Board of Deputies leaders have today launched a consultation with grassroots deputies over a possible merger with the Jewish Leadership Council.

The aim of ongoing talks between the Board and the JLC is to create “a dynamic leadership body capable of representing the best interests of the whole community in all its diversity on issues that affect it and the wider Jewish world”, deputies were told in a letter from Board officers.

But a unified organisation, they said, would have to preserve the Board’s “core characteristics – an elected leadership, our representative nature, our democratic mandate and our regional spread”.

An independent consultant will be asked to take soundings from deputies, who will also be able to voice their views on the way forward via Facebook.

The Board’s leaders as well as its representatives on a liaison committee with the JLC “see advantages in setting up a new organisation”, the letter said.

“It would offer a clear focus on issues which affect the community, provide opportunities for pooling resources and offer a more focused way of working with outside bodies including government, NGOs, local government and interfaith groups.”