Mill Hill United minister in line for top job at major New York congregation

One of the UK’s most high-profile Orthodox rabbis is being lined up for the top job at a prestigious American congregation.

Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, who has led Mill Hill United Synagogue for nearly 30 years, is understood to have been approached by Park East Synagogue in New York.

Founded in 1888, it has been led for more than 50 years by Rabbi Arthur Schneier, who is 91.

But it hit the headlines last year after its assistant rabbi was fired in what the New York Times described as a “synagogue feud”.

Rabbi Schochet was unavailable for comment.

But a source said that he had been headhunted by the congregation, which announced last month that it was looking for a senior rabbi to become Rabbi Schneier’s “worthy successor”.

According to the source, Rabbi Schochet visited Park East a few weeks ago, where he delivered a number of well-received talks and met the selection committee.

Rabbi Schochet, 57, who is from Canada, became minister of Richmond Synagogue in London in 1991, moving on to the Mill Hill congregation two years later.