Jewish representatives of Hackney celebrate 50 years since twinning with Haifa

Jewish representatives of the London Borough of Hackney and the City of Haifa in Israel have celebrated 50 years’ since they were officially twinned.

A ceremony to mark the half-century relationship last week took place at Homerton Hospital, where clinicians have benefitted from the biennial exchange of medical teams with Rambam Hospital in Haifa since the early 1990’s.

The longstanding match between the two diverse districts was the brainchild of Stanley Clinton-Davis, who is now a peer. In 1968, before he became a Labour MP and European commissioner, Clinton-Davis was the mayor of Hackney, and began conversations with Haifa’s mayor at the time, Abba Hushi.

They signed the document of twinning, a copy of which is now displayed in district’s council offices, and so began the exchanges – of citizens, elected councillors, sports teams, college students, youth club members, war veterans and business leaders.

“Most impressive and successful have been the biennial exchanges of medical teams between Homerton Hospital in Hackney and the Rambam Hospital in Haifa,” said Martin Sugarman, chair of the Hackney Anglo-Israel Friendship Association.

“Hospital Staff usually spend about a week in each other’s hospitals, learning good practice and skills from each other and also travelling and learning about each other’s cultures and countries.”

He added: “All the groups are multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and non-political. We are the oldest, continuously active twinning group in Hackney and foster friendship and understanding between the people of Hackney and Haifa.”

Guests at the ceremony included Speaker of Hackney Council, Clare Potter, and the Deputy Lord Lt. Col Roderick Morris, as well as Karina Shulman, councillor at the Israeli Embassy, and other local and international dignitaries.