History of SUJC
History Of SUJC
The idea of forming a new Jewish Community in Shenley was conceived about the time of the new Millennium (Common Era, not the Jewish Calendar). It all started when the United Synagogue’s Community Development Group encouraged a few Shenley residents to form a steering committee. They tested the water by putting an invitation through every door in the village with a mezuzzah on it. Some 200 people responded by turning up at an initial meeting held at the Old Chapel.
Not long after that, some of the original steering committee were invited to the Chief Rabbi’s house for a pep talk. That seems to have done the trick.
Friday night and Shabbas morning services began to be held in people’s homes. Initially, the services were led by lay members from Radlett, sometimes by their Rabbi, and then later by our first part-time Rabbi – Benjamin Rickman.
The expansion of shul services went hand in hand with social and fund-raising activites. The Shenley Quiz Night quickly became an established event; so did the summer picnic and barbecue.
In 2004, Shmuli Kass took over as part-time Rabbi and moved to Shenley with his wife, Batsheva and two children, Yisroel and Hanni - and Shenley United Jewish Community really began to take off.
The local primary school became the regular venue for Shabbas morning services. When that wasn’t available, services were held at a local old people’s home and at Shenley Cricket Club. On one memorable occasion, the shabbas service at the cricket club coincided with a visit by the touring West Indies team.
Rabbi Kass also instituted study sessions at his home and launched the community second night seder, which has become a not-to-be missed event. Under his guidance, the Shenley Jewish year filled out more and more to include shul services for all the festivals, Chanukah and Purim parties for the kids – and a Purim party for the adults (nobody who was there will ever forget the Rabbi’s giraffe costume).
Bit by bit, the community gained confidence. A good example was the Sefer Torah Fund. At the outset, the shul inherited two sifrei torah – one from Cricklewood, one from West Ham. Each needed several thousand pounds-worth of work to make them kosher. The shul committee organized an appeal. It was hoped to raise funds to repair one of them; but the response exceeded all expectations and there was enough money to restore both of them.
With the help of a “slow-burn” transfer agreement with neighbouring Borehamwood and Radlett, SUJC grew steadily. A deal was agreed with the Shenley Park Trust and the Old Chapel became the regular venue for Shabbas morning sevices – at that time, still held only once a fortnight with a shiur at the Rabbi’s house on alternative Saturday mornings.
On February 5th, 2006, the Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, paid his first visit to Shenley to induct Rabbi Kass. By then community had about 90 families. It was a remarkable occasion, full of joy and celebration.
Tragically, less than a year later, Rabbi Kass, now the father of three following the birth of Yocheved, was diagnosed with cancer. For another 12 months, while receiving treatment, he continued to take services, launch learning initiatives and lead the community. From his hospital bed, he helped to organise the Shenley Yom Tovim services in 2007. He died shortly afterwards.
Rabbi Kass was instrumental in the early development of Shenley United Jewish Community. He literally and figuratively was a tower of inspiration. His decision to bring his family to live in the village served as a beacon for the development and growth of Jewish life. It is a tribute to his leadership that the community continued to thrive even after the devastating blow of his untimely passing. In his memory, SUJC helped to launch the Jewish learning centre, HLX.
In 2008, SUJC appointed a new leader, Rabbi Natan Levy, formerly the student chaplain based in Bristol. He moved to Shenley with his wife Ariella, and two young children. They have already helped to expand provision for the growing numbers of children in the community. There are now seperate services every Shabbat for three age ranges – from toddlers to pre-bat- and barmitzvah. Bat and barmitzvahs are now regular events in Shenley Shul.
More and more people are discovering that Shenley is a wonderful place to live. It has a beautiful park and is surrounded by glorious countryside. It has a mixture of modern housing on the new estate (built on the site of the old hospital) and more traditional homes in the older part of the village.
Because it’s surrounded by Green Belt, Shenley as a village won’t grow much, but the Jewish community within it is growing and is beginning to thrive. It’s still a community without a permanent shul of its own (although the Old Chapel continues to be rented for all shabbat and most festival services. In Shenley, the shul – from bimah to mechitza - has to be built from scratch each time. Most shuls have a large, eye-catching Ark. Shenley’s Ark comes from Ikea –it has a handle on either side and can be brought out and put away very easily (like the original Ark, it’s designed to be mobile).
Several sites for a shul are currently being investigated and a business plan has been prepared. Hopefully it won’t be too long before plans become reality and the Ark from Ikea (or its successor) finds a permanent resting place. But whatever the future holds, Shenley is determined to retain and enhance its reputation as a, warm, welcoming, and friendly Jewish community – growing in Hertfordshire.
