England’s Jewish Free School (JFS) has called a halt to its popular bar- and batmitzvah ceremonies, saying the decision was taken because of pressure from local communities to hold the celebrations in synagogue.
But a senior United Synagogue rabbi has cast doubt on the explanation, suggesting that the move resulted from new entry rules that prevent schools from knowing whether pupils are halachically Jewish.
JFS headmaster Jonathan Miller said that members of the local community had “voiced concern that pupils were having their bar- and batmitzvahs at JFS, and not within the community.
“We thought about it long and hard and have decided not to continue having the celebrations here. It will make some people unhappy but unfortunately you can’t get it right for everyone. It’s the only reason why we decided to cancel the bar- and batmitzvahs here. It is not connected to anything else.”
But Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, of Mill Hill Synagogue, believes the change is due to last year’s Supreme Court ruling on Jewish school admissions. Schools are no longer allowed to carry out checks on applicants’ Jewish status.
Rabbi Schochet – who chairs the US’s Rabbinical Council – said that, based on information he had received from those involved in religious services at JFS, the school’s explanation “doesn’t quite wash with me.
“Why now? After how many years? And how many kids is it really stopping having barmitzvahs in shul? I still had 33 barmitzvahs last year, 37 the year before that and bookings are now running all the way through 2013.”
Pupils who hold their celebrations at JFS, he said, “are otherwise not inclined to have it in a shul and will now not likely have one altogether”.
Malcolm Gordon, chairman of Yavneh College in Hertfordshire, said the school had never held bar- or batmitzvahs on the premises.
their the best people ive known!!!! no one can beat them!!!!!
Rabbio Shochat I admire your fight. Don’t give up. It’s what the Rebbe wants. Certain things are chok vilo yavor. Hatzlacha and your father should have a refua shlaima
It seems that the entire Schochet family is composed from geniuses, lecturers, authors and leaders of the pack. This is a royal family!
All the Schochets that I know are high profile over-achievers with more than triple digit I.Q.’s. If it is genetic – it’s not fair!
I admire how they use their G-d given talents to spead Torah, Yiddishkeit and promote the values of the Rebbe. They hail from Toronto but their influence is international!
May Hashem bentch all the members of this royal family to continue successfully and in good health. Chazak U’baruch!
May his father have a refuah shelaimah Keroiva!!! He is in dire need of everyone’s tefilos!!
the article mentions him as being the chair of the rabbinical council. is that why he is always taking the front line> where is chief rabbi of the united kingdom in all this>
you got to give the guy credit. where everyone else stays quiet he keeps fighting for mihu yehudi. you have to admire some of these Shochets. They are principled and will fight for Torah and the Rebbe’s cause. He should be a source of nachas and refuah to his father who has done the same for so many years.
Read elsewhere that for 230 years they did Bar Mitzvahs at the school. So the question of “why now” is the most powerful point. Like no.8 – why is the school covering up?
maybe you should read the article again because its very simple and b’h we have rabbi s to stand up for whats right!
This is what he wrote in his column in the Jewish News already a few months ago which I think clarifies his position: This whole saga will go down as one of the more tragic episodes in Anglo-Jewry, if only because of how divisive it has all proven. To compound the tragedy, the young men who run the services in JFS were apparently instructed to restrict their call ups in their weekday services, lest one of those called might in fact not be Jewish. And they may no longer be conducting Bar and Bat Mitzvahs in school for the same… Read more »
yes that picture was taken when Rabbi S. was sharing a platform with Rabbi Mangel and Rivkah Slonim at the retreat. they had a good debate on some topics. I was there.
The fight for a Jewish identity goes on. Keep fighting rabbi s
what are you talking about??? if the school halted the courses because they don’t want goyim in their program isn/t THAT the proper decision.
No way are you a blood RELATIVE. We Schochets all know how to write and spell!!!
Rabbi Schochet is 100% correct, couldn’t agree more!!
Isn’t that picture at the retreat panel?
we could do with rabbi schochet in crown heights hes great!!