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Jonathan Arkush sends thoughts and prayers to Manchester victims and families
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In the aftermath of Monday night's horrific bombing at the Manchester Arena, Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush sent "thoughts and prayers to all those caught up in the attack".
He said: “This savage attack on young people will require a response, but we will not hand victory to the attacker by allowing ourselves to become divided. The response by people of all communities in Manchester, offering shelter and transport to each other, shows our society’s resilience, and that terrorism will not win.”
Chief Executive Gillian Merron, Education Policy Adviser Dawn Waterman and Deputies including Sharon Bannister, President of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region, attended an interfaith vigil outside Regent's Park Mosque along with representatives from across the faith communities. The event was organised by Commander Mak Chishty, the Metroplitan Police's Hate Crime lead (see photo below).
In Manchester, Russell Conn represented the Board of Deputies at the Albert Square vigil.
Laurence Saffer signed a book of remembrance on behalf of the Board of Deputies at Leeds Minster.
On the 100th anniversary of a letter published in The Times by the Board of Deputies and the Anglo-Jewish Association decrying Zionism, the modern presidents of the two organisations wrote to the paper this week to celebrate the achievements of the State of Israel
A fond farewell to Community Services Manager Colin Spanjar, who has left the Board of Deputies after nine years' service. We wish him lots of luck and happiness for the future
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Condemnation for UCU motion on antisemitism
Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush has condemned a proposed motion due to be discussed by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) at its upcoming congress.
He said: “The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism is endorsed by the Jewish community in the UK and across Europe.
In the UK it is also supported by the Government, the Labour Party and the National Union of Students – amongst many other bodies.
In the light of this support, the motion to disassociate the UCU from the IHRA definition is deeply disappointing, not least because of similar motions in the UCU in the past.
Despite past form, it beggars belief that anyone in the UCU would want to dictate to Jews what constitutes antisemitic abuse against them."
Read the full statement here.
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Reaction to Church of Scotland motion on Balfour Declaration
Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush has commented on a motion passed by the Church of Scotland General Assembly in support of its Balfour 100 report, released last month.
Jonathan said: “We called out the bias inherent in the document when it was first published and our view remains that it was woefully inadequate in addressing the historical realities of the situation, with some seeking to make the conclusions yet more unbalanced.
"However, that the debate on the floor of the General Assembly expressly mandated the condemnation of Hamas and rejected a proposal for BDS show that there are those in the Kirk who are prepared to listen and engage more constructively. Time will tell whether the Church of Scotland wishes to choose truth or polemic.”
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Board of Deputies Activity
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INTERNATIONAL
Senior Vice President Richard Verber introduced a talk by Six Day War veteran Dr Izack Ifat at Finchley United Synagogue.
The International Division hosted a senior civil servant from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for a Q&A session on issues relating to religious freedoms, post-Holocaust issues and antisemitism.
The International Division received a briefing from Rabbi Andrew Goldstein, Vice President of the European Union of Progressive Judaism, on issues relating to progressive Jewish communities in other countries.
COMMUNITY
President Jonathan Arkush addressed Emunah Gentlemen’s Luncheon Club.
EVENTS
Vice President Sheila Gewolb, Parliamentary Officer Joel Salmon and former Government Affairs Officer Marcelle Palmer attended the Queen's garden party at Buckingham Palace.
POLITICAL
Joel Salmon attended a Henry Jackson Society event on the rise of jihad in the West.
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EDUCATION
Education Policy Adviser Dawn Waterman and International Relations Officer David Walsh attended a screening of the film German Concentration Camps Factual Survey at JW3 organised by the Imperial War Museum and the German Embassy.
Dawn Waterman met Elizabeth Scudder and Nicola Avery of the London Metropolitan Archive to discuss the Board of Deputies’ archive which is held there.
Chief Executive Gilllian Merron and Dawn Waterman met Jon Epstein of the JCDSAB, the religious authority for the community’s non-Orthodox schools.
Vice President Marie van der Zyl and Dawn Waterman, together with Deputies from the Defence and Interfaith Relations and the Communities and Education Division, attended a meeting at the Imperial War Museum to hear about plans for the Museum’s new Holocaust Galleries.
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