I cannot believe that it is 14 months since the day I was elected Chair of YLJC was one of immense pride and a li<le trepida=on. There was also a li<le sadness that neither of my parents were alive to have witnessed my love and commitment to YLJC. Both my parents spent many years as Chair persons, my dad of the Windhoek Hebrew Congrega=on and my mum the local and na=onal chair for the Union of Jewish Woman both in Windhoek and then in Cape Town, I suppose in some way this is me carrying on that same tradi=on.
Being one of the first Chairs to be in situ with our first Rabbi in almost 800 years is beyond comprehension in many ways and together with the exis=ng commi<ee I am so grateful to be part of it all. Proud seems an understatement.
We have achieved an amazing amount in the past year, a lot would not have been possible without Rabbi Elisheva and her outreach work and engagement across York and many communi=es has been immense.
Finally before my list of achievements below, we cannot forget that none of this would have been possible without the dedica=on, =me and engagement of Ben Rich, one of our founders and figurehead of YLJC and those members like Lilian, Katrina, Shannon, Lee and others who helped create this from nothing 10 years ago.
Achievements & YLJC in a year:
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Celebra=on of 10 years of YLJC – with special thanks to Lilian Coulson for her Organisa=on. We were almost 70 people, with 25 guests including Interfaith
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Leaders, Rabbi Charley Baginsky and many more.
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4 Shabbat Services a month.
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2 family services a month (the wee ones are growing, we have a regular cohort of 5 “li<lies” a<ending our family services
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Relaunch of the YLJC website & Membership database
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Relaunch of the amazing Jews in the Ouse Newsle<er Pesach Seder this year saw YLJC friends and family joined by new friends for an amazing 68 strong Seder.
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Our very own engagement officer, Lilian Coulson who in her professional capacity as a Town planner con=nues to fly the flag for YLJC with the ongoing Jewbury Project and The development of the Eye of York together with the support of Rabbi Elisheva and Howard Duckworth.
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Interfaith & Social Ac=on – these func=ons would not be possible without Jay Prosser and Sarah Hubbard, allowing our interac=on and celebra=on of Faith Week, Mizvah day and the ongoing growth of Tikun Olam. We have had the amazing input and support of Stuart Diamond, CEO of Mitzvah Day spend the day in York and partake in our Shabbat Services as well as the Interfaith Service hosted by Rabbi Elisheva in November 2024.
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HHD where quite something this year: The most successful first night, YLJC tradi=onal Rosh Hashanah Seder, we had another wonderful evening of new friends, a li<le tradi=on and learning and wonderful meal a<ended by 70 people, we look to 2025 to only make these bigger & be<er. Services where well a<ended for Kol Nidre as well as the full day of Yom Kippur, with a li<le something for everyone including
the family service, community services, Jonah and Yiskor. We celebrated Havdalah and broke the fast together as a community which again was truly special. Our HHD fundraising was literally record breaking with 3 chari=es receiving over £1200 each from YLJC. (quite something)
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Rabbi Elisheva and myself were invited this year to a<end the York Armis=ce Day Parade and for the first =me in our history, we were part of the group of Faith Leaders, VIPs and York City Councillors who walked together behind the various veterans and service men and woman and then laid a wreath on behalf of YLJC. It was one of the greatest privileges I have experienced personally and as part of YLJC.
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• In the past year we have welcome 5 Jews by Choice into our Congrega=on and Community and I am delighted and proud. Rabbi Elisheva con=nues her engagement and growth of the Conversion class and we have a current class of approximately 20 conversion students.
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Our Cheder classes have begun, and we have a cohort of 3, possibly 4, Bnei Mitzvah students who have begun their studies with Rabbi Elisheva, this to me is one of the most exci=ng =mes not just for our families (and the stresses that go with it) but that it shows and celebrates the importance of adulthood in our community.
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A commi<ee of dedicated friends of YLJC who have all gone above and beyond to bring Rabbi Elisheva on board, to help support and grow our community and make us who we are. Thank you to Ben, Howard, Lilian, Lucy, Jay, John, Owen, Ruth and Sarah and to Lauren, Mim and Rosie for their help and support in the early months of my tenure.
We con=nue to pray for the safe return of the hostages in Israel, for peace and cessa=on of war. The news tonight as I write this (18/01/2025) brings a glimmer of hope for the return of the hostages back to their loved ones and we pray for all those who are not returning.
I look very forward to 2025, to building our community with the founda=on of old members and of new members. I look, together with the commi<ee, to keeping those tradi=ons going, bringing in new families, new tradi=ons and growth for today, tomorrow and many many more years of a growing, Jewish community in York.
York Liberal Jewish Community Receipts and payments account Year ended 4 April 2024 Unr•strlcted fund• Bursary Tot*1 fund fund8 Irestnthedl 2023 Recelpts General donations High holy day appeal Donations for Rabbi'$ salary & expense5 Inlety51 Mernber8hp fees 3,161 3.161 3.487 38.500 1,166 18,751 38,500 1.166 18.751 242 13.108 Total recelpts Paym•nts AountancY fees Bank ¢harges Chartsbb contribution$ In8uron¢e- other Servrce expenses Rabbinic salary Rabbinic experfses Flabbinic nSIOn Room booking Cheder teachers 82.518 62.518 17,317 1.092 95 250 479 993 41.458 7.108 1,092 95 250 479 474 78 401 282 41,458 7.108 9,559 11,553 45 148 2r 369 5,797 4,317 11.553 45 148 206 369 5.797 4.317 2.994 355 Postage, 5t81ionery etc Social auion Subscriptions Sundry expenses Telephon8 Total payments 3.034 245 72 73.976 n,976 17.584 Net rocglpts 111.4581 111,4581 12671 Cash funds last yoar •nd 61,208 65.208 65.475 Ca$h funds thls ygar end 49.750 4.000 53.750 65,208 statsment of assets and Ilabllltlgs at 4 Aprll 2024 Cash assets Current account Savings accounts 45.146 53.750 Funds Gener81 fund Bursary fund-reslricted Total funds Llablllties 49.750 4,000 53.750 Pension contribLrtion$ to be paid 1,340 Signed by a Iruslee on beharf of all e Iruslees B RICH Signed y an independent xaminer Paul Silve¢-Myer FCCA on 8th July 2024, who has rèviewed 11)e above account and confimis that il accurately represents the financial transactions of the York Liberal Jewish Community for the year ended 4 Apnl 2024