Jonathan Arkush

Arkush was elected president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews on 17 May 2015, succeeding Vivian Wineman.{{Cite news|last=Rocker|first=Simon|date=17 May 2015|title=Jonathan Arkush elected new president of Board of Deputies|work=The Jewish Chronicle|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/jonathan-arkush-elected-new-president-of-board-of-deputies-1.66709|access-date=15 May 2021}}{{Cite news|last=Frazer|first=Jenni|date=18 May 2015|title=Britain’s Jews choose new leadership|work=The Times of Israel|location=London, England|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/britains-jews-vote-on-new-top-representative/|access-date=15 May 2021}} That year, he denounced the far-right Holocaust-denialist group, the London Forum, as white supremacist.{{cite news |title=Holocaust deniers gather in secret London conference |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/holocaust-deniers-gather-in-secret-london-conference/ |access-date=26 March 2019 |work=The Times of Israel |date=15 April 2015}}

In January 2017, Arkush described United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 – a 2016 resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories – as a "disgrace" at a protest against the resolution in central London. He said that he had sent a message to the Prime Minister, Theresa May, on Christmas Day to express his anger at British support for the resolution.{{Cite news|last=Harpin|first=Lee|date=8 January 2017|title=Protesters turn out to condemn UN Security Council resolution on Israel|work=The Jewish Chronicle|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/anti-un-rally-1.430264|access-date=15 May 2021}}{{Cite news|date=9 January 2017|title=Jonathan Arkush condemns UN Security Council vote at London rally|work=Board of Deputies of British Jews|url=https://www.bod.org.uk/bod-news/jonathan-arkush-condemns-un-security-council-vote-at-london-rally/|access-date=15 May 2021}} Later on that year, he advised Jewish students not to attend university at the University College London due to an allegedly hostile environment towards Jewish students.{{cite news |title=Jewish students told 'don't study at LSE' by Board president |url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/jewish-students-told-dont-study-at-lse-by-board-president/ |work=Jewish News |date=23 March 2017}}

In 2018, Arkush was critical of alleged antisemitism within the Labour Party under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. He said that Corbyn's views were hostile to Jewish people and would drive Jewish people away from Britain.{{cite news |last1=Heffer |first1=Greg |title=Jeremy Corbyn 'has anti-Semitic views' says Jewish leader Jonathan Arkush |url=https://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-corbyn-has-anti-semitic-views-says-jewish-leader-jonathan-arkush-11390816 |access-date=21 November 2021 |work=Sky News |date=31 May 2018}} He was also critical of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, for his alleged failure to stand up to anti-Jewish prejudice.{{cite news |last1=Elgot |first1=Jessica |title=Jeremy Corbyn's views 'could drive Jewish people from UK' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/may/30/jeremy-corbyns-views-could-drive-jewish-people-from-uk-leader |access-date=21 November 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=30 May 2018}}

In January 2018, Arkush announced he would not run for a second term as president of the Board.{{Cite news|date=26 January 2018|title=Jonathan Arkush says he will not seek re-election as Board of Deputies president|work=The Jewish Chronicle|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/jonathan-arkush-says-he-will-not-seek-re-election-as-board-of-deputies-president-1.457492|access-date=15 May 2021}} In an interview with The Jewish Chronicle, Arkush stressed that his reasons for leaving office were not professional, but that he felt he had gone a long way towards achieving his manifesto aims and that "the record of second terms for Board presidents, if you go back, is never as good as the first". He also stated his intention to make aliyah, something he described as an "increasingly urgent personal priority".{{Cite news|last=Rocker|first=Simon|date=1 February 2018|title='I think there comes a point where people get a bit tired of you'|work=The Jewish Chronicle|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/features/i-think-there-comes-a-point-where-people-get-a-bit-tired-of-you-1.457927|access-date=15 May 2021}} He was succeeded by Marie van der Zyl on 13 May 2018.{{Cite news|date=13 May 2018|title=Marie Van der Zyl elected as the new Board of Deputies president|work=The Jewish Chronicle|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/board-of-deputies-of-british-jews-president-election-1.464054|access-date=15 May 2021}}

Arkush was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to faith and integration.{{London Gazette|issue=63918|supp=y|page=N11|date=31 December 2022}}

After leaving the Board of Deputies, Arkush has spoken about the rise of antisemitic incidents in Britain and Europe in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Liphshiz |first1=Cnaan |title=British Jews fear antisemitism has risen to unprecedented heights after Gaza protests |url=https://www.jta.org/2021/05/24/global/british-jews-fear-antisemitism-has-risen-to-unprecedented-heights-after-gaza-protests |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=24 May 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Liphshiz |first1=Cnaan |title=Amid a surge in hate crimes, prominent European Jews worry the war against antisemitism has been lost |url=https://www.jta.org/2021/05/28/global/amid-a-surge-in-hate-crimes-prominent-european-jews-worry-the-war-against-antisemitism-has-been-lost |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=28 May 2021}}

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Category:1954 births

Category:Living people

Category:Presidents of the Board of Deputies of British Jews

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:British barristers