Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has commended the Vice Chancellor of the University of Essex for his prompt response to concerns over antisemitism. Amanda said: “ We commend the Vice Chancellor of the University of Essex for his strong commitments to action in: 1) suspending an academic who has posted antisemitic material 2)ratifying […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has condemned an academic for his antisemitic views and students at the University of Essex for opposing plans to establish a Jewish Society on campus. Amanda said: “That Dr Maaruf Ali, a lecturer at the University of Essex uses social media posts to express vile antisemitic views is […]
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An exhibition which focuses on Albanian Muslims’ efforts to save Jews in the Holocaust was put on display at yesterday’s Board of Deputies meeting. The Yad Vashem exhibition, entitled ‘Love Your Neighbour’, was show in the presence of Albanian Ambassador Qirjako Qirko, giving Deputies from around the country the opportunity to discover about the acts […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to the decision of a group of seven Labour MPs to quit the Labour Party and set up an independent group in Parliament. Marie said: “Today a group of seven Labour MPs announced their decision to leave the Labour Party and sit as an independent group […]
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The Board of Deputies has hosted the London launch of a new book by the Revd Bruce D. Thompson – chair of Methodist Friends of Judaism – an engaging and vivid account of the tragic history of the church’s relationship with Jewish communities over two millennia. Beginning with the Jerusalem house church, the book, entitled […]
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Following her meeting with Hungarian Secretary of State Vince Szalay-Bobrovniczky this week, Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl, said: “This was an important opportunity to raise a number of the Board of Deputies’ long standing concerns directly with the Hungarian government, including: the use of antisemitic tropes, and remarks directed at Muslims and migrants; […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to the CST Annual Incidents Report which shows a record high total of reported antisemitism in the UK. Marie said: For the third year running, the CST has reported a record total of antisemitic incidents in the UK. Events in Gaza and the ongoing antisemitism […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl and Jewish Leadership Council Chair Jonathan Goldstein have reacted to the Parliamentary Labour Party’s motion setting a deadline for the Labour leadership over antisemitism. In a statement, they said: “We welcome the decision of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) this evening to set a deadline to hold […]
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The Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council have responded to an Amnesty International report which demands tourist websites should remove listings from the West Bank and parts of Jerusalem A statement from the two organisations said: “Amnesty International has a long record of double standards on Israel. We will not forget how Amnesty […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has applauded Labour MPs who have demanded answers from the party leadership on its record on antisemitism. Marie said: “We fully support the Labour MPs in calling the leadership to account on their record on tackling antisemitism within the party. Since the Enough is Enough campaign was […]
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Board of Deputies of British Jews President Marie van der Zyl has accused the Labour Party of “treating the Jewish community with contempt” following the readmittance of three party members suspended on charges of antisemitism. Marie said: “In a matter of weeks, Labour has readmitted three individuals from across the UK who had made antisemitic […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to strip Malaysia of the World Para Swimming Championships following its ban on Israel athletes. She said: “We commend the International Paralympic Committee for this important and principled decision. Malaysia’s Prime Minister continues to heap shame upon his office […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has responded to a letter sent by Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry to Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt following clashes between Israeli and Iranian forces in Syria. “Emily Thornberry’s recognition of Iran’s belligerence and state-backed antisemitism is inconsistent with her call to deprive Israel of the means to […]
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Reacting to the announcement by Secretary of State for International Trade Dr Liam Fox and Israeli Economy and Industry minister Eli Cohen on Israel-UK trade, Senior Vice President of the Board of Deputies Sheila Gewolb said: “We welcome this commitment to ensuring that trade between Israel and the UK runs smoothly after Brexit and the […]
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Ed Byrne, the Principal of King’s College, London, has told a Board of Deputies meeting in London how he has worked to sort out problems which caused disruption at an event addressed by former Israeli minister Dan Meridor last year. Professor Byrne said: “We’ve been working closely with the Jewish Society and the Board of […]
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Hundreds of Norfolk schoolchildren and members of the public will be learning about the Jewish way of life this month following the launch of the Jewish Living Experience (JLE) at Norwich Cathedral last week. Children from all over the region will attend the JLE, which is aimed primarily at school groups and enables visitors to […]
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The number of Jewish pupils enrolled in Jewish schools has been climbing consistently for several decades. There are now over 5,000 more Jewish children enrolled in strictly Orthodox (haredi) schools than in mainstream ones. A new paper, entitled JPR.BOD – Jewish Schools Statistical Bulletin for 2015-16 to 2017-18 – January 2019, commissioned by the Board […]
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The Board of Deputies is to host an exhibition which focuses on Albanian Muslims’ efforts to save Jews in the Holocaust. The Yad Vashem exhibition, entitled ‘Love Your Neighbour’, will be on display at the Board of Deputies meeting on Sunday 17 February in the presence of Albanian Ambassador Qirjako Qirko, giving Deputies from around […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Edwin Shuker has responded to the Government’s decision not to extend a benefits cap on families of more than two children. He said: “After years of campaigning against this punitive policy, we welcome this announcement as a step in the right direction. The two-child policy is by definition an attack […]
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The article by Lee Harpin in today’s Jewish Chronicle – “Board of Deputies nearly backed Islamophobia definition ‘decisively influenced’ by controversial group” – is concocted from a mixture of innuendo, half-truths, and outright falsehoods. Innuendo: “Board of Deputies nearly backed Islamophobia definition ‘decisively influenced’ by controversial group” In line with other communal bodies including the […]
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Education Secretary Damian Hinds paid a visit to the Board of Deputies Jewish Living Experience exhibition which was on display today at the Department for Education. After spending some time looking at the exhibits, Mr Hinds said: “I want to thank the Board of Deputies for a really insightful exhibition. Understanding other people’s faiths and […]
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The Board of Deputies has condemned a series of antisemitic scrawlings featuring the words “Jew Ghetto” which were discovered on Monday morning at different locations in the village of Shenley in Hertfordshire. A spokesperson said: “The residents of Shenley should not be subjected to this disgusting antisemitism. We hope the perpetrator is identified and subjected […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has commented on a video showing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking alongside and applauding those who cavort with Holocaust deniers and extremists. Marie said: “The list of things for which Jeremy Corbyn needs to apologise to Jews and Israelis grows and grows. Applauding a speaker calling for […]
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The Board of Deputies will be present in force at Limmud 2018 with a programme of events at the festival which runs until Thursday December 27. Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl will be asking ‘Do Jews Have a Future in the UK?’ at a session on Wednesday when antisemitism and threats to […]
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The Board of Deputies has welcomed the decision of Islington Council to ban Gilad Atzmon from playing with the Blockheads on council premises. A spokesperson said: “We welcome this decision by Islington Council. We have been in contact with the council about Gilad Atzmon’s history and we believe this to be the right call.”
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Education Secretary Damian Hinds has decided that the Government will not be implementing all the recommendations of the September 2018 Commission on Religious Education (CoRE) Report ‘Religion and Worldviews: The Way Forward’. He revealed the decision In a letter sent last week to the CoRE. The Board of Deputies had previously raised concerns about the […]
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The Board of Deputies of British Jews has welcomed the announcement by the universities regulator, the Office for Students (OFS), that it is adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Definition of Antisemitism. This is the result of a series of engagements between the OFS and the Board of Deputies that has also involved the […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has reacted to antisemitic chanting by Chelsea fans at their match against Hungarian team Vidi last night. Amanda said: “We commend Chelsea FC’s prompt intervention following antisemitic songs sung by a section of Chelsea supporter’s at the club’s Europa League game in Hungary. This disgraceful behaviour must be […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has welcomed the launch of the faith declaration on the organ donation register which will enable religious people to ensure their beliefs are taken into account when organ donation is discussed. Amanda said: “This measure will help preserve the religious freedom of potential organ donors. “There is still […]
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In a show of unity, Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum celebrated Chanukah in the Houses of Parliament at a reception organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Over 150 people gathered to hear Post-Holocaust Envoy Rt Hon Lord Pickles, Shadow Secretary of State for Education Angela Rayner MP, and Liberal Democrat Leader […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to antisemitic rhetoric used in a pro-government magazine in Hungary: ‘She said: ‘Tonight we voice our support for the Hungarian Jewish community. We are deeply concerned about the antisemitic rhetoric used in Hungary. The image of Andras Heisler, head of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities […]
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Click below to watch a live stream of the December 2nd Board of Deputies meeting. The meeting begins at 11.15am
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Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has called the Labour Party’s announcement that it has dropped its disciplinary investigation into Ian Austin MP, “long overdue”. Amanda said: “The announcement that the Labour Party has dropped its ill-judged investigation into Ian Austin MP over comments he made to party Chair Ian Lavery about its failure […]
Read more >>>Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has condemned the election of Stephen Marks, who has denied Labour has a serious problem with antisemitism, to the Labour disciplinary body which deals with alleged cases of antisemitism. Amanda said: “The election of antisemitism denier Stephen Marks to Labour’s National Constitution Committee seems to be part of […]
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Shenley Primary School, which is hosting the Board of Deputies Jewish Living Experience exhibition, this week held an open evening for the local community with guests including Mayor of Hertsmere Brenda Batten and Deputy Mayor Rabbi Alan Plancey. The school’s head teacher Tracy Madigan welcomed guests while Year One teacher Nicole Grossman highlighted the value of […]
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A Jewish Women’s Aid campaign supported by the Board of Deputies to raise awareness of violence against women and girls in the Jewish community began last Shabbat. As part of the campaign, the Board of Deputies asked all rabbis to speak on the issue in their sermons and to show their support for the campaign. […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to comments made by Turkish President Erdogan about businessman George Soros. Marie said: “We are very concerned about the comments made by Turkish President Erdogan who called George Soros an ‘infamous Hungarian Jew’ and accused him of being behind the historic protests in Turkey in […]
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The Government’s Organ Donation Bill was debated in the House of Lords on Friday. This followed a letter from Public Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price to Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl to allay community concerns over the legislation which will change the organ donation system from ‘opt-in’ to ‘opt-out’. Members of the All Party Parliamentary […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl spent the weekend last weekend in Scotland with Shabbat in Edinburgh followed by a trip to the UK’s most northerly Jewish community in Aberdeen. Marie attended Friday night dinner in her honour in Edinburgh and was joined by five Members of the Scottish Parliament. On Saturday, she […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has reacted with ‘dismay’ to the cancellation of a speaking engagement at City, University of London. Amanda said: “We are dismayed that Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev has been forced to cancel his engagement at City, University of London today based on the advice of the Metropolitan Police. The […]
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The Board of Deputies of British Jews has condemned a decision by Airbnb to remove listings from Israelis living in the West Bank. A spokesperson said: “The Board of Deputies condemns the decision by Airbnb to single out the Jewish state of Israel from all the territories in the world that are under dispute. I’m […]
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Milah UK is delighted to announce the appointment of Jonathan Arkush as its new Co-Chair. He will be taking over from Dr Simon Hochhauser, who announced his intention to step back during the summer after six years in the role. Jonathan will join Professor David Katz, who remains as the other Co-Chair. Jonathan has an […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has condemned the decision of Quakers in Britain to divest from, in its words, “any companies profiting from the occupation of Palestine”. Marie said: “The appalling decision of the Friends House hierarchy to divest from just one country in the world – the only Jewish state – […]
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In advance of Mitzvah Day, the Board of Deputies staff team participated in a Supermarket Challenge for GIFT, a Jewish charity which delivers food parcels to families in need of assistance. Led by GIFT’s Senior Educator Rabbi Avrohom Zeidman, the Board of Deputies staff went “wild in the aisles” in Tesco, Brent Cross, with the […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has responded to comments made by Labour Welsh Assembly Member Jenny Rathbone. Marie said: “These comments are inexcusable. She says it is ‘uncomfortable’ for outsiders to see the local synagogue be protected like a ‘fortress’ and that these necessary security measures are somehow part of the Jewish […]
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Hundreds of people across three events this week are hearing from two young activists – one Israeli and one Palestinian – speak about their hopes for peace and reconciliation. Rena – a Palestinian from Ramallah, and Shaked – an Israeli from Ra’anana, were speaking at ‘Invest in Peace’, a joint initiative between the Board of […]
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More than 50 GCSE RE teachers and professionals from around the country attended a Teaching Judaism conference yesterday at Western Marble Arch Synagogue to learn about all facets of Jewish Life. Teachers at the seminar, organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Partnership for Jewish Schools, heard introductions by Board of Deputies […]
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The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan last night told a packed Board of Deputies of British Jews annual dinner that “the Labour leadership needs to make a concerted effort to rebuild the relationship with the Jewish community”. Mr Khan was speaking at a central London location to an audience of 450, including Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida […]
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More than 120 councillors from almost every London borough attended a councillor seminar organised by the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council and London Jewish Forum. This was the biggest attendance for any such event, with a significant number of council leaders and cabinet members in attendance. Many of the Labour councillors said that they […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has reacted to news that the Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal inquiry into allegations of antisemitic hate crimes within the Labour Party. Amanda said: “This comes as no surprise to us. There is a deeply embedded culture of antisemitism in parts of the Labour Party and Jeremy […]
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More than 100 people in both Cardiff and Birmingham this week heard two peace activists – one Israeli and one Palestinian – speak about their hopes for reconciliation. Palestinian Yasser Khaldi, and Israeli Meron Guttel were speaking at ‘Invest in Peace’, a joint initiative between the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Churches Together […]
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Close to 500 people from Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities crowded into JW3, London’s Jewish Community Centre last night to hear Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, British Home Secretary Sajid Javid, communal and interfaith leaders speak at a vigil for the 11 members of the Jewish community brutally murdered in Pittsburgh on Saturday. Mayor of […]
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Board of Deputies of British Jews President Marie van der Zyl has condemned the appalling attack on innocent worshippers at a synagogue in the United States. She said: ‘Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and families of the innocent worshippers gunned down in cold blood at a Pittsburgh synagogue. It is particularly […]
Read more >>>Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has welcomed a letter from the Minister for Mental Health, Inequalities and Suicide Prevention clarifying its policy on organ donation opt-out procedures. She said: “There is nothing more important than saving a life, and donating organs to provide the gift of life is invaluable. There were, however, concerns […]
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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl today jointly endorsed the Invest in Peace initiative – which brings together churches and synagogues across Britain to support Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding – at a meeting at Lambeth Palace, Invest in Peace events will be held around the country in Cardiff, Birmingham, […]
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Bank of England Chief Economist Andy Haldane visited key Birmingham Jewish institutions to learn about the community and consider how the Bank can serve the needs of all Britain’s communities. The visit on October11 , organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Birmingham and West Midlands Jewish Representative Council, took in […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has paid tribute to past President of the Board of Deputies Jo Wagerman, who died this week. Marie said: “Jo Wagerman was a pioneer – the first female headteacher of JFS and the first woman to lead the Board of Deputies as President. She made an immense […]
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Twenty-nine parliamentarians from across the political spectrum came together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Mitzvah Day by taking part in a social action event inside the Houses of Parliament. Parliamentarians – including Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable, Labour Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry, Conservative Party Vice Chairs for Communities Helen Grant and Rehman Chishti […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to the suspension by Labour of Tower Hamlets Councillor Mohammed Pappu. Marie said: “With these overtly racist views, Labour has done the right thing in suspending Mohammed Pappu. The party now needs to deal urgently and thoroughly with its huge backlog of disciplinary cases, some […]
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Gillian Merron, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “The Board of Deputies welcomes the decision by the Leader’s Committee of London Councils to recommend adoption the full International Holocaust Remembrance Association definition of antisemitism with all its examples. We have found the London Councils umbrella body to be constructive allies […]
Read more >>>Senior Vice President Sheila Gewolb has condemned the murder of two Israelis, Kim Levengrond-Yehezkel and Ziv Hajbi, killed in the Barkan Industrial Zone at the weekend. Sheila said: “We utterly condemn this cold and callous attack on an industrial zone, which employed a mixture of Israelis and Palestinians. This brutal act of terror was a clear attack […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Edwin Shuker has renewed support for the planned Holocaust Memorial in London. This follows a letter from a group of Jewish peers voicing concerns about the scheme. Edwin said: “We continue to welcome the planned Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre as a fitting testament to the evils of unchecked racism […]
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Board of Deputies Senior Vice President Sheila Gewolb has condemned Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for his latest antisemitic outburst. Sheila said: “Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is a purveyor of antisemitic and antiquated tropes. While the rest of Malaysia is moving forward, he makes it look like the country is moving backward, which is a […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has responded to Jeremy Corbyn’s speech today to the Labour Party conference by calling for action from the Labour Leader. Marie said: “Jeremy Corbyn’s words mean nothing until Labour takes the necessary steps to deal with antisemitism in its ranks. Words have long ceased to be enough. […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Edwin Shuker has condemned a hate attack on an Islamic centre in North-West London. He said: “We denounce the attack on worshippers outside an Islamic Centre in Cricklewood. The rise in anti-Muslim hostility should alarm all of us. According to Tell MAMA, 2017 saw a rise of 16.3% in reports […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to a speech by Public and Commercial Services Union General Secretary Mark Serwotka in which he suggested that Israel had created the Labour Party’s antisemitism crisis. Marie said: “By trading in conspiracy theories and stock antisemitic tropes, Mark Serwotka has demeaned his office. The only […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl today ‘noted with disappointment’ that Conservative Party MEPs have voted in defence of Hungary’s far-right government of Viktor Orban. She said: “As we have stated previously, we are very alarmed by the messages at the heart of Orban’s election campaign, including his comments about ‘Muslim invaders’, calling […]
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Board of Deputies of British Jews President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to the adoption of the internationally recognised definition of antisemitism by the Church of England. She said: “We applaud the decision by the Church of England bishops to formally adopt the full IHRA definition of antisemitism. The adoption of the definition in […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Edwin Shuker has criticised the Commission on RE Report, Religion and Worldviews as “fundamentally flawed”. He said: “While the commission’s focus on religious education is timely and the provision of extra teacher training is to be welcomed, the report is fundamentally undermined by the dilution of religious education through the […]
Read more >>>Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl said: “I would like to express my thanks to the Archbishop of Canterbury for his important intervention in advance of Rosh Hashanah, saying that the Church of England should adopt the IHRA Definition of antisemitism. This moral leadership is warmly welcomed by our community and is a […]
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Board of Deputies of British Jews President Marie van der Zyl has responded to the adoption of the internationally recognised definition of antisemitism by the Parliamentary Labour Party. She said: “We would like to thank the Parliamentary Labour Party which has adopted the full International Holocaust Remembrance Holocaust Alliance definition of antisemitism with all of […]
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Board of Deputies of British Jews President Marie van der Zyl said: “The decision by the National Executive Committee to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of Antisemitism in full with all of its illustrative examples had to be the right call. It is very long overdue and regrettable that Labour has wasted […]
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The Board of Deputies of British Jews today confirmed that the guest of honour at the 2018 President’s Dinner, on Monday November 5, will be the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Sadiq was elected Mayor in May 2016, and has since developed close and supportive links with the UK Jewish community. Before becoming Mayor, he […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has thanked Westminster City Council for postponing a public meeting which clashed with Yom Kippur. She said: “The Board of Deputies welcomes Westminster City Council’s decision to postpone the next meeting of the Open Public Forum Meeting so that it does not clash with Yom Kippur, enabling Jewish […]
Read more >>>Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has condemned the election of Peter Willsman to Labour’s NEC. She said: “The election of Peter Willsman to Labour’s NEC following his reprehensible comments about Jews is deeply concerning.” “This has not been helped by Labour’s appalling attitude to tackling prejudice, as evidenced by Jeremy Corbyn failing to […]
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Board of Deputies Chief Executive Gillian Merron has written to Labour Party General Secretary Jennie Formby, informing her of the essential steps the party needs to take in order to deal with the antisemitism crisis. The letter is a reply to Ms Formby’s own letter “outlining the Labour Party’s recent actions to tackle antisemitism”. In […]
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Jews and Sikhs seek the Common Good 20 August 2018 In what might be a historic first, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Sikh Council UK have started a partnership to join our communiti es in pursuing the common good. As the first in the series of events, on Sunday, Jewish and […]
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The Board of Deputies has reacted to the decision of the Jersey Government not to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. A spokesperson said: “We have raised this with the Jersey Government and we intend to discuss with them the importance of adopting the IHRA definition. We would urge them to listen […]
Read more >>>Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to rocket attacks on Israel launched from Gaza. She said: “I am deeply concerned about the escalation of violence and the more than 150 rockets fired at Israel. I utterly condemn the ongoing rocket salvo from Hamas that has wounded more than 11 Israelis. Our strong commitment […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman says there are some positive signs in the government’s announcement of how a new system of consent for organ and tissue donation will work. “The Jewish community is united in wishing to see increases in organ donation in order to relieve suffering and save as many lives as […]
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In this piece published in the New Statesman, Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl and Jewish Leadership Council Chair Jonathan Goldstein remind Jeremy Corbyn that inaction in the face of racism is complicity https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2018/08/jeremy-corbyn-must-remember-inaction-face-racism-complicity
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Post Sabbath, Jewish organisations can now respond to Jeremy Corbyn’s ill-timed and ill-conceived Guardian article on Labour’s antisemitism problem. Once again Mr Corbyn, of all people, has chosen to lecture Jews on antisemitism. His Guardian piece repeats much of his previous Evening Standard article, published the day we met him to explain our concerns. In […]
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The Board of Deputies has sent a submission to HM Treasury’s consultation on pre-paid funerals. You can read the response here.
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Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies, said: “Even by Labour’s low standards, the last few days since the unprecedented joint banner headline by our community’s leading newspapers have been utterly shameful. “Shadow Cabinet members are lining up to oppose the leadership’s position on the IHRA antisemitism definition; one Labour councillor […]
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Responding to the misleading article about Marie van der Zyl and MEND in this week’s Jewish Chronicle, a Board of Deputies spokesperson said: “This is not what happened. The story and the leader are not based on facts. The Board of Deputies’ position on MEND has not changed. We will not be working with MEND. […]
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We are looking to recruit a driven, pro-active fundraiser to co-ordinate the Board of Deputies’ fundraising activities with the objective of raising awareness of the Board of Deputies within the Jewish community and increase the amount of donations received to fund the Board of Deputies’ advocacy for the Jewish community. For a full job description […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl said: “Shechita and Brit Milah are the cornerstones of Jewish life wherever Jews reside. Therefore, I am deeply concerned about the situation regarding religious slaughter and I am also appalled about the proposed register of Jews who intend to buy kosher meat in Austria. The FPÖ, the […]
Read more >>>Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl and Senior Vice President Sheila Gewolb said: “Israel – as every other sovereign nation state – has the right to defend and protect her citizens and its borders. We strongly deplore the ongoing rocket attacks from Gaza on Southern Israeli communities, which make the lives of so […]
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Board of Deputies Senior Vice President Sheila Gewolb has reacted Israel’s newly passed Nation State Law. She said: “Whilst we celebrate Israel’s Jewish-ness, there is concern that some of the measures in this law are regressive steps. Among Israel’s great strengths are its democracy and diversity. Being Jewish is a wonderful thing, but this should […]
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You can read the Board of Deputies’ briefing on the Inner North London Coroner Area’s Protocol for prioritisation consultation here.
Read more >>>The Board of Deputies is looking for excellent people to fill two new roles – an Education and Youth Engagement Officer and a Public Affairs Assistant. The Education and Youth Engagement Officer will be responsible for assisting and advancing the education policy and youth engagement work of the Board of Deputies. This will include advocating for Jewish […]
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Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews Edwin Shuker said: “While we welcome the Clarke-Woodhead Reports on Religious Education’s endorsement of statutory Religious Education, we are concerned of the report’s overall hostility to faith schools. “The report depicts faith schools as part of the problem rather than part of the solution to […]
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“The decision taken by the NEC today to adopt a watered-down definition of antisemitism will be regarded with a mixture of incredulity and outrage by the overwhelming majority of the UK’s Jews. The suggestion that they will now consult with the Jewish community is an insult, given the complete lack of meaningful consultation up until […]
Read more >>>Click below to catch up with a stream of the July 15th Board of Deputies meeting.
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In a joint letter to the General Secretary of the Labour Party, Jennie Formby, the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council and Community Security Trust have spoken of “anger in the community” over the modified version of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism adopted by the party. In the letter, JLC Chief Executives […]
Read more >>>Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl and Jewish Leadership Council Chair Jonathan Goldstein have responded to Labour’s newly approved code of conduct on antisemitism. They said: “It is for Jews to determine for themselves what antisemitism is. The UK Jewish community has adopted in full the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Definition of Antisemitism, […]
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More than 100 people at the Methodist Church Conference last night heard two peace activists – one Israeli and one Palestinian – speak about their hopes for reconciliation. Sana Knaneh, a Palestinian citizen of Israel and Sivan Atzmon, an Israeli Jew, were speaking at ‘Invest in Peace’, a joint initiative between the Board of Deputies of […]
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The Jewish community’s priorities were spelled out to councillors from across the East and West Midlands on Sunday, at a local government seminar in Birmingham. Councillors from as far afield as Nottinghamshire and Herefordshire attended sessions on antisemitism, Israel, education and social care. A highlight of the event, which took place at Singers Hill Synagogue, […]
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Following receipt of a report on recent disciplinary cases from Constitution Committee Chair Tony Leifer, Board of Deputies President, Marie van der Zyl, said: “From reading the report it is clear to me that we need to revise the Code of Conduct in light of the experience of using it. It was created in 2013 […]
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