Baking Together

St Albans Masorti Synagogue (SAMS) recently joined up with HWSF to host a tea for Syrian refugee families who have been resettled in Hertfordshire. 

“We wanted to learn about each other’s cultures, and what better way to start than in the kitchen?” said Helen Singer, a synagogue member, who coordinated the event as part of a multi-faith day of social action.  

She went on to explain: “The synagogue kitchen was a hive of activity; three Syrian ladies preparing Syrian pancakes and savoury filo pastry rolls, and three SAMS ladies making cheese scones, chocolate brownies and lemon drizzle cake. Then the family tea was laid out in the synagogue main hall, together with activities for young people upstairs.”

Fourteen Syrian families from the area came to the tea. SAMS’ young people joined in playing chess, table tennis and table football with the Syrian teenagers whilst younger children participated in art activities.  

Irene Austin from Herts Welcomes Syrian Families reported, ‘'It was a fantastic event. Shared cooking is wonderful, and the families really enjoyed talking to other people and hearing about their backgrounds. This sort of event is certainly the way forward.”