James Mindell (Graduated)
James Mindell grew up in Finchley and attended City of London School for Boys before learning at Yeshivat Har Etzion for two years. Now in his final year at university, James is studying Economics and Business at UCL and will be starting his Finance job in the Civil Service Fast Stream next year. James, his wife Judith and baby Netanel currently live in Pinner where they are Youth Directors.
Oren Yefet (Graduated)
Oren’s upbringing was in Stamford Hill’s Adeni Jewish Community. He studied at Hasmonean High School and commenced his serious Jewish learning within its Beis Programme, run in Ner Yisroel, Hendon. Now an engineering graduate from Cambridge University, he works on construction sites in London where he manages works for super high-end projects.
Harris Bor
Harris Bor is a barrister practising in the areas of international arbitration, and commercial and company litigation, with a particular emphasis on corporate, joint venture, civil fraud and banking disputes. He is a yeshiva graduate, and has an LLM from London University in international comparative dispute resolution, a PhD from Cambridge University in religion and intellectual history, and has been a teaching assistant at Harvard University. Harris has taught many courses covering Jewish history and thought at the London School of Jewish Studies and elsewhere. He is married with 4 children.
Yosef Gabai
Yosef Gabai was born in Israel and attended yeshva there before studying accountancy. He lives in London and has owned as wholesale bakery business for the past 18 years,
Yosef is married with four children, all at school. He was largely responsible for establishing a Sephardi community in Stamford Hill, where he founded and runs the Ohel Shalom Synagogue on Clapton Common.
Michael Gabai
Michael Gabai, our youngest student, was 20 years old in 2021. After leaving the Menorah Grammar School he attended the Yeshiva Gedolah in Gateshead and is now at University College London studying for a BSc in Infection and Immunity. He hopes to proceed to a Ph.D. in Immunology with the ambition of studying medicine with special interest in the immune system.
Michael teaches on Sundays at the Talmud Torah attached to Lauderdale Road Synagogue and makes conscious efforts, in his own words, ‘to give back to the community’. He also has a strong interest in the fields of business and finance in which he works part-time.
Jeremy Richards
Jeremy grew up in Hove and is married with five children. He then studied in Israel in Yeshivat Hamivtar (Brovenders) and Ohr Someach. Jeremy later graduated from Jews’ College, London with a BA (Hons.) in Jewish Studies and subsequently gained a PGCE in Education and an MA in Information and Communications Technologies from London University’s Institute of Education.
A graduate and Fellow of the Lookstein Centre for Jewish Education in the Diaspora ( Bar Ilan University), Jeremy has worked as Head of Kodesh, Deputy Head Teacher and in Teacher Training. He currently teaches at the Menorah Foundation School.
Yisroel Sandman
Dr Israel Sandman studied at University of New Haven (CT, USA) for his BA in Political Science. He secured his PhD in Medieval Jewish Studies from the University of Chicago (IL, USA). As a Senior Research Associate at University College London’s Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies, Dr Sandman’s research embraces medieval Hebrew manuscripts and medieval Jewish thought. In the wider community he lectures on these topics as well as on Hasidic thought
Asher Dworkin
A man of varied interests, active in communal work of all kinds, Asher gained a scholarship to Immanuel College, Bushey. After leaving school he studied at Yeshivat Shaalvim in Israel before joining the Meng Programme in Biomedical Engineering at University College London, where he expects to graduate in 2021 and then proceed to study for a Ph.D.
Avi Son
Avi, formerly Youth Director at Edgware United Synagogue, is currently serving as its Community Development Manager. Educated at Yavneh College and then at Yeshivat Hakotel, he gained his BA Hons degree in History from University College, London.
Mord Maman
Mord Maman attended the Jewish Grammar Scbool in Manchester before learning at Mercaz HaTorah in Yerushalayim. He has a degree in History and is a Front End Web Developer. Mord is currently the Parnas Presidente of the Manchester Congregation of Spanish and Portuguese Jews.
Mark Garfield
Mark Garfield completed his first degree at Jews’ College and then took a PGCE in Religious Education. This was followed by an MA in Leadership and Management. A qualified Headteacher, he is currently Deputy Head of Beis Medrash Elyon. Mark has officiated in several synagogues for many years and enjoys leading services on Shabbat and Chagim.
Jonathan Newman
Jonathan is a chartered accountant with experience in investment reporting, forensic and general accounting. He is an alumnus of Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush), holds a BA in History from Queen Mary, University of London, and an MSc in Economic History from LSE. Jonathan is gabbai at Toras Chaim in Hendon and runs the shul’s Avos U’Bonim programme. He is married with 6 children and is currently Head of Finance at Shelley Capital Management based in Borehamwood.
In attendance
(The following are not members of the Semicha Course but attend the learning on an informal basis)
Raviv Rahmani
Raviv Rahmani was educated in Italy and is now settled in London where he is working and studying for English Secular qualifications. He is following the Semicha course which he hopes to join formally on completion of his secular studies.
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