S&P shares future vision with members
Board identifies Jonathan Kandel as donor who has agreed to fund the Office of the Senior Rabbi to the tune of half a million pounds over five years
A detailed explanation of the latest plans for the S&P community was distributed to members this week after its Parnas Presidente (president), Professor Stuart Morganstein, admitted “people were disappointed” by a recent town hall meeting.
Morganstein wrote: “As a Board, we should have been better prepared.”
This was dismissed by former chair of Lauderdale Road Synagogue, Gerry Temple, as “an admission of failure”.
In a 2,000 word document sent to members of the community this week, the Board identified for the first time the donor, Jonathan Kandel, who has agreed to fund the Office of the Senior Rabbi, to the tune of half a million pounds over five years.
Kandel is a tax lawyer who is not thought to be a member of the S&P community, but Jewish News has been told that he has a long-standing family association with it. Jewish News understands that Kandel’s father, Robert, intends to run for a place on the Board of Elders of the community.
Writing to the community, the Board says that the Office of the Senior Rabbi is a role which dates back to 1664 and is the oldest rabbinic position in the UK.
“The Board and Rabbi [Joseph] Dweck have a strong vision for the Senior Rabbi’s Office, and we are excited to formally launch the office in the coming weeks.”
It adds that “the enhancement of the Senior Rabbi’s Office (SRO) will be of great benefit to the Kahal for educational, ambassadorial, and financial reasons”.
But it does not make clear whether the initiative is dependent on Rabbi Dweck only, and what happens if he should decide to take up a rabbinical post elsewhere.
Rachel Fink, former head teacher of JFS, is conducting a strategic review into the workings of the S&P.
So far she has interviewed around 25 members of the Kahal, including all Elders, chairs of synagogue and other key committees, the rabbis, and members of the professional team”.
In response to rumours that Fink is to become the next chief executive of the S&P, the Board says it is “in the final stages of the recruitment process and we expect to be able to make an appointment shortly”.