STANMORE & CANONS PARK SYNAGOGUE - Stanmore and ...

EXECUTVE REPORT
Chairman’s Report
Having completed nearly another
year on the Executive, we look back
on a busy and full year of events in
the life of Stanmore and Canons Park
Shul. Our full report will appear in
the Annual Report, but here are some
highlights since Rosh Hashanah.
AGM
This year’s AGM is scheduled to take
place on Wednesday 8 May.
The posts of Chairman, Vice Chair,
Financial Representative as well as one of
the Warden posts will come up for election
as well as the annual election of the Board.
Strategy Review
The Executive, supported by our
Rabbonim and the Board, initiated a
strategic review in May 2011 to ensure that
Stanmore and Canon’s Park Synagogue is
in the best possible shape to meet the
needs of our members and community,
and to face the challenges of the 21st
Century.
This strategy review is being led by
Anthony Angel and the process
approved by the Board envisages three
broad steps – a review of where we are,
an extensive consultation process, and
the development of a strategy for the
future – with the following terms of
reference:
To undertake a comprehensive, thorough
and deep review of the existing activities
of the Synagogue in the community;
To ascertain the views of the community
as to the proper role of the Synagogue
in the community and the way in which
it should carry out that role;
To set out a vision for the long-term role
of the Synagogue in the community
within the context of being a member
Synagogue of the United Synagogue,
and to determine a strategy for achieving
that vision over the next decade.
The Strategy Committee has recently
released its Green Paper for consultation
with the Community and the aim is for
us to complete the Strategy Review and
be in a position to publish final proposals
to the community by the AGM this May.
The Strategy Committee report is at
pages 7 to 8 below.
Eruv Update
As you are aware, we celebrated the
anniversary of our Eruv going live on
Shabbat Parshat Vayeitzei on 24
November 2012 with Dr Nigel de Kare-
Silver speaking to the Community at the
seuda that Shabbat afternoon.
The ongoing maintenance and operational
costs of the Eruv is reliant on the financial
support of the community. These
are estimated to be approximately £20,000
per annum. As a result, we encourage
everybody to become an Eruv Supporter.
For an annual donation of £50, you will be
sent weekly updates of the eruv status by
text message or email each Friday
afternoon. Or you can become an Eruv
Sponsor for an annual donation of £200
to mark a simcha, yahrzeit or other special
anniversary, where, in addition to the
weekly eruv status updates, your
sponsorship will be recognised on the
Eruv website of that week, with a message
of your choice.
We would strongly recommend that
members visit the Eruv website at www.
stanmore-eruv.org.uk which includes
lots of information about the Eruv,
including links to PayPal for supporting,
sponsorship and ongoing donations.
Chief Rabbi Selection
In November last year, the Chief
Rabbinate Trust (“CRT“) launched the
process for the appointment of the
Rabbi who will succeed Lord Sacks as
Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew
Congregations of the Commonwealth,
when he steps down in September of
2013. The process culminated in
December 2012 with the appointment of
Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis as Chief Rabbielect.
The selection process – which was
formulated following wide-ranging
consultation across a number of key
stakeholders in the Jewish community -
was carried out by three groups. First, a
Representative Group which was comprised
of a cross-section of the community
including the chairman and a woman
elected to the Board of Management of
every affiliated synagogue community as
well as representation from communal
institutions for whom the Chief Rabbi is
recognized as their religious authority
including Jewish schools, Jewish
Chaplaincy, The London Board for
Shechita and the Initiation Society. The
second, smaller, Consulting Group
included representation from the larger
Representative Group as well as Trustees
of the CRT, and US Trustees. Thirdly, a
Working Group which carried out much
of the day-to-day work involved in the
process comprised of senior members
of the CRT, United Synagogue and non-
United Synagogue communities.
The Shul had representation in each of
these three groups with Russell Tenzer,
as a US Treasurer, serving on all three
groups, Philip Hertz and Saul Taylor
serving on the Consulting Group and
Sidney Frosh z’l, Philip Hertz, Jacqui
Rudolph and Saul Taylor serving on the
Representative Group.
We wish Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Mrs
Mirvis a hearty hazlacha raba and mazel
tov on his appointment.
Memorial Services
On 21 November 2012, a service was held
to commerorate the lives of Jonathan z’l
and Stephanie z’l Kosky, both long
standing members and stalwarts of this
Community. In what was a very moving
and poignant service, addresses were
delivered by Rabbi Dr Jeffrey Cohen, Leslie
Lipowicz and Pauline Newman. Tamar
and Mascha Kosky, responded on behalf
of the family and presented a beautiful
Torah cover to the Shul.
On 5 February 2013, a service was held
to commemorate the life of Sidney
Frosh z’l. As past President of the US,
many Rabbonim and dignitaries were
present including the Chief Rabbi, Lord
Sacks, who delivered the memorial
address. Steven Pack, President of the
US and Ronnie Metzger, one of the
Shul’s Elders also spoke about Sidney z’l.
Stephen Frosh responded on behalf of
the family.
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