Our campaign has won: the government said yes. But it doesn't end here

Three years ago, I started a petition with no idea where it would lead.

This month, Sir David Bell's independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges was published, and the government has accepted all 27 of its recommendations. That includes addressing contemporary antisemitism through the curriculum and strengthening Holocaust education. That is the heart of what this petition asked for.

That didn't happen by accident. More than 40,000 of you signed, shared, and emailed your MPs. Early Day Motion 179 was backed by 18 MPs from across parties. Organisations including the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Movement for Progressive Judaism got behind it. The campaign was covered by Good Morning Britain, BBC News, Radio 4 and others. Every one of those steps started with someone like you deciding that a teenager they'd never heard of was worth backing.

When I was 12, I was the only Jewish pupil at my school. I started this so that the next generation of Jewish children wouldn't have to go through what I did. For the first time, it feels like that can really happen.

I'm honoured to be joining the Bell Review implementation group, and I'll be doing everything I can to make sure these recommendations become real change in every school, including those with no Jewish pupils, where antisemitism can go unchallenged.

But accepting recommendations is not the same as delivering them. The citizenship curriculum is now under review, and that is where this will be won or lost. Here's how you can help:

✉️ Write to your MP. Whether it's your first time or your second, this is the moment it matters most. MPs who have backed this should hear that it made a difference, and MPs who haven't yet should hear that their constituents care. Find your MP at writetothem.com, paste in the template letter below, and send it. It takes two minutes. If your MP has already supported the campaign, add a line thanking them. And if you hear back, please forward the reply to jonathancampaigns1@gmail.com.

📲 Keep sharing the petition. It stays open, and every new signature shows the government that people are still watching: https://chng.it/DCLzkHZLkH

Thank you for being part of this. Education can change this, and it is.

Jonathan

TEMPLATE LETTER:

Dear (insert MP's name),

I am writing to welcome the government's acceptance of all 27 recommendations of Sir David Bell's independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges, including addressing contemporary antisemitism through the curriculum.

This follows a campaign started by a Jewish student, Jonathan Frisher, whose petition for improved antisemitism education has been signed by more than 40,000 people. You can see it here: https://chng.it/DCLzkHZLkH Jonathan has since been appointed as the student member of the Bell Review Implementation Group at the Department for Education.

The government's acceptance of the recommendations is a significant step, but what matters now is delivery. The Department for Education is currently reviewing how contemporary antisemitism is covered in citizenship education, and the Bell Review also recommends commissioning a review of the effectiveness of Holocaust education. I would be grateful if you would raise with ministers the importance of making sure contemporary antisemitism is properly taught in every school, including those with no Jewish pupils.

If you have not already done so, I would also ask you to sign Early Day Motion 179, tabled by Connor Naismith MP, which recognises Jonathan's campaign and has the backing of 18 MPs.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
(Insert your name)