The Board of Deputies’ Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community has completed its oral evidence gathering sessions, during which it has taken testimonies from Black Jews, non-Black Jews of Colour and Mizrachi, Sephardi and Yemenite Jews Written evidence is still being collected until 24 August via an online survey, which is also open […]
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The Board of Deputies’ Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community, chaired by New Statesman Political Editor Stephen Bush, is today launching its call for written evidence. As well as oral evidence meetings for Black Jews, non-Black Jews of Colour and Mizrachi Jews which have already begun, the Commission will now invite written evidence […]
Read more >>>A month after the Board of Deputies announced it was forming the Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community – to be chaired by New Statesman Political Editor Stephen Bush – it has published its proposed timeline and terms of reference. The Commission has spent the last month speaking to Black Jews, non-Black Jews […]
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Eco Synagogue, in partnership with the Board of Deputies, is marking London Climate Action Week with a seminar entitled “How Green can we make the new normal?” Eco Synagogue, a landmark cross communal initiative with input from United, Reform, Liberal and Masorti denominations will also be releasing a series of videos in the run-up to […]
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In response to the real difficulties being faced during the Coronavirus pandemic, the Jewish community has responded with great tenacity, creativity and resilience. One of the core commandments of Judaism is to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ – and we are seeing evidence of this teaching being actualised throughout the country. In addition to expressing […]
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A packed audience in a House of Commons Committee Room listened to a representative of the persecuted Uyghur Muslims of China make an impassioned plea for her people at an event organised by the Board of Deputies. Rahima Mahmut, from the World Uyghur Congress gave her views as part of a panel discussion entitled A […]
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Politicians from all parties put disputes about Brexit and elections aside to come together in social action and support Mitzvah Day. MPs and Peers from the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties, as well as The Independent Group for Change, united for the Parliamentary launch of Mitzvah Day 2019 – making gift bags out of […]
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Around 300 people at three events over the past week have heard two peace activists – one Israeli and one Palestinian – speak about their hopes for reconciliation. Palestinian Ruba Huleihel and Israeli Michal Katoshevsky were speaking at ‘Invest in Peace’, a joint initiative between the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Churches Together […]
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Imam Qari Asim, the government’s adviser on a definition of Islamophobia, has told a Board of Deputies of British Jews conference about the importance of the Jewish and Muslim communities standing together against hate. Speaking on a panel chaired by Board of Deputies Vice-President Edwin Shuker, Imam Asim said: “Islamophobia and antisemitism have been on […]
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As part of our ongoing commitment to raising awareness of environmental issues in the Jewish community, we will be hosting a series of blogs from Jewish communities, about the work they are doing on this area. Here is one from the United Synagogue: Many United Synagogue communities are focusing on how they can operate in […]
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The UK’s first faith-based scheme to combat sexual harassment in the workplace has been announced today. The launch follows heightened awareness around unacceptable behaviour in society in general, including the #MeToo movement and a recent government report on a zero tolerance approach towards sexual harassment. The three-year project, specifically for Jewish charities and community organisations, […]
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Following reports of a screening in London of Homelands, a ‘documentary’ by Katie Hopkins and former Ukip MEP Janice Atkinson on the “Islamification of Europe”, Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has commented: “This vile Muslim-baiting film should never have seen the light of day. Shame on those who hosted and promoted such an […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has applauded the Church in Wales for their adoption of the international definition of antisemitism. She said: “We are pleased to see that the international antisemitism definition is gathering pace in the faith communities. Following the Church of England’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition […]
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Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s announcement on increased security for places of worship. She said: “We welcome the Home Secretary’s announcement today on the increased Places of Worship Protective Security Fund and further security training for mosques. “The Government should take every possible step to […]
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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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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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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 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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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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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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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 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 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 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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Muslims and Jews came together in London for an iftar laid on by the Board of Deputies to express thanks for the Muslims Against Antisemitism campaign. The event which was attended by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis as well as representatives from a variety of Jewish and Muslim organisations, took place at the Central Synagogue in […]
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Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush and President-Elect Marie van der Zyl have supported calls for an inquiry into wrongful deportations of members of the Windrush generation. They said: “The news that 63 members of the Windrush generation could have been wrongfully deported from our country is deeply distressing to anyone who cares about justice […]
Read more >>>Board of Deputies of British Jews Senior Vice President Richard Verber has expressed concern over the treatment of migrants who arrived from the Commonwealth as children in the 1950s and who may now face deportation. He said: “Like other migrant communities, Jews know what it is like to be treated as the ‘other’. Therefore we […]
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More than 150 people attended a Board of Deputies’ International Women’s Day event at Parliament to discuss women’s role in peacemaking. Baroness Neuberger, the senior rabbi of West London Synagogue, called for women to take “a more public role in peacemaking, adding that they were “too often behind the scenes.” Melinda Simmons, director of the […]
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By Karen Newman I joined the Jewish Gay and Lesbian Group (now Jewish LGBT+ Group) in 1999. I was reasonably secure in both identities, although I had never felt the need to manifest both in the same nano-second – I joined together with my partner primarily in order to find the person who is now […]
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At the start of its presidential election year, the Board of Deputies is launching a social media campaign to encourage young people and women to stand for election as Deputies. Four advertisements and a graphic have been produced, all which will be promoted on social media. You can view the videos here. https://www.facebook.com/boardofdeputies/videos/10155050355951784/ https://www.facebook.com/boardofdeputies/videos/10155050324406784/ https://www.facebook.com/boardofdeputies/videos/10155050310556784/ […]
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The Jewish Social Action Forum [JSAF] seeks to increase the UK Jewish Community’s engagement with social action by; campaigning – we co-ordinate cross-communal support for social and environmental justice campaigns convening – the forum brings together its members for meeting, inviting guest speakers and fostering links for those advancing the Jewish social change agenda conferences – the forum works with […]
Read more >>>The Jewish Social Action Forum (JSAF) – convened by the Board of Deputies – is a group of organisations who aim to promote, develop and activate the British Jewish Community’s pursuit of social action. Click HERE to receive the monthly JSAF newsletter and keep up to date with campaigns, causes and events. JSAF is made up […]
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Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush has called on Jews and Muslims to stand together on issues including halal and shechitah, circumcision and the current anger surrounding coroner services, and to marginalise extremists. Jonathan, along with Vice President Marie van der Zyl, was in Manchester for a two-day programme of meetings with Muslim community leaders […]
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The Chief Executives of the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and Jewish Women’s Aid have held a consultative meeting, to discuss the issue of sexual harassment in the Jewish community. We are now examining a suite of measures to ensure that every person in our community feels respected, secure and protected from harassment. […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to a ruling by the Independent Press Standards Organisation which acknowledged that a line in a column by Trevor Kavanagh “was capable of giving serious offence” but concluded there was no breach of its code. Marie said: “This decision suggests that the IPSO code […]
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A major cross-communal awareness-raising campaign against domestic violence, led by Jewish Women’s Aid and the Board of Deputies and supported by the synagogue movements, will be taking place across the country this Shabbat. The campaign coincides with the annual UN-designated International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW), which falls on Shabbat 25th […]
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Around 400 people in Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow this week heard two bereaved parents – one Israeli and one Palestinian – speak about their hopes for peace and reconciliation. Robi Damelin and Bassam Aramin, of the Parents Circle – Family Forum were speaking at ‘Invest in Peace’, a joint initiative between the Board of Deputies […]
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Representatives of the Jewish, Gypsy and Traveller communities in Britain have agreed to work together on range on issues including hate crime, Holocaust remembrance, welfare and human rights, following a series of meetings in Leeds. The Board of Deputies of British Jews and Leeds Jewish Representative Council were joined by human rights charity Rene Cassin […]
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More local events have been announced for the Israeli-Palestinian ‘Invest in Peace’ initiative organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI). Invest in Peace invites Christian and Jewish communities in Britain to come together in support of Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding projects. The events provide the opportunity to hear from two bereaved parents, […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Marie van der Zyl has expressed the desire that there will be good relations between the Jewish community of Golders Green and the new Hussainiyat Al-Rasool Al-Adham Community Centre in Golders Green, following a dialogue between the two organisations. Marie said: “I have spoken to representatives from the Hussainiyat Al-Rasool […]
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Jewish and Muslim organisations in Britain have made a joint complaint about The Sun to the Independent Press Standards Organisation, regarding a “dangerous” anti-Muslim article by Trevor Kavanagh. Their complaint – submitted jointly by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Tell MAMA and Faith Matters – states that: “The printing of the phrase ‘The […]
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Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush said to Muslims in Birmingham that Muslims and Jews need to support each other in the fight against hate. Jonathan made his remarks on a visit to Mehfil E Abbas – KSIMC, Shia Mosque in the city this week. While in Birmingham – accompanied by Interfaith Officer Anthony Silkoff […]
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As Methodist Conference convenes, a number of motions related to the Balfour Declaration are due to be debated. Marie van der Zyl reflects on the importance of the centenary of Balfour for the Jewish community There has been a huge public outcry over recent years about the terrible plight of refugees seeking sanctuary in Europe. The Jewish community […]
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Speakers including Shakira Martin, the president-elect of the National Union of Students, last night celebrated the achievements of Women in Jewish Leadership (WJL) – the project founded to address gender equality issues in the community. Shakira Martin told the audience at the event in central London that “by coming together, women of ethnic minorities can […]
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Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush has condemned last night’s attack outside a mosque in north London. Jonathan said: “We condemn the attack on Muslim worshippers in Finsbury Park last night, which appears to be a terrorist incident. Our heartfelt sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with the victims. This weekend, the Jewish community joined Muslims […]
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Reflections on a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories with the Council of Christians and Jews By Phil Rosenberg In recent years, the pattern of UK Christian and Jewish engagement on the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has tended to make headlines for the wrong reasons. Tensions flare as the central bodies of major […]
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The Board of Deputies of British Jews forcefully condemns the appalling terror attacks on Coptic Christian churches in Tanta and Alexandria, Egypt. These attacks, which took place as people gathered to pray on Sunday, strike at the fabric of Egyptian society and are particularly concerning given the situation faced by Christians and other religious minorities […]
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Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush has reacted with disappointment to the Church of England’s failure to dismiss disgraced Church of England vicar Stephen Sizer. Jonathan said: “Stephen Sizer has repeatedly transgressed the terms of the agreement he made with the Church of England on 14 February 2015. He was issued with a final warning […]
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The Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, has told a joint Board of Deputies and Jewish Women’s Aid event that there are now “more prosecutions and convictions for domestic abuse than ever before”. Speaking to an International Women’s Day event entitled “Domestic Abuse: do faith communities help or hinder victims?” Ms Saunders said: “We have […]
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Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush has written to the Home Secretary outlining the organisation’s concerns at the Government’s ending of the Dubs amendment scheme to admit child refugees. He wrote: “Many in our community came to the UK as frightened and vulnerable young children – some on the kindertransport – and were welcomed into […]
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Women in Jewish Leadership was established in order to examine and improve gender equality across the Jewish community. Following its initial findings, WJL made a number of key recommendations which were followed up by a variety of highly successful initiatives and pilot projects aimed at tackling the problem of gender inequality in the community. After […]
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Bradford MP Naz Shah has told Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush that she wishes to strengthen her relationship with the Jewish community. Ms Shah, the member for Bradford West, held a meeting with Jonathan Arkush and Vice-President Marie van der Zyl, during a two-day Board of Deputies visit to Bradford. She said: “2016 was […]
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By Anthony Silkoff The consensus seems to to be that 2016 was a pretty bad year. So it came as a huge relief when Limmud conference – with its debates, dancing and doughnuts – came along and saved my year. Although as the organiser I might be biased, I felt the Board of Deputies’ interfaith […]
Read more >>>Stephen Sizer has breached the terms of the undertakings he gave to the Church of England by attending and publishing a social media post about a particularly ugly and inflammatory event with Jenny Tonge in the chair. Tonge was subsequently suspended from the Liberal Democrat Party as a result. The terms of Sizer’s agreement – […]
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Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush this week met Pope Francis at the Vatican as part of a World Jewish Congress delegation. Reflecting on the hour-long meeting, Jonathan said: “It was a great privilege to meet Pope Francis. I am left with a strong sense that he is a man of sincerity, decency, great humour […]
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Jonathan Arkush, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the national representative body of the UK Jewish community, has praised an article on the subject of antisemitism written by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Jonathan said: “Archbishop Welby’s intervention is powerful and timely. Millennia of theological antisemitism against Jews – including the canard that […]
Read more >>>Interfaith Relations The Board of Deputies is recognised as the Jewish community leader on initiatives that promote good relations between the UK’s different faith and ethnic communities. We develop strong partnerships and dialogue on a range of issues of mutual interest, including education, equality and fighting extremism. Through our engagement with organisations such as the […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Marie van der Zyl and Zionist Federation Chairman Paul Charney said: “Following dialogue with the Board of Deputies and action by the Zionist Federation (ZF) in recent days, the Hinde Street Methodist Church has agreed to make adjustments to the exhibition about Israeli checkpoints. “This will include a table of […]
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Board of Deputies Vice President Marie van der Zyl has expressed disappointment at an exhibition to be held Hinde Street Methodist Church, Marylebone, which features a reconstruction of a border control point between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. She said: “We are disappointed that a church is looking to host what looks like a one-sided exhibition, which puts unwelcome and […]
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We are pleased to present the Board’s response to Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel (BDS). The document effectively addresses and counters the fundamental issues raised by the BDS campaign, explaining its various motivations and divisive consequences. The document advocates the approach of positive investment into the region, emphasising the ways in which people who […]
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