King David schools will rely on membership to synagogues rather than Jewish practice as the test for its admissions policy following last week’s Supreme Court ruling on JFS.

King David chair of governors Joshua Rowe said as a school with an Orthodox ethos, it will give priority to children whose parents are members of an Orthodox synagogue, but parents will not have to prove they attend it.

“The mission is to keep it simple for parents and for the school. We want as many children to join the school in the situation we’re in after the ruling.”

Mr Rowe added that members of any synagogue will still be able to apply to the school, although members of shuls under the Chief Rabbi or Israeli Rabbinate, if the family is from Israel, will be selected first. Despite Orthodox synagogue membership relying on the Jewish status of a person’s mother, a method now outlawed for Jewish schools under the Race Relations Act since last week’s ruling, Mr Rowe said synagogues fall under the act’s exemption for private member’s clubs.

(Source: The Jewish Chronicle)