Corona bucket list #1: PDF of my PhD thesis on reproductive politics in Israel

I submitted my PhD thesis to the University of Oxford in 2011. At the time, I planned to turn it into a book. But life had other plans for me - campaigning for equal civil partnerships, a career switch from academia to policy, and two beautiful babies. I wish I'd uploaded a PDF years ago, but it seems there's no time like the (uncertain) present.  

No doubt some of the later chapters are out of date, and the policy debates have shifted. And I'm sure I'd have framed and phrased things differently if I'd written it now or turned it into a book. But that hasn't happened yet, perfection is the enemy of the good, and there's some useful material in here -- about covert discrimination in child allowances to encourage Jewish fertility, and on the flip side, the lack of data to back up the claim that Palestinian citizens of Israel were the only population group given free contraceptives. 

My goal in sharing this now is to prevent any future researchers similarly intrigued by these questions of reproductive politics in Israel having to start from scratch. Hope it helps someone, somewhere, sometime.

Here it is. 

Holocaust Memorial Day 2015: Tuesday 27 January

I am pleased to learn that the University and College Union (UCU) will be giving permission to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust to add two UCU-made films - ‘The Holocaust’ (2012), to which I contributed, and ‘Journeys to Safety: Memories of the Kindertransport’ (2013) - to their list of resources. This is a great opportunity for the two films to reach a wider audience and is a great way to progress Holocaust education.    

In the film ‘The Holocaust’ (2012), I share some of my family's tragic stories with a wider public. Though it was difficult to talk about the experiences of my family and the impact of these experiences, especially on film, I think it is very important that we commemorate the Holocaust annually and try to constantly raise awareness of these critical issues. I think I have a particular responsibility in this regard as an educator. After all, if society is to change, it has to come through the education system. So I hope that this film will continue to not only commemorate and honour those killed in the Holocaust, but also stimulate thinking about genocide, ethnic cleansing and racism more broadly. 

The Holocaust: This film features UCU members who speak passionately about the impact of the Holocaust on their families and themselves. It won joint first prize for the TUC Communications Award in 2013.

Journeys to Safety: Memories of the Kindertransport: This film features three Kinder children (Lord Dubs, Ruth Barnett and John Fieldsend) who all gave their account of leaving their families via the Kindertransport. 

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In addition, the Jewish Human Rights Organisation, René Cassin, will be screening another film, Valley of Sighs, to mark Holocaust Memorial Week. My partner and I intend to attend the screening, as well as the Q&A with the film's writer and director afterwards, and to show our support for René Cassin's important work.
 
Between 1943 and 1945, the Nazis deported 25 000 Romani people to Transnistria. Half of them died of hunger, cold and other causes. This powerful documentary remembers a forgotten genocide - and provides historical context to the endemic discrimination that Gypsy, Roma and Travellers are still experiencing today. 

Professor Rainer Schulze of the University of Essex will introduce the screening. Attendees will then have the chance to discuss the film with its Romanian writer and director, Mihai Andrei Leaha. 

Event Details
Date: 31 January 2015
Time: Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start
Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
Cost: £6

Book your tickets here.
 

It cuts both ways: A Jew argues for child rights over religious circumcision

I've just published my debut blog as a Jewish Thinker for Israel's Haaretz newspaper on the topic of circumcision. Below are the first 150 words, and in 48 hours I'll re-post the whole article. 

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Two years ago, in response to an article I wrote questioning circumcision, the British historian Geoffrey Alderman dedicated his column to my character assassination, describing me as “a leading anti-Jewish Jew of the younger generation.” Though I appreciated the attention, I was disappointed – why not “the” leading anti-Jewish Jew? It would have brought my parents such nachas.

Still, I was luckier than the Council of Europe: After it passed a motion declaring the circumcision of young boys for religious reasons “a violation of the physical integrity of children,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry accused it of fostering “hate and racist trends in Europe.” With accusations flying, the Council’s special rapporteur, Marlene Rupprecht, countered that the “vote does not intend to stigmatize any religious community or its practices,” but to reach “a wide consensus on the rights of children.”

So, who’s right?

This article was originally published by Haaretz. For the full article, click here. 

UCU Wins Award for Holocaust Film

I am pleased to announce that a UCU Holocaust Memorial Day film, to which I contributed, has won joint first place at the annual TUC Communication Awards in the category of Best E-Communications.  

The film gave me and four other Jewish UCU members an opportunity to share our families' tragic stories with a wider public. 

The award judges were impressed with the ‘incredibly moving and powerful testimonies from UCU members’ and said ‘it is a truly impressive achievement for a trade union’. You can see the award here.

Most of my family on my father's side was killed in Auschwitz. Though it was difficult to talk about these experiences and the impact they had on our families, especially on film, it is very important to not only remember those killed, but also raise awareness about genocide, ethnic cleansing and racism more broadly. As members of a teaching union and as educators, we have a particular responsibility to stimulate thinking on these critical issues. After all, if society is to change, it has to come through the education system. I therefore hope this film is not only a fitting memorialisation of the deaths of my family members and a tribute to their lives, but also reminds us of the importance of standing up against racism, sexism, homophobia and other ideologies of exclusion.

The ceremony was held on Wednesday 10 July, and Helen Carr, National Head of Equality, collected the award on behalf of the union. Helen’s speech in full is below:

‘I am hugely pleased to receive this award on behalf of UCU but in particular for the five Jewish members of UCU who participated in the film. They are: Anita Peleg, Michael Picardie, Gail Reed, Elliot Schatzberger and Rebecca Steinfeld.’

‘UCU has commemorated HMD for the previous 3 years through a national seminar on the day. This year we decided to reach and involve more members to make this film. Including the personal family testimonies would enable our commitment to HMD to have a deeper impact.’

‘The sharing of personal histories has conveyed not only the painful loss to each family but the magnitude of the Holocaust.’

‘The testimonies take us to Germany, Austria, Poland, France, Lithuania and Hungary and later to England.    Anita’s direct family before the Holocaust was 26 members – two grandparents, 8 siblings and 6 spouses and 9 grandchildren – only 8 survived. And Michael stated that between July 1941 and December 1941 – 92% of nearly 300,000 Jews of Lithuania were murdered.’

‘UCU as a teaching union has produced an important education resource to remind us why we must always be vigilant and continue to campaign against far right movements such as the BNP and the EDL.   There have been further genocides and the film commemorates those murdered in Rwanda, Cambodia, Darfur and Bosnia.’

‘Finally I would like to thank Paul Rey Burns who was commissioned to make this film. His commitment, sensitivity and creativity was invaluable. And finally I would like to thank Sharon Russell, a member of the equality team at UCU who project managed the film and provided immense support to those involved.’

Holocaust Memorial Day Film

In January 2013, I contributed to a film that was made by the University and College Union (UCU) in order to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2013, which took place on Sunday 27 January.

The film gave me and other Jewish UCU members an opportunity to share our families' tragic stories with a wider public. Most of my family on my father's side was killed in Auschwitz. Though it was difficult to talk about these experiences and the impact they had on our families, especially on film, I think it is very important to not only remember those killed, but also raise awareness about genocide, ethnic cleansing and racism more broadly. As members of a teaching union and as educators, we have a particular responsibility to stimulate thinking on these critical issues. After all, if society is to change, it has to come through the education system. I therefore hope this film is not only a fitting memorialisation of the deaths of my family members and a tribute to their lives, but also reminds us of the importance of standing up against racism, sexism, homophobia and other ideologies of exclusion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m86B9WDvCiI&feature=player_embedded

Please share the film widely. Thank you.