25 July 2017

Past and present members of Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue (BPS), travelling from as far away as Devon and Spain, came together to celebrate 50 years of the community.

A special service was held at Clophill Village Hall, in Bedfordshire, to mark the golden jubilee and also welcome the community’s newly repaired Torah scroll.

Guests included the Rt Rev Bishop of Bedford Richard Atkinson, the Mayor and Mayoress of Luton, local community police officers and Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, Rabbi Danny Rich, who blessed the new Torah.

Highlights of the event included a passionate address from Gillian Merron – who spoke about her journey from being a Labour MP in Lincoln to becoming chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews – and a presentation of gifts by Natu Solanki, the vice chair of Luton Coucil of Faiths, to BPS chair David Young.

BPS president Geoffrey Ben-Nathan led the service, which was followed by a large lunch. The surplus food was then taken to Bedford Night Shelter, a charity BPS regularly supports.