United Synagogue rabbis are set to become more involved with cross-communal secondary school JCoSS.

The Office of the Chief Rabbi has confirmed that ministers under its auspices are free to play a part in the life of the East Barnet school.

One “looking forward to going in” is Rabbi Daniel Epstein of Cockfosters and North Southgate Synagogue, whose congregation includes JCoSS pupils.

“To be able to maintain the relationship with local kids through the school is great,” he said.

The rabbi of another US congregation with children at the school, David Mason of Muswell Hill Synagogue, visited JCoSS at the end of last term.

JCoSS head Patrick Moriarty said: “We are continuing our policy of building relationships with local synagogues to help strengthen the Jewish identity of our students and their connection to Judaism.” 

Many children go on to JCoSS from the US-backed Wolfson Hillel, the nearest Jewish primary.

At a US rabbinic conference eight years ago, one minister observed that JCoSS was “not an Orthodox school but is trying to attract Orthodox children. If United members decided to send their children to a non-Orthodox school, obviously we wouldn’t be happy about it.”

But today, the only two rabbis listed on the JCoSS Jewish studies staff are Orthodox — Edward Zinkin and Michael Pollak.