Mansfield District Council is set to adopt a new working definition of anti-semitism and amend its Equality and Diversity Policy.

The council received an official request from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) last month to adopt the new definition. The communication to all authorities followed the recent attack on a synagogue in Halle, Germany, which took the lives of two innocent people on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

This also follows Mansfield Mayor Andy Abrahams’ attendance at the National Holocaust Centre’s 24th Anniversary event in October.

He said: “I was deeply moved by the stories shared at the anniversary of the National Holocaust Centre. It is important that we promote respect, equality and diversity in our communities and within the council to maintain a modern and diverse workplace.”

MHCLG suggested that authorities take a serious pause and stated that “antisemitic hate crime is not a thing of the past”.

In a report from the Head of Law and Governance, the Mayor will be advised to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and amend the council’s policies to reflect the working definition.

The decision to approve the recommendation will take place on 13th November.