Lizzie Rabin
18 April 2017

The Liberal Synagogue Elstree (TLSE) was packed to the rafters, as its re-created Shul Of Rock band played their first performance.

The band – featuring members aged from 11 to 50 – showed off the hidden talents of various community members, as they played instruments including the drums, French horn, piano, clarinet, flute, saxophone and guitar.

The Friday night service, attended by 80 people, started with a fish and chip supper, before a mixture of readings and prayers – ably led by Peter Rabin – interspersed with musical items.

All the music was familiar to the TLSE congregation, but performed in a more rocky/jazzy style. Even Rabbi Pete Tobias, taking a break from his current sabbatical, joined in on the guitar.

Dan Renak did a great job of putting together the arrangements and generally holding the whole service together.

The evening ended with a quick rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’, for Dan and Penny Beral, followed by coffee and cake.

It was great to see the shul filled with such a friendly and relaxed group of people on a Friday night… the perfect start to a Shabbat.

Photo credit: John Bernard