Feuding Lawyers’ Time-Out

By COLlive reporter

As Russian oligarchs Roman Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky were dueling over a $5 billion lawsuit, Jewish attorneys on their legal team took a time-out.

Not far from London’s High Court, where the high-profile trial was conducted, Chabad-Lubavitch UK built a sukkah in the pedestrianised part of New Street Square, EC4 – the heart of the city’s business and legal district.

Abramovich’s and Berezovsky’s lawyers came by the sukkah on their lunch break, joining the hundreds of people that have stopped by to eat, shake the lulav, daven or just to see what the Jewish hut was all about.

The 48-square meter sukkah was a partnership between Chabad and a number of firms based in the area including Deloitte, Bolt Partners, Mishcon De Reya, Taylor Wessing and Speechly Bircham and other anonymous donors.

There was immediate interest and huge support both from leading City firms and generous individuals.

“The sukkah has generated a lot of interest and curiosity from Jews and non Jews alike,” said Keith Barnett, a Partner at Taylor Wessing LLP.

“From the firm’s point of view this fits exactly with our policy of promoting diversity in the workplace and we applaud the initiative of Chabad Lubavitch in making the Sukkah possible.”

Deloitte LLP sponsored a buffet lunch for 250 people on Chol Hamoed. “Promoting diversity is an important part of the Deloitte culture and we are delighted that the Sukkah has been visited by hundreds of people from many backgrounds and faiths,” said Neville Kahn, a Partner at the firm.

Mincha services attracted 50-100 people each day and Chabad UK CEO Rabbi Bentzi Sudak and staff were on site throughout Chol Hamoed answering questions and sharing the holiday’s message of unity.