What better way can there be to celebrate Tu B’shvat than to plant a tree nearby? For Bromley Reform Synagogue, already working hard to increase its involvement in the wider community, the festival provided a wonderful opportunity to work with local groups. Our catchment area is large and diverse - from Bromley itself to the heart of Kent to inner London boroughs such as Lewisham - and when we learned that the Friends of Mayow Park, Sydenham, were planning a tree planting the idea of a joint event was born. Two trees were planted on Thursday, 28 January. The Friends planted a larch and the synagogue a gingko.

More than 30 people were greeted by the chair of the Friends, Hilary Jarrett, who spoke about the trees that would be planted. Rabbi Tony Hammond briefly explained about the Jewish festival for trees, told a short Tu B’shvat story and said a shechecheyanu (joined enthusiastically by the Jewish contingent) and a blessing. After that, people got down to business by putting soil and mulch into the holes where the trees were planted.

This event brought together several groups. In addition to the Friends of Mayow Park and Bromley Reform Synagogue, there were representatives from London Borough of Lewisham Green Scene and Envirowork Lewisham (a local social enterprise working with long-term unemployed people), Catford Synagogue and other local residents. Also present were local Councillors Susan Wise, Chris Best and Romayne Phoenix.

Friends of Mayow Park have been active since the early 1990s. The Group seeks to represent views of park users, to work with Lewisham Council and Council Contractors to make Mayow Park a better place for all its users and to encourage greater use of the park by the local community. 


Above: Rabbi gives it welly. Rabbi Tony Hammond (in hat) and Friends of Mayow Park chair Hilary Jarrett "get down to business", watched by neighbours, well-wishers, congregants and Sammy the spaniel.