7 May 2017

The congregation at Kingston Liberal Synagogue (KLS) held a whole weekend of activity to celebrate the community’s 50th anniversary.

Festivities began with a Chavurah supper on Friday, followed by a Shabbat service with choir (pictured) on Saturday, and a service with a Holocaust survivor on Sunday. There was also an exhibition of photos from down the years.

Dignitaries in attendance included the local MP, the mayors of Kingston and Elmbridge and the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey.

KLS was founded in 1967 by a small group of local people who wanted to establish a progressive community in Kingston. They met for the first time on the evening of 20 April 1967 with an attendance of 120 people.

The first Shabbat evening service was held at Tudor Hall, Kingston, and conducted by Rabbi Sidney Brichto – then director and executive vice president of the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues (the former name for Liberal Judaism) – and Rabbi Lionel Blue.

There will be more details, and pictures, from the services in the next issue of LJ Today.