Addressing 330 congregants at his induction service, Rabbi Hughes was bullish about the future of the Hertfordshire congregation.
“We, the Anglo-Jewish community, stand at a crossroads,” he said. “We’ve been informed that our vital energies are waning, that assimilation is rife and demographic disaster imminent.
“But how has Radlett responded to the doom and gloom?
“We’ve built a beautiful new shul, raised far beyond £1 million from our own members. We have weekday services, three sites for the High Holy-Days, a youth director, a rabbinic team, dedicated care volunteers, programmes and events for everyone, guest educators, office staff, over 400 kids, 1,200 members.”
The challenge was raising the bar, to which end he had launched a programme of educational, social and cultural events.
He also paid tribute to his wife Chana, who takes an active role in the community, and his parents.
His Jewish mother and non-Jewish father had supported him “beyond belief” when he began to embrace his Judaism.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis congratulated Radlett on its newly-refurbished building and on finding an outstanding spiritual leader.
“Though not all rabbis are lucky enough to have a name which enables them to label their shiurim as happily as Schmooze with Hughes,” he joked.
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