Community leaders join Chief Rabbi and Maureen Lipman in backing JN crowdfunder
Campaign in aid of our charity owner the Jacob Foundation sees more than £110,000 raised in six days.
The great and the good from across the Jewish community have sprung into action to lend their voices in support of Jewish News’ first crowdfunding campaign – with more than £110,000 raised in the fist six days. To support the important work of Jewish News, click here.
Jewish News, owned by registered charity the Jacob Foundation, is in the last days of an unprecedented week-long campaign to raise £200,000.
And from charity chief executives to comedians, the Chief Rabbi to activists, photographers, community rabbis, professionals and acclaimed journalists, our allies have been proudly shouting their support.
Chief Rabbi Mirvis said: “Jewish News is a wonderful resource of both information and inspiration for our community, particularly during difficult times such as these. The Jewish News is engaging in a crowdfunding campaign and is turning to all of us asking us to help in order to guarantee that the Jewish News will be able to continue to provide its outstanding service of news, not just for British Jewry, but well beyond. Please do be as generous as possible.
Urging the community to help the matched fund campaign, actress Maureen Lipman said: “It’s such an important paper for all of us and it was so good during both Covid and this current crisis and it allows so many different activities for the Jewish population. It gives them space, it binds us together and we really need that so however little you can afford please, please, please, just send it, do a good deed in a really naughty world.”
Richard Ferrer, editor of Jewish News, said: “You may not be aware that Jewish News is owned by a registered charity called the Jacob Foundation. It’s always good to know who owns a media organisation. It’s a charity that promotes cohesion and common ground between British Jews and wider British society through the pages of the Jewish News, jewishnews.co.uk and live events. As you can imagine, the cost of this essential work is not covered by revenue. We’re inviting readers around the world to help strengthen and expand the work we do.”
Robert Gibber, chair of the trustees of The Jacob Foundation said: “The Jacob Foundation is a registered charity with independent trustees drawn from the worlds of business, media, news and interfaith. Its role is to strengthen the Jewish community; to fortify and support its many incredible institutions and through consolidating our community to enhance our relationships with other faith communities across British society.
“The principal way we do this is through our ownership of the Jewish News. We have owned and supported the Jewish News for over three years. During that time have enabled it, through our financial support to continue operating and provide the comprehensive coverage and reliable reporting that the community has become used to and now expects.
“Over the last two tragic months, the Jewish News has really underlined the importance of a reliable and dependable advocate for the community in troubled times. We are delighted to be holding this crowdfunding campaign to support the Jewish News. It will help us to help them to continue their important work and we would be delighted to have your support on Charity Extra today. Thank you.”
Edward Isaacs, president of UJS, said he was “delighted” to be supporting the campaign. “Over the last few weeks, the Jewish News has been phenomenally helpful in getting the Jewish student voice out there about the current situation on campus. I urge all of you to support the Jewish News as they are key to the success of our Jewish community, and I look forward to working with them over the coming weeks and months ahead to platform the Jewish student experience on campus. Support today for the Jewish News has never been more important. Here’s to our success as a community and thank you so much.”
Photographer, writer and speaker Blake Ezra said: “The Jewish News is simply an essential pillar of the British Jewish community, not only for reporting the most relevant news, but for being at the forefront of campaigns and initiatives which help to ensure a thriving Jewish life here in the UK. It is more than a newspaper. As a member of this wonderful community, I am so grateful for The Jewish News. As a photographer, I really appreciate how The Jewish News use images on thoughtfully designed pages to illustrate their top stories.”
Michael Wegier, chief executive of the Board of Deputies, said: “The Jewish News performs two really important functions in our community. Firstly, it reports on what’s going on shuls, schools, charities, and other frameworks. It tells us the exciting, the difficult, the challenging, and the important events that are happening so that community members are updated and know where to find things that interest them. But secondly, it also holds community institutions to account. It reports things that we do well, and that we do badly, and that is such an important role that the newspaper plays. So I am really happy to offer this support for your crowdfunding campaign and I hope that it goes really well. Thank you!”
Leading Jewish care home Nightingale Hammerson called Jewish News “a lifeline in order to showcase our work and the wonderful Residents we care for. The Jewish News brings our homes and residents’ stories to life and keeps us in touch with the community. Thank you Jewish News for supporting Nightingale Hammerson and always being there for us.”
Chief executive officers of Progressive Judaism, Rabbi Josh Levy and Rabbi Charley Baginsky said: “We’re delighted to record this message of appreciation for The Jewish News and everything it offers to the UK Jewish community. It has been so important in this past year of bringing together that so many different voices across the Jewish community are celebrating with us, grieving with us and lifting up those voices when we’ve needed to hear them. Thank you, Jewish News.”
Ellisa Estrin, director of fundraising, marketing and communications at Jewish Care, said: “I just wanted to say that the Jewish News for the last 15 years of my career played an integral part in helping Jewish Care to be successful, whether that is celebrating our community, or celebrating the 80 list of over 80 roles in all our achievements, or helping us to fundraise for our appeals, or helping to generate people into our care homes that need our care and support, or cause to our helpline. They play a hugely important role and may they be here for years to come and let’s all ensure that happens. Thank you.”
Never one for mincing his words, comedian Ivor Baddiel said: “Look, Jewish News is a great newspaper. Its coverage of serious events, it’s top quality, really professional, fantastic and unbeatable. But it also does entertainment incredibly well. It’s amazing.”
Manchester-based Jewish community leader Marc Levy said: “I rely on Jewish News to help update me and colleagues on all issues affecting our community across the country. Their constantly updated website is an invaluable tool for busy people to be able to check in and inform themselves of all the current affairs that are pertinent to our community. As Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region, we have taken on several incredible events and we have always without exception been extremely pleased with the manner in which that they receive coverage in the Jewish news which has done so much to help build our profile not just in Greater Manchester but also beyond in London and around the rest of the country. So I wish Justin and all the team the very best of luck for this important campaign.
Daniel Burger, chief executive of Magen David Adom UK (MDAUK) said: “Magen David Adom UK is immensely proud of its long-standing partnership with Jewish News. It has been a privilege to work closely with both Richard and Justin for many years and particularly for me the highlight was them joining us in Israel for the crowd-funded Jewish News initiative of a blood mobile in memory of Lord Sacks. Our relationship spans many years and it something we simply do not take for granted and as we have seen since 7th October, the love and outpour from the Jewish community has been truly remarkable and The Jewish News has been there every step of the way for us.”
Richard Franklin, chief executive, Kisharon Langdon, said: “Everyone at Kisharon Langdon really supports The Jewish News‘ fundraising efforts over this crowdfunding weekend. We often take for granted the communal glue that is the Jewish News, and certainly it’s the lifeblood of organisations like Kisharon Langdon who raise awareness for the really important challenges that face social care and for people with. Autism and learning disabilities in particular. So, thank you Jewish News and please do support Community for the fantastic work that they do.”
Nicky Goldman, chief executive, the Jewish Volunteering Network, said: “The Jewish News is our community newspaper. It amplifies the voice of each Jewish organisation and showcases the wonderful work that each and all of us do.”
Paul Anticoni, chief executive at World Jewish Relief (WJR) said he “wanted to highlight what an outstanding partner The Jewish News is, both for World Jewish Relief and across our Jewish community. A huge resource for community news, for community information, backing many of our initiatives, and I’m grateful for the central role it plays as a critical Jewish community component. Thank you, Jewish News from all of us at World Jewish Relief.”
Louise Hager, chief executive officer, Chai Cancer Care said: “Since its inception, The Jewish News has consistently raised awareness of Chai’s vital work in the community. We look forward to working with them for many years to come.”
Keith Black, chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) said: “I’m a great supporter and avid reader of The Jewish News, which does so much to bring Jewish life into the public sphere. Without The Jewish News, I think the community would be at a great disadvantage. We wouldn’t know anywhere near as much as what is going on and all the enthusiasm of Justin and the entire team out there connecting the community up, giving information about various appeals and projects that are going on, as well as bringing together all the day-to-day news that we so avidly read. Good luck Jewish News.”
Raymond Simonson, chief executive officer, JW3, said that as the Jewish communities largest Jewish community centre and the only Jewish cultural venue of its kind in the UK, JW3 “works very closely with Jewish News, particularly with Justin Cohen and Richard Ferrer, and we’re really proud to work closely with them and see them as partners. Jewish News is a fantastic Jewish communal newspaper, but it’s so much more than just a newspaper.
“Apart from having the weekly print edition, and the 24/7 rolling news online, they do so many projects, and initiatives, and programmes all year round to help amplify the voices of Jewish community organisations like ours and so many others with their projects and their programmes.
“It is always really exciting working with them and it’s great to have someone who gives us a platform to support our appeals and our initiatives and our year-round programme. We always look to increase the volume of Jewish conversation in the community, so working with the Jewish news is such a natural partner and I can understand why so many people want to support them during their crowdfunding campaign. Good luck Jewish News!”
Sending its “very best wishes to Jewish News“, UJIA said: “Now more than ever organisations across our community need to work together for our common good, and all at UJIA look forward to working with the JN long into the future. Behatzlacha! Good luck for your campaign.”
Chochmat Nashim, co-founder Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll, said: “Jewish News gives a voice to those who are rarely heard. Instead of just chasing clicks, they chase truth and the kind of information and projects that can make a real difference in the world. Their unique and deeply appreciated voice makes a positive impact on the wider global Jewish community.”
Jotam Confino, the Israel-based foreign editor of Jewish News, has been covering the war since 7 October, visiting the sites of Hamas atrocities, speaking to eyewitnesses and telling the stories coming out of Gaza. He said: “If our work is important to you, you can help to strengthen and expand what we do by supporting our crowdfunding campaign in aid of the Jacob Foundation, the registered charity that owns the Jewish News. Thank you for supporting us so we can continue to be your eyes, your ears, your voice.”
- To support the important work of Jewish News, click here.
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.
