Meet Rabbi Akiva and Rebbetzen Batya Rosenblatt from Hampstead Synagogue
Hampstead Synagogue is one of London’s most historic and architecturally striking buildings. Located in the heart of North West London it has long been a centre of Jewish life, bringing together members across generations in a beautiful and inspiring setting.
Rabbi Akiva and Rebbetzen Batya Rosenblatt, together with their five young children, joined the community January 2026 and are settling into community life and working hard to ensure that everyone who walks through the synagogue doors feels welcomed and at home.
Rabbi Rosenblatt was born in Liverpool before moving to London as a child. He remains an avid Liverpool FC fan. Growing up as the son of a rabbi involved in outreach work, he was surrounded by people from many different backgrounds and communities.
“I was always fascinated by the journeys people take within Judaism,” he explains. “Meeting people from so many walks of life sparked my passion for connecting with others and sharing Judaism in a way that feels meaningful and relevant.”
Alongside this passion for people, Rabbi Rosenblatt spent many years studying in leading yeshivot in the UK and Israel. He is also a trained chazzan. Today he sits on the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue and serves as Honorary Principal at Wolfson Hillel Primary School.
Interestingly, the first United Synagogue building Rabbi Rosenblatt ever stepped into as a child was Hampstead Synagogue itself.
“At the time I grew up in a very different environment and wasn’t familiar with the United Synagogue world,” he recalls. “Life has a way of coming full circle.”
His entry into the United Synagogue rabbinate came somewhat unexpectedly. While studying in Israel he was encouraged by a family friend Andrew Harris, current chair of Woodside Park, to apply for a youth director position at Woodside Park Synagogue.
“I told them very honestly that I didn’t really want to be a youth director,” he laughs. “I was hoping for an assistant rabbi role.” To his surprise that is exactly what happened. “They came back and said we don’t think you’re suitable for youth director but we’d love to offer you the position of assistant rabbi.”
After two years at Woodside Park Rabbi and Rebbetzen Rosenblatt moved to Hadley Wood Jewish Community in 2020 just as the COVID-19 pandemic began.
It was an extraordinary time to begin leading a community. Like many rabbis during that period Rabbi Rosenblatt embraced digital platforms running programmes and connecting with people through Zoom YouTube and social media.
“People really got to know me through those platforms,” he says. “In some ways I became a kind of virtual rabbi.”
When restrictions were lifted the community experienced remarkable growth. The journey was later described in an article in the Jewish Chronicle as “from Zoom to Boom.”
“It was incredible to watch,” he reflects. “The community flourished in ways we hadn’t expected.”
That period also brought personal challenges. During their time there, Rebbetzen Batya tragically lost her mother. The loss deeply affected the couple but also strengthened their sense of resilience and purpose.
Now at Hampstead Synagogue the Rosenblatts see enormous opportunity.
“I like to describe Hampstead as a sleeping giant,” Rabbi Rosenblatt says. “It’s an incredible community with huge potential. We just need to wake it up.”
Part of that vision involves reaching people who might not normally attend synagogue services. One initiative already making an impact is the “Wrap and Run.”
Every few weeks, participants gather early in the morning to put on tefillin, say a few prayers, hear a short Torah thought and then head out for a run followed by breakfast.
“It’s been amazing,” Rabbi Rosenblatt says. “Many of the people who come wouldn’t normally attend services but this gives them a way to connect spiritually socially and physically.”
While Rabbi Rosenblatt is often the public face of the community, he is quick to highlight the role of his Batya.
“People think a rebbetzen is only a rebbetzen because her husband is a rabbi,” he says. “But honestly I feel like I’m only a rabbi because my wife is a rebbetzen.”
Rebbetzen Batya grew up in Manchester. She studied at the Jewish Teachers Training College in Gateshead for three years before teaching Jewish studies at Broughton Jewish Primary School.
After marrying Rabbi Akiva and moving to Israel she studied at the Shelem College of Complementary Medicine in Jerusalem. Since training in the Three Principles approach to emotional wellbeing in 2018 with Dr George Pransky and Dr Mark Howard Batya has led wellbeing groups and seminars for women with a particular focus on relationships.
Within the community, Batya is revitalising the children’s services and gives regular talks in the synagogue whilst also helping to create the warmth and hospitality that bring people together.
Ultimately the Rosenblatts want Hampstead Synagogue to be a place where people feel they belong. The building itself is magnificent and inspiring but can sometimes feel intimidating to newcomers. They aim to ensure that everyone who walks through the doors feels comfortable, welcomed and at home.
“I’d love people to walk in and feel warmth connection and a real sense of belonging,” Rabbi Rosenblatt says.
Although it is still be early days but the energy is already building. With their warmth, creativity and dedication Rabbi Akiva and Rebbetzen Batya Rosenblatt are helping Hampstead Synagogue rediscover its strength and its spirit and as he describes “Waking the sleeping giant”.