James Kennard

James Kennard
James Kennard, Australian educator, Rabbi, and local community leader
Born24 June 1964
OccupationSchool Principal
Websitewww.rabbikennard.com

Rabbi James Kennard (born 24 June 1964) is an educational leader in the Australian Jewish community.[1] He previously served as the Jewish Student Chaplain at the University of Leeds, headteacher of King Solomon High School in Barkingside, London, and has been the principal of Mount Scopus Memorial College since 2007.[2]

Early life and education

Kennard was born on June 24, 1964. He attended St Paul's School in London and pursued mathematics at New College, Oxford. During his time at Oxford in 1984, he participated in the British televised quiz-show University Challenge.[3] Kennard received rabbinic ordination in Israel in 1989.

Career

From 1990 to 1992 , Kennard served as the Jewish student chaplain at the University of Leeds.

Between 1994 until 2004, he held multiple roles including founding head of Jewish Studies and head of Yavneh at the King David High School in Manchester, England. Additionally, from 1998 and 2004, he served as the headteacher of Broughton Jewish Cassel Fox Primary School in Manchester.

From September 2004 to December 2006, Kennard was the Headteacher of King Solomon High School, Barkingside, London. He then assumed the position of principal at Mount Scopus Memorial College in Melbourne, Australia, in January 2007.

Kennard has contributed articles to publications such as The Age, Jewish News, Australian Jewish News, and the London Jewish Chronicle, and has appeared on BBC radio and TV.

During his time in Australia, he was a member of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria and served on the executive,[4] through he later resigned due to his dissatisfaction with rabbinic leadership.

Public efforts

Kennard is a frequent critic of the rabbinic institutions in Australia. He called for the resignations of the heads of the Yeshiva Centre and the rabbis connected to abuse in the religious community.[5][6][7]

When the members of the Sydney Beth Din, including Moshe Gutnick and Yehoram Ulman, were found guilty of contempt of court, Kennard was the only high profile rabbinic figure to speak against them. He said, "I cannot remain silent when the rabbinate of Australia is prevented from fulfilling its primary task – to provide religious leadership to our community – by the refusal of its representatives to act with the highest standards of integrity, which should be the natural hallmark of any who bear the title ‘rabbi’."[8][9]

References

  1. ^ Who's Who in Australia
  2. ^ ."Jewry in UK and Oz so alike, says Rabbi". Jewish Telegraph. 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  3. ^ Rabbi Kennard on University Challenge 24 June 1984. YouTube. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021.
  4. ^ Kleinman, Rachel; Lee, Jane (21 February 2015). "Jewish community failed over abuse". The Age. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  5. ^ Davey, Melissa (9 February 2015). "Senior Jewish leader says Yeshivah rabbis should resign over abuse cover-up". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Jewish Community Failed over Abuse, by Rachel Kleinman, Jane Lee, The Age, February 21, 2015". www.bishop-accountability.org. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Rabbi Kennard: Glick must go". The Australian Jewish News. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  8. ^ "The rabbis confer". J-Wire. 27 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Rabbi Kennard: 'RCANZ has failed the community'". The Australian Jewish News. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.


Stub icon

This article about an educator is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.