Phoenix Yard, 65 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9LW T: 020 7239 4913 E: [email protected] Letter to local councillor candidates re Gendered Islamophobia in Britain today Wednesday 18th April 2018 Dear Local Council Candidate, As Jewish and Muslim women, we both firmly believe that no-one should fear for their safety because of who they are, how they pray, what they wear, or their gender. How we treat each other is a testament to our core values and we are all diminished when we allow fear and ignorance, which often lead to bigotry and violence, to come between us and go unchecked. Tell MAMA www.tellmamauk.org, the only national campaign that monitors, records and supports victims of anti-Muslim hatred, highlighted in their annual report, a range of social impacts caused by anti-Muslim hatred within the United Kingdom. The greatest impact was felt by women, who are visibly Muslim; more than half of victims of in-person or street- based incidents were female. Every day spaces like trains, buses or the streets often feel unsafe for Muslim women, and they are too often worried that they, and their children, will face verbal abuse or even physical violence. As Jewish women, standing shoulder to shoulder with our Muslim cousins, and as mothers, sisters, and crucially as friends, we call upon every candidate in the local elections in May, to commit to addressing violence against Muslim Women, or Gendered Islamophobia. We call upon you, as potential local councillors, firstly to publicly and immediately commit to a clear strategy to protect Muslim women on our streets in our towns and villages, and secondly, to work with Nisa-Nashim (the Jewish/Muslim women’s network in 30 locations nationally) to develop a local policy, to address this issue longer term. We look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible Sincerely, Signed by… Laura Marks OBE: Co-Founder of Nisa-Nashim [email protected] Luciana Berger MP, Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree Ruth Smeeth MP, Labour Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove The Baroness Altmann CBE Dame Helen Hyde DBE Nicola Mendelsohn CBE, Facebook Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa Nisa-Nashim Nisa-Nashim is a registered charity, no. 1175728 and a private limited company limited by guarantee no. 10397556. Registered office - 32 Elsworthy Road, London NW3 3DL. Phoenix Yard, 65 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9LW T: 020 7239 4913 E: [email protected] Gillian Merron, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi of Reform Judaism Hilda Worth, Co-Chair of Jewish Women’s Aid, Trustee of Jewish Leadership Council Leonie Lewis, Vice President of the United Synagogue and Director of JVN Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Director of Strategy and Partnerships for Liberal Judaism Marie van der Zyl, Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews Judy Silkoff, Chief Operating Officer for the Federation of Synagogues Hannah Rose, President Elect of the Union of Jewish Students Olivia Marks-Woldman, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust Deborah Nathan, Co-Chair of the Association of Jewish Women & their Organisations Dr Tamra Wright, Director of Academic Studies and Educator Development at the London School of Jewish Studies Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, Principal of Leo Baeck College Abigail Morris, Chief Executive of Jewish Museum London Rabbi Dr Jackie Tabick, Convener of the Reform Judaism Beit Din Doreen Samuels, Trustee of the United Synagogue Bev Jacobson, Chief Executive of Kisharon Rabbi Leah Jordan, Liberal Judaism Student Chaplain Lady Daniela Pears, Interfaith Chair of Mitzvah Day Debbie Fox, Vice Chair of Jewish Care Rebecca Filer, Campaigns Officer for the Union of Jewish Students Nicky Goldman, Executive Director of Lead (Jewish Leadership Council) Lauren Hamburger, Director of PJ Library in the UK Hannah Weisfeld, Director of Yachad Mia Hasenson-Gross, Executive Director of Rene Cassin And many more supportive Jewish women from all around the UK… Nisa-Nashim Nisa-Nashim is a registered charity, no. 1175728 and a private limited company limited by guarantee no. 10397556. Registered office - 32 Elsworthy Road, London NW3 3DL. .