Those of you attending services recently may have realised that we are struggling to keep a reasonable balance between keeping us comfortably warm and keeping the Shul well enough ventilated to limit the spread of Covid and all the usual seasonal bugs.
We recently had the stained glass windows renovated and resealed, are having the very leaky high level clerestory windows resealed over the next few weeks and will soon have thermostatic timers fitted for the 4 panel heaters. All of this should help get the synagogue warm ready for Shabbat morning services.
However, especially on those occasions when the synagogue is fairly full, we do need to have some windows open which inevitably produces draughts and means some of the very expensive heat is then lost to the open air.
We have therefore also decided to invest in some very low-tech blankets for those people who particularly feel the cold and would also ask you to come well wrapped up on really cold days and you might even prefer to bring your own cosy rug or blanket.
Apologies in particular to those attending our first Egalitarian service on 5th November when we didn’t really get the balance right between Covid and hypothermia. That event was nevertheless very well attended and the comments from those attending very encouraging for the future.
Just as a reminder, our Egalitarian services led by some of our members – now to be named Kehilat Meir (“Community of Meir” after the C13th poet Meir of Norwich)- will be held on the first Shabbat of each month and our traditional services led by Daniel will be on the other three or four Shabbats in each month.