Page 19 - Pesach 5779
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Neshei ChayilMarianne FierstoneAs an undergraduate Marianne read sociol- ogy at the LSE, although she prefers social action to party politics these days. But in the 1990s it was not surprising that she was to be found at a Peace Now party – where she met Mike. He told her “his one joke” (apparently about a parachute but Marianne refused to elaborate), and she laughed: the only person ever to do so. Clearly a match made in heaven.They married, moved to North Finchley, then Barnet. At shul she has become a major con- tributor, being on the Board (now the Synagogue Council) and a member of the Rabbi selection team, as well as helping out in a range of day-to-day duties. She masterminds the adult education programme, managing speakers and cultural events. However, she was concerned that these days there is little children’s education apart from a year’s programme leading to bar- mitzvah and batmitzvah (see Ruth Levine’s arti- cle). Many if not most children attend Jewish schools, and don’t want further Jewish education or more involvement in Jewish affairs.Marianne spent her childhood in Southgate, went to a local comprehensive, and after LSE dived into local government and is currently in charge of professional development at Haringey Social Care. With a full-time job, shul activities, and looking after parents and family, Marianne claimed to have little time for other outside in- terests. Nevertheless, she manages the gym two or three times a week, goes Zumba danc- ing and seems to entertain pretty regularly. As her father trained as a chef it isn’t surprising that Marianne is a good cook.She and Mike have two sons, Josh heading for GCSEs and Joel who is finishing two years at a yeshiva in Jerusalem. They are middle-of-the- road orthodox, although partly because of Joel’s religious training and outlook are be- coming more observant.Considering Marianne’s sociology background it seemed a good idea to discuss knife crime, and I hoped she would come up with a possible so- lution. But she pointed out there was no single answer as the problem is massively multi- faceted, and there was no simple way forward. On antisemitism she is more worried than in the 1980s or 1990s. But she is naturally an optimist,and doesn’t believe an antisemitic government would ever come to power. Even if it did it was unlikely they would leave the country.As we wound up our discussion, talking of photos, she mentioned one taken at Buckingham Palace. The epitome of modesty, she hadn’t thought to say that she was a re- cipient of a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.Above Marianne today and as a young girlBelow Our Neshei Chayil in IsraelMa Chadash | Pesach 5779 19PAUL LANG PHOTOGRAPHY


































































































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