Jewish Small Communities Network celebrated in Parliament
MP Andrew Snowden welcomes delegates of the organisation to Parliamentary lunch
Representatives from more than 50 Jewish communities across the UK were welcomed to the House of Commons on Wednesday for a Parliamentary lunch reception hosted by Andrew Snowden MP and the Jewish Small Communities Network.
As well as 20 MPs and Lords, 75 JSCN guests from the length and breadth of the country were in attendance, including York, Belfast, Plymouth, Cardiff, Newcastle, Norwich, Southampton and Todmorden in the Pennine hills. Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg and the JLC’s Marc Levy and Leo Brosh were also present.
Addressing the assembled guests, the JSCN’s chief executive Ed Horwich hailed the day as “momentous”, describing how it was “unprecedented, and truly historic” to be “having leaders from 50 of these communities gathered here in Parliament, standing shoulder to shoulder, visible and united”.
He added that it was only appropriate that Andrew Snowden, Conservative MP for Fylde and Wyre, was the luncheon’s sponsor “because one of our small communities is in his constituency, and another is his close neighbour, Blackpool.”
Receiving a warm reception, Andrew Snowden joked “some of you may be wondering, ‘what’s this middle aged, bald Northerner got to do with Jewish communities?”, before describing his “lifelong connection to the Jewish community” and how he feels “now, more than ever that it is the responsibility of those of us who are allies and supporters and friends of the Jewish community to do our bit to stand up and support our friends, our colleagues and our members.”
He added that he was “really, really proud of the Jewish community that we have in Fylde”, home to Lancashire’s only synagogue.
Recalling a recent community event there, the MP noted that “you could tell the sense of the rhetoric that was coming from some quarters, the anti Jewish and indeed sometimes antisemitic rhetoric that been building and building ever since 7 October… was going to end badly.”
He added: “A few weeks later, the unthinkable tragedy at synagogue in Manchester happened on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. But I don’t need to tell you the impact that has had on your communities. There are people here today who had family there during the attack, people who will have been left reeling.”
“It is so important that we show our solidarity and support to our Jewish friends, neighbours, colleagues and communities. We host events like this, not just to talk about the difficult things, but also to celebrate Jewish culture.”
Guests of honour included artist Caren Garfen, who brought her latest work “After The Event”, which takes the form of a teenager’s tallit, a Jewish prayer shawl, and documents global antisemitic attacks targeting innocent Jewish children and teenagers, that have all taken place since 7 October 2023.
Also present was Jonny Weinberg, director of the JSCN commissioned short film “The Innocents”. It deals with the modern-day communities and the two medieval Blood Libels from Norwich and Lincoln which caused antisemitism to spread across Europe.
Hailing the film as a “catalyst for change’, Weinberg explained that Norwich Cathedral has removed their previous, highly questionable, description of the history of William of Norwich, and “are now consulting with the local Jewish community on how together they can present this history which they both share.”
The film’s world premiere takes place on 11 November as part of the UK Jewish Film Festival which tours around the country.
Dignitaries at the lunch included Jack Rankin, MP for Windsor; James Wild, MP North West Norfolk; Scott Arthur, MP Edinburgh South West; Steve Race, MP Exeter; Harriet Baldwin, MP West Worcestershire; Steve Yemm, MP Mansfield; Luke Akehurst, MP; North Durham; Lord Austin of Dudley; Dan Tomlinson, MP Chipping Barnet; Monica Harding; MP Esher and Walton; Sean Woodcock, MP Banbury; Rebecca Smith, MP South Devon; Baroness Natalie Evans of Bowes Park; Fred Thomas MP Plymouth Moor View; Emily Darlington, MP Milton Keynes Central; Baroness Gillian Merron; Beccy Cooper, MP West Worthing; Josh Fenton-Glynn, MP Calder Valley; Alison Griffiths, MP Bognor Regis and Littlehampton; Gareth Davies, MP Grantham and Bourne; Marie Goldman; MP Chelmsford.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
