North Londoner Beryl Shisler will celebrate her batmitzvah at Barnet Synagogue on Shabbat — at the age of 92.
Her four children, nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren are expected to be at the ceremony.
She told the JC that she had not been batmitzvah in her teens because “in those days people didn’t have them and there was a war on”.
But inspired by her great-granddaughter’s batmitzvah in March, Mrs Shisler suggested to Barnet’s Rabbi Barry Lerer that it was time to rectify the omission. The rabbi agreed.
Born in Muswell Hill in 1926, Mrs Shisler was evacuated first to Ashtead in Surrey, and latterly to Keighley in Yorkshire, during the war.
She recalled that in Keighley, her host family occasionally took her to Leeds and Bradford to maintain a Jewish connection.
Married at 35, she and her late husband settled in Woodside Park, where both were active in shul life. Since moving to Barnet 23 years ago, she has been heavily involved in the US congregation.
Educator and family friend Rachel Creeger has been helping Mrs Shisler prepare for her big day.
“Beryl is opening her dvar Torah with [something] about the preceding parashah, Lech Lecha, and is ending with a little bit from the upcoming parashah, Vayeira,” she explained.
“This is because in Lech Lecha it talks about leaving your home and having to find a way in the world and Vayeira is about getting on with things.
“The experience of being separated from a community was something that inspired her. After the war, she found she could make decisions and so got very involved in Jewish life.”
Mrs Creeger had recorded their conversations, “rather than have her writing things down so I could help Beryl to put something together that was in her own voice. It felt such a privilege to hear someone openly tell you about their memories.”
The family will celebrate with a brunch in the synagogue following the service.
