Voice of the Jewish News: Not so warm and welcoming for all

This week's editorial reflects on the harrowing experiences of four black Jews in the community as featured on the front page

Last week we spoke to journalist Stephen Bush, who’s chairing the Board of Deputies’ Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. He will invite fellow black British Jews to share their experiences of racism in the Jewish community.

This week, we proudly provide a front-page platform to four black Jewish voices. The Board would do well to invite each of them to contribute to its timely and critical investigation.

The experiences of Madeline R Young, Nadine Batchelor-Hunt, Jessica Morgan and Jodeci Joseph will help inform the Board’s terms of reference. They’ll also serve as a distressing wake-up call to all those who consider our community a warm and welcoming environment for every Jew. It clearly is not.

Reasons to be hopeful

After 87 days of lockdown, finally some tiny green shoots of recovery across the community.

Jewish life, if still far from anything approaching normal, at least shows signs of normality with schools tentatively reopening, rabbis returning to synagogues and the high street back in business.

Meanwhile, who couldn’t have been moved by the sight of care home residents emotionally reuniting with loved ones after a long and painful separation? Whisper it quietly but perhaps, just perhaps, the worst is finally over.