Constitution

Jewish Greens copy

Constitution

Jewish Greens Constitution (amended October 2020)

Why Is There A Need?

The purpose of Jewish Greens is to be an organisation within the wider Green Party which can offer advice and guidance on issues of importance to Jewish members, and the Jewish community as a whole. These issues may include, but are not limited to, religious slaughter (shechita), dietary regulations (laws of kashrut/kashrus), circumcision, and genetic illnesses. We feel there is a need for a Jewish Greens group within the Green Party due a lack of understanding about Jews and Judaism, something which is particularly evident in local parties away from areas with substantial Jewish communities such as Manchester, London and Birmingham.

Aims

There are two separate aims of Jewish Greens, one for the wider Green Party and another for the members of Jewish Greens. These were agreed in discussion at Autumn conference 2018, subsequently refined during online discussion in January 2019.

  • Green Party
    • Jewish Greens will be the first port of call for education purposes about Jews and Judaism
    • We will assist Conferences Committee / the Council and the wider Green Party when it comes to ensuring conferences and important party events do not clash with High Holidays
    • As an advisory group on shechita (religious slaughter) and the laws of kashrut/kashrus (dietary regulations)
    • To raise awareness of Jewish issues, such as genetic conditions specific to Jewish people eg. Tay Sachs
    • To provide a Jewish voice within a Green Party united against all forms of racism, including antisemitism, and in support of a welcoming, human rights based approach to both policy and practice.
    • Jewish Greens will strive to combat discrimination against Jewish people through education, and where necessary, through referral to the Green Party’s existing disciplinary procedures. However, Jewish Greens will not offer a single position on the topic of antisemitism, and will instead seek to provide a range of opinions.
    • Jewish Greens will not offer a single position on topics such as Israel-Palestine or Zionism and will instead seek to provide a range of opinions.
    • It is important to note that any proposals to Conference on issues such as antisemitism, Israel/Palestine, or Zionism, by members of Jewish Greens are not made on behalf of the group, but are instead proposed in a personal capacity, unless moved by a meeting with a sixty percent majority. Statements on these issues made throughout the year should be seen by all officers and consulted upon widely within the group.
    • It is paramount that Jewish Greens is a space for all Jews in the Green Party regardless of the deeply held divisions in society and our community on these issues.
  • Jewish Greens
    • To offer support to Jewish Green Party members
    • To organise community events such as meet-ups in local areas for general purposes, festivals, or community Shabbos/Shabbat dinner or Passover seder
    • To be a port of call for Jewish organisations outside the Green Party
    • We support the policies and philosophical basis of the Green Party.

Membership

  • Membership will be open to all members of the Green Party
  • Only those who identify as Jewish will be permitted to hold governance positions
  • Members will be removed if they are no longer members of the Green Party
  • Members may be suspended by unanimous consent of Officers and expelled either a result of the National Complaints procedures orby a 2/3 majority at a meeting, or temporally by a ¾ quarters majority in an online forum following seven days’ notice being sent out to members though channels outlined below. A minimum of 10 people must participate in the online vote and the result must be ratified at the next group meeting. This process cannot override National Green Party Complaints procedure.

Communication and Governance Structure

  • Officers will include a Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and Membership Officer
  • Jewish Greens will meet quarterly, including at both Spring and Autumn Conferences
  • An Annual General Meeting will be held online within a month after Autumn Conference, at which time elections will take place for all governance roles.
  • In the event of an office role falling vacant, officers can co-opt a member of the group who must be approved by the majority of the membership via an online vote within four weeks.  Members must be informed of the co-option and upcoming election on the approved channels within seven days. 
  • Special meetings, or Emergency General meetings (EGM) can be called where necessary with the agreement of a quorum of 10 members (minyan). Four weeks’ notice must be given, via communication though one of the approved channels.
  • EGMs can be called by the Chair, or the majority of the active officers. Ten members can request an EGM at which point it must be put to a vote of the membership within seven days, notice being given though one of the approved channels. A successful vote being held the EGM must be held within four weeks.
  • An EGM must be called within four weeks if:
    • An AGM does not achieve quorum.
    • There are no properly elected officers.
  • Meetings cannot be held on a Yom Tov (Shabbat / Holy Days) except at Conference, and votes cannot open or close on a Yom Tov.
  • Communications between members will take place via a closed Loomio group, Green Spaces or email.
  • Jewish Greens will not have an open presence on social media
  • Decisions at meetings and/or via Loomio and/or via the Spaces page require a minyan (quorum of 10) with a simple majority
  • In order to amend the Constitution or dissolve the group, a 2/3 majority is required at a quorate meeting
  • If quorum is not achieved at any meeting for the period of one calendar year the group will be considered dissolved
  • Jewish Greens will adhere to the party’s Safeguarding policy: https://members.greenparty.org.uk/node/33

Complaints

  • Jewish Greens complaints structure will follow that set out by the Green Party: https://members.greenparty.org.uk/node/23
  • Complaints should be kept internal and reported to the Chair. In the event the Chair is the person whom the complaint is about, then complaints should be made to the Membership Secretary
  • If the member is unhappy with the outcome, then complaints should be escalated to the Green Party national office

Data Protection

  • Jewish Greens commit to collecting personal data fairly lawfully and transparently
  • To only collect data with members’ consent and making clear how it will be used and only use the data for the purpose or purposes for which it was obtained
  • Ensure that personal data is adequate, relevant and not excessive for the purpose or purposes for which it is held
  • Ensure that personal data is accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date
  • Ensure that personal data is not kept for any longer than is necessary for the purpose for which it was obtained
  • Ensure that personal data is kept secure
  • Ensure that personal data is not transferred to a country outside the European Economic Area
  • Consent for collection of data can be written, telephone, face to face, on the members website or by email
  • Personal Data will only be shared with third parties with the explicit consent of the member
  • Where technical capacity does not exist to fulfil the data protection policies officer will be responsible for referring the matter to the Green Party National office and keeping the member informed
  • The Membership officer will be responsible for proper application of the data protection policy
  • Personal Data will be erased as soon as practical when:
    • Where data is no longer necessary in relation to the purpose for which it was originally collected
    • When an individual withdraws consent
    • When an individual objects to the processing and there is no overriding legitimate interest for continuing the processing
    • Personal data was unlawfully processed

Equality and Diversity

  • Jewish Greens are committed to providing an environment free of racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, religious discrimination or any other types of oppression, including, but not limited to, oppression against non-binary identities.
  • Jewish Greens are committed to providing an environment free of bullying, name-calling or any forms of abusive behaviour.
  • Jewish Greens are committed to challenging these types of oppression whenever they occur.
  • Jewish Greens are committed to having a victim-centred approach when safe spaces are jeopardised.
  • When it comes from outside of Jewish Greens but within the Green Party, individuals in Jewish Greens are encouraged to report all forms of oppression or discrimination including hate crime to the GPEW through the standard complaints procedures for further investigation into these matters.
  • Jewish Greens recognise that there are groups that experience overlapping prejudice and discrimination within the Jewish community. Liberation groups are there to represent individuals that face current and historical oppression.
  • The purpose of liberation groups is to ensure the voice and perspective of people in marginalised groups are well represented and heard within the structures and policies of the Green Party.
  • Liberation groups within Jewish Greens will have the right to comment on decisions made by officers before they are enacted.
  • Liberation groups within Jewish Greens can be proposed if: 
    • the proposed group faces current and historical oppressions and/or are marginalised in Jewish society by a shared characteristic
    • Seven members are willing to actively join the group.
    • The group will need to be approved by officer or a majority vote at a meeting.

Note:

  • The GPEW, or any external body, will contact the Chair in the first instance. The Chair will then allocate a member of Jewish Greens to respond.
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