Yitzchak Schochet
Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet is an Orthodox rabbi in England.
He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to the family of an unbroken chain of rabbis stretching back for two centuries. His father is Rabbi Jacob Immanuel Schochet, a Chabad rabbi and scholar. He is married and has five children.
Yitzchak Schochet was educated in Toronto, London and New York.[1] He received his semichah (rabbinic ordination) in 1988, and a Masters Degree in Jewish Studies from the University College London in 1994.
He was Rabbi of Richmond Synagogue from 1991 to 1993 before being offered the position as rabbi of the Mill Hill Synagogue, at the age of 28, in 1993 increasing the membership from 450 families to now in excess of 1000.
Having previously served as assistant principal of Oholei Torah Boys School in Brooklyn, NY, and having taught Advanced Jewish Studies at the Jews Free School in London, he currently serves as Hon. Principal of the Etz Chaim Jewish Primary School in Mill Hill.
He was mentioned by the Jewish press as a possible contender for the position of Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, but in an article published in The Jewish Chronicle he stated that he would not apply, because as a Lubavitch follower, his application would be overlooked.[2]
Rabbi Schochet also writes a highly acclaimed weekly column in the London-based Jewish News. He was formerly Diary Rabbi for The Guardian newspaper and has featured in most national broadsheets including The Times, Daily Mail and also Time Magazine International. He also serves as a frequent panelist on the BBC's Sunday Morning television program, "The Big Questions." He lectures extensively internationally and has headlined at the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem and several times at the National Jewish Retreat in the USA.
He blogs at the increasingly popular website, RabbiSchochet.com which was launched in September 2016. It currently has hundreds of hits daily.
The Jewish Telegraph listed him as one of the top ten most influential Rabbis in the UK and the Jewish Chronicle quotes him as one of the most outspoken Rabbis in the world.