More than 250 attend grassroots Israel conference to mark Balfour centenary
Community leaders help supporters of the Jewish state learn about the historic declaration, at an event organised by We Believe In Israel
Key community leaders addressed a pro-Israel conference for grassroots activists on Sunday, ahead of the centenary of the Balfour Declaration.
We Believe in Israel (WBII) organised the event to mark 100 years since a historic 67-word letter was sent from the then-foreign secretary Lord Balfour to the second Lord Rothschild, signalling British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
The conference covered history of the declaration, its implications for modern Israel, and campaign skills to defend the Jewish State against those who seek to delegitimise it, and featured senior Israeli diplomats, including Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev.
Held on 25 June at Hasmonean Boys’ School in Hendon, the conference attracted over 250 delegates, and featured breakout sessions on topics including the portrayal of the declaration in the media, ensuring Israel’s legitimacy on campus, and online.
Director of WBII, Luke Akehurst said: “We were delighted to bring together a top quality line-up of speakers including Ambassador Regev and Yossi Kuperwasser to help inspire activists to properly commemorate the Centenary of the Balfour Declaration. Israel’s opponents want to use Balfour to frame Israel as an illegitimate colonial entity. We need to make sure we are communicating the true story – that Balfour was the first international recognition of the Jewish people’s right to national liberation and self-determination.”
At the event, Mark Regev told guests: “If you are against Balfour you are against the very concept of a Jewish state in any borders” and that “Britain can be proud of Balfour because it helped produce the Middle East’s only democracy.”
Toby Greene, an analyst and speaker who addressed the event said: “”People realise they cannot get rid of the Jewish state by force, so they try and delegitimise it”, adding that the declaration ” is an essential chapter in the story of Jewish salvation.”
Community organisations who took part, included organisers, We Believe in Israel, CEOs of the Jewish Leadership Council and Board of Deputies, in addition to participants from BICOM, UK Lawyers For Israel, the Union of Jewish Students, Israel Britain Alliance, the Zionist Federation and more.
Proud to partner with @WeBelieveIsrael today for the #Balfour100 conference. @paulcharney introduced @AmbMarkRegev for closing plenary pic.twitter.com/qkOXBz1ole
— Zionist Federation (@ZionistFed) June 25, 2017
Great to speak with scores of Israel's friends at @WeBelieveIsrael #Balfour100 Conference. @BritainIsrael @ZionistFed pic.twitter.com/iEgbM0Eh1c
— Mark Regev (@MarkRegev) June 25, 2017
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.
