A JEWISH rabbi's decision to remove his children from state education has left him facing expulsion by his religious leaders and the loss of his title.

Rabbi Philip Sharp, who set up the country's first Messianic Jewish Synagogue in Hove in 1994, says he is prepared to go to any lengths, including prison, rather than let state schools indoctrinate his children with pagan beliefs.

His radical views have led to widespread condemnation by religious groups and the

education authorities and now messianic Jewish leaders in the US have threatened to

withdraw his ordination.

Despite all the criticism,

the controversial rabbi remains defiant.

He said: "I will take it all the way and will go to prison if I have to. If I were to compromise, I might as well just throw the Bible away."

Mr Sharp, 40, of Old Shoreham Road, Hove, removed all his children from school after posters appeared on the noticeboard of Davigdor Infant School, where two of his

children attend, advertising Buddhist meditation classes.

He insisted such teaching went against the Torah and accused Jewish families who allowed their children to be taught pagan ways in state schools of disobeying God.

Now he is teaching Tamir, 12, Yogev 13, Yoni eight, Talya, four, and Jesse, six, at the synagogue in Livingstone Road and is currently trying to raise £150,000 to build a school next door.

He added: "I don't think my children are missing out. Such wonderful things have happened in their lives since I made this stand of faith.

"Children need strong

leaders. It's just a cop-out

saying they should be allowed to form their own views. The problem with that is that most parents don't have an identity of their own.

"My children are very secure, very happy and very loving. I have never kept anything from them or lied to them."

Mr Sharp's actions have been criticised by both Christian and Jewish groups in the Brighton area and this week the rabbi received further condemnation from his fellow believers based in America.

Rabbi Joe Finkelstein, one of the founders of the Messianic Jewish Alliance, said: "We are deeply troubled by the things he is preaching and unless he

complies with our discipline demands we shall withdraw his ordination and title of rabbi."

This followed from the news that Mr Sharp's lunchtime programme on London's Christian radio station Premier Radio, which was due to run for two weeks, had been abruptly axed.

Mr Sharp said: "Apparently someone rang them up and said I was a heretic and a madman."

He said he was not unduly worried by such threats and added: "I am not prepared to serve anybody's system. I want to obey God, not a system. If they throw me out, it will not matter. I will just carry on anyway.

"It's not that I want to fight everybody but I will fight for truth and justice. I believe the education system in this country is demonic and that God is going to use the things I am doing to bring a Jewish revival to Great Britain."

Paul Burnett, assistant director of education in Brighton and Hove, said: "Ever since Rabbi Sharp removed his children we have been trying to persuade him to return them. But he has refused to have anything to do with us."

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