| 1960 |
Our Synagogue was founded. The first service on 5 November was conducted by Dr W Van der Zyl. Services were held in Union Church, Northiam. After two years we moved to the Trades Union Hall on Granville Road |
| 1963 |
Our Choir started with two members |
| 1965 |
We were able to purchase land in Fallow Court Avenue and a temporary synagogue was erected (that building is now the youth centre) Rabbi Henry Goldstein, who had previously student Minister,was appointed our first Rabbi
Our Library was established |
| 1970 |
The remainder of the current site was purchased. Our first link with Alyn Hospital was established Alyn is a hospital in Jerusalem for severely handicapped children. The synagogue, including the Religion School has been raising money for the Hospital ever since, with members visiting the hospital on their visits to Israel. The Friendship Club was established. This is a weekly club for older people, not only synagogue members. |
| 1972 |
Rabbi Henry Goldstein left to go to South West Essex Reform Synagogue in Ilford. |
| 1973 |
Rabbi Jeffrey Newman was appointed full time rabbi. The new building was inaugurated. The concept of Area Groups was started. The community was divided up geographically with a member responsible for each group. It was intended that new members would be welcomed by their group and integrated into the community in this way. The groups were also intended to be a community support at times of illness. These worked for a time, but gradually declined from lack of purpose/leaders. One group remains active as a strong social group. Monday Group was established. This was a weekly club when patients from Friern Mental Hospital came to the synagogue and spent time socialising, playing board games or cards and generally having a break from the hospital. This group ceased after some years with the change in community care programmes giving mental patients more opportunity for outside involvement. |
| 1974 |
Friday Group (Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation) started. This was an innovative way of teaching and further information can be found on our Education pages. Unusually for that time, half of our Synagogue Council were women, |
| 1977 |
2nd Day Rosh Hashanah services were introduced. Children's Services also became a feature of Synagogue life. The Sixth North Finchley Brownie Pack started at FRS. The Group lasted about 25 years. The first Youth Worker was appointed |
| 1978 |
FRS Kindergarten was established started – with Maddy Rayner as the first joint Head Teacher. The Synagogue Newsletter changed its name to Tree of Life. A Soviet Jewry committee established. Over a period of years a number of members participated in visits to the Soviet Union and established links with refusenik families |
| 1985 |
We celebrated our Silver Jubilee. We held a wonderful Roots Exhibition. Members were was invited to bring in family trees, photos etc of their families going back as far as they could. The Silver Jubilee Fund was established. For the first time our membership exceeded 500 families |
| 1986 |
Our first paid Administrator (Liz Crossick) was appointed. |
| 1988 |
FRS twinned with Kol Haneshema the Reform Community in Jerusalem. The Fund raising committee (FRS Charity Committee) raised over £25,000 with proceeds allocated to a number of charities. The committee has raised similar amounts each year since then. Hospitality Lunches were started. Following the local Methodist Church which opened its doors every Sunday lunchtime for homeless people in the area, the synagogue offered the same every Thursday. Janet Berenson-Perkins initially and then Marian Cohen led this project with extraordinary success, with a band of volunteers, many from the synagogue and Finchley Progressive and it continued until 1997, when after much lobbying a Day Centre for the Homeless was opened locally. The whole community was involved in being invited to bring in tins of foods, razors, soap, toothpaste, etc as well as clothes for the homeless. The Religion School in particular was continually aware of Hospitality Lunches.
An innovative Rabbinic Team was appointed. Rabbi Newman continued as the Principal Rabbi and Rabbis Howard Cooper, Barbara Borts and Sheila Shulman were appointed on a part time basis, each with their own specific areas of responsibility. The Conversion Support Group was established. The intention of this group was to help integrate new converts and their partners into the community. The Children's Panel was established.. This was allied to Community Services. It was discovered that some of the professionals were identifying problems with some children and needed support as to how best to deal with specific situations. The group consists of specialists such as an education psychologist, pediatrician, teacher of children with special needs, psychotherapist, etc. who were able to advise on how best the paid professionals could deal with these situations.
Membership exceeded 600 families.
FRS Cares was established. This is a group with two aspects. The first was a fund to help families who could not afford to send their children to the summer camp (Shemesh or Israel), and other summer schemes. The second aspect was a Benevolent Fund, which helped individuals, or families who had a very urgent need for financial help. |
| 1992 |
Studio FRS was established. This is a group of talented women who made beautiful new Torah covers and latterly a new chuppah for the Synagogue. |
| 1994 |
A new management structure was adopted involving creating of a “Senior Professional Team” and four executive committee (Spirituality, Education and Youth, Community and Resources) |
| 1996 |
The need for building refurbishment was agreed and a Building Fund appeal launched. FRS Book/Theatre Circle and Chavurah suppers were established. A Lead Singer's Group was formed.. This introduced the concept of congregational singing facilitated by a lead singer. The formal synagogue choir continues in existence and approximately one service per month is ‘choral’. Both choir and lead singers group assist with singing at the High Holy Day services. A new Day Centre for the Homeless opened in Woodhouse Road and hospitality lunches moved to the Centre. |
| 1998 |
Building refurbishment was substantially completed. Rabbi Sheila Shulman appointed half time Associate Rabbi |
| 1999 |
David Rose was appointed Treasurer – significant because this is the first time the synagogue has appointed a treasurer for approximately six years. The Synagogue held its first Czech scroll service involving the Prague (Bet Simcha) community and other congregations with Czech scrolls |
| 2000 |
Rabbi Jeffrey Newman retired as Principal Rabbi |
| 2001 |
Rabbi Lee Wax joined FRS to assist Friday Group during a very busy year with 35 bnei-mitzvot. Rabbi Wax continued, and with this role, and subsequently widened her involvement with FRS. |
| 2002 |
In a brave initiative, Rabbi Colin Eimer was appointed as joint principal rabbi of both Finchley and Southgate Reform Synagogues. Regular Shabbat activities for children commenced. For the first time, FRS elected Joint Chairs. |
| 2003 |
The very successful FRS Kindergarten responded to demand and an extension was opened to accommodate 15 extra children. Rabbi Eimer was formally inducted as Principal Rabbi. |
| 2005 |
Both Rabbi Eimer and FRS acknowledged that the scheme to have a joint principal rabbi of two communities was not working as it had been hoped that it would and that FRS’s needs would be better served by having its own dedicated Principal Rabbi. Rabbis Shulman, Wax and Cooper provided the necessary rabbinic support during the “interregnum” |
| 2006 |
Rabbi Wax decided to leave FRS and in July Rabbi Shulman retired. Both were thanked for their contribution to FRS life.
Rabbi Miriam Bayfield, having previously spent the last year of her rabbinic training with FRS, was appointed Associated Rabbi and was welcomed by the community to her permanent position in August.
Rabbi Roderick Young was appointed Principal Rabbi and took up his post with FRS in November.
Both rabbis were inducted into FRS on 1st December 2006. |
| 2008 |
Rabbi Roderick Young resigned as a rabbi at FRS. |
| 2008 |
Rabbi Miriam Berger appointed Principal rabbi at an EGM in June. |
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