by Lin James
[Originally presented at the AGM of Newcastle Reform Synagogue, 07/06/2026]
I was wondering how to explain why I think it’s vitally important to have this discussion today, and then came across this quote from Joseph Weizenbaum talking about civil courage in 1976. “Every individual must act as if the whole history of the world, of humanity itself, depends on them. Anything less is a shrinking of responsibility, and is itself a dehumanising force, for anything less encourages the individual to look upon themself as a mere actor in a drama written by anonymous agents.”
Weizenbaum left Berlin in 1936 at 13: he knew that it is a dangerous thing when people begin to see other people as “non player characters”. And even more dangerous if they begin to see themselves that way.
I believe that the effective way to fight racism is not making speeches: it is to be a good neighbour. To love your neighbour as yourself, to not stand idly by the blood of your neighbour, to do the small things that keep us all safe. We saw a powerful example of this in the wake of the recent arson attack at Finchley Reform Synagogue, where immediate practical support came from their neighbours at the Somali Centre, who returned the help they’d received from the synagogue following previous racist attacks. If you have been given a big public platform, if you’re a talking head for the media, it means speaking out against not just the racism that affects you directly, but against the racism that affects your neighbours too. I’ve spent the last week combing through the online archives at the JC, Jewish News and the BBC to find statements from the leaders of Progressive Judaism about the rallies outside asylum hostels, the arbitrary changes to the right to remain legislation, the attacks on jury trials and the defence of acting in accordance with one’s conscience. I’ve found a deafening silence, a moral void which enabled Rabbis Baginsky and Levy to share a platform twice with Reform UK in the past year.
I note that if, as they have explained, they are committed to working with people they do not entirely agree with we can look forward to seeing them join the substantial Jewish bloc on Stand Up to Racism and Palestine Solidarity marches. But in the meantime I would be very grateful if they could confine their collaboration with Nigel Farage to the private discussions they’ve mentioned and start making a few more public statements against Islamophobia as well as antisemitism.
I’d like to see our shul become not a safe space, but a brave space: one in which we can accept that we do not all think alike about what the problems or the best solutions to them are, but one in which we can respect and trust each other enough to work and pray together, to help our neighbours and be grateful for their help and support in return. This year’s iftar gave us a glimpse of what that space could look like. Let’s hope that the Board of Deputies realises that it is better to build our safety on honest and open conversation, not speeches.
This last week Reform UK have shown us exactly who and what they are, not that it was ever a secret. It is a shonde that Rabbis Baginsky and Levy stood with them and we should tell them so.
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