Commonwealth Jewish Council

Commonwealth Day 10th March 2025

Parliament Square was full of the vibrant colours of flags from all the Commonwealth countries.

CJC CEO, Clive Lawton OBE was in Westminster Abbey to witness the wonderful multicultural Commonwealth Day service and celebration in the presence of the King and Queen. It was an honour to meet the King who is a force of goodness and decency in an unstable world.

International Women's Day Forum: March 4th 2025

CJC Hosts Inspirational Women in Leadership Event for International Women’s Day

At the Commonwealth Jewish Council (CJC), we have long been champions of women empowerment and inclusivity. That’s why, in honour of International Women’s Day, we proudly hosted an inspiring and thought-provoking Women in Leadership event.

The CJC brought together an esteemed panel of trailblazing women who have risen to the highest levels of leadership, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations. With our unique capacity to engage voices from across the Commonwealth, spanning A to Z (Antigua to Zambia), we were able to curate a one-of-a-kind conversation.

The distinguished panel, chaired by CJC Trustee Laura Marks CBE, featured:

Macenje Mazoka, High Commissioner of Zambia (Christian)
Karen-Mae Hill OBE, High Commissioner of Antigua & Barbuda (Seventh Day Adventist)
Lady Vivien Rose, Supreme Court Justice (Jewish)

The intimate setting within the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in Westminster, allowed for an authentic conversation to be had. One of the topics that Laura Marks led the panel to reflect on was an aspect of their lives far too rarely considered in such public forums: the role that their religious upbringing and convictions played in their understanding of their work. All present found this aspect of the discussions especially refreshing.

Much common ground was found, while at the same time revelling in the differences revealed. Each panellist shared stories of their female role models exposing generations of powerful women. High Commissioner Hill shared a powerful lesson from her mother, who advised her to stand out from the crowd by mastering a skill: “Learn an instrument or a foreign language”—something that makes you unique and memorable. High Commissioner Mazoka, shared her history of coming from a family of duty and service, shaping her as a leader. While in all of Lady Rose’s replies there was balance and fairness, just as one would expect from a Judge, she highlighted the importance of diversity and takes her presence as one of only two women on the Supreme Court very seriously.

We were fortunate enough to host the influential Baroness Arlene Foster DBE, former First Minister of Northern Ireland and Leader of the DUP. She shared her thoughts: “I was delighted to be present and frankly thought it was one of the best discussions on female empowerment I have heard for some time. Why – well because the panellists were open, thoughtful and thought provoking. There is nothing worse than going to a discussion where everyone just agrees with each other! The openness about their faith and how it informs their lives was also so refreshing to hear. When people feel strong enough in their views that they can be authentic in the way each were last night it can be truly inspiring. As women we don’t all think the same and this was reflected in the discussion.”

CJC CEO Clive Lawton opened and closed the evening, reinforcing the CJC’s commitment to championing women’s leadership and inclusion across the Commonwealth’s diverse Jewish communities, as well as bringing a Jewish voice to the Commonwealth. He commented “In amongst all the events taking place to celebrate International Women' Day, a remarkable conversation took place in Central London that only the Commonwealth Jewish Council could have convened. The audience heard a remarkably frank exchange of views about the place of women in society and the ways in which these three women had found their way to the very pinnacle of their professions.”

Speaking after the event, Laura Marks said:
“This panel was the perfect example of how we can agree but also disagree with thoughtfulness, a willingness to hear and lots of laughter. So utterly female and such a treat and an honour to chair these extraordinary, glass roof busting women."

Meeting with His Excellency Ng Teck Hean

High Commissioner of Singapore

Although the Commonwealth is rightly proud of so many members sharing a common cultural and historical heritage - though increasingly, new countries that join don't; not even a common language necessarily! - I find one of the most fascinating things about being involved in the Commonwealth is the magnificent diversity to be found across the globe.

That diversity was underlined for me when I recently met with the Singaporean High Commissioner in London, HE Ng Teck Hean.

I have visited Singapore several times, not least to visit our affiliate Jewish community there, which is a typical - and excellent - example of how Jews not only integrate into the societies in which we live and which have given us haven over the centuries, but also contribute richly to their development, far out of proportion to our numbers. But more of that later.

Mr Ng and I discussed the utterly remarkable growth and development of Singapore in recent years, surely making it a jewel in Asia. If you haven't yet visited and get the chance, do go and see it for yourself. One of its characteristics, which it has decided to make a feature, rather than simply a difficult reality, is its diversity, and it has enacted two significant laws which deserve to be noted and, might I recommend, emulated, all around the Commonwealth in those countries that currently have nothing similar.

Readers of this blog might know that one of the Commonwealth Jewish Council's major campaigns is to try and get all the countries of the Commonwealth to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism.

Antisemitism is on the rise again and any country that wishes to suppress it or combat it, needs to be able to say what it is. The Commonwealth Jewish Council knows of no more impressive and convincing definition than the IHRA one because it wasn't created by Jews, but by experts, academics and statesmen and women, drawing on the full range of their international and political understanding. No other suggestion as to how to define antisemitism comes anywhere near the authority and value of this one. So, as in any other such meeting, I suggested that Singapore, as a well-established trailblazer in inter-communal harmony, should set the example in Asia and adopt IHRA's Working Definition.

But Mr Ng demurred and - reluctantly - I can see why! He told me of two laws, one established in 1990, the other just this year, which in his view covered the issues for Singapore comprehensively. The first, from 1990, is called the 'Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act'. The more recent one is called the 'Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act'. They do what they say. Singapore rigorously enforces both Acts. When a terrorist attempt was uncovered against the Jewish community, the State acted immediately and assertively. When more recently a potentially inflammatory preacher arrived, he was unceremoniously removed from the territory and the Singaporean authorities sought explicit condemnation from potentially interested parties to ensure there was no misunderstanding. No inflammatory preaching, no inter-communal hate will be allowed.

So here I make an offer to all other Commonwealth countries. Show me that you've not only got laws like these on your statute books but, more importantly, that you enforce them rigorously so there's no wiggle room, and I'll stop nagging you about the IHRA definition! But if you can't, what can be your excuse for not having a working definition by which you can try to stamp out this 'oldest hatred'?

Meeting with His Excellency Professor Stephen Montefort High Commissioner of the Republic of Malta

Brilliant News: Malta Steps Up!

I was privileged to meet this week with the fairly recently accredited High Commissioner of the Republic of Malta to London and the Commonwealth, HE Professor Stephen Montefort. What a breath of fresh air he is. We had tried repeatedly to meet with his predecessor but to no avail.

Formerly a medical doctor in Malta, Dr. Montefort and I were able to swap notes about members of the Maltese Jewish community he had had as patients (don’t worry – he divulged no details!) and we enthused together about the long history of Jews in this lovely island and the way that the nation has not only accommodated its Jews over the centuries but, during the dramatic recent rise in antisemitism, he was unable to identify any significant incident in which antisemitism had been a problem in his homeland. Long may that continue. At the same time, we discussed the long history of philanthropy and civic contribution of Jews to Maltese society over the years. Of course, the Maltese Jewish community is very small as a percentage of the population, as is the case just about everywhere else in the world, but they have contributed beyond their numbers (which is also the case just about everywhere else in the world too).

Given so positive a record, it was especially puzzling to us at the Commonwealth Jewish Council that Malta had appeared to drag its feet in getting involved with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and had apparently so far failed to adopt its widely acclaimed Working Definition of antisemitism, something that is a widespread norm throughout the European Union and seemed an entirely uncontroversial thing for his government to have done.

And here’s the brilliant, good news…

Malta has adopted it!

They announced doing so the evening before HE Montefort and I met. In fact not only was Malta present at the recent celebration of the Stockholm Declaration 25th anniversary which recalled the founding of what would become IHRA and the start of all the good which it has done, but at that gathering, Malta announced that it would indeed adopt the Working Definition, to go with its decision not long ago to at last join IHRA as an observer, with the hope and intention of becoming a full member in due course.

The Commonwealth Jewish Council had long dreamt of, and lobbied for, a time when all Commonwealth countries have adopted the Working Definition – after all, you can’t really claim to oppose something if you can’t actually describe what it is! Reluctance to adopt such a definition - or not having a very good reason why not - is bound to raise the accusation that such a country doesn’t really care and is just paying lip-service to caring.

But Malta has made a dramatic step forward on this front. And of course it’s not only about Jews. As we all know, Jews and the way we are treated has so often been the ‘canary in the coalmine’. What happens to Jews will tell you what else is about to happen in a society. One which is indifferent - or worse - to the fate of its Jews will soon turn sour, collapse into tyranny and turn its intolerance on another group and then the next.

Malta has shown what we had always hoped and suspected. It’s on the side of the good guys, and it absolutely is determined to demonstrate that.

Of course, Malta continues to have issues that need addressing and, like every other nation, it’s not perfect, but right now this is good news and we intend to celebrate it and shout it from the rooftops!

Clive A Lawton OBE JP

CEO - CJC

21st February 2025

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Diplomats' Model Seder: 25th March 2025

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The Commonwealth Jewish Council supports and protects Jewish communities within the Commonwealth and advances Commonwealth interests with campaigns, projects and shared Jewish values.