Those who financed and led the new charities and political bodies, chiefly industrialists, major shopkeepers and merchants of Eastern European origin, began now to take over the leadership of the community from the German, Dutch and Sephardi merchants who had controlled its destiny throughout the 19th century. When clashes occurred between those competing for power in the community, they were usually resolved by compromise.

The most significant example was the foundation, in 1919, of the Manchester Jewish Representative Council, a body of delegates from synagogues, charities, Zionist organizations, Friendly Societies and Trade Unions. It was formed to deal with the civic authorities on the community's behalf, protect the community from anti-Semitic attack, and lend a degree of coherence to the community's inner life. On its Council, men of German origin found that they could co-operate without difficulty with Eastern European businessmen like Nathan Laski.

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