Ilana Epstein

Ilana Epstein is one half of the senior rabbinic team, together with her husband Daniel, at the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in Central London. They have been in post since March 2021; previously serving in the 1,200-member Cockfosters & N Southgate community in North London since 2014, after living and working in Israel for 17 years.

From 2018 to 2023, she was Director of Educational projects and Chief Learning Officer at the Jewish Futures group – a multi-million pound portfolio of 12 non-profit organisations at the leading edge of informal Jewish education and experience.

Ilana devised and leads a professional development programme for the wives of over 30 European rabbis; writing educational content and resources and delivering workshops and lectures to help enhance their community skills, effectiveness, time management and professionalism.

In 2023, Ilana and Rabbi Epstein were individually selected for the inaugural cohort of Sacks Scholars – a group of 26 international communal educators and leaders convened by the Rabbi Sacks Legacy Trust to develop Rabbi Sacks’ zt”l ideas and continue to disseminate his Torah philosophies and teachings, after his untimely passing.

Ilana, has led educational programmes for the Office of the Chief Rabbi’s “Ben Azzai Programme” to Ghana, and Rwanda, educating UK Jewish students and future community leaders on the challenges of Global Development, NGOs, poverty and social & political development. She also participates in Holocaust education, leading groups to Poland with the “Holocaust Educational Trust” and “March of the Living UK” organisations since 2015.

Ilana has participated in the 18-month “In Good Faith” programme, a joint initiative between the Chief Rabbi’s Office and Lambeth Palace, the seat of the Anglican Church, under the Archbishop of Canterbury. She has also consulted at the British Ministry of Defence on Jewish voices within the Jewish Chaplaincy to the British Armed Forces.

In early 2024, Ilana was retained to write historical and background material to accompany SKY Atlantic/Peacock/Stan network’s adaptation of Heather Morris’s novel “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”, released in May 2024.

Ilana is now working with the Rabbi Sacks Legacy on their PSHE programme, educating schoolchildren on understanding antisemitism.