IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0074 LMA/4681
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: KOL CHAI HATCH END JEWISH COMMUNITY
Date(s): 1986-2013
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 3.6 linear metres
Name of creator(s): Kol Chai Hatch End Jewish Community
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The Hatch End Jewish Community, now known as Kol Chai (meaning "Living Voice"), was founded by a core of families from the Middlesex New Synagogue, Harrow in 1986. After successfully canvassing for new members they started worshipping in homes and church halls before deciding to build their own synagogue in Woodridings Yard, Uxbridge Road in 1994. The synagogue was extended in 2003.
The congregation worships within the Reform tradition and their first rabbi was Samuel Rodriguez-Pereira, who began taking services in 1988. After Rabbi Pereira's retirement in 2002 Rabbi Michael Hilton took over services at Kol Chai.
Kol Chai is a very active community. Their Religion School for children began in 1987 and includes a post-bar/bat mitzvah class leading to a GCSE in Religious Education. These classes train to be assistant teachers on a course developed by Kol Chai in conjunction with Leo Baeck College/Centre for Jewish Education. Dedicated committees also organise social activities and the community also runs a Care Group, a Music Group and World Jewry activities.
In 2012 Kol Chai joined its religious education programme with those of Hatch End Masorti Synagogue, Middlesex New Synagogue and Harrow and Wembley Park Synagogue to form HaMakom ('The Place'), the first Jewish pluralist supplementary school in the country to meet on a Sunday.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of Kol Chai Hatch End Jewish Community including minutes and administrative papers, finance, papers relating to the synagogue building, membership, services, religious education, events and visits; also a run of Koleinu, the Kol Chai magazine, other Kol Chai publications, printed material and photographs.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Arranged as follows:
LMA/4681/01 - Administration
LMA/4681/02 - Finance
LMA/4681/03 - Synagogue Building
LMA/4681/04 - Membership
LMA/4681/05 - Religious Education
LMA/4681/06 - Services
LMA/4681/07 - Events and visits
LMA/4681/08 - Kol Chai publications
LMA/4681/09 - Printed material
LMA/4681/10 - Photographs and audio-visual
Conditions governing access:
Access by written permission only.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright is held by the depositor.
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Deposited in October 2013.
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: Added September 2015