Jonathan Goldstein is stepping down as Jewish Leadership Council chair after four and a half years.
Mr Goldstein, who is Chief Executive and Founder of Cain International, a private investment firm, was elected JLC chair in May 2017.
The proud Tottenham supporter, who grew up in Illford, took over from Sir Mick Davis.
He has led the JLC through some of the most turbulent times in the history of British Jewry, with the issue of Labour antisemitism and Jeremy Corbyn dominating his time until the 2019 election. Mr Goldstein is widely credited with having led the community's response - most notably by calling the 'Enough is Enough' rally in March 2018.
Mr Goldstein 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.
He said: “It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of the JLC for the last four and a 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 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. I am incredibly proud of my achievements as Chair, from playing a leading role fighting antisemitism within the Labour Party to our rapid response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Looking at the JLC Trustee Board gives me huge confidence for the future. I am reassured that the future of the JLC is in very safe hands under strong and professional leadership with a highly capable pool of nominees to succeed me around our Council table.”
In his resignation letter he added that "I deeply regret having to take this decision due to a number of unforeseen personal and business reasons."
Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust paid tribute to Mr Goldstein, he said: “It has been a great privilege to have worked with Jonathan these last four years. Jonathan’s vision, energy and commitment made him the communal leader of his generation and I am sure we will see him again before long.
"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.”
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the community "has 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."
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’.”
Mr Goldstein is the middle brother of three: Michael was recently re elected president of the United Synagogue; and Daniel made aliyah 10 years ago.
As a father of two girls and two boys, Jewish education has been close to his heart.
Before he become JLC chair he led the organisation’s new education division, Partnerships for Jewish Schools (Pajes).
During his tenure, he took charge of the JLC’s investment in the redevelopment of the Ilford Jewish schools campus and presided over a rise in Pajes’ annual budget to nearly £1m.
“At some point in 2016, Mick [Davis] had a chat with a couple of us and said he was stepping down and would we consider putting our hat in the ring. Sharon and I discussed it. We knew it would be very time-consuming. But in life, you have to take opportunities when they are in front of you,” he told the JC in 2017.
Mr Goldstein voiced deep concern over Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party.
He told the JC: “I do not believe Jeremy Corbyn is an antisemite. I think the Labour leadership either does not understand or chooses to ignore the harm its behaviour its causing our community.
“At the heart of the problem is a demonisation of Israel within the party...
“The disappointing fact is the Labour leadership, and you have to look at Mr Corbyn himself in this regard, doesn’t take up the opportunities to reach out to our community and make us feel comfortable.”
As JLC chair he pledged to launch a review of charity spending in order to save £10 million a year.
Mr Goldstein encouraged Jewish charities to eliminate wasteful duplication through closer collaboration.
On the JLC's relationship with the Board of Deputies, he acknowledged “there has been far too much antagonism between the two organisations in the past five to seven years."
