Raphi Bloom, at The Blogs

Feb 6, 2025, 8:05 PM

Judaism’s Intrinsic Link To Zionism And Why Anti Zionism IS Antisemitism

On October 31, 2024 I debated Abdullah al Andalusi from the Muslim Debate Initiative at Manchester University (UK) on the subject of “Is Anti Zionism Antisemitism”. This is my opening statement. "When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. You're talking...

Aug 12, 2022, 11:44 AM

At 94, a journey of closure and renewal at Treblinka

“My little brother with his hands above his head. And the rifles on them. Never to be seen again.” “One day in 1942, they said that all Jewish people must congregate in the town square. You could only bring with...

Apr 13, 2021, 6:10 PM

How will Passover programs bounce back from Covid-19?

Copyright - Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Resort, Puerto Rico

Why was this year different to other years? A play on the question we all ask during Seder –but one that when answered certainly showed that not only is the Passover Program industry resilient but also that Kosher travelers have...

Oct 30, 2020, 4:23 PM

The UAE and kosher travel – The possibilities are endless

Since the announcement and subsequent signing of the Abraham Accords and the normalization of relationships between Israel and the UAE there have been many column inches written about the prospects for increased travel and tourism between the two countries...

Oct 5, 2020, 7:50 PM

The truth is just an inconvenience for Na’amod

This year (5781) sees UJIA celebrate a century of supporting British Jewry, and bringing our community closer to Israel in every which way. In those 100 years, it has touched countless lives – and continues to do so. All of...

Aug 19, 2019, 2:29 PM

The Modern Day Passover Exodus — How Times Have Changed.

As well as being active in much Israeli advocacy I also am actively engaged in the Kosher and Jewish travel industry and as such I have seen a huge shift in Passover travel. As the internet’s leading and most comprehensive...

Mar 8, 2019, 9:56 PM

The Enemy From Within. Are Yachad Complicit?

Earlier this week (March 6, 2019) I attended a talk by Breaking The Silence (BTS) facilitated by the UK group Yachad at Manchester University. What I witnessed was nothing short of a very clever attempt to demonise Israel and...

Apr 29, 2015, 3:50 PM

Don’t be blinded by the bright lights…

Israel is known, and rightly so, as the Start Up Nation. Bursting with innovative high tech companies operating at the cutting edge (see yesterday’s piece on mobile search development by Tel Aviv-based company Quixey), Israel has become the place...

About Me

Raphi is one of the founders and co-Chair of North West Friends of Israel, one of the UK's largest pro Israel volunteer led grassroots organisations. He regularly speaks on TV, on university campuses and in schools in the UK to advocate for, and debate on behalf of, Israel. In his professional life he is also the Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications at The Fed, the Manchester (UK) Jewish community's largest social care charity. Raphi is also the co-founder of TotallyJewishTravel.com, the web's biggest Kosher travel and Passover Program listing website.

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