Board Members

HARVEY RIFKIND

Is the current president of Sandys Row. His association with the building was originally through marriage, his wife has been a lifelong member of the synagogue and her family have many generations of history with the building. Harvey spent six years living in Israel, where he was a member of a kibbutz and served in the IDF. He worked as a market trader for fifteen years and then joined a wholesale outdoor clothing company as a Sales Director. He recently retired and now spends his time as a volunteer at Harefield Heart Hospital alongside running tours and events at the historic Sandys Row Synagogue as well as walking tours of Jewish East London. Harvey has been married for thirty-six years and has two children.

ROSE EDMANDS

Is a lifelong member of Sandys Row Synagogue, her great uncle was the president and she is a member of one of the original Dutch founding families. Rose grew up and still lives in East London. She worked as a teacher then a head teacher in the area for thirty-eight years. Now retired, she is an active member of the board. She runs tours of the building and manages the history and archive heritage projects at the synagogue. She is married and lives in Wapping with her husband John.

ZACK FORTAG

Zack is in business and is a trustee of a youth charity. The charity he runs helps young people from all over the country with education and opportunities, to better themselves. He is also hugely passionate about Sandys Row as his family have been members for many years. He and his brothers were Bar Mitzvah there and his parents were married in the Synagogue. He joined the board in 2021.

HENRY FREEDMAN

Is a Chartered Accountant and the Treasurer of Sandys Row. He has been a board member for ten years and a member of the synagogue all his life, he had his Barmitzvah in the shul, his father was a past president of Sandys Row and his family can trace back their membership to the 1850s. He lives in North London with his wife, he has two children, one lives in South Africa and the other in Spitalfields they are both members of the Sandys Row Synagogue.

BARBARA SHAFRAN

Is now retired but worked as a secretary for many years in the jewellery business in Hatton Garden. She then became a self-employed bookkeeper. She has a great affinity towards the synagogue her Great Grandparents, parents and uncle were all married at Sandys Row.

MELVYN SHAER

Melvyn was born in Hackney and his family lived and worked in the East End of London. He has owned and operated several businesses during his working life and has more than 50 years of experience to draw on. He is married with three children. Having recently retired he joined the synagogue and became a board member in 2022. He is currently our representative at the Board of Deputies.

BARRY KAFKA

Recently retired, Barry spent 20 years working in Further Education. Prior to that he was a Portrait Photographer with his own studio. He is interested in history in general, and preserving London’s East End history in particular.