It is just over 5 years since we lost Nick Simons and his unwavering support for this community; his contribution is now permanently remembered in the renaming of the communal hall as “Nick Simons Hall” and a naming plaque was put up at a special kiddush in his memory in mid March.
This year we marked the first night of Passover together as a community in the newly renamed hall. Our decision to make an early start and to keep to a fairly tight timetable meant that we were able to hold our service and then move on to the Seder meal without running too late into the evening. We had a good turn-out both of members and a number of guests all of whom seemed delighted at the way the short service was led by Daniel and the way he took us through the evening’s celebrations. Enormous thanks are of course also due to Poppy, Maureen, Marian and Fay who laid on a wonderful Seder meal for us all, with very welcome cake support from one of
our guests Monica, and from Barry wielding the fruit salad knife to great effect. Our community is lucky to have people who put so much time and effort into our community events!
This Passover was also marked by a civic Seder meal at the Sainsbury Centre arranged by the newly formed UEA Committee for Heritage and Culture, in the course of which the Lord Mayor gave an apology to the Jewish Community for the 12th century “William of Norwich” blood libel. The event and the detail of the apology has been widely reported in the Jewish and local press. Four members of our Committee and our minister Daniel attended as guests, together with representatives of the Liberal community, other civic and religious leaders and UEA representatives. Although the idea of an apology in these circumstances is problematic for some,
the event and the sentiments around the apology came across to those present as a very positive development in the relationship between the 21st century Jews of Norwich and their city.
And ending on a lighter note- we do now have our own professional in-house Pilates class in the hall every Wednesday morning at 9.30. It’s good that the hall is being used for wider community events, and that we can offer care for your body as well as your soul. Do come and join your President and Secretary on our exercise mats!
-John