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ISSUE No. 27 23 11th Jan- 24th Jan 2015
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CIRCULAR Distributed door-to-door in NW London
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CIRCULAR Page
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Mike David
Jacob Mike
FREER
MP for Finchley & Golders Green
Max
WITRIOL Michael
EXCLUSIVE KAIFENG RESTAURANT OFFER
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MORTGAGE
MATTERS
David
JACOB Mortgage Update
Much has happened in the mortgage market place over the last year or so. Schemes have been launched to assist the homebuyer, and tighter lending rules have been introduced, meaning it may be tougher to get the loan you want. In spite of that, more money will be loaned on mortgages in 2014, then the year before, and 2015 may trump 2014. All of this occurs against the backdrop of a Bank Rate that has sat at 0.5% (at the time of writing) for well over five years. Increase on the horizon? The signals from the Bank of England show that a Bank Rate rise could be on the cards. So if you are thinking about improving (or increasing) your current mortgage deal, looking for a new one to support a home move, securing funding for a buy-to-let property, or simply after a mortgage loan for the first time; then now could be the time to review your situation. Decent deals on offer Tighter lending rules, introduced in April 2014, may have contributed to a slowdown in the year on year quarterly growth. However, the benefit to the consumer is that the lenders are currently fighting for market share, resulting in a spate of decent deals on offer which is unlikely to ever be seen again. As a consequence though, lender choice does depend so much on a borrower’s specific circumstances, when applying the new affordability criteria. So it’s more important than ever that you do take the advice of a professional. And whilst we don’t have a magic wand, we operate in this market place day-in, dayout, and once we know your circumstances and requirements, we can then identify the most suitable solution for your needs.
Stamp Duty changes There may also be an extra benefit for you. Stamp duty, for residential properties, has been cut for 98% of homebuyers who pay for it. This was implemented with immediate effect and (under the old rules) you would have paid tax at a single rate on the entire property price, whereas now the Tax will only apply to the part of the property purchase price that falls within that tax band. The upshot of this is if you’re buying a home for less than £937,500, you will pay less stamp duty, or the same. And looking more specifically at the average help-to-buy scheme purchase price of £185,000, there would be a saving of £650 under the new rules. As for the £275,000 cost of the average family home, £4,500 would be saved. If you’d like to hear more about this and where we could help with your borrowing needs, along with ways to protect you (and your family), then please get in touch with Dave Jacob of the Finance Planning Group, your local North London Mortgage and Protection Adviser.
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POLITICS
MATTERS
Mike
FREER
MP
OH YE OF LITTLE FAITH?
Now that we have passed Chanukah, a time of the year when we see children’s faces light up with joy at the sight of the lights, as well as the party atmosphere and the food (especially the doughnuts) , it is a time to think about the future of our children and their access to faith schools. In particular many faith schools that have taken advantage of the Government’s Free School programme might be feeling nervous as the General Election approaches. This Government gives unqualified support to the expansion of the faith school sector. Not only do they meet the needs of parents who want a faith based environment, they provide valuable spaces in the education sector and, importantly, they deliver excellent exam results (look at any league table). Jewish schools have been to the fore of the ‘Free School’ initiative which was set-up to deal with the unmet need for faith based school places, but importantly being delivered by parent power. The new Free Schools are devised, created and run by parents. They find the sites, build the business case, recruit the Head and the teachers and they are part of the fabric of the school. The parents are a resource and an asset to be cherished. Yet, when a senior opposition education spokesman visited a local free school he commented to me that the parents were going to be difficult to get rid of! I was too polite to say the whole point of a free school was the parental involvement. Let me make my position clear, if parents want to send their children to a school with a faith ethos - that is their choice. Faith schools always seem to generate more heat than light and I have been in receipt of many emails (some quite rude) about how faith schools are unfair, divisive and not worthy of taxpayer support. I also have the fresh memories of the heated spat I had with Ed Balls (when he was Secretary of State for Education). There did seem to be an agenda under the previous Government to undermine faith schools – we had Ed Ball’s attempts to outlaw voluntary contributions by parents, their purpose to meet the costs of security and Jewish Studies. Questions about a parent’s adherence to the faith were banned too! Yet the old mantra of faith schools undermining social cohesion etc. is trotted out regularly. It is argued that pupils do not learn how to value other opinions because they only mix with pupils
for Finchley & Golders Green
of their faith. Yet when I visit the many and varied excellent faith schools, I see the school ensuring that pupils have exchanges with other schools – both faith and non-faith. I also see pupils being taught the importance of their faith whilst being made aware that there are other views. The next argument is that free schools should only receive taxpayer support if the school is open to all and any child. The opponents forget that parents with a faith are taxpayers too. Opponents seem to believe it is OK for parents with a faith to pay for non-faith schools, but not for parents with no strong faith to pay for faith schools. Furthermore opponents argue that pupils at faith schools are less likely to be drawn from poorer areas. Yet many of faith schools, whether free schools or voluntary aided schools, their schools are in the poorer areas or provide school places for families on limited incomes. In my experience a desire for your child to get a good start in life knows no financial boundaries. Of course these ‘opposing’ arguments are often based on prejudice, not fact, and are often underpinned by ‘nanny knows best’ approach the opponents simply don’t like parent power. Faith schools are over-subscribed. Parents want them and should be allowed to have them. The ‘Opposition’ say that they want to keep free schools, but to place them under local authority control, which is a sly way of abolishing their very ethos and purpose. The school isn’t a Free School if it isn’t free of Council control! This Government is determined keep parents in the educational driving seat.
Mr Mike Freer is the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Finchley and Golders Green. We are delighted to announce that he has agreed to respond to questions/ concerns regarding Central Government matters. We therefore invite readers to submit these to the North West Circular(info@ northwestcircular.com) for Mr Freer to address via this Column.
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MATHEMATICS
MATTERS
Max
WITRIOL
Past Paper Mania – Should it be a Thing of the Past?
With GCSE and A/S /A level Maths exams looming large this summer, the time-cherished tradition is to do past paper after specimen paper after practice paper to get completely match fit. By the time the exam comes around, you can walk in and confidently know exactly what type of questions to expect, and answer them with your eyes closed. Hence… or otherwise? It is sensible and logical to get acclimatised to the exam format and exam-style/level questions so that the more past papers you can go through the better. However, it can be very frustrating for students to have to rush through the syllabus at a roaring pace, which many schools tend to do in order to get down to tackling past papers as soon as possible. I’ve found this to be particularly true with regard to A-levels, since there is a relatively short time for schools in which to cover the syllabus. There is little point, however, in going straight to past papers if subjects have been skimmed over and barely understood. All it means is that with every question from a past paper, the student is trying to get to grips with a subject he or she barely knows. It’s like trying to play a piece of music without knowing anything about the key, time signature, style or techniques needed to play the piece. Far better to spend longer on each subject until it’s understood clearly and do a few examstyle questions until the syllabus is properly covered. Then - and only then - past papers can and should be attempted. And the more the merrier (as time allows) in the frenetic lead up to the real exams. So if you or your child is about to embark, or has already embarked on attempting past papers, but is dreading it because they don’t understand the topics properly, it’s time to give them some extra help so that all those practice papers give them practice rather than just a headache and severe stress! My private one-to-one lessons give students the chance to understand the subject matter clearly and thus even enjoy it! With every chance to ask questions, which they may be embarrassed to do so in class and which the teacher just hasn’t
got time for, they can clear-up anything and everything that they are not 100% sure about. Do you really need private tuition? In theory you should learn what you need to know in school/college – that’s why you go there. And teachers are paid to impart the necessary information required for passing exams. And exams are what it’s all about, surely? Yes and No. Of course you need that bit of paper, that qualification to progress further - that’s how the world works. Unfortunately this creates a counter productive environment where kids are taught in a ‘parrot fashion’ and subsequently end up confused and not understanding the subject, but desperately trying to remember formulae and how and where to apply them. Give students a clear understanding of even one topic, and explain a bit more deeply what it’s all about, and their faces will be beaming! As our sages say: “There is no joy like the removal of doubts”. The simple reality is that most teachers can’t be expected to ensure that every one of their pupils understands the subject, because they have to get through the syllabus to get on to past papers as soon as possible! This is fine for the ones who are really on top of their game and are always keeping up. But sometimes the amount of knowledge kids are expected to assimilate in a short space of time is simply too much and thus leads to a spiral of despair and an inclination to give up, to not ask questions for fear of “being found out” and hoping for the best when the exam comes up. It’s not too late to give your child a proper understanding and a far less stressful run-up to the exams!
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Gala Dinner Hosted by
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North West F I N A-N CE
CIRCULAR MATTERS
5
WHAT IS BAYIS SHELI? Bayis Sheli is an organisation offering state-ofthe-art facilities for children who will benefit from its respite care as well as long term residential care for children who cannot be cared for in their home. This may be because of the child’s complex medical needs, or because the child presents challenging behaviour requiring full time specialist attention. The newly-developed home will cater for all children with disabilities as well as those in need of specialist nursing care to cope with their physical and learning difficulties. HOW WAS BAYIS SHELI FORMED? Some eight years ago, three mothers of children with a range of special needs, Mrs Leah Stern, Mrs Sophie Bernstein and Mrs Tzirele Gluck identified a desperate need in the community that was sadly missing. They saw a need for both respite for families whose lives were largely dominated by the efforts they make for their special children, as well as a demand for a home for children who could not be cared for in a family setting. Rabbi Avrohom Mendleson and his wife had been pioneers in running the respite home Beth Hayeled, and have since settled in Israel, and their previous premises no longer met local authority standards. These mothers formed a committee to include askonim Mr Yossi Schleider, Mr Alex Strom and others from North West London to find a site where a purpose built home could be created. At the same time, Mrs C.Spitz of Interlink joined the founders to explore and establish sources of funding.
Reb Yidel Baumgarten, who had been entrusted with providing respite care in the community, allocated the first seed money to the current project from the sale proceeds of Beth Hayeled, and with this, the project started to alter from a dream into a reality. After a lengthy search, a secluded and previously unseen site in St Kilda’s Road was found nestling in the centre of the kehilla where families could keep in
mins with... immediate contact with their children, and at the same time, benefit from the privacy that was considered important. In 2010 Mr Moshe Hirschler joined the steering committee and continued to carry much of the burden of the day-to-day contact with lenders and funders. Most enthusiastic amongst these generous donors are the Wohl Trust, The Rachel Charitable Trust and other anonymous donors. In 2010 building on the site finally began. Small parlour meetings and a large public reception launch ensured that initial funds were available for the first building phase. As the recession began to bite the task of raising the remaining funds, however, became increasingly challenging. As a result there was hiatus on the building which only restarted after one of the major banks saw the viability of the project and made extra funding available.
RECENT NEW DEVELOPMEMTS As the project moved into its final phase it was necessary to recruit new blood to the committee. Rabbi Alan Kimche, the Rov of Ner Yisroel in Hendon, graciously assumed chairmanship of the Bayis Sheli Trust, and Mr Yanky Sorotzkin joined as Chairman of the Board with Mr Oshi Weissbraun, a qualified accountant, as treasurer. Their energy and commitment have been a major catalyst in moving the project towards completion.
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WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT BAYIS SHELI? Bayis Sheli will offer, as its logo states, a ‘Home from Home’. This means that it will be a warm caring and supportive environment in which its residents will not simply be ‘baby-sat’, but will be provided with both a fulfilling life as well as a productive learning experience. Some of the children will attend either mainstream or specialist schools during the day, returning to Bayis Sheli at night to be cared for by its professional staff and volunteer carers. Shabbos and Yomim Tovim will replicate life in their own homes with all that they have experienced. There will be davening, singing and all the many and various joys associated with a true heimishe home. Children will be made to feel that this is truly their home. HOW MANY CHILDREN WILL BAYIS SHELI CATER FOR? It is estimated that there are well over 200 children with special needs in the community. There is simply nowhere that they can be looked after when the need arises, or that will provide them with the care support and atmosphere that they require. Bayis Sheli can accommodate 32 beds. However, given that there will be a need for single occupancy rooms it is likely that no more than 22-24 will be accommodated at any one time. Bathrooms are shared between two adjacent bedrooms each equipped with electric hoists for those whose physical difficulties make it a necessity. The rooms are each colour themed with views over the gardens and access to the pets’ corner - a novel indoor feature in a home such as Bayis Sheli. Bais Sheli also includes a sensory room where children can experience relaxation and tranquillity, as well as stimulus. It also boasts a superb hydrotherapy pool a - must for many special needs children.
DOES IT CATER FOR NW LONDON CHILDREN TOO?
Very much so. N16 was considered the preferred location given the high concentration of orthodox families and its ability to draw on local volunteers. Although located in N16, Bayis Sheli is being created to cater for children from North West London as well as the whole UK indiscriminately.
SO, THE DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETED.... WHY THE NEED FOR A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN NOW? As Bayis Sheli stands on the threshold of opening, one final fundraising drive is needed to ensure that the building can be commissioned, it has sufficient working capital to commence operations and to meet its commitments and so that it can can raise its long awaited flag. The majority of the financing was secured from a Social Investement Fund and they have offered that they will match fund £1 for £1 of all philanthropic donations up to £600,000. Another significant part of the development was financed through bank borrowing and we aim to use this opportunity for the community to have its stakeholding in the Home by helping us complete this exciting project. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO OUR READERS? A kehilla can consider itself truly mature when it looks after its most vulnerable members..Bayis Sheli has taken on that challenge – will you too? Tel: 07932 388 633 Email: bayissheli@gmail.com
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Our representatives will be I’YH in London February 16 - 23. To schedule an appointment,
www.meromyerushalayim.com 074-733373 3 | USA: +1-718-732-360 9
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