The position of outspoken Sephardi rabbi Aharon Bassous remains unclear after he reportedly announced that he would be leaving his congregation.
At the end of his Shabbat sermon at Beit Hamedrash Knesset Yehezkel in Golders Green, Rabbi Bassous said he would be going after Succot, according to local sources.
But other sources have since suggested that the rabbi is expected to stay.
Dean Cohen, a trustee of the congregation, said on Sunday that he had not heard the sermon and not had a chance to discuss the matter with Rabbi Bassous. However, “I do understand that the rabbi did announce his resignation yesterday”.
Asked for an update later in the week, Mr Cohen said he had no further comment.
Rabbi Bassous sprung into the spotlight three years ago when he led the attack on the senior rabbi of the S & P Sephardi Community, Joseph Dweck, after the latter gave a lecture on gay love.
He has also hit out at Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis for not condemning LGBT events at the JW3 centre, accusing him of selling the United Synagogue to Reform; and was among Orthodox rabbis who wrote to congregants telling them to stay away from JW3.
His congregation, which is affiliated to the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, recently moved back into rebuilt and expanded premises in Golders Green Road.
Rabbi Bassous was unavailable for comment.
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