The British Jews number about 320,000 only. It is one of the smallest minorities but it’s presence is very impressive in all walks of life from art and culture to business and philanthropy and many more. They are also very unique in looking after the needs of those who are less fortunate.
This second article from Mike Whine is not only very informative on how the Jewish community is fulfilling its own responsibility but it can inspire others to do similar for they kith and kin. If any other information or guidance is necessary Mr Whine can certainly be of enormous help. One such example is the Community Security Trust which has been able to help other minority religions on how to safe guard their temples and community centres. CST has an excellent system which is admired and supported by the British government and especially the police.
If any Asian community organisation is providing such ‘Care of Community Members’ Asian Voice would be delighted to publish the information. Please send your report with photographs by email to the editor CB Patel at [email protected]
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Religious law imposes on Jews the important obligation of tzedekah, performing deeds of justice, or helping others. This is viewed as a form of self-taxation rather than a voluntary charitable donation. Giving to charity, or helping others, is therefore acting justly and is regarded as equal to all the other commandments combined.
The prophet Hillel, who lived at the turn of the Common Era in ancient Jerusalem, was among the most influential in Jewish history. Ascribed to him are several sayings which summarise Jews’ attitudes to themselves and to others.
Two of the most notable are:
“What is hateful to thee, do not do unto thy fellow man: this is the whole Law; the rest is commentary”.
And:
“If I am not for myself, who is for me, and if I am only for myself, what am I, and if not now, when?”
Taking these maxims as guidance, Jews have therefore sought to help each other, and to treat others as they wish to be treated themselves. And because Jews were exiled from their homeland for two thousand years, they developed self-help mechanisms within the diaspora communities in which they lived to assist newcomers and those in unfortunate circumstances to better manage their lives.
In the UK, we have been developing such institutions for 350 years, since the modern Jewish community was established. Among the largest is Jewish Care which last year celebrated its 25th anniversary. The result of a merger between the Board of Guardians, originally founded in 1859, and the Jewish Blind Society, founded in 1819, it is now said to be the largest non-government social care agency in the country providing social workers, old age homes and day centres. From its establishment, Jewish Care set out to streamline the Community’s charitable organisations, of which there were hundreds, and reduce overlapping.
Like all other Jewish charities, Jewish Care relies not just on its professional staff, but also its volunteers, of whom there are said currently to be 3000.
The capacity to adapt to the Community’s changing demographic and economic circumstances characterises many Jewish bodies. Central to this review process has been the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, which specialises in researching the state of the contemporary Jewish communities in the UK, and elsewhere in Europe. Their work is policy-oriented and driven by the need to ensure that we are ahead of the game, constantly thinking about the Community’s needs and available resources. One year, JPR may research demographic changes in a particular suburb of London, to advise on new schools; in another it may be surveying antisemitism to guide policy formulation.
Another long established organisation is British ORT, the UK arm of World ORT, the largest Jewish education and training body in the world. Founded in 19th Century Russia, as the Association for the Promotion of Skilled Trades, it was established to teach agriculture or a trade to poor Jews living in the impoverished villages of western Russia. Now ORT runs vocational schools and trade colleges worldwide, including India, but especially in Israel. Its flexible approach, and constant syllabus revision in line with industrial and commercial trends, ensure that the education it offers is of the highest standard.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, ORT returned to Russia and the Baltic States, and now serves 27000 students in 58 schools and educational institutions every year. In Latin America it runs university courses and digital media centres in line with its commitment to look to the future.
Another Jewish maxim is tikkun ha’olam, or repairing the world which has come to mean social action and the pursuit of social justice. Organisations working in this field include World Jewish Relief, an international agency founded as the Central British Fund for German Jewry in 1933 to aid Jews fleeing Nazism. It responds to the needs of primarily, but not exclusively Jewish communities at risk or in crisis outside Britain and Israel. Its expertise and ability to react quickly is recognised widely, and as a consequence works closely with governments. It responded to the Nepal Earthquake Appeal two years ago, and channelled Jewish donations to that country very quickly.
Another much smaller agency working abroad is Tzedek, Jewish Action for Just World. This focusses on development and educational aid in some of the poorest countries in Africa and Asia, again including in India. It aims to provide direct support to small-scale, self-help, sustainable development projects regardless of race or religion. Again it relies on volunteers, some of whom may be gap year students whose lives and outlooks are enriched by working with and for others.
Via these and other bodies, the Jewish community fulfils its religious and social obligations while also encouraging entrepreneurship. Of course assimilation and other pressures inevitably mean that younger Jews are less inclined to support these communal efforts than were their parents, who may have come to Britain as refugees, lived through the War, or witnessed the re-birth of Israel, and who wanted to repay the notional debt they felt they owed. But through the concept of volunteerism, they also provide a much needed social arena which may be lacking elsewhere.
