2025-04-04-accounts - York Liberal Jewish Community

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YLJC AGM – TRUSTEES REPORT

It has been difficult to put down in print just what a privilege the last 2 years have been as Chair of YLJC.

In previous reports and articles I know I have made mention of my pride having been given the honour and trust of the keys to the door of this wonderful growing community and I am still not quite sure how to express my gratitude.

There have been a number of highlights during my tenure but I will focus on what we have achieved and accomplished in 2025.

First and foremost we held 3 amazing Festival Celebrations where we hosted between 60/70 people at each event.

1) Purim: Purim in Austria was hosted by Rabbi with a wonderful cast of our youngsters and students. An amazing night of pure fun, food and community.
2) Pesach: A Seder at Clements Hall, hosted by Lucy and the committee
3) Rosh Hashanah: First night tradition and sharing, being together as our growing extended family.

We have continued to have and celebrate 6 Shabbat Services a month (2 Erev Shabbat Friday nights, 2 family services and 2 Saturday Shabbat services) – at times our numbers in attendance seem small if you count up the numbers across these Services we are between 30 and 40 attendees per weekend (with no double counting) which is what we used to get on a monthly basis in the “old days” so it’s wonderful to see our growth but if I have an ask as we move into the new regime, with a new committee is to see more of our community at services more regularly and attend events.

Chanukah was celebrated and once again YLJC made history – with an event every day of the week either online (together with friends and members from London, Leeds and York), Rabbi Elisheva hosted our first Public lighting in front of the Mansion House (3[rd] night). We had support from various Civic Leaders, and together with community members and the public we were around 50 people (excluding on lookers). It was incredible.

6[th] night we celebrated not only Channukah in Clifford’s Tower, but it was Shabbat and we also celebrated “welcoming the stranger” which was supported by our Social Action committee. We had almost 100 tickets allocated, with a turnout of over 80 and we had numerous Civic and Religious Leaders attend including Canon Maggie and the Archbishop from York Minster and 3 York MPs and their families were there too. Special thanks must go to Lilian Coulson our Engagement officer for her help and co-ordination and ongoing support of this event together with our Gabbe Howard Duckworth.

The support to myself and the community from North Yorkshire police regarding the above events providing us the opportunity to continue with our visibility and services and keeping us as safe as they could. I have written and called personally to express my thanks and gratitude.

Unfortunately in the past year as we know only two well we have witnessed 2 terrible and frightening attacks on our communities, one so close to home in Manchester, and of course Bondi Beach many of us knew of people personally affected by both. The only positive out of all this was the amount of and the outpouring of support from various Faith leaders, strangers, and general kindness. I personally received over 60 emails of support into the Chair mailbox during these times from people and I know that Rabbi Elisheva and other members of the committee received

additional thoughts and prayers and I made sure these were all responded too as it’s so important to acknowledge kindness.

Our HHD were well attended this year, we have our own YLJC Machzorim which we will now use year on year. We also had the most generous and successful HHD Charity Drive this year with over £7000 raised for our 3 chosen charities) I know I thanked you at the time but again it just shows what an incredible group of kind and generous people our community is made up.

None of the above would have been possible without our very own Rabbi Elisheva. One of my greatest moments in this role came in the past couple of months when we renewed Rabbi’s contract, this is now a permanent part-time contract and we look forward to many more years together as York remains her home and us her growing and thriving community.

YLJC is beginning to get far reaching visibility across the UK thanks to the dedication of Rabbi Elisheva. We continue to grow, this year we have seen a further 3 members of our community pass the Beth Din and we have a steady flow of new students who are reaching out to YLJC from across all of North Yorkshire to learn, become members and study with Rabbi Elisheva. We have celebrated another 3 Bat Mitzvah’s with a fourth only a few short months away.

Rabbi hosts a Shabbat Family service, attended by our families bi-monthly and it’s wonderful to see the next generation amongst us.

Rabbi Elisheva has also overseen our first Adult Education course for the past 8 months (Yeshivat HaNefesh), the focus of this was to spend some time stretching ones intellect with no grades. Broadening your Jewish text understand and subjects included prayer, the Talmud, Jewish mysticism, moral understanding, and progressive Jewish philosophy. This we hope is the beginning of many more.

The committee which today I leave behind me has gone from strength to strength and we have various sub-committees including Social Action, Eco-Judaism, Interfaith and we are looking at creating a new focus on Mental Health and Well-being. We have also established the first Ritual Committee that oversees and ensures correctness and Halacha.

I am not going far and will continue to support our new committee as they take on the mantle of this wonderful community. I look forward to seeing you all at our services, events and celebrations over the coming months.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the support and kindness you have shown me.

SHAAN

York Liberal Jewish Community Receipts and payments account Year ended 4 April 2025 DRAFT 910512025 Unv•rtrfct•d fvnds 8urs•ry Total lund lund• 2024 25r28 Rec•lpts Gwqral dDnaliGn8 High hY day opp Donftbon$for Rab&'5 #ry &•W Gift aid ConYeNon rèb#ie Int?rp¥l 2.373 4.002 15,000 4.238 600 1.009 2,373 4,002 15.000 4.236 600 1,009 00 38.500 15000 5000 1.160 1000 950 20QOO Membw¥hip fees 2S.271 25,171 Totsl r•¢•lpts P•ymwt• A¢touni•nty fo 84nk charge• chantab ctribUll0 InsurDnce- other oxpgns RBbbin1c salery Rabbinic expensei Rabbinic Rwm bEX)king Cheder laaGher8 52.493 $2,493 62 $18 4S.450 1.092 95 250 479 993 41.458 7.108 2.000 150 139 2.840 139 2,840 1.125 1.358 27,549 325 3.62S 3.424 560 158 500 750 32.000 soo 4,000 s,000 900 1.35$ 27,549 32$ 3,628 3.424 580 15 11.553 45 148 Postege. 5tatioDeryet Sor#818Cbon SuOscnptson5 Sundry ew Tg1gth¢n Vlebsiie 300 50 4.000 500 275 720 273 926 1.008 165 540 273 926 1.008 185 540 369 5.797 4.317 Total p4yrnents 45.424 45.424 73.976 51.S45 Not rnc•lpts 7.? 111.4581 Ca•h fund8 last yoar •nd 48.750 53.7SQ eo,619 Cash funds th1• year •nd 56.819 60.819 53,750 54.724 Statsm•nt of a•sOt# at 4 Aprll 2026 Ca•h a•*o1• Current account Savings accounts Rabbi'$ pay £25.LX)O alt2.083 EmKAoyerpEnwon £562 forihe 5.76 55 051 lo EmrA0r Nl Fund• General fijnd Bursary fund-restricted Tot81 fvjnd SE.819 Signgd by 8 trus on behalf of a the tru5te8S Signed by an in¢Jependent examiner Paul Silver-myer FCCA on 16th January 2026, who h8s reviewed the above account and confims that it 8c¢urgt8ly represents the fin8noal transadions of the York Llbefal Jewish year ended 4 April 2025 th9