Jewish Leadership Council chair who ‘set Corbyn’s defeat in motion’ steps down
THE CHAIR of the Jewish Leadership Council, widely credited with setting Jeremy Corbyn’s defeat in motion, stepped down this week amid an outpouring of praise.
Jonathan Goldstein, who was elected JLC chair in May 2017, led the council through some of the most turbulent times in the history of British Jewry, with the issue of Labour antisemitism and then-Labour leader Corbyn dominating his time until the 2019 election. He led the community’s response to the crisis — most notably by calling the “Enough is Enough” rally in March 2018. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the community had been “truly blessed to have benefitted from the outstanding leadership of Jonathan Goldstein.
“He has served the JLC with distinction over the last five years, providing sterling leadership during exceptionally challenging times. I wish him well in all his future endeavours for and on behalf of the Jewish world.”
Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust, picked out for praise Mr Goldstein’s firm stance against Labour Party antisemitism.
He said: “Our community should fully appreciate the extent to which Jonathan set Jeremy Corbyn’s defeat in motion, being the one to declare “enough is enough” and saying that the time had come for us to publicly demonstrate outside Parliament.
“This broke every precedent and it was Jonathan who made it happen, transforming our communal mindset and political impact.”
Mr Goldstein, who is Chief Executive and Founder of Cain International, a private investment firm, took over from Sir Mick Davis at the helm of the JLC in 2017.
In his resignation statement, he said: “I deeply regret having to take this decision due to a number of unforeseen personal and business reasons.
“It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of the JLC for the last four-anda-half years and I am proud of all our enormous achievements. I have enjoyed being an active and present Chair. Recent events and pressures have made it impossible for me to be
The community is blessed to have benefitted from his leadership
as present as I would want to be and as the JLC needs me to be. I have taken the painful but necessary decision to step down. Looking at the JLC Trustee Board gives me huge confidence for the future.”
The proud Tottenham supporter, who grew up in Ilford, has been an active member of the Jewish community since he was a member of BBYO as a child and president of the Jewish Society at the University of Manchester.
Before becoming JLC chair, Mr Goldstein was involved in a number of charitable organisations.
In a 2017 interview with the JC, he said: “Community and family were at the centre of everything.”
His father’s parents were strong supporters of JNF and the Jewish Blind Society while his maternal grandfather was a founder of Ilford United Synagogue.
“My dad has always loved shul,” he said. “The first thing he would ask any kid who came to our house wouldn’t be where he came from but ‘who is your rabbi?’”
As JLC chair he pledged to launch a review of charity spending in order to save £10 million a year — and encouraged Jewish charities to eliminate wasteful duplication through closer collaboration.