ByJosh Jackman, Josh Jackman
The United Synagogue has apologised for a clash between Monday's Mill Hill Synagogue AGM and an open meeting to discuss a potential US congregation in Mill Hill East.
A US spokesman accepted that the clash was "unfortunate and we apologise for any concerns this may raise. Having discussed this with Mill Hill US, we are pleased that they are sending a representative to Monday's meeting."
Mill Hill's Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet "hoped that the US will liaise transparently with the main communities in Mill Hill so that this welcome innovation will not work against the better interests of those communities".
Avi Gillis, chief executive of Jerusalem College of Technology's UK support group, is co-hosting the open meeting and expects up to 50 people to attend.
The 31-year-old moved to the area earlier this year primarily because of lower house prices. He felt the religious needs of local Jews were being "under-served.
"We knew there were other young families who had moved into the area and we speculated on there being a community. The shul is the central point of any community and needs to be easily accessible."
He added that the US shuls in Mill Hill and Woodside Park were too far away to walk to on Shabbat.
Those behind the idea had received some "really nice responses, and positive communications with neighbouring communities as well".