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05/03/2020
Top Tips to avoid Coronavirus
A new virus strain has been identified as the Coronavirus or Covid-19. This strain was first discovered in Wuhan City, China in January 2020. It has since spread to a number of other countries where many people have fallen ill and recovered however some fatalities have been recorded. This has caused great concern globally which has prompted many governments to put safety measures in place. There is currently no vaccine available however many nations are racing to find a cure. As an organisation that administers a range of holistic social, welfare and care services we are constantly in contact with our members such as visits to an individual’s home or at community organised events. We believe it is important that we share some information about how to prevent the Coronavirus from affecting us all. We have prepared some facts as well as top tips about the prevention of spreading Covid-19....
30/01/2020
Holocaust Memorial Day Roundup
Remembering and not forgetting Over the past week there have been a number of events commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. It was inspiring and touching to hear some of our members speak as well as participate in candle-lighting ceremonies at these events. Commemorations AJR’s HMD Service Our service was held at Belsize Square Synagogue and attended by members, friends and notable guests Ralf Teepe, Head of Culture and Education at the German embassy, Christoph Weingartner, head of press and public diplomacy from the Austrian embassy, and Vivi Aisen, the Director of Public diplomacy at the Israeli embassy. Our speakers addressed this year’s theme ‘Stand Together’. The service and candle lighting was led by Rabbi Stuart Altshuler. Auschwitz survivors Frank Bright and Zigi Shipper BEM spoke about their experiences in the infamous concentration camp and the importance of testimony and sharing history with...
27/01/2020
My Story now online!
AJR has chosen a significant date – 27 January 2020, Holocaust Memorial Day – to launch the My Story book project website, which tells the life stories of Holocaust survivors and refugees. Currently featuring fifteen books, My Story Lead Project Coordinator Debra Barnes said, “I am thrilled that through this new website My Story will reach a wider audience. These books contain valuable testimony as well as illustrating how camp survivors and refugees from Nazi persecution were able to come to the UK and rebuild their lives. The project is on-going; we now have four coordinators covering most of the UK and will continue to add more books to the website on a regular basis.” AJR Head of Volunteer Services Carol Hart said, “My Story is a very special testimony project. Our members are visited by trained volunteers to record their words and often strong friendships are created. AJR member...
24/01/2020
Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Holocaust Memorial Day
We commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day, including the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, on Thursday 23rd January, 2020 at Belsize Square Synagogue. We were honoured to have Ralf Teepe, Head of Culture and Education at the German embassy, Christoph Weingartner, head of press and public diplomacy from the Austrian embassy, and Vivi Aisen, the Director of Public diplomacy at the Israeli embassy attending the event. Speakers addressed this year’s theme ‘Stand Together’ in their remarks to the well-attended audience. The service and candle lighting was led by Rabbi Stuart Altshuler. Survivors Frank Bright, who was incarcerated in Auschwitz in October 1944, gave his Reflections on Auschwitz and Zigi Shipper BEM spoke about the importance of testimony and sharing history with future generations. Hephzibah Rudofsky, daughter of Lady Zahava Kohn, spoke about standing together to recount history. Jane Banham, an AJR volunteer who works on the AJR My Story project,...
13/01/2020
Kindertransport – Remembering & Rethinking Podcast Series
Immerse yourself in the Association of Jewish Refugees Podcast series titled, ‘Kindertransport – Remembering & Rethinking’, narrated by Alex Maws, our head of Educational Grants & Projects. This podcast series from the Association of Jewish Refugees, uses material from the AJR Refugee Voices archive and explores one specific strand of the Jewish refugee experience — the Kindertransport. This rescue effort began on the 1st December 1938 and lasted until the outbreak of war in September 1939. Nearly 10,000 children, mostly from Germany and Austria, were sent by their parents to safety in England. The podcast uses testimony extracts from the archive to examine the Kindertransport from first-hand sources, to try to better understand this historical event in its depth and complexity – both for its own sake and also in the hopes of informing our understanding of refugee policies today. To subscribe or listen to the latest podcast in the series...