Charles Burton gives an update on the board of Deputies, and an insight into his role as an elected council member.
My name is Charles Burton and I was elected at Veida 2024 in February to be your representative to the Board of Deputies for this year.
The Board is an elected council, comprised of synagogues, youth groups and other organisations in the Jewish community which meets a few times a year. Our job is to decide on policies and strategies that we believe will benefit our organisations and the community as a whole.
The problem, however, is that the Board has a tendency to not be the most transparent. This is a problem for you, the members of Jewish organisations, such as FZY or a synagogue, as your representatives cannot be held accountable for their actions. As such, it is my desire to be held responsible for my actions, and my determination to represent your concerns and interests at the Board that has prompted me to write this article (and hopefully numerous others as the year progresses).
In recent months, the Board has been preparing for presidential elections that happen every three years. My first ever plenary session - where members meet to discuss and vote on issues - was therefore pretty stressful! There was a lot of arguing and I must admit the learning curve has been steep.
In the weeks since this plenary session I have been talking with many presidential candidates, to ensure I make the right choice for FZY in casting my vote, making a choice that benefits both the movement and the community at large, because it is clear that we need strong representation now more than ever.
In other Board of Deputies news, I have been attending under-35 Board sessions for the younger members of the Board. These have been useful for co-ordinating with other youth groups and young people, prioritising our interests to ensure that youth engagement continues to be at the forefront of Jewish community work.
Finally, last weekend it was my immense privilege to speak briefly on behalf of FZY in the Yom HaShoah event in Westminster organised by the Board of Deputies to ensure that we never forget the memory of the Holocaust.
Thank you very much for reading, and if you have any questions or concerns for me to raise at the Board please don’t hesitate to contact me at: