The Ben Uri Art Society was founded in the
East End of London in 1915 by the Russian emigre artist
Lazar Berson to provide an art venue for Jewish immigrant craftsmen and artists then unable to gain access to mainstream artistic societies, due to traditional obstacles faced by all migrant minorities. Ben Uri was founded along the lines of the
Bezalel School, created nine years earlier in 1906 in Jerusalem. It was named after
Bezalel Ben Uri, the craftsman who designed and built the Ark of the Covenant. After electing a new board of trustees in October 2000, led by David Glasser, the charity was relaunched in 2001 with a new name, Ben Uri Gallery and Museum. For many years based in Soho, since June 2002 the charity has moved to the
St. John's Wood gallery in north London. ==Permanent collection==