Rev Leslie Hardman 1913 - 2008

The Rev.Leslie Hardman passed away on 7th October 2008, aged 95. He was a truly outstanding personality of Anglo-Jewry (One of the many obituarites is that of Times Online).

He affected the canonicals of the typical Anglican cleric, dog collar and all. In fact,
when he visited Watford Synagogue for an Inauguration of a new Rabbi some years ago, I mistook him for one of the visiting ministers from our local churches. I carefully explained to him how to follow the Jewish hymnal, reading from the "back page " and from right to left. He listened to me with great courtesy, and when I had finished, showed me a similar Inauguration Programme - for the late Rabbi Jacobovitz, at which Hardman himself had been the officiating Rabbi!

Some idea of the man's humanity was evidenced by the 2007 BBC television film "The Relief of Belsen", in which his role was played by an actor. Hardman's participation in the release of the camp was a determining factor in his life thereafter.