About Us

The London Jewish Forum is the voice of Jewish Londoners. We work with local councils, the Mayor’s office, MPs and public bodies on the issues that shape daily life for Jewish residents.

Our role is to ensure that Jewish voices are heard in local decisions, across areas such as community safety, education, housing, health and social care, and civic life. We bring context and evidence to these discussions, and enable constructive dialogue between councils and the communities they serve. Jewish

London is diverse, with different traditions, experiences and local priorities, and our work reflects that diversity in both our engagement and the partnerships we build across the city.

Our approach is practical and borough-focused. We convene meetings, strengthen local relationships, and connect civic leaders with community organisations, working closely with partners across the Jewish and wider voluntary sector to address shared challenges and strengthen community cohesion.

479496224_1064691455694956_2894998277636659734_n_edited_edited_edited.jpg

Our Priorities

We focus on the areas where local decisions have the greatest impact on Jewish community life.

Advocacy and Representation

We work with councils, the Mayor’s office, and MPs to ensure that Jewish perspectives are understood and reflected in policy and local decision-making. This includes direct engagement, briefings, and programmes such as the Candidate’s Guide for London elections.

Community Safety and Security

We support efforts to address antisemitism and improve community safety. This includes working with the Metropolitan Police, CST, and local authorities to strengthen responses to incidents and improve confidence in public spaces.

Health and Well-being

Our London Jewish Health Partnership works to improve access to health and social care. This includes promoting culturally competent services, supporting prevention, and addressing areas such as mental health and social isolation.

Celebrating Jewish Life

We support cultural and civic activity across London, including events such as Chanukah in the Square and Jewish Culture Month. We work with partners to ensure that Jewish life is visible and recognised as part of London’s civic calendar.

Community Cohesion and Social Action

We support interfaith work and social action that brings communities together. This includes initiatives such as Mitzvah Day and partnerships with faith and community organisations across London.

Our Team

Co-Chair

Amanda Bowman

Amanda Bowman was appointed the co-Chair of the London Jewish Forum in June 2024 and works to promote the interests of the Jewish community of London. Always an active volunteer, she has been a member of the Council at Hampstead Synagogue for many years and represented the shul on the United Synagogue Council before being elected on to the Board of Deputies of British Jews in 2012. She was elected as a Vice President and Trustee of the Board of Deputies in 2018 and served for two terms as Chair of the Defence & Interfaith Divisions, leading for the Board on all issues related to religious freedoms, interfaith relations and on defence of the community tackling antisemitism and racism. She is also a Trustee of the Women of the Year Foundation. Professionally, Amanda works with a small leadership development consultancy, designing and delivering transformative learning experiences that bring out the very best in employees at all levels and make a real difference to communities around the world. She is renowned for bringing corporate volunteering to the UK and Europe and as a leader in international corporate volunteering and partnership building having worked in the corporate International development and charity sectors. Her career has spanned the corporate and not-for-profit world specialising in corporate social responsibility, corporate volunteering and communications.

Co-Chair

Michael Ziff

Michael Ziff was appointed Co-chair of the London Jewish Forum in June 2024. Until June 2024, Michael Ziff was Treasurer and Trustee off the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Michael was born in 1953 and was raised in Leeds. He was educated at Clifton College in Bristol and then at University of Leeds. In 1978, he joined the family Bradford-based footwear business, Stylo as Director and in 1990 he joined the Stylo Board as Chief Executive Officer. In 2004, Michael became a Director of Town Centre Securities Plc. He received an Honorary Degree from the University of Bradford for his work in the City on regeneration and charitable causes. Having played cricket for Maccabi club in Leeds, London and Hertfordshire for many years, he continues to support sporting in the community. He became Chairman of the Yorkshire Country Cricket Club Members Committee. Together with his family they have dedicated their lives to philanthropy and the long-term future of British communities’ needs in various areas including education, health, sport, and welfare.

Advocacy & Operations Director

Marina Barats

Marina has worked at the London Jewish Forum since 2025. She is responsible for engagement with key political stakeholders in London, policy development and analysis, as well as communications and operational support to the organisation. Before joining LJF, Marina worked as Education Director at the Pinsker Centre, a foreign policy think tank, and interned in the House of Commons, where she worked for an MP. Marina graduated from King's College London in 2024, receiving an MA in International Political Economy with First Class Honours. Her Master's dissertation focused on evaluating the economic and security implications of political normalisation and trade liberalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. She holds a BSc in Economics & Politics from the University of Bristol, where she served as the President of Bristol International Affairs Society in her final year.

Trustee

Russell Rich

Russell is one of the senior partners at Lubbock Fine LLP chartered accountants (top 60 firm) and manages a diverse multi-sector client portfolio, heading up the sports and entertainment desk. The firm has a number of charity clients and Russell was the client engagement partner when it acted for the Community Security Trust CST. He was also the financial representative and a council member at Barnet United Synagogue . He is an active Maccabiah Masters football player and has represented GB at the Maccabiah Games on five occasions. He is married with two children, 29 and 24. His eldest daughter lives in Tel Aviv which makes him a regular visitor to Israel, taking an active and passionate interest in all aspects of UK and worldwide Jewish affairs.

Trustee

Laura Marks

Laura was a planning director of AMV.BBDO, before deciding to work full time in the Jewish community. She set up Mitzvah Day in 2005, which achieved charitable status in 2008. Elected Senior Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews 2012-2015, Laura went on to become Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust in 2016 and chaired the government’s interfaith project – A Year of Service. Laura is now an advisor to the Muslim-led day of social action, Sadaqa Day and she co-founded the Jewish Muslim Women’s Network, Nisa-Nashim. Laura was awarded an CBE in 2023 Birthday Honours list for her work building interfaith relationships, Holocaust education and commemoration and women’s empowerment.

Trustee

Deborah Cohen

Deborah became a Trustee of LJF in 2019. She is also a Trustee and former Treasurer of her Synagogue, Belsize Square Synagogue. She is a BSS rep on the Board of Deputies, and is a member of the Board’s Social Action Committee. She is the Independent Chair of a Safeguarding Adults Board for a London Borough, and is a lay Mental Health Act Manager. Deborah is also a volunteer tour guide of Willesden Jewish Cemetery. Professionally, she has over twenty years leading and developing services across the NHS and local government, championing integration and joint working across health and social care, and the partnerships with housing, Police, and local communities, as the way to improve services. Deborah is a qualified Executive Mentor and Coach. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant.

Trustee

Marie Van Der Zyl

Marie van der Zyl is the immediate past President of the Board of British Jews having served the community in this role form May 2018- 2024. She became a Deputy is 2012 and was elected Vice President in 2015. In the past three years she has played a crucial part in the fight against antisemitism in the Labour Party. Her quote, labelling the Chakrabarti report as a “whitewash”, was carried widely across national media. Marie was at the forefront of the campaign against the so-called “cab-rank” policy, by which the Inner North London Coroner delayed the release of bodies to Jewish families. The High Court recently ruled that this policy was discriminatory. Her negotiations with King’s College London resulted in its adoption of the internationally recognised IHRA definition of antisemitism and she has energetically pursued interfaith relations with Britain’s faith communities. Marie is married with two daughters. In her professional life she is a solicitor specialising in employment /equalities law.

Trustee

Sophie Dunoff

Sophie Dunoff is Chief Executive Officer for University Jewish Chaplaincy, the leading Jewish organisation on campuses across the UK working with Jewish students and universities to enhance the Jewish student experience and safeguard Jewish university life. She manages a team of 19 Rabbis and Rabbinic couples and leads operations across the organisation. Graduating with a first class honours degree in sociology and having completed an internship in Parliament, Sophie went on to serve as public and parliamentary affairs officer for the Board of Deputies of British Jews. During that time her core work focused on concerns relating to the Jewish community including such issues as religious freedoms in the work place and antisemitism and has a wealth of experience working and volunteering within the UK Jewish community and wider society. Having attended her first political party conference at 14, Sophie has always taken a keen interest in politics, government, public policy and fair representation.

Trustee

Daniel Rosenberg

Daniel is a corporate partner at City law firm Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, specialising in cross-border mergers & acquisitions. He chairs the Essex Jewish Community Council, which is the representative council for all of the Jewish organisations in the Southwest Essex and North East London. He is a former vice-chair, warden and board member of Chigwell & Hainault Synagogue, where he founded and continues to chair its welfare group.