Leaders from a range of Jewish communal and key partner organisations met today with Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Secretary of State for Communities Angela Rayner to convey concerns facing the UK Jewish community, and seek the Government’s commitment to addressing them.
In a constructive and focussed discussion, the participants set out the full extent of the concerns of British Jews in the context of record levels of antisemitic incidents. They spoke about measures needed to address the community’s heightened fears heading into the Jewish holiday period, which marks a year on from the deadly Heaton Park attack, and comes just a few months after violent attacks including arson and stabbings in Golders Green.
Participants stressed the importance of maintaining a clear line against all expressions of antisemitism wherever it arises, including continuing the important work of tackling this hatred within Labour and other political parties.
They also conveyed the depth of feeling across the community regarding the welfare and security of Israel, and called on the Government to reaffirm its rejection of anyone inciting hatred or calling for Israel’s elimination.
Whilst the participants expressed support for all efforts to promote peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and their opposition to extremism on all sides, they conveyed significant concerns about the unintended consequences of policies the government is considering in relation to settlements.
They pressed the Prime Minister to avoid steps that may cause harm to the Jewish community, including measures that would place a profound strain on the Jewish people’s deep connection to places of great religious and cultural significance, including the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site. They cautioned that broad, untargeted measures may also give legitimacy to a wider boycott movement that marginalises and stigmatises British Jews.
They also asked the Prime Minister to carefully consider the potentially perverse consequences of announcing such measures during an already heated Israeli election, and the need for both the UK and Israeli governments to ensure that domestic political considerations do not stand in the way of the positive policy outcomes that the Middle East so desperately needs.
They further pressed the Prime Minister to prioritise tackling extremism in Britain in all its forms – whether from the far right, the far left, or Islamist sources.
The community organisations underlined the importance of promoting social cohesion, calling for the Government’s support and pledging the Jewish community’s commitment to building an inclusive and respectful society for all.
Finally, participants called on the Prime Minister to promote a positive engagement with the Jewish community across society through government support for Jewish students on campus, Jewish care and welfare organisations, Jewish cultural institutions and initiatives such as Jewish Culture Month.
The group presented the Prime Minister with apple and honey – eaten together on the forthcoming Rosh Hashana festival to symbolise a sweet new year – and expressed wishes for a year of peace, prosperity and security in the UK and around the world.
The Prime Minister, along with Secretary of State for Communities Angela Rayner, strongly affirmed the importance to him of the security and confidence of the community, and announced the Government’s intention to hold a National Security Council meeting on antisemitic threats, and to holding future roundtables with the community on a twice yearly basis.
Participating in the meeting were:
Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies
Dr Dave Rich MBE, Director of Policy for the Community Security Trust
Louise Jacobs, Vice Chair of the Jewish Leadership Council
Debbie Fox, Interim CEO of the Jewish Leadership Council
Dame Louise Ellman, Independent Plenary Chair of the Board of Deputies
Raphi Bloom, Management Board Member of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region and Trustee of the JLC
Marc Levy, Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region
Danny Stone MBE, Chief Executive of the Antisemitism Policy Trust
Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust
Ruben Persey, Vice President of the Union of Jewish Students
Mervyn Kaye, Chief Executive of the Union of Jewish Students
Carolyn Bogush, Chair of the Union of Jewish Students
Dovid Lichtig, CEO of the Interlink Foundation
Sam Clifford, Chief Executive of Jewish Women’s Aid
John, Lord Mann, HM Government’s Independent Adviser on Antisemitism
Dr Toby Greene, Director of Public Affairs at the Board of Deputies