In 2003, management of the UOS, with foresight and vision, recognised the need for eventual succession in the Beth Din, and after a series of meetings and discussions with the Beth Din, the “Dayanut Programme” was born.

Harnessing the talent of the local rabbinate, an initial group of four rabbis were selected according to criteria set by the Beth Din. These rabbis would learn a prescribed syllabus over a period of at least eight years, with the aim of graduating as dayanim.

During the course of the programme, two of the initial rabbis left the programme, and one new rabbi was added. Although two rabbis had left the group, the programme bore fruit in that their training and completion of various modules added to their rabbinic competency giving benefit to themselves and to the communities they serve/d.

In 2009 and 2010 the Dayanut group members were: Chief Rabbi Dr W Goldstein, Rabbi A Klein and Rabbi M Trepp. Rabbi M Liebenberg of Cape Town and Rabbi G Fox of Pretoria joined the programme in an ad hoc manner, i.e. that they would not receive a stipend for learning and that due to their vast communal commitments they would only be able to dedicate less time to the programme, they were allowed to complete the program at their leisure.

During the period under review, Rabbis Goldstein, Klein and Trepp completed the remainder of hilchot dayanim as well as hilchot eidim and started hilchot pru urvu and ishut . Dayan D Baddiel on his appointment in November 2009 took an active part in giving overview shiurim to the group, and organising on occasion Rabbi Kurtstag to give a shiur to the group.

Rabbis Goldstein, Klein and Trepp graduduated as Dayanim in July 2011 and were ordained by Rabbi Kurtstag and by Eretz Hemdah, a specialised Kolel based in Jerusaelm.

On behalf of the members of the group, I would like to extend our profound thanks and appreciation to management of the UOS for their support and funding of this programme.

I wish you a successful conference.

Rabbi Anton Klein
DIRECTOR - BETH DIN