The Board of Deputies of British Jews

The Board of Deputies of British Jews

1 Torriano Mews, London NW5 2RZ  Telephone: 0207 543 5400

Email: www.bod.org.uk/contact

Website: https://www.bod.org.uk/

The Board of Deputies has been the voice of British Jewry and the representative of Jewish communal interests to government, media and others for over a quarter of a millennium.

Established under George III, it remains to this day the only democratically elected voice of British Jewry, with Deputies (from the Portuguese  “Deputades”) directly elected by synagogues and organisations from every part of our diverse community.

It is this ability to unite the community behind a single message and voice – from Moses Montefiore to today’s President, Jonathan Arkush – which gives the Board not only its legitimacy, but its ability to influence and shape events.

Over the centuries, it has played its part in protecting Jews from those fleeing persecution in Damacus in the mid-nineteenth century, to those living in extreme poverty in the East End of London in the early part of the twentieth century.  It led the fight against fascism in Britain and helped ensure the country remained a haven for Jews as fascism took its grip across the rest of Europe.

Today, the Board continues to shape and protect Jewish communal interests, whether through its inspections of Jewish religious education in schools, its defence of Jewish religious practice, its promotion of outlying communities through the Jewish Connection or its exposure of antisemitism.  Its Jewish Living exhibition helps an estimated 10,000 people a year to better understand Judaism, its Women in Leadership organisation promotes the interests of women in our community, while its political lobbying shapes the policies of all the main political parties.