Jewish community support for Marcus Rashford’s campaign
More than 40 rabbis from across the community and more than 100 individuals have written to Boris Johnson urging him to reinstate holiday food vouchers for schoolchildren living in poverty.
The letter, initiated by JCORE (Jewish Council for Racial Equality), expresses concern at the disproportionate impact of poverty on black and minority ethnic communities, where nearly twice as many children (46%) live in poverty as those in white communities (26%).
Rabbi David Mason, one of the signatories said “I and many in my community have admiration for Marcus Rashford’s campaign. My desire to support this campaign issues from Jewish values of Tzedakah and Chesed”.
Dr Edie Friedman, Executive Director of JCORE added “it is vitally important that we add a Jewish voice to this important campaign and we are delighted to see the support our letter has received.”
The letter also cites Jewish tradition as placing a high premium on affording people dignity. Destitution is seen as an abomination that no child or family should have to face.
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Dear Mr Johnson,
We write to ask you to give your immediate support to Marcus Rashford MBE’s request to reinstate the provision of school holiday food vouchers to the families of all children in receipt of free school meals.
The difficulties facing many in this country at a time of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions should not be compounded by anxiety that they simply cannot feed their families. We are particularly concerned about the disproportionate impact of child poverty on black and minority ethnic communities.
Jewish tradition places a high premium on affording people dignity and living a life free from poverty, which is seen as an abomination that no child/family should have to face.
We look forward to hearing that Her Majesty's Government will act swiftly to rectify this situation.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Edie Friedman, Executive Director, The Jewish Council for Racial Equality
Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen, Jackson Row, Manchester
Rabbi Deborah Blausten, Finchley Reform Synagogue.
Rabbi Dr Barbara Borts
Rabbi Cliff Cohen, Thanet & District Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Howard Cooper
Hadassah Davis
Rabbi Janet Darley
Rabbi Colin Eimer
Rabbi Warren Elf MBE, Southend and District Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Adam Frankenberg
Rabbi Helen Freeman, West London Synagogue
Rabbi Ariel J Friedlander
Rabbi Herschel Gluck OBE
Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, Chair, Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors
Rabbi Roberta Harris-Eckstein
Rabbi Michael Hilton
Cantor Zöe Jacobs, Finchley Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Margaret Jacobi
Rabbi Richard Jacobi, East London and Essex Liberal
Rabbi Neil Janes
Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris
Rabbi Dr Elliott Karstadt, Alyth
Rabbi Judith Levitt
Rabbi Josh Levy, Alyth
Rabbi Daniel Lichman, Makor Hayim
Rabbi Jonathan Magonet
Rabbi Monique Mayer
Rabbi Lea Mühlstein, Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Rene Pfertzel, Kingston Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild
Rabbi Marc Saperstein
Rabbi Irit Shillor, Harlow Jewish Community
Rabbi Mark L Solomon
Rabbi Celia Surget, Radlett Reform
Rabbi Jackie Tabick, convenor Reform Judaism Beit Din
Rabbi Roni Tabick
Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah, Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue
Rabbi Lee Wax
Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, New North London Synagogue
Rabbi Alexandra Wright, Liberal Jewish Synagogue
Rabbi Roderick Young
Rabbi Dr Andrea Zanardo, Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue
Judith Cravitz
Louise Freedman
Martin Golding
Rachel Hermer
Anya Metzer
David Plaut
Helena Pugh
Edward Rosen
Pat Rowe
Anthony Sefton
Professor Ken Singer
Gerrard
Shar Reich
Judy Woolfe
Raphael Salkie
Arlene Rose
Sara Nathan OBE
Ana Cláudia Menezes
Dr Agnes Kory
Geoff Rouse
Jack Kushner
John Lipetz
D Weinberg
Dr. Anthony Isaacs
Len Alden
Patsy Cunningham
FS Deere
Kathy Panama
Dylan Calder
Petroula Kambouri
Dr Vivienne Jackson
Braham Fredman
Dr Vivienne Jackson
Roberta Rosefield
Bruce Kent
Esther Saraga
Chris Mohr
Ze'ev Portner
Stephen Mendel
Linda Goldberg
David Goldberg
Mandy Carr
Karin Fernald
Ivan Wels
Prue Norton
Marsha Sanders
Ros Townsend
Gail Pearce
Catherine Davidson
Michael Ellman
Michael Kuhn
Carole Angier
Sara Emanuel
Janet Solomons
Ann Jungman
Milly Lewy
Miriam Lennard
Gaby Glassman
Mel Levy
Jean-Marc Barsam
Carolyn Emanuel
Bev Vincent
Simon Bernard Lynn
Maurice Emanuel
Maytal
Olivia Meyerowitz
Kenny Fryde
Stephen Rosefield
Naomi Wayne
Yvonne Singer
Tina Raphael
Miriam Emanuel
Deborah Koder
Andrew Hornung
Katherine Standring
Joy Onyejiako
Sorrel Kerbel
Samantha Cozens
Graham Ash
Stephen Rosefield
Louise London
Ruth Wacholder
Tanya Pein
Norman Pein
Ms Phil Kelvin
Sue Beenstock
Alison Rees
Sheila Freedman
Neil Taylor
Felicity Weisfeld
Edward Rosen
Natalie
Judith Jayson
Clare Cohen
Ralph Levinson
Peggy Sherwood MBE
Ruth Davies
Donald Franklin
Sue Berelowitz
Gillian Levy
Josie Mayers
Anton Neumann
Samantha Cozens
Sally Brown
Simon Phillips
Julia Bard
Pat Rowe
Julie Blane
Paul Barnett
Anna Isaacs
Selina Gellert
Nicole Gluckman