Karen Newman elected new Board of Deputies vice president
The former Liberal Judaism chair now joins the organisation's leadership team
The Board of Deputies has elected Karen Newman as one of its Vice Presidents, meaning that the organisation now no longer has an all-male senior leadership team.
The election of Newman, the immediate past chair of Liberal Judaism, was announced late this afternoon after the ballot closed at 4pm. She polled 119 votes against the only other candidate, Sheila Gewolb, who polled 104 votes.
Board President Phil Rosenberg congratulated Newman on her win, describing her as having “both the expertise and experience to make an incredibly valuable contribution as we represent British Jews through turbulent times and pursue a brighter future for the UK Jewish community.
“My thanks also go to Sheila who fought an excellent campaign. I am delighted that she too will continue to serve in our leadership in her role as Chair of the Board’s Regional Council.”
The 2024 Board triennial elections marked the first time in more than a decade that the organisation’s leadership team, elected by fellow Deputies, was all male – since 2000, two of its six presidents have been female. In the months following the 2024 election, the Board elected female vice chairs for all of its different work divisions.
For the last 18 months Newman has served as co-chair of the Board’s plenary meetings. She has previously served on the organisation’s constitution committee, as well as on both its Finance and Security, Resilience & Cohesion divisions.
As well as being the sole woman on the leadership team, Newman is now the senior team’s only Progressive Judaism and LGBT+ representative. She will serve out the remainder of the Board’s current triennium, which will end in May 2027.
Newman has been contacted for comment.
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