New rabbinic couple appointed to Watford and District shul

Watford & District Synagogue has appointed a new rabbinic couple to join the community remotely later this month.

Rabbi Mordechai and Rebbetzen Shira Chalk have spent two years as founding members of the Rabbinic Training Academy, which is part of the Better World Charity.

They are parents to Tzvi, 3, Meir, 2, and a newborn, Miri.

Rabbi Chalk, who is a part-time teacher at JFS, grew up in Golders Green and attended Hasmonean High School for Boys. He went on to live in Israel for over a decade, where he studied at the Bais Yisorel Yeshiva and teach at Yeshivat Sha’arei Mevaseret Zion.

In his free time, Rabbi Chalk, who is a qualified shochet, enjoys lifting heavy weights and supporting his local team, Barnet FC.

Meanwhile, the rebbetzen, who grew up in St John’s Wood and whose father is Dayan Ivan Binstock, studied education at Goldsmiths University.

The couple is “delighted” to be joining the shul. “Watford is a community of great potential in an area of Jewish growth. We look forward to engaging with the wider Watford and District community and we are excited to build a bright future together,” said Rabbi Chalk.

“We all appreciate  the challenge of engaging with the community virtually during this time of corona crisis and we very much look forward to meeting everyone personally in due course,” he added.

The shul’s chair Brian Markeson welcomed “the exciting appointment of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Chalk, a young and dynamic couple embarking on their first community role.”

“Although their initial engagement will by necessity be virtual, we know that they will soon embark of a number of exciting initiatives which will restore Watford’s glory and enable the community to grow and go from strength to strength. We look forward to the whole community being able to meet them in person as soon as we get back to shul,” he added.