The Movement for Reform Judaism

Bright sunshine came north when Menorah Synagogue (Cheshire Reform Congregation) laid the foundation stone of its new shul building on Sunday 30th March.

Photo shows, left to right: Helen Lister, Building Committee Chair, Lawrence Shields, children Emily Eventhal, Rebecca and Hannah Caulfield, Cecil Black, Rabbi Brian Fox and Robert Shields. 

Nearly two hundred participants were welcomed by Chairman Dr. Robert Shields who spoke of the fulfilment of a dream and the hope that the building would be completed by this year’s High Holydays.

Menorah's Rabbi Brian Fox and Rabbi Reuven Silverman, of Manchester's sister Reform Congregation, led the short ceremony in song and prayer.  Commenting on the rare sunshine, Rabbi Fox surmised that this truly demonstrated the efficacy of prayer!  No-one was surprised when he also used the opportunity to appeal for more funds for the building.

The commemorative stone was unveiled by two founding members, Lawrence Shields and Cecil Black, accompanied (typically for Menorah) by three of the shul’s youngest members and Helen Lister, Building Committee Chair.

The ceremony concluded with a rousing 'Mazal Tov' and, being a Jewish occasion, with tea and cakes at the home of Robert and Carol Shields.

There, members of Menorah (who numbered nearly a thousand including children at the last count!) were able to have another look at the drawings and plans and quiz Nick Rank, the project's architect and Phil Wigget, head of the building firm constructing the shul.

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