Tensions mount at Golders Green shul over how to handle claims against Rabbi Halpern

A row has broken out at Golders Green Beth Hamedrash — the strictly-Orthodox synagogue better known by its nickname, Munk’s — highlighting the tension over allegations of sexual impropriety against Rabbi Chaim Halpern, who heads the neighbouring Divrei Chaim congregation.

The row concerns a motion put forward for the congregation’s forthcoming AGM on May 17 — which so infuriated the Munk’s rabbi, Yisroel Meir Greenberg, that he threatened to resign unless the motion was withdrawn.

The motion submitted asked the synagogue to clarify its position relating to the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (UOHC), in light of the time lag on the investigation into allegations of sexual impropriety made by another Golders Green rabbi, Chaim Halpern.

Reports say that the resolution asked for an undertaking that the synagogue would not draw any closer to the UOHC without endorsement from the Munk’s members.

Munk’s is not a formal member of the UOHC, but it is a constituent of the Kedassia kashrut authority, which is the UOHC’s kashrut arm, and Rabbi Greenberg is part of the UOHC senior rabbinate.

A member of Munk’s board of management confirmed to Jewish News that a motion had been put forward — “but it was then withdrawn”. Social media accounts, widely circulated in Golders Green and Stamford Hill, claim that the resolution was indeed withdrawn, only after a furious Rabbi Greenberg threatened to resign if it were discussed at the AGM next week.

The board member refused to say who had tabled the original resolution, insisting that it had been submitted “as a way to open dialogue. It has been withdrawn and the matter has been resolved internally.”

The row is an illustration of the impasse which has been reached over the allegations against Rabbi Halpern, which he has repeatedly denied. Five months ago the UOHC announced an investigation into the claims made against him, but due to the illness of the wife of the judge first appointed to lead that inquiry, nothing happened.

Police inquiries remain ongoing, but material is unlikely to be submitted to the UOHC which could prejudice any future action.

It is understood that many strictly-Orthodox people in Golders Green wanted the UOHC to suspend Rabbi Halpern, who leads the Divrei Chaim congregation, but that has not happened.

There was particular concern after Hackney Council issued a warning in March to people to cease sending young people to Rabbi Halpern for “spiritual counselling”; it remains unclear whether he is still acting in that capacity.