One Synagogue leaves Board of Deputies while another considers its position
Jewish News told that concerns about the Board were "reflected across the United Synagogue"
Several United Synagogue congregations are actively considering their affiliation with the Board of Deputies, Jewish News understands, with one shul having informed the Board they will be leaving and another describing “active discussions” they are having with the organisation on that topic.
Jewish News understands that Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue in Essex has sent a letter to the Board, informing them that “the Synagogue Council has concluded that the Board of Deputies does not represent its views and does not provide value for money.”
Meanwhile, Cockfosters and N Southgate Synagogue is “actively considering’ leaving the Board, with the Shul’s chair, Daniel Anderson, telling Jewish News that many in the congregation are “deeply concerned at the direction they [the Board] are taking”, with too much of a focus on actions by Israel when “its role and priorities should be UK Jewry”.
Anderson described how, as well as paying for a Deputy, the Synagogue was paying “quite a substantial amount” via its members contributions to the organisation. Concerns included the apparent discovery that the Board “operates its Israel [International] division through a limited company” and “a great deal of unease” that the organisation’s “direction taken [had been] influenced by minority groups”, although specific examples were not named. He said such concerns “were reflected across the United Synagogue”.
Earlier this year, 36 Deputies signed a letter which was published by the Financial Times, strongly condemning the Israeli government for its actions in Gaza. The letter was not seen or approved by the Board’s leadership, which subsequently sought to distance itself from it, making clear that it did not represent the views of the organisation as a whole. After complaints were made by other Deputies regarding the conduct of the letter’s signatories, the Board’s constitutional committee confirmed in the summer that five of the leading signatories would be receive a suspension of two years, with 31 others being sent a notice of criticism with a reminder of appropriate conduct, which was also sent to the synagogues or organisations they represented on the Board. None of the 36 represented a shul which was part of the United Synagogue.
In its announcement of the sanctions in June, the Board stressed that these were not for the views expressed in the letter itself, but rather “the breaches primarily arose from the public presentation and promotion of the letter, which created the misleading impression that this was an official document of the Board as a whole. The Constitution Committee emphasised the exacerbating effect of the accompanying press release and subsequent public appearances by some signatories.”
Responding to Jewish News, a Board of Deputies spokesperson said:
“More than 200 communities and organisations send representatives to the Board of Deputies to have their say on the issues that affect the UK Jewish community and to shape our advocacy. We are very pleased to be in conversations with yet more synagogues and organisations looking to join.
“Synagogues that choose not to affiliate risk trading influence for insularity, and deny the opportunity for their members’ voices to be heard on the national stage.
“We have offered the two synagogues mentioned an opportunity to hear their views, share how the Board is delivering on our shared priorities, and give them the chance to play their part. The community will always be stronger when it is united.”
The leadership of Chigwell and Hainault synagogue have been contacted for comment.
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