Funding future

On one level, there is not much in common between the entrepreneur Sir Lloyd Dorfman and the former CEO of Jewish Care, Simon Morris — beyond their Judaism.

But in respective interviews this week, both men have expressed the same worry about the future funding of our community.

The more assimilated we become, the more our charitable giving seems to be moving beyond the Jewish community. As Sir Lloyd puts it, this is not of itself a bad thing. But “at the end of the day we are a small community and we have to look after our own.”

The sentiment is echoed by Mr Morris: “If the next generation wants to have a sustainable Jewish community — not just Jewish Care but Norwood, the CST, UJIA, the whole range — the only way it will happen is if we support it.”

For some years, the bulk of Jewish philanthropy has been provided by a small number of familiar donors. This is unsustainable. Jewish charities have to broaden the base of their support to survive.

This is an issue that is pressing, will not go away and needs urgent attention.

Playing games

Harold Wilson famously used Royal Commissions to diffuse difficult issues because they “take minutes and waste years”.

Middle East minister Alastair Burt has only set up a departmental review into British funding of the Palestinian Authority’s educational curriculum but the move is equally cynical. The “rigorous and independent review” will take until September 2019 at the earliest to report.

This is ludicrous. The evidence is available now.

Mr Burt is playing games.