I have lived locally all my life and am married to Michelle. We have a son and a daughter. We were married at SPS in 1984 and have celebrated a variety of life-cycle events within the community including baby blessings and Bnei Mitzvah of our son and daughter.

I first became involved in the community in 1991 and served on the social committee and then subsequently was elected on to Council. I served as Treasurer between 1993 and 1999. After retiring from full-time work in October 2019, I was co-opted back on to Council in February 2020 and joined the Finance committee and was elected formally to Council at the 2020 AGM and subsequently appointed as Vice-chair.

I was honoured to be elected as Chair in June 2021 and since then have help to co-ordinate the update of many of our systems. We have also employed a Community Development Manager for the first time in 2021 and started a new Young Families Committee in 2022.

We have a dedicated band of volunteers but more are always welcome as there is always much to do and new projects to consider Please free free to contact me to discuss any aspect of community life and any ideas that you have for the future, especially as we approach our 80th Anniversary in 2023.

I joined Southgate Progressive Synagogue following my marriage and move to the area. Since then we have celebrated many family events with the community, including my son's and daughter’s Bar and Bat Mitzvah.

Growing up on the east side of town I had been very involved with my local Synagogue; teaching at the religion school, co-founding a youth club and a few other bits and pieces! It was a little while before I became active within SPS. It started following the birth of my son and daughter, when I became involved with the Shabbat children’s services and children’s activities on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For the last 9 years or so I have been a member of the Education Committee (I am currently chair) and for the last 8 have sat on Council. I have just been re-elected vice-chair for a second year.

I have been a member of SPS for most of my life.  My parents joined the Synagogue in 1960 and were involved in many aspects of the community. When I was younger, I was one of the first girls to have a Bat Mitzvah.  I was an active member of SPY and ULPSNYC (now LJY) and represented SPS on the quiz and table tennis teams.  Later on, I became a leader of SPY and also taught at Religion School for many years. After getting married to Anthony and having our daughter Emma, we all became very involved in SPS.  Emma went to SPY for many years and danced with Rikud then became a leader of both and also taught at Religion School. Anthony is a member of the Finance Committee and Head of Security. Having served on several committees including Youth and Education, RAC, Security and Fund Raising, I now look forward to my new role and continuing to be an active member of SPS.

We joined the Shul in April 2001 having moved to Oakwood in 1999. Amanda’s parents were members of the Synagogue for more than 40 years. We have a daughter who is also a member, and a son. We celebrated our son's Barmitzvah at SPS in 2004 and Rabbi Yuval officiated over our daughter’s wedding in 2019.

My first involvement with SPS was that of being a founder member of SPS Table Tennis Club in 2004 and shortly after I joined the Security committee where I became vice-chair after which I was elected onto council. I joined the Finance committee in 2013 and in 2016 was elected honorary treasurer and chair of the finance committee in 2016, both positions I have retained to-date.

My Husband and I moved to Southgate in 1956 and joined the Synagogue which was a small house in Chase Road and nothing like the site as it is today.

At that time we were both working and not regular attendees except for High Holy days but had contact with members of the Social Committee who would call on us with details/tickets of forthcoming events.

Once our family arrived I became involved, joined the Social Committee, Religious Activities and House Committees and was elected to Council. I sang in the choir and with help from one or two members compiled the music folders, contacted choristers and dealt with all the admin.

After many years I was appointed vice-president, then life vice-president and life president.

Our involvement within the community resulted in long term friends, many of whom unfortunately, are no longer with us, however I look back over the years at SPS with pleasure and pride.

I have been a member of SPS all my life.  After confirmation, age 15, following a teacher training course, I taught in the religion school for a year before going off on my travels.  When I returned, over a period of time, I served on all committees; often as secretary or chairman and also taught in the religion school for about 20 years, culminating in running it, with three others, for a number of years.  I was the hon. secretary for 6 years, followed by chairman for 3.  I was also joint vice-chairman for a year and then chairman again.  My husband and I married in 1975 and were the first “children of the Synagogue” to marry.  I have two daughters.  Currently I am a member of the Finance Committee and also teach bar/bat mitzvah and Hebrew, sometimes to children of parents who I taught.

There are currently eight vice-presidents, who are ratified each year by Council, all having been members of the Synagogue for at least 20 years.

Anita Best, Freda Dulin, Robert Dulin, Jane Greenfield,  Barbara Martin, Gerald Ostermeyer, Daphne Stern & Marion  Smith