Central Synagogue

Updated coming soon

The decision of the Supreme Court in the JFS case has forced all Jewish schools to revise their admission arrangements. Below is an outline to the process. More information will be posted on this site shortly.

FAQs

1. What does the Supreme Court Judgment mean in practice?
The Supreme Court held that orthodox Jewish schools can no longer give priority to halachically Jewish children.

The School Admission Code allows the religious authority of schools with a religious character (sometimes called faith schools) to 'set out what objective processes and criteria may be used to establish whether a child is a member of, or whether they practise, the faith' (para 2.52). The Chief Rabbi has recommended that schools under his religious authority should develop tests of Jewish religious practice which can be used for this purpose. It is by no means satisfactory, but is the best option in order to remain compliant with the School Admission Code. The Chief Rabbi has suggested that the tests be based on the three basic pillars of Judaism: Torah, Avodah and Gemilut Chasadim, which loosely translate to Jewish education, prayer and voluntary community service.

2. So what do I have to do?
When applying to a Jewish school or nursery under the religious authority of the Chief Rabbi, you will need to have completed a Certificate of Religious Practice (CRP), a copy of which must be sent direct to the school or nursery together with its Supplementary Information Form (SIF). You should keep a copy of the CRP for future use.

If you wish to gain points by United Synagogue Shabbat morning service attendance, you must first register at the synagogue you and / or the child will be attending. Check the synagogue's website for registration details and its office opening hours. This registration cannot be undertaken on a Shabbat or Yomtov.

Synagogue Shabbat morning service attendance recording starts on 1st April 2010 for Essex United Synagogues and on 8th May 2010 for other United Synagogues.

3. Does this apply to all schools and nurseries under the religious authority of the Office of the Chief Rabbi?
Yes: both voluntary aided (state) and independent schools and independent nurseries are affected by the Supreme Court ruling and must comply with its requirements.

4. Have all schools adopted the same CRP?
No: but all Greater London OCR secondary schools are using the same form and almost all the primary schools and nurseries (their form is slightly different from the secondary school form), so there will be less need to fill in multiple forms.

5. Where can I get these CRP forms?
They will be downloadable from the schools' offices and / or websites and the schools' Local Authority.

6. The CRP has three sections. What are they?
Nursery, primary and secondary school forms require:
1. Synagogue Shabbat service attendance
2. Jewish educational activities
3. Voluntary Jewish communal, charitable or welfare activities over a specified period of time.
The main differences are that at secondary level, the participation of the child is to be recorded, whereas at nursery and primary, it is either the child and / or its parent/ guardian.

7. My personal circumstances prevent me from attending synagogue Shabbat services enough times to gain sufficient points. What can I do?
You can gain sufficient points without synagogue Shabbat service attendance.

8. Can parents or children just check into a synagogue and then leave straight away?
Absolutely not. Points will not be awarded for simply arriving at synagogue, recording attendance and leaving straight away. Synagogues are required to decline to record attendance on that basis.

9. I cannot attend Jewish adult education courses in my local synagogue. What can I do?
There are lots of educational opportunities in your local United Synagogue and non-members are welcome to attend. There are also many other programmes in the wider community.

10. I am not sure about volunteering. What does it cover?
Once again, your local United Synagogue should be your first port of call. In a United Synagogue, you should contact the Synagogue's Administrator or Project Chesed at the US (020 8343 5688) who will put you in touch with your Synagogue's Care Coordinator

11. How can I volunteer as I cannot spend time away from home?
There are many volunteering opportunities which can be carried out from home, eg by phone, on the internet, etc. Almost all United Synagogue communities have Care Coordinators, as do many other communities. Call Project Chesed at the US (020 8343 5688) who will put you in touch.

12. In order to undertake voluntary work, will I need a Criminal Records Bureau check?
In some instances it is necessary to have a CRB, particularly if you intend to volunteer to work with children or vulnerable adults. It will be best for you to ask the organisation with which you volunteer.

13. Will my child receive preferential treatment if we achieve more than the minimum number of points required for school admission?
Absolutely not. The CRP is not an examination, but a method of establishing whether a child is a member of, or whether they practise, the Jewish faith: that's all.

14. I've still got questions about the CRP, which I don't think you have answered. What can I do?
Please contact the school to which you are applying. The contact details are listed above.