TWO popular rabbis who aim to bring community involvement to their synagogues are being welcomed into the area.
Rabbi Elchonon Feldman, of the Belmont United Synagogue in Stanmore, was inducted by the Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth, Lord Jonathan Sacks on September 3 and Rabbi Danny Bergson hosted an event for his arrival at Pinner Synangogue on Sunday September 4.
Mr Feldman, who works at the synangogue with his wife Jacqueline, said: "It was an honour to have a connection to the chief rabbi, you get to watch him stand up on the stage and say nice things about you and say things that bring the whole community together."
The father-of-three, who is originally from New York, started his post in June after coming from a teaching job in Israel and said the roles are very different: "When you are teaching your method is very direct, but when you are working with the community you are engaging with families they have an idea of their own direction. What you are doing is providing a structure and helping them to grow."
Having three young children and an active community means there is a lot of work to be done: "My days start at six in the morning and go until after midnight. My wife, Jacqueline, is my sidekick but I don't think she minds being called that, her job is a lot more important than mine, as she is the emotionally strong element, she will be talking ot the bereaved and dealing with the more real needs."
Rabbi Bergson arrived in Pinner from Glasgow with his wife Anna and their four children at the end of August and also admits to not getting very much sleep. He said: The community have been extremely warm and welcoming. I think the big society can only start by building a small community first and I want to start by building a Jewish community."
