Delight as cheder returns to shul

WEST LONDON Synagogue’s cheder returned for the first week of the new academic year after six months in lockdown, despite the Reform shul remaining closed for services.

All classes were back for a trial morning on the Sunday before Rosh Hashanah. WLS’s head of education Gil Reshef told the JC leaders would be assessing the viability of continuing physical classes from next month.

“I am thrilled that we were able to allow the children to be back at the synagogue,” Mr Reshef said. “I think religion school is in many ways the centre of gravity for Jewish education and Jewish life.

“While we did a lot online, having a chance to see each other in person and meet the new teachers adds so much.”

Parents were not allowed to remain in the shul building beyond pick-up and drop-off and children over the age of 11 had to wear masks throughout (mask-wearing for under-11s was “encouraged”). There were also temperature checks and parents signed forms stating that to the best of their knowledge, their children were Covid-free.

Tolimitmixing,eachclasshaditsown break area and toilets.

There was a positive response from parents. Claire Hirsch said she was initially apprehensive about sending her son Avram, 11, back as he has a condition which affects his immune system and many members of the family were considered high-risk.

However,shecommendedMrReshef on his communications with her, adding that Avram had told her that those in charge “had managed the perfect balance between safety and friendliness. Everybody was two metres apart or more but it didn’t feel that way because they’d cleverly set up the classroom so they were all around a huge table and could see each other.”

Katie Hyman sent her two daughters, Amelia, nine, and Bella, seven. “Given that they were already back at school, I was not worried so much about going back to cheder. Actually I welcomed it because as much as they’ve tried hard with Zoom, it’s very difficult to have lessons.”

A Reform Judaism spokesperson reported that other communities were either keeping their cheders online or considering how they might return after the High Holy-Days.

They got the balance between safety and friendliness’