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SHABBAT FOR ISRAEL 24-25 April 2026 Gather family and friends, share a meal, and stand in solidarity with thousands across the country and around the world, as we honour the land and people of Israel this Yom Ha’atzmaut.
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RECLAIMING OUR NARRATIVE: Why Yom Ha’atzmaut Matters More Than Ever This Year
Every Friday evening, as the sun dips below the horizon, the Jewish home undergoes a transformation, families gather around the table, with the warm glow of lit candles, the breaking of challah, and the recitation of Kiddush. Shabbat reminds us of who we are, where we have come from, and the legacy we are bound to pass on to the generations that follow. It is the ultimate expression of Jewish continuity. This year, as we approach Yom Ha’atzmaut – Israel’s Independence Day – that sense of continuity and connection requires more than quiet reflection. It calls for open, meaningful celebration.
Let us be candid about the reality we are facing. In the current climate across the United Kingdom, both Jewish identity and our fundamental attachment to the State of Israel are being tested like never before. They are increasingly challenged in public and, far too frequently, openly attacked. The quiet confidence we once held, the assumption that our right to self-expression and our bond with our homeland were understood and accepted, can no longer be taken for granted. We are learning in real time that the strength of a community cannot rely solely on what it defends in moments
of crisis. True resilience depends on what we actively build, nurture, and strengthen for the future. Our Jewish identity and our bond with Israel are not two separate entities; they are the twin pillars of our existence as a people. Israel is not merely a subject of geopolitical debate or the fleeting focus of daily headlines. It is our history, our inheritance, and our homeland. It is the geographic and spiritual compass woven intricately into our daily lives, our prayers, our festivals, and our collective memory. For millennia, our ancestors turned toward Jerusalem, carrying the land in Continued inside…