British Jewry Faces Communal Crisis over Recognition of Wold Jewish Congress

A serious crisis is developing within Jewish communal life in England as a result of a proposal that a closer link be established between the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the World Jewish Congress. This proposal is expected to come up for discussion at the next session of the Board on Sunday.

The executive committee of the Board today indicated that it considers the London office of the World Jewish Congress an agent of the New York headquarters of the Congress. It emphasized that the Board of Deputies, as the representative body of British Jewry, is the only Jewish organ authorized to make representations on behalf of British Jews. At the same time, it suggested that the foreign committee of the Board exchange information with the London office of the World Jewish Congress with regard to the situation of Jews abroad, through the creation of a permanent liaison committee composed of three representatives of each of the two bodies. This liaison committee would meet regularly once a week for the purpose of full consultation and exch exchange of information. Neither of the two groups would take any action on Jewish affairs abroad prior to consultation.

It is understood that the Anglo-Jewish Association objects to the above proposal and may discontinue its collaboration with the Board of Deputies should the proposal be accepted at Sunday’s meeting. This collaboration was agreed upon only recently after protracted and very difficult negotiations. The arrangement between the two major groups in English Jewry does not provide for the establishment of a permanent liaison committee, such as the one suggested for the Board and the World Jewish Congress, but only for “informal contact” between the offices of the two organisations and stipulates that the chairmen of the two groups can have informal meetings for the purpose of “exchanging views from time to time,” as well as for full consultation whenever matters of major importance arise.

The Anglo-Jewish Association, anxious to avoid anything that would create the impression that the policy of the Jews in England is influenced by Jewish groups abroad has indicated that it will find it impossible to adhere to any arrangement with the Board of Deputies should the plenary session of the Board ratify the proposal of its executive committee with regard to the establishment of political relations with the World Jewish Congress.