Board of Deputies of British Jews
Encyclopedia
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the main representative body of British Jews
. Founded in 1760 as a joint committee of the Sephardi (Spanish and Portuguese) and Ashkenazi (Central and Eastern European) Jewish communities in London
, it has since become a widely recognised forum for the views of the different sectors of the UK
Jewish community.
is currently led by Vivian Wineman, Deputy for Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue, who was elected as President in May 2009. The Vice Presidents are Jonathan Arkush (senior Vice President), Deputy for Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue; Dr Paul Edlin, Deputy for Glasgow Jewish Representative Council; and D Jerry Lewis, Deputy for Hampstead Synagogue. The Treasurer is Laurence Brass, Deputy for Bushey Synagogue. The President of the Board is normally the Chair of the Jewish Leadership Council
and this development is seen to have extended the influence and reach of the Board's President.
The Chief Executive of the Board is Jon Benjamin
who succeeded Neville Nagler in 2005. Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko was appointed Public Affairs Director in 2007 and Colin Spanjar and Atalia Cadranel were appointed as directors of the Community Issues Division and of PR & Communications in June 2009.
The Board receives Deputies elected by individual synagogue
s, confederations of synagogues, and other organisations within the Jewish community such as charities and youth groups. It serves as the principal reference point for government, the media and wider society. All matters tending to impact on the life of Jews in Britain fall within the Board's remit, including an active interfaith programme.
The Board of Deputies offices are situated in the family home of Isaac D'Israeli
, the father of the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.
MP (now Lord Janner) was a President.
organisations. Interpal threatened to sue for libel, whereupon the Board retracted and apologized for its comments
The Board became involved in the Oliver Finegold affair when the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone
made comments to a Jewish reporter, Oliver Finegold, comparing him or the newspaper he worked for, to a concentration camp guard. Many individuals and media commentators objected to the remark. Along with the Commission for Racial Equality
, the Board filed a complaint to the Standards Board for England
, calling for the Mayor to apologize to the reporter. The Mayor made a statement condemning the Holocaust, but stood by his remarks to the journalist, mentioning in passing his belief that the Board of Jewish Deputies only represents a small section of the Jewish community.
On 5 February 2007, a group of prominent British Jews, such as Nobel laureate Harold Pinter
and lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman
, launched an organization called Independent Jewish Voices
to counterbalance what they perceive as uncritical support of Israel by major Jewish institutions in the UK, criticizing particularly the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
was formed to give the Jewish Community of Scotland
a single democratically accountable voice in dealings with the Scottish Parliament
and Executive
, other communities, and other statutory and official bodies. The intention, when it was established was for it to stand in the same relationship to the Scottish Government as the Board of Deputies of British Jews does to the UK Government.
Consequently the Council is autonomous in matters devolved by the Scotland Act, such as justice, health and welfare, and community relations, whilst the Board of Deputies speaks for all Britain's Jews on reserved matters such as foreign affairs and equality legislation.
British Jews
British Jews are Jews who live in, or are citizens of, the United Kingdom. In the 2001 Census, 266,740 people listed their religion as Jewish. The UK is home to the second largest Jewish population in Europe, and has the fifth largest Jewish community worldwide...
. Founded in 1760 as a joint committee of the Sephardi (Spanish and Portuguese) and Ashkenazi (Central and Eastern European) Jewish communities in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, it has since become a widely recognised forum for the views of the different sectors of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Jewish community.
Members and activities
The BoardBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
is currently led by Vivian Wineman, Deputy for Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue, who was elected as President in May 2009. The Vice Presidents are Jonathan Arkush (senior Vice President), Deputy for Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue; Dr Paul Edlin, Deputy for Glasgow Jewish Representative Council; and D Jerry Lewis, Deputy for Hampstead Synagogue. The Treasurer is Laurence Brass, Deputy for Bushey Synagogue. The President of the Board is normally the Chair of the Jewish Leadership Council
Jewish Leadership Council
The Jewish Leadership Council was formed in 2003, . The Council was founded by its first Chairman, then President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Henry Grunwald QC and an array of other senior UK Jewish leaders. The JLC brings together the most senior lay leaders of the major...
and this development is seen to have extended the influence and reach of the Board's President.
The Chief Executive of the Board is Jon Benjamin
Jon Benjamin (Jewish leader)
Marc Jonathan Benjamin has been the Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews since 2005.Born in Croydon, South London, he attended Park Hill Junior School, Dulwich College and Manchester University where he read law...
who succeeded Neville Nagler in 2005. Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko was appointed Public Affairs Director in 2007 and Colin Spanjar and Atalia Cadranel were appointed as directors of the Community Issues Division and of PR & Communications in June 2009.
The Board receives Deputies elected by individual synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s, confederations of synagogues, and other organisations within the Jewish community such as charities and youth groups. It serves as the principal reference point for government, the media and wider society. All matters tending to impact on the life of Jews in Britain fall within the Board's remit, including an active interfaith programme.
The Board of Deputies offices are situated in the family home of Isaac D'Israeli
Isaac D'Israeli
Isaac D'Israeli was a British writer, scholar and man of letters. He is best known for his essays, his associations with other men of letters, and for being the father of British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli....
, the father of the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.
Past presidents
A notable past President was the Victorian philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore, who in the nineteenth century travelled around the world assisting Jews facing persecution. More recently Greville JannerGreville Janner
Greville Ewan Janner, Baron Janner of Braunstone is a British Labour politician, lawyer and author. A QC since 1971, he was a Labour MP from 1970 to 1997...
MP (now Lord Janner) was a President.
- Sir Moses Montefiore (1835–1874)
- David Lindo AlexanderDavid Lindo AlexanderDavid Lindo Alexander was an English barrister and Jewish community leader.-Biography:David Lindo Alexander was born in the City of London on 5 October to solicitor Joshua Alexander and his wife Jemima...
(1903-1917) - Selig BrodetskySelig BrodetskySelig Brodetsky was a British Professor of Mathematics, a member of the World Zionist Executive, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the second president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.-Background:Brodetsky was born in Olviopol , Ukraine, the second of 13 children...
(1940 - ) - Lord Barnett Janner (1955–1964)
- Greville JannerGreville JannerGreville Ewan Janner, Baron Janner of Braunstone is a British Labour politician, lawyer and author. A QC since 1971, he was a Labour MP from 1970 to 1997...
, QCQueen's CounselQueen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(1978–1984) - Eldred TabachnikEldred TabachnikEldred Tabachnik, QC is a South African-born English barrister, recorder and a former president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. He is currently President of the British Friends of Boys Town Jerusalem....
, QCQueen's CounselQueen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law... - Henry Grunwald OBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
QCQueen's CounselQueen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(2003–2009) - Vivian WinemanVivian WinemanVivian Wineman was elected President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews on 17 May 2009 and made President on June 1, after an election which for the first time in the Board’s 250 year history involved four candidates...
(2009 - )
Criticisms and controversies
In 2003, the Board, on its web site, reproduced an extract from a US State Department report that suggested that the aid organisation Palestinian Relief and Development Fund (Interpal) was helping to fund terroristTerrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
organisations. Interpal threatened to sue for libel, whereupon the Board retracted and apologized for its comments
The Board became involved in the Oliver Finegold affair when the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
made comments to a Jewish reporter, Oliver Finegold, comparing him or the newspaper he worked for, to a concentration camp guard. Many individuals and media commentators objected to the remark. Along with the Commission for Racial Equality
Commission for Racial Equality
The Commission for Racial Equality was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom which aimed to tackle racial discrimination and promote racial equality. Its work has been merged into the new Equality and Human Rights Commission.-History:...
, the Board filed a complaint to the Standards Board for England
Standards Board for England
Standards for England, formerly known as the Standards Board for England, is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Established following the Local Government Act 2000, it is responsible for promoting high ethical standards in local democracy...
, calling for the Mayor to apologize to the reporter. The Mayor made a statement condemning the Holocaust, but stood by his remarks to the journalist, mentioning in passing his belief that the Board of Jewish Deputies only represents a small section of the Jewish community.
On 5 February 2007, a group of prominent British Jews, such as Nobel laureate Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter, CH, CBE was a Nobel Prize–winning English playwright and screenwriter. One of the most influential modern British dramatists, his writing career spanned more than 50 years. His best-known plays include The Birthday Party , The Homecoming , and Betrayal , each of which he adapted to...
and lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman
Geoffrey Bindman
Professor Sir Geoffrey Lionel Bindman QC is a British solicitor specialising in human rights law, and founder of the human rights law firm Bindmans LLP, described by The Times as "never far from the headlines." He has been Chair of the British Institute of Human Rights since 2005...
, launched an organization called Independent Jewish Voices
Independent Jewish Voices
For the Canadian group see Independent Jewish Voices . For the Australian group see Independent Australian Jewish Voices.Independent Jewish Voices is an organization launched on 5 February 2007 by 150 prominent British Jews such as Nobel laureate Harold Pinter, historian Eric Hobsbawm, lawyer Sir...
to counterbalance what they perceive as uncritical support of Israel by major Jewish institutions in the UK, criticizing particularly the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
Relationship with Scotland's Jews
After Devolution in 1999, the Scottish Council of Jewish CommunitiesScottish Council of Jewish Communities
The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities is the representative body of all the Jewish communities of Scotland. Its primary function is to act on behalf of Scotland's Jewish Communities to all external bodies...
was formed to give the Jewish Community of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
a single democratically accountable voice in dealings with the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
and Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
, other communities, and other statutory and official bodies. The intention, when it was established was for it to stand in the same relationship to the Scottish Government as the Board of Deputies of British Jews does to the UK Government.
Consequently the Council is autonomous in matters devolved by the Scotland Act, such as justice, health and welfare, and community relations, whilst the Board of Deputies speaks for all Britain's Jews on reserved matters such as foreign affairs and equality legislation.
See also
- Religion in the United KingdomReligion in the United KingdomReligion in the United Kingdom and the states that pre-dated the UK, was dominated by forms of Christianity for over 1,400 years. Although a majority of citizens still identify with Christianity in many surveys, regular church attendance has fallen dramatically since the middle of the 20th century,...
- History of the Jews in EnglandHistory of the Jews in EnglandThe history of the Jews in England goes back to the reign of William I. The first written record of Jewish settlement in England dates from 1070, although Jews may have lived there since Roman times...
- Presbyter JudaeorumPresbyter JudaeorumThe Presbyter Judaeorum or Presbyter Judæorum was the chief official of the Jews of England prior to the Edict of Expulsion. The office appears to have been for life, though in two or three instances the incumbent either resigned or was dismissed. Prynne, in his "Demurrer" The Presbyter Judaeorum...