Hospital Sunday

A regular feature of the Shul’s calendar is the annual Hospital Sunday service. Held on the last Sunday in January we are now the only community to still hold a service although there are other religious establishments that make a donation to the fund. This year was the 115^th service the focus of which is to raise money for the Hospital Sunday Fund to provide for local grass roots needs of patients or their families whose requirements are not covered by the NHS.

It is also an opportunity for the Sheffield Jewish Community to invite the civic dignitaries, communal and religious leaders into our scared synagogue to pray as one in a manner which I sincerely hope is acceptable to all faiths and those with as yet undiscovered faith. It is an act of unity focused around the deed of charity because we all understand the need to help the sick. Present were the Lord Mayor Councillor Alan Law JP accompanied by the Lady Mayoress Nicola Ashton, Guests of Honour immediate past Master Cutler Mr James Newman and the past Mistress Cutler Mrs Leslie Newman, Assistant Chief Constable Mr Andy Holt, Dr and Mrs Shaikh and Mr and Mrs Rizvi of the Abmadiya Muslim Association, Bishop of Sheffield The Right Reverend Dr Stephen Croft, Bishop of Hallam The Right Reverend John Rawsthorne, Chair of the Hospital Sunday Fund Mrs Dianne Malaure and Mr Mohamed Jamil Deputy Chairman of Sheffield Magistrates who is also a trustee of the HS fund. The Master Cutler was unable to be there but paid a personal visit at the invitation of Steve Mendelsohn about a month later.

The service was followed by a tea catered by the Guild at which we heard addresses from the Lord Mayor, Past Master Cutler and The Bishop of Sheffield. Proceedings were chaired by Past President Mr Selwyn Burchhardt at which he announced that the sum of £1650 had been raised. An excellent result for the afternoon and to a worthy cause. Thank you to all contributors.