A very happy and healthy 2015 to everyone. It is just unbelievable how the years fly around, even our young people seem to think so. It is the general pace of life today and the rapidity of news from round the world that shrinks everything. I feel that I am constantly aiming to keep up. If anyone ever looks at the top line of the newsletter it will be seen that this is Volume 28; this figure actually relates to the number of years that I have been writing our newsletter. When I started it in 1985
(I did have a year out), my first paragraph said ‘Requests have been made for some sort of newsletter to members to keep them abreast of events in the Synagogue ….to encourage members to realise that the Synagogue is alive and reasonably flourishing between the Yom Tovim!. I think that we do fill that space and at least I am proud that such a small community despite fluctuating numbers is still viable. I was reading the current JC, and the Chief Rabbi’s words to the Limmud conference which seemed to apply very much to Norwich. ‘Apathy is one of the greatest challenges to the future of Judaism … we must bring enthusiasm back to our communities’. We certainly saw some enthusiasm at our Chanukah party, may this continue and grow in 2015.
It is hoped that this year will see some improvements to our Synagogue complex. Our website too will be updated shortly. Amy Simons, who set up and looks after our website, is re-designing it to improve finding the information you’re after. Many thanks to Amy for all her work over several years on the website; it does bring in quite a number of inquiries and new people, some who find information about old friends on it and those looking for family history. Meanwhile our new year is offering several items which should interest members and friends and I do hope they are well supported.
Maureen Leveton