The Jewish Weekly 403 19 Feb 2026

STRONG COMMUNITIES, STRONGER ISRAEL

Why Supporting Israel’s Border Communities Matters Now

Israel’s borders are often described in purely geographical terms, but in reality, they are defined by people. They are living communities made up of families, young leaders and volunteers. Modern day pioneers who choose to build their lives, raise the next generation and sustain daily life in some of the country’s most difcult regions.

As JNF UK launches its 2026 Green Sunday campaign, the spotlight falls on these regions and the people who call them home.

JNF UK’s focus is on strengthening these communities through practical, people-centred projects that rebuild daily life, restore connection and empower the next generation to lead.

When the border communities are strong, Israel as a whole is stronger.

Rebuilding After October 7th

The urgency of supporting these communities has never been clearer. Following the devastating events of October 7th, 2023, and subsequent war, more than a quarter of a million Israelis living in the North and South were evacuated. In many border regions, the sudden absence of daily life and local leadership left the nation vulnerable.

Today, the recovery is still ongoing. In the North only about 75% of evacuated Israelis have returned. This prolonged disruption has weakened the everyday rhythms that hold communities together - schools, youth programmes, shared spaces and local initiatives that foster belonging. JNF UK is responding directly to this challenge, investing in projects that help communities recover.

The Ring of Resilience

This year’s campaign supports a network of projects across Israel’s border regions that restore stability, strengthen leadership and reinforce social fabric through long-term community building.

HOW JNF UK IS STRENTHENING ISRAEL’S BORDER COMMUNITIES ONE PROJECT AT A TIME...

GAZA BORDER REVIVING KIBBUTZ NAHAL OZ

Kibbutz Nahal Oz on the border with Gaza has endured repeated trauma over the past decade. After Operation Protective Edge in 2014, a missile strike killed five-year-old Daniel Tragerman, prompting many young families to leave. In response, a JNF UK-supported gap-year programme was established, bringing young Jewish adults to live and volunteer on the kibbutz - reintroducing energy, responsibility and daily life to a community at risk of fading.

Following October 7th, the programme was displaced, relocating north while Nahal Oz lay devastated and empty. In 2024, participants returned as essential workers, and by June 2025, full programme life had resumed.

Eli, a resident and former head of security at the kibbutz, describes walking through the silent streets until he suddenly heard laughter. A group of young programme participants were working, volunteering and spending time together in the heart of the kibbutz.

“When you have young adults, you have life,” he said. Their presence has become essential to Nahal Oz’s survival, restoring daily rhythms and reminding the community what it means to live, not just endure.”

EGYPT BORDER SUSTAINING COMMUNITY LIFE IN BE’ER MILKA

Founded just 20 years ago, Be’er Milka is a small agricultural moshav on Israel’s border with Egypt, home to around 50 families determined to build vibrant civilian life in a remote environment. Isolation and limited access to services place particular strain on young families there.

JNF UK recognised that for a border to be strong, its people must be supported. By investing in education, youth facilities, and shared community spaces, the organisation is helping to strengthen the social fabric of this growing community - creating the conditions for families to thrive, not just survive.

“Ongoing investment in our community has turned isolation into opportunity, it’s helped families like mine put down roots and build resilience together.”

Amit Savaya, Chairman of Be’er Milka

JORDAN BORDER GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS

The Arava, along Israel’s eastern border with Jordan, is one of the country’s most remote regions. In the 1960s, pioneers transformed barren desert into thriving agricultural communities, proving that determination could overcome even the harshest conditions.

Today, keeping these communities strong depends on people. As young adults left in search of opportunity, the region’s future became uncertain. Local visionary Ran Sadeh recognised that true resilience comes from investing in the next generation.

He founded Ruach Arava - the “Spirit of the Arava”, a programme that brings young adults to live, work and volunteer in the region, combining employment with leadership development and meaningful community involvement.

What began with 20 participants now engages more than 160 each year. Supported by JNF UK, Ruach Arava has become a powerful engine of renewal, strengthening communities and ensuring Israel’s eastern border remains vibrant, resilient and secure for the future.

“The spirit of the Arava is its people. If we invest in them, the future takes care of itself.” Ran Sadeh

LEBANON BORDER REBUILDING THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

For Israel’s northern border communities, prolonged evacuation has left public infrastructure neglected and social ties strained. In Dishon, an agricultural moshav in the upper Galilee, JNF UK is refurbishing the local community centre, transforming it into a safe, welcoming hub where residents of all ages can reconnect.

In remote communities, shared spaces like this are vital. The centre provides a place for informal education, cultural activities and simple human connection, the building blocks of resilience. As Meital, Head of the Dishon Community, explains,

“The community centre is the heart of our village, where young and old reconnect, heal and rebuild.”

This Green Sunday, the message is clear: Israel’s strength begins at its borders. By standing with the pioneering communities who live there, we help ensure a resilient and secure future for generations to come.

The future is bright in Israel

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MORE THAN LINES ON A MAP.

This Green Sunday, JNF UK is strengthening the border communities that shape Israel’s future.

Israel on high alert

Israel is on high alert for a possible escalation of strikes against Iran as the United States bolsters forces in the region.

Schools have been open today and Israelis continue daily routines at the time of going to press.

Israel, according to reports, has alerted IDF Home Front and emergency services as indirect nuclear agreement negotiations in Geneva stall.

Te US is ready for an aerial ofensive in Iran potentially in the coming days. But no decision has been made.

Iran has been given numerous warnings by US President Donald Trump to dismantle its nuclear program or face “other options.”

Trump’s spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters yesterday that “a little bit of progress” had been made but the sides were “still very far apart” on some issues.

“Te Iranians are expected to come back to

us with some more detail in the next couple of weeks, so the president will continue to watch how this plays out” she reportedly noted.

“Te president has been very clear with respect to Iran and any country around the world that diplomacy is always his frst option and Iran would be very wise to make a deal.”

USS Gerald Ford is joining USS Abraham

Lincoln, fuel tankers and fghter jets in the region.

Kan News has reported that Israel will be warned before a US strike on Iran.

Bicom noted that US ofcials in Geneva and Washington have been quoted in media outlets of being ‘extremely sceptical’ about an agreement being reached.

Israel’s Channel 12 quoted a US ofcial that Iran had until the end of March to agree to a package of “signifcant concessions” on its nuclear program and Trump was “very close” to giving orders for a “major strike”.

Reports have noted a strike would aim to eliminate Iranian political and military leaders to overthrow the government.

A limited air campaign would target nuclear and ballistic-missile facilities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held security consultations this week. He discussed Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and proxy groups with Trump at the White House last week.

Featured Properties For Sale

Olympics ‘heritage’ 1936 Berlin t-shirt condemned

BY DAVID SAFFER

Jewish organisations across Europe have condemned the International Olympic Committee for selling t-shirts at the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina commemorating the 1936 Berlin Games held under the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler.

Te IOC acknowledged ‘historical issues’ of ‘Nazi propaganda’ but cited the legacy of US sprinter Jesse Owens, whose four gold medals crushed Hitler’s ‘master race’ ideology.

A spokesman said: “Owens and others stunned the world with their athletic achievements.”

Te IOC’ defence of the controversial limited-edition t-shirt, based on artwork by Werner Würbel, is part of its Heritage Collection but has been dismissed in Jewish quarters.

Christine Schmidt, Wiener Holocaust Library, reportedly raged: “Te Nazis used the 1936 Olympics to showcase their oppressive regime, while preventing

almost all German-Jewish athletes from competing and concealing virulent antisemitic violence. Tis history cannot be separated from the imagery now being commercialised.”

“Te Olympics have been a staging ground for antisemitism for decades,”

Liora Rez, StopAntisemitism founder, reportedly added. “At the Munich Games in 1972, when terrorists butchered the Israeli Olympic team, the competition barely paused. Decades later the IOC refused to properly commemorate the massacre. Tis year, the Jew-hate is ofcial… Shame on the IOC for this latest outrage.”

In the UK, Jonathan Metliss, Action Against Discrimination, said: “Tese replica T-shirts are totally insensitive and the IOC is quite rightly sufering an appropriate backlash. Te 1936 Games allowed Hitler to promote his ideal of racial supremacy and antisemitism, and to glorify Nazi Germany on the world stage. Te Nazis prevented Jewish athletes from competing and openly referred to black athletes as non-human. To appease Hitler, Jewish American runners Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller sat out the 4x100 metre relay when Owens won his fourth gold medal.”

Metliss added: “Tis is another example of thoughtlessness towards Jewish people where antisemitism and Islamic terrorism have become rampant. Te t-shirts are out of stock and long may that continue. Te IOC has been described as

‘rotten to the core’ and is showing its true colours.”

A Campaign Against Antisemitism spokesperson observed: “Tese t-shirts display images which were used by the Nazi party to promote their ideology of Aryan supremacy which manifested in every aspect of society, including sport. Tis is the same ideology which reduced Jewish people to a sub-human category and through which they perpetrated their systematic extermination.”

Steve Winston, We Believe Alliance (formerly the National Jewish Assembly and We Believe In Israel), said: “It is profoundly disturbing that the IOC would market memorabilia from the 1936 Games. More troubling still, such items were so enthusiastically purchased they sold out. Given the subsequent murder of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics, the IOC should reject any attempt to sanitise or commercialise chapters of Olympic history bound up with antisemitism and mass violence, rather than launder them as heritage.”

Te United States Holocaust Memorial Museum documented Glickman’s recollections when he claimed US coaches were antisemitic and wanted to spare Hitler witnessing American Jews winning gold.

“Tere was antisemitism in Germany, I knew that and there was antisemitism in America,” he recollected.

“Te morning of the day we were

supposed to run in the trial heats, we were called into a meeting, the seven sprinters were, along with Dean Cromwell, the assistant track coach, and Lawson Robertson, the head track coach. Robertson announced to the seven of us that he had heard very strong rumours that the Germans were saving their best sprinters, hiding them, to upset the American team in the 400-meter relay.”

Glickman and Stoller were replaced by Owens and Ralph Metcalfe.

Glickman continued: “We were shocked. Sam was completely stunned. He didn’t say a word in the meeting. I was a brash 18-year-old kid and I said “Coach, you can’t hide world-class sprinters.” … Jesse spoke up and said “Coach, I’ve won my 3 gold medals. I’m tired. I’ve had it. Let Marty and Sam run, they deserve it.” Cromwell pointed his fnger at him and said “You’ll do as you’re told.” … Jesse was quiet after that… Watching the fnal the following day, I see Metcalfe passing runners down the back stretch, he ran the second leg, and (I thought) that should be me out there.”

Glickman did not get over the disappointment before his death in 2001.

After attending a celebration of Owens achievements in Berlin in 1994, he reportedly wrote in Te Times: “Visualising and reliving those moments caused the eruption which had been gnawing at me for so long and which I thought I had expunged years ago.”

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CAA blasts High Court ruling against Palestine Action

BY ADAM MOSES

Jewish groups have condemned a High Court ruling that the proscription of Palestine Action is unlawful and disproportionate.

Te group was proscribed in July 2025 after a number of cases of violence and vandalism including targeting a Royal Air Force plane at RAF Brize Norton that caused over £7 million damage.

Dame Victoria Sharp said only a “very small number” of Palestine Action’s activities were acts of terrorism within the defnition of section 1 of the 2000 Act.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the ruling was “disappointing” and will appeal the decision.

Sharp has agreed to hear from both sides whilst the appeal process is in place before issuing an order to remove the proscription.

“I have the deepest respect for our judiciary,” said Mahmood. “Home secretaries must however retain the ability to take action to protect our national security and keep the public safe.”

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp welcomed the government’s intention to appeal the ruling.

“Tere can be no hesitation when public safety and national security are at stake,” he noted.

Whilst the group remains proscribed the Metropolitan Police announced they

will stop arresting protesters holding signs backing Palestine Action.

A reported 2,700 people have been arrested since the ban in July.

Campaign Against Antisemitism labelled the criminal justice system “not ft for purpose”.

“It is appalling that a court would be prepared to decriminalise an organisation whose sole purpose is to engage in criminal activity,” said a spokesman. “It demonstrates that law and order has not only broken down in this country, but that the criminal justice system is not ft for purpose.

“Law-abiding people have police knocking on their doors while our system of justice seems incapable of holding people accountable so long as the crime is committed ‘for Palestine’, even a sledgehammer wielding thug accused of breaking a police ofcer’s spine.

“For the Jewish community, which has borne the brunt of much of Palestine Action’s criminality, this is another sign that the legal system is simply not on their side and has neither the ability nor, it increasingly seems, the willingness, to protect them.

“We had always preferred for the Government to introduce legislation to proscribe Palestine Action as a criminal enterprise, given its sole purpose is to engage in criminal activity. It must now take action to ensure that, one way or another,

Palestine Action remains banned. Tis is one of the only steps that the Government has taken to address the highest levels of antisemitism in living memory. If it fails on this, there is practically nothing else left to show.”

Steve Winston of the We Believe Alliance (formerly National Jewish Assembly and We Believe In Israel), noted: “Te High Court’s ruling may be a legal determination, but it does not confer legitimacy on campaigns of intimidation, criminality and violence. Such actions are not protest; they are coercive by nature, and coercion is a defning feature of terrorism. A democracy that blurs these lines undermines its own authority. Ultimately, whether this ban stands or not, we hope that going forward anyone engaged in such extremist and often criminal activity will be robustly held accountable with the full force of the law.”

Jonathan Metliss, Action Against Discrimination, described the High Court decision as “scandalous” for the Jewish community.

“Te expression that ‘the law is an ass’ comes to mind,” he raged. “It has been widely acknowledged by the legal world that this is a legal mess. Tis is yet another example of anti-Israel sentiment by the highest authorities and bodies in the UK which acts as a catalyst for more antisemitic behaviour. Palestine Action has criminal intent at its core and is a threat

to British Jews. Its actions are taken to deliberately intimidate the general public and businesses whilst having a serious impact on the security and of the Jewish community.”

Metliss added: “Tis decision is an embarrassment for the government and former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper who took the proper decision to proscribe the violent group as a terrorist organisation in the UK. Fortunately, Palestine Action is outlawed by statute and support for the organisation remains a criminal ofence. Te Human Rights Act has done the Jewish community no favours. Te Government will take the case to the Court of Appeal. Let us hope that common sense and justice prevails and this iniquitous decision is overturned.”

Since the start of 2024, the Palestine Action’s methods became aggressive with a willingness to use violence targeting government buildings, fnancial frms, Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit, museums, universities and Jewish institutions, business and charities.

Te group has an ‘Underground Manual’ that encourages the creation of cells and ofers tactics against targets.

1 HOUR AFTER SHABBAT

CST publish briefing on Manchester terror plot

BY ADAM MOSES

CST has published a Research Briefng into the failed Islamic State inspired mass suicide terror plot on Manchester’s Jewish community in the summer of 2024.

ISIS extremists Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein were sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum terms of 37 and 26 years respectively at Preston Crown Court last Friday.

Walid’s brother Bilel Saadaoui was sentenced to six years’ for not informing authorities about the plot.

‘Te jihadist plot to murder Manchester’s Jews’ details plans behind what would have been one of the worst terrorist atrocities in British history had it not been foiled by counter-terrorism policing.

Te report draws on court proceedings and ofcial material illustrating the terrorists’ plans to kill hundreds of people in Manchester’s Jewish community, their hateful ideology, the courage of undercover police and wider implications for the Jewish security and counter terrorism.

“Tis report is an important contribution to understanding the persistent threat of anti-Jewish terrorism in the UK and the measures that need to be taken to protect the Jewish community and wider society from this growing danger,” noted CST.

Jewish organisations welcomed the jail

sentences for Saadaoui, 38 of Wigan, and Hussein, 52 of no fxed abode.

Judge Mark Wall told the court the defendants were “very close” to carrying out the attack and commended the bravery of undercover operative Farouk.

Campaign Against Antisemitism called for a “robust response” to antisemitic criminality.

“Tese terrorists found it alarmingly easy to stock their armoury with assault rifes and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and our country came within a hair’s breadth of its own Bondi Beach mass shooting of Jews,” said a spokesman. “Terrorists like these need only to be lucky once; our police and security services do not have that luxury.”

CAA added: “As murderous Islamist extremism spreads within our society, appeasement will only reap lethal results, as the Yom Kippur terrorist attack in Manchester and this foiled plot remind us. We need to be seeing a similarly robust response to antisemitic criminality however it manifests.”

Jonathan Metliss, Action Against Discrimination, said: “Te sentence comes after a large number of high profle cases where either no charges were pressed by the Crown Prosecution Service or prosecutions failed including various assaults on orthodox Jews in Stamford Hill, the use of the words ‘Jihad’ and ‘Intifada’ at anti-Israel protests, a Kneecap member raising a Hezbollah fag and Bob Vylan’s ‘Death to the IDF’ chant at Glastonbury last year. Hopefully, these latest prosecutions and sentences will serve as a precedent for addressing, prosecuting and eradicating Islamic and Muslim inspired acts of terrorism and antisemitism in this country and elsewhere.”

Metliss added: “As demonstrated by this case and the attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, the threat of Islamic terrorism remains strong and the UK Jewish community must remain vigilant as must the government, police and relevant authorities. Te CPS must also step up because it has signifcantly

WE WANT TO PUT YOUR LIFE IN THEIR HANDS

It’s a scary thought, isn’t it? Putting your life in the hands of a teenager. But, you know what’s more scary? You, a family member or someone in the community, having a cardiac arrest and no-one knowing what to do.

Which is why, at Hatzola Northwest, we’re launching our Hatzola Heart Starters initiative. We want to give Year 8 students the practical ability to save someone in cardiac arrest. They will, literally, get hands-on training in effectively giving CPR and using a defibrillator, delivered by our team of experienced paramedics and Hatzola Responders.

Why are we doing this? Because we know that ‘bystander CPR’ doubles the chances of survival of someone in cardiac arrest. And every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces those chances by up to 10%.

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failed to so in the past. Constant criticism of Israel and its activities from whatever source acts as a catalyst for antisemitism and should be resisted accordingly.”

Steve Winston, We Believe Alliance (formerly National Jewish Assembly and We Believe In Israel), commented: “Te foiled plot was not an isolated act but the predictable outcome of an Islamist ideology rooted in antisemitic hatred and violence. Such extremism stands in direct opposition to Britain’s democratic values and the rule of law, embedding antisemitism into our public space in ways that endanger Jewish communities and corrode the fabric of society as a whole. We are profoundly grateful to Greater Manchester Police and Counter Terrorism Policing for disrupting this hateful plot and preventing a catastrophic atrocity.”

Te trial began days after the fatal Yom Kippur attack at Heaton Park Synagogue, Manchester and would have been deadlier than the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney. Te jury heard that (Walid) Saadaoui had given a will to his brother and would ‘martyr himself’.

Saadaoui, who joined a Facebook group of the Manchester Jewish Representative Council that detailed a March Against Antisemitism on 21 January 2024, was arrested in Bolton when he went to collect frearms; Hussein and Saadaoui’s brother, Bilel, 36, were apprehended at another location.

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The Silent Crisis: Why Eating Disorders Are Rising

BY NAOMI LERER

Once upon a time, eating disorders were a cautionary tale, a side issue or a storyline from a TV series of rich American teens. Whilst this never truly refected reality, between 1990 and 2000 around 0.2% of adolescent girls sufered from an eating disorder, now there is no denying that eating disorders are far more common and closer to home. Current data suggests that around one in fve adolescent girls in the UK experience some form of eating disorder or disordered eating, with rates approximately four times higher than among boys of the same age. Taking into account the steady rise in these fgures over recent years, eating-related difculties is one of the fastest-growing mental health challenges facing teenage girls today. It isn’t hard to understand why rates for issues around eating have skyrocketed in last 20 years. Te pressures on girls to appear perfect have never been greater or started younger. Social media is easy to blame with unrealistic pictures of ‘perfect bodies’ a constant presence, unhealthy advice from questionable sources pushed on algorithms and the pressure for girls to post and share pictures constantly of themselves for others to comment and like to stay relevant. Most teenagers look at more pictures of themselves in a day (enhanced or otherwise) than their

parents did in a decade of childhood. Add in increased academic pressure and an increasingly turbulent world which feels out of control, and it is little wonder that eating disorders are becoming the not so silent health crisis we are facing today. While these statistics are jarring, for the Jewish community, the reality is even more pressing. In addition to the broader global pressures outlined above, the unique pressures of communal life, coupled with the high value placed on food and appearance in social settings, means, far from being immune, our community sees prevalence rates that are at least as high, and often slightly higher, than the wider population.

While many of us think we know what an eating disorder looks like, and are familiar with the terms, anorexia or bulimia, far less understood is a signifcant grey area known as disordered eating. Te truth is that disordered eating, so often underestimated, is frequently a precursor to clinically diagnosable eating disorders, particularly when left untreated.

Disordered eating includes behaviours such as chronic yoyo dieting, compulsive overeating, or restrictive eating patterns that don’t yet meet a clinical diagnosis but severely impact a person’s relationship with their body. Te difculty lies in the “blur.” Which of us can’t remember trying a fad diet as a teenager, making it easy for parents to dismiss early warning signs as a “passing phase” or typical teenage angst. Even when a parent suspects something is wrong, there is a natural

temptation to ignore or diminish the behaviour. Te fear is often that “giving it attention” will somehow validate or escalate the problem.

However, professional experience tells a diferent story. A period of restricted calorie intake can actually biologically alter the brain, creating a “starvation mindset” that makes it increasingly difcult for a girl to break the cycle on her own.

As Lubna Dar, our Joint Head of the Eating Disorder Programme at Noa, often explains, “Disordered eating is frequently dismissed as a phase. But without intervention it can rapidly develop into an eating disorder, which carries signifcant physical and psychological risks”. However, there is much room for optimism. Our data and clinical experience show again and again that earlier support improves recovery outcomes and reduces the likelihood of more traumatic treatment later on. One of the greatest hurdles families face is the “threshold” of statutory services. Frequently, girls with disordered eating do not meet the strict criteria for CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). Tey are essentially told they aren’t “sick enough” to get help, forced to wait until their condition worsens before support becomes available.

At Noa Girls, we have stepped in to fll this vital gap. With support from a grant from Te Prudence Trust, Noa has launched a specialist service specifcally designed to tackle disordered eating before it becomes entrenched. Te primary

focus is to build a healthier relationship around food and body image to create systematic and sustainable change.

Whilst the Eating Disorder Programme provides a holistic programme where girls can access a multidisciplinary range of support, including dietetic and nutritional guidance, specialist keyworkers, mentoring, and therapeutic intervention, the disordered eating service allows for more limited and discrete support. Girls, and their families, can choose to exclusively access dietician or nutritionist support only, independent of other support. Tis discrete targeted support may be enough to stop the progression of unhealthy and dangerous patterns around food developing into a far more dangerous and intractable condition. We can also provide specifc psychoeducation or parental support ofering guidance, emotional support, and, where appropriate, family therapy.

We see this as a pivotal moment for the community. With the application of resources to tackle disordered eating at its earliest stages we can maximise the efect of our support, empowering our girls and young women towards sustainable recovery.

To learn more about the full Eating Disorder Programme or to seek support, please visit the Noa Girls website at www. noagirls.com. For referral to nutrition support and our disordered eating programme contact us at nutrition@noagirls. com

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Asserson Strengthens Manchester team with Real Estate Finance Specialist

International law frm Asserson has bolstered its Manchester team with the appointment of Michael Francos-Downs to its real estate fnance practice.

Michael acts for borrowers, banks, institutional and private lenders and development fnance funders on complex and high-value secured fnance transactions across diverse asset classes.

Tese include landed estates, healthcare properties, industrial and logistics sites, buy-to-let portfolios, large-scale residential developments and multi-let retail buildings.

He has joined Asserson as a legal director from Brabners, where he was a senior associate.

together with the impressive new hires the frm continues to attract, really stands out.

“I look forward to using my experience to support the growth of the real estate fnance practice and to strengthen Asserson’s presence in the market.”

Michael said: “I’m delighted to be joining Asserson at a time of real momentum for the frm.

“Te calibre of our existing talent,

Michael Clavell-Bate, partner and head of Asserson’s Manchester ofce, said: “Michael’s arrival further strengthens our real estate fnance team, where he will work on commercial projects in the north west and across the UK, as well as supporting colleagues based internationally.

“His appointment is another milestone in our continued growth in the region, and we look forward to further expansion in 2026 across all our practices, including disputes, corporate and commercial and real estate.”

Asserson’s Manchester team is based in Arkwright Buildings in the city centre and supports a regional, national and international client base, practising English law.

jLiving announces partnership with Paperweight to support tenants

Te UK’s leading Jewish housing association, jLiving, is proud to announce a new partnership with Paperweight, the dedicated Jewish Community Advice Centre.

jLiving is one of the largest housing associations in the UK working serving the Jewish community, with more than 500 properties of varying sizes across multiple locations. Operating across four London boroughs, Hertfordshire, East Sussex and Tanet in Kent, the Association owns and manages 17 sheltered housing blocks across 15 sites, a kosher hall of residence for up to 25 students in London and a number of general needs properties. In March 2023, jLiving merged with Brighton and Hove Jewish Housing Association (B&HJHA).

Paperweight provides free, confdential and compassionate one-to-one support to individuals facing life’s challenges. Te charity helps people retain dignity and independence through practical, handson guidance when it is needed most.

Its experienced team supports clients with a wide range of issues, including fnance and debt, welfare and benefts, bereavement, family and civil law matters, eldercare, advocacy and navigating difcult circumstances alone.

Trough this partnership, Paperweight caseworkers will support jLiving tenants to regain control and stability. Each client

is matched with an experienced caseworker who provides ongoing support until their matter is resolved. Assistance may include completing forms, responding to ofcial correspondence, attending professional meetings and preparing documentation, with no time limit on support.

Since its launch in 2010, Paperweight has made a signifcant impact:

• Over 23,000 people helped since 2011 – nearly 10% of the UK Jewish population

• 2,700 clients helped in 2025 alone

• 45,000 hours of advice provided in 2024/5

• 6,400 helpline calls answered

Jane Goodman, CEO of jLiving, said:

“We are delighted to partner with Paperweight, whose wide-ranging support services will be invaluable for our tenants. Managing fnances, benefts or complex paperwork can often feel overwhelming. We are confdent that this collaboration will make a meaningful diference and we look forward to working closely with the Paperweight team.”

Bayla Perrin, CEO of Paperweight, said:

“We are very much looking forward to working with jLiving and its tenants to provide support, clarity, hope and stability during challenging times. Our focus is on helping people to regain dignity and independence and all our services are ofered free and in complete confdence.”

JNF UK Calls on Supporters to Help Rebuild Israel’s Border Communities This Green Sunday

A border without people is just a line on a map. Today, people living in Israel’s border communities are at a critical turning point.

Following 7th October 2023, hundreds of thousands of Israelis were forced to evacuate their homes along the Gaza and Lebanon borders. Only 75% of families have since returned. Prolonged disruption to daily life, the loss of key community members and the strain of uncertainty have left many border communities fragile - weakening resilience at a time when stability matters most.

JNF UK, believe that Israel’s borders are not merely geographical lines – they are the starting line of the nation itself. When these communities are strong, the heart of Israel is strong.

Tis Green Sunday, JNF UK is calling upon the UK Jewish community to help bring renewed strength and stability back to where Israel begins. Funds raised will support a “Ring of Resilience” - a network of people-centred projects across Israel’s border regions that restore daily life, strengthen communal bonds, and empower the next generation to put down roots and lead. Across the country, JNF UK is supporting practical, high-impact initiatives:

• In the South (Gaza Border): Gap-year

programmes in shattered communities such as Kibbutz Nahal Oz are bringing young pioneers to the region to volunteer, restore daily routines and help lead longterm rebuilding eforts.

• In the North (Lebanon Border): Essential infrastructure, including the Dishon community centre, is being refurbished to give families a renewed sense of belonging and confdence to return home.

• In the East (Jordan Border): Investment in leadership and education programmes is helping attract young families to the Arava – a remote, but strategically vital region, ensuring a sustainable future.

• In the West (Egypt Border): Communities such as Be’er Milka are being strengthened through education, youth and communal facilities that enable families to put down roots and build resilient civilian life.

Among the communities JNF UK is supporting is Kibbutz Nahal Oz, which has endured repeated trauma over the past decade. After Operation Protective Edge in 2014, a missile strike killed fveyear-old Daniel Tragerman, shattering the sense of safety on the kibbutz and prompting 17 young families to leave.

In response, a JNF UK-supported gap-year programme was established,

bringing young Jewish adults to live and volunteer on the kibbutz. Teir presence reintroduced energy, responsibility and the routines of everyday life to a community at risk of fading - restoring not just services, but spirit.

Following the attacks of October 7th, the programme was forced to relocate north as Nahal Oz lay devastated and empty. In 2024, participants returned as essential workers, and by June 2025, full programme life had resumed.

Eli, a resident and former head of security at the kibbutz, recalls walking through the silent streets before suddenly hearing laughter. A group of young programme participants were working, volunteering and spending time together in the heart of the kibbutz.

“When you have young adults, you have life,” he says.

Teir presence has become essential to Nahal Oz’s recovery - rebuilding connection, strengthening communal life and reminding the community what it means to live, not just endure.

In the north, prolonged evacuation has taken a toll on both infrastructure and social cohesion. In Dishon, JNF UK is refurbishing the local community centre, transforming it into a safe, welcoming hub where residents of all ages can reconnect.

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For families returning after months away, shared spaces like this are vital. Te centre provides a place for informal education, cultural activities and simple human connection, the building blocks of resilience. As Meital, Head of the Dishon Community, explains, “Te community centre is the heart of our village, where young and old reconnect, heal and rebuild.”

Tese are just two examples of projects that JNF UK is raising funds for this Green Sunday.

“Tese initiatives are about far more than bricks and mortar,” says Elan Gorji, CEO of JNF UK. “Tey are about people. With the generous support of our donors, we are rebuilding the social fabric of communities – restoring connection, purpose and leadership where daily life was shattered. Tese projects can truly make the diference between survival and renewal.”

As part of this initiative, JNF UK will be having a Telethon on 22nd February –directly calling supporters to ask for their help.

To learn more about JNF UK’s Green Sunday Appeal 2026 and to donate visit: www.jnf.co.uk/gs2026

Launch Event for the 15th International Jerusalem ‘Winner’ Marathon Held at Givat Ram Stadium

Te launch event for the 15th International Jerusalem “Winner” Marathon was held on Tuesday at the Givat Ram Stadium in Jerusalem. Te marathon will take place on Friday, March 27, 2026, and will feature various race categories for professional runners, amateurs, and families, alongside 5Km and 10Km races.

Te launch event marks the beginning of preparations for the marathon, which in recent years has become one of Israel’s largest social sporting events, continuing to highlight the connection between sport, community, and the Jerusalem spirit.

Te ofcial marathon shirt, unveiled at the launch event, was created by Jinga, an Israeli sportswear company specializing in performance apparel for running, cycling, and triathlon, combining technological innovation with professional design. Te shirt was specially designed for the International Jerusalem “Winner” Marathon runners and is available in

both women’s and men’s cuts for maximum comfort. Te shirt is made of lightweight, breathable technical fabric that wicks away sweat and ensures comfort even during prolonged exertion.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said at

Alongside thousands of participants from Israel and around the world, it ofers a community-driven sporting experience that highlights values of hope, perseverance, and the triumph of the Jerusalem spirit. I urge you all to come!”

the event: “Te International Jerusalem ‘Winner’ Marathon is considered one of the most beautiful and challenging sporting events in the world, featuring a unique route that passes through the cultural landmarks, landscapes, and historical sites of our capital, Jerusalem.

Meir Bardugo, CEO of the TOTO Winner Organization, said at the launch event: “Te International Jerusalem ‘Winner’ Marathon and Toto have been running together for 15th consecutive years. For the Toto, this is not just another sponsorship but a true partnership in a fagship international event that showcases the beautiful face of the State of Israel and its citizens in Israel and around the world, set against the breathtaking landscapes and historical sites of the city of Jerusalem. I invite the public not to miss this opportunity, register and come run with us.”

CEO of Azorim Ltd., Adi Dana, said at the event: “Jerusalem is a city built over generations, combining historical depth with renewed momentum. Te Jerusalem Marathon refects this spirit, thousands of participants from Israel and around the world come not only to run, but to experience the city through its streets, neighborhoods, and

urban landscape. For us, it is a privilege to be partners in the building and renewal of Jerusalem over the years and to accompany such a central event in the city. We wish the runners great success and enjoyment—both from the race itself and from the wonderful city that hosts it. ”

Further details and registration are available on the marathon’s ofcial website: https://jerusalem-marathon.com

Te International Jerusalem Winner Marathon is organized by the Jerusalem Municipality Sports Division in collaboration with the Jerusalem Development Authority, Ministry of Culture and Sports, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, and other partners. Sponsors include Toto Winner, the main sponsor, as well as Azorim Ltd., and more. Te marathon is produced by Electra Target.

Registered runners will enjoy a unique participant kit including an ofcial marathon shirt, bib number, timing chip, and a variety of additional benefts. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of Jerusalem’s longstanding sporting and community tradition.

Hatfield Jewish Community celebrates largest Jewish gathering

Hatfeld Jewish Community recently celebrated its biggest ever Jewish gathering, with around 100 people coming together for a special Shabbaton in Letchworth. Te milestone weekend marks another important step in the continued development of the community, highlighting both its growth and its strong sense of unity.

Led by Rabbi Adam and Rebbetzen Racheli Herszaft, the Shabbaton brought together four generations for a weekend of prayer, learning, games and socialising. Families, children, parents and grandparents shared meals and meaningful moments across Shabbat, creating an atmosphere of warmth and connection.

Jonny Ison, Community Partner for the United Synagogue, said: “Te community began with its frst information event in 2017 and this Shabbaton is an incredible refection of its growth and strength. Families, children and older members of the community all took part, bringing together four generations. It created opportunities to meet new people, reconnect with friends and strengthen relationships. Te weekend was flled with warmth, conversation and a strong sense of togetherness.”

Chair Sabrina Lee said: “It was fantastic to see around 100 attendees at the Hatfeld Shabbaton. Tis is a true refection of our rapidly expanding community. With Jewish people of varying generations coming together, sharing meals, conversation and meaningful moments, the atmosphere was flled with warmth and genuine connections. Te turnout and spirit of the Shabbaton showed just how vibrant, welcoming and united our community has become. It is exciting to witness the continued growth of the Hatfeld Jewish Community and I can’t wait to see our community continue to fourish.”

One participant refected on the impact of the weekend, sharing that Rebbetzen Racheli’s closing words, “hopefully everyone has something to take away from the weekend,” had stayed with them. Tey described taking part in Havdalah for the frst time and fnding themselves humming the tune in the days that followed, expressing

thanks for the company, the meals and the memories created over Shabbat. To fnd out more about the future of

Why Bold Innovation Is No Longer Optional for Jewish Continuity

BY RABBI NAFTALI SCHIFF, CEO, AISH UK

In the mid-1990s, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l posed the question that shook us all: “Will our grandchildren be Jewish?” Headlines warned that British Jewry was becoming an endangered species. Young Jews were slipping away – disconnected, uninspired, searching for meaning we were not ofering. Te future hung in the balance.

Aish emerged in that moment with bold innovation that changed the conversation. We reimagined what Jewish life could be. Fellowships that felt like friendships. Immersive travel experiences that made Judaism lived rather than lectured. Firestarter events that ignited campus life. High Holiday Q&As that made tradition accessible and relevant. We met young Jews where they were at – with warmth, authenticity and unapologetic pride.

We answered the question: what truly inspires young Jews to remain engaged

and connected?

Young Jews need to understand why. Tey need a compelling reason. Tey need both the intellectual “why” and the emotional “why”. Tat has always been Aish’s core mission: not to demand involvement, but to earn it, by providing a meaningful, persuasive, authentic reason to care.

But over time, we have learned something even more important: education is important but not monolithic. It is not fxed. It is not static. Education that once worked does not automatically work today. Educators who nostalgically cling to “what worked then” often end up sacrifcing the potential of the next generation on the altar of “the good old days”.

At Aish, we refuse to do that.

We are acutely aware that education must evolve, creatively, dynamically, boldly. Our young people demand that. And they deserve that. Bold innovation is not a luxury or a branding exercise.

It is the only viable path to ensure that every Jew is ofered a relevant, powerful, and authentic invitation into Judaism that speaks to their world, not yesterday’s.

Te alternative, simply doing what we have always done, is not merely unwise. It is actively dangerous. It risks alienating the very future we seek to inspire.

While our Jewish story is ancient, the freshness of our response at Aish is ever new.

Tree decades on, that same spirit of bold innovation is needed more than ever. Te challenges facing young Jews today are sharper, more complex and more emotionally charged than those of previous generations. Post–October 7th. Post–Manchester. Post–Bondi. Our young people are navigating fear, polarisation, antisemitism and identity pressure alongside the universal challenges of belonging, purpose and direction.

Tey are not asking for dogma. Tey

MEETING YOUNG JEWS WHERE THEY'RE AT, WITH

without arrogance, pride without isolation, and Judaism that strengthens identity, builds resilience and ofers meaning in the real world.

For over 30 years, Aish UK has led the way in bold Jewish innovation, lighting the spark that turns uncertainty into pride, confusion into connection, and apathy into meaningful Jewish life and support of Israel.

Today, across 21 secondary schools, 20 university campuses and a growing network of young professionals, we meet young people where they are at. We invite them into experiences that are engaging, warm and enduring. We encourage informed choices, provide safe spaces and ofer a genuine home away from home.

Bold innovation continues to defne our work. Over 400 post-A-level students experiencing Shabbat in Budapest mid-interrailing. Gold Track transforming campus engagement into life-changing experiences abroad. More than 120 young professionals gathering weekly – fnding friendship before Shabbat, community before commitment.

Tis past year alone, thanks to the partnership of our supporters, 6,227 young Jews were engaged in person

– including over a third of all Jewish university students in the UK. More than 5,600 Shabbat guests were hosted nationwide. Hundreds of programmes, immersive trips and experiences sparked lifelong connection. Students facing hatred were given strength, guidance and community.

We know that young people need the inspiration and confdence to explore what Judaism means to them today –and to carry that with them as they face the pressures of the wider world.

We are proud, deeply proud, to lead this work. Our young, dynamic and creative team of educators are inventing the new language, the new methods, the new platforms and the new experiences through which Judaism will be discovered, explored and loved.

Bold Innovation is our principle. Bold Innovation is our practice.

And now, through our “Bold Innovaishon” match-funded campaign, we are asking our community to stand with us. Te challenges facing young Jews today demand new ideas, new courage and renewed investment.

With your support, we can continue to meet young Jews where they are at – and help ensure that the answer to Rabbi Sacks’ question is a confdent, enduring and resounding yes.

Every day, we meet young Jews where they’re at, with Bold Innovation:

• IN EDUCATION - thousands of students engaged through immersive experiences, learning, trips and Shabbat meals that feel fresh and relevant.

• IN COMMUNITY - safe, inspiring spaces where young Jews can explore what Judaism means to them today.

• IN CONNECTION -turning isolation into belonging, doubt into confdence, and apathy into passionate engagement with Jewish life and Israel.

• AT SCALE - 6,227 young Jews engaged, 5,613 shabbat meals hosted, hundreds of programmes ofered, reaching over a third of UK Jewish

Tis is a crucial time. Te challenges facing young Jews are growing daily. And we must do more now.

Belgium, a self proclaimed champion of religious freedom

Following the events in Antwerp, Belgium, around Jewish religious rights, Shimon Cohen, Campaign Director of Shechita UK and Jewish religious rights advocate stated:

“Te Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister proclaims that Shechita and Milah are legal in Belgium only if conducted in the manner the state prescribes. Jewish religious life is deemed acceptable, provided it is reshaped and limited. In other words, it is not truly acceptable at all. Belgium is sovereign and entitled to legislate as it sees ft. But it cannot restrict central religious obligations while proclaiming itself as a champion of religious freedom.

Te hypocrisy is striking. Te Deputy Prime Minister deplores US interference in his country’s internal afairs yet appears content to interfere in matters of internal Jewish law. Before insisting on their religious freedom, Belgium would do well to recall the Bible’s advice, “it is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfl it”

Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European

Rabbis, regarding the issues said:

“Circumcision and kosher slaughter are not optional customs; they are core obligations, absolutely central to Jewish life. Eforts to restrict them in Belgium are not fair regulatory processes, but are direct attacks on Jewish religious rights. A country that cannot allow Jews the right to live fully Jewish lives is oppressing its Jewish citizens and violating its democratic principles.”

Why I’m Backing Bold InnovAISHon and Why You Should Too

BY SYLVIA ABRAHAM

I’m Sylvia Abraham, wife of the new Chair of AISH UK, Michael Abraham.

My husband and I have been wholeheartedly supporting this wonderful organisation for about 15 years. Our frst point of contact was a trip to Poland.

Both Michael and I grew up in Holland and had a secular Jewish upbringing. When our children began attending a Jewish primary school here in London, we set of on our religious journey together with them.

Yet it was the JRoots trip to Auschwitz, and an encounter with one of the Aish Educators that truly opened my eyes. As a Dutch Jew, I knew a fair amount about the war. My own family had been deeply afected, and I had read many books on the subject. However, the only perspective I had really encountered was that of secular Jews.

Te survivors that joined us to Poland to share their stories with us, were religious people - before, during and after the war. Teir accounts were as horrifying as any I had heard before, but what struck me most was how clearly they described faith as the force that sustained them and shaped their experience. I found this profoundly moving and deeply inspiring.

Tere and then, I realised the importance of giving my children not only

knowledge of their heritage, but a strong and confdent Jewish identity. I wanted them to develop a deep connection to Judaism and to know who they were before others would attempt to defne them.

Tat conviction has stayed with me ever since and feels even more poignant in these challenging times of rising antisemitism. I believe our greatest defence is to defne Judaism and Zionism on our own, positive terms, rooted in knowledge, pride and faith. Aish plays a vital role in helping young Jews build exactly that kind of self-understanding.

As a family, we have come a long way and are now active members of our community.

Our sons studied in the United States, where they connected with other Jewish students through a variety of outreach networks on campus. Our daughter hopes to study here in the UK, and I am confdent she will fnd in Aish a welcoming home wherever she chooses to go.

Especially today, it is essential that Jewish students have a safe haven - a place where they feel supported and understood and where they can simply feel at home. But Aish ofers far more than that. It focuses on giving our students real knowledge of Judaism, not simply a social experience. Tat knowledge empowers them. It stays with them long after they leave campus, providing a foundation upon which they can continue building - through Aish Young Professionals and throughout their lives.

Please help support Aish this weekend,

as they hold their Bold InnovAISHon match-funding campaign. To fnd out

more, and to donate, go to https://www. charityextra.com/aishuk

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Over 200 new apartments are currently being delivered to new Anglo families and Olim, joining more than 900 established families who already benefit from excellent education, rich community activities, and a warm, dynamic community.

We have recently completed the first phase of the central business area including the neighborhood’s main shopping center Rothschild Boulevard with 1,700 sqm of commercial space. An additional four buildings, offering hundreds of high-standard apartments, are also now on the market.

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Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis affixes Mezuzah on Hatzola HBS cabin

On Sunday 8 February, Te Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Patron of Hatzola HBS, fxed a Mezuzah to the Hatzola HBS cabin - a powerful symbol of pikuach nefesh and marking a major milestone for the community’s life-saving emergency response service.

Te cabin, which was kindly donated by Lucy and David Wernick, stores essential medical equipment will support Hatzola HBS in delivering rapid professional pre-hospital care across Hadley Wood, Barnet, Totteridge, Southgate and Cockfosters. Te volunteer-run service received CQC approval on 23 July 2025 and has already grown to more than 65 trained volunteers.

Te service is made up of male and female First Responders and Dispatchers, refecting the make-up of the local community. Te volunteers operate within a halachic framework advised by Rabbi Akiva Rosenblatt (formerly Rabbi of Hadley Wood Jewish Community and now Rabbi of Hampstead Synagogue), Rabbi Toby Weiniger, Rabbi of Hadley Wood Jewish Community together with other local rabbonim, Rabbi Lister of Barnet United Synagogue and Rabbi Shindler of Cockfosters & North Southgate Synagogue, under the guidance of Dayan Zobin at London Beth Din. Te two Hatzola HBS ambulances were fundraised for by the local community, and a team of highly trained Dispatcher and First Responder volunteers has been built up. Senior doctors and consultants are available to the team as needed to give on-the-ground advice on supporting patients in complex cases. Working alongside NHS hospitals and emergency services across North London, Hatzola HBS responders are equipped with AEDs, oxygen, ECG machines, trauma dressings and other specialist medical equipmentall made possible through the generosity of the community. By working to support London Ambulance Hatzola HBS is contributing to cohesion and inclusivity which is so important in the current climate.

Earlier on Sunday 8 February, the Chief Rabbi attended the morning minyan at Barnet United Synagogue followed by a visit to Cockfosters and Southgate Synagogue before arriving for the mezuzah-afxing ceremony.

Adam Greenblatt, Clinical Lead who trains local First Responder volunteers, demonstrated how the kit bags and defbrillators are used. A fully equipped Responder bag costs £2500 and a defbrillator costs £1,500. Many of the kit bags have been kindly donated in memory by members of the local community. Lauren Lesin-Davis, Dispatcher, gave a demonstration of the vital role the volunteer Dispatchers play as the frst point of contact to the patients and their families before the First Responders arrive on scene of a medical emergency. Lucy Lermer, gave a frsthand account of a day in the life of an emergency First Responser.

Hatzola HBS was founded by Jacky Epstein Founder and Relationship Manager whose vision was shaped by personal tragedy after two friends passed away nearly four years ago when an ambulance was unable to reach them in time.

hatzala and hatzlacha together – hatzala is saving and hatzlacha is success and the two go hand in hand. By establishing Hatzola HBS you’ve reached hatzlacha (success) with a frst-rate group of volunteers who are ready to save lives and

Jacky said, “Today, we are delighted to have Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis with us as our Patron and we are honoured that he has come to afx the Mezuzah for us. We are also so grateful to all of the Rabonim who have helped us to develop our halachic guidelines and we owe huge thanks to the generosity of Lucy and David Wernick for donating the Hatzola HBS cabin to store our vital life-saving supplies. We hope that this will serve as a model for the development of other Hatzola’s elsewhere in London and anglo-Jewry.

“We are so grateful for the support of the local community without whom we could not have got this service of the ground. It is thanks to their continued support and to all of our volunteer responders and dispatchers that we can to keep this life-saving service running seven days a week.

“We rely on the community’s support to help to fund this service and we also invite more volunteers to come forward to train as First Responders and Dispatchers. Our volunteers tell us that it is a privilege to serve the community in this way and to do this life-saving work is such an incredibly rewarding experience.”

Addressing the guests, Te Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said,

“It is a very moving experience and incredibly inspiring for me to be with the Hatzola HBS volunteers today. Tey are so motivated and have such a passion for helping other people and it’s not just a small amount of help – it’s genuinely saving lives. Tis is an enormous tribute to the participating communities and to the volunteers themselves – it is a kiddush Hashem and is Judaism in its fnest form, and our communities are privileged to be guided by the Rabbonim and Rebetzens of this area.”

“When we bench we say the words

assist those who need a refua shelema you are achieving that aspiration.”

Hatzola HBS provides free, professional pre-hospital care to communities running across the area of New/East/High/ Friern Barnet, Cockfosters, Hadley Wood,

Southgate and Totteridge.

Since the launch, the volunteer Dispatchers and First Responders have assisted a multitude of patients who have reached out to the service. Many have shared how well they felt were treated and are grateful to be assisted at a difcult time when they may have had to wait much longer for medical support and to be seen in hospital.

One member of the community, whose parent was supported by Hatzola HBS, said, “I can’t thank the team at Hatzola HBS enough. Tey were so professional, kind and caring to my mother and knew exactly what to do when we needed help. It is incredibly reassuring and comforting to know that our community is served by an organisation who can provide a rapid emergency response service.”

Working alongside the NHS and national emergency services, Hatzola HBS responds to all calls —Jewish and non-Jewish alike— 7AM-11PM, 7 days a week.

To donate, volunteer or for more information, visit HatzolaHBS.com or call 0203 325 6998.

To become part of the Hatzola HBS community follow us @HatzolaHBS on Instagram.

rabbi burman@bwkollel org

WHAT3WORDS/// Writen by AI?!

BY RABBI NAFTALI SCHIFF

When Adar enters, we increase in joy. But Jewish joy is not the shallow cheerfulness of a carefree world.

It is not naïveté. It is not escapism. It is not the denial of darkness.

Jewish joy is courage. Tere is no simcha like that of being bold!

It is the stubborn, defant, brave decision to believe that our story is not over; that Hashem is present even when hidden, that light can still be revealed and shared, and that we still have a role to play.

Tat is Adar. Tat is Purim.

Let’s talk about Miracles! Purim, uniquely, is the festival of the concealed miracle. No sea splits. No thunderous revelation. Te name of Hashem does not even appear explicitly in the Megillah. And yet, His Presence pulses beneath every verse.

It is the story of a young woman who steps forward at the most dangerous moment imaginable, not with fanfare, not with ego, but with breathtaking humility and mesirut nefesh, the greatest self sacrifce imaginable.

Esther’s courage was not loud. It was quiet. Hidden. Measured. And world-changing.

Mordechai’s words ring through the generations:

Who knows if it is for this very moment that you have come to royalty?

Every Jew, in some way, has that call, perhaps more than just once in life.

Tere are moments when history leans toward us. Moments when comfort is tempting. When passivity is easy. When the sidelines beckon.

And then that question comes: הכיא? Where are you? Will we step forward?

Will we play our part in our story, the greatest story ever told?

Or will we watch from a safe distance, not even worthy of being a footnote?

Esther teaches that courage does not contradict humility. In fact, true courage emerges from humility from knowing that it is not about me, but about something far greater.

Te Holocaust survivor Pearl Benisch shared with me a remarkable teaching from her mentor, the great Sarah Schenirer. She told her founding pupils that a Jew must have two pockets.

In one pocket, a note that reads:

Te dignity of a daughter of the King is inward, a constant reminder of modesty, restraint, humility. And in the other pocket the clarion call of

home!)

Why?

Because she knew that when the future of our People is on the line, bold and creative action is demanded. Te risk is

Tere are moments when it is time to act for Hashem when personal considerations must fall away, and we must stand up boldly for Am Yisrael. Purim epitomises those two pockets. Tat of humility and modesty, and yet… Esther understood that even Pesach itself could be suspended for a higher calling. Chazal tell us that she declared a three-day fast at precisely the time when the Jewish people should have been celebrating the Festival of Redemption. ( note- don’t try this at

worth taking. Sometimes, we need to break the script, grab the headlines, hold the torch aloft as a valiant Queen Esther and insist !

תורודל. Rarely but crucially a Jewish leader must know when Jewih life hangs in the balance, worldly caution is thrown to the wind and bitachon, trust in Hashem supersedes all. We act. We step forward. We innovate. But the results are always in His hands.

And Hashem gives us the privilege of

the efort, the hishtadlus we expend and as always, He writes the outcome. Tat is exactly the spirit of this moment. At Aish, we are speaking today of a Jewish world that demands Bold Innovation or as we’ve been calling it, with a wink, Bold Innovaishon.

Because Jewish education and the Jewish experience today demands it.

We are living in an age of unprecedented distraction, loneliness, confusion, and identity-erosion. Young Jews are being pulled in a thousand directions, online and of Te questions are sharper. Te noise is louder. Te pressures are real.

And this is precisely when Mordechai’s voice calls out again.

Do we hear? Do we care? Will we rise? Will we build? Will we step forward with courage and joy?

Aish exists because we refuse to stand on the sidelines.

We believe that every young Jew deserves access to depth, warmth, belonging, meaning and pride in being Jewish.

We believe that the future of Anglo Jewry will not be secured by retreat, but by boldness, infused with humility. And we believe that Adar joy is not frivolity. It is faith. It is trust. It is courage. It is the courage to say: the Jewish story continues, and I will play my part. So as we enter this season of Purim, let us hear Esther’s whisper beneath the Megillah’s roar.

Step forward.

As the Jews did at the beginning of our story. When asked to build; when asked to give; when asked to give generously, they did!

Because עדוי ימ who knows, what this, your moment, and ours, might yet become?

Shabbat Shalom

///What3Words is a geocoding system.

In this column, Rabbi Schif refects upon 3 key words each week, relating to issues of the day. All feedback is welcome. Nschif@ jfutures.org

Rabbi Schif is the Founder and CEO of the Family of Jewish Futures educational organisations

ASK THE RABBI

HITTING A ROUGH PATCH

Dear Rabbi

You have written quite a bit about marriage recently, so I am going to take a chance on asking you a personal question. My husband of fve years and I are going through a rough patch. Nothing dramatic, but there is tension and irritation and sometimes I feel as though we are not quite aligned. It worries me. Shouldn’t a good marriage feel better than this?

Helen

Dear Helen

I cannot speak to your specifc circumstances without knowing intricate details. And if you feel the situation is spiralling out of control then I would urge you to seek professional counselling.

Tat said, you used the deliberate term, “rough patch,” which implies some blips in the relationship, even as otherwise things were or are on an even keel. To address that more specifcally, it is worthwhile pointing out that “rough patches” in marriage are not a sign that something is wrong. Very often, they are a sign that something important is happening. Rough patches are an indication that two diametrically opposite people are working on trying to make themselves into one wholesome unit. Tat involves tweaking rough edges and sometimes confict – but always with an objective of resolving issues, seeking compromise, and above

all else, making out of the many, one. If there are no rough patches at all, that is actually more concerning. Because then you have to ask: are you truly merging your lives, or are you merely co-existing side by side, carefully avoiding friction by avoiding each other? Harmony achieved through keeping your emotional distance is a long-term recipe for disaster.

A common misconception is that marriage is the union of identical people. It’s not. It is the brave attempt of two very diferent individuals - with diferent temperaments, needs, sensitivities and instincts - to build one shared life. So, a rough patch means moving on to another level of closeness and eliminating another layer that might otherwise create distance between you. Te goal is not to suppress diferences. A healthy marriage doesn’t avoid tension. It negotiates the diferences, patiently, respectfully, and with the shared understanding that the objective is always the same: to turn two distinct lives into one deeper, more unifed whole.

BROWN BIN BONKERS?

Dear Rabbi Our council has introduced new brown bins for food waste. I now fnd myself standing in the kitchen at midnight, scraping pasta into a small biodegradable bag while questioning my life choices. Is separating my leftovers a religious obligation, or is this just modern madness

dressed up as virtue? Sandra

Dear Sandra Judaism has always taken a strong view against waste. Bal tashchit forbids needless destruction, and the idea that food should not be treated with contempt is older than the council leafet that arrived through your door. Our ancestors may have thrown away their leftover food, but mainly because they didn’t have ffteen bins and a colour-coded conscience.

Still, while environmental responsibility is noble, if your kitchen now smells like a small landfll and your family is afraid to open the cupboard under the sink, something has gone wrong.

When in doubt, check what your neighbour is doing and copy them discreetly.

Terumah: Religion in Partial Measures

BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN

Building a shelter to house the presence of Hashem on this earth was an extraordinary and demanding undertaking. Engineers, craftsmen, and artisans joined hands to erect a temporary Mishkan, shaping its structure from wood, metal, and fabric. Te achievement was all the more arresting because it unfolded in the heart of the desert, with scarce resources and no settled infrastructure, surrounded by wilderness rather than civilization. To build a home for the Shechinah under such conditions was a bold declaration of emunah.

It was a palace of beauty and a house of dignity, meant to convey the luster of the Shechinah. It was also highly distinctive. Each article of the Mishkan was crafted for a functional purpose, yet also designed to symbolize a diferent element of religious life and avodat Hashem. Tis symbolism was not merely general, embedded in the broad character of each component of the Mishkan. Even the fnest details—the materials, the placement, and the manner of construction—carried layered religious meaning. To walk into the Mishkan was to embark on a metaphorical journey, moving through the various layers of religious experience.

Tere was also great symbolism embedded in the measurements of each element of the Mishkan. Hashem created the world upon mathematical structure and logic. Te universe displays mathematical order and symmetry. Studying mathematics allows us to better understand the foundations of Hashem’s universe, and to apply that understanding toward improving the human condition. If mathematics serves as the underlying structure of the divinely created universe, we would expect the Mishkan to be fashioned according to precise mathematical principles and forms. Te mizbe’ach was a perfect square. Te shulchan, which held the weekly lechem hapanim, was a rectangle whose length was exactly twice its width. Te menorah was a study in symmetry, with three branches extending on either side of a central shaft. Each article of the Mishkan was carefully crafted, and its measurements refected deliberate mathematical balance and proportion.

MEASURED IMPERFECTION

Except for the most iconic element of the Mishkan.

Te Aron housed the Luchot, upon which the Aseret HaDibrot were inscribed. A Sefer Torah was also placed inside the Aron, or possibly positioned on a shelf attached to it. Tis Aron, which contained the word of Hashem, stood in the Kodesh HaKodashim, a space

entered only once a year on Yom Kippur by the Kohen Gadol. It was crowned with golden keruvim, directing attention heavenward and toward the presence of the Shechinah. For a religion that resists visual representation, this was the most visibly arresting feature. It did not depict Hashem, yet it unmistakably drew the eye. Among all the elements of the Mishkan, the Aron was by far the most symbolic.

And yet, its measurements are strikingly awkward and incomplete. Te Aron measured two and a half amot in length, one and a half amot in width, and one and a half amot in height. Tere is little symmetry, and all the dimensions are fractional rather than whole. Would it not have been more ftting for the most sacred object in the Mishkan to be measured in complete, rounded numbers? Why was the most iconic vessel of the Mishkan constructed with partial measures?

IMPERFECT RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

Te Aron symbolizes human beings implementing the will of Hashem and housing His word. Torah in Shamayim requires no ark. On earth, it does. Here, the Torah must be protected and sustained within human space. Te Aron therefore represents the efort to translate the will of Hashem into lived reality, to give it a home within the contours of earthly life. Tat efort is often imperfect. Human nature is fragile, and our avodat Hashem can falter. Living a commanded life does not mean that we always succeed. It means that we accept all of Hashem’s mitzvot, without selectively embracing those we prefer and discarding those we resist. It means striving, again and again, to fulfll His will, even when consistency proves difcult.

nor can we excuse half-hearted efort. But when we summon maximal commitment, even if we fall short of maximal achievement, we are still housing the word of Hashem—carrying it forward in a demanding world, and often under difcult conditions.

NO HASHKAFAH IS WHOLE

Tere is an additional layer of symbolism embedded in the fractional measurements of the Aron. Te Aron does not symbolize only our efort to implement the will of Hashem through obedience to mitzvot. It also represents the interface we construct between the eternal will of Hashem and the shifting world around us. It is the place where Torah meets reality, where timeless divine truth is carried into historical context.

Failure to fulfll every mitzvah, however, does not mean that we have failed at religion. It means that we must regroup, steady ourselves, and search for ways to improve. Many people who struggle repeatedly in particular areas of religious life accumulate guilt over time. Eventually, in order to escape that weight, they convince themselves that their failures have disqualifed them, that they no longer belong within a religious world. Te Aron teaches otherwise. Even when our practice is partial, we remain engaged in the work of implementing the will of Hashem. We must not aim for partiality,

How do we translate the will of Hashem to areas of life not governed directly by explicit halachah? How do we process cultural changes such as democracy and the rise of individualism, the spread of modern technology, or evolving social roles of women? How do we interpret historical upheavals such as the Holocaust and the emergence of Medinat Yisrael? How do we respond to a non-Jewish world that has, at times, moved toward rapprochement with our people—and how do we respond when antisemitism resurges? Tese questions do not belong to halachah but to hashkafah—the outlook and interpretive lens through which we understand our world. Tat outlook, too, is symbolized by the Aron. Just as it houses the word of Hashem within human space, it represents the framework through which we bring His will to bear upon a complex, changing, and often unsettled world.

Especially over the past 150 years, as the world has changed in so many ways and at such speed, diferent hashkafot have given rise to diferent Orthodox communities. In particular, the Ashkenazic world has segmented into multiple outlooks—Chassidic, Lithuanian/ Chareidi, Modern Orthodox, Religious Zionist, to name only a few—and many of

these contain further internal divisions. Communities have coalesced around sets of “answers” to modernity that underlie these various hashkafot. Today, it is not uncommon to be asked directly: What is your hashkafah? Tese contemporary issues did not exist two hundred years ago and will almost certainly look diferent two hundred years from now. Yet within the milieu we inhabit, these outlooks provide a lens through which we process the world. We inevitably absorb impressions and assumptions that shape our own personal Aron—our own religious outlook.

Here, too, we are reminded that every Aron, every hashkafah, is partial and imperfect. Life is too complex for simple or comprehensive formulas. Every outlook and every communal model carries strengths alongside limitations, by defnition. Perfection is not achieved by rigidly inhabiting a single label, nor by following a checklist derived from communal codes. It is approached by striving, individually and personally, to build as complete an avodat Hashem as possible, while remaining aware of the limits of any single framework.

Te hashkafc questions we face matter deeply, and they often generate passionate and legitimate debate. Te Aron reminds us that no single ark and no single outlook will ever be whole. We are attempting to apply the will of Hashem within a compressed and crowded world—one that is always fuid, always changing.

Te writer, a rabbi at Yeshivat Har Etzion, was ordained by Yeshiva University and holds an MA in English literature. His books include To Be Holy but Human: Refections Upon My Rebbe, HaRav Yehuda Amital. mtaraginbooks.com

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YISRAEL

What Took So Long? Wekly Dvar Torah FROM ERETZ

BY RABBI MENACHEM LEIBTAG

Tis week’s parasha – Terumah – discusses the Mishkan, a portable and more temporary structure that came before the Mikdash, a permanent sanctuary. Te Mishkan was only necessary for the time period of Bnei Yisrael’s stay in the desert and their conquest of the Land. Afterward, once stability was achieved, it would have been more ideal for Bnei

Yisrael to construct the permanent Mikdash.

Tis week’s haftara describes the actual construction of that permanent Mikdash, the Temple built by King Solomon. However, this only takes place some 480 years later (see 6:1). What took so long?

In Sefer Yehoshua (chapter 18), we are informed that after the frst wave of conquest, the Mishkan was set up in the city of Shilo. Chazal tell us that this Mishkan was a semi-permanent structure, as it had stone walls (instead of the “krashim”), but its roof remained the same as in the original Mishkan (see Rambam, Hilchot Beit HaBechira 1:1–4).

In Sefer Shoftim, it appears that the Mishkan in Shilo was quite neglected, for it is barely mentioned. At the beginning of Sefer Shmuel we fnd that Elkana and Chana visit Shilo quite often; however, the priests who

work there are corrupt (Shmuel I 2:11–17). Shilo is then destroyed. Te aron is taken captive by the Plishtim and then returned to Beit Shemesh. From there it moves to Kiryat Yearim and fnally (in the time of David) to Jerusalem. Even though the Mishkan moved from Shilo to Nov and later to Givon, the aron was never returned to the Mishkan until the frst Beit HaMikdash was built!

(Our conclusion that the Mishkan had been neglected throughout this entire time period can be supported from Divrei Hayamim I 13:1–5; note “ki lo drashnuha b’ymei Shaul.”)

David HaMelech is the frst leader who actually desires (i.e. he asks G-d) to build the permanent Mikdash (see Shmuel II 7:1–8:15). G-d tells him yes and no. Yes –the Mikdash will be built by a king from the House of David, but no – it will not be built in his own lifetime, for only his son can build it.

Even though David desired to build the Mikdash, neither the country nor the monarchy had reached the state of

stability necessary for the Beit HaMikdash to be built. Despite his conquests, David’s generation was one of war, both against its enemies and among itself. G-d told David that the Mikdash could only be built once a generation of peace was secured (see Divrei Hayamim I 22:5–19; read carefully!). Only in the time of Shlomo was this level of peace and security fnally achieved. Tus, G-d allowed him to build the Mikdash.

Te frst fve chapters of Sefer Melachim describe how Shlomo secured the kingdom and established a military and economic empire. Am Yisrael had reached an unprecedented level of prosperity, security and fame.

Rabbi Menachem Leibtag is an internationally acclaimed Tanach scholar and online Jewish education pioneer. He will be coming to the UK for the Mizrachi UK Weekend of Inspiration on Shabbat 1 May.

He is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers).

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Family Fun Terumah -

The Jewish people were now offered an opportunity to create a type of home for Hashem to rest His Shechina in!

Hashem teaches Moshe about all the materials that would be needed such as wood, gold, silver, copper, wool, dyed wool, fax, oils and spices. Everyone could contribute as much as they

wanted and who would not want to be part of so great a project?!

All the fne details were shown to Moshe, the three boxes for the Aron, the way to make the Menorah, the Shulchan and the outer Mizbeach. All this was to be covered by beautiful coverings made from a special animal, the Tachash.

Miracles would be seen constantly at the Mishkan, with the bread staying fresh all week being one such miracle.

The Mishkan was comprised of three sections, the Kodesh Kadashim that only the Kohen Gadol could enter, the Kodesh, and the Courtyard. It must have been a beautiful sight to see

and we dream of the day that we will see its successor - the Beit Hamikdash, built once again.

The Mishkan was like a home to Hashem, and each of our homes can also act as a place for Hashem to rest His Shechina.

Word Search Jewish Riddle

This

week’s

Question:

What bracha is said every 3 or 4 years?

Last week’s Answer: In hebrew, if you subtract 30 from 30 you get 60. How is this?

Answer: The numerical value of the letter lamed is 30. The Hebrew word for "thirty" is "shloshim," spelled "shin lamed shin yud mem."

So, if you take the letter lamed out of the word "shloshim" (which means thirty) you get the letters "shin shin yud mem," which spells "shishim," 60!

WELL DONE

Yossi Heimann (11), NW11 9SJ and Yaakov Perlmann (29), London

Email your name, age, where you live and the answer to offce@thejewishweekly.com! Next weeks paper will feature the answer and will mention one person who gave the correct answer!

Tangram Challenge!

Using all the shapes, can you make the shape on the right?

Word Wheel

The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel. Each word must contain at least three letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.

Last edition’s words

Here are some words you may have found from last week – you may have found more!

R D O E K V A E B

fend fens fern feud fnd fne fns fre frs foes fond ford fore four fund furs fuse info rife serf surf fends ferns feuds fend fnds fned fner fnes fred fres fords found fours fried fries frond funds fused infer serif unfed fends fnder fords fonder fondue founds friend funder fusion infers infuse refund surfed fnders founder friends funders infused infuser refunds founders foundries

Jokes

Q: Are any monsters good at maths?

A: No… unless you Count Dracula!

Q: Why is Peter Pan flying all the time?

A: He Neverlands!

Q: Where do polar bears keep their money?

A: In a snow bank!

Q: Why did Mickey Mouse become an astronaut?

A: So he could visit Pluto!

Riddles

1. How do you make the number one disappear?

2. A girl fell off of a 30-foot ladder, but she didn’t get hurt at all. How is this possible?

3. How many cats can you put in an empty box?

isn’t empty anymore.

After that, the

and then presto…it’s Gone!

SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES AT A CRITICAL TURNING POINT

GAZA BORDER: REBUILDING SHATTERED KIBBUTZIM

LEBANON BORDER: RESTORING COMMUNITY LIFE, ENABLING FAMILIES TO RETURN

Israel’s border regions play

a vital role in the country’s everyday life.

DID YOU KNOW?

More than 250,000 Israelis were evacuated from border regions in the North and South following 7th October 2023, disrupting schools, workplaces and local services.

The Negev is home to less than 15% of Israel’s population, despite covering around 60% of the country’s landmass.

Today, Israel’s population is over 9 million. By 2048 it is set to hit 15 million. Supporting the underdeveloped parts of Israel to enable communities to thrive there is essential.

Many border communities have populations under 1,000 residents, with limited local infrastructure, they are reliant on shared regional services.

Youth leadership and gap-year programmes in border regions engage thousands of young adults annually, helping sustain local workforce and grow community life.

The Upper Galilee in the North is one of Israel’s greenest areas, with forests, vineyards and farmland supported by higher rainfall and cooler temperatures, making it a key region for agriculture and rural tourism.

JNF UK funded gap year programmes bring hundreds of young adults to the Negev each year through its network of campuses, supporting education, leadership training and long-term community growth.

About JNF UK

For over a century, JNF has stood with the pioneers who built and sustained Israel’s communities, transforming desert into farmland, developing water infrastructure and supporting life on the country’s frontiers. Over the past two decades, JNF UK’s main focus has been to strengthen towns and villages in Israel’s periphery, investing in education, youth leadership, community facilities and long-term development. Today, that enduring commitment is more vital than ever as we stand with border communities rebuilding, renewing and securing Israel’s future.

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