The embracing and connective force of religion suffered during lockdown, when people became isolated without the usual support from their communities. Wimbledon and District Synagogue, a Reform Jewish community, has invested a huge amount of time and money since then, into live-streaming services, allowing people from all over the world to access a religious community remotely and join both strangers and friends in prayer. The ‘tech team’ at the Synagogue, a group of dedicated members, works tirelessly to achieve this.

 

‘It was a blessing in lockdown,’ Rabbi Adrian Schell said, describing the origins of technologically integrated services, ‘One of the purposes of organised religion is to provide stability and give some form of strength in an ever changing world.’  

 

The reform Rabbi is incredibly supportive of Wimbledon’s tech team and works alongside them to make sure the services become as accessible as they can. 

 

‘I’m very aware of the people joining us on YouTube and I have a little device on the lectern where I can see the stream and when people write a comment.’ He said. ‘Sometimes the congregation online is bigger than the people who are in the sanctuary!’

 

Ricky Cousins, a member of the tech team, described the importance of continuing to stream services, even after the days of lockdown:  ‘A vital reason to me why we must continue to stream services is if there is even one person out there who otherwise could not participate in the spirituality and the religiosity of their faith if we didn’t.’

 

Another keen member, Andrew Leek agreed. ‘We had a memorial service for the Queen a few weeks ago and I think we had 400 people watching at different times, and those are people who couldn’t come out at Sunday night to get to Synagogue. And some we’ve no idea who they are but they appreciated the service.’

 

All the people that give up their time to operate the cameras at Wimbledon Synagogue are compassionate and diligent people- and striving to make communities acessible for as many people as possible is not just important, it is, as Ricky said, vital.