Governors & Trustees
The school is governed by 12 governors from a variety of backgrounds. The governing body is chaired by Jason Marantz, with Simone Gershon as vice-chair, and is responsible for setting the direction of the school, including the approval of school policies, and the appointment of staff. The governing body oversees the following sub-committees:
- Admissions
- Education and Care
- Family Education
- Finance
- Fundraising
- Health, Safety and Security
- Limmudei Kodesh
- PR and Communications
- Premises
- Staff.
The charity that underpins Sacks Morasha, the Finchley Jewish Primary School Trust, is served by nine trustees who ensure that the charitable trust is run properly. The chairman of the trustees is Jeremy Newman, and he is supported by Peter Sheldon OBE, Jon Mendelsohn, Gillian Marantz and four individuals who are also on the governing body (Chavi Abeles, Robert Gershon, Ian Kamiel and Adam Phillips).
Trustee Profiles
Jeremy Newman (Chair of Trustees) was global CEO of BDO International Limited, one of the world’s leading accountancy networks, until September 2011, having previously been Managing Partner of BDO’s UK firm for seven years. He was a founder member and finance governor of The Leigh City Technology College for many years and served on the finance committee of North West London Jewish Day School. He was a trustee and treasurer for some ten years of the Community Security Trust, and before that was treasurer for over a decade of the UK branch of ORT, the world’s largest Jewish education and vocational skills training charity. Jeremy is a trustee of a number of private charitable trusts. He is married to Judi and they have two adult children.
Gillian Marantz was actively involved in Bnei Akiva both before and after her gap year in Midreshet Ha'Rova, having grown up in Manchester, and has also taught at cheder in Manchester and London. Gillian is a doctor who qualified from the Royal Free and University College Medical School in 2002. She holds a degree in Genetics and is currently working as an Oncology registrar at UCLH. Gillian is married to Jason and has three children, Ellie, Ora and Mark.
Jon Mendelsohn is currently a Partner at Oakvale Capital LLP. He is also the Chairman of Finchley United Synagogue (Kinloss). Married to Nicola, they have four children.
Peter Sheldon is a qualified chartered accountant with a corporate track record in senior positions in a wide range of listed and private companies. He has held positions as chairman, executive and non-executive director in private and public companies ranging from retail to high-tech, clothing manufacturing to banking, and healthcare to publishing. He has served as non-executive chairman of BATM Advanced Communications, a successful Israeli technology company listed on the London Stock Exchange for 12 years. His long involvement in the voluntary sector includes 12 years as chairman of Kerem Schools and 6 years as president of the United Synagogue. He is currently chairman of the Chief Rabbinate Trust, a trustee of the Jerusalem Foundation among other charities, and recently retired as a JP after 25 years' service. He was made an OBE in the 2010 New Years Honours for his services to the Jewish Community.
Michael Weinstein was joint Managing Director of Ernest Jones Jewellers plc until the business was sold and now runs a property investment group. He was Treasurer of University Chaplaincy for many years and is one of its Vice-Presidents. He is also a Trustee and Governor of the North West London Jewish Day School and has been actively involved in several of its committees, particularly Limmudei Kodesh, Staffing and Finance. Michael is married to Linda and they have two married adult children.
Governor Profiles
Chavi Abeles (Legal & Trustee) - Chavi grew up in Temple Fortune and was an active member of Bnei Akiva. After school she spent a year studying at Midreshet Lindenbaum ("Brovenders") in Israel. On her return, Chavi read law at Cambridge University and qualified as a solicitor in the Trusts and Charities Goup at Herbert Smmith in September 2006. Chavi now works as a solicitor specialising in Charity law at Bates Wells & Braithwaite LLP. Chavi and Daniel have a young son, Elisha.
Jonnie Cohen (Parent Governor, Family Education, Limmudei Kodesh) - Jonnie has extensive experience in a wide variety of leadership roles through Bnei Akiva, Tzedek and Limmud. He was an active member of the Limmud Executive, driving forward the education/programming agenda nationally. He built teams to develop new events, including LimmudFest, now an annual educational festival, and the Limmud Chavruta programme now in its 18th year. Previously, he established a volunteer programme with Tzedek, sending Jewish students to developing countries. Jonnie is a paediatrician specialising in Infectious Diseases at Great Ormond Street Hospital. He graduated from Oxford University Medical School, and has a PhD from UCL. He is married to Rimona and they have two children, Elia and Adina.
Rob Gershon (Treasurer & Trustee) - Rob has been involved in the community and with informal Jewish education from a young age, having spent many years as a participant and youth leader with B'nei Akiva, both before and after his gap year in yeshiva in Israel. He is also a graduate of the AJE's teacher training programme and the UJIA's Adam Science Programme for leadership in the Jewish community. Rob is Operations Director at Lyceum Capital Partners LLP, a private equity firm in Central London. He is a qualified chartered accountant, holds an MBA from Cass Business School (City University) and is a member of CFA UK. Rob is married to Simone and they have two sons, Rafi and Danny.
Simone Gershon (Vice Chair & Head of Fundraising Committee) - Simone has been involved in the Jewish Community from a young age. She was instrumental in setting up the youth centre at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue and, whilst at university, chaired the umbrella committee overseeing Jewish student activities in the Greater Manchester area. Simone subsequently served on the executive of the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) as a fieldworker. She holds a Masters degree from the London School of Economics in Mathematics, Statistics and Operational Research and is currently working as the Head of Strategy for BT Operate, part of British Telecom plc. Simone and Rob have two young sons, Rafi and Danny.
Hayley Gross (Head Teacher) - Click here for Hayley's full profile.
Ian Kamiel (Premises & Trustee) - Ian grew up in the Finchley community and was warden of the Minyan service for 3 years. He was active in Bnei Akiva and spent his gap year on their Hachshara programme. Ian has an Economics degree from Manchester University and has spent most of his career working in Jewish education; he is currently Chief Executive of University Jewish Chaplaincy. Ian was the Founding Chair of Governors, a position from which he stepped down in 2012. He is married to Angela and they have three sons, Jay, Charlie & Abe.
Jason Marantz (Chair of Governors) – Jason was born and raised in Winnipeg, Canada, and gained his BA and BEd there. Jason moved to the UK in 1999, gaining Qualified Teacher Status and an MA in Literacy Learning & Literacy Difficulties at the University of London. He has been a primary school teacher and, from 2008 to 2012, was Headteacher of Wolfson Hillel Primary School. He is now the Chief Executive of the London School of Jewish Studies. He also runs the 8-12 year old children's service at Kinloss. Jason is married to Gillian and they have three children: Ellie, Ora and Mark.
Ben Morris (Limmudei Kodesh) - Ben also grew up with a Bnei Akiva background, and spent one year learning at Ein Tzurim on the Hachshara Torani scheme. He has a law degree and a doctorate in regulation, and worked in a variety of public sector contexts, including the House of Commons and the National Audit Office, before joining KPMG Corporate Finance in October 2007. He spent 18 months as youth director of St John's Wood synagogue and regularly takes the services at several synagogues.
Talya Morris (Admissions) - Talya has been active in Bnei Akiva, Leeds University Jewish Society and the European Union of Jewish Students. She holds a degree in French and Italian and a masters degree in Romance Languages and Literatures from Columbia University in New York. Talya works in a city law firm where she specialises in EU and Competition Law. Talya and Ben have three children, Aviya, Daniella, and Calev.
Adam Phillips (Health, Safety and Security & Trustee) - Adam grew up in Stanmore and was an active member of Stanmore Synagogue. He has organised Bar Mitzvahs, weddings and corporate events for many years and won Jewish Care's Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He studied Accounting and Finance at Birmingham University and qualified as an Accountant (ACA) with BDO Stoy Hayward in 2004. He left BDO in 2005 to expand his party planning business, Uptown Events. He is involved with organising the events for many Jewish charities. Adam also has a property business.
Annabel Ries (Parent Governor & PR/Communications) - Annabel grew up in Elstree and then Golders Green. She was an active member of Bnei Akiva and has volunteered for Limmud and various other communal organisations. She has a BA in Social Anthropology and an MA in Applied Anthropology and Community and Youth Work, both from London University. She works part-time in publishing for a medical royal college. Annabel is married to Jonathan Weissbart and they and their two young children live in Golders Green.Leonie Sher (Education) - Leonie has particular responsibility for educational standards. She coordinates the United Synagogue's AJE Initial Teacher Training programmes. Her main responsibility is managing the School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) Programme, which is a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Leonie has had extensive experience in Jewish Primary Schools. She has held many posts of responsibility and has a particular interest in management and leadership. She has been a Deputy Head Teacher and acting Head Teacher. Leonie is a trained OFSTED inspector as well as a Pikuach inspector. She holds an Institute of Education Master's degree in Educational Management and Administration. Her Master's dissertation included an extensive study of the relationship between Head Teachers and their Deputies and how this relationship impacts on the leadership of the school. Leonie has participated in the Tavistock Institute Conferences on ‘Leadership in Organisations'.
