Dear Members, It has already been nine months since the Honorary Executive began writing weekly messages to the community and it is always a pleasure to be able to write a really positive message about the community. This week is one of those weeks and there is much to "talk" about! As I hope you will all be aware, last weekend, we commemorated AJEX Shabbat and celebrated and engaged with Mitzvah Day. At our Friday afternoon Taste of Shabbat zoom service, we were able to listen to some personal reflections about Rabbi Sacks z"l from both Rabbi Lew and Chazan Jonny Turgel, while also able to take part in the virtual AJEX Shabbat. We were joined by a sizeable contingent of members of AJEX, some with their medals and other regalia. The normal programme, as is traditionally followed on Shabbat in Shul, was conducted tastefully and solemnly over Zoom – including a minute's silence. All in all, it really was a very emotional but uplifting service and I would really encourage all of you of all ages and stages, if you are able, to join us for a beautiful service Online to welcome in Shabbat. It is wonderful for the Kehillah to see so many happy and smiling faces on Zoom – enjoying words from Rabbi Lew as well as hearing Chazan Jonny's superb singing. This Friday afternoon, our Taste of Shabbat Zoom session will begin at 2:45pm, with Rabbi Lew and Chazan Turgel. As ever, the Zoom session can be accessed by logging in at [Zoom] – Password: 648395. On Sunday, we as a community were able to come together to enjoy Mitzvah Day. Although it was very different this year due to the COVID restrictions, it was still stacked with a wealth of activities for the entire community to be involved in. This included our Collectathons for the Watford New Hope Trust, GIFT, Camp Simcha and Against Breast Cancer. The whole community was subsequently invited to AJEX's 85th Annual Ceremony and Parade. Stanmore has always had a large contingent attending the parade in person, but this year everyone 'zoomed in' from their homes to participate in this important event. Stanmore usually hosts a fabulous Tea for the seniors on Mitzvah Day, but this year, and in true COVIDstyle, SACPS brought the Kehilla together for its Big Community Tea Party by Zoom. There was wonderful musical entertainment from renowned local professional pianist (and maestro!), Josh Nesbitt. We were honoured to be joined by Bob Blackman, MP, Georgina Bye, the Chief Executive of Mitzvah Day and residents from the Housing Association, Jliving. Younger members of the community had their own Mitzvah Day activities. They decorated bags for NHS key workers, which were then filled with snacks and toiletries to thank those essential workers for everything they have done for the wider community. They also planted daffodil bulbs in old wellies to be part of a display in the Shul's gardens when the Synagogue reopens. It was also a real pleasure to see some lovely pictures of our youngsters and their activities in the Jewish press online this week. Thanks to some great work from our incredibly dynamic youth leaders, Motti and Leoni Rottenberg, our youth were privileged to speak to Sam Adler, a lone soldier who grew up in Stanmore and is currently serving in the Israeli Defence Force, and were asked to create a card or write a letter to lone soldiers as part of SACPS' ongoing Mitzvah Day activities. Despite getting married just a month ago, Motti and Leoni have taken the youth by storm, with an impressive array of new programming and engagement. Well done! Although this year has of course presented its challenges for Mitzvah Day, this was not going to stop us in Stanmore. We were proud to help those in the wider community, while enabling us to come together virtually in a meaningful way. Last week saw the end of the latest Stanmore Academy run over three consecutive Tuesday evenings by Rabbi Fine. The evenings saw keynotes from MI6's former head Sir Richard Dearlove, Mossad's Danny Limor and Mitch Winehouse, with Jewish sessions from Rebbetzin Ilana Epstein, Joel Kaye and Rabbi Yehuda Pink. They proved a big hit with a large communal engagement,
which included food deliveries for those who booked up early. Following on from last year's success, the Bereishit Conference 2020 will be taking place online this year, from 27 – 30 December. This will provide a huge range of fascinating talks and interviews, featuring the South African Chief Rabbi, Eli Beer, refusenik Yosef Mendelowitz, Lord Mann and so much more. You can book your place at [www.bereishit.org] and also find the full agenda and speaker lineup on the website. Following Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Z"L's passing, his office is encouraging anyone who wishes to share messages of comfort, stories, video reflections or photographs to do so by sending them directly to [tributes@rabbisacks.org] And tomorrow evening, Thursday 19 November, the United Synagogue will present a memorial event to mark the tragic early passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l. All are welcome and the special tribute will start at 8:00pm and you can watch on [TheUS.tv] In the meantime, we thank you for your continued support and be well and healthy and stay safe. Best wishes,
Jeremy Harris Chair
Samantha Jacobs ViceChair
David Rosen ViceChair