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www.jewishnews.co.uk
Jewish News 14 May 2020
News / West Bank debate / Shut shuls / Fun run
Condemn Israel’s plan, 39 deputies tell Board
Continued from page 1 safety of our members at this time. We are therefore extremely cautious regarding the reopening of synagogue buildings and will not recommend doing so until the evidence is clear that it will be safe to do so. “We are in close contact with all our rabbis and cantors and communities and discussing all options, including the possibility that our synagogues may not be able to open their doors for the High Holy Days in September.” Matt Plen, chief executive of Masorti
Judaism said the movement’s “communities will only resume face-to-face activities when it is safe to do so.” Meanwhile, Baroness Altmann has urged rabbis not to issue a ban on over 70s attending shuls when they do open. Writing in today’s Jewish News, she said: “I would respectfully point out that all older people, many of whom consider shul and community a vital element of life, should make their own choices, with guidance or advice, rather than having restrictions forced on them.” Baroness Altmann, page 22
You can run virtually, anywhere Israeli youth demonstrate as they call on Benjamin Netanyahu to declare sovereignty over Israel’s settlements in the West Bank
advancing unilateral annexation of West Bank territory which would be nothing short of an all-out assault on a negotiated agreement. No Palestinian negotiators would be involved in determining any future borders in the act of unilateral annexation.” It adds that any failure to “defend the two-state solution against threats made to it by all parties to the conflict” will under-
mine the Board of Deputies and its “credibility and integrity”. It says: “The Board’s statements of support for a two-state solution are worth nothing if the Board fails to speak up against a unilateral annexation.” It also “welcomes” another open letter strongly critical of the proposed annexation and signed last week by close to 500 Jewish students and youth groups. • Analysis, page 13
Maccabi GB will hold its community fun run virtually this year. Its Community Fun Run @ Home Online will take place all day on 24 May to raise money for Jewish frontline organisations and carers. Those taking part in the event can run, walk, hop and even skip a distance of 1km, 5km or 10 km at home while abiding by the UK’s lockdown rules. The fun run is a highlight of the community’s calendar and a significant source of income for good causes. Those taking part have been urged to share videos of their training using
Photo by Blake Ezra
Thirty-nine elected Board of Deputies representatives have signed a letter asking the organisation’s honorary officers to condemn Israel’s plans to annex parts of the West Bank, writes Mathilde Frot. Among the signatories are Sir Ivan Lawrence, a former chair of Conservative Friends of Israel, Ella Rose, former Jewish Labour Movement director, and Yachad’s former chair Gideon Smith. The letter represents about 15 percent of the Board’s deputies. It comes as hundreds of community members signed an open letter making the same request of the Board. More than 1,000 names are on the letter, also addressed to the honorary officers, as of Wednesday. Among the signatories, described in the open letter as “British Jews who support Israel’s right to thrive as a Jewish and democratic state”, were 10 rabbis as well as the the Labour peer Lord [Jeremy] Beecham and Green Party’s Baroness [Natalie] Bennett. The letter says: “The new Israeli government has committed to
CHIEF URGES CAUTION ON REOPENING SYNAGOGUES
Chief Rabbi at last year’s event
the hashtag #CFRonline and the social media handle @MGBCFR. Register at maccabigb.org/cfronline.