November/December 2015
VOL. XLII No. 6
Liberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
www.liberaljudaism.org
ljtoday
Refugees are welcome here
Liberal Judaism’s Board of National Officers show solidarity, while a mixed faith group celebrates a success at Finchley Progressive Synagogue
L
IBERAL JUDAISM and its communities have stepped up a year-long campaign to support refugees and asylum seekers – with a mix of successful actions, collections and media appearances during the autumn. During Sukkot 2014, Liberal Judaism – in partnership with Citizens UK – began its ‘Sanctuary Campaign’ to persuade each local authority in Britain to welcome 50 refugees under the United Nations’ Syrian Vulnerable Persons Scheme. This Sukkot, Finchley Progressive Synagogue and Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk hosted a successful mixed faith event, with more than 200 people in attendance, which saw Barnet Council agree to resettle 50 Syrian refugees. Barnet Council’s pledge follows similar commitments, or ongoing talks, between councils and congregations in Kingston (Kingston Liberal Synagogue), Lambeth (South London Liberal Synagogue), Redbridge (Woodford Liberal Synagogue and Bet Tikvah) and Norfolk (Norwich Liberal Jewish Community).
Rebecca said: “We know it’s not easy for a council to say yes, that’s why we needed local people to show their support, find homes and offer a warm welcome. There’s EU funding available to the council. Together we must act now and revive the great British tradition of helping those most in need.” Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue is working with local churches to act as a hub for donations, while The Liberal Jewish Synagogue has a long-running drop-in centre for asylum seekers, which was recently featured in The Jewish Chronicle. Other Liberal communities, up and down the country, from Brighton to Edinburgh, are campaigning and donating. Partners include Citizens UK, Tzelem, World Jewish Relief, JCORE, René Cassin and Mitzvah Day. Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, Rabbi Danny Rich, has been named co-chair of the National Refugee Welcome Board alongside the Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, and Zrinka Bralo of the Migrant & Refugee Communities Forum.
The crowd-funded project aims to make sure refugees get a welcome that Britain can be proud of. It has been set up by Citizens UK and 38 Degrees. Danny said: “The tragic image of the drowned three year old Aylan Kurdi has awakened the efforts of all religious leaders, many politicians and much of the British public in the face of perhaps the greatest moral and practical challenge facing Europe in more than 50 years. “The challenge of migration is a local, European and international one, but there is no excuse for not making a generous and dramatic offer of sanctuary now. History teaches us the cost to innocent men, women and children when countries delay in the face of an emergency. “The Jewish community stands ready to provide aid and support. I am very confident that we Jews, in partnership with wider British society, will more than meet our obligations.” • Pages 4/5: More on the Liberal response to the refugee crisis
Page 2 LJ Today
Communities
November/December 2015
Engaging with Christian concerns By Elliot Steinberg TAKING its title and inspiration from Hillel’s famous question, the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) chose August, and indeed the beginning of Elul, to launch our If Not Now When initiative – to highlight and reflect upon the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. Designed as a month of prayer and spiritual reflection, we were trying to open the door for the Jewish community to engage on a spiritual, emotional and indeed practical level with the plight of Christians suffering in Syria, Iraq and across the rest of the Middle East and North Africa. We did not need to push that door very hard. Jewish leaders and communities from across the spectrum, including many Liberal synagogues and rabbis, included reflective passages in their sermons, created special prayers responding to the issue and held discussion groups to engage in a profound way with this suffering. Our resources were greatly enhanced by materials composed by Rabbi Sandra Kviat and Rabbi Michael Hilton, to resonate more deeply with participants from Progressive Jewish backgrounds.
During this period, we saw Jewish communities reach out to local Christian groups to consider how best to be supportive and, in some cases, to hold joint reflections, using the tragic situation to build relationships and to transform into something positive. But this did not end in the summer. Looking to the future, we will be holding informative briefings and seminars to increase awareness of the ongoing persecution in the region and to better equip more people to respond effectively to it. We are also hoping to broaden the initiative to consider the persecution and suffering of other groups in the Middle East due to the regional instability and particularly due to ISIS. In many ways the initiative has grown far beyond what we had envisaged, thanks to the support and endorsement of both Jewish and Christian leaders and communities. We hope that together with our Still An Issue campaign, addressing antisemitism, we can begin to engage Christians and Jews more deeply with one another’s key concerns. For more information about the If Not Now When initiative, please contact me by emailing elliot.steinberg@ccj.org.uk or calling 020 3515 3003.
LIBERAL JUDAISM SOUTH WEST REGIONAL SHABBATON A relaxing day of Jewish learning, services and community Saturday 28th November 2015, 10am to 6pm Jury’s Inn, Swindon, Fleming Way, SN1 2NG
Torah
Gloucestershire
Herefordshire Oxford
Liturgy Havdallah
Identity Debate
Food Meditation
Music Youth
Shabbat
Swindon
Siddur
Bristol & West Wessex
Refugees Craft Reading
Discussion
£20 for adults, £5 for children (Includes lunch & refreshments) Book online: www.tinyurl.com/southwestshabbaton Or call Aaron Abraham at Liberal Judaism on 0207 631 9830
This is a Liberal Judaism event, kindly sponsored by the NLPS Trust
• LIBERAL JUDAISM’S senior rabbi, Rabbi Danny Rich, and his family joined the Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community for Rosh Hashanah including tashlich (pictured above). The community’s Catherine Lyons said: “Once a year, you will find Liberal Jews with crumbs in their pockets. After a morning in shul, we take a few contemplative moments to throw bread crumbs and stale crusts into the water and read a short piece together from Micah.” • NOT EVEN bad weather could hamper Eastbourne Liberal Jewish Community’s annual Torah at the Beach BBQ and service, led by Larry Navon and Russell Brenda Waffel. When the skies darkened, the congregation simply headed indoors for music, yoga and a delicious meal of burgers, fish, salad and homemade cake.
Daniel becomes York’s first rabbi in a century STUDENT RABBI DANIEL LICHMAN has been appointed by York Liberal Jewish Community (YLJC) – becoming the city’s first rabbi in more than 100 years. Daniel will lead monthly Shabbat and festival services, organise educational, social and cultural events and look after the pastoral needs of the community for the next year. Daniel, who is currently in his fourth year of a five year rabbinic training course at Leo Baeck College, said: “I am enthusiastic and excited by the freedom that I will have to work with YLJC to develop the role and respond to the needs of the growing community, as it becomes more established.” THE START of a new term is a busy time for Liberal Judaism’s student and young adult chaplain Leah Jordan. In the last two months, Leah has made campus visits to Durham JSoc, Cambridge egalitarian minyan and JSoc, the UEA and Bristol, with more to follow. Everywhere she goes, Leah takes Shabbat kits complete with wine, food voucher, challah recipe, candles, siddurim and learning. Leah also hosts fortnightly young adult Routes-style events, in the form of Takum Progressivi social action, text study and social sessions. Full details and pictures will be in the next lj today.
News
November/December 2015
The new faces at Liberal Judaism
Aaron, Sophie and Alexandra have joined LJ
THREE NEW staff members have joined Liberal Judaism’s head office, providing support to 40 communities and 10,000 members around the country. Alexandra Simonon is the new lifecycle administrator, helping with enquiries on weddings, births, bar/batmitzvah, conversions, funerals and any other lifecycle questions. Alexandra is a member of Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue and a student on LJ’s Ba’alei Tefillah lay leadership programme. She says: “I’m passionate about Liberal Judaism because it is both open and compassionate on the one hand, and intellectually inquisitive on the other. Lifecycle issues are at the core of people’s spiritual lives. Sometimes they are joyful occasions and sometimes they are difficult and challenging times. It’s an honour to be able to support people and accompany them, even if it’s just by being a friendly voice on the phone.” TWILIGHT PEOPLE project manager Surat-Shaan Knan reports back after having spread the word about Liberal Judaism’s pioneering LGBTQ work at two global gatherings: THIS SUMMER, I was invited to attend two major international events – Gender Odyssey and Eighteen:22. Gender Odyssey is an international conference, held in Seattle, America, focused on the needs and interests of transgender and gender-nonconforming people. There, I was able to connect with more than 1,000 international delegates and engage in debates on the rights of transgender people worldwide.
Sophie Gainsley is the new receptionist at the Montagu Centre, Liberal Judaism’s London headquarters. Sophie is an illustrator and environmental campaigner, who has worked for various charities, museums and art galleries. Sophie says: “I didn’t meet any other Jewish people, outside of my family, until I was 17. Working for Liberal Judaism has now given me the chance to be surrounded by people who share my cultural roots. I have a lot to learn about our heritage, culture and religion and can’t wait to get more involved.” Aaron Abraham is chief executive Rabbi Danny Rich’s new executive assistant. With a background in TV production, communications and PR - Aaron has previously worked with the BBC, Channel 4 and HBO. A recent play he wrote, while on attachment to Headlong Theatre, has been longlisted for The Bruntwood Prize, the UK’s biggest playwriting competition. Aaron has also been supporting The Liberal Jewish Synagogue and the Jewish Gay and Lesbian Group with their communications. He says: “I’ve been a part of the LJ community for a couple of years, and have found so much love and friendship here. It’s really exciting for me to have the opportunity to give something back.” • LIBERAL JUDAISM also welcomes Tom Mor, as ShinShin. Here as part of a gap year programme for Israeli teenagers prior to military service, Tom will assist Liberal Judaism and LJY-Netzer with informal educational activities and maintaining links to Israel. The conference was also a fantastic opportunity to strengthen ties with a number of high-profile personalities, including Seattle’s mayor Ed Murray and veteran campaigner Marsha Botzer. Notably, I was the only ‘visible’ British participant. I happily accepted that I was going to be some kind of ambassador for trans and faith issues in the UK, and I hope I did this role justice. I felt extremely privileged to be able to give a well-received workshop about Liberal Judaism’s ground-breaking multi-faith project Twilight People Eighteen:22 was the first global Jewish LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning) gathering organised by the Schusterman Family Foundation Connection Points initiative in Salzburg, Austria. Trans issues were also high on the agenda. A few transgender attendees
LJ Today Page 3
Biennial set for Solihull By Rabbi Charley Baginsky WITH GREY SKIES and wintry days ahead, we all need something to look forward to. And what could be better than Liberal Judaism’s Biennial Weekend, taking place next year from July 1-3. We are pleased to announce that a new venue has been confirmed, the St John’s Hotel in Solihull. It combines the high standard of hotel we are used to on these conferences with the efficiency and resources of a conference venue. We can also confirm that the title of this year’s Biennial will be ‘Thinking Outside the Book’, continuing where the 2014 conference left off, by pushing us to think about the future of our movement in ways that can build on our heritage and past. With plans underway for a new Siddur, the Biennial will give participants the chance to be part of the thinking about what this will look like. But even more than that, it is an opportunity to think of new ways to use music, literature and arts within our communities. The aim of the weekend is to combine study with practical explorations of what it means to enliven and enrich our congregations and our own personal Jewish lives. In the next edition of lj today, look out for details of keynote speakers, prices and, most importantly, how to book.
Rabbi Charley Baginsky is chair of the Biennial organising committee expressed feelings of exclusion, and a number of lesbian, gay and bisexual delegates revealed their struggles with making trans people feel more included. There was some frustration and sadness in the room, but also hope and a willingness to listen and learn. In the spirit of Twilight People (www. twilightpeople.com), we agreed that sharing life stories and experiences was a great way to connect and eradicate stereotypes and misconceptions, for example about trans people. We completed this gathering with a circle of friendship and respect, giving a commitment to return home and be trailblazers for inclusion and diversity. My summer trips were truly empowering and unforgettable. And most importantly, I am inspired more than ever to work toward trans inclusion in our Liberal Jewish communities.
Page 4 LJ Today
Refugees
November/December 2015
Liberal action for refugees These pictures represent just a fraction of the work Liberal Judaism members and communities up and down the country are doing to support those in need
Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue has been serving as hub for donations from its members and local churches. Project leader Marsha Myers and Rabbi Lea Mühlstein (right) led the sorting and packing of winter clothing, tents and blankets to be sent into Europe
Liberal Judaism’s rabbis, including Rabbi Danny Rich, took to the TV screens, airwaves and printed press to urge the British Government to accept more refugees - as well as explaining how Jews, Muslims and Christians are working together to help newcomers integrate
LJY-Netzer movement worker Sam Alston and members of all ages were among 150 young Jews showing solidarity with refugees at a march in central London – forming a ‘Jewish Bloc’ at the event, which featured speakers including Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron
Holocaust survivors and a delegation of rabbis, representing Tzelem UK, delivered a letter to the Prime Minister, asking him to remember the kindness of the British people in the Second World War - and to once more give refuge to those seeking safety
More than 130 people came together for a Sukkot Service at Norwich Liberal Jewish Community, led by Rabbi Leah Jordan, where a multi-faith Sanctuary Norfolk delegation asked Norfolk County Council to finally commit to welcoming 50 Syrian refugees
The Liberal Jewish Synagogue holds a monthly drop-in for asylum seekers. The new rabbinic team of Rabbis Rachel Benjamin, Rene Pfertzel and Alexandra Wright are also working with other synagogues and community groups on various refugee projects
Refugees
November/December 2015
Liberal rabbis make a stand
LJ Today Page 5
‘I had no other options’ Milad on a tortuous journey to seek asylum in Britain
IF YOU were in synagogue over the High Holy Days and Sukkot, you would have heard or read your rabbi on the need to help those fleeing Syria. Below we print short extracts of their moving words. “The population of Syria did not want war, they didn’t want their houses destroyed. If there were different parties dropping bombs in Woodford what would you do? You would leave and hope someone would help. Jewish traditions teach that what we have is temporary, however solid it looks. We should never stop thinking about others who have less than we do.” Rabbi Richard Jacobi, Woodford Liberal Synagogue “As the children, grandchildren and descendants of refugees, aware of our sacred obligations towards the stranger, let us open our hearts and our hands to welcome those in need of refuge, and resolve to do what we can to contribute to the alleviation of their suffering.” Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah, Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue “As a community and as individuals, we should put our money, materials, time and energy, perhaps even our shelters, where the message of our Holocaust Memorial Day education demands: to say that, in this community, refugees are welcome. Something bad has happened. This time it is not to us. Let us not be indifferent, a bystander, let us act, let us be a human being, let us be a Jew.” Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue “There is a desperate tide of refugees in Europe. They have fled from horrors and dangers we cannot imagine. It is likely that in the next few days, 50 Syrian refugees will arrive in Birmingham. We have campaigned as part of Citizens UK for the City Council to allow them to come to Birmingham and we must now play our part in helping them to settle here.” Rabbi Margaret Jacobi, Birmingham Progressive Synagogue “Britain, open up the borders for these desperate people. Place them in the 700,000 empty houses that lie vacant in this country. Of course, it will cost money, and will place strain on local services. But if we are willing to open our hearts, then resources will follow.” Rabbi Alexandra Wright, The Liberal Jewish Synagogue
Syrian refugee Milad and Rabbi Harry Jacobi, who fled the Nazis, share stories of their escape
MY JOURNEY to the UK was a very difficult one. I did not have many options, as I applied to a lot of countries but they did not grant me a visa – even when in some of them, such as Canada and Australia, I had been accepted at universities. My only remaining chance to escape Syria was to reach Europe in any feasible way and to then apply for asylum. It was very expensive to do this, and what’s worse is that most of the smugglers lie to people and steal their money. It was a very difficult decision. My mum cried a lot and she tried to prevent me from taking this risk, but I explained that I had no other options. I took my decision with some friends while I was in Egypt, and I travelled from Cairo to Alexandria to meet with one of the smugglers. We travelled by a small wooden boat despite the fact that the smuggler said we would go on a big ship. We spent seven days in the Mediterranean Sea going from Alexandria to Libya, and from there to Italy. On the boat, there were around 400 people and there was very little space for everyone. There were lots of women and children with us, and we survived for seven days on just a few dates and a little amount of water. We soon started running out of even that and it was very hot on the ship. But nobody was answering our repeated calls for help. Eventually, we were saved by a Korean ship. Later, we saw two men swimming towards our boat from the distance, and we asked the crew to help them. They were from a ship, which had 500 people on board, most of whom were from Syria and Gaza. But sadly their ship sunk and all but the two of them drowned. We later arrived at a town called Catania, where I rested for three days before heading to Milan, where I ran into a lot of Syrians, as well as Egyptians and
Libyans. I will never forget the story of one man who managed to make it to Italy – but his son was on the other boat, and he died with all the people on that boat. I continued my journey to France, and then to Belgium, where I found another smuggler to help me make the trip to the UK. Every night, I would go with him to the parking place of lorries that were due to go to England. Every night, he would open one of the lorries and leave me inside, either alone or with some other people who also wanted to make it to the UK. I tried this five times, in the middle of cold and snowy December, and on the fifth time I finally made it to the UK. I cannot express how happy I felt when I heard the words “welcome to England”. Once in England, I started banging the doors of the lorry to say that I was inside with another Syrian man. The driver did not open the doors until the police arrived, who took us to a refugee centre. Everything was OK. We were given everything that we needed. I was moved around the UK until I received my leave to remain here for five years - work permitting. I moved to London on July 1. As I studied for the dental technician certificate, and as a dentist in Syria, I am trying to convert my qualifications to the British system – but it is very expensive and very difficult to do so. I am now in a safe place and able to start a new life. A lot of Syrians continue to suffer under heavy bombardments and shootings, getting killed every day. A lot of Syrians want to arrive to a safe place to continue their life in peace and to do something for their future. I am now working with Liberal Judaism and Citizens UK to call upon the UK Government to help those people and to support them. Most Syrians have lost everything and they’re only looking for a safe place to rebuild their lives.
Page 6 LJ Today
November/December 2015
LJY-Netzer Machaneh K
Getting ready for a game of hide and seek around the site
Some traditional LJY-Netzer education around the camp fire
The tvevet (leadership group) start a shira (singalong) with gusto
The theme of Machaneh Kadimah summer camp was ‘praying with our feet’
The leaders sing the traditional Kadimah song in the last night show
The last night show also featured an excellent Mean Girls tribute
November/December 2015
LJ Today Page 7
Kadimah 2015 in pictures
The yamim (school years 9-10) get their studying faces on
’, taken from the quote of a rabbi who marched with Martin Luther King
A classic LJY-Netzer whole camp Kabbalat Shabbat service
It’s chalitzum (school year 10) night and water fight time
NOW YOU’VE SEEN how much fun Machaneh Kadimah summer camp is, here are two very special early bird offers for next year’s Kadimah (August 15-28, 2016): Offer 1: Pay a £150 non-refundable deposit before the end of October and get Kadimah 2016 at 2015’s price. Offer 2: Pay a £50 non-refundable deposit before the end of October, and get Aviv spring camp at 2015’s price. Apply now at www.ljy-netzer.org/applications or email annac@liberaljudaism.org for further information. This early bird rate does not affect bursary applications. A good old Jewish foam party was one of the highlights of Kadimah
Page 8 LJ Today
Holocaust
Commemorating Kristallnacht By Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein I WRITE THIS during the days between Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Though I am a ‘retired rabbi’, I have been as busy as ever taking services at various Liberal communities, reminding me of the years before I became ‘retired’ and how frantic it always was during Tishri. If only the log-jam of festivals could be spaced out more evenly. After Simchat Torah it is nine weeks until Chanukkah. I would encourage the marking of the calendar, as well as the weekly Shabbat service, with another observance. On November 9, a commemoration of Kristallnacht. Since the Holocaust, other days of remembrance have been declared. Yom Ha’Shoah, fixed by the Israeli parliament in 1953 to commemorate the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Tishah b’Av, the historic day for remembering the huge tragedies that have beset our people; which is increasingly observed by Liberal Jews with the Holocaust as the main focus. And now we have Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27, recalling the liberation of Auschwitz, which is detailed on the next page. I would argue that Kristallnacht is also a fitting day for remembrance. For practical purposes, it does fall in the period without festivals, but I think there is another reason. It was the significant moment that announced the coming Shoah. The graphic images in the newspapers outside of Germany gave warning of what was to come. The actual events within the country were proof that the Nazi regime was not a passing phase. Kristallnacht should have alerted the nations of the threat that Nazi Germany posed. Doors should have been more open to refugees and greater action taken to stop Hitler’s advances. Kristallnacht is then a reminder of the past, but also a warning about the present and future. As the question of the refugees from conflict in Syria and elsewhere continues to challenge us, we might ask: could we have done more… and now can we do more?
Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein is president of Liberal Judaism
November/December 2015
How Harry escaped the Nazis... twice Rabbi Richard Jacobi writes as his father turns 90
ATTAINING a 90th birthday is not quite as remarkable nowadays as it was a generation ago, but when I stop to consider how easily that life could have ended before its second decade had concluded, we all have a lot for which to be grateful. My father, whom readers will know as Rabbi Harry Jacobi, was born as Heinz Martin Hirschberg on October 19, 1925. He grew up in Auerbach, Germany, where his mother worked for some years, until the Nazi mayor barred his entry to the secondary school to which he had earned a place. He and his mother returned to Berlin to join his grandparents and other family members there. His was the last barmitzvah at the Friedenstempel synagogue before it was destroyed on Kristallnacht, November 9, 1938. The first narrow escape was the sort of decision made famous by the book and film, Sophie’s Choice. His uncle, aunt and younger cousin had moved to Holland a few years previously and, in 1938, his uncle provided the paperwork and funding for dad’s grandparents to join them in Amsterdam. In February 1939,
• LEO BAECK COLLEGE’S Lehrhaus adult Jewish learning programme starts this month, offering an exciting range of courses, taught by leading Jewish educators, that promise to entertain and enthral. For full course details, visit www.lbc.ac.uk
he had the opportunity to bring only one of his two nephews to Holland – the lot fell against Werner Lesser, who was to be murdered in the Shoah, and in favour of Heinz. He still has vivid memories of waving goodbye to his much loved mother at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (station). The family in Amsterdam was already overcrowded, so dad arrived to stay in a displaced person’s camp in conditions so bad that the 13-year-old and others caught diphtheria - being hospitalised just in time. By the time he recovered, the local Jewish community had got its act together, and he moved into an orphanage in central Amsterdam. There he stayed until the night of May 14, 1940. The Nazis had invaded the Netherlands four days earlier and were closing in on Amsterdam. One of the women later commemorated in the ‘Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles’, Gertrude Weissmuller-Meyer, had become mother-like to many of the orphans. She hired a bus and paid a freighter’s captain to ship all the 50-plus children out of Holland. They left at great speed, boarded the SS Bodegraven, and left Dutch waters one hour before the government capitulated. While in the Channel, the ship was attacked by Nazi fighter planes aiming to sink it – dad rolled under a lifeboat just in time. The ship was reported as sunk on German radio but, in fact, had moored outside Falmouth for three days, while the British government decided whether the passengers would be allowed to land. All these narrow escapes before he reached 15, and now he’s nearing 90. To celebrate, there will be special services and kiddushes at Woodford, Birmingham, Southgate, LJS, South Bucks, and that’s just the list at the time of writing!
Rabbi Richard Jacobi is co-chair of Liberal Judaism’s Rabbinic Conference and rabbi at Woodford Liberal Synagogue
• THE LEARNING CIRCLE is The Liberal Jewish Synagogue’s adult education programme. Classes in Jewish studies, Hebrew, Yiddish and Jewish culture are open to members and non-members alike. To find out more, visit www.ljs.org
Holocaust
November/December 2015
‘An amazing and engaging way to educate the young’ Simon Rothstein visits the National Holocaust Centre
Holocaust survivor Martin Stern shares his story with two pupils in a recreated 1938 classroom
LIKE ANY parent with young children, I don’t know where to begin when it comes to teaching them about the Holocaust. How can you explain such horror and evil on such a huge scale? How do you try to help them make sense of the fact that many of their ancestors died in pogroms and gas chambers simply because they were Jewish? And how can you ensure that for the next generation ‘never again’ is more than just a slogan? That’s why the Jewish community and, arguably more importantly, wider society, is so lucky to have the National Holocaust Centre and Museum. Based in the East Midlands, and easily accessible to all parts of the country, it is open to schools and the general public on weekdays and Sundays. Every day at 1pm there is a talk by a Holocaust survivor which, alone, is worth the trip from wherever your synagogue or home is based. The first thing you notice on arrival, is how calm and reflective it is. Away from the city, and surrounded by beautiful memorial gardens, you can’t help but contemplate. The day I visited was typically busy with a diverse range of people, including two school groups of mixed faiths, some Christian clergy and various individuals and families. There are two main areas. The Holocaust Exhibition, aimed at children over 12 and adults, educates through a mix of artefacts, survivor testimony, archive footage, pictures and descriptions. It starts with a history of the Jews and antisemitism, before moving onto the rise of the Nazis, their propaganda and persecution of the Jews, the ghettos and ultimately the systematic murder of six million Jewish people. It ends with an uplifting look at the heroes who helped protect and save Jews.
Even for those of us familiar with the period, I guarantee you will learn something new. And the parallels to today’s world are startling, whether it’s the same path to genocide we’ve seen repeated far too often or other countries’ refusal to accept refugees, leaving them to die at the hands of an evil regime. The second exhibition is one of the things that makes the Centre stand out. Titled The Journey, it is purposely aimed at younger children - looking at the life of a Jewish child called Leo in Nazi Germany. Each area perfectly recreates the period – from Leo’s classroom to a smashed up Jewish shop. In each, a video of Leo reveals the unfolding narrative. Worried letters from his grandmother and being separated from his ‘Aryan’ best friend, escalate into him being thrown out of school, seeing his father’s business destroyed and ultimately fleeing on the Kindertransport. The result is an amazing and engaging way to teach the young about prejudice and persecution. Finally, I attended a talk and Q&A by survivor Yvonne Franklin. By sharing her story, and answering every question, it captivated the school children in way that no book, or even exhibition, ever could. Asked why she, and other survivors, give such talks, Yvonne summed up the very reason why I hope everyone reading this visits the Centre. She said: “I do this so that you think about it, talk about it and one day talk to your children about it – so that it never ever happens again.” • Synagogue groups and families are encouraged to visit the Centre. To book, call 01623 836 627 or email margaret. platek@nationalholocaustcentre.net
Simon Rothstein is editor of lj today
LJ Today Page 9
Marking Holocaust Memorial Day 2016 By Joe Twilley WITH PREPARATIONS for Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) 2016 well underway, the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust have released a range of free guides and resources to help groups across the UK mark January 27, 2016, in their own ways. This year’s theme is ‘Don’t Stand By’ and communities are being asked to consider how they can encourage others to learn lessons from the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. HMD provides an opportunity for everybody to reflect on how best to apply these lessons to the present day to create a safer, better future. HMD is a day for everybody to commemorate the Holocaust, and Jewish communities and congregations are ideally placed to lead and assist with HMD events in the wider community, sharing perspectives and experiences with other local groups. There are many ways that your congregation could mark HMD 2016, including welcoming school children, assisting with civic events, participating in interfaith projects or providing support to libraries, museums and other organisations. Free activity packs are now available to order from the HMD website, which include advice on how to plan an event, a set of posters for display and information booklets. It is more important than ever to use commemoration activities as a platform to consider contemporary issues. That’s why there are now specialist resources, which aim to encourage people to challenge discrimination and intolerance where they see it today, including an LGBT resource produced in partnership with Diversity Role Models. There are also free workshops taking place across the country throughout the autumn, to support activity organisers. To take part in marking Holocaust Memorial Day 2016, order an activity pack or book a place on your regional workshop, please visit hmd.org.uk or call 020 7785 7029.
Joe Twilley is communications officer for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust
Page 10 LJ Today
Books
November/December 2015
Pam pens memories of Golders Green AFTER two years of research, and more than 100 interviews, Liberal Jewish Synagogue member Pam Fox is working hard on completing her book on the history of the Jewish community of Golders Green. In the course of gathering information for the book, people have shared numerous tales about the development of the Golders Green community. The stories paint a picture of successive waves of settlement by Jewish people from different backgrounds. Together they created a cosmopolitan community that has coexisted harmoniously with the nonJewish population of the area, which has itself become more diverse. Some of the stories Pam has been told are amusing:
My grandfather often took me to the Dunstan Road Synagogue. He went to the main service, and I was supposed
to go to the children’s service. But sometimes instead I got on a bus up Brent Street to the Classic Cinema in Hendon to see Laurel and Hardy, Flash Gordon and the like. There was just enough time to get back to Dunstan Road before the service came out. One day I got caught out. My grandfather asked me how the children’s service had gone. I said: “OK, the same as usual.” He replied: “That’s funny, I heard that there wasn’t one today!” Others are more poignant:
Mr Sulzbacher, a refugee from Düsseldorf, who owned a bookshop at 4 Sneath Avenue, was fortunate enough to survive the infamous sinking of the Arandora Star, which was carrying many interned Jewish people to Canada. While others perished, Mr Sulzbacher managed to survive in the water until he was rescued. He attributed this to his ‘portly’ physique, which allowed him to float for longer than others. Having survived this ordeal, Mr Sulzbacher was then sent to Australia on the Dunera where he endured terrible physical conditions and ill-treatment. He told his survival story but failed to mention the great
Award winning history MOTHER AND DAUGHTER team Vivien and Deborah Samson have won the 2015 Award from the Jewish Historical Society of England for their book The Rabbi in the Green Jacket: Memories of Jewish Buckinghamshire, 1939-1945. The book, by the long-term Jewish residents of Buckinghamshire, is due to be published by Matador at the end of November. It contains contributions from historians and wartime residents, and tells the story of Jewish refugees, some lone children, who made a desperate bid for freedom to the British countryside. As Britain declares war against Nazi Germany, many of the refugees know
they may never see their families again. And in Britain, they face two new dangers - bombing and the worry that Hitler will invade and bring about their destruction. Yet the survival instinct allows continuation of day-to-day living in the hope there is a safe future. Vivien and Deborah’s research and interviews uncovered a rabbi, like a symbol of hope, energy and life, wearing a green jacket and riding a motorbike. But just who is the mysterious rabbi in the green jacket? They told lj today: “We very much believe in the importance of cultural documentation. This is the first time the memories and research about the Jewish people, who escaped to Buckinghamshire, has been recorded in one book. Both Jewish and non-Jewish people have been wonderful in providing information. The county during World War II is described in vivid detail. Local families opened their homes to evacuees and refugees, and their acts of kindness will never be forgotten.”
sadness that awaited him when he arrived home – his parents and his extended family had all been killed in the Blitz. The book will consist of two main parts – a chronological history of the development of the Jewish community and a series of chapters on particular aspects of community life. The chapter which is perhaps richest in personal memories is the one about the shops of Golders Green, including Franks lingerie shop, which operated for over 80 years:
After the war nylon stockings were scarce. In the 1950s there used to be a delivery to Golders Green on a Thursday – they came down by taxi from Shaftesbury Avenue where the Franks had a warehouse. The delivery was sub-standard stockings because there was a limited supply of perfect ones. People knew that we sold them on a Saturday morning, and they used to queue from six o’clock. In fact some enterprising man used to sell tea and coffee to the people queuing! To find out more about Pam’s book on Golders Green, please contact her on pamfox@virginmedia.com
Rabbinic stories
RABBI DR WALTER ROTHSCHILD – who has served Progressive congregations all over Europe – has released a new book, Tales from the Rabbi’s Desk Vol 1. Available now, in various formats, from www.lulu.com, the book is a collection of stories that give an insight into the rich tapestry of human lives that Walter and his colleagues have touched. He told lj today: “I am pleased to announce publication of a selection of my rabbinic short stories. These are classed as ‘not true but authentic’, in that they are fiction but based to a large extent upon real events and experiences. To what extent? Well, that varies!”
Youth
November/December 2015
LJ Today Page 11
LJY-Netzer is Liberal Judaism’s Zionist youth movement. It gives young people the opportunity to develop a strong Progressive Jewish identity, make lasting friendships and have loads of fun
A new way to see Europe Autumn and
winter events By Sam Alston
LJY-NETZER’S annual Europe Tour, Kayitz, which is joint with RSY-Netzer, took a different turn in 2015 – eschewing traditional routes for a new adventure. Starting in the East End of London, the 17-year-olds visited sites of Jewish political activism – including the Jewish Socialist Club and Cable Street. Then it was off to Dubrovnik, where they took in a (surprisingly rainy) trip around some of the coastal islands, and delved into the story of the Jewish expulsion from Spain in 1492. Sarajevo was next, where the youth walked down to Princip Bridge, the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and visited the Sarajevo historical museum, which chronicles the events of the siege of Sarajevo using photos and objects donated by residents. After a stop in Mostar - the home of the Old Bridge (Stari Most), which was a symbol of ethnic unity in the city until its destruction during the Balkan Wars - they drove to Stolac, to visit the site of Rabbi Moshe Danon’s grave and learn about the story of the Sarajevo Purim, in which Muslims and Jews united against the corrupt actions of the local Ottoman governor and prevented the execution of
Danon and other prominent members of the Sarajevo Jewish community. The Tour also took in Split, Plitvice national park and Jasenovac – a major Croatian World War II concentration camp. The museum there was dedicated to video testimonies from survivors of the camp, whose inhabitants were mostly Serbs, and an exhibition of their personal effects. The group walked along the train tracks which once brought inmates to the camp, before holding a short ceremony and reciting Kaddish. The final city – after a long coach journey – was Vienna. Jam-packed with site seeing and activities – the group started the day with a tour of the Jewish quarter, going to the Stadttempel, the only synagogue not destroyed by the Nazis on Kristallnacht. They then went to see the Holocaust memorial in the Judenplatz, a powerful sculpture of a house made of books. Participant Simmie Stone said: “I didn’t think anything could top Israel Tour, but Kayitz was an incredible experience. It gave me a different angle of Jewish Europe and has inspired me to become a youth leader - so I can give back to a movement that has given me so much.”
LJY-NETZER is firing into the New Year with more events than ever before. From October 23-25, we have our always popular October weekends. APOW and NOW - for ananim and plagim (school years 3-6) and nechalim (school years 7-8) respectively - give the perfect chance to meet new friends, play new games and get a taste of what we are all about. These events offer the important Jewish experiences that LJY specialises in; everything from taking part in an uplifting and engaging service to going on a treasure hunt around a synagogue while being chased by a leader in fancy dress. All this and more is included in the YOW weekend, for yamin (school years 9-10), on October 24-25. Plus, with the addition of go-karting, yamin will experience the synergy between racing and Judaism. Later in autumn, from October 29 to November 1, we are training up our future leaders, as our hadracha (leadership) course kicks off. For deep dark December days it’s deliberation, democracy and decision making time. Things kick off with Kinus on December 11-13 - giving the chance for nechalim and yamin to make decisions about the future of the movement. Kinus is followed by Veidah, our sovereign body - a gathering of members aged 16-25 that consider motions and make decisions about the year to come and what we believe. As a result of past decisions, members are attending the climate negotiations in Paris on December 4-6 and the London civil society mobilisation on November 29. We are proud that LJY-Netzer continues to develop the values of Liberal Judaism with actions such as these, and also on events where we recreate these values in the context of youth enjoyment and empowerment.
Contact the LJY-Netzer team: Anna Craven (annac@liberaljudaism.org), Sam Alston (sam@liberaljudaism.org) and Tom Francies (tom@liberaljudaism.org); office telephone 020 7631 0584
Page 12 LJ Today
November/December 2015
Liberal Judaism congregations Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community T: 0131 777 8024 E: info@eljc.org W: eljc.org
Beit Klal Yisrael (Notting Hill) E: bkymailing@gmail.com W: bky.org.uk
Finchley Progressive Synagogue T: 020 8446 4063 E: fps@liberaljudaism.org W: fps.org
Manchester Liberal Jewish Community T: 0161 796 6210 E: mljc@liberaljudaism.org W: mljc.org.uk
Gloucestershire Liberal Jewish Community T: 01242 609 311 E: shalom@gljc.org.uk W: gljc.org.uk
Mosaic Liberal Synagogue (Harrow) T: 020 8864 5323 E: office@mosaicliberal.org.uk W: mosaicliberal.org.uk
Herefordshire Jewish Community T: 01594 530 721 E: hjc@liberaljudaism.org W: herefordshirejc.org
Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue T: 01923 822 592 E: npls@liberaljudaism.org W: npls.org.uk
Kehillah North London T: 020 7403 3779 E: knl@liberaljudaism.org W: nlpjc.org.uk
Norwich Liberal Jewish Community E: nljc@liberaljudaism.org W: norwichljc.org.uk
Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation E: bwpjc@bwpjc.org W: bwpjc.org
Kent Liberal Jewish Community T: 07952 242 432 E: enquiries@kljc.org.uk W: www.kljc.org.uk
Nottingham Liberal Synagogue T: 0115 962 4761 E: nls@liberaljudaism.org
Crouch End Chavurah E: info@crouchendchavurah.co.uk W: crouchendchavurah.co.uk
Kingston Liberal Synagogue T: 020 8398 7400 E: kls@liberaljudaism.org W: klsonline.org
Peterborough Liberal Jewish Community T: 020 7631 9822 E: info@pljc.org.uk W: pljc.org.uk
Bet Tikvah Synagogue (Barkingside) T: 020 8554 9682 E: bttkv@liberaljudaism.org W: bettikvah.blogspot.co.uk Birmingham Progressive Synagogue T: 0121 634 3888 E: bps@liberaljudaism.org W: bpsjudaism.com Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue T: 01273 737 223 E: info@bhps-online.org W: bhps-online.org
Crawley Jewish Community T: 01293 534 294 Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation E: djpc@liberaljudaism.org W: djpcireland.com Ealing Liberal Synagogue T: 020 8997 0528 E: els@liberaljudaism.org W: ealingliberalsynagogue.org.uk Eastbourne Liberal Jewish Community T: 01323 725 650 E: eljc@liberaljudaism.org W: eljc.org.uk
Lincolnshire Jewish Community T: 01427 628 958 E: ljc@liberaljudaism.org W: lincolnshirejc.co.uk
Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue T: 0845 869 7105 E: bedsps@liberaljudaism.org W: bedfordshire-ps.org.uk
Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation T: 0116 271 5584 E: lpjc@liberaljudaism.org W: lpjc.org.uk The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (St John’s Wood) T: 020 7286 5181 E: ljs@liberaljudaism.org W: ljs.org The Liberal Synagogue Elstree T: 020 8953 8889 E: tlse@liberaljudaism.org W: tlse.org.uk
The Montagu Centre 21 Maple Street London, W1T 4BE T: 020 7580 1663 E: montagu@liberaljudaism.org W: liberaljudaism.org
Liberal Judaism is the dynamic, cutting edge of modern Judaism. It reverences Jewish tradition, seeking to preserve the values of the past, while giving them contemporary force. Charity Number: 1151090
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W: nottinghamliberalsynagogue.com
Reading Liberal Jewish Community T: 0118 942 8022 E: readingliberaljewishcommunity@ gmail.com W: www.readingljc.org.uk
Shenfield & Brentwood Synagogue T: 01277 888 610 E: tikvahchadasha@gmail.com W: roshtikvah.com South Bucks Jewish Community T: 0845 644 2370 E: sbjc@liberaljudaism.org W: sbjc.org.uk
South London Liberal Synagogue (Streatham) T: 020 8769 4787 E: slls@liberaljudaism.org W: southlondon.org Southgate Progressive Synagogue T: 020 8886 0977 E: sps@liberaljudaism.org W: sps.uk.com Stevenage Liberal Synagogue T: 01438 300 222 E: stevenageliberalsynagogue@gmail.com W: stevenageliberalsynagogue.org.uk Suffolk Liberal Jewish Community (Ipswich) T:01473 250 797 E: sjc@liberaljudaism.org Wessex Liberal Jewish Community (Bournemouth) T: 01202 757 590 E: info@wessexliberaljudaism.org.uk W: wessexliberaljudaism.org.uk West Central Liberal Synagogue (Central London) T: 020 7636 7627 E: wcls@liberaljudaism.org W: wcls.org.uk Woodford Liberal Synagogue T: 020 8989 7619 E: info@woodfordliberal.org.uk W: woodfordliberal.org.uk York Liberal Jewish Community T: 07922 683 787 E: york@liberaljudaism.org W: jewsinyork.org.uk Developing communities and affiliated congregations Beit Ha’Chidush (Amsterdam) T: 00 31 23 524 7204 E: bhc.informatie@gmail.com W: beithachidush.nl Oxford Jewish Congregation T: 01865 515 584 E: progressive@ojc-online.org W: ojc-online.org
President Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein Chair Simon Benscher Deputy Chair Lucian J Hudson Vice Chair Jackie Richards Treasurer Rosie Ward Israel and the Diaspora Tamara Schmidt Communications Ed Herman Social Justice Amelia Viney Youth and Education Robin Moss Music and IT Graham Carpenter National Officers Dr Howard Cohen, David Hockman and Ruth Seager Vice Presidents Monique Blake, Henry Cohn, Nigel Cole, Geoffrey Davis, Lord Fink, Jeromé Freedman, Louise Freedman, Rabbi Dr David Goldberg, Sharon Goldstein, Rabbi Harry Jacobi, Willie Kessler, David Lipman, Corinne Oppenheimer, David Pelham, David Pick, Rosita Rosenberg, Tony Sacker, Harold Sanderson, Joan Shopper, Beverley Taylor and Clive Winston Co-Chairs of Rabbinic Conference Rabbis Richard Jacobi and Alexandra Wright Senior Rabbi and C hief Executive Rabbi Danny Rich Student & Young Adult Chaplain Rabbi Leah Jordan Education Rabbi Sandra Kviat Music Cantor Gershon Silins Interfaith Rabbi Mark Solomon Operations Director Shelley Shocolinsky-Dwyer Archivist Alison Turner Director of Youth Becca Fetterman LJY-Netzer Sam Alston, Anna Craven and Tom Francies