The strength and resilience of the UK’s Jewish community in a time of deep anguish and division was repeatedly praised as the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) held its annual members’ tea event at the House of Lords.
Peers, MPs and communal leaders largely engaged in much needed positive conversation on both the enormous challenges that lay ahead for the community, as well as a recognition that this country still offered much to enable us to continue to flourish here for many years to come.
JLC vice president Baroness Hodge hosted Monday’s event, and spoke to guests about a “really, really difficult period” for Britons Jews, but one in which despite record levels of antisemitism the community “had grown stronger through all these crises.”
The veteran Labour politician singled out those working in the community “as volunteers, as leaders, as professionals to try and make this a good place where you can live with your family,bring up your children, and feel safe, secure and welcome.”
She also praised the Partnership for Jewish Schools organisation, along with other communal groups in the charitable sector.
Baroness Hodge speaks at JLC tea event
Hodge also told guests that she was undertaking a review for the Arts Council on the impact of antisemitism on Jewish workers and productions adding this was one of the many challenges the community faced.
In his speech JLC chair Keith Black also noted how difficult life had been for the community as a result of the war Israel fights against Hamas in Gaza, but he also emphasised the contribution made by “the tiny Jewish community less than 300, 000 strong” to so many sectors of British life, including politics, media, law, medicine, science and the arts.
“It’s quite remarkable,” said Black. “I don’t know if it’s that refugee spirit, although most of us today are very distant from that identity.”
Like Hodge, Black noted how the Death To The IDF chants at Glastonbury had been yet another low point in life for the community here in recent times.
But he added:”We know this country is not deeply antisemitic, and that it is a very loud and noisy and ill-conceived minority who are leading this illegitimate charge against us.”
Lord Khan and Keith Black at JLC members tea event in the Lords
Also speaking at the event was Faith Minister Lord Khan, who also stressed that the tea represented a chance to “celebrate the immense contributions Jewish communities have made to our national story.”
As a Labour minister Khan saisd his government was “united in our unwavering commitment to defend the right of every individual to practice their religion freely and without fear.”
He added:”We must tackle antisemitism and bigotry with strength and determination, but that alone is not enough. We must also root out the underlying attitudes, the ignorance and the hate that allows prejudice to grow.
“Each of us must be willing to call out hate and intolerance wherever we see it.”
Lord Khan, a practicing Muslim, also praised the work done by the JLC, the Board of Deputies and the Community Security Trust, both in representing the community, and for also forging links with other communities in this country.
He also cited the impact of projects like Mitzvah Day, not just on the community, but on wider society.
Khan was warmly received by many in the room, and was later thanked for his engagement with the communal groups by JLC chief executive Claudia Mendoza.
Among those to attend the tea were Board president Phil Rosenberg, Lord Polak, former Board presidents Henry Grunwald KC, and Marie van der Zyl, the Holocaust Education Trust’s Olivia Marks-Woldman, Lib Dem peer Lord Palmer and the Labour MP Gurinder Singh Josan.
