The Kehillat Kernow community was thrilled and delighted to hear that our wonderful and long-standing treasurer Leslie Lipert had been included in the New Year’s Honours List and been awarded an MBE. Officially the award is ‘for services to the Jewish Community in Cornwall’. That is, of course accurate, but doesn’t really cover the range and depth of Leslie’s commitment which includes the contribution Leslie has made to preserving the history of Judaism in Cornwall. This in turn has enriched both Cornish and Jewish heritage and brought their shared history to life for present and future generations. Besides making a significant contribution to our own community, Leslie has played a vital role in the completed restoration of the Jewish Cemetery in Penzance and in the ongoing restoration of the old Ponsharden Cemeteries in Falmouth. He has also worked resourcefully and patiently with institutions and partners in Cornwall and London in order to obtain and restore for the new Jewish community in Cornwall a historic Torah Scroll which once belonged to the former, now disappeared Cornish Jews. This is a lovely story of recovery and renewal.
Mazel Tov, Leslie!