Whetstone Masorti celebrates move to Jewish primary school

A tiny but growing Masorti community in Whetstone was celebrating its move to new premises this week, relocating to Alma Primary School after operating from “a dusty run-down old church” for two years.

Community leader James Ward said New Whetstone Masorti had had “new life breathed in” to it, in an area well-served by Reform and United synagogues.

Ward said he left the United Synagogue two years ago and got involved with New Whetstone, when it had less than ten members.

“It had been kept together by my old bar mitzvah teacher and was operating from a dusty, run-down old church hall,” he said. “I reconnected with Matt Plen, chief executive of Masorti Judaism, as we had been in FZY together thirty years ago. He decided to help support New Whetstone’s redevelopment.”

He added: “We are lucky to have secured Alma Primary School’s brand new premises as a venue for our services and we will be moving in time for Rosh Hashanah. We are looking to attract families from the school and the local area who want a small, friendly community with regular services and children’s activities.”

Plen said: “There is no traditional-style Masorti service in the Whetstone area, which is well served by Orthodox and Reform synagogues. We are delighted to be supporting the relaunch of New Whetstone and we are sure it will fill a gap for Jewish families in the area especially those attending Alma.”