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BOARD CALLS FOR PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO BRITISH INTELLIGENCE SERVICES

BY DAVID SAFFER Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has called for a public inquiry into allegations British Intelligence Services helped Nazi war criminals come to the UK after the Second World War and protected them from justice.

BBC journalists investigated the case of Nazi War criminal Stanislaw Chrzanowski, who murdered at least 30 people, possibly more, in Slonim, Belarus.

Radio 4 programme, “The Nazi Next Door”, broadcast on Tuesday, reveals Chrzanowski’s secret past.

In it, reporter Nick Southall takes up the story of John Kingston who lived in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.

John passed away in 2018 but

Marie van der Zyl

had been investigating his stepfather, Chrzanowski. There are 150 hours of secret recordings between Chrzanowski and his stepson.

Southall interviews people who

knew Chrzanowski, a holocaust survivor from Slonim, he also visits Slonim and meets the German agency that investigated Nazi criminals.

It’s a chilling story that takes listeners from Birmingham to Berlin and the ‘Killing Fields’ of Belarus.

Tens of thousands of Jews were murdered in the Slonim ghetto in 1941 and 1942.

Ms van de Zyl described the findings as “shocking” and a “very dark day for Britain and for British Jews”.

The Radio 4 investigation confirms Chrzanowski worked for British intelligence in the 1950s.

The programme alleges not only CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

ISRAEL ELECTION UPDATE WITH JAMES MARLOW

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Virgin Atlantic returns to Tel Aviv

Man arrested after Stamford Hill attack on pregnant woman

BY TRAVEL EDITOR MALCOLM GINSBERG Virgin Atlantic has made a long-awaited return to Tel Aviv with a twice weekly flight on a Tuesday and Thursday departing Heathrow T2 and landing at 4am with a quick turnaround at 6.05am, local times applying.

The timings allow for connections to Los Angeles and New York.

Travellers to Eilat will have no difficulty making Arkia and Israir flights, now up to six per day.

Kosher meals are available in both classes but with Virgin having to move from its famous Clubhouse, Business Class passengers do not have this facility in the Premium Plus lounge offered.

Boss Shai Weiss on a live interview said Virgin flew daily to Ben Gurion from Heathrow. Put on hold for now, there are plans to introduce a second flight for the winter season.

Acknowledged as Israeli, Weiss is British. He studied in the US and started his working life in New York. Born in 1978, he holds a British passport and has lived in London with his family for 24 years.

“Israel has done remarkably well,” Weiss said, with an 80% load factor in the first

PHOTO: SHOMRIM

The attack caught on CCTV

BY DAVID SAFFER

year helped by connecting traffic from 49% owner Delta Air Lines.

Manchester is under scrutiny and has to be commercially viable, he added.

Weiss described the past 12 months as “challenging”, staff took a 20% pay cut and there had been a 45% cull in employees.

There was also an eight-week wages delay.

Cargo grew by 40% in 2020, but no word on Gatwick Airport.

‫יום ד' י''א ניסן תשפ''א‬ 24/03/2021

CONSUMER RECALL OF SUSPECTED NON‫שפ''א‬ ‫יום ד' י''א ניסן ת‬ COMPLIANT PRODUCT 24/03/2021

CONSUMER RECALL OF SUSPECTED NON24/03/2021 COMPLIANT PRODUCT ‫יום ד' י''א ניסן תשפ''א‬

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We request that you do not consume the product from this lot number until further notice.

We would like to inform the public that despite the presence of the Rabbi during the

production andconcerns packagingplease process,consult we suspect that a technical problem has occurred, and As for the Keilim/utensils with your local Rabbi. it is possible that several packages containing non-kosher dairy mashed potatoes have been

mixed with Shneider's packages.

We wouldPlease like accept to inform thethe public that despite the presence of the our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience this may haveRabbi caused.during the production and packaging process, weHamachshir suspect Rav thatEliezer a technical problem has occurred, Together with our Rav Lieber Schneebalg of Edgware and Rabbi Zviand Wishing you a Happy & Kosher Passover Holland from the containing Star-K supervision we have decided to recall ALL products with the above it is possible that several packages non-kosher dairy mashed potatoes have been mentioned lot number, from the market. mixed with the Shneider's packages. ‫חג כשר ושמח‬ We request that you do not consume the product from this lot number until further notice.

Together with our Rav Hamachshir Rav Eliezer Lieber Schneebalg of Edgware and Rabbi Zvi As for the Keilim/utensilsinfo@shneiders.com concerns please consult with your local Rabbi.

Holland from the Star-K supervision we have decided to recall ALL products with the above mentioned lot number, from theour market.

Please accept sincerest apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Wishing you a Happy & Kosher Passover

We request that you do not consume the product from this lot number until further notice. ‫חג כשר ושמח‬

As for the Keilim/utensils concerns please consult with your local Rabbi.

Police arrested a man in his late fifties on Monday night on suspicion of grievous bodily harm following a horrifying assault of a pregnant woman in Stamford Hill.

Shocking CCTV footage obtained by Jewish volunteer neighbourhood watch patrol Shomrim showed the attacker approaching the woman from behind in an alleyway before appearing to place a pillow over her head before punching the 20-year-old repeatedly in the stomach. The suspect returned to his trolley and ran off.

The victim was treated in hospital for minor injuries. A Met spokesperson confirmed she “was now okay”.

Police are aware of “similar incidents in the area”, detectives are establishing a motive for the attack last Thursday, they do currently believe it is linked. It is unclear if the attack is a hate crime.

Metropolitan Police conducted a manhunt following the unprovoked attack.

Jewish organisations called for justice and have welcomed news of the arrest after the shocking assault on Manor Road.

“This was a vicious attack, full of hatred.

News of the arrest will be met with relief across the community,” noted Mark Gardner, Community Security Trust.

“We are glad to hear that an arrest has been made in connection with the horrific attack on a pregnant Jewish woman in Stamford Hill a few days ago,” added Board of Deputies president, Marie van der Zyl. “We thank all those who helped identify the suspect, as well as those who have reached out to the local Jewish community in the wake of

this awful incident.”

Shomrim President, Rabbi Herschel Gluck, reportedly described the attack as “violent and brutal”.

Shomrim and police urgently appealed for witnesses in the aftermath. “Detectives are investigating after a woman was assaulted in a Hackney street,” noted a police statement.

Following the attack, Shomrim tweeted, “Pregnant woman & her unborn baby survive a horrendous attack after a male suspect attacked her from behind, placed a pillow over her head & punched her in her stomach several times in a vicious unprovoked attack.

CCTV shows the alleged suspect fleeing the scene in Stamford Hill.”

Reaction communally was swift, “CCTV footage of this attack is appalling and shows how terrifying an experience it must have been,” noted Gardner, CST. Ms van der Zyl, added, “We are extremely disturbed by the vile attack on a pregnant Jewish woman in Stamford Hill. We hope that the perpetrator is swiftly caught and faces justice.”

Stephen Silverman, Campaign Against Antisemitism, commented, “At a time of heightened concern over the safety of women on our streets, this violent assault on a visibly Jewish pregnant woman is a particularly grotesque demonstration of anti-Semitic and misogynistic hate crime.”

CAA analysis of Home Office statistics illustrates that an average of more than three hate crimes are directed at Jews every day in England and Wales.

Jews are almost four times more likely to be targets of hate crimes than other faith groups.

Our next issue will be out on Thursday 8 April - Wishing all our readers a Chag Sameach!

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4 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 were British intelligence services aware of what Chrzanowski had done, but that he and others were welcomed into Britain in return for their services.

“The idea that many Nazi suspects were able to find sanctuary in the UK after the War, and not only that, but that British Intelligence stands accused of having actively facilitated this and protected such people from facing justice is absolutely staggering,” Ms van de Zyl noted. “It is well known that the United States did this after the war, but I had never previously heard even a suggestion that Britain had been guilty of similar activity. Britain has always been able to say, with some pride, that it let in around 10,000 Jewish children of the Kindertransport prior to the War, 10,000 children who would almost certainly otherwise have been murdered by the Nazis. What does it say now to learn that after the war this country is now accused of having knowingly let in some of the people who may well have murdered the relatives of these children? It’s absolutely despicable.”

She added, “Radio 4’s programme also alleges that 30 years ago the British Intelligence services attempted to cover up their actions, destroying information and thereby protecting Nazis who were still alive and living in Britain three decades ago. That would be monstrous, and one must assume illegal behaviour. The British public deserve to know the full facts behind this.”

The House of Commons passed the War Crimes Act in 1991, conferring jurisdiction on courts in the UK to try people for war

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Stanislaw Chrzanowski

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

thousands of documents with information on individuals such as Chrzanowski, protecting Nazi War criminals and hiding how they had been aided and abetted in coming to this country.

Regarding intelligence staff destroying files relating to the likes of Chrzanowski, Southall reveals the government has not responded to the allegations.

Stories of Chrzanowski being a Nazi murderer appeared in the Sunday Express in 1994. Kingston confronted his stepfather.

Chrzanowski denied them. He also denied allegations on local radio.

At this point, John handed his evidence to the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Unit. Chrzanowski was interviewed, but not charged. John put his evidence in the attic.

Southall asked the government and Met-

Radio 4’s programme also alleges that 30 years ago the British Intelligence services attempted to cover up their actions, destroying information and thereby protecting Nazis who were still alive and living in Britain. crimes committed in Nazi Germany or German-occupied territory during the Second World War by people who were not British citizens at the time, but had since become British citizens or residents. To date one person has been convicted under the Act. The Radio 4 investigation appears to show the reason for this is many individuals were protected by authorities, it alleges that when the War Crimes Act became law, British Intelligence services destroyed hundreds of

ropolitan Police why there had been no prosecution for Chrzanowski’s alleged war crimes. The Home Office confirmed a case was reviewed by CPS but evidence was insufficient. CPS said there was not enough prospect of a conviction. Met Police said the case failed to meet evidential tests.

Southall has been thorough in his extensive investigations.

Chrzanowski, who was fluent in four languages, repeatedly refers to an “English

secret” on a tape. He arrived in Birmingham in 1946, but appears in archive footage in a Berlin refugee camp in 1954.

Historians note the camp was used in cases for espionage activity during The Cold War. Chrzanowski insisted throughout his life, including to British Authorities on his application with police to become a British citizen in 1961, that he had never been on any overseas trips. The radio broadcast illustrates Chrzanowski was allegedly linked to MI6 as useful to the Cold War effort.

Chrzanowski was under investigation in Munich for alleged war crimes against Jewish people and others in Belarus at the time of his death in 2017. His possessions were sent to a local skip.

BBC notes on its website, “Nick has been investigating the extraordinary story of Stanislaw Chrzanowski for over five years, trying to establish if this man, who settled here to help Britain rebuild after the war, had also helped the Nazis kill tens of thousands of Jews in his homeland of Belarus. Nick seeks to answer two questions, was ‘Mr Stan’ the monster his stepson believed he was?

And, if so, what was the real reason he never saw justice for his crimes? ‘ Radio 4’s The Nazi Next Door: Reporter Nick Southall, Producer Mick Tucker, Editor Carl Johnston www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000td1x Chrzanowski is featured in BBC’s ‘The Nazi in the family’. www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/7z6huifsyj/ the-nazi-in-the-family-stanislaw-stanchrzanowskiv

Canadian Jews call on NDP to back IHRA BR SIMCHA ABIR Militant New Democratic Party members are attempting to overturn leader of the NDP Jagmeet Singh’s support of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism and endorse the anti-Israel BDS movement.

A motion is set to take place at the upcoming federal NDP policy convention next month.

A coalition of Jewish organisations across the country have written to Singh as they back the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism. Community centres, synagogues, youth groups, social service providers and educational institutions are among signatories.

They noted, “All Canadians should be deeply concerned about the disturbing rise of anti-Semitism. History has shown that what starts with Jews never ends with Jews. Taking a stand against anti-Semitism helps to insulate all Canadians from the threat of hate. We are concerned about the recent efforts of fringe organisations to delegitimise this definition, distort its intent, and scaremonger about its reach and its impact.”

The IHRA was established in 1998 and consists of 34 countries who recognise a need to combat anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.

The Government of Canada adopted the IHRA definition in its Anti-Racism Strategy followed by dozens of jurisdictions, including the Government of Ontario, in 2019.

“The IHRA definition serves as a vital tool in the fight against antisemitism,” noted signatories. “It encourages freedom of expression and welcomes legitimate criticism that is a core attribute of all liberal democracies.” They added, “Jews are a non-homogenous group who, for generations, due to systemic barriers have existed at the margins of the societies they have inhabited. When Jewish people are told they do not experience oppression and when their marginalisation is questioned, there is erasure of both historical and contemporary antisemitism and a discounting of our struggles to fit in. It is completely unacceptable when so-called progressive activists, who purport to stand up for all marginalised groups, continuously fail to extend the same support and solidarity to the Jewish communities which is indeed a marginalised group.”

Jagmeet Singh

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PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Canada’s Jewish community represents one percent of the national population but almost 20% of annual reported hate-crimes (Statistics Canada, 2018).

“That number is staggering,” noted signatories. “South of our border we have seen the rise of anti-Semitism entering the mainstream from both the far-right and the far-left. This hate is here now too. We must do all we can to guard against both,” They added, “While criticism against the government of Israel is allowed through freedom of expression, a core attribute celebrated by every liberal democracy, advocating for the disappearance of the State of Israel, or delegitimising the Jewish community’s connections to it, is not acceptable.”

Signatories called on Jewish communities across Canada to fight back.

They explained, “We do not wish to politicise this issue and we would prefer that the NDP not veer down this path of choosing how or how not to define anti-Semitism for Jewish people.”

The group called on Singh to ensuring the motion does not make it into the NDP policy book.

Jewish organisations are from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Region.

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“I’m so grateful to the Social Work Team for connecting mum with the tea parties over Zoom. It’s the highlight of her month, her face lights up when she sees her friends online”.

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JEWISH CARE WILL, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP Loneliness doesn’t go away, the forced isolation that Covid-19 has caused has made it so much worse.

Myrtle is just just one of over 1,200 people our Social Work and Community Support Team care for every week, a service which is completely reliant on the generosity of our community.

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Chabad’s new Haggadah set to be an inspiring hit

BY DAVID SAFFER Jews around the globe sit down for COVID-19 safe Sedarim in just 48 hours and Chabad’s downloadable new Haggadah addresses age-old story in a post-pandemic era.

The UK exits the latest lockdown soon. In Israel, families will gather in larger numbers, elsewhere around the world family formats will vary. Chabad-Lubavitch often lead the way so it seems apt Chabad.org has released a 2021 version of the age-old story in a PDF format.

According to Chabad, the Haggadah is “faithful to tradition” and “refreshingly

inspirational” for this era.

They note on their website that the publication is a “powerful re-think” of the traditional Haggadah that is perfect if you’re “on your own, with a crowd, a veteran or newbie”.

According to Chabad, the Haggadah is the first to address the Seder in a post-pandemic era grappling with the Passover theme of exile and redemption in “new and unexpected” ways.

The idea for the Haggadah started 12 months ago with tiny Sedarim occurring globally for the first time.

Chabad.org has created a Haggadah with clear cues to help a “novice seder

Part of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets scroll

PHOTO: ORIT KUSLANSKY ROSENGARTEN, ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY

leader perform like a pro”. According to the designers frequently asked questions and requests of millions of readers have been researched for the publication. The final product, Chabad note, “speaks ancient wisdom in a modern voice”, for the kind of discussion expected at a Seder of engaged contemporary Jews.

For Rabbi Meir Simcha Kogan, Chabad. org’s director, the project’s executive editor, it was a daunting task.

“Creating a Haggadah that speaks to all Jews and every Seder has truly been a team effort,” he told Chabad.

Senior writer Rabbi Tzvi Freeman noted, “The act of translating the Haggadah

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he Ch

For a meaningful, fun and uplifting Passover Seder.

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in a way that speaks to the modern Jew is a unique conundrum. Many Haggadahs, looking to make the vast corpus of Jewish wisdom accessible to a modern audience, must choose between two seemingly disparate worlds. Plenty of wonderful commentaries have appeared in English, drawing from early Talmudic masters to current-day Jewish thinkers, and people enjoy sharing nuggets from those. Plenty of rewrites have also appeared but those lose the sense of continuity-over-epochs that we come to the Seder to experience.”

Freeman has drawn on Biblical, Talmudic and Haggadah commentaries alongside the Chassidic masters for his edition. Annotations from the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson are naturally included.

“The Rebbe did an astonishing job of demonstrating the cohesiveness of the text,” Freeman commented. “Pouring through those notes, you come to realise there’s really nothing there superfluous or out of place in the Haggadah. Everything that’s there has to be there, and it has to be just where it is.”

The layout focuses on “ease of use and accessibility” enabling anyone to lead a Seder according to Chabad. Visual cues guide and enables the novice reader to point out the “what” “how” and “why”. The version also addresses the “who” providing suggestions on texts to be read aloud by one person or sung as a group.

Illustrations are included from Chabad’s treasure trove of art taking readers on a journey from slavery to freedom with “inspiration, insight and instructions” to last until next Pesach.

“There is a Chabad-Lubavitch influence in just about every Seder around the world,” claims Rabbi Motti Seligson, Chabad.org associate director, who oversaw the design of the project.

Seligson points to the many ways Chabad have enlightened Seders through insights of the Rebbe and six preceding generations of Chabad leaders.

It is thought there are more versions of Haggadah’s than any other Jewish book in history. Chabad’s latest version joins the list and is sure to enlighten Seder night.

Details: www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/ aid/5075231/jewish/The-Chabadorg-Haggadah.htm

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Pandemic hits Jews across UK says JPR

BY DAVID SAFFER Jewish employment patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic hit young people, low-income families and the strictly orthodox according to a new survey.

The Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR) report, ‘Jewish employment patterns: How the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Jewish people’s working lives’ offers insights into British Jews before and during the early stages of the pandemic.

Data will aid community workers supporting those experiencing severe disruptions.

The report found that the Jewish unemployment rate before the pandemic was lower than British society but rose above the national level by July 2020.

The report urged caution however as national and community data is needed to establish a trend. Jewish employment patterns also differ from the general population due to the number of Jews being

self-employed or entering work later than average. However, self-employed Jews were affected by a lack of access to government financial support compared to employed people.

The study investigated Jewish population sub-groups severely impacted focusing on redundancy, furlough and loss of income.

Families with annual household incomes below £30,000 were hardest hit. Over half of all strictly Orthodox Jews were affected, whilst women were negatively impacted,

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particularly through furlough or redundancy. The youngest age group (16 to 24year olds) were more likely than other age groups to experience work impacts.

“This report provides us with the first population level view of how Jewish people’s working lives have been affected by the pandemic, and the scale of the disruption is clear to see,” commented Dr Jonathan Boyd, JPR executive director. “Beyond the numerous physical and mental health changes that people have experienced all over the world, many people’s lives have been turned upside down by the work challenges they have faced, and Jews are no exception.”

He added, “Whilst some Jews have certainly been able to weather the storm, many have not, and this report helps community policy makers to identify where the pockets of need are greatest. As has been shown in other research, the worst effects of the pandemic often hit those who are already the most disadvantaged, so, unless action is taken, COVID-19 is very likely to be exacerbating poverty and inequality within the community.”

Dr Boyd noted that community organisations and foundations were undertaking important work to support individuals.

“We recommend further endeavour in this regard, alongside increased monitoring of Jewish employment rates over time to track change and understand the effectiveness of the interventions that are being put in place,” he said.

The study drew on data gathered for JPR’s COVID-19 survey in July 2020 alongside national data sources. The survey was conducted online and completed by 6,984 self-identifying Jews aged 16 or above living in the UK, many joining the JPR UK Jewish population research panel.

Weights from the 2011 Census and community data sources were applied.

UK Covid-19 funerals hit 900

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Board of Deputies President, Marie van der Zyl, has called on Jewish communities to follow government guidelines as Covid-19 funerals hit 900 in latest figures released this week.

Large sedarim at Pesach aren’t possible due to Government measures.

“Pesach will be a bittersweet experience for many,” noted Ms van de Zyl. “For the many Jewish families who have lost loved ones in the last year, the hope we can ‘all get back together again’ will never be entirely fulfilled. Our hearts go out to those who will struggle with loss this Pesach.”

She added, “We must observe government guidance scrupulously. With a possible third wave in Europe building, we must not allow Covid-19 to take life unnecessarily. If we act responsibly now, then we will be able to, once again, celebrate Shabbat, festivals and our Jewish life in the way we want.”

The Board works with burial boards and regional Jewish communities for statistics.

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Middlesex Uni adopts IHRA “We are proud to represent students from many faith backgrounds as one of the most diverse universities in the world. We would therefore welcome the University committing to positive action to tackle all forms of faith-based prejudice.”

Binyomin Gilbert, Campaign Against Antisemitism Programme Manager welcomed the news.

“As a popular university with Jewish students and situated at the heart of one of the

largest Jewish communities in the country, Middlesex has a particular responsibility to commit to fighting anti-Semitism on its campus,” he said. “We are delighted that the University is living up to that responsibility by adopting the Definition.” Gilbert added, “The campaign for widespread adoption of the Definition by universities is progressing well, but as our real-time monitoring shows, a majority of British universities have yet to adopt it, and we call on them to do so now.”

Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman applauded Middlesex adopting the definition as it has the “consensus approval” of the Jewish community.

The Board and Jewish communal partners met Professor Beech and his team last month.

“We look forward to building on the discussions to develop opportunities for collaboration and communications between the community and the university,” she said.

Middlesex University Hendon Campus

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Middlesex University London have adopted the International Definition of anti-Semitism.

The University Board of Governors unanimously agreed to adopt the full IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism with immediate effect. The Students’ Union fully backed the decision.

The University has explored the definition in recent weeks with students, staff the Union, Middlesex Jewish Society, local, national Jewish and multi faith groups.

Commenting on the move, Vice Chancellor of Middlesex University, Professor Nic Beech, said, “Middlesex is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and has a long history of promoting anti-racism.

We are proud to be one of the most diverse universities in the UK and to be situated in the heart of the largest Jewish population in Europe.

“I am extremely grateful to local and national Jewish groups who have spent time with me and colleagues to increase our understanding of the definition. While there have been criticisms that adopting the definition could limit academic freedom, our view is that the definition can be applied in a way which enables dialogue and discussion within and between faiths. Our commitment to anti-racism is equalled by our defence of academic free speech.”

The Vice Chancellor added, “Racism in all its forms is wrong. We strive to be a place where everyone is safe and free to flourish without fear of discrimination. In order to maximise the value of the IHRA definition we will need to embed it meaningfully across the University. This is not the end point but rather the beginning in how we hope to continue working with the Jewish community as well as other communities across our diverse and deep global network for the benefit of all.”

Tahmina Choudhury, Students’ Union Vice President added, “Whilst this definition is not without criticism or universal, we accept that it is the most accepted definition of anti-Semitism within the Jewish community. We also believe that in order to tackle an issue you need to be able to define it and we therefore support this decision.” She added,

For more information or to make a donation, please call 020 8420 6970 or visit norwood.org.uk

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Rivlin and Kochavi make Euro trip

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President Reuven Rivlin and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi completed a diplomatic tour of Germany, Austria and France before the Israeli elections.

During meetings Rivlin and Kochavi discussed the threat of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran’s nuclear programme and the International Criminal Court (ICC) decision to open a formal investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel in the Palestinian Territories.

Rivlin reportedly told a press conference following a meeting with President of Germany Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier that Iran was using “nuclear blackmail to obtain relaxation of the economic sanctions”. Rivlin added that Israel had red lines to prevent development of Iran’s nuclear

programme.

Rivlin described the ICC chief prosecutor’s decision as “scandalous”.

“The State of Israel is a strong, Jewish and democratic state which knows how to defend itself and how to investigate itself when required,” he reportedly said. “We are proud of our soldiers, our sons and daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters. They protect us from our enemies, and we will protect them from this decision. The State of Israel will not accept claims against the implementation of her right and duty to protect her citizens.”

Regarding the Palestinians, Rivlin noted that attempts to ‘legalise’ the conflict would divide the sides exacerbate the crisis. Rivlin added, “We cannot expect that confidence-building measures and improvement in our relations when one side

is advocating criminal investigations of the other side’s civilians in a foreign court.”

Kochavi gave a security briefing illustrating how Lebanon and Hezbollah are ignoring UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the consequences of precision missiles aimed at Israel.

Regarding the ICC decision, Kochavi noted that it was a significant challenge to democratic states’ ability to engage terrorist forces that hide behind civilian populations.

Rivlin and Steinmeier issued a joint statement. They noted, “The Abraham Accords with the UAE and other Arab nations opens a window of hope for moderate voices in the region. It is now that extremist forces, led by Iran, are threatening to undermine this stability. The international community must stand together, speaking out strongly

Aviv Kochavi

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA

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Iceland officially recognises Judaism

BY DAVID SAFFER Chabad is renowned for building communities around the world.

Their philosophy is tried and tested when it comes to outreach work.

Rabbi Avi and Mushky Feldman accepted the task of developing Iceland’s tiny community in 2018. Less than three years down the track the government has now recognised Judaism as a religion.

According to Chabad, the Feldmans, local community members and Icelandic lawyer, Páll Arnór Pálsson, explained Jewish practices to officials in a year-long process.

Their efforts have brought historic

Rabbi Avi and Mushky Feldman

success and in time for Pesach.

“For Iceland to formally recognise the world’s oldest religion is in itself very significant,” Rabbi Avi, the island nation’s sole rabbi, told Chabad.org.

Around 80 percent of Icelanders legally affiliate with a religion, paying a church tax (sóknargjald) to legally register religions at birth.

Weddings, baby naming and funeral ceremonies can now be civilly recognised.

For Rabbi Feldman, recognition is a ‘coming of age’ for Iceland’s tiny but active community.

“People here are very excited by this development,” he reportedly

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said. “It’s not just a formality, it’s a reflection of the reality for Jewish life here in Iceland.”

The nation has limited immigration, indeed according to locals, it started after World War Two. Now, around ten percent of the population is from abroad so official recognition is important.

Mushky told Chabad, “This step gives each individual a sense of belonging and a connection to Judaism in Iceland.” She added, “The Jewish people of Iceland have waited a long time for this to happen. The determination of the people in the community to get this done is really impressive. We owe a huge ‘thank you’ to Páll and all those who made this possible.

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and without compromise against Iran’s nuclear plan and its support for terrorist groups that threaten Israel and the stability of the region.”

Bicom noted that Kochavi’s attendance demonstrated Israel’s concern over Iran.

And he was lobbying support for European allies to defeat the ICC investigation.

He reportedly told Steinmeier, “IDF officers and soldiers do everything and have done everything over the years and in all operations, not to harm innocent civilians.

I have seen it with my own eyes many times as a brigade and divisional commander, in the alleyways of Judea, Samaria and Gaza.

When there was a suspicion that innocent civilians were harmed, we knew how to investigate our actions thoroughly and, when necessary, those responsible faced the law.”

Kochavi added, “The fundamental difference between us and our enemies is that while we do everything we can to prevent harming innocent civilians, our enemies do everything they can to harm our civilians, who are entirely innocent. We are in a new

era of warfare, which is highly complex, and the ICC must adapt itself to the new reality.

Your soldiers could face the same problems in other parts of the world, and so your support now is very important for us.”

Rivlin also met Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna and President Emmanuel Macron of France in Paris before returning to Israel.

In related news, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the ICC to open investigations earlier this month. Allies back Israel’s position including the United States, United Kingdom and Brazil.

Netanyahu described the ICC ruling as outrageous and anti-Semitic.

“The State of Israel is under attack,” he reportedly noted. “The biased court in The Hague has made a decision that is the essence of anti-Semitism and hypocrisy.

It has ruled that our heroic and moral soldiers, who fight against the cruellest terrorists on Earth, are actually war criminals.”

Israel’s leader discussed the issue with US President Joe Biden as did Ashkenazi

and US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken as did Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken.

Israel rejects all allegations, stating military actions in Gaza are self-defence as the Judea and Samaria must be resolved through negotiations.

Defence Minister Benny Gantz, Chief of Staff during a 2014 war in Gaza, said hundreds of Israel citizens, including himself, could be implicated and he would defend them. Israel will provide legal backing and give travel warnings if required.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, called on Israeli leaders to liaise with ICC’s newly elected prosecutor, Karim Khan of Britain, who takes up the post on June 15.

Yisrael Beytenu’s Avigdor Liberman and Yamina Party’s Naftali Bennett labelled the decision “anti-Semitic”. “ The Yesha Council, meantime, called on the Israeli government to extend authority over Area C where Israeli settlements equate to 61% of the region.

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There’s a bright future for Jews under the Northern Lights.”

Pálsson is Israel’s honorary consul and helped administer the legal process.

“We never had an official Jewish community before,” Pálsson told Chabad.

“While Jews have called the island nation home for decades, this is a historic development for Iceland.”

The Feldmans are based in Reykjavik where they provide Jewish education for children, Torah classes, Shabbat and festival activities along with women’s events.

Rabbi Avi told Chabad, “When we moved to Iceland, we knew that recognition was important to our community and we were determined to make it happen.

This is a story decades in the making.”

Government acknowledgment is important for the community.

Around 100 Jews were known to be living on the island when the Feldman’s arrived. His notion there were more has proved correct. Rabbi Avi estimates over 300 residents.

“We meet local Jews whom we didn’t know previously every single week,” he told Chabad.

Most are in Reykjavík, which is twothirds of Iceland’s 350,000 population, others are in Akureyri, Iceland’s second-largest city, West Fjord and fishing villages.

Before the pandemic, Chabad’s Shabbat programmes attracted 150 Jews at a city centre hotel. Since the pandemic the Feldman’s have tried to meet more Jews in Iceland.

They have enjoyed numerous successes to date. Last year, Iceland’s Jews held its first Holocaust memorial and also celebrated the community’s first Torah scroll with dancing in the Reykjavík streets following a reception at the home of the U.S. Ambassador to Iceland. During Chanukah a menorah is erected and before Pesach shmurah matza is distributed in true Chabad fashion. The only way is up for Iceland’s small but exuberant Jewish community.

Malki virtual events a hit Malki Foundation UK has held virtual events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Ros Altmann discussed the impact of the virus and Brexit during an interactive Q&A in collaboration with Bushey United Synagogue and UK Lawyers For Israel.

Rob Rinder spoke about the Robert Rinder Bar, media influence on high profile cases, time on Judge Rinder and his cookery skills.

Malki UK Director, Rob Taub, said, “We have found it beneficial to partner with other organisations to help reach a wider audience and reduce costs during this difficult period which has helped all parties involved.”

“We have continued to provide vital services for so many families that have been faced with restrictions imposed by the

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pandemic,” added Geoff Hartnell, Malki chair. “The variety of fundraising activities demonstrates that our supporters come from all walks of life and we are most grateful for all their efforts.”

Malki is putting on further virtual and live events with organisations.

The foundation was founded in memory of Malka “Malki” Chana Roth murdered in Sbarro terrorist attack in Jerusalem two decades ago. Founder, Arnold Roth, has spoken about the murder of his daughter in the 2001 Sbarro pizzeria bombing.

The foundation based in Israel supports paramedical therapy needs of children with disabilities.

For more information on Malki programmes visit www.kerenmalki.org.

“Who will help our toddler to learn and grow whilst fulfilling their unique potential?”

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Election sees polling stations in COVID-19 wards

BY DAVID SAFFER Special COVID-19 polling stations were set up for Israelis in hospital as the country went to the polls on Tuesday.

The Central Election Committee ensured hospitals had arrangements in place for the fourth election in two years in coronavirus wards. Polling booths were open for patients from other wards and hospital staff on duty who would not have been able to cast a ballot.

Hospital staff wore Green Pass holders and wore full PPE throughout Election Day. Election committee members were on hand watching through closed-circuit TV screens to corroborate the voting process.

“I am very happy the patients are being given the chance to fulfil this important democratic duty,” Dr. Tatiana Mikhalov, director of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center’s coronavirus ward, reportedly said. “The logistics are very complex and I applaud the hospital staff who enlisted for this important mission.”

“The voting process is working well,” reportedly noted Shavi Shmelo, Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital human resources vice president. “In our coronavirus ward, three people have so far voted. In past elections, around 1,100 people voted at Ichilov. So far, I think our voting trend looks promising.”

“I’m saluting them for bringing the ballot boxes to us,” reportedly added coronavirus patient, Jalal Masrawa at Hadera’s Hillel Yaffe Medical Center. “The staff members came into my room and asked me if I wanted to vote, I told them I did, showed them my ID and voted. There’s a good team that saw to it that patients could vote as well.”

Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa had four polling stations, one for coronavirus patients.

Whilst praise was fulsome, the Election Committee said voters were low in number.

COVID-19 was not the top news topic this week for obvious reasons. But there was good news as cases dipped below 500 for the first time since December as the national vaccination campaign continues to make an impact on Israel.

As of this week, over 4.5 million Israelis have receive both vaccine and over 5 million a first inoculation.

Health Ministry figures reported 6,114 fatalities to date and the country’s reproduction (R) number has dropped to 0.6.

Despite the figures, Israel’s Military Intelligence taskforce warned about complacency over the elections and Pesach.

Prof. Nachman Ash, Israel’s coronavirus czar, ratified the viewpoint to media outlets and noted that masks would be mandatory for the immediate future at a weekly press briefing.

Ash also spoke about COVID-19 Antigen rapid test kits and reopening Ben Gurion

“These next two weeks will be very challenging because we have Election Day, Passover as well as other holidays in April, including Ramadan.”

Airport.

“We are pleased by the improvements we are seeing, be it the decrease in the daily infection rate, the lower virus reproduction number, or the fewer number of patients in serious condition,” he reportedly said. “The numbers are declining but they are still not so low as to allow us to change the policy on masks and self-isolation.” He added, “The masks are most effective among crowds in confined spaces. However, we are not discussing any change and currently wearing masks is required both outdoors and indoors.”

Regarding new virus variants arriving through Ben Gurion, Ash commented, “We know there are negotiations with different countries. These agreements should be based on the principle that whoever comes here is vaccinated or recovered. I estimate that this summer there will not be a mass influx of tourists here. If we do it safely, I believe it will not bring in new variants.”

Ash added that the Health Ministry was concerned about a potential rise in cases after Pesach.

“Over the next two weeks we will monitor the data closely to see where we are headed,” he confirmed. “These next two weeks will be very challenging because we have Election Day, Passover as well as other holidays in April, including Ramadan. At this time, everyone should act responsibly and adhere to existing guidelines.”

Ash continued, “Unfortunately, from what I have seen, people often fail to follow the regulations and it’s a shame. If we see an increase in infections, we will just have to go backwards.”

Ash though did not expect a huge spike if Israelis were to “act responsibly”.

As for the use of fast diagnostic kits at testing stations across the country for events reserved to Green Pass holders, Ash was clear they would enable people who were not able to be vaccinated, especially children, to gain entry.

“The tests are not cheap,” he reportedly noted. “Around NIS 50-60, which will either be added to the employer or customer’s bill. I very much hope that over time there will be cheap rapid tests, the more this technology evolves.”

In related news, the government found a resolution to lifting restrictions on travel for citizens at Ben-Gurion on Sunday after the Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional last week.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lambasted what he described as an “irresponsible decision” by the court that could result in a fourth lockdown. The Health Ministry criticised the ruling as it could see COVID-19 variants may spread across the country and derail the vaccination drive.

The government had justified restrictions over mutated variants. But a court statement explained restrictions were set without the government having data about the number of citizens abroad who wanted to return or why a daily cap was set at 3,000.

The court added that their viewpoint was magnified by the fact Israel was the only

democratic country in the world where citizens have been “sweepingly limited in entering their country”.

The ruling noted the government must develop a solution that “better balances the threat of variants versus the violation of basic civil rights”. Restrictions were also an “assault on the very heart of the legal right to enter Israel and to leave it, and other rights that are at the heart of the fabric of life in democratic societies”.

The court concluded, “In the future, any new restrictions on travel into or out of Israel need, in legal terms, a comprehensive, factual, data-based foundation.”

For Israeli citizens, news of the airport being opened, despite some reservations from authorities, has been welcomed.

In other news, non-Israelis require permission from immigration authorities before boarding flights. But there will be no temperature testing before entering airport terminals or boarding.

Meantime, the Eilat border crossing to the Sinai Desert was opened. Israelis returning must adhere to the same coronavirus testing protocols at Ben Gurion.

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Election 2021 News Exclusively covering the election for The Jewish Weekly is weekly columnist JAMES MARLOW with the election results for March 2021 and his MARLOW REPORT:

WHAT HAPPENS NOW? The Central Elections Committee confirmed they will present the official and final results for the March 2021 Election, to President Reuven Rivlin

by Friday afternoon. Therefore as The Jewish Weekly goes to press, the exact number of seats for each party, may change slightly, according to the proportion of voters and the 120 Knesset seats.

Next week the President will begin meeting with the heads of all the 13 parties that passed the minimum threshold of 3.25% which is equivalent to 4 Knesset seats. The President will ask each leader, “Which candidate do you think I should recommend

to ask to form the next government?

Likud with its 30 seats will say of course, Binyamin Netanyahu. Yesh Atid who hold 18 seats will recommend Yair Lapid. Shas and United Torah Judaism with their 16 seats will say Bibi and the Religious Zionists (6) will also vote Bibi.

Benny Gantz of Blue and White with an unexpected 8 seats is likely to endorse Yair Lapid, despite the bad blood that remains between the two politicians after Gantz broke up the party last year to join the Netanyahu government. But then the parties of Labor (7), Yisrael Beitenu (6) Joint List (6) and Meretz (5) will endorse Lapid.

If you are keeping track of the score, that’s 52 to Netanyahu and 50 to Lapid with three parties left. Gideon Sa’ar of New Hope (6) who was completely smashed in the election, is definitely NOT going to recommend

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Netanyahu. But he may not choose either candidate. The same with Naftali Bennett and his Yamina party, (7) who may wish to “drive a hard bargain” and send a strong message to the Likud camp, “You do not have me in your pocket”.

That leaves the Arab Ra’am party with 5 seats which is simply looking for the best deal for the Arab community, in terms of what benefits can leader Mansour Abbas abstract from any Israeli government formed.

So in theory, the President does not have to choose Netanyahu to form a government, which seems quite preposterous considering his party is ahead by 12 seats.

But in the unlikely scenario, Lapid was asked to form a government, it is an almost impossible task to achieve.

Meretz will not sit with Yisrael Beitenu.

Labour will not sit with New Hope and Bennett along with Sa’ar have already stated they will NOT allow Lapid to become Prime Minister.

In Naftali Bennett’s words, “Lapid is left wing and the country is voting right wing”.

So it may not be until the third week in May, that Netanyahu will get a chance to build a coalition, which in my view can be done with Bennett and Gideon Sa’ar.

Many like Sa’ar have said in the past 12 years that they would never sit with Netanyahu. Ehud Barak said it and eventually broke away from Labor to join Netanyahu after the 2009 election.

Tzipi Livni said she would never sit with Netanyahu and she did. Shaul Mofaz who took over Kadima with 28 seats and plummeted the party to 2 seats ended up sitting with Netanyahu.

Amir Peretz, also of Labor, said it twice, but still ended up in a government led by Netanyahu. Many others including Benny Gantz said the same words, but still joined.

And Gidon Sa’ar will too. He has no place to go with just 6 seats.

But prepare yourself for long drawn negotiations over the next two months and meanwhile to the annoyance and frustration to so many on the left, Netanyahu is still Prime Minister.

WILL BIBI REMAIN PM?

It remains to be seen whether Binyamin Netanyahu will be able to form a coalition for the seventh time in his 3 decades of political life. But what is clear, is that Netanyahu is the third longest continuous serving leader in the western world today and he claims he has the energy to continue for many more years to come.

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The exit polls came and went on Tuesday night and continued to change, as the night moved on. But the Likud remained the largest party throughout, by a long way.

This election was more like a referendum on whether Israelis wanted Bibi to remain Prime Minister or “go home”. The result could have gone very differently if the smaller left wing parties lost their voters and chose Yesh Atid. But they didn’t. They followed the pollsters and decided to back Labor and Meretz to make sure, those parties would make it over the line.

Voters in an unpresented way, also backed Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, bringing him to a whopping 8 seats.

Blue and White are now the fourth largest party in the Knesset. To think that army generals, security personnel, left wing activists and Yair Lapid himself said, there was no way that Benny Gantz would pass the electoral threshold and they demanded he withdrew from the race.

But Gantz held on, just like he said he would and remains a strong player in the Knesset. In fact, until a government is formed, Benny Gantz continues as Defence Minister with the added confidence that he has the support and vote from about 300,000 Israelis.

THE VOTE

There were some six and a half million eligible voters registered to cast one ballot last Tuesday, in 13,685 voting stations across the country. The Central Elections Committee announced that 67.2% of eligible voters cast ballots, down from previous years. This figure is the lowest since 2009, when 64.7% voted.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, some 13% of eligible voters are aged between 18 to 24 years old. 29% are aged between 25 to 39 years old. 32% are aged between 40 to 59 years old. Israelis over the age of 60 years, comprise of 26%.

78% of eligible voters who live in Israel are Jewish of which 11% are chareidi orthodox. Around 17% of eligible voters are Arab, including Muslims, Christians and Druze. And 5% are Christians who do not define themselves as Arab or they have no religious affiliations.

FINALLY…

Read my opinion further on in this edition, on why we have pollsters and how they are not just extremely helpful, but how they influence the voter.

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ELECTION NEWS BRIEFS:

IMPORTANT DATES: March 30 Final results presented to President

• Netanyahu declared his Likud party had won in a speech he delivered at the Jerusalem International Convention Centre at 2.30am on Wednesday morning. He vowed to avoid a fifth election and called upon leaders and politicians from across the political spectrum to enter the government that he intended to build immediately.

April 06 Deadline for President to choose candidate to form government May 18 Deadline for first candidate to build coalition

• Mansour Abbas who heads the Arab Ra’am party and won 5 Knesset seats indicated he would not sit in a government with the Religious Zionists, with whom far right wing candidate and soon to be MK, Itamar Ben Gvir belongs.

June 15 Deadline for second candidate to form coalition July 6 Failing the above, deadline for any MK to form government

• The Central Elections Committee has denied a comment by its chairwoman Orly Adas that appeared to suggest the vote count had been held up by an official in charge on Wednesday, while he went take a rest.

October 5 Date of next election if no government is formed

• Binyamin Netanyahu has already spoken with the leaders of Yamina, Religious

Zionists, United Torah Judaism and Shas.

Furthermore, he called upon Gideon Sa’ar to join him in a government and prevent the country from going to a fifth election in October.

• Absentee ballots are usually cast by members of security forces, prisoners, diplomats and persons with mobility issues who cannot reach their assigned polling station.

• Labor’s rise to 7 seats is a step along the way to Labor returning to becoming a ruling party, said leader Merav Michaeli at a faction meeting on Wednesday.

• The Palestinian Authority said on Wednesday that the Israeli election results “will not change Israel’s policies toward the Palestinian issue”, adding that they did not see a difference between PM Netanyahu or his political rivals.

ISRAEL VOTED 2021 JAMES MARLOW compiles the results of the Election to the 24th Knesset based on the counting of ballots by the Central Elections Committee.

NAME OF PARTY

HEADED BY

RESULTS IN MARCH 2020

RESULTS IN MARCH 2021

LIKUD

Binyamin Netanyahu

36

30

YESH ATID

Yair Lapid

Broke from Blue & White (33)

18

SHAS

Aryeh Deri

8

9

BLUE AND WHITE

Benny Gantz

33

8

YAMINA

Naftali Bennett

5

7

UNITED TORAH JUDAISM

Moshe Gafni

7

7

LABOR

Merav Michaeli

1

7

YISRAEL BEITENU

Avigdor Lieberman

7

6

JOINT LIST (Arab Parties) Hadash, Balad, Ta’al

Ayman Odeh

15

6

RELIGIOUS ZIONISTS – OTZMA YEHUDIT – NOAM

Betzalel Smotrich (3 Parties)

RZ broke away from

NEW HOPE

Gideon Sa’ar

NEW PARTY

6

RA’AM (Arab)

Mansour Abbas

Break away from Joint List

5

MERETZ

Nitzan Horowitz

5

5

NEW ECONOMY PARTY

Yarom Zelekha

NEW PARTY

0

TOTAL NUMBER OF KNESSET SEATS

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6

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18 OPINION

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OPINION

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of this Newspaper

Pollsters and Charts make the difference OPINION PIECE

BY JAMES J MARLOW One of the lessons taken from this election, based on the results, is that the pollster companies hugely influence the decision of the voter.

People have often asked me, “James, what is the point of the survey companies?” I reply “two main reasons.”

First, to advise the political parties what the eligible voters plan to do on Election Day. Second, to inform the people, which parties are leading and which are struggling.

Pollsters, news outlets and political commentators like myself, have constantly talked about the surveys and published charts, which have an effect and we know it.

Blue and White, Labor, Meretz, Religious Zionists and Arab Ra’am, were all wavering on either side of the minimum threshold and may not have gained entry into the Knesset. Eligible voters saw these charts and heard the election news updates, and decided, at the last moment, to back the smaller parties.

In fact hundreds of thousands of voters hurried to their respective election stations and even at the point of standing in front of

the large tray of party slips, they were still undecided.

Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan News, conducted various interviews with voters at election stations in Tel Aviv, generally a left wing city, and many reported, they were still unsure which party to back, as they stood glaring at the slips with an envelope in one hand.

I myself have done the same in previous years. We know which bloc we will vote for – left or right, religious or secular, but we are undecided if we should cast a ballot for the smaller or the larger party.

As it turned out, all of the five smaller parties crossed the minimum threshold of 3.25% and it has pretty much brought about a 50/50 split between the pro and anti-Netanyahu blocs.

Had Blue and White, Labor and Meretz,

a total of 20 seats, failed to crossed the line, many of those seats, could have gone to Yesh Atid and may have brought another 12 seats, to Yair Lapid, putting him on the same number as Netanyahu’s Likud. But the people listened to the pollsters and decided, we cannot allow these smaller factions to disappear.

We must all remember, this is democracy at its best. The people have spoken. Many across the Middle East long for, not just something similar, but anything similar to the democratic voting process that Israel operates.

Despite three indictments against Binyamin Netanyahu, eligible voters still turned out to vote for the Likud party, because they see no other leader experienced and able enough to carry out the job of Prime Minister.

Despite three indictments against Binyamin Netanyahu, eligible voters still turned out to vote for the Likud party, because they see no other leader experienced and able enough

Covid comment OPINION PIECE

BY JACQUELINE CURZON This week marks the anniversary of lockdown, something we won’t be celebrating with a Hallmark card and a bunch of flowers. Very worryingly Boris Johnson is intending to extend the draconian powers of the Coronavirus Act for a further six months, just in case….. in case of what, exactly? A reprise of the covid chorus! (put your money on that!), maybe until we’ve reached Zero Covid? (likely impossible). Many in the Conservative corner are intending to vote against it, arguing too many provisions left in are ‘excessive and disproportionate.’ Hold on a jiff, what happened to our promised, long awaited freedom, scheduled for June 21st? We recall this was to be confirmed subject to our progress in beating the virus, but hey ho, we’ve vaccinated nearly 28 million people, daily cases are standing at 5,000 and our death toll is dropping [33 on Monday, 17 on Tuesday]. We have the best vaccine performance across Europe, and have endured the toughest and longest lockdown measures and loss of personal freedoms. We cannot just blithely accept the idea of doing

this forever, even if a resurgence of the virus comes back. The economy and - more importantly - the public, will not tolerate this. Thankfully the government has made it lawful for us to take to the streets to protest, although 20,000 marching to Whitehall kind of defeats the notion of considerate social distancing. But if folks can march for transgender rights, protest at a statue with dubious historical links to slavery, or cause unprecedented mayhem in Bristol, then by golly, we can protest about being locked up and told we can’t visit granny. Let’s roll out the second vaccine and we’ll be all sorted.

Oh, wait a minute we can’t, because the EU, of not-blessed memory, has decided to hold us to ransom: if we won’t alter the contract, giving up our rights to the AstraZeneca vaccine (manufactured in Holland), Ms von der Leyen is planning to hold the vaccine supply hostage. It’s not our fault they dithered

and were slow off the mark to sign up. The EU complains that 10 million vaccines have come to the UK, but we have exported none. Now, if we were say, Scotland, with a teeny weeny population of 5.5 million, and were stockpiling these vaccines, I would absolutely agree with the complainant. But with 56 million residents in England alone, we haven’t got to the end of round one yet, with a second round approaching for many.

Besides we are contractually granted first dibs. The only countries in Europe with a greater population than us, are Russia who have their own Sputnik vaccine, and Germany. It is interesting that Putin (unlike other European heads of state) has had his vaccine off-camera. Maybe it was Pfizer or a rival brand? I recall the majority of people in Germany, Spain, Italy and France are highly suspicious of the A-Z, over reports of blood clots and some fatalities. It can’t be

We have the best vaccine performance across Europe, and have endured the toughest and longest lockdown measures and loss of personal freedoms THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

Likud have at least 12 seats ahead of its nearest rival Yesh Atid and that is, in Israeli terms, an election win for the Likud party.

We therefore have to respect the decision of the people and prevent a fifth election at all costs.

The parties on the right including Gideon Saar’s New Hope which was really, Likud party “mark two”, was totally smashed.

None of us expected he would finish so badly. His former Likud colleagues are now calling upon him to return to his “home – The Likud”.

Gideon Sa’ar needs to negotiate a portfolio for himself and maybe another for a colleague and we all need to save the country from spending another 675 million shekels on a fifth election.

The last election cost 392 million shekels, but because of the extra Covid voting booths and drive thru stations, the price has almost doubled.

Fun and games are over and it is now time to form a right wing religious government with Binyamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister, as per the results of the election.

James Marlow is a broadcast commentator and communications trainer Facebook: James Jeremy Marlow Twitter: @James_J_Marlow

a coincidence that France, whose Sanofi vaccine production was abandoned due to unsatisfactory test results, nonetheless rejected the A-Z, with less than 9% of their population now vaccinated, and has around 35,000 daily cases.

These instances make it ironic that Europe seems ready to bite the bullet, but the main drawback is that they don’t have enough supplies in the vax shop. Italy has blocked shipment of 250,000 A-Z vaccines to Australia, despite Brussels having sanctioned the export, and Ms von der Leyen has threatened to invoke Article 122, which would allow seizure of factories.

The fact we have contractual ownership of our allocation seems to matter not a jot Now that’s exceptionally bad form, and a perfect example of last week’s quote: {EU} what’s ours is ours, and what’s yours {UK} is negotiable. On the one hand they aren’t sure they want it, but they don’t want us to have it either. If any were in doubt what life under #Remain would look like, we are seeing it in technicolour now. On the opposite side, one could argue it would be a humanitarian gesture for us to offer the vaccines to Europe, given 50% of our country is now vaccinated, leaving only the younger and presumably healthier cohort still to receive it. Not only would this keep the international death rate down, but potentially would have the additional benefit of opening up freedom of movement, currently denied to us. Otherwise, I’m not sure a holiday in Europe is going to be possible, going forward, even if you’ve got a covid passport.

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Pet therapy dog brings joy National Reflection Day for Camp Simcha family A miniature Schnauzer pet therapy dog brought such happiness into the home of a Camp Simcha family that it has inspired them to get their own puppy.

Peppa the dog visited the Ellul family in Edgware as part of the charity’s Paws for Fun scheme, which sees volunteer dog owners, with their specially trained pets, visiting families for therapeutic support.

The family has been supported by Camp Simcha for over ten years, after their son Nathan, now 15, suffered brain damage at 15 months. Since then, he has required full-time care.

The Ellul’s Camp Simcha Family Liaison Officer Samantha Charles said Nathan’s mum Suzanne initially took a lot of persuasion to try the pet therapy for his twin sister Gabriella.

“We have put lots of support in place for the family over the years, including hospital transport, crisis household support, volunteers, therapeutic art sessions, support groups, outings and retreats, however Suzanne was not a dog fan and just didn’t feel that the pet therapy was for them,” says Mrs Charles.

“I have a close relationship with Suzanne and I knew she wasn’t a dog person, but I really thought it would be beneficial. I finally persuaded her to try it; it took a few goes with different breeds, but then Peppa and her owner Ingrid paid a visit and it was an instant success.”

“Studies have shown that interactions with animals increase endorphins promoting relaxation, pain relief and joy,” explains Mrs Charles. “This was the motivation for Camp Simcha to start the pet therapy programme several years ago. It benefits the seriously ill children we support but also the siblings, who often have so much to deal with as well.”

Mrs Ellul said the visits from Peppa brought a sense of calm to the house. “I hadn’t expected to enjoy having a dog around but the time we spent with Peppa

Shammai who works at the Kisharon Child’s Hill Library plants a tree in the library garden in loving memory of those we lost to Covid

Jasper, Gabriella and Nathan

was so lovely that I could really see the benefits.

“During lockdown Peppa couldn’t visit and we really missed her. It made me start thinking about getting our own dog. Once I started looking into it, we were very fortunate to find a breeder who prioritised us because of our situation and now we have our own miniature Schnauzer, Jasper.

“After we made our decision, Sam arranged for the Camp Simcha Pet Therapy dog trainer Lynda to help us to get settled and also to ensure Jasper was comfortable around all the equipment Nathan needs.

“It is lovely for Nathan to have the dog on his lap and to have that interaction – but it is particularly good for Gabriella.

“When you have a child with such complex medical needs it has a huge impact on the whole family, but especially for Gabriella as his twin. She is already loving having Jasper in our lives.”

A tree was planted in Kisharon’s Covid Memorial Garden on National Reflection Day for Yechiel Yosef Rothschild, who died aged 20.

Yechiel Yosef, known as YY, was supported by Kisharon and when he died in March last year was thought to be the youngest Covid victim in the Jewish community.

YY moved out of his family home in Stamford Hill in early 2019 and moved to a supported living flat nearby. Outgoing and full of fun, he was also a student at Kisharon’s Further Education College.

The tree was planted in the garden at Kisharon’s Childs Hill Library. With the college on the first floor, he may well have spent time there.

Designated as a quiet place of reflection for those who have experienced loss, the garden was the brainchild of Kisharon volunteer Sarah Adler, who said: “Everyone knows someone who has died from this terrible disease. The worst part is that families had no opportunity to say goodbye.”

Rose bushes and other plants make the garden a pleasant place where visitors can pause for reflection. There is a commemorative plaque and a bench will arrive soon.

The first planting took place on Tu B’Shvat this year.

National Reflection Day, on the anniversary of the first national lockdown, has been designated a day of contemplation following Covid losses.

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Top chef Silvia Nacamulli helped British Emunah supporters around the country prepare for Pesach in an online cooking event that put the FUN into fundraiser.

Silvia showed the group how to make a

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carrot and almond cake and almond and pistachio florentines. We now can’t wait for Passover to try them for dessert!

A donation has been made in Silvia’s name to a British Emunah project in Israel.

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Chai launches ‘Chai’s Big C of Care’ Pesach Appeal

Alexia and her family

This year, Chai’s Pesach appeal features a personal account from Chai client, Alexia, 30. After the shock of receiving a cancer diagnosis just five days before the country went into lockdown, Alexia describes how pivotal Chai was and remains to her and her family.

Read Alexia’s story in her own words below: “It was March 2020 – exactly a year ago – when I got diagnosed with breast cancer.

I was pregnant with my second child. Five days later, the UK went into lockdown.

I was not yet ‘in the system’. There was no plan in place. My GP surgery closed and wasn’t even answering the phone.

Our world had come crashing down and we had no idea what to do next. But, somehow, we knew to call Chai.

Chai has been a constant source of strength to me and my family throughout the last 12 months.

No one has been in our home, hardly anyone has met our daughter, but the support from Chai – be that from our counsellors or our son’s music therapist – has been unwavering at each stage, and through every challenge.”

For more information on Chai’s specialised services, please call 0208 202 2211 or our Freephone Helpline on 0808 808 4567 or visit chaicancercare.org

A Pesach lesson by Reb Moshe Feldman for year 4 boys at Broughton Jewish Cassel Fox Primary school

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL

Chabad Lubavitch UK partners with Deliveroo to bring all-in-one Passover kits to people’s doors For Jewish communities across the UK and Ireland, preparations for the religious festival of Passover (Pesach), which begins on the evening of Saturday 27th March, have been exceptionally difficult for a second year running.

Lockdown restrictions will mean that lots of families are unable to come together to mark the festival and many people will need support to be able to run their own Passover Seders (festive meal).

In advance of the second “lockdown Passover”, Chabad Lubavitch UK is again partnering with Deliveroo, the award-winning food delivery service, to distribute all-in-one Passover kits. These kits will bring the festival to people’s doorsteps and ensure that every Jewish person has everything they need for the Passover Seder (festive meal).

Deliveroo has again agreed to offer its services and its network of delivery riders to bring emergency “Seder-to-Go” kits to Jewish homes across the UK and Ireland.

This year’s initiative builds on the success of last year’s partnership which saw over 4,000 Seder-to-Go kits delivered nationally. Deliveries across the UK and Ireland meant that Jewish people did not have to choose between their safety and celebrating this important religious festival.

The feedback from last year’s initiative was overwhelmingly positive, particularly at a time when many people were facing the prospect of spending Passover alone for the first time. “Pesach was coming.

I panicked and then resigned myself to being alone with no Pesach Seder at all,” said a 95-year-old man. “Instead, I received everything I needed for the Seder.

After losing my dear wife 8 years ago, and with no family, I really didn’t know how I

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would go on. But now I feel part of a larger family. Thank you for being there.”

This year, there have already been advance orders of Seder to Go kits by international students unable to return home for Passover, as well as for orders from supported accommodation centres and residential care homes.

Thanks to this ongoing partnership, Chabad Lubavitch UK and Deliveroo will ensure that every Jewish person has what they need to celebrate Passover, regardless of whether they live in a major city or a small rural village across the country.

In addition to the national partnership with Deliveroo, Chabad-Lubavitch UK will be running a bespoke delivery programme aimed at Jewish people living in very small communities.

This will include a far-reaching delivery programme across the Midlands.

Lubavitch of Solihull, together with Solihull Shul, have taken 150 advance orders for Seder-to-Go kits and Passover meals from Jewish people living in the region, including areas with a very small Jewish population. Over half of these orders are from vulnerable elderly people living in towns and villages including Stratford-upon-Avon, Ross-on-Wye, Royal Leamington Spa, Stourport-on-Severn, Kenilworth, Stourbridge, Henley-in-Arden and Shipston-on-Stour.

Rabbi Yehuda Pink, who serves as Rabbi of Solihull Shul together with Rebbetzin Dinie Pink, said “It’s amazing to think that in Stratford, the birthplace of the author of the Merchant of Venice, matzah and other Pesach supplies are being delivered door-to-door. I wonder what Shakespeare would have made of it!”.

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Matzah, Zoom, friendship and more for isolated KKL clients With pastoral care underpinning KKL’s work, it has used these challenging times to connect with its isolated and often vulnerable clients to reassure them that they are not forgotten. In advance of Pesach, and just as they did last year, many of KKL’s clients across the UK have had parcels of festive food essentials safely delivered to help them mark the Jewish holiday in some way and still feel connected to the wider community. A very grateful Mr Newton from Surrey said: “I was so amazed at your wonderful gesture for Pesach – the Seder plate, Haggadah and all the other goodies – and personally delivered by David [Goodman, Director of Community Relations] too!”

Another client said: “I am shielding and it wasn’t possible to go to Golders Green as I used to do. This is the second Pesach in this situation, which is terribly hard but your thoughtful gift really lifted my spirits.”

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, KKL had been able to host an interactive pre-Pesach Seder for clients who may otherwise have been spending Pesach alone anyway. This year, KKL is proud to be holding a pre-Pesach Seder via Zoom on Tuesday (23 March) and it’s proving popular with sign-ups.

In addition, instead of visiting clients for a chat and a cup of tea, members of the KKL team have been calling the clients to see how they are managing, offer help or simply lend a listening ear. KKL has also produced a special newsletter

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT The Manchester Beth Din together with The Manchester Community Eruv Committee would like to make clear to all the community that Heaton Park in its entirety is NOT INCLUDED in the Manchester Eruv boundaries and as such, one MAY NOT carry anywhere within Heaton Park.

Heaton Park HAS NEVER been included in the Eruv and cannot be included due to Halachic problems making it impossible to do so.

Please be sure that you are familiar with ALL the boundaries before using the Eruv.

Please continue to subscribe and support our eruv by visiting www.manchestereruv.org.uk/donate.aspx, the MBD website www.mbd.org.uk or by calling Moshe Katz 07854 257 483

Ted Newton with his bag from KKL

to help occupy clients. KKL’s newsletters have been welcomed by all over the past year but particularly by clients with little or no access to the internet.

Getting through this together

Pesach packages

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Rabbi Yossi Jacobs delivering Matzot and wine for Pesach

Rabbi Yossi Jacobs of Singers Hill Synagogue in Birmingham drove 32 hours to deliver 250 Pesach gifts with Shmura Matzah to peoples homes.

Families were really touched to see the Rabbi on their doorstep. It’s important that during these difficult times when Shuls have been closed that members know they are not forgotten especially as many will once again be spending Seder

alone.

He covered 200 miles from Edgbaston to Moseley, Harborne, Sutton Coldfield, Smethick, Quinton, Halesowen, Bromsgrove, Barnt Green, Bartley Green, Selly Oak, Cotteridge, Stirchley, Kings Heath, Kings Norton, Stourbridge, Walsall, Solihull, Lapworth, Knowle, Shirley, Hall Green, Selly Park, Balsall Heath, Northfield, Wolverhampton & Coventry.

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND HEALTHY PESACH TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP YOU, PLEASE CALL OR VISIT 020 8371 3280 WWW.THEWORKAVENUE.ORG.UK

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Jewish Care lights up building in purple King David Primary Reception to mark National Day of Reflection boys at the schools Seder

Noam Elton and Harrison Zegze

The Maurice and Vivienne Wohl campus lit up in purple

Jewish Care lit up its Maurice and Vivienne Wohl campus at 8pm in purple to mark today as a national day of reflection, marking one year since the country entered its first lockdown.

The campus, which houses Jewish Care’s head office, the Michael Sobell Jewish Community Centre, Otto Schiff Care Home and Wohl Court Retirement Living, was lit in Jewish Care’s brand colour, purple, allowing others to see the building as a beacon of hope after a difficult year in particular for older members of the community and the social and health care sectors.

Jewish Care also held a minute of silence at 12pm together with colleagues and volunteers from across the organisation to reflect on our experiences and thoughts of the last year.

Chief Executive, Daniel Carmel-Brown said: “We lit up our Maurice and Vivienne Wohl campus this evening to share our reflections on the last year with the community. We wanted to show that without communal support, we could not have got through this pandemic, and we are incredibly grateful for the way our supporters rallied together with us. A minute’s silence for all staff and volunteers across Jewish Care at 12pm also allowed us to remember fondly those we have lost and reflect on the past year. The last year has been extremely difficult for so many people, but there is now a light at the end of the tunnel, this evening’s event allowed us to shine a light of hope for the future.

Jewish Care is still here to serve the community now and in the future.”

Broughton Jewish Casssl Fox Primary School Year 2 Seder

Tali Schwinger and Ella Harris

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL

Pesach Kashering behind the Satmar Shul last Sunday

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL

Pesach – The Festival of Liberation Every year at the start of Spring Jewish households across the world mark the holiday of Pesach, we spend hours recounting our ancestors liberation from Egypt, freedom from slavery and essentially the very survival of the Jewish nation.

The level of detail my family and my community stuck to ensuring Pesach was kept to the highest of standards meant preparations started months in advance.

We examined the matza for cracks, dishes were dipped and re-dipped, worktops covered in tin foil, cleaned our homes and cars so no morsel of chametz remained.

Everything was analysed to make certain the highest and holiest of standards were set for our ultimate liberation, so that when we sat down on Seder night to tell the story, our story of freedom, we could truly experience what it was like to be liberated like our ancestors.

Yet as a teenager while experiencing sexual abuse by a family friend, I wasn’t free. I was trapped. I was trapped in a world of continuous harm and abuse, perpetrated by someone I, and my parents, trusted. I had no way of liberating myself because I was young, I had no language to explain what was happening to me, I had no trusted adult to rely on as a trusted adult was abusing me. While I went to a school that had a safeguarding policy, it was not implemented in a way that actually kept me safe.

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Pesach is a triggering time for many victims of abuse, a Yom Tov where extended families come together means many victims are faced with their perpetrators. Over the past eight years at Migdal Emunah we have experienced a peak in self-referrals before and over the Pesach period.

This year has been exceptionally challenging for everyone, for those with PTSD, pandemic life has been an additional factor. Many of our clients have been unable to prepare Pesach, mentally, emotionally and financially. Migdal Emunah has distributed Pesach care packages to ensure all our clients are able to celebrate Pesach.

Though unprecedented, we understand that our clients are spending all their energy on just surviving every day.

Instead of adding insult to injury by reminding victims that theoretical chametz is more important than prioritizing safeguarding, take actions and stringencies; safeguarding policies that are understood and enforced, age appropriate relationship and adult education in all our schools and mandatory reporting in all our religious institutions. We can act on setting victims free by checking our own community organisations, schools and shuls to ensure more than the bare minimum of safeguarding is being met.

The freedom to live a life safe from abuse should be a priority for every child.

Every foggy lens is making a difference By covering our mouth and nose we’re helping stop the spread of Covid-19, because anyone can catch it, and anyone can spread it.

Let’s keep going

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Marion Saurymper celebrates 50 years of teaching piano at Manchester King David Primary School

Marion Saurymper plays the piano celebrating 50 years and has no plans to retire

Pesach messages project from children to Jewish Care home residents

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL

Jewish Care resident, Ivor holding a Pesach message, written just for him

EE FR

Jewish Care are working together on an intergenerational Pesach project with Yoni Jesner, PJ Libraries and GIFT asking children to colour Seder plates and write messages to send to residents at Jewish Care homes and tenants at Jewish Care’s retirement living apartments to connect with them and bring a smile this Pesach, whilst the children can’t go and visit in person.

Leo’s mum, Gabs Abrahams, says, “Leo

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was so proud of his efforts, knowing he was going to make someone, who can’t be with their family, smile. Thank you for giving our family a readily-available and practical resource that might help support residents and the staff in the coming weeks. It’s so important to show the next generation the importance of positive connection, particularly at a time when we have to find creative ways of doing it.”

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NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM… and Afula and Akko and Be’er Sheva and Even Shmuel and Haifa and Kiryat Gat and Modi’in and Nacham and Nahariya and Netanya and Netivot and Petach Tikvah and Pisgat Ze’ev and Rishon LeZion and Rosh Ha’ayin and Sderot and Tiberias…

IN TOWNS, VILLAGES AND CITIES THROUGHOUT ISRAEL, THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SUFFER FROM NEGLECT, POVERTY AND TRAUMA. WITH YOUR SUPPORT THIS PESACH, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE THAT WILL LAST FROM YEAR TO YEAR. Donate online at: www.emunah.org.uk/donate (ref: Pesach21) Or please send your donations to: Emunah, 74 Grove Park London NW9 0DD

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ADVOCACY FOR THE COMMUNITY

Board welcomes new organisations

BY SIMCHA ABIR The Board of Deputies has 203 member organisations after Deputies voted to accept five new organisations into membership.

Maccabi GB, The Jewish Association for Mental Illness (JAMI), The Friendship Circle, Mitzvah Day and Jewish Vegetarian Society were voted onto the Board.

Hebrew Congregation and Aberdeen Hebrew Congregation have joined the Board. And Manchester North Salford (Vine Street) Synagogue has returned to the organisation.

There are 157 member synagogues and 46 other organisations making up the Board.

Since the start of 2020, other new joiners include JLiving and Magen David Adom UK. The Armed Forces Jewish Community, World Jewish Relief and UK Lawyers For Israel have also rejoined.

Board of Deputies President Marie van

der Zyl said organisations represented “all facets “of the UK Jewish community.

“We are delighted that so many organisations have been seeking to join the organisation in recent months, from all political wings, denominations and charitable sectors,” she noted. “This is in large part due to the excellent work of our Community Engagement Team.

JAMI chief executive Laurie Rackind said, “The inclusion of JAMI recognises the importance of mental health and social care in our community.”

The Friendship Circle programme director Esty Bruck noted, “We believe that people of all abilities should have the opportunity to speak up and make a difference.”

Jewish Vegetarian Society Director Lara Balsam added, “We are looking forward to developing even more partnerships across the community as our centre, the first Jewish vegan hub in the world, prepares to reopen post-lockdown.”

‘Something Special’ packages approach 3,000 deliveries

BY DAVID SAFFER Deborah and Katie Abram have delivered almost 3,000 ‘Something Special’ packages since the start of national lockdown 12 months ago. To date fundraising has raised over £3,000.

The initiative started to provide hot meals to the vulnerable during the pandemic and has grown a third in the last two months since being featured in The Jewish Weekly.

The West Hampstead sisters are behind the monthly project that has benefited hundreds of households. Packages contain food, treats, quotes and newspapers to cheer people up in difficult times.

Volunteers help Deborah, an economist at Savills, and 15-year-old Katie by cooking and delivering packages. “We started off as an idea to help those that would appreciate a warm comforting meal during these unprecedented times,” said Deborah. “Having delivered nearly 3,000 uplifting packages is really surreal.” She added, “We are continuing due to the network we have built with those who cook and help us deliver packages. They receive as much gratitude and joy from providing the packages as those who receive them.”

Deborah noted that the support received had been touching.

Deborah and Katie Abram

“We started because we didn’t like the thought of people feeling lonely,” she explained. “Regardless of the pandemic, many people feel alone, it’s so important to check up on family and friends. The idea has been made possible due to the selfless help and donations people have given us in the past year which we greatly appreciate.”

Events have included workouts in the park and a Zoom Chanukah virtual lighting.

To keep updated, to get involved or to send an address for someone to receive a package, check out ‘Something Special’ on Instagram ‘@something_special_da’

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Jewish community response to Kisharon is “spine-tingling” A year on from Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing the first COVID-19 lockdown on 23rd March 2020, Kisharon Chief Executive Richard Franklin and Director of Operations and Development Hadassa Kessler discuss an extraordinary year for the charity with The Jewish Weekly’s Journalist David Saffer.

Kisharon has provided innovative support to individuals with complex learning disabilities and their families since 1976.

From nursery to school, independent living accommodation and employment opportunities no other organisation plays such a unique and critical role within the Jewish community.

Kisharon offers opportunity and support, as well as education, to children and adults enabling them to live independently within Jewish communities and lead fulfilling lives. Supporting 350 people with learning disabilities weekly, a telephone helpline and on-line support service engages with 13,500 people annually.

Kisharon throughout the COVID-19 pandemic offered crucial front-line services with dedicated staff working beyond the call of duty at an unprecedented time. The Tuffkid Nursery, Wohl Campus, Kisharon Noé School and Kisharon Further Education College all operated. Kisharon centres were among the first to reopen following the initial lockdown for day opportunities.

Supporting over 30 people across 12 sites, Kisharon progressed a residential living facility for young women due for completion in July whilst volunteering saw a renaissance during a unique time in history.

Pesach is 48 hours away, activities this week included decorating an afikomen cover, charoset making, Pesach bingo, a model Seder and Chol Hamoed activities.

‘The Big Sweep’ also takes place tonight on Zoom.

Kisharon reverts to its 2021 Home Programme on April 6th. As the UK slowly exits lockdown core services will operate.

Kisharon has been tested to the limit this past year.

“You never know when you go into something like Covid how your team will respond,” noted Richard. “They have been beyond remarkable. The calibre of people involved in one of the most challenging areas to work, social care, is astonishing.

You have to keep going at every stage and our staff, not knowing how deadly the disease was, crossed London on public transport in unprecedented times. I cannot praise them all highly enough over the past 12 months.”

Financially, the pandemic struck Kisharon at the worst time imaginable as it came

Richard Franklin, Kisharon Chief Executive

Hadassa Kessler, Kisharon, Director of Operations and Development

just before the annual fundraiser in May. “We had to work out how we would respond and quickly,” recalled Richard.

“Our match funding appeal was turned around in two weeks and the response from the Jewish community was spine-tingling. It was one of those ‘It’s a Wonderful Life” moments. We raised funds we would otherwise have done at our annual dinner and other events that had to be cancelled in a 48-hour period from people who had not given to us at all in some cases and in other cases 10 or 15 years. It was quite extraordinary to witness. Credit also to the JLC Social Care Fund, and thankfully at the time Central and Local Government who agreed to fund us.

Kisharon furloughed 25 percent of staff in the midst of the pandemic but most services operated throughout. Zoom sessions kicked in and from June 2020 everyone was able to return to the school. “‘Supported Living’ staff had to be available throughout,” recalled Richard. “There was staff who slept away from families for one or two weeks because they had to isolate with people with Covid, whilst doctors and ambulance crews treated people with learning disabilities with the respect they deserved.

“Not only did we keep going, we thrived.

We finished a new £30 million school in

Parsons Street two weeks after lockdown.

The school opened on schedule in September 2020. We are now up to 50 pupils.”

Despite many challenges, Kisharon continues to help more people and a scheme for vulnerable young women with disabilities goes live in July.

Richard noted, “As we have seen in the national press recently, women have a particular vulnerability in our society, so I’m delighted we have this scheme. And that happened during lockdown. It’s my privilege to serve a thriving organisation, but it only thrives because of the interest in social care of our community and their support as a frontline service.”

Richard continually looks forward but is concerned as we approach Pesach regarding fundraising.

Kisharon budgeted £2.1m this year to cover service costs, including a minimum £1.5m from their their upcoming Match giving campaign (2nd-3rd May).

“There is funding pressure,” Richard noted. “We cannot put on traditional events so we have another match funding appeal, and in an environment where Central Government in the budget made no reference to social care emergency funding which is due to run out this month. We are feeling the impact in certain London Boroughs who are resisting funding at the levels we

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had. Kisharon like other charities are going to face difficult decisions in the months to come.

“Ten million people are affected by social care in the UK. Many families are affected by learning disability, elderly care and disability generally, it’s a big issue. We will see the impact of that over the next 12 months.

“The fundraiser in May is similar in execution to 2020, it’s a match funding campaign. There are those in the community who say if it was not for the same 300 families the community would not exist but this type of campaign has disproven it. I’m not saying we don’t need the 300 families, far from it, but those bastions that have taken on the mantle of responsibility are enthused to see others rally to the cause through a match giving campaigns.

“It’s been a democratisation for fundraising and philanthropy. And it’s a positive of Covid. People have not been able to spend money, they have been reflecting on choices. Many people have suffered in this period and it’s been truly heartening to witness people’s desire to do good. We have also been heartened by the fact people see the importance of Kisharon. We’ve worked with shuls and outreach programs to contact people isolated by sending gifts over Rosh Hashonah, Purim and now Pesach. That’s fantastic. People at our college are learning skill sets, giving back to the community. We want to produce things people want, this way we come together as a community. It’s really important everybody can play a part and contribute.”

Hadassa Kessler is passionate about people with disabilities living ordinary lives as valued members of society.

“When we had to refocus on services at the beginning of lockdown and move over to Zoom, it gave us the ability to be more flexible with time,” she noted. “We were offering independent living skills and creative opportunities. We then had an option to extend it through Zoom and that was where our Shabbat programme came about. There were people feeling isolated, they would normally have gone to shul and participate with the community.

Our service run by Rabbi Shmuel Neuman took place an hour before candle lighting and anyone could show up. Everybody

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KISHARON was founded in 1976 to provide an education for children with learning disabilities.

Kisharon today offers opportunity and support, as well as education, to adults and children with complex and profound learning disabilities. Individuals supported

by Kisharon are taught the skills they need to live independently within the community and to lead fulfilling lives.

‘Kisharon Tuffkid Nursery’ supports both mainstream and SEND children.

Each child is encouraged to develop and believe in his or her potential. Children are encouraged to be curious learners and take risks within a safe environment during their learning journey. www.kisharon.org.uk/education/ tuffkid-nursery ‘Wohl Campus, Kisharon Noe School’ caters for students with special educational needs aged 4 to 19.

The school has a Jewish ethos and is committed to inclusivity. Teaching is meaningful, accessible and motivating and includes whole class, small group and individual work designed around ‘scaffolding’ to support individuals in their independent learning. www.kisharonschool.org.uk ‘Kisharon Further Education College’ allows students to develop skills and become independent.

Due to Covid the curriculum was adapted, students were involved in social enterprise ventures. www.kisharon.org.uk/education/ kisharon-college ‘Kisharon Supported Living’ instils confidence in adults to live independently.

Supported Living is for adults with learning difficulties, the greatest comfort is knowing there is a caring person supporting at all times. Experienced and skilled staff provide ongoing support. www.kisharon.org.uk/our-services/ support/adult-supported-living ‘Kisharon Day Opportunities’ through day centres offer person-centered opportunities with a strong focus on life skills. Due to the current situation, sessions are being run online for those at home. www.kisharon.org.uk/our-services/ opportunity ‘Kisharon Social Enterprise’ operates businesses within the community including Kisharon Design & Print, Kisharon Gift & Homeware Store, Equal, Childs Hill Library, Kisharon Bike Shop and Skills for Employment Centre. Individuals learn skills, income is reinvested into the charity. www.kisharon.org.uk/social-enterprise Kisharon Head office: 0203 2091160 or www.kisharon.org.uk

Pupil from The Wohl Campus , Kisharon Noé School and Loftus Family Learning Centre enjoying time in the state of the art Sensory room at the school

was unmuted and could sing their heart out. As it evolved, extended families could be together. Then as summer ended we extended it to Havdalah which included traditional songs and a prayer for ill people around the world. It was a moving experience seeing everyone connecting with family and friends. We now want to open it to anyone in the UK.” Hadassa added, “A lot of people we support who have autism enjoy using Zoom because it’s focused, there are no distractions, they can turn the volume down. If it’s getting overwhelming, they can see it in a place comfortable for them. Zoom for the rest of us has given us an insight into what it’s like to have autism because we are missing queues, context, we don’t hear everything properly, something gets missed, so that’s been a flipside of the technology.”

World Autism Week is this week, so it was timely for Hadassa to note the employability of autistic people for Kisharon.

She noted, “Someone who started as a volunteer with us has been on a journey to become a regular staff member. They prefer to be called an ‘autistic person’ rather than a ‘person with autism’ because they see it as an essential part of them. It makes them really good at their job. Having meticulous attention to detail in the role means nothing gets missed. If something doesn’t quite match up, they query it and it’s been a huge asset to our organisation.

“It’s important to highlight this and they are not the only autistic person we employ.

But we don’t have many at the moment because of lockdown however in a normal week there are 40-50 people who do roles from an hour to a day or two. Sometimes they find going to the same place for a week too repetitive, they prefer different places and meeting different people. Also, transport is normally easier to get out and about.

“It’s been really difficult the past year because the first people to lose jobs are people that are more vulnerable with mental health. Also, a lot of people we are supporting are shielding but as things open up opportunities will increase. We are looking at self-employment openings and helping people create their own businesses. Online shopping is an interesting

“We have also become a more confident organisation because we have taken on challenges we never thought that we would ever face.” area as packaging, labelling and posting items is a perfect prospect.”

Regarding World Autism Week, Richard added, “There will be social media campaigns but we are linking to Jewish based topics. At our school, we are holding an autism-specific seder which will be marked by physical visual symbols. At the nursery, youngsters can see frogs hatch as part of the 10 plagues, children will have buckets to take belongings with them for the Exodus. It’s being done in a very visual way to enable autism to be highlighted in a space that everyone can get around.

“The important thing for us, right across Kisharon, is not to define people by their condition, it’s part of who and what they are. We are absolutely driven by equality, we take each person as we find them, we celebrate them for who they are, that’s our approach to World Autism Week within the confines of a Jewish experience. The mock seder is a perfect opportunity to showcase that philosophy.”

Has Kisharon changed because of COVID-19 and are you a stronger organisation?

“The use of Zoom has liberated staff,” noted Richard. “We have been able to access people who ordinarily think, I don’t live in Hendon or Golders Green, we won’t work there. That has been blown apart. We’ve been able to tap into excellent expertise. We are far more adaptable in our thinking about who will work where, when and how.

“We have also become a more confident organisation because we have taken on challenges we never thought that we would ever face. Our profile within emergency and social care services has grown in

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FEATURE 31 a way that we have dealt with some of the most difficult situations. Local authorities are fulsome in their praise in what we are doing for people who otherwise would not be in our community.”

Hadassa added, “In terms of different ways of working, more than Zoom, our team, especially ‘Supported Living’, have really strengthened through Covid. The way they understand and support each other, it’s not just about what you do during a day, it’s what skills you bring, the challenges at home and how that impacts on work. People are taking on a huge amount of responsibility and sharing responsibility. Everyone’s workload has gone way over more than anyone could have imagined before Covid. There are really long hours, challenging work, difficult conversations and that has strengthened us as a team.”

CQC released a report on how DNAR decisions were used at the start of the pandemic. The report followed concerns that decisions were being made without the involvement of patients or relatives, and that they were being applied in a blanket way to particular groups including those with learning difficulties.

“Covid gave us time to reflect and brought issues we knew were there to the surface,” Hadassa noted. “Valuing life and DNAR, it’s been a cold sobering reminder about how little value society seems to hold for people with learning disabilities and older adults. We reached a certain point then Covid took us a step back.

“It is reassuring that the CQC were able to look at the errors made, the factors that lead to this and in addition, make recommendations on how to improve for the future. Clearly the volume of information supplied and the formats it has been provided in, both to vulnerable adults (those with disabilities and dementia) and social care staff, need to be improved to ensure they are clear, consistent and avoid confusion. There is evidence of good practice around the country which can be replicated to provide consistency across the sector. Putting people at the heart of decisions made about their care, including records of conversations on any agreed decisions, should be a given. The pandemic highlighted health inequalities faced by vulnerable people and their families which illustrated the need for a proactive approach in ensuring compassionate and person-centred care for everyone”.

Evaluating Kisharon overall, Hadassa and Richard, believe the charity is in a positive space.

“The past year has shown us that anything is possible,” noted Hadassa. “We have become more confident as an organisation without in any way losing humility given the precariousness that goes year to year nature of working in this field.”

Richard added, “Kisharon is a place where staff are truly dedicated to unlocking the talents of each and every individual with learning disabilities and autism to live a good live as contributors to our community,” he noted. “We strive for the very best for some of the most marginalised and challenged of people, which greatly impacts on their families and supporting this calling goes to who and what we are as a community.”

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From the front line…

BY JACQUELINE CURZON A group of 47 cancer charities have said that, without urgent action, the UK will see its cancer deaths rise for the first time in decades. Urgent lung cancer referrals have dropped by a third, possibly under cover of seasonal coughs and covid symptoms. Tragedies are literally lurking round every corner.

Take the tragic case of Kelly Smith (31), who had S4 Bowel cancer, and was on a programme of chemotherapy. She was advised to take a 3 month break because of the risks of covid, and died 12 weeks later. This is exactly what I flagged up over the past year: I myself was encouraged to take a break under the same advice, and then had a nerve Jacqueline Curzon wracking 16 weeks off chemo. It only rePHOTO: LARA MINSKY PHOTOGRAPHY sumed when I insisted, by which point I was eaten alive with anxiety.

Additionally I can see no lucid reason why the clinically vulnerable couldn’t have been vaccinated in groups alongside the 80s, the 70s etc, instead of being left to group four or five, by which point many of us would have succumbed to some vital piece of evidence. Following his disease. I was deeply upset to hear recently that a friend and fellow cancer patient refusal to cooperate, a warrant will now be had just died. She and I had similar cancers, sought. I personally am not feeling very shared the same first name, similar ages confident that they will find Ms Heslop, but and were both positive, lively individuals. at the very least her family deserve to know Her decline was sudden and at warp speed, what's happened to her. leaving no time for unfinished business. I The Russian defence ministry have reported the accidental death of a crew in an incifelt her transition was catalysed by a hateful dent at an airbase in the Kaluga region. The villain, and of course I totally dread - for crew of a Tu-22M3 bomber were preparing myself - an unexpected, excruciating helter for a training mission, when its ejection skelter slide to infinity. One naturally system malfunctioned and shot them out. hopes for a gentle exit, surrounded by one’s Their seats require a minimum speed of 80 children and friends; if you’re lucky, whilst miles per hour for safe ejection at altitudes you’re still in charge of mind and speech, but of course in all too many cases that’s just below 200 feet. As the Tu-22M3 has a typical takeoff speed of 230 miles per hour, it is wishful thinking. My father had a tortuous, possible the bomber was stationary. Three undignified last few days to end his life. of the four crew died, including Colonel Unfortunately we get no choice - we don’t Vadim Beloslyudtsev, the commander of the get to write our final chapter. bomber unit.

The matter of the missing British woman For anybody out there who thinks perhaps Sarm Heslop has taken on a rather sinister I only focus on the misadministration of undertone. Sarm (41) went missing from government north of the border, you would the 47' catamaran, Siren Song, on March be very wrong. It's been disappointing to read 8th. Her boyfriend Ryan Bane reported that the government's identity verification her missing, claiming he woke up in the scheme, which promised to change the way morning and she was 'nowhere to be seen.' that we access government services, has now This sounded rather suspicious from the been scrapped after 8 years of work and £175 start, and now the US Virgin Islands Police million of taxpayers money. Gov.UK Verify department has asked Ryan for permission was introduced in 2013 as a way for the pubto search the boat, but he has refused. Why lic to prove their identity when using services would somebody with nothing to hide including paying of taxes, accessing universal refuse a search of the boat, which in an optimistic view could eliminate him as a suscredit or sharing driving licence information. pect? Maybe it's because something might The government planned for 25 million materialise, or worse - signs of blood might people to use this by 2020, with all Whitehall show up on a luminol sweep, which would departments using the system for their own of course indicate that something untoward online services. The scheme was scrapped had happened, and perhaps her partner after several departments including HMRC might actually know something about and the DWP both refused to use it. Separately the government has abandoned plans to this. As we know only too well in a missing roll out their NHS contact-tracing app across person's case, it is often someone close to England, as they discovered it is almost the victim who is responsible or who knows

Lawyer - Liar Kilts on fire !

useless to iPhone users, so after three months’ work and £12 million spent, they will introduce a new technology based on a system developed by Apple and Google. Track and Trace has also been a bit of a white elephant, costing the taxpayer dearly. It makes you wonder where they find these decision making mandarins? (Maybe from Tesco?) Widely differing reports give projections for the budget allocated to T&T, with amounts ranging from £6 -22 billion {reuters}, the higher figures taking it to roughly the £5.6bn cost of building the Channel Tunnel, which was completed in 1984.

Now the government has indicated they will impose a £5,000 fine on those who turn up at an embarkation point, intending to 'leave the UK without good reason.' We are insidiously becoming an autocratic state, but if they do want to make an example of anyone, they could start with Nicola Sturgeon. Her 'fine' could be paying back all the furlough monies she has gladly accepted, keeping her country under house-arrest, with central government funding, whilst her workforce is encouraged to denigrate her political opponents in Westminster.

The cross-party inquiry looking into Sturgeon found her guilty of misleading the Scottish Parliament, although they stopped one notch short of saying 'intentionally,' which would have automatically prompted a call for her resignation. Matters were left simmering in a political cauldron whilst the independent inquiry, in the hands of James Hamilton QC, continued. Ms Sturgeon has now been exonerated by Hamilton, redeeming her - at least in the eyes of her supporters.

Worse than any perceived negative fallout from the inquiry is that a drop in popularity might still damage her party more seriously than she anticipates. The diehard Nat voters will swallow just about anything, whilst declaring their undying love for La Sturgeon, although they are being tested to the limit.

For any politician to mislead is unacceptable, intentionally or otherwise, and Boris would have been catapulted from office instantly, if he had acted similarly. No arguing his corner with polished words of evasion.

That Sturgeon studied law is a further nail in her coffin, for as a graduate of Glasgow University (my own alma mater), she knows perfectly well that truth is not made of elastic.

'It is true that when a grain of truth cannot be found, men will swallow great helpings of falsehood.' [Isaac Bashevis Singer]. She may have won round one, but with the elections looming, it's 'not over until the fat lady sings.'

Readers familiar with the story of Shamima Begum, the Isil bride who ran off to Syria, will know she was stripped of her British citizenship and denied return to the UK. Across the pond it's much the same story for Isil brides. Hodu Muthana (25) is living in the same detention camp as Begum, and apparently 'had a fit' when Donald Trump said she would never be allowed to return

home. Muthana has a Yemeni father who was born in New Jersey, but this is of no consequence, as a federal judge ruled she is not an American citizen, and has no right to enter the country. She said in a recent documentary she thought Syria would be a 'happy' place, but found it 'hell on earth.'

She has a 2 year old son, and had 3 arranged marriages. Marriage can be naively perceived as an idealistic arrangement, but being the wife of an Isil fighter in a war-torn totalitarian state, could surely not be mistaken for a dream situation by any other than a deluded individual. Whilst we must feel sympathy for the children born and raised in such an awful environment, I'm not sure this naivety can be forgiven, if your husband comes home after a hard day at work, telling you how exhausted he was, with a spot of killing and beheading.

It wasn't as if they ran off to a land of plenty, like Glasgow [city of culture,1990], where everyone has running water, electricity, food, access to medical help, Internet network, but most crucially freedom and respect.

[Although in Scotland the intransigent Ms Sturgeon - like Boris - is the arbiter of when freedom will be returned]. Forgiveness is a very personal matter, and I'm not sure the nationals in any Western state would forgive those who rushed to support murderous regimes.

It’s with sadness that I report the passing of Katherine Diaz (22), a surfer from El Salvador, who has died after being struck by lightning.

The incident happened at El Tunco beach as she prepared for a tournament which could have earned her a place at the Tokyo Olympics. According to the International Surfing Association she excelled at the international competition level, adding that she was a ‘global ambassador.’ Many years ago I recall a young teacher who got married at the end of the summer term, and died whilst on her honeymoon, only a few weeks later. She had been on a beach, and was similarly struck by lightning. It is of course a freak event, and something we can never anticipate, unless you are maybe standing under a tree in a thunderstorm. Even with the infinitesimal odds of 1:500,000 - less likely than being taken out by an aeroplane crashing into your house (1:250,000) - it can still catch you out, and bizarrely 30% of lightning injuries actually happen indoors.

Lastly, Atharva Bhat (8) has beaten the previous Rubik's cube record by more than six seconds, when he solved a puzzle in each hand and another one with his feet, in 1 minute and 29 seconds.

Bhat revealed that he was keen to break the record after the World Cube Association announced that it was removing the category of cube-solving with the feet from official status in competitions. 3 cheers!

Wishing you all a pesach kosher v'sameach.

Love Jacqueline x

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Chag Pesach Sameach

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Building Self-Esteem - Part 2

This article is part of a serialisation of the book ‘Go to Yourself’ transformation through Jewish wisdom and Psychology’. The author Aryeh Sampson is a psychotherapist based in North London and counsel’s online. It combines approaches from psychotherapy and Jewish wisdom to address many psychological issues that modern man is faced with.

This includes overcoming anxiety, low self esteem, improving relationships and creating a greater sense of meaning and spirituality.

BY ARYEH SAMPSON

STAGE 2: CONTROL

2(a): Thought To build self-esteem we need to challenge the validity of our self-critical thoughts.

Self-critical thoughts frequently originate from internalized messages that we received in the past. For example, a girl who was told by her older sister that she was self-centered and ugly is likely to internalize these messages, as children generally assume that statements made about them by their elders and authority figures are true. Realizing that the source of these critical thoughts emerge from past experiences, as opposed to being a voice of truth, also helps us to discredit their validity.

2(b): Speech It is possible to challenge our critical thoughts intellectually, but still have difficulty shedding one’s sense of low self-esteem because the impact of the emotional experience that created them was so powerful. In these cases, it may be helpful to share those experiences and the feelings associated with them with a supportive person. When we experience a sense of shame or inadequacy, there is a tendency to want to hide it from others. But in reality, sharing these painful feelings helps to normalize them. In psychotherapy, great emphasis is placed on creating a trusting and empathetic relationship,which helps us to feel safe enough to relate our painful feelings.

Gestalt role-play technique in which one visualizes painful situations that occurred in the past. For example, if we experienced bullying as a child, like Daniel, we imagine that we are now the bullied child. We then imagine the bullies in front of us and express the thoughts and feelings which were unsaid at the time. By reliving the experience in the present, the painful feelings can be expressed, and we become able to view the situation from a more mature and positive perspective.

2(c): Action As we saw earlier, in the chapters about depression and anxiety, taking action can lift our mood. As Martin Seligman, the pioneer of Positive Psychology and former president of the American Psychological Association, wrote: “We feel elevated and inspired when the exercise of will culminates in virtuous action.”

Actions can either be those that stop self-defeating copying behaviors, or positive actions that express our true selves more fully. On a practical level, a person can ask himself the question, “What can I do that would help me feel better about myself?”

In therapy, Daniel expressed the shame, sadness, and anger he had experienced at school. This brought relief to the pain that he was carrying, and it allowed him to view the situation in a new light. Rather than regarding himself as a victim, he began to see the bullies as sad, misguided individuals, and as a result, he was able to value himself more clearly and positively.

Dena had developed a tendency to always take care of the needs of others before her own, which served to conceal her low self-esteem. She would never refuse anyone that asked her for help, but she secretly resented many of these people for taking advantage of her good nature.

Through therapy, she began to politely decline requests for assistance from those who were taking advantage of her and started taking greater care of her own needs. These actions helped her to raise her sense of self-worth.

The expression of these emotions has a healing effect and can help someone realize that he does not need to blame himself for what has happened to him.

This also leads to greater acceptance and forgiveness of any other parties involved.

Another approach to this is to use the

In Positive Psychology, great emphasis is placed on understanding one’s natural strengths and utilizing them in a positive way. Martin Seligman describes having an epiphany when gardening with his fiveyear-old daughter. Seligman was struck by the realization that raising children was

far more than just fixing the things that were wrong with them. It was about identifying and amplifying their strengths and virtues, and helping them find the niche where they could utilize these positive traits to the fullest.

He criticizes psychology, from Freud onward, for having been focused on merely correcting flaws. Positive Psychology therefore asks its clients to take a survey to identify their strengths and think about how they can use them every day at work, in their relationships, and to enjoy a more fulfilled and meaningful life. This process of helping people recognize their strengths and express them, as Seligman describes, is central to Jewish thought and is emphasized by Rav Wolbe, who taught the importance of understanding individuals’ strengths.

It was undertaken by Jacob before his death when he gave his sons specific and personalized blessings, pointing out their greatness as well as their weaknesses.

Rav Wolbe emphasizes the importance of understanding our strengths before focusing on shortcomings. By expressing our own individual strengths, we raise our self-esteem.

STAGE 3: TRANSFORMATION

Just as we have learned to identify ourselves with our weaknesses, we can relearn to do the same with our inner goodness through repetition of positive actions.

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In therapy, Daniel realized that his desire for high achievement was a cover for his low self-esteem. He made a decision to start to do things which he liked and were not guided by a need for approval.

For example, he decided to learn to play the flute, something he had always wanted to do but had feared that he wouldn’t do well enough in the eyes of others. At first it was very hard for him to let go of his fear of disapproval, but the more he played, the less he found that he cared about the reactions of others. He gradually started to take pleasure in his own self, irrespective of the thoughts of others, and he gradually overcame his fear of rejection. Through developing this new habit, he began to appreciate himself for who he truly was.

Daniel replaced his unhealthy drive for high achievement with the more positive habit of expressing his natural talents without fear of rejection, which then led him to gain self-acceptance. For other people, overcoming other negative traits and/or bringing out their natural good traits through creating positive habits will help them to reidentify with their own inner goodness. This creates a greater appreciation of self and brings greater happiness to all areas of one’s life. In the next article, we will look at creating loving relationships. These relationships are built on the foundation of having a healthy sense of self-esteem. As Judaism teaches, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” since we first need to appreciate ourselves before we are able to truly appreciate others.

To receive a free download copy and newsletter, email aryeh.sampson@gmail. com. To purchase a hard copy go to www aryeh.sampson.com Jewish bookshops or amazon He also has a YouTube channel,’ Aryeh Sampson’ where he shares insights on a range of psychological issues. Aryeh can be contacted at aryeh.sampson@ gmail.com. For more information about counseling view www.ascounsellinginnorthlondon.co.uk

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FEATURE 35

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Lockdown Beauty and Beyond Enhancing the face behind the Mask

BY CARON BLUESTONE This year has certainly been challenging from every perspective. From total lockdown, to Eat out to Help Out and back to lockdown again. It’s been hard to keep spirits high or instill some feeling of normality. I personally, despite the many, many challenges have tried to adapt as best possible to our ‘New Normal’. Embracing family time and the simple pleasures, allowing expectations to lower and pressure to ease. As we head towards opening up again, I have some recommendations that I hope you’ll enjoy!

From a beauty perspective, face masks have been a game-change. More of that, from Israel, later. With two thirds of our faces covered when outside of our homes, it seems barely worth wearing make-up! For me, little has changed on that front. I’m not one for much make-up anyway. I prefer the ‘clean’ feeling without it.

So, skincare is in focus. Especially so when the part of your face most prone to breakouts is trapped under a sweaty mask. Good skin hygiene, gentle acids and serious facials are what’s needed here.

From a beauty perspective, it did however get me thinking, researching, wondering.

I came to the conclusion that it’s all in the eyes. I hardly ever even wear mascara, despite needing it, with my very light lashes, so what I’m about to recommend is all the more pertinent.

If you want to make a huge difference, go and have your eyebrows done. I’d been scanning Instagram and scrolling through post after post of micro-bladed brows. To be more precise PHI brows. I went from never spending more than minutes a month, plucking a few stray strands and a possible quick comb with a clear gel, of my reasonably well-shaped brows, to jumping feet first in at the deep end, so to speak. Needless to say, I am thrilled with the outcome.

Brows have become a hugely popular focus in the beauty world. From the reality TV stars with ridiculous, fake, painted-on brows, to the latest, full, bush-brow. It’s not surprising really, as the brows really do act as a frame for your eyes, balancing and enhancing your facial features, if you wear them right. Permanent make-up has changed dramatically over the last few years.

Now, it’s all about being natural.

PHI Brows is the latest micro-blading technique and it’s one that is booming. A manual, semi-permanent technique, that gives a hyper-realistic result. Enhancing, rather than changing your brows. Eyebrows are created according to face morphology and ‘golden proportion’ or the golden ratio, PHI, which has represented beauty for centuries. Pigment that is matched to the client’s natural hair colour is manually deposited below the epidermis, using sterile, disposable tools. This is done in a way that is exactly in the direction of the hair growth itself and is the reason why this procedure produces such realistic results.

As a complete novice, I chose to be in the best hands and went straight to the teacher’s teacher- grandmaster, Dovile Zilinskaite at the brand, spanking new, official PHI Academy in Putney. A truly inspiring lady, with a passion for life, learning, teaching and giving back to others, she immediately put me at ease. Originally a lawyer from Lithuania, Dovile herself suffered as a young girl with no eyebrows, so has first hand experience of the many techniques used prior to this one.

Her life has pushed her in the direction of using her skill not only to enhance beauty for beauty’s sake but also to help people who have suffered. Whether it be reconstructive and realistic permanent make-up for cancer patients in recovery or simply correcting or disguising previous mishaps.

We went through the detailed consultation before going into the treatment room.

Brows were measured, drawn, measured again with the PHI app and agreed, before it was time to start the microblading. All the while my apprehension building. After all, to me I’m about to be tattooed. Under the very bright light, Dovile starts by plucking the few stray hairs unnoticeable to the naked eye, in order to prepare my brows for the microblading. She assures me that this is the most pain that I’ll feel. Extraordinary really because having sterilised the area, the first pass, where the pigment is applied and the skin is cut - the most disconcerting thing being the cutting noise- there’s no anaesthetic at all. Dovile tells me, it would be like drawing on to soggy paper. It’s uncomfortable but easily bearable and takes no more than what feels like five minutes per brow.

She works like a pro. Once both sides are done, an anaesthetic is applied and I feel nothing more as she makes the second pass.

The entire process from drawing to finished brows takes around forty-five minutes. I can’t wait to see the results. ‘Twenty percent darker now than the finished result’, I am told.

I’m astounded. Perfect, natural but renewed and optimised-to-the-optimum-width brows now frame my face. No redness, no bleeding, no irritation. I have sensitive skin too, so I was prepared. ‘This isn’t like the old school permanent makeup. It’s not as deep’, she tells me. ‘There won’t

be any scabs or discomfort. I’ve done my bit, your fifty percent is the aftercare’. Needless to say, feeling ever so strange but pleased with myself, with my aftercare pack in hand, I go back to my car ready to drive the fifty minutes back to civilisation in north London.

The aftercare is easy. Wiping with a healing wipe after thirty minutes and applying a balm that I’ve been given to avoid the skin coming into contact with air. Then repeating every two hours until bed. No getting them wet, no steam or saunas for seven days and cleaning with a wipe and applying balm morning then before bed. Simple!

The final stage is returning a month later for any top up of pigment. That should last twelve months depending on a client’s skin.

Oilier skin can lose pigment quicker. Pigment generally fades. What if I don’t like it?

Dovile assures me that it’s more a question of people falling in love with their new brows and wanting to keep them for good. I already know that feeling. From a novice to a convert in one fell swoop! www.phi-academy.com/treatment/ phibrows/

professional, her passion for innovation and choosing products that are super-effective, she knows her stuff. Her Signature Aromaesthetic Facial is a hybrid treatment that encompasses a medical, results-driven facial with that of a pampering, luxurious, spa facial. Acupressure and face-lifting massage combine to leave wrinkles relaxed and skin plumper and firmer. Her new treatment rooms in Harley Street, the perfectly serene backdrop. www.dermalhealth.co.uk/

MASKS MADE IN ISRAEL

Whilst we battle with covid and try to stay safe I’ve been looking at masks. Wearing a mask that fits properly and having good mask hygiene is key. Not all masks are made equal. Masks made in China can often claim many things and without a laboratory to do your own tests, it’s hard to know whether claims are real. Sonoviatech is an Israeli start-up that has harnessed anti-viral technology in a chemical coating for fabric. This gives fabric the ability to destroy bacteria, fungi and viruses. In tests it shows 99.35% effectiveness against covid -19. It’s safe, effective and re-usable for up to 55 washes.

They make masks in ladies, men’s and kids sizes and you can believe their claims aren’t bogus. Lastly, they also come with a built-in nose clip, something which is of the utmost importance when fitting a mask. Air should not be able to escape around the eye/nose area. sonoviatech.com/

SKINCARE

As I mentioned above, facial skin care is all the more important whilst wearing masks for prolonged amounts of time. Una Jefford at Dermal Health is my go-to lady for taking your facial to a whole new level. A qualified skincare nurse and consummate

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Being Healthy on the Outside also comes from being Healthy on the Inside…

What we put into our bodies, counts. I love a healthy juice to start my day and my children really enjoy smooothies. It’s a way of getting their five a day in to them without any grumbling. Now, aside from your ingredients; celery, ginger, lemon and spirulina for me - I love sour - banana, mango, date syrup, raspberries and peanut butter for the kids, your blender is key. Not all blenders are created equally. I’ve had my share of experience with blenders that just aren’t powerful enough, that break easily when under pressure. Blending something like fresh ginger takes a robust blender. So, I went on a mission to seek out a replacement for our broken one and found Homegeek.

The Homgeek Blender is multi-functional witheight speeds and four programs; options for smoothies, frozen desserts, soups and ice and will blend nuts to butters with ease.

Lastly but by no means least, it’s extremely easy use to clean and can self-clean too!

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25 MARCH 2021

FEATURE 37

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38 COOKERY

25 MARCH 2021

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488

Nutty Red Cabbage Steaks Jewish people love red cabbage, and this is a trendy different way to cook it which is suitable for Pesach and for vegans. Serve as a side dish, with salad or include in the lunch box. Delicious hot, cold or warm.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour Serves: 4

Another delicious recipe for Pesach from Denise Phillips For more recipes and inspiration visit my website: www.jewishcookery.com

Ingredients 100g flaked almonds 150g skin on almonds 150g walnuts ~ 75g cherry tomatoes – roughly chopped Small bunch of fresh mint – finely chopped ½ lemon – zest and juice 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Method 1) Preheat the oven to 180C Fan/ 200 C/ Gas mark 6.

2) Remove any damaged leaves and cut the red cabbage into 4 x 2 cm thick steaks, leaving the stalk on so they stay intact.

3) Brush both sides with olive oil, season well and transfer to a tray lined with baking parchment paper.

4) Roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden and a knife pierces the stalk easily. Turn the steaks over halfway through cooking and cover with foil if they start to brown too much before they are tender.

5) Place the nuts on a separate oven tray and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden. Remove and set aside, then roughly chop.

6) Tip into a bowl with the cherry tomatoes, mint, lemon zest and juice, maple syrup and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.

7) Season and drizzle over the steaks.

Vegans At Pesach

BY DENISE PHILLIPS As everyone knows Veganism is all around us and is growing in popularity.

A well- balanced vegan diet can be hard to achieve and maintain. For the eight days of Pesach, plant- based eating increases this challenge. Fortunately, there are many Kosher supervised vegan products on the market including Kosher for Passover items. Browsing round the Kosher supermarkets- some opening 24 hours at this time of year- reveals a comprehensive array of ingredients including dried herbs and spices.

For example, new to look out for this year is an amazing collection of nut butters and nut spreads including a versatile coconut cream which can be used in soups, bakes, stews and as a coffee creamer.

Starting at the beginning, a vegan Seder plate is easy to create with a couple of substitutes.

The Shank Bone can be replaced with a piece of beetroot – deep red to remind us of the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb.

Instead of the Egg there are many options – including an avocado pit, a small whole cooked potato, a mushroom or a flowerhead. As the Egg represents Spring, the Temple sacrifices, the Circle of Life and is not consumed it’s your choice.

The traditional Seder starter of egg in salt water is more tricky-perhaps a salted cooked potato in a little water is an option.

When it comes to daily meals for the vegan at Pesach full use can be made of

top- quality salad, fruits and vegetables.

Turn root veggies into soups, stews, bakes, gratins and casseroles. Spiralize, julienne, chop, dice or thinly peel carrots, celeriac, courgettes, swede, mooli, beets and onions. Roast or stir fry or steam and serve seasoned with fresh herbs, ginger, garlic and chillies. Roast broccoli, celery, sprouts, leeks, cauliflower- whole or in pieces drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with spices like paprika, turmeric, coriander and cumin.

Cauliflower rice, mashed potato, fried aubergine and well-dressed salads are great accompaniments to main dishes.

Garlic mushrooms, stuffed vegetables and nut roasts will ring the changes.

Matzah itself is a great ingredient. Soak sheets in cold water, pat dry and layer with ratatouille. Drizzle with olive oil and chopped nuts. Cover and bake to make a great Matzah pie!

For dessert baked apples, fruit crumbles, chocolate matzah bark, dried fruit compote, jelly, coconut macaroons, fresh fruit kebabs/ platters/ salads with a coulis or chocolate sauce are all delicious. Use date syrup as a natural vegan sweetener.

Make sure that you have bananas and apples to puree- these make great thickeners and egg substitutes in sweet and savoury recipes. Almond milk and ground almonds are both useful to have plenty of.

I hope that some of my tips and ideas will help you to enjoy a delicious vegan friendly Happy and Kosher Pesach along with a tasty recipe above.

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25 MARCH 2021

Games

HERMIE MUGS AREN’T JUST FOR PESACH! Give your friends or family these great fun mugs. They last longer than chocolates or flowers and will also make them smile!

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Bridge With Harold Schogger

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Pass Pass Pass

1h 4s 5 d* 5s

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* These are all cuebids showing first round controls after Spades has been agree earlier in the auction

As he had two diamond losers, South embarked on a simple cue-bidding auction at his second turn, which carried North-South to a fair slam.

West led the king of diamonds and declarer saw that he had potential losers in the pointed suits.

The normal way to play the trumps is to cash the king and finesse the jack. As the cards lie, this would have resulted in a disaster. West would win the queen of trumps and cash a diamond.

A better idea is to combine the second-best play in trumps, cashing the ace and king, with the chance of discarding a diamond on the fourth round of hearts. When the actual declarer

did this, he had the good news that the trumps were 3-2 and the bad news that the queen was still outstanding. Next he played on hearts, hoping that the defender with the queen of trumps began with at least three hearts. When this was proved to be the case, declarer was able to discard his second diamond on dummy’s jack of hearts. West was able only to score his trump winner.

This plan makes the slam when either defender has a doubleton queen of trumps. It also wins when either defenders holds queen-to-three in the trump suit.

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Yossi and The Jewish Weekly team wish a huge mazel tov to Rabbi Eli Stefansky, of Mercaz Daf Yomi in Ramat Bet Shemesh, his Rebbetzen Fagie and all his mishpacha on the engagement of his son Aaron to Malka Kopolovitch!

Quote JW25 at checkout to claim your 20% discount.

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40 FEATURE

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And now for some good news…

25 MARCH 2021

Life over the past year has been difficult for everyone. Dealing with lockdown after lockdown, government restrictions, home schooling, shielding and isolation, has meant that finding positivity in such uncertain times has seemed almost impossible.

Micaela Blitz speaks to some people who over the past twelve months have found some silver linings in a time of very dark clouds.

EMPOWERING YOUNG WOMEN

Zahava Kahen

Lockdown has been particularly difficult for children many of which have had to spend extended periods at home, rather than at school with their friends. When Zahava Kahen began to notice how this was affecting her own children she wanted to find a way to help.

Whilst her elder boys continued attending school due to her husband being a doctor and key worker, Zahava’s daughters, aged 11 and 8, were still being home schooled, and really struggling.

“I could see that their mental health was really suffering, and they were getting frustrated with the situation. As a result, they spent a lot of time arguing with each other out of frustration, or crying because they were Yael Simon missing their school PHOTO: BLAKE EZRA friends.”

After talking with her friend, Yael Simon about the home-schooling situation, they decided to do something to help these young girls feel less alone. They created a newsletter that young girls could share with their friends to make them feel more connected. The newsletter, Home S’Cool started off being shared via What’s App, but as popularity has grown, it is now available online.

The Home S’Cool website is a Members-Only Girls’ Community Group aiming to help them to feel connected in some way, and less isolated. They wanted to remind the girls why it was so

important to stay at home during the pandemic, and to reward them for the sacrifices that they have made in order to save lives.

The newsletter is produced by Zahava and Yael with contributions from women across the Jewish community, bringing together delicious recipes, helpful exercises for wellbeing, as well as thought-provoking parsha pieces, alongside games and quizzes.

Zahava wants the newsletter to highlight positive female role models to young girls, and for them to be inspired.

What is so unique about this newsletter is that it is created and produced solely by women for young girls to enjoy, and for Zahava is a way to highlight some positive female role models. So far, the newsletter has featured Shira Joseph, GIFT High Schools, Student and Volunteer Manager, and Rebbetzen Ilana Epstein, and hopes to include other women who are doing interesting and inspiring things.

“Within the Orthodox community, some girls can sometimes feel limited by the choices they have and may feel that their only option is to become a wife, and mother. I want the girls who read this that whilst they can do that, that should also feel empowered to do more than that. By hearing from women within the Jewish

community who are intelligent, successful, and creative, I hope it gives them something to aspire to.”

With many children having gone back to school recently, Zahava still feels that the newsletter is relevant and plans to continue producing it but on a monthly, rather than weekly basis. The next one will be coming out just in time for Pesach and promises to be better than ever.

If you would like to find out more about Home S’Cool, go to https://www.homescool.info/

HELPING THE COMMUNITY

The Made with Love Chicken Soup Run was started by Yochy Davis during the first lockdown. When many of her elderly neighbours were shielding, she decided to make some chicken soup for them so that they would have something warming and wholesome to eat. She began delivering it weekly to her neighbours who were grateful for the soup and other treats she included. Word soon spread and Yochy was asked if she would make soup for other elderly people in the local area.

Along with her friend, Lesley Adams and a group of volunteers, they started making packages of cakes, fruit salad and other goodies alongside the delicious chicken soup. Many members of the community donated their time to help with deliveries, whilst local businesses gave fruit and vegetables to the cause.

The operation has grown significantly since the beginning, and it is now run by Lesley and her team of volunteers who cater each week for around 140 people in Essex and neighbouring areas. They also deliver weekly to the Essex Ambulance crews how are distributing goodie bags across the Essex hubs.

Due to the increase in numbers, the operation is now run out of Loughton Synagogue with Lesley overseeing proceedings, along with her ‘right hand woman’ Rachelle Orgel. Throughout the project, Lesley has been overwhelmed by how many people from across the community have been involved. Although

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she says that there are too many people to name that have been a part of this operation, she particularly wanted to mention Sandra Waldman who has been making homemade cakes every week all of which have been kindly sponsored by Chigwell Synagogue.

“So many people have come together to help during such a difficult time, it has really shown what the community can do.”

Lesley feels that a similar initiative could be rolled out in other communities and she would love to speak to others who may be interested in to setting up something in their local area. Since the Made with Love Chicken Soup Run started, Lesley has been amazed to see how it has grown, and many local people have benefited from the service.

“For many of the people that we deliver to this has become more than about the food but has been a lifeline for those isolating. We hope to be able to continue running the service even after lockdown restrictions are lifted and are grateful to all those who have donated their time and money so far.”

To find out more about The Made with Love Chicken Soup Run, contact Lesley on 07956 902 177 or email lesleyadams@ outlook.com

25 MARCH 2021 FINDING LONG LOST FAMILY

Being in lockdown has meant that we have all been spending a lot more time with our families than usual, but for Lisa Mina she has also been discovering new family members. After attending a Zoom event about genealogy run by her synagogue, Cranbrook United, she became interested in tracing her family, and over the past few months has managed to trace her family back five generations to 1821.

Lisa has found the process interesting not only for her, but also for her teenage daughter who is able to learn about her ancestors. Along the way, Lisa’s research has uncovered some surprising discoveries, and interesting connections.

“I found out that my paternal grandmother’s family were actually from Belarus, which we didn’t know before. I always thought that my family was mainly from Poland, but this has made me realise that there were also connections to Holland and Russia.”

Lisa has also managed to find a whole new part of her family, a great uncle called Bertram Fenton. The Fenton and Rosenberg families lived in Hughes Mansions in Vallance Road, Stepney. These buildings were the last to be bombed in England on March Lisa Mina 27th, 1945 killing 134 men, women and children. Amongst those who were killed were Bertram Fenton’s wife, Miriam and young daughter, Sandra, along with his mother-in-law and father-in-law. He only managed to escape this traumatic event because he was serving in India with the army at the time.

After putting a post on Facebook to find out more about her great uncle, she was contacted by Sharon Fenton, Bertram’s daughter. When they spoke, Lisa discovered that Bertram had actually lived very close to where her own father had lived for the past 30 years, but the two had never met. “I couldn’t believe that Bertram may have walked past my father without knowing they were actually related.”

Although Lisa’s research has had a lot of successes, she has also encountered several hurdles too. Particularly when trying to trace female members of her family due to name changes after marriage. One member that Lisa has tried to track down to no avail is her mother’s second cousin, as she explains: “My mother, Andrea, lost touch with her second cousin, Ruth Moody (nee Spital) when her husband passed away six years after their marriage in East London. She has tried to find her in the past but has never had any luck.

Ruth is around 72 years old now, and it would be great to make connect with her again.

Since starting her research, Lisa has

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 but as the saying goes ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’, and once restrictions were lifted in June, Rafi was quick to propose.

As the couple started planning their life together, the first thing they had to organise was their engagement party, but they had to find a way to celebrate whilst still ensuring social distancing and observing limitations on numbers allowed to gather. Luckily, Rafi’s mother, Samantha, had the perfect solution, as Rafi explains, “During lockdown, my parents took a regular walk around Hainault Forest close to our home in Essex. My mother suggested that there were areas that were very secluded which would be perfect for an outdoor celebration where everyone could remain socially distanced.

I thought it was a bit crazy, but it was perfect, and worked out Bertram and Miriam brilliantly.” on their wedding day On a sunny afternoon in July, friends and family came tomanaged to make congether bringing their own blankets, deck tact with family all over chairs and picnic baskets to celebrate the world and has spoken their engagement in the great outdoors. to many of them online.

Miniature bottles of whisky were supplied Once restrictions are liftso that guests could make a l’chaim and ed, she hopes to be able Rabbi David Singer was there to make a to meet up with some of speech and perform the vort. them in real life and visit Rafi and Keryn were keen to get married the places that a relevant quickly and decided during Succot that to her family members. they wanted to get married at Chanukah, She has really enjoyed just two months later. With little time to being able to explore her waste, they started making plans for their family history and hopes special day, unaware that things were to be able to continue about to take another turn. Whilst the uncovering more stories government started to suggest that there about her relatives. may have to be a second lockdown in “It’s been amazing to be able to go December, the couple continued putting back two hundred years and find out in place arrangements for their wedding, more about my ancestors. It has given not knowing if it would even be able to me much more of a sense of where I have take place. come from. Finding so many new family Luckily, their civil ceremony, which members has been lovely, especially at was booked for 7th December, and the moment when everyone is so isolattheir chuppah the week later on 14th ed, and it has been difficult to see loved December were both able to go ahead ones.” with literally a day to spare before the

FEATURE 41 inevitable second lockdown came into being. As Rafi explains, “We were very lucky that the dates that we had chosen worked out. We had actually hoped to get married on a Tuesday, which would have been 15th December, but a mix up at the hotel meant that we could not do that, so this was the day we went with, and we are so glad that we did!”

The chuppah which was held at The Grim’s Dyke Hotel in Harrow was only able to be attended by 15 people, but Rafi, who trained as a broadcast engineer, had a few friends who were able to film the event, and livestream it on YouTube. This meant that everyone not able to attend in person could still celebrate their special day. Amongst those unable to attend was Keryn’s grandmother, Barbara, who was unfortunately in hospital at the time of the wedding, but thanks to the wonders of WiFi was able to watch the happy event along with other patients on her ward.

The wedding was also enjoyed by pupils at Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School, as Keryn’s aunt, Deborah Harris, is a teacher there, and thought it would be a great experience for them to be part of.

For Keryn, having to have a wedding on a small scale suited her very much. “I had never really wanted a big wedding, so for her, this was perfect. Obviously, it would have been nice to be able to have a few more of our friends and family at the chuppah but knowing that they were tuning in from all over the world, meant that we could share our celebration with even more people which was amazing!”

Whilst having a wedding in the midst of a pandemic is a quite unique way to start married life, for Rafi and Keryn it has only made them stronger as a couple and shown them how their love can overcome anything. They are now looking forward to spending time together in their new home in Stanmore, and as they reflect on the past few months, are very thankful that everything worked out so well for them.

As Rafi adds, “Thinking about it all now, it feels a bit like it all happened to someone else, rather than us. It all came about so quickly, but we feel extremely lucky that all our plans were able to take place, and grateful to everyone that helped us to plan everything for our special day.”

If you might be able to help Lisa with her search for other family members, please contact lisamina10@outlook.com

FINDING HAPPINESS

For Rafi and Keryn Hambling, Covid-19 did not stand in the way of true love.

When they started dating in July 2019, they knew quite quickly that they wanted to eventually start a life together, but as the country went into lockdown in March 2020, they realised that they may have to wait.

During this time, Rafi who was living with his family in Ilford, and Keryn in Edgware with hers, had to rely on Zoom, What’s App and the phone to stay in touch. Neither of them are able to drive, so they found not being able to meet up face to face very difficult,

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Keryn and Rafi PHOTO: PAUL LANG

The Seven Shepherds Farm - Manchester A project of Woodland Wellbeing Animal Sanctuary Seven years ago, a father was concerned for his daughter. She was struggling at school and he felt she needed something different to help her navigate her challenges in a meaningful way. The father, Refoel Berman, purchased a single budgie and was thrilled with the transformation he saw in his daughter.

Refoel took this new development further and brought more animals into their home to give his children the excitement and fulfilment that caring for animals give. But for Refoel this wasn’t enough. He was passionate about sharing this newfound approach to help other children in the community. With a team of goats, sheep, chickens, ducks and many types of birds he was now ready to ‘open shop’ to the public.

With strong encouragement from Reb Osher Westheim ZT”L, and after extensive studying of AAT - Animal Assisted Therapy, ultimately achieving a qualification with distinctions, Refoel began formally seeing children in one-on-one and group settings. He currently provides AAT, on average, to 20 children a week as well as 30 to 40 mainstream children who come to the Sunday open day to engage with the animals and gain from the enriching and educational experience. The results have been astonishing.

This resource has the prospect of offering a vital tool in our community’s social care armoury which, alongside other interventions, could help bring about positive change and enrich the lives of so many who face distressing and even desperate circumstances.

Importantly it could help address the ever-growing social care needs of the Manchester Jewish community, especially in the realm of mental health.

Mark Cunningham – The Fed

Purchase of Land The positive overwhelming feedback from parents, mechanchim and professionals gave us the added incentive and push forward to search for a larger and more appropriate location for the project to grow and expand. This would give us the ability to cater for more children, and to offer a larger variety of animal and nature based programmes. In line with this vision, the committee of The Seven Shepherds Farm was formed. After several years of searching for an appropriate location, we have thankfully exchanged contracts on a 4-acre piece of farmland, lying to the south east of Lister Road, Middleton, Manchester. Bordering the river Irk with its flowing waters and filled with rainbow trout, this location will provide the much-needed sense of calm and tranquility the project demands. Located just six minutes from Prestwich and nine minutes from Broughton Park makes it easily accessible to all.

Betelem AAT Farm in Israel There are many successful Animal Assisted Therapy projects worldwide, but we found one particular programme in Eretz Yisroel whose exceptional and proven model inspired us to take this unconventional step and build on this wonderful phenomenon here in the UK. Following our contact with R’ Chesky Lintop of the Betelem programme to discuss our plans, we have received their expert advice and will continue to do so along the journey. This venture will benefit from the many askanim involved and the specific skills and expertise they each bring to the table. Here is an opportunity to provide a service to the community that has never been offered before.

Creating a place where children can connect in a therapeutic setting

R’ Chesky Lintop (far right) providing a therapy session on his farm in Eretz Yisroel

Local bochur using bein hasdorim to relax and unwind

As the head of a school of over 600 girls, I was very excited to hear about this project, the positive effect it can have is vital to the children’s stability in their formative years. Truthfully speaking, I believe that once this facility is set up and running, it will be used not only by the Manchester community, but will attract people from further afield such as London and Gateshead.

Rabbi Refoel Spitzer – Bnos Yisroel High School

4 Acres

Prestwich - 6 min Broughton Park - 9 min

rk

er I Riv

Teaching children how to comb the animals Contracts have been exchanged on this 4-acre farmland to the south east of Lister Road, Middleton, Manchester – located just 6 minutes from Prestwich and 9 minutes from Broughton Park.

“Animal assisted therapy has been proven by many research studies to highlight the tremendous benefits of all sorts of clients with various challenges. These benefits include phycological, psychosocial and emotional improvements which ultimately lead to reduced stress and anxiety as well as improved mood and better emotional regulation. There is unfortunately a lack of choice in offering these individuals a variety of therapeutic experiences. Therefore, AAT and the establishment of this local animal therapy center would be an essential need in the community to finally offer this much needed therapy, ultimately helping many individuals and their families.

As a practicing professional with over 35 years of clinical work experience. I can attest to the fact that there are a number of children and teenagers who are unable to engage or benefit from conventional talking therapies, who are able to benefit greatly from working with and caring for animals. There is documented evidence that this type of therapy is effective for a variety of issues including reducing anxiety, regulating emotional arousals, improving self-esteem and improving mood.

Dr Michael B Schauder – Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Gary Janit - CBT Therapy, Manchester

We are proud to have many Rabonim, mechanchim, therapists, schools and organisations endorsing our project as they patiently wait to see this incredible venture come to fruition.

Engaging whilst caring for the animals from a young age

Smiles brighten the faces of everyone who engages with the animals

Refoel Berman Whilst learning in the Kollel of Reb Arye Schonberg Shlita, Refoel authored the Sefer K’ayol T’arog which discusses, in depth, the Halochos of owning and caring for animals. Refoel has set up this incredible organisation to provide AAT for children in the community and the results are truly phenomenal.

With his soft voice and quick hands, the children and animals alike, feel safe and happy in his presence.

Committee member David Lachs visiting the farm with his children

Interview with Farmer Berman Hi Refoel, thank you for your time.

How do you feel working in such a unique field?

Working with children alongside animals has shown me the beauty of nature and how Hashem has put it there for us to benefit and utilise. The inner peace it exuberates is a feeling I can never get enough of and I consider myself fortunate to do what I do. I also feel that in this day and age where children and teens have minimal extra curriculum programmes, the need for wholesome and fulfilling Kosher outlets has never been stronger.

Aside from your qualifications in AAT, what sort of hands-on training have you received?

I have been in contact with many farmers around the country who have been extremely helpful with sharing their knowledge and expertise. In particular I have gained from Mrs Claire Shevalan and Mr John Hankinson of the Peartree Farm in Goxhill, Hull. With advice and support, we now have a unique herd of rare breed goats and sheep.

I have also picked up extensive veterinary skills which have helped me to look after my own flock.

What sort of experience do you have with horses and equine therapy in general, and will this play a part in the AAT farm?

I’ve been horse-riding for many years now and have seen the tremendous benefits interacting with horses can give children. With regards to setting up the farm to include equine therapy, the answer is absolutely yes. We plan to build stables and a horse-riding arena where children and teens can come and horse ride with professional instructors. The wonderful therapeutic gains are second to none and this will very much be a huge benefit to the overall project.

Can you tell us about the type of clientele you expect will be a part of this project?

The interest within the community has been substantial and far-reaching. This includes regular mainstream children visiting after their school day, as well as the socially, mentally or physically challenged children coming for therapy programmes. This can also vary from struggling

teens to children who come from difficult family set-ups. The farm will also be available to service schools and group’s, for educational and learning sessions – both in Halacha and hands on animal care welfare, as well as for the elderly to come and make use of the facilities.

What sort of side benefits have you had from owning and caring for your animals?

A particularly interesting benefit is that we have learned how to produce and process goats’ milk, a very healthy alternative to cows’ milk. We have actually even provided our goats’ milk to people in the Kehilla with medical requirements. We also enjoy our daily fresh chicken and duck eggs – yes, you taste the difference!

What would you say is your biggest success story in your work with children using AAT? Wow. I have so many to choose from but this particular one is truly special: A child who was diagnosed with selective mutism was introduced to me after his parents tried seeking the various other conventional therapies. He still wouldn’t talk, and his parents were very concerned about him. Although initially, he was very anxious around the animals, he slowly grew comfortable around them. Within a few short weeks, the boy remarkably began talking when around the animals. From that point on his life changed, his self-confidence grew, and he is a different child.

Finally, what’s your vision for the future regarding the work you do?

I envision a place where people from across the spectrum can come and feel comfortable within their own skin. Leaving aside their academic abilities, I want children and teens to appreciate the skills and strengths they have been blessed with, and to realise that they have much to offer and can be appreciated for it. My dream is to cultivate a torah’dike place where learning and animal care can coincide with one another and ultimately create an amazing environment of Torah and recreational activities.

I am a father of a severely special needs child, as well as a founding governor of Aim Habonim, a successful special needs school located in Salford. Aim Habonim had for many years an animal enclosure and offered animal therapy to its pupils. The benefits of animal therapy in the care of special needs is well documented, many children made visible substantial progress due to the interaction with the animals.

However, care of the animals put tremendous strain on the school’s team and requires substantial input and resources financially and in manpower. Aim Habonim therefore terminated the animal therapy services. With this step, a significant gap was created, and we therefore look forward to using and benefiting from this incredible project.

Lozer Heiman – Aim Habonim

Refoel educating local school children

Given the rising numbers of children and young people with mental health issues and learning difficulties this project is very welcome. Once in place, I believe that this project will have a wider appeal – as an oasis of calm and comfort for individuals of all ages seeking to shed their anxieties, hypertension and stresses.

Providing equine therapy to the community will play a big part in our farm

Mrs Nava Kestenbaum – Interlink, Manchester

Wow, that’s incredible. Thank you Refoel for your time and I wish you much success in this incredible and unique endeavour.

Part of The Seven Shepherds committee (R-L Gershy Rose, Hershy Kind, Rabbi Aryeh Schonberg – our leading Rabinical advisor, MD Salzman, Moishie Seliger, R’ Akiva Heilpern)

Young girls bonding with each other on their Sunday afternoon out

Local children enjoying the one-day old baby goats after their school day

Unfortunately, it is no secret that many of our youth often feel unloved, misunderstood and misjudged. Having seen the results firsthand, I can personally testify to the success of AAT in helping open the hearts of our young adults to appreciate love and reciprocate such feelings Rabbi AY Goldman – Yeshivas Darchei Torah When you think you’ve seen it all! One very happy child bonding with one of our Golden Guernsey goats, fondly known as Gadya

Our Mission Statement Our mission is to establish an exclusive working farm to improve the well-being of children and teens using Animal Assisted Therapy, and to facilitate interactive animal care programmes for the community. We will also include a horse-riding arena where horse-riding sessions with professional instructors can take place. Furthermore, due to ever increasing demand, we are currently in the process of training both male and female AAT practitioners to cater for Children and youth from all sectors of the community, who will be given the opportunity to enjoy, relax, care and connect with the animals in a transformative manner. Alongside our daily farm programmes, “The Seven Shepherds” will also offer the youth of our community activities ranging from, planting allotments, goat milking, on site fishing – on the river Irk, a bird aviary, to a fully kitted reptile house.

With the undertaking of such a huge project, we have an estimated setup budget of £500,000 plus significant running costs for the project.

For sponsorship and dedication opportunities or for any other information, please email sevenshepherds@legacygroup.co.uk

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Motoring: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Sprint Malcolm Ginsberg, our travel expert, continues with his series of road tests. The one time Lotus Public Relations Manager has been a trying a sports car to put the woes of 2020 behind him.

Some readers may recall that back on 22 October 2021 I reported on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio as “a true Italian Express”, albeit an expensive one coming at around £75k.

The subject of this revue sister car Stelvio Sprint SUV is not slow for a mid-size turbo 2.2ltr diesel saloon either, taking 6.6sec to 60mph using a very smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel paddle and gives well over 40mpg fuel consumption.

The press car was bright red, as it should be for an Alfa. It is very distinctive and can be easily picked out in a car park.

There is no need to use the ‘parked car’ facility on your mobile’s ‘Google Map’.

Priced at £47,515 on the road it is into a different market although also offering five comfortable leather seats, the front ones electrically heated. There are less expensive models starting from around £37k. One drawback is that with current UK vehicle tax laws versions over £40,000 cost much more in road tax for the first five years, jumping from £140 to £450 per annum.

The Stelvio is based on the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Giulia saloon, but you sit almost 7inch higher, looking down on all around. A petrol version offers Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel-drive system which is rear drive in normal conditions, up to 50% of the power reactively sent frontwards in low-grip conditions.

As an SUV the Stelvio has to be practical and it certainly is at the rear end with a standard-fit electric tailgate and well over one metre of space before you reach the second row of seats which split into three. The two outside ones do not fold fully down, but the smaller centre cushion does separately, which allows for a long item, such as a spade, to be easily loaded into the car. With 19inch wheels and excellent ground clearance it is a good off-the-road vehicle and has a fine profile, one that fits in nicely with its Italian heritage.

As I have noted before with my reports the problem with a modern road test is that it takes more than the allotted seven days to learn all intricacies of the vehicle.

It was easy in the ‘old days’. Put the key in the slot and perhaps ask the delivery driver where to find reverse. Not so these days. Possibly only a fob and no

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Sprint

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Sprint dash

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Sprint interior

handbrake as such. Learning your way around the Stelvio was easier than most.

Some of the ‘toys’ are very good, especially the 8.8inch central display, touchscreen, with widgets which can

be dragged and dropped to create a fully customisable homepage, in which each of the vehicle’s functions becomes an App. Horizontal scrolling calls up the access screens for Alfa DNA, radio, media, smartphone, navigation, climate control, connected services and the latest advance driver assistance systems (ADAS). The driver can choose between the updated rotary knob or the touchscreen to control the new infotainment.

For the most part modern cars come pretty comprehensively equipped (except for Porsche in which everything is an extra, adding £20k to a £80k car). The Stelvio Sprint includes as standard the central display already noted, an 8-Speaker Audio System, electrochromic rear-view mirror, Bi-Xenon headlights and Ambient LED lighting – front and rear. Cruise control is included and a lane keeping bleeper which can be switched off, likewise a blind spot bleeper.

Another function called ‘My Remote’ enables control of several vehicle functions linking to a Smartphone offering

STAR RATINGS

(out of 10) Performance..........................8 Handling.................................8 Transmission.........................8 Noise......................................6 Economy................................7 Ride and Comfort..................7 Accommodation.....................7 Styling.....................................8 Brakes....................................7 Finish......................................8 TOTAL............................... 74%

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

speed and area limits. ‘My Navigation’ comprises applications for remote search for destination and Points of Interest (POI) and real-time traffic, weather and speed camera alerts. There is also ‘My Car’ a sort of electronic service manual ‘My Wi-Fi’, self-explanatory, and ‘My Theft Assistance’, which alerts the owner of any attempt to steal the car. It is all included.

It is called the Sprint and nicely badged accordingly. Even in mid-range form, the Stelvio is agile, poised and grippy for a mid-sized SUV. It has got a what can be best described as a well supressed lowspeed ride. It does however handle as a car with a sporty soul, which comes into its own off the rather boring motorways where it quietly does its job in the same manner as many other comparable midrange cars saloons.

If you are looking for a distinctive fiveseat SUV with pace and a pleasure to drive the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Sprint might be the answer. There are plenty of colour options but to my mind Italian Red is the best. www.alfaromeo.co.uk/models/stelvio

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ASK THE RABBI

25 MARCH 2021

Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com ISRAEL APARTHEID WEEK

RUBBER FROGS ON PESACH

Dear Joanna The term apartheid means “apartness” in the language of Afrikaans. It was a system of legislation that upheld segregationist policies against non-white citizens of South Africa. To use that term, therefore, in relation to Israel, is wholly absurd. Let’s consider the following questions: Did non-whites have a role in government during the apartheid era? No. Do Arabs have positions in the Knesset? Yes. Were non-whites people allowed to roam freely, intermingle and work with white people in South Africa? No. Do Arabs roam freely in Israel, intermingle and work alongside Israelis? Yes. Is there carefully monitored, and sometimes restricted access from Gaza into Israel? Yes. Are there terrorist attacks perpetrated by some within Gaza against Israel? Yes. Are the restrictions therefore segregationist or a necessary security measure?

Is Israel infallible in its treatment of Arabs? Certainly not. Does this amount to apartheid? Also, certainly not.

Indeed the use of the term apartheid in any context other than where it was or is a formal legislative policy is tantamount to using the term Holocaust loosely in any context other than what it was initially attributed to. It demeans the term and is an insult not just to Israel but to South Africa.

The only question that remains is this: Are those who mark “Israel Apartheid Week” genuinely motivated by the “plight” of Arabs or is it more an opportunity to denigrate Israel?

Dear Neville The Pesach Seder is all about transmitting from the older generation to the younger one; the main emphasis is on the children. The very name Haggada literally means “telling,” referring to the act of telling our historical narrative to our descendants.

In light of this, the idea of ensuring the children are sat at the Seder table, completely silent throughout the process, sitting straight and at their best behaviour, is not only unpleasant for the children, but it completely misses the whole point of the Seder. The children are not secondary to the process, they are the Seder’s primary audience.

One reason given for dipping a vegetable into saltwater is to provoke children to ask about it, as per the theme of the Seder night that the story is to be recounted by way of question and answer.

The custom of children “stealing” the afikomen is a means by which we pique their interest.

If modern innovation throws a few plastic frogs and some rubber lice into the mix, to make the story more animated and keep children engaged, then it can only be an enhancement to the whole point and purpose of Seder night.

Frankly, in its own way, it is as important as the Rabbi Akiva Eger or Maharal vort that might be shared at the table.

Dear Rabbi What are your thoughts about “Israel Apartheid Week” which began this week?

Joanna

Pirkei Avot The author of this weeks Mishnah is Reb Elazar ben Arach, one the five great disciples of Reb Yochanan ben Zakai. Reb Elazar was a brilliant student who was the only one who was able to comfort his great master upon the tragic death of his young son.

Remarkably, after moving town, Reb Elazar forgot all his Torah learning. In the olden days, the minhag was that anyone who got an aliyah then proceeded to lein that parasha.

Dear Rabbi Is it appropriate to introduce “gimmicks” at the Seder (like 10 toys for the 10 plagues) in an effort to make it more fun for children? Or should the Seder be more dignified and formal?

Neville

POLITICS AT THE SEDER TABLE

Dear Rabbi While I am more observant, I enjoy inviting my family around for Seder to do some kiruv with them. Each year, without fail they like to talk politics and such like. This year will be no exception with probably plenty of pandemic and vaccine conversation thrown into the mix. I find it so frustrating but my wife thinks I am unreasonable. “If you invite them, you have to put up with them,” she argues. What do you think?

Jason Dear Jason There is a general prohibition against too much mundane speech on any holy day, be it Shabbat or a Jewish festival.

According to the Talmud Yerushalmi when we are careful with speech on these holy days, we emulate the Almighty Who rested from speech as well on the very first Shabbat following the completion of the creation of the world.

A story is found (Ktzos Hashulchan) about a king who once presented his subjects the opportunity to request anything that they needs. One particular vagabond with a skin disorder, who normally picked through garbage cans for food, approached the king with an unusual request. “Today I cannot seem to locate any garbage cans.

My request is that you provide me with garbage cans through which I can rummage for food.” Several others present, who heard this ridiculous request, laughed out loud: “Fool! You can ask the king for the best doctors in order to heal your skin disease or you could have requested a home in which to live, or all the food you might ever need. Instead, you chose the same garbage cans from which you eat every day?”

On Pesach (as on any Shabbat and Jewish festivals), the King of Kings presents

Please daven for Shmuel Eliezer ben Perel who is in an induced coma with Covid in Antwerp.

When Reb Elazar started leining, he misread the words ‘Hachodesh hazeh lachem’ as ‘ hacheresh hayah libom.’

His friends upon realising the great man had forgotten all his learning, prayed for him and he merited Eliyahu HaNavi to come and reteach him all his Torah.

He tells us to be diligent in constantly reviewing Torah so you don’t forget it. He encourages people to know enough Torah to be able to

IS IT REALLY NECESSARY? Dear Rabbi I was inspired by your column the other week where you spoke about the significance and challenge of doing a Seder this year. My question is, why do we do a Seder altogether? I know it is tradition, but can we not just choose to commemorate the Exodus, each in our own personal way?

Is it really necessary to go through all the rigmarole?

Collin

Perek 2: Mishna 14

properly answer an apikores - a nonbeliever who is against Hashem and tried to ridicule the Torah. He tells us to know before Whom we toil, that Hashem is the Master who will pay us suitable reward for our work. Let us take on these important messages and may we all be zoche to celebrate next Pesach leshanah habah in Yerushalaim together with Mashiach our king Amen. Wishing all our readers a Kosheren Pesach.

THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM

us an opportunity to spend the day on a higher plane. Seder night in particular, according to Kabbalah, can provide unique physical and spiritual healing. What a shame were we to treat it as just another day and squander it on mere mundane talk as we do other days of the week.

Sometimes with guests, especially in a kiruv context, it can be tricky, and a balance should be sought, ultimately setting the example as to the real significance of the day and atmosphere required.

but to relive it. We are not living history but tapping into an existing reality. So an essential part of the Seder is a question we must all ask of ourselves: In which area of my life do I lack freedom? What exists in my life that limits and “enslaves” me; that doesn’t allow me to maximise myself my soul - and be who I know I can be? And then to understand that the Seder night is the time when we, like the Jews then, can go free. What does that mean? Think about it: The Jews in Egypt didn’t have the power to go free on their own; they needed divine assistance. We too, even if we don’t have the power ourselves: on this night we are granted special blessings and Divine assistance to do so. The energy is quite literally in the air.

On the night of Passover in Egypt, G-d told the Jews to do certain things that would allow them to merit to experience redemption. These included eating matzah and maror. We do the same, and they facilitate the same result for us.

When we go to a birthday party, there’s usually a birthday cake, candles, happy birthday songs. Imagine if someone asked, “How much cake must we eat?

How long does the happy birthday song have to last?” You’d look at them like they are nuts. For many Jews, the Seder is something similar. We get together, celebrate, nibble on traditional foods, and move on. However, one of the most important things to realise is that there is a “right way” of how to carry out a Seder.

That’s what the word means – Seder means “order.” There is an exact order and

system for how to celebrate. There are many examples in life that are similar: A bride wants her wedding gown to be just so; a football two inches off the goal line is not a goal; a car parked two inches over the painted line is reason for a parking ticket; an email address needs to be typed precisely. Mitzvos are no different. The nuances and details of each mitzvah have meaning and accomplish something. The amount of matzah, the timing of the Seder, the items on the Seder plate: each detail carries vast profundity.

This year, when the social element of the Seder will be less pronounced, we have the opportunity to focus on executing the actual Seder in the proper way. At the same time, there’s a second truth as well: G-d desires our hearts. He wants us to want to have a relationship with Him. When He notices a sincere effort to accomplish this, He takes notice, derives pleasure, and reciprocates in abundance.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Dear Rabbi My Synagogue advertised the starting time for the Seder. On the first night I get it, it is after Shabbat, and still reasonably early. But on the second night, after BST has kicked in, is it really important to start after nightfall? Seems a little late for us

oldies, and probably young kids too!

Angela Dear Angela You might be thinking, “Why does it matter? Whenever works and is convenient for me, I’ll eat the matzah, drink the wine, etc.” But in truth, it matters a lot. Why? As explained above, at the Seder we are tapping into a special spiritual energy that is present on the 15th of Nisan. The matzah, wine, maror, and Hagadah are all means we use to elicit and evoke those energies.

But those energies are only present on that date. Used on a different date, and they only are a meal with a bizarre menu.

In Jewish tradition, every calendar date begins - not at midnight, but at nightfall.

The day begins with darkness and ends with light. This is very relevant on the night of Passover. Because as a nation, our history begins with darkness, night, exile, and bondage, and then moves on to day, light, and freedom. Thus Pesach begins at nightfall (first night 7.13; 2nd night 2 8.14).

If, for whatever reason, you must begin earlier, you can do parts of the Hagadah, share stories and insights, eat some food (but not matzah) but the official beginning of the Seder (the four cups of wine, matzah and maror should be consumed after nightfall. Bottom line: If you are going to do it, do it right!

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

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Contact us now to receive a fundraising pack, pamper box and your invitation to a virtual hair party. Call 020 8455 6288 or email hair@zichronuk.org www.zichron.org/uk Registered charity number 1102612

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EA GR GO TO

GROW YOUR LOCKS DOWN IN LOCKDOWN

T

ER

Dear Collin Beyond the obvious reason of “tradition” there is something altogether different and more spiritual that happens at our Seder.

For the past year the word “symptoms” was on everyone’s lips. We spent a year all concerned about “symptoms.” But as the word implies, it’s not the symptoms we are worried about, but that which causes the symptoms, the virus. It’s just that the virus itself is unobservable. But even when someone gets the symptoms (G-d forbid), that’s not the real concern; the real concern is that the symptoms mean that we have it.

This is also true in a positive sense. A basic principle of kabbalah is that everything that happens in this world is actually only a symptom, a symptom of some sort of spiritual energy that has been unleashed in higher spiritual realms.

This is also true about miracles. When a miracle - such as the Exodus from Egypt occurs, it is because a special supernatural divine energy was unleashed and present at that time. The physical Exodus was a symptom of the spiritual energy that was conducive for liberation and freedom that was present on that fateful night, the 15th of Nisan, 3333 years ago.

The annual calendar is circular. Every year on every date, the same spiritual energies are present. So that same energy that allowed for the miracle of the Exodus 3333 years ago is unleashed and present every year on the same night. We ourselves can tap into it and experience the blessings associated with it. As such, we make a Seder merely to commemorate - “it is tradition,”

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Torah from Israel

25 MARCH 2021

Pesach: We Belong

BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN The Pesach tale is a story of many stories.

It is a story about theology and religion: G-d introducing monotheism into an ancient pagan world. It is a story of history: G-d awakening a dormant promise made to our ancestors and now implemented with their descendants. It is a political story about a band of downtrodden slaves overthrowing a regime of persecution and exploitation. However, Pesach is also a story of human identity- how we assemble identity and how we interact with those in our radius. It is a story of family, community and society.

Emancipation of slavery consists of more than just eliminating bondage; freedom demands unshackling oppressed imaginations. Slaves live narrow and isolated lives, tapered to assure self-survival. Hostility and violence shrink human identity inward, severing us from broader ideas and wider networks of people. Loneliness and emotional seclusion rob us of our larger dignity and purpose. Slaves and the enslaved among us, live alone and “reduced”.

The redemption from Egypt restored communal and social identity to shrunken slaves. Introducing Moshe’s initial meeting with Pharaoh, the Torah traces Jewish lineage back to the original sons of Ya’akov. Possessing no practical purpose, this “tracing” was crucial in liberating their enslaved imaginations. Broader family identity had been crushed by slavery and this list of Jewish lineage reacquainted the Jews with their pedigreed past, with the power of family, and with the memory of family history. To their surprise, the slaves actually had a past – and a golden one at that.

They didn’t just have a past but they also enjoyed a future. Before the seventh event of “arbeh”, the Jews are instructed to narrate this story to their grandchildren.

The vision of sitting near a grandchild must have been unthinkable to slaves who were often separated from their immediate families, let alone disconnected from future generations. Our lives matter far beyond the years we inhabit this earth.

Our lives aren’t isolated “points” in some larger history of humanity, rather we exist along a timeline and a trajectory of “family”: our ancestors paved the way for our lives just as we enable and empower our descendants who we may never actually meet. Hearing of their past pedigree and of their future grandchildren, former slaves now inhabited a community of history.

The actual night of our liberation was pivoted upon a different community- the immediate family. The Pesach sacrifice is a quintessentially “family experience” as the entire animal must be consumed by

midnight or, at the very latest, by daybreak. Additionally, the meat isn’t eaten as a main course but instead as a dessert, further limiting the amount that each individual consumes. Minimally, it takes an entire family to fully finish a Pesach korban in time.

The ceremonies during the night of our departure were pivoted upon immediate family in a different manner. A sacrifice is only valid if blood is applied upon the altar; that night, in the absence of a formal or ceremonial altar, a rudimentary altar was swapped in- the entrance to a Jewish home. Blood was painted upon the doorframe, as the portal to a Jewish family formed the first altar in Jewish history.

The events leading up to this night taught the slaves about a historical community, while the night of the Pesach sacrifice itself lessoned them about the community of family.

What happens if a nuclear family can’t fully consume a Pesach animal? Other can join as long as they enroll as part of a “chaburah”- a registered group of diners; partaking of the Pesach cannot be ad hoc. This process highlights a third type of community to which we belong– one bonded by shared interest and united in the joint performance of a common project. The members of this type of community aren’t fused by historical fate, nor aligned by common genes, but linked by joint ideals and commonality of purpose.

Overall, the holiday of Pesach celebrates our “belonging”: to history, to family, and to society.

It wasn’t only the resurgence of Jewish imagination which demonstrated the value of community. Egypt itself witnessed the dissolution of its own communal structures. The contagious illness of “shechin” forced a widespread quarantine, separating Egyptians from one another. Now viewed as sources of possible contagion, former neighbours and friends became threatening sources of this ghastly infection. To paraphrase the Torah: they could not stand in each other’s presence. The harsh lockdown into private cells of loneliness began.

During the event of ‘barad’, as fiery hail rained down, pious Egyptians sequestered in the relative shelter of their homes. It is heartbreaking to imagine hearing the anguished cries of fellow citizens being crushed and burnt alive by flaming boulders, while completely powerless to provide any help or assistance. Lonely Egyptians were slowly living through a nightmare of social degeneration. Society was crumbling before their very eyes- until those eyes could no longer see.

During the week of “choshech” darkness descended upon the skies of Egypt and within the hearts of the Egyptians. Unable to stand, walk or even communicate, all

social interaction ceased. The country went dark and silent, as a former superpower was reduced to a horde of petrified zombies- frozen in place and suspended in darkness.

This combination- the dismantling of Egyptian society and the remodelling of Jewish communal consciousness- showcased the value of community and society- a feature of our identity we often take for granted, but one which has eroded during

Features of identity long taken for granted or assumed, are now being re-evaluated and re-examined. this past year. Man is a “social animal” attaching himself to various forms of community. Communal life draws us from away from the self-centrism of personal interest and it creates dignity of character and nobility of purpose. As Jews, we stand before G-d as part of a “collective” of Jewish history; we craft family life and invite G-d into our homes and our families.

The corona pandemic has certainly forced us to re-imagine identity and character. Features of identity long taken for granted or assumed, are now being re-evaluated and re-examined. Leading up to this experience, modernity, and its dizzying pace of change had blinded us the values of community, family and society. Modern culture, politics and economics encouraged unbridled individualism, and boosted personal expression. Obsessed with forging “personal identity” we often overlooked the power of common experience and the kinship of community.

The internet- heralded as a “great democratizer”- has actually trapped us in prisons of individual experience. Granted unlimited and private access to the world, each individual curates their own playlists, sets their own “preferences” and surfs through the surrounding culture in the solitude of personal screens, rather than alongside others in a mutual or shared experience.

Without the time and resources to join actual live communities, we exchanged them for “virtual communities”, becoming even more detached from actual human contact; social media replaced social life.

Our family life often became little more than background music for our own particularistic interests. We paved independent but solitary paths, pursued private

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goals and disappeared into our lonely screens. During the week of supernatural darkness, the Egyptians could not make eye contact because they were blockaded by a barrier of darkness. Today we struggle to make eye contact because we are unaccustomed to looking at a face which actually looks back at us. Black screens have no eyes and, endlessly staring at this blackness, our eyes have become media sponges rather than bridges into the soul of others. The pandemic merely outlined the imprisoned lives we created for ourselves. We were on the verge of emotional and social quarantining even before we were forced inside our homes. We just didn’t realize it.

As G-d helps us outlive this pandemic we, hopefully, can set a better balance between achieving and between “belonging”, between community and between individualism. We can better merge “personal space” and collective commons, better blend self-expression with joint projects.

Having spent so much time in our homes, we can better value the loving embrace of family and not only the thrill of public success. Having endured a once-in-a-lifetime calamity, we can be more attuned to the collective memory of human history and to the resonant echo of Jewish history. Far less interested in announcing that “We are here” we can better listen to a quiet inner voice which reminds us that “We belong”.

Rabbi Moshe Taragin is a rabbi at Yeshivat Har Etzion/Gush, a hesder yeshiva. He has smicha and a BA in computer science from Yeshiva University as well as a masters degree in English literature from the City University of New York.

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Weekly Dvar Torah FR O M ER ETZ Y I S RA E L

What’s your story?

BY RABBI YEHOSHUA FASS Last year, after landing back in Israel from the United States, we traveled from the airport directly into quarantine. Along the way, I was so sad to see empty highways and streets and closed stores… but in spite of it all – the Land of Israel.

While listening to the car radio, we noticed that all the main headlines were about holding a seder. Public officials were telling us how to prepare for celebrating the holiday. Of course, we could not go visit grandparents or even parents – but all the chaos did nothing more than expose our enormous love for holding a seder.

While everyone throughout the world was caught up with news about the coronavirus, in Israel the news was all about holding a seder despite the virus.

More than 3,300 years after the dramatic Exodus from slavery to freedom, most Jews in Israel feel that this story is not yet finished. They well recall that something

great happens each year at the seder and seek to connect to it.

Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi, the Rishon LeTzion, Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, passed away at the age of 79 from the coronavirus. In his Haggadah, he wrote in connection to our greatest story, the Story of the Exodus, about the necessity to educate children through stories: “My work taught me to tell stories – my work as an educator, as a rabbi and as a father to my children.

“When our children were small, I would tell them stories – sweet as poetry – before they went to sleep. The children loved the stories and became attached to me

through them. I loved to recall the days of my youth in Jerusalem with all the characters and experiences from those days. I strived to bring the beautiful and the good from my childhood. When they grew up, they asked me to continue telling the stories. I always endeavored to tell stories that would teach them something.

There is enormous importance to a story by which it is possible to pass along a particular message through the thoughts conveyed. And therefore it is written, ‘So that you will tell it in the ears of your child.’ A story with content and meaning can bring others close and strengthen them, can provide encouragement and consolation. Where our children are concerned, we tell them stories so that they will continue to walk in our path and in the future proclaim: ‘And this is the story our fathers told us.’”

Where our children are concerned, we tell them stories so that they will continue to walk in our path and in the future proclaim: ‘And this is the story our fathers told us.’

Hadar Goldin, who was killed in Operation Protective Edge in Gaza, at the age of 17 as a Bnei Akiva counselor, wrote the following powerful message to his students stressing that what is special about Pesach is the stories: “We all enjoy stories!” he wrote. Then he turned to his students: “We have many stories in our own lives as well. Everyone has his own personal story, and all our stories are part of the greater story of our nation. In the beginning, there were our forefathers: Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya’akov, David… and now us. In this story, everyone can decide if he is the main character, the protagonist, or if he is a supporting character whom the story passes by. Do you lead your own story? Is your story good? Is your story connected to the story of Am Yisrael? Does it advance us? Do you allow others to control your story? Are you truly free, or are you a slave to others or to your desires?”

Hadar didn’t know what an important role he himself would play in our shared story.

Sivan Rahav Meir is the World Mizrachi Scholar-in-Residence and an Israeli journalist and lecturer.

A Torah bite for the Shabbat table

The Science of Mitzvos RABBI GOODMAN Over this last year we witnessed the gradual shut down of Judaism as we know it. Our shuls, schools and yeshivos closed their doors. Mitzvos whose fruit we are to enjoy in this world and whose principal remains intact in the World to Come, waved to us from a distance. We could not step into our parent’s home to honor them, invite guests to provide for them or visit the sick to assist them.

Thankfully though, these disruptions have been temporary and life as we know it will please G-d resume soon. However, we have not always been so fortunate.

Following the destruction of the Temple and our subsequent exile, we have been left with only 369 of the 613 Mitzvos.

Nevertheless, we still refer to ourselves as the Nation who observe the 613 Mitvos and not because we are bad at mathematics (indeed, two Jewish mathematicians, Hillel Furstenberg, and Gregory Margulis, won last year’s Nobel Prize for Mathematics.)

The reason we remain the Nation who observes the 613 Mitvos is found in this week’s Parsha. Our Sages derive from the Pasuk, “This is the law of the elevation-offering: it is the elevation-offering,” the principle that, “Anyone who toils in the laws of bringing a sacrifice; it is as if he has brought a sacrifice.” The Chofetz Chaim explains that this principle is not a game of make-believe, rather an actual fulfilment of the Mitzvah. Everything we can achieve by carrying out the Mitzvah, we can achieve by learning about the Mitzvah.

A Mitzvah is much more than a bland Divine instruction issued at Mount Sinai many moons ago. Rather, it is a living, breathing spiritual entity whose lifeforce and vitality flows from the Torah.

The Chofetz Chaim explains that the spiritual power Hashem imbibed into a Mitzvah, He imbibed into the Mitzvah’s root, namely, the Torah of that Mitzvah.

Accordingly, when circumstances do not allow the fulfilment of a Mitzvah, learning the Torah of that Mitzvah serves in its stead.

Even with Corona we are still a Nation who observe the 613 Mitzvos. However, the rules of fulfilment have changed slightly. Although we may not have been able to pray with a minyan or host people this year at our seder, we can learn the halachos of praying with a minyan and of welcoming guests into our homes.

We can study the principles behind the Mitzvah of honoring our parents and visiting the sick. Baruch Hashem, there is

Everything we can achieve by carrying out the Mitzvah, we can achieve by learning about the Mitzvah.

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Tzav

Sidra Summary half in the morning and half in the afternoon. The Kohen Gadol had to bring this offering every day. Like the olah, the chatat (sin) offering was slaughtered in a designated part of the Mishkan. The procedure for an asham (guilt) offering is detailed.

3RD ALIYA (SHLISHI) – 7:11-38

1ST ALIYA (KOHEN) – VAY IKRA 6:1-11 The Torah adds new details about the offerings that were discussed in last week’s sidrah. The olah (elevation) offering could be left burning on the mizbeach (altar) throughout the night.

In the morning, a Kohen would remove the ash. Wood needed to be added on the mizbeach every day as fuel for the three fires that were constantly burning (Rashi). The mincha (meal offering) was baked unleavened; those parts eaten by the Kohanim had to be consumed in the courtyard of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

2ND ALIYA (LEVI) – 6:12-7:10

A fine flour offering from a tenth of an ephah volume of flour was to be offered by every Kohen on his first day of service,

One who survived a dangerous situation could bring a todah (thanksgiving) offering, which was a category of shelamim (peace) offering. It was accompanied by baked loaves; those parts of its meat designated for consumption had to be eaten within a specific time. One was forbidden to eat an offering in a state of ritual impurity. An offering which became impure was to be burned, not eaten.

The blood of all animals and certain fats (chelev) of specific animals was strictly forbidden to eat. The right thigh and the chest of a shelamim (peace) offering were eaten by the Kohanim.

4TH ALIYA (REVI’I) – 8:1-13

The Torah now details the seven-day inauguration process of Aharon and his sons, starting on 23 Adar, a week before the setting up of the Mishkan (on 1 Nissan), which was detailed previously in

parashat Pekudei (see Rashi’s commentary). Moshe washed and dressed Aharon in the special garments of the Kohen Gadol and anointed his head with oil. He then dressed Aharon’s sons in their designated priestly garments.

Point to Consider: Why did Moshe have to tell the congregation that “this is the matter that God commanded me to do”? (see Rashi to 8:5).

5TH ALIYA (CHAMISHI) – 8:14-21

Moshe brought a bull as a chatat offering. Parts of this were burned on the mizbeach; the remainder was burned outside the camp. He then brought a ram as an olah offering. Aharon and his sons laid their hands upon both offerings (semicha).

6TH ALIYA (SHISHI) – 8:22-29

A second ram, a shelamim, known as the ‘inauguration ram’, was offered. Moshe smeared some of its blood on the ears, thumbs and toes of Aharon and his sons.

7TH ALIYA (SHEVI’I) – 8:30-36

Moshe also sprinkled inauguration oil, mixed with blood from the offerings, on Aharon and his sons, as well as on their garments. Moshe instructed them on how to eat the relevant parts of the inauguration offerings and told them not to leave the entrance to the ohel moed for the whole of the inauguration period.

HAFTARAH

The special haftarah for Shabbat Hagadol is from the last chapter of the Prophets.

God chastises Israel for neglecting to keep His laws. Eliyahu (Elijah) can come at any time, heralding a radical improvement in the nation’s fortunes.

Chovat Halevavot Hilchot Haggada In the previous section, we learned some of the reasons why G-d may appear to punish the righteous and why they do not always see material success in this world.

The author continues with explaining the reverse – why we sometimes see the wicked prosper. There are five reasons why we do not always see those who defy G-d’s commands lose out in this world.

Firstly, even a person who does not conduct themselves as they should has at times performed Mitzvot and we know that G-d does not withhold reward from those deserving of it. Therefore, in order to exact the necessary punitive measures that are due to the wicked upon their exit from this world, G-d showers them with material success and they (appear to) enjoy this world to the fullest, which “pays their bill” whilst they are alive.

Another reason may be that a person who is not deserving of material success may attain it nonetheless simply for the benefit of their child who may grow up to make G-d proud!

Sadly, a person’s fortune can bring about

their downfall, or worse G-d forbid, so all the private jets and yachts may actually be to their ultimate detriment.

Even a person who does not appear to deserve goodness is nevertheless given it, for G-d knows that they will eventually return to Him and do Teshuva.

Perhaps, a person who does not behave as G-d expects of them had a father who did, and the father’s merit is sufficient for the child to have worldly pleasures, even if the child is not deserving of it.

Finally, the bounty bestowed on sinners is used as a test to the righteous – do they abandon observance of Mitzvot when they that those who defy G-d succeed in attaining wealth?

If the righteous nevertheless hold strong, they will be bountifully rewarded by G-d for their loyalty and steadfastness to the correct way of life.

A final word on this topic: from just looking around, one cannot tell who is righteous and who is not; only G-d truly knows a person and their circumstances. That’s one reason we are taught not to judge a person until you reach their place.

It is important to remember that among the estimated (by the Vilna Gaon) 64 Mitzvot that we perform on Seder night, there is a Mitzvah of relating the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Like every Mitzvah, there are Halachic details as to how it is performed. Here are some points to remember on the nights of the Seder in respect of the Mitzvah of “You shall retell [the story] over to your children”.

Firstly, the Mitzvah of telling over the story in question-and-answer format applies whether one is with family, friends or a person on their own, although the “main” Mitzvah is to tell the story over to one’s child. Even if a child is too young or cannot ask the “4 questions”, the father should relate the simple story to them without the questions asked.

One begins the story with two negative aspects of our history – Our idol-worshipping forefather Terach, and our slavery in Egypt and concludes the story with the two contrary conclusions – that now G-d has drawn us close to him and away from idols and that He set us free from slavery.

Part of the Mitzvah which is an absolute requirement is to say the reasons for the following: (1) Pesach – the Paschal sacrifice was to remember how G-d

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“passed over” the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when He smote the firstborns (2) Matzah – to remember the dough having insufficient time to rise when our ancestors left Egypt and (3) Maror – to remember the bitter slavery our ancestors underwent whilst in Egypt.

Before starting “Maggid” a person should contemplate the fact that “I am about to perform a Biblical Mitzvah of relating the story of the Exodus from Egypt”.

The Haggadah should be said aloud, with enthusiasm and minimal interruptions should be made. It should be said with joy and respect.

It is possible for the man leading the Seder to recite the Haggadah aloud and for those in company to listen and thereby fulfil their Mitzvah. Nonetheless when it comes to Hallel, each person says it themselves.

It is great to keep the children awake, especially for “Avadim Hayinu” and the 3 items mentioned above, Pesach, Matzah and Marror. If the family does not understand Hebrew, one should translate (at least) those sections for them.

The Mitzvah does not finish at the end of the Seder; a person should ideally keep studying the story and the laws of Pesach until sleep overcomes him.

25 MARCH 2021

JUDAISM 53

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The call of Royalty Both as an individual, as a Nation and I guess as a parent and teacher, my image had always been that we are on a long, challenging journey…

RABBI NAFTALI SCHIFF The most arduous “journeys” I ever personally endured were fully combat laden infantry marches in the IDF a few decades ago. I vividly remember my own words of plea uttered in broken Ivrit through gritted teeth to my commanding officer- “ani lo yachol!”- this kid from suburban London can’t walk another step beyond the 20 then 30 then 40 km already covered! And the IDF infantry’s renowned

basic training rebuttal- “ata yachol Schiff!

Lo yachol ? ze ben dod shel lo rotze!” ‘Of course you can! ‘Can’t’ is merely a cousin of don’t want to!’ And with that you’d have no choice but to march on for another grueling 20 km!

Why on this Night do we not talk about The Journey? Surely the Exodus from Egypt is nothing if not a journey?

The miraculous freedom gained by our departure is immediately followed by 40 years travel in the desert on the way to the Promised Land. The past 2000 years represent the longest journey of all. We became known as the Wandering Jew. Yet on Seder night we tell stories. The essence

of this Night became not so much one of journeys, rather that of “Haggadah” – of storytelling. The more stories we tell, the more praiseworthy we are told. What is this obsession with stories? As kids we were told to stop telling stories. Yet in this instance we have become so focused upon transitioning from a Journey to a Story, we even broke with Jewish tradition and fill our Haggadah Story Book with pictures and illustrations of every kind?

Why, on the greatest night of Jewish home education, Seder Night, do we all become story tellers?

I had occasion to jump on a plane for an unscheduled long haul flight some years ago. It was the week before Pesach.

As I was running through the airport I grabbed the first book that grabbed my pre Pesach attention. The Storytellers Secret, authored by Carmine Gallo, changed my perspective on journeys and stories in a most profound way. Like many of us I suspect, I had also viewed life, especially as a Jew, as a journey, a particularly arduous and tough one at that. Both as an individual, as a Nation and I guess as a parent and teacher, my image had always been that we are on a long, challenging journey, at times comforted by the fact that there may be the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” appearing some time soon, perhaps. Journeys can be really hard. Journeys involve ups and downs and invariably carry a lot of baggage.

Boy do us Jews tend to schlep along a lot of peckalach. That long worn Yiddish phrase- “shver tzu zein a Yid” – its tough to be a Jew….

Enter- the story. Suddenly we have multiple characters, personalities and possibilities. We are no longer faced with the daunting prospect of the inevitable ( forced) march of history alone. Stories suggest choices, colours, textures and imagination. This can go in many directions.

The dramatic story of our 3500 narrative is an epic tale of such proportion, its richness serves as an open invitation for everyone to connect. Everybody loves a good story. Our children, young and old, can identify with this character or that, feel the emotions of this event or the other. They suddenly see themselves, as do we, as part of the narrative, choose what role they would like to play, which

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25 MARCH 2021

chapters they are going to complete, feel part of this magnificent ever evolving dynamic plot.

Sure we’re all part of the longest road travelled, however our tradition gives us fantastic cues and clues, as always, as to how to pass the baton to the next generation. Not by lecturing, cajoling or forced march! Tonight everyone is a story teller.

“And you shall tell it to your children!” – Haggadah means to tell a story. “In order that to tell a story to your children of that which I did in Egypt”. Stories have actors.

Stories are replete with suspense, drama, choice and opportunity. Stories can be immersive. Stories can be exciting. Stories can and do offer an invitation for each of us to play our own unique role. As Rabbi Sacks z”l suggests- There exists no word in Hebrew for history. History is necessarily some else’s, our story can be owned by us. Our story can be an invitation to our children to make it their own; to choose their role, play their part.

Our 3500 year journey is transformed into the most exciting story of world civilization. Look where we come from.

Engage with the characters and events that brought us here. “Shehecheyanu vekiyemanu lazman haze”- Who has kept us alive and sustained us to reach this time, this chapter, this page in our story! Kidswe’re part of this! You want to join? What role you want to take? Which mantle do you wear? Which character is yours for this chapter? There are many. What would you like to shoulder at this point in time?

Are you a bystander, a supporting role, a main character? The choice is yours.

We all know what happens when we engage in the story. Everyone gets involved. Everyone has a role and a part to play. Remarkably our arduous journey became a story. Our story has its ups and downs, its trials and travails, its pain and its celebrations. But you know what happens? The very last mitzvah each of us is invited to fulfil by the Torah is the privilege to write up the Sefer (story) Torah.

It has now become my story. I am part of it. I choose to play my unique role. And the word remarkably used to describe the Torah as it nears its end is- Song. What do we do towards the conclusion of Seder Night? We burst forth in song!

Our journey, which is indeed replete with tragedy and remorse, shifts to a story, a real one, a dramatic tale with all the elements of life lived to its fullest. We choose to remember, yet not to wallow in the pain or stagnation of self pity. We suddenly become actors in the greatest narrative of world history. We look forward with renewed hope, vigour and vitality. Our story transforms into a song..

Rabbi Naftali Schiff is Founder and Chief Executive of Jewish Futures and PresidentOur Story

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Pesach

Pesach Word Search

Seder Night the long-awaited time of celebrating our nation’s freedom from being slaves to Pharaoh and becoming chosen by Hashem as His treasured People! We drink four cups of wine/grape juice, eat three Matzot and Maror! We try to lean on our left side whilst eating Matza and drinking the wine, to show that we are free people! Pesach is a delightful festival, last eight days outside of Israel and we ensure to have our houses free of Chametz and each time we eat Matzah we can fulfil another Mitzvah! That’s a lot of Mitzvot over eight days!

We listen to the story of the Haggada, and we ask all questions related to Pesach and leaving Egypt and that way we carry on our precious tradition and bring to life our nation’s history and celebrate how we survive as a nation through the good times and the difficult ones.

Each day, we say Hallel, and towards the end of Pesach, we celebrate another great miracle, which was crossing the sea in dry land and thereby being saved from Pharaoh’s mighty army that came after us even after we left Egypt!

Each miracle and kindness that Hashem performs for us calls for a “Thank You” and that is what we mean with the song “Dayeinu” that each thing on its own would have been enough reason to thank Hashem and how much more so when we consider the piles of kind deeds Hashem continuously performs for us!

It’s great to live with a grateful mindset! Chag Sameach!

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FREEDOM • HAGGADAH • MAGID • MARROR • MATZAH • QUESTIONS • SEDER • WINE

Tangram Challenge!

Using all the shapes on the left can you make the candlestick shape on the right?

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: OUR COMMUNITY’S BEST KEPT SECRET WHAT IS JNETICS?

WHAT DOES JNETICS TEST FOR AND HOW?

Jnetics is a charity that provides carrier screening for lifethreatening Jewish genetic disorders (JGDs). Our mission is simple- to eliminate new cases of these devastating disorders from the community by providing accessible carrier screening to all young Jewish adults. Our hope is that screening becomes standard practice, thereby saving couples the unnecessary heartbreak of having an affected child.

Jnetics offers genetic screening for 9 of the most severe JGDs via the Jnetics Clinic, which at present is being delivered entirely virtually. In the next few months, we plan to expand the screening panel to include Sephardi disorders along with further disorders prevalent amongst the Ashkenazi Jewish community.

WHAT IS GENETIC CARRIER SCREENING? Screening identifies if a person carries a gene associated with a genetic disorder. Carriers typically do not show symptoms of the disorder that they carry, and because of this, are unaware of their status unless screened. Being a carrier typically has no impact on your own health, but does mean that you are at an increased risk of having a child that is affected by the disease that you carry; If 2 carriers of the same disorder have children, there is a 1 in 4 risk in every pregnancy that the baby born will suffer from the condition.

Fortunately, there are ways for ‘carrier couples’ to manage this risk and have healthy children but they are only available if both partners have been identified as carriers first. This is why screening is so important.

The clinic is offered at a subsidised rate of £250 and the virtual service means anyone across the UK, irrespective of where they live, can take part in screening. Clinic participation is extremely simple, with 5 easy steps including online registration, receipt of a saliva kit in the post and a video appointment with Jnetics’ dedicated NHS genetic counsellor.

WHY OUR WORK IS SO IMPORTANT? Too many babies are being born today with these truly devastating conditions. Getting screened empowers In America, Israel, Australia and in the Charedi community, carrier screening has been the norm for decades. However, the UK Jewish community has been far behind. It is time for our community to take control of its own future and ensure that these disorders are not passed on to the next generation. For further information on Jnetics, please contact info@jnetics.org or call us 020 8158 5123. To book an appointment at the Jnetics Clinic go to www.Jnetics.org/screening.

FAMILY PLANNING? WHY RISK YOUR BABY’S HEALTH? 1 in 5 people of Ashkenazi origin is a carrier of at least one severe, recessive Jewish genetic disorder.

Nowadays a ‘carrier couple’ can manage their risk of having an affected child, but only if they know they are carriers first.

Help us arm the community with that knowledge.

To donate towards funding our screening programme this Pesach, please visit Jnetics.org/donate

in partnership with

@JneticsUK Jnetics Reg charity no. 1134935 5997 Jnetics Ad EUS Pesach Mag 210mmx297mm.indd 1

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58 YOUTH

25 MARCH 2021

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Pesach In a nutshell Pesach is the high point of the Jewish Calendar! We sit for many hours with our family and simply think and chat about our amazing history - that a group of tribes became a nation, and a large group of slaves became a kingdom of princes! G-d told Moshe that the Jewish people are to slaughter the deity of the Egyptians - the sheep, spread its blood on their doorposts and then Hashem would “pass-over” the Jewish houses when the Egyptian firstborns would be hit. As they ate the Korban Pesach, dressed in their belt and shoes, and holding their walking sticks, they were filled with excitement and trust in G-d and his faithful messenger Moshe who would lead them out of slavery into a life a worshipping Hashem.

As day broke the Jewish people left the land of bondage and travelled with the food they had prepared – but the dough had no time to rise and they were left with Matzah, which is one reason we eat Matzah on Seder Night! The other reason we eat Matzah is

to remember the “bread of our affliction” and the fact that we ate Matzah when we were slaves. The other things we eat on Seder night include, Marror, to remember the bitterness of the slavery and suffering we underwent, as well as other things. There are also two dipping activities – the Karpas – a raw vegetable which is dipped into salt water and the Marror – which is dipped into the Charoses.

So, we relate the story of our ancestors’ slavery in Egypt, and we say various Pesukim from all over Tanach and the Midrashim of our Sages, elaborating on the Ten Makkot and the extent of Hashem’s kindnesses from the beginning of history until we were brought to the Holy Land.

It is interesting that the slavery in Egypt is not something that we try to forget about; to the contrary, we remember it each year – not only the eventual freedom, but the bondage itself. One reason for this is that when we ended our slavery to Pharaoh, we didn’t

Word Wheel The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel.

Each word must contain at least three letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.

become “free people” to do as we please; rather we were honoured to become “slaves” to Hashem Himself, for only 49 days after leaving Egypt we received the greatest gift of all – the Torah! So, Egypt was, in some ways, a “training ground” for how to be enslaved, meaning, how to limit one’s own pursuit of pleasure due to being subservient to an “other”.

The atmosphere at the Seder Table is one of joy, but, at the same time, one of respect. We try to limit our table talk to topics relevant to Pesach and the Exodus from Egypt. Before we perform each of the Mitzvot of the night, be it the Kiddush, the four cups of wine/grape juice, the Haggadah the Matzah, Marror, Korech, Afikoman or even Birkat Hamazon, we think, “I am performing a Mitzvah”.

It’s a different world when one is mindful of what they are doing, and being free from Egyptian slavery, means our minds are now free to serve Hashem! That is something we should always take care to protect!

Use this area to write the words you have found.

v e

p e

g

a r

n i

Last week’s words: Here are some words you may have found from last week - you may have found more! ace act arc cab car cat

ice acre carb care cart cert

cite crab crib lace lice race

rice talc brace bract cabal caber

cable carat caret cater clear cleat

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crate lacer react relic trace trice

cartel claret racial article cabaret calibre

citable recital bacteria bracteal bacterial calibrate

25 MARCH 2021

YOUTH 59

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Q: Why do we have a Haggadah at Pesach?

A: So we can Seder right words.

Knock, Knock Who’s there?

EliYa EliYa who?

EliYaHu HaNavi Q: What kind of cheese do I eat on Pesach?

A:Matzah-rella!

(Answers at the bottom of page upside down)

1. How far can a fox run into a garden?

3. Can you name three consecutive days without using the words “Wednesday,” “Friday,” or “Sunday”?

2. I can be hot, I can be cold, I can run and I can be still, I can be hard and I can be soft.

What am I?

Q: What’s the difference between matzah and cardboard??

A: Cardboard doesn’t leave crumbs!

3) Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

1. Only halfway— then he’s running out of it!

2) (salt)Water!

1. Four questions 2. Passover 3. Wine

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4. Unleavened 5. Plagues 6. Splitting the Red Sea

34 SPORT 60 SPORT

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Arsenal bursts West Ham Sixteen-goal Lions Champions League bubbles rout Scrabble in Cup

BY DAVID SAFFER

West Ham blew a glorious opportunity to move intoSAFFER a share of fourth place in the BY DAVID Champions League race when they allowed Arsenal to recover fromsix3-0 down to share Reiss Mogilner scored goals as Maccabi the spoilsLions in athumped six-goal thriller at ALondon London Scrabble in the Stadium.round of the Cyril Anekstein Cup. second Thee Hammers are twoside points behind Th Premier League racked up aChel16-0 sea, with one ahead Tottenham Hotspur and win Danielof Green and Michael Kenley three bagging clear of aboth Liverpool and Everton both hat-trick.

Ed Brafman, DawithDinkin, nine games left. The Gunnerscompletare out vid and Adam Hassanali of the the league ed the running rout in ain mismatch of abut tie.face Slavia Prague the Europa League Lionsin could have scored in quarterfinals the opening next month.

And theybut are favourites to book minute of the clash soon opened the a semi-final spot9-0 against Dinamo scoring and led by half time. Zagreb or Villarreal so theirOne 2022 team, Champions League The Division though outhopes arebattled not over. classed, away to the end.

Jesse Lingard, a sensational Lions boss waswith lost for words at fullvolley, time Jarrodwas Bowen and Tomas putwho the such the display fromSoucek his team hostsevery into arespect seemingly lead just gave to theinvincible opposition. past against “I’mthe nothalf-hour really sure there’sArsenal. anythingThe to Gunners were staring downitthe barrelto ofthe an say, we are happy to make through embarrassing defeat but Soucek diverted an next round of the cup, ” he commented.

Alexandre effortran into his3-1 own goal Hendon Lacazette United Sports out victors to reduceLeague the deficit half ttime.

TheLondon visitors against Oneatoutfi North scented a way back and another own goal, Raiders. this

by Craig Calum Thtime e Premier side Dawson led earlyfrom in thea second Chambers cross just past the hour,but setstruck up an half only for Raiders to equalise intriguing finale.toBowen denied a Kitwo late goals bookwas a place inbyround eran Tierney block before Lacazette nodded three of the competition. home a Nicolas Pepetheir crossattentions on 82 minutes.

Hendon now turn to the Both teams could havetograbbed a late win-a league as they travel Oakwood A for ner but had for a point crucial top to ofsettle the table clashapiece. on Sunday West Ham boss David Moyes told Sky (10am).

Sports, wasn’t ateam greatstunned result after going Daniel“ItKristall’s the league 3-0 up but showed we are up won there2-0, com-a leaders lastwemonth when they peting with themove best teams. beenaapoint long victory would them It tohas within time since with we finished Arsenal, we of Hendon a match above in hand. have done our to make sureofthey can’t Elsewhere inbest the latest round fixtures, catch us. North Now weLondon want more, I’m greedy 10-man Galaxy made and it a they are devastated inthe theonly dressing room at three-way title race in Division One not taking ” clash of thethree day points. after defeating Oakwood B. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta Sports, Jamie Murray saw red earlytold on Sky but Galaxy “I’m very disappointed I cannot rallied with goals from because Josh Cohen and acJaceptLeigh my team play the we did in2-1 periods cob to record anway important away in the first half. I expect we play at the level we win. did afterwards.

The first goal, it canCare happen.

Galaxy head Redbridge Jewish A in It istable a really goodone combination.

That is fine. the by just point after 10 matches, The way we concede theare second third is third place Fairlop FC five and points beunacceptable.

Afterwards the attitude and hind with two games in hand. togetherness showed, it is really difficult Rafi Bloomwe scored for Oakwood. to“It do what have done.performance We got really close was we a fantastic in a

Jose Mourinho welcomed Spurs win at Aston Villa

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

to winning and I think we deserved to win it but the first part really worried me.”

Tottenham are back in the Champions League chasing pack after bouncing back 16-goalaMaccabi London Lions League loss against from stunning Europa Dinamo Zagreb to defeat Aston Villa 2-0 at Villa Park. game,” commented Galaxy playmust-win Jose Mourinho did not hold back after er-manager Luke Lewis.

Tottenham lost 3-2 aggregate against the Di“We sat back andonallowed Oakwood namogiven but histhe team answeredadvantage their criticsand by ball, one-man staying in a top-four finish.

Carlooked tothe hit hunt themforon the counter attack los Vinicius with pace. and Harry Kane sealed the win that sends Tottenham into sixth three “Both goals came down the place right-hand pointsLeigh adriftcrossed of Chelsea. side. the first one into Cohen without Grealish areUpa toVilla finish, beforeskipper slottingJack home himself. shadow ofgo. the to first we ” team that impressed in the opening half of the season.

The Division Two title race also took Sky Sports, “It was a good a Mourinho twist withtold league leaders Herstwood result.going Totaldown creditto to athe incredVale 2-1players. defeat An at Temple ible attitude and effort. Some of the guys it Fortune. was almost like a debut, like Tanganga RoFaithfold B have played a game or more don who not had many Some than Vale have but moved level withgames. a 5-3 win at like Harry (Kane) played 120 minutes 48 North London Raiders Masters. hours ago.

They gave twice everything.

The team Jacob Kalms struck for Fortune who was a team.

The leading next challenge a team is scored through scorer as James Milnot to play like this reaction to an awful letwith his 17th goalasofathe season. performance.

Playing withmore this state of mind, The result was all the remarkable thisTemple soul, should a permanent thing.”with He as were be down to 11 players added, “I was prouddislocating of players aduring my ‘keeper Ben Rebuck shoulder career manyup. times after defeats. I was not in the warm proud Thursday (versus Zagreb) at “Thislast was a fantastic win givenorthe

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal stunned West Ham in a six-goal thriller

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

the Emirates (versus Arsenal). I can’t do it alone. I have to do it with my club, with the players in the dressing room. Tonight, I’m really happy with what they did.”

Villa boss Dean Smith told Match of the Day, “If you make mistakes like we did for their goals and don’t create or show much quality in the final third, you are going to lose games. I thought we started well and got into some really good areas, but lacked quality when we got there. They got numbers behind the ball but we got into the box a number of times and either hit the first man or didn’t show the quality needed.

That’s what’s probably lacking with us at the moment.”

At the other end of the table, Brighton picked up a second win to circumstances, ” said consecutive delighted Fortune moveSimon six points clear of the relegation zone. boss Linden.

Leandro Welbeck “We had Trossard, a numberDanny of players out, and ReNeal Maupay scored goals have in a asked combuck got injured, so I the couldn’t fortable 3-0 defeat rivals any more from the against players.relegation We wish Ben a Newcastle United at Amex Stadium. speedy recovery.

Thewas match was a crucial “It a proper oldbilled school as performance, six-pointer butdefended The Seagulls were far too we battled and for the 90 minutes strong for our a dispirited-looking Geordie side and took chances. Experience proved that points Fulham, to beare thetwo winner.

It’s clear a big of win, one wewho will lost 2-1 to we Leeds United.

The enjoy and hope to build ontwo it inmeet 2019.”on theHe final day of the season in what couldasbea added, “Th is win marks 50 years a winnerclub takes all will clash. football and be one Nigel Kyte and Newcastle boss Steve Bruce everyone associated with the clubtold fromBBC day

Match of the Day, “It’s difficult to digest (the result) at the moment. We simply weren’t anywhere near good enough on the night.

Fair play to Brighton, they were better in every department. We knew we’d have to be good with the ball. It was a very difficult evening for us and a painful one at that. We didn’t get after it well enough. Their tactics were very decent, they caught us out in that respect. We probably needed to get to halftime to clear a few things up, but overall, we weren’t anywhere near the levels we need to be at. I take full responsibility for that. Unfortunately, it unravelled very, very quickly.”

Brighton manager Graham Potter told Sky Sports, “I’m really pleased. It was a fantastic performance. The players from the start were brave. They were smart, they worked hard, reacted when they lost the ball, pretty much everything. Newcastle hit the post early in the second half. You need to survive those little moments. But we were the dominant team and deserved to win.”

Leeds deservedly beat Fulham at Craven Cottage in the opening league clash of the PHOTO: DAVID SAFFER weekend.

The visitors had two goals chalked off by VAR, Luke Ayling’s header was a close call but Raphinha was yards offside before he found the net. Patrick Bamford fired home the opening goal for Leeds from a Jack Harrison’s cross. Fulham equalised through Joachim Andersen from an Ademola Lookman corner but Raphinha slotted in the winner on 58 minutes moments after Lookman missed a great chance for the hosts.

Fulham’s Scott Parker told BBC Sport, “The best team won. We really struggled withwill their intensity at times and couldn’t one enjoy. ” cope We didn’t want was it to quick become Valewith bossit. Jacob Emanuel to a basketball becausehis that falls into wish Rebuck match well following injury.

Leeds’ Not many teams are as strong “Firsthands. and most importantly, everyone at as Leeds those moments. ” He ‘keeper added, Vale wouldinlike to wish the Fortune the pointwewhere the him final back hura“We’re quickat recovery, hopeit’s to see dle,the thefootball home straight. need to win some on pitch asWe soon as possible, ” he games.” said.

Leeds MarceloEmanuel Bielsa told BBC Sport, As for boss the defeat, commented, “It’sdoesn’t difficult matter to play against a team who need “It how big a squad you the points.

We attacked well and have, you can never account fordefended unavailwell in the secondOnly half. (Our season so far) is ability or injury. five of today’s team not what expected it’sover whatFC we’ve beena played inI our recentbut win Team, able to up to this point. ” individual lack ofobtain togetherness and poor

“It was a proper old school performance, we battled and defended for the 90 minutes and took our chances. Experience proved to be the winner.”

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Do you have back pain every time you prepare for Pesach?

At The Green Clinic, we don’t have a ‘one size fits all’ approach. We know that everybody and every lifestyle is different, and we tailor our recommendations and advice according to what works for YOU.

With Pesach fast approaching, the likelihood is that you are busy with cleaning and other preparations, and this may cause some back-related issues.

Whether your pain is intermittent or continuous, new or old, we can help you to feel better, and advise you on how to achieve a healthy back, so you can move with confidence.

Here are some quick tips to help you this week • If you are experiencing backache after bending, make sure you stand straight at regular intervals to give your back a rest.

• If you suffer from neck or shoulder pain, pull your shoulders back, hold for 5 seconds, relax, then roll them up and backwards 5 times, as a quick relaxation exercise.

The Green Clinic is recognised by all major health insurance companies, with flexible opening times and three clinic sites in Edgware, Bushey and Radlett. We are sure to be able to help you, whatever the issue. CALL US TODAY Edgware & Bushey: 020 8728 0625 | Radlett: 01923 852 852

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25 MARCH 2021

Solskjaer plans backfire as Foxes chase Cup glory

BY DAVID SAFFER Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under growing pressure after the Reds crashed out of the FA Cup against Leicester City last Sunday.

The Foxes have yet to win the most famous domestic competition and are a game away from a first final in 39 years after deservedly knocking out United 3-1 in the quarterfinals at King Power Stadium.

Kelechi Iheanacho struck twice in a famous win but Solskjaer was left rueing his decision to rest first teamers Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw for this match.

His hunch badly backfired although Paul Pogba was among the starters.

Solskjaer has lost a number of high-profile cup ties and is still chasing a first managerial honour. The Reds are on course for a Champions League spot and are favourites to defeat Granada in the Europa League quarterfinals before facing the winner of Ajax vs Roma for a place in the final.

Victory over Leicester would have given United an easier route to a major final.

The Foxes take on Southampton in the semi-finals whilst Chelsea stand in the way of quadruple-chasing City. Both matches take place at Wembley next month.

Iheanacho opened the scoring for PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK the hosts in the 24th minute following Jamie Vardy helped Leicester City defeat Manchester United a dreadful backpass by Fred. Mason Greenwood levelled before half-time but behind us so it won’t be easy but we want Youri Tielemans slotted home after the re- to keep going and get as far as possible in sumption before Iheanacho nodded in 12 the Europa as well.” minutes from time.

Manchester City left it late against EverLeicester boss Brendan Rodgers told BBC ton but came through 2-0 at Goodison Sport, “It was a great team performance. Park.

Every aspect of the game was complete.

Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin de Bruyne We showed courage to play football against ended Carlo Ancelotti’s hopes of leading one of Europe’s greatest teams. I’m so hap- his team to the semi-finals. py for the players. I thought we thoroughly Although Everton have impressed this deserved it.” He added, “Our solidity and season it was always going to be a tough intensity of press was very good. When we ask against Pep Guardiola’s star-studded dropped into our shape we denied them team who picked up a 25th win from the space. To beat Manchester United 3-1 you last 26 games in all competitions. have to be complete in all aspects of the Six-time cup winners City bossed the game and the players did that. (The semi-fi- game and though they failed to create many nal) is a way off yet. I told the players they clear-cut chances they always seemed likewere three games from history. Now it’s ly to reach a third consecutive semi-final in two. We’re making the right steps, we’re on the competition they last won in 2019. the right path. We’re very ambitious to be Everton’s Yerry Mina had a header cleared the best we can be. That’s the challenge and off the line in the first half. Raheem Sterling it’s the test we’re enjoying.” missed arguably City’s best opening before Solskjaer told BBC Sport, “When we Riyad Mahrez and De Bruyne entered the win, we win together and when we lose, fray. And the double substitution worked we lose together. We’re not pointing fin- as Gundogan reacted quickest when Aygers and blaming.” He added, “We’ve got meric Laporte’s shot bounced back off the the Europa League and Premier League crossbar six minutes from time. De Bruyne to concentrate on, yes we would’ve liked sealed the win in the 90th minute. to go to Wembley but now all the focus is Guardiola praised his sides mental on the games we do have. We’re in a good strength for a remarkable run of form. position in the league and we want to keep “It is one of the greatest achievements we improving, of course Leicester are just have done together for a long time,” he told

added, “We made too many easy mistakes and lost duels and lost some momentum.

I could tell in training we were tired and there was a lack of concentration. That can happen sometimes it gets harder to keep the level up. I’m happy we could help from the bench and in the end, we have the win so we take that.”

Blades interim manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC One, “We more than deserved extra time. We want to look forward and take the positives. We’ll never get a better chance, I don’t think we started in the first half but we had a go second half and I was pleased with the response.” He added, “The first goal is disappointing because it was good play but we could have dealt with it. The second one you accept it might come up and you’re susceptible. If it hadn’t gone in we would still have two minutes to try again and have another chance because when we were going forward we were causing them problems.”

Southampton are looking over their shoulders in the Premier League relegation scrap but in the FA Cup, the Saints are marching on to Wembley.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side eased to a 3-0 win against south-coast rivals Bournemouth but they were expected to get the better of the Championship play off hopefuls.

Kevin Du Bruyne sealed Manchester PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK Nathan Redmond took the plaudits City’s win against Everton with a brace and assist in a comfortable the media. victory.

Everton boss Ancelotti was proud of his Moussa Djenepo opened the scoring team for battling but philosophical in de- from Redmond’s pinpoint pass. Saints star feat. In his opinion, City are the “best team player then scored a sensational solo goal in the world”. before half-time before sealing the win with Last season’s beaten finalists Chelsea a cool finish. made hard work of defeating ChampionHasenhuttl told BT Sport, “The mindset ship-bound Sheffield United 2-0 at Stam- was important today. We needed to show ford Bridge. what we wanted to do. I could feel all week The Blues are searching for a ninth FA the guys were focused. This is important Cup triumph and were odds on favourites I think. It’s important to keep the tempo to advance but they were fortunate to take high immediately. We tried to play quick. the lead when Oliver Norwood diverted The first goal we scored was disallowed but Ben Chilwell’s cross into his own net in the it didn’t affect us. We kept going forward first half. and stretched them. It was wonderful play Christian Pulisic and Callum Hud- and deserved.” He added, “I am very, very son-Odoi went close to doubling the lead pleased. (Redmond has) had a difficult and the hosts were nearly made to pay by year with his performances and injuries. the rank outsiders when David McGol- I am hoping this game gives him so much drick blew a glorious opportunity to equal- lift so he shows more often what quality he ise from close-range. Kepa Arrizabalaga has. It’s important for our game. We said in saved an Oliver McBurnie effort as the general we want to focus on the FA Cup. But Blades looked to salvage something from a maybe I should have said we focus on both wretched season. But when another attack things (FA Cup and the Premier League). broke down in injury time, Hakim Ziyech We have done a good job with the perforfinished off a slick breakaway. mances so far (in the FA Cup).”

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel told Bournemouth’s Jonathan Woodgate told BBC One, “Sounds excellent to say we’re BT Sport, “The lads never gave up. The through to the semi-finals. It was a tough second goal was vital for them right on the match. We had a good first half where we stroke of half time. We move on now, put controlled everything. We lost control in that game to bed and look ahead to the the second half, we were clearly tired.” He play-offs.”

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