Theresa May's cabinet has fewer Jewish ministers than any government for a decade, but the appointment of a number of key ministers will draw the interest of the community.

Sir Alan Duncan's new role as a Foreign Office minister was attacked by Labour MP Louise Ellman at a Board of Deputies meeting on Sunday.

Mrs Ellman said Sir Alan had, in October 2014, referred to the United States being "in hock to a very important financial lobby which dominates its politics". His remarks were made the day after he launched a blistering attack on the Israeli government's settler policy, comparing it to Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands and Saddam Hussein's claim to Kuwait.

Referring to Jewish people becoming involved in politics, Sir Alan had also said: "We need British Jews for the Conservative, Labour, or other UK parties; not the Israeli lobby for any party."

He said political funding in Britain had to be "decoupled from the influence of the Israeli state".

Mrs Ellman said it was a "matter of concern" that the veteran Tory would now be in a "very senior position".

Board president Jonathan Arkush said Sir Alan's remarks had been "appalling" and that he planned to raise his concerns with the government in "all sorts of ways".

Middle East Minister Tobias Ellwood will continue in his role under new Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

There were new positions for Jewish ministers Robert Halfon - who has become Minister of State at the Department for Education after a year as Conservative deputy chairman - and for Richard Harrington, who will now be a Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions. He had been charged by David Cameron last year with co-ordinating the government's response to the refugee crisis.

Michael Ellis, who is also Jewish, moves from the Home Office to become Deputy Leader of the Commons, and an assistant government whip.

The move of Sajid Javid, the government's most senior Muslim minister, from Business Secretary to become Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, is likely to allow him to continue his strong relationship with British Jews.

Mr Javid has repeatedly spoken of his opposition to antisemitism and boycotts of Israel. He once said it was the only Middle East country he would be prepared to live in. Mr Javid's speech to the Union of Jewish Students in 2014 was widely acclaimed. In his new role he will oversee community integration and work with groups including the Board and the Community Security Trust.

Another Conservative friend of Israel, Andrew Percy, will work under Mr Javid. Hull-born Mr Percy learned of his promotion from the backbenches to be responsible for the Northern Powerhouse, while attending a barmitzvah last Shabbat.

He wrote on Facebook: "This does sound like the start of a joke but really, I was at a barmitzvah yesterday when my phone rang and it was the Number 10 switchboard. I of course assumed this was a colleague playing a joke, as it is not unusual for pretend calls from Downing Street to come through."

Departing government were Lord Feldman, who quit his role as party chairman last week when Mr Cameron left power, and Oliver Letwin, who was sacked from his position as a Cabinet Office minister by Mrs May.

Mr Cameron's cabinet appointed after last year's general election had included three Jewish Conservatives - thought to be the highest number since Margaret Thatcher's 1983 administration.