Roshhashana2014

CTJC BULLETIN Rosh Hashana 2014

0

This bulletin is dedicated to the memory of Hadar Goldin 18 February 1991 – 1 August 2014

1

Communal Information Shul services Friday evening In term:

Winter, Ma’ariv at 6pm Summer, Minchah and Ma’ariv at 7:30pm In vacations: Winter, Minchah and Ma’ariv just before Shabbat June-August, Minchah and Ma’ariv at 7:30pm September, Minchah and Ma’ariv just before Shabbat Shabbat morning 9:30am.

Sunday morning 8:00am (most weeks).

You can also consult our online calendar at www.ctjc.org.uk/calendar Learning Rabbi Reuven Leigh holds a Talmud Shiur at Chabad House, 37A Castle Street, Cambridge CB3 0AH, every Tuesday at 7:30pm. For more details email rl324@cam.ac.uk A Talmud Shiur led by Prof. Stefan Reif is held on a convenient evening in those weeks when Prof.

Reif is in Cambridge. For more information email chevra@ctjc.org.uk Mikvah To book an appointment at the Cambridge Mikvah, please call Mrs. Rochel Leigh on 07825 126724 at least 48 hours in advance. For more information about the Mikvah please call Rochel or email at rochel@cuchabad.org.

Hospital Visiting Contact Sarah Schechter, Tirzah Bleehen or Barry Landy if you need to organise visits, or would like to volunteer to help.

Rabbi Reuven Leigh (354603) and Barry Landy can attend hospitals to read prayers.

Due to concerns for personal privacy the hospital no longer informs us when Jewish patients are admitted, so if you or someone you know would like to be visited, please contact us.

Chevra Kadisha Contact Barry Landy, Brendel Lang or Trevor Marcuson in the first instance.

Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings, Brit Milah and other religious services Contact Rabbi Reuven Leigh or Barry Landy to organise.

Children’s activities For information about Cambridge Hebrew School, the After School Club, or Ganeinu Child Care Service, contact Rochel Leigh at rochel@cuchabad.org CTJC email list CTJC has an email list. To join and receive regular updates about services, events, Shabbat times etc, please email Barry Landy at bl10@cam.ac.uk or Jonathan Allin at jonathan@jonathanallin.com CTJC Officers Rabbi Reuven Leigh Committee 2012/2013 Chairman Rosalind Landy Treasurer Jonathan Allin Secretary Barry Landy Synagogue officer Barry Landy Education officer Welfare officer Bulletin/website officer Helen Goldrein Board of Deputies Jonathan Goldman Anyone wishing to volunteer for the vacant posts of Education and Welfare officers, or just wanting to find out more about the roles, should contact Ros Landy by emailing chair@ctjc.org.uk

2

In this Issue…

2 – Communal information 3 – Community news 4 – Welcome to the CTJC Rosh Hashana bulletin 6 – From the Chairman…

7 – Jews and Zionists – by Rabbi Reuven Leigh 8 – Fish head pie, a play cue with G-d? – by Rochel Leigh 9 – Stefan Reif receives honorary degree from Haifa University – by Ros Landy 10 – Yizkor – by Julian Landy 11 – 3 Thompson’s Lane – the site history of the Cambridge Synagogue – by Mark Harris 15 – High Holy Day appeal from CTJC 16 – Minutes of the CTJC AGM 18 – The Board of Deputies President’s Rosh Hashanah message 19 – CST and our Jewish life 20 – Recycled pop bottle apples 21 – Moroccan carrot salad – by Helen Goldrein 23 – High Holy Day calendar

Community news Mazeltov to…

Stefan Reif, on receiving an honorary degree from Haifa University Jo Cummin, on achieving her PhD Jo Cummin and Julian Landy, who will be married in October Refuah shelema to…

Priscilla Gee Jonathan Goldman

To order a set of Arba Minim please contact Rabbi Leigh by email rl324@cam.ac.uk or phone 07830160994 before 5 October.

3

Welcome to the CTJC Rosh Hashana Bulletin Bulletin Number 111.

Summer began with Shavuot, and a delicious cheesecake Kiddush in shul. We have enjoyed a sunny July, and a slightly wetter August, and as usual the shul has seen plenty of guests over the summer months. It is a delight to be part of such a vibrant and welcoming community, whose doors are always open to travellers and longer-term visitors alike.

Now Autumn is upon us already and we are preparing once more for the High Holy Days.

As we reflect on the year just gone, and look forward to the year ahead, I hope this issue of the bulletin will offer something to entertain, inspire, and provoke reflection. We have a range of articles, a recipe, children’s craft project, plus information from a number of Jewish organisations. You can also read the minutes of the CTJC AGM, which took place during the summer.

We are always looking for new bulletin contributors, and would be delighted to hear from you with your articles or ideas. For instance, if you’ve read a book of Jewish interest why not write up a review for the Chanukah issue? To submit material, please email bulletin@ctjc.org.uk The bulletin, like all aspects of CTJC, is produced entirely by volunteers. If you would like to get involved, please contact our Chairman Ros by emailing chair@ctjc.org.uk You can read the bulletin online in full colour at http://issuu.com/ctjc/docs/roshhashana2014 Wishing you and yours a Shana Tova and chag sameach, from all at the Bulletin.

Small print…

Views expressed in the bulletin are the views of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the editors or of the committee of the CTJC.

The Cambridge Lehrhaus will be entering its second year with a diverse and dynamic schedule of classes and lectures. In addition to our core courses in Hebrew, Tanach and Talmud, there will be lectures on Maimonides and Edmond Jabes, Zionist art and the effect of denominations, and much more.

The Lehrhaus for Kids will continue to stretch the minds of Cambridge youth, ensuring they are fluent in Hebrew reading and comprehension, proficient in Tanach and confident with Rashi.

"The learning of Torah is equal to everything" - Mishna For more information please visit www.thelehrhaus.org or call 07830160994.

4

”

The Cambridge Lehrhaus Centre for Jewish Thought

A RADICAL NEW INSTITUTION FOR JEWISH LEARNING

COMING SOON ACHIEVE A PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING OF JUDAISM

@thelehrhaus

ENGAGE WITH THE ANCIENT TEXTS OF TANAKH, MISHNA & TALMUD

The Cambridge Lehrhaus

DISCOVER THEIR RELEVANCE, MEANING AND CONTEXT

admin@thelehrhaus.org

www.thelehrhaus.org

5

From the Chairman…

It has been a harrowing summer with Israel goaded into retaliating against Gaza for the thousands of rockets the Hamasniks have launched against Israel every month for some years. Newer rockets with longer range and greater power were being used.

International media have shown only pictures that Hamas allowed them to reveal, namely women and children wounded and dead. Hamas employed great guile and focus in their activities. No Hamasnik was ever seen wielding a rocket. Hamas terrorists dressed normally so that if they were killed they were described as ‘innocent civilians’. Nobody was allowed to leave the school or hospital buildings at the battle front and those who protested were killed. It was only in the later stages that Indian TV had a YouTube report by a brave reporter showing Hamas actually erecting a rocket launcher in a heavily populated area. This is what Israel had been saying all along but had not been believed. Hamas cynically was using its own people as cannon fodder and then claiming that Israel was the aggressor. Unfortunately, at least at the beginning, journalism weakly followed the line put out by Hamas. Now that the journalists are out of Gaza one hopes that they will set the record straight.

The net result of the skewed portrayal of the fighting has been an enormous rise in anti-Semitism around the world. Cambridge is a microcosm of this.

The committee of the CTJC received a couple of hate letters and the information that one proPalestinian group was going to mount a silent demonstration outside the Shul on a Friday night early in August.

We forwarded the letters to the police who negotiated with the group/s concerned and persuaded them to restrict their protest to the weekly march of the Stop the War Coalition. This happens regularly at the Guildhall in the Market Square.

The police were concerned to have a quiet Shul and no disturbances. Their quick and effective action was much appreciated.

Normally I would wish to write a neutral Chairman’s message but this year is different. The background is one of war, anti-Semitism and propaganda. The nuances are so very like Nazi Germany, which is frightening.

May the propaganda disintegrate and be seen for what it is; a tissue of lies with no truth whatsoever. May the western world reclaim its peaceful way of life and may the extremist Muslims melt into history as an aberrant group.

Wishing you and Israel a peaceful, successful, healthy and happy New Year.

Shanah Tovah, Rosalind Landy

6

Jews and Zionists

By Rabbi Reuven Leigh I am on the verge of accepting defeat. Having spent a large amount of my time over the past few years articulating a vision of Judaism that is distinct from Zionism, it may now be time to throw in the towel and accept the inevitable. A diaspora Jew in 2014, whatever their ideological bent, will always struggle to ignore the elephant in the room, and must in some way confront the Jewish/Zionist dilemma.

The current crisis in Israel has unleashed a wave of anti-semitism that is keenly felt even in Cambridge, and it forces us to consider issues that we had hoped were things of the past. What is the future for European Jewry when in a not insignificant part of public discourse there is tolerance for violence and intimidation of Jews? The selective indignation of many in Europe against the actions of the Israeli government and military has inexplicably equated the actions of a secular state with the members of a religious community. I can argue until I am blue in the face against the fallacy of such reasoning, however we now do not seem to have the luxury of reasoned debate.

Above: The Israeli flag at the Kotel, Jerusalem by SuperJew. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kotel_Israeli_Flag.jpg

It appears to me that the fallout from this development is twofold: For the Jew who is virulently opposed to Zionism and views the conflict in Gaza as the aggression of an occupying force against an indigenous population, there is unfortunately very little space for them in the organised Jewish community. Outside of Hareidi communities, British shuls say prayers for the State of Israel and the IDF that would be deemed offensive, not to mention the abundance of Israeli goods at the kiddush undermining the boycott.

And for the British Jew who is a Zionist it is becoming increasingly more difficult to be nuanced and critical of Israeli government policy in the context of such a strong anti-Israel climate. As so often happens, it is deemed inappropriate to level criticism in times of crisis, and the organised Jewish community becomes more and more identified with Israeli actions and becomes a target for anti-Israel activism. There is a serious worry that Zionism as a political ideology will be seen as beyond the pale among civilised people.

As for me personally, I am a theological opponent of Zionism with great concern for the welfare of people living in the Land of Israel. I have a deep distrust of Israeli politicians and a deep respect for the Israeli army, I have deep disgust for Hamas and a deep concern for those who live in Gaza. However, most of all, I have a deep belief that G-d’s eyes are upon the land (Devarim 11:12), and in spite of those who seek to destroy, the Guardian of Israel will not slumber (Tehillim 121:4).

Unfortunately, the same Biblical confidence can’t be said about Britain. It is incumbent on us to ensure that the non-Zionist Jew is welcome within the Jewish community and the Zionist Jew is not discriminated against for their political views. Figuring our how to achieve that is something we all need to engage with over the coming year, since the luxury of ignoring the problem is no longer an option.

7

Fish head pie, a play cue with G-d?

By Rochel Leigh The custom of serving a fish head on Rosh Hashanah has always troubled me. Last year my troubles were exacerbated when my dear husband made a delicious fish pie with the fish head peeking out of one side of the pie and its tail out the other. This vivid sight really got me thinking about symbolism.

Symbolism seems particularly strong on Rosh Hashanah as we prepare a fish or ram’s head, bake sweet round challot, make tzimmes, dip apples in honey, serve pomegranates and perform the Tashlich service. In fact, there are too many symbol customs to even list, with the ‘Rosh Hashanah Seder’ that Tunisian Jews prepare being almost as prominent as their Pesach Seder. So why do we use symbolism so much on Rosh Hashanah?

An insight came to me recently whilst on a training course on children’s play, which is the sort of training you find yourself doing when running a childcare service. I was struck with the range of Above: A Stargazy pie.

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. play cues that children use in order to http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baked_stargazy_pie.jpg draw potential playmates into play. An easy to recognise play cue would be a child throwing a ball towards someone whilst shouting ‘Catch!’ However, play cues can also be quite subtle such as a baby catching someone’s eye and smiling at them in the hope of engaging them. Some play cues can even be quite difficult to recognise for what they are, such as one child hitting another child over the head and running away. This too could be a play cue, with the initiator hoping to get another child to stop what they were doing, chase after and engage with them in play.

This helped me rethink the Rosh Hashanah symbols as an effective way of planting play cues into the early stages of our year. As we embark on a new year there is a whole new world of opportunities and we need to initiate contact and connection to G-d, the Torah and the Mitzvot.

Even the person who has been preoccupied with other thoughts throughout the service of Rosh Hashanah will be arrested by the sight of fish head pie at lunch, get the play cue and engage.

Some interesting Rosh Hashanah symbols and their meanings are listed below: • Leeks, in Aramaic: karasi, which also means “to cut off.” May our enemies be cut off.

• Carrots, in Yiddish: meheren, which also means “increase.” May our merit increase.

• Beets, in Aramaic: silka, which also means “remove.” May our adversaries, be removed.

• Dates, in Aramaic: tamrai, which sounds like “consume.” May our adversaries be consumed.

• Pomegranate, because of its many seeds. May our merits be as numerous as the seeds of a pomegranate.

• Fish or Sheep Head, because of the verse in Devarim: “…Hashem shall place you as a head (strong) and not as a tail (weak)” May we be like the head and not like the tail!

8

Stefan Reif receives Honorary Degree from Haifa University

By Ros Landy Professor Stefan Reif, an illustrious son of Edinburgh and later a resident academic of Cambridge University, received a doctorate Honoris Causa at Haifa University on Tuesday May 25th, 2014.

Stefan has degrees from London University, Glasgow and Cambridge. He has followed a distinguished academic career and has spent more than three decades putting a collection of Hebrew and Arabic fragments found in the Cairo Geniza into usable, logical form.

A Geniza is a place for storing old/unwanted Hebrew documents. In the Ben Ezra Shul in Fostat (Old Cairo) any unwanted or damaged holy writings were posted through an opening in the top of a wall into an empty room. Since Egypt has an extremely dry climate these manuscripts were preserved in remarkably good condition. Even more amazing is the fact that the people of that Shul threw all discarded Hebrew writings, holy or not, into that room, resulting in a treasure trove of not only old holy books but also glimpses into Mediaeval life. This was a collection simply waiting to be discovered. In the late 19th century the vast majority of these manuscripts were rescued from Cairo by Solomon Schechter and taken to Cambridge. When Stefan Reif came to Cambridge in 1973 a number of important manuscripts had been looked at by a process of ‘cherry picking’ but almost the entire collection had not been touched and was still sitting in the boxes in which they had been transferred from Cairo some 80 years earlier.

Stefan was aided for many years by his wife Shulie, who passed away some years ago. He raised money for visiting scholars to come to the University Library in Cambridge, to examine fragments of texts and to attempt to identify these pieces of abandoned paper.

When Stefan arrived in Cambridge there was a collection of nearly 200,000 fragments in chests and no order at all. There were several things that needed to be done, of which the most urgent

9

was conservation. The pieces of paper had survived in the dry atmosphere of Cairo but the papers were often curled and damaged. It needs expertise to un-curl such material. There are in the University Library and elsewhere, experts in conservation. While this process was undertaken and went on for a long time, there was a contemporaneous, systematic cataloguing of the fragments.

Decisions were also made as to how to package the fragments in order to avoid further deterioration. Finally the catalogue and the fragments were digitized and made available to scholars all over the world. Nowadays one can find and study the fragments online.

That tells us the monumental work that Stefan and his late wife (with the help of visiting academics) did over the years.

The ceremony for the Honorary Degree was done with verve. There were speeches by the chairman of the Board of Governors, Prof. Alfred Tauber, Amos Shapira, the President of the University and the Dean, David Farragi. The speeches were interspersed with a completely professional presentation of musical interludes by David D’or and Sania Kroitor and films with the explanation of names and activities of the people receiving their honorary degrees. The whole evening was orchestrated to a high level of professionalism and was a pleasure to attend.

Stefan was in a group of eight recipients, amongst whom were Topol and Mr Frederik Willem de Klerk, South Africa. The latter gave the response of behalf of the recipients.

Yizkor

By Julian Landy We approach the high holy days with awe and foreboding. There is no option for committed Jews.

The annual audit of our individual conduct is both therapeutic and necessary. A little introspection, a moment or so of reflection, a hint of our fallabilities and frailties can be mightily enlightening and, even in our Orthodox minyan, it is progressive.

During the year we have four chances to say Yizkor, and remember those who have gone. Not just immediate family, but also our heroes, our martyrs, our great and less than good. On Yom Kippur we can reflect for a moment in a busy and deeply involving day.

At least I hope so.

Yizkor should be a service of total spiritual integration. When the entire congregation is in united thought and prayer, when all divisions are forgotten. It is a very moving experience to be part of a packed shul, all concentrating on the same thing.

All the more ghastly when that does not happen. As was the case on the second day of Shavuot, earlier this year. The students were running the service. The chazan and a majority present marched out. Leaving the few remaining metaphorically rudderless. Aside from the disgraceful crass and thoughtless collective conduct of students, I am really fed up with the exodus just before Yizkor begins. The superstition is you should avoid Yizkor if both your parents are alive. Just in case....

This is just superstition. A total bobbermeise. Please don't say it is the minhag of you or your family. It is a silly minhag that should have been left in the shtetl. Make a new one. Stay put. Join and ameliorate spiritual integration in the community. And encourage your friends and relatives here and elsewhere to do likewise. It is utter foolishness to leave at such a high point of Yom Kippur. Stay and add to the strength of our prayers for the victims of the Shoah, those lost in war and in Israel. Please don't be cowed by superstition. You really do know better. Is Friday 13th a problem? Do you touch wood? Or cross your fingers? Thought not. Â

10 Â

3 Thompson’s Lane The site history of the Cambridge Synagogue

By Mark Harris A few hours prior to the foundation stone for the Cambridge Synagogue being laid in April 1937, a celebratory luncheon was held in the then extant Lion Hotel at Petty Curry in the city centre. Dr Redcliffe N Salaman FRS, who presided at the function, noted in his speech that, “the Cambridge Hebrew Congregation was much older than the date on its foundation stone would suggest.” He went on to trace the settlement of Jews in the old university town back to “the early Norman period, with a place of worship somewhere on the site of the new Guildhall” and he mentioned that, “in 1224, the congregation moved to the neighbourhood of St John’s College” (a stone’s throw now from the shul at 3 Thompson’s Lane). Dr Salaman pointed out also that, “Cambridge Jewry will, for the first time since 1275 [the year of its expulsion from the town], enjoy the happiness of praying within a permanent synagogue instead of hired premises.”

It is not known, of course, but it is just possible that there were Jews residing close to the area of today’s synagogue during the lengthy period of the Roman occupation (Jewish merchants and traders sometimes followed the victorious legions). Durolipons (“The Fortress at the Bridge”) may have been the original Roman name for Cambridge in the early centuries of the first millennium CE. A walled and ditched (vallum and fosse) Romano-British settlement of about 26 to 28 acres stretched out over time from the flanks of what is now Castle Street, its eastern edge close to the river ford (rather than a bridge). Chabad House (“The Rohr”) sits within what were the precincts of the Roman station, close to the eastern side of what had been the garrison-fort.

Part of the encampment evolved later into the area of Chesterton (“Chester…” deriving from the Anglo-Saxon ceastre and, in its turn, from castrum, Latin for “camp”).

Above: A 1937 photograph (taken from the tower of St John’s Chapel) of much of the Parish of St Sepulchre (the roof of the then newly built Cambridge Synagogue can be seen just beyond the rear of the Church.)

Naturally, it is a matter of extreme conjecture whether there had been any Jews living in Durolipons, and, if so, whether they would have been present in the vicinity of what is now the Cambridge Synagogue. In this connection, the (pre-development) archaeological investigation report (Cambridge University, January 2008) on what became “The Varsity Hotel” (24 Thompson’s Lane) notes that shards of Roman-era pottery were discovered at the dig site, and also some evidence of contemporary cereal processing! The report refers also to a 1992 excavation at nearby 5 Thompson’s Lane which turned up some 4th century Roman pottery.

11

Indeed, the Romans had built a causeway from the riverfront (opposite Castle Hill) across marshland (around what is now Bridge Street) to about where St Sepulchre’s (the 12th century Round Church) stands. It is clear that, by the time the Romans left, an extensive area to the east of the river had been settled.

The present neighbourhood of St Clement’s Parish was settled by Danes at the end of the 9th century, and became a trading area (part of the “Danelaw”). St Clement was a saint much revered by these northern invaders, suggesting that the first church on the site was of pre-Conquest, Danish origin. The first documentary reference to St Clement’s is to be found in a Charter of 1180, witnessed by “Robert of St Clement” (probably the church’s priest). The locale had early links with St Radegund’s nunnery (founded in the 1140s), and then with Jesus College. That part of Thompson’s Lane leading from Bridge Street and fronting on the synagogue certainly existed as a well established area in the 13th century, when it was known as “Aungers Lane”. (That name derives from Magister Robert Aunger, son of Aunger le Rus, who founded the St Clement’s Chantry, dedicated to St Mary, before 1279. The Chantry’s messuage, including a meadow at its rear up to the line of what is now Portugal Place, existed a very short distance from today’s shul.)

The complex historical devolution of the synagogue’s current site dates from two deeds (archived at Corpus) of the 13th century that record a grant by John, son of Adeline, to Durrant Harfleet.

Aungers Lane was re-named “Harleston’s Lane” in the 14th century. Magister Roger de Harleston was an affluent lawyer, a burgess and a country squire. In 1356, he was appointed senior churchwarden of St Clement’s. In 1359, he purchased property in the parish. He was mayor of Cambridge five times between 1357 and 1380. In 1381 (when his house in the parish was sacked by a mob during the Peasants’ Revolt) he was a Collector of Poll Tax and, in 1383, he became an MP. He was actually one of the justices who eventually meted out punishment to the rioters.

Even before the Cambridge Synagogue was consecrated by the Chief Rabbi Dr Hertz in October 1937, the district in which the shul was constructed had been, for an extensive period and in a tangible sense, a somewhat “spiritual” sector of the city. This observation does not allude exclusively to the fact that the new house of Jewish worship was built in close proximity to the ancient St Clement’s Church and within its eponymous parish, a geographical area long bounded by the River Cam, Bridge Street, Round Church Street and the south-west edge of Jesus Green (at one time, part of the medieval “King’s Ditch” boundary of the town). Rather the reflection refers, maybe also whimsically, to the fact that, by the early 19th century, there were no fewer than 31 inns and taverns in this relatively compact locale (known as “Bridgeland” because of nearby Magdalene Bridge)!

Bridgeland, through which Thompson’s Lane had threaded its narrow cobbled course, was a bustling and lively quarter (and one of the oldest and quaintest sections of the city). This was especially notable, and not unexpectedly, beside the Cam around Quayside. We know from our sources that many of the local hostelries provided accommodation as well as food and drink. And the proximity of two major breweries in Thompson’s Lane, which made full use of the river-barge transport and cargo wharves for raw material imports, storage and distribution facilities, ensured a ready and constant supply of ale and beer. One of the brew-houses, “The Anchor Brewery”, occupied (from 1788 to 1902) the site of what is now The Varsity Hotel. Directly opposite, on the other side of “Maltings Yard” (that led to the riverside and off which, to the 1989 “Quayside” development, now runs “Ship Lane”), stood “Thompson’s Lane Brewery”. Converted into an ironworks in the early 1860s, it was once owned by a Roger Thompson whose name was adopted, in the 17th century, for “Thompson’s Lane” in place of Harleston’s Lane.

Roger Thompson (1571-1645) is said to have lived his early life in St Clement’s Parish. In his forties he bought a significant tenement in Harleston’s Lane, which Christopher Hodson had sold to Francis Clarke, a brewer, in the late 1590s. The premises included a brewery. In the 1660s, the older buildings on the site were pulled down by Thompson’s namesake son who replaced them with a new residence on the Lane and a new brew-house at the riverside. Apparently, his father

12

(said to have been “a bit of a fiery character”) was “ex-communicated” by the Chancellor of Magdalene College for using a non-university court of law. Nevertheless, he seems to have appealed to some people … a couple of years later, he became mayor of Cambridge! It might be mentioned here that most of the property bounded by the Cam, Bridge Street and the west side of Thompson’s Lane fell into the ownership of Magdalene College. In the 16th century, St John’s College acquired land straddling the upper reaches of the Lane to the former “King’s Ditch”.

Our idiosyncratic allusions to the other “spiritual” aspect of St Clement’s parish nevertheless come to a focused relevance virtually on the doorstep of 3 Thompson’s Lane. On a significant segment of what is now the plant-dappled forecourt of the synagogue, cornering on the still visibly cobbled carriageway-crossing at the other side of which rises “The Old Vicarage” (dating from the 16th century and recently refurbished), there stood (from around 1661 until about 1888) the “Nine Pins” inn with its yard to the rear. This public house, which could sleep a few paying guests, is marked clearly on the 1:500 OS map of 1886. An alleyway running along its exposed side, from the carriageway-crossing to an open area in front of cottages backing on Portugal Place, was known as “Nine Pins Court”. Economically, the general area of Bridgeland had by the late 1800s declined in importance. The arrival of the railway to Cambridge in 1845 put paid generally to the profitable commercial activities around Quayside and its environs.

Employment for those people living in the parish was reduced, and jobs for those taking up work for the colleges were quite low paid. Some of its cottages and tenements, specially within the vicinity now occupied by the synagogue, became very run down, even dilapidated, and their tenants were quite poverty stricken. By 1869, unsurprisingly, some 80 percent of the area’s taverns had closed down. The Nine Pins, doubtless named after the traditional pub version of “Skittles”, was a notable exception. It is material to note that, from 1752 and for many subsequent years, the inn’s publican was Robert Ellis (his father-in-law had been the licensee from 1742 to 1745).

The attractive old building that became known (by 1891) as “The Old Vicarage” had been called previously “Church House Mission Room and School” (in 1881, it had replaced the separately occupied 1 and 2 Thompson’s Lane). Beyond it (along the alleyway from Thompson’s lane) stood six cottages. By 1928, numbers 1 to 4 (built about 1630) were decrepit and untenanted. 5 and 6 had been erected in the 1660s. The alleyway that had divided “The Old Vicarage”, its predecessors and those half-dozen cottages from the Nine Pins pub and later “(William) Nightall’s Boot Repairer” (each successively occupying No. 3 TL) and some cottages behind them provided a dead-end access to “Ellis’s Court”. The alleyway and the court formed an L-shape (Hocfnager’s 1572 map of Cambridge just reveals that format as does, but more lucidly, David Loggan’s fascinatingly detailed 1688 map of the city). By 1886, the ageing terraced cottages surrounding Ellis’s Court were known to be home to some 40 adults and 20 children. These houses were numbered 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17.

Above: An early 20th century photograph of boot repair premises at 3 Thompson’s Lane

13

A 1748 lease indicates that Robert Ellis (a name referred to earlier regarding the Nine Pins inn), a cooper, owned freehold tenements abutting the aforesaid Chantry messuage, later occupied in part by 4, 5, 6 and 7 Thompson’s Lane. In 1719, he had been christened in St Clement’s. He was buried in its churchyard in 1782. He, his father and son (Robert II, I and III) may, at various times have resided at 6A Thompson’s Lane (which was situated immediately behind No. 6). No. 6A possessed a door (bricked up by 1886), at the rear of the house, that opened onto a courtyard.

This compact open space became known subsequently as “Ellis’s Court”, doubtless because of its regular use by the Ellis family (and even though it was not owned by them). But a contributory reason could have been that Robert Ellis III was well-known as the parish clerk of St Clement’s.

In 1885, Edmund Wood was appointed the vicar of St Clement’s and, in 1887, Church House became known (until 1891) as “Edmund House”. Meanwhile, his brother James, a successful barrister, had purchased 5 to 13 Ellis’s Court in 1886. This began his series of related acquisitions.

A decade later, James acquired 14 to 17 Ellis’s Court and (in the same transaction) 4 and 5 Thompson’s Lane. In 1905, he acquired the four ramshackle cottages adjoining The Old Vicarage.

Four years afterwards, he bought the former premises of the Nine Pins (3 Thompson’s Lane), completing his block of properties.

As noted in “An Intimate History of the Parish of St Clement in Cambridge 1250-1950” by T E Faber (edited and prepared for publication by medieval historian Laura Napran and published privately in Cambridge, 2006), and to which I am indebted for part of my researches, James Wood had bought the properties “for antiquarian and philanthropic reasons – to preserve a curious old corner of the town and to ameliorate the slum-like conditions there.” Dr Tom Faber (1927-2004), a retired university lecturer in Physics, had owned and resided in The Old Vicarage. He passed away shortly after his completion of the manuscript, which had taken 10 years of painstaking research. It was intriguing to discover that the copy of his 956-page volume that I had borrowed from Cambridge University Library had been presented by “Cambridge University Jewish Society”.

It would appear that no comprehensive physical alterations were made to the premises in James’ block of properties, though 11 Ellis’s Court was converted into a communal wash-house for the benefit of local residents, whilst 14 and 15 were conjoined to create a single cottage. In 1928, when all the Thompson’s Lane and Ellis’s Court premises in the ownership of James Wood were sold by his executors, it was only the rundown four cottages adjoining The Old Vicarage that were untenanted. All the properties, auctioned in two lots, were purchased by Mrs Maude Gray. She sold a small parcel of the land adjoining The Old Vicarage to Henry Kittridge, a confectioner who had bought the house in 1931, enabling him to Above: A 1936 drawing of Ellis’s Court. increase his yard and add an extension.

(Apparently, members of the Kittridge family had run the Nine Pins for much of the 19th century.) Mrs Gray sold the remainder of her 1928 acquisition to trustees acting on behalf of the Cambridge Jewish Community, whose aim was to build a shul. When completed, in 1937, it became the new “3 Thompson’s Lane”. Around that time, the properties on what remained of the Chantry messuage were sold, and today are replaced by a modern building occupied by CATS College Cambridge. Formerly, it housed the Cambridge Spiritualist Church.

The three illustrations, of two photographs and one drawing, accompanying this article are reproduced by kind permission of the Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central Library.

14

High Holy Day appeal from CTJC It's hard to believe that in just a few weeks we'll once again observe the High Holy Days, a season of both reflection and hope.

Just as we have concerns and hopes for our families and friends, so too we must reflect on our community.

We can all be very proud of what we accomplished this past year, with a number of special events, such as the Simchat Torah dinner, the Country House Shabbaton and the Purim Night in the Museum.

The children in our community are receiving tremendous opportunities with the expanding Ganeinu Childcare Project and the advanced curriculum at The Lehrhaus for Kids.

We always ensure there are services throughout the year and seek to make everyone feel welcome, and behind the scenes, many acts of loving-kindness are performed through hospital and prison visits.

We have ambitious plans for the upcoming year. There will be special events for all the festivals, a Shabbaton, new educational opportunities for kids and adults and a renewed focus on welcoming new members to our services and events.

Today I am writing to ask for your help in the short term. Membership dues alone are not enough to support our community. They don't cover our operating expenses, much less the myriad of programmes and services we provide.

Most of what I described above couldn't happen without gifts of time and money from congregants. Your participation in the High Holiday Appeal is crucial to maintaining and growing our community.

As we come together during the holiest time of the year, I urge you to make a contribution to CTJC's High Holy Day Appeal. Remember, the more generous you are now, the less often we will have to ask throughout the year.

Thank you in advance for your support. Please accept my personal best wishes for a year of good health, both physically and spiritually.

L'shanah Tova, Rabbi Reuven Leigh CTJC is a registered Charity, number 282849. Donations may be paid with the annual fees, or by direct bank transfer to sort code 2017-19 account 20199192, in which case please send an explanatory email to Jonathan Allin at jonathan@jonathanallin.com Alternatively, cheques, payable to CTJC, may be sent to Jonathan Allin, 19 The Coppice, Impington, Cambridge CB4 4PP If you are a UK taxpayer, you can increase your donation at no extra cost to yourself by means of Gift Aid. A Gift Aid declaration is available from the Secretary should you require it.

Â

15 Â

Minutes of the AGM of the CTJC Sunday 20 July 2014 3 Thompson's lane at 1430 Present: Ros Landy, Barry Landy, Jonathan Allin, Helen Goldrein, Joe Blaukopf, Jonathan Harris, Rochel Leigh, Sarah Schechter 1)

Apologies : Mark Harris

2)

Minutes

These are accepted as correct and signed.

Matter arisingMeeting to discuss synagogue financing. BL reported on the current state.

3)

Chairman's report

Ros Landy reported on a steady year. There have been good relations with the student presidents 2 terms out of 3.

We should encourage shul attendees to join.

4)

Treasurer's report

See report attached to minutes. Membership units at 25 down 4 from last year. Subscription income correspondingly down.

A small profit on Kiddushim (due to saving on costs and better collection of money due). £750 loss on the Ickworth weekend. Overall loss of £467 on the year.

Synagogue costs are very large and we have capped the amount we pay. This year we paid £3900 of which this years contribution was £3420. We are capping the contribution for that amount.

There are various initiatives which may help with these costs, among them some attempts to reduce electricity costs. The utility supplier is being changed which will make a considerable saving.

Barry Landy presented accounts for the Trust for 2013-2014 It was noted that income on the Trustee account could be used to support projects.

There was some discussion on how to encourage people to join and whether to encourage donations as well as subscriptions. We could also try to raise money from an event such as a garden party. There should be a donation page on the website, with a paypal link.

Reuven has drafted an appeal which should go to the Rosh Hashanah Bulletin, be on the board, and be on chairs at Kol Nidrei.

5)

Approval of Auditors

It was agreed to appoint Trevor Marcuson to examine the accounts.

6)

Membership fees

Full family

£192.00 (up from £186.00)

Associate family

£128.00 (up from £124.00)

Full single

£132.00 (up from £128.00)

Associate single

£84.00 (up from £81.00)

An increase of approximately 3% was agreed

16

7)

Other reports

a)

Education

Hebrew Classes are now in the Lehrhaus with all other education events. 50 people per week have participated. Preschool education is in Chabad House.

Children's Hebrew classes offer skills based classes to children to achieve a particular target. It is important to get parents to realise how much the children are learning. About 15-20 children (ages 5-11) now participate with a group of 2-4 year olds about to join.

The Gan is very successful. In the coming year it will have 8 children. b)

Synagogue

It remains very hard to get a minyan for Friday evening services but shabbat morning minyan is still viable.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur will be organised by Reuven.

Yom Kippur is the Shabbat before term when new students return and both Reuven and Barry have spoken to the incoming presidents about how to arrange Yom Kippur and Succot and Simchat Torah. c)

Bulletin

Bulletins are very good and much appreciated.

Articles now needed for Rosh Hashanah; some have already been received. A4 sized; some for placing in shul. 100 to be printed.

8)

Elections

The meeting approved the following list.

Chairman

R Landy

Treasurer

J Allin

Secretary

B Landy

Bulletin

H Goldrein

Synagogue

B Landy

Education Welfare 9)

AOB

a)Kiddush supplies: Please avoid tooth-rotting items for kiddush; Paper plates and cups are preferable to plastic.

Joe Blaukopf suggests having glass tots for whisky.

Rochel suggests asking the students if we can install a lockable cupboard. b)Jonathan Harris volunteered to organise the bookings and purchasing for kiddushim. Barry will transfer spreadsheets etc to him.

Meeting ended 1620

Â

17 Â

President’s Rosh Hashanah message 5775 – a tale of two elections At the time of writing this piece Israel is under continuous rocket attack and there is no prospect of a cease fire. I hope and pray that by the time this is read the situation will have settled. I am writing to you with what will be my final Rosh Hashanah address, as my term as President comes to a mandatory end in May next year. Being President has given me many pleasing moments and enormous pride. I am delighted that the Board has made so much progress so that we now have a first rate team led by a first rate CEO, Gillian Merron, and soon hopefully will be housed in first rate up to date premises. Our discussions with the JLC for a unified organisation of the community continue but, whether on its own or as a part of a wider organisation, the Board has a bright future.

None of what we achieve would be possible without our dedicated Deputies, from across the UK – I thank them for their hard work: they represent their constituencies and are vital to the functioning of UK Jewry. Needless to say, the Board exists on money from individuals in the community - half of which comes from the Communal Levy: still, less than half of synagogue members pay the relatively small sum of £25 a year to support our work. I think that the message here will support the fact that we are deserving of that contribution.

We are helping to counter BDS, witnessed by our close work with the Methodist Church leadership which led to a moratorium around BDS activity; We are protecting Jewish education through our lobbying ministers, such as the right to teach Ivrit as a first language; We are promoting Judaism through our revamped Jewish Living Experience exhibitions and Tours, in which thousands of non- Jewish children learn about our faith every year; We are reaching the edges of the community through Jewish Connection, which is supporting small communities all over the UK who need pastoral, social care, networking and advocacy support from the mainstream of the community; We consulted the community and then worked with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to produce new guidelines that clearly define the right to religious practice both at work and in education institutions; Finally our APPG on British Jews has already drawn wide support from politicians and has helped us hone the community’s lobbying on core rights issues, namely: social care, restitution of property for Survivors, protecting Shechitah, the right and value to a religious education by showcasing our excellent schools, lobbying on child benefit credits and many other issues affecting the entire spectrum of the community.

You will shortly become aware of a General Election Jewish Manifesto produced by the Board, which encapsulates all the interests, concerns and aspirations of the UK’s 300,000 Jewish community.

The Board will send this manifesto, which follows on from this year’s successful European Elections Jewish Manifesto - to Jewish communities, policy makers, and election candidates - in order that the Jewish community has one clear policy document around the 2015 elections. The idea is that as individuals and local Jewish communities you take the Manifesto to candidates and use it as the centre piece of lobbying efforts - be it at hustings, in letters or in public debates.

We recognise the diversity of the community and range of interests which is why we consulted throughout the community reaching three hundred individuals and organisations. The Manifesto is divided into 14 sections including Religious Freedom and Observance, Israel and the Middle East, Education, and Health and Social Care. There are also a list of ‘Ten Commitments’ which encapsulate in a breath the key aims of the document.

The Board’s ‘Parliament’ dissolves in May 2015, and there will be elections not only for a new President, Vice Presidents and Treasurer but for nearly 300 Deputies on the Board. We have done much good work to improve our representation in the past few years, including with our Women in Jewish Leadership project to ensure female talent is allowed to flourish, the setting up of a Youth Forum, to improve contact with younger community members, and through working with Change in the Board: the result has been a marked improvement in our representation - but we must go much further.

5774 has been a significant year of achievement for the Board. Let’s hope that 5775 will be a year of peace for Israel and the Middle East and a successful one for the community.

Shana tova Vivian Wineman

18

CST and our Jewish life It is teamwork and we want everyone to be in the partnership. Please contact our local CST representative and ask what part you can play in supporting our local security teams.

CST is the Community Security Trust, a charity that provides security for Jewish communities throughout Britain. CST is also there, 24-hours a day, for those of us who are unfortunate enough to suffer, or witness, antisemitism.

We need to share responsibility, together. This means understanding why we do security and cooperating with our local teams. CST can only be as strong as the communities we serve.

We want our communities to lead their Jewish lives with safety and confidence, and invite you to join us.

CST draws upon a proud tradition of British Jewish self-defence, in which British Jews come together to play their part in defending their community. Before and after World War Two, the threats came from far right sources. Today, those threats remain, but they have been joined by more modern forces, including jihadist terrorism, such as that by Al-Qaeda and others.

PLEaSE PLay yOUR PaRT by: • reporting information to us • joining our local teams • helping to fund our work

It is CST’s job to ensure that British Jews are protected from these hatreds and extremisms, but this requires a real partnership between CST, local communities and synagogues, and the Police.

Sharing responsibility also means keeping a healthy sense of perspective. Physical and political threats do exist, but that should not stop any of us from appreciating and celebrating the overall excellence of Jewish life in Britain today.

We are extremely fortunate that this partnership is in place and our local representatives and the community have long worked closely together.

We thank you all for playing your part.

RepoRt antisemitism

& suspicious activity CST is a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats.

Please report any antisemitic or suspicious activity to the Police and CST. London

(Head Office)

020 8457 9999

Emergency 24-hour number 07659 101 668

Manchester

(Northern Regional Office)

0161 792 6666

Emergency 24-hour number 0800 980 0668

CST_UK

Community Security Trust

www.thecst.org.uk

19

Community Security Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1042391) and Scotland (SC042391).

Recycled pop bottle apples!

These lovely apples are made from empty plastic bottles, and can be used as seasonal gift boxes or decorations. They’d look great hanging from the roof of your Succah, for instance!

You will need: 2 empty plastic pop bottles per apple – you need bottles with bumpy bottoms Heavy duty scissors A stick or twig for the apple stem Strong glue (or a hot glue gun) Red or green tissue paper Green card or stiff paper to make the leaf Green or red electrical tape (optional) Instructions: Cut the bottoms off of two plastic bottles using the heavy duty scissors. You may need a sharp knife to get started. Trim the bottles to a height of approx. 6-8cm.

Make a 2cm cut from one edge on one of the halves – this will enable you to overlap the edges and slot one half into the other more easily.

Cover the cut edge of each bottle bottom in electrical tape – run the tape around one side then fold over to cover the edge. Scrunch some tissue paper and place it in one of the bottle bottoms. Invert the other bottle bottom and insert it into the first, to make the apple.

Cut a piece of stick to about 5cm, and glue it to the top of your apple Cut leaves from card or stiff paper, and glue to the apple stem.

Admire your handiwork!

20

Moroccan carrot salad

By Helen Goldrein

There are a great many symbolic foods associated with Rosh Hashana. Apples and honey of course are the most widely known, but they are followed by a plethora of vegetables, fruits and more, with varying levels of explanatory sanity.

I covered some of these more obscure traditional foods in an earlier bulletin, and I don’t plan to go into them again here. Instead, I shall be focusing on just one – carrots.

There are numerous reasons why carrots have become particularly associated with Rosh Hashana. Firstly, the Hebrew word for carrot, gezer, is considered to be a play on words with gezera or ‘decree’. As we contemplate G-d’s decrees for the forthcoming year, we much on carrots – a sort of religio-culinary pun.

Secondly, carrots have a sweet taste. OK, they’re not as sweet as apples and honey, but as vegetables go they’re pretty sugary. Which is of course why we make them into carrot cake, tsimmes, and other sweet dishes.

Finally, I’ve heard it said that sliced carrots resemble gold coins – well, they’re orange discs aren’t they?! – and as such are eaten in the hope of a prosperous new year. It’s got to be worth a try, right?

There are no doubt many more explanations as to why these nutritious roots have become associated with the festival. Whatever your reason, it’s good to elevate and enjoy this usually humble vegetable in celebration of the new year.

Below is my recipe for Moroccan Carrot Salad – the ubiquitous spicy carrot side-dish that appears alongside hummous and matboucha on many an Israeli table. It is easy and quick to prepare and as it’s served cold, it can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge, making it a perfect part of your yomtov lunch.

You can find this salad, plus more carrot recipes like maple-roasted carrots and parsnips, and carrot and tomato soup with ginger and orange, on my blog at http://family-friendsfood.com 450-500g carrots 4 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp cumin 0.5 tsp ground ginger 0.5 tsp ground black pepper pinch cayenne pinch salt 1-2 tbsp chopped parsley Peel the carrots and cut into slices 6-7mm thick. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer for around 5 minutes until just tender.

Meanwhile, whisk all the remaining ingredients in a bowl large enough to take the cooked carrots.

When the carrots are cooked, drain well, and add them to the dressing. Toss to coat, and leave to cool, mixing occasionally.

Serve cold.

21

22

High Holyday Calendar EREV ROSH HASHANAH Wednesday 24 September Festival commences Evening Services ROSH HASHANAH 1st Day Thursday 25 September Morning Service Afternoon and Evening Services Candles for 2nd day are lit

6.39 pm 6.45 pm

9.30 am 7.00 pm 7.33 pm

ROSH HASHANAH 2nd Day Friday 26 September Morning Service Afternoon and Evening Services Shabbat commences

9.30 am no service 6:32 pm

SHABBAT SHUVAH Saturday 27 September Morning Service Shabbat ends

9.30 am 7.32 pm

EREV SUCCOT Wednesday 8 October Festival Commences Afternoon and Evening Services

6.06 pm 6.00 pm

SUCCOT 1st Day Thursday 9 October Morning Service Afternoon and Evening Services Candles for 2nd day are lit

9.30 am 6.00 pm 7.01 pm

SUCCOT 2nd Day Friday 10 October Morning Service Afternoon and Evening Services Shabbat Commences

9.30 am 6.00 pm 6.02 pm

HOSHANAH RABBAH Wednesday 15 October Morning Service Festival Commences Afternoon and Evening Services

7.00 am 5.51 pm 6.00 pm

SHEMINI ATZERET Thursday 16 October Morning Service (& Yizkor) Afternoon Services Evening Service Candles for 2nd day are lit

9.30 am 6.00 pm 6.30 pm 6.46 pm

SIMCHAT TORAH Friday 17 October Morning Service Afternoon and Evening Service Shabbat Commences

9.30 am 6.00 pm 5.46 pm

23

EREV YOM KIPPUR Friday 3 October Afternoon Service

1.30 pm

YOM KIPPUR Shabbat and Fast commence Kol Nidrei

6.18 pm 6.40 pm

YOM KIPPUR Saturday 4 October Morning Service Reading of the Law Yizkor (approx) Afternoon Service Neilah Fast terminates

9.30 am 11.30 am 12.00 pm 4.40 pm 6.00 pm 7.15 pm

Shabbat Bereshit Saturday 18 October Morning Service Shabbat ends

9.30 am 6.45 pm