Alexander Goldberg
Encyclopedia
Alexander Goldberg, b. Guildford
in 1974 is a barrister, chaplain and human rights activist. He founded and chaired the CCJO René Cassin
human rights group and is the Chief Executive of the London Jewish Forum
and the Chaplain to the University of Surrey
.
affair in Birmingham between the police, Sikh community and Birmingham Rep Theatre following tensions over the controversial play.
Goldberg supported the introduction of legislation that would widen the scope of the statute that outlawed incitement to hatred. In 2004, the Hindu and Muslim communities were not included in existing legislation that combated racial hatred, whilst Sikhs and Jews were covered by the existing law. He advised a group of parliamentarians to support the introduction of a new law.
Goldberg was instrumental in setting up an experimental mentoring project in the Tower Hamlets working with JP Morgan and five secondary comprehensive schools. The project was designed to help bridge different ethnic and faith communities in Tower Hamlets and contribute to future community relations by developing the community leadership skills of young people in the area The project was later sited as an example of good practice by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion set up by the Government in 2006-07.
Following the 7 July 2005 London bombings
he set up an Observatory at the CRE to monitor community tensions. Within a few months of this he was seconded to the Metropolitan Police
.
, Goldberg negotiated the first-ever reference to group/collective rights in a United Nations
instrument. The principles were adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 2005.
In June 2006, Goldberg was one of the first NGO representatives to address the inaugural session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Goldberg has spoken at the United Nations on religious and racial discrimination as well as calling for the UN to take action on the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan.
In recent years, Goldberg has been involved in training young human rights activists from around Europe in international human rights advocacy both in their home countries and at the United Nations. Following his statement at the inaugural session of the UN Human Rights Council, CCJO René Cassin launched human rights training days open to all minority and disadvantaged groups, a European Human Rights think tank and has introduced future leaders to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
in July 2008 having been the Community Issues Director at the Board of Deputies of British Jews
. and was elected co-chair of the Faiths Forum for London in 2010.
In his Board role he campaigned publicly against amendments to the Education and Inspection Bill 2006 by Lord Baker and the government that would have seen the state imposition of mandatory quotas on voluntary aided faith schools. The Government withdrew their amendment after strong opposition from the Catholic and Jewish communities. He served on a committee headed by the Secretary of States, Alan Johnson
and Ed Balls
that drafted the Government's Faith in the System publication which was seen as a major commitment by the Labour Government to the continuity of faith schools He was critical of NUT proposals on faith schools in March 2008
In June 2007, Goldberg was involved in trying to find a solution to a crisis in the orthodox Jewish community over marriage visas. The Home Office proposed to introduce measures that would up the age limit for international marriage visas from 18 to 21 which would impact on the strictly orthodox community. He was part of a delegation that met with the Immigration Minister in March 2008 to express their concerns over the proposal.
In his role as director, Goldberg was also in charge of the community long-term strategic think tank, the Community Policy Research Group (CPRG).
In 2007 he set up a temporary office in Manchester which saw the first Board presence outside of London in the organisation's 250 year in history in order to develop regional representation to the Government. The project was supported by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Goldberg took the lead on equality and diversity issues at the Board of Deputies. According to the Jewish Chronicle, he has launched a schools linking project for minority faith schools called Shared Futures. The programme made headlines when it was announced that the Board of Deputies was recruiting a Muslim Schools Advisor.
in 1999. This concept was put on hold due to mounting tensions in the region. In South America, he arranged an interfaith commemoration which saw for the first time in the continent's history the reciting from the Quran by an imam in a synagogue and was asked to make an address in the Uruguayan Parliament.
where he initiated in Surrey the commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day in the United Kingdom
. He has been part of the team that is building a £5million at the University of Surrey . This will be the first building in Britain to have a Synagogue, Mosque and Chapel built separately under one roof and will have facilities for the six major world faiths The centre obtained planning permission in November 2007.
Goldberg has collaborated with other chaplains on initiating the university's Auschwitz study visit and was part of the team who ensured the university had the country's first ever interfaith officer in 2006. Surrey now has a permanent interfaith programme. He is also the chaplain to the Guilford School of Acting - Consistoire.
The BBC have him as a frequent panelist on BBC 1's The Big Questions and a number of faith and religion magazine shows on BBC Radio.
and a former member of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Group Relations Committee. The Jewish Chronicle named him as one of the rising stars of the community in the JC100 Power List 2008.
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
in 1974 is a barrister, chaplain and human rights activist. He founded and chaired the CCJO René Cassin
CCJO René Cassin
CCJO RenéCassin is an organisation of Jewish people committed to the promotion of universal human rights. The group aims to build on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of whose authors, René Cassin, was the president of the Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations...
human rights group and is the Chief Executive of the London Jewish Forum
London Jewish Forum
The London Jewish Forum is dedicated to the promotion of Jewish life in London. The Forum provides a platform for engagement between London Jewry and the Greater London Authority, Mayor's Office, London Boroughs and MPs / MEPs. It works to promote the full and active engagement of the Jewish...
and the Chaplain to the University of Surrey
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
.
Early career
Goldberg was called to the Bar in 2001 and was the first Executive Co-ordinator of the Bar Council's think tank, the Bar and Policy Research Group before moving onto the Commission for Racial Equality. He was involved directly in negotiations over the BehztiBehzti
Behzti is a play written by the British Sikh playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti. The play sparked a controversy in the United Kingdom in December 2004. A controversial scene set in a Gurdwara included scenes of rape, physical abuse and murder. Some members of the Sikh community found the play deeply...
affair in Birmingham between the police, Sikh community and Birmingham Rep Theatre following tensions over the controversial play.
Goldberg supported the introduction of legislation that would widen the scope of the statute that outlawed incitement to hatred. In 2004, the Hindu and Muslim communities were not included in existing legislation that combated racial hatred, whilst Sikhs and Jews were covered by the existing law. He advised a group of parliamentarians to support the introduction of a new law.
Goldberg was instrumental in setting up an experimental mentoring project in the Tower Hamlets working with JP Morgan and five secondary comprehensive schools. The project was designed to help bridge different ethnic and faith communities in Tower Hamlets and contribute to future community relations by developing the community leadership skills of young people in the area The project was later sited as an example of good practice by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion set up by the Government in 2006-07.
Following the 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
he set up an Observatory at the CRE to monitor community tensions. Within a few months of this he was seconded to the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
.
CCJO René Cassin
In his role as Chairperson of CCJO René CassinCCJO René Cassin
CCJO RenéCassin is an organisation of Jewish people committed to the promotion of universal human rights. The group aims to build on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of whose authors, René Cassin, was the president of the Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations...
, Goldberg negotiated the first-ever reference to group/collective rights in a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
instrument. The principles were adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 2005.
In June 2006, Goldberg was one of the first NGO representatives to address the inaugural session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Goldberg has spoken at the United Nations on religious and racial discrimination as well as calling for the UN to take action on the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan.
In recent years, Goldberg has been involved in training young human rights activists from around Europe in international human rights advocacy both in their home countries and at the United Nations. Following his statement at the inaugural session of the UN Human Rights Council, CCJO René Cassin launched human rights training days open to all minority and disadvantaged groups, a European Human Rights think tank and has introduced future leaders to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Jewish Community Leader: London Jewish Forum and Board of Deputies
Goldberg was appointed the Chief Executive of the London Jewish ForumLondon Jewish Forum
The London Jewish Forum is dedicated to the promotion of Jewish life in London. The Forum provides a platform for engagement between London Jewry and the Greater London Authority, Mayor's Office, London Boroughs and MPs / MEPs. It works to promote the full and active engagement of the Jewish...
in July 2008 having been the Community Issues Director at the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Board of Deputies of British Jews
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the main representative body of British Jews. Founded in 1760 as a joint committee of the Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jewish communities in London, it has since become a widely recognised forum for the views of the different sectors of the UK Jewish...
. and was elected co-chair of the Faiths Forum for London in 2010.
In his Board role he campaigned publicly against amendments to the Education and Inspection Bill 2006 by Lord Baker and the government that would have seen the state imposition of mandatory quotas on voluntary aided faith schools. The Government withdrew their amendment after strong opposition from the Catholic and Jewish communities. He served on a committee headed by the Secretary of States, Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson
Alan Arthur Johnson is a British Labour Party politician who served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010. Before that, he filled a wide variety of cabinet positions in both the Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary and Education Secretary. Until 20 January 2011 he was...
and Ed Balls
Ed Balls
Edward Michael Balls, known as Ed Balls, is a British Labour politician, who has been a Member of Parliament since 2005, currently for Morley and Outwood, and is the current Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer....
that drafted the Government's Faith in the System publication which was seen as a major commitment by the Labour Government to the continuity of faith schools He was critical of NUT proposals on faith schools in March 2008
In June 2007, Goldberg was involved in trying to find a solution to a crisis in the orthodox Jewish community over marriage visas. The Home Office proposed to introduce measures that would up the age limit for international marriage visas from 18 to 21 which would impact on the strictly orthodox community. He was part of a delegation that met with the Immigration Minister in March 2008 to express their concerns over the proposal.
In his role as director, Goldberg was also in charge of the community long-term strategic think tank, the Community Policy Research Group (CPRG).
In 2007 he set up a temporary office in Manchester which saw the first Board presence outside of London in the organisation's 250 year in history in order to develop regional representation to the Government. The project was supported by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Goldberg took the lead on equality and diversity issues at the Board of Deputies. According to the Jewish Chronicle, he has launched a schools linking project for minority faith schools called Shared Futures. The programme made headlines when it was announced that the Board of Deputies was recruiting a Muslim Schools Advisor.
International Council of Christians and Jews
Goldberg first came onto the international scene as the YLS Chairman of the International Council of Christians and Jews. He worked in bringing Jews, Christians and Muslims together from all over the Middle East and proposed the first ever Erasmus-style scheme to the Government of JordanJordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
in 1999. This concept was put on hold due to mounting tensions in the region. In South America, he arranged an interfaith commemoration which saw for the first time in the continent's history the reciting from the Quran by an imam in a synagogue and was asked to make an address in the Uruguayan Parliament.
Chaplain
In recent years Goldberg has been appointed as Chaplain to the University of SurreyUniversity of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
where he initiated in Surrey the commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day in the United Kingdom
Holocaust Memorial Day (UK)
Holocaust Memorial Day is a national event in the United Kingdom dedicated to the remembrance of the victims of The Holocaust. It was first held in January 2001 and has been on the same date every year since...
. He has been part of the team that is building a £5million at the University of Surrey . This will be the first building in Britain to have a Synagogue, Mosque and Chapel built separately under one roof and will have facilities for the six major world faiths The centre obtained planning permission in November 2007.
Goldberg has collaborated with other chaplains on initiating the university's Auschwitz study visit and was part of the team who ensured the university had the country's first ever interfaith officer in 2006. Surrey now has a permanent interfaith programme. He is also the chaplain to the Guilford School of Acting - Consistoire.
Writer and Broadcaster
Goldberg regularly contributes to television and radio on social, religious and political issues and is a contributor to The Guardian's and is a support of the muslimcafé TV project.The BBC have him as a frequent panelist on BBC 1's The Big Questions and a number of faith and religion magazine shows on BBC Radio.
Other
Goldberg has widely written on human rights and interfaith issues and is a national advisor to the Center for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism, a member of the Three Faiths ForumThree Faiths Forum
The Three Faiths Forum is one of the UK’s leading interfaith organisations. For 14 years it has worked to encourage harmony and confront prejudice...
and a former member of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Board of Deputies of British Jews
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the main representative body of British Jews. Founded in 1760 as a joint committee of the Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jewish communities in London, it has since become a widely recognised forum for the views of the different sectors of the UK Jewish...
Group Relations Committee. The Jewish Chronicle named him as one of the rising stars of the community in the JC100 Power List 2008.