OPINION: Shul report gives vital insight for us all
by Simon Johnson, Chief Executive, Jewish Leadership Council
When the JLC started the Synagogue Vitality Project, I had the privilege of being chairman of my synagogue – Hampstead Garden Suburb. Similar positions as chairs of their shuls were also held by my colleagues Lord Mendelsohn, Ruth Green and Michael Goldstein, all of whom also serve in wider communal leadership roles. It is not a coincidence that our roads to leadership positions have included a time in synagogue leadership.
Shul leaders are in a unique position to influence Jewish life. That is one of the reasons why the JLC commissioned Professor Steven Cohen’s report on Synagogue Vitality, so that his research could clarify our understanding of and appreciation for the most salient features of some of our most vital congregations, how they are created and how they are sustained. This report shows how we can create vital, inclusive communities that will shape British Jewry for years to come.
One key aspect that stands out from this report, perhaps more than any other, is how shul life transcends religious observance. Chesed or ‘human kindness’ is a key area of activity. We will work with our many social care members to ensure that the support given, through shul welfare programmes to thousands of people, are properly connected with the established and expert services which the community provides.
We are all grateful to Professor Cohen and his co-author Michelle Terret for the time and effort they put into this report. Vital synagogues lead to a vibrant community, and we, at the JLC, hope that this report will ensure that this important part of community life continues to grow and flourish.
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.
