Eliezer Zobin

Dayan
Eliezer Zobin
OccupationsSenior Rabbi, Ner Yisrael Community
Dayan, London Beth Din
MovementOrthodox Judaism

Eliezer Zobin is a British Orthodox rabbi who serves as a dayan, a rabbinic judge, of the London Beth Din, a community rabbi of a Modern Orthodox community in Hendon, and is a rabbinic advisor to numerous UK Jewish community organisations and charities.[1]

Biography

Eliezer Zobin grew up in Golders Green, London, and attended Menorah Primary School and Hasmonean High School.[2] In 1993, as a 17-year old, he achieved the highest mark for economics in the country, and was awarded the Shell Prize for excellence in A-levels.[3][4][5]

Zobin holds an MA in Jewish Education from the University of London as well as a Teaching Qualification.[6]

He is married, with four children and one grandchild.[7]

Rabbinic and pastoral roles

From 2014-2023, Zobin served as Principal at Immanuel College, a private, co-educational Jewish day school in Bushey, Hertfordshire.[8][9][10] The school was established by the then Chief Rabbi Lord Jakobovits in 1990, to educate and equipped students with Orthodox Jewish values whilst providing a strong secular education. In this role, he showed a broad and sensitive understanding of contemporary issues facing Jewish youth.[11][12][13]

Zobin joined the modern Orthodox Ner Yisrael community in Hendon as associate rabbi in 2014. He delivered shiurim, managed educational and social events, and provided pastoral care and halachic guidance primarily for young families. In 2018 was appointed senior rabbi, succeeding Rabbi Alan Kimche.[14][15] Zobin remains in this role, providing weekly shiurim on Tanach, Talmud, Jewish history and philosophy, delivering regular sermons, and offering halachic guidance and pastoral care.

In February 2023, Zobin was appointed as one of five dayanim (rabbinic judges) of the London Beth Din,[16] recognised for his expertise in Jewish law and his experience within Modern Orthodox communities.[17][18] As a Dayan, he serves under the Rosh Beth Din, Dayan Menachem Gelley, and liaises closely with Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis KBE. Dayan Zobin was reported to have “impressed the recruitment committee with his expertise in Pesak Halacha (pronouncing religious decisions on nuanced halachic questions) and his substantial experience in the rabbinate.”[19] Michael Goldstein, President of the United Synagogue, also welcomed his appointment.

The rabbinic court has a historically respectable reputation, having been seen as a “world-ranking halachic authority.”[20] Over more than a decade, Dayan Zobin had built a rapport with many of the senior halachic authorities in the UK, past and present, taking advice and counsel.[21] As a dayan, Zobin is also known for his experienced leadership, guidance, and mentoring.[22][23] In his capacity as Dayan, he also serves as a senior rabbinic advisor to several UK Jewish charities, dealing with health, mental health, and education, and also is the senior rabbinic advisor to a community-run ambulance service.[24][25]

Alongside these two positions, Dayan Zobin currently serves community organisations and key charities in a number of official capacities. He is the Rabbinic Patron of The British Association of Orthodox Jewish Mental Health Professionals; the Rabbinic Patron of Chana, a leading fertility support organisation for the Jewish community in the UK;[26] and Rabbi of the Modern Orthodox Sinai Youth Movement. Zobin serves as the Halachic Authority for Camp Simcha, a UK support charity for families of seriously ill children,[27] and the Rabbinical Supervisor for the Youth Platoon, a mental health charity offering support to teenagers.[28] Previously, he volunteered for Drugsline, an addiction support charity, which was in operation from 1983-2012.[29]

Dayan Zobin is also the Principal of the Independent Jewish Day School.[30] He teaches at the Evening Beis, a Torah learning institution for Jewish university students and professionals based in Hendon, northwest London, previously as a Talmud lecturer, and currently hosting a weekly in-depth Q&A session exploring topics of Jewish philosophy and contemporary Orthodox living.[31]

Dayan Zobin has worked or supported numerous other organisations and Jewish learning institutions. He has served Rosh Beit Ha'Midrash at LSJS,[32] and has taught on the Montefiore College Semicha programme and the Rabbinic Training Academy.[33] He was a founding rabbi of the Federation of Synagogues ShailaText service. He continues to lecture regularly, particularly on current, debated issues affecting Jewish life today.[34] Dayan Zobin is said to offer rabbinic and pastoral advice widely across in the UK Jewish community, including at United Synagogues, JLE, SEED, and more, and is involved in educational activities, including women's Jewish learning initiatives, across the UK.[35][36][37]

Leadership and views

In November 2020, Dayan Zobin hosted a talk with Rahima Mahmut, UK director for the World Uyghur Congress, seeking to raise awareness of the Persecution of Uyghurs in China amongst the UK Jewish community, reportedly one of the first Jewish communities to do so.[38]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zobin was reported to have urged members of Jewish communities in north-west London to comply with government public-health guidance, including social-distancing regulations.[39][40]

Dayan Zobin has regularly featured on YouTube interviews for J-TV, on topics such as modern Jewish identity, Judaism and AI, Religious Responses to Covid-19, Morality, balancing Jewish and Secular Values, and more.[41][42][43][44] In July 2025, he was a guest on JTeen's podcast, a Jewish community mental health charity, discussing "Emotional Crisis & Halacha".[45]

In a May 2025 news interview, Dayan Zobin condemned antisemitism on university campuses.[46]

Dayan Zobin contributed to the 2022 essay collection Strauss, Spinoza & Sinai: Orthodox Judaism and Modern Questions of Faith, which received a favourable reception by academic reviewers, and has been regarded as an important contribution in contemporary discourse around faith, philosophy and modernity.[47][48][49][50][51][52] Reviewers have commended Zobin's "bold" use of modern subjectivism in advocating for Orthodox Judaism.[53][54][55]

References

  1. ^ Rocker, Simon (21 February 2023). "London Beth Din announces new dayan". The Jewish Chronicle. London. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  2. ^ "Who we are". London Beth Din. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  3. ^ O'Brien, Linda (26 August 1993). ""Top of the Class"". Hendon Times. p. 5.
  4. ^ Rothenberg, Ruth (27 August 1993). "Top grade performances from A-level students at the Hasmonean High, JFS and Carmel schools". Jewish Chronicle. No. 6488. p. 9.
  5. ^ "Hasmonean top comprehensive again". Jewish Tribune. No. 1197. 26 August 1993. p. 3.
  6. ^ "JCR-UK: Rabbinical Profiles of Orthodox Ministers whose Surnames begin with W, X, Y or Z". www.jewishgen.org. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  7. ^ Rocker, Simon (21 February 2023). "London Beth Din announces new dayan". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  8. ^ Rocker, Simon (1 December 2016). "Immanuel College headteacher to leave next year". The Jewish Chronicle. London. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  9. ^ Rocker, Simon (23 January 2017). "Darwin can be a Jewish studies teacher's best friend". The Jewish Chronicle. London. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  10. ^ Rashty, Sandy (25 February 2013). "Teachers learning a fresh perspective on the Holocaust". The Jewish Chronicle. London. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  11. ^ Rocker, Simon (1 December 2016). "Immanuel College headteacher to leave next year". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  12. ^ Rocker, Simon (23 January 2017). "Darwin can be a Jewish studies teacher's best friend". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  13. ^ Rashty, Sandy (25 February 2013). "Teachers learning a fresh perspective on the Holocaust". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  14. ^ Sugarman, Daniel (13 December 2018). "North London shul promotes from within for new rabbi". The Jewish Chronicle. London. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  15. ^ "Jewish Communities & Records-UK: Rabbinical Profiles of Orthodox Ministers whose Surnames begin with W, X, Y or Z". www.jewishgen.org. Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 13 December 2025. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  16. ^ "Who we are: Dayanim of the London Beth Din". London Beth Din. 1 January 2025. Archived from the original on 9 September 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  17. ^ Josephs, Lily (23 February 2023). "Zobin appointed new Beth Din Dayan". The Jewish Weekly. No. 269. London. p. 6. Retrieved 19 November 2025 – via Issuu.
  18. ^ Rosenberg, Michelle (22 February 2023). "London Beth Din appoints new dayan". Jewish News. London. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  19. ^ Rosenberg, Michelle. "London Beth Din appoints new dayan". Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  20. ^ Rocker, Simon (21 February 2023). "London Beth Din announces new dayan". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  21. ^ Ner Yisrael (27 November 2022). Hesped for Dayan Ehrentreu (Rabbi Zobin - Ner Yisrael- 27.11.22). Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via YouTube.
  22. ^ Green, Alma (9 February 2026). "Ner Yisrael breaks the mould with appointment of rabbinic interns". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  23. ^ Frazer, Jenni. "Seven more female educators graduate from Chief Rabbi's Ma'ayan programme". Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  24. ^ Rosenberg, Michelle. "'Judaism in its finest form': Chief Rabbi affixes mezuzah on Hatzola HBS cabin". Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  25. ^ Conway, Ben (17 February 2026). "Chief Rabbi gives his blessing to new Hatzola chapter". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  26. ^ "Rabbinic Patrons". Chana Charity Ltd. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  27. ^ "Our board and advisors". Camp Simcha. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  28. ^ "The Team". youthplatoon.com. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  29. ^ Sheinman, Anna (27 September 2012). "Drugsline goes into liquidation". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  30. ^ Rocker, Simon (7 May 2024). "Independent Jewish Day School rated outstanding for religious studies". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  31. ^ "Our Rebbeim". Evening Beis. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  32. ^ "Rabbi - Eliezer - Zobin | London School of Jewish Studies". www.lsjs.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  33. ^ "Rabbonim And Dayonim – The Rabbinic Training Academy". rabbinictraining.org. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  34. ^ Synagogue, United (10 December 2024). "Bushey's talk on Jewish law, ethics and more". United Synagogue. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  35. ^ "Our Professional Team - Ner Yisrael". www.neryisrael.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  36. ^ "Chidon HaTanach renews International Tanach Quiz in the UK – Chidon HaTanach UK". chidonhatanach.org.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  37. ^ Nishmat's Alisa Flatow Programs (15 January 2025). Dayan Eliezer Zobin- From Prophets to Sages: Finding Light in Darkness. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via YouTube.
  38. ^ Ner Yisrael (22 November 2020). Uyghurs in China with Rahima Mahumat. Retrieved 11 February 2026 – via YouTube.
  39. ^ Mordechai. "Follow lockdown rules! | The Jewish Weekly". thejewishweekly.com. Archived from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  40. ^ Jacobs, Ellie (2 February 2021). "Leading Charedi rabbis issue plea for communities to follow lockdown rules". Jewish News. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  41. ^ "J-TV: The Global Jewish Channel". j-tv. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  42. ^ J-TV: The Global Jewish Channel (19 May 2019). Uplifting monologue on the beauty of Jewish identity. Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via YouTube.
  43. ^ 18 reactions | “The idea that so called “ultra orthodox” Jews largely oppose Israel and Zionism is a fallacy. Dayan Eliezer Zobin reveals the truth in full detail in our hour long J-TV interview. | J-TV: Jewish Ideas. Global Relevance. Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via www.facebook.com.
  44. ^ "Spotify – Web Player". Spotify. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  45. ^ JTeen (13 July 2025). Episode 2: Is this Pikuach Nefesh? Emotional Crisis & Halacha Yaakov Barr, Ari Leaman & Dayan Zobin. Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via YouTube.
  46. ^ Kempinski, Yoni. "רב קהילה בלונדון לערוץ 7: "תמיכה מלאה בישראל - מהממשלה ועד המלך"" [Rabbi in London to Channel 7: "Full support for Israel - from the government to the King"]. Israel National News Channel 7 - Arutz Sheva (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 15 October 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  47. ^ "Orthodox Jews confront Leo Strauss' defense of orthodoxy". Claremont Review of Books. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  48. ^ "Athens and Jerusalem Revisited – Juliana Geran Pilon". Law & Liberty. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  49. ^ Online, Tradition (29 January 2023). "BOOK REVIEW: Strauss, Spinoza & Sinai: Orthodox Judaism and Modern Questions of Faith, edited by Jeffrey Bloom, Alec Goldstein & Gil Student - Tradition Online". Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  50. ^ "Athens and Jerusalem Revisited | The Daily Economy". 27 June 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  51. ^ Kepnes, Steven (9 July 2022). "Strauss, Spinoza and Sinai: Orthodox Judaism and Modern Questions of Faith Edited by Jeffrey Bloom, Alec Goldstein, and Gil Student (NY: Kodesh Press, 2022) Pp. 343". Contemporary Jewry. 42: 337–339.
  52. ^ April 22, Samuel Gregg •; 2022 (22 April 2022). "Leo Strauss, Spinoza, and an enlightened faith". Religion & Liberty Online. Retrieved 12 February 2026. {{cite web}}: |last2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  53. ^ "Believers Respond: Reviewing 'Strauss, Spinoza & Sinai'". 18Forty. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  54. ^ Klein, Reuven Chaim (25 October 2022). "Leo Strauss and Orthodox Judaism - Man & Culture Magazine". Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  55. ^ Frankel, Steven (Fall 2022). "Book Review: Strauss, Spinoza & Sinai". Interpretation A Journal of Political Philosophy. 49 (1): 49–57.
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