Shah: ‘I realised I was ignorant about Jews’
2. Mark Regev ( right, with Dan Patterson) singing for residents of Clara Nehab care home 3. An interfaith group collecting toiletries in Oxford Street 4. Raymond Simonson and journalist Remona Aly wrapping toys for Camp Simcha at JW3 5. Laura Marks with London Mayor Sadiq Khan at City Hall. Mr Khan 6. A badge of honour for Borehamwood participants 7. Central London shuls joined forces to stage a variety of activities, including food and toiletries collections 8. A New Essex Masorti garden for mental health charity Jami 9. Leyton Orient players Myles Judd and Freddy Moncur paid a Mitzvah Day visit to Jewish Care’s 10. Young volunteers from the joint programme of central London synagogues 11. Step by Step’s ballooning social action interest was packing essentials for hospital patients 12. A tree of commitment to future projects in Leeds 13. Fifty UK teenagers from across the youth movement spectrum gave blood at the Magen David Adom station in Jerusalem
IN THE bridge-building spirit of the weekend, Bradford West Labour MP Naz Shah took an active role in the tea for refugees and asylum seekers at the local Reform synagogue, which was judged best interfaith partnership in the Mitzvah Day awards.
In April, Ms Shah apologised for a series of social media posts about Jews and Israel which led to her resigning as a parliamentary secretary to Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.
She told the on Sunday that the lessons she had learned had “massively influenced” her thinking and made her a stronger person.
“I realised I was ignorant and I needed to learn about the Jewish faith and culture. I do not have hatred for Jewish people. I was never antisemitic but what I put out was antisemitic. I wanted to make a real apology rather than a politician’s apology.
“For me, the challenge of antisemitism and Islamophobia is now so personal, especially in the current political climate.”
The Jewish community teamed up with Muslim volunteers to organise the tea, which attracted a large number of guests.
“Mitzvah Day is about reaching out to our neighbours and different communities and making them feel welcome around us,” said Rudi Leavor, the BradfordReformchair.“Wehopeopeningup the synagogue on Mitzvah Day will help promotepositivecommunityrelations.”