8 June 2017

Bodies, psyches and Judaism were all on the agenda in A Conversation with Susie Orbach at Finchley Progressive Synagogue.

More than 80 people gathered for the event, over eggs benedict, coffee and cake, as the writer and psychotherapist spoke of her concerns about social media and the pernicious era of ‘selfies’ and ‘likes’ that inform young girls about their appearances.

Susie also talked about the almost mystical power of the relationship between therapist and patient, ageing and coping in the world and her own childhood memories, including how she’d greet people knocking on the door by asking “Are you Jewish? Are you Labour?” and then, if the answers were negative, saying “Then what are you doing here.”

Susie knows Finchley’s Rabbi Rebecca Birk well after Rebecca gave a Jewish blessing at her marriage to Jeanette Winterson two years ago.