Candidates unveiled for three senior posts at Board of Deputies
Representative organisation confirms names for Treasurer, Vice Presidents and President
Jenni Frazer is a freelance journalist
With two weeks to go before the close of nominations for the new Board of Deputies leadership, the Board has unveiled a list of candidates for the top three senior positions.
Treasurer Stuart MacDonald is the only deputy who is standing again, unopposed. Vice-presidents Sheila Gewolb and Marie Van der Zyl have both decided to run for president, to succeed Jonathan Arkush, with Ms Gewolb hedging her bets by declaring a bid for a vice-presidential position as well. The two women face a dark horse challenger for president — Baghdad-born Edwin Shuker, vice-chair of the board’s international division and a feisty campaigner for the rights of Jews from Arab lands.
There is a distinct right-wing bias among those bidding for one of the vice-presidential slots. They include Manchester lawyer Robert Festenstein, who last year controversially appeared in a video with the English Defence League’s Tommy Robinson. Mr Festenstein, after the video came to light, said: “I was interviewed by Mr Robinson in connection with a matter where I am instructed by a client who has a potential dispute with Sunderland City Council. Mr Robinson is not my client and I have no association with him.” The lawyer is a director of the Jewish Human Rights Watch group.
Vying with him are the JNF deputy Gary Mond; and Roslyn Pine, a deputy for North Salford Synagogue who has angrily challenged the left-wing Zionist group, Yachad. Israeli-born Tal Ofer, who represents Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue on the Board, ran last time for the v-p post but was heavily defeated. Tal sits on the Defence Division and the Board’s executive
But also in the race for vice-president is Amanda Bowman, who chairs the Board’s social action team and is its gender equality lead. She represents Hampstead Synagogue for the deputies.
Nominations for the next triennial — the posts are held for three years — close on April 26 and the elections take place on May 13. Hustings will be held in Manchester, London, and Glasgow in the first weeks of May and it is thought that separate hustings may be held by the Reform movement.
Listen to the Jewish Views Podcast:
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
