We canmake realchanges,says activist rabbi

LIBERAL JUDAISM’S Rabbi Janet Darley has collected a major human rights award.

TheSouthLondonLiberalSynagogue minister was part of the Citizens UK group who won the Champions of the Year prize at the Women on the Move Awards at the Royal Festival Hall.

The award recognised how Citizens UK, which has been campaigning on refugee and migrant issues for more than a decade, has promoted the rights of refugees in the past year — helping to find appropriate homes for families, creating the National Refugee Welcome Board.

The judges concluded: “Citizens UK went beyond what would be e x p e c t e d f r o m

Rabbi Janet Darley mainstream civil society groups to show their support for refugees and migrants, including women.”

Rabbi Darley collected the trophy from BBC broadcaster Samira Ahmed, alongside fellow campaigners Reverend Karen Rooms, Joon Lynn Goh and Razan Al Akraa. In an address to the audience she said: “On 36, some say 46, occasions, the Torah warns us against the wronging of a stranger. For us, this is core teaching and not an optional extra.” Talking about her involvement with Citizens UK and the campaign to resettle refugees, Rabbi Darley added: “We are in the middle of a long and painstaking campaign. Community organising is able to make real change in systems, not just put sticking plasters over problems. That is why I do it.”