UK Edition
Jewish workers wary of discussing their faith at work – Chief Rabbi’s research shows
More than a quarter of Jewish workers in the UK are wary of speaking openly about their faith in the workplace, new research conducted for the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis has found.
Interviews with a sample of Jewish workers also found that many are reluctant to wear any kind of religious dress or symbol.
And while most had discussed their faith openly at work, four in 10 said it had been “an issue” in their career in the past.
It is the latest in a series of studies pointing to reluctance by British workers either to discuss their beliefs in the workplace or to openly manifest them by wearing special clothing or symbols.
Earlier this week a separate study for the religion and society think-tank Theos found that a quarter of British parents who follow a faith were wary of passing on their beliefs to their children in case it “alienated” from their peers.
It follows a series of cases in which Christian workers including teachers and nurses said they had been disciplined or sacked from their jobs after discussing their beliefs with colleagues or offering to pray for people.
The new research was carried out ahead of Shabbat UK, an initiative led by the Chief Rabbi to encourage Jewish people to re-engage with their faith by observing the full Sabbath laws for one day a year.
This year’s event takes place next weekend, from the evening of Friday November 11 to the evening of Saturday November 12.
Chief Rabbi Mirvis has previously argued that the principles behind the weekly Sabbath, or day of rest, could have benefits to society at large - as an “antidote” some of the side-effects of modern life such as smartphone addiction.
The research found that while 72 per cent of Jewish workers said they do regularly discuss their faith in the workplace, 27 per cent are reluctant to do so.
More than one in six (17 per cent) said they would feel uncomfortable or very uncomfortable wearing a religious symbol or clothing, such as a kippah skullcap.
Because of the timing of Jewish festivals, Shabbat UK falls later this year – after the clocks have gone back. It means that the Sabbath begins at around 4pm on a Friday, affecting anyone working standard nine to five hours.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph today, Chief Rabbi Mirvis urged Jewish people reluctant to ask their boss for permission to leave work early to observe the Sabbath to “open up to your colleagues and see what happens”.
“Your faith is part of what makes you who you are,” he wrote.
Speaking about the findings, he said: “Modern Britain celebrates diversity and promotes freedom of religious belief and it is encouraging to see that largely borne out in this research.
“But it is sad to see that there are still some for whom faith is something to be kept relatively quiet or avoided altogether while at work.
“Faith shapes the way that people live their lives and as such, it has an important part to play in the workplace.
“Issues like trust, commitment and a strong work ethic are crucial in any professional environment and they are also important aspects of a religious life.”