Get RSS Feed
Sign up to our mailing list
| Blogs By: | Blogs In: |
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 22 May 2013Read this week\'s Community Briefing for all the latest Jewish News. Read More
A win-win initiative for Israel and its Arab citizens Dr Alice Wood, Director of the UK Task Force, writes about Professor Manuel Trajtenberg, a senior Israeli economist, who was in London to give a lecture at an event to mark the third anniversary of the UK Task Force, a coalition of thirty-three organisations (of which the Board of Deputies is a founding member) working to increase positive engagement on issues relating to Arab citizens of Israel. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 14 May 2013For all the latest news on the UK and international Jewish world. Read More
In-coming Public Affairs Director announcedThe Board is delighted to have obtained the services of Philip Rosenberg, an outstanding professional in the community, who brings to his post a considerable intellect, an engaging personality together with massive energy and enthusiasm. Read More
~3.jpg)
Vital conversations along the Danube at the WJC PlenaryInternational Division Chair Alex Brummer writes about the 14th World Jewish Congress Plenary in Hungary Last week, and a chance conversation along the River Danube that brought home the threat facing the Jewish community there. Read More
Update on the Complaint made by the Board of Deputies regarding Rev SizerThe Board\'s Complaint regarding Rev Sizer has moved through the initial stages of the Church\'s procedure. The matter is now going through Conciliation. Read More
3 great reasons for an anti-Jewish screedFascinating blog by our Interfaith Consultant Rabbi Natan Levy on Church of Scotlands Inheritance of Abraham? report. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 8 May 2013For all this weeks domestic and international Jewish news. Read More
Calling everyone who wants to deepen their relationship with Israel this 65th anniversary year! Laura Marks writes about the exciting developments around Closer to Israel, a community-wide project calling on UK Jewry to actively set up events and promote causes which bring us closer to Israel following her 65th Birthday. The Board is taking a lead role alongside the UJIA in running the initiative. Read More
World Jewish leaders meet in BudapestThis year in a break from tradition the World Jewish congress held their conference the 14th in their history in Budapest. Generally now the conferences are held in Jerusalem the spiritual centre of the Jewish people as well as the capital of the country with the largest Jewish community in the world. This year however the WJC chose Budapest after consulting with the Hungarian community as a gesture of solidarity in the face of the increasing threat of anti-Semitism which they are facing. Read More
Statement about stabbing to death of Israeli father in West BankStatement from our President about the stabbing to death of an Israeli father in the West Bank this morning. Read More
1974 - the year I faced Thatcher in Finchley1974 was an unusual year in British politics: the February election failed to produce a majority for the first time since WW2, so by the end of the year voters were sent to the polls again. Our Treasurer Judge Laurence Brass was right in the middle of things: tasked with winning Finchley against Education Minister Margaret Thatcher. It was also the year when he began a near 40 year career as a Deputy. Read More
Statement following alleged comments made by UKIP local election candidate Anna-Marie CramptonFollowing comments allegedly made by UKIP local election candidate Anna-Marie Crampton the following statement has been issued Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 24 April 2013For all the latest on the news affecting the UK Jewish community. Read More
Reflections on Margaret Thatcher funeralThe Board President writes about attending the funeral of Margaret Thatcher and, fittingly at the burial of a great friend of the community, finds Jewish connections. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 17 April 2013 For all the latest news on the Jewish community here and abroad Read More
Land of the Queen of ShebaBoard Vice President Jonathan Arkush reflects on a recent visit to Ethiopia, and talks about what he learned on the trip, and how this is especially pertinent in light of Yom Ha\'atzmaut this week. Read More
Yom HaAtzmautThe Board of Deputies sends our warmest best wishes to the people of Israel on the 65th anniversary of their independence. We are proud of all of your positive achievements and pray for the peace of all Israelis and their neighbours. Read More
Top Marks for Bnai Brith awards in BusheyWhen Senior Vice-President Laura Marks came to Bushey Golf Club as Bnai Brith Speaker of the Year, she found a packed hall and an appreciative audience, to hear her dissertation, Lady on the Ladder. Read More
How the Board found historic Sefer Torah new home The Community Issues Director of the Board Colin Spanjar takes you through an amazing journey in which he was given the task of investigating the origins of an historic 300 year old Sefer Torah, that was discovered in a Kensington flat. Thanks to Colin it now has a new home in a top Jewish school. Read More
Lord Sacks:The Nazis tried to destroy our souls. They failed.This year’s Yom HaShoah national commemoration, organised by Yom HaShoah UK and the Board of Deputies was deeply stirring. Nearly 500 community members heard addresses from Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks and Holocaust survivor, and Deputy for 45 Aid Society, Ben Helfgott at the Hyde Park ceremony. Read More
Board of Deputies statement on the death of Lady ThatcherBoard of Deputies President Vivian Wineman pays tribute to Lady Thatcher on her sad passing at the age of 87. Read More
Addressing the Vaniks Yesterday President Vivian Wineman gave a talk to the National Council of Vanik Associations in the UK. Vaniks are the merchant caste among the Hindus although many of its members are in fact Jains. The subject they wanted to hear about was social cohesion and what they could do to contribute to it. Read More
Board Interfaith and Social Action Consultant launches courseThe Boards Interfaith and Social Action Consultant Rabbi Natan Levy is soon starting a course on the modern applications of the Jewish Sabbatical year, when the land of Israel gets a year of rest. Read More
Pesach message from the PresidentAs we approach Pesach it is natural to look back over the last six months. Unsurprisingly, these have been eventful ones both for the Board and the community. The Board’s work has two main aspects; first the protection and defence of Jewish life and practice in this country, and on the other hand, the promotion of the vitality of the community. In both areas the Board has been particularly active. Read More
Salonika -The Jerusalem of the Balkans facing the past and the futureLast Sunday marked the seventieth anniversary of the deportation and subsequent murder of the Jews of Salonika. Accordingly a ceremony to mark the event was organised in Salonika last Sunday by the World Jewish Congress. The Board\'s President Vivian Wineman writes about it. Read More
Address by Deputy to Norwich Clive RoffeClive Roffe, Deputy to Norwich Hebrew Congregation, was instrumental in ensuring that Tuesday\'s historic burial of the skeletons of 17 bodies found in a well in Norwich, in all probability Jewish, finally happened, 800 years after their deaths. The work of Clive, in coordination with the Board staff, and the local church, made the burial possible. Read More
Address by Bishop David Gillett at the Burial of Medieval citizens in NorwichBishop David Gillett, honorary assistant bishop and interfaith Adviser in the Diocese of Norwich, shares his eulogy at this weeks historic Jewish burial of the remains of 17 bodies found in 2004 in a well in Norwich, dating back 800 years. Although DNA testing cannot ascertain for certain they were Jewish, it was felt by halachic authorities, contacted by the Board, that there was sufficient chance to merit a Jewish burial. Read More
The cruel cut of the progressive-Christian boycottHere’s a quiz for you readers: Before boycotting West Bank settlement goods in 2011, when was the last time the UK branch of the Quakers, or Society of Friends as they prefer to be titled, decided to implement a boycott? As the Board\'s Interfaith Consultant Rabbi Natan Levy explains, one has to travel back in history for the answer... Read More
2033 vision: How will we look in 20 years?The Boards Defence Division Chair Jonathan Arkush was crystal ball gazing last week as he addressed Harrow Limmud on the subject of how UK Jewry will look in 20 years time. Read More
Statement on alleged comments made by Lord AhmedFollowing press reports of alleged comments by Lord Ahmed we have issues a statement in response. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 13 March 2013Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world Read More
Miliband event delights Jewish audienceThe Board was delighted to host a packed evening with Ed Miliband last night with our media partners the Jewish News. A total of 300 people from across the Jewish community attended a 90 minute event at the Royal College of Surgeons, which included a moving speech about Ed\'s family history and his vision for the United Kingdom should he become Prime Minister in 2015. Read More
Iran talk fails to dampen AIPAC spiritsWashington played host this week to the annual Policy Conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which was attended by a record 13,000 participants from every state in the US, and a number from other countries, including our very own Chief Executive Jon Benjamin and Defence Division Chair Jonathan Arkush, who blogs here. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 6 March 2013 Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world Read More
Israel water progress good for allIsrael’s success in desalination means there are now three substantial plants under operation in providing for 25% of her water needs with another two in prospect which will raise the total provided in this way to 50%. Israel moreover is a world leader in desalination. This is a good news story as Vivian explains in his insightful blog Read More
Ed Miliband to address the BoardThe Right Honourable Ed Miliband, the leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition, will be addressing Deputies at a Central London venue on Thursday March 7, starting at 6.45pm. It will include a questions and answers session. If you haven’t already booked your place, please email info@bod.org.uk. Read More
Celebrating with Christians on PurimDeputy Steven Jaffe had an unusual Purim night- celebrating Israel in a London church! He explains, where, how and why in a revealing blog. Read More
Statement over piecemeal Lib Dem action on WardWe regard the lack of action taken by the Lid Dems over David Ward MP as deeply concerning. Please read our joint statement. Read More
No ordinary day in IsraelOur Senior Vice President Laura Marks writes a retrospective about her trip to Israel last week. Read More
Board condemns anti-Israel incidents on campus in Oxford and EssexThe Board has released a statement following anti-Israel incidents at Christ Church college, Oxford and on Essex University campus. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 20 February 2013Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world Read More
Meeting Peres a priceless window into Israel of now and thenOur meetings with Stanley Fischer and Shimon Peres today were both deeply informative and inspiring. Read More
Learning a lot in LodOur F&O Chair Laurence Brass blogs about day two of the UK Task Force visit to Israel to explore the issues facing her Arab citizens. The day began with a visit to the tomb of England’s patron saint, St. George, in a remote corner of the city of Lod. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 13 February 2013Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
~2.jpg)
Jaffa shows way aheadOur International Division Chair Alex Brummer writes about his experiences visiting the beautiful port city of Jaffa as part of the UK Task Force, in which British- Jewish community leaders are spending four days learning about minority and interfaith projects in Israel. Our President Vivian Wineman, Senior Vice President Laura Marks and Finance and Organisation Chair Laurence Brass are also on the trip. Read More
Board encouraged at Ebac announcementWe applaud the Government for deciding not to go ahead with plans to replace GCSEs with the English Baccalaureate Certificate (EBC). Read More
Removing labels: Learning disabilities in the Jewish CommunityAs a society we can become fixated on labels, we assign a label to a person and often assume that it defines them. In a special guest blog, we find out about a charity that helps counter these stereotypes. Read More
Board attends Multi- faith celebrationWe recently enjoyed a charity inter-faith dinner at the Muslim Community and Education Centre at the Palmers Green Mosque. Guests included Lord Shaikh of Cornhill, and the Minister for Integration. Read More
Board reaction to Pope Benedict retirementWe have enjoyed a very good relationship with the Catholic Church both under John Paul II and Pope Benedict. We hope and expect this to continue when Pope Benedict\'s successor is announced. Read More
Statement on KS2 languages consultation report Please read our statement on Government proposed changes to language teaching at Key Stage 2 Read More
Meeting with Liberal Democrat Chief Whip over David WardThe Board met with the Lib Dem Chief Whip today to discuss the community\'s outrage at the continued defiance by David Ward despite his censure. Read More
Thy Fearful Symmetry-The New Language of Nazification of IsraelThe suffering of the Jews in the Holocaust is increasingly being used as a stick in which to beat Israel- and Jews- today. As well as being deeply hurtful and misguided, it may tell us something about the psyche of some of those who seek to make that link. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 6 February 2013Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
Joint statement about HizballahBulgarian investigators have confirmed that two individuals with links to Hizballah were involved in the bus suicide bomb, that killed five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver at Burgas airport on 18 July, 2012. Read More
Murdoch apologises for grotesque cartoonRupert Murdoch has apologised to the Board of Deputies in a letter, following the cartoon by Gerald Scarfe in the Sunday Times. Read More
HMD: facing the past and pondering its legacyLaura Marks, the Board\'s Senior Vice President, reflects on attending two Holocaust Memorial Day ceremonies which reminded the hundreds of people in attendance that HMD is about remembering the past and pondering its legacy. Read More
Census snippets Further results from the 2011 census have just been released, and we now have a breakdown of the religious makeup of England and Wales down to the ward level and lower. Read more about the findings by our Senior Researcher Daniel Vulkan. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 30 January 2013Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
Holocaust Memorial Day tainted by familiar concernsOur Defence Division Chairman Jonathan Arkush reflects that even on Holocaust Memorial Day all too uncomfortably familiar traits were present in the comments made by David Ward MP and the Sunday Times cartoon by Gerald Scarfe Read More
Board complaint sees Sunday Times relentBoard President Vivian Wineman met the Sunday Times Editor Martin Ivens this afternoon along with other Jewish communal leaders. Mr Wineman said: I was pleased to a attend a meeting with the Acting Editor of the Sunday Times and his colleagues. The meeting showed a unified and effective community and we were gratified to see the positive response from the Sunday Times to the concerns of our community. Read More
Reasons to be fearful: one, two, threeJamie Slavin, our International Division Public Affairs Manager, finds uncomfortably familiar traits are present in the comments made by David Ward MP and the Sunday Times cartoon by Gerald Scarfe. Read More
Board appalled by Sunday Times Cartoon, lodges complaintWe immediately lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission in response to the appalling cartoon by Gerald Scarfe in yesterday\'s Sunday Times. In depicting Benjamin Netanyahu bricking up Palestinians and using blood for mortar it is shockingly reminiscent of the blood libel imagery more usually found in parts of the virulently antisemitic Arab press. Its use is all the more disgusting on Holocaust Memorial Day, given the similar tropes levelled against Jews by the Nazis. Read More
In memory of Miriam FeingoldAs Holocaust Memorial Day approaches, Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko, our Director of Public Affairs, writes movingly about her mother in law Mera Feingold, a Survivor, who died just over a year ago. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 23 January 2013Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
Mother urgently seeks bone marrow donorFollowing on from our Guest Blog of the Week about the drive in the British Jewish community urging people to sign up to the bone marrow registry we carry another message about a family desperately seeking a match. Read More
No two days are the same in Community Issues DivisionColin Spanjar, director of the our Community Issues Division, talks about the exciting and varied life at being centrally involved with all that is best about the Board. Read More
Board Votes to Play a Part in Global Hunger ProjectThe Board of Deputies voted 113 to 65 to endorse the ‘Grow Tatzmiach’ project to address the issue of world hunger. A total of 25 volunteers, including Deputies, will attend a training weekend next month which will enable them to embark on a food hunger project with any charity they choose. Read More
Tribute to Rev McCulloch after retirementThe Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch retired as Bishop of Manchester on Wednesday. He had been in post since 2002. It has a substantial and long-standing Jewish population and we thank Bishop Nigel for his tireless work to improve Jewish-Christian and wider interfaith relations. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 17 January 2013Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
Turning over stonesGuest blogger Naomi Tomlinson writes movingly about her father’s battle with blood cancer and the bone marrow transplant that saved his life - and her awareness campaign to get more members of the British Jewish community to register as donors. Read More
We must act to end political normalisation of racismAs extremist parties gain political traction across Europe, Public Affairs Manager Jamie Slavin argues that we can no longer sit idly by as minorities, including Jews, come under increasing pressure. Read More
Clarification of an inaccurate article in this week’s Jewish ChronicleThis week the Jewish Chronicle ran an entirely inaccurate article regarding a meeting between the Board of Deputies and Oxfam GB. Board President Vivian Wineman clarifies exactly what happened at that meeting and explains the provisos which will guide Board participation in the Grow Tatzmiach social justice programme. Read More
Board meets Methodists and Anglicans in the MidlandsThe Board’s interfaith director Rabbi Natan Levy spent the day teaching Anglican and Methodist trainee ministers about Judaism, and its relationship with Christianity. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 9 January 2013Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
Board helps to keep interfaith on the mapLeading interfaith activist Fiyaz Mughal OBE writes about his role and the integral part the Board plays in interfaith work. Read More
Helping our coastal friends face stormy seasSteven Jaffe, the Board’s consultant for community engagement with Israel, discusses his role in supporting Sussex Friends of Israel and the particular challenges which that group faces. Read More
~3.jpg)
Limmud provides opportunity to discuss our big challenges Board Vice President and International Division Chair Alex Brummer reflects on Limmud Conference 2012, and the challenges the Jewish community faces against far-right groups across Europe Read More
Community Briefing 3 January 2013This week\'s Community Briefing is the first of 2013 and features news and views from the Board, including our involvement at Limmud over the holidays. Read More
Board welcomes endorsement of non-invasive autopsyThe Board welcomes the publication of the report “Can Cross-Sectional Imaging as an Adjunct and/or Alternative to the Invasive Autopsy be Implemented within the NHS?” which recommends that minimal invasive autopsy facilities should be available nationally, and can be acceptable as a form of autopsy. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 19 December 2012Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
Detainment of four women at the KotelThe Board was concerned to see that four women, including two British women aged eighteen, were detained for praying at the Kotel, Judaism’s holiest site and we are relieved that they were quickly released without charge. Read More
Hebrew is more than a national language: It pierces our souls Board Public Affairs and Policy Director Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko write about the integral part the Hebrew language plays in Jewish life Read More
Help to ensure Hebrew remains taught at Jewish primariesHebrew is under threat at Jewish schools after a Government consultation proposed leaving out modern and classical Hebrew from a list of compulsory languages to be taught at Key Stage 2. To see how you can help to prevent this from happening please read on. Read More
Board delighted at appointment of new Chief Rabbi
The Board of Deputies is delighted to congratulate Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis on his appointment as Chief Rabbi. The Board has enjoyed a close and warm relationship with Lord Sacks and we are confident that this will continue with his successor. Read More
The Board of Deputies is delighted to congratulate Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis on his appointment as Chief Rabbi. The Board has enjoyed a close and warm relationship with Lord Sacks and we are confident that this will continue with his successor. Read More
Shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown
The Board of Deputies is shocked and saddened to hear of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Read More
The Board of Deputies is shocked and saddened to hear of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Read More
Board welcomes German Government’s protection of Brit MilahThe Government of Germany is to be commended for fulfilling its promise to enact legislation that protects the Jewish community’s right to perform Brit Milah. This is a religious tenet to Jews which lies at the heart of our core values. The German Jewish community has welcomed the new legislation and we share its relief that the a government of Germany has now put the lawfulness of Brit Milah beyond doubt. Read More
Census reveals shifts in Jewish communityData released yesterday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show that while the Jewish population of the UK has remained stable over the past ten years, significant changes are taking place at local and regional levels. A joint report issued by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR) provides a first look at what the 2011 census data tell us about the Jewish population of England and Wales. Read More
The public celebration of ChanukahBoard President Vivian Wineman comments on the very public nature of Chanukah celebrations this year, including Chanukah in the Square and a lighting at No.10 Downing Street. Read More
Preaching to the unconverted?Chief Executive Jon Benjamin considers the possible ramifications for the Jewish community of a ruling by the Charities Commission not to grant charitable status to a church in Devon under the ‘public benefit’ test. Read More
Out of control: London BDS tweet antisemitic articlePublic Affairs Manager Jamie Slavin highlights a tweet by the anti-Israel group London BDS promoting an antisemitic article, and asks why would the group have chosen to tweet such vitriolic antisemitism. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 5 December 2012Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
BDS Own Goal: Footballers and the phantom signaturesAs news emerges that several footballers who supposedly signed an anti-Israel petition never actually consented to their names being included, Jamie Slavin argues that this sad example typifies why cultural boycotts are simply destructive. Read More
Board Limmud line-up 2012It’s dark by 4pm; the heating is gradually cranking up a notch a week; and the ubiquitous early Christmas adverts are filling our TV screens. It can mean only one thing……it’s nearly time for the annual Limmud Conference! Click here to see what sessions the Board will be involved in. Read More
Board reaction to upgrade of Palestinian status at UNThe Board of Deputies has consistently maintained that the best way to secure a lasting and just peace for Israelis and Palestinians is through direct negotiations between the two peoples. Unilateral steps, such as the one taken in New York last night to recognise Palestine as a non-member observer at the UN, increase mistrust and once again raise concerns as to whether the Palestinian Authority has any serious intention of negotiating directly with Israel; a concern reinforced by the inflammatory language chosen by President Abbas during his speech. As the British Government stated, a return to the negotiating table without preconditions is the surest way to advance the peace process and bring forward the day when both Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side in security and prosperity. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 28 November 2012Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
Jews and Christians join for day of dialogue on Middle EastLast week 15 Rabbis and 15 members of the Christian clergy gathered together at St Petersburgh Place Synagogue London for a “Jewish-Christian Day of Dialogue and Discussion on Israel, Palestine and the Middle East”. Organised by the Board of Deputies and the Council of Christians and Jews, the symposium was an opportunity for discussion of how those who care about what many refer to as the Holy Land, but are based in the UK, can contribute to a lasting peace for all people of the region. Read More
Interruptions and demonisation - there must be a better wayIn this blog Jamie Slavin reflects on two experiences which brought into sharp focus the difficulties we face in the UK when discussing the situation facing Israelis and Palestinians, but also a distinct hope for a better way. Read More
Board outraged by calls for the creation of a list of Hungarian Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews is outraged by the call by a member of the Hungarian Jobbik Party for a list to be created of Jews who pose a ‘national security risk’. This directly echoes the measures taken by the wartime Fascist regime whose collaboration with the Nazis ultimately led to the deaths of over 600,000 Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. It is pure antisemitism of the most disturbing kind. Read our full statement here. Read More
Board condemns antisemitic chanting at football matchThe Board of Deputies of British Jews utterly condemns and is dismayed by reports of antisemitic chanting by a section of West Ham United fans at yesterday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur. Read More
Board looks forwardThe Board of Deputies has commissioned Malcolm Wolf of Truepoint an experienced management consultant to run a scoping exercise to consider issues relating to the future development, structure and direction of the Board. This is in light of a changing landscape both inside and outside the community and a need, more than15 years after the last review to conduct a serious self-evaluation. The Board enters this process at the start of the new triennium with the enthusiastic involvement of the whole executive team. Read More
Board meets Communities MinisterLast week, Board of Deputies Senior Vice-President Laura Marks, Chief Executive Jon Benjamin, Public Affairs Officer Marcelle Palmer and a representative from the CST met with Don Foster MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG). Click here to read more about the meeting. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 21 November 2012Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
President welcomes Gilad Shalit to LondonLast Friday Board President Vivian Wineman and Public Affairs Manager Jamie Slavin attended a reception at the Israeli Ambassador’s residence to thank the Board and other communal organisations for their contribution to the campaign to free Gilad Shalit. The guest of honour was Gilad Shalit himself. Click here to see photos! Read More
Board condemns terrorist attack in Tel AvivThe Board of Deputies’ sadness regarding the current situation in Israel and Gaza is further compounded by the news this morning that terrorists have blown up a bus in Tel Aviv. Attacks such as this, targeting only civilians, remind us of why Israel needs to act in the self defence of her citizens. As British Jews we are reminded of the attacks against civilians in London in 2005 and the fear that these cause; our thoughts are with all those affected and we pray for a quick end to such atrocities. Read More
Israel under attack - No one should learn to live like thisAs the first Hamas missile reached Tel Aviv last night, Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko thinks back to her own experience of being under missile fire in Israel. Read More
Statement on current situation in Southern Israel and GazaThis morning the British Jewish community awoke to the news of the death of three Israeli civilians in an indiscriminate missile attack against Kiryat Malachi. This deadly incident was the latest of hundreds of such attacks against one million Israeli citizens in Southern Israel over the last few weeks. Since the start of 2012 over 800 missiles have been fired by Hamas and other Gazan terror groups towards Israel, with 300 in the last week alone. All schools within a forty kilometre radius of Gaza have been closed. No country in the world would be expected to tolerate such attacks. Israel has a duty to protect her people and the Board of Deputies supports her right to do so. Read our full statement here. Read More
Reflecting on the ‘Night of Broken Glass’Colin Spanjar, Director of the Community Issues Divisions, reflects on the anniversary last week of the ‘Night of Broken Glass’ and the lasting historical impact of those events. Read More
Board helps launch Mitzvah Day 2012Last week the Board of Deputies organised the very first event of Mitzvah Day 2012 when Honorary Officers and staff visited Kerem School in North London. President Vivian Wineman, Senior Vice President Laura Marks and several members of the Board’s professional team spent time helping the children with a range of activities. To read more and see some photos from the day, click here. Read More
Lessons to be learnt on a trip to BelfastIn this blog the Board’s Interfaith Consultant, Rabbi Natan Levy, reflects on his recent trip to Belfast. He considers what lessons, if any, can be learnt from Northern Ireland to inform our approach to the Middle East. Read More
Board congratulates new Archbishop of CanterburyThe Board of Deputies of British Jews congratulates the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Justin Welby, on his appointment as the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Read More
Board President elected as Chairman of the Council of the European Jewish CongressThe President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Vivian Wineman, has been elected to the position of Chairman of the Council of the European Jewish Congress following a vote in Brussels this week. Read More
The real meaning of never againAfter a recent trip to Poland, the Board’s Tzipporah Railly reconsiders her own thoughts on the Shoah and how we as individuals can help contribute to a more tolerant society. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 7 November 2012Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
Dialogue dinner between Board and Christian groupOn Monday night the Board of Deputies and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) met for a dinner of dialogue between the two organisations. The Honorary Officers, Chief Executive and Interfaith Consultant of the Board were joined by Trustees of CTBI representing many of the main Christian denominations across the British Isles. Read More
Addressing the challenge of localismThe Board’s Senior Vice President, Laura Marks, examines the challenges, and opportunities, posed to small Jewish communities by the move towards localism and reflects on the Board’s efforts to address those challenges. Read More
Inspiration on two wheelsPresident Vivian Wineman reflects on a recent Norwood charity bike ride in Sri Lanka, and some of the inspiring individuals who took part. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 31 October 2012Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
One Sizer doesn’t fit allThis week the Board submitted an official complaint to the Church of England regarding the Anglican Priest Revd Stephen Sizer. In this blog, Vice President Jonathan Arkush explains why the Board felt it had no choice but to take this action. Read More
Board issue disciplinary complaint against Anglican PriestIn a move believed to be without precedent in modern times, the Board of Deputies has lodged a formal complaint against Revd Stephen Sizer under the Church of England’s disciplinary process – an Act of Parliament known as the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003. The complaint is based on statements made by Revd Sizer that the Board regards as antisemitic and a series of instances where Revd Sizer has posted internet links to articles on racist and antisemitic websites. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 24 October 2012Read this week’s Community Briefing for the latest news from the Board and the Jewish world. Read More
International community silent as rockets rain down on IsraelOver 70 rockets and mortars have been fired from Gaza into Israel over the past 24 hours. Yet the voice of the international community is silent in an apparent double standard following international condemnation of Syrian attacks on Turkey only last week. Read More
All’s well that ends wellElizabeth Harris-Sawczenko reflects on a job well done as a two year campaign culminates in the European Parliament passing legislation which will mean more affordable Israeli medicines for European citizens. Read More
European Parliament secures cheaper Israeli medicines for EU citizensYesterday evening, following a campaign by the Board of Deputies and partner organisations across Europe, the EU passed an Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance (ACAA) with Israel. The decision by MEPs, by 379 votes to 230, with 41 abstentions, will guarantee that some of the leading drugs in the world, developed and produced by Israel, will now reach European patients quicker and at more affordable prices. Read More
If only Gilad Shalit’s freedom had changed the Middle EastJamie Slavin reflects on the release of Gilad Shalit one year ago and considers the change it could have precipitated. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 17 October 2012For the latest news from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish world, read this week’s Community Briefing here. Read More
The EU-Israel ACAA: This is no time for playing politics Jamie Slavin, Public Affairs Manager, explains why the European Parliament must pass a piece of legislation which would provide more affordable Israeli medicines for EU citizens. Read More
Dialogue with Black ClergyThis week the Board of Deputies hosted a dialogue between Rabbis and Black Clergy, a continuation of a long running process of engagement between the two faith groups during which race and faith sow the seeds of an intriguing dialogue. Click here to read more. Read More
Interfaith Sukkah crawlThis week the home of Rabbi Natan Levy, the Board’s Interfaith Consultant, was the first stop on an interfaith Sukkah crawl organised by the Board and the Council of Christians and Jews. Read about the evening here. Read More
Vote, vote vote: Keeping out the people you definitely don’t want running the policePublic Affairs Officer Marcelle Palmer examines the danger of far right candidates benefiting from a low turn out in the upcoming elections for Police and Crime Commissioners. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 21 September 2012For the latest news from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish world, read this week’s Community Briefing here. Read More
A brave decision on Israel from MEPsFollowing the decision of the European Parliament International Trade Committee to pass a piece of legislation forging stronger ties between the EU and Israel, Public Affairs Manager Jamie Slavin salutes the bravery of MEPs in the face of anti-Israel lobbying. Read More
Board expresses horror at terror attack in FranceThe Board of Deputies is horrified by the bomb attack yesterday at a Jewish shop in Paris. Read More
Rosh Hashana greeting from Board PresidentBoard President Vivian Wineman wishes you all a Shana Tovah, a happy and healthy New Year! Click here to read his full message, reflecting on the past year at the Board and what lies in store. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 12 September 2012For the latest news from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish world, read this week’s Community Briefing here. Read More
Not So Sweet New YearLong before the shops start stocking up with New Year cards and gift baskets for the High Holy Days, the onset of Rosh Hashanah is marked at the Board by a flurry of enquiries from anguished members of the community. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 6 September 2012For the latest news from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish world, read this week’s Community Briefing here. Read More Read More
Greenbelt - The intensity that occurs in tentsRabbi Natan Levy, the Board’s Interfaith and Social Action consultant, reflects on the intensity of focus on Israel at some Christian events. Read More
Statement on attack against Latrun MonasteryThe Board of Deputies of British Jews echoes the condemnation by the Israeli government of the recent ‘price-tag’ attack on the historic Monastery at Latrun. Read More
The Co-op needs to remember its ethicsThe Board’s Public Affairs Manager Jamie Slavin highlights that lack of ethics underpinning the Co-op’s boycott of Israeli companies. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 29 August 2012For the latest news from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish world, read this week’s Community Briefing here. Read More
“Hi Everyone. Just to let you know that Sam/Josh/Sarah/Ruth got 3A* and an A, SO proud!” The Board Senior Vice President Laura Marks reflects on educational achievement within the Jewish community and the need for sensitivity and understanding for those who don’t reach expectations. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 22 August 2012For the latest news from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish world, read this week’s Community Briefing here. Read More
Saluting our volunteersSenior Vice President Laura Marks salutes the thousands of volunteers who made the Olympics happen, and reflects on the importance of volunteering within the Jewish community. Read More
Rosh Chodesh, Eid ul Fitr and a mountain in MoroccoBoard President Vivian Wineman reflects on the new Jewish month, Rosh Chodesh Elul, and, because both religions use the lunar calendar, its concurrence with the end of Ramadan, marked by Eid ul Fitr. Read More
Modi’in is not an illegal settlement!In this guest blog, Simon Plosker dismisses the idea that the Israeli town of Modi’in can be considered as being anywhere but sovereign Israel. Read More
The Man Who Saved My LifeIn this guest blog, former Deputy Agnes Grunwald-Spier marks the centenary of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg and pays tribute to the man who quite probably saved her life. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 8 August 2012For the latest news from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish world, read this week’s Community Briefing here. Read More
The Olympic Games – A Model of Co-existence Public Affairs and Policy Director, Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko, is inspired by the co-existence demonstrated in the story of Chariots of Fire and the 2012 Olympic Games. Read More
Remember the stranger.....Not all of the Board’s work is about the major stories of the day, the communal politics, the big issues. Sometimes it’s the little things that really count. In this blog the Board’s Chief Executive Jon Benjamin explores one such case, an incredible story of how one woman found a safe haven in the UK, with the Board’s help. Read More
Daf Yomi - A testimony to our resilienceThe Board of Deputies President, Vivian Wineman, celebrates the resilience of the Jewish people, encapsulated in the idea of Daf Yomi - the process of learning one page of Talmud a day, completing the whole book in seven and a half years. Read More
Board of Deputies Community Briefing 1 August 2012For the latest news from the Board of Deputies and the Jewish world, read this week’s Community Briefing here. Read More
UK’s Israel Envoy visits the BoardOn Monday the Board of Deputies was delighted to welcome H.E Ambassador Matthew Gould, British Ambassador to the State of Israel, to the Board for an off the record briefing. Ambassador Gould met the Board’s Honorary Officers, members of its International Division and professional staff. Read More
A misjudgement of Olympic proportionsThe Board’s Chief Executive, Jon Benjamin, reflects on the start of the London Olympics, the IOC’s decision not to commemorate the murder of 11 Israeli atheletes in 1972 and looks forward to the official commemoration on 6 August organised by Israel. Read More
Bravo to the EU!Jamie Slavin applauds the EU’s decision to deepen cooperation with Israel across a range of policy areas, highlighting the fact that at a time when Europe faces more threats than ever before, it would be foolish to push away an important ally. Read More
The Church of England failed to live up to its responsibilityThe Board’s Public Affairs Manager, Jamie Slavin, reflects on his experiences of the Church of England’s General Synod, at which a motion endorsing the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel was passed. Read More
One Minute for MunichLaura Marks, Senior Vice President of the Board, reflects on why it is so important for the Olympics to mark the 40th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Games. Read More
Round up of the week at the BoardRead a round up of this week at the Board, including a meeting with the German Ambassador, good news regarding sanctions to stop Iran’s nuclear weapons programme and the Board’s reaction to the terror attack against Israelis in Bulgaria. Read More
Board outraged by terrorist attack against Israelis in BulgariaToday the Board of Deputies of British Jews, together with the people of Israel and World Jewry, mourns the death of seven innocent people, including six Israelis citizens, following a terrorist attack in Burgas, Bulgaria. Read More
Results of Board Divisional ElectionsOn Sunday 15 July 2012 the Board held its Divisional elections. The Board consists of four Divisions covering each area of the Board’s work - Finance and Organisation, Defence and Group Relations, Community Issues and International. Each Division’s work is informed by a committee consisting of twelve Deputies elected by their peers for a three year term and chaired by one of the Vice Presidents or Treasurer. Read More
Round up of the week at the BoardRead a round-up of the week at the Board, including our reaction to the Church of England’s decision to endorse EAPPI, a notable success at the Claims Conference and news of how you can watch the Board’s Divisional elections from the comfort of your living room. Read More
Muhammad Ali, a Shofar and a Rabbi in pea soupRabbi Natan Levy, the Board’s Interfaith and Social Action Consultant describes the last few miles of the Rabbi Relay Ride, and the motivation that got him through them. Read More
Statement from the President of the Board of Deputies of British JewsThe President of the Board of Deputies has released a statement following the Church of England General Synod’s endorsement of the EAPPI programme. Read the full statement here: Read More
Round up of the week at the BoardRead a round-up of the week at the Board, including our Vice President defending Brit Milah on Channel 4, an important intervention from the Chief Rabbi in our EAPPI campaign and an op-ed from our Chief Executive in the Jewish News. Read More
Cheaper medicines for all - pass the ACAA!European citizens deserve the best medicines at the most affordable prices. By passing a simple piece of technical legislation, an Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance, the European Parliament will give Europeans better and cheaper access to medicines produced by Israel, amongst the very best in the world. To find out how you can help ensure that the ACAA is passed, read on! Read More
Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks “deeply concerned” by EAPPI motionThe Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks has released a statement expressing deep concern regarding the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel. Read his full statement here. Read More
Board saddened by death of Yitzhak ShamirThe Board of Deputies of British Jews notes with sadness the passing of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir at the age of 96. Read More
German court ruling on circumcisionThe Board of Deputies is surprised and concerned that a regional court in Cologne has made comments suggesting that circumcision is an infringement of the rights of the child. Read More
Round up of the week at the BoardRead a round up of the past week at the Board including a worrying development in Germany, our President being told to get on his bike and the secret Board files which have just been made public! Read More
Jewish – Methodist Relations: Concerns Re-SurfaceJonathan Arkush, the Board’s Vice President, outlines his concerns regarding the potential impact on Jewish-Methodist relations of the Methodist Church abolishing its Inter Faith Relations Office Read More
Board statement on continued rocket attacks against Southern IsraelThe Board of Deputies of British Jews condemns in the strongest of terms over 40 rocket and mortar attacks yesterday and overnight on innocent Israeli citizens in Southern Israel. Read More
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) – Motion at General Synod 2012A motion has been tabled at the Church Of England’s General Synod in York (10 July 2012) which seeks to formally adopt and deepen the Church’s links with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). This is a grave concern as EAPPI helps create a climate of hostility to Israel in churches. Find out more and what you can do to help here: Read More
Board concerned by decision to axe Jewish radio showThe Board is most concerned about the proposal to axe the Jewish Hour on BBC Radio Manchester. Read More
Meeting with the AQA exam boardFollowing the setting of a GCSE Religious Studies examination question asking “Why some are people prejudiced against Jews?” the Board of Deputies met with senior officials from the AQA Examination Board. Details of the meeting can be found here: Read More
An Attack on Co-ExistenceThe Board’s Treasurer, Laurence Brass, responds to the ‘price tag’ attack against the Israeli co-existence school Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam. Read More
Board condemns ‘price tag’ attack on schoolThe Board of Deputies of British Jews condemns in the strongest terms the attack last night on the Neve Shalom Peace Village. Read More
World City: Refugee Stories, 20 June - 16 September 2012 Read details of an exhibition at the Jewish Museum examining the experiences of refugees coming to London across nine decades. Read More
Who speaks for you?Public Affairs Officer Marcelle Palmer considers what the Board’s mandate to represent actually means. Read More
The Diamond Jubilee Service - Moving and respectfulThe Board’s President, Vivian Wineman, reflects on the respect shown to non-Christian faith groups at the Jubilee Service at St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday. Read More
Communal Levy: To give or not to give?Every registered charity (as the Board is) normally has one key income stream, sometimes it’s fundraising activities, sometimes legacies. For the Board, its lifeblood is the communal levy. Read More
The Bard and the BoycottersThe Board’s Vice President, Jonathan Arkush, celebrates an evening of culture, and pride, as Israeli theatre company Habima perform at the Globe Theatre in London. Read More
~2.jpg)
The challenges we will faceThe Board’s new Vice President, and Chairman of the International Division, Alex Brummer, identifies the political and economic challenges which may shape attitudes towards Jews around the world. Read More
Abandoned but not forgotten: 11 year after the Dolphinarium bombingJamie Slavin reflects on the impact of the Dolphinarium suicide bombing in Tel Aviv eleven years ago. Read More
Board announces new portfoliosThe new Honorary Officers of the Board have now officially taken up their roles, having been elected nearly two weeks ago. Find out what portfolios they have been allocated and their thoughts on the coming three years. Read More
Measure for Measure: Respect works both waysThe Board’s Public Affairs and Policy Director, Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko, reflects on the irony that as Habima’s performance in London is disrupted by protesters, a Palestinian theatre company based in Haifa, and directed by an Arab citizen of Israel known for his radical position against the legitimacy of the State of Israel, stages a play at the Bush Theatre but does not suffer the same lack of respect. Read More
Thoughts on a new triennialIt is exciting at the beginning of a new triennial to contemplate the opportunities and challenges ahead. I am delighted to have an excellent team of Honorary Officers and gratified also to be able to allocate to them the portfolios dealing with areas in which all of them have displayed both interest and aptitude. Read More
Good Religious Education should convey complexity – not be limited by poorly worded exam questionsRacism can never be justified. That’s why when an exam question last week on a GCSE Judaism paper asked students to ‘Explain briefly why some people are prejudiced against Jews’ it provoked such outcry from the Board of Deputies of British Jews among other community organisations. Read More
You shall love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of EgyptHow ironic - yesterday was Shavuot when we celebrated the story of Ruth - a woman who was a poor stranger in a strange land, who belonged to a people in conflict with the Jewish people, and yet was embraced by her Jewish mother-in-law Naomi, married Boaz and received one of the greatest honours ever bestowed upon a gentile in Jewish history - she became the great grandmother of King David! How different to the way in which we witnessed ‘strangers’ living in the modern State of Israel being targeted only a couple of nights ago on the streets of Tel Aviv. Read More
Glorious Pasts and Hopeful FuturesAs a London based organisation there is always a danger that the Board can be seen as being London centric. As someone whose roots are in the provinces I am particularly aware of this and of the extraordinary richness of the cultural life of some of our regional communities. I have been very keen therefore that Honorary Officers of the Board should visit such communities and I always enjoy doing so myself. This week I was in Liverpool and it takes a visit to that city to become aware of its extraordinarily rich history. Read More
Board Condemns Controversial GCSE Exam Question on JudaismThe Board of Deputies has strongly condemned a Religious Studies GCSE exam question which poses the question: “Explain briefly why some people are prejudiced against Jews?” Read More
A One Minute Silence for MunichThe IOC have so far resisted direct call from the Israeli Government and others to show the simple decency of observing a minute’s silence at the games in memory of the Israeli team members murdered 40 years ago in Munich in what was an attack on the Olympic ideal as well as a massacre of innocents. However, the calls for a minute’s silence remain and MPs are being asked to sign Early Day Motion 100 in support. Read More
A Hidden Gem of Jewish HeritagePlymouth synagogue is an important part of Jewish heritage in this country. It is the oldest still functioning Ashkenazi synagogue in the UK (indeed, in the English speaking world), and boasts a small but beautiful Grade II* listed Georgian building, which is well worth a visit. And last week marked the 250th anniversary of the founding of the synagogue. Read More
Results of Elections for Honorary OfficersElections for the Board’s Honorary Officers were held on 20 May 2012. Read More
Election 2012: Watch the election live on-lineOn Sunday the Board will be holding elections for its Honorary Officers. Whilst our President and Treasurer are standing for re-election unopposed, we have five Vice President candidates competing for three positions. It should be a fascinating election, and you can watch it on-line! Read More
Board President holds meeting with Swiss AmbassadorVivian Wineman, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has met with His Excellency Mr Anton Thalmann, the Swiss Ambassador to the UK, and Mr Urs Schmid, Deputy Head of Mission, to raise the community’s concerns regarding the Swiss Government’s decision to issue visas to members of the terrorist group Hamas. Read More
The Co-Operative’s policy on boycott - an Israeli response The Co-op justifies its latest boycotting policies on “broad international consensus”. Here Noru Tsalic, an Israeli living in the UK, puts that concept under the spotlight in a letter to the Co-op’s regional secretary, and asks whether the Co op is acting in a consistent and ethical manner. Read More
Election 2012: Vice Presidential ManifestosOn 20 May 2012 the Board will be holding elections to decide its President, three Vice Presidents and Treasurer. Whilst the positions of President and Treasurer are uncontested, there are currently five candidates running for the three VP spots and the contest is generating a great deal of interest in the community. Read More
Israel trumps the recession!At last month’s International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington (from which I recently returned) among the star turns was the governor of the Israeli central bank Stanley Fischer. A former deputy managing director of the IMF Fischer, a renowned MIT economist, was treated like a conquering hero by a gathering of policymakers, economists and senior journalists at a lunch convened by the Fund at headquarters a couple of city blocks from the White House. Read More
Benzion Netanyahu
The Board of Deputies of British Jews extends deep condolences to the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu on the passing of his beloved father Benzion Netanyahu, who died early Monday morning at the age of 102. Read More
The Board of Deputies of British Jews extends deep condolences to the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu on the passing of his beloved father Benzion Netanyahu, who died early Monday morning at the age of 102. Read More
Yom Ha’atzmaut: Israel celebrates her 64th birthdayYesterday we shared in the sorrow of Israel’s fallen soldiers, bereaved families and victims of terror. From those depths of sadness, today we celebrate with joy and pride the outstanding achievements of the State of Israel and its people during their 64 years of independence. Read More
Health before hate: Why increased links to Israel are good for EU citizensThe motivation of those who advocate boycotts of Israeli goods, cultural events or academics is baffling. Many actually believe that they are somehow helping to promote peace, but how can driving a wedge between Israelis and Palestinians possibly be the best way to secure a better future for all. Even more bizarre is the idea that the best way to encourage peace is by denying European citizens the best medical care possible. And yet that is exactly what anti-Israel groups are currently trying to do. Read More
Olympics 2012: Inspiring a Generation“Inspire a Generation” is the slogan for 2012 London Olympic Games, revealed this week as part of a burst of celebrations marking the 100 day final countdown to the start of the largest sporting event in Britain since 1948. Several events were scheduled to mark the occasion...But what is the Jewish community doing to create enthusiasm and publicity ahead of this exciting time for London? Read More
Yom HaShoah 2012: Owning and embracing the legacy In recent years we have seen Salute to Israel, Mitzvah Day, We Believe in Israel and the Jewish Living Expo. These communal events show the collective spirit and impact that can be achieved when the UK Jewish community unite together to support an initiative or cause - but one event in our communal Calendar seems to have been neglected, and we must address this now before it is too late. Read More
Yom HaShoah 2012: A Personal PerspectiveFor the last few years I have had the honour of attending many meetings of the Yom HaShaoh Executive, representing the Board of Deputies. The passion of those who sit at those meetings is incredible and when you have the privilege of sitting with someone like Ben Helfgott you begin to realise how important this day actually is... Read More
Yom HaShoah 2012: Alfred’s MemoriesI’ve recently returned from a trip to Israel with my husband, Andrew. One of the main purposes of the trip was to visit one of my husband’s few surviving relatives on his mother’s side, since almost the entire family was wiped out in Poland during the Holocaust. His mother, also a survivor, recently died, making the trip particularly poignant. We wanted to find out as much as possible about her early life in Poland. Read More
~1.JPG)
A French EncounterLast Wednesday I attended a meeting between European Jewish Congress leaders and Mr Francois Hollande, the leader of the French Socialist Party and currently the favourite in the opinion polls for the forthcoming Presidential election. It was a fairly intimate meeting. The only attendees on our side, apart from EJC staff, were the President of the EJC Moshe Kantor, the leaders of the French and German communities and me. On the other side were Hollande himself and his campaign manager, Pierre Moscovici. Read More
Board President’s Pesach MessageAlthough it is only a couple of weeks since the last Presidential statement, which I issued immediately before the March Plenary, a great deal has happened in that time. Tragically the most dramatic event has been the massacre at Toulouse The murder of innocent people is naturally shocking, the murder of children even more so. Read More
On the Up? Jewish Community Statistics 2010The Board of Deputies has just published ‘Britain’s Jewish Community Statistics 2010’. Whilst the 2011 census results, expected towards the end of this year, will provide a snapshot of the Jewish population, and a comparison with the 2001 census may indicate what changes there have been in the population over the intervening decade, it is only by looking in detail at life events (births, marriages, divorces and deaths) that we can get an idea of how those changes have occurred. Read More
National Yom HaShoah UK CommemorationA message from Yom HaShoah UK: Last year with the help of Jewish Communal Organisations and Charities we helped spread the message of remembrance on Yom HaShoah to thousands of Jewish families across the UK. This year, with your help, we hope to reach out to even more, and ask that you forward this entire message across the internet to reach out to as many people as possible and get them to say #iremember on Yom HaShoah. Read More
Board welcomes Rabbi Pinchas GoldschmidtThe Board of Deputies was delighted to host Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Chief Rabbi of Moscow and President of the Conference of European Rabbis, for a breakfast with Deputies. Read More
Board meets the Queen at Buckingham PalaceOn the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee celebration, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II received a Board of Deputies delegation at Buckingham Palace today.Board President Vivian Wineman, Senior Vice President Jonathan Arkush, Treasurer Laurence Brass, Vice President Jerry Lewis, Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks, Rabbi Levy and Chief Executive Jon Benjamin were accompanied by five past Board Presidents and members of the Anglo-Jewish Association. Read More
Understanding Poland’s Jewish PastOn Thursday, 15 March, I took part in a panel organised by the Polish Embassy. The broad topic was ‘Polish Understanding of the Holocaust and the Jewish Reactions To it’. More particularly, they wished to focus on how British Jews viewed the Polish reaction to the Holocaust, both whilst it was taking place and subsequently. Read More
Desecration of graves in FranceThe Board of Deputies was appalled by the desecration of thirty Jewish graves at a cemetery in Nice, France this weekend. Following the tragic murder of four Jewish people outside a school in Toulouse last week, this is a reminder, as if one was needed, that we must continue to fight extremism. We stand with our friends in France who continue to endure the pain of the last week’s events and call upon the authorities to swiftly apprehend those responsible. Read More
Board delegation to the Cypriot High CommissionLast week the President of the Board of Deputies led a delegation to meet with the Cypriot High Commissioner to the UK, in advance of Cyprus’ Presidency of the European Union, commencing in July. The Board meets the Ambassadors or High Commissioners of all incoming EU Presidency countries, in order to convey to them issues of concern to the UK Jewish community and Jews across Europe. Read More
Condolences from the UK Hindu communityThe Board of Deputies has received condolences from the UK Hindu community following the tragic murders in Toulouse this week. You can read their message here. Read More
Council Boycotts of Veolia - Illegal!News reached us last week that, despite the best efforts of those who love to sow discord, trade and cooperation between the UK and Israel are, in fact, on the increase. Up 34% in 2011, trade figures reached £3.75 billion. I’m no economist, but that seems like a lot of trade. Read More
Flexing our musclesIt is often said that there is more truth in the adverts than in the news. Adverts show cars that work and drinks that cheer, whereas newspapers dwell on the minority of cases when things go wrong. It is the same with communities. A community that is vibrant with religious and cultural events makes less news than one beset by anti-Semitism, divided leadership and broken morale. Read More
Statement on Baroness Ashton commentsThe following statement has been released by Jon Benjamin, CEO Board of Deputies; Richard Benson, CEO CST; Jeremy Newmark, CEO JLC and John Mann MP, on behalf of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism: “Baroness Ashton’s remarks were both crass and wholly inappropriate. The loss of young, innocent lives anywhere is of course appalling, but the attempt to draw parallels between Toulouse and Gaza was deeply, offensive and unworthy of a person in her position.” Read More
Board condemns ‘Global March to Jerusalem’The Board of Deputies notes with sadness plans for a ‘Global March to Jerusalem’ later this month. Once again those who claim to support the Palestinians have revealed themselves to be more concerned with delegitimising the State of Israel than finding a just peace for all. It is of little surprise that the organisers of this stunt are amongst the most extreme members of the anti-Israel movement, and that Hamas, a terrorist group committed to the destruction of the State of Israel, is supporting the initiative. Read More
Attack at French Jewish SchoolWe are shocked and appalled by the senseless murder of four people, including three children, outside the Ozar HaTorah Jewish school in Toulouse, France. This attack is a terrible reminder of the threat which minorities, across Europe, face from extremists of all political persuasions. All right minded people must unite to reject their baseless hatred and bring whoever is responsible for this attack to justice. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Read More
Rabbis Give Eco-Judaism a Head StartLast night (Thursday 15 March) over 100 people gathered at the offices of PricewaterhouseCoopers to celebrate the launch of Gefiltefest’s Rabbi Relay Ride. The launch, organised by the Board of Deputies began the countdown to the ride in June 2012, when dozens of Rabbis from across the UK and from every denomination, will cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats over the course of three weeks. The Rabbi Relay Ride is the highlight project of the Big Green Jewish Year of the Bike, a year of campaigning on environmentally friendly and sustainable transport. Hosted by the Board of Deputies of British Jews’ Environmental and Social Action Group, guests were addressed by Mr Gregory Barker MP, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change. Read More
Britain’s Jewish Living ExpoAs with the premature publication of Mark Twain’s obituary, reports of the demise of the British Jewish community are greatly exaggerated. The oft quoted statistic, that the number of Jews in Britain in the 1950s was somewhere around 450,000 and has now shrunk to 270,000, is now widely considered by experts to overstate the first figure and understate the second. Read More
Israel suffers a weekend of missile attacksOver 150 rockets have rained down on Southern Israel over the weekend, resulting in a complete cessation of normal life for innocent Israeli civilians in the region, with one million people being forced to take refuge in bomb shelters. This is unacceptable and cannot continue. We reaffirm Israel’s right to self-defence and to protect her citizens from these acts of terror, as all right minded people should. We pray for all of the innocent victims. Read More
Israel - it’s not black and whiteI went to boarding school in apartheid Rhodesia and edited newspapers and wrote books under the constraints of South Africa’s apartheid system. As British university campuses are in the throes of marking “Israel Apartheid Week”, it bears reflecting on what apartheid really meant and why it is obscene that the apartheid descriptor has become the default position for the global delegitimisation campaign against Israel. Read More
Leading the Revolution: Bedouin Women’s EmpowermentIf the Board of Deputies ever wants a lesson on women’s empowerment and how to rise above a patriarchal system they need look no further than the women of SIDREH, a non-profit organization established to improve the socio-economic situation of Bedouin women in the Negev Region. As an Executive member of the UK Task Force Delegation on Issues Relating to Arab Citizens of Israel, I travelled to the Negev with other members of the Board’s leadership and Task Force participants (comprised of a cross communal group of its membership organizations) to learn about the Bedouin community and its specific challenges. Read More
Baroness Tonge resigns Lib Dem whipEarlier today the Board of Deputies condemned comments by Baroness Tonge that ‘Israel is not going to be there forever’ as “sinister and abhorrent”. Baroness Tonge has now resigned the Liberal Democrat whip in the House of Lords after refusing to retract the comment. Reacting to this news, Jon Benjamin, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies, commented that “This has been a long time in coming and her position has frankly been untenable for some time. Allegations of Jewish political control, organ harvesting and sympathy for terrorists should have no place in the politics of a party that is now part of the government.” Read More
A pointless evening in HendonReally, what’s the point? Last week I attended an ‘Israel Apartheid Week’ event at Middlesex University. The event was called ‘The Big Debate: Is Israel an apartheid state?”When an event describes itself as a ‘big debate’, you can be pretty sure it’s going to be nothing of the sort and, predictably, the panel consisted of three people with near identical views. Read More
Interview with Vivian Wineman in Jerusalem PostThis week Vivian Wineman, the Board’s President, was in Israel as part of a delegation meeting Israeli Government ministers, senior officials and the Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat. Whilst in Israel Mr Wineman was interviewed by the Jerusalem Post, an interview which you can read here. Read More
Board President presents the Queen with item of Judaica to mark Diamond JubileeThe President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and leading members of the British Jewish community attended Lambeth Palace this week to display to Her Majesty the Queen a treasured item of Judaica to mark her Diamond Jubilee. Read More
Integration? Ask us how.Earlier this week the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles’ Department published a paper called ‘Creating the Conditions for Integration’ and called on communities to come together and play their full part in society. It is a worthy and necessary aspiration. Read More
~1.jpg)
Wanderings in the NegevWhen it comes to Middle East reporting the central narrative has for several decades been Israel-Palestine. But for the past year, since the start of the Arab Spring (Israeli sources prefer to call it the Arab Winter or Arab Tempest), it is the rest of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from Egypt to Bahrain, from Syria to Libya, that have been in the limelight. Read More
.jpg)
All about the Board of DeputiesThis week I will be setting out on short, self-financed mission to Israel as part of a small Board of Deputies delegation. It is a chance for me, as deputy-chair of the Board’s International Division to take the current political temperature in Israel and meet a number of senior Ministers and officials, the British Ambassador to Israel Mathew Gould as well as learn more about current social issues. Read More
The Night I Will Never ForgetOn Tuesday evening, 9 September 2003, a Palestinian suicide bomber approached Café Hillel coffee shop in the German Colony neighborhood of Jerusalem. Security guard Alon Mizrahi attempted to prevent the bomber from entering when he blew himself up. At 11:20 pm the suicide bomber detonated the explosive device he carried on his body. Just another bombing in what had become a common place occurrence in the lives of Jerusalemites that year... Except for me this was deeply personal. Read More
Ten years on from the March of terrorYou may not realise it, but we are approaching a poignant anniversary in Israel’s history. Ten years ago her citizens experienced the most intense period of terrorism that they have ever had to endure. In March 2002, there were fifteen suicide bombings. On the 27th of that month, thirty people were murdered when a suicide bomber blew himself up during the Passover Seder meal at the Park Hotel in Netanya. It took the total number of ordinary Israelis murdered in March to over one hundred. Read More
Board reacts to attacks on Israeli EmbassiesThe Board of Deputies of British Jews is shocked and appalled by the terrorist attack against the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi. This attack reminds us that Israel, in her struggle for peace and security, must continually endure the threat of violence by those who wish to see nothing but bloodshed. Read More
Navigating Jewish life to BalhamThank goodness for the TomTom. How I used to get on a moped and drive around London with no sense of direction, doing my best impersonation of the Michelin man (it was cold even when it wasn’t, if you follow), I have no idea. Nowadays I whizz, when needs must, in a car with my TomTom on the loudest setting. Nightingale House, the Jewish Old Age home, is set on a leafy road in Balham, South London. That’s where colleague Sandra Teacher and I were headed... Read More
Every man has a name: HMD 2012One of the saddest days in the Israeli Calendar is Yom Hashoah. Every year when the siren went off I would feel my heart miss a beat and tears well up in my eyes. The siren was so evocative and the two minute silence that followed spoke more of grief than I ever could. At that moment I always had the same thought – thank God the Jewish people now have a home…that ensures that such a tragedy can never happen again. Read More
The PSC: An ‘acceptable’ level of antisemitism?It’s not often that I’m lost for words. Today was an exception. I stumbled across Tony Greenstein’s blog this morning. Tony is an anti-Zionist, Jewish member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). Whilst his views on the situation in the Middle East are a complete anathema to me, to his credit, he has led the opposition within the PSC against rising levels of antisemitism. And yet it appears that even Tony seems to think that a certain level of antisemitism is inevitable, even acceptable, within the organisation. Read More
Board’s International Division meets with Israeli charitiesThe International Division of the Board has met with David Bradichanski, an acclaimed musician in Israel and an activist for a charity representing victims of terror. Their current campaign involves taking legal action against banks which transfer funds to terror organisations complicit in the murder of Israelis. Read More
Communal Leaders Delegation Led by Board of Deputies President Vivian Wineman in JLC Arranged Meeting with the Prime MinisterLeaders of the British Jewish Community met with the Prime Minister, David Cameron on Monday (16th January 2012) in a working meeting that has been described as very positive and highly constructive. Read More
A President, a Prime Minister and a Rabbi from VeniceLast Sunday the Board held one of its monthly plenary meetings and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In the first place I like Board meetings. Contrary to what many people assume most Deputies are friendly, cheerful and often humourous. They understand some of the challenges that we face. Read More
A Quiet RevolutionOn Sunday the Board of Deputies, quietly and with no fanfare, passed a landmark. It wasn’t ground breaking, it certainly wasn’t news worthy. But in its own way, this landmark summed up some of the changes that are starting to happen in the way in which the Board is representing our community. That’s right - ‘@BoardofDeputies’ reached 1000 followers on Twitter. Read More
New Home For A Three Hundred Year Old Sefer Torah The Director of the Board’s Community Issues Division, Colin Spanjar, has presented part of a 300 year old Sefer Torah to Yavneh College in Borehamwood. The scroll was found by a family clearing the contents of their late aunt\'s home in London, where it appears to have lain unnoticed in an attic cupboard for over 60 years. They were initially unaware of the significance of what they had found and contacted the Board just before Shavuot... Read More
Perspectives on Limmud: Part ThreeIt’s the Jewish equivalent of skiing. Once done, your winter holidays are never the same again. I was a first-time Limmudnik this year. And, predictably enough, I haven’t stopped talking about it since. I was only there one day, but like any novice skier whose never ventured beyond the nursery slope, I have come back nonetheless enthusing about the experience... Read More
Forgotten CemeteriesOne of the major pieces of work that occupies my time at the Board is that of the ‘forgotten’ Jewish Cemeteries. From the re-admittance of the Jews by Cromwell in 1656, Jewish communities appeared across the country, including in places where there is little or no discernable Jewish presence today. As a community we have lived and left memories throughout the UK; from Penzance in the South West all the way to Sunderland in the North East, vibrant communities have existed throughout the last 356 years. Read More
Election 2012: Being part of the solutionHeard the one about the old men, the stuffy room, and British-Jewry’s foremost representative body? I thought so. It may be a myth, but in an attempt to consign it to the communal rubbish bin, the Board have launched a series of initiatives to make the organisation younger, more diverse, and generally more representative of UK Jewry. Read More
More Youth Movements Affiliate to BoardWith the next three year session of the Board of Deputies due to begin in just five months, we are delighted to announce that the youth movements Habonim Dror and Bnei Akiva have joined the Board as member organisations. Their affiliation is just part of a series of steps which the Board is taking to increase the participation of younger members of the community in its work. Read More
Perspectives on Limmud: Part TwoI’m feeling inspired and energized after only a few days at Limmud over the festive break. Limmud really is one of the most remarkable achievements, not only for UK Jewry but for Diaspora Jewry as a whole. It is a truly democratic learning environment where teachers learn and students teach and where every opinion along the Jewish spectrum is respected. Read More
Perspectives on Limmud: Part OneTuesday 3 January was supposed to have been the most depressing day of the year. It’s understandable, I guess. Most people had been off work for a few days, enjoyed family time and celebrated the New Year. Tuesday brought with it a return to the drudgery of the morning commute, hundreds of unread emails and an overloaded in-tray. Except on Tuesday, I didn’t feel unhappy. In fact, I was raring to go. Read More
Happy Birthday to ESAG!Yes, the Board’s Environment and Social Action Group (ESAG) is 10 years old! It is surprising that so many in the community still do not know that the Board has its own group dedicated to these two matters, let alone that it is over 10 years old. Read More
Access to Education: Bahá’ís in IranMany faith communities place great value on education. “When you teach your son, you teach your son’s son,” from The Talmud captures the timeless value of education as multiplier of human capacity. Muslims cite the Hadith, “Seek knowledge even unto China” as motivation for the lengths they should go to acquire learning. Bahá’ís also see the acquisition of knowledge as a matter of profound spiritual significance. Read More
Election FeverThe recent election in Tunisia marked the first ‘post Arab Spring’ test of popular enfranchisement in the Arab world, but closer to home a long-standing bastion of democracy will also soon be holding its elections to signal the start of the next triennium - the three year period for which Deputies and the Officers of the Board are chosen. Read More
Board Director Receives MBEThe Board of Deputies wishes a hearty mazel tov to Mike Whine, the Board’s Director of the Defence and Group Relations Division Read More
Board Concerned by Archbishop Christmas MessageTo compare the situation of Palestinian Christians to that of the Founder of their Faith is not only totally unfair but also plays to the worst elements of anti-Israel propaganda. Read More
Ways to Engage- Busy Week in EducationSara Leviten, the Boards Education Policy and Projects Manager, writes; While all the teachers wind down for a much deserved break, my work seems to be hotting up. Last week I was invited to spend the day teaching at Gaynes Secondary School in Upminister. My lessons were entitled Chanukah & Everything You Wanted To Ask About Judaism But Never Dared To Ask. Read More
Praise From An Unexpected QuarterAs the representative body of the community the Board’s position is often thankless. The community is so varied, contains so many views and its members so passionate that we are often damned if we do and damned if we don’t. To be honest, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Read More
Statement on Shechita in the NetherlandsDeputies will have heard recent misleading reports about the situation regarding Shechita in the Netherlands which, while very encouraging, is not as clear cut as it has been portrayed. Read More
Happy Chanukah!The Board of Deputies of British Jews would like to wish all members of the Jewish community a very happy Chanukah! Chag Sameach! Read More
They don’t do Jewish conferences, but if they did.....There’s an advert for a well-known lager company which makes some pretty outlandish claims as to what it would do best, if it just put its mind to it. Dreams, flat mates and team talks have all been given the treatment. Well, they don’t do Jewish conferences, but even if they did……they still wouldn’t be as good as Limmud. Read More
MP sacked as aide after Nazi themed stagAidan Burley, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Transport Secretary Justine Greening, has been sacked after attending a Nazi themed stag party. The decision came following sharp criticism from the Board of Deputies. Read More
Election 2012: Young, Free and Single MindedEarlier this year I led a delegation to meet Greg Clark, the minister responsible for the government’s Big Society initiative. My colleagues included representatives of a number of Jewish organisations, all of them doing tremendous work in many different areas in the community. But the theme that most gripped our hosts was one that we almost took for granted; the opportunities and responsibilities that our young people have to develop leadership skills, and the enthusiasm with which they grasp them from a relatively early age. Read More
Election 2012: Getting the Balance Right - Women at the BoardIt is essential to have proper representation of women at the Board - at all levels. As an elected cross-communal body, the Board has to take advantage of the vast wealth of skill, talent, experience and ability of Jewish women. Read More
Pinch your nose diplomacy: Engaging with the UN HRCAs a supporter of Israel I’m all too aware of the flaws of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).It was founded in 2006 as the successor to the Human Rights Committee - an attempt to reform a body which had become too politicized. Well, that went well…. Read More
MEP apologises for ‘Israel and her diaspora blog’On Friday morning the President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Mr Vivian Wineman, met with British Conservative MEP Sir Robert Atkins to demand an apology for comments made by Sir Robert in a blog... Read More
OneVoice Europe: Bridging the Israel-Palestine divide in LondonDuring One Voice Europe’s (OVE) November educational tour, youth leaders Shir Lachish, 25, from Tel-Aviv, and Thuraya Aghbar, 21, from Nablus, reached out to London schools and communities with the aim of promoting a pro-solution dialogue. Read More
Paul Flynn MP Apologises for CommentsFollowing complaints made by the Board and the JLC, Paul Flynn MP has released this apology for the remarks that he made at a recent House of Commons Public Administration Committee Meeting. Read More
ASA rules against Palestinian Mission WebsiteThis week the Palestinian Mission to the UK removed articles by Gilad Atzmon from its website following complaints from the Board of Deputies. Much of the other content on the website gave cause for concern and the Board was pleased to hear today that the ASA has upheld a complaint brought by several members of the community. Read More
If you play with fire...The content of the Palestinian Mission to the UK’s website has certainly raised some eyebrows in recent weeks. Details of some of the more troubling aspects can be found in a blog I wrote entitled “Judged by the friends you keep….” Read More
Faith Matters: Interfaith week 2011As many people will be aware we have recently celebrated Inter Faith week. First introduced in England two years ago - in Scotland the year before - this has now become an established part of the faith calendar in this country. Read More
Loyalty Tests for Jews?The suggestion by Paul Flynn MP (Labour, Newport West), that Britain ought not to have a Jew as Ambassador to Israel, fuels the growing sense that it is becoming increasingly acceptable to say things about Jews that we had hoped were consigned to history. It also infers that Jews in public life must undergo systematic loyalty tests throughout their careers. Such logic is plainly racist, even if Flynn did not mean it to be. Read More
Congratulations to the new UJS President-ElectThe Board of Deputies wishes to congratulate Alex Green on his election as the new President of UJS. Read More
BBC News Article on Animal SlaughterThe Board of Deputies would like to draw your attention to the article, posted on the BBC News website, on the subject of animal slaughter. We recommend reading this article as it contains a far more balanced account of the issues in comparison to some of the more recent press coverage. Read More
Board disturbed by comments made by Paul Flynn MPLabour MP Paul Flynn has recently made several public comments and statements, in which he calls into question Matthew Gould’s suitability for the role of UK Ambassador to Israel given his Jewish background. Mr Flynn has continued by questioning the suitability of British Jews for certain public positions because of the risk that, in Flynn’s words, they may “go native”. These comments, made in a House of Commons Public Administration Committee Meeting, were then repeated again, in person, to the Jewish Chronicle. Read More
Fenton and all that jazz....The latest viral video sensation on You Tube is of Fenton, the black Labrador, chasing deer in Richmond Park, with his owner chasing madly after him. The Sunday Times commended it as a piece of slapstick, with the frustrated owner bellowing quixotically at the source of his irritation. The only thing viral about another film recently posted on You Tube is the poisonous nature of its subject... Read More
The Board reveals its Limmud line-upIt’s dark by 4pm; the heating is gradually cranking up a notch a week; and the ubiquitous early Christmas adverts are filling our TV screens. It can mean only one thing……it’s nearly time for the annual Limmud Conference! Read More
Board President visits Stamford HillThis week the President of the Board of Deputies, Vivian Wineman, visited Stamford Hill in North London, to meet with residents and staff of the Schonfeld Square Care Home. Mr Wineman wanted to better understand the workings of this vibrant community and the ethos behind it. Read More
Worth the trousers...I’ve learned an important lesson on interfaith at the cost of a pair of trousers. My five-year-old son and I were waiting for the Hendon train on Sunday when his small hand grabs mine. “Abba,” he whispers, “I need the toilet, now!” We race up the stairs, the toilets at the platform are locked, my son is jumping and twisting. “Abba, now!” Down the street we go, an open door at the Baptist Church, voices raised in prayer. I drag him into the foyer, ask for the toilet, point to my writhing boy. The vicar himself is present and ushers us in. My son looks at the vicar, peers into the church, cries out: “Too scary!” and runs. The trousers never stood a chance. Read More
On your bike, President!Last week I participated in a charity bike ride in Thailand arranged by Norwood to raise money for adults and children with learning disabilities. We were joined on the ride by a number of such adults many of them residents of Ravenswood village in Berkshire - a project set up in the fifties by half a dozen Jewish parents concerned that the community made no provision for such children. Norwood is Ravenswood‘s successor and has an annual budget of around £35million. Read More
BUYcott, don’t boycott!!Reject boycotts, join our BUYcott! The Board, in conjunction with StandWithUs UK, is organising a BUYcott of Israeli goods on 23 and 24 November. Make sure you buy something Israeli over those two days to show your support for Israel. Read More
Board Statement: Board condemns Atzmon appearance at publically funded event The Board was shocked this week to discover that Gilad Atzmon is to appear at an Arts Council sponsored event in Bradford. The event bills itself as a “festival of political song” and includes a workshop entitled “Songs to counter the Zionist Bullies”. Atzmon is a man who fuels antisemitism and questions the Holocaust; by hosting him the event clearly lays itself open to the charge of supporting and promoting his unsavoury views. The Board of Deputies has written to the Arts Council expressing our concerns and calling on them to prevent Atzmon from appearing. Read More
Board Statement: Board President Awarded the Samaritan Peace and Humanitarian MedalMr Vivian Wineman, the President of the Board of Deputies, has become the 2011 recipient of the Samaritan Medal for Peace, Humanitarian and Academic Achievements. Read More
The Board welcomes a new Education Policy and Projects ManagerThe Board of Deputies is delighted to introduce Sara Leviten as its new Education Policy and Projects Manager. Read More
Judged by the friends you keep...? The Palestinian Mission to the UKI regard myself as an optimist when it comes to the Middle East Peace Process. However naïve it may be, I like to look for the best in the situation we face. So, whilst it is clear to me that in the extremist, antisemitic Hamas, Israel has no partner for peace, I hope that in the more moderate Palestinian Authority of Mahmood Abbas, Israel does. Read More
Address by H.E. Mr Daniel Taub, Israeli Ambassador to the UKThe new Israeli Ambassador to the UK, H.E. Mr Daniel Taub, addressed the Board of Deputies at the Board’s last plenary meeting. You can read the full text of his address here. Read More
Mr Netanyahu, Mr Sarkozy, Mr Obama and the Guardian ...I can’t help musing ... what if the shoe were on the other foot and Binyamin Netanyahu was the statesman who had been overheard ranting about one of his international counterparts? Just how would the world be reacting? A brush under the carpet or a hypocritical, exaggerated outrage? Read More
Board Statement: UNESCO admits Palestinian Authority as memberThe Board of Deputies of British Jews is disappointed that, just a day after Israel was subjected to a weekend of rocket attacks from Gaza, UNESCO has deemed fit to admit the Palestinian Authority as a new member. Read More
Ferrero Rocher anyone?One of the perks of my job at the Board of Deputies is the opportunity to attend meetings at foreign embassies. Embassy buildings tend to be amongst the most impressive in London, both inside and out, and I have had the privilege to spend time in some historically amazing places. Read More
Engaging for change: Young people at the BoardAs the representative organisation for the community, highly respected by government and in wider society, many of the most important issues confronting British Jewry are addressed by the Board of Deputies. But it also has a well-known ‘age’ profile and, as a friend suggested, the Board’s famous plenary sessions often have an average age approaching three figures. It was therefore with some hesitation that I went to my first meeting as a newly elected Deputy for the youth movement, FZY. Read More
Board Statement: Gilad Shalit is homeGilad Shalitʼs momentous release today will go down in the annals of Israeli and Jewish history as a day of contrasting sentiment. Read More
Gilad Shalit: From Struggle to Joy Through HopeOn Tuesday 19 October 2011, I, like so many, was fixated on the unfolding events that culminated in Gilad Shalit’s first steps of freedom in over five years. Read More
Gilad Shalit - A Bold Statement Against TerrorSince the news broke that a deal has been struck to free Gilad Shalit, it’s all seemed a little surreal. Read More
Board Statement: Board Welcomes News of Impending Gilad Shalit ReleaseIt is fitting that on the eve of Sukkot, the Jewish festival of rejoicing, we celebrate news of the imminent release of Gilad Shalit. Read More
A Student ViewA busy start to the year would be a gross understatement to describe the first few months of my work here at UJS. We have just hit the first major mile-stone of the year: freshers’ weeks. Read More
BBC Radio Manchester InterviewThis week I was in Manchester to attend the Conservative Party conference. Whilst there I took the opportunity to speak to the ‘Jewish Citizens’ show on BBC Radio Manchester. Read More
The Spirit of Cable StreetToday is the 75th anniversary of the ʼBattle of Cable Streetʼ, when an attempted march by Sir Oswald Mosleyʼs British Union of Fascists (BUF) through largely-Jewish areas of the East End of London in October 1936 was prevented by huge numbers of anti-fascist protestors, who engaged in violent clashes with the BUF and the police. Read More
Israel is better than the extremistsI was angered to read of the arson attack against a mosque in the north of Israel. Those who committed this disgraceful act have been condemned by Israel’s Prime Minister, President and Leader of the Opposition, and rightly so. Violence, and especially violence against a place of worship, is to be abhorred wherever, and whenever, it takes place. But there is something especially unnerving about attacks such as these. Read More
President’s Rosh Hashanah Message 5772Rosh Hashanah is the time of year when according to tradition the whole world is arraigned before God in judgement. It is an appropriate time therefore for introspection and for reviewing the past year. Even by recent standards for the Board of Deputies the past year has been an eventful and challenging one. There has been unprecedented activity both in terms of the activities carried out by the Board and in terms of the issues faced by it. Read More
Board Statement: DfE responds to the Boardʼs concerns over PSCThe Board of Deputies of British Jews has repeatedly voiced its concerns regarding the activities of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the views expressed by many of its members. These views have included racist conspiracy theories, the propagation of antisemitic stereotypes and Holocaust denial. When we became aware that the PSC, through its local group in Haringey, were running sessions in Haringey and Islington schools we were accordingly alarmed. Read More
Schoolʼs out for the PSCLast week I blogged of my concerns that the PSC were attempting to run workshops in London primary schools as part of the Tottenham Palestine Literature Festival. Organised by the Haringey branch of the PSC, members of the group were coordinating sessions such as ‘Children under occupation’ and ‘Palestine and Human Rights’. Read More
Durban Revisited: The Theatre of the AbsurdIts Durban again! But this time we are proud to say that our Government, for the first time, did not take part in the proceedings. For the uninitiated, yesterday marked the 10 year commemoration of the notorious Durban World Conference Against Racism held in 2001 that became synonymous with displays of antisemitism and extreme anti-Zionism. Read More
Human rights through the looking glassZimbabwe is “a tolerant and peace-loving country.” Only in the fantasy ‘Alice through the looking glass’ world that is the UN, and more particularly the Durban III conference, could someone say this with a straight face and expect his audience to agree. Whether it was this comment, or the serial demonisation of Israel at successive Durban conferences that prompted his reaction, Amnesty International’s representative, Jose Luis Diaz, accused many participating countries of being in a ʼstate of denialʼ about human rights abuses and racism in their countries, saying nations were using the conference to ʼscore political points.ʼ Read More
Board Statement: UDI LatestThe Board and the JLC have written to both the Prime Minister David Cameron and the Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander restating the Jewish community\'s opposition to a Palestinian unilateral declaration of independence. We believe that the only route to achieve a lasting peace is via negotiations. The Board is concerned and disappointed at the statement issued by the Opposition this week endorsing the Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN. Read More
Ok kids, in a circle, it’s story time with the PSCThe Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) is an odious organisation. Whilst claiming to campaign for Palestinian rights, their activities seem to be more focussed on demonising Israel and Israelis. They choose division over dialogue and, increasingly, their members have crossed the line between criticism of the Israeli government and, simply put, the language of hate. Read More
The Day AfterSo here we are nearly two decades after the Oslo accords were signed, witnessing yet another milestone in Palestinian-Israeli relations. I refer of course to the presentation by President Mahmoud Abbas of a resolution to the United Nations this week requesting the international community to endorse Palestinian statehood through a Unilateral Declaration of Independence. Read More
Universal Jurisdiction
We are delighted that the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill incorporating a section protecting visitors to this country from malicious and politically motivated arrests has now been passed and is part of the law of the land. We are grateful to the government for delivering on their promise to pass this and would like to acknowledge the efforts of the various communal groups, in particular the JLC, Board of Deputies and Friends of Israel groups that have helped to ensure the safe passage of the bill. Read More
We are delighted that the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill incorporating a section protecting visitors to this country from malicious and politically motivated arrests has now been passed and is part of the law of the land. We are grateful to the government for delivering on their promise to pass this and would like to acknowledge the efforts of the various communal groups, in particular the JLC, Board of Deputies and Friends of Israel groups that have helped to ensure the safe passage of the bill. Read More
Statement on British Withdrawal from Durban IIIThe Board of Deputies of British Jews applauds the UK Government’s decision not to attend the 10th Anniversary Commemoration Conference of the Durban Process, commonly known as Durban III. Read More
JerusalemThe final status of Jerusalem is one of the most intractable features of one of the most intractable international disputes of our time. We all have our own very personal views as to what should and what might in fact happen in any final negotiated settlement. But ultimately these will be matters for the Israeli government and their Palestinian counterparts to determine, if there is to be an agreed and lasting peace. Read More
Back to the Future or From London to Jerusalem and BackReflections on my life in Israel; on being back in the Diaspora, and working at the Board of Deputies. Read More
Y-WordThe new Y-Word campaign launched by ‘Kick It Out’ shouldn’t have been controversial. It’s a simple equation - football fans chant a derogatory term, the authorities highlight the abuse, they launch an education drive and fans begin to change their ways. Read More