Despite the Board's vigorous attempts to engage with the Methodist Church on its formulation of policy on Israel and the Palestinians, the Church's Report on the issue bore all of the hallmarks of a deeply flawed and biased process. Early criticisms of the working party set up by the Methodists to draw up the Report, and concerns raised about the first draft of the Report by groups including the Council of Christians and Jews, and from Methodists themselves, were brushed aside. As the annual Methodist Conference approached, it became clear that the Report's authors were determined to influence Church policy to their own way of thinking and were at best indifferent to the misleading, prejudicial and highly damaging statements about Israel, Israeli history and policy and Zionism. Presented with such a Report, the Conference passed it with little debate.

 

The Board was quick to condemn this decision and in a statement expressing hurt and anger, declared that it should "hang its head in shame". Click here to read the statement.

 

Needless to say, Methodist-Jewish relations have deteriorated and Board President, Vivian Wineman, has written a strongly-worded letter articulating these sentiments to the President of the Methodist Conference. Click here to read the President's letter, and click here for the letter received in response.

 

In the meantime, the Board has taken a policy decision that it cannot be 'business as usual' with the leadership of the Methodist Church, and that our efforts must concentrate on a robust response to the demonisation of Israel and Zionism. These efforts should not overlook the messages of support we have received from Methodists around the country who are outraged by what has been done in their name. We are calling on the Jewish community to redouble its efforts towards dialogue with Methodists on a grassroots level around the country, appreciating that good interfaith relations with fair-minded people will ultimately create greater understanding between our communities.

Fresh on the heels of New Zealand's shocking decision banning Shechita, the practice suffered a further challenge at the end of June when the European Parliament voted in a set of draft proposals calling for all kosher meat and chicken in Europe to be labelled, 'meat from slaughter without stunning'. The meat in question is the 70% of the animal rendered inedible for kosher consumption which, to safeguard Shechita's economic viability, is subsequently sold to the non-kosher meat market.

 

Labelling relating to just one type of slaughter, and omitting others such as electrocution and gassing, would be nothing less than discriminatory. Whilst even a further endorsement of this decision would not necessarily make labelling a legal requirement, the MEPs' next vote in the autumn could still bring such provisions a step closer. To avoid this eventuality, the Board and Shechita UK will be lobbying in the European Parliament and will also be urging all members of the British Jewish community to write to their MEPs ahead of the vote. For further facts about Shechita click here.

Board President, Vivian Wineman, visited Israel this month for talks with numerous Israeli officials including Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon (pictured) with whom he provided a brief on the new British coalition government. During Mr Wineman's meeting with Yuli Edelstein, Minister for Diaspora Affairs, he discussed Israel's PR and 'hasbara' and the role of the Diaspora community in relation to Israel's well-being.

As part of the Board's 250th year long celebrations, its newly published book, "250 years of Convention and Contention" launched to acclaim at the House of Lords in July. Hosted by the Lord Speaker, Baroness Hayman, over 80 guests witnessed her pride and pleasure in welcoming the Board to the River Room as she revealed that her father had been a Deputy for Wolverhampton. Other historical surprises unravelled during the course of the evening when Raphael Langham, the books author, recounted how his research had led him to discover that his own father had been a Deputy - and that subsequently, the Deputy to replace his father had been none other than the current Board President Vivian Wineman's father. Mr Wineman, who initiated the project commented, "it was always the intention to commission a book that would stand up to academic scrutiny and in that we congratulate Raphe Langham. The book adeptly illustrates how so many of the community's issues today have been manifesting themselves since the Board's inception in 1760 and continue to keep us relevant and in business."

 

A limited number of books are still available at the reduced price of £20.00. To purchase your copy, please contact Martin Frey at the Board of Deputies.

For those interested in the history and development of British Jewry during the lifetime of the Board of Deputies, the Mishcon Academic Conference, sponsored by the Institute of Jewish Studies at University College London and the Board, promises to be British Jewry's academic highlight of the year. Two full days, 31 August and 1 September, will see some of the world's top academics in London to explore alongside delegates the work and development of the Board of Deputies and British Jewry in its wider historical and communal context. For further information or to book your free place, contact ijs@ucl.ac.uk or phone 020 7679 3520.

The Board's ever-popular Jewish Way of Life Exhibition opened at the Portsmouth City Museum at the beginning of the month with numerous school and adult groups scheduled to learn about the Jewish Way of Life over the next few weeks. Next stop: Dorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire.