Small communities to come together for annual Shabbat and summit

Among the speakers will be two survivors - Yigal Chetrit and Nieve Higgins - of Kibbutz Be’eri, the hardest hit kibbutz on October 7. They will each share their firsthand experience of that horrific day and their work to rebuild their community.

Lord Katz, national chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, will give the summit’s opening address, and the keynote speech will be made by Dr Keith Kahn-Harris, senior research fellow at the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, on how Jewish communities can remain anchored to ordinary life during turbulent times.

Presentations will also be made from Israel Community in Europe (ICE) on fostering collaboration between Israelis in the UK and local Jewish communities, and a Q&A session featuring representatives from ICE, CST and others will also be held.

Board of Deputies' President Phil Rosenberg at Cardiff United Synagogue (Photo: Board of Deputies)[Missing Credit]

Organisers say attendees will be able to choose from a variety of breakout sessions on topics ranging from antisemitism in schools and sport, the history of Bath’s Jewish burial ground, to preparing for older age.

The summit will also feature its very own “shuk” (marketplace), where attendees can connect directly with leading Jewish organisations such as Jewish Women’s Aid, UJIA, Jewish Care, and AJEX.

In a separate event, JSCN is also hosting ONE Shabbat on September 5 and 6, a virtual “Shabbat for everyone”, JSCN CEO Ed Horwich said, regardless of whether you live in a Jewish community of thousands, dozens, or are flying solo.

ONE Shabbat is an annual event that brings over 100 smaller communities and homes across the British Isles together. This year’s ONE Shabbat will be centred around the wisdom of Parashat Ki Teitsei, and, like the summit, its theme is Empowering Memory and Building a Future, JSCN said.

"People love ONE Shabbat,” Horwich said. “When I ask them what it is they like, they say it makes them feel a real part of British Jewry. Communities can feel isolated as well as individuals, and it’s always so humbling to know that something we do at JSCN means so much to so many. Bringing people together, helping them feel included, is one of those key things. Something so simple can make a big difference."

For those interested in joining the summit on September 7, more information can be found at jscn.org.uk/summit/ or by clicking here

Registration for One Shabbat on September 5 and 6 can be done at jscn.org.uk/oneshabbat/ or by clicking here