Conference of European Rabbis Annual Review 2017-2018 (5777-5778) 31 www.rabbiscer.org Mission and Definition The European Beth Din (EBD) was established as an initiative of the late Chief Rabbi Lord Jakobovits z”l, then CER President. Responding to repeated requests from European communities where there was no functioning Rabbinical Court (Beth Din), the EBD was established to service the demand and provide comprehensive Jewish legal services across a broad array of European cities. The EBD is currently headed by Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit”a, who has over 30 years’ experience in leading the most distinguished UK Batei Din in London and prior to that in Manchester. He is the undisputed senior Halachic personality in Europe. In addition, the EBD employs Dayanim from established European Batei Din. Based in Basel, Switzerland, the EBD serves individuals and communities from Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. It provides the full range of Beth Din facilities, including: –  Supervision of Jewish religious divorce – Dispute arbitration / mediation – Supervision of adoptions & conversions – Communal dispute resolution –  Jewish status verification & certification – Rabbinical diplomas The parties to any financial dispute are required to sign an Arbitration Agreement prior to a hearing taking place, where the effect of this is that the award given by the EBD has the full force of an Arbitration Award and may be enforced (with prior permission of the EBD) by the civil courts. Conversions The EBD is particularly concerned to ensure that conversions to Judaism – which by definition are personal, life-changing experiences – are carried out in a sensitive, caring, and strictly Orthodox manner. The candidate’s sincerity and motives are paramount, as is both their exposure and commitment to a life of full Jewish practice. D AYA N C H A N O C H E H R E N T R E U , H E A D O F T H E E U R O P E A N B E T H D I N , R E C E I V E S O R D E R O F M E R I T O F T H E F E D E R A L R E P U B L I C O F G E R M A N Y