CHAIR'S REPORT TO THE AGM 29 June 2018

CHAIR'S REPORT TO THE AGM 29 June 2018 The following Chair's report was given at the recent AGM held on Friday 29 June 2018. We have reproduced it here for all those members and friends of Ne've Shalom who were unable to attend.

I would now to give my first report on the Shul's activities between last year's AGM up to this year's AGM.

It was a true honour to be elected as the Chairman of Hull Reform Synagogue last June, I knew when I took on the role it would be mammoth task stepping into Ian's shoe's when he had done such a tremendous job as the previous Chairman for the last 12 years.

Firstly, I would like to thank the Shul Council, the members and the friends of the Shul for their support of my chairmanship over the past 12 months. It is really appreciated and I could not have done it without you all and please remember we are only volunteers and a lot of us have full time jobs as well.

One person I would like to thank is Ian Sugarman who has helped me out so much over the last year pointing me in the right direction and always been in the background to help me out as the Chairman of our wonderful traditional Shul. Ian still continues to produce the monthly Shofar Shalom and keeps the website up to date and does a lot of work behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly in the Shul.

I feel the last year went smoothly. We had series of successful Festival Services, one amazing Open Friday Night Service in February, one of best Simchat Torah's we had for a long time. We had a presentation given Robin Moss to celebrate the signing of the Balfour declaration. We had splendid BBQ afternoon to mark the 70th Anniversary of the state of Israel, 2 special birthday celebrations. More importantly, we gained 2 new Jews who have both gone through the conversion process.

Unfortunately, we also had one death in the Shul over the past 12 months. We lost Jeanette Dubb in December, Jeanette will be sadly missed and we wish the family a "Long life". We also had two special birthdays this year for Jim and Joanne and all who attended had wonderful evenings.

The Hull Jewish Community Care's monthly Friendly Circle continued throughout the year, being held alternatively at our Shul and at Pryme Street, but more latterly held at Pryme Street. Those attending belonged to both Shuls and it's good that we can hold such joint events.

Our excellent team of lay readers took this year High Holy Day Services. Attendances at all Services were very good, especially Rosh Hashanah. We had some wonderful sermons by Malcolm, Jackie and Sarita. It was also pleasing that we again received such a generous response to our High Holy Day Appeal. I would also like to thank, our Senior Warden, Audrey Sugarman, for all her work and effort in organising the readings and the mitzvot.

This year's Simchat Torah Service was amazing. The turn-out was staggering and I know that your attendance at the Service made it an extra-special evening for our Chatan Torah and Chatan B'resheet, Malcolm Rosenberg and Ian Sugarman. Aimi provided this year's splendid catering and had made allowances for a large turn-out and was more than able to "feed the masses". During and after the Service, the Shul had a great fun atmosphere and it does show that when our community does pull together a good time is had by all. Can I thank all those who helped with the preparation and brought the sweets for the young (and not so young) participants in the procession?

Due to the previous successes of our Open Friday Night Service, we organised one in February we had in excess of 50 people attending the service and we also had the High Sheriff in attendance year. These events always generate a fabulous atmosphere and a 'feel good' impression on the wider community. I would like to thank Ian and Aimi for providing such a splendid service. Following the service the guest's had a chance to try some wonderful Jewish style food. Thank you for all people involved preparing it.

As well as Sukkot, we have held Services for Chanukah, Shavuot, as well as our Communal Seder, which corresponded to the first night of Pesach. I would like to thank Deborah Wrapson for the organisation of the Seder and all the many helpers who also prepared the food for the Seder. I understand that there was plenty of fruit salad, as always.

I would like to thank Sarita Robinson for taking the Chanukah and Passover service. Also thanks to Aimi for leading this year's Sukkot service and for the team erecting and decorating our temporary shelter. Unfortunately, due to the very snowy and treacherous driving conditions, we had to cancel this year's Purim Service.

In November, Henry and I had the honour at this year's AJEX remembrance service to light a candle in memory of the 6 million Jews killed.

We had the RSY – Netzer attend for a weekend sleep over and activities at the Shul and I understand they all enjoyed their time here in Hull.

During the course of the year, we have held two film shows and we had a fantastic turn out from both Shul's. Everyone attending enjoyed the cinema style snacks and drinks.

Our Hebrew reading and conversion classes continued up to a few months ago. I'd like to thank Deborah Wrapson for giving up every other Sunday morning to help those wanting to learn to read Hebrew and also Ian Sugarman for running the conversion classes. Tony Sevilla-Harland is continuing to run his monthly Torah classes. Speaking of coverts, we gained two new Jews, Chris Joseph Jay and Gill Drummond. We had the honour to hold Gill's Beit Din final interview via Skype within our Shul, which was a very moving afternoon and we had the pleasure of Rabbi Andrew Goldstien who also attended in person. Mazeltov to you both.

Audrey continues to visit the sick and Ian has been kept busy acting as the Hull & East Yorkshire hospital chaplain visiting sick members in hospital.

We continue to be well represented in the media, especially on Radio Humberside, who regularly request our members contributions to their Sunday morning "Paper Review" and "Pause for Thought", the weekday "Over to You" feature, as well as comments on current religious events and national newspaper articles. I'd like to thank Ian Sugarman ,Jackie Lukes and Aimi Sugarman for helping to represent our Shul so admirably.

At this point, I must mention a number of people who quietly carry out a range of important duties which allows our Shul to run and to be maintained, as well as being known and well respected by the wider community. I know many of them don't do this for the thanks, but for the good of the Shul, but I'd like to thank them anyway. Firstly, to Henry Goldstone for all his time, commitment and effort into ensuring the security of the Shul and the memorial plaques.

To Deborah Wrapson, Joanne Kearsley, Tim Harris, Ian Sugarman, and Phil O'Driscoll for undertaking school visits and talking to a wide range of groups and organisations about Judaism. To Jim Lightowler for helping with building maintenance. To Audrey Sugarman, for organising the rota, and to all those other ladies, and some gentlemen, who prepared many of the Festival and special Kiddushim, especially Lesley Annis, Gillian Smith, Ann Bush and Gill Drummond. To Elaine Winetroube for ensuring that the telephone answer phone messages left are received by the right people.

I would also like to thank Joanne Kearsley for all her hard work as the Shul Secretary it does not go unnoticed and also to my wonderful Vice Chairman, Phil O'Driscoll.

I would also like to Aimi for all the time she has given up looking after the Shul accounts ensuring our creditors are paid on time and securing better deals for services provided to the Shul, also for looking after the Shul's legal affairs which is all very time consuming. Also thanks go to Malcolm for helping with late payers of Shul members.

We have had a busy year updating our Health and Safety polices, fire regulations and first aid training, food safety polices, we have had to have a full electrical inspection and had to have some major updates done to the ring main circuits and fittings alike. All this ensure we all have a safe and secure and legal building for members and visitor's to the Shul. We still have some work to be done in the kitchen to make sure we are fully compliant.

I have now got some good links with in Humberside Police I have been attending monthly meetings to help assist with this. We have now installed a key pad on the main door for added security for members and the police patrol the area on a regular basis. The Shul council during the course of the year decided to name a class room after Ian Sugarman for his dedication and commitment to the Shul. We are also in the process of having a plaque made of the founder members of the Shul.

We also bought some Siddurim in memory of Geoff Annis and Lesley had one of the Torah Mantels embrodied in Geoff's everlasting memory.

I would also like to thank our team excellent Lay readers for taking the services and also thank to Mark and Malcolm who also joined the rota this year and are both doing a splendid job. Special thanks go to Tony for reading the Torah in such wonderful Style.

One other special person I would also thank is Helen my wife for all the help and support she has given to me over the last year as the Chair, sorry if I have get on your nerves dear at times, but thank you any way.

Let's all hope we all have a very healthy next year! Amen!