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Non, merci! Can Macron overcome Le Pen at the polls a second time? P12
Corbynites going Green The disaffected hard-left switches allegiance Page 2
FREE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 21 April 2022
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20 Nisan 5782
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Issue No.1259
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@JewishNewsUK
Homework is derailed by online denial Pupils studying the Holocaust exposed to lies and revisionism, teachers warn by Lee Harpin @lmharpin
Children researching the Holocaust for homework are being given links by Google to online articles written by deniers and revisionists, teachers warned this week. Speakers at the NASUWT teachers’ conference confirmed that they were alarmed at the rise in pupils coming across farright material online while researching homework projects.
Antisemitic graffiti sprayed on Holocaust Memorial Day poster on Stratford High Street in Newham, London
Rachel Minto, from North Tyneside, told the conference: “A Google search on the Holocaust can bring up information provided by a Holocaust denier as easily as legitimate or sound historical documentation.” She said it was an issue that “worryingly, children can accidentally come across this material while innocently researching for school projects”. Minto said children’s access to social media and smartphones meant they were “more at risk of being exposed to extremist material than ever before”. She added: “Gone are the days when far-right information and propaganda was confined to the back rooms of seedy pubs and clubs.” Candida Mellor, a French teacher also from North Tyneside, told the conference: “We need to actively educate our students about online infiltration of far-right messages. These insidious organisations use subtle tactics to indoctrinate very vulnerable children.” Mellor called for more support for teachers. “I need educating on how to help my students to understand what these messages are and how to avoid them, how to understand how they’re affecting them.” Danny Stone, chief executive of the Antisemitism Policy Trust, told Jewish News: “We know from our research that Google’s SafeSearch does not work when it comes to filtering online antisemitism. If one of the biggest companies in Continued on page 4
THE UK JEWISH COMMUNITY NATIONAL HOLOCAUST COMMEMORATION 27TH APRIL 2022 • SEE PAGE 10 FOR DETAILS
A STAR TURNS 80
Dame Maureen Lipman will present a personal tribute to Barbra Streisand on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday to mark the Hollywood legend’s 80th birthday. P10 & 11
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
News / Party switch / Corbyn denial
Green appears to be the new red A leading Jewish Greens representative defended the party this week against claims it has become a haven for pro-Jeremy Corbyn former Labour members, writes Lee Harpin. Jewish News has learned of growing concerns in the community about several Green candidates and the previous connections to Corbyn ahead of next month’s local elections. The decision in March to allow Councillor Jo Bird to join the Greens has also sparked questions about the party’s direction. Bird was involved in a succession of controversies around antisemitism before being expelled by Labour. Meanwhile Green candidates in north London wards such as Southgate and New Southgate were previously known supporters of Corbyn when they were in Labour. But in a statement, Zack Polanski, the elected Green London Assembly member, who is himself Jewish, said: “I’m proud to be a Green London Assembly member representing over two-thirds of the Jewish population in the UK. “We have a strong history of tackling racism and it’s very clear that antisemitism isn’t tolerated both in the society and in the party. “And as a proud Jew, I’m pleased to see people voting Green in higher numbers than ever before, knowing that we are an anti-racist party that will always tackle antisemitism.” Long-standing campaigners against antisemitism in Merseyside have raised concerns about developments in the Wirral Greens, ever
Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, co-leaders of the Green Party of England and Wales
since Bird was admitted into the party. Labour expelled her in November over her support for the now-banned Labour Against The Witchhunt group, and she was involved in controversies over comments relating to anti-Jewish racism, including her joke about “Jew process”. Announcing Bird’s move, Councillor Pat Cleary, leader of the now six-strong Green group on the Wirral, said: “Passionate, effective, hard-
working people like Jo are very welcome in the Green Party.” Ahead of next week’s local elections, the Greens have talked up claims they are ready to make inroads in Labour’s majority on Wirral.But one local, who had previously condemned hostility directed at Jewish former Labour MPs Luciana Berger and Dame Louise Ellman, told Jewish News there were concerns
the Greens had become “a new home” for Corbynistas. Meanwhile, in Enfield, Anne Brown, a Green candidate in the New Southgate ward, is a former Labour member who joined in September. In the Southgate ward, Charith Gunawardena also joined the Greens last September from Labour. Both have been supportive of Corbyn. One senior communal figure told Jewish News: “There are real concerns the Greens have given some of the Corbynistas – who have either been pushed or who have left the Labour Party of their own accord – a new home. “And despite their reassurances the Greens have been very unclear on issues like the IHRA [International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance] definition of antisemitism, an issue both Labour and the Conservatives are now clear on. If the Greens want to convince the community they are not the new home of those who backed Corbyn, they should never be admitting people like Jo Bird into the party.” A Green Party spokesperson said it welcomed Bird “on the basis of her record as a popular and highly effective councillor”, adding: “The Green Party rejects racism in all forms and has robust disciplinary measures in place to deal with complaints of racism, including antisemitism.” A spokesperson for the Jewish Greens said: “New members must sign up to Green Party’s values, which are implacably opposed to antisemitism and discrimination.”
...AS CORBYN STILL DOWNPLAYS JEW-HATE by Lee Harpin lee@jewishnews.co.uk @lmharpin
Jeremy Corbyn has used a radio interview to defend his record on Labour antisemitism and downplay the extent of the problem in the party under his leadership. Asked by Times Radio presenter John Pienaar about his response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission report into antisemitism, Corbyn stood by his claim that the problem had been “exaggerated and politically motivated”. In an interview aired on Wednesday, during the 4pm ‘drivetime’ show, the Islington North MP said he would “defend Labour Party mem-
“
bers” when at the time “the public opinion was that sort of one-third of Labour Party members were somehow rather antisemitic”. Corbyn then added: “The reality was it was less than one percent.” Asked if he was prepared to make a renewed “apology or qualification” over his response to antisemitism in Labour under his watch, Corbyn said: “Look, antisemitism is vile, evil and wrong under any circumstances.” He insisted he had been the one to introduce processes into the party that would ensure there was a “hearing” and “if necessary, sanctions could be taken” against those accused of antisemitism. Corbyn then admitted, in what he appeared to suggest was a positive result, that the num-
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bers who went through this disciplinary process “was actually quite small”. In comments that further illustrated the difference in ideology held by current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, and his predecessor, Corbyn was asked by Pienaar whether he believed Britain should leave Nato. He said: “I would want to see a world where we start to disband all military alliances.” Confirming that while he does not blame Nato for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Corbyn asked: “Do military alliances bring peace... or encourage each other?” Asked whether he would consider forming his own political party or running as an independent candidate at the next election, he said: “I don’t know what the future is going to bring.”
Corbyn also appeared to criticise the direction Labour has taken under Starmer’s leadership, saying: “To win the next election, you have to appeal to people.” The former Labour leader suggested the party had abandoned policies that would cause “changes in the power structures within our society”.
21 April 2022 Jewish News
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Asylum policy / News
Rwanda plan ‘not like’ one struck with Israel By Jenni Frazer and Lee Harpin
Recent refugee arrivals in Dover
Priti Patel has staunchly defended the government’s Rwanda asylum plan, claiming it is “not comparable” to the deal Israel struck with the African state. The home secretary told MPs in the Commons that the plan would “deal a major blow to the people smugglers and their evil trade in human cargo”. She added: “Everyone who is considered for relocation will be screened and interviewed, including an age assessment, and have access to legal services. “Change is needed because people are dying attempting to come to the UK on illegal and dangerous routes.” Labour shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the plan was“unworkable”, adding: “When Israel tried paying Rwanda to take refugees and asylum seekers a few years ago, independent reports show it increased people smuggling and the actions of criminal gangs.”
In 2014, Benjamin Netanyahu, then Israel’s prime minister, had tried sending refugees to Rwanda. Several thousand people were sent to Rwanda and Uganda under a contentious and secretive “voluntary” scheme between 2014 and 2017. Few are believed to have remained there, with many trying to reach Europe. After a legal challenge, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled in August 2017 that refugees who refused to leave could not be imprisoned indefinitely, and that those who went to Rwanda had to go willingly. Netanyahu then agreed with Rwanda to accept unwilling refugees for high payments, meaning Israeli taxpayers were paying an extortionate sum for a failed policy . In an often stormy Commons debate on Tuesday, Patel was again asked if she had looked at Israel’s experience of using Rwanda to help ease its own asylum issues. She said the government’s plans were “not comparable”.
Former prime minister and home secretary Theresa May said: “I do not support the removal to Rwanda policy, on the grounds of legality, practicality and efficacy.” She added: “If it is the case that families will not be broken up – and the home secretary is nodding – does she not believe, and where is her evidence, that this will not simply lead to an increase in the trafficking of women and children?” Rabbis from the four major denominations in the UK – Orthodox, Masorti, Reform and Liberal – put their names to an open letter in Friday’s Guardian, headed by JCORE director Dr Edie Friedman. Rabbis David Mason, Jonathan Wittenberg, Jackie Tabick and Alexandra Wright said they were “utterly appalled” by what they described as the government’s “inhumane plans”, which they said flew in the face of Jewish values, and “would be a cruel, moral failure to those in urgent need of protections”.
ENSURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD BY RABBI DAVID MASON MUSWELL HILL SYNAGOGUE
I’ve seen the tears of those seeking asylum. In Muswell Hill I set up a project, along with the Methodist Church, to help asylum seekers who fled persecution and struggle. Our role was to welcome them here. But we also learned about the cruelly long processes they experience. We have come to think of them as ‘illegal’ and not deserving of staying. This is how the system, which we often know as a ‘hostile environment’, has educated this country. So the recent agreement entered into by the UK government and Rwanda only deepened my sense of dismay at how our government relates to those reaching our shores. So many people, both in my synagogue community and on the streets of Crouch End where I am a candidate, are utterly dismayed at this decision. They feel this is wrong. As Jews, we must hold our government to account for its policies that may make people’s lives more difficult – and that includes the lives of those who are looking for refuge here. Write to your MP and to news outlets. Phone in to radio programmes. Invite someone to speak at your synagogue or organisation. While the ‘hostile environment’ continues and while policies like the anti-ethical Rwandan agreement are being put forward, we must make sure our Jewish voices are heard.
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
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Stadium flies Palestine flag by Lee Harpin lee@jewishnews.co.uk @lmharpin
The chairman of Forest Green Rovers Football Club has claimed the Palestinian flag was flown at their stadium because the “conflict there has all the same ingredients as the one in Ukraine”. In a statement that was criticised by some fans, Dale Vince, chair of the high-flying Sky Bet League Two side, said both conflicts involved “invasion, occupation, murder of civilians, destruction of homes and hospitals – and sieges”. Vince, a green activist, added that he wanted to show “solidarity” with Palestine during Monday’s game against Oldham Athletic by flying the flag at the Gloucestershire club’s New Lawn Stadium. He tweeted: “Palestine has been under siege by Israel – by air, land and sea, for decades. “The US allows this, pumps billions into Israel to support it’s [sic] economy and military and uses its veto to block any meaningful action by the UN. “What’s happening there is a disgrace to nations that collectively self-identify as the ‘West’. “It stands in stark contradiction to ‘our’ claims to moral superiority, civilisation and democratic values. Has to be said.” As the £100 million owner of Forest Green Rovers, who calls himself the ‘Zero Carbonista’, Vince has frequently spoken out on climate issues. But after his pro-Palestinian intervention he was criticised by several Twitter users. Andrei Grayson wrote: “What an embarrassing way to use a football club. You should be completely ashamed. Not only is this gross misinformation, it’s a stain on your very well run club.” Another tweet posted by someone naming themselves DSMGP said: “I was becoming a fan of @FGRFC_Official due to its climate
Forest Green Rovers chair Dale Vince has been criticised for ‘politicising the club’
ethos, going to games since moving to the area but this geopolitical statement will make me backtrack. “Israel is the only democracy on the region. This is a poor choice politicising the club.” Others, however, expressed support for the chairman’s stance. In May 2020, Vince had called Israel’s actions against the Palestinians the greatest global injustice of his lifetime and said the club were moving on from the manufacturer Puma. Last month he revealed that he was selling his renewable energy firm Ecotricity to move into politics. At the Forest Green Rovers club ground, only vegan food is sold. The club is set to be promoted to League One this season. Jewish News has contacted the English Football League for comment on the decision to fly the Palestinian flag at the game, and asked Forest Green’s press office to explain Vince’s comparison of Israeli actions with the invasion of Ukraine.
Pupils directed to denial
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Continued from page 1 the world isn’t getting it right, it underlines the scale of the problem.” Stone added: “The Online Safety Bill will improve protections for children online, but there is much to do to ensure it is effective, not least ensuring it forces major search companies to improve the way their systems work so they stop directing children to harmful content.” During Monday’s NASUWT conference in Birmingham, general secretary Dr Patrick Roach called for more action to tackle the problem of extremism. He said the problem was particularly difficult “as children and young people are often exposed to hate speech on social media and elsewhere”. Dr Roach added: “More needs to be done to examine and address the problem of extremism within schools and colleges. Concerted government-level action is urgently
needed to support schools in tackling the problem and to support pupils and teachers who have been targeted and victimised.” Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “Holocaust denial is antisemitism, pure and simple. It should not be available online, in print or any other form. “That’s why we ensure that teachers at all stages of their careers, in every corner of the UK, can take part in training and download our free classroom resources to help to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support students to always know the truth of the past.” A spokesman for the CST, however, felt Google “has improved in this area,” saying: “If you search for information about the Holocaust you are less likely to get denial content in the first page of results than was the case a few years ago. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s still there if you dig.”
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21 April 2022 Jewish News
Spyware concern / Assault case / News
ISRAELI FIRM BEHIND PEGASUS SPYWARE DENIES NO 10 ATTACK
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FL WI OU NO TH RIS HI RW NG OO D Israeli-created Pegasus spyware was found on a device connected to the Downing Street telephone and messaging network, it has been claimed, writes Adam Decker. The security breach at No 10 – which is being linked to a United Arab Emirates operator – is alleged to have taken place on 7 July 2020, as Boris Johnson approached his first year as prime minister. The same spyware is also suspected of having been used to infect phones connected to the Foreign Office on at least five occasions between July 2020 and June 2021. Operators in the UAE, Cyprus, Jordan and India were linked to these alleged breaches. The Israeli company NSO Group developed the spyware product which is known to have the capability to infect billions of phones running either iOS or Android operating systems. Once Pegasus is on a person’s device, it can copy messages that are sent or received. The NSO Group has repeatedly claimed that it keeps strict control over how its powerful software is used, and that staff can shut it down at any time or look at the information being collected. NSO has accused the groups involved in producing the latest allegations – Citizens Lab and Amnesty – of producing “inaccurate and unsubstantiated reports based on vague and incomplete information”.
A Downing Street spokesperson said they would not be commenting on the matter. According to report,s an investigative journalist working for The New Yorker magazine discovered the breach at Downing Street. It is claimed that officials from Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre were unable to locate the infected device and the nature of any data that may have been stolen was never determined. “When we found the No 10 case, my jaw dropped,” John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the Citizen Lab centre at the University of Toronto, told the magazine. Responding to claims that Pegasus was used to infect a No 10 device and mobile phones at the Foreign Office, an NSO Group spokesperson said: “The information raised regarding these allegations are, yet again, false and could not be related to NSO products for technological and contractual reasons. “NSO continues to be targeted by a number of politically motivated advocacy organisations, like Citizens Labs and Amnesty, to produce inaccurate and unsubstantiated reports based on vague and incomplete information. “We have repeatedly cooperated with governmental investigations, where credible allegations merit.”
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Assault trial starts today The teenager accused of assaulting two-strictly Orthodox shop owners on a street in Stamford Hill on 26 January is due to appear in court today. Malachi Thorpe, 18, allegedly attacked Israel Grossman and Erwin Ginsberg as they were closing their shop for the evening. Security camera footage of the incident, which took place on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day, showed a hooded man throwing repeated punches and knocking one of them to the ground. Grossman and Ginsberg were treated in hospital for a variety of injuries.
Thorpe faces two charges of racially or religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one of possessing an offensive weapon. He had been due to enter a plea at Wood Green Crown Court in March, but the hearing was adjourned because he had been transferred to a hospital psychiatric ward. Thorpe’s lawyer, David Lyons, said: “It appears from the prison that the defendant is a very unwell man at the moment.” Cathryn Evans, prosecuting, described the alleged attack as “unprovoked”.
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
News / Chair resigns / Hustings upset / Councillor move CFI takes group of nine MPs to Israel Conservative Friends of Israel took a delegation of nine MPs to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Delegates – many of whom were visiting the region for the first time – included Nickie Aiken the MP for Cities of London and Westminster; Ashfield MP Lee Anderson; and Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton. The itinerary featured meetings with politicians, journalists, entrepreneurs and academics and strategic briefings and visits to organisations promoting peaceful coexistence.
Partygate prompts minister to resign Lord Wolfson resigned from the role of justice minister one day after Boris Johnson was fined for breaking Covid rules. He said the prime minister’s actions were “inconsistent with the rule of law”. The Liverpoolborn QC sent a letter to Johnson in which he criticised the “official response” to “repeated rule-breaking”. He said he had “no option” other than to resign, given his “ministerial and professional obligations” in this area.
Conservative chairman resigns over Nazi dress The chairman of Enfield Conservative Association has resigned from the party saying he was “deeply sorry” after Jewish News revealed a photograph of him in full Nazi uniform, writes Lee Harpin. Colin Davis, who specialises in military law, was “ashamed” at having worn “bad taste fancy dress” in the picture taken in the garden of a north London property in the 1980s. Earlier this week he was suspended by Enfield Southgate Tories, but said he had “no recollection” of the photo. Davis had been pencilled
Former Enfield chair Colin Davis as a ‘Nazi’ in the 1980s
in as a candidate in the Oakwood ward for next month’s elections, but his name was
taken off the list after he caught Covid. He told Jewish News: “I did not have sight of and had forgotten the old photo, which I have now been able to identify. “I am deeply embarrassed and ashamed my youthful self thought it appropriate to wear such garb even for a bad taste fancy dress. I can only apologise to all affected by my stupid actions of over 40 years ago. “I had completely forgotten the event and am deeply sorry to have caused embarrassment to others. I am resigning from the Conservative Party forthwith.”
Councillor quits trust role A Conservative councillor suspended from the party last year over social media posts on “Zionists” before being allowed to rejoin, has resigned from his role with an educational trust. Ishfaq Hussain was made a trustee of the Thomas Deacon Education Trust on 20 Sep-
tember 2021, but stepped down as a trustee of the Peterborough based organisation on 3 March. The reason for his resignation, reported by Campaign Against Antisemitism, is unclear. Hussain had been suspended for sharing antisemitic tropes; he accused the “Saudi
regime” of being “puppets of America and Israel” and called them “a trilogy of Zionists”. In his apology, Hussain said: “I recognise Israel’s right to exist and wholeheartedly support a two-state solution. I deeply regret my frustration led me to suggest otherwise.”
GROUPS CONDEMN HUSTINGS ABUSE Communal groups have lined up to condemn “inexcusable racism” directed at the leader of the Enfield Labour Group during a Jewish News-supported local election hustings at Cockfosters and Southgate Synagogue, writes Lee Harpin. In an incident witnessed by several communal figures, Cllr Nesil Caliskan and her husband were both told to “go back to Turkey” by a member of the audience, who was later identified as Caroline Green, an anti-low-traffic neighbourhood activist. Caliskan, 33, appeared alongside Conservative opponent Joanne Laban to face questions by voters ahead of next week’s election on council finances, low-traffic neighbourhoods, crime, largescale development and other topics during the Jewish community hustings event. In a joint statement, the London Jewish Forum, the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council all condemned the incident. They said: “We utterly con-
demn the inexcusable racism Cllr Nes Caliskan and her husband experienced by an individual at our Enfield Council election hustings. “We have expressed the strength of feeling to Cllr Caliskan and she has our ongoing support. The individual will no longer be welcome at any of our events.” The council leader was born in Enfield; her Turkish Cypriot grandparents came to the UK in 1972. She told Jewish News: “It was heartwarming that... the Jewish community called out that racism and was unequivocal in its outrage. I thank the Board of Deputies who have shown leadership in standing up to racist views that have no place in Enfield.” Asked by Jewish News to explain her slur, Green, who works as a hairdresser and lifestyle coach, said: “She is from Turkey. She has accused us of being hooligans and God knows what. I’m Jewish, my mum survived the Holocaust. We’ve had nothing but abuse.”
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21 April 2022 Jewish News
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Commemorative concert / Survivor tributes / News
Concert to recall Kitchener Camp By Jenni Frazer @Jennifrazer
It was “the concert that never took place”, according to Antony Lishak, chief educational consultant of the Holocaust charity Learning from the Righteous. Next Thursday, 83 years after it should have been staged, a concert to evoke memories of the unique, pre-war Kitchener Camp, will take place at London’s Wigmore Hall. The 28 April lunchtime concert, with narration from outgoing BBC presenters Jon Sopel and Emily Maitlis, will form part of this year’s Yom HaShoah remembrance events, which begin the previous evening, on Wednesday 27 April. Yom HaShoah 2022 will draw on the experience of commemorating the anniversary during the pandemic. The ceremony was forced to move online in the past two years, but, unexpectedly, there was a greater audience for the event. As Neil Martin, chair of Yom HaShoah UK, put it: “Stuck at home, the community gathered online for Yom HaShoah, lit yellow candles and remembered together as one”. Now the event is once more going ‘live’, with the national broadcast taking place from Jewish Care, the home of the Holocaust Survivors’ Centre. But there will also be the opportunity for families
across the UK – and around the world – to watch online. There will be choirs, musicians, guest speakers and, of course, testimony from the last remaining survivors, as well as refugees. Additionally, this year there will be the delayed launch of the Yom HaShoah Legacy of the Holocaust initiative. The plan is for 200 “commemorative legacy boards” to be installed in synagogues, school and communal buildings across the UK. They will, says Martin, “create a permanent reminder and focal point to remember, to tell, and never forget”. Kitchener Camp, remembered with great affection by some of its residents, is a sometimes forgotten aspect of the work of the Central British Fund for German Jewry, which set up this ‘haven’ for refugees in 1939, before the outbreak of war. The camp, in the coastal town of Sandwich, in Kent, housed young German Jews and was operated by members of the Jewish Lads’ Brigade. World Jewish Relief, the successor to the CBF, the Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade, Learning from the Righteous (which deals with young people aged 10 to 14), the Association of Jewish Refugees, the ’45 Aid Society and the Board of Deputies, have teamed up with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to present this year’s memorial concert.
The story of Kitchener Camp is not as well known as that of the Kindertransport, but it made its mark on a large number of Kitchener Camp in Sandwich, Kent, was set up in 1939 as a ‘haven’ for refugees people. The residents – as would happen later with the internment camps on the Isle of Man – set to and offered cultural activities, including the formation of a locally popular orchestra. Eventually, after donations of instruments made it possible, an official camp orchestra was formed, and, says Lishak, it gave its first public performance on the second day of Pesach, attracting an audience of 700 Sandwich residents. Such was its reputation that there were even arrangements for the BBC to broadcast a live concert from Kitchener, an ambitious ideal thwarted by the inevitable outbreak of war. Three ‘icons’ who made an impact on the Kitchener Camp and its refugees were the brothers Jonas and Phineas May and Ernest Joseph. At the conclusion of the concert on Thursday, their descendants will accept on their behalves the British Heroes of the Holocaust medals, awarded by the government to British citizens who helped or rescued Jews in the Holocaust.
THIS PESACH TURN A PLAGUE
THE WOMAN WITH NO Tragic end for NUMBER DIES, AGED 98 Ukrainian who hid from Nazis she was baptised as a Thousands of stuteenager. Her mother dents and young learned that Jewish people all over Britain girls were routinely are mourning the sent to be prostitutes death of Iby Knill, 98, for German soldiers, a wartime member of and so she was sent to the resistance in HunHungary, where she gary and a survivor of became involved in Auschwitz. the Resistance. Knill, the widow of She carried mesBritish army officer Iby Knill survived Auschwitz sages and codes, but Bert Knill, described herself as “the woman with no number” was caught, tortured and imprisoned as she escaped being tattooed because for three months. After her release, she was rearrested for being in Hungary her captors had run out of ink. Based in Leeds, she began talking illegally and taken to an internment about her wartime experiences only camp and then to a refugee camp. In March 1944, Knill was classed as a after her husband’s death. She was awarded the British Empire Medal for political prisoner and deported to Ausher work in Holocaust education and chwitz-Birkenau before being taken to was described by the Holocaust Educa- a slave labour camp in Lippstadt. The tional Trust chief executive, Karen Pol- female prisoners were sent on a death march towards Bergen-Belsen, but lock, as “formidable”. Pollock said Knill was “passionate were liberated on the way by US forces. Knill came to England in 1947 about sharing her testimony, ensuring the next generation learnt about the and began rebuilding her family. She achieved a BA in 1973, an MA in 2002 horrors of the Holocaust”. Knill was born in 1923 in Czecho- (aged 79), and an honorary doctorate slovakia to Jewish parents, although from Huddersfield University in 2016.
A Ukrainian Jewish woman who survived Nazi round-ups during the Holocaust has died in Mariupol after spending weeks in a basement without heating or running water as she sheltered from Russian bombardment. Vanda Semyonovna Obiedkova, 91, was left bedridden and unable to move from the small space where she took cover with her family. Her daughter, Larissa, said she spent her final days comparing their ordeal to the Nazi occupation of the city in 1941. “Mama didn’t deserve such a death,” she told Chabad. “There was no water, no electricity, no heat – and it was unbearably cold. Every time a bomb fell, the entire building shook. My mother kept saying she didn’t remember anything like this [during the Second World War].” She buried Obiedkova, who died on 4 April, in a park before escaping with her family, Chabad said. Obiedkova, who was 10 when the Nazis occupied Mariupol, escaped when the SS came to the family home by hiding in a basement, but her mother was taken away. Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Mendel Cohen said: “[Vanda] was a kind, joyous woman, a special person who will remain in our hearts.”
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
News / Campus concerns / Online extremism / Survivor march
NUS head: I’m no antisemite The incoming president of the National Union of Students (NUS) has insisted: “This idea that I don’t like Jewish people, or I’m hateful towards the Jewish community, is absolutely not true”, writes Lee Harpin. In an interview with The Guardian, Shaima Dallali, 27, added that it was “really difficult to have to see these horrible things being said about me. They are not true.” She said she wanted to “bridge the gap” and “build bridges” with the community, claiming that “everyone has the right to their own political ideas”. She continued: “I don’t hate anyone. I definitely don’t hate the Jewish community.” Dallali, the current president of the students’ union at City, University of London, spoke out after the NUS board confirmed last week it had instigated an independent investigation into antisemitism claims, including her own
conduct. She told the newspaper: “The investigation is the right thing to do.” She added: “I know quite a few Jewish students feel alienated. “This is the first step to start bridging the gap and reaching out to Jewish students and ensuring Jewish students feel like they have a place in NUS, so I do welcome it.” But Dallali also claimed that she was being criticised “as a black Muslim woman” who had taken up positions in the student union or the NUS, “where they are attacked based on their political beliefs or their pro-Palestinian stance”. She said she had received Islamophobic and racist online abuse and added: “I want to reiterate my willingness to work with Jewish students to combat antisemitism, to address their concerns. “I want to represent all students and their concerns are important.”
NUS president-elect Shaima Dallali
MP NAMES SITES THAT ARE ‘HAVEN’ FOR HATE The Conservative MP Andrew Percy has said small online platforms such as BitChute, 8kun, previously 8chan, or Minds “are a haven for white supremacists, incels, conspiracy theorists and antisemites”, writes Lee Harpin. Addressing MPs in the Commons during the second reading of the Online Safety Bill, Percy urged the government to amend the legislation to recognise the danger of the smaller platforms, away from more recognised outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Arguing that platforms such as BitChute are where antisemites “gather, converse and share and spew their hate”, the MP for Brigg and Goole called for a “small amendment to enable Ofcom to have powers to draw the small but high-harm platforms, based on its assessments – the so-called supercomplaints we have heard about or other means – into the category 1 status.”. At present, the proposals
force ‘category 1’ companies – the largest online platforms with the widest reach, including the most popular social media platforms – address content harmful to adults that falls below the threshold of a criminal offence. Smaller platforms, such as BitChute and 8kun, would escape this. Percy, who is Jewish, gave the example of “a post from the so-called anti-Jewish meme repository on the platform Gab, which showed a picture of goblins, in this instance the usual grotesque representation of those ageold Jewish physical stereotypes, alongside the phrase, ‘Are you ready to die in another Jewish war, goyim?’” The co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, added: “Many of these small platforms exist purely to spew such hate, but despite the many measures in the Bill I support, these sites will be sifted into two major categories based on their size and functionality.”
Rafiq to join March of Living Former cricketer Azeem Rafiq is set to join this year’s March of the Living, alongside seven Holocaust survivors, as part of his bid to learn more about anti-Jewish racism, writes Jenni Frazer. Rafiq, a one-time professional player for Yorkshire County Cricket Club, hit the headlines in September 2020 after making a number of accusations of racism, bullying and harassment at the club. His claims were found to be true and eventually led to the resignations of both the chairman and chief executive of the club. But, a year later, it emerged that Rafiq himself had made antisemitic comments on Facebook when he was 19.
Rafiq with Shoah survivor Lily Ebert and Dov Forman
He made an unreserved apology, saying that he was “ashamed” and “a different person today”. Now he has agreed to join survivors and members of world Jewish communities in their annual visit to Poland,
declaring that he wants to improve his knowledge about the Holocaust and attempt to better understand what happened and why its commemoration is so important. Rafiq said: “I am passionate about understanding all I can about the Holocaust — how it came about, what actually happened and very importantly, to hear the testimonies of the remaining survivors. It is everyone’s duty to learn about our past so that we have the knowledge and power to stop such atrocities happening again.” Scott Saunders, founder of March of the Living UK, said: “We are delighted that Azeem Rafiq will be joining us.”
VACCINE HESITANCY SUPPORT
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Medics and strictly-Orthodox women came together to discuss vaccine hesitancy in a first-of-its-kind event for the Charedi community. Experts from the NHS and local authorities arranged the Women’s Health Event with CHANA, a Jewish charity focusing on fertility support, and the Interlink Foundation, which acts as an umbrella organisation for the Charedi
community. Organisers said Charedi women “had the opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns, and receive expert advice on a range of health topics including oral health, fertility, winter illnesses, and immunisations for all ages, including the Covid-19 vaccination”. Dr Tehseen Khan, a GP who led the session, said vaccination “prepares the body
to fight serious infections that might happen in the future… any missed vaccination could lead to an outbreak, such as the polio case in Israel recently”. Khan said Covid-19 was “still circulating and still a serious disease”, adding: “It is important to still get vaccinated, to stay protected for longer and particularly important for expectant mothers, to keep both of you safe.”
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Flight disruption / Holywood cook / News
Airline apologises for travel chaos Travellers on a Wizz Air flight from Tel Aviv to Gatwick had a rough landing on Monday when their plane touched down hours late and 177 miles from their intended destination at Doncaster Sheffield airport, writes Clair Woodward. They were also told to find their own way home in the early hours of the morning, as no other transport was available, leaving Israeli passengers confused as to where they were and how to get to London. Communications consultant Luke Baker was returning to London with his wife and four children from a Pesach holiday in Israel. “We were booked to leave from Ben Gurion [Airport] on a flight at 9.20pm on Sunday and land at 1am on Monday. It was very delayed in boarding and we didn’t take off until 12.20am. “Once in the air, we were told that it wasn’t possible to land at Gatwick because there were issues on the ground so they said we’d land at Luton, which was frustrating enough. “But an hour before landing, they said we weren’t going to be landing there because there was no ground space, so we’d be landing at Doncaster Sheffield.”
Passengers on a Wizz Air flight from Tel Aviv were taken to Doncaster Sheffield airport instead of Gatwick
Baker says passengers on the flight were told there would be buses at the Yorkshire airport to take them to Gatwick, but when they landed at 3.30am, there were none available. “There were no taxis to the railway station, either, and no trains until about 5am.
“It was pretty frustrating. Wizz Air completely washed their hands of responsibility while on the ground and the staff at Doncaster seemed pretty confused about what they could do; there was nobody on the ground to offer food or water as the airport was entirely shut.
“It was cold and nobody had any ideas as to where to go or what to do.” Baker added that staff at Doncaster Sheffield airport were not used to dealing with passengers from Israel. “There were a lot of people who
had Israeli passports who had a right to live and work in the UK, but there were a few questions about letting them in.” He also said that if his party had been told about problems with the flight, they would have waited until the next day to fly home. The Baker family eventually managed to find a taxi to take them home to London, which cost £480. “Wizz Air have said they will reimburse travel costs, but there’s been no word about compensation for the inconvenience. The experience was infuriating, costly and really irritating.” In a statement, Wizz Air apologised for the disruption to the flight, saying that Doncaster Sheffield was the only airport that could help at short notice. It added: “We did all we could to help our customers back to Gatwick, however, the UK Easter holidays – and a lack of available bus and train transfers – made this extremely difficult to manage. “As a result, Wizz Air has now been in touch with all those affected passengers to apologise directly and accept claims for transportation to be reimbursed.”
Spotlight star cooks for refugees A Hollywood actor and volunteers from the charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) cooked more than 400kg of brisket for Ukranian refugees in Przemysl, Poland in honour of Passover. On his Instagram page, actor Liev Schreiber wrote: “‘Let all who are hungry come and eat.’ Jews recite this ancient phrase during #Passover, which begins Friday.
Doing my part with WCK here in #Poland, where we’re preparing traditional Passover delicacies for Ukrainian #refugees.” He described WCK as “the rockstar NGO [non-governmental organisation] serving and feeding those who have lost nearly everything”. Schreiber, who last week had prepared borscht in a WCK kitchen for 1,500 refu-
FLOWERS FOR GHETTO FALLEN A girl holds daffodils during the 79th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising on Tuesday in Warsaw, Poland.
Actor Liev Schreiber
gees, then travelled to Lviv, where he met more charity workers and witnessed air raid alarms before returning to his New York home. He credits his maternal grandfather, Alex Milgram, who emigrated to the US from Ukraine almost a century ago, as a major influence in his life, and who enabled him to connect with his Jewish roots. Schreiber described the annual seders at his grandfather’s house as “some of the best times of my life”, adding: “We’d all get together and me and my brothers would fight for the afikomen.” It was announced this week that Schreiber will play Anne Frank’s father, Otto, in the Disney+ series A Small Light. It follows the life of Miep Gies (Bel Powley) who, along with her husband Jan, hid the Frank and Van Pels families from the Nazis in an attic for two years.
YOUR LEGACY Protecting and securing the Jewish community in the UK against antisemitism is what we do. From the streets of London in the 1950s through to the hate-filled internet chatrooms of today, CST will leave no stone unturned in the fight against those who wish to do us harm. This is not something that we can do without your ongoing and long-term support. A legacy to CST will ensure that our community is not only protected against the continuous threat of antisemitism but is also given the security necessary to flourish in the future. Contact us on 020 8457 3700 or email legacy@cst.org.uk. Community Security Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1042391) and Scotland (SC043612).
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
Special Report / Streisand at 80
A star at
80
Barbra Streisand’s rebellious streak is something Maureen Lipman has long admired, finds Clair Woodward Photo by Steve Schapiro
Such was the impact Barbra Streisand made on a teenage Maureen Lipman that she reveals in a Radio 4 documentary celebrating Streisand’s 80th birthday: “I felt her power from 3,000 miles away.” To Barbra is a mix of interviews with friends and colleagues alongside Lipman’s recollections of the star, whose late husband, the screenwriter Jack Rosenthal, worked with Streisand on her 1983 film Yentl.
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“Ever since I was a teenager growing up in Hull, Barbra Streisand has been a constant in my life, alongside the Queen, my brother Geoffrey and, of course, Cliff Richard. She was a spicy accompaniment to my coming of age,” recalls Lipman, who says she first became aware of Barbra when she saw her in her brother’s Time magazine, after the actress’ breakthrough role on Broadway in the musical I Can Get it for You Wholesale.
21 April 2022 Jewish News
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Streisand at 80 / Special Report
At the US Presidential Medal of Freedom awards with Stephen Sondheim and Steven Spielberg Barbra with her mother Diana, née Rosen
Starring in Yentl, which she also co-produced
As Fanny Brice in Funny Girl
“I would come home from school and go on a bus to town to pick up Motion Picture and Modern Screen magazines, and there was something about the shtick, the chutzpah, that went straight through to a 14-year-old girl,” she remembers. “There was Barbra, a young, kooky Jewish girl and, as a rebellious child, I felt her power from afar.” Lipman also recalls Streisand’s refusal to play down her heritage. When she went into movies with Funny Girl, Lipman points out that: “Most of the studios were Jewish-owned, but you got there and you immediately changed your name and became as WASP as you could. Bernie Schwartz was Tony Curtis, Betty Perske was Lauren Bacall. Barbra said: ‘No, this is me.’”’ In To Barbra, her Funny Girl co-star Omar Sharif admits that: “When I first saw Barbra Streisand, I thought how terribly unattractive she was, and how will she make a career in film”, before confessing that by the end of rehearsals, he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The documentary praises Streisand’s gifts for making the ‘everywoman’ character beautiful and appealing – and points out that she appeared on the cover of Playboy, making her a certified American sex symbol. Lipman praises her performance as Katie Morosky, opposite Robert Redford’s Hubbell Gardiner in the romantic movie The Way We Were. “That film encompassed every piece of wish fulfilment a plain girl ever had. It spoke to all of us. No woman has ever cried more tears than I did at a film than The Way We Were – I was the last in the cinema and had to be kind of flopped out.” Lipman eventually got to meet Streisand when her husband was working with her on Yentl, which had been in development for 15 years. “Draft 13 onwards,” she deadpans. “I used
to ask him questions all the time – did she say anything, did she mention Ryan O’Neal [her costar in two comedies], how did she look, what was she wearing? – and he never had a thing to say. She was a very ordinary, quite powerful Jewish girl, very generous in some respects and parsimonious in others. “One day, I’d had a matinee, and had the babysitter and the kids, and got locked out of the house. There must have been a subliminal reason, so I went on the Tube to the Berkeley Hotel, where she was working with Jack, and got on the phone to her assistant and said I was his wife and could he bring down his keys. “Then the concierge said: ‘Mrs Rosenthal, there’s a call for you.’” It was Barbra, asking her and the family upstairs. “Adam was nearly five, and Amy was seven and she was very charming to them. I was clocking every detail; she had lovely skin, was smaller than I expected, with her hair pulled back and lovely blue eyes. “She’d just made Memory [the song from the musical Cats] and asked if I wanted to hear it. She said to me ‘What do you think?’ and sometimes in your life you make a move, which you know will lead to the guillotine, but you can’t stop it… and I said: ‘Just one thing…’. Now the blue eyes turned straight on me and she said ‘A-ha…’ and I said: ‘Well, the middle section…is it a bit too, too… low for your voice? I mean, it’s great for your voice…’ And now I babble myself into a pit and so I usher the kids out, thank Miss Streisand very much. And I lay on the carpet outside her room, just groaning, with the kids and the babysitter, and just remembered my husband’s popping eyes as I left, and just lay there.” Listen to To Barbra at 8pm on Saturday, 23 April, on Radio 4, and then on BBC Sounds
With her son Jason Gould, born in 1966
With Robert Redford in The Way We Were
James Brolin and Barbra married in 1998
INDEPENDENCE. DIGNITY. CHOICE. “ Raymond’s stroke had a devastating effect on both our lives until we moved in to our Jewish Blind & Disabled apartment. Now we enjoy the best of both worlds; independence with a social life on our doorstep.” Raymond & Pamela moved into their state-of-the-art mobility apartment in 2019.
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
Special Report / French election
Keep her out, urge French Jews Marine Le Pen has united the community against her, writes Michael Daventry As far as France’s Jewish community is concerned, there is no doubt who should win this Sunday’s presidential election. The Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, better known by its initials Crif, did not mince its words: “We appeal for a blockade of Marine Le Pen and to vote massively for Emmanuel Macron. The country’s biggest Jewish organisation was clearly never going to endorse a candidate of the far-right like Le Pen, but its statement was doused with a panic and urgency that made something else plain: she could actually win. Sunday will be the second time Le Pen has won enough support to qualify for a run-off election against the liberal Macron. They last faced each other in 2017 when Macron, then a political newcomer, trounced her by a margin of two to one. He is still the likely victor this time — there has been only one opinion poll in the past month that put Le Pen ahead of him — but it will be much, much closer. That raises the possibility of a surprise outcome in the style of Brexit or Donald Trump, when voters confounded the pollsters and delivered results that shocked the system. The mere prospect was enough to trigger French Jewry’s call for all voters to “mobilise”: “Crif wants everyone to be well aware that the
true face of Marine Le Pen is the one she displays to the most violent and xenophobic leaders in Europe to whom she is close on a personal and ideological level.” And it was not just Crif. France’s Chief Rabbi Haïm Korsia endorsed Macron by calling on voters to “overcome political divisions” and rally behind the incumbent. Of particular concern, he said, was a promise to ban slaughter of animals that have not been pre-tunned, effectively, a ban on kosher and halal meat. Several European countries have already done this, but Korsia said Le Pen’s party wanted to go further by banning imports from other countries. “These detestable remarks mark a new stage in the discriminatory policy of this party,” the chief rabbi said, “and this, all the more so since no European country prohibits the import of products from ritual slaughter.” Party leader Jordan Bardella appeared to row back on the position this week, telling the news channel FranceInfo that slaughter on French territory would be banned “in the name of
animal dignity and suffering”, although imports would still be permitted. That move is one example of the great strides taken by Le Pen’s movement to moderate her image. She no longer wants to take France out of the euro. She mingles with voters on campaign stops in a deliberate contrast to Macron’s elitist image. And it has been years since she expelled her antisemitic father from the party, then
called the National Front, and renamed it the National Rally. Her election strategy in recent months has been clever too: for an advocate of Vladimir Putin like her, Russia’s war in Ukraine could have proven fatal. She has successfully pivoted her rhetoric towards the rising cost of living. But there is no doubt a Présidente Le Pen would seek to discriminate between the people who live in her country. She still wants a ban on the Muslim veil, but not the kippah, in public spaces. Although the interventions by Crif and the chief rabbi prompted muttering about France’s tradition of separating religion and government, the bulk of the country’s Jewish community appears positioned against Le Pen. Even the National Jewish Circle, a fringe group that initially backed her, said it was withdrawing its support over a campaign photo that it said showed her making a white supremacist gesture. But today’s France contains many voters disenchanted by the centre-right, centre-left and centrist presidents of the past 15 years. It is just possible that enough of them will be tempted to try something new.
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Contest concerns / Leaders' call / University anger / World News
Fears Israel's Eurovision song has already met its Waterloo The Israeli delegation will no longer attend the Eurovision Song Contest in Italy, its national broadcaster has announced. Kan said a strike at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel had affected its “security protocols”. Michael Ben David is due to represent the country with the song I.M. after winning the Israeli version of the X Factor. However, the shock announcement now throws his performance into serious doubt. Kan did not confirm whether the singer would compete using a pre-recorded performance aired during the contest. A tweet from the broadcaster said: “As of now, due to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strike that affects the security protocols, the Israeli delegation will not attend the Eurovision in Turin.” A statement from Eurovision
Above: Netta wins the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon in 2018. Inset: Michael Ben David
said: “We are aware of the statement made by Kan this morning and are in
dialogue with them about Israel’s continued participation in this year’s event.” Meanwhile, Russia
has been banned from competing at this year’s contest following its invasion of Ukraine.The European
Broadcasting Union, which produces the event, said the inclusion of a Russian entry at the contest in May would bring the event into “disrepute”. The union had previously said it intended to allow Russia to compete, but faced strong criticism from state broadcasters in countries including Iceland, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands. The 2020 contest was cancelled owing the Covid pandemic, but the 2021 competition was held in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was won by Italy’s rock band Maneskin with their song Zitti E Buoni. The UK was handed a crushing defeat as singer James Newman was the only entrant to score zero points from both the jury and public vote, coming bottom of the leaderboard. The Eurovision grand final will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer and on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds from 8pm on 14 May.
PUTIN CALLS PA'S ABBAS University 'violated freedom' Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call this week with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss tensions in Jerusalem and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the Russian state-owned news agency RIA claims. According to the report, Putin updated Abbas on “Russia’s special military operation to defend the Donbas region” in eastern Ukraine. The phone call reportedly took place at the Palestinian Support: President Putin with President Abbas leader’s behest. With the war in Ukraine driving up food under the protection of the Israeli occupation prices globally, Putin also assured Abbas during forces,” according to Wafa. the phone call that Moscow will provide the On Sunday, Palestinian rioters threw rocks Palestinians with “Russian wheat, materials at Israeli buses en route to the Western Wall in and crops”. Jerusalem’s Old City, as well as in the Temple The Palestinian official news agency Wafa Mount compound, in an attempt to prevent said Putin “stressed Russia’s firm position in non-Muslims from touring the site. support of the rights of the Palestinian people, Police responded by entering the complex and that Russia will continue to accord its and dispersing the crowd with riot control political support to the Palestinian cause in measures. all international forums, and what is hapAccording to the Red Crescent, 17 Palespening in Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque”. tinians were treated for injuries sustained on Wafa also reported that the Russian leader Sunday morning in clashes with police at the rejected “the Israeli practices that prevent site, five of whom were taken to the hospital. worshippers from freely accessing the al-Aqsa Police said nine Palestinians were arrested. Mosque", adding that Israel must “respect the Police also said officers worked to distance existing historical status quo” at the holy site. the Palestinians to allow the Temple Mount Russia has long been a champion of the visits to go ahead, and Jewish visitors were later Palestinian cause, with PA hoping Moscow will seen touring the site. play a more central role in mediating between it Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israeli and Israel. forces have “free rein” to continue operations Abbas updated Putin on the “daily incur- to maintain security while stressing that offisions into al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist Israelis cials were working to restore calm.
An American university that fired a Jewish professor last year after he accused the campus' president of making antisemitic comments violated the professor’s academic freedom, according to a new report by a group that represents university professors. The American Association of University Professors concluded that Oregon's Linfield Universit yiolated academic freedom guidelines when it fired professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner. The report, released this week, also said the univer-
sity “contributed to a culture of abuse”. Linfield fired the English professor shortly after he went public with his accusations against the school’s president, Miles K. Davis. He accused Davis of making multiple antisemitic comments to faculty, including commenting on the size of Jewish noses and making jokes about sending Jews to gas chambers. He also accused the school of covering up reports of sexual assault and instances of swastikas and other hateful messages. The Anti-Defamation
League and the Oregon Board of Rabbis both called on Davis to resign. Local outlets reported members of the university community who rallied behind Pollack-Pelzner were being intimidated into silence. Pollack-Pelzner sued the university for $4 million for whistle-blower retaliation and other claims; meanwhile, an investigation by local civil rights organisation NAACP found that Davis, who is black, had been subjected to racism at the university, and called the professor’s allegations into question.
WINE SERVED AT WHITE HOUSE SEDER 'NOT POLITICAL' Wine from a West Bank settlement was on the menu at this year’s White House Passover seder last Friday hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris (far right) and second gentleman Doug Emhoff (third left). A spokesperson for Harris said the choice should not be construed as a political statement about Israeli settlement in the West Bank. “The wine served was in no way intended to be an expression of policy,” Herbie Ziskend, an adviser to Harris, said in a tweet.
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THIS WEEKEND'S SHABBAT AND PESACH TIMES... Shabbat and Yom Tov begins Friday night 7.54pm Sedra: P esach
Shabbat and Yom Tov ends Saturday night 9.02pm
a bookseller selling just their books, in hardback. It is like the Oxford and Henley Literary Festivals, except their Jewish speakers often talk on Shabbat. A few years ago, I was horrified to see Tariq Ali walk through the lobby, after he had been one of the speakers. On another occasion, a speaker was a nonJewish mathematics professor, chosen because his wife is Jewish. He had no idea that Jews are drawn towards mathematics, or that there is Jewish mathematics (there is plenty in the Torah and Talmud). Mark Drukker, Reading
WHERE IS RABBINICAL WILL ON THE GET? So get refuser Alan Moher is in prison and Caroline Moher is still chained – a triumph for both legal systems. Since 1923, the grounds for divorce in English law have been the same for each spouse and the only
solution to the problem is for the rabbis and Batei Din to apply that in halachah too. Don’t tell me they can’t; where there’s a rabbinical will, there’s a halachic way.
Andrew Turek, NW11
FIRST VISITS TO ISRAEL HOWARD JACOBSON’S ALWAYS EYE-OPENERS VIEW OF HIS PARENTS It was most interesting to read the article by Fay Jones MP, covering her recent fact-finding trip to Israel (Jewish News, 14 April 2022). She was shocked at the recent murders of innocents out enjoying a balmy evening chatting with friends at a bar in Tel Aviv. However, what no doubt shocks her in equal measure is the ‘pay to slay’ policy afforded to those who kill Jews. First-time visits to Israel tend to be an eye-opener because many can come clouded by negative preconceptions, which transpires to be the opposite of what they see with their own eyes. What would be of even greater benefit would be if our enemies were not taught to hate us from a young age and the principles reached through the Abraham Accords are adopted by Palestinians as a whole, to the benefit of all. Stephen Vishnick, Tel Aviv
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I really enjoyed your interview with the author Howard Jacobson and look forward to reading his memoir (Jewish News, 14 April 2022). It’s interesting – albeit unsurprising – that he said he was ashamed of his parents. Your writer says: “He was, he admits, ashamed of them, of his working-class Manchester background, their immigrant fumblings, their sheer Jewishness.” It is unsurprising because children are – sadly – often embrarrassed or ashamed of their parents, who often sacrifice so much of themselves, in order for their offspring to have a better and easier life. It is only with age and wisdom that one can review the past with more accepting eyes. I’m pleased he now understands his parents and indeed himself. I hope he now feels a sense of peace and is more comfortable in his own skin. Francesca Simmonds, By email
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“Her voice is strong and of good pitch; her mannerisms and facial expressions uninhibited and unusual. She is striking, rather than beautiful, with a classic profile… ” So read the review of Barbra Streisand’s first performance at the Caucus Club in Detroit in 1962. She was 20. Sixty years later the same is true of this much-loved performer who makes audiences cry with the emotional resonance of her voice . A mezzo soprano by definition, her range of three octaves has raised her above and beyond the majority of singers. But it is her heart and soul and her focus on the lyrics which put her in a completely different league. That she is Jewish and wears that identity with huge pride is why we adore her. No nose job, no curtailing to the aesthetic whims of Hollywood, she has always been Just Barbra – which fittingly was the name of her 2020 album, recorded 55 years after her first. Among the few performers to be awarded Emmys, Grammys, Oscars and Tonys, she has excelled as an actress, singer and writer but it was when she directed Yentl in 1983 and starred as the Jewish woman with a thirst for knowledge that she secured her place in our history. Effective on the political and environmental stage too, her commitment through her foundation is as much a part of her legacy as her voice. For confirmation of her unique talent, watch the face of the late Israeli president Shimon Peres when she sings Avinu Malkeinu to him on his 90th birthday. What he feels is how we all feel about the woman now turning 80. Sh’koyach, Barbra, and mazeltov!
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Editorial comment and letters
“So we’re agreed – everyone is forbidden to eat leavened bread for the next eight days… another ciabatta roll, Rishi?”
My party is on a mission to end political othering GINA MILLER
LEADER, TRUE AND FAIR PARTY
W
hen I was receiving the worst possible abuse, there was a letter saying that my children, as they are half-Jewish and half-Indian should be put down as mongrels from the two worst ‘breeds’. It was terrifying to think such extreme views were being so openly expressed. The extremism we always knew existed on our society’s fringes was now openly being expressed in letters, on social media platforms and even in Daily Mail headlines. ‘Enemies of the People’, a 2016 headline, arguably bore an uncanny resemblance to the front page of a German newspaper from the 1930s. Across the world, we are witnessing the rise of extremism and populism. A tug of war between the far-left and far-right is resulting in significant political polarisation among the public. France’s Eric Zémmour makes Marine Le Pen appear moderate. Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Matteo Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, Jarosław Kaczyński in Poland, Jimmie Åkesson in
Sweden, Santiago Abascal in Spain. And let’s not forget Trump. For these illiberal leaders, the next two years could see a bonanza of election wins as they stoke the misery to come – a global food, cost of living and energy crisis as the perfect storm of the Ukraine war, post-Covid and climate change hits their populations. Fate appears to be conspiring against those of us who believe in tolerance, compassion and fairness. The populist pendulum is also swinging in extreme directions across South America. In 2021, there were contentious elections in Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Honduras. In 2022, there will be key elections in Brazil and Colombia, with increasing fears of alliances with Venezuela’s populist regime.
Hungarian leader Viktor Orban
Extremism from one side ignites extremism from the other. This is why it is crucial to move away from a right and left political spectrum to a right and wrong perspective, where we always put fairness and humanity first. Each country has its own unique issues, but political divisions and polarised societies have historically targeted Jewish communities. Look at the inflammatory language and propaganda Putin uses in connection with the Ukraine invasion. Another example of the rise of antisemitism. Extremists and antisemites across the ideological spectrum have jumped on Putin’s narrative to promote antisemitic conspiracy theories. Antisemites and white supremacists across the globe – QAnon influencers and the Nordic Resistance Movement – all reuse classic tropes of Jewish power, financial control, and ‘abuse’ of the Holocaust. Putin’s claim that the military action is aimed at the ‘de-Nazification of Ukraine’ and Russian foreign minister Lavrov calling the Ukrainian president “a Nazi and a neo-Nazi”. In the UK, the Community Security Trust, a charity that monitors antisemitism, recorded 2,255 incidents last year – the highest annual tally of antisemitic
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FATE APPEARS TO BE CONSPIRING AGAINST THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN COMPASSION AND FAIRNESS
hatred the CST has recorded – including a surge in people shouting abuse from passing cars as well as 173 violent assaults. As a woman of colour, married to a Jewish man, I was subjected to the most appalling racism when I took the governments of Theresa May and Boris Johnson to court to defend our parliament. My personal experience has increased my passion to fight against the poisonous polarisation of our societies. The fightback begins with the True and Fair Party, whose mission is to end the poisonous ‘othering’ in politics. The future of our country’s stability and success must not be based on division and abuse. The moral principles in Judaism should also be the principles that underpin our politics.
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
Opinion
I will continue to oppose Putin’s authoritarianism BORIS MINTS
CHAIR, COUNCIL OF PATRONS OF CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN RABBIS
F
rom the very beginning, my interactions with Vladimir Putin were tense. In the second half of the 1990s, I was simultaneously serving as secretary of the council for local government in the Russian Federation and head of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation for issues of local governance, which was chaired by the president, Boris Yeltsin. There is not a democratic state in the world that does not have a developed system of local self-government and we aspired to develop one in Russia. It was January 2000 and Putin became acting president of Russia. Three days after he became president, I shared my vision of the development of local self-government. One day later I was discharged. We never had similar views. In the late 1990s I joined the Union
of Right Forces (URF), an economically liberal (therefore ‘right’) political party. The founders of URF were prominent progressive and liberal politicians and economists, first and foremost Yegor Gaidar and Boris Nemtsov, and I was elected as the party’s first chairman. It was the only liberal party in the history of Russia. At first, along with many others, including Western leaders, URF thought the new president would be a reformer and so supported him. Unfortunately, we were wrong. Putin’s commitment to liberalism and democracy did not last long. His second presidential term
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PUTIN’S FRIENDS TOOK AWAY ALL MY BUSINESS IN RUSSIA AND ACCUSED ME AND TWO OF MY SONS OF FRAUD
took an increasingly sinister turn. To put it mildly, the relationship between Putin and the leading political and economic reformers of Yeltsin’s era, such as Gaidar, Nemtsov, Yasin and others, started deteriorating. Gaidar was an economist and acting prime minister of Russia in the 1990s, saving the economy and preventing civil war. In 2006, he travelled to Dublin to present his book, Collapse of an Empire: Lessons for Modern Russia, where he was poisoned. Three years later, aged 53, he died, unable to cope with the consequences of poisoning. A month after his poisoning, in the entrance to her block of flats, Novaya Gazeta (New Gazette) journalist Anna Politkovskaya was murdered. She, like Gaidar and Nemtsov, critiqued Russia’s war in Chechnya. Putin began to suppress freedom of speech. Anyone who resisted his way to total power, money and control became a target. After Gaidar’s death a fund in his memory was created, which I headed for 10 years. Its main goals were promotion of democratic and liberal values. My work, however, did not go unnoticed; eventually Putin’s friends took away all my business in Russia and started
prosecuting me in the courts, later fabricating a criminal case, accusing me and two of my sons of fraud. As a result, my family was forced to leave Russia. Nemtsov was one of the first who protested against Putin’s leadership and personal plundering of Russian resources. In 2015, as he walked at night across Bolshoy Moskvoretskiy Bridge, opposite the Kremlin, he was shot four times in the back. It was to this day the most audacious political murder in Putin’s Russia. Despite the past 20 years of persecution of opponents by Putin’s kleptocracy, my associates and I from Gaidar’s Fund continued our efforts to develop Russia’s democracy and market economy. I finance charitable projects, devoted to forming an open and democratic Russia. Now, as the whole world is watching in horror how Putin continues his aggressive and unlawful invasion in Ukraine, I continue to address the issue publicly and do everything I can to support Ukrainians. For Russia, which I love, I will continue publicly to oppose Putin’s authoritarianism, as I did before.
Spotify must take down songs promoting hatred RACHEL BLAIN
CAMPAIGN MANAGER, WE BELIEVE IN ISRAEL
I
t is a sad reality that antisemitism and attacks against Jews are on the rise. In 2021, the number of reported antisemitic incidents rose by 34 percent on the previous year. In the Community Security Trust (CST)’s 2021 Antisemitic Incidents Report, it noted that “the landscape of UK-based antisemitism in 2021 is largely defined by responses to conflict in Israel and Palestine”. When the conflict exploded that May, the CST recorded its highest monthly total of 661 reported antisemitic incidents. Antisemitism often masquerades as anti-Zionism, and ‘Zionist’ is often used as a euphemism for ‘Jew’. It was no coincidence that, in May 2021, a convoy of cars draped in Palestinian flags paraded in largely populated Jewish areas before speeding down Finchley Road calling for the rape of Jewish girls. It was alsono coincidence YouTubers Ali Dawah and Mohammed Hijab harassed visibly Orthodox Jews about the Israel-Palestine
conflict on a Shabbat morning. Artists use platforms afforded by their celebrity status to spread certain messaging and ideologies, including through music steaming services. We Believe in Israel has uncovered music inciting violence and hatred against Israel and Jews readily available on Spotify. Of particular concern were six tracks by Lowkey, Ambassador MC, Shadi al-Bourini and Qassem al-Najjar. Lowkey’s three Long Live Palestine raps fuel antisemitic tropes about money, power and influence. He chants about world domination, economic exploitation lining Zionist pockets, and calls for the globalisation of the intifada. Ambassador MC’s Free Palestine lyrics mirror the well-known blood libel “Israel wants every Palestinian to bleed”. He links Israel to Nazism and 9/11, as well as an Assad regime trope that al-Qaeda and Israel are the same entity. Antisemitism and a call to violence is rife throughout Shadi al-Bourini and Qassem al-Najjar’s Udrub Udrub Tel Abib (Strike a Blow at Tel Aviv). They stereotype Jews: “Oh you settler, with your sidelocks, in your shelter you cower with fear” while
proclaiming: “We don’t want no truce... All we want is to strike Tel Aviv.” When Lowkey and Ambassador MC’s music were part of the soundtrack to many of 2021’s protests and social media campaigns against Israel, it is little surprise they coincided with some of the worst antisemitism British Jews have ever experienced. Hatred dressed up in a tune makes listeners nonchalant to antisemitism and the message they are spreading. The National Union of Students (NUS) has recently come under fire for inviting Lowkey to perform at its centenary (although Lowkey withdrew from performing). That and quietly dropping the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism has led Labour’s shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, to declare: “It’s deeply depressing that the NUS centenary coincides
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with one of the lowest points in its history.” The Palestine Solidarity Campaign also has Lowkey as a patron. Violence is not a way to achieve peace. “It’s about time we globalised the intifada” is not a call for a peaceful protest, it is a call for a terrorist uprising. Israeli Arabs, Jews, and two Ukrainians were killed at the end of last month in the name of an intifada against Israel. We have launched a campaign asking Spotify to take action. The streaming giant has clear rules prohibiting the promotion of violence and incitement of hatred, and we expect them to be upheld. It is unacceptable to host antisemitic conspiracies and tropes or to legitimise terrorism. With your help, we can make sure it is not tolerated. To sign the petition, visit: www.webelieveinisrael.org.uk/spotify
‘IT’S ABOUT TIME WE GLOBALISED THE INTIFIDA’ IS NOT A CALL FOR A PEACEFUL PROTEST
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Opinion
Sanctioning Kantor will hinder British Jewish life ALEX BRUMMER
CITY EDITOR, THE DAILY MAIL
W
hen it comes to Vladimir Putin’s barbarous war on Ukraine, Israel has been careful not to ratchet up the rhetoric. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is among those who have sought to mediate and Israel – wherever possible – is not turning its back on the Russian tycoons who have homes in the country. Strategically keeping Moscow on side is critical to Israel. But it recognises its responsibilities towards Ukrainian refugees. It understands Jewish communities around the world take pride in the rest of the world’s admiration for Volodymyr Zelensky’s unrelenting courage. On my recent visit to northern Israel and the heavily-armed border with Lebanon, a senior Israel Defense Forces officer made no secret of why the country needs Moscow. Essentially, there is an understanding that the Russian military, which controls the airspace over southern
Lebanon and Syria, does not interfere with Israeli operations. The Israeli air force has the freedom to target Iranian-sponsored convoys, moving weaponry and supplies to battle-hardened Hezbollah units embedded in the area. Notionally, Putin is Iran’s ‘friend’ in that the country supported its operations in Syria. But he is also philo-Jewish, thanks to his childhood experiences with a Jewish mentor. His friendliness towards Jews also helps to explain why so many of the oligarchs, who helped sponsor the Russian autocrat’s kleptocracy, are Jewish. The Nato idea that, by sanctioning individuals with a ‘close’ relationship to Putin, his regime can be brought crashing down is partly displacement activity. The road to economic ruin for Putin’s regime is for the West, mainly the EU and Germany, to curtail Russian energy supplies. Among those caught up in the flurry of Russian sanctions activity is billionaire Moshe Kantor. As a former leading scientist at the University of Moscow, where he played a key role in Russia’s satellite programme, he earned the trust of Putin and Russia’s elite. An open door to the Kremlin has been
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KANTOR HAS SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS AND MILLIONS SUPPORTING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
immensely useful to communities across Europe. Kantor, now a British citizen, has spent countless hours and millions assisting UK philanthropic causes and supporting the Jewish community in Britain and Europe. He finds himself among those ‘Russian’ business people recently sanctioned. His response was to resign as president of the European Jewish Congress (EJC, a constituent of the World Jewish Congress) before going to a home in Israel. Kantor’s difficulties ought to be a matter of keen interest for the British Jewish community. The Board of Deputies is a constituent of the EJC, the current Board president, Marie van der Zyl, sits on its council and over the years
Kantor has been a regular donor. The former head of the Austrian Jewish community, Dr Ariel Muzicant, has been slotted in as Kantor’s interim replacement. The EJC’s lobbying work at the European Parliament and Commission, where it has become a force to be reckoned with, goes on uninterrupted. But there is real concern that Kantor’s key initiative of protecting Jewish communities across the continent for possible terrorist attacks – of the kinds seen in Denmark, Paris and Brussels – may grind to a halt for a lack of funding. Kantor has been personally funding expensive facilities, such as electronic gates. Access to that cash is now frozen. The displaced EJC boss used his access to Putin to lobby for Jewish causes and was among the few able to bring the Russian leader to Theresienstadt for Holocaust commemoration. Like so many rich Russians, he benefitted from the capitalist free-for-all following the breakdown of the old Soviet system and privatisation of public assets that came after. The idea, however, that he somehow directly contributes to Putin’s wicked regime is unproven.
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Community / Scene & Be Seen
1 ARK FUNDRAISER
The Ark Synagogue’s musicians and singers were able to perform together for the first time in more than two years, as the community united for a benefit concert to help its twin communities in Ukraine. The Ark has been twinned with Progressive congregations in Lviv and Lutsk since 2017. The concert raised more than £2,000, which will be used to support members of the communities there. Ark Synagogue members are also currently sponsoring four Ukrainian households.
And be seen! The latest news, pictures and social events from across the community
2 MARY CELEBRATES
Birmingham Progressive Synagogue’s Mary Jacobs celebrated her 92nd birthday surrounded by friends, family and her fellow congregants. The synagogue was decorated for the occasion and even Mary’s wheelchair had ribbons on it and she was blessed by Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi during the service.
Email us at community@jewishnews.co.uk
3 INCLUSIVE SHABBAT
Aliz – the LGBTQI+ group that welcomes everyone – held a Shabbat service and meal at East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue (ELELS), attended by Liberal Judaism chair Ruth Seager. The group holds a monthly inclusive and nondenominational Friday night service and meal at the synagogue, led by Rabbi Richard Jacobi.
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4 UYGHUR CYCLE
Ethan Corne of Nottingham Liberal Synagogue took on a gruelling sponsored bike ride in order to raise money to support the Uyghur population in China. The youngster pedalled 28 miles by cycling laps around the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham. He raised £590, which has been donated to the World Uyghur Congress.
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21 April 2022 Jewish News
LI FE
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Famille EAU DE
Aliza Reger has made the leap from lingerie to fragrance. Her mother would be thrilled, she tells Joy Sable
J
anet Reger revolutionised the way women dressed. The East End-born girl, whose grandparents had escaped Russian pogroms, became the most-recognised name in lingerie in the 1970s and 1980s. She injected glamour and sophistication into the lingerie market that had, until then, been boring, bland and beige. Diana, Princess of Wales, Joan Collins and a host of other A-list celebrities were keen customers, and the name Janet Reger became synonymous with beautiful underwear. Following Janet’s death in 2005, her daughter Aliza headed up the company. Having had an early introduction to the business – she worked in the office stuffing envelopes in the school holidays – she inherited her mother’s fierce work ethic and has continued to push the brand forward into the 21st century. Petite and elegant, with long blonde locks, Aliza is immaculately dressed. But she is far more than just the pretty face of the company, as she has a sound business mind too. As a child, she was sent to Jewish schools and had what she describes as a privileged lifestyle. She takes great pride in her Jewish heritage. Her paternal grandmother was from Berlin and her father was brought up in Munich. Her grandparents ran a kosher home and, during lockdown, Aliza found herself becoming more observant of Jewish traditions and customs. A strong online presence has been increasingly important for the company, especially when browsing through rails of underwear in shops was difficult, if not impossible, during the lockdowns. A long-standing relationship with Debenhams ended, but, in 2020, just as the pandemic was
Right: Aliza Reger and, inset, with her mother Janet in 1997. Left and below: The new products Aliza created with Laurelle London
taking effect, the company signed a new global licensing deal with Hong Kong-based manufacturers Hop Lun, one of the world’s largest lingerie and swimwear designers and producers. Ever conscious of redefining the Janet Reger brand to keep up with current trends, Aliza is looking at featuring more gender-neutral pieces, alongside making sure that larger-sized women are not ignored. She believes that in a world where the concept of sustainability is gaining popularity, eco-friendly fabric will become more important to savvy shoppers. For a business to thrive, it needs to evolve and Aliza has now launched a perfume and home fragrance collection to add to her successful lingerie business. She describes herself as a fragrance addict. “Perfume is quite simply one of my favourite things,” she says. “I have read that you are never fully dressed without perfume and Coco
Chanel said it is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory. “It is also true that perfume holds the key to our memories. We all know the faintest whiff of something immediately transports us to another time and place, whether it is the smell of baking or the perfume our mama used to wear. For me, there is no such thing as too many perfumes or too many cosmetics, and you can certainly never have enough scented candles or diffusers in your home.” Aliza calls a cosmetics department “a magical place”, full of temptation, and a dutyfree shop in an airport is simply irresistible. “It’s a place I cannot walk through without being distracted by all the wonderful bottles and I have to have a spritz of a lot of them. That is the single most important thing about fragrance: we all want to smell good and we all want our homes to smell beautiful. We can’t get enough of it – as the sales statistics prove, time and time again.” Aliza has teamed up with fragrance company Laurelle London to create the new range and worked with renowned French parfumier Julie Pluchet to develop the scent. It is light
and ‘powdery’, with hints of ylangylang, rose, lily of the valley, peony, musk and sandalwood. Aliza says the time spent on this project has been very enjoyable. “I was hugely excited to be working with such a great team on a product I love almost as much as lingerie. It never felt like hard work. Despite the many months we spent choosing and refining the scent, I got to sniff so many fragrances that I now truly understand the meaning of the phrase ‘nose blind’. “We spent many months on the packaging – endless discussions about the shades of cream, the tones of gold, how big our tassels should be! The final product both looks and smells delicious.” The range (starting at £12.99) has been priced to make it what Aliza calls “an affordable luxury”,
something she feels is important in these difficult times. “More than ever, we’ve learned we need to pamper ourselves, we need to feel luxurious; this is something the lockdowns have taught us.” Out of the range – the diffuser, scented candle, eau de parfum and ceramic wardrobe disc – her favourite is the disc. “I love to open a cupboard with beautifullysmelling clothes.” One wonders what her formidable mother, who died in 2005 after a long battle with cancer, would have thought of this new venture. Aliza has no doubt whatsoever: “She would be thrilled and delighted.” To purchase from the Janet Reger perfume and home fragrance collection, visit www.janetregerbeauty.com and www.fragrancedirect.co.uk
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WHO WHAT WHERE MUSIC
Heart and Soul You may by now have heard that it’s Barbra Streisand’s 80th birthday on Sunday, so this is the ideal date for Liza Pulman’s new show, The Heart of It, to open at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith (it then goes to Cadogan Hall on 25 May and Wilton’s Music Hall on 4 and 5 July). Why? Well, because Liza is best known for her show Liza Pulman Sings Streisand and some of these numbers will be heard at Riverside, plus songs from Liza’s new album. Her funny, intelligent Liza Pulman and emotional connection to lyrics and melody goes straight to the heart of every song with a diverse and eclectic range of influences including Michel Legrand, Irving Berlin, Randy Newman and Judy Collins. Liza is an accomplished solo artist proving that women really can multitask! Flawless vocals, easy wit and natural storytelling make her a compelling performer. She says: “Surrounded by my band, this is live music in its true sense – great songs, great musicians, in a great space. There’s a new restaurant and bar at Riverside – my idea of heaven. I get to eat a good meal, sing some beautiful songs and have a nice drink afterwards. What’s not to like?”
The Heart of It runs from 24 – 30 April at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London. www.riversidestudios.co.uk LITERARY FESTIVAL
Book for Books Barnet bookworms need to get fingers at the ready this Saturday, when booking for the inaugural Barnet Libraries Literary festival goes live. Over the weekend of 21 and 22 May, authors including Michael Rosen, Miriam Halahmy, Debra Barnes, Ariana Neumann and Meriel Schindler will discuss their books. Fran Wolfisz (former JN features editor) will discuss
Jews by the Seaside with author Pam Fox.
Follow #barnetlibrarieslitfest on Twitter and Facebook for more details
BOOK
Home from Home
Kindertransport refugee Henry Wuga arrived in the UK aged 15, followed a few months later by his future wife, Ingrid. They went on to found the biggest Jewish catering company in Glasgow, and – much later – travel the world sharing their story of flight, internment and survival. Chitra Ramaswamy was born in London, the daughter of Indian immigrants and, as a journalist, she interviewed Henry for a piece in The Scotsman. Despite their very different stories, they found a surprising amount in common: both have complex relationships with the UK and their ‘home’ country; both share a desire to belong, while being true to their cultural identities; both have a family history involving loss, resilience, immigration and prejudice; both have a strong emotional connection to food, family and hospitality. Their stories – and their shared one – are woven together by Chitra in Homelands: The History of a Friendship – a photo-packed account of a unique friendship and of modern Britain.
Homelands by Chitra Ramaswamy is published by Canongate Books, RRP £16.99 (hardback)
THEATRE
In a Pickle
Pickle is a darkly comic onewoman show about a young Jewish woman caught between two worlds. Written and performed by Deli Segal, produced by Tanya Truman and directed by Kayla Feldman, it’s a truly Jewish affair and opens at Park Theatre in Finsbury Park on 2 May. The show explores what it means to be a young Jewish woman in London today. It tells the story of Ari: Jewish, still living at home with her overbearing parents in north-west London and struggling through life in a secular world. Deli says: “Pickle is all about one woman’s experience of reconciling belief and tradition with change. I wanted to tell a story that explores being in the middle of both worlds and celebrates the parts that fit together, and those that don’t. The vibrancy, the spirit, the richness of culture, the humour of Jewish life – those things often get lost in the conversation. Pickle brings them all to the stage.”
Pickle runs from 2 to 7 May at Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London. www.parktheatre.co.uk FOOD
Tasty Titbits
Just after Pesach finishes, meaning it’s safe to leave the building, the Marylebone Food Festival launches with a line-up of restaurant events, including masterclasses, supper clubs, tastings and special menus celebrating the area’s lively and eclectic dining and drinking scene. The festival runs from 26 April to 1 May and there’ll be live music and txakoli at Lurra, wine tasting workshops at 28°–50°, Vinoteca and The Italians; a ‘meet the chef’ masterclass at The Montagu Kitchen; supper clubs at Home Marylebone and The Royal Oak, tasting menus from Nobu and Michelin-starred Trishna and some tasting tours. A highlight will be an East London-themed menu developed by Cubitt House director Ben Tish. www.marylebonefoodfestival.com Meanwhile… Who knew that you can get personalised Ladurée macarons? A couple of days’ notice is needed, but they can be ordered in stores. www.laduree.co.uk CONCERT
Jazz Singer Who knew that leafy Radlett was jazz central? Emma Smith, who grew up on Letchmore Road, returns to her roots on 28 April when she brings her jazz show, The American-ish Songbook, Songbook to the Radlett Centre. The concert is a homage to her Jewish heritage and a celebration of Jewish excellence within the culture of jazz music as showcased in the work of George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Irving Berlin. Emma went to school in Bushey, and her composer and trumpet player dad (a key musician on the BBC’s Friday Night is Music Night) and her tromboneplayer grandpa (he played with Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey, among others) are local lads. Emma’s mother is an accomplished saxophonist who has played with Phil Collins. Emma has performed everywhere from Ronnie Scott’s and The O2 to the jazz clubs of New York, collaborating and recording with the likes of Michael Bublé, Robbie Williams, Georgie Fame and Seal. Emma’s new album, Meshuga Baby, is released this summer and there is a show at JW3 on 9 June to celebrate that.
The American-ish Songbook is at The Radlett Centre, Radlett, on 28 April. www.radlettcentre.co.uk
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Superb care in a
family setting
PREMIER CARE HOMES IN NORTH LONDON
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ooking for a care home for yourself or a loved one? Then you could do no better than to join us
as part of our Springdene family. Unlike other care homes, which are often part of large corporations, we are a family business. And we’re still run by the same family that founded it more than 50 years ago. New residents at Springdene can be sure of a warm reception. All our homes – Spring Grove in Hampstead, Spring Lane in Muswell Hill and Springview in Enfield – are rated as good by the Care Quality Commission. Residents enjoy hotel-style luxury, with their own spacious room, complete with full en-suite facilities, personal telephone and wi-fi. There are three delicious meals a day, with a varied choice of menus. And there are lots of regular activities, including quizzes, short stories, art competitions and poetry readings, live-streamed concerts and film-showings on a big screen, as well as walks in delightful gardens. We’ve a great team, offering wonderful care and everyone is brilliantly looked after. As our motto says:
Life is for living To arrange a visit, or for more information, just call
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21 April 2022
Orthodox Judaism
MAKING SENSE OF THE SEDRA The weekly cycle of Torah readings is postponed during Pesach and replaced with those related to the festival BY RABBI JEFF BERGER
SEPHARDI COMMUNITY TRUSTEE FOR ECOSYNAGOGUE
Human-generated miracles The seventh day of Pesach commemorates the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea during the exodus from Egypt. The former Israelite slaves found themselves encamped before Pi-Hahirot – strategically boxed-in between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal Zephon, a mountainous Egyptian deity (Exodus 14:2). Cutting off any possible escape, Pharaoh’s army approached quickly. Ahead was only water. Many called out to God in fear, others complained to Moses that they never wanted to leave Egypt in the first place, only to die in the wilderness. Some suggested to stand and fight. Moses,
unsure what would happen next, asked God for help and was told: “And the Lord said unto Moses: ‘Why are you crying to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.’” Famously, Midrash Rabbah explains that Nachshon ben Aminadab, from the tribe of Judah, was first to lead the way into the water, whereupon God told Moses to use his staff to part the sea. An east wind blew all night, splitting the waters, enabling the Israelites to cross the dry seabed. But, by dawn, Pharaoh’s army, which was in pursuit, was mired in mud, and when the waters returned at daybreak to their natural state, the world’s greatest army had drowned and was washed up on the shore for all to see. The Song of the Sea, celebrating
the Israelites’ survival, was sung spontaneously and is still part of our daily prayers. We take two important lessons from this event. First, we recognise that miracles don’t happen by themselves – they require human catalysts. Second, we see that often it isn’t leaders who take the initiative, but inspired individuals who set forward-progress in motion. In an age of fake news, we aren’t surprised to find climate sceptics who underestimate the human cause to climate change. Their arguments fall into several categories. ‘It’s so cold in winter, how can you say there’s global warming?’; ‘Climate change is natural, it’s happened before’; ‘There’s no scientific consensus.’; ‘Plants and animals can adapt’;
Enabling independent living.
Life is for jLiving jLiving is the largest provider of sheltered housing to the Jewish community in the UK For more information, please visit our website or call our office 020 8381 4901 | jliving.org.uk | #peaceofmind #jliving
Ivan Aivazovsky’s Passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea (1891)
‘Change is good for us’; ‘Even if there is climate change, it’s too late to do anything about it.’ In the Anglo-Jewish community, EcoSynagogue, supported by the Board of Deputies, is leading a responsible communal strategy. We recognise that environmental degradation is real, is accelerating and requires bold action now. Our community audit focuses on five steps: i) community management; ii) prayer and teaching; iii) lifestyle; iv) land, buildings, and
consumables and v) community and global engagement. It all begins simply with the individual decision to want to assess our impact. The Torah states that we are guardians of God’s creation, that it is our responsibility to protect and ensure a healthy environment for our children and for generations to come. Thus far, around 55 synagogues have begun the audit process. Isn’t it time for the rest of us to jump in?
www.jewishnews.co.uk
21 April 2022 Jewish News
25
Progressive Judaism
LEAP OF FAITH BY RABBI RICHARD JACOBI
EAST LONDON & ESSEX LIBERAL SYNAGOGUE
What can the tenth plague teach us about how to respond to Ukraine? Liberal Judaism’s tradition for our Pesach Torah reading has been to omit the verses that tell of the night of the tenth plague, that of the destroyer or Angel of Death killing the firstborn of the Egyptians, whether human or cattle, from the wealthiest to the poorest. Sometimes, texts that offend our sensibilities are best avoided. But, other times, they remind us of one of the most uncomfortable of human truths – that many people are capable of despicable acts if you put them into certain positions, under particular circumstances. Everyone who is confronted with atrocities likes to believe they would behave better, but the evidence of human behaviour is that only a small proportion of people will courageously oppose a prevailing cult-like group born of propaganda, victimhood (perceived or real), prejudice, animosity and so on. As we sit at home and watch the latest news bulletins from Ukraine, it is very easy to condemn the perpetrators of the
atrocities that are revealed to us. Just as I believe we ought to read about the hard-to-stomach parts of the Torah, I say that we should not change channel to avoid the news, however painful it is to watch or hear. That is only the first small step in a long journey from knowledge of such things happening to actively stopping what is going on and preventing it from happening again. We cannot take every step on our own – none of us has enough power to complete that journey. Yet we can make further steps if we – as the Israelites did (according to later Midrashic commentaries) – change our ways and abandon our bad habits. The rabbis asked why the Israelite slaves were redeemed by God, and one answer analyses the earlier verses of Exodus 12 to find an answer. The Israelites had to take a lamb on the tenth day of the month and look after it before killing the paschal lamb on the 14th day towards dusk, using its blood on the door posts and lintel, and then eating the Passover meal. The Midrash pictures Moses asking God why a lamb, when lambs were also Egyptian gods? The answer is that the people had to overcome their adoption of Egyptian gods in order to merit freedom. What we are seeing in Ukraine is a massive wake-up call, somewhat like the paschal lamb and the dreadful tenth plague. Our values have been compromised by trading with cheap
A stimulating series where our progressive rabbis consider how biblical figures might act when faced with 21st century issues
Towns and cities in Ukraine have been destroyed in the war
suppliers – Russia (think Crimea, Syria, Salisbury poisonings and Ukraine) and China (one-party state, Uyghur Muslims and Hong Kong) especially – whose practices and policies we ought to abhor. We have also compromised our Jewish values and basic humanity in allowing our government to make it very difficult for refugees from war to enter the UK. As we come to the end of Pesach, we must begin the long march to freedom and covenantal responsibility.
PESACH APPEAL UKRAINE CRISIS DONATE NOW
www.worldjewishrelief.org/ukrainecrisis
020 8736 1250
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Ask Our Experts / Professional advice from our panel
Our Experts Got a question for a member of our team? Email: editorial@jewishnews.co.uk Got a question for a member of our team?
PRIVATE HEALTHCARE SPECIALIST
Email: editorial@jewishnews.co.uk Struggling to hear the TV? Missing out on family phone chats? Hearing just not what it used to be?
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Professional advice from our panel / Ask Our Experts
FINANCIAL SERVICES (FCA) COMPLIANCE
ACCOUNTANT
CHARITY EXECUTIVE
JACOB BERNSTEIN Qualifications: • A member of the APCC, specialising in financial services compliance for: • Mortgage, protection and general insurance intermediaries; • Lenders, credit brokers, debt counsellors and debt managers; • Alternative Investment Fund managers; • E-Money, payment services, PISP, AISP and grant-making charities.
ADAM SHELLEY Qualifications: • FCCA chartered certified accountant. • Accounting, taxation and business advisory services. • Entrepreneurial business specialist including start-up businesses. • Specialises in charities; Personal tax returns. • Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation Volunteer of the Year JVN award.
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.
RICHDALE CONSULTANTS LTD 020 7781 8019 www.richdale.co.uk jacob@richdale.co.uk
SOBELL RHODES LLP 020 8429 8800 www.sobellrhodes.co.uk a.shelley@sobellrhodes.co.uk
JEWISH BLIND & DISABLED 020 8371 6611 www.jbd.org Lisa@jbd.org
INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS SPECIALIST LEE SHMUEL GOLDFARB Qualifications: • Hands-on service, with full and personalised support for international transfers. • Get the most out of your currency exchange with regards to pension income, when purchasing your first house in Israel or benefitting from an inheritance from aboard. • UK leader in financial exchange and partner to brands such as St James Place and Hargreaves Lansdown with industry-beating Trustpilot score.
CURRENCIES DIRECT 0786 0595 890 / 0207 847 9400 www.currenciesdirect.com/jn lee.goldfarb@currenciesdirect.com
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If you would like to advertise your services here
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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.
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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.
CLAIRE STRAUS 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.
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Flights to Israel are becoming possible again! DIVORCE & FAMILY SOLICITOR
TELECOMS SPECIALIST
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.
BENJAMIN ALBERT Qualifications: • Co-Founder and Technical Director of ADWConnect – a specialist in business telecommunications, serving customers worldwide. • Independent consultant and supplier of Telephone & Internet services. • Client satisfaction is at the heart of everything my team and I do, always striving to find the most cost-effective solutions.
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If you are making Aliyah or just need to ship some odds and ends, books etc. to Israel…….. Just call me! Stephen Morris Stephen Morris Shipping Ltd 020 8832 2232 (Direct line) www.shipsms.co.uk
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JDA – we will support you like no-one else can “ My cancer has spread.
But I’m not afraid because my wonderful JDA family is keeping me feeling calm and loved. ”
Anne is Deaf and uses sign language. She has been living with cancer for many years and we have supported her every step of the way. So when the doctor gave her bad news, we were beside her, interpreting, gently explaining and holding her hand. Anne has chosen palliative care. We are making sure she is comfortable and giving her all the love and care she needs. We will do all we can to ensure she never feels alone or frightened. But if she does, we’ll be there.
Please show you care by making a donation today.
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Fun, games and prizes
SUDOKU
THE JEWISH NEWS CROSSWORD 1
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RESTAURANT ROOM SERVICE SALON SAUNA SEA VIEW
Last issue’s solutions Crossword ACROSS: 1 Fjord 4 Purge 7 Ordinal 8 Foe 9 Pot 11 Orange 14 Debate 17 Emu 19 Off 20 Undergo 22 Ochre 23 Rummy DOWN: 1 Floppy 2 Odd 3 Dingo 4 Polka 5 Refugee 6 Even 10 Twelfth 12 Rat 13 Eulogy 15 Acute 16 Elder 18 Logo 21 Rim
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SHUTTLE SNACK BAR SPA SWIMMING POOL TERRACE
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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 6 7 8 3 1 5 4 2 9
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In this finished crossword, every letter of the alphabet appears as a code number. All you have to do is crack the code and fill in the grid. Replacing the decoded numbers with their letters in the grid will help you to guess the identity of other letters.
A T K C O C Y
1
Each cell in an outlined block must contain a digit: a two-cell block contains the digits 1 and 2, a three-cell block contains the digits 1, 2 and 3; and so on. The same digit must not appear in neighbouring cells, not even diagonally.
The listed hotel facilities 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.
I
9 8 4
SUGURU
CODEWORD
L
8
5 6 7 3 4
2 1 6
8 6
WORDSEARCH S R A B
7 3 2 4
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DOWN 1 Electrical wire (5) 2 Organised branch of a society (7) 3 Darkish in colour (5) 5 A couple (3) 6 Society dances (5) 7 Skilfully (4) 12 Small soufflé dish (7) 13 Turning point (5) 14 Pull sharply (4) 15 Convert (5) 16 Short simple song (5) 18 US whiskey grain (3)
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Fill the grid with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains the numbers 1 to 9.
Layer below cultivated land (7) Access (5) Tales (5) Social function (5) Toting weapons (5) Porch (7) Gear (3) Source of timber (4) Parsimonious (6)
1 4 6 7 3 9 2 5 8
2 8 3 6 5 1 7 9 4
5 2 4 3 4 1
4 1 5 1 2 3
2 3 2 4 5 4
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All puzzles © Puzzler Media Ltd - www.puzzler.com
M
Wordsearch 1 4 1 3 1 3
3 2 5 2 4 2
5 1 3 1 5 1
1 3 1 3 4 2
2 5 4 2 1 5
3 1 3 5 4 2
4 5 4 1 3 1
2 3 2 5 2 4
1 5 1 4 3 1
J T A R O X U L S Y N O S
A O R S T S T E A C C R A
I Y H I A U T K U B M I T
R W J A P B K U R B O T M
D B Z K N O M D U R M A N
N E E I P N L O T E R T O
A N R G R E E I M R E Y E
Codeword X G D A R E S S A L A A M
E H E L R O I K B W P I O
L A E I G A E G A U S E R
A Z E A E S H L N D R H I
P I L S H D U R B A N G A
A C N A L B A S A C T N C
U P K E E R X SO F A V C J E S T E E U S E D Q QU E U E E N BAC T E K I C Y C L E
P A L R S OB S T T R HO U A D I P E H D A L Z R I A O R D DO
COV E O I RUC T A I L L OW U T U S K O P ACA K U NUMB O I T I NG
J U N G S D L F A I E 21/04 Z T V H XWQ P O C K R Y M B
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
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020 8960 5401 or 07825 224144
MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT US BEFORE SELLING
Email: gordonstirling65@gmail.com
CHARITY & WELFARE
We clear houses, flats, sheds, garages etc. No job too big or too small! Rubbish cleared as part of a full clearance. We have a waste licence. We buy items including furniture bric a brac. For a free quote please phone Dave on 07913405315 any time.
HOME & MAINTENANCE
ARE YOU BEREAVED? Bereavement Counselling for adults and children individually. Support Groups available. During the pandemic, we offer telephone and online counselling. Contact Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service in confidence. 0208 951 3881 enquiries@jbcs.org.uk | www.jbcs.org.uk
Labels are for jars. Not people.
Refer yourself or a loved one by calling 020 8458 2223 or visit www.jamiuk.org REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1003345
CHARITY & WELFARE
SILVER
PLUMBSAFE (UK) LTD
WESTLON HOUSING ASSOCIATION
“Better Safe Than Sorry”
Sheltered Accommodation
For all your heating and plumbing requirements
We have an open waiting list in our friendly and comfortable warden assisted sheltered housing schemes in Ealing, East Finchley and Hendon. We provide 24-hour warden support, seven days a week; a residents’ lounge and kitchen, laundry, a sunny patio and garden.
| boiler repairs and installation | complete central heating | | power flushing | complete bathroom installation service | | landlords certificates | project management | home purchase reports |
All NW-London postcodes covered
07860 881505 or 0800 610 12 12 Not shabbat
PLUMBSAFEUK.COM
OFFICE FURNITURE
For further details and application forms, please contact Westlon Housing Association on 020 8201 8484 or email: johnsilverman@btconnect.com
UTILITIES
Are you happy paying big household bills?
Need to furnish your home or office? London’s leading supplier of new and reconditioned furniture. Free assembly and delivery next working day on most items – call now!
Would you like to pay less?
Find out how ©
call Jeff on 07958 959 822
STONEMASON
A. ELFES LTD New memorials Additional inscriptions & renovations
Call 0207 205 4229 Email sales@andrewsofficefurniture.com www.andrewsofficefurniture.com
The specialist masons in creating bespoke Granite and Marble Memorials for all Cemeteries. Clayhall Showroom 14 Claybury Broadway Ilford. IG5 0LQ T: 0208 551 6866
Edgware Showroom 41 Manor Park Crescent Edgware. HA8 7LY T: 0208 381 1525
Email : info@garygreenmemorials.co.uk
www.garygreenmemorials.co.uk
Gary Green ad 84 x 40mm JM Group v2.indd 1
18/03/2019 12:50:51
Gants Hill
12 Beehive Lane Gants Hill, IG1 3RD Telephone
Edgware
130 High Street Edgware, HA8 7EL Telephone
0207 754 4659 0207 754 4646
www.memorialgroup.co.uk
ADVERTISE IN THE UK’S BIGGEST JEWISH NEWSPAPER FOR LESS THAN £24 A WEEK Email Sales today at sales@thejngroup.com
21 April 2022 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
31
Business Services Directory LEGACY- LEAVE A GIFT IN YOUR MEMORY
JEWISH WAR VETERANS
Leave the legacy of independence to people like Joel.
YOUR LEGACY
PLease remember us in your wiLL.
& THEIR DEPENDANTS NEED
legacy@cst.org.uk ►
eNABLeD
Tel: 020 8202 2323 Web: www.ajex.org.uk Email: headoffice@ajex.org.uk
visit www.Jbd.org or caLL 020 8371 6611
Registered Charity No. 259480
Legacy Classified advert v1.qxp_Legacy 16/06/2021 10:57 Page 1
Registered Charity No: 1082148
www.cst.org.uk ► 0208 457 3700 ►
Together
we protect our children’s future Please include CST in your will
Charity no. 1042391 and SC043612
COMPUTER
HELP US CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITH A GIFT IN YOUR WILL.
Legacy advert 84x40.indd 1
16/04/2021 10:55
Call our Legacy Team on 020 8922 2840 for more information or email legacyteam@jcare.org Chancellors House, Brampton Lane, London, NW4 4AB Tel: 020 8903 8746 | Fax: 020 8795 2240 www.bfiwd.org | email: info@bfiwd.org
Charity Reg No. 802559
ADVERTISE IN THE UK’S BIGGEST JEWISH NEWSPAPER FOR LESS THAN £24 A WEEK Email Sales today at sales@thejngroup.com
Need cash fast?
Sell your gold and coins today! 9 ct per gram £17.56 14 ct per gram £27.40 18 ct per gram £35.13 21 ct per gram £40.98 22 ct per gram £42.90 24 ct per gram £46.83 Platinum 950 per gram £21.64 Silver 925ag per gram £0.48 Half Sovereigns £171.60 Full Sovereigns £343.21 Krugerrands £1456.60 We also purchase any sterling silver candlesticks and any other sterling silver tableware
We wish to purchase any Diamond & Gold Jewellery
Can’t choose the diamond ring you are looking for? Come and see us in our North London showroom for the best engagement ring selection. We can create the design of your dreams... and at a wholesale price! We can supply any certificated GIA or HRD diamond of your choice.
Personal & confidential Customer Service Price Offered Instantly Same Day payment A free valuation from our in house gemmologist and gold experts on anything you may wish to sell. If you are thinking of selling, the price of diamonds has never been higher! In any shape, size, clarity or colour. WE PAY MORE than all our competitors. Try us, and you will not be disappointed!
Jewellery Cave Ltd, 48b Hendon Lane, London N3 1TT T: 020 8446 8538 E:jonathan@jewellerycave.co.uk www.howcashforgold.co.uk Open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm (anytime) and Saturday 9am to 1pm (by appointment)
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Jewish News 21 April 2022
www.jewishnews.co.uk