Who’s who

I am married to Warren Taylor, and we have three children , Nathan, Noa and Aron. I was a Producer at the BBC for over 10 years, most recently on the CBBC programme Blue Peter. Since leaving the BBC, I have set up my own business, helping charities tell their stories using digital media more effectively, either through film, social media or their websites. As Chair, I want to engage as many people as possible in shul life, whether that is through the welfare committee, the social action group or through getting involved in services or communal events.

I've been a member of Muswell Hill Shul since moving into the area in 2000 with my wife Judith Vandervelde. I grew up in Liverpool and attended King David High School where my headteacher was eminent community member Clive Lawton. I pursued a career in the City and worked for a major investment bank before moving into the asset management industry as a partner in an investment fund. Judith and I have two sons, Sam (16) and Avi (13).

Ilana and I moved to Muswell Hill and joined the Shul in 2003.  We have three children Yael, Annie and Saul. My main involvement in wider shul life has come through my continuous search for volunteers to help on the Security Rota. I was born in the North (although Manchester, not Liverpool), took a year off in Israel, and also attended Oxford University, studying Engineering &Management.  Not really knowing what to do I ended up in IT which turned out to be a reasonable career choice, and I've worked for a number of companies over the past 20 years, spending three years living and working in Haifa between 1997 and 2000 along the way.

I am now in my 6th year as the financial representative of the shul and I am responsible for the finances of the synagogue I have been a member of the shul for nearly 25 years since moving into the area I am a partner in a firm of chartered accountants in the City I have been involved in a number of charities over the past 30 years primarily in finance roles

Lydia, Lily, and I moved to East Finchley in 2003 to join the Muswell Hill shul community, where Yitz has belonged all his life. We moved here from Finchley Central, where I grew up, and then returned. I’m now an IT project manager for one of Europe’s largest investment banks, and I have done projects in Hong Kong, Singapore, Spain, Romania and Cyprus. This is my second stint as warden. In between, I chaired the Rabbi’s appraisal committee, taught Anim Zemirot and ran the rota, served on the board of management and ran children’s services.

I’ve taken the plunge to join the new team of wardens after a number of years taking and running Children’s Services, as well as a 5 year stint on the Board. I was born in Leeds and went to Manchester University to study physics before eventually ending up in the City working in banking. In order to keep in touch with my northern and my family’s medical traditions I married Melinda, a Doctor from Manchester. Melinda and I joined Muswell Hill 2006 with our sons Louis (now 16) and Zak (now 13). Our daughter Lauren (now 7) came along in 2009.