A Note from Rabbi Miriam Berger
This year I’ve been stopped often in the street by members, neighbours and strangers sharing their excitement of watching the building work of the new synagogue building.
With covid restrictions changing our habits, many have enjoyed, as my own family has, frequent walks to marvel at the process of demolition, the speed with which the building has risen and the sheer magnitude of the project. While I appreciate it’s not just 3-year-old boys who are fascinated by building sites, I also realise the extraordinary feat exhibited this year.
Here you can see a timelapse video of the first few months of construction:
Over the last 15 years we have become a community more resourced and supported by professionals, yet this building project has been predominantly progressed and supported by the membership themselves for the benefit of the community. It has been extraordinary to watch the dedication, professionalism, and immense number of hours put in by the building oversight committee.
Bob’s regular visits to the site, as well as the continuous stream of emails and calls, has kept the project moving at speed, something that everyone has remarked on. Kathy and Helen have given more professional time to this project than they could possibly ever give to paying clients, as is shown by the number of plaudits about the wonderful design of the building.
I’m so grateful to those who have been the voices of responsibility, be it our environmental impact, the move out to Rubens House (and making that a viable space) as well as our forthcoming move back in, our expenditure, or our expected use of the new building.
The building is a true community endeavour because of all who have contributed to it. The inordinate number of phone calls, emails and coffees, tenaciously organised by Charles, Alan and the fundraising team have been responded to with generosity and spirit, as well as with love and commitment to the future.
It's a real community centre built for the community by the community.
However, this brilliant article published in a national magazine for nursery practitioners reminds me of the quiet work behind the scenes of the professional team. There are so many successes to note: the kindergarten staff turning the upheaval of such a disruptive move into the most celebrated scheme of work for the children; Deborah Rouah Choueke and Anni Williams handling so much of the detail of the move and life in temporary accommodation; the extraordinary youth team constantly pivoting to cope with both the needs of the building and the challenges that Covid has thrown at them - by the time we settle in our new home I suspect the constant pivoting might have left the whole team a little dizzy!
The year we are reviewing was one of literal building. The year ahead will be the metaphorical rebuilding we need after 2 brutal years of pandemic. The new building gives us a perfect blank canvas. I hope everyone will take their opportunity to wield the proverbial brush and make their mark, building the next chapter of our community life together.
Rabbi Miriam Berger
