The youngest ever chairman to head the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain (RSGB) was appointed on Sunday at their annual general meeting.

Andrew Gilbert, a silk mercer, will be responsible for the overview, policy and direction of the Jewish Reform movement in this country, which is based at the Sternberg Centre in East End Road, Finchley. Rabbi Tony Bayfield, the chief executive, will continue to run the organisation on a day-to-day basis.

Mr Gilbert was previously a vice-chairman of the organisation and was once on the Board of Deputies. His parents are founder members of the Finchley Reform Synagogue in Fallow Court Avenue, North Finchley.

He said: "'It is a daunting prospect but a challenging one and a great honour." Mr Gilbert wants to carry on 'the good work' of outgoing chairman Steven Licht, continuing the Living Judaism project, which aims to make the synagogue a valuable centre for their community and to increase participation and belonging.

"We have to ask ourselves are we actually providing something that's more important than life cycle events? What was the synagogue doing on September 11? If it was a closed building that isn't good enough," he said.

Mr Gilbert wants to transform synagogues, improving them in terms of people's spirituality and the physical appearance of the buildings interior design, architecture and ambience.

June 11, 2002 18:00