Published: 1 April 2021
Last updated: 4 March 2024
THE NEW CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, Darren Bark, says he was “honoured and humbled” when a recruitment agency approached him to apply for the position.
Mr Bark, 34, who currently holds a senior executive role in the NSW Police service, will take up office on May 17, succeeding Vic Alhadeff who stepped down in November after 16 years in the job.
“I was honoured that my experience and skill sets were something that other people felt would make me a good fit for the role”, Bark told The Jewish Independent this week.
For the past few years Mr Bark has been Executive Director of Strategic Priorities and Identity with the NSW Police Service, where he said the main focus of his work has been “identity security” – overseeing policy on privacy and identity theft.
He has also worked at the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, and held positions on the staff of NSW National Party politicians Troy Grant and Paul Toole.
Mr Bark, who attended Sydney’s Masada College and is a lawyer by training, has been involved with several charity and outreach groups during his career, including KYDS Youth Development Service, which aims to help financially disadvantaged youth. He also co-founded Best Enemies, a community group that combats cyber-bullying.
However, he told The Jewish Independent that he had not had any similar formal involvement in Jewish community relations, beyond his membership of Lindfield Synagogue. Mr Bark added that his wife has been involved in Jewish Care over the years, and he has seen “the effects and benefits from that involvement”.
My appointment is not a break or a change; I see my appointment as building on what’s already there. The Board is not about a single individual; it’s about a team, a community.
Despite the differences in his background and experience from that of his predecessor, Mr Bark brushed aside the idea that his appointment represents a break from the past.
“It’s not a break or a change; I see my appointment as building on what’s already there,” he said. “[The Board] is not about a single individual; it’s about a team, a community.
Mr Bark said he was mindful of Alhadeff’s contribution and that he looked forward to building on that, “to complement what Vic has done”.
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He confirmed that this will be the first job where he will be the public face of an organisation.
“It’s fair to say that,” he said. “I know I have to interact and speak with a range of stakeholders. But I do that daily [in my current job], so its not unfamiliar.”
He emphasised the collaborative nature of his role. “The way I look at it, people will hear my voice and see my face, but they are actually seeing the result of all the people who make the Board’s work happen.
“The way I look at it, people will hear my voice and see my face, but they are actually seeing the result of all the people who make the Board’s work happen.
“I feel very privileged to be that voice.
“It’s also very rewarding for me to be able to provide a voice for those who don’t have a strong voice. That will be one of my key focuses - embracing the diversity of the community.”
The president of JBoD, Lesli Berger, described Mr Bark as “incredibly articulate, very community minded. He is clearly a person of the highest integrity and passion.
“It’s going to be an exciting new chapter for the JBoD and the Jewish community generally.”
Beger said Vic Alhadeff would continue in a consulting capacity “for a good year” to enable an orderly transition and handover.
He added that he intends to stand for re-election as president in August. “I had an outstanding relationship with Vic and I anticipate the same with Darren.”
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