Refurbishment of the Sanctuary Editors Word

Spring is finally here, Shavuot is around the corner and finally we see a relaxation of the COVID rules which have governed out lives for over a year. Wonderful news and yet we must all stay vigilant and not exceed the boundaries they say. This is hard but we must all find the strength to be careful for just a bit longer or the consequences of going backwards again are not even thinkable. What we will all find difficult in the months to come is getting to grips with the numerous problems lockdown has caused to the mental health of the population, particularly the children and elderly. The children through the difficulty of education and socialisation with their peers. The elderly from the isolation they they have had to endure during the pandemic. This doesn’t include the adult population , many of whom have lost their jobs or businesses and all the hardship this will cause them

BUT looking on the bright side we can now mix two households, schools are open, shops and hairdressers open, and if you don’t mind braving the cold sitting outside you can enjoy a pint or even a meal. How good does that feel? After not long ago celebrating Pesach which reminds us of escaping bondage in Egypt now we can celebrate the start of escaping the bondage of lockdown. I hope you will all enjoy these new freedoms and hopefully soon we can go one step further and meet up again in Shul to renew old friendships and make new ones. I look forward to normal life resuming but also wonder whether it will ever be the same. The new normal we are about to embark on will be shaped by what we have had to endure this last year and my hope is that it will prove to be a more thoughtful and caring world.

Chag same’ach