Seaside stories for Chizuk by Rebbetzen Anna Bergson

My husband and I have had the pleasure of leading the St Anne’s Hebrew Congregation for close to almost eight years now!

Whenever I meet people and tell them I’m the Rebbezten of St Anne’s I am met with perplexed and surprised faces – they can’t believe there is still a sizable community here (which there is bh) and how a frum family could find it so fulfilling tending to such a far out and remote kehilla.

I always say I’m going to write a book about it one day because not only are our ‘regulars’ the most special and inspiring neshamas but we seem to attract the most curious strangers who seem to invariably wash up on the shore!

Take for example last night – my husband received an email from a Chabad House in Canada.

A Canadian couple have reached the finals of an International Ballroom Dancing Competition – they are Shomer Shabbos/yomtov and the event is this coming Sunday, in Blackpool (a 10 minute drive from St Anne’s).

They googled the nearest shul, found us and hence the email – please can they join us for Yomtov?!

Just last month, an American couple disillusioned with Trump and co decided they wanted to retire in a quiet English seaside resort. Again, thanks to the Internet, they found our community and paid us a visit. To say this couple were fascinating is an understatement. They had build a hands-on space exhibition for schools with which they had toured schools across the USA and were going to bring it over upon the move. Not only that, they were both magicians in the Magic Circle, friendly with Penn and Teller (apparently they are very famous magicians!) and more than happy to perform for us on Purim!

Sadly, we just heard that the UK is imposing impossible rules and regulations on foreigners purchasing property here and so the move is being re-directed to Scotland – our loss and their gain.

Aside from the people and white sand beaches, what I love most about St Anne’s is our shul.

Impossibly high ceilings and old wooden pews, built in the 1950’s it has that classic traditional feel which helps me so much feel connected to generations of the past.

In Parshat Bamidbar we learn that each of the tribes had a different flag, displaying their various personalities, strengths and talents.

Even though the Jewish people come from the same source, likened to the white light in a prism, each of us branch off into different colours so to speak, showcasing our unique flair.

At Shavuos, we are taught that the Jewish People were ‘Ish Ehad, b’lev ehad’ – as one man with one heart.

And so, if you do pay us a Shabbos visit, I can guarantee you will see ‘different colours’ but the beauty is that – we are all one and the same big Jewish family.

And the healthiest of families prides itself on providing a safe space where everybody is warmly welcomed with empathy, unconditional love, and zero judgment.

Chag Sameach!