Stamford Hill communal leaders hail ‘positive’ meeting with Hackney Green mayor

Leaders of Stamford Hill’s Orthodox Jewish community have held what was widely viewed as a “positive and constructive” meeting with newly elected Hackney Mayor Zoë Garbett and two Green Party cabinet colleagues.

The meeting including a clear promise by the mayor on boosting the critical role of Shomrim in community protection and addressed key planning issues.

Mayor Garbett was accompanied by Cllr Sally Zlotowitz, Cabinet Member for Health, and Cllr Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, Cabinet Member for Regeneration.

During the visit, the group toured the historic Bobov Synagogue, the Hatzola volunteer ambulance service, and the Shomrim safety patrol.

They also met with several other organisations coordinated by The Interlink Foundation.

During the lunch, the councillors were introduced to a broad range of community representatives. Attendees included Rabbi Binyomin Stern, President of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (UOHC), Sidney Sinitzki, chair of Kedassia, Chaya Spitz OBE, CEO of Agudas Israel Housing Association (AIHA) and Yocheved Eiger, chief executive at Bikur Choilem D’Satmar.

Elected Labour and Conservative councillors representing the borough’s 30,000-strong Charedi community also attended the talks.

Jewish News previously reported on discussions between senior Hackney Greens figures, including Garbett, ahead of May’s local elections, where the party took control of the Town Hall, as widely expected.

While the national Green Party, under Zack Polanski, has faced challenges concerning antisemitism in several regions, Hackney’s Jewish community leaders have chosen engagement with their Green representatives as the most effective way to move forward locally.

Several community leaders emphasised to the Green representatives the importance of prioritising local issues over “international” matters.

The mayor encouraged ongoing communication and assured attendees that she would be receptive to concerns if her attention shifted to issues the community opposed.

Jewish News understands that Garbett emphasised her support for Shomrim’s activities in the borough to provide both community protection and rapid response to incidents.

She also expressed interest in a new Shomrim headquarters with up-to-date monitoring facilities to enhance their service and visibility.

The mayor was also informed of the close collaboration between Shomrim and the Community Security Trust, with minimal overlap in their work.

In another positive development for Charedi leaders, the Mayor confirmed her intention to honour her manifesto pledge to permit two-storey roof extensions—an important issue for Charedi families needing more space.

Cllr Binnie-Lubbock noted that allowing upward extensions would help larger families, such as those in the Charedi community, continue living in Hackney and preserve the borough’s character.

Other issues discussed included fostering continued positive relations with other local communities, such as the Muslim community, and addressing the growing need for school space as the Charedi population continues to expand.

Others at the meeting included Matty Beck, of the Interlink Foundation and Children Ahead, Devoiri Eisenzweig, of North London Bikur Cholim, Motty Pinter from Chinuch UK/Interlink, Shalom Pinchas Posen Head of the UIAC (community planning body) Rabbi Chaim Pinter, Principal, Yesodey Hatorah School and Rabbi Shmuel Davidson, Tottenham Jewish Association.

Further attendees from Hatzola included trustee Chaim Shlomo Goldman, and Moses Lipshitz, chair of Hatzola operations.

Director of Communal Affairs at the Interlink Foundation Pinter later told Jewish News: “We were delighted to welcome newly elected Mayor Zoë Garbett and her colleagues, the Cabinet Members for Health and Planning, to Stamford Hill.

“It was a very constructive and productive visit. The Mayor visited Hatzola and Shomrim and met with local community leaders to discuss some of the key issues facing our growing community.

“We had positive discussions around community safety, housing, planning, education, and support for local charities and voluntary organisations.

“In particular, we discussed the need to ensure there are sufficient school places for Charedi children and that future housing provision and planning policies reflect the needs of larger families.

“We were encouraged by the Mayor’s willingness to listen and engage, and by the commitment to exploring practical ways of strengthening partnership working. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the Mayor and the Council in the years ahead to help ensure Stamford Hill remains a safe, thriving, and well-supported place for all its residents.”

Confirming the meeting in their social media posts Hackney Greens said it had been ” really insightful” and they added Mayor Garbett  “was able to dispel misinformation that had been spread around that Greens wanted to move to monthly bin collections.”