COMMUNITY
It was the not the happiest of new years at Nottingham Hebrew Congregation, where Rabbi Moshe Perez declined a farewell kiddush, having been made redundant after 27 years’ service. “For me, to celebrate leaving is not a celebration,” he said. Goodwill was more in evidence in Bournemouth, where the Orthodox synagogue funded the burial of David Jacobs, who died with heavy debts and had no contact with family. The shul’s Mahir Ozdamar said it had been “incumbent on us as Orthodox Jews” to arrange a suitable burial. “It was a beautiful ceremony with a good turnout.”
Bushey Synagogue took an enterprising approach to funding the local eruv with a short-term sponsorship deal with a nearby hotel. For its duration, the religious boundary delighted in the title of the Bushey Eruv, sponsored by Holiday Inn London Elstree.
Spring dawned with the announcement of plans for a major merger — St John’s Wood United Synagogue joining forces with the Saatchi, which meets on the SJW premises. The aim is to create “the most vibrant and inclusive modern Orthodox community in central London”, although the two congregations will maintain their distinctive services. Given that the Saatchi was founded as the “cool shul” with the mission to attract smart, young metropolitan Jews, the amalgamation is seen as a coup for the United Synagogue.
There was also big news in a small community as Jodie Renaud celebrated Lincoln’s first bnei mitzvah in more than 700 years, which was held at the city’s Jews’ Court, where the once thriving community prayed until the expulsion of Jews from Britain in 1290. “We don’t want to lose that Jewish link,” Jodie said.
At the other end of the age spectrum, Beryl Shisler had her batmitzvah at 92 at Barnet Synagogue. She said she had not been batmitzvah in her teens because “in those days people didn’t have them — and there was a war on”.
As Pesach went out, the Stamford Hill branch of Morrisons was onto a winner with its in-store baked kosher rolls, a cheap and popular follow up to its freshly produced Chanukah doughnuts. By contrast, everything was off the menu at White House Express in Golders Green, which closed after immigration enforcement officers raided the premises, arresting four men said to be working illegally.
In a reflection of the diminishing Jewish population in Redbridge, Norwood announced the closure of its local centre, saying: “We have to go where the need is greatest.” Further evidence of the shrinking community was the approval of yet another synagogue merger in the area — this time of the Ilford and Redbridge US congregations.
In Maidenhead, Theresa May opened the Reform shul’s history walkway, fulfilling her constituency duties. “She looked pleased to have a break from Brexit,” said Rabbi Jonathan Romain. “She takes her faith seriously so she takes other people’s faiths seriously.”
Back in London, Jewish Care raised a record £5.25 million from its dinner, the last for long-serving chief executive for Simon Morris, who has been succeeded by Daniel Carmel-Brown. Also playing the numbers game was the JW3 centre in Finchley Road, which welcomed its one millionth visitor, almost five years to the day of its opening.
There was friction by the sea as Chasidim stopped using a building owned by Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation amid claims that the shul’s new board had made them feel “unwelcome”.
The mass participation events continued to draw the crowds. The Maccabi GB Community Fun Run attracted 2,650 participants and 4,000-plus spectators. And 25,000 took part in the biggest ever UK Mitzvah Day programme. There was also unity north of the border as the first Scottish Jewish Gathering was held in Edinburgh.
The year ends with a vacancy at the United Synagogue’s largest congregation, Elstree and Borehamwood, following the departure of Rabbi Chaim Kanterovitz after a period of unexplained leave.