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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHIEF RABBI EPHRAIM MIRVIS BY DAVID SAFFER

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With the High Holidays once again here it’s a time when Jews around the world reflect, consider challenges and look forward. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is no different and in his first in-depth interview with the Jewish Weekly he considers his Chief Rabbinate to date. The 11th Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth since the office was introduced in 1704, among many projects initiated, the Centre for Community Excellence (CCE) has been a mainstay project since its inception in 2014. And it is set to develop further. Coupled with Shabbat UK, hard work has led to successes and far-reaching results. CCE spearheads a range of ventures namely the Etz Chaim Project, Investing in Rebbetzens, Community Twinning and Rabbis

for Communities. Each benefits community life, lay leadership and synagogue relations. “When I was a community Rabbi, creative programming was essential,” Chief Rabbi Mirvis, who was installed to the post on September 1, 2013, recalled. “One of a number of young Rabbis I was mentoring in an outlying community came up with a brilliant idea for a Shabbat activity but the shul did not have the funds to bridge the £250 cost. “I recalled his frustration and disappointment that his plan was on the launch pad and never happened. For the sake of a relatively small sum of money a community was not allowed to use the wings it had in order to fly and a creatively minded Rabbi was stopped in his tracks. “A prime objective leading up to my commencement in office was

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to help those types of community Rabbis start fresh programmes.” Through CCE, 470 new initiatives in over 100 shuls around the country have taken place. “Amazing things are happening, it’s palpable, visible and something very real, and they are life shaping

32 HATTON GARDEN, LONDON, EC1N 8DL

for participants.” enthused the Chief Rabbi, who together with his wife, Valerie, has visited communities the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. Chief Rabbi Mirvis recalled a CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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ENDS 20:03 20:15 20:09 20:18 20:09 20:12

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Wedding interrupted by bomb scare BY ISAAC SHERMAN Many couples look for signs they are about to marry the right person. B ut imagine you are both standing under the chupah in front of more than 200 guests, the Rabbi with his long black jacket and beard is just about to pronounce the Hebrew blessings of erusin and nesuin - which according to Halacha will oﬃcially ma e the couple married - and just at that moment, the hotel alarm bells ring out with an immediate evacuation ordered. This is exactly what happened to D an and G aby last Sunday at the

G rand Hotel in B righton due to an anonymous bomb scare threat at the nearby B righton Centre, which was hosting the TUC conference. As a result, police made the decision to not only clear the conference building, but also the neighbouring hotels which included the G rand. Hundreds of hotel and wedding guests were ushered onto the streets which is when the bride’s wedding planners leaped into action and convinced the nearby Hilton Metropole to create a new wedding venue in their main ballroom, which was not being used.

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The Hilton even provided a large sheet to use as a canopy or chupah which was held high by four of the groom’s friends while a second attempt was made by Rabbi Anthony G ilbert of the Etz Chaim Synagogue in L eeds, to say the blessings and marry the couple, which this time was successful. As the couple were escorted from their new chupah, the band who were forced to ﬂee the rand Hotel without their instruments, began to sing and some band members improvised with glasses and cocktail shakers while guests clapped and danced.

D uring this time, D an Rosehill, aged 31 and his new wife G aby, aged 29 had a visit from the police. A close friend of the bride said “G aby has never been que stioned by the police before. They asked all sorts of que stions including if either had a former partner that may have been jealous and made the prank call.” According to the friend who did not wished to be named, “G aby said, brides always remember their wedding days, but this one of getting married in two diﬀerent hotels within two hours will be a great dinner party conversation for

many years to come.” After ﬁve hours, police allowed the wedding guests to return to the G rand Hotel as it was clear the bomb threat was a hoax. The close family friend said, “B ecause the catering and kosher itchen staﬀ were only boo ed until 10pm and it was now after 9pm , there was only time to have dessert.” She added, “the band picked up their real instruments and the party began.”

From the Editor’s Desk Rosh Hashanah Message D ear Readers, I t has been an interesting few months since our launch in March. After many months in the planning, we finally launched the first new ewish newspaper on to the B ritish market in over 20 years. Targeting ewish families across the country, we have grown our circulation each wee , reaching ewish people of all ages, and making sure there is something for everyone in the newspaper. This week, we have expanded to 15,000 copies, no mean feat for a start- up business, achieved in under seven months. We are proud to be in many shops, supermarkets and Synagogues across L ondon and surrounding areas, Manchester, L eeds, L iverpool, B irmingham and B ournemouth and various other places across the UK. N ot a week goes by without several re uests to send The ewish Wee ly to new areas, which we are of course always delighted to do! Our rich flavour of dedicated sections offer something to read for all the family. As well as important ewish, world and British news, we also place great emphasis on the importance of up to date community news, trying to create a weekly feel- good factor by constantly celebrating the good within our community. O ur ‘ Woman of Worth’ section has become

a real fans favourite, and as always if you want to recommend anyone for any number of reasons, simply get in touch and they will be one step closer to achieving the recognition they deserve. P art of our very ethos is to highlight the brilliance of our community, not just those in the public eye. With this in mind, we are delighted to announce our new partnership with The ewish Volunteering etwor V which launches this wee in our community section, where each fortnight, we will take a loo at different volunteers who give up their time to help ma e a difference in people’s lives. V wor with many different charities, and together we will be exploring an exciting range of volunteers from across the charitable sector. We must of course take this opportunity to thank all our contributors, without whom there would simply be no paper! We extend a big thank you to all our advertisers, who have supported us from day one. O n behalf of the entire team, we want to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a Healthy and Happy Sweet N ew Y ear. Shana Tova! The Editors.

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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS WEEK 04 Exclusive Interview 06 News 15 Israel News 20 Community News 32 Supplement 56 Judaism 60 Business 62 Sports

66 Kids 70 Youth 74 Women 78 Food 79 Wine 80 Comedy 82 Parenting 83 Travel

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4 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Chief Rabbi Mirvis joins HRH Prince Charles for ‘Step up to Serve’ and #iwill social action campaign

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 joint Shabbaton held by Solihull, Leicester, ewcastle and Sheffield in B osworth that was particularly noteworthy three years ago. “Shabbatons are not new but before CCE residential ones were out of reach for the vast majority of communities because of the cost of facilities,” he explained. “When I heard community Rabbis had come together, who by themselves would not have enough people to populate a hotel, not only did we support them in terms of inspiration, ideas and funding, but V alerie and I went, celebrated with the communities and it was amazing. “There was such excitement about Shabbat, Y iddishkeit and the capacity of a community to raise the bar, t o punch above its weight. “The event is symbolic of everything that has happened. These activities have given greater self belief and far more confidence to achieve. We have seen a transformation of the landscape of communities.” Chief Rabbi Mirvis also praised regional events that are now the norm. “Regional communities have come up with ideas we never thought of such as spending a Jewish day in L ondon,” he explained. “We think of spending a Jewish day in P aris or Amsterdam but never realised L ondon could become a mecca for provincial Jews. P articipants leave early on a Sunday and get back late at night. They have a kosher meal, visit a Jewish museum or area of Jewish interest, we provide an educator and they do some shopping in G olders G reen. “I t’s a most incredible Jewish day, so simple yet so powerful, and has been repeated time and again with our assistance and input.” As for Shabbat UK, like CCE, it has been a revelation since kicking off in 2014. The Chief Rabbi has been a guest in L eeds and Manchester the past two years, but can the initiative

move to another level? Chief Rabbi Mirvis is in no doubt that it can. “Shabbat UK would not have been the success it has been without CCE because the two have gone hand in hand,” he explained. “We have been calling on communities to do something unprecedented and they have produced it, but CCE input is crucial in providing ideas, information and funding to allow communities to perform so spectacularly. “I n simple terms it’s about people attending communal meals, activities, a Havdalah concert, challah bakes and so on. B ut there is a separate level, engagement with Shabbat so people become more spiritually motivated. I ts not just about attending an event, it’s feeling your Jewish roots, being proud of our Torah tradition.” He added, “Shabbat UK has an amazingly powerful message that

“

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

The Shul building itself will always be a nucleus of activities but it needs to be far beyond a house of prayer

”

Torah values are cool. When we talk about a digital detox day, you could not have anything more relevant for the 21st century. Shabbat UK has made a great impact on B ritish society in appreciating genuine values within challenging times. “Each year we go up a notch and this year it will be a few notches. We have extra special activities that we will be announcing soon. “The majority of Jews have engaged with Shabbat UK and that is qui te a statement. “A recently published Jewish policy research shows 44 per cent of Jews (census related) are not shul members so to have the majority engaging is a very signiﬁcant number. “Shabbat UK reaches out to

people, encourages and is appealing. I t sells itself because our Jewish souls appreciate what Shabbat is for us.” Whilst Shabbat UK has been an undoubted success, Chief Rabbi Mirvis also noted that Shabbat- related activities had increased as a result, on a n unprecedented scale. “We have made it clear, if Shabbat UK was only about one Shabbat it would not be worth the eﬀort, it’s primarily about the follow up,” he explained. “Mill Hill is an outstanding example because directly as a result of Shabbat UK they have a Friday night monthly event for the community. Then there is N ewcastle who had a mini- Shabbat UK. They repeated the challah ba e, 0 members from the community of G ateshead made the long walk over the river to join them and they had an amazing Shabbat. “Stanmore organised a Havdala Jam that attracted a huge variety of people and kids in Allerton, L iverpool launched an intergenerational programme after Shabbat over the winter months that was packed. “These are some of the many different activities around the country Shabbat UK inspires.” Chief Rabbi Mirvis turned his thoughts to CCE’s twinning programme. “Twinning works brilliantly, its so simple yet powerful,” he enthused. “When P inner and N orwich spent a Shabbat together there was great community cohesion for a Jewish- centred experience in a historic city. Solihull and Sheﬃeld have now done three joint events, B irmingham Central and Cheltenham have got together, and the trend continues. “We are inundated with applications from communities for programmes. “I deas are passed around when they are successful. We send out ideas, booklets and best practice, this has worked for a community so why not try it? ” As for the CCE inspired Etz

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Chaim project, which has seen 1 0 young adults visit 4 communities run Shabbat and Y om Tov services alongside activities, the Chief Rabbi said it brought an “injection of yiddishkeit” to Shabbat. D escribing the Rebbetzen programme, which has staged leadership skills seminars and trips to G ibraltar and Rome, as an “amazing success” , he was similarly proud of a third regional leaders conference planned for 201 . “Community leaders share dilemmas, challenges and successes,” the Chief Rabbi said. “I t has worked brilliantly, leaders are in contact and able to beneﬁt in a very productive way.” Regarding the visiting rabbi initiative, he commented, “I t’s impossible for every community in the country to have a Rabbi because there are tiny pockets of Jews but every such group should have a person to turn to, someone to contact for pastoral purposes. “Every Jewish soul is precious whether they are in G olders G reen or somewhere in the regions, so this is project is making an impact.” Summing up the overall programme, Chief Rabbi Mirvis is hugely optimistic. “I believe in the strength of our communities,” he enthused. “I ’ve seen wonderful commitment and the best thing about CCE is we don’t have a lot of convincing. “We give ideas, show it can be done, people go for it and the rewards have been enormous. “We have been able to provide the cream of Jewish leadership from around the world to be accessible to communities and it’s making a big diﬀerence.” He added, “CCE is a hub, the go to place for communities and people to tell us about a great ideas. We connect people all the time, it has created an amazing collegiality

amongst the Rabbinate, Rebbetzens and lay leadership of communities around the country. “O ur job is to point them in the right direction, offer advice, empower and give them the strength to do what they want to do. “I t is not just a que stion of paying expenses for a speaker, it’s a matter of professionalising the process. I deas have to be clear and feedback is a fundamental process. “We need to know what people think, was it worthwhile, what do they want to see happening in a Shul. I t helps us see the impact on Shul. I t also helps the Rabbi and lay leadership so they know they are doing the right thing for members. “This new dimension to the office is about communities, Judaism, inspiring people and providing added qua lity to lives. That is the tone of our entire Chief Rabbinate, it is an indivisible part of everything that we are doing. “We are here to provide services for everybody by creating a warm, friendly, inclusive community environment. “A smile, a welcoming spirit, a statement that Shul is a home away from home where everyone can feel comfortable regardless of their religiosity.” I n terms of challenges that Jewish communities face, Chief Rabbi Mirvis believes in trying to accentuate the positives. Take the topic of ‘ shrinking communities’ in parts of the country. “D emographic trends are a worldwide phenomena, its not just here in the UK,” he explained. “London is different to smaller communities in the regions where by and large it’s about managing decline. The task is how best to cater for a community which is a shadow of what it used to be. How can we gain added self-confidence as opposed to talking ourselves

The Chief Rabbi in discussion with HRH Prince Charles

14 SEPTEMBER 2017 down? “What I tell communities when I see them is how vibrant they are, its amazing. “Take L eeds, the city that I see today is spectacular. They have three active communities, a full infrastructure of organisations, education, welfare, something every community can be exceptionally proud of. B ut the mood in L eeds is qui te sad, because they are a third of what they used to be, but my message is appreciate what you have got because it’s terriﬁc. “The same applies around the country, I ’ve been enormously inspired what some tiny communities are doing. L ook at Jersey, every Shabbat there is a wonderful community spirit.” Then there is the thorny topic of ‘ declining Shabbat morning congregations’ depending on where you are in the country. “Whatever numbers you have, people want to be involved,” Chief Rabbi Mirvis said. “I n large communities there are individuals with enormous talent that are unknown to the community because we don’t tap into their ability, whereas in tiny communities everyone counts and I ’ve seen incredible people who achieve a huge amount.” He added, “There are many Shabbat programmes where people are engaged outside the conventional Shabbat morning. “I n my installation address, I hoped to see a transformation of houses of prayer into powerhouses of Jewish religious, social, educational and cultural excellence. That does not have to be in a Shul building. A community can excel in people’s homes, s chools or Shul hall. “The Shul building itself will always be a nucleus of activities but it needs to be far beyond a house of prayer and we a r e seeing many

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 5

THE JEWISH WEEKLY Synagogues today undergoing that transformation to become a vital Jewish centre of excellence.” When it comes to an increasing number of Jewish school pupils not attending Shul on a Shabbat, as they used to, the Chief Rabbi is well aware of issues, but ﬁrst praises the atmospheric nature of Jewish educational establishments. “I ’m hugely inspired when I meet children at Jewish schools,” he said. “When kids sing in a choir at an assembly or at a Shabbat table at school on a Friday or at a model seder, I ’m so moved and emotional because I see our future. “O ur community is achieving spectacularly in the realm of children’s education but we are also seeing a partial shift of emphasis from Shul to school. “When you had under 30 per

“

W e want boys and girls of today to be familiar enough with our services whereby for the rest of their lives they can walk into any Shul in the world, hear where the chaz an is at, open a siddur and join in the service.

”

cent of Jewish children attending Jewish schools at the beginning of the 1990s , the time to express ones Jewishness was on Shabbat. Today just under 70 per cent Jewish children attend Jewish schools, which means they are in an immersive Jewish environment throughout the week. “Unfortunately in some areas this means parents do not make a special eﬀort to give their children a Jewish experience over Shabbat

The Chief Rabbi joins The A rchbishop of Canterbury to pray at the W estern W all

and that is a great pity. “We are seeing an irony of far stronger Jewish education not being matched by higher levels of attendance by children in our Shuls. “We speak about Shul, school, youth movements and cultural centres, and they are all crucially important, but nothing is more important than the Jewish home. When you have a strong, powerful home environment that is more important than any other inﬂuence. “Where you have a committed home complemented by wonderful Shul services and activities, great education in schools and youth movements, that is the ultimate recipe for success. B ut if things are not strong Jewish wise in Jewish homes then it will be diﬃcult for us.” Shul participation is clearly a growing issue and to develop the next generations understanding and involvement, steps are afoot to enhance the B nai Mitzvah programme. “I n addition to our barmitzvah boys knowing how to read a parshah and sing the haftorah they should also be familiar with davening,” the Chief Rabbi explained. “What we have over all

Chief Rabbi Mirvis with the Mayor of L ondon, Sadiq K han and V incent Cardinal N ichols

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the years succeeded in doing is to get our boys to master one portion, and probably they will forget it in the course of time so on average they have invested 15 months in something they aren’t going to be using. What I ’d prefer is that in addition to Torah reading and Haftorah, that our boys should learn how to lead a service. “O ur B nai Mitzvah programme has started but will be formalised, although it won’t be imposed on communities because it depends on a boy and his attitude, but its equa lly important for girls. “We want boys and girls of today to be familiar enough with our services whereby for the rest of their lives they can walk into any Shul in the world, hear where the Chazan is at, open a siddur and join in the service.” Away from Shul matters, interfaith relations offer a special dimension to the Chief Rabbinate though there are issues. “We have a very warm and healthy relationship with key faith leaders but sometimes don’t see those close relationships filtering down towards grass routes level, which is something I discussed with P ope Francis when I was at the V atican,” Chief Rabbi Mirvis said. “I raised with him the frustration we have that N ostra aetate (the Church’s relations with Judaism), which we recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of, was such a significant achievement between Judaism and Christianity, however in the vast majority of Catholic churches around the world they had not heard about it. “Though Church dogma has changed, attitudes towards the Jews is taking a long time, but we also need to change some of our attitudes.” Significant challenges indeed, but the Chief Rabbi is a leading player to educate. Together with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, they

staged a daylong seminar at L ambeth P alace for 70 rabbis, bishops and priests last N ovember. A rabbi and corresponding church leader from 3 different areas attended the event. “We discussed key issues that confront our faiths, those on which we see eye to eye and those in which we have challenging differences,” said the Chief Rabbi. “The best part was the follow up, there have been so many activities of an interfaith nature within communities around the country thanks to this initiative.” Chief Rabbi Mirvis is working on many fronts to benefit the ewish communities around the UK and Commonwealth, so how does he gauge success? “There is no scientific method, but overall, to its about what degree have we strengthened Jewish identity? ” he explained “There is no absolute definition, but for me, it means connecting with ones Jewish roots, pride in ones Judaism, ones Judaism being central to what one is not just living with but what one is living for, rooted in Jewish faith towards guaranteeing that our spiritual identity will be preserved for generations to come. “O ur history teaches us that the feeling of being Jewish can exist in one generation but there is no guarantee that it can be passed on to subseque nt generations. “The only way for us to guarantee the continuity of Judaism as a faith is through faith. “I ’m in a privileged position in my office to have the potential to change things for the better. “We are doing things because it is of value and it brings us a huge amount of satisfaction to see that we are reshaping the way our communities are operating and there is a transformation of the landscape.”

6 NEWS

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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B alf our, B ias and B oycotts at Westminster BY JAMES MARLOW As members of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) entered the B oothroyd Committee Room at Westminster this week, a list of names lined up to share their views on a range of issues including the B alfour declaration, the B oycott movement and anti- Semitism. Flying in from various cities in the USA, South America and Europe, the Executive B oard took up their seats around the large table shaped in a horse shoe and Jonathan Arkush of the B oard of D eputies welcomed the guests. The All- P arty P arliamentary G roup on B ritish Jews is co- chaired by I lford N orth L abour MP , Wes Streeting, who received warm congratulations from Mr. Arkush, for his support and increased majority in last June’s general election, which rose from approximately 200 votes to just under 10,000. The L abour MP made it clear that he opposed the B oycott Sanctions and D ivestment (B D S) movement in its entirely and stressed how it was counter- productive. B ut just a week earlier at the Jewish L abour Movement conference, in true “politician” language, Streeting slated I srael in front of a large audience at the JW3 c entre. The MP went on a rampage against the I sraeli elected government, the “occupation,” “illegal settlements” and “human rights” and stated that although he would not support the B D S, he gave the

reason, “B ecause it would play into the hands of N etanyahu and the L ikud.” Y et the I sraeli L abour P arty and Centralist Kadima Faction offered the P alestinians a state, but it was repeatedly refused. Conservative MP , O liver D owden is also Co- Chair of the All- P arty G roup and was scheduled to speak after Wes Streeting, but was called away to help prepare for the urgent government vote in the house on the transfer of EU laws to B ritain. MP Streeting qui ckly took the opportunity to make a comment about the Conservative party losing their majority in the House and therefore having to sometimes suddenly be called to the House. B ut his excellency, Ambassador of I srael to the Court of St. James, Mark Regev, was happy to step in slightly earlier than expected and give another polished performance to the audience. His subject was the B alfour Declaration and confirmed that the I sraeli P rime Minister will be in L ondon for that historic day on 2 N ovember to celebrate the centenary of that famous letter written in 1917. The Ambassador further said that he hoped B ritain would say that she is proud to have played its part in helping the Jewish people return to their ancient homeland. B ut that maybe pushing it just a bit as the government is struggling for votes at a difficult time and without a majority, may wish to play it safe in the diplomacy field. Mark Regev was then happy to

give way to the right honourable Secretary of State for Communities and L ocal G overnment, who had just walked into the room. Sajid Javid MP is a true friend to the Jewish people and a great long- time supporter of I srael. He stressed how the Jewish community had made such a large contribution to B ritain but pointed out that anti- Semitism is growing and in a private meeting, revealed how he receives so much hate mail. The Minister also told the WJC audience “those killers of I sraeli children are not condemned, without attacking I srael in some way.” Mr. Javid also referred to the new Holocaust Centre being built not far from where the committee room is based, “which will become a strong form of education to all school children.” Sajid closed his talk by saying that people often ask him how is it that he is so pro- Jewish? He answered by relating a story that his father had told him when he was a young boy. I n it he added that “The Jewish people had been the most persecuted people in history.” He then thanked his father for instilling in him the knowledge and understanding that he has for the Jewish community today. Finally, the right honorable Y vette Cooper MP , who is Chair of the Home Aﬀairs Committee arrived and Mark Regev who had been asked to say a few more words up to that point, gave way to Ms. Cooper when she walked into

W estminster A bbey

the room. Jonathan Arkush once again gave her a warm welcome as he had done to the previous speakers and made a reference to her party. “We have not given up on the L abour P arty and with friends like Y vette, we can ﬁght the diﬃculties in Labour.” The former front bench L abour minister explained how she was so happy to see interfaith gatherings and meetings between communities and gave the example of how the CST is working together with the Muslim organisation, Tell Mama, which exposes what is termed as I slamophobia. As part of the WJC visit to L ondon, hosted by the B oard of D eputies, around 20 young and possible future leaders from the Jewish D iplomatic Corps were taken to the

oreign Office and the embassies of G ermany and Serbia. The key message was that it was now time to for countries to stop the astonishing levels of bias against I srael at the United N ations (UN ). Those visiting the oreign Office than ed officials for the UK’s new principles on the issue, outlined by the UK’s Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council last March where he said that the UK was “putting the Human Rights Council on notice” about bias. Matthew Rycroft made it clear that the the UK would vote against all resolutions condemning I srael if things did not change.

Delicious Israeli desserts and another blow to the boycott movement BY ISAAC SHERMAN Members of the P alestinian Solidarity Committee and the B oycott, D ivestment and Sanctions Movement (B D S), again gave in to temptation this week whilst they were shouting anti- I srael slogans outside the Tel Aviv in L ondon event. The special festival known as TL V in L O N featured musical acts, a Tel Aviv food market and many other engaging events which took place at multiple sites across L ondon this past week. B ut as expected demonstrators tried to disrupt the event calling for the destruction of I srael. That is until the famous I sraeli celebrity chef,

Sh’aul B en Aderet appeared with trays of free delicious deserts. B ehind him were assistant chefs also with trays and a selection of more deserts. At ﬁrst the demonstrators refused the food saying they were from the “I sraeli fascist state,” until Chef B en Aderet said in a calm voice but heavy I srael accent, “Come on, have some desert” and “L et’s leave the politics out of it and enjoy the desert.” Many were seen on a video which was posted on social media, coming forward and saying such things as, “What I srael does to the P alestinians is criminal, but we will try your desert,” and “Can I take another one for my friend.”

The story is the same worldwide – many of the demonstrators call for I srael’s destruction but are happy to use I sraeli made phones, computers, software and apps. The TL V in L O N event was billed as celebrating and showcasing the diverse culture of the vibrant Tel Aviv and was an opportunity to revel in the city’s rich cultural landscape, encompassing gastronomy, music, nightlife, arts and style. The idea for the festival came from B ritish Jewish philanthropist Marc Worth, the I sraeli Embassy in L ondon and the Strategic Affairs Ministry in I srael which is headed by G ilad Erdan. Knesset Member Erdan said

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

Chef B en A deret tempted the demonstrators

“The Tel Aviv in L ondon festival was the ﬁrst one to ta e place in a major capital which reﬂected multiculturalism in I srael and showed the truth about life in the country.” The Minister added that the

objective was to build bridges and was a serious blow to the racist B oycott, D ivestment and Sanctions (B D S) movement.

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8 NEWS

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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Je w ish f amily in France beaten and kidnapped BY JAMES MARLOW O nce again, another shocking case of violence was reported on a French family in a suburb of P aris

because “they were Jewish.” Unidentiﬁed attac ers bro e into the family home and told the three wellknown family community members, “Y ou are Jews, you have

money.” They were brutally beaten and even taken from their home to bank cash machines. The assailants stole jewellery, cash and credit cards while the

F rancis K alifat, P resident of CRI F

victims were told “We take money from the Jews to give to the poor.” The incident is being investigated as a hate crime by French authorities with a possible charge of “extortion.” The N ational B ureau for V igilance Against Antisemitism (B N CV A) condemned the attack, calling it “manifestly anti- Semitic” and “premeditated,” while the Representative Council of Jewish I nstitutions in France (CRI F) denounced the attack as “very violent.” Francis Kalifat who is P resident of CRI F said that the “O dious attack is proof that

Jews in France are particularly threatened in the streets and, even more disturbingly, in their homes.” He called upon the French authorities to be more vigilant to this new aggression after the murder of 65- year- old, Sarah Halimi earlier this year. Mrs Halimi was a P arisian Jew and was murdered by her neighbour, Kada Traore, a Muslim native of Mali. Following the attack, Traore pleaded insanity and was hospitalized. He remains in an institution where prosecutors are awaiting a clinical decision as to whether his insanity claims are legitimate. As such, he has not been charged. The incident was not investigated as a hate crime. Anti- Semitic attacks dropped in France by 61% in 2016 after the attack on a kosher supermarket. The gunman shot and killed four people in the P arisian suburb of V incennes in January 2015. However, there were similar attacks later in 2015 when Jewish men were stabbed in the southern city of Marseille by individuals who claimed to be aﬃliated with I SI S and in August 2016 a Jewish man was stabbed in the eastern city of Strasbourg.

Israel supporters attacked at Z oabi event BY MELANIE SINCLAIRE V iolence erupted at yet another P alestinian Solidarity Campaign meeting last weekend when pro- I srael supporters were frustrated the radical speaker, Haneen Z oabi would not take que stions from the ﬂoor as she continued to spurt out what can only be described as hateful incitement. I n a muddled speech without any real direction or thought process, the I sraeli member of Knesset told her audience of around ﬁfty people that I srael is a “racist” and “fascist” state with “racist laws and fascist laws.” MK Z oabi who is well known in I srael for her radical hateful speeches Haneen Z in the Knesset said that I srael is “afraid” of allowing people to visit “our homeland” and described the Jewish state as the “criminal.” She then attacked B ritain because of agreements forged with

the Jewish state and asked because I srael “shoots 12- year olds and then you [ I srael] talk about terrorists – w ho is the terrorist? ” Without pausing or taking a breath, Haneen Z oabi showed she

oabi

was in a hurry to express as much propaganda, most of it pure nonsense, as possible, before moving on to the Shoah. “The Z ionist L obby” and later she said “I srael” manipulates the

Holocaust. “I can represent the victims of the Holocaust, not I srael - it’s me, the P alestinian who stand loyal to the lessons of the Holocaust,” which received applause. However, it was not clear why the pro- P alestinian audience was clapping at that point until Z oabi said “The lesson from the Holocaust is don’t kill, but I srael kills a P alestinian every 3.6 days.” She then moved on to the wellknown words, “the occupation,” “oppression,” “crimes against humanity, ” “war crimes,” “the criminal Z ionist lobby,” and “how can a Jewish state be a democratic state,” and after around 25 minutes, Z oabi compared I srael to G ermany in the thirties. At that point the three pro- I srael supporters present shouted, “Shame on you,” which is when

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

three pro- P alestinian supporters ran towards them, one threatening if you don’t stay qui et, I will “physically throw you out.” Mandy B lumenthal along with her brother Allen were present and asked why were they not allowed to ask que stions? P alestinian activist Sarah Wilkinson from the West Midlands and well known on social media for her own incitement against Jewish people living in I srael, grabbed Ms B lumenthal’s smart phone as she was recording the proceedings and ran with it to the other side of the room which was captured by a pro- P alestinian supporter who was videoing the action. Mandy was seen running after her at which point the two were on the ground wrestling as her brother Allen tried to help. Allen was then grabbed by several of the crowd, but he held his arms high in the air as if to say he was not a threat. Mandy emerged from the ﬂoor with scratches and bruises and after some other exchanges, Mandy, her brother and another man were ejected. Speaking to The Jewish Weekly, Ms B lumenthal from N orth West

L ondon said that she has been to many pro- I srael and pro- P alestinians events before, but had never witnessed such violence and was still in shoc . Clearly finding it difficult to tal , Mandy said, “The amount of hatred and anti- Semitism that is heard at some of these meetings is awful.” The strange thing is that it was a pro- P alestinian supporter who posted the video on Y ouTube with the message that “Z ionists had attacked members of the West Midlands P SC in B irmingham’s Science P ark. When asked would Mandy consider pressing charges against this woman Sarah Wilkinson, based on the video evidence by one of their supporters, she replied, “Y es I would.” O n the que stion of whether she would continue to attend these meetings and events, Mandy B lumenthal said “I can tell you that sometimes I have made a difference” and cited the e ample of the Litchfield Cathedral when the Archbishop was made aware of some basic facts that he did not previously know about I srael.

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10 NEWS

e repor o ers in dep h anal sis o an i e i is BY ISAAC SHERMAN

A major new study of antisemitism in G reat B ritain, employing statistical analysis of the largest dataset ever gathered on the topic, is being launched today by the I nstitute for Jewish P olicy Research. Supported by the Community Security Trust, the report, entitled Antisemitism in contemporary G reat B ritain: A study of attitudes towards Jews and I srael, provides a meticulously- researched and detailed assessment of the population’s opinions about Jews and I srael, and addresses the que stion of the relationship between antisemitism and anti- I sraelism using statistical techni ues for the first time. I t also investigates the opinions of several key subgroups in the population, including those on the left and right of the political spectrum, and those identifying as Christian or Muslim. Authored by JP R Senior Research Fellow, D r D aniel Staetsky, the report presents multiple measures of antisemitism, and argues that antisemitism, like all attitudes, e ists at different levels of intensity and with different shades to it. Specifically, it differentiates between ‘ counting antisemites’ (i.e. the proportion of the population that can meaningfully be regarded as consistently hostile towards Jews), and ‘ measuring antisemitism’ (i.e. the extent to which prejudicial ideas about Jews permeate society). I t demonstrates that while the proportion of people in the population who are hard- core antisemites is small, antisemitic canards and ideas can be found in a much wider section of society a finding which helps to shed new and important light on why antisemitic discourse can often seem far more prevalent than conscious or deliberate antipathy to Jews per se (see page 3 be low). However, the report also finds that most of the population of G reat B ritain has a favourable opinion of Jews, and does not entertain any antisemitic ideas or views at all. This confirms previous research demonstrating that levels of antisemitism in the country are among the lowest in the world. B y measuring the population’s attitudes both towards Jews and

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

towards I srael, the study created the possibility of determining whether they correlate with one another. The report identifies a clear link between antisemitic and anti- I srael attitudes, demonstrating empirically that the stronger the level of anti- I srael feeling, the more likely it is to be accompanied by antisemitic attitudes. Y et it also finds that antisemitic and anti- I srael attitudes do not always coexist, and that it is entirely possible to express strong anti- I srael views without simultaneously harbouring antisemitic ones. I nvestigating the opinions of key religious and political subgroups, the survey finds that Christians, irrespective of the denomination or religious behaviour investigated, show levels of antisemitism and anti- I sraelism that are indistinguishable from the levels found across the population of G reat B ritain in general. However, others groups stand out. L evels of antisemitism are higher than average among those on thefar- right of the political spectrum and among the Muslim population, and levels of anti- I sraelism are higher than average across the left- wing of the political spectrum and again, among the Muslim population. Y et, owing to the relatively small size of these religious and political subgroups, most antisemitic sentiment, whether measured at very low levels of intensity or at high levels, i s to be found elsewhere. The full executive summary to the report can be found online at www.cst.org.uk. Commenting on the findings, JP R Executive D irector, D r Jonathan B oyd says: “Antisemitism needs to be researched and analysed soberly and objectively, with proper rigour and empiricism. I t’s a highly emotive topic, and in the midst of all the anxiety that exists about it within parts of the Jewish community,

we need serious assessments of what is going on. This report is far from the final word on the topic, but it establishes multiple benchmarks against which to measure antisemitism going forward, in order to help demonstrate whether antisemitism is becoming a more serious problem over time or not, and to help policy makers to make sound judgements based on robust evidence.” Report author and JP R Senior Research Fellow, D r D aniel Staetsky, c omments: “This report has been written on the back of a large survey of attitudes towards Jews and I srael in G reat B ritain. The strength of analysis owes a great deal to the size of the dataset and the detail that it provides, but also, importantly, to our determination to let realistic and very specific concerns about antisemitism, held by Jews and non- Jews, inform the line of inq uiry. Such concerns stand at the heart of Jewish communal and national political debates about antisemitism, and the qua lity of these debates and any emerging policy ideas should be substantially enhanced by our harnessing of a dataset containing over ,000 cases.” CST Chief Executive, D avid D elew says: “CST is proud to have played a key role in helping to bring about the largest and most detailed survey of B ritish antisemitism to date. We did this in order to better understand, discuss and tackle antisemitism in society as a whole, and, more specifically, within the key political and religious groupings that are analysed in the survey. We believe the new findings, data and nuance in this study will help us to wor even more effectively with partners inside and outside the Jewish community to tac le this problem.”

Couple w ho punched Je w ish w edding guests w alk f ree w ith £40 compensation to victims BY JEREMY SCHOLNICK Couple who punched Jewish wedding guests walk free with £40 compensation to victims A couple who viciously attacked Jewish wedding guests, punching them and whipping them with a dog leash whilst shouting anti- Semitic abuse, have walked free. Thames Magistrates’ Court handed I neta Winiarski and Kasimiersz Winiarski a suspended 12- week prison sentence, allowing them to walk free paying a mere £40 to each of their victims. The court had heard how I neta Winiarski, aged 3, and Kasimiersz Winiarski, aged 62, a P olish couple living in Hackney, “terriﬁed” wedding guests outside Kehal Y etev L ev Synagogue near Clapton Common in L ondon on 3r d July. Magistrate Caroline D illon was told by prosecutor D emi Ugurtay how Mr Winiarski walked over to a driver, D avid Tangy, who was waiting to transfer the guests from the synagogue, and slammed his car door. He then shoved Mr Tangy, whilst Ms Winiarski approached with the couple’s dog and whipped a guest, B en Herbst, with the dog’s leash. B en Herbst’s father, I srael Herbst rushed to protect his son from the attack and was hit by Ms Winiarski in the shoulder. Ms Winiarski shouted anti- Semitic abuse throughout the incident, and reportedly telling the Jewish wedding guests in broken English: “D og stay here England, you ews go away.”

Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish neighbourhood watch patrol was called and followed the assailants to Clapton Common where they were arrested on suspicion of common assault and racially aggravated public order oﬀences. Ms Winiarski pleaded guilty to three counts of racially aggravated assault. She was handed a 12week prison sentence, suspended for a year, in respect of each offence, as well as being ordered to participate in a rehabilitation programme lasting no longer than 20 days. She was also ordered to pay £40 to each of her three victims, as well as £230 in victim surcharges to fund victims’ services, and £85 in costs to the Crown P rosecution Service. Mr Winiarski pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault. He too was handed a 12- week prison sentence, suspended for a year, in respect of each oﬀence, as well as being ordered to participate in a rehabilitation programme lasting no longer than 20 days. He was also ordered to pay £40 to each of his two victims, as well as £115 in victim surcharges to fund victims’ services, and £85 in costs to the Crown P rosecution Service. The Campaign Against Anti- Semitism commended Stamford Hill Shomrim for their fast response which ensured that the suspects could be arrested and prosecuted.

I neta and K asimiersz W iniarski , w ho were allowed to walk free after punching and whipping Je wish wedding guests, photographed immediately after the attack. P HO TO CRED I T: STAMFO RD HI L L SHO RI M

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

NEWS 11

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

Doz ens dead af ter monster storm hit

BY JAMES MARLOW

More than 6.5 million Florida residents were without power as extensive damage was reported in many parts of the sunshine state. Southern Florida is home to the third- largest Jewish community in the United States, with over 540,000 Jews residing there while some 650 ,000 Jews live in the State itself. B ut ahead of the storm, many had left town as south Florida became a virtual ghost town. D rone footage of the city’s downtown area and Miami B each showed empty streets and beaches. I n total, nearly 7 million people were ordered to evacuate and local and federal officials warned that residents who refused to leave their homes would “be on their own” in what was described by the N ational Hurricane Centre as a “life- threatening situation.” Officials warned residents, it could be days before rescue teams could reach affected areas because of the damage expected by the storm and until it was safe for teams to support local and state efforts. G overnor Rick Scott said the lorida Keys, a strip of islands off the state’s southern coast, had suffered a substantial amount of damage. “I t’s horrible what we saw,” Scott said after flying over the island chain with the Coast G uard. He said the water, electricity and sewage systems in the Keys were all non- operational and that trailer parks had been “overturned.” The recovery phase is now underway which according to the G overnor will take some time. The storm downed power lines, felled trees and left debris and vehicles strewn across the streets. B ut concrete homes appeared to have withstood the gusts. The catastrophic monster storm roared ashore as a powerful Category 4 hurricane when it hit the Keys on Sunday, ripping boats from their moorings and flattening palm trees. The storm was so large, it had previously devastated a string of Caribbean islands. B ut its interaction with land in the Caribbean weakened it and by the time it had arrived at the base of Florida, I rma had been downgraded to a Category 4 with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour. A few hours later, it was downgraded to a Category 3 s torm. I ts landfall in Cuba made history, as the first Category hurricane to strike that island nation since 1924. B ut while Florida may have escaped the worst, the overall death

toll jumped to at least 60 after Cuba said 16 people had been killed over the weekend. O n the Caribbean I sland of St Maarten, Chabad Shaliach Rabbi Moshe Chanowitz told Y eshiva World N ews that his Chabad House was destroyed. The Rabbi, his wife Sara and ﬁve children aged under 8, remained on the island during Hurricane Irma to oﬀer assistance to others. B ut they themselves were saved from the storm by hiding in the Mikva room and now have no place to stay. There is no running water, no power and no fuel. The Chabad House had been running on a small generator, but the gas supply was dwindling. The hurricane caused catastrophic damage to St. Maarten which is jointly administered by France and the N etherlands.

Rabbi Mendel Z archi and his wife Rachel, co- directors of Chabad L ubavitch of P uerto Rico and who oversee Chabad in the Caribbean, put together a team and a joint effort began. Meanwhile the U.S. Army sent aircraft to the I sland to rescue approximately 1,200 American citizens at the U.S. State D epartment’s reque st. Approximately 5,000 American citizens were believed to be trapped on the I sland including some in urgent need of medical assistance. Rabbi Chanowitz also managed to secure seats for his family on a flight to Puerto Rico and after Hurricaine I rma proved to be devastating Shabbat they were flown to ew P HO TO CRED I T: Y ESHI V AWO RL D N EWS Y ork. The Chabad Shaliach of the I sa boat with his family for the 50be dire, with reports of widespread land of St. Thomas, which also sufmile trip to P uerto Rico. The situalooting. fered tremendous damage, boarded tion in St. Thomas was reported to

5778 ‫השנה‬

‫ב”ה‬

‫ראש‬

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12 NEWS

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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B OD Annual Dinner w ith the pomp and ceremony BY JAMES MARLOW

some members of the community, including a Rabbi were walking to shul. The powerful Scottish B D S movement and Celtic football club supporters waving Palestinian ﬂags at some of their games was not brought up but the conservative leader stressed on several occasions, “O ne of the things I ’m proud of in Scotland is that there is actually political leadership against this.” I t was not clear what that meant as no examples were cited. O n the B alfour D eclaration and the famous letter written on 2 N ovember, 1917, Ruth paid tribute to L ord Arthur B alfour, who she described as “another great Scottish Conservative,” and the easy- going conversation moved on to I srael. “I am proud of the links between I srael and Scotland,” and added “I ’ve welcomed to my own constituency the Shalom I nternational Festival, which as well as celebrating Judaism, also invites performers over from I srael to make sure that the cultural exchange is there” , Ms D avidson said. The incident of I sraeli artists being barred from performing at the popular Scottish music

festival last year did not come up in conversation. “We’ve seen a 6 0 per cent rise in trade between Scotland and I srael in the last 10 years,” she said. “I t’s now about £120 million a year – and these are the sorts of things we want to build on.” However, when it came to her views on the I srael, P alestinian issue, Ruth D avidson said “I have a trench position - not on one side or the other,” which probably played well with the audience as part of it appeared to be on the left, part on the right and part in the “don’t know” camp. B esides, she said, “The Scottish parliament doesn’t do foreign aﬀairs,” which was a bit of a cop- out because SN P politicians are constantly criticising and condemning I srael. The Scottish Conservative P arty leader was clearly well prepared for the 25- minute interview with clear rehearsed positions, just like most politicians. B ut Ruth D avidson is an engaging speaker with personality and presence. I n the summer, she was tipped to become the next Conservative P arty leader of B ritain, but perhaps Ruth D avidson would feel that is

a little out of her ambition and appears to be qui te content to build on her success in Scotland. The B oard of D eputies P resident, Jonathan Arkush paid tribute to the dinner guests and community members. “Without you there, there would be no B oard of D eputies” and added “We would not be able to serve our community, our community’s future, which is also your future.” The organisation was established in L ondon in 1760, when seven D eputies were appointed by several senior members Spanish and P ortuguese congregation to form a standing committee and pay respect to G eorge I I I on his accession to the throne. Today, many ask what exactly is the role of the B oard of D eputies now there are so many Jewish organisations representing B ritish Jewry and liaising in one form or another with inﬂuential parliamentary committees, government ministries various security services and other powerful decision makers? A spokesperson said, “We do a great deal of work behind the scenes which many people are unaware of.”

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The Conservative P arty L eader in Scotland was this year’s special honoured guest at the annual B oard of D eputies P residents dinner on Monday night as Ruth D avidson, an articulate communicator, gave a diplomatic but polished performance. Faith, the Europe Union, anti- Semitism and I srael were just some of the topics discussed on stage as the B B C’s James Harding que stioned the respected Scottish politician in front of an audience of more than 0, just after the ﬁrst course was served. G uests included the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, World Jewish Congress P resident Ronald L auder, UK Ambassador to I srael D avid Q uarrey, French Ambassador to the UK Jean P ierre, Sir Eric P ickles, B aroness Ruth D eech and several other peers and MP s. O n B rexit, the Conservative leader said “L et’s not re- run the referendum,” but made it clear if there was a second vote, she would again vote to remain. The statement received some applause, but the large dining room at the L ancaster

L ondon Hotel in B ayswater was clearly split on whether being in the European Union was a good idea or not. However, when the topic of whether Scotland should vote again to leave the United Kingdom, Ms D avidson who was clearly against breaking away said, “We are unlikely to see a Scottish referendum in the next few years.” I t was because her conservative party had performed better than expected in the Scottish parliament, which caused the Scottish N ational P arty (SN P ) to lose their majority. I n addition, the SN P lost many of their Westminster seats to the conservatives in the general election. When Ruth D avidson was asked about anti- Semitism she told the B oard of D eputies audience how she was proud that Scottish politicians had collaborated to confront antisemitism. “There are less than 6000 Jews in Scotland and it is very concentrated.” B ut did admit that some incidents had occurred which she described as “terrible things.” Ms D avidson was referring to swastikas being daubed on the side of a synagogue and people giving N azi salutes as

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Words are no longer enough V erbal abuse BY JW REPORTER

Chelsea Football Club face disciplinary action from the Football Association after a section of their fans chanted anti- Semitic songs at Wembley Stadium last month during a P remiership league match against Tottenham Hotspur. This latest incident of racism took place when Chelsea supporters travelled to Tottenham’s temporary home ground at Wembley on 20 August and their new player Alvaro Morata, scored a goal. I n celebration, Chelsea fans sang anti- Semitic chants. Chelsea who ended up winning the game by 2 goals to 1 have a long history of singing and chanting racist and anti- Semitic songs, but rarely have fans been punished. I n a statement, Chelsea wrote that “The club and the players appreciate the fans

passionate support away from home, but the language in that song is not acceptable at all. We spoke to Alvaro after the game and he does not want to be connected with that song in any way. B oth the club and the player reque st the supporters stop singing that song with immediate eﬀect. However, Chairman of the Campaign Against Anti- Semitism, G ideon Falter, said of the club that statements were no longer enough. “Whilst we welcome the club’s swift condemnation of this repulsive singing, Chelsea must now either identify and punish the fans who participated, or the club itself should face strict penalties from the Football Association to send a clear message to its fans.” The word “Y id” is used in the Y iddish language and regularly heard within the Chareidi communities

however, it has been used as a derogatory term for decades by groups of individuals and gangs and is now recognised as an anti- Semitic repulsive term. The player Alvaro Morata later tweeted, “Since I arrived, I have been able to feel your support every day, you are amazing and I ’d like to ask you to please respect everyone.”

W embly Stadium, w here the anti- Semitic chants took pl ace.

B’SD

recei ed a ne

BY MELANIE SINCLAIRE

A pub landlady from I pswich was forced to call the police after a local man named as Richard G ary Reed was screaming anti- Semitic language at a Jewish man who had walked into the drinking establishment in the town with his kippa on 5 August. The landlady and other witnesses conﬁrmed to police when they arrived that Reed’s language included “I ’m going to kill you f**g Jews, I know where you are,” whilst at the same time making gun gestures. Reed who was with friends,

was immediately arrested and later charged with religiously- aggravated harassment. He pleaded guilty at I pswich Magistrates’ Court and was ordered to pay a 300 ﬁne plus court costs which totalled £85. I n addition, the victim who did not wish to be identiﬁed received a surcharge of £30 and compensation of £100. The incident was reported to CST who provided support to the victim. The man who insisted on remaining anonymous was driving in the countryside and stopped to use the rest room and a drink, but was unprepared for the abuse and threats.

Ruth Davidson proud of how Scottish politicians conf ront anti- Semitism BY JAMES MARLOW

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Scottish Conservative L eader Ruth D avidson last night spoke at the B oard of D eputies P resident’s D inner of her pride in the way that Scottish politicians had collaborated to confront antisemitism. Ruth, in conversation with the B B C’s Director of ews and Current Aﬀairs James Harding in front of an audience of more than 550 guests, including Home Secretary Amber Rudd, said: “I n Scotland we have seen an issue, particularly with some of the Jewish community. We’ve seen some terrible things daubed on the side of a temple, we’ve seen a senior rabbi faced with people who were giving N azi salutes as he went to a place of worship. “O ne of the things I ’m proud of in Scotland is that there is actually political leadership against this.” O n the centenary of the B alfour D eclaration, Ruth also paid tribute to L ord Arthur B alfour, who she described as “another great Scottish Conservative” . She added that she was proud of the links between I srael and Scotland. ““I ’ve welcomed to my own constituency the Shalom I nternational Festival, which as well as celebrating Judaism, also invites performers over from I srael to make sure that the cultural exchange is there” , Ms D avidson said. “We’ve seen a 60 per cent rise in trade between Scotland and I srael in the last 10 years – it’s now about £120 million a year – and these are the sorts of things we want to build on. She also commented on the B rexit process saying that, “were there to be another referendum I ’d vote to remain again” .

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B oard of D eputies P resident Jonathan Arkush paid tribute to the dinner guests and community members who enable the organisation to do its important work. He said: Without you there would be no B oard of D eputies. We would not be able to serve our community, our community’s future, which is also your future. I t is with enormous pride that I stand before you as elected president of the B oard of D eputies for B ritish Jews. I t is an honour to speak forthrightly for our community on every relevant issue.” Also attending the dinner in central L ondon were World Jewish Congress P resident Ronald L auder, UK Ambassador to I srael D avid Q uarrey, French Ambassador to the UK Jean P ierre, Sir Eric P ickles, Senior Rabbis L aura Janner Klausner, Joseph D weck, D anny Rich, B aroness Ruth D eech and number of MP s and peers.

Ruth D avidson

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as he cri icis

O n 3 0 July the I rish edition of the Sunday Times carried an op- ed by the I rish journalist Kevin Myers on the subject of the differential payments made to male and female presenters working for the B B C. These glaringly obvious differentials had become public knowledge the previous week, when the B ritish government made good on its promise to force the B B C to reveal what it paid to its highest- paid employees. In the financial year 201 -17 only one woman – Claudia Winkleman, earning between £450,000 and £499, per annum – was numbered among the ten most highly remunerated B B C presenters. V anessa Feltz apparently earned between £350,000 and £39, 9. B ut some popular female presenters did not appear on the list at all: Emily Maitlis, for example, whose BBC earnings in 201 -17 we may therefore confidently infer were less than 1 0,000. The scandal of the B B C’s gender pay gap “went viral.” Myers qui te properly chose to address it in his column. B ut his approach was novel (to say the least). After unburdening himself of various speculations focussed on the possibilities that on the whole men might

be “more charismatic performers” than women, might “work harder,” “get sick less freque ntly,” and “seldom get pregnant,” Myers drew attention to an aspect of this story that no- one else had dared raise. He drew attention to the fact that V anessa Feltz and Claudia Winkleman are Jewish, and he mused aloud as follows: “I note that two of the best-paid women presenters in the BBC – Claudia Winkleman and Vanessa Feltz, with whose, no doubt, sterling work I am tragically unacquainted - are Jewish. Good for them. Jews are not generally noted for their insistence on selling their talent for the lowest possible price, which is the most useful measure there is of inveterate, lost-with-allhands stupidity. I wonder, who are their agents?” Whereupon all hell broke loose. Myers was set upon (so to speak) by a pack of no doubt well- meaning but in point of fact totally mindless Jewish wolfhounds, none of whom – incidentally – was based in the I rish Republic. Within a matter of hours Myers’ column was removed from the Sunday Times online edition. Within a matter of a few hours’ more the paper (whose editorial staﬀ must have reviewed

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

ers ri h

and approved of the column in the ﬁrst place issued an abject apology. And within a few hours’ more Myers was ﬁred, and told he would never again write for the newspaper in que stion. What sin (I ask myself and I invite you to ask yourselves) had Myers committed? He had revealed something we already knew: that Feltz and Winkleman are Jewish. He had congratulated them (“G ood for them” ) on having negotiated remuneration packages of truly mouth- watering proportions. G ood for them, say I . And he had then observed – or rather insinuated that Jews generally sell their talent for the best price they can get. I can’t for the life of me see anything fundamentally wrong with this assertion. B ut I ’ll agree at once that it touched a sensitive area of the Anglo- Jewish psyche, which has to do with the Jewish view of money. We Jews do not regard money as an evil, much less the root of all evil. This notion is of Christian origin. The Jewish view, by contrast, is that wealth is a divine gift, a means to an end: we should try our best to accumulate wealth, so that it may be applied to worthy purposes.

N ow whether Winkleman and Feltz do apply their wealth for worthy purposes is certainly not for me to say. B ut what I do say is that to assert that Jews are noted for their insistence on driving hard bargains is in no sense whatever anti- Semitic. Q uite the reverse. I t’s a compliment. Myers’ column was not as well written as it might have been. He didn’t mention Emily Maitlis, who happens also to be Jewish and whose comparatively modest B B C earnings he therefore did not seek to explain. His hypotheses concerning the larger issue of the gender pay gap amongst the B B C’s top performers are untested, and struck me as spiteful. B ut then the right to oﬀend is a sacred right, which a free society limits at its peril. P eople in the UK are generally unaware of the grim history of anti- Semitism in the post- independence I rish Republic. I nfamously, Jewish refugees from N azism were allowed to settle in the Republic only if they converted to Christianity. Kevin Myers may not be everyone’s cup of I rish tea. The fact remains that in a country (the I rish Republic) that is heavily anti- Z ionist he is a proven friend of I srael, which is why the Jewish

Representative Council of I reland has come to his defence. What a pity that the pack of mindless Jewish wolfhounds who set upon him did not have the sense to consult the Council before unleashing their venom.

said: “The WJC and the Jewish D iplomatic Corps are working ardently and consistently to counter the bias of I srael in international organisations. This eﬀort is being conducted at the UN in N ew Y ork and G eneva, as well as at

embassies and government departments worldwide. As the WJC is the organisation representing over 100 ewish communities worldwide, we are working in close concert with our aﬃliate communities to proudly promote

and advocate their interests. We are highly appreciative to the B oard of D eputies for the joint diplomatic outreach that was implemented in L ondon today, and see this as a natural step in our close collaboration.”

eo re lder an is ichael ross ro essor o oli ics on e porar is or a he ni ersi o uckin ha and he au hor o ri ish e r ince ancipa ion

and orld e ish iplo a ic orps call or airness or srael BY MELANIE SINCLAIRE

As part of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) Executive Meeting hosted by the B oard of D eputies in London, more than 20 young and emerging leaders from the WJC’s Jewish D iplomatic Corps were ta en to the oreign Office and the embassies of G ermany and Serbia. The key message was that it was time to for countries to “call time” on the astonishing levels of bias against I srael at the United N ations (UN ). Those visiting the Foreign O ffice than ed officials for the UK’s new principles on the issue, outlined by the UK’s Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council in March this year, where he said that the UK was “putting the Human Rights Council on notice” about bias, saying the UK would vote against all resolutions condemning I srael if things did not change. Meanwhile, the young “Jewish

diplomats” meeting the G erman and Serbian embassies called on those countries to follow the UK’s lead. The meetings covered a wide range of other topics including P alestinian incitement, antisemitism in Europe, Holocaust restitution, and a call for the UK to maintain and enhance its advocacy on global Jewish causes following B rexit. B oard of D eputies Senior V ice P resident Richard V erber, who led the delegation to the G erman Embassy, s aid: “I t makes a powerful statement when young Jewish leaders from around the World come together to make the case for I srael and other international Jewish issues. “We hope that other countries will follow the UK’s lead in ‘ putting the UN on notice’ about the ridiculous bias seen there. D aniel Radomski, Head of the WJC Jewish D iplomatic Corps,

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

ISRAEL NEWS 15

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NEWS IN ISRAEL BY JAMES J. MARLOW

FOLLOW JAMES AT TWITTER: @JAMES_J_MARLOW

Israel satellite images show damage to Syrian w eapons f acility N ew pictures from an I sraeli satellite imaging company released pictures this week that show the impact of a strategic airstrike attributed to I srael on a Syrian regime site last week. The Syrian military’s Scientific Studies and Research Centre (CERS) facility near Masyaf, in the north- western Hama province, was hit from the air, damaging several buildings and killing two Syrian soldiers. Western oﬃcials have long associated the CERS facility with the production of precision missiles and chemical weapons. I n a statement, Syrian leader B ashar Assad’s military said, “I sraeli warplanes ﬁred several roc ets from the L ebanese airspace at 02: 42 a.m. on Thursday targeting one of the Syrian military posts

near Massyaf, killing two army personnel and causing material damage to the site.” Satellite images, provided by I mageSat I nternational, show the extent of the damage to the site. While the buildings that were hit in the strike still appear to be standing, their roofs are mostly or entirely destroyed and debris can be seen scattered around them. Over the past five years, Israel has carried out dozens of airstrikes within Syria, though it rarely acnowledges specific attac s. Israel says it maintains a hands-off policy toward the Syrian civil war, only getting involved when one of its “red lines” is transgressed. These “red lines” include the violation of I sraeli sovereignty through deliberate or accidental attacks, I ranian- supported militias

taking positions on the G olan border, and attempts to transfer advanced weapons to the Hezbollah terrorist group. Though Israel has not conﬁrmed its involvement in last week’s airstrike, analysts believe the attack on the Syrian military facility was carried out in order to prevent precision- guided missiles from reaching Hezbollah’s hands. Syrian opposition forces have in recent months claimed the Masyaf site, and other CERS facilities, have been working on joint projects with I ranian specialists to develop chemical weapons capability for missiles. I n April, the Trump administration placed sanctions on hundreds of CERS employees following a chemical attack on the Syrian rebel- held city of Khan Sheikhoun

I sraeli satellite images show results of an airstrike attributed to the I D F

that killed dozens of civilians, including children. A recent report by a UN war crimes commission said it had clear evidence that the Syrian regime was behind the attack and that it had used sarin nerve gas. I n 2005, then US president G eorge W. B ush placed sanction on CERS, alleging it was

producing weapons of mass destruction. Five years later, in September 2010, the director of the I sraeli N ational Security Council’s Counter- Terrorism B ureau said that CERS facilities would be destroyed if the agency continued to provide weapons to terror groups.

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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Hamas leadership f orging ties w ith Cairo or the first time since Hamas’s new leadership was elected four months ago, the terror group’s leaders gathered from around the Middle East to have their first face-to-face meeting this wee . B ut the assembly was not held in atar, where Hamas had its headuarters for years until recently, but in the city of Cairo. The news came as a surprise because Egypt is a country that has been fighting radical Islamists in the Sinai who pledged their allegiance to I SI S and these groups have been working with divisions of Hamas in the aza Strip. It is the reason why Egypt closed the Rafah border crossing from aza into Egypt and bombed as well as flooded the underground tunnels from in an attempt to stop the transfer of weapons to Sinai and bac again into aza. Q atar which was where the terror groups leaders would normally meet has been under sustained pressure from powerful regional players, in recent months, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to cut its support for Hamas. So, it is safe to say the relationship between Egypt and

Palestinian Hamas has been roc y to say the least. But this latest move by Cairo to invite the leadership is clearly an attempt to strengthen ties with the terror group but has raised alarm bells in Israel. The chief of Hamas’s political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas’s leader in aza, ahya Sinwar, travelled to Cairo last weekend. According to a report in the Pan-Arab daily Ashar al-Awsat, Musa Abu Marzou , Haniyeh’s deputy, also arrived in Cairo along with political bureau members Saleh al- Arouri, Z aher Jabarin, Mohammed asr and Izzat alRish . Others ﬂew in from Istanbul, D oha and L ebanon, making a total of 21 Hamas oﬃcials attending the meeting in Cairo, the Lebanese-based daily Al-Hayat reported. During the meeting, the Hamas members discussed three main issues: relations with Egypt and how they can be strengthened. A possible reconciliation with the P alestinian Authority in Ramallah, although those talks have been taking place since 2007, when Hamas too control of the

aza Strip in a violent battle. And according to the daily Ashar al- Awsat, the third item discussed was future relations with other Arab countries and Iran. Egyptian I ntelligence Minister Khaled awzi was present at the meeting discussing how future relations could be improved, but pointed out that hundreds of Egyptian soldiers have been killed in recent years by the Sinai I slamist group and that Hamas had to cease all contact with them. Hamas has long been accused by the Egyptian government of aiding the brutal I slamic insurgency in Egypt’s orth Sinai region, but in recent months, Hamas has beefed up security along aza’s southern border with Egypt, seeking to assure Cairo that it is ﬁghting ISIS sympathizers. I n exchange, Egypt is supposed to alleviate its bloc ade of aza by opening the Rafah crossing the only way out of aza e cept through I srael - as well as increase commercial ties with the Strip. Sources in Cairo told Al-Hayat that Hamas had re uested the help of Egypt in making a prisoner e change with Israel. The terror

group is believed to be holding three I sraelis - Avraham Abera Mengistu, Hisham al-Sayed and Juma I brahim Abu G hanima - all of whom entered the enclave of their own accord over the past several years. Mengistu and alSayed are both understood to be suffering from serious mental health illness. In addition, Hamas is holding the remains of two ID soldiers killed during the 2014 summer war between I srael and the terror group - Oron Shaul and Hadar oldin. The talks come weeks after a suicide bomber illed a Hamas guard in southern aza when forces tried to stop him from infiltrating into Egypt, in what sources described as a rare attack against Hamas by Islamist insurgents. The bombing was the first time that a Palestinian had set off a suicide bomb against Hamas forces. Sinwar told reporters in August that Egypt was planning on opening the Rafah crossing sometime after the Eid al- Adha holiday that ended last wee . “Hamas wants to see accomplishments that would later reflect

on the residents,” a Hamas source told Ashar al-Awsat. Sources say that Haniyeh tried to convince the Egyptians that Hamas is serious about reconciliation with the P A if Abbas is serious as well. But Hamas really wants the reconciliation to be handled by the Egyptians, in order to improve relations with Cairo. It is unclear how long the Hamas leadership will remain in Egypt, but afterward it is expected to visit Turkey, L ebanon and atar. Hamas recently purchased some 30 million litres of diesel from Egypt, at a cost of N I S 90 million 1 .2 million in order to reinvigorate the low power supply in the Strip. aza has been getting just two to four hours of electricity a day, due to the relationship between Hamas and the Mahmoud- Abbas- led P A over who should pay for the fuel. The purchase of the fuel marks a change in attitude on the part of aza’s rulers, li ely indicating a bid to stave oﬀ a repeat of street protests that roiled the enclave last winter

Saudi Crow n Prince makes visit to Israel? I t was widely reported over several days that Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia' s Crown P rince, made a discreet visit to I srael, despite the fact that the Jewish state and Saudi do not have any oﬃcial diplomatic ties. I sraeli and Arab media speculated in the last few days although the rumours, which was not conﬁrmed by Israel, started swirling

when I srael Radio' s diplomatic correspondent covering Arab affairs, Simon Aran, took to Twitter to announce the visit. Aran tweeted that a senior Arab ﬁgure from the G ulf region paid a visit to Tel Aviv last week, stirring immense interest in the Arab media. I srael Radio' s Arabic- language broadcast reported that the the senior ﬁgure was a “Saudi prince”

who met with senior I sraelis to discuss regional peace. According to the report, the I sraeli P rime Minister s Office and the oreign Ministry refused to comment on the news. O ne Arab media outlet reported that the senior official was Saudi Arabia' s Crown P rince Mohammed bin Salman. atari media and other affiliated

Mohammed bin Salman

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news outlets such as the L ondon based Al- Araby Al- Jadeed newspaper, used the reports as a further opportunity to attack the Saudi royal family, which is leading the Arab intervention in Y emen and Syria. L ebanese newspaper Al- Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah and Syria and the L ondon based newspaper Al- Q uds Al- Arabi, both published the news reported by Israel Radio. The Saudi response came shortly thereafter, with Saudi website Elaph (which often interviews senior Israeli officials reporting that there was a senior Arab official that visited Israel, only it was not from Saudi Arabia, but rather a atari official, in order to take the attention away from the Kingdom. The statement read that a senior Elaph source confirmed a high-level atari official uietly visited Tel Aviv in the week and discussed security issues with I sraeli P rime Minister B enjamin N etanyahu and other I sraeli representatives. Official Israeli sources refused

to confirm or deny the reports, but publications in Egypt, B ahrain and the UAE all picked up on the story which was not warmly received by the Arab public. Simon Aran said that the reports published in the Arab media of course had negative connotations, because of their connections to Israel. But the journalist said, “It is important to remember, that in the past there have been Arab representatives in I srael, including an ambassador from Mauritania, and financial representatives from Q atar, Tunisia, Morocco and Oman. There was also an Israeli representative posted in D oha, the capital city of atar. Aran went on to say, “Even today, according to unofficial sources, there are secret economic and trade relationships between I srael and some of these countries. The P rime Minister and other senior government officials have spo en of cooperation and have hinted at relationships with countries with whom I srael does not have diplomatic relations.”

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

ISRAEL NEWS

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South American leaders line up to meet B ibi and f orge trade and security deals ollowing a warm and successful meeting this week with Argentinian P resident Mauricio Macri, the P araguay P resident, Horacio Cartes, ﬂew to Buenos Aires to meet with P rime Minister etanyahu. Argentina' s attitude towards the Jewish state has gone from hostility, especially during the period of N estor Kirchner and later his wife Cristina from 2003 to 201 , to one of genuine friendship, respect and admiration under the current President. N etanyahu told reporters, “What happened here

Prime Minister N etanyahu

is that a new era has begun,” and said in his briefing that President Macri, “is wor ing to change Argentina' s overly regulated and centralized economy” and “is loo ing to Israel as an e ample.” Economics, rather than diplomatic and political issues is what dominated their meeting and it was understood that matters related to the P alestinian were not discussed, although I ran came up several times. P resident Cartes of P araguay, who was assisted in his 2013 election campaign by an Israeli consulting firm headed by Ari Harrow, etanyahu’s former chief of staff , said although I srael and P araguay are working well together, “I thin there is much more to do.” Security issues were

among those high on the agenda of the talks, as P araguay faces a challenge from Hezbollah elements who have penetrated its tri- border area with Argentina and Brazil. When Cartes visited Israel last year, the Jewish state publicly acknowledged it was cooperating with P araguay and maintaining a “supportive role” in actions against Hezbollah in the tri-border area. The cooperation between the two countries has been going on for years where there is a high concentration of Shi’ites of Lebanese descent who have set up a up a logistical base in the region that assists the terrorist organization. Much of this cooperation is in the form of intelligence. The US State D epartment' s 2016 report on terrorism stated that “Paraguay continued to face challenges of ineﬀective immigration, customs, and law enforcement controls along its porous borders, particularly the Tri- B order Area with Argentina and Brazil” in

which illicit activities were taking place including potential funding sources for terrorist organizations, namely Hezbollah. The report said that Hezbollah continues to maintain a presence in South America and the Caribbean, “with members, facilitators and supporters engaging in activity in support of the organization. This included eﬀorts to build Hezbollah’s infrastructure in South America and fundraising, both through licit and illicit means.” N etanyahu concluded his twoday visit to Argentina on Thursday morning and then ﬂew to B ogota, Colombia, where he met with P resident Juan Manuel Santos. Colombia has for years been I srael' s staunchest South American ally. I srael and Colombia have for years maintained a very strong and close relationship especially in the area of security. The Columbian government has fought a war there for over a half century with the Mar ist-Leninist ARC

terrorist organization. N etanyahu is scheduled to then fly on to Me ico for a day of meetings before continuing on to ew or on riday to catch up with US P resident D onald Trump where I ran will be the main topic of discussions. D uring his time in N ew Y ork, he will embark on another US media campaign giving interviews to the large networks before his speech to the G eneral Assembly on 19 September in order to return to I srael hours before the start of Rosh Hashanah the ne t day. This is the fifth time in some 1 months N etanyahu has embarked on ground- breaking trips to countries never before visited by a sitting prime minister. The trip is part of etanyahu’s oft- stated goal of expanding and upgrading I sraels ties with countries beyond N orth America and Europe, where I sraeli diplomatic efforts have traditionally been focused.

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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Israel’ s w ater sources at new low D uring the last few years the decreasing winter rainfall levels especially in the north have led to record lows of water measurements in August, the Water Authority reported. O ne such negative water level was recorded in the Kinneret (Sea of G alilee), with more water currently being pumped and evaporated out of the lake than water flowing into it. The second is a very low level of water flow into the Mountain Aqui fer via the Taninim Springs. D ue to the Kinneret' s low water levels, more areas from the bottom of the lake are surfacing as small islands. I n the past four years, precipitation amounts have fallen far below the multi-annual average. The Water Authority says that this year appears to be one of the worst and most difficult years for the country' s water resources.

The negative pea in the Kinneret indicates that more water is evaporating than entering the lake from the Jordan River and the streams ﬂowing down from the G olan Heights. The Water Authority noted that each year in August, an average of 20 million cubic meters of water enter the lake, around 30 million evaporate from it and about ﬁve million cubic meters of water are pumped out of it by the state. I n total, that is an average decrease of 15 cubic meters. This year, due to a decrease in the amount of water entering the lake, along with an increase in evaporation due to high temperatures, the amount of water in the lake decreased by 26 cubic meters. The previous record for the August water level decrease was 25 cubic meters, registered in 2014. This year, the water level in the Kinneret decreased during the

The D ead Sea, w hich is dropping at an alarming sped

month of August by 27.5 c m. Although in the centre of the country the amounts of rainfall were closer to the average received per year, the situation is very diﬀerent in the north which is far below the average. Water ﬂowing into the Mountain A uifer registered at 0.27 cubic meters per second. Water Authority spokesman Uri

Shor said the previous record low was measured in D ecember 2002 and stood at 0.29 cubic meters per second. I n the south east, the level of the D ead Sea continues to drop at an alarming speed. I n August, the sea' s level dropped by 13 cm, similar to last year' s level and by the end of September it is expected to fall by a further 12 cm.

According to Shor, the dropping water levels at the country’s natural water sources do not aﬀect the availability of drinking water in I srael, because of the various desalination plants. However, he added, “in the absence of the rain and the continued decline of I srael’s natural water sources, nature, agriculture and the environment around us are seriously hurt.”

Former close aids to B ibi now released ro ail bu con ned o heir ho es After being arrested last week, P rime Minister N etanyahu’s former Chief of Staﬀ, David Sharan and adviser Tzachi Lieber have been ordered to house arrest by the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court this wee . The two suspects are alleged to have been caught up in a corruption surrounding a multi- million- dollar deal to purchase naval vessels from a G erman shipbuilder. Sharan, a former chief of staﬀ to P rime Minister B enjamin N etanyahu and Energy Minister Y uval Steinitz, is reportedly suspected of taking bribes in exchange for promoting the purchase of submarines and other vessels in deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Lieber, a political adviser, is

suspected of conveying bribes from state witness Miki G anor, who represented the G erman shipbuilder, ThyssenKrupp. The list of officials arrested or que stioned in the probe, of Case 3000 that is dubbed the “Submarine Affair,” has been rapidly expanding in light of testimony given by G anor, who after being identified as a ey suspect, turned state’s witness. I nvestigators suspect that G anor, along with former N ational Security Council deputy head Avriel B ar- Y osef, paid bribes in connection with the decision to buy the vessels from the company, ThyssenKrupp. Sharan served as N etanyahu’s bureau chief from late 2014 to 2016. A lieutenant colonel in the

Decision Time

I D F reserves and former chief of staff to Steinitz when he was finance minister, Sharan is a long time Li ud operative and confidant of the prime minister. While N etanyahu is not a suspect in the case, his personal lawyer, D avid Shimron, has been que stioned several times by the police’s anti-corruption unit Lahav 433. G anor has reportedly told investigators that Shimron (who was also his attorney) was to receive 20 percent of his own commission of $45 m illion. Although Steinitz himself has not been implicated, the energy minister is expected to be summoned to provide testimony in the case. The minister said he was “surprised and pained” by the

expected summons, but would cooperate fully. “I am known as one of the most honest people, no one is more careful than I am” about ﬁnancial matters, he was quot ed by Channel 2 as saying last week. Steinitz also reportedly told his associates he was blindsided by the developments in the submarines probe, saying “N o one in the security establishment warned the cabinet there was a problem with the deal.” A number of other ﬁgures have recently been arrested in connection with the case in addition to Sharan, including senior aide to Steinitz, Rami Taib, former minister Eliezer Sandberg and Shay B rosh, a former head of the I srael N avy’s commando unit.

The list of high-level oﬃcials arrested or que stioned in the probe has been rapidly expanding in light of testimony given by Miki G anor, who was the local representative of G erman shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp, the company that manufactured the naval vessels bought by I srael. While N etanyahu has denied any wrongdoing in connection with the investigation, and the attorney general has announced he isn’t a suspect, it does not look good for the P rime Minister as a number of his former aides and associates have been caught up in the unfolding case.

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AJR annual lunch hits the high notes This weekend The Association of Jewish Refugees welcomed members and their families to the September Serenade, an opportunity to meet up with old friends and enjoy a delicious lunch and topclass operatic entertainment. I n his welcome speech, AJR Chairman Andrew Kaufman described the event as “a highlight of the AJR’s calendar” before mentioning plans to mark the forthcoming 80t h anniversaries of Kristallnacht and the creation of the Kindertransport in 2018. Kaufman said “I t is the AJR’s great honour to now be the leading benefactor in the ﬁelds of Holocaust education and memorialisation programmes and projects. We see this area of our work developing greatly in the future but we are equa lly not distracted from our primary task: to deliver

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E dith Shablin, R uth Jac obs &

Helena Horn

transformative social and welfare services to our members.” Formalities over, guests had plenty of time to enjoy lunch and the ‘ September Serenade’ programme performed by Jonathan Fisher (B aritone), G lenys G roves (Soprano), Alexandra N aoumeno (Tenor/ P iano) and Scilla Stewart (Mezzo/ P iano). There was much

laughter during ‘ Habanera’ from Carmen, when Scilla roamed the audience to ﬁnd possible ‘ amours’, even sitting on one or two gentlemen’s knees. This was followed by Scilla and G lenys dancing with members of the audience during the ﬁnale.

New post f or Woodf ord Forest US This week Woodford Forest US announced the appointment of Rabbi Y aakov Abrams as their Assistant Rabbi. The post was created in order to aid the Senior Rabbinic team, Rabbi and Rebbetzen Wollenberg, in their communal duties due to the growth of the community. The appointment follows a successful four- day visit by Rabbi Abrams and his wife Rochel. After an eventful Shabbat where Rabbi Abrams gave a well- received sermon, Rabbi Abrams met with the youth, young marrieds and older members of the community. Speaking about the announcement, Woodford Forest Chair Robin Jacobs said: “I ’m delighted to welcome such an innovative Rabbi as Rabbi Abrams to the community.

We look forward to working with him to continue to ensure that our members have a variety of spiritual and cultural initiatives to suit their needs. D avid Collins, United Synagogue D irector of Jewish L iving, added: “The US is committed to building an innovative and engaging Rabbinate, which is emphasised by this appointment. We look forward to helping Rabbi Abrams grow and thrive at Woodford Forest US and his continued professional development. We wish him every success in this role” . Rabbi Abrams, who currently lives in Canada, will begin his appointment in September shortly before the High Holy D ays. This is his ﬁrst position within the Rabbinate.

US j oin ShabbatUK f or The G reat Chicken Soup Challenge BY JW REPORTER Communities across L ondon are competing against each other to distribute the greatest number of chicken soup containers in The G reat Chicken Soup Challenge for ShabbatUK designed by the Jewish L iving D ivision’s L iving & L earning team. These containers of chicken soup will be delivered to homeless people in shelters and families in need across various communities who aren’t able to make their own chicken soup but are determined to participate in ShabbatUK. This initiative extends outside of speciﬁc communities and encourages the participants of Tribe’s G hana Experience to apply their learning about Jewish social responsibility as they too will compete. Their chicken soup will be exclusively delivered to those beyond our community who are vulnerable. This is a great community initiative that although a simple concept, shows another way that ShabbatUK is bringing communities together. Ahead of ShabbatUK, volunteers will gather in their local synagogue kitchens to cook and then freeze as many containers of chicken soup

Rabbi A brams with his family

Anniversary celebrations continue f or Hampstead

L et the challenge commence!

as possible for distribution So far, there are ten communities participating in the challenge, with the ﬁrst on Tuesday 12th September at P inner Synagogue who hope to set the bar for the greatest number of chic en soup containers ﬁlled. The synagogue that delivers the greatest number of containers will win a prize.Rebbetzen I lana Epstein, of the US L iving & L earning team and Cockfosters & N . Southgate Synagogue, said: ‘ Chicken soup for many of us is synonymous with the traditional Jewish Friday night

dinner. I t is also synonymous with warmth, c are and understanding. I n particular, we want the most vulnerable in our communities and those outside our communities to know that we care about them and their wellbeing. Sometimes, something as simple as chicken soup can convey that message. Shabbat should be a time of peace and joy for everyone in our midst. With a small act of kindness, such as delivering chicken soup, we can extend the feeling of Shabbat to all’.

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Hampstead Synagogue’s 125 anniversary celebrations continued with a summer tea held at the home of Madeleine and Richard Abramson. Sunny weather enabled sixty members of the community to enjoy the delicious afternoon tea which was served in the garden. Co- chair Adrienne P owell whilst welcoming

Members enjoy the warm afternoon

everybody explained that the event was an opportunity to reminisce the history of Hampstead Synagogue and its community. She said that these special memories and photographs would be collected and form an important part of the synagogue’s archive.

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Intergenerational education as the new Apples and Honey nursery at Nightingale House care home opens its doors South L ondon nursery Apples and Honey ightingale recently opened its doors to its first inta e of children on-site at ightingale House care home in South London. The innovative project for the first time integrates both older residents and children into the delivery of the nursery curriculum. Meaningful intergenerational activity is at the heart of the nursery, with daily activities planned between elderly care residents and nursery children. Intergenerational activities are designed for e ual participation by children and residents, with the goal of building relationships between the two. The first wee ’s programme included making soup harvested from the vegetables planted by residents and children at the nursery launch

in une, painting alphabet tiles together designed by 89 year old resident Walter oldstein. Across this ﬁrst wee , and every wee , residents will visit the nursery and children will interact with the care home, ma ing ma imum use of the whole campus. Diverse activities will be led both by nursery and N ightingale Hammerson staﬀ, all of which are designed to deliver an early years curriculum based on the Early ears oundation Stage. This innovative and inspirational social project is run with a ewish ethos, but is open to children of all faiths, cultures and backgrounds. This ethos e tends to welcoming Shabbat the ewish Sabbath with the traditional Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony each wee , led by ightingale’s

G etting to kn ow each other

religious advisor Raﬁ uchs. The Ofsted-registered nursery is being run as a social enterprise and will cater for 30 children, with 20 percent of places being allocated to ightingale Hammerson staﬀ, with an emphasis on the most specialist care-related posts. I t is the second branch in the Apples and Honey nursery chain. The original nursery, Apples and Honey Wimbledon, which maintains an Ofsted rating of Outstanding’ launched the start of the relationship between the nursery and ightingale Hammerson 2 years ago. O pening a dedicated Apples and Honey nursery within the grounds of ightingale House mar s a new stage in the collaboration between these two organisations, and creates an innovative model in co-located care for the UK. udith Ish-Horowicz of Apples Honey said: “This is the culmination of a long-held dream of mine and I’m so e cited to see it become a reality. ightingale Hammerson could not have been more helpful and supportive in bringing our joint vision to life. Whilst we’ll follow the E S curriculum, so many of our daily activities lend themselves to intergenerational collaboration

The young and old interact

between children and residents. I hope this will become a model for other care home and nursery providers.” Susan Cohen of N ightingale Hammerson said: “This is a very special day for ightingale Hammerson and our residents. I t lifts the mood and brings new life into the home. The residents love the children. It’s been a really collaborative process and it seems so obvious. O pening up reserved places for staﬀ helps us to retain the best and ma es their lives easier, and that is our priority. ou wonder why more places don’t do it.” Denise Bur e of United for All Ages said: “Today’s opening of Apples and Honey ursery on the

Israeli ambassador Mark Regev isi s ou hend and es cli I sraeli Ambassador to the UK spent his Sunday afternoon the ﬁrst time he has spoken in this part of the Country) in the company of the Southend and Westcliﬀ Hebrew Community. 120 people were spellbound as he framed his talk around the year of 2017. He said “It’s a

big year for Israel and the ewish people.” He went onto mention various notable anniversaries such as 0 years since the Si -Day war, 7 0 years since the famous 19 47 UN Resolution that oﬃcially called for the establishment of a ewish State, 40th anniversary of the peace treaty

between Israel and Egypt. O n putting biased media into perspective, he said he appears on TV to refute false claims, but it’s not life or death. N ot like soldiers putting themselves in danger. And if he is not seen on TV, that’s a good thing, because it’s usually due to bad news.He then gave a powerful reﬂection on P rime Minister David Ben urion watching young people celebrating the birth of I srael in 1 4 - while everyone celebrated, he was solemn because he new the battle for I sraeli independence had only just begun and many of the people he was watching would not be there next year. The Ambassador revealed that Prime Minister etanyahu is coming over to the

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UK in N ovember to help celebrate and mar 100 years since the Balfour Declaration. The Ambassador said “The Balfour declaration was

site of ightingale Hammerson’s ightingale House is a momentous day and we hope the ﬁrst of many integrated shared site facilities for both young and old across the country. United for All Ages is wor ing with other care providers to help them plan, develop and evaluate new nurseries on the sites of existing care homes and extra care accommodation for the elderly. In addition, we can signpost providers to funders who are een to invest in these initiatives. It was delightful watching the older residents interacting with young children today and the beneﬁts to both ages were clear for all to see.”

important as it recognised the right of the ewish people to self-determination. We mar with pride the role that Britain played in helping the establishment of the only true democracy in the Middle East. Britain is a strong and stable ally and trade between the two Countries in 201 was ﬁve billion pounds.”

Southend and Westcliﬀ Chairman Derek Silverstone, Ambassador Mark Regev and Vice Chairman Roy Barnes

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

Ahavas Y israel hosts international speaker and educator Rabbi Noach Orlow ek BY MORDECHAI ULLMAN Kehilas Kodesh Ahavas Y israel (Edgware), one of the United Synagogue’s youngest communities, hosted leading educator Rabbi N oach O rlowek for four days of learning in the lead up to this year’s High Holidays. D uring this time he spoke to over 1,000 people in total from young school children to great- grandparents and the outcome was unanimous, everyone felt energized and deeply inspired by him and his teachings. Commenting on Rabbi O rlowek’s visit, Ahavas Y israel Chairman Joel Silberstein said: “from its very beginning Ahavas Y israel, under the leadership of our esteemed Rov, D ayan Elimelech V anzetta, has placed Torah and spiritual growth at the very centre of its existence. Therefore, as a community Ahavas Y israel is extremely humbled by this tremendous achievement of having provided over 1000 people of all ages, from school age boys and girls to great grandparents, the opportunity to be spiritually inspired and uplifted by Rav N oach O rlowek, a true giant of the Jewish people, in the lead up to this year’s

and students to the loftiest concepts of Torah. The visit and learning programme were organized by D ayan Elimelech V anzetta, Rabbi of Ahavas Y israel and a long time close student, and by the lay leaders of the community in conjunction with the Chief Rabbi’s Centre for Community Excellence. Rav O rlowek’s Schedule in L ondon Rabbi O rlowek had an incredibly busy schedule of public lectures during his visit. He addressed a packed audience of mothers and female educators on Thursday night (7/ 9) dealing with issues of sibling rivalry and peer pressure. O n Friday morning (8/ 9) the Rabbi visited and addressed students and teachers in four diﬀerent ewish schools in N W L ondon. Commenting on the Rabbi’s visit, Rabbi Ephraim Klyne and Rabbi Y itzchok Freeman, respectively Menahel and Head Teacher of Avigdor Hirsh Torah Temimah P rimary School said: “Rabbi O rlowek completely captured the boy’s attention with his warm words and simple but important messages, which were very eﬀectively illus-

Rabbi N oach O rlowek gr eeting one of the attendees

High Holidays.” Rav O rlowek is Spiritual D ean of the Torah O re Y eshivah in Jerusalem, in addition to being one of the most sought after teachers and speakers in the O rthodox English speaking world. He’s also a world renowned expert in education, having written several books on the subject. His advice is sought by people from around the globe. Having learned for many years under the leaders of the previous generation, especially his foremost teacher, Rabbi Simcha Wasserman zt” l, of whom he was one the closest students, Rabbi O rlowek conveys with ease and authority a tradition that binds his audiences

trated by stories and anecdotes. Moreover, the idea that every single child has the potential to be a great Jewish leader can never be repeated and stressed too often.” Rabbi D ovid Sulzbacher, Head of Jewish Studies of Menorah G rammar School said about the visit: “O n behalf of the students of Menorah G rammar School I would like to thank D ayan V anzetta and Kehilas Ahavas Y israel for bringing Rabbi N oach O rlowek to our school. He spoke to the students of the lower school where he gave a message of empowerment for the forthcoming High Holidays and to our senior students where he ﬁelded pertinent que stions, and gave

Rabbi N oach O rlowek

solid advice to help them grow in to ask him que stions. Rabbi O rtheir D ivine Service.” lowek was then a guest speaker at O n Friday afternoon the RabEdgware United during Se’udah bi saw several individuals who Shelishit, addressing an audience sought his wise counsel, rooted of over 100 in attendance. in Torah, on important que stions. After Shabbat, on Saturday night B efore Minchah he spoke to a the Rabbi addressed an audience of standing room only audience at over 20 rabbis in a lecture entitled Kollel B eis Aharon in Edgware be“How to continue to grow whilst fore starting a special Shabbaton at being occupied with communal Ahavas Y israel, his host Kehillah, needs” organized by D ayan V anduring which time he addressed the zetta and hosted by Rabbi D ovid congregation both before Kabbalat Tugendhaft at B eis HaMedrash Shabbat and after the service on N ishmas Y isroel in Hendon. O nce Shabbat morning. again, the distinguished audience O ne of the common denomiwas absolutely mesmerized by nators of his lectures was the imthe clarity and power of the mesportance of having and displaying sage delivered by Rabbi O rlowek. gratitude, which he illustrated with Rabbi Tugendhaft said of the illusan example given to him by his trious visit: “Rabbi O rown spiritual dean from his days lowek had the merit as a young boy in Y eshivah, Rav of learning under Avigdor Miller zt” l, who said numerous leaders of the Jewish that: “B efore asking the Master of the Universe for a sweet new P eople inyear, start by thanking Him for the cluding his one that is now coming to an end.” Rebbe Rav The packed audience of members and visitors at Ahavas Y israel was absolutely enthralled by his teachings and his presence. D uring Kiddush once again the Rabbi made himself available to speak privately with all those w h o needed Rabbi N oach O rlowek l ecturing

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Simcha Wasserman zt” l and his Rosh Y eshiva Rav Chaim P inchas Sheinberg zt” l. We very much appreciated how he shared their insights into the inner work of those who are responsible to steer the community and its members in the right direction, which was further illustrated with the retelling of first hand anecdotes about the very lives of these giants of the Jewish P eople.” L ast Sunday, Ahavas Y israel hosted a special five hour om HaL immud in preparation of the High Holidays, which was open to and attended by members of several different communities. The lectures dealt with ways of working on our relationship with our own selves, with our fellowmen, and with G ’d. The packed audience at Hasmonean G irls School in Hendon savoured every word of Torah and every teaching shared by the Rabbi. The programme concluded with a light lunch and Q & A session in which Rabbi O rlowek once again shared of his brilliance with those in attendance.

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PM aw ards 1 7 - year- old Shabbat Walk volunteer At a reception marking the Jewish N ew Y ear at 10 D owning Street, the P rime Minister has recognised Avi D ubiner, who has played a vital role in establishing ‘ The G I FT Shabbat Walk’, an initiative motivating hundreds of young people in L ondon to give up their time on the Jewish Sabbath by visiting people in hospitals, care homes, and other struggling families. Since ‘ The G I FT Shabbat Walk’ was set up at the end of 2015, Avi has been responsible for inspiring volunteers from across his community to complete over 22,0 00 individual visits to 20 hospitals and 62 care homes. Having started oﬀ with only a dozen wal ers, there are now over 200 volunteers per week, and the idea has spread around the world. Avi aims to develop the initiative in I srael during his year abroad, which he is undertaking this year. Avi is the latest recipient of the P oints of L ight award which recognises outstanding volunteers who are making a change in their community and inspiring others. Each day, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the

award to celebrate their remarkable achievements. I n a personal letter to Avi, P rime Minister Theresa May said: “Y our work helping to establish ‘ The Shabbat Walk’ has inspired hundreds of people to visit hospitals, care homes, and struggling families. The scale of the initiative has been truly remarkable, totalling over 22,000 individual visits, and you should be very proud of what you have achieved. I wish you luck with your efforts to establish the project in I srael as it continues to spread around the world.” Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said: “I speak often about the Jewish idea of ‘ Achrayut’ – responsibility. I n every aspect of our lives, we hear the call of Jewish responsibility to G od, our families, our communities and to all of humanity. I t is not always easy to rise to these responsibilities, particularly in a world where there is a trend for placing more emphasis on what is owed to us rather than what we can offer others. et it is clear that Avi Dubiner e emplifies ewish responsibility and is a most deserving

recipient of this prestigious award. Mazal Tov ” Mike Freer, Avi’s local MP , s aid: “I ’m so pleased to hear that Avi’s work on establishing ‘ The Shabbat Walk’ is being recognised with a P oints of L ight Award. Avi’s hard work is an example to us all and the size to which the organisation has now grown is a testament to his dedication and that of the young people who volunteer.” Eliezer ilbert, founder of the Shabbat Walk and representative of associated charity G I FT, s aid: “We are delighted for Avi - he has demonstrated exceptional altruism and leadership skills in helping set up ‘ The Shabbat Walk’ initiative. His ability to inﬂuence and activate young volunteers has led to over 750 teenagers volunteering in hospitals, care homes and disadvantaged families across the UK.” Avi’s parents, B ernard and Hannah D ubiner, s aid: “We are so proud of our son Avi for all that he has achieved and are delighted that the P rime Minister has recognised this.” Avi said: “I am so honoured to be

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recognised by the P rime Minister for the initiative and success of our project and hope that this incredible charity will be the start of something much bigger and better for future generations.” “It has been amazing to see and experience the enthusiasm of our youth when it comes to helping others. O ur charity is based on communication, eﬀort and commitment in providing services to the poor, elderly, physically disadvantaged, lonely and the unwell. B y combining all these qua lities, we aim to help the youth in our community grow into special people for the future.” Avi is the 75t h winner of the P oints of L ight award, which has been developed in partnership with the hugely successful P oints of L ight programme in the USA. O ver 5,000 P oints of L ight have been awarded in the USA, and both P resident G eorge H. W. B ush and P resident B arack O bama have publicly supported the partnership with P oints of L ight UK. There is a similar cross- party approach to the UK programme and MP s from diﬀerent parties often present their

constituents with their P oints of L ight awards. Regardless of whether it’s a doctor restoring local monuments in her free time, a father teaching young people life skills, or a local musician giving a voice to lonely people, the P oints of L ight award honours shining examples of volunteering across the UK.

A vi D ubiner

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Norw ood celebrates its legion of tireless volunteers w ith annual aw ards ceremony Over 200 staff and volunteers enjoyed a night of celebration at orwood’s fifth annual Volunteer Recognition Awards, held on Monday (11 September) at Allianz P ark in Hendon. The awards recognise the huge contribution N orwood’s volunteers make to the UK’s largest Jewish children’s, family and learning disability charity. The volunteers do everything from working in N orwood’s charity shops, to befriending and mentoring families in need of support. O ver the evening, N orwood trustees handed out an impressive nine awards. The evening was introduced by orwood’s Volunteer Awards Chair, Rachael D avis- Stollar. She said: “Whatever your age, your skills or your background, our volunteers ma e that vital difference - improving the qua lity of life for thousands of people. Their selfless contribution enables us to support

vulnerable children and their families, children with special educational needs and adults with learning disabilities and autism.” O ne of the highlights of the evening was the Special Commendation Award. Marylin G raham, who has been volunteering for N orwood as an enthusiastic befriender for more than 20 years, was the deserved winner. G uests watched this video on the N orwood befriending programme before Joint P resident L ady Mendelsohn CB E presented Marylin with the award. O n the importance of befriending, L ady Mendelsohn said: “O ur wonderful befrienders help improve conﬁdence in those who use our services, reduce isolation, and often ta e pressure oﬀ families just by being there. There is certainly a growing need for befriending. N orwood has survived for over 200 years because we are responsive and forward- thinking, and

G IFT gets ready f or Y om Tov Hundreds of bottles of grape juice, honey cakes, jars of honey and Y om Tov candles, fresh fruit and vegetables and challahs , having been kindly donated by a generous donor will be packed up this week at G I FT’s weekly packing session at the G I FT Hendon Warehouse, by eager young volunteers, in time for Rosh Hashanah. I n addition to providing a plethora of innovative and exciting educational activities, tutoring help, hospital visiting, meaningful B nei Mitzva P rojects and providing after- school help; G I FT provide weekly food packages for hundreds of families across the UK

The vast amount of donated goods

referred by welfare organisations such as Jewish Care, N orwood, JB D , JWA and Manchester’s Federation. O n 25th and 26t h September, G I FT are launching an exciting matching campaign through Causematch where each £ donated will be qua drupled! We are appealing to the community for their support to raise much needed funds to continue and expand our important work in the community. To volunteer your time, or to donate, please contact 0208 457 4429 i nfo@ jgift.org

O ne of the many winners, S ophie G oligorsky

this is a service we want to grow even more, because it has such an impact and is so valuable to those we support.” At the end of the evening, N orwood Vice-President Ronnie

Harris reﬂected on a “special and inspirational evening” . He said: “N orwood simply wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our amazing volunteers. I am always humbled by the time

G olf Tournament raises £30,0 O ver 70 amateur and professional golfers teed oﬀ yesterday at Jewish Care’s 40th P ro Am G olf Tournament at Stoke P ark. The tournament, sponsored by L ockton and organised by the P ro Am Committee, raised £30,000 to help provide unique care and support to younger residents with physical disabilities at Jewish Care’s Rela oldhill at Otto Schiﬀ in olders G reen. After the event, D aniel Carmel- B rown, Jewish Care’s D irector of Fundraising & Marketing said, “We are delighted to be holding our 40th P ro Am G olf D ay and are grateful to the committee and

The winning team

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our sponsors L ockton, whose hard work and commitment have made this another fantastic day. We couldn’t do this without the support of our guests who have raised £30,00 0 for Rela G oldhill at O tto Schiff where we support residents with physical disabilities to enjoy a full and active lifestyle and live as independently as possible” . Winners of first place were Team B recher (Andrew B recher, Jason Rishover, Mark P osniak with P eter Tarver- Jones), four nearest the pins were Steve Hurford, Ashley Whitby, Kevin B eale and Clive Saffer and Matthew Tawse won longest drive.

that they give up and the work they do. I t was fantastic seeing so many smiling faces tonight as the awards were handed out. I hope nights like this go some way to giving back to all these exceptional people.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

el n con r ed as f ull US member O n Monday 11th September at US Council, Welwyn G arden City Hebrew Congregation was unanimously ratified as a full member community of the United Synagogue. This news follows an overwhelming community vote in favour of joining The US in July, which saw over 85% of community members in attendance approving the move. Tim Cole, Chair of Welwyn G arden City Hebrew Congregation, said: “I am thrilled that Welwyn G arden City Hebrew Congregation has been confirmed as a full member community of the United Synagogue. There are a number of benefits that this will bring to our community, which include being able to offer more to our members, working together with The US to recruit a new Rabbi and increasing awareness of the Welwyn G arden City area as a developing hub for Jewish life. The community is also excited that we can continue to progress and grow with the full backing of the United Synagogue.” There are now just six US affiliated communities remaining.

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Javi d and B ercow discuss B alf our, B oycotts, B ias and B igotry w ith Je w ish leaders Secretary of State Sajid Javid and House of Commons Speaker John B ercow and both spoke passionately about their support for the Jewish community during a packed day of Jewish advocacy in P arliament, organised by the B oard of D eputies as part of the World Jewish Congress Executive. At a reception at Speaker’s House, Speaker John B ercow, warned of the “pernicious and insidious” threat still lurking against Jews. He said “we should not be paranoid but equa lly we should not be complacent. There is a threat to Jewish people and to Jewish security in this country and indeed in Europe and around the world.

NEWS IN BRIEF Reaction to Paul Hollyw ood’ s Naz i costume BY JW REPORTER

reat British Ba e Off judge P aul Hollywood has been widely reported to have been photographed in a azi officer’s uniform. Stephen Silverman, D irector of I nvestigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Following the very public disgrace of figures including P rince Harry and former- MP Aiden B urley over N azi fancy dress, the debate on the acceptability of wearing N azi uniform for entertainment is over. Whilst there are perfectly legitimate uses of such uniforms, for example in educational films or plays, it is offensive to use N azi uniforms as party costumes. N obody should find it funny to appear in public looking like N azi war criminals. Wearing these costumes for fun is an insult to the B ritish soldiers and civilians who died repelling Hitler’s onslaught and the six million Jews and many others who were murdered. However we appreciate P aul Hollywood’s immediate apology and note that this happened fourteen years ago. We do not expect any further action, however Mr Hollywood may wish to take the opportunity to educate his millions of fans about the horrors of the Holocaust.”

Speaking with clear emotion he said: “the importance of Jewish history, of Jewish culture, Jewish identity and indeed of Jewish security both physical and political can scarcely be overstated.” “The work you do is of an importance that cannot be exaggerated. I want you to know you have friends in P arliament here, and you certainly have a friend in this Speaker.” The WJC delegation later heard from Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Communities and L ocal G overnment, who delivered an impassioned speech saying that the government would always stand up for the Jewish community, and pledged ongoing support for I srael. “Someone said we should apologise for the D eclaration, to say it was an error of judgment. O f course that’s not going to happen,” he said. “To apologise for the B alfour D eclaration would be to apologise for the existence of I srael and to que stion its right to exist.” Mr Javid added: “Here in B ritain we will not merely mark the centenary, we will celebrate it with pride.” I n a blistering attack on those who promote a boycott of I srael, Mr Javid said: “I ’ll be 100 per cent clear. I do not support calls for a boycott, my party does not support calls for a boycott. For all its bluster, the B D S campaign is most notable I think, for its lack of success. “Trade is booming, tourism is soaring. The media campaign is full of sound and fury, but to the majority of B ritain today it signiﬁes nothing. “As long as I ’m in government, as long as I ’m in politics, I will do everything in my power to ﬁght back against those who seek to undermine I srael.” B alfour, B ias and B oycotts, was organised by the B oard of D eputies, WJC and the All- P arty

P arliamentary G roup on B ritish Jews. I srael’s Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev also addressed the group saying “for some people the B alfour D eclaration is not something to celebrate. The P alestinian P rime Minister called for B ritain to apologise for the B alfour D eclaration, and the P alestinian Foreign Secretary put out a statement where he said he wants to take B ritain to the international court if it doesn’t apologise. “The B ritish government has not accepted that opinion, and that is why they have invited my P rime Minister to come here to mark the centenary. Theresa May has said B ritain is proud of the role it played in helping I srael to be recreated as a state.” Y vette Cooper, L abour’s former Shadow Home Secretary who now chairs the Commons’ Home Affairs Select Committee, outlined what she said was the “hugely important” joint work being done by Jewish and Muslim groups to challenge hate crime. She praised the B oard of D eputies and Tell Mama for their active work in tackling antisemitism and anti- Muslim hatred together. She repeated previous calls for social media companies to do more to challenge and remove racist abuse on their platforms. Wes Streeting, cochair of the All- P arty P arliamentary G roup on B ritish Jews – to which the B oard of D eputies provides the Secretariat – said the eﬀorts of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement were

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“counter- productive” to the search for peace between I sraelis and P alestinians, and said he did not believe that was its intention. I nstead, he said, the B D S campaign was part of the demonisation and delegitimisation of I srael. Ambassador Ronald L auder, P resident of the WJC, said the global Jewish community “treasured” Mr Javid as a staunch friend of the Jewish people. Mr L auder said the B oard had put on a “sensational, spectacular” event. This was the ﬁrst time in 20 years that the WJC Executive had met in

L ondon, demonstrating the growing importance of the UK Jewish community, and the B oard of D eputies in particular, on the international Jewish scene. Jonathan Arkush, B oard of D eputies P resident, told the group of around 100 delegates from countries including Russia, France, I srael and the United States that while we could not be complacent and there were challenges to confront, B ritish Jews had a good life in the UK, with many friends across society and across all political parties.

26 NEWS

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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Cheetham Cultural Festival 2 0 1 7 at Manchester J ew ish Museum

MJM shop with Ruth, Jac ki e and Susan

MJM

O ld Je wish qu arter Heritage tour Cheetham Hill Road, M anchester

Torah Street in the Cheetham Hill old Je wish qu arter , M anachester

Holly and B rother Jos eph L ane at MJM with some tasty treats

P HO TO CRED I TS: L AWREN CE P URCEL L

Hale G ala Dinner Celebrates 40t h Anniversary The Hale Community’s 40th Anniversary was marked with a G ala D inner on Sunday September 10th at the Mere G olf Resort & Spa in Cheshire. The dinner was one of a series of anniversary events over the past 12 months that also marked the 30t h year of Rabbi Joel and Rebetzen Ruthie P ortnoy’s spiritual leadership. O ver 400 people attended a highly successful and enjoyable event. The dinner was sponsored by B eaverbrooks the Jewellers represented by the Adlestone family who are members of the Hale community. Many past and present members came together to celebrate the community’s anniversary and to reconnect with old friends. Entertainment was provided by the new Hale B oys Choir, and by four former Hale presidents, who performed a musical parody about the community based on a G ilbert & Sullivan classic. Representing the women, ‘ Three L ittle Maids from Hale’ also performed their side of the story. A specially-commissioned ﬁlm about the history of the Hale community was screened, as well as video messages from Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and former Chief

Rabbi L ord Jonathan Sacks. The guest speaker was former I sraeli Chief Rabbi Y israel Meir L au, who commented on what a great accomplishment it is for a Rabbi to work for one community for 30 years and to still be loved! He said: “At 40 years young, the Hale community clearly has a great future ahead of you! ” Rabbi and Rebetzen Ruthie P ortnoy were interviewed on stage by Alan Segal, who had been on the original interview panel for the new Rabbi 30 years ago. After the interview, all the P ortnoy children joined their parents in an emotional musical closing message. Hale community P resident N eil Rosenthal said: “The dinner was a wonderful way tomark 40 years of growth. We were celebrating the fact that the community today is larger than it has ever been, and there are not many synagogues in the UK that can say that. The dinner reﬂected our warm community spirit and gave us a great opportunity to catch up with many generations of families who live or have lived in Hale over the past 40 years.”

G uest of Honour, F ormer Chief Rabbi Y israel Meir L au speaki ng at the D inner.

Rabbi Lau delivers Chiz uk f or over 5 0 0 at King David High school

Rabbi Y isroel Meir L au addressing the crowd

Rabbi Y isroel Meir L au

Jos hua Rowe and Rabbi Y isroel Meir L au greet Rev G abriel B rodie

The crowd

Jon athan D over, D r Paul A beles, Jos hua Rowe and Rabbi Y isroel Meir L au

Rabbi Y isroel Meir L au smiling

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

NEWS 27

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

The big weekend 2017 When Charles Simmons attended a leadership course in 2012, he may not have imagined that many beautiful Jewish homes would be built as a result. Following a talk by former Chief Rabbi L ord Sacks, Mr Simmons posed a pertinent que stion: What do we say to those who complain that there aren’t enough Jewish girls to date? The Chief Rabbi’s response was, “Well what are Y O U doing about it? ” This response set Charles I n motion to do something creative in his que st to ﬁght the regrettably growing trend of intermarriage and thus was born Y JS - “Y oung Jewish Singles” . My discussion with Rabbi Eli P ink, a Chabad Shaliach in L eeds,

centres around an exciting initiative of Y JS, due to be repeated shortly after the Chagim. I n 2012 and 2013 respectively, two weekends away for Jewish singles was held, with a number of marriages resulting. With the public reque sting more of such opportunities, another weekend away is scheduled for the same time as Shabbat UK 2017. As Chabad Kiruv efforts turn towards young professionals and campus Kiruv over the past few years, Rabbi P ink says the way to keep the momentum of their existing Kiruv efforts up is to ensure the results are long- term. The best way to ensure continued connection to the community, is by helping these people find a

Charles Simons, R abbi E li Pink an d Rabbi Jas on K leiman

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suitable match, allowing them to ensure their Jewish future. Some of the clientele come from L eeds and Manchester but the majority come from L ondon. Their level of religious association ranges from non- practicing to orthodox and everyone in between. O f course, there’s the Shabbat prayers to which all are welcome in a non- judgmental manner, many of whom are thereby granted an opportunity they are not always privileged to have. The programme is focused around the Shabbat. The young adults get an opportunity to meet potential matches over the Friday night dinner, where table- places change in between each course. D uring Shabbat morning there’s a speed- dating lunch followed by entertainment programmes. The social events continue on Motzaei Shabbat with guest performer, rapper Ari L esser and a party. Rabbi Eli P ink encourages all those serious about dating to attend the weekend. Even if no “match” is made, at the very least it is a fun, fully catered weekend in a beautiful

A room at the four- star hotel resort

four- star resort. The organisation Y JS has the full backing of local L eeds B eis Hamidrash Hagadol Synagougue and Chabad of L eeds. Also promoting the winter event are major L ondon- based kiruv organisations like JL E. Flyers with further details will be found in many Shuls across the UK over the Rosh Hashana period. For Eli and his colleagues, it is worth the eﬀort if even one “Shidduch” is made. As Eli explains, “We are trying to end the stigma of being single and of attending singles’ weekends” .

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A happy couple, D evora and N ick

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28 NEWS

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

Public votes f or The Nicky to receive £4,0 f rom East Lancashire Freemasons BY ISAAC SHERMAN Manchester Jewish Community Care is to receive a £4,000 Community Award for the N icky Alliance Centre from the Freemasons following an unprecedented public vote. The charity was one of a small number to be nominated by Freemasons in East L ancashire, with local people voting to decide the level of their Award. They were part of 178,01 people who voted across England and Wales. The Community Awards are a major part of Freemasonry’s 300t h anniversary celebrations. The Masonic Charitable Foundation is distributing three million pounds to 300 charities across the country, with the public vote deciding on the range of Awards from £4,000 to £25,000. Michelle Wiseman, Chief Executive at MJCC said: “The grant of £4,000 which we have been awarded following

the public vote is hugely important. We are very grateful to all of our friends who took the trouble to support us. We plan to use this money to provide facilities for retired and senior citizens within Manchester’s Jewish Community and enhance our oﬀering. The Masonic Charitable Foundation obtains all of its funding from Freemasons, their families and friends. I t is estimated that half of Freemasonry’s total charitable expenditure of over £33m goes to charities that help people in communities across the country. P rovincial G rand Master, Sir D avid Trippier from East L ancashire Freemasons said: “We are delighted so many people voted in East L ancashire. Manchester Jewish Community Care was nominated by local Freemasons and I know they will use their £4,000 grant to continue with their outstanding work.”

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S34 JUDAISM

Rosh Hashanah: An overview

RABBI ARYEH ZEV SAUNDERS

The ﬁrst of Tishrei is when Adam was created, that day being the th day of creation. This day is the anniversary of when Hashem our -d became a King because He had a subject. This is why we re-coronate Hashem as our King once again on this day. Rosh Hashanah is also the day on which -d conducts his audit of the world just li e any business would to see how things are going. Who should be made redundant, how many jobs should be created, who should be promoted etc. This is basically what Hashem is doing. That’s why we need to ma e sure we are irreplaceable in -d’s company. We need to ma e sure all our wor is up to scratch and perfect. We need to hand in our growth forecast and predictions for the coming year and hope they meet Hashem’s e pectations. It’s li e when Ofsted come to e amine a school - the teachers ma e

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sure everything is in tip top shape. Everyone is on their best behaviour, eager to ma e a good impression. This is how we should behave during these 10 days of repentance. We need to ma e sure our deeds are up to scratch. We need to see forgiveness. It’s li e -d gives us an amnesty for our sins and bad behaviour. We need to ma e the most of this opportunity. Whilst of course this period is a serious and holy time, one should also be ﬁlled with joy and happiness at the prospect of being given the opportunity to coronate -d and daven to Him.

BY YITCHAK SHACHAR

The Shofar

When people thin of Rosh Hashanah, they will thin of all sorts of things: Apples and honey of course. Women thin about all the coo ing and seating arrangements for all their guests, men will thin of the long hours in shul and children will dream about counting a pomegranate to see if there really is 13 seeds. But the Shofar will always spring to mind ﬁrst, no matter our gender or age. Memories immediately spring up to the surface from our very youngest days, standing in shul and listening to the interesting yet utterly captivating sound of a rams horn reverberate around the shul, whilst e citedly counting how many seconds the last Te iah edolah is. So what is it about this odd loo ing musical instrument, never seen on any stage, at weddings or concerts, that so captivates our emotions and memories each year What ma es it so special to each and every ewish soul

The shofar is part of our spiritual D A, and the ma eup and structure of the blasts represent our spiritual health. The unforgettable sound of the shofars , etched into the deepest subconscious part of our minds, reaches down to the very bottom of our soul and reawa ens us from our spiritual slumber. When a sic person goes to the doctors, he gets prescribed medicine, to heal his body and save his life. In the same way, our souls need a spiritual medicine, an annual health chec to see how healthy our soul is and if we are heading in the right directions as we journey on each year through the winding roads of life on this earth. The te iah, with its unbro en, unwavering strong and sound, continuous represents the soul that was created pure and straight. All people are created perfect and pure, with no imperfections or blemishes. It is people themselves who

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change from their perfect state to sin and commit wrongdoings. To demonstrate this, we then have the bro en groan of shevarim, which reminds us of the moaning of sic , people, both spiritually as well as physically. The bro en staccato of the teruah stirs up memories of the uncontrolled crying and anguish of death of our loved ones. We then end with the te iah once more to show us that Hashem is always ready to accept the penitent former sinner if the repentance is real and from the heart. May we all merit to be spiritually and physically healthy and be written in the boo of life for a sweet new year.

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Shabbat Shuva-Ha’azinu 14 SEPTEMBER 2017

Rosh Hashanah & THE JEWISH WEEKLY Shabbat Shuva-Ha’azinu Volume 30 No. 1

JUDAISM S37

Rosh Hashanah

In loving memory of Susi and Freddie Bradfield Sara Gitel bat Mordechai Menachem l’’z and Yaacov ben Zvi l’’z

Letter from the Editors by Rabbi Baruch Davis, Chigwell & Hainault United Synagogue (Editor-in-Chief) and Rabbi Chaim Gross, (Editor) These include themes of the season, stories, discussion points and, of course, a Rosh Hashanah edition of the hugely popular ‘Tribe Scribe’ cartoon series, which we know is not just enjoyed by younger readers! As the Daf ‘turns 30’, we hope it will reach even further through our new Daf app (see the advert on page 8 for details), particularly for those readers who are unable to attend shul or who live overseas.

Dear Readers, As Jews around the world usher in a new year, it is our pleasure to wish you all blessings for a Shana Tovaand to introduce a specially expanded edition of Daf Hashavua for Rosh Hashanah. This Rosh Hashanah marks one year since the launch of the new style Daf, which is available in shuls around the UK and on the US website.

We thank all our readers and contributors, especially Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum, Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, Rebbetzen Ilana Epstein and the Tribe Scribe team for their popular, long-running series over the last year. We are grateful as well to our colleagues on the RCUS (Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue), the professional staff at the United Synagogue Jewish Living and Marketing Divisions and Elmar metzora also bring threetoanimal forwould bringing each edition fruition.offerings 1st Aliya – Vayikra 12:1-23 the 30th Printers This new(Kohen) Jewish year also introduces anniversary of the weekly Daf.wait Overseveral those years, After childbirth, a lady would weeks and three meal offerings. we have been fortunate to include thousands ofa Jews wish each other awhat range at this before bringing an elevation offering (olah) and Point to Consider: is of theblessings significance of the articles covering a This widecompleted range of topics, written auspicious time crimson of the year, mindful of hyssop? the power(see cedar wood, thread and sin offering (chatat). her post-birth by US Rabbis, Rebbetzens and associated ofRashi words can bind us together and express tothat 14:4) purification process. educators. We hope you enjoy this edition and and prayers–for a good year ahead God told Moshe and Aharon that someone who our 5thkinship Aliya (Chamishi) 14:21-32 others the year ahead. each other and for the whole world. We hope had the over appearance of a particular type of skin for A metzora who could not afford three animal words of this Daf assist in enhancing your disease (tzara’at) would have to show the white the offerings could instead bring one animal offering, Tov experience in shuls and elsewhere. To celebrate this special theevaluate editions Yom blemish to a Kohen. Theanniversary, Kohen would one meal offering and two birds. for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur have been and decide if the affliction was clearly tzara’at, 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 14:33-15:15 expanded, including impactful articles fromIf our thus rendering the person impure (tameh). the We wish you and yours a shana tova umtukah(a Tzara’at affected houses. house tova owner good and also sweet year) and ketiva The vechatima archives and a broader range of materials relating case was unclear, the Kohen would quarantine to aof Kohen. good report writingthe andsuspicious sealing in signs the book life). The to these Holy Days and to this time of the year. (awould the person in a house for seven days, after which house would be evacuated before the Kohen’s the Kohen would re-inspect the afflicted area and arrival. If the Kohen saw a deep green or deep red declare whether the person was tameh or tahor ‘affliction’, he would order the house to be (pure). quarantined for a week. He would then re-inspect Question: what were the three types of blemish the house. If the affliction had spread, the infected called? (13:2) Answer on bottom of page 6. stones would be removed and replaced. If the Rabbi Baruch Davis, Chigwell & Hainault Rabbi Chaim Gross 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 13:24-39 affliction nevertheless returned, the house would United Synagogue (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor) It was also possible for tzara’at to develop from a be demolished. However, if replacing the stones burn. Tzara’at could erupt on the scalp or on the solved the problem, the Kohen would declare the house tahor (pure). beard area, causing a loss of hair. The Torah lists specific discharges that would 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 13:40-54 cause a man to be considered tameh, and details A slightly different form of tzara’at is detailed, which caused a more substantial loss of hair. A the purification procedure.

Sidrah Summary: Tazria-Metzorah

Sidrah SidrahSummary: Summary: Rosh Rosh Hashanah Hashanah/Ha’azinu First Day Rosh Hashanah The Torah reading is divided into five aliyot, taken from a section of parashat Vayera (Bereishit chapter 21). Avraham’s wife Sarah is 90 years old and childless. On Rosh Hashanah, G-d had ‘remembered’ her. Our reading begins with the subsequent birth of Yitzchak. Sarah sees the potential negative effect that Avraham’s wayward first son, Yishmael, could have on Yitzchak. She tells Avraham to send away Yishmael and his mother Hagar. G-d tells the reluctant Avraham to do as Sarah has requested. Hagar and Yishmael are travelling in the desert and Yishmael is dying of thirst. An angel appears, telling Hagar that a great nation will come from Yishmael. A well of water miraculously appears (see p.4 article ).

Divine instruction seems to defy logic. Nevertheless, Avraham obeys, showing that his devotion to G-d is not conditional on his logical understanding. As Avraham raises the knife, an angel appears, telling him not to touch Yitzchak, presenting a ram to be offered instead. Avraham is praised for his faith. Point to Consider: How old was Yitzchak at the time of the Akeidah? (see Rashi to Bereishit 25:20)

Haftarah Second Day The prophet Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) was not only a voice of warning and anguish. He was also a prophet of hope, evident throughout the haftarah, which contains the moving depiction of Rachel, the ‘mother of Israel’, crying from her grave for her exiled children. G-d comforts her that eventually the Jews Question: In what region was the desert in which will return. Hagar and Yishmael travelled? (Bereishit 21:14) Haftarah First Day The first two chapters of the Book of Shmuel (Samuel) relate the moving story of his birth (see p.5 article). Elkanah had two wives, Channah and Peninah. Peninah was blessed with many children, but Channah was childless. Every year, the family would make the journey to the Tabernacle in Shilo. One year, Eli the Kohen spots Channah by the Tabernacle courtyard. She is praying fervently for a child. Eli mistakenly thinks Channah is drunk. After confronting her, Channah corrects Eli, explaining the reason for her prayers. Eli promises Channah that G-d will answer her. After returning home with Elkanah, Channah conceives and gives birth to Shmuel. Channah recites a beautiful song, praising G-d's ability to reverse fortunes.

metzora (one who has been contaminated with tzara’at) wasofsent outside ofben the Shimon camp and had to In memory Miryam Frumit tear his/her garments (see p4 article). Tzara’at could also infect clothing. A suspected garment was quarantined before the Kohen made a decision about whether it was tameh. If it was declared tameh, the garment was burnt. 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 13:55-14:20 The Torah details the process through which a metzora purified himself/herself after the period of isolation and the healing of the affliction. This involved a Kohen taking two birds, cedar wood, a crimson thread and hyssop. The Kohen would slaughter one of the birds and – using the wood, thread and hyssop together in a bundle – sprinkle In of Miryam benmetzora. ShimonThe its memory blood seven timesFrumit on the

Second Day Rosh Hashanah The reading is from the end of parashat Vayera (Bereishit chapter 22) and depicts Akeidat Yitzchak (the Binding of Yitzchak). Avraham, who is well over 100 years old, is told by G-d to take his son Yitzchak to Mount Moriah and bring him as an offering. Having previously been told by G-d that Yitzchak would be his heir and having always encouraged Avraham’s acts of compassion and kindness, this

7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 15:16-33 A similar set of laws is listed for a lady who has3 specific discharges, as well as the laws of niddah (menstruation), which form the basis of the laws of family purity.

Haftarah From the Book of Melachim (Kings II), the haftarah takes places upon the background of the long siege and ensuing famine of the Shomron area (Samria) by the King of Aram. Four metzora’im were put outside the city gates because of their affliction. They discovered and reported that the Arameans had actually left their camp, which allowed the Jews to plunder the camp and thus end their famine.

Produced by US Living & Learning together with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue Editor: Rabbi Chaim Gross Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial Team: Ilana Epstein, Michael Laitner, Sharon Radley

United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning together with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue Editor: Rabbi Chaim Gross Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial Team: Ilana Epstein, Michael Laitner, Sharon Radley Available also via email US website www.theus.org.uk ©United Synagogue To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Loraine Young on 020 8343 5653, or lyoung@theus.org.uk If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email rabbigross@theus.org.uk

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previous year. It is a process which could be

remarkable “And opened herThat eyesis highlight the verse: oneg of ourG-d experiences. faced with trepidation and fear. Yet, instead, we and she water” (Bereishit why we saw calla well the ofprayers Selichot,21:17-19). meaning forgiveness. We adopt a positive outlook, bring the pleasure and joy of Shabbat with us. on SEPTEMBER the nega of life; we also Note that wea are not told that G-d miraculously S38 JUDAISM 2017 THE JEWISH WEEKLY anticipating favourable outcome before we We do not dwell14 Sometimes, when people sink to their lowest even produced start. a well of water in the midst of a harsh highlight the oneg of our experiences. That is ebb, when they are surrounded by negativity and desert. Rather, G-d “opened her eyes” to see, for why we call the prayers Selichot, meaning engulfed by fear anguish, they lose the During the past year we have endured Opening our Eyes Opening ourandEyes the first time, that which had been there all along. forgiveness. We adopt a positive outlook, capacity to discern opportunities for salvation. unspeakable tragedy and horrific terrorist by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis anticipating a favourable outcome before we by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis They fail to identify the positive phenomena attacks in the UK people – something sadly, Sometimes, when sink towhich, their lowest which offer any semblance of hope. the citizens of Israel have become accustomed even start. ebb, when they are surrounded by negativity and to over many years. Whilst at times we may Yom Ashkenazim followEllul engulfed byato fear andKippur, they losefollow theit During the past year we have endured On the first day of Rosh Ellul Therethrough are twotoHebrew words which the Yom Ashkenazim On Kippur, the first day have of Rosh have through felt like country at anguish, its lowest ebb, through the gni Rema Hashanah we read the the capacity opportunities foroutstanding salvation. Rema (Rabbi Iserles unspeakable tragedy and horrific terrorist view of discern the witnessed Hashanah we Moses read the sameview threeof letters: (oneg(Rabbi – pleasure) andIserles ign the all, we to have trulyMoses 1572) in the The Shulchan Aruch to (nega – a plague). only difference between dramatic account of how d. 1572) Shulchan Aruch to start We on attacks in the UK – something which, sadly, dramatic account of start how ond. They fail in to identify theand positive phenomena examples of the humanity selflessness. Shabbat, atyour least days beforeMotsaei Hagar and Yishmael, cast Motsaei Shabbat, at least fourin the daysmidst before Hagar and Yishmael, cast them is where you put ayinfour (i). Two people have inspired to see of the citizens of Israel have become accustomed whichbeen offer any semblance ofhow hope. can have the identical One mightbenRosh Hashanah. Rabbi Isserlein Hashanah. Rabbi Yisraeloneg. Isserlein ben to over many years. Whilst at times we may into a barren wilderness, Rosh into experience. a Yisrael barren wilderness, nega, our society has discovered consider it(known a pleasure and theTerumat other, a HaDeshen’, plague as ‘the Terumat as ‘the drank the last drops of their– Petachia drank the last drops of their Petachia There are(known two Hebrew words whichHaDeshen’, have the have felt like a country at its lowest ebb, through it it all depends on that where you put the your ayin May the explains coming yearthe bring only day pleasure, 1460) is filled water and feared 1460) explains the Sabbath dayworst. is filledd. water and feared the worst. d. same three letters:that gni (onegSabbath – pleasure) and ign (the Hebrew word for eye). Itwe depends youthatwith happiness and peace for all.we wish to take that all, we have witnessed truly outstanding Oneg Shabbat, and Such her despair that Oneg Shabbat, andwas wish tohow take Such was her despair that with (nega – a plague). The only difference between examples of humanity and selflessness. We choose to and view joy the Hagar placed her situation. child behindwith a bush and pleasure and joy of Shabbat with us through of Shabbat us through Hagar placed her child behind a bush and pleasure them is where you put your ayin (i). Two people have been inspired to see how in the midst of Selichot experience. walked awayexperience. because she could not bear to the Selichot walked away because she could not bear to the So often in life there are wellsprings of hope and can have the identical experience. One might nega, our society has discovered oneg. watch him die. Suddenly, an angel of G-d watch him die. Suddenly, an angel of G-d promise before us, but we fail to discern the consider a pleasure other,our a plague – we itsay Selichot,and we the confess sins and we to sayher Selichot, our sins appeared and said,we “doconfess not be afraid, G-dandWhen appeared to her and said, “do not be afraid, G-d When opportunities that they present. In throughout this context,therecognise missedonopportunities throughout the May the coming year bring only pleasure, it all depends where you put your ayin recognise missed opportunities has heard the boy crying”. And then follows a has heard the boy crying”. And then follows a we can better understand our tradition relating to year.word It isfora eye). process which how couldyou be happiness and peace for all. (the Hebrew It depends year. It is“And a process which remarkable verse: G-d opened hercould eyes beprevious remarkable verse: “And G-d opened her eyes previous the timing for the commencement of the period faced with trepidation and fear. Yet, instead, we with and (Bereishit fear. Yet,21:17-19). instead, wechoose to view the situation. and she sawtrepidation a well of water” and she saw a well of water” (Bereishit 21:17-19). faced of Selichot (penitential prayers) in Ashkenazi bring the pleasure and joy of Shabbat with us.bring the pleasure and joy of Shabbat with us. communities. Why do Selichot start every year So often do not dwell onare thewellsprings nega of life; we and also thatnot we dwell are notontold G-dof miraculously in life there of hope We do thethat nega life; we alsoWe Note that we are not told that G-d miraculously Note on a Motsaei Shabbat (Saturday night)? While oneg That welloneg of water in the midst of a harsh promise the before us,ofbutourweexperiences. fail to discern theis highlight athe of our experiences. That ishighlight produced a well of water in the midst of a harsh produced Sefardim reciteG-d Selichot throughout thetomonth of why we call the prayers Selichot, meaning desert. Rather, “opened her eyes” see, for desert. Rather, G-d “opened her eyes” to see, for why we call the prayers Selichot, meaningopportunities that they present. In this context, the first time, that which had been there all along. forgiveness. We adopt a positive outlook, the first time, that which had been there all along. forgiveness. We adopt a positive outlook,we can better understand our tradition relating to anticipating a favourable outcome before we anticipating a favourable outcome the timing Sometimes, people sink to theirbefore lowest weeven In memory of when Devorah Bas Moshe Yitzchak start. for the commencement of the period 4 Sometimes, when people sink to their lowest even start.they are surrounded by negativity and of Selichot (penitential prayers) in Ashkenazi ebb, when ebb, when they are surrounded by negativity and engulfed by fear and anguish, they lose the During the past year we have endured engulfed by fear and anguish, they lose the During the past year we have enduredcommunities. Why do Selichot start every year capacity to discern opportunities for salvation. unspeakable tragedy (Saturday and horrific on a Motsaei Shabbat night)?terrorist While capacity to discern opportunities for salvation. They unspeakable tragedy horrific terroristattacks fail to identify the and positive phenomena inrecite the Selichot UK – something which, sadly, Sefardim throughout the month of They fail to identify the positive phenomena which attacks in any thesemblance UK – something thememory citizens of of Devorah Israel have become accustomed offer of hope. which, sadly,In Bas Moshe Yitzchak the citizens of Israel have become accustomedto over many years. Whilst at times we may which offer any semblance of hope. to over years. Whilst at times wethemayhave felt like a country at its lowest ebb, through it There aremany two Hebrew words which have There are two Hebrew words which have the have felt like a country at its lowest ebb, through it 4 In memory of Devorah Bas Moshe Yitzchak same three letters: gni (oneg – pleasure) and ign all, we have truly outstanding Tutorials inwitnessed Time Part 1: Rosh Hashanah – same letters: gniof(oneg – pleasure) and ign (nega – a plague). The only difference between examples all, we have witnessed truly outstanding Thethree Feelings a Mother of humanity and selflessness. We (nega – a plague). The only difference between them examples of you humanity selflessness. is where put yourand ayin (i). Two peopleWehave been inspired to see how in the midst of Festival of Listening by Rebbetzen Nechama Davis, Chigwell & Hainault United Synagogue them is where you put your ayin (i). Two people can identical havehave beentheinspired to experience. see how inOne the might midst ofnega, our society has discovered oneg. by Rabbi Shmuli Sagal, Sutton & District United Synagogue can have the identical experience. One might consider a pleasure the other, a plague – nega, ourit society has and discovered oneg. consider it a pleasure and the other, a plague – it all depends on where you put your ayin May the coming year bring only pleasure, University degrees are often As we enter a new Jewish year and embark on want to children. And evenonly when we the haftarah thatyour is read it all depends on Inwhere you put ayinto (the May thehave coming pleasure, Hebrew word foryear eye).bring It depends how you happiness and peace for all. taught using both lectures a renewal of our relationship with G-d, the discover how demanding a child really is, we on the first day Rosh (the Hebrew word for eye). It depends how you choose happiness and the peace for all. to view situation. and tutorials. In the shofar instructs us that before all else, we must often want to go on to have more children, to Hashanah, from the start choose to view the situation. lectures, students learn learn how to listen. Prior to launching into a bigger family. of the Book of Shmuel build So aoften in life there are wellsprings of hope and the knowledge and ideas programme of personal change and a spiritual we learn of how So often in life there(Samuel), are wellsprings of hope and promise before us, but we fail to discern the voluntarily givethat up one’s child seems the context, most that comprise the material ‘action plan’, we must first master the art of prays a child. they present. In this promise before us,Channah but we fail to for discern theTo opportunities thing a loving mother relating would to of the course. Tutorials on listening. After all, the clarion call of Judaism, She present. has been unable to counter-intuitive we can better understand our tradition opportunities that they In this context, Yet Channah does it. Do we still do that the other hand, are a chance Shema Yisrael – Listen Israel, is the mandate to have our children forrelating manytoever thedo. timing for the commencement of the period we can better understand tradition today? to develop the skills needed to apply the become a good listener. years, while her husband Elkana’s other wife, of Selichot (penitential prayers) in Ashkenazi the timing for the commencement of the period Peninah, has (penitential become a mother manyintimes over. communities. Why do Selichot start every year knowledge learnt at the lectures. of Selichot prayers) Ashkenazi Jews are better known for their speaking than Any parent who has ever waved their son or communities. Why do Selichot start every year on a Motsaei Shabbat (Saturday night)? While Jewish festivals are similarly multidimensional. their listening. In fairness, listening is a difficult daughter goodbye as theythroughout set off for the a year or of Peninah taunts her about this, which causes Sefardim recite Selichot month on a Motsaei Shabbat (Saturday night)? While They of course celebrate major milestones in skill. It requires of us to create silence in our souls Channah deep distress that the shemonth stopsofmore to study in yeshiva or seminary, is following Sefardim such recite Selichot throughout Jewish history. These events, in addition, carry and space in our minds so that the messages eating her portion of the annual festive offerings. in the footsteps of Channah. Their fervent hope with them major motifs of Judaism. Pesach is the being delivered can genuinely impact our lives that their child will be inspired to live a life Channah’s beloved Elkanah, attempts to is In 4 memory of Devorah Bas Moshe Yitzchak Festival of Freedom, Yom Kippur the Day of and our thinking. As Jews who believe in a G-d comfort her: “Am I not better to you than ten dedicated to the service of G-d. And any parent 4 In memory of Devorah Bas Moshe Yitzchak Atonement and Succot the Festival of Joy, to that cannot be seen, we have no other choice but who has lived with their child serving in the IDF sons?” name a few examples. to learn how to listen. (Israel Defence Forces) feels just as strongly. Undeterred, Channah now turns to G-d with a They hope and pray that their own sacrifice (and On a deeper level, the festivals are also tutorials In contrast to the vividly visual culture of ancient depth, intensity and passion in her prayer that sleepless nights) will mean that their child will be for better Jewish living in general. The particular Greece, whose heir is Western society of today, reflect not only her burning desire to have a child protecting and contributing to the lives of Am mitzvot and character of each festival teach a Judaism is a supremely audial tradition. Only by Yisrael, in the Land of Israel and elsewhere. but also her great love for G-d. specific lesson regarding one of our human listening intently to the ‘still, small voice’ (Kings I faculties and capabilities. In this series, entitled 19:12) that calls out to us from Heaven, have Within a year she is blessed with that much- Channah giving over her young son, Shmuel, is ‘Tutorials in Time’, we will explore the festivals Jews managed to sustain the most enduring and longed-for child. And as she had vowed before a powerful example for us as Jewish parents all from this unique angle. enriching of religious traditions throughout their his birth, once she has weaned him, she “loans” these millenia later. Although we love our long history. children deeply, and want to keep them close to him to G-d, taking the young Shmuel (Samuel) Rosh Hashanah is the Festival of Listening. to the Kohen, Eli, in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in us, we also love G-d. And so we compromise Unquestionably, it is the shofar which occupies Thus, at the very outset of the year we stand our proximity to our children, hopefully for only a Shilo (Shmuel I 1:20-21). the central role on Rosh Hashanah. It is the only in silence, listening to G-d's call in the shofar limited time, to give them the opportunity to Biblical commandment unique to the festival. It blasts, and in turn learning the importance Many women could identify with Channah. Who become true and strong Avdei Hashem, people forms the focal point of our prayer service. And, of listening. Rosh Hashanah is indeed a tutorial would not be distraught at being married for who serve G-d and His people. less significantly, it is often used as the symbol in listening. years without being able to conceive? Who of the festival, whether on the stained-glass would not be distressed by the torments of ‘the windows of a synagogue or as the cover design other wife’? And who would not be absolutely of Rosh Hashanah greeting cards. overjoyed to finally have a beautiful, healthy little boy? What is surprising, however, is that despite its produced a well of water in the midst of a harsh desert. Rather, G-d “opened her eyes” to see, for the first time, that which had been there all along.

Opening our Eyes by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis

significance, the mitzvah of shofar does not require our action or involvement. Whereas we must say the prayers, eat the matzah, shake the Four Species and kindle the Chanukah lights, all we have to do on Rosh Hashanah is simply hear the shofar. The blessing recited over the blowing of the shofar reflects this: ‘Blessed are You…Who has sanctified us with His commandments, to hear the sound of the shofar.’

However, something then happens which seems harder to relate to. Channah keeps the promise she made to G-d when she so passionately begged Him to send her a child - she gives him up! She takes him to serve in the Mishkan, to serve G-d and to serve the nation. So much about being a mother is natural, such as the powerful maternal instinct which drives us

memory of Yitzchak Ben Yaacov InInmemory of Yitzchak Ben Yaacov

Inmemory memory Yaacov Shmuel In of of Yaacov benben Shmuel

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

What will you do for the Jewish People? by Rabbi Berel Wein, as told by Rabbi Daniel Fine This story was reproduced in Stanmore and Canons Park US’s Yamim Noraim Accompanying Booklet 2016, compiled by Rabbi Daniel Fine, and has been adapted for Daf Hashavua. Rabbi Berel Wein’s website is www.rabbiwein.com.

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Herzog delivered a first-class Talmud shiur in the classic Yiddish vernacular of the time, with clarity, firmness, novel ideas and interpretations, which the students hugely enjoyed.

going to do for the Jewish People to make sure we can rebuild from this terrible loss”. With that Rabbi Herzog sat down. But this was not a theatrical performance. This was a display of genuine passion, love and care for Jews as individuals and for the Jewish people as a whole. As each person filed past congratulating Rabbi Herzog on his lecture, the Rabbi had only one question for each of them: “So, have you thought yet about what you are going to do for the Jewish People?"

Rosh Hashanah is a day upon which we are all given the opportunity to think similarly. On Rosh Hashanah, we can set out the foundations for the year we wish to have, asking G-d to help and sustain us to succeed. May the year ahead be one in which our investment and G-d's ‘investment’ in us be investments of blessing for us, the Jewish people and the whole world.

Rabbi Dr Isaac However, it was only after the shiur that the Halevi Herzog audience witnessed something that would be was the first Chief indelibly etched onto their memories and which Rabbi of Ireland, Rosh Hashanah is a time when we review the continues to impact on Rabbi Wein. This was an unforgettable moment. Rabbi Wein his term lasting year which has passed and set out aims for the still remembers the look in Rabbi Herzog’s eyes from 1921 to year ahead. Rabbi Herzog paused for a minute and then and how the question Rabbi Herzog asked shook 1936. From 1936 switched to a rich, royal English. Shaking his Rabbi Wein then and still does now. until his death in Rabbi Berel Wein, a renowned American scholar, head, he reported to the audience that, "earlier 1959, he was historian and innovator who now lives in this week I had an audience with the Pope in That question encouraged Rabbi Wein to think Ashkenazi Chief Jerusalem, relates one experience from his Rome. As you know, there are thousands of beyond his own ambitions, striving to achieve Rabbi of the childhood in Chicago in the late 1940s, after the Jewish children who escaped the Holocaust greater things to improve the Jewish community British Mandate of cosmetics, fruit andaround wine, him. do I try to buy Palestine and of Israel after its independence A Time Honey Cake – Food for our Bodies horrors of World War Two, which continues to through and the broader community beingoftaken in by Christians, at great risk "blue and white"? drive him to achieve and expand his aims to their own lives. in 1948. Do I stick to our food rules? Do I keep many years later. We share the story and some kosher in and out of the house? 6. Could I get on the Internet and book a cosmetics, fruit and wine, do I try to buy A Time of Honey Cake – Food for our Bodies thoughts on it with you here. Sobbing parents had to choose between the holiday in Israel this year? "blue and white"? I be doing so a littleatmore carefully? sombre fateCould awaiting their children the hands Do I stick to our food rules? Do I keep Daf Hashavua – High Holiday Checklist When Rabbi Wein was a young boy, his father of the Nazis What could I make in the or improvements handing their children to their kosher in and out of the house? 6. Could I get on the Internet and book a woke him up one morning, telling him excitedly Christian neighbours, Rabbi Sylvester, US’s coming year to kashrut at home, at by The GoodGideon Days – Shabbat andThe Yom Tov Israel Rabbiholiday in Israel this year? notmyknowing whether Could I be doing so a little more carefully? “hurry, dress in your finest, we are going to meet a they wouldrestaurants, holiday at work? survive theon war to beand reunited withDo I Do Iimprovements contribute to creating What could I makea in good the very special person”. Leaving the house as their children use the ‘Really Jewish Food Guide’ book, once again. Yet after the war the shofar the family What I love most theat prayers, atmosphere in shul by greeting people coming year to my kashrut atabout home, soon as possible, they headed towards the ended, many The Good Days –blowing, Shabbat and Yommeals Tov and online search engine or therefused ‘Is it Kosher’ of the adoptive families to United Synagogue is thatDoit I the honey cake, it is easy to let these days go by that I don't on know? restaurants, holiday and at work? airport and onto the tarmac (in the days when give orphaned app tochildren help me back find out which foods are to the Jewish I contribute creating a good strives to provide a spiritual concreteto resolutions. The use the ‘Really Jewish Food Guide’ book, without Domaking one could still do so) and waited for their community,kosher? raising them instead as Christians Have I invited guests who might atmosphere in shul by greeting fororevery Jew; from checklist which follows aims to help you topeople think online searchhome engine the ‘Is it Kosher’ important guest to land. When the plane landed, who would be oblivious of their real heritage. otherwise be alone to join for meals that Iyou don't know? As we celebrate the birthday of the world, the find mostout traditional to the would like to upgrade in your app to help me which foods are about what the door opened and out strode someone with a over Rosh Hashanah? Could I do so it is worth remembering that approximately least observant; everyone is religiousHave life for Itheinvited coming year. You who might want kosher? tremendous presence. He was tall, wore a top I demanded of the Pope the release of 10,000 guests might for Succot, Friday night or Pesach -25,000 people tragically dieJewish every day to approach it privately, or in discussion withmeals your welcome. hat and walked holding a regal cane in one hand, such Jewish children, otherwise be alone to join for to be cared for by sedarim? Do I the takebirthday advantage these As we celebrate of theofworld, due to poverty. does not cost much to family. You may findHashanah? an idea on Could this listI which brandishing a Tanach (Hebrew Bible) in the other. communities over Rosh do so in Israel or the ItDiaspora. to create warm, Jewish itopportunities is worth remembering thata approximately save a life; will I contribute something this Our synagogues also have a vision. They strive appealsfor to you, or youFriday may think of something Rabbi Dr Isaac Herzog, formerly Chief Rabbi of Succot, night or Pesach atmosphere at home? -25,000 people die every day else entirely. However you choose to make your to create communities of tragically inspired Jews, actively was unmoved; he said that in his Ireland, the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel The Pope year? sedarim? Do I take advantage of these due toapoverty. Itand does notlove cost much to New Year's cosmetics, fruit wine, do I try to buy A Time of Honey Cake – Food for our Bodies engaged with Judaism that they and which resolutions, wish you a wonderful, Will I be building a succah and purchasing and father of Belfast-born Chaim Herzog, later to view once someone is adopted, baptised and opportunities to I create a warm, Jewish save a life; will I contribute something this and white"? plays a "blue positive, central part of theirCould identity. For happy and healthy year ahead. a lulav and etrog this year? I? converted as Christian, he remains so. None of A Time of Torah – Food for our Souls be Israel’s President, had come to visit Chicago. atmosphere at home? Do I stick to our food rules? Do I keep this to year? succeed, we must all play our part. My my advances could help out the of situation.” kosher the house? 6. Could I get on all thethe Internet a Will I be daystaught ofand Yombook off Am Iin and significantly better ‘Jewishly teacher Will I be building a succah and purchasing Rabbi Dr.taking Abraham Levy usTov that After exchanging pleasantries and handshakes holiday in Israel thisfor year? work? educated’ than I was this time last year? a lulav and etrog this year? Could I? A Time of Torah – Food our Souls At that point Rabbi Herzog put his head on the Could I be doing so a little more carefully? "a good Jew is someone who is striving to be a with the various Rabbis and dignitaries who had Did Iimprovements dedicate timeI make this year to better Jew". I love this definition because it began sobbingsome uncontrollably. The What could in the come to greet him, Rabbi Herzog was whisked lectern and Did I Igetsignificantly involved in Shabbat last year? Will I be taking all the days of Yom Tov off Am betterUK‘Jewishly Jewish study? thereyear mesmerised as the archetypal coming to my kashrut at home, at means that is and not Yom so much how off to a local yeshiva where he was due to give a entire hall sat The Good –matters Shabbat Tov year? Will Days Iwhat this year? work? educated’ than I was this time last broke classes downonincould child-like tears holiday andtears, atnext work? Do I observant we are now, but that each of us Torah discourse. As he entered the hall of the 'aristocrat'restaurants, Which I attend year? Did II I dedicate someUKtime year to contribute creating ayear. good Will as athis springboard Did I get involved in Shabbat UK last year? minutes. usefive the entire ‘Reallyheart-piercing Jewish Food Guide’ book, resolvesDo to be ause littleShabbat better to in the coming yeshiva, which was packed to the rafters, that lasted Jewish study? atmosphere in shul by greeting people to fuller Shabbat observance? What is Didthe I buy and Rabbi read Jewish books our Will I this year? tears, Herzog concluded online search engine or the ‘Is itabout Kosher’ standing room only, the place rose in unison. This Wiping away that don't know? my Inext step? religion, history and the culture? "Friends, thisme week nationare Which classes could I attend next year? to help find out Jewish which foods was followed by pin-drop silence in anticipation his story: app Rosh Hashanah is the time for such resolutions, Will I use Shabbat UK as a springboard lost 10,000 people, I want to know what you are kosher? of the shiur (class). Famed for his oratory, Rabbi Have invited guests who might Did I use the US's Living and Learning but for Did all I buy ourI and good intentions, amidst the to fuller Shabbat observance? What is read Jewish books about our otherwise be and alone to join for meals web to learn a new Jewish skill or Community my next step? religion, history culture? As wepages celebrate the birthday of the world, over Rosh Hashanah? Could I do so subject? memory of Yisrael ShmuelInben Yirmaya Yehoshuah itIn is worth remembering that approximately memory ofISuccot, Yisrael Shmuel Yirmaya Did use US's Living and How has the my shulben attendance been this In memory of Yehuda ben Yaakov HaCohen for Friday night or Learning Pesach 12 13 -25,000 people tragically die every day Yehoshuah web pages to Ilearn a advantage newitJewish skill or Community year? Could I upgrade in the coming sedarim? Do take of these cosmetics, fruitthe and wine,not do cost I try to buyto A Time of Honey Cake – Food for our Bodies Social Media and due to poverty. ItInternet does much subject? year? opportunities to create a warm, Jewish "blue white"? saveand a life; will I contribute something this How has my shul attendance been this Do I stick to our food rules? Do I keep To what extent is the Internet enriching atmosphere at home? year? Do I support rotas for security, kiddush year? Could I upgrade it in the coming kosher in and out of the house? 6. Could I get Does on themy Internet a my life? phoneand everbook distract Social preparation, Media and the Internet making up theand shul's minyan? Will I be building a succah purchasing year? holiday in Israel thisrelationships year? me from healthy with myself, Could I be doing so a little more carefully? a lulav and etrog isthis year? Couldenriching I? A Timemy of friends Torah –and Food our Souls To what extent the Internet myfor family? Could I join a meal rota to deliver Shabbat Do I support rotas for security, kiddush What improvements could I make in the my life?to Does my phone ever distract meals people are housebound? Will I be taking allwho the days of Yom Tov off Am better ‘Jewishly preparation, making up the shul's minyan? coming year to my kashrut at home, at The Good AmDays I Iaddicted to my phone? Am I able to –significantly Shabbat and Yom Tov me from healthy relationships with myself, work? educated’ than was thisand time last year? restaurants, on holiday and at work? Do I switch it off for IShabbat festivals? Can I support initiatives to help my friends and myother family? Could I join a meal rota to deliver Shabbat DoDidI I contribute to creating a year goodto dedicate some time this use the ‘Really Jewish Food Guide’ book, people need? in Shabbat UK last year? Did I get in involved meals to people who are housebound? Did I use social media to reach out to atmosphere in shul by greeting people Jewish study? Am I addicted to my phone? Am I able to online search engine or the ‘Is it Kosher’ Will I this year? friends who might be lonely? that I don't know? switch it off for Shabbat and festivals? Can I support other initiatives to help app to help me find out which foods are Which classes could I attend next year? If I was a special or being people in need? Willcelebrating I use Shabbat UK asbirthday a springboard kosher? Do I use it to find kosher Have I invited guests food, whosynagogues might Did I use social media to reach out to honoured in shul and the Rabbi had to makeis a to fuller Shabbat observance? What Did I buy and read Jewish books about our and Torah classes? otherwise be alone to join for meals friends who might be lonely? As we celebrate the birthday of the world, shortmy speech about me, what are the top three next step? religion, history and culture? over Hashanah? Could I do so it is worth remembering that approximately Do Rosh I defend Israel when it is attacked points heI use would about me, my contribution If I was celebrating a special birthday or being Do it tomake find kosher food, synagogues forDid Friday night or Pesach Isocial use the US's Living Learning honoured in shul and the Rabbi had to make a onSuccot, media? When and shopping for to Judaism -25,000 people tragically die every day andclasses? the Jewish community? and Torah sedarim? Do to I take advantage of theseor web pages learn new Jewish short speech about me, what are the top three due to It does not cost much to cosmetics, fruit anda wine, do I tryskill to buy Community A Time of poverty. Honey Cake – Food for our Bodies opportunities to create a warm, Jewish Do I defend Israel when it is attacked points he would make about me, my contribution subject? save a life; will I contribute something this "blue and white"? atmosphere at home? Howsocial has my shul attendance been this Do I stick to our food rules? Do I keep on media? When shopping for to Judaism and the Jewish community? year? year? Could I upgrade it in the coming kosher in and out of the house? 6. Could Iand getthe on Internet the Internet and book a Social Media Will I be building a succah and purchasing 14 year? holiday in Israel this year? a lulav and etrog this year? Could I? Could I be doingfor so our a little more carefully? A Time of Torah – Food Souls To what extent is the Internet enriching Do I support rotas for security, kiddush What improvements could I make in the myI be life? Does phone ever Tov distract Will taking all my the days of Yom off Am I significantly better ‘Jewishly preparation, making up the shul's minyan? coming year to my kashrut at home, at The Good 14 Days – Shabbat and Yom Tov me from healthy relationships with myself, work? educated’ than I was this time last year? restaurants, on holiday and at work? Do I my friends and my family? Could I join a meal rota to deliver Shabbat Did I dedicate some time this year to contribute to creating good use the ‘Really Jewish Food Guide’ book, DidDo I getI involved in Shabbat UK last a year? meals to people who are housebound? Jewish study? atmosphere by greeting people Am I addicted to shul my phone? Am I able to online search engine or the ‘Is it Kosher’ Will I this year? in that I don't know? switch it off for Shabbat and festivals? Can I support other initiatives to help app classes to help could me find out which foods are Which I attend next year? Will I use Shabbat UK as a springboard people in need? kosher? Have I invited guests who might I use social observance? media to reach outisto toDid fuller Shabbat What Did I buy and read Jewish books about our otherwise be alone to join for meals friends who might be lonely? my next step? religion, andthe culture? As wehistory celebrate birthday of the world, over Rosh Hashanah? Could I do so it is worth remembering that approximately If I was celebrating a special birthday or being Do I use it to findFriday kosher night food, synagogues Did I use the US's Living and Learning for Succot, or Pesach -25,000 people tragically die every day honoured in shul and the Rabbi had to make a and Torah classes? web pages to learn a new Jewish skill or Community sedarim? Do I take advantage of these due to poverty. It does not cost much to short speech about me, what are the top three subject? opportunities to create Jewish Do I defend Israel whena itwarm, is attacked save a life; will I contribute something this points he would make about me, my contribution How has my shul attendance been this atmosphere at home? on social media? When shopping for to Judaism and the Jewish community? year? year? Could I upgrade it in the coming Social Media and the Internet Will I be building a succah and purchasing year? THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM a lulav and etrog this year? Could I? A Time of Torah – Food our Souls To what extent is thefor Internet enriching Do I support rotas for security, kiddush my life? Does my phone ever distract Will I be taking allup thethe days of Yom Tov off Am I significantly better ‘Jewishly preparation, making shul's minyan? me from healthy relationships with myself, 14 work? Answer : Be'er Sheva

Answer : Be'er Sheva

S40 JUDAISM

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Investing Time

Jews who respect Judaism. Non-Jews are embarrassed by Jews who are embarrassed by Judaism. Those who make sacrifices for their faith usually succeed in passing it on to their children; those who don’t, often don’t.

by Rabbi Lord Sacks There are banks and accountants to tell us how to invest our money. Judaism tells us how to invest our time. That, according to the Rambam (Maimonides d.1204), is what Rosh Hashanah is about. The shofar, he says, is G-d's wake-up call. Without it, we can sleepwalk through life, wasting time on things that are urgent but not important, or that promise happiness but fail to deliver it. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are festivals that ask us how we have lived thus far. Have we drifted? Have we been travelling to the wrong destination? Does the way we live give us a sense of purpose, meaning and fulfilment? Judaism is the satellite navigation system of the soul, and Rosh Hashanah is the day we stop and see whether we need to change direction. Time is short. Down here on earth we only have one life to live; and unlike money, time lost can never be regained. Judaism is the world’s oldest and most elaborately refined time management system, designed to ensure that we live for the things that matter, that bring meaning and value and joy. Here are some life-changing principles I have learned from our faith, offered in the hope that they may help you as you reflect on the year that has passed and the one that is to come: Give thanks. Praying, we give thanks to G-d for all we have, and for life itself. This may sound simple but it is life-transforming. It makes us notice what otherwise we would merely take for granted. It helps us see that we are surrounded by blessings. We are here, we are free, we have family, we have friends, we have opportunities our parents did not have and our grandparents could not even imagine. Yes, we have problems, fears, pains; but they can wait until we have

finished giving thanks; and once we have given thanks, our problems seem a little smaller and we feel a little stronger. There is medical evidence that people who have an attitude of gratitude live longer and develop stronger immunities to illness. Be that as it may, the psychological evidence is incontrovertible: giving thanks brings happiness even in hard times. Give your children values, not presents. Presents give delight for a day, values bring happiness for a lifetime. Give your children materialistic values and you will spoil them forever; nor will they thank you for it in later life. Give them ideals, teach them to love, respect, admire, train them to take responsibility and to give to others. Help them be at home in Jewish life and let them give you Jewish pride, and they will grow in stature until they walk tall, proud of what they are and thankful for what you helped them become. Learn with them. Daven with them. Send them to a Jewish school and let them teach you things you did not know. Help them to climb higher up the Jewish ladder than you did. That is parenthood, Jewish-style, and it is one of Judaism’s most glorious insights. Never compromise your Judaism in public. If you want your children to stay Jewish, be consistent. Don’t keep kosher at home but not outside. Don’t have a simcha in shul and then a non-kosher function elsewhere. That gives children a mixed message, and children respond to mixed messages by concluding that you cannot be that serious about Judaism, so why should they? Consistency matters not just within the family but way beyond. Non-Jews respect

In memory of Avraham ben Yehoshua

more than you need. Never buy something simply to impress others – they may say they’re impressed, but they aren’t. Isn’t it strange that in the 21st century people spend fortunes on diets, exercise machines and personal trainers to lose the weight they would not have put on if they stopped eating when they were satisfied? Or that they work all hours of the day to earn enough to buy things they don’t need and will soon grow tired of? Live simply and you will live well. You will escape the treadmill others are chained to because they did not know how to say “I have enough”. Love. Judaism was the world’s first, and is still the greatest, religion of love. Love G-d with all your heart, soul and might. Love your neighbour as yourself. Love the stranger, for you were once strangers. Love is the alchemy that turns life from base metal to gold; that etches our days with the radiance of the shechinah (Divine presence). True happiness, whether in marriage or parenthood, friendship or career, is always the

Watch one hour less television a day and use that hour to learn Torah. Television is the thief we welcome into our homes, hardly noticing that it is robbing us of the most precious possession we have: time. Television is bad for the body, bad for the mind, and bad for your values. Learning Torah will exercise your mind and keep it young. It will stretch your soul and give it strength. Virtually all the classic texts of Judaism are today available in English translation. Better still, learn be-chevrutah, ‘with a friend’, so that you can each be the other’s personal trainer, helping one another to spiritual health.

14 SEPTEMBER 2017 good in people – and if you see the bad, be silent. No-one whose respect matters, respects those who speak badly of others. Keep Shabbat. If Shabbat had not been invented, someone would have made a fortune discovering and marketing it. Here is a one-day miracle vacation that has the power to strengthen a marriage, celebrate family, make you part of a community, rejoice in what you have rather than worrying about what you don’t yet have, relieve you from the tyranny of smartphones, texts and 24/7 availability, reduce stress, banish the pressures of work and consumerism and renew your appetite for life. It is supplied with wine, good food, fine words, great songs and lovely rituals. You don’t need to catch a plane or book in advance.

It’s a gift from G-d via Moshe, and for more than 3,000 years it has been the Jewish private island Forgive. Emotional energy is too precious to of happiness. To get there all you need is selfwaste on negative emotions. Resentment, control, the ability to say ‘no’ to work, shopping, grievance and hate have no part in the inner life cars, televisions and phones. But then, of a Jew. The Torah says, “Don’t hate your everything worth more (or than youin need. Never(Vayikra buy something product of love.having Whereneeds love self-control. is, there is G-d, for brother sister) your heart” 19:17). simply to impress others – they maya say they’re when we love others, G-d's love flows through Don’t take vengeance. Don’t bear grudge. impressed, but they aren’t. Isn’tlightly it strange that inVolunteer. us. To liveGive you of have totime learntotoothers. love. There is your Those who forgive travel more through the 21st of century peopleofspend fortunes on nodiets,no greater cure for depression than to bring life, freed the burden feelings that do exercise machines and personal trainers to losehappiness into the lives of others. Visit the sick. one any good. Do any of these things and slowly, gradually, you the weight they would not have put on if they Invite someone lonely to your Shabbat or Yom will begin to notice a change in your life. You will stopped eating when they were satisfied? Or Tov meal. Share your skills with someone who be less pressured, less anxious, less hurried and Don’t talk lashon ha’ra. The Talmudic Sages that they work all hours of the day to earn needs to acquire them. Join one of the many harried. You will find you have time for the things define lashon ha’ra, ‘evil speech’, as saying enough to buy things they don’t need and willoutstanding organisations in our community. that are important but not urgent, which are what negative things about other people even if they soon grow tired of? Live simply and you will liveHebrew has a beautiful word for such acts: you most neglect now. The result will be more are true. They were harsh about it, regarding it well. You will escape the treadmill others arechessed, meaning love-as-deed, love-assatisfaction, fulfilment, joy. Your relationships will as one of the worst interpersonal sins. Those chained to because they did not know how to kindness. The great Jewish psychotherapist be better, especially in the home. People will who speak badly about others poison the say “I have enough”. Viktor Frankl used You to will say, door to respect you more. feel“The yourself blessed. atmosphere in families and communities. They happiness opens outward,” meaning that feeling This may or may not add years to your life but it undermine relationships and do great harm. low often comes from feeling alone. Bring the gift Love. the forgetting world’s first, is still will certainly add life to your years. You will then They say,Judaism “But it’swas true,” thatand lashon of your presence to someone else, and you will theonly greatest, religion ofIflove. Love G-dis with ha’ra applies to truth. an allegation false all feel to the full what it is to be written into G-d's noBook longer heart,motsi soul and might. Love your neighbour offeel Life.alone. it your is called shem ra (‘spreading a bad as yourself. the stranger, you weresay, once name’) and is Love a different kind offor sin. They strangers. is forgetting the alchemy turns life Live simply. Don’t eat more than you need. “But it’s only Love words”, thatthat in Judaism fromare base metal that lightly. etchesSee our the days Don’t drink more than you need. Don’t spend words holy, nevertotogold; be taken with the radiance of the shechinah (Divine presence). True happiness, whether in marriage This article originally appeared in the Daf or parenthood, friendship or career, is always the Hashavua Rosh Hashana edition 2012/5773.

product of love. Where love is, there is G-d, for when we love others, G-d's love flows through us. To live you have to learn to love.

Do any of these things and slowly, gradually, you will begin to notice a change in your life. You will be less pressured, less anxious, less hurried and harried. You will find you have time for the things that are important but not urgent, which are what you most neglect now. The result will be more satisfaction, fulfilment, joy. Your relationships will be better, especially in the home. People will respect you more. You will feel yourself blessed. This may or may not add years to your life but it will certainly add life to your years. You will then feel to the full what it is to be written into G-d's Book of Life.

This article originally appeared in the Daf Hashavua Rosh Hashana edition 2012/5773. 11

In memory of Avraham ben Yehoshua THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

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The Chief Rabbi’ s Rosh Hashanah message: indin uni in co uni As we conclude a year which seems to have been dominated, in no small part, by disunity across the Jewish world, it is increasingly troubling to see some of the vitriol that is now routinely espoused by Jews against one another. It ta es no time at all to ﬁnd comments on social media about “Chareidi extremist bullies with no grasp of the realities of the modern world” and “heretical leftists who wilfully dilute and undermine the sanctity of Torah at every opportunity.” I s this what it has come to? . “And may the people form a single united bond – to perform

Y our will with a full heart” . These words, from our Mussaf prayer on Rosh Hashanah, encapsulate our deep and enduring desire for Jewish unity which stretches back, through the annals of history, to the point at which we left Egypt and became a nation for the ﬁrst time. But, what is the virtue of unity? D on’t we have a responsibility to protect what we believe to be right, even if that means division? There is no que stion that we do, but what is also certain is that throughout history, disunity has been nothing short of an existential threat to the Jewish people. The Talmud describes the tense state of conﬂict in erusalem

Rosh Hashanah is a time of re ec ion and resolu ion

Having been elected as United Synagogue P resident in July, I have been doing my fair share of reflection over the last couple of months. The Jewish year of 577 7 has certainly been one of achievement for The US. We have made great strides forward in welcoming new communities as full members and have continued the implementation of a wide range of priorities identified in our Strategic Review. However, there is of course much more still to be done. Having renewed our Trustee Board, the hard wor is well under way as we look to build on the excellent work of our predecessors Stephen P ack and his Trustees. I am relishing this challenge and look forward to working with our fantastic staff and fellow Trustees to achieve this. I n my manifesto I listed a number of key issues that I am determined to address during my term as P resident. These range from providing greater support to our communities and working on communal challenges, to maximising opportunities amongst our rabbinate and schools, as well as for women, Tribe and Y oung US. There are so many ways we can engage our members with inclusive modern orthodoxy and I am determined to do all I can to build a strong future for our community. As we look ahead to 5778, I believe we should focus on achieving success together. The US is only as strong as its membership and so I encourage everyone to

consider ways in which they can play a part to take our local communities to new heights this year. There are numerous opportunities for individuals of all ages to get involved. There is something for everyone, whether volunteering with US Community Cares groups, working within our schools as a governor or taking on a leadership role within your local community. Each one of us brings something diﬀerent to the table and all our skills are needed to improve our communities. I f we are to make only one resolution this Rosh Hashanah let it be to give as much of our time to others as possible, evoking the words of our sages: “I f I am not for myself who will be for me and if I am only for myself, what am I ? And if not now, when? ” Wishing you all the best for a Shana Tova U’Metuka – a happy, healthy and sweet new year. Michael G oldstein, US P resident

Michael G oldstein

during the years 67- 70 CE, throughout which, the Romans laid siege around the walls of our capital city. I n Jerusalem, there were storehouses which had provisions to last for 21 years. Y et tragically, when civil war broke out within the city, the storehouses were burned and destroyed. The Romans, who would otherwise have likely lost patience and moved on to fight more pressing battles, were now able to breach the walls and conque r a weakened people. Chief Rabbi L ord Jakobovits pointed out that ‘ Sim Shalom’, our prayer for peace in the Amidah, includes the words Bless us our Father, all of us as one, in the light of Y our countenance’. Why, in the context of prayers for peace with our enemies, must we aspire to peace amongst ourselves? L ord Jakobovits explained that if we cannot overcome our differences within, we will never prevail over our enemies without. The first Chief Rabbi of the Holy L and, Rabbi Kook, would point

Chief Rabbi E phraim Mirvis

out that in an orchestra, there are many diﬀerent instruments which make their own unique sound. Together, under the baton of the conductor, they create beautiful harmony. May 5778 herald a year in which each one of us can look to parts of our community within

which we might ordinarily find very little common ground; those whose instruments possibly make an entirely different sound to ours, but with whom we can offer beautiful harmony to the world. V alerie and I extend to you all our very best wishes for a happy, fulfilling and peaceful ew ear.

Our next issue will be out on Thursday 28 September. To advertise in our

Kol Nidre Supplement Contact us on: 0203 906 8488 advertising@thejewishweekly.com THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

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S44 KIDS

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Rosh Hashanah The Je w ish New Y ear is starting soon! And that means a special day w ith lots of special things. On Rosh Hashanah, he rs da o he ne ear, ashe decides ha is oin o happen in he co in ear or e er indi idual ecause e an our ear o be a ood and happ one, e o o shul and da en or he ear ahead his is a special i e o ask ashe o i e ou a ood ear and an hin else ou i h an o ask or use ha oppor uni e lis en o he sho ar o re ind us o be a ood person his ear and o do he ri h hin s, he sho ar is a bi like an alar clock ecause his is a er special and i por an i e o pra , e er one ries o be er uie and o concen ra e on heir siddur hen e co e ho e, e ha e special, di eren oods on our ables, oods e do no nor all al a s ha e hese are s bols hese s bols are here because e hope our ne ear ill be si ilar e ea a s ee apple i h delicious hone because e hope our ear ill be lled i h s ee o en s i ilarl , e ea a po e rana e because e hope ha e ill ha e coun less ood deeds ne ear, like he po e rana e ha is lled i h i s coun less seeds he reason osh ashanah is on he rs o da s o ishrei, is ha ashe crea ed he rs an, da and ha a e , on ha da his eans ha osh ashanah is he bir hda o all ankind e hope his ear ill be lled i h happiness, ood hin s and an beau i ul o en s

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Arts and Crafts

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ain he e al ar lids he don e he ull colour a once add another layer of paint. 2. end he reen pipe cleaners or insel in hal o bend one hal in he shape o a lea and lea e he second hal s rai h , o be used as he s e 3. ape he ben reen pipe cleaner or insel o he back o he pain ed ar lids ake sure i looks like he lea and s e o an apple ro he ron 4. o , ake he s rin and kno i o he op and bo o o he s ick or branch ake sure i is lon enou h so i can s ill han up o cu se en pieces o s rin he don ha e o be he sa e len h and ie each o he o he s ick or branch, i h space in be een he kno s of the strings. 6. o ake he bo o o one s rin and ape i o he back o a ar lid o this to all of the strings. THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

KIDS S45

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CUT OUT & KEEP

TO CREATE YOUR VERY OWN JEWISH WEEKLY RECIPE BOOK

Candy Apples

Ingredients: • 10 s mall red apples • 1.5 c ups sugar • ½ c up corn syrup • ¾ c up w ater

• 8 d rops f ood colouring • 1/ 2 c up double cream • 10 b arbeq ue skew ers

Method: 1. 2. 3. .4 5. 6. 7. 8.

Wash and dry the apples and put each on a barbeq ue skew er. Mix s ugar, corn syrup and w ater in a pot and heat it up until the sugar melts. When it starts to boil, add the f ood colouring. Let it boil w ithout stirring it f or 20 m inutes until it reaches a temperature of around 160° C (you can use a special thermometer f or this) ake he po o he re and dip he apples, one a a i e, in the mixt ure Turn the apples around so that the mixt ure can cover the apple on all sides. Set the apples aside w ith the stick upw ards to let it cool dow n completely. Enj oy!

Did you know? It takes over 22 bees to fill a jar of honey (of 454 grams).

Fun facts A pomegranate plant can live up to 150 years in the wild and there are approximately 760 types of pomegranates!

The first day of Rosh Hashanah can never fall on a Sunday, Wednesday or a Friday? This year, the first day is a Thursday.

On Rosh Hashanah we go to a stream or river to say tashlich, a prayer to get rid of all of our sins. After we say this prayer, we “empty” our pockets of sins and throw them into the river.

Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the creation mankind. This year it is 5778 years ago that Hashem created the world!

Did you know that even though most people call the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah, this name is not mentioned in the Torah? The Torah calls it “Yom Hazikaron”, which means “Day of Remembrance”, as Hashem remembers and recalls all that happened in the past year. Another name the Torah uses for Rosh Hashanah is “Yom Teruah”, “Day of the shofar-blasts”, because one of the most important things of Rosh Hashanah is the shofar that we listen to in shul.

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S46 KIDS

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YOUTH S47

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ROSH HASHANAH In a Nutshell Rosh Hashanah is approaching, which means lots of different foods, different customs and a special vibe in the air! Rosh Hashanah marks the first day of the new ewish year. On this day, Hashem “looks” at the past year, on how we acted and reacted, and decides what our new year is going to loo li e. Will we be successful Will we be happy and cheerful Will we be healthy Will

we be wealthy Will we live or will we die All of this is decided on Rosh Hashanah- uite a serious business We ta e this time to look back at how we behaved last year, if we oﬀended anyone, if we owe money to anyone, how we feel li e we did. We try to mend friendships that might have gone awry, and we loo at how we can improve ourselves ne t year. The shofar reminds us of this

inner though-process. He reminds us to really ta e a loo at ourselves and to try and improve. Then, in our Teﬁllot, we ta e the opportunity to as Hashem for forgiveness and we plead for a good year. We as for all the things that we hope and dream for, for the coming year. Can you thin of what you would as Hashem for On Rosh Hashanah we realise that Hashem is The

King- he decides over our lives But this also ma es us realise that since He is our King, we are His Children, His People. And this is a cause for celebration and happiness. Therefore we eat beautiful meals and wear elegant clothing. On the nicely laid out table, we place simanim, symbols, to daven for a good year in many ways. We dip apple in honey for a sweet year and we eat pomegranate, e pressing

our wish to be full of countless good deeds in the year to come, similar to the pomegranate that is ﬁlled with its many pips. ou might have also heard of the custom to place the head of a ﬁsh on the table, as we want to be “like the head and not like the tail” we want to merit to get a good and happy year. Rosh Hashanah is a very important day. Try to grab this opportunity to ma e it the best start your year

5 ways to start your new year like a pro!

TAKING THE FIRST STEPS TO A BETTER YOU

ENJOY THE MEAL

is a cus o o ake s ock be ore osh ashanah o our old, in rained habi s and o see here e can improve. Starting the new year w ith the intention to be he bes ou is he bes kicks ar our ear can ha e ou can do his b hinkin ho ou ould have w anted your year to be and w hat you w ould need o do di eren l o achie e ha his ear ne i por an no e ake i slo l nl s ep b s ep can ou achie e our oal, no b akin bi leaps

We eat beautif ul meals on osh ashanah enj oy them! They are meant to make us happy and bring us in he o o ood We generally eat f oods w ith sw eet tastes and try to avoid bitter or sour a ours, all to generate a happy, sw eet new year.

DON’T MISS THE ALARM CLOCK!

Hearing the shof ar on Rosh ashanah is he bi es i vah of the day. Try to go to shul to grab this opportunity.

STARTING WITH A FRESH SLATE

an people call up heir a il and f riends bef ore Rosh Hashanah to w ish them a “S hana Tova”, a h appy new year and to ask them f or f orgiveness if they have harmed or hurt the other person. It is great to start the new ear i h a clean sla e and i h ood f eelings.

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THE BIGGEST SYMBOL : BEING GOOD.

Rosh Hashanah is f ull of symbols: eating apple and honey f or a sw eet new year, having he sh head on our able because e an ourselves to be like the head, not the tails and many more. How ever the biggest ‘ symbol’ or a ood ne ear is us bein ood ho simple! B eing together w ith your siblings or hree da s s rai h i h be chal len in , bu r pu in he e or o be pleasant and f riendly and this w ill set the best tone f or your new year!

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THE JEWISH WEEKLY

denise’s kitchen

modern jewish cookery with style

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, I have chosen several recipes containing honey as we pray for and look forward to a N ew Y ear full of sweetness, health and prosperity. Although honey has an obvious link to the festival because of our desire for a sweet year, there is a deeper, more meaningful link. I n the gematria, the numerical value of the Hebrew word for honey ‘ D avash’ is 3 06 and our sages link this to the number of the opening words in one of the main prayers said at this season: “Av Harachamim” – F ather of Mercy” . Honey also represents good living and wealth. The land of

I srael is often called the land of ‘ milk and honey’. I t is in this context that ‘ honey’ is date honey. Silan or date honey is the honey of B iblical times and is increasingly popular especially at this time. When we say the blessing for dipping apples into honey we wish for a sweet N ew Y ear and hope that this sweetness will symbolically sweeten G - d’s judgement on us for the forthcoming year. I nterestingly some communities only use raw honeycomb as the Hebrew word for ‘ raw’ is ‘ chai’ which also translates as ‘ life’; our Rosh Hashanah festival prayers are all about being inscribed into the B ook of L ife.

Also, why bees honey and not date honey? According to Rabbi Y osef B en Moshe we use bees honey because bees have a sting within them, yet their product is sweet. We hope that’s G - d’s judgement symbolically will be mellowed by His attribute of forgiveness and mercy, producing a sweeter result. Apart from eating honey cake, it is also customary, when making Hamotzi to dip the challah into the honey instead of using salt. This continues until the end of Succot in many households. I tend to go one further and make the challah with honey for added sweetness and ﬂavour.

For more recipes and inspiration visit my website at: www.jewishcookery.com O n a medicinal note, honey is full of excellent healing q ualities. I t can be used as an anti- oxidant, it has anti- bacterial and anti- fungal properties and is a rich source of vitamins and minerals especially manuka honey. So don’t feel guilty when you enjoy your Y om Tov honey indulgence because it will nourish you both physically and spiritually! Wishing you a Happy and Sweet N ew Y ear!

SPICED HONEY ROAST CHICKEN

Honey has to be the number one ingredient at Rosh Hashonah and this chicken enjoys a tasty combination of both sweetness and spice for the ew ear celebrations. It is a slightly diﬀerent way of ﬂavouring a roasting chicken and I like to serve it with crispy citrus roast potatoes. ~ Req uiring just 10 minutes to prepare, it is a tasty family meal that everyone will enjoy.

INGREDIENTS Herb Spice • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon paprika – ideally smoked arnish • ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon dried herbs • 1 teaspoon dried herbs 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 tablespoon fresh basil or parsley • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 2 tablespoons honey • 2 – 2 ½ kg roasting chicken G • • •

PREPARATION 1. 2. 3 . 4. 5. 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 .

I n a small bowl, m ix the herb spices together. Remove and discard the chicken giblets. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Using a knife spread the honey over the skin of the chicken. Sprinkle over the herb spice mix. P reheat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F / G as mark 6 . P lace the chicken in an ovenware dish. Add about 3 t ablespoons of water to the dish. Cover and roast for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Serve the Stylish w ay: Sprinkle with more dried herbs, sesame seeds and some chopped fresh basil or parsley.

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10 m in P rep Time 135 m in Cook Time 6- 8 Servings Freez ing? Y es

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

FOOD S49

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

TOMATO, CUCUMBER AND POMEGRANATE SALAD This is a vibrant tomato salad with a Mediterranean twist. Flavoured with a hint of cinnamon and sweetened with honey this salad will certainly wow your guests over the forthcoming Chagim. When you deseed the pomegranates use a bowl to catch the juices to use in the dressing, but be careful as pomegranate juice stains! O n a health note both tomatoes and pomegranates are highly nutritious as they are packed with antioxidants and vitamins so enjoy for taste and good health!

20 m in P rep Time 6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

Dressing • 2 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed • ½ tsp ground cinnamon • 2 tsp white wine vinegar • 1½ tablespoons honey • 3 0ml olive oil, plus a little extra to drizzle at the end • Salt and black pepper – to taste G arnish • 2 pomegranates, seeds removed • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

Salad • 200g cherry tomatoes, cut into ½ cm dice • 200g plum tomatoes, cut into ½ cm dice • 1 cucumber – de seeded and chopped or sliced thinly • 6 medium vine tomatoes, cut into ½ cm dice • 1 red pepper, cut into ½ cm dice • 1 small red onion- peeled and ﬁnely diced

PREPARATION 1. 2.

3 . 4.

I n a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper and onion and set aside. I n a small bowl whisk the garlic, cinnamon, vinegar, honey, olive oil, and 1/ 3 rd teaspoon of salt, until well combined. P our this over the tomatoes and gently mix. Arrange the salad and the juices on a large ﬂat plate. Sprin le over the pomegranate seeds and oregano and ﬁnish with a drizzle of olive oil.

About Denise Phillips D enise P hillips has written 6 cook books the latest being ‘ The G ourmet Jewish Cook book’. Through her books, columns and master classes, D enise P hillips has gained a reputation as the doyenne of Jewish cookery, and her enticing and stylish recipes are an original blend of the old and the new. D enise has her own recipe collection on line ~ also available as a mobile app! Her regular and popular ‘ hands on’ cookery classes provide inspiration and new skills plus D ate O n A P late, her uniq ue cookery classes

for singles is an excellent way of networking, cooking and meeting new people. She also runs corporate events suitable for company’s entertaining clients or team building for staﬀ through coo ery classes. They are a memorable culinary way to improve better working relationships and enhance business. For more information on D enise, her events, charity work, G ift vouchers and cook books see www.jewishcookery.com or contact her direct on 0192 3 8 3 6 456 .

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S50 INTERVIEW

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

Iconic paratrooper image endures 5 0 ye ars on f rom Six D ay War BY DAVID SAFFER Fifty years on from the Six- D ay War one photograph of three paratroopers by the Western Wall remains the most notable and instantly recognised image of the conflict. P hotojournalist D avid Rubinger took the iconic picture of Z ion Karasenti, D r Y itzhak Y ifat and Haim O shri standing by one of Judaism’s holiest sites shortly after its recapture by I sraeli forces on June 7, 1 7. Among the first Israeli soldiers to reach the Western Wall, otherwise known as the Kotel, the image symbolises an historic moment for ewish people during the reunification of erusalem. Since the picture was published around the world, the unsuspecting heroes have got used to telling their part in the story as historic sites returned to Israel sovereignty. I srael’s victory over neighbouring states captured the G aza Strip and Sinai P eninsula from Egypt, West B ank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan and G olan Heights from Syria. Though the paratroopers hold differing political opinions they have remained friends intrinsically lin ed by a historic photograph. Throughout this special

anniversary year in I srael there have been events to mark the reunification including the recent Maccabiah ames. And it was during my coverage for The Jewish Weekly, I recalled the events of June ’6 7 with Y itzhak at the Western Wall itself where his deeds would have an everlasting legacy. Historians note that leading up to the conflict tensions between Israel and Egypt had risen. After Egyptian president G amal Abdel N asser closed the straits of Tiran to I sraeli shipping, I srael declared it an act of war, restating its position following the Suez Crisis of 1 . Falsely believing reports I srael was massing troops on the Syrian border, N asser mobilised his forces along its border with I srael, but was caught by surprise when preemptive I sraeli airstrikes on Egyptian airfields on une all but wiped out Egypt’s air force with few I sraeli casualties. With air supremacy achieved, further I sraeli bombardment secured victory in the Sinai. N asser however claimed Egypt had defeated the air stri es. P ersuading Syria and Jordan to attack I srael, I sraeli retaliation saw I D F forces seize East Jerusalem,

the West B ank and G olan Heights prior to a ceaseﬁre being signed on une 11. Y itzhak was 24 years old and working as a teacher in Tel Aviv about to enter medical school when war bro e out. A reservist paratrooper, he was not initially called up but received his orders at home to join up with the th Battalion on May 23, 1 7. A Corporal in his unit at a kibbutz near Tel N of airport on the ﬁrst day of the war, itzha fought in the battle for Ammunition Hill, a heavily guarded military post in Jordanian- occupied territory, west of Mount Scopus, and subse uent con uest of East erusalem. Ammunition Hill was a crucial target as it lin ed Mount Scopus and West erusalem. I nitially though, his orders were far away from this area of the country. “I wasn’t scared about going to war, you can’t think that way, you have to do your mission, you just do it,” he recalled. “We were waiting to board planes and parachute jump in the Sinai to capture El- Arish, but Hussein had ordered Jordanian planes to start bombarding erusalem. “We heard there were casualties

Y itz chak Y ifat

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so our mission was changed. “I was upset because this was the ﬁrst time we would have parachuted behind enemy lines but our B attalion commander, Y ossi Y afe, gathered us to say, ‘ L ook guys, Hussein is bombing Jerusalem so we have to change the mission’. “I nstead of a parachute jump, suddenly we had to board buses to defend erusalem. “At the time, I didn’t feel there were any historical wings over us but once you realised we’d soon be going to the Kotel, it hits you.” Y itzhak continued, “The bus driver saw us, picked us up and put on the radio. “We could hear a broadcast in very bad Hebrew. The Egyptian announcer was saying, ‘ your airplanes are falling down li e ﬂies’, which made us laugh, because we new he was lying. “We arrived around midnight in West Jerusalem near a religious neighborhood and during the waiting period rested in a house. “Women brought soldiers coffee and cakes but I could not eat as I had a really bad toothache. “At some point, a woman came in from a house nearby, because she’d heard about my toothache and told me her husband was a dentist and would treat me.

“I jumped up like a snake had bitten me in his dentist chair but the pain was soon relieved when he gave me a local anesthetic. The dentist told me with tears in his eyes, if we captured the Kotel, I could see him anytime, free for life.” The I sraeli Jerusalem Command led by G eneral Uzi N arkis decided against an aerial attack on Ammunition Hill due to nearby civilian towns. P referring an artillery and ground attac , some of the heaviest fighting of the entire conflict too place with elite Jordanian L egionnaires in bun ers to capture the hill. The Third Company of the 6t h B attalion, 55th P aratroopers B rigade and a Second Company force fought a four- hour battle that ensued at 2.30am. I sraeli D efence Forces were misinformed about the number of Jordanians defending Ammunition Hill. Thirty- six I sraeli and 71 Jordanian soldiers died during the fighting. Y itzhak has never forgotten the battle or price Israeli forces paid. “D uring the early hours of Tuesday (June 6) we moved towards Ammunition Hill and could hear bombing.” he recalled. “The fighting with the ordanians was brutal. It was hand-to-hand combat and many soldiers died or were badly injured.” After the battle of Ammunition Hill, Y itzhak’s combat unit went directly to Augusta V ictoria Hospital on Mount Scopus, where more soldiers died in heavy fighting. The unit continued on to the O ld City. I n the midst of this action, after a twoday battle in East Jerusalem, the 55th B rigade had broken through L ion’s G ate leading to the O ld City of Jerusalem and reached the Western Wall. The historic moment was not lost on soldiers amidst emotional scenes. When Y itzhak and his fellow paratroopers entered L ion’s G ate towards the Western Wall area they gazed up at the 2000 year-old stones in awe when photographer, D avid Rubinger, sought permission to take what would become his famous shot. Rubinger would become the most famous photographer of I srael’s

14 SEPTEMBER 2017 history until his death in March 2017. His journey to this moment in time was remar able. B orn in V ienna, 19 24, he emigrated to P alestine on the Y outh Aliya rescue initiative aged 15 after azi ermany anne ed Austria. Settling in a Jordan V alley kibbutz, Rubinger served with the Jewish B rigade of the B ritish Army in the Second World War. After his mother died in the Holocaust, a marriage of convenience to a cousin, Anni, enabling her to emigrate to P alestine, lasted over 0 years until her death. After ﬁghting in the War of Independence, Rubinger began his photographic career and was working for Time Life Magazine at el-Arish on the Sinai P eninsula during the Si Day War. O n June 6, he heard rumours about a possible mission in Jerusalem on a radio. Sensing the moment, Rubinger failed to board an army helicopter for wounded soldiers but leapt on to the ne t as it too oﬀ unaware of its destination, which happened to be B eersheva where his car was par ed. Though exhausted, Rubinger started to drive to Jerusalem, picking up a hitchhiking solider who continued the journey. I n the early hours of June 7, Rubinger saw his family, who told him the Old City was in Israeli hands. Walking through empty streets to

INTERVIEW S51

THE JEWISH WEEKLY the O ld City, he arrived at L ion’s G ate as paratroopers began breaking through. With permission from army officials to be on the front- line, Rubinger joined the paratroopers, identifying a tight photographic position between the Western Wall and nearby houses a few metres away, he laid down on the ground. Y itzhak and other paratroopers wal ed by shortly afterwards. Asking permission to take a picture, Rubinger shot the image that would define him as a world-renowned photographer. Rubinger also took a picture of I D F Chief Rabbi Shlomo G oren on the shoulders of paratroopers blowing a shofar around 20 minutes later that is famous in its own right though not to the same acclaim of his paratrooper picture. Rubinger was not that impressed with the paratrooper image when he developed it but duly passed both pictures to the Army as agreed for his front-line access. The government press office distributed them for a fee e uivalent to 2 each. Through the years, Rubinger bemoaned the fact that his work had been pirated, but the mass distribution made it iconic, which he recognised. Indeed, ustice Misha’el Kheshin declared his paratrooper picture “the property of the entire nation” in 2001. There can be no finer

The three I sraeli paratroopers at the W estern W all

The men’s section of the W estern W all

tribute. For Y itzhak, seeing the Kotel close up there were many emotions. “There was excitement and it was a victory but I had lost many friends,” he recalled. “D avid (Rubinger) was laying on the ground, asked us to stop, then too the picture.” B ut there was little time for Y itzhak to dwell on the moment, as news came through that Syria was shelling on the northern border. However, a ceaseﬁre was announced before he had begun to travel north. Rubinger’s picture was published and newspaper captions at the time claimed the trio was gazing up at the Wall when in fact they were standing with their backs to it loo ing into the distance. Its signiﬁcance soon became apparent and remained over the forthcoming decades. I ndeed, when I srael marked the Six D ay War ten years ago, the photograph served as the media logo. Y itzhak, who entered medical school where he trained as a gynecologist, continued to volunteer for reserve duty in the medical corps into his 0s. Whilst he feels I srael has made mistakes politically since the ’67 war, he has continued to speak about of this period in his life at schools and events sensing a responsibility to history. O ne of the most recognised faces in his country, he is referred to as ‘ The paratrooper who looked up at the Wall’ by the Israeli media. And he has been spotted in the most unusual of places. O ne day at the Rockefeller Center in N ew Y ork when a holocaust survivor greeted him, Y itzhak was uic to point out the famous

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picture was about his friends that fought in ’ 7. Y itzhak, who lost his wife to cancer, continues to visit the Western Wall, despite his view that it is, in his own words, “more a synagogue than national symbol,” A secular I sraeli, alongside fellow Six D ay War veterans, he backed a recent campaign by the Women of the Wall about limited access to the Western Wall. The issue is heavily debated in I srael with Y itzhak vocal in the national media of his country. “I ’m glad we liberated ancient Jerusalem and the Kotel as it is a special place for the Jewish people but its diﬀerent today,” he e plained. “Many friends gave their lives so for us it’s an insult that people are subject to ultra orthodox rules to touch the Kotel, which we fought very hard for and paid a heavy price. “We didn’t think it was a synagogue, nor afterward, there is no reason why the Kotel, as holy as it is, can be an ultra orthodox synagogue. “Everybody should be allowed to pray if he or she feels right to do so.” O n Y om Y erushalayim, I sraeli’s main memorial ceremony commemorating the reuniﬁcation of

David Saﬀer ith it chak i at

Jerusalem takes place at Ammunition Hill. N ow a national memorial site, a museum opened in 1975 to tell the story of the battle for Jerusalem during the Si Day War. The hill has 182 olive trees signifying the number of I sraeli soldiers that died during the war. Y itzhak did not seek a place as a cultural hero but inadvertently became one. L ooking back at the onset of summer in ‘ 67, he humbly recognises his place in I sraeli cultural history. “The picture was not about the three of us, though we became aware of its importance,” he said. “At the time, we did not think this is a moment in history, even though we came to a place the Jewish people had been longing for generations. “I ’m glad I took part in liberating the Kotel, an unseen part of Jerusalem. It was a historical moment for all ews, and for us too. “I t was special but all the I D F soldiers made it available to Jews again.” Editor’s note: Every eﬀort has been made to factually detail the background to this story.

S52 FOOD

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

65 m in D uration 45 m in Cook Time 20 m in P rep Time 6 Servings

joyofkosher.com INGREDIENTS Chicken • 2 whole chickens (3 to 4 pounds each), bone in, cut into 6 pieces • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper • Extra virgin olive oil • ½ cup pomegranate molasses • 2 tablespoons honey • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar • 1 cup chicken broth • 2 garlic cloves, ﬁnely minced • 3 shallots, ﬁnely sliced • 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

PREPARATION

Freekeh • 1 cup freekeh • 2 cups water or chicken broth • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper • cup chopped fresh ﬂat-leaf parsley • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried thyme • ¼ cup raisins • 2 teaspoons honey • G arnish: pomegranate arils, chopped fresh ﬂat-leaf parsley

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

POMEGRANATE CHICKEN WITH FREEKEH

1. P reheat oven to 205° C. 2. Arrange chicken pieces in large D utch oven or casserole dish. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast chicken in a 205° C oven for 20 minutes. 3 . I n a small bowl, w hisk pomegranate molasses, h oney, v inegar, a nd water or broth together. Add shallots, g arlic, a nd thyme. Set aside. 4. While chicken is roasting, place freekeh and water or broth into a small saucepot over medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the level of the water is even with the level of free eh. Turn oﬀ the heat, cover the pot for 10 minutes, so that the steam ﬁnishes the coo ing process. 5. P our pomegranate mixture over chicken and continue roasting for 20 minutes more. 6 . Season cooked and steamed freekeh with olive oil, l emon juice, s alt, a nd pepper. Add parsley, t hyme, r aisins, and honey. Taste and adjust seasoning, i f needed. 7 . Transfer freekeh to a large serving platter. Arrange chicken on top of freekeh, t hen spoon pan juices over chicken. G arnish with parsley and pomegranate arils.

CHOCOLATE AND CARAMEL DIPPED APPLE POPS INGREDIENTS Pareve Salted Caramel: • cup ﬁrmly pac ed dar brown sugar • ¼ cup sugar • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk • 1 tablespoon vegan butter or coconut oil • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt

Chocolate Coating: • cup ﬁrmly pac ed dar brown sugar • ¼ cup sugar • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk • 1 tablespoon vegan butter or coconut oil • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt

PREPARATION Pareve Salted Caramel: 1. I n a saucepan, combine brown sugar, sugar, salt, and almond milk. Simmer over medium heat until sugars dissolve, then increase the heat to medium- high. 2. Stirring often, let mixture boil, until it registers between 120° C to 13 5° C on a candy thermometer. 3 . Remove from heat and stir in vegan butter or coconut oil, vanilla extract, and sea salt. P our into a heatproof container and set aside.

Apple Pops: • 3 apples, stems removed • P areve Salted Caramel • Chocolate Coating • G arnish: sprinkles, mini candies, pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, and chocolate chips

Chocolate Coating: 1. P lace chocolate in a double boiler over medium- low heat, or in a small heatproof bowl ﬁtted over a small saucepan with an inch of water. Choose a shallow bowl, so that water from the pan does not touch the bottom of bowl. 2. Melt chocolate. Stir it occasionally to prevent it from burning. 3 . O nce chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Add vegan butter or coconut oil and stir into warm chocolate to melt.

Chocolate Coating: 1. Slice apples across into ¼ - inch thick slices. L eave out the center section as it contains the core and seeds. Y ou should get about 4 to 5 slices from each apple. I nsert a popsicle or lollipop stick into apple slices and set aside. 2. When you are ready to dip and decorate, pat apple slices dry and dip into caramel or chocolate. D rizzle with caramel or chocolate, and decorate with sprinkles, chopped nuts, candies, or pumpkin seeds. 3 . P lace decorated apple pops on parchment paper lined pan, and place in the refrigerator for 3 0 to 45 minutes to set chocolate and caramel. Cut apples have a lot of water content and will start to weep q uickly, so we recommend eating them as soon as they’re set.

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

90 m in D uration 75 m in P rep Time 15 m in Cook Time 12 P ops Servings

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

JUDAISM S53

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

New Year thoughts

BY R AARON STROH LEEDS KOLLEL I t’s Friday 14th July. As I contemplate what to write for the Jewish Weekly’s Rosh Hashanah supplement, disturbing news from the B B C comes in. D oubly disturbing. “3 P alestinians killed by I sraeli soldiers, 2 I sraeli policemen were wounded” . Doubly disturbing, ﬁrstly because I knew this meant there was another terror attack in Jerusalem where I sraelis would have been

killed. Secondly, because of the distorted way that this report was broadcast. Unfortunately, my suspicions were conﬁrmed when I heard the real story shortly after. B ut it got me thinking… L ooking back over the past year, so many things have happened in the UK alone Westminster, Manchester, L ondon B ridge, G renfell, Finsbury P ark etc. O f course in the aftermath of these tragic events we must ensure we have better security and

that people aren’t surrounded by combustible cladding, but is there a message for us here? L et’s picture the following scenario for a minute - I f someone were to throw a stick at a dog, the dog may attack and pounce on the stick. B ut why? I t wasn’t the stick! I t was the person who threw it! The Talmud tells us that in the period of time coming up to Mashiach and the ultimate redemption, the face of the generation will be like that of a dog. Just like a dog will attack the stick

rather than the perpetrator, so too when tragic events happen, people will pounce on the events without paying any attention to the O ne orchestrating the world and the events that happen within it. Rosh Hashana is an amazing time. It’s the ﬁrst day of the ewish year, the day in which the blueprint of the year to come is drawn. I magine someone wanted to remove a wall from their home, they would have to bring in the builders who would do so amidst lots of noise and mess. I f, however, in the

planning stages of the house the owner decided they didn’t want that wall, all they would have to do is rub out the line on the blueprint corresponding to that wall. The wall would be removed, noise and mess free! So too Rosh Hashana, it’s the day that we can edit the blueprint for the following year. O ur prayers and our actions can change the blueprint, and rub out diﬃcult moments that have been pencilled in. So, this Rosh Hashana, let’s look back over the last year. L et’s take a message from the events that have happened, and realise there is a greater power orchestrating them for a reason. L et’s not be like the dog that attacks the stick and ignores the one throwing it. Finally, let’s utilise this Rosh Hashana to pray a heartfelt prayer to Hashem, that in the coming year we are able to do His will in the right manner. Through this may we all merit that the blueprint for the year ahead should be a beautiful picture of a happy sweet new year. Shana Tova!

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY during Selichot we reﬂect on the previous year, our misdeeds, our misdemeanors, our missed opportunities. We could easily be ﬁlled with fear and dread at this prospect, yet seeing as we are a positively minded people and we are always optimistic by nature it’s important that we take the happiness of Shabbat with us into the Selichot experience. And that is why they are called Selichot which means ‘ forgiveness’. B efore the services even commence we are looking forward to a

Parshat Nitzavim - Vayelech Why do Selichot always start on a Saturday night? This coming Motzei Shabbat in Ashkenazi circles we will be commencing our season of Selichot. Until medieval times, Selichot were recited just before Rosh Hashana and Y om Kippur. From that time onwards in Sefardi circles, Selichot would commence from the beginning of Elul and go all the way through until Y om Kippur. I n the Ashkenazi world we follow the opinion of the Rama in the Shulchan Aruch

that we start Selichot at least four days before Rosh Hashana and we go all the way through until Y om Kippur. I n addition, the Selichot must start on a Saturday night, that’s in order to standardise the practice, so that people will always know that Selichot start on Motzei Shabbat, e very year. I t starts on Saturday night, but why Saturday night - it could start on any night? The Terumat Hadeshen explains that we want to take the O neg Shabbat, the pleasure and the joy of the Shabbat with us into our Selichot penitential prayer experience. That’s because

favourable outcome. When you come to think of it that’s the rationale behind the title Y om Kippur: it’s on Y om Kippur that G - d sits in judgement, our fate will be sealed for the coming year and, in the midst of that day ﬁlled with awe, it’s a om Tov, we say Chag Sameach! The Torah calls it Y om Hakippurim, D ay of Atonement, because we are already looking forward to a favourable outcome of the day. I t’s not like Tisha’ah B ’av which is a sad day, a black day for us. O n Y om Kippur we wear white clothes, as a symbol of purity and of happiness. So therefore, as we now enter into our period of the High Holy days we pray that the Almighty will indeed bless us with Selichot, that we will be forgiven for our errors and misdemeanors of the past year, that we will have a true Y om Hakippurim, a D ay of Atonement, so that together with the whole world around us, the year 5778 will give us a year of peace, of unity, of happiness, of prosperity and security for one and all. Shabbat Shalom.

Ellul Watch

As we near the great and Awesome D ay of Judgement, it is common practice to take upon ourselves the custom of Cheshbon HaN efesh’(‘ An account of the soul’). By ta ing just ﬁve minutes of our precious time each day before we turn in for the night, to do a qui ck mental review of our actions, we can judge ourselves to see if we are heading in the right direction

or not. With so much hanging in the balance this Rosh Hashanah, with potential nuclear wars on the horizon amongst all sorts of potential other things, perhaps a qui ck assesment of our current spiritual status might not be such a bad thing after all as we approach the time of repentance.

Tehillim

Psalm 22

This week’s Tehillim is for a refuah shelemah for Rabbi Herman - Meir Yitzchok Shmuel ben Genendel

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The deer is especially devoted to its mate, and indeed the animal enjoys much fame across Scripture! Many times they are referenced, such as the famous line which has become a wellknown and much loved song, “Kayal taarog, al afi ey mayim - Li e the deer that longs for the brook of water, so my soul longs for you, O Hashem.” O ur P salm opens with reference to the much loved animal, with the words “Ayelet Hashachar,” referring to a radiant deer. I n the same way that the dawn (Shachar) continues to strengthen, until those first rays of light eventually fill the entire world, so too the Jewish nation is likened to the radiant deer, with the promise that at the end of our long and dark exile, we will eventually be redeemed and truly become the shining beacon of light unto the nations. As we move through the P salm, we see how King D avid compares man to a “mortal worm - constantly scorned and ridiculed by the nations.” However, he takes great comfort in the knowledge

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that as long as he “commits to G - d” , he will be “rescued and delivered.” Fittingly, we end this week’s P salm with reference to Rosh Hashanah. The last verse contains the phrase “Z erah Y aavdenu… N olad, the seed of those who serve Him, will be counted to Hashem forever.” This is a reference to the righteous people who serve Him during their lifetimes, showing them that they will merit to rejoice with G - d after Mashiach comes. “The Meiri” explains that this theme follows the Rosh Hashanah davening during Mussaph. We start by saying “Uvchein tein P achdecha, instil your awe upon your works…,” we then progress to “Uvuchein tein kavod, instil your G lory...,” and we end with “veyagido lecha…, they will relate your praise at the end of days, when Mashiach arrives.” I n the same way that the prayers of Rosh Hashanah give us hope of a bright and everlasting future, may we all merit to be written in the book of life for a Happy and Healthy Sweet N ew Y ear.

14 SEPTEMBER 2017 Volume 29 No. 51

16 September 2017 Shabbat ends

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In memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion

JUDAISM 57

Nitzavim-Vayelech In memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion “I call heaven and earth today to bear witness against you: I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you shall choose life, so that you will live, you and your offspring – to love the Lord, your G-d, to listen to His voice and to cleave to Him, for he is your life and the length of your days…” (Devarim 30:19-20).

How America Got Its Name by Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum, Hadley Wood Jewish Community At 2.00am on 12 October 1492, Christopher Columbus’ ship finally collided with land. A young sailor shouted “Land! Land!” from the mast head, having sighted what we now call the Bahamas. Columbus believed that India should be about 4,375 miles west of Spain and that he had discovered an island off the East Asian coast. So he called the island the West Indies and its inhabitants Indians. Columbus stuck to this belief for the rest of his life. 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Vayikra 12:1-23 A few years after Columbus died,several a lessweeks wellAfter childbirth, a lady would wait knownbringing Italian explorer namedoffering Amerigo Vespucci before an elevation (olah) and a also visited(chatat). the NewThis World. But unlike sin offering completed herColumbus, post-birth Vespucci subsequently purification process. wrote two papers arguing that told Europe and and IndiaAharon were inthat factsomeone some 12,000 God Moshe who miles apart and that the ‘West Indies’ were in had the appearance of a particular type of skin fact part of an entirely new continent. In 1507 disease (tzara’at) would have to show the white the respected German cartographer Martin blemish to a Kohen. The Kohen would evaluate Waldseemüller produced an updated world map, and decide if the clearly showing these newaffliction lands forwas the first time,tzara’at, not as thus the impure (tameh). the part rendering of Asia, but asperson a new continent. Rather Ifthan case was unclear, the Kohen would quarantine naming them Columbo, he named them America, the person in aVespucci. house for seven days, after which after Amerigo the Kohen would re-inspect the afflicted area and declare whether the person wasAmerica tameh or tahor This little-known story of how got its (pure). name is important not only because it belongs to a country that roletypes in world affairs. Question: whatplays werea central the three of blemish It also (13:2) revealsAnswer the difference between someone called? on bottom of page 6. (i.e. Columbus) who could not think beyond their 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 13:24-39 mistaken first premises, and another person (i.e ItVespucci) was alsowho possible for tzara’at to develop from a was able to go beyond the ‘givens’. burn. Tzara’at could erupt on the scalp or on the beard area, of hair. In one of causing the mosta loss stirring lines of Moshe’s parting to the Jewish people, he exhorts 3rd Aliyawords (Shlishi) – 13:40-54 to internalise fact the Torah is fully Athem slightly different the form ofthat tzara’at is detailed, accessible. It isa neither “in the heavens” is itA which caused more substantial loss ofnor hair. “across (one the sea” Accessibility metzora who (Devarim has been30:13). contaminated with can be interpreted in a literal sense; can tzara’at) was sent outside of the campanyone and had to access the wisdom of the Torah. tear his/her garments (see p4 article). Tzara’at could also infect clothing. A suspected garment Yet it can also be understood as referring to the was quarantined before the Kohen made a mindset required in order to develop one’s decision about whether it was tameh. If it was declared tameh, the garment was burnt.

relationship with the Torah. If one approaches the study of Torah with the view that their own principles are always correct, then the Torah will seem as if it is “on the other side of the ocean”. In contrast, studying Torah with an open mind, enables us to see the world through the eyes of the Torah, a world where people are held to a higher moral and religious imperative, a world in which we are beholden to an Omnipotent G-d Who demands constantly higher standards of us.

Sidrah Summary: Tazria-Metzorah

Sidrah SidrahSummary: Summary: Nitzavim-Vayelech Nitzavim-Vayelech 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Devarim 29:9-28 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 31:7-13 “IOn callthe heaven andofearth today to bear witness againstStanding you: I have lifethe and nation, death before you, in placed front of Moshe tells last day his life, Moshe gathers every blessing and curse; and you shall choose life, so that you will live, offspring to love the the notyou to and be your afraid. Moshe– writes member of the nation, of all ages. He enters them Yehoshua Lord, your G-d, to listen to His voice and to cleave to Him, for he is your life and the length of your entire Torah and gives the scroll to the Kohanim into a covenant with G-d, which will be binding days…” (Devarim 30:19-20). for future generations too. Moshe warns them and the elders. Moshe instructs the people in a against idolatry. Forsaking the covenant will result in the Land being destroyed and the nation being exiled. Question: which type of labourers are specified as being included in those who entered the covenant? (29:10) Answer on bottom of next page. 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 30:1-6 If the nation does indeed stray and finds itself in exile, it will return to G-d wholeheartedly. G-d will have mercy upon the people and bring them in from wherever they have been ‘scattered’. 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 30:7-14 After Israel’s ‘return’ to G-d, His wrath will turn upon those enemies which persecuted her. G-d will bless the nation like He blessed their forefathers. The Torah is not hidden, nor is it so far away that it is inaccessible. Rather it is ‘very close’ to us (see p.3 article). 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 30:15-31:6 G-d has placed ‘life and good, death and evil’ in front of the nation, who are urged to ‘choose life’. That means loving Him and walking in His ways. Heaven and Earth are called to bear witness to this decision and its consequences. Parashat Vayelech starts with Moshe reminding the people that he is not going into the Land with them, but that Yehoshua (Joshua) will lead them and that they will conquer their enemies in the same way that G-d allowed them to defeat the mighty kings Sichon and Og.

new mitzvah, known as hakhel – just after the end of every seventh year of the agricultural cycle (shemitah), on Succot, all the people are to gather in Jerusalem, young and old, to hear the king read parts of the Torah. Point to Consider: why was just after the shemitah year the chosen time for hakhel? 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 31:14-1 G-d calls Moshe and Yehoshua to stand by the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (ohel moed), where He tells them that the nation will turn against Him to other gods. G-d's anger will flare against Israel, and he will ‘hide His face’ from them, as if He is unaware of their sufferings (Rashi). He commands Moshe to write the Song of Ha’azinu, next week’s sidrah (Rashi). 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 31:20-30 G-d continues with His message; excessive enjoyment of the Land's abundance will lead the nation to idol worship. Reading the Song of Ha’azinu will remind them that they were warned of the consequences of rebellion. Moshe finishes writing the Sefer Torah and tells the Levi’im to place it next to the aron (ark). Haftarah Taken from the book of Yeshaya, this is the last of the seven ‘haftarot of consolation’ read after Tisha B’Av. The redemption will come, with the nations of the world recognising Israel’s splendour. Though sullied by the blood-stains of the struggles of exile, the nation should always be aware that G-d loves them and is guarding them.

In memory of Yocheved bat Berl Dov 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 13:55-14:20 The Torah details the process through which a metzora purified himself/herself after the period of isolation and the healing of the affliction. This involved a Kohen taking two birds, cedar wood, a crimson thread and hyssop. The Kohen would slaughter one of the birds and – using the wood, thread and hyssop together in a bundle – sprinkle In of Yocheved batthe Berlmetzora. Dov its memory blood seven times on The

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Moshe’s vital lesson was that in the study of Torah, as with some of the greatest discoveries alsois bring animal ofmetzora all time,would success often three reserved for offerings those andare three meal who able to offerings. think beyond their own initial frame Yuval observes Pointoftoreference. Consider: whatNoah is theHarari significance of the incedar his best-selling book,thread Sapiens that(see wood, crimson and(2014), hyssop? there is to something remarkable in the fact that a Rashi 14:4) quarter of the world’s land mass was named 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 14:21-32 after a little-known Italian man, whose sole claim metzora could not the afford three animal toA fame was who simply to ask open-minded offerings could instead bring one animal question, ‘perhaps there is a new continentoffering, out one after mealall…?’ offering and two birds. there

6th Aliya (Shishi) – 14:33-15:15 Tzara’at also affected houses. The house owner would report the suspicious signs to a Kohen. The house would be evacuated before the Kohen’s arrival. If the Kohen saw a deep green or deep red ‘affliction’, he would order the house to be quarantined for a week. He would then re-inspect the house. If the affliction had spread, the infected stones would be removed and replaced. If the affliction nevertheless returned, the house would be demolished. However, if replacing the stones solved the problem, the Kohen would declare the house tahor (pure). The Torah lists specific discharges that would cause a man to be considered tameh, and details the purification procedure.

7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 15:16-33 A similar set of laws is listed for a lady who has specific discharges, as well as the laws of niddah Close up of the Martin Waldseemüller maplaws (menstruation), which form the basis of the of familyshowing purity. South America and the word "AMERICA", 1507 Haftarah From the Book of Melachim (Kings II), the haftarah 3 takes places upon the background of the long siege and ensuing famine of the Shomron area (Samria) by the King of Aram. Four metzora’im were put outside the city gates because of their affliction. They discovered and reported that the Arameans had actually left their camp, which allowed the Jews to plunder the camp and thus end their famine.

(d. that 1953) notes that the avot were life. It is said that the (democractic) West has many Dessler (d. 1953) notes that the avot were Dessler life. It is said the (democractic) West has many not simply role models who performed actions not moresimply wordsrole for models varieties who of blue than red,actions whilst more words for varieties of blue than red, whilst performed which continue to inspire us. The avot actually which the (formerly communist) for the (formerly communist) East has more words for continue to inspireEast us.has Themore avotwords actually established our national makeup. Actions which established shades of red than blue.makeup. Indeed, Actions given that we shades of red than blue. Indeed, given that we our national which 58 JUDAISM 14 SEPTEMBER 2017 THE JEWISH WEEKLY they performed became entrenched in our excel in doing acts of kindness, it is appropriate they performed became entrenched in our excel in doing acts of kindness, it is appropriate national consciousness. We excel in doing acts of that Judaism has different words for giving, We excel in different doing acts of that Judaism has different words for giving, such asSome charity and hospitality, because national different consciousness. types of giving and various laws Bein Adam Lechaveiro Part 14: kindness, Tzedaka: Background such charity hospitality, because Bein Adam Lechaveiro 14:kindness, Tzedaka: Some Background Avraham made this his focus. We Part have the which relate to as giving, asand we shall discuss in the different types of giving and various different laws by Rabbi Daniel Fine, Community Rabbi, Stanmore & Park Unitedfor Synagogue Avraham thisPark his United focus. Synagogue We have the which relate to giving, as we shall discuss in the courage to Canons sacrificeFine, our comforts our valuesStanmore forthcoming weeks. by Rabbi Daniel Community Rabbi, & made Canons because this is what Yitzchak did at the Akeidah. courage to sacrifice our comforts for our values forthcoming weeks. We have an innate connection to prayer and Torah because what Yitzchak did noting at the Akeidah. We end this thisisintroduction with that we Chaim Ya’akov (Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, d. 1933) We Jews have historically excelled Chafetz study because in these areas. prayhave at the of our Shacharit (standing anend innate connection to Amidah prayer and Chaim (Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, d. Torah 1933) We end this introduction with noting that we Jewsexcelled have historically excelled Chafetz in philanthropy. Whether in his introduction to his work on the Laws of prayer – see green siddur, p. 94) that we are not his because introduction to his work inon the areas. Laws of pray at the end of our Shacharit Amidah (standing in philanthropy. Whether in study Ya’akov excelled these (Ahavatis Chesed) lists all the just looking to perform acts of kindness (chesed); individual donations to Charitable On a deeperGiving level,individual giving a prime Divine trait. Giving (Ahavat Chesed) lists all the prayer – see green siddur, p. 94) that we are not donations to Charitable of kindness in the Torah. projects, consistent financial episodes G-d is infinite. As such, He needs nobody and is rather weof are looking inforthe ahavat chesed – to love kindness projects, consistent financial episodes On a deeper level, giving isTorah. alife's prime Divine trait. just looking to perform acts of kindness (chesed); packages of support, or not affected by anyone's actions. He did not kindness, as this is one of our main callings. packages of support, or G-d is infinite. As such, He needs nobody and is rather we are looking for ahavat chesed – to love general upkeep of communal With create the world in order to benefit personally. these principles in mind, we can understand general upkeep of communal With these principles in mind, we can understand not affected by anyone's actions. He did not kindness, as this is one of our life's main callings. Instead, Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim that funds, we have a sensitivity that actsas of the kindness nothave simply 'feel-good' funds,arewe a sensitivity acts of kindness are not simply 'feel-good' createwhich the world in orderThey to benefit personally. Luzzato d. 1746) writes, He created the world in to utilising our money and acts which help others. Theyour tapmoney into our veryacts to utilising and help others. tap into our very order to as bestow kindness on its inhabitants. G-d identity, forged by the avot, and they emulate Instead, as the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim resources to support important causes. In our resources to support important causes. In our identity, as forged by the avot, and they emulate is ultimately and asof Luzatto “the introduction to the mitzvah of tzedakah (charity), it introduction the prime trait of our Creator. Luzzato 1746) writes, He created the world in togood, the mitzvah tzedakahwrites: (charity), it the primed.trait of our Creator. of goodness is to share of that good is interesting to ponder the reasons for this isdefinition interesting to ponder the reasons for with this order to bestow kindness on its inhabitants. G-d others”. G-d therefore created thisinworld in orderthe excellence. The more a commodity is used a society, excellence. The more a commodity in a writes: society,“the the is ultimately good, and isasused Luzatto to allow to earn (Divine) goodness via creating more it isuslinguistically differentiated: there will bemore it is of linguistically there will be definition goodness isdifferentiated: to share of that good with a relationship with Him. Sefer Bereishit is replete with the impressive Sefer different words for its different There aredifferent Bereishit is replete withvarieties. the impressive words for its different are others”. G-d therefore created varieties. this worldThere in order stories of the avot (patriachs) and the imahot stories many different words(patriachs) for 'snow' and in Arctic of the avot the societies, imahot many different words for 'snow' in Arctic to allow us to earn (Divine) goodness viasocieties, creating As snow the Talmud (Sotah 14a) puts it: “the Torah as (matriarchs). However, Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer (matriarchs). as is such a dominant feature of everyday However, Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer snow is such a dominant feature of everyday a relationship with Him. begins and ends with acts of kindness”; it begins (d. 1953) that theWest avothas were Dessler (d. 1953) notes that the avot were Dessler life. It is said that thenotes (democractic) manylife. It is said that the (democractic) West has many with G-d clothing Adam and Eve and ends with simply role performed actions not simply role models who performed actions not more words formodels varietieswho of blue than red, whilstmore words for varieties of blue than red, whilst G-d Himself attending to the burial of Moshe. The As (formerly the Talmud (Sotah 14a) it: “the Torah continue to inspire East us. The avot actually communist) East puts has more words for which continue to inspire us. The avot actually which the (formerly communist) has more words forthe begins and endsthan withblue. acts Indeed, of kindness”; begins our than national makeup. of red givenitthat we established our national makeup. Actions which established shades of red blue. Indeed,Actions given which that weshades performed became entrenched in our excel in doing actsAdam of kindness, is appropriate with G-d clothing and Eveitand ends with 4 they performed became entrenched in our they excel in doing acts of it is appropriate In memory of Reuven benkindness, Yehuda Leivish consciousness. We excel in doing of that Judaism has different words for giving, G-d Himself attending to the burial of Moshe. The national consciousness. We excel in doing acts of national that Judaism has different words foracts giving, such as and hospitality, because kindness, such as charity and hospitality, because kindness, different types of charity giving and various different lawsdifferent types of giving and various different laws made this his Wediscuss have in thethewhich relate to giving, as we shall discuss in the Avraham made this his focus. We have the Avraham which relate to giving, as focus. we shall to sacrifice courage to sacrifice our comforts for our values courage 4 forthcoming weeks. our comforts for our values forthcoming In memory ofweeks. Reuven ben Yehuda Leivish because this is what Yitzchak did at the Akeidah. because this is what Yitzchak did at the Akeidah. have an innate connection to prayer and Torah In memory Reuven benwith Yehuda Leivish end thisofintroduction noting that we We have an innate connection to prayer and Torah We We end this introduction with noting that weWe study because Ya’akov excelled in these areas. study because Ya’akov excelled in these areas. pray at the end of our Shacharit Amidah (standingpray at the end of our Shacharit Amidah (standing – see green siddur, p. 94) that we are not – see green siddur, p. 94) that we are notprayer Insights into Jewish History Part 82: Judah the Maccabee Parallel Thinking Part 34: Judaismprayer and Psychology a deeper level, giving is a prime Divine trait. On a deeper level, giving is a prime Divine trait. On just looking to perform acts of kindness (chesed);just looking to perform acts of kindness (chesed); by Rebbetzen Ilana Epstein, Cockfosters G-d is infinite. As such, He needs nobody and is rather we are looking for ahavat chesed – to love & N Southgate United Synagogue; Head by Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, West Synagogue G-d is infinite. As such, He needs New nobody andEnd is United rather we are looking for ahavat chesed – to love not affected by anyone's actions. He did not kindness, as this is one of our life's main callings. of Project Development, US Living & Learning not affected by anyone's actions. He did not kindness, as this is one of our life's main callings. create the world in order to benefit personally. create the world in order to benefit personally. Instead, psychologist as the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe calls Chaim What is in a name, Within three years of Mattityahu killing a Seleucid Psychology is the branchChaim of American Daniel Goleman Instead, as the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Luzzato d. 1746) writes, He created the world in especially one as well- Greek general, and starting a nationwide scienceHewhich investigates Luzzato d. 1746) writes, created the world in‘Emotional Intelligence’ – being in control of one’s order to bestow kindness on its inhabitants. G-d known to us as Judah the movement, Judah had recaptured the Temple emotions and inclinations. the mind and human order to bestow kindness on its inhabitants. G-d is ultimately good, and as Luzatto writes: “the Maccabee? It is a name that from the Greeks and re-consecrated the Temple behaviour. While ancient is ultimately good, and as Luzatto writes: “the definition of goodness is to share of that good with has resonated throughout to G-d. Our celebration of the Chanukah miracle Rabbi Yisroel Salanter (d. 1883) and his followers civilisations across thegood worldwith definition of goodness is to share of that others”. G-d therefore created this world order the generations; we easily draws much of its origin from this particular event. aimed to bring character refinement intoin the developed psychological others”. G-d therefore created this world in order to allow us to earn (Divine) goodness via creating recall it today, some 2000 However, even though the Hasmoneans had reit was not via until the foreground of Jewish practice through the Mussar to allow us to earntheories, (Divine) goodness creating a relationship with Him. (discipline) movement. The Hebrew for ‘character years after the owner of the conquered the Temple, the Accra Citadel located 18th and 19th centuries that a relationship with Him. name lived. Although many people name their just below the Temple in the south of the city, academic psychology took off. At the same time, traits’ is middot. Literally that word means As the Talmudbecause (Sotah human 14a) puts it: “thetraits Torah children Judah or Yehuda, not many will name which was the stronghold of the Seleucid army character psychologists realised that an understanding ‘measurements’, As the Talmud (Sotah 14a) puts it: “the Torah neitherand ends with acts it begins their children ‘Maccabee’; and yet the name is and the home of many of the Hellenised Jews of good nor bad; it of is kindness”; how a particular of the human psyche could help develop arebegins begins and ends with acts of kindness”; it begins clothingwhich Adam isand Eve and with revered. What does it mean? Jerusalem, remained untouched; there were is G-d expressed crucial. Theends virtue psychological therapies to treat disorders of traitwith with G-d clothing Adam and Eve and ends withof G-d Himself expresses attending to the burial of Moshe. The courage a balance between constant skirmishes with the Hasmoneans. the mind. G-d Himself attending to the burial of Moshe. The recklessness and cowardice. Self-respect The most popular translation is ‘hammer’, for Judah’s physical power was so great that he The Hasmoneans restored order to the Temple Jewish philosophers have also sought to expresses a balance between narcissism and In memory of Reuven Yehuda ‘hammered’ through the enemy. Another thought 4 and the daily sacrifices were reinstituted. The Eachbentrait hasLeivish something understand the interaction between the mind and self-deprecation. In memory of Reuven ben Yehuda Leivish is4 that the name Maccabee in Hebrew can be Greek Seleucids fought the war for Jerusalem and human behaviour. In Biblical and Rabbinic valuable to offer, provided it is expressed in a broken down into two words: memit chazakim, lost. Josephus (the Roman-Jewish first-century balanced way. Hebrew, the word lev (bl) is often translated as historian) wrote that the Greek army in this meaning ‘kills the strong’. ‘heart’, as it is used in modern Hebrew. In fact, it particular battle consisted of 100,000 footmen, is more accurately understood to refer to the mind. The same is true for emotions. American The next two suggestions are that Maccabee 20,000 horsemen, and 32 elephants. Once they In the Shema (green siddur, p. 68) we assert that Psychotherapist Richard Schwartz developed a (written in Hebrew as M-C-B-I or y-b-k-m) is an were all lost, it was time to reach some kind of we should love G-d bechol levav’cha (Kbbl lkb – system of psychotherapy that recognises each acronym of two different sources. The first is peace agreement with the Jews. Devarim 6:5), a plural usage, literally meaning ‘with emotional part as playing an important role. Mi Camocha Ba’elim Hashem, meaning ‘who is One can only be in control when each emotion all our hearts’. The Talmudic sages understood like you amongst the heavenly powers, G-d’, first However, Antiochus first had to establish a truce this to mean ‘with each of our inclinations’ i.e. both plays its part in a measured and composed way. said by Moshe at the Song of the Sea (Shemot between the Hellenised Jews of the Citadel and The most refined individuals ensure their core good and bad (Berachot 54a). 15:11). The second is Matittyahu Cohen Ben the traditional Jews of the Temple. Josephus ‘self’ is in control of their emotions, which in turn Yochanan, meaning Mattityahu the Priest son of wrote that as the Jews attempted to go up to the These two inclinations are part of the psyche’s helps them to moderate their behaviour in the face Yochanan. Matittyahu was Judah’s father’s name Temple to offer sacrifices, those in the Citadel apparatus used in making decisions and of external emotional threats. and, as the leader of the brothers, he was given would throw rocks at them and attempt to bar moderating emotions. The 11th century Spanish their way. In the next article, we will discuss the his father’s name for posterity. Rabbi, Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Pakuda explains in Some Jewish psychotherapists identify this ‘self’ as the neshamah, the core soul of a human being. fragile peace that was reached. his magnum opus, Chovot HaLevavot (‘Duties of The final suggestion is that during that time it the Mind’) that: “Man is made up of diverse By allowing it to keep was common to give people nicknames based entities and natures which are conflicting and our emotions in check, on their physical appearance or something mutually antagonistic”. Our emotional drives often our behaviour can be distinctive about them. For example, the Roman conflict with our moral or spiritual convictions. elevated to supernatural Judah Maccabee historian Pliny the Elder said that Julius Caesar Our soul is always yearning for Godliness whereas levels, so that in the face depicted in an was so-called because he had been born by of emotional needs, our body desires physical gratification. illustration for the what is known as Caesarean section. So too, desires and external 1553 French Judah’s head was apparently shaped like a In addition, each of our character traits weave stimuli, our responses volume – hammer with a square, jutting-out forehead. together to make up the tapestry of our can be refined and "Promptuarii Iconum personalities. This determines how we respond to virtuous. Insigniorum" The story of the Maccabees, and especially external emotional stimuli. Consequently, the our hero Judah, is a long one. The Maccabean virtue of personal character refinement is viewed wars lasted with skirmishes for some 30 years, as a fundamental part of Jewish practice. In works but the most intense fighting was during the first such as Mishlei (Book of Proverbs) and Pirkei Avot few years. (Ethics of the Fathers), we see examples of what

Bein Adam Lechaveiro Part 14: Tzedaka: Some Background by Rabbi Daniel Fine, Community Rabbi, Stanmore & Canons Park United Synagogue

Answer: those who chop wood and those who draw water

memory of Dovid Moshe Yitzchak InInmemory of Dovid Ben Ben Moshe Yitzchak

In of of Devorah Bat Bat Avraham Inmemory memory Devorah Avraham

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

JUDAISM 59

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ASK THE RABBI Looking for answers? Send your question to asktherabbi@thejewishweekly.com G oing Nuts about Nuts D ear R abbi, I am invited to a friend’ s house for the rst day of osh ashanah. asked if I can bring something and she told me anything so long as it doesn’t have nuts in it. asked whether she was allergic and she e lained sim ly that one doesn’t eat nuts on osh ashanah. didn’t uestion her but in doing my own research I’ ve learnt that this is because the ebre ord for nut has the same numerical value as the ebre ord for sin. think that is such hooey. ike if ’m going to eat the nuts then I am going to get ossessed by a desire to sin. Isn’ t that taking religion over the to and maybe even into the realm of superstition? M arcus D ear Marcus,

These are there to reflect certain realities and generate a greater awareness within oneself. When eating the head of the fish you focus your mind on its representation and whether consciously or subconsciously you find yourself aiming a little higher – to be a head or a leader in your own right and setting. When you eat the pomegranate your mind is drawn toward the greater responsibility incumbent upon you as Jew; just as the fruit is filled with seeds so your life should be filled with doing good deeds. B y the same token when you are conscious at having to avoid nuts – and appreciate the underlying reason, then it is that very awareness which will link your thinking process to being more alert as to the avoidance of misdeed. N eedless to say, there is also a deeper mystical dimension to many of these rituals, but that is beyond the scope of this column.

only a q uarter. The bus company ma es such vast proﬁts, they’ll never miss it.” When his stop came he paused momentarily at the door then handed the q uarter to the driver saying, “Here. Y ou gave me too much change.” The driver looked at him with a smile: “Y ou’re the new Rabbi in town aren’t you ” “ es why ” “Well, I have been doing a lot of thinking about going to services again and contemplating where to pray. I gave you that e tra change on purpose just to see what you would do. See you in Shul on Shabbat Rabbi! ” When the Rabbi stepped oﬀ the bus, he grabbed hold of the nearest pole for support and said aloud to himself: “Dear -d. I almost sold a yid for a q uarter! ” I thin the message is clear.

to determine something that speaks uniq uely to your soul and look to enhance that in your life in the coming year. When the High of the Holydays wears oﬀ you may be inclined to make excuses; remember: success only occurs when your dreams get bigger than your excuses. D on’t wait for the perfect moment. Just take a moment and make it perfect. And even if you lack the self- belief in being able to do great things, that’s also O K. Just do whatever smaller things but in a great way. Wishing you and all readers

a truly happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead. May all our dreams come true!

Follow Rabbi Schochet at: RabbiSchochet.com Twitter: @RabbiYYS Facebook: facebook.com/Rabbiyys.

I Need a Resolution D ear R abbi,

And yet, you will dip your apple, your challah and whatever else into the honey in the hope of having a sweet N ew Y ear. L ike the Tesco bees are going to work their magic for you and make the year go smoothly. P erhaps, if you go for the certified osher honey (that’s the one where the bees have little black yarmulkes on their heads) then you’re guaranteed an even sweeter year. What about the head of the fish Is that going to ensure you get propelled from the mailroom and into the boss’s office If it doesn’t wor , and you don’t become CEO , can you sue the fishmonger I am sure you will have eaten pomegranate on Rosh Hashanah in the past, which you will have been told contains 6 13 seeds symbolising the mitzvoth of the Torah – in order to enhance your own observance. If only it were that simple, right Unless you’re one of those cynics who actually counted the seeds and found there to only be 1 . I now someone who did that, but to his credit he didn’t reject the custom henceforth. He simply decided he would cut 9 5 mitzvoth out of his life. Hooey is only a subjective analysis based on what appeals to your sensibility and what doesn’t. The bottom line however remains that Judaism is replete with custom and ritual that is associated with body language, symbolism etc.

Wanting another A D ear R abbi, am si teen years old and ust restarted school. e are learning about iddush ashem sanctifying -d and to give e am les in the life of a e . kno this is cheating but turned to you once before and scored an A on my essay. o here am ho ing for another one! M alkie

I know this might sound trite, but I am looking for inspiration for a e ear’s resolution. kno it should come from ithin, but being pointed in the right direction might hel . yer

D ear Malkie, es, I remember you. But I didn’t know you got an A. Thanks for telling me! L et’s rephrase shall we. “We” got an A. Kiddush Hashem is a foremost Jewish principle. Wherever a Jew goes – whatever a Jew does – everything a Jew says – he/ she has the very real ability to enhance the image of Judaism and by extension G - d, in the eq uation. Take the following true anecdote as a perfect example: A new Rabbi joined a small community in Texas. He found himself on a bus one day and discovered that the driver had given him an e tra uarter twenty-ﬁve cents) change. He considered what to do: “I should give the uarter bac . It would be wrong to eep it.” Then he thought, “ orget it. It’s

D ear Myer, Y ou remind me of the guy pondering aloud before Rosh Hashanah: “Wow I can’t believe it’s been a year since I didn’t become a better person ” I don’t know you so I can’t tell you what speciﬁcally might work for you. But I can tell you (and all other readers) that you need

Ar e y o u lo n g in g fo r a b a b y th is y e a r? Call the confidential Chana Helpline on 020 8201 5774 or email support@chana.org.uk Chana is here to support you through:

www.chana.org.uk

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Made by Naomi MORDECHAI ULLMANN Handmade jewellery, humorous greeting cards, professional pearl knotting, Shabbat key bracelets, and personalized times table certiﬁcates. Who ties all of the aforementioned together? B ased in L eeds, N aomi D rapkin of Made by N aomi delights in designing bespoke jewellery and crafts. In addition to being a maths teacher by profession, N aomi spends much of her spare time doing what she’s always enjoyed - crafting greeting cards and making jewellery for young and old. Her greeting cards, made by hand, are both standard seasonal and special occasion messages, as well as of a humorous genre including the ever-popular “Keep Calm and...” witticisms.

A Shabbat ke y bracelet

Pearls

Handmade jewellery

Whereas much of the cheaper jewellery available today is made with thin elastic strings, N aomi’s designs have the advantage that they’re done on thicker string, using beads with thicker holes, which ensures a longer lasting product, which is an important factor in the Shabbat ey bracelets. She also insists on avoiding plastic beads; most of the time she uses glass ones and thereby produces lovely matching jewellery.

N aomi also enjoys working with semi- precious stones, especially hand knotting freshwater pearl nec laces. A rethreading re notting service for old jewellery is available as well. N aomi mainly makes things to order, from the ornament designed to match an evening attire to a bespo e clasp for a dress. She has also given small classes to children in simple beading & held a beading evening with the Jewish Womens Circle Seeing friends and associates proudly sporting her mini masterpieces, N aomi describes it as “a thrill” to see her creations enjoyed by others. On her website www.madebynaomi.co.u a selection of her many items for sale are available to view. As Rosh Hashana approaches, more seasonal items including handmade greeting cards will be added. As for the Shabbat ey bracelets, N aomi explains, “people were fed up of elastic belts getting caught on their clothing.” After consulting her Rabbi, she received guidance to create a unique Shabbat bracelet which, besides being a beautiful piece of jewellery, also allows for a ey to be added to the bracelet. The bracelet is enjoyed by both women and men - including her father, she e plains. N aomi thinks these bracelets would make a great present for the Chief Rabbi’s Shabbat UK scheduled for early in the winter. In her role as a school teacher her students have also benefited from her artistic talent. or times table certificates she offered her students times table certificates with a difference! The students chose the design with a plethora of designs that only kids can dream up, so they could have something personal to

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A selection of the greeting cards

treasure. Each year she presents her 11 year old students with commission made ey rings. These are images set in resin onto a rectangular piece of plastic with full colour and understandably the choices ranged from their Rabbi to cartoon images.

What started as a hobby eventually became in aomis words ﬁve years later, “really addictive.” To contact N aomi email her at naomi madebynaomi.com visit her website at www.madebynaomi.co.u or call her on 07 00 62 165

W ould you like to f eature on this p age? Contact us on: oﬃce@thejewishweekly.com

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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Diary of a J ew ish Estate Agent BY WILLIAM SUSMAN MRICS

As I walk into shul and take my seat – near the back to allow me some deep contemplation space and time – I notice in the women’s gallery that it again resembles Royal Ascot with all their new hats and headgear. E tra effort is made at this time of year and whilst the hats, with feathers, bows and all are noticed, my new tie fades into insignificance. This is exactly the same principle we strive to achieve when photographing a property. I t is true to say that the photos for your property when you are marketing it should be like a catwalk for your house to parade itself and get the attention you crave to secure viewings and offers. P reparing your property for marketing should be taken as seriously as you prepare for the N ew Y ear or any other Y om Tov – you (or your home help) clean the house, you lay your table beautifully and ‘ stage’ your home ready for it’s guests. This should be no different when you are trying to sell your home. First impressions count. B efore you even show anyone it is important to agree with your agent how you will prepare the house for marketing. P lease do not be offended if the agent suggests that you remove the 257 pictures of your grandchildren, or works of art by your kids magnetically clinging to your American fridge freezer. I t is the fridge freezer that will help to sell the house, not the budding P ippa P icasso or Robbie Rembrandt. Remember that the agent really has your interests at heart – they want to work with you to get the house looking its best for marketing. They get a lovely house to market and potentially earn their fee and you get a qui cker and hopefully more profitable’ sale. So back to the catwalk that are your property details – it really is true to say that a picture says a thousand words. G etting great pictures is the first step to a successful sale.

We see so many examples of pictures that qui te frankly belong in the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussauds and not on the internet on the ever popular property portals. Really the focus of your lovely kitchen should not be the bin – that you will be taking with you anyhow! Andy D onaldson stumbled across a variety of awful estate agent pictures while looking for a ﬂat in London in 2013 and as a result of that he produced a book Terrible Estate Agent P hotos. Those photos include this house with an interesting downstairs bathroom – its in the utility cupboard with a precariously placed washing machine above it. Then there is the ki tchen that has an outdoor garden table and chairs complete with parasol. O r how about the house with four front doors O r the modern take on the re lace Everyone loves to talk about

property whether they are living in it or investing in it. So when you are sitting in shul pondering the

next topic to talk about with your neighbour after you have discussed

your summer holidays, your children’s academic achievements and

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how well the football season has started then here are a few pointers to make you look like the property expert everyone wants to be. Last month the mar et dipped slightly but this was on the back of modest rises from the previous two months. The annual rate at which prices have been rising is now just 2.1 down from 2. in uly, this is consistent with the signs of cooling in the housing market and the wider economy. The market is set to continue to stagnate for at least another year due to the shortage of homes for sale and to some extent we need to be grateful for this as it is this which is underpinning values and preventing house price falls. The good news is that house prices are still 12 above their 2007 pea . G ood news for the revenue though! Stamp duty revenue hit an all-time high in the year to une of 12. bn. B eware of gazumping which is currently on the rise. This is where a seller accepts an oﬀer from one buyer, only to reject it later in favour of a higher oﬀer from someone else. This is happening due to the shortage of properties and shows the desperate level people will go to in order to secure the property of their dreams. As a buyer you need minimise the chance of this happening to you. Y ou can use exclusivity or lock- out agreements, these can be hard to negotiate so best to meet with the seller and build a rapport. B est advice of all is just to get moving fast and show them you are keen and committed, get your mortgage application completed within a day of agreeing the deal and get a survey booked. Keep in touch constantly with the agent and the seller as communication is everything. Y ou need to do everything to minimise the chances of this happening to you. I f the worst should happen and you get gazumped if you have a good rapport then at least there is

a good chance that the seller will give you the opportunity to match the increased bid. Word of warning, beware when selling and completing the P roperty I nformation Form. A couple from N ewcastle failed to disclose that the property had been flooded and as a result are now being sued by the new owners who want the contract rescinded, their money back and compensation. How did the new owners know that it had flooded previously They loo ed on the sellers Facebook page and saw the photos posted of the flood two years previously. Moral, don’t lie on your sellers forms and be careful what you post on Facebook! inal good news one in 7 Britons are now “millionaires” as a result of the rise in property prices. Wishing you all a happy and healthy N ew Y ear and well over the Fast.

W illiam Susman

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

SPORTS

ONE NATION... ...MANY TEAMS

W E E K LY

Premier League Roundup BY DAN SILVER

Passion, commitment and effort. These three words are the imprint of how to win gritty football matches and words that one should always have in mind whether playing for their Sunday league team or in the Champion’s League inal. Any of the great teams over the last 20 years of the so called modern football revolution, have had players who won’t settle for second place or being victorious in one petty competition rather they’re striving to be real contenders for every cup competition they play in. or e ample, the Manchester United treble winning team of 1 , including many world class players such as David Bec ham, Ryan iggs and the no-nonsense Captain antastic Roy Keane, could’ve been satisfied with winning the Premier League and A Cup. et when they were a goal down in the Champions League inal against Bayern Munich they never gave up and ultimately scored 2 goals in the dying embers of the game to complete their illustrious treble winning season. The reason why Passion, commitment and effort. So when I saw Sadio Mane getting red carded in Liverpool’s game against Man City on Match of the Day, I thought it was a jo e. To me it was a shoc to see Alan

Shearer, MOTD pundit and ewcastle, Premier League and England legend, to agree that Mane should’ve been rescinded as the law states a foul li e the one he committed deserves a red, yet he also said that any stri er would’ve gone for the ball any day of the wee . es, the challenge was a bit ris y but I don’t now any passionate football player who wouldn’t have gone for that ball. Especially considering that if he had ic ed the ball over Ederson, The Man City goal eeper, then he would have been through on goal. evertheless, City went on a rampage after that controversial decision and scored goals to humiliate urgen Klopp’s side and to give themselves confidence going into the first round matches of the Champions League. Eric Ma im Choupo-Moting, one of the greatest names in the premier league since Man City’s new ewish signing Binyamin Mendy, scored twice as Sto e ended Manchester United’s 100 start to the new Premier League season. United, who comfortably beat Basle 3-0 in their first round match of the Champions League on Tuesday, put out a good line up and the Manchester United manager, ose Mourinho, was disappointed with

L iverpool’s Sadio Mane was the subject of a controversial red card over the weeke nd

his team’s lac of ability to ﬁnish their abundance of chances. But as I predicted in my last article defensive mista es cost United. or the ﬁrst goal, Mame Biram Diouf was given too much space to cross and Eric Bailly lost Choupo-Moting in the penalty area and for the hosts’ second, Phil ones stumbled to allow the Cameroon winger to head home unmar ed. United really need to sharpen their defence as although their defensive start to the league was good, it’s only a matter of time before their defence starts to crumble, just li e we saw at the wee end.

Arsenal beat Bournemouth 30, with Danny “Dat guy welbz” Welbec scoring twice, as they returned to their winning ways and prepared for their big Europa league clash against Cologne Hahahaha . Chelsea beat the o es to climb into the top three with ’golo Kante not celebrating scoring against his old club, as they prepare for a title contender match on Sunday against Arsenal and Harry Kane admitted his 100th goal for Tottenham was a ﬂu e but was delighted to reach the milestone in his side’s ruthless 3-0 win over Everton at oodison Par . But the biggest losers over the

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wee end were indefinitely Crystal Palace. Having lost their first three games and performing terribly whilst they do so, ran De Boer, Crystal palace’s manager at the time , was under scrutiny and new he had to turn up against Burnley to find that first win otherwise he’d be out of a job. Palace played good football and finally started seeing sense to their new formation that their manager was so eager to wor with, but the inevitable came. Burnley scored the only goal of the game as Palace slumped to a fourth victory in as many games. This meant ran De Boer, who managed Inter Milan before being appointed at Selhurst Par , was sac ed and now has been replaced with one of England’s greatest managers ever... Roy Hodgson. Palace, I wish you good luc .

Roy Hodgson has take n over at Crystal Palace

The winners this wee was definitely ewcastle United as they earned a second successive Premier League win as Captain amaal Lascelles proved their match-winner in attac and defence at Swansea City. A uite boring first half was livened up by a number of chances at both ends in the second half and Tammy Abraham was a whis er away from giving Swansea the lead but, after he rounded visiting goal eeper Rob Elliot, his shot was superbly cleared off the line by Lascelles. The ewcastle centre-bac then rose highest from a Matt Ritchie corner to score the game’s only goal with a thumping header. ewcastle United’s manager, the great Rafael Benitez, was nowhere to be seen on the touchline as the Spaniard was recovering from surgery to deal with an infection from a hernia operation two years ago. This made the victory even more incredible considering that ewcastle, who didn’t really have a brilliant transfer window, won their first away win in the Premier League since 201 which sees the Magpies climb up to 10th in the table, while the Swans slip to 1 th. With many pundits tipping ewcastle to go down at the beginning of the season, this win solidified their status as a top team in the premier league, who have one of the best fans in the world and are loo ing on course to bring bac the good old days of the early 2000’s when they were challenging for the title I hope

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

a lin Salford B lue Jays CC fell just short of winning promotion as they lost on the penultimate ball of Thursday’s ﬁnal. Winning the toss gave Captain Rob D ietz a headache and his decision to bat ﬁrst soon loo ed to have been an error. Wic ets fell

SPORTS 63

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lue a s bes ed in pla o uic ly as Chorlton bowled accurately and Salford struggled to get the ball across the wet outﬁeld. O nly Ross B loomberg (18) , Jonny Wineberg (13) and Jamie B enjamin (10) reached double ﬁgures before last man Sam P hillips was run out by a direct

The team!

hit from near the boundary as he tried to ma e a two. Salford ended up on 63, not using over 4 of their 1 overs. The total loo ed to be an easy as until a superb low catch from I ndy Samra at mid- on followed by onny Wineberg 2 for 14 off 2 overs ta ing out middle stump had Chorlton at for 2 off the first over. Chorlton then consolidated but Salford’s bowlers ept the pressure on. amie Benjamin 1 for 10 off 3 overs , Ross Bloomberg 0 for 7 off 3 overs and Sam Phillips 0 for 10 off 2.4 overs bowled tightly and were bac ed up by Rob Dietz 2 for 13 off 3 overs . Chorlton needed 4 to win from the last over and scrambled the last run off the penultimate ball. With the weather washing out Sunday’s final MACL match, this proved to be the last match of

Manchester Maccabi U- 1 5 v Marple Athletic

a good season for the Blue ays. N ets will start again later in the year and anyone wishing to join the team can email salfordbluejays gmail.com.

nal

Salf ord B lue Jays CC, 63 All Our af ter 10.1 ove rs Chorlton Challengers 64 f or 5 af ter 14.4 ove rs V enue: Parrs Wood Sports G round

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64 COMMUNITY

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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1 ,067 Je w ish teens enj oy a summer of education and f un in Israel BY DAVID SAFFER

Caption

other connections to I srael, as well as my own.” G roups visited numerous commemorative sites. “I was moved to learn about the inspirational stories of the Holocaust and about those who survived and those who help to save so many,” said Z oe Rosenberg. “Tour has not changed my view on I srael, as I already knew it was a strong country, but I did see and understand some of the hard things I sraelis have to live with on a daily basis.” Z oe added that rafting down the Jordan River, climbing Masada and sleeping under the stars at G adna were really enjoyable. P articipants travel south to the N egev for an overnight B edouin experience and hike up Masada to see the sunrise. They also visit the D ead Sea. At Sde B oker, groups hear about Israel’s ﬁrst Prime Minister, David

“The Western Wall was also special and hikes were challenging but enjoyable.” “I appreciate the country more and what people went through for the State of I srael,” said Y asmin Smith, who particularly liked visiting the Knesset and canoeing. “Tour is about making sure you get as involved as possible because the time goes very qui ckly and you don’t want to miss out on anything.” “I now know the meaning of the history of the Jewish people,” commented X enia Towers. “I saw so many things I did not expect and there were many highlights especially going to the Western Wall and D ead Sea. “Tour is a chance to have the time of your life and is a once in a lifetime experience.” For participants visiting Jerusalem and The Western Wall is always a priority. Another outstanding outing in the capital city is the City of D avid water tunnels tour. From Haifa and the B ahai G ardens to D aliyat al- Karmel, the largest D ruze population in I srael, there is plenty to take in. “Connection is something I have learned a lot about on tour,” said Roni Altman. “Whereas visiting the Western Wall helped reaﬃrm my own connection, exploring the B ahai G ardens and D ruze hospitality helped me better understand

I srael Experience tours trekked over 25,0 00km during the summer. Ten movements from the ‘ Class of 2017 ’ including B nei Akiva, Ezra, and Tribe took part in schemes organised by the Jewish Agency and supported by UJI A. Criss- crossing the length and breadth of I srael a total of 1,067 sixteen- yearolds enjoyed a plethora of action packed activities. P articipants visited historic sites of Jewish significance, met I sraelis from all walks of life and learnt about the history of Z ionism. They Caption also put in 1,800 hours volunteering and engaged in informal education across the country. “I srael Tour is critical for three central reasons,” said Michael Wegier, C EO UJI A. “I t connects young B ritish Jews to the people of I srael, it strengthens their attachment to Jewish civilisation and it builds lifelong friendships with peers. “Together with our partnership with Jewish youth movements and

organisations, our educational and ﬁnancial support for the movements and organisations is the bedrock of our I srael engagement work.” “I srael tour does happen every year but we mustn’t take it for granted,” added D ebra G reen, UJI A I srael Experience head of programmes. “At a time when young people have a different relationship to I srael than previous generations we need to make sure we are offering each person the chance to forge a truly personal connection and the wide array of youth movements make this possible.” For participants, tour has a deep impact on their Jewish identity. “Tour was an amazing experience, I am more connected to I srael and really enjoyed making new friends,” said Jade Susman. “G oing to Y ad V ashem was particularly special because I had a connection as my great grandmother survived the Holocaust so it was really emotional.

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B en- G urion’s impact on I sraeli history. And aside from hiking opportunities, teens visit Rosh Hanikra on the border between I srael and L ebanon where they hear about the history between the two nations. “I t was surreal to be looking over into L ebanon and learning about the history, especially in an area under conflict just over a decade ago,” noted Millie B ard. Journeying to Mount Meron offers spectacular views of the G olan, G alilee and Hula V alley, whilst the ancient city of Tzfat, one of the holiest cities in I srael, is always popular. “I t was interesting to see how different types of udaism come together and to hear other people’s views on what Judaism means to them,” commented Sam Steinberg. Away from history, fun times are never far away especially when it comes kayaking down the Jordan River where groups brave rapids and a banana boat ride on L ake Kinneret. L eadership workshops also take place to develop teamwork challenges. B ut history is a key objective in terms of educational aims and Mount Herzl offered tours a chance to learn about the lives and pay respect to Y itzchak Rabin, I D F soldiers and Theodore Herzl, the founder of modern Z ionism. G roups revel in bustling Tel Aviv and a visit to historic affa a short distance away, while different Shabbat activities offer special moments. “There was an atmosphere around the group throughout the whole day but my favourite part was the Havdalah service, it was so spiritual,” said L etitia Ross. Tour might be over for this year but plans are already afoot for the ‘ Class of 2018’ .

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

J ew ish Weekly & The ewish Wee ly is delighted to be partnering with the ewish Volunteering etwor , the leading provider of volunteers for the ewish community. With over 7000 people having used V to find their perfect volunteering opportunity, we believe it is the ideal platform from which to enhance the culture of volunteering within our synagogues, schools, charities, hospitals and beyond. V is a small charity, ma ing a tremendous impact. Hundreds of charities use the state of the art V website to promote their volunteering opportunities in order to attract the right volunteers. The website matches people’s skills, interests and availability to opportunities from which the charity and the volunteer will gain the most benefit. V is more than just a connecting service. I t also creates innovative and unique programmes to facilitate volunteering for different groups with diverse needs and abilities. O ur supported volunteering programme was established in partnership with the Barnet Wellbeing Hub to provide mentors

to assist individuals with mental health challenges to ta e part in the full volunteering experience. O ur Bnei Mitzvah programme wor s with charities to develop bespo e and age appropriate opportunities for groups of 11- 14 year olds from various communities, giving them an introduction to volunteering – an essential part of ewish life. V has recently launched their S ills Matching service that enables people to offer their unique expertise and experience in their specialist area, from which charities can identify those individuals who can fulfil their specific re uirements. One of the most remar able features about the charity is its willingness to partner with other organisations across the ewish and wider community to achieve their shared objectives. V wor s in close collaboration with the ewish Leadership Council through L ead, to build good practice in charity governance throughout the sector with Caritas Westminster, the charity arm of the Catholic Church, to create ground- breaking opportunities for people of different faiths to come

J V N

together through social action programmes and Middlese University to connect the ewish community to their pioneering student placement programme. V is celebrating 10 years of e ponential growth which this year culminated in it receiving the prestigious ueen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the e uivalent of an MBE for charity sector organisations. Together with V , the leading volunteer charity in our community, we want to showcase some of the wonderful volunteers that give their time so generously to good causes. We will discover what ma es them tic , what they get out of volunteering, as well as understand how they ma e their own mar on the charity sector. We will learn more about their role and the charities for which they volunteer. Over the ne t few months we will feature a number of volunteers who will share their stories with you. We hope they inspire you to start your own journey of volunteering by visiting the V website and embarking on an e perience that will change your life.

& Volunteer Spotlight MIKE BODA After taking early retirement from a long career in I T, I decided to split my time between voluntary work and consulting. I wanted if possible to make use of my s ills and e perience to beneﬁt the wider community. I came across the V website and applied for a role with A R helping holocaust survivors to use computers. I found that I met some e tremely interesting people doing this who beneﬁted a lot from these new s ills and I have continued in this role. V also introduced me to TA where I

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helped with managing a project which brought IT s ills to children in Africa. V as ed for help managing their website and I currently perform this role for them. This has enabled me to learn new s ills, wor with a variety of interesting people and use my e perience where it can really ma e a diﬀerence. My e perience volunteering so far has proved very rewarding and I believe I have got more out of it than any other organisations that I have volunteered for.

Think Volunteering, Think JVN www.jvn.org.uk info@jvn.org.uk 020 8203 6427 @JVN_org_uk THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

Re-Live The Joy 07957 370 602 • 020 8951 0216 Godfrey Dyan simchavideo@hotmail.com

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Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech This w eek w e have a double portion. In Parshat Nitz avim, Moshe tells the Je w ish people some very important things that w e should learn. Je w ish Unity - Every single person in the w orld is important to Hashem and he exp lains the importance of unity and looking af ter our f ellow Je w . The Future Redemption he e ish people sin he ill be punished and ha e o su er in e ile How ever, one day they w ill realise their w rong doings and turn to Hashem, w ho w ill bring them back to the land of Israel. At this time, everyone w ill only w ant to do good and there w ill be no more evil in the w orld. This is called the time of Mashiach, the f uture redemption. The Torah is Achievable - It of ten f eels very hard to keep all the law s in the Torah as there are so many things w e must do and so many w e shouldn’ t do, but Hashem told us to keep the Torah because w e really can! Free choice - There is good and bad in the w orld and the Torah tells us the good path to f ollow , but w e need to make the choice to be good. So make the right choice- choose Torah! In Parshat V ayelech w e hear about the last day of Moshe’ s lif e. He passed aw ay at exac tly 120 years old, as he died the same day he w as born w hich w as the 7t h of Adar. Moshe knew he w ill not be able to enter into the land of Israel and he gives over the leadership to Y ehoshuah (Jos hua). He then i es o er a orah scroll ha he nished ri in , o he e i e i es o pu in he rk Moshe tells them to read f rom this Torah scroll once in every seven years on the f estival of Sukkot. This w ill be in the year af ter Shemittah (Hakhel), w hen everyone w ill gather together in the B eis Hamikdash (Holy temple) and hear the King read f rom the Torah. The Parshah ends w ith telling us that although there w ill be times w hen the Je w s w ill turn aw ay f rom Hashem and the Torah, eventually, them or their children w ill turn back to Torah and it w ill never truly be f orgotten.

START Can you help B enj y and Sarah reach the Torah?

END

Arts and Crafts

Hand Stencilled mug

You will need

• A plain w hite mug • Contact papers • A printed shape; simple shapes are best, but you could alw ays try personalising w ith the recipient’ s initials. • Scissors • Ceramic paint or permanent marker

Method 1. Print your desired shape and cut it out. If its symmetrical f old it in half . 2. Fold a piece of contact paper in half and line the f old of the contact up w ith the f old of the shape. Cut around it and discard. Y ou’ ve j ust created your stencil! 3. Peel the backing tape caref ully onto the contact paper and stick it onto the mug. It can easily rip so do it slow ly. Press it dow n and smooth it over. 4. ain or colour in i h our arker ake o he s en cil and leave it to dry. Follow instructions on the paint packaging. If you’ ve used the pen, once it’ s dry, place it in an oven, turn it on and leave it f or around 40 mins. er ards, urn o he o en and le he u cool do n his a he pain on peel o THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

CUT OUT & KEEP

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THE JEWISH WEEKLY

TO CREATE YOUR VERY OWN JEWISH WEEKLY RECIPE BOOK

No Bake Smirk Slice

Ingredients: • 2 c up milk chocolate melts • 145 g s mooth peanut butter • 20 g w hite marshmallow s • 1 1/ 2 c up icing sugar

• 40 g Je rsey caramels • 1/ 2 c up double cream • 1/ 2 c up peanuts

Method: 1. .2 3. .4 5. 6. .7

ine a c c slice in i h bakin paper Put 1 c up of the chocolate melts plus 3 t ablespoons of the peanut butter into a heatproof bow l. Put it in the microw ave f or one minute, mix i t and then heat it f or another 20 s econds. Pour the mixt ure into a pan and heat f reez e until set. Place marshmallow ’ s in a clean bow l and microw ave f or about a minute or until melted add in ¼ c up peanut butter and the icing sugar and stir Stir the marshmallow mixt ure w ith a w ooden spoon until it all combines to or a s ick dou h ress he dou h on o he op o he rs chocola e la er prinkle peanu s on o ha la er and press he in i h our n ers Melt the caramel and cream in a pan over a medium heatuntil its all smooth and mixe d together. Pour onto the sticky marshmallow layer. Freez e until set. Melt the remaining peanut butter in the microw ave. Pour the melted chocolate over the set caramel layer. . Put in the f ridge f or about 15 m inutes, or until set, then cut into bars and eat!

Did you know? Fun facts 11% of people are left handed.

August is the month with the most amount of births.

Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries

85% of plant life is found in the ocean.

A lobster’s blood is colourless but when exposed to oxygen it turns blue.

The Hawaiian alphabet has 13 letters

The longest recorded flight of a chicken was 13 seconds.

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THE JEWISH WEEKLY

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

Confessions of a spoon

By Chaya Sandle

very year he f aithf ully did his duty. Never w avering, never straying f rom his post, never even tempted to betray his sacred duty. No matter how hard the j ob, Harvey never gave up. He strained under the w eight of the honey under his back and he w ould not sink in. He resisted the pull of the sticky goo pulling him in and remained upright. He w as a loyal spoon. From the speciality spoon division, honey regiment, he had arrived ea er and uali ed ssi ned o a pos , i had been a struggle to contain his exc itement on the a ho e ro he shop c uall , hen his bo w as open he had leaped out, giving his f amily q uite shock. Since then, he resigned never to scare them, to stand by their side and serve them f aithf ully. He w as a good spoon. B alanced and lightw eight, the Hirshes didn’ t know w hat they had done bef ore he came into their lives. He never stole a lick of honey, he never collapsed f rom exh austion and he never, ever ade he sh around in the honey pot f or him. He w as an

old spoon. Many years of service had Harvey seen. His once eager brilliance had rusted and he could use a polish truth be told. It w as many years since he had earned his SS (stainless steel) stamp. The letters w ere f aded. He w as a ex- spoon. He w as a spoon replaced. He w as a spoon rej ected and throw n aw ay. He w as an angry spoon. He w as a spoon that w as going to get revenge. le arri ed all lea in and bea in nd o the sw eet surprise of all the other cutlery, Harvey as he rs o ree hi , he ook le under his w ings and proclaimed himself the w ise sage w ho ould uide le o his des in ela le , ou ll be rea “W ere you ever nervous bef ore you w ere used le chuckled an a oon ago, I used to tremble and q uake bef ore the High Holy days, w hen I w ould be called upon f or active duty, but I have seen many cutlery come and go and many a seeming disaster turn out to be nothing. The Hirshes are great. Y ou ha e no hin o orr abou hanks ar e e e ber, he lo e shin or ou, keep allin in and he ll lo e ou ro n creased le s s oo h s eel sur ace

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re ou sure, his con radic s all as rained o do is en o an e perienced hone spoon le , they taught you theory, the text books, I’ m teaching you real lif e, the Hirshes. Now smile and listen out f or Jos h’ s j okes, they’ ll tempt you o ac uall lau h ou loud “O oh no, I don’ t w ant to go to Cutlary Clink, he in a ous cu ler prison ou ll be ne ere e o r ra her here ou o no or lon ar e didn e pec o see le un il he end of Rosh Hashanah. Field w ork w as long and tough and usually included spending a night in he sink e le as uncere oniousl du ped into the draw er and Harvey pulled out, af ter only a f ew hours! Sucked straight into the action usuall eld ork had a debrie n period as he table w as set, and the j ug w ould give some inspirational speech) he barely had time to process. What had he done? e had los le he ob, or ha adn he been young and idealistic once? Hadn’ t he once been lo al le could do a be er ob han he, bu ore han ha , he ears on le s ace Until now he had thought he w as doing the right thing. B ut now he knew w ith certainty w hat o do e had o i e le a second chance e had o e red once a ain o here oes

The End

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THE JEWISH WEEKLY

Parasha Nitzavim - Vayelech In a Nutshell This week we read a double portion. I n parshat N etzavim are some of the most fundamental principles of Judaism. The unity of I srael: We stand together with every Jew, young, old, the water drawer to the wood cutter. The future redemption: Moshe warns the Jewish people of the exile, t hat they will scatter around the world

and abandon G - d’s laws but prophesises that G - d will gather them together in the end and bring them to the land of their forefathers.

Freedom of choice: G - d gave us the gift of free choice. We can choose between good and bad, and we choose to keep the Torah.

leadership to Y ehoshua and concludes writing the Torah in a scroll which he entrusts to the L evites to look after in the Ark.

The practicality of Torah: We can all keep the Torah’s mitzvahs if we try. He tells them, ‘ I t is not in Heaven…I t is not across the sea..Rather, it is very close to you, in your mouth, in your heart, that you may do it.’

I n the next portion, P arshat V ayelech we recount what happened to Moshe on his last day on earth. He tells the people, ‘ I am one hundred and twenty years old today.’ ‘ I can no longer enter into the Holy L and.’ He gives over the

The mitzvah of H ak’ hel (“gather” ) is given. O nce in seven years, during the festival of Su ot of the ﬁrst year of the shemittah cycle all of the Jewish people should come together at the B eit Hamikdash (Holy Temple)

in Jerusalem, where the king should read to them from the Torah. V ayelech ends with the prediction that the people of I srael will stray from their covenant with G d, causing Him to hide His f ace from them, but also with the promise that the words of the Torah “shall not be f orgotten out of the mouths of their descendants.”

5 super smoothies you need to try

TROPICAL GREEN DETOX SMOOTHIE This green detox s moothie recipe is loaded w ith a ton of antioxi dants, vitamin- rich greens and tastes ref reshing and delicious. Thanks to the natural sw eetness f rom the pineapple and green grapes AND the ref reshing z ing f rom the lemon and ginger, it doesn’ t taste like you are drinking all those greens. Ju st w hiz those f our ingredients together f or a healthy, tasty treat.

PEAR MANGO GREEN SMOOTHIE

This sw eet, creamy and healthy Mango G reen Smoothie is f ull of vitamins and tastes like a tropical vacation. Only 5 i ngredients, and kids love it too! Add a pear, f roz en mango, some spinich, kale and a cup of w ater.

SKINNY ORANGE DREAM This ref reshing smoothie tastes w onderf ul and it’ s f ull of V itamin- C. Add three oranges, vanilla soy milk and add sw eeteners to taste.

STRAWBERRY RASPBERRY MANGO SMOOTHIE

This smoothie recipe is so easy to make, delicious to drink and nutritious and satisf ying to your body. It’ s naturally sw eet f rom the straw berries, raspberries and mango and has that added protein f rom the coconu crea o help ll ou up

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BLUEBERRY BLACKBERRY KALE SMOOTHIE

This great tasting and ref reshing smoothie is not only packed w ith a ton of antioxi dants f rom the berries, it’ s also got a sneaky serving of kale w hich you can’ t taste at all (pinky sw ear). Combine Wild B lueberries, Straw berries, Red Raspberries, Mango and some seeds of your choice f or an ext ra crunch.

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

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News Bites GRANDMOTHER WAKES UP TO FIND TOWN TAKEN OVER BY COWS

OLYMPIC GAMES: PARIS & LA TO HOST 2024 & 2028 P aris and L os Angeles have been named as hosts of the 2024 and 2028 summer G ames respectively by the I nternational O lympic Committee. B oth cities had wanted to host the 2024 event, before L A agreed to wait an extra four years after the

This is the upsetting scene which greeted a 61- yearold grandmother when she opened her curtains on Sunday morning. I nstead of a sleepy street with people wandering on their way to the shops, Janis Wilson saw 40 cows walking

I O C made guarantees on funding. The P aris G ames, which had fallen short with bids for 2008 and 2012, will mark 100 years since it was last held in the French capital. L os Angeles hosted it in 1932 and 1984.

across her neighbours’ gardens, bumping into cars causing general havoc in Bollington. Officers attended, where they helped to ensure all the cows were herded bac into the field. Police confirmed that no one was injured.

FINN THE DOG IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR IN CANADIAN CITY

STORM AILEEN: WINDS BRING TRAVEL DISRUPTION I f you feel politics is devoid of Strong winds have caused travel disruption and power cuts across parts of the country. Aileen, the first named storm this season, has now eased away but caused problems on rail routes and left thousands without power overnight. The Met Office said gusts of 74m ph hit Mumbles Head in south Wales, with southern parts of northern England and the north Midlands also badly affected. L orry drivers and motorcyclists were warned of the risk of being blown over. Throughout the morning, rail travellers faced slower journeys

leaders with enough bite to get things done, then maybe this Canadian city has the answer. inn, a ﬁve-year-old Australian cattle dog, is running for mayor of St John’s in N ewfoundland. B ut although he announced his candidacy through a campaign video, sadly, Finn’s name won’t appear on the ballot paper on September 26. I nstead, it was a stunt by his owner G lenn Redmond, an animal trainer and stunt performer. I n fact, Finn is no stranger to the camera having appeared in the hit movie Maudie and TV show Republic of D oyle before. G lenn believes his campaign

and cancellations, but services now seem to be returning to normal. O n its website, N ational Rail said falling trees and large branches, power cuts and debris blown onto the trac s had caused diﬃculties. At its height, the storm cut power to 60,000 homes in Wales - some for 10 minutes, others for several hours

video, created by G arry Smyth, draws attention to issues such as potholes and snow clearing. He told the Toronto Sun: “Finn’s a tireless worker. All cattle dogs are. He’s my buddy more so than

Dear Agony Uncle Joey

K EEP CALM AND ASK AGONY AUNT MIA AND AGONY UNCLE J OEY

The Je w ish Weekly’ s Teen Agony Aunt and Agony Uncle are here to help w ith all your q uestions, problems and difficul ies us ri e our le er o a on aun he e ish eekl co or a on uncle he e ish eekl co D isclaimer: All letters that are published may be edited. All letters are ept confidential and names can be changed for confidentiality upon reque st.

I really like to listen to music loudly at home but my parents get really annoyed with me because they say it disturbs them. If I turn it down, I don’t enjoy it that much and can’t hear it well anyway because all my siblings are making a noise. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks,

via a USB port and you can move around wherever you’d like to, whether its inside or outside and still be able to listen to your favourite tunes. Try not to make the volume too high, as it can lead to hearing loss. Check out different prices online, to get the best offer! I hope this will be a great help to you and that you can continue listening to all your tunes. Uncle Joey.

Sammy. Dear Sammy, It’s so nice that you enjoy listening to music, its great for the soul! I must say however, that because my friends’s choice of music is very different to mine, when they play it loudly it can also make my ears ring! Fortunately, I’ve discovered a fabulous solution for you! You can buy cordless headphones for most modern music systems, which are plugged in

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anything but he’s trained for a bunch of diﬀerent behaviours, so we just decided to create some roles for him,” said Redmond, referring to the dog’s latest role as mayoral candidate.

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D Thames o w n

Q 1st

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THE JEWISH WEEKLY

Midday

Q) Did your hear about the man with a broken left arm and broken left leg?

Stand I

Saucer SOIL u St. Pancras p

A) Don’t worry he’s “ALRIGHT” now!

Q ) Why did the school kids eat their homew ork? A) B ecause their teacher told them it w as a piece of cake!

(Answers at the bottom of page upside down)

h is e er an al a s in A) B ecause he ne erlands

1. What room do ghosts avoid? nock, knock Who’ s there? Shof ar. Shof ar w ho? Shof ar so good!

ake a a rs le er, and s ill sound he sa e ake a a las le er, s ill sound he sa e en ake a a le er in he iddle, ill s ill sound he sa e a a e letter w ord. What am I? 2.

3. Charcoal. 1. he li in roo

o n b he i erside i h oon nders and irs in he ue unc ion nder round rain a ion

Dingbats Answers THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

2. Empty.

ha is black hen ou bu i , red hen ou use i , and ra hen ou throw it aw ay?

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YOUTH 73

Something new

BY CHAYA SANDLER Why does it always rain heavily and you think like, it’s gonna rain all day and I ’m gonna be drenched and my hair is gonna be ruined and uch today will be horrible- I ’m wearing black! And then when you have your funeral appropriate attire on, the sun wakes up and decides to party? Whatever, anyway, let me get to the point, I ’m a bit rubbish at that, I go on and on and on and never even notice that my point is getting- oh. There I go again. The point was or is perhaps, grammar, not my bestie, that this was the weather that fateful day. O ooh, atmospheric, I like that one. So I was merrily contemplating all kinds of weird weather conundrums, when I got home and found the door hanging ajar. N ot wide open like we’d just been robbed, but creepily not closed, as if someone had gone in and just didn’t have the energy to close the door properly. Spooky, right? Ever sometimes get a sense of foreboding, premonition type feelings? I went in gingerly and found everyone in ﬂoods of tears. My grandmother had died. So, we deal with our grief, have a funeral and move on, right? Well apparently it turned out that we call the Rabbi. The Rabbi. Kind of a shock when your parents hadn’t bothered to mention that you were Jewish. There I was, standing beside my G randmothers grave and a Rabbi is saying psalms and talking about what an amazing person she was… .. what a good Jew she was. I didn’t want to distress my mother when her mother had just died, but I couldn’t contain myself. After the funeral, I asked her what on earth was going on. When I say ask, it may have been slightly more confrontational then that. We kind of argued. A lot. I don’t

remember everything that was said, or maybe I don’t want to. I don’t really know why I care. Why was it so important to me? Whatever, basically I may have sort of stormed out the house yelling something about finding answers from people who aren’t conniving liars. And so I ended up here. Why am I here? I don’t know. I just…. . needed somewhere to go and you were the Rabbi at the funeral and I guess a Rabbi knows a bit more than I do. About what? I don’t know, answers I guess. I don’t know what answers, j ust answers! I told you, I don’t have specific uestions What is that supposed to mean? ! .....are you going to sit there until I answer you? D on’t nod at me like that! What? ! Just nod normally, oh my gosh this is so ridiculous! ine, o fine, maybe I do have so many uestions I don’t now where to start. Rosh Hashanah? What’s that? Y ou mean, new year, new start type of thing? I like that. Wait, I can change everything? B e anything I want? Wait, w hat? Um, let me get this straight. Correct me if I ’m wrong… you’re telling me that this Rosh Hashanah thing is like a new Creation and I could decide to become a totally different me, but only a new me, like I can’t suddenly gain a gorgeous singing voice or a smart brain. Cool, s o how do I tap into that? What? ? I am not praying for hours in a synagogue. N o. N o way. I am listening, but all I can hear is the sound of my brain snoring! Maybe. Whatever. We’ll see ..o fine.

Stop staring at me like that, it’s worse than your nods! ----------------------------------------------------Mali walked straight past the Rabbi’s house. She did want to go in, she had accepted his invitation, but, not uite yet. She decided to circle the block. For the 3r d time. Ever since the bombshell two weeks earlier of her apparent Jewishness, Mali had felt uneasy. L ike there was this void she had never known existed dormant within her, and now it had become a black hole, sucking all else into it and demanding to be sated. et she had no idea what to ﬁll it with. Did she want to know more about being Jewish? She almost wished she had never found out. Maybe. And maybe not. B ut maybe yes. So she turned around and rang the bell. Well, that was a faux- pas. Still, at least the Rabbi was nice about it. “D ip the apple in the honey…” A little girl, 4, perhaps 5 years old, with bouncy chocolate curls , in a little pink and red dress with pretty white shoes, was running around singing the ditty. How could dipping an apple in honey make a difference to anything? ! Mali realised a second too late that she had spoken out loud. The Rabbi smiled

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and they began to debate. Half an hour later, Mali’s cheeks rivalled the sunset when she realised how long – and loudly- she had been arguing. “Well, you’re deﬁnatly Jewish, you ask a lot of uestions. How about we make it even more Jewish and eat as well? ” They all stood up for something called Kiddush, which sounded like Japanese to Mali, and so she tuned out. Her mind wandered, peacefully this time. A pleasant meander in the sunshine rather than a stomp through a monsoon. “D ip the apple in the honey…” She was dipping her toes into something new and wasn’t yet sure if she liked the sensation or not. D ip the apple in the honey and sweeten a year….. Mali had never liked honey. Too sweet, too troublesome, too sickly. O nce, when she was 3, she had climbed onto the side, yanked open the cupboard and by the time her mother discovered her, she had slurped up an entire bottle. She spent the entire night throwing up. N ever again had she ever touched honey. Too troublesome, but if eaten correctly, maybe it would be diﬀerent. N ew year, new start. I can be anything. I can even be a honey person. THE END

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W oman of W orth Brenda Goldberg and Miriam Wolinsky ‫ֵֽא ׁ ֶשת ַֽחיִ ל ִמי יִ ְמ ָצא‬ This week the Je wish W eekl y is highlighting the achievements of not one, but two W omen of W orth. B oth B renda G oldberg and Miriam W olinsk y have been given the W oman of the Y ear award in recognition of their voluntary work through the W oodside Park Synagogue. B renda and Miriam and have been members of Woodside P ark Synagogue for many years, and they are actively involved in many different areas of the community. B renda has been responsible for running the ‘ Woodside P ark Cares’ welfare group for over 2 years. The group is a voluntary chesed organisation which provides informal care and help by members. Many older members of the community rely on the group for help with transportation to and from specific social clubs as well as shopping, and for some who are housebound, B renda also arranges for members of the community to visit them at home. ‘ Woodside P ark Cares’ also organises monthly tea parties on the first Tuesday of each month, which are hosted at a community member’s home. It is a way to bring people together, and to engage with members who may not necessarily come to shul regularly, but still want to be involved in the community. ust before om Tov, the group also organises a ring- around of elder synagogue members to ensure that they are well, and honey cake will be delivered to senior members of the community before Rosh Hashonah. Any issues relating to welfare that someone may see, are fed back to B renda and if necessary, ewish Care can be involved in helping with individual cases. B renda is helped by the rest of her team, and recognises how hard everyone works to make it a success. “This is not just about me, and I feel that this award is not just for me, but for the whole Woodside Par Cares team.” Miriam’s involvement with WP S began when she

moved to the area after getting married. She has been involved in organising the community lunches that take places at the synagogue including Shabbat UK lunches and seudas. Along with D anielle B rull, who is the chair of the ‘ L adies of Woodside P ark committee’, they are responsible for organising catering, decorating the room, and arranging the tables for these events. Although it can be hard wor , Miriam enjoys being able to help in this way, and when people have a good time, that makes it all worthwhile in her opinion. “It’s really nice when people get in touch with you after an event and tell you what a good job you have done, and how much they have enjoyed it. It is nice to now that people appreciate what you are doing.” Miriam is also involved in the service committee, which meets throughout the year, often before om Tovim to share feedbac and suggestions from the women within the community about the services. She has also helped visiting non- ewish groups to the synagogue follow services, and learn more about the synagogue. The Woman of the ear award is the female eq uivalent of the Chatanim awards received by two male members of the community at Simchat Torah. N ominations for the award are put forward anonymously by members of the community, with the synagogue’s honorary officers ma ing the final decision. The shul has been running the awards for many years, and recipients are invited to a lunch held at the synagogue in their honour on Shemini Atzeret. B oth B renda and Miriam believe that volunteering is very important, and that it is something that not only benefits those that are being helped but is also very rewarding for the volunteers themselves. Brenda e plains, “It really gives me a buzz, and a feeling of e citement nowing that I am doing something worthwhile. V olunteers really do make the world go round.” or Miriam, having grown up in a religious household, her and her family were always very connected

to their local community. “I grew up being very community minded. My father was a Rabbi, so we were always involved in helping people, and I just suppose I carried this on when I had my own family. I li e being busy, and helping others gives me something bac too”. B renda and Miriam both were very humbled to receive the award, but are very grateful to be given such an honour by their community. Brenda commented “I am really surprised to receive this award, and don’t know what I have really done to deserve it. I am just doing what I do, it is very nice to be appreciated and honoured”. Miriam had just returned from holiday, when she was made aware of the accolade, “Being nominated for this award is really une pected. I am really honoured to be given this award, and really delighted to be sharing the honour with B renda, who works so hard within the community”. As well as helping at the synagogue, both women are also involved in various other ewish organisations. Miriam has been working part time for the past 8 years on the ewish Care helpline, which she really enjoys. Brenda serves on the board of the ewish Military Museum as a trustee, and also on the council of the ews Temporary Shelter wor ing with housing organisations to

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give grants for people in need of housing across London. “I really enjoy being involved in these organisations, and feel they are worthwhile causes, which often do not get the support or recognition they Miriam W olinsky B renda G oldberg deserve for what they do within the community”. Woodside Par , I felt very much Although both women are at home from the beginning. I now very much involved in liked that it felt like much more the Woodside P ark community, of a provincial congregation who both B renda and Miriam are really looked after, and cared for not originally from the area. each other”. B renda, originally hales from D ebra Morris, the Chairman of South Africa, whereas Miriam the shul board, told the ewish grew up in ewcastle. They Weekly how pleased she was both believe that the community that B renda and Miriam had spirit of the Woodside P ark received this honour. “Brenda congregation is something very and Miriam both donate many special. Brenda feels that WPS hours of their time in a very is a very joined up’ community q uiet and unassuming way to in its outloo . “I feel li e the our community. They both community are very connected really deserve their awards and there are lots of volunteers at for what they have done for the shul helping out on so many our community, and the wider diﬀerent organisations. Without community. It is a pleasure to volunteers many of the activities know them both, and they truly and events just could not wor . deserve this”. Miriam e plains “Coming from N ewcastle to a community like

If you would like to nominate a ‘ Woman O f Worth’ to be featured on this page then please email micaela@ thej ewishweekly.com

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WOMEN 75

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

LOUISE LEVENTHAL - THE MILLINERY BOUTIQUE F or many women, b uying a hat can b e a dif c lt t sk t o ise e e th l ho es th t he si ess he illi e y o ti e c m ke the e e ie ce lot e sie . o ise st te the si ess th ee ye s o te i he sel i simil e ic me t whe she w s looki to y h t o om o . ”I couldn’t ﬁnd anything I li ed. When I started tal ing to a woman in a shop who turned out to be a milliner. She was not really aware of the ewish hat mar et, and it just gave me the idea of selling hats, oﬀering a wide range of styles, as well as a more bespo e service. The idea for The Millinery Bouti ue started from there.”Louise spent a lot of time researching the industry and loo ing for various suppliers, before setting up her business. She had lots of positive feedbac from friends and family early on, which uic ly led to other customers mainly through word of mouth. Louise now has many returning customers, who not only recommend her to others, but often post comments on social media. or Louise, this is a ey part

of attracting business, and sharing information about her products. “It is really nice when someone puts a photograph on aceboo wearing one of my hats which get lots of great feedbac ”. As a smaller business, The Millinery Bouti ue is able to offer a much more personal service compared to high street shops, or other milliners. Clients are able to visit her showroom based at her home in Radlett, where she offers one-to-one consultations during the daytime, evening and also on wee ends. Often women that come to her have struggled in the past to find something suitable, and they can feel disheartened by the whole e perience, but Louise aims to help them see things differently. “They may feel that hats don’t suit

them, or they don’t li e them, but I thin that they just haven’t found the right hat for them, and I love being able to help them do that.” Whether someone is buying a hat for a special simcha, synagogue or Ascot, always Louise encourages them to bring their whole outfit with to the appointment so that they can ensure that every element wor s together. “I am able to be honest and offer my opinion, which I thin people appreciate very much. I don’t want them to buy something because they feel obliged or under pressure, but because it is the right hat for them ” The Millinery Bouti ue offers a wide range of affordable hats starting from just 30 for ready to wear styles. or those loo ing for some-

thing more tailor-made, Louise has a more bespo e service where a team of milliners are able to create original hats or they can wor with designs supplied by the customer. Clients can choose every element of their hat, from the base design, the colour that they want, and the fabric that they li e to match any outﬁt. Louise is also able to ma e hats and has produced several of her own uni ue designs under her own label, Louise Samantha Millinery. Louise wor s closely with the customer and milliners sending photos and samples before the ﬁnal hat is produced to ensure that the customer is happy with it. On average, Louise is able to create a hat in around 10 days 2 wee s, although this process can ta e longer depending on the detail of the design, and the materials involved. She has developed good wor ing relationships with a selection of milliners in the UK, and is also the e clusive stoc ist for UKborn, Israeli based label, Danielle Mazin Headwear Design. She believes that the ey to getting the right hat is that it is comfortable. “I can often tell if a client is comfortable in a particular hat, as they are often more chatty and loo happier as soon as they put the right one on. A good hat should ma e you smile “ or anyone loo ing to set up their own business, Louise believes that the ey to success is nowing your

mar et. “I did a lot of research before I too the plunge and it really paid oﬀ. It can be hard wor as you are responsible for everything from

advertising to stoc control, but I enjoy being able to ma e my own decisions. I would deﬁnitely recommend ta ing the plunge. ust go for it ” If you would li e to get in touch Louise for a consultation, please contact her on 07773 17 32 or via email, louiseleventhal yahoo. co.u . Chec out some of her products on her aceboo page The Millinery Bouti ue.

D o you know anyone who specialises in an area of female ex pertise and would like to be featured on this page? L et us know by emailing micaela@ thej ewishweekly.com

TIPS & TRICKS – HONEY, I ATE THE HONEY Jewish Weekly aims to source the most genius, time saving and useful hacks for you every week, so watch this space! Whilst most people will be dipping apple into their honey and praying for a sweet new year, here are some other interesting ways to use it… •

As the weather starts to get colder, your lips may get dry or cracked, why not smear some honey on them at night, and wake up with a super sweet smile.

•

Try this handy combination to help with eczema. Make a paste combining equal measures of honey and cinnamon. Apply to the face, avoiding eyes or affected skin areas, leave for around 5 minutes, and then wash it off.

•

If you are ﬁnding it hard to sleep, then make yourself a glass of warm milk, tea or even water, and add a spoonful of honey. You’ll be sleeping soundly in no time.

•

Before you head off to the gym, have a spoonful of honey to help you go that extra mile on the treadmill and help rejuvenate you.

•

If you have had too much good food over yom tov, then have a spoonful or two of honey to counteract indigestion!

If you have any questions or there is something you want to feedback on, please contact us on ofﬁce@thejewishweekly.com. Your question might be someone else’s solution!

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

76 WOMEN

BY MICAELA BLITZ Some of the things in the box were pretty random. O ld tickets from theme parks, the theatre, train journeys. I am not even sure why I kept them. There were books of my teenage poetry eﬀorts, full of laboured rhymes about school, friends and my sisters. I wouldn’t ever tell them, but when I was younger, I thought that they were the coolest, people ever. Most of the poems were very cringeworthy reading them back now, but at the time I felt it was a great way to express myself. There were some diaries aswell, which must have been from when I was around 14 or 15. I read through some of the entries. L ife was all so much simpler then, but I didn’t appreciate it at the time. Worrying about so many silly things like homework, whether such and such would be my best friend forever, what to do with my future. L uckily most of those things I had got over, although what to do with my future was still a little undecided. As I turned over some of the pages of the diary, and noticed something written in red pen in CAP I TAL L ETTERS. 15t h November 19 83 “I AM SO O O O EMB ARRASSED TO D AY . I D O N ’T THI N K I EV ER WAN T TO G O TO SCHO O L AG AI N . MRS G RO SS ASKED US WHAT WE WAN TED TO D O WHEN WE G RO W UP . WHEN I TO L D HER AB O UT MY I D EA FO R MY B AKI N G B USI N ESS, SHE L AUG HED . O UT L O UD . SAI D I N EED ED TO THI N K O F A SERI O US JO B AN D STO P D REAMI N G AB O UT CAKES AN D SI L L I N ESS” Mrs G ross and the class of 25 other girls all laughing at me. Most of them had wanted to be teachers or nurses or psychologists, and Mrs G ross had encouraged them. O ne girl had said that all she wanted to do was be a mother, and no one had laughed at her! That was what she genuinely wanted.

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

Piece of Cake FICTION

That had been a real blow to the younger me. I remembered it so clearly now. I was a pretty sensitive teenager so that experience really noc ed my confidence. I didn’t like being mocked and made to look silly in front of my friends and peers. I remember after that I stopped dreaming about my cake business, and even stopped baking cakes at home, which I loved to do. I focussed on something less ‘ silly’, and here I am all those years later working as an administrator for an accountancy firm. Hope you are happy now, Mrs G ross, because I don’t think I am! I t’s not the worst job in the world, and the people are really nice, but I just feel a bit like I am coasting, not really going anywhere with it, and definitely not doing what I wanted to do. As I continue to look through the papers in the box, I come across some doodles and designs I had made for my company, “P iece of Cake” . I thought it was a great name when I came up with it, and even though I was not much of an artist, I was proud of my designs. There was also my recipe folder – a mixture of things torn out of magazines and photocopied recipes stuck with P ritt stick into a scrapbook. All a bit low- tech now, but this was before it was all online and at the touch of a button. “Ruthie” , my mother called me in a panic early the next morning. “We have an exchange date on our new flat, but would you believe it is just after Y om Kippur. So soon, and I have so much to do for Y om Tov. I feel like every year it comes around qui cker and qui cker. N o sooner have I packed away from P esach, I am already having to think about Y om Tov. So much cooking, cleaning and preparation, and on top of all that packing too…” “D on’t worry mum, you will

be ﬁne. We will all help you get it done. I think it’s a great time to make this move. A time for new beginnings. Making a fresh start” “I guess you are right. Maybe it is at this time is a sign” My mum and her signs. She saw signs in everything. I f I called her, when she was thinking about phoning me that was a sign. Finding money she forgot she had in a winter coat was a sign. Even getting a parking space outside Carmelli’s on a Friday morning was a sign! ! After spending the evening looking through my box of secrets, I kept thinking about the experience with Mrs G ross all those years ago, and how I had given up too easily on my dream just because a teacher said it was silly. That afternoon I looked at my old recipe folder again, and decided to make a few of my favourites for old times’ sake. Shana was staying at my sister’s tonight, her last day of fun before school, so I had the house to myself for a few hours before D avid got back from work. Two hours later, I was so engrossed in what I was doing, I jumped when D avid walked into the kitchen. “Wow what an amazing smell” he said “L ooks like you have been cooking up a storm here. What have you made? ” “Apple muﬃns and a honey cake for yom tov. And carrot cake as it’s your favourite” I say, as I take the carrot cake out of the tin and cut D avid a slice. “I could get used to this every night, although I don’t think my P ersonal Trainer would approve! ” D avid says as he puts a spoonful of cake into his mouth. “Ruthie, t his is really delicious.” I pick up a spoon and take a bit from his plate. He was right, it was pretty yummy, and it was nice to be baking again. I hadn’t baked for

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ages, apart from the odd birthday cake for Shana, and I realised that I actually really missed it. L ater that evening, as D avid was at the table on his laptop and I was reading on the sofa, I started thinking about things again. “D avid,” I said “if I said something to you, would you be honest with me? ” “O f course, I will be. What is it? ” “Y ou know I ’m not really happy with my job, right? The hours are long, and I just don’t enjoy it. Y ou said I should look for something else to make me happy right? Well, now that Shana is starting school I will have a bit more time, so I was thinking maybe I could start my own business.” He looks up from his laptop “I could start baking cakes. Y ou said yourself how nice they are, and I am sure other people will like them too. I would just start small with friends and family for now, although I would love to own my own little café one day, like Sara and Y aakov’s cafe” “I think that is a great idea, but you will have to look into it a bit more. Running your own business can be diﬃcult, do you really want that stress of it all? Sounds a fun idea though, and I think it is worth looking into.” Maybe he was right. He wasn’t saying it was a bad idea, just to do a bit more research. I could maybe stay a little longer where I was working for now, until I worked out what I wanted to do. He wasn’t being like Mrs G ross and telling me I should get a proper job. I have a proper job, and I don’t enjoy that. I realise I don’t really now the ﬁrst thing about running a

PART 2 OF 2 business, but I was willing to learn. Maybe I could take some classes or something? After Y om Tov, I was determined. That September, I enrolled on a course about how to start up a business. O nce a week, I went to the local college and learned about tax, public liability insurance and invoices, amongst other things. I t may sound a bit dull, but I really enjoyed learning about these things knowing that hopefully one day soon, I would be able to put it into practice. Studying while working, and with a small child was tricky at times, but D avid and my mother were really helpful, and they were both really proud of me for doing it. P lus they got to be my guinea pigs for all the new recipes I was trying out, s o they didn’t mind too much. My mother and I had not had a chance to do some many catch ups in the café , which was a bit of a shame, but my mother had been in there a few times and was telling Sara all about what I was doing. O ne evening, after putting Shana to bed, I reached to get my laptop out of my bag to do some work on my ﬁnal course assignment which was due at the end of the month, my phone rang. “Ruthie, darling, guess what? ? ” I t was my mother “Sara at the café told me today that her and Y aakov are planning on making Aliyah. I t won’t be for a while, but they are trying to work out what to do with the cafe. They don’t really want to sell it, but they would need someone they trust to run it. Ruthie, it’s a sign, no? Y ou want to run your own business, they need someone to run their business, and after all your studies, you could put it into practice. Sounds perfect to me, no? ” I couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe she was right this time, and this was a sign? !

THE END

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78 FOOD

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

14 SEPTEMBER 2017 25 m in D uration 10 m in Cook Time 5 m in P rep Time 4- 5 Servings

joyofkosher.com These ribs are a savory- sweet and q uick- cooking, fun dish. The traditional way to serve Kalbi is as a lettuce wrap. Serve a platter of crisp lettuce leaves, warm rice, grilled B B Q ribs, and Asian D ipping Sauce. Each diner takes a lettuce leaf and adds rice, a dollop of sauce, a nd the delicious grilled beef. Fold and eat.

INGREDIENTS • 1 Asian pear or favorite pear, peeled and grated with a microplane (this sweetens the meat and helps make the meat very tender) • 1 cup brown sugar • 1 cup soy sauce • 6 large cloves garlic, grated on a microplane or minced • ¼ cup mirin or sweet white wine • ½ cup water • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

• 3 teaspoons fresh grated ginger • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (don’t skimp on this) • 6 scallions, sliced • 5 pounds G row and B ehold Korean short ribs • G arnish: sesame seeds, sliced scallions • D ipping sauce (optional)

PREPARATION 1. I n a large pan for marinating or a reusable plastic bag, combine grated pear, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, mirin, water, sesame oil, ginger, black pepper, scallions, a nd short ribs. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight 2. P reheat grill to medium- high. 3 . G rill short ribs 3 t o 4 minutes per side.

QUICK BBQ RIB LETTUCE WRAPS

LEMON SUMAC GREEN BEANS G reen beans are so much more vibrant when paired with tangy sumac and lemon. Skip the whole boiling water routine and just sauté the beans in olive oil with a sprinkling of garlic.

15 m in D uration 5 m in Cook Time 10 m in P rep Time 4- 6 Servings

INGREDIENTS • ½ lemon, thinly sliced and then slices cut into q uarters • Extra virgin olive oil, such as Colavita extra virgin olive oil • 1 pound green beans, trimmed • 3 garlic cloves, minced • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper • Z est and juice from ½ lemon • 3 teaspoons sumac • 3 teaspoons chopped ﬂat-leaf parsley • G arnish: sumac

PREPARATION 1.

3 .

Heat a large sauté pan, lightly coated with oil, over medium- high heat. Sear lemon slices for just a minute until they begin to brown. Add green beans, garlic, salt, and pepper and sauté until beans begin to cook through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add zest, juice, sumac, and parsley. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes until beans are tender but not mushy. Transfer beans to platter and garnish with additional sumac.

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14 SEPTEMBER 2017

WINE 79

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

How Sweet It Is!

BY GABRIEL GELLER When we think of the Rosh Hashana meal, perhaps one of the first symbolic foods we indulge in is the apple dipped in honey. I t symbolizes our anticipation and hope for a sweet new year, a year that will be highlighted by simchas, successes, and cheerful news in all aspects of our lives. I ndulging in all sorts of sweet dishes on Rosh Hashana is a very nice custom to partake in. Sweet wines can also be enjoyed with many classic Rosh Hashana dishes and desserts. Unfortunately, sweet kosher wines have the reputation of being inferior, simple table uaffers that lac any complexity and appeal for the fine wine drinkers. This is a misconception which must be addressed and corrected. Some of the world’s most delicious and sought- after wines are sweet

dessert wines. These wines are often mentioned in classic literature and come from exceptional French terroirs such as Sauternes, B arsac, Alsace, and B onnezeaux. O thers come from P ortugal’s D ouro valley like the P ort wines, or from Hungary such as the renowned wines from Tokaji. These legendary elixirs have been an inspiration for the winemakers of new world countries. N owadays, there are many kosher options to choose from that are produced in California, I srael, a nd South America. An excellent example of a Californian succulent sweet wine is none other than the Herzog L ate Harvest White Riesling. While it is made with grapes growing in Monterey County, California, it is produced according to the traditional methods of Alsace. This wine is an oldie but goodie. P roviding luscious notes of ripe pears, caramelized apples, and maple- glazed

walnuts, this wine showcases a refined sweetness ma ing it the ideal wine to start off the meal. It pairs beautifully with with fresh fruit such as figs or with salads containing fruits and candied nuts. The next wine in this category is produce by the venerable I sraeli winery in Z ichron Y aakov, Carmel. The Shahal V ineyard is made with late- harvested G ewür ztraminer grapes, but gets its inspiration from Alsace as well. I t is rich and flavorful with aromas and flavors of dried apricots, pineapple, honeysuckle, and lychee. I t has enough acidity to prevent the sweetness from being cloying. This wine would perfectly compliment and pair well with a lemon- meringue pie. The Alfasi L ate Harvest Sauvignon B lanc is a really special wine that hails from the V alle del Maule, in Chile. Just like

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the great wines of Sauternes, it contains a small percentage of Sé millon and is made from grapes that were impacted by a fungus, the B otrytis Cinerea. This fungus drains the water out of the fruit while allowing it to retain natural high acidity and it keeps the residual sugar in check. Such wines are very rare to come by and yet this a tremendous value and well worth seeking out. L ast but not least, the Z ion Fortissimo is a P ort- style wine crafted by the most ancient I sraeli winery, founded by the Shor family in 1848 in the old city of Jerusalem. I t is made from Marselan grapes, a modern- day variety that is a hybrid of Cabernet Sauvignon and G renache N oir. I t was aged in oak barrels that were stored outside, under the warm sun of I srael for 9 months. This full- bodied wine is simply

delicious, with ﬂavors of blac berry jam, sugar- coated pecan nuts, butterscotch, and bakers chocolate. I t is divine with chocolate brownies or even on its own, after a festive and copious meal.

L’ chaim, Shana Tova!

80 COMEDY

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

Could you imagine . . . . . . a fake news special COMEDY BY ED MOSS Puntland opens in Ireland N amed in honour of the I rish P unt, which sank without trace following I reland' s entry into the Euro exchange rate mechanism some years ago, a new chain of pound shops - " P untland" - will be opening all over I reland within months. However, P untland will be very diﬀerent to the UK Pound shops as we all know and love them, and will be based on a very popular budget I rish airline customer sales and service model. While all goods on sale in the shop will be priced at 1 Euro, there will be a host of non- optional extras that you will have to pay for, and these extras will only be made clear as having to be paid for when customers want to actually purchase them at the tills. For example, a new Super- D uper rather famous pet vacuum cleaner

• • • • • •

(not for actually vacuuming your pet but rather for cleaning up after it), retailing normally at around £370 Sterling, will be available for just 1 Euro. However, this will be for the empty packing box only; the purchaser will have to buy the 12 constituent parts of the vacuum cleaner at the equ ivalent of £20 each, there is a £20 fee for use of the store, £20 cashier' s fee, £30 fee for using either cash or card to pay for it and a £30 store exit fee. N ow while this totals £341, perhaps a little more than the advertised 1 Euro price, it nevertheless represents a saving of £29. Similarly, for a top- qua lity three piece suite, priced at only 1 Euro, after miscellaneous statutory charges, fees, payment and compulsory delivery charges are applied, will cost the equi valent of £949, still saving almost £50 on otherwise buying it from one of the never- ending sofa company

sales advertised on television by a man with a very annoying voice who sounds like he is being chased around the studio by an irate customer. D eclan O ’L eary, chief executive of the new P untland store group said he was grateful to the famous I rish budget airline for showing him how to treat customers properly, t hat is, w ith total contempt. Viewer ﬁnds a programme to watch on television Meanwhile, in a shock announcement by BARB, the UK B roadcasters' Audience Research B oard, a viewer has allegedly found a programme worth watching on B ritish television. Mona L ott, who lives in P enge, phoned into the organisation early yesterday prior to being hospitalised as a result of her discovery, to report that she had found a programme to watch on B B C2. Mrs L ott was said to be now recovering well from her ordeal. She is currently in P enge G eneral Hospital and is being comforted by friends, family and a strange person she has never seen before. I t seems she switched on the television expecting to ﬁnd the usual vacuous celebrities guesting on the panels of equa lly vacuous qui z shows, or brain- dead ' wannabee' singers sque aling incomprehensibly as they mispronounce English in shows where they either get their hair cut “fashionably” looking like they’ve been pulled through a hedge backwards, sing totally out of tune, enter a cooking at home competition or get married to someone at a ceremony resembling a three- ring circus. She went on to say that she once almost found a programme to watch back in 2005, but hadn' t found anything since, and on

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this particular occasion only actually switched on the television in error while dusting it. National Railw ay Replacement B us Service Day announced I n a move demonstrated to have more animation than the average commuter on a L ondon Tube strike day, the Rail Maritime and Transport Union have presented a petition to D owning Street to declare the 27 th of D ecember " N ational Railway Replacement B us Service D ay" . This is to honour all the passengers inconvenienced in the past by stri es organised by the Union. O n that date, all train users will have to use replacement buses when making a train journey. However, in an effort to be socially responsible, the Union has agreed that passengers can choose exactly where they wish to take their bus replacement service. For example, a passenger traveling on the East Coast Mainline service could elect to alight at N ewark and take a bus to G rantham to await the next onward train to complete their journey. The current Union leadership were delighted with the support from members of the public, who, in keeping with their lack of choice when it comes to buying cheap train tickets, will have virtually no choice in this matter either. oo ball clubs o s ar o erin de ree courses I t was announced this week that L ondon football club Millwall is to offer educational degree courses, the first time a sporting club has entered the foray into third level education. Famous for its iconic stadium at The D en, it is also known for some very famous supporters, including D enzil Washington, Theo P aphitis, the late D es O ’Connor, Claudia Winkleman, L aila Morse and her brother G ary O ldman. The first two degrees on offer will be an MA in P rofanity and an MSc in P tyalism. For the MA, students will learn how not to communicate in sentences, but to swear at each other and include the use of profanity as many times as they can when they open their mouths. There will also be work experience and practical trips to places such as wildlife parks and metropolitan borough council meetings so that students can learn to grunt incomprehensibly and very inexpressively at each

other. The degree in P tyalism will help students spit much more effectively when playing sports themselves. They will also be taught the full rudiments of ill manners and how best to spit volumes on the street, when riding bikes, walking in the park, insulting their elders or out for a day' s shoplifting in the city. New reality show A new reality show is coming soon to the B B C, threatening the ratings of the popular show " I ' m a celebrity, ge t me out of here" . Called " I ' m a nonentity, get me in here" , and set in Coventry City Centre, it charts the course of 12 anonymous members of the public who try to do totally mundane things to revive their flagging egos. • Tasks the nonentities have to complete include: • Registering at the local JobCentre • P urchasing a Tax D isk • Figuring out why some goods in a £1 shop can cost either more or less than a £1 • B rowsing in HMV without having to cover their ears • Working out the price of a return train ticket to somewhere without the use of a maths graduate • inding a Post Office ueue and skipping it • Trying not to shout at the checkout assistant in W H Smiths when they tell you about their amazing chocolate offer that you have absolutely no interest in • G etting through the day without once updating their Facebook page Hosted by D eck and Ant, who are two very small men with very strong B irmingham accents, they will have a set time to complete their tasks before standing in the centre of Coventry and screaming.

Ed Moss

Why the Failure?

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

NUTRITION 81

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

BY ALAN FREISHTAT

I generally don’t like to put the word ‘ failure” in the title of my articles. I much prefer to focus on strengths and successes. However, the failure rate of people trying to lose weight is astounding and begs the que stion of “why? ” to be answered. 96% of those that resort to the standard diet routine will ultimately gain it back. I n the United States alone, consumers are spending more than 6 3 billion dollars per year on weight loss programmes, products and diets. I t seems strange to be spending so much on something that is proven to fail. B ut what is it about this that brings so much failure and how can we increase the odds of success in something so vital to our health? B reindy is a lady in her seventies. She is overweight and takes multiple medications for high blood pressure and she has just been put on medication for type- 2 diabetes. After contemplating doing our program for over a year, she finally agreed to start. P rogress has been slow but steady in terms of some weight loss. There has been a little progress with her blood pressure as well, but B reindy could be doing a lot better. She has to do better if she wants to reduce her meds and not become a full-fledged diabetic. What is in the way of better progress? A lifetime of certain habits need to be changed, but B reindy cancels a lot of her sessions. I t’s as if every other little thing takes precedence. After all, shouldn’t our health be a priority? Weight loss is tough stuff evertheless, success can be attained and all of the benefits that come with that can and will change your

life. B ut let’s put aside the “why” , which as a coach I always try to do, and look at the “how” of the situation. At the ﬁrst visit to our weight loss program, clients receive a paper which is titled: “Who Succeeds? ” I t then lists the following: • P eople who consistently come to their sessions as scheduled • P eople who aren’t in a hurry to lose weight • P eople who understand that this programme requ ires work • P eople who track their food in writing • P eople who record their exercise • P eople who call or email when they have a problem • P eople who don’t need to be perfect D r. Mark Hyman is a family physician specializing in weight loss. He has narrowed down the great failures of people trying to lose weight and conversely, what those who are successful do in order to have real, long- term weight loss, into ﬁve major categories. 1. Y ou use w illpow er instead of science to control your appetite D iets trigger hunger. Y ou can only starve yourself for so long. O ur hunger dramatically increases, our cravings ramp up and our metabolism slows way down to conserve energy. Eating certain foods (low fat, higher carb or sugary foods) actually increases hunger and slows metabolism. So make sure you eat enough to satisfy your appetite. Eat protein at all of your meals and avoid eating three hours before bed. Combine protein, fat and low- glycemic, non- starchy

carbs (vegetables, fruit, small amounts of grains and beans) at each meal. at and protein and fiber slow insulin spikes. 2. Y ou f ocus on calories (eating less and exe rcising more) Some calories make you fat, some calories make you thin. What we now know is that any foods that spi e insulin sugar, flour and even excess grains, fruit and beans) trigger a shift in your metabolism. What does insulin do? I t drives all the fuel in your blood from the food you just ate into your hungry fat cells (visceral or belly fat). Remember, two things happen when your body thinks you are starving – you increase hunger and slow metabolism. Focus on nuts, seeds, chic en, fish, grass-fed meats, and non- starchy, low- glycemic vegetables. L imit the use of grains and beans. Sugar is only good in very small doses. D r. Hyman agrees with something I have written about in the past: don’t use artificial sweeteners – they trigger sweet receptors, hunger, and slow metabolism leading to obesity and type- 2 diabetes. 3. Y ou eat a low - f at diet Most people still believe we should avoid egg yolks and that eating a low- fat diet will help them lose weight. The old idea that fat has 9 calories per gram and carbs 4 calories per gram led to the mistaken idea that if we cut out fat, we would lose weight. Harvard scientist Walter Willet reviewed all the science on low fat and weight loss and found that it is not eating fat that makes you fat, but sugar. A recent study by D avid Jenkins found that a lowcarb (26% ), high- fat (43% ) vegan diet was more effective for weight loss and reducing cardiovascular risk factors than a vegan low- fat diet. The high- fat group lost 4 more pounds and dropped their cholesterol 10 more points by eating high fat. B ut concentrate on healthy mono- unsaturated fats, some saturated fats and never eat trans fats. O ther studies show you can increase your metabolism by 300 calories a day eating more fat (eating the same total calories a day). That’s like getting the weight loss benefit of running for an hour a day without getting off the couch. Of course, e ercise is beneficial for weight loss and health in general.

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D on’t fear fat. I t actually makes you feel full and satisfied, speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose weight. Eat good fats at every meal. Eat clean animal fats (organic eggs with the yolk, chicken, grass- fed meats are all helpful if possible and fish with omega 3 fats (sardines, he rring, w ild salmon). 4. Y ou have hidden reasons and need medical help There are reasons beyond your diet or amount of exercise that affect your weight and metabolism. The biggest hidden causes of weight gain or resistance to weight loss are the things that cause inflammation. What causes inflammation? Hidden food allergies or sensitivities. B e tested by an expert to see if you have gluten, dairy or other allergies. B ut be careful about gluten- free products—t hey can contain a lot of sugar and there is no need to go gluten- free or dairy- free if you don’t have allergies. Eating refined, high-sugar, carb, low-fiber diet or taking antibiotics, and acid blockers can play an enormous role in metabolism and health. They can either trigger inflammation or alter how your food is broken down and absorbed. Science has discovered that common environmental chemicals (pesticides, household cleaners, makeup, pollution and heavy metals) can contribute to making you fat. Find hidden causes of weight gain. With the help of a good dietician, try an elimination diet. Try cutting down on inflammatory foods. Start with gluten and dairy. 100 percent for 3 w eeks. 5. Y ou don’ t have a plan. Health is something that has to be planned. Most of us fail because we don’t “design our health” ; that is, we don’t set up the conditions for success. Arrange your environment for success Have all the right foods in the house, the right ingredients all ready and have your plan for exercise for the week in advance. Everybody needs a buddy D o this with someone or in a group setting. B ut remember, whatever you are doing in terms of diet and e ercise, you have to plan for it D r. Hyman also says, the science of health and weight loss is not a mystery. B ut old ideas die hard. If you loo out for these five ways that diets fail and focus on

Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. certified personal trainer and a behavioural change and wellness coach with over 19 years of professional experience. Alan is the creator and director of the “10 Weeks to Health” programme for weight loss and is available for private coaching sessions, consultations, assessments and personalised workout programmes both in his office and by telephone or Skype. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. Contact Alan on 02- 651- 8502 or 050- 555- 7175, or email alan alanfitness.com. For more information visit www.alanfitness.com

the principles of success, then you will build habits and practices that work. I n addition to paying attention to these 5 areas, beware of the following 6 t hings: 1. .2 3. 4. 5. 6.

Set realistic goals Make sure you are not eating emotionally B elieve in yourself and your ability to succeed Eat enough and make sure you nourish your body op searchin or uick es—t here aren’ t any. Remember that losing w eight in a healthy manner, w ill bring good health.

Failure in weight loss might be the norm, but this is one place where our health is at stake in a big way. Failure is a part of life and you might have failed at this before, maybe even several times. But try again But this time, do it right. G et the right kind of food plan, the right kind of exercise and get help on the behavioral modiﬁcation front, because it will “ad d hours to your day, days to your year and years to your lif e.”

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THE JEWISH WEEKLY

What type of judge are you RABBI MALCOLM HERMAN

BY RABBI MALCOLM HERMAN I n this particular article we look at the way in which we judge our children and ask ourselves whether the judgement or even the process does them justice! P icture the scene, dad is on his way home from the office, negotiating the traffic. He is still on the phone with a particularly demanding client when his teenage son attempts to phone him on the mobile. Dad ignores the call and continues with the client. Three minutes later he tries again and yet again five minutes afterwards. “What on earth can be so urgent” thin s Dad to himself “I will be home in half an hour”. As he completes the phone call with the client, with telepathic intuition his son calls for the fourth or fifth time dad has lost count . Dad answers the phone barely hiding his irritation, “What on earth is the matter ” he as s, “ ou have

called me about 1 times”. “Sorry Dad” says Michael “I just wanted to know if you wanted me to put supper on for you because Mum is out at a wor meeting”. Isn’t it strange that we can become so judgemental of our own children, that our default position is to assume that they are programmed to annoy us? Many parenting boo s tal about the importance of “catching our children doing something good” but actually the issue runs a little deeper. It begins in the mind. We need to assume that our children, irrespective of their age are intrinsically good. O ften our frustration with their apparent shortcomings, obscures a genuine assessment of who they really are as people. At best this is rather sad and worst this is tragic. At best this is sad because we miss out on all the goodness that they actually have. Worst case scenario they feel constantly criticised and undermined. That is enough to ruin the self esteem of anyone. Where does this attitude come

from I thin as human beings we all have a yearning for life to wor according to a particular plan generally our plan what other the type of plant is there When our children behave as we “e pect”, we assume that is the way it is supposed to be. It is nothing special. It’s when they don’t, that we get ve ed and energised.

That was not in the plan All we can see then, is their failings. We become judgemental by default. L ast year a friend sent me an e tremely sweet anecdote. In essence it was about a young child holding two apples, one in each hand. His mother came over to him and asked him for one of the apples. To her surprise and shoc

After a period of time we ta e our children’s strengths completely for granted ta ing little note and little notice of them. After all that’s the way that life is meant to be just as the sun rises in the morning...no Only when they do the things that we ﬁnd diﬃcult, do we respond.

the little boy promptly too a bite from each apple. She was appalled at his selﬁshness and then he said to her “Mummy this one is sweeter you will enjoy it more”. We are particularly at ris of this syndrome when our children become teenagers. Everything becomes more dramatic , both strengths and wea nesses. Everything is more pronounced than it will ever be at any other stage in life. It is very easy for the challenges to dominate, such that we are utterly unable to see anything redeemable in this evolved creature. It may be that they are e tremely loyal friends, generally responsible, attending school, dealing with homewor pressures, respectful to others outside of the home, good to grandparents, fabulous volunteers but slovenly at home leaving the dishes and the washing for everyone else to sort out. I’m not suggesting that their behaviour is correct or indeed easy to handle but I am suggesting that we should not lose sight of the whole person. That is not a fair and certainly

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won’t be productive within the relationship. At this time of year of course we all face judgement from a parent. This is the Almighty Himself, our heavenly parent. There is a remar able statement as follows “ od will bypass the transgressions of those who are able to let go” Talmud RH 17a . If we can let others pass by without pulling them up, od will bypass our transgressions. O n the surface this is strange. Surely the world of od’s judgements must be rigorous. There are no dispensations are there Also what is the lin between our interaction with others and od’s interaction with us In fact od’s judgement of us is not blac and white. There is scope for some ﬂe ibility. O ne of the key factors that determines that ﬂe ibility is the manner in which we judge others. We can’t as G od to be easy with us if we are tough and demanding with others. We can’t as od to loo at the broader conte t, if we are people that can only see fault. We are judged by the way in which we judge. It’s a sobering thought since we probably ma e most of our judgements within our own four walls, between ourselves and our partners and between ourselves and our children. If we can be more giving and fair let us hope that when we stand before our Divine father He can see us as whole people and wholesome people. R abbi M alcolm H erman A ssociate N ational D irector seed uk For questions or comments email mherman@ seed.uk.net H e is the co-author of E veryday P arenting for E veryday P arents together with P rofessor Irvine ersch. o nd out more about classes and courses see www.seed.uk.net R abbi H erman’ s parenting column features every fortnight in The Jewish Weekly and his book can be purchased on A mazon.

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

TRAVEL 83

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

Travel New s Roundup

Travel N ews Roundup is brought to you by Malcolm G insberg, Editor in Chief of B usiness Travel N ews (www.btnews.co.uk). He is a member of the I nternational Travel Writers Alliance, a noted analyst on aviation matters and is seen from time to time on TV and heard on the radio. He would be pleased to hear from tour operators and travel agents who have future packages of a general nature that might interest Jewish Weekly readers. info@ btnews.co.uk El Al Introduces Dreamliner The first of El Al’s 1 Boeing Dreamliner 7 8 7 s was showcased last Tuesday at Heathrow making its debut inbound from Tel Aviv. The party started in the new King David Suite in Terminal 4 and continued on the aircraft. “The arrival of the first Boeing 7 7 Dreamliner is a day of pride and joy to all of us at El Al, ” said El Al Chief E ecutive Officer David Maimon. “It is the highlight in the ongoing renewal of the El Al fleet, which started a year and a half ago when we decided to order 1 Boeing 7 7 Dreamliners. “We have set a very high standard of service and product excellence in order to maintain our position as the first and preferred choice for passengers, travelling both to and from I srael, ” he said “I am convinced that this significant procurement of 7 7s is a great opportunity for us to meet the highest levels e pected. The Dreamliner will ensure our customers receive

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exceptional comfort, innovative technology, advanced aircraft and q uality service.” “We continue to implement El Al` s vision – to lead the aviation market in Israel and to be the first choice airline for all customers travelling to and from I srael, while providing q uality and uncompromising service for the benefit of our customers. Starting this month the Dreamliner will operate flights to Europe and at the end of O ctober will be gradually integrated into the airline’s long-haul destinations in N orth America and the Far East. El Al have chosen the Model 9 aircraft with 28 2 seats including 48 in business class, 28 in a brand new premium economy product with 20 in economy. The layout is 1 2 1 flat seat, 2 3 2 and 3 3 3. Since its introduction in October 2011 the 7 7 has built up a reputation as the’ aircraft to fly in, on long- and medium- haul routes. With its large windows and sea level cabin altitude it is ideal for the 5.5hr I srael route from the UK and should prove to be very restful. w w w .elal.com Orient Hotel J erusalem Israel’s latest lu ury hotel is now welcoming guests in the heart of Jerusalem’s erman Colony. Situated on a historic site that was once inhabited by the Templar Society in the late-1 th and early-20th centuries, and part of the I srotel chain, the property claims to offer the perfect combination of old and new while simultaneously unifying East and West through modern amenities, worldclass service, and thoughtful nods to its neighbourhood’s uni ue heritage. The newest member of I srotel Hotel Chain’s E clusive Collection of fivestar hotels, this extravagant ‘ Jewel of erusalem’ mar s a significant milestone in the tourism industry of I srael’s capital city, and boasts a variety of desirable features. Choose what you prefer from the

David Maimon sho ing oﬀ the ne dreamliner

243 lu ury guest rooms, either in both a newly constructed central building and two meticulously- preserved Templar Buildings from the 1 0s. Some people prefer the ultra- modern, others the traditional. There are two pools, one a stunning rooftop inﬁnity pool with panoramic views overlooking the O ld City. The hotel is named after the O rient Jerusalem Contemporary Art Collection, which the hotel hosts, possibly the only art collection fully owned by a hotel chain with an on- site museum of artefacts in tribute to the Templars. w w w .isrotelex clusivecollection.com/ orient

May. Ryanair Changes Allow ances rom 1 ovember Ryanair will change its boarding rules regarding luggage. The hold allowance will go up from 1 g to 20 g, the industry standard (although many follow the I ATA recommended 23 g , with the current hand carry-on bags service modiﬁed. Only Priority Boarding customers including Plus, le i Plus amily Plus will be allowed to bring two carry- on bags on the aircraft. All other (i.e. non- priority) customers can bring one smaller carry- on bag on board the aircraft, while their second (bigger) wheelie bag must be placed in the hold (free of charge) at the boarding gate. This seems to go against the airline’s previous policy, which was to try to reduce hold baggage. Ryanair says too many customers are availing of its two free carry- on bags service, and with high load factors there is not enough overhead cabin space for this volume, causing boarding and ﬂight delays due to cabin bag o oads.

The standard check- in bag fee will be cut from 3 to 2 for this 20 g bag. The maximum size of cabin baggage remains at 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, as other airlines. What constitutes a small carry- on bag remains to be seen. www.ryanair.com Keyless Cars For Hire oldcar, the major European mainland car rental operator, has launched Clic ’n o’, a digital system for hiring and returning keyless cars. Users can pick up their rental vehicles by just using their mobile phones. A Spanish company founded in 1 , oldcar claims to be the first company to offer a car hire service without a key. I t is now available in Alicante, B arcelona, Malaga, Madrid and Palma de Mallorca. Clic ’n o is very simple. Clients receive the virtual key via the G oldcar app on their mobile, with the registration and the location of the identified vehicle. B luetooth technology on a smartphone does the rest, allowing the connection of the vehicle to the client’s device. w w w .goldcar.es

Kosher On The Seine Scenic is one of the leading river cruise ship operators, with balcony suites and a butler service for everyone. This autumn it is featuring a special River Seine cruise, starting from Paris called “Jewish Heroism – A Tribute to the ewish Soldiers of World War I II D-Day The Somme”. Also included is a French culinary programme with classes, demonstrations and special dining with kosher wine pairings The all- inclusive programme provides G latt Kosher cuisine, on- board synagogue with daily minyanim, engaging lectures and on- board programming, and local tours of N ormandy that allow you to explore the Bespoke therapy programmes for area’s history and Jewish heritage. Addiction • Anxiety & Depression • Trauma Seven nights from Bereavement • Couples Counselling 24 O ctober, with prices starting at Contact us for your free – and totally confidential $ 5, 8 9 0 per person – initial phone consultation with no extras, including the kosher www.bespoketherapy.co.uk | 020 8930 3169 bar. There will be lectures by Dr Sheldon A. oldberg Ph.D, Lt Colonel, USA (Ret) of the N ational Museum of American- Jewish Military HisReaching the inner you tory, Washington DC and from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Rabbi Marvin Hier, Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Rabbi Meyer

Therapy that’s not all talk

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84 PUZZLES

14 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE JEWISH WEEKLY

Puzzle Page Crossw ord Dow n 1

Easily taken in (8) Show compassion (4,4) Deadly (6) Lively 1920s ’ dance (10) Loud and emotional declamation (4) Damages — p lanet (4) Highly improper (10) Echo leak (anag) — gob (8) Stained (8) Merchant (6 ) Untamed (4) In good health (4 ) 2 4 5 6 7 10 12 13 16 18 19

Crossw ord Answ ers

Across 1 3 8 9 1 1 14 15 17 20 21

Puz z le Sources: w w w .theguardian.com

2 23

Entrance (4) Device f or playing guitar (8) Find enj oyable (4) Sieve (8) Faultless (10) Long and tedious recital (6) Aggressively attack (6) Ill- disposed tow ards others (10) Froz en conf ection (3,5) Sw anky (4) Misleading — r udely so (anag) (8) Fuse metal parts (4)

Reminder: The nex t issue of The J ewish W eekly will b e out on Eruv Yom K ip p ur 28.09.17 Asher Drap kin thanks naomi@madeb ynaomi.co.uk ( Handmade J ewellery & greetings cards) f or sp onsoring his soon to b e p ub lished novel ‘ Best Seller W riter.’

F amily A Y J acob s wish their children, grandchildren and ex tended f amily and f riends a Shana Tova.

Myra, Asher, Darren and Naomi wish f amily and f riends in the U.K , USA, Israel and South Af rica, a hap p y and p eacef ul New Year.

J oey, Rachel, Sop hie and Lisa wish their f amily and f riends a Healthy and Hap p y new year.

Devora and Ben F rager wish their p arents, grand-p arents and ex tended f amily warm wishes f or the High Holidays. David and Michelle together with K atie, Aron and Michael wish Bub b a and Zeida a Healthy and Hap p y New Year.

F amily Y Lyons would like to wish a Hap p y New Year to all their f amily and f riends.

Mrs M Ab ramowitz wishes all her f riends all the b est f or the New Year ahead.

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New! Shadchan service Are you looking f or a f riendly and ap p roachab le shadchan who will guide you through the maze of shidduchim, inq uiries and dates? Call or tex t Miriam Saunders on 07 7 14 139 7 91 to arrange an ap p ointment. Op en to all p eop le across the sp ectrum of Orthodox J ewry.