T he L iberal Synagogue E lstree
Hakol
January/February 2021 – Tevet/Sh’vat/Adar 5781
KABBALAT TORAH 2020
THE ONLY KT GROUP THAT HASN’T BEEN TO BERLIN!* But they will be in shul leading their special National Holocaust Memorial service on SATURDAY 30th JANUARY at 11.00am
*yet
TABLE OF CONTENTS Rabbi’s Word
Page 3
Kabbalat Torah
Page 10/11
Technology and Me
Page 4
Crossword
Page 12
Glimpses Of Anglo Jewish History
Page 5
Services: To Zoom or not to Zoom?
Page 13
Margaret Hodge
Page 6/7
Care and Welfare
Page 14
Jewish Trivia - Useless Information to amuse you
Let Me Decide
Page 15
Do you know anyone who Page 8/9 is caring for a family member or friend with Dementia?
Gonia’s Recipes
Page 15-17
Editors Word
Page 18
General Information Answers
Page 19
Cheder News
Page 9
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2
RABBI’S WORD – JANUARY 2021
Rabbi Pete Tobias
THE MIRACLE OF CHANUKKAH – COVID-STYLE
T
he first night of Chanukkah fell on a Thursday evening. December 10th 2020. Regular attendees at the TLSE Evening Gatherings had been steadily counting down to that moment with a nightlyCalendar that brought them ever closer to the Hebrew date of Kislev 25th.
If I had been able to hold a service for the first light of Chanukkahin the synagogue (something I have never done!), it might have attracted perhaps a dozen people on that chilly, damp December evening. Instead, because of the manner in which we have made online services a regular part of our religious involvement, the candlelighting for the first night took place online – in our Facebook group and in our Zoom room. Over 50 devices were tuned into the event, which meant that around 100 people joined in with the candlelighting! People greeted one another which the predictable variety of variations on the spelling of the word ‘Chanukkah’ and those who had requested a Chanukkah pack from the synagogue’s hardworking team were able to join in with the consumption of latkes and doughnuts as well as playing with dreidels and chocolate coins. It was a joyful start to our festival of light, and probably all the more so for not having had to schlep out into the cold and dark of a December evening. There is no doubt that online services have become a permanent feature of our religious practice. The synagogue has invested a significant sum of money in equipment to improve the quality of our online broadcasts (my laptop propped up on a few editions of the Encyclopedia Judaica has given way to something more sophisticated!) and we look forward to cultivating greater involvement in services in the building (when we eventually get back) and in your own homes in the coming year. May the new year of 2021 being us light and hope. 3
TECHNOLOGY AND ME
A
4
year ago the words “Zoom”, “Skype”, “Teams” and ‘Tele Conferencing” were something I heard but had little or no impact on my life. My son, in his work, uses tele conferencing and he had spoken about the calls he made and his use of I.T. but as for me I did not even know how to use this technology, the words were all a foreign language as far as I was concerned.. Now in the month of November all this has changed. Through the media of Skype for Business, Teams and tele conferencing I can continue with my voluntary work and using zoom enabled me to take part in family quiz afternoons and U3A group meetings. What is missing in all of these is the personal contact, the opportunity to chat to each other and share a cup of tea and piece of cake. In the U3A groups this is such an essential part of the session, talking via a screen is just not the same. We all miss that essential warm contact and feeling of belonging to the group, a great strength of U3A. In my voluntary work I am used to people freezing, dropping out through poor connections and having their computer or phone, in odd places giving me views of ears, nostrils etc. I even had a parent wanting me to deal with his appeal whilst he was driving on the motorway, we made him stop at a service station. It is also difficult to engage fully with applicants to school appeals when we are all at a distance separated by a screen with time lag even if brief. For me all the above have not been the worst aspect, it is the impact on my religious life that has been the greatest. Most difficult was the New
Michael Shaw Year when the majority of us will attend a Synagogue to take part in the services. At the same time it is an opportunity to meet friends we may only see once a year, to catch up on news and see how the young members of the community are growing from childhood to becoming confident young adults. This year our Synagogue is closed, our Rabbi has worked tirelessly to provide on line services through zoom and face book, this culminated in the on line High Holy Day services. Four local Rabbis got together creating innovative exciting services making excellent use of their I.T. skills and those of members. The ritual prayers were interspersed with singing and poetry with the Torah Readings being presented in an interesting way but, and here lies my problem, it was not the same. Sitting in the lounge with my family was pleasant yet in many ways sterile with no sense of occasion. We found it difficult to join in the responses and singing, our normal behaviour in the services, the sense of belonging to a community at this time was not present. At the end of the most important Day of Atonement, when we fast for 24 hours spending all day in prayer and reflective thought something important was missing, I had no sense of peace that is an annual feature of theses services. I know and fully appreciate the difficulties faced by congregations of all religions. I am sure that all leaders of religion will be doing their best to keep members together and involved whilst adhering to the latest covid-19 guidelines. I hope that 2021 will see a return to the normality of coming together that we all need.
"GLIMPSES OF ANGLO JEWISH HISTORY" Rabbi Alan Mann
A
t the turn of the twentieth century, the most famous Jew in England was Israel Zangwill. His origin did not suggest that this would be the case. He was born in the East End of London in January 1864 to poor Russian immigrants. His father was an itinerant peddler, which probably accounted for his early education in schools in Plymouth and Bristol. By the time he was 9, the family was back in London and Israel was admitted to the Jewish Free School. Here he excelled and he even taught there while still a pupil. He became a full time teacher and at the same time took a degree at London University. At the age of only 20, he obtained his degree with triple honours. His literary career began early and progressed rapidly. Apart from short stories he moved into journalism. He wrote “Children of the Ghetto” an insight into life in the East End of London in the early 1900s, and “The King of the Schnorrers”, a satirical novel about Jewish life in London. He also wrote essays about Jewish history and politics. He travelled to America where his play “The Melting Pot” took New York by storm. He tells the story of a survivor of the Kishinev Pogrom arrives alone and penniless in America and becomes involved in the growth of the American people. Theodore Roosevelt wrote that the play made a profound influence on him. In politics, he was a pacifist and pro-feminist. In Jewish politics, he was a strong Zionist and supporter of Herzl. But later he broke with mainstream Zionism, forming his own Jewish Territorialist Movement. He argued that
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
to move in on a land with 600,000 Arabs would only lead to trouble. He did not originate the phrase “A people without a land for a land without a people”, but he certainly popularised it. He would accept any land that was empty. It did not attract much support from the Jewish Community and by the time he died in August 1926 the Yishuv in Palestine was well established and the Hebrew University was opened. Israel Zangwill’s ashes are held in the columbarium at the cemetery of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in Willesden, although it seems he was not a member there. He is now mostly forgotten, but his literature will live on. 5
MARGARET HODGE
sought British passports. Margaret recalled that they were to be interviewed at home to establish their immersion in British culture. Their usual tea of boiled eggs and soldiers was substituted for cucumber sandwiches and fruit cake, which their father instructed them, they were to tell the official was their usual fare. Fortunately, despite Margaret’s dislike of fruit cake, they were awarded their British passports. Her maternal grandfather, who had moved to England during the thirties, despite ill health, had been incarcerated as an enemy alien during the war. Margaret had four children and now has twelve grandchildren. She became a local councilor in Islington 1973, chairing the Housing Committee for ten years. She recalled how some of t Albans Orthodox hosted a zoom the terraced houses in Liverpool Road meeting with Margaret Hodge on still had gas lighting in the seventies November 11th. The meeting and how they were brought up by the was open to Young at Herts, Jewish council and updated. She was awarded Women’s Forum and local synagogues the MBE for her services to the council and attracted over seventy zoom and described how her son, then aged participants. It was an entertaining five, was sitting watching the ninety minutes with the orthodox ceremony. She was heavily pregnant Chair, Elissa de Costa, interviewing her and he turned to the person next to guest about her life experiences. him and proudly announced that she Margaret Oppenheimer was born in was ‘having the baby tomorrow and Egypt in 1944. Her parents were getting married the day after.’ German and Austrian Jews who met in Her second marriage was to Henry Egypt on holiday before the war, and Hodge, a solicitor from the firm were advised by their parents not to Hodge, Jones and Allen in Camden. (I return to Europe. She described her had the good fortune to be parents as assimilated atheists and she represented by Henry in family cases, had little contact with organized on a couple of occasions at Highgate religion during her childhood. Her magistrates’ court). The family lived in memories of Egypt were of an idyllic Islington in the same road of the Blairs time with her siblings but in 1948 it and became friends. Henry sadly died was becoming an uncomfortable place of leukaemia. In 2009. for Jews and, having applied Margaret was persuaded to stand as unsuccessfully to relocate to USA and MP for Barking in 1994. She described Canada, the family were allowed into how initially, this was a white working Britain, settling in North London, class community, mainly living on amongst German and Austrian large, slum council estates, and refugees. After five years the family working at Fords. She spent a lot of
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Tina Shaw
time knocking on doors and learning how people felt neglected by the middle aged, white male trade unionists, who made decisions behind closed doors. When she stood again, the community was changing fast, due to the decline of employment at Fords and the ‘right to buy.’ Properties were being brought by the Windrush generation and being let to a more mixed ethnic population, and immigration had, understandably, become a big issue. All the councilors who stood under the BNP banner had been elected. With Nick Griffin from the BNP attempting to become the new MP, the election became toxic and Margaret received a mountain of vile messages on social media. Fortunately, she was re-elected and she described her trepidation at attending her first local Labour party meeting after the election. She said she had never spoken much about being Jewish but at this meeting, attended by a large number of Muslim members, she talked about having been a refugee, and to her surprise, received a standing ovation. Margaret first met Jeremy Corbyn
when she was on Islington council and he was one of the MPs. She described him as being only interested in foreign policy, rather than local matters. She had not seen him as anti-Semitic until relatively recently. He was part of the ‘loony left’ who were anti- imperialist and anti- capitalist but it was his attitude to the IHRA definition, the street mural of bankers and the failure of the Labour Party to investigate and support its Jewish MPs, which finally caused the showdown in the House of Commons when she accused him of being anti-Semitic. She spend many hours struggling over her decision about whether to remain in the party but now, under Sir Keith Starmer, she feels hopeful that there is a strong determination to root out the many anti-Semites who have infiltrated the party which has been so much a part of her life for so long. She sees the values of the left as the natural home for Jewish people. This was an entertaining and informative evening whatever your politics, and she is a person I much admire for her commitment, passion and sense of humour.
JEWISH TRIVIA - USELESS INFORMATION TO AMUSE YOU
W
hat is the connection between Zsa Zsa Gabor, Shimon Peres, Irving Berlin and Siegmund Freud? All are distantly related to Karl Marx! We are all mishpocha if of Askenazi origins we are all distant cousins. The inventor of the Iconic doll "Barbie" was Ruth Moske Handler (wife of the toy manufacturer founder Mattel. She was a daughter of Polish Jewish immigrants and was inspired by a German doll, tweaked a bit and renamed Barbie after her daughter Barbara Ass - the Bible's most celebrated animal, dispensing wisdom (Numbers 22) and making Hebrew school students laugh for 6000 years. "Anxiety" A Jewish pastime that keeps therapists (and their therapists) in business. Sigmund Freud (who was born Jewish but was in fact an atheists') was the godfather of modern therapy. Practitioners of analysis and therapy continue to be disproportionally Jewish! Who was the most important person to grow up in Milwaukee, USA? Golda Meir born 1898. She was Israel's only female head of state from 1969 to 1974 and one of the first global female heads of state. 7
DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO IS CARING FOR A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND WITH DEMENTIA? Yael Shotts
M
y beloved grandmother, Barbara Shotts ”l was a leading member of Ealing Liberal Synagogue for over 60 years. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease some years ago and died peacefully at her home in May 2018. Leading up to her diagnosis and throughout her illness grandma’s daughter, my aunt and parents became her primary carers. I remember well the daily communication relating to grandma’s safety; deterioration; and sadly, distress. But the distress was not only her own. As carers of someone living with dementia, we all felt it and there was very little out there in terms of support and advice for us and even my aunt, as a GP was not always sure where to turn. I now find myself working for a wonderful charity which fills that gap. Dementia Carers Count. “When you’re a carer, your confidence goes a bit. You get out of the habit of doing things for yourself.” Terry and Maureen have been together for most of their lives. Maureen was 60 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and their plans for the future had to change. Terry had to be at home with Maureen. Maureen has tonnes of energy and it can be a struggle for Terry to keep up with her. She can’t hold a conversation or make decisions; she’s stopped driving and hasn’t cooked for years. Their lives have completely changed, and Terry finds it hard that the person he grew up with isn’t there anymore. Terry tried to get Maureen to go to a memory café, but as people there tend to be older, she doesn’t feel she’s
like them and she doesn’t like Terry leaving her at the groups. Although Maureen’s memory has declined over the past few years, she’s always happy. Terry is the one who gets annoyed when things go wrong. He’s not annoyed with her, it’s with himself. This is happening more as time goes on. Terry first heard about Dementia Carers Count (DCC) on Facebook. His daughter saw some information about DCC’s three-day course and suggested that Terry registered. “Within minutes of arriving at the hotel, I felt relaxed and was chatting to everyone. There was a lovely atmosphere. Some people were more nervous. For some, it was the first time they’d left the people they care for in years.” Terry says the best part of the course was meeting people in a similar situation and getting a glimpse into their lives. “There were no airs and graces and no judgement. It helped
me a lot.” “It made me realise that what was happening wasn’t my fault and that I had to get over thinking it was. The anger that I felt and the problems I was experiencing were all perfectly normal…. …anyone in a caring role should go on this course. Get in there and get as involved as you can. Talk to people, listen to people. No-one is judging you. Everyone is there to help you, or
to learn.” Dementia Carers Count is a national charity dedicated to family members and friends who are caring for someone with dementia. DCC’s services – including their one and three-day courses – are designed and delivered by expert health and care professionals, providing the practical support that family carers need. www.dementiacarers.org.uk
CHEDER NEWS
S
undays@TLSE has returned on zoom! Our Religion school started up again in November fully online and the children have participated in some interesting and fun activities. We have learned about Remembrance Sunday and Poppies and joined LJY-netzer for a creative mitzvah day. We managed to do our termly challah bake online whilst also learning all about shabbat, designed a challah cover and heard a story about the covering of the challah. We have also found out about the story of Channukah and why we eat latkes and doughnuts and play with dreidles. It is brilliant to be back and if you would like to join us next term we start on zoom at 10am on Sunday mornings. For further details please contact Jacqueline in the office.
9
KABBALAT TORAH Dominic De Jonge I have enjoyed KT as it taught us in a different way from school. We started by looking at stereotypes and how easy it is to judge people, I think that led on quite well to Nazi persecution of Jews, and a bit of the history concerning anti-Semitism. We also compared Donald Trump to Hitler, and how what he is doing to Black, Mexican, Muslim, socialist people is painfully similar to Hitler. However this time people stood up for the minorities, and is unlike Martin Niemöller’s quote: "First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me." Jack Wingate In KT I have learnt about equality and how others influence others. Equality was shown in one of the videos we watched about the Asian woman and the film ‘The Wave’ about the kids in school showed us how easily some people can influence others.
Zoë Marcus It was probably most interesting learning about how it (the Holocaust) started- so how Hitler came to power and how people didn’t really oppose him. I think it was important learning about how many people were killed, and how it happened. We learned a lot about it in school which was interesting as well, but once you drop religious studies you don’t learn about it any more at all. This year’s KT group has, like everything else, been affected by Covid-19. The classes were all held online, and the trip to Berlin had to be cancelled (It will happen in 2021, promise!) But the students took part in the classes and the discussions with teachers Mike Walton and Rabbi Pete.
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2020 GROUP Emily Sinclair In KT I have learnt about discrimination towards the Jewish people. People can be influenced very easily and the people in Nazi Germany were heavily Sinclair influenced by propaganda. We also learnt about our Jewish identity and to be proud of our Jewish heritage. It’s very unfortunate how we had all of our lessons in bed and over zoom and that we couldn’t go to Berlin in the summer. Hopefully when the world gets back to normal we’ll be able to go. Jess Davis
In KT I have learnt all about the Holocaust and that through the ages Jews have always faced discrimination. Propaganda was one of the most persuasive things to make Nazis believe the worst about the Jewish people. It was interesting learning how Hitler came to power. I wish we could have been in Shul together to learn but unfortunately we had to do our KT classes in bed. I was really looking forward to going to Berlin with the KT group and I’m hoping we will still get the opportunity to go. Tia Boulton
I found KT very interesting as it gives you a different perspective on the Holocaust and how real life situations compare to it. I think it is important to learn about so it is not forgotten and remembering it shows it was an important event. I’m looking forward to going to Berlin to learn about things about the Holocaust in a way which I can properly see them.
THE KABBALAT TORAH SERVICE for NATIONAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL SHABBAT LED BY THE 2020 KT GROUP WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY 30TH JANUARY 2021 11.00am on FACEBOOK AND ZOOM 11
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Answers on inside back cover. 12
SERVICES: TO ZOOM OR NOT TO ZOOM?
A
t the end of October, TLSE made the brave decision to restart services with members of the congregation present. The official start was going to be the Friday night service on November 6th. So the previous Friday night, October 30th, members of staff and several Trustees attended the service for a ’trial run’ at 6.30pm. The service was streamed as usual on Zoom and Facebook and there was also a congregation of some 15 people in the synagogue, seated as individuals or in family groups and distanced from each other. All congregants wore masks and had brought with them their own siddur, since the handling of communal prayerbooks carries a risk of contamination.
to these ‘hybrid’ services.
In any event, this question became moot as, just 6 days later the country Rabbi Pete took up his usual place on the went into Lockdown 2. There are now plans to return to services in shul on bimah. What the photograph does not Shabbat mornings in January. show very clearly is that there is a However as this is being written just Perspex screen between him and the as Hertsmere has been put into Tier 3, members of the congregation. There this plan may also come to naught. were mixed feelings about this service: Keep an eye on the weekly bulletins some were glad to be back in the shul for any new plans to bring live building while others found the services back into the synagogue experience remote and cold. From the building. service leader’s perspective, Rabbi Pete reported that it was difficult to make any kind of emotional connection with congregants who were masked. Compared to the opportunities for interaction that are a feature of the Do you have an article, evening gatherings on Facebook – even letter or photos that you though the congregation is not visible – this ‘live’ service was a surprisingly would like to share? difficult experience. Other Liberal congregations undertook similar experiments that weekend and also reported mixed feedback. The general feeling is that having needed time to get used to online worship, congregations will now need to adapt
Contact the editor on Hakoleditor@tlse.org.uk or 0741 527 7581 13
MAZAL TOV TO: Kinga and Bradley Cohen on the birth of Anna. Pascale and Elliot Setyon on the birth of Celine.
OUR CARE TEAM AT TLSE By the time you read this, it is hoped that Covid vaccinations will be underway and we will all be living a little more of what we knew as “normal life” I Volunteered in October to lend a hand to Aly Larholm who had been running our Care Group as she needed some time out - so I started by making contact with the carers to see how things worked and to find out the best way to help and assist our members. I must say it was good to get in touch with this great bunch of members and must commend them for the work they’re doing and for keeping in touch during trying times ...... The world has been living in very strange times during Covid 19 and the saying “We’re all in this together” springs to mind often but we know it affects different people in different ways and that’s why we’ve tried to be on hand to support members in need. As long as TLSE knows that ANYBODY in our community needs help, we are here for you! Please help us to help you - just let Rabbi Pete, the Office or myself know and we will do our very best to assist. The Winter evenings can be long and dark and it’s good to know Rabbi Pete’s virtual evening Gatherings are available from Sunday to Thursday for us all to tune into and enjoy! Again if you have any technical difficulties with this, maybe we can help. Or you may like to receive an early evening phone call - maybe that would help on a cold dark evening...... Please feel free to reach out and ask - sometimes a little chat or just a friendly Hello can help to remove feelings of loneliness and isolation - and we are here waiting to help! Maureen Adams
BURIAL In cases of bereavement, please contact our Burial Officer, Joan Shopper on 01582 792959 14
JUST LET ME DECIDE
I
Clive Jacobs
n six months’ time, I hope to reach my 90th birthday. Subject to God’s will, plus some common sense from me, I expect to get there and beyond!
The Covid restrictions are not going to help anyone and certainly not the economy. The people most at risk are the over-80s, but I believe those of us with sound mental and physical capacity should take responsibility for our own lives. Let the young live their lives - we lived our. They are much less likely to suffer serious problems from Covid. I don’t want my children and grandchildren to suffer economic hardship now and in the future. And I don’t want elderly people like me to be resented because of the restrictions that are being imposed on everyone else. So let us fit oldies look after ourselves and allow our great country to go forward to a healthy future in every sense.
GONIA'S RECIPES Israeli Salad
A great way to start the New Year with a fresh and light salad you can serve with your meals. Here's a very quick recipe for this colourful side dish that will please your eye and tastebuds. Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins
Ingredients: 1 English cucumber, finely diced 1 red bell pepper, finely diced 1 small red onion, finely chopped 3 small ripe tomatoes, finely diced large handful of fresh parsley leaf, finely chopped a handful of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice salt and black pepper
Method 1. Prepare the dressing: put olive oil and lemon juice along with salt and pepper in a little jar with a lid and shake vigorously to combine. 2. Put all the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, pour over the dressing and mix well. 3. Serve straight away or leave in a fridge covered to cool. 4. Enjoy! 15
Home-Made Hummus
Best tasting homemade hummus that you can make and garnish with your favourite flavour. There is a process to it but the recipe is super easy and the outcome tastes amazing - light and creamy. I leave the skins of chickpeas on to give it a slightly rustic flavour. Obviously, you can replace the dry chickpeas with canned ones if you are in a hurry (just jump to step 3). Just remember to drain and keep the chickpea water. We do not use olive oil in this recipe and loosen up hummus with the chickpea water - hence the lightness. You can also add some garlic - start with 1 clove not to make it too garlicky.
Ingredients: 1 cup dry chickpeas 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 3 Tbsp tahini 1 lemon, juice only 3/4 tsp salt Something to flavour with: - sumac for tangy taste, - paprika and smoked paprika, - cumin to give it a little spice and richness, - some green herbs. 1. Start with soaking the chickpeas - put your chickpeas with bi-carb of soda and cover well with cold water. Allow soaking overnight - up to 24 hrs. Chickpeas will expand as they soak the water. 2. Rinse the chickpeas and cover
with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil and cook until soft - 40 mins or longer depending on freshness. The softer the chickpeas the smoother the final result! Allow to cool down. 3. Drain the chickpeas but keep the water. Place the chickpeas in a food processor (keeping a small handful aside for decoration) and process until smooth. Add tahini paste, lemon juice and salt. You can add half a teaspoon of (smoked) paprika or cumin. Keep the motor running and loosen it up with a little of the chickpea water, a tablespoon at a time. Taste as you go along so you achieve your perfect consistency. 4. Transfer the hummus to a bowl and sprinkle some of the garnish and the rest of the cooked chickpeas. Cover and refrigerate. 5. And there you have it - enjoy!
Do you have a favourite recipe, that you would like to share? Contact the editor on Hakoleditor@tlse.org.uk or 0741 527 7581
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Nutella and Hazelnut Rugelach
And for something sweet - a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish delicacy with a little modern twist. It is a lovely sweet buttery pastry made with cream cheese and shaped into a crescent. You can enjoy them throughout the year! Why not start and serve it this Purim? Truly easy to make but you need to have time for double chilling for the dough to avoid melted cookies and keep their lovely shape. You can swap the filling with chocolate, nuts, jam, cinnamon or vanilla paste. You can also double the recipe - the pastries are small but super delicious. They will be gone before you notice!
Ingredients: For the dough: 115 g unsalted butter, room temperature 115 g cream cheese, room temperature 140 g plain flour 3 Tbsp (45 g) caster sugar pinch of salt For the filling: 3 heaped Tbsp Nutella 3 Tbsp hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (or swap for ground almonds) For the glaze: 1 egg, beaten about 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, to sprinkle 1. For the dough: beat butter and cream cheese together to soften (about 30 secs). 2. Add sugar and beat some more (30 secs). Finally add the pinch of salt and flour and mix just enough for the dough to come together. Do not overmix! Roll the dough into a ball, pat it flat and wrap with cling film. Place in the fridge to cool for an hour. 3. Prepare the filling: mix Nutella with finely chopped toasted hazelnuts (or ground almonds). Leave to the side.
4. Line up a large baking tray with parchment paper. Once the dough is chilled, remove from the fridge and cut in half. Roll each half into a ball and flatten into a disc. 5. Work with 1 half dough at a time: roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a thin circle (does not have to be perfect). Gently spread half the Nutella filling on the dough until mostly covered - help yourself with spatula or butter knife. Cut the dough (pizza wheel is perfect for this task): first in half (to create half-moon) and then each half into 5 equal-ish slices. Then roll each triangle piece - starting from the outside (thicker end) towards the centre to create croissant-like little pastry. Place each rugelach on the baking tray and continue with the rest of the pastry. 6. Put the tray back in the fridge for 30 mins to cool the dough before baking. 7. Heat up the oven to 175*C. Brush each pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle some granulated sugar on the top. Bake the rugelach in the middle shelf of the oven for about 15-20 mins or until nicely golden brown. 8. Enjoy! 17
EDITOR’S WORD
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his issue has several more articles on care related matters than usual. I think this is a reflection on the strange and difficult times we have experienced this year. Obviously, we are all feeling the effects of Covid problems whether being health issues, bereavement or financial worries due to unemployment or business circumstances. Anxiety and depression caused by separation from family and friends is becoming a major factor in the lives of many as well as loneliness and isolation. The good news is vaccinations are around the corner so perhaps we can start to see a light at the end of the tunnel, if we can all just hang in there. My point is that something good and positive and hopefully lasting has emerged this past year. Firstly, that we have developed into a more caring community, conscious of the needs of others both physically and emotionally.
Secondly, for many it has show an inner strength that perhaps they didn’t realise they had. As we enter the start of 2021, we can go forward with this knowledge and a positive feeling. Although still a long way to go before normality returns, we should be proud of the TLSE community under the guidance of our wonderful Rabbi.
DO YOU HAVE SKILLS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, DEALING WITH THE PRESS OR SIMILAR SKILLS To assist our "Communications" team of 3 with Social Media, the Web site and Hakol. Don't be shy you might be retired, just starting your working career or currently working in this field, we don't need too much of your time but we do need you! Contact Susan on 0741 527 9581 or HakoleditorO@gmail.com 18
GENERAL INFORMATION GENERAL INFORMATION Elstree High Street, Elstree, Hertfordshire WD6 3EY T Phone: 020 8953 8889 Email: office@tlse.org.uk L www.tlse.org.uk S Edited by Susan Paessler E Would all those involved in arranging functions services or meetings please contact the office on 0208 953 8889 or office@tlse.org.uk so that they can be scheduled in the Synagogue diary. This ensures that any physical set-ups in the Synagogue are arranged and that meetings do not conflict. If you need to talk to Jacqueline Bernard in the office, please note that she is mostly working from at home so it is better to email her at office@tlse.org.uk and she will respond. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that details printed in Hakol are correct no responsibility can be accepted for information misprinted or incorrectly given to the editor. Please let the Editor know of any errors or corrections. The Editor reserves the right to edit material submitted for publication. The deadline for submissions to the next edition of Hakol is Sunday 7th February 2021 but submissions will be accepted at any time and early submission is appreciated. Hakoleditor0@gmail.com.
If so please contact Hakoleditor@tlse.org.uk Or 0741 527 9581 Designed & Printed by
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Across: 1. Tammuz 3. Borat 7. Mensch 9. Abel 10. Tefillin 13. Yeshiva 16. Mezuzah 18. Matzo 19. Noah 20. Disraeli 21. Eretz
Are there any members interested in forming a Book Club (obviously virtual at the moment)
Down: 2. Rothschilds 4. Penicillin 5. Amy Winehouse 6. Bob Dylan 8. Leah 11. Herod 12. Chuppah 14. Ashdod 15. Sukkot 17.Psalms
“Has anyone read any Jewish themed or related books they would like to review for the magazine, either fiction, non-fiction or faction?
020 8449 6688 www.brunswickpress.co.uk 19
And soon theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take their place on the bound-to-belegendary combined KT 2020/2021 Group Trip to Berlin whenever it happens!