The High Holy Days are well behind us now and it is my pleasure to thank Daniel for leading on the services so brilliantly over the past month or so. We had fantastic attendance for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and for the Simchat Torah Services. Thank you too to our Chatan Torah, Nick and Poppy Simons, and Chatan Bereshit, Joel and Barbara Drouet, for the delicious meals they contributed!
In recent months I have been told several times that we are a small community that ‘punches well above its weight’, and never have I been so aware of this as I was last week.
At the father’s request, Barry Leveton organised a stone setting for a baby boy who died over thirty years ago. In 1981, baby Jonathon died aged four months and was buried in our grounds. His family were living here only temporarily and no tombstone was erected. On Tuesday 24th October, a poignant and beautiful service was conducted by Daniel. The family were profoundly moved both by Daniel’s service and by the fact that some of our congregation were present (see also From the Bimah) Thank you for being such a fabulous community and for respecting and accommodating a grieving father’s wishes so many years later.
We have a busy social programme over the next few months, including an ‘Interfaith Service’ on 20th January as well of course as our Balfour Day talk and lunch this Saturday, 4th November. Can I also ask you to save a very special date in your diary? I cannot say more about it at this stage but we will be having a very special visitor on Sunday 4th February at 3pm. You are all invited to hear him speak. More about this in the New Year. This weekend, just after the Balfour celebration, Peter and I are off to visit my 96 year old father-in-law in Australia. Soon after our return, on 1st December, we will be hosted as guests of the Pinner community in our ‘twinning visit’. If anyone who has not yet booked to join us would like to come, please contact Maureen. With very best wishes to you all and hoping to see you all at one or other of our social events over the next few months. As several regular Minyan makers will be away in Pinner it would be nice if as many as the non regulars could please come along to Shul to help make the Minyan on Shabbat 2nd December. Thank you in advance.
Marian