Shofar February 2018

February 2018

Shofar

‫שופר‬

the magazine of finchley progressive synagogue

Rabbi Dr Hellner’s 2nd Barmitzvah

From the Editorial Bench I’ve had a variety of jobs at FPS in my nearly 60 years’ membership, but editing Shofar (in the absence of CA) is a first, but I’m not the only one who wears more than one hat. Recent visitors to FPS remarked what a lovely, lively, busy community we have. They’re right. In the booklet produced for the AGM we had over 30 reports from different FPS groups but, sadly, lots of repetition of names.

Hillel said: “Do not separate yourself from the community.”

If you come once a year for prayer, the section in the Annual Report on worship included reports from the Beit Tefillah Group, our Musicians, Purim Spielers and the Czech Scroll Service.

Worship at FPS doesn’t just ‘happen’, it takes some organising – can you lend a hand?

Hillel said: “Say not: When I have time I will study, because you may never have the time.”

In the Beit Midrash section which relates to study, there were reports on Shabbatots, Ivriah, Adult Education, Café Ivriah and the Breakfast Shiurim. Some amazing learning goes on in our shul by little tots as well as big people. Adults, seeing what our kids can do, are learning and

josie kinchin

celebrating their own Barmitzvah.

Hillel said: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?”

How about one of these groups – Beautification (of the building that is – we do need some design help), Book Group, Bridge, Lunch@Café Thursday, Rosh Chodesh Group and many, many more.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk said: “I do not want followers who are righteous, rather I want followers who are too busy doing good that they won’t have time to do bad.”

Our Contact and Care Group need more volunteers to visit members in the community who are sick, lonely, bereaved – can you spare some time? FPS is engaged in helping others outside the community too, there’s the Finchley Food Bank, the Syrian Coffee Club, the winter Night Shelter for the Homeless, then there’s Mitzvah Day and our Mogilev Twinning Project.

All these initiatives could be even more effective with more volunteers and it would be great to see some new helping hands in the new year!

fps musical havdalah

On 3 February, with David and Daniel Dolan.

See Musical Treats on Page 11 for details.

Shofar is always interested in hearing your news and including photos of FPS members, and their families, near and far.

We welcome your articles on any relevant topic. Please send these to shofar@fps.org

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Cover: The family of Emeritus Rabbi Dr Frank Hellner who celebrated his 2nd Barmitzvah on January 6

Copy deadline is the 10th of each month. Please email all content to shofar@fps.org

From the Rabbi

student rabbi nathan godleman

wandering student rabbis

O

ne of the best things about training at Leo Baeck College is the opportunity it affords to travel around the United Kingdom (and sometimes further afield). For a relatively small population of Liberal and Reform Jews, it is remarkable how many communities we sustain and how far flung they are; each with its own character. In the course of four and a half years, I have notched up services in twenty. As far north as Glasgow and as far south as the Isle of Wight.

(Yes, there is a Jewish group on the island, with HHD services near the ferry port at Fishbourne.)

It does us good to go beyond the familiar from time to time, to meet new people, see new places, and to come back renewed ourselves.

I have enjoyed the special atmosphere and acoustics in the upstairs room of Jew’s House at Lincoln, stood under a glitter ball (bizarrely) in the function room of a hotel in Stevenage, once home to Oliver Cromwell’s chief of spies, and waited while the then vice-chair of Eastbourne completed the fish and chips order over the telephone before starting the Erev Shabbat service! (‘And a pickled onion!’)

In some ways, the smaller communities are the most interesting. Diverse, welcoming and determined to carve out a Jewish life for themselves, with the invaluable support of the movements (Liberal Judaism is to be commended here.) The grandeur of the LJS, the sheer size of congregations at Alyth, the breadth of activities at Finchley Reform and FPS - there has been so much to see. So many differences in practice, it is no wonder my particular interest in ritual has developed. Having now taken root at South London Liberal Synagogue in Streatham, with bi-monthly trips to leafy Finchley, I miss my wanderings. It does us good to go beyond the familiar from time to time, to meet new people, see new places, and to come back renewed ourselves.

liberal judaism burial scheme and fps funeral scheme

It is some time since we circulated information about the LJ Burial Scheme and optional FPS Funeral Scheme. Both are explained in the 2-page summary sheet enclosed in this issue of Shofar. If you have any questions, please contact our administrator Pauline in the office 020 8446 4063 or email pauline@fps 3

Hilda Hart Honouring Hilda’s recent birthday, Shofar decided to ask her about her first 98 years.

H

ilda was born in Strangeways (not the prison!) Manchester in 1915, the fourth in a family of six children. When both her parents died tragically young, thirteen-yearold Hilda and her brothers and sisters aged 9 to 17 were left to fend for themselves.

Relatives took in one or another of the children at first, but the siblings quickly decided they were better off setting up home together and looking after each other. So, at 14, Hilda left Grammar School and got a job as an office worker. She was a good worker and good at maths, and soon got promotions.

For the next few years, Hilda lived with her brothers and sisters, and worked as a bookkeeper.

When World War II started Hilda joined the Forces and travelled first to Scotland, to Cornwall and lastly to Egypt. She enjoyed her time in the military, in what she felt was a safe protected environment.

On return to civilian life, Hilda looked for ways to follow up her interests.

She attended meetings and lectures about Palestine and the dream of a Jewish State. At one of these meeting she met Norman and took a liking to him. Hilda says, ‘I don’t know why but I found Miro, Modigliani and music more interesting than football.’ Norman and Hilda married in

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sarah rosen-webb

1945, just three months after they met.

They set up home together in London, and Norman returned to his work in Zwemmer’s Art Bookshop on Charing Cross Road. Still, the dream to settle together in Israel stayed with them and, as soon as the State of Israel was established in 1948, they set sail. Hilda goes on, ‘We were totally unprepared, we didn’t know any Hebrew, we didn’t know anyone and we had nowhere to live. We stayed for about three years, and our son Michael was born there. We wanted to live in Israel and to work with books, but this didn’t seem possible. So we decided to return to London and were already on a boat, when we were called back and assured of housing and a job at a Tel Aviv booksellers. It was too late, though, for us to turn around again.’

Back in London with no money, nowhere to live and a small child, they stayed with one sister or brother for months until they were able to afford to rent somewhere. Norman went back to Zwemmer’s and soon became a manager.

He was determined that they would own their own home and they ‘saved like mad’ until they managed the down payment for their house in Finchley Central.

Norman also determined that one day they would own a bookshop. In 1960 they opened Zodiac Bookshop, later The Finchley Bookshop, firstly on Hendon Lane and later on Ballards Lane’. ‘You can’t believe how we lived, raising Michael and working in the shop with no staff.’ ‘It was a wonderful bookshop’, I interject. - ‘Yes, that’s because Norman ran it! He wouldn’t have any rubbish in the shop, only good books. We loved it and loved being there. I specialised in the children’s books.

I remind Hilda that she was always at Continued on page 5

From the Chair I

cathy burnstone

am sure I am not alone in thinking that January can be a bit of an anti-climax after the brightness of Chanukkah and the Bank Holidays.

In the January winter cold and darkness, we had the joyful celebration of the second Barmitzvah of our Emeritus Rabbi Dr Frank Hellner, attended by about 150 family, friends and members.

The December letter about subscriptions gave details of how to give a legacy to the synagogue. While of course this option is available to anyone, there are many other ways of giving individual gifts to the synagogue on the occasion of life events, such as milestone birthdays or B’nei Mitzvah, for example.

The Board is considering a range of plans to improve and beautify the synagogue using legacy money and the proceeds from the Quiz Supper (£3,500). Future plans include enhancements to the Rabbi’s office and the purchase of new chairs that stack and are comfortable. The garden is being cleared and improved and we are grateful to Sasha and David Conroy for their work. A comprehensive Health and Safety

Assessment was carried out and, as a result, upgrading of the synagogue fire proofing will take place soon and we are investigating how to make the hearing loop become more effective.

As Paul SilverMyer highlighted in the last issue of Shofar, the Board is working to ensure that the synagogue complies with legislation about Children and Adult Safeguarding, Data Protection and the secure storage of information. We are working with Liberal Judaism in relation to these matters.

We would welcome new members so please do speak to myself or any Board member if you would like to become involved. Please also continue to give any feedback and discuss any concerns you may have with me or any Board member.

hilda hart / cont. from page 4

some more, but Norman died suddenly, I was completely at a loss and felt numb for months. But, you see, I’ve got some very good friends, both at FPS and around the world, so I’m still busy and happy and reading.’

the front of the shop greeting children and helping them choose books. They would arrive with pocket money in hand and parents trailing behind.

‘Ah, yes, we both worked until age 78 because we loved it so. It was a good life.’

‘I’m so glad I was born Jewish. I’m Jewish from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. I’m so glad we joined FPS some 60 years ago. When we came to FPS we explained about being in Israel and having misplaced our Ketubah. FPS welcomed us, and we found our Ketubah the next day!

When we retired, we planned to travel

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Second Time Round - The Boy Done Good!

In January 1948 the 13-year-old Frank Hellner celebrated his Barmitzvah in Ohev Tzedek Synagogue in Philadelphia. Seventy years later, in January 2018, our beloved Emeritus Rabbi Dr Frank Hellner celebrated his 2nd Barmitzvah at FPS. He was called to the Torah by Student Rabbi Nathan Godleman and following delivery of an insightful, thoughtful D’var, read his Parsha, translated from the scroll and then chanted the Haftarah using the blessings from the same siddur he used 70 years ago. What a clever boy! He’d obviously been practising hard!

josie kinchin

It was a delight that so many current and excongregants were there to witness the event as well as his daughter Marnie and her family from Canada; watching from afar via satellite link were his daughters Kathy and Rachel. Valerie’s children, who had grown up with Frank as their community Rabbi, read the Community Prayers and Rabbi Harry Jacobi came up to the Bimah to give him a special blessing. A wonderful kiddush lunch followed and the Barmitzvah boy was lauded and applauded.

From left: with Rabbi Jacobi and with wife Valerie

security update

We have now reached the end of our 6 months trial period of employing a paid security resource to complement our FPS volunteers. As promised, I would like to seek your feedback and thoughts as to whether you would like this to continue on a more permanent basis.

Before you respond, please remind yourself of the reasons that led us to this position in the first place: - Heavy load placed on the security volunteers (8 shifts per weekend in term time) - Limited number of Friday volunteers being called upon once every six weeks

- Regular panics and urgent requests as we could not fill slots - Concern over lack of training - Difficulty in getting volunteers to attend the formal CST training courses - Endless emails about swapping shifts We are fortunate not to have experienced any incidents at FPS though plenty of other Jewish establishments in the UK and in Europe and elsewhere have been targets and some have been very serious indeed. It is this that makes the threat or perceived threat difficult to quantify.

We have now had Principal Security (Gareth Continued on page 7

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Friday Night Dinners T

here is something special about Friday night dinner. A chance to relax after a busy week, to enjoy Jewish traditions, delicious food and interesting conversation. And why not enhance the experience by sharing it with members of the community?

At FPS we already experience an amazing sense of community and the feeling of sharing and belonging, and we are always interested in finding ways of maintaining and deepening community connections. We would match hosts to guests by their locality, but also their interests, whether they have children of a similar age, similar hobbies etc. faqs:

Can I host if I’m a terrible cook?

Yes – you can host a potluck dinner so you don’t have to be responsible for feeding everyone.

Can I host if my house is too small for everyone?

Yes – you can host a meal in the small hall at the synagogue.

Can I host if I don’t have any Shabbat things?

zoe jacobs

Yes – FPS will provide a resource box including Shabbat candles, kiddush wine, challah, a sheet with blessings, and more…

If you would like to sign up as a host or a guest, email FPSfridaynight@icloud.com.

We have 10 hosts signed up for 2018 already – we can’t wait to have more hosts, and more guests, taking part soon! We even did a practice one last year which went well (phew!)

‘We only had to trip across the road from Shabbat Resouled to our Friday Night Dinner hosts. We had the most excellent dinner which was laid out in their newly decorated dining room. We began with a debate over the provenance of the challah and as the meal progressed moved into Brexit and political intrigue. Rabbi Rebecca occasionally pulled us back to the question of fear as manifested in the Torah Portion of the week! Eight of us really got to know each other much better than before. It was a joy and the start of something good in our community.’

security update / cont. from page 6

Williams) on site for a number of months and hopefully you have all had the chance to meet him and get to know him a bit better. As well as being a familiar face, having a trained person on duty has been very reassuring. Additionally, by employing him, we have reduced the number of volunteer slots on Friday night by 50% and Saturday slots by 30% as well as eliminating situations when there is a complete no show.

I am aware that the idea of paid security and security in general doesn’t sit well with some congregants and I totally understand that, hence this review.

Can you please let me have your feedback by email answering the following:

- Would you like paid security to continue at FPS? Yes or no.

- If yes, is there anything you think we should change or do differently?

- If no, do you have any suggestions around improving security without a paid security resource?

- Any other comments on security at FPS. I would be really grateful if you could spend a few minutes responding, as security is such an important facet of life at FPS. Thanks in advance, Phillip Raphael (FPS Security Officer) security@fps.org

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Mitzvah Day 2017 yay! mitzvah day - (sunday 19 november)

The aim for Mitzvah Day was to take a moment to check how we as a community were feeling, and to plug gaps in our social, environmental and personal wellbeing. I believe that a synagogue is a place where we take communal responsibility for the welfare of our congregants, for the education and inclusion of young people and the presentation of the building, gardens and prayer spaces. In practice, this means that we realise it is our job to do some weeding, our job to check how someone is doing after an operation, our job to put the siddurim back after services.

And job isn’t really the right word, either. It’s

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zoe jacobs

our mitzvah, our ‘commandment’, but also our honour. By doing these mitzvot, we are helping our community become closer, happier, cleaner.

And so, on Mitzvah Day, 40 of us divided into 4 teams here at FPS and, as part of a long-standing tradition, FPS members also went to work in Highgate Cemetery, clearing and sweeping, and Rikud dancers entertained residents at Lady Sarah Cohen House.

We baked cakes for members of the community who were ill, recently bereaved or housebound and then delivered the cakes along with kind words and some time to chat.

Continued on page 9

News from Liberal Judaism rabbi danny rich takes a sabbatical!

In his 13th year as Liberal Judaism’s Chief Executive, Rabbi Danny Rich is taking his contractual rabbinic sabbatical.

Danny, who is also Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, will be on sabbatical for six months which began on 1 January 2018 although we will be seeing him sometimes at Finchley! His duties will be split among relevant members of staff.

For all internal and operational enquiries, please contact Liberal Judaism’s operations director Shelley Shocolinsky-Dwyer on shelley@liberaljudaism.org For all external and congregational enquiries,

please contact Liberal Judaism’s director of strategy and partnerships Rabbi Charley Baginsky on c.baginsky@liberaljudaism.org

liberal judaism biennial conference 2018

Tickets for Liberal Judaism’s flagship event of 2018 are on sale now. The Liberal Judaism Biennial Weekend takes place from Friday 29 June to Sunday 1 July at the stylish and modern St Johns Hotel in Solihull, just outside of Birmingham. You can get full ticketing details, reserve your place and find out more about the early plans by visiting www.liberaljudaism.org/calendar/biennial

mitzvah day / cont. from page 8

We cleaned out the ark cupboard, polished the silver, tidied all the Judaica and painted a mural on the wall along the drive to welcome members and guests into our community. We began the enormous job of clearing the back garden, so that it can become a place for all the community to enjoy and use regularly. We knitted mini kippot and tallitot for teddy bears that will be given to babies and young children who enter our community.

The shul was buzzing with activity, children and adults working alongside each other, meeting, greeting and laughing. There is a misconception that ‘real’, ‘proper’ mitzvot are hard work and difficult, and if you’re having fun then you’re not doing anything useful. I hope we dispelled that idea!

But the most important part of Mitzvah Day was the realisation by members that one day really isn’t enough. Caring for our synagogue for 1/365th of the time doesn’t quite make it. So, in December, we offered members the chance to sign up for mitzvot in 2018 – agreeing to do their chosen mitzvah 3 times across the year. I’m delighted that so many people have jumped in!

Over the next 12 months about 10% of our members will be trying their hand at new mitzvot, supporting, befriending, tidying and gardening. If you see them hard at work, I request you to: a) say thank you b) offer to make them a cup of tea, or c) join in!

If you’d like to sign up to one of the Mitzvah 2018 teams, please go to the FPS website.

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And What Happened in December?

Why, Chanukkah of course! And FPS celebrated throughout the community. Ivriah prepared decorations, they formed themselves as a chanukkiah and actually built a beautiful one. The B’nei Mitzvah families cooked a Chanukkah supper, the community chanukkiah was lit on the evening of Rosh Chodesh and Bridge and we were delighted to introduce our Syrian friends to the Jewish Festival of Light.

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Lionel King-Lassman asked us to share with you these beautiful roses which he plucked from his garden on his birthday in the middle of December.

Musical Treats havdalah @ fps

Saturday 3 February 2018 at 5.30pm As part of the FPS monthly recital series to mark the end of Shabbat, David Dolan and his son Daniel will be playing a recital together. Our Havdalah concerts with the Dolan family are a musical delight and Daniel will be marking his 18th birthday at this one.

Programme: J.S. Bach: Suite for unaccompanied cello No. 2 in D Minor; Schumann Three Fantasy Pieces Op. 73; Mendelssohn Sonata for cello & piano No. 2 in D Major Op. 58

music events at fps

Berlin, Porter, Kern, Arlen, Bernstein, Mercer, Mancini, Hamlisch and more! A Night at the Oscars compresses 40 years of Oscar-mania into a jam-packed 2-hours of entertainment.

Location: London N6 Venue (no disabled access, flight of 16 stairs) Times: 2.30pm Cost: £25 including tea & refreshments Book online: www.jwa.org.uk/events/a-night-at-the-oscars Pre-booking essential!

Sunday 4 February at 6.00pm con spirito chamber music Sundays Chamber Music for Charity You are all warmly invited to a free charity fund-raising concert at FPS. The short chamber music concert, featuring some fantastic young musicians aged 9-18, will include music by Mozart, Bridge and Brahms. Pianist Tamar Andrusier and cellist Penny Driver coach the young performers, who include FPS members Tom and Daniel Dolan.

The students hope to raise as much as possible for the NNLS Drop-In for Destitute Asylum Seekers from audience donations (tickets are free). a night at the oscars

8 February 2018 Jewish Women’s Aid is proud to present a charity performance of “A night at the Oscars - A Musical Revue”.

Enjoy the fabulous music of Gershwin,

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Beit Tefillah

services at fps

services - february Friday 2 February 6.30pm

Kabbalat Shabbat led by Gabriel Webber

Saturday 3 February 11.00am

Shabbat B’Yachad led by Peter Luyendijk

Friday 9 February 6.30pm

Kabbalat Shabbat led by Nathan Godleman

Saturday 10 February 11.00am

Shabbat Service led by Gabriel Webber

Friday 16 February 6.30pm

Shabbat Resouled led by Michael Lassman

Saturday 17 February 11.00am

Shabbat Service led by Nathan Godleman

Friday 23 February 6.30pm

Kabbalat Shabbat led by Peter Luyendijk

Saturday 24 February 11.00am

Shabbat Service led by Danny Rich

Wednesday 28 February 6.30pm

Erev Purim Service led by Nathan Godleman

marking special events at fps

Gloria Silver will be lighting the candles to mark her 80th birthday on Kabbalat Shabbat Friday 9 February Valerie Joseph will be marking her 70th birthday on Shabbat 17 February by reading Haftarah Renzo Fantoni will be marking his 90th birthday on Shabbat 24 February by reading Haftarah If you would like to mark a special event in your life with a mitzvah, either Friday or Saturday or by hosting a kiddush, please contact Trish Banes on patriciabanes22@gmail.com Please give Trish plenty of notice as dates get booked very quickly, purim at fps

Student Rabbi Nathan Godleman will lead us for Erev Purim and the reading of the megillah on Wednesday 28 February at 6.30pm. Please do dress for the occasion, whether as Ahasuerus, Esther, Haman (Booooooo) or a 12

Trump look-alike! Prizes for the best dressed adult and the best dressed young person!

Dean and Zoe are currently scouring the congregation for actors for our annual Purimspiel which will take place on Saturday 3rd March, probably late afternoon. Last year’s cast were virtually all under 15 and we’re still laughing at some of their antics! fps breakfast shiurim

Saturday 10 February 8.30am: ‘Defending the Indefensible – Morally Questionable?’

With Jeremy Dein QC Jeremy Dein has had a career defending the most violent in society. He is a hugely experienced and committed criminal defence counsel with expertise in all types of serious crime, including the representation of high profile clients in criminal cases with a major press interest, where the preservation of the defendant’s reputation Continued on page 13

Beit Knesset

community events, all welcome!

bridge group

learn

Mondays @ 7.30pm, £4. There are even small prizes for winners (alas no compensation prizes)!

For details contact Gunter Lawson via the synagogue office on 020 8446 4063

Thursdays, 12.00-1.00pm. Fortnightly Rabbi Harry Jacobi leads an hour’s learning in the small hall which is followed by lunch hosted

by Nicky for anyone who chooses to stay.

yoga

cafe thursday

Tuesdays @ 7.30pm Contact Richard on 020 8349 9602

Thursdays @ 1.00pm. £6 for a freshly-prepared 3-course lunch. For menus or more information contact Nicky Marzell via the synagogue office 020 8446 4063

rosh chodesh

Tuesday 13 February @ 8.00pm, FPS library.

We will discuss the situation of political refugees and human rights from the perspective of women. Corinne Oppenheimer will facilitate. book club

Wednesday 14 February @ 8.00pm.

We meet on second Wednesday of the month in private homes. For more information: Sheila King Lassman sheila@waitrose.com or Edgar Jacobsberg e.jacobsberg@gmail.com

breakfast shiurim / cont. from page 12

is an overriding priority. He lectures widely on criminal justice issues, principally, defence of the accused, fair trial and advocacy practice and has featured as a keynote speaker in numerous recent international conferences. He is Practice Professor and QC in Residence at Middlesex University, London. Jeremy has widespread Media involvement which includes an up and coming pivotal role, as defence lawyer, in a prime-time BBC investigatory series (2018) on historical miscarriages of justice.

Saturday 3 March 8.30am ‘Things My Dog Has Taught Me – About Being A Better Human’ With Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg

pilates

Thursdays 5.30pm We are now using the large hall, so this very popular class can accommodate more people. For details Contact Tali on taliswort@btconnect.com cafe ivriah

Saturdays (Term time), 9.45-10.45am All welcome to an informal and wide-ranging topical discussion: from the weekly Torah portion to current affairs.

We are delighted to welcome back Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg who will introduce us to his new book. His relationship with his dogs is well known and Jonathan explains in his book how dogs have taught him - more than anything else - how to appreciate the wonderful world in which we live - and how to develop better relationships with friends and families. Jonathan will share with us how the big themes of friendship, faithfulness, kindness, cruelty, grief, prayer and spiritual companionship come to the fore, and shows us how we can learn so much from a dog’s approach to life.

As Jonathan has to be back at New North London Synagogue for the Shabbat morning service we start this Shiur very promptly at 8.30am.

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Round & About high holy days charity appeal

FPS members gave very generously to the four charities nominated for the 2016/5778 HHD Appeal and we are delighted to report the following sums raised totalling £11,715 before claiming Gift Aid. We will pass the additional funds on to the charities and thank everyone for

their support.

Sikkuy Rene Cassin Homeless Action in Barnet FPS Syrian Refugee Project

£2371 £2451 £3431 £3412

people thank you

for the many cards, emails, calls, visits, flowers and chocolates following my recent replacement shoulder surgery. I’m healing well – just don’t ask me to lift the Torah Scroll for a few more months! Josie Kinchin a warm welcome to our new members

Claudia Prieto Piastro & baby Samuel Laurence Gluck Mavis Gold Rabbi Adam Frankenberg mazaltov

to Leo Richardson, son of member Beverley Aarons, on his debut jazz CD, THE CHASE, which is taking the Jazz world by storm. It received a 5-star review from The Guardian and was voted into the top 10 jazz CDs of 2017 by The Sunday Times. Leo Richardson is widely recognised as one of London’s leading jazz tenor saxophonists. His Quartet consists of artists who are all standouts in their own right. Rick Simpson resides on piano. Mark Lewandowski

drives a hugely vibrant, powerful double bass.

And, in keeping with the talent in this line-up, the exceedingly diverse Ed Richardson rounds things off on drums. Well done Leo! mazaltov also to the following who have

significant birthdays in February: Renzo Fantoni, Neville Robinson, Gloria Silver, Lionel Jacobs, Valerie Joseph, Simon Lucas, Michael Hudson, Alexandra Willner, Jessica Jarmon Christina & Peter Rosenthal are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary (Crystal) and Joan & Howard Shopper their 55th (Emerald) Sam King who has been appointed a QC Gabriel Webber & Manuella Kanter on their engagement our deepest condolences to

Elliot Levey on the death, in Leeds, of his father Marcus The family of Sybil Binnes: her daughters Diana and Andrea, mother in law of Howard Sarna (who plays in the Shabbat Resouled band) and grandchildren.

50/50 club draws, december winners:

50/50 club draws, january winners:

1st 2nd 3rd

1st 2nd 3rd

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Corinne Oppenheimer £25 Helene Dane

£20 Sam King £15

Eliza Lassman Pat Hinson Andrew Hochhauser

£25 £20 £15

Fun Page purim quiz

Using the code on the left, put one letter in each green box to make a Purim Word.

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Contacts

fps website: www.fps.org

finchley progressive synagogue

Life President: Sheila King Lassman

54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR 020 8446 4063 www.fps.org facebook.com/finchleyprog Rabbi Rebecca Birk – rabbi@fps.org

Vice Presidents: Renzo Fantoni, Josie Kinchin, Laura Lassman, Lionel King Lassman, John Lewis, Paul Silver-Myer, Andrea Rappoport, Joan Shopper

Emeritus Rabbi: Dr Frank Hellner

contacts

Community Development Manager: Zoe Jacobs – zoe@fps.org

Board of Deputies Reps: Janet Tresman, Stanley Volk

Musicians in residence: Franklyn Gellnick, Dean Staker

Beit Midrash (Adult Education): Adrian Lister adulteducation@fps.org

Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack pauline@fps.org

Beit Tefillah (Rites & Practices): Valerie Joseph

Premises Manager: Howard Hamerton

Care in the Community: Jacquie Fawcett jacquie@fps.org

executive

Chair: Cathy Burnstone – chair@fps.org Vice-Chairs: Paul Silver-Myer vicechair@fps.org, Louise Gellman vicechairlg@fps.org Treasurer: Martin Silk – treasurer@fps.org Honorary Secretary: Josie Kinchin honsec@fps.org board members

Phillip Raphael, Samantha King, Maureen Lobatto, Louise Gellman, Katy Jackson

Café Thursday: Nicky Marzell

Website Editor: Philip Karstadt fpswebsite@fps.org Shofar Editor: CA. Cranston – shofar@fps.org Shofar Team: Sarah Rosen-Webb, Wika Dorosz FPS Office: administrator@fps.org The Finchley Progressive Synagogue is a company limited by guarantee (Company No 9365956) and a registered charity (Charity No 1167285) whose registered office is 54 Hutton Grove, Finchley, London N12 8DR

President: Alan Banes

ashley page

janet tresman

insurance brokers

mediator & collaborative family law solicitor

Commerce House 2a Litchfield Grove London N3 2TN

Altermans Solicitors 239 Regents Park Road, London N3 3LF

Tel. 020 8349 5100

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Office phone: 0208 346 1777 Email: janet@altermans.co.uk