
On Saturday 16th March, 3CLJC held a Shabbat service at the GDA centre in Gloucester, which was a welcoming to Rabbi Anna Gerrard on formally taking up her Rabbinic role with 3CLC once again. This was also an opportunity to invite civic leaders and leaders of other faiths to join in a Shabbat service, which for some of them was the first time.
The guests included:
Dean Andrew Zhinzi (Gloucester Cathedral); Dean Sarah Brown (Hereford Cathedral); Rev. Richard Martin (Gloucester Interfaith Team); Rev. David Gifford (Hereford Interfaith Team); Rev. Simon Howell (Stroud, Inter Faith Adviser); Rev. Rob Crofton, Vicar, St. Lawrence Church; Venerable Tenzin Choesang; Jane Gibney (CPS); Joy Hibbins (Suicide Crisis); Adele Owen (GARAS); Richard Graham, MP.
The service was also available on Zoom to ensure maximum participation. Rabbi Anna Gerrard was her usual welcoming, inclusive self and her sermon considered the Jewish calendar and in particular how leap years are calculated to take account of the fact the calendar is a lunar one. It was a complex but extremely interesting subject which many 3CLJC members had probably not considered previously.
The service concluded with communal Kiddush and followed by a lunch provided as usual by the community as a bring and share feast. It also provided the opportunity for everyone present to mingle and converse with familiar and new acquaintances. Many of our guests commented on how much they appreciated the opportunity to be part of a Jewish service.
The event was very successful both in terms of attendance and participation and it is to be hoped that this and similar community-focussed events will comprise part of our future services.