Author: Glen Berd

Defending Israel : Joshua Hoffman Jewish success isn't despite antisemitism. It's because of it. In other words, anti-Semites built the Jews they fear today. Joshua Hoffman Apr 12, 2025   You say we run the banks. You say we run Hollywood. You say we control the media. You say we have too much influence, too much power, too much pride. But you never ask why. So let me tell you.   We were banned from owning land, so we learned to make a living with our minds. While others built legacies on soil and serfdom, we built ours in scholarship and study. We became merchants, financiers, physicians, and philosophers — not because we craved gold, but because the ground was never ours to till.   We were denied entry into universities, so we opened our own schools and studied twice as hard. Our emphasis on education didn’t arise from privilege; it arose from exclusion. In the shtetls of Eastern Europe and the ghettos of Western Europe, the Torah was our textbook, and...

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Leading with Courage in Uncertain Times SPEAKING TO THE LEADERSHIP WITHIN EVERY MEMBER As we prepare for Pesach, we — today's and future leaders, organisers, and volunteers who hold our communities together — are reminded that the Exodus was not just a miracle; it was a call to action. In a world of rising instability, where political divisions deepen and economic pressures weigh heavily on those we serve, the story of leaving Egypt speaks directly to our sacred work. The Leadership of Moses & Miriam: A Blueprint for Today Pharaoh’s regime thrived on despair, convincing the Israelites that bondage was inevitable. Yet, when Moses stood before the burning bush, God’s message was clear: "You are not powerless. You are not alone." For us, in 2025, this means: When resources feel scarce (as they did with dwindling matzah in the desert), we innovate. When voices of hatred grow loud (as Pharaoh’s did), we amplify kindness. When the path forward seems blocked (like the Red Sea), we march forward...

What links actress Maureen Lipman, Little Italy in Manchester, Jewish children and WW2? The answer is St Annes on Sea and our neighbouring town of Lytham. Many children from Manchester’s ‘Little Italy’ were evacuated to this area not only to keep them safe from bombing but also anti-Italy sentiments that were sadly affecting their lives. There were many Jewish children sent here from Manchester and Liverpool too. Some recall the trauma of seeing bombing underway across the bay in Merseyside, but also how safe they felt here, as well as the children's parties and concerts held at The Ansdell Institute. In 1975, a BAFTA and Emmy-winning documentary on the topic - called The Evacuees - was filmed in St Annes and Lytham. It was created by Director/Producer Alan Parker, but the script was by Jack Rosenthal. Its impressive cast included his wife, Maureen Lipman. To get this shot along the seafront, Alan Parker recalls yelling “at the puzzled passers-by walking their dogs, screaming at them to...