David: David moved page Ephraim Padwa to Moshe Chaim Ephraim Padwa

2026-06-09T15:04:15Z

David moved page Ephraim Padwa to Moshe Chaim Ephraim Padwa

David: /* See also */

2026-06-09T14:26:01Z

David: /* External links */

2026-06-09T14:21:33Z

External links

David at 14:19, 9 June 2026

2026-06-09T14:19:50Z

David: Created page with "{{short description|British Haredi rabbi and rabbinical head of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations}} {{Infobox person | name = Rabbi Ephraim Padwa | occupation = R..."

2026-06-09T14:00:35Z

Created page with "{{short description|British Haredi rabbi and rabbinical head of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations}} {{Infobox person | name = Rabbi Ephraim Padwa | occupation = R..."

New page

{{short description|British Haredi rabbi and rabbinical head of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rabbi [[Ephraim Padwa]]
| occupation = Rabbi
| title = Rabbinical head of the [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]]
| term_start = 2000
| known_for = Leadership of the [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]] rabbinate
}}

'''[[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]]''' is the rabbinical head of the [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]] (UOHC), the principal rabbinical authority for a major section of the strictly Orthodox Jewish community in the United Kingdom. He has held this position since 2000 and is based in Stamford Hill, north London.<ref name="JC2020">The Jewish Chronicle, [https://www.thejc.com/news/top-stamford-hill-rabbi-backs-using-kosher-phones-for-school-lessons-jwz4mlir Top Stamford Hill rabbi backs using 'kosher' phones for school lessons] ''The Jewish Chronicle'', 1 May 2020.</ref>

[[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]] serves as Stamford Hill’s most senior rabbi and leads the UOHC rabbinate on matters of religious law and community guidance for its affiliated congregations.<ref name="JC2020" /> The [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]] functions as an umbrella organisation for strictly Orthodox (Haredi or Charedi) communities, with its core base in Stamford Hill representing a substantial portion of Britain’s Haredi population, estimated in contemporary reports at around 35,000 to 40,000 people.<ref name="Ind2013">The Independent, [https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/senior-british-rabbi-filmed-telling-alleged-child-abuse-victim-not-to-go-to-the-police-8471779.html Senior British rabbi filmed telling alleged child abuse victim not to go to the police] ''The Independent'', 30 January 2013.</ref>

[[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]] has issued public statements on community welfare, technology use, and responses to external events. In May 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, he wrote on behalf of the entire UOHC Rabbinate commending teachers and community workers for using “satisfactory kosher mobile phones” to conduct school lessons and programmes via telephone communication in “a time of great distress”.<ref name="JC2020" /> The same letter issued a stern warning that the crisis should not be interpreted as grounds to “relax” previous rulings “concerning the usage of instruments of technology such as the Internet, smartphones and the like” and urged the community to purchase from local traders and increase charitable contributions amid financial hardship.<ref name="JC2020" />

== Leadership of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations ==
[[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]] has headed the UOHC rabbinate since 2000.<ref name="JC2020" /> In this role he provides religious guidance to affiliated synagogues and institutions across the strictly Orthodox community in London and beyond. The [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]] maintains a Beth Din (rabbinical court) and issues collective positions on halachic and communal matters.

During the 2020 pandemic [[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]] emphasised continuity of education through permitted means while reinforcing longstanding community standards on technology.<ref name="JC2020" /> His letter highlighted the “severely damaged or diminished” livelihoods of many in the community and called for increased support for local businesses and charitable giving.

== 2019 letter controversy ==
In December 2019 a letter in Yiddish, bearing Rabbi [[Ephraim Padwa]]’s personal stamp and purporting to carry his signature, was circulated by Charedi activist [[Shraga Stern]].<ref name="JN2019">Jewish News, [https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/123-charedi-leader-deceived-into-signing-pro-jeremy-corbyn-letter/ Charedi leader ‘deceived’ into signing pro-Jeremy Corbyn letter] ''Jewish News'', 10 December 2019.</ref> The letter expressed shock at “those who are disseminating rumours and blaming the leader of the Labour party Mr [[Jeremy Corbyn]] that he is an antisemite” and stated that “we have no connection whatsoever with these irresponsible actions”.<ref name="JN2019" />

The [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]] and [[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]]’s family immediately denounced the letter as a forgery obtained by deception, citing [[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]]’s poor health at the time.<ref name="JN2019" /> A UOHC statement declared: “It is truly shocking that a few irresponsible hotheads would seek to take advantage of the Rov’s current poor health by deceiving him into signing a letter that has now been twisted into an endorsement of Jeremy Corbyn”.<ref name="JN2019" /> The statement affirmed that “The Rov’s position is clear in that he does not involve himself in such partisan political matters. This has always been the mesorah of the Rov and indeed of the Rov’s late father.”<ref name="JN2019" />

[[Shraga Stern]] disputed the deception claim, asserting that [[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]]’s son Rabbi [[Leibish Padwa]] had been present and that [[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]] was fully aware of the contents.<ref name="JN2019" /> The [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]] maintained that the letter did not represent [[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]]’s position and that he avoids partisan political involvement.<ref name="JPost2019">The Jerusalem Post, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/senior-uk-rabbi-duped-into-signing-letter-backing-jeremy-corbyn-610511 Senior UK rabbi 'duped' into signing letter backing Jeremy Corbyn] ''The Jerusalem Post'', 10 December 2019.</ref>

== 2013 child protection recording and subsequent inquiry ==
In January 2013 [[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]] was secretly recorded by a former community member using a hidden camera as part of a Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into child sexual abuse within the Charedi community.<ref name="Ind2013" /> The recording showed an alleged victim seeking advice on reporting childhood abuse by a fellow Charedi individual to the police. [[Rabbi Ephraim Padwa]] advised against reporting, describing it as “mesira” (forbidden under rabbinic law to inform non-Jewish authorities about a Jew) and stating “Men Tur Nisht” (“people must not tell tales”) and “The police is not the solution”.<ref name="Ind2013" /> Reports also indicated he had recently forbidden a father from pursuing a police report regarding his son’s sexual abuse.<ref name="Ind2013" />

The [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]] responded to Channel 4 with a letter stating that “the Jewish Community considers the safety and protection of our children as paramount”.<ref name="Ind2013" /> It outlined the existence of a special committee comprising rabbis, educators and trained community members to handle complaints “according to the advice of the Rabbinical Court and according to the law of the land”.<ref name="Ind2013" /> The Dispatches programme “Britain’s Hidden Child Abuse” aired on 30 January 2013.<ref name="C4 2013">Channel 4, [https://www.channel4.com/press/news/rabbi-urges-alleged-child-abuse-victim-not-tell-police-video Rabbi urges alleged child abuse victim not to tell police] ''Channel 4 Press'', 30 January 2013.</ref>

In October 2022 reports on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) noted that the 2013 recording of Rabbi [[Ephraim Padwa]] dissuading a victim from reporting to police illustrated “a mismatch between the organisation’s stated position and its actual practice in responding to allegations of child sexual abuse”.<ref name="JN2022">Jewish News, [https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/child-abuse-inquiry-calls-for-tougher-laws-and-compensation-scheme-for-victims/ Chief Rabbi welcomes findings of child abuse inquiry] ''Jewish News'', 20 October 2022.</ref> The inquiry heard that even years later a comprehensive child protection policy had not been implemented by the [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]], although a representative stated that the rabbinate was clear abuse must be reported to the relevant authorities.<ref name="JN2022" />

== See also ==
*[[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]]
*[[Stamford Hill]]
*[[Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse]]

== External links ==

==Notes==
<references/>
[[Category:1940 births|Padwa, Ephraim]]
[[Category:Living people|Padwa, Ephraim]]
[[Category:British rabbis|Padwa, Ephraim]]
[[Category:People from London|Padwa, Ephraim]]

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 In October 2022 reports on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) noted that the 2013 recording of Rabbi [[Ephraim Padwa]] dissuading a victim from reporting to police illustrated “a mismatch between the organisation’s stated position and its actual practice in responding to allegations of child sexual abuse”.<ref name="JN2022">Jewish News, [https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/child-abuse-inquiry-calls-for-tougher-laws-and-compensation-scheme-for-victims/ Chief Rabbi welcomes findings of child abuse inquiry] ''Jewish News'', 20 October 2022.</ref> The inquiry heard that even years later a comprehensive child protection policy had not been implemented by the [[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]], although a representative stated that the rabbinate was clear abuse must be reported to the relevant authorities.<ref name="JN2022" />
 == See also ==
 *[[Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations]]

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 == External links ==
 *https://www.iicsa.org.uk/reports-recommendations/publications/investigation/cp-religious-organisations-settings/part-e-responding-allegations-abuse/e2-responses-allegations-abuse-and-reporting-statutory-authorities.html
 ==Notes==

Moshe Chaim Ephraim Padwa - Revision history

David: David moved page Ephraim Padwa to Moshe Chaim Ephraim Padwa

David: /* See also */

David: /* External links */

David at 14:19, 9 June 2026

David: Created page with "{{short description|British Haredi rabbi and rabbinical head of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations}} {{Infobox person | name = Rabbi Ephraim Padwa | occupation = R..."