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Professional Staff

Esmond (Es) Rosen – Office Manager

Es manages and overseas BES's day-to day affairs and complex. This includes supporting the Rabbi, and managing the office administration team, the Care Co-ordinator, Youth Director, caretakers and cleaners.

Es also liaises closely with all elected officers, user organisations, youth groups and those providing an incredible service for and to all our members.

He also takes a strategic look at the wider developments taking place within our community to ensure that BES is able to efficiently respond to the various social changes taking place in the Jewish world.

Barry Winterman – Finance Administrator

Barry is BES's longest serving staff member and our ultimate encyclopaedia in knowledge and expertise in the running of the synagogue.

He is responsible for all aspects of financial administration including billing and payments, and deals with all new membership queries.

If you have any financial query relating to the synagogue, Barry is always happy to advise, and is always on hand to comment on his beloved Fulham Football Club too!!

Amanda Finn – Administrator and PA to the Rabbi

Amanda is involved in the running of all aspects of the Shul office, including Barmitzvah and wedding bookings, preparing the weekly newsletters, managing the shul diary, arranging events, and liaising with the Honorary Officers and Board of Management. She is the first port of call for all general enquiries and in informing the synagogue of a bereavement.

Amanda also provides PA support to Rabbi Brawer and the office manager, Esmond Rosen, organising and co-ordinating many of the Rabbi's seminars and meetings with members of our community, and ministers and public figures in the wider community.

Amanda lives in Borehamwood with her husband and family who are all actively involved in the community as well.

Aryeh Richman – Youth Director

Aryeh is half way through his second year as Youth Director of BES. Along with his wife Juliet, the Youth Administrator, Estelle Talberg, and Youth Workers, David and Naomi Kaplan, Aryeh and his team organise a wide range of events, educational programmes and fun activities throughout the year to cater for the needs of all our community's youth.

There is a vibrant youth scene in the shul with activities ranging from theatre trips to residential weekends to youth productions of musicals such as Oliver and the Lion King. The youth service is held every Shabbat and Yom Tov, and there is a Sunday morning pre Barmitzvah programme – Barmitzvah Boys Love Breakfast (BBLB). There is always something going on and the Youth Team always looks forward to meeting new faces.

Estelle Talberg – Youth Administrator

Estelle works alongside BES's Youth Director, Aryeh Richman, planning and organising a variety of weekly youth activities and events centred around the Chagim. Highlights include the annual Simchat Torah dinner, Purim celebrations, and the youth plays.

She is also the contact point for booking and organising many of the wider communal activities such as Simchat Beit Hashoeva, and Communal Seders etc, supporting and assisting Rabbi Brawer with the co-ordination of several exciting and varied programmes and activities.

Rebecca Brummer - Community Care Co-ordinator

Rebecca Brummer is the Community Care Co-ordinator for Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue, dealing with all welfare issues in strict confidence.

Whatever your concern - be it about a relative being poorly, dealing with a bereavement, feeling lonely, having a child with special needs, or are experiencing financial worries - you can contact Rebecca for support and advice.

You can reach her via the confidential Community Care Line 020 8207 5741, or by emailing .

Rebecca also supervises a dedicated team of Community Care volunteers without whom the service would not operate! If you have any time to spare and would like to join this team, please contact Rebecca on the above number.

Bernie Bray – Caretaker

Bernie undertakes all aspects of the synagogue's maintenance and caretaking. This includes ordering supplies, setting up the shul and other rooms for services, doing security and meeting suppliers. Additionally, he sets up Gilah Nursery every morning.

He's a bit of an expert on Shabbat and the Jewish festivals and is always extremely accommodating to the community's needs (including setting up a Limmud minyan in the early hours after a communal Shabbat dinner). Without Bernie, the synagogue wouldn't function!

Joseph de Sousa – Assistant Caretaker