1370 - 6th June 2024

Ilan Ramon’s Space Shuttle diary goes on display Page 8

D-Day hero dies at 100

Tributes to RAF veteran Page 9

It was all yellow low

40,000 march through London for the hostages

An estimated 40,000 people, many dressed in yellow and carrying yellow balloons, took part in an emotional rally in London last weekend to demand freedom for the 125 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, writes Jenni Frazer.

In blazing sunshine those on the demonstration, which included representatives from Jewish communities across the UK, were joined by Iranian supporters and numerous church groups.

The United We Bring Them Home event – a march to Richmond Terrace in Whitehall, opposite Downing Street – was organised by the UK branches of the 7/10 Human Chain group and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, and was part of a global initiative, with rallies held in New York, across the US, Australia, Germany, Spain and France.

By late afternoon, the Metropolitan Police, who closed Whitehall for the duration of the rally as well as some roads for the parade from Holborn to Downing Street, said there had been one arrest. “An altercation between a passerby and a member of the public resulted in the passerby being arrested for common assault.”

Continued on page 4

The crowd gathers in Whitehall for the rally and (right) a participant with a poignant placard

Briton among hostages murdered by Hamas

British-Israeli Nadav Popplewell was this week named among four hostages murdered in Hamas captivity, writes Jotam Confino in Israel.

The Israeli army said Popplewell, 51, along with Chaim Peri, Yoram Metzger and Amiram Cooper had all been killed and that Hamas was holding their bodies.

The army also announced on Monday that a man who had been thought to be a hostage, Dolev Yehud, had in fact been killed on 7 October.

The revelations mean that more than a third of the 120 hostages thought to remain in Gaza are known to be dead. The army said it was able to determine that the four men had died, despite not being able to retrieve their bodies.

“The decision to pronounce the four hostages dead was based on intelligence and was confirmed by a Ministry of Health expert committee, in coordination with the Ministry of Religious Services and the Chief Rabbi of Israel,” a statement said. “The circumstances of their death in Hamas captivity are still under examination by all the relevant professionals.”

The four men who had been taken

alive to Gaza had appeared in hostage videos, although Hamas said when it released a video of Popplewell in May that he had been killed in an Israeli airstrike since it was filmed.

Israeli officials said they believed that the four men had died several months ago in Khan Younis while the army was operating there. Several other hostages have been killed

during failed rescue operations, while the causes of death for some found died in Gaza remain unknown.

Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesman, said at a press conference: “I know that difficult questions will arise regarding the circumstances of the deaths. We are examining the circumstances of death in depth, looking into all possibilities, and we

Sunak and Starmer on same page over supporting Israel

Rishi Sunak praised Keir Starmer for supporting Israel’s “right to defend itself” after the 7 October Hamas terror attack during an often tetchy first TV election debate, writes Lee Harpin.

In one of the few instances where the Tory and Labour leaders agreed during Tuesday’s ITV ,the Prime Minister said: “I am pleased Keir Starmer supported, alongside me, Israel’s right to defend itself in the face of the atrocious attack they suffered.”

one priority” in relation to the continued conflict in Gaza would be to continue working with allies towards getting Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire, when asked about his position on arms sales to the Jewish state.

will present the findings as soon as possible.”

The Hostages Family Forum, which represents the families who have joined in protests urging the government of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal with Hamas, said the news of their deaths “should shake every citizen in the State of Israel

BIBI

Sunak then noted the ceasefire deal put forward by US president Joe Biden which he said the government “strongly support together with our allies to bring an immediate end to the hostilities, release the hostages and get more aid in and build towards a lasting settlement with a two-state solution.”

Stamer said: “It’s a very grave situation. First, we need to get the hostages out, they have been held for a very long time. I dread to think what the state that they are in.”

He added: “We desperately need humanitarian aid into Gaza, it is catastrophic. We have to find a path to a lasting resolution, that has to be two state solution, but we need to show leadership on that.”

But Sunak responded claiming Starmer had “not matched” his pledge to invest in defence in the UK.

The Labour leader described his claim as “desperate”.

During the hour-long debate, Sunak repeatedly claimed Labour would raise taxes by £2,000.

Host Julie Etchingham repeatedly failed to stop both leaders interrupting one another.

Earlier, Starmer said his “number

Asked about a letter sent to him from actors, musicians, writers and directors calling on him to halt arm sales to Israel if elected prime minister, Starmer said the “first and most fundamental thing is getting that ceasefire”.

But he said he believed the UK government should follow the American lead in reviewing whether arms were used in any offensive in Rafah, which Starmer said he opposed going ahead.

Speaking at an event in Greater Manchester, he described the scenes in Gaza as “horrifying” before outlining why he believed a ceasefire was needed. Starmer explained his priorities, adding: “Ensuring we get hostages out… I shudder to think what state they will be in.”

and lead every leader to profound soul-searching”.

It called on the Israeli government to approve a deal that US President Joe Biden said last week was an initiative of Netanyahu’s, and which would establish a temporary ceasefire and release older, wounded and child hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians detained by Israel.

“The Israeli government must send out a negotiating delegation this evening and return all 124 hostages, both living and murdered, to their homes,” the group said. “It is time to end this cycle of sacrifice and neglect. Their murder in captivity is a mark of disgrace and a sad reflection on the significance of delaying previous deals. We reiterate our demand to the Israeli government: approve the Netanyahu deal immediately.”

Netanyahu has not publicly acknowledged ownership of the deal Far-right parties have threatened to leave the coalition if he agrees to the deal, which requires Israel to pull out of major population centers in Gaza. The army is currently seeking to rout Hamas from the town of Rafah, on the Gaza-Egypt border.

FACING RIGHTWING CEASEFIRE WALK OUT

Finance minister Betzalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have threatened to topple Benjamin Netanyahu if he backs a ceasefire deal with Hamas.

US president Joe Biden announced last Friday that Israel had agreed in principle to a three-phase deal, which includes:

• The release of all hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The first phase would see the release of women and children.

• 600 trucks with humanitarian aid entering Gaza every day

• Israeli withdrawal from all populated areas in Gaza.

• Arab nations and international organisations rebuilding schools, hospitals, and homes in Gaza

• A permanent ceasefire “Hamas no longer is capable of carrying out another 7 October, just one of Israel’s main objectives in this war, and a righteous one,” Biden said as he presented the plan at the White House.

The Israeli prime minister appeared to push back at the plan, despite the war cabinet telling Washington that it had agreed on it.

“The proposal that Biden presented is incomplete,” Netanyahu said on Monday. “The war will stop in order to bring hostages back and afterward we will hold discussions. There are other details that the US president did not present to the public.”

The Israeli prime minister’s office issued a statement, shortly after Biden’s announcement, saying: “Israel’s conditions for ending the war have not changed: the destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.”

From left: Chaim Peri, Amiram Cooper, Yoram Metzger and British-Israeli citizen Nadav Popplewell

Sunak and Starmer in Tuesday’s ITV debate

Bezalel Smotrich (right) and the PM

ROYAL SOUVENIR POSTER ( Cut out and keep!)

Jewish News co-publisher Justin Cohen received his MBE for services to Holocaust remembrance and the Jewish community from the Prince of Wales on Tuesday, after being named in the New Year Honours list.

Accepting his award, Cohen, 43, from Borehamwood, spent two minutes in conversation with the future King about his work and the challenges facing the Jewish community in the aftermath of 7 October.

Speaking to the media at Windsor Castle, Cohen, who has also been a prime mover in interfaith relations over the last 15 years, said: “Thinking at this point that Jewish-Muslim relations have failed because there are issues with it is a dereliction of duty. For anyone who’s a proud Jewish Brit or Muslim Brit, we are going to be living together for many more years to come so there is a responsibility to continue those relations going forward.”

He added: “Despite some reports to the contrary, Britain remains a very good place to be Jewish, far from the suggestions that people are running away or packing their bags.”

Cohen, who has worked tirelessly for Jewish News for 24 years, previously teamed up with Catherine, Princess of Wales, on a photography exhibition in which Her Royal Highness helped take pictures of some of the UK’s last remaining Holocaust survivors and said the princess “went so far above and beyond” to help with the project.

Reflecting on his career with the newspaper, he said: “To be a journalist working within a community that I’m part of, and covering on a daily basis issues that are of interest to my family and friends and a ects them directly very often, is something quite unique.”

On a more personal level, Cohen added: “To receive this award in such an historic setting was the honour of a lifetime and a tribute to the talented team I’ve worked with past and present and especially to my co-publisher Richard Ferrer. That he so determined to see my work recognised will always mean a lot to me. It is recognition of our joint aim that Jewish News is far more than just a newspaper passively reporting news.”

He added: “My grandma came to Britain on the Kindertransport 85 years ago and was determined that her family were able to pass on the memory of what happened.

“The fact this award was partly for services to Holocaust remembrance and was presented by a member of the Royal Family who has done so much in this arena made it all the more poignant. I just wish my grandparents and dad, who did so much to serve his country and community, could have been there with me.”

40,000 march through London for hostages

Continued from page 1

Separately the police said: “A bottle was thrown towards the group, but the suspect has not yet been identified. Thankfully, nobody was injured.”

Speakers included family members of captives – some, such as Lionel Benjamin, in tears as he spoke about his cousin Ron, out for an innocent bike ride near Kibbutz Be’eri on 7 October when he was kidnapped by Hamas. For months, Ron Benjamin’s family campaigned on his behalf, but two weeks ago his body was returned to Israel by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and his funeral was finally held on 20 May. Mr Benjamin put it plainly: “No hostages, no ceasefire” –and received huge applause.

Other family members, such as Merav and Amir Daniel, parents of Oz Daniel, a 19-year-old IDF soldier killed on 7 October, have not yet been able to bury their son as his body is still in Gaza.

Osnat and Menachem Getz, aunt and uncle of Omer Neutra, an IDF tank commander kidnapped by Hamas, still hope that he is alive.

But as the news trickles slowly out of the Gaza Strip, the posters at the rallies are changing, too. Many pictures of those taken captive on

7 October were on posters with the word “kidnapped” on the top. New stickers adding the word “murdered” tell the grim truth about the fate of the remaining hostages. Other posters showed an hourglass with the slogan “Time is running out”. And every speech was punctuated by

the mass shouting of the core message: “Bring Them Home.”

An Iranian human rights activist, Dr Nader Fallah, drew boos from the crowd when he declared “shame on his ignorance”, in reference to Yair Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister’s son, for social media posts

Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, the event was topped and tailed by Lord Polak and Israel’s former ambassador to France, Danny Shek, who, since 7 October, has been the head of diplomacy for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

he has made about Iran. But it was unclear whether the crowd was booing Dr Fallah’s criticism of Yair Netanyahu or booing the opinions voiced by him.

As well as contributions from Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and Edgware and Hendon Reform

An Israeli-born video director claims he was violently attacked, pushed to ground and injured after holding up an anti-Benjamin Netanyahu placard at the latest Bring Them Home demonstration in London, writes Lee Harpin.

Aviel Lewis, who completed service in the IDF including in Lebanon, said he believed that at least one person, who was draped in an Israeli flag, and who wore a kippah, was responsible for the alleged attack, which left his sign with the words “Netanyahu Is Killing The Hostages And Innocent Palestinians” ripped

into pieces. While a second person, also on the protest, may have been involved in the attack, this individual may have been holding him on the ground to prevent further violence. Lewis confirmed that he had given a statement to the Metropolitan Police on Monday about the incident, which had left him with pains to his body and headaches the following day. Lewis said he had attended the rally, organised by the UK branches of the 7/10 Human Chain group and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, believed a “wide spectrum” of views on the best way to secure

Shek, a former director of Bicom (the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre), was clearly moved by the enormous turnout. He had come to London directly from his regular weekly appearance at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.

To huge cheers, he told the crowd: “We serve as the voices taken away from the hostages. We will not be silenced. We will speak out until the very last hostage is safely home.”

freedom for the hostages.

Lewis, 59, said he had attended “intending to make a point” common during hostage protests in Israel, accusing Netanyahu of wanting to prolong the war, and making it likely that the only way the hostages would be returned was “in co ns”.

He said that he had previously spent about 30 minutes in discussions with those on the protest, most of whom appeared to share similar views about the war needing to continue. But as Lewis walked to meet friends who were staying at the Waldorf Hotel, only minutes away from

where he was located, he said he was pounced upon by at least one but possibly two attackers. “I felt a violent push, and [someone] snatched my sign, and I was then immediately pulled to the ground as I tried to retaliate and snatch it back ” he said.

“While I was on the ground someone else held me down, not letting me go to the attacker and get the sign back. Two people were involved, although I can’t be 100 percent sure the second one wasn’t doing something to stop more violence.”

Jewish News has contacted the Metropolitan Police for comment.

Thousands marched in central London for the ‘United We Bring Them Home’ event, demanding hostages taken on 7 October by Hamas be returned to Israel

Photos by

EJacobs Photography

Aviel Lewis before the attack

UNITED WE BRING THEM HOME!!

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum thanks the over 40,000 participants who joined our march last Sunday, standing by our hostages and their families.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP FIGHTING THEIR FIGHT AND BEING THEIR VOICE UNTIL THEY ALL COME OUT OF GAZA.

Support our activities by purchasing the ‘Shavuot of Longing’ cookbook, featuring stories and 75 favourite recipes of the hostages over 180 pages.

Scan the QR code to purchase your copy now or visit shorturl.at/EZ6iG

by

Photos

Greens ‘sinking into a cesspit of racism’

The Green Party has been urged to remove some of its general election candidates over fears the party risks “sinking into a growing cesspit of racism”, writes Lee Harpin.

The Board of Deputies has fired a warning after Joe Belcher, the Green candidate for Aldridge-Brownhills, wrote on social media that “the leaders of Israel and Gaza conspired to carry out what happened on Oct 7 for financial gain”.

In a message posted on X/Twitter last November, Belcher also claimed: “Why would Hamas commanders order Oct 7 to then have their territory destroyed and their people killed or displaced from Gaza? For money? If so, who offered them this money? The Israel government?”

A spokesperson for the Board of Deputies told Jewish News: “We are increasingly concerned about the Green Party’s lack of due diligence around their candidates.

“Through their social media activity, some candidates appear to sympathise with the most crude antisemitic slurs. If the Green Party does not start showing some principle on this, it risks its wider agenda sinking into a growing cesspit of racism.”

Last Thursday, the Greens launched their election campaign in Bristol, where they are hoping to perform well on 4 July.

But co-leader Carla Denyer has repeatedly been forced to comment on claims of antisemitism among candidates in recent months.

She told Jewish News previously: “I’m very conscious of the rise in antisemitism

and Islamophobia across UK society. It is really concerning and it has no place in politics. I’m very conscious of the level of hurt felt by some Jewish communities across the country who feel unsafe by comments that have been made.

“I want to be clear that the Green Party takes all allegations of antisemitism and all racism very seriously. I have faith in our internal processes to investigate those.

“I’m not personally involved in those processes and I think that’s quite correct.”

The i newspaper reported that another Green candidate, Sherief Hassan, running in Hemel Hempstead, liked a post that said “Israel must be eliminated” and another that claimed Jeffrey Epstein ran a blackmail operation for Israel.

Meanwhile Maddison Wheeldon, MP candidate for Warrington North, compared Israel and Zionists with Nazis in

posts on X this month. In one, she wrote: “It is the Israelis and others supporting Zionism that are akin to the Germans that supported the Nazis.”

After winning in the local elections earlier this month, Mothin Ali, a Green Party councillor elected in Leeds, said the result was a “win for the people of Gaza” and then shouted “Allahu Akbar”.

After his conduct sparked complaints and concern from the Jewish community in Leeds, Ali, who said he did not support violence, said he was “sorry for any upset” caused.

The Jewish Labour Movement has previously raised concerns about former Labour members, who were expelled or suspended over antisemitism claims, being allowed to join the Greens.

The party confirmed it was working with Lord Mann, the government’s independent advisor on antisemitism, “to better educate Green representatives about anti-Jewish racism”.

Lord Mann, a former Labour MP, initially wrote to the party before 2 May’s English local elections over posts allegedly made by candidates Mohamed Makawi and Abdul Malik from October 2023.

The Green Party said Mr Makawi had has since apologised and undertaken social media training, while Malik was “unwittingly” implicated by being tagged in the post.

Malik told the BBC he did not put up a post showing Hamas spokesmen, and said he completely condemned the attacks on Israel.

Jewish creatives tackle BBC chief over racism

About 100 Jewish members of the film and TV industry have written a furious open letter to the BBC complaining about racism displayed by one of its cricket commentators, former Scotland and Pakistan player Qasim Sheikh, writes Jenni Frazer.

The letter, sent yesterday to BBC director-general Tim Davie and the chief content officer Charlotte Moore, sets out Sheikh’s social media posting, including a post on X that “likens our prime minister, alongside other prominent western leaders, including Netanyahu, to Hitler, denouncing them collectively as the ‘Kids Killer Union’”.

The signatories say they are directors, producers, screenwriters, suppliers and contractors across the TV and film industry and include “many BBC employees”.

The letter says Sheikh formed a key part of the Scotland v England

T20 Test Match Special commentary team, “despite the fact the BBC knew he has in the past few months posted... (and reposted) rhetoric that is both racist and wholly undermines civility in public discourse”.

Following the 7 October Hamas attacks, “another tweet by Mr Sheikh claims the terrorists were justified in their indiscriminate mass rape and slaughter ‘to defend themselves’”.

In 2021, when another former

DIANE ABBOTT TO STAND FOR LABOUR

Diane Abbott has said she intends to “run and win” as a Labour candidate in the election, writes Lee Harpin.

The veteran left-winger‘s announcement came in response to reports suggesting she was still weighing up options and considering accepting a peerage.

A story in last weekend’s Sunday Times had suggested that a number of former Labour MPs, including Abbott, had been offered peerages to quit and open up seats for allies of party leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Abbott wrote on X: “This is factually incorrect. I have never been offered a seat in the Lords, and would not accept one if offered.

“I am the adopted Labour candidate for Hackney North & Stoke Newington. I intend to run and to win as Labour’s candidate.”

Abbott was suspended from Labour last year after she suggested Jewish, Irish

and Traveller people experience prejudice, but not racism, sparking a long-running process whereby she sat as an Independent MP.

She had the Labour whip restored this week, but it was briefed out that she might be “barred” from running for the party in the general election.

For days, Starmer declined to say whether Abbott would be defending her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat on 4 July, as he faced claims of a “purge” of leftwing candidates.

Last Friday he said she was “free” to run after the row over her candidacy overshadowed much of the story of Labour’s campaign last week.

Abbott’s supporters accused the Labour leadership of “culling the left” in the party, citing the choice not to allow academic Faiza Shaheen or former MP Lloyd RussellMoyle to stand for election. Shaheen was blocked from running in the Chingford and Woodford Green constituency as a Labour candidate, allegedly in relation to past posts on social media website X. Russell-Moyle, the previous MP for Brighton Kemptown, was told he could not stand after being suspended by Labour over what he called a “vexatious and politically-motivated complaint” against him.

Radiohead guitarist hits back over BDS

cricketer, Michael Vaughan, was accused of racist comments from 2009 – which he denied – he was immediately dropped by the BBC.

The letter writers point to what they call “a monumental double standard”, as “a mere accusation was enough for him to be suspended from all cricket commentary with the BBC statement: ‘We do not believe that it would be appropriate for Vaughan to have a role in our Ashes team or wider coverage at the moment.’”

The signatories say Vaughan was axed from the BBC for the best part of two years until the ECB’s disciplinary committee cleared his name.

The writers ask: “What of the Jewish members of staff deeply affected by the indisputable rise in anti-Jewish racism since 7 October? The BBC appears entirely deaf to news of its contributors’ racism against Jews.”

Musician Jonny Greenwood is pushing back on critics who say he should abandon a plan to tour with an Israeli because of the Israel-Hamas war.

Greenwood, of the band Radiohead, and Dudu Tassa, from a prominent Mizrahi musical family, are scheduled to perform together on the European festival circuit this summer, a year after they released a joint record that has singers from across the Middle East.

Some of the dates were rescheduled after they cancelled shows immediately after the 7 October Hamas attacks. The performances are drawing criticism amid anti-Israel sentiment in the arts and in Europe.

In a statement on social media on Tuesday, he rejected calls to cancel.

“Others choose to believe this kind of project is unjustifiable and are urging the silence of this – or any – artistic effort made by Israeli Jews,” Greenwood wrote. “But I can’t join

that call: The silencing of Israeli filmmakers/musicians/dancers when their work tours abroad, especially when it’s at the urging of their fellow western filmmakers/musicians/artists, feels unprogressive to me.”

Greenwood is married to Israeli artist Sharona Katan, who has said the family identifies as Jewish, and recorded on albums by Tassa and fellow Israeli Shye Ben Tzur before making the album with Tassa. Both artists opened for Radiohead on some tour dates in 2017.

Tassa is the grandson of Daoud AlKuwaity, one of the most famous Iraqi composers of the 20th century, who emigrated to Israel in 1951.

Radiohead, which has won several Grammy Awards and sold millions of records since the 1990s, have been the targets of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel, especially in the lead-up to their 2017 concert in Tel Aviv.

Diane Abbott has denied being offered a peerage

Qasim Sheikh: controversial

Joe Belcher has caused concern

Israeli astronaut’s diary on loan

A forensic analyst who worked on the preservation of the space diary of Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, has spoken of her “sadness and pride” at working on the material, as it was announced the diary will be loaned to the National Library of Israel, writes Jenni Frazer.

Sharon Landau Brown was working in the laboratories of the Israel Police when the Israeli Air Force were notified that the diary –then still a random collection of papers – had been found in a field in Texas.

That was just over two months after the February 2003 fatal crash of Space Shuttle Columbia, which disintegrated as it reentered Earth’s atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board. Columbia had successfully completed 27 missions before the disaster and Ramon’s mission had been routine, with the crew performing 80 science and physics experiments before beginning their return to Earth.

The National Library of Israel said: “Like all astronauts before him, Ramon took personal items with him to space. But his had special national significance as well: a tiny Torah scroll rescued from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp; a copy of a drawing by Petr Ginz, a boy murdered at Auschwitz, entitled Moon Landscape, and some wine for blessing on Shabbat. There was also a letter from his son Assaf (later a fighter pilot who was killed in a flight training accident in 2009), as well as a notebook for documenting his personal experience.”

Ramon had apparently written at least one page before take-o , but wrote the rest of the pages while in space. Some entries are prosaic – describing brushing his teeth in lowgravity, conducting scientific experiments and expressing longing for his family – but there are also casual mentions of conversations with the prime minister of Israel and US president.

After its discovery, the diary was transferred to the Israel Museum for the complex process

‘FAMILY’ SHOW CRITICISED

Jewish families have complained about an “aggressively pro-Palestinian” performance at the Breakin’ Convention festival at Sadler’s Wells theatre last month.

Children and adults alike were shocked after Sasha Mahfouz Shadid, a self-described “British-Palestinian artist born in Southsea”, appeared on stage talking about the killing of a Palestinian child by Israel, asking the audience if any of them had been to Israel, and finally waving a giant Palestinian flag at the conclusion of his act. Breakin’ Convention was billed as a “family-friendly” show.

Sasha Mahfouz Shadid

audience about having visited Israel. Shadid’s appearance was part of a festival curated by the dancer, poet and hip-hop artist Jonzi D, whose social media posts show a high level of anti-Israel input.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which has complained on behalf of the families to Sadler’s Wells, said Jonzi D’s reposted messages “feature antisemitic tropes such as Israelis/Jews controlling the world, killing babies and even ‘crucifying’ Palestinians”.

of restoration and preservation, assisted by the Israel police’s forensic department.

After 20 years at the Israel Museum, the diary has now arrived at the National Library of Israel. The transfer was carried out by NLI sta , accompanied by Ramon’s surviving sons, Tal and Yiftach.

After initial processing, the diary was scanned by the library’s digital department, and is now stored in a vault within the rare items

repository, where humidity and temperature conditions are continuously monitored and controlled to protect the treasures within.

Landau Brown, who was on a plane to Israel two weeks after finishing her A-levels at Hasmonean High School, began working on the diary in July 2003 and spent six months on the task. The event has special significance for her: her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer two days after the diary was found. And her name was Colomba, from the same root as the name of the tragic spacecraft, both meaning “dove”.

“I wasn’t so senior in the laboratory,” she says, “but I was picked to work on the diary because my mother was sick and I was one of the few people not going away for the summer.” In her last week of conscious life, “my mother told me what a huge privilege it was for this to be my case,” she adds. “So everything was pride, and hope and sadness, with such meaning.”

Photographer Lazar Sin-David found Ilan Ramon’s list of “things he wanted to talk about from space. He wanted to be the first Jew in space to say Kiddush on Friday night, so he wrote out all the words. He wanted to say a dvar Torah, and he drew a parallel between the things he had taken with him relating to the Holocaust, the Jewish people’s darkest hour, and the modern state of Israel and its technological advances — including going into space”.

Landau Brown has a great a nity for Ramon. “He got to live his dream — as did all the astronauts,” she says.

One 12-year-old girl, who said it had been a “very hostile atmosphere”, later told her family she had spent most of Shadid’s act holding hands with her friend, and that she had been “very scared” when Shadid challenged the

UKLFI is asking Sadlers Wells to conduct an urgent investigation into the breaches of the Equality Act during the Breakin’ Convention show on 5 May 2024, and suggests there may also have been breaches of section 406 of the Education Act 1996. A spokesman for Sadler’s Wells said it was investigating the complaint.

VIRGIN FLIGHTS TO RESUME

Virgin Atlantic will resume flights between London Heathrow and Israel in September, the airline has announced.

It will operate a daily flight in each direction between Heathrow and Tel Aviv using Airbus A330 aircraft from 5 September.

Many carriers suspended flights to Israel in October last year following the start of the country’s conflict with Hamas.

Wizz Air resumed operations to the country in March, with British Airways taking the same action in April.

But easyJet has extended its suspension of Israel flights until at least late October.

Virgin Atlantic also announced a new codeshare partnership with Israel’s El Al, aimed at

making it easier for the airlines’ customers to travel with both carriers.

Juha Jarvinen, Virgin Atlantic’s chief commercial o cer, said: “Our return to Tel Aviv on 5 September will be welcome news for customers who have enjoyed our service since 2019, and this time round it’ll be strengthened by our new codeshare partnership with El Al.”

Ilan Ramon and an entry in his diary, which has been loaned to the National Library of Israel

D-Day hero dies at 100

A 100-year-old D-Day veteran described as an “inspiration” has died less than a fortnight before the 80th anniversary of the landings.

David Teacher, who served as a mechanic with the RAF in the Second World War, died last Friday, a spokesman for Broughton House care home in Salford, Greater Manchester, said.

Mr Teacher, who was born in Hastings, East Sussex, was one of the first to arrive on Juno beach in the 1944 Normandy landings.

As well as fixing brokendown vehicles, he worked with his squadron to take control of all equipment, including food and ammunition, and ensure troops arriving went through designated safe areas.

NEW YOUTH AWARD TO

HONOUR D-DAY

A joint initiative to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings has been launched by the community’s two servicebased organisations — AJEX JMA (Jewish Military Association) and the Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade (JLGB).

For decades, a bravery medal has been awarded every five years by AJEX only to a member of the JLGB, in the name of Sir James d’Avigdor-Goldsmid, who died in 1987.

“It

was a privilege for us to care for him in his later years and he will be greatly missed by us all. Our sympathies are with his family at this sad time.”

He stayed on the beach for three months, living in a trench, and went on to the Battle of the Bulge.

Karen Miller, chief executive of veterans’ care home Broughton House, said: “David was 100 years old and was an inspiration to us all. He lived with us for three years and was immensely popular, much-loved

and respected by all of our residents and sta .

“David served this country during World War Two with enormous courage and, after his service, he continued inspire others through his charity work with ex-service organisations, and by sharing with the younger generation the important values of friendship, duty and service.

Mr Teacher, who volunteered at the Imperial War Museum, was made an MBE in 2012 for his work with ex-service organisations and charities in Greater Manchester.

He was a former vice-chairman of Bolton and District Normandy Veterans Association.

The 80th anniversary of D-Day will be marked today, 6 June, with commemorations in Normandy as well as across the UK.

Major-General d’AvigdorGoldsmid, MC, was a decorated D-Day veteran who went on to become one of the Jewish community’s highest ranking British army o cers. He was a figurehead for both the JLGB and AJEX, defining the unwavering 95-year partnership and special relationship between both organisations.

Now the two organisations have decided to extend the scope of the Goldsmid medal and are opening nominations to Jewish youth across the community, saying that “this prestigious medal is a testament to the extraordinary valour and commitment of its recipients”.

Dan Fox, national chair AJEX JMA, said: “Sir James’s remarkable bravery and leadership remain a beacon of inspiration to this day. Expanding the qualification for this medal in his honour, especially on this landmark anniversary, underscores our 95-year partnership with JLGB and celebrates the courageous spirit of today’s youth.”

The chief executive of JLGB, Neil Martin, added: “Expanding this award in partnership with our dear friends at AJEX, commemorates Sir James’s spirit and the continued legacy and enduring bravery of British Jews, but empowers the next generation.”

The medal committee seeks nominations of candidates — who must be 18 years old or under — from across Jewish schools, community centres and youth groups who have shown not only bravery, but also a profound commitment to serving others, overcoming personal adversity, and who have made positive contributions.

Deadline for nominations is 11 September. For entry details visit: www.jlgb.org/sirjames • Editorial comment, page 20

YOUR LEGACY

‘WE’VE

HAD ENOUGH!’ SAY STUDENTS ON CAMPUS

More than 2,000 current and former Jewish students have signed an online petition calling for an end to unprecedented antisemitism on campus.

Addressed to vice-chancellors, students’ unions and university leadership across the UK and Ireland, the campaign, which was launched last week, has been organised by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), which represents around 9,000 students and more than 70 Jewish societies (JSocs).

It reads: “We write to you as current and former Jewish students who have endured and witnessed an unprecedented surge in antisemitism on our campuses over the past eight months.

“October 7th will forever haunt the collective memory of the Jewish people. For some of us, this marked the point at which we learnt of the murder of our loved ones by Hamas. For others, this marked the point at which our loved ones were kidnapped and taken hostage.

“Yet, for all of us, this marked the point at which an unimaginable escalation in campus antisemitism began. On 7 October, antisemitism once again became a permissible form of hatred.”

It adds that after eight months of hate, “we tell you that we’ve simply had enough. We’ve had enough of being society’s punching bag, absorbing its anger and hatred. We’ve had enough of constantly feeling on edge as we walk through our campuses. And we’ve

had enough of our university leaders equivocating, unable to condemn the pervasive bigotry in the institutions that they govern.

“The future of Jewish life on campus is up to you. It is imperative that you understand, you condemn, and you act against antisemitism. Now.

“We, Jewish students past and present, from the left and the right, religious and secular, from all points on the religious spectrum, say with one united voice:

“We’ve had enough.”

Signatories include past and present students from universities including Cambridge, Warwick, Exeter, Leeds, She eld, Aberdeen, Nottingham and King’s College London.

The petition is supported by the Board of Deputies and University Jewish Chaplaincy.

‘Immensely popular’: David Teacher was among the first to land on Juno Beach in Normandy on D-Day

David was a member of the RAF Beach Units

Pro-Palestinian protests, such as this one at Edinburgh University, have been held throughout the UK

A Beacon of Hope in Times of War

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Can Wakeford beat a rabbi to win again in Bury South?

MP since 2019 faces first electoral test since crossing floor, writes Jenni Frazer

The strangest thing about the Bury South constituency — part of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester — is that it does not include the rambunctious market town of Bury itself. That honour belongs to the neighbouring Bury North, currently the most marginal seat in Britain as it was held by the Conservatives in 2019 by just 105 votes.

But in this election, on 4 July, there is certain to be a renewed focus on Bury South, currently the 10th most marginal constituency in the country and the home to the largest Jewish community outside London.

In the immediate post-war years, the original constituency was created for the 1950 general election. In 1983 it was split into Bury North and Bury South; but before that the constituency was known as Bury and Radcli e.

Michael Fidler, the first Jewish mayor of Prestwich, became both president of the Board of Deputies and MP for Bury and Radcli e from 1970 to 1974. He founded the Conservative Friends of Israel but lost his seat to Labour’s Frank White, who was the MP 1974-83.

Boundary changes in 1983 meant that the area ping-ponged back to the Conservatives, when the Jewish Tory David Sumberg became the first Bury South MP: he lost to Labour’s Ivan Lewis, also Jewish, in the 1997 Labour landslide.

Lewis held Bury South for Labour from 1997 to 2017, and for the next two years as an independent MP. In the febrile atmosphere of the 2019 election, he urged people to vote Conservative because of the perception that a Labour vote would help to catapult Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street.

for the English Democrats Party. But the real contest will be between Wakeford; and the Conservatives’ choice as candidate, who, if he wins, is likely to be the first Orthodox rabbi in parliament, Rabbi Arnold Saunders. By-elections loom large in the story of Bury South. Rabbi Saunders, the former minister of the now closed Higher Crumpsall and Higher Broughton Synagogue, became involved in local politics for Salford City Council in 2017 as a result of a by-election called when Kersal ward’s Labour councillor died in o ce.

He won a number of elections for the Conservatives in both Kersal and, as it became, Kersal and Broughton Park. He also won a full-four-year term as councillor last month and says he is not necessarily minded to give up his council seat even if he succeeds in his attempt to become Bury South’s MP.

In that election, the count went down to the wire: Christian Wakeford, a well-known local councillor, won Bury South by a majority of just 402 votes over his Labour rival, Lucy Burke.

But today there is a fascinating dilemma for Bury South voters, because of two factors: first, that Wakeford defected to Labour in 2022 — and did not submit himself to a by-election; and second, that new boundary changes mean that a ward previously belonging to the neighbouring city of Salford, Kersal and Broughton Park, has now been transferred to the Bury South constituency. And that is important because Kersal and Broughton Park is home to a significantly large strictly Orthodox community, many of whose members have declined to vote in previous elections.

So there are eight candidates vying for top place in Bury South constituency, from Reform UK to Communist and even a candidate for George Galloway’s Workers’ Party. There’s a Lib Dem, a Green, and a hopeful

“To call a by-election” [if he were to stand down as councillor] “costs the borough £15,000 and would cause a lot of people all sorts of heartache. There are a lot of councillors, who in my view would do less work than I would be able to do as an MP, when of course I would have sta to help me. So it’s not my proposal to give up being a councillor at the moment.” That’s not set in stone, Rabbi Saunders says, “and if I find it too challenging I would change my mind”.

The boundary changes are complex, bringing the voter base to about 75,000, and mean religious Jewish communities, now finding themselves with a choice of eight would-be MPs, have never before been faced with the choice between an Orthodox rabbi and a person whom they might have supported as a Conservative politician — but not necessarily as a Labour representative.

“This new constituency is definitely the largest and most intensely Jewish community outside London,” says Rabbi Saunders, who was selected as the Conservative candidate “the night before Succot, 28 September 2023”.

He is not complimentary about his Labour opponent, Wakeford, claiming that many felt and still feel “betrayed” by his crossing of

the floor in January 2022. “I even endorsed Christian on his campaign leaflets in 2019 and I do feel let down by what he did.”

Wakeford says that he has “a strong record” on what he has done for the Jewish community “as me”, whichever party he was sitting for

at the time, and reports good reactions when he has been canvassing in Jewish stronghold neighbourhoods. Those who were unhappy during the Corbyn years, he says, now generally accept that Sir Keir Starmer has done his utmost to rid Labour of antisemitism.

Wakeford wins for the Tories in 2019

Tory candidate Rabbi Arnold Saunders

Christian Wakeford seeks re-election after switching his allegiance to Labour in 2022

World

7/10 hero injured in Gaza

with 3D printed skull MACCABI LAUNCHES WOMEN’S FORUM

by Richard Ferrer in Tel Aviv richard@jewishnews.co.uk

A hero of 7 October who rescued dozens of people from Kibbutz Be’eri has been fitted with a printed skull after sustaining a near-fatal head injury during the fighting in Gaza.

Yoni (surname withheld), a 23-year-old lieutenant, now has customised 3D-printed plates meshed onto the right side of what remains of his natural skull, after an improvised explosive device, or IED, detonated while he was serving with the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza City in November.

Yoni recalls waking up on 7 October and racing to Kibbutz Be’eri on the Gaza border to evacuate residents.

“We fought against terrorists and saved people from their homes. We went house to house to get them out. People didn’t believe we were Israeli soldiers. One even waved a knife

an entire section of my skull… this part,” Yoni says, lowering his head and pointing to the right side. “The right side of my skull was missing for about two months. I could literally touch my brain. In February, I had surgery again and was fitted with the printed model skull, which is now connected to the remainder of my natural skull.”

The organisation behind the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition is launching a Global Women’s Forum to increase international pressure to release the remaining female hostages held by Hamas.

at us. There was so much panic, but we got people out before it became impossible.”

The following month, stationed in northern Gaza, Yoni su ered his devastating injury.

“I was walking through a yard next to a building where intense fighting was taking place when an IED exploded on my right side. I lost consciousness and don’t remember anything else until a week later

when I came round from my first surgery at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv.”

Yoni’s life-threatening injuries included nails in his legs, arms, lungs and throat. A section of his lung was so badly damaged it had to be removed. Most devastating were the nail injuries to his head, which had entered his skull between his helmet and right ear.

“The doctors had to remove

During the operation, which took around five hours, CT scan data was used to create a printed synthetic 3D polymer implant model of his skull that perfectly matched the surrounding bone structure. Surgeons then aligned it with the remains of his existing skull.

Yoni has also faced psychological challenges. He says: “I get vivid flashbacks. A nurse came into my room and I interrogated her and asked to see her ID. It’s been a slow process, but things are getting better with the help of my psychologist and social workers at Ichilov.”

Maccabi World Union announced the initiative during its six-day 2024 Congress, where more than 250 attendees representing 31 countries gathered at Kfar Maccabiah campus with an emotional ceremony in memory of the more than 1,100 lives lost on 7 October.

The Maccabiah is the second-largest sporting event in the world – in terms of number of athletes competing – after the Olympics, and takes place every four years in Israel. The Global Women’s Forum aims to promote issues related to women and integrate them into decision-making positions in the 100 cities in which Maccabi is active. Its first mission is to increase international pressure for the immediate release of women held by Hamas for more than 240 days.

Yoni, who must remain unidenified, was treated at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv for life-threatening injuries

Amir Gissin, CEO of Maccabi World Union, with representatives of the bereaved families

Stories of Islington’s Jews finally get told

A heritage trail that celebrates the rich Jewish history in Islington and its landmarks has been unveiled at the town hall, writes Beatrice Sayers.

As well as fascinating stories of artists, teachers and refugees, the walking route, on the Untold Stories website, includes prisoners, prime ministers and a chief rabbi.

Plaques outside locations where some of the figures were born, lived or worked form part of the self-guided heritage tour, with QR codes leading to revelations about their lives.

Created by Chabad Islington, the trail was supported by a grant from London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s £1m Untold Stories fund to help communities to share their history. Project coordinator Rabbi Mendy Korer hopes it will help Jewish residents to feel it is their home.

“There’s a long history of Jews in Islington and they are part of that history,” Rabbi Korer told Jewish News, pointing out that the community thrived, built synagogues and had an impact not only in London and the UK

but far beyond. Included in the trail are the architect George Elias Basevi, who designed the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, portrait painter Julia Goodman née Salaman, and the British statesman Benjamin Disraeli. The future prime minister may have been born in a doctor’s surgery in Upper Street, on the site where Budgens stands today.

At the Angel, there is a plaque in Chapel Market celebrating the lives of Max and Fanny Finer, immigrants from Romania who ran a greengrocer’s stall and were killed by V-2 rockets in 1945. Their youngest son, Samuel, became an

influential political scientist (and his son was a member of pop group the Pogues).

A section on ‘faith leaders’ includes Wolf Morein, minister at North London Synagogue in Barnsbury, who died in 1941, and Chief Rabbi Nathan Adler, who lived at 16 Finsbury Square in Moorgate.

Also included are Lily (Leah) Delissa Joseph, née Solomon, whose involvement in a West End window-smashing campaign as part of the women’s suffrage movement led her to Holloway Prison; and Julius Vogel, who as a child lived in Finsbury Square went on to become New Zealand’s prime minister.

Research for Untold Stories was done by Petra Laidlaw, a historian and author of illustrated book The Jewish Communities of Islington, 1730s-1880s, with the mapping by Footways, who promote the benefits of a daily 20-minute brisk walk.

At a time of heightened concern, Rabbi Korer said it was particularly important “to encourage the narrative that London belongs to everyone and everyone feels they can thrive here”.

SURVIVORS ATTEND HMDT RECEPTION

Holocaust survivors and survivors of more recent genocides and their families came together for a reception in support of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT).

The event, held at the home of Lady Rosa Lipworth, who was hidden as a child during the Shoah, offered a chance for attendees to connect and hear about HMDT’s plans for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

Shoah survivor guests included Vera Schaufeld,

John Hajdu, Martin Stern, Joan Salter, Mala Tribich and Steven Frank.

Chief executive Olivia Marks-Woldman said: “It was heart-warming to see survivors and supporters of HMDT come together.

“As we approach the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia, it is more crucial than ever to remember and learn from the past to build a better future.”

GIFT’S FAMILY DAY

More than 800 people of all ages took part in social action charity GIFT’s family fun day.

The fourth annual GIVEFEST was filled with activities and volunteering opportunities themed around Israel, organised by 80 supporters including many teens who chose to spend their day giving back to the community.

GIVEFEST 2024 featured a variety of interactive stalls highlighting the importance of volunteering and helping Israel. Participants were encouraged to make personal commitments to acts of kindness, creating awareness and support for those taken hostage with Bring Them Home badges, crafting candles to show solidarity and support for Israeli soldiers and making art to support Shalva, the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.

Rabbi Mendy and Hadasa Korer (left) at the launch

Streeting helps Jewish Care

at annual dinner

by Sandy Rashty @SandyRashty

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has said that the Labour Party would be committed to the recognition of a “Palestinian state”.

Speaking to the Jewish News ahead of the general election next month, he added: “We want to see the recognition of a Palestinian State. We want this to be recognised with the international community.”

He added that the “safety and security” of Israel was also key.

Asked whether the creation of a Palestinian State after the 7 October Hamas atrocities in Israel would be seen as rewarding the actions of the terrorist group, Streeting said: “No.”

Streeting, who is standing for re-election as the Labour parliamentary candidate for Ilford North, made the comments at a fundraiser for Jewish Care on Monday night.

Addressing about 1,000 guests at the dinner, he acknowledged that it has been “an incredibly di cult

year for the Jewish community”. He pledged that a Labour Party led by Sir Keir Starmer would “not leave you to fight antisemitism alone”.

He went on to praise the work carried out by Jewish Care, which relies on £20m every year to run its services. Streeting described the organisation as “an inspiration to me and our whole country,” adding: “You don’t just provide accommo-

dation, you provide homes.”

The event –which raised key funds for the Jewish community’s largest health and social welfare charity – was attended by leaders across the political spectrumincluding Mike Freer, the former Tory

MP for Finchley & Golders Green who stepping down from the Commons. Lady Victoria Starmer, the wife of Labour leader Sir Keir, also attended the fundraiser.

In a video message played to guests, Starmer pledged his commitment to combating antisemitism, both “in the Labour Party and this country, adding: “We stand alongside you today.”

people – it is about caring for the entire person.”

Lord Levy, Jewish Care’s life president, described Starmer as a “true friend to our community”.

Sir Keir, who spoke about his wife’s Jewish family and “gathering together on Friday evenings”

- praised Jewish Care’s services, saying: “It is not just about the physical care; the washing, the dressing and feeding

He also thanked the charity’s key figures, sta and 3,000 volunteers, as well as paying tribute to former donors who died this year, including: Lord (Jacob Rothschild), Richard Harris and Ruth Lewis.

Holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg described Jewish Care as a “lifesaver for a good number of us – it is a priceless haven to us survivors”.

The 94-year-old added: “It has never been more important for us to come together as a Jewish community, to be proud and celebrate our Jewishness.”

At the event, about 20 guests came together to form a minyan as Goldberg said Kaddish for a relative.

The event, which rasied £5.3m for the chairty, was held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor Hotel in central London.

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Photos by Blake Ezra Photography

Struggling to hear the TV? Missing out on family phone chats?

Hearing just not what it used to be?

Jewish Deaf Association

Deaf MK helps Israelis feel incoming rockets

The first and only deaf member of the Knesset has told Jewish News she is working on a start-up to help people with a disability feel rocket sirens rather than hear them, writes Michelle Rosenberg.

Shirly Pinto, a former Israeli air force commander and communications ambassador for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, is married to a deaf husband and has two deaf children.

During her military service, Pinto received the Medal of Excellence from the former President of Israel, the late Shimon Peres and

the Medal of Excellence from the Commander of the Air Force.

She later studied law and embarked on social activism work against injustices experienced by people with disabilities, including working to make the health system accessible for all. Elected in 2017 as a member of the Knesset, she was also the first deaf representative in the Zionist Congress.

For Pinto and her family, 7 October was terrifying. “I was broken. On that day I realised I can use my social media to have a public

relationship with the more than 70 million people around the world.”

She uses her platform to advocate for the deaf and disabled and to make news and information about the current war accessible.

There are up to 300 forms of sign language globally; with 50,000 Instagram followers and more than 500,000 watching her videos, Pinto uses international sign language “so everyone who uses it can understand me.” She says “a lot of people who are watching my videos didn’t realise what happened.”

The current situation is hard for Israelis with disabilites, she says.

“They have no access to hearing, no access to alarms, to sirens.” And with her five-year old-deaf son in kindergarten, “every day I think ‘what hap-

pens if he has a siren and he can’t hear it or a rocket falls near to him?’”

Pinto is working on a solution with the Israeli government, researching a start-up device that helps people with a disability to feel the sirens.

Israel to honour victims of antisemitic attacks

Israel will honour the memory of non-Israeli citizens who have been murdered in antisemitic attacks around the world at future Yom Hazikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) events .

The initiative is the first of its kind in Israel’s history and was proposed by Minister for Diaspora

A airs Amichai Chikli. It marks the government’s adoption of “The Ruderman Roadmap” – strategic guidelines o ered by the Ruderman Family Foundation that recognise Israel’s obligation as the nation-state of the Jewish people globally.

The move comes amid an unprecedented wave of antisemitism worldwide in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attacks. By commemorating the victims of antisemitism and sharing their stories, the government aims to strengthen Jewish identity and connections to Israel and to foster solidarity between Israelis and diaspora Jewry.

Recommendations include creating a dedicated monument for the victims, a website with a database of the victims and their stories and a curriculum to be implemented by the country’s formal

and informal education system and other entities. The foundation’s executive director, Shira Ruderman, said: “This is a courageous government decision that strengthens the bond of shared destiny between Israel and the Jewish world, which has become more evident than ever since 7 October. I congratulate the government of Israel on approving the decision we initiated, which includes worthy elements in the commemoration of Jews who were murdered simply because of their Jewish identity and due to antisemitism.”

The devastating events of 7th October brought together the people of Israel and strengthened the connection that Jews around the world have with the land they call home and those that live there. Leaving a gift in your will to UJIA will ensure that this bond, one that has lasted thousands of years, continues long into the future.

Photo credit: Blake Ezra Photography

MK Shirly Pinto (centre) is Israel’s first and only deaf Knesset member

Shira Ruderman with Isaac Herzog

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

VOICE OF THE JEWISH NEWS

On D-Day we hail heroes of all kinds

The word that leaps out from all this week’s coverage of the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944 is “brave”. The men from the British and American armies who took part in the operation on the beaches of northern France were the epitome of brave — and we, marking the 80th anniversary of this extraordinary event which precipitated the end of the Second World War, are properly grateful for their bravery.

One of the heroes of D-Day was the British Jewish major Sir James d’Avigdor Goldsmid. His name became synonymous with our community’s two military organisations, AJEX and the Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade, and for years after his death a medal has been awarded every five years to a JLGB member who has demonstrated bravery and courage.

Now AJEX (the Jewish Military Association) and JLGB have decided to open up the scheme to every young person in the community, not just JLGB members. It is a striking way to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and to celebrate the bravery of our young people.

We probably all know examples of young people who have gone over and above what is asked of them, not least during the twin convulsions of Covid and the current Gaza war.

But bravery and courage, as we also know, comes in all shapes and sizes. It could be demonstrated by someone who acts as a carer for a family member with a disability, or by someone who speaks out against antisemitism. Whatever the case, we now have the opportunity to honour our youth as we mark this D-Day anniversary.

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jewishnews.co.uk

Duke’s Jewish links

The society wedding of the year takes place tomorrow at Chester Cathedral. The bride is Olivia Henson, 30, who attended Marlborough College at the same time as Princess Eugenie and has been working for an ethical food company, specialising in such delicacies as rose harissa, preserved lemons and port.

However, on this occasion, it is the 33-year-old bridegroom, Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor, the seventh Duke of Westminster, godson of King Charles and friend of Princes William and Harry, who provides us with a Jewish link.

The present Duke of Westminster has Russian blood, through his mother, Natalia Ayesha Phillips, a descendant of the Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich. He has German blood through his great-great grandfather, Sir Julius Charles Wernher. Sir Julian, a diamond magnate and

BIDEN’S HOPE WITH HAMAS

I’m sure President Biden is praying Hamas takes anything offered to them because Donald Trump, having hypothetically shot that man on Fifth Avenue, is still showing ahead in the polls. The current president needs a dramatic to improve his position domestically ahead of the November election.

Also, Biden should have placed greater pressure on Egypt weeks ago as they could have opened their crossings and moved Palestinian civilians from Gaza temporarily into the Sinai, especially as they had turned a blind eye to the lengthy tunnels recently discovered that were being used for shifting vast quantities of arms into Rafah.

Stephen Vishnick, Tel Aviv

art collector, was born in Darmstadt, Germany. He mixed well with his Jewish South African business associates and did not become a naturalised British citizen until 1898, in deference to his family.

No secret is made of the fact that Sir Julian’s wife, Alice Sedgwick Mankiewicz, was born in Gdansk, Poland to Jacob or James Mankiewicz, a Jewish merchant. After his death, Alice married Henry Ludlow Lopes, coincidentally the ancestor of Queen Camilla’s son-in-law, Harry Lopes.

The second Duke of Westminster, Robert Grosvenor, who was of a notoriously antisemitic turn of mind, part of the group who would have preferred to come to an accommodation with Nazi Germany, would surely have turned in his grave long ago at the Jewish family connection.

Doreen Berger

Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain

VIEWS OTHER THAN LABOUR MUST REACH GOVERNMENT CONCERN

As one of Wes Streeting’s constituents, I am concerned about the threats and intimidation he has faced, as reported on your website. It is alarming to hear that he had to alter his routine and no longer feels safe travelling alone on public transport due to threats from proPalestine campaigners.

While the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an emotive and complex issue, it is imperative that we uphold the principles of democracy and civilised discourse. Mr Streeting is a deeply thoughtful and kind man who has articulated a balanced stance while condemning violence on all sides. His position underscores the necessity for a nuanced and respectful debate. Threats of violence and death threats are not justifiable under any circumstances. We must strive to engage in respectful dialogue, even when we passionately disagree.

Emma Sackerby, Ilford North

The recent Board of Deputies election results demonstrate that Edwin Shuker’s conversion to supporting Labour is wholly in line with the views of the overwhelming majority of the Board’s deputies. In those elections, four of the five honorary officers chosen are Labour Party activists, and the fifth is believed to hold similar views.

It can be argued this is good for the community, because those elected will probably be on first-name terms with members of the new cabinet, should Labour win. However, much depends on whether the Board represents the views of the majority of the Jewish community to the Labour government or alternatively represents the views of the Labour government to the Jewish community. If the first, well and good. If the second, this might cause communal strife.

In any event, the National Jewish Assembly and, I am sure, many other Jewish and pro-Israel groups, all of whom are unconnected to the Board, will seek to make our representations to the new government, so that the latter can appreciate the ide variety of views held by Jews living in the UK.

Gary Mond, Chairman, National Jewish Assembly

UNIVERSITIES HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT

It is deeply troubling to learn that Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch and his family were forced to leave their chaplaincy at Leeds University due to relentless antisemitic threats. How could the university allow the situation to reach the stage where he received 300 abusive phone calls, including death threats.

This level of hatred and intolerance is unacceptable in any society, especially within academic institutions meant to foster learning and inclusivity. The rabbi’s departure not only deprives the Leeds Jewish community of essential spiritual support but also highlights the alarming rise in antisemitism.

Universities should be sanctuaries of diversity, not havens for bigotry. Universities are failing in their duty to protect students and staff from vile harassment. Rabbi Deutsch’s ordeal is a stark reminder of the work needed to ensure safety and respect for everyone, regardless of their background. Mitch Segal, Leeds

GAZA AGREEMENT

It was encouraging to see Labour leader Keir Starmer in the ITV debate on Tuesday evening align with Rishi Sunak on Israel’s right to defend itself. Bipartisan support underscores the gravity of the situation and the importance of a united stance against terrorism. This rare agreement highlights the necessity for coherent foreign policy and the urgency of humanitarian aid for Gaza. Leadership in this context is crucial for fostering peace. Samuel Dafney, Manchester

IT’S THE MOSHIACH!

Has the moshiach finally come in the shape of Sir Keir Starmer?! According to your interview with the leader of the Labour Party last week, he will commit funds to protect Jewish schools seek arrest of Hamas leaders, fight against Jew hate, restore trust between British Jews and Muslims and continue to fund the Community Security Trust. Well, let’s wait and see what happens after 4 July. Norma Neville, Hendon

‘I now understand how the Jews felt at being expelled from England for more than 350 years. I myself was expelled from the Labour Party for an entire year’

Why Israeli media should offer different narratives

ALEX BRUMMER CITY EDITOR, THE DAILY MAIL

An item in the British Journalism Review by Jerusalem-based correspondent Ben Lynfield caught my attention. He observed that while TV viewers and newspaper readers outside Israel have been bombarded with horrific images from Gaza following the 7 October atrocities, Israeli citizens have seen or heard little of this narrative.

Indeed, on a recent visit to Israel, I ran through TV channels looking for latest coverage of the war, but saw few battlefront images and heard no debate about humanitarian needs. There was endless discussion among presenters and commentators on the war’s conduct; tragic pictures of Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers being buried and dead hostages being repatriated and intense coverage of demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

There is a natural tendency in any conflict

for the home front to be shielded from the horrors of warfare. But Israel’s geography is so small, its proximity to conflict so close and its media rightly venerated for its robust freedom that one might have expected more.

Lynfield quotes a tweet on X from the prominent Israeli journalist Ben Caspit saying: ‘Why should we pay attention? They earned hell for themselves and I don’t have a milligram of empathy.’ Israel’s narrative has been one of Hamas using civilians as human shields and assertions that Israel adheres to international law. When there was an airstrike on the al-Mawasi zone, in which 125 Palestinians allegedly were killed during 24 hours, it didn’t even make the news.

Lynfield quotes a leading Israeli journalist as saying the circumstances are not right “to delve into Palestinian su ering”.

Another neglected aspect of the nownear eight-month war is the Arab narrative inside Israel. On an annual retreat with The Abraham Initiatives (TAI), an Israeli-based non-governmental organisation that works for a shared society for Israeli-Palestinians, I saw the best and the worst of this home front story.

In the mixed cities, such as Haifa, Ja a and Lod, we heard how, at the start of the war, TAI brought together Jewish and Arab leaders and activists to ease tensions. So far there has been none of the street violence of May 2021 when another Gaza campaign spread to Israeli cities with far-right thugs confronting Arab citizens. I was amazed by the stoicism of Arab citizens in the face of the death toll, destruction and disruption of humanitarian supplies to Gaza. An Israeli-Palestinian friend recounted privately that he had lost 24 relatives in Gaza. He had travelled to Jordan to make a financial transfer to an elderly aunt who had been required to move four times since Israel’s battle against Hamas began. He felt no bitterness, just frustration, but showed under-

standing and sympathy for Israel’s trauma. We visited a Bedouin town in the Negev where the leader was a major in Israel’s home guard and has sons serving in the IDF. The community had been hit by Hamas rockets and four people killed.

He appealed to the authorities for protection and were given large concrete pipes into which people could crawl in the event of an attack and a roofless shelter with walls designed to protect from ricochet. It seemed pathetic protection for brave Bedouin citizens engaged in the battle against Hamas.

In the UK we despair at perceived hostile and one-sided reporting of the conflict by the BBC and others. There is no awareness that Israel is not a monolithic Jewish state and that one-fifth of its population is Arab. It is no surprise that Israel’s citizens are laserfocused on the fate of the hostages and cannot mentally escape the memory of the rape, pillage and destruction of 7 October.

Nevertheless, much of the Israeli media – with the possible exception of Haaretz –damages its credibility by failing to provide warts-and-all coverage from the battle zones.

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A word to non-Jews about university encampments

GABRIELLE APFEL

HISTORY STUDENT, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

Since 7 October, antisemitism in the UK and across the globe has risen exponentially. Even before October, being openly Jewish outside of Israel carried safety risks, particularly when tensions flared in the Middle East.

Over the past few weeks, encampments have been appearing at universities across Europe and north America. These encampments, some claim, have been set up to oppose the policies of the current Netanyahu administration’s policy towards Gaza. Many believe this claim.

If that, and that alone, were the case, there would be significant numbers of Jews coming out in support of these encampments. However, evidently, as the lack of support from Jewish communities demonstrate, that is often not the case, and not the aim of these encampments.

Over the past year and a half there have been countless demonstrations against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and his judicial reforms. Many of us, Israelis, Jews and non-Jews, would like nothing more than to see this current calamitous coalition government collapse.

However, many people outside Jewish communities fail to understand this. Of course, there are those who understand and feign ignorance, because they don’t care, owing to antisemitic beliefs that they may hold, but I’m not writing for them.

I’m writing this to provide some clarity to those outside the community who may think that a Jew waving an Israeli flag means that we support Netanyahu or Itamar Ben-Gvir or Bezalel Smotrich, or that someone who would define themselves as a ‘Zionist’ (of which there are many di erent types) would like to create an Israeli empire in the Middle East or to expel Israeli Arabs or Palestinians from their homes. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

All that many of us would love to see is an Israeli state and the establishment of a

Palestinian state, side by side, living in peace. However, there are numerous obstacles to that scenario, unfortunately, such as Hamas’ governance of Gaza, Iran’s funding of proxy terror groups across the region, and the current far-right administration, which, quite frankly, appears to care very little about both Israelis and Palestinians.

Unfortunately, many Jews feel that we have to justify the existence of the Jewish state, right now, leaving little time or space to rally against Netanyahu. We have to temporarily put aside our di erences and disagreements to counter those who want us gone and the Jewish state wiped o the map.

A large reason for this is the generational trauma that exists in Jews all over the world.

We and our ancestors have faced neverending antisemitism, including everything from pogroms, expulsion and boycotts to concentration and death camps.

Many of us grew up with the idea that we Jews have to always have one bag packed, in case we have to flee, because we can never predict how bad antisemitism will get in a country or region.

NEW PEER SUPPORT GROUPS

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Recently we have seen an exponential rise in antisemitism, because of a mix of genuine antisemites from all over the political spectrum, although currently, in Britain, the main driving force seems to be the far left, as well as well-intentioned activists who aren’t educated enough about antisemitism to understand the di erence between criticism of Israeli government policy and antisemitic messaging and disproportionate targeting of both Jews and the state of Israel.

If you genuinely believe that you are the latter, my advice would be to speak to your Jewish friends, listen to Jewish commentators and intellectuals, but go in with an open mind and try to accept what we say and how we feel.

Trust what we’re saying. Don’t try to redefine antisemitism. It’s not acceptable for non-members to define discrimination for most other minority groups and it shouldn’t be the case for antisemitism either.

We can’t understand or live side by side with one another if we don’t communicate, listen to or trust each other, which is what we need to work on.

CREATING CONNECTIONS: A Special Evening for Jewish Singles with Learning Disabilities and Autism

Join us for an evening designed for Jewish singles with learning disabilities and autism, hosted by Genevieve and Sarah from the Jewish Community Singles Group in collaboration with Kisharon Langdon. Enjoy fun, interaction, and meaningful connections.

Event Details:

Date: Sunday, 21st July 2024

Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Venue: Maccabi House, Gideon Close, Edgware, HA8 7FR

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• Professional Guidance: Experts in social skills and relationships o er support and advice.

• Interactive Activities Fun icebreakers, a DJ, and surprises to encourage interaction.

• Kosher Bu et: A variety of delicious dishes for all to savour.

This event provides a safe, supportive space for Jewish singles with learning disabilities and autism to connect and thrive. Enjoy structured activities, meet like-minded individuals, and boost confidence in a welcoming environment.

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We look forward to welcoming you to an evening of endless possibilities. Don’t miss this special event designed with you in mind.

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1

TEAM GB ATHLETES VISIT MENORAH PRIMARY

Students at Menorah Foundation School welcomed two Team GB athletes. Emma Nwofor represents Great Britain in athletics with a focus on hurdles and long jump, and Richard Akinyebo is a sprinter competing in the 100m and 200m. The children were thrilled to take a school selfie with the Olympians and in a show of support, all the students wore red, blue and white to school.

2

ARISE, SIR GERALD, FOUNDER OF CST

Philanthropist Sir Gerald Ronson has been presented with his knighthood by the King during a ceremony at Windsor Castle. The founder of CST, he has been knighted for his services “to philanthropy and the community”, reflecting his long-time support for a wide range of charitable and educational initiatives in the UK. He was also made CBE in 2012 for charitable services.

3MARSHMALLOWS ON THE BBQ AT KISHARON

Kisharon Langdon celebrated Lag B’Omer with a BBQ including toasted marshmallows. People supported by the charity talked about the significance of bonfires, barbecues and the joyous nature of the festival.

4

LSJS WELCOMES 100 FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The London School of Jewish Studies held its annual conference for secondary school Jewish studies teachers and informal educators last week, with more than 100 participants, including from across Europe, including Gothenburg, Warsaw, Tallinn and Budapest. Sessions covered inclusivity in the classroom, nurturing a love for learning, textual literacy and teaching Jewish texts.

5YOUNGSTERS

ARE ON THE BALL FOR ISRAEL

Israel Tennis & Education Centers (ITEC), a foundation based in Israel that works with underprivileged children of all faiths throughout the country, hosted four young people for a weekend that included a Shabbat dinner, hitting some tennis balls on the grass at Queen’s as well as a private exhibition match/fundraiser with about 100 people in attendance. To donate, visit support.jcd.uk.com/donate

6

GROUP IS SINGING FOR MEMORY IN ST ALBANS

A group of members of St Albans Masorti Synagogue (SAMS) has set up a singing group for those with memory loss. Lu Lawrence, who leads the Singing for Memory team, was motivated by her experience caring for her late mother, and more recently for her late father, survivor Zigi Shipper, who had both lived with dementia. The group is supported by Jewish Care and participants are people from St Albans and surrounding areas who are living with memory loss, of any faith (or none), age and ethnic origin, and their companions. For information email singingformemory@e-sams.org or call Lu on 07900 696128.

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Opposite Cafe Nero

Say cheese for

Nathan Abrams considers the relationship Jews have with cheese and ponders its significance in cake form during the festival

Despite the modern Israeli’s love of all things to do with cottage cheese, one does not automatically associate Jews with camembert, gorgonzola, roquefort or wensleydale (the last one makes me think more of Wallace and Gromit).

The relationship between Jews and cheese, though, is historical and ambivalent. It begins with the Bible when, in Genesis 18:8, Abraham prepares a meal for his three angelic visitors. There is also a terrible pun online – about the Tower of Babybel.

(an early form of Hebrew Brexit?) or worries that the cheese was curdled by rennet from a non-kosher animal. Such worries dog Jewish consumption of cheese to this day.

We also see various other mentions in the Tanach, for example in 1 Samuel when the future King David’s father, Jesse, sends his sons 10 cheeses to sustain them in their fight against the Philistine Goliath. Job 10:10 contains the line “You poured me out like milk, congealed me like cheese” – a line one might expect more often in pop lyrics.

Probably the most famous story about Jews and cheese goes back to the sixth century BCE. A beautiful widow named Judith was said to have lived in the town of Bethulia in Israel when it was besieged by a foreign army. Judith met with its general, Holofernes. She fed him salty cheese, causing him to drink more and more wine to slake his thirst.

When he passed out, drunk, she took his sword and decapitated him.

Such cheese was most likely to have been produced from goat’s or sheep’s milk and preserved either by salting or by immersing it in olive oil. Cheese is still made this way in the Middle East today.

During the Hellenistic period, community leaders forbade Jews to buy cheese from their Greek neighbours. This might have been, in part, as a result of nationalism

COOKING FROM THE HEART

The Hostage and Missing Families forum has developed a Shavuot cookbook that connects us through our hearts and our stomachs to the hostages being held captive in Gaza. Shavuot of Longing has 75 recipes loved by the hostages, from the pastry with which they start the morning and the soup that warms them in winter, to the dessert that sweetens their souls. As a symbol of optimism for everyone’s return, 70-year-old Louis Herr, a pizza lover who was kidnapped and returned after 129 days in captivity, has dedicated a wish and a recipe filled with hope for everyone to come home. The book was made in collaboration with Be’eri Print in Kibbutz Be’eri.

Cheese, though, has proved problematic for Jews, as the above point about rennet indicates. Even more so when one considers the prohibition of mixing meat and dairy ruling out the ubiquitous cheeseburger, or steak with garlic butter, among many other delicious dishes (although a 2018 Ha’aretz headline suggested that maybe Jews could eat cheeseburgers after all).

Yet, culturally, cheese has begun to be associated with Jews in the United States in more recent times. So indelibly linked have become bagels, a schmear of cream cheese and a slither of smoked salmon, that it would be unthinkable to omit the cheese.

In the 1930s, Arnold Reuben, a German-Jewish restaurateur, he of the Reuben sandwich, substituted milk curd for cream cheese to make cheesecake. It soon caught on and became popular on Shavuot, the festival for dairy foods.

Of the many reasons for the popularity of Chinese food in the United States, it has been argued, is that it is considered to be ‘safe treyf’. This could refer to the fact that the non-kosher meat in Chinese food is often cut up so small that it doesn’t count but also that Chinese food tends not to contain dairy (read cheese), making its consumption not so o ensive to Jews.

Strangely, given this history, however, there aren’t many Jewish cheese moments on film and television. But two stand out. In Seinfeld, after George had finished mourning the death of his former fiancée Susan, he recounts how he “was stripped to the waist, eating a block of cheese the size of a car battery”.

In Schitt’s Creek, when the Rose family attempts to make enchiladas, the recipe requires that they “fold in the cheese”, which leaves them completely flummoxed.

HOW DID CHEESECAKE BECOME A SHAVUOT TRADITION?

The reasons for eating dairy on Shavuot are numerous, but most of them have little or no connection to the original holiday. The spring harvest festival coincided with an abundance of fresh dairy from animals that grazed on spring plants. The harvest was frequently celebrated with dairy, not only in Judaism, but also in many other cultures. There are many rabbinical explanations as to why Jews celebrate Shavuot with dairy:

Shavuot of Longing is available from nimble.li/6dwvw7x9, priced at £40, as well as in digital form. All proceeds will go to the Hostage and Missing Families Forum

There aren’t any significant Jewish cheese film moments I can think of testifying to the ambivalent relationship between Jews and cheese. But try telling that to the Jewish actress Alison Brie.

1 Before receiving the Torah, the Israelites did not have laws for kashrut, so when they returned to their camp from Mount Sinai, they prepared dairy foods as it was the Sabbath and their pots were not kosher.

2 Har Gavnunim (Mountain of Many Peaks) is one of eight names for Mount Sinai, and it shares an etymological likeness to the word gvina, or cheese in Hebrew.

3 “Like honey and milk [the Torah] lies under your tongue” (Song of Songs 4:11). Rabbis argue that just as milk sustains the body, the Torah sustains the spiritual being of a person.

Alison Brie

By Candice Krieger candicekrieger@googlemail.com

‘DREAM’ INVESTOR: SAM ALTMAN BACKS AI STARTUP

Chief executive of OpenAI is among contributors to seed funding of £5.5m for Tel Aviv-based Apex, a leading provider of digital security

n what is likely to be one of the startup success stories of the past 12 months, Israeli-based Apex has received financial backing from OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman.

Apex, which has built the world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) security platform, recently announced it had raised $7m (£5.5m) in a seed funding round led by Sequoia Capital and Index Ventures, with participation from Altman, one of the most esteemed figures of the AI boom; not bad for a firm that was founded less than a year ago.

Tel Aviv-based Apex was launched in 2023 by Matan Derman (CEO) and Tomer Avni (CPO), who met at the elite intelligence unit

8200, where they served as a lieutenant colonel and captain. Their aim: to empower enterprises to harness the power of AI securely and successfully.

Since the launch of Altman’s ChatGPT in 2022, there has been an exponential rise in the adoption of Generative AI capabilities across all industries.

Avni tells Jewish News: “GenAI is becoming the core of every company, as 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies already have employees using ChatGPT for work.

“However, this rapid uptake of AI applications brings forth a range of security challenges for businesses, including potential data leaks, the risk of malicious data injection into organisational systems, concerns related to privacy and copyright infringements, as well as the looming threat of sophisticated AI-driven cyberattacks. While embracing AI practices swiftly is essential for organisations aiming to stay ahead in a competitive landscape, it also requires them to navigate effectively through evolving security threats.”

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Apex gives organisations visibility of all their AI activity, allowing them to define how it is used across the firm and remediate AI risks. Its platform can detect violations of security, compliance and legal standards and detect and respond to attacks, so firms can leverage AI technologies securely.

Only just coming out of stealth mode (where business takes place in secret), Apex has customers from a range of industries –from financial services to retail and energy – including Forture 500 companies, public bodies and large investment firms. And it is not alone in seeing the potential. Back to that “dream” investment from AI titan Altman.

Derman explains: “Sometimes one needs to dream and then pursue those dreams in real life. As we anticipated this was going to be a crowded space, we wanted to have the best and brightest minds supporting our journey, and having Sam with us was going to be a gamechanger. We found the right people in our network with close ties to Sam, who, in turn, listened to the story of Apex and agreed to join us on this fascinating journey.”

It was Sequoia Capital that connected Derman and Avni to Altman – Sequoia had previously invested in OpenAI. Derman says: “After closing the investment in Apex, we brainstormed with the firm regarding additional investors who could join our journey and add value to it, and Altman’s name came up, as as a veteran investor and a very prominent – if not the most prominent – figure in the world of AI.”

“A few months later, we met in person on one of our trips to the US,” recalls Avni. “Altman was happy to hear about Apex’s amazing progress and to advise us and share his extensive experience.”

How involved will he be in the company?

“Altman has put it straight out that he devotes the vast majority of his resources and time to building OpenAI and will be able to help occasionally. The thing with people of his calibre is that every short while of their time is so thought-provoking and helpful.”

Altman, who has also invested in Helion, which announced a nuclear power purchase deal with Microsoft in 2023, and Retro Biosciences, which aims to add 10 years to the average human lifespan, won’t be involved in the company’s operations or day-to-day work. Yet his backing is a huge nod to Apex, its technology and the Gen AI landscape in general. Since launching at the end of 2022, ChatGPT reached 100 million users faster than any other consumer service. Unsurprisingly, the cyber security risks and attacks also showed up at a rapid rate. Gartner stated that 30 percent of enterprises experienced an AI-related breach a year since the technology exploded onto the scene.

Derman wrote on the Apex blog: “As we navigate through this rapid evolution, keeping up with the outstanding pace of new technologies and outpacing the adversaries who exploit this new segment of our cyber world, one thing becomes clear: AI security is a moving target, requiring constant adjustment and innovation.”

Quite. For AI is changing every business in the world. “It creates tremendous opportunities for unlocking huge amounts of knowledge for every employee, automating tasks and rapidly producing outputs required for their job, like code, reports and financial analysis.”

But what about those who are worried about the implications? “It is up to all of us to shape the GenAI revolution to make the world a better place,” says Avni. “We all are responsible for finding the delicate balance between fostering innovation and anchoring the foundation to protect against potential risks. This is exactly what we are building Apex for.” apexhq.ai

‘We wanted the best and brightest minds’: the team at Apex, which is not yet a year old

Photo by Ben Hakim

Sam Altman: investor

MAKING SENSE OF THE SEDRA

In our

thought-provoking

series, rabbis and educators relate the week’s parsha to the way we live today

BY CHAVA WULWICK UNITED SYNAGOGUE EDUCATOR

Unity is better than uniformity

In just over six weeks we will commemorate the 55th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin placing the United States flag on the moon. In this week’s parsha, Bemidbar, we read about flags: “The Israelites shall camp, each person with their division and each under their flag” (1:52).

Rabbinic teaching in the midrash (Bemidbar Rabba 2:3) explains that when God revealed Himself on Mount Sinai, many angels descended bearing flags: “When Israel saw the angels had flags, the people expressed a strong desire for flags.”

Rabbi Shalom Berezovsky (1911-

2000) in Netivot Shalom explains that the reason the Israelites wanted flags was because they wanted to be like the angels. Bearing a flag indicated that every angel had been assigned a unique purpose and had a clearly defined role.

After the Torah was given, the Israelites had a joint mission and purpose, working towards the common goal of setting up the Tabernacle. When the individual tribes were allocated their precise position in the camp and assigned flags, they understood their specific purpose and function. Recognising that everyone has a unique purpose and contribution to make to the world is a prerequisite to receiving the Torah.

The Talmud (Berachot 58a) teaches that God created human beings “…with di erent minds and

di erent faces... therefore each person is obliged to say: ‘The world was created for me.’”

People have di erent preferences, opinions, ideas, skills and talents. We should acknowledge and appreciate one another for our di erences as much as for what we have in common. Rabbi Lord Sacks, in The Dignity of Di erence, writes: “The very fact that we are di erent means that what I lack, someone else has, and what someone else lacks, I have.” The ideal scenario for the Jewish people is to be unified not uniform; we should combine our unique thoughts, expertise and abilities to create one whole nation.

When Jack Swigert, on a very di erent mission, said: “Okay, Houston... we’ve had a problem here” each professional at Apollo 13

Mission Control understood his or her responsibility, and each made a unique contribution that facilitated the survival of all three astronauts.

Tim Marshall, in Worth Dying For: the power and politics of flags, says flags encapsulate the idea of unity “behind a homogeneous set of ideals, aims, history and beliefs – an almost impossible task. But when passions are aroused, when the banner of an enemy is flying high, that’s when people flock to their own symbol.”

Over 3,000 years ago, we stood united at the foot of Mount Sinai. The great commentator Rashi (Shemot

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19:2) says we were “as one man with one heart”. Since 7 October, the Jewish people have displayed incredible unity, setting aside political and religious divisions, coming together, donating time and money for soldiers and displaced families; praying for and fighting for our sons and daughters held hostage.

Let us hope that this year on Shavuot the Jewish nation can once again be worthy of receiving the Torah, uniting under one flag and unified through respect and love for each other, rather than by a common enemy.

North West London Jewish Day School is a warm, happy, high-achieving, Modern Orthodox and Zionist Primary School. We always aim for excellence whilst supporting everyone to reach their potential.

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KEY STAGE 2 TEACHER Full and Par t time will be considered To star t September 2024

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If you work well with others and want to join our team, To apply, please complete an application form which can be found on the school website www.nwljds.org.uk/vacancies

Deadline for applications: Noon on Friday 14th June 2024

US flag on the Moon. The Israelites also camped ‘each under their flag’

LEAP OF FAITH

BY RABBI ALEXANDRA WRIGHT, CO-CHAIR OF THE CONFERENCE OF LIBERAL RABBIS & RABBI KATH VARDI, CO-CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY OF REFORM RABBIS

We’re on a quest to know more

The question for Progressive Jews at Shavuot, z’man mattan Torateinu (the season of the giving of the Torah), is not how we interpret the commandments that point the way towards social and ethical ideals – the preciousness of human life, regard for the property of others, truth, rest on Shabbat, honour of one’s parents, and the need for restraint and control to limit our desire for acquisition. Instead, it arises from the preface: Aseret ha-bibrot: va-y’ddabeir Elohim et kol ha-d’varim ha-eleh leimor (and God spoke all these words saying…).

Where do we place ourselves in our understanding of revelation? Are we to understand these words

literally: that at some given time in our history, three months after the Israelites left Egypt, at an appointed place on Mount Sinai in the middle of the Egyptian desert, God spoke these words to Moses, instructing Moses to write them down and teach them to the Israelites?

Or do we simply dismiss it all as myth, a story composed by an author or authors to account for the presence of a group of tribes who made their distinctive appearance in the land of Canaan some 3,500 years ago?

There are times, mostly in the classroom, when Progressive Jews must approach the Torah with all critical faculties alert, with tools of knowledge and scientific enquiry.

But there are other times, when we are immersed in the week-toweek reading of the Torah, in our celebration of festivals and in the silence of prayer and reflection,

when Sinai and the Torah yield di erent questions about our faith, about how God addresses us, how we address God, about the strength of our loyalty to the covenant today.

Therefore the question for Progressive Jews is not whether we accept the factual truth of Sinai versus the fairytale, whether Moses is the author of the Torah or a procession of priestly narrators, codifiers and redactors, but whether we can adopt Coleridge’s “willing suspension of disbelief” and immerse ourselves in a narrative about revelation, a code that makes certain moral and other demands on us, that connects us with questions about the mysteries of life and death, of good and evil, of su ering and joy, faith and doubt.

And even if we dismiss the myth with its hidden meanings, we are still left ultimately with the unanswered question: where did the

North West London Jewish Day School is a warm, happy, high-achieving, Modern Orthodox and Zionist Primary School. We always aim for excellence whilst supporting everyone to reach their potential.

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, dynamic and hard-working

We are looking for a practitioner to work in our Nursery. The ideal candidate will also be able to work with a group of children as well as carry out administrative tasks.

“Pupilshaveverypositiveattitudestolearning.”

“Pupils’behaviourisastrengthoftheschool.”

“Leadershavehighambitionsforallpupils.”

“Staffappreciatedleaders’careandunderstandingoftheir workload.” Ofsted, November 2022

If you work well with others and want to join our team, To apply, please complete an application form which can be found on the school website

Deadline for applications: Noon on Friday 28th June 2024

A stimulating series where progressive rabbis consider how to navigate Judaism in the face of 21st-century issues

idea of Sinai come from? And for as long as that question remains unanswered, we will always be on a quest to know more about the origins of our people and their ongoing, on-o relationship with the Unseen Pres-

ence, the deepest part of ourselves, that some people call God.

 An extended essay version of this article can be found on the Liberal/Reform websites

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To view the job description and apply for this position, please visit: www.theus.org.uk/jobs

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: SUNDAY 16TH JUNE 2024

The United Synagogue is committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable adults. Successful applicants will be required to provide a self-disclosure once shortlisted and subject to an enhanced DBS check within the recruitment process. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Can we immerse ourselves in the revelation, and in its moral demands?

SOUTH HAMPSTEAD SYNAGOGUE

ISRAEL IS AT WAR

HUMAN RESOURCES / EMPLOYMENT LAW

DONNA OBSTFELD

Qualifications:

• FCIPD Chartered HR Professional

• 25 years in HR and business management.

• Mediator, business coach, trainer, author and speaker

• Supporting businesses and charities with the hiring, managing, inspiring and firing of their staff

DOHR LTD 020 8088 8958

www.dohr.co.uk donna@dohr.co.uk

ACCOUNTANT

ADAM SHELLEY

Qualifications:

• FCCA chartered certified accountant

• Accounting, taxation and business advisory services

• Entrepreneurial business specialist including start-up businesses

• Specialises in social media influencers and sport sector including tax planning and financial management

• Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation Volunteer of the Year JVN award

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

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

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

Our Experts

020

ISRAEL PROPERTY & MORTGAGE BROKER

ILAN RUBINSTEIN

Qualifications:

• UK born, licenced Israel estate agent in Israel since 2001

• Ilan assists in buying, financing & re-sale of new & existing property in Israel.

• Helps level the playing field opposite vendors, developers & even the bank

• Attentive to your needs, saving you time, hassle & money

I.L.A.N. ESTATES & INVESTMENTS “Bringing Jews Home” UK: 0203-807-0878 ISRAEL: +972-504-910-604 www.ilanrealestate.com nadlan@hotmail.com

JEWELLER

JONATHAN WILLIAMS

Qualifications:

• Jewellery manufacturer since 1980s

• Expert in the manufacture and supply of diamond jewellery, wedding rings and general jewellery

FINANCIAL SERVICES (FCA) COMPLIANCE

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.

RICHDALE CONSULTANTS LTD 020 7781 8019 www.richdale.co.uk jacob@richdale.co.uk

GOAL ATTAINMENT SPECIALIST

DR BEN LEVY

Qualifications:

• Doctor of psychology with 15 years’ experience in education and corporate sectors

• Uses robust, evidence-based methods to help you achieve your goals, whatever they may be

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

CAROLYN ADDLEMAN

Qualifications:

• Specialist in supply of diamonds to the public at trade prices

DIRECTOR OF LEGACIES

• 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

KKL EXECUTOR AND TRUSTEE COMPANY 020 8732 6101 www.kkl.org.uk enquiries@kkl.org.uk

STEPHEN MORRIS

Qualifications:

• Managing director of Stephen Morris Shipping Ltd

• Works with clients individually to maximise success

MAKE IT HAPPEN 07779 619 597 www.makeit-happen.co.uk ben@makeit-happen.co.uk

SUE CIPIN OBE

Qualifications:

• 24 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

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

• 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

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

Antique – Reproduction – Retro Furniture (any condition)

Epstein, Archie Shine, Hille, G Plan, etc.

Dining Suites, Lounges Suites, Bookcases, Desks, Cabinets, Mirrors, Lights, etc. House clearances

Single items to complete homes

MARYLEBONE ANTIQUES - 8 CHURCH STREET NW8 8ED 07866 614 744 (ANYTIME) 0207 723 7415 (SHOP)

- e-mail -

@maryleboneantiques.co.uk

YOU CONTACT US BEFORE SELLING

Dave & Eve House Clearance

Friendly Family Company established for 30 years

We clear houses, flats, sheds, garages etc. No job too big or too small! Rubbish cleared as part of a full clearance. We have a waste licence. We buy items including furniture bric a brac.

For a free quote please phone Dave on 07913405315 any time.

ADVERTISE IN THE UK’S BIGGEST JEWISH NEWSPAPER FOR LESS THAN £24 A WEEK

Email Sales today at sales@jewishnews.co.uk

ARE YOU BEREAVED?

Confidential Bereavement Counselling for adults and children individually. Support Groups available. We offer in person, online and telephone counselling. Contact Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service in confidence. 0208 951 3881 enquiries@jbcs.org.uk | www.jbcs.org.uk

MENTOR

Former “Magic Circle” solicitor offers help with:

• CVs and personal statements

• interviews and assessment days

• coping with stress and workload

• promotion and new opportunities

Sheltered Accommodation

We have an open waiting list in our friendly and comfortable warden assisted sheltered housing schemes in Ealing, East Finchley and Hendon. We provide 24-hour warden support, seven days a

and

For

and

or

For more information contact Tom lawmentor@btinternet.com / 07590 057097 LAW MENTOR

Former “Magic Circle” solicitor offers help with:

• CVs and personal statements

• interviews and assessment days

• coping with stress and workload

• promotion and new opportunities

For more information contact Tom lawmentor@btinternet.com / 07590 057097

THE JEWISH NEWS CROSSWORD

11 Female rabbit (3)

12 Morally proper (7)

13 Blue Shoes, Presley song (5)

14 Culinary pulveriser (6)

16 Plus (2,4)

19 Farmland units (5)

21 Make more secure (7)

23 Try to win the affection of (3)

24 Sudden thrust (5)

25 Take away (7)

26 Tending flocks (11)

2 Dog’s restraining chain (5)

3 Appendix to a will (7)

4 Wax light with a wick (6)

5 ___ basket, wickerwork carrycot (5)

6 Bishop’s area (7)

7 Signal to take action (4-2,4)

10 Of clothes, reaching the middle of the leg (4-6)

15 Squash (7)

17 With vision (7)

1 Mark on the skin (4)

4 Besides (8)

8 Place of incarceration (6)

18 Heavy uninteresting food (6)

20 Lottery (5)

WORDSEARCH

with brass bands can all be found in the forwards or backwards, in a horizontal, direction, but always in a straight, unbroken line.

SUDOKU

SUDOKU

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

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

SUGURU

Force to leave (5)

22 Practise for a feat of endurance (5)

Sleeve for return mail (inits) (3)

CODEWORD

SUGURU

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.

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.

The words to do with Agatha Christie 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.

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 with their letters in the grid will help you to guess the identity of other letters.

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 with their letters in the grid will help you to guess the identity of other letters.

Sudoku Suguru

Wordsearch

Codeword