However, it is fundamental that a shul, its rabbis and honorary officers are welcoming, warm and friendly inviting and approachable. A shul and its congregants should reflect the values, morals and behaviour that the rabbis extol and promote on a regular basis. I attended a service at Richmond United Synagogue last year for a Torah dedication where its rabbi made me feel like a long-time congregant. And a shul should give you something to take away from your experience, a thought or a principle of behaviour. Where I sat last weekend, the future is not so bleak and there are exciting times ahead for the United Synagogue, its friends and the community.