LONDON (EJP)---The umbrella representative bodies of Europe’s largest Jewish communities have decided to join forces in several areas of Jewish life.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews (BOD) and its French counterpart CRIF (Conseil représentatif des institutions juives de France) met in London on Sunday and discussed a programme of cooperation, joint activities and campaigns to augment the work of both organizations in the protection of Jewish rites and practices across Europe.

This was the first such meeting in several years.

"The Board of Deputies, together with the Shechita UK, emphasized the need of an urgent lobbying campaign to protect the practice of Shechita or ritual slaughter," a joint statement said.

The two organizations decided to create an effective tool for monitoring EU legislation on this issue emanating from Brussels.

CRIF and BOD also discussed their respective experiences of combating campaigns aimed at delegitimizing the State of Israel, such as boycott, divestment and sanctions. They will create a forum t"hrough which experiences and initiatives can be shared in the future."

They also decided to act jointly as regards the protection of smaller Jewish communities around Europe.