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Board of Deputies General Election Statement

Written by Movement for Reform Judaism Monday, 12 April 2010

The Board of Deputies have released a statement on the forthcoming General Election. In an exceptional demonstration of unity and solidarity, major organisations from across the Jewish community and beyond have signed up to the pledge on the initiative of the Board, the Jewish Council for Racial Equality and the Three Faiths Forum.

Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, Executive Director of the Movement, adds her endorsement and considers the Jewish imperative to participate in the democratic process.

אין מעמידין פרנס על הצבור אלא אם כן נמלכים בצבור

“One should not appoint a leader over the community unless one consults the community.” – Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 55a

The Babylonian Talmud understood the importance of the community authorising its leaders hundreds of years before there was such a thing as a general election. The Talmud’s wisdom holds true today and we are blessed to live in a county where we have the right to democratically decide who our leaders will be. Our Jewish tradition exhorts us to take this privilege and responsibility seriously and participate in our national elections.

As a charity, the Movement for Reform Judaism does not back any particular candidate or party, but we recognize the importance of participating in the upcoming elections and therefore have asked all three major party leaders to share some of their thoughts with us in the upcoming issues of our e-newsletter, the Movement Update.

We have also signed onto a community-wide statement by the Board of Deputies to raise awareness of the importance of every vote in order to counter those candidates who support hatred and prejudice as part of their platforms. We hope you will read the upcoming issues with interest and make informed decisions about who represents your values, and make sure to cast your vote.

On a personal note, as a newly naturalised citizen, I am excited to be able to vote for those who will lead our community in the coming years and would not dream of missing this opportunity. I hope you will be similarly inspired to make your voice heard.

Shoshana

Board of Deputies Statement

With the approach of the General Election we are all too aware of those political forces who would seek to divide our country by promoting ideologies of racism and prejudice.

We are immensely proud of the fundamentally British characteristics of equality, respect and fairness and of British society’s uncompromising rejection of the demonisation of any group, whether religious, ethnic or otherwise.

We therefore urge every British citizen to use their vote to support any party of their choice which stands opposed to the destructive politics of hatred, to vote for freedom not fear, partnerships not prejudice, and hope not hate.