The Jewish Chronicle

Yomtov attendance­s rise — but not to pre-Covid levels

- BY MATHILDE FROT

SYNAGOGUE BODIES are reporting “significan­tly” higher attendance­s at festival services this year, although many shuls say the numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels.

The United Synagogue said that despite encouragin­g turnouts on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, “some members still don’t feel comfortabl­e returning”.

Its communitie­s’ director, Jo Grose, praised shuls for preparing “engaging and inspiring services and programmes in an atmosphere where members felt comfortabl­e”.

She also reported the “largest number of children across our communitie­s for more than 18 months” at its youth and children’s services and pledged the US’s commitment to finding “new ways of engaging people both online and in person”.

Close on 1,000 people attended Bush

ey Synagogue’s Rosh Hashanah services, though numbers were “definitely down from our peak levels pre-Covid”, said Rabbi Elchonon Feldman. There was, however, “a clear indication that people wanted to come back to shul”.

At Highgate Synagogue, Rabbi Nicky Liss was “happily surprised” that demand for places necessitat­ed the organising of additional services.

The Kol Nidre attendance of 240 was only just shy of the 2019 figure.

“We were completely bowled over by our numbers. We’re almost back to prepandemi­c levels,” he said.

Numbers were also up at Radlett US, with around 500 people gathered over Rosh Hashanah and an “overflow” of lastminute bookings for the Yom Kippur services. Sessions for younger members attracted another 40 people,

“We’re not back where we were for obvious reasons but we are approachin­g those levels,” Rabbi Jonathan Hughes noted.

He pointed out that 2019 had been a “bumper year [for attendance] because of the general awareness of antisemiti­sm in the community at that time that brought everyone together”.

Golders Green Synagogue chair Joel

Clark said the 700-plus capacity shul was “very full on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. There were probably a few people who were still uncomforta­ble with coming back but we were pretty close.”

The shul’s four children’s programmes were also well supported, with more than 100 taking part.

At the Movement for Reform Judaism, the word was that attendance­s were in line with expectatio­ns. However, a spokespers­on reported that a second service was organised to meet the demand for Yizkor at its Menorah congregati­on in Manchester, “applicatio­ns for personal attendance having exceeded their Covid safety number”.

Many Reform and Liberal shuls also made online provision for those unwilling or unable to attend physical gatherings.

Edgware and Hendon Reform reported that around twice as many people joined festival services and study sessions online than in person.

There’s a clear indication that people want to come back to shul’

 ?? ?? Getting into the Succot spirit at Edgware and Hendon Reform
Getting into the Succot spirit at Edgware and Hendon Reform

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