What is your name?
Norman

What is your current/previous occupation?
For my sins (!) a full-time retail pharmacist with a pharmacy just off the Kings Road, Chelsea

Tell us about yourself in a few words
Have been a member of GGS since moving to Golders Green about 40-years ago. During that time have ben married and now have 4-sons, each bar-mitzvah’d with a different Rabbi officiating even though they spanned only 7-year!

How long have you/your family been a member at GGS?
About 40-years

Why did you join GGS?
I moved to the area partially because my sister Ruth Cohn (she who writes the monthly uplifting Rosh Chodesh messages from Jerusalem) already lived here and because coming from the New West End synagogue, the people seemed so happy with their Jewishness and the Synagogue building was just like what I was used to and happy with.

What does GGS mean to you? What makes our community unique?
It is a caring community both in actions as well as in words and feels welcoming to those of all levels of Yiddishkeit. Old fuddy-duddies seem to be as accepted as little toddlers running round during the services, and an amazing Rabbi

How do you feel GGS has impacted your life?
It has been the focus for the Bar-Mitzvahs of our 4 sons and the weddings of the 2 who have got married and on a more personal note, the calmness and can I say also the “holiness” of the building is almost palpable before you even enter the the building itself

What is your favourite film?
The Wizard of Oz – and ET from earlier years, but some wonderful boxed sets on TV in the more recent era

What is your favourite book?
The 5-book compilation of weekly Sidra readings by the late Rabbi Sacks, COVENANT AND CONVERSATIONS

What is your favourite meal?
SOUPS! Chicken, Vegetable or almost anything

What is your favourite chag?
Simchat Torah, but only as done in GGS. Otherwise, Pesach.

What is your favourite holiday destination?
Don’t take many holidays but last year to India was so amazing

What have you found hardest about the Covid-19 lockdown?
I always loved hugging! Love talking to people so masks are horrid

What are you most looking forward to doing as the world begins to open up?
A bit of spontaneity in my life

Can you share one piece of advice from your life so far?
Your own view doesn’t have to be the be all and end all