Chair of PaJeS set to take top JLC role after sole rival withdraws

The chair of Partnerships for Jewish Schools is set to be elected to head the Jewish Leadership Council after his sole rival withdraws.

Jonathan Goldstein, chief executive of Cain Hoy Enterprises, will succeed Sir Mick Davis  subject to a vote of the organisation’s council next month. It comes after Steven Pack, who chairs the United Synagogue, pulled out.

Goldstein, who will present a manifesto and answer questions at what was to have been a hustings later this month, said: “I am excited at the opportunity to share my views with and take questions from JLC members at the hustings later this month and to stand for election in early May.”

In announcing his candidature, he earlier said: “Sir Mick Davis has been a passionate and thoughtful leader of our community and we owe him a debt of gratitude,” said Goldstein.

“I would like to build on his successes and I look forward to sharing my ideas with the JLC membership at the hustings later this month. It would be a great honour to continue serving my community as JLC chair.”

PaJeS is an umbrella group for Jewish schools and a division of the JLC, meaning Goldstein is already familiar with the group he now seeks to lead.

In 2015, he was appointed Chief Rabbinate Trust, where he is charged with providing “strategic guidance” to the Chief Rabbi’s Office. At the time, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis praised him as “an accomplished businessman, a proud member of the United Synagogue and an outstanding community leader”.