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Sep 19, 2019, 2:51 PM

Leadership is getting younger

Five years ago, as one of my first tasks as newly-appointed CEO of the JLC, I signed off on our supporting the Jewish News campaign to nominate 40 Under 40 and 25 Under 25. We are delighted to be back supporting it once again and...

Apr 23, 2019, 5:50 PM

Corbyn shrugs his way to point of no return

Members of the Board of Deputies (left to right) Gillian Merron, former president Jonathan Arkush, alongside Jonathan Goldstein, and Simon Johnson, formerly of the JLC, speak to the media on College Green following a meeting with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in 2018. (Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire via Jewish News)

Last week a photograph was posted on social media. It showed the scene at a meeting between the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Jeremy Corbyn. Ms Pelosi spoke animatedly. Mr Corbyn, on the other hand, was slumped in his...

Mar 27, 2019, 12:20 PM

Joan started with applause and ended with an AIPAC ovation

Joan Ryan speaking at AIPAC 2019 (Screenshot - Jewish News)

At this year’s AIPAC Policy Conference, my fifth, AIPAC itself was the story. A number of Democrat Presidential Candidates had announced they were staying away. And the spectre hung over the Conference of the comments of Rep Ilhan Omar (Dem) who had criticised the impact...

Nov 28, 2018, 1:28 PM

Let’s unite under the lights at Chanukah in the Square!

London Mayor Sadiq Khan takes a selfie at Chanukah in the Square Credit Marc Morris Photography

“This time – more than any other time- this time. We’re gonna find a way..” These words, from the chorus of the England World Cup Song of 1982, keep popping into my head as I think about Chanukah in the Square this year. Because, this...

Apr 25, 2018, 11:35 AM

Time to look forward

I have had time to look back on perhaps the most momentous 48 hours of my professional career. Our meeting on Tuesday with Jeremy Corbyn and his team had been preceded 24 hours earlier by a “pre meeting” that Gillian Merron, Dave Rich and I...

Dec 7, 2017, 4:14 PM

Chanukah in the Square is set to light up London

Chanukah in the Square is one of the best Jewish events of the year. Not only is it a great celebration of Jewish music, food and culture, it also symbolises that London is a great city to live if you are Jewish. In many ways,...

Sep 7, 2017, 5:07 PM

Annual opportunity to reset our relationship with the PM

The annual community meeting with the prime minister, organised by the Jewish Leadership Council, which took place yesterday, has become a fixture in the calendar and offers a real chance for us to talk directly to our head of government about the issues that are...

Apr 6, 2017, 2:52 PM

You’ll be dazzled by the dynamism of our youth

I often hear from current heads of communal organisations about their concerns on where the next generation of Jewish leaders might be found. Well, reading the Jewish News projects Eighteen Under 18 and Thirty Under 30, which we at the Jewish Leadership Council have been...

Feb 8, 2017, 4:05 PM

Hijacking ‘apartheid’ for a week of hate

The annual series of university lectures and rallies known as “Israel Apartheid Week” is emotive in every sense of the word. Sadly, it has become a landmark on the University calendar. Disappointingly, the organisations behind the ‘week’ have been allowed to hijack and maliciously appropriate...

Oct 19, 2016, 5:24 PM

Behind the headlines of the anti-Semitism report

The headlines from Sunday’s report of the Home Affairs Select Committee on anti-Semitism were eye catching and focused on Corbyn, Labour, Chakrabarti, NUS and the Lib Dems. They are all key issues, but it has taken us three inquiries, several political figures suspended and thousands...

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About Me

Simon Johnson is Chief Executive of the Jewish Leadership Council.