Shofar April 2016 by Finchley Progressive

April 2016

Shofar

‫שופר‬

the magazine of finchley progressive synagogue

Purim at FPS

From the Editor pat lehner We were just about to get on the tube when we heard the news about the terror attacks in Brussels. I hadn’t read or heard any news that morning, and so the eerie text message on my phone seemed just absurd: “Terror attacks in Brussels. Have you heard from Dad?” Frantic text messages and phone calls – is everyone all right? The Belgian side of my family travel a lot. Was anybody at Zaventem airport at the time? Could my father have been near Maelbeek Metro station that morning? My sisters live in Rome and South Africa, but what about my brother? It didn’t take long to make contact and establish that, yes, thankfully, everyone was well and accounted for. Belatedly, came the thought of all the phone calls and texts that would stay forever unanswered, and the sense of guilt at my own initial, selfish sense of relief. And then, the wall of inevitable news headlines: The suspects have ”Faces of Evil”, all of Europe is in the “Grip of Terror”, and the media promises “Scenes of Horror”. I believe most of us are tired of the same old media feeding frenzy that follows in the wake of each of these pointless crimes. Instead, we look for answers and solutions, we try to reach out to those who need us, and we remember to be compassionate and gentle with each other. This feels even more important in springtime and in the run-up to Passover. We remember that the path to freedom and peace for our ancestors was one they had to walk together, supporting - and trusting - one another.

Shofar is always interested in including photos of FPS members, either at synagogue events, with their families or on their travels near and far. Please remember to send them to us: pat@ericlehner.com

Cover: Purim at FPS; Photo by David Pelham

Copy deadline is the 10th of each month. Please email all content to shofar@fps.org

From the Rabbi rabbi rebecca qassim birk

How to approach Pesach this year? Personal stories and memories of course but what about the real echoes of slavery and persecution in our world currently. What of the possibility of different echoes round our seder table? The fears are valid. [the people] were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. And our governments want to deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” Not words about current refugees and asylum seekers, although they might well be, we’ve heard such rhetoric. These words are from the Book of Exodus about Israelites in Egypt. New Israel Fund share that Israel is host to around 45,000 African asylum seekers who, like our ancestors of the Pesach story, made the journey through Egypt to the Promised Land in search of safety and hope. Fleeing war, persecution and brutal dictatorship in Eritrea or Sudan, many survived torture camps in the

Sinai desert en route to Israel. Israel accords these asylum seekers “temporary protection” from deportation, but to date hardly any asylum claims have been approved, leaving an entire community in a state of limbo. They live without formalised legal or civil rights, facing constant threat of detention, prison, and deportation. Israel understandably feels afraid and beleaguered. The testimonies of African asylum seekers in Israel have important parallels with our own Pesach story of persecution and freedom.

havdalah at fps returns

correction

A new series of Intimate Encounters: Touching Music for Real. An opportunity monthly to start the week with renewed spiritual energy. Followed by a light bring and share supper.

Correction from Rabbi Rebecca regarding her Prayer Group article on page 5 of March Shofar: Rabbi John Rayner z’l of course edited Siddur Lev Chadash and Rabbis Charles Middleburgh and Andrew Goldstein edited Machzor Ruach Chadashah.

Our next date will be 30 April with a concert at 5.30pm followed by Havdalah and a light supper. Further concerts on 28 May & 25 June.

From the Chair alex kinchin-smith

I hope you will all have seen and read the letter sent out last month informing all members of the generous legacy left to the Synagogue by Maurice Needleman. I asked for members to get in touch with their suggestions about appropriate ways to use the money Maurice left to us. I am pleased to say I received quite a number of responses with a wide range of suggestions. Ideas included: increased support services for elderly and sick members; measures to lower energy consumption; inclusion activities and for disabled people; work to establish a nursery; naming a room or event after Maurice; development of areas of the garden including a dedication and an annual competition for an essay on the subject ‘Israel – a light to the nations’. It was also very clear from the responses that people want us to find an appropriate way to honour Maurice and his legacy. We are still considering the right way forward so please do continue to express views to me by email: chair@fps.org I also wanted to inform people about plans to recruit a new member of staff for FPS. Council have been considering for some time how we can take forward the development of the community. It is clear that we have some dedicated volunteers but we lack some support and structure for others to get involved and take on more responsibility. As we have been prudent with funds over the past couple of years, we are planning to fund the role of Community Development Manager, initially 4

for a period of a year. Working closely with our Rabbi they will engage members and provide support to enable us to take greater responsibility for aspects of the synagogue. The plan is for the postholder to focus on specific projects which we expect to include children’s education, welfare, fundraising, synagogue building and membership. Once we have appointed to the role we will of course introduce him/her further and we expect the postholder to be around a fair amount to meet and get to know people including over Shabbat. As Pesach arrives later this month, I wish you all well for the holidays and hope to see you at our communal Seder on Saturday 23 April.

IT IS A TREE OF LIFE(PROVERBS 3:18) ….JUDAISM A S CONTINUITY. GRANDPARENT & GENERATION SHABBAT AT FPS FPS SATURDAY 7 MAY 2016 9.45AM -‐12.30PM

STORYTELLING, STUDY AND SERVICE

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents. (Proverbs 17:6) FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: PAULINE@FPS.ORG

London Citizens & Mayoral Event London Citizens are focusing on housing this year. The lack of it and the, sometimes, deplorable state of it for people who aren’t able to request better. Whilst our work outside our synagogue has seen us focusing on Barnet’s acceptance of Refugees, the borough of Barnet Citizens have been investigating shocking stories of housing here in our neighbourhoods. Being part of London Citizens means we get to contribute and participate in the work they initiate to make London a better place and to enable relationships between organisations and its people. The climax to the listening and exploration will be a public meeting with the two London Mayoral candidates Sadiq Khan and Zac Goldsmith on Thursday evening 28 April in the

Copper Box. It will be 7th night Pesach and there will be a service there too. At the time of writing, I now have only 15 tickets left. If you haven’t already booked, please do so by sending an email entitled Mayoral Assembly to Pauline in the office pauline@fps.org briefing meeting @ fps

For all those with tickets for the mayoral election assembly (Thursday 28 April at 6pm – tickets still available – see above) we will have a briefing and information session with London citizens and our local partners in Barnet on Tuesday 12 April at 6pm .

fps antwerp trip

Join Rabbi Rebecca and members of FPS community for a short trip to the Belgian city of Antwerp: medieval architecture, Diamond District, Jewish community, Rubens Museum, good food... date: 17 – 18 May 2016 transport: Eurostar from London St. Pancras (self-booking) departure: Tues. 08:04, change in Brussels, arrival in Antwerp

12:21. return: from Antwerp Wednesday 18:09, change in Brussels,

arrival St. Pancras 21:03. You may choose to arrange your return earlier or later (check Eurostar website for other connections)

accommodation: 4* Mercure Antwerpen Centrum Opera hotel note: it is cheaper to book individually than via agents. This hotel has a special deal on our date for £69 per room, but note that prices change constantly, so we need to book early! please note: You are welcome to join us for one day only.

Please contact the office for more information.

Letter from Mogilev wika dorosz

Members of our twinned community in Belarus are busy spring cleaning! Chairperson Mila Izakson writes: “The process of office redecoration is in full swing. I was lucky enough to find a helping hand at a reasonable price. I’m getting rid of the useless stuff and cleaning the premises. I hope we will be able to have a Shabbat Service and Sunday Club this week already. As for the educational activities – I’m teaching at the kindergarten getting ready for the Purim Celebration. The kids like the history classes and art and craft classes where they make things for the festival. We have renewed the wall decorations and put up five big wall panels with the views of Jerusalem. The panels were painted by the

community artist. We also plan to paint and put up a big poster with the Hebrew alphabet. Best wishes to the whole FPS community!”

living alone

If you find it hard to get out... or would prefer to save your energy for outings that give more pleasure... have you thought about home delivery? Chemists Most districts have a pharmacy that offers a delivery service. Some can order your complete repeat prescription, regularly, or just items on the list, which could be less wasteful. Your request could be phoned through. Some require the patient to call for the order, but some have a delivery service. Your GP receptionist may be able to advise, or you could phone around to get yourself organised.

Online deliveries During the coming month, I intend to review the available online food delivery services, and would welcome comments from members of the community who use them.. I should also like to collect names of volunteers who could kindly offer to advise inexperienced community members, for one or two sessions, on how to place these orders. I look forward to hearing that you have found time to ‘smell the roses’. Rochelle Simmons 020 8959 1065 / rosimmons@btinternet.com

Beit Tefillah services at fps

services - april Friday 1 April

Kabbalat Shabbat service

Saturday 2 April

Shabbat b’Yachad

Friday 8 April

Kabbalat Shabbat; shared Shabbat dinner with the Delving into Judaism Class - book your place with Pauline in FPS office

Saturday 9 April

Shabbat service

Friday 15 April

Shabbat Resouled 9th anniversary

Saturday 16 April

10.15 Musical Shabbatots for 0-4’s Shabbat service including Bar Mitzvah of Josh Edgar

Friday 22 April

Erev Pesach, no FPS service

Saturday 23 April

1st day Pesach Family Service 6.00pm Communal Seder led by Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk

Thursday 28 April

7th evening Pesach service at Copper Box before London Mayoral Assembly meeting

Friday 29 April

7th day Pesach morning service and brunch Kabbalat Shabbat service with Pesach havdalah and challah

Saturday 30 April

Shabbat service

breakfast shiur

Saturday 9 April 8.45 am ‘Freedom’ - Presented by Paul Silver-Myer On the very first page of our Liberal Haggadah, we read Rabbi John Rayner’s lovely creative opening prayer: Freedom from bondage, and freedom from oppression Freedom from hunger, and freedom from want Freedom from hatred, and freedom from fear 8

Freedom to think, and freedom to speak Freedom to learn, and freedom to love Freedom to hope, and freedom to rejoice Soon, in our days. Amen. If freedom is defined as a lack of constraint and these words inspire us to find the power to turn thoughts into actions then how do we find and settle on an agreeable balance within the freedom/ power tension?

Beit Knesset people congratulations & mazal tov

we warmly welcome new members

Hannah Luder & Michael Rosefield who were married on 27 March Josh Edgar who celebrates his Bar Mitzvah on 16 April

Liz & Yonni Avital with Ariel & Matan Michael Collett Miriam Cyna & Matthew Mead Alexandra Kingston Dina Rickman & Laurence Durnan Alexandra Willner

liberal judaism BIENNIAL CONFERENCE 2016

THINKING

BOOK

THE

ST. JOHNS HOTEL, SOLIHULL July 1-3 2015

http://tinyurl.com/bien2016 0207 631 9830

h"p://&nyurl.com/bien2016 0207 631 9830 declutter

Homes and offices have a deep effect on our wellness. But they are not so easy to maintain. This is when the idea of a declutterer was first presented to me. I was not keen. The idea of exposing your ‘mess’ to a stranger is not hugely attractive. I was wrong. I cannot praise it highly enough now I have met a declutterer who came to the synagogue office and encouraged me to be brave.

Tulips De-cluttering Services is the company of our member Juliette Harding. Her kindness, good-natured enthusiasm and lack of judgement made ‘sorting’ with her a joy. Juliette donated three hours to our recent Auction which was snapped up. It is a good, very good, thing to do. www.tulipsdeclutter.co.uk 07542 164704 Rabbi Rebecca

Beit Midrash learning at fps glittering fragments, part ii

A Century of European Jewish History 1845-1945 7 April Frank Vighan Simeon Solomon (1840-1905) – restoring the reputation of a great Pre-Raphaelite artist 14 April Vivi Lachs (returning by popular demand) Anglo-Yiddish popular culture, with the East End Yiddish songs of fiddler Solomon Levy Thursdays, 7.30-9.30 pm, with a break for refreshments £5 donation on the door, or £25 for the series in advance contact administrator@fps.org

LINE #5 – KNYAZHEVO Memories transformed from World War II Bulgaria

In an evening commemorating Yom HaShoah , Monica Rabinowitz will be presenting her short film ‘Line #5 – Knyazhevo’ - a re-creation of stories from her grandmother’s life in Bulgaria at the time of the Holocaust.

A lecture to follow, on

The Making of Line #5, Sephardi Bulgarian Jewry & the Fate of Bulgaria’s Jews Please join us at FPS for this poignant event, with our honoured guest, the Cultural Attaché from the Bulgarian Embassy. Q+A afterwards.

Wednesday, 4 th May, 2016 at 7.30pm An exhibition of Rabinowitz’s still photos from this project will be on display from: Wednesday, 4th May – Sunday, 5th June Line #5 – Knyazhevo was supported by grants from the Jewish Arts & Culture Initiative of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, and Amherst Cultural Council, and contributions by family, friends, and students and faculty of Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts, USA.

The Science of Silence How Meditation, Mindfulness & Judaism help us to understand ourselves, seek the truth and live consciously These sessions will examine themes with readings and introspection. We will share silence together and discuss the implications.

•  •  •  •

Classes are on Thursday from 8:00pm to 9:30pm April 21 until May 12 Cost: £35 Tutors:-‐ Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk and Yoga Teacher, Richard Kravetz •  Venue:-‐ Finchley Progressive Synagogue, 54 Hutton Grove Finchley, N12 8DR. To book your place, please contact Pauline Gusack Tel: 020 8446 4063 or e-mail: Pauline@fps.org

Beit Knesset arts at fps screen on the grove

3 April @ 7.30pm ‘The Other Son’ (2012) An Israeli teenager learns that he was accidentally switched at birth with a Palestinian boy in the chaos of a hospital bombing, giving them both unique insight into the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as their headstrong families struggle with the startling revelation. Sunday 8 May @ 7.15pm - The End of an Era at The Screen on the Grove! After nearly eight years of managing the synagogue’s monthly Film Club, the team of Elaine & Martin Borish, Wika Dorosz & John Norman have decided it is time for a new team to take over. So Sunday 8 May will be their last Film Night. Traditionally the last film of the year is a musical film and this one will be a very special one: Showboat. It has special significance in the history of the American Musical as the very first one to have a proper plot as well as utterly fantastic music. There were several attempts to film Showboat, including a secondrate MGM version, but we will be showing the original version that featured several members of the stage cast, including Paul Robeson, Helen Morgan, Charles Winninger, and Irene Dunne. As with the previous musical films, Martin will make introductory comments. Because of the

historic importance of this film, there is a lot to say and he hopes the audience will indulge him, on this very last night, by arriving at 7:15. yoga

Tuesdays @ 7.30pm Contact Richard on 020 8349 9602 book club

The Book Club meetings are held in people’s homes at 8pm on the second Wednesday of each month (recently changed from 7.30pm). We choose a wide variety of books, many – but by no means all – of Jewish interest: the only condition is that the person who recommends a book has read it (and loved it!) and that it is available in paperback. For more information contact Sheila King Lassman on sheila@waitrose.com or Edgar Jacobsberg on e.jacobsberg@gmail.com cafe thursday

Thursdays @ 12.45pm, £6, for details contact Nicky Marzell via the synagogue office bridge group

Mondays @ 7.30pm £4, for details contact Gunter Lawson on 020 8346 5208 rosh chodesh

Rosh Chodesh Nisan: Wednesday 6 April 2016 Our February session on Hannah Arendt inspired us to find out more about this influential philosopher (her famous concept of the ‘Banality of Evil’ triggered off an unprecedented controversy). We will be showing Margarethe von Trotta’s film on the Eichmann controversy, called Hannah Arendt (2012). The film will be shown on the big screen in the sanctuary and on this occasion we are opening it to the whole community - men welcome!

Wolfe Shapiro aka William Shakespeare lionel lassman This is a very short extract of Lionel’s piece on William Shakespeare’s background – for more information please contact Lionel or the office.

I recently commented, in my series on the History of the Jews in England, on speculation that Shakespeare might have been Jewish. My suggestion was met with cries of derision. Not to be gainsaid I venture, on the four hundredth anniversary of the Bard’s death, to present some of my evidence. Authors argue that there is a lack of evidence about Shakespeare’s religious beliefs. Scholars find evidence both for and against Shakespeare’s Catholicism, Protestantism, or lack of belief in his plays, but the truth may be impossible to prove. My premise would be that, given his commitment to the Queen it would be unlikely that he was a Catholic. There are clues that his heritage may have been Jewish but there have been few scholars with the necessary Jewish background to unravel them. His father John was listed among those who failed to attend church. Attendance at church was a legal requirement and non attenders could be fined. Could he have been a Marrano, namely a nominal Christian who had not abandoned his Judaism? If, indeed, John was a ‘secret Jew’ then he risked excommunication. ‘Bell, book and candle’ was a Latin Christian method of excommunication by anathema. Is it just chance that has Shakespeare use the phrase 12

in his play ‘King John’ (1598): “Bell, book and candle shall not drive me back, when gold and silver beckons me to come on.” Or is this Shakespeare’s way of saying that he disdains churchgoing and that the threat of excommunication will not keep him from his profession? Little is today known of Shakespeare’s mother, other than that she was Mary Arden, daughter of a well established Catholic family. There is no suggestion that she had Jewish ancestry. Then there is the matter of Shakespeare’s death and burial. He died unexpectedly on 23 April 1616 aged 52. At that time and particularly among the gentry a funeral and burial took place no sooner than ten to fourteen days later. Only the poor were customarily buried before three days (unless they died of plague). Jewish halacha has always required immediate incarceration. Shakespeare was buried two days after his death. Shakespeare’s remains were interred, not in the churchyard, but within the parish church in Stratford in a plot previously purchased by him, at the then enormous expense of £440. Factors militating against Shakespeare being Jewish include: his baptism in church; his marriage in church; the baptism and registration of the birth of his three children; his burial in church. But then, there was no way for a Marrano to do otherwise. There was no state facility, synagogue or Jewish cemetery Continued on next page

Letter from Lima the bonneff family

It has been just over a year since we arrived in Peru so I thought I would give you my thoughts of Lima. I have not worn a coat for a whole year! In the winter there is a very low cloud base that comes off the sea and makes it humid and cooler. As a token gesture I put ankle boots on but it is a lie to say I need to. I just feel a little out of place because people are dressed in woolly hats! The summer is also very humid and because of the humidity mold is the thing

integrate as they have all known each other forever. The majority of Jewish kids go to the only Jewish school in Peru, which my kids also attend. Most families seem to keep kosher homes. Bar Mitzvahs are much more low key affairs, no ‘sit down’ affairs and I think this is because Peruvians never turn up at the prescribed hour. La hora peruana would drive most English people crazy. On a political note, Peru will hold elections this April and it has been like watching a telenovela, some would say better! Keiko Fujimori is the frontrunner, her father Alberto Fujimori was a previous President of Peru, however, he currently resides in jail on corruption charges and human rights issues. As I said, better than a telenovela! Abrazos y besos The Bonneffs

wolfe shapiro / cont.

that we constantly fight against. Sometimes I pull out a baking dish that I haven’t used in a while and it is covered in a lovely furry layer! Driving in Lima is horrible and certainly not for the faint hearted. If you treat it like Go Karting you will probably enjoy the challenge. As I have said before, the cuisine here is second to none. We have eaten in many of the best restaurants in Lima - unlike in the UK they are very affordable. Their most famous chef Gaston Acurio has put Lima on the map as a food destination. The Jewish community is not quite as small as I thought it was going to be. It is hard to

which a Marrano might use in the life cycle. Did his knowledge of Jewishness displayed in The Merchant of Venice come from his own background or his closeness to Emilia Bassano, the daughter of Baptiste Bassano, an Italian Jew? Jew or not we wish Wolfe Shapiro a long life. http://www.levraphael.com/ wasshakespeareajew.html http://www.jewishmag.com/178mag/ shakespeare_jewish/shakespeare_jewish.htm

FPS CAMP OUT 2016 IS SHAVUOT IN THE WOODS

Outdoor bush craft. Remembering agricultural seed of the festival. Festival lunch cooked outside. Judaism on the ground

Earthly Judaism Explored.

SUNDAY 12 JUNE 10.30 -‐4.30 PET SHAVUOT IN THE WOODS AM

Dramatic Torah Revelation in the Trees

FINCHLEY PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE EMAIL PAULINE@FPS.ORG FOR SECRET COORDINATES IN HERTFORDHIRE. 30 MINUTES FROM FPS.

Community Event. HAVE DOG BRING IT. OR FERRET OR OTTER OR MOUSE. Everyone stood at Sinai, even the animals! Bring food to grill, cook and eat. AND your favourite piece of Jewish story or Torah

WWW.FPS.ORG PAULINE@FPS.ORG

12/06/2016 10.30-‐4.30PM

it’s a girls thing

duke of edinburgh group

Friday 29 April ‘It’s a Girls Thing’ Friday Night Shabbat Dinner @ Rabbi Rebecca’s home after the service. All post Bnei Mitzvah Girls warmly invited with or without mothers! Book via Pauline in FPS office

Friday 6 May Kabbalat Torah Duke of Edinburgh Group and Families Shabbat Dinner @ Rabbi Rebecca’s home after the service. Book via Pauline in FPS office

kadimah information morning

Saturday 30 April, from 10am LJY Information Morning about Kadimah; suitable for parents and participants

Purim at FPS! Photos by David Pelham

Contacts fps whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who finchley progressive synagogue

Wika Dorosz, Braham Fredman, Phillip Raphael

54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR 020 8446 4063 www.finchleyprogressivesynagogue.org

President: Alan Banes

Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk - rabbi@fps.org Emeritus Rabbi: Dr Frank Hellner Ivriah Principal: Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk Musicians in residence: Franklyn Gellnick, Dean Staker Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack pauline@fps.org Premises Manager: Howard Hamerton executive & council

Life Presidents: Clive Winston and Sheila King Lassman Vice Presidents: Renzo Fantoni, Josie Kinchin, Lionel King Lassman, John Lewis, David Pelham, Paul Silver-Myer, Andrea Rappoport, Joan Shopper contacts

Board of Deputies Reps: Janet Tresman, Stanley Volk Beit Midrash (Education): Adrian Lister, Louise Gellman

Chair: Alex Kinchin-Smith - chair@fps.org

Beit Tefillah (Rites & Practices): Michael Lassman, Josie Kinchin

Treasurer: Martin Silk

CafĂŠ Thursday: Nicky Marzell

Honorary Secretary: Josie Kinchin honsec@fps.org

Shofar Editor: Pat Lehner - shofar@fps.org

Vice-Chairs: Louise Gellman, Adrian Lister

Website editor: Viktoria Dorosz

Council members: Jacquie Fawcett,

ashley page insurance brokers Commerce House 2a Litchfield Grove London N3 2TN Tel. 020 8349 5100

janet tresman mediator & collaborative family law solicitor now back in finchley! Altermans Solicitors 239 Regents Park Road, London N3 3LF Direct dial: 0203 1820121 Email: janet@altermans.co.uk