Board of Deputies Joins Wj Congress

The need to conform with changing times won over hidebound tradition in yesterday’s historic vote by the Board of Deputies of British Jews to affiliate with the World Jewish Congress. It was the first time in its more than two centuries of existence that the representative body of British Jewry crossed frontiers, so to speak, to join another Jewish body beyond the boundaries of the United Kingdom.

It did so only after receiving from WJC president Dr. Nahum Goldmann written assurances of its autonomy in the affairs of British Jews and preservation of the tradition that only the Board speaks for British Jews to the British government. The Board, now affiliated with the WJC, will replace the British Section of the WJC, which has become unnecessary according to its chairman, Jacob Halevy. “I am very happy that it should have become unnecessary in this way and that I should be the final chairman,” Halevy said.

The overwhelming 224-28 vote in favor of affiliation reflected the views of both the new Board of Deputies that took office last year under the presidency of Sir Samuel Fisher, and the old Board under the leadership of Michael Fidler, which had recommended joining the WJC.

But there remained a hard core of opinion in opposition to the move. Its spokesman, Solomon Teff, a former Board president now in his eighties, voiced the opposition views in the discussion that preceded yesterday’s vote. “After 214 years of existence, the Board of Deputies has developed its own traditions and methods of work which are time hallowed and should not be changed,” Teff said. He contended that joining the WJC would entail a loss of independence of action by the Board because Dr. Goldmann dominates the Congress and thereby dominates all of its affiliates.

But Sir Samuel said, “Recent events have convinced me more than ever of the need for complete Jewish unity on an international scale.” He said there were “ample safeguards” in the terms of affiliation “for our independence as the representative body of British Jewry.” The same view was expressed by David Tack, chairman of the Association of Jewish ex-Servicemen and Women, who was the first speaker to present the views of supporters of affiliation:

“All British institutions have undergone or are undergoing change. There are ample safeguards for the independence of the Board. It would be absurd to remain in isolation while the rest of the diaspora cooperates across frontiers in the interests of the Jewish people as a whole.” He said the WJC does not reflect exclusively the views of Dr. Goldmann.