A prolific artist and the man behind the JNF London to Jerusalem Car Rally is auctioning off two original paintings to raise money for his local Chabad.
Martin Hone, 89, is well known in the motor sporting world as a former professional racing driver for 15 years.
He also spearheaded a campaign to get the laws changed in Birmingham to allow for street racing and was the visionary organiser of the Birmingham Superprix, a groundbreaking city-centre motor-sporting event that became a big tourist attraction during the1980s.
Hone gained recognition from the Jewish community, however, for being the creator of the JNF (Jewish National Fund) London to Jerusalem car rallies.
Between 1996 and 2006, 30 cars would drive some 3,000 miles between the two cities, ending at the Western Wall.
The event would culminate in an evening banquet, which would be attended by ministers and city mayors.
A devout Christian, the “born-and-bred Brummie” has strong connections to multiple churches in Birmingham, including the Birmingham Oratory and Birmingham Cathedral, and helped to establish a Christian hub in the city’s centre some 30 years ago. He has been going to his own local church, the Church of Ascension, throughout his life and was baptised there.
Supporting Israel and the Jewish people “has always been important” to him, he told the JC. “Those trips we ran between London and Jerusalem were, each one, really special. As a Christian, to lead Jews to Jerusalem was just a wonderful thing.”
He said Israel was an “astonishing” place to visit for people of faith and when in the country, he keenly visits locations mentioned in the Bible.
“I’m a proud Christian, but I couldn’t be happier doing anything any time to help Israel or a Jewish family, as I would with any Christian family.
“As far as I am concerned, it’s part and parcel of my religious beliefs to help the Jewish people.”
During those long drives, he became well known also for sketching “anything and everything” he saw, multiple times a day, which were gifted to rally drivers or auctioned off at the banquet.
Hone estimates that, over the years, those rallies raised upwards of £7 million in total for JNF, some of which went towards financing two “enormous” water reservoir containers in the Negev, which still today are marked with Martin’s name and that of his late wife, Patti, who passed away in 2022.
He and Rabbi Yehuda Pink of Chabad Solihull were introduced to each other two years ago and became fast friends, and so, when Solihull Synagogue, which is led by Rabbi Pink, was looking for help raising money, Hone immediately offered to help by auctioning off two new paintings in the style of his famous sketches.
The original paintings, which are currently hanging in Solihull Shul, depict scenes of Jewish people at the Western Wall, inspired by Hone’s many visits to the site.
“What Chabad Solihull and Rabbi Yehuda and Dinie Pink do is great work, not just for the city of Birmingham but for Jewish people across the region,” he said.
Rabbi Pink told the JC that all proceeds raised for Chabad Solihull would go towards “looking out for Jewish people across the Midlands” through various programmes.
These included outreach activities that provide financial and vocational support to disadvantaged young people and social events and meals for lonely, older people.
To bid on the paintings, and support Solihull Chabad, please email: rabbi@solihullshul.org with a bid by the end of June
