Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London was my community for several years. This was a place where I found belonging, singing at Friday night services. I taught weekend classes with children ahead of their bar- and batmitzvahs. The synagogue’s former rabbi, Miriam Berger, officiated our wedding when I married my husband.
Last week, along with a synagogue in nearby Kenton and a building that previously housed Jewish charities in Hendon, this community was subject to an arson attack that mercifully did not cause substantial harm. Yet the emotional and psychological impact has been felt far beyond the physical damage. These attacks feel close to home, grounded in the very real dangers Jews face globally.
