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| A Lord’s vision for UK Jewry
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Lord Janner
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In the 350th year of Anglo Jewry, a British Lord reveals to EJP his hopes and fears for the community.
Greville Janner has been a British Parliamentarian for 35 years and believes the Jewish contribution in the UK is immense.
“It’s remarkable,” he told EJP. “We are a very settled and proud community. Our community is proud to retain its own identity and contributes to British life through politics, the arts and science.
“Jews have been in this country since Oliver Cromwell and, since the end of the 19th century, when my parents came to Britain, we are much more settled.”
Born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1928, Lord Janner followed in his father Barnett’s footsteps and became Member of Parliament for Leicester North West (which later became Leicester West) from 1970 until 1997 when he retired. He was enobled Lord Janner of Braunstone in the same year.
Anti-Semitism concerns
Despite the established nature of the community, he does fear the rise in anti-Semitism and believes it needs to be urgently addressed.
 Jews have been in this country since Oliver Cromwell and, since the end of the 19th century, when my parents came to Britain, we are much more settled
Lord Janner | “It is rising and we have to be aware of it and deal with it,” he said. “We cannot just pretend it’s not there.
“In the UK it’s not as serious as it is in France, Denmark, the Netherlands or Belgium, but it is bad enough here.”
“Unfortunately, and sadly, a high proportion of the increase has been matched by the increase in the Muslim populations in these countries.
“It has to be tackled by getting the maximum access to Muslims and their leaders and convincing them that they have to control their own communities and that we have the same enemies.”
As the joint founder and co-President of the Political Council for Coexistence, together with Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, he is himself working to further understanding between Jews and Muslims and combat prejudice against the two faiths.
Lord Janner, who is a QC (Queen’s Counsel) and was president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews from 1978 to 1984, has held many other eminent positions.
We should be immensely proud of our contribution to the UK
Lord Janner | He was a key campaigner involved in seeking compensation and restitution for Holocaust victims and was influential in arranging the 1997 London Conference on Nazi Looted Gold.
During his National Service in the British army in the Second World War, the father-of-three spent two years as one of the youngest War Crimes Investigators.
He is also the founder and secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary War Crimes Group, president of the All-Party Parliamentary Group against anti-Semitism and is the chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust.
Importance of community
Lord Janner is also concerned by the identity crisis within the Jewish community.
“In my view,” he commented, “we should seek to retain our communal life.”
know your enemies and cultivate your friends
Simon Wiesenthal | “The big [threat] is intermarriage. Not less than 30 per cent [of Jews marry outside the faith] and that’s really serious,” he added.
“Too many of us don’t bring up our young children to be part of their Jewish origins.”
But overall he believes the future is bright for Jews living in the UK.
“We should be immensely proud of our contribution to the UK,” he said.
He related the advice given to him in his last meeting with the late Simon Wiesenthal.
The big [threat] is intermarriage. Not less than 30 per cent [of Jews marry outside the faith] and that’s really serious
Lord Janner | “When I asked him what he felt was the key to life for our people, he said, ‘know your enemies and cultivate your friends,’ and that’s what I believe is absolutely correct for our community.
“That is the way for us to achieve another successful 350 years [of life in the UK].”
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