Sufra was started in 2013 to respond to both the causes and consequences of impoverishment in the community and works with local families living in poverty, asylum seekers, refugees and people experiencing homelessness and social isolation.
Nina Parmar, the food aid manager at Sufra NW London, which also won a Beneficiary Charity Award, said that they joined Mitzvah Day after the organisation’s team came down to see Sufra NW London and spent the day cooking with them.
She said: “The charity is secular, and our volunteers are of all faiths and none. It’s just a human thing to want to volunteer and give back to others, supporting those who might not have as much as you do.”
Rachel Ucko, head of Jewish living and community at Kisharon Langdon who won the Outstanding Individual Mitzvah Day award[Missing Credit]
Also celebrating receiving an Outstanding Individual Award was Rachel Ucko, head of Jewish living and community at Kisharon Langdon. She told the JC that Mitzvah Day was an opportunity “to show the community that learning disabilities shouldn’t be a barrier to contributing and giving back to the community and helping others”.
Rachel ran a range of Mitzvah Day projects with Kisharon Langdon volunteers, which included collecting and sorting toiletries for Sebby’s Corner, flower arranging with Jewish Care residents, collecting for Food Bank Aid with Etz Chaim primary school and playing a football match with young Jewish adults. “Barriers were overcome and people we support felt included in community life.”
Describing Rachel as “one of those unsung heroes - the invisible glue which holds our community together”, CEO of Kisharon Langdon Richard Franklin said after the awards: "Rachel has brought learning disabilities and autism to the forefront and the importance of recognising that everyone can contribute, in accordance with the best values and traditions.”
Kisharon Langdon also won a Beneficiary Charity Award.
Award winner, Rachel Ucko with Daniel and Yossi from Kisharon Langdon[Missing Credit]
The Awards ceremony, held at South Hampstead Synagogue, saw over 100 Mitzvah Day project leaders, coordinators and volunteers from the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Sikh communities come together.
Opening the event, Mitzvah Day chair Laura Marks CBE said: “We had over 100 entries for these awards, and the reason that we hold them is because so many people put in so much effort for Mitzvah Day and tonight helps us celebrate, engage with and inspire each other.
She added that the what made the awards ceremony “even more special is seeing so many people from other faiths and communities here with us. Mitzvah Day is all about being together and showing that united we are stronger, we are better, and we can make a real difference in our local communities.”
There was also a panel discussion, introduced by Claudia Mendoza, CEO of the JLC and moderated by Laurie Shone, Mitzvah Day projects and partnership manager.
The panellists were Matthew Gold from Faith & Belief Forum, Julie Siddiqi MBE, social entrepreneur, gender equality campaigner and community organiser, Es Rosen, president of Barnet Multi-Faith Forum and an Interfaith Network trustee, Rabbi Josh Levy, co-lead of Progressive Judaism and Rosie Tharp from the London Borough of Camden.
The Mitzvah Day Awards 2024 Panel at South Hampstead Synagogue[Missing Credit]
The award winners were decided by a mix of public ballot, with more than 1,000 people voting, and a panel headed by Mitzvah Day CEO Stuart Diamond – leading to two victors in most of the categories.
The JC sponsored the Outstanding Youth Achievement Award, which was won by Project ImpACT and Holy Trinity & St Silas Primary School.
The full list of winners and nominees is below:
OUTSTANDING BRITISH MITZVAH DAY
Sponsored by Selborne Chambers
Winners:
Maidenhead Synagogue
South Hampstead Synagogue
Nominees:
Jewish Blind and Disabled
St Albans Masorti Synagogue (SAMS)
Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue
Manchester Intra-faith
Otto Schiff Care Home Residents
North West Surrey Synagogue
---
MITZVAH DAY OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL
Supported by the Rachel Charitable Trust
Winners:
Rachel Ucko
Chef Jasvinder Singh
Nominees:
Pete Simms
Dan Ozarow
Alexandra Domingue
Ingrid Segal
Owen Power
Adrienne Pool
Maureen Vanderberg
Melanie Barnett
---
REPAIR THE WORLD
Supported by the Anglo-Jewish Association
Winner:
Woodside Park Synagogue
Nominees:
JAMH
Alyth Synagogue
Progressive Jewish Link Northern Ireland
Winchester Jewish Community
York Liberal Jewish Community
Watford and District Synagogue
Hampstead United Synagogue
---
MITZVAH DAY BENEFICIARY CHARITY
Sponsored by The Benefact Group
All winners:
Kisharon Langdon
Sufra NW London Community Kitchen
Sebby’s Corner
The Separated Child Foundation
PJ Library
The Woodland Trust
The Passage
---
OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL MITZVAH DAY
Sponsored by Edwin and Ester Shuker
Winners:
Union of Jewish Women – Johannesburg, South Africa
Maccabi Ukraine
Nominees:
Mitzvah Day Hagoschrim – Switzerland
Mitzvah Day Lazos
JCC Budapest
Mitzvah Day Brazil
Jewish Liberal Community of Cologne Gescher LaMassoret Ev
National Council of Jewish Women of Canada
Jewish Care Victoria – Australia
---
OUTSTANDING YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT
Sponsored by The Jewish Chronicle
Winners:
Project ImpACT
Holy Trinity & St Silas Primary School
Nominees:
Shoresh Nursery
Huddersfield JSoc
Kisharon Langdon and Etz Chaim Primary School
South Hampstead High School
Southgate Progressive Synagogue
Alma Primary School
