TAKING COUNCIL

Even before he and his family moved from St Annes to Manchester Mark Adlestone OBE DL was involved in communal affairs. His vision of Anglo-Jewry as one mutually enhancing unit became more of a possibility when, in the early 2000’s, he began to observe what was going on in the second largest Jewish community in the UK. Thirty thousand Jews, served by institutions which were largely unconnected apart from their membership to a Representative Council which was more inward than outward looking.

As the third generation Chairman of Beaverbrooks, a well-established high street jeweller, he was in a position to advise charitable institutions who began to seek his help in changing direction. Among those was Heathlands, one of the largest Jewish residential care homes in the UK, who sought amalgamation with The Fed, its sister social care organisation.

Having carefully examined the drawbacks and advantages of such a merger, the process he proposed became a reality through sale of assets, acquisition of funds and movement of personnel, reorganisation of services and restructuring of volunteers and trustees. None of this was done quickly or easily, but the plans which he proposed resulted in a streamlined, efficient organisation, capable of adjusting to the upsurge in requirements for elderly Jewish care, which has been reflected in the wider society and continues to grow.

Exchanging his position at Heathlands for that of Patron – a role shared only with the late Lady Beryl Steinberg and the Chief Rabbi – he served as the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester and was then involved in Beaverbooks’ centenary celebrations.

In the meantime, having become a Trustee of the Jewish Leadership Council, he was approached to Chair the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region. Another challenge, this time requiring an examination of the Rep Council’s current structure. Mark commissioned this by appointing Pat JonesGreenhalgh, formerly an interim CEO of Bury Council. In the light of this year long survey and his connections with the JLC and fellow advisor, now CEO, Marc Levy, whose experience of soft diplomacy among MPs left him with personal knowledge of in excess of 200 of the UK’s MPs, Mark considered the challenge of reorienting the JRC.

With a clear mandate by the Council and with the support of 12 handpicked people, this new project began in 2022, having in mind that by 2025 a new partially appointed and partially elected executive would be required and that they would endeavour to support the entire community in a spirit of mutual help, financial assistance, and with connections to all the representatives in the wider community.

Working from the start with the newly formed Alliance of Charedi Representatives is an inspired step, when almost 40% of all Manchester Jews are in that community, and another is to understand the vital need for trustworthy communication between both arms of the faith. Neither can work without one another, but both can work together with respect, a point which the Charedi side of Manchester Jewry has taken firmly on board, attending quarterly meetings and seeking advice as to how to approach secular institutions.

By 2026, with continued good governance, the Council will sit firmly between the role of the JLC and the Board of Deputies, as facilitators, communicators, and stakeholders in a thriving, mutually supportive community, proud and secure within the wider community.

“How do I look?” A close friend looks for your approval and wants you to sign off on their fashion sense. Yet, you know their style is off and it’s simply awful! The dilemma is do you tell them or not? You are a comrade and a confidant. You are not their Simon Cowell. Concluding that a lie for the greater good is best, you fib. A murmur of falsehood contaminates the air with your disingenuous compliment, but your friend feels uplifted by your endorsement.

Then comes the follow up: “Please be honest!” They say they want the truth. They insist that an honest judgement is important. Still, you know that the truth hurts…

Let’s return to Simon Cowell. The Britain’s Got Talent judge once told an underwhelming contestant: “It was dreadful, and I am saying that to be kind to you because you will never ever have a future in singing.”

Ouch! Doesn’t the truth sting? Simon, though, claims he was being kind. After all, vaccination needles also hurt but they protect us and so should the truth. The thing is that even if needles hurt, we could always try alleviating the pain. A good dentist will numb the gum and a skilled surgeon will insist on an equally skilled anaesthetist.

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UJIA Shaliach, Sahar Sazgar Shlichut, fostering a love of

Our dilemma between hurting with the truth or opting for a peaceful sugar-coating is debated in the Talmud. The sages Hillel and Shammai debate what one should tell a bride who doesn’t look her best on her wedding night. Hillel celebrates human feelings and is happy to let the truth slip aside. Shammai says we should say it like it is.

“For the Lord your G-d is bringing you to a good land, a land with brooks of water, fountains and depths, that emerge in valleys and mountains”

(Devarim 7:7) shaped my growing up process. During trips throughout know every mountain and and stories and traditions, an integral part of my life. that Israel is my home always enhance my knowledge that formed my identity. and knowledge advances, follows.

I would like to focus on Shammai. He does not tell us to hurt the person. He simply says that we should not lie to distort reality. In reality, there is always some positivity.

As a Shaliach that spends most of his time with the young generation of the Jewish community, my primary responsibility is to educate. The real challenge of my Shlichut is the understanding that my role is not just to educate towards a certain formal behaviour, but also to enhance and promote a particular feeling – ‘ahavat ha’aretz’, love of country.

If we are honest, then we can find an objectively good feature in anyone. We may need to probe but it is there. If we seek the best in others, we will find good. It is not a cover up or a shallow compliment. A person who seeks good can bring out good and can share good. Once we are able to do so, then perhaps the person might even be on board with learning about some true improvements as well.

Currently, there is a community-wide project run by Seed and Gift, encouraging clean speech. The truth doesn’t have to hurt because in truth everyone has good in them. Let’s find it!

Yeshurun.org.uk

But how does one educate those feelings and more specifically, a love of Israel? As a young Israeli, a ‘chanich’ in a youth movement and a high school student who was extremely motivated before and during his army service, ‘ahavat ha’aretz’ had been an instrumental value that

Still, the challenge remains: educate young people who to love Israel and have these towards the Jewish state? unconditional love is achieved accept the occasional negativities. I have the privilege to Jewish generation to love explaining the facts. The perfect country, it’s young learning. At the same time, accomplished so many achievements last 71 years, a fact that granted.

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