Residents flocked to an in-conversation event exploring the differences between Salford’s Jewish communities as part of the UK’s first Jewish Culture Month on Sunday.
Established by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the month-long celebration of Jewish arts, music, literature, food and contemporary culture draws to a close today, 16 June.
The inaugural month-long festival continued in the city on Sunday, as Queer Jewish campaigner Owen Power sat down with Orthodox councillor Andrew Walters to discuss the diversity within Salford’s Jewish communities and field questions from attendees.
‘Salford is not Manchester!’ provided a space for Jewish and non-Jewish guests to make a distinction between the beliefs of communities in Salford and nearby Manchester at a time when Mr Power believes they are often “grouped together.”
The liberal and progressive member of the Jewish faith noted the contrast between himself and ‘hat-wearing’ Hasidic Coun Walters showed the variety in traditions and beliefs within the city’s Jewish circles.
He said the chief success of the event was the way it fostered “friendliness” between people at different ends of a religious spectrum.
“I get along well with Andrew, who might be seen as a more visibly Jewish person because of the way he dresses,” he said, explaining that events like this help to educate people about the different groups and highlight that communities can co-exist peacefully in Salford.
Mr Power is a Hate Crime Ambassador and provides a point of contact at Pendleton Gateway whereby people can report incidents without going through the police.
Following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green in April, the government’s adviser on terrorism called antisemitism the “biggest national emergency since Covid.”
Mr Power hopes that more victims will feel empowered to overcome any “embarrassment” they may feel about being subjected to discrimination over time.
Reflecting on the success of ‘Salford is not Manchester!’, he said the event allowed people to learn more about the lives of those around them beyond common perceptions of Jewish communities in Greater Manchester.
The event reflects the wider aim of Jewish Culture Month: to broaden public understanding of Jewish life in Britain beyond narratives focused primarily on antisemitism and security concerns.
More information about the inaugural Jewish Culture Month is available here.
