By, Josh Jackman
2 min read
ByJosh Jackman, Josh Jackman
Brondesbury Park Synagogue leaders are facing a dilemma over the shul’s £5 million plan for a three-storey rebuild.
The north-west London community has hit a financial wall with a £1 million shortfall and work set to start after the High Holy-Days. If the full amount is not raised, the cheaper alternative will mean a reduced sized building and prayer hall, with the loss of space impacting on activities for the congregation’s 300 children.
It is a frustrating scenario for those who have overseen the renaissance of Brondesbury into a youthful and active community involving 850 people. The spiritual leadership of Rabbi Baruch Levin, who joined in 2004, has played its part, as has proximity to Jewish schools and decent transport links.
“This building is our main weakness,” said Daniel Turner, the outgoing Brondesbury chair. Rabbi Levin added that if the congregation had to adopt the modified plan, “we would need to find a way of combining a function hall, kiddush space, cheder rooms and a nursery all in one, rather than having a dedicated floor for classrooms and function hall”.
With more than half the children in the congregation aged under 10, youth provision was paramount. “With a number of secondary school children who don’t attend Jewish schools and who look to the community to reinforce their Jewish identity, the youth space is an integral part of this project and our future.”
Brondesbury attracts around 200 adults for Shabbat morning services — and as many as 500 for a bar- or batmitzvah. Head of fundraising Ed Barnett explained that on such days, the size of the current premises was an issue.
“This room transforms into a prayer room and a kiddush area so it has to be cleared at the end of every service. That is not fit for purpose.”
The United Synagogue has contributed £1 million towards the rebuild with the other funding raised to date coming equally from the congregation and the Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust.
Mr Barnett said that £1.5 million in donations from “a young and broadly professional community” exemplified the commitment of congregants.
“We don’t have wealthy people. Many of our members have school fees and mortgages and they’ve donated a fifth of their gross income. That is phenomenal. It’s a community of doers.”
He did not accept that £5 million was an excessive amount. “We’re looking to build a basic building, not a lavish one.” The money would fund “a place for mother and baby sessions, for the elderly, a nursery, a cheder, classrooms and our temporary relocation to nearby premises [during construction].”
Mr Barnett, a partner at law firm Allen & Overy, maintained that “this project should not be difficult to fund from within Anglo-Jewry. It should not be difficult to fund a success.
“People should be rallying behind this. We’re at mile 23 of the marathon. We just need a bit of help.”
Agreeing, Rabbi Levin said “it would raise question marks over Anglo-Jewry’s judgement if it failed to see the value in supporting a project such as this.”