Last night, a room of 900 people attended Jewish Care’s annual dinner at Grosvenor House, celebrating the support Jewish Care gives to older people across the community. Together, guests raised £5.2 million for our vital services which touch the lives of over 10,000 people each week.
We were delighted to be joined by our guest of honour, Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, in his first address to the Jewish community at an event. The Prime Minister spoke of the pivotal role that social care providers like Jewish Care play each and every day.
Guests heard the stories of some of our clients including Leon Lixenberg, who is living with dementia, and his son, Michael. Leon now attends Jewish Care’s Sam Beckman Centre for people living with dementia and we are honoured to be able to support them both to ensure Leon gets the care he needs and has an environment to thrive in.
We were also privileged to hear from Fiona Mendel, whose late mother, Anne, was cared for at Jewish Care’s Anita Dorfman House at Sandringham until she sadly passed away in December 2021 after her diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Understanding the needs of our clients and their families and supporting them through end-of-life care is key to the unique care we provide. Fiona’s father, Tony Sidnick, also attended The Ronson Family Community Centre at Sandringham. Unfortunately, one day, Tony suffered a stroke whilst at the Centre, and our staff had to react quickly to the situation. Tony is now also cared for by our wonderful staff at Anita Dorfman House at Sandringham. At a time of crisis for the family, Jewish Care was able to be there and to support them every step of the way.
We are so grateful to both families for sharing their stories with our guests, illustrating just how vital the services at Jewish Care are.
The evening ended with a memorable performance from award winning artist, Craig David, who has 20 UK Top 40 singles, seven UK Top 40 albums and has sold over 15 million records worldwide. Last week, Craig David paid a special visit to Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre to meet with members, hear their stories, and learn more about what the centre does. Jewish Care is grateful to Craig David for kindly donating his time on the night.
Thanks also go to CST for ensuring the safety and security of the event.
Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, said:
“This is my first Jewish community dinner as Prime Minister and having heard so much about this incredible organisation, I’m absolutely delighted that I’m here with you at Jewish Care because your culture of service represents not just the best of our Jewish community, but the very best of Britain.”
Lord Levy, Jewish Care’s Life President, said:
“I want to thank our clients, volunteers, staff and lay leaders from the bottom of my heart for all that they do for people like Leon, Michael, Fiona, Anne and Tony. They have demonstrated just how valuable our services are, not only during times of crisis, but during our regular days. When we work together as a community, so much can be accomplished, and Jewish Care is a testament to that. We care for all those in our community who need our help, and we are truly one family. That is because our supporters have helped to create this very special charity, and for that, we are truly grateful.”
Dame Gail Ronson, Jewish Care’s Honorary President and Annual Dinner Chair, said:
“This year marks 40 years of my involvement with Jewish Care and its predecessor the Jewish Welfare Board. I am immensely proud that I and my family continue with our support and involvement with Jewish Care, which after many years is still close to my heart, and it is for that reason that I am honoured to mark this anniversary as the Dinner Chair.”
Jonathan Zenios, Chair, Jewish Care said:
“We are deeply grateful to our supporters for their generosity in giving £5.2 million to support Jewish Care’s vital services across the community and in our day centres and care homes. To have raised £5.2 million is a magnificent success, and a great start to our campaign year, where we will need to raise a total of £17 million to provide all the services on which the community relies. Huge thanks for making the evening so memorable go to our guest of honour, Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP and to Craig David for generously donating his time to entertain us.”
Photography: Blake Ezra Photography