Elizabeth Arif-Fear
Elizabeth Arif-Fear, is a Zionist activist who claims to have converted to Islam. She has been co-chair of one of the local groups of Nisa-Nashim. Arif-Fear reportedly posted ‘an image of the Israeli flag on her Twitter feed with a hashtag which expresses support for Israel, #AmYisraelChai’, and has said she struggles ‘to understand Jews who are anti-Zionist’.[1] She has also been involved with a number of notoriously pro-Israel groups such as being a trustee of Muslims Against Anti-Semitism, set up by Ghanem Nuseibeh, a Palestinian supporter of Zionism and pro-UAE lobbyist in the UK.
According to a biographical note on the Voice of Salaam website:
- Elizabeth is a young British Muslim and award-winning activist, passionate about protecting human rights, promoting peace and strengthening intercultural/interfaith cohesion.
- Her main interests include: women’s rights, refugee and migrant rights and issues surrounding multiculturalism, anti-extremism and community cohesion – in particular, Jewish-Muslim relations.
- Committed to human rights activism from a young age, Elizabeth studied languages/translation and human rights at postgraduate level, including some study within Islamic Studies (Feminism in the Muslim World). She converted to Islam whilst in her final year at university.
- A dedicated writer and campaigner, Elizabeth works with a range of organisations and bodies dedicated to protecting human rights, promoting peace, reconciliation and inclusion, strengthening interfaith cohesion and eradicating prejudice, including:
- Nisa-Nashim Jewish-Muslim women’s network
- UK Friends of the Bereaved Families Forum (FBFF)
- Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT)
- Elizabeth has worked with a range of human rights and development organisations including: Amnesty International UK, Child to Child, Muslims Against Antisemitism (MAAS), Grandmother Project (GMP) and Croydon Community Against Trafficking (CCAT) in communications, community organising/campaigning and translation/editing, focussing on a range of issues such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage, freedom of expression, labour rights, forced veiling and child participation and combatting antisemitism.
- She has written for a range of organisations/publications including: Globe Post, Haaretz, She Speaks We Hear, Sister-hood magazine and Jewish News. Passionate about languages, Elizabeth has also worked as a volunteer translator/proofreader for non-profit organisations and outlets including Global Voices and Cafe Babel.
- As a Muslim activist, Elizabeth remains committed to fighting antisemitism and providing a platform for more nuanced views of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Elizabeth is a member of Nisa-Nashim (including their Israel-Palestine working group), a trustee for Muslims Against Antisemitism, a member of the steering committee of the UK Friends of the Bereaved Families Forum (FBFF) and member of the outreach committee at Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT). She attended London-based synagogues for several years’, with experience volunteering on interfaith and social action projects at a central London synagogue.
- In 2019, Elizabeth won the St. Ethelburga’s award for Sacred Activist of the Year and also became a published poet. Her debut poetry collection “What If It Were You?” (2019) focuses on a range of critical human rights issues, including FGM, child marriage, modern slavery and the rights of refugees and was submitted for the 2019 People’s Book Prize (fiction).
- Elizabeth was most recently a fellow on the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) 2020 fellowship programme focussed on peace in the age of new media and a graduate Fellow on the KAICIID 2022 Fellowship Programme focussed on intercultural and interreligious dialogue.
- In 2023, she is now participating in the European Network for Countering Antisemitism through Education (ENCATE) certificate training programme on “Current Forms of Antisemitism”.[2]
Affiliations
- Islamic Relief
- Combat Antisemitism Movment - contributed to event.[3]
Contact
- Twitter/X: @voice_of_salam
