Toy drive in memory of ‘dedicated’ nursery teacher who died from cancer
Relatives and friends launch the Simchas Suri initiative to give free toys and games to families in need
Family and friends of a young Orthodox Jewish woman from Golders Green who passed away last year have launched an initiative to give free toys and games to families in need.
Suri Dubiner, the former deputy head of the nursery at Pardes House, was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and passed away seven months later, in April last year, aged 34.
Suri loved children and friends this week launched Simchas Suri as “a fitting tribute” to a young woman who used to spend her free time touring markets and car-boot sales looking for toys and toy furniture for the children.
“She was so dedicated,” said a family friend this week. “She’d even buy second-hand toys and spend hours cleaning them so they looked like new. She was completely devoted to the children so this is a fitting tribute to her memory.”
The toys and games will be given to families who, for one reason or another, cannot purchase toys for their children, perhaps due to financial or other constraint.
“The toys and games will be given, not loaned, and we will not ask for your name or any details. Just leave a message saying what kind of toys you want, the age of your children and how many toys you would need,” said the family’s spokeswoman.
“All toys will be wrapped up and sent by taxi to an address of your choice (anywhere in the UK) at a time of your choosing.”
The initiative is in its very early stages, and the family is yet to register Simchas Suri as a charity, but well-wishers are already donating either toys in excellent condition or money to buy toys and games.
Anyone wanting to contact the initiative to donate or request can email simchassuri@gmail.com or text/call 07983 153 342.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.