Leeds leader quitting his ‘most rewarding position’
LAURENCE SAFFER is to stand down as Leeds Jewish Representative Council president rather than seek a third and final year at the rep council’s annual meeting in spring.
When elected in March 2016, Mr Saffer vowed “to rebuild our capacity to defend our community against those who may not share our values — and represent us in a positive way to those that do”.
Since then, the 55-year-old immigration judge has presented Leeds Jewry as “vibrant, outgoing, caring, and confident. I have supported our communities in Bradford, York and Harrogate and repeatedly been to all the shuls in our area.”
He has also met counterparts from across Europe and helped to raise “significant funds from outside our community”.
Such money has paid for initiatives such as the Community Voices programme, assessing local needs and aspirations. A community-wide survey next month will build on this.
Mr Saffer believes others are better equipped to take the discussion forward, acknowledging: “Leadership includes an element of knowing when you have succeeded in what you are good at and not hanging on to see through a project someone else is better able to manage.” But he intends to stay involved in communal life.
He feels the rep council is “in a far better place than it was two years ago. And so is the community cohesion we all talk about.”