Voice of the Jewish News: A newfound sense of Jewish identity
This week's editorial reflects on the way in which the community has adapted to the crisis by moving online and continuing a vibrant and lively culture
Our community’s ingenuity in the face of a crisis knows no bounds. From dawn to dusk, on Facebook, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Houseparty and other popular social media platforms, Jewish life in lockdown has taken on a new and unexpected vibrancy as we discover different ways to work, pray, mourn and celebrate.
While limiting our daily lives and physical interactions, the pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore Judaism in creative ways never before imagined.
Synagogues of every demonination are attracting huge online congregations for services, simchas and social events. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Senior Rabbi of Reform Judaism Laura Janner-Klausner, Rabbi Joseph Dweck of the S&P Sephardi Community and outgoing Senior Liberal Judaism Rabbi Danny Rich have all significantly enhanced their online presence.
Youth and Zionist movements are also experiencing heightened levels of interaction. As we report this week, a spellbinding Yom Ha-Shoah performance by JLGB’s virtual children’s choir has generated more than 540,000 views in just seven days while last night, in partnership with Jewish News, JNF UK held a virtual song contest to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day.
You can watch many of the 120 entries and discover who won on social media via the hashtag #songhaatzmaut.
These are dark and difficult days, but how gratifying that for so many an unforeseen legacy of this crisis will be a newfound sense of Jewish belonging.
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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.
