People
This list is still being completed.
Honourees:
Chair: Yehuda Erdman
Yehuda Erdman was born on the Independence Day of Israel (Yom Ha-Atzma’ut) 1948 in Jerusalem. He is the son of refugees from Nazi Germany who went on Aliya (emmigrated) to Palestine in 1935. In his teens Yehuda became an enthusiastic member of the Jewish Socialist Jewish youth movement Habonim in the UK, including training on the Hachshara in Sussex followed by his own Aliya to a kibbutz in Upper Galilee in 1968. After returning to London, Yehuda joined Mapam UK (Jewish Workers Party), and later Meretz UK. He is married with four grown-up sons, and he retired from his profession of Microbiology after working mainly in Public Health Microbiology including some published research. He has been Chair for about seven years, and looks forward to a resurgent Meretz UK and even the holy grail of a youth wing herein London. On the wider picture, despite all the setbacks in recent years, Yehuda still wants to see peace in the Middle East between Israel and her neighbours soon, but preferably in his lifetime!
Secretary, Acting Treasurer: Lawrence Joffe
Lawrence Joffe is a freelance journalist who writes for the Guardian, Jewish Chronicle, the Times, Independent, The Middle East, the Jewish Quarterly and other publications. Born in South Africa, he is active on the Jewish Arab peace and friendship front. He has held several talks on Israel and its Arab neighbours and published on the topic repeatedly, including Keesings Guide to the Middle East Peace Process (1996). In late 2012 he published An Illustrated History of the Jewish People. Now also available in two parts: The History of the Jews from the Ancients to the Middle Ages and A Modern History of the Jews from the Middle Ages to the Present Day. In addition, he serves as secretary of the Arab-Jewish Forum.
Membership Supervisor: Ben Freiman
Secretary: t.b.d
Avivit Caspi: Administrator (currently on maternity leave)
Avivit has been an administrator since 2004 and having been born in Israel, she believes strongly in building a better Israel for all! She is a known artist in her own right, beside her activities for Meretz UK.
Current Committee Members (maskirut, listed alphabetically):
Yehuda Erdman (Chair) see above
Ben Freiman
Ben Freiman is a freelance property consultant, unchangeable motorbike enthusiast and fantastic source of technical knowledge and has been member of Meretz and Mapam for as long as he can remember. Ben’s father fought in the war of independence of Israel after surviving the Shoah; in spite of this Ben remains a man who believes in peace and reconciliation with Palestinians and Arabs. he also has an interest in Jewish Humanism. Ben is also a DJ available to parties and weddings to which he rides with his portable system on his motorbike.
Lawrence Joffe (Secretary) see above.
Pauline Levis
Pauline ran a single-handed self-built and admirable campaign to save an Iranian refugee and his family – Save Behnam). The former Chair of Meretz UK – and before that Mapam UK – Pauline studied history and politics at London University. For many years she was a teacher in London. Since retiring she cared for her elderly mother, now sadly deceased. Still firmly committed to issues of social justice and an active UK Labour Party supporter, she was part of the Hashomer Hatzair Youth Movement in her teens and has been with Mapam / Meretz all her life.
Debbie Green
Stephanie A.
Patrons:
We are in the process of building a
list of patrons.
If you would like to become a patron
of Meretz UK please contact Lawrence Joffe or Avivit Caspi on info@meretz.org.uk