Members of Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue (BPS) are planting three trees as part of a special campaign to mark the 80th anniversary of the Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR).

To commemorate the milestone anniversary, the AJR launched 80 Trees for 80 Years, which will see 80 native oaks planted around Britain in honour of people and places that symbolise the enormous contribution made by refugees who escaped from Nazi Europe.

The exciting project has already caught the imagination of dozens of communities all over the UK, including our very own Bedfordshire congregation – who were instrumental in helping choose the locations in their area.

Their first tree was planted at the Tree Cathedral in Whipsnade, where BPS members including Chair David Young were joined by Kindertransport refugee Bob Kirk BEM (pictured above with AJR Intern Noemi Van-Hoof).

Bob spoke movingly about his evacuation from London to Whipsnade in 1939, and how welcome the village had made him and several other Jewish boys. Speeches continued afterwards at tea in the village hall, where Bob had attended school.

A time capsule is being buried close by which contains the remarkable life stories so far of both Bob and his wife Ann Kirk BEM. They are members of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue and you can read more about Bob here and Ann here.

A second tree was then planted at Russell Park, Bedford, the following week (pictured left).

The oak tree and plaque were sponsored by Ruth and David Horwell – in honour of David’s parents – and Bedford’s Deputy Mayor Cllr Charles Royden was also in attendance at the event.

David Young said: “I was honoured to be present and recite the ‘El Maleh Rachamim’ prayer at the tree planting for the late Jewish refugees Arnold and Susanne Horwell. Their son David, and his wife Ruth, spoke about his parents interesting lives.”

The third tree will be planted in Shefford in February. During the war, an entire Jewish children’s community of several hundred children, who came primarily from an orthodox school in Stamford Hill, were evacuated to Shefford as part of ‘Operation Pied Piper’.

AJR CEO Michael Newman said: “As well as helping to mark the heritage of many of our members and places of historic interest associated with them, the planting of these trees will enable the AJR to give back to and create a living legacy within the country that became their home.

“Britain’s native oak trees are in decline and new trees are desperately needed. We hope these 80 special trees will be appreciated by future generations and provide natural habitats for other native species for many decades to come.”

Click here for more information on the 80 Trees for 80 Years project.