Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Omer Yankelevitch, and Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, opened a window into the small Jewish communities of the United Kingdom, during a special musical Havdalah to celebrate Purim on Saturday evening 27th February.
Watch the full recording on Facebook: https://fb.watch/3WoBTDJyEw/
A team from the Jewish Small Communities Network (JSCN), led by director Ed Horwich, worked with the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs for over a month preparing this event.
Over 180 people joined together for Havdalah and Melaveh Malka on Zoom.
Participants, individuals and families, came from all points of the UK, plus Europe (Germany and Sweden) and Israel.
Minister Yankelevitch said “Today we have the opportunity… to be a global family. Each and everyone of us has a responsibility to look beyond our own frame and see ourselves as one community. The Jews of the Megillah we spread across 127 different countries, but they were unified by a common goal. Now it is our turn to (continue) the mutual dialogue that unifies the Jewish people.”
After listening to Linda Scott, of the Northeast Jewish Rep Council and Newcastle Reform, speak about the Newcastle community, Minister Yankelevitch said had a special place in her heart for that part of the world, as she spent 3 years at Yeshivah in Gateshead.
She continued “Thank you for giving me this window into your beautiful communities; and I look forward to finding ways to build bridges between our office of the Ministry and the communities across the UK. Please know that the door is always open and I see it as my obligation and honour to represent you voice here in Israel.”
Ambassador Hotovely said she saw it as her responsibility to build bridges between all the UK small communities and Israel. She said Purim is about the Jewish destiny and at its core working together to fight antisemitism.
Minister Omer Yankelevitch reflected the theme of antisemitism too, when she reached out wanting to know more about to the Newcastle initiative “Pathways from Abraham”.
Organised by Rabbi Aaron Lipsey, the project takes Christian clergy to Israel as a way of combatting antisemitism and anti-Israel bias.
The rich and abundant Jewish life across the UK was illustrated with videos from Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation, introduced by John Danzig; Hull Reform Community, introduced by Sarita Robinson and Aimi Sugarman. Linda Scott spoke of how both Reform and Orthodox communities in Newcastle make a big effort to work together.
Representing lay-leaders across the country, Marian Prinsley addressed the long heritage of Jews Great Britain since 1066, illustrating this with the story of the Norwich Blood Libel, which is said to have led to the explosion of antisemitism across Europe. She told how the Norwich community is working on a new educational project that will inform the wider non-Jewish community and help combat antisemitsm.
Representing Jewish clergy, Rabbi Robyn Ashworth Steen spoke of the richness of Jewish life and culture in all the communities she has experienced in her career.
During the evening Rabbi Danny Bergson, of St Annes Hebrew Congregation, accompanied himself live on the guitar to give a wonderful rendition of Havdalah. The event ended with more rousing Purim songs from Rabbi Bergson, assisted by his family.
Ed Horwich, director of JSCN, said “We are honoured that the Minister of Diaspora Affairs has come to JSCN and wants to build bridges directly with our communities and has pledged to give them a voice in Israel.”
It was a great event- thank you for organising it