Tonight and tomorrow our community of the New North London Synagogue, בית חדש– Bayit Chadash, celebrates its Golden Shabbat.
I wasn’t there at the beginning. But I heard many times how Rabbi Dr Jacobs, the inspiration behind this new congregation, stood on a chair and declared, ‘Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.’
What is that idea, or ideal? It was, and remains, the creation of a community deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and practice, engaged with learning, liturgy and halakhah, Jewish law, yet open-minded, open to the world, and open-hearted, ready to face truths from wherever they come and to struggle honestly with the challenges of contemporary life.
We have never finished working at what that ideal means and at how to make it real, and we never shall. The moment we finish, we will cease to be true to what it demands of us.
I remember, I remember!
I have many treasured memories from the last 40+ years, moments which touched my soul. But I can’t share most of them, because they were heart-to-heart and private.
Yet two stand out. The first happened about thirty years ago on Rosh Hashanah, the New Year. Leslie Lyndon, his memory is a blessing, had just concluded the long Mussaf service which he led year by year with depth and grace. He was taking the traditional three steps back with which one symbolically parts from the presence of God, when he became aware of a baby who had crawled up right behind him. I will never forget the laughing smile with which he looked down at the child as, singing the concluding words Oseh Shalom, ‘Maker of peace,’ he carefully side-stepped to avoid her. It was a sweet moment of meeting between the holy and the human, – and that’s what religion and community is all about.
The second moment is the Shabbat when we first prayed in our new synagogue building. We decided to move in as a congregation halfway through our Sabbath prayers. From each service people of all ages came singing as they carried our Torah scrolls from the much-loved premises where we had gathered for so long, into the new spaces which we were determined to fill with the same spirit and affection. Everything was master-planned by Claire Mandel, our then CEO, to whom I say on behalf of us all, ‘We owe you so much.’ I can’t remember the words, but the feeling of that singing still feeds my soul.
So we’ve reached our Golden Shabbat. I think of gold as the precious filament which the Torah describes as running through the garments of the High Priest, shining amidst the other strong colours of scarlet, blue and purple.
Today we have neither High Priest not sacred garments. We each approach God as equals, and our garments are own experiences and spirit, which, like the High Priest’s clothes, are composed of many threads. Some have the radiant colours of joy; others are knotted with pain and hurt as life draws them through our heart. But I hope that, even in tough times, we can keep sight of the filament of gold running through them. It’s composed of Torah, neshamah – soul music, hesed – loving-kindness, kehillah -community, and tsedek – the aspiration to do what is just and right. I hope we never lose sight of that gold thread.
The New North London community has shaped my life. I am deeply grateful for the fellowship, challenge, guidance, trust and inspiration.
I ask God’s blessing for all my companions on this voyage, and especially for my wonderful, gifted and dedicated colleagues who are taking this journey forward into the future.
May God bless us and care for us. May God’s grace enlighten us and God’s presence guide us. May God bring us, all Israel and all the world, to a place of peace.