The United Synagogue

United At Last! Celebrations In Finchley As The Finchley Persian Sephardi Minyan Formally Joins US

PRESS RELEASE

London,
4th November 2010

UNITED AT LAST! CELEBRATIONS IN FINCHLEY AS THE FINCHLEY PERSIAN SEPHARDI MINYAN FORMALLY JOINS US

In a first for the United Synagogue, Finchley Synagogue (Kinloss) has announced that the Finchley Persian Sephardi Minyan has formally joined Finchley United Synagogue as a satellite community.

Under the arrangement, members of the Persian Sephardi Minyan will be entitled to full United Synagogue membership status and Kinloss member benefits – on the same footing as all other Kinloss congregants.

This is the first formal arrangement between the United Synagogue and a Sephardi community.

The Finchley Persian Sephardi Minyan has been operating out of Finchley Synagogue for a number of years and, prior to the formal integration, had already become a highly valued part of the Kinloss community. In the recent refurbishment of the Kinloss site, a beautiful new Synagogue was constructed to be the new home for the Persian Sephardi Minyan – allowing the community to grow and flourish.

The Persian Sephardi Minyan is led by Rabbi Leibush Heller who also acts as Finchley Synagogue’s Assistant Rabbi. Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the much revered Rabbi of the Kinloss community, will have overall responsibility for all the communities within Kinloss. The United Synagogue is formally recognising and guaranteeing the rites and customs of the Persian Sephardi community and Dayan Yonatan Abraham has been appointed as the Beth Din’s representative on Sephardi affairs.

Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis , Rabbi of Finchley Synagogue, said: “At Kinloss, we are blessed to have many Sephardim within our community, who give a contribution of immeasurable value to our dynamic, communal mosaic of religious expression. The historic agreement that has been reached is a wonderful expression of the creative and harmonious spirit within our thriving congregation and will hopefully serve as an outstanding model for other communities to follow.”

Rabbi Leibush Heller, Rabbi of Finchley Synagogue Persian Sephardi Minyan, said: “We feel honoured to be members of the prestigious Kinloss community under the superb leadership of Rabbi Mirvis. Our congregants are especially excited at the prospect of being full constituents of the US whilst retaining Sephardi traditions and customs.”

Mr Joseph Lavian, senior board member of the Finchley Persian Sephardi Minyan, said: “This is a historic day in the life of the Sephardim within Finchley. We have always been one big happy family at Kinloss, and now by formally joining the United Synagogue - the largest Jewish Organisation in Europe - we are reinforcing this unity, with the recognition that Jews from different parts of the world can be part of the same organisation, pray in the same building, yet follow different customs and rituals with mutual respect and understanding. The future is great.”

Jon Mendelsohn, Chairman of Finchley Synagogue said: “We are thrilled to have concluded this arrangement. In truth, we have felt as one community for a long time already. This agreement formalises an already close relationship and is a first for the United Synagogue and another major step in the development and expansion of the Kinloss community.”

David Kaplan, Director of Community Services at the US said: “We at the US are delighted at this groundbreaking initiative which shows what a truly inclusive organisation we are – reaching out to all. We heartily welcome the Finchley Synagogue Persian Sephardi Minyan into the US family and greatly admire all the local leadership who have made this a reality.”


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EDITORS’ NOTES: -

Photo credit - Ben Nassimi

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