Northern Ireland Friends of Israel – welcome to our Website!

Shalom from Northern Ireland Friends of Israel!

Launched in March 2009, NIFI has  made a tremendous impact. Our aim is to put Israel’s case reasonably and fairly to the people of Northern Ireland.

We combine the support of political  leaders representing rival  parties with a strong grassroots following. Over five thousand people have attended our events  and many more from across Northern Ireland have registered their support. Christians and Jews, media people, academics, trade unionists and members of the public have attended our meetings, many of whom have travelled the length and breadth of NI to be with us.

“At a time when so much of the media is so blatantly biased against Israel and makes no attempt to understand the unique challenges Israel faces, we are happy to lend all the support we can. I would feel ashamed if I was not prepared to defend a nation’s right to exist and to continue as the only democracy in the Middle East”  – NIFI Supporter.

We were honoured to host the ambassador of Israel, HE Ron Prosor, in Belfast (seen above, meeting First Minister, Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness).

We have also put Israel’s case to the local media and featured prominently in the Israeli press.

NIFI opposes demonisation of the world’s only Jewish state and believes boycotting the Middle East’s only democracy is wrong in principle and wrong in practice. We wish to promote positive engagement with all those who seek a just and lasting peace between Israel and its neighbours.

If you are interested in learning more about the many connections which exist between Israel and Northern Ireland, and what we stand for, please read on…

Please click on the headings in blue below to look at the following:

About: our Mission Statement launched at the Park Avenue hotel in May 2009.

Boycott: Why the Boycott Israel movement in Northern Ireland is wrong in principle and wrong in practice.

Conflict: Israel’s conflict with Hamas, essential points which can’t be ignored.

History: what is the Jewish people’s connection to the land of Israel?

Israel news in Northern Ireland - over 150 stories of strengthening spiritual, cultural, economic and political connections between Northern Ireland and Israel, provided by NIFI supporters.

NIFI events: our future events 

NIFI in the news: links to media reports about NIFI.

NIFI’s Diary: our events so far!

NIFI Football auction - NIFI raises over £1,000 in an auction of signed football shirts from leading Premiership clubs in aid of cross community football in Northern Ireland and Israel. Our chosen charities are Soccer for Peace (Israel) and IFA endorsed cross community schemes in Northern Ireland.

Articles: an archive of our 10 most-read articles of 2009, by NIFI supporters.

For more stories and articles, please scroll below

and to be placed on our mailing list please contact us  nifriendsofisrael@ymail.com

Many thanks for all your support,

Terry McCorran and Steven Jaffe (London), co chairs, NI Friends of Israel.

Members contributions are their own and may not in all cases reflect the views of the organisition. Articles published are owned by the person who made them and are not the views of the site’s editors, contributors, or other commenters.

Mazal tov to Israel at 65

Israel – 65 years as the world’s only nation state for the Jewish people.

65 years as a democratic state for all its citizens.

65 views of Israel!

Joanna Tuffy TD speaks out for balanced debate

On 10th April over fifty people attended a very inspiring talk by Joanna Tuffy TD to a branch meeting of the Council of Christians and Jews in Belfast.

Joanna outlined her role in setting up the Irish Israel parliamentary friendship group. She described her political background and affinities between James Connolly and the Zionist labour movement. The left can be characterised as being anti Israel today however the reality is that within the Irish Labour Party there is a ‘broad church’ and differing views.

The anti-Israel lobby is very vocal in the Irish Republic and Joanna believes there should be a more balanced debate. The Ireland Israel Oireachtas Friendship Group was set up to promote trading, cultural and political links. Enterprise Ireland visited Israel recently and is putting together the business community in both countries.

Joanna is against boycotts in principle and strongly opposes bullying methods used to persuade others to boycott Israel, particularly when directed against artists and musicians. The Trocaire campaign has been particularly problematic but this has backfired as the public have objected to some of their methods, especially the anti Israel literature sent to schools (which Trocaire felt obliged to withdraw when attention was drawn to its contents).

The anti-Israel bias in Irish trade unions etc is a fairly recent phenomenon but Joanna believes people have been intimidated out of the debate. Anti-semitism remains an issue in Ireland. Vincent Browne’s remark on Irish TV about Israel being “a cancer” prompted an apology. Although this was judged not to be anti Semitism it was not fair or impartial. The Irish Times is often biased against Israel but even there commentators were taking a stand against the cultural boycott. The Irish Independent would take a more balanced stance so there are increasingly other voices being heard. It is vital in a democracy to listen to different sides and engage in balanced debate.

CCJ’s next speaker is Belfast’s new Rabbi, David Singer, who will discuss ‘ Religion and Responsibility’ on Wednesday 29th May at 7pm. For more details please contact branch secretary, Sandra Baillie.

NIFI Statement – Teachers Union of Ireland

No Israeli schoolkids or students on exchanges. Shun research because the author happens to be Israeli. Ban scientists, poets, writers and musicians on the ground of their nationality.

This week the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has voted – unanimously – to request its members to “cease all cultural and academic collaboration with Israel, including the exchange of scientists, students and academic personalities, as well as all cooperation in research programmes”.

No motion at all about Syria, Iran or any other Middle Eastern country.

No doubt the Union believes it is in the vanguard of opposing discrimination on the grounds of nationality, ethnicity or faith.

For organisations like Trocaire (the official Catholic Irish development agency) this latest development – promoted by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign – shows exactly what direction they have taken and how they have contributed to an environment of demonisation and marginalisation against Israel, quite unlike that regarding any other country in the world.

Trocaire employs IPSC staffers. It claims not to support Boycott Divestment and Sanctions against Israel yet calls for boycotting measures against certain Israeli companies in a way it does not advocate in respect of any other conflict zone on earth. It has had to remove material from its website because it was one-sided and extreme in its treatment of Israel.

Contributing to a one sided condemnation of Israel in a conflict which pits Israel on the one hand and the likes of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbolla, Iran and the Syrian regime on the other, is – in the opinion of this Jewish writer – profoundly unChristian, discriminatory – and counter productive. Boycotts distract Israelis and Palestinians from what can be the only path to peace – dialogue and negotiations, and negates what should be Ireland’s contribution – facilitating such dialogue and negotiation.

If the motion passed by the TUI does not open up Trocaire’s eyes to what they are contributing to, and encouraging, then we suggest nothing much will.

We repeat: No Israeli schoolkids or students on exchanges. Shun research because the author happens to be Israeli. Ban scientists, poets, writers and musicians on the ground of their nationality – the IPSC’s and TUI’s road to peace.

Steven Jaffe, co chair, Northern Ireland Friends of Israel
7 April 2013
http://www.nifi.org.uk

Israel Pass over Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifyer.

In the end it was smash and grab, as Israel took all three points from the World Cup qualifier at Windsor Park, Belfast – withstanding Northern Ireland pressure for most of the match and the extreme cold conditions. Two late goals sunk Northern Ireland’s hopes and leave Israel in contention for qualification. Even the Israeli press said Israel scarcely deserved their victory.

On the previous evening, Israeli footballers celebrated the Jewish festival of Passover – by holding a seder (celebratory meal) in their Belfast hotel.

Practice your Hebrew by following the excited commentary from Israeli TV coverage of the game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKxrOyp4sGk

Exceptionally cold conditions had the Israelis rushing out for special supplies – read about it at the “Israel news in Northern Ireland” tab of our website.

Colin in London – Standing in the Gap for Israel

                                                                        “”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"

                                                                A Report on an Israel Advocacy Day for Christians held in London

                                                                                              by Colin Nevin.

    The Israeli Embassy in London held an Embassy Advocacy Day for Christian Supporters on March 17th in central London with some 30 representatives from the Christian community from across the UK attending the day-long seminar. I was the only one from Northern Ireland, but it was a great opportunity to meet other like-minded individuals and organisation leaders who had been recognised for their loyal support of Israel in their own sphere of influence. We had discussion groups on how we could advance our current efforts on behalf of the Jewish state, and we realised that the Embassy did value those efforts and acknowledged the influence that Christian voices can have in the overall debate concerning Israel and its role in the Middle East.

  We were privileged to have His Excellency the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Daniel Taub, give an address to the group during the morning session and we were able to ask him questions from the floor. His presence was significant to me personally considering he had just recently addressed a well-attended NIFI meeting in Belfast where he received a warm standing ovation. I was able to remind him of that event where I had asked him about the possibility of Her Majesty the Queen ever visiting Israel, and I assured him when I did get opportunity to raise my hand  that I wouldn’t be asking him that same question on this occasion!

  Overall it was a most encouraging day. One highlight was an excellent film on Israel called ‘Inside Israel’ which is available on YouTube. The Embassy staff hosted us with much cordiality and an informal lunch was enjoyed by all present with a very Jewish touch of smoked salmon bagels and herring and plenty of tea and coffee throughout. Key moments in modern Israeli history were highlighted by Dr Asaf Siniver which gave some insights into the Israeli perspective.

  One particular person whom I met who might unnerve some of Israel’s detractors was a Palestinian Christian girl from the West Bank. Her unstinting support of Israel was a fresh perspective for me, and her stance in highlighting the problems in Palestinian society with the Islamicisation of Christian communities like Bethlehem not only bring home some stark truths to Christians here in the West, but also puts her family in considerable risk as they go about their daily lives often in an atmosphere of intimidation and fear, not caused by Israel. This just goes to show that there are people from all walks of life, including the Arab community, who can see the positives of Israel.

  NIFI Co-chair Steven Jaffe was present for the morning session and there was an intimation that there may be a possibility for a similar event to be held for friends of Israel in Northern Ireland in the future – so watch this space! I would just like to encourage others out there who do endeavour to represent Israel in a fair and more accurate light. Keep up the good work, and continue to stand in the gap. Israel needs you more than you think. So don’t give up.

Besides, what an unusual way to spend St Patrick’s Day. “Shalom and God bless, and may the ‘rehov’ (road) rise up to meet you!”

 

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 ”Mind the gap!” – Standing in the gap for Israel. Colin was encouraged by a very special day hosted by the Israeli Embassy in London.

NIFI welcomes Israeli Ambassador to Northern Ireland – 19 to 20 Feb 2013

Connections between Northern Ireland and Israel were strengthened this week with the visit by His Excellency, Daniel Taub, ambassador of Israel to the Court of St James.

The ambassador met with political and church leaders, grassroots community activists from across the political spectrum and religious divide, spoke on two university campuses, was a VIP visitor both at the Linenhall Library and Titanic museum, was interviewed by the radio and press, and received a standing ovation from over 300 supporters of Northern Ireland Friends of Israel.

At Stormont, the ambassador was welcomed by the deputy speaker, John Dallat MLA (SDLP), met with ministers at the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister, Jonathan Bell MLA (DUP) and Jennifer McCann MLA (Sinn Fein), and Mike Nesbitt (Ulster Unionist) and David McIlveen (DUP).

The ambassador met with senior church leaders from the four main denominations and led a wide-ranging discussion on the role of faith in political and peace negotiations. Meeting the ambassador were Rev. Ken Lindsay (head of the Methodist Church in Ireland) , Bishop Harold Miller (Church of Ireland), Rev. Dr. Roy Patton (Moderator, Presbyterian Church), Rev.Gary Mason MBE (superintendant of the East Belfast Mission), and Fr.Colin Grant (Roman Catholic).

The ambassador met an array of cross community activists and academics from across Northern Ireland’s political spectrum at a roundtable discussion at the Skainos centre in East Belfast. The topic under discussion was Conflict Resolution Dialogue – learning from the Peace building process in Northern Ireland. Amongst organisations participating were Belfast Conflict Resolution consortium, Causeway Institute, Community Dialogue, PUP, Institute for Conflict Research, Queen’s University, Intercomm, Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre, One Step, the Orange Order and the Victims Commisssion.

The meeting of the Northern Ireland Friends of Israel drew a crowd of over 300 supporters. NIFI president Gerald Steinberg chaired the event. Amongst those attending were elected representatives from different parties, clergy, and community leaders. Ian Paisley Junior MP started the Q and A session by enquiring into the significance of Israel’s recent general elections. The vote of thanks was given by Nigel Dodds MP. The Ambassador was given a standing ovation.

According to one NIFI fan, Elaine: “Well what can I say! What a truly amazing night!!Congratulations are due to NIFI on every aspect of the
event.The climax of the night was when Nigel Dodds called for us all to be “Ambassadors for Israel”, followed by the standing ovation. I have to say it brought a lump to my throat! This friends of Israel “movement” is certainly going somewhere. Once again, many congratulations. A great night.It just gets better all the time!”

An interview with the Ambassador in the Belfast Newsletter: http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/headlines/ambassador-torn-over-israel-flags-in-ni-1-4810799

Trade Unionist Margaret Gregg reports from Israel

A Northern Ireland Trade Unionist, Margaret Gregg, recently visited Israel as part of a delegation from Trade Union Friends of Israel. Here Margaret reflects on her visit to the region.

In November 2012, I was given the opportunity by my trade union, the GMB, to visit Israel with a group consisting of 8 delegates from the UK and 10 from Australia. The delegation co-coordinators were Trade Union Friends of Israel (www.tufi.org.uk).

The delegation first visited the Old City of Jerusalem with our guide who was an expert in the history of the city, and brought to life for us the many nations and religions that had been a part of the 3000 years of Jerusalem.

Later in the day we met a representative of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs who brought us up to date on the electoral system to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.

The next visit was to the office of the Quartet Representative, this position is currently held by Tony Blair. We met the teams focusing on improving economic growth and job creation on the West Bank. They explained problems of logistics and transport in the region. Their efforts were taking longer due to on-going political differences, hold ups and withdrawals because of the violence, and the stance of some trade unions was not helpful. In respect of the last point, the Quartet representatives said they were pleased that our delegation had come to Israel to see facts on the ground.

Religious Dialogue – an Israeli perspective

From l: Sandra Baillie, Deborah Weissman and Shoshana Appleton

Sandra Baillie, secretary of the Belfast branch of the Council of Christians and Jews, reports on the visit to Northern Ireland of the International CCJ President, Debbie Weissman from Israel.

We were delighted to have Dr Deborah Weissman from Israel as our speaker at the Eighteenth AGM of CCJ, Belfast branch, at the synagogue on 18th February. Ronnie and Shoshana Appleton welcomed Debbie into their home and Shoshana and I enjoyed showing Debbie some of the tourist sites of Belfast. Debbie was very touched by the special kosher lunch at Stormont hosted by Robin Newton MLA. Debbie was very grateful that the staff went to a lot of effort to accommodate her. She said this was very rare outside Israel and was pleasantly surprised that we all had the same meal!

We then held our AGM that evening.Fifty three people attended and everyone enjoyed the dinner and the speaker’s address. Her title was Inter Religious Dialogue: an Israeli Perspective.

Debbie outlined the complexity of Israeli and Northern Ireland politics and the necessity to follow the example of the French philosopher Emanuel Levinas – ‘To search for God in the face of the other.’

The Oslo peace process of 1993 was interesting in terms of the swiftness of the signing of the agreement. Dr Weissmann suggested that maybe people needed time to work through their fears and insecurities? There are two separate concepts that need to be worked on, namely peacemaking and peace building. Peace making is what the diplomats and political leaders do but peace-building is supposed to happen at the grass roots level. The question was posed regarding the role of religion as part of the problem or part of the solution.

Religion especially in the media, in particular in the Middle East, conjures up images of extremism, of xenophobia and of violence maybe this is because this sells newspapers. Nevertheless religion can contribute to human wisdom as religions have asked basic questions for hundreds of years such as:- What does it mean to live a good life as a human being and what does it mean to live in community?

Religions provide a sense of identity and rootedness, and show models of behaviour. The town of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon is an example of responsibility as 5,000 Christians saved 5,000 Jews there during the Holocaust because they had been persecuted as Huguenots by Catholics, just as Catholics were persecuted in the United States. There is the universal obligation to -’Understand the soul of the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.’

For more information regarding CCJ please contact Dr Sandra Baillie at sandrabaillie@me.com

A Christian journey towards Israel

Belfast-born Ruth Griffiths met NIFI Co chair Steven Jaffe at a recent Israel event hosted by her church in Berkshire at which Steven was invited to speak. As well as enjoying listening to Steven’s familiar accent, Ruth followed up the meeting by reflecting on her own journey as a Christian towards an understanding for Israel and the Jewish people.

My journey began as a child growing up in Northern Ireland. My mother told us Jesus was Jewish and what Hitler had done to the Jews. My father read us Bible stories every morning – always from the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) – and his favourite person was Abraham.

Apart from a short detour to Nigeria, we moved to Magherafelt, Co Derry in the 1960s. I never understood why, but I was always intrigued by Jews. I took it that that was because, apart from a couple of Hindu shopkeepers and the occasional Muslim doctor passing through the hospital (where my father was a consultant), there was no one living around Magherafelt in those days beyond an even mix of Catholics and Protestants.

As an agnostic teenager, I didn’t understand why there was trouble in Israel, but I noticed it and the fact some folk wouldn’t buy Jaffa oranges! I remember the sinister masked gunmen in Munich in 1972 and wondered why there was so much hatred (i.e. anti-Semitism) going on as surely everybody knew Hitler had been a demonic figure and the Jews badly needed, and now had, their own state.

At Keele university during the mid-seventies, and now a Christian believer, I met a few Jews. The strange thing was that although I felt Jews were significant for some inexplicable reason, I didn’t particularly ‘click’ with the ones I knew on campus. So, I went trawling through the library, thinking that the reason for my interest might be found there, but found the Jewish texts quite impenetrable. (I’m not particularly patient!)

Nobody else talked about Jews. Then I met Trevor (we’ve been married for nearly 35 years) who was also a believer. Around 1975/76, he arrived to see me, very excited about the book he was carrying under his arm: Battle for Israel by Lance Lambert, who still lives in Jerusalem. This had been written just after the Yom Kippur war. Amongst the description of victory being snatched from the jaws of defeat, Lance talked about God looking after Israel in a way I’d never heard anybody talk to date, and a seed was planted.

One evening in the late eighties, I was ironing and listening to a Christian bible teacher called Roger Price. He began talking about why the Jews are significant and my ears pricked up! Roger demonstrated to me that the Jews have always been and still are God’s Am Kadosh - Holy people; He has not finished with them, He is inherently bound up with them. If they should disappear, be wiped out, if His word and promises about them are broken, then He is no longer God. I suddenly ‘got’ why I’d been so interested in the Jews and immediately began dancing round the ironing board with as much joy as I did when I realised I was expecting our first baby! The Jews were/are significant because of God.

In the early 90′s, we met up with Christians who didn’t just pray for Israel’s protection, but moved actively to help Jews make aliyah. I told my Russian-speaking mother, Deirdre Wade, who made 5/6 trips to Western Siberia with Operation Exodus to locate Jews and then help them make the long, momentous journey back home to the Land.

At her 70th birthday party, she imported a troupe of Jewish dancers who had everybody up and moving round the floor with memorable vigour!

Since then, Trevor and I have become increasingly aware of how our Christian faith has Hebrew roots. This has helped make it much richer and 3-dimensional. For example, I now understand that when Yeshua (Jesus) gave thanks for food, once before, and the other time after the meal, he was demonstrating an obedience to both the oral and written Torah. So by seeing Him as a Torah-observant rabbi, it helps me appreciate the bible much more as a whole – and God himself.

We completed a short course in Hebrew, taught by a member of our Reading church, but although I’m an EFL tutor, I didn’t get much further than ‘Na’im me’od!‘ To which my jovial husband responded ‘Me’od na’im!’. Our poor 20-something American teacher had never come across Bruce Forsyth, and so, didn’t get the joke!

And now I’ve met Steven, an Ulster-born Jew. Same geographical roots and travelling down sort of parallel lines.

I shall end by saying ‘Next year in Jerusalem“, because amazingly, we’ve never been. I do still wrestle with the tenth commandment when our friends come back from a trip! I guess God thinks it’s very important that I experience contentment before He paves the way for us to go ourselves