René Cassin and AJA renew partnership to bolster UK Jewish human rights protections

René Cassin and the Anglo-Jewish Association have renewed their strategic partnership to expand human rights protections for the UK’s Jewish community amid rising hostility and growing structural barriers.

The renewed collaboration builds on three years of joint work and will scale up efforts to embed human rights principles across Jewish communal life, ensuring Jewish organisations have stronger tools to confront discrimination and safeguard equal access to public services.

Under the updated partnership, the two charities will prioritise three areas: supporting Jewish organisations with practical rights-based training; advancing socio-economic protections through projects such as the Jewish Everyday Rights Forum; and strengthening advocacy to ensure Jewish concerns are represented in local and national human rights debates.

Both charities warned that the renewal comes at a crucial moment for British Jews. Persistent gaps in recognising Jewishness as an ethnic identity, coupled with heightened levels of anti-Jewish racism, have created what they describe as an increasingly challenging environment for community members seeking fair treatment from public bodies.

Jonathan Metzer, Chair of René Cassin, said the partnership is anchored in long-term purpose. “This partnership is about more than funding – it is about vision. At a time when human rights protections in the UK are under threat, anti-Jewish racism is on the rise, our renewed collaboration with AJA ensures that Jewish voices remain strong, principled, and proactive in shaping a fairer society.”

AJA president Michael Hilsenrath said the renewal builds on the organisation’s 150-year history of protecting Jewish welfare. “For 150 years, the AJA has worked to uphold the dignity and security of the Jewish community. Renewing our partnership with René Cassin reflects our shared commitment to advancing human rights as a cornerstone of Jewish life and as a powerful tool to challenge discrimination and build solidarity. It also empowers René Cassin to continue to strengthen the Jewish voice in the UK human rights discourse and Jewish leadership on human rights.”

The two groups said they will use the next phase of the partnership to push for a “rights-based” response to anti-Jewish racism, ensuring community concerns are given proper weight in national discussions on equality and civil liberties.