MAY 7
🕯 THEME OF THE NIGHT
Gathered around the table were filmmakers, journalists, politicians, entrepreneurs, activists, and community builders, many of whom have been fighting for years with too little support and too little recognition from across the Atlantic.
The through-line: stop playing defense. Start playing offense. Content, coalition, courage.
The Needs of the Community
🎬 STORYTELLING, FILM & CREATIVE VOICE
Malka Wallick (Actor & Filmmaker) — Our Bodies & Other Shames is entering the UK film festival circuit. Seeking UK Jewish connections to film festivals to support the film's next chapter.
Leo Pearlman (Co-CEO @ Fulwell Entertainment) — Explicitly Zionist before and after October 7. Posted a public statement as a company and hasn't looked back. Produced the Nova documentary (sold to the BBC) and a film about an Iranian and Jewish Olympian who became best friends. Believes content is the most powerful weapon the community has, and that funding is the missing link. His mission: inspire and prepare the next generation of Jews through storytelling.
Jeremy Kareken (Playwright) — Shared a quiet but pointed truth: "I'd love to be with you more often. That's what I need." A reminder that community and proximity matter as much as strategy.
🧠 IDENTITY & BELONGING
Josh Howie (Stand-up Comedian, Actor, and Broadcaster)— Simple and direct: be brave.
Mark Griffin (Actor & Ally) — Shared that he was bullied as a kid and has always fought for the underdog. The underlying message of his life and work is love. Surrounded by Jewish colleagues and collaborators, he reminded the room that allies are here, they see us, and they want to help.
⚖️ ADVOCACY, MEDIA & IDEAS
Nicole Lampert Brockman (Journalist) — Described herself and others as "social media bandits" who found each other organically to spread the word. Has been trying to warn America about left-wing antisemitism for years. Her honest frustration: we are so bad at explaining ourselves, and too precious about who is allowed to speak. The call: come together, lower the barriers, amplify each other.
Hen Mazzig (Social Media Activist & Founder) — Recognized the power of social media early in his career. Co-founded an organization at UC Berkeley. Built laboratories for Jewish and Middle Eastern minority influencers after discovering that social media platforms simply didn't care about antisemitism. His central conviction: Jews have to lead this fight themselves. Don't win the argument, win the room. Currently focused on a documentary for Jews on the left (title: Marching Alone) and a film about his wedding & his husband losing his peers because of it.
Zoe Strimpel (Journalist) — Writes in black and white on Zionist feminism. Believes the British Jewish community can't afford to keep playing small. Spoke passionately about the transatlantic disconnect: Americans look at London as a cautionary tale, yet look down from a funding perspective and don't understand why British Jews can't just organize better. Her challenge to the room: help us bypass the traditional gatekeepers. Amplify us. Bring British voices into American media.
Miranda Levy (Journalist) — comes from a women's magazine background. Present, listening, and grateful to share the space.
💡 CAPITAL, TECH & INFRASTRUCTURE
Steven Phillips (Founder of Jewish ERGs) — Mentioned how important it is to thinking globally when most aren't. Highlighted that DEI trainings systematically excluded Jews. Shared that Microsoft had an internal encampment. Sounded the alarm: a corporate intifada is coming. Needs more amplification about what's happening inside major companies.
Dan Sacker (PR Professional & Past Chief of Staff to Rabbi Sacks) — Ran loud campaigns on campus and received a call from Rabbi Sacks as a result. Former Union of Jewish Students president. Now works in PR and is focused on amplifying Rabbi Sacks’ voice and getting more Jews in the same room. His ask: forums, more forums. We need places for people to come together to tackle everything.
🏛 POLITICAL & COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
Baroness Luciana Berger (Former MP, House of Lords) — Spoke candidly about women in Jewish philanthropy, her experience in Parliament, and what it feels like on the ground for ordinary Jewish families in Britain today. Single Jewish mothers are frightened. She left the Labour Party because she couldn't change it from within. Back in Parliament via the House of Lords. Her ask: how do we engage and support our community to be more brave, more courageous?
🎭 THE BIGGER CONVERSATION
Some of the most powerful moments came between the structured shares, in the vulnerability, the frustration, and the quiet hope of the room. A few themes that surfaced:
The gap between the Israeli experience and the diaspora experience is real and needs to be held with care
London feels like it is screaming from the rooftops while Americans aren't showing up with funding or platforms, and the British community doesn't fully understand why
The guerrilla fighters in this room, unpaid and under-resourced, have achieved remarkable things. Imagine what coordination could unlock.
There is a massive opportunity for Edit to serve as a genuine transatlantic bridge. Our network in the States is exactly what this room needs.
And on a warmer note: the food was extraordinary. Chef Ory treated us to a truly special experience, and we're rooting for him as he pursues what would be the first Michelin star for a kosher restaurant in Britain. 🌟