KLS-Annual Report-17-18-ONLINE
Kingston Liberal Synagogue - Annual Report 2017 A review of our 50th anniversary year
Kingston Liberal Synagogue - Annual Report 2017
A review of our 50th anniversary year
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Kingston<br />
Liberal<br />
Synagogue<br />
A review of our 50th<br />
anniversary year<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
<strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Introduction 3<br />
Learning 6<br />
Worship 10<br />
Social & cultural 14<br />
Care 16<br />
Wider community 20<br />
Operations 22<br />
Infrastructure 23<br />
Finance 24<br />
People 26<br />
Introduction<br />
Chair’s report<br />
It was an honour and privilege to become Chair in April 20<strong>17</strong>. I am very grateful<br />
for the support I have had from Council, Rabbi René, our Emeritus Rabbi, Danny<br />
Rich, our staff and contractors, particularly our bookkeeper, our President and <strong>KLS</strong><br />
volunteers, and for all the work they have done.<br />
Craig Simmons<br />
Council’s overall aim is for <strong>KLS</strong> to be an inclusive community which provides a<br />
programme of activities that promote the religious beliefs and ethical, moral and<br />
social values of Liberal Judaism, thereby encouraging the spiritual awareness and<br />
development of all. Our members express their Judaism in different ways and<br />
our goal is to cater for them all, whether they are interested in religious aspects,<br />
learning, social and cultural activities, or involving the synagogue in the life of the<br />
local and wider community.<br />
Rather than attempt to list all our achievements in meeting this aim here, I invite<br />
you to read the following pages, assembled from the contributions of Council<br />
members, our President, Rabbi René and dedicated <strong>KLS</strong> members, who have given<br />
their time and energy to making <strong>KLS</strong> a wonderful community.<br />
3 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Introduction<br />
Craig Simmons<br />
Chair’s report<br />
We hope this new style of annual report conveys some of the warmth of the<br />
community, its wide range of activities and that it will support our endeavours<br />
to promote <strong>KLS</strong> to visitors, prospective members and other organisations. I am<br />
grateful for everyone who has contributed and to Nora Zimerman who created the<br />
design.<br />
The year marked a milestone in the development of <strong>KLS</strong> as we celebrated our 50th<br />
anniversary. It was also the start of a new, exciting era with the appointment of<br />
Rabbi René. It enabled us to look back at the strong community our founders had<br />
created and that successive generations of members continue to build on with<br />
enormous pride, expressed in particular at an outstanding anniversary service, a<br />
very special anniversary chavurah supper, and at Rabbi René’s induction. It was<br />
heart-warming to share this with the many local dignitaries and interfaith leaders<br />
who attended.<br />
It also provides an opportunity to look forward. Rabbi René has already helped us<br />
begin to address some of the challenges which we currently face. His passion for<br />
knowledge has meant we now have three regular adult learning sessions as well<br />
as his thoughtful sermons. We have also been able to expand our care team to<br />
help achieve our goal to be a responsive, caring community. Our external profile is<br />
improving once again with a number of initiatives being undertaken by the team led<br />
by Vince Daly who we welcomed back on Council in 20<strong>17</strong>. The interfaith Chanukah<br />
celebration was a superb example.<br />
We still have much to do. As well as being an ever-improving institution for existing<br />
members, we need to review the current structure of our children’s learning at<br />
Beiteinu, building on what we have and enhancing it; find new Council members<br />
and volunteers for a number of roles which members are stepping down from after<br />
many years of loyal service; promote <strong>KLS</strong> further to attract new members; and find<br />
additional revenue to meet all our costs.<br />
With imagination and the combined efforts of all members, we can achieve them.<br />
Mike Barnato<br />
President’s <strong>Report</strong><br />
My role as President is, of course, very different to that of the Chair. It is a<br />
supportive and representational role; it is not decision making and managerial.<br />
I try to avoid being either a “back seat driver” or disconnected from what’s going on.<br />
It is a fine balance.<br />
I assisted the <strong>KLS</strong> Chair, Council, Rabbi and members, as requested. This included:<br />
• Acting as a sounding board for the Chair<br />
• Contributing to Council discussion of strategic priorities<br />
• External representation with religious, civic and business institutions<br />
• At events, welcoming, thanking attendees or (for the first time) compering<br />
• Inviting potential members and friends to <strong>KLS</strong><br />
• Ongoing meeting and greeting visitors and members.<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> celebrated its 50th anniversary year in some style and welcomed the arrival of<br />
Rabbi René. Chair and Council, who are volunteers, deserve considerable praise for<br />
these achievements.<br />
Our activities are wide ranging and include Religion, Outreach, Social & Education<br />
(ROSE). Together we offer something vital - in Rabbi René’s words - “community”.<br />
I hope that <strong>KLS</strong> can move forward, with positivity and not too many hard choices. So<br />
we develop faith, fellowship, future (learning), family, funds, fun and philanthropy.<br />
4 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Introduction<br />
Rabbi René Pfertzel<br />
Rabbi’s <strong>Report</strong><br />
Following in the footsteps of two prominent Liberal rabbis, Rabbi Danny Rich and Rabbi Charley Baginsky, is an<br />
awe-inspiring adventure. When I started in August 20<strong>17</strong>, Kingston Liberal Synagogue was in the middle of its<br />
50th anniversary celebrations, and I saw a community proud of its past, well-established in the area, a proud<br />
constituent of Liberal Judaism. Already after a few weeks, I realised that working with <strong>KLS</strong> was a good match on<br />
both sides, and I am looking forward to the years ahead.<br />
My vision of a Liberal community is, in the words of the late Rabbi John Rayner, a community that is 100% liberal<br />
and 100% Jewish in its values. We have inherited a profound, meaningful and wonderful Jewish tradition, that<br />
goes back many centuries, and in our movement, we have the freedom to read and adapt it in terms relevant to<br />
our time. Everything can be questioned; nothing is beyond our reach. To achieve these two 100% goals, we have<br />
at our disposal a community that provides warmth, meaning, education for young and adults, a community that<br />
follows the rhythms of the Jewish year and the Jewish lifecycle; a community that is not afraid to question the<br />
world around and to raise a Progressive Jewish voice that finds its roots in the ethical teachings of our tradition.<br />
Outside our community, I am engaged in interfaith relationships through Kingston Interfaith Forum, and as the<br />
Jewish chaplain for Kingston University. There are many occasions to meet people from other faiths, to share our<br />
different views, and also to discuss what we want the world to become and how we can work together towards<br />
bettering our society.<br />
Our community belongs to all of us, and it thrives with all our energies put together. To paraphrase what<br />
President Kennedy once said, ‘Do not ask what the community can do for you, but ask what you can do for the<br />
community’. There is a subtle, sacred balance between the community and its members whereby we receive<br />
more than we put in. Volunteering for <strong>KLS</strong> is one of our next great projects.<br />
However, as a Progressive Jewish community, we face the same challenges as our sister congregations. We live<br />
in a world where Progressive values are widely accepted, to the point that they sometimes become indifference.<br />
I still believe that Progressiveness is very much needed in the religious world, and we have something to say to<br />
those in search of a spirituality that is not opposed to the modern world, that is not based on guilt and coercion,<br />
and that is open to endless exploration. We are also needed by those who want to explore the meaning of their<br />
Jewishness in a creative and open way.<br />
Another challenge is caused by the low level of community affiliation in the British Jewish community. A recent<br />
survey showed that roughly half of British Jews do not belong to a synagogue, and in the four boroughs that are<br />
closest to <strong>KLS</strong>, the rate is even higher. Our voice must be stronger, more widely heard, so that curious Jews who<br />
do not know that we exist will join us. And again, it is a common endeavour.<br />
We have the resources and the strength to respond to these challenges: a welcoming community with a very<br />
positive and strong ethos, a very solid board with a positive spirit, and my colleagues that often work behind the<br />
scenes to run <strong>KLS</strong> smoothly, Diane Snapper, Karen Nicholas, and Vili Kiradzhiev.<br />
5 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Learning<br />
Learning<br />
A community<br />
that provides<br />
warmth,<br />
meaning and<br />
education for<br />
all ages.<br />
Beiteinu<br />
Every Shabbat morning in term time, our Cheder<br />
meets in the synagogue to learn about Judaism.<br />
We have a class for the youngest, called Shabbatots,<br />
a Cheder class between 7 and 11 to learn the<br />
fundamentals of Judaism, a B’nei Mitzvah class that<br />
leads to this important milestone in the life of a<br />
young Jew and his or her family, a post-BM class to<br />
strengthen this knowledge, and a Kabbalat Torah class<br />
that prepares for adult Jewish life and answers to the<br />
life-long question: how do I lead my life Jewishly in<br />
modern Britain?<br />
We are fortunate to have an amazing team of teachers<br />
who give so much to our children: Emma Rich for<br />
Shabbatots, Sandra Webber and Yaara Kaplan for<br />
Tzahov and Kachol, Robert Markless, Marta Friedmann<br />
and Dominique Scholtes for B’nei Mitzvah, Jonathan<br />
Miller for post-BM, and Tom Smith for Kabbalat Torah.<br />
We thank them for their hard work and the skills they<br />
offer our children.<br />
We are also very grateful to Judy Royle, who after<br />
many years of running the Beiteinu kitchen, will be<br />
stepping down at the end of the 20<strong>17</strong>/<strong>18</strong> academic<br />
year.<br />
B’nei Mitzvah<br />
B’nei mitzvah teaching is incorporated into the overall<br />
Beiteinu programme, preparing them not only to read<br />
from the Torah but also to lead a large part of the rest<br />
of the service, and to give their D’var Torah – their<br />
own interpretation of the Torah reading and what b’nei<br />
mitzvah means personally to them.<br />
Six b’nei mitzvah took place during 20<strong>17</strong>: Marcus<br />
Farrer, Natan Morad, Natasha Ray, Ethan Berman, Ella<br />
Simon, Ezra Miller. These students were amazing and<br />
give us cause to be very hopeful for the future of our<br />
community. Something transformational happens<br />
when a young person stands on the bimah and<br />
presents the result of his/her hard work. The B’nei<br />
Mitzvah programme at <strong>KLS</strong>, thanks to a wonderful<br />
team of teachers led by Robert Markless, is one of our<br />
great successes.<br />
6 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
7 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Learning
Learning<br />
Kabbalat Torah<br />
Most students continue attending Beiteinu after<br />
B’nei Mitzvah to age 15 with a programme which<br />
allows them to have a more mature and personal<br />
understanding of Jewish values. This culminates in a<br />
Kabbalat Torah (KT) ceremony in which they affirm<br />
their commitment to Judaism as a consequence of a<br />
personal decision.<br />
The KT class of 20<strong>17</strong> (Lily Roberts; Nathan Simmons;<br />
Joshua Wuggenig; Fran Fornasiero; Gideon Farrer; Zoë<br />
Mendelson; Guy Morad; Max Fornasiero; and Hannah<br />
Royle) led a wonderful, thought-provoking and<br />
innovative service which they had created. It was clear<br />
they enjoyed doing it and we admired how well they<br />
worked together as a team.<br />
Mental health awareness<br />
As a synagogue, we understand the importance of support<br />
for all those suffering from ill health, including mental<br />
health issues. As such we were delighted to highlight<br />
Mental Health Awareness Shabbat through a study<br />
session led jointly by Hannah Kingston and Sara Alston.<br />
Adult education<br />
There are now three different opportunities for adults<br />
to learn about Judaism:<br />
1. On Shabbat afternoon, after the service, a class<br />
named ‘Exploring Judaism’ is offered for those who<br />
want to refresh their knowledge of Judaism. This class is<br />
mandatory for those who want to convert to Judaism.<br />
2. On Tuesday lunchtime, ‘Lunch and Learn’ is an<br />
opportunity to come, have lunch together, and discuss<br />
Jewish texts of Judaism related topics.<br />
3. Thursday evening has become a ‘Beit Midrash’.<br />
Several teachers come and share their passion about a<br />
subject, whether religious, cultural, political, or artistic.<br />
Conversion<br />
We have now half a dozen people registered on the<br />
conversion programme. After the completion of their<br />
12-<strong>18</strong> months of study and attending community life,<br />
they will go before the Beit-Din and become fullyfledged<br />
members of <strong>KLS</strong> and of the Jewish people.<br />
Youth<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> continued to be highly involved with LJY-Netzer<br />
in 20<strong>17</strong> holding two events in the synagogue. <strong>KLS</strong><br />
members continued to be active participants in<br />
the movement, well represented on all LJY-Netzer<br />
events and committed to bringing their learning and<br />
enthusiasm back to the community. <strong>KLS</strong> notably<br />
hosted the Kinus LJY-Netzer democratic decisionmaking<br />
event. We also welcomed committed LJY-<br />
Netzernich Tom Smith to our community.<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> was once again well represented by both<br />
participants and leaders at LJY-Netzer UK based<br />
camps with 7 leaders and 7 participants on the<br />
Summer camp Kadimah. All of them did their part to<br />
contribute to a positive welcoming atmosphere. They<br />
led and took part in all ages groups some for the first<br />
time, some returning for their tenth camp.<br />
Five people also ventured onto LJY-Netzer Israel tour and<br />
had an excellent time learning and experiencing Israel.<br />
Kingston has a long tradition of sending a high<br />
proportion of its members to LJY-Netzer events<br />
and also their continued involvement within the<br />
movement, 20<strong>17</strong> marking the sixth continuous year of<br />
having a movement worker from <strong>KLS</strong>. This tradition<br />
was continued by yet more <strong>KLS</strong> members beginning<br />
the LJY-Netzer leadership journey, completing the<br />
leadership course and leading on the first event.<br />
In 20<strong>18</strong> <strong>KLS</strong> members can look forward to greater<br />
involvement with LJY-Netzer, bringing back their<br />
enthusiasm and learning from Israel and Kadimah.<br />
We can look forward to a large cohort of Kingston<br />
teaching assistants leading on spring camp, their<br />
first camp as leaders. We also hope to see how<br />
LJY-Netzer’s new theme of year, Minorities within<br />
minorities, allows our members to see Judaism in a<br />
different light and empowers them to bring these ideas<br />
back into the community.<br />
8 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
9 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Learning
Worship<br />
Worship<br />
A community that explores the meaning of their<br />
Jewishness in a creative and open way.<br />
We have something to say to<br />
those in search of a spirituality<br />
that is not opposed to the<br />
modern world, that is not based<br />
on guilt and coercion, and that<br />
is open to endless exploration.<br />
Services<br />
Before Rabbi René’s appointment, Hannah Kingston<br />
led some wonderfully creative and inspiring services<br />
and her stint as our student rabbi was extended to<br />
June although she returned at the end of July after her<br />
ordination to lead a service with a baby blessing.<br />
Hannah also led the main service on our anniversary<br />
weekend. The sanctuary was packed with over 160<br />
members and visitors including quite a few former<br />
members who moved away from the area, local faith<br />
leaders, Surrey’s Lord Lieutenant and its Police and<br />
Crime Commissioner, rabbis and members of other<br />
congregations , two mayors and an MP.<br />
Rabbi René led most of <strong>KLS</strong>’s services since his<br />
appointment took effect in August. Members have<br />
praised his warmth, great singing voice, thoughtful<br />
and informative sermons, and the inclusiveness of<br />
his services.<br />
His induction service on 14 October was a wonderful<br />
occasion. It attracted a large congregation including<br />
many visitors – leaders from other faiths, from<br />
schools which take part in our Holocaust Memorial<br />
10 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Day activities, Kingston University’s faith adviser,<br />
the Chairman of the European Union for Progressive<br />
Judaism, rabbis and members of other congregations,<br />
two mayors and an MP (all different from those who<br />
attended the anniversary service earlier in the year).<br />
<strong>KLS</strong>’s Rabbi Emeritus, Danny Rich, gave the address<br />
at both the main anniversary service and Rabbi René’s<br />
induction service.<br />
We are also grateful for the continued commitment<br />
of a dedicated team of voluntary service leaders who<br />
between them filled another 38 slots in the service<br />
diary: Vince Daly; Rabbi Janet Darley; Jill and Norman<br />
Hyman; Seymour Kelly; Dominique Scholtes; Craig<br />
Simmons; and Sandra Webber.<br />
In addition we need to thank all those who help behind<br />
the scenes in areas such as preparing Kiddush, locking<br />
up the synagogue, organising High Holyday readers (in<br />
particular Hilary Cohen) and staffing the High Holyday<br />
front desk (Elsa Acton-Bond).<br />
Chavurah Suppers<br />
Our chavurah suppers continued on the first Friday<br />
of each month. These comprise a short service with<br />
a bit of singing, a little discussion, then a chance to<br />
chatter over a selection of food dishes, which the<br />
attendees bring to share. Sandra Webber’s homebaked<br />
challah is sumptuous and the quality of the<br />
accompanying food continues to improve to the extent<br />
that the possibility of compiling a <strong>KLS</strong> chavurah recipe<br />
book has been suggested.<br />
We are very grateful to Rabbi Janet Darley and Vince<br />
Daly who led the chavurah suppers before Rabbi<br />
René’s appointment.<br />
Shabbat Island Discs<br />
This popular service continued on the 4th Friday<br />
of most months. Based on the BBC’s Desert Island<br />
Discs, the service has no sermon but instead features<br />
a ‘guest’ interview (often a <strong>KLS</strong> member) and pieces<br />
of music chosen by the guest which have been<br />
meaningful in their life. This is a wonderful way to get<br />
to know our fellow congregants.<br />
Guests in 20<strong>17</strong> included Rabbi Miri Lawrence who<br />
talked about her research for a PhD examining<br />
Judaism in the suburban home and what changed<br />
when Jews moved from the East End into the suburbs<br />
after World War 2. Dr Chloe Alaghband-Zadeh,<br />
Research Fellow at Emmanuel College, University<br />
of Cambridge, gave us an unusual selection of<br />
Indian classical music in which she specialises as an<br />
ethnomusicologist. Rabbis Hannah Kingston (then a<br />
student) and René Pfertzel told us what brought them<br />
to the rabbinate.<br />
We are grateful to them and to our other guests on<br />
Shabbat Island in 20<strong>17</strong>: Sandra Levene, Bess Joffe and<br />
our new administrator Diane Snapper. Thanks also to<br />
Sandra Webber for arranging and interviewing the<br />
guests and to Craig Simmons who did it a couple of<br />
times in her absence.<br />
Worship<br />
Shabbat @Home<br />
On usually the second Friday of each month, the<br />
Shabbat evening service is hosted by one of our<br />
member families. This appeals to members who like a<br />
more informal service and there is often an interesting<br />
discussion on a topical issue or on the theme of the<br />
week’s Torah reading. It also has helped members<br />
from different localities within <strong>KLS</strong>’s wide catchment<br />
area to meet each other. In 20<strong>17</strong> there were hosts<br />
from Ashtead, Epsom, Kingston, Surbiton, Teddington<br />
and Thames Ditton. We hope members in many other<br />
surrounding areas will host one of these in the future.<br />
We are grateful to the following members for<br />
welcoming fellow <strong>KLS</strong> congregants into their home at<br />
one of the Shabbat @ Home services in 20<strong>17</strong>: Sandra<br />
and Howard Webber; Mary and Craig Simmons; Nora<br />
Zimerman; Linda and Ray Stone; Jill and Norman Hyman;<br />
Judith Osorio; Jenny and Nick Osorio; Liz and Seymour<br />
Kelly; Andrée Frieze and Shimon Morad; Sandra and Paul<br />
Levene and Sandra and Philip Lyons.<br />
11 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Worship<br />
A community 100% Jewish and 100%<br />
Liberal in its values stems from a deep<br />
understanding of our heritage.<br />
Family services<br />
Family services continued to take place once at month<br />
in term time. These allow a chance for whole families,<br />
and the wider <strong>KLS</strong> family, to pray, discuss the Torah<br />
reading and for the Beiteinu students to show off what<br />
they have been learning about. Tammy Rich often<br />
provides musical accompaniment, making them very<br />
lively occasions.<br />
High Holyday services<br />
The High Holyday services were the first occasion<br />
the many faces of <strong>KLS</strong> got to meet Rabbi René. The<br />
atmosphere was serene, meaningful, spiritual, and<br />
the choir led by Rebekka Wedell offered some very<br />
uplifting pieces.<br />
Czech scrolls / Remembrance Day<br />
A warm, moving atmosphere filled our Shabbat<br />
family service on Remembrance Day, with parallel<br />
personal stories of a girl from Tabor and a local soldier<br />
from Long Ditton accompanied by music and video<br />
presentations so that even our youngest children<br />
could understand why we chose to remember them on<br />
Poppy Day.<br />
For the first time <strong>KLS</strong> combined annual<br />
commemoration of our former Czech scrolls<br />
communities with remembrance of all those who<br />
fell in the two world wars. The congregation joined<br />
the nation in observing the two minute silence and<br />
throughout the service children made beautiful<br />
symbolic artwork.<br />
Festivals<br />
Tu b’Shvat was celebrated in February with a seder<br />
at the home of Mary and Craig Simmons. The many<br />
attendees made it a lovely occasion, bringing fruit and<br />
nuts, cups, prayer books, lights, tables, chairs.<br />
A busy weekend of 50th anniversary events did<br />
not prevent a good attendance at Sunday’s Yom<br />
HaShoah service, at which Marcel Ladenheim told his<br />
extraordinary story of when he was a small child in<br />
Nazi-occupied France.<br />
Some excited children built a sukkah with a little help<br />
from their parents for Sukkot in October.<br />
We organised various events throughout Chanukah<br />
– a very-well attended first night celebration at the<br />
synagogue, four evening candle-lightings hosted by<br />
members at their homes, a Friday night service at<br />
the synagogue and a lively interfaith celebration on<br />
Saturday afternoon.<br />
Communal seder<br />
<strong>KLS</strong>’s first communal seder in 1968, in Tudor Hall, was<br />
such a resounding success that it has kept going year<br />
after year since then. This year’s seder – the 50th –<br />
was no exception and attracted over 70 people. We<br />
are grateful to Rabbi Janet Darley for leading it and<br />
to Steve Farrer who prepared a buffet with a mouthwatering<br />
selection of dishes. Thanks also to everyone<br />
who set up, washed up, brought desserts, tidied up,<br />
and helped make it a very enjoyable occasion.<br />
12 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Worship<br />
Worship<br />
Yahrzeits<br />
Norman Hyman compiles the Yahrzeit list on a<br />
quarterly basis in advance for insertion in the weekly<br />
issue of <strong>KLS</strong> events. Usually, these recall the Yahrzeit<br />
on the nearest Shabbat after the relevant date.<br />
Yahrzeits of members’ close family are recorded on<br />
request. The names are read out towards the end of<br />
the service, enabling the member to hear the Yahrzeit<br />
mentioned by attending the relevant service.<br />
Tree of Life<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> members, affiliates and friends can buy a leaf in<br />
memory of anyone deceased, member or not, Jewish<br />
or non-Jewish. The leaf, engraved with the deceased’s<br />
name, is then placed on our Tree of Life installation<br />
in the sanctuary. Part of the cost and any additional<br />
donations help to support <strong>KLS</strong>.<br />
Choir<br />
The choir, directed by professional musician Rebekka<br />
Wedell, meets approximately alternate Tuesdays<br />
for singing, tea and cake. The choir is best known for<br />
leading the congregation in song throughout the High<br />
Holydays, but it also supports the rabbi or lay leader<br />
with a musical service on the 4th Friday of the month.<br />
The choir sang popular songs at a local care home<br />
for Mitzvah Day (a date in November when Jewish<br />
organisations up and down the UK perform acts of<br />
kindness in their local community). The choir also sang<br />
at the Royal Borough of Kingston civic event to mark<br />
Holocaust Memorial Day in January 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
13 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Social & Cultural<br />
Social & Cultural<br />
In 20<strong>17</strong> we celebrated our 50th<br />
anniversary, what a year it was!<br />
14 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Film showings<br />
As the year began we continued our season of Israeli<br />
films with Hunting Elephants, Bethlehem, Shiva and<br />
Farewell Baghdad. These were chosen and obtained<br />
for <strong>KLS</strong> by one of our Israeli members, Shimon Morad.<br />
The films were shown monthly on a weekday evening<br />
and attracted a decent number of regular film goers.<br />
We hope to run another series of films of Jewish<br />
interest in 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
Cookery class<br />
In February we held an excellent Sushi making session,<br />
run by Crispin Jessop, returning by popular demand.<br />
The event was attended by 16 people of ages ranging<br />
from 9 to 82! The results were impressive and the<br />
feedback extremely positive.<br />
Museum visit<br />
A smallish group visited the Amy Winehouse<br />
exhibition at the Jewish Museum in March.<br />
Anniversary weekend<br />
April saw the centrepiece weekend of our anniversary<br />
year, the 50th Anniversary Chavurah Supper on 21<br />
April, followed by our 50th Anniversary Shabbat<br />
morning service on 22 April. The former was led with<br />
great gusto by our former rabbi Charley Baginsky,<br />
accompanied with much verve by Tammy Rich on<br />
piano and vocals. It was a wonderful moving evening,<br />
very well supported and boasting a wide range of<br />
delicious food.<br />
The following day, a packed synagogue was treated<br />
to a wonderful Shabbat morning service led<br />
magnificently by our young student rabbi, Hannah<br />
Kingston. She was joined on the bimah by Rabbi Danny<br />
Rich and Rabbi Clifford Cohen who shared with us<br />
their own reflections of <strong>KLS</strong> during its 50-year history.<br />
The congregation was boosted by a large number of<br />
guests including local dignitaries, interfaith leaders<br />
and many former members of Kingston Liberal<br />
Synagogue. After the service a superb celebratory<br />
Kiddush, organised by Elsa Acton-Bond, was enjoyed<br />
by all, photographs were taken by Philip Hyman and<br />
Zoë Mendelson and a fascinating exhibition of 50<br />
years of synagogue life was visited by many past and<br />
present members.<br />
Ramble<br />
As the year moved into spring Philip Hyman and Judith<br />
Osorio led a meticulously planned figure of eight walk<br />
allowing members to select a morning, afternoon or<br />
full day of rambling in the Surrey countryside, starting<br />
in the village of Shere. In spite of a sudden heavy<br />
downpour at the beginning of the afternoon route, the<br />
walkers were treated to a great day out with both good<br />
company and beautiful scenery.<br />
Garden party<br />
The second major event of this special year was our<br />
50th Anniversary Garden Party and Bake-off, at the<br />
home of our council chair and his family in Epsom.<br />
Mary and Craig hosted an afternoon to remember<br />
and the bake-off attracted a huge number of entries<br />
which were so ably ‘tested’ by our panel of judges:<br />
Carl Scheib, Carolynne Farer and Debbi Marco. The<br />
number of pounds gained by members that afternoon<br />
as they ate their way through dozens of cakes,<br />
strawberries and raspberries is best forgotten!<br />
Social & Cultural<br />
15 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Social & Cultural<br />
Social & Cultural<br />
Art gallery visit<br />
At end of the summer a dozen members visited the<br />
Stanley Picker House in Kingston, an event arranged<br />
by Jenny Osorio. Numbers were restricted for the tour<br />
and therefore this is possibly an event which could be<br />
repeated in the future.<br />
Supper quiz<br />
Post High Holy Days and following the inauguration<br />
of our new rabbi, René Pfertzel, the social calendar<br />
continued to attract large numbers and our annual<br />
supper quiz boasting a fish and chip supper, an ‘out of<br />
town’ quiz master and mistress and a raffle, pulled in<br />
around 90 people.<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> Has Got Talent<br />
However, the final ‘main event’ of our 50th year was<br />
the showcase of our homegrown talent brought<br />
together so professionally by Sandra Levene and<br />
hosted by our president, ‘man of many talents’, Mike<br />
Barnato – the <strong>KLS</strong> Talent Show. Suffice to say that it<br />
was brilliant!<br />
Chanukah @ Home<br />
20<strong>17</strong> culminated in our second Chanukah of home<br />
candle lightings whereby members opened their<br />
homes for a few hours to share the lighting of the<br />
Chanukah candles with other members of the<br />
community and of course enjoy some festive food<br />
together. Hosts were found in a range of geographical<br />
locations so that most members had the opportunity<br />
to visit someone nearby.<br />
We would like to thank the many members, family and<br />
friends who have been involved in running, or helping<br />
with, any of our events during this very special 50th<br />
anniversary year. The variety of activities has been<br />
impressive and the success of each has been selfevident<br />
providing entertainment and enjoyment for all<br />
involved.<br />
As always, we need new ideas and more members to<br />
get involved in future events. This is vital if <strong>KLS</strong> is to<br />
continue to hold social functions and activities which<br />
appeal to the whole community.<br />
Bookcrashers<br />
The <strong>KLS</strong> book group continues to grow. We meet<br />
about every month and welcome people who have<br />
read the book and those who haven’t to discuss the<br />
book and other topics. In 20<strong>17</strong> we read a wide range of<br />
books including:<br />
• The Song Collector by Natasha Solomons<br />
• A Tale of Light and Darkness by Amos Oz<br />
• The Gustav Sonata by Rose Temain<br />
• All Who Go Do Not Return by Shulem Deen<br />
• All the Rivers by Dorit Rabinyan.<br />
We are looking forward to hosting a book launch<br />
event for Elizabeth Gifford’s book The Good Doctor of<br />
Warsaw in 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
16 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Exhibitions<br />
We were delighted that in December one of our<br />
members, Hannah Wurzburger, had a display of her<br />
hand weaving work. It was a delight and a privilege to<br />
have this work on show and we look forward to having<br />
other similar occasions when our talented members<br />
could showcase their work.<br />
Bridge<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> hosts a small, friendly duplicate bridge club on<br />
Thursday evenings at 7pm, which is open to <strong>KLS</strong><br />
members. New members of all standards are welcome<br />
and the club will try to pair up anyone without a partner.<br />
Social & Cultural<br />
Krav Maga<br />
Krav Maga is self defence, but with an Israeli/Jewish<br />
twist. It continues to operate on a drop-in basis on<br />
most Thursdays at 7pm.<br />
After four years, our first instructor, Jamie, became a<br />
father to twins and had to stop. We now have Neville<br />
an expert in several martial arts, including Krav Maga.<br />
Anyone wishing to know more or have a trial session<br />
should contact Mike Barnato.<br />
Table tennis<br />
The <strong>KLS</strong> table tennis club remains a popular and<br />
enjoyable activity. In 20<strong>17</strong>, we have had good<br />
attendances from our regular group of about 8-10<br />
people and one or two new members. We welcome<br />
new players, even if homework, work, theatre or<br />
football sometimes get in the way.<br />
We usually meet on the second Tuesday of the month<br />
but please contact Brian Hurwitz or see the <strong>KLS</strong><br />
website or call the office to check future dates.<br />
Doroteinu<br />
Doroteinu is Hebrew for ‘our generations’ and was the<br />
name given to the social group set up over 20 years<br />
ago for all <strong>KLS</strong> members. It met monthly on a weekday<br />
afternoon and offered guest speakers, social events,<br />
trips and discussions. Sadly, only one Doroteinu event<br />
was held in 20<strong>17</strong> as we were unable to find a successor<br />
to Stan Moss to chair the group.<br />
However, we are looking for new ways for members to<br />
meet socially on a weekday and we are delighted that,<br />
thanks to Rabbi René and Jenny Osorio, a ‘meet and<br />
eat’ initiative has successfully launched in 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
Journeys to <strong>KLS</strong><br />
We were delighted to host a series of three talks from<br />
members, Bronia Snow, Mike Barnato and Michael<br />
Brandon telling their stories which led to them joining<br />
us at <strong>KLS</strong>. We hope to continue this series in 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
<strong>17</strong> – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Care<br />
Care<br />
Our community is underpinned by mutual care sharing each<br />
other’s ups and downs along our life journeys.<br />
KIT care team<br />
During 20<strong>17</strong> we held three KIT tea parties which, as<br />
usual, were greatly enjoyed by those who attended.<br />
We thank those members who hosted these tea<br />
parties over the last few years for being such warm<br />
and welcoming hosts. Our most regular hosts were<br />
Helen Greene, Jill & Norman Hyman, Tony Spevack<br />
and Judy Thwaites. We are grateful to them and to all<br />
the other members who helped by offering transport,<br />
cakes or other refreshments.<br />
So far in 20<strong>18</strong> we have had a very successful Meet<br />
& Eat with the Rabbi. Some 30 people attended and<br />
enjoyed a light lunch, socialising with other members<br />
and, of course, hearing from and meeting Rabbi René.<br />
We are seeking feedback as to whether we should<br />
continue with either or both the tea parties and the<br />
Meet & Eat. If so, offers of help (be it homes, cake<br />
making, transport etc.) are needed to make these<br />
occasions possible.<br />
With our new rabbi now in place, the KIT care team<br />
has had a makeover. Jenny Osorio has stood down<br />
as Chair and Rabbi René is in this position. However,<br />
the core care team has been expanded and now<br />
includes Sandra and Paul Levene and Mary Simmons<br />
(besides Rabbi René and Jenny Osorio). Meetings will<br />
be infrequent, but members wishing to be part of this<br />
organising team can let either Rabbi René or Jenny<br />
Osorio know. We thank Judy Parish, Fran Milesi and<br />
Helen Greene, who are standing down from the core<br />
team, for their work over several years supporting<br />
<strong>KLS</strong>. However, they will be part of an extended group<br />
who will be keeping in contact with members, either<br />
by phone or by visits. The group is looking for further<br />
help.<br />
Visiting the sick<br />
Whilst Jenny Osorio and others have visited members<br />
during the year, particular thanks must go to our<br />
Kingston Hospital Chaplains who are regularly at the<br />
hospital. Thank you to Jill Hyman and Irene Gould.<br />
<strong>18</strong> – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Care<br />
Bereavement support<br />
If any member has experience in Bereavement<br />
Counselling or would be willing to take some training<br />
in this work, we would like to include them in our core<br />
team.<br />
To make <strong>KLS</strong> a more inclusive, caring and responsive<br />
community we do need volunteers and look forward to<br />
more members coming forward.<br />
Business network<br />
From time to time we try to introduce other initiatives<br />
for members who are interested in the more financial<br />
or business aspects of life. Our <strong>KLS</strong> Business network<br />
group was one such initiative where we’ve tried to<br />
bring members together over a coffee to discuss their<br />
business issues and to get their ideas for those issues<br />
facing by <strong>KLS</strong>.<br />
19 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Wider Community<br />
Wider Community<br />
Exploring how we can work<br />
together towards bettering<br />
our society.<br />
Kingston Interfaith Forum<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> member Fleur Standring represents us on the<br />
Kingston Interfaith Forum (KIFF) where matters of<br />
common interest are discussed by representatives<br />
of the various local faith groups. One example of<br />
KIFF-supported interfaith cooperation is the annual<br />
Holocaust Memorial Day event organised by Kingston<br />
Borough. In the most recent of these the <strong>KLS</strong> choir<br />
made a well-received contribution.<br />
Interfaith Chanukah party<br />
In 20<strong>17</strong>, <strong>KLS</strong> also organised a very well attended<br />
interfaith Chanukah event at which members<br />
of several faith groups talked about how “lights”<br />
feature in their religious tradition and collaborated<br />
in the lighting of the <strong>KLS</strong> chanukiah before enjoying<br />
refreshments in our social hall.<br />
School visits<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> hosts visits from several hundred young people<br />
each year. Many of these come to attend one of the<br />
Holocaust Memorial Day workshops that we run<br />
jointly with Kingston’s orthodox synagogue. These<br />
workshops are designed to make teenage school<br />
children aware of the dangers of prejudice and racism.<br />
In 20<strong>17</strong> our workshop coordinator Sandra Webber,<br />
was interviewed for local TV (available on YouTube).<br />
Groups of younger school children also visit us to learn<br />
something about Judaism as a complement to their<br />
school curriculum.<br />
Mitzvah Day<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> participates in “Mitzvah Day” each November<br />
when synagogue congregations do a good deed<br />
(“Mitzvah”) in their local area. In recent years, with<br />
Lilian Somers coordinating, <strong>KLS</strong> has been involved in<br />
• collecting toiletries and food for ‘Equinox’ a South<br />
London Mental Health Charity<br />
• collecting for the Kingston ‘Food Bank’<br />
• helping with a late-season garden tidy up at<br />
Welcare House, a Charity supporting parents<br />
with young children<br />
• entertaining the residents at a local nursing home<br />
with a musical medley led by our choir director.<br />
High Holy Day Appeal<br />
Each year, at the time of the High Holy Day services,<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> members make a communal donation to a small<br />
number of nominated charities. Typically the selected<br />
charities will include one that is local to <strong>KLS</strong>, a UK<br />
non-Jewish charity, a UK Jewish charity and a charity<br />
in Israel that is pursuing social justice. In 20<strong>17</strong> the<br />
20 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Wider Community<br />
recipient charities were<br />
• Learn English at Home - a small local charity<br />
helping isolated people, including refugees and<br />
migrants, to learn enough practical, everyday<br />
English to communicate and participate in their local<br />
community<br />
• The Rainbow Trust, which supports families who<br />
have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness<br />
• Givat Haviva, working in Israel to establish Jewish/<br />
Arab partnership projects in the social, educational<br />
and commercial spheres<br />
• <strong>KLS</strong>’s own 50th anniversary fund, whose ambitions<br />
include establishing a paved “garden” area that<br />
can be used for outdoor socials and services at the<br />
synagogue.<br />
East European communities<br />
For many years, <strong>KLS</strong> has been twinned with<br />
Simferopol’s Ner Tamid congregation in the Crimea.<br />
Financial support comes from our “East European<br />
Fund” which is used to support the renewal of<br />
progressive Judaism in countries of the former Soviet<br />
Union.<br />
Led by <strong>KLS</strong> member Linda Stone, we have also been<br />
developing connections with the town of Tabor in<br />
the Czech Republic, home to one of our Torah Scrolls<br />
prior to Nazi occupation, and with a US congregation<br />
researching another scroll from Tabor. Our annual<br />
“Czech Scrolls” service celebrates the rescue of<br />
our three Czech scrolls and commemorates their<br />
former communities. In 20<strong>17</strong> we incorporated our<br />
observation of Remembrance Day into our Czech<br />
Scrolls service.<br />
Board of Deputies<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> supports the interests of the wider UK Jewish<br />
community through its representation on the Board of<br />
Deputies of British Jews. In recent years <strong>KLS</strong> has been<br />
ably represented by Gabriel Webber and Sam Alston,<br />
two of its young adult members.<br />
Liberal Judaism<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> is a constituent synagogue of Liberal Judaism (LJ),<br />
a leading denomination of progressive Judaism within<br />
the UK. It supports rabbinic training and its national<br />
office develops new LJ communities and supports<br />
existing communities. In 20<strong>17</strong>, it provided <strong>KLS</strong> with<br />
student rabbi support and fundraising assistance.<br />
Some <strong>KLS</strong> members also attended the LJ Day of<br />
Celebration.<br />
21 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Operations<br />
Administrator<br />
Council took the decision not to make a permanent<br />
appointment immediately to the position of Synagogue<br />
Administrator after Helen Mendelson’s departure in<br />
2016. We wanted to wait until Rabbi René had arrived<br />
and could help select Helen’s successor. In the interim<br />
our Finance Manager Karen Nicholas and community<br />
member Frank Wuggenig held the fort admirably. We<br />
are very grateful to them. And the policy of waiting to<br />
fill the permanent role paid off – Diane Snapper, who<br />
joined us only in August 20<strong>17</strong>, has very quickly become<br />
a valuable and valued part of <strong>KLS</strong>.<br />
Publicity<br />
Barbara Richards continued to look after <strong>KLS</strong> press<br />
and public relations during 20<strong>17</strong>. We had coverage for<br />
our major events in both the Jewish and local press.<br />
Coverage in local papers and online publications keeps<br />
members in touch with events and provides good<br />
publicity in the local community and helps to attract<br />
new members.<br />
We hope that the publicity <strong>KLS</strong> is able to generate<br />
gives a picture of the kind of community we are, both<br />
to prospective new members and to anyone else<br />
interested in us.<br />
Press coverage 20<strong>17</strong><br />
• Kingston Synagogues unite for Holocaust Memorial<br />
Day workshops – article in Surrey Comet, 19 January<br />
• A whole weekend of celebration as Kingston turns<br />
50 – article in Liberal Judaism Today, May.<br />
• Kingston reaches a liberal landmark – article in<br />
Jewish Chronicle, 30 April<br />
• Kingston Liberal Synagogue confirms its new rabbi –<br />
article in Surrey Comet, and Kingston Guardian, 16<br />
October<br />
• Going French in Kingston – article in Jewish<br />
Chronicle, 20 October<br />
• Kingston Liberal Synagogue inducts new rabbi –<br />
article in European Union for Progressive Judaism<br />
newsletter, October<br />
• Rabbi Dr René Pfertzel inducted at Kingston –<br />
article in Liberal Judaism Today, October.<br />
We are also grateful to Jenny Woolfe for her two-page<br />
article on <strong>KLS</strong> in the Winter 20<strong>17</strong> edition of Thames<br />
Ditton Today, the magazine of the Thames Ditton and<br />
Weston Green Residents Association.<br />
Social media<br />
The Twitter feed which Barbara set up as<br />
“KingstonLibShul” in November 2010 now has 301<br />
followers, and has done 630 tweets. This carries<br />
our press coverage to a different audience and may<br />
eventually pick up a younger following. Most followers<br />
are local to Kingston, Esher and Elmbridge.<br />
The KingstonLiberalSynagogue Facebook page has<br />
161 total followers, and 158 total likes. Andrée Frieze<br />
admins the page and keeps it fresh and current by<br />
regulary posting events and news.<br />
A private Facebook group, visible only to members<br />
who have joined it, has 86 members. It provides a<br />
useful means for members to share information within<br />
the community.<br />
Website<br />
The website continues to provide a public face for <strong>KLS</strong><br />
to interested outsider and potential new members.<br />
The section “News” carries news of recent events at<br />
<strong>KLS</strong>, and “Galleries” has recent photos. The Google<br />
alert makes sure we pick up all mentions of <strong>KLS</strong> online.<br />
New members<br />
We are grateful that after a long period without a<br />
membership secretary, Mary Simmons agreed to take<br />
on this role. It involves liaising with people interested<br />
in becoming members and with new members, being<br />
a point of contact for any questions and introducing<br />
them to other members, particularly those who might<br />
share similar interests. The same applies to “friends” –<br />
non-Jews interested in being associated with <strong>KLS</strong>.<br />
The number of new members has been rising since<br />
Rabbi René‘s appointment and we are actively working<br />
to increase this.<br />
Weekly bulletin<br />
Members are kept regularly updated with news and<br />
upcoming events within the <strong>KLS</strong> community.<br />
What’s On @ <strong>KLS</strong> is emailed weekly to all members who<br />
have provided an email address. The email also lists<br />
people included on the coming week’s duty rotas. Event<br />
details are also posted on our website klsonline.org.<br />
A few members not on email receive through the post<br />
about every two months a printed listing of upcoming<br />
events and a collection of the news that has appeared<br />
in the weekly emails over the previous month. A<br />
small number of the printed monthly listings are also<br />
available in the leaflet rack in the Mosaic Room.<br />
Kingston News Quarterly<br />
Jenny Woolfe has continued in the role as editor of the<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> quarterly magazine during 20<strong>17</strong>. She aims to mix<br />
coverage of major <strong>KLS</strong> events with articles and stories<br />
of Jewish interest sourced from the internet; which<br />
many readers don’t have the time, or the know-how,<br />
to find themselves. KNQ acts as a permanent record<br />
of members and events, to be used in future when,<br />
again, we celebrate a historic anniversary. Articles<br />
are positive and uplifting– something we all need in<br />
the present climate! We thank those members who<br />
submitted articles and would welcome many more!<br />
(Please write to knq@klsonline.org)<br />
22 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Building maintenance<br />
Seymour Kelly took over the role in Council of<br />
Buildings officer from April 20<strong>17</strong> onwards. This was<br />
followed by the appointment of Diane Snapper in the<br />
role of administrator and together they have been<br />
tackling the backlog in various maintenance areas.<br />
We are working on having policies and procedures in<br />
place for all areas of activity but we have started with<br />
Fire Policy and Procedures and are working through<br />
actions arising from a fire risk assessment that was<br />
undertaken in autumn 20<strong>17</strong>. Because of the size and<br />
age of the building there are always maintenance<br />
issues. Thanks go to Vili our cleaner and caretaker who<br />
continues to keep very high standards of cleanliness<br />
on the premises.<br />
Sanctuary improvement project<br />
We are currently assessing what improvements can be<br />
made to the sanctuary in order make it a more spiritual<br />
place to worship and enhance its atmosphere. This<br />
has generated a lot of interest and some interesting<br />
changes like the polishing of the ten commandments<br />
and the installation of a tallit holder. However now that<br />
we have our new rabbi in place we have decided to go<br />
back to the community to ask their opinions and will be<br />
organising a couple of open meetings in the next few<br />
months to find out what the congregation would like<br />
before taking toe project forward. Particular thanks<br />
go to Philip Lyons for creating the tallit holder, Linda<br />
Stone, Mary Simmons, Steve Farrer and Mark Woolfe<br />
for working on the ten commandments.<br />
Garden project<br />
The synagogue Council has given the go ahead for a<br />
garden to be created to celebrate the 50th anniversary<br />
of the founding of <strong>KLS</strong>. The new garden will provide a<br />
space for celebrating festivals, a social space for open<br />
air events and a venue for welcoming visitors to <strong>KLS</strong>.<br />
A plan has been finalised and a contractor has been<br />
identified. Funding is in place and we hope the work<br />
will start on the project in May 20<strong>18</strong>. The garden<br />
will rely on the participation and generosity of the<br />
community in providing planters, garden furniture and<br />
of course plants. Thanks to Steve Farrer who came up<br />
with the initial plan and design and to Yaara Kaplan<br />
and Vince Daly for their contributions to garden<br />
committee.<br />
Lettings<br />
Caterpillars Nursery continues to be the main user of<br />
the premises apart from <strong>KLS</strong>. The synagogue building<br />
has also been used an electoral polling station and as<br />
a venue for the Bridge club and Krav Maga. We are<br />
interested in finding further tenants for the venue<br />
when <strong>KLS</strong> is not in use to maximise use of the building<br />
and provide additional income for <strong>KLS</strong>.<br />
Library<br />
In the coming year the focus will be on the library and<br />
how it can be used more effectively by the community.<br />
Security<br />
Over the last year our members have undertaken<br />
nearly 200 security duties. They have supported<br />
Friday night services, Beiteinu, High Holy Days, HMD<br />
Workshops and many more. As impressive as this is, it<br />
highlights how much we rely on members to contribute<br />
their time and the fact that there are still many times<br />
when people are unable to support us shows that we<br />
still need many more people to help with this very<br />
important mitzvah. We extend a big thank you to all<br />
those that have given up their time to help us this past<br />
year, whose help is greatly appreciated.<br />
As we move forward, the challenge of keeping the<br />
synagogue safe for our members is not going to go<br />
away and as more activities extend the hours that<br />
the building is in use the need to reconsider how we<br />
maintain security is growing. It is for this reason that<br />
Andrew Mendelson has decided that after 10 years<br />
in the role of Security Officer the time is right for<br />
someone else to embrace the challenge with a fresh<br />
perspective and will be stepping down from the end of<br />
March 20<strong>18</strong>. We are very grateful for Andrew’s great<br />
contribution in this role over the last 10 years.<br />
Lock-up<br />
There are now 7 kind volunteers who act as a steward<br />
for the Shabbat evening service, and lock-up the<br />
synagogue after the Friday night service. We are<br />
always hoping to have new volunteers, and it is clear<br />
that the commitment (usually is less than once every 2<br />
months) is not very onerous.<br />
We are grateful to Mark Woolfe (rota coordinator),<br />
Judith Osorio, Jenny Osorio, Lilian Somers, Frank<br />
Wuggenig, Richard Berman and Vince Daly for<br />
volunteering to do <strong>KLS</strong> Friday lock-up.<br />
Infrastructure<br />
23 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Finance<br />
Treasurer’s report<br />
Last year was another tough year financially for <strong>KLS</strong><br />
with only a very small surplus being made despite only<br />
having a Rabbi for part of the year.<br />
The last time we had a full complement of staff was<br />
in 2015. With the surplus of £<strong>18</strong>,582 being made in<br />
2016 and a full complement of staff for 20<strong>18</strong> we have<br />
budgeted to run a deficit of £14,823. This is to be<br />
financed from the prior years’ surpluses.<br />
Obviously this cannot continue beyond 20<strong>18</strong> and<br />
therefore Council are looking into various ways of<br />
raising our funding levels on a sustainable basis.<br />
For 20<strong>18</strong> Rabbi René is still on 80% of a full time<br />
commitment but assuming that moves onto 100% as<br />
soon as possible and our staffing levels stay full then<br />
we would need to raise our level of funding by roughly<br />
£30,000 per year.<br />
One major activity to help raise our level of income is<br />
to push harder for new members as subscriptions are<br />
the major part of our income. We are also examining<br />
other ways of raising funds from the building itself and<br />
from various other activities including the 100 club<br />
and donations from members.<br />
Subscriptions<br />
Over many years Brenda Dombey has been the<br />
mainstay of our subscriptions administration but she<br />
has informed Council that 20<strong>18</strong> will be her last year.<br />
Council would formally like to thank Brenda for all of<br />
her efforts over many years.<br />
To help the administration of subscriptions Council<br />
have been looking at ways of making the task easier<br />
both for Council and for Members. To this end we<br />
have introduced a new Direct Debit option to pay for<br />
20<strong>18</strong> subscriptions. We hope that members will take<br />
advantage of this new option and find it easier each year.<br />
Funeral scheme<br />
Our funeral scheme covers the basic expenses of a<br />
funeral and enables members to be buried at a section<br />
of the Long Ditton cemetery, in Rectory Lane, close<br />
to the synagogue. Although we have been forced by<br />
rising funeral costs to increase the funeral contribution<br />
of members’ subscriptions, we consider the scheme<br />
compares very favourably with those available<br />
commercially.<br />
Bookkeeping<br />
Council would also like to thanks Karen Nicholas for<br />
her great work on our finances and bookkeeping as<br />
without her diligence and hard work our lives would all<br />
be much more difficult.<br />
Fundraising<br />
Fundraising for more specific causes is always<br />
important and a list of our targeted areas is on<br />
the table.<br />
Judaica shop<br />
The Judaica shop, run by Hilary Cohen, provides a<br />
convenient service to members and an additional<br />
source of income for <strong>KLS</strong>. It has a large stock of cards,<br />
gift wrap, candles and gifts for all Jewish lifecycle<br />
events and festivals, including kippot, tallitot, challah<br />
covers, bread boards, matzah holders, chanukiot,<br />
children’s toys and games. Items not stocked can be<br />
sourced by request. The shop is open whenever the<br />
synagogue office is open (except when outside events<br />
are being held within the synagogue building) and at<br />
other times by arrangement.<br />
24 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
Finance<br />
Thank you for your generosity, helping<br />
to ensure <strong>KLS</strong> continues to thrive.<br />
Fund<br />
Uses<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> Funds for providing charitable grants<br />
Mavis Robinson Fund<br />
Alison Morland Fund<br />
Kader-Alfred Memorial Fund<br />
Liselotte Hirschfield Fund<br />
Pam Fletcher Jones Fund<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> charity fund<br />
For children to attend LJ Summer Camp<br />
Helping young people of recognised merit<br />
Helping young people learn about Israel<br />
Helping any person in need<br />
For children to attend LJ Spring Camp<br />
Charitable grants generally<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> Funds for providing charitable grants and also other purposes<br />
Rabbi’s discretionary fund<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> Discretionary Donations<br />
Eastern Europe Fund<br />
Furthering <strong>KLS</strong> aims, as the Rabbi may determine<br />
Furthering the aims of <strong>KLS</strong> as Council may determine<br />
Developing progressive Judaism in E. Europe<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> Funds for purposes other than charitable grants<br />
<strong>KLS</strong> Development Fund<br />
Projects delivering long-term value to <strong>KLS</strong><br />
Library fund<br />
Developing <strong>KLS</strong> library<br />
National Holocaust Memorial Fund<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> HMD educational events<br />
Religion School Fund<br />
Cheder development projects<br />
Synagogue fund<br />
Enhancement of the sanctuary<br />
Hornfeld Flower Fund<br />
Flowers for the synagogue for High Holydays<br />
Mosaic Fund<br />
Maintenance of and addition to the mosaic<br />
Scroll Repair Fund<br />
Scroll repairs<br />
100 Club Furthering the aims of <strong>KLS</strong> as Council may determine<br />
25 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
People<br />
Council<br />
A council of synagogue members, elected by the congregation at its <strong>Annual</strong> General Meeting, manages the<br />
synagogue’s activities and are formally its trustees for conducting its business as a charity. The council meets for a<br />
couple of hours most months to plan the development of <strong>KLS</strong> and to manage its general operation.<br />
The offices of Chair, Deputy Chair, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary are also elected at this meeting and<br />
other council members take responsibility for specific areas of operation.<br />
Members who served<br />
in 20<strong>17</strong><br />
Steve Farrer – Chair to 29<br />
April; left Council 29 April<br />
Craig Simmons – Chair<br />
from 29 April<br />
Seymour Kelly – Deputy<br />
Chair from 29 April<br />
Ray Stone – Honorary<br />
Treasurer<br />
Howard Webber –<br />
Honorary Secretary<br />
Sara Alston – education (on<br />
Council from 29 April to 26<br />
October)<br />
Vince Daly – external<br />
liaison (joined Council 29<br />
April)<br />
Katia Ray – education (left<br />
Council 29 April)<br />
Stephanie Wuggenig –<br />
events<br />
The synagogue<br />
constitution allows up to<br />
16 members on Council.<br />
As at 31 December 20<strong>17</strong>,<br />
there were vacancies to<br />
take responsibility for the<br />
following areas:<br />
Education; pastoral;<br />
religious affairs;<br />
membership services;<br />
youth.<br />
We are grateful for the<br />
time and effort given by all<br />
those who have served on<br />
Council and look forward<br />
to more members coming<br />
on board in the future.<br />
Outside of Council<br />
Mike Barnato served as<br />
President.<br />
Tony Spevack served as<br />
Holding Trustee<br />
Senior personnel<br />
Rabbi René Pfertzel –<br />
Rabbi from <strong>17</strong> August<br />
Diane Snapper –<br />
Administrator from 21<br />
August<br />
Rebekka Wedell – Director<br />
of Music<br />
Other contributors<br />
As well as current Council<br />
members and senior staff,<br />
the following members<br />
contributed to this report:<br />
Sara Alston – Mental health<br />
awareness, Bookcrashers,<br />
Journeys to <strong>KLS</strong><br />
Sam Alston – Youth<br />
Linda Stone – Czech scrolls<br />
Sandra Webber – Choir<br />
Jenny Osorio – Exhibitions<br />
Vikki Simmons – Doroteinu<br />
Brian Hurwitz – Tabletennis<br />
Jenny Woolfe – KNQ<br />
Andrew Mendelson –<br />
Security<br />
Mark Woolfe – Lock-up<br />
Barbara Richards –<br />
Publicity<br />
Hilary Cohen – Publicity<br />
Funerals<br />
We remember those<br />
members of our<br />
community who died in<br />
20<strong>17</strong>. May their memory<br />
be for a blessing.<br />
Beryl Rodell<br />
Raymond Morland<br />
Adele Myers<br />
Isadore Caine<br />
Rex Joseph<br />
Richard Halfin<br />
Anthony Woodrow<br />
Barbara Spevack<br />
Donors<br />
James Abadi<br />
Elsa & Jamie Acton Bond<br />
Suzy & Ashley Abrahams<br />
Miriam & Jamie Alaghband<br />
Zadeh<br />
Sara Alston<br />
Maya & David Aviram<br />
Marc Baer<br />
Mike Barnato<br />
Michael Brandon<br />
Susan Burton<br />
Judie Cole<br />
Vince Daly<br />
Brenda Dombey<br />
Jeremy Fitzpatrick<br />
Vicky Freedman<br />
Andree Frieze & Shimon<br />
Morad<br />
Irene Gould<br />
Carole & Simon Haskel<br />
Russell Hayton<br />
Sybil Hickman<br />
Jo Humphreys<br />
Brian Hurwitz<br />
Jill & Norman Hyman<br />
Julia Jacobs<br />
Jackie Jessop<br />
Elena Karacharova<br />
Liz & Seymour Kelly<br />
Doreen King<br />
Anna Larking<br />
Sandra & Philip Lyons<br />
Debbie Marco<br />
Robert Markless<br />
Irene McMillen<br />
Helen & Andrew<br />
Mendelson<br />
David Merkel<br />
Louise Michelson<br />
Jonathan Miller<br />
Valerie Morland<br />
Jenny & Nick Osorio<br />
Judith Osorio<br />
Katia & Paul Ray<br />
Danny Rich<br />
Michael Rich<br />
Pam & Cedric Rigal<br />
Miriam Rodell<br />
Maria Rollin<br />
Sylvia Rose<br />
James Sales<br />
Gary Samuels<br />
Angela Sawano<br />
Beverley & Carl Scheib<br />
Mirek Siba<br />
Unni & Andor Silver<br />
Mary & Craig Simmons<br />
Daniel Simon<br />
John Simon<br />
Barbara & Tony Spevack<br />
Fleur Standring<br />
Linda & Ray Stone<br />
Judy & Ron Thwaites<br />
Carole Tomlin<br />
Joyce Tyrer<br />
Leslie Viney<br />
Mary & John Watson<br />
Sandra & Howard Webber<br />
Kate & David Wilder<br />
Jenny & Mark Woolfe<br />
Estate of Isadore Caine<br />
Estate of Bob Milesi<br />
Several anonymous<br />
donors<br />
26 – <strong>KLS</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 20<strong>17</strong>
A vibrant, joyful community with 50 years of<br />
actively celebrating Jewish tradition with a<br />
progressive, modern outlook.<br />
Kingston<br />
Liberal<br />
Synagogue<br />
Rushett Road, Long Ditton KT7 0UX<br />
Tel: 020 8398 7400<br />
Email: office@klsonline.org<br />
www.klsonline.org<br />
Registered Charity No. 270792