Keith Black to continue as JLC chair

Keith Black will be continuing as the chair of the Jewish Leadership Council, it has been announced.

Black, who was successfully reelected unopposed, will lead the JLC for another three-year term.

Addressing the Council, Black stated: "Over the last 14 months, the community has grappled with challenges on a scale it has never before experienced, and it is clear that we have many significant challenges ahead.”

In February, the JLC launched its Forge the Future project, which adopts a four-pronged approach: to channel support to the community’s young; to win allies and friends in wider society; to strive for fairer media coverage and to co-ordinate legal action to protect Jewish rights.

Black, who is CEO of a family clothing business, added: “Ultimately, our future will depend on the health and vitality of our community organisations, and it is internally that we should look to find the resilience, determination and courage to ensure our community remains strong and thriving for decades ahead.”

He said that the JLC would “double down” on its efforts “to improve community cohesion, efficiency, effectiveness, and extra attention will be made to invest in the next generation and creating tomorrow’s leaders”.

Saying that the “strength of our community is our secret weapon”, Black said that serving as the chair of the JLC was “my privilege and honour”.

CEO of the JLC, Claudia Mendoza thanked Keith for his dedication to the communal strategic umbrella body, stating: "Keith has been an exemplary leader, and I am immensely grateful for his support and guidance. I look forward to continuing to work with him to secure, strengthen and advance the UK Jewish community."

Keith has been involved in communal activities throughout his adult life. He became chair of the JLC in January 2022, after spending many years working for UJIA and being involved with with CST for over 20 years, initially in Manchester and later as a main board trustee.

Keith is also on the international boards of the Peres Centre for Peace and Innovation and the Institute for National Security Studies, both in Israel.

The JLC also appointed the following three honorary vice-presidents to serve for a three-year term: Jonathan Goldstein, former JLC chair, Gavin Stollar OBE, honorary chair of the Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel and Baroness Hodge, the former MP, who was instrumental in fighting antisemitism in the Labour party.

The JLC supports 37 cross-communal organisations and charities by connecting them to policy makers, providing development opportunities to professional and lay leaders and connecting them with internal and external stakeholders.