Essex Jewish News Passover 2023

PESACH ISSUE 5783/2023

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER FOR THE

Essex volunteers honoured

BY MICAELA BLITZ AND SIMON ROTHSTEIN

people who have been part of Meals on Wheels.”

Ilford Federation Synagogue told us how proud they are of Rita, congratulating her for a lifetime of “hard and dedicated voluntary work” and making life better for thousands of older people over the last half a century.

Other notable volunteers from the Essex area recognised on the night included Sally Caplan and Robin Jacobs – who were presented with Volunteer of the Year awards by the charities they support.

Sally, from South Woodford, was recognised by Jewish Care for her incredible efforts running reminiscence sessions for members of Redbridge Jewish Community Centre, as well as for coordinating the charity’s Supportive Communities tea parties.

Langdon – which helps adults and young people with learning disabilities and autism – honoured Robin for the time and dedication he puts in to supporting the charity’s staff with their Jewish cultural learning.

Ilford’s Mike Gapes returns to Labour

BY PAT LIDIKER AND MANNY ROBINSON

MIKE Gapes, one of the closest friends of the Jewish community in Essex, has rejoined the Labour Party four years after resigning over its antisemitism crisis.

He had served as MP for Ilford South for 27 years. During that time, he was a frequent visitor to the area’s synagogues and Jewish residential buildings and was regularly seen taking part in festival celebrations and Mitzvah Day.

RITA Newmark won the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement prize, as members of the Essex community were honoured at the Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN) Celebration of Volunteering Awards.

With 400 people in attendance, the ceremony highlighted the enormous contribution made by volunteers to more than 130 communal charities.

Rita, a member of Ilford Federation Synagogue, won the key award – sponsored by Citron, Sivan and Sefton – for her 50 years

volunteering for Jewish Care, including being one of the small group of friends who set up Meals on Wheels in 1973.

The Meals on Wheels service supports older people in their own homes through hot and/or frozen kosher meals and a chat with a friendly volunteer, who can also check on their wellbeing. It provides 700 meals, and often a lifeline, to 300 older people each week.

Jewish Care CEO Daniel Carmel-Brown said: “Rita has continued to give her

skills, time and expertise delivering meals, and doing so much more to nurture and inspire many others through the years. What Rita and the small group of dedicated volunteers began, all that time ago, continues to bring the community together across the generations today.”

Rita, who lives in Barkingside, told the Essex Jewish News that she was “overcome” by the recognition, adding: “What I did was fun and special. It wasn’t just me, there have been so many wonderful

Robin also from South Woodford said: “I get a lot of personal satisfaction by sharing information about my Jewish history, belief and culture with staff who are looking after Langdon members. I hope that what they learn helps make their jobs more meaningful.”

This ceremony was held in memory of JVN’s founding director Leonie Lewis MBE, who died in April 2022 after a sudden diagnosis of lymphoma. Her husband Howard and sons, Ben and Adam, attended the event and spoke about the launch of the Leonie’s Life and Legacy campaign, which will promote volunteering and interfaith work.

NATHAN Bone celebrated his barmitzvah in the school his grandfather, John Morrison, helped to build. The ceremony took place at Clore Tikva Primary School in Barkingside, led by Nathan along with Rabbi Richard Jacobi. The family (pictured) – who are members of East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue – were proud to hold the barmitzvah at the school. It has a special place in their hearts as John was not only heavily involved in its creation, but also served as a trustee for over 20 years.

Interviewed for the Essex Jewish News Pesach issue in 2019, he had just resigned his membership of the Labour Party and joined Change UK. He told us: “Labour has become inherently antisemitic. Jeremy Corbyn is unfit to be Prime Minister and I cannot in all conscience give my support in the next election to that prospect.”

That decision cost him a seat he had held since 1992 and paused a political career that began in the Redbridge Young Socialists.

Announcing his decision to rejoin Labour, the former MP, who is not himself Jewish, said: “I am as excited now as I was when I joined first time round as a 16-yearold boy in Chigwell, Essex, 54 years ago.”

Praising new party

leader Sir Keir Starmer for rooting out antisemitism, he added: “The way he has taken personal responsibility for chasing it out of the party speaks to the firm, purposeful leadership he has shown.”

In reply, the Labour leader recognised that many good MPs and members had turned away from Labour under his predecessor, adding: “That Mike has rejoined our party shows how much we’ve changed.”

Among many others pleased at the news was erstwhile fellow Ilford MP Wes Streeting. He said: “It is wonderful to have Mike back home where he belongs.”

Essex’s Conservative MPs, along with councillors from all parties, also regularly support, visit and embrace our area’s Jewish community.

Award winner Rita Newmark with her family, JVN president Ros Preston OBE and compere Nigel Rothband

Mike Gapes

Rita back delivering Jewish Care’s Meals on Wheels the day after her special win

The Essex Jewish News is the newspaper of the Jewish community in Essex and is published by Essex Jewish News Ltd.

CIRCULATION AREA

Barking, Barkingside, Brentwood, Cambridge, Chigwell, Chingford, Chelmsford, Colchester, Epping, Gants Hill, Gidea Park, Harold Hill, Harlow, Hainault, Highams Park, llford, Leyton, Leytonstone, Loughton, Newbury Park, Ongar, Redbridge, Romford, Southend and Westcliff, Wanstead and Woodford.

ESSEX JEWISH NEWS TEAM:

Chair: Philip Leigh

Directors: Melvyn Weinberg MBE, Manny Robinson, Simon Rothstein, Jonathan Bloom, Marc Shelkin, Micaela Blitz and Josh Dobias

Editor: Simon Rothstein

Editorial Consultant: Manny Robinson

News and Features: Micaela Blitz and Pat Lidiker

Proof Readers: Irving Angel and Jan Martin-Ellis

Advertising: Deborah Mulqueen

Typesetting & Artwork: Jason Levy and Kate Abram (Dynamic Pear)

Printing: Sharman Printers

COPYRIGHT:

All material is the copyright of Essex Jewish News Ltd and must not be reproduced without the written permission of the Editor.

CONTACTS:

All stories, pictures and editorial contributions should be sent by email to simon.rothstein@ hotmail.co.uk or mannyrobinson@outlook.com

For all advertising opportunities, please contact Deborah Mulqueen on office.ejn@gmail.com

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Jewish life in Essex is flourishing... Purim has proved it

BY SIMON ROTHSTEIN, EDITOR, ESSEX JEWISH NEWS

ONE of the most fun decisions I have had to make so far this year is which Purim party my children and I should attend.

As editor of this newspaper, with contacts and friends across denominations, I was honoured to receive plenty of invites.

What amazed me was the range of activities on offer – not just spiels and Megillah readings, but discos, magic, stand-up, talent shows, bouncy castles, bake-offs, quizzes and cocktails.

In the end, I choose to attend the four-hour Purim extravaganza at South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue (SWESRS). There, Rabbis Jordan Helfman and Lev Taylor, along with the shul’s staff and volunteers, had hit on a unique concept.

time of Queen Esther and Mordechai, to a UV disco, all accompanied by a fully stocked bar.

That this small new community drew a crowd large enough to fill one of our region’s premier simcha venues was impressive enough, but that the event was full of young families you may not usually expect to engage in Judaism even more so.

I am delighted that this was the pattern throughout Essex. These packed Purim events were just two of around 20 on offer throughout our county.

A whisky tasting at Chabad Gants Hill was, of course, a chance to have a drink and catch up with some old, and new, faces.

But, as you will read about on page 9, the main thrust of the evening was to raise money for two of Chabad’s key outreach projects – their food bank and Drugsline counselling service. You can also find out more about both in our exclusive interview with Rabbi Aryeh and Rebbetzin Devorah Sufrin on page 20.

come mixed-faith couples and families and embrace equilineal descent, meaning that someone who is brought up as a Jew is considered to be Jewish no matter if it’s their mother or father who is the Jewish parent.

With the Liberal movement also now offering chuppah marriage blessings for mixed-faith couples in specific circumstances, converting to get married is becoming less of a motivating factor.

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Their festival started with activities for the very youngest, then transitioned through the night to focus on youth, teenagers and then adults as the event wore on. My children were transfixed throughout, whether making their own groggers, taking part in a re-enactment of the Purim story or trying to catch all the jokes in the hilarious spiel. The hot dogs, chips and treats on offer went down nicely too.

On the same night I was at SWESRS, Epping Chabad had taken over the Kings Oak in High Beach.

I’m told it was quite the evening with everything from a Megillah Reading, designed to transport its audience back to the

SYNAGOGUES

Chabad Buckhurst Hill

Chabad Epping

Chabad Gants Hill

Chelmsford Jewish

Community

Chigwell Synagogue

Chingford Synagogue

Cranbrook United

East London & Essex Liberal

Synagogue

Harlow Synagogue

Ilford Federation

Leytonstone and Wanstead

Synagogue

Loughton Synagogue

New Essex Masorti

Romford Synagogue

There were Liberal, Reform, Masorti, Federation, United Synagogue, Chabad, Cheredi and Sephardi celebrations, as well as events at our three local Jewish schools. All were busy, many with more than 100 in attendance. All showed that Essex is a young, thriving, dynamic community with an exciting future ahead.

Check out the stories and pictures on pages 1517 of this issue of the Essex Jewish News to see for yourself.

What I love most about this region is there are so many different ways to be Jewish.

If you want to attend weekly, or even, daily services then you can. If you wish to engage through social or sporting activities then there are plenty. And if the way you live your Judaism is through helping others, then again there are so many options.

Two other events I attended brought this home to me.

The other event I want to write about was a traditional synagogue service with a twist. The Covid pandemic changed things for our Liberal and Reform communities, where the use of technology on Shabbat is permitted… and indeed encouraged if it allows more people to take part.

For me, living in Chelmsford, Zoom is often the way I attend – either with the Chelmsford Jewish Community themselves or popping in to visit any Progressive synagogue I wish to anywhere in the world.

And so it was I found myself back at East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue, where I am a member, for a hybrid service led by Liberal Judaism CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky.

She spoke about the many reasons people are converting to Judaism, or indeed the reasons they don’t convert, as you will see on page 6.

Liberal and Reform Judaism both fully wel-

WHERE YOU CAN PICK UP THE ESSEX JEWISH NEWS

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SCHOOLS

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Shalom Bakery, Gants Hill

Instead, at this service, I heard how people are finding Judaism because they truly want to be part of our faith and our community… a pattern I’m told is repeated through the movements.

I am also pleased to see our Federation, United and other Orthodox Synagogues thriving, as you will read about inside, and I look forward to attending their services and events in person in the coming months – including a very special double batmitzvah at Chigwell and Hainault United Synagogue for my partner’s children.

The Essex Jewish News is staffed by volunteers and relies on the articles you send us. So, while this 32-page bumper issue is already packed full of wonderful stories and pictures from across our diverse community – I am sure it would be 100+ pages if we had the time and resources to cover everything that has been happening.

Purim proved that Jewish life in Essex is thriving… now bring on Pesach.

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Jewish Care campus boosted by ‘game-changing’ Sugar and Ronson donations

BY SIMON ROTHSTEIN

Jewish Care’s new Redbridge development has been given a huge boost thanks to generous donations from Lord Alan Sugar and his family, together with the Ronson family via The Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation.

Described as ‘game-changing’ by the charity, the pledges will help to fund the exciting new Jewish Care Redbridge Care and Community Campus development.

Due to open in the summer of 2025, subject to planning permission, the campus will be situated on the current Redbridge Jewish Community Centre (RJCC) site, previously known as Sinclair House. It will be comprised of a community centre space, which will house a centre for people living with dementia, along with a 66-bed care home, replacing Vi & John Rubens House in Gants Hill. Additionally, Jewish Care’s local social work and meals on wheels teams will be based on site.

Despite these new commitments from the Sugar and Ronson families, plus funds already raised by the Redbridge Aid Golf Society, Jewish Care still needs to find the remaining £5million needed to complete the project. The charity has launched a campaign to raise the money from the local community.

Welcoming the donations, Phillip Leigh – life president of the RJCC and chair of the Essex Jewish News said: “I am delighted to see these wonderful donations towards the new Redbridge campus. As you can see from the photograph, this is the not the first time that the Sugar and Ronson families

have dug deep to help us.

“This photo brought back special memories of my good friends Frank Cass and Ellis Birk, both regrettably of blessed memory, who along with myself were instrumental in negotiating the amalgamation of Sinclair House with Jewish Care way back in 1985.

“It is exciting to see that, at long last, we are now reaching the actual beginning of the project that we kicked into play some 20 years ago

“Let’s hope that our passionate Essex Jewish community now support us in making up the shortfall required to complete this long awaited landmark for our local community.”

The Sugar family have been long standing supporters of Jewish Care, showing unwavering commitment to the organisation over many decades.

Lord Sugar said: “We are proud to be supporting the exciting development of a new care and community campus in Redbridge. Our family have had a long and deep association with Jewish Care’s services in Redbridge, where my late mother was a resident at Vi & John Rubens House. We are absolutely delighted to be helping our older community live with dignity and compassion in facilities that deliver high quality care on a state-of-theart campus.

“We hope our commitment will be a catalyst for other local supporters to join us and the Ronson family in making this project a reality, which the Essex and East London community truly deserves and can rightfully feel proud of.”

Gerald Ronson CBE and Dame Gail Ronson DBE too have been avid and generous supporters of Jewish

Care, including funding the thriving Ronson Family Community Centre in Harrow.

Dame Ronson said: “I have had the privilege of being involved with Jewish Care for over 30 years as a trustee and now as an honorary president and our family are delighted to be involved with this vital project to support the community in Essex and East London.

“Our connection with the Redbridge community goes back many decades now from when I first became involved in the organisation in 1983 where the Sinclair House site was then an independent community centre that was on the brink of closure.

“Gerald and I wanted to do all we could to help save it and hosted a fundraising event, which we were delighted stopped it from closing, and have had the privilege of seeing it thrive. We are delighted to play our role in establishing a new facility for the next generation in a community which we know is so very special.”

to say that volunteering for Jewish Care was the happiest time of her later life.

Before Bertie passed away, she did not get the chance to amend her Will and leave a gift to Jewish Care. Brian has since told us that he has included Jewish Care in his Will on her behalf; “I don’t want to leave it until it’s too late, like Mum. I’m doing this for her”. With a gift in your Will to Jewish Care, you can make sure that future generations of our community get the care they need when they need it most.

For more information about leaving a gift in your Will and our free Will Writing Service, please call Sarit on 020 8922 2819, email legacyteam@jcare.org or visit jewishcare.org/legacy

“Jewish Care meant everything to my mum, Bertie. That’s why I’m leaving them a gift in my Will”.

Brian, Legacy Pledger

The opening of the Sugar Wing at Sinclair House in 1994. In the image (L-R) are Lord Alan Sugar, Ann Sugar, Gerald Ronson CBE, Dame Gail Ronson, Philip Leigh, Ellis Birk, Lady Birk, Tibor Bolsckei, Frank Cass and, behind the Mayor and Lady Mayoress, Joe Slezinger

Jewish Care hits a purple patch

Purple was the colour at Jewish Care’s Redbridge Jewish Community Centre (RJCC), as the charity urged people to ‘Go Purple’ and chase away any winter worries.

Pupils from Clore Tikva Primary School visited the RJCC, currently based at Woodford Forest United Synagogue, where members and volunteers had donned purple wigs, outfits and scarves for the occasion.

The children and members then took

part in purple-themed circuit training sessions for mind, body and soul – including quizzes and memory tests, as well as an intergenerational meal.

The event was a change from the regular Tuesday programme of a speaker or entertainer and was welcomed by centre co-ordinator Timea Kasza, who said: “It was a great success. We had more than 50 guests who all joined in the fun.

“Our regular adult vis-

BY MANNY ROBINSON

New friendships formed at JBD’s first tenant conference

More than 100 Jewish Blind & Disabled (JBD) tenants from across their seven developments got together for the charity’s first ever tenant conference.

The aim of the day was for them to share ideas, think about ways in which they can get more involved within their communities and meet new people from different buildings.

ment initiatives which directly affect their lives both inside and outside of their buildings.”

itors loved meeting the children from Clore Tikva and there were gold and silver ‘medals’ draped, of course, in purple ribbons for the winning and runners-up tables.”

Ten-year-old Clore student Renée added: “I really liked it, it was good fun and nice being with everyone at the centre.”

This programme, run every Tuesday and Thursday at Woodford Forest United Synagogue, is attracting more and more people all the

time.They can get the choice of a three-course meal, entertainment and the opportunity to join in card games and discussions on the major events of the week.

Entry is £4 plus the cost of meals. For further information on the Tuesday events, please call 020 8418 2100.

Other activities in the Go Purple campaign also included volunteers delivering Go Purple biscuits to Jewish Care’s Meals on Wheels clients with their food.

The tenants – including many from the JBD developments in Barkingside, South Woodford and Wanstead – were also able to mingle with the charity’s staff and trustees.

JBD’s community engagement manager Simone Mazin said: “This conference was designed to bring tenants and staff together to share how they play a role in their local and wider community. We want to support tenants to take the lead on community engage-

The charity’s chief executive Lisa Wimborne added: “The warmth in the room was obvious and it was great to see tenants from all developments of all ages interacting. New friendships were formed, and I was witness to two tenants sharing contact details and making plans to meet up. I am sure they weren’t the only ones.

“I left the event feeling incredibly proud to be leading this organisation and excited about the opportunities ahead. Engaging tenants and enabling them to shape their own developments and our wider community is something I remain committed to. Today was a step in the right direction. We will learn as we progress with this work.”

Beating the blues with a Brew

Leaders from Jewish and other faith organisations came together for Brew Monday – encouraging people to reach out to others during a notoriously difficult time of year.

Organised by Mitzvah Day, and inspired by the Samaritans campaign of the same name, the initiative urges people to have a brew and check in with a friend, family member, neighbour or colleague, whether in person or virtually.

Taking place each year on the third Monday of January, Brew Monday has become a

day to spread warmth, give emotional support and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

One of those taking part was Liberal Judaism chair Ruth Seager, a member of East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue. Ruth said: “Sharing a cuppa in person, over the phone or by Zoom not only makes a difference… but is also a lovely way to spend some time together. And as a bonus… it’s a mitzvah!”

Other organisations putting the kettle on for Brew Monday included the Board of Depu -

ties, Centre of Reconciliation, Lincoln University Chaplaincy, Maccabi GB, Masorti Judaism, Movement for Reform Judaism, Nisa-Nashim, Streetwise, UJS and Unitas Youth Zone.

Mitzvah Day CEO Stuart Diamond said: “At a time when many of us are at our lowest – with a cost living crisis, grey skies above and end of year festivities a distant memory – we hope that by this simple action checking in and sharing a drink with a friend or neighbour, we can all help to build a more connected and caring world.”

Redbridge Jewish Community Centre members and volunteers with Clore Tikva Primary School pupils at their Go Purple day

Liberal Judaism chair Ruth Seager on

Tenants from across JBD’s seven developments came together for first ever tenant conference

A musical welcome for new SWESRS rabbi

and featuring many young members of the synagogue and the SWESRS’ choir.

BY BRENDA SOSKIN

Diverse leaders guided the community through a journey from the Jewish people’s first encounters with God to a rekindling of our mission to be inclusive. The service included texts written by Rabbi Lev’s late grandfather, Rabbi John Rayner, who was one of Britain’s most well-respected Jewish leaders and writers.

ceremony showed the synagogue at its best –diverse, inter-generational and full of joy. Judaism needs all of us and the world needs Judaism”.

MEMBERS and friends of South West Essex & Settlement Reform

Synagogue (SWESRS) in Redbridge came together to celebrate the induction of Rabbi Lev Taylor (pictured) with a joyful musical Shabbat service.

Synagogue chair Lester Allen and senior rabbi, Rabbi Jordan Helfman, welcomed everyone before the commencement of the musical service, led by Mich Sampson

The service was attended by more than 150 members and guests in person, as well as many more on Zoom. Dignitaries at the event included Ilford South MP Sam Tarry, Cllr Ruth Clark, Liberal Judaism chair Ruth Seager and local Rabbis Henry Goldstein and David Hulbert.

Rabbi Richard Jacobi, of East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue, gave the Induction Blessing for Rabbi Lev, who responded by thanking the SWESRS community for making him so welcome following his initial student placement in 2021.

He said: “I was so thrilled to be inducted into this community. The

An evening celebration followed the service, including a celebratory buffet prepared by Lester Allen, an experienced professional chef, and members of the synagogue. The Don Kipper Kletzmer Band added to the joyous atmosphere and it was great to see all ages participating in the dancing.

One of SWESRS’ younger members, Jacob, who recently celebrated his barmitzvah, reflected the view of many present when he said: “I think our shul’s always been really nice, but it’s so much better since Lev came. I think he’s actually a really amazing man”.

Rabbi Lev grew up at Reading Liberal Synagogue, where he celebrated his barmitzvah. After spending several years working as a charity campaigner, he began the rabbinic programme at Leo Baeck College, graduating in the summer of 2022.

Chaps That Chat get a call from the police

ADETECTIVE inspector from the drugs squad was called to Woodford Forest United Synagogue. Nothing suspicious… she just came along to talk to members of Jewish Care’s Chaps That Chat social group about her work dealing with drugs and drug dealers in the Essex area.

It was one of a series of talks arranged by 91-year-old Sid Green, organiser of the group, as it begins to get back to some form of normality following the Covid pandemic.

Another speaker was Essex Jewish News editorial director Manny Robinson who spoke about his memories of

the old Jewish East End, a talk that produced even more reminiscences from the audience.

The group has now been going for eight years with an average attendance of between 60-65 people, although in recent months this has dropped off because of the age of some members and the inclement weather.

Sid said: “I hope that we can now let the Jewish community know that we are back in action and that more people will come along, on a Wednesday once a month, to listen to interesting speakers or just chat about local events or talk about what is going on in the world in

GAVE US OUR MUMMY

general.” Events in the past year have included visits to the RAF Museum in Hendon, the Jewish Museum in Camden, the Royal Hospital in Chelsea and even Buckingham Palace. Wes Streeting MP, Cllr Keith Prince and Mitch Winehouse, father of the late singer Amy Winehouse, and former boxing promoter Mike Jacobs have all spoken. Chaps That Chat is part of Jewish Care’s Supportive Communities programme. Members pay £4 for each session, which includes refreshments. Anyone wishing to join the group, should contact Ilana Scott on 07810 856 955 for further information.

BACK

“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, I just didn’t know what to do.

I had my surgery in Israel as both mine and my husband’s families live there. Then I had a big decision to make - where would I have my treatment?

How could I uproot my husband and girls? But equally, how would I get through my chemotherapy here without our families’ support?

Then my oncologist told me about Chai. They have been amazing – I truly believe there is nothing like it in the world.

Being able to rely on Chai’s all-encompassing support gave me the confi dence to come home to my husband and girls.

Thanks to Chai, we’re together as a family again”

Royal approval for Ilford’s Rhoda on her 100th

Liberal CEO spends Shabbat with Essex community

BY PAT LIDIKER

AMONG the flowers and many birthday cards at the home of Rhoda Kaufman was one very special one… from King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.

Rhoda has two children, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, several of them joining her 100th birthday celebrations.

She insists there is no place like home.

Born in the East End, and later moving to Stamford Hill, Rhoda and her late husband made Ilford their home more than 40 years ago.

Even now, at 100 years old, she insists on living in that same house with all her own things around, and support from a team

of carers. She has every intention of staying put as well, with a little extra help from Jewish Care’s Meals on Wheels.

Her daughter Frances says the Meals on Wheels service provides the highlight of Rhoda’s day, not least on her birthday when she was thrilled to find a surprise bouquet from Jewish Care in her delivery.

She added: “To all the staff who organise Meals on Wheels and the volunteers who deliver them, thank you for the service you provide which is an important one for our Jewish community. Your patience and understanding is appreciated and we are so fortunate to have meals provided all year round whatever the situation.”

Chabad cheer for Cteens and kids

CHABAD Buckhurst

Hill’s programmes for children and teenagers are continuing to go from strength to strenth.

Launched in September, its Cteens events offer a fun and innovative Saturday night for pupils in school years 7-9. They offer everything from nerf gun wars and lazer tag to hot dog and burger nights.

The teenagers even got to virtually join their American counterparts in Times Square, linking up via video to be part of the Cteens America Shabbaton in New York.

Once a month, on a Sunday, the community also hosts its Kids Cookery Club. Open to all primary school age children, the youngsters are taught how to make delicious foods focused around the Jewish festivals – including challah, doughnuts, fruit platters and most recently Hamantaschen. Children are proud of their creations and excited to take the recipes home to make again.

Further details and future dates for both these iniaitives can be found on the Chabad Buckhurst Hill Facebook page.

• Save the date: Chabad Summer Camp (Camp Gan Izzy) will take place from 31 July – 11 August, 2023.

LIBERAL Judaism

CEO Rabbi Charley

Baginsky visited East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue (ELELS) to lead a Shabbat service.

With a packed sanctuary, and more watching from home on Zoom, she gave a D’var Torah outlining the many different, and evolving, reasons people choose to convert Judaism.

She said: “As a movement, Liberal Judaism takes very seriously the idea that we are the home for everyone’s Jewish story. That does not just mean for those born into the community but those who have been searching.

“In recent years, I have seen a profound change in those coming through Liberal Judaism Beit Din.

“Because Liberal Judaism is fully inclusive of mixed faith couples and families — culminating in our decision in 2020 that mixed faith marriage blessings can take place under a chupah where a couple intend to build a Jewish home — people do not need to convert for marriage.

“But the emphasis on their own personal connection has become more apparent.

“Where people are converting within a couple, they are coming with their own story and their own need. Now, more frequent than the relationship motivator, we are also seeing those converting on their own, inspired by a time or moment of how Judaism enlightened their lives.

“It may be that they had an experience at school with Judaism that has stayed with them; were inspired by a trip to Israel; were welcomed by a Jewish friend or have been one of the growing numbers to discover a Jewish ancestry.

“I’m also certain that there are not only converts out there still waiting for a home, but Jews disconnected from community and looking for a way to step back through the door.”

Others at the service included the synagogue’s Emeritus Rabbi David Hulbert and Ruth Seager, an ELELS member who is also the chair of Liberal Judaism.

Rhoda Kaufman with her 100th birthday bouquet

ELELS Emeritus Rabbi David Hulbert, LJ CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky, LJ chair Ruth Seager and ELELS chair Stewart Spivack

Cookery classes give kids a chance to make, and taste, festive food

Chabad Buckhurst Hill’s Cteens enjoy a night of hot dogs and games

Ilford Federation back in business

BY PAT LIDIKER

FOR the first time in three years, Ilford Federation

Synagogue was able to resume its Melaveh Malkah event. A popular moment in the community’s calendar, the annual celebratory post-Shabbat meal had been put on hold due to pandemic restrictions.

Hosted by the shul’s rabbinic couple, Rabbi David and Rebbetzin

Judy Singer, members also welcomed back their predecessors, Rabbi Alex and Rebbetzin Eva Chapper – who had spent 14 years with the community, first at Coventry Road and then during its move to the current premises on Clarence Avenue.

Introduced by chair Melvyn Zeff, Rabbi Chapper remembered his time in Ilford as happy and rewarding. It was a period when, as well as “learning the trade”, he also became a magistrate. His observations and insights made for an

uplifting and entertaining evening for his 70-strong audience.

Afterwards everyone sat down to an enjoyable three-course dinner provided by the Ladies Guild who, with the Board of Management, are constantly active in resuming a full programme of events for all members.

Another highlight of recent months was a sellout Shabbaton, attended by Rabbi Shraga Feivel Zimmerman, the Rov and Av Beis Din of the Federation.

Late last year, a moving Covid-19 Memorial Service was held to honour all those who died during the period of the pandemic. Led by Rabbi David Singer, it brought comfort to families who were unable to sit shiva previously due to lockdowns.

Rabbi Singer spoke about the extra difficulty for mourners during the pandemic, where friends and extended family were not allowed to

attend funerals, shivas or comfort them in person. He also spoke of his own deep thoughts having lost his father during this time.

The community also came out to support Mitzvah Day. As reported in the last edition of the Essex Jewish News, members headed to Jewish Care’s Vi & John Rubens House where, under the guidance of Ruti Roche, they spent hours chatting with residents, planting table troughs and painting garden furniture. In addition, two carloads of food and household goods were donated to GIFT thanks to the hard work of the Ladies Guild team headed by Frances Bookatz.

The synagogue’s Jack Bond told us: “This is a community very much back in business, As further proof, Ilford Federation is the only shul in the area holding regular morning and evening services and is happy to

welcome anyone wishing to attend.

“On the social and cultural scene, we have regular film nights, quizzes, teas, a card club and last, but certainly not least,

we are also the meeting place for local JACS.

“Our shul is known for its warm and informal atmosphere, cherished by both regular member and visitors. You

are guaranteed a warm welcome so please come along.”

• To find out more about Ilford Federation Synagogue, visit www. ilfordfeds.com.

The following people were remembered during the synagogue’s moving Covid-19 Memorial Service:

Joyce Brent, Benjamin Brill, Barbara Butcher, Lawrence Cohen, Rita Dobrin, Sandra Epstein, Malcom Gasman, Alan Gordon, Estelle Jacobs, Akiva Luton, Victor Nash, Jackie Phillips, Helena Phillips, Ivor Ross, William Schnier, Ada Siskind, Madeline Tobin, Errol Kaufman, Alan Robotkin and Ron Singer.

Magen David Adom is the Red Shield that protects Israel in times of medical emergency. This includes being responsible for collecting, processing and distributing over 90% of Israel’s blood supply.

To ensure that this continues and the people of Israel have the blood needed to cope with everything from everyday emergencies to war and terror, we need your support. We need you and we need more red.

To give today please visit mdauk.org/red, scan the QR code or call 020 8201 5900

Rabbi David Singer and Rabbi Alex Chapper enjoy a happy reunion at the Melaveh Malkah event

Synagogue members collected two car loads of goods for GIFT on Mitzvah Day

Chabad whisky evening raises thousands to help others

ANIGHT learning about the Jewish contribution to whisky helped Chabad Gants Hill raise more than £2,000.

The money will be used to support Chabad’s extensive social and support work throughout the local community, including its food drives for those in need and Drugsline, which provides services for people struggling with addiction.

The whisky evening is one of the most popular events in the local Chabad calendar, always attracting a great turnout and even running via Zoom during the pandemic.

This year’s in-person tasting once more saw the return of Katie Groves, a freelance spirits expert who works for Milroy’s of Soho, London’s original whisky specialist.

She took guests, your writer included, through a selection of two scotch whiskies and two American bourbons. The British drinks certainly went down more smoothly but all four, plus a taster whisky on arrival, were very much appreciated by all.

The drinks were all linked by the theme ‘a

NEMS holds successful afternoon tea quiz

NEW Essex Masorti Synagogue (NEMS) held their first ever fund-raising ‘afternoon tea’ quiz.

NEMS member and quizmaster Guy Sasson said: “We wanted to try something a bit different. Our quizzes are usually in the evening, but this daytime quiz and tea was not only great fun but sold

very quickly indeed.”

The full house enjoyed a plethora of cakes, sandwiches and hot drinks. There was also a raffle which

Chelmsford chair praised by local magazines

included kind donations from Spice Restaurant, Rowans and Deli Habits. NEMS are planning to hold more events for the community soon.

BY SIMON ROTHSTEIN

celebration of the Jewish contribution to the history of whisky’, as Katie taught us about the Bloch Brothers of Campbeltown, Scotland, and the Shapira family, who have been at the helm of America’s largest family-owned distillery since 1935.

The turnout came from across the region and not only included the night’s host Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin, executive director of Chabad North East London & Essex, but also his fellow local ministers Rabbi Odom Brandman (Chabad Buckhurst Hill), Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg (Woodford Forest United Synagogue) and Rabbi Rafi Goodwin (Chigwell and Hainault United Synagogue).

The evening also had a serious side with entry fees, a raffle and entertaining whisky auction combining to raise money for Chabad’s work in the community.

Giving the night’s appeal, Russell Green described how the growth of Chabad’s food bank, and the deepening cost of living crisis, means funds are now needed more than ever.

Russell, who helps with collection and deliveries of food, said: “Starting in this volunteering role completely shocked me.

I realised I had been living in a bubble, because I never knew that within one square mile of us here today that there so many families that just can’t afford to go and buy groceries.

“The problem is not getting smaller; it is not even staying the same. Every day it is getting worse and I’m sad to say that I’ve never been busier.

“Currently we have no problem getting donations of dried food, but what we and the families we support desperately need is fresh fruit and vegetables. The Chabad way is not to give up but to always find a way to help.

“So we have come up with an idea, called the £20 a month club, where we are looking for people who won’t miss that £20 –but if enough people can give that on a regular basis we will have the £600-700 a month to go and buy what we need.”

If you can help, please contact pa@chabadilford. co.uk.

Tea party at WIJPS

YEAR two pupils at Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School (WIJPS) organised a special tea party for their grandparents and other family members.

The youngsters planned the menu, set the tables, plated the food and served the grown-ups as part of a whole school initiative based on thinking about others.

The school’s Jewish studies lead Deborah Harris said: “It was so lovely seeing the adults spending quality time with the children.”

STAN Keller, the chair of Chelmsford Jewish Community, has been praised by Chelmsford’s City Times and Moulsham Times magazines after hanging up his pen.

He has provided articles for the publications for the last 10 years about Rotary - the organisation with 46,000+ clubs worldwide who work together to promote peace and support charitable causes.

Stan, who has held a number of local and national roles within Rotary, said: “There have been so

many highlights, but amongst the most outstanding memories I have are the gatherings abroad. I got to meet fellow leaders from all over the globe, showing what a small world it really it is and how so much of what we do comes from shared values.”

The City Times editors said: “We are very sad that Stan is retiring from writing for us - and thank him for over 100 articles about Rotary and all the excellent causes that they support and participate in.”

WIJPS pupils entertain their grandparents and family members

Stan Keller

The New Essex Masorti Synagogue quiz masters

Whisky evening compere Katie Groves pours a scotch for host Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin

Canvey Island rabbi wins BBC award

BY MANNY ROBINSON

Arsenal legend helps Jewish Care raise over £75,000

ARSENAL Invincible

Freddie Ljungberg was the guest star at this year’s Jewish Care Redbridge Sports Dinner.

More than 180 guests enjoyed an entertaining evening where the Swedish former footballer was joined on the speaking panel by Brighton & Hove Albion CEO Paul Barber OBE and journalist and TV presenter Matt Lorenzo.

The event – which was held at Delta Hotels, Waltham Abbey, and sponsored by The Burney Group and the National Housing Group – raised

over £75,000 in support of the charity’s services for older people in Redbridge and Essex.

Others involved in the evening included Redbridge Sports Dinner Committee chair Andrew Klein, Jewish Care vice chair Gayle Klein and Burney Group CEO Daren Burney.

Freddie Ljungberg talked about his nine years playing for Arsenal, including the Premier League title-winning season where the Gunners went unbeaten and were labelled ‘The Invincibles’. He also won

another league title and three FA Cups with Arsenal, as well as playing for West Ham United.

Giving his tips for today’s stars, the winger said: “I’ve watched a lot of young players and it’s the ones who are focussed, who listen, understand and then try to do it better that are most successful. It’s not just about how talented a footballer you are but also character, do you have what it takes to be the best all the time, not to take a day off.

“The clubs have a responsibility to look after

the players and educate them from a young age that there will be bumps in the road and support them to deal with that. They are under a lot of pressure today, including from social media, which players didn’t have before.”

Jewish Care chair Jonathan Zenios ended the evening by thanking the speakers, guests, committee and sponsors, adding:

“Every pound makes a huge difference to the lives of those who we support in the Redbridge and Essex local community.”

THE BBC has honoured Rabbi Joel Friedman, the leader of the Charedi community in Canvey Island, for “breaking down barriers and bringing communities together”.

He received one of the broadcaster’s Make

a Difference Awards, being recognised for his tireless work to foster good community relations in Essex.

The Charedi community on Canvey Island was established in 2016. Starting with just six people, it now boasts more than 100.

Help us to make memories for Rockey this Pesach

Seder night is a time for family, a time for food, a time for singing and stories. Above all else, Seder night is a time for memories.

As dementia takes hold and Rockey ’s memory fades, it is events like the Seder at The Sam Beckman Centre for people living with dementia that help bring it back, even for just a moment.

Rockey, like hundreds of others, relies on the services provided by Jewish Care These services receive no government funding and rely on the generosity of our community.

This Pesach they rely on you.

Your donation will ensure that even as memories fade for people like Rockey, they still have the opportunity to make new ones, for as long as they last. Thank you.

Call

Rabbi Joel Friedman with his BBC Award

Daren Burney, Paul Barber OBE, Freddie Ljungberg, Matt Lorenzo and Andrew Klein at the Jewish Care Redbridge Sports Dinner

Precious memories made on British Emunah Israel trip

Job hunters get a boost from Work Avenue event

MORE than 60 Jewish job hunters, including a number from Essex, attended Work Avenue’s New Year, New Career event.

FOURTEEN children, 12 mums and a grandma enjoyed “the most amazing bonding experience” by spending half term in Israel with British Emunah.

The charity’s Mother and Daughter Israel Trip, which was running for the first time since 2019, began at the President’s Residence where the group were given a private tour followed by an audience with First Lady Michal Herzog. She spoke about the long connection between the Herzog family and Emunah and how the President’s grandmother, Sarah Herzog, was instrumental in the founding of the organisation.

The group visited a number of Emunah’s day centres, schools and residential homes, which support Israel’s most vulnerable at-risk children and families, including the Lady Brodie Day Care Centre in Haifa, Sarah Herzog Children’s Center in Afula, Neve Sarah Wolfson High School in Bnei Brak and Neve Landy Children’s Residence in Even Shmuel.

The girls on the tour got to know the children

in Emunah’s care through baking challah, playing games, making art and recording TikTok videos together.

The jam-packed fiveday trip also included visits to the old city of Jerusalem, Beit Guvrin caves, museums and Har Herzl - the site of Israel’s national cemetery.

Marlene Binder from Southend was on the trip with her granddaughter Mia. She said: “It was the most inspirational and fulfilling experience. We both made precious memories which we will hold in our hearts always. As part of Mia’s batmitzvah, over the coming months, she has chosen to fundraise for British Emunah to help improve the bedrooms of the girls of her age who she met in Afula.”

Joanna Lipman, who was with daughter Talya, added: “This was the most amazing bonding experience with my 11-year-old daughter. Together we saw the phenomenal projects that Emunah helps and the many disadvantaged children and families they

look after and cherish. It was thought-provoking and filled with warmth, kindness and a lot of fun activities!”

The group were accompanied by British Emunah director Sharon Dewinter and co-vice chair Sara Greenfield.

Sharon said: “It was exhilarating to be able to spend quality time with such a lovely group of people, to watch the mothers and daughters bond and become even closer during this trip, to meet new people and embrace relationships.

“For me, the highlight was seeing the interaction between the children in our care and the girls. Emunah helps vulnerable children rebuild their lives by instilling in them a sense of worth and self-belief and these visits help to show them that someone out there in world cares enough to come and spend time with them.”

British Emunah is now planning its Mother and Daughter Israel Trip 2024. For more details, please email sharon@ emunah.org.uk.

Hosted at the offices of Patron Capital Partners in the heart of London, the day covered a wide range of topics including interview techniques, time management, upskilling, networking and smashing the discrimination barrier.

Attendees also got the chance to meet new Work Avenue CEO Debbie Lebrett. Debbie joined the charity in January after spending seven years as Headteacher of Hasmonean High School for Boys.

Work Avenue is the Jewish community’s leading business and support organization. In 2022, its advisers and

workshops helped 457 people to find employment, with nearly 100 clients receiving training and paid work projects through its WAGE social enterprise scheme. The charity also gave over £85,000 in grants for vocational training through its Richard Mintz Bursary Fund.

Opening the event, Debbie said: “We know that finding employment and establishing a meaningful career at any stage of life can be a real struggle – especially at a time of a spiralling cost of living crisis.

“At Work Avenue, we provide a caring and listening ear and, most importantly, we will help you to succeed. Whether you are starting your career, looking for new work or seeking a career change, we are here to support you today and

every day.”

Speakers at the New Year, New Career included David Freedman (CEO of Confero Call Centres and Confero Workspace), Juliet Landau-Pope (Founder of JLP Coach), Helena Sharpstone (Founder of Sharpstone Skinner), Michael Korn (Founder of Kwikscreen), Avichai Myers (Security Engineer at ClearScore) and members of the Work Avenue team.

Attendee David said: “Today’s event has made me feel re-energised for my job search. All the speakers I heard were extremely inspirational and sympathetic. It felt great to be at an in-person event after so long.”

For more information about Work Avenue’s services, visit www. theworkavenue.org.uk or 0208 371 3280.

Monbiot praises Jewish community at EcoJudaism Tu Bishvat

can be a big part of the change that we need to see. Because you are already working as a community, that gives you a powerful head start.

MORE than 25 Jewish communities from across the religious spectrumincluding Harlow Jewish Community – held EcoJudaism Seders to celebrate Tu Bishvat

Each was provided with a resource pack including a denominationally-specific Seder guide, set of discussion questions, details on trees and tree planting from conservation project JTree and a £15 Sainsbury’s voucher for fruit. JTree also planted a tree in honour of every community participating.

After the Seder, com-

munities then joined an interactive cross-communal Zoom event including a conversation between

Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg (Masorti Judaism) and Guardian columnist and environmentalist

George Monbiot. The session was led by Rabbi Wittenberg with his fellow EcoJudaism Trustees

Rabbi Mark Goldsmith (Movement for Reform Judaism) and Rabbi Jeff Berger (S&P Sephardi Community).

George Monbiot praised the Jewish community for its work on the environment. He said: “Religious communities

“There is an extraordinary power in people coming together. We now know roughly where those tipping points are; it’s around 25%. If you have 25% of people committed to a new idea it’s very difficult to stop that new idea from happening.”

EcoJudaism is the UK Jewish community response to the climate crisis, incorporating the EcoSynagogue project. It became a registered charity in December and is currently seeking funding. An official launch event is being planned for the summer.

The girls enjoying a nature walk in Haifa

The Emunah group at the President of Israel’s House with First Lady Michal Herzog

The Work Avenue team with the event speakers

Getting a taste of College life

More than 60 people, including Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue’s Steve Wynne, attended an Open House event at Leo Baeck College (LBC).

The day was designed to give members of Liberal, Masorti and Reform Judaism communities, as well as the wider public, a closer look at what LBC achieves and its plans for the future.

The event included tours of the College – a Grade II listed Manor House in Finchley – as well as taster sessions delivered by faculty and students including LBC Dean, Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh.

Leo Baeck College is Britain’s pre-eminent institution of Jewish scholar-

ship and learning. It trains rabbis and educators for the Progressive Jewish community, including all of our region’s Liberal and Reform synagogues. Rabbi Richard Jacobi, of East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue, and Sukkat Shalom’s Rabbi Dr Tali Artman-Partock are both lecturers at LBC.

The Open House was the College’s first event of 2023, as it looks forward to celebrating a number of important anniversaries ahead.

Principal Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris said: “It was wonderful to open our doors and meet so many of our supporters, donors, potential students and those who just wanted to find out a bit more about the vital role that

Celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut with WIJPS

WOHL Ilford Jewish Primary School (WIJPS) will be hosting two community-wide Yom Ha’atzmaut events on Wednesday 26 April.

The first, an after-school party from 4-6pm, promises fun for all the family with dancing, activities, music and food.

The second, running in the evening from 7.30-9.30pm, will feature a concert with lots of special guests.

Essex Jewish News readers are invited to attend and may also wish to take a stall at the first event, or perform at the second one.

Both events are ticket only. To book or find out more, please email marketing@ijpsonline.co.uk.

The school’s Laura Marks said: “Essex is full of people who want to celebrate Israel’s birthday, so please come along and make it an afternoon and evening to remember.”

Leo Baeck College plays in Progressive Judaism today.

“This event marks the start of a period, over the next three years, where we will celebrate several foundational milestones – in 2023-24, the 35th anniversary of the ordination of the first openly LGBTQIA+ rabbis in Europe and, in 2024-25, 50 years since the ordination of the first European female rabbi. We will be hailing this generational shift that LBC has been foundational in establishing alongside the legacies of our alumni.

“These festivities will culminate in 2025-26 as we celebrate 70th anniversary of the founding of Leo Baeck College itself.”

• Pictures by Zoe Norfolk

Building on the Essex Jewish community

RUTH Bayard has lived for most of her life in different parts of Essex but, other than her childhood in Gants Hill, she has been at some geographical distance from the Jewish community hubs of Chigwell, Loughton and Woodford.

She is currently researching levels of interest in the development of so-

cial activities for all ages in areas such as Harlow, Brentwood, Ongar and beyond to bring Jews in those areas together.

Ruth said: “I am aware of several people living in these areas who identify Jewishly but are unaffiliated or not actively involved in their member synagogues, which are often several miles away from their homes.

“Others may only participate via Zoom or have little local connection with other nearby Jewish families, whatever their religious level of observance. That is why I am interested in developing social activities so we can all meet each other.”

If you’re keen to find out more, please email Ruth on clyvbay@ hotmail.co.uk.

Guests mingle at LBC Open House event

Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh delivers a taster session about Jeremiah

Loughton’s batmitzvah challah bake

Royal award for JLGB

AGROUP of batmitzvah girls, their mothers and grandmothers gathered together on a Sunday morning to learn the art of challah making.

The event was organized by Rebbetzin Rochel Abrams of Loughton Federation Synagogue.

She said: “I wanted to create a space for families to bond while learning about the significance of the role of Jewish women.

“Challah making is a beautiful tradition that has been passed down through generations of

Jewish families. It’s so important to keep these traditions alive and to create opportunities for families to come together and celebrate their Judaism.”

The event began with a brief introduction to the ingredients used to make challah. The group learned about the importance of using the ingredients in the correct order. Rochel explained what challah means and the importance of giving from oneself.

After the introduction, everyone rolled up their sleeves and began mixing

the dough. The room was filled with the sweet aroma of yeast and challah dough as the participants worked together to knead and braid the dough.

The group was guided by Rochel, who shared her tips and techniques for achieving the perfect challah. The atmosphere was lively and filled with laughter as the participants took turns braiding their challah loaves.

As the event came to a close, the group gathered around a table for a meaningful game. Many of the participants ex-

Chigwell connecting with young families

CHIGWELL and Hainault Synagogue continues to connect with its community, as the shul commence their major refurbishment works.

The young families committee put on a quiz night in January which saw over 160 people of all ages come to-

gether and raise more than £1,200. The event was hosted by Lisa and Antony Richards. Along with a traditional quiz and bingo, there was a fun interactive stand up/ sit down round which saw a split of the final.

Most recently, there was also a cocktails and magic evening. Over 60

members enjoyed a night dancing away to the sounds of singer Howard Kovler and enjoying magic and mixology by Barry Green.

To find out more, including refurbishment updates, please search for ‘chigwellhainault synagogue’ on Facebook and Instagram.

pressed their gratitude for the opportunity to learn about their heritage and spend quality time with their loved ones.

“I had so much fun,” said one of the batmitzvah girls. “It was really special to be able to make challah with my mom and grandma, and to learn about the significance of the challah in our traditions.”

Everyone was thrilled with the success of the day and Rochel says she hopes to organise more similar events in the future.

THE Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade (JLGB) have been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award in recognition of its efforts to empower and support young Jews in Essex and across the UK.

Founded in 1895, the JLGB has helped generations of young Jewish people to realise their potential through developing essential life skills, helping in training them to become active citizens in their local communities and across British society.

His Majesty King Charles III, has personally approved the award, which is a one-off prize created to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and 20 years of

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS).

The organisation will receive a handwritten certificate signed by the King at an event later this year.

JLGB President Lord Levy said: “I am sure all will agree this is an outstanding achievement for JLGB to receive such a national honour, and our whole community will be able to take great pride in celebrating this achievement.

“After nearly 128 years of service to our community and wider British society, this is such an amazing tribute to the countless number of JLGB adult volunteers who have supported our community’s youngsters to go from strength to strength.”

KS teams win netball tournaments

CONGRATULATIONS to the Year

10 and Year 8 King Solomon High School netball teams, who won both won the Redbridge Cup in their age groups.

The Year 8 contest took place at Trinity High School, with KS beating

Wanstead High 4-3 in the final.

The Year 10 competition was held at Seven Kings High School and also featured teams from Woodford County High, Valentines, Mayfields and Chadwell Heath.

Well done to everyone involved!

Chigwell’s young families events have been packed out

The cup winning Year 10 King Solomon team show off their medals

The Year 8 winners pose for a team photo after their victory

The Loughton Federation Synagogue challah bake was a huge success with everyone having lots of fun

The Southend and District Aid Society turns 70

BY GEOFFREY PEPPER

MEMBERS of the Southend and District Aid Society celebrated the charity’s 70th anniversary in style with the Mayor of Southend, Councillor Kevin Robinson, joining them to plant a rosebush at Jewish Care’s Southend and Westcliff Community Centre.

For the last seven decades, the Aid Society has been raising money to help elderly Jewish people in need in the city of Southend-on-Sea and the surrounding district.

This includes funding items for the Southend and Westcliff Community Centre, as well as

Jewish Care’s Shebson Lodge Retirement Living apartments. The Aid Society also makes direct donations, taking pride in its discretion.

The Aid Society was formed in 1953. The original idea was to encourage members of the Southend & Westcliff Hebrew Congregation to become members of this society and pay an annual subscription of 10s 6d (52p) which would be divided between four London charities – the Norwood Orphanage, the Jewish Blind Society, the Home for Aged Jews in Nightingale Lane and the Home and Hospital for Jewish Incurables in Tottenham.

Some years later these four charities went under one umbrella, the Board of Guardians for the Jewish Poor, which subsequently became the Jewish Welfare Board, which finally became Jewish Care.

By giving these London charities financial support, this enabled local Jewish people a way into these London based homes.

In 1965 the members of the Aid Society managed to raise funds to open a home locally. It was called The Victoria Oppenheimer Home and was based in Cobham Road, Westcliff-on-Sea. At that time the Aid Society ran it with the Jewish

Welfare Board.

This building later became Shebson Lodge, having warden assisted (now called independent living) flats with the added feature of a day centre (now Southend and Westcliff Community Centre). Both are run by Jewish Care with valuable Aid Society support.

When Jami UK – the mental health service for the Jewish community – came in under the umbrella of Jewish Care, the Society also provided help for those people in need where possible.

In 1973, Raymond House was opened for those people in need of residential care, some from the Victoria Oppenheimer home were offered places in Raymond House. Jewish Care took over running it. For the residents, Aid Society volunteers ran religious services for Shabbat and Yom Tov. The Aid Society continued to run all the Jewish religious services until 2016, but unfortunately Raymond House has now closed.

The founding chair of the Aid Society was Harry Barnett and it is very special that his granddaughter, Susan Sinclair, is still an active member of the Society. Over the past 70 years there have been many chairs, vice chairs, treasurers, secretaries and hundreds of long serving committee members. They all laid down the foundations of this Society and they all played their part.

From 2013-2015 the Aid Society experienced one of its most difficult times. The sad passing of

highly active, long serving members, including the late Sybil Greenstein OBM and Norman Zetter OBM, meant the charity lost much energy and experience.

But the work continues and over the last 70 years the amount of money raised has been colossal - many hundreds of thousands of pounds. In 2010 and 2014, they organised CycloAid charity bike rides around the Southend area, with the late Sir David Amess MP meeting the riders at the finish after their exertions.

The Aid Society supports the Community Centre financially when requested. Members help with meals in the building and also meals on wheels for those who cannot afford them. The Society has been involved in buying new items such as household goods, washing machines, clothes dryers and sun blinds, as well as financing special projects such as new windows in the Community Centre and dementia gardening items.

The charity is open to all sections of the Jewish community and does not discriminate between Orthodox and Progressive members. All are welcome to join the charity or just participate in one of its events, such as the annual quizzes and sold out functions it is known for.

After a short spell in hibernation during the recent Covid pandemic and its associated restrictions, the Aid Society`s latest venture is helping to sponsor a minibus for

the Community Centre. Costing the charity several thousand pounds per annum, this will enable people to be taken to and from the Centre so they can enjoy and participate in activities organised at the Centre. It will also be used for outings subsidised by the Aid Society.

As the Aid Society celebrates its 70th anniversary, members are proud of their remarkable contribution to the Jewish Community over these years from generation to generation, community to community and from family to family. It could probably be one of the oldest charities in the City of Southend-onSea.

Current chair Derek Silverstone said “The length of time that the Aid Society has been going is a testament to the generosity of the Jewish community with their donations and their willingness to support people who are in need of help.

“We thank the Jewish Community of Southend-on-Sea and the surrounding district for their ongoing financial support. Happy 70th anniversary to the Aid Society.”

Jewish Care’s director of fundraising and community engagement, Adam Overlander-Kaye, added: “Our sincere thanks goes to the Southend and District Aid Society for their incredible hard work and dedication over the years. Their fundraising has made a real difference to older people in the community.”

Members of Southend & District Aid Society with the care bus they sponsor to take older people to and from Jewish Care’s Southend & Westcliff Community Centre

The Mayor of Southend plants an anniversary rosebush

Have an easy Pesach!

WITH SHELLEY POSNER COOKERY

AT Pesach we instinctively gather in family groups for the Seder service. One of the reasons for this is to teach our children about the Exodus. However, we also hope that our children learn from us how important the Seder is and that they understand and learn how to prepare for Pesach.

As always, the food is of primary importance and I find that advance preparation is the key to a panic free festival.

It is best to keep the

menu simple and if you can get some of the baking and a couple of meals made and safely stored in the freezer beforehand, this will relieve some of the pressure as the holiday draws ever nearer.

Most of us have special memories of wonderful family times around the Seder table – this is a yom tov that makes memories to keep and treasure for every generation.

Chag Pesach Sameach to you all and may your memories be happy ones!

TWO SAUCES TO SERVE WITH FISH: CHICKEN IN A TOMATO AND MUSHROOM SAUCE:

Here are two different sauces that can be served with any white fish or salmon. Each sauce serves 4-6 people, but you can increase the quantities according to the number of guests you have.

In both cases, prepare the fish in the same way. Place the fish pieces in a greased shallow baking dish, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle a little lemon juice on each piece. Bake in a moderate oven – 180 deg C / 375 deg F / Gas

Mk 5 - covered with foil for around 25 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

Italian fish sauce:

1 onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove crushed

1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon of fresh basil

finely chopped

10g mushrooms thinly sliced

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp black or green olives

Make the sauce by heating the oil and frying the onion for about five minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes, season well with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.

Cook gently uncovered for around 15 minutes, giving it an occasional stir. Add the sliced mushrooms and

the basil and simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Throw in the olives and remove from the heat.

Spoon over the cooked fish and serve immediately.

Lemon and tarragon

sauce:

This is an excellent recipe for Pesach, as you can use the whites for your biscuits too.

450ml vegetable stock

4 egg yolks

1 tbsp potato flour

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 tsp caster sugar

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients except the tarragon in the food processor and process for 5-10 seconds until they are thoroughly blended. Turn into a saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Do NOT bring it to the boil or it will curdle and you’ll end up with scrambled egg! It just needs to thicken slightly.

Take it off the heat and stir in the tarragon.

Turn the sauce into a bowl, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the fridge an hour before serving and serve at room temperature along with the cooked fish.

This recipe does cheat somewhat as it uses a ready-made sauce that is widely available over Pesach. However, if you don’t want to use the tinned sauce you can make your own using 4 or 5 large beef tomatoes, a pack of sliced button mushrooms and 150 ml of chicken stock.

1 whole chicken cut into eight joints

1 heaped tbsp matzo meal

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion finely chopped

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

1 tin of Pesach tomato and mushroom sauce

1 red pepper de-seeded and finely chopped

150 ml red wine

225g stoned green olives

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 160 deg C / 325 deg F / Gas

Mark 3.

Skin the chicken and then coat with the matzo meal and season with salt and pepper – this is best done by shaking them together in a plastic bag.

UPSIDE DOWN CHOCOLATE PEAR AND ALMOND SPONGE:

In a large pan heat the oil and brown the joints all over. Remove the chicken and place in a large oven casserole dish.

In the remaining oil gently sauté the onion and garlic until soft and golden. Add the red pepper and stir for a few minutes until softened.

Pour over the tin of tomato and mushroom sauce and mix together well. Add the wine and simmer the sauce for a further 5 minutes. Then pour the sauce over the chicken joints so that they are half covered.

Cover the casserole dish with a lid and cook in the oven for around 40 minutes, basting once or twice. Uncover the dish and add the olives. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Recover and cook for a further 15 minutes.

This can be reheated in a low oven with a lid on as required.

It will keep well in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

This is lovely as a dessert served warm with ice cream, or as a cake with a cup of tea, when it tastes more like a chocolate brownie. Either way it’s delicious – and worth a try.

2 x 400g tins of pear halves or quarters in natural juice

200g caster sugar

200g unsalted butter

3 eggs

200g ground almonds

50g flaked almonds

25g cocoa (sifted)

2 tsp Passover baking powder

100g dark chocolate chips

You will need a 23cm square or spring-form deep cake tin, wellgreased or parchment lined. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C / 350 deg F / Gas Mark 5.

Drain the pears through a sieve over a bowl to catch the juices, then lay onto kitchen paper to soak up any excess moisture. Set the juices aside. Arrange the welldrained fruit in a pretty circular pattern into the

tin with the cut side facing upwards.

In a food processor or cake mixer, place the butter, sugar, eggs, ground almonds, cocoa and baking powder. Beat the mixture together until smooth and fluffy. Then add in 2 tablespoons of the pear juice, together with the flaked almonds and 2/3rd of the chocolate drops and stir together.

Scatter the remaining chocolate chips over the pear slices and then spoon the sponge mixture carefully onto the pears.

Bake for 50-55 minutes until risen and firm in the centre and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Run a knife around the sides of the cake and then leave to cool.

To reheat, leave in the tin, cover with foil and place in a warm oven during the meal until ready to serve.

To serve, turn the cake upside down onto a pretty plate so the pears are on the top.

A cool Purim at SWESRS

BY LIZI JACKSON-BARRETT

LAST Rosh Hashanah, as I sat in shul reflecting on the year I’d had and the year to come, I felt huge gratitude for everything good in my life. There was however, I realised, just one thing lacking… fun.

I was so busy being a good mum, wife, daughter and granddaughter, alongside running a business and doing everything else that grown-ups are meant to do, I’d stopped making room for my own enjoyment.

I resolved there and then to change this and, no doubt inspired by the setting that had brought about this revelation, I immediately decided to bring the Purim spiel back to South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue (SWESRS).

For many years I wrote and directed the annual SWESRS spiel, each time adapting a well-known musical. We’d done Oliver! (which became Esther!), Grease (Schmaltz) and, my personal favourite, My Fair Lady (My Fair Esther, in which Haman vowed to wipe out all the Cockneys in Shushan). But the last time I did it was eight years ago, before life took over and Purim dropped way down the priority list.

But this year we were back, and I had help in the shape of an assistant writer and director, Gavy Levy, who gave up his time in between studying for his GCSEs. I ran my idea past him, to base this year’s

spiel on the musical Frozen (now FrOYzen) and he was quickly on board. It turned out that we have a similar sense of humour, and spent a lot of time on Zoom laughing at each other’s scripts and finding ways to marry up this modern Disney story with the traditional Purim tale.

Rehearsals began at the start of January and brought together some of the ‘old faithfuls’ who’d been in all my previous spiels, and shul members who had never met each other previously. For me this was the part I’d missed most. This is where the fun really began.

As we learned the songs together; shared ideas for staging and costumes; and encouraged each other, unlikely friendships were formed. There were nearly 70 years between our oldest and youngest cast members.

We had people with lots of performing experience and others who had barely ever set foot on a stage. We had not one but two rabbis, and I even managed to rope in my dad and 13-year-old twins too.

By our final dress rehearsal, we were a long, long way from being perfect but this, I explained to my children, was the joy of Purim. When things go wrong in the spiel, I told them, it actually makes it better!

Sadly this turned out to be the epitome of being careful what you wish for.

On the morning of Erev Purim, the day of the big performance, our Haman phoned me to say he had Covid. This certainly wasn’t something we’d had to contend with when we did the spiels before, and we were so sad for him after all the work he’d put into rehearsing and perfecting his Scandinavian accent.

A few panicked phone calls later and Rabbi Lev Taylor had been promoted to the part of Svenman, the wicked reindeer. He rose to the occasion magnificently and saved the day as only a rabbi can.

When it was time for all our hard work to come together, we were thrilled that so many people had come to cheer (and boo) us on, from within the SWESRS community and beyond. For me it was even better than the spiels we’d performed years ago as I had the joy of kvelling at my children’s performances too.

SWESRS is a community that prides itself on its inclusivity. As I looked around at the joyful cast and audience, both of which were diverse in almost every way possible, coming together to laugh and celebrate, I thought to myself: “Mission accomplished.”

I’d set out to create fun and, with the help of my community, that’s exactly what I did. Now to think about next year. Esther Poppins, anyone?

Pictures by Mark Dalton

The FrOYzen Purim spiel at South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue

1. A fun drumming session followed the Megillah reading at Cranbrook United Synagogue.

2. A great time was had by all at the New Essex Masorti Synagogue Purim Party.

3. Epping Chabad hosted a packed Purim Extravaganza for all ages to enjoy and celebrate the festival together.

4. The Purim performers at East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue.

5. It was a ‘Very British Purim’ at Loughton Synagogue.

6. A happy audience at the Harlow Jewish Community Purim spiel.

7. A Sephardic Megillah at Ohel David Sephardi Synagogue, the only community of its kind in Essex.

8. Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg reads the Megillah at Woodford Forest United Synagogue.

10. Purim at Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue involved a Megillah reading, music quiz and children’s party.

11. Rivals united at the football themed Purim party at Woodford Forest United Synagogue.

12. A joint hamantashen bake between Southend & Westcliff Hebrew Congregation and the local Cheredi community.

13. One aspect of Purim at Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School was decorating and filling boxes of Mishloach Manot for

14.

16.

17.

18. Fancy dress at Clore Tikva Primary School.

19. Pupils at Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School celebrated Purim with a lively day of activities.

20. The theme at Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue was ‘Purim in the Shtetl’.

21. It was a Royal knees-up at Chabad Buckhurst Hill with more than 100 people taking part in their ‘Purim in the Palace’ event.

9. Mich Sampson dressed to impress while while chanting the Megillah for East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue on Zoom.

people in need.

A Spanish themed Purim Party at Chabad Gants Hill.

15. Members of Ilford Federation Synagogue enjoyed a colourful Purim evening event.

Southend’s Rabbi Geoffrey and Rebbetzin Michelle Hyman.

Students at King Solomon High School dressed up in a good cause - raising money for World Jewish Relief.

Pesach greetings to

wish all of our friends and supporters a very happy and healthy Pesach

On behalf of Executive Directors:

Rabbi Aryeh MBE & Devorah Sufrin of Chabad Gants Hill

Rabbi Odom & Henny Brandman of Chabad Buckhurst Hill

Rabbi Yossi & Rivka Posen of Chabad Epping

Rabbi Tzvi & Mushkie Birnhack of Southend-on-Sea

Gants Hill: www.chabadilford.co.uk

Buckhurst Hill: www.chabadonthehill.co.uk

Epping: www.chabadepping.co.uk

Westcliff-on-Sea: www.chabadsouthend.co.uk

Rabbi Goodwin, the Honorary Officers and Synagogue Council together with its Pre-School Nursery wish all readers of the Essex Jewish News a Happy and Healthy Pesach

the Community

Greetings from ROMFORD & DISTRICT (AFFILIATED) SYNAGOGUE

(Incorporating Havering Jewish Ladies) 25 EASTERN ROAD, ROMFORD, ESSEX RM1 3NH 01708 741690, 01708 748199 or 01708 765117

A Happy & Kosher Pesach from everyone at WOODFORD FOREST UNITED SYNAGOGUE

20 Churchfields, London E18 2QZ Telephone 020 8504 1990 www.wfus.org.uk

The Board of New Essex Masorti Synagogue

Wishes the community a hearty and happy Pesach 5783

חמש חספ גח

nemasorti@hotmail.com MODERN TRADITIONAL JUDAISM

Southend and District Reform Synagogue 851 London Road Westcliff-on-Sea Essex SS0 9SZ Telephone 01702 711663 www.southendreform.org.uk

The Executive and Council of Southend and District Reform Synagogue, together with Rabbi Warren Elf MBE, warmly wish the community and all readers a happy and healthy Pesach

Shabbat services are held weekly online or in person on alternate Saturday mornings at 10.30 am. Please contact the synagogue for details of online Friday night services.

R abbi Lee Sunderland, the Honorary Officers and Congregation wish everyone a Healthy Kosher Pesach

Headteacher: Mrs Margot Buller Chairman of Governors: Mrs Louise Dorl

Fullwell Avenue, Barkingside, Ilford Essex

IG6 2JN Telephone: 8551 1097 email: admin@cloretikva redbridge sch uk The

Pesach thoughts from our communal leaders

BY CHIEF RABBI EPHRAIM MIRVIS CHIEF RABBI OF THE UNITED HEBREW CONGREGATIONS OF THE COMMONWEALTH

THE

maror (bitter herbs) we eat during the Seder represents not only the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt, but also the inescapable presence of bitterness in every person’s journey through life. What we do with the maror is therefore a powerful

BY RABBI KATHLEEN MIDDLETON CO-CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY OF REFORM RABBIS AND CANTORS

PESACH is the festival of freedom par excellence. In recent years we have all experienced the depth of our

expression of our Jewish response to suffering.

By reciting a beracha over the maror, we acknowledge that blessing is to be found in the midst of the curse. Dipping the maror into charoset, a sweet paste of wine, nuts and fruit, we emphasise the bitter-sweet nature of life and the silver lining that every dark cloud has.

While the pessimist bemoans the bitterness that spoils our sweet experiences, the optimist celebrates the sweetness that softens the sharp edges of bitterness in our lives and provides us with opportunities for a life of hope and joy.

need for freedom. In the wake of the Covid pandemic, having suffered a series of lockdowns in which our movements and our ability to meet and freely interact with those most dear to us were severely restricted, we reflect on the importance of the human soul, our mental health and wellbeing to be free.

Freedom, however, comes in different guises. Whereas we are free to gather again, we live in a

RABBI ARYEH SUFRIN MBE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHABAD LUBAVITCH NORTH EAST LONDON AND ESSEX

IN the Haggadah, the stanza beginning: Rabbi Elazar the son of Azaryah said…. He quotes a teaching from Ben Zoma taught from a passage found in Deuteronomy, “that you should remember the day you left Egypt all the days of your life”, and explains, “the days of your life” to include “days”, all the days of your life to include “nights”.

It is here that the Haggadah points to the greatness of the Exodus from Egypt, that even after leaving Egypt, there is a legal obligation to remember the Exodus both by day and night.

But why? The Exodus indeed plays an important milestone in our People’s history, marked by the Seder. We get together each year with our family and friends, to recall the great miracles performed for us.

We eat foods, drink wine, symbolic of both slavery and freedom, but why the whole year around, day and night?

The reason for this is that the Exodus from Egypt is a “major foundation and strong pillar within our To-

The 19th century German scholar, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, gave a most profound interpretation of King David’s desperate cry (Psalm 22:2) Keli Keli, lama azavtani? –My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Rabbi Hirsch points out that the Hebrew lama (why?) can also be read as lema (wherefore?). King David was calling out Heavenwards: For what purpose, God, have you given me this agony? What must I now accomplish as a result of it?

On Pesach, we recall that the Korban Pesach, the Paschal Lamb offering,

world less secure than the world from which we locked ourselves away during that time. One of these insecurities is the cost-of-living crisis, which so many of our families feel acutely today.

This uncertainty has become the latest restriction on our freedom, for poverty limits choice. The monotony of low-cost meals affects mental wellbeing as much as physical health. Indeed, food itself can become a source of affliction as we

had to be a lamb, which was deified by the Egyptians. We took the very essence of idolatrous practice and used it to thank Hashem for redeeming us. A similar message is conveyed by our production of matzah, which must be made from grains, which, when fermented, become chametz. What can spoil our festival is used to celebrate it!

Viktor Frankl, the Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, believed that suffering is an inescapable part of human life, which can be given meaning and purpose according to the way we choose to

allude to at the beginning of the Pesach Haggadah when we refer to the matza on our table as lachma anya (bread of affliction).

We say: ‘This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the Land of Egypt… Let all who are hungry come and eat.”

The inherent contradiction in this passage is also our greatest lesson in freedom. In times of plenty, it seems incongruous to invite the hungry to partake

thought.

respond to it.

This is the spirit in which our communities have responded so admirably, with tenacity and determination, to move forward positively following the Covid pandemic. Yet, the world today still feels particularly fragile and precarious. The impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis and serious mental health issues have devastated numerous lives.

On my visits to communities around the UK, I have been deeply impressed by the way in which communities have adapted and responded to such

of a meal that consists of ‘the bread of affliction’.

Do we really want to invite guests to our table to offer them matza – the bread of poverty and affliction, don’t we want to offer them a better meal?

Yet in times of scarcity, this passage becomes one of the most astounding examples of moral freedom. Matza is not only the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate, but also stands for our own struggles too.

extraordinary adversity, often enhanced by funding from our Project Welcome initiatives. Today, countless communities provide unprecedented levels of support for the financial, emotional and psychological needs of their members.

So, this Pesach I would like to thank you all for your wonderful communal achievements, which have been accomplished under the most trying of circumstances.

Thank you for adding the charoset to our maror!

Valerie joins me in wishing you all a Chag Kasher Vesameach.

It’s the open invitation to come and share our own meagre meal with us, which becomes an act of freedom and of dignity. A choice to share when we have so little ourselves, a conscious decision not to become enslaved by our circumstances, but to make those of others a little better. May we all continue to find inspiration and strength in our tradition through these challenging times.

rah and our faith”, which introduced the whole concept of “redemption”, that Jews left the state of slavery and became intrinsically free.

But what does this freedom actually mean?

What is its long-term purpose? In practical terms, Exodus means freedom of the soul from the confines and “imprisonment” of the body represented by the world at large. This enables us to achieve a total unity with G-d through our study and observance of His commandments. Since this theme is so central to our very being, there is a directive to “remember the day that you left Egypt ALL the days of your life”.

The Exodus is our story, our ongoing journey each and every day, to release us from the “confines” which stifles the “freedom” we continue to strive to achieve in our Spiritual journey to connect with our true inner self, and in turn our unity with G-d. Indeed, a whole year’s work both day and night.

Wishing you and yours a very happy and kosher Pesach.

BY RABBI REBECCA BIRK AND RABBI DR RENE PFERTZEL CO-CHAIRS OF THE CONFERENCE OF LIBERAL RABBIS AND CANTORS (COLRAC)

PURIM and Pesach are just a few weeks apart, and yet, their dealings with the enemies of Israel are so different.

On Purim, after the Jews overcame the existential threat of complete annihilation, they killed thousands of enemies without any second

BY RABBI RONI TABICK RABBI OF NEW STOKE NEWINGTON MASORTI SYNAGOGUE

AROUND this time of year, I realise just how much of my diet consists of different kinds of bread and pasta.

Whether bagels, challah or pizza, I tend to eat quite a lot of chametz during the year which can make switching over to Pesach a bit tricky. Matzah is lovely for the first

However, when the Egyptians drowned in the Sea of Reeds, after the Children of Israel managed to get across the waters, God said to the angels who were about to break into songs after seeing that event: “How dare you sing for joy when my creatures are dying?” (Megillah 10b and Sanhedrin 39b).

This is why we take a drop of wine at the recitation of each of the 10 plagues during the Haggadah. How to respond to violence?

It seems that for some violence is the answer, whereas for others, it is compassion.

Among the Jewish people, there are those who follow the commandments to blot out Amalek and de-

day or two, but it isn’t as versatile and filling as bread.

So why do we make that switch?

You probably know the story of our ancestors fleeing Egypt without time to let their bread rise, but we read in Exodus 12 and 13 that the Israelites will have to eat Matzah weeks before they leave Egypt, which seems to give them plenty of time! Is there a deeper meaning?

In the Talmud (Berachot 17a), Rabbi Alexandri’s prayer is quoted: “Ruler of the Universe, it is revealed and known before You that our will is to perform Your will, and what prevents us? the yeast in the dough, and the subjugation to

stroy our enemies, and those who follow God’s outcry and show mercy to the enemies.

This choice between violence and compassion does not mean that one should avoid a conflict at all costs. Sometimes, conflict is unavoidable. How we decide of its outcome is a matter of ethical choice. We know that violence feeds violence, and to end the cycle of violence and more violence, one must make the brave choice to find another route.

On Pesach, the Israeli Knesset is breaking up for the festival. At the time we write these lines, we cannot foresee the endgame of the standoff between the government, that tries to limit the power of the Supreme

the kingdoms.”

It seems to me that Rabbi Alexandri is contrasting two forces that stop us from doing the right thing. The external factors (the subjugation) and the internal factors (yeast in the dough). It just takes a little yeast, a little time, and dough swells up and becomes huge, puffed up full of hot air. So too it is with us, that we can easily become puffed up with pride and hot air, full of ourselves, slaves to our own ego.

The truth is that we all need a bit of ego to get us through the hardships of life. We need the self-confidence to face rejection, to put ourselves through difficult situations. Most of the year

Court, and the demonstrations against this blatant attack against democracy.

One thing is sure, the soul of modern Israel is at stake.

On the one end, those who remember Amalek and adopt a strong stance against anyone who opposes their views. On the other, those who remember that one should not rejoice over the sufferings of our enemies.

During the night of the Seder, when we take 10 drops of wine, we must decide on which side of the ethical debate we stand. Do we want a fierce, uncompromising Judaism, or do we understand Judaism as a path of compassion and peace?

there’s no problem with eating chametz.

But once a year, we try to flatten our egos and deflate our sense of selves. Like the matzah which does not rise, we need to find our humility, recognise that we are not the centre of the universe, and that we rely on God and each other to make it through this world.

Matzah is the bread of affliction - and flattening our own egos can feel like affliction. But Matzah is also the bread of freedom, and ultimately, defeating your ego is a kind of self-liberation, and will enable you to turn back to your creator with an open heart.

A Rosh Hashanah message from the President

PESACH MESSAGE - NISAN 5783

past year has been a difficult one for the Jewish community. Like the rest of the country, we have had to cope with disruption, and for many, the heartbreak of the ongoing pandemic. On top of this we have also had to deal with a frightening upsurge in anti-Jewish racism.

ThisAt Pesach, we celebrate the freedom of the Jewish people. It is a joyous festival but it is also the time of year when we recall the suffering of our forefathers and how they fought against and triumphed over adversity.

This year, the cost-of-living crisis means many of us are experiencing real financial hardship. However, as our experience over thousands of years demonstrates, being part of a community means that no one has to suffer alone. We showed through the pandemic that we are stronger together and we can help each other now too, at home and abroad.

When there is conflict in the Middle East there are usually consequences for Jews in the UK but this year what we experienced was beyond anything I can remember. Antisemitic incidents rose by 500 per cent and none of us will forget the convoy of cars driving through our streets with shouted threats and misogynistic abuse plus other well documented attacks.

For the past year we have witnessed the awful trauma of Ukrainians who have been forced to defend their country from Russian aggression. We, at the Board of Deputies have supported the wonderful efforts of World Jewish Relief to help those who are suffering. We have worked hard to coordinate the available resources from the Jewish community to help Ukrainians in the most effective ways. Sadly, a new humanitarian tragedy has also hit Turkey and Syria in the form of a massive earthquake. Again, we support community efforts to help those most in need.

In the past year, the Board of Deputies successfully held the BBC to account for its inaccurate and irresponsible reporting of an antisemitic attack against a group of Jewish teenagers on a bus in Oxford Street, the Board of Deputies lodged a formal complaint with Ofcom. The Ofcom investigation ruled that the BBC’s coverage failed to observe editorial guidelines on both impartiality and accuracy and that it had made a serious editorial misjudgement.

This is intolerable and the Board of Deputies acted quickly to ensure that the Government was aware and prepared to take whatever measures were needed. The Jewish community held meetings with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel. I called for the proscription of Hamas in its entirety. We also called for the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism by social media companies and their new regulator Ofcom. I am glad to report that the Government has now written to social media companies to request them to adopt the IHRA definition.

For many years Stephen Sizer, a rogue Anglican vicar, had been posting egregious material online. Last year, as a result of complaints by the Board of Deputies, a Church of England Tribunal ruled that Sizer had on one occasion “engaged in antisemitic activity” as well as “conduct unbecoming” of a Church of England Minister and conduct that “provoked and offended” the Jewish community over a sustained period. He has now been banned for serving as a Church of England Minister until 2030.

While the epidemic has ebbed and flowed we have worked with the Government to share important messages in order to keep everybody safe and we have advised on safe numbers for prayer and religious occasions. We have also had the sad but necessary duty of collating numbers of deaths. Our community has enthusiastically embraced the vaccine which is one of the main reasons why numbers of deaths has been mercifully few in the past few months.

Through our Local Government Seminars, we have educated local and regional politicians about the Jewish community and its concerns, enabling them to gain a better understanding of our community. We have also relaunched the Jewish Living Experience Exhibition which will be travelling around the country educating children and adults about the Jewish way of life. And we are soon to be launching a ground-breaking online secondary school programme about the Jewish people, antisemitism, and how to be an ally against Jew-hatred.

We continue to celebrate the good news of the Abraham Accords for the Middle East. Last year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak addressed a diplomatic reception which celebrated the second anniversary of the Abraham Accords which normalised relations between Israel, Bahrain, the UAE and Morocco and which gives hope to the entire region.

Those who know the Board of Deputies will understand we work on a diverse set of issues. It is impossible to list everything in a short message. However, I will give a mention to the Commission on Racial Inclusivity which reported this year and which made 119 recommendations, with profound implications for UK Jews. I would also like to thank all the new organisations which have joined this year, making us even more representative of the community. We will continue to work just as hard on your behalf in the coming year.

This is but a snapshot of the extensive and varied work the Board of Deputies does on behalf of us all to protect our religious freedoms and our way of life. Whatever your interests or concerns as a Jew, the Board of Deputies is here for you.

Pesach Sameach to you and your families from everyone at the Board of Deputies.

Shana Tovah

Marie van der Zyl OBE President, Board of Deputies of British Jews

Marie van der Zyl President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews

40 years of Chabad

READERS under a certain age won’t remember life before the arrival of Chabad Lubavitch in Essex.

For it was 40 years ago, shortly after they got married, that Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin MBE and Rebbetzin Devorah Sufrin arrived in Gants Hill and started a quiet revolution.

They came as emissaries of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe with the goal to enhance, complement and add a new and different dimension to Jewish life in our region.

In an exclusive interview with the Essex Jewish News, to celebrate this special double 40th anniversary, they told us how they ended up in Gants Hill, despite having offers to go to New York, California or Montreal.

Rabbi Sufrin said: “I was living the American dream studying and working in New Jersey, so a return to the UK was the last thing on my mind.

“But this was our destiny. My late parents, Reverend Aron Dov and Henny Sufrin, had moved here seven years earlier and were already laying the foundations for the network of Chabad Centres. I realised my future lay in nurturing the seeds

they had planted.”

Manchester-born Rebbetzin Sufrin, a trained therapist and teacher, had a traditional Orthodox upbringing. She told us: “I felt myself drawn to Chabad because it caters for every Jew, bringing them together with its sense of freedom in an ever-changing world.”

On arrival there was not yet a Chabad Centre, so the couple put all their energy and enthusiasm into supporting existing community activities such as running barmitzvah classes at Beehive Lane, Newbury Park and other chederim, teaching at Ilford Jewish Primary School and running a popular Sunday teenage centre.

They also trained as licenced counsellors, allowing them to help those in need of education or in crisis from drug and alcohol abuse.

As well as holding part-time positions at the former Westham United Synagogue, in Earlham Grove, and Clayhall United Synagogue, then located inside Sinclair House, the couple made the decision to establish the first official Chabad Centre in Essex.

The first premises they used was behind a shopfront on Gants Hill’s

Cranbrook Road. With membership and enthusiasm continuing to flourish, though, finding somewhere larger became a priority.

Hence the move in 2000 to the present modern building on the Eastern Avenue, with enviable facilities, that serves not only Chabad members but the wider community too.

One thing Chabad is known for is always being in touch with the needs of the people around them.

Realising that ever-growing dangers of substance abuse was ruining young Jewish lives, as much as in any other community, they set up the pioneering charity Drugsline.

Established in 1989, the first of its kind in the local Jewish community, it has helped thousands of people struggling with addiction. Drugsline’s work was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II, who presented Rabbi Sufrin with an MBE in 2009.

Another challenge tackled by Chabad is food poverty. Rebbetzin Sufrin was determined to help individuals and families, of all backgrounds and denominations, after finding so many were suffering. The project began five years

ago and the need has been intensified by the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

She told us: “Our food bank now provides hot soup and food packages to the homeless in the area, as well as weekly deliveries of Shabbat meals for those who are isolated or in need.”

Speaking about the way that Chabad operates, the couple explained that the organisation doesn’t have traditional synagogue buildings but Chabad Centres where everyone is welcome and can reach out in friendship for prayer, with social activities to suit every need including clubs, study groups, day camps, a nursery and more.

Being active in the wider community is also a priority and here Rabbi Sufrin, now Essex’s longest serving active rabbi, works closely with local leaders, councillors and MPs in order to provide what is most needed.

Chabad first came to wider awareness when he organised the giant menorah on Gants Hill roundabout to attract admiring crowds for three weeks in bleak midwinter. Now menorahs are lit all over the country, with him telling us: “We call them Jewish peace lights which

can only bring good.”

The couple’s five children are all Ilford-born but today only their youngest daughter still lives at home, the others scattered in such far-flung places as Florida, New York, Israel and even Mill Hill!

Rabbi Sufrin told us: “The Chabad network is unbelievable, wherever you find yourself in the world and there is always a welcoming open house. One of our sons went to Thailand after serving in the Israeli army and said there’s a massive centre even there - good for us to know when they’re so far away.”

As I was chatting to Rebbetzin Sufrin, a member, Lisa Starr, arrived to help bake hamantaschen, so I asked her whether Chabad had enhanced her own life.

“Yes, 100 per cent” was her immediate reply. “If you are looking for some meaning in your life, as I was five years ago, the warm, friendly welcome here and sense of belonging will mean everything.”

Four decades is a long time, but for this remarkable couple retirement is not an option. They told us that they see their role in Essex as a lifetime commitment.

Changes, as always, are afoot. Chabad has never stood still and always works to give members what they are looking for. In recent years expansion plans began in earnest as they realised how many Redbridge members were moving out to leafier Essex areas or even the seaside.

So, they set their sights on opening attractive new Chabad Centres in Buckhurst Hill and, most recently, Epping and Southend, which are all developing apace. Other locations are already in the planning stage, so watch this space. It’s fitting that Rabbi Sufrin’s official title is executive director of Chabad North East London and Essex.

As he concluded: “We’ll always belong here but nothing stays the same. The Gants Hill Centre is now well established and can be built on and strengthened by others.

We will continue to support our new and growing centres and their dedicated team of Chabad emissaries, whilst mapping and meeting the needs of the growing Jewish communities across Essex who have migrated from the centre of Redbridge and Ilford.”

Pat Lidiker talks to Rabbi Aryeh and Rebbetzin Devorah Sufrin about a very special double 40th anniversary

OBITUARIES

IAN BERKOFF

Born: 16 July 1948

Died: 1 February 2023

MUCH praise has been heaped, rightly, on the army of volunteers over the years who have made the Redbridge Jewish Community Centre (RJCC) a success story.

But that success could not have come about without the diligence, enthusiasm and ability of many managers at the Centre. Ian Berkoff was such a manager.

A highly respected individual – approachable, inventive and with a deep knowledge of the Jewish community – he served with distinction and was the manager at Sinclair House at the

time it amalgamated with Jewish Care.

There have been many tributes to Ian Berkoff including one from Phillip Leigh, life president of the RJCC, who said: “Without the help and encouragement of Ian, I would certainly never have stayed the course of my chairmanship of Sinclair House. He was one of my very special mentors, and from his example, countless people such as myself helped the Centre to be what it was and what it will be when it reopens in 2025.”

After retiring, Ian applied himself to his new

CHARLES JACKSON

Born: 10 August 1928

Died: 19 January 2023

mode of life with his usual thoroughness, moving to Bakewell in 2013 with his wife Ann Treneman. He had been hiking and cycling in the Peak District for many decades but now, as a resident, he could explore the countryside even further. Ian also loved to fish and also learned to play the bass guitar.

He and Ann enjoyed travelling, especially to Yorkshire and Scotland, as well as the United States.

He is survived by Ann and brothers David Berkley and Michael Berkoff.

• OBITUARY BY MANNY ROBINSON

CHARLES JACK-

SON was one of Harlow Jewish Community’s first members and it is thanks to him that the Reform synagogue was built and still thrives today.

Charles single-handedly raised the money for the building, which was consecrated in 1987.

He was born in Hackney, one of eight siblings. He met his wife Cecily White in 1950 and they married the following year. They had three children, Ian, Karen and Darryl.

The Jacksons moved to Harlow in 1956 and

immediately became involved in the Jewish community. Cecily died suddenly in 1965 and was the first person buried in the Jewish part of the town’s Parndon Wood Cemetery, which Charles had been instrumental in obtaining

Over the years Charles was secretary, treasurer, chair and president of the community. With breaks, he was chair for a total of 28 years. He also led Friday night services for many years.

As well as raising the money for the initial synagogue building, he

also fundraised for an extension a few years later.

Quite simply, without Charles, the many congregants of Harlow Jewish Community might not have been sitting in that very place earlier this year both mourning his loss and celebrating his life and achievements.

He is survived by daughter Karen and son-in-law Larry, and son Darryl and daughter-in-law Kuzna. Ian predeceased him two years ago.

• OBITUARY BY LORRAINE KIRK

Ian Berkoff with wife Ann

Charles Jackson

Essex producer has a hit with his harrowing first film

BY MANNY ROBINSON

CHIGWELL resident Richard Hart can look back with satisfaction that the £750,000 or so of his own cash that he poured into producing his first movie was money well spent.

Well spent because his film, Big Boys Don’t Cry, is successfully competing with the best of Netflix – being listed as the streaming platform’s third top movie in the UK over Christmas after Glass Onion and Knives Out, both of which cost over £35 million to make. What’s more, it is shining a light on one of the darkest moments in our region’s history.

Big Boys Don’t Cry is the harrowing story of Paul Connolly, abandoned in a dustbin as a twoweek-old baby and then later abused with other children in the notorious St Leonard’s Childrens’ Home in Hornchurch.

The Home closed in 1984 but its horrors were not exposed until the mid1990s, with the children from St Leonard’s suffering in silence as they grew into adults.

The film has been well received, receiving a 93% audience approval rating on the influential Rotten Tomatoes website and 4.75 stars from Netflix viewers. The comments on Facebook have described how moved people were by the movie, describing it as “so so sad” and leaving me in tears”.

Big Boys Don’t Cry

stars This Is England’s Michael Socha and is based on the best seller Not Normal by Paul Connolly.

It was adapted by Steve Crowhurst, who also directs the film.

Richard first met Paul, now a trainer and therapist, when he came to his Chigwell home to help Richard’s wife Jo with her back problems. They have become good friends.

“As I heard more and more about Paul’s story, I knew we had to get it out there,” said Richard.

St Leonard’s was a brutal environment in which systematic sexual and physical abuse of young boys and girls was ever present. Six of the eight boys who lived in Paul’s dormitory are now dead, either by suicide or drug overdose. A multi-year police investigation subsequently led to at least three of the abusers being sent to prison.

With such a difficult subject, Richard admitted that making the film took

a toll. But it was Paul’s story of resilience and, ultimately, love, which compelled him to produce the movie.

Richard, now 53, was born in Hackney and made his money buying property after purchasing his first house at the tender age of 19. He and Jo have three grown up children and a grandchild.

His success in the property market enabled him to become an investor and bankroll the movie. In an interview with the magazine West Essex Life, he said: “I got some advice from a friend of a friend who had made a film. He said ‘whatever you do don’t put your money into it’ which is exactly what I did! I’m everything you are not meant to do in the industry. I went in head first. I got a few investors, but not many at all. I knew nothing about film making.

“I’ve learned the hard way with mistakes that

I purchased music that wasn’t suitable for the film, which cost £7,000 for just one track. One scene, which was cut, cost around £60,000.

“The journey has been long, exhaustive and expensive and a less determined person might have given up, especially as Covid struck just as the team were about to

promote the film.

“But my personality is that I never give up. I just go all out.’’

And as the film continues to receive glowing reviews, Richard adds: “It’s not bad for a first effort.”

• Big Boys Don’t Cry is available to watch on Netflix, as well as to rent or buy on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

All going swimmingly for local hero Lark

BY PAT LIDIKER

WHY has this month been different from all other months for Clore Tikva Primary School pupil Henry Newman and his mum and co-author Natalie?

They’ve never been interviewed on BBC TV before, and that’s just for starters.

It’s been all systems go since the Essex Jewish News ran an exclusive on the launch of their latest children’s book, Lark the Shark and Wonda the Whale, in our Chanukah issue.

Their first event took place on World Book Day with a joint interview on BBC London News followed by a whistle stop tour of local schools, libraries and other venues.

Natalie is now in the intricate process of contacting producers to turn their stories, of which others are now in the pipeline, into a TV series which, she admits, would be her dream, The mum and son began putting their ideas for the first book together during lockdown, their theme highly topical as their smiley, friendly shark

sets about conserving the oceans and ridding them of litter and toxic substances. Wonda the Whale is one of the friends who swims along to help.

During the TV interview Natalie wasn’t ashamed to admit that she shed tears of joy when the book was accepted by the first publisher they approached.

Henry’s teacher at Clore Tikva, Natalie Saville, told us: “The children learn all about the dangers of pollution and conservation at school but this is no real surprise to any of us as Henry has always had a way with English and words”.

The Newmans live in Romford where Henry’s father Adam, an IT engi-

neer, is equally chuffed. He said: “I’m extremely proud of Natalie and Henry now their dream has become a reality.”

Their younger son, Leo, too, is enjoying all the excitement and says his mum has also spoken with him about writing stories together in the future.

While Henry is at school Natalie – a hairdresser with boundless energy – does book readings and talks on her own during school hours. She recently went to Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary

School to read the book in interactive assemblies and says: “The children really enjoyed it and I’ll be going back there to read our next one.”

The Lark the Shark books are available online from Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith, Foyles most good bookshops or you’ll find them in your local library.

• To find out more or arrange a visit to your school, library and youth group, Natalie can be contacted on natalie.newman@ helpmenewman.com.

Film producer Richard Hart

Natalie and Henry Newman on BBC London

Natalie takes questions after her book reading at WIJPS

Paul Connolly (right) with Detective Inspector Daniel O’Malley, who led the investigation into St Leonard’s

Former St Leonard’s children’s home in Hornchurch Picture courtesy of Historic England

Turning Mercury into gold

RUN REBEL ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

BY SIMON ROTHSTEIN

A photo history of Gants Hill

BY MICAELA BLITZ

WHEN us Essex dwellers think of a night out at the theatre, our thoughts almost always turn to London’s West End.

But we have a number of gems right here in our own county, not least Colchester’s Mercury Theatre.

The first thing you notice on arrival is just how beautiful the surrounding area is. The backdrop to the theatre is Colchester’s ancient walls and castle, truly magical when lit up at night.

Parking is easy in the local multi-storey and there are lots of great restaurants and bars nearby, as well in the theatre itself, for a preshow refreshment.

I took my 12-year-old daughter to see Run Rebel – an adaptation of the critically acclaimed book of the same name by Manjeet Mann.

This was a co-pro-

duction by the Mercury along with the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Derby Theatre and York Theatre Royal as part of a drive to get more young people through the door.

And it certainly worked. The first thing my daughter noticed on arrival was how many people there were a similar age to her. The theatre was full of families and school groups. All of them loved what they then saw.

Directed by Tessa Walker, Run Rebel tells the story of Amber (played by Jessica Kaur) with the supporting cast (Pushpinder Chani, Asha Kingsley, Simran Kular, Hannah Millward and Kiran Raywilliams) each taking on a number of roles as family members, teachers and friends.

Amber, like many in the audience, is a teenager trying to find her place in the world. There’s a boy she is secretly in love with, a

school life she is trying to navigate and religious rules that she is seeking to blend with modern life.

Then there are her struggles. An alcoholic and abusive father who targets both her and her mother, the sister who escaped but only into an arranged marriage and her dad’s taunts of beatings and even murder should she break his rules.

The rules are so strict that Amber is not allowed to do anything outside of school, even a visit to McDonald’s is fraught with danger. Her passion and talent is running, but her father is seeking even to put an end to that.

These struggles bring out her dark side, as she grows deeply jealous of friends and picks on a classmate.

What then follows is Amber’s bid to get back on track in both meanings of the phrase.

Inspired by two

teachers – one in history class and another on the running course – she builds her own personal revolution.

Teaching her mother how to read and write English, and getting her sister on board, Amber bids for freedom.

This is a show that is packed full of tension and power. You can feel Amber’s claustrophobia and, literally, hear her thoughts. There are lots of lighter moments too with plenty of laughter and a fitting and uplifting ending.

Sadly, due to a very limited schedule, Run Rebel is no longer in theatres. But if you have a child aged 11-18, I would definitely buy them the book and keep an eye on listings should the show return.

In the meantime, the Colchester Mercury Theatre has other great productions on right now and is certainly worth a visit!

ALOCAL businessman with a love for Gants Hill is sharing his passion in a new book, due for release in May.

Gants Hill: A History in Photographs produced by graphic designer Vincent Goodman and Jef Page, President of the Ilford Historical Society, is the first book of its kind focusing specifically on the area.

In more than 180 photographs, it shows the development of Gants Hill stretching back to the turn of the last century. In the early 1900s, the area was mainly farmland but by the 1930s it had become a major commuter suburb and has seen many other transformations since.

Vincent grew up in Gants Hill and has owned Speedprint on Cranbrook Road since 1983. He has always had a fascination with the history of the area, collecting old photographs for 35 years – but it was not until lockdown that he found a way to share them with others.

In August 2020, he set up the ‘Gants Hill’ Facebook group to share his photographs. The group, which now boasts more than 7,000 members is a platform to share stories and memories of the area.

After seeing the reaction to his photographs, Vincent felt that a book about the history of Gants Hill would be of interest, and he approached The History Press who agreed.

To compile the book Vincent teamed up with lecturer and tour guide Jef. Through his involvement with the Ilford Historical Society, he knows a lot about the area, and is an experienced freelance speaker and writer on a variety of historical topics.

The photographs in the book are accompanied with captions carefully researched by Vincent and Jef, highlighting the rich cultural history of the area.

The book is available for pre-order through Amazon and all good book sellers and is due to be released on 4 May.

Jef Page and Vincent Goodman with their new book

A picture of Gants Hill in 1953 from the book. Photo courtesy and copyright of the Redbridge Museum and Heritage Centre

The many faces of Amber ... with the boy she is in love with, the family she wants to help escape and the girl she picks on

Holocaust Memorial Day SOUTHEND

BY GEOFFREY PEPPER

CHELMSFORD BY STAN KELLER

AS chair of the Chelmsford Jewish Community, I have been organising and chairing Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) commemorations in the city for the past 16 years.

I began this year’s event by welcoming the Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Essex, Susie Cornell, the Mayor of Chelmsford Cllr Sue Dobson and the evening’s guest speaker, Susie Barnett BEM. A plethora of Susies one might say.

it is that generation who must carry forward the message that the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides should never be forgotten. I was, therefore, very pleased that the majority of the participants were of this age group.

MORE than 300 people attended the annual Holocaust Memorial Day event put on by Southend Borough Council in close partnership with the region’s Jewish community.

Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman introduced 90 years young, grandma Janine Webber BEM, revealing that Janine suffered in silence because it was only 18 years ago that she started to tell her story.

Janine recounted her journey from Lvov, Poland, now a City in Ukraine. She told of the harrowing plight of her family. Her father, grandmother and

other members of her family were all murdered at the hands of the Nazis. Her seven-year-old brother was shot by a German soldier. She lost her mother, who was just 29, to typhus when in the ghetto. Janine survived for a year hidden in a hole.

There was also a presentation by Evelyne Raphael, a Holocaust survivor, now living in Southend. Evelyne was born outside Paris in 1939. She, with her brother and parents were able to survive with the help of local people. Evelyne described how the French Militia helped the Nazis. Twenty-one

LOUGHTON

THE recently formed Epping Forest Memorial Educational Trust commemorated National Holocaust Memorial Day with a gathering of some 75 attendees at The Trust’s newly acquired site adjacent to the Loughton Library.

The Trust was given this small area of land by Epping Forest Council for the erection of a permanent Memorial to the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in

members of her family were sent to Auschwitz. Only four came out alive.

The event also included moving music provided by the Southend Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs, a reflection from the Mayor of Southend, Councillor Kevin Robinson, and an exhibition dealing with major historical aspects of the Holocaust as well as original photographs, arts and documents.

Following the ceremony, outside Westcliff Library, Southend’s annual poignant holocaust memorial tree planting ceremony took place outside Westcliff Library.

BY PHILLIP LEIGH

the genocides which have followed.

The Trust’s legal representative Richard Cohen compered the ceremony introducing Loughton’s Town Mayor Barbara Cohen, who gave a moving address.

The actual memorial will be erected on the site as soon as planning permission has been obtained later this year. A design, by local artist Charlotte Posner, is based on the 30 ‘Windermere Boys’ who, as children of the Kinder-

transport, were housed in the Mansion Holmehurst still standing in Loughton and now the home of Richard and Wendy Higgins.

The ceremony was concluded by Rabbi Yanky Abrams, of Loughton Chigwell and District Synagogue, who recited traditional Hebrew memorial prayers along with the congregation’s recital of the 23rd Psalm in English.

A final tribute came from the Trust’s chairman Howard Kaufman.

REDBRIDGE BY SIMON ROTHSTEIN

REDBRIDGE Council marked Holocaust Memorial Day with a special ceremony at the Holocaust Memorial Garden in Valentines Park.

The service gave the opportunity for local people across the borough to remember those who died in the Holocaust, as well as all those who lost their lives in

subsequent genocides in Bosnia, Cambodia, Rwanda, Kosovo and Darfur.

Susan Pollack MBE, a Holocaust survivor, shared her experiences during the Holocaust and spoke about the importance of these remembrance events.

Following the service, there was a special performance and exhibition at Valentines Mansion

The theme of this year’s HMD was ‘Ordinary People’ and I emphasised that not only were the innocent victims of this worst of all genocides ordinary people, but that the perpetrators, the Nazis, were no more than just that. Ordinary people diverse in how they demonstrate their ordinariness. Some collaborated and aided the Nazis, some helped Jewish people and many just stayed silent.

There followed a series of spoken and musical pieces delivered. It was my intention that young people should play an important part in the proceedings, for

The evening’s principal speaker, Susie Barnett BEM, related ‘My Start in Nazi Germany’, telling of her history as a child of no more than two when the war began. She spoke of how her parents experienced the commencement of the Nazi regime when Hitler came to power in 1933 and of how her father was interned for a period of nine months in Sachsenhausen concentration camp during which time Susie, his youngest child was born and whom he first saw when he was released. This estrangement from his daughter continued when he was given four weeks in which to flee to Argentina where he remained for nine years.

Susie’s story of the deprivation and cruelty, the constant fear in which she

and her mother and siblings lived and the barbaric treatment of Jews, although not unknown to many of us, was nevertheless still as chilling and upsetting as though we were hearing it for the first time. When Susie had finished her story, the appreciation of her audience was very evident.

The sombre mood following the telling of her story continued as memorial candles were lit, the last of which by Susie herself accompanied by her grandson. This was followed by a message from Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, read by Anthony Shapiro, a member of the Chelmsford Jewish community.

I then recited Kaddish before my concluding remarks, unfortunately, the theme of which was again the rise of antisemitism both in the UK and around the world. Although, as in previous years, I am at pains to point out that in Essex there are realtively few acts of antisemitism or cases of other forms of discrimination, whether through colour, religion, gender or disability.

KING SOLOMON HIGH SCHOOL

BY LAURA MARKS

Gardens, which gave an emotional understanding of how a young survivor coped during World War Two.

The leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Jas Athwal, said: “We must never forget the devastation of the Holocaust and continue the fight to end the antisemitism and hatred that led to such suffering.”

A full hall listened respectfully to Lady Zahava Kohn’s inspiring life story, as shared by her daughter Hephzi, and interacted with gusto at the follow up workshop on lessons from the Holocaust.

This was the first talk Hephzi has given at King Solomon since her inspirational mother passed away last summer.

YEAR 12 students from Oaks Park, Seven Kings, West Hatch and Woodford

County High joined a Holocaust Memorial Day seminar at King Solomon High School.

Susie Barnett and her grandson light a memorial candle at the Chelmsford HMD commemoration

Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman Rabbi of Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation and Mayor Kevin Robinson plant a memorial tree - photo by Alan Gershlick

Students from various schools across Redbridge came together for HMD at King Solomon

Lessons from Auschwitz

West Hatch High School pupil Charley Sands on a life-changing day in Poland

AS a participant in the ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ programme, run by the Holocaust Educational Trust, I was part of a day trip to Poland that included tours of both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, as well as its related memorials and museums.

Although this was a sombre, difficult and intense experience for me as a young Jewish woman, I feel very grateful that I was able to witness the remains of a barbaric, immoral and destructive moment of history – and to be able to understand exactly why events like the Holocaust should never be repeated, to any minority group.

To start the trip, we visited the city of Oświęcim. Before the Holocaust, 58 per cent of its inhabitants were Jewish. We visited the market square, which would have been both a social and financial essential for the inhabitants of this town, where people of all faiths and backgrounds could mix, buy and sell without any disturbances because of race or culture between them.

That made it all the more daunting that, by 1940, this town would be home to three major concentration and death camps, targeting Jewish people as well as other minority groups including Roma, LGBTQ and disabled people.

We also viewed the remains of the original synagogue, which surprisingly, stood right next to the main church of the city. This presented a positive message of equality within this city pre-war, showing how well the Jewish community were respected, creating a disturbing parallel when we then went on to visit the museum inside

Auschwitz.

Inside the blocks in Auschwitz I, there were displays of all the possessions left behind by people who were sent to the camps. These included spectacles, suitcases, crockery and even pairs of shoes. This really disturbed me as it revealed the reality of the six million people of Jewish heritage murdered in the Holocaust, who had to abandon their entire history and livelihoods at the hands of the barbaric Nazi regime.

It was here that I was suddenly hit with extreme emotions of both sorrow and guilt. Although, as both a history A level student and an avid reader about the Holocaust and Holocaust survivors, I was far from prepared for what I witnessed on this trip. I also realised the importance of witnessing and experiencing the effects of the Holocaust up front rather than through a book, film or history lesson.

Nothing can reveal the immense damage and destruction caused by the Holocaust without being able to see the effects and remains first hand. Although I am aware and respectful of many older generations disturbed by the idea of visiting the remains of a time period so close to their own, I believe for the younger generations like myself, Jewish or not, this experience is essential.

It allows us to not only respect and remember the lives of each innocent victim of the Holocaust, but also makes us aware of how lucky and grateful each one of us are to be able to exist freely and happily, without fear of persecution.

The sight of the train tracks and entrance of Auschwitz II-Birkenau was

The Essex Jewish News was proud to support Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 and remembers all those murdered in the Shoah and more recent genocides

something I can never forget. Although I was more than aware of the century we are in now, and that I was on an organised trip with 200 students my age, I suddenly felt trapped and alone. I instantly felt deep guilt that I have been granted the experience to learn about this piece of history that so many innocently died for through no fault of their own.

The fact that after my day trip, I was able to get back on a coach with my friends and educators, with a packed lunch in my bag and ready to fly home, is still disturbing me after I returned back from the trip.

The millions of men, women and children sent to this camp would have felt a substantially more intense reaction of anxiety and fear as they entered the gates of Birkenau. However, I had the liberty of returning, being able to discuss my experience with teachers, friends and family, and being able to rest in my own bed, at peace after a long, tiring day. The victims of the Holocaust were not given this liberty, and that is now a thought that I don’t think I’ll be able to forget.

Near the end of the trip, we participated in a memorial service led by Rabbi Barry Marcus. During this, we were able to either join in with prayers for the victims and/or reflect privately on our own. We also lit a memorial candle each and were able to leave it on the memorial site by Crematoria II in Birkenau.

I felt proud of myself being able to contribute even very slightly to remembering and respecting the lives of all the Jewish people that had their lives destroyed as a result of the Holocaust.

I was also reminded of my own Jewish heritage, and felt almost ashamed of the amount I feel I have to keep it discreet in my daily life.

The least I can do to show my devotion and respect to each victim of the Holocaust is to remain proud of my identity as

a Jewish woman and continue to bring awareness to the events of the Holocaust, stressing the importance of never forgetting in order to keep the future free of repeating this terrible piece of history.

As a soon to be Holocaust Educational

Trust ambassador, I feel motivated and obliged to continue to spread my experience of this programme, in an attempt to honour my eastern European Jewish ancestors and every other victim of genocide and persecution across the globe, in the past, present and future.

A group enter Auschwitz as part of the trip for 200 studentspicture courtesy of the Holocaust Educational Trust and Grainge Photography

Photos (below) taken by Charley Sands of some of the things she saw at the concentration and extermination camps in Poland

BY DR EMMA HARRIS

THE INTERFAITH PERSPECTIVE

THREE Rabbis, an Archbishop and an Imam. The opening to a bad joke? On the contrary. It is the beginning of an incredibly inspiring and uplifting personal journey.

My faith has always been important to me. I was brought up in an orthodox Jewish home within an orthodox community. But, to be honest with EJN readers and with myself, over the past year I have been struggling with my beliefs. Losing my parents has been devastating and I am just not sure what I believe anymore or how my faith feeds into my everyday life.

On a chilly day in late January, I was part of the Woolf team – alongside a delegation of our supporters and patrons – on a visit to London to explore its religious landscape.

We began the day at the East London Mosque where our long-time friend and collaborator

Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra – together with Dilowar Khan, the mosque’s director – warmly welcomed us. They spoke so passionately about the mosque, the community and how members are supported through the whole life spectrum.

I was particularly struck when Dilowar spoke so movingly about many young Muslims in the community suffering from an identity crisis; they don’t feel accepted or feel they belong in the UK (Islamophobia being one of the biggest issues); they don’t feel British but they are also confused about their faith.

Whilst, of course, I cannot begin to understand the struggles faced by these individuals, I felt great empathy

towards them. It can be difficult to connect with your faith when tragedy strikes, the sense of loss when your community rejects or abandons you for whatever reason –perhaps due to your sexual orientation – or when your neighbours see you as less of a human being because of your beliefs.

Our next stop was to the beautiful Bevis Marks Synagogue where, years ago, I was privileged to attend a couple of weddings. I remember the candles being alight and the synagogue filled with magical wonder. But this visit was very different.

Of all the places of worship we would see that day, this was where I was most reticent. I must admit that I have not stepped inside the inner sanctum of a synagogue for several months; the loss of my parents, my indifference to Judaism and feelings of abandonment by God have all been contributory factors.

Knowing that we would be seated in the pews between the Aron Kodesh and the bimah terrified me. How could I sit there without feeling like a fraud? I have always felt a sense of duty towards, and fulfilment in, my faith but now, has that fallen by the wayside?

The strangest thing came over me. At one point during the hourlong visit, I was left alone in the men’s section, gathering my thoughts whilst the group ascended to the ladies’ gallery. I was grateful for this time to reflect. As I listened to Rabbis Joseph Dweck and Shalom Morris discuss the importance of Bevis Marks to Anglo-Jewish history, I was struck by a comment made that we could sense the souls that came before.

It was a lightbulb moment. What a comfort to realise the value of a place of worship and the community that inhabits it over time; to remember how my father liked to be the first one to arrive in shul on a Shabbat morning and how his tenor voice filled the air when he sang the brachot for an aliyah and how my

mother would listen intently with a smile creasing her face when I sang in a soft sweet tone for her ears only during a service.

Miraculously, I felt a burden lifted from my shoulders and a yearning to belong, to feel part of a community once again. But my illuminating journey did not end there.

The group then engaged with the Archbish-

Cambridge Theological Federation, of which the Woolf Institute is an associate member.

One student asked, what was the one overriding message I would want the cohort to take away from this 2-day event? I had no hesitation with my response. The Abrahamic faiths teach us to love our neighbours. What better lesson can we all learn from each other and strive to fulfil in our everyday lives?

I have been reminded of this so often in the past year, having been given so much love and support from Christian and Muslim colleagues and friends who are only looking out for my wellbeing and giving me a voice to share my struggles with my faith.

to his Polish neighbours for the first time ever. Amazing to acknowledge the power a photo can produce.

op of Canterbury Justin Welby. During the discussion, there was one particular point that made an impression on me. Someone talked about love – to love one another, to love our neighbours and to love our enemies. It reminded me of a conversation I had recently at the conclusion of a conference I organise annually on perspectives on Judaism and Islam for students training for Christian ministry at the

To return to the London visit, the delegation then spent time with Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis. The Chief Rabbi relayed a story to the group. Back in 2015, the Chief Rabbi met Pope Francis at the Vatican ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Nostra Aetate declaration. On his return to the UK, the Chief Rabbi was told by a member of the Jewish community that on seeing a photo of him standing with the Pope prompted him to speak

At that moment, my thoughts returned to the earlier comments about love. I was grateful to be reminded not only to love our neighbours but also to love those within our own communities (something we often forget) and, however hard it may be, to love our enemies. I must remember to share that with my students. Let’s also remember the words of Abraham Lincoln who, at the end of his first inaugural address on 4 March 1861 which he delivered to a nation deeply divided and on the brink of civil war, ended with the words, “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.”

How true these words are today.

Let us all be part of the future where we stop the othering of our neighbours and enemies and of those within our own communities.

Let us have the guts to talk about the difficult subjects that can, at times, plague each of the Abrahamic faiths and move forward together as friends, honouring our own faith and being respectful of the beliefs of our brothers and sisters.

Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra

Rabbi Joseph Dweck

Bevis Marks Synagogue

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby

Who was Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus?

THERE is one overriding question at our Seder tables… Why is this night different from all other nights?

But there is another question that has been puzzling me for years – what was the name of the hard-hearted Pharaoh who finally allowed Moses to let his people go? His name is not mentioned in the Haggadah. He is simply called ‘Pharaoh’.

Jewish records are meticulously kept so we know the villains in our ancient history like Nebuchadnezzar, who sent the Israelites into exile in Babylon; Antiochus who desecrated the Temple at Chanukah; and Haman who tried to kill the Jews and whose name is still greeted to this day with derision at Purim.

But concrete undisputed evidence of the name of Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus? Gornisht (Yiddish for nothing).

I put the question onto a website called Quora Digest and, typically, like two Jews I received three opinions. Well, more than three: a whole sackful in fact – all giving me different names for Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus.

David Rice, who says he has been a Bible teacher for more than 50 years, responded to my question by stating that it was Amenemhat IV, the last male Pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty.

Untrue, wrote Kenny Lemon, who claimed to be an amateur Hebrew scholar. He said it was Dudimose I, based on his reading of the works of an ancient Jewish historian Artaganes.

Joseph Kiren joined the debate to say it was Rameses II, because he bore the same name as one of the cities the Israelite slaves were forced to build.

However another respondent, Zachary Scott, pointed out that while Rameses is Pharaoh in two popular films – the 1956 Biblical epic The Ten Commandments and 1997 animated feature The Prince of Egypt – historical records show no evidence of plagues or slave results during his reign, but do record his multiple military victories, building

campaigns and over 200 consorts.

Indeed, some Egyptologists have held the view that there is no record of the plagues or the Exodus taking place at any point in Egypt’s history at all. They have come to the conclusion that our Passover story is either greatly exaggerated or totally fabricated.

Although the Egyptians also kept meticulous records it is quite possible that the disaster that befell Pharaoh’s army would have been an embarrassment to them. They therefore did not record it.

And indeed, many biblical scholars believe that the Exodus did happen and that the Pharaoh who refused to release the Israelites from slavery was Merenre Nemtyemsaf II of the sixth dynasty.

Jewish historical records show that the Israelites’ period of slavery in Egypt lasted more than 100 years and comprised the reigns of several rulers. The most oppressive was said to have reigned for an astonishing 94 years.

There is only one Pharaoh in Egyptian history who ever reigned for that long and that was Pepi II Neferkare of the sixth dynasty. He ruled Lower Egypt right before Merenre II, became Pharaoh and his reign followed an inexplicable collapse in Egypt and the end of the dynasty.

Another reader joined the debate by stating that the Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus was in fact Thutmose III – basing his findings on the book called Pharaoh: Biblical History, Egypt and The Missing Millenium by Rabbi Alexander Hool.

One interesting point strikes me. The mummy of Thutmose II is covered with cysts and boils from an unknown disease. These lesions coat his back, waist, arms and legs. The boils also covered the body of Thutmose III.

That could tie in with the plague of boils recorded in the Haggadah.

VIEW FROM THE SIDELINES

BY MANNY ROBINSON

So which of all these was the Pharaoh we will be reading about this Pesach?

Perhaps we will never know but Ian Bloom, a former publisher, book reviewer and media lawyer, writing in the Jewish Chronicle earlier this year said: “Without this Pharaoh and his determination to convert – if that is the right word – the Jewish people from free citizens into, at best, slaves, there would have been no Moses, no Exodus, no wandering in the desert, no Torah, whether given on Mount Sinai or elsewhere and, in all probability, no Jewish people.

“Ultimately, unknowingly, and wholly unintentionally, Pharaoh did the Jewish people the most incredible service. He had planned their subjugation if not their destruction. He ended up ensuring their survival.”

My own conclusion?

One day archaeologists will discover a plastic bowl holding lots of round chocolate with gold paper wrapping…

It could be Pharaoh Rocher!

Flash, bang, wallop, what a picture... what a photograph!

hundreds of pictures of boys in garish suits and oversized bow ties and girls in brighter than bright dresses; pictures of people standing alongside other people whom they hated.

Beehive Lane Synagogue, as it was then known in the 1970s, sometimes had two barmitzvahs on the same Shabbat and in Eddie Gershon’s day there were three.

As Ivor Baddiel wrote: “Getting dressed for the reception either up west or at the Chingford Assembly Rooms was a megillah and a half with much time spent ensuring the barmitzvah boy’s shirt was suitably ruffled and his bow tie appropriately oversized (Brian Dash was the tailor to go to apparently, though for shul it was Basil Saunders).”

The book will be called Simchas of the Seventies and will be in aid of Chai Cancer Care.

IWAS at a wedding many years ago when the bride’s parents, as was the custom, started walking among the guests asking whether they were enjoying themselves.

They arrived at my table and the father of the bride said to one woman: “Well, auntie, everything OK?”

The woman turned her nose up and replied: “I’ve been to better!”

Clearly tact was not in the woman’s armoury but the memory of that

remark has stayed with me to this day.

And it came to the fore again when I learned that Ivor Baddiel, in conjunction with Howard Robinson, who lives in Woodford, and Eddie Gershon, who used to live in Ilford, are planning a book containing some of the memorable (and maybe hilarious) photographs taken during barmitzvahs/batmitzvahs and weddings during the roaring 1970s.

There must be

So this is an appeal to Essex Jewish News readers to send in their funniest, most ludicrous, most 70th-ish pictures from your own barmitzvah/batmitzvah/ wedding or even your parents’ special event.

All you need to do is go to greenbeanbooks. com/barmitzvah and upload your photos.

This book should be a best seller!

Rameses II and Moses in animated classic The Prince of Egypt

The book’s author Ivor Baddiel (right) with brother David

A statue of Thutmose III who could have suffered the plague of boils

A promo picture for the new book on our 1970s simchas

60 Second Schmooze: NATASHA ZACK Introducing Project STARDUST

NATASHA Zack grew up in Essex. She is a part-time photographer and full-time volunteer coordinator at Langdon, the Jewish charity that supports young people and adults with learning disabilities and autism.

Having developed a stammer at a young age, she has tried to raise awareness of this condition through her connection with charities such as STAMMA (The British Stammering Association) and Action for Stammering Children. Here Natasha speaks to Micaela Blitz about her important work helping people and changing perceptions around stammering.

What have been your experiences growing up with a stammer?

I first started stammering when I was six or seven. It was more prominent when I was younger but has lessened as I have grown older. I’m 26 now. Stammering through school was difficult, especially when it came to any spoken exam. Thankfully at my school – King Solomon – they always allowed me more time to speak.

When I went to Leeds University, Fresher’s Week was anxietyinducing as I usually stammer more when introducing myself… and I was having to introduce myself every two seconds! It didn’t stop me speaking to new people though and didn’t affect me making friends.

After university, I went away travelling for six months and when I came home, I started applying for jobs. The part I was most concerned about was doing interviews as you need to appear confident and having

a stammer means you appear to be more nervous than you are.

I’ve had a mixture of experiences when it comes to interviews, some people are very ignorant about it, whereas others gave me as much time as I needed. I usually find that with the latter, I actually stammer less because I feel more accepted.

Do you think that stammering/stuttering is not as well understood as other conditions?

I think it’s one of those conditions that’s a bit of an outsider. It’s not always considered a disability, sometimes it is, it depends on who you ask and how you feel about it. It can also be very hidden.

I think in general we need to accept that there is no such thing as ‘normal’ and everyone can present in different ways. If you are talking to someone who isn’t speaking in what you consider to be a ‘normal’ way, just allow them to finish speaking in the same way you would for anyone else.

You started a vlog to raise awareness, can you tell us more about this?

I started making videos about stammering in 2019 for Action for Stammering Children. I spoke to their communications manager at the time and planned a 10 video series for them. I began making these videos to spread awareness, but also because I love being creative. These videos were aimed at children, parents and teachers mainly. I then began making videos for STAMMA which were geared towards adults and are more ad hoc. I have more recently been making collaborations with other stammer activists that I met last August at the global conference STAMMAFest.

How did people respond to the videos?

The reaction to these videos has been so positive. I’ve had messages on Instagram from people saying that my video really helped them feel more confident. I have also spoken at a teenage support group and showed one of my

videos. Recently, I found out that my video about stammering at university really helped a young woman when she was in her first year. When you create digital content, it’s really hard to tell what impact it’s having but knowing that even just a few individuals have benefited, is why I do it. Can you tell us more about STAMMAFest and your involvement?

STAMMAFest was an amazing experience. The stammering community are so welcoming and supportive of each other. Everyone is there to listen to each other and support what we all have to say. It was also incredible to meet so many people from all over the world who experience stammering in some way or another. It was my first time going to the conference and I’m so happy I went. I also presented a workshop where I taught the group basic photography and gave them a task to present stammering in a photo or video.

What advice would you have to others dealing with a stammer?

I think that it is important to deal with how you feel about your stammer, instead of trying to overcome it. Finding your own ways to help you cope is important, but I think it’s much more important to make peace with it and to feel confident in your stammer as part of who you are.

Someone asked me that if there was a cure for stammering, would I take it? I answered saying, if I was given the option in high school then yes, I wouldn’t even stop to think about it. However, now I wouldn’t take it, it’s part of me and I don’t see it as a negative.

Are there stammer support groups?

Yes, they are all over the country and I’ve attended many. Going to a group is a great way to meet other people in similar situations and to talk about everyday life and issues we may face. An Essex support group was set up in May 2022.

BY MAIA CHAHAL HOLDEN

IT CAN take years to be an overnight success in whatever field you choose.

And students at Chigwell School received a rare opportunity to hear first-hand from people who had reached the top of the ladder, overcoming disappointment by carrying on regardless.

Phillip Leigh, businessman and the chair of the Essex Jewish News, teamed up with the school to offer its sixth form students the opportunity to take part in a series of four talks.

Utilising connections he has made through his long and successful career in property, Phillip brought in speakers to discuss their own successful careers and the challenges they themselves had faced.

The result of this link-up was that students learned several skills that could take them into later life, whether it be for job applications and interviews or the world of work. The talks also showed the way students could avoid the pitfalls others have encountered on their journey.

In the first session guest speaker Tim Breyer – owner of Breyer Group PLC –told his story of starting work at the age of 16,

after taking over his dad’s roofing business, and how he made the company successful. He also spoke about the struggles he has faced and gave some insightful tips to the students that he himself had to learn through his own difficult experiences.

Tim’s messages from this session were to learn about the person you are speaking to before any interview or meeting, to never lose your integrity and to never forget that the customer matters.

Eve Gee, a former student of Chigwell who became senior commercial manager at Polydor Records, was the second visitor. She spoke about her experience in the creative and commercial industry and a decade of experience working with big names brands such as Harry Potter, Kate Bush and ABBA Voyage.

Eve told the students to make sure that you enjoy your work environment, learn what skills you have and where they end and to make sure you are able to connect with others as people remember your personality and work chemistry more than anything. She also stressed that being made redundant from a job is not the be all and end all but to rather to just get back out into the job

market.

Daniel Sugar, director of Amsprop, spoke to the pupils about his career in real estate and property development. He told them that after leaving school he got into sales, working across several departments to gain skills which followed the acquisition of Tottenham Hotspur FC, bought by his father (Lord Alan Sugar) in 1991. This led Daniel to run corporate hospitality as well as sponsorships at Tottenham for around four years; during this time, he bought his first piece of land, which was turned into the training ground for Tottenham. Through this, he was able to find his passion for the property industry and ultimately getting him to where he is today, director of Amsprop.

Daniel told the group about the value of being resilient, taking failure in your stride and using the skills of those around you to propel yourself. He continued by saying that even if you aren’t sure of what you want to do in the future, life will present opportunities and one day you’ll get the chance to find something you love to do.

The Stardust project will be rounded off with a talk by property developer Ben Spencer.

If you would like to know more about local stammer support groups and the work that STAMMA do, please visit www.stamma.org Phillip Leigh

that

take a different approach on the integration of refugees’

Lord (Alex) Carlile on the formation of a new commission to fix the refugee and asylum system

once settled, my father practised as a doctor. I was born here and brought up to believe that Britain is a place where justice is done for people wherever they come from.

But the current system is not working. It’s not working for refugees and asylum seekers, and it’s not working for society.

It is essential that we take a different approach to tackling the question of how the integration of refugees in the UK can best be supported and move away from oppositional debate.

‘Helping people to change careers… just like I did’

Debbie Lebrett is the new CEO of Work Avenue, the Jewish community’s leading employment and business support organisation.

After 30 years in education, including the last seven as headteacher of Hasmonean High School for Boys, she made the career change in January.

In this interview, Debbie tells us her story and talks about how Work Avenue is helping others reach their own career and business goals.

Q. What is Work Avenue?

A. Work Avenue helps people in the community to find work or grow their business. We support job seekers, entrepreneurs and fledging businesses to thrive.

WHEN the Woolf Institute, which is based in Cambridge and of which I am a trustee, invited me to become chair of the new independent Commission on the Integration of Refugees, I could not in good conscience refuse.

Given the amount of attention given to the refugee and asylum system recently, you might think that some of the UK’s keenest minds were already grappling seriously with the question of how this country should respond to people fleeing their home countries and seeking protection here.

So why would we need this new commission?

Civil servants, researchers, think tanks and charities are spending a great deal of time on this topic, as are politicians from all sides of the spectrum. All agree that the system is far from working.

Asylum waiting times and backlogs are longer than they’ve ever been. Living conditions for people in the asylum system can be appalling, while resettled refugees frequently struggle to get the support they need to build a new life here. Refugees are less likely to be employed than the rest of the population and more likely to be in low paid work.

We are also seeing un-

accompanied and vulnerable children, seeking safety here in the UK, often not given the protection that all children deserve.

But rather than a genuine exploration of the best solutions for these growing issues, the cacophony of voices in this space are mostly locked in highly polarised argument.

The current way things are debated on these issues is disappointing. It is highly contentious, extremely opinionated and largely led by controversialists looking for disagreement. And when sensible solutions are put forward, they are seen as partisan and too easily dismissed in favour of political point scoring.

So, it is no surprise that the solutions being put in place are often just another way to grab headlines. At best they lack the rigour of thought to determine if they can work, or even if they are affordable. At worst, they have a high chance of damaging already traumatised people further and deepening the antagonism in the public narrative.

It is for all those reasons that I have taken on this role.

My parents and sister were refugees. They survived Nazi persecution in Poland and were able to get to the UK, where,

That is why the Commission on the Integration of Refugees is bringing together, and listening to, opposing views and diverse experiences - from refugees, host communities and faith leaders to security forces, politicians and economists.

The commissioners themselves are a diverse group with very different views and political perspectives. We will find a way to work together to overcome our differences and find common ground on how to fix the broken system. And while our own perspectives and experiences will colour the way we examine what we find, it will be a strictly evidential process.

Our hope is that by bringing together 23 reasonable people of appropriate experience to hear different perspectives from across the country, a solid and enduring set of solutions can be found. Solutions that are thoughtfully considered and costed. Solutions that don’t play to an agenda for one political side or another and are unlikely to fuel further hostility and debate.

We intend to produce a set of recommendations that can be easily translated into lasting policy and better law to bring real improvement to everyone – to refugees desperately in need of our support, and the communities ready to welcome them.

• Lord (Alex) Carlile CBE KC is Chair of the Commission on the Integration of Refugees and a crossbench member of the House of Lords.

We have an amazing team of experienced and professional employment and business advisers to support people every step of the way through free one-to-one sessions.

Work Avenue also offers a range of free services, workshops and seminars covering everything from CVs and interviews to networking and branding.

I am proud to have joined a charity that has already helped thousands of people in their career and business journeys –especially at a time when these services are needed more than ever.

Q. Why did you make the transition from education to this role?

I had heard so much about Work Avenue and all of the amazing work the organisation does that, when this opportunity came up, I knew I wanted to be part of it.

It also isn’t as much of a big jump as it sounds. It felt like the next logical next step to the work which I was doing in school for the community.

I am still maintaining a focus on training and on people’s futures but now just picking that up at a different stage in their lives.

Q. How has this personal experience helped in your new job?

My own path has definitely helped me to have a clearer understanding of the challenges facing our Work Avenue clients, who are also thinking about changing careers and upskilling.

Q. How has the cost of living crisis affected your clients?

Rapidly rising costs are impacting everyone and many in our community are struggling financially. Something we are definitely seeing is a need for people to earn more money. They are approaching our employment advisers looking to learn new skills in order to gain promotion or move into new areas and increase their incomes.

Small businesses are facing mounting costs including rising energy prices, rents/rates and wages/supplier bills – but, as during the pandemic, we are also seeing lots of innovation. Our business advisers are not only helping with budgeting and finances, but also with assisting entrepreneurs examine new and flexible ways to operate.

Q. How is the jobs market currently? Are there many positions out there? The jobs market is in an interesting place. It’s better than it was before and during the pandemic, but there are fewer roles around than at the heights of last year and the application process is getting more competitive. We are seeing lots more people come to us for advice on the application process and with a need for upskilling.

Q. Does Work Avenue offer financial assistance for those who need to retrain/upskill?

Yes. We have a vocational training bursary. The Richard Mintz Bursary Fund – named in honour of our late trustee – helps cover the cost of courses so that our clients can gain the essential skills needed in today’s competitive workplace.

Work Avenue also has its own our own communal social enterprise scheme, called WAGE. This aims to both generate employment and grow businesses by training those seeking work in key disciplines to match the areas that small businesses require help in.

Q. What are your goals for the next 12 months?

My goal is to continue to grow Work Avenue’s services, and people’s awareness of them, so that we can help as many people in our community as possible.

We are also looking at potential partnerships and collaborations to expand these services and our reach.

Q. How can people find out more?

The Work Avenue website has details of all our services, as well as a Jobs Board with more than 100 positions advertised. Please visit www. theworkavenue.org.uk to find out more.

‘It is essential

we

Lord Carlile

Debbie Lebrett

Raymond’s stroke had a devastating e ect on his and Pamela’s life until they moved in to their Jewish Blind & Disabled apartment. Now they enjoy the best of both worlds –independence with a social life on their doorstep.

Raymond & Pamela moved into their state-of-the-art mobility apartment in 2019 To