The Jewish
Justice Centre
The Jewish
Justice Centre
Winning Justice
You may not have heard of us before, but you've probably heard of our work. This is some of what we've done, and how we've won - Jewish communities together with our local neighbours, churches, primary schools, secondary schools, student unions, universities, mosques, trade unions, migrant groups and tenants organisations.
Hosting the Somali Bravanese after their building was burned down - and organising around a criminal investigation and £1.1million for their rebuild
After the Somali Bravanese Welfare Association was burned down in a suspected arson attack with 'EDL' scrawled on a nearby wall, we organised to support the community and stand against hate. As part of a local alliance of communities, Barnet Citizens, Finchley Reform Synagogue opened every night for years to host Ramadan; Finchley United Synagogue hosted the community for Eid. Hendon School and Eden School hosted the community for emergency after school programmes, and Middlesex University Students Union hosted the end of year celebration. In addition, Barnet Citizens members came together to put on a public assembly to organise for a £1.1 million commitment for the rebuild from Barnet Council, ran a 'Don't Let Hate Win' campaign that asked councillors to secure terms and conditions that were not worse after the fire than before the fire, and took action to secure updates from the police on the criminal investigation.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the Kindertransport with a call to let today's refugee children in
We marked the occasion by helping to organise over 100 kinder and their family to join Lord Dubs at an event with Safe Passage; rededicated Parliament's plaque to the kindertransport with the Chief Rabbi, and helped to launch the Alf Dubs Children's Fund to bring in refugee children.
Raising over £200,000 to bring unaccompanied refugee children to the UK
We have supported the Jewish community to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to bring 100 unaccompanied minors to the UK through the work of Safe Passage. Many of those children had adult family members in the UK - and needed a safe and legal route to be able to access them. We took rabbis to the camps in Calais, and organised kinder from our community to speak up for the rights and needs of refugee children, led public actions in Parliament and met with our MPs to gain support for the Dubs amendment.
Winning a Living Wage for over 2000 workers
Having worked to make two national Jewish denominations and a number of synagogues accredited Living Wage employers, we took our actions to Brent Cross Shopping Centre, local authorities, Borough Market and Tottenham Football Club! Here some Noamniks brought matzo boxes with the then London Living Wage rate, highlighting how the festival of Pesach raises questions around exploitative labour. The majority of children in poverty in the UK now live in a home where at least one adult works - we tackle the root cause by fighting poverty pay and ensuring that a hard day's work results in a fair day's pay, and that work is a route out of poverty, not trapping someone in it.
Sanctuary Succot
In six areas across the country, we have held Sanctuary Succot public actions that brought together our members, local communities and the Leaders of local authorities to reflect on Succot as a festival where we are called to think about what it means to be vulnerable in the world, and to reflect on those without stable shelter, and for local authorities to sign up to the Syrian Vulnerable Peoples Resettlement Scheme. Over 700 Syrian refugees have been resettled in this way, with some synagogues hosting their new neighbours weekly as they support them to build their new lives in the UK
Building Community Sponsorship
Having campaigned to make Community Sponsorship a reality, we launched with partner national Jewish movements a Chanukah campaign to be a 'light in the darkness' and pay forward the sponsorship done for many Jewish children in 1938 and 1939 by supporting Jewish communities to sponsor refugees in need of a new start in the UK today. So far two synagogues have already welcomed new neighbours through the scheme, and more are in process of being granted status to do so.
Building Mental Health Services for 16 & 17 year olds
Having worked with local churches, schools and mosques to identify there was a gap in mental health services for 16 and 17 year olds in Birmingham, we worked to fill that gap - bringing cupcakes with 16 & 17 written on them to CCG meetings, and organising for support. Within six months we'd won a temporary service - within two years, a permanent one.
