First Lady at the Board of Deputies – the woman who who did not flinch from speaking truth to power
January 28, 2022 24:00She was not a typical candidate for Treasurer of the Board of Deputies, lacking many attributes considered necessary. Flo Kaufmann could never be described as a quiet number-cruncher, blending into the background. She was neither a qualified accountant, nor a man – at a time when fewer opportunities were offered to women. But Flo was keen to be at the top table of the Jewish community. She had much to contribute, plus the advantage that by now she knew how the Board worked and how to get things done.
Flo Kaufmann, who has died aged 79, was the first female Treasurer of the Board, and rose to become Vice-President in 2003.
Once elected Treasurer in 1997, she balanced the Board’s books, and strengthened its finances considerably over the subsequent two triennial cycles. She ran the fundraising dinners, ensuring they were not only splendid occasions, but also raised significant funds. The speakers she invited included serving Prime Ministers, senior members of the Royal family and Nelson Mandela.
Following the sale of Woburn House in 1995, the Board needed to find new accommodation. The perceived wisdom was to rent a suite of rooms. However, Flo felt this would make them a hostage to fortune and was beneath the dignity of the UK’s premiere Jewish body. She found a property in central London on Bloomsbury Square, one of whose previous residents had been Isaac Disraeli. She negotiated a mortgage with the Allied Irish Bank, then keen to establish links with the Jewish community. The bank was so pleased with the process that Flo was later invited to Head Office in Dublin. Whilst there, she enjoyed a tour of their art collection, tying together a combination of Jewish communal work, international travel and appreciation of art.
Florence Hilda Israel was born to Aaron (Ike) and Rita Israel in Berkhamsted, where the family had been evacuated during the war. She had a brother, Ronald, 12 years her senior. Their parents were both born in London from Eastern European stock, and Ike and his brothers ran a factory making coats and other clothing on London’s Mile End Road.
After the war the family lived in Streatham, South London. When she was nine years old, Flo’s father died, shortly followed by the death of her grandfather and uncle, all within 13 months, leaving three widows and their children living next door to each other. Flo found the years following her father’s death difficult, and when she left Streatham High School she had to enter the work-force to support herself and her mother.
She became office manager at architects firm, Stanley Peach and Partners, and remained in Streatham until finally moving north of the river in 1970. In March, 1971, she met Aubrey Kaufmann, a property developer. Three months later they were married and living in the Stanmore show house, which Aubrey had recently finished building.
During the ‘70s they had two sons and moved to Hampstead Garden Suburb, where they became involved in the shul and the local community. Flo was finally able to continue her studies with an Arts degree through the Open University, from which she graduated as BA in 1990. Her involvement in Emunah (Child Resettlement Fund) led to her being elected to represent the charity on the Board of Deputies. She remained on the Board of Deputies for the rest of her life, latterly representing Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue (HGSS).
Flo loved the Board and felt that as the democratically elected representative body for British Jewry, it had a major role to play in the United Kingdom and more broadly. She also appreciated that whilst it was one of the few Jewish communal bodies where, in theory women and men could work as equals, many of the men were quite comfortable for that equality to remain theoretical. Her sheer determination ensured that she was one of a few strong women, including Zina Cohen and Jo Wagerman, to gain sufficient support to take leadership positions at the Board at the time. She began as chair of the Israel Committee, then as the first (and, so far, the only) female Treasurer of the Board, becoming Vice-President from 2003 to 2009.
Following an unsuccessful run for the Presidency in 2009 (despite the catchy slogan “Go with the Flo”), she continued representing the British Jewish community on the international stage, as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the European Jewish Congress and Vice-President of the Commonwealth Jewish Council. She was often the only woman in the room at meetings with national and international leaders and was comfortable with offering her take on the issue of the day, and what she felt they needed to do about it.
Her work for the Board centred on enhancing its standing, enabling it to represent Anglo-Jewry’s concerns to power. Within the Board, she usually took an establishment line, seeking to maintain the status quo. Her international roles enabled her to represent Jewry in dialogue with Muslim states and others that did not at the time have diplomatic relations with Israel.
In the wider community, she was a Magistrate, and became Treasurer of the Magistrates’ Association. She was Chair of Licensing for Barnet Council and sat on the Valuation Tribunal. She was President of the Rotary Club of London and also enjoyed her role as a volunteer guide at Kenwood House. At HGSS, she is widely remembered sitting in the front row of the Ladies’ Gallery each Shabbat, resplendent in a wide-brimmed hat, big sunglasses and orange lipstick. She was also the first woman to participate in the Kiddush club.
In more recent years Flo enjoyed spending time with her eight grandchildren. As long as her health allowed, she and Aubrey would take them on individual trips organised by “Kaufmann Travel”.
Following her diagnosis of ovarian cancer in 2017, she endured rounds of debilitating treatment, but was able to participate and speak inspiringly at the bat-mitzvahs of her four eldest granddaughters. She gave one of her last public speeches when awarded one of the Chochmat Lev awards (which recognises the contribution of women and young people to HGSS) during Shavuot 2019.
She passed away at home in London, surrounded by her family, a few months after she and Aubrey celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. She is survived by Aubrey, their sons Andy and James and their families.
Flo Kaufmann: born August 3. 1942. Died October 27, 2021