Ninety representatives of the United Synagogue (US) quizzed the president of the Board of Deputies during a “fiery” online meeting about a letter criticising Israel’s conduct in the Gaza War, which was signed by 36 deputies and published in the Financial Times on Wednesday.
The figures from the community’s largest Orthodox body asked Phil Rosenberg for an urgent meeting following the letter which accused the Netanyahu government of “openly encouraging violence against Palestinians in the West Bank” and restarting operations in Gaza for political gain.
While the letter was signed by over 10 per cent of the Board, signatories were mostly from Liberal and Reform synagogues rather than the US, the largest Jewish denomination in the UK.
Dozens of US figures, including synagogue chairs, rabbis and deputies, questioned Rosenberg at the meeting on Thursday afternoon, as a communal row bubbled over the letter.
Some members have even reportedly threatened disaffiliation from the board over their disagreement with the signatories.
Rosenberg told the JC: “I was grateful to the United Synagogue for giving me the opportunity to address its senior leadership with 24 hour’s notice. It’s a testament to the vitality of the US that around 90 of its leaders joined the call.
“I was clear that the Board of Deputies stands with the people of Israel in their time of need and that FT letter writers speak for themselves and not our organisation.”
He added that the board was “actively looking at means of ensuring that those who purport to speak on our behalf are fully on message with the communal consensus”.
Following the meeting, a United Synagogue spokesperson added: "We were pleased the President of the Board of Deputies accepted our invitation to discuss recent events with 90 of our leaders today.
“They challenged Phil on what happened yesterday in a respectful way and wanted to know what disciplinary measures could be taken against the letter writers. Phil made it clear the letter was not written in the name of the Board of Deputies and that they are exploring measures to send a message that nobody can speak in the name of the Board other than its official leadership.
“We look forward to continuing the dialogue."
The JC understands the letter was drafted earlier last week and submitted to the FT alongside a press release that described the Board as “the voice of the British Jewish Community and first port of call for the UK Government and UK press”.
The release did not mention that the signatories represented only a fraction of the board’s members.
It also featured quotes from several communal leaders, including a denominational head and the CEO of a Jewish organisation. However, the JC understands that not all of the leaders were consulted before their names were included, and one senior rabbi was mistakenly identified as a signatory of the letter in a national newspaper before it was corrected.
The letter has subsequently sparked wider debate about the role of deputies within their communities.
Some signatories consulted their synagogue leadership before signing, but others did not. None were identified by their communities in the published letter.
Harriett Goldenberg, one of the organisers of the letter, told the JC: “We said we were representatives of British Jewry and the Board, but we didn’t say we spoke for the Board or for all British Jews.”
Goldenberg said the idea for the letter emerged after Israel resumed hostilities in Gaza, but Passover seders gave the message urgency. “It felt more important than ever,” she said.
“The fallout was not the point, though that’s inevitable. We’re speaking out of love and concern for Israel. This is not anti-Zionist. The prime objective is the release of the hostages. We’re losing sight of that.”
Addressing concerns that the letter did not feature many Orthodox signatories, she explained: “We reached out to people we thought would be receptive. We weren’t trying to include everyone.”
Goldenberg said she hoped the letter would “free some people up” who had felt unable to speak out. She also expressed hope that other diaspora communities would join the call.
A spokesperson for Progressive Judaism – the movement to which most signatories belong – said: “This letter was signed by individual Deputies, many from Liberal and Reform synagogues. Equally a large number of Deputies from our congregations chose not to sign it.
“This recognises the diversity of voices within our communities, and indeed the entire British community.
“Reform and Liberal Judaism – and the Progressive Judaism we are creating – are proudly Zionist, but also recognise that criticism of the Israeli Government is not a sign of disloyalty but of the strength of our diversity.”
One signatory who did not tell their synagogue’s leadership before signing the letter spoke to the JC anonymously and said their role was akin to “a Member of Parliament,” who does not speak for every voter when they make a decision in Parliament.
“There wasn’t time to consult the chair of my synagogue, who is annoyed that I didn’t. But an MP doesn’t require unanimous agreement before casting a vote. Deputies are not delegates – we are representatives. I was acting according to my conscience,” the signatory said.
When asked why they signed the letter, they added: “There’s a growing sense that British Jews’ silence implies agreement with the Israeli government’s actions. All that is required for liberty to die is that good men remain silent. So by remaining silent, one looks like one is supporting what Netanyahu is doing.”
They said they believed the Board had done as much as it could to call for the hostages to be brought back as part of a ceasefire deal, and noted the body traditionally avoids direct criticism of Israeli policy.
