Our builder of bridges is gone
Leading Charedi Rabbi Avraham Pinter dies after contracting coronavirus
RABBI AVRAHAM Pinter, one of the most influential and respected figures from within Stamford Hill’s strictly Orthodox community, has died after contracting coronavirus.
Rabbi Pinter was admitted to a central London hospital before Pesach last week and died on Monday.
Respected both for the depth of his religious knowledge and his willingness to offer advice and help to people of all faiths, Rabbi Pinter was a unique bridge between the Charedi and mainstream communal worlds.
He had represented Charedi interests on the London Jewish Forum, while in his role as principal of the Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls’ School he received praise and also dealt ably with criticism.
His influence in the political sphere was also apparent from the messages of sympathy written on Monday evening after his passing.
Lord John Mann, an adviser to the government on antisemitism, said: “I worked for 15 years with Rabbi Pinter — he became a trusted ally and friend as well as a major community leader.
“His advice and perspective has always been significant. His warmth and smile has been a comfort to so many of us.”
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis wrote: “I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Rabbi Avraham Pinter z”l.
“Rabbi Pinter was known to many as a tireless representative of the Jewish community in Stamford Hill, as a local councillor and as the Principal of Yesoday Hatorah Girls’ School.
“I will remember him as an eved Hashem with a kind heart and an unwavering commitment to his community. His loss will be widely felt across Anglo Jewry and beyond. Yehi zichro baruch.”
Rabbi Herschel Gluck, one of Rabbi Pinter’s closest friends in Stamford Hill, said that “all of us must try to continue his good work.”
Board of Deputies President, Marie van der Zyl, called him “a much loved figure across the community, building bridges between different groups of Jews, government and wider UK society.”
The Jewish Leadership Council’s Simon Johnson and Jonathan Goldstein said Rabbi Pinter “was an undoubted leader of exceptional talent and a strong advocate for his community with a broad sympathy for and understanding of the needs of Jews from across religious observance.
“He was respected by politicians and by all across our community.”
A long-time member of the Labour Party, despite his criticism of Jeremy Corbyn during his leadership of the party, Rabbi Pinter received tributes from his local Labour MPs Diane Abbott and David Lammy, and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Mr Khan said Rabbi Pinter “did so much to help community relations in London and will be missed by so many”.
Ms Abbott, a former shadow home secretary, said: “Giant of community politics passed away today, Rabbi
His warmth and smile have been a comfort to so many of us’
Avraham Pinter. I knew him for over 30 years. He had so much to be proud of: his beautiful family; his work amongst the people and above all the Yesodey Hatorah School. He will be mourned by all.”
Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy added: “A true leader of the Charedi Orthodox Community in Stamford hill, he was clever, erudite and inclusive. This is a huge loss. I will miss his counsel and good humour immensely.”
For decades, Rabbi Avraham Pinter was the most visible face of Stamford Hill towards wider British Jewry and beyond.
Amid the crossfire of religious politics, the chairman of the external relations of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations was a determined bridge-builder, maintaining cordial relations with a large range of contacts when others remained wary of the outside world.
When he took his Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls’ School into the state system – an idea not approved within some parts of the Charedi community – then Prime Minister Tony Blair officially opened it in 2006.
Serving Hackney as a Labour councillor for eight years until he stood down in 1990 but remained loyal to the party – all five Charedi councillors in the borough now are Conservative.
Shlomo Sinitsky, chairman of Kedassia, one of the Charedi community’s leading laymen, said, “For some 40 years Rabbi Avraham Pinter was the face and voice of our Charedi community. His wisdom and wit will be missed by us all.
“Never one for compromise, he lived by the motto that ‘a thousand friends is too few and a single enemy, too many.’ Our community is grieving alongside his dear family and Klal Yisroel.”
Theo Bibelman, Chairman of the Governors of Yesoday Hatorah Senior Girls’ School, said: “It is only now slowly dawning on all of us the tremendous loss we have sustained with the passing of Rabbi Avraham Pinter. Our Principal, driver and inspiration; a giant amongst us, an outstanding leader upon whom we could always rely and count on, is no longer with us.
“His influence, far beyond our own school and community was legendary and it is due to his efforts that Heimische Chinuch in this Country is strong and thriving.
“Rabbi Pinter is irreplaceable and it will be difficult for the Heimische Kehilo to bear this tremendous loss which will be felt throughout Klal Yisroel.”
He did so much to help community relations in London’