Derek Taylor Archives

Derek Taylor

Members of the community in Ra’anana painted 230 empty chairs to represent the hostages in Gaza

November 20, 2023, 12:44 pm

OPINION: Civilians face greatest risk in war with an unconcerned enemy

What would Israel’s critics have done if 1,200 of their citizens had been slaughtered? Shrug their shoulders?, asks Jewish News historian Derek Taylor.

By Derek Taylor

Mourners gather around the five coffins of the Kotz family during their funeral in Gan Yavne.

October 27, 2023, 6:16 pm

OPINION: Faced with subhuman barbarism on our border, what would we do?

Suppose 260 people were killed in Glastonbury? The atrocity in Manchester killed 22 and we're still appalled by it, writes Jewish News historian Derek Taylor, who survived a V2 bomb in 1944.

By Derek Taylor

Ken Livingstone at Church House, Westminster, London, for his disciplinary hearing where he faced a charge of engaging in conduct that was grossly detrimental to the party following his controversial comments about Adolf Hitler.

September 22, 2023, 11:05 am

OPINION: Ken Livingstone – a controversial legacy examined

Historian Derek Taylor looks back on Ken Livingstone's chequered relations with the Jewish community as it's revealed the former London mayor is living with Alzheimer's.

By Derek Taylor

Sargent, John Singer; Sir Philip Sassoon; Wikipedia

September 12, 2023, 10:41 am

OPINION: The minyan of Jews involved in the British War Office since 1924

Historian Derek Taylor on 100 years of Jewish politicians working in key governmental defence roles, from Sir Phillip Sassoon to Grant Shapps.

By Derek Taylor

French riot police officers walk next to a vehicle upside down during the fifth day of protests following the death of Nahel, a 17-year-old teenager killed by a French police officer in Nanterre during a traffic stop, in Paris, France, July 2, 2023.
(photo credit: REUTERS/JUAN MEDINA)

July 10, 2023, 2:11 pm

OPINION: The latest Jewish cavalry

Bienvenue and welcome to the French Jews arriving en masse to the UK amidst vandalism, looting, riots and anti-semitism in their home country, writes historian Derek Taylor.

By Derek Taylor

Rabbi Slomo Koves walks across the parking area of the House of Fates Holocaust museum in Budapest, Hungary on Aug. 27, 2021. (Cnaan Liphshiz)

June 5, 2023, 3:48 pm

OPINION: Hungry for recognition in Hungary

A report by the Anti Defamation League reveals 30% of Hungarians believe Jews are too influential on business: Derek Taylor details the great contribution of Hungarian Jewry to the world

By Derek Taylor

King Charles III departs Westminster Abbey after his coronation ceremony

May 7, 2023, 2:31 pm

OPINION: High spirits and high security marked Charles’ crowning moment

Jewish News' historian Derek Taylor reflects on how every person who worked on plans for the King's coronation will be breathing an enormous sigh of relief after a triumphant occasion.

By Derek Taylor

April 17, 2023, 2:06 pm

OPINION: Whatever happened to the Hippocratic Oath?

A junior doctor's moral responsibility is to save lives not to strike and put patients at risk, writes historian Derek Taylor

By Derek Taylor

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick (right), holocaust survivor Sir Ben Helfgott and his grandson Reuben at Victoria Gardens in Westminster, London, celebrating the go-ahead being given to a Holocaust memorial. Picture date: Thursday July 29, 2021.

April 11, 2023, 7:08 pm

OPINION: Should the Westminster’s Holocaust Memorial wait for better economic times?

With so much debate for and against the £100million monument in Victoria Tower Gardens, is there an argument for putting the plans on hold, asks historian Derek Taylor?

By Derek Taylor

Jewish Sheriff of the City of London in 1835.
https://specialcollectionsuniversityofsouthampton.wordpress.com/2017/08/17/salomons-family-volumes/

March 16, 2023, 2:00 pm

OPINION: Sir David Salomons – the first Jewish mayor of London

On the 150th anniversary of the death of the man who dedicated his life to securing Jewish emancipation, Derek Taylor asks why his legacy is not more widely celebrated

By Derek Taylor

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by the RNLI, following a small boat incident in the Channel after 27 people died yesterday in the worst-recorded migrant tragedy in the Channel. Picture date: Thursday November 25, 2021.

March 12, 2023, 10:27 am

OPINION: Migrants have always cast their eyes to the UK

Jewish News' historian Derek Taylor looks back and asks what we might learn from the migration of European Jews over the centuries.

By Derek Taylor

March 3, 2023, 1:26 pm

OPINION: Justified criticism of Chasidic schools, but unnecessarily slanted

Author and historian Derek Taylor is concerned the Times' report "Scandal of unsafe schools where Jewish boys can barely read or write English" falls short of required standards.

By Derek Taylor

MPs discuss Defense of the Realm Act. Pic: https://www.jewsfww.uk/jewish-members-of-parliament-in-the-first-world-war

February 27, 2023, 12:50 pm

OPINION: A good job for Jews in Westminster

We are 0.3% of the population, but have 3% of the MPs, reflects historian Derek Taylor on the contribution of Jewish politicians to the country

By Derek Taylor

February 20, 2023, 11:53 am

OPINION: Diligent education as a level playing field

"Depriving hard working students of the best university education because of their background cannot be defended," argues Jewish News' historian Derek Taylor.

By Derek Taylor

32 Lincoln's Inn Fields houses the Department of Economics and the International Growth Centre at LSE; Wikipedia

January 31, 2023, 6:05 pm

London School of Errors should give us all a break

From 'Christmas break' to "Winter break', JN historian Derek Taylor asks the London School of Economics why it's reached the adaft decision to change academic term names

By Derek Taylor

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