15 March 2017/17 Adar 5777
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THE POMP AND THE PAGEANTRY, THE PRIDE AND THE PASSION
BRITAIN’S NEWEST JEWISH NEWSPAPER IN A GENERATION
PHOTO CREDIT - AVI YODAKIN
PURIM CAPTURED IT ALL BY LEON SYMONS
The smiling faces and the crazy costumes tell the whole story – the community went Purim potty as never before. From London to Leeds, from Chigwell to Cheadle, from Brighton to Birmingham, they Purim-partied all weekend long. Children, of course, were in the vanguard, as usually-drab shul halls shed their solemnity to be draped in all colours of the rainbow and more. Thousands of people, dressed up in the most outrageous and garish costumes, went to special parties and seudot up and down the country. The usual centres of Jewish life vibrated with vim and vigour, with shuls banding together as the community pranced and paraded to the pulse of Purim.
Rabbis who normally hold themselves aloof from such frolics and frivolity cast off their ministerial garb and joined in the festivities wholeheartedly. Rabbi Mendy Brukirer, from Aish Essex, spent five hours having his face turned into that of a leopard for a competition and for the mitzvah of spreading good cheer during the month of Adar by cheering up a sick child. Even Kisharon’s Bucket collection 2017 surpassed all expectations as a whopping 500 buckets and tins were distributed to swell Kisharon’s coffers. Richard Franklin, Kisharon’s director of fundraising, marketing and communications, said: “This year’s support from those wanting to collect for us has surpassed anything we have previously seen - and it’s a credit to our community.”
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Jessica Ackerman, 8 years old, Menorah Foundation School
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Top charity to lobby government over millions in social care shortfall Jewish Care is launching a 3-pronged campaign to persuade the government to give local authorities enough money to pay the true cost of social care. The impetus for the initiative is the millions of pounds a year it costs Jewish Care to bridge the ever-increasing gap between the true cost of social care and what local councils choose to pay Anglo-Jewry’s biggest charity. The first step will be a series of meetings with MPs in the areas in which the charity works. The aim is to enlist their aid to help get Jewish Care’s voice heard at the highest levels in the corridors of power that deal with social care funding. Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in last week’s budget that a green paper on social care will be published later this year, and Jewish Care wants to make sure its views will help shape government thinking. The second step is to make a concerted effort to shrink that funding gap between what local councils pay and the real cost of care. Part of that is to persuade the government that the £2 billion extra for social care promised by Mr Hammond also in last week’s budget is not diverted elsewhere by cashstrapped councils. The charity’s number crunchers have calculated that the £2 billion works out at about £7 million per local authority across the country. “The gap has grown dramatically during the last decade,” said a Jewish Care spokesperson. “Unless things change, it will continue to increase until it becomes unsustainable – and that’s not just for us, but anyone who is involved with social care.” The third prong is to call on the government to clarify the role of family contributions towards the care of relatives and to work towards establishing
partnerships with all those involved, including the NHS. “When it comes to family contributions to help bridge the gap between local authority funding and the true cost of case, there needs to be a much clearer policy,” said the spokesperson. “The government needs to be more up front about saving and paying for their care. “There’s a risk here. The public is hearing that there will be a precept on their council tax to pay for social care and that the government is giving more into social care. It’s easy to hear that social care is a service funded by the government and it’s a right just as the health system is. But it isn’t. All this additional funding will do is stick plasters over a system that, due to more than a decade’s worth of underfunding, is at breaking point.” Today, 66% of the 650 residents living in Jewish Care homes are funded by the local authority because they do not have the means to pay for their own care, where their total assets are less than £23,500. The disparity between the average fees paid by local authorities, and in some cases health authorities, and the real cost of care is on average more than £370 per week per resident. Where possible, families are asked to contribute towards plugging this gap, but even with family contributions, Jewish Care is still left with a shortfall in excess of £4 million each year. This shortfall is met through the organisation’s fundraising efforts. The spokesperson commented: “We need to raise more than £4 million every year to meet the shortfall of local authority funding for our care homes alone. We have a range of other services including our social work team, helpline, community and day centres, some of which are entirely funded by the community.
“That’s why we need to raise £15 million each year to cover our revenue costs – it’s a lot of money from a relatively small community. “We are part of a caring community and always have been. Jewish Care is the product of 125 years of social care organisations established by members of our community to ensure we provide support and care to those who need it. There is a deep-rooted, symbiotic relationship between Jewish Care and the community, with an understanding that we both need each other.” People from across the community turn to Jewish Care for support at different stages in their lives. In return, Jewish Care relies on the community to support its services. Its work would not be possible without its volunteers and generous supporters. The picture painted of social care is bleak. “Care homes across the country are closing, and if they are still in business, many are struggling,” says the spokesperson. “We are seeing increasing numbers of homes either limiting local authority-funded residents or stopping them altogether because they can’t make it pay. The number of places for those without the means to pay for their own care is shrinking. This is not something we ever want to do. Jewish Care is a charity for the whole Jewish community to meet its social needs. The last thing we would want to do is stop people who can’t pay for care from getting access to the care they deserve. We are committed to caring for everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. “Without that, they would end up either in non-Jewish homes or, potentially worse, staying unnecessarily longer than required in hospital while suitable care is found.” That scenario – known as bed-blocking – is familiar to THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Jewish Care. They have dealt with individuals who for whom they found a place in a care home after a spell in hospital. But their move from hospital was then delayed because the relevant funding package wasn’t in place. “This has resulted in people staying in hospital for weeks while they wait for the local authority or health authority to agree their funding package,” said the spokesperson. “Not only is this highly detrimental to the individual’s health and well-being, but it also costs the public purse – an NHS bed costs significantly more than a care home does. This problem is symptomatic of the silo approach we have when it comes to health and social care. This needs to change.” The services Jewish Care and other social care organisations provide take the pressure off an already overstretched health system. Jewish Care has for some time been calling for a more integrated health and social care system. Few would dispute that investment in social care results in savings in the health budget. “We need to understand that regardless of the headlines we read about additional funding for social care, this is a sector that will always have shortfalls. We will all have a responsibility to pay for our own care and possibly support the care of relatives in the future. “The only way to make it
work is through partnerships, where government, local authorities, care providers and families all work together. That is why the government’s green paper should give much clearer direction and understanding about the role of family contributions.” Mr Hammond talked of the aging population in his speech: “Today, there are half a million more people aged over 75 than there were in 2010, and there will be two million more in 10 years’ time.” The spokesperson continued: “We are all only getting older and living longer. This comes with a complexity of social needs we have never seen before. We need to be providing a range of social care services to meet the differing needs of our aging population.” Jewish Care Cheif Executive Simon Morris said: “Jewish Care is managing to keep a range of services open, including some day centres.” “Jewish Care is not facing a crisis “but we certainly have to make more difficult decisions than in the past while building services to meet both current and future need. It is challenging, but we know we are fortunate because we have the support of the community. That’s what makes us different from the other providers who are struggling to keep the doors of their services open.” By Leon Symons
WHAT’S INSIDE THIS WEEK 1 News 6 Community 16 Judaism 20 Parenting 21 Sports Pull Out 23 Business Pull Out 30 Women
36 Kids 39 Youth 42 Travel 44 Food 46 Music 47 Health
We apologise for some technical issues that occured in last weeks newspaper.
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TRAILERS TRAVEL ON FROM THE GREEN By James J. Marlow Members of the Community expressed their satisfaction on how police swiftly dwelt with uninvited travellers who turned up last week on the plot of land, 290-294 Golders Green Road to squat. Land owners and councils are constantly frustrated with the amount of time it can take to obtain an official eviction order to remove travellers from setting up camp on private or publicly owned land. But because police and in particular Borough Commander Simon Rose were concerned with the hundreds of unaccompanied children who would gather on Golders Green Road a few days later for the Purim festivities, an exception was made and
all travellers were officially evicted 36 hours later. Conservative councillor Dean Cohen told the Jewish Weekly, “Everyone worked together to achieve the goal of removing them before Purim and it worked.” Some called it another Purim miracle because without the holiday, it is unlikely the papers would have been served so quickly. The travellers broke the chain gates to the plot of land opposite Kay’s Kosher Store late Wednesday night and were spotted by early shul goers the following morning. The police were called and it was not long after that Shomrim were on the scene. Dean Cohen, the Golders Green Councillor said he made the call to the council whilst attempts were made to locate
the land owner who has put in several applications to build residential flats on the land. It was not long after that some travellers left the site to buy goods from Kay’s however they were caught stealing from the shelfs. When a female customer who wished to remain unnamed pointed out to one of the store manager’s Eli Langberg, that someone was putting drinks in their bag, Eli confronted the alleged thief and an argument broke out. Someone from the shop then asked one of the police officers who were across the street to step in but the shouting continued until the three women travellers paid for some goods and left the shop. No arrests were made. It was on Friday morning
that the necessary papers were finally served and the caravans accompanied by cars and trucks all left. Purim celebrations went on
as planned last Sunday with a larger than normal police presence on the streets to protect the children in their Purim costumes.
DOMESTIC ABUSE RUNNING AT “EPIDEMIC LEVELS” IN JEWISH COMMUNITY, SAYS WOMEN’S AID GROUP There are now “more prosecutions and convictions for domestic abuse than ever before,” the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said during an event run jointly by three major communal organisations to mark International Women’s Day. Alison Saunders was speaking in a debate entitled “Domestic Abuse: do faith communities help or hinder victims?” at the House of Commons last Wednesday. Ms Saunders said: “We have worked very hard with communities and faith leaders on race hatred and religious hatred, and we think that it’s also a great way forward to talk to communities about domestic
abuse.” She added: “We welcome the support given by Jewish Women’s Aid to those going through the justice process.” The packed event, which was chaired by BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour presenter Jane Garvey, also featured contributions from Naomi Dickson, chief executive of Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA); Haista Gohir, chair of the Muslim Women’s Network; Dr Eilidh Whiteford, shadow SNP Westminster group leader (social justice) and Louise Ellman MP, Deputy for the Jewish Labour Movement. Naomi Dickson said: “There used to be a misconception that Jewish women were not affected by domestic
abuse. Jewish Women’s Aid has worked across the breadth of the community with rabbis, leaders, the religious establishment and rebbetzens to change this culture.” She pointed out that the numbers of Jewish women reporting violence and abuse would be even greater but they were being constrained by feelings of shame and humiliation. Ms Dickson told the audience that Jewish texts and scriptures contained nothing to suggest that they allowed domestic violence to happen. According to Jewish Women’s Aid, domestic abuse cases have reached “epidemic” level in the Jewish community. The expert panel tackled questions
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including: • What are the challenges that arise when a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence comes from a minority faith or ethnic community? • Is there more or less support for victims when they are part of a faith community? • What more should faith leaders be doing to combat domestic abuse in their communities? Following the event, Board of Deputies chief executive Gillian Merron said: “Gathering together an exceptional panel of speakers made this a fascinating and important event for International Women’s Day. The quality of the discussion was exceptionally high, and the speed with which
the tickets were snapped up indicates that there is a huge desire for this taboo issue to be debated openly.” Deputy Amanda Bowman thanked the speakers at the end of the event on behalf of the Board of Deputies Social Action Group and Women’s Group. JWA was founded to support the thousands of Jewish women who each year face all manners of abuse such as physical, psychological and financial abuse from within their own home. JWA is the only organisation in the UK dealing specifically with the needs of abused Jewish women and their children. Their helpline number is 0808 801 0500.
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NEWS IN ISRAEL BY JAMES J. MARLOW
Queen to visit Israel? Speculation continues if the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be among the Royal Family members to visit Israel for the very first time later this year. Last week President Reuven Rivlin asked visiting Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to relay the invitation to all of Her Majesty’s family members to mark the centenary of the Balfour Declaration. Never before has a member of the British royal family made an official state visit to Israel although Prince Charles did arrive in Israel last year for the funeral of former President and twice Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Members of the UK’s most famous family have historically rejected official state visits to Israel but 100 years since the Balfour Declaration was signed on November 2nd, may change all that. It was in 1917 Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour wrote a letter to Walter Baron Rothschild of the Jewish community expressing British
support for a national homeland for the Jewish people in British mandate Palestine. However this upcoming centenary celebration prompted Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas to threaten legal action against the British government if it did not apologize for the “painful anniversary since the historic massacre of our land and our people’s fates.” In a speech delivered on behalf of Abbas in July 2016, (because he attended his brother’s funeral in Qatar), PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said “We call on the Secretariat General of the Arab League to support and assist our legal fight in prosecuting the British government for publishing the Balfour Declaration. Al-Maliki was speaking at the 27th Arab League Summit in Mauritania of impact of the 1917 document. He added “We are working to open up an international criminal case for the crime which they committed against our nation.”
Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg who is based in Washington DC and known to be extremely close to former President Barak Obama said “Next the Palestinian Authority will sue King Cyrus of Persia for returning the Jews to the land of Israel 2,500 years ago.” Although that was unlikely to happen because by doing so, the Palestinians would acknowledge the Jews were in the land at that time. The Balfour Declaration was a letter dated November 2, 1917 stating “His Majesty’s government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”
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Israel’s Immigration Authority defended its decision to deport British activist Hugh Lanning from Israel when he arrived this week. In a press statement to journalists, the Immigration Authority produced a photograph showing Lanning on stage with the radical Jihad Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in 2012 along with others who call for Israel’s destruction. Despite Israel’s Knesset passing its third reading of a bill that would effectively bar those who call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions from entering into the country, the Immigration Authority insisted Lanny was not stopped because of this law. Rather he was held on Sunday at the discretion of Interior Minister Aryeh Deri of Shas and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan of the Likud. The activist who is Chairman of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) which demonises the Jewish state was told he was not welcome in the country and was sent back to the UK the following morning. The PSC criticized the Israeli government citing basic freedoms and democracy, but the group actively campaigns for a complete boycott of Israel which many have previously said will lead to the destruction of Israel. Lanning has written many articles on how Israel is colonising Palestine before the world’s eyes, but their allies in governments around the world do little in response. A statement from the President of the Board of Deputies Jonathan Arkush welcomed the Israeli decision saying the organization “gives every impression of denying Israel’s right to exist and therefore implies an objective to seek its destruction.” Arkush also pointed out that in a recent report, PSC members and supporters were highlighted in how much they were “riddled with antisemitism.” The BOD President ended his statement by writing “If Palestine Solidarity Campaign wants to avoid being treated like a pariah, it has to stop behaving like one.”
Terrorist Receives Hero’s Welcome A Jordanian citizen of Palestinian dissent was released this week after serving 20 years in a Jordanian prison for shooting dead seven Israeli schoolgirls whilst they were on a school trip to the Hashemite Kingdom. The attack occurred in March 1997, less than three years after Israel signed a peace treaty with Jordan following the Oslo agreement a year earlier. Hours after his release, the ex-Jordanian solider Ahmed Daqamseh declared on Sunday that Israelis are “human waste” that must be eradicated. Daqamseh made his remarks to Al-Jazeera TV News shortly after returning from jail to his home village of Ibdir in northern Jordan to cheering friends and family. “The Israelis are the human waste of people, that the rest of the world has vomited up at our feet” he told the network and went on to say “We must eliminate them by fire or by burial. If this is not done by our hands, the task will fall on the future generations to do.” The governor of the province, Radwan al-Atum, had forbid-
den journalists from coming to Daqamseh’s home to document the celebration. Security forces even closed off the entrance to the village. But video emerged of well-wishers cheering him on especially from Daqamseh’s tribe as his vehicle made its way to the village with shouts “hero, hero…” being heard in Arabic. A five-member Jordanian military tribunal found Corporal Daqamseh guilty of opening fire at a group of 80 seventh and eighth grade schoolgirls in July 1997. The young women came from AMIT Fuerst School in Beit Shemesh. At the time Jordanian soldiers rushed to seize the terrorist and then helped the victims, but seven of them were pronounced dead. Daqamseh’s brother, Muhammed, who is serving as the family’s spokesperson, made a statement on his brother’s behalf once he entered the village. “I’ve waited 20 years for this moment, to hug my mother, my children my wife and my fellow tribesmen and I remain a soldier in the armed forces” of Jordan. THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Israel’s Equivalent to BBC will shut down Temporary Communications Minister Tzachi Hanegbi of the Likud confirmed said was not enough support to prevent the closure of the Israel Broadcast Authority (IBA) scheduled to take place on April 30. Hanegbi said his Ministry is making tremendous efforts to persuade the treasury to agree to allow the new public broadcaster to absorb as many IBA employees as possible into the new outfit
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Stalemate if election held today Former Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon officially left the Likud Party this week and announced he will run for Prime Minister in the next general election with a new party. Binyamin Netanyahu has been Prime Minister since 2009 but a new poll showed his Likud Party would struggle to put together an effective coalition if elections were held today. The poll conducted by the well-known research company Mina Tzemach found that Yesh Atid led by Yair Lapid would receive 26 seats while the Likud would receive 22 seats. The survey found that the Joint Arab List would remain the third largest party with 13 seats. Next would be the former Labor Party, now known as the Zionist Union who currently hold 24, but would fall to 11. Naftali Bennet’s Jewish Home would also receive 11 seats along with Yahadut HaTorah, Kulanu and Yisrael Beitenu. Shas would fall to 6 seats along with the extreme left Meretz Party and Yaalon’s new list would just pass the minimum threshold to enter the Knesset with 4 seats. Despite winning 26 seats, Yair Lapid would not be able to
form a coalition without the Likud and Netanyahu would refuse to join such a coalition if he could not become Prime Minister for at least two out of the four year term. In addition Naftali Bennett said this week that he would not support Lapid becoming Prime Minister and may even merge his party with the Likud to stop such a scenario. The Labour Party have been falling in their popularity for more than a year and despite at least seven MK’s wishing to take over the unpopular list, they simply do not have a clear direction or a policy on the Israeli Palestinian conflict except to say they support complete separation from Palestinian Arabs which is what many believe brought about the current atmosphere about climate. So with the Labor party in the political wilderness, the Likud losing support and Yesh Atid attaining the most seats but unlikely to make a coalition, the political Israeli stalemate at the prospect of another election general would be devastating for the region. Israel is scheduled to go to the polls by the end of 2019.
STUNNING BASEBALL SUCCESS Israel is definitely not known for the game Baseball. In fact it was the lowest-ranked team to qualify for the showcase World Baseball Classic tournament coming in at 41st in the world. But last week in the first round, the Israel team surprised everyone beating third-ranked South Korea, 2-1, in extra innings, outscored fourth-ranked Taiwan, 15-7, and defeated ninth-ranked the Netherlands, 4-2, to finish first in Group A. The victories were such a surprise that when the Minister for Culture and Sport was asked to comment on the success of team Israel, MK Miri Regev did not even know there was an Israeli baseball team competing in the Tokyo tournament. The media in Israel began to focus on the baseball
team generating enthusiasm and a great deal of buzz. A mascot was even offered which read “The Mensch on the Bench.” It clearly did the trick because team Israel continued to shock the world on Sunday as they went on to defeat Cuba 4-1 in the first quarterfinal game of the World Baseball Classic at the Tokyo Dome. Cuba has a rich baseball history and fielded a national team that has medalled in all five Olympic baseball tournaments. But as the momentum gained attention, the pressure kicked in on the team and Israel lost its first game 12-2 in a rematch with the Netherlands. Baseball has long been overlooked in Israel. It has in the past been seen as an arcane and boring game to many Israelis and those Eu-
ropeans now living in the country. But the Israel team is mostly made up almost entirely of American pros of Jewish descent. Nevertheless for the small Israeli baseball community this has been nothing short of astounding, creating a wave of pride in their disparaged sport. The country has only one baseball-specific field and only about 1,000 active players who are well accustomed to fielding incredulous questions from native-born Israelis about their funny gear and the difference between a home run and a strikeout. With four wins and one lose overall and a 1-1 in the second round of the 16team quadrennial tournament, Team Israel will now face Japan on Wednesday in the the semi-finals.
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US will confirm its Ambassador shortly The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to recommend David Freedman, a practising Jew with a home in Jerusalem, United States Ambassador to Israel. The vote for his nomination on the floor saw all eleven Republican Senators vote for Freedman along with one Democrat. The remaining nine Democrats voted against.
“REMARKABLE” SCHOOL LAUDED BY LORDS Two members of the House of Lords have spoken in support of Noam Jewish primary school as plans move forward for the parent-funded school to gain state funding. Lords Jonathan Kestenbaum and Robert Winston, both education experts, praised the School in Wembley as “remarkable.” Since opening in 1999 in response to a lack of places in state-aided Jewish schools, the school has been funded privately by parents. Speaking at the fundraising dinner, Lord Winston decried the situation. “What we are at risk of doing in our society is undervaluing the single most important profession that shapes society, the profession of teachers. What we are doing by supporting a school like Noam is the most important thing we do as a Jewish community - to nurture, promote and protect the next generation,” he said. Lord Kestenbaum told the audience of 250 diners at The Hive in Edgware: “Both Lord Winston and I are here tonight to pay tribute and to lend our support to a remarkable school, and we hope everyone in our community will also.” The 170-pupil school topped SAT results for London Jewish primaries in 2016 and has been singled out by the mayor of London as one of the capital’s top schools. Noam is now in lengthy consultations with Barnet Council to gain state funding. It is waiting for the complex process to be given the green light by the local authority, which also involves a new purpose-built school premises in Burnt Oak. Chair of governors Shelley Kelaty said: “We are excited about making significant headway towards getting our outstanding school the public funding we think it deserves. We thank Lord Kestenbaum and Lord Winston for their outspoken support and pay tribute to our stoic parents and supporters for their ongoing and unwavering partnership to provide the country’s best Jewish education for our children.” By Jonathan Kalmus
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RABBI TRANSFORMED INTO LEOPARD WITH SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKE UP, TO BRING CHEER TO A SICK CHILD Aish Essex Rabbi Mendy Brukirer was transformed into a leopard with the help of five hours of special effects makeup for a competition to guess the rabbi and help cheer up a sick child. The Facebook video, which had people stumped, was part of a Purim competition run by Aish UK which offered a prize to one person who guessed his identity correctly. The winner will also present another prize to a sick child in the community, to promote the mitzvah of spreading happiness during the Jewish month of Adar. “Sitting for five hours for intricate paintwork to be applied was easy compared to the last 30 minutes when I couldn’t move my face. But it was well worth it for such a good cause,” said Rabbi Brukirer, originally from New York, who began directing Aish events in Essex with his wife Gitel in September.
SINGING AT SINGERS HILL The highlight of the evening at Singers Hill in Birmingham was the first performance of the shul’s new youth orchestra, comprising 15 teenagers and children. More than 120 people gathered motzei Shabbat to hear the reading of the megillah, together with 40 teenagers and children listening intently at King David School. This was followed by the almost obligatory fancy dress competition, games and reTHEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
freshments Minister Rabbi Yossi Jacobs said afterwards: “There was an amazing atmosphere and the orchestra’s first ever concert. It was wonderful to see so many young and old mingling together and everyone had a great time.” On Sunday 40 men and women attended shacharit and the second megillah reading followed by an opportunity to perform the mitzvot of the festival.
15 MARCH 2017 COMMUNITY 11 THE JEWISH WEEKLY Rabbi and Rebbetzen Yitzchok Sufrin of Enfield arranged a Purim to remember, enabling the festival to come alive for their community in a unique, ground-breaking and spectacular way, by organizing a trip to the British Museum. Rabbi Dr Rafi Zarum, Dean of London School of Jewish Studies led the tour, including a detailed look at the gallery housing the ancient Iran display. The Chief Rabbi, supported the event through the Centre for Rabbinic Excellence.
PHOTO CREDITS - HENRY JACOBS
PURIM EXTRAVAGANZA AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM
BNOS BEIS YAAKOV GIRLS AT THEIR PURIM PARTY
Rabbi Lawrence of Kinloss and his family.
EDGWARE ENTICES YOUNGSTERS WITH ARTS AND CRAFTS AND A FANCY DRESS PARADE THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
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THE JEWISH WEEKLY PREDICTOR
15 MARCH 2017
Each week, one amateur player takes on the Jewish Weekly’s David Saffer predicting the upcoming fixtures
Name – Aaron Luftig Age – 24 Team and league you play in – RCUK FC -Div2 Boyhood Team - Liverpool FC
DAVID SAFFER’S PREDICTIONS
ARON LUFTIG’S PREDICTIONS
West Brom 1
Arsenal 1
West Brom 1
Arsenal 1
Crystal Palace 2
Watford 1
Crystal Palace 2
Watford 3
Everton 3
Hull City 0
Everton 2
Hull City 0
Stoke City 0
Chelsea 2
Stoke City 1
Chelsea 1
Sunderland 1
Burnley 1
Sunderland 0
Burnley 1
West Ham 2
Leicester City 1
West Ham 1
Leicester City 0
Bournemouth 2
Swansea 1
Bournemouth 2
Swansea 1
Who will win the Champions League? – B Munich
Middlesborough 0
Manchester United 1
Middlesborough 1
Manchester United 3
Tottenham Hostspur 1
Southampton 1
Tottenham Hostspur 2
Southampton 2
Who will win the Europa League? – Roma
Manchester City 2
Liverpool 1
Manchester City 2
Liverpool 1
Favourite ever player – Wayne Shaw Who do you think will make the top 4 this year? – Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United Who will get relegated? – Sunderland, Hull, Leicester
Who will win the FA Cup? – Spurs Will Leeds win promotion in the next three years? – No Best quote/memory about Jewish football – My best memory is getting promoted 2 years ago with London rovers. My best quote is Avi Markovitz scoring the best Jewish free kick ever!!
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COMMUNITY
PHOTO CREDITS – AVI YODAKIN
Shloimy Gertner gives an exhilarating concert at North West London Jewish Day School
(L-R): Shloimy Gertner, Leib Roberts (music teacher), Meir Shelton (Year 5 Teacher) and Yariv Malka (sound technician).
500 buckets and tins were distributed by Kisharon.
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34 WOMEN
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ֵֽא ׁ ֶשת ַֽחיִ ל ִמי יִ ְמ ָצא
CHAVI ZWIEBEL Meet Chavi Zwiebel, 24, Ezra Umarpeh’s right-hand woman. Her job title is Hospital Project Coordinator, but I soon discover there is much more going on behind the scenes, or wards for that matter. Chavi has been running the hospital project for over 2 years and has been a key component in its development from local to national scale. “Ezra Umarpeh started in Stamford hill but only covered local hospitals like the Homer-
ton. So it was operating for 20 years, but on a small basis. I helped blow it up, so to speak.” Chavi co-ordinates Ezra Umarpeh’s incredible team, from admin and accounts to fundraising. Ezra Umarpeh are run entirely by private donations, on whom they heavily rely to keep their work going. The hospital project, Chavi tells me, comprises of providing medical equipment, hospital respite rooms and a non-emergency ambulance service. “We have twelve respite rooms (or Shabbos rooms as they’re known) across London
and 250 volunteers maintaining them on a weekly basis. Our dedicated volunteers go twice to 4 times a week to clean the rooms and stock up the food supply.” Ezra Umarpeh also arranges meals and overnight accommodation to those who find themselves stuck in hospital for any reason. Chavi mans the out-of-hours hotline, ensuring that people always have what they need at all times of the day, or night in many cases. “There will be people who need emergency discharges, last minute Shabbos food, accommodation, equipment,” she reels off without stopping for breath. I’m already exhausted just listening to it and ask Chavi how on earth she manages to juggle it all whilst having a life. “This is my life,” she laughs. “If you think preparing for Yom Tov is stressful enough,
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15 MARCH 2017 imagine what it’s like co-ordinating multitudes of other Yom Tovs. I make twelve Pesachs every year.” Chavi admits that the biggest difficulty in her role is dealing with the unexpected. “We are extremely flexible, of course, but when it comes to situations like sending 5 Shabbos meals across London just before Shabbos comes in, we do understandably struggle!” However, it is clear to see that Chavi truly loves what she’s doing and wouldn’t give it up for the world. “The best part of it that is that it’s so rewarding. I watch those who go through immensely difficult periods of crisis come out of it, supported by us all the way to recovery.” An especially moving story that Chavi shares with me involves a baby stuck in ICU for 6 months with a sepsis infection. The doctors told the
parents every day that the baby would die, but Ezra Umarpeh were there for them every step of the way. “Our volunteers ensured the baby was never left alone and that the parents had food and accommodation near the hospital. Now, thank G-d the baby has made a full recovery and is at home with her family.” Chavi concludes by telling me that Ezra Umarpeh’s motto is, “How much we want to care, is how much we push ourselves.” Indeed, after interviewing Chavi it is clear to see that she truly encompasses this rule, pushing herself beyond limits to ensure the community receive an exemplary service like no other. If you would like to recommend someone who has acted selflessly for her family or community, please let us know by emailing office@thejewishweekly.com
15 MARCH 2017
MUMMY
& ME
THE JEWISH WEEKLY
Lauren Issacs is an experienced mother and parenting expert who is glad to answer your baby related queries. Please log onto the Women’s Weekly section of our website if you would like to ask Lauren a question.
Dear Lauren, I’ve just had my first baby and I’m thinking about giving her a dummy to soothe her. However, last week I went to the supermarket and I just didn’t know which one would be best to purchase for my baby. I understand there are also two kinds of dummies out there -latex and silicone. Which type would you recommend, and which brand do you find to be the best? Many thanks, Rena
Hi Rena, I hear you. Babies are soothed by the action of sucking, and your baby may need to suck on something for comfort when she’s awake and not feeding. Latex or rubber dummies are softer and more flexible than silicone, but they are not as popular as they don’t last as long and are harder to keep free from germs. As well as well-known brands, there are cheaper supermarket brands out there, which some people are more than happy with. However, for the purpose of this article I have chosen to compare five of the best branded silicone dummies. My personal favourite is the Philips Avent Mini Soother, which comes with a hygienic snap-on cap. Hope this helps, Lauren
NUK HAPPY DAYS SILICONE SOOTHER 2PK £4.75 PROS • Natural design adapts cleverly to baby’s jaw for healthy oral development • NUK Air System is anti-colic and helps stop teat collapsing • Flat shape prevents dummy from falling out of baby’s mouth CONS • Leaves mark on baby’s face • Teat may be too narrow for baby’s liking
MAM £5.15 PROS • Silk teat feels exactly like skin • Symmetrical shape approved by orthodontists - moulds perfectly to baby’s mouth • Comes with steriliser box CONS • Must purchase clip separately • Falls out of baby’s mouth often
PHILIPS AVENT MINI SOOTHER 2PK £4.90 PROS • Flat, drop-shaped symmetrical teat for healthy oral development • Comes complete with snap-on hygienic cap • Taste- and odour-free silicone teat CONS • Not suitable for sterilisation in microwave • Some babies may find shape too small
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WOMEN
35
DR BROWN’S ONE PIECE SILICONE SOOTHER £4.00 PROS • Same shape as bottle teat for simple transition • Protects contours below baby’s nose • Easy to clean and dishwasher safe CONS • Falls out of baby’s mouth often • Teat is quite long • Dummy is heavy
TOMMEE TIPPEE ANYTIME SOOTHERS 2PK £5.49 PROS • Teat shape is similar to bottle teat for ultimate comfort • Symmetrical orthodontic-friendly teat for healthy oral development • Reversible baglet on dummy provides easy insertion for babies CONS • Storage case doesn’t close properly • Baby tends to attach to this dummy and will refuse other dummies
40
YOUTH
THE JEWISH WEEKLY
15 MARCH 2017
WEIRD AND WONDERFUL NEWS The Piggy that didn’t Stay at Home Driverless Cars Hit London Streets
Carmaker Nissan has been testing its new driverless cars on public roads in London. It’s the first time anywhere in Europe that autonomous cars have been let loose on the public highway.
Little pet piggy “Hamlet” went for a walk lasting nearly 1 mile after his fence was blown down by the wind.
of the shop where she worked. The Home Depot employee quickly befriended the small pig, giving him biscuits and patting his round belly.
Amanda James first spotted the black-and- Hamlet oinked with delight white spotted animal when he was finally reunited approaching the entrance with his owner.
The manufacturer put the electric vehicles through their paces around a complex route in east London, taking in stop signs, dual carriageways, pedestrian crossings and parking challenges. The firm says the cars have had no accidents and only a handful of incidents in which an engineer in the driver’s seat had to intervene to prevent a crash. Nissan’s goal is to have a fleet of self-driving cars ready to go as taxis for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo!
GADGETS OF THE WEEK Winter is finally over, and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to have some warm weather, where we can enjoy a refreshing slush. All you have to do is use crushed ice or small ice cubes with some water, add your favourite juice and voila - your thirst is quenched!
Retro slush maker £64.95
This sleek designed toaster has a toasting rack that has the benefit of toasting bread products very evenly all over, with no more need to turn over. This toaster has a unique sliding toasting tray that will fit two standard slices of bread in addition to a wide variety of products such as pita, waffles, baguettes, croissants or ciabatta. The crumb catcher ensures the work top remains clear of crumbs and makes cleaning the toaster very easy.
VS
Smart tunnel toaster £41.99
Which gadget would you rather have? Vote on our website and we will reveal the results of the poll online.
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
15 MARCH 2017
THE JEWISH WEEKLY
YOUTH
41
Riddles & Squiggles Jokes
Dingbats
The past, present and future walk into a bar. It was tense.
What does the man on the moon do when his hair gets too long? Eclipse it!
(Answers at the bottom of page upside down)
1.How do you make the number 7 an even number without addi�on, subtrac�on, mul�plica�on, or division?
What do you do with a dead chemist …. You Barium.
Riddles 2. What has many keys but can’t even open a single door?
What do you get when you throw a piano down a mine shaft? A flat miner.
What do you get when you put a candle in a suit of armour? A knight light.
3. Tall I am young, short I am old, while with life I glow, wind is my foe. What am I?
2. A piano.
3. A candle
1. Drop the “s”
Riddle Answers
1. Once and for all 2. Skate on thin ice 3. Free for all 4. Afternoon tea 5. Out on a limb 6. Back to square one
Dingbats Answers
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
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FOOD
THE JEWISH WEEKLY
15 MARCH 2017
SLOW COOKER CHILLI WITH PULLED POT ROAST Warm and welcoming, a slow cooker chock full of chilli is a great addition to any buffet. Get your guests to customise their bowls of chilli by adding bowls of garnishes. INGREDIENTS 1 (3-pound) pot roast 2 large red onions, diced 3 red peppers, diced 10 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons chopped chipotles, from canned chipotles 1 tablespoon cumin powder 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes 3 cups chicken broth 3 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Garnishes for buffet: thinly sliced spring onions, diced tomatoes, tortilla chips, chopped olives, sliced jalapeĂąos
PREPARATION 1. Preheat slow cooker to high. 2. Add pot roast, onions, peppers, garlic, chipotles, cumin, tomatoes and chicken broth. Cover and cook for 6 hours or until pot roast is falling apart. THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
3. Pull pot roast with 2 forks to shred meat into chunks, and add meat back to slow cooker with beans. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 1 hour until beans and sauce are hot. 4. Display garnishes in bowls with slow cooker and allow guests to customize their chili.
15 MARCH 2017 FOOD 45 THE JEWISH WEEKLY
New wines realesed for Pesach
ADVERTORIAL
By Jay Bucsbaum – Director of RWC Wine Education As the festive season approaches I encourage my friends to do a semi-annual wine shopping leading up to the various upcoming festivities. The sale prices now, and leading up to Passover, are the best of the year. As such and without further ado I will jump into some of the new wines I am recommending friends check out this holiday season, as well as old favourites worth revisiting. Some of the upcoming holidays start very early this year, which means that there is a good chance the weather will be quite warm. Naturally when the weather is warmer we tend to eat lighter foods. And with lighter foods, go lighter wines (though most important is of course to drink whatever you like). And
when I think of light wine I think of crisp white, rose or sparkling wines. Goose Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a longtime favourite; one that I enjoy even more since moving to a screwcap closure which I think preserves the citrus fruit flavours even better than the cork tops used to. Carmel’s “Kayoumi” White Riesling is considered to be “semi-dry” but it has a terrific bracing acidity that hides the mild sweetness and makes for an incredibly refreshing and easy-to pair wine. Speaking of boutique Israeli wineries, Flam winery has exploded onto the market with their amazing reserve wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Syrah). While these are all great red wine options, winemaker Golan Flam also crafts a delicious white (a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc). Sparkling wines are some of my favourite wines and
should really be enjoyed on more than just special occasions. If we could all afford it I would suggest drinking premium Champagne such as Drappier every day. I also recommend the Bartenura Prosecco, a dry (but not too dry) sparkling wine from Italy. Most of us love a big bold wine such as Castel’s Grand Vin or a Herzog Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, but sometimes a big bold red is just too big for the time, temperature or food. A nice alternative is a light red… one that can even be slightly chilled. These wines go great with Salmon, tuna, chicken and other meals that might not include big roasted meats. When it comes to big red wines I think no introduction is necessary. They are robust, go great with roasts and are usually the centrepiece of a special meal. Old favourites such as the aforementioned Castel Grand Vin & Herzog
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa or Alexander Valley) are classics. Yatir Forest & the Cave are also great trophy wines. But among the things that make wine special are trying new wines and unearthing new favourites. Check out Elvi’s Herenza Reserva or Clos Mesorah from Spain. Wines from Israel include Or Haganuz and Tabor – each with great Cabs, Syrahs and Merlots. And as great as new wines are, there are still old time producers making awesome wines such as Teal Lake with their new 2012 Reserve Shiraz or Carmel with their flagship Limited Edition – one of my favourite Israeli wines. Whatever you drink, white or red, new or a classic, enhance your festive meals with wines this month and remember, a wine is only good if it is a wine YOU ENJOY! And Chag Kosher V’sameach Lecahim “To your good health!”
46 MUSIC
THE JEWISH WEEKLY
15 MARCH 2017
AN ISRAELI PROJECT TO TRAIN YOUNG OPERA SINGERS With the Israeli Opera based in Tel Aviv on Shaul Hamelech Street, Israel has one of the finest opera houses in the world. Their current production of Gounod’s ‘Faust’ has received critical acclaim, and will be on until the 25th March 2017. The Israeli Opera also has a ‘studio’ that trains young and aspiring opera singers, and subsequently includes them in their productions in minor roles. However, this opportunity remains restricted to a few. In general, the monopoly of this programme has not really been challenged for a long time by other initiatives. It is only in recent years, that several projects have been established, which aim to discover and further the talent of young Israeli and Jewish singers from the Diaspora, and give them the platform to appear in large-scale operatic productions. The ‘Jerusalem Opera’ is one such multiple-financed project, which brings in a mix of professional international and Israeli stage designers and directors, singers, musicians, and which puts on an annual series of shows of a major opera. This usually happens in December in various Israeli cities (Ashdod Centre for the Per-
forming Arts, Jerusalem Theatre etc.) The next opera will most likely be Mozart’s ‘Magic Flute’ What is more important though, is the training and education of those young singers on site, who then receive the opportunities and vocal tools to establish good careers for themselves in Israel and abroad in the future. One such unique initiative is the so-called Vienna-Tel Aviv Vocal Connection, which is a workshop led by the pianist and coach David Aronson amongst others. Their next production is the highly anticipated and greatly recommended, original adaptation of Mozart’s famous comedy opera ‘The Impresario’. It will be staged at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art (Recanati Auditorium) on the 22nd and 23rd March at 20:30, and at the Conservatory Centre in Akko on the 25th March at 20:30. The music will be provided by the Israel Chamber Orchestra, which was founded by Gary Bertini in 1965, and which has included some very fine and well known players. The Vienna-Tel Aviv Vocal Connection is a non-profit organization that nurtures advanced opera singers.
The workshop is convened about five times a year, and singers perform at such prestigious events as the Eilat Chamber Music Festival. The teachers of the vocal connection have had illustrious careers themselves: Aronson was trained at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, and has subsequently worked as a répétiteur at the Zurich and Vienna Opera Houses. He worked with many leading singers, such as Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Bryn Terfel, and has assisted famous conductors, such as Zubin Mehta, Ricardo Muti, and Seiji Ozawa. Greenberg has sung at most of the European major opera houses, and has had guest engagements to the festivals in Salzburg, Bayreuth and Aix en Provence, as well as to the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
Opera tower in Tel Aviv.
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Hannah Harnest was born in New York in 1985 and grew up in Munich and Paris. She is a professionally trained pianist, having played internationally as a soloist and chamber music partner, and holds Masters degrees from the London School of Economics and the Royal Academy of Music, London. She currently works as a principal instrumental and vocal coach within the music department of the University of Edinburgh, and starting from the summer of 2017, she will take up studies at the prestigious School of Journalism at Columbia University New York.
HANNAH HARNEST
15 MARCH 2017
THE JEWISH WEEKLY
HEALTH
Ovarian + Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer is common with advancing age and usually presents with symptoms quite late, if at all. It usually develops slowly and the patient remains asymptomatic until it’s at an advanced stage. Therefore, it is important for men over the age of 60 to have their prostate gland checked regularly. This can be done by your regular GP who does a physical examination of the gland, assessing for any irregularities or masses, as well as a basic blood test. This blood test is called a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) and when significantly raised, indicates suspicion of prostate cancer and that further investigation is needed. This screening is both sensitive and specific for prostate cancer and should be part of any older man health screening. If detected early, prostate cancer is easily managed with either medication or surgery, and patients rarely die from the cancer, unless they present when it’s at a very advanced stage or has spread. This highlights the importance of screening to pick it up early! Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women. It mainly affects women who have been through the menopause (usually over the age of 50), but it can sometimes affect younger women. Common
symptoms of ovarian cancer include: feeling constantly bloated, a swollen tummy, discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area, feeling full quickly when eating, needing to pee more often than normal. The symptoms aren’t always easy to recognise because they’re like those of some more common conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It’s important to see your GP if you’ve been feeling bloated most days for the last three weeks or if you have other symptoms of ovarian cancer that won’t go away – especially if you’re over 50 or have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer, as you may be at a higher risk. It’s unlikely you have cancer, but it’s best to check. Your GP can do some simple tests for ovarian cancer to see if you might have it. If you’ve already seen your GP and your symptoms continue or get worse, go back to them and explain this, they may need to refer you for further investigation at a gynaecologist. – Dr Jo-Anne Strul. Visit our website and ask Dr Jo-Anne or Nurse Deborah a medical question
Deborah Joffe RGN & Independent Nurse Prescriber
Dr Jo-Anne Strul
PRIVATE MEDICAL VISITS TO YOUR DOOR
10% OFF
MARCH IS PROSTATE & OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH RECEIVE 10% OFF ALL PROSTATE PROFILE BLOODS & SMEAR TESTS QUOTE: TJWMARCH www.themedicalco.co.uk
Q A
HEALTH weekly we
Can you recommend any tools that will help me stay motivated to stay on my eating plan? Charlotte (Edgware)
Many people are in the same boat struggling to stick to a healthy lifestyle. It is important to take the steps to keep on-track so that all the hard work you have done has not been in vain. Here are a few pointers which may help: • Continue to remind yourself of the benefits of reaching your goal. It may be looking good in an outfit for an upcoming wedding or having more energy to keep up with your kids. Put up notes to remind yourself if necessary. • Give yourself non-food rewards. • Continue to focus on health and wellness. Take notice of how good you feel. Read books and articles that are motivating. Also, avoid environmental triggers that stir up your cravings such as watching food-related shows, meeting your friends at your favourite pastry shop, etc. • Keep graphic records of your accomplishments. Watching that line on your weight graph go down or the line on your exercise graph go up can be quite motivating! Nothing can beat great progress photos.
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