A landmark conference on antisemitism in the workplace will be held next week and attended by senior government ministers.
The summit, organised by Lord Mann, the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, will take place on Tuesday (October 27) in central London and is likely to be attended by senior government ministers from across government, including Angela Rayner, the communities secretary and Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary.
The conference comes in the aftermath Sir Keir Starmer’s summit on antisemitism in May, held in Downing Street.
Held in the shortly after the terror attack in Golders Green, the then-prime minister Starmer called for a whole-of-society approach to tackling antisemitism, taking aim at universities, charities and the arts to do more in the fight against anti-Jewish racism.
Speaking to the JC, Mann said his summit was “hugely important in moving forward the Downing Street summit particularly in areas like health, the arts and the workplace.
“We’re hoping that all established Jewish staff networks, across all employers will be represented” on the day. As well as highlighting the threats to British Jews and dangers of antisemitism in society, Samantha Bronheim, Mann’s special adviser and co-organiser of the conference, emphasised that the summit would also be aimed at “strengthening and celebrating Jewish life in Britain”. Sessions on the day include one on combatting antisemitism in the health sector, organised by the Jewish Medical Association, which aims to bring together Jewish medical professionals and stakeholders to discuss the progress of Lord Mann’s report into antisemitism in the NHS and any potential challenges or blockages to the implementation of his recommendations.
Mann’s report, said that British Jews are suffering in silence and subject to “routine ostracisation” in the NHS and shared an example of one NHS employee turning up and finding that bacon fat had been smeared on his locker.
He added that both patients and NHS staff are scared of speaking out about their experiences.
“People are suffering in silence more than vocally, and particularly when it’s impacted them and their family.
“People don’t want to be in the focal point, they don’t want to be the newspapers, they don’t want their names known, they don’t want their children’s names known, they don’t want the experiences talked about and attributed to them,” he told the JC in June.
Other sessions on the day set to include one on antisemitism in the arts that will examine how Jewish artists can be supported, platformed and championed across the sector.
There will also be sessions on Jewish staff networks and how to empower Jewish people in the workplace; on education; communal security and on football: involving Jewish supporter groups to discuss experiences and successes, share good practice and address any challenges or gaps, in working toward making the game safe and supportive for Jewish fans.
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