Community news roundup: 21st-27th March

This week’s community news roundup. Got a story to share? Email your news and photos to community@thejngroup.com

Fancy dress walk in the sun

Immanuel College held its annual sponsored walk in Cassiobury Park, Watford. Students and teachers wore fancy dress, with money being raised for a training suite for Magen David Adom volunteers in Israel, some of whom came to the school to address the students. Mrs Amdurer, the Middle School’s deputy head, said: “Charity work plays a large part in College communal life and the walk was a memorable team-building experience. Everyone had a wonderful time, spirits were high and the sun shone.”

News in Brief:

•  A special shabbat

The London Cantorial Singers gave a special pre-Shabbat performance to members of the Stepney Jewish Community Centre on Friday afternoon. Centre manager Jamie Field said: “They were fantastic, took requests, interacted with the members and sung beautifully non-stop for about an hour. It was a really enjoyable event and members absolutely loved the Shabbat atmosphere. One member asked to wear a yarmulke for the first time in 30 years!”

• Danny Cohen’s World Jewish Relief support

BBC television director Danny Cohen addressed 100 young World Jewish Relief supporters at Google Headquarters in London. Speaking of his support for WJR, he said: “It’s an organisation run by Jews, which supports both Jews and non-Jews and I like that. Being Jewish is an important part of my identity; I went to a Jewish school and keep kosher. At work I have to be objective, so I leave my faith at home.” The event raised more than £3,000 for WJR’s key programmes in the former Soviet Union.

• Marathon No.28 for Edgware runner

Marathon veteran Flora Frank from Edgware completed her 28th race in Jerusalem, in a time of 7:08:55. Running for both Emunah and Norwood, the latter a charity close to her heart as her late brother was a resident at Ravenswood, Norwood’s home for adults with learning disabilities. She said: “It was a great challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed. If the signposting had been better and I hadn’t got lost, I’d have finished half an hour earlier!” Nineteen-year-old Natalie Jacobs (inset) raised £3,600 for Kisharon, finishing in a time of 2:23.

• E-traders initiative Specialist learning disability charity

Langdon has launched its E-Traders initiative, which helps people with learning disabilities find employment. Dianne Martin, Langdon’s director of operations, said: “The launch of E-Traders underlines Langdon’s commitment to providing opportunities for people with learning disabilities to learn about the world of work.”

• Kisharon therapies

Kisharon has taken on nine student therapists from Goldsmiths University and the Institute of Integrative Arts and Education, who are gaining work experience by running sessions in art, dance and movement, and integrative arts therapy lessons. Joe Coogan, Kisharon’s director of operations, said: “Our adult service users are benefiting greatly from these therapies, which help them to express themselves more easily while students get the chance to work in a professional setting under expert supervision.”

• Youth swap screens for great outdoors
  The stars of Sky Atlantic’s Jews on Bikes. Photo: Eric Schaffer

A group of teenage boys recently took part in Chabad’s annual week-long skiing trip near Fort William in Scotland. Rabbi Moshe Muller, who led the trip, said: “This is an all-in Jewish living experience – for many, a week of eating kosher and enjoying activities through interaction without screens and technology is a unique experience.” Youth from the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation and St John’s Wood Synagogue, spent Shabbat at Gilwell Park campsite in Chingford. Youth director Sam Freeman said: “It was amazing to see our youth so enthusiastic about Shabbat.”

• Jews on Bikes

THE STARS of Sky Atlantics TV’s Jews on Bikes visited Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors Centre. Organiser Richard Adler said: “I wanted fellow bikers to meet members and ask questions about the programme and our ride to remember.”