Muswell Hill Synagogue
Tzav 29/30 March 6.14pm 7.18pm

New building, new events, new chair

Dear all,

Yesterday, I went to shul.  This of itself shouldn’t be newsworthy, I’ve never been the most regular attendee, but like many, once the building shut down due to Covid, I just got even more out of the habit. It became easy to lie in on a Saturday morning and not rush out to shul. But yesterday, on a beautiful sunny morning it felt like the right time to go and I am certainly glad I did. There was a family service in the main shul which sounded fun and lively, the service for the rest of the community was in the Beit Hamidrash. It was wonderful to see the new Beit in action, to sit together as a community in a more intimate space and on one level made the service more meaningful for me personally and felt truly inclusive.

Our building is now very nearly complete and looks fantastic, so light, bright and modern whilst still retaining many of the traditional elements we know and love. It is of course still not quite finished, over the next few months the contractors will be completing the security room and fence at the front, the glazing, particularly the large window in the function hall and the panels separating the hall and shul, as well as a list of minor snagging,  but it already feels like a great space to meet, pray, eat and learn in together.

Over the coming weeks there are lots of varied events, kicking off with Yom Haatzmuut on Wednesday with Schwarma and a talk “Israel, Green start up Nation’   This like many other events is planned both in person and online as a hybrid event. We are still getting used to the new technology and how to best make events work for those in the room and online so bear with us through this transitional period while we iron out the wrinkles.

Now we are starting to use the building again, the new spaces all look tidy and neat and it is now all of our responsibility to keep them like that. If you are coming to an event, a talk, a service or anything else in the building and see something out of place, don’t walk by – it is all of our responsibility to put it back, or ask one of the caretakers if you don’t know where it should go. If something is not working, please let Jo know by emailing her in the office. Thank you for your help with this.

As many of you know now, I won’t be restanding as Chair for next year. After 5 years, it feels the right time for someone new to take on the role, and I wish my successor every luck for the future.

I hope to see many of you at our AGM on May 19th which will kick off with a Lag B’omer BBQ. See you then

Karen