UK Jewish school removes Russian oligarch from name

A UK Jewish school has removed Russian billionaire Moshe Kantor from its name in response to the oligarch being sanctioned by the British government.

The school changed its name from Kantor King Solomon High School to Barkingside’s King Solomon High School.

The school told the the UK Jewish News that Kantor’s name was being removed from its website, building and all materials that connected it with Kantor.

“We have been advised to do this by the charitable foundation and so we are doing it now,” school official Tracy Rubery said. “It’s in line with the guidelines we have been given”.

The school was named Kantor King Solomon in November 2016 due to Kantor’s support of the school which it described at the time as “vital to the school’s success.”

“Dr. Kantor’s involvement will enable the school to continue on its journey of improving the educational opportunities for children in east London and south Essex and provide a first class Jewish education for future generations,” head teacher Matthew Slater said in 2016.

At the beginning of April, the European Jewish Congress (EJC) announced that Kantor was stepping down as EJC president after he was sanctioned by the EU over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The European Jewish Congress is saddened by today’s decision of the EU to sanction Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress and the World Holocaust Forum Foundation,” the EJC said in a statement.

“Dr. Kantor is a British citizen who has lived for over three decades in Western Europe. He is a long-standing and respected Jewish leader, who has dedicated his life to the security and wellbeing of Europe’s Jewish communities and the fight against antisemitism, racism and xenophobia across the European Union,” added the EJC.

The British government had announced sanctions on Kantor several days prior, with British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss saying, "Today, we are stepping up our campaign to bring Putin’s appalling war to an end with some of our toughest sanctions yet."

Kantor is the CEO of the Acron Group, a mineral fertilizer producer and distributor that reportedly has ties to the Russian government.