In the 14 months since the awful 7th October killings, a tidal wave of antisemitism has been experienced on a Jewish community already traumatised by the massacre of innocent Israelis and others and the mass hostage-taking.
There has been antisemitism on our streets, online, on university campuses and in the workplace. It has been particularly upsetting to see this hatred land disproportionately on our young people.
On my election as President in May, I named the Board of Deputies’ five key priorities for the coming three years. We’re going to fight antisemitism; we’re going to stand up for peace and security in Israel and the Middle East; we’ll be defending our religious freedoms; we’re going to make our community more united and more inclusive and we’ll be celebrating our faith, heritage and culture.
As you will see from this year’s achievements we have already made a flying start. We have had strong cross-party engagement following the General Election including with the Prime Minister, Conservative Leader and Liberal Democrat Leader, focused on the importance of tackling antisemitism at home and standing with Israel in its time of need. We have also had robust engagement with the BBC and Metropolitan Police Commissioner.
We have set up a groundbreaking Commission on Antisemitism, to be co-chaired by political big-hitters Lord John Mann and Penny Mordaunt. We have also been campaigning tirelessly on behalf of the hostages in Israel; we have been confronting anti-Israel bias in the media; and we have been educating the non-Jewish world in what it means to be Jewish. We have also initiated a strong programme of regional engagement with an enhanced budget and have, with communal colleagues, initiated work on a new British Jewish Culture Month to celebrate our community’s contribution to UK society, economy and culture.
We have been through some hard times in Jewish history and emerged from them with ingenuity and resilience. This last year has been uniquely challenging, but I am determined that we will come back stronger. Working together, I know that we will.
I wish you all a happy and peaceful 2025.Am Yisrael Chai!
Phil Rosenberg
President