Kingston Liberal Synagogue (KLS) held a special in-person Shabbat service to welcome many of the new members who joined the community during the pandemic.

It was the first time the congregation had prayed and sung together in around 18 months, after holding online services since the first lockdown began back in March 2020. During this period, KLS attracted viewers from all over the world with many new local people joining the community, either to reconnect with their Jewish identities or to begin the process of conversion to Judaism.

Following Saturday’s service, a kiddush was held in the KLS Kehillah garden with the new members joining together for a photo (above) in front of the new KLS mural.

The community’s Rabbi Dr René Pfertzel said: “During the unprecedented times we have all been living through, it is understandable that so many people are seeking to find spiritual meaning: to reconnect with a faith that they may have left behind, to discover more about their Jewish heritage or to begin the process of conversion into a new faith.

“When people have been searching for a community online, they have found us, joined us virtually for services and other events – and many have made the decision to become members of our community.

“This was a wonderful chance to welcome our new members and meet them face-to-face for the first time. We are so happy they found us!”

One of the 25 new members joining the community in the pandemic was Barbara. She said: “I’ve been attending the services online and I already was sure that I had found the right community – but being together in person confirmed that I’ve definitely made the right decision in joining.”