The Orthodox and Liberal streams are active in Ireland, with Irish Jewish life centered in Dublin where there are two orthodox synagogues – Dublin Hebrew Congregation and Machzekei Hadas – and one progressive one – Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation (DJPC). The synagogues are maintained and supported through the tireless efforts of their devoted members. There is a regional Chabad center at University College Dublin.
The chief rabbi of Ireland is meant to supervise the country’s synagogues, but the appointment of a chief rabbi has been put on hold since 2008, due to financial reasons. Rabbi Zalman Lent is the current community rabbi, and is considered the acting, or de facto, chief rabbi. Past chief rabbis of Ireland have included Rabbi Isaac Herzog and Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits who became, respectively the chief rabbis of Israel and of the British Commonwealth. Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi of Ireland from 1985 to 1992, currently serves as the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.
Kosher food can only be found in Dublin, with few food options. Few options exist outside of the Dublin synagogues; a supermarket that sells limited kosher food to the Dublin community at large, and a bakery that uses Jewish bakery practices are the only other options. Since the community no longer has its own kosher butcher, kosher meat and other products are imported from the United Kingdom.