Board of Deputies Community Briefing 23rd January 2020 copy

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COMMUNITY BRIEFING
Board of Deputies condemnation for Deputy
Leader candidates who refuse to sign up to
Ten Pledges
President Marie van der Zyl has commented on the
refusal of Labour Deputy Leader candidates Richard
Burgon and Dawn Butler to sign up to the Board of
Deputies’ Ten Pledges on tackling the antisemitism
crisis.
Marie said: “It beggars belief that after four and a
half years of failure on antisemitism, Richard Burgon
this sort of thing is the very reason why Labour is
being investigated for institutional antisemitism by
the EHRC. In the Deputy Leadership election,
members now have a clear choice about whether
they want to become a credible party of opposition
or waste yet more years fighting the Jewish
community about who gets to define our
oppression.”

and Dawn Butler still think that they know better
than the Jewish community how to fight this vile
prejudice. No other minority would be treated in this
way, and
There has been wide coverage in the media,
including reports in The Times, Daily Mirror, The
Independent and Mail Online.
Condemnation for 'inherently offensive' teaching
materials
Board of Deputies Vice President Edwin Shuker has condemned the pro-Iranian Islamic Human Rights
Commission, which has circulated teaching materials which compares the actions of the Israeli government
to that of the Nazis, timed to coincide next week's Holocaust Memorial Day.
Edwin said: The fact that these malicious and offensive materials were distributed to schools is rightly
concerning. So-called ‘Genocide Memorial Day’ is inherently offensive - it is a brazen attempt to undermine
Holocaust Memorial Day and minimise Jewish suffering in the Holocaust.
“Both the cynical timing of the event on the third Sunday in January and the antisemitic comparisons
between Nazi crimes and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict demonstrate the ulterior motives of ‘Genocide
Memorial Day’.
“Given the history of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, which organises the annual hate fest called Al
Quds Day, their atrocious behaviour is unsurprising, but we would hope that other organisations would be
conscious of the pernicious nature of this organisation.
“When we discovered this, the Board of Deputies complained to the Times Educational Supplement
website who had carried the resource. We are grateful that they have now removed it. We sincerely hope
that no schools will use the malicious IHRC resource.
“Ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day this year, we would instead direct them to the Holocaust Memorial Day
Trust to provide educational materials.”
Read the JC report here.
Board of Deputies leads communal delegation to meet
Brexit Secretary
The Board of Deputies this week led a communal delegation to meet Steve Barclay, the Secretary of State
for Exiting the European Union.
The group held a positive and constructive conversation about kosher meat, UK-Israel trade, sanctions on
terrorist organisations, workforce supply to the security and social care sectors, and ensuring that the UK
retains its reputation as an inclusive society after Brexit.
Following the meeting, Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman said: “We were very pleased to
meet the Secretary of State to discuss the key issues arising for the Jewish community from Brexit.
Representatives from the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council and Shechita UK were able to
thank Mr Barclay for the Government’s action on a range of issues and ask for additional work on a few
additional matters leading up to and following Brexit. We were very pleased to hear of the Brexit Secretary’s
strong commitment to working with us to realise the opportunities and eliminate the challenges posed by
Brexit.”
Mr Barclay tweeted: “Positive meeting with @BoardofDeputies with Gillian Merron, and @jlc_uk today. We
look forward to working with the Jewish community to make Brexit a success for all parts of our country.”
Read a full report here.

Vice President Amanda Bowman shows Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay the Board of Deputies' and JLC's
pamphlet Brexit and the Jewish Community
Former Labour MP and Jewish Labour Movement Deputy Louise Ellman tells Sunday's Board of Deputies
meeting why our #tenpledges for the party's leadership candidates are so crucial. Click the image to watch
her speech. To watch the full stream of the meeting, click here
ACTIVITY REPORT
INTERNATIONAL
Vice President Amanda Bowman has condemned BBC International Correspondent Orla Guerin for
linking the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to a report on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-
Birkenau. Amanda said: “In an otherwise moving report on the experiences of a Holocaust survivor, Orla
Guerin’s attempt to link the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the horrors of the Holocaust was crass and
offensive. Her lack of partiality on the Israel-Palestine conflict has long been a matter of concern and it is
questionable why the BBC would even use her for this sensitive assignment. As we approach Holocaust
Memorial Day, the Jewish community is within its rights to expect an apology.”
Chief Executive Gillian Merron and Public Affairs Director Phil Rosenberg met the World Jewish

Congress’s Head of Strategy and Programmes, Daniel Radomski, to talk about projects and partnerships
between the two organisations.
Chief Executive Gillian Merron and Public Affairs Director Phil Rosenberg attended the Moroccan
Cultural Days in London, hosted by the Moroccan Embassy. You can see some relevant tweets here.
Chief Executive Gillian Merron met Sam Grundwerg, the world chairman of Keren Hayesod, to discuss
matters of interest between the two organisations.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Public Affairs Director Phil Rosenberg and Public Affairs Officer Daniel Sugarman met their
counterparts at Twitter UK to discuss antisemitism and ways in which the company can deal with it more
effectively. These include the possibility of adoption of the IHRA definition, and antisemitism training for
Twitter employees, including those responsible for looking into complaints.
SOCIAL ACTION
Vice-President Amanda Bowman gave a speech at the launch of “Don’t Forget the Photos”, an exhibition
organised by Rene Cassin at Muswell Hill United Synagogue about the murder of the Roma and Sinti by the
Nazis. Amanda told the audience: “When tabloids print headlines like ‘Gypsy Plague Returns’, people of all
communities - including Jews who know prejudice all too well - have a duty to speak out against this
racism.” Interfaith and Social Action Officer Anthony Silkoff also attended. The event was organised by
Deputy Irene Mansfield, with attendees from across Haringey’s faith community and civic leaders
including MP Catherine West and Mayor of Haringey Sheila Peacock.
The Board of Deputies is proud to support the Eco Synagogue awards on Sunday 9 February 2020 at
7:30pm, at West London Synagogue. Synagogues who have achieved bronze or silver awards will be
presented with their certificates and there will be a talk by special guest speaker Richard Deverell, Director
of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Chief Executive Gillian Merron. Contact
enquiries@ecosynagogue.org to register.
There will also be another Eco-Synagogue event on Monday 10 February at 8pm – “Let’s Talk Trees”. As Tu
B'Shvat goes out, join Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg plus “Around the world in 80 Trees” author Jonathan
Drori, and a host of others for an evening focusing on practical ways to replant, rewild and save our planet.
For tickets, click here.
INTERFAITH
Public Affairs Director Phil Rosenberg and Interfaith and Social Action Officer Anthony Silkoff met
Revd Dr Richard Sudworth, Secretary for Inter-Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Siriol
Davies, National Programme Coordinator for Presence and Engagement, from the Church of England. They
discussed ideas for interfaith collaboration between the Anglican and Jewish communities in Britain.
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE
Deputy Sir Ben Helfgott, Defence Division Vice Chair Gary Mond and Public Affairs Director Phil
Rosenberg attended the Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony at City Hall, hosted by Mayor of London Sadiq
Khan. See pictures here.
Public Affairs Director Phil Rosenberg met Cathy O’Driscoll from Echo Eternal, about opportunities for
collaboration over Holocaust and Judaism education.
COMMUNITY
President Marie van der Zyl visited the Liverpool Jewish community last week. Organised by the Liverpool
Representative Council, Marie visited and spoke to the communities at Liverpool Reform Synagogue,
Childwall Synagogue, K@LL children’s learning programme, the Orthodox Cheders, Stapely Care (Old Age
Home), King David High School, Primary School and Kindergarten and the Monday Club.

Chief Executive Gillian Merron attended a private curated viewing of the Charlotte Salomon exhibition Life
or Theatre? at the Jewish Museum, Camden, organised by Jewish Women's Aid.
Edgware United Synagogue is holding an event on 11 February entitled, "Is Labour Antisemitic? The
Panorama whistleblowers give their views". At this session, four of the eight whistleblowers, including
Public Affairs Director Phil Rosenberg, give their views on how things have developed since the
programme was transmitted. Admission: £5. Pre-booking essential at www.edgwareu.com or phone 020
8958 7508. Further information available from spencer.nathan@outlook.com
HERITAGE
Archives and Heritage Manager Dawn Waterman went to King’s College London to meet Geoff Browell
and the AIM25 team working on an archive project to describe Jewish archives in the Greater London area.
Former Deputy Rachel Binnington is involved in this project. They discussed collaboration on the
forthcoming celebration of Jewish Archives in Britain which will be co-ordinated by the Board of Deputies.
EVENTS
The Board of Deputies provided a volunteer team to help set up the Anne Frank+YOU Exhibition which
opens today at St Albans Cathedral and runs until 20 February. Click here for further information.
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Education Policy and Youth Engagement Officer Jake Berger discussed opportunities for youth
engagement in the community with OLAM and JDC Entwine UK Community Manager Graham Carpenter.
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