FROM JERUSALEM TO JOBLESS: How his wife's Facebook posts ended a Rabbi's dream

Talk about a whirlwind weekend at Leeds University. The ink had barely dried on Rabbi Ariel Pariente and his wife Sonia's appointment as Jewish chaplains when controversial social media posts surfaced, leading to their immediate removal from the position.

The couple, who'd just packed up their life in Jerusalem and moved to Yorkshire with their three kids, found themselves in hot water after student groups dug up some Facebook posts from Sonia's account, allegedly including comments suggesting Israeli lives were worth more than Palestinian ones, and some particularly harsh words about Palestinian children.

The University Jewish Chaplaincy (UJC) didn't mess around. Within 24 hours of the posts coming to light, the organization had shown the Parientes the door - a move that's earned them serious props from university officials and Jewish community leaders alike.

"We welcome the swift action," Leeds University said in a statement, clearly relieved to have avoided a drawn-out controversy. Claudia Mendoza from the Jewish Leadership Council echoed the sentiment, noting that the lightning-quick response "reflects how seriously they take these matters."

But - this isn't even the first chaplaincy crisis Leeds has faced recently. The Parientes were actually brought in to replace Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch and his family, who had to literally flee campus after getting death threats over his role as an IDF reservist. That situation got so heated that West Yorkshire police had to arrest three people.

Now Jewish students across Yorkshire's universities are once again without permanent spiritual leadership. The UJC is scrambling to put temporary measures in place, especially with the High Holy Holidays around the corner. At least Leeds Hillel House is still running as usual, providing some stability for Jewish students on campus.

The whole situation has left the UJC red-faced about their social media screening process (these posts somehow slipped through the cracks) and highlighted just how tricky it is to navigate campus politics these days.

The Parientes aren't talking, but Leeds University is doubling down on its commitment to keep campus welcoming for everyone - Muslim, Jewish, or otherwise.

What is clear is that in today's social media age, what you post can come back to bite you - and fast. Just ask the Parientes, who went from settling into their new Yorkshire life to packing up again in less time than it takes to say "Facebook history."

The Jewish Chronicle contributed to this article.