Meretz UK Home of British Meretz

Meretz UK invites you to hear lawyer and seasoned historical researcher Richard Cohen on

Winston Churchill and the Jews

– revelations about the past, lessons for the present

• On Sunday 24 November, at JW3, 341 Finchley Road, NW3 6ET
• Starting 6.30 pm; suggested contribution £5

“A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma” – that is how Sir Winston Churchill famously described the Soviet Union in 1939. But eighty years after that quote, what is the key to understanding the man himself, and in particular his feelings about Jews?

Richard’s illustrated talk will cover

• The Churchill family’s long relationship with Jewish personalities
• Winston’s view on Zionism and his influence over the Palestine Mandate
• His fierce opposition to both Nazism and Communism
• His role in World War II and the issue of bombing Auschwitz
• His admiration for Israel coupled with advice that it should speak with Arab neighbours
• His political style and ethos, his powerful oratory and his ability to rebound from disaster
• How Winston’s approach could inform the current political debate in Britain

• Contact meretzuk@yahoo.co.uk or call 07942 978780
• Supported by Hashomer Hatzair Trust
  

  Winston Churchill (r) and his wife Clementine with French Premier Léon Blum, who was Jewish

About our speaker

Richard Cohen was called to the bar at Middle Temple in 1977, was admitted as a solicitor in 1984, and after working in various firms, including as partner, he is now a consultant solicitor in Ilford. He was also a  District Councillor in Epping and is former chairman and senior warden of Loughton Synagogue. A long-time Rotarian, he is a member of the Board of Deputies, the Council of Christians and Jews, and Faith Matters. Most recently he became chair of the Jewish Historical Society of England Essex Branch.

Besides these pursuits, Richard is a devoted part-time historian and archival researcher. Over the years he has lectured on Churchill, Disraeli, the history of Israel, the story of Sir Jack Cohen and TESCO, and numerous other subjects at venues including Limmud, London Rotary Club, Talk Radio Europe, Bushey Sage, a branch of the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel, and Edgware United Synagogue.

For two years Richard helped research and proof read ‘Churchill, Walking with Destiny’ by Prof Andrew Roberts (published late 2018), which The Times reviewer Dominic Sandbrook called ‘the best biography of Winston ever written’. Cohen interviewed Roberts on the topic at JW3 last year.

Richard started his theatrical career with a fine performance in 2016 as Leopold Amery in Ronald Harwood’s ‘An English Tragedy’; he followed that with the role of Bishop How in ‘The Elephant Man’ in 2018; and will soon play Admiral Bertram Ramsay in ‘Pressure’ – all with LADS, the London Amateur Dramatics Society.