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Over 30 Rabbis and other leaders of the Jewish community sign our letter to David Davis MP

12 Jun, 2018 | Latest, News, Protecting Human Rights in the UK

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35 Rabbis and other leaders of the Jewish community have signed our letter to David Davis MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, urging him to use our withdrawal from the EU as an opportunity to protect and strengthen the provision of human rights.

Last week it was announced that the EU Withdrawal Bill will be brought before the House of Commons on 12th June. We have written to David Davis MP, urging him to ensure that the human rights protections provided by our membership in the European Union continue to be protected as part of the proposed EU withdrawal Bill.

“Recognising the role of the UK in developing a European human rights framework in response to the horrors of the Holocaust, we urge the Government to once again put this country at the forefront of the charge for human rights, and to use our withdrawal from the European Union as an opportunity to protect and strengthen the provision of human rights“.

Read the full text of our letter below.

Rt. Hon David Davis MP

Correspondence Team

9 Downing Street

London

SW1A 2AG

11th June 2018

Dear Rt. Hon David Davis MP,

Last week it was announced that the EU Withdrawal Bill will be brought before the House of Commons on 12th June, during which time MPs will consider and vote on the 15 amendments that have passed through the House of Lords.

We are writing to urge you to ensure that the human rights protections provided by our membership in the European Union continue to be protected as part of the proposed EU Withdrawal Bill.

Human rights are innate to Jewish values and the Jewish experience. As leaders and members of the Jewish community, we are concerned that the loss of EU human rights safeguards would have worrying ramifications for vulnerable communities throughout the United Kingdom. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights also holds an important role in protecting the right to manifest religion and belief.

Recognising the role of the UK in developing a European human rights framework in response to the horrors of the Holocaust, we urge the Government to once again put this country at the forefront of the promotion of human rights, and to use our withdrawal from the European Union as an opportunity to protect and strengthen the provision of human rights.

We therefore support:

  1. Retention of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in force, which enshrines vital political, social and economic rights, including a guarantee on human dignity.
  2. Rights of reunification of unaccompanied child refugees.
  3. Enhanced protection for certain areas of EU law, including employment rights and equality protections
  4. Continuing relationship with the EU to ensure that the United Kingdom will not be prevented from replicating EU law, or from continuing to participate in EU agencies after exit day (membership of EUROPOL and EUROJUST is instrumental in helping the UK prosecute human traffickers and protect victims of human trafficking).
  5. Enshrined support for the Good Friday Agreement.
  6. Powers handed to ministers to change ‘retained EU law’ can only be used when necessary.

As we leave the European Union, let us not leave our human rights behind. We hope that you share our commitment to equality and human rights.

Yours sincerely,

Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild

Rabbi Lea Mühlstein, Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue

Rabbi Roberta Harris-Eckstein

Senior Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Reform Judaism

Dr Edie Friedman, Executive Director, Jewish Council for Racial Equality

Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Liberal Judaism

Rabbi Charles Wallach

Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, Principal, Leo Baeck College

Senior Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, Masorti Movement

Marie van der Zyl, President, Board of Deputies of British Jews

Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen, Manchester Reform Synagogue

Rabbi Herschel Gluck OBE

Rabbi Janet Darley

Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, Chair, Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors, Senior Rabbi NPLS

Rabbi Sandra Kviat, Liberal Judaism

Rabbi Roni Tabick

Rabbi Mark Goldsmith

Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers

Rabbi Amanda Golby

Cantor Zoe Jacobs

Rabbi Oliver Spike Joseph, Masorti Judaism

Rabbi Dr René Pfertzel, Kingston Liberal Synagogue

Rabbi Daniela Thau

Dr Laurie Bender

Rabbi Janet Burden

Rabbi Naomi Goldman, Kol Chai Hatch End Reform Jewish Community

Rabbi Colin Eimer

Rabbi Monique Mayer, Bristol & West Progressive Jewish Congregation

Rabbi Francis Ronald Berry

Rabbi Dr Barbara Borts

Laura Marks, Nisa-Nashim

Rabbi Daniel Lichman

Mia Hasenson-Gross, Executive Director, René Cassin

Today, 10th December, is International Human Rights Day – the 76th anniversary of the signing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. 

 

 

The Declaration was a reaction to the horrors of the Holocaust. So, for Jews, today has a particuar significance. 

Although rooted in response to atrocity, the Declaration was forward-looking and optimistic. It spoke for the majority of people who knew a better world was possible. The fact that it’s co-author , the French-Jewish lawyer Monsieur Rene Cassin, could draft such a hopeful document so soon after 26 members of his family were murdered by the Nazis is a testament to his humanity and the power of human rights in general. 

Today, as the organisation that works in Cassin’s name, we are determined to ensure his Declaration’s vision of human rights for all is fully realised. Central to that work is a focus on so called ‘socio-economic rights’ – rights to everyday essentials like food, housing and health. This vision was best articulated in Article 25 of the Declaration: 

‘Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control’.

Bolstering these rights would ensure everybody has access to the foundations on which to build a dignified, prosperous and meaningful life. They have been neglected for too long.

 

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