Donald Black

The Movement for Reform Judaism in the UK mourns the death of Donald Black a former employee of the organisation.

Donald worked at RSGB as it was then, in the 1980s with the small and embryonic communities serving as the part-time congregational development coordinator. Donald offered physical support and general encouragement as well as being simply ‘in touch’ with the men and women in these communities in leadership positions. Donald and his wife Ena had been very active in YASGB the RJ’s youth movement in the 1950s and it was the experiences that they both gained in its activities provided them with the tools to support all our smaller congregations. The experiences they gained in the youth movement was to shape their active participation in the early days of both Finchley Reform and the North West Surry Synagogues where Donald could always be relied upon to lead services, sing in the choir and generally help guide these communities in their formative years.

We send our condolences to Ena his wife of 67 years and their sons Rabbi Jonathan Black, Simon and David. May his memory be for a blessing.
Donald’s death marks the end of an era.