Hagan magazine 1988-2012
Hagan (Hebrew for 'garden') was, for over thirty years until 2012, the bi-annual magazine of the Hampstead Garden Synagogue in North West London. Hagan was published at Pesach /Passover in the spring, and at Rosh Hashana/New Year in the early autumn. My father Alfred was the editor, with Shirley acting as a 'backroom' co-editor. She took over officially as editor on his death in 2006 though, due to his increasing frailty, she had been acting as editor for a few years before that.
Hagan was a large, glossy magazine, often publishing serious articles by leading scholars, scientists, and lawyers who were members of the community. Both Shirley and Alfred obviously loved editing Hagan, notwithstanding the usual frustrations of trying to get authors to meet deadlines, and advertisers to sign up....and pay up!
In 2012 Shirley decided, reluctantly but firmly, to call it a day on both the editorship of Hagan, and the magazine itself. In recognition of her long commitment, the synagogue asked her to be the guest editor for the final Rosh Hashana edition, and to choose some of her favourite articles.
Among the many articles she chose, Shirley chose three of her own articles. They reflect her love of history and literature: an article on the Jews who travelled to the New World with Colombus and others in the 15th and 16th centuries; an article on three Jewish businesswomen in medieval England; and a book review.
NEXT: INTERVIEW IN NORRICE LEADER MAGAZINE, Sept. 2012
