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Outpouring of grief after Rina Wolfson dies of pancreatic cancer
Among many other roles, Rina was the reviewer behind the JC’s Secret Shulgoer colum
September 17, 2021 16:05
Among many other roles, Rina was the reviewer behind the JC’s Secret Shulgoer colum
September 17, 2021 16:05Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral today of Rina Wolfson, educator, scholar and writer, who died on Kol Nidre night after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May 2020.
Ms Wolfson was a community leader at New North London Synagogue and worked in marketing and communications for the Masorti movement.
As a Jewish studies teacher, she taught many children for their batmitzvahs and for GCSE. She was also researching a PhD in Biblical Art as Visual Commentary.
But to readers of the JC she is best known as a writer and - it can now be revealed – the reviewer behind our ‘Secret Shulgoer’ column, which ran for three years, from 2017 to 2020.
In that time Ms Wolfson visited 40 synagogues, rating them for warmth of welcome, decorum, service and kiddush.
Since her diagnosis, she had written a blog on Facebook called ‘Nobody needs another cancer diary’, written with her characteristic wit, honesty and humour.
In her final post she writes about the pain of facing death, leaving behind her husband, Paul Harris, a son in his 20s and ten-year-old twin daughters.
“As my daughters inch towards the pre-teen years, I see occasional flashes of who they will be as adults. And I feel like Moses surveying the Promised Land from the distance of Mount Nebo. ‘Look’ says God, ‘Isn’t it magnificent? This is what you cannot have.’
“And so, in the face of this, I try to focus on the things that I can have. Family weekends away to Bournemouth and York. Friday night dinners with good friends. Date nights with Paul.
“Special time with family and friends, both here and those visiting from Israel. Garden visits and long distance phone calls. Shopping for a frock for the wedding. Ice cream in the park and walks round the block with the girls. There is still so very much to enjoy.”