Former senior vice president of the Board of Deputies, Gary Mond, has launched the National Jewish Assembly (“NJA”), a new organisation with three clear principles, namely to promote Jewish life, to support Israel and to fight antisemitism. He said “these are the only areas on which the NJA will focus its activity. It will not be involved with any other political issues which are not directly relevant to Jewish people exclusively.”
Gary emphasised that the NJA will be unique in the UK. He explained “there is no other assembly-style Jewish body which anyone who is Jewish and who adheres to our three principles can join, upon paying a small membership fee.”
The NJA will work with other Jewish and pro-Israel groups to help to achieve these objectives and will seek, with the support of its members, to advocate policy. It will be run by an advisory board and supported by professional staff.
Gary is chairman of the advisory board, while the former chief executive of the Zionist Federation, Steve Winston, has been appointed vice chairman. There are currently seven other advisory board members. It is also expected that several others will join this advisory board in the coming weeks.
Information about the NJA’s activities and how to join is provided on its website www.nja.org.uk. This also includes details of advisory board members and executive staff.
GB News foreign affairs commentator and media professional, James Marlow, is CEO, and its Events and Projects Manager is Dalia Hajioff. Dalia spent 16 years at the Zionist Federation and is exceptionally well-known among Israel supporters in the UK.
James Marlow said “this is an opportune time to launch the NJA with fresh new ideas coming from an enthusiastic advisory board and many within the community have indicated they wish to be part of this exciting new Jewish project.”
The NJA will strive to be a membership body supported by and indeed run by those from the core of our community, most of whom do not currently hold leadership roles.
It is intended to voice the opinions of ordinary Jews who have never been, and do not attempt to be, part of the current system of Jewish organisational infrastructure. Hence the advisory board and other supporters have grass roots experience and are those who work, for the most part, on a voluntary basis, in and for our Jewish community.
Members will be able to attend around 15 meetings a year, many of which will feature prominent guest speakers from Israel, British politics and the Jewish community and will be able to debate key issues with speakers.
Other meetings will be assembly-style, where members will be able to have their opinions heard and propose motions to set the organisation’s policies. Additionally, there will be social events and later in the year, there is a plan to create a young NJA for those under 30.
Gary added “we also intend to appoint honorary patrons over the summer. These will be individuals who are moderately well-known in our community and are widely respected for their personal achievements in supporting the same three principles as the NJA”.
The Chairman concluded by saying “I think that the National Jewish Assembly will offer our community a relatively easy opportunity to get involved in Jewish politics, to the extent that they wish to be. We believe that it will not be long before we are seen as a real representative of the Jewish community in the UK.”
For further information, please visit our website at www.nja.org.uk
Or contact NJA’s CEO James Marlow:
Email: James.Marlow@NJA.org.uk
Telephone: 07831 817945
