This week Jack Hecht and I hosted at the Shul a group of policemen from the Lancashire Constabulary including from the Major Investigation Unit (MIU).
The MUI deal with hostage cases including the recent terror Texas terror attack that was carried out by a Blackburn resident, where they were involved remotely in the negotiations. They also deal with murder investigations and sadly many cases of attempted suicide and self harm.
I discussed with them the Jewish perspective and sensitivities around death and fielded hypothetical questions on where there may be Jewish hostages or those suffering with mental health issues.
The overall point that we drew upon was the imperative in hostage situations of creating a human connection. When people feel disconnected and alienated from the people they encounter this is always a dangerous factor.
Although of course the Jewish demographics for Lancashire (as in excluding Manchester) are miniscule they were genuinely interested and fascinated to learn about Jewish people in any way that might inform their important work.
I took the opportunity to build a connection with Hamza Foy (inclusion, equality, diversity & Hate crime coordinator) and look forward to attending Preston Police head quarters to present on Judaism to a wider audience. I am also pleased to report I have also been invited by Chief Inspector Barton (covering Blackpool and Fylde) to speak to Police officers in Blackpool.
I also gave a basic philosophical overview of Judaism in the short time remaining explaining the Biblical concept of a dual covenant: To summarise:
The Torah does not start with the story of the Jewish people. It begins first with the story of creation. human failure that leads to murder (fratricide) and eventually ten generations later in -the days of Noah- with the complete moral disintegration of society in violence and perverseness- the very opposite of of the purpose of God’s creation. God brings the flood and wipes out civilisation, rebuilding with Noah his wife (Na’amah by the way not in the text itself!) and his family.
God makes a universal covenant with human beings which constitutes moral order and civilised behaviour known as the “7 Noachide Laws” or the “Noachide code”.
All human beings are bound by this moral code. At its heart is the concept that man is created in the image of God. God being infinite has no defined image. And so is born the concept coined by Rabbi Sacks OBM “the dignity of difference”, where we are challenged to see the image of God in “the other”.
In contrast to the Noachide covenant, there is the Abrahamic (eventually the Israelite/Jewish) covenant with God. This is about a particular relationship God chooses to have with a particular people. The relationship with the Jewish people through the Torah and Mitzvot connected to a particular piece of land. This does not place Jews God forbid as above other nations, ethnicities or peoples. On the contrary it tells me two things
1)the Jewish people have a special responsibility to fulfil for God and His creation.
2) In the words of Rabbi Sacks: the God of the Jews is the God of all Humanity. The region of Jews is not the religion of all humanity. they too have legitimate voices and modes of expression.
This theology means that embedded in Judaism is openness to voices and people who are unlike us.
I explained how in hostage situations and violent crime the perpetrators behaviour can be traced back to a much earlier change in mindset towards other human beings who are not like them.
As Jack and I were representing the community we thought to share below the feedback we received on the visit:
“Thank you so much for facilitating our visit today and the warm welcome we received. It was really useful for us, whilst we haven’t had many dealings with the Jewish community as negotiators, it is really important to me that my team have a wider awareness and understanding so that we can offer the best possible service and assistance. I found it fascinating and could have asked questions all day 
Thank you for sorting it for us and to Rabbi Danny for allowing us to ask the questions we had. I will be going on YouTube later to look up those videos of the Chief Rabbi.
….
It was lovely to meet you in person.
Rach Higson | Lancashire Constabulary
T/Detective Chief Inspector (100)
Force Major Investigation Unit
Preston Police Station “
Shabbat Shalom !
Very interesting