Wife of British PM Sarah Brown meets JLGB

UJIA was invited to bring a group of British summer tour participants to meet with Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Sunday 20 July 2008 during the couple's recent visit to Israel.

Thirty participants on JLGB (Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade) summer tour, a UJIA-supported Jewish youth group organisation met Sarah Brown, during their stay in Jerusalem. They are two weeks into their five-week tour of Israel, during which they will see a wide range of aspects of Israel. They were joined by Director of UJIA Israel Experience in the UK Richard Goldstein.

During the informal meeting Mrs. Brown asked the summer tour participants about their trip to Israel and learnt about the JLGB and its wide range of activities throughout the year. She was particularly interested to hear about the way the summer programme developed them as individuals.

Following the first part of the meeting, Mrs. Brown and the group went into the grounds of the King David hotel where Mrs. Brown walked amongst the groups of youngsters getting to know them, and chatting.

Beverly Goldberg, 16 from Glasgow
"I found Mrs Brown to be very welcoming and open to Israeli culture"

Lauren Cirsch, 16 from Essex
"She respected JLGB for what we stand for and for bringing our group out to Israel and she acknowledged the fact that we come form a minority in the UK, but here, as Jews, we are in the majority"

Elliott Weiss, 16 from Reading
Elliott asked Mrs Brown if her perception of Israel had changed during her short visit. She answered him by saying that she was aware that the image of Israel portrayed in the media is not always a positive one, but she has a different image. Although this was her first time in Israel she really felt that she knew it because her husband had been several times before and he had gained a true picture of Israel from his father, who had visited many times in his capacity within the Scottish Church and took many many pictures which the young Gordon Brown avidly watched in slide shows!
(The Prime Minister also made mention of his father and those slide shows during his speech to the Knesset)

When asked by Esther Wershof, 16 from Ilford what had been her most meaningful experience in Israel, Mrs Brown answered that her visit to Yad Vashem had been very moving. She said she would be deeply shocked if anyone from any background was not moved by the museum.

Natie Shevel, Regional Director of UJIA Israel said: It was a unique opportunity for these youths to have met with Mrs. Brown. Part of what the summer programme is all about is bringing together the youths British and Jewish Identities. Having such a meeting while in Israel allows them to engage in this issue.

Following the meeting with the summer tour participants, Mrs. Brown joined her husband for a private dinner with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his wife Aliza at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem.

You can see more photos of the group with Mrs. Brown in our photo gallery. Please click here.