ENHANCE - 2nd Quarter 2026

2 nd Quarter 2026 • No 227
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
I am the Lord, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator, your King
Isaiah 43:15
INSIDE: EDITORIAL – Faith and Friends • Guest Feature • HEBREW WORD FOCUS –SHACHAH - Worship • Hidden Treasures
Prayer Conference 2026 Report • Holocaust Memorial Day • Around & About • Antisemitism in the UK • Resources & Festivals

Editorial
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
Faith and Friends
Abraham and Apostles
About us
CFI UK seeks to bless Israel through
practical and moral support, and serve
the Church in teaching about God’s
purposes for Israel and the Hebrew
heritage of our faith.
CFI UK also produce a monthly prayer
letter and a fortnightly news update with
commentary.
Please contact us for full details of
projects in Israel and the teaching
resources available.
As an educational charity, we carry a
variety of resources relevant to our
purpose. We do not necessarily endorse
every view expressed by our guest
writers or authors.
Encouraging understanding in the
Church about Israel in context of the
Bible, history and today.
Challenging prejudice against Israel
and antisemitism alongside the Jewish
community in the UK.
Assisting community cross-culturally
in Israel with charitable projects -
medical, educational and social.
What’s in a name?
ENHANCE means to increase, or further
improve the quality, value, or extent
of, in our instance, Christian friendship
of Israel. It also emphasises that when
God’s faithfulness to Israel is included and
understood by the wider Church, it truly is
‘faith enhancing.’
ENHANCE Magazine
Published by:
CFI Charitable Trust, PO Box 2687
Eastbourne BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410 810
Email: info@cfi.org.uk
www.cfi.org.uk
Registered Charity, No. 1101899
Registered Office c/o
Caladine, Chantry House, 22 Upperton Road
Eastbourne, BN21 1BF
Company No: 04984515
VAT Registration No: GB678780275
Front cover photo:
Sea of Galilee in 2023 by ATAS
Jacob Vince
In an earlier editorial,
ENHANCE Q2 2025, we
considered how Abraham
fulfils Scripture, focussing on
the letter of James.
He writes of Abraham, ‘You see his faith
and his actions were working together,
and his faith was made complete by what
he did’ (James 2:22). James quotes
the same Bible passage as the apostle
Paul, whose focus is on the faith aspect
(see Romans 4:3), whilst James’ focus
is Abraham’s belief as shown by his
action – it was made complete. Faith
is not simply a head or heart belief to
be spoken of by word, it needs to be
shown by deed.
James proceeds to draw on two
additional Bible passages, ‘“Abraham
believed God and it was credited to him as
righteousness”, and he was called God’s
friend’ (James 2:23). The first reference,
concerning faith, is taken from the Law
part of the Scriptures (see Genesis 15:6),
the second, concerning friendship, from
the Prophets and Psalms parts of the
Scriptures, “But you Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants
of Abraham my friend” (Isaiah 41:8) and,
“O our God, did you not drive out the
inhabitants of this land before your people
Israel and give it forever to the descendants
of Abraham your friend?” (2 Chronicles
20:7). It is the last two quotations that
are our focus here.
Now God had close relationship with
many of his representatives in the first
three parts of the Bible. There is a roll
call of some in the letter understood as
written to the Hebrews. These include
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah,
Joseph, Moses’ parents - Amram and
Jochebed (see Exodus 6:20), Rahab,
noting Joshua is mentioned earlier (see
Hebrews 4:8), Gideon, Barak, Samson
and Jephthah, David, Samuel and
the prophets (see Hebrews 11:4-32).
Many of these are referred to as God’s
servants, including Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, Moses and David.
(see Deuteronomy 9:27; Numbers 12:6;
2 Samuel 3:18).
Given that these all exercised ‘faith’,
walking closely with the Lord and
correctly enquiring of him, it is
perhaps surprising that only one
person, Abraham, is explicitly referred
to as, ‘God’s friend’ (James 2:23,
referencing Isaiah 41:8 and 2 Chronicles
20:7); with one complimentary
exception, where the analogy of
friendship is used,
“The Lord would speak to Moses
face to face, as one speaks to a friend”
(Deuteronomy 33:11).
Notwithstanding this, it is not until we
arrive at the Apostles’ teaching and
Jesus’ conversation with his apostle
disciples in the summary gospel of
John, that the term ‘friend’ is used in
similar manner to Abraham. It is then
that Jesus says this, “I no longer call
you servants, because a servant does not
know his master’s business. Instead, I have
called you friends, for everything that I
learned from the father I have made know
to you” (John 15:15). Given that it is
James the brother of Jesus who recalls
Abraham as God’s friend, might Jesus
in redefining his apostle disciples
as ‘my friends’ (John 15:14) not have
reminded them of their ancestor
Abraham referred to as ‘God’s friend’
(James 2:23, referencing Isaiah 41:8 and
2 Chronicles 20:7). What a designation
of their status in Jesus’ and indeed in
God’s sight.
Given this, it is informative that when
the apostles, including Paul ‘as one
abnormally born’ (1 Corinthians 15:8)
and indeed Jesus’ (half) brothers write
their letters, they introduce themselves
as ‘servants’ (see Romans 1:1, Galatians
1:1, Philippians 1:1, Titus 1:1, James 1:1,
Jude 1:1, Revelation 1:1). This suggests
they followed the example of God’s,
‘holy servant Jesus’ (Acts 4:27, 4:30) and
Jesus’ attitude described by Paul in
an early church creed (see Philippians
2:5-11).
So, may we as Christian friends of
Israel likewise express our friendship
by showing our faith through, ‘works of
service’ (Ephesians 4:12).
2 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2026

Guest Feature
Adam Finlay
Adam is pastor of a Church in Southern California.
He hosts a YouTube channel ‘Rewire’, where he
explores the Bible through its ancient Jewish and
historical context. He worked as a producer for a
Christian publishing house, taught Old Testament at
Bible College, and as a biblical manuscript photographer
documented hundreds of manuscripts for research and
preservation. He holds a Master of Theology from London
School of Theology and is currently writing a book
focused on understanding Jesus within his Jewish world.
Mission accomplished
As the Gospel of John nears its conclusion,
Jesus hangs on the cross and speaks his
final words:
‘It is finished’ (John 19:30)
These are not words of defeat, nor merely a sigh of
relief. They are a declaration.
But what, exactly, has been finished?
Few phrases in the New Testament have carried as
much theological weight – or generated as much
confusion. Over time, these words have come to
function as a kind of theological catchphrase, made to
carry a surplus of meaning and quoted as though all
were clearly intended in that moment. The question,
however, is not whether any of these meanings may be
theologically true, but what the phrase in John means
in its original context.
One very popular claim is that
the Greek word behind ‘It is
finished’ – tetelestai – carried
an additional meaning: ‘paid
in full’. The basis for this idea,
often repeated, is that ancient tax receipts reveal this
specialised sense of the word. If this were correct,
Jesus’ final words would carry a distinctly financial,
even transactional, meaning.
The difficulty is that this claim rests on a faulty
assumption. Beginning in the late nineteenth century,
hundreds of receipts relating to tolls and tax payments
were discovered in Egypt. A smaller number of these
contained the abbreviation tetel’, and following their
publication, some assumed it referred to the same
word Jesus used on the cross: tetelestai. But when these
receipts were compared with others that preserved
the full word, it became clear that the term was not
tetelestai at all, but a different word entirely: tetelōnētai
– meaning ‘tax or duty paid’. Although scholars
have recognised this for over a century, the argument
continues to circulate.
Others interpret Jesus’ words as signalling the end of
Mosaic legislation, particularly the sacrificial system.
On this view, the need for continual animal offerings
was ‘finished’, replaced by Jesus’ once for all sacrifice,
often drawing on the language of Hebrews. Still
others take a broader approach. A recent guest on
Tucker Carlson’s show suggested that the phrase
marked the end of the old covenant altogether –
what, exactly, has
been finished?
including, notably, God’s covenant with Israel.
At a more popular level, the verse is sometimes used
to argue that Jesus brought all systems of ritual, rulekeeping,
and religious effort to an end, replacing them
with the simplicity of relationship. In one of the most
widely viewed Christian videos of the past decade,
Jefferson Bethke turned the phrase into a kind of
theological slogan – a ‘mic-drop’ moment that presents
Jesus’ mission as the end of religion itself.
With such a range of interpretations, how should ‘It is
finished’ be understood?
The answer becomes clearer when we attend closely
to the language of John’s Gospel surrounding Jesus’
final moments. Read in context of John 19:28–30,
his declaration is directly linked to what precedes
it, though this connection is not always evident in
English translations.
Earlier we read, ‘so that ‘the
Scripture might be fulfilled’ Jesus
‘knowing that all was now completed
(tetelestai)’ says, ‘I am thirsty’ (John
19:28). He is then given a sponge
soaked in sour wine, bringing to specific fulfilment the
words of a Psalm ‘For my thirst they gave me vinegar to
drink’ (Psalm 69:21).
It is in this context that Jesus’ final word follows: ‘It
is finished’(tetelestai) (John 19:30). This is not a shift
in meaning, but a culmination. The language of
completion binds these moments together: tetelestai
is echoed, and the verb translated ‘fulfilled’ (teleiōthē)
is closely related, sharing the sense of bringing
something to its intended end.
The phrase could just as well be understood as ‘It is
accomplished’ – the completion of his mission and
the specific fulfilment of the Scriptures that spoke of
his suffering (see Luke 22:37; Acts 13:29). This theme
is woven throughout John’s Gospel: Jesus comes to
complete the work the Father has given him (see
John 4:34; 5:36; 17:4). This has been the predominant
understanding throughout much of church history.
While the New Testament does speak of sin as a debt
cancelled (see Colossians 2:14), that imagery belongs
to other passages, not to the meaning of ‘It is finished’
(tetelestai) (John 19:30). What Jesus declares, then, is
not the end of the Torah, of religion, or of a financial
debt, but completion of the mission he had been sent
to accomplish.
2 nd Quarter 2026 • ENHANCE 3

Hebrew Word Focus
Melissa Briggs
Worship
‏ָׁשָׁחָ‏ ה
Shachah
Worship
The word “worship” today is synonymous with
singing. But when we open the Hebrew Bible,
we discover something much richer, deeper,
more varied and embodied. Biblical worship is not
one word, one posture, or one emotion. It is a wholelife
response to the living God.
In Hebrew, there are multiple words translated as
“worship,” and each one reveals a different aspect
of how humans should relate to God. We worship
the Lord with our bodies, our work, our voices, our
gratitude, and our obedience. Together, they paint a
picture of worship that is active, relational, and deeply
personal.
The most common Hebrew word for worship is:
Shachah - ‏ָׁשָׁחָ‏ ה Shachah means to ‘bow down’, to
‘prostrate oneself’, to ‘lower oneself in reverence’. It
is a physical, active word. It describes what the body
does when the heart recognises greatness. “Come, let us
bow down in worship (shachah); let us kneel before the Lord
our Maker” (Psalm 95:6).
Shachah is the posture of humility. It is acknowledging
that God is God, and we are not. Abraham
shachahs before the Lord (see Genesis 18:2).
Moses bowed low at the burning bush (see
Exodus 34:8). Even angels are described
as falling facedown before God. Worship
begins when we lower ourselves and exalt God.
‏ָעַָבַד - Avad Next, we encounter a very different word:
Avad means to ‘serve’, to ‘work’, to ‘labour’. This word
reminds us that worship does not end when the song is
over. Worship continues in obedience. “Worship (avad)
the Lord your God...” (Exodus 23:25).
This is the same word used for serving a master or
working a field. Worship here is not an emotional
moment - it is faithful service. The people of Israel
were redeemed from Egypt not just to sing, but to serve
God with their lives: to work with him and for him.
Joshua echoes: “But as for me and my household, we will
serve (avad) the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). True worship is
how we work on Monday, not just how we sing on
Sunday.
Now let’s turn to a word that feels much more
expressive: Halal - הָ‏ לַ‏ ל Halal means to ‘praise’, to
‘boast’, to ‘celebrate’, and to ‘shine’. This is joyful,
energetic praise. It is where we get the word Halleluyah.
The psalmist declares, “Let everything that has
breath praise (halal) the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).
Halal is loud and visible. It is unashamed delight in
God. David danced with all his might before the Lord.
That was halal worship (see 2 Samuel 6:14). God is
honoured in our displays of joy.
Hallelujah
Another expressive word is: Yadah - דָ‏ ה Yadah‏ָיָ‏ means
to ‘give thanks’, to ‘confess’, to ‘extend the hands’.
It often involves lifting hands which is a sign of
surrender and gratitude. The word for hand, yad, is
from the same root family. The psalmist says, “I will
give you thanks (yadah), Lord, with all my heart” (Psalm
138:1). Yadah worship teaches us that thanksgiving is a
posture of trust and confession.
‏ְּתּ‏ הִ‏ ‏ָּלּ‏ ה - Tehillah Closely connected is:
Tehillah means a song of praise. It is worship that is
sung. In fact, the book of Psalms in Hebrew is called
Tehillim - songs of praise. “He put a new song in my
mouth, a hymn of praise (tehillah) to our God” (Psalm 40:3).
God places songs inside his people — songs born out
of deliverance, repentance, joy, and hope.
‏ָזָ‏ ‏ַמַ‏ ר - Zamar Now we come to the music itself:
Zamar means to ‘make music’, to ‘sing praise with
instruments’. This is skilled, intentional musical
worship. “Praise the Lord with the harp; make music
(zamar) to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new
song; play skillfully and shout for joy” (Psalm 33:2-3).
Music matters to God. Excellence matters.
Preparation matters. Zamar is not sloppy
emotion; it should be offered with care,
creativity, and skill.
Finally, there is a word that appears
‏ָסָ‏ ‏ַגַ‏ ד - Sagad especially in royal and prophetic contexts:
Sagad means to ‘prostrate oneself in deep reverence’.
It appears frequently in the book of Daniel, often
contrasting true worship with false worship (see Daniel
3:5). In another place, Daniel is shown kneeling before
the true God (see Daniel 6:10). Sagad reminds us that
worship always reveals allegiance. Who we bow to
defines who we belong to.
When we collect all these words together, we see
something profound: biblical worship is not a single
action. Rather, true worship is posture, service, praise,
gratitude, song, music, humility, and obedience. It
involves the whole person. David the poet, musician,
warrior, and king understood this. He worshiped with
his harp, with his dancing, with his psalms, with his
repentance, and with his leadership. His life reminds
us that worship flows from relationship, not perfection.
Let’s do more than study worship. Let’s live it. Let’s
bow low, serve faithfully, sing boldly, give thanks
freely, and live lives that declare the worth of our God.
He is truly worthy of all our attention, affection and
worship (see Romans 12:1-2).
MELISSA’S NEW LEVEL 1, 2 & 3 VIDEO COURSES ARE NOW
AVAILABLE! Learn Biblical & Modern Hebrew at your own pace with
pre-recorded lessons. Please contact Melissa for more details at:
www.explorehebrew.co.uk
4 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2026

Feature
Hidden Treasures
Athens and Corinth
By Jacob Vince
A recent three-day visit to Athens and Corinth,
following the steps of the apostle Paul, revealed
Hidden Treasures.
Jewish Memorial Garden, Athens
Today the Jewish population of Athens is greatly diminished as
a result of the Holocaust, for which there is a small thoughtfully
designed memorial using shaped stones to form a Star of David.
Nearby there is a sizeable historic synagogue with opportunity
to visit by advance appointment and further along a dual kosher
restaurant, one dairy one meat, set on opposite sides of the road.
Synagogue, Athens
Areopagus, viewing Mars Hill, Athens
ATHENS
As recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul arrived at Athens
having first visited and spent time at Thessalonica and Berea. It
was in Athens, as he was waiting for Silas and Timothy to join him,
that Paul expressed, ‘he
was greatly distressed’
for the lost, as he saw
‘that the city was full
of idols’ (Acts 17:16),
‘So he reasoned in the
synagogue with the
Jews and the Godfearing
Greeks, as well
as the marketplace day
by day with those who happened to be there’ (Acts 17:17). As Gerald
McDermott notes, in his ‘A New History of Redemption’, in God’s
providence the exile of Israel resulted in synagogues throughout the
then known world where Paul was able to commence his customary
‘reasoned persuasion’ (see Acts 17:3-4; 18:4), following the approach
he outlines later in his letter to the church at Rome (see Romans
1:16). It was from the Athens marketplace that Paul was taken
to the Areopagus where he introduced the God of creation to the
philosophers present, ‘From one man he [God] made every nation of
men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the
times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God
did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out to him and
find him, though he is not far from each one of us’ (Acts 17:26-27).
There was a mixed reception to Paul’s assertion of, ‘the resurrection
of the dead’ (Acts 17:32). ‘A few men become followers of Paul and
believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus,
also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others’ (Acts 17:34).
CORINTH
Proconsul Judgement Seat, Corinth
After his brief stay at Athens, Paul moved on to Corinth where,
‘He met a Jew named Aquila, who had recently come from Italy with
his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave
Rome’ (Acts 18:2). As was Paul’s custom, ‘Every Sabbath he reasoned
in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks’ (Acts 18:4).
Once again, the reception was mixed, ‘Then Paul left the Synagogue
and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshipper of God.
Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed the
Lord: and many Corinthians were baptised and believed’ (Acts 18:7-
8). One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision ending with these
words, ‘“I have many people in this city”. So Paul stayed for a year and
a half, teaching the word of God’ (Acts 18:11).
When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, Paul was brought into court
with a false accusation, where without ceremony his charges were
swiftly dismissed. The seat where the proconsul likely sat remains
to this day. Also on display are an engraved inscription from a late
Roman synagogue, a synagogue lintel and a pillar capital with mural
showing three menorah seven-candle sticks, side by side.
Engraved inscription and pillar capital
What is best preserved of course, which we can read to this day
throughout the world, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, is the
inspired, ‘Word of our God [that] endures forever’ (Isaiah 40:8).
2 nd Quarter 2026 • ENHANCE 5

Event Report
CFI UK 40 th Anniversary Residential
Prayer conference
Be strong in
the Lord and
the strength
of his might
(Ephesians 6:2)
WHERE GOD CAME DOWN
Amber and Ewald Sutter
with David Soakell
By Julia Soakell
Our time away at the annual CFI UK Prayer
Conference was both a blessing and a
lesson in being adaptable before the Lord.
David and I had been praying and planning for many
months, considering the themes of the prayer sessions,
how to arrange them and be an encouragement to our
praying community. However, the ongoing conflict
involving Iran, the US, and Israel brought unexpected
complications. Travel across the Middle East became
more difficult, preventing Galya Hall from joining
Tristan in the UK. One of our trustees and his wife
were unable to leave Israel, and on the first morning
of the conference at Kings Park Conference Centre,
Northampton, Tristan’s flights were cancelled. Despite
these challenges, the Lord’s faithfulness was evident
throughout, and we were upheld by the prayers of
many.
The conference opened on Tuesday afternoon with sung
worship and a devotional time focused on “Be still and
know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10), led by Amber and
Ewald Sutter from CFI Germany. That evening, we
prayed for Iran, shared Communion, and interceded for
the UK.
Wednesday began with a meditation from trustee
Andrew Berkinshaw-Smith, followed by sessions
exploring “When God came down” and the theme of
Philip Aitchison
leading prayers for Israel
being in “the cleft of the rock.” David Soakell led
prayer for Israel as the nation continued to face
unrelenting conflict.
Through God’s provision and technical support,
we were able to connect with Tristan and Galya
online and project their two sessions with
excellent sound and video quality. Galya
gave updates on the Jerusalem team’s work—
serving communities under attack, assisting
displaced families, and supporting victims
of recent ballistic and cluster bomb strikes.
Tristan addressed the current tensions in
the Middle East, highlighting key areas for
prayer concerning Israel, its upcoming elections,
and Iran.
Julia Soakell introduced each day’s theme
6 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2026

2026 FORTIFIED
AT FORTY
Tuesday 17 th – Thursday 19 th March 2026
Intercession for our
nation and Israel
Tristan and Galya Hall,
online from CFI Jerusalem
Your Feedback
“We prayed with people we had never
met before and never spoken to, but there
was such unity, such oneness –
praise the Lord”
“The sessions have been wonderful and the
prayer times so powerful”
“The presence of the Lord particularly on
Wednesday, has been so strong and so
powerful there was a tangible shift in the
spiritual atmosphere … it’s been such a
blessing to pray with others, and I feel a
unity and strength in those prayers beyond
what I could have imagined”
“Thank you this was my first time here and
it’s been wonderful. What a great balance
of worship, the presence of the Lord was
so tangible and the information perfect”
Fellowship and
discussions
A time of open questions
and answers
Before dinner we prayed for CFI UK, using
priorities identified by the trustees. Later, a
revised evening programme became a well
received Q&A session with Jacob, David,
and Julia, offering insights into our journeys
with CFI and sharing testimonies and lighthearted
stories.
Thursday included another meditation
from new trustee Siew-Ping Crane and
a session on Aliyah led by Philip
Aitchison. We also prayed for the
Jewish community in the UK,
recognising the rise in antisemitism
and the renewed fears within the
community amid the latest conflict.
We were saddened that David
Linnell, Chairman of Trustees, and
his wife Anne could not attend due
to her recent major operation. Several
supporters were similarly unable to travel,
reducing numbers, yet those present expressed
how encouraged and inspired they felt
through joining in prayer together.
A key scripture during our planning was
Psalm 94:14. We continue to give thanks for
our many older, spiritually mature supporters
whose steadfast intercession sustains the work
of CFI. Their legacy remains strong, both in
person at the conference and through those
joining us weekly online.
“This has felt important and strategic and
despite all the planning challenges – God
really has had his way wholeheartedly,
mightily and powerfully”
“This is our third year at the Prayer
Conference, and we appreciated the
change of venue because of the temp
control and layout which meant David has
been able to have a good experience of
hearing people”
“The praying felt more important and
more serious than previous years and very
much that we were in the prayer room
with the Lord and touching his robe”
David Soakell closed the conference
with the Aaronic blessing
x.com/cfi_uk youtube.com/cfiuk cfi.org.uk
2 nd Quarter 2026 • ENHANCE 7

Memorial Events
Coming alongside...
Holocaust Memorial Day
By Julia Soakell
One of the many things that stirs our hearts at CFI
UK is to be able to show our love and friendship
to the Jewish community in the UK.
Rising antisemitism, distortion of truth in hatred against
Israel, including Holocaust denial, makes it even more
important each year to come alongside in support of Jews in
the diaspora and reinforce the phrase, ‘you are not alone.’
Many who have organised previous years’ commemorations
for Holocaust Memorial Day were asked this year if they
intended to continue to host an event in the current climate.
They were asked if they thought it wise considering the risks.
David and I were asked such questions as we began to plan
in late 2025 for the National Day of Recognition of over six
million Jews who suffered Nazi persecution and death, before
and during World War 2. When we were approached about
hosting a famous advocate for education on the Holocaust
and a member of a well-known Jewish family, whose history
and legacy incredibly lives on today in word and in TV fame,
we were delighted and not deterred from hosting. We were
then able to recommend her to CFI UK Regional Link Jane
Castle in Southampton, who hosted a similarly successful
event with Natalie Cumming in February, with both holding
BRENTWOOD, ESSEX
Natasha Radford, Dr Alex Burghart MP, Susie Barnett, Moira Dare-Edwards,
Mayor Counsellor Jay Laplain, Mayoress Vanessa Laplain.
Right: Article in the local Gazette
The Kindertransport Exhibition created
by Janey Argent
Unity Nicholson lighting a Memorial
Candle on behalf of the young people
of Brentwood
REDCAR, NORTH YORKS
BLOC CINEMA, LONDON
www.ettyhillesumcards.com/the-film
ROCKWELL, SOMERSET
LONGTON, STAFFS
Jeanette Marx from
Generation2Generation
Jennifer Nevill with Martin Morris,
President of the local synagogue
Local Mayor with supporters at
Rockwell Green, Somerset
Right: The Rockwell Green display
8 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2026

Around & About
HMD Events that CFI UK hosted or attended
in January 2026
BRENTWOOD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, Essex,
hosted by Moira Dare-Edwards
LONDON, BLOC CINEMA Introducing a film, ‘Bringing
Etty Hillesum to Life’, followed by public questions.
EASTBOURNE, East Sussex, attended by local CFI UK
Eastbourne staff.
REDCAR, North Yorkshire, hosted by David and Julia
Soakell. (Natalie Cummings and the testimony of the
famous fiddle) supported by Paul Mileham.
ROCKWELL GREEN, Somerset,
hosted by Marion Threlfall
STOKE-ON-TRENT, Staffordshire, Longton Elim,
hosted by Jennifer Nevill.
HMD Events that CFI UK hosted or attended
in February 2026
LLANDUDNO, Wales, hosted by Roy Thurley.
EASTLEIGH, Southampton, Hampshire,
hosted by Jane Castle.
GALASHIELS, Scottish Borders.
HAWICK, Scottish Borders, hosted by Philip Aitchison
a collection for CFI Jerusalem project ‘Forsake Them Not’
working with remaining Holocaust survivors in Israel.
Natalie, at 88 continues to relentlessly share the story
of a famous fiddle which helped the survival of her
courageous family relatives through decades of tyranny, a
story eventually adopted and covered by the BBC in The
Repair Shop programme some 15 years ago. She is the
author of an important if harrowing book, ‘The Fiddle’.
For us and the Southampton event it was an immense
privilege to meet Natalie and to get to know her. Her
presence and clarity made the event at New Life Church,
Redcar, under the pastoral care of Paul Mileham, a CFI UK
supporter, one of the most memorable we had known.
The audience hung on her every word; eyes were fixed
on the stage as we heard the incredible story but also
admired the instrument which could well be credited with
saving the lives of family members when they were made
to entertain Hitler’s officers and worse. Two brilliantly
played pieces commemorating those lost and so deeply
affected by the Holocaust were played by local violinist
Meo Posmyk, a member of a regional orchestra who had
affinity with the subject of our evening.
Natalie was able to sign and sell the copies of her book,
donating some to local schools. Many other events
were hosted and arranged by CFI UK Links including
library exhibitions in the Borders of Scotland overseen
by Philip Aitchison and the yearly HMD events over the
years arranged by Moira Dare Edwards, in Brentwood,
Essex, Jennifer Nevill in Longton, and Marion Threlfall in
Somerset. Roy Thurley, former director of CFI UK also has
a yearly event, which is always very well attended by local
Jewish communities in Llandudno, Wales.
Lady Valerie Cocks
Book launch
CFI UK were invited to
a recent launch of Lady
Valerie Cocks’ book
‘From Brick Lane to the
House of Lords’, arranged
by Technion UK with
Labour Friends of Israel
executive and British Israel
Trade Union Dialogue
representatives present.
The book launch took place on 12 th January 2026,
with CFI UK chief executive Jacob Vince invited to
introduce Lady Valerie, who he has known for over
fifteen years, valuing her support of Jewish and
Christian cooperation, including jointly sponsored
parliamentary briefing and lobby days.
Lady Valerie was chief executive of Labour Friends of
Israel during the time of prime minister Harold Wilson
and founded Trade Union Friends of Israel.
Still active in her nineties, it was an engaging
reminiscence from her early life, through the height of
her political involvement and including reflections on
the present-day challenges faced particularly by Israel
and the UK Jewish community. A vote of thanks was
given by the chairman of Labour Friends of Israel.
Security briefing with
Professor Jacob Nagel
On 27 th January, CFI UK were
privileged to attend an invitationonly
lunchtime briefing with
Professor Jacob Nagel arranged
by Technion UK.
Jacob Nagel is one of Israel’s
foremost security experts and has
served as acting national security
adviser. He is also a Technion
alumni and visiting professor
who heads the Technion’s Advanced Defence Research
Institute and is a senior fellow at the Foundation
for Defence of Democracies, a nonpartisan research
institute based in Washington, D.C.
Following the 7 th October 2023 Hamas massacre of
Israeli citizens and others in the Gaza envelope and
its immediate aftermath, in August 2024, Professor
Nagel was asked to make recommendations for Israel’s
security strategy and budget for the next decade.
Looking back at his career including involvement in
the ‘Nagel committee’ that decided on the Iron Dome
defence system, Jacob Nagel gave fascinating insight
into Israeli development and use of technology in the
defence of their sovereign nation. It was even more
poignant, given the recent escalation of conflict with
Iran a little over a month later.
Around & About continues on page 10
2 nd Quarter 2026 • ENHANCE 9

Around & About
continued from page 9
Launch of Reform UK
Jewish Alliance
CFI UK were invited to attend the launch of Reform
UK Jewish Israel Alliance which took place on
10 th February 2026.
Nigel Farage MP
Introduced by Alan Mendoza of the Henry Jackson
Society, and following a clearly articulated rationale
for the Jewish Alliance by deputy leader Richard
Tice MP, Suella Braverman MP was invited to speak,
receiving an enthusiastic response as she outlined
the challenge she faced when in government to
bring forward effective change to confront the rise in
antisemitic incidents.
When Reform UK leader Nigel
Farage MP rose to speak there
was a minor prearranged protest
from a few attendees scattered
among those present, after which
they left. Nigel spoke clearly
of his support for the Jewish
community, their enterprise
and contribution to the Judaeo
Christian foundations and rule
of law, which served the United
Kingdom well for centuries,
and the necessity that these are
Richard Tice MP strengthened.
Gary Mond, founder of the National Jewish Assembly
spoke about rallying the Jewish community in their
strongest constituencies to make
sure their voice counts. Robert
Jenrick MP concluded the launch
expressing his personal support
for the Jewish Community and
their values impacting his own
family life and urging resilience
in these challenging times. It is
anticipated to create a Reform
UK Friends of Israel group in
due course to work alongside the
party going forward.
Suella Braverman MP
We Believe Alliance
Parliamentary briefing
On 24 th February CFI UK attended a parliamentary
briefing convened by the We Believe Alliance – a new
umbrella bringing together We Believe in Israel and
the National Jewish Assembly.
Sponsored by Baroness Deech, the committee room was
filled to capacity. The purpose of this Jewish communal
alliance gathering was to urge the government to
proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC) and the Muslim Brotherhood, warning that
existing measures fall short of protecting UK security.
Opening the session, Simon Tobelem, chair of the
We Believe Alliance, set out what he described as
the strategic and moral case for proscription, with
Baroness Deech echoing the urgency of action, praising
the work of the two organisations and welcoming their
formal merger under the new alliance.
The panel drew on expertise spanning diplomacy,
security and regional politics. Aurèle Tobelem,
director of research at the Forum for Foreign Relations,
outlined the ideological roots of Iran’s regime and
described the IRGC as a central pillar of Iranian
power, embedded across domestic governance and
regional aggression. Ghassan Ibrahim, chief executive
and founder of the Global Arab Network, criticised a
logical inconsistency in the UK counter-terror policy,
noting that Hamas is proscribed while the Muslim
Brotherhood – which he described as its parent
movement – remains legal in the UK.
Barak Seener of the Henry Jackson Society focused on
enforcement, arguing that the absence of proscription
enables the IRGC to evade sanctions and maintain
networks in the UK and beyond. Richard Tice MP
described sanctioning the IRGC without proscription
as “grossly negligent” and said the Foreign Office was
receiving “woeful advice.” Baroness Foster, reflecting
on her long-standing work in counterterrorism,
expressed her concern that too many MPs and peers
were not speaking out more forcefully on the issue.
In questions, Lord Eric Pickles said attempts to move
the Foreign Office towards proscription was a slow,
painful process, citing claims that fresh legislation
would be required. He, Baroness Foster, Richard Tice
and UK Lawyers for Israel director Jonathan Turner
all argued that existing laws already provide sufficient
powers if there is political will.
Also present was Niyak Ghorbani, an Iranian dissident
and campaigner against the Tehran regime, who told
the meeting that eight members of his family had
been killed since the start of the latest uprising in Iran.
He said proscription “is not a symbolic gesture but a
necessary and overdue security measure.”
10 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2026

UNION OF
JEWISH
STUDENTS
Special Report
Robin Lane
Antisemitism
in the UK
Heaton Park Synagogue, Manchester
Last year, the 2 nd October attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester and the 14 th December
attack on Jews at Bondi Beach, Australia, reverberated around the world as signs that antisemitism
has increased significantly. On 18 th December, the UK Government posted a position paper online
setting out its approach to tackling the problem in the UK.
That paper acknowledges the significant
increase in incidents over recent years,
particularly since the 7 th October 2023
massacre in Israel. It views antisemitism
as widespread in the UK, having
intensified in the arts, sport, schools,
universities, workplaces and the NHS.
There is extreme concern about the
spread of antisemitic content on social
media and clarity about the urgent need
to address it.
Consequently, the government has
prioritised interventions in three areas
– security, education, and institutions
such as the NHS – saying it is deeply
concerned about how normalised antisemitic
views have become in the UK.
That concern was reflected in March
2026 with the release of a report by the
Union of Jewish Students revealing that
antisemitism is normalised on campus,
with one in five students unwilling to
share housing with a Jewish student,
and nearly half of students having
seen Hamas and Hezbollah glorified
on campus, as well as the 7 th October
massacre in Israel justified.
UJS continues to power proud,
defiant Jewish life on campus
Foreword by Lord Finkelstein
The Community Security (CST) recorded
3,700 antisemitic incidents in the UK
in 2025, the second-highest total ever
reported to CST in a single calendar
year. That number was up four percent
on the 2024 figure but fourteen percent
lower than the peak of 4,298 incidents
reported in 2023.
Concerns increased again on Monday
23 rd March 2026 when four ambulances
belonging to the Hatzola voluntary
organisation were set ablaze in Golders
Green, London, causing explosions
next to the local synagogue. That
incident prompted Metropolitan Police
Universities that
fail to confront
antisemitism are
failing students
The floral tribute at Bondi Beach, Australia
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to say
that, while it was “too early” to attribute
the attack to Iran, the “rapid growth in
recent years of Iranian state threats is
grave.” He then warned that, “Britain’s
Jewish community has in recent years
been increasingly targeted by individuals,
groups and hostile states, intent on
spreading fear, hate and harm.”
UNION OF
JEWISH
STUDENTS
Sir Kier Starmer and wife visited Heaton Park
In an interview with Sky News, Dr
Dave Rich of the CST said, “the public
expression of anti-Jewish prejudice and
stereotypes and conspiracy theories,
is much more common than it used to
be. And it’s coming from high-profile
people, from people in different parts
of society, and where there’s no real
cost to it. And that is what allows it to
become normalised.”
Largely overshadowed by the attack in
Golders Green, there was also much
concern over an exhibition in Margate,
Kent, which featured paintings that
used “Nazi imagery” to depict Jews “as
blood-soaked, baby-eating demons.”
Yet the local police confirmed that they
would not act against it.
Many people see the mainstream
media as part of the problem. On 17th
December 2025, a BBC article about
calls to ‘globalise the intifada’, was
hastily altered to remove a statement
that the first intifada was ‘largely
unarmed’ – a significant factual
error. Then in January 2026, the
corporation apologised that an episode
of ‘The Repair Shop’ discussed the
Kindertransport without mentioning
Jews. These were just two of many
surprising errors.
Whatever the causes, by Passover
2026 armed police were being
deployed to protect many Jewish
groups and facilities.
21
It's not really just about the Jews. That was the
point my grandfather tried so hard to get across
in the late 1920s and early 1930s as he travelled
around Germany. He would visit groups of civic
leaders and business people, put his little
Jews. It is about civilisation, about the culture of
liberal democracy and the country itself.
We aren't asking universities to act just in
order to protect Jews.
Though we are asking that. We are asking
2 nd Quarter 2026 • ENHANCE 11

Resources www.cfi.org.uk/shop.php
WHY US? THE JEWISH QUESTION – STEVE MALTZ
The scourge of antisemitism is ravaging society at an alarming rate. No one is immune from its effects,
whether they realise it or not. It is said that hatred of the Jews has always been a barometer of the health of
a nation, in which case we are heading for major trouble. This book offers explanations for this blight; written
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What is the soul? Why do we die? Are we conscious after death? What about infants, pets, or those who
never heard the gospel? Can we communicate with the dead? Is there really a second chance – or a place like
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DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
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CFI UK Annual
Conference 2026
Main guest speaker: Adam Finlay
Friday 18 th to Saturday 19 th September, 2026
Venue: Suncoast Church, Eastbourne BN22 8TR
CONTOURS
OF CONTEXT
Jesus, Israel & the Church
UK EVENTS | CFI UK ARE PLANNING TO EXHIBIT AT THE FOLLOWING LIVE EVENTS IN 2026
Big Church
Festival 2026
Everything
Unmissable
12-14 May 2026 Harrogate Convention Centre
August 28 -30, 2026 Wiston Estate, West Sussex
14-15 October 2026 Sandown Park, Surrey
Grange-de-Lings, Lincoln, LN2 2NA
Contact: CFI Communications, PO Box 2687, Eastbourne, BN22 7LZ
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