Saturday 14th November 2009 saw us celebrating a double event at SLLS: our 80th anniversary and the induction service of our rabbi, Janet Darley.  Our press release describes it all much better than me, please take a look at our Press release. 

Sunday 15th November was Mitzvah day when Members of South London Liberal Synagogue were proud to be among around 15,000 Jews and others who gave a few hours of their time to support numerous good causes.

For our first ever “Mitzvah Day” we ran two projects.  For the last month, congregants have brought in toiletry items and warm scarves to go in the arrival packs distributed by the Separate Child Foundation which provides much needed help for young asylum seekers who come without their parents.  On Sunday morning, religion school pupils and their parents sorted the items and made welcome cards to go into the arrival packs. Even our Toddlers’ Group got in the act by learning about being helping hands and drawing their own cards as well.

In the afternoon, we hosted an afternoon tea party for 15 residents from Nightingale House. They were served a wonderful array of sandwiches, scones and cakes coordinated by Ruth Edwards and Gill Walker and were entertained by young pianist Bricks Elliott-Nabarro (one of our Religion School pupils), Vince Daly, and Adele Schwartz, who really got the Lily Montagu Hall jumping as she led everyone in a sing along of old favourites!

Rabbi Janet Darley, says:  “It was wonderful to have older and younger members of our community participate in these events to help others.  We at South London Liberal believe in our obligation to those around us.  As part of multi-cultural Lambeth, we thought the Separated Child Foundation was an ideal way to help those from many backgrounds. Nightingale House is close to us and we hope that this activity will be the beginning of closer links with them.”

Both days produced many memorable scenes, double click photos to enlarge:

Director of Liberal Judaism, Rabbi Danny Rich, addresses the community at our 80th anniversary/Rabbi Janet Darley induction service	SLLS president Jerome Freedman with Lambeth Mayor Christopher Wellbelove and Rabbi Janet Darley	Rabbi Janet Darley being inducted by Rabbi Julia Neuberger	The congregation at our combined 80th anniversary/induction service
Rabbi Janet Darley at our celebration kiddush	A miracle - they all stopped and smiled at my camera!	Rabbi Janet Darley with our Mitzvah day certificate	A younger member plays for our afternoon tea guests from the Nightingale home
Raf veteran Ken shares a joke and a cream scone with Carol - one of our mitzvah day helpers	Synagogue chairman Philip Walker (in the middle) sitting with two guests from the NIghtingale home	Janet's induction: The Jewish Chronicle, 20th November 2009	Mitzvah Day: The Jewish Chronicle, 20th November 2009