Kantor King Solomon High School erases oligarch from its name

Staff at Barkingside’s King Solomon High School are busy this week removing the name of their principal charitable funder, Moshe Kantor, from the school, after the Russian billionaire was sanctioned by the British government.

The school’s Tracy Rubery confirmed to Jewish News that it would no longer be known as Kantor King Solomon and that the name was being removed from its website, building, and all identifying material associating King Solomon with Kantor. “We have been advised to do this by the charitable foundation and so we are doing it now,” she said. “It’s in line with the guidelines we have been given”.

King Solomon became Kantor King Solomon in November 2016. The then head teacher, Matthew Slater, said Kantor’s support was “vital to the school’s success”, adding: “Dr Kantor’s involvement will enable the school to continue on its journey of improving the educational opportunities for children in east London and south Essex and provide a first class Jewish education for future generations.”

Moscow-born Kantor, who holds a British passport, was placed on the oligarchs’ sanction list by Britain because of his association with Russian president Vladimir Putin. He is said to be the largest shareholder in the fertiliser company Acron, which the Foreign Office said had vital strategic significance for the Russian government. In 2017, Putin awarded Kantor Russia’s Order of Honour “in recognition of his professional achievements and longstanding fair work”.

Another Jewish school which might be considering its options this week is Beit Shvidler, the former Edgware Jewish Primary School, which changed its name in 2012 in honour of Eugene Shvidler, its principal funder.

Beit Shvidler’s headteacher said, “I don’t have any comment to make” when approached by Jewish News.

Oil tycoon Shvidler, a close friend of Roman Abramovitch, was also placed on the sanctions list by the UK in March this year, his assets frozen and subject to a travel ban. As the sanctions were announced, a private jet believed to be linked with Shvidler was seized and impounded at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire.

After the Soviet Union collapsed, Shvidler, like many fellow oligarchs, amassed his personal fortune through the privatisation of Russian state assets. He is understood to have given financial support to Jewish schools in Moscow and New York and is also involved in the Ir David Foundation for the preservation of the Old City of Jerusalem.