Battle on to restart Auschwitz trips

Talks have begun to try to restart educational visits to Auschwitz for Scottish schools, under the auspices of the Holocaust Educational Trust.

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Teachers fight for right to Holy Day leave

Teachers have faced particular problems taking time off for the High Holy Days this year, according to their representative body.

Daniel Needlestone, chair of the Jewish Teachers Association, said the problems have been particularly bad because all the Jewish festivals fell on weekdays.

"Some people have faced major problems. It's very hard for teachers to take time off during term time and some schools say teachers are being unreasonable in asking," he said.

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Apology to George Galloway

Readers of an article published in the August 7 issue may have mistakenly thought that George Galloway, when speaking at an anti-war rally about his support for Hizbollah and its leader, had pointed to Hassan Nasrallah's statement that "the Jews invented the legend of the Nazi atrocities".

In fact, it was the National Union of Students which had pointed to these comments by Hassan Nasrallah when condemning Mr Galloway for this support of the Hizbollah leader.

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Union faces legal threat over boycott

Academics have come out in support of a new move to take the University and College Union to court unless it retracts a national conference resolution that has threatened a "back-door" boycott of Israel.

The anonymous litigants have called on the union, via solicitors Mishcon de Reya, to repay any union funds it may have spent on enacting the motion.

In May the UCU conference passed a resolution asking academics to consider the moral and political  implications of any links with Israeli institutions.

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Golden boy backs charity event

Britain's Olympic kayaking gold medallist Tim Brabants put himself up for hire at a Tri-for-Life combined charities' challenge, for which World Jewish Relief was a key beneficiary.

The mini-triathlon attracted 300 participants and 600 spectators to Dorney Lake, near Eton - a 2012 Olympic venue - for a test of swimming, cycling and running endurance.

Brabants also presented the winners with their medals, commenting: "It was refreshing to see so many charities working closely together for a common cause. I look forward to next year."

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Admissions-policy report to exonerate schools

Jewish schools are expected to be given a clean bill of health over admissions policies when a new national report is published next month.

The report, by Sir Philip Hunter, chief schools adjudicator, was compiled after a controversy over admissions to faith schools was sparked in April by schools secretary Ed Balls. Mr Balls claimed that Jewish state-maintained schools in Barnet and Greater Manchester were wrongly seeking contributions from prospective parents and asking questions about marital status that broke admissions codes.

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