Paula and I are walking 40,000 steps (between us!) to raise money for the building project for our community in Finchley.

Why might you choose to support this project?

Well, our synagogue is much more than a building where we meet, its a place of real social action for the wider community. Here are some of those activities.

Throughout each winter we partner with a number of local faith groups to run a homeless shelter. I (Alex) often volunteer to sleep there on our host night to ensure that 12-15 people who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets to have a safe and warm place for the night along with a hot dinner and breakfast.

We offer weekly after-school drop-in sessions for the children of asylum seekers living in nearby Home Office-supported hotels. This is called the 'Home from Home Club' where we welcome around 30 guests every week.

We also host 'The Rainbow Lunch Club', an LGBTQ+ lunch for asylum seekers and refugees. When we first began this 12 people turned up. We now regularly have 40 members join us every month for food, friendship and a safe place to be themselves.

We are proud to partner with a number of other local charities and community groups, including:

The Yaran Women’s Club for Afghani and Farsi-speaking women, (which now regularly has 60 people at their weekly meet-ups)

The Southover Partnership School, an independent SEND school who use our building as their premises

The Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme

Somali Bravâmes Welfare Association

On the evening of 26th April we will be walking 40,000 steps, with other members of our community to raise the final funds needed to complete our building refurbishment project and create the community space needed for the future.