The county of Hertfordshire has its first Jewish Lord Lieutenant.
Robert Voss, who previously served as one of the county’s 52 Deputy Lieutenants, was appointed to the post at the beginning of August and carried out his first duties last week.
He told the JC: “Apart from Lord Rothschild in the 19th century, I believe I am the first Jewish Lord Lieutenant in England”.
Mr Voss’s role will include arranging royal visits to the county and accompanying members of the royal family on their trips there. He will also be responsible for presenting medals and awards on the Queen’s behalf, and acting as a liaison with local units of the Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force.
The 64-year-old said he was “incredibly honoured” to have been appointed.
Mr Voss recently appeared in a BBC documentary about UK Jews with German ancestry considering applying for German citizenship.
His parents, German Jews, managed to escape to Britain just before World War Two. “This country literally gave me life by taking in both my parents as refugees,” he said. “You saw the programme — you saw what happened to my paternal grandparents [who were killed in the Holocaust]. It’s an honour for me really, to serve the country”.
Mr Voss, a retired metal trader who is a long-time member of Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, said his new position was an “almost full-time job.
“The Lord Lieutenant is due to serve until their 75th birthday, which in my case is another 10 and a half years”, he said.
“My wife and I thought about it long and hard, because it is an enormous commitment. But she has fully supported me. I think my family are very happy and very proud”.
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