Could the Balfour Declaration be heading to Jerusalem?
Jenni Frazer is a freelance journalist
Israel’s deputy ambassador has raised the possibility of a landmark exhibition in Israel featuring the original Balfour Declaration to mark the historic document’s centenary in 2017, writes Jenni Frazer.
It would see the precious document, which is normally housed at the British Library, temporarily relocated outside the UK for the first time.
At a private viewing in the library on Tuesday before the Balfour Day lecture, Eitan Na’eh spoke of the possibility of a curated exhibition in Jerusalem which would include the Declaration – a letter to Lord Rothschild from Arthur Balfour, then the Foreign Secretary – and a previously drafted letter sent to various interested parties.
The recipients of the draft letter included Israel’s future first president, Chaim Weizmann, and the then British Chief Rabbi Joseph Hertz. Na’eh said that the highlight of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent visit to the UK had been a viewing of the Declaration, which had been “emotional and brought tears to his eyes”.
The British Library has a facsimile of the Declaration, which it makes available to researchers, but keeps the Declaration itself in extremely secure conditions.
It does lend materials to other academic institutions and archives, but any decision to send the Balfour Declaration abroad for an exhibition is likely to have to be made in consultation with the UK government.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
