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Friday 2 Feb 2007

To the Editor of the Jewish Chronicle

Sir:

On behalf of the Board of JPR, I would like to put an end to the fevered speculation about the position and views of our Director, Antony Lerman. Tony was appointed democratically by the Board of Trustees of JPR and has our complete confidence. Calls for him to be dismissed because of views he expressed in a private capacity a year before he was appointed are completely unjustified and we reject them. Since he became Director he has neither sought to present those views publicly nor to do so as if they were JPR’s policy conclusions.

We further reject any criticism of him or JPR for his attending the GLA conference on shabbat. It was of great importance for Jews in London that someone with Tony’s expertise in the field of antisemitism was there to voice Jewish concerns about the problem. Those attacking him are doing so because they do not support his views, and their use of religious reasons to justify this is far-fetched.

A deeply disturbing, orchestrated campaign has been waged against Tony and JPR ever since the proposal to appoint Tony was made. The people responsible do not seem to value independent thinking and wish to prevent discussion of matters that may be uncomfortable but are essential for us to address. Their campaign demeans our community, is decidedly un-Jewish and should be brought to an end. If we wish people to be tolerant towards us as Jews, we must be tolerant within our own community.

When JPR’s new programme―advancing the Jewish future in Europe through new thinking and policy proposals—was launched last October, your reporter Jenni Frazer wrote a highly positive report (JC, 20 October 2006). Since then, Tony and JPR’s staff have made an excellent start in implementing it. The Board is completely satisfied with this progress and will continue to give full backing to the Director.

Yours,
Peter L Levy OBE
Chairman, JPR