Golders Green Synagogue held its first virtual Shabbaton.

Online Shabbat GGS events ran every day except Shabbat. The programme began with a sourdough challah workshop followed by a virtual challah make led by Rebbetzin Vicki Belovski with guest speaker Rebbetzin Shalvie Friedman. Following the challah make, the shul hosted an online guest shiur with Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum, Dean of LSJS.

All programmes were hosted on Zoom prior to and after Shabbat.

On Friday afternoon, Rabbi Dr Harvey Belovski led a Kabbalat Shabbat service, a community Havdalah was led by Rabbi Sam and Rebbetzin Dr Hadassah Fromson after Shabbat.

Each day prior to Shabbat, recipes and divrei torah were distributed from community members.

The shul executive and rabbinic teams recognised some programmes would be held online for those that were not able to attend in-person due to the pandemic.

Due to the lockdown, it was decided the programme would move online midweek.

“I’m delighted that we were able to hold our annual winter Shabbaton, even in these unusual times,” said Rabbi Belovski, Golders Green Synagogue senior rabbi. “It is more important than ever to come together and celebrate Shabbat as a community, even when we cannot meet in person.”

Shabbat GG was the latest feature in a diverse online programme through the winter months.

Other events have included a ‘Tapping into Wellness’ event to mark Mental Health Awareness Shabbat, a Tu B’Shvat programme, educational talk on vaccination and series of shiurim with Rabbanit Ramie Smith.

“We are very much looking forward to getting back to davening and meeting together in person, but our online programme has been a lifeline for our community throughout the pandemic,” said Naomi Verber, GGS chair. “Shabbat GG was the latest innovation that brought people together to connect to Shabbat and the community in challenging times.”