OPINION: Ealing synagogue’s remarkable revival
Gary Barak celebrates shul brought back from brink of closure
Last summer, the executive officers of Ealing United Synagogue called a special general meeting (SGM) to consider a “community changing” proposal — that we should close the synagogue.
The executive had sad reasons for putting this up for discussion — ill health and a diminishing membership, mainly due to bereavement and people moving away — was becoming the norm and certainly outnumbering new faces coming to Ealing and our services.
But it was also because there were no new faces offering their support to join the council and executive. At the time there wasn’t really much light at the end of the tunnel.
I heard from numerous members who didn’t want to see the closure, due to their age or the fact that they were not well enough to travel and join a new shul. So I decided to step in and offer my services to help the community, including standing as the new chair. Jo Glass also stepped up and he became the new vice-chair and one of the wardens.
As a result, there has been a significant and very pleasing surge in support. Much respect must be given to Michael Mars, my predecessor, because without the SGM, arguably, Ealing Synagogue would not be where it is today, enjoying a breath of fresh air. Indeed, Michael and the previous executive are right behind us and helping whenever they can and are as delighted as I am with the way we have turned things around.
We are over the moon that minyanim have been regular, and we have only missed out on one Shabbat in the first six months of our new leadership, which was a weekend when many of us were away on holiday at the same time.
It’s still early days, but we are confident that we can continue in this manner and the talk of closure in the immediate future is gone, and that can only be good news for the entire community.
We have some new members on board and have also had communication with potential new members. We have recently been able to reignite Friday night services, which again have enjoyed regular minyanim. We are not sitting back though, and we must all continue to help and support the cause in any way possible.
With existing as well as new members becoming more active, we can hopefully announce new events for the community, and this process has already begun.
Personally, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind in the first six months since taking on the proud honour of serving as Ealing’s chair.
Early on I was invited to dinner with leaders of the United Synagogue and met many people along with several other chairs from US synagogues in London and elsewhere in the UK.
It was clear that that the US was delighted that we were no longer intending to close, and that they were available to help us in any way they could. The other synagogue chairs were also keen to hear our situation, and what became evident was that we are not alone regarding an ageing community and associated problems.
I’m delighted that Jo Glass joined me as vice-chair. Alison Shindler also joined our council and is already making a huge impact and difference. She is organising our Shabbat rota and the kiddush on Shabbat, working alongside our rebbetzin, Zelda Vogel. Indeed, Zelda has joined our council for the first time at my request and her support is very much welcomed. Our latest recruit is Mark Harris as our financial representative, and he has already presented our 2025 budget, which the US has welcomed.
I have regular weekly meetings with our Rabbi, Hershi Vogel, as well as Carole, our administrator, and Michael, our caretaker. We also have meetings with Ealing Council — and we are positive about our future.
I also met the chair of Ealing Liberal Synagogue. They too have an ageing and diminishing membership, but would be really pleased to get more involved with us as far as community activities, which will offer all our members more events in the future.
We have a community lunch arranged next month and are hosting a play production this month and have invited not just our own community but friends outside it too, and we are very pleased with our advanced bookings. This play will coincide with Holocaust Memorial week. At our recent Chanukah party, organised by our rebbetzin, we had over 50 attendees which was double the number we had initially thought would join us.
So onwards and upwards for our little, but beloved, community in Ealing. We couldn’t have had this exciting surge without the help and support of the community itself, including our previous executive and chair and the amazing support of the US. Ealing Synagogue is currently celebrating its 105th birthday and I am very much looking forward to enjoying more anniversaries in the future.
So finally … if you live in or around Ealing and are looking for a shul for any reason, please get in touch with us. We would love to hear from you —office@ealingsynagogue.org.uk
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