Finsbury Park United Synagogue has appointed Reverend Menasche Scharf as their new rabbi, following a majority vote in his favour.
Born in Antwerpen, Belgium, he was educated at yeshivas in Belgium and in Jerusalem, before moving to London in 1987, where he lives with his wife Kriendy and family in Stamford Hill and works for KLBD.
Reverend Scharf said: “I have been visiting Finsbury Park United Synagogue for some years now and my admiration for this close-knit community grew with every event that they laid on. Each one of the social activities is an enriching experience and has a palpable feeling of unity and joy. The recent Chanukah experience, playing dreidel with the lovely members of the shul, where young and old were fully involved, made everyone feel welcome.
“It is my hope that this new role will be an opportunity to rejuvenate and invigorate the shul members and myself to reach greater heights.”
Maytal Charing, Chair at Finsbury Park United Synagogue called the appointment “a blessing to our wonderful community, bringing wisdom, warmth, and a bright future for us all. Finsbury Park United community are very excited.”
Reverend Scharf is due to begin his new role at the beginning of May this year.
