Rabbi Nicky and Rebbetzen Shuli Liss joined Highgate Synagogue as a rabbinic couple 17 years ago. Reflecting on that time, Rabbi Liss modestly recalls, “I think the community was more excited about Shuli joining than me, and rightly so. She’s magnificent.”
Over the years, they have grown alongside the shul, raising their six children in Highgate and watching the community flourish, from 300 to almost 600 adult members. They’ve witnessed the transformation of the synagogue building and the emergence of a vibrant, dynamic kehilla (community) that continues to go from strength to strength.
Reflecting on their time as part of the community, Rebbetzen Shuli shares: “Highgate is a warm, friendly, and non-judgmental community. It has been a huge part of our lives. We’ve had the privilege of sharing in the highs and lows of the community’s life cycle events, and the connection flows both ways, it’s deep and genuine.”
Sport has also played a central role in Rabbi Liss’s life, both personally and professionally. A lifelong Arsenal fan, he fondly remembers being a club mascot at the age of eight. Today, he combines his passion for football with his rabbinic work as the official Rabbi of the Jewish Gooners, featuring in the anti-discrimination video played at every Arsenal home match at the Emirates Stadium and will be lighting a menorah there during Chanukah.
His love of cricket has similarly shaped his communal contributions. Each year, Highgate Shul plays a friendly match against Highgate School, creating positive connections with the wider community. He also helped create the multi-faith room at Lord’s Cricket Ground and initiated the ‘Lord’s Minyan’, a regular gathering of Jewish cricket lovers on Test Match days for mincha at the historic venue.
One of the most powerful and emotional moments in the life of the Highgate community came when former hostage and survivor Emily Damari’s visited the synagogue after her release from captivity. Rabbi Liss explains: “That visit was profoundly moving, both personally and for our entire congregation. We had formed a strong connection with the Damari family after I met Emily’s mother, Mandy, on a solidarity visit to Israel following the events of October 7th. From that moment, the community adopted Emily and she was in our daily prayers.”
During her captivity, the community set aside a seat for Emily in shul, created a photo book for Mandy, filled with images of empty seats left for Emily at Shabbat and Yom Tov tables, showing tangible symbols of hope and solidarity. When Emily was finally freed, her presence in shul was unforgettable. “It was a moment none of us will ever forget,” Rabbi Liss says.
Considering life as part of the Highgate community, Rabbi Liss concludes:
“Being the Rabbi of this community is an immense privilege. Shuli and I feel extraordinarily blessed that our very first rabbinic role has become our long-term spiritual home.”
