Outgoing Norwood chair’s warning to the community

The outgoing chair of Norwood and a senior Sephardi leader has warned that the Jewish community needs to consolidate and remains beholden to those with chequebooks.

David Ereira, 53, who hasn’t ruled out a future run for the presidency of the Board of Deputies, launched the broadside just two weeks before he leaves the iconic charity at the end of the month, after 25 years’ service.

“I joined the board without having a chequebook,” he said. “For some reason it was perceived that if someone could write a cheque they had credibility to lead. He added: “I would argue that leadership in our community is about having the talent to lead from the front, not from the pocket.”

Ereira said the community had made large strides forward but that “the challenges are ahead and it concerns me”.

The vice-president of the S&P Sephardi Community added: “The community is shrinking and young people won’t have disposable funds for charity. So smaller charities need to look at consolidating, and bigger ones that overlap should join forces. Younger people must be allowed to make this happen.”

•  Full interview: Passover supplement Page 26-7. Read online:
  Norwood chair’s farewell: Charities need talented leadership from the front, not from the pocket