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NEWSLETTER
JUNE 2008
BOARD OF DEPUTIES OF BRITISH JEWS
YEAR IN REVIEW – Spring 2008/5768
To the Members of the Progressive Jewish Community of East Anglia
Dear Member,
The Board of Deputies of British Jews exists to protect and defend the rights and freedoms
of British Jewry. It represents the community at the highest level and engages with every
issue that impacts on Jewish life in the UK.
Here are some of the areas of our activity for the last 12 months:
In Defence and Group Relations, the Board
- ran a successful voter registration and anti-BNP campaign
that put voter turnout on 1 May in targeted areas at an all-time high
- obtained assurances from Government that changes in GP work
time changes would not affect the right to Sabbath observance
- joined the Government’s Antisemitism Working Group to
implement the recommendations of the All-Party Inquiry into Antisemitism
- monitored moves affecting shechita and brit milah
- organised the Fair Play Campaign Group which helped defeat
the UCU anti-Israel boycott
In the international arena the Board
- organised a special 60th Anniversary ‘Diamond
Delegation’ to visit Israel to meet with those living in Sderot, senior clerics in
Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Ministry officials and the State President and President of the
Supreme Court
- took the lead in ‘Day for Darfur’ rallies in
London seeking Government’s response to mass killings in Darfur
- held meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin in
Moscow
- met with ambassadors and officials at the Embassies of
Lithuania, Slovenia, Poland, Germany and Portugal in London
- sent a special delegation of the International Division to
meet with EU parliamentarians
In the area of Community Issues the Board
- won unequivocal support from Government to ‘preserve
the ethos’ of Jewish schools
- launched the innovative Regional Development Project,
winning praise from Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears
for its contribution to community cohesion
- launched and is pioneering the “Shared Futures”
project for schools linking
- runs the Pikuach Jewish Studies inspection service for
schools and published its latest report
- produced various publications including the pioneering
‘Guide for Jewish Adults with Disabilities
We’re your Board of Deputies – protecting and
defending the rights and interests of British Jews since 1760. With you’re help
we’ll be dong so for the next 348 years as well!
With all good wishes,
President
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