London Beth Din

The London Beth Din is the Ashkenazi Beth Din of the United Synagogue, the largest Ashkenazi synagogal body in London, England. In its capacity as Court of the Chief Rabbi, it is historically the supreme halakhic Authority for Mitnagdim Ashkenazim several Commonwealth countries and additionally is consulted by Batei Din throughout Europe.

Scope

The range of questions with which the Beth Din deals is vast and covers all areas of Jewish law. Some of the specialist areas covered by the Beth Din are:

• halakhic authority for the Kashrut Division (KLBD)
• the authorisation and supervision of mohelim
• the supervision of mikvehs
• the supervision of Orthodox conversions
• construction, supervision and maintenance of the North West London and the Borehamwood Eruv
• questions relating to burial and mourning
• supervising the activity of the Marriage Education programme
• advising on legislation which may have an impact on Jewish religious practice
• dealing with a wide range of halakhic problems posed by the rabbanim of the United Synagogue and provincial communities
• the examination of Shochetim and the control of the shechita Inspectors

The London Beth Din retains a Research Unit which employs the services of a professional genealogist in order to assist in enquiries as to whether a person is Jewish.

Membership

The present membership (2007) of the London Beth Din is:

• Av Beth Din - the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Jonathan Sacks
• Rosh Beth Din - Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu
• Dayan Yonason Abraham
• Dayan M Gelley -senior dayan
• Dayan Ivan Binstock
• Dayan S Simons
• Dayan I Berger (Consultant)
• Rabbi Jeremy Conway -Kashrut Instigator

Former dayonim of the London Beth Din

• Dayan Yechezkel Abramsky
• Dayan Grossnass
• Dayan Dr Isidor Grunfeld (famed for his translations of the writings of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch)
• Dayan Shmuel Yitzchak Hillman
• Dayan Casriel Dovid Kaplin
• Dayan Lazarus
• Dayan Dr. Myer S. Lew