Rabbi Yaakov Grunewald was born in Tel Aviv on 26 October 1945. In 1958, just before his Bar Mitzvah, he came with his parents and two brothers to London. His Bar Mitzvah took place in the Golders Green Beth Hamidrash, where Rabbi Eli Munk served as the Rabbi at the time. During his two-year stay in London, he was inspired by the religious life of that community and it was then that he began to see himself as a future Rabbi.

In 1960, his father became the Chief Rabbi of Hamburg. In that year the new synagogue of the city was built and consecrated. For three years, Rabbi Grunewald assisted his late father, by leining regularly and leading the weekday services. He attended the English International School, in which he met and befriended children from all over the world. It was an unforgettable experience. In 1963, Rabbi Grunewald’s father became the Rabbi of Munich and, for some of the time, during the 1960s, Rabbi Grunewald taught Judaism to the children and young people of that community.

In 1963, Rabbi Grunewald returned to London and began his studies for BA Honours, in Semitic Languages, at Jew’s College, which was, at the time, located at 11, Montague place in the West End. At the same time, he attended the Etz-Chaim Yeshiva in the East End. He graduated in 1966. During his three years as an under-graduate, he worked, as a student minister, first in the Central Synagogue and then at St Johns Wood Synagogue.

After his degree, Rabbi Grunewald went to Gateshead Yeshiva and then to Montreux Yeshiva. He returned to Jews’ College in 1968 and studied for the Minister’s Diploma. At the same time, he attended courses in Jewish Education. His interest in Jewish education led, in 1968, to his first appointment as head teacher at the Brixton Synagogue Classes.

In 1970, he began working for S’michah under the guidance of Rabbi Dr Nachum Rabinowitch, the then Principal of Jews’ College. He obtained his S’michah in 1976, together with Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who later became the Chief Rabbi.

In 1968 he also became the official Ba’al Koreh at the Western Synagogue in Crawford Street. He held that position for three years.

In 1971, he was appointed Assistant Minister at St Johns Wood Synagogue, with special responsibilities for the youth and young married couples. He developed the youth services on Shabbat and Sundays and organised the Youth Club in the afternoon. He taught the children extensively, conducted weekly lessons in Modern Hebrew for adults and organised events for the newly married.  One of the most exciting projects he undertook was to take groups of children away in order for them to experience authentic and memorable Shabbatot.

In April 1976, Rabbi Grunewald was appointed Rabbi at the Pinner Synagogue which he led for 35 years until his retirement in 2010.

During his period of leadership the Pinner Community grew from being a very small affiliated community to becoming a major Synagogue within the family of the United Synagogue. Its membership grew from about 300 to more than 1000. During the 1980’s, Rabbi Grunewald oversaw the Hebrew Classes which had 400 pupils and developed educational programmes for both the children and adults.

In 1982, the community reached a milestone when the new synagogue was built, after many years of planning. The Shabbat attendance increased steadily. For 20 years, the shul had a bar mitzvah almost every week and it thrived. Rabbi Grunewald also promoted and organised the Bat Chayil ceremonies which became extremely popular.

In the early 1990’s, Rabbi Grunewald was instrumental in supporting and establishing another branch for the members of his Pinner shul. This was for members who lived in Northwood. This new shul was to be based geographically in their own neighbourhood, in Northwood. For several years it remained a satellite community and Rabbi Grunewald officiated and assisted them in their endeavours. He walked there regularly on Shabbatot. Eventually, in the mid-1990’s, Northwood Synagogue became a separate community in their own right and became independent.

The Pinner community continued to thrive. In 1991, the new beautiful youth Centre was opened which offered excellent facilities to the youth. Youth leaders were appointed and there were activities there every day of the week.

The Shabbat Youth Service, which Rabbi Grunewald encouraged and helped to organise, became an important institution in its own right and many children, who took part in the service during that period, have become Ba’alei Tefillah, in shuls all over the world.

Rabbi Grunewald was a founder governor of the Moriah School in Pinner, which opened in 1997. It is now an excellent school, with state of the art facilities, giving a firm foundation of Jewish and secular education in the primary phase. There is also a thriving kindergarten on the shul premises.

Throughout the years, Rabbi Grunewald, together with his committee, organised the adult education programmes at his synagogue in Pinner. Over the years, many changes took place. In the last 15 years, the present Shape Programme has continued to attract a great deal of interest, by offering a variety of lectures, led both by members of the community and outside speakers. Throughout the years, Rabbi Grunewald has conducted Shiurim in Halachah and Talmud, during the day and two evenings a week. He continues to give his shiur in Halachah, Bible and Jewish Life on Monday nights at Pinner synagogue.

He taught leining to hundreds of children and encouraged them to take part in the service.

For many years, Rabbi Grunewald taught Bible Commentaries to degree students at Jews’ College as well as Hebrew Grammar and Religious Knowledge  to advanced pupils at the Hasmonean and Menorah High Schools.

Rabbi Grunewald was also a member of the steering committee of  the Encounter conferences, which took place for a number of years and attracted a great deal of interest.

For many years, he was a member of the chief Rabbi’s cabinet as well as the treasurer and a member of the executive of the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue.

In October 2010, Rabbi Grunewald retired from the post of Rabbi of the Pinner synagogue. He is now its Emeritus Rabbi and, in this capacity, continues to visit some members.

Upon his retirement, he became Rabbi of South London synagogue, where he serves this community on a part-time basis. He is available, at all times, to its members, to everyone who is interested in its activities and to whoever needs the services of a rabbi and teacher.