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