US ministers keen to play a greater role in life of JCoss
UNITED SYNAGOGUE rabbis are set to become more involved with crosscommunal secondary school JCoSS.
The Office of the Chief
Rabbi has confirmed that ministers under its auspices are free to play a part in the life of the East Barnet school.
One “looking forward to going in” is Rabbi Daniel Epstein of Cockfosters and North Southgate Synagogue, whose congregation includes JCoSS pupils.
“To be able to maintain the relationship with local kids through the school is great,” he said.
The rabbi of another US congregation with children at the school, David Mason of Muswell Hill Synagogue, visited JCoSS at the end of last term.
JCoSS head Patrick Moriarty said: “We are continuing our policy of building relationships with local synagogues to help strengthen the Jewish identity of our students and their connection to Judaism.”
Many children go on to JCoSS from the US-backed Wolfson Hillel, the nearest Jewish primary.
At a US rabbinic conference eight years ago, one minister observed that JCoSS was “not an Orthodox school but is trying to attract Orthodox children. If United members decided to send their children to a non-Orthodox school, obviously we wouldn’t be happy about it.”
But today, the only two rabbis listed on the JCoSS Jewish studies staff are Orthodox — Edward Zinkin and Michael Pollak.
This week, the school celebrated the inauguration of a new wing by Lloyd Dorfman, founder of the Travelex Group.
The Dorfman Wing will house an art room, IT room, design technology classroom and other learning space.
Mr Dorfman said his family was “delighted to continue our association with the school”, having been among its early backers in 2006.
“The school has outstanding leadership, an important cross-communal outlook and an impressive group of students,” he said. “It is a privilege and a pleasure for us to be involved.”
Mr Moriarty saluted the “wonderful support” of Mr Dorfman and his wife Sarah, as well as other benefactors, for the new facilities, which were “vital to our expanding sixth form and will ensure we can offer a wide curriculum of A-level and vocational courses”.
We are building relations with local synagogues’