Star pupils aim for world record with giant human Magen David
Rob Rinder joined JCoSS students in an attempt to break the world record for the largest human Star of David.
Some 531 people, comprising JCoSS students, teachers and TV personality Rob Rinder, stood together to create a giant Magen David in the Guinness World record-breaking attempt, organised by the school’s Head Student Team in partnership with Jewish News.
While it could take up to 12 weeks for the official confirmation from Guinness to come back, the attempt, overseen by two independent witnesses more than doubles the previous record of 250 people, held in Hong Kong since 2011.
Students in the JCoSS star wore their white school shirts, others were asked to wear a white top top and everyone was given a white hat. And even the weather got its memo – definitely no need for a rain contingency plan.
The record-breaking event was the brainchild of JCoSS deputy head boy Luke Godfrey, 17, who came up with the idea as part of his application for the Head Student Team in autumn last year.
He told Jewish News: “The aim was to make JCoSS ‘officially’ amazing and to stand up to antisemitism together as a community and show the world that we won’t back down.
“When I was younger, the Guinness Book of World Records was the only book I was ever obsessed with. I used to read it from cover to cover, whilst attempting to remember as many of the records and facts as I possibly could. It was a dream of mine to become a record breaker, and due to this project, I have done so alongside my peers at JCoSS.
“It’s been a year in the making and it feels special to have planned an event that has broken a world record, but I am equally happy for everyone else involved and proud to have helped others experience such excitement and help them to be able to stand up for something that they believe in and show they are proud to be Jewish.”
The record-breaking feat made for a particularly warm welcome for the new cohort of Year 7s and 12s, who were the only year groups to be in school that day and participate as part of their first day back. It was witnessed by the Mayor of Barnet, Nagus Narenthira and Rabbi Miriam Berger of Finchley Reform Synagogue before being submitted to Guinness for official judication.
Rob Rinder told the Jewish News: “What better expression of what the Jewish community can achieve alongside each other. This is Jewish education at its best and to do such an attempt in an amazing place of Jewish education – something I am so proud of – there’s nothing better.”
Headteacher Dr Melanie Lee said: “I think today epitomises that JCoSS is about so much more than just what goes on in the classroom. JCoSS is a special school with such a strong sense of community and it felt extremely special to see all the students, new and old, stand together in the star.
“Seeing Luke’s initiative enrich and inspire the whole JCoSS community really reflects the focus we have on helping to develop accomplished mensches, which is a key part of our ethos.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
