Pesach Supp - 1151 - 2020

www.jewishnews.co.uk

26 MARCH 2020

Supplement

Staging a Marx Brothers seder • Golda Meir • Jackie Mason Plus food, fashion and travel (please God) Edited by Brigit Grant

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Clean up

Chag IT OUT

This year getting a home clean for Passover is less about tradition than sheer necessity Oh how we hanker for those simple chametz shifting days. That time when the Passover switch over was all about shifting crumbs, swapping crockery and sweeping cupboards.

Now, as the unwitting lockdown stars of a sci-fi movie we never auditioned for, we wear masks and splash surfaces with isopropyl alcohol rub (two parts water/one part rub). Not even Elijah will make it inside without hand sanitiser, and only then at an acceptable six feet apart from the host.

With kindly but virtual rabbis streamed into our sitting room, this is a wilderness we’re keen to leave, so we’ll be praying with extra zeal during Pesach. And so we clean and, after a pungent alcohol rub down, you may wish to try some other new cleaning products to improve the smell.

OzKleen is eco-friendly and scientifically devised in Australia for cleaning baths, showers and work tops. Customers in Oz have driven more than 50 kilometres to buy a bottle and that’s a long way to go for products that are free from chlorine, ammonia and phosphates.

Scientists suggest warmer weather will sort out the virus, and with more sun we can sit at our garden table, which unfortunately has as many germs as a dustbin lid and 4,500 times more harmful bacteria. Jeyes Fluid Multi-Purpose

Disinfectant kills 99.9 percent of those germs and is also safe to use on children’s play equipment.

Back inside where you are spending most of your time, the overwhelming smell of surgical spirit abounds. If you want things to smell fabulous, Jeeves Of Belgravia, the luxury garment care service, has just launched a bespoke fabric care home collection. Comprising 20 new detergents, fabric conditioners, washes and travel sprays, the products are infused with long-lasting nature-based scents of sweet pea and vanilla, fresh cologne, lavender and vanilla, and their signature scent – jasmine and sandalwood. All of the detergents lift marks and lengthen the life of garments as a stand against the throwaway culture.

Elijah will appreciate the smell and might also appreciate the humour behind the kosher hand rub, Fancy Schmancy, which might sit by the sink in the home of Akiva Shtisel.

Meanwhile for luxury sanitising hand gel, bespoke perfumery Ormonde Jayne is offering all customers online a free 8ml bottle of the product, which is 80 percent denatured alcohol, 20 percent antiseptic aloe vera gel and tea tree oil. One of its newest fragrances, Levant, is a blend of peony, lily, orange blossom and jasmine, and some day soon you’ll be wearing it outside your clean house.

OzKleen Carpet Power www.robertdyas.co.uk £3.99

Fancy Schmancy Hand Sanitiser www.amazon.co.uk, £30

Fabric washes www.jeevesofbelgravia.com from £7.99

Sanitising Hand Gel

by Ormonde Jayne www.ormondejayne.com £3.99

Isopropyl rubbing alcohol www.amazon.co.uk £20

We see life through a different lens When Levi first came to live at one of our five youth villages in Israel, he was in a desperate position, withdrawn and disconnected, a victim of long-standing neglect and trauma. One of our highly trained educators recognised that providing Levi with a camera would give him the confidence to begin connecting with his peers and start trusting adults. As the official village photographer, Levi felt a sense of importance and pride for the first time in his life.

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Cracker Crazy / Passover

Wear matzah like you mean it EVER CONSIDERED WEARING matzah leggings or an unleavened scrunchie in your hair? How about dressing the dog in an ‘animal cracker’ coat, or presenting him with a matzah ball squeaky toy?

If the answer is no, then the joyful swing of the seder season has passed you by and it’s time to don the afikoman as a fashion accessory or, at the very least, put your baby in a karpas onesie to appropriately represent the rebirth of spring. With your commitments as a host or hostess reduced, it’s time to salvage the seder with humour and get properly wound up with a wind-up matzah ball.

Face it, when Moses said: “Let My People Go”, what he really meant to say was: “Go and have some fun.” The creators of all this Pesach nonsense have done exactly that, so show some appreciation for Moses and wear matzah like you mean it.

What a wind-up. Matzah ball walks into your soup. www.oytoys.com £3.50 Afikoman charm necklace www.cafepress.com £25

No one wants a bitter herb baby, so keep things sweet in a onesie from www.etsy.com £7..50

Pulling your matzah leg www.etsy.com £30

Your secret matzah scrunchie.

They’ll never know. www.etsy.com £8.00

Squeezy pet matzah ball www.etsy.com £23

Crochet chicken soup

by Hook Cook at www.etsy.com

Collectible Barbie seder plate www.etsy.com

FIVE WAYS TO ENSURE THE KIDS WILL BE ALRIGHT ON SEDER NIGHT PJ Library’s latest data showed that 84 percent of families attend a seder, but how enjoyable is it for everyone attending?

Here are six top tips to help create a fun and memorable night for all.

1.Offer a charoset tasting bar – silan (date) syrup anyone?

2.Make a seder bingo board for every guest (there’s lots online you can print off)

3.For a seder storytime, dig out Pesach-themed books such as Miriam At the River and Welcoming Elijah, which PJ Library gifted to families this year 4.Edible centrepieces of fresh veggies fill little (and large) bellies until it’s time for the big meal 5.Assign a quiz master who can pull together questions for all ages and abilities. Small edible prizes will always be welcome!

For more family-friendly ideas, and to sign up your child for a FREE monthly Jewish book, visit www.pjlibrary.org.uk

Go animal crackers with ‘muttzah’ from www.etsy.com £24

Personalised seder necklace www.etsy.com £18.99

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Jackie’s world

The Jewish world accor He is one of Comedy Central’s 100 greatest ever stand-up comics, but the rise of antisemitism in his twilight years is a serious worry for erstwhile rabbi Jackie Mason

E AT THE AGE OF 92, Jackie Mason sits down more than he stands, but he won’t keep shtum. Dividing his time between New York and Florida with wife Jyll, the comic who fictionally fathered The Simpsons’ Krusty the Clown is officially retired but, as a former Democrat turned registered Republican, he is controversial and vocal about his allegiance.

Born in Wisconsin and raised in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, every male in Jackie’s family from his father to his great, great-grandfather was a rabbi, so inevitably he followed them to the bimah and, from there, told jokes. The congregation loved him so much he quit to become a comedian, saying: “Somebody in the family had to make a living.”

And he made a very nice living, with a global fan base charmed by his deprecating Jewish wit delivered in an accent stranded between Delancey Street and the shtetls. “I didn’t emphasise my Jewishness because I wanted to. I just happen to have been raised in a family where everybody happened to talk like this. So why would I talk like somebody else?”

Invited to share his ancient wisdom, he wrote 2,500 words and then a few more. You won’t agree with them all, but Jackie has given you something to think about.

very year the Jewish people gather around their seder tables and have one question,”How long until we eat?”

Along the way, there are four questions, one very long answer, plagues of frogs and grasshoppers (not to be eaten), bitter herbs and potatoes in salt water (to be eaten!) and, after all that, lots of praise for the one responsible – Hashem.

We recount for the thousandth time our lamentable escape from Egypt. “How is this night different from any other night?” I don’t know Sherlock Moses, how is it? Persecution is as prevalent as it’s ever been.

Who could believe that in the year 2020, Jews would walk the streets of America and Europe fearing for their lives.

Sounds extreme, but that is the reality, hard as it may be to grasp or even think about now there is a new enemy. It has always been challenging for me to reconcile the obvious intelligence that so many of my brethren exhibit, alongside others who are imbeciles. Mister?

Yes, I’m talking to you. You really act like a putz, and I say that with the highest respect.

Now that I’ve got your attention, on the defensive and on the ropes, let me get in a knockout punch. See you let me, it was that easy. A Jew will argue aggressively and fight with words, but when reality hits him hard, he’ll refuse to believe it until the rising waters are up to his neck.

It’s not paranoia, although that’s a useful state of mind when the world has been out to get you for millennia. It’s not irrational fears, fearmongering, or media manipulation. It’s just the plain unvarnished truth. Jews are in greater danger than they’ve been in a long time.

It’s hard for them to assimilate this idea, it’s so foreign to the Jews of our time, who have lived in comparative peace to their tormented history. So, yes, it’s a great surprise for them to find out the facts on the ground have shifted.

I used to get surprised, but the benefit of ageing is you’ve seen everything, eaten at all the restaurants, tried every dish, watched all the fights, made all the bets, tried on all the clothes..Styles come full circle and suddenly you’re in style again. Some things, however, just stay the same, and although antisemitism went out of style for a while, it was always bubbling beneath the surface. So it looked okay for a couple of years, but I knew it would come back – just like wide lapels.

To the constants in life – death and taxes – you can add antisemitism. A lot of people have figured out how to get around taxes and I’m still hopeful about the other, but hatred of the Jews isn’t going extinct anytime soon.

The crazy thing is Jews are often the biggest supporters and unwitting allies of antisemitism. If you go to any university today you’ll find a ‘Professor Silverstein’ preaching about intersectionality, being “woke”, and the oppression of the Palestinian people.

Is it nice that these Jewish professors sitting in their comfy colleges can preach about a volatile situation half a world away, while getting their info from those least familiar with the true nature of the problem? Well, I say it isn’t nice.

Just look at Bernie Sanders’ pontifications and woefully misinformed statements about Israel. One can only hope that it is ignorance not malice that drives him to consort with vicious antisemites and anti-Americans. With friends like these, who needs enemies?

All you ever hear is if only Israel didn’t do

For me, [Israeli] Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was the ideal tough Jew. A man of few words and great deeds. A real lion of Judah. That he was admired and reviled shows the fierce divisions that separate Jews. I loved him, and a Jew like him would make antisemites think twice before acting

this or that the Palestinians would act differently. They unleash a litany of questions like the Dayenu.

If Israel didn’t build the settlements...

If Israel didn’t use unnecessary force If Israel didn’t force harsh checkpoint measures…

Et cetera et cetera ad nauseum (Nobody knew until now that I’m fluent in Latin.

And I sing well too.)

So all they do is blame everything on Israel, and it’s so obvious to anyone who has eyes and half a brain that it is nothing but blatant antisemitism. How many times has Israel tried to make peace, and how many times have the Palestinians rejected it?

There are plenty of ‘ifs’ on the other side, but the smart professors and the BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions movement] protesters don’t acknowledge them or ask what would happen IF the Palestinians ...

Didn’t fire rockets into towns in Israel; Acknowledged the Jews’ right to exist in their ancestral homeland; Remembered with the Arab states and the rest of the world that they rejected the partition plan in 1947 and invaded with five armies; Remember the hundreds of thousands of Sephardic Jews who were ejected from Arab countries and sent into exile; Had not for years sent homicide bombers to blow up buses, restaurants and people; Did not pay lifetime pensions to the families of these so called martyrs; Didn’t use their resources to build tunnels to carry out terrorist attacks and Didn’t teach their children to hate and damn their people to a lifetime of resentment, bitterness, and enmity.

And I would like to add a fifth question to the existing Passover four. Why can’t Jews stop preaching Jewish hatred?

I’m pretty certain that those most likely to hate me and disagree after reading all this will be Jewish people – which proves my point.

As Passover approaches this year, the world is facing an unprecedented crisis from which it will struggle to emerge. By next Passover, I don’t know if we’ll be in Jerusalem, but I’m praying that the virus – like a biblical plague – will pass over all your families leaving them unharmed and healthy.

I’m also fairly certain that while there will eventually be a cure for this novel virus, there is no cure and never will be a cure for the hatred known as antisemitism. It is one of the oldest and most virulent strains of hatred known to humanity.

But rather than end with a negative statement in this lead-up to Passover, I would like you to take some satisfaction in the words of Mark Twain, who in 1899 wrote the following in his essay – Concerning The Jews.

“If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one quarter of one per cent of the

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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rding toJACKIE

Jackie’s world / Passover

Who could possibly do a better job considering all the circumstances than this guy? It’s an embarrassment that he has to endure the kind of political hit job he is facing right now. He is eloquent, articulate and does honour to his people in all his dealings with the world at large. What better sign that someone is doing something right than the fact that he would get Clinton and Obama furious?!

I’m sure Benny Gantz is a great guy, but it’s time for Israel to be fully behind Netanyahu.

human race. It suggests a nebulous puff of star dustlost in the blaze of the Milky Way. The Jew ought hardly be heard of, but he is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk.

His contributions to the world’s list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine are also out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers.

He has made a marvellous fight in this world in all ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. The Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendour, then faded and passed

away; the Greeks and Romans followed, made a vast noise, and they were gone. Other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, and have vanished.

The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert but aggressive mind.

All things are mortal but the Jews; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?

Chag sameach to you all.

From top left: Jackie and the late Joan Rivers, who was renowned for her Seders. Mark Twain’s famed Jewish essay, and Jackie with Chevy Chase in CaddyShack II

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Wishing our members, volunteers and partners a peaceful and healthy Passover

Stay connected

enquiries@ajr.org.uk · www.ajr.org.uk · 020 8385 3070 AssociationofJewishRefugees

@TheAJR_

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / AJR

The Lost SEDER Survivor Frank Bright chose a child’s drawing to remember Passover

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T

he current chaos is likely to overshadow everything this year, including the 75th anniversary of VE Day. The liberation of Auschwitz was commemorated back in January with survivor Frank Bright addressing a commemoration organised by the Association of Jewish Refugees at Belsize Square Synagogue.

Frank, 91, born Franz Brichta in Berlin, spent 15 months in Theresienstadt ghetto before being transported with his mother to Auschwitz on 12 October 1944.

“My father just disappeared. We never said goodbye, something that has never left me,” Frank remembers. “He has no grave I can visit.” The same is true of his mother, whom he last saw standing in a line outside the gas chambers.

Like so many, Frank’s memories of Passover are fragmented. There are synagogue services he attended to make up numbers at the greatly diminished congregations and the doctor who was also a cantor and lived in the same block of flats.

“Dr Leo Fantl and his family all perished in Auschwitz,” says Frank, who is able to recall details with shocking accuracy.

“All I can say is that at the time, the mood for celebrations was not in line with real-life experience. We were not like today’s children, concerned about football gear or make-up.

“We were old beyond our years. We were solely concerned about where our next meal would come from or whether we’d be put on the next transport into the unknown.”

Drawing a comparison between the Jews in slavery and the Jews in the Holocaust, Frank says: “The experience of the Israelites who were freed from bondage and moved, slowly but surely, into the land promised to them, was in stark contrast to our experience

of never-ending humiliations, small rations, exclusions from civic society, impoverished by the confiscations and the robbery of our property and being cooped up in ghettoes.

“Some of us were taken into slavery in labour camps and most of us were murdered.

There was no hope. We were surrounded by enemies and by those who looked the other way or profited from our misery.

Looking back to events that had taken place 3,000 years ago – when we crossed the Red Sea – provided no solace. There was no rescue for us.”

For Passover, Frank felt a fitting contribution of remembrance was a drawing of the Seder table by a little girl in Terezin ghetto .

“It is part of a collection of children’s drawings and poems published in the book I Have Not Seen A Butterfly Around Here, which I bought in Prague’s Jewish Museum.

“What I find significant about it is that the Seder table is empty. There is no food and costumes were conventions applied to the past of which the children in question had had no experience.

“If you were born in 1932, you were six in 1938 when the world around you lost any semblance of normality and, during the intervening threatening and deteriorating years, the children had nothing positive to look back on. They had taken their youth and replaced it with fear of what the future may hold.”

His recollections certainly put into perspective our current difficulties.

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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#inittogether

the GIFT of connection

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CONNECTION TIME

GIFT is in touch with those most in need in the community and those unable to leave their houses, coordinating volunteers to: pick up prescriptions / run errands / go shopping / provide meals.

Make a difference to those making a difference. GIFT volunteers are providing carers, nurses, doctors and ambulance drivers with ‘gratitude packs’.

LUNCH WITH LOVE

As schools are closed, those families who rely on free school meals need our support.

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There’s nothing quite like a bowl of Jewish penicillin.GIFT is facilitating the delivery of hundreds of litres of soup.*

Hundreds of families, thousands of individuals receiving WEEKLY food support packages. Over 13000 delivered in 2019. On course to DOUBLE in 2020.

GIFT is matching up volunteers with isolated individuals through regular phone/video calls to brighten someone’s day.

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As schools are closed, children now need academic support.

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EDUCATION ONLINE

Check out our growing collection of free education sessions and downloadable material online at www.jgift.org

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*subject to logistical capability

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

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Passover / Dice Throw

The WANDERING Jews Game Bored with Monopoly or Minecraft? Paul Solomons, Jewish News’ fabulous cartoonist, has got it covered with this roam through the wilderness that could take at least 40 years

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In these critical times…

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There, children of these dedicated individuals are looked after in a safe environment allowing parents to focus on their vital, often life-saving work. These Centres MUST remain open. In other WIZO Day Care Centres which have had to close, they have been the only chance for vulnerable children to receive a hot meal. WIZO’s food campaign will ensure nutritious meals continue to reach these families throughout the crisis. WIZO’s Children, Israel’s Children, Need Our Help!

Please donate now, as much as you are able to www.wizouk.org/donate

WIZOuk Registered address: Charles House, 108-110 Finchley Road, London, NW3 5JJ. Registered charity number: 1125012. Registered company number: 6634748.

170320_Coronavirus Appeal 165x260mm_B.indd 1

24/03/2020 09:58

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

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THIS PESACH, LET US SUPPORT YOU. With the first Seder night less than a fortnight away on 8 April, why not Iet us make this night different from all others? We’ll deliver everything you need: the Seder Plate, the food, wine and Haggadot.

Visit our website 1070kitchen.co.uk to place your order from our Kosher for Pesach and Kitniot-free Menu. Alternatively, you can call us on 020 7624 2013.

AND HELP OTHERS TOO. They are many people in our community who will find it particularly hard this Pesach.

For every order placed, we will also deliver a food care package of some soup, a main course, a dessert, a box of matzah and a bottle of grape juice to someone in need.

We’re coordinating this with communal organisations, but if you have someone you’d like your food care package to go to, let us know.

Please note that all our deliveries are contact-free.

Chag Pesach Kasher V’Sameach Natalie Salama-Levy Our kitchen is rated 5-star by Ealing Council and obtained a Gold Certificate in the NSF Due Diligence 2020 Audit. We have also implemented extra measures to ensure that we can continue to function safely. 1070 KITCHEN operates under the strict supervision of the London Beth Din, using Glatt kosher meat.

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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Sing out / Passover

Hear His SONG Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue could sell tickets to their chazan’s star turn

Mark Finer as wedding chazan and, right, with his late mother, Sue

Mark Finer is very good at getting people to listen. One high note from him and everyone sits up and tries to see where the sound is coming from.

To have a chazan who commands that kind of attention with his rendition of Ein Keloheinu or Amidah is the privilege of Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue, where the rabbi roster (Mark Goldsmith,Neil Kraft and Emily Reitsma-Jurman) is compelling, but even they are daunted by Finer’s vocals.

It was the death of his grandfather, Chinny, that brought 12-year-old Mark to the synagogue choir.

“My dad wanted to say Kaddish and I accompanied him to shul every week, and that’s when I heard the wonderful choir and eventually auditioned.”

Finer has been singing for as long as he can remember, encouraged by his late mother, Sue, who was a professional dancer and choreographer performing with Bruce Forsyth. “She was my musical inspiration and did all my stage production,” says Mark, who received a choral scholarship to Cambridge, where he read geography, then law and appeared in the best of the chamber choirs.

Now in corporate finance, Mark is known for his singing at work and is wheeled out at team events to deliver Nessun Dorma. But it is in synagogue that he draws the biggest crowd with enchanting Torah renditions he knows by heart. “Well, I have been doing it since I was 12.”

It was his voice that some years ago wowed visitors from a Wimbledon synagogue that was then without a chazan. The couple visiting asked if he would sing for their son’s barmitzvah, which he did, and then married the barmitzvah boy’s sister, yet further proof of his swoon-inducing singing. To date, Mark has probably heard more couples say “I do” than most rabbis as he has been a wedding cantor since he was 16.

“I love it as I have a prime view and I enjoy performing in a bride’s home ahead of the big day rather than sending a CD. I like them to get a sense of the sound and the performance.”

Passover doesn’t require much performance, as in Mark’s view it lack any big songs.

But it is still his favourite holiday because his mum loved it. “The family crockery came out and we all sang the Ma Nishtana.” At least that was the intention but, when Mark sings, all anyone wants to do is listen.

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Marx Bros Mitzvah

A stage set for SEDER

Fancy taking the annual meal in a new dramatic direction?

Plays For The Seder Table. With a Seder running times vary contents list that includes Play from family to family.

It Again, Moses, a haimishe Orthodoxy levels homage to Casablanca; the determine whether Shakesperian Much Ado one is hunting for the About Bupkes and Dial M for afikoman before the Moses as a nod to Hitchcock, frogs, or sitting through a service twice the length of the plays are divided between Rabbi Hantman American and British themes Cecil B. DeMille’s and will engage even the most The Ten Commandments inhibited Passover celebrants.

(220 minutes).

Sadly without Charlton Heston at Raised in a“joyous” Jewish household in Philadelphia – “where we took the table, diners are prone to flag, and celebrations into our own hands and this year we could probably all do with a lift, so how would you like a push from observed our traditions imperfectly and creatively” – Shoshana also offers the Groucho Marx to the Promised Land?

Broadway musical, Give My Regards To Or Harry Potter handing out charoset Pharoah, to bring a sparkling dose of and Sherlock Holmes asking the four theatricality to the epic annual meal. questions?

Currently the director of education Thanks to Rabbi Shoshana Hantman, at Beacon Hebrew Alliance in upstate all of the above is possible with her New York, Shoshana teaches workshops series of 10-minute plays, published for Jewish educators and writes plays collectively as Passover Parodies: Short

member of the

European Routes of Jewish Heritage programme certified by The Council of Europe

A charity in action reviving Jewish life in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

for students with a penchant for Purim schpiels. But what is it about Passover that makes it so compelling to reinvent?

“Passover is the holiday because it’s both widely celebrated and celebrated in the absence of Jewish authorities looking over our shoulders,” she says.

“Unlike Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, there’s no rabbi present at most seders and we can indulge our imaginations freely without fear of ‘correction’.

“I think that’s why it has inspired myriads of new traditions over the centuries.”

Given the choice of telling the story of the Exodus as an Italian opera or a Doctor Who drama, families with thespian tendencies will need to vote ahead of the First Night as you don’t need any extra drama.

Passover Parodies: Short Plays for the Seder Table, £9, amazon.co.uk

• Building a Jewish heritage trail through Belarus

This year hilarity will be a welcome side dish to the Haggadah, so why not sample this…

• Sending humanitarian aid

MATZA BALL SOUP:

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A seder with the Marx Brothers Cast: Parents Minnie and Sam, sons: Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo and co-star Margaret Dumont GROUCHO: Take a walk with me down memory lane, into the world of my childhood, full of love and laughter and the pungent aroma of boiled cabbage. Above a butcher shop on East 93rd Street in New York City – in that cozy homestead, my parents settled down to raise a family.

The 20th century had only just begun and it was a time of dreams and struggles. That’s my mother, Minnie. To tell the truth, she’s more Maxi. You can see her slaving over a hot stove.

But you can’t see the stove. She’s the only Jewish mother on the Upper East Side who won’t let her oldest son become a doctor. She wants me to be a singer. I think she’s been reading the script upside down.

And that’s my father, Sam, the worst tailor in

New York. He married my mother because he wanted children. Imagine his disappointment when I arrived.

You may know my brothers – Chico, Harpo, and Zeppo. With a little hard work they’ll go a long way, and I wish they’d start now.

So, since you’re here, I guess you’ll be sharing our seder. It will be entirely your pleasure. Just don’t ask too many questions.

The seder’s already long enough with this bunch of clowns running it. I don’t know how I get through it myself, and if you think I’m

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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Marx Bros Mitzvah / Passover

Different to all other nights

stopping after four drinks you’re crazy.

SAM: Minnie? I can’t find the haggadahs. Where did we put them after the seder last year?

ZEPPO: Were they in a small brown cardboard box tied with bakery string, and marked “gefilte fish”?

SAM: Yes! ZEPPO: No, I haven’t seen them.

CHICO: Hey, whatsamatter wit’ these-a crackers, they taste just like-a the box they came in.

MINNIE: Chico, don’t eat that matza, the seder’s not even started yet. Where’s Harpo?

I told him he could assemble the seder plate.

ZEPPO: Last time I saw him, he was coming out of a pawn shop and heading for the race-track.

MINNIE: If he sold that seder plate again, he’s going to be sorry. Harpo!

HARPO: (honks) MINNIE: Have you put everything on the seder plate?

HARPO: (honks) GROUCHO: He’s roasting a duck egg.

MARGARET: Helloooo? Anyone home?

SAM: Oh, it’s Mrs Dumont. We’re so glad you could come.

MARGARET: How kind of you, Mr Marx. I’m delighted to be here. Everyone knows your seder is the social event of the season!

SAM: I wonder where she’s getting her information? Boys, I’d like you to meet Mrs Dumont.

GROUCHO: Pleased to meet you, Mrs Dumont.

I never forget a face, but in your case I’ll make an exception. Where’s your husband?

with the blessed sages of our people – the Manishewitz brothers, Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Johnny Walker Red, Jack Daniels, Jim Bean and Old Grand-Dad -- created the fruit of the vine, and made us holy through Your commandments and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, fraternité, egalité, Sleepy, Grumpy, Sneezy and Doc. We praise You who have freed us from the bonds of sobriety, sustained us and brought us to this time, six sheets to the wind, off the wagon, feeling no pain, up a lazy river, with liberty and justice for all. And let us say: amen!

MARGARET: That was so moving, Groucho.

I simply adore tradition!

SAM: Now, after everybody washes their hands...

GROUCHO: You can wash your neck, too, while you’re at it.

SAM: ...it’s time to dip a vegetable in salt water.

CHICO: Make-a mine Scotch, I no like-a salt water so much.

SAM: (holding up matza) This is the bread of poverty, which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. It’s time to ask the four questions. Boys?

ZEPPO: Why is this night different from all other nights? On other nights, we eat bread or matza; tonight, only matza.

CHICO: On all-a da other nights, we eat zucchini, peperone, pomodoro, spinaci – on this-a night, why we gotta eat this horsa-radish fra diavolo, it’s so spicy it’s-a gonna blow my head off.

GROUCHO: On all other nights we don’t dip even once. Why, once I was dancing the cha-cha with Lulu Rosenthal and I tried to dip – it took a carthorse and a block and tackle two hours to get me off the floor. So on this night, why do we dip twice?

HARPO: (lies across two chairs and chews on a carrot)

MARGARET: Why, he passed away.

ZEPPO: He wants to know why we eat while reclining.

GROUCHO: I bet he’s just using that as an excuse.

MINNIE: Before we tell the story of the Exodus, someone should explain about the Four Sons.

MINNIE: All right, everyone, it’s time to get started. Let’s sit down.

GROUCHO: Mother, I thought you knew this already. When a man and a woman love each other very much...

SAM: Groucho, since you’re a bar mitzvah now, would you like to start by saying the Kiddush?

GROUCHO: It will be a great honour. Especially if I get to drink the wine afterwards. Ah, here it is.

Baruh ata Adonai, elohaynoo meleh ha-olam, boray p’ree ha-gafen.

We praise You, Adonai our God, who together

SAM: That’s enough out of you. There are four types of children, according to the rabbis. One who is wise, one who is wicked, one who is simple, and one who cannot even ask a question.

GROUCHO: We really have to get some new writers in here.

IN 1976, RABBI DOUG KAHN was an intern at the affluent Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills – the sort of synagogue to get requests from Hollywood’s most influential Hebrews. In Doug’s case, it was Groucho Marx who needed a leader for the seder at his home in Bel Air. “I tried to be very cool about the request from his fiancée, Erin Fleming ,” recalls the retired rabbi, who now lives in San Francisco, where he runs the Jewish Community Relations Council.

“I told her I needed to check but, not surprisingly, I was free.”

Doug arrived early with his wife, Ellen. “It was beautiful and elegant, but not in a showy way.

Yet you knew whose house you were in because there were ducks everywhere, some hanging, others on pillows.” Among the 60 or so guests were Groucho’s grandchildren, who ate the gefilte fish and matzah ball soup before tearing the house apart to find the afikoman.

“Groucho didn’t have a deep connection with Judaism, but he listened,” explains Doug, who sat besde him. “There was a break halfway through and a family variety show took place, with Groucho, then 85, singing as his grandson Andy played piano.” It all went by in a haze for the student rabbi, who continued until 11pm, with Groucho excusing himself 10 minutes before the end. “Later, I I tiptoed into his bedroom to say goodbye and he was propped up in bed, wearing his trademark stocking cap, watching reruns of his show, You Bet Your Life. “He told me he watched it every night, then thanked me for coming and made a comment about me being pretty good – for a rabbi.”

Groucho also signed Doug’s Haggadah, but the real thrill came some days later, when a note arrived on Marx’s personal stationery that read: “Dear Rabbi and Mr Rabbi [sic] I want to thank you for making my annual seder such a smashing success. Everyone had a wonderful time this year, and I hope you will be available to conduct my next seder as well as you did this one. Give my regards to your pretty wife.

All good wishes, Groucho Marx.”

Relocating to San Francisco meant Doug was not available to lead the next seder and Groucho never enjoyed another as he died on 19 August 1977. The letter still hangs in a frame in Doug’s office as a reminder of the night that was truly different from all other nights.

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Seret International

THE REEL ISRAEL As the media partner of the UK’s Israeli Film Festival, Seret International, JN are excited to announce the films to be shown this spring.

THERE IS A GROWING APPETITE for all things Israeli on the small and big screen which makes Odelia Haroush a very happy woman. The former marketing executive is now CEO of SERET-Internationalthe UK Israeli Film & TV Festival and her role is to search, select and then surprise audiences who clamour to see upcoming releases created in the Holy Land.

It’s fair to say Odelia has always been in the business of sourcing and promoting the best Israel has to offer.

She previously ran the hugely popular Ahava store in Covent Garden until the BDS protestors alarmed the landlords, and Odelia had to close up and consider her options.

“Running a film festival was not top of my list. In fact it wasn’t even on my list but I spoke with Anat Koren, a prominent figure in London’s Israeli community and her long-time friend Patty Hochmann who as a member of Israel’s Film Academy has been involved in the

accounts for Seret festivals being held in the UK , Germany ,Netherlands and Chile. At the UK launch in February director Nir Bergman previewed Just For Today, his groundbreaking TV series about a half-way house for prisoners starring Henry David and former actress turned social worker Tal Lifshitz.

Seret film founders Odelia Haroush, Patty Hochmann and Anat Koren

industry for more than 30 years.”

Together the women decided that Britain needed an Israeli national film festival to sit alongside other national film festivals, and agreed to take on the challenge.

It is no small achievement for a woman who was once selling Dead Sea

well-being treatments to now be on first name terms with Israel’s most formidable film makers. “We were in our infancy when Fauda creator Lior Raz asked if I would show some episodes of his show before it was a hit,” says Odelia.

The calibre of content now

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Seret-Nir Bergman, Tal Lifshitz and Henri David

Jewish News are delighted to be the media partners for SERET International in May which will open with Erez Tadmor’s The Art of Waiting.

Visit: www.seret-international.org

OPENING FILM EREZ TADMOR’S engaging The Art of Waiting is the festival’s gala film Before he went into writing the script Tadmor thought the story about the fertility issues faced by he and his wife were too personal.

Audience reaction to screenings proved otherwise and the tale of Liran and Tali, a couple in their thirties who dream of having a child dealt with the physical and mental issues as well as the family issues of having of embarking on fertility treatment. The challenges it poses begs the question - Will their love survive?

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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Seret International/ Passover

ROLL

THE MOVIE

Jewish News & Seret International bringing Cinema to your home. critically acclaimed films. An Israeli Love What a gift we have for you. Dan Story is one of them and because Seret Wolman’s An Israeli Love Story.

International has been postponed, Under normal circumstances Dan has offered his film about the a revered film maker such as real life love affair between actress/ Wolman would not be emailing director Pnina Gary and Eli, the press images of his own movie to son of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, Israel’s a journalist in London. Or sharing second president. Set in 1947 during his siesta times for the following Dan the final days of the British Mandate day. But there is nothing normal Wolman and early years of the founding of the about now. Dan, 78 is in his apartcountry, the film reveals the sacrifices made ment in Ramat Gan is on lock down with by the industrious pioneers and their determinahis wife Shoshana. In the apartment downstairs tion to succeed in a kibbutz romance about choices he can hear the voices and laughter of his two that ends in tragedy. As the director of My Michael grandchildren (they have six) and ordinarily there and Hide and Seek, Dan has received the Jerusalem would be hugs before bedtime and a shared family Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award, an Ophir meal. But with no contact of any kind allowed, Lifetime Achievement Award and countless other a wave over the balcony must suffice. “It does global honours. Chatting with him during the feel like the Invasion of the Bodysnatchers,” says darkest of days provided a chink of light – and An Dan who usually works from home and is using Israeli Love Story will do the same for you. the time to adapt Amos Oz’ Judas for the screen.

“My life is writing scripts, shooting films for a THIS IS THE LINK TO WATCH THE FILM few weeks and then back at home editing.” So it’s https://vimeo.com/252673268 the same, but different with Shoshana as his film The Code is: SERET250320 editor in a partnership that has resulted in many

Adi Bielski as Margalit and Aviv Alush as Eli Ben-Zvi

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Seret International

Festival films GOLDA

Directed by Sagi Bornstein and Udi Nir this documentary reveals what happened when the cameras kept rolling after Golda Meir gave an interview to Israeli television shortly before her death.

During the intimate talk with the first and so far, only woman to lead Israel,Golda spoke freely of her term as Prime Minister - five turbulent years that changed the course of history in the Middle East and secured her place in history, albeit at a high personal cost.

INCITEMENT

The assassination of Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 by an orthodox and ultra-nationalist Israeli Jew Yigal Amir, has been described as one of the most traumatic events in

Israeli history, widely condemned as the single act which put paid to the Israeli peace process for decades.

In his latest and highly controversial feature film, Yaron Zilberman delivers a thriller which follows the year leading to the assassination from the perspective of the assassin.

ACRE DREAMS

Palestinian theatre director Azam Salameh re-ignites more than the war-time romance between his grandmother, singer Layla and Dr Alfasi the last Jewish citizen remaining Acre, in trying to stage his latest play. He meets resistance from both communities.

Acre Dreams, a beautifully crafted film, is set during the last days of the British Mandate, and is the latest work from Daniel Wachsmann, one of Israel’s most prolific film and television producers and directors.

GOLDEN VOICES

PEACHES AND CREAM

AFRICA

THE RABBI FROM THE HIZBALLA

This story of optimistic RussianJewish immigrants in Israel after the fall of the Iron Curtain is warmly played out in this tale of raw disappointment and discovering new futures. The immigrants attempt to use their talents lead to some unexpected, funny and painful turns in this wittily scripted story by the director Evgeny Ruman, who came to Israel from Russia as a child.

Oren Gerner’s feature debut is a tender and profound examination of longstanding marriage; intergenerational relationships; companionship and the sad realisation that change and old age creeps up on us all.

Starring Gerner’s own parents, Africa focusses on 68-year old Meir, recently retired.

When the organisers of the local village festival decide to hand Meir’s usual role in planning the event to the local youth, his feeling of uselessness grows.

A semi-autobiographical existential comedy from writer/ Director Gur Bentwich who plays himself as a neurotic director trying to find an audience for the release of his latest film.

Everything seems to conspire against him, even his mates, as he dashes from one encounter to another, and from one world to the next, the result is an unforgettable night for him and his friends.

Avraham Sinai, an ultraOrthodox Jew living in Israel, was born Ibrahim Yassin in a small village in Lebanon.

A Muslim with an inconceivable association to Hezbollah, he became one of Israel’s leading spies, at the heart of some of the most daring, dangerous and secret operations Israel attempted in Lebanon in the 1980s and ’90s. What unfolds in Itamar Chen’s suspenseful documentary shows that truth is often more extraordinary than fiction.

YOU ONLY DIE TWICE

FORGIVENESS

Starring, written and directed by Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon, creators of hit comedy Maktub, Forgiveness is set in the south of Israel near the Gaza border, in a place where the longsuffering citizens live with incoming rocket fire on a regular basis. Long time pals Shaul and Nissan attempt to rob a postal bank. But the botched job results in Shaul being collared and sent to prison.

On his release, Shaul is less than pleased to be greeted by the newly religious Nissan seeking his forgiveness.

BORN IN JERUSALEM

Yossi has nightmares triggered by the bombings he grew up with and he started guiding tourists around the famous terror attack sites in his home city of Jerusalem as a way of coping.

In his semi autobiographical film, director Yossi Atia stars as Ronen who falls in love with an ex-Jerusalemite with a thirst for life on one of his tours. He is torn between the conflicting forces of life and death that she presents him with.

Ernst Bechinsky was a man who died in Israel in 1969 - and then again in Austria in 1987.

In 2010, director Yair Lev’s mother learned of an inheritance but she had to prove that she was the daughter of Ernst Bechinsky, the former president of a Jewish community in Austria.

What seemed simple instantly became mysterious with the shocking discovery of a second man with the same name, birthday and birthplace as her father.

UNCHAINED

Agunnah, meaning a “chained” or “anchored” woman, is a Jewish law principle in which a woman is bound in marriage by a husband who refuses to grant a divorce or, who is missing and not proven dead.

A chained woman will never be able to marry in a Jewish ceremony nor have children with another man.

Yossef Mourad is an ultra-Orthodox Sephardi rabbi tasked with saving women who are denied a divorce from a lifelong existence as a Chained Woman. Contrary to most of his colleagues, Yossef sympathises with the women on whose behalf he operates, he tracks down their husbands, and he will do anything, in line with Jewish law (and sometimes not) to succeed in his mission.

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26 March 2020 Jewish News

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

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To all of the heroes in our community right now: The doctors and nurses, the pharmacists and care-workers, the rabbis and volunteers, the home-schoolers and home-carers, the meals-on-wheels-ers and delivery drivers, the educators and shelf-stackers, the helpers and the social carers, and the ones who left some toilet paper in Tesco for our mums to buy.

We are in awe of your commitment and so grateful for what you are doing for us all.

Thank you from all of us at JW3.

To everyone else: Let’s help keep our heroes safe by staying indoors and keeping physically away from people. To help you all do that whilst still feeling connected to community, we’re bringing the whole community directly to you – at a safe distance – via our new free service:

jewishonline.jw3.org.uk.

It’s your cross-communal one-stop-shop for the best of British Jewish online services, programmes, events and more from across our diverse Jewish community. We recommend it best served with a glass of Palwin No.4a and a coconut macaroon.

Remember, we survived slavery in Egypt and managed 40 years in the desert.

What’s a few months at home to save others’ lives, hey?

Chag Pesach Sameach, From all of us at JW3.

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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/ Passover

Guess who’s coming to SEDER! At times like this religious families appreciate their size. Prolific reproduction means there are lots of children around the table and many mouths to feed becomes a blessing. It is never dull when there are lots of you, just noisy, which is better than being isolated with no one to share the egg in salt water. One way of coping with absent relatives and friends at this year’s low key seder, is to create the ultimate fantasy seder guest list. We asked some famous folk who they would invite to Manishtana alongside them...

HOST: STEVEN BERKOFF, playwright and actor Bernard Malamud – For writing such moving stories about the Jewish spirit and his pride in his race.

Franz Kafka – For his delightful imagination, his painful sensitivity and his depths of soul.

George Gershwin – For filling the world’s ears with the sublime sound of Jewish music with New York overtones. Sweet, jazzy, melodic, daring, heimish.

Isaac Bashevis Singer – For his wonderful exuberance, his passion and his mysticism.

Marcel Marceau – For creating mime dreams on stage and for showing the miraculous possibilities of the human body. Just watching his brought joy to your life.

Norman Mailer – For being a word juggler, an acrobat of language, daring, visceral, an American version of the new Jew as a slayer of demons, mostly his own. .

HOST: IVOR BADDIEL, comedy writer and author

Sigmund Freud – I didn’t want to use up three guest choices by inviting Freud, Einstein and Marx, so went for Freud as I have a degree in psychology and thus have a greater connection with him.

Joan Rivers – A fearless and brilliant comedian, you know she’s going to be entertaining.

Judas – He rarely gets a look-in as I expect most people would invite Jesus over him, and he gets a pretty bad press, so thought he deserved an invite.

I’m sure he’d also have plenty to say for himself.

Elijah – Just to see if he’d actually turn up for once.

Geddy Lee – He’s the lead singer and bassist of my favourite band, Rush.

Baruch Spinoza – I don’t know a vast amount about his philosophy, but what I do know, I like, and he’s bound to be an interesting conversationalist.

HOST: MAYIM BIALIK, star of the Big Bang Theory Sam Harris – We went to neuroscience grad school at UCLA together and he is my favorite atheist Jew ever. I don’t always agree with him, but he is brilliant and reasonable and thoughtful.

Billy Eichner – We met at the White House of all places, and before that I only knew that he does these crazy interviews and one featured him and

Lindsay Lohan talking about me. I find him to be a fearless and hysterical comedian and he’s warm and heimish.

Sarah Silverman – Irreverent, perhaps. But so revolutionary. I would be fine if she came in jeans and a T-shirt and sneakers even.

Benjamin Netanyahu – Just so I can find out what’s going on in his head.

Lenny Kravitz – I need to have the experience of singing Chad Gadya with this man.

Jon Stewart – Such an influential voice for our times. Also probably sings a mean Chad Gadya.

Host: Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and CEO of WPP “Pesach means bubbelech to me, ie the (stacks of) pancakes my mother used to make for me sprinkled with sugar, so I would invite my mother and father along.”

Golda Meir – Legendary former Israeli prime minister Max Stone – founder of J&M Stone, a radio and electrical retailer sold to Firth Cleveland. My father ran it before and afterwards.

Sir Jules Thorn – businessman and philanthropist Lord Weinstock – businessman and philanthropist Phil Reiss – a US lawyer and advertising matchmaker I spoke to every day.

Bill Bernbach – American advertising creative director and one of the founders, in 1949, of the international advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach.

HOST: GRAHAM GOULDMAN, musician and member of 10CC

Madonna – A strong woman who’s interested in Jews (I’ll make sure it’s a cape-free zone).

HOST: JULIE BURCHILL, journalist and author Dov Gruner, Yehiel Dresner, Mordechai Alkahi and Eliezer Kashani –Irgun freedom fighters, for their bravery during the re-birth of the Jewish nation.

Golda Meir – For her guts.

Moshe Dayan – To flirt with.

Avraham Stern – To gaze at.

Liz Taylor – Ditto.

Katie Glass – Sunday Times columnist, to slap my face, sober me up and call a cab.

My wife Ariella – It couldn’t happen without her.

Paul Simon – For musical chit chat.

Bob Dylan – As above.

Moses – So I could find out what really happ ened.

Jesus – To shake things up a bit.

Joan Rivers – For wit and personality.

Rabbi Akiva – To lead the service and provide solemnity.

Betty Gouldman – My mother, to tell the other guests who I am in case they don’t know.

WE ARE OPEN FOR EMERGENCIES

HOST: DAVID SCHNEIDER, comedian Sigmund Freud – What a brain! What courage to say some of the things he said, even the wrong ones.

Woody Allen – His films have been a source of so much pleasure, especially, as he’d say, “the earlier funny ones”. And he’d love to spend time with Sigmund, I’m sure, so that should work.

Sholem Aleichem – You know, the guy who wrote Fiddler On The Roof. Funniest writer I’ve ever read.

Queen Esther – She sounds fun (if you can ignore all the revenge killing). Open-minded (married out) and courageous, plus it’s all getting a bit male heavy, this guest list, so it’d be good to have her.

Nelson Mandela – Who wouldn’t want the person who;s shown us most recently the value of forgiveness and reconciliation (and enjoying a good dance)?

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The Little Book of Jewish Feasts by Leah Koenig (Chronicle Books, £13.99) Photographs by Linda Pugliese, © 2018 by Chronicle Books

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / The Book

Age-old STORY

It’s the bestseller that comes into its own once a year.

James Martin looks at the artistry of the Haggadah THE HAGGADAH is the fabled storytelling device that enables us to fulfil the biblical commandment to ‘tell your offspring’ about our miracle exit – with God’s help – out of Egypt.

The word Haggadah means ‘in the telling’ – a derivative of the verb to teach and its purpose on seder night is to help us remember the details of our departure from slavery through the devastation of the plagues and up to the salvation of the Hebrews as they entered the wilderness.

It is an awesome story, but as the focus of the chag, all eyes are on the Haggadah – and a new exhibition, Hebrew Manuscripts: Journeys of the Written Word, which was due to open on 20 March at the British Library reveals how the annual ‘retelling’ has inspired artists through the centuries to create extraordinary manuscripts that shed light on the life and times of generations following the authorship of the Haggadah (compiled in Mishnaic and Talmudic eras from 100-400).

Shortly before the Sarajevo Haggadah appeared, the SASSOON HAGGADAH (1320) was being created in Spain or possibly southern France by an unidentified scribe. Handwritten on parchment; brown ink, tempera, gold and silver leaf with square and semi-cursive Sephardic script and later semi-cursive Provençal and Ashkenazic script, this manuscript testifies to the religious and artistic traditions of Sephardi Jews before the expulsion from Spain.

The most valuable is the SARAJEVO HAGGADAH – one of the oldest Sephardic Haggadahs in the world, which originated in Barcelona around 1350. Handwritten on bleached calfskin and illuminated in copper and gold, it is now owned by the National

The HAGGADAH SHEL PESAH (The Haggadah for Pesach) is part of the 18th century ‘renaissance’ of Hebrew illuminated manuscript art, exemplified by this manuscript’s scribe, Yosef ben David of Leipnik, in 1740. Based in Hamburg and Altona, he produced 13 Haggadot in the 1730s and 40s. It is written in Hebrew and Yiddish, in Ashkenazic square and semi-cursive script.

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The Book / Passover The scribe and artist Nathan ben Samson of Meseritz created the PASSOVER HAGGADAH MORAVIA (AUSTRIAN EMPIRE 1732). He was among the most prolific and talented Jewish scribes and artists who were part of the important revival of Hebrew book illumination in Central Europe during the 18th century. This Haggadah was handwritten on parchment, black ink, watercolour and written in a square and semi-cursive Sephardic script – known as “Amsterdam letters”.

It was a personal commission for Ephraim ben David Weisel and his wife, Rosa.

The ILLUSTRATED PASSOVER HAGGADAH, which originates in Hamburg, Germany, was the work of the scribe-illustrator Nethanel ,son of Aaron [ha-Levi] Segal Segal, in 1762. This is a title page of an original 22 leaf binding, parchment painted, decorations and script in embossed gold. It is a work of great scope, written in square Ashkenazi script, with vowels, commentaries and translation into Ladino and Yiddish, in Rashi script and special script for the Old Yiddish.

The Haggadah belonged to one Isaac Seligmann Minden, according to the inscription at the top of the title page.

THE BARCELONA HAGGADAH, produced in the Catalonian city, was written in a neat square vocalised (with added vowels) Sephardi script. Besides the Haggadah text, the manuscript contains the Laws of Pesach, liturgical poems and Torah readings for the festival according to the Sephardi custom, and also poems and other readings according to the Provençal rite.

Passover Haggadah Moravia (?)

THE SZYK HAGGADAH was drawn amid the rise of the Nazis and Arthur Szyk’s book draws a parallel between the Third Reich and the Ancient Egyptians. In an early sketch, Hitler’s moustache reportedly appeared on Pharaoh’s face. He had a hard time finding someone to publish the manuscript, even after fleeing to England. But after years of financial stress, his friends helped him sell 250 editions of the book for $500 each.

Photo ©, The Israel Museum, by Nahum Slapak Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, and although its monetary value is undetermined, a museum in Spain required that it be insured for $7million before it could be transported to an exhibition there in 1992.

Photo credits The Sassoon Haggadah: Photo ©, The Israel Museum, by Nahum Slapak.

Haggadah Yahuda: Photo ©, The Israel Museum, by Ardon Bar-Hama Passover Haggadah ‘Moravia (?), Austrian Empire: Photo ©, The Israel Museum, by Elie Posner Illustrated Passover Haggadah: Photo ©, The Israel Museum, by Avi Ganor ‘Haggadah Shel Pesah’ (The Haggadah for Pesach): Courtesy British Library Board

Illustrated Passover Haggadah

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26 March 2020 Jewish News

P23

Food / Passover

BACK TO BASICS BALSAMIC AND BROWN SUGAR BRISKET SERVES 8 Braised brisket began as poverty cuisine – a method of low-andslow cooking that was capable of transforming a cheap, tough cut of meat into something desirable. Over time, it has become one of the most iconic dishes of the Jewish American kitchen.

It is a favourite for the festive meals on Rosh Hashanah, Succot and Passover, and often served as a substantial main alongside potato latkes on Chanukah. There are countless variations on the theme of brisket, ranging from sweet and tangy to savoury and herby. This version adds brown sugar and balsamic vinegar to the braising liquid, resulting in deep flavour and caramelised edges.

Like many braised meat dishes, brisket’s flavour improves with time, so plan to make it a day or two before serving. To slice, find the grain (the thin lines that run in one direction along the brisket) and use a sharp knife to thinly slice perpendicular to those lines.

Alex Galbinski selects recipes that use much-loved ingredients to create comforting and delicious meals

INGREDIENTS

4 to 5lb (1.8kg to 2.3kg) brisket Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper 3 tbsp vegetable oil 3 large red onions, halved through the root and thinly sliced 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 bay leaves 360ml beef or chicken stock 80ml balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 65g packed light brown sugar 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C and season both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-bottomed (cast iron) casserole dish with a tight fitting lid or a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add the brisket and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, eight to 10 minutes total. If the brisket does not fit all at once, cut it in half and sear it in batches.

3. Remove the seared brisket from the pot and set aside. Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil followed by the onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften and the mixture is fragrant, five to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whisk together the stock, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl until fully combined. Transfer the onion mixture to the bottom of a large roasting pan and layer the seared brisket on top.

Pour the balsamic mixture over the top, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and transfer to the oven.

5. Cook the meat for two hours. Remove from the oven, uncover, and carefully flip the meat to the other side. Re-cover and continue cooking until the meat is fork-tender, two to two and a half hours more.

6. Remove from the oven and transfer the meat to a cutting board; drape loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing against the grain. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions and arrange around the brisket.

Spoon your desired amount of pan juices over the brisket before serving. Serve hot. Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge, for up to four days. To reheat, transfer the brisket and any juices to a baking dish and heat in a 325°F / 165°C oven until warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.

The Little Book of Jewish Feasts by Leah Koenig (Chronicle Books, £13.99) Photographs by Linda Pugliese, © 2018 by Chronicle Books

P24

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Food

ROASTED SALMON WITH HORSERADISH SAUCE & PICKLED ONIONS SERVES 8-10 A head-turning dish full of vibrant flavours, from pickled onions to herbs to horseradish, and colours to match (hello, pink and fuchsia), this side of salmon could easily usurp gefilte fish at your seder.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS: ½ cup red wine vinegar 1 tsp kosher salt ¼ cup sugar ½ cup water ½ red onion, thinly sliced FOR THE HORSERADISH SAUCE: ½ cup mayonnaise 3 Tbsp jarred beet horseradish Juice of ½ lemon FOR THE SALMON: 3½ lb whole side skin-on salmon 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence ½ tsp sea salt Pepper to taste

1. To make the pickled onions, place the vinegar, salt, sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Place the prepared onions in a bowl and pour the hot vinegar mixture over the top. Let cool on the counter for one hour, then put in the fridge to chill.

2. For the horseradish sauce, stir together the mayonnaise, beet horseradish and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate.

3. Preheat the oven to 450°F / 230°C. 4. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the baking sheet. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper.

Roast the salmon in the preheated oven until just opaque in the centre, about 20 minutes. Serve with pickled onions and horseradish sauce on the side.

Excerpted from Kosher Style: Over 100 Jewish Recipes for the Modern Cook

by Amy Rosen. Copyright © 2019 Amy Rosen. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.

Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.

HONEY-HARISSA ROASTED CARROTS SERVES 6-8 I used to dread carrot tzimmes during the holidays (think mushy carrots sweetened with honey and sprinkled with plump raisins or prunes). It was my idea of hell in vegetable side dish form. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so I’ve created a hot new take on this High Holidays dish – which, ironically, was meant to symbolise a sweet New Year.

Spicy, sweet, juicy and crunchy: these carrots are nothing short of heavenly.

Wishing all our clients a Chag Samaech from all the staff at B&K Deli Edgware Hatch End and Tongue & Briskett In Good Street / Leather Lane & Waldor Street

INGREDIENTS

12 medium carrots, trimmed and peeled 1 Tbsp olive oil Kosher salt to taste 1 Tbsp honey 1 tsp harissa 2 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced Seeds from ½ pomegranate (about ½ cup) ¼ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Scatter the carrots on the baking sheet so they’re evenly spaced and not crowding the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Combine the honey and harissa in a small bowl, then drizzle over the carrots.

Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly browned, shaking the baking sheet once or twice during cooking.

3. When the carrots are done, transfer to a serving dish.

Let cool slightly, then sprinkle with the spring onions, pomegranate seeds and pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature.

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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P25

Food / Passover

MINA (MATZO PIE WITH LEEKS AND SPINACH) SERVES 8 From bourekas to pastelito (miniature pies), many Sephardi Jewish communities maintain a deep affection for savoury pastries. But on Passover, the options for baking are limited by the weeklong prohibition of chametz –foods made from wheat, rye, barley, spelt, or oats. Enter mina, a free-form pie that is typically layered with spiced meat and vegetables or, as it is here, with spinach and feta cheese. Brightened with lemon zest and a burst of fresh oregano, this take on mina has all the briny fresh flavour of a boureka. Serve it as the main dish for a vegetarian or pescatarian seder meal, or at any dinner throughout the holiday.

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish 3 large leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced 2 medium shallots, finely chopped kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper 5oz (140g) baby spinach 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano leaves 4 cups (960g) cottage cheese 4 eggs ¼ cup (60ml) milk 1 cup (140g) crumbled feta ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest 9 sheets matzo finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for serving

METHOD

1. Melt the butter in a large frying pan set over medium heat. Add the leeks, shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic and oregano and continue cooking until the spinach wilts, two to three minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

2. Whisk together the cottage cheese, three of the eggs, the milk, feta, lemon zest, ½ tsp salt and a generous amount of pepper in a medium bowl.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and rub a little butter around the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13‑in (23-by-33‑cm) baking dish. Fill a second shallow baking dish with warm water and dip in three sheets of matzo.

Let the matzo soften for two to three minutes. Shake off the excess water and arrange the matzo sheets in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Break the third matzo, if necessary, to fit it into the dish.

Cover with approximately half of the cheese mixture, followed by half of the leek and spinach mixture. Repeat the process with three more softened matzo sheets and the remaining cheese and spinach mixtures.

4. Soften the remaining three sheets of matzo and arrange on the top.

Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl and brush generously over the top of the matzo.

5. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm, sprinkled with parsley. Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to four days.

The Little Book of Jewish Feasts by Leah Koenig (Chronicle Books, £13.99) Photographs by Linda Pugliese, © 2018 by Chronicle Books

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Wild food

PASSOVER RECIPES

Wild Cooking

Denise Phillips suggests dishes with natural ingredients to give your seder meal genuinely biblical flavour www.jewishcookery.com

denises_kitchen

Celeriac Steaks with Mushroom Sauce Celeriac is my new favourite versatile vegetable. It makes the most delicious salads, soups and this delicious vegan steak recipe.

PREP 10 mins | COOK 40 mins | SERVES 4 (6 as a starter) Ingredients Ingredients For the celeriac steaks 1 large celeriac, peeled and sliced into 5cm thick steaks Olive oil to coat Large sprinkling of salt 1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika Garnish: Flat leaf parsley leaves, red chilli – cut into very fine strips – optional Date syrup

For the Mushroom Sauce 250g button mushrooms – cut in half 200g shiitake mushrooms – sliced Olive oil – for sautéing and roasting

1 medium onion – finely diced 1 clove garlic – peeled and finely chopped 300 ml mushroom stock – use two tablespoons mushroom stock powder with 300ml water 1.5 tablespoon potato flour About 1 tablespoon water to dissolve the potato flour

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Method For the steaks 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 2. Brush both sides of the celeriac steaks with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and smoked paprika and lie flat on a baking tray.

3. Place into the oven for 20 minutes, or until you start to see some browning on the edges of the steaks.

4. Remove from the oven and turn over, then return to the oven for another 10 minutes or until soft and browned.

For the mushroom sauce 1. Place the button and shiitake mushrooms into a bowl, then drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat and add a pinch of salt.

2.. Transfer to a medium sized frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant.

3. Then add the mushroom stock and bring to a simmer.

4. In a small bowl, dissolve the potato flour into a paste in 1-2 tablespoons of water.

5. Whisk the dissolved potato flour into the simmering stock and stir well to avoid any lumps.

The stock should thicken almost immediately.

To serve: Drizzle some date syrup onto the plate.

Place a generous helping of mushroom sauce onto your steaks, then sprinkle with the chopped parsley and chilli strips.

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Breakfast at Pesach can be quite uninspiring, but these little fruit and nut pots are a colourful combination of rhubarb and strawberry compote, topped with yoghurt and roasted nuts.

PREP 25 mins | COOK 45 mins | SERVES 6 Ingredients 30g almond flakes 30g pecan nuts 30g whole almonds ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 25ml maple syrup 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp vanilla essence ½ tsp sea salt, fine

For the Compote 400g rhubarb – trimmed and cut into cubes 100g dried figs – roughly chopped 2 Braeburn apples, small – quartered, cored and roughly chopped 50ml apple juice 30g sugar 100g strawberries 300g yoghurt (vanilla)

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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Wild Food / Passover Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

3. Roughly chop the nuts. Combine the cinnamon, maple syrup, oil, vanilla essence and salt. Pour this over the nuts and transfer to the lined baking tray spreading out in a single layer.

4. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden.

5. For the compote, place the fruit (except the strawberries) in a saucepan, add the apple juice and sugar and cover with a lid.

Cook for approximately eight minutes, stirring from time to time.

6. Remove the lid from the pan and cook uncovered for a further 12 minutes, until the fruit has softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool.

7. Once the compote has cooled, stir in the sliced strawberries.

Add a couple of tablespoons of rhubarb compote into the bottom of each glass, top with yoghurt and nut mix.

Chocolate, Hazelnut & Apple Cake This is an impressive family chocolate apple cake that also makes a great birthday cake should anyone be celebrating over Pesach.

PREP 30 mins | COOK 60 mins | SERVES 10 Ingredients 4 eggs – separated 50g caster sugar 80ml honey 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 125ml vegetable oil 140g ground hazelnuts 35g desiccated coconut 35g cocoa powder 100g ground almonds 2-3 eating apples – peeled, cored, thinly sliced 100g dark chocolate chopped 1 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Grease the base and side of a 22cm round loose-based cake tin and line with baking parchment.

3. Use electric beaters to whisk the egg yolks, sugar, honey and vanilla in a bowl for five minutes or until doubled in size and a ribbon trail forms when the beater is lifted. With beaters on medium-low, add oil in a steady stream, until thick and combined.

4. Combine ground hazelnuts, coconut, cocoa powder and ground almonds in a separate bowl and add to the egg yolk mixture.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Whisk egg whites in a separate clean bowl until firm peaks form and gently fold into the hazelnut mixture.

Transfer to your prepared cake tin.

Top with sliced apples, arranging in concentric circles.

Sprinkle with hazelnuts and chocolate.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Wishing You All a Happy Pesach Supervised Kosher Platters & cakes to suit any occasion

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P28

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Meals on wheels

CATERING TO YOUR NEEDS Louisa Walters

Not everyone is a budding MasterChef contestant and even those who are pretty competent cooks are now faced with the challenge of creating three meals a day for themselves and their families, coupled with the difficulty of getting supplies from the supermarkets. However, several kosher and kosher-friendly caterers have set up home delivery services, so now we can all have function-quality food at our kitchen table.

ADAM NATHAN CATERING is creating a new menu of delicious dishes each week. They can be eaten straight away or frozen. Order dishes such as barbecue lamb shoulder on sweet potato mash and home-made flatbreads, or Marbella

JOSEPHA WHITE, whose core business is catering functions, also produces frozen kosher ‘airline-style’ (but with a home-made touch) meals, such as roast chicken and apple strudel for reheating in the oven or microwave. The company has been doing this for a number of years for individuals andJewish organisations and is really coming into its own. www.josephawhite.co.uk

chicken at the start of the week for delivery over the weekend – all you need to do is pop it in the oven. Since launching this service a week ago, Adam has seen unprecedented demand, with 540 orders coming through in two days! www.adamnathancatering.com BEN TENENBLAT is offering a full Passover takeaway service, including a complete Seder plate. Dishes include gin and tonic cured salmon, tuna tataki, salmon fish cakes, chicken liver blintzes, whole shoulders of lamb cooked down in a pomegranate and red wine reduction, beef bourguignon, beef and vegetable tagines, plus classic fish balls and gefilte fish.

There’s also a range of sweet stuff such as pavlova and cinnamon balls. After Passover, Ben will offer daily fresh meals delivered to the door. www.ben-tenenblat.com

YUMMIES in Mill Hill and Radlett is taking its deli on the road and will deliver anything you would ordinarily go in there to buy, plus – get this – trays of 30 eggs! (Tip: if you don’t need that many in one go, crack them open, beat them and freeze in ice cube trays or freezer bags.) www.yummiesdeli.com

JASON SASSOON at Bespoke Catering Services is offering fresh family-friendly dinners with a 15 percent discount to over-70s and those in the vulnerable group. Menus are based on enough for a family of four, but Jason and the team are happy to make smaller or larger portions. There are soups, salads and traditional dishes and at the weekends an oriental menu is available.

All hot meals are freezable. facebook.com/ bespokecateringservices

Just want great-tasting, plant-based food?

RAMONA’S KITCHEN is offering family packs of original or spinach & kale Fabulous Falafel and original or red pepper Heavenly Houmous delivered to your door (or to collect from Watford). www.ramonaskitchen.com

WE ARE STILL DELIVERING

Don’t worry, you can still get your favourite Yummies food for yourself, family or to send to loved ones.

Simply call the tel numbers below to place an order.

Radlett: 01923 852 666 Mill Hill: 0208 9060 990

orders@yummiesdeli.com

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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P29

Tidy home / Passover

LET THERE BE Calm Cleaning and tidying your home isn’t just for Passover.

Louisa Walters meets decluttering expert Russ Doffman

I

magine a world in which you open your cupboards and drawers to find all your clothes and accessories easily accessible, arranged in colour or style order. Imagine that in your teenage children’s bedrooms, their revision notes and homework (in more regular times, of course) are neatly filed and readily reachable. Imagine that when you walk into your house, you hang up your keys on a special hook, put away your coat and shoes in a neat space, walk into your kitchen to cook dinner and find that all your utensils, spices and ingredients are immediately visible on opening the cupboards and drawers. This utopia is what Russ Doffman makes it her mission to achieve.

As a child, Russ was super tidy and organised, prone to arranging her dolls and teddies in height order. Several years spent as a buyer for Marks and Spencer, with responsibility for more than 300 products, put her organisational skills to the test and taught her to love paperwork.

A self-proclaimed sergeant major when it comes to tidiness and organisation with her own children, she was in her element when arranging her sons’ barmitzvahs, which she did with military precision, creating spreadsheets and flow charts to leave no stone unturned.

After she helped a friend declutter her wardrobe, Russ realised that her skills extended

“

beyond her own home and she decided to declutter professionally. She set herself up on Facebook and LinkedIn, joined a networking group and then approached Joanna Sadie at employment charity Work Avenue, who was hugely helpful in getting her established. DeclutteRus was born.

Teenagers are a challenge that Russ particularly enjoys.

“They can be overwhelmed with the number of folders, papers and books when it comes to exam time, and I can help put this all in order.” She finds men are easier to work with than women, as they are less attached to stuff.

Decluttering can be an emotional journey.

“There are tears and tantrums, laughter and elation when my clients find something they thought they’d lost. I make them memory boxes in which to store treasured items.”

A few weeks ago, Russ was invited onto Radio Verulam (St Albans) to chat about the benefits of decluttering. “There is a definite correlation between a cluttered life and a cluttered mind,” she says. “Decluttering is hugely important for everyone’s mental health.”

Russ, who says she particularly loves a kitchen drawer, has a calm and gentle approach and is careful not to judge. “People often feel embarrassed to show me their mess, but I want them to relax when I walk through the door – I am there to help. Everyone copes so much better with everyday life when they know where everything is in their home.”

TESTIMONIALS:

After a few sessions with Russ, my house feels like it has come back from a long holiday more chilled and able to breathe. I, too, am breathing easier. I hadn’t appreciated just how much stress I was causing myself by not being able to locate things. And I believe that my new clean, organised environment has improved my ability to think more clearly.

Russ set to work, one room at a time. Each drawer, each cupboard, each worktop was tackled with a strict ‘bin, donate, keep’ regime. Our work together settled into a rhythm as we put stuff – so much stuff! – into black bags for rubbish, black bags for the charity shop, and a separate pile for the things I needed or wanted to keep. And for items that survive the cull, Russ has a never-ending supply of innovative ways to store them. A mere glance from her silenced my wheedling attempt to cling onto not one but 14 identical invitations to my son’s barmitzvah several years before.

“We are going to create a memory box for you,” she said firmly, “and you can keep one invitation in here. You won’t need more.”

RUSS’S TIPS:

1 2

Don’t buy so much stuff – ask yourself whether you really need it.

3 4 5 6 7

The floor is not for storage – don’t allow anyone in your house to leave anything on the floor.

Get rid of anything that makes you feel bad.

Don’t keep more than one of anything.

Don’t hang on to clothes that you are never going to wear again, for example your outfit from your son’s barmitzvah 10 years ago. You have a photo of yourself in it – that’s all you need.

Make a memory box for each of your kids to store treasured items from their childhood, for example their first shoes. When they move out, give it to them.

Once you have decluttered, stay decluttered!

P30

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Fashion

WHAT YOU MIGHT Dare To Wear

Worn out by the demands of sustainable fashion?

Brigit Grant reveals trends to send you shopping

It’s hard to get excited about the spring/summer looks of 2020 when there is so much anxiety about climate change, disposable clothing and, now, the virus keeping you indoors. Stepping out in something new is almost a criminal offence in the eyes of Extinction Rebellion and wearing vintage is no longer fun, but is the responsible thing to do. With the biannual fashion show season dominated by green catwalks (Dior had trees), Gucci reducing carbon emissions from its supply chain and Roland Mouret using hangers made from recycled marine plastic, it doesn’t feel right to be buying anything more than a Lola’s cupcake (www.lolascupcakes.co.uk). Instead, we should be adopting the sartorial choices of our ancestors in the wilderness, although wearing the same trainers for 40 years won’t appeal to most Jewish women. No doubt retailers are hoping the penny doesn’t drop with the preened doyennes of Temple Fortune so, until they embrace Gretha Thunberg’s relaxed approach to dressing, here are the trends for the season.

1. SHORTS. The less said the better for most, but the skort is acceptable, even though it’s something most teens wear to a batmitzah. Teamed with a jacket in gingham (this is a suit) gives the look an air of respectability, as does a pair of black tights.

Gingham Bermuda Skort www.zara.com, £25.99

3. NEON returns to please those who dare to wear it before getting a tan. Opt for something more subtle in a paler shade of salmon, such as the Hobbs flares (£149) and top (£110). www.hobbs.com

4. RETRO PRINTS means thinking back to the wallpaper you had in in 1970s and picturing it on a shirt. Some of the pyjama styles are more suited to the boudoir or the flowery tops Joe Brown has done so well.

High Waist Green Shorts www.zara.com, £25.99

Jazzy Print Blouse www.joebrowns.co.uk, £35

2. FEATHERS on frocks by Burberry and Valentino were everywhere in Paris, and Prada, pricey as ever, attached blue ones to a pink dress, at a cost of £2,000.

The TK MAXX shoes may be more aff ordable.

White Feather Shoe www.tkmaxx.com, £24.99

Prada pink dress £2,000 with feather trim

Printed Pyjama-Style Shirt www.zara.com, £25.99

Faux Leather Belted Dress www.zara.com, £79.99

5. LEATHER was one of the key fabrics for autumn last year, but has been unleashed for spring. Tan is the popular colour and will carry you seamlessly through all weathers.

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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Fashion / Passover 6. In the spirit of recycling and old traditions, CROCHET has made a comeback and if you don’t have an old cardi that your bubbe made, there are plenty of combinations to be had.

Gina Bacconi Sorina Tiered Dress www.ginabacconi.com, £180

8. Reflecting the madness of it all.

Dotty clothing aka POLKA DOTS available in any size of spots, workable in trousers or dresses and, best of all, it’s a trend on repeat, which makes it sustainable. Hooray!

Stine Goya Jasmine Pink Dress www.net-a -porter.com, £210

Quirky Crochet Longline Cardigan www.joebrowns. co.uk, £55

Crochet Knit Sweater www.zara.com, £49.99

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7.The The fashion impact of the TV series KILLING EVE is undeniable, and Jodie Comer will be wearing more statement outfits in the upcoming third season.

It seems designers are still hooked on the pink frothy dress in the first season and this plays out in lots of flouncy frills and tiers this season, with Stine Goya offering a more modest version.

Malina Liona Lace Tiered Mini Dress In Black www.asos.com, £200

Belted Dress With Ruffles Details www.zara.com, £49.99

Polka Dot Dress www.zara.com, £29.99

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Passover / Beauty

TIME FOR TREATS Brigit Grant has some online suggestions to make you feel better

We have never experienced a time like this, so it’s hard to know what a beauty section can offer by way of solace. On the other hand, a bit of self-gifting always lifts the mood, and sorting out drawers and cupboards because of Passover and isolation creates a bit of extra room for a cheer-up purchase or two. Plus with extended “me time”, you can trial the products you never knew you needed As travel is something we can only currently do in our minds, how about dabbing the smell of Tel Aviv behind your earlobes? Or some Brooklyn on the wrists? Berlin on the décolletage? These are the cities with scents that perfume maker Nick Steward wanted to evoke in his unisex fragrances by Gallivant. As the name suggests, the wearer is olfactorily gallivanting from place to place and the one named after the Israeli city “ exudes luxury, like a steam room made of marble and brass. A clear and fruity introduction with a floral base with notes of bergamot, mandarin and white flowers softens your heart– just like Tel Aviv itself.” Available in 30ml eau de parfum (£65) and a 10ml pure perfume roll-on oil (£35), it’s a hint of the Holy Land, which is sadly unreachable this Passover. www.gallivant-perfumes.com

It’s my daughter’s birthday on 27 March and she has introduced me to Glossier, the make-up brand founded by New Yorker Emily Weiss, a nice Jewish girl who, after graduating in 2007, became a styling assistant at Vogue. From her beauty blog, Into the Gloss, she launched www.glossier. com, selling her own products, and the company was last valued in 2018 to be worth $1.2 billion.

Favourite products include Cloud Paint (£15), the seamless cheek colour and the Stretch concealer (£15) which doesn’t get all cakey as so many do.

There is a sense of being in the wilderness with all that is happening and a desperate urge to get back to nature and feel healthy. Products with ingredients to regenerate, nourish and give a sense of well-being are what’s required.

D’alchemy’s formulations are based on organically grown or wild growing plants from environmentally clean areas. Try its All-Over Blemish Solution (£40), which unblocks pores, cleans up dead cells and, thanks to specially-selected natural plant extracts, evens out skin texture, reducing the size and visibility of pores. The formula made from bamboo extract leaves skin smooth and shine-free, without tightness or dryness. www.dalchemyskincare.uk

Roger&Gallet Tubéreuse Hédonie Shower Gel With its distilled essences of tuberose, jasmine and pink pepper and enriched with aloe vera, this is a shower gel that doubles up as bubble bath (£9.50). Concentrated in perfume, it is also good for sensitive skin and we’re no doubt all feeling pretty sensitive right now. www.feelunique.com

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Beauty / Passover Elemental Herbology Macadamia & Papaya Radiance Body Scrub (£32.) is rich in Omega 7 which is essential for hydration, papaya for cell renewal and sea salt for drawing out impurities. www.elementalherbology.com

Tropic Skincare is 100% natural, cruelty-free and vegan, with every product packed full of premium exotic ingredients. Its Super Greens Nutrient Boost Oil, £42 nurtures your skin’s natural defences against pollution and calms irritated, sensitive and blemished skin. www.tropicskincare.com

Chances are you are biting your nails and without your technician, you’ll need Dr Hauschka Neem Nail and Cuticle Oil (£26.50), infused with neem leaf extract to strengthen keratin, and apricot kernel oil, chamomile and anthyllis plant to soften and condition cuticles. www.drhauschka.co.uk

Need cash fast?

Danish skincare brand Ecooking launched in the UK in 2018. Safe enough to eat, the range contains more than 40 products, each of which is made with up of 100% organic oils, combined with natural peptides and vitamins. Sustainability is key and the products come in recyclable material. Bestsellers? The acid infused peeling mask for a youthful glow, a super serum to relax facial muscles – reducing fine lines – and a night cream to stimulate collagen production while you sleep. www.ecooking.com Flowers provide a feelgood factor in a vase or a body lotion. Weleda’s Wild Rose is the pampering kind and, if you want spritz, Yardley London’s rose, lavender, lily of the valley and April violets will conjure up spring (all £20).

The company beloved by the nation is celebrating its 250th anniversary, which has to be worth a smile emoji and a toast to its history and to better times. www.yardleylondon.com

Glossier.com founder Emily Weiss

Wishing our customers a Chag Sameach!

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Travel / Thinking ahead

Positive Planning

The thought of a holiday could get you through this…

MALLORCA

Portal Hills Boutique Hotel ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO, Spain and Portugal felt so near, and so did spring. The clocks go forward this weekend and hopefully so will we in the near future, so we can pack our bags and head to Mallorca or the Algarve.

The Portals Hills Boutique Hotel in Mallorca is waiting. The island’s first condo hotel took its inspiration from Miami, with its high-end suites and one luxurious penthouse furnished by Fendi.

Just a few minutes’ drive from the smart Puerto Portals

Zafiro Palace in Alcudia marina, the glamorous five-star property has a privileged position in the hills above Portals Nous and a chic pool terrace, with stateof-the art gym and the Ligne St Barth Wellness-Lounge to reflect its undeniably exclusive, hip and stylish ambience.

Mallorca’s second hotspot is the Zafiro Palace in Alcudia.

The chic and sophisticated all-inclusive, five-star hotel has skillfully managed to combine luxury with child-friendly facilities. Unwind by a different swimming pool every day, head to the golden sands of the beach or spend a day of pampering at

Hotel Bonsol Resort & Spa

the spa – just don’t relax so much you forget you’ve brought the children.

Just six miles west of the capital, Palma, is Hotel Bonsol Resort & Spa. Located on a clifftop in upscale coastal resort Illetas, the Bonsol nestles amid pine trees, lush landscaping and multiple terraces and continues to be run by the same family that founded it in the 1950s. The family happily welcomes others to stay or simply to sample the water’s edge restaurant and the casual beach eaterie.

PORTUGAL

WHEN JEWISH COUPLE Harriett and Armondo Pena quit Blighty to open a rustic B&B farmhouse in Portugal’s Algarve they knew it would be tough. Honing a reputation for hosting a stay in a spectacular but affordable property took days of dedicated marketing, and their events – teas, lunches, weddings and chauffeur driven rides in a turquoise American hot rod– were soon talked about, far beyond the hillside village of Boliqueime.

Two years on, and the business they have nurtured has come to an end. No tourists, no bookings and nothing on the horizon.

“I am trying to be positive,” says Harriett, a member at Finchley Reform Synagogue. “But when the world has its wheels back on, small holiday businesses such as mine will struggle to get going without sufficient support.”

With more than its share of autumnal sun

and successive Decembers hotter than Miami, Harriett and her family at Casa De Mondo (house of the world) believe they are able to offer guests the TLC they need after these uncertain times.

The three cottages – each with its own bathroom and kitchen – are available until the end of the year and sitting by the pool under the pomegranate trees is a great place to be for Rosh Hashanah or to stage your own simcha. www.casademondo.com, or call +44 (0)7903 525941.

The Jewish community in the Algarve has services all year, weekly Shabbat and meals led by Ido Itshayek.

Visit: www.facebook.com/Jewish-Community-of -the-Algarve or email: JCA.Algarve@yahoo.com

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Israel... soon / Travel

This year in JERUSALEM Our ancestors waited a long time to get to the Promised Land. Here are some places to think about for our big return

THE INBAL (www.inbalhotel.com) in Jerusalem is spectacular, melding the essence of a boutique property with the allure of a grand hotel. After a two-year renovation process of the 331 guest rooms, suites and public spaces at a cost of $90million, you can see where the money was spent. Built entirely from traditional Jerusalem stone, the hotel offers a range of first-class amenities, including gourmet restaurants, a state-of-the-art spa and fitness centre, a heated, semi-Olympic pool, as well as artisan and designer shops. Very VIP. WOM ALLENBY opened in January. It is the first location of the new brand of pod-style hotels.

Situated near the beach, the hotel offers an affordable stay in a comfortable bed. There are three room categories, including solo pod, twin pod and king pod. Using the WOM app, guests control their entire stay, including booking, check-in/check-out and their room’s facilities.

They can also chat with fellow travellers and hotel staff. (www.staywom.com) Very now.

The Theodor

WOM Allenby

The Inbal

DAN CAESAREA HOTEL built by Baron Rothschild for sixties jet-setters has been reinvented as a resort. All the areas of the resort have been refurbished and upgraded so the entire complex of 116 guestrooms and suites now sparkle. It really is an impressive renovation of a property set in 62 acres of landscaped gardens surrounding a huge central pool, which rather uniquely has a pool table standing in it overlooked by trees into which tree houses have been embedded. The Danyland club offers has an aquarium, a world of dinosaurs that combines a classic sandbox with a 3D projection, and a wealth of possibilities with the retro games and technological innovations. Add to this a fully equipped high-tech fitness centre, a swanky spa, a basketball court, a soccer field, a tennis court and innovative culinary surprises. (www.danhotels.com) Very memorable.

THE THEODOR is a 34-room boutique hotel on the corner of Herzl Street and Rothschild Boulevard. There is a private garden, rooms with outdoor terrace showers and a trendy bar and spa. (www.brownhotels.com) Very Tel Aviv.

Six Senses Shaharut

SIX SENSES SHAHARUT is the ultimate dream vacation set to open in May, but watch this space.

There are dramatic views from any of the 58-suite and villa hotel nestled in the Arava Valley, south of the Negev desert. A spa, camel stables and the freshest air await you. (www.sixsenses.com) Very traveller chasing adventure.

The Ritz- Carlton

THE RITZ-CARLTON in Herzliya sets the

benchmark in luxury, but doesn’t rely on bells and whistles to attract guests. There are 115 rooms set over 12 floors, huge beds and fabulous art by local talent. Herbert Samuel, the hotel’s relaxed restaurant, takes kosher dining to a new level, as does the service (staff undergo 250 hours of training and also do charity work outside of the hotel as part of the corporate ‘social responsibility’ footprint). The hotel’s kids club is run in part by the Ocean Society. (www.ritzcarlton.com) Very special.

Isrotel’s newest addition is the KEDMA HOTEL in Sde Boker located near the home of David Ben-Gurion. A great base for exploring the Israeli desert, Kedma has a swimming pool, authentic desert cuisine, a luxurious spa with Turkish bath and heated treatment pool, a state-of-the-art fitness room, and a large event complex. (www.isrotel.com) Very Unique.

Once Israel is open for business look out for tours and stays with Eddie’s Kosher Travel and call West End Travel for the best advice.

Kedma Hotel

Dan Caesarea

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Travel / Suffolk hols

Country girl CALLING When the world gets back to its old self, Tracie Elmaleh plans to head for Suffolk, her second home HOLI-DAY… I wanted every day to be holy.

Four nights away from London. My checklist is very simple. Uninterrupted sleep, warm & cosy with a wood burner and a comfortable bed.

With these criteria and my decision to head to my favourite English county of Suffolk, I approached Suffolk Hideaways. They do exactly as they say on their beautifully presented tin - Hide Away in Suffolk. Perfect. They came up with Snow Hall Barn and I absolutely love it!

Designed by Caroline Riddell who has an office in London and works around the world as an interior designer, the website photos of it do not lie.

Having travelled extensively around the UK, it is unusual to come across good design that encompasses lighting and heating in the way Snow Hall Barn does. No detail is spared to create a private

hideout which is uncluttered with just the right amount of luxury (so as not to be pretentious) in the simple, yet tasteful furnishings with all the mod cons needed, including many plug outlets and that all important cafetière!

An upside -down cottage/barn, cleverly putting the two spacious master bedrooms downstairs with the lovely bathroom and leaving upstairs for the living space. Painted wooden floors, neutral colours and a really well- designed kitchen space means it flows superbly. With the February winds howling around outside, moments on the generous terrace were saved for wondering at the night stars, a Suffolk ‘big sky’ treat. Isolated enough to be private and so quiet that my no 1 priority - to sleep as much as possible -was easily achievable.

There are reasons I love Suffolk and although I would have happily not left my secret haven, the history, the space, the warmth of the people, quaint villages, country pubs, many castles lying about and of course, Constable land, were all waiting to be visited. The extensive information pack at the barn provided by Suffolk Hideaways recommended the best of the sites, restaurants and services Suffolk offers – spoilt for choice is not an exaggeration. Seafront walks on Aldeburgh Beach and hot vegan soup at Munchies on the high street followed by a walk around Framlingham Castle on day one, I was ready to get back to the comfort of my barn retreat to watch a movie on the smart TV, have a rest and think about which top-listed pub to choose for dinner.

Churches are never hard to find in Suffolk and very much part of every village, but the closet synagogue is in Ipswich, rather a long way for a drop in. Embracing nature out here in the vast, quiet flatlands of Suffolk is enough of a religious experience.

When I approach the holiday homes on offer, I usually imagine I’m an American.

Suffolk county ticks all those boxes any American would expect from an English countryside experience. Snow Hall Barn fulfils the living experience by being everything any- one would expect, need and want.

Keep the cafetière warm.

Suffolk Hideaways (www.suffolkhideaways. co.uk; 01782 666 300) offers 3 nights at Snow Hall Barn from £514 travelling June 2020

CAMP SIMCHA URGENT PESACH APPEAL WHY IS THIS YEAR DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER YEARS?

None of us could have imagined quite how different this Pesach would turn out to be.

It’s incredibly worrying for all of us, but particularly frightening for the families Camp Simcha support who are already coping with very seriously ill and vulnerable children.

Camp Simcha is still here, making a difference to those families who desperately need us. Our Family Liaison Officers are providing 24/7 support to worried parents, and isolated families need our crisis household support more than ever before - we have received a 70% increase in requests for meal deliveries.

The Covid crisis has seriously affected our income and has put some of our most critically needed services in jeopardy. Please help us now!

We cannot abandon these families now and we urgently need your help.

Your support will enable Camp Simcha to give vital support to these families this Pesach and beyond - please donate directly online at www.campsimcha.org.uk/pesach This advert has been kindly donated

020 8202 9297 • office@campsimcha.org.uk Amélie House, 221 Golders Green Rd, NW11 9DQ

CAMPSIMCHA.ORG.UK Charity Number: 1180646. A Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England & Wales No. 11478657

26 March 2020 Jewish News

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Next year inJDA?

Our signed Seder is a highlight of our year.

Sadly this year we will be alone. But we know JDA will look after us, and keep us safe and well, as always.

Please help JDA alleviate deaf people’s isolation as nobody else can at this critical time – donate securely online today. Thank you.

www.jdeaf.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1105845 Company Limited by Guarantee 4983830

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ADVERTORIAL

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU

Expert at sales, lettings and property management, Compass Residential is a company with excellent customer service

Having been in the business for more than 20 years now, and seen how many estate agencies – especially the larger established chains – work, I believe it’s high time the industry moved on to a better model of actually looking after customers and not just lining their own pockets.

Many agencies will give far higher than achievable sale prices or rental estimates on your house or letting.

It all sounds very attractive and they do this to sign you up.

But in truth, they know these targets are not achievable, and you will eventually settle for a more realistic price. Does the agent suffer because of this? Absolutely not! They still earn their fee, but your house or investment may be on the market far longer than it should be, and will end up selling at the correct market price in the majority of cases, just not the agent’s original estimate.

This leaves you, the customer, disappointed and frustrated. Add this to some agency’s appalling service levels and customer care, and you can understand why the industry has made such a bad name for itself.

At Compass Residential, we really try to do things very differently.

First of all, we treat YOU as a valued customer. We are happy to chat, whether you instruct us or not. We will always give you a realistic appraisal of your property in line with your needs, whether you are selling or renting your property.

We are here to help guide and support you throughout the process.

We won’t throw unrealistic or inflated figures in the air and promise you the world; we’ll just give you honest advice and correct market

pricing to achieve the maximum value possible.

By pricing a property correctly in the first instance, we drive additional demand and a greater number of viewings to the property, and we have seen several cases recently where we have achieved in excess of the asking price owing to several parties making higher offers.

So the lesson to be learned is: take the right advice first time, and don’t let your property sit and stagnate on the market for longer than necessary. Your loyalty should be to an agent who looks after you, not one who is only looking after themselves.

The latest statistics show that we have achieved an average of 99 percent of the asking price on sales in the past six months alone, as well as 99 percent of the asking price for lettings. Our reviews on Google are nothing but glowing – and we aim to keep it that way.

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So, for some honest advice on your property needs, call me, Mark or Anne Marie at Compass Residential.

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By pricing a property correctly in the first place, the company maximises viewings

Compass Residential is here to help guide you throughout the buying and letting process

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IN THIS SECTION: Investments 42-43 Divorce 44 Inheritance tax 45

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HERE IS A COMMON PHRASE, thought to be an ancient Chinese curse that states “may you live in interesting times”.

It is probably roughly translated into Yiddish as “oy vey”, but is as relevant now as ever.

The nation, having got through the Brexit hysteria, is now dealing with the coronavirus crunch.

Markets are experiencing some of

their largest falls, as the situation and government response changes on a daily basis.

It is easy to tell people not to panic, but that can be hard if your health, job, business or savings are at risk.

Our plan with this guide was to help set your finances free. That may be the last thing on most people’s mind at the moment, but having the right financial plan in place is probably more important now than ever.

ANNUAL TAX ALLOWANCES Cash and/or stocks and shares ISA £20,000 Junior ISA £4,368 (increasing to £9,000 from the 2020-21 tax year) Pensions £40,000 Dividends £2,000

Hopefully some of the tips we provide in this finance guide will provide some support and reassurance to those worried about the stock markets, making longterm business and relationship plans, as well as thinking about passing on their wealth.

Just as the Jews freed themselves from slavery in Egypt, this, too, will pass and hopefully you can set your finances free.

TAX RATES Band

Taxable income

Tax rate

Personal Allowance

Up to £12,500

0%

Basic rate

£12,501 to £50,000

20%

Higher rate

£50,001 to £150,000

40%

Additional rate

over £150,000

45%

Corporation tax

Charged on profits

19%

CORONAVIRUS: SUPPORT FOR YOUR FINANCES AND BUSINESS

DIVIDENDS Tax band

Tax rate on dividends over the allowance

Basic rate

7.5%

Credit card, loan and overdraft borrowers given more time to repay debts and late fees waived. Check with your lender.

Higher rate

32.5%

Statutory sick pay of £94.25 per week available from day one for those isolating due to coronavirus or unable to work because they are following government isolation advice.

Additional rate

38.1%

INDIVIDUALS Three-month mortgage payment holiday if you are affected by coronavirus.

Contact your lender to apply.

BUSINESS Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, delivered by the British Business Bank, to enable businesses to apply for a loan of up to £5 million, with the government underwriting up to 80 percent. Businesses can access the first six months interest free.

Details at www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/coronavirus-businessinterruption-loan-scheme-cbils/

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

The Wingate & Finchley Football Club Would like to wish all of their members old and new

A very Happy Pesach

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Money/ Finance

Setting up in

ISRAEL Fancy Fridays off work?

How to set up in the Promised Land

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POILER ALERT: the Jewish people make it to to the land of Israel after the Passover story.

You don’t have to wonder the desert for 40 years if you want to setup shop in the promised land though.

There are some differences when operating in Israel compared with the UK though.

First, international currency transfers are slower due to anti-money laundering procedures at Israeli banks.

You can’t legally invoice customers until you have a VAT registration and customers must withhold 30% tax from payments to you unless your tax affairs are in order.

One big benefit of moving to Israel is that new residents are generally exempt from tax on non-Israeli sourced income for the first 10 years.

But business tax rates are slightly higher in

Israel than the UK. The regular Israeli corporation tax rate is 23%, although there are some lower rates for certain industries.

This compares with a 19% corporation tax rate in the UK. The regular dividend rate in Israel is 30%-33% for shareholders owning 10% or more of a business.

This compares with a dividend basic rate of 7.5% in the UK after a £2,000 annual allowance, 32.5% higher rate and 38.1% additional rate Freelancers and salary earners pay up to 50% Israeli income tax and national insurance, while the basic rate in the UK is 20%, rising to 40 per cent for those earning more than £50,000 and 45% for additional rate taxpayers earning more than £150,000.

Accounts and invoices must be issued on

approved Israeli software and you need to report and pay VAT and income tax by the middle of each month.

Annual tax returns must be filed four to five months after the year-end, compared with nine months in the UK, although accountants can receive extensions for their clients.

Like in the UK, employees are entitled to an employment contract, pension scheme, holidays and sickness benefits but best of all in Israel, everyone gets Shabbat and the main Jewish holidays off.

Leon Harris, of tax consultancy H2CAT, says Israel has become affluent thanks to high tech and there is money to be made.

“If you conduct business activities physically in Israel or operate via an agent, you are generally taxable in Israel,” he says.

“If you have a UK business, consider using an Israeli company for Israeli activity and a UK company for UK activity – this helps avoid double taxation.

“Being a freelancer is cheaper, but there is less protection from double taxation and lawsuits.”

If trading in Israel doesn’t appeal, there are of course benefits to operating in the UK. “Like any country, a stable and fair tax system encourages business and enterprise and the UK has relatively reasonable rates of income and capital gains tax,” Pinny Olsberg, partner at London accountant Cohen Arnold, says.

“The UK tax code is extensive, and it is vital to obtain clear and direct advice before embarking on your business journey.”

Residential Property | Commercial Property | Property Litigation

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Finance / Essential advice

10 investment

MISTAKES to avoid like the plague Stockmarkets may have only just recovered from Brexit uncertainty but they have now been infected by fears over the coronavirus outbreak

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his can mean the value of your investments and pensions has dropped in recent months.

It is easy on paper to say not to panic, to keep calm and carry on, but the general rules of investing are as relevant now as they have ever been.

Here is what you need to avoid to ensure a plague-free portfolio: SELLING OUT EARLY The drastic stockmarket falls over recent weeks may make it tempting to withdraw your money to protect your cash. But this

would mean locking in the losses and missing out on any recovery.

Lloyd Kafton, director of advisory firm Cedar House, says: “Much of the activity in the market is driven by fear or greed, causing investors to buy and sell at the wrong times.

“The best strategy is to stick with the plan and weather the storm. Many investors who switched to cash or took a lower risk approach in the midst of global events, are finding that they are now worse off than if they had simply ignored the noise of the financial press.”

Considering Aliyah?

Own a property in Israel and renting it out?

‫מה נשתנה‬

This Pesach, ask yourself these 4 questions::

1.

2.

3.

4.

What is the 10 year rule for olim?

How do I reduce my UK inheritance tax exposure?

How many days can I spend in the UK, post-Aliyah?

How do I pay tax on Israel rental income?

For the correct answers…

and to discuss UK & Israeli tax for Olim & Landlords, contact:

Mark Struel mark@taxmarks.net +972 (0)2 544 5776 or +972 (0)50 822 5868

LACK OF DIVERSIFICATION Different investments go up and down at different times. Spreading your money across different regions and assets should smooth out your returns over the long term.

Elliot Gothold, chartered financial planner at NLP Financial Management, says: “We are all familiar with the concept of not putting all of the eggs in one basket, in case it falls and they all break. Seder night would not be the same without matzah balls in the chicken soup.

“This principle most certainly applies to investments. Having a diversified investment portfolio, significantly reduces risk and makes the portfolio less susceptible to wide fluctuations in value.

“Furthermore, history shows that the best performing asset class or region in one year is unlikely to be the same the following year and certainly not on a regular basis, whilst it is difficult to predict which will perform best in any short-term period of time.”

TOO MUCH CASH It is important to have money in the bank to pay your mortgage, bills, food and general living expenses. It is also a good idea to

have a rainy-day fund of at least three to six months of expenses for an emergency.

Beyond that, keeping too much cash in the bank can be wasteful as it is missing out on the opportunity cost of earning returns and its purchasing power could be reduced by higher costs of living, known as inflation.

OBSESSIVELY CHECKING PERFORMANCE The internet makes it easy to regularly check your investment portfolio, but Gothold warns investors shouldn’t be deterred by daily fluctuations.

He says: “Particularly during times of heightened volatility in stock markets, as we have experienced in recent weeks, daily fluctuations can be significant, both when markets go up and also when they fall.

“There will also be times that portfolios outperform their benchmarks, and times that they underperform – this is part and parcel of the investment process. “ STARTING TOO LATE The key to successful investing is time in the market rather than timing the market. The earlier you start, the sooner you can start earning returns and the more

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Essential advice/ Finance investing in the stockmarket ahead of you.

That said, it is always worth starting to invest whatever age you are so you can put your unused cash to good use.

MISSING TAX-FREE ALLOWANCES You can invest up to £20,000 into an ISA and £40,000 into a pension each tax year. Kafton warns that these are “use it or lose it” allowances though and you will miss out if you don’t make use of them before the end of the tax year.

chance you have of riding volatile markets and to make up for any losses.

Anyone can open an ISA from age 18 and most employees aged over 22 are now automatically enrolled into a pension through their work. If you were to retire at 65, this gives you more than 40 years of

FEES (NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW HIGH FEES EAT INTO RETURNS) You can’t do much about stockmarket performance but you can control how much you pay to have your portfolio managed. Fees paid to an investment platform or financial adviser can be one of the biggest influences on your returns so it must be worth it.

Kafton adds: “Transparency is the key factor in building successful and long-term relationships between clients and advisers.

“Remember, cheap is not always cheerful.

Don’t just look at the price tag when weighing up the different offers of financial advisers.

“Consider their experience, qualifications and particular areas of expertise as well.

Sometimes, it can be worth paying a bit more for access to that extra knowledge or peace of mind.”

POOR PLANNING You wouldn’t just drive around aimlessly without knowing where you are going as

there is a risk of getting lost or in extreme cases having a crash.

Similarly, with investing it is important to know your reasons for putting money away, how much risk are you prepared to take and how long you are investing for. This way, you can keep track of your portfolio and your goals and make changes if necessary.

UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS Investing is a long-term game so you can’t expect double digit returns every year and must accept that there will be losses.

Kafton says: “It’s important to step back from any negative performance you might be looking at right now (e.g. this week, or this month), and survey the past three, five or 10 years.

“What’s the overall movement of travel?

Have your investments gone up and down like this before, and yet later continued an overall steady climb? If you have a strong investment portfolio and good financial adviser, then you should be able to answer this latter question with a confident ‘yes’.

“Successful investing isn’t about winning every day and at every opportunity. It’s about moving forward over time.”

FOLLOWING FADS If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Don’t get taken in by the latest trend or financial fad. For example, cryptocurrencies were seen as a big investment trend a couple of years ago, with the value of one Bitcoin almost hitting $20,000 in 2017. But anyone putting money into it then will have since seen the value more than halve.

❝

SUCCESSFUL INVESTING ISN’T ABOUT WINNING EVERY DAY AND AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. IT’S ABOUT MOVING FORWARD OVER TIME.

Happy Passover If you need to move money to or from Israel, get in touch on +44 (0) 20 7847 9494 currenciesdirect.com/jn

© Currencies Direct Ltd, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AA, United Kingdom. Registered in England & Wales, No.: 03041197. Currencies Direct Ltd is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an Electronic Money Institution under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011. Our FCA Firm Reference number is 900669.

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From Currencies Direct - your currency transfer specialists

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Finance / Divorce

Setting yourself free from an

UNHAPPY MARRIAGE

Getting divorced can be a tough time, but if it is done right it can give you and your family a new sense of freedom. Celebrity divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt, who runs Lloyd Platt & Co, answers some of the key questions when it comes to parting ways Is there such thing as an amicable divorce?

What is the first thing to consider when divorcing my partner?

People can always have an amicable divorce, but this depends very much on the circumstances. If, for example, one party has left the other in circumstances that have caused the other great distress, then it is more likely that things between them will not be amicable. In order to have an amicable divorce, the parties must agree sensibly on the way forward, perhaps accepting to go into mediation together to work out scenarios concerning finance, children and the divorce itself.

Consider who you are going to instruct as your legal adviser so that you obtain the correct strategy from the outset. If you provide them with a full history of all of your financial dealings and as much information as you know regarding your partner, it will give a good grounding for the solicitor to give you general advice from the outset.

If you distrust your partner, then what you must consider from the outset is whether you will immediately instigate proceedings to the court to ensure that orders are made for them to produce all the right information. Information is key in dealing with a divorce quickly and sensibly.

What will happen to our pensions, property and savings?

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In any divorce scenario, you will either look at the pensions, property and savings together with your respective lawyers to decide how they should be sensibly divided or you will look at these matters through the court process.

As a starting point, the court will look at dividing the capital assets including pensions, property and savings equally between you. However, this can change depending on many factors, for example, whether this has been a short marriage, in which case you will not automatically be entitled to an equal division of the assets; or if one of you has brought in many more assets than the other, or that in relation to pensions that one or other of you have built up a substantial amount into the pension both before the marriage

or after you have separated.

There could also be a trade-off in that one party may choose to keep more of the home or the proceeds instead of any pension provision. It will also depend on the earning capacity of both parties as to whether there will be ongoing maintenance or simply a one-off clean break settlement.

What will happen to our children?

In most cases, the parties will agree arrangements over the children, i.e. how often they will stay with the parent who is not the main carer. If this cannot be agreed, then the parties could go to mediation to work out the differences or alternatively one or other of the parties can apply to the court for a child arrangements order.

How can I find out if my partner is hiding assets?

It is exceedingly difficult to discover whether your partner is lying in divorce proceedings unless you have a starting point to work from. The usual starting point is to discover these matters from items that appear on bank statements. Both parties are under a duty to produce at least one yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth of bank statements or credit card statements with the ability to apply to the court in proceedings for many more than this.

It is very difficult to discover offshore items unless you have a starting point, since it is very difficult to obtain information from foreign banks such as Swiss banks. That being said, there are now policies in view of money laundering provisions where banks will be more open than they used to be and must in many foreign jurisdictions produce evidence of who is the ultimate owner of companies.

If you believe your partner is trying to hide assets, it is important that you issue an application to court so that you can seek the relevant orders from them.

If a party is found to have lied about their assets, after a settlement has been reached or a court order imposed, the settlement could be reopened.

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Inheritance / Finance

HOW TO PASS(OVER)

wealth to the next generation One of the most important aspects of seder night is passing on the story of Passover to the next generation, but what about when it comes to leaving your assets?

POOR INHERITANCE PLANNING can create family disputes and leave your loved ones with a hefty tax bill.

Jan Atkinson, head of the private client department at legal firm Osbornes Law, says it is vital to make a will that sets out to whom you are leaving assets such as money, jewellery or other possessions and avoids disputes over an inheritance and who administers the estate.

“It may be tempting to use a low-cost DIY will writing service, but a solicitor can help advise on tax advantages and ensure the document is written in a tax efficient way,” Atkinson says.

The way you spend, save and hold your money may also have a big impact on the inheritance tax charged on your estate, which is the posh name for all assets and money you leave behind when you die.

Some careful tax and financial planning can

help mitigate how much tax is owed. The tax is charged at 40 percent, but reduces to 36 percent if more than 10 percent of the estate is left to charity.

Everyone’s estate has a £325,000 allowance before inheritance tax is due, known as the nil-rate band. This is also boosted by an extra allowance for the main residential property, which will be £175,000 from the next tax year on 6 April.

This means you can technically pass £500,000 to your loved ones before any inheritance tax is due.

Most assets are also automatically passed between spouses without any inheritance tax, regardless of the value. The allowance is also passed between married couples and those in civil partnerships.

So, say grandpa Moishe dies, his nil-rate

band allowance of £325,000 plus the £175,000 main residence exemption can be passed to his wife Zipporah tax-free. When she dies, Moishe’s £500,000 estate is added to hers of the same value, giving a total of £1 million that she could pass to direct descendants without any tax being due on her estate.

There are steps you can take if your assets are worth more than this, or if you just want to reduce the value of your estate.

One area is pensions.

Joshua Gerstler, financial planner at advisory firm The Orchard Practice, says pension pots aren’t counted as part of your assets for inheritance tax purposes and, similarly, life insurance payouts are exempt as long as they are written in trust.

He also suggests feeling free to spend your money.

“If you have worked hard and saved and built up enough money, now is the time to enjoy it. Life is not a rehearsal, so spend it before it’s too late,” Gerstler says. “You can also give it away.

“You have a £3,000 ‘gift allowance’ each year, which is £6,000 per couple. In addition, you are able to make small gifts of up to £250 per year to anyone you like.

“Many of our clients want to be around to see their children enjoying their inheritance rather than wait until after they have gone.”

If you are worried about your loved ones being able to pay an inheritance tax bill, you can also take out a whole of life insurance policy to cover the bill, but Gerstler warns to make sure this increases with inflation each year as the value of your assets, and therefore the tax bill, is likely to grow.

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Finance / Money matters

Client-centred financial planning CEDAR HOUSE FINANCIAL SERVICES is a chartered financial planner and independent financial advisory firm based in Oakwood, north London.

It was established in 1986 and brings clients more than 30 years of experience in helping achieve their personal and business financial goals.

Cedar House Financial Services acts for individuals and companies across the entire financial spectrum.

Its business philosophy places clients at the centre of everything.

Services on offer to clients include:

• • • • • • • •

Retirement planning Saving for the future ISAs and other tax efficient savings Protecting yourself and your family Life Insurance and critical illness cover Tax planning Mortgage advice Mitigating inheritance tax

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Corporate benefits and protection Private Medical Insurance Equity release

The firm describes its selling points as having a client first philosophy, an efficient and cost-effective corporate service, friendly approachable staff who assist with all needs and client relationships that span multiple generations.

Richard Kafton, director of Cedar House, said: “With more than 30 years’ experience of helping clients to plan and achieve their personal and business financial goals, Cedar House understands the importance of treating everyone of our clients as individuals.

“We have experienced staff who use our specialist knowledge of the entire spectrum of financial advice to tailor solutions that suit all of our clients’ specific financial needs.

“Our mission is to help our clients achieve their financial goals through the provision of an efficient and friendly service.”

Chartered Financial Planners and Independent Financial advisers Cedar House can assist you in the following areas:

Mortgages Life Insurance Private Medical Insurance

Investments Pensions for Individual and Companies

Ask for Dean Gerschlowitz or Lloyd Kafton 020 8366 4400

admin@cedarhousefinancial.co.uk

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The value of investments in not guaranteed and will fluctuate, you may get back less than you put in. Nothing in this leaflet should be taken as giving individual advice. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered at the above address in England No. 02040424. Consumer Credit Licence No. 200584

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Essential bonds/ Finance

Investing in the STATE OF ISRAEL What are Israel Bonds?

Israel bonds are sovereign bonds issued by the State of Israel.

Bonds are loans with variable or fixed interest rates. The State of Israel sets the interest rates that they will pay in order to borrow funds. Governments use bonds to borrow money to so that they have the funding to keep the country running.

Israel Bonds differ from other sovereign bonds in that they are not listed and do not trade. There is no secondary market for Israel bonds.. With the Israel Bonds programme, the State of Israel sells directly to retail investors to forge a special bond (pun intended) with their supporters abroad.

Who may be interested in buying Israel Bonds?

Israel bonds can be acquired for different purposes – from a Bar/Bat Mitzvah child receiving a gift to celebrate their achievement, to an investor who wants to diversify his or her portfolio. Israel Bonds are an effective way to say ‘No!’ to the BDS movement as each purchase of an Israel bond is an investment in the State of Israel.

Where do you buy them?

Israel bonds can exclusively be purchased in the UK through us: – Development Company for Israel (International) Ltd (DCI). You can contact us on 020 3936 2712 or email us on infoEN@israelbondsintl.com

What is the minimum investment?

The minimum investment at the moment is £100, $100 or €100. This is for a 5 Year Mazel Tov Savings Bond. It can be purchased from the minimum to a maximum of £2,500, $2,500 or €2,500 in increments of £/$/€ 10. Mazel Tov Saving Bonds are issued by the State of Israel with the idea that such bond can replace a cheque as a gift for a Simcha – especially for

Bar/Bat Mitzvahs! You can purchase a bond in multiples of Chai (180) if you wish.

What is the typical return?

There are different interest rates for bonds with different lengths and different minimum amounts. Maturities range from 1 year to 15 years. Certain bonds pay interest twice per annum, others compound interest and pay them along with the principal when the bond is redeemed. Each type of bond has a different interest rate , and it is up to you to decide which bond meets your investment goals..

Can I put them in my Isa or pension?

At the moment the only sovereign bonds that you can put into an ISA are EU member states bonds – we don’t know what will happen in the future, but for now, the answer is no. Pensions however are a different story. If your pension provider agrees to purchase Israel bonds for your pension, this is possible. We have seen a number of clients’ pension schemes purchasing Israel bonds.

How long do I have to invest for?

Israel bonds are available with a minimum investment period of 1-year and a maximum period of 15 years. There are also 2, 3, 5- and 10-year options.

Can I get my money back early?

When issuing Israel bonds, the State of Israel counts on is the stability of knowing how long they have the funds for. This means, that the money will only be paid back to the bond ower on maturity or, in rare cases, at the discretion of the State of Israel.. Hence, investors may only invest what they can afford knowing that they don’t not have access to these funds for the term of their bond.

Are they regulated?

Both Israel bonds and DCI are regulated. The Information Memorandum for Israel bonds has been approved by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority DCI is authorised and regulated by the United Kingodm Financial Conduct Authority.

What are the main risks?

As with all investments, your capital is at risk – Israel, like any other country or entity, could default on their loans and thus you could lose your investment. Israel bonds however, once purchased are bonds which are not able to be sold on the stock exchanges, so you do not run the risk of a devaluation of the bond’s face value. We strongly recommend reading through the Offering Memorandum and the Final Terms which contain all the terms, conditions, and risks of the bonds e before making any decisions to invest.

These documents are both available on our website www.israelbondsintl.com

This advertisement has been issued by the Development Company for Israel (International) Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and registered in England No. 01415853. This is not an offering, which could only be made by prospectus. Your capital is at risk, the rules under FSMA for the protection of retail clients do not apply. An investment in any of these bonds will not be covered by the provisions of the Financial Services Compensation scheme, nor by any similar scheme.

Israel bonds are intended as a long-term investment as they are not listed or admitted to dealing on any recognised investment or stock exchange nor is there any established secondary market, as a consequence Israel bonds are not readily realisable before their maturity date. DCI (International) Ltd is not the issuer of these bonds, they are issued by the State of Israel.

MARKETS ARE VOLATILE!

ISRAEL BONDS HAVE FIXED RATES AT:

0.35% 1.24% 1.55%

1-year EUR Savings bond

€5,000 min.

1-year GBP Savings bond

£5,000 min.

2-year GBP Jubilee bond

£1,000 min.

RATES AS POSTED VALID TO 31 MARCH, 2020. Subject to conditions.

MORE INFO: 020 3936 2712 | israelbondsintl.com Development Company for Israel (International) Ltd.

Your capital may be at risk.

This advertisement has been issued by the Development Company for Israel (International) Ltd., which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and registered in England No. 01415853. This is not an offering, which could only be made by prospectus. Your capital is at risk, the rules under FSMA for the protection of retail clients do not apply. An investment in any of these bonds will not be covered by the provisions of the Financial Services Compensation scheme, nor by any similar scheme. Israel bonds are intended as a long-term investment as they are not listed or admitted to dealing on any recognised investment or stock exchange nor is there any established secondary market, as a consequence Israel bonds are not readily realisable before their maturity date. DCI (International) Ltd is not the issuer of these bonds, they are issued by the State of Israel. Photo: depositphotos.com

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Jewish News 26 March 2020

Lloyd Platt & Co. Family, divorce & criminal solicitors

We are pleased to help with all forms of matrimonial work including:

• Divorce

• Pre-Nuptial Agreements • Cohabitation Agreements • Domestic Violence • Childcare • Adoption • Settlement for Co-habitees • Civil Partnership • Financial settlements on Divorce • Any aspect of family law To make an appointment please telephone

020 8343 2998

Lloyd Platt & Company, Third Floor, Elscot House, Arcadia Avenue, London. N3 2JU Website: www.divorcesolicitors.com Email: lloydplatt@divorcesolicitors.com

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