Why the Commonwealth Jewish family matters now more than ever

At a time when global attention is fixed on Iran, Venezuela and other geopolitical flashpoints, it is easy to overlook the vibrant Jewish communities that exist beyond the usual centres of global Jewish life. Yet to forget these communities is to misunderstand both our history and our future. The Commonwealth Jewish Council (CJC) exists precisely because the global Jewish family is far broader, richer and more interconnected than we often acknowledge.

The Commonwealth is home to Jewish communities in countries where international Jewish institutions have historically paid little attention. From Africa to the Caribbean, from South Asia to the Pacific, these communities are not peripheral footnotes. They are fundamental threads in the tapestry of Jewish history, and essential partners in the weaving of our Jewish future.

If the Covid pandemic taught us anything about community building, it is that borders, time zones and even languages do not need to be barriers to meaningful relationships. Jewish life has always been adaptive, resilient and relational. Technology has simply reminded us of what we already knew: connection is a choice.

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At CJC, we have seen this truth in action. Through our Jewish Books Project, we collected prayer books, Jewish texts and religious items and sent them to Jewish communities in Uganda, Nigeria and Tanzania. This was a tangible reminder that no community should feel isolated from Jewish learning or practice. Through our work supporting the adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, we have helped countries with small Jewish populations ensure that their communities are protected and recognised. Antisemitism does not discriminate by population size, and neither should our response to it.

Thanks to a lean but extraordinary team, CJC has also been able to work directly with communities on the ground: travelling to their countries, running educational events, hosting talks, and helping to enrich local Jewish life. We are running international Jewish–Christian young leadership programmes to strengthen interfaith relationships and social cohesion. A project we strongly believe in, as we cannot aim for a secure world for the  Jewish people without strong relationships with other faiths. We are dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders, to create a more compassionate and understanding world.

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We are meeting with High Commissioners and with the Commonwealth Secretariat in London to ensure that the voices of these communities are heard at the highest levels.

Recently, I watched a video of a Shabbat service at a synagogue in Nigeria, more than 4,000 miles away from my own. The building looked different. The people did not look like me. And yet the Judaism was instantly familiar. The melodies, the words, the centrality of community. These are the elements that have bound us together for thousands of years. They transcend geography, politics and physical distance.

I have only been working at CJC for four months, but already it is clear what makes our Commonwealth Jewish family so special. Whether the challenge is antisemitism or access to prayer books, our communities come together as one, focusing on what connects us, while celebrating what makes us distinct.

In a world that often feels as though it is imploding, it is a privilege to work in a part of the Jewish world that is growing and thriving. It is entirely understandable that combatting hatred so often dominates our communal focus. But that is only part of the story.

The other part includes a new Jewish summer camp established in Nigeria. It includes a chanukiah lit on the steps of a government building in Bermuda. It includes our work ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua. These moments matter. They remind us that Jewish life is not only about survival, but about confidence, visibility and pride.

At the Commonwealth Jewish Council, we are proud to stand at the heart of a movement that believes in the power of global Jewish connection, not as an abstract ideal, but as a lived reality.

Because when we invest in the full breadth of our Commonwealth Jewish family, we are not just preserving Jewish life, we are actively shaping a stronger, more connected Jewish future.

Arieh Miller is the Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Jewish Council (CJC)