 1TT T: 020 8446 8538 E:jonathan@jewellerycave.co.uk www.howcashforgold.co.uk Open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm (anytime) and Saturday 9am to 1pm (by appointment)
3 June 2021 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
31
Fun, games and prizes
THE JEWISH NEWS CROSSWORD 1
2
3
4
5
Fill the grid with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains the numbers 1 to 9.
6
8 Prolific, lush (7) 9 ___ Loach, award‑winning film director (3) 10 Act of taking money out of an account (10) 13 Be a show’s star performer (3,3,4) 17 Common beverage (3) 18 Lined up (7) 19 Loose‑fitting and untidy (6) 20 Entreat (4) DOWN 1 Strongbox (4) 2 Queen’s favourite breed of dog (5) 4 Poem dedicated to someone (3) 5 Crooked (5) 6 Cause persistent irritation (6) 7 Half of a quarter (6) 11 Given a new life (6) 12 ___ Quo, rock band (6) 14 Jamie Cullum’s instrument (5) 15 Seam, stratum (5) 16 Daringly trendsetting (4) 18 Program on an iPhone, eg (3)
7 8
9
10
11
12 13
14
15 16
17
18
19
20
ACROSS 1 A Fool ___ as I, Elvis Presley song (4)
3 Empty words and promises (3,3)
Z P P
I
V
R K S G S Y O
T M O J
P
4
E E B F R R C C A B A O L
6
L
P S X
J G
I
S R A C
I
S Y
I
I
9
T H G P N D E O N J
I
L
23
Last issue’s solutions
15
F S
Crossword ACROSS: 1 Alter 4 World 7 Hop 8 Idiotic 9 Acre 10 Sham 13 Rev 15 Idly 16 Onyx 19 Spaniel 21 Ice 22 Ledge 23 Yield DOWN: 1 Ache 2 Typical 3 Raider 4 Whit 5 Rot 6 Decamp 11 Haywire 12 Tinsel 14 Volley 17 Cite 18 Dead 20 Add
9
STEPS TAXIS THEATRE
3 2 8 4 5 6 1 7 9
5 1 4 9 7 3 6 2 8
6
19
12 5
5
2
6
11
16 12
11
19
18
21 10
11
20
11
19
23
5
26
1 11
11
4
23 23
19
4
9 6 3 1 4 7 8 5 2
2 8 5 3 6 9 7 1 4
7 8 2
2 1
7 6
9
2
16
22
4
18
16
12
3
16
18 10
5
1
17
16 9
5
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.
5
26
25
9
1 2
10
3 1
16
12
26
14
4 1
22 9
4
6
11
3
25
18
24
12
16
23
1 4
23
4 23
7 1
SUGURU
11
5
16
5
9
1
22
4
8
M O T
12
3 1
9 1 3 4 8 9 5
20
1
4
18
3 4
5
6
2
6
9
11
See next issue for puzzle solutions.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1
2
3
4
14
15
16
17
O
5
6
7
8
9
18
19
20
21
22
M
10
11
12
13
23
24
25
26
T
Suguru 7 4 1 5 8 2 9 3 6
3
4
4
9
12
11
26
4
23 8
9
12
18
4
9
Sudoku 6 7 9 2 1 8 5 4 3
25
7
M H E P S Y X T S A C G U LORRIES PAVEMENT PEOPLE SCHOOL SHOPS
26
23
E A O
Z F V E D C W E T E DOGS KERB LAMP LANES LIGHTS
6
5
13
16
N S H O P S H H D L N P D
BUS STOP CARS CHURCH CINEMA CYCLISTS
5
V U A R T B T
L C A R C O T M Z
16
9
X O P E T Y B W S L A S S G S L
3
17
T N E M E V A P S S M U H Q S K R Q
3 6
K C H U R C H L X M T
4
In this finished crossword, every letter of the alphabet appears as a code number. All you have to do is crack the code and fill in the grid. Replacing the decoded numbers 4, 11 and 22 with their letters in the grid will help you to guess the identity of other letters.
The things found on a street 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.
B T K W C U Q L
1 9
CODEWORD
WORDSEARCH
I
SUDOKU
1 5 6 8 2 4 3 9 7
8 3 2 7 9 1 4 6 5
4 9 7 6 3 5 2 8 1
2 5 1 2 3 4
1 3 4 5 1 5
4 2 1 3 4 2
All puzzles © Puzzler Media Ltd - www.puzzler.com
Wordsearch 1 3 4 2 1 3
2 5 1 3 5 4
1 3 2 4 2 1
3 1 2 4 2 3
4 5 3 1 5 1
3 1 4 2 3 4
4 2 3 5 1 2
1 5 1 2 4 5
3 2 4 3 1 2
B S D N I L B W U Y B E B
E I M I E V A G L D U M R
I N R N S H S H E L C B Q
K I X D A I K J Z B K A T
T S R P C B E D S T E A D
V A C Q K A T M B C T F R
T B R O O M G A N B G R Y
Codeword O E O N O W T E E Z E F A
B Q K L B H G N I D D E B
P U W N R K C N N Z S S K
J O L O A H F E W X C S D
B L B B T L L G U U F Q Y
O E V J S B B A L P D X H
V T WA E L E F T R H A S MO O GU
AMP I R E D R E D D I NG E Z A DG E R E F D AG I C S R G T R C H E R I T I V I E B E A R A L L C L O
J E C X OC E N C S C U E T QU E U E I G N L TWE L A Y I N
R K I A N D E S A K A H T I E N G G
AQ Y X J F R V S DM TW E C U O Z L B K H I N P G03/06
32
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 3 June 2021
Ask Our Experts / Professional advice from our panel
Our Experts Got a question for a member of our team? Email: editorial@jewishnews.co.uk PRIVATE HEALTHCARE SPECIALIST
BREAST, GROIN & HERNIA SURGEON
EMPLOYMENT LAW AND DATA PROTECTION
TREVOR GEE Qualifications: • Managing Director, consultant specialists in affordable family health insurance. • Advising on maximising cover, lower premiums, pre-existing conditions. • Excellent knowledge of health insurers, cover levels and hospital lists. • LLB solicitors finals. • Member of Chartered Insurance Institute.
SIMON MARSH Qualifications: • Consultant General Surgeon with specialist interest in dealing with both breast cancer and non-cancer breast conditions. • Surgical Director of the Gilmore Groin and Hernia Clinic experienced in hernia surgery, including “non-mesh” hernia repair and Sportsman’s Hernia. • Local anaesthetic surgery including lipomas, cysts and skin cancers.
EMMA GROSS Qualifications: • Specialist in claims of unfair dismissal, redundancy and discrimination. • Negotiate out-of-court settlements and handle complex tribunal cases. • HR services including drafting contracts and policies, advising on disciplinaries, grievances and providing staff training. • Contributor to The Times, HR Magazine and other titles.
PATIENT HEALTH 020 3146 3444/5/6 www.patienthealth.co.uk trevor.gee@patienthealth.co.uk
108 HARLEY STREET 0207 563 1234 www.108harleystreet.co.uk info@108harleystreet.co.uk
SPENCER WEST LLP 020 7925 8080 www.spencer-west.com emma.gross@spencer-west.com
DIRECTOR OF LEGACIES
JEWELLER
CAROLYN ADDLEMAN Qualifications: Lawyer with over 20 years’ experience in will drafting and trust and estate administration. Last 14 years at KKL Executor and Trustee Company. In close contact with clients to ensure all legal and pastoral needs are cared for. Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
• •
JONATHAN WILLIAMS Qualifications: • Jewellery manufacturer since 1980s. • Expert in the manufacture and supply of diamond jewellery, wedding rings and general jewellery. • Specialist in supply of diamonds to the public at trade prices.
KKL EXECUTOR AND TRUSTEE COMPANY 020 8732 6101 www.kkl.org.uk enquiries@kkl.org.uk
JEWELLERY CAVE LTD 020 8446 8538 www.jewellerycave.co.uk jonathan@jewellerycave.co.uk
•
Got a question for a member of our team? Email: editorial@jewishnews.co.uk
Why are some premiums higher than others? Patient Health is London’s health insurance intermediary of choice specialising in trying to find you higher cover for less money. If you do not have an intermediary like Patient Health, representing you it becomes extremely difficult to find the right policy at an affordable premium. There are never any charges for our services Call Patient Health today for better peace of mind Call Patient Health today for expert medical Insurance advice Patient Health for a company that has the patience for every client
Call Trevor Gee for Free Expert Advice
020 3146 3444
COMMERCIAL LAWYER ADAM LOVATT Qualifications: • Lawyer with more than 11 years of experience working in the legal sector. Specialist in corporate, commercial, media, sport and start-ups. • Master’s degree in Intellectual Property Law from the University of London. • Non-Executive Director of various companies advising on all governance matters.
LOVATT LEGAL LIMITED 07753 802 804 adam@lovattlegal.co.uk
CONSULTANT DERMATOLOGIST
CHARITY EXECUTIVE
DR LAURENCE LEVER Qualifications: • MBBS FRCP, private practice at 108 Harley Street The Skin Clinic. • Consultant Dermatologist with a special interest in the management of malignant and pre-malignant conditions of the skin • Looks after all dermatological conditions, including dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, acne, moles, warts, cysts, skin tumours/cancer/oncology, dermatological surgery.
SUE CIPIN Qualifications: • 20 years+ hands-on experience, leading JDA in significant growth and development. • Understanding of the impact of deafness on people, including children, at all stages. • Extensive services for people affected by hearing loss/tinnitus. • Technology room with expert advice on and facilities to try out the latest equipment. Hearing aid advice, support and maintenance.
108 HARLEY STREET SKIN CLINIC 0207 563 1234 www.108harleystreet.co.uk info@108harleystreet.co.uk
JEWISH DEAF ASSOCIATION 020 8446 0502 www.jdeaf.org.uk mail@jdeaf.org.uk
REMOVALS MANAGING DIRECTOR
PRINCIPAL, PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL
STEPHEN MORRIS Qualifications: • Managing Director of Stephen Morris Shipping Ltd. • 45 years’ experience in shipping household and personal effects. • Chosen mover for four royal families and three UK prime ministers. • Offering proven quality specialist advice for moving anyone across the world or round the corner.
LOUISE LEACH Qualifications: • Professional choreographer qualified in dance, drama and Zumba (ZIN, ISTD & LAMDA), gaining an honours degree at Birmingham University. • Former contestant on ITV’s Popstars, reaching bootcamp with Myleene Klass, Suzanne Shaw and Kym Marsh. • Set up Dancing with Louise 19 years ago.
STEPHEN MORRIS SHIPPING LTD 020 8832 2222 www.shipsms.co.uk stephen@shipsms.co.uk
DANCING WITH LOUISE 020 3740 7900 www.dancingwithlouise.co.uk Info@dancingwithlouise.com
3 June 2021 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
33
Professional advice from our panel / Ask Our Experts
FINANCIAL SERVICES (FCA) COMPLIANCE
ACCOUNTANT
KITCHEN CONSULTANCY
JACOB BERNSTEIN Qualifications: • A member of the APCC, specialising in financial services compliance for: • Mortgage, protection and general insurance intermediaries; • Lenders, credit brokers, debt counsellors and debt managers; • Alternative Investment Fund managers; • E-Money, payment services, PISP, AISP and grant-making charities.
ADAM SHELLEY Qualifications: • FCCA chartered certified accountant. • Accounting, taxation and business advisory services. • Entrepreneurial business specialist including start-up businesses. • Specialises in charities; Personal tax returns. • Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation Volunteer of the Year JVN award.
SHANTI PANCHANI Qualifications: • Experienced designer with 25+ years’ experience in German and English kitchens. • We provide a full-circle approach: from designing and supplying to installing your new kitchen including appliances and speciality worktops. • Our suppliers are flexible in design, ensuring the customer remains the priority. • We have been supplying kosher-friendly kitchens for over 15 years.
RICHDALE CONSULTANTS LTD 020 7781 8019 www.richdale.co.uk jacob@richdale.co.uk
SOBELL RHODES LLP 020 8429 8800 www.sobellrhodes.co.uk a.shelley@sobellrhodes.co.uk
THE KITCHEN CONSULTANCY 07738 067 671 www.thekitchenconsultancy.com shanti@thekitchenconsultancy.com
INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS SPECIALIST
IT SPECIALIST
CHARITY EXECUTIVE
NAOMI FELTHAM Qualifications: • Leading currency transfer provider since 1996 with over 500 expert employees. • Excellent exchange rates on your transfers to/from Israel. • Offices worldwide, with local support in Israel, the UK, mainland Europe and the USA. • Free expert guidance from your dedicated account manager.
IAN GREEN Qualifications: • Launched Man on a Bike IT consultancy 15 years ago to provide computer support for the home and small businesses. • Clients range from legal firms in the City to families, small business owners and synagogues. • More than 18 years’ experience.
LISA WIMBORNE Qualifications: Able to draw on the charity’s 50 years of experience in enabling people with physical disabilities or impaired vision to live independently, including: • The provision of specialist accommodation with 24/7 on site support. • Knowledge of the innovations that empower people and the benefits available. • Understanding of the impact of a disability diagnosis.
CURRENCIES DIRECT 07922 131 152 / 020 7847 9447 www.currenciesdirect.com/jn Naomi.feltham@currenciesdirect.com
MAN ON A BIKE 020 8731 6171 www.manonabike.co.uk mail@manonabike.co.uk
JEWISH BLIND & DISABLED 020 8371 6611 www.jbd.org Lisa@jbd.org
ISRAELI ACCOUNTANT
INSURANCE CONSULTANCY
LEON HARRIS Qualifications: • Leon is an Israeli and UK accountant based in Ramat Gan, Israel. • He is a Partner at Harris Horoviz Consulting & Tax Ltd. • The firm specializes in Israeli and international tax advice, accounting and tax reporting for investors, Olim and businesses. • Leon’s motto is: Our numbers speak your language!
ASHLEY PRAGER Qualifications: • Professional insurance and reinsurance broker. Offering PI/D&O cover, marine and aviation, property owners, ATE insurance, home and contents, fine art, HNW. • Specialist in insurance and reinsurance disputes, utilising Insurance backed products. (Including non insurance business disputes). • Ensuring clients do not pay more than required.
HARRIS HOROVIZ CONSULTING & TAX LTD +972-3-6123153 / + 972-54-6449398 leon@h2cat.com
RISK RESOLUTIONS 020 3411 4050 www.risk-resolutions.com ashley.prager@risk-resolutions.com
ALIYAH ADVISER
CAREER ADVISER
DOV NEWMARK Qualifications: • Director of UK Aliyah for Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organisation that helps facilitate aliyah from the UK. • Conducts monthly seminars and personal aliyah meetings in London. • An expert in working together with clients to help plan a successful aliyah.
ERIC SALAMON 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.
NEFESH B’NEFESH 0800 075 7200 www.nbn.org.il dov@nbn.org.il
RESOURCE 020 8346 4000 www.resource-centre.org office@resource-centre.org
DIVORCE & FAMILY SOLICITOR
If you would like to advertise your services here email: sales@ jewishnews.co.uk
PALLIATIVE CARE MANAGER
VANESSA LLOYD PLATT Qualifications: • Qualification: 40 years experience as a matrimonial and divorce solicitor and mediator, specialising in all aspects of family matrimonial law, including: • Divorce, pre/post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, domestic violence, children’s cases, grandparents’ rights to see grandchildren, pet disputes, family disputes. • Frequent broadcaster on national and International radio and television.
LEON SMITH Qualifications: • Career spent in running one of the country’s largest care homes for older people (Nightingale Hammerson) • Extensive experience in political lobbying on matters relating to older people • Experience in housing matters related to older people and current board member of JLiving
LLOYD PLATT & COMPANY SOLICITORS 020 8343 2998 www.divorcesolicitors.com lloydplatt@divorcesolicitors.com
SWEETTREE HOME CARE SERVICES 020 7644 9522 www.sweettree.co.uk info@sweettree.co.uk
At The Skin Clinic, our experts offer same-day consultation & surgery under local anaesthetic for conditions including melanoma, skin cancer, cysts and other benign lesions, together with diagnosis and treatment of general dermatological conditions.
CONTACT OUR TEAM AT
+44 (0)207 563 1234 info@108harleystreet.co.uk www.108harleystreet.co.uk
34
Jewish News 3 June 2021
www.jewishnews.co.uk
Business Services Directory ANTIQUES 44
The Jewish News 22 September 2016
Stirling BUSINESS SERVICES DIRECTORY Antique – Reproduction – Retro Furniture Top prices paid (any condition)
Hille, G Plan, etc. CarerEpstein, Archie Shine,Clothing
Dining Suites, Lounges Suites, Bookcases, Carer Desks, Cabinets, Mirrors, Lights, etc. FURS WANTED Auxiliary Nurse Cash paid for Mink House clearances Available to support
WE BUY ANTIQUES VERY HIGH PRICES PAID. FREE HOME VISITS. All Antique Furniture Hille & Epstein Diamond Jewellery, Gold, Silver, Paintings, Porcelain, Glass, Bronzes, Ivories, Oriental & Judaica Antiques etc. Full house clearances organised. Please look at our website for more details
jackets, coats, you in your home. boleros, stoles, Single items to complete homes also fox coats, Days/nights. jackets etc. MARYLEBONE rates. ANTIQUES - 8 CHURCH STREET NW8 8ED Very reasonable Wardrobes cleared Call 0208 958 2939 614 744 (ANYTIME) Call 01277 352 560 or 0749507866 026 168
www.antiquesbuyers.co.uk
Computer
FOR APPOINTMENTS CALL SUE ON: 0800 840 2035 or 07956268290
0207 723 7415 (SHOP) closed Sunday & Monday
STUART SHUSTER - e-mail - info@maryleboneantiques.co.uk Man on a Bike will get MAKE SURE YOUfast! CONTACT US BEFORE SELLING you working
OPEN 8am TO 9pm 7 DAYS. PORTOBELLO RD LONDON.
Rapid Response IT support for your PC & Mac Networks, virus problems, broadband, wireless systems, new computers and everything else you may need. For small businesses & home users.
CHARITY & WELFARE
of Kensal Green
Antiques
Established over 60 years. Know who you are dealing with.
All quality furniture bought & sold. Best prices paid for complete house clearances china, books, WEincluding BUY ANTIQUES clothing etc. Also rubbish clearance VERY HIGH PRICES PAID. FREE HOME VISITS. service, lofts, sheds, etc All Antique Furniture Hillegarages & Epstein
Ep Dini D
Diamond Jewellery, Gold, Silver, Paintings, Porcelain, Please contact Gordon Stirling Glass, Bronzes, Ivories, Oriental & Judaica Antiques etc.
Full house clearances organised. 020 8960 5401 or 07825 224144
C
Please lookgordonstirling65@gmail.com at our website for more details Email:
www.antiquesbuyers.co.uk
FOR APPOINTMENTS CALL SUE ON:
HOUSE CLEARANCES 0800 840 2035 or 07956268290 OPEN 8am TO 9pm 7 DAYS.
Call Ian Green, Man on a Bike on
ARE YOU BEREAVED?
Anti
PORTOBELLO RD LONDON.
020 8731 6171 • www.manonabike.co.uk
S
MAKE
Charity & Welfare
Bereavement Counselling for adults and children individually. Support Groups available. During the pandemic, we offer telephone and online counselling. Contact Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service in confidence. 0208 951 3881 enquiries@jbcs.org.uk | www.jbcs.org.uk
Labels are for jars. Refer yourself or a loved one by YOU BEREAVED? ARE Not people. calling 020 8458 2223 or visit Counselling for adults & children who are www.jamiuk.org
experiencing loss. Support groups offered. REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1003345 Call The Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service in confidence
CHARITY & WELFARE
IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN, REMEMBER OUR HELPLINE. For confidential advice, information and support don’t forget Jewish Care Direct.
020 8922 2222 jcdirect@jcare.org
jewishcare.org/helpline
020 8951 3881 • 07765 693 160 HOUSE CLEARANCE E: enquiries@jbcs.org.uk
We hav warden a in Eal warden
For furth West
Charity Reg No. 802559
PLUMBSAFE (UK) LTD “Better Safe Than Sorry”
For all your heating and plumbing requirements
Fast & Efficient House Clearance
| boiler repairs and installation | complete central heating | | power flushing | complete bathroom installation service | | landlords certificates | project management | home purchase reports |
All NW-London postcodes covered
We are reliable, cover all neighbourhoods & suit all budgets. We also buy good quality furniture, old books & Judaica.
Give support • Get support • Get involved
Call: 078 060 79299
020 8458 2223 | info@jamiuk.org www.jamiuk.org
07860 881505 or 0800 610 12 12 Not shabbat
PLUMBSAFEUK.COM
CHARITY & WELFARE
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
Contact: Anthony – 07850 590415
w
Reg Charity No. 1003345
HOME & MAINTENANCE
Sheltered Accommodation
MOTOR VEHICLES PURCHASED CLASSIC OR CARS for vehicles over 10 years old preferably with low mileage
A Wi
#jamithinkahead
Home & Maintenance
WESTLON HOUSING ASSOCIATION
AUTOMOTIVE
Jami supports and represents people with mental illness across the Jewish community.
PEST CONTROL
L
K
PLUMBSAFE (UK) LTD
No further, your
LOCAL PLUMBERS
Hall & Randall Plumbers
CENTRAL HEATING, PLUMBING REPAIRS & ADVISORY SERVICE EMERGENCY REPAIRS, BLOCKED PIPES DRAINAGE GUTTERING, ROOFING, CENTRAL HEATING AND BOILERS 12 MONTHS GUARANTEE, 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE
Home & Maintenance
Including mice treatment and mouse proofing with 1 year guarantee.
0203 405 5000 Email: info@inoculand.co.uk Web www.inoculand.co.uk
| boiler repairs and installation | complete central heating | | power flushing | complete bathroom installation service | | landlords certificates | project management | home purchase reports |
All NW-London postcodes covered
!
Not shabbat
office@hallandrandall.com
PLUMBSAFEUK.COM
STONEMASON
SAFE AND DISCREET PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL We cover all aspects of pest control for residential and commercial properties.
For all your heating and plumbing requirements
07860 881505 or 0800 610 12 12
020 8953 2094 office 020 8207 3286 home 020 8386 8798 hallandrandallplumbers.com
“Better Safe Than Sorry”
PROFESSIONAL PAINTING, DECORATING & PAPER HANGING
Over 20 years experience Friendly, reliable & service. personal The specialist masons in creating bespoke Granite and Marble Memorials for all Cemeteries. competitive rates Very Clayhall Showroom 14 Claybury Broadway Ilford. IG5 0LQ T: 0208 551 6866
Edgware Showroom 41 Manor Park Crescent Edgware. HA8 7LY T: 0208 381 1525
STEPHEN: 07973 342 422 srindsmc@hotmail.com
Email : info@garygreenmemorials.co.uk
www.garygreenmemorials.co.uk
Gary Green ad 84 x 40mm JM Group v2.indd 1
18/03/2019 12:50:51
City and A. ELFES LTDGuilds Elect
All types of electrical work un
New memorials Rewiring, extrainscriptions sockets, BT points, Economy 7 Additional storage heaters, Shabbat time switches, securi & renovations LED spotlights, fault finding, CCTVportable ap landlord tests and house buyer’s surveys. Gants Hill Edgware
12 Beehive Lane 130 High Street For Hill, anIG1 efficient reliable and friendly Gants 3RD Edgware, HA8 7EL Call Harvey Solomons on Telephone Telephone
0207 754 4646 0207 4659 020 754 8958 6495 / 07836 648 554
www.memorialgroup.co.uk
3 June 2021 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
35
Business Services Directory SILVER
ANTIQUES
INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
Inspirational speaker available to book
ANTIQUE JUDAICA & HEBRAICA Books, Manuscripts, Ephemera, Works of Art and Silver
HIGHEST PRICES PAID!
Enhance your special event. With a unique & meaningful presentation or speech by Elie Schwartz
JCL Antiques Ltd. 07791 798492 joseph.landau@yahoo.co.uk
Contact me 07973696548 Or email eitzeh4u@gmail.com
CLEANING
ADVERTISE IN THE UK’S BIGGEST JEWISH NEWSPAPER FOR LESS THAN £24 A WEEK
Professional standard with elegant finishing. End of tenancy, deep cleaning, post renovation cleaning services. We create a clean environment with our clean projects.
Email Sales today at sales@jewishnews.co.uk
Call us on 07907 017869 or email us via our website, www.cleanthecity.co.uk, to discuss your specific requirements – we are happy to provide a free quote.
OFFICE FURNITURE
LEGACY- LEAVE A GIFT IN YOUR MEMORY
JEWISH WAR VETERANS
Leave the legacy of independence to people like Joel.
& THEIR DEPENDANTS NEED
YOUR LEGACY
PLease remember us in your wiLL.
eNABLeD
Tel: 020 8202 2323 Web: www.ajex.org.uk Email: headoffice@ajex.org.uk
visit www.Jbd.org
Registered Charity
or caLL 020 8371 6611 No. 259480 18-361-JM Small legacy advert v1.qxp_Legacy 09/10/2018 10:27 Page 1
Registered Charity No: 1082148
Need to furnish your home or office? London’s leading supplier of new and reconditioned furniture. Free assembly and delivery next working day on most items – call now!
HELP US CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITH A GIFT IN YOUR WILL. Call Alison on 020 8922 2833 for more information or email legacyteam@jcare.org Chancellors House, Brampton Lane, London, NW4 4AB Tel: 020 8903 8746 | Fax: 020 8795 2240 www.bfiwd.org | email: info@bfiwd.org
Charity Reg No. 802559
legacy@cst.org.uk ► www.cst.org.uk ► 0208 457 3700 ►
Together
we protect our children’s future Please include CST in your will
Charity no. 1042391 and SC043612
COMPUTER Legacy advert 84x40.indd 1
Call 0800 559 3917 Email sales@andrewsofficefurniture.com www.andrewsofficefurniture.com
16/04/2021 10:55
ADVERTISE IN THE UK’S BIGGEST JEWISH NEWSPAPER FOR LESS THAN
ADVERTISE IN THE UK’S BIGGEST JEWISH NEWSPAPER FOR LESS THAN
Email Sales today at sales@jewishnews.co.uk
Email Sales today at sales@jewishnews.co.uk
£24 A WEEK
£24 A WEEK
36
Jewish News 3 June 2021
www.jewishnews.co.uk