Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Hatch End Jewish Community, now known as Kol Chai (meaning "Living Voice"), was founded by a core of families from the Middlesex New Synagogue, Harrow in 1986. After successfully canvassing for new members they started worshipping in homes and church halls before deciding to build their own synagogue in Woodridings Yard, Uxbridge Road in 1994. The synagogue was extended in 2003.
The congregation worships within the Reform tradition and their first rabbi was Samuel Rodriguez-Pereira, who began taking services in 1988. After Rabbi Pereira's retirement in 2002 Rabbi Michael Hilton took over services at Kol Chai.
Kol Chai is a very active community. Their Religion School for children began in 1987 and includes a post-bar/bat mitzvah class leading to a GCSE in Religious Education. These classes train to be assistant teachers on a course developed by Kol Chai in conjunction with Leo Baeck College/Centre for Jewish Education. Dedicated committees also organise social activities and the community also runs a Care Group, a Music Group and World Jewry activities.
In 2012 Kol Chai joined its religious education programme with those of Hatch End Masorti Synagogue, Middlesex New Synagogue and Harrow and Wembley Park Synagogue to form HaMakom ('The Place'), the first Jewish pluralist supplementary school in the country to meet on a Sunday.