A community project six years in the making came to fruition this week. Golders Green United Synagogue is celebrating the launch of an extension to the North West London Eruv.
The extension, which is now live, covers the Golders Green Estate west of the A41 and leads down to Cricklewood. Additionally, the area will link the communities served by the North West London Eruv and the proposed Brondesbury Park Shul Eruv covering Cricklewood, Willesden and Brondesbury Park.
Penina Bowman, a member of Golders Green Synagogue, spearheaded the project from its inception and was invited by the shul’s Rabbi, Rabbi Dr Harvey Belovski, to perform the ‘eruv chatzeirot’ ceremony last week to formally consecrate the new eruv.
Penina has been supported throughout by Rabbi Belovski, the London Beth Din, Edward Black, the Chair of the North West London Eruv Committee, architect Daniel Rosenfelder and the Shul’s Eruv Extension Committee comprising Golders Green Synagogue members Mike Posen, Myrna Jacobs and Jonathan Davies.
Penina Bowman said: “Everyone involved in extending the eruv is deeply committed to supporting Shabbat observance for the broadest range of ages and backgrounds. Much of the housing near our Shul falls outside the North West London Eruv and so extending it will serve the current members living in the area but also make more housing available for families with young children who would like to live near our warm and welcoming shul and the excellent Rimon Primary School. I hope it will attract new members to Golders Green shul and make Shabbat more fun for those of who live here at the moment as well as making our shul more accessible for our members and guests who use wheelchairs.”
Rabbi Harvey Belovski said: “The long-awaited opening of our Eruv Extension places Golders Green Synagogue at the centre of an enlarged Shabbat-friendly area. The expanded area offers housing to suit a wider range of budgets with access to high-quality transport links just a few minutes from excellent Jewish amenities. The eruv will boost our expanding community, encouraging new families of all ages and backgrounds to move to the area. Special thanks are due to Penina Bowman, who devised and drove the project to its conclusion. It is a matter of pride for our community that Penina accepted my invitation to perform the ceremony to formally bring the new Eruv into existence before its inaugural Shabbat.”
Costs have been met by members of Golders Green United Synagogue and other supporters.