Edgware Masorti Synagogue launched a year-long celebration of its 25th anniversary with a civic Shabbat service.

As revealed in a commemorative issue of the Edgware Masorti Times, the community was established in 1984 by nine families as the Conservative Synagogue of North-West London. It soon became the first Masorti-branded community in Europe.

It moved in 1996 to its Bakery Path site where a synagogue and community centre were built. Its first minister was Rabbi Chaim Weiner, now director of the European Masorti Beth Din, followed in 2000 by current minister, Rabbi Jeremy Collick.

Nearly 300 people packed into the shul for the service where guests including Andrew Dismore MP andMasorti leaders. Rabbi Collick said: “From nine families to 1,000 souls in just 25 years – who would have believed it?”