Outgoing Chair’s Address to the AGM 2018 (Noeleen Cohen)

Written by Writings & Sermons by others — 16 May 2018

When we came to London and joined a synagogue, one of the reasons that we joined was so that our school age boys could go to cheder, and as an added extra, we hoped that we might meet some other young families and make new friends to help us settle into life in our new ‘home’, London. Well those first years of dropping off at the Alyth cheder at Brooklands school on a Sunday morning, turned into 20 years of being immersed in community, meeting those new friends who really did help us settle in, and of Alyth finding a way into our lives and into our hearts.

The journey into and through community is one of many paths – with lots of straight runs and smooth bits; some bumps in the road; the odd hair-pin bend; and opportunities to refuel along the way.  Journeys infer motion. Moving forward.  Knowing the direction in which you are going. But to be quite honest, when I was thinking about my Alyth journey and about today, I felt it was a moment to stop and recognise the end of a particular part of this journey.

Ends are not bad things! They just mean that something else is about to begin. So, today as I sit here reflecting on joining a social action group to collect coats for Crisis at Christmas, to joining Council and then Executive, to 12 years later, having had the privilege to Chair this incredible community, I’m a little emotional, but hugely proud of our community and my place in it.

The speed at which the years pass is frightening. It may have something to do with age, but whatever it is, it certainly comes into sharp focus when one looks back a year, or even two. So much happens.

I won’t remind you of Brexit, elections across the globe and a host of other seismic events that have gone on in the world.  Let’s just focus on NW11.

Together with a wide range of members, many, or even most of us here today, experience the warmth and embrace of Alyth, We come together to pray and sing. We study together and share our stories. We are there for one another when it’s hard, and equally when we celebrate and share our joy. Ours is a thriving community, built on innovation and passion, and imbued with a huge sense of inclusion and care, across the community.

This is a place where our young families come to Baby Den, Shabbat Den and Sensory Shabbat. It’s where we study Talmud and midrash. It’s where our older members come to Monday Club and ‘Jews, News & Schmooze’. It’s where we 41 b’nei mitzvah have read Torah for the first time in front of their community and where we have welcomed 8 newly-wed couples, and a healthy flow of new members. It’s where we speak about political Israel and Eretz Yisrael, about loneliness and mental health and where we host consultations on organ donation and hustings for local and national elections.

To ensure that we continue to be central to the prayer lives and the communal lives of our members, we have prioritised the development our building. Our home. This past year, we have met with many of our members to share a light meal on a weekday evening, walked around with them and shared our vision for a building that is welcoming, modern and ecologically sound, and that makes the best use of the space that we have for prayer and learning, and will enable us to host the large number of activities and events that we have every week.

These evenings have enabled us to hear from many of our members how they use the building and their hopes and dreams for the community.  Many of them have generously supported the fundraising effort. To date, we have raised £1,6m through not only the generosity of our members, but because they really believe in the Alyth of today, and tomorrow.

At the heart of all this, are the people who work tirelessly to make Alyth what it is – both lay and professional.

As this is the AGM, it marks a time of transition, when terms come to an end and new ones begin, and when we as a community not only look back but also forward, to new ways of doing things and to new faces around the table.

My Vice Chair and friend, Russell. Your warm, hard-to-rattle nature has been the perfect match for an animated call or email from me to ask your thoughts on something that was on my mind. You have been a solid and wise counsel to me, and have that one thing that we should never loose when doing this work – a sense of humour. Thank you for making me laugh when I needed to, and also for helping me think, plan and deliver when we needed to.

We haven’t had the formal vote to appoint the next Chair, but I am confident that it will be a mere formality; and I can say that I know that you will take with you the strength, understanding and commitment that you have shared with me, into your role as Chair, and that you will be at the forefront of the development of Alyth in the coming years.

I know, this is not a role you take on alone. Abi, you, and Jack and Eddie will be sharing Russell, even more with us. Your family’s love for Alyth is what brings you all here, to be a part of so much of what happens, especially in the youth and education hub. Thank you all for your love and support for Alyth and for your generosity in sharing Russell with us.

As I said, at this time, a number of Exec and Council members have come to the end of their term. I have thanked them already in our meetings, but an opportunity to do so once more should never be missed.

The role of Vice Presidents is on a three-year cycle. Rolfe Roseman has come to the end of his three-year term. Thank you, Rolfe for your insights and for asking questions in a legal way, but always reminding us that our Jewish way and our Jewish values are what matters.

Mark Harris comes to the end of his term as an ex officio member of Council. For the past 2 years he has been on Council and is part of our building project team.  Mark, thank you for continuing to be around the table, literally and figuratively. We are grateful for your ongoing love for the community and commitment to the building project which you helped start.

 

Ruth Smilg and Lanny Silverstone come to the end of their full terms as members of Council and Executive. As trustees, colleagues and mostly as friends, you have both been exceptional. I am hugely grateful for your advice and guidance.

Honor Small, Jackie Goymour, Clare Lubin and Catherine Becker are stepping down from Council.

To each of you, a huge thank you for being welcoming and caring and questioning and for your dedication and commitment to the community.

It seems like a long time ago that we welcomed Rabbi Hannah into our community. A whirlwind hello and straight into the High Holy Days is hardly a welcome. But Hannah took it in her stride and by Simchat Torah, she was leading the Israeli dancing and we couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t with us.

In fact it’s only been 9 months since Rabbi Hannah joined the Rabbinic Team, and in that time she has become an integral part of the team and together with her partner Mark, of the community.  Hannah, you have brought a special touch to our community – one that is compassionate and embracing and that reaches out to two-month old babies, to our many young families and to the sometimes hardest to reach teenagers as well. We are delighted that you are so much a part of the Rabbinic and wider professional team and look forward to many more years of your being with us here at Alyth.

Our professional and staff team are extraordinary.  Not perfect! Just extraordinary!  Every member of the team brings their best self to work, with a huge amount of commitment, thoughtfulness and fun thrown in. We are hugely grateful to all of them and I although I am not going to name them individually, I want to say “thank you” to all of them, both on behalf of the community and personally for all that they do to ensure that we can be the community that we are, and more.

Our Rabbinic partners, Mark and Josh are at the very heart of the community. Their leadership is a unique blend, bringing together their spiritual, intellectual and organisational talents. It is what makes our community whole, what makes it work, and what makes this the place that we love and that we come to for our spiritual and communal sustenance.

Josh and Mark, your commitment is exceptional and hugely valued. The work that you do and the relationships that you have with our members, and with us your lay partners, is the foundation on which Alyth is built and will continue to thrive. Thank you.

On a personal note, it has been a joy to work together. I have learnt with you and from you both. We have faced the challenges as a team, grappled with issues, and I have found in you both compassionate, clever and deeply committed professionals who I can call my Rabbi and my friend. This means a lot to me.

I have one final thank you, and that is of course to John. May is a busy time for birthdays in our house, including yours. You know how much your love and support and patience means to me. Thank you for always listening, for questioning and for being my rock. I could not imagine being able to do what I do without you.

As I said earlier, ends are not bad things. They just mean that something else is about to begin, and that other things will continue, but in a different way. And I am looking forward to being a part of all of it, in whatever way I can.

Noeleen Cohen

13 May 2018.