East Finchley’s The Archer captures a sense of the wonderful day at the Ismaili Community Symposium shared with neighbouring Faiths. This was also reflected in The Ismaili Bulletin included below.

Prime Minister Theresa May spoke at a reception in Downing Street on antisemitism and misogyny.

Read the speech on Gov.uk website

“… Freedom of thought and freedom of speech have never meant freedom to abuse and freedom to threaten.
Antisemitism and misogyny have no place in this country.
Hatred can be defeated…”

Interfaith Week, The national event promoting of multiculturalism and diversity in Britain, was welcomed in the London Borough of Barnet last week by the Barnet Multi Faith Forum (BMFF).

Two special events highlighted the diverse range of faith-based organisations in the Borough. A fair at Middlesex University during the day brought together over 25 different faith-based bodies, including Churches Together, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) and the Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN), to showcase their work and the impact of faith-based social action in the community. Other organisations including, Homeless Action Barnet Inclusion Barnet Health watch and Middlesex Fairtrade and were joined by the university’s Jewish and Islamic Societies.

In the evening, members of these organisations, other faith institutions and places of worship gathered in the Council Chamber at Barnet Town Hall to hear from a variety of presenters including Rene Cassin updating us on the iniquity of Human trafficking and Slavery, Trinity Church providing an emotional report on poverty and debt related issues in the borough and the Ismail Community showcasing their work with many other faiths in supporting food banks refugees and the homeless.   The evening began with a moment’s silence to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for their country during the two World Wars, along with all those brutally murdered whist at Sabbath prayers in Pittsburgh, those suffering from genocide in Myanmar and Syria, famine in Yemen persecution in Egypt and the shocking imprisonment and discrimination of Asia Bibi in Pakistan.

Trevor Alexander, Es Rosen and Deputy Mayor Cllr Caroline Stock

The event was coordinated by Co-Chairs of the BMFF, Esmond Rosen and Trevor Alexander. Alexander, recent winner of the Bridging Trust Award for Interfaith Volunteering at the JVN Heartbeat of the Community Awards,

Trevor said: “Interfaith Week is the perfect opportunity to introduce faith-based social action to new audiences, sign up new volunteers and motivate new supporters. It is a highlight of our year and we look forward to seeing what additional opportunities 2019 will bring for interfaith collaboration and partnerships. I’d like to thank all the organisations and individuals who turned out today to celebrate interfaith social action in Barnet and contributed to our interesting and informative evening event.”

For more information on the work of the BMFF email info@barnetmultifaithforum.org.

A multi-agency database recording information about rough sleepers and the wider street population in London (commissioned and funded by the Greater London Authority) has released data showing an alarming increase in street homelessness between 1st July and 30th September. 3,103 people were recorded as sleeping rough on the streets of London, a 17% increase on the same period in 2017 and 20% more than the period before.

This report can be accessed here, you can attend Barnet’s Housing and Homelessness & Rough Sleeping roadshow event here or comment on it here.

From our community in the London Borough of Barnet to your community in Squirrel Hill Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. We share your pain. Our hearts are filled with utter sadness and regret with what has happened to you while you were attacked in your place of worship. There was no justification, there was no sense to this, there was no mercy. We must collectively work together to address the horror and hatred we see growing in the hearts of a few. We no longer have an option to sit back and watch this poison spread. With all those who face discrimination in our world today, we stand together against every form of hatred that targets humanity today.

To those bereaving families we send the traditional Jewish blessing of wishing you “Long Life”

 Barnet Multi Faith Forum Executive 

Co Chairs 

Esmond Rosen 
Trevor Alexander