Manchester needs a Jewish conversation of its own

A new Manchester initiative will bring together differing Jewish voices to discuss Israel, politics and community without shutting down disagreement

Just a week after the one-year commemoration of the attack at Heaton Park, it seems even harder than in other places to talk about “peace”. Yet, like it or not, everyone in the community is exposed to the intense happenings in Israel, and to a degree we are all shaped by what we are exposed to.

It’s a familiar gripe, but true that, although Manchester is home to the UK’s second-largest Jewish community, so many of the public conversations shaping Jewish life take place in London.

This matters, because it significantly narrows who is included in the debates about politics, culture and community that shape what we think. Manchester risks being left behind or forming a different environment based on fewer inputs.

That’s why a new grouping is coming together to try and build a positive culture in Manchester in which difficult questions can be discussed openly, and a wider range of voices can be heard, where disagreement doesn’t bring conversations to an end. This space exists but needs protecting and widening, including as discussions about Israel have grown increasingly difficult and polarised, in practice leading many to step out of the conversation, and sometimes the community altogether. Public dialogue needs to create room to listen, question assumptions and recognise the human experiences of others that sit behind opposing positions.

Ironically, there is support from many London-headquartered pillars of the community, including UJS, Jewish News and WeDemocracy.

A first event is scheduled for 15 September and will use the experiences of Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah as a starting point for that discussion. Both men lost close family members in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict yet have since advocated for reconciliation. Their approach illustrates how personal loss can inform a commitment to dialogue rather than deepen division.

We will listen and respond to political developments, explore differences within the community and involve people who may not usually find themselves in the same room.

We know that there is no single discussion that will bridge every divide. But creating a sustained space for thoughtful disagreement would give Manchester’s Jewish community a stronger role in shaping the debates that affect it and demonstrate that meaningful public conversation need not always begin in London.

The hope and ambition is for this to be the beginning of a conversation in Manchester impacting the wider community. Future discussions are planned on the Israeli elections and how the British community engages with the British government, another topic that is wildly London-centric, but now we have a Manchester Prime Minister who was our Mayor through Heaton Park. Which means, for once, this conversation doesn’t have to happen at arm’s length from Westminster. We have a direct line, and we should use it.

Seek Peace and Pursue It takes place on 15 September at 7.30pm in North Manchester.