About the Author

I’m a Jew, a Labour Zionist, and a democratic socialist.

I live in London, where I was born and raised. I grew up in a secular home, and had a secular state education. I never attended university, and neither of my parents hold a degree. Though both are now retired, my parents’ careers were in the public sector — my dad was a civil servant, and my mum was a therapist in the National Health Service (NHS).

I have always voted for Britain’s Labour Party, and was a card-carrying member for a number of years. Although I quit the party during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, I remain an active member of the Jewish Labour Movement and the Fabian Society.

While I am a firm believer in the legitimacy and importance of a sovereign Jewish state in the Land of Israel, I would also like to see an end to Israeli control in the West Bank, and the peaceful establishment of a Palestinian Arab state. I support freedom, equality, and justice for all.

I’m a professional software engineer, and an amateur historian, writer, and photographer.

The name HaRimon is a transliteration of the Hebrew הרימון, meaning ‘The Pomegranate’. Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol of righteousness and learning, as its many seeds remind us of the 613 mitzvot (divine commandments, holy and righteous acts). The beautiful red of the fruit also represents my socialist beliefs.

— Michael Jacobson