Rabbi Levine's Profile

I was born in Lambeth in south London where I lived until the age of six. We then moved to Forest Gate which at the time was a more Jewish community which had several shuls within walking distance. West Ham shul, affectionately know as Earlham Grove Shul, was to become the family shul (and later my first post!) It was here that I really acquired my love for community shuls.

I attended Beis Shammai Grammar School which started out in Stamford Hill and then moved to the leafy suburbs of Chigwell in Essex. At the age of sixteen, the time had arrived for me to move out and start my Yeshiva life. First stop: Morristown, New Jersey in America where I stayed for two years. Still young, I needed to move on. Everyone seemed to be going to Israel and there really was only one place for me: Kfar Chabad - an idyllic village set off the main road amongst the famous orange groves just outside Tel Aviv. I remained here for seven years, completing my studies with Semicha from Rabbi Yeroslavski of Kiryat Melachi.

Returning home, I worked with my parents in the family business, a kosher delicatessen. The Jewish community had declined over the years and when the rabbi of our shul left, I officially took on the position as minister. I was there for four years before it officially closed in 2004. Having married in 2002, my wife and I moved to Edgware where we lived for two years. In 2003 I began working in the Kashrut Division of the London Beth Din where I continue to work until today.

In 2006 we moved once again to Watford. Now with two sons, we feel we have arrived somewhere that will become our home.

To contact Rabbi Levine by email.

Rabbi Levine's Induction

There was a full house for the induction of Watford & District Synagogue's Rabbi Ephraim Levine by The Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks on Sunday 17 June 2007.

The ceremony was attended by numerous distinguished guests including Claire Ward MP, Dorothy Thornhill, Mayor of Watford, Ian Oakleigh, prospective parliamentary Conservative candidate for Watford, Nobby Jutla and Richard Staff, senior police representatives, Charles Ingham, the Chief Crown Prosecutor for Hertfordshire, Dr Simon Hochhauser, President of the United Synagogue, the Rev Alan Greenbat of the Chief Rabbi's office and Rabbi Salasnik of neighbouring Bushey Synagogue.

The Watford community was delighted to welcome back three former ministers and their families as guests - Rabbi Barry Lerer, Rabbi Jeremy Rosten and Rabbi Daniel Roselaar.

The Chief Rabbi inducted Rabbi Levine as his wife Rochel, children Tzviki and Mendy, and 200 members of the synagogue congregation looked on. Chazan Henry Black and a superb choir led by David Rose made the ceremony a moving experience. Sir Jonathan Sacks commented, "I always enjoy coming to Watford synagogue. It's a very warm and welcoming community whose reputation goes before it. I am sure Rabbi Levine will rise to the challenge and take the community forward."

His speech also mentioned longstanding congregant Leigh Lewis who was recently knighted for his services to the Home Office.

After a surprise presentation of football shirts to both ministers, the Chief Rabbi's last official duty of the day was to unveil Watford's new memorial board. This was a particularly poignant moment for congregant Helen Gordon as the memorial includes the names of four members of her family who perished in the Holocaust.

She says, "My father, Montague Graham, is the only survivor of this branch of the family. He will see his parents Zlata and Kalma Grzmot and brothers Zelek and Benek commemorated for the first time as the records of all their lives were destroyed."

Rabbi Levine joined the Watford community in September last year, filling the post created by the departure of Rabbi Barry Lerer to Barnet.