London Beth Din
The London Beth Din is the Ashkenazi Beth Din of the United Synagogue, the largest Ashkenazi synagogal body in London, England. In its capacity as Court of the Chief Rabbi, it is historically the supreme halakhic Authority for Ashkenazim in several Commonwealth countries and additionally is consulted by Batei Din throughout Europe.
Scope
The range of questions with which the Beth Din deals is vast and covers all areas of Jewish law. Some of the specialist areas covered by the Beth Din are:
- halakhic authority for the Kashrut Division, for "KLBD" kosher labelling
- the authorisation and supervision of mohelim
- the supervision of mikvehs
- the supervision of Orthodox conversions
- construction, supervision and maintenance of the North West London and the Borehamwood Eruv
- questions relating to burial and mourning
- supervising the activity of the Marriage Education programme
- advising on legislation which may have an impact on Jewish religious practice
- dealing with a wide range of halakhic problems posed by the rabbanim of the United Synagogue and provincial communities
- the examination of Shochetim and the control of the shechita Inspectors
The London Beth Din retains a research unit which employs the services of a professional genealogist in order to assist in enquiries as to whether a person is Jewish.
Membership
The present membership (2015) of the London Beth Din is:[1]
- Av Beth Din – the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis
- Rosh Beth Din - Dayan Menachem Gelley
- Dayan Yonoson Abraham
- Dayan Ivan Binstock
- Dayan Shmuel Simons
- Rabbi Jeremy Conway – Kashrut Director
The Registrar is David Frei (also the External and Legal Services Director of the United Synagogue)
Former dayanim of the London Beth Din
- Dayan Yehezkel Abramsky
- Dayan Aryeh Leib Grosnass (Lev Aryeh)
- Dayan Avrohom Rapoport (Be'er Avrohom)
- Dayan Dr Isidor Grunfeld (famed for his translations of the writings of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch)
- Dayan Shmuel Yitzchak Hillman
- Dayan Casriel Dovid Kaplin
- Dayan Lazarus
- Dayan Meyer Steinberg
- Dayan Dr. Myer S. Lew
- Dayan Yitzchak Berger (currently Av Beth Din of the Manchester Beth Din)
- Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu (retired 2007)[1]
References
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