Borehamwood council explores historic twinning with Israeli town
EXCLUSIVE: Proposal to be tabled in both countries after this autumn
Justin Cohen is the News Editor at the Jewish News
Plans are being discussed to twin Borehamwood and Elstree with the town of Shoham in Israel, Jewish News can reveal.
The move has been proposed by Labour’s Cllr Jeremy Newmark and Conservative Mayor Cllr Sandra Parnell, who currently serve as the vice-chair and chair of the Town Council’s International Affairs Committee.
Jewish News understands that an advisory group of local community and business leaders is currently being established and that the official proposal will be tabled after the summer at both municipalities.
In a statement, Parnell and Newmark said: “We are tremendously excited about these plans which are currently being formulated before community consultation with an advisory group and a vote at Council. If approved they will bring real economic, social and cultural benefit to both towns. In our view this is a natural partnership.”
Borehamwood and Elstree is home to one of the fastest growing Jewish communities in the UK. If successful, this would be the first municipal twinning of towns in UK and Israeli for a number of years. Barnet has been twinned with Ramat Gan for more than two decades, with reciprocal visits taking place between leaders of the two.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
