Is it the end of Golders Green Charedi giants?
Elchonon Halpern
The death last week of the nonagenarian president of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, Rabbi Elchonon Halpern, not only deprived Golders Green of one of its most influential post-war Jewish figures, it marked the passing of the area's Charedi old guard.
Last month, Rabbi Pinchas Roberts, the presiding rabbi of another of the original strictly Orthodox settlements in north-west London, the Hendon Adath Yisroel, retired without fanfare after close to half-a-century in charge. So far, no successor is in sight.
"It's left a leadership vacuum," said one younger member of the shtibl belt. "No one has stepped up to the plate, although people are trying. But there's not a dominant figure."
Rabbis Halpern and Roberts had zealously protected the Union's north-west borders. When the London Beth Din established the North-West London Eruv in 2003, the Union conservatives declared the innovation invalid and told their flock to avoid using it.
Rabbi Halpern has been succeeded in his own synagogue by his son, Moshe. But it was another son, Chaim, who was long seen as the heir apparent and regarded as the most charismatic Charedi leader in town. He might even have emerged with greater kudos than his father, had not scandal engulfed him in 2012 over allegations about his counselling sessions for married women. Though protesting his innocence, he resigned his position on the Union rabbinate. A police investigation resulted in no charges.
The episode wounded him and the spell of the Halpern clan was broken. Moreover, the Union's position is felt to be generally on the wane in Golders Green, while the Federation, keen to reassert its presence, would be only too happy to welcome new recruits.
So who could be the top tallit in future? The recent launch of a rabbinical helpline by Rabbi Yisroel Meir Greenberg, head of the Golders Green Beth Hamedrash has been seen as a sign of broader ambitions. Meanwhile, new shtibls pop up every so often. Individual rabbis may be happy to operate as masters of their houses without any alpha-rabbis blowing a louder shofar. It is possible we may not see the like of Reb Elchonon again.
Reports 2 Halpern sons Chaim and Moshe gatecrashing UOHC Rabbinate meeting on Thursday demanding their father's seat and met with resistance
ReplyDeleteThey didn't gate-crash. They were invited.
DeleteOfficially they are both Rabbonim of UOHC constituent synagogues.
Actually RCH behaved very well there and didn't say a word out of place.
RMH got a bit carried away and (let us be charitable) said a few things that it might have been wiser and more in his long term interest if he hadn't said them.
Charlie Menuvel, like many sociopaths, knows how to put on a good show in public. He may fool some of the more naive members of the UOHC rabbinate, but he's history as far as anyone sensible is concerned.
DeleteLomo li.
DeleteActually not. RCH is very popular in Stamford Hill.
He hasn't fooled any of the UOHC rabbinate. They all know the score but are so utterly selfish and always take the line of least resistance.
Can you tell me of one, just one, contribution that UOHC or any of its rabbonim have made to London yiddishkeit. None of them ever does anything unless it is (or he thinks it is) in his direct personal interest.
Yeah!
DeleteBut who from?
The vile cockroach Chaim Menuval, with his usual tremendous arrogance and rishus, tried to infiltrate Pardes Grammar on Friday in an unannounced visit in an attempt an attempt to defile the boys with his poison. Thankfully, the parents have expressed their anger that this disgusting animal, the very incarnation of the samech mem, was let loose on their sons, and it is hoped that this episode will not be repeated.
ReplyDeleteWhat is happening in Golders Green and the UOHC is an attempted power grab by the remaining Halperns. If this goes unchallenged, R' Chaim will be on his way back and R' Moishe will gain influence. Unless we resolutely stand in their way this will happen, so let us all make it clear to Pardes House governors that we will not give a penny to the school if they try to rehabilitate R'Chaim and make it clear to the Union that if they let a Halpern back in, Golders Green is going its own way.
ReplyDeleteLatest GG news,
ReplyDeleteHendon Addass has a special (pro eruv) committee to elect a new Rav. Over F months has gone by to no avail and Rabbi Roberts has had enough and last week moved his seat in shul away from the Rav's shtender to the other side and is now refusing to pasken shailos as he is no longer the Rav.
HA is also considering leaving the union.
Another situation is developing with lbs (london board of shecitah) as their biggest licencee has given notice and is negotiating leaving lbs to go to a new federation hechsher. It's very fluid but I can confirm lbs has had over 20 extraordinary meetings at the highest levels over the last 3 weeks as if the feds make a new hechsher that could mean the end of lbs!
This could be the start of a new heimish non keddassia hechshe in GG and the beginning of GG breaking away from kedassia.
It's all very fluid but I will post updates as they come in.
Latest GG news,
ReplyDeleteHendon Addass has a special (pro eruv) committee to elect a new Rav. Over F months has gone by to no avail and Rabbi Roberts has had enough and last week moved his seat in shul away from the Rav's shtender to the other side and is now refusing to pasken shailos as he is no longer the Rav.
HA is also considering leaving the union.
Another situation is developing with lbs (london board of shecitah) as their biggest licencee has given notice and is negotiating leaving lbs to go to a new federation hechsher. It's very fluid but I can confirm lbs has had over 20 extraordinary meetings at the highest levels over the last 3 weeks as if the feds make a new hechsher that could mean the end of lbs!
This could be the start of a new heimish non keddassia hechshe in GG and the beginning of GG breaking away from kedassia.
It's all very fluid but I will post updates as they come in.
Hendon Adass is still a very interesting shul... it has always had a mixture of types, shteiebel yiden through to slightly too frum for United, and somehow despite the much ballyhooed move to the right, it still has that kind of a mixture. So my guess is it became rather clear that they would not agree on a new rabbi. So, Rabbi Roberts realised that he would be indefinitely doing the work without the clout, and decided enough... I am leaving. But he seems pretty energetic for his age.
ReplyDeleteInteresting enough a member of the election committee for the new rav has a wife who wears trousers and doesn't cover her hair, so much for an addass selection committee!
ReplyDeleteBut rabbi Robertz always allowed it as long as they don't carry in the eruv
This
No need for the extra piece of loshon horah or motsee shem rah....which obviously you are not bothered about, as long as you don't use the Eruv.
ReplyDeleteIt may be loshon horah but a member of hendon addass who does not adhere to addass principals of tznios should not be on a selection committee for a addass rav, it's simple.
ReplyDeleteCertainly not motsey shem ra
H Adass were down to a short list of three, 1 from Gateshead and 2 from GG, one of whom was v confident that the job was his. In the event, none of the 3, all of whom do not have current shul positions, were proposed to the community. The search has now restarted with the net cast wider to include candidates residing abroad.
ReplyDeleteMr Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou need to provide updates on Tiferes Yisroel's candidates for Rov, too. No half jobs....
I believe they are only looking abroad...
Has anyone seen ifyoutickles latest twitter??????
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/ifyoutickleus/status/579690777405730816
the matzeh is chometsdig completely!!!! i heard rumours about this but this is a huge shock to me!!!!
T Yisroel currently interviewing 3 candidates. All from abroad.
ReplyDeleteOnly 3??
ReplyDeleteH Adass received 24 applications for their position....