April 2018
Shofar
שופר
the magazine of finchley progressive synagogue
The Purim That Wasn’t!
Explaining Vashti & Purim V
ashti was the queen to Ahasuerus before he chucked her off her throne and appointed Esther as queen. Why did she get the order of the boot? Because he was having a party, so the story goes, and he commanded Vashti to dance for him and his mates wearing nothing but her crown. She refused so she found herself out of a job! That’s how it goes in the Megillah – the story of Esther that we read every year, and adults and kids dress up and eat Hamantaschen! Two weeks ago on Facebook, Jude Williams suggested that when dressing up for Purim, women wear a black t-shirt overprinted with VASHTI #METOO. A few people, including myself, took up Jude’s challenge and I ordered a dozen and sold them all, including three to our rabbi who is on sabbatical. I’m not sure where she celebrated Purim this year but she
josie kinchin
and two of her children posted the picture on her Facebook profile (below). Purim activities were cancelled for FPS because of the diabolical weather. So three of us (Josie Kinchin, Sarah Rosen-Webb and Andrea Narcin) wore our t-shirts for Shabbat Service.
Rabbi Rebecca, Dora & Ruben say #MeToo, too! The Beast from the East? Or Paul Silver-Myer on Friday night security?
Shofar is always interested in hearing your news and including photos of FPS members, and their families, near and far. We welcome your articles on any relevant topic. Please send these to shofar@fps.org 2
Cover: The Purim that wasn’t! Josie Kinchin, Sarah Rosen-Webb, Andrea Narcin. Photo credit: a passing wag.
Copy deadline is the 10th of each month. Please email all content to shofar@fps.org
From the Rabbi
student rabbi nathan godleman
T
o all at FPS, in the words of the old Woodie Guthrie song, ‘So long, it’s been good to know you!’ I have enjoyed my time at the synagogue very much and have learned a lot. In a way, it has been the last placement of my training, as I feel very much ‘in post’ after eighteen months as student minister at South London Liberal. The things I will take away with me amount to some of the strengths of FPS and they are most apparent on Shabbat. (Facilitated during the week, of course, thanks to its staff and officers.)
Everyone has a role & all are working towards the same end. It really is community in action. In my mind, it is a model community. I am reminded of a story of heaven and hell from Rabbi Haim of Romshishok. Hell has people sitting round a steaming bowl of soup, each holding wooden spoons so long they cannot feed themselves. Heaven has them feeding each other across the bowl. (The Chinese version has a rice dish and chopsticks, by the way!) The synagogue is a hive of activity on Saturday mornings. The caretaker is preparing the sanctuary; the Kiddush team is busy in the kitchen; security is togging up; the religion
school is receiving its first arrivals; the wardens and welcomers are discussing the service; the musicians are setting up and tuning their instruments. Everyone has a role and all are working towards the same end. It really is community in action. In my mind, it is a model community. The fact that it can all happen in the temporary absence of its exceptional rabbi is testament to what has been achieved over the years. Thank you for all the advice and support during the last few months. It has been appreciated. Thank you for helping us feel part of the community (I include my colleague, Peter, here), in the same way that other newcomers are received. As at the end of a book of Torah: Chazak, chazak v’nitchazek! Be strong, be strong and let us be strengthened!
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From the Chair The
Board is grateful to Sasha Conroy for sourcing and planting a beautiful shrub to commemorate Maurice Needleman, as well as a plaque, which will be placed close by. The garden is also starting to look better and we are grateful to David and Sam Conroy along with Toby and Edward Levy for all the work they are doing to clear overgrown trees and debris in the garden. Sasha has also kindly offered to do some planting in the garden. (See page 13 for the work in progress!) Our fences will be repaired imminently and our fire doors are being made compliant. We are anticipating that Rabbi Rebecca will have her own office either before or soon after her return in April. Additionally, the Hearing Loop is now working and will be serviced every year. Unfortunately, the boiler broke down and for a brief
cathy burnstone
period Southover was without hot water and the Executive arranged for a new boiler to be installed. We are delighted to welcome Angela Wharton back onto the staff at FPS. Angela is working every Wednesday (Pauline’s non-working day) although Pauline and Angela may arrange swaps as necessary. The Board and Executive are continuing to work on Safeguarding Procedures as well as updating HR procedures to comply with legislation. It is looking for additional members and for new ideas, so get involved. If you are interested, please speak to me or any of the Board members. Left: The shrub (Pieris japonica) commemorating Maurice Needleman
auction of promises
Fifteen refugee families from Syria are being supported by the Barnet Refugee Welcome Board (BRWB), which is made up of volunteers from a number of local faith organisations (Jewish, Quaker, Muslim, Catholic and Agnostic), working together with Barnet Council. We hold coffee mornings (Coffee Club) and parenting skills workshops hosted by Finchley Progressive Synagogue, provide English lessons to adults and extra tuition for school age children in their homes. We are helping the families to integrate, study and find work, as well as feel settled in
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their homes and local community. We need funds to continue this vital work and hope to raise money by our Auction of Promises. Intrigued? Space doesn’t allow us to print the list of Promises, so for more information, contact FPS member Peggy Sherwood Coffeeclubauctionofpromises@gmail.com
Yom HaShoah - From Things Lost On Wednesday 11 April 2018, we are joining together with Finchley Reform Synagogue to commemorate Yom HaShoah at Hutton Grove. Later in the year, we will visit FRS for a joint commemoration of 80 years since Kristallnacht on 10 November. 6.30pm 7.00pm 7.15pm 7.45pm 8.45pm
Arrival and refreshments Candle lighting, led by Rabbi Rebecca Birk Elsie Bath will speak on The International Tracing Service at the Wiener Library, plus question time Professor Shirli Gilbert will speak and answer questions about her most recent book From Things Lost: Forgotten Legacy of the Holocaust. http://www.wsupress.wayne.edu/fromthingslost/index.html Final words by Rabbi Rebecca Birk
Elise Bath is Archive Researcher of the International Tracing Service at The Wiener Library. Her role is to help individuals research the fate of their families, and she will talk about this work to us today. Elise graduated from Newcastle University with a BA in German in 2008 and since then has also completed an MA in Museum Studies, and an MLitt on establishing people’s paths of persecution. Shirli Gilbert is Professor of Modern History and Director of the Parkes Institute for Jewish/ Non-Jewish Relations at the University of
Southampton. She is a specialist in modern Jewish history with a focus on the Holocaust period. Her book Music in the Holocaust examines the role of music in the Nazi ghettos and camps and the insight it offers into victims’ responses. She will talk about her book, based on a recently-discovered trove of over 2000 letters, about a German-Jewish refugee who emigrated to South Africa in 1936. For 35 years, Rudolf Schwab corresponded with family and friends across the world, including a close childhood friend who became a Nazi.
any old buttons update
In the March Shofar we ran the story of ‘Student B’ who initiated the ‘B’s Buttons’ project. The idea is to collect 1.5 million buttons to form part of a new Holocaust Memorial in Cumbria to commemorate the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust. FPS has put out a little button box and the little Ivriah folk are counting the contributions. We’ve got until July 2018 to help realise Student B’s project and contribute to the Cumbrian Memorial.
Children Holocaust Survivors in Prague en route to Windermere, 1945 (Source: http://ldhp.org.uk). Visit www.fps.org/blog/2018/3/20/auction-of-promises 5
‘the performer’s voice: on re-creating the score in performance’
Abigail Dolan, flute A journey through time presenting some of the pinnacles of the solo flute repertoire from Bach to the 20th century.
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programme
J.S. Bach Partita in A minor Jolivet Incantation no. 5 Karg-Elert Sonata Appassionata op. 140 Paganini Two Caprices
Beit Tefillah
services at fps
services – april Thursday 5 April
no service Erev 7th Day Pesach
Friday 6 April
11.00am 7th Day Pesach morning service, led by Dean Staker and Wika Dorosz 6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Saturday 7 April 11.00am
Shabbat B’Yachad, led by Student Rabbi Peter Luyendijk
Friday 13 April 6.30pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Saturday 14 April 11.00am
Czech Scroll Service, led by Rabbi Danny Rich Speaker: Jane Drapkin (NPLS)
Friday 20 April 6.30pm
Shabbat Resouled
Saturday 21 April 11.00am
Shabbat Service celebrating Alexander Treganna Bar Mitzvah
Friday 27 April 6.30pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Saturday 28 April 11.00am
Shabbat Service celebrating Leo & Noah Pavell Bar Mitzvah
people welcome to
Emma Collins Clare Grew & Aaron Kazab mazal tov to
Sam King who was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in February Miriam & Andrew on the birth of Eloise Bessie Leah Pepper-Parsons in February Alexander Treganna who will be Bar Mitzvah on 21 April Leo & Noah Pavell who will be Bar Mitzvah on 28 April refuah shlema to Trish Banes who has been hospitalized. Get well soon Trish!
The following who have significant birthdays in April: Leon Pilpel, Harry Cohen, Joyce Lucas, Ruth Davis, Sara Dibb, Nicola Marzell, Mark Laikin and James Rabbett Angela & Gary Hyams celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary in Florida Barby & Roger Slater celebrating their 45th anniversary 50/50 club draws, march winners:
1st 2nd 3rd
Joseph Hydes Eliza King Lassman Sheila King Lassman
£25 £20 £15
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Beit Knesset
community events, all welcome!
bridge group
learn
Mondays @ 7.30pm, £4. There are even small prizes for winners! (How good is that?) For details contact Paul Silver-Myer via the synagogue office on 020 8446 4063
Thursdays, 12.00-1.00pm An hour’s learning in the small hall, followed by lunch hosted by Nicky at Café Thursday for anyone who chooses to stay (see below).
yoga
cafe thursday
Tuesdays @ 7.30pm Contact Richard Kravetz on 020 8349 9602.
Thursdays @ 1.00pm £6 for a freshly-prepared 3-course lunch. For menus, more information contact Nicky Marzell via the synagogue office 020 8446 4063
rosh chodesh
Celebration of the New Moon by women gathering for sharing, learning and spiritual exploration. Rosh Chodesh Iyyar: Tuesday 17 April @ 8.00pm (FPS Library) Hanna Altorf will present: We have all read Anne Frank’s Diaries, but who is Kitty? When the original diaries of Anne Frank were published in 1987, the editors found that Anne Frank started her diaries as letters not just to Kitty, but also to Connie and Pop and Pien. Who were they and what do they tell us about Anne Frank’s sources of inspiration? Contact Wika on vdorosz@gmail.com book club
Wednesday 11 April @ 8.00pm The Book Club welcomes you to their meetings, held in people’s homes on the second Wednesday of each month. We choose a variety of books, many—but by no means all—of Jewish interest. The only condition being that the person recommending a book must have read (and loved) it! and that it is available in paperback. Contact Sheila King Lassman sheila@waitrose.com or Edgar Jacobsberg on e.jacobsberg@gmail.com
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pilates
Thursdays @ 5.30-6.15pm led by Tali Swart. Beginners to intermediate; individually tailored instruction. Payment in blocks of six, roughly £8 per lesson. We are now in the large hall so we can accommodate more people. For more information, taliswort@btconnect.com cafe ivriah
Saturdays (Term time), 9.45-10.45am All welcome to an informal, wide-ranging and topical discussion, from the weekly Torah portion to current affairs. Over coffee and biscuits, between Ivriah drop-off and morning service.
Beit Midrash
learning at fps
beit midrash - new series
‘The modern tribes of Israel and the challenges of a shared society’. Speakers: Adam Ognall, Chief Executive of New Israel Fund UK Ltd (NIF UK), and Atira Winchester, Director of Programming at NIF UK. Thursdays @ 7.30-9.00pm.
26 April: The Ultra-Orthodox and the Secular 3 May: Arab citizens of Israel and the secular Jewish population 10 May: The new national religious Jew and the settlements
The theme for the 2018 Liberal Judaism Biennial Weekend is ‘Liberal Judaism: The Formula for Truly Progressive Judaism’ and it will seek to explore what makes our movement what it is today. Tickets for Liberal Judaism’s flagship event of 2018 are on sale now. The LJ Biennial Weekend takes place from Friday 29 June to Sunday 1 July at the St Johns Hotel in Solihull, just outside of Birmingham. Our keynote speaker will be Rabbi Danny Freelander, president of the World Union
for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ). Liberal Judaism is also offering every community a free place to send one new member. That person will get to enjoy the whole of the Biennial, as well as taking part in a special programme about engagement that will help us learn and discuss how to expand our membership. You can get full ticketing details, reserve your place and find out more about the early plans by visiting www.liberaljudaism.org/ calendar/biennial
‘confronting the carbon pharaohs’
With Pesach falling at the end of the month and therefore too late for news in the current Shofar, we thought we’d follow FPS’s radical Purim make-over and feature Rabbi Arthur Waskow’s (NY) greening of tradition: a prePassover production titled ‘Confronting the Carbon Pharaohs’ back in 2015. Photo: Eric Mcgregor, bnaibrith.org
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A Remarkable Exodus pesach: a remarkable exodus translated & digitised
As
the Children of Israel took their first steps from slavery to freedom, they were embarking on an incredible physical, spiritual and emotional journey, the impact of which would be felt throughout their lives. When we celebrate Pesach we reflect on this theme of Exodus, relating it to ourselves and to the generations of people who have experienced it in their own way. Between 1933 and 1939 tens of thousands of Jews made their own exodus from the increasingly threatening climate of Nazi-occupied Europe to the safety of Britain. Two of those refugees were Margot and Richard Springer who arrived in July 1939, just weeks before Germany invaded Poland. In February 1944, although the Blitz was over, they still had to make their way to air raid shelters. It was at this time that Margot gave birth in Highgate Tube station. Their son grew up to become Jerry Springer, TV host and politician. In all Jerry lost 27 members of his family in the Holocaust. Like many refugees, Jerry’s parents arrived in the UK with very little and needed urgent help. The Central British Fund for German Jewry (CBF)—the precursor to World Jewish Relief—was their lifeline. Set up in 1933, the CBF rescued approximately 65,000 Jews from Nazioccupied Europe before, during and after the Holocaust, including some of the 10,000 children brought to safety on the Kindertransport, and 732 orphan survivors known as ‘The Boys’. Meticulous records were kept detailing the financial and social support they received as they established new lives. World Jewish Relief recently digitised the archive of documents it holds on the thousands of refugees it helped in the 1930s and 40s. These are now available to
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rebecca singer
family members for free. Jerry’s family moved to the United States when he was five. He became mayor of Cincinnati at the age of 33, before becoming one of America’s best-known talk show hosts. He attributes his parents’ survival to World Jewish Relief. When presented with his parents’ records from World Jewish Relief’s digitised archives he told us, “These papers are a piece of family history which I will treasure forever.” If your family member escaped Nazi-Europe and was perhaps helped by World Jewish Relief, get in touch at www.worldjewishrelief.org/ archives or 020 8736 1250. As the British Jewish community’s humanitarian agency, we are helping thousands in crisis right now, particularly people caught up in conflict in Ukraine. Find out more about our work at: www.worldjewishrelief.org Rebecca Singer (no relation to Jerry) is Communications Officer, World Jewish Relief. She is willing to visit FPS to talk about the archives if there is interest.
Jerry Springer receiving his records from Linda Rosenblatt (vice chair) and James Libson (chair).
An Introduction to ‘Greening’ T
he cover of last month’s Shofar featured FPS member Michael Lassman opposite former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams – a Judeo-Christian duo, professing concern about the planet, and exchanging strategies. Williams’s Eco Church initiative provided the basic framework for the launch of four Eco Synagogue projects, projects which affirm an official commitment to going green. But what does ‘going green’ mean? Last year, Michael provided the ‘green’ leadership;
ca. cranston
Adrian Lister provided the science behind the need to go green; and now the Eco Synagogue Questionnaire provides the wherewithal to do so. Covering topics such as Prayer and Teaching, Our Buildings, Our Land, Community & Global, and Lifestyle, happily we tick some of the boxes; unhappily, there’s still a lot to be done. This month, Shofar introduces the first of the green guidelines, ‘Prayer and Teaching’. This will give FPSers time to consider their responses before a meeting is called, in April.
1. Special Sermons about environmental issues are delivered and celebrated in our synagogue: At least annually
Less often
Never
Need to find out
Never
Need to find out
2. Our synagogue prays for environmental issues At least annually
Less often
3. Environmental and green issues are promoted as an expression of Tikkun olam in our synagogue At least annually
Less often
Never
Need to find out
4. The Environment features as a theme in our synagogue’s youth work At least annually
Less often
Never
Need to find out
5. The Environment features as a teaching theme in our synagogue’s children’s work At least annually
Less often
Never
Need to find out
6. The Environment features as a focus of small group study in our synagogue At least annually
Less often
Never
Need to find out
7. Our synagogue’s communications (e.g. newsletters, service sheets, magazines, social media etc.) include items relating to the environment At least annually
Less often
Never
Need to find out
8. The leadership has made a formal commitment to improving the environmental credentials of our synagogue by endorsing the undertaking of work towards an Eco Synagogue Award At least annually
Less often
Never
Need to find out
9. Is there anything else you have done relating to Worship and Teaching that you would like to tell us about?
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נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע We Will Do and We Will Hear from Sinai to today
Shavuot service and Tikkun Leyl Saturday 19th May Sha'arei Tsedek Synagogue 6.30pm until late An evening run for and by Finchley Progressive Synagogue
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Southgate Progressive Synagogue
Sha'arei Tzedek Synagogue
Beyond Be-leaf Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the volunteer is? Let’s start with a short quiz: Do you know that the synagogue has a back garden? Have you been to the synagogue back garden? Have you been to the synagogue back garden in the last four months? For most people, the answer to many of these questions is no! Our back garden is largely unknown and unnoticed, but some FPS Gardening Gurus are on a mission to change this. We’d love to have a garden that offers a space for young FPS members to run around and play games, a space for parents to sit and chat, for members to relax and unwind, and for us all to find a moment of peace. This means we’ll have big areas of lawn, picnic benches in shady spots, beautiful flowers and greenery in the borders, and a new surface in the lower half of the garden especially for children’s games.
zoe jacobs
Sasha and her team of volunteers have already started this transformation, doing so much hard work throughout the winter. As spring (finally!) arrives, we need many hands on deck to help us plant the new borders. The Gardening Gurus meet every Sunday morning at 10.00am for around an hour. Please contact Zoe on zoe@fps.org or 020 8446 4063 if you’d like to join the team!
Sam & Head Garden Guru Sasha Conroy
my kitchen rules!
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a waft of freshly-made challah is perhaps the best smell in the Jewish world. Over the past few months three young FPS-ers (from left
Sadie, Hannah and Elana) have been baking homemade challah and delivering it to members of the community on Friday. Whether they were celebrating a birthday, nursing a young baby, commemorating a yahrzeit or fighting off an illness, a delivery of warm, fresh bread alongside the good wishes of three young FPS members is a wonderful Shabbat blessing. We look forward to opening this opportunity to more members of the community. If you enjoy making challah, have never made challah but want to know how, or would just like to flex your creative muscles please contact Zoe on zoe@fps.org or 020 8446 4063.
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B’nei Mitzvah alex joseph’s bar mitzvah, 21 april
Hi, I’m Alex and I’ll be having my Bar Mitzvah on April 21st. I love football and I play in goal. I support Manchester United. I enjoy the outdoors and travelling and having new experiences. I love my dog Jet. I have made so many friends in Ivriah over the last few years. A highlight was the sleepover in the Sukkah when we enjoyed food, activities and a night under the stars together. For my tzedakah project I’m raising money for Cancer Research UK through sponsored outdoor swimming and kick-ups. I am thrilled to be a Bar Mitzvah. It’s such an exciting experience to be on this journey and I hope that lots of people from the congregation leo & noah pavell’s bar mitzvah, 28 april
Our names are Leo and Noah Pavell and we are twins. Our Bar Mitzvah will take place on 28 April 2018 and we will be leyning our portion, Parashat Kedoshim, together. Although we’re twins, we have very different interests. Leo likes playing the piano, Aikido and playing computer games. Noah likes basketball, politics and food! We’ve really enjoyed learning our portion 14
will come and enjoy the service. I am happy to be taking on the responsibility of being a Jewish adult. I hope everything goes well on the day!
and its background with John Rubinstein, with the occasional off-topic philosophical discussions which have made our Saturdays very enjoyable. Our portion is about rules that help govern societies. There is one that states that if you insult your parents you must be put to death. We’re keeping that in mind. Having only joined FPS just over a year ago (when our old synagogue closed), we have been struck by the welcoming and inclusive community; we’re really happy to be a part of it. For our tzedakah we will be supporting Together in Barnet (which supports those who find themselves homeless) and the Teenage Cancer Trust. We’re glad we can use our celebration to help improve the lives of others. We’d like to especially thank John for helping us throughout this experience and also our family for supporting us always. We look forward to seeing you on our special day and thanks for celebrating with us.
Fun Page quiz - kosher or not kosher?
In April we read from the Torah book Vayikra—Leviticus—Chapter 11 (Parashah Shemini), which talks about the laws of Kashrut (what we can and cannot eat). Below are fifteen creatures, of these which four are we allowed to eat?
Answers, from top left: Plaice has fins and scales: kosher; Chameleon: not kosher; Snail: not kosher; Camel chews cud but has toes: not kosher; Red cricket: kosher; Hedgehog: not kosher; Toad: not kosher; Hyrax: not kosher; Black vulture: not
kosher; Deer, cloven hooves chews cud: kosher; Bat (thought to be a bird): not kosher; Mole: not kosher Ostrich: not kosher; Hoopoe: not kosher; Green grasshopper: kosher
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Contacts
fps website: www.fps.org
finchley progressive synagogue
Life President: Sheila King Lassman
54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR 020 8446 4063 www.fps.org facebook.com/finchleyprog Rabbi Rebecca Birk – rabbi@fps.org
Vice Presidents: Renzo Fantoni, Josie Kinchin, Alex Kinchin-Smith, Laura Lassman, Lionel King Lassman, John Lewis, Paul Silver-Myer, Andrea Rappoport, Joan Shopper
Emeritus Rabbi: Dr Frank Hellner
contacts
Community Development Manager: Zoe Jacobs – zoe@fps.org
Board of Deputies Reps: Janet Tresman, Stanley Volk
Musicians in residence: Franklyn Gellnick, Dean Staker
Beit Midrash (Adult Education): Adrian Lister adulteducation@fps.org
Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack pauline@fps.org
Beit Tefillah (Rites & Practices): Valerie Joseph
Premises Manager: Howard Hamerton
Care in the Community: Jacquie Fawcett jacquie@fps.org
executive
Chair: Cathy Burnstone – chair@fps.org Vice-Chairs: Paul Silver-Myer vicechair@fps.org, Louise Gellman vicechairlg@fps.org Treasurer: Martin Silk – treasurer@fps.org Honorary Secretary: Josie Kinchin honsec@fps.org board members
Phillip Raphael, Samantha King, Maureen Lobatto, Louise Gellman
Café Thursday: Nicky Marzell
Website Editor: Philip Karstadt fpswebsite@fps.org Shofar Editor: CA. Cranston – shofar@fps.org Shofar Team: Sarah Rosen-Webb, Wika Dorosz FPS Office: administrator@fps.org The Finchley Progressive Synagogue is a company limited by guarantee (Company No 9365956) and a registered charity (Charity No 1167285) whose registered office is 54 Hutton Grove, Finchley, London N12 8DR
President: Alan Banes
ashley page
janet tresman
insurance brokers
mediator & collaborative family law solicitor
Commerce House 2a Litchfield Grove London N3 2TN
Altermans Solicitors 239 Regents Park Road, London N3 3LF
Tel. 020 8349 5100
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Office phone: 0208 346 1777 Email: janet@altermans.co.uk