Our History

Jewish life in England can be traced back almost one thousand years.

1066

Jews were brought over from Normandy by William the Conqueror and the Domesday Book of 1086 records the Jew Manasseh owning land in Oxfordshire.
1066

1290

Jews were banished from Britain by King Edward I
1290

1656

Jews return to Britain
1656

1765

Fifty years after returning to Britain the offices of the Chief Rabbi and the Beth Din became the central religious authority for Jewish communities throughout the UK. R. Rabbi Dovid Tevele Schiff (Chief Rabbi 1765-1791) was instrumental in establishing the central orthodox authority, for which the UK is renowned.
1765

1830

Dayan Aaron Levy of the LBD was sent on a mission to Australia to be Mesader Gitin – arrange divorce proceedings – for the new colonists.
1830

1902

Marmite became kosher certified
1902

1910

Fry’s Cocoa bore “the sanction of the Ecclesiastical Authorities”
1910

1934

The appointment of Gaon HaRav Yechezkel Abramsky (the Chazon Yecheskel) as Rosh (Head) Beth Din the London Beth Din (LBD) became a leading, worldwide authority on Jewish law. Although there have been other heads of the LBD, it was Dayan Abramsky who established the policies and customs that are still followed by the LBD today.
1934

1984

Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu z’l was appointed Rosh Beth Din to the LBD. Always utterly approachable and amazingly personable. Previously he was Rosh Beth Din of Manchester and Rosh Kollel in Sunderland.
1984

1987

Appointment of Rabbi Jeremy Conway, as Executive Director of the Kashrus Division, London Beth Din (KLBD), formerly Rabbi of the Beis Hamedrash Hagadol Synagogue in Leeds and London University Chaplain.
1987

1991

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z’l served, until 2013 as the Chief Rabbi of the UK.
1991

2005

Launch of current KLBD logo.
2005

2007

Dayan Menachem Gelley Shlita, the current Rosh (Head) Beth Din, succeeds Dayan Ehrentreu.
2007

2009

Mars chocolates certified kosher in UK
2009

2010

The launch of Tesco kosher baked beans. Still going strong today.
2010

2013

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis appointed. Click here for the Office of the Chief Rabbi. His formal title today is “The Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth.”
2013

2015

Marmite is kosher again!
2015

2017

Warburtons become KLBD Kosher Certified.
2017

2023

KLBD and LBD launch new websites Today in the LBD serving alongside Dayan Menachem Gelley Shlita is Dayan Ivan Binstock, Dayan Shmuel Simons, Dayan Dovid Englander, and Dayan Eliezer Zobin.
2023
history_image

In addition to kosher, the LBD encompass all aspects of Beth Din work including court cases, divorces, conversions, Jewish slaughter, and any major problems community problems. Click here for the Beth Din website.

The largest department within the LBD is the kosher division (KLBD). KLBD includes certification of some 123,000 ingredients and over 4,700 retail products worldwide as well as licensing of over 150 caterers, bakeries, restaurants, bonbonnières, delis and shops.

KLBD has been kosher certifying factories for over a century. With the office of the Chief Rabbi’s historic links to Commonwealth countries, together with shrinking distances and increased globalisation the KLBD has established itself as a leading global authority on kashrut and become one of the top five international kosher certification agencies.

KLBD’s competencies lie in raw materials and speciality ingredients including flavours, colours, emulsifiers, food chemicals, dairy derivatives and vitamins. In order to maintain the highest standards

KLBD employs a team of world-class technical experts who are qualified in chemistry and food technology, in addition to a skilled team of production and commercial consultants which assist companies in reaching the market. These individuals work alongside Rabbinical Coordinators who are experts in Kosher law and the application thereof to modern manufacturing technologies.

The LBD is affiliated to the United Synagogue (U.S.), the main and largest orthodox grouping in the UK. The U.S. currently has 62 synagogues throughout the UK and maintains the full spectrum of orthodox facilities. Surpluses from the KLBD go to support the LBD and U.S. community work.