Jeremy Richards BA(Hons.) MA PGCE
Jeremy says he is first and foremost a proud husband, father and now grandfather too. He grew up in Hove, East Sussex and, after A Levels, turned down a place in art college in order to pursue serious Torah studies.
Jeremy learnt in Israel in Yeshivat Hamivtar / Brovenders (first in Moshav Elazar and then Efrat) and Ohr Someach (Jerusalem), subsequently gained his first degree from Jews’ College, London (where his foremost mentor was Rabbi Dr. Irving Jacobs, ztz”l), and then his PGCE and Masters (in ICT in Education) from the Institute of Education, London University.
Left: Roshei HaYeshivah of Yeshivat Hamivtar, Rabbi Chaim Brovender, shlita; Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, shlita Right: Rabbi Dr. Irving Jacobs, ztz”l – former Principal, Jews’ College, London and author of “The Midrashic Process”
Jeremy later became a Fellow of the Lookstein Centre for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, Bar Ilan University; he and one other member of his cohort graduated from the Fellowship with Distinction, and were awarded prizes for their work.
Left: Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, ztz”l – previously one of Jeremy’s teachers as Principal of Jews’ College; Centre: Rabbi Michoel Jablinowitz, shlita – Jeremy’s main Rebbe in Yeshivat HaMivtar (now Rosh Hayeshivah of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim); Right: Rabbi Dovid Ebner, shlita – then Mashgiach Ruchani in Yeshivat HaMivtar (now Rosh Hayeshivah of Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi)
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Jeremy now has many years’ experience in a number of Jewish schools, as a teacher, Head of Kodesh (Jewish Studies) and Deputy Head Teacher. He trained in the Secondary sector, in Carmel College (Jewish boarding school), Oxfordshire, then worked in Ilford Jewish Primary School, Hasmonean Primary School, Kerem School (Primary), Beit Shvidler Primary School (formerly Edgware Jewish Primary School) Nancy Reuben Primary School and now Menorah Foundation Primary School.
In the late 1990’s Jeremy was invited to lecture in London to young ladies studying in the Gateshead Jewish Teachers’ Training College (Gateshead [‘Old’] Seminary). And in the early 2000’s he was asked to join a team of consultants working on the development of what became the JCP (Jewish Curriculum Partnership) Primary Schools Chumash Curriculum, now the PaJeS Primary Chumash curriculum (see here). During this project, Jeremy was privileged to work one-on-one with the now late great Gabriel Goldstein זצ”ל (see article here co-authored by Gabriel Goldstein and לבח”ל Rabbi Dr. Eli Kohn, שליט”א). This Chumash curriculum is now used across the UK, and in schools in Australia and South Africa.
Jeremy has worked as an education consultant and as a Professional Mentor and lecturer for the School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programme at the London School of Jewish Studies. He has several times led workshops at the National Conference of Primary Jewish Education, and for two years sat as a member of its planning committee. Jeremy delivered one of the mini-keynote sessions at the 2013 World ORT Naomi Prawer Kadar International Seminar for Digital Technology in Jewish Education, and has been writing and developing www.torahschool.co.uk since 2001.
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While in Yeshivah, Jeremy studied to be a Sofer STaM (scribe of religious texts) under Rabbi Natan Siegel ztz”l, Master Sofer and talmid of Rabbi J. B. Soloveitchik ztz”l. Rav Siegel personally hand-wrote Jeremy a Ktav Kabbalah certificate in Sofrut. Jeremy’s written study notes are here.
Above: Rabbi Natan Siegel ztz”l, Master Sofer
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Despite rejecting a career in art, Jeremy has continued to draw, specialising in pencil portraiture. Some of Jeremy’s work is posted on his website, here. He has also written and illustrated a number of ketubot, one of which is also on that page (he was asked to write one ketubah in Rashi Script, and nervously obliged! The couple did gain Rabbinic approval for this unusual request).
Jeremy studied voice production and singing method for four years under tenor, Maestro Leslie Seymour z”l, and has officiated as guest chazan in a number of communities around the UK, including St. John’s Wood Synagogue and Birmingham Central. He has taught many Bar Mitzvah boys to lein their sidrot.
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In memory of his parents ע”ה, Jeremy gives annual shiurim and occasionally publishes articles in the weekly international OnegShabbos journal. See here. He has written essays on the Chagim and many of the Parashiot in memory of his parents ע”ה.
Jeremy published a booklet of essays for Rosh Hashonoh, Yom Kippur and Sukkos 5779 – “Zichron Aryeh: Torah Thoughts for Rosh Hashonoh, Yom Kippur and Sukkos” – and one on the topic of Shabbos, “Ki Sisso…and its name is Shabbos,” in memory of his parents a”h and his friend & chevrusa, Dr. Leon Lewis ע”ה. The booklets are named “Zichron Aryeh” after Leon, whose Hebrew name was Aryeh ben Elyohu. See these booklets here.
‘Simcha in Uncertain Times’ is a shiur Jeremy delivered at ‘Start Your Day the Torah Way’ on 7th Teves 5781, 22nd December 2020, also in memory of his dear parents a”h, Leon a”h, and a special Rebbe a”h. Scroll down here to watch it or listen to an audio.
The shiur ‘The Journey to Ahavat Hashem’ was delivered by Jeremy via Zoom on 25th August 2021 as part of a series of weekly shiurim run by ‘2020 Torah’ in memory of Dalia Hillman z”l. Scroll down here to watch it or listen to an audio.
Jeremy has been a student in the Montefiore Endowment Semicha Kollel since January 2020.
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He is grateful to ה’ יתברך for all the blessings he has enjoyed and continues to enjoy, in particular his אשת חיל and wonderful children, בע”ה and grandchildren, נ״י.
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~ Updated 2022 ~
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