Words by Paula Saffer
Photo by Gary and Nathan Schwartz
This year marks a decade since the merger of Wanstead & Woodford United Synagogue with Waltham Forest Hebrew Congregation (Boundary Road) to create Woodford Forest United Synagogue.
A whole weekend was held to celebrate this important milestone, as well as 10 years since the appointment of Rabbi Mordechai and Rebbetzin Blima Wollenberg, and the rabbi’s 50th birthday.
Shabbat started with around 85 people attending a delicious Friday night dinner. Jo Grose, Chief Executive of the United Synagogue, was the special guest. She and Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg have known each other since meeting at the JSoc at Birmingham University, so it was particularly significant that she could join the community for both the dinner and the following day’s Shabbat morning service and kiddush lunch.
She spoke warmly of how exceptional the rabbinic couple are, how successful the appointment had been, and how they have brought energy and inspiration to the community.
The 10th anniversary celebrations continued on Sunday, when nearly 300 people were treated to a sumptuous afternoon tea. Existing and past members mingled with other local rabbis, faith leaders, dignitaries including the Mayoress of Redbridge, and special guest the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis. Children who attended were treated to a magic show, and there was a photo booth to commemorate the day.
The Chief Rabbi (pictured with the Wollenbergs) dedicated the main hall as the Forest Suite and the small hall as the Grove Suite, then listened while various members, young and old, gave short speeches on their thoughts and experiences about the wonderfully warm and welcoming community, led by the Wollenbergs.
Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg then gave special thanks to his wife, Rebbetzin Blima Wollenberg, who works so hard at his side, as well as to all the Shul Council members and the vast number of hardworking volunteers.
The afternoon concluded with the Chief Rabbi praising the ‘glorious community’, the ‘extraordinary’ rabbinic family, and the huge achievement in making a success of the merger – or ‘shidduch’, as he called it.
