By, Naomi Firsht
5 min read
ByNaomi Firsht, Naomi Firsht
Wimbledon, Richmond and Catford are a long way down the list when it comes to Jewish areas of London. But perhaps it’s time for a rethink.
Of the 260,000 strong Jewish community in the UK around 60 per cent live in London. While the majority of Jewish Londoners cluster around the north-west hub of kosher restaurants and communal centres, a significant number of around 12,500 prefer to live south of the river — and they are flourishing.
Judith Ish-Horowicz has been a member of south London’s largest community, Wimbledon Reform, for 30 years. She founded and runs Apples and Honey nursery, rated “outstanding” by Ofsted.
She said: “We often feel a bit overlooked because there is this perception that the Thames is an enormous barrier. People expect us to always go north as opposed to them going south. But there is now quite a thriving young adults community here and a fantastic programme for them.”
Wimbledon Reform has 875 members and over 130 children attend the cheder. Monthly Friday night dinners are organised for young adults and the young families group supports new parents with presents and food parcels.
Ms Ish-Horowicz said: “One of the lovely things about south London is that all the communities support each other. We have very good relations. We can only be strong if we are united. There is no one-upmanship here.”
When Ms Ish-Horowicz was head of the cheder, she organised exchange visits with Richmond cheder. Members frequently invite friends from other shuls to Wimbledon’s cultural events, and recently a Wimbledon member started a youth sports club for the whole south London community.
That south Londoners appear to regard themselves as not only members of their shuls but also as part of a wider, regional community is reiterated by Kate Baum, head teacher of Mosaic, the cross-communal Jewish primary school in Wimbledon.
The school is due to move in September to a new site in Roehampton, which will serve as a resource for Jews across south London. Ms Baum, a member of Richmond Synagogue, said: “We took our chair of governors to JW3 to see how that space was used and develop the vision of this being a communal space. It will be the only space in south London that would be neutral ground with kosher catering but not affiliated to any synagogue.”
She added: “People need to know there really is life south of the river and that you can lead a Jewish life at any level.”
Mosaic opened its doors in September 2013, as part of the free school initiative, with one reception and one year one class. When it moves, it will have a two-form entry and will continue expanding until it reaches its 420 child capacity.
School governor Naomi Reiniger said: “Traditionally, when families came to educate their children, they would move to north London for a Jewish school. We certainly have a number of families who feel fortunate to not have to make that move because Mosaic fits the bill for them.”
She added: “We see this as being more than a school.”
There are 12 synagogues spread across the southern suburbs of the capital, meaning there are small communities in places as far apart as Catford, Croydon and Richmond.
There is only one kosher shop, run by Chabad in Wimbledon, no kosher restaurants, and no communal centres unaffiliated to a synagogue — other than the residential home Nightingale House in Clapham.
Gaps are filled by Stephen Ison, who runs the South London Community Support Service. His full-time post replaced a community development officer and social worker, both only part-time. The service is jointly founded by Jewish Care and Nightingale Hammerson, and dovetails with what local communities provide.
A major part of Mr Ison’s job is putting members of the community who are in need in touch with the relevant local services. Most of his clients are elderly and problems range from health concerns to financial problems.
“In south London there is nothing apart from the synagogues, no communal organisations, apart from Jewish Care and Nightingale Hammerson to help people,” he said. “All the other organisations have offices in north-west London or east London, so here, we are the service. We front for everybody else.”
Mr Ison is based at Nightingale House, but spends much of his time visiting clients, covering all of south London and Surrey, Sussex and Kent.
“If a person in the middle of nowhere phones up and is in dire need of talking to someone, if they don’t know what to do and have got no one else to help them, then I will travel and see them,” he said.
Mr Ison, who is supported by a team of 24 Jewish and non-Jewish volunteers, distributes a regular newsletter providing information on communal events and practical issues, such as which stores stock kosher food.
Another way in which Mr Ison connects the dots between the synagogues is by running the Jewish Care regular forums where members of each community can discuss issues with representatives of community organisations such as Chai and the League of Jewish Women.
Sonia Douek, Jewish Care’s head of volunteering, said: “What works really well in south London is that the religious side doesn’t get in the way; Reform and United Synagogue are working together.This particular way of working is unique.”
Andrew Leigh is director of operations for residential home charity Nightingale-Hammerson and splits his time between Nightingale House and Hammerson House in Golders Green.
He said: “Nightingale is the largest Jewish entity south of the river and in many ways is a bit of a flagship for the south London community. The synagogues do a good job for their members, but we are a large communal resource based south of the river.”
Nightingale House — often regarded a model for residential care of the elderly — caters for 170 Jewish residents in five modern wings tastefully decorated and with facilities of the highest quality. Residents benefit from a hair salon, arts and crafts workroom, a beautiful old synagogue, a kosher cafe and plenty of communal spaces.
The new Wohl wing for dementia residents recently opened and is styled to be a home from home with a kitchen, dining area and memory garden.
As someone with a pivotal role in the community, Mr Leigh is well placed to pinpoint what makes it work — and he highlights its small scale as a big advantage. “Because this has always been the smaller part of the London community, everyone has always wanted to celebrate their successes and support each other. Being small means we need each other and that’s a real motivation to communicate together.”
Case study: ‘Everyone knows everyone’
Engaged couple Aimee Lindsey and Darren Newmark have chosen to live in south London because they believe the area offers a welcoming community and enough Jewish life for their future family.
Mr Newmark, who is 33 and works in online marketing, moved from Dublin to London a few years ago, where he met Ms Lindsey. She grew up in Catford and wanted to stay close to her family and community.
Mr Newmark said: “There aren’t as many facilities as in north London, but it’s not difficult. When we decide to have children Catford and Bromley Affiliated Synagogue has a cheder so I know they can have a Jewish education.”
He added: “My experience in north London shuls was mostly on festivals and it kind of felt like I went and left. I didn’t feel as welcome.
“Everyone here has made a point to know who I am. When we got engaged I went to shul and as I walked in the service completely stopped for everyone to say mazeltov.”
Another advantage is that rents are cheaper and the couple have been able to find a home closer to the centre of the city which cuts down on the cost of commuting.
Sales worker Ms Lindsey, 30, is closely involved in the community — she played the lead in the synagogue’s Purim spiel this year. “My roots are here — there is no reason for me to be in north London. It’s quite a small community so you know everyone. There are lots of events and you make a bigger difference when you take part.”