Community

Crowdfunder will help cost of living crisis

Emma May leads a session for Work Avenue clients Work Avenue is holding an online crowdfunder November 13 and 14 to raise £750,000 to help the Jewish community through unprecedented economic challenges.

A new survey has laid bare the scale of anxiety as the cost of living crisis deepens. Work Avenue polled over 500 clients with 85% stating the crisis was putting households under financial pressure.

For those in work, two thirds feel a current salary will not meet household bills, 40% are worried their family will suffer due to a need to severely cut back. The situation is more critical for people on benefits. Eight in 10 reported they may no longer be able to make ends meet.

The survey found that over 60% of people were considering changing jobs, looking to find a second income or asking for a salary increase to cope with the crisis. Four in 10 feel mental health has been negatively impacted.

Emma May, Work Avenue Director of Operations and Employment, said: “The Jewish community is suffering. As we’ve seen nationally, costs are rising everywhere, wages and benefits aren’t keeping pace. These worries are very real and very immediate.” She added: “The cost of living is spiralling, people in our community are now having to make impossible decisions about their mortgage repayments or rent, household bills and even essentials such as food and clothing.”

Regarding the crowdfunder, Emma said the need for services has never been greater.

She observed: “Our crowdfunder is essential and timely. It will allow us to expand our services so that we can help more people earn a living to support themselves and their families with dignity.”

Work Avenue supports over 2,000 clients in the UK each year and is helping people to increase their livelihood by upskilling.

Free workshops, courses and confidential one-to-one support is available. Work Avenue. Details: www.theworkavenue.org.uk

AJEX passing baton to next generation

AJEX Annual Parade and Ceremony 2021

PHOTO: DAVID LAKE

AJEX wants to pass the ‘Baton of Remembrance’ to the next generation at the annual remembrance parade and ceremony at The Cenotaph on Sunday November 20th.

Bookings have opened to participate. The theme this year is connecting people across the community.

AJEX is encouraging younger family members of veterans to join the parade and wear relative’s medals with pride. The organisation is also reaching out to people that have not attended before to learn about their family’s participation and honour relatives.

A contingent of JFS cadets will take part for a second consecutive year with other Jewish schools and members of the Jewish community.

Falling on Mitzvah day, AJEX has invited the community to take part in the ‘Mitzvah of Remembrance’ by registering to participate or watching the marchers.

AJEX Chief Executive, Fiona Palmer, commented: “People may have a family member no longer with us or one that is too elderly to march. We are encouraging the next generation to demonstrate the connection from old to young. It is so important remembrance can be passed through the generations keeping the legacy of those that served alive.”

AJEX National Chair, Dan Fox, said: “The annual parade remains a unique event for our community and one of the most significant acts of remembrance observed during November.”

Primary and secondary schools can hold in-person Q & As with veterans. Primary schools and nurseries can take part in ‘Remember in Red day’.

AJEX is calling on synagogues to hold an AJEX Shabbat on November 19th.

The communal event honours thousands of Jewish servicemen and women who fought and served in the armed forces. To participate in the Parade: www.ajex.org.uk/paradebooking book To book a veteran talk email ajexmembers@ajex.org.uk

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WORKING IN COOPERATION TO BUILD A STRONGER ISRAEL THROUGH ALIYAH

Winners Jack Mendel, Uriel Lev, Josh Reynolds, Elliott Mayer, Dan Humphrey, Mark Spanjar and Greg Mayer

Belmont and Edgware Cricket Club held its annual awards ceremony Old Camdenians on Sunday night.

Dan Humphrey won top order batter and seam bowler award in his first season on top of Player and Players’ Player accolades.

Young all-rounder Uriel Lev was recognised for a wonderful year as he took his first five-wicket haul.

Bowler of the year was Josh Reynolds,

Teenager Uriel Lev was recognised as Young Player of the Year and Best Newcomer.

Other awards included fielder of the year, taken by keeper Mark Spanjar. Most improved player went to Greg Mayer. Clubman of the year, selected by chairman Mark Ableson, went to Jack Mendel.

Club Captain Elliott Mayer said: “It was great to see so many members reminiscing on the season and celebrating the many successes. The club is in a strong place with a strong core as well as new members and young talent coming through. Congratulations to all of the award winners.”

Boys of Special Spirits with boys from Mesivta

The boys of Special Spirits together with boys of Manchester Mesivta enjoying their weekly Thursday night botta.

PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation have inducted Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman and celebrated his 40 years in the Rabbinate.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, dayanim, rabbanim and Westcliff MP Anna Firth were among dignitaries.

In his address, Chief Rabbi Mirvis described how the community had coped with the pandemic and complimented the shul on the wisdom of appointing Rabbi Hyman in challenging times.

“It is a marriage made in heaven,” he said. This is Rabbi Hyman`s eighth active community position.

Rabbi Hyman thanked the Chief Rabbi for his inspiring message and recounted how he tries to make a difference to the community. He recognised the community’s “warmth and generosity of spirit”.

Chazzanim Shalom Rapoport and Zalmy Cohen led the service.

The Ladies Guild catered a reception.

Shul president Michael Nelkin told 300

Noach fun times

Beit Shvidler Primary School in Edgware enjoyed ‘Emily’s Adventures in Wonderland’ workshop to celebrate Parshas Noach. Emily Ben-Ze’ev ran the session for youngsters.

Foundation children had a cross-curricular session on light while rainbows had a bubbles programme. Participants made rainbow spinners and used a variety of

Club 13 fun

Whitefield Synagogue’s Club13 bar mitzvah programme began its new year of events with a football and pizza evening.

Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman welcomed guests and together with Rabbi Hyman and thanked an ‘army of volunteers’ that made the day a success.

sweets to separate colours when learning about chromatography.

To link with the Sedra, children learnt about the 70 languages and Nations of the world.

Ben-Ze’ev showed children instruments from continents and they enjoyed a handson session dressing up in costumes from around the world.

Record numbers attended. The group enjoyed freshly made pizza at the rabbi’s house.

Scouts visit parliament

Boys of Kita Beis Talmud Torah Chinuch Neorim Manchester celebrated the beginning of Tehillim at Machzikei Hadass Shul on Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan.

The 20th Finchley Scout group on their Parliament visit

The 20th Finchley Scout group had an exciting visit to Parliament on the day the new Prime Minster Rishi Sunak was announced. Beavers, Cubs and Scouts walked past 10 Downing Street and enjoyed a guided tour of Parliament. They were told about its history and went into to the Lords chamber. Youngsters also met an MP.

MDY Siyum

World renowned maggid shiur Reb Eli Stefansky made his first UK appearance this week, at two siyumim for Masechet Kesuvot. On Tuesday evening, 500 people packed out the Meridian and over 250 attended Stenecourt shul in Manchester on Wednesday night. After giving his popular shiur, the crowd enjoyed a beautiful siyum including 4 course dinner accompanied by singing and gifts to take home.

To the many who watch him daily online, it was amazing to finally meet him in person. To sign up for the shiur, go to joindafyomi. com to get your free Gemoroh, mercazdafyomi.com to see all the daily links to videos or just YouTube his name and subscribe to change your life! Full coverage in next week’s edition.

The MDY Siyum in Manchester

The MDY Siyum in London

Noa Girls ‘huge thank you’ for £1.5m

The Noa team celebrating their fundraising success Noa Girls has thanked the community after raising £1,504,813 in its online fundraising campaign.

A primary goal of the campaign was to sensitively build greater awareness of mental health.

Thought-proving images depicted how girls’ struggle with mental health and generated healthy and positive conversations.

“We couldn’t have done this without the generosity and efforts of our matched funders, team leaders and each and every single person who donated to our campaign,” said the charity.

Support from over 6,000 donors from the community and beyond has Noa girls feeling profoundly seen, heard and cared for.

One girl said: “When they hit the first million my heart was bursting and each time you hit a target it was the most amazing feeling. To see this incredible community support really made me feel supported. It was so beautiful to watch.”

The mental health crisis shows no signs of abating.

Noa supports 250 girls and faces a daunting waiting list. Noa receives income from grants but gets limited statutory funding. They rely on the generosity of the community to meet needs of the girls.

“The community really stepped up,” said Noa Girls. “These funds will undoubtedly make a big difference to every girl who walks through our door.”

One girl commented: “People who never talk about mental health were donating and talking about it all weekend. One of our supporters reflected that had this level of mental health awareness existed in our community in high school, they wouldn’t have gone through the struggles they are dealing with today.”

Team leaders acted as ambassadors, businesses used their platform to give a voice to the girls at Noa, noted the charity. “Each of you sent the clear message that our girls and their recovery is a priority for the community,” they added.

Hovercraft king Nathan wins world championship

Nathan Ash is the 2022 Formula Colt Hovercraft World Champion.

The Shenley teen competed in the merged Colt and Junior categories (11 to 16 year-olds) and was crowned at the World Hovercraft Championships in Flottsbro, Sweden.

Competitors raced over four rounds of racing in choppy weather conditions.

Nathan, who celebrated his barmitzvah at Shenley Synagogue earlier this year, placed third overall in the Juniors on the day but was the leading Colt after a successful competition over the season. Nathan won nine races during a stellar campaign and was placed on the podium more than any other hovercraft racer.

Nathan’s craft is a Rotax powered Junior Raider which has 40 horse power propelling him to over 50 mph on water.

Next year, when Nathan becomes a Junior, he will be able to increase the thrust of his hovercraft, giving him more

Nathan Ash on the winner’s podium

performance.

Nathan’s father, Howard, is a Principal Lecturer in Automotive and Motorsport Engineering. He accompanied Nathan on the Sweden trip as mechanic, data engineer, head of logistics, chief sponsor and chief cook!

Competitors came from across Europe and America to race in the world championships.

KKL Korner

JNF UK Legacy Mission returns to Israel and builds memories

Putting the impact of Covid behind them, Carolyn Addleman, Director of the JNF UK Legacy Department and David Goodman Director of Community Relations JNF UK returned from Israel on Wednesday 2nd November having led an exciting and varied Legacy Mission programme. Whilst staying at the David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv on the border with Jaffa, mission participants visited a number of towns in the Negev to see the critical work of JNF UK. In Kiryat Malachi members of the mission took part in an inspiring ceremony at the House of Excellence where an auditorium and computer suite funded by a generous legacy of Michael Stanton was dedicated. Michael Stanton‘s sisters Philippa and Linda participated in the mission and said “Michael was very keen on developing the Negev and would have been very happy that so many young Israelis will benefit from his legacy.”

The following day an emotional cornerstone ceremony of a gymnasium and multipurpose hall took place in the Dekalim Special Needs School in Be’er Sheva. Speakers included deputy mayor Dr Hefzi Zohar and senior members of the municipality. David Goodman, who chaired the event, read out notes from the pupils which had been placed in a time capsule buried together with the cornerstone. With tears of joy in her eyes, headteacher Esther Guashnish said, “this was a dream come true.” She was so very grateful to JNF UK.

Amongst the mission participants was Neil Mills for whom this was a first-time visit to Israel. On entering Jerusalem where the mission stayed at the David Citadel Hotel, together with everyone present he recited the prayer of She’hechiyanu Veki’imanu. Neil was overwhelmed with emotion and said, “it was wonderful to have shared this incredibly emotional experience with others on the mission.”

Mission participants could not thank Carolyn enough for the organisation and care she and David showed. Carolyn Addleman said, “it was a privilege to lead a mission where the participants were so passionate to learn about Israel and the vital work of JNF UK.”

Bookings are already being made for next year’s mission during which Israel’s 75th birthday will be celebrated.

Carolyn Addleman, JNF UK’s Director of Legacies, presenting a certificate to Esther Guashnish, Headteacher of Dekalim School at the Cornerstone Ceremony at Dekalim School

PHOTO: DANA BAR

“It was a privilege to lead a mission where the participants were so passionate to learn about Israel and the vital work of JNF UK.”

RESPECTING YOUR WISHES, GUARDING YOUR TRADITIONS

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ASK THE RABBI

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

HOW DO I CAGE THE RAGE?

Dear Rabbi

I suffer from so many anger issues. It is eating into my life, both at home and at work. I don’t know how to cope with this anymore and thought that may be you can offer some advice. I know this is not the way a practising Jew should behave.

Gideon

Dear Gideon

Practising or not, Jewish or not, having anger issues is not a good thing and not a way for anyone to behave. If it is impacting to such an extent then you need to determine the source of your anger and pursue professional help. Remember the words of the Talmud, “one who gets angry is tantamount to idolatry.” In practical terms that means that we tend to be angry against someone or something that hurts us. Inasmuch as we believe everything is bashert, then being angry implies denying the Divine hand in your particular experience. Holding onto anger is like holding onto a hot coal. You’re the one who’s getting burnt. Deal with this as soon as possible, before you lose everything.

ASSISTED SUICIDE REVISITED

Dear Rabbi

What is the Jewish view on assisted suicide?

Sandy

Dear Sandy

Retired 81 year old nurse, Marie de Laet ended her life by lethal injection at a Belgium care home. She was one of 2,655 to die in 2019 in exactly the same way. “It’s her choice,” the argument goes, “and if she feels she has no quality of life ahead of her, then this is the most humane way for her to go.”

The problem with all these woke, liberal minded people and their twisted logic is that it always leads down a slippery slope and lays bare their hypocrisy. In May earlier this year, another woman, Shanti De Corte also chose to end her life by being euthanized. The only difference was that Shanti was suffering from life crippling depression and she was twenty three years old. A lot of people, including those who applauded Marie’s action and reasoning, decried Shanti’s action and reasoning. “Depression,” they argued, “is not a reason to end a life.” “And she was only 23 with her whole life ahead of her!”

So who exactly gets to decide the appropriate age for assisted suicide and who gets to decide which illnesses justify it? What if she was twenty-three and had terminal cancer? What is she’s eighty-two and suffers from severe depression?

We’ve dealt with this question previously, albeit in a different context. The whole thing is a moral outrage and just another symptom of our laissez faire society where it’s my life and I get to choose – be it assisted suicide, abortion, and whatever else besides. Thus Judaism’s view is that assisted suicide is just another glorious term for legalised murder. It remains inherently wrong, as stipulated in the Ten Commandments, “thou shalt not kill.” Anyone helping someone terminate his or her life makes them an accomplice to the crime.

Let me be clear: My heart goes out to those who suffer to the point where they feel driven to such despair. However, fundamental to Jewish belief is that life is our most sacred possession entrusted to us by G-d. As such, only He serves as Judge and Jury to determine when our souls must be returned. Legal though it may be in some places, it remains immoral, abhorrent and is an indictment on what we’ve become as a people.

WHY SHOULD I GET MARRIED?

Dear Rabbi

I am forty years old and though my stereotypical family keep pestering me about marriage I’m happy as I am in my single life and see no compelling reason to do so. Also, how to I stop them from coming over to me at ever family simcha and saying “please G-d by you”?

Jimmy

Dear Jimmy

A man approached his Rabbi and said he wanted to live forever. “Get married,” advised the Rabbi. “Really, and that will guarantee me eternity?” “Not really,” replied the Rabbi, “but the desire will disappear quickly.” There are no compelling reasons to get married other than because G-d said so and our objective in life is to bring another generation into the world.

As to how to deal with those pesky elderly aunts, uncles and other relatives that keep on saying “please G-d by you,” just start doing the same thing to them when you meet them at family funerals. They’ll stop quickly.

WANTED: ORTHODOX RABBI FOR NON-ORTHODOX WEDDING

Dear Rabbi

I fell in love with a non-Jewish woman. We want to build a future together and have talked about her converting. I have spoken to my rabbi – who is Reform – about this and he has been very supportive. We are worried however that an Orthodox rabbi would not marry us, which is very important to my parents. Please could you advise me.

Andrew

Dear Andrew

The best advice I can give you is – dump her.

WHERE ARE YOU?

Dear Rabbi

I used to enjoy your punchy and non-politically correct answers in your column. Lately you have been too nice. What’s happened?

Alan

Dear Alan

Read some of the above. I imagine you might rethink that.

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Pirkei Avot

Refuah sheleima for Mordechai Elazar Ben Etel

םָלוֹעָה יֵנְפִבּ רוֹדְזוֹרְפִל הֶמוֹדּ הֶזַּה םָלוֹעָה ,רֵמוֹא בֹקֲעַי יִבַּר … סֵנָכִּתֶּשׁ יֵדְכּ ,רוֹדְזוֹרְפַּב ךְָמְצַע ןֵקְתַה .אָבַּה

Rabbi Ya’akov said: this world is like a vestibule before the world to come; prepare yourself in the vestibule, so that you may enter the banqueting-hall.

In this week’s Mishna, the Tanna raises the age-old question (according to some commentaries) of why do the righteous appear to suffer, whilst the wicked seem to have an easy time. The Tanna says we don’t fully understand this. Not only do we not know the answer to this difficulty, we are not really sure whether the question is valid. Sometimes what appears to be a benefit to someone is in fact a liability (think of very wealthy people whose wealth brought about their downfall) and sometimes what appears to be a struggle is in fact a blessing. The late Rav Aharon Leib Steinman zt”l who lived in extremely modest conditions, building his own benches (without a back) to sit on, once commented that his apartment was “a palace”. It often depends on what one’s perspective is. Furthermore, we really do not have an absolutely clear picture of who is truly righteous or truly evil. Even people who live with a good name until the end of their lives, may have fallen short (on their level) from what G-d expected of them. It is also possible that the suffering of the righteous is to ensure they clean their slate before the reach the Olam Ha’Emet - the World of Truth where pleasure vs pain is real. The Mishna continues - Greet people first - don’t always wait to be greeted. One of the sages of the Talmud would ensure to greet everyone, even not members of the creed. Finally, live among good people even if you are not on their level (yet). Be a “tail” to “lions” instead of being the most moral among foxes “not a head of foxes”.

Perek 4: Mishna 16