RAF celebrates hidden Jewish and Indian heroes
The event was hosted by the Royal Air force Museum in Hendon in partnership with the British Indian Jewish Association.
Jewish and Indian heroes of the Royal Air Force have been celebrated together for the first time at an event attend by leaders of both communities. The event was hosted by the Royal Air force Museum in Hendon in partnership with the British Indian Jewish Association.
More than 150 guests heard from speakers including historian and consultant on movie “Dunkirk” Joshua Levine and journalist Shrabani Basu.
During the Second World War, 20,000 Jewish men and women – some six percent of Britain’s Jewish population – joined the RAF to fight against tyranny, racism and anti-Semitism.
24 British Indians trained as pilots for the RAF whilst an additional 200 Indians resident in Britain volunteered to join the RAF and Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.
The event – backed by Advinia Healthcare, Mizrahi and the Asian Jewish Business Network – formed part of the RAF Museum’s Jewish Hidden Heroes project, which gathers and shares the untold stories of Jewish soldiers in the RAF during WW2. This project is supported by Roman Abramovich and the CFC Foundation
Maggie Appleton, RAF Museum CEO said: “More than ever we need to challenge prejudice in all its ugly forms, and more than ever we need to educate young minds as to the experiences of previous generations – those who suffered as well as those who fought back.
I am incredibly proud of our partnership with the Chelsea Foundation and the Jewish Hidden Heroes project and hope that it goes some way to challenging the rise of anti-Semitism and wider racism in society. These are inspiring stories of courage and human spirit.”
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.
