The leader of the Ner Israel community in Hendon, Rabbi Eliezer Zobin, has been appointed as a dayan of the London Beth Din.
Rabbi Zobin, who is also principal of Immanuel College, joined the independent Modern Orthodox community as associate rabbi in 2014 before succeeding the community’s founder, Rabbi Alan Kimche, four years ago.
While recruits to the LBD in recent years have come from a Charedi milieu, the Chief Rabbi and United Synagogue had been looking for a new dayan with more extensive working knowledge of centrist Orthodox communities.
An official announcement said he had impressed the recruitment committee with his expertise in halachic decision-making, his experience in the rabbinate and “real understanding of United Synagogue and similar communities”.
Welcoming the new judge to his rabbinical court, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said Dayan Zobin was “ a man of great conviction and deep intellect. Throughout his career as an outstanding communal and educational leader, he has demonstrated a rare combination of wisdom, sensitivity and creativity which will stand him in excellent stead for this role.
“I have no doubt that he will not only be an enormous blessing for the London Beth Din but for our entire community, for many years to come.”
LBD head Dayan Menachem Gelley said: “He comes as a successful congregational rabbi, a talmid chochom [scholar] of repute, with a broad remit in halachah. Rabbi Zobin is personable, humble and compassionate and will undoubtedly be a great asset to the Beth Din.”
Dayan Zobin with his family
US president Michael Goldstein said the desire had been "to appoint someone with a strong degree of empathy to deal with delicate and sometimes difficult personal situations. Dayan Zobin’s current roles make him an excellent fit for this position, given he has demonstrated how to build his shul and school communities around a strong Orthodox ethos, presenting a caring, compassionate and spiritual Judaism accessible to all.”
Dayan Zobin, who lives in Golders Green, will take up the part-time role after Pesach. He felt “honoured to be joining the London Beth Din, which stands out for its influence, history, international stature, and reputation, and I look forward to serving the community.
"I am humbled to be working alongside Dayan Gelley and the other dayanim, who combine almost unrivalled halachic expertise with a depth of care for every individual and the community as a whole.
“My prayer is that I should live up to the trust that is being placed in me, that I should see that which is beautiful and precious in every soul, that I should have the wisdom to learn from all people and that I should be able to share our precious halachah and mesorah (tradition) in a manner that elevates and inspires, and that sanctifies the Name of the Almighty.”
Ner Israel leaders Moshe Shatkes and Kerrin Rosenberg said, “This is an incredible achievement and a huge testimony to Rabbi Zobin’s talmud Torah and ethos. We are incredibly proud to have a Rav of his abilities and delighted that is recognised in the broader community.”
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