Board of Deputies newly officers: (from left), Ben Crowne, Andrew Gilbert, Phil Rosenberg, Adrian Cohen, Jeremy Michelson[Missing Credit]
He also called for empathy during the meeting, saying: “I am really sorry about what happened, and we as a community have just got to do better.”
He added that empathy “is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength... showing empathy allows us to be heard”.
In response to Rosenberg’s comments about any future collaboration, a spokesperson for Stop the Hate said: “Stop The Hate is a diverse coalition of volunteers from across the Jewish community, united in the fight against antisemitism and in advocacy for Israel and the hostages. The National March for the Hostages was the largest event we have ever organised, bringing together the breadth of our community and reflecting the diversity that defines Stop The Hate. We have learnt important lessons from this event, and we are committed to implementing these insights to ensure that future events are even stronger as we continue to grow, evolve, and improve.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to engaging every denomination and building an inclusive coalition that represents all parts of the Jewish community. Above all, we are unwavering in our mission: to counter anti-Jewish racism wherever it appears and to advocate tirelessly for the hostages—until every one of them is home.”
The JC understands that STH will continue to engage with the Progressive community in the wake of the controversy.
Both Rabbi Baginsky and Rabbi Levy were guest speakers at the Board’s plenary meeting at JW3, where they addressed deputies and made a case for embracing a range of viewpoints within the Jewish community.
“Jewish life in this country cannot be narrowed into one voice,” said Rabbi Levy.
Rabbi Baginsky added that, too often, “we mistake disagreement for disloyalty” and warned that such an approach can “silence nuance”.
Levy continued: “The question is not, do we all agree, but do we disagree well?”
He praised the Board as an institution capable of holding diverse views and urged it to “resist any urge to collapse diversity into that single voice”.
Rosenberg was also asked about the Board’s participation in the Campaign Against Antisemitism march on Sunday afternoon, which one deputy criticised. The timing of the Board meeting had been altered to allow deputies to travel to the demonstration in central London.
Explaining his engagement with CAA, the Board president said: “As far as possible, we should be showing unity”, adding: “It does not help us to engage in needless division”.
Historically – prior to Rosenberg’s election as Board president – the two organisations haven’t always seen eye to eye, but last October, he and Gideon Falter, chief executive of CAA, shared a panel, which seemed to herald the start of a new working relationship.
During Sunday’s CAA rally, Rosenberg and Falter walked side by side, leading marchers through central London.
In a separate question on the legitimacy of the claim that there was starvation in Gaza, Rosenberg asserted: “There is serious hunger in Gaza, and some of this is consequences of political decisions by the Israeli government.”
He explained: “Before the conflict, there were 400 aid distribution points across Gaza; there are now three, and they are all in the south. There is occasionally a fourth one that opens in the north, but very rarely.”
The Board, he went on, “has urged the Israeli government to ensure full complete food aid to Palestinians.
“Israel started by saying it was stopping aid for two months. It is now making a virtue of the fact it is trying to get aid in. If only it had done that from the beginning, we would be in a very different place.
“Israel is saying the right things now; it needs to do the right thing; and it should have done them from the outset.”
Also at the meeting, deputies enquired about the suspension of signatories involved in the Financial Times letter, which criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza. An appeal is currently underway assessing the disciplinary process into the suspension of five deputies. Rosenberg said he “appreciated frustrations about the length of time” this was taking, but suggested the findings of the appeal panel would be revealed in “a few weeks”.
