Welcome to RenéCassin

RenéCassin is a human rights NGO that uses the experience of the Jewish people, and positive Jewish values, to campaign and educate on universal human rights issues such as discrimination, detention, and genocide.

News and Upcoming Events

July 2010: Human Rights Shabbat comes to Borehamwood & Elstree

Borehamwood & Elstree United Synagogue devoted last Shabbat to examining human rights in Judaism. Two passionate talks, and activities for children, formed part of our latest Human Rights Shabbat programme. The Borehamwood-based Shul is the first United Synagogue to take part.

Rabbi Naftali Brawer and RenéCassin's Director, Sarah Kaiser, addressed the community. Rabbi Brawer expressed powerfully the need to look outward, and spoke of human rights at the core of Judaism.

The Synagogue are setting up a Human Rights Committee as a direct result of Saturday's event. The new committee will ensure a range of social action intiatives are taken forward by Borehamwood's energetic and growing community.

RenéCassin International Chair wins volunteering award

Congratulations are due to our International Chair, Sarah Oliver, who has been honoured for her work on behalf of RenéCassin. Sarah has been involved for almost five years, and is responsible for our international human rights advocacy. She lives in Paris and has been instrumental in building our international campaigns and networks. The award for International Volunteer of the Year was collected by RenéCassin at the Jewish Volunteering Network ceremony on 9th June.

We're also proud that our Director, Sarah Kaiser, was named 16th in the Jewish News 'Forty Under Forty' list of the most influential young people in the Jewish community.

Refugee Week: 14th - 20th June

14th June marks the start of Refugee Week. Visit www.refugeeweek.org.uk for an array of quick ways to show your support. Whilst much of our campaigning focuses on the ill treatment of people moving to the UK, Refugee Week is a chance to celebrate the contributions of such individuals. Remembering the Jewish experience of being 'strangers in a strange land', we fully support Refugee Week, which champions contributions to British society from fish & chips to the music of Mika.

A list of famous refugees can be found here; a huge number of those listed are of Jewish origin.

Campaign newsflash: new Government vows to end detention of children asylum seekers

The new coalition Government have committed to "end the detention of children for immigration purposes". The pledge is part of the new agreement between the Liberal Democrat and Conservative parties. Approximately 2000 children are detained each year in the UK, as part of our asylum process.

RenéCassin has been challenging government policy on detention for some time, and we enthusiastically welcome this development. We will, alongside many other charities, concerned organisations and individuals, continue to question the legitimacy of detention for immigration purposes. It remains of deep concern that an increasing number of asylum seekers, including vulnerable groups, are being locked up in this way.

On the event of this important commitment from the Government, RenéCassin would like to thank everyone who is contributing to our campaign, and who lobbied their Parliamentary candidates in the build up to the election. This is a step in the right direction.