Our Fight Weekly | Be a #mensch | 2026-05-17
Central to the #mensch campaign is that now is the time for non-Jewish allies to get visible. This week's newsletter explains the campaign, as well as giving updates on what Or Fight has been doing this week, and what's to come.
Welcome to our newly relaunched weekly newsletter in which we aim to keep you up-to-date with what Our Fight has been doing, what's next, and how you too, can be a mensch.
This week
In a detailed interview on Tuesday, at an event in north London, Mark Birbeck discussed with Jonny Gould why non-Jews must take on the fight against anti-Semitism.
Earlier in the week we joined the rally against anti-Semitism, organised by Jewish Leadership Council and Board of Deputies, outside Downing Street. We used our new #mensch campaign — more below — to make visible many of the non-Jewish allies that were there. (Thanks to those of you who joined us!)
On Tuesday, Kurpa Patel and Mark Birbeck had their long-running cases dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service. They had both been arrested seven months ago, outside a Bob Vylan concert, for objecting to the band's bigotry. Special thanks to the Campaign Against Antisemitism for their continued financial and moral support in all of our legal cases.
With assistance from CAA, charges have been dropped against Mark Birbeck and Kurpa Patel.
— Campaign Against Antisemitism (@antisemitism) May 14, 2026
On 11th November 2025, Bob Vylan performed at the O2 Forum Kentish Town. Outside the venue, the Metropolitan Police imposed section 14 conditions on protesters, including designating an…
And we finally launched our much requested merch site. Here you'll find mugs, t-shirts, hoodies, caps, beanies and tote bags, all bearing designs from our campaigns — from Be a #mensch to Some people are Zionist — get over it.
Coming up
The Nova Exhibition is coming to London. It opens on Wednesday, May 20th, and will run for eight weeks. It's a powerful and moving record of that happened to the young people who went to a music festival and then became victims of an anti-Semitic pogrom, on October 7th.
If you would like to visit the exhibition as part of an Our Fight group then look out for dates which we'll announce this week. We'll also be hosting a couple of evening events at the exhibition's venue.
On Thursday, May 28th, in central London, there will be an in-person discussion on Islam and Islamism specifically for members. More details will be sent out shortly.
You might have missed
In January a group of campaigners picketed the Israeli restaurant Miznon, in London's Notting Hill, calling for it to be closed down, so we organised a concerted pushback involving Jews and non-Jews. In this video by Gill Levy, he interviews many of those who came. Watch and hear why they thought it was important to take a stand against the growing hate movement.
Focus: Be a #mensch
Last Sunday, May 10th, saw the first outing of our #mensch posters, at the Jewish Leadership Council/Board of Deputies rally against anti-Semitism, held outside Downing Street. We brought together many of the non-Jews that were present: members of British Friends of Israel — including some of its founders, such as Allison Pearson, Laura Dodsworth and Jan Macvarish; journalists from Spiked, including Brendan O'Neill and Fraser Myers; supporters of Don't Divide Us; members of the Lion Guard of Iran; supporters of Christian Action Against Antisemitism, and more.
The goal of bringing everyone together is simple — to make the non-Jewish presence visible on rallies and marches against anti-Semitism, as a powerful way to show the rest of the country that there are people prepared to take a stand.
Mensch is a Yiddish word, meaning a person of genuine decency and moral backbone. Today, in 2026, having 'moral backbone' means to stand publicly with the Jewish community at a time when visible solidarity is most in need.
If you'd like to show the world that you're a mensch too, then head to our Be a #mensch page and follow the steps.
Our Fight
Worth a read
A pillar of anti-Israel ideology is something they call the Nakba. During the formation of Israel, many Jews and Arabs were displaced and killed, but the Nakba narrative sees only Arabs as victims, targets of a Jewish/British alliance. James Heartfield explains on Spiked that far from taking the side of the Jews, the British switched sides as it suited them. To become a nation, Israel was forced to confront the British Empire, making its war a significant anti-colonial struggle.
James Heartfield
For members
On Monday, May 18th, we'll be having our weekly in-person catch-up meeting — full details in the WhatsApp group. And on Thursday, May 28th, we'll be holding a discussion on Islam and Islamism. Details will be provided to members shortly.
We need your help
Our Fight is currently operating on vapours. We depend on your support to cover the costs of things like printing placards and flyers, hosting our website and putting on events. If you can make a donation — or even better, become a member with a standing order — it would help enormously.
If you are able to support our work, please make a donation, or become a regular contributor.
Thanks for being part of this.
Mark Birbeck
Founder and Director
Our Fight
P.S. After this relaunch edition we'll be delivering the Our Fight Weekly newsletter on a Tuesday morning. Don't forget to share the #mensch campaign and check out the new merch site — and of course, please forward this email to anyone who you think might sign up.
