Leeds Unity Lodge

t is well known that the Leeds Lodge has two sections, the Main Lodge and the Music Society both of which meet regularly. All meetings are open to the wider community and the Music Society in particular is supported regularly by a substantial number of non-members. Like many other Jewish organisations, we have arranged talks concerned with various aspects of the Holocaust.

In the recent past we have had a speaker on his experiences, before coming to England on the Kindertransport, someone who narrated her journey from Poland to Yorkshire via Uzbekistan and the daughter of the composer Han Gal who after fleeing to Britain was interned and then proceeded to compose “Music behind barbed wire” who told us his story. There has also been a joint meeting with the Leeds Jewish Historical Society, Malcolm Miller, a musicologist from London discussed in general the composers who found refuge in Britain in the 1930s. At the last presidents’ memorial meeting, Professor Derek Fraser gave a fascinating illustrated account of the Suez crisis of 1956 when Israel, Britain and France were in collusion against Nasser.

Each year we show a musical film and arrange outings and have an annual dinner. A welcome change has been moving meetings during the winter to the afternoon.

Shirley Casdan and Michael Cohen – Joint Presidents