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VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY 4 February 2021

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22 Shvat 5781

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Issue No.1196

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4 February 2021

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4 February 2021

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22 Shvat 5781

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Issue No.1196

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@JewishNewsUK

Every week we pen a love letter to Jewish life – all Jewish life – and when it’s printed we call it our newspaper... VOICE OF THE We put our community first in everything we do and grab every opportunity to show off its vibrancy and achievements to the nation. That is our mission, our passion, our raison d’être. That is also why we have covered the great and good of the Charedi world, and done so extensively. In London alone this includes the neighbourhood watch service Shomrim, emergency response service Hatzola, mental health charity Bikur Cholim, special educational needs school Side-by-Side, public affairs group Interlink Foundation and new hospital food service Bedside Kosher, to name but a small handful – everything from interviews to whole days spent observing how an organisation works, meeting the people, seeing what they do, then telling readers. Far from ignoring the marvel that is the strictlyOrthodox community in full flow, we showcase and celebrate it. We have done more than any mainstream newspaper in Britain in recent years to build these ties and senior figures will happily confirm this. But ‘news’, as we all know, can be both good and bad, and we do not look away either. Nor would you expect us to. The Charedi world derives its strength and longevity from keeping the secular world at arm’s length, but the drawbacks of tight-knit self-isolation have been thrown into sharp and shocking focus like never before by this deadly pandemic.

exposure of huge underground (literally) superspreader events – a clear illegality and a danger to life. These events fly in the face of British and Jewish law that places life above all else. Likewise, it is with no joy that we report this week on a government study showing that two thirds of Charedi Jews contracted coronavirus last year. This is one of the highest With much reduced access to rates anywhere in the Guiding light s information from the outside world, world and nine times the this 20,000-stong community relies national average. on its leaders – senior rabbis – to And it is with open ears convey the deadly seriousness and that we listen to criticism, ever-changing threat of Covid-19. shown by the letters we If they say ‘adhere’, Charedim will publish today. • 50+ strictly-Ortho dox wed din adhere. If they say ‘no simchas,’ we gs Some asked why we do across London during lockdown • Lookouts used to rais e ala rm and money set would have no breaches to report. not instead reveal secular aside for fines • Bride at one Stamfo wedding was ‘Co rd Hill Yet our investigation last week, Jews breaching lockdown, vid positive’ • Police ‘not doing eno ugh’ to prevent acts of showing how large Charedi wedignoring that we reported lawlessness • Further simchas hel d since last week’s school dings have continued throughout wedding scanda on our front page about a l the pandemic, means some of barmitzvah with 100 guests them are saying no such thing. in Edgware just weeks ago. Yes, it caused upset nationally, Some said we should not UARinvestigation both externally and internally, Our front page report bad things about Jews. Y sparked yet the reaction was telling. anger in sections of the community Some accused us of having Many were more upset than an agenda (although of what shocked. Many were not in the least bit shocked at we’re still not sure). Some even said our reporting what we reported, only that we reported it. echoed the kind of thing one might have read We make no apologies. We can think of nothing in Berlin in 1940. Tellingly, virtually no one conthat better defines ‘public interest’ than the tested what we wrote. Continued on page 20

News F

IT’S WE EK TH RE E OF OU R 120 OV ER 80 CO UN E E TD OW

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15 Shvat 5781

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

News / Lockdown

Rabbi who ‘got around rules in charge of coord A rabbi accused of advising Jews in Stamford Hill on how to bypass coronavirus laws has been put in charge of “Covid coordination” by the community’s main umbrella group, writes Adam Decker. Rabbi Yossi Teitelbaum was handed the responsibility by the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations last month, despite his advice in December – purportedly “legal advice” – as having been described by experts as “riddled with errors”. In a newsletter delivered to thousands of homes across the community, dated 10 December 2020, Rabbi Teitelbaum said educational and religious gatherings, charity events, work meetings and lifecycle events were all “permitted activities” allowing “as many guests as one likes”. He said venue managers were “not responsible” if people refuse to wear masks inside, “extended bubbles” could allow

get-togethers “as big as you like with no distancing”, shop workers could say they “work in the back” to avoid masks, and post-marriage parties were within the definition of communal worship. In a section on the police, he wrote that officers “broke the law in many situations already and they need to be held to account,” without explaining what laws the police had broken. He added: “They have NO powers of entry. If a door is open and they enter you should ask them polite but firmly to step outside… If the police suspect an unlawful gathering they can get a warrant.” Rabbi Teitelbaum also said: “The only time the law specifically requires us to keep proper two-metre social distancing is weddings of strictly 15 people – the type of chasineh which no-one is interested in having anyway – and funerals.” Barrister Adam Wagner, a human rights lawyer who advises

‘Pray more, and risk your lives to teach kids Torah’ The Grand Rabbi of Israel’s second largest Chasidic sect has written an opinion piece saying teachers should endanger their lives to continue teaching Jewish children the Torah, despite the national lockdown, writes Adam Decker. Writing in Hamodia last week, Vizhnitz Rabbi Yisroel Hager said: “The pandemic is from God and has nothing to do with nature. What we need to do is pray more and be more pious. “Life is important but much more important is spiritual life and serving God… If people care for their physical health, then they need to be much more careful about their spiritual health. “The schools are the bedrock of Charedi society. One needs to endanger one’s life for the teaching of Torah for kids, like my father did during World War II. The Greeks wanted to stop us from learning Torah, but we risked our lives and did it anyway. “The government has closed our schools, even though they are allowing many other activities that they regard as essential. Therefore, we who regard our children’s education as essential need to do whatever we can to keep that going.” Hager hit the headlines in November for

Rabbi Yisroel Hager: ‘Pandemic is from God’

denouncing Jews who report violations of restrictions meant to contain the coronavirus. “Cry out bitterly and strongly protest against all those Jews who snitch and inform on other Jews who open schools or hold celebrations,” he said. “To interfere with another Jew holding a celebration is offensive and fundamentally unacceptable.”

No unlawful gatherings, say rabbis Twenty of Stamford Hill’s most senior strictlyOrthodox rabbis have signed an open letter calling on community members to “avoid unlawful gatherings and events”. The rare and coordinated intervention acknowledges that the rabbis’ order was prompted by recent events, including the police raid on a wedding at Yesodey Hatorah girls’ school, Jewish News’ investigation into wider breaches and Hackney Council’s expressed disgust at the continuation of gatherings. Binyomin Stern, president of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, said: “This call from our rabbonim makes clear everyone’s responsibility to adhere to the current lockdown in order to save lives.

“We will continue to reinforce this message so that it is not only heard but understood across the community.” The letter, signed by 20 of Stamford Hill’s leading rabbis, has been widely disseminated across the community, including through synagogues and in the Charedi media, and urges people to adhere to government rules. “In May 2020 we addressed the community about the seriousness of the Covid-19 regulations,” they said, in a letter that was written in both Yiddish and English. “We spoke then about the critical risk to health, the precedence that preserving life takes over all else, and our fundamental duty to observe the law of the land.”

the government, said this advice was “irresponsible” and would “lead to people getting £10,000 fines and worse”. Rabbi Teitelbaum’s most recent advice note on Covid restrictions, published two weeks ago, garnered praise for its markedly different tone and content, including his strong encouragement for community members to wear masks and avoid mingling. A friend of Rabbi Teitelbaum’s, who did not wish to be named, said: “He means well. His advice has changed since December. I think he realised how it came across. “His goal was to give hope and encouragement to families who had been stuck inside for the month of November, possibly with eight to nine kids.” Told about Rabbi Teitelbaum’s new Covid coordination role, however, Wagner said: “I don’t think it’s a good idea to have Rabbi Teitelbaum anywhere near Covid coordination for the strictly

SKY-HIGH INFECTIONS FOUND AMONG STRICTLY-ORTHODOX Up to two-thirds of London’s strictly-Orthodox Jews had Covid-19 last year, one of the highest rates in the world and more than nine times the national average. The numbers emerged in a government-funded study that found infections peaked in early March last year, before the first lockdown, subsequently falling sharply, suggesting adherence to the rules. The report, requested by strictly-Orthodox leaders last May after they noticed a high level of illness in the community, was carried out by clinicians and modellers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), who took 1,242 blood samples in November and December to

Strictly-Orthodox Jews in London have high rates

test for antibodies, produced after a Covid-19 infection. One of the two lead researchers expressed surprise at the high stats, but the other said it was in line with other tight-knit groups. They found infection rates of 64 percent across the strictly-Orthodox, with 75 percent in secondary school students and working-age

men. The research, which is awaiting peer review, was conducted with partners including UCL’s Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and the Medical Advocacy and Referral Service, which supports strictly-Orthodox Jews. Co-lead researcher Dr Michael Marks said most felt they had contracted Covid before the first lockdown, with Purim seen as a big factor in the virus’ spread. The team saw “no plausible genetic reason” why Jews may have been worse hit, suggesting the reason lay in interconnectedness or household size. The rate of 64 percent was “one of the highest infection rates recorded anywhere in the world,” the LSHTM said.

Call to boycott newspapers Sections of the strictly-Orthodox Jewish community have begun a retaliatory boycott campaign against this newspaper for attempting to save lives by exposing multiple potentially deadly lockdown breaches in Stamford Hill. Last Thursday, Jewish News revealed that strictly-Orthodox weddings with more than 300 guests have continued throughout the coronavirus lockdown. Several whistleblowers told this newspaper that laws to protect people from Covid by limiting or banning weddings are being routinely flouted. At least 50 weddings – super-spreader events that put lives at risk – have taken place during lockdown. Lookouts are used to raise the alarm, money set aside for fines and at least one bride was Covid-positive. Most of the community has acknowledged the wrongdoing and pledged to curb further illegal activity. However, others have dug in

One of the messages being circulated

their heels. One group has circulated a notice saying: “Boycut [sic] the Jewish News and the JC [Jewish Chronicle]... Jews should not be spreading news articles which will create public hate on all Jews.” One major outlet that distributes Jewish News said it has received “hundreds of calls, emails and messages” demanding it refuse to stock the newspaper. The global number of deaths now stands at more than 2,200,000.

4 February 2021 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Lockdown / News

Joint plea posted direct to homes

d’ Covid dination Orthodox community. In his leaflets, which have been given to thousands of people, he painted a picture that the rules are there not to protect us from a deadly virus but to be got around.” Wagner continued: “It’s a bit like putting a fox in charge of the chicken coop. Unfortunately, he [Rabbi Teitelbaum] exemplifies a real attitudinal problem [towards this pandemic] in parts of the strictly Orthodox community. I can’t understand it and have not seen anything like that during this pandemic. It’s brazen.” On 10 December, when the newsletter was issued, London was in Tier 2 – “high alert”. A maximum of six could meet outdoors, but people were not allowed to mix indoors with anyone outside their household or support bubble. Social distancing rules had to be followed “at all times” and weddings were limited to 15 guests. Rabbi Teitelbaum has been approached for comment.

Police attend a suspected wedding during lockdown. Rabbi Teitelbaum is believed to be pictured top right of this video screengrab

KOSHER SHOPS NOW REQUIRE MASKS

Stamford Hill is one of the areas covered by the kosher shops’ announcement

Almost 50 kosher shops have said they are banning customers from entering without masks. The move, “effective immediately”, includes

delis, takeaway restaurants, fishmongers and wine-sellers across Hackney and Haringey. Concern about compliance in Stamford Hill with coronavirus restrictions has increased following Jewish News’s trailblazing investigation into breaches of the rules. The message signed by the outlets and shared on Twitter by emergency ambulance service Hatzola, says: “During these challenging times, we all need to make sure we’re doing our bit to help keep each other safe. “Effective immediately, we will only allow customers who wear a face covering to enter our shop. If you are exempt, please wear a visible exemption badge, and when possible, a plastic face shield.”

Video messages for Charedim Charedi rabbis this week released public information films urging their communities to follow lockdown rules. The messages, recorded by figures including Rabbi Shraga Feivel Zimmerman, chief justice of the Federation of Synagogues and Rabbi Eliezer Zobin, head of the Ner Yisrael Community in Hendon, have been uploaded on to the website kehillanw.org. In his message, Rabbi Zimmerman says: “There is an expression that it is always darkest before dawn. That right before the Yeshua things become worse. “In recent weeks in England, the Covid virus has become even worse. There are days when there are over 50,000 new cases a day, over a thousand deaths. Thirty-five thousand people who are currently hospitalised. “This virus affects older people, with preexisting conditions. I know everyone is tired from keeping these restrictions, but I beg you, I beseech you, I implore you, don’t make any allowances now, don’t let your guard down now. Don’t give up now.” Rabbi Zobin says: “This week I have spoken with doctors working at the Royal Free Hospital and, sadly, cases in the ICU [intensive care unit] continue to be some three times higher than would be usual for this time of year.

On Sunday, Kosher Kingdom in Golders Green said that it had hired a well-known Charedi singer, Shloime Gertner, to promote social distancing and compliance with the coronavirus rules in its shops.

Council leaders and police chiefs penned a public letter to the strictly-Orthodox community last week and sent a copy to almost every Charedi household following Jewish News’ reporting. Accompanying the local community newssheet Heimishe, it warned families against organising or attending weddings during lockdown after the scale of breaches was revealed. Thursday’s laying-down-the-law letter was signed by Mayor of Hackney Phil Glanville, Borough Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Marcus Barnett, and Hackney’s director of public health, Dr Sandra Husbands. It emphasises the “significant risk to life” of holding or attending mass gatherings. Referring to revelations in last week’s Jewish News, Glanville described them as “absolutely shocking”, adding: “If true, it demonstrates that a small but significant and selfish minority of the community have a total disregard for their own safety, and that of their family and friends.” He added: “I am in absolutely no doubt that if regular, mass gatherings have been taking place, as described, lives will have been lost as a direct result. And our local health services will have been directly impacted. “The vast majority of our Charedi population have been following lockdown guidelines and are as angry, shocked and upset by recent events as I am.” The council said meetings were being held between local leaders, the rabbinate and governors at Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls’ School, a venue revealed to be hosting illegal weddings.

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Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls’ School

“Their message is clear: please keep a distance of two metres from other people at all times when out and about, whether in the shops or shul, and wear face masks in indoor spaces when around other people. Certainly don’t just socialise and mix. These simple measures can really save lives. “It’s essential we all do our very best to prevent the spread of this deadly virus that has taken so many of our loved kehillo … “The care we have for each other in our community in unique. So let’s continue to care for each other by being careful.”

During his lifetime, Gerald Crossman scaled the heights of the music world, playing alongside showbiz greats including Charlie Chaplin, Morecambe & Wise and even Marlene Dietrich. Yet it was after his death that he made perhaps his most lifechanging impact. In 2019, Guy moved into Carmiel Children’s Village, giving him a new start in life away from a life of abuse and poverty. This was made possible in no small part thanks to the legacy gift left by Gerald to UJIA in his Will. To ﬁnd out more about the difference a legacy gift to UJIA can make, call Harvey Bratt on 020 7424 6431 or email harvey.bratt@ujia.org United Jewish Israel Appeal is a registered charity No. 1060078 (England & Wales) and Sc 039181 (Scotland).

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

News / Charity dinner

‘WJR gives us belief in our future’ It would, said retired Ukrainian teacher Lidia, be impossible to survive without World Jewish Relief (WJR). It was a message echoed repeatedly during an emotional virtual event held by the charity, writes Jenni Frazer. Hosted by BBC journalist Emily Maitlis, the evening, for which more than 1,000 people registered, featured a heartfelt message from the charity’s patron, Prince Charles, a discussion with the outgoing chair, Dan Rosenfield – now Chief of Staff in Downing Street – and, courtesy of a longstanding university friendship with Rosenfield, a special one-off message and performance from Coldplay singer-songwriter, Chris Martin. As WJR’s chief executive Paul Anticoni made clear, its work spans

18 countries with 66 separate partner organisations. Last year, the charity provided services to 73,000 people. But this year’s theme, “saving lives, transforming communities”, was highlighted in the work WJR does in Jewish communities in eastern Europe. Lidia, the retired teacher from Kherson, Ukraine, has a disabled husband, and the couple receive help from WJR via its local partner. Apart from vital medicines and social welfare care, there is now the opportunity for them to engage in daily programmes online. She said: “I know that every day at 11am when I sit down with my husband, after this online meeting, we will have belief in our future again.” Online opportunities have trans-

formed the lives of many of WJR’s clients. One of the charity’s areas of expertise is employment retraining. Natalya Akulova, from Kyiv, lost her travel job as a result of the pandemic but has now received training and mental health coaching, to begin a new career as an English teacher and thanked WJR for its support. Rosenfield spoke of the highlights of his six years in the post. “I found a charity which was ‘of’ the Jewish community yet not constrained by it”, he said, adding he had been attracted by WJR’s “fundamental principle of not turning your back”. He welcomed his successor as chairman, Maurice Helfgott, son of Sir Ben Helfgott, one of the original “Boys” who were brought to Britain

The Prince of Wales has been a patron of World Jewish Relief since 2015

and helped by WJR’s founding organisation, the Central British Fund. The Prince of Wales said: “I am enormously proud to be a patron

of World Jewish Relief, just as I am proud of the British Jewish community, precisely because of the compassion you show to others.”

PATEL: WJR PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN THE RESETTLMENT OF REFUGEES tailored and intensive employment support to resettled refugees since January 2016. WJR’s chief executive Paul Anticoni and UK programme director Janice Lopatkin briefed the home secretary on STEP, which operates in 12 UK regions. It works with non-governmental organisations and local authorities and achieves employment outcomes between 19 and 29 percent – compared to a national average of two percent without this provision.

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STEP supported one refugee called Juman, giving her guidance on ways into employment. After a Marks and Spencer placement, she was offered a full-time position and was recently named its employee of the year. Patel said: “Our refugee resettlement schemes have helped tens of thousands of people rebuild their lives in the UK, and World Jewish Relief has played a vital role in their delivery, making a real and positive difference to so many lives.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel

The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, met two senior officials from World Jewish Relief (WJR) on Tuesday to mark almost five years since the launch of the charity’s Specialist Training and Employment Programme, or STEP, writes Jenni Frazer. The STEP scheme, developed and run by WJR, has helped almost 1,000 refugees who have resettled in the UK. With funding from the Jewish community, the EU and the Home Office, STEP has been delivering

THS FOR

N A C

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

Kinder mourned / Disturbance arrest / Anti-vax poster / News

Tributes to cherished Kinder Heartfelt tributes have been paid to two Kindertransport refugees, Walter Kammerling, 97, and Marc Schatzberger, 94, who have died, writes Jack Mendel. Holocaust educators remembered the Vienna-born survivors, reflecting on their contributions to teaching about the Shoah and the trauma they went through, escaping after Kristallnacht. Born in 1923, Walter Kammerling was just 14 when Nazi Germany invaded Austria. His parents sent him to Britain on the Kindertransport after the pogrom against Jewish businesses in 1938. After the Holocaust, he learnt that his parents and other sister had

been sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where they were murdered. Arriving in the UK, he worked on a farm in Northern Ireland for three years, and joined the British Army in March 1944, serving in Belgium and the Netherlands. While on embarkation leave, he married Herta, who arrived in London from Vienna on the Kindertansport, with the couple moving back to Austria in 1946, having two sons, before they returned to the UK in 1957. The Association of Jewish Refugees’ chief executive, Michael Newman, said: “Walter was always great company and a great storyteller. In mourning his passing, AJR is honoured to be the custo-

dian of the interview he gave to our Refugee Voices archive, in which he describes his childhood and prewar life in Vienna and rebuilding his life here.” Tributes were also paid to Marc Schatzberger, who escaped the Nazis on the Kindertransport aged 12. Born in 1926, he fled in the wake of Kristallnacht, and arrived in Britain where he was first cared for in a Jewish children’s hostel, and then by an uncle and aunt, who had gained entry as domestic servants. Karen Pollock of the Holocaust Educational Trust said: “Marc was a kind and thoughtful man and was adored by the students he met. We will greatly miss Marc.”

Vienna-born refugees Walter Kammerling and Marc Schatzberger

INCIDENT NOT TERRORISM POSTER INVESTIGATED MP ‘SORRY’ FOR INTERVIEW Police have reassured the Jewish community that an incident in Golders Green just after midday on Tuesday, during which the main road was cornered off and numerous emergency vehicles were in attendance, is not believed to have been motivated by antisemitism. Video footage seen by

Jewish News on Tuesday afternoon shows numerous police vans in The Riding, as the empty road is cornered off with yellow tape. The fire brigade was also reportedly in attendance. Authorities confirmed that one man was detained by police and no members of the public were injured.

Piers Corbyn may be subject to a police investigation over posters on which his name appears comparing the Covid-19 vaccination programme to Auschwitz. The anti-vaccination activist’s name appeared on leaflets distributed in south London last week, with authorities investigating whether they

broke the law. A police spokesperson said: “Detectives are reviewing the leaflets to determine if any offences have been committed.” The poster depicts Auschwitz, but changes its infamous phrase at its gate from ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’, meaning ‘work sets you free’, to “vaccines are safe path to freedom”.

appeared on the show, with the host reportedly calling her a “remarkable, extraordinary woman”. Swayne told Jewish News he did not know the show had hosted antisemitic voices. “Would I have done so had I known? Certainly not. If any offence was given as a consequence, I am mortified.”

O CH AR

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An MP who appeared on a radio show linked to Holocaust deniers has said he was unaware of its history. New Forest West MP Sir Desmond Swayne was interviewed in November on the Richie Allen Show about Covid lockdowns and last Thursday Hope Not Hate said Holocaust denier Alison Chabloz had also

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

News / Holocaust testimony / Baddiel’s expletive / Uyghur amendment

Witness on four wheels As one of the youngest Holocaust survivors, Eva Clarke, has spent years telling the story of how her mother, weighing just 4st 12oz, gave birth to her inside a concentration camp a month before it was liberated. But this spring, as Covid-19 shut down public life, her visits to schools and community centres “came to a screeching halt”, she recalls. Earlier this month, she got a fresh audience when a mini-van pulled into her driveway in Cambridge. Inside was Antony Lishak and a retro-fitted interior that would allow her to tell her story safely, and for posterity, during the pandemic. Lishak has spent years teaching young audiences about the Holocaust using the testimonies of survivors and rescuers. Even before the pandemic, time was not on her side. The pandemic’s pause on interactions with youngsters cost him time he “couldn’t afford to lose”, he said. Finally, he came up with a way around the impasse. In recent weeks, he has been travelling across the UK in the van that he turned into a Covidproof studio for survivors whose testimonies he films right outside their

Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke with Antony Lishak in the minivan studio

homes. “I can’t tell you what it looks like on the film, but it’s an ingenious idea,” said Lili Pohlmann, a 90-yearold Jewish woman whom Lishak interviewed this month in London. Pohlmann survived the Holocaust in Lviv, in what is now Ukraine, thanks to the bravery of Andrey Sheptytsky, a priest, and Imgard Wieth, a German civil servant. She

and her mother were the only members of her immediate family to survive. “In these circumstances, of course, I couldn’t have done it now at all,” she said about the testimony she gave in the mobile studio. “I unfortunately can’t go out. So I’m at home and I can’t have anybody come in.” Lishak told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency this month the

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Clarke, a retired university administrator, is comfortable using videoconferencing software but the interview she gave in her driveway in Cambridge was “much more intimate, which of course helps tell the story”. Lishak said the intimacy that sets in during encounters with survivors and high school students is “a crucial factor” in capturing their interest. It made all the difference during his work at schools in poorer areas in Manchester, he said. In the future, he is planning to complement testimonial videos with a live video Q&A session. Lishak said he is also looking into expanding the studio into a larger mobile classroom that can stage face-to-face encounters with survivors. Clarke, 75, has spent the past 15 years telling her story and that of her mother, Anka Kaudrova, who died in 2013. Clarke weighed one-and-a-half pounds when she was born at the Mauthausen death camp in Austria. “I find it extremely important to tell that story, which I’ve sort of taken on after my mother died,” Clarke said. “It means so much to be able to carry on her work.”

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studio was “outside the box, but it means the work can go on”. The converted Volkswagen camper van has been fitted with a Perspex divider to keep the interviewees safe. It also has heating, a pop-up coffee table for the witnesses, revolving front seats and enough space for Lishak to record with a wide-angle lens, he said. Lishak, CEO of the Learning from the Righteous educational charity, needs a portable studio because videoconferencing is logistically difficult for many elderly witnesses. “A live Zoom event is difficult to set up” for many survivors, he said. But the real problem is that the medium isn’t conducive to the content for the students he aims to reach. An edited video testimony is a superior medium for “a generation who are used to TV-quality presentation”. In January, before Holocaust Memorial Day, Finchley Reform Synagogue hosted Lishak’s interviews on its website, ensuring they will reach thousands of viewers. “You can record Zoom sessions, but I doubt people will sit down and watch them as they would a welledited testimony video,” Lishak said.

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David Baddiel has defended his use of expletives to criticise Charedi lockdown breaches, saying it is born from “authentic frustration”. The comedian responded to a column in Jewish News (see page 22) which said his language would not make religious Jews “more law-abiding”, and could paint Jews in a negative light among non-Jews. Baddiel had responded to last week’s Jewish News investigation into the hosting of illegal simchas by sharing a story accompanied by the phrase: “Stupid f****** frummers”. The expletive response

“wasn’t an attempt to make the charedi more law-abiding. I’m not a social planner,” he said. “It was a cry of authentic frustration – a lot of those on my timeline – and the use of the word Frummers, a way of indicating a tweet by a Jew and for Jews.” Baddiel added: “It’s worth remembering how much racists believe that Jews stick together and never criticise bad behaviour within the community publicly. There’s a sense of “shh – what will the non-Jews think about all this which I don’t hold with”.

PEERS’ UYGHUR VICTORY A revised version of the genocide amendment to the Trade Bill passed in the House of Lords with a “staggering” majority, writes Jack Mendel. Peers defeated the government for a second time, by 359 votes to 188, weeks after the Commons rejected the amendment by 11 votes. The legislation, which would allow the High Court to make a decision on trade deals with countries accused of genocide, will return to the Commons next Tuesday. Put forward by Lord Alton, who said it was “neither a futile gesture or virtue signalling”, the Bill is aimed at raising awareness about the plight of Uyghur Muslims. It is believed that up to one million Uyghur are being detained in ‘re-education’ camps, with claims of forced labour, sterilisation and abuse. The Jewish community has led the campaign to end persecution of Uyghur Muslims, with this paper delivering a letter to Downing Street, signed by more than 150 parliamentarians, urging the government to take action.

UK-based campaign group Stop Uyghur Genocide tweeted: “We are delighted that the genocide amendment has passed through the Lords 359 to 188. A staggering majority of 171. Let this victory embolden and galvanise you. Write to your MP and urge them to back the amendment today.” The Board of Deputies tweeted: “We applaud the House of Lords for voting in favour of Lord David Alton’s revised genocide amendment to the government’s Trade Bill, with a huge majority of 171. “The rape and torture of Uyghur women, revealed in horrific detail by the BBC yesterday, serves as yet another reminder that the world cannot turn away from the brutality of the Chinese government. “We will be holding a press conference with Uyghur speakers and a Holocaust survivor, on 8 February at 2pm, to call on MPs to support the new amendment when it returns to the Commons on Tuesday.”

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

Racism alliance / Anti-Israel protest / Teen convicted / News

Sharon Osbourne

Craig David

Mayim Bialik

Gene Simmons

Fighting two evils together Black and Jewish leaders from the entertainment have teamed up to fight anti-black and anti-Jewish racism in the industry. TV personality Sharon Osbourne, actress Mayim Bialik, singer-songwriter Craig David, and KISS frontman Gene Simmons all helped to launch the Black-Jewish Entertainment Alliance (BJEA) this week. Other signatories of a “unity statement” published in this week’s Variety and Billboard include Tiffany Haddish, Sherry Lansing, Herbie Hancock, Phil Rosenthal, Diane Warren, Jason Alexander and 24kGoldn. Actors such as Billy Porter, Mehki Phifer and Jeremy Piven signed up alongside producers such as Nick Cannon and Antoine Fuqua, and executives such as Aaron Bay-Schuck of Warner Records, Ethiopia Habtemariam of Motown Records, Ron Perry of Columbia Records, and Ben Silverman of Propagate Content.

The statement cited “the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr, Rabbi Abraham Heschel, and the many blacks and Jews who stood together” in the fight for civil rights. Bay-Schuck said: “The black and Jewish communities, who have a long history of supporting and working together, are so much stronger when we stand together in the fight against hate. “This alliance will elevate voices in the entertainment community that can help the public to better understand the causes, manifestations, and effects of racism and antisemitism, ensuring that our industry is doing its part to be a voice for hope, unity and healing in our country.” While many organisations combat antisemitism and racism individually, backers said that the alliance “creates a unified voice against both evils” and “will highlight the historical bonds of both communities”.

Green Sunday 2021:

Elbit factory raided

Demonstrators this week blocked the entrance of a factory where they claim that arms are made for Israel. Protesters from Palestine Action and Extinction Rebellion, armed with banners and red paint, said their early-morning raid on the Israeli-owned Elbit Ferranti factory in Oldham, Greater Manchester, is because they “will not accept an economy based on devastation, occupation and war”. They have chained the gates and two people have climbed on to a ledge on the front of the factory, where they have daubed red paint over the win-

dows and sprayed the words “Shut Elbit Down”. Greater Manchester Police said officers are were the scene and have engaged with protesters. It is the first time the two direct action groups have joined forces. The groups say the new union sends a strong message to Israel’s largest arms firm, Elbit, that resistance in the UK to its alleged actions against Palestinians is growing. Extinction Rebellion North and Palestine Action have vowed to escalate their direct action against Elbit until it is shut down permanently.

ONLINE HATE OF BOY, 13 The teenage leader of a neo-Nazi cell who spoke of “gassing” Jews has become one of become one of Britain’s youngest convicted terrorists. The boy, from Cornwall, was 13 when he began gathering terrorist material and went on to share farright ideology in online chatrooms at the age of 14. On Monday, he appeared at the Old Bailey to be sentenced, having admitted 12 offences – two of dissemination of terrorist documents and ten of possession of terrorist material. The court heard that between

October 2018 and July 2019, he collected far-right material and manuals and was active on online platforms, expressing racist, homophobic and antisemitic views. He talked about “gassing” Jews, hanging gays and wanting to “shoot up their parades”. In the summer of 2019, he became the British cell leader of the FKD – Feuerkrieg Division – a neo-Nazi group that idolises the likes of the Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik, the court heard. Judge Mark Dennis QC indicated that he would sentence the youth next Monday.

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

News / Viral song / Gap vaccine / NHS meals

He’s top of the shops! A leading Chasidic singer is working with Golders Green supermarket Kosher Kingdom to promote Covid safety for its customers, writes Sandy Rashty. Hiring the services of Stamford Hill singer Shloime Gertner, Kosher Kingdom has played a catchy tune to its customers, with lyrics advising shoppers to wear masks, use hand sanitiser and avoid busy aisles. Accompanied by the saxophone and keyboard, lyrics include: “Let’s stay safe and protect each other. This is a customer announcement; in line with the government

guidance. Facemasks must be worn in store; covering both nose and mouth. Hand sanitisers are positioned around the shop for your use.” Joined by backing vocals, Gertner, who worked on the song with Israeli musician Asaf Flumendorf, continues: “Please keep a safe distance between one another; if an aisle is busy go down a different aisle, oh yeah. Please avoid socialising.” He adds: “Thank you for shopping with Kosher Kingdom. Stay safe.” Gertner told Jewish News he hoped a more positive way of providing guidance would

Mr Gertner and Kosher Kingdom have teamed up

encourage shoppers to adhere to the regulations. This comes after members of the Jewish community have been criticised for not respecting govern-

ment-imposed regulations, including being photographed in stores not wearing masks. “I think this song will make a difference. It has to make a difference,” said the singer.

GAP YEAR STUDENTS FIRST UK TEENS TO GET JAB British teens on their gap year Pfizer vaccine in the small in Israel have had their first southern town in Yeruham. shot of the Covid-19 vaccine, The youngsters are courtesy of the country’s fast believed to be the first gap year inoculation programme. programme participants in FZY Gap Year participants Israel to get the jab, after staff were the envy of their mothers were informed of spare vials in and fathers stuck at home in the nearby medical centre that the UK this week, after they would otherwise have had to FZY teens are vaccinated received their first dose of the HALF PAGE ADVERT JAN 2020:Layout 1 09/01/2020 16:04 Page 1be thrown away.

“When we saw vaccines were available, we moved quickly to ensure our year coursers could receive them,” said FZY director Imogen Wise. “It is fantastic these FZY members have received their vaccine many months before their peers will in the UK.”

£11k for NHS meals Three members of Kinloss Synagogue raised more than £11,000 in a matter of days to provide kosher meals for NHS staff, writes Jack Mendel. Danielle Glasser, Sally Moher and Josepha White have arranged hundreds of nutritious meals for doctors, nurses and other frontline workers, on the front line of battling the pandemic. They came up with the idea, White said, after the son of one of her friends, a doctor at a Covid ward at the Royal Free Hospital, said he wasn’t getting kosher food; “everybody was donating but it wasn’t under licence”. White’s son, Carl, set up a Just Giving page, and nearly £12,000 had been pledged in

just 10 days, with donations of up to £200 being given by members of the community. The trio described this as “amazing”. Drawing on her 30 years of experience in the catering industry, White said: “We prepare and provide all the food and between the three of us we get it packed and dispatched to whichever hospital they want, or we will deliver to people’s homes as well and they can take it into the hospitals.” Hospitals receiving food include Barnet, Chase Farm, Royal Free, Watford and Stevenage.  NHS staff interested in receiving a meal should email kosher4nhs@ gmail.com

Danielle, Sally and Josepha with a van full of kosher food

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

WORLD CANCER DAY

A letter to the community. As we mark World Cancer Day we, the members of Chai Cancer Care’s Medical Advisory Panel, are writing to highlight the situation regarding cancer care during Covid-19. Cancer has not stopped because of the pandemic and continues to be an important health issue. We understand and appreciate that there may still be a reluctance to contact your GP should you have any cancer-related concerns, as this may result in you needing to go to hospital. We want to make you aware that there has been much thought, care and ongoing vigilance to provide Covid-free oncology hubs, where possible. So please: • If you notice any physical changes or have any concerns contact your GP as soon as possible • Make sure you continue to attend scheduled screening appointments and tests • Be self-aware and don’t ignore any symptoms This is a letter that we would rather not have to write, however the situation as it stands has compelled us to raise this matter with the community. Please contact Chai if you are affected at all by a cancer diagnosis on the Freephone helpline 0808 808 4567 or email info@chaicancercare.org

Dr Adrian Tookman FRCP Chairman, Chai Cancer Care Medical Advisory Panel Together with: Dr Rachel Craig, Dr Niki Davies, Prof Michael Douek, Prof Andrew Eder, Mr Daren Francis, Miss Joanna Franks, Prof Daniel Hochhauser, Dr Daniel Krell, Dr Jonathan Krell, Prof Jonathan Lederman, Dr Jane Neerkin, Prof Gordon Rustin, Prof Albert Singer, Dr Laura Tookman

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

News / Jewish Choice / Charity appeal / Planning dispute / Sacks honoured

‘Irony’ as home closes

CAMP SIMCHA’S URGENT APPEAL

A long-established Jewish charity offering residential and respite care plus independent living apartments in Wembley is calling time on a 300-year history, writes Joy Falk. Jewish Choice, which began life three centuries ago as Beth Holim on the Mile End Road, said the pandemic had reduced its resident numbers and income to such an extent that it could no longer continue to operate. “It is a cruel irony that, having provided choice for our residents even before they came to live with us, as well as offering many choices to enhance comfort and care while here, we have been given little choice but to prepare for the closure of this respected home in Wembley,” the charity said on Tuesday. Jewish Choice previously traded as Edinburgh House, and before that as the Spanish & Portuguese Jews Home for the Aged. It has 51 residential rooms and 16 independent living apartments. The home has been Covid-free since the spring but, despite this, the charity said it “cannot sustain running at less than current capacity and in the natural cycle of life, as residents pass away, that number will reduce further and so [will] the charity’s income”. Its statement read: “It is with great regret that the board, many of whom have been associated with the home for generations of their own families, have taken this painful decision. “It is expected that by the autumn, arrange-

Celebrities including Matt Lucas and Nick Ferrari have contributed to an 36-hour urgent fundraising appeal to raise £2 million for charity Camp Simcha, writes Adam Decker. They are joined by presenter Natasha Kaplinsky, Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson and TV presenter Rob Rinder in sending messages of support to help raise emergency funds for seriously ill children and their families. In the online campaign, which begins on Sunday, more than 500 ‘team leaders’ will run individual fundraising pages. More than a quarter of the team leaders are present and past families supported by Camp Simcha. The charity hopes this campaign will recover some of the income lost through cancellation of events due to the pandemic, including Camp Simcha’s biennial fundraising dinners, which usually raise well in excess of £2 million. Camp Simcha chief executive Neville Goldschneider said that with referrals continuing apace, including families with delayed diagnoses or complications from Covid-19, the charity needs these funds more than ever. “In the past few weeks alone, we have taken on a family who have a child whose cancer has spread due to a delayed diagnosis, and a baby who was born very prematurely when his mother contracted Covid-19. Families are also coping with cancelled medical appointments for their children’s ongoing treatment, and emergency hospital admissions, made so much harder due to the one-parent policy.”

Residents and staff at a Jewish Choice home. All residents will be found suitable new homes

ments will be made with comparable care homes and in consultation with local authorities and the [Care Quality Commission], to make a seamless transfer of residents.” Chair Bernard Mocatta said: “Despite staff working heroically and selflessly around theclock, the financial consequences of the pandemic have caused serious disruption to the home’s finances. It grieves me to have to

say that the home is losing money at too high a rate for us to continue. Staffing is already at a level that cannot be cut further to comply with government standards of cover and care. “We are hopeful that we can arrange for an orderly placement of our residents and to treat our wonderful staff in a fair manner. The home will not close until all the residents have been suitably accommodated.”

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Jewish heritage activists have lodged “strong objection” to a proposed 21-storey development just four metres from Bevis Marks in London, the UK’s oldest synagogue. Experts said plans for Bury House at 31 Bury Street would impact “the significance and setting” of the Grade I-listed synagogue, the only one in Europe that has held regular services continuously for 300 years. The Foundation of Jewish Heritage (FJH), whose trustees include Sir Simon Schama, told planners the assessment of the plan’s impact “is incomplete”. Noting the National

The 21-storey development

Policy Planning Framework requirement, FJH said the assessment “does not evaluate the communal or evidential values of the synagogue when these are to be expected, especially the former, given that the

synagogue has been a focus for community activity from the date of its construction to date. “These are marked and concerning omissions and, in our opinion, lead to a flawed impact assessment which is unreliable.” Construction on the synagogue began in 1699 to the designs of Joseph Avis, an associate of Sir Christopher Wren. It was the second synagogue to be erected in England after the resettlement of 1656. Historic England says, in its list entry description, that “in its little-altered state [Bevis Marks] is of exceptional historic interest”.

LSJS TO SET UP SACKS COURSE The London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) is to launch a Torah course named after former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, who died last year. The college, where Sacks once studied, said the course would “celebrate and spread key ideas in Rabbi Sacks’ thinking and influence, and be presented by a wide range of up-and-coming and well-established scholars, rabbis and thinkers”. LSJS was formerly known as Jews’ College, where Sacks studied and later became its principal and honorary president. Chief executive Joanne Greenaway said it was “so important for us to continue spreading his teachings”. LSJS’s Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum said

“responsibility, dignity, peoplehood, hope, community and faith took on more profound meanings” for Sacks. “He reframed Judaism for the modern Jew and taught us how to be reinvigorated by our history and traditions. More than anything, he challenged us to discover new ideas in Torah and fresh expressions of Jewish life. That’s what this course is about, ideas in Torah and fresh expressions of Jewish life.” Meanwhile, Rabbi Sacks’ final book has won the top prize at the National Jewish Book Awards. He scooped book of the year for his work, Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times.

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

Special Report / Israel’s pandemic election

Election will be a test of PM’s relationship with Charedim Israel’s religious parties have become a liability at the polls, writes Nathan Jeffay As shock spreads across Britain’s Jewish community over the phenomenon of lockdown-defying Charedi gatherings, in Israel the very same issue is emerging as a gamechanger for the upcoming election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to fight the March ballot by highlighting a range of successes under his watch: Israel’s new ties with Arab states, security and the vaccination drive. But his opponents are determined not to let him set the agenda. In the UK, the recent headlines about Charedi gatherings started in late January when police raided a Stamford Hill wedding. In Israel, it is the opposite: the biggest headlines are generated when authorities fail to stop gatherings. This week there were two mass funerals for Charedi rabbis, which police did not stop, and other gatherings have been taking place. Netanyahu’s opponents are keen to shine a spotlight on this in campaigning, suggesting that the strictly-Orthodox sector gets special

treatment by virtue of the relationship he has with its political leaders. “This is what selective enforcement looks like,” fumed Avigdor Liberman, leader of the Yisrael Beytenu Party, after seeing funeral images. “Where is the prime minister? Where is the public security minister?” Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White Party, decried what he called “unequal” enforcement. This sets the tone for the likely campaign refrain of the anti-Netanyahu camp. They will do everything possible to thrust his relationship with Charedi political parties into the spotlight. They will be suggesting that Netanyahu goes too far in pleasing them, even when it flies in the face of national interest. And they will emotively raise pandemic policy, and say that this proves their hypothesis. All of which represents a major headache for Netanyahu. If he wants to return as prime minister he must perform well at the ballot box, and then win the recommendation of other Charedi areas would have been disproportionately effected had Israel used local lockdowns

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parties to form a coalition and convince them to join it. His most trusty allies are the Charedi parties: United Torah Judaism and Shas. But the paradox is that while he desperately needs his connection to these parties for the sake of power after the election, until voting day his alliance with them is an electoral liability. In other words, the very fact that these United Torah Judaism and Shas are waiting to rescue his political career makes him weaker at the ballot box and less likely to reach a situation that allows him to call in the favour. Why are the Charedi political parties so unpopular with the mainstream Israeli public? First, there is the coronavirus rule-breaking – which, it should be stressed is being seen in part, but by no means all, of Israeli’s Charedi community. The politicians are not seen as directing it, but they are seen as failing to step up to the plate as the political leadership of communities where it has become widespread in order to fight the trend. Many Israelis complain that by fighting against the escalation of fines for violations, they are sending the opposite signal. Second, there is the influence on pandemic policy exerted though the legitimate political process, but decried by many as against national interests. It is widely argued that use of national lockdowns could have been reduced by strict local lockdowns in high-infection areas. But Charedi politicians scuppered this idea before the autumn lockdown, when it was clear that high-infection zones were heavily Charedi and they would have been disproportionately forced in to local closures. And third, there are controversies that have been simmering for years, which are likely to be brought to the fore as other issues related to Charedi parties are raised. They include the continuation of widespread military exemptions for young Charedi men and objections

Bus torched by Orthodox lockdown rioters

over the extent of budgets to Charedi educational institutions. Netanyahu wants, and needs, to appeal to the mainstream Israeli public if he is to get enough votes to be in with a shot of coalitionbuilding. But the prospect of another government with the Charedi parties is widely regarded negatively, even among those who are most naturally inclined to vote for him, namely those on the right. A poll conducted by the N12 new site concluded that some 52 percent of right-wing voters do not want a government with Charedi parties. Only 33 percent do want such a government. The overall results of the poll suggest that three out of five Israelis want to see a government that excludes Charedi factions. But this is precisely the opposite of what Netanyahu is likely to deliver. Will he find a way to diffuse all of this? Will the politician who always seems to find a way out of a corner succeed in getting the public to draw a line between his reputation and anger towards Charedi parties, or steer campaigning towards other issues? This is emerging as imperative to his election success.

4 February 2021 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Holocaust website / Antisemitism definition / Shoah memorial / News NEWS IN BRIEF

55% OF UK JEWS CONCERNED BY BBC More than 55 percent of British Jews are unsatisfied with the BBC’s handling of antisemitism complaints, a new report by a Jewish charity has revealed. Data unveiled by Campaign Against Antisemitism claims 22 percent of respondents were ‘somewhat unsatisfied’ and 33 percent were ‘very unsatisfied’ with its handling of antisemitism issues. This is significantly higher than ITV (18 percent), Channel 4 (29 percent) and Sky News (19 percent).

PROTEST OVER PEARL ‘KILLER’ RELEASE The US government and the parents of Daniel Pearl are forcefully protesting the ordered release of the man accused of masterminding the journalist’s kidnapping and beheading. London-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh has been ordered to be released from prison by Pakistan’s Supreme Court. The government in the Pakistani province of Sindh filed a petition asking the court to revisit its decision.

Facebook launches Shoah resource Facebook has launched a comprehensive Holocaust education site in a bid to battle Shoah denial and misinformation, writes Adam Decker. As people around the world pause for thought on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the social media giant announced it will “connect Facebook users to authoritative information” about the genocide, amid rising online antisemitism. This comes as vlogging site TikTok made changes to its search function on its app, so users looking for terms relating to the Shoah are served with educational information. Facebook’s initiative was developed in partnership with the World Jewish Congress (WJC) and UNESCO (the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation). The social media giant’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, said: “We are proud to partner with them to help people learn the facts about the

Holocaust and hear the stories of those who survived.” She continued: “At a time of rising hate and intolerance, taking time to read and reflect on what happened to Jews and others in Europe is more important than ever.” The resource will direct its 2.7 billion users to a fact-finding website, AboutHolocaust.org, which provides detailed responses to fundamental questions about the Nazis and how the Shoah unfolded. WJC president, Ronald S. Lauder said the project would “contribute greatly to promoting tolerance and empathy as the antidote to resurgent antisemitism, xenophobia, bigotry and hate”. UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay said it was key for “equipping people with the skills they need to refuse the hateful logic of antisemitism, racism and hatred, and to challenging those who seek to exploit ignorance”. Meanwhile, TikTok announced it has made changes

The social media giant set up a fact-finding website

to its app, so users searching for terms relating to the Shoah will be redirected to educational information. The initiative was created in collaboration with the Holocaust Educational Trust, the Antisemitism Policy Trust and the Community Security Trust and was launched to coincide with Holocaust Memorial Day.

FA adopts IHRA definition MEMORIAL ‘WILL BE FREE’ The Football Association (FA) has announced it is adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Showing its commitment to tackling discrimination, the FA will join allbut-one Premier League club, Sheffield United, in adopting the definition. The IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism states: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.

Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” FA chief executive officer Mark Bullingham said: “Adopting this working definition is an important step and it will provide clarity across football on what language or actions may be considered antisemitic.”

The national Holocaust memorial centre in Westminster next to Parliament will be free “in perpetuity” to visitors when it opens, the Communities Secretary has announced. Robert Jenrick said the decision would put the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, due to open in 2024 in Victoria Tower Gardens, on the same footing as the UK’s most significant museums and monuments. The government said the centre

would be the focal point for national remembrance of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and all other victims of Nazi persecution, along with providing a place for reflection on “subsequent genocides”. Jenrick said: “Free entry, in perpetuity, to the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will mean that there are no barriers to people commemorating and learning about the evils of the Holocaust.”

Online mental health support Adults throughout our community now have access to free, safe, online mental health and emotional wellbeing support via Qwell. Join immediately and anonymously through any smartphone, tablet or computer, to gain access to the following services:

Text-based counselling Online peer support Self-help tools

“I’ve felt so bad recently but whenever I come here I feel safe and it feels like an online family.”

Confidential online journal

XenZone is the UK’s leading online mental health platform and Qwell is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Registered charity no. 1003345. A company limited by guarantee. Registered in London no. 2618170

Jewish News 4 February 2021

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

120 Over 80

Our golden generation Jewish News’ Forty Under 40 and Eighteen Under 18 lists celebrate those set to shape the future, but what about those who’ve influenced our community’s present and past? In partnership with Jewish Care, we profile 120 individuals aged 80 and over whose achievements have inspired us for decades. Why 120? Well, to paraphrase the famous Jewish blessing: “May those in our countdown live until 120.” OUR PANEL OF JUDGES

Baroness Ros Altmann CBE, former UK minister of state for pensions. Rabbi Charley Baginsky, interim director, Liberal Judaism. Daniel Carmel-Brown, CEO Jewish Care Justin Cohen, news editor, Jewish News. Russell Conn, president, Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region. Sarah David, director, Yoni Jesner Foundation. Adam Dawson, chair, JAMI. Yocheved Eiger, CEO, Bikur Cholim (the Charedi community's leading mental health charity) Dame Louise Ellman. David Ereira, life president, Norwood & vice-president of S&P Sephardi Community. Ellisa Estrin, director of marketing, communications & customer engagement, Jewish Care. Shirley Fenster, immediate past co-chair, Masorti Judaism. Richard Ferrer, editor, Jewish News. Andrew Gilbert, chair, 120 Over 80 panel. Nicky Goldman, chief executive, JVN (Jewish Volunteering Network). Michael Goldstein, president, United Synagogue. Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive, Care England. Henry Grunwald OBE QC, president, World Jewish Relief. Gayle Klein, trustee, Jewish Care. Helen Lewis, vice-chair, Leeds Jewish Welfare Board. Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, senior rabbi, Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue. Neil Martin OBE, chief executive, JLGB. Tracy-Ann Oberman, actress and writer. Rachel Riley, TV presenter. Helen Simmons, CEO Nightingale Hammerson.

Dr Richard Stone, 83 Richard Stone is a leading expert in social cohesion, anti-racism and Islamophobia. An NHS GP for 25 years, Richard most notably chaired the Runnymede Trust’s groundbreaking Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia, which found parallels between antisemitism and Islamophobia. He was also a panel member of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, which criticised the Metropolitan Police’s response to the incident as “institutionally racist”. Richard has also served as Cabinet adviser to the Mayor of London and president of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality. In 2010, he was awarded an OBE for public and voluntary service.

Rita and Leon Newmark, 86 and 81 Legendary volunteers Rita and Leon Newmark have selflessly dedicated themselves to their East London community. For more than a decade, the pair have delivered Meals on Wheels to the elderly and vulnerable at least twice a week. “Always seen with a smile”, they help Jewish Care staff to deliver food, often to clients much younger than themselves, and frequently purchase extra challah, paid for out their own

pocket. Rita, 86, formerly volunteered in the Meals on Wheels office and won Jewish Care’s Unsung Hero award in 2012. Both are also heavily involved in Ilford Federation Synagogue, with Leon, 81, formerly serving as chairman for 11 years and now as financial representative.

Rita Shaw, 90 Longstanding volunteer Rita Shaw has truly given strength to others during difficult times. The 90-yearold has volunteered for Jewish Care’s Redbridge Jewish Community Centre for 19 years, playing a huge part in the community. An “extremely positive and grateful person”, prior to the pandemic, Rita regularly ran popular knitting and discussion groups, served teas and lunches, and helped with manicures. Despite facing substantial personal tragedy in recent years, including the loss of her daughter to Covid-19 last March, she has never stopped giving back to others.

Lord (Robert) Winston, 80 A world-renowned fertility and genetics expert, Lord Winston has published more than 300 scientific papers. Most notably, he developed new gynaecological techniques to improve fertility, pioneered new in vitro fertilisation (IVF) methods, and worked on germ cell biology. The 80-year-old is currently the professor of science and society at Imperial College and the Emeritus professor of fertility studies, as well as co-chair of the UK-Israel Science Council. An “outstanding communicator”, Robert regularly features in the media, explaining complex scientific and ethical issues, while proudly expressing his Jewish heritage. Awarded a life peerage in 1995, he has chaired both the Lords Science and Technology Committee, and the Royal College of Music Council.

Robin and Nitza Spiro, 89 and 88 Robin and Nitza Spiro have played a substantial role in reimagining Jewish learning in London. The pair founded Spiro Ark, a charity that teaches all things Jewish history and culture more than three decades ago. By organising events and courses in Jewish history, culture and languages, the initiative has pioneered new approaches to Jewish education. These range from immersive ulpan lessons for Year Six pupils, involving film and theatre directors, to Egyptian heritage events. With a love for adventure, Robin, 89, and Nitza, 88, travelled to Athens with the International Christian Consulate to work with a group of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iran.

Ron Shelley, 91 For more than 50 years, Ron Shelley has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women (AJEX). The 91-year-old continues to lead AJEX’s annual ceremony and parade at the Cenotaph, while regularly visiting schools to inspire young people in his role as national vice president. As chair of the Jewish Military Museum, Ron also works tirelessly to showcase artefacts that demonstrate the Jewish community’s unique contribution to Britain’s national security. “Always ready to help”, the former AJEX national chairman also served for six years as treasurer of the Board of Deputies. In 2007, Ron received an MBE for services to AJEX and to the London Jewish community.

Rosalind Preston, 84 The ‘Queen of Jewish communal volunteering’, Rosalind Preston is currently president of the Jewish Volunteering Network. An endless source of inspiration to young female leaders, in 1991 she was elected the first female vice president of the Board of Deputies. The trailblazer has also served as president of the National Council of Women, and led a review in 2008 into the role of women in the British Jewish community. The 84-yearold has also served as co-chair of the Inter Faith Network, and is a former chair of Nightingale Hammerson. Ros was awarded an OBE in 1993 for services to the voluntary sector.

Jewish News 4 February 2021

120 Over 80 breaking Bombe machines. Having signed the Official Secrets Act, Ruth could not tell her family about her work until 1974. The now 94-year-old worked as a tour guide at the park for 25 years, bringing her work to life and unpacking a critical part of British history. She was awarded France’s highest honour, the Légion d’honneur, in 2018 for her remarkable efforts.

Lady (Ruth) Morris of Kenwood, 87

Rosita Rosenberg, 86 Rosita Rosenberg has been a guiding force of Liberal and Progressive Judaism for many years. She served as the first female executive director of Liberal Judaism from 1989 to 1997, helping to establish numerous congregations nationwide. This came after a career spent “completely immersed” in the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues (ULPS), working at the Montagu Centre and promoting Leo Baeck College. Alongside the late Rabbi Lawrence Rigal, Rosita also wrote a history of the Liberal movement entitled Liberal Judaism, the First 100 Years. Now serving as vice-president of the movement, she remains an inspiration to the next generation of communal leaders.

Rudi Leavor, 94 Rudi Leavor is an outstanding representative of the Bradford Jewish community. Arriving as a refugee from Germany in 1937, he attended Bradford Grammar School before training to be a dentist. He became president and chairman of Bradford Reform Synagogue in 1975, dedicating himself to interfaith initiatives. Notably, in 2013, thanks to financial assistance he secured from the local Muslim community, work began on restoring the Grade II-listed synagogue building. A keen musician, in 2019 his cantata reflecting on the Holocaust was performed with an orchestra – more than 40 years after Rudi had composed it. In 2017, the now 94-year-old was awarded a BEM for his interfaith work in Bradford.

Ruth Barnett, 85 Holocaust survivor Ruth Barnett has dedicated years of service to education and genocide awareness and prevention. Born in Berlin, Ruth, then aged four, and her brother, seven, arrived in Britain on the Kindertransport, spending the next decade living with foster families. A psychotherapist, Ruth coined the term “genocide footprints” to mean marks left by societies and individuals who fail to actively combat the precursors to genocide. The 85-year-old regularly shares her testimony in schools, has been interviewed by The Wiener Holocaust Library, and authored an autobiographical play entitled What Price for Justice? Last year, Ruth was made an MBE for services to Holocaust education and awareness.

Ruth Bourne, 94 Inspirational war hero Ruth Bourne served her country with distinction as a code-breaker at Bletchley Park. During her time at Bletchley from 1944 to 1946, Ruth worked on deciphering the German code and operated Alan Turing’s code-

Lady Morris of Kenwood is an outstanding role model to the Jewish community. Warmly regarded as a “formidable and courageous leader”, the 87-year-old trailblazer was the first female senior partner of a substantial firm of London solicitors and only recently retired. As president of Habonim Dror (1979 to date), her tenacity and insight has been invaluable in ensuring the movement’s longterm sustainability. Ruth is also a patron of the Jewish Aids Trust and a trustee of the Jewish Youth Fund, while still volunteering at the Jewish Museum, All Saints Primary School and the Royal Free Hospital. Ruth was awarded a CBE in 2014 for services to the Jewish community.

Sally Friend, 83 Sally Friend has dedicated herself to improving mental health provision in the Jewish community and beyond. A former magistrate, Sally is currently chair of the Mental Health Managers for Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, working to ensure sectioned patients are legally detained. Such is her dedication that she recently donned full PPE to interview a vulnerable patient. For the past 20 years, Sally has also been an assessor on the Enemy Property Claims Assessment Panel, compensating those whose UK assets have been incorrectly confiscated. A keen volunteer, Sally sits on the Board of Hampstead Synagogue and in 1995 was awarded an MBE for services to the London community.

Seymour G Saideman, 81 Seymour Saideman’s profound influence over the Jewish community spans more than 40 years. As president of the United Synagogue (US) between 1992 and 1996, he established the first development programme to transform synagogues into vibrant communities, was pivotal in the admission of women to the US Council and local synagogue boards, and resolved a major financial crisis facing the US. Deeply committed to Jewish education, Seymour played a key role in establishing Immanuel College and in 1985 appointed the first female head of an Orthodox Jewish secondary school, JFS. The 81-year-old also helped establish B’nai B’rith Europe, serving as its first president and representing the movement at meetings of the EU and the United Nations.

Sheila King-Lassman, 88 Sheila King-Lassman has been a stalwart member of Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) for 60 years. As chair of FPS (1985-88), she notably implemented the President’s Fund, which subsidised families sending children to Liberal Judaism camps, and now serves the community with distinction as life president. Always welcoming, she truly encapsulates the

warmth and tone of the synagogue. Sheila is also a senior accredited counsellor, specialising in working with parents through separation and divorce, and has a particular interest in mixed-culture relationships. She also co-founded the Concord Prison Trust in 2004, which provides basic counselling skills training for inmates in HM prisons across the UK.

Sheila Peacock, 89 Councillor Sheila Peacock has represented Northumberland Park ward in Haringey since 1994 and served four times as the borough’s mayor. A former headteacher, she became president of the Haringey National Union of Teachers in 1978 before retiring and becoming a Labour councillor. For more than 25 years, Sheila’s remarkable political career in Haringey has included serving as deputy leader, chair of planning, chair of licensing and vice chair of housing. The 89-yearold has also chaired the Tottenham & Wood Green Pensioners' Action Group since 1994, the largest pensioners group in London, and is an executive member of the London Mayor’s Association.

Shirley Levinson, 92 Shirley Levinson has been an outstanding Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) volunteer for more than 60 years. In 1963, she joined the newly-formed Southgate WIZO committee, before rising through the organisation to chair WIZO UK’s membership department and co-chair the fundraising department. Shirley has further served as vice-chair, vicepresident and, since 2002, as honorary vice-president. Since 2007, she has also run WIZO’s Golden Age Club, organising outings and entertainment for older members. Praised for inspiring everyone with her “enthusiasm for life”, the 92-year-old has also volunteered for many years at the North London Hospice. In 2010, Shirley was awarded the Lily Sieff Award for her outstanding commitment.

Sid Green, 89 Sid Green is the founder of Chaps That Chat, a network of older men’s social groups. What started as a small initiative at Sinclair House in Redbridge has expanded to more than 80 members across Essex, with regular meetings still occurring during the pandemic over Zoom. The 89-year-old has also arranged numerous trips for group members, including to Mayor’s Question Time and the House of Commons. Highly personable, Sid calls every member each month to chat, check in on their health and to encourage them to attend meetings. A gentleman who was recently in hospital put it best: “Sid’s phone calls were better than any medicine!”

Lord (Simon Haskel), 85 A highly successful businessman who made his fortune in textiles, Lord Haskel has supported numerous communal initiatives over the past halfcentury. After completing national

4 February 2021 Jewish News

120 Over 80 service, when he was commissioned in the Royal Artillery, he joined textile firm Perrotts. Simon rose to become its chairman, garnering such respect that he was subsequently elected as world president of the Textile Institute in 2003. Awarded a life peerage in 1993, the 85-year-old is a keen supporter of Labour Friends of Israel and takes a keen interest in Jewish film. In 2007, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton for his contribution to British technology.

Stafford Fertleman, 86 Stafford Fertleman is a remarkable philanthropist who has supported numerous communal initiatives. He has raised millions for Simon Marks Jewish Primary School, helping to keep it afloat and maintain its Jewish education, as well as for Jewish Chaplaincy. Working always “out of the goodness of his heart” and asking nothing in return, his philanthropy has further enabled hundreds of young people to visit Poland with March of the Living UK. The 86-year-old has also successfully fundraised for World Jewish Relief and UJIA, of which he is a patron. A passionate Zionist, Stafford also supports Magen David Adom and the Laniado Hospital in Israel.

Lord (Stanley) Clinton-Davis, 92 Lord Clinton-Davis has been a prominent advocate for the Jewish community for more than 50 years. The Labour MP for Hackney Central from 1970 to 1983, he was promoted to minister of state for trade under Prime Minister Tony Blair, before being raised to a peerage in 1990. The 92-year-old is a vocal supporter of Labour Friends of Israel and served as vice president of the All-Party Parliamentary Group against Antisemitism. He has also previously presided over both the British Refugee Council and the UK Pilots Association. Acutely proud of his Jewish heritage, he is a former director of The Jewish Chronicle and a member of the Board of Deputies.

Lord Stanley Kalms and Lady Pamela Kalms, 88 and 89 As philanthropists, Lord and Lady Kalms have influenced the communal landscape for nearly half a century. As life president and former chairman of Dixons Retail, Stanley, 88, has used his vast wealth to donate generously to numerous communal organisations, including the Community Security Trust and Jewish Care. A former Conservative Party treasurer, he co-founded Immanuel College and conducted an influential review into the United Synagogue in 1992. After training as a nurse, Pamela, 89, dedicated herself to charitable causes, including working for more than 40 years at Edgware General Hospital with responsibility for 700 volunteers a week, and serving as a trustee of Chai Cancer Care for more than a decade.

Stella Lucas, 104 At 104 years old, Stella Lucas remains a pillar of the Jewish community. In 1987, she launched the first All Aboard charity shop in Swiss Cottage, raising funds for charities including Jewish Care, AJEX and Great Ormond Street Hospital. Today, the charity has expanded into a network of 19 shops. Stella has also held numerous high-profile community roles, including vice president of Jewish Care and was co-founder of

the Association of United Synagogue Ladies' Guild. Devoted to giving Orthodox women a greater communal voice, her tireless campaigning ensured that they received a vote and seat on the US council. In 2003, Stella was awarded an MBE for services to the Jewish community in London.

he was appointed by Boris Johnson in 2008 to chair the Mayor’s Fund, an anti-poverty initiative. He also formerly chaired the Friends of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and was vice chairman of the Wishing Well Appeal. He was knighted in 1990 for charitable services.

Susan Pollack, 90

Tony Sacker, 80

Holocaust survivor Susan Pollack is a vocal campaigner against the resurgence of antisemitism. Born in Hungary, she survived appalling conditions in the Vác ghetto, before being forcibly transferred to Auschwitz-Birkenau, Guben in eastern Germany, and finally Bergen-Belsen. The 90-year-old still shares her testimony with thousands of people each year, including Chelsea FC’s Ladies team as part of its ‘Say No to Antisemitism’ initiative. Last year, Susan was interviewed by Tracy-Ann Oberman for the Holocaust Educational Trust’s webcast, reaching more than 20,000 people internationally. After attending the Enough is Enough rally in 2018, Susan also spoke at both the Labour and Conservative Party conferences to remind attendees of their responsibility in combating antisemitism.

Tony Sacker is a distinguished leader of Liberal Judaism and major presence within Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue (NPLS). After many years spent on the council, he rose to serve as chair of NPLS from 1983 to 1986, and again from 2004 to 2005. Tony was also president of NPLS (2009 -14), where he oversaw a important visit by the UK’s Ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, in 2013. His impressive communal involvement also includes serving as vice president of the Board of Deputies and as vice chairman of Leo Baeck College. Tony remains active and is currently a vice-president of Liberal Judaism.

Suzie Graus, 87 Suzie provides a lifeline to isolated members of the community as a Telephone Befriender for Jewish Care. For the past 18 years. she has come into Jewish Care’s offices in Golders Green every Monday to make her calls, contacting up to 30 socially isolated clients each time. Offering a “listening and supportive ear”, the 87-year-old gives each member quality time to talk and express their feelings, giving them meaning to their lives and making them feel special. Unwavering in her resolve, Suzie has expertly adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic and continues completing all her calls from home.

Sydney Solomon Assor, 89 For more than 30 years, Sydney Assor has led the Moroccan Jewish community with distinction. The 89-yearold is the founder and chairman of the Association of Moroccan Jews in Great Britain, and co-founder of the Assembly of Moroccan Jewry. A remarkable networker, he introduced former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to Jewish charities in Morocco and, as a Board of Deputies member, initiated the first lunch attended by Moroccan and Egyptian ambassadors. Sydney also chairs the Surrey branch of the Three Faiths Forum, working tirelessly on interfaith initiatives. In 2016, he was inducted into the Order of Ouissam Alaouite as Commander, the highest Moroccan honour accorded to a foreigner.

Sir Trevor Chinn, 85 Jewish community grandee Sir Trevor Chinn is an outstanding philanthropist and charismatic leader. The 85-year-old is senior adviser at private equity group CVC Capital Partners, having formerly chaired RAC plc, Kwik-Fit and the AA. Outside the city, Trevor has served as president of UJIA (since 1993), Norwood (1995-2005), the Movement for Reform Judaism (since 2016) and as vice-president of the Jewish Leadership Council. A “man of great wisdom”,

Valerie Bello, 88 For a remarkable 70 years, Valerie has been a leading activist in the Jewish community. Passionate about improving the status of Jewish women, she became chair of the Association of Jewish Women and founded League of Jewish Women branches in Blackburn and Harrow in the 1950s and 1960s. Thereafter, she joined the Board of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain, leading the women’s division. She also played an integral role within B’nai B’rith Europe as secretary general, working on the organisation’s merger and reconstruction. Notably, she successfully brought the annual European Days of Jewish Culture and Heritage to Britain in 2012.

Walter Felman, 90 Walter Feldman is the founder of the UK branch of Save a Child’s Heart, which flies children from across the developing world to Israel for lifesaving cardiac surgery. Since 1999, he has raised millions of pounds for procedures at the Wolfson Medical Centre in Holon. More than 5,500 children’s lives have been saved – roughly 50 percent from Gaza and the West Bank – with the funds also going towards training for doctors and medical staff from developing nations. In 2016, then prime minister David Cameron presented Walter with a ‘Point of Light Award’, while Rotary International awarded him the ‘Service above Self Award’ in 2015.

Zigi Shipper, 90 Zigi Shipper is a highly visible Holocaust survivor dedicated to educating the next generation. Polish-born, he survived the Łódź Ghetto, Auschwitz-Birkenau and Stutthof concentration camps, and a death march to Neustadt. “Vibrant and determined”, Zigi’s testimony has been extensively recorded, including within a film produced by his grandson entitled 84303. Zigi met the England football team prior to the 2012 European Championships in Poland, and has addressed numerous Premier League footballers about their responsibility in challenging hate. In 2017, he returned to Stutthof to accompany the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on a tour of the camp. The 90-year-old was awarded a BEM in 2016 for services to Holocaust education.

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

120 Over 80

This list is our sociallydistanced hug to over 80s ANDREW GILBERT CHAIR, OVER 80S PANEL

When we do a Jewish News list for the first time, we are never quite sure how it will be received. But since we started asking the panel, all we heard was “what a great idea”. Reading the entries, then reading the bios and seeing the copy has given such a great warm fuzzy feeling that we all need now. The pandemic has been hard on us all in different ways, but those aged over 80 have been most at risk from the virus, loneliness and lack of care. It was a joy to have Jewish Care as a sponsor for this list and to recognise its role at this time. For all of us who want to hug our families and be with them, I hope the joy of this list is a socially-distanced hug to them and for us. I have known some people on the list for years and some were new to me. Some I learnt more about than I knew before. Part of me wishes that

we could go on for many more weeks and tell more special stories. We acknowledge and eulogise our greats when they are no longer with us; I hope we can make a new tradition – to treasure, venerate and tell the stories of our mentors and teachers while they are with us to hear our love and praise. The list of 120, which concludes today, covered more of Britain than some of the lists of younger people. Perhaps there is a truth of people moving to London and the south-east, but it was great to see Brighton, Bradford, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Surrey and Essex on our list. There were many other nominations. Maybe in the not too distant future there will be a moment to put the spotlight on another 120 incredible people and tell their stories too.

❝

I HOPE WE WILL VENERATE AND TELL OUR MENTORS’ STORIES WHILE THEY ARE WITH US

DANIEL CARMEL-BROWN CHIEF EXECUTIVE, JEWISH CARE

As we list our final group of nominees for the 120 Over 80 list, I cannot help but reflect on how blessed we are as a community to have such inspirational and generous people among us. Those we have featured have forged paths, blazed trails, set examples and high standards, given endless amounts of their time to volunteering, and shared their knowledge and wisdom with us in the hope of creating a better world. We are, indeed, very fortunate. At Jewish Care, and I know I can speak on behalf of many communal organisations, we are blessed to have a very personal connection to many of those we have seen listed in the past few weeks. Many who have shared their testimonies,

aided Holocaust education, given their lives to volunteering, to helping others, to establishing a better future, are our members and residents who we are lucky to have the privilege of knowing and supporting. The challenges of the past year for older and vulnerable people have been apparent to us all. The well-being of those we care for in our homes and in the wider community will always be our priority, and we are starkly reminded by the profiles of the nominees that this is not just a responsibility, but a great honour. There were many entries that the panel was unable to feature, but are still very deserving of recognition. It is wonderful that so many people were moved to nominate someone over 80 who has made a profound impact on those around them. They are family; not just to their own loved ones, but to us, and to our community, and we deeply value the contributions that each and every one of them has made and continues to make.

4 February 2021 Jewish News

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Jerusalem crowd / Sex charges / Larry King / Dig find / World News

Virus ignored at funeral Thousands of people defied government coronavirus guidelines last weekend by gathering in Jerusalem for the mass funeral of a major rabbinical figure. The funeral of Rabbi Dovid Soloveitchik came amid tensions over the Charedi sector’s handling of the pandemic. Soloveitchik, leader of the Brisk yeshiva, who was 99, died of Covid-19. Israel is under lockdown in an effort to control its infection rate. Yet in a community where protests against the rules have sometimes turned violent and a leading rabbi has openly advised schools to operate illicitly, huge crowds streamed into the streets to pay their respects. Photos and videos from the funerals showed many attendees without masks. A city police official said authorities were powerless to stop the gatherings, telling Channel 12: “There would certainly have been bloodshed” had they intervened. Critics of the government said the crowds were evidence that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not have control of the country’s outbreak. Netanyahu has closed the airport and distributed vaccines at a world-record pace but has not aggressively taken action in the Charedi sector. In one representative example, Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai tweeted a photo of the crowds with the opposition party slogan, “Only Likud can,” emblazoned over it. “Bibi’s closure, as you can see, is a

Former head in court The former Jewish school head extradited to Australia on 74 charges of child sexual abuse refused to answer a judge and sat slouched forward with her head in her arms at her first court appearance. Malka Leifer, who fled Melbourne for Israel hours before her arrest 13 years ago, was finally Malka Leifer stayed silent flown back to face her accusers, and appeared before a magistrate via video link. She is accused of sexually abusing girls at the Adass Israel Orthodox school she headed. Among the charges are 11 counts of rape.

Braced for fond farewell

Thousands of mourners in Jerusalem for Rabbi Dovid Soloveitchik

complete failure. It needs to be stopped and re-planned,” he wrote. Soloveitchik was the latest major Charedi leader to die after contracting the virus. He was born in Poland to a nonChasidic, or Lithuanian, Orthodox family famed for its many Torah scholars. His grandfather had headed the Volozhin Yeshiva, the most prestigious non-Chasidic

yeshiva in Europe in the 19th century and his father, Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik, led the yeshiva in the Polish town of Brisk. Dovid Soloveitchik moved to Palestine with his father during the Second World War where Yitzchak Zev reestablished the Brisk yeshiva. After his father’s death, Dovid established his own yeshiva, also called the Brisk Yeshiva, in Jerusalem.

Mourners at the funeral of Larry King wore braces in tribute to the late talk show veteran, his widow said. King, who interviewed a who’s who of A-list stars during a glittering career, died last month at the age of 87. Former US president Bill Clinton, who was interviewed

by King more than 20 times, was among those who paid tribute, describing him as having “great humour and genuine interest in people”. King’s widow, Shawn King, revealed that mourners, including the couple’s two sons, wore braces, which the host was famous for wearing.

SOLOMON’S PURPLE REIGN Rare evidence of woven fabric dyed with royal purple dating from the time of King David and King Solomon has been discovered in southern Israel. Scientists used carbon

dating on woollen fabric and a tassel found at an archaeological dig in the Timna Valley, a site once used to produce copper. They found the samples were about 3,000 years old.

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20 Jewish News

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4 February 2021

Editorial comment and letters ISSUE NO.

1196

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

VOICE OF THE JEWISH NEWS

Are we sorry for doing our job? Absolutely not Continued from page 1 Is it not this newspaper’s job to reflect the frustration – fury, even – of the many readers, who cannot see their loved ones, angered by large weddings being broken up in Stamford Hill? And would we not be criminally negligent if we were then to ignore those who came forward to tell us what, in fact, was happening every week? Are we supposed to not act on this kind of information about deadly events? If you think we are, we politely suggest that your idea of “a newspaper” is different to ours. Let’s be clear: our investigation could not have happened were it not for those living and working in the community itself who spoke to us. Did we set out to tar all with the same brush? Of course not. We firmly believe the majority do their best to keep to the rules like the rest of the country. It is a disgrace if law-abiding Jews have faced antisemitic abuse as a result of our coverage, as we have been told. But are we sorry for doing our job? Absolutely not. To those angry that Jews are dying from a deadly virus, we suggest your ire is directed at the rabbis and venues signing off on opportunities for its spread. We wouldn’t presume our word carries sway across the Charedi community, but we know who does and it is to them we look. And to those who say we deliberately set out to hurt the strictlyOrthodox community, the same strictly-Orthodox community we so enjoy celebrating, we say this. There were plenty more details that we heard during the course of our investigation. Only things we could corroborate with a high degree of surety made their way onto our news pages. Had we wanted to be salacious, or vindictive, or any of the other accusations, these anecdotes would have gone in – late-night after-parties and all. The way forward, for everyone, is for those who hold sway on the ‘Hill to vent their fury at the law-breaking few, not at reporters upholding the journalist’s code of conduct. Think about it: if we stop hearing reports of events in community halls being broken up by police, as we did this week, we have no publishing decision to make. Things may be moving in the right direction. We are pleased to report moves to bar entry to anyone not wearing a mask from 50 Jewish shops in Stamford Hill and north-west London and the growing number of rabbis speaking out on the importance of following British – and Jewish law – in protecting oneself and others. Other than anger from a few and praise from others, if our reporting has brought anything we hope it has helped bring change. Someone once said something about the importance of saving even one life. Now, who was that…?

Send us your comments PO Box 815, Edgware, HA8 4SX | letters@jewishnews.co.uk

‘Don’t criticise Jews’ I’ve never written to a newspaper before but I was deeply pained by the publication of last week’s report on the pandemic and Stamford Hill entitled: ‘For months they’ve broken every rule in the book’. You chose to call your newspaper Jewish News so clearly intend to be a Jewish newspaper. You clearly do not associate yourselves with the ultraOrthodox. We are brothers and sisters, children of Hashem and this article desecrated His name. Allow me to remind you that in the Holocaust, Hitler did not differentiate between a Chasidic Jew, a modern Orthodox Jew and an unaffiliated Jew. He put us all in one category and tried to wipe us out. Either we choose to sanctify ourselves as Am Yisrael, display unity among ourselves and stand out as a close-knit nation of brotherhood or, God forbid, other nations come and divide us. I read your scathing attack on Charedi Jewry flouting lockdown rules. How could you? A Jewish newspaper attacking Jews. Jews harming Jews! Don’t we have enough people out there who hate us? You advocate the toughest punishments for antisemitic attacks but you are no better. Anybody can read your newspaper and give themselves an excuse for antisemitism if Jews themselves are antisemites. I hope you’ll think twice next time a lowlife whistleblower comes to you with a juicy Charedi story.

Leah Hochhauser, By email I have seen the results of the Holocaust, in which I lost family, to the wonder of Israel, where I have family. This makes me even more determined to protect our values. That means following the example of the young Israeli/British soldier who faced a terrorist attack last week, doing her duty to protect her country, not the antics and arrogance of those who flagrantly break the laws of the land that protect the whole population from a plague.

Sidney Sands, N12

Organising and holding weddings at the moment is certainly against government legislation. However, I seek an explanation as to what the purpose of your article was. If it was to prevent people from making weddings, let me tell you that those who have chosen to make a wedding in this stressful time have thought about it thoroughly and will not change their minds as a result of your article. If it was just an interesting topic for an article, a hot topic, I remind you that this is an outright violation of Jewish laws. In these challenging times, we ought to be united as a nation, supporting one another as brothers and sisters and carrying the flag of our nation with pride.

18-year-old (Name withheld on request) By email

Throughout history, whenever there is a plague or pandemic, it is blamed on the Jews, often resulting in pogroms. In the years leading up to the Holocaust there was a lot of agitation against the religious and Orthodox and yet, when the Nazis came to power, they hated Jews of all stripes. Don’t delude yourselves: While I totally agree this breaching of the Covid lockdowns and conditions is disgraceful and horrendous, I question why your newspaper found the need to highlight this issue in such a sanctimonious manner, instead of contacting the Board of Deputies, Beth Din and other bodies with your findings to deal with this matter instead. Our community has been the subject of vicious

by causing resentment and animosity against the Orthodox with your articles about the pandemic, you are hurting and causing hatred against all Jews, yourselves included. By publicly displaying your dislike of the Orthodox, you are giving licence to all antisemites to do likewise.

Susan Stern, By email antisemitism, which has increased 100-fold since the Covid pandemic, with blood libel accusations rearing their ugly head again. I am truly lost for words that your publication took such a divisive attitude, especially so close to Holocaust Memorial Day. There are other sections in our society whom I have seen breaching the rules far worse than us.

Shelley Hart, By email

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

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Editorial comment and letters

‘Crying for victims News of illegal simchas’ A law unto

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Front garden minyanim involving multiple households take place on weekdays and Shabbat in Hendon. They involve loud singing without the use of masks, have no procedures for monitoring attendance for test and trace and no proper procedures for ensuring social distancing. The government and Barnet Council have made it clear that a front garden is not a place of worship, so these are clearly illegal gatherings under the current lockdown rules. It is certainly possible that transmission taking place at these minyanim could have led to the deaths of others, to say nothing of the terrible example set by supposedly religious people breaking the rules in public in this way. With thousands dying every week and the NHS under terrible pressure, the frankly foolish and misguided individuals who organise these gatherings should stop and think twice.

Alan Cohen, Hendon

Sketches & kvetches

“You think, maybe, campaigning for people to boycott the wedding receptions might be a little more productive?” I love my community in Stamford Hill, so I am glad you exposed its criminal behaviour in regard to the pandemic. I cry for a fine lady who paid with her life for agreeing to participate in her grandchild’s callous barmitzvah celebration. I know of others who have recovered but are now beset with related health The conduct of the Charedi community is shameful and inexcusable. I know this community lives by its own laws and outdated rules. However, when its actions affect an entire nation, there can be no excuse. While Jewish myself, with some Orthodox members within my fam-

I followed your coverage of weddings taking place in Hackney in contravention of UK law. It is largely due to the language and communication barrier that causes some in the Charedi community to behave in this irresponsible manner. Local and central government are partly to blame for not reaching out and communicating effectively with the community. I live in Stamford Hill and I write and translate professionally in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish. I reached out to local and central government early on, but only received a muted response after several months. The response was that neither Hackney Council nor government was interested in having laws, guidelines and posters translated and continually publicised for the Charedi Yiddish/Hebrew speaking communiIt is with great dismay that an attack on the contents of your newspaper has been perpetrated by a section of the strictly-Orthodox Jewish community. In covering the lawlessness of certain sections of the Stamford Hill community you are reporting on actual facts, as the news industry tends to do. Unfortunately, these mass public celebrations are currently illegal and strictly against the laws of this country. When these laws are ignored it causes major problems for the rest of the country. Your response to this unwarranted attack is highly commended and you have the support of all.

Norman Brill, Whetstone

issues. I can in no way rationalise what is going on here, but to call it collective insanity. Leadership? What leadership?! We have no leaders. It is a fact of life that our culture has produced none since a long time. Sadly, we are what we look like an over-stimulated mindless herd. Lord, have mercy on us.

Mayer Braun, By email ily, I have little time for their world. I compare them to a commune or sect whose blind faith is written to suit them. I have no doubt they look down on the secular mainstream Jewish community. They must be exposed and shamed.

Lauren Martin, By email

ties. At best, a one-time display of minimal effort was made, by having volunteers and students of Jewish Studies at UCL, translate several posters to a garbled guacamole of words with some resemblance to Yiddish. In short, most law-abiding citizens of Stamford Hill are simply unaware of the ever-changing rules. To them, the virus appears to have passed their postcode somewhat and life can return to normal. Charedi households do not watch TV, use the internet or listen to the radio. Most are unaware of how the virus is still ravaging nationwide or what the death toll numbers are on any given day. Nobody sets out to purposely defy the law. It is a failure of communication, which led to ignorance, and in turn non-compliance.

27/01/2021 13:55:10

ings • 50+ strictly-Orthodox weddown across London during lockd

• Lookouts used to raise alarm and money set aside for fines

• Bride at one Stamford Hill

wedding was ‘Covid positive’ • Police ‘not doing enough’ to prevent acts of lawlessness • Further simchas held since last week’s school wedding scandal

thems elves Exclusive investigation on pages

A strictly-Orthodox couple at a pre-lockdown wedding

2, 3 and 22

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Last week’s Jewish News front page story. We managed to corroborate more than 50 weddings, with dates and venues, that have taken place during partial or full lockdowns in and around Stamford Hill

SE Brodheim, Stamford Hill

IN COVERING LAWLESSNESS IN CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE STAMFORD HILL COMMUNITY YOU ARE REPORTING ON ACTUAL FACTS, AS THE NEWS INDUSTRY TENDS TO DO No question, we agree that the noncompliance that has been happening, among the Stamford Hill Charedim especially the large wedding is completely wrong and dangerous and it is fair that it should be reported by your paper. However, your extensive coverage over the front page and spread inside serves of no purpose as the Charedim will not learn from it as they do not read your paper. It was therefore just an incitement between your readership and the Charedim, we can see this from all the social media hateful comments about them from the wider community and beyond and as it as well likely to be material for antisemites. We also feel it was insensitive that this vindictive front page took precedence on front page instead of dedicated to Holocaust Memorial Day. Three of us has made efforts to contact someone from the Charedi community to try and reason why weddings were being held, explanations were given and even an invitation to them to a zoom to discuss in detail was accepted. It was that easy to get in dialogue with them. We ask that in the future, the Jewish News uses a more careful approach not to incite Jew-on-Jew hatred and create extra antisemitism in the wider community. More sensitivity should be used. Sharna Kotlowski, By email

If the Chasidim had waited three weeks before announcing their boycott of Jewish News it would have been judged the most hilarious Purim joke on earth. In strictly-Orthodox homes throughout the land, they will no longer be able to salivate over all those pictures of women and will miss ‘Progressively Speaking’ – an invaluable insight into the latest news from non-Orthodox communities. Given the cover price, the editor must be quaking at the huge loss of revenue this boycott will cause – but he should not worry. History tells us that banning a publication vastly increases its readership. Look out for the heads of Chasidic households furtively secreting Jewish News into tallis bags on Friday morning, to be retrieved and read by candlelight after dinner, while locked in the airing cupboard. Whatever next? Will the Pope boycott Playboy? Those who flout the law and spread this deadly infection by organising illegal gatherings are ignoring three fundamental precepts of Jewish law: pikuach nefesh (sanctity of life), dina d’malchuta dina (the law of the land is the law) and the prohibition of injuring oneself. There’s a further injunction on ‘putting a stumbling block in front of the blind’ – in this case, encouraging others to participate. Those who organise these illegal assemblies cannot be called ‘Orthodox’ or ‘Jewish’. They are simply a criminal cult.

Herbert Goldberg, Pinner The only thing that shocked me more than your unimpeachable investigation into wholesale lockdown law-breaking in Stamford Hill was anonymous elements of that community mindlessly accusing Jewish News of an antiCharedi agenda rather than accept they’d been shamed and exposed and pledge to act morally in future.

Marcus Sacker, By email

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 4 February 2021

Opinion

How about a proper dialogue, Mr Baddiel? JENNI FRAZER

avid Baddiel, as is well known, is a prodigiously clever man who has used his deserved public profile as a writer and comedian to challenge antisemitism and hateful stereotyping. His Twitter biography, famously, uses the blunt describer, “Jew” — no more, no less. What you see is what you get with Baddiel, who, with his brother Ivor has fought a long and battle-scarred campaign to eradicate the term “Yid” from football chants. He has just published a book called Jews Don’t Count (see page 28), in which he makes a closely argued polemic as to why racism against Jews is so often ignored or brushed aside as “not real”. Non-Jews are fond of telling us that Jews are overwhelmingly white and thus cannot be the victims of discrimination — a school of thought repeatedly pitched during the dark Corbyn years. Baddiel is honest enough to admit, in

an article he wrote for the Sunday Times this week to promote his book, that “as far as racism goes, religion is — let me be clear here — irrelevant. I’m an atheist, but I think saying that would not have got me any free passes out of Auschwitz”. He is the son of a Holocaust survivor, so ought to know what he is talking about. And yet… Baddiel this week took advantage of his 727,000 Twitter following to pick up on the Jewish News investigation about Stamford Hill responses to Covid. He wrote just three words: “Stupid f****** frummers”.

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INSULTING PEOPLE IS NOT CALCULATED TO BRING THEM AROUND TO LAW-ABIDING THINKING

It set me wondering as to whether those three words were not, in their own way, just as dismissive and discriminatory as the largescale anti-Jewish racism of which Baddiel so rightly and eloquently complains. His comment — not, for once, witty or inciteful, merely knee-jerk — may have struck a chord with his many non-Jewish fans. But it left me feeling uncomfortable, no matter how much I may agree with the intent behind the comment. For the truth is that so many of us — me included — are too ready to lump all those in the strictly-Orthodox community into one amorphous, black-hatted and bearded pot. They. We tell ourselves comfortingly, are not we; they may have the Lord on their side but we have moral righteousness, which beats religion every time. And we, we tell each other and the wider community at large, would not dream of behaving like they do. In this topsy-turvy, Abraham-inWonderland world, we who are less observant are the good Jews, while they, who

keep the commandments to the exclusion of almost all else, are the bad Jews. How did we get to this situation? Not in a million years am I trying to make excuses for the truly appalling flouting of the rules, in strictly Orthodox communities from London to Brooklyn to Jerusalem. Each time I see a photo in the national press, of a sea of unmasked men — for it is almost always entirely men — I shudder. But I do wonder what message we are sending those in the strictly-Orthodox communities. Theirs is the demographically superior grouping, and soon there will be demonstrably more of them than of us. And apostrophising them as “stupid effing frummers” is not, in my opinion, calculated to bring them round to a more law-abiding way of thinking. I’d love to see a public dialogue between Baddiel and a Stamford Hill intellectual. In this plague year, perhaps that’s what we need: after all, Stamford Hillians are just as proud of calling themselves “Jew” as him.

No accord with likes of Kuwait and Tunisia AMJAD TAHA

BAHRAIN-BASED REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE BRITISH MIDDLE EAST CENTRE FOR STUDIES AND RESEARCH

ntisemitism is on the march. From the Tunisian president’s recent remarks blaming the country's unrest on “thieving Jews”, to Kuwait’s top preacher Othman al-Khamees calling Jews “the brothers of apes and pigs” and declaring that the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s Abrahamic Family House should not be shared with Jews, antisemitism has been given a new lease of life. Recent antisemitic statements made by Al-Khamees have sparked widespread controversy on social media and in Gulf Cooperation Council societies. Al-Khamees claimed that the Jewish people are a nation of no faith, and condemned the construction of an interfaith centre in the UAE, the Abrahamic Family House, which will include a synagogue, church and mosque. Al-Khamees went so far as to claim that the three-in-one religious complex constitutes an act of “infidelity”. He denounced placing what he referred to as the “distorted Bible and Torah” next to the Quran, ques-

tioned the project’s motives and claimed the Jews are people of “no belief and dignity”. In addition, he uploaded a video to his public YouTube channel (dated 23 December 2020), stating the Jews can be referred to “as the brothers of apes and pigs, because essentially, they became like them”. The question is: how can countries such as Kuwait, which is considered a constitutional sovereign state with a semi-democratic political system that is considered a liberal constitution in the GCC, allow and give al-Khamees a platform to attack the Jewish people and the Abrahamic Accords in such antisemitic terms? Meanwhile, Kuwait continues to host thousands of US military personnel and contractors, many of whom are from a Jewish backgrounds. Antisemitism can be manifested in many ways, ranging from expressions of hatred and discrimination against individual Jews, to organised pogroms by mobs or police forces, to attacks on entire Jewish communities and the Jewish faith. Recent speeches made by al-Khamees are a clear example of antisemitic incitement. The Jewish community has seen and experienced these acts of antisemitism on multiple occasions. From the first accusation made in the second century (false claims that faulted

the Jews for the death of Jesus), the blood libel, the pogroms, the dissemination of the forged document commonly called The Protocols of the Elders of Zion to the Nazi attempt to carry out Die Endlösung (The Final Solution), antisemitism continues to take many forms. However, the Abraham Accords hope to bring change to situations like these. In order to gain true justice, radicals such as the Islamist cleric in Kuwait should be condemned and confronted for his antisemitic acts. Sadly, al-Khamees is not alone. The Middle East experienced another recent example of controversy over antisemitism, with the remarks made by Tunisian President Kais Saied. Amid a heated discussion about the ongoing political unrest in the country, President Saied casually referred to the Jews as "thieving Jews", implying that they might be behind Tunisia’s turmoil. Saied, a political newcomer elected in 2019 in an alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood, is no stranger to antisemitic remarks as he continues to maintain a strong antiIsraeli stance. During his campaign, he said that any attempt to normalise ties with Israel – which he referred to exclusively as a 'Zionist entity' – constitute high treason. Antisemitic acts have always surged to the surface in times of social, political and

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UNITY BETWEEN ALL IS VITAL AND THERE SHOULD BE NO SPACE FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO FRIGHTEN US

economic uncertainty, such as our current global context, now made much worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the fact that health authorities the world over unanimously agree that the Covid-19 virus originated in China, antisemites in Gaza, Iran and Yemen have found a way to blame the pandemic on Jews. During these times, unity between all is vital, and there should be no tolerance for preachers and leaders who choose to frighten or threaten us. We will thrive together with the Jewish state of Israel and stand against all brutality and racism. The Abraham Accords has created a new and different future for the Middle East – one in which antisemitism is rejected and harmony between all religions embraced.

4 February 2021 Jewish News

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Opinion

'Chained women' issue casts shadow NAOMI DICKSON CEO, JEWISH WOMEN’S AID

ast week saw the second reading of the Domestic Abuse Bill in the House of Lords. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for campaigners and for our sector to work with Government to create better outcomes for women experiencing domestic abuse. The bill proposes the establishment of a Domestic Abuse Commissioner as well as measures which provide better support for women and children through the family courts, funding for services as well as broader and updated definitions of domestic abuse. One of the first amendments tabled was by Baroness Ros Altmann, and supported vocally and passionately by Lords Mendelsohn, Polak, Palmer and Baroness Deech, proposing a set of amendments to include get refusal (the refusal of a recalcitrant husband to give his wife a Jewish bill of divorce) within the definition of coercive and controlling behaviour, which is an offence under the Serious Crime Act 2015. Get refusal is already dealt with in civil law in the form of the Divorce (Religious Marriages) Act 2002 and this sanction would

be a welcome and much-needed addition. Those women who live as agunot – chained women – will, the speakers argued, benefit enormously from the support of English Law. They were at pains to point out that there are not a large number of agunot in the UK, but that one is too many. Recently, the threat of private prosecutions based on a claim of coercive and controlling behaviour has led to at least two gittin being given to women. The hope is that should this provision become enshrined in law, more cases like these will follow and the knowledge of such cases would act as a deterrent to would-be get refusers. The thorny issue of agunot has cast a shadow over us for years. At Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA) we have long considered get refusal to be a form of abuse – another way of controlling a woman and a form of powerplay imposed on women who have, too often, already been subjected to years of humiliating abuse. These new measures, to be further discussed in the Lords in the next few weeks, will allow JWA and specialist legal teams to advocate more strongly for women, and help agunot to secure their get, allowing them the freedom to move on with their lives.  We must help agunot, page 24

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

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Opinion

We must help tragic agunot BARONESS ALTMANN, BARONESS DEECH, LORD MENDELSOHN, LORD PALMER CONSERVATIVE, CROSS-BENCH, LABOUR AND LIBDEM PEERS

s a cross-party group of Jewish peers, we have joined together, supported by leading women’s charities, communal organisations and top lawyers, to address an issue we all feel passionately about. We have long been troubled by the problem of Jewish wives who are trapped in a failed marriage by religious laws that allow a husband to refuse to set them free. Most Jewish divorces proceed smoothly, of course, but we would like to help this tragic minority, whose plight is a stain on the religion we hold dear. Jewish law stipulates that only a husband can initiate the formal divorce document – known as a ‘get’ – without which the wife

remains married to him in Jewish law, even if civilly divorced. Remarriage is forbidden for these so-called ‘agunot’ (chained wives) as it is considered adulterous and any future child is labelled a ‘mamzer’ and excluded from mainstream religion. We recognise there has been some progress on this issue in recent years. Rabbinic authorities have tried to find halachically acceptable ways to permit these women to divorce, with ‘get-refusing’ husbands being ostracised and shamed, but about 30 women in Britain remain trapped in this dreadful situation. The attempts by the dayanim (Bet Din Judges) to find resolutions have often been stymied by the complexities of Judaic law, with Torah, Midrashic and Talmudic law requiring husbands to give their wife a get willingly. If he is considered to have been forced into it, the get may be invalidated, leaving the wife with no way out, either having to accept that she cannot remarry or have children unless her husband relents, or reject her Jewish religious life. Consistent, unreasonable get refusal can be perpetrated by vindictive husbands seeking to

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WE WANT THESE WOMEN TO KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALONE

control their wife’s life, or can be a means of extorting money. This is abusive behaviour and, as parliament is debating a Domestic Abuse Bill, establishing emotional, psychological, economic and other types of abuse as unlawful, we think it appropriate to include this problem. So we have laid amendments to the Bill which could provide help and protection to British women suffering this abuse. We respect Jewish law and would never seek to override the authority of our Bet Din. But as legislators in this country, we have a duty to try to protect these women as much as domestic law can. We want these women to know they are not alone and, alongside marvellous charities such as Jewish Women’s Aid and GettOut UK, many fellow Jews want to help. Estab-

lishing in law, or including in the statutory guidance, that agunot are being abused could help other domestic abuse victims. We also hope this could be helpful to the Bet Din as they try to find ways to free the chained women and encourage more men to give their wives a get. We are meeting with ministers and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, who are extremely supportive and will table amendments at the next stage of the Bill in the Lords. We hope to meet with the Bet Din too. Surely the Torah could not have intended women to be cruelly abandoned to the whims of recalcitrant husbands. As committed Jews, we believe Judaism offers a wonderful way of life and want to see our religion thrive for future generations. Kindness, compassion and caring for others are core values and Orthodox Judaism has made real progress in advancing women’s rights and inclusion in religious life, but the plight of agunot does not fit this. We hope our work might represent a small step forward in helping to resolve these tragic cases, and ensure that these women know they are not forgotten.

Charedi ‘them versus us’ stance is deeply harmful EVE SACKS

TRUSTEE OF JOFA & DIRECTOR/ CO-FOUNDER OF NAHAMU

hen it was reported that police had broken up a wedding in Yesoday Hatorah School in Stamford Hill, I was surprised it had taken them so long. It’s been known for months that Charedi weddings have continued despite Covid lockdown rules. Initially, the narrative was that the community leaders and members didn’t understand the Covid rules as many did not speak English. Recently the government published lockdown guidance in Yiddish with the support of the Board of Deputies, perhaps clinging to the notion that it was just a lack of understanding of the rules that was behind the lack of compliance. It may well be a lack of understanding that is the problem. But publishing one-page Covid guidelines in Yiddish will not be enough. The education needed to address the lack of understanding would take a shift of direction and at least a generation to achieve. In parts of the Charedi community the lifestyle is extremely social. It comprises thrice-

daily communal prayers and a weekly menu of weddings, barmitzvahs, bris milah, shalom zachor, kiddishes, aufrufs, engagement parties and sheva brachos. After all, other forms of entertainment have been banned, or are not accessible, such as TV, internet, films, even secular books, magazines and newspapers. Add in the pressure of large families in small homes and it quickly becomes apparent that staying at home would cause huge hardship. And yet, flouting the rules would cause deaths. Chasidic communities across the world have chosen death over hardship, with reports from Israel that the mortality rates for over-65s in Charedi communities are three times the death rates in over-65s other communities. Further, as the pandemic has progressed and police have had to deal with the lack of compliance, there has been violence against police in both Israel and Canada. Tighter police enforcement in the UK could have had the same outcome. The narrative in Israel is

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now around ‘them versus us’ with the Zionist state (them) wanting to stop the Charedi (us) way of life, leading to parallels with the story of Chanukah and the Greeks. This narrative is being played out in Charedi communities in other countries. Demographic trends mean that the Charedi community is becoming a bigger proportion of Anglo Jewry, and the longer the ‘them versus us’ narrative ensues the more embedded the problem becomes. It is this narrative that allows the community to self-govern; in normal times this may lead to a communal belief that certain tax laws don’t apply; in the current climate there is a public health risk. So what needs to change? The place to address the problem is in Charedi schools as the lack of compliance stems from many layers of lack of understanding: that continued flouting of the rules will be seized on by antisemites and affects the whole Jewish community; that those around us

THE LACK OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW STEMS FROM MANY LAYERS OF LACK OF UNDERSTANDING

also struggle with the lockdown; an understanding of science and its role in the crisis; and a solid understanding of English in order to access mainstream media. Citizenship education is also needed, about the sense of responsibility inherent in being British. Charedi children must be given the tools to grow up as adults who can confidently navigate the outside world. Isolation has become dangerous. It may be time to have another look at previous Department for Education proposals to require all children in faith schools to have meaningful contact with children from other communities. As part of the anti-extremist organisation Nahamu I have been lobbying about the systemic harms in the Charedi community: the lack of education, forced marriage, covering up of abuse and what we call coerced criminality but is just tax evasion and benefit fraud. The lack of respect for the law extends to any area where there is a threat to the Charedi lifestyle. The government needs to decide whether it wants to let insular religious communities do their own thing without interruption, and to decide where the balance of freedom of freedom of religion lies. It can act now, or wait until the problem has grown worse.

4 February 2021 Jewish News

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Community / Scene & Be Seen

1 SOW INSPIRING

As part of a fruitful collaboration between Hertsmere Jewish Primary School and Seed, nearly 500 youngsters celebrated Tu B’Shvat in style last Thursday. The school’s PTA and Jewish Studies department teamed up with Seed UK to send out hundreds of packets of basil seeds for pupils to plant at home to mark the Jewish birthday of the trees. Year 1 pupils also enjoyed a virtual Tu B’Shvat seder, while older years were treated to a fruit art demonstration from Miriam Sternlicht. Jane Goodman, the PTA chair, said: “It was lovely to be able to bring a smile to the faces of our children.” Orah Soller, head of Jewish Studies, said: “This was the first time celebrating Tu B’Shvat in lockdown. I am thrilled to say it was all a huge success.”

And be seen! The latest news, pictures and (virtual) social events from across the community Email us at community@jewishnews.co.uk

2 TREE DIMENSIONAL

Seed’s Tu B’Shvat activities touched more than 2,000 people last week. Highlights included ‘grow your own’ basil seed packs ordered by 975 people UK-wide, a tree painting evening for graduates of the LINKS mother and daughter batmitzvah programme and a range of online sessions for schools in London and Manchester led by Seed’s educators. These included a quiz on the Kahoot platform, gratitude tree crafts, edible food art and a Tu B’Shvat seder.

3 FLOWER POWER

Jewish Care residents have been creating beauty around them with flower displays on Zoom with Ursula Stone and her social enterprise, The Flower Bank. Ursula collects and delivers the waste flowers from supermarkets so they can be repurposed by the residents. On Tu B’Shvat residents got creative by decorating a tree trunk with flowers – with amazing results.

4 HEALTHY FUN!

The 20th Finchley Jewish Beaver scout group had lots of fun making creative fruit pictures as part of their health and fitness badge, which coincided with Tu B’Shvat. The activities were connected to eating healthily and staying active and the children were challenged to make pictures from something healthy, including the one pictured.

26 Jewish News

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4 Februaryr 2021

Weekend / Woman’s work

Louisa Walters speaks to four Jewish women working in maledominated jobs about why they love being treated as ‘one of the boys’

Anything men can do... Recent figures show women account for 10% of all UK mechanics THE MECHANIC Working for The Financial Times sounds super interesting but, after six years of doing data entry at the broadsheet, 43-year-old Emma from north London decided she was ready for a challenge. “I realised that a desk job simply wasn’t me and, despite my sparkly fingernails, the idea of getting my hands dirty was really appealing,” she says. “My dad is a TV engineer and I always loved messing around in his workshop, taking things apart and putting them together.” Emma enrolled at night school to do a City & Guilds in motor vehicle servicing and engine repairs – not surprisingly, she was the only woman on the course. She has now been working as a car mechanic for 20 years. Her first job was in a small independent garage and then in 2005 she landed a role at Volkswagen. “They took me in, treated me as one of the boys, and I loved it!” she says. After 10 years, when the cost of childcare became too high for her to work full-time, she left, bought herself a set of tools and literally went on the road as a mobile mechanic. Recommendations come via word of mouth and

Facebook groups. Emma is a true dichotomy – in her spare time, she bakes celebration cakes. “I have a logical side and a creative side. Being a car mechanic is dirty and horrible, but I love it!”

THE ELECTRICIAN Diminutive and bubbly, 28-year-old Naomi grew up in an observant household in north London and attended Hasmonean High School for Girls. She dallied with a career in music and then as a personal trainer but then, in a lightbulb moment (excuse the pun) she hit upon the idea of being an electrician. “My mum thought I was nuts, but she was very supportive and now thinks it was the best decision I ever made.” Naomi enrolled at evening classes to train and one day was at her neighbour’s house when their electrician was there. They got chatting, he took her on as an electrician’s mate and then she learned on the job. “Working all around north London for two lovely Jewish bosses was a great way to get started,” says Naomi. For a bit of fun, she set up an Instagram account, @tinysparkldn, and got discovered by a central London company looking for someone to join their team.

Out of more than 250K electricians in the UK, around 2,000 are female

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

Woman’s work / Weekend

Just 6.5% of drivers in England, Wales and Scotland are women

“I was offered a salary I couldn’t resist and also the lure of a more creative role doing much bigger projects. I miss working for the Jewish community, but I love the commercial and industrial jobs I am doing now.” Naomi is very much a woman in a man’s world. “I never turn up to a job without a full face of make-up – clients are often taken aback to see a properly groomed female electrician! “The nature of the work can put women off, but we are fully capable – in some respects, we are far more suited! We have a keen eye for detail and are more likely to be careful about protecting surfaces and ensuring a tidy finish. “I’m 4ft 9in, so I can squeeze into places the guys can’t reach, like under floorboards and in the eaves. I’ve had to overcome some fears though – rodents and spiders do not make for a glamorous working environment! “

In 2018, women accounted for just over a quarter of 21,600 prison officers in England and Wales

THE PRISONER OFFICER When 23-year-old Samantha (not her real name) from north London was finishing her degree in psychology with criminology, she came across a graduate scheme for a prison officer at a high security prison and thought it sounded interesting. She applied and was accepted. “At first, my parents were really worried about my safety,” she says. “Prison is a very dangerous environment, and I am working with some extremely dangerous individuals. Two years on, they are a lot more relaxed as they know I feel safe at work. My friends are very supportive and are always calling to find out about my day!” A typical day involves unlocking prisoners (for exercise, showers, to collect meals, to go to work around the prison), rub-down searches, daily cell checks and more. However, prison is a volatile environment and

although this regime may sound simple to facilitate, it usually is not. There are frequent incidents, such as drug overdoses, violence and self-harm, that disrupt the operation of the wing. Samantha’s job is to help convicts deal with being in prison and address their offending behaviour. This is done through rehabilitating and training offenders, plus giving them advice, support and counselling. “I feel there are many benefits of females working in a masculine subculture,” says Samantha. “In my experience, female officers are less inclined to resort to force and prefer to de-escalate situations using interpersonal skills. “This allows for female officers to build particularly good rapport with prisoners, and subsequently reduce violence. However, I have found that male staff doubt the physical and emotional strength of females. “While I understand the need for physical back-up in times of violence, I frequently witness female members of staff de-escalating situations that otherwise would have resulted in potential staff assaults.” Traditionally, prisons were a place of punishment; male officers would come to work to ensure secure custody and were orientated by security and control. Now, they are a place of rehabilitation. Prison officers are encouraged to empathise with the human condition of prisoners and bring new ideas to reform them, to help them make better, more positive choices and prepare for life outside prison. “In line with the prison reform, the role has become more suitable for women. It is emotionally challenging, but has the reward of making a positive contribution to the care of those in custody and contributing to reducing the huge cost of them reoffending,” explains Samantha. “Men outnumber women by three to one, but I do not really consider myself to be one of the boys. I am a girlie girl and I get along with everyone, but I like working with another female on my shift as most have a similar attitude to me.”

THE TRAIN DRIVER Maddy, 56, from Borehamwood, recalls how as a child her parents read Thomas The Tank Engine stories to her and, from then on, she knew she wanted to be a train driver one day. She began her working life as a research chemist, but had to give up when she was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME. “Thankfully, I made a full recovery, but the episode made me realise that life isn’t a rehearsal – it was time to make my dreams come true,” she says.

Maddy kept asking various train companies to take her on, until Connex South Central said yes. Instead of working her way through the ranks, as was traditional since steam days, she started as a driver-in-training (‘boil-in-the-bag’ driver, as she was called by the older men). Maddy has now been driving trains for 22 years and is currently a locomotive engineer (freight train driver). “My parents were concerned it wouldn’t be a suitable job for their daughter, but were very proud when I made it!” says Maddy. “I can be working any time of day or night, 24/7, and I work almost exclusively among men. “There is one other female driver at my depot, plus I know a few other female drivers and ground staff (who prepare trains and control movements in yards etc). “I was the first female mainline driver for GBRf (GB Railfreight). Female freight drivers are quite rare compared to passenger train drivers and tube drivers, but more women are now being taken on. “There are many disadvantages to being female, the biggest being a lack of decent toilet facilities while on the road – of course this affects men, too. “There are issues with women’s’ health (such as menopause) that are not understood by our mostly-male management, although these are now being addressed. There is a lot of heavy lifting, it is dirty, there are long shifts and you need to be very mechanically minded. But I love it!” Maddy likes having female colleagues, but she can also be one of the lads. “I am a bit of a tomboy – always in boots/jeans, I play a big brass instrument and I used to ride a motorbike – but I like to dress up for a special occasion too.” When the UK went into lockdown in March, Maddy was considered a key worker and carried on working, but contracted Covid-19 and has since experience long Covid symptoms. She hopes to get back on the tracks soon.

A look

Inside Competition: Win a luxury coffee subscription from Curious Roo!

Entertainment: Documentary explores compelling Holocaust hoax

Hidden racism: David Baddiel’s new book, Jews Don’t Count

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

Weekend / Book

‘Jews are OK – but only as long as they can pass as non-Jews!’ In this extract from his new book, Jews Don’t Count, comedian and writer David Baddiel examines how, in the fight to eradicate racism, antisemitism has been uniquely ignored

❝

I AM, I WOULD SAY, one of the UK’s very few famous Jews. By which I don’t mean I am one of the UK’s very few famous – ish – people who are Jewish. There’s quite a number of those. What I mean is that I am one of the very few people in this country whose Jewishness is one of the principal things known about them. Who else is there? Maureen Lipman, possibly. Vanessa Feltz. Some media rabbis. That’s kind of it. Within British comedy there are many other Jews (or, at least, people with Jewish heritage) — Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry, Alexei Sayle, Simon Amstell, Sue Perkins, Simon Brodkin, Robert Popper – but I’d say that only I am someone who most people would know, if they know me at all, as Jewish. Only I, that is, have made being Jewish part of my public identity. I think this absence is partly because – until very recently – being British and Jewish wasn’t really a thing. Jews may be the only minority group in this country who have never been cool. (Unlike their American counterparts – think Mort Sahl or Saul Bellow in 1963 – cool as f***). But beyond not being cool, there is also, around Jews, and their Jewishness, some shame. Here is a conversation I had with a woman at a wedding once: WOMAN: Oh you’re David Baddiel. You’re Jewish, aren’t you? ME: Yes. WOMAN: I’m Jewish. Although you probably can’t tell, can you? That’ll be the nose job. ME: Right … WOMAN: I never normally tell people. That I’m Jewish, I mean. ME: Why not? WOMAN: (as if it’s obvious) Well. People don’t like ’em.

Amazing though this wedding guest’s attitude was – her breezy acceptance of Jewhate, and also, of something even deeper, the acceptance of a default distinction between Jews and People – I don’t think it was that unusual. The actress Miriam Margolyes, in an interview in The Daily Telegraph in 2015, said: ‘Look, nobody likes Jews. You can’t

She doesn’t tell people she’s Jewish, because ‘people don’t like them’. Which would suggest that Jews don’t really suffer from being thought of as different as long as people don’t know they’re Jews: as long as they, like gays in the closet, hide. Which means that Jews are only OK as long as they can pass as non-Jews, and that Jews – once identified as such – will be thought of as different. I’m not someone given to hiding my Jewishness. My Twitter biography has always been one word: Jew. This is for a number of reasons, none of them to do with religion. First, it’s funny. Second, it’s a statement against Jewish shame, and indeed Jewish absence, against Jews not counting, by putting it – however comically – front and centre of my identity. And number three, it’s a reclamation, although a twisted one. ‘Jew’ has a strange status, as a bad word. All other minorities, in the process of reclaiming hate speech, are working This 1943 German poster says: The war is his fault! with words that aren’t actually the words in the dictionary that describe them. They are reclaiming slang insults. Jew is a very recognisable, uniformly grotesque actually what I am. So it’s interesting that manner – big noses, swarthy skin, dark those concerned about offence tend to hair, fattened with their own greed – but say ‘Jewish people’ rather than ‘Jew’. also extensive and complex checks for Because even though it is the correct spotting Jews. word, and not a slang word coined by And, of course, the requirement of racists, the deep burial of it in a bad place Jews to wear armbands that identified in the Christian unconscious means that them as Jews. it feels insulting anyway. This ability to hide is important in the omission of Jews from idenThe avoidance of the word brings home, in fact, tity politics, because most the – to coin a identities, sexual ones aside, phrase – systemic are fairly impossible to hide. racism of JudeoJews can hide; they can Christian culture, the pass as non-Jews. submerged power So the assumpA poster advertising an antisemitic tion appears to be that propaganda film called The Eternal Jew that hangs around, because they are not because of two immediately visible, incredibly, obviously Jewish – because centuries of linguistic they don’t suffer racism. they all have big noses and swarthy skin toxicity…” Jews don’t really suffer and dark hair and are fattened up with Jews Don’t Count their own greed – and simultaneously diffi- from being considered by David Baddiel is different, because they cult to spot, which is what allows them to published by TLS don’t look different. get under the radar of non-Jews and work Books, priced But consider what their despicable secret doings. £8.99 (hardback). the woman at the This is why the Nazis were able to have wedding said. cartoons of Jews that depicted them in Available now say people like Jews. We’re not popular. We’re too smart to be liked.’ Margolyes is different from the wedding guest in that she is outspokenly progressive and of the left, and, like many left-wing Jews, carries particular shame around Israel, but her statement feels deeper than that, more universal and eternal (she preceded it by saying that ‘the English are naturally anti-Semitic’). It also has another very Jewish wrinkle in it, which is Jews’ own reflection back to mainstream culture of the high-low status duality projected on to them: we are hated because we are smart. Significantly, one of the things that marks Jewishness out as different from other ethnicities is that it can be hidden. One of the many contradictory beliefs held by antisemites is that Jews are

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

Entertainment / Weekend

BOOK

DOCUMENTARY

Golden Drawings by David Breuer-Weil

Misha and the Wolves

Contemporary artist David Breuer-Weil has published Golden Drawings, a new book featuring 66 drawings created during the first national lockdown as a visual diary of the pandemic. Breuer-Weil, who contracted Covid-19 himself last March, has used his artistry to portray powerful images of the pandemic, such as the world in lockdown and the weekly Thursday night clapping in support of the NHS. He also kept a written diary of his experience

through the first pandemic lockdown, which is published alongside the works featured in the book. Breuer-Weil said: “Drawing literally became a lifesaver for me. It gave my days hope and structure and they’re filled with the things that became most important overnight; breath, water, family, hope, dreams and faith in the future.” Executed in tandem with the book, Breuer-Weil has produced a series of large-scale oil paintings themed around the pandemic and recently unveiled an exclusive outdoor sculpture, EMERGENCE, at the centre of Docklands, London, where it will remain permanently as a symbol of regeneration and hope. Golden Drawings by David BreuerWeil is published by Gli Ori, priced £22.75. Available now. The images can also be viewed via an online exhibition at www.davidbreuerweil.com

FILM

Iron Box Girls actress Lena Dunham and Homeland star Mandy Patinkin (both pictured right) are set to star in Iron Box, a film about a New York businesswoman and her ageing father, who return to his native Poland to explore their Jewish roots. German film-maker Julia von Heinz is in the director’s chair for the emotionally riveting drama, which is an adaptation of Australian writer Lily Brett’s bestselling novel, Too Many Men. Iron Box is part of a trilogy of films by von Heinz exploring the legacy of Germany’s Nazi past. Her first, Hanna’s Journey (2013), focuses

on the Holocaust trauma felt by the third generation, while her second, And Tomorrow The Entire World, due to air on Netflix this year, looks at the emergence of neo-Nazis and the Antifa movement. Dunham told Variety: “Julia’s film struck a deep chord in me, both because of its radicalism and its core value of empathy. I knew I wanted to go wherever she was taking me, and the fact that she’s taking me further into an exploration of what it means to be Jewish and the stories we carry forward as daughters of trauma is deeply moving to me. Mandy Patinkin is, of course, the icing on the genius cake.”

NETFLIX

The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel True crime film-maker Joe Berlinger shines a spotlight on one of the most notorious locations in Los Angeles that is now synonymous with suicide, murder and unsolved cases, in his gripping Netflix documentary, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel.

For nearly a century, the Cecil Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles has been linked to some of the city’s most infamous headlines, from untimely deaths to housing serial killers. In 2013, college student Elisa Lam was staying at the Cecil when she vanished, igniting a media frenzy and mobilising a global community of internet sleuths eager to solve the case. Lam’s disappearance, the latest chapter in the hotel’s complex history, offers a chilling and captivating lens into one of LA’s most nefarious settings. Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel airs from 10 February on Netflix

BBC Storyville has secured the UK rights for Holocaust documentary Misha and the Wolves, which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this week. MetFilms announced a series of additional distribution deals with other carriers, including Netflix and Yes Docu for Israel. The film, directed by Sam Hobkinson, follows the tale of Misha Defonseca, whose Holocaust memoir was so remarkable that it became a bestselling book and film. In the early 1990s, Defonseca began relating her incredible tale of survival: how, aged seven, her parents were deported by the Nazis and she was taken in by another family, only to decide she wanted to reunite with her parents and journey by foot from Belgium to Germany.

Along the way, the little girl wandered into the woods and there she befriended a pack of wolves, who protected and fed her. As Misha’s story becomes a bestseller, she attracts media attention from all over the world – but when her publisher turns detective, the author’s version of the truth rapidly unravels and an elaborate hoax is unveiled.

COMPETITION

Win a nine-month subscription to Curious Roo Coffee Roasters! Jewish News and Curious Roo Coffee Roasters have teamed up to offer two lucky readers a nine-month subscription of luxury coffee! Curious Roo Coffee Roasters is a small but mighty independent roastery in Stamford Brook, Chiswick. It provides the UK’s leading cafes with some of the nation’s finest speciality grade and UTZ certified coffee. Now, with Curious Roo delivered directly to your door, you can enjoy the best-tasting beans on the market without leaving home. We have two subscriptions to give away to two lucky winners this Valentine’s Day – what better gift for yourself or a loved one? The coffee beans roasted to make Curious Roo blends don’t taste great by accident, they are a flavoursome combination of Brazilian and Colombian beans. Owners Edwin and Magda’s formula perfectly combines their passion for coffee with the science of how to make it taste great. The Curious Roo Barn Door is the most popular blend, available in roast and ground and whole bean. It combines a washed Columbian from Pitalito, Huila and a natural Brazil from the Minas Gerais region, providing a rich mouthfeel, with caramel sweetness and citrus acidity.

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Jewish News 4 February 2021

Business / Online opportunities

candicekrieger@googlemail.com

With Candice Krieger

LINKEDIN WANTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL LinkedIn’s country manager, Josh Graff, tells Candice Krieger about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the workforce and how the platform is helping jobseekers help each other

he world of work is changing. higher); and finance (23.6 percent higher). And monitoring the changes People working in sectors that require facecloser than most is Josh to-face contact have, however, been particularly Graff, LinkedIn’s hard hit. “At the end of last year, we UK country saw that hiring in recreation and manager. travel was down by 43 percent Graff, who joined LinkedIn, and entertainment was down the world’s largest pro26 percent, versus 2019. The fessional networking retail sector is also facing platform, in 2011 also leads a difficult time, with a the company’s marketing number of household solutions business in brands closing and that was Europe, The Middle East, reflected in hiring at the end Africa & Latin America. He of last year, with hiring for roles says this is the “toughest labour down 20 percent year on year.” market we’ve seen for a generation. Conversely, as the nation has “The past year has been a hugely Josh Graff been forced to adapt to new ways challenging and uncertain time for of living and working, there is everyone, including those in work, seeking work strong job growth in areas such as e-commerce, and in education.” But Graff, who later this healthcare, customer service and technology, month will be sharing his insights on the future in addition to growth in creative freelancing of work at an ORT UK virtual business event, and professional coaching, as people believe in believes there is reason to be optimistic. their skills and go it alone. And of course, the Talking exclusively to Jewish News, Graff rapid acceleration of digitisation. “Digital skills says: “LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Report are in high demand. Overall, we expect that the for the UK shows that hiring is gradually technology sector will add 13 million jobs in the rebounding and has greatly improved since UK in the next five years.” Covid-19 started to impact the nation in To help people looking for new opportuniMarch.” He identifies significant job opportuties, LinkedIn has identified 10 in-demand roles nities going forward, particularly in digital. in today’s economy that have had steady growth LinkedIn has become the ‘go to’ for profesover the past four years, pay a liveable wage, sionals across the world. The platform, which and require skills that can be learned online. was bought by Microsoft for $26.2 billion in These roles are: software developer, sales 2016, enables workers to connect, share stories, development representative, project manager, learn and find new opportunities. IT administrator, customer service specialist, “We want to ensure everyone has access to digital marketer, IT support/help desk, graphic the same opportunities and contacts regardless designer, financial analyst and data analyst. of where they’re from and who they know,” says It recently partnered with Microsoft to offer Graff, who credits much of his leadership values free online video courses to help people learn to his time spent in the Habonim Dror youth the skills for the most sought-after careers. movement in the ’90s. “Habonim instilled in More than 13 million people around the world me the values of equality, empowerment and have learned digital skills through this initiative. integrity, all of which have heavily influenced my Next month, Graff will take over as regional leadership philosophy and style.” managing director for LinkedIn and will Unsurprisingly, LinkedIn’s online comcontinue to lead marketing solutions for the munity has grown rapidly to nearly 740 million region. Not bad for someone who dropped out members globally over the past year – 30 times of university after the first year. “I never enjoyed more than during the last financial crash. Thirty formal study and was always eager to start million of the members are from the UK. work from a young age. I went to university and “It has evolved from a place to create your quickly realised it wasn’t a path for me.” professional profile online and search for Graff secured work experience in an events others,” says Graff. “This year alone, we’ve seen company and a full-time role in TV producpeople turn to their professional community tion. After two years, he saw an opportunity to more than ever before – to provide a helping start up the world’s first in-game advertising hand to others, find a new opportunity, hone agency. He founded JAM International from his skills and stay in the know. brother’s bedroom, which was acquired by the “We are seeing record engagement on the American advertising company Massive Inc in platform, with a 55 percent increase in conver2005. A year later, Massive Inc was bought by sations among connections and the amount of Microsoft. After Microsoft, Graff joined Eleccontent shared on the platform is also up nearly tronics Arts, EA, before starting his LinkedIn 50 percent year-on-year.” journey. According to the Workforce Report, national According to reports, UK unemployment hiring was 5.8 percent higher last October has reached its highest level for more than four than September. The industries with the years as recent lockdown measures place more most notable hiring shifts month-to-month pressure on businesses and workers. Graff says in October were legal (42.2 percent higher); he has been empowered and encouraged by how media and communications (41.3 percent the LinkedIn community has pulled together.

LINKEDIN’S 10 MOST IN-DEMAND ROLES 1 Software developer 2 Sales development representative 3 Project manager 4 IT administrator 5 Customer service specialist 6 Digital marketer 7 IT support/help desk 8 Graphic designer 9 Financial analyst 10 Data analyst

JOSH GRAFF ● Education: Woodhouse College ● 2002-2005: Founder, JAM ● 2005-2007: Brash Entertainment, business development ● 2008-11: Electronic Arts, business development & EMEA/APAC media sales ● 2011: LinkedIn “We’ve seen people offering recommendations, as well as sharing powerful and difficult stories and pointing individuals to helpful resources to get them back into work and navigate this upheaval.” What’s more, he says the openness of the individuals going through an incredibly tough time career-wise has really helped to reduce the stigma of unemployment. “We conducted a survey late last year, which found that nearly seven in 10 people who have been made redundant, either before or during Covid-19, believe there is less stigma attached to being unemployed since the pandemic. Our research also found that businesses look favourably on unemployed jobseekers, as they tend to be resourceful, proactive problem- solvers and resilient.” What advice would he offer those looking for a new role? “Firstly, a bit of housekeeping to make sure your profile is up to date and completed. Members with profile photos receive up to 21 times more profile views, and having your current position listed could make you receive up to 10 times more messages that create opportunity. You can even upload an audio clip to your profile, using the new name pronunciation tool, to ensure connections know how to pronounce your name correctly. Don’t forget to add information on your industry and education – as well as a short intro about yourself. “Status updates are an easy way to update your network on the projects you’ve been working on and the industry topics you’re interested in. Regularly sharing your opinions and things that interest you, like an engaging video or article, is a great way to stay connected with your professional community. “On LinkedIn, applicants are nearly three times more likely to get a job at a company where they have a connection, so make sure

you are seeking out anyone you might know at companies you’re interested in, or ask a mutual connection to introduce you. “If you list more than five skills on your profile, you’re 27 times more likely to be discovered in searches by recruiters. Don’t be afraid to show these off, so employers will get a great idea of how you work, and which roles might be right for you. Use the LinkedIn job search bar to filter through recent job listings by experience, interests, skills and location. You can also set up job alerts based on your preferences.” Last June, LinkedIn introduced an ‘Open to Work’ feature offering members the ability to signal they are looking for a new opportunity by adding a photo frame to their profile photo. “Since launching, more than three million members have added it. On average, members with an Open to Work photo frame receive 40 percent more InMails from recruiters and are 20 percent more likely to receive messages from the LinkedIn community.” Graff enjoys art, theatre, travel and scubadiving, all of which he is missing. “But thankfully I am a Scrabble fanatic, so I have had a fair amount of practice over the past year.”  Josh Graff will be among experts discussing the impact of the pandemic on the world of work at an ORT UK virtual business event, in association with Jewish News. Other panellists are Euan Blair, founder of Multiverse; Olly Olsen, Co-Founder of The Office Group and Sophie Eden, co-founder of Gordon & Eden, moderated by BBC broadcast journalist Samantha Simmonds. Back To The Future: Innovating the way we work takes place on 23 February at 9am. https://ortuk.org/get-involved/events

4 February 2021 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Financial planning / Business

A GOOD time to invest, a GREAT time to plan

Through their honesty, LinkedIn members have reduced the stigma of being unemployed

A year on since the first signs of Covid-19, there are few predictions even the most knowledgeable can make with any certainty, writes Grant Benjamin. However, some people will do well by deciding to invest now. With interest rates at a record low of 0.1 percent, just using a cash savings account will certainly not grow your money. Indeed, when you allow for inflation, you’re guaranteed to be worse off. It’s not possible to plan for a perfect entry into the market, especially when investing from medium to long-term. However, the most common and costly mistake is waiting too long and ‘suffering’ time out of the market. Right now, there is growing optimism that the combination of a new American President, the coronavirus vaccine rollout and the consequential increases in pent-up demand, is going to trigger a strong economic recovery. Recent analysis also suggests the British economy, in the past 12 months, has, in fact, performed better than its European counterparts – although this is not much of a consolation. If you are able and willing to invest for the medium to long-term, the current circumstances probably present a once-in-a-generation opportunity. There won’t be a specific right moment and there may well be bumps along the way. The fallout from Brexit, particularly for those businesses engaged in exporting to Europe, is likely to remain complicated for some time to come. Nevertheless, the outlook for medium to long-term investors remains optimistic and strong. Financial analysts are confident that global economies will continue to recover strongly. Although timing can never be certain, the biggest threat to the long-term performance of any investment remains missing out on the market’s best days. By taking a calm and guided approach to growing your wealth – with a portfolio that offers strong downside protection without sacrificing opportunities for growth – it is possible, over time, to outperform

the market. Indeed, our portfolios produced positive growth in 2020, notwithstanding that the FTSE-100, for example, was still more than 14 percent down for the year. I emphasise, of course, that past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. After the shocks of the past year, if you haven’t done so yet, now is certainly the time to review all of your financial planning needs. Professional advice can often identify gaps in your overall financial structure. Indeed, if we learnt one thing in 2020, it’s just how vulnerable we are. Jobs and businesses we once considered ‘solid’ have crumbled. Safeguarding and

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AFTER THE SHOCKS OF THE PAST YEAR, NOW IS THE TIME TO REVIEW YOUR FINANCIAL PLANNING nurturing what we have has become even more vital. You should also ensure that your protection policies, such as life insurance and critical illness cover, are comprehensive and suitable. On another front, the pandemic has clearly cost the public finances dearly and will continue to do so for some time. Arguably, the government will have to start rebalancing the budget and that may well involve changes to taxation. Again, no one can forecast any of this with certainty, but we will no doubt receive some clarity in the Chancellor’s Budget on 3 March. This strengthens the proposition that now is the time to review, plan and protect. Fortunately, lockdown has seen the expansion of a few good things such as Zoom – it is a convenient way in the circumstances for us to ‘meet’ and discuss wealth management and financial planning. So don’t hesitate to book a free consultation by calling 020 3114 2112 or visit sycamorewealth.co.uk

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hundreds, if not to Israel been approved, definition of anti-Semitism, of Labour and Momentum leading Jewish Alliance’s Labour MP Dame Margaret thousands, need to be expelled. Today, Britain’s three News, Jewish provoking her leader an anti-Semite to members would in Brexit disnewspapers – Jewish to call With the government Telegraph – take Hodge yet. danger Chronicle and Jewish face, was the most sinister there is a clear and present of speaking as his to IHRA defini- array, the unprecedented step Labour has diluted the man with a default blindness same front page. government that a a man one by publishing the community’s fears, accepted in full by the the existential tion, deleting the Jewish that hateful We do so because of more than 130 local councils, has a problem seeing this country that and key examples of who can easily step threat to Jewish life in and amending four rhetoric aimed at Israel Jeremy Corbyn-led to Israel. could be our next would be posed by a anti-Semitism relating a Labour into anti-Semitism, government. Under its adapted guidelines, Israel’s prime minister. was, that party the claim to MPs vote on We do so because member is free On 5 September, Labour home for our Party and comthe is a racist endeavour motion, calling for until recently, the natural values and integ- existence policies to those of Nazi Ger- an emergency the full IHRA definition community, has seen its Israeli that party to adopt contempt for pare whatever – Corbynite by “intent” rity eroded many, unless Jew” is into its rulebook. it will face a binary – can be proved. “Dirty Jews and Israel. Following that, of anti-Sem- means or be seen bitch” fair game? The stain and shame implement IHRA in full Her Maj- wrong, “Zionist a distinction choice: makes institutionally an Labour as doing, itism has coursed through people In so Jeremy Corbyn targeting by all decent party. esty’s Opposition since between racial anti-Semitism anti- racist, anti-Semitic years for became leader in 2015. (unacceptable) and political After three deeply painful to Livingstone, Jews (acceptable). September is finally From Chakrabarti Semitism targeting Israel Had the full our community, alarming lows. Last there have been many The reason for this move? relating make or break. to adopt the full week’s stubborn refusal definition with examples Remembrance IHRA International Holocaust

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workings of the parmomentous inner handling Labour issued a staffers ty’s complaints claims of public apology to former Wednesday unit contained in the High Court on interference in the fallout political after they sued over have been an investi- what should disciplinary from a BBC Panorama handling independent gation into the party’s was strenuJack process. This of antisemitism, writes ously denied by the party Mendel. before the at the time. However, just hours According to the were reports lawyer, announcement, there Jeremy whistleblowers’ that former Labour leader Bennett, Labour William Corbyn, his former communications accused them of “acting and Labour’s during and chief Seumus Milne Jennie in bad faith with the former secretary-general that after their employment Formby had sought assurances of harming” the party, be connected intention their names would not accusations false. of lasting calling the defended to the apology. In a sign Mark Henderson, who the anger, Corbyn later dismissed not the Labour Party, said he “acknowldecision, about the apology as “a political edges that these claims a legal one”. are untrue, and we retract members, Claimants Seven former staff them and undertake about and withdraw concerns their who voiced them. Actions are being among not to repeat those who repeat the how claims of Jew-hatred with, sued taken against members were dealt will be taken against those of libel in libels and future.” in so do after they were accused to choose broad- who the Panorama documentary, cast last year. of the The hour-long dissection

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It seems that the song she was singing was a parody of a song by Avrom Goldfaden from his opera The Jewish Faust. Lachs said it had been sung by Yiddish-speaking Jews in London at the beginning of the 20th century and had been given a very Jewish twist. “The original song has a Zionist theme suggesting that life for Eastern European Jews would be better in Palestine,” said Lachs. “The London parody suggests that life for Jewish immigrants in London, where they were poverty-stricken and subject to violent attack, was even worse Jewish children in London’s East End in 1954 and the words of the Yiddish song Hashiveynu Nazad than their life back in Eastern Europe and that they should beyond and was reproduced in song- have found it.” The answer to Freed- dent, said: “This certainly is a ‘hidden return there. “The parody is both books and song-sheets.” Lachs added man’s 70-year puzzle was found with treasure’ and we are so pleased to moving and humorous and men- that it was “a unique recording, the help from Peter’s great-nephew Joel have helped solve the 70-year-old tions local London landmarks such only one by someone who obvi- Salmon, who sent the recording to mystery of this family heirloom which has turned out to be of such as Goulston Street and Petticoat ously knew London and the Yiddish the Board of Deputies project. Marie van der Zyl, Board presi- importance.” Lane. It was popular in Britain and spoken there… It’s very exciting to Photo: © Henry Grant, Collection/Museum of London.

A man who unearthed a recording of his Polish-born grandmother singing an old Yiddish song after she had settled in London in 1903 has finally found out what she was singing about after 70 years’ of not knowing, writes Stephen Oryszczuk. Peter Freedman, who now lives in Israel, recorded his grandmother Sarah singing – with backing from some of her grandchildren – in the 1950s, and the song’s subject matter remained a mystery until now. With the help of the Board of Deputies’ archive project Hidden Treasures and the Yiddishist Dr Vivi Lachs, it has been revealed that she was singing about immigrant life in London’s East End, albeit as a parody. Sachs, whose book Whitechapel Noise examines Jewish immigrant life in Yiddish song and verse in London between 1884 and 1914, was evidently just the right person to ask: she immediately identified the song as Hashiveynu Nazad, which translates as Take Us Back. Sarah came to the UK from Posnan in Poland at the turn of the century, arriving in London and later going to live in Manchester.

2 Continued on page

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Orthodox Judaism

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Torah For Today

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What does the Torah say about: Lockdown weddings

BY RABBI BORUCH M BOUDILOVSKY “All the inhabitants of the world, all the dwellers on this earth, when He lifts up a banner on the mountains, you will see it, and when He sounds the shofar you shall hear.” (Isaiah 18) “On that day a great Shofar will be sounded, and those who are lost will come from the land of Assyria, and those who were banished, from the land of Egypt, and they will worship the Lord at the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 27) “The lord will appear to them, His arrow will come out like lightning, and the Lord God will sound the Shofar and will move in storm winds of the south.” (Zechariah 9) These verses are the final three of 10 exploring the general theme of the shofar as an introduction to the blessing of Shofarot, said on Rosh Hashanah. They highlight the universal role the shofar plays. In the Jewish utopian vision, its sound extends beyond the halls of synagogues and encompasses the entire world, from

its largest capital cities to its smallest distant villages. Indeed, all will be inspired to look to Jerusalem and serve God in unity and peace. But the final universal call of the shofar is one that has been enabled by the first, which was heard by those gathered at Sinai. “In thunder and lightning You revealed Yourself to them, and amid the sound of the shofar You appeared.” The magnificent sound of the shofar announcing an unprecedented era is the same sound that accompanied our nation at Sinai. Judaism is whole when it includes both shofar callings, the first at Sinai and the final messianic one. We are inspired to follow the same model of articulating Judaism’s universal values while remaining committed to the covenant we received at Sinai.

◆ Rabbi Boruch M Boudilovsky serves Young Israel of North Netanya

BY RABBI ARIEL ABEL Last week’s Jewish News investigation into Orthodox weddings being held across London despite the national lockdown has prompted accusations that not all are adhering to the law. What does the Torah say about this? A Jewish wedding typically is kosher-catered, and a rabbi and two kosher witnesses validate the very legality of a marriage. The Psalmist opens the book by saying: “Happy is he who has not walked in the advice of the wicked...” This means that it is in the ways of righteousness we are expected to tread and keep far away from dishonesty. All the more so, we are expected to avoid endangering life and well-being. The dishonesty of Jews hiding and running from police visiting a wedding venue in breach of the law is the nightmare that never crossed my mind. Surely we were brought up to be star examples

of law-abiding citizens, as the prophets and halacha demand? What happened to our menschlichkeit, our decency and humanity? The flagrant disregard for others’ health and well-being in illegal weddings is a mutant variant of moser: when Jews hand other Jews into the hands of oppressors. Here, such irresponsible behaviour threatens to hand us into the grasp of renewed antisemitism, which will blame the Jew for the plague. A mitzvah must not be carried

out when by so doing one is perpetrating a transgression, least of all the worst one, endangering lives. The hechsher on food should be considered removed by the licensing authority, and shomrim requested to declare the event treif and walk out if the law is being broken. For food to be kosher, it should take more than the right ingredients to pass the kosher test; it ought to also require an absence of lawbreaking. Recently, a Manchester rabbi courageously questioned the potential halachic validity of a wedding conducted in violation of the law. Obeying the law is not a nice extra, it is a basic halachic requirement that reads clearly and bluntly: dina demalchuta dina: the law of the land is the law (of Torah). ◆ Rabbi Ariel Abel serves Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation and is padre to Merseyside Army Cadet Force

Education is more than knowledge… it’s a matter of life and death It is no surprise that a Chief Rabbi would promote Jewish education, but Rabbi Lord Sacks took it to new heights. He gave an urgency to the issue in the way he publicly addressed the topic. “To defend a country,” he would say, “you need an army, but to defend a civilisation you need schools.” Rabbi Sacks made such statements often, including in his maiden speech in the House of Lords. Drawing a parallel between national security and schooling makes a stark point. A nation must invest in education with as much determination and resources as it does for its military might. Something I, and many of his students, have realised is how rooted all of Rabbi Sacks’ ideas were in Jewish sources. He had a unique way of expressing them in succinct and compelling ways that were equally accessible to Jew and non-Jew, religious and not. Yet, in his absence, I think it is valuable to uncover some of the rabbinic texts upon which he drew. This one particularly so. It says in the Jerusalem Talmud (Chagigah 1:7), “Rabbi Yudan Nesia sent Rabbi Chiya, Rabbi Asi and Rabbi Ami to visit the cities of the Land of Israel… They came to a certain place and did not find any Torah teachers there, so they said to the locals: ‘Bring the defenders of the city to us.’ The city’s watchRabbi Lord Sacks

men were brought out. The rabbis said: ‘These are the defenders of the city? In fact, these are the destroyers of the city!’ Said the locals: ‘Who, then, are the city’s protectors?’ The rabbis responded: ‘They are the teachers of Torah, as it is written, ‘Unless God builds the house, its builders labour in vain on it; unless God watches over the city, the watchman keep vigil in vain.’ (Psalms 127:1).” The three rabbis were reminding the people of the city that it is foolish and dangerous to appoint security forces without also focusing on educational needs. If people are not taught the values and beliefs of their society then, in times to come, they will leave and disperse, and then there will be nothing left to defend. The context of this story in the Jerusalem Talmud makes it abundantly clear that the very survival of our people is predicated on Jewish education. Based on this perspective, Rabbi Sacks emphasised that the Jewish view of moral education was radically different to that of general society. The modern educational approach is to present autonomous choices. Children are taught to articulate their personal preferences in a completely non-judgmental context. No way of life is to be advocated as better or worse than any other. “But,” wrote Rabbi Sacks in The Politics of Hope “this is not Hope, how we learn.

The late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks with Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum It is not the way we learn anything, let alone the most important question of all, namely how to live. To learn any skill, as Aristotle noted, we need to see how master-practitioners practice their craft. We need to watch and imitate, at first clumsily, then with growing fluency and confidence.” He goes on to say that once a student is grounded in the Jewish tradition, then there is room for questioning, but first and foremost, education is the transmission of a tradition. We inherit it from our parents and pass it on to our children.

There will be innovations and adaptations along the way, but if we love it then, says Rabbi Sacks, “we will do so harmoniously, not destructively.” In the end, we are all but ‘temporary guardians’ of our tradition. And, reading Rabbi Sacks, he still has much to teach us about it. ◆ By Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum, dean of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS), which is launching a fortnightly online course on the key ideas of Rabbi Sacks, from Monday, 8 February. Details: www.lsjs.ac.uk

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Progressive Judaism

The Bible Says What? ‘Genesis is a lesson in how not to parent’ BY RABBI SANDRA KVIAT “They mess you up, your mum and dad” pretty much sums up the all the stories of Genesis. Abraham favoured Isaac over Ishmael, Isaac then preferred Esau over Jacob, and Jacob openly favours his youngest child, Joseph, to the chagrin of his older siblings. The dysfunctionality continues down the generations until it seems to end with the complex character of Joseph and his two sons. Indeed, if anything, Genesis is a lesson in how not to parent. What we see in the Torah is not a gallery of saints, or blameless characters. It can at times rather feel like an ongoing soap, like an episode of EastEnders or Coronation Street, just with long beards and shepherds’ staffs, rather than leather jackets and bling. The temper tantrums, the scheming and the backstabbing is just the same. I have to admit that I have only come to soaps lately, and the only

one I can watch with interest is Casualty. And although there is much silliness, easily foreseeable plot twists, and unrealistic situations (accidents always come in twos in Casualty), there is something utterly appealing about soaps. It has something to do with their imperfection, with blood and guts, their failures and misery. Although it is highly unlikely anyone would ever suffer the fate of a soap character, nevertheless we feel their pain, frustration and confusion. We can recognise some of it and empathise with the lack of perfection, for that is real life too. Our Torah forefathers are not saints, but their weaknesses are also their strengths. Ultimately, it is their very humanity that connects us to them and makes their stories endure.

◆ Rabbi Sandra Kviat serves Crouch End Chavurah

Progressively Speaking Looking after mental health begins at birth BY RABBI MARK GOLDSMITH With the advent of Children’s Mental Health Week, we are reminded to take a moment and think about the mental well-being of our younger generation. From the moment our children are born, we take dedicated care of their physical health. We feed them well, wrap them up warm, shield them from the sun, steer them away from danger, encourage them to seek expert medical help when their physical health is challenged and, crucially, teach them to take care of these things for themselves and their future generations. As it says in Deuteronomy 4:9 shmor nafshecha me’od, take great care of yourself, which Maimonides interprets as the duty to keep yourself away from danger and to find healing (Laws concerning murder and preservation of life 11:4). When we pray for healing, we pray for refuat hanefesh and refuat haguf, the healing of the soul and the healing of the body.

Mental health is just as worthy of care as physical health. Just like physical health, it is a lifelong duty to keep it as good as possible. Just as for physical health, it is a community mission to help support each other’s mental health. Bikkur cholim, the Jewish duty to attend to the sick, is also for the broken spirit. At the kindergarten of a community I served, they instituted a wonderful programme called Bounce Back, brought to the UK by Apples and Honey Kindergarten head Cindy Summer, which aimed to help give our youngest children the resources

to deal with anxiety and other troubles to their mental well-being. Our youth movements now aim to train their madrichim for mental health first aid, supported by Jami, and at least one, RSY-Netzer, employs a mental health expert to help. The pressures of life, our own natures, traumatic experiences and so much else can challenge our mental health at any point in our lives. Our Jewish community, alongside home and school, can nurture our mental health with supportive and trained rabbis, youth leaders and teachers. As with this year’s theme of Children’s Mental Health Week – to express yourself – we can learn to open up and see each other for the full people we are, with our spiritual, mental and physical selves all part of the package. ◆ Mark Goldsmith is Senior Rabbi of Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue

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PRINCIPAL, PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL

STEPHEN MORRIS Qualifications: • Managing Director of Stephen Morris Shipping Ltd. • 45 years’ experience in shipping household and personal effects. • Chosen mover for four royal families and three UK prime ministers. • Offering proven quality specialist advice for moving anyone across the world or round the corner.

LOUISE LEACH Qualifications: • Professional choreographer qualified in dance, drama and Zumba (ZIN, ISTD & LAMDA), gaining an honours degree at Birmingham University. • Former contestant on ITV’s Popstars, reaching bootcamp with Myleene Klass, Suzanne Shaw and Kym Marsh. • Set up Dancing with Louise 19 years ago.

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

DANCING WITH LOUISE 020 3740 7900 www.dancingwithlouise.co.uk Info@dancingwithlouise.com

4 February 2021 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Professional advice from our panel / Ask Our Experts

ACCOUNTANT

ADR CONSULTANT

DENTIST

ADAM SHELLEY Qualifications: • FCCA chartered certified accountant. • Accounting, taxation and business advisory services. • Entrepreneurial business specialist including start-up businesses. • Specialises in charities; Personal tax returns. • Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation Volunteer of the Year JVN award.

DONIEL GRUNEWALD Qualifications: • Accredited mediator to International Standards offering civil/commercial and workplace mediation; in a facilitative or evaluative format, or by med-arb. • Experienced in all Beth Din matters; including arbitration, advocacy, matrimonial settlements and written submissions. • Providing bespoke alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to the Jewish community.

DR ADAM NEWMAN Qualifications: • Dentist at the Gingerbread House, a Bupa Platinum practice in Shenley, Radlett. • Regional clinical lead for Bupa Dental Care UK. • Providing NHS and private dentistry, whitening, implants and cosmetic treatment. • Bachelor of Dental Surgery and member of the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons Glasgow; GDC registered 212542.

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

JEWISH DISPUTE SOLUTIONS 020 3637 9638 www.jewishdisputesolutions.co.uk director@jewishdisputesolutions.co.uk

GINGERBREAD HOUSE 01923 852 852 www.gingerbreadhealth.co.uk Adam.newman@gingerbreadhealth.co.uk

INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS SPECIALIST

IT SPECIALIST

CHARITY EXECUTIVE

NAOMI FELTHAM Qualifications: • Leading currency transfer provider since 1996 with over 500 expert employees. • Excellent exchange rates on your transfers to/from Israel. • Offices worldwide, with local support in Israel, the UK, mainland Europe and the USA. • Free expert guidance from your dedicated account manager.

IAN GREEN Qualifications: • Launched Man on a Bike IT consultancy 15 years ago to provide computer support for the home and small businesses. • Clients range from legal firms in the City to families, small business owners and synagogues. • More than 18 years’ experience.

LISA WIMBORNE Qualifications: Able to draw on the charity’s 50 years of experience in enabling people with physical disabilities or impaired vision to live independently, including: • The provision of specialist accommodation with 24/7 on site support. • Knowledge of the innovations that empower people and the benefits available. • Understanding of the impact of a disability diagnosis.

CURRENCIES DIRECT 07922 131 152 / 020 7847 9447 www.currenciesdirect.com/jn Naomi.feltham@currenciesdirect.com

MAN ON A BIKE 020 8731 6171 www.manonabike.co.uk mail@manonabike.co.uk

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

ISRAELI ACCOUNTANT

INSURANCE CONSULTANCY

LEON HARRIS Qualifications: • Leon is an Israeli and UK accountant based in Ramat Gan, Israel. • He is a Partner at Harris Horoviz Consulting & Tax Ltd. • The firm specializes in Israeli and international tax advice, accounting and tax reporting for investors, Olim and businesses. • Leon’s motto is: Our numbers speak your language!

ASHLEY PRAGER Qualifications: • Professional insurance and reinsurance broker. Offering PI/D&O cover, marine and aviation, property owners, ATE insurance, home and contents, fine art, HNW. • Specialist in insurance and reinsurance disputes, utilising Insurance backed products. (Including non insurance business disputes). • Ensuring clients do not pay more than required.

HARRIS HOROVIZ CONSULTING & TAX LTD +972-3-6123153 / + 972-54-6449398 leon@h2cat.com

RISK RESOLUTIONS 020 3411 4050 www.risk-resolutions.com ashley.prager@risk-resolutions.com

ALIYAH ADVISER

CAREER ADVISER

DOV NEWMARK Qualifications: • Director of UK Aliyah for Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organisation that helps facilitate aliyah from the UK. • Conducts monthly seminars and personal aliyah meetings in London. • An expert in working together with clients to help plan a successful aliyah.

ERIC SALAMON Qualifications: • Provides free professional one-to-one advice at Resource to help unemployed into work. • Offers mock interviews and workshops to maximise job prospects. • Expert in corporate management holding director level marketing, commercial and general management roles.

NEFESH B’NEFESH 0800 075 7200 www.nbn.org.il dov@nbn.org.il

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

DIVORCE & FAMILY SOLICITOR

PALLIATIVE CARE MANAGER

VANESSA LLOYD PLATT Qualifications: • Qualification: 40 years experience as a matrimonial and divorce solicitor and mediator, specialising in all aspects of family matrimonial law, including: • Divorce, pre/post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, domestic violence, children’s cases, grandparents’ rights to see grandchildren, pet disputes, family disputes. • Frequent broadcaster on national and International radio and television.

POLLY LANDSBERG Qualifications: • Polly has worked in health and social care for more than 35 years. • Has a degree in nursing and a diploma in health visiting. • Polly is responsible for the day-to-day management of the palliative and end of life care service.

LLOYD PLATT & COMPANY SOLICITORS 020 8343 2998 www.divorcesolicitors.com lloydplatt@divorcesolicitors.com

SWEETTREE HOME CARE SERVICES 020 7644 9500 www.sweettree.co.uk polly.landsberg@sweettree.co.uk

If you would like to advertise your services here email: sales@ £8.35/g 9ct jewishnews.co.uk

£12.98/g 14ct £16.70g 18ct £8.35/g 9ct £19.48/g 21ct £12.98/g 14ct £16.70g 18ct £20.41/g 22ct £19.48/g 21ct £22.26/g 24ct £20.41/g 22ct £15.54 9 ct 9ct £22.26/g 24ct £24.25 14 ct £22.50/g Platinum14ct £22.50/g Platinum £31.09 18 ct 18ct £0.25/g Silver £0.25/g Silver 21ct £36.27 21 ct Half Sovereigns £81.16 22ct 22 ct £37.97 Half Sovereigns £160.48 Full Sovereigns£81.16 £41.45 24ct 24 ct 1oz Krugerands £690.85 £22.17 £160.48 Platinum 950 Platinum Full Sovereigns Silver 925 Silver £0.49 £690.85 1oz Krugerands Half Sovereigns Half Sovereigns £151.88

Full Sovereigns Full Sovereigns £303.76 Krugerrands 1oz Krugerands £1289.15 48B Hendon Lane, Finchley, N3 1TT CONTACT US FROM 8AM - 10PM 7 DAYS A WEEK 48B Hendon Lane, Finchley, N3 1TT

48B Hendon Lane, Finchley, N3 1TT

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 4 February 2021

JDA’s door-to-door hearing aid service is a lifeline at this time of isolation

G D I R

“ I had a chat with my best friend from school.

DB E R Y IN VER AY! W E SD O R N U TH

For the first time in years, she can hear properly on the phone. We love a little gossip. Guess what, Shirley has remarried for the sixth time! ”

Thanks to JDA, everyone can have clean, working hearing aids and remain connected to their loved ones and the world around them at this difficult time. To book an appointment: North London Email andrew@jdeaf.org.uk or call 020 8446 0214 Redbridge Email richard@jdeaf.org.uk or call 020 8551 7700

020 8446 0502 www.jdeaf.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1105845 Company Limited by Guarantee 4983830

4 February 2021 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Fun, games and prizes

THE JEWISH NEWS CROSSWORD 1

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

10 Rodent exterminator (3‑7) 13 Family history (10)

7 8

17 Small label (3)

5 2 8 7 5 3 4 1 2 5 8 7 9 4 2 4 8 9

18 Petulantly (7)

19 Tune, song (6)

20 Undernourished (4) 10

DOWN 1 Style of window (4)

12 13

2 Greek letter or river feature (5)

4 Garden tool (3)

5 Tree grown for its timber (5)

16 17

6 Fruity dessert in a pot (6)

7 Chinese system of exercise and self‑defence (3,3) 11 Wooden clothes‑fastener (6)

12 Habit (6)

S E

Y W F C B R

8 17

Y D D N M E

C E M S

L D Q B Y F

S A S H G E O

X T

E S

D U Z

Q R L X E E K G R O O T

G N

L C Y C

G N

W O R U N N

A N

L S G L W G L

ENERGY EXERCISE FITNESS GYM HARD WORK

N G K

Last issue’s solutions Crossword ACROSS: 1 Judge 4 Climb 7 Lay 8 Reroute 9 Boar 10 Obey 13 Sum 15 Oaks 16 Abet 19 Moonlit 21 Den 22 Sadly 23 Rerun DOWN: 1 Jilt 2 Dry dock 3 Errors 4 Curt 5 IOU 6 Bye-bye 11 Breeder 12 Cosmos 14 Martyr 17 Play 18 Anon 20 Old

2 6 1 8 5 9 3 4 7

3 4 9 6 7 1 5 2 8

21 16

20 15

2 2

14 15

13 25

5 3 8 9 6 7 4 1 2

4 9 2 1 8 5 7 3 6

7 5 2 9 4

21 16

15 24

1 4

6 16

2 3

13 25

17 1

20 24

3 4 1

8 22

19 18

8 19

Suguru 1 7 6 2 4 3 8 9 5

See next issue for puzzle solutions.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Sudoku 7 8 5 3 2 4 1 6 9

RUNNING SPORTS WALKING WEIGHTS YOGA

HEALTHY LUNGES MUSCLES PULSE RATE ROWING

P B O M X V Y Z D G S E H AEROBICS BODY CALORIES CYCLING DIET

N O T

Y E E R F I

M H G W R T P R C K E W E O T N N A B Y

E C S

U G E A E C A L O R

K S U H T

18 Gloomy (3)

In this finished crossword, every letter of the alphabet appears as a code number. All you have to do is crack the code and fill in the grid. Replacing the decoded numbers 10, 17 and 19 with their letters in the grid will help you to guess the identity of other letters.

E G Y M P C H S T R O P S L W V S U T

CODEWORD

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

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

16 Church song (4)

9 Thick mat (3)

WORDSEARCH S A B

15 Noise made by a horse (5)

8 Save from destruction (7)

SUGURU

14 Traditional Jewish roll (5) ACROSS 1 Campari mixer (4) 3 Quite cold (6)

6 5 7 4 1 2 9 8 3

8 1 3 7 9 6 2 5 4

9 2 4 5 3 8 6 7 1

4 2 4 2 3 1

1 3 5 1 5 4

5 4 2 3 2 3

Wordsearch 2 3 1 4 1 4

1 4 2 3 2 5

2 3 1 4 1 3

1 4 1 5 3 4

2 5 3 4 2 1

3 4 2 1 3 4

2 1 3 5 2 5

3 5 2 1 4 3

2 1 4 3 2 1

P X I Z U R L L S O C O N

X I S C E L E W E T W I G

K L T K T E L B O G E U J

W Y A C Z S M D C B J I U

V E V T H S B O T T L E N

B T D I C E N O G A L F Q

T I N R H V R D B H T G K

Codeword H R W U A F F J Z U G Q Y

S F V P L K M K M R L A F

G S R A I P N B A N A F P

Y G S X C G L A M N S D C

B K U G E E O Q T B S U H

N A C M R K D J X A P E T

S OM E H OW H A O A L R A N S A C K U T X E A B I RO A A D J U DG A D R O CO S P A N A C E V E T L Q WE B A D U L T L E I I E Y E M I NOR WR

B A S T E E L X E L I T E P C T L O P U E Y E T F E C E A E D I T S J H I S U R E Z S R E S T L E

V RGK X N DO Y E T P S Q M B A H J U L I Z W F C04/02

40 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

4 February 2021

Business Services Directory ANTIQUES 44

The Jewish News 22 September 2016

www.jewishnews.co.uk

BUSINESS SERVICES DIRECTORY

Top prices paid

Antique â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Reproduction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Retro Furniture (any condition)

Carer

Clothing

WE BUY ANTIQUES Carer FURS WANTED Auxiliary Nurse VERY HIGH PRICES PAID. FREE HOME VISITS.

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

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

Cash paid for Mink Available support Allto Antique Furniture Hille & Epstein jackets, coats, you in your home. Diamond Jewellery, Gold, Silver,boleros, Paintings, stoles, Porcelain, also fox coats, etc. Glass,Days/nights. Bronzes, Ivories, Oriental & Judaica Antiques jackets etc. Very reasonable rates. Full house clearances organised. Wardrobes cleared Call Please 0208 look 958 at 2939 our website for more details Call 01277 352 560 or 07495 026 168

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Computer FOR APPOINTMENTS CALL SUE ON:

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

Man on aOPEN Bike8am will TOget 9pm 7 DAYS. you working fast! RD LONDON. PORTOBELLO

Full house clearances organised.

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Call Ian Green, Man on a Bike on

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ARE YOU BEREAVED?

Stirling of Kensal Green Established over 60 years. Know who you are dealing with.

Top prices paid

All quality furniture bought & sold.

Antique â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Reproduction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Retro Furniture (any condition)

Best prices paid for complete house clearEpstein, Archie Shine, Hille, G Plan, etc. ances Lounges includingSuites, china, Bookcases, books, Dining Suites, clothing etc. Also rubbish clearance Desks, Cabinets, Mirrors, Lights, etc. service, lofts, sheds, garages etc House clearances Single items to complete Please contact Gordonhomes Stirling

020 8960 5401 or 07825 224144 CHURCH STREET ANTIQUES â&#x20AC;? 8 CHURCH STREET NW8 8ED

Í&#x201D;Í&#x203A;Í&#x153;Í&#x161;Í&#x161; Í&#x161;Í&#x2022;Í&#x2DC; Í&#x203A;Í&#x2DC;Í&#x2DC; (ANYTIME) Email: gordonstirling65@gmail.com 0207 723 7415 (SHOP) closed Sunday & Monday

STUART SHUSTER â&#x20AC;? eâ&#x20AC;?mail â&#x20AC;? stuart@churchstreetantiques.net

MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT US BEFORE SELLING

WESTLON HOUSING ASSOCIATION Sheltered Accommodation

Charity & Welfare Bereavement Counselling for adults and children individually. Support Groups available. During the pandemic, we offer telephone and online counselling. ARE YOU BEREAVED? Contact Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service in adults confidence. Counselling for & children who are 0208Support 951 3881groups offered. experiencing loss. enquiries@jbcs.org.uk | www.jbcs.org.uk Call The Jewish Bereavement

Labels are forTURN, jars. Refer yourself or aKNOW loved one by IF YOU DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T WHICH WAY TO Not people. calling 020 8458 2223 orOUR visit HELPLINE. REMEMBER www.jamiuk.org

For confidential advice, information and support donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget Jewish Care Direct. REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1003345

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Counselling Service in confidence

jcdirect@jcare.org

020 & 8951 3881 â&#x20AC;˘ 07765 693 160 CHARITY WELFARE

jewishcare.org/helpline

HOUSE CLEARANCE

E: enquiries@jbcs.org.uk

We have an open waiting list in our friendly and comfortable warden assisted sheltered housing schemes in Ealing, East Finchley and Hendon. We provide 24-hour warden WESTLON HOUSING ASSOCIATION support, seven days a week; a residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lounge and kitchen, laundry, a sunny patio and garden. Sheltered Accommodation For further details and forms, We have an open waiting list for ourapplication friendly and comfortable pleasesheltered contact Westlon Housing Association onpeople warden assisted housing schemes for Jewish in Ealing, East Finchley andjohnsilverman@btconnect.com Hendon. We provide 24-hour 020 8201 8484 or email: warden support, seven days a week; a residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lounge and kitchen, laundry, a sunny patio and garden.

PEST CONTROL For further details and application forms, please contact Westlon Housing Association on 020 8201 8484

Charity Reg No. 802559

PLUMBSAFE (UK) LTD â&#x20AC;&#x153;Better Safe Than Sorryâ&#x20AC;?

Jami supports and represents people with mental illness across Fast & Efficient House the Jewish community.

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Not shabbat

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office@hallandrandall.com

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STEPHEN: 07973 342 422 0207 754 4659 0207 754 4646

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Gary Green ad 84 x 40mm JM Group v2.indd 1

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LINE ROOFING

LONDON

& UPVC Fitters

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+ " ) "# ,! " Head Office: 145 New Chelmsford CM2 0QT Rochester House, "London Road, Tel: ! # 07773

/ 01245 211 022 â&#x2014;? Fax: 01245 211 001 â&#x2014;? Direct: 102 386 07428 264 454 ! ) *" " - *'

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Jewish

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4 February 2021 Jewish News

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Business Services Directory AUTOMOTIVE

SILVER

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LEGACY- LEAVE A GIFT IN YOUR MEMORY

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& THEIR DEPENDANTS NEED

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PLease remember us in your wiLL.

eNABLeD

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visit www.Jbd.org

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or caLL 020 8371 6611 No. 259480 18-361-JM Small legacy advert v1.qxp_Legacy 09/10/2018 10:27 Page 1

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HOME CARE

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07/04/2017 14:47

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Jewish News 4 February 2021