The president of the Board of Deputies, Vivian Wineman, has welcomed the creation of a new Jewish-Christian interfaith organisation. He said that the Methodist Friends of Judaism (MFJ) “represents a vital step in the process of bridge-building. It is asking brave questions, at a time when many have decided to remain silent.”

The MFJ, co-ordinated by Reverends Colin Smith and Bruce Thompson, aims to celebrate the contribution of Judaism to the worldwide community, to raise awareness of anti-Judaism within the Christian church, and to challenge antisemitism. Rev Smith is also a member of the Council of Christians and Jews.

The creation of the foundation represents a thawing of Methodist-Jewish relations. In 2010 the Methodist church conference voted to approve a report which Mr Wineman called “unqualified Israel bashing”.