Rabbi Daniel Epstein is the Senior Rabbi of Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London’s West End, serving alongside his wife Ilana since 2021. Born in London and educated at Imperial College, he began his career in public relations in Israel, founding a firm that supported clients across the government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. After receiving semicha in 2012 and 2013, Rabbi Epstein returned to London in 2014 to lead Cockfosters & North Southgate Synagogue.

He is a passionate educator, delivering programmes on Torah, politics, and Holocaust education to diverse audiences, and is a lead educator for the Holocaust Educational Trust’s “Lessons from Auschwitz” programme. In 2017, he launched the UK-wide “Mental Health Awareness Shabbat,” now adopted by over 180 institutions.

Rabbi Epstein is active in interfaith dialogue, regularly speaking in schools and on BBC Radio. In 2023, he addressed the Russian Byzantine Catholic Congress in the Czech Republic. He and Ilana have led Jewish development education programmes abroad and are members of the inaugural cohort of the Sacks Scholars programme. Rabbi Epstein also narrated seven audiobooks of Rabbi Sacks zt”l, published by Bloomsbury.

In 2024, the Epsteins hosted HRH Prince William at the synagogue. They have four children.

Ilana Epstein is Rebbetzin of Western Marble Arch Synagogue in Central London, serving with her husband, Rabbi Daniel Epstein, since 2021. Previously, they led the 1,200-member Cockfosters & North Southgate Synagogue after 17 years in Israel.

From 2018 to 2023, Ilana was Director of Educational Projects and Chief Learning Officer at Jewish Futures, overseeing educational initiatives across 12 UK-based organisations. She founded Ta’amim, a platform exploring Jewish culinary heritage, and runs “Wine & Challah”, her blog on Jewish life and food. A qualified French patisserie chef, Ilana uses food as a lens to teach Jewish history and values, and has led historical tours at London’s V&A Museum.

She designs and leads training programmes for the Conference of European Rabbis (“CER”) for over 30 European rebbetzins and teaches widely on community leadership, Holocaust education, and Jewish development. Since 2016, she has led trips to Poland with the Holocaust Educational Trust and March of the Living UK.

In 2023, she was named a Sacks Scholar alongside her husband, helping continue the legacy of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l. In 2024, she authored historical content for The Tattooist of Auschwitz TV mini-series (Sky/Peacock/Stan), and consulted on its marketing. Ilana studied Art History and Judaic Studies at Yeshiva University and is the mother of four.

Chazan Eitan Freilich is Resident Chazan at WMA.

One of the shining young stars of British Jewish music, he follows in a long tradition of innovative, joyful music at the Western Marble Arch synagogue.

Increasingly known across the UK for his inspiring synagogue services, Eitan is perhaps best recognised as one of the world’s most sought after simcha singers.  With three successful albums, numerous popular social media videos, and frequent performances in cities from Las Vegas to Venice, he has demonstrated his commitment to developing a style of music and simcha relevant and joyful for today’s Jewish world.

Inspired by his family’s rich Chazanut heritage, and his training under notable cantorial masters, Chazan Eitan has become celebrated for his unique blend of traditional Jewish liturgical music and contemporary melodies.

A graduate of the CASS Business School and Yeshivat Sha’alvim, Chazan Eitan is joined at WMA by his wonderful wife Gabriella, a qualified teacher who leads WMA’s childrens’ services, and  with their beautiful four children.

www.efmusic.co.uk

Rabbi Lionel Rosenfeld is Rabbi Emeritus at WMA.

We wish Rabbi Lionel and Natalie Rosenfeld Mazel Tov on their retirement.

Rabbi Lionel’s energy and passion for the community is only matched by his world-renowned voice. He is the fifth generation of a Jerusalem family of Rabbonim and Cantors, and is well respected for his composition of new Jewish music and performs at major events around the world with the Shabbaton Choir.

His long association with our community began when he served as our Chazan between 1988 and 1997 and returning as Rabbi in 2005. He is a passionate advocate for Israel, and with his wife Natalie, have four children and 14 grandchildren all living in Israel. The warmth and support that he and Natalie provide to all members of the community is shared with the many visitors who join us each Shabbat from all over the world.

נפלה עטרת ראשינו
מורינו הרב יעקב צבי בן דוד אריה זצ״ל
RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS

Western Marble Arch Synagogue, the Western Charitable Foundation with Rabbi Lionel Rosenfeld deeply mourn the untimely passing of our beloved spiritual leader and friend Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.

We wish long life to his wife Lady Elaine, son Joshua, daughters Dina and Gila and the extended family.

Gina Drew Davis is our Administrator, and as such heads up the office of the Western Marble Arch Synagogue. She owned a Jewish Nursery for 25 years, is a former Governor of JFS and has been an Executive member/lay leader of several charities including Hope Charity, which she managed in the UK for 13 years. Gina is a valuable point of contact for all members and visitors to our community.