Archbishop honours former CCJ chief
Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko, the former director of the Council of Christian and Jews, was recognised for promoting dialogue in the UK and Middle East
A Jewish interfaith leader has been recognised for her “outstanding work” in promoting Jewish-Christian dialogue in the UK.
Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko, the former director of the Council of Christians and Jews, was handed an award by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, as part of the 2021 Lambeth Awards. The awards recognise contributions to the Church and wider society.
Harris-Sawczenko was given the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation, recognising her efforts to foster “balanced and nuanced discussion of Israel-Palestine, the rights and diversity of Christians of Israel, and Arab-Israeli rights in Israel,” among other things.
She told Jewish News she was “extremely thankful” for the recognition.
“I am delighted that this award is given not only for my contribution to Christian Jewish relations but also highlights the work of peace builders in the Holy Land,” she said.
“I will continue this work in the coming years through involvement with Project Rozana, that builds bridges of understanding and trust between Palestinians and Israelis through health care initiatives.”
She added: “It seems timely today of all days to receive this award, as I remember my great uncle Revd Dr Isaac Levy, a Jewish Chaplain of the British Armed Forces and Liberator of Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp who, coming out of that traumatic experience, helped establish the Council of Christians and Jews.”
More than 30 individuals were recognised in the awards, including scientists, musicians, academics, activists, peacemakers, doctors and clergy.
“This year’s Lambeth Awards recipients, not all of whom are Christians, embody this spirit of service – not just during the pandemic but, for many of them, through decades of faithful work,” said Archbishop Welby.
Harris-Sawczenko had served as director of the Council of Christian and Jews from 2014 to 2020.
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.
