NEWS
Yoni Finlay – The Survivor Story
St Anne’s Synagogue was delighted to host guest Yoni Finlay and family to our Shabbat service and kiddush. Yoni Finlay was one of the brave volunteers who survived a bullet during the terrorist attack on the Heaton Park Shul on Yom Kippur last year. In his own words, this is his story …. I’ve told the […]
PURIM 2026
Ladies and Gentlemen – welcome to the Purim Festival of joy and feasting. Any excuse, some might say! Hopefully the feasting has so far met with your approval, and now we’re about to administer the joy. There’s a story behind today, let me brush up on some history. 2500 years ago – The local press, […]
Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 at St. Annes
Over 200 people attended this years HMD at St Annes Hebrew Congregation. Dignitaries included the Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary Sacha Hatchet, High Sheriff, Helen Broughton MBE DL, John Barnett MBE DL, faith leaders and Mayors from across the local towns including Wyre, Fylde & Kirkham. Thank you to Ernie Hunter from the Northern Holocaust […]
The President Visits St. Anne’s
No, not Donald Trump, the 47th president of the USA, but Philip Rosenberg, the 49th president of the Board of Deputies for the whole of the UK. Phil Rosenberg, at 38, is the 49th President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. and the youngest ever President in the Board’s 264-year history. A consultant […]
Happy New Year 2026 from St.Annes Synagogue
For some, 2025 was an annus horribilis ! All members and friends at St. Anne’s Synagogue look forward to only better news for you, and wish everyone a happier, healthy 2026.
A Time to Say Thank You
On Christmas Day 2025 – an intrepid group of volunteers gathered in the cold morning air at the St. Anne’s Synagogue and set out to join the magnificent incentive founded in 2018 by Rabbi Albert Chait MBE. Along with 5000 or so volunteers across UK and Australia, St. Annes Synagogue volunteers visited hospitals, care homes […]
On the 8th Day – Chanukah 2025
The St. Anne’s Synagogue annual Chanukah Party was well attended and declared well enjoyed by all. Ladies & gentlemen, we are delighted to see so many people joining us to celebrate Chanukah. This year, it was a sad start to Chanukah with the horrific massacre at Bondi Beach in Australia. But here we are, still […]
Chanukah 2025 in St. Annes
Third night Chanukah lighting was hosted by the mayor at the Fylde town hall for the fourth year running. Attending were councillors, St Annes Jewish Community, members of the Preston Jewish community, general friends and supporter, local primary school children, the heads from Kirkham Grammar, and the Chair and Vice chair of Freckleton. In light […]
Reflections on Chanukah
Reflections on Chanukah by Peter Beyfus In Isaac Asimov’s short story entitled ‘Nightfall’, he postulates what would happen to humanity in the absence of sunlight; in short we would all go mad! Darkness still holds a grip on our imagination, no matter how old we are, evoking primeval fears of being vulnerable. This theme of […]
Well Known Member of our Community
Fleetwood Market’s oldest and longest-serving stallholder retires aged 87 Courtesy Blackpool Gazette – By Richard Hunt. Published 28th Aug 2023, 18:06 GMT The oldest and longest-serving stallholder at Fleetwood Market has hung up his hat at the age of 87. Until recently, John Richmond had been working on Fleetwood Market since the 1940s, when as […]
‘Historic’ gathering of 50 Jewish small communities in Parliament
‘Historic’ gathering of 50 Jewish small communities in Parliament ’We’re vital to British society’: Small communities meet Parliamentarians at Westminster reception The Jewish Chronicle – November 7, 2025 By Jane Prinsley Tory MP Andrew Snowden addressed the Jewish Small Communities Network reception in the House of Commons on Wednesday (Yakir Zur) Leaders from more than […]
Remembrance Day 2025
We had a good turnout joining the local community at the cenotaph in Ashton Gardens, notwithstanding the weather, As usual it was raining, but by some amazing quirk of fate …[or was it ??], …. the rain stopped just in time for our Rabbi Danny to sing the Memorial Prayer, which has never been recorded […]
The Pilgrimage Road
The Pilgrimage Road One of the most expensive and complex excavations currently taking place in Israel The Pilgrimage Road in the City of David is considered one of the most expensive and complex excavations currently taking place in Israel, due to all of the construction required and the challenging underground conditions of the excavation. The […]
Lytham St Annes named Lancashire’s happiest place to live
Lytham St Annes has been named the happiest place to live in Lancashire. The coastal town claimed the top spot in the county in a poll ranking the UK’s 75 happiest places to live. Carried out by online retailer Furniturebox, the survey gathered responses from 5,000 people across the UK. It considered factors such as […]
In response to Heaton Park
Peter Beyfus, 6 October 2025 The attack on Heaton Park Synagogue on Yom Kippur left many of us stunned but not entirely surprised. The climate of hatred that has existed during the last two years, since the massacres on 7 October 2023, has prepared Anglo-Jewry to expect the rising wave of antisemitism to result in […]
St.Anne’s Does Lake Windermere
Sukkot 2025 and the time has come to cast aside our sins. As luck would have it – we are not too big a stone’s throw from Lake Windermere, which is well deep enough to hold a whole guilt-fest of sins. There was no shortage of takers when everyone was invited onto the Good Ship […]
Thank You !
On our notice board
Betrayal betrays the betrayer
About the Author Peter John Beyfus is an historian, published author, poet, and a person who prides himself on “thinking outside the box”. Shanah Tova Umetukah “In response to the shameful decision of the British Government and many other nations to recognise a Palestinian state, I thought I would share with you my thoughts on […]
Shona Tova
Wishing the whole congregation and friends – Happy New Year and Well Over The Fast. With very best wishes from The Website Admin Glenys and Spencer Berd St Annes Hebrew Congregation www.shulbythesea.co.uk
Meet Our MP – Andrew Snowden MP of Fylde
The JRC in collaboration with the JLC held a Q and A session with Andrew Snowden MP, hosted by Mark Addlestone OBE, Chair of the JRC.
Meet the MP – This Wednesday
Don’t forget to book your free ticket if you want to attend this event. Entry is ticket only To register for this event, please follow this link https://inconversationwithandrewsnowden.eventbrite.co.uk/ Then click on “get tickets”
LJW – A Musical Extravaganza
Wednesday 13th August – the Shul was host to the Fylde Group of the League of Jewish Women’s Annual Afternoon Tea. And what a Musical Extravaganza it was ! Elaine Green on violin accompanied by Graham Barber on keyboard entertained with what can only be described as A Class Act. The music – popular tunes […]
BBQ Report 2025
Well, it didn’t rain! It was gloriously sunny until just before the start of the BBQ, but the clouds were friendly and the breeze was light, so this year the weather was with us. Perhaps the Rabbi had a word with the Boss? But most importantly, we must say a huge thank you to the […]
Israel: At the Crossroads
Israel: At the Crossroads Aug 3, 2025, 2:35 PM by Peter Beyfus Some western democracies have once again scored a home goal with their latest proclaimed gesture politics in announcing recognition of a Palestinian state in September, if Israel, cast as the aggressor, does not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza and allow the aid […]
IDF : The sort of information we need
In which The Chief Rabbi draws out from Ben the sort of information we need when facing criticism of the Gaza war.
Rabbi Danny Met A Man ..
Today Thursday July 24 I was walking in St Anne’s to The local Aldi. As I approached the entrance I passed by a man who was also about to enter the shop. He made eye contact with me and then introduced himself: “Hello I am from the local area and I understand you are Jewish”. […]
The Day the Golden Girls Came
St. Anne’s Shul was delighted to host the Golden Girls from Whitefield Chabad, accompanied by Rebbetzen Sara Jaffe, to brunch and a tour of the shul, prior to their day out in Lytham. Lovely photos. I great day out in St. Annes. Thanks Sorah for organising the food. Thanks to the ladies committee of St. […]
BBQ – The New Date !
Please note : The date of the BBQ at the Rabbi’s House has been changed to 10th August at 3.30pm. There ae still places available – please RSVP to rabbi@shulbythesea.couk
Save the Date = Question our MP
Don’t forget to book your free ticket if you want to attend this event. To register for this event, please follow this link https://inconversationwithandrewsnowden.eventbrite.co.uk/ Then click on “get tickets”. Venue information will be advised nearer the time
Donald Trump “God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel and God bless America”
By Rabbi Danny Bergson The president of the USA Donald Trump just made a statement after the successful operation to strike and destroy Iranian nuclear capability. The statement was unequivocal and displayed his moral clarity, strength and courage to stand up against pure evil and have the faith that Good will prevail. He ended his […]
Midsummer MDA FUNDRAISER Concert and Dinner – The Movie
What a night ! Despite the major setback of Rabbi Danny – the star of the concert – becoming unfortunately ‘indisposed’ the day before – a magnificent cast rose to the challenge and presented a fantastic concert. OK It was cobbled together on the day, but you couldn’t tell (wink wink) – but judge for […]
Purim replay and seeing beyond the surface
By Rabbi Danny Bergson Yesterday was the 23rd of the month of Sivan. This was the date in the original Purim story (circa 2500 years ago) when practically speaking everything turned around in favour of the Jewish people. This was the date when letters were sent throughout the 127 provinces of the Persian empire in […]
We Met the Brummies !
Unusually it was a cold, windy and rainy day in St. Annes on Shabbat 7th June – but inside the shul hall the atmosphere was gloriously warm and glowing ! We were absolutely delighted to host Rabbi and Rebbetzen Jacobs and a party of their members from Birmingham Singers Hill Synagogue – who came for […]
Rabbi Danny meets Student Nurses
Rabbi Danny Bergson of St Anne’s presented a talk to trainee nurses from Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA together with UClan School of Nursing, Brigham. Students are here for a few weeks on an exchange programme. We discussed nursing with sensitivity and compassion taking into consideration Jewish and faith issues. Topics discussed in 90 […]
London based Holocaust Survivor two-day tour of Lancashire
London based Holocaust Survivor two-day tour of Lancashire. Holocaust survivor and educator Dr Martin Stern MBE came up from London on a two-day tour in Lancashire. The tour was facilitated by Rabbi Danny Bergson He spoke at St Anne’s Hebrew Congregation, Preston City Council, Baines High School and St Mary’s Catholic High School, Blackpool (children […]
Celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut 1st May 2025
Members and friends of the community joined for a grand breakfast in honour and celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut. The rabbi spoke about the importance of the state of the Jew as much as the state of Israel . Every moment of Jewish and Israel’s existence is a miracle which we must acknowledge by connecting to our […]
Defending Israel : Joshua Hoffman
Defending Israel : Joshua Hoffman Jewish success isn’t despite antisemitism. It’s because of it. In other words, anti-Semites built the Jews they fear today. Joshua Hoffman Apr 12, 2025 You say we run the banks. You say we run Hollywood. You say we control the media. You say we have too much influence, too much […]
Rabbi Danny – Thoughts for Pesach 2025
Celebrating Jewish survival on Pesach Oct 7 and its aftermath has awakened us to the harsh reality of the ever-lurking forces of evil that seek the annihilation of the Jewish people (and the Western free democratic societies). The rabbis captured this sentiment in the Passover Haggadah liturgy with the famous words “And this is what […]
Pesach Message 2025
Leading with Courage in Uncertain Times SPEAKING TO THE LEADERSHIP WITHIN EVERY MEMBER As we prepare for Pesach, we — today’s and future leaders, organisers, and volunteers who hold our communities together — are reminded that the Exodus was not just a miracle; it was a call to action. In a world of rising instability, […]
Our Purim Party – 2025
The intro : Rabbi Danny, Executive, Members and Visitors – Purim Party Promenaders. Welcome and thank you for joining us this evening for our Annual Purim Fancy Dress and Fress Party. Naturally, you noticed we started with food first, we know what’s important ! So if you’re all now supping your delicious soup home made […]
The answer is St Annes on Sea and our neighbouring town of Lytham.
What links actress Maureen Lipman, Little Italy in Manchester, Jewish children and WW2? The answer is St Annes on Sea and our neighbouring town of Lytham. Many children from Manchester’s ‘Little Italy’ were evacuated to this area not only to keep them safe from bombing but also anti-Italy sentiments that were sadly affecting their lives. […]
A Special Shabbat Kiddush on 15th March
Join us for a very special Shabbat Kiddush on 15th March after Purim, kindly sponsored by Ms. Lesley Bramley, with Speaker Mr. Sefton Bergson.