CST Annual Dinner 2025

CST’s largest fundraising event of the year, the Annual Dinner, took place on Wednesday 26 March in central London. Over 1,100 guests attended, including donors, Members of Parliament, senior police officers, communal partners and other supporters of CST’s work.

CST welcomed politicians from all the main parties, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, The Home Secretary The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, The Foreign Secretary Rt Hon David Lammy MP and The Rt Hon Lord Pickles.

CST was also delighted to host Jewish community leaders and supporters from across society, such as Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Commissioner of Police Sir Mark Rowley QPM and Lord Mann of Holbeck Moor.  

CST Trustee and Co-Chair of Fundraising Lisa Ronson gave the evening’s opening address. She gave thanks to CST:

It’s [antisemitism] becoming acceptable and endemic in our country. It’s in our children’s primary and secondary schools. It’s being promoted in certain schools, it’s outside the school gates, it’s in their places of work; and it’s in our places of work and even in places of worship… Friends keep telling me that they want to leave. But I ask them where to? Two weeks ago, I was in Jerusalem with the major Jewish Federations from North America, Canada, South Africa and Australia. Let me tell you, none of them are doing any better than we are.

And, they don’t have what we have here. They don’t have CST. They envy what we have built and they keep coming here to learn from it.

CST Deputy Chairman Sir Lloyd Dorfman CVO CBE then introduced keynote speaker The Home Secretary The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP thanking her and the government:

In some countries, a change of government can mean a change in the weather for the Jewish community, or even a complete and troubling reversal of their standing. But here in Britain, the home of liberal democracy, the support from your department and from the government for our Jewish community has not wavered at all… And of course our close working partnership with police forces up and down the country. There are antisemites who threatened to attack our community and are now in prison due to that joint work. That is something that makes us at CST proud, and makes us all safer.

The partnership we have with Government is at the very heart of CST’s fight against antisemitism. And you don’t need me to tell you that this fight has become harder, and more important, than ever.

The Home Secretary the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP restated the government's commitment to keeping the Jewish community safe:

We will continue our steadfast support for the CST and for the security of Jewish communities across the UK…we will be equally unrelenting in our crackdown on those who spread the poison of antisemitism on our streets or online.

Zero tolerance means that we cannot and will not accept people being abused, attacked or threatened because of who they are or what they believe. It means where antisemitic hate crimes are committed – whether in a local community, on a national protest or on the internet – we will back the police in the action they need to take. Arrests, charges and convictions. Whenever and wherever it takes place. But zero-tolerance also means ensuring that Jewish people in this country can take part in communal life free from intimidation and fear.

She also announced new legislation that will criminalise intimidating demonstrations outside places of worship, and the desecration of significant public memorials:

We will legislate in the Crime and Policing Bill currently going through Parliament to strengthen the law. And to give the police an explicit new power to prevent intimidating protests outside places of worship. This new law will give the police total clarity – that where a protest has an intimidating effect, such that it prevents people from accessing or attending their place of worship – the full range of public order conditions will be available for the police to use. Because no-one’s right to protest should ever come before another person’s right to worship.

We have carried over from the previous government an important new proposal to make it a criminal offence to climb the most significant memorials in our country, such as the Cenotaph, with a maximum penalty of three months' imprisonment and a £1,000 fine. So I can tell you tonight that I plan to extend the proposed list of protected memorials to include the new Holocaust Memorial in Westminster, to demonstrate our commitment to ensure that it is valued as a place of reflection and respect.

CST Chief Executive Mark Gardner MBE thanked CST volunteers, staff and trustees and addressed the room before the screening of a short film showcasing the challenges that the Jewish community has continued to face over the last year. Mark reaffirmed CST’s unwavering promise to all Jews in the UK: “It’s been tough. It’s still tough. But we’re stronger for it. All of us... These are extraordinary times, but the longer they continue, the more they simply become the new reality: for us and especially for our children… We will do, all that we can, to deserve your trust. That remains my commitment to all of you; and it is CST’s pledge in the service of our community."

CST Chairman Sir Gerald Ronson CBE concluded the evening, expressing gratitude for the cross-party political support that CST has received in the battle against antisemitism. He made it clear that the responsibility for the continued safety of the Jewish community is shared amongst everyone who wishes to ensure its survival:

Social media is an open sewer of hatred flooding into people’s brains. These trends were bad enough before October 2023, but they are now much deeper and wider than ever before. It has impacted across British society including national institutions and our places of work and culture.

CST wishes to give its sincerest thanks to everyone who came to the Annual Dinner. It was inspiring and truly meaningful to unite in solidarity with so many people who are taking a stand against anti-Jewish hate. It is only together, with your help, that we can continue fighting for our future. 

Donate to support the work of CST. For assistance, please call CST fundraising on 020 8457 3700, or email [email protected].

Photos by Blake Ezra.