The candidates for Vice-President

Jonathan Arkush

CV:
A barrister and Deputy Chancery Master at the Royal Courts of Justice, he is co-founder of Hertsmere Jewish Primary School and Yavneh College, and founder of the Student and Academic Campaign for Soviet Jewry.

Board experience:
Deputy since 1982, representing Borehamwood and Elstree United Synagogue, vice-chair of the international committee for three years and member of its constitution committee.

What he says:

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The candidates for President

Flo Kaufmann

CV:
Chairman of the council of the European Jewish Congress and vice-president of the World Jewish Congress.

Board experience:
Vice-president for the past six years, she is chair of its international division who has ensured that Board has “had a seat round the table with many world leaders” and who has “led many Board missions to Israel”. Deputy for Hampstead Garden Suburb United Synagogue and previous Board treasurer.

What she says:

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Field wide open in hunt for Deputies’ leader

The most hotly contested leadership election in the 250-year-old history of the Board of Deputies remains an open race with no front-runner yet emerging for president, after a straw poll by the JC.

When nominations closed last Friday, there were a record four candidates competing to be president of British Jewry’s main representative body for the next three years, with seven for the three vice-presidencies.

More than half of the 27 deputies polled — around 10 per cent of the 268 eligible to vote in Sunday’s week election — have yet to make up their mind.

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Grunwald to be WJR envoy

The Board of Deputies’ Henry Grunwald is taking on a new presidential role, this time for World Jewish Relief.

Assuming the WJR ambassadorial post from June, Mr Grunwald will support the charity’s goal of increasing the number of communities and individuals assisted.

He will represent WJR at key events, visit overseas projects and work with the chairman and chief executive to encourage wider support.

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Asylum aid

Board of Deputies president Henry Grunwald has praised the drop-in centre for asylum seekers run by the New North London Synagogue, Finchley, as “a fantastic example of how a local community can make a difference”.

Mr Grunwald visited the centre along with London’s Deputy Mayor, Richard Barnes, at the behest of Edie Friedman, director of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, which supports the centre’s work.

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Five in battle for board VP places

With a record four candidates competing to become president of the Board of Deputies next month, a second race is under way for the three vice-presidential posts.

Five people have confirmed their candidacy, or said they are considering standing, for the number two positions when deputies go to the polls on May 17.

One of the three current vice-presidents, Paul Edlin, who represents Glasgow’s Garnethill Synagogue and chairs the board’s community issues division, will be campaigning for a second three-year term.

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Board praises medical guidelines

The Board of Deputies has “welcomed” draft General Medical Council guidelines clarifying doctors’ responsibilities in respecting patients’ religious beliefs before and after death. Along with the Scottish Council for Jewish Communities, the board’s views are being sought as part of a four-month consultation with minority ethnic and religious groups. A board official said it wanted “to ensure the cultural and halachic concerns of the community are properly understood”.

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