Welcome to a new chapter in our shared story. Over 50 years in the making where friendship, faith, and tradition have come together to build a stronger, brighter future for our Jewish Community in Hertfordshire.

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This website sets out the vision and potential for the new Community, but your vote on 29th January is starting the firing gun on a process where we will all have a say in how the future will be shaped. If both Synagogues agree to merge, we will begin an implementation phase. This will probably take the best part of the year and will involve the practical things we have to consider such as moving staff, merging databases and computer systems, and combining policies.

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If the decision is not to merge, we will continue to collaborate in the ways we have done for the last 9 months or so, such as sharing Rabbis, combining events, and making new friends, but we will miss out on the big benefits of merging.

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We, as chairs of our communities, met back in February 2025 and a merger was mooted for the first time. We quickly realised that the individual challenges both communities faced were so much better handled as a joint Community. No longer would we be competing for members in the same pond. Rabbinic resource could be utilised in a far better way. Community Engagement would be vastly improved. Youth activities can be more varied, appeal to different tastes and targeted at wider age groups. Indeed, events and activities for all members, of all ages, can be more varied and appeal to a greater number of interests.

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We will also have resources to improve our Synagogue infrastructure. Let us be clear, we are committed to keeping both our synagogue buildings until we get to the point where no-one will lose out by us moving, whether that is to one of our buildings or to a new building altogether. There is no doubt our long term aim is to be under one roof, but that will not be to the detriment of any particular group. Accessibility to the building is a key requirement, whether that is for the elderly and disabled to get in and around the building, or to the members who require public transport or easy car parking. This process will take time, vision and planning and will not be rushed – until then, we will become a single community on two sites.

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Our aim is to build a Centre for the benefit of the Jewish Community in Hertfordshire. So, while the building is important, we recognise that many of our members live further afield and as a larger Community we can offer more to those people who live over 30 minutes or more from Radlett and Elstree. Whilst there are differences between the two communities this proposed merger is agreed to be a merger of equals. We will bring together the strengths of each community, whether that is the cheder / Sunday Hub and b’mitzvah programmes, our Lunch and Afternoon Tea clubs, our musical traditions, the choice of services using the Liberal or Reform prayerbooks, and so on. The history and traditions of both communities are important, and together we can build new, joint traditions reflecting the progressive Judaism of which we are all so proud.

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As our two communities become one, we will honour the traditions that brought us here and embrace the journey ahead - together, stronger, and united in purpose. After the vote, if the decision is to merge, then there are going to be opportunities for members of both communities to help shape what the new community will look like. If you want it to be ‘your’ community, then help us build it. Please get in touch with either of us at the email addresses below.

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This proposed merger needs your vote so please make every effort to attend the EGM on January 29th, or if for some reason you cannot join, please be sure to appoint your proxy to vote on your behalf. Your vote on this merger is key!

 

Spencer Grant spencer@radlettreform.org.uk

Leigh Renak chair@tlse.org.uk

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