Shofar March 2016

March 2016

Shofar

‫שופר‬

the magazine of finchley progressive synagogue

Mithal Al-Alusi visits FPS

From the Editor pat lehner Spring is on the way! It may seem a bit early to announce it quite so brazenly, but walking past the crocuses on a cold Hampstead Heath morning there was definitely a hint of Spring in the air. And with Spring comes Purim, in all its glorious silliness and excess.

All over northern and central Europe there are thousands of different carnival traditions that mark the end of winter: from the world famous – if a bit commercial – traditional Carnival in Cologne with its parades, to little known medieval rituals (with a distinctly pagan feel!)in Swiss mountain regions of dressing up in cow and goat skins and hideous masks to send the winter spirits off, and frightening them back to their mountain lair for another year.

It is no coincidence that early spring is when people of the northern hemisphere needed to get out and play, and banish those grey winter days. In spring we rediscover the freedom and power that is a natural product of our ability to play. Dressing up, pretending to be somebody or something else and celebrating with childlike abandon is an empowering way to get in touch with your creativity. So come and join us for Purim or any of our many other opportunities to laugh and learn and play this March!

Shofar is always interested in including photos of FPS member, either at synagogue events, with their families or on their travels near and far. Please remember to send them to us: pat@ericlehner.com

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Cover: Mithal Al-Alusi with Rabbis Rebecca Qassim Birk and Danny Rich Credit Josie Kinchin

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

From the Rabbi rabbi rebecca qassim birk Just lying on the couch and being happy.

Only humming a little, the quiet sound in the head.

Trouble is busy elsewhere at the moment, it has so much to do in the world.

Any Morning, by William Stafford

Erika Christakis, a former Yale professor (who has made headlines) is making an impassioned plea in her new book, The Importance of Being Little. This plea is to parents, and teachers to ditch the worksheets and tired art and craft projects for a simple word.

Play. We know that our education system here starts early. Children in reception, once they are four, learning to read unless they attend a Steiner School. Even in our synagogues we aim to teach Hebrew reading early. Our Ivriah starts GAN (kindergarten) only at year 2, but from then knowledge and language is key.

I’m not sure if we are offering enough Jewish play time before that. We want items for display and learned concepts to send home to parents, not messy, unproductive playtime.

I can’t help but surmise that the problem

is not just because we want our children to be learning as soon and as fast as they can. The problem is that we as adults don’t understand play and don’t do it enough.

I confess I’m not sure I actually know how to play. It may have passed me by. Monopoly, I manage well, but creative and open ended

play was not and is not my forte. When I read about Google producing both high productivity and great creativity by having climbing walls and double decker buses in its office, I am in awe. Has the thirst for knowledge and the addiction to electronics strangled our desire to relax and play? With no ultimate goal in place.

But of course surely play helps all us interact, negotiate and learn patience. Does play actually instruct us in boredom as well as creativity?

Does play require a ‘down time’ we may not otherwise get?

The Hebrew the word for play is l’sachek.

Notably Ishmael does it with Isaac and angers Sarah and we know how that story ended up.

So there’s a certain ambivalence in Torah.

This month holds Purim, so tradition says those who enter Adar enter with joy. Purim is about play, it calls us to levity as Rabbi John Rayner notably declared. We dress up, play at being others, treat the graphic and violent details of the Book of Esther as not real and just play.

Maybe we should be playing more? Is play idleness, as in rest, our challenge to experience on Shabbat? Or is creative joy?

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From the Chair alex kinchin-smith

W

e are currently redeveloping our synagogue website and this project has thrown up a good deal of interesting debate, not just about the site itself but about many aspects of our community.

We have had to spend time thinking through what FPS is really all about – what image do we want to be projecting of ourselves. Easy you say, we are inclusive and pluralist, informal and committed, creative, sometime serious, warm and welcoming, I could go on. These attributes need to come through to visitors to the new website.

We have had to spend time thinking through what FPS is really all about – what image do we want to be projecting of ourselves.

Then we have also needed to think hard about who is coming to our website and why.

One type of visitor will be our members – like you. Do you actually visit the website? And if so what for? We think it is likely to check on events coming up, perhaps see who is leading what study session or service, maybe to check on the parasha that week, maybe to see a report of a recent event.

We have spent a good deal of time considering what non-members, or let’s call them prospective members, visiting the site might want to see. A vibrant community of 4

course but what about beyond that? What are our services like? What is our Rabbi like? What are our people like? Many people are interested in lifecycle, or as one of our members puts it: hatch, match and despatch, as they may be looking for a synagogue in which to marry or for B’nei Mitzvah. Many will be interested in children’s activities, or social or learning.

Our web-designer then asked us about social media and which channels we wish to integrate. This throws up the question of what interaction we want to have with our members (and non-members) in the digital world. We wish to look at this much more so if you are an avid user of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat etc. and think you might be interested in helping then please contact me (in keeping with the theme @AKSDotLondon).

We may even start streaming services – let me know if you have any expertise here too!

All this has made us review what we do from the perspective of how it will be viewed from the outside. We have concluded that our inclusivity and our people are what makes us unique, so we hope to showcase this throughout the new site. finchleyprogressivesynagogue.org [new site coming soon].

News & Events rabbi rebecca qassim birk london citizens

London Citizens are focusing on housing this year. The lack of it and the, sometimes, deplorable state of it for people who aren’t able to request better.

the traditional prayer books. It’s an important opportunity.

It’s an important opportunity so join me for my three-week course: Shabbat mornings 9.45 - 10.45am March 5 & 12

Whilst our work outside our synagogue has seen us focusing on Barnet’s acceptance of refugees, Barnet Citizens have been investigating shocking stories of housing here in our neighbourhoods.

The climax to the listening and exploration will be a public meeting with the two London Mayoral candidates Sadiq Khan and Zac Goldsmith on Thursday evening 28 April in the Copper Box. This is 7th night Pesach and there will be a service there too.

I have only twenty five tickets and I know they will go very quickly. Please book your ticket with Pauline in the office by sending an email entitled Mayoral Assembly.

Being part of London Citizens means we get to contribute and participate in the work they initiate to make London a better place and to enable relationships between organisations and its people.

purim

Whilst our resident Purim artistes Philippa and James and all in their FPS Studios are no longer pursuing the rumours about Mordechai’s addiction to day time television or Vashti’s new career singing Gloria Gaynor songs, there will no doubt be a Megillah With a Difference as usual…followed by copious Palwins for those who partake. Bring your camel if you have one.

Wednesday 23 March, 4.00pm Purim for Tots 6.30pm Megillah reading and more!

prayer group

Is Prayer embarrassing, as Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel suggests, or uplifting?

Liberal Judaism is considering a new siddur.

As the editors of Lev Chadash Rabbis Charles Middleburgh and Andrew Goldstein have said, a modern siddur has a life of 10-20 years. That means we are due another. But in order to do that we, as Liberal Jews, to examine and consider the prayers and commentary we currently use, the order (Seder) that exists in Lev Chadash, the first liberal siddur, following 5

FPS Trip to Antwerp!

Join Rabbi Rebecca and members of FPS community for a short trip to the Belgian city of Antwerp: medieval architecture, Diamond District, Jewish community, Rubens Museum, good food... date: 17 – 18 May 2016 transport: Eurostar from London St. Pancras (self-booking) departure: Tues 08:04, change in Brussels, arrival in Antwerp 12:21.

Return from Antwerp Wednesday 18:09, change in Brussels, arrival St. Pancras 21:03.

You may choose to arrange your return earlier or later (check Eurostar website for other connections) accommodation: 4* Mercure Antwerpen Centrum Opera hotel note: it is cheaper to book individually than via agents. This hotel has a special deal on our date for £69 per room, but note that prices change constantly, so we need to book early! please note: You are welcome to join us for one day only.

Please contact the office for more information.

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Mithal Al-Alusi visits FPS adrian lister

O

n Saturday 16 January we were honoured to host a talk by Mithal Al-Alusi, Iraqi politician, founder of the Iraqi democratic party, friend of Israel and of the West, who has been described as the ‘bravest man in the Middle East’. Visiting London for a series of meetings including two at the Foreign Office, Mr Al-Alusi’s visit to FPS was made possible via David Sasson, leading member of the UK Iraqi Jewish community.

Mr Al –Alusi spoke for 30 minutes and took questions from the audience of more than 60.

Softly-spoken but impassioned, he denounced the religious zealotry that seeks to control peoples’ lives and dominates so much of Middle-Eastern politics; described the moment when, in spite of the dangers, he decided to visit Israel for the first time, and spoke of his abiding hope in a peaceful future. Afterwards there was lively mingling and conversation among FPS members and the many visitors

who had come to hear Mr Al-Alusi, including members of both the Jewish and exiled Muslim Iraqi communities in the UK.

Mithal Al-Alusi with Monty Bixer. David Sasson (in red tie) stands behind them. Photo: Josie Kinchin

volunteers urgently needed for homeless shelter!!!

We finally have the dates for our stint on this year’s Together-in-Barnet night shelter for the homeless, and because of the short notice and the tighter schedule we are urgently in need of a swift response from our volunteers.

For those new to the shelter, each year FPS welcomes up to 17 guests in rotation with other church and synagogue venues. They arrive at 7pm for a hot meal, and stay the night sleeping in the synagogue hall, leaving by 8.30 the next morning after a breakfast prepared by our breakfast shift.

In the past we have hosted one night a week over a period of 8/10 weeks. This year we will be hosting from Easter Sunday (27 March),

then Tuesdays and Saturdays for four weeks (not April 23 which is Passover).

We are looking for: • Cooks to share preparing and serving the evening meal • Hosts • People to sleep over • Breakfast shift • Drivers to transport bags to the next venue You only need to offer one or two occasions, (though more would of course be welcome!).

Next training date: 14 March Please contact Andrea Narcin urgently!

07969 471522 / andrea_narcin@yahoo.co.uk

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Beit Tefillah services at fps

services - march Friday 4 March

Kabbalat Shabbat service

Saturday 5 March

Shabbat b’Yachad

Friday 11 March

Kabbalat Shabbat

Saturday 12 March

Shabbat service

Friday 18 March

Shabbat Resouled

Saturday 19 March

10.15 Musical Shabbatots for 0-4’s Shabbat service including Bat Mitzvah of Chloe Grossmith-Dwek

Wednesday 23 March

4.00pm Purim for Tots 6.30 FPS Megillah reading and more!

Friday 25 March

Kabbalat Shabbat

Saturday 26 March

Shabbat service

breakfast shiur

special event

Saturday 9 April 8.45 am ‘Freedom’ - Presented by Paul Silver-Myer On the very first page of our Liberal Haggadah, we read Rabbi John Rayner’s lovely creative opening prayer:

19 March 9.45-10.45 Israel, the US and Land for Peace: Understanding the Special Relationship Presented by Rob Pinfold and followed by Q & A

Freedom from bondage, and freedom from oppression Freedom from hunger, and freedom from want Freedom from hatred, and freedom from fear Freedom to think, and freedom to speak Freedom to learn, and freedom to love Freedom to hope, and freedom to rejoice Soon, in our days. Amen.

If freedom is defined as a lack of constraint and these words inspire us to find the power to turn thoughts into actions then how do we find and settle on an agreeable balance within the freedom/ power tension?

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Rob is a British-Israeli with a background in Strategic Studies, Middle-East Studies and the Arab-Israel conflict. He earned his BA (First Class) in Politics and Modern History at the University of Manchester and his MA in Terrorism, Security and Society (Distinction) from the Department of War Studies. Rob lived in Jerusalem, where he worked as an Israel Research Fell and as a Research and Teaching Assistant at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Currently, he is a PhD Candidate in War Studies at King’s College London.

Beit Knesset what’s happening at fps

people congratulations & mazal tov

Eli Ezeugoh and Nkem Ikegulu, Zane and Arella on the arrival of baby Yael To Martin and Jenny Silk on their 50th wedding anniversary Chloe Grossmith-Dwek who celebrates her Bat Mitzvah on 19 March condolences

To the family of Pat Silver who died in January.

To Howard Joseph on the recent death of his brother Brian.

and to Martin Werth on the death of his father Henry 50/50 club draws, january winners:

1st 2nd 3rd

David Myer Edgar Jacobsberg Rochelle Simmons

£20 £15 £10

february winners:

1st 2nd 3rd

Lionel King Lassman Paul Miller Barbara Shulman

£20 £15 £10

european union for progressive judaism - biennial conference london 2016

The world is changing and we need to adjust to a new reality – not just in the Jewish world but everywhere we look.

We are living in a time when building bridges has never been more important.

So do join us to explore how to build and develop those vital relationships to both strengthen our Progressive Jewish world and with the wider communities around us.

At the EUPJ Conference you will have the opportunity to meet fellow Progressive Jews from Europe and around the world.

Highlights include: • The opening ceremony which will be held at the Guildhall • Kabbalat Shabbat in the sanctuary of West London Synagogue, Shabbat morning service and a lunch and learn at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue.

Join friends, colleagues and Jews from across the world to learn together, pray together and to be part of a truly inspiring four days in London.

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Beit Midrash learning at fps

Finchley Progressive Synagogue presents

Glittering Fragments, Part II A Century of European Jewish History 1845-1945 3rd March Lesley Urbach

Sir Isaac Shoenberg (1880-1963) and the development of television in Britain. Followed by documentary ‘Jewish Parliamentarians’

10th March David Rosenberg

How the East was won: the defeat of British fascism in the 1930s

17th March Louise Heilbron

The legacy of woman rabbis, from Regina Jonas (1902-1944) to the present day

24th March Diane Barnett

Aristides de Sousa Mendes (1885-1954) - the forgotten Holocaust rescuer

31st March Jan Burns

March of the Living – the childhood and wartime memories of Holocaust survivors

7th April Frank Vighan

Simeon Solomon (1840-1905) – restoring the reputation of a great Pre-Raphaelite artist

14th April Vivi Lachs (returning

Anglo-Yiddish popular culture, with the East End Yiddish songs of fiddler Solomon Levy

by popular demand)

Thursdays, 7.30-9.30 pm, with a break for refreshments £5 donation on the door, or £25 for the series in advance (contact administrator@fps.org)

For more information on speakers and topics, go to: http://www.finchleyprogressivesynagogue.org/learning/beit-midrash/

54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR, tel. 020 8446 4063

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Beit Knesset arts at fps screen on the grove

We choose a wide variety of books, many – but by no means all – of Jewish interest: the only condition is that the person who recommends a book has read it (and loved it!) and that it is available in paperback. For more information contact Sheila King Lassman on sheila@waitrose.com or Edgar Jacobsberg on e.jacobsberg@gmail.com cafe thursday

Sunday 6 March, 7.30pm: Manhattan (1979) Woody Allen directs and stars in this wry comedy-drama about a man torn between relationships. George Gershwin’s score makes the perfect accompaniment to Allen’s elegant New York backdrop. curtain up!

A group of FPS members – and their friends – get together for occasional theatre outings, followed by a discussion over a restaurant meal.

Save the date – 16 March, Wednesday matinee at 2.45pm, New play opening at the Young Vic selected for the new year for Curtain Up! A Girl is a Half-formed Thing - Based on the book by Eimear McBride and adapted for stage by its director, Annie Ryan.

If you would like to join us, please contact Wika Dorosz vdorosz@gmail.com

Thursdays @ 12.45pm, £6, for details contact Nicky Marzell via the synagogue office bridge group

Mondays @ 7.30pm £4, for details contact Gunter Lawson on 020 8346 5208 rosh chodesh

Celebration of the new moon by women gathering for sharing, learning and spiritual exploration. We meet in the FPS Library at 8pm.

Rosh Chodesh Adar II: Thursday 10 March 2.30pm (please note earlier time).

“Jewish Women in Art” - guided tour of the National Gallery (together with our sister Rosh Chodesh Group at Alyth Synagogue). also for adults... pilates

Tuesdays @ 7.30pm Contact Richard on 020 8349 9602

6.30 - 7.15pm Get fit in our small, friendly class, under the expert guidance of Tali Swart. Cost £60 for a series of six sessions. To arrange a trial session, contact Pauline in FPS office

book club

cafe ivriah

The Book Club meetings are held in people’s homes at 8pm on the second Wednesday of each month (recently changed from 7.30pm).

Saturdays 9.45 – 10.45am Informal discussion over coffee and biscuits, between Ivriah dropoff and morning service.

yoga

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Letter from Lima the bonneff family 10 weeks in, 2 more weeks to go…..What is that about you may ask! I’m talking about the endless summer holidays that Peruvian kids get off school. The first 3 weeks were wonderful as we had friends visiting from the UK. We were able to take them white water rafting in Lunahuana which is about 2 hours from Lima and then onto Paracas (about 235km south of Lima) where we were able to experience dune buggy riding and sand boarding and the Ballestras islands. The kids had a blast. The landscape was like I imagine the moon to be and here they were going down these sand dunes on one ski.

Yey, skiing without being cold! Paracas is a national reserve but a sandy one as opposed to a verdant one, right next to the sea. It is of significant archeological and historical interest.

The Paracas culture was pre Incan and dates back to 900BC to 200AD. I would definitely recommend it if you are coming this way. As I keep saying Peru is much more than just the Inca’s. The kids have been filling the rest of their holiday with surfing and tennis lessons, which is undoubtedly one of the perks of living by the sea in an equatorial climate. We are in the full heat of summer, so my constant cry to

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the children is hats and sunscreen as opposed to put on another layer and remember your umbrellas! Peru’s solar radiation levels have reached an all time high of 14 (on a 1-15 scale), due to deterioration of the ozone layer, which is the not so good side of living near the equator.

The only way I notice the seasons changing is by the different fruits I see in the market, at the moment pomegranates, prickly pear fruit (called Tuna fruit here) and gorgeously sweet mangoes are in season.

The drawing to a close of the summer holidays means that I can get back to my Spanish classes.

This new term brings about an introduction to the subjunctive which my teacher says will take about 6 months to learn so on that note...les deseo que ustedes pasen un buen marzo. For those that can, spot the subjunctive!

Abrazos y besos The Bonneffs

LINE #5 – KNYAZHEVO Memories transformed from World War II Bulgaria

In an evening commemorating Yom HaShoah , Monica Rabinowitz will be presenting her short film ‘Line #5 – Knyazhevo’ - a re-creation of stories from her grandmother’s life in Bulgaria at the time of the Holocaust.

A lecture to follow, on

The Making of Line #5, Sephardi Bulgarian Jewry & the Fate of Bulgaria’s Jews Please join us at FPS for this poignant event, with our honoured guest, the Cultural Attaché from the Bulgarian Embassy. Q+A afterwards.

Wednesday, 4 th May, 2016 at 7.30pm An exhibition of Rabinowitz’s still photos from this project will be on display from: Wednesday, 4th May – Sunday, 5th June Line #5 – Knyazhevo was supported by grants from the Jewish Arts & Culture Initiative of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, and Amherst Cultural Council, and contributions by family, friends, and students and faculty of Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts, USA.

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Together in Barnet Christmas Shelter andrea narcin

F

or those of you who are unaware of the fact, FPS is part of a group of synagogues who took over the running of the Together-in-Barnet homeless shelter over the Christmas period.

Thank you so much to all our volunteers!

This year the Christmas shelter ran for 5 days from Christmas Eve to Monday 28th December. Seventeen overnight guests and 8 day guests were welcomed by a massive team of volunteers, and the guests left the shelter fed, watered and entertained. In addition, we were able to offer showers to guests all the way through the break until HAB reopened. The guests were very grateful indeed!

Activities this year included musicians, drum lessons, mindfulness workshops, ping pong and movie nights. Volunteers came from across London to support the shelter. The prize for the furthest drive was Steve from

Maidenhead. The shelter was a truly interfaith event which brought in volunteers from every denomination.

A huge thank you to Finchley Reform Synagogue for use of their building over the 5 days and the support of their office staff and to HAB for use of the showers!

Next year, we hope to do better. The four coordinators had a tough job this year and recognise the need for more support at the organisational stage. We can’t do it without help, so we are asking for some of you to step forward to work with us next year. A few more hands will make very light work. Please do let us know if you want to be part of the team.

Christmas 2016 falls on a Sunday so the shelter will most likely run from Friday 23 December to Wednesday 28th December 2016.

living alone?

josh edgar bar mitzvah

Rochelle asks: Have you ever been snowed under with paper?

There are occasions when, for even the most organised of us, domestic finance matters just get too much. Perhaps one might be left to battle alone after being in a couple, or, perhaps, sickness has left one unable to cope.

Paperweight is a Jewish charity run by highly dedicated and capable people. They have the reputation for turning people’s lives around in a professional, and yet caring manner.

020 8455 4996 / paperweight613@gmail.com

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I am Josh Edgar, and I will be celebrating my Bar Mitzvah on 16 April. I like playing football and rugby, reading newspapers and doing quizzes.

I am excited and nervous about my Bar Mitzvah. It will be great to have relatives and friends all together with me on the day.

house of lords visit

KT1 visited the House of Lords with Rabbi Rebecca and were given a tour by Lord Alfred Dubs. They were inspired by what they saw and each of them contributed a sentence below to the thank you letter mailed to him. They are now keen to return for a debate! “Thank you. It was great to hear about current political issues from someone so involved and passionate about what they believe.

We really loved hearing about all the different purposes of the rooms, the interior design was amazing!

We found it very interesting to hear your opinion on some of the laws debated in the

House of Lords.

I really admired your knowledge and felt very privileged to be shown round both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

I was very privileged that you gave up your time to show us round the House of Commons and lords.

Moreover, I am very fascinated about your story of how you came here on the Kindertransport and how you knew my great grandmother Alma, thank you again for an incredible experience in the Houses of Parliament.�

From left to right: Lord Dubs, Hannah, Maya, Evie, Ruben, Raphy and Rabbi Rebecca. Photo: Katherine Klinger

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Contacts fps who’s who finchley progressive synagogue

54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR 020 8446 4063 www.finchleyprogressivesynagogue.org Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk - rabbi@fps.org Emeritus Rabbi: Dr Frank Hellner Ivriah Headteacher: Adele Silk education@fps.org Musicians in residence: Franklyn Gellnick, Dean Staker Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack pauline@fps.org Premises Manager: Howard Hamerton executive & council

Council members: Jacquie Fawcett, Wika Dorosz, Braham Fredman, Phillip Raphael President: Alan Banes Life Presidents: Clive Winston and Sheila King Lassman Vice Presidents: Renzo Fantoni, Josie Kinchin, Lionel King Lassman, John Lewis, David Pelham, Paul Silver-Myer, Andrea Rappoport, Joan Shopper contacts

Board of Deputies Reps: Janet Tresman, Stanley Volk Beit Midrash (Education): Adrian Lister, Louise Gellman

Chair: Alex Kinchin-Smith - chair@fps.org

Beit Tefillah (Rites & Practices): Michael Lassman, Josie Kinchin

Treasurer: Martin Silk

CafĂŠ Thursday: Nicky Marzell

Honorary Secretary: Josie Kinchin honsec@fps.org

Shofar Editor: Pat Lehner - shofar@fps.org

Vice-Chairs: Louise Gellman, Adrian Lister

ashley page insurance brokers Commerce House 2a Litchfield Grove London N3 2TN Tel. 020 8349 5100

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Website editor: Viktoria Dorosz

janet tresman mediator & collaborative family law solicitor now back in finchley!

Altermans Solicitors 239 Regents Park Road, London N3 3LF Direct dial: 0203 1820121 Email: janet@altermans.co.uk