Continue reading »]]> Limmud Conference is an annual gathering of over 2000 Jews from across the UK and the globe. Participants gather to take part in over 1000 sessions of debate and discussion on some of the key issues facing the Jewish community, not unlike the fringe at Party Conferences.

Last year, LJF presented a number of sessions at Limmud, including an Audience with Maurice Helfgott, holocaust survivor and Olympic athlete as well as a debate in advance of the 2012 London Mayoral and Assembly elections which featured Val Shawcross AM, Andrew Boff AM and Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor Brian Paddick.

This year, Adrian Cohen – chair of LJF will be participating in a number of panels:

British Jewry and our relationship with Israel

Speakers: Adrian Cohen, Nir Cohen, Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko, Hannah Weisfeld, Vivian Wineman, Gusti Yehoshuah-Braverman 
Location: Arts – Conference
Time: Monday, 15:30pm

The relationship has changed dramatically since the heady days of the Six Day War. As well as unconditional love there is anger, pain and rejection. The panel will consider where the relationship is likely to be in the next few years and how it can be improved.

Democracy and accountability within the Jewish community: from grass roots to the highest levels

Speakers: Geoffrey Alderman, Adrian Cohen, Antony Lerman, Nicholas Saphir 
Location: Arts – Conference
Time: Wednesday, 17:00pm

A panel discussion on how the Jewish Community appoints its leaders and whether there may be other alternatives

Jewish leadership on the line: staying alive when representing the Jewish community

Speakers: Adrian Cohen, Nicky Goldman, Samuel Klein, Michael Wegier, Vivian Wineman 
Location: Hum 1

Time: Wednesday, 18:50pm

‘To lead is to live dangerously.’ True of the Jewish Community? Whether professional, lay leader or teacher, these practical sessions will show how you can exercise ‘leadership on the line’. Join us for an open discussion with two key leaders to explore being community spokespersons and what happens when those representing Jewish community interests find themselves ‘leading on the line’.

To see the full conference line-up, or to attend please go to www.limmud.org

Continue reading »]]> This week’s census figure reveal a Jewish community that numerically is stable, but one that is increasingly becoming closer together and more significant in fewer areas of the country.

This consolidation of the Jewish community in London into key areas of Jewish population will throw up some key challenges for our community to adapt to in the coming years, and we ignore some of them at our peril. From the increased demand that care providers will face from an ageing community, the demand for primary school places in Jewish Schools to the crisis in affordable housing, we  need to look to find the answers to some big questions we face.

According to census the last time around, our community in London is disproportionately older than London at large. Around 41% of Jews in London at that time were over 50, compared to 27% of London. 13% of us were over 75 compared to just 6% of London. If this picture of an older Jewish London doesn’t change, we can only expect that the need for Jewish adult social care will increase.  At a time of severe cuts in Government and Local Government expenditure, ensuring that culturally specific services that meet the needs of our growing and ageing population are readily available will be a key concern.

With our community moving further North West and East out of London, the location of Jewish communal infrastructure will need to change too. With the increasing trend towards parents choosing faith-based schooling for their children, schools will inevitably need to adapt to the changing environment. With the Government’s Free School agenda allowing parents flexibility in setting up schools with the ethos of their choice in more convenient locations, at the same time as tight budgets for school transport, our migrating community will only force the need further for Jewish schools to adapt over the coming years. With the crisis in primary school places in North London, we can also expect the need for a greater number of forms of entry into Jewish Primaries, or even new Primary Schools being established in Barnet and Hertsmere.

This consolidation is also a key indication that community infrastructure is important to Jewish Londoners. Being close to your community, kosher shops, synagogues and Jewish Schools define for many the search criteria for setting up a Jewish home. But the increasing popularity of a smaller number of locations spells good news for some, and bad news for others when it comes to house prices. In London, despite the economic environment, property prices have continued to rise. Increasingly younger members of the community are finding it almost impossible to get onto the property ladder for the first time with many unable to rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad for support. Just like the rest of London, our community needs to be invested in the drive to ensure that good, affordable accommodation is built in and around our existing communities.

Rapid growth in the Charedi communities too will pose some serious challenges for Hackney and Haringey Councils. With overcrowding already a well recognized issue in Stamford Hill, and with the average size of a family being well over 8 people, the desperate need for large family accommodation is now reaching crisis point. With local reference rents outstripping the housing benefit cap element of the Universal Credit system of benefits due in late 2013, we could well see Jewish families finding themselves statutorily homeless. With such a low dependence on Council Housing now, Councils could well find themselves needing to house large families without houses to put them in.

The story of immigration and integration that the Jewish Community share with newer communities in London has also been reflected in this week’s figures. Just as our community established itself in the East End of London, then moving East and North West, so too are newer communities following the same pattern of migration within London. Tower Hamlets, now the home of a strong Bangladeshi community, just like the Jewish and Irish communities before it, is actually decreasing. As the East End makes way for newer communities, just as we have left behind key pieces of communal heritage, preserving them for future generations will be a concern we will share with others.

As new communities migrate within London, becoming more established in new areas of the city, London Boroughs face their communities becoming ever more diverse than they have been. London is now a city of over 150 languages but these languages are now being spoken in parts of our city that perhaps they haven’t been before. Ensuring that London remains a dynamic place of many cultures, one that welcomes diversity at the same time as delivering on cohesion is now an increasing challenge for us all.

The London Jewish Forum will continue to work with the GLA and London Boroughs on many of these issues, ensuring that when decisions are taken about the future shape and structure of services at a local level, our growing community will be in a position to deliver on the changing needs of our community.

Continue reading »]]> The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson led the celebration of Chanukah in Trafalgar Square on Monday evening, attended by over 5,000 Londoners.

Europe's Largest Menorah, at 18ft stands in London's iconic Trafalgar Square

The Jewish community in London gather each year in one of London’s most iconic venues to light Europe’s largest menorah, standing at 18ft tall. The menorah will remain in the square for the duration of Chanukah, with a new light being lit each one of the festivals eight days.

Boris Johnson hands out chanukah gelt to children

The annual event marking the Jewish festival of lights was organised by the Jewish Leadership Council, the London Jewish Forum and Chabad-Lubavitch UK, supported by the Mayor of London, a key event in London’s winter festivities.

The event featured live performances from Neshama, the Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade Brass Band, the Choir of the Wolfson Hillel Primary School and the renowned male-voice Shabbaton Choir. Dreidleman also made his first appearance in the UK, dancing with the crowds and later on stage with the Mayor.

The Mayor of London, along with the Chief Rabbi and Israeli Ambassador Daniel Taub handed chanukah gelt (chocolate gold coins) to children, whilst the crowds were given doughnuts, both being traditions associated with the festival.

Bentzi Sudak, CEO of Chabad-Lubavitch explained the importance of the event, “Chanukah is a holiday of miracles. But it’s not just miracles of thousands of years ago, we also celebrate miracles of here and now. Today, the entire community coming together and celebrating proudly like this in the streets of London joining thousands of Jewish communities around the world is also a miracle“.

Adrian Cohen, Chair of LJF greeted Boris’ arrival “It’s been a great year for London with the Golden Jubilee, the Olympics and the Paralympics and what better way to help bring this year to a close than to light the world’s largest Chanukiah in Trafalgar Square, with its message of tolerance and freedom.  Who better to light it than the effervescent, perpetual source of energy and light than the Mayor of London himself, the one and only Boris Johnson.”

Children from the Hillel Wolfson School Choir perform in front of the National Gallery

Mick Davis, Chair of the Jewish Leadership Council said “Soon we will light this giant menorah, and we should all take a moment to remember the miracle of Chanukah; a moment to remember how lucky we are to live as Jewish in this great city; and a moment to remember those around the world who live in oppression and are denied those fundamental freedoms.  May the light of this menorah shine a light upon all of their lives as well as our own.”

Jeremy Newmark, CEO of the JLC said “It was a magnificent celebration.  A really special moment that crystallised the thriving vitality of Jewish life in the UK.  We were delighted to see the numbers grow once again for an event that is now firmly established as part of London’s civic calendar.”

Rebbeca Saunders (9) and Indigo Smith (8) from JCoSS, the Jewish community’s first cross-communal school also addressed the crowd.

Other speakers taking part in the event included Gerald Ronson, Chair of CST, Leonie Lewis, Co-Chair of the Faiths Forum for London & Louise Jacobs – CEO of the London Jewish Cultural Centre.

A reception was also held at the Trafalgar Hotel to thank event organizers and sponsors, including Community Security Trust & adot.com where Deputy Mayor for Policing Stephen Greenhalgh and Barnet & Camden Assembly Member Andrew Dismore spoke.

Boris Johnson celebrating Chanukah with Dreidelman on his first appearance in the UK

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Boris Johnson is set to meet Jewish voters in his bid to be re-elected Mayor of London.

Hosted by the London Jewish Forum, the Breakfast meeting will be an opportunity for Boris to engage with Jewish Londoners on the many issues that affect the capital’s community.

The Forum will take place on the 17th of April at 7:45am in Golders Green. Participants can register to attend on the LJF Website.

In time for the elections, LJF has launched the ‘London Jewish Manifesto’, documenting many of the key concerns the Community faces, and has called on all candidates to outline how they will work to solve the issues the Manifesto identifies.

Peter Mason, LJF’s Director said “Jewish Londoners have a big and important decision to make on May 3rd. They will be deciding between competing visions for our city, and deciding which candidate they feel is best able to lead our city. It is important that we have the opportunity to engage with the candidates, so we’re pleased that Mayor Johnson will share his vision with us personally”

The London Jewish Forum is also hosting Labour Party Candidate Ken Livingstone and Liberal Democrat Candidate Brian Paddick later this month.

Continue reading »]]> The Labour Party Candidate for Mayor of London Ken Livingstone will meet with Jewish voters to discuss their concerns ahead of the May 3rd Mayoral and Assembly elections.

The lunchtime event, hosted by the London Jewish Forum will take place in a central London venue on the 24th of April.

Ken Livingstone said, “I’m looking forward to this opportunity to meet the London Jewish Forum. I am committed to doing everything I can to support their vital work in the capital.”

Peter Mason, Director of LJF said “We are very keen to engage with the Mayoral and Assembly candidates on the issues we’ve brought up in our Manifesto for Jewish London. There are some big challenges we as a Community will face over the coming four years, and we want to hear what each of the candidates have to say about them. We’re pleased that Ken’s taken up that offer.”

Participants can register to attend the Forum via the LJF website.

The London Jewish Forum is also hosting Conservative Party Candidate Boris Johnson and Liberal Democrat Candidate Brian Paddick later this month.

Continue reading »]]> The London Jewish Forum is pleased to host Independent candidate for Mayor of London Siobhan Benita at Jewish Care on the 4^th of April.

Siobhan will take a tour of Jewish Care’s state of the art Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Campus, meeting with residents and community centre users.

This will be followed by a roundtable meeting hosted by LJF with senior community lay leaders, professionals and the press to discuss the soon to be launched “London Jewish Manifesto” which brings together the key issues facing London’s Jewish Community.

LJF’s Director, Peter Mason said “We’re very keen to engage with the candidates for Mayor to discuss their vision for London, and how its Jewish community can play a role.

Be it the lack of affordable family housing, the crisis in care funding or tackling discrimination, there are some big issues our Community faces, and we need our elected officials to understand and take action on them.”

For more information, please contact LJF at info@londonjewishforum.org.uk

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*PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF DATE*

Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London will meet with Jewish voters on the 20^th of April to talk about the issues that affect the Jewish Community in London.

The Breakfast Forum will be hosted by the London Jewish Forum and members of the community can register to attend through our website.

The London Jewish Forum is the Jewish Community’s advocate in the nation’s capital, and works to identify the changes the community wants to see in London, lobbying and campaigning at City Hall and Town Halls to achieve them.

Peter Mason, Director of the London Jewish Forum said “We’re delighted that Brian will take time out of his busy campaign schedule to meet with Jewish Londoners to hear their concerns for our city. Whether it is the crisis in housing and the lack of family homes, an ageing population, the provision of primary education for Jewish children or the importance of harmonious community relations, there are some big issues we face as a Community in London, and we are really eager to hear each of the candidates take on them”

LJF will later this month launch their “London Jewish Manifesto” which highlights many of the challenges the Greater London Authority and London Boroughs have power to tackle.

You can register to attend the event by visiting our website here. We’ve a limited number of spaces, so if the event is oversubscribed, we’ll decide participants by drawing of lots.

The event will be held in Golders Green on the 2o^th of April at 7:45am. We’ll announce the venue to participants once the drawing of lots has taken place. A light breakfast will be provided for participants.

Continue reading »]]> The London Jewish Forum will host the first public debate of the 2012 London Elections at the annual Jewish cultural and educational gathering, Limmud.

Brian Paddick, Liberal Democrat candidate for the Mayor of London, Conservative Andrew Boff AM, Labour Assembly Member Val Shawcross, and Green Party Candidate A.M. Poppy will debate London’s future on the 28th of December in front of a public audience made up of Jewish Londoners, Rabbis, Journalists, Academics and Community leadership.

Adrian Cohen, LJF Chair said “We are delighted to be hosting the candidates for an open and robust conversation around the kind of London each party wants to build, and the roll of London’s Jewish community.

Whether it is the chronic shortage of affordable family housing, an ageing population, the provision of primary education for Jewish children or the importance of harmonious community relations, this is a good opportunity for the community to see where the political parties stand on our issues.”

Peter Mason, Director of LJF said “Our hope is that this will be the first of many meaningful opportunities for the Jewish community to engage directly, face to face, with the politicians who make decisions affecting our lives. The election will be a defining point for London’s future, where voters will get to decide between different visions for our city, and LJF will be fighting for community issues every step of the way”.

LJF will launch later next year a Jewish Manifesto for London, highlighting the key pubic policy challenges facing Jewish Londoners.

Continue reading »]]> The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson will be the guest of honour at the official Menorah lighting in Trafalgar Square to celebrate Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights.

The annual event will take place on the 20th of December at 6pm, marking the 1st night of the eight day festival. Londoners and visitors of all religious and cultures are invited to gather to celebrate with traditional festival foods and music in the iconic setting of Trafalgar Square.

Adrian Cohen, Chair of the London Jewish Forum said “The Trafalgar Square Menorah is now renowned worldwide in its uniqueness, and allows Londoners to gather each year in order to publically celebrate religious freedom, tolerance, and overcoming oppression, the values which Chanukah embodies for Jewish people. We are delighted that London’s Mayor will join us celebrating these values too.”

Jeremy Newmark, Chief Executive of the Jewish Leadership Council said: “The Chanukah Menorah is a symbol of religious freedom survival and hope. We are pleased that Boris has continued what is now an annual tradition of promoting these values in such a meaningful way. We are pleased to be supporting this event.”

Peter Mason, Director of the London Jewish Forum said “Chanukah in the Square has been a day long looked forward to in the annual civic calendar in London. We’re delighted that once again this year the community can gather along with our friends, neighbours in a public display of unity and seasonal goodwill.”