Summit

Thank you for attending our Annual SUMMIT 2025

Please give us your feedback using the form bellow - thank you

Each year JSCN brings communities together to discuss a major topic that is important to them.

Our previous Summits have focussed on WELFARE and the FALLOUT in Small Communities of the attacks following Oct 7th

This year our 3rd Summit takes place on 7th September in person
our topic is EMPOWERING MEMORY & BUILDING A FUTURE

ALL TICKETS INCLUDE BUFFET LUNCH

EARLYBIRD TICKET PRICING till 20th AUG still available
Due to the generosity of our fabulous sponsors, Earlybird pricing has been extended.
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS - £15.00
GROUP OF 3 - £35.00 (save £10)
COUPLE - £18.00

SPECIAL SINGLE TICKET PRICING FOR...
- LOCAL WEST MIDLANDS COMMUNITIES
- JSCN Member Communities & affiliates
Ask them for your COUPON CODE to receive special pricing.

NOTE: TICKET SALES CLOSE 6pm THURSDAY 4th SEPT

TICKET SALES HAVE NOW CLOSED

PROGRAMME

Lord Katz
  1. LORD KATZ - opening address
  2. Community Round Table Discussion
  3. Breakout Sessions:
    a) Antisemitism in Sport & antisemitism in Schools
    b) Preparing for older age – action today, empowering tomorrow **
    c) The Story of Bath Jewish Burial Ground
    d) CST "When should I be concerned? CST for smaller communities."
  4. Community Awards Presentations
  5. LUNCH delicious kosher buffet (fish & vegetarian) (KLBD)
  6. DR KEITH KAHN-HARRIS - How do we get 'back to normal'? Keith Kahn-Harris is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Jewish Policy Research and a Senior Lecturer at Leo Baeck College. His latest book is Everyday Jews: Why the Jewish people are not who you think they are. In his talk he will discuss how, in a period of turbulence, Jewish communities can remain anchored in ordinary Jewish activity.  Small Jewish communities face particular challenges in achieving this normality, but they also play an outsize role in reminding the world that Jews are not a strange and exotic species. (about Dr Kahn-Harris)
  7. ISRAEL COMMUNITY IN EUROPE (ICE): Finding Ways to Work Together - Harmonising Israelis in the UK and the Local Jewish Community
  8. EXPERT PANEL Q&A SESSION
    - Shai Doitsh (ICE), Harry Sassoon (Derbyshire), Jonny Wineberg (funding), Alex Webster (CST), Ben Sweiry (antisemitism)
  9. SURVIVING KIBBUTZ BE'ERI and rebuilding the future
    Yigal Chetrit, originally from Jerusalem, came to Kibbutz Be'eri as a child in 1984, and it has been his home ever since.
    He held various leadership positions at Beeri Print, including COO and CEO of the Beeri Digital Group,
    On Saturday, October 7th, the neighborhood where his house is located was severely affected, and his home was engulfed in flames. Fortunately, Yigal and his family were not in the kibbutz at the time; thus, they were among the few neighborhood residents who were spared. Now Yigal has been chosen by his peers to lead the resource development for the kibbutz's rehabilitation.|
    Nieve Higgins was born in Kibbutz Be'eri. October 7th marked a life-changing event for Nieve. He was called to duty with his reserve unit to assist another kibbutz that was under heavy fire and was simultaneously concerned about his family in Be’eri, who were under active threat. Tragically, his aunt did not survive and was murdered in her home. Nieve never anticipated having to serve in another conflict on his home front a decade after completing his compulsory service.

We are honoured to welcome...
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal
Lord-Lieutenant Derrick Anderson CBE

Fundraising Applications - Ongoing informal side sessions throughout the day with JSCN's collaborating consultant Jonny Wineberg

** Important conversations about the impact of dementia, future care planning, isolation and other life changing situations. Discover how opening discussions early can make a difference and explore ways communities can come together to provide understanding, compassion and practical help for those affected.

SHUK

Your opportunity to make direct contact with these Jewish organisations:
AJEX
Birthright
Council of Christians and Jews
Generation2Generation
Jewish Agency for Israel
Jewish Care
Jnetics/JBRCA
Jewish Volunteers Network
Jewish Women's Aid
Northern Holocaust Eduction Group
Nightingale Hammerson REACH
Progressive Judaism
Kaleidoscope*
UJIA

* Kaleidoscope collects contemporary autobiographies of Jews in Europe.
Inspired by a collection of memoirs by Polish Jews from the 1930’s, Kaleidoscope showcases the rich variety and complexity of the lives of  European Jews today.

BUY EARLYBIRD TICKETS NOW

Due to the generosity of our fabulous sponsors, Earlybird pricing has been extended.

NOTE: TICKET SALES CLOSE 6pm THURSDAY  4th SEPT

TICKET SALES HAVE NOW CLOSED

2025 Annual SUMMIT report

Unity, Memory, and Building Tomorrow: 

JSCN's Inspiring Weekend of Connection

What happens when Jewish communities from Aberdeen to Penzance come together for a shared purpose? 
....Magic. Pure, community-building magic.

A Weekend That Brought Us All Together

This past weekend (September 5th-7th) was something special. The Jewish Small Communities Network (JSCN) didn't just host their 3rd Annual Summit – they created a movement of unity that rippled across the entire UK.

It all started with "ONE Shabbat" – a brilliant initiative that saw over 35 communities celebrating together, each in their own way. From intimate Zoom gatherings to packed synagogue services, from communal meals to online Kabbalat Shabbat ceremonies, Jewish communities everywhere were connected by a shared sense of purpose.

(montages by Martin Morris)

Then came Sunday's main event: the Summit itself, held at Birmingham Central Synagogue, where over 130 people from nearly 40 communities gathered to tackle the big questions facing Jewish life today.

"EMPOWERING MEMORY & BUILDING A FUTURE"

– This Year's Powerful Theme

The lineup was nothing short of extraordinary. Attendees enjoyed many presentations, including from:

Lord Katz, our newest Jewish Peer
Dr Keith Kahn-Harris from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research
Nieve Higgins and Yigal Chetrit, survivors from Kibbutz Be'eri, who shared their incredible story of survival and rebuilding – a session that left not a dry eye in the house
The presence of Birmingham's Lord Mayor Councillor Zafar Iqbal and Lord-Lieutenant Derrick Anderson CBE showed just how significant this gathering was for the entire city.

Real Talk:

Addressing What Matters Most

The breakout sessions didn't shy away from the tough topics. Communities dove deep into:

Practical fundraising strategies (because let's face it, we all need this!)
Bath burial grounds – preserving our sacred spaces
Combating antisemitism in the UK – unfortunately still necessary
Preparing for older age – planning today for tomorrow's needs
The highlight? A bustling "Shuk" marketplace where Jewish organizations showcased their work, and a dynamic Q&A panel featuring community leaders from across the spectrum.

Celebrating Our Champions

Every community has its heroes, and the Summit made sure to honor them:

Ian Cohen from Coventry Reform Synagogue received the Community Volunteer Award for his outstanding dedication (Ian was on duty as a dementia carer, so it was accepted on his behalf)
South Wales Jewish Representative Council took home the Community Team Award for their "Judaism Talks .in Schools" team, accepted by their chair Laurence Kahn and team leader Alison Lee. (photo top right)
(below bottom: Expert panel answering questions)

What This Really Means

As JSCN CEO Ed Horwich put it: "The success of both ONE Shabbat and our Annual Summit is a testament to the resilience and vibrancy of Jewish life in small communities."

Stuart Diamond, Head of Community Engagement, also captured the mood when he said the weekend proved that "distance is no barrier to building a strong, unified community."

The Ripple Effect Continues

This wasn't just a weekend event – it was a launching pad. The connections made, the ideas shared, and the energy generated will continue to strengthen Jewish communities across the UK for a long time to come.

Whether you're part of a thriving urban community or holding down the fort in a smaller town, the message is clear: you're not alone, and your community matters.

Want to get involved with JSCN or learn more about supporting small Jewish communities? The network continues to grow, and there's always room for more voices in this vital conversation.

(photo below: Stuart Diamond, Lord Katz, Lord Mayor Councillor Zafar Iqbal, Ed Horwich, and Lord-Lieutenant Derrick Anderson CBE

PREVIOUS SUMMITS

Agenda

  • Welcome & 7 Oct Fallout Survey report 11.00am
  • Keynote 11.10 - 11.25 Itay Ken-tor - co-founder of Edut710 survivor testimonies - commemorating 7th October https://www.edut710en.org
  • 11.30 - 11.50 CST - behind the scenes coping with the fallout
  • 11.50 - 12.05 Timna Abramov - National Library Israel - archiving the fallout in the diaspora
  • 12.05 - 12.25 Claire Mandel - JLC "Forge the Future" initiative (the UK communities collective response to 7th Oct)
  • 12.25 - 12.40 One Community's fallout experience
  • 12.40pm - 1.10pm Lunch break
  • 1.10 - 2.00 Panel Q&A and open audience discussion
  • Roundup & Close 2.05

Our first Annual Summit for Small Communities took place on 22nd October 2023

“Adapting to change - optimising wellbeing & welfare in our communities amidst evolving needs”

Conference Agenda:-

10.00 Welcome & Intro -  Ed Horwich

10.10 Keynote by Lord Pickles

10.25 Opening presentation Revital Argov (JDC European director of  welfare) What it means to be looking after the welfare and wellbeing of your community.

10.45 Smadar Bar-Akiva - how the southern communities of Israel are coping and adapting in light of the trauma of the last few days.

11.00 Matt Marks - how Brighton is adapting to long term change and the reaction to the needs of the community in the current crisis

11.10 Robert Pinkus - how small communities have looked to adapt their future, and how they are affected by the current trauma

11.30 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 30-40mins 

12.10 Comfort break

12.20 Breakout quick summary

12.30 PANEL DISCUSSION 60mins

Rachelle Lazarus - Chair

  • Smadar Bar-Akiva  - JCC Global
  • Max Bianconi/Stephen Ison, Jewish Care 
  • Emma Roche - safeguarding lead 
  • Kate Lurie/Daniel Nissim, JAMH
  • Andrea Silverman/Harvey Silver, Paperweight
  • Ruth Jacobs - Birmingham Rep Council

13.25 Summary & conclusion