Lord Trimble makes 'connection' with Israel at Leeds UJIA Annual Dinner

Nobel Prize winning politician, Lord Trimble, spoke about his "connection to Israel" at the UJIA Leeds Annual Dinner on Monday 29 November 2010. Over 200 guests from across the Jewish community in Leeds came to the event at the Reuben Vincent Banqueting Suite which raised £235,000 towards UJIA's programmes for young people and education in the UK and northern Israel.

Guest of honour, Lord Trimble, praised the work of UJIA commenting: "UJIA does marvellous work and I can't see anything more important than people getting a good education." He spoke about the Peace Process in both Northern Israel and Israel and explained how he has felt "sympathy" for Israel throughout his life, adding:

"I have always felt a connection to Israel... One recognised Israel as a democratic state within a region where there were very few that could compare to its quality."

The former MP and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party was a key figure in the Northern Ireland Peace Process and, in 1998, was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize with John Hume for his contribution to the Good Friday Agreement. In May 2010, Lord Trimble joined the Friends of Israel Initiative, launched by former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Anzar and other international leaders.

The event attracted guests from across the local Jewish community, including community shaliach, Gilad Amit, Hilton Lorie, President of the Leeds Jewish Representative Council and Alex Epstein, contestant on this year's series of BBC's The Apprentice. UJIA's core partners at the dinner included the Makor educational resource centre, The Zone youth club and Brodetsky Primary School. Jeremy Dunford, the school's head teacher, told the audience about his recent trip to northern Israel as part of UJIA's School to School Partnership Programme and his hopes to make links with the Lord Steinberg Hemed Torani-Environmental School in Merom HaGalil. Leeds UJIA Chairman, Martin Harris, opened the event and guests also heard from Richard Manning, Chairman, UJIA Leeds UK Programme, who introduced Lord Trimble.

Howard Foreman, UJIA North East Regional Director, commented:

"The attendance at this year's dinner was the highest we've had for years and a donor-for-donor comparison showed that the event raised 17% more than last year's dinner. This demonstrates the support and understanding of the North East's Jewish community for UJIA's programmes in Israel and the UK."

Photos by Howard Barnett.