Archived: Burns Supper

On 26 January, Caledonia invaded Muswell Hill, with the Shul’s inaugural Burns Supper.

A sell-out crowd of 125 people packed an Epstein Hall decked with tartan, the Saltire and the Lion Rampant. They dined on Chicken Balmoral, washed down with liberal quantities of malt whisky, as they were entertained by the piping and humour of Glasgow and Borehamwood’s Rabbi Alan Plancey, the dry wit of Edinburgh and Crouch End’s celebrated Times columnist Hugo Rifkind, and a unique North London take on Burns from comedian, writer and director Rachel Creeger.

The Haggis was royally toasted by Jeremy Freedman, former chair of Giffnock Shul, Scotland’s largest congregation. Later, everyone sang along lustily to a selection of Burns’ most famous songs, with a grand finale from Edinburgh’s finest, Rabbi David, who raised the roof with his rendering of The Proclaimers’ 500 Miles.

Another former Giffnock chair, Nigel Allon, now firmly established in Muswell Hill, gave a startlingly funny vote of thanks. Chairman and fellow ex-pat Stephen Gold attempted to bring some order to proceedings, and occasionally succeeded.

The reaction has been fantastic, and plans are already underway for a repeat on Feb 2, 2020. As Burns might have put it:

A nicht for fun that had no equal,

An’ now there’s gonnae be a sequel!