The United Synagogue

US Investment In New Rabbinic Excellence Bears Fruit

PRESS RELEASE

London,
8th February 2010

US INVESTMENT IN NEW RABBINIC EXCELLENCE BEARS FRUIT

Some of the Jewish community's brightest and most dynamic young Rabbis will be on show this week as 8 new Rabbis are honoured as graduates of the United Synagogue's P'eir Induction Programme. Lord and Lady Sacks will be hosting the programme's graduation ceremony at their home on Tuesday 9th February.

P'eir, an acronym for 'Promoting Excellence In Rabbis', (as well as a Hebrew word meaning glory) provides training, skills enhancement and networking opportunities to new Rabbis.

P'eir's Director, Rabbi Mordechai Ginsbury, explains: "We know just how important great Rabbis are to thriving, vibrant communities. P'eir is working to ensure that United Synagogue communities have Rabbis who are dynamic and effective as well as sensitive to their members' needs."

The P'eir induction programme aims to integrate new Rabbis into their individual communities as well as to the US as a whole. Subjects covered range from births to bereavement, and bar- and bat mitzvahs to weddings. The programme also provides modules on counselling skills, contemporary halachic (Jewish law) issues and dilemmas, public speaking, management, team-building and leadership skills. Time is also provided for participants to network with one another and to meet Senior US Rabbis, Dayanim and professionals.

Rabbi Ginsbury praised the graduates saying, "The participants on this particular induction programme have shown some of the highest commitment, dedication and enthusiasm of any group so far. We are extremely grateful to the Chief Rabbi for his constant support for and championing of P'eir. We are sure that this group of Rabbis will have a major impact for good on the US and its communities for decades to come."

The Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks said: "The P'eir programme is a first class initiative in training Rabbis to meet the many challenges of spiritual leadership in the contemporary world, and it will make a huge difference to British Jewry. Especial praise must go to Rabbi Mordechai Ginsbury, who has been its inspiration throughout. We have an outstanding group of young rabbis - one of the best we have had in my lifetime - and they, together with the training P'eir provides, augur well for the future."

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EDITORS' NOTES: -

The graduation ceremony will take place at the home of the Chief Rabbi and Lady Sacks on Tuesday 9th February 2010 between 6.30 and 8.30pm.

P'eir's mission is:

a. To develop, maintain and hone Rabbis of excellence who will function as a dynamic, responsive Rabbinate sensitive to and in touch with the needs of Anglo-Jewry
b. To enhance and promote the integrity and significance of the Rabbinic vocation through supporting the ideals and values by which Rabbis are first inspired to join the Rabbinate
c. To ensure career-long Rabbinic relevance, dynamism and effectiveness.

The graduating Rabbis and their communities are:
Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman (Northwood)
Rabbi Nicky Liss (Highgate)
Rabbi Natan Levy (Shenley)
Rabbi Leo Dee (Assistant Rabbi, Hendon)
Rabbi Avrohom Zeidman (Assistant Rabbi, Edgware)
Rabbi Adam Edwards (Education and Young Couples, Bushey )
Rabbi Michael Rosenfeld (Kingston)
Rabbi Pinchas Hackenbroch (Woodside Park)


For further information, please contact:

Laura Ellman
The PR Office
Work: 020 7284 6969
Email: us@theproffice.com

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