Last October she informed a Jewish burial society that “no death will be prioritised in any way over any other because of the religion of the deceased or family”. She also said that she would be revoking a 2015 protocol on the guarding of bodies, which allowed Orthodox Jews to observe shemirah – “guarding” the deceased prior to burial.
The burial society has launched an official complaint against Ms Hassell.
Ms Van Der Zyl said her meeting would be “a case where the Board is going to be advocating for the whole community”.
“It’s not just an Orthodox issue, it’s a Jewish issue. We’ve had meetings at the Board of Deputies with Charedim, and I have also consulted both Liberal and Reform denominations.”
She described Ms Hassell as “a person, in my opinion, who has no compassion or any sort of empathy with faith communities.
“As Jews, we are not asking for priority. We are putting a position forward that anybody who requires a swift burial be given the same treatment.”
Ms Van der Zyl told the Board that the Jewish Labour peer, Lord Beecham, had asked a question in the House of Lords about the government’s response to the issue.
St Pancras coroner’s court told the JC Ms Hassell was unable to comment on the controversy “as it is incompatible with her judicial role”.
