Shanah Tovah - West London Synagogue

Transcription

West London Synagogue
September | October 2014
Ellul 5774 | Tishrei-Cheshvan 5775
High Holy Days Review
Celebrating 174 Years of Reform Judaism in Central London
Shanah Tovah
Wishing you a happy New Year and well over the fast
2
A Very Big THANK YOU
We should like to take this
opportunity to thank all those who
supported us during our term as
Co-Chairmen. It’s been a busy
three years which required a major
turnaround in WLS finances as well
as dealing with many legacy
issues. Frankly, we are not sure we
would have taken on the role if we
had fully realised everything that
we would face! Many exciting
things are now happening at WLS,
and we too are excited to be part
of such a vibrant community, now
as ‘just’ members once more.
There have been many wonderful
moments, also some difficult ones.
We have seen so many staff,
rabbis, members, and our
colleagues on Council and in the
Senate, rise to so many challenges
and meet them with nothing but
caring, kindness and patience. It
has been a privilege to see our
Community work as just that, a
community of like-minded
progressive Jews.
WLS has played a huge part in our
lives for the last three years as coChairs, and for the three years
preceding that as Wardens. We
have made many new friends and
learned so much. Frankly the bits
w e w on ’t mis s a r e t h e
approximately 12,000 e-mails we
have had to deal with in the last
three years. Both of us have had
comments from our families too,
that they will be pleased to see
more of us!
However neither of us is
“disappearing”. Mark of us has
been a member his entire life,
starting Cheder at four, Alexander
has belonged for 24 years.
Our community is growing in
numbers again. We have an
inspirational Rabbinate and a
magnificent President, and our new
Chairman is a tower of strength.
It is wonderful to belong to our
Community, and something that
should never be taken for granted.
“Communities” don’t exist in the
abstract, we all need to play our
part and, both of us shall go on
doing so.
Mark and Alexander
Our new Chairman – Jill Todd
‘Google’, Vertex Training, the
presentation and media training
company created by Jill (as Jill
Cochrane) and you will find it is a
leading international provider for
international speaker skills
training.
Jill tells me that her enjoyment of,
and involvement with the WLS
community has expanded, since
meeting Rabbi Julia at a Woman of
the Year lunch (which Jill had
helped to organise) and agreeing
to take on the newsletter. She and
her husband have been steering
the Vision 180 Group, and she is
now taking on the ultimate lay job,
as our Chairman. Who better to
rope together our disparate parts,
to ensure support across the
community, catering for all our
interest groups, and finally to
represent us in the broader
community?
My eyes first met Jill’s across the
synagogue pews where she is
often to be found on Friday nights
with her husband, Michael. A proud
fourth generation member of WLS,
for the last three years Jill has
quietly and efficiently been the
producer and editor of our
newsletter, and occasional but
brilliant interviewer/presenter of
keynote speakers at our Friday
evening dinners.
As an intermittent contributor to
this newsletter, (and very grateful
recipient of her editing skills), I had
asked Jill for an interview many
months ago. We managed a coffee
in the East End whilst Jill was en
route from her Wapping home/
office to Heathrow for an
international training session, and I
could barely keep up with her
fascinating and wide-ranging
career. Mother of three, grand-
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mother of seven, award winning
radio and TV presenter, she has
produced and presented over 50
face-to-face interviews for Channel
4.
Now much of her work is in
education, as she chairs the
Schools Forum in Tower Hamlets,
which organises the budget for all
schools in the borough. She is also
a National Leader for schools
governance working with schools
in the UK who need extra help to
comply
with
the
many
requirements for Heads and
Governors within the UK State
system.
I hope that more of the community
will now be able to enjoy a
conversation and a laugh with Jill she is very special and we are
lucky to have her.
Wendy Woolf
You can contact our new Chairman
by email: chairman@wls.org.uk or
call: Paola Churchill on 0207 535
0255
Education at WLS
We welcome a newly recruited
Head Teacher and exciting changes
in the Education team at the start
of the new term.
find someone with the right
qualifications and personality to
support all of our students,
teachers and Madrichim. We were
immensely fortunate in appointing
Helen Michael, who has had an
impressive career teaching
everyone from infants to GCSE
students to adults.
Director of Education
For
the last
three
years,
WLS has been
served
with
great distinction
by Susie Fraser
a s
o u r
Community
Educator. Susie
is
highly
respected throughout the Jewish
community. She has taught in
Reform congregations for over 18
years, and has built a career
managing education programmes
in Jewish organisations. Most
recently this was at WLS, where
she has been party to the steering
of our three year turnaround, with
Rabbi David Mitchell. Many of you
will know Susie, since she
co-ordinated and overhauled the
conversion course, and flourishing
programmes for teens, Bar/Bat
Mitzvah, and adult education
programmes.
In her new role as Director of
Education, for all age groups, Susie
will manage our Education team,
liaise with our families and oversee
our
extensive
education
programme, for pre-schoolers all
the way through to university
students and YAD (young adults).
Susie will continue to coordinate
our JPrep (conversion) and Adult
Education programmes.
We know that you will join us in
congratulating Susie on her
appointment.
Religion School Principal Rabbi David was asked to give us
three years of his support, to
overhaul our education provision.
Now, through his work with the
professional team, and in
consultation with families, our
Religion School is a transformed
place, and heading further in the
right direction.
From this November David will be
away on a much deserved
sabbatical, pursuing his PhD
studies. When he returns, next
February, he will serve as the
Religion School Principal on top of
his Rabbinic duties.
David writes: "My role will be to
smile at you on a Sunday as you
arrive, support the ethos,
curriculum, and ever-industrious
Parents’ Association, educate your
children in classes and assemblies,
and take your kids away on
res id ent ia l w eek ends and
international trips. For me, this
really is the best of both worlds!"
For cover, whilst Rabbi David is on
sabbatical, we are delighted to
welcome Rabbi Sybil Sheridan,
recently retired Senior Rabbi of
Wimbledon Reform Synagogue.
Rabbi Sybil will be with us over the
High Holidays and until Rabbi
David returns as we will then be in
the process of saying our goodbyes
to Rabbi Benji, who is leaving us to
work at the Movement for Reform
Judaism.
There is an introduction to Rabbi
Sybil on page 14.
Head Teacher: Helen Michael
Following the departure of Anne
Nadel to return to mainstream
education, we cast our net wide to
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Helen is a qualified (PGCE) school
teacher, and she has a BA in
Hebrew and Jewish Studies. She
loves tutoring Bar and Bat Mitzvah
students, and is currently working
towards completing an MA in
Jewish Education. She has a
proven reputation as a very warm
and caring person, who will always
go the extra mile. We know that,
in Helen, we have found a very
special person to serve as our new
Head Teacher (she will be
responsible for the Religion School,
Bar/Bat Mitzvah programme, and
TRIPOD - teen programme).
Helen started working with WLS
earlier this month and we look
forward to her input into the
classes at the synagogue.
A message from the outgoing Head
Teacher:
"Just a short note to all the staff
and parents at the Religion School.
Many thanks for your generous
donation to COSMIC, and many
thanks for all the lovely cards and
presents I received - I was quite
overwhelmed. It has been a
pleasure working in the Religion
School over the past 10 years.
The children of our community are
amazing. Hope you had a great
summer. Lots of love - Anne ”
Social Care: September – December
Bereavement Support Group
15 September, 7.00-8.30pm
Have you suffered the loss of a
partner, relative or friend? Would
you welcome the opportunity to
meet others in a similar position to
yourself?
Cancer Support Group
14 October, 7.00-9.00pm
This is a support group for people
who have had or currently have
cancer. There is no age limit and it
is open for both male and female
attendees. WLS is a safe
environment to come to in which
to share issues in confidence with
people who understand what you
are going through. Each meeting is
facilitated by Jo Michaels and Rabbi
David Mitchell. Unfortunately this is
not a carers’ group although we
are delighted that we have just
setup a carers’ group at WLS - see
below for more details.
WLS is starting a group to meet
the needs of people like you to
meet once a month. The direction
the group takes will be determined
by the group itself.
The group will be facilitated by Jo
Michaels and Rabbi Helen
Freeman.
Dates for your diary
13 October, 18 November, 15
December (please note change of
time 5pm-6.30pm)
Bereavement Visitors Group
23 September, 7.00pm-8.30pm
In collaboration with the charity
Contact the Elderly, our WLS
community is holding monthly Tea
Parties for senior members who
are isolated or lonely. The parties
have proved a success, and more
of our elderly members enjoy
these pleasant get-togethers for an
afternoon tea, as do all others
attending them - our dedicated
team of volunteer drivers, the
hosts and the Rabbis.
Please note: We are particularly
looking now for volunteer-drivers
to join our team. If you have a car
and can volunteer one Sunday
afternoon per month for an
enjoyable and rewarding activity,
please do contact me. If you would
like to take part in these parties, as
a guest, a host or a volunteer,
please contact Tirza Waisel at
tirza.waisel@wls.org.uk or call
020 7535 0278.
5 October, 2 November,
7 December, 4 January 2015
The next meeting will take place
on Monday 15 September at 7pm.
The direction the group takes will
be determined by the group itself.
West London Synagogue rightly
claims to serve its membership in
many aspects of their lives, from
birth through each of life's cycles.
To do so, it relies on its members
who contribute in so many ways.
Helping others is probably the most
rewarding of all activities. Perhaps
the most neglected are those who
suffer the loss of a loved one.
Maybe a parent, a relative, even a
child. Or a close colleague or
special friend. We at WLS have our
own 'Bereavement Visitors Group'
but it is tiny in comparison with the
numbers that it might be
supporting. We are each unique in
the way that we may 'accept'
bereavement and only a proportion
of us want to experience the help
that may come from a trained
Bereavement Visitor. People from
all walks of life may become
trained visitors. The more such
visitors we have the better service
we can offer.
The group will be facilitated by Jo
Michaels and Rabbi Helen
Freeman.
21 October, 11 November,
2 December, 20 January
Please RSVP to Jo Michaels, on 020
7535
0290
or
email
jo.michaels@wls.org.uk
25 November, 16 December
Contact the Elderly Tea Party
5 October, 3.00pm
Life fills us with stories. Stories fill
us with life.
25 November, 9 December,
6 January
Carers’ Support Group
13 October, 2.30pm -4pm
Have you suffered the loss of a
partner, relative or friend? Would
you welcome the opportunity to
meet others in a similar position to
yourself?
Following requests from the
community, we have recently
started a Bereavement Support
Group. We propose to meet
monthly on a Monday or Tuesday
evening.
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For more information about any of
these groups, please contact:
Jo Michaels at
jo.michaels@wls.org.uk or call 020
7535 0290 or Tirza Waisel at
tirza.waisel@wls.org.uk or call
020 7535 0278.
Volunteer Meeting
Thursday 30 October
Drinks and Nibbles 6.30pm,
Meeting 7-8.30pm
If you are a WLS volunteer you are
invited to the next volunteers
meeting and seminar discussing
the different roles we play in life
and the effects on volunteering
Seminar and Discussion with The
Social Care Team, together with
Susan Garcia, Jami.
Two contrasting tea parties:
A tea party took place in July, at
the home of Lady Jane Rayne and
Mr. Robert Lacey, in the beautiful
setting of a flower filled garden. It
was a delightful and relaxed
afternoon, attended by over 50
members, and a team of
professional and volunteer
organizers.
Nothing was left to chance everything was carefully arranged,
even including door to door
transport for those who accepted
the offer.
The seating in a marquee was at a
number of round tables, each
decorated with a gorgeous floral
arrangement, each being in a
different colour. Sandwiches and
cakes were plentiful and delicious,
and tea flowed as befitted a tea
party.
Rabbi Julia, Rabbi Helen and Rabbi
David chatted with the guests. Jo
Michaels, our Social Care CoOrdinator, and a small team of
volunteers ensured that everyone
thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Rabbi David called for an informal
show of hands by members, to
indicate
their
length
of
membership of the synagogue. It
was almost embarrassing to find
how many guests had been
members for much longer than the
mere 50 years for which my
husband and I had enjoyed
membership.
Lady Jane was the perfect hostess
moving around the marquee and
speaking to all her guests.
We join our fellow guests in
expressing our warm appreciation
of Lady Jane’s and Mr. Robert’s
kindness and generosity in opening
their home to so many of us. We
will remember well how delightful
it was to have been present on
such a lovely occasion, blessed
with the most perfect weather
Carol Haffner
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On 4th August West London held a
themed tea party and special
service to commemorate the
centenary of the outbreak of World
War I. The tea party was a highly
successful event. There were over
100 people from communities in
Westminster. Neil Churnin the
caterer provided appropriate
themed food, and everyone joined
in a communal sing-song of World
War 1 songs led by Tim
Beasant. There was an exhibition
of World War 1 recruitment and
Home Front posters and of the
contribution made by Jews to the
armies of both Britain and
Germany. A reading from a
compilation of World War I poems
was played during the break
between the tea party and the
service.
Around 200 people from different
synagogues and churches in
Westminster attended the
commemorative
interfaith
service. The Lord Mayor of
Westminster attended. There was
the debut of a specially arranged
piece of music ‘Cortege’ by Cecil
Coles, played by organist Malcolm
Hicks, and sung by Cantor Jason
Green of Belsize Park Synagogue.
Maya Levy, West London
Synagogue’s Community Musician,
added to this altogether uplifting
and moving service.
Afterwards we were delighted to
receive a letter from the Christian
Science Reading Room:
“Everything was perfect, and
prepared with so much love; the
whole setting with attendants
dressed appropriately
from the
period. With exquisite china and
delectable refreshments so
elegantly served, the nostalgic
music and the singsong producing
such ‘bonhomie’. What a joy to
hear the glorious soprano and the
tender tenor notes from the cantor
singing in Hebrew – what a
privilege to experience that –
absolute perfectionism – inspiring
– deep and relevant. An occasion
we shall never forget.”
Ruth Leveson
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New York in general. It was interesting to discover the
extent of activities they have at his Shul and also to
hear about the challenges of organising social
meet-ups for Jews in their 20s and 30s whilst avoiding
a "match-making" label. Before the day was out we
also discussed what is kosher in the world of medicinal
and recreational drugs, as well as fitting a quick swim
in the nearby JCC (Jewish Community Centre), before
heading to watch the brilliant off-Broadway musical
"Avenue Q". After a late dinner at the famous "Shake
Shack" (milkshakes and burgers), we strolled to
Bryant Park to reflect on the day, and to chant
Havdalah prayers. There was definitely a sense of
togetherness that evening. As a group we were
getting closer, and as we headed to a nearby bar, we
were nothing but excited, looking forward to the week
ahead of us.
New York City YAD Diary
Another year, another wonderful week of Jewish
learning and laughter, another great group of young
members, another magical experience made possible
by the generosity of a dedicated donor supporting the
2014 New York City trip run by Rabbi David. One
difference - this time we were taking some of our YAD
leadership group and everyone was over 21. Read on
to see how they enjoyed the action-packed
programme, and the nightlife of the 'City That Never
Sleeps'...
Friday - Daniel Hale-Bolingbroke:
Our first moments in New York were fairly chaotic,
mirroring the chaotic city around us. We reached our
hotel in two of the iconic yellow NY taxis, and found
ourselves in Times Square the deep end of the NYC
experience, kicking off the week. Despite the dizzying
beginnings, we soon discovered a more relaxing side
of the city, in the form of a Shabbat service at B'nei
Jeshurun - which was an impressive intro to US
Judaism. We finished up our evening with an equally
interesting meal with Rabbi Ben Spratt. A fantastic
start.
Sunday - Naddy Vidot:
We
started
at
the
Tenement
Museum's
Sweatshop Workers Tour, a must-see for anyone
interested in the Jewish roots of the United States.
These renovated flats from 1840 were more than just
a home for the Jewish immigrants who came to
America, seeking asylum and a better way of life, but
also their place of work. Imagine living among six to
eight people, in a space no bigger than the marble
floored space in front of the WLS bima, and with no
windows. I was really touched by how strongly the
workers held on to their Judaism, yet successfully
integrated themselves into American society. Nearby,
Elridge Synagogue represents the strong Jewish
community which inhabits Manhattan's Lower East
Side. They have only missed one Shabbat service,
because of Hurricane Sandy, which is a testament to
their strength and commitment. The evening ended
with dinner at Totonno Pizzeria, the first pizzeria in
America, which celebrated its 90th birthday with us
(giving us plenty of Italian wine). Located on Coney
Island in a former Italian and Jewish neighbourhood,
this slice of heaven is a ‘must’ and if you fancy doing
something life affirming (after wine and beer), you can
ride one of the rickety roller-coasters just off the beach
- we certainly did. Today was one of the best days of
the trip and it was elevated by how it brought us
together as a group and how it reminded me of just
how resilient the Jewish people are.
Saturday - Zara Tobias:
On Shabbat morning we joined the hustle and bustle
of the New York City weekend, while travelling to
Shabbat services at Romemu Synagogue on the
Upper West Side. Some enjoyed a well-needed lie in,
but for those of us who made the service, it was an
incredibly engaging and uplifting Shacharit particularly because of the strong musical voice of the
congregation (accompanied by Spanish guitar and
percussion) as well as the sense of community
involvement and togetherness. Attendance was
slightly less than the large crowd we'd seen at B'nei
Jeshurun the night before, but as we were later told,
New York City is a "Friday night city" in terms of
preferred Shabbat service. For lunch we headed 10
blocks down, to the famous Zabar's Deli, where we
bought a scrumptious selection of finger food for our
planned picnic in Central Park (another few blocks
walk away). Whilst eating lunch, we had the pleasure
of sitting and talking with Rabbi Joshua Strom about
young adult involvement at his Synagogue, and in
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Wednesday - Daniel Bojas-Marton & Dylan First:
Our last day in New York was a thought-provoking
one, with mixed feelings about this great place. We
took off with a tour of the city's, if not the world's,
financial heart - Wall Street. Learning briefly about it’s
history, and the vast importance this area has on the
entire world, we all were astonished by how truly it
reflects New York itself as a stronghold for power and
influence. Shortly after, we visited the site of the 9/11
tragedy, and the World Trade Centre. Even though we
all knew about what had happened here, it was still a
shocking, yet eye-opening experience to hear it from
someone who lived nearby, and still does. While we
recaptured the horrific impact of terror, we could still
feel the American nation's strength to stand up and go
on with their every-day lives. We embodied this in a
brief service, which included prayers against
terrorism, and saying Kaddish for the victims of 9/11.
Before heading off to the airport, we had the
opportunity to enjoy New York at its finest, by having
a farewell lunch together at Macy's, and a brief
discussion about the past week. It certainly has been
an amazing one!
Monday - Ayla Esterich:
We started the day by boarding a ferry to take us to
see the Statue of Liberty. We stood on the pedestal of
the Lady of Liberty herself, and also learned about
how she was built. We then travelled to Ellis Island, to
learn about America's immigration heritage. In the
afternoon we went to help out at a food bank in
Harlem. There is a soup kitchen, but they also have a
pantry where low-income New Yorkers can shop for
free. This ability to choose their own food, rather than
just take what they are given, is hugely empowering.
It was inspirational to see how the food bank worked,
and it gave us some ideas for WLS's social action
projects. Last, but definitely not least, we ended the
day with an Asian fusion dinner, followed by a
scavenger hunt around New York in style. We had to
complete various tasks, like buying a milkshake from
Carnegie Deli, and finding an Ess-A-Bagel, all from the
comforts of a limousine. The final destination was the
Empire State Building! Once we got to the top, the
views were outstanding. A perfect way to finish a
hectic day in New York!
Tuesday - Sami Greenbury:
The day started with my now favourite New York
breakfast: takeaway oatmeal from Fresh and Go (with
banana and strawberry). The day continued with a
brisk walk up to Central Synagogue, a community and
building not unlike our own, and a chat with Zach.
Zach runs the youth and YAD activities for ages 1430, and it was fascinating to hear the similarities and
differences. The most striking difference was the
scale. They say that everything is bigger in America,
and that's certainly true of the Jewish community! Our
Central Synagogue visit was followed by a tour of
Emanu-El - a grand display of 19th century Jewish
confidence in the New World. The following few hours
were our precious little free time in Rabbi David's
packed schedule, and so off everyone went, to rejoice
in capitalism, meet friends and get lost in The Big
Apple. Our evening event was a baseball game, a
‘first’ for most of us. The atmosphere was wonderful truly an important part of US culture. With all the
cheers, chants and traditions I couldn't help but think
of Skeet, RSY and the great feelings of belonging they
create.
Summing the week up, Rabbi David said: "Yet again
this trip was the highlight of my Summer. It was a
wonderful and refreshing experience to share this
amazing city with such a fascinating group of our
YADults. Some were children of the community,
others grew up outside the UK, several were Jews by
Choice, one was a returning member, and all of them
were interested and interesting. Seeing New York
through their eyes, gave me some fresh perspectives
on how both American and British Reform institutions
are perceived by our future leaders, and also great
hope for all that Generation Y will bring to our
community over the coming years."
9
Peace by Piece Interfaith in Morocco
On 21st August TRIPOD 1 together with our partner
group at Al-Nisa Society departed Heathrow for the
warm city of Casablanca, to begin the six day Peace
by Piece interfaith trip to Morocco.
After a much needed Shabbat lie-in, the day in Rabat
began with a walk across the political capital of
Morocco, stopping off outside the city's parliament,
and then through the Souk. We weaved through the
bustling market, which stocked slippers, shoes,
turtles, olives and many other items - both exotic and
eclectic! We proceeded to the medieval fort backing
onto the bay, and enjoyed some fresh mint tea alongside an instantly popular local favourite, Coca Cola,
overlooking the azure sea.
Following a large, delicious lunch of falafel and
shawarma, we headed to the King's Royal compound,
where his palace is based, and from there to the
Mausoleum of King Hassan II. This monument was
extraordinarily ornate, walled with hand carved
Moroccan patterns drawing upon its Berber, Jewish
and Muslim heritage, but its extravagance provoked
much debate in the group, with some questioning
whether this was against the traditional Islamic burial
rituals (with an emphasis on modesty), and others
appreciating its importance to the Moroccan people.
The group started by learning how to sing Happy
Birthday to Carla, in Hebrew and Arabic. The second
day began in Casablanca, with a visit to the
magnificent King Hassan II mosque, the world's third
largest. The vast ceilings were layered with hand
crafted, geometric Islamic patterns - many of which
included Jewish symbols and religious references. It
struck us as poignant, that interfaith is part of the very
fabric and foundation of Moroccan religious
architecture. We followed this with a visit to the city's
Jewish quarter and synagogue, with the delightful
caretaker fluent in Arabic, French and Hebrew and full
of many anecdotes to please the enthusiastic crowd.
The last stop in Casablanca was a visit to the Jewish
museum. The museum looked at the rich social and
religious history of a Jewish community which just
over 60 years ago had the largest of all Arabicspeaking Jewish communities.
Our two hour journey to Fez included some rap
battling, where it was concluded that we are
undoubtedly the biggest, baddest interfaith youth trip
this side of the, erm, Maghreb?! After the journey and
a spot of dinner, we concluded Shabbat with a joyful
Havdalah ceremony. We sang, prayed, and revealed
from the previous day our 'Gmadim', a Shabbat
answer to secret Santa.
The next day, with everybody very well rested, we
headed out to the sprawling market within the Medina,
the oldest part of Fez, dating back to the year 800 CE.
We walked past various fruits, sweets, meats and fish
(including a camel head - apparently camel meat is
very nutritious). This whetted our appetite, ready for a
wonderful meal in a Riyadh - in the style of a
traditional Moroccan home - with comfy cushions, and
tagines filled to the brim with authentic cuisine.
As Friday evening neared, we set off on the motorway
to nearby Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, where we
enjoyed a beautiful and peaceful Kabbalat Shabbat
service, and prepared ourselves for a jam packed
weekend in Rabat and then Fez!
Staggering out, we continued through the market
(navigating around donkeys, cats and chickens),
10
The next morning we visited the small city of Safrou,
where 15,000 mainly Spanish Jews lived, moving to
Fez, but leaving a cemetery and synagogue for us to
explore. We went to the cemetery first, called Bait
haChaim, reinvigorating an ongoing discussion in the
group about the life cycle and our respective
approaches towards death and burial. We also learned
about a nearby cave, nicknamed 'Believer's Cave' by
Muslims, who sought spiritual guidance from a
Rabbinic Sage living there, along with the Jewish
community.
arriving at the Madrassa Bou Inania, an educational
institute and functioning mosque, where scholars from
all over the Arab world would have come to share I
deas and study. Following this tradition, we brought
the Madrassa to life once more, as we sat together
and learned about Al-Ghazali's and Maimonides'
contributions to philosophy and theology. To our
delight, we then found ourselves sitting nearby the
house where Maimonedes lived for a decade (or at the
very least, a house built in the courtyard of where he
lived), drinking mint tea and soft drinks, and having
conversations which no doubt he would have found
enlightening .Ali G's films would surely be of
philosophical relevance, right?
We proceeded to the compound containing the
synagogue and boarding house for students. The
group were delighted to discover the remnants of a
library next to the synagogue, whose books were
covered with 100-year old graffiti scribbles on the
inside covers. These books were a far cry from your
average GCSE textbook - the dusty tomes (comprising
Siddurim and Talmud) were produced by Polish Jewry
in the early 20th Century. It was fascinating to hear
that the Moroccan government is funding the
maintenance and restoration of the synagogue and
other disused Jewish communal institutions in the
area, showing deep respect for the Jewish community
and their heritage.
We stopped briefly at the King's Palace (the location of
the jumping group), and saw the elaborate bronze
doors, kept in pristine condition by polish from the
nearby bitter orange trees.
We then headed to the Jewish quarter in Fez, and
stopped at Ibn Danan synagogue, which was restored
in 1999, where we learned that although there is a
modern synagogue nearby, this was of such symbolic
importance to the Moroccan Jewish community that
Prince Charles had visited and sat in the exact seats
we were in! We also had the chance to look at a
Mikveh and think about the symbolism of water and
purity in both faiths.
Next, we wandered through the Souk, accompanied by
cats, and philosophical conversations about relativism
and truth. Aware that our time was coming to an end,
the group undertook some last minute haggling for
goods at the Souk. We had our final dinner in the
Medina, in a restaurant overlooking the Souk and a
Mosque dating back to the 15th Century.
All that's left to say is that it's been a pleasure
experiencing this fascinating country with such
enthused and energetic young people, and it was very
moving to hear them reflect on how comfortable they
now feel around one another, a group of Muslims and
Jews.
Laura Solomons
11
YAD Book Club Review
“On Women and Judaism: A
View from Tradition” - by Blu
Greenberg
Blu Greenberg is an American
Jewish writer and lecturer based
in New York who has played a
leading role in the Orthodox
feminist movement. Her other
works include “How to Run a
Jewish Household”, and “Black
Bread:
Poems
after
the
Holocaust”.
Her classic work,
“On Women and Judaism”
collects some of her early essays
exploring the role of Jewish
women in the synagogue, the
family and the secular world. The
first chapters address feminism,
gender equality and education,
and she also writes about
liturgical participation, ritual
purity, divorce, abortion, and the
consequences for Jewish survival
of the new choices available to
Orthodox women.
Greenberg’s views took seed as
an adult, reading Betty Friedan’s
‘The Feminine Mystique’. At a
conference she attended a
women’s service, and was asked
to perform a role, which in her
own community was practised
only by men. She was
Shammai rather than Hillel), to
argue that halacha will also be
able to end igun (imprisonment
of a woman in her marriage).
She argues against the Reform
reliance on civil divorce, as in
her view this is sidestepping
specifically Jewish ethical input.
exhilarated. Her subsequent
interest in Jewish education and
participation for women, led her
to interact with secular feminists.
She began to examine how
Orthodox Judaism might benefit
from some feminist ideas, and
which others should be resisted.
Greenberg generally supports
halachic
Judaism,
and
respectfulness towards men
collectively. She regards halacha
as a sufficient vehicle for
ensuring justice for women
although recognizing it as
male-directed, and describes
halacha’s history of progressively
restricting the grounds which
allow a man to divorce his wife
(counter intuitively following
12
Where she moves forward, is
when Greenberg argues that a
positive impact of feminism on
the Orthodox world should be to
lift those barriers which persist
and are without halachic basis for example by encouraging
women to become Jewish
educators, and to perform
greater roles in prayer.
We
were
interested
in
Greenberg’s progressive bent,
and in how it contributed to the
generally high profile of women’s
issues across Judaism today.
Victor Lesk
Our group, nominally WLS YAD
book club, is open to members
of all ages. We meet monthly on
a Sunday evening, near West
London Synagogue, for a
discussion followed by dinner.
Contact: victorlesk@hotmail.com
Chill on the roof
I always enjoy being up on the roof of WLS, as I
feel it shows the juxtaposition of the relaxed and
tranquil feeling of the synagogue, alongside the not
too distant buzz of the London traffic, and the
manic-ness of city life.
I find it interesting to contrast our YAD evening
with the other time of the year I get to visit the
roof – Shavuot – when instead of being on the roof
at dusk, we are celebrating the dawning of a new
day.
Saturday 5th July and time for the, now annual,
YAD picnic on the roof. The evening was aptly
advertised as ‘Chill on the roof’. As is traditional for
the British summer, it was rather grey and windy
and definitely a little chilly, but at least the rain
held off.
On arrival guests were greeted with glasses of
Pimm’s with the usual lemonade, mint, cucumber,
orange and strawberries. A refreshing reminder
that it was Wimbledon finals weekend.
I feel blessed to have the opportunity to spend time
with other members of my community, and
appreciate the warmth and tolerance of the diverse
community we have at WLS.
Neil had prepared a picnic basket of vegetarian
treats, including brie, crackers, olives, salad, and
falafel with grapes, and chocolate dessert to follow,
for those who had ordered in advance. Others
brought their own food. Jackie continued her
American 4th July celebrations with mac and
cheese!
Sami and Sas set up the technology for the World
Cup football quarter finals (Netherlands v Costa
Rica) on a big screen, although this seemed to have
lost its appeal to many people, owing to the
England team crashing out in the first round. The
match ended in a 0-0 draw, and went to extra time
and then penalties - The Netherlands eventually
won.
Debi Carter
Congratulations to Paul and
Helen Zetter on their diamond
wedding anniversary on 16
September. They were married
at WLS 60 years ago. Their
daughter Carrie was blessed at
WLS, and son Adam had his Bar
mitzvah at WLS, officiated by
Rabbi Hugo Gryn.
Much more popular was Fernando’s flamenco guitar
music, which helped create the summer mood.
During and, after dinner conversation, wine and
beer flowed. As an after dinner treat, ice creams
followed to add to the ‘chill factor’.
Helen writes: “Particularly at this time, we think
back to our wedding day and the wonderful day
the WLS gave us and all our friends.”
Later in the evening, Rabbi David led the group in
Havdalah. As there were rather a lot of clouds,
shiny brightly lit London landmarks, including the
BT tower, were used in place of three stars in the
sky. We blessed the wine, the spices and the fire,
and wished each other ‘Shavua Tov’. Hopefully we
did not make too much mess with the overflowing
of the wine, and burning of the candles!
13
Welcome to Rabbi Sybil Sheridan - our “support”
One of the beautiful things about
annual cycles is how in every turn
one can find something new. Each
year brings fresh interpretations of
old customs, new points of view,
and the celebration of both
renewal and returning. Collectively
we are influenced by not just our
own personal experience but also
by what those around us bring to
an encounter. As we say the
shehecheyanu for arriving at this
season, we think of those who are
no longer with us and welcome
those who join us.
Rabbi Sybil is an old new friend she joins us at this start of the
New Year for one year, reversing
the well-trod rabbinic WLSWimbledon route. A trendsetter
from early on, she and Rabbi
Sylvia Rothschild led the jobsharing world when they jointly
applied, and were appointed, as
Rabbi at Wimbledon Reform in
2003. They were also the first not
to have been at WLS previously!
On retiring, Sybil took on a new
role as Chair of the Assembly of
Reform Rabbis UK, which she will
continue during her time with us.
She will also continue her work
with Meketa, the UK-based
organisation she helped to found
five years ago. Meketa, ‘support’
in Amharic, is involved in the plight
of those Ethiopian Jews who are
unable to move to Israel. That
work with families caught in a
poverty trap, echoes the support
which our community at WLS
extends to the increasing number
of asylum seekers who attend our
drop-in centre once a month.
As the wife of another leading
congregational rabbi, and mother
of four boys (now grown men!),
she understands the personal
meaning of support. Her thought-
Yiskor at Yom Kippur
Last Yom Kippur Rabbi Julia made it clear that
no-one would be allowed in or out of the Sanctuary
during the very moving and important Memorial
Service.
We did provide chairs for the small group who had
to wait and listen outside the Sanctuary during this
moment of deep contemplation, before joining the
other congregants for the sermon. We just wanted
to say ‘thank you’ to those who understood, and
who waited patiently, last year.
The rules will be the same this year, and we
respectfully request that should you want to sit in
the Sanctuary for the Memorial Service or any of
the sermons, that you please arrive in good time.
We shall make accommodation for you if you do
not, but you will not be allowed through the doors
at this contemplative time of prayer during the
service on Yom Kippur.
Jill Todd
14
fulness, and her deep love of
Judaism, in particular in the
Reform interpretation in which she
grew up in Manchester, will bring
new perspectives to our lives and
practice. With her interests and
experience in interfaith dialogue,
fresh interpretations of ritual
practice for women and social
action, she will be a strength, not
just support, for her colleagues,
and for our community.
Wendy Pollecoff
Thoughts from the Rabbis on these High Holy days
certainly there to remind us of death. Mourning - for
ourselves and our futures, as well as for those who
have passed away before us - is what we do in that
most sensitive service of the whole day, Yizkor. So I
think we should rethink our white, maybe even change
to wearing a more funereal (in the West) black, and
stop believing it’s about purity. It isn’t. It’s about
death, and reminding us that death is ever present, so
we should get our houses in order.
Wearing White – Rabbi Julia
Many people wear white on Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur, and we’re normally told that it’s because white
is the colour of purity and mercy, fitting the
repentance theme of the High Holy Days. Some
people, mostly Ashkenazi, also wear a kittel on Yom
Kippur, over their clothes. Because the kittel is like a
shroud, (and some people actually wear the kittel in
which they intend to be buried) they apparently wear
it to remind themselves of human mortality and the
need for teshuvah/repentance. This is probably linked
to the idea that the Book of Life is opened for us at
Rosh Hashanah, and if we avert the dreaded decree
(of death), and repent sufficiently, we shall be
inscribed and sealed into the Book of Life for another
year at the end of Yom Kippur. Hence the greeting
‘g’mar chatimah tovah’ ‘may you achieve a good
sealing’ as a New Year greeting.
The Three Books - Rabbi Helen
Sending Rosh Hashanah cards used to be a vital part
of Jewish family life, before e-cards became a
tempting possibility which one could send at the click
of a computer mouse. As a child, I wondered why so
often a book would be featured as the illustration, and
why the wording was nearly always identical. L’shanah
tovah tikatevu v’teichateimu - may you be written and
sealed for a good year. Only much later did I realise
the significance of this greeting and its importance as a
symbol of preparing for the Yamim Noraim, the ten
days of penitence between Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur. The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 16b) teaches us
that on the New Year, three books are opened in
heaven: one for the thoroughly wicked, they are
written in the book of death; one for the totally
righteous, they are in the book of life; and a third for
the those in between. That is of course the vast
majority of us, and our fate hangs in the balance in the
10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If
we merit it, that is to say, if we are putting our lives in
order, apologising to those people we have wronged in
preparation for the Day of Atonement, then we merit
being written in the Book of Life, if not we are written
down for punishment.
But I don’t believe that it’s all about white symbolising
innocence and purity. After all, in most of the ancient
world, white was the colour of mourning. In the Middle
Ages and Renaissance, white was commonly worn by
widows, and Indian widows are still required to wear
white for the rest of their lives. So I think our wearing
of white has more to do with mourning, and thinking
about our inevitable mortality, than with purity, even
though modern commentators have linked it to the
Isaiah verse: "Our sins shall be made as white as
snow" (Is. 1:18).
Meanwhile, we traditionally wear a large (white) tallit
on Kol Nidrei, all the Torah mantles are changed to
white, and it all looks beautiful. The kittel wearers are
reminding themselves of their mortality, just as
grooms who wear them on their wedding day do so, to
remind the happy couple of their human mortality
even in a time of joy. The kittel may demonstrate that
the couple is marrying for love, not for material things,
since a kittel has no pockets (you can’t take anything
with you into the next world). Whichever the case, the
white in our synagogues at High Holy Days is almost
It heightens the relevance of the High Holydays as a
journey of repentance. During Elul, the shofar,
traditionally is sounded every day, a chance to waken
our souls to repentance, an opportunity to apologise to
those we have wronged, and so begin the New Year
with a sense of personal renewal.
15
Aleph-Bazyn - the ceremony to mark their first day at
Hebrew School. Parents would bake the cakes, hand
them to their children and say "Ki LEKACH tov - for
what has been given (i.e. The Torah) is good, do not
forsake its instruction". Thereafter “Lekach” became
synonymous with honey cake, and is still its name in
Yiddish.
The origins of eating LEKACH over the New Year go
back nearly a thousand years, to early German Jewry.
The first reference may have come from the Middle
High German lecke - 'to lick' - as it appears in Sefer Ha
-Rokeach, a 12th Century commentary from the
famous Rabbi Eleazar ben Judah of Worms (in southwest Germany). However, honey cakes existed long
before that. The Ancient Egyptians and Romans
certainly baked their bread and cakes with honey, as,
during the days of Arab rule in Spain and in the fifth
century, Italians did too. The first reference to Jews
eating honey cakes is in an 11th century French prayer
book - Machzor Vitry - which mentions baking "challah
with fine flour and honey".
On the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, or any time until
the end of Sukkot, there is a chance to perform the
ritual of Tashlich - the casting away (of sins) Small
pieces of bread are taken to represent our sins, and
thrown into a body of flowing water to be carried away
with the current. The practice was inspired by Micah
7:19, which reads, “God will take us back in love/God
will cover up our iniquities / God will hurl all our sins
into the depths of the sea.” West London Synagogue
has the advantage of having the Serpentine available
close by, so that the ceremony of Tashlich can be
easily performed for those people who find this ritual
meaningful.
The Honey tradition – Rabbi David
But why honey? In the Book of Nehemiah (8:10) we
are told that after Ezra the Scribe had finished reading
from the Book of Law on Rosh Hashanah, the first day
of the year, the people burst into weeping. Nehemiah
comforted them saying: "Go your way, eat the fat and
drink the sweet, and send rations to anyone who has
nothing prepared, for this day is holy to the Eternal".
Rabbi Jacob Molin (c. 1360-1427) cites an age-old
custom of eating apple dipped in honey, alongside a
reference to the verse from Nehemiah. The blessing
still cited after dipping the apple in honey, includes the
words "May it be Your will to renew us for a good and
sweet year".
My grandmother can trace her ancestry back to the
13th century in Germany. I am always amazed to be
the recipient of such a long line of very Yekke
traditions. Each Rosh Hashanah, as I savour the first
bite of my mother's excellent honey-cake (the same
family recipe), I like to imagine the countless
generations of children who serenaded their parents as
they opened the ovens and brought forth the first
warm and sweet Lekach of the season.
Each year, when my grandmother took her
wonderfully aromatic honey cake out of the oven, my
siblings and I would serenade her with the liturgical
tune "Ki LEKACH tov - for what has been given is
good" (Proverbs 4:5). If the words sound familiar it's
because we sing them each week in synagogue as we
return the scroll to the ark. Our little pre-Rosh
Hashanah family ritual was a deliberate pun, because
my grandmother, an Orthodox Yekk (German Jew)
called her honey cake LEKACH. That pun was not our
brainchild - it has been in my German Jewish family for
centuries. Lekach was also made for a child's
Wishing you and yours a SWEET New Year full of wellbaked honey cake.
16
when, ‘…the hearts of the parents will turn to the
children, and the hearts of the children to the parents.’
We follow that with the recitation of the 13 attributes
of God. (Exodus 34:6-7)
Tashlich - Rabbi Sybil
Cast your bread upon the waters...
(Ecclesiastes 11:1)
Tashlich is a ceremony that takes place usually on
Rosh Hashanah afternoon, when people symbolically
wash away their sins by emptying their pockets into a
river or other body of water. It is one of those
ceremonies which started with the mystics of Safed in
the 16th century, but which has been taken on by the
mainstream and, increasingly, it is practised by Reform
Jews around the world.
Today, in Reform circles we have created new services
for Tashlich, and we have replaced the rather
uninteresting fluff and stuff of our pockets with bread.
It makes the sins we discard a little more tangible. The
beauty of this practice is that it concretizes what the
prayers of the festival allude to. It has another benefit
too. Rosh Hashanah, the birthday of the world, takes
us back to creation. The wonders of God’s creation are
all too often forgotten by us in our urban environment.
But we spend the afternoon walking to a nearby
beauty spot for Tashlich, and we remember for a
while, just how wonderful this world is.
The reasons originate, according to the mystics, with
the binding of Isaac. We read this portion of Torah on
Rosh Hashanah – but attached to it is a Midrash that
claims which as Abraham and Isaac went up the
mountain, Satan tried to deflect their course by turning
into a river:
‘When Abraham took Isaac up the mountain,
Satan came in the form of a river, and tried to
stop Abraham from doing God’s wishes. When
the water reached Abrahams neck he begged
God: "Adonai, you commanded me to bring my
only son Isaac, and I didn't wait a minute, right
away I went.” Then Abraham thought, if Isaac
drowns now in the water, who would declare
God’s unity? Abraham cried out - in the words
of Psalm 69:2,
‫הוֹשׁיעֵ נִי אֱ ִהים כִּ י בָ אוּ מַ יִ ם עַ ד־נָפֶ שׁ‬
ִ
Happy New Year
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to
my soul." Right away God rebuked Satan, and
Satan left. ‘
Shanah Tovah
The Midrash demonstrates our power over evil. Turn to
God and you will indeed be saved. We show our
confidence in God’s forgiveness, by emptying the last
vestiges of the old year into the water. We are now
totally new, ready to face the New Year with a clean
slate uncluttered by the events of the past.
The ceremony is simple. As we empty our pockets, we
say the last three verses of the book of Micah, which
remind us to observe the Torah. This promises the
coming of Elijah, and looks to the Messianic age,
17
The place from whence so many did not return
Auschwitz - Birkenau
This was my first visit to
Auschwitz. Although I had spent
much of my childhood, and adult
life, coming to terms what
happened to my father and his
family during the war, it always felt
like the place whence I came.
I am a Trustee of the Holocaust
Educational Trust
(http://www.het.org.uk/) They
have set up the fantastic “Lessons
from Auschwitz”, and this trip was
part of bringing understanding of
the Holocaust and more recent
genocides into the national
curriculum, and inviting school
groups to the site. Many of the
students from these visits become
vital ambassadors for the
programme.
I had always thought I would visit
this place with my father, as he
was, in my naive thinking,
obviously going to live forever.
However he didn’t – so 18 years
later, I was galvanized to go. The
first Holocaust Educational Trust
'Ambassador' conference last year
was filled with teenagers who had
been on these trips, and who were
passionate about something which
had never affected them directly or
even closely. Yet they believed that
this was something which had to
be taught, remembered and
shared, in order to avoid any
horrendous repetition in the future.
Before I went I was filled with
dread. I thought of my father, his
brother, his parents, our other
relatives and their community. I
had made images of Auschwitz
from my imagination. Yet, on one
occasion, my father pointed at a
painting, and said he had been in
that exact painting. Was I
prepared?
home after walking in the footsteps
of so many ghosts. It was
emotionally gruelling.
I am reminded of these words of
my father from his memoire
“Three Minutes of Hope”, edited by
Naomi Gryn.
No! My imagination could not have
fully prepared me for this.
It was a clear day, filled with a
beautiful light, and generally a
clear sky. We could see the trees
and buildings at Auschwitz 1.
There was an eerie and real
banality, even a beauty of nature,
structures, architecture, repetition,
landscape, colours, in this place of
such historic heinous vileness.
I kept looking out of windows and
doors and through barbed wire seeing flowers, trees, sunlight,
barbed wire, barracks, and mud
which, in the context of
inhumanity, would have been so
similar 70 years ago.
The experience, though, ended in a
bleak cold darkness, with thoughts
of what it must have been like for
so many of my people - the night
time noises, the dread of the day
to come, the stench, the absolute
terror. My head ached, and it was
a relief to leave this place, to come
18
“One of the very few sustaining
thoughts that I had when I was a
prisoner there was which one day
the world will see what was done
there, the systematic, indeed
‘scientific’ murder of innocent men,
women and children in the
Birkenau part of Auschwitz to Jews
from all parts of Europe, who for
centuries did their best to cling to
an ancient faith, never understood
why anyone should want to revile
them, raised families, built caring
communities and worked and
prayed daily to complete building
God’s kingdom on earth. And not
only to Jews, but to the equally
innocent gypsies – especially of
Germany – and Russian POWs.
And in the nearby Auschwitz I
camp, resisters of Nazism
throughout occupied Europe.
And who did it? Evil men and
women who looked so much like
ordinary men and women. Many of
them were well educated, some
had even taken the Hippocratic
Oath of healing, all of them in
elegant uniforms, well fed and I
imagine, devoted to their parents
and children, and who – day in and
day out, week after week and
month after month – stood at the
head of selection lines, personally
and directly prodded and pushed
people into gas chambers;
measured and poured cyanide
pellets; fuelled the crematoria,
kept meticulous records and filed
proud reports. And this was my
thought: that one day these people
who made murder a virtue and the
death of innocents a cause for
celebration, that they would be
exposed and made accountable
and brought before some bars of
civilized justice.
Yes – and be punished for it!
There is also a sadness that will
not go away. One way or another
there is not a day that is without
some personal reminder – of my
brother, Gabi, who was ten when
we arrived in Birkenau. And
because one of the inmates
collecting our baggage kept
muttering in Yiddish, ‘Du bist
achtsen yohr alt und du host a
fach’, ‘you are 18 and you have a
trade’, by the time we came to the
head of the line – aged not yet 14
– I lied that I was 19 and a
‘carpenter and joiner’ – tischler
und zimmerman – and I was
motioned to the right, while Gabi
who said ‘achtsen’, ‘18’, was just
laughed at and pushed to the left
with our grandparents, and I keep
seeing them and so many aunts
and uncles and cousins and friends
and neighbours, indeed most of
the Jewish community of my
hometown in Carpathia slowly,
unknowingly, walking to their
death.
and is that I survived. Perhaps to
give just this kind of testimony .
There is a bit in me that would like
to be anaesthetized and have all
the memory of Auschwitz wiped
out, but that cannot be because so
much of what I am was forged
there and so much that could have
been, perished there.”
from: Auschwitz: Fiftieth
Anniversary of Liberation.
25 January 1995. BBC Radio 4pm
David Gryn
I think of all the love and laughter
that was extinguished with their
lives, and often wonder how it was
Violins of Hope
erful reminders of what was an
unimaginable experience. Amnon
Weinstein grew up with the ghosts
of several hundred relatives who
died during the Holocaust.
His
craft of salvaging the violins is a
deeply personal matter for him he feels that by repairing and
renovating them to their original
state, he is trying to reconcile his
own family's history.
By James A. Grymes [published by
Harper Perennial, an imprint of
Harper Collins. A paperback
original and ebook at £10.99.]
Over the last 20 years, Israeli
violin maker Amnon Weinstein has
restored neglected and damaged
violins of the Holocaust, allowing
these instruments to serve as pow-
The author of ‘Violins of Hope’, Dr.
James A. Grymes, is an
internationally
recognised
musicologist. He has outlined
Weinstein's work, and has told the
story of six Jewish musicians and
of the six violins they played
during the Holocaust. The stories
set out are remarkable and
achingly poignant.
"Wherever there were violins,
there was hope." A sentence in the
book which was so true in the
stories told. Not all the people
19
survived but these six violins serve
as memorials to those who
perished. During the Holocaust
they represented optimism for the
future.
Not an easy book to read but one
to read to remember, and to make
us think of those who wanted to
survive - their voices and spirits
live on through the violins which
have been lovingly restored.
Hilary Schuman
Kentish Diversions
It all started with an urge to get
out of London and at my husband’s
suggestion go to Margate to see
the Mondrian at the Turner
Contemporary Art Gallery. But we
got diverted and decided to visit
Canterbury Cathedral first, but
were diverted yet again by the
signage when we exited the
Cathedral itself. Having been
transfixed in the Crypt by the
floating effigy to Thomas à Becket
made by Anthony Gormley from
roof nails, I was taken aback by
the sign on the green telling us
that…
William the Conqueror brought
Jews with him, not just as money
lenders but also as stone masons.
Canterbury is so close to France
and was for centuries THE city
after London, so it was not too
surprising that there should have
been a French Jewish community
there - but in the Cathedral?
There is a fascinating building,
considered the best example of an
Egyptian Revival synagogue,
outside the walls built on the site
of a medieval Knights Templar
hospice, and this now acts as the
music room for Kings School
Canterbury.
It was built in 1847 by Sir Moses
Montefiore. We followed his path
to Ramsgate, and the Montefiore
Synagogue built for him by his
cousin, architect David Mocatta, in
1833. David Mocatta, whose
family with the Montefiores were
also founders of WLS, won a Royal
Society of Arts silver medal for
drawing at the age of 17, and then
trained under Sir John Soane. He
developed his own broadly
classical/Italianate style, building
among other things half a dozen
synagogues (some sadly lost), and
13 stations on the London to
Brighton line!
Wells, a home for Jewish girl
refugees during the Second World
War, the Salomons’ Museum in the
house of Sir David Salomons, the
first Jewish Lord Mayor of London,
and Tudeley Church near Paddock
Wood, where the windows were
created by the artist Marc Chagall.
PS: When we eventually reached
the Turner Gallery we found the
Mondrian is well worth the trip,
together with many paintings lent
from The Hague, and The Marquis
at Alkenham, a restaurant with
rooms and special offers, a place I
hope we shall go back to!
Wendy Woolf
Further places of interest in Kent
on a Jewish Heritage trail should
include the Beacon near Tunbridge
Until this year, Larisa saw
her youngest child, Edem,
and his wife, who live in
Crimea. But since Russia’s
annexation, her life has
become a nightmare again.
Larisa worries constantly,
raising her blood pressure.
She is severely diabetic. Her
pension is just £56 per
month, entirely insufficient
to heat her home and pay
for her medication. This
winter, with the cost of gas
and medicine growing, her
situation will be even worse.
Ukraine has dominated the
news this past year. Last
November tens of thousands of
people massed in Kiev’s main
squ are
f oll owi n g
f orm er
President Yanukovych’s refusal to sign an EU
partnership deal.
Earlier this year, our TV screens were filled with fire.
The centre of Kiev was occupied again, the government
fell, and Russian troops walked into Crimea.
In July, tragically, we saw the loss of 298 lives when a
passenger aircraft was shot down.
Ukraine’s 350,000 Jews are not immune to the crisis:
some have died, and hundreds have been forced to flee
their homes from the fighting. Temperatures are
beginning to fall. They may drop to -20°C. Food prices
continue to rise.
You can change all this:
Like Larisa, thousands of elderly Jews in Ukraine live in
poverty. Many live alone. They rely on World Jewish
Relief for lifesaving support.
Larisa
This is Larisa, 72. Larisa was in an abusive marriage for
40 years until her husband died in 2006. During his
lifetime, he made sure she never worked, had no
friends, and had little contact with their three children
after they left home. Now living alone in south east
Ukraine, she still has little respite.
We are ready to act. There is fuel to be delivered, food
cards to be distributed, and vital medication to be
provided. But we cannot do it without your help.
Visit www.wjr.org.uk for more information
20
ShabbaTOTS teddy bear’s picnic - Friday 25 July
joined by Katie, Rebecca, Aimee
and Helen. Their energy and
enthusiasm
have
made
ShabbaTots great fun for all.
Unfortunately Rabbi David, a
veteran of many ShabbaTots song
-times, and composer of many
English/Hebrew hybrid nursery
songs, was not able to be with us.
If you had gone down to the
Bryanston Square gardens today,
you would have found “Seymour”,
the Shabbateddy, hosting the
annual ShabbaTots picnic (also
does weddings and Bar mitzvahs!).
Teddy was soon joined by girls and
boys with lots of toys, frolicking
under the trees in glorious
sunshine.
Bella and Amelia Hyman proved to
be intrepid explorers who
discovered a ‘secret’ children’s play
area in a screened off corner of the
garden. Soon we all followed but
unsurprisingly couldn’t get any of
the children to allow us grown-up
children-at-heart a turn on the
swings.
With our excited pre-schoolers, we
brought food to share, and thanks
to everyone’s generosity there was
a delicious spread, with enough
tasty treats to feed many more
than our own party. Youngsters
and adults alike had a wonderful
feast. It is an enduring feature of
tots’ picnics, that lunch must be
served on arrival – even if this is
just after breakfast! Someone of
course has to try turning a smoked
salmon bagel into an impromptu
hat.
A sprinkler by the flower beds
provided a delightful cooler on a
baking hot day - cool cotton shorts
and dresses were soon wet.
Reuven was pre-occupied by his
current ontological crisis – the
desire to be a real rabbit rather
than having to be satisfied with
being a pretend Rebecca Rabbit
from Peppa Pig stories (last week it
was Fireman Sam) but when
offered only rabbit-friendly food
from the extensive spread, he soon
decided that hummus and tuna
sandwiches offered a better way to
live!
A routine feature of family outings
is that important thing that got left
behind. Thankfully on this occasion
it wasn’t any of the children today’s missing item generated a
novel game called ‘hunt the
Kiddush cup’. Rabbi Helen
developed a new tradition for
Kiddush - we feel certain that
standard Rabbinic training doesn’t
involve the use of a Sippy cup but the Rabbi rose to the occasion.
Thanks also to Henni Goldstein,
who brilliantly executed the double
act of being attentive granny to
Sebastian and Emily, and
simultaneously official picnic
photographer, capturing all those
precious moments.
However, delightful toddlers grow
up and head off for nursery school,
so we welcome new parents, and
the next generation of toddlers
(and their teddies) to share the fun
in the autumn. We hope everyone
had a fun summer!
Penny Hyams
Challah Making Evening
Thursday 18 September
8.00pm
The ShabbaTots mums invite you
to our first Challah Making
Evening.
Come and learn how to make
your own challah and meet the
ShabbaTots crowd over a glass of
wine or two.
Our picnic was the culmination of a
fun-filled year for the tinies in our
community before people headed
off for summer pastimes. A time to
reflect on a busy year at the
ShabbaTots Café - from the
Chanukah party, to Purim’s fancy
dress - fondly remembering the
babies who have grown into
toddlers. It was amazing to see
Rudi confidently toddling around
the garden on his own, and playing
football with five year old
Sebastian.
It was also a great opportunity to
say a big ‘Thanks’ to Crystal
Cowley, who has worked tirelessly
to make the group such a success,
21
EVERYONE WELCOME, PLEASE
BRING YOUR FRIENDS, THE
MORE THE MERRIER!
We will be holding the event in
aid of Teddy’s wish, our chosen
charity to raise money to support
research into SIDS, neonatal
death and stillbirth.
£10 to cover costs and the
remainder will be donated to
Teddy’s Wish
Please email your interest at:
shabbatotswls@gmail.com or
simply turn up on the day.
We hope to see you there!
Recipes
Rosh Hashanah often involves
inviting family and friends over for
celebratory meals or lunch after
the Rosh Hashanah service in Shul.
Over the years I have simplified
my menu as I have often sat in
Shul worrying whether I should
have set the oven earlier or later!
These recipes help eliminate this
worry as the recipes can be made
beforehand and then be ready in
minutes as required.
PANKO CHICKEN
BREAST SCHNITZELS
To serve 4
Serve with lemon wedges or,
with bowls of sweet chili dipping
sauce. These schnitzels have
become family favourites –
particularly with my grandchildren.
They are crisp on the outside and
juicy and tender on the inside. I
make a batch, then freeze. They
are quickly thawed and can be
eaten hot or cold – better hot
though!
NB: Panko is a Japanese-style
breadcrumb traditionally used as a
coating for deep-fried foods.
Panko’s crustless bread is coarsely
ground into airy, large flakes which
give fried foods a light, crunchy
coating. The flakes tend to stay
crispier longer than standard
breadcrumbs because they don’t
absorb as much grease.
SAVOURY RICE
WITH OVEN BAKED
VEGETABLES
Approximately 4/6 servings but
can be doubled – or halved.
Ingredients:
• 4 flattened chicken breasts
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups Sunflower or corn oil
• 1 cup cornflakes
• Salt and pepper
Method:
• Preheat oven to 185°C
• Cut the chicken breasts into
strips about 1” wide
• Beat the eggs seasoned with
the salt and pepper
• Crush the cornflakes coarsely
and mix with the breadcrumbs
• Heat oil in a pan in oven
• Dip the chicken breasts in flour,
egg then both breadcrumbs and
crushed cornflakes. Pat the
mixture well onto the chicken
• Carefully place in the hot oil and
bake in oven for approx. half an
hour.
I often deep fry the schnitzels
beforehand and then reheat
quickly in a hot oven just before
serving.
This is one of my favourite recipes
when I need to be well organized –
difficult sometimes! It is good with
the Panko chicken and also good
as a main meal for vegetarians.
Ingredients:
Vegetables • 1 cup peeled and chopped
butternut squash
• 1 cup washed, unpeeled and
chopped sweet potato
• Half cup olive oil
• Sprigs of fresh thyme and fresh
sage leaves or large pinch of
both
• 4 garlic cloves
• Salt and pepper
T h e a m o u n t of o i l an d
breadcrumbs and cornflakes
needed can vary depending on the
thickness of the chicken breasts.
22
Rice • 1 cup Basmati rice
• 2 tbs olive oil
• small tsp of turmeric
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 2 cups hot water
Method:
• Preheat oven 180°C
• Mix olive oil and herbs, salt and
pepper
• Add chopped vegetables and
mix with olive oil
• Put into a baking tin with garlic
cloves
• Bake for about half an hour,
stirring after 15 minutes
• While vegetables are baking,
rinse and drain rice
• Fry the chopped onion in olive
oil until the onion wilts then add
rice and turmeric, stirring until
the rice glistens
• Add the hot water, stir and
bring to the boil
• Lower heat and cook uncovered
until ‘holes’ appear on the
surface of the rice and the water
has evaporated
• Add half to three quarters of the
roasted vegetables, stirring
them in gently so as not to turn
them into mush
• Turn the heat off
• Cover the saucepan with a clean
kitchen towel and then put the
saucepan cover over tightly
• Leave this for approx. 20/30
minutes
NB this is an excellent way to cook
plain rice anyway.
To serve:
• Heat the remaining vegetables
• Put rice into a serving dish and
top with the reheated
vegetables.
• Garnish with fresh herbs/
parsley and/or cashew nuts
SHORTBREAD ICE
CREAM
Shortbread Biscuits ingredients:
• 175g plain flour
• 175 g butter or margarine – I
use soft Tomor
• 75 g caster sugar
• 75 g fine semolina
Method:
• 20cm flan tin with loose base
• Pre heat oven to 150°C
• Beat the margarine to a soft
consistency
• Beat in sugar and then sifted
flour and semolina
• Mix together – best with your
hands until you have a dough
that does not leave any bits in
the bowl
• Transfer dough to the flan tin
and press the mixture evenly
into the tin
• Prick the shortbread all over
with a fork to stop it rising in
the centre while baking
• Bake in oven for approx 1
hour.
•
•
Crush the shortbread biscuits,
mix into the ice cream either by
hand or electric whisk but don’t
be too heavy handed as you
don’t want the ice cream to
melt or the biscuits too fine
Freeze until required
I usually make this in a long glass
dish lined with cling film so it is
easier to take out and put on to a
long serving dish. I find it is best to
match up size wise the bowl you
freeze the ice cream in to the
serving dish.
I always like to use the left over
egg whites from the shortbread ice
cream, to make MERINGUES always a favourite.
If using this recipe for biscuits, cut
into 12 wedges while still warm
[these are delicious biscuits –
particularly made with butter if you
don’t want them pareve!] If using
for the ice cream, just let it cool
Vanilla Ice-cream ingredients:
• 275 ml Rich’s single cream
• 275 ml Rich’s double cream
• 40g caster sugar
• 2 rounded tsp custard powder
• ¾ drops vanilla essence [buy
the real vanilla if you can – the
taste is much better]
• 4 egg yolks
Method:
• Whip the double cream until
‘floppy’ and then chill in ‘fridge
• Pour the single cream into a
saucepan and heat to just
boiling point
• Beat together egg yolks,
vanilla essence and custard
powder in separate bowl until
smooth
• Pour the hot cream into this
mixture, whisking with a fork
as you pour
• Return the custard to the
saucepan and continue to
whisk on a medium heat until
it has thickened and comes to
boiling point again
• Put the custard into a cold bowl
over a bowl of cold water until
cold
• Fold in the chilled whipped
cream
• Pour into a polythene box or
bowl and freeze for a couple of
hours
a honey cake becomes more of a
dessert with the honeyed pears
piled on top
Ingredients:
• 3 or 4 red Anjou pears cut into
thick wedges [red Anjou pears
are preferable since they hold
their shape when cooked and
the red skin looks attractive]
• 15 ml unsalted butter or
sunflower margarine
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup flavoursome honey for
instance - lavender or linden
blossom
Method:
• Heat butter slowly in a shallow
pan – don’t allow to brown
• Add sugar and cook, stirring
until almost dissolved
• Add pears, cook stirring every
so often, until just soft and
golden – around 15 minutes
• Pour over honey and stir until
pears are coated all over and
soft – another 3 to 5 minutes
Serve as they are - in a glass dish
or as a cake topping
Ingredients:
• 4 egg whites
• 300 g caster sugar
• half tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
Method:
• Preheat oven 140°C
• Put egg whites into a bowl with
pinch of salt
• Whisk until soft peaks form
• Gradually add the caster sugar,
a tablespoon at a time,
whisking between each
spoonful
• Carefully fold in vanilla extract
• Spoon small amounts onto a
lined shallow baking tin for
approx 30 minutes until firm to
the touch
HONEY POACHED
PEARS
Since it is Rosh Hashanah, we
must have some honey - in the
hope of a sweet New Year - these
pears are excellent to serve with
the shortbread ice cream but also
good as a topping on a cake – ie -
23
ENJOY– have a peaceful and happy
New Year
Hilary Schuman
relaxed, informal and regular conversation practice for all
levels! Kishkushim is the ideal conversational group to attend alongside regular, formal classes. Join our mailing list
by emailing tbolster@hotmail.com to get updates on what's
up-coming and reminders of dates. We ask for a £5
donation towards the food, wine and professional
teachers provided.
September 2014
Fri 12
10.30am: ShabbaTots Café
Run by Crystal Cowley, the Café is our Friday playgroup,
where we play, sing together and welcome Shabbat with
candles, challah and grape juice.
12.00pm: Kneading the Kings
Join us every Friday lunchtime to explore the plots, the
twists and the turns of the books of Samuel and Kings for
an adult, ‘no holds barred’ discussion of all aspects of this
fascinating text (no Hebrew necessary). If you like a good
epic, or just a gripping tale, then this course has your name
on it.
6.00pm: Erev Shabbat Service
7.15pm: Erev Shabbat Communal Dinner
Fri 19
See Friday 12 for more details
7.15pm: Shabbat Shira
Sat 20
10.30am: ShabbaTots Service
Run by Avivit Katzil, our Shabbat morning services are
informal and fun, with English and Hebrew songs,
accompanied by guitar and ukulele, and percussion
instruments for children to join in. The Rabbis join us for
Kiddush.
11.00: Shabbat Morning Service
8.45pm: Desert Island Disks and Selichot Service
Prepare for the High Holy Days with our moving choral
Selichot service. The evening commences with a resident
WLS interviewer, shipwrecking members of Council over
coffee and pudding to discover what seasonal tunes they
would take with them to their High Holy Day desert
island. This will be followed by Havdalah and Selichot in the
Sanctuary. Tickets are not required to attend this service.
Sat 13
Sun 14
10.00am: Religion School
10.15am: Sunday Workout – Adult Education
2.00pm: CCJ Tour of the Jewish East End
Mon 15
12.30pm: Parashat Hashavuah
The portion of the week means so much more if you have
studied it before. Join Rabbi Helen Freeman in the
Stourcliffe Mezzanine and bring along a light non-meat
lunch. Look forward to seeing you there.
7.00pm: Bereavement Support Group
Have you suffered the loss of a partner, relative or friend?
Would you welcome the opportunity to meet others in a
similar position to yourself? The direction this group takes
will be determined by the group itself and will be facilitated
by Jo Michaels and Rabbi Helen Freeman. For more
information or to discuss this further, please contact Jo
Michaels at jo.michaels@wls.org.uk or call 020 7535 0290.
Sun 21
1.00pm: Youth Club Launch
Join us for a fun and exciting kick-off to this year’s WLS
Youth Clubs! There’s something for everyone each
Sunday afternoon of term with Sunday Fundays for ages
4-11, and Club 34 for ages years 11-15. There’s no
reason not to get involved!
1.30pm: WLS Drop-In Centre
There are many ways to support our Drop-In Centre, from
donating nappies, basmati rice and clothing (in good, wearable condition), to pitching in at the centre on the third
Sunday of each month. Keep in mind that all of our
volunteers were once first-time volunteers, so inexperience
need not be an impediment to your participation! We are
there to support each other as much as to assist the
mothers, fathers and children who come for our help.
5.30pm: Memorial Services
As we prepare for Rosh Hashanah, it’s important to have a
space to reflect on those loved ones whom we have lost and
miss, especially at important times of the Jewish year. This
Elul, for the first time, we will have the service in the
synagogue itself from 5.30pm till 6pm, followed by a
chance to share memories over a drink with the rabbis.
Please join us for the beautiful music of the memorial
service, with a chance to think of those we have loved and
lost in our lovely sanctuary.
6.15pm: YAD Book Club
This month we will be discussing "Tancred", a Victorian romance set in the Holy Land by Prime Minister of the United
Kingdom and man of letters Benjamin Disraeli.
We will meet 6.15 at the Royal Oak pub, formerly known as
the Temperance (74-76 York Street, Marylebone, London
W1H 1QN) following up with dinner at a local establishment.
Wed 17
6.30pm: JPrep
8.30pm: Talmud: All Talk and Tall Tales
The Talmud is the most influential book in all of Judaism,
influencing our religious practice far more than the Bible
itself. Yet we never read it! The Talmud is long and
obscure and appears impenetrable…full of obsessions over
minutiae and endless circular arguments. Yet among its
5,404 pages there are many philosophical gems and a great
many stories – some true and some not quite so true about real people, who lived and breathed and encountered
exactly the same challenges in life that we find today. Rabbi
Sheridan will share with you some of her favourite
passages. Some will be familiar, some less so, but not one
is quite what it seems...
This week: Introduction: What Talmud is and what it
is not.
Thu 18
12.30pm: Seymour Group Lunch
The Seymour Group is a luncheon club which meets on the
third Thursday of most months and offers a delicious lunch,
followed by a speaker. Guest speaker, Trevor Lyttleton,
MBE. Everyone is welcome. To book, please call Joan Franks
on 020 7722 6883. If she is unavailable, please leave a
clear message.
Mon 22
See 15 September for more details
7.30pm: Kishkushim
Learning, Improving and Chatting in Hebrew is what we do
at Kishkushim. Whether you're a native, fluent speaker or
just starting out your first course of Hebrew, we'll provide a
24
Tue 23
10.30am: Berkeley Lunch Club
Cost £7.50, includes: welcome tea, coffee and biscuits;
“What the Papers Say”; a hot three-course lunch followed
by tea, coffee and chocolates. Contact Selina on 07810
153592 or Elaine on 07850 645573
7.00pm: Bereavement Visitors Group
Thu 2
7- 8:45pm: Season of Change - Adult Education
How bland would our cooking be without the ability to
season our food with flavours, spices and condiments?
For some, the taste of the High Holy Days is honey, for
others it’s that first bite after fasting through-out Yom
Kippur. The 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur
are the perfect opportunity for self-exploration, forming
resolutions and even having that much-needed physical/
spiritual make-over. We know that filling this season
with nothing but prayer can become a tad bland, which
is why we want to spice things up, just a little, with an
evening of study. Join us at 7pm for a light supper and
some delicious honey-filled desserts. Then, at 7.40pm
take you pick from three tasty sessions, all designed to
be food for the mind and soul.
Wed 24
6.00pm: Erev Rosh Hashanah Service
Thu 25
FIRST DAY ROSH HASHANAH
9.00am: 1st Sitting - Main Service
9.00am: 1st Teen Service and Activities
9.15am: 1st Family Service
9.45am: 1st Tots’ Service
10.30am: 1st Family Activities
Sessions available:
Rabbi Julia: Yizkor- the memorial service- is often seen
as the most solemn section of an incredibly solemn day.
We remember our dead, and recite their names. We
think of them, and we mourn once again. Why do we
need to relive grief? Why is the death theme so
prevalent over the High Holy Days, and how does it all
relate to present debates about assisted suicide and
care of the dying. Come prepared to study this theme in
readiness for Yizkor, and ready to argue about present
day debates as well.
11.30am: 2nd Sitting—Main Service
1.00pm: 2nd Family Activities
11.30am: 2nd Teen Service and Activities
11.45am: 2nd Tots’ Service
11.45am: 2nd Family Service
6.00pm: YAD Erev 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Service
and Study
Join Rabbis David and Benji for a relaxed and informal Erev
Second Day Rosh Hashanah service, followed by Young
Adults event. To ring in a sweet new year – headlined with
honey, dinner will be served during a light study session in
which we will laugh and learn together. Dinner will cost
£10pp - book your tickets now at
wlsy2yadevents.ticketsource.co.uk or contact Sarah
Nathanson on 020 7535 0260 or email
sarah.nathansone@wls.org.uk
Rabbi Sybil: Are we like sheep? The Untetane Tokef
Prayer is one of the most potent that we say on Rosh
Hashannah and Yom Kippur, but do we still believe it?
Can we say in 2014 that God is still in control? Come
and wrestle with some difficult concepts with Rabbi Sybil
Sat 27
Rabbi David: 'A Splash of Potent, Prophetic Punch'
You've certainly heard it all before, but have you ever
read it at a suitable 'depth'? Join Rabbi David for a noholds-barred plunge into the Book of Jonah. We'll travel
with Jonah through his literal and metaphorical highs
and lows. We'll also question whether he's the right
prophet to read on Yom Kippur afternoon.
Sun 28
1.00pm: Youth Clubs
There is a suggested £5 donation on the night (+BYOB),
but please feel free to turn up and give what you can.
To help us gauge numbers, please RSVP to
ruth.leveson@wls.org.uk
Mon 29
7.30pm: Kishkushim
Fri 26
11.00am: 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Service
Tue 30
Fri 3
7.00pm: Kol Nidre Services
Sat 4
YOM KIPPUR SERVICES
At Upper Berkeley Street and Kensington Town Hall
11.00am: Community Service Shacharit
11.15am: Tots’ Service
11.15am: Teen Service and Activities
11.15am: Family Service
12.15pm: Family Activities
October 2014
Wed 1
6.30pm: JPrep
See 17 September for more details.
This week: Who Decides? The burdens and
privileges of being Top Dog.
1.45pm:
2.45pm:
4.00pm:
5.00pm:
6.00pm:
25
Community Service Musaf
Study Session – only at Kensington Town Hall
Community Service Minchah
Community Service Yiskor
Community Service Ne’ilah
Switchboard
020 7723 4404
Reception
Nathalie Scaianski
Extensions
dial 020 7535 0…
Finance and
Membership
Executive Director
Simon Myers
268
Financial Controller
Shelley Kiersen
280
Venue Bookings
Manager
Kathryn Forro
259
Membership
Co-ordinator
Davina Carter
273
Education
Communications
Co-ordinator
Clare Allen
298
Head Teacher
Helen Michael
271
Director of
Education
Susie Fraser
258
Youth to YAD Manager
Ben Jardine
256
Youth to YAD
Administrator
Sarah Nathanson
260
Projects Facilitator
Laura Solomons
270
Rabbinic and
Ritual Services
Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Julia
263
Principal Rabbi
Rabbi Helen
Rabbi
Rabbi David
279
Rabbi
Rabbi Benji
273
PA to Rabbis Julia &
Helen
Paola Churchill
255
Ruth Leveson
291
PA to Rabbis David &
Sybil
Maruim Koonsombat
282
Ritual Co-ordinator
Micky Nathanson
284
Asst. to Jo Michaels
Linda Bookman
272
Social Care
Co-ordinator
Jo Michaels
290
Editor
Jill Todd
editor@wls.org.uk
7.30pm: YAD Break-Fast at Royal China
Join us for the most anticipated dinner of the
year, the Break-Fast which concluded Yom
Kippur. Queensway’s Royal China is perfect for
the occasion since it is located centrally
between Marble Arch and Kensington and has
an excellent reputation. Whether you’re
observing Yom Kippur at either location, you’ll
be able to join like-minded 20/30somethings
nearby. Please let Sarah know if you will be
attending on 020 7535 0260 or email
sarah.nathanson@wls.org.uk
Sun 5
10.00am: Religion School –
Sukkah building
10.00am: Community Sukkah Building
Come and help us build your Green
Community Sukkah, this year’s theme is ‘Go
Green - Eco Sukkah’. Whatever your
talent, however much time you have, we
need YOU. Music, chat and eco-friendly
refreshments available while you work.
3.00pm: Contact the Elderly Tea Party
Our WLS community, in collaboration with the
charity Contact the Elderly, is holding monthly
Tea Parties for senior members who are
isolated or lonely. The parties have proved a
huge success, and more of our elderly
members enjoy these pleasant get-togethers
for an afternoon tea, as do all others attending
them - our dedicated team of volunteer
drivers, the hosts and our Rabbis. For more
information, please contact Tirza Waisel at
tirza.waisel@wls.org.uk or call 020 7535 0278.
Mon 6
Tue 7
Wed 8
6.00pm: Erev Sukkot Service &
Reception
We are inviting ambassadors from around the
world and faith leaders from around London to
join us for Erev Sukkot this year for both the
service and a reception in our beautiful
sukkah. Do please join us to welcome guests
of all faiths, and encourage them to enjoy our
beautiful sukkah and our sukkot service.
Thu 9
11.00am: Sukkot Service
7.00pm: Kolnoa-Cinema: The Fifth
Heaven/Ha Rakia Ha Hamishi
Synopsis: A man brings his teenage
daughter to an orphanage near Tel Aviv and
leaves her there under the care of the
director, who is his childhood friend. The girl,
Maya, suddenly finds herself in an all-female
world, save for Markovsky, the orphanage
director. The Fifth Heaven is a deeply moving
story, but also an essay about patriarchy and
the struggle for dominance – all forces which
crush the women of The Fifth Heaven. And yet
– they, like Maya, will become the mothers of
a new nation.
26
Fri 10
Sat 11
11.00: Shabbat Morning Open House
Service
West London Synagogue welcomes our
neighbours of all faiths and none to experience
a friendly, welcoming Shabbat Service and to
meet new friends in the local community. With
a tour of the sanctuary and coffee and cake at
10.15am. RSVP Laura Solomons –
laura.solomons@wls.org.uk
7.00pm: YAD Sushi in the Sukkah
Come and learn how to make Sushi, enjoy a
drink of Saki or Asahi, and hang out in our
beautiful Sukkah! Bring your friends and
celebrate in style! Book your £15 ticket here:
wlsy2yadevent.ticketsource.co.uk
Sun 12
10.15am: Sunday Workout
1.00pm: Youth Clubs
Mon 13
2.30pm: Carers’ Support Group
Tue 14
7.00pm: Cancer Support Group
7.00pm: YAD Torah on Tap
Explore the meaning behind what makes us
tick, by coming along to the very popular
Torah on Tap discussions. You will get a
chance to explore day-to-day issues by
comparing different ideas from the Talmud and
other Jewish sources. You will also get the first
drink on WLS YAD.
Wed 15
6.00pm: Erev Simchat Torah Celebrating the Cycle
Join us for our annual celebration of the ending
and beginning of reading the Torah. The
evening starts at 6.00pm with a scroll unrolling
around the sanctuary - a must for all
generations! This will be followed by a festival
evening service with Torah processions and
dancing to a live band. To complete the
evening we'll be honouring our outgoing Senior
Wardens - Jim Fletcher and Irenie Morley - by
sitting down to a bring and share communal
supper. Please bring along a vegetarian main
course and dessert to share, as well as a bottle
of your choice. All are welcome, but to help us
gauge numbers for the supper, please let
Micky know if you'll be attending:
micky.nathanson@wls.org.uk
Thu 16
11.00am: Simchat Torah Service
Join us for our service, including the reading of
the last words of Deuteronomy and the first
words of Genesis. There will be a
festive kiddush after the service.
Sun 26
1.30pm: WLS Drop-In Centre
See 21 September for more information
Fri 17
7.15pm: Shabbat Shira
Tue 28
Sat 18
Torah read by Edmund Williams, BM
Sun 19
10.15am: Sunday Workout
1.00pm: Youth Clubs
Mon 20
Mon 27
Wed 29
6.30pm: JPrep
This week: Don’t put your daughter in the
schoolroom Mr. Robinson!
Thu 30
6.30pm: Volunteers Meeting
Fri 31
Tue 21
Wed 22
6.30pm: JPrep
This week: The great enactment. Why
women are upstairs.
Thu 23
7.30pm: Open Arts Café
Exciting performances of new work by
Britain’s up-and-coming young (20s/30s)
musicians, theatre performers, puppeteers,
visual artists and dancers. Fun, intimate and
inventive, Open Arts Café is a brilliant night
out. Wine and nibbles available. For more
information, email openartscafe@wls.org.uk
Fri 24
7.00pm: TGIFriday Property Dinner
A fantastic chance for you to meet and
network with professionals in property
development, architecture and conveyancing.
Hear about their roles and get vital tips and
hints for the journey ahead. This is an
opportunity not to be missed! Entry is FREE,
but limited to the first 30 to reserve their
places. Contact Sarah on 020 7535 0260 or
email sarah.nathanson@wls.org.uk to reserve
your place.
European Days of
Jewish Culture & Heritage
Thursday 18 September, 7.45pm
Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger DBE,
chairs a panel discussion on
‘Jewish Women in the Public Life'
Rabbi Julia will chair a discussion on 'Jewish
Women in Public Life' during Jewish
Heritage Days at the Jewish Museum.
Panellists will include Baroness Deech DBE,
The Rt. Hon. Baroness Hayman GBE,
Professor Julia Hobsbawm, Dame Helen
Hyde DBE and Gillian Merron.
The Museum will be open from 6pm for a
private view of the Abram Games Exhibition
and refreshments will be served before the
discussion.
Tickets - £25, can be obtained online from
bbuk.org/events/discussion; by
email: office@bnaibrithuk.org or tel. 020
7446 8660.
Sat 25
11.00am: Shabbat Morning Service
Torah read by Amelia Segen, BM
11.00am: Shirah Chadashah Service
27
July/August
Social &Personal
News
New Members:
Martha Jean Baker
Edward Bloom
Leon Brittan
Lewis Deyong
The Glatt Family
Roxanne & Dylan
First
The Hart Family
Aaron Hughes
Janina Joffe
Benji Kafri
The Karmel Family
Ray Kelvin
Zak Ozmo
Laura Scarrott
Eugenie Van
Harinxma Thoe
Slooten
Eric Victorson
Naddy Vidot
Vjera Vilicnik
Adam White
Madeline Young
Friends:
Viviana Balanescu
Charlotte Barnett
Sarah Chandler
Helen Golby
Clare Kelvin
Susannah Pye
David Rubin
Richard Tite
Paula Wada
Alles Wilson
B’nei Mitzvah:
Adam & Eleanor
Pogrund
Zak Shipman
Drew Cahane
Jake Lewis
Funerals:
Leslie Bruck
Anthony Curtis
Esther Rowe
Morris Gerald Cass
Evelyn Steinman
Sylvia Goldwyn
Frank Leofler
Muriel Gottlieb
Hyman Chait
Ella Howard
Joshua (Josh) Martin
Philip Silverstone
Pearl Shrier
Gertrude Fantl
Advertising in the
WLS Review
The WLS Review is
mailed to around
2,500
families around
London and the
Home Counties.
To find out about
our advertising
rates, please
contact
editor@wls.org.uk
28
WEDNESDAY
14
10.30: Berkeley Lunch Club
19.00: Cancer Support Group
21
19.00: Bereavement Visitors
Group
28
13
12.30: Parashat Hashavuah
19.00: Carers’ Support Group
20
27
30
29
7
23
19.00: Bereavement Visitors
Group
22
6
10.00: Sukkah Building
16
OCTOBER
29
18.30: JPrep
20.30: Adult Ed
22
18.30: JPrep
20.30: Adult Ed
15
18.00: Erev Simchat
Torah Service
8
18.00: Erev Sukkot Service
1
18.30: JPrep
20.30: Adult Ed
24
18.00: Erev Rosh Hashanah
Service
17
18.30: JPrep
20.30: Adult Ed
THURSDAY
30
18.30: Volunteers Meeting
23
19.30: Open Arts Café
16
11.00: Simchat Torah Service
19.30: Kishkushim
9
11.00: Sukkot Service
19.00: Kolnoa
2
19.00: Season of Change Adult Ed
19.30: Kishkushim
25
9.15: Rosh Hashanah Service
11.30: Rosh Hashanah Service
18.00: YAD Supper & Study
18
12.30: Seymour Group Lunch
19.30: Kishkushim
WEST LONDON SYNAGOGUE OF BRITISH JEWS
33 SEYMOUR PLACE, LONDON, W1H 5AU
020 7723 4404 | WWW.WLS.ORG.UK
TUESDAY
15
19.00: Bereavement Support
Group
MONDAY
20
10.30: ShabbaTots Service
11.00: Shabbat Morning
Service
20.45: Selichot Service
13
Service
SATURDAY
31
18.00: Erev Shabbat Service
24
10.30: ShabbaTots Café
19.15: TGIFriday Dinner
17
12.00: Kneading the Kings
19.15: Shabbat Shira
10
3
19.00: Kol Nidre
25
Service
11.00: Shirah Chadashah
18
10.30: ShabbaTots Service
Service
11
Service
19.00: YAD Sushi in the
Sukkah
4
11.00: Yom Kippur
26
27
11.00: 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah 11.00: Shabbat Morning
Service
19
19.15: Shabbat Shira
12
19.15: Erev Shabbat
Communal Dinner
FRIDAY
26
10.00: Religion School
10.15: Adult Education
13.00: Youth Club
19
13.00: Youth Club
12
13.00: Youth Club
5
10.00: Sukkah Building
28
13.00: Youth Club
21
13.00: Youth Club Launch
13.30: WLS Drop-In
17.30: Memorial Service
18.15: YAD Book Club
14
14.00: CCJ Tour of the Jewish
East End
SUNDAY

Shanah Tovah - West London Synagogue

Transcription

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