The Reform movement has chosen a woman chair for the only the third time in its history.

Jenny Pizer, the current vice-chair, will take over from Stephen Moss at the end of the year.

Mrs Pizer holds the portfolios for Israel and for youth, students and young adults and was involved with the production of the new Reform siddur.

A direct marketing consultant, she is a former Maidenhead Synagogue chair.

Two of the seven new recruits to the board are women, both from Golders Green's North Western Reform Synagogue. They are Noeleen Cohen, who chairs the synagogue's education committee, and Laura Marks, founder of Mitzvah Day and chair of the Jewish Leadership Council's commission on women and leadership in the Jewish community.