On Sunday 18th February Jim Murphy MP will speak on “What is the British Government’s policy towards Israel and the Peace Process?” Jim is well known throughout the community, but the opportunity to hear him speak, as a Minister of State in the Government, about a subject that interests a huge number of the community, is unprecedented. This meeting will take place at Newton Mearns Synagogue at 8pm.
On Sunday 25th March the community is invited to a really unique meeting: “As Others See Us”. Professor Mona Siddiqui, Director of the Centre for the Study of Islam at the University of Glasgow, will take part in a conversation with Dr Tony Klug. The thoughts of Mona Siddiqui – a regular contributor to Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4 – regarding Israel and how the Islamic Community perceives Israel and the Jewish Community’s relationship with Israel, will be explored and should make this a most informative and interesting meeting. Her interlocuter will be Tony Klug who has been writing about the Middle East for over 30 years. Currently, he is senior policy consultant at the Middle East Policy Initiative Forum. This meeting will take place at Giffnock Synagogue reception area at 8pm.
On Monday 23rd April Jonathan Freedland of the Guardian newspaper and well known columnist of the Jewish Chronicle will speak on: “How can the British Jewish Community best support Israel?”. Jonathan is one of Britain’s foremost journalists. Venue will be announced soon.
Sometime towards the end of April Rabbi Professor Naftali Rothenberg will visit Glasgow. His lecture will focus on how anyone involved in Jewish education – informal and formal – has a responsibility to promote good ethical and moral values towards minority groups, and how Judaism has a responsibility in the world today to promote this. Rabbi Rothenberg is the Orthodox Rabbi of Har Adar, a suburb of Jerusalem, and is senior research fellow at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. He is also chair of the Centre of Tolerance Education in Israel. He has specifically requested meetings with youth and students.
We have plans for future lectures which will be announced as soon as we have confirmation.