Outreach

Menorah Outreach Team – supporting Social Justice locally and nationally!

Many of our members feel that as a Jewish community it is important to look outwards and help those in need or distress in Greater Manchester and beyond. This is the role of Outreach, with the support of a small but dedicated band of volunteers and with backing from a wider group of Menorah members.

Please click here to read an account from the Menorah Synagogue Diamond Jubilee Brochure, of our priorities and activities over the past few years, which I hope all our members will find helpful.

Please see below this year’s AGM Report which outlines our activities over the past year and our future plans for 2025.

Outreach AGM Report July 6th 2025
2024 – 2025
This year our Outreach Team have once again encouraged our members to help the least advantaged in our local community through volunteering and supporting our Events and Mitzvah Day activities.

Refugee Week – Meeting 17th June 2024
Menorah Outreach and Greater Manchester Jewish Action for Refugees, organised a Meeting in support of Refugee Week, with Speakers including Tim Naor Hilton, Chief Executive Refugee Action, Ben Gilchrist, Chief Executive Officer Caritas Shrewsbury, and Meiron Avidan, Integration Co-ordinator HIAS + JCORE.

This event was well supported by our members and friends as an opportunity to find out more about volunteering, befriending or advocating for better policies. Members also generously donated to local charities supporting refugees and asylum seekers.

President of Board of Deputies and Guests attended Shabbat 23rd November 2024

Our Menorah Outreach Team and members were very pleased to welcome to a special Shabbat Service Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Other guests included Dame Louise Ellman, Rabbi Josh Levy and Karen Newman, Chair of Liberal Judaism. Our guests and members then enjoyed a sit-down Kiddush lunch, and then had a lively discussion with our visitors on: “What has the Board of Deputies ever done for us?”

Menorah members supported Mitzvah Day 24th November 2024 at Menorah with plenty of choice of activities.

Menorah children generously donated toothbrushes and toothpaste for a collection in aid of Wythenshawe Food Bank.
Menorah’s families donated primary school uniforms for refugee children newly arriving in Manchester, and were welcomed warmly by our Outreach volunteers. While waiting to hear from our speakers from local projects helping the homeless, asylum seekers and refugees, members munched on delicious home-made bagels made by our member David Woodroffe, to raise much needed funds for Mustard Tree.
Outreach Team collecting school uniforms: L to R: Pam Edis, Lynne Nathan, Susan Halpern

Mitzvah Day Speakers 2024
Our speakers at our Mitzvah Day meeting encouraged volunteering and other support for Rainbow Haven, the Well Project at St Aidan’s, and Mustard Tree. All felt it was a very worthwhile morning, supporting those in need in our community in a practical way while finding out how we can be more involved in the future.
Speakers L to R: Lana Osman, Linda Saleh, Richard Caulfield

Future Plans for 2025
We are very pleased that following the very successful Art Exhibition last June, our Outreach members Anna Hassan and Lynne Nathan, have been working hard to organise Menorah’s Summer Exhibition, this June, which will celebrate the photographic and film talents of our whole community, both professional and amateur. The charity funds raised by last year’s event and this year’s event will be much welcomed by local voluntary groups.

This autumn will be busy, as we are planning a variety of activities including a Fundraising Afternoon Tea Event on Sunday 2nd November, and also a Refugee Shabbat to show solidarity and support for asylum seekers and refugees. We are also very pleased that many of our Mitzvah Day activities for the first time will be held in conjunction with all the other South Manchester Synagogues, as together we can do so much more to help those in need. More details to follow in due course.

We welcome new members to join our Outreach Team – particularly recent Menorah members that would like to help with our efforts, or those that have time to spare. 

I would like to thank all our Outreach Team and helpers for their efforts, and also the Menorah Board and our Office staff for their support to help our activities take place.

Please get in touch if you would like to find out more about Outreach.

For further information or to offer support, please contact Eve Davidson Outreach Co-ordinator at outreach@menorah.org.uk

See also our separate page on Mahapach-Taghir