Words From The Chair

On Tuesday 29th August the Synagogue’s revered Hon Life President Hilda Schindler passed away. 
In 1946, three years after it was founded, Hilda joined Southgate & District Liberal Synagogue as it was known in those days, and in a short space of time became Head Teacher. Apart from a period at the old NLPS cheder, she taught at SPS for fifty two years. In 1983 she was made Hon Life President, and in 1986 was presented with a certificate for forty years of service. Hilda also served as Hon Secretary for seventeen years, and was on just about every committee, as well as attending Council meetings, where she did not suffer fools gladly. She was a stickler for protocol as was her dear friend Doris Reese. In 2010 I nominated her for the LJ Chairman’s Special Award; she won hands down, as her CV was far more impressive than any other nominee. Apart from her beloved Religion 
School, the other great loves of her life were The Friends of Progressive Judaism, and the Leo Baeck Education Centre in Haifa, where she was held in the highest esteem. Many years ago I told Hilda I was going to Israel, and she said you must visit Leo Baeck, which I duly did. There was security outside the office and when I asked if I could come in and look around the answer was an emphatic no. When I said Hilda Schindler told me it was ok for me to visit, it was like a magic wand had been waved, and I was treated like royalty. Subsequently I visited Leo Baeck on a number of occasions and was always very well received. 

Hilda retired from Religion School in 1998; throughout the many years of her dedicated teaching career she touched the lives of countless young people, including my two daughters. Even when they reached adulthood they still referred to her as Miss Schindler and always treated her with the greatest respect. Sadly the last few years of her life were in care homes, and at times in and out of hospital, but she battled on because, even though the body “In 1983 she was made Hon Life President” was weak, she had the heart of a lion. As the quality of her life deteriorated and she finally passed, it could be deemed to be a blessed release for someone who once had such vitality and fervour. Inexplicably it took nine days before she was laid to rest. Unfortunately, as the Synagogue had no input with the arrangements of the cremation, it was beyond our control to rectify that sorry state of affairs. Hilda did not have any immediate family, but SPS was undoubtedly her surrogate family and she loved and served the community with unceasing commitment and passion. 

In the evening of her cremation a service was held in the Synagogue in front of nearly one hundred people. Rabbi Yuval set the tone for the evening with his moving recollections of the short span of time he knew Hilda. There were also reminiscences from Pearl Phillips, Jane Greenfield, myself and especially her friend from Germany, Rabbi Harry Jacobi, who brought tears to people’s eyes when he referred to how they were like brother and sister. Hilda Schindler will be fondly remembered by all who knew and worked with her. She was an iconic figure in the history of SPS, and her like will never be seen again, may her memory always be for a blessing. There will be a service to celebrate Hilda’s life on Sunday 26th November; details will be in the next issue of the Gate. Despite our mourning, life must go on, and another towering figure of the Synagogue, the Hon Life Vice President Pearl Phillips was nominated at the September Council meeting to take Hilda’s 
place. Also unanimously nominated to take over from Pearl is another Synagogue stalwart, the indomitable Phyllis Freedman. Both will be put forward for ratification at next June’s AGM. 

Bob Dulin