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Israel braced for “day of grief”
BY DAVID SAFFER
Israel is braced for a “day of grief” when the bodies of four hostages held in captivity by Hamas for 503 days are returned today.
It is believed Shiri Bibas, her sons Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz will be handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza and transferred to Israeli forces.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Israelis it will be a “very difficult day, a wrenching day, a day of grief” for the State of Israel.
“We embrace the families and the heart of the entire nation is torn,” he said last night.
“My own heart is torn. So is yours. And all of the world’s heart should be torn, because this demonstrates who we are dealing with, what we are dealing with, monsters.” He added: “We are grieving, we are in pain, but
and transported to the Abu Kabir forensic institute for identification, which could take
up to 48 hours. Families will be updated.
The IDF will investigate the causes of death. Israeli officials have requested media outlets refrain from broadcasting footage if Hamas attempts to parade the bodies, as seen in previous releases.
Six hostages still alive will be released on Saturday to complete the first stage of the ceasefire deal.
Hamas will have released 33 hostages for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
Continued on page 3
The faces of innocent children Ariel and Kfir Bibas
500 days captivity of hostages marked in Israel
BY DAVID SAFFER
Families of 73 hostages held in captivity in Gaza marked 500 days since their kidnapping by Hamas terrorists on Monday.
Demonstrations called for the release of hostages throughout the day.
Relatives of hostages took part in Knesset discussions about the condition of relatives.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum announced a 500-minute fast. They stated: “It is a day of solidarity that will strengthen the hostages and echo the cry of those unheard. There is no more time. Action is needed to return all of them immediately.”
Saturday saw the release of Sasha Trufanov, Sagi Dekel-Chen and Iair Horn. Among 300 Palestinian prisoners, 33 were serving life sentences.
Israeli officials have indicated 35 hostages are dead, four are due for release today.
To mark 500 days, President Isaac Herzog met with the family of released hostage Ohad Ben Ami after 491 days.
Ben Ami called on the Israeli government and citizens to “keep going, we all need to take action!”
Herzog said: “We have brothers and sisters still in Gaza, we want every last one of them home as soon as possible.”
Praising IDF soldiers, Herzog told Ben Ami: “Countless Israeli citizens have been in uniform, serving in reserve duty, risking their lives alongside our courageous
regular soldiers and commanders. When they went into battle, they carried pictures of you and the other hostages in their vests. They did everything they could. We have lost many brave sons and daughters who fought with heroism, incredible families. All of them went into battle to bring the hostages home.”
He added: “We have displaced residents in the north and south who need to return home. We must rebuild the Gaza border communities, restore the northern border, and take pride in our people, who fought this war and achieved remarkable successes. This is a massive regional change. But in the end, everyone in this nation carries deep scars, all of us want to see the hostages home.”
Addressing Ben Ami, he said: “When I look at you, I think of the saying, ‘Whoever saves one life, it is as if he saved an entire world.’ Truly, one life was saved, by the people of Israel, by the government’s decision, by the negotiations, by the deal. On this 500th
day, we must remember and remind the world every single second of the unimaginable suffering of our brothers and sisters in Gaza. We want them all back, some for rehabilitation, others to be laid to rest in dignity.”
Ben Ami responded: “All I care about, all I want, is for my friends to return. There were six of us living in unbearable conditions, in a sixsquare-meter space. I got out, but they are still there. We cannot rest for even a moment… Our victory will be when the deal moves to the next stage, then the next, until everyone comes home safely. Until then, we will not be silent, we will not rest. Everyone must be home with their families. Every day they remain, every minute, they are counting the seconds, the minutes, not the days. Every day begins and it barely ends. You just find yourself living through another day and another, under unbearable conditions. But the moment we knew that people were fighting for us and wanted us back,
it gave us strength and kept us going. And when our national consciousness, as a united, Israeli, Jewish people, remains strong, that is what truly matters.”
Ben Ami sent a message to the IDF soldiers: “We always knew that you were up above, searching for us, doing everything to find us, with a deep sense of mission. Families have lost their loved ones, both regular and reserve soldiers. We were aware of the numbers. I express my deepest gratitude, with all the sorrow and pain, to every IDF soldier and security force member.”
Family members of hostages Edan Alexander, 21, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 22 and Eviatar David, 24, and Uriel Baruch, 35, murdered in captivity visited HaGaon HaRav Baruch Dov Povarsky on Sunday to receive prayers to mark 500 days. The Rosh Yeshivah recited Tehillim and sobbed during a recitation of ‘Acheinu’. HaRav Povarsky called to refrain from speaking Lashon Hara to increase Ahavas Chinam for the hostages in captivity.
Chareidi publicist Yisrael Cohen coordinated the visit with HaRav Dovid Druk, Kissufim head.
Cohen said: “There was a special spiritual energy in the air during the meeting. The Rosh Yeshivah and Rebbetzin sat and cried together with the family members and shared in their sorrow. We all cried together with them and davened that all the hostages will return soon.”
Urie’s brother Roi Ben Baruch, said: “I have met with prime ministers, ministers and leaders, but nowhere did I feel so moved. This visit was immediately beneficial spiritually.”
David’s mother Galya added: “This is the first time I visited a Gadol HaDor. It has greatly impacted me to understand that the Rav and Rabbani truly feel my pain. The great encouragement from their words gives me strength to believe that Eviatar will return to us.”
Continued from page 1
The families of Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, held by Hamas since entering Gaza in 2014 and 2015, Omer Shem-Tov, Omer Wenkert and Eliya Cohen, kidnapped from the Nova festival, and Tal Shoham, abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri, have been informed they will be freed.
The fate of the Bibas family has received global coverage. If their deaths are confirmed it will test the resolve of Israelis and world Jewry.
Yarden Bibas was released from captivity earlier this month. He was unaware of the fate of his family. Shiri’s parents were murdered in the October 7 terror attack.
“We have been in turmoil following Hamas spokesperson’s announcement about the planned return of our Shiri, Ariel and Kfir,” the Bibas family said in a statement. “We want to make it clear that while we are aware of these reports, we have not yet received any official confirmation regarding this matter. Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over.”
Deputy Chief Superintendent Aliza Raziel, head of Israel Police’s Forensic Identification Division, reportedly told Channel 12 News: “We are ready to receive the bodies and employ all available scientific identification methods. At the beginning of the war, we collected the hostages’ biometric data, dental data, fingerprints, and DNA, so that when the time comes, we can accurately identify
their identities.”
Health Minister Uriel Buso warned identification depends on the condition of the bodies.
“Israel does not have accurate information about the conditions of the bodies,” he said.
In the UK, the Hostages Family Forum has invited the public to join a funeral procession through Westminster this afternoon to honour the deceased and attend a memorial calling for the return of hostages still held in Gaza.
“The world’s silence is deafening,” the forum said in statement. “Whilst embracing the returning family members, it is important to emphasise that many hostages still remain in captivity, and time is of the essence. Every day matters for those still held captive. Whilst grateful for each life returned, the world should not rest until all the loved ones and innocent lives are home.”
Negotiations for the second stage are due to begin, 24 hostages are known to be alive. All will be released in this stage along with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
Israel has stated Hamas cannot have a role in a future Gaza administration. There must also be a decommission of arms in the Strip. If no agreement is reached the war will resume.
The third stage will see the reconstruction of the Strip. Both stages have multiple challenges.
Tenant calling at midnight with no heating?
BBC backlash over Gaza documentary
BY ADAM MOSES
The BBC faces accusations of broadcasting Hamas propaganda in its new documentary ‘Gaza: How to survive a warzone’ screened on BBC2 on Monday night.
Campaign Against Antisemitism are writing to the broadcaster about the programme.
Investigative journalist David Collier has researched the documentary, narrated by teenager Abdullah Al-Yazouri. In his blog, Collier describes content as one of the ‘worst Palestinian propaganda pantomimes’.
Among disturbing assertions, Collier reveals Al- Yazouri is the son of Dr. Ayman Al-Yazouri, Hamas’ Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and a grandson of a Hamas co-founder.
He and other participants, Collins claims, have previously featured on television.
Collins asserts co-producer Jamie Roberts had no understanding of life in Gaza and co-director-producer Yousef D. Hammash, who lived in Gaza until June 2024, is a Gazan propagandist from previous Channel 4 documentaries.
“The current hierarchy at the BBC has turned a once respected state broadcaster into a propaganda outlet for a radical Islamic terror group,” he observed.
A CAA spokesperson said if allegations are true the BBC has published “long-form propaganda for an antisemitic genocidal terror organisation with licence-fee funds”.
They added: “These broadcasts have real-life consequences for British Jews, 92% of whom rate our national broadcaster’s coverage of matters of Jewish interest as unfavourable, according to our polling. We will be writing to the BBC. There must be an independent investigation into its bias in relation to its Middle East coverage, which British Jews believe fuels antisemitism right here in the UK. It is time for the Culture Secretary to intervene.”
Former Director of BBC Television
Danny Cohen, president of Access Entertainment, told LBC presenter Nick Ferrari yesterday the premise of the show was acceptable but how the programme was made and disclosed to audiences were issues.
did they not disclose that to audiences so audiences properly understood the context of the documentary. If they didn’t know that, what diligence checks did they do and why did those diligence checks fail.”
Cohen said the BBC could have had acted if they knew the narrators’ family history.
“As an absolute minimum, the audiences, licence fee payers, should be aware when they watch the documentary that there is the son of a Hamas leader featured in it,” he explained. “If you know that of course you begin to wonder are these scenes real, what has been constructed, what actually happened. All of the doubts you should have as a journalist about how the scenes were set up and what played out come into play.”
Cohen said BBC CEO
Regarding whether misinformation was deliberate of accidental, Cohen told Ferrari that Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and community organisations had been clear the BBC is contributing to an atmosphere where Jewish people feel less safe because of anti-Israel bias in their journalism.
“There is clearly a systemic problem at the BBC with anti-Israel bias and they don’t want to admit it because they think it would damage the BBC’s reputation,” he noted.
Jonathan Metliss, Action Against Discrimination said the programme was another example of institutional bias against the State of Israel and the BBC must be held to account.
According to the BBC, it had full editorial control and followed editorial guidelines.
The documentary, they note, offers a ‘vivid and unflinching view’ of everyday life of four young people surviving the Israel-Hamas war.
He explained. “The key question for the BBC this morning is, did they know that the documentary principally featured the son of a terrorist leader… If they did, why
Deborah Turness has pledged to provide full transparency to licence fee payers so is unsure why the BBC has not answered specific questions about the narrator or whether diligence checks were not fit for purpose.
A devoted father and husband, Sagui is now finally reunited with his wife and children including his daughter who was born whilst he was in captivity.
For over eight years, Sagui’s dedication, entrepreneurial spirit, and deep love for the land, have made him an invaluable member of the JNF UK team in Israel.
While we celebrate his return, we remain steadfast in our prayers for the safe and swift release of those who remain hostage.
Two producers in London ‘remotely directed’ cameramen in Gaza over nine months as foreign journalists can’t report independently. The documentary, BBC note, ‘sheds new light on life inside Gaza’s humanitarian ‘safe zone’ and ‘efforts to keep people alive’ in its permanent hospital, Al-Aqsa.
Rubio meets Israeli leaders
BY ADAM MOSES
Israeli ministers and government leaders met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last Sunday.
Iran, US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, the hostages, Lebanese ceasefire and post-Assad regime in Syria featured in bilateral discussions.
President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, National Security Council Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi and Leader of the Opposition Lapid attended meetings.
Netanyahu, in a joint press conference with Rubio, said: “President Trump and I are working in full cooperation. We have a common strategy (but) can’t always share in details this strategy with the public.”
Netanyahu restated that Israel was committed to freeing all the hostages, eliminating Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and ensuring Gaza will never constitute a threat to Israel.
Addressing Syria and Lebanon, he observed: “Israel will act to prevent any threat emerging in southwest Syria. Israel is committed to the cease-fire and the understandings we reached in November with Lebanon, and expects the government of Lebanon to be equally committed.”
Regarding Iran, Netanyahu
commented: “We have made it clear that Iran must not have nuclear weapons.”
Rubio said Trump has been clear that Hamas cannot continue as a military or government force. “As long as it stands as a force that can govern or a force that can administer or a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible,” he said. “They must be eliminated. It must be eradicated.”
Regarding the Iranian threat, Rubio noted: “Iran is the single greatest source of instability in the region. Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilising activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people who call this region home, is Iran. And by Iran, I mean the ayatollahs. By Iran, I mean its regime, a regime who by the way, its people don’t support. The people of Iran are victims of that regime.”
Rubio added: “If there were more Israelis in the Middle East, more countries like that, the world would be a safer and a better place. This is what we hope for the region and for our planet. A nation that has always sought peace but will not allow itself to be intimidated or destroyed by its enemies. On that front, you can always count on us.”
In terms of Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and have the US take over the Strip, Rubio said it was
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important not to continue “tired ideas of the past” adding the proposition, though surprising, took “courage and vision” outline.
“It may have surprised and shocked many, but what cannot continue is the same cycle to repeat over and over again and wind up in the exact same place,” he explained.
Ahead of a meeting with Herzog, both spoke to the media.
“Your visit here, as well as your capability to change and influence our region are enormous and can bring great hope to our people and the people of the region at large,” Herzog said.
Rubio noted: “I wanted this one to be one of our first visits because of the issues before us.”
Rubio said Trump was “deeply committed to the goal of the hostages returning home. He also noted that Iran was the core of challenges with
Hezbollah, Hamas, terrorist groups when Assad was in Syria and the Houthis. Rubio added that Iran was controlled by radical clerics, had isolated it from the world and created the greatest source of destabilisation and sponsor of terrorism on the planet.
Expanding on the Iranian threat, he said: “Were it not for the regime in Tehran, many of these issues we are confronting would not be the same, we cannot lose sight of that reality. It remains a fundamental challenge that we have before us.”
President Herzog with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
NJA Hosts Exclusive Event with Alan Dershowitz: “Is President Trump Breaking International Law?”
The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) is proud to host a special online event featuring world-renowned legal scholar Professor Alan Dershowitz on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 7 PM GMT.
In conversation with Daniel Berke, a director of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), Professor Dershowitz will tackle one of the most hotly debated legal questions of our time: Is President Trump breaking international law?
President Trump has made bold and unprecedented decisions regarding Israel, Gaza, and the wider Middle East. From his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital to the Abraham Accords, his approach to the region has redefined US foreign policy. His recent proposals regarding Gaza’s post-war future and his continued stance on regional security have once again put him at the centre of international legal and political debate. As one of the most influential legal
minds of our era, Professor Dershowitz is uniquely positioned to analyse these developments. He has been a staunch defender of Israel on the global stage and has advised on key constitutional and international law issues. His insights will offer a clear-eyed legal perspective on whether Trump’s policies adhere to, challenge, or outright break international law.
Steve Winston, NJA Managing Director, said: “This event will be an unmissable opportunity to hear from one of the world’s foremost legal experts on Trump’s Middle East policies, Israel’s security, and the legal frameworks shaping international relations today. Alan Dershowitz’s analysis is always razor-sharp, and we encourage everyone to join this vital discussion.”
This exclusive Zoom event is free to attend, but registration is required. Register now at www.nja.org.uk or contact: office@nja.org.uk
SCHEDULE
- 23rd, 24th & 25th FEBRUARY
Alan Dershowitz PHOTO: SALLY MONTANA
Turning Properties into Profits.
Fallout over ‘tasteless’ Channel 4 reality show
BY HARRY SIMONS
The fallout continues into Channel 4 reality show Go Back to Where You Came. Jewish organisations called on the broadcaster to act over antisemitic posts by contestant Bushra Shaikh and viewers to boycott the programme. Published posts included a description of European Jews as “lying scumbags” and a problem that should be dealt with by “forcible deportation”.
Campaign Against Antisemitism accused Channel 4 of “sanitising” Shaikh and described her comments as “repugnant”.
A CAA spokesperson said: “Channel 4’s agenda here is pretty clear, pit anti-immigration xenophobes against virtuous pro-immigration activists. If Channel 4 is showing the unvarnished views of one side, why not do the same for the other? Channel 4 is sanitising Ms Shaikh to make her more sympathetic, instead of revealing her as the hypocrite that she is, speaking in favour of immigration while insulting European Jews. Channel 4’s insistence that Ms Shaikh remains in the programme while hiding her real opinions from viewers is telling. Portraying those with antisemitic views as virtuous while hiding their antisemitism is the
exact opposite of what we should be doing. We call for a boycott of the show.”
Gary Mond, National Jewish Assembly chairman, issued a scathing rebuke. He said: “It is utterly disgraceful
4 must explain why it deems someone who openly hates Jews and endorses ethnic cleansing of Israelis is deemed worthy as a guest on this program. This is a new low, even for them.”
Channel 4 has given a platform to Shaikh, a vile antisemite who has openly spewed hatred against Jews. That a mainstream broadcaster would sanitise her history to push an ideological agenda is an insult to British Jews and basic decency. Channel
Sulyok backs hostage release
BY HARRY SIMONS
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has vowed to help free Hungarian-Israeli citizen Omri Miran from captivity in Gaza. Miran is due to be released in the second stage of the ceasefire process.
Sulyok welcomed President Isaac Herzog to a state ceremony at Heroes’ Square in Budapest on Tuesday.
Herzog arranged for Sulyok to meet the family of Miran and Hungarian born Holocaust survivor Aharon Shevo and his family.
Miran was abducted from his home in Nahal Oz on October 7 2023. The family recently received news he was alive from a hostage who returned from captivity.
His wife, Lishi Omri, told Herzog and Sulyok that her husband is, first and foremost, a father of two daughters.
“We are now at an extremely critical moment, both for Israel and for Hamas,”
she said. “We need the help of every world leader to exert pressure so that our nightmare ends.”
Sulyok vowed to do everything possible to ensure Miran is released as soon as possible.
“We will continue to stand by your side,” he added. “We share your hardship and pain because they are our hardships and pains as well.”
Shevo is the grandfather of Malkia Gross, who fell in battle in Gaza.
Sulyok presented Sheva’s daughter, Michal, Malkia’s mother, with a commemorative stamp to mark 80 years since the Holocaust of Hungarian Jewry.
Herzog took part in an official ceremony at the “Shoes on the Danube Bank” memorial, commemorating hundreds of Jews murdered by the Hungarian Arrow Cross militia during the Holocaust.
He also met the Jewish community, one of the largest in Europe, before attending a state dinner.
Herzog travelled to Rome for diplomatic meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
Discussions focused on the hostages, regional developments, pressuring Iran and combating rising antisemitism.
Herzog addressed an event with Italy’s Jewish community at the Great Synagogue of Rome.
of antisemitism and homophobia. This programme should be taken off air and boycotted as a deterrent.”
The show and Shaikk has been criticised in the UK press. Among reviews, The Irish Times described the production as ‘tasteless’ though correct to debate the topic. They reported that Shaikk was of the opinion that anyone who was against immigration was a racist.
Channel 4 distanced itself from tweets by Shaikh.
A spokesperson said: “Bushra was one of six opinionated individuals. The series will be compliant with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. Channel 4 are not responsible for contributors’ personal social media accounts.”
Channel 4 described the programme as a ‘bold and timely’ four-part series to challenge how British people feel about asylum seekers and immigration. Six Brits took journeys of refugees and migrants to the UK starting in Somalia and Syria, then Africa, the Middle East and Europe to the UK.
Jonathan Metliss, Action Against Discrimination, noted: “These unacceptable antisemitic comments must not be tolerated. Channel Four has been properly accused of sanitising Shaikh and these comments. She has been accused
Senior Commissioning Editors Anna Miralis and Madonna Benjamin said of the series: “It is hoped that this will offer up an opportunity for the British public to help understand some of the terrifying perils asylum seekers face when they attempt to travel to the UK.”
Holocaust survivor Mordechai dies aged 100
BY ADAM MOSES
during the Shoah.
His autobiography, ‘A Star Gleams in the Distance’ was translated into English, German and Polish.
Shin Bet and Mossad officials, includ-
Leading delegations of Israeli students and IDF officers to Poland, Ciechanower lectured worldwide on his experiences
ing former Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai, participated in the funeral service at Yarkon Cemetery.
Yad Vashem documented Mordechai’s extraordinary life.
Born in Maków Mazowiecki, Poland in 1924, to Ruchtche and Meir Zvi Chechanover, he had two sisters, Rivka and Chana Hadassah. Educated at Yavne religious school, he studied Talmud at night while listening to discussions of Zionist youth movements Hashomer Hatzair and Betar.
In September 1939, after the German occupation, Ciechanower was in forced labour camps. By late 1941, his hometown was a ghetto then liquidated in November 1942. Jews were sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau. His mother and sisters went straight to the gas chambers. Ciechanower and his father were sent to the Buna-Monowitz camp (Auschwitz 3). Mordechai didn’t see his father after he was taken to an infirmary when frozen hands. Ciechanower survived by working as a roofer on barracks. In October 1944, he was sent to Stutthof camp, then Dautmergen and Bergen-Belsen before being liberated in April 1945.
they had two daughters.
At a recent Holocaust Remembrance Day, Mordechai participated in an album by Galgalatz Radio and Zikaron BaSalon. Artists celebrated his 100th birthday with him.
YOUR LEGACY
He recalled for a Zikaron BaSalon testimony in 2018. ‘From 1942 until the end of the war, I was constantly hungry. My greatest dream was simply to sit at a table full of bread and eat. The journey to Auschwitz was horrifying. I wept as I bid farewell to my mother and sister. I took one last look at them before entering the camp.’
On his first night in Auschwitz, he was told in his barrack: ‘The weak will be exterminated, the strong will work until they die. Look at the smoke rising from the chimney, those are your families.’
After liberation Mordechai was reunited with his father at a displaced persons’ camp in Berlin.
He later recalled: “When he opened the door, we both fainted. I promised him we would never be separated again.” They immigrated to pre-state Israel through Egypt under false identities, disguised as British soldiers in September 1945.
Mordechai fought in Israel’s War of Independence in the Alexandroni Brigade then worked in the Israel’s Employment Bureau. In 1950, he married Devorah,
Gerd Klestadt, who survived Westerbork concentration camp in Groningen and Bergen-Belsen, was liberated by US troops. He passed away aged 92.
Born in Dusseldorf in 1932, Klestadt fled with his family to the Netherlands aged four. In 1943, they were arrested and imprisoned. Following liberation, in the 1970s, with his second wife, Charlène, settled in Luxembourg. They had three children.
A Holocaust educator since 2001, he published a memoirs of his experiences.
‘Noch heute quält mich die Erinnerung’ (The memories still torment me today), is available in German.
Klestadt continually warned about the past as he felt humanity “learnt nothing” from history.
The oldest active Hatzolah responder in history Yehuda Lindenblatt, who escaped Nazi persecution in Budapest, passed away aged 88.
Known by F-71, or ‘Seventy Von’, Yehuda was recently answering emergency calls.
At a Flatbush Hatzolah event for his 85th birthday, he said: “With Hatzolah, I beat Hitler.”
Renowned holocaust survivor and educator Mordechai Ciechanower has died aged 100.
Aussies strengthen hate speech legislation
BY DAVID SAFFER
The Australian government has strengthened its hate speech laws.
The Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024 targets the use of force or violence against a group or member of a group or against a place of worship. The Bill follows the Albanese Government’s laws which criminalised the public display of Nazi and terrorist organisation symbols, and the Nazi salute.
“We are sending a clear and unambiguous message that advocating or threatening violence is not acceptable,” a government statement noted. “It is criminal behaviour and will be treated as such.”
Jail sentences range from a year for a Nazi salute in public to six years for committing or planning terrorism offences.
“I want people who are engaged in antisemitism to be held to account, to be charged, to be incarcerated,” said Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese, who had opposed mandatory minimum sentences for hate crimes.
Albanese has been criticised by centre-right opposition parties for not addressing rising antisemitism.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who introduced the amendments, said the changes were the “toughest laws” Australia has had against hate crimes.
New South Wales has experienced the most antisemitic attacks. They are set to strengthen its hate speech laws to reflect Western Australia and Victoria.
Sydney authorities found explosives and an antisemitic note last month. This followed a fire at a childcare centre near a Jewish school and synagogue. There was also a fire at a Melbourne synagogue with worshippers inside December. Although there were no injuries, The Jewish Council of Australia, condemned the incidents.
The hate law changes came about amidst global condemnation and an investigation into claims by two nurses at a Sydney hospital they had mistreated or killed Israeli patients.
Since footage was posted by Israeli influencer Max Veifer, Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, have been suspended. They were in conversation with him at Bankstown
Hospital on Chatruletka.
Nadir reportedly said to Veifer: “I’m so upset that you’re Israeli. Eventually, you’re going to get killed and go to Jahannam (hell), inshallah (G-d willing).”
Lebdeh reportedly told Veifer: “When your time comes, I want you to remember my face so that you can understand that you will die the most disgusting death.”
Veifer asked both: “Let’s say an Israeli, G-d forbid, comes to your hospital?”
Labda reportedly responded: “I won’t treat them, I’ll kill them.” Nadir gave a slaughter gesture and reportedly added: “You have no idea how many (Israelis) came to this hospital, and I sent them to Jahannam.”
New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed the suspensions, apologised to the Jewish community and ensured they would receive first class care at NSW hospitals.
He told reporters the nurses were “vile, disgusting and deranged individuals”.
Alex Ryvchin, Executive Council of Australian Jewry, told Network 10 TV: “For months, I’ve been hearing from medical practitioners in the community who have been warning about extreme content posted by other doctors and nurses online.”
According to Australian media, siblings Nadir and Lebdeh are Afghan refugees.
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies is the voice of the Jewish community of NSW.
Every community has experienced graffiti, hate speech, vilification, incitement and physical assaults.
Jewish schools have armed security
and university campuses is monitored by the police.
Sydney and Melbourne, where Jews have contributed to the Aussie way of life for over 200 years, has experienced shocking anti-Israel protests, threats and vandalism at major tourist landmarks.
Days after the 10/7 attack, Albanese and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong condemned a pro-Palestine march to the Sydney Opera House.
The Australian national newspaper reported a 482% rise in antisemitic incidents. Over 600 leaders, including former state premiers, industry heads and media personalities signed an open letter denouncing antisemitism and called for all citizens to be treated with respect, inclusivity and dignity.
The Great Synagogue in Sydney is led by Rabbi Benjamin Elton, who hails from Manchester. The city has seen weekend pro-Palestine marches.
“Wherever there has been a protest through the middle of the city, police are at the front and back,” he said. “There is distress in the Jewish community, a certain amount of anxiety but increased Jewish identity.”
David Lewis is President at The Great. He acknowledged Jews in Sydney and Melbourne have been concerned but it has united communities.
He commented: “In Australia we have the highest per capita of Holocaust survivors of any Jewish community. Antisemitic incidents have pulled the community together. Some community members have removed mezuzahs. That is a shame but I understand choices.”
Star of David t-shirt counters Ye swastika t-shirt
BY ADAM MOSES
Campaign Against Antisemitism has praised the Houmous Foundation for producing a Star of David t-shirt after rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, launched a swastika t-shirt for sale on his website.
combat hate is with love, education and a healthy dose of Jewish humour. It is our hope that we can inspire people around the world to stand up against hate and promote inclusion and tolerance,” he said.
The t-shirt was the only product on yeezy.com. Shopify has shut down the store.
The Foundation replaced Ye’s HH-01 (Heil Hitler) with Chai18 and is donating profits to CAA.
Aryell Moussaioff, Houmous Foundation founder, said: “The best way to
A CAA spokesperson noted: “It is shocking that anyone would want to make or wear an item of clothing that displays the symbol of those who were responsible for the industrial murder of six million innocent Jewish men, women and children. Yet this is the reality we face today. Profits will help us fight antisemitism, we encourage people to wear their Star of David t-shirts with pride as a symbol of resilience against surging Jew-hatred.”
Houmous’ endeavour follows groups fighting antisemitism calling for X to ban Ye after historical antisemitic posts. Ye’s latest posts on X included “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi [sic]” last week.
CAA labelled Ye a “proud antisemite” who had not learned lessons from being
dropped by global advertisers and called on Elon Musk to remove him from X. Gideon Falter, CAA Chief Executive, was quoted on LBC’s website last week,
The American Jewish Committee warned Ye was churning out anti-Jewish hatred that was “endangering Jews” with antisemitism “skyrocketing” around the world.
stating: “The hushed response to Ye declaring that he is a Nazi and that Jewish people should all be slaves is disturbing… It would be nice to see the eagerly virtue-signalling celebrities of the world wearing one, it might be easier since they seem to have trouble speaking out.”
A spokesman said Ye could influence millions of followers on social media antisemitism thrives.
“Hate, left unchecked, only multiplies,” AJC noted.
Musk described West’s posts as deranged.
The rapper received an eight-month suspension from Twitter (pre X) in October 2022 after a series of tweets appeared to show a symbol combining a swastika and a Jewish star.
Adidas ended its partnership with Ye over antisemitic rantings. The decision was expected to lose the company around $250 million. Adidas was universally praised.
Ye has posted about Hitler, Jewish businesses, Jewish Zionists, Jewish media, Jewish underground media mafia and the Holocaust.
A-list celebrities have spoken out against Ye and antisemitism including Jamie Lee Curtis, Eric Andre, Florence Pugh, Josh Gad, Amy Schumer, David Schwimmer, Ruby Rose and Chelsea Handler.
Australian Prime Minister Albanese
Kanye West
Gideon Falter, CAA Chief Executive
Gareth Malone judges Jewish Care’s first choir competition for people living with dementia
Jewish Care’s music and singing groups, for people living with dementia in the community, came together for the charity’s first Singing for Joy competition at The Betty and Asher Loftus Centre campus in North London.
Members of the Sam Beckman choir in Friern Barnet, the Noé Nightingales choir at The Zalman and Ruchi Noé Centre in Stanmore, and The Dennis Centre’s music group in Redbridge – all of which are Jewish Care centres for people living with dementia – together with Jewish Care’s Singing for Memory groups in Redbridge, Stanmore and Southend, each performed alongside their carers to win one of six awards. These were judged by a panel who included renowned choirmaster and broadcaster Gareth Malone OBE from ‘The Choir’, as well as Jewish Care’s Chief Executive Daniel Carmel Brown and Director of Care and Housing Services Rita Rousso.
Malone said, “Today is a beautiful day, seeing people coming together at any age and singing together and being part of a community. We all need that. It gives us hope. When you are living with dementia, singing is one of the few tools we have to help us retain our feelings, our emotions and our personality. I think it is the closest thing to magic. It’s so important for people to have access to fun, and singing is such a great way to do that.”
Tanya Miller, Jewish Care’s Community Hub Manager in Friern Barnet, who organised the event, said, “We know that music and singing has huge benefits for people living with dementia. It helps to support and maintain cognitive abilities, reduce anxiety, boost confidence, stimulate memories, help maintain speech and language, as well as allowing people to express themselves, enjoy social interaction and have fun, which our members most definitely do. It’s very important to us that we support and empower people living with dementia to continue to do
the things they have loved throughout their lives, as well as to enjoy learning new skills that stimulate them and help to instil confidence.”
Among the performers was Thomassina, who joined Jewish Care’s Singing for Memory group in Redbridge with her daughter, Nicole, about nine months ago, and sometimes attends with her granddaughter, Arabella, too. At these Singing for Memory groups, which are run by volunteers and a music therapist, together with Jewish Care’s community dementia coordinator Danielle Jeffries, people living with dementia come along with their family or carers to sing, dance and play instruments together. Nicole said, “As a mother and daughter, joining the singing group is a great way for us to go out and spend time together, doing something that my mum really enjoys. She likes getting out the house and spending time talking to other people. We sing old songs, and she remembers the words. It’s lovely.”
Commenting on the group’s execution of the song, Malone said, “I didn’t like it. I loved it! It was very moving and there was excellent use of percussion. Your performance engaged the audience.”
Rita, who has been attending the music session at Jewish Care’s Dennis Centre
leads the group each week, said, “Singing gives the members a sense of community and achievement, and a new-found confidence, which I see grow after each session. They are such a great group of singers and characters.”
Singing ‘Any Dream Will Do’, Thomassina and the rest of the Redbridge Singing for Memory group won the award for Best Group Harmony, demonstrating the best group performance where participants harmonised beautifully together.
in Redbridge for about two years, sang ‘Getting to Know You’ with the rest of her group, wining the Timeless Voices award as the group whose singing voice transcended time and demonstrated remarkable vocal clarity, strength or nostalgia. Rita said, “It was nice to sing a song I knew well. I’m not a great singer, but the music group is a good choice. There’s no judgement. Singing makes me feel relaxed and gives me more confidence. Going to the Dennis Centre shapes my week. I meet friends and there’s a nice, relaxed atmosphere there.” Remarking on the group’s performance, Carmel-Brown said, “What a fantastic team effort! Everyone was singing in harmony and there was even a bit of dancing too. Thank you for bringing such joy into our afternoon. Days like these make me really proud of the important and meaningful activities we offer throughout our services, which really make a difference to the lives of people living with dementia in the community.”
‘I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You’ was the song choice for the Sam Beckman choir, which won them Most Emotional Performance for their delivery of the most heartfelt and emotionally impactful performance. Mr Malone summed it up, saying, “Wow! That was so moving and such a special rendition of one of my favourite songs. I love how committed you are to singing. I am speechless.”
Edmond Jeffery, a music and healthcare practitioner who
The Noé Nightingales, who have only been together for five weeks and sang ‘Those Were the Days’, won The “Feel Good” Factor Award for showing remarkable enthusiasm and passion and delivering the most uplifting performance. Malone praised them on how well they had done given their short time together, saying, “There was so much passion and joy on your faces. I loved that there was so much acting going on too. I think you need to develop that quality into an opera.” Angela and Barry, who have been attending the Singing for Memory group at Jewish Care’s Sandringham campus in Stanmore for the past two years, sang ‘Hey Jude’ together with their fellow choir members. Talking about his wife, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease seven years ago, Barry said, “Angela comes alive at the group. She talks. She waves her hands. I see her happy and enjoying the company.” The group’s performance earned them the Showstopper Award, for delivering the most show-stopping and theatrical performance, as well as an emotional response from Malone. “I don’t think I’m going to get through this afternoon without crying,” he revealed. “You had the whole community joining in.”
The Singing for Memory group in Southend gave a video performance of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’, winning them Most Creative Interpretation for bringing a unique or unexpected twist to their song, and showcasing originality and imagination. Malone gave it the thumbs up for mixing it with ‘I Can See a Rainbow’ in the middle. He said, “I thought that was great. It had such spirit. You grabbed us from the beginning, and I loved the mash up.”
As well as running Singing for Memory groups in Southend, Stanmore and Redbridge, Jewish Care also supports Finchley Reform Synagogue and St Albans Masorti Synagogue to run these groups, and is training other synagogue community volunteers, including those at New North London Synagogue, to deliver sessions embracing the Singing for Memory model. In addition, the charity provides dementia training to all those in the community who wish to learn more about making their services more dementia friendly and inclusive.
Angela and Barry from Singing for Memory perform at Jewish Care Singing for Joy competition
PHOTO:JUSTIN GRAINGE
Rita Rousso, Daniel Carmel-Brown, CEO and choir master Gareth Malone OBE are judges at Jewish Care’s Singing for Joy competition
PHOTO:JUSTIN GRAINGE
Antisemitism in the UK Remains Alarmingly High
BY DAVE RICH
It has been another tough year for the Jewish community. CST’s 2024 Antisemitic Incidents Report shows that CST recorded 3,528 antisemitic incidents in the UK from January to December 2024, the second-highest annual total of anti-Jewish hate incidents ever recorded by CST. Whilst there are some positives to take from these figures as they represent an 18% decline from 2023’s all-time high, the number of incidents recorded is significantly higher than incident levels recorded before the Hamas terrorist attack on the 7 October 2023. It should come as no surprise by now that whenever Israel is at war, there is a substantial increase in antisemitic incidents recorded in the UK. After years of research and detailed analysis, we’re able to see that this may come from people who are excited and inspired by violent attacks on Israel and its citizens; from people who consider British Jews as legitimate proxies for their anger towards
Israel; and from people who use Israel as an excuse to vent their pre-existing, unrelated prejudice against Jews. This is evident in our 2024 report as more than half of all incidents CST recorded were fuelled by anger about Israel, Gaza, Hamas or the current Middle East war.
Unlike other years, 2024 was the first time that an Israel-related conflict lasted an entire calendar year which is reflected in the monthly totals CST recorded. CST logged over 200 antisemitic incidents in every month except from December. This is an alarming statistic. Prior to October 2023, across 40 years of data collection, there were only five separate months in which over 200 incidents were recorded, each correlating with a time when Israel was at war.
Since 7 October, the demands upon CST’s Antisemitic Incidents Department have been extremely high. In addition to the 3,528 antisemitic incidents recorded in 2024, an additional 2,479 incidents were reported to CST that are not included among the report’s statistics as
Letters to the Editor
THE WRONG TO PROTEST
Dear Editor
The Director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Ben Jamal, has recently responded to disturbing revelations that the PSC first told the Metropolitan Police of its intention to hold a protest as early as 12:50pm on the day of October 7th, 2023.
Rather than concede that his organisation may have got it even slightly wrong, Mr Jamal, in a thread on X/Twitter on 8 February, instead asked his critics to “consider these reasons” for the PSC’s actions. Taking those reasons in turn, it is rather easy to see how ridiculous and flawed a defence this is.
Jamal’s first reason is as follows: “At 7.00GMT on 7th, Israel had already begun bombing Gaza; by 9:35GMT Netanyahu had declared war on Palestinians...’”.
The first part, admittedly, is true, if only it were as simple as Jamal suggests - as if the attack still unfolding that morning had not come from Gaza. Or as if Israel’s right to mere self-defence (a right which many pro-Palestinian advocates often rely on rather enthusiastically, in order to then criticise Israel for going too far) was somehow not in play at that moment, of all moments in the past 16 months.
The second part is also not as simple as Jamal saw it. While Hamas’s attacks were still ongoing at 09.35 GMT, Netanyahu’s first statement in response said that Israel was “at war”. Plainly, this is something which a party on both the starting or receiving side of a war can state. Netanyahu had not declared a war completely unprovoked. Nor had he done so “on Palestinians”, given that he referred to Hamas directly by name and as “the enemy”. Again, for Jamal, it is as if Israel’s rights to self-defence on that fateful morning did not
they were not deemed to be antisemitic. That means, in 2024, CST recorded 6,007 incidents across all categories. Whether or not they were classed as antisemitic, many required casework, emotional and logistical support, security advice, and liaison with police and government. This is why it is so important to report every single antisemitic incident to CST, however small it may be. Every incident reported plays an important role in informing CST ‘s provision of protection to the Jewish community.
Our mission is to protect our community from those who wish to harm us. That is why CST works 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week to protect the community. The past year has been tough for us Jews, but it has also shown that the community is incredibly strong and resilient. No matter what the future
exist.
holds, CST will be here and will continue to work with other stakeholders such as the police, Crown Prosecution Service and other stakeholders to ensure that those who are found guilty, are held to account.
There are ways you can support us too, please remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour or antisemitism to CST and Police. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, visit www.cst.org. uk.
Jamal’s next reason was that “On Oct 7th, Gaza was already under siege [and] occupation”. It is disingenuous to give this as a reason for contacting the Met Police at 12:50pm on this particular date, as if the preceding 12 hours and 49 minutes of that day were just a regular day; one in which Hamas had not decided to smash through the Gaza border fences, and commit, as everyone had by then learned, an entire morning’s worth of terrorism against Israeli civilians.
It is also interesting that the PSC sought to obtain the Met’s approval for a protest to take place exactly one week later, on October 14th. Given that, by law, one week is the minimum notice that can be given to police (as Jamal himself notes), this seemed a rather urgent course of action. Relying on a claim that Gaza was already under siege and occupation on October 7th does not explain this urgency. A live terrorist attack on innocent civilians does.
Incredibly, Jamal then offers up a set of further reasons which all refer to events that occurred *after* the PSC contacted the Met. He mentions death tolls “By the end of Oct 7” and “By the time we marched on 14th”. He refers to Yoav Gallant’s statement on cutting off food and fuel “on Oct 8th”, and its endorsement by Sir Keir Starmer “3 days later”. Plainly, none of these events actually occurred as at 12:50pm on October 7th. For the PSC to rely on those events to justify its actions at that date is, frankly, bizarre. Jamal then criticises the right wing media and the CST’s Dave Rich for, apparently, “thinking that none of this constitutes a reason to march”. Indeed, one may well think that all of this *is* a reason for pro-Palestinians to organise a
march. However - and it is not hard to see that this was the point that Mr Rich and the relevant media outlets were getting at - absolutely none of this is a reason to organise a march with the unbridled urgency the PSC had on that day, at that time (indeed, at that time, Israeli forces had only just reached the site of the Nova Music Festival, and were still fighting terrorists within kibbutzim).
Jamal concludes by lauding “those committed to a world based on principles of justice rights and respect for IHL [international humanitarian law]”. I am sure Jamal has, and would continue to, condemn Hamas’s actions. But having failed to properly explain why his pro-Palestinian group acted while the rulers of Palestinians in Gaza were carrying out gross violations of international law that same morning - and having also ignored Israel’s obvious rights to self-defence against those actions - Jamal’s appeal to “rights and respect for IHL” has more than a whiff of hypocrisy.
Despite it being absolutely the right of pro-Palestinians to organise protests over all that has happened after 7 October 2023 - a right which they have now duly exercised in a major fashion on least 24 occasions - it really is not difficult for the PSC to concede that by doing so on that particular date, they got it wrong. Even a minor concession like this, however, seems beyond the PSC. And far from doing as he sought it to do, Ben Jamal’s thread is little else but a tour de force in retrospection and post hoc fallacy. If that really is the best he could come up with, a whole 16 months after the fact, he ought to reflect further, and apologise.
Yours sincerely
Naji Tilley London NW4
NJA Calls on Home Office to Ban Extremist Cleric Mufti Ibn Muneer from Entering the UK
The National Jewish Assembly (NJA)
is calling on the UK Home Secretary to immediately bar radical cleric Mufti Ibn Muneer from entering the country, citing his well-documented record of antisemitic hate speech, support for violent jihad, and endorsement of extremist ideology. Mufti Ibn Muneer has a deeply troubling history of spreading inflammatory rhetoric and inciting hatred. He has openly denied Israel’s Jewish identity while espousing dangerous antisemitic
tropes, including accusations that Jews possess a “lust for blood, slaughtering, murder, and manipulation.” His comments are not only vile but pose a serious risk of inciting violence against British Jews at a time when antisemitism is already surging in the UK.
Beyond his antisemitism, Mufti Ibn Muneer has explicitly called for divine assistance in aiding jihadists in their attacks, demonstrating his open support for terrorism. He has also endorsed Holocaust denial by praising Roger Garaudy, a notorious antisemite and Holocaust revisionist, while pushing the false narrative that Jews “profited” from the Holocaust.
The cleric has further advocated for barbaric punishments such as public stonings of adulterers
and the execution of gay men, describing such acts in gruesome detail. These views are in total opposition to British values and human rights.
Mufti Ibn Muneer’s links to extremist networks are equally concerning. He studied in Yemen at a time when it was a stronghold for al-Qaeda and later refused to assist the FBI in counter-terror investigations, stating, “Death before dishonour.” His presence in the UK would pose a clear security risk.
The NJA is calling on the UK Home Secretary to take urgent action to prevent this dangerous individual from stepping foot in Britain. The UK has rightly barred figures such as Louis Farrakhan for their hateful and divisive rhetoric; Mufti Ibn Muneer should receive the same treatment.
Gary Mond, Chairman of the NJA, said: “Mufti Ibn Muneer represents everything that Britain must reject: antisemitism, extremism, and the glorification of terrorism. The Home Secretary must act now to protect British Jews and all citizens from his toxic ideology.”
The NJA will continue to monitor the situation and apply pressure to ensure that the UK does not become a haven for hate preachers and extremists.
WHAT3WORDS/// KEEPING IT REAL
BY RABBI NAFTALI SCHIFF
In last weeks column we explored the importance of Making it Real, of ensuring that AI and digital technology enhance rather than replace real human experience and of the imperative of safeguarding the authenticity of certain sacred areas of life such as friendships, relationships, core values and the underpinning of Jewish identity, especially for our younger generation.
We are living through tumultuous, confounding and confusing times with many of the values we hold to be sacrosanct and dear, being constantly challenged. Never have the connection and choices of identity facing a Next Gen, been so stark or critical. Immersed in an incredible world of opportunity opened up by both artificial intelligence and instant, yet virtual social media and communication, their reality is at the same time incessantly threatened by a world of the fake news, superficiality and insincerity.
Over 30 years of experience in numerous areas of Jewish education, both with more and with less affiliated young people, I have learned the critical importance of internalising powerful experiences shared, maintaining insights gained and integrating inspiring moments lived. Aish maintains incredible platforms of real connection on 23 university campuses, 14 schools and across communities nationwide.
We have been facilitating positive Jewish social and educational experiences for over 30 years. Genuine friendships are formed around the thousands of Shabbat meals our selfless educators lay on at great cost of time, dedication and resource. Deep seated yet latent Jewish identities are inspired via our renowned educational tours to Israel, Poland and other places that tell of our story. Real meaning, purpose and sense of direction is stimulated by the hundreds of innovative educational and social events our creative and driven teams facilitate and deliver for thousands upon thousands of Next Gen students each year.
Last Week was about Making it Real, today is about Keeping it Real. A few thoughts on that and then a genuine request from me to you!
I believe that Jewish life is replete with strategies about Keeping it Real! Think about what Shabbat is supposed to provide. A weekly opportunity to stop with the rote, to connect, to be real with self, family, friends, the Creator; a wonderful opportunity presented for 24 hours each week. There’s a mezuzah on each door- to constantly remind us of the fundamentals of Jewish living. The Shema prayer refers to “asher anochi metzavecha hayom –that which I command you TODAY” Rashi explains this as an advisory to keep all mitzvot fresh, as if they were commanded to you by the Almighty today, every day!
The first prayer said on entering shul reminds us - “va’ani tefilati- I am my prayer”. A reminder that the authentic me is the only thing that approaches the Divine in prayer. One can fool others and even be unaware of real self for a while; however prayer is supposed to provide a genuine opportunity to look in the mirror and to be real with self and with God.
Seder Night, a sacred event immersed in Jewish heritage, surrounded by our past, our present and our future; a time to connect with close family, to get real with the portent of our Jewish story and to use all props available to bring home the reality of Jewish destiny. In fact, I would suggest that the ultimate purpose of Jewish life, heritage and traditions is precisely in order that we constantly refresh and keep real that which is most important to us and is so easy to forget, to automate, to habituate and tragically let slip away. We must be real about the challenges out there, about the opportunities we have as a community to combat them and about our responsibility to do so. A friend commented to me just last week that I write just the way I speak! So be it! I’ll be real, raw and personal, because, despite the fact that this is a public forum, I’m speaking to my Brothers and Sisters, who care.
Caring can’t be pretend. I live in a world painfully aware of the choices young Jews are being forced to make on campus, online and in the workplace. I live with the reality that if we do not stand up to be counted today, we will lose the young Jews of tomorrow. This is “Real Time” and I’m not being trite! I know that together we can and must make the difference today in order to ensure a vibrant Jewish future for tomorrow; I know this because I have lived in the trenches of the battle for Jewish continuity for over 30 years.
I know that this is a battle that can be won for so many. I’ve seen it for real, up close. Indeed, there are many battlefronts facing the Jews worldwide today. However, the battle for our Next Gen’s Jewish identity is ours. I know that positive interventions of real connection to authentic Jewish life and identity provided by organisations such Aish (there are others too) make a real and enduring difference. We know only too painfully the alternative- the loss of young Jews, ashamed and alienated from who they are, where they come from and the anguish to family when they drift away. It doesn’t need to be this way. We all know this and we know that we can make a real difference today. This is what we do in Aish and I’m asking each of you please, to step up today in a real way to help us to do so. Real action, real events, real trips, hosting, inviting and providing for our younger generation costs money, real money.
I am asking you to please partner with us in order to make a real difference to the lives of our own youngsters who need your support today in order to guarantee our own vibrant Jewish future of tomorrow.
Please follow the links below/QR code
and donate generously to the AishMaking it Real Fundraising Campaign 2025 today.
Whatever you are able to do is deeply appreciated.
Thank you. Shabbat Shalom.
///What3Words is a geocoding system that has divided the world into a grid of 57 trillion 3-by-3 squares, each of which is identified by a unique three-word address. In this column, Rabbi Naftali Schiff reflects upon three words each week, relating to core issues of the day.
Rabbi Naftali Schiff is the Founder and Chief Executive of Jewish Futures
JNF UK Celebrates the Release of Colleague
JNF UK Trustees and staff are overjoyed that their cherished colleague, Sagui Dekel-Chen, has been released after 497 days in captivity and is finally back where he belongs, with his family, friends, and community.
Sagui, part of JNF UK’s team in Israel, was at his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz when the horrors of October 7 unfolded. In a pure act of selflessness and bravery, he alerted his community to the attack, urging residents to lock themselves in sealed rooms for safety. After ensuring his pregnant wife Avital and two daughters were safe, he joined the kibbutz’s security team, only to be taken hostage by Hamas.
During his captivity, Sagui’s wife gave birth to their third daughter, an unimaginable reality for any father who up to a few days ago did not know whether his family had survived. Now, at long last, he can embrace his family again, including the daughter he had never met. Sagui has worked tirelessly for JNF UK for over eight years. His entrepreneurship
and love of the land has made him an invaluable member of the JNF UK team in Israel. Sagui has dedicated himself to building and strengthening the Negev and Gallil and initiated various JNF UK projects including their DIY Volunteering Programme, Disaster Relief Units and Urban Forests. As a hobby, he has been transforming old buses into mobile grocery shops and mobile classrooms for remote Negev communities.
JNF UK CEO Elan Gorji expressed, “We are overwhelmed with joy that our prayers have been answered and Sagui has returned. Over the years, Sagui has been an instrumental part of JNF UK, contributing to the growth and strengthening of communities across Israel. His work has left an indelible mark on the State of Israel, and his return is a source of immense relief and happiness for all of us. While we celebrate Sagui’s return, we remain mindful that many hostages are still awaiting freedom. We continue to pray for their safe return.”
Probate Lawyer
We are seeking a solicitor or legal executive to join the JNF UK Legacy Department.
Our team offers a unique combination of wills advice and executorship services together with a high level of pastoral care to hundreds of clients throughout the UK.
To apply please submit your cv and cover letter to: jobs@kkl.org.uk
Application deadline 28th February 2025
Jewish Care’s Horace Boston is Care Employee of the Year
Horace Boston, Senior Housing Manager for Jewish Care’s retirement living apartments has been named Care Employee of the Year at the Caring UK Awards.
Jewish Care’s CEO, Daniel Carmel-Brown, says, “I want to wish Horace a huge congratulations. He truly deserves this award.
“Horace has dedicated over a decade to providing outstanding person-centred support to each person at Jewish Care’s retirement living apartments. He builds strong, positive relationships with tenants and their families who often tell us how much they appreciate his kindness and the way he supports people to maintain their independence and identity.
“He ensures tenants feel supported, follow their passions, and discover new ones. Horace’s leadership and commitment to tenants and to his staff team is a testament to his exceptional approach to care, ensuring that each tenant can live independently while being part of an active, vibrant Jewish community.”
Spanning Jewish Care’s retirement living schemes, including the ACRO-approved Pears Court, Selig Court, and Wohl Court, as well as Shebson Lodge retirement living in Southend, Horace’s has provided outstanding leadership and high-quality care and support at Selig Court apartments for the past 10 years. His contributions to the wider social care community include serving as Chair
of the Barnet Skills for Care group for Extra Housing Schemes. Horace always ensures that the people he supports are able to engage with the local community and he champions the pursuit of their interests. His work involves listening to their personal stories, understanding what motivates them, and providing care that reflects their unique experiences.
persecution.
Horace is admired and respected by residents and their families for his personalised approach and his hard work.
At Selig Court, he leads the team to care for tenants ranging from 66 to 101 years old, a number of whom are Holocaust survivors and refugees who fled Nazi
This includes Rachel Levy, BEM, who says, “Horace is calm, immensely caring and I admire the way that he deals with people, especially tenants and their families. I feel enormously privileged to know Horace. He should be very proud of the vital role he plays in the lives and wellbeing of many older people. He is most worthy of this award, and I am delighted for him.”
Horace cares deeply about people and is innovative in his approach to ensuring that tenants at Jewish Care have the best possible support. Horace has piloted a healthcare scheme at Selig Court retirement living with Whzan digital health and his approach to care is entirely person-centred. He works with the team
to make advanced care plans and find out what matters most to people.
Another of Selig Court’s tenants, Eva Spector, expressing her admiration, adds, “I do feel Horace is exceptional.”
Horace’s Care Employee of the Year Award is a testament to his tireless commitment to the people he supports, including the staff team and the volunteers across Jewish Care and to his outstanding leadership in the social care sector.
Horace comments, “There are many people at Jewish Care that I’d like to thank for the support and recognition of me as a manager and for our retirement living service, to empower us to create the best environment possible for our tenants to live independently, with support. This award would not be possible without the truly amazing people I work who make my job fun and rewarding. I feel honoured and blessed to be part of the amazing group of individuals in our team.
“The tenants are special individuals across our retirement living and we build relationships with one another, which is what makes the job so special. I know that our managers will go on to win awards too, because they recognise that each person is unique and they are motivated by our values of integrity and care, providing personalised, compassionate support to each individual.”
Vital Manchester Community Organization Expands Support for Financial Success
For over 30 years, JCommerce has been shaping the landscape of Manchester Community’s small businesses, consistently expanding its services based on an in-depth understanding of local needs. Familiarity and knowledge with individuals and their company’s has positioned JCommerce as The premier business support charity for the North West community. Their all-encompassing support package empowers businesses to launch, grow, and thrive despite economic challenges.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to deepen, financial security has become increasingly difficult for many families. For others, the traditional professions or employment options in the world of work, do not suit their strengths and skills. In response, JCommerce has evolved its services to provide a comprehensive, full-service solution aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and financial independence.
Support for Entrepreneurs
From idea to inception, entrepreneurs receive guidance and are supported at every stage to increase their chances of success towards better outcomes, for both start-ups, as well as existing small businesses. They offer, amongst other services:
• Workshops and Training:
Covering essential topics such as sales, social media strategies, digital marketing, and contract management.
• One-on-One Business Advice and Mentoring: Providing invaluable insights from seasoned industry experts.
• Networking Opportunities: Regular events to help businesses share best practices and build connections.
• Marketing Exposure: Entrepreneurs can benefit from listings in the JCommerce Business Directory.
• Start-up Funding: Critical financial support, that is crucial and game changing for businesses.
To date, JCommerce have extended over £1.6 million in loans as well as provided more than 1,500 hours of mentoring and advice.
Making a Difference in the Community Enterprise is at the heart of the community’s ability to be economically self-sustaining, with Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) being the backbone of Greater Manchester, accounting for 85% of local businesses. JCommerce’s plays a crucial role in the community’s ecosystem, which Norman Younger, Chair of Trustees and founder of JCommerce, is keen to emphasise:
“We are fundamentally supporting individuals, giving them dignity and the ability to stand on their own two feet.”
LSJS staff attend Prizmah Conference in Boston
Staff from the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) presented at the Prizmah Conference, the gathering place of the Jewish day school and yeshiva network, in Boston, Massachusetts, last week. As the leading provider of Jewish adult education and teacher training in the UK, LSJS aims to build institutional global relationships, with the Prizmah conference acting as the ideal event. Over 1,000 professionals and lay leaders from over 300 Prizmah Network schools gathered for three days of high-quality learning and the opportunity to build connections and collaborate.
Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum, LSJS’ Dean and Jonny Atkins, School Direct Secondary Programme Manager, presented a session together on LSJS/UJIA report on the Future of Jewish Education in the UK: a community project; a piece of research conducted over a year in 2022, with 70 professionals from across the education sector including schools, synagogues, youth movements and other supporting organisations across the religious spectrum, looking at the best way to build post-Covid and find more joined up ways to offer Jewish education. The report has produced many relevant recommendations which are being put into action through a dedicated working group.
Rabbi Dr Zarum also gave a session entitled ‘How Big is G-d? Encouraging and Responding to Challenging Questions’. “Meeting hundreds of like-minded top-level teachers and headteachers from across America and Canada was thrilling; we made the most of networking opportunities throughout the conference and everyone was fascinated as to how we do things in the UK,” said Rabbi Dr Zarum.
“They were especially interested in our approach to strategic and systematic change.” Additionally, there was a lot interest in Rabbi Dr Zarum’s recent book, ‘Questioning Belief’, which has been bought by a wide range of high schools who are integrating it into their curriculums for seniors.
The Prizmah Network is built on the belief that peer-to-peer learning and strong relationships are key to strengthening institutions. The network bolsters schools through facilitated engagement and connection, enabling them to gain support and wisdom from experts and peers, collaborate on field-wide efforts and learn together.
For further information, please email lsjsadmin@lsjs.ac.uk or call 020 8203 6427
There are numerous stories of businesses who owe their success and can testify to JCommerce’s impact. One grateful business owner shared:
“I was desperate to start up but couldn’t secure the funds. JCommerce gave me my big break.”
Another entrepreneur noted:
“With their help, I was able to take my business to the next level without the constant stress of cash flow issues.”
Collaborative Partnerships for Greater Impact
An important part of JCommerce ethos is to work collaboratively with other local organisations who offer services to businesses that complement their own, with several combined events recently.
A very successful and well attended two-part workshop was held in collaboration with JEWEL, the Manchester employment support service. Session one covered “The ABCs of Starting a New Business,” followed by a panel discussion featuring successful local businesswomen. The second session, “Conversation with Experts,” allowed participants to engage directly with the panel.
Zara Newman, a JCommerce trustee who led the workshop, remarked:
“These fantastic opportunities run by JEWEL allowed participants from businesses of all sizes to share best practices
and learn essential fundamental business skills.”
Another popular event was a Business Lunch and Learn co-hosted with Kollel L’Dayonus (KDNY). Dayan Chaim Krausz spoke on the importance of supporting fellow Jewish businesses, with over 30 participants from various industries networking and delivering business pitches.
According to Yisroel Meir Shaftesley, KDNY Director:
“More people than ever are choosing to start a business over the traditional employment route. JCommerce is the ‘go-to’ business support service in Manchester.”
Showcasing Women’s Businesses
A recent Showcase Event for Women’s Businesses was held in collaboration with Women of Work, a successful network of local business women that share information, advice and guidance on issues relating to the world of work. With over 40 exhibitors, the event was a sell-out, providing valuable exposure to new customers and clients for the entrepreneurs who attended.
Looking Ahead
With plans to expand its start-up loan program and introduce centrally located hot desk facilities, JCommerce remains committed to supporting financial sustainability and business growth within the community.
New Golders Green Eruv from Shabbos Parshas Yisro
After many months of meticulous planning and halachic oversight, the Golders Green Eruv was operational from last Shabbos, Parshas Yisro, bringing a significant enhancement to the kehilla’s Shabbos experience.
Under the hechsher of HaRav Shraga Feivel Zimmerman, shlita, in his capacity as Rosh and Av Beis Din of Kehillas Federation, the eruv has been designed and constructed to the highest halachic standards, to ensure that it meets the needs of the tzibbur. The eruv’s establishment will bring relief to many families, in particular to those with young children and those requiring mobility assistance, ensuring that they are able to move more freely on Shabbos.
The project, which launched in 2023,
was undertaken with tremendous care, ensuring every aspect adhered to the most stringent halachic requirements. For example, it does not encompass busy roads or dual carriageways, and special dalsos (adjustable barriers) have been installed, which will be closed at key locations in a manner agreed upon with Barnet Council. The technical execution was overseen by experts in hilchos eruvin, who worked tirelessly to complete the project to the highest standard.
A special hakoras hatov is due to the dedicated baalei batim and askonim who invested countless hours in ensuring the eruv’s success, as well as to all those who supported the initiative through their generosity and encouragement.
The tzibbur is reminded that an eruv must be checked weekly to ensure its continued kashrus. Eruv status updates will be published on the eruv website each Erev Shabbos, and all are encouraged to verify its status before relying on it. A precise map of the eruv boundaries, along with further information on its correct use, is available on the website https://ggeruv. org/.
ASK THE RABBI
THE SHIDDUCH CRISIS
Dear Rabbi
I’ve been searching for the right person to marry, but I find myself struggling. I keep wondering, am I looking for the wrong things? How do I know if someone is truly the right match for me? You’ve heard of the “shidduch crisis,” as they call it. This isn’t only my struggle but many friends of mine, of equal age, mid-thirties to early forties, have spent years looking for Mr. Right but can’t seem to find what we are looking for. Can you share your thoughts on what you think we should be looking for? Is it too late for some of us?
Chantalle
Dear Chantalle
It’s natural to focus on finding someone who checks all the right boxes - kindness, intelligence, shared values, and attraction. However, an often-overlooked aspect of choosing a life partner is not just who they are, but who you become in their presence.
A truly fulfilling marriage isn’t just about compatibility; it’s about growth. The right person will bring out your best qualities, inspire you to become a better version of yourself, and encourage your personal and spiritual development. A strong relationship is not just about feeling loved but also about feeling like the best version of yourself when you’re with them.
Instead of solely asking, “Do they meet my expectations?” ask yourself, “Do I like who I am when I’m with them?”
A healthy marriage is built on mutual encouragement, respect, and the ability to bring out each other’s strengths. Seek a partner who not only shares your values but also uplifts you, challenges you to grow, and supports your aspirations.
Please don’t ever consider it, “too late.” It is never too late to find the right person. Love and meaningful connection are not bound by age. Some of the strongest, most fulfilling marriages happen later in life. Every stage of life brings new opportunities for connection, and sometimes, being that little bit older allows you to find someone who aligns with your deeper, more mature understanding of love and partnership.
Rather than searching for the perfect person, look for someone with whom you can build a meaningful and evolving partnership - one where love is not just a feeling but a journey of shared growth and self-discovery. No matter your age, the right relationship can bring new beginnings, deeper joy, and a renewed sense of purpose.
MY OFF-THE-COURT STRUGGLE
Dear Rabbi
I used to be a semi-pro tennis player. Of course that meant playing most games on a Shabbat. I was going places but had a
life experience that changed everything. I am now a Bal Teshuva and have given up professional tennis. My problem is that as a Jewish person striving for spiritual growth, I often find myself frustrated by setbacks - times when I fall short in prayer, struggle to keep a mitzvah, or feel distant from Hashem. I also sometimes get caught up in moments of inspiration, only to later lose momentum. How can I learn to stay fully committed to my spiritual journey without being discouraged by failures or overly attached to fleeting successes? Have I aimed too high?
Josh
Dear Josh Tennis champion, Roger Federer, once shared the following: “Perfection is impossible. In the 1526 singles games I’ve played in my career, I’ve won almost 80% of those matches. What percentage of points do you think I won in those matches? Only 54%. In other words, even top ranked tennis players win barely more than half of the points they play. When you lose every second point on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot. You teach yourself to think, OK, I double-faulted, it’s only a point. I got to the net, and I got passed again, it’s only a point. Even a great shot – an overhead backhand smash that ends up on ESPN’s top ten best tennis shots – it’s only a point.
Here’s the take-away: When you’re playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world – and it is. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you. This mindset is crucial, because it enables you to fully commit to the next point and the point after that, with intensity, clarity and focus.
Just as a top-ranked player wins only 54% of the points they play, even the most righteous and spiritually committed people don’t “win” every moment of their spiritual journey. No one prays with perfect kavanah (intent) every time, fulfils every mitzvah with complete
joy, or avoids every struggle with doubt or distraction. The key is learning how to keep moving forward without getting discouraged by setbacks or overly attached to moments of inspiration.
When we experience spiritual failures it’s easy to dwell on them or to let guilt prevent us from moving forward. But if we let every moment of failure define us, we risk getting stuck, losing momentum, and even giving up altogether. It is said, the definition of a righteous person (Tzadik)isn’t those who never fails; they’re the ones who continue moving forward despite failure. At the same time, we can’t live off our past “wins” either. A powerful prayer, a deeply moving Shabbat experience, or an act of chesed that fills us with meaning is beautiful and significant, but it’s only one step in the journey. If we cling too tightly to those moments, we may become complacent or frustrated when the next moment isn’t as inspiring. The journey of spiritual growth isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency, about showing up again and again, knowing that some moments will be better than others.
The key lesson is balance: when we are in the moment, we must give it our full focus and effort. But once it passes— whether it was a failure or a triumph—we must let it go and be fully present for the next one.
The Future of Jewish Leadership
BY REBBETZIN ELISHEVA NEWMAN
The necessity of investing in young Jewish talent to ensure a strong, innovative future.
A fellow educator recently shared a profound insight with me while I was in Poland: “A person dies twice; first when we physically leave this world, and then again when the last person who knew us passes away.” These words resonated deeply, reinforcing the urgency to utilize our unique gifts, assets, and circumstances to make a lasting impact. The further our reach, the greater our legacy. True leadership is defined by those who take responsibility -shaping lives, influencing communities, and leaving an indelible mark on the world. However, leadership is not the sole domain of established figures; it must be nurtured among emerging voices eager to shape the future.
At FJL – the Forum for Jewish Leadership, a part of the Jewish Futures family of organisations - we are dedicated to inspiring, cultivating, and empowering the
next generation of Jewish leaders. Every aspect of our month-long summer programme, whether in Tel Aviv or New York, delivers a clear and powerful message: professional success with a deep commitment to Jewish values. This is embedded in the structure of our programme - top-tier internships during the day, complemented by enriching evening and weekend programming. Our students engage with Jewish leaders, individuals who have embraced responsibility, made an impact locally or globally, and done so with unwavering Jewish values guiding their decisions.
One such role model our students encountered this summer was a highly successful businessman who shared a pivotal moment from his early career. He recalled closing a major deal with a company that initially hesitated to work with someone of his stature. When he pressed for an explanation, he was told that the CEO recognised his integrity, drawn from his visible commitment to Jewish values, and felt confident in doing business with him. His story underscored a vital lesson: success is not just about expertise or
ambition—it’s about character, ethics, and the principles we stand for.
The impact of our programme is best captured in the words of a student who recently completed the FJL experience: “I now see Judaism as a core part of who I am, beyond just traditions. It influences my decisions, my values, and my sense of responsibility. I plan to be more active in my local community, ensuring that as I build my career, I also give back through tzedakah and other forms of support. This experience has shown me that Jewish leadership comes in many forms, and I am more committed than ever to being part of that future.”
The Hebrew word for responsibility is achrayut, and there are countless ways to embody it. In essence, achrayut means stepping up - taking charge of one’s own life, uplifting others, and making a meaningful difference. The Torah provides a timeless blueprint for living a life of responsibility, from mitzvot that guide personal behaviour to those that shape societal ethics. When young, driven individuals internalise this message, the future of Jewish leadership is in strong
hands - rooted in ancient wisdom yet fully adaptable to the modern world. This ensures that our communities will continue to thrive with resilience, moral clarity, and a profound commitment to justice and integrity.
By fostering a culture of responsibility, we are not only shaping leaders - we are securing the future of the Jewish people. And in doing so, we ensure that our impact endures far beyond our own time, echoing across generations to come.
Elisheva holds a BSc in Mathematics and has a QTS teaching qualification. She was an inspiring and much-loved teacher at MMK for nine years. Passionate about people and Judaism, Elisheva has held various educational and social director roles including spending two years in Bristol with Aish on Campus opening her home to Jewish students. Elisheva, together with her husband, are the UK FJL Educators. Her role includes learning with and maintaining strong connections with Alumni – the leaders of tomorrow! For interest in the FJL summer programme contact info@jewish-leadership.com
A social blueprint
BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN
One might have expected the first laws delivered after Har Sinai to reflect something lofty and transcendent, echoing the otherworldly nature of our divine encounter atop that mountain. Yet, the first halachot delivered after the Aseret Hadibrot do not address korbanot or ritual mitzvot. Likewise, they do not immediately describe the construction of a Mikdash Temple sanctuary or deliver statutes governing life in the Holy Land. Instead, the initial halachot following Sinai address personal moral conduct and the formation of an ethical society. The foundation of religious life is moral integrity. Before introducing rituals, ceremonies, or prohibitions, Hashem demands that we act with decency and righteousness.
Additionally, a Torah lifestyle does more than cultivate refined moral behavior – it lays the foundation for an ethical and stable society. For this reason the majority of the laws in parashat Mishpatim – the first section after Matan Torah–focus on social justice and the structures that uphold it.
THE WEAKEST LINK
A society is only as stable and moral as its commitment to protecting its most vulnerable members. Therefore, the laws in Mishpatim repeatedly return to the treatment of slaves.
While modern technology has thankfully eliminated the need for much manual labor, slavery was a tragic and widespread reality throughout history. The Torah carefully regulates our treatment of slaves, with particular concern for female slaves, who found themselves in an even more precarious position than male slaves.
SHABBAT, CHAGIM AND SOCIAL COHESION
Likewise, The Torah spotlights our treatment of other vulnerable members of society, including orphans and widows, emphasizing their dignity and well-being.
Finally, the presentation of social laws concludes with a mention of Shabbat and the chagim. Though these sacred days carry profound philosophical and national meaning – recalling Creation and pivotal moments in Jewish history – they also serve an essential “social” function. Setting aside time and gathering to commemorate shared experiences form the glue that binds families and forges communal bonds that endure. On these days, we retell our collective story and, in recalling our shared narrative, reaffirm our commitment to communal living and selflessness. Shabbat and the festivals are not just moments of spiritual reflection – they are pillars of a stable and cohesive society.
The message behind this sequencing of
mitzvot is unmistakable: Hashem expects us to build an ethical society rooted in justice, fairness, the equitable distribution of rights and resources, and the safeguarding of human dignity and freedom. Ideally, the Torah provides the blueprint for constructing a moral civilization. Unfortunately, we did not always live up to these standards. During the First Mikdash, we became fixated on rituals and ceremonies at the expense of moral integrity. Hashem sent numerous nevi’im to rebuke us, warning against the hypocrisy of masking corruption behind the facade of Mikdash worship. But we refused to heed their calls and our obstinacy sealed the fate of the First Mikdash, bringing about its destruction.
A LARGER STAGE
For the past two thousand years, we have built communities founded on charity, compassion, and respect for human dignity. Remarkably, we succeeded – even under the most extreme and oppressive conditions. It was not easy to maintain ethical societies while confined to suffocating ghettos or being cast from land to land. Yet, by and large, we remained faithful to our national mission. However, during our exile, without Jewish sovereignty, we lacked the ability to extend these ideals to the national sphere. Our aspirations remained confined to the walls of our own communities, awaiting the moment when they could take root on a national scale.
overlook the significance of social justice and hesitate to champion its cause. Too often, there is a reflexive tendency to withdraw from platforms embraced by the non-Orthodox, as if a value emphasized outside our circles cannot belong to the moral framework of Orthodox Jewry.
This tendency has surfaced both in Israel and in Jewish communities abroad. In Israel, many secular parties have championed the cause of social justice, culminating in nationwide protests for tzedek hevrati fourteen years ago. Unfortunately, many religious parties have ceded this platform to secular movements, as though fighting for social justice were not an integral part of our own tradition.
In the broader Jewish world, over the past two centuries, non-Orthodox movements have placed social justice and tikkun olam at the center of their religious identity –often at the expense of classic halachic observance.
Now that we have returned to Israel and rebuilt a Jewish state, we are once again faced with both the challenge and the opportunity to create a society rooted in compassion and morality.
The tragic and horrific events of the past year and a half have provided a ghastly contrast, exposing the savagery of a society built upon violence and brutality. We face abominable murderers as enemies, and their cruelty and inhumanity deepen our appreciation for a world that upholds freedom and human dignity.
We also understand that, in the long run, societies founded on justice and compassion are stronger, more enduring, and more resilient. The test before us is not only to defend ourselves against those who revel in destruction but to ensure that our own nation embodies the highest ethical ideals.
ORTHODOX RECOIL
betrayal is grotesque, leaving a bitter taste and casting a shadow over the entire enterprise of social justice.
This led many Orthodox Jews to mistakenly assume that advocating for social justice had little place within an Orthodox value system.
Social justice is not the property of any single group. The pursuit of an ethical society is not a concession to modernity but a fulfillment of our ancient mission. We should not judge an idea’s validity based on who else adopts or promotes it.
Instead, Orthodox Jews must forge a society that embodies both Torah and Mitzvot as well as moral integrity.
BETRAYED
The broader cultural war against our people has also led us to recoil from the concept of social justice. For decades, Jews have been at the forefront of defending the rights of minorities and the underprivileged. Yet now, we watch in astonishment as many of those who benefited from our advocacy turn their backs on us, hypocritically and baselessly accusing us of moral crimes. Is our broader society worthy of social justice? Have the beneficiaries of social justice squandered their rights to a just society? Obviously the answer is yes, but their
Even the word “justice” itself has been hijacked, distorted, and twisted into something unrecognizable. The heinous organization calling itself “Justice for Palestine” has incited violence against Jews across the world, sullying the word “justice” and weaponizing it for hatred. It is difficult to champion a cause when its language has been so thoroughly corrupted.
Yet, we cannot sink to the lowest rung of the moral ladder, and we cannot abandon the Torah’s vision of justice simply because others have defiled its name. We cannot allow the surrounding moral chaos to convince us that social justice is not an essential part of religious life. Social compassion is the legacy of Avraham Avinu, who was not only the father of our nation but also a protector of humanity, pleading even for the sinners of Sodom in a desperate attempt to spare them from destruction. Where there is injustice, Jews show up.
In our morally broken world, our lofty ideals are thrown back in our faces. The justice we championed has been perverted, and the causes we supported have, at times, turned against us. But that cannot deter us. We must continue striving for social justice – not because others demand it, but because it is our divine mandate and national legacy. It was the first foundation stone laid at Sinai.
The writer is a rabbi at the hesder Yeshivat Har Etzion/Gush, with YU ordination and an MA in English literature from CUNY. His most recent book, Reclaiming Redemption: Deciphering the Maze of Jewish History (Mosaica Press), is in bookstores and at www.mtaraginbooks.com
ERETZ YISRAEL
Drawing Near the King Weekly Dvar Torah FROM
BY RABBANIT SHANI TARAGIN
In last week’s Parashat Yitro, the Torah recounts Am Yisrael’s response to what they saw and heard at Har Sinai: “And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the shofar, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off… And the people stood afar off; but Moshe drew near unto the thick darkness where G-d was” (Shemot 20:15,18).
The description of Moshe “drawing near” while the nation (twice mentioned) “stood afar off” reminds us of another scene eighty years earlier – namely, the salvation of Moshe in his first months of life. Moshe was laid by the reeds of the river – “And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him” (Shemot 2:4). In addition to the textual similarities, the allusion is sharpened as the situations are quite similar: Both Miriam and Am Yisrael stood from afar motivated by fear; Miriam, apprehensive
regarding Pharaoh’s decree, and Am Yisrael fearful of Divine revelation. In both cases, Moshe remained alone to confront the source of fear, and in both cases, Moshe’s encounter with “higher authorities” edified his personality and prepared him for political and religious leadership.
Miriam witnessed the compassion displayed by Bat-Pharaoh who drew Moshe from the water and raised him as her son. The Torah immediately thereafter teaches us of Moshe’s adolescent years wherein he went to see the oppression of his brethren Hebrew slaves: “And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And he went out the second day, and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together; and he said to him that did the
MISHPATIM
1st Aliya (Kohen) –SHEMOT 21:1-19
The sidra contains many mitzvot, of which a selection has been included here. It starts with the laws of a Jewish servant. He is to work for six years, after which he can go free. Alternatively, he can decide to stay on as a servant forever.
2nd Aliya (Levi) – 21:20-22:3
The penalties for physically injuring others are listed. An ox that gores a person to death is stoned. One may not dig pits in the public domain. Stealing an animal and then selling or slaughtering it incurs an extra penalty.
Point to Consider: Why is there no death penalty for a person who kills a thief in self-defence? (see Rashi to 22:1)
3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 22:4-26
The laws governing guardians and borrowers of objects are listed – the level of responsibility for losing or damaging the object varies according to the nature of the contract. Special emphasis is placed on not mistreating a widow or an orphan. It is forbidden to take interest when lending money to the poor.
4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 22:27-23:5
The mitzvah of pidyon haben (redemption of the first born) is repeated. It is forbidden to eat an animal which died without shechita (kosher slaughter). One must not
wrong: ‘Why do you strike your fellow?’” (2:11–13)
How strikingly similar this scene is to the initial mitzvot commanded in Parashat Mishpatim, following the description of Am Yisrael standing from afar as they watched Moshe enveloped by the cloud of G-d! The parasha of statutes begins with the laws of the Hebrew slave and female maidservant (21:1–11) immediately followed by “He who fatally strikes a man shall be put to death” (v. 12) and “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with stone or fist…” (v. 18).
Perhaps the Torah is teaching us how Moshe, already as a young man, was worthy of transmitting the Divine words of the Torah as he lived them in a microcosmic manner even prior to Har Sinai! He acted on the moral statutes commanded in Mishpatim – he smote the Egyptian who was fatally striking a Hebrew slave, and chastised his brethren for quarreling one with the other. But then Moshe had to flee for his subjective and personal moral standards were contrary to the
Egyptian rule and culture. In this week’s parasha, as those same moral statutes are commanded through Divine revelation to the entire nation of Yisrael, Moshe does not retreat. On the contrary, he “draws near” prepared to teach and lead us “to the place that I have made ready” (23:20). This week’s parasha corroborates Moshe’s personal moral imperative as Divine law. Moreover, it ‘redeems’ Am Yisrael as “a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation”; a nation that witnessed revelation and is implored to display sensitivity to all human life, beginning with slaves, not based on ‘natural law’ but ‘Divine law’, is transformed from a nation of slaves to a nation of G-dly emissaries.
Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational Director of World Mizrachi and teaches at Matan and other educational institutions in Israel. She is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/ speakers).
favour the destitute in court. A stray ox or donkey should be returned to its owner.
5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 23:6-19
A judge has to avoid showing favour or taking bribes. For six years the land is worked; in the seventh year (shemittah) it is prohibited to work the land. The three pilgrim festivals – Pesach, Shavuot and Succot – are listed. There is a mitzvah to bring one’s first fruits (bikurim) to the Temple. It is prohibited to cook meat and milk together.
6th Aliya (Shishi) – 23:20-25
G-d says that He will send an angel to guide the nation in their conquest of
the Land, helping them to destroy the host nations. They are warned not to emulate the idolatrous ways of those nations.
7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 23:26-24:18
The narrative now switches back to three days before the giving of the Torah (Rashi). Moshe builds 12 altars at the foot of Mount Sinai, one for each tribe, on which offerings are brought. Moshe sprinkles the blood of the offerings on the people, who famously proclaim “we will do and we will listen” (na’aseh ve’nishma). Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and 70 elders see a very pure ‘vision’ of G-d. Moshe remains on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights.
HAFTARAH (YIRMIYAHU 34:8-22 and 33:25-26)
King Tzidkiyahu had finally reached an agreement with the people to release their servants, as stipulated in the first aliyah of this week’s sidra. However, the people quickly renege on the pact and recapture the freed servants. G-d tells the prophet Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) that this terrible act of treachery will leave Yehudah (Judah) vulnerable to the Babylonian invaders.
HMO News Today
Understanding the Property Management Process and Our Comprehensive Services
Our mission is to make property ownership and renting a seamless and rewarding experience. Whether you're a landlord seeking peace of mind or a tenant looking for a well-managed home, we provide a full range of services to support every stage of the property management process. Here’s a closer look at how we handle property management from start to finish, along with the specific services we offer.
1. Property Onboarding and Marketing The process begins with a thorough property onboarding, where we ensure your property is fully ready to be placed on the market.
Our services include: Property Assessment: We evaluate the property’s current condition and suggest any needed repairs or improvements to maximize its rental value.
Professional Photography and Listings: High-quality images and detailed listings help your property stand out, attracting quality tenants. Strategic Marketing: We advertise on multiple platforms, targeting prospective tenants through online listings, social media, and local networks.
2. Tenant Screening and Leasing
Finding the right tenant is crucial for a successful rental experience. We handle the entire screening process to ensure reliable and responsible occupants:
Comprehensive Background Checks:
We verify employment, check credit scores, contact previous landlords, and conduct background checks to ensure tenant reliability.
Lease Preparation and Signing: We prepare and manage lease agreements, covering all legal aspects to protect both landlords and tenants.
Move-In Coordination:
We ensure a smooth move-in process by completing an initial walkthrough and documenting the property’s condition with a checklist.
3. Rent Collection and Financial Reporting
Our property management services include rent collection and transparent financial reporting to keep landlords informed and tenants accountable:
Automated Rent Collection: We use a reliable, user-friendly system for rent collection, minimizing delays and ensuring timely payments.
Financial Reporting: We provide monthly and annual statements with detailed breakdowns of income, expenses, and any maintenance costs.
Handling Late Payments: We manage any issues related to overdue rent, following legal procedures to ensure compliance and maintain professionalism.
4. Maintenance and Repairs
Regular maintenance and prompt repairs are vital for tenant satisfaction and property upkeep. We oversee all maintenance tasks with a network of trusted contractors:
Routine Inspections: We conduct regular property inspections to identify any necessary repairs and ensure compliance with safety regulations.
24/7 Emergency Repairs: Our team is available around the clock to handle urgent repair needs, providing peace of mind to both landlords and tenants.
Preventative Maintenance: We schedule routine maintenance tasks, such as heating and plumbing checks, to avoid costly issues down the line.
5. Compliance and Legal Support
Navigating regulations and legal requirements can be complex, but we handle all aspects of compliance for you:
Safety Compliance Checks: We ensure that properties meet all legal safety standards, including smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, and emergency exits.
Legal Assistance: Our team stays up-to-date on property law changes and manages eviction proceedings if necessary, ensuring that landlords comply with all legal requirements.
Our services cover every aspect of property management, from initial tenant placement to ongoing maintenance and legal compliance. By working with us, landlords can enjoy the benefits of a well-managed property without the day-to-day hassle, while tenants gain access to a reliable, responsive support team. If you’re looking to make the most of your property investment or are seeking a better rental experience, contact us today.
Hampshire Heights are experts in HMO property management.
Parasha Insights | MONEY
BY RABBI SHAUL YONATAN TAWIL
There is a joke told about a thief who decided to rob a house one night. He broke in stealthily and after much effort found some expensive jewellery which he managed to pack into his bag. Just then he heard a voice, “Yossi is watching you, Yossi is watching you!”
The thief froze scared out of his mind. He pointed his flashlight into the direction he heard the voice and saw a parrot.
“Yossi is watching you, Yossi is watching you!” The thief, with a relief started to laugh and asked the parrot “So who are you?” The Parrot responded “Moshe Moshe”.
“And who’s the fool that named you Moshe anyway?” asked the thief.
“The same fool that named the Rottweiler standing behind you Yossi!”
Times are tough across the globe and theft has increased worldwide. What drives a thief’s lust? Why does he take the risk? How does the Torah view a thief and what is his punishment?
The Kohelet Rabah (1:13) states Ein Haadam Niftar Min Haolam Vechetsi Ta’avato Biyado – No one in this world achieves even half of that which he desires before passing away. Yesh Beyado Maneh Taavato Matayim – If he has 100 Maneh (currency), he wants 200 Maneh. We never seem to be happy with what we achieve.
Rabbi Yonatan Eibshitz z’l notes, that on closer inspection the (above mentioned) sayings about human nature seem to have a percentage point contradiction between them.
One aphorism states, “No person dies having fulfilled half of his desires.”
The other claims, “If you have 100 you want 200.” One implies that a person may approach but never
reaches 50% of his or her ambitions. The second places the dividing point at exactly 50% implying you can achieve exactly half. So which is it? R Eibshitz reconciles the two with a fascinating insight into our nature.
King Solomon wrote, “Like a bird that strays from her nest so is a man that wanders from his place” (Mishlei 27:8). To the baby bird planted securely in her nest, the forest floor is a lure. Similarly the big city calls to the country youth. With one step too many the little fellow is out there. Once down on the ground though, the proportions of the lurking dangers swell back to size. Suddenly, that defenceless creature with underdeveloped wings is in constant risk of being swallowed whole. Eventually she longs for the nurturing nest.
R Eibshitz explains that people’s lusts take on the same fate and in the above case; “The half that he doesn’t have is more-dear to him than the half that he does have.”
Thus even though he has achieved 50% of his ambition, nevertheless in his eyes it is less then 50%. Now that he has achieved it, he turns to the 50% he has not achieved and gives greater value to that. A person who constantly pursues wealth will never truly feel fulfilled. Even when achieving his desired wealth, the lure for more will always provide a greater pull.
Our Parasha teaches that a thief who is caught must pay double the amount he has stolen. The Torah seems adamant to stamp out this vile sin, but why punish him by enforcing double payment?
The Kli Yakar (21:12) explains that the thief personifies lust. He is always chasing after money and wealth. He wasn’t satisfied with what he had, he craved to double his money –therefore as a punishment (Mida Kneged Mida – like for like) he is obliged to pay double.
This is also hinted via the word used for money – Mamon. The word Mamon is spelt with the letters Mem, Vav, Nun. When you spell these letters out they all begin and end with the same letter.
Thus one who steels Mamon (made up of double letters and implying never ending lust,) pays double.
In the times of Noach when Hashem decided to destroy the world, one of the determining factors was their rampant theft. The epicentre of this sin lies in the haughtiness of the individual, placing his interest and lust above that of society.
Money might make the world go around, but we
shouldn’t make it the focus of our world. Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Tawil is the Founder and Director of ‘Torah Action Life’ (TAL)
Family Fun Mishpatim -
We now have been given the Torah and its time to learn how to keep it! This week Sidra contains no less than 53 FIFTY THREE Mitzvot! Many of them are about the laws of how to be careful with other people’s feelings and possessions. Also, in the olden days, many people owned animals that could cause damage to things, so the laws of this are taught too. How about if you dig a pit and a donkey falls in to it? Or start a
garden fire which burns your neighbour’s haystack? When do you need to pay and when not? What about lending moneycan you lend someone 50p and ask for 55p back? No! That’s interest (very interesting!) And, if your friend asks you to look after her lawnmower, you need to make sure it stays safe and certainly if you borrow a man’s hairbrush (or private airplane) you need to make sure you are super careful with it... There
Word Search
is so much Torah to learn... and many thousands of Torah students spend years learning these Mitzvot all day long... We are told not to cook, (eat or benefit from) milk and meat together, and how best to keep the Mitzvot around the Yamim Tovim. If someo ne stole in the olden days and had no money to pay back, we don’t send him to jail, we send him to a nice Jewish home as a slave where he is treated with
respect and dignity and thereby recovers from his stealing habits...
At the end of the Sidra, Moshe goes up the mountain where he stays for 40 days and nights and learns all the Torah the Jewish people will ever learn! And he prepares to come down the mountain to give it to them, but wait few weeks for what happens in the end...
Tangram Challenge!
Using all the shapes, can you make the shape on the right?
Word Wheel
The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel. Each word must contain at least three letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.
Last edition’s words
Here are some words you may have found from last week – you may have found more!
R D O N E I U S F
Jokes
Q: Why couldn’t the pirate play cards?
A: Because he was sitting on the deck!
Q: Why can’t your nose be 12 inches long?
A: Because then it would a foot!
Q: What do you call an underwater spy?
A: James pond!
Q: When does a doctor get angry?
A: When he runs out of patients!.
Riddles
What goes up and down but does not move?
Where can you find cities, towns, shops and streets but no people? 3. What gets wetter as it dries?
A Call To Authenticity
BY RABBI YONASAN ROODYN
In a world of AI, filters and carefully curated images on social media, when anyone can pretend to be anything, the call for authenticity has never been louder. We live in a world where influencers are selling all manner or products, lifestyle choices and perhaps even more importantly, values and ideals. We only have to look to the current conflict in Gaza and beyond to see how easily people are influenced by Tik Tok feeds and Instagram reels. Young people especially, are being bombarded by ideas and don’t know where to turn. As parents, grandparents or educators, those responsible for the Jewish future, we must remain authentic—true to ourselves, our beliefs, and our values—to have a meaningful impact. Authenticity or amitiut in Hebrew means both living with truth and being true to oneself. People project images through dress, speech, and social circles, but nothing is more off-putting than inauthenticity. While everyone makes mistakes, there is a vast difference between human error and deliberate deception. Esav is the character in Tanach who epitomises this falsehood. The Torah describes him as am ish tzayid a “hunter”— not only of animals but also of people,
using deception to appear righteous. He inquired about tithes on straw and salt to feign piety, while engaging in horrific crimes. Chazal compare him to a pig— displaying split hooves to appear kosher while internally non-kosher. Perhaps this inauthenticity is why the pig remains the ultimate symbol of non-kosher, despite its external resemblance to a kosher animal.
This theme of sincerity versus superficiality echoes throughout Jewish history, particularly in the rebuke of Yeshayahu HaNavi. Living 150 years before the destruction of the First Temple, he witnessed a society that outwardly observed mitzvot but was spiritually hollow. Yeshayahu is a prophet with a chazon, a vision, which Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch explains is related to the word ‘chazeh’, one’s chest, because the prophet ‘sees’ with his heart rather than his eyes. Rav Hirsch actually takes this idea further by phonetically connecting chazeh with chatzeh, to cut in half, meaning that when the prophet ‘sees’, he sees what is going on inside, the heart of the matter. As such, although things may have appeared to be just fine, in fact the opposite was the case, the nation was rotten to its core and heading for destruction. His famous words capture the problem: “This people honours Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me; their reverence is rote, human commandment learned by habit.” (Yeshayahu 29:13)
The world Mitzvah comes from Tzav which means to connect (indeed the Hebrew word for ‘team’ is Tzevet because Mitzvot are meant to be connectors). However, in order to create that connection, there needs to be an investment of self so that the external actions are indeed an honest expression or reflection of a rich inner world. Mitzvot that are devoid of meaning become ritualistic and uninspiring, at best performed, at worst ignored.
To be blunt about it, perfunctory, superficial observance is simply not enough to ensure a Jewish future. This is because children have an uncanny ability to discern whether the adults in their life are sincere and authentic. There are few greater factors in ensuring Jewish continuity than children who grow up in a home where they see their parents taking their Judaism seriously. The only substitute that can possibly come close are teachers and educators whose authenticity comes through in their sessions and lessons. Best of all, is where both work together in tandem.
This “all-in” commitment is at the heart of Jewish education. The Shema—recited daily, bound to our bodies, and affixed to our doorposts—demands:
“You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, all your soul, and all your resources.”
Only when we embody this wholehearted devotion can we successfully
transmit Torah to the next generation:
“These words… shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the path, and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
The Hebrew syntax here is so important, beshivtecha be beitecha, u velechetcha baderech u beshochbeca uve kumecha. This can be interpreted to mean, ‘You shall teach them (these words) thoroughly to your children, in the manner in which you sit in your home, in the way that you walk along the path and how you lie down and rise up. This is because the most powerful form of education is teaching by example. Perhaps most importantly, we need to demonstrate how Judaism is lived in practice with care, passion and meaning. They way we do things makes all the difference. Jewish continuity depends on authentic commitment.
The next generation is watching—let’s ensure they see the real thing.
Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn is the Educational Director of Jewish Futures, a tour guide for JRoots as well as serving as Rabbi of Finchley Federation Synagogue and on the Federation Beth Din’s Shaila text service. He has thousands of classes available online at www.torahanytime. com.
EXPERT ADVICE
Hi Emma, How can we understand emotions and support our young people in times of high emotion or stress?
Danny
Dear Danny,
Our emotions are a litmus test to how we feel about the world around us. They are a guide to what we will or won’t tolerate, where our boundaries need to be, and what makes us happy or sad, stressed or relaxed, angry or calm. All emotions are a form of communication. And we need to see the emotions shared with us by our young people through this lens. It’s vital that we are listening; not just to the words shared but the undercurrent of feeling. What messages are encoded in those emotions? It can be hard when a young person is experiencing big emotion, such as anger or anxiety. Often these emotions elicit a feeling of immediacy from us. We rush to act, instead of taking time to understand first. But we need to remember these emotions are vital clues about what might be going on for our young person’s state of mind. There are no bad emotions – just ones that are harder to manage. It’s important to remember that if they’re hard for us to experience, they’re equally, if not harder, for our young person to feel. In the moment, they need someone to be the calm in the eye of the storm, someone to anchor them.
We can help our young person move from reacting to responding. Firstly, help them contain their emotions by staying calm and helping them feel safe. Listen and connect with empathy, helping them feel validated and understood. For example, “I can hear how angry you feel about this”. We can explore how they feel by helping name the emotion and being thoughtful about how, in the future, we can pause, notice how we feel and act with intention.
To find out more about Jami’s Dangoor Children and Young People’s Service, visit jamiuk.org/dangoor-cyp and for Jami’s parent and carer support groups, email carersfamilysupport@jamiuk.org.
Emma Dorman, Senior Education Coordinator and CYP Service Education Lead at Jami, part of Jewish Care
ESTATE AGENT
MARTIN FRYDENSON - ROUNDTREE REAL ESTATE
Roundtree Real Estate are your local experienced Estate Agent having been established on the High Street since 2009. We are both ARLA and NAEA Propertymark regulated and we are here to offer you expert advice in Property Sales, Lettings, Commercial and Full Management Services, covering Hendon, Golders Green, Finchley, Colindale and surrounding areas. We have built long standing relationships with all our clients and should you have any property related queries please do contact us.
Contact: 020 8203 2111 mail@theroundtree.com www.theroundtree.com
Market
FINANCIAL SERVICES (FCA) COMPLIANCE
JACOB BERNSTEIN
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.
Contact: 020 7781 8019 info@richdale.co.uk www.richdale.co.uk
WEALTH MANAGMENT
MARC OVITS – BA (HONS) APFS CERT PFS (DM)
Over 25 years of successful experience in financial services including 11 years of investment banking experience.
Offering expert independent financial advice to individuals, businesses, charities and trusts. Individual services:- Wealth Management, Investment, Retirement, Estate/IHT, protection planning, Tax Mitigation and Cash Management Solutions
Business & Charity services:- Investment Planning, Business Succession & Business Exit Planning, Business Protection, Corporate Pensions, Employee Benefits, Cash Management Solutions, Profit extraction strategies
BUTCHERS
KOSHER DELI
Alpha Wealth Management Contact: 020 8203 6920 info@alphawm.co.uk www.alphawm.co.uk
Kosher Deli was established with the intention of making kosher meat and poultry affordable for all with the convenience of multiple locations and a comprehensive delivery service. All this without compromising on kashrus or quality.
Locations in: Golders Green, Hendon, Temple Fortune, Edgware, Borehamwood & Manchester
Contact: 020 8381 4450 info@kosherdeliuk.co.uk www.kosherdeli.co.uk
Jewish Care is the largest health and social care organisation serving the Jewish community in London and the South East. Our vital services touch the lives of 10,000 people every week. We provide services and offer a wide range of support groups to older people, people with mental health needs, Holocaust survivors, people living with dementia, people with a variety of needs and carers support.
Contact: Trevor Gee 020 3146 3444 07956 244350 trevor@patienthealth.co.uk www.patienthealth.co.uk
Contact: 020 8922 2222 helpline@jcare.org www.jewishcare.org
CHARITY
MANAGED I.T. SERVICES PROVIDER (MSP)
SIMON MOSCOVITZ BSC (HONS) – EUROTEK UK LIMITED
We are a well-established and successful Managed I.T. Services Provider (MSP) with a clear sense of purpose. We plan, design and enable the procurement, implementation, protection and management of a wide range of modern technologies through an earned and trusted partnership with our clients across the UK. We enable our clients to be operationally efficient by successfully embracing their digital transformation journey.
• Why choose Eurotek UK? Deliver > Manage > Automate > Secure > Backup
Contact: 0161 660 2745 hello@eurotekuk.co.uk www.eurotekuk.co.uk
BUILDING AND PARTY WALL SURVEYING
MATRIX SURVEYORS LIMITED
Offering a range of building surveying services and specialising in party wall matters, nationwide, for both consumers and businesses, including; -
• Pre-acquisition Surveys
• Party Wall Matters
• Defect Inspections
• Schedules of Condition
• Insurance Reinstatement Costs Assessments
Contact:
Toli Moscovitz BSc (Hons) MRICS 0161 823 6973
info@matrixsurveyors.co.uk www.matrixsurveyors.co.uk
• Planned Preventative Maintenance Schedules
• Construction Project Management
• Licence for Alterations
• Insurance claims
ALIYAH ADVISORS
ALIYAH ADVISORS - GARY BROWN - PRACTICAL ALIYAH ADVICE
Book a FREE meeting with UKAA’s founder Gary Brown, who will go through your particular needs and wants on a the PRACTICAL side of leaving your country of origin and/or living in/moving to Israel. This is both for pre and post- Aliyah Olim.
This FREE meeting will allow Gary to advise on who you need to speak with for each requirement and when in the year you should approach them. Confidentiality assured.
SHIPPING
Contact: +972 (0)2 372 3775 / +44 (0)20 3 989 5080 info@ukaliyahadvisors.com ukaliyahadvisors.com/providers/
STEPHEN MORRIS SHIPPING
With almost 40 years experience, our company has the ability to move household and personal effects and antiques and fine art with the professionalism and care that comes from that experience coupled with an attention to detail.
We construct our own Tri-Wall and wooden packing cases on site and employ full-time art installers and handymen for those ‘extra’ jobs that always need doing on a move or installation.
And size is no limitation – we have moved trains, boats and planes across the world and even bridges and a 5,000 seater tent!
Contact: 020 8832 2222 info@shipsms.co.uk www.shipsms.co.uk
AISH UK IMPACT 2024
6,390 UNIQUE PARTICIPANTS
10% INCREASE FROM 2023
1,010 STUDENTS
PARTICIPATING IN SEVEN OR MORE AISH UK EVENTS 67% INCREASE FROM 2023
1,920 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
ENGAGED IN SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES ACROSS LONDON AND MANCHESTER
36% OF ALL UK JEWISH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
PARTICIPATED IN AISH UK PROGRAMMES IN 2024
23-24 Feb 2025
14 SECONDARY SCHOOLS
23 UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES
1,589 ENROLMENTS IN MAVEN COURSES (183% INCREASE FROM 2023)
5,022 SHABBAT MEALS HOSTED 30% more than 2023