Shofar September 2015

September 2015

Shofar

‫שופר‬

the magazine of finchley progressive synagogue

Shana Tovah!

From the Editor pat lehner They always seem so exciting, these fresh September days, new and golden and full of promise. Children start school for the first time, in shiny new shoes and school uniforms that are a little too big, “so they have room to grow”. Up and down the country, students are unpacking their bags in their new uni digs. And soon, soon it is time for the Shofar to sound again in synagogues around the globe, and for us all here at FPS to come together, stand together and once again celebrate together. Taking a deep breath, we look at our lives and we take stock. We ask for forgiveness. We enjoy the solemn moments as much as the loud, exuberant times. And hopefully, we dare to voice our plans and visions for the next year, if not out loud, then at least in our hearts.

Here at Shofar, times are changing too - or coming full circle - as we are returning to monthly editions. We are very much looking forward to this, and hope you are too! This also seems like a very good moment for me to thank all of you for your support, and to thank everyone who works to make this beautiful little magazine come together each time.

In this spirit – Shana Tovah, may it be a year of peace and freedom.

DIY Free Standing Sukkah Free for collection!

8’ x 10’, Easy to assemble Contact Frank Hellner rebbefrank@gmail.com (A donation to the Synagogue would be appreciated)

Cover: Photo by Eric Lehner Copy deadline is the 10th of each month. Please email all content to shofar@fps.org

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From the Rabbi rabbi rebecca qassim birk

What a difference a year makes, for us this Rosh Hashanah as a family, and no doubt all of you. No one, even those to whom no drama falls is the same one year to the next. Every year, the opportunities on Rosh Hashanah for reflection and renewed commitment inspire me again. This is where our tradition comes into its own with its call to us to explore, consider and stand truthfully before ourselves, acknowledging the time that has passed since we last did. The nineteenth-century Swedish theologian Søren Kierkegaard wrote, “There comes a midnight hour when all people must unmask.” This, now, is our moment. And it is up to each of us to use it well.

This year for me will be a time of internal and external renewal. We are moving house to be nearer to the synagogue, and we’ll make that move at the end of Tishri during the festival of Sukkot. A festival that calls us to consider home and what the meaning of a home is. Really home is just a place that shelters us, a place we imbue with love, a place we make comforting and where we welcome guests. A new home makes you think about what you need, what matters and what you hope will take place there.

This year our Sukkah at FPS will come into its own as a symbol of shelter and sanctuary.

And we will have unusual guests “uzpizhin” this year. Many of our members have responded to the plight of Syrian refugees, made homeless by the appalling troubles in their country. Together with Barnet Citizens they are working on persuading the Borough of Barnet to welcome 50 Syrian refugees under a scheme run and paid for by the European Union.

FPS folk have been finding private landlords ready for such rentals, calling schools who might take one or two children, doctors’ surgeries to make space on their books for a couple of families. The enthusiasm and energy has been immense. The culmination will be on 27 September Erev Sukkot before the service when Richard Cornelius is invited to consider this. Lord Alf Dubs, formerly of the Refugee Council will also be here, as well as other leaders in local government. This desire to make homes came from our members and what better time to act than Sukkot. Last Sukkot Kingston Liberal Synagogue was instrumental in the Royal Borough of Kingston choosing to welcome 50 Syrian refugees. I hope we will achieve this too.

May this year be a good and a gentle one.

May we have the courage to change what needs changing and to accept what doesn’t.

May our community be energised to live, learn and pray deeply together.

Shana Tovah.

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From the Chair alex kinchin-smith

At our AGM in June I reviewed my first year in the Chair and it seems appropriate to summarise for this issue of Shofar.

When I started as Chair I said that I would aim to create a vision for FPS and then build a team to deliver that vision. I would describe that vision as follows: FPS is here to: - reach out to those in the Finchley area and beyond who have or may have an affinity with Liberal Judaism - create a positive environment and experiences and to live our Judaism in ways which enable individuals to find meaning, to develop and to grow - make a difference within the Jewish community (Tikkun Am) and the wider world (Tikkun Olam) And this is where the community should be in five years’ time: - we are a growing community (perhaps 50 households larger) - we retain the feeling of familiarity but our activities always attract good numbers - when people join they quickly develop a sense of belonging and a commitment to becoming involved - we are known for our strengths – people are recognised and known, young and old mix together, we are innovative in our practice but at the same time thoughtful, we are welcoming to mixed faith households and 21st century families 4

- we are well resourced, efficient and visible in the Jewish community and beyond Over the past year we have taken some steps towards this vision: - We have balanced the books and achieved a slight surplus in 2015 - We established a membership group to welcome new members - We’re becoming a more relationship based community, where people know each other - We established a fund raising group For the year ahead I believe there are five areas to focus on. The first two are to build on our efforts in terms of membership growth and to increase our fundraising activities. The third is an expansion of what it means to be a relational community by encouraging people to get to know one another better. The fourth priority is communication. You would think we are not too big to get this right but sometimes we don’t and I want us to get better at this.

And lastly a big, big challenge. Can we establish a nursery at FPS? It would be a significant undertaking for our community.

And I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributes to the running of our synagogue, without you we would not be the thriving community we are.

Here’s to a great next year, Shana Tovah.

Barnet Citizens are asking you to help save lives by coming to our

RESETTLEMENT ACTION on Sunday 27th September We will be asking Barnet Council to commit to resettling 50 Syrian refugees in Barnet We warmly invite members and their guests to come celebrate the Jewish festival of Succot with Muslim, Christian and Jewish from across Barnet 5-6.30pm at Finchley Progressive Synagogue 54A Hutton Grove, London, N12 8DR RSVP: charlotte.fischer@citizensuk.org

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Beit Tefillah services at fps

services - september Friday 4 September Saturday 5 September

Kabbalat Shabbat service

Shabbat b’Yachad service 6.30pm Soulful Selichot Evening 9.00pm Selichot service

Friday 11 September

Kabbalat Shabbat service

Saturday 12 September

Shabbat service

Sunday 13 September

Erev Rosh Hashanah

Monday 14 September Friday 18 September

Saturday 19 September

Shabbat Resouled

10.15am Shabbatots service (note new date) Shabbat service

Tuesday 22 September

Wednesday 23 September

7.30pm Kol Nidre

Friday 25 September

Kabbalat Shabbat service

Saturday 26 September

Shabbat service

Sunday 27 September

Erev Sukkot

Monday 28 September

Sukkot service

the emergent multiverse

Presented by Professor Harvey Brown Saturday 3 October 2015 8.45am The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics holds that quantum theory – our best current theory of physics - is correctly understood as claiming that there are many worlds that exist in parallel to our own. The existence of the other worlds makes it possible to make sense of physics without action-ata-distance, objective randomness, or any 8

Rosh Hashanah

Yom Kippur

strange role for “observer” or “consciousness”.

Professor Brown will be discussing this interpretation and asking what would follow from its being the correct one. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions.

Professor Harvey Brown is Professor of the Philosophy of Physics at Oxford University & a fellow of Wolfson College. He previously spent time in Sao Paulo University, Brazil, and Chelsea College, London. He is the author of numerous papers in the philosophy of Physics.

Beit Knesset what’s happening at fps

people we warmly welcome new members

Hannah Luder & Michael Rosefield Gemma Thomas congratulations & mazal tov

representative on the Family Law Group. She is currently re-writing the section on “Marriage” in the Board’s Jewish Family Life and Customs pamphlet for all Jewish denominations

Roger & Kitty Lyons on the marriage of their son Joshua to Nicole Ludwin on 12 July Sara Miller & Michael Towers on their marriage in August Alison Rees & Peggy Sherwood on their marriage in August Stanley Volk who celebrated his 80th birthday in August Gunter Lawson who celebrates his 80th birthday in September Janet Tresman who has been re-elected onto the Defence Division at the Board of Deputies and who remains as Liberal Judaism’s

condolences to

edgwarebury cemetery

of a woodland plot is £1700 which is the cost charged to Liberal Judaism by West London who are making this area available to Progressive Jews. Woodland burials are also available at Cheshunt Cemetery for LJ members. Please remember that following a woodland burial no headstones are allowed.

Because of the shortage of space at Jewish cemeteries, for the past five years it has been Liberal Judaism policy not to accept grave reservations but instead to offer the alternative to bury in depth. This means that on the death of the first spouse, burial is carried out in depth leaving the upper space for eventual use by the partner or another close member of the family. There is no longer the option to reserve graves. However, it is still possible to make grave reservations in the LJ section at Cheshunt Cemetery and this is an option you may wish to consider. woodland burials

There is now a woodland burial area at Edgwarebury available to all members. The cost

Robert Levy on the death of his mother Lucy Stephen and David Leapman on the death of their mother Valerie yahrzeit list

The FPS Yahrzeit list is being updated. Please let Pauline in FPS office have details of all Yahrzeit dates you wish to be recorded: name of Honoree, date of death, whether you observe the Hebrew or English date and the Yahrzeit will be announced the Shabbat before the relevant date.

burial or cremation?

FPS records do not consistently show whether members wish to be buried or cremated.

Because of the information above and the choices now available, please ensure that we have a record of your preference by contacting Pauline in FPS office.

Joan Shopper, Burials Officer

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Beit Midrash learning at fps beit midrash

fps chavurah supper New this Autumn!

Every 4th Friday Hosted by Elliott Karstadt Bring a dish to share Everybody welcome!

Our flagship adult learning experience returns in October - Thursday evenings 6.30 - 9.30pm 6.30 - 7.15pm - Pilates 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 adrianlister@blueyonder.co.uk glittering fragments - a hundred years of anglo-jewish history, 1845-1945

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 1 October: East End Yiddish Revolution: Morris Winchevsky in verse and song 1884-94 Vivi Lachs 8 October: The “refugees’ MP” Eleanor Rathbone (1872-1946) and her work on behalf of Jews from Nazi Europe Dr Susan Cohen 15 October: London Jews in the mid-19th century: who were they, where did they come from and where did they go?

Petra Laidlow 22 October: We must save the Children: Greta Burkill and the Kindertransport Mike Levy 29 October: Lady Judith Montefiore & the first Anglo-Jewish cookery book - Dr Jane Gerson 5 November: The Labour MP Herbert Morrison and his changing attitude to the plight of the Jews 1930 to 1945 - Lesley Urbach

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cafe ivriah

Returns at the start of term - Saturdays 9.45 - 10.45am Informal discussion over coffee and biscuits, between Ivriah drop-off and morning service.

50/50 club draws, june winners:

1st 2nd 3rd

Edgar Jacobsberg Elah Golan Ben Golan

£15 £12 £8

july winners:

1st 2nd 3rd

Paul Lichtenstern Alison Rees David Pelham

£15 £12 £8

simchat torah services

Sunday 4 October / Monday 5 October – honouring our Chatan Torah Rabbi Frank Hellner & Kallat Bereishit Valerie Boyd-Hellner.

Beit Knesset arts at fps the screen on the grove

curtain up!

FPS Film Club re-opens after the summer break on Sunday 6 September at 7.30pm with ‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974, USA).

Directed by Mel Brooks, this irreverent film is considered one of the director’s best. In this satirical take on Westerns, crafty railroad worker Bart (Cleavon Little) becomes the first black sheriff of Rock Ridge, a frontier town about to be destroyed in order to make way for a new railroad. Initially, the people of Rock Ridge harbour a racial bias toward their new leader. However, they warm to him after realizing that Bart and his perpetually drunk gunfighter friend (Gene Wilder) are the only defence against a wave of thugs sent to rid the town of its population.

For more information please call the office.

book club

Meetings are held in people’s homes, 7.30pm on the second Wednesday of each month.

Contact sheilakl@waitrose.com

yoga

Tuesdays @ 7.30pm.

Contact Richard on 020 8349 9602 cafe thursday

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

Mondays @ 7.45pm £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.

Monday 13 October, Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan: ‘Parenting in a time of increasing antisemitism’. Sarah Rosen-Webb will introduce the discussion with some news reports, survey results and human interest stories.

fps supper quiz saturday 17 october 2015 you are invited to come to fps for a fabulous fun filled evening with quiz, food, auction & prizes our flagship fundraiser for the synagogue & the community we encourage you all to attend!

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Letter from Peru the bonneff family food glorious food

L

ast newsletter I promised an entry all about food. The Peruvians just like the Jews are food obsessed. They have good reason to be too. In the most recent list of the top 50 restaurants in the world 3 of them are Peruvian. Apparently they have been voted the 5th best cuisine in the world, so how lucky am I, to be a food obsessed Jew in Peru! I have spent the last 7 months making it my mission to try out as many of the gastronomic delights as possible in Lima so I feel well placed to talk a little bit about their food.

Peru has 3 distinct regions, the costa (coast), sierra (the mountains) and the selva (the rainforest).

Each area has its own unique foods. The coast is rightly famous for its Ceviche and in Lima there is always a queue for the best Cevicherias which

I have spent the last 7 months making it my mission to try out as many of the gastronomic delights as possible in Lima so I feel well placed to talk a little bit about their food. are known to have the freshest fish. Peruvians tend only to eat Ceviche at lunchtime because they think the fish is freshest at this time.

Ceviche contrary to popular belief is not raw like Japanese sashimi, but raw fish ‘cooked’ in lime juice.

They have the most amazing fresh fruit juices. One of the most interesting I have tried 12

is Camu Camu. It is a plant from the Amazon whose fruit has more Vitamin C than any other known plant in the world. It contains 30 times more Vitamin C than an orange. The national drink is called Pisco Sour and it is really delicious and very alcoholic. Don’t drink too many and then expect to stand up! Inca cola is a fizzy drink which all Peruvians love and it is the only fizzy drink that outsells coca cola in its own country. Maybe this is why many years ago Coca Cola bought the brand.

Of course, most people have heard of Quinoa which is a Peruvian superfood but Peru has many more grains, actually they are technically seeds, which are equally as nutritional rich such as Kaniwa and Kiwicha.

I do my fruit and vegetable shopping at my local market and each week the ‘casero’ (grocer) puts a new fruit in for me to try explaining to me how I know it’s ripe and how to cut and eat it. An interesting one is called Pepino Dulce, not to be confused with Pepino which means cucumber in Spanish, it tastes a bit like a cantaloupe melon but is about the size of an orange. In England we have a handful of different types of potatoes but in Peru they have over 3,000 varieties and I’m still struggling to find the best one to use to roast!

Should any of you wish to try Peruvian cuisine there are now a few excellent restaurants in London, one of which has a Michelin star.

So happy eating from the Bonneffs in Peru.

Your Legacy james levy

When I was a boy I observed a ritual which took place in synagogue on the night of Kol Nidre. At the end of the service in candlelight a handful of senior congregants solemnly gathered on the Bimah to read out names of past members of the community who had died. One year it might be 17021714. Another 1794-1806. These people were not “greats”. They were not famous scholars or Rabbis. But I recognised their surnames.

They were the same as current members. I imagined these people of the past to have been benefactors who in one way or another had helped keep the community going for the future generations. For us. For me. I was deeply impressed that, for a short moment, their names were once again called out from the Bimah.

To the present. FPS is a great place of study, prayer, consolation and meeting.

Through the efforts of the community over the past 60+ years this synagogue has become a special place for me. “May the door of this Synagogue be wide enough to receive all who long for love, all who are lonely for friendship”. I want to imagine that

living alone - making life good for yourself

It is very reassuring to wear an alarm button.

These can be supplied by your local Council or Age UK, rented or purchased.

The call centre is run 24/7 by sympathetic and capable people. You would benefit from letting them have as much information about yourself

a century or two from now this community will not only be surviving but thriving for the future generations.

Over the last few months a small group of us have looked at the financial position of the synagogue for the long term. We have discussed many ideas. You will all have seen the notices for the FPS Supper Quiz in October which should be a great occasion.

Please come! But on one thing there is clear consensus. Subscription income alone is insufficient to resource the synagogue in the long term. There are various options.

But like the communities of old and across the world what FPS needs is benefactors.

As the Siddur Lev Chadash, our prayer book, says “Giving is a supreme ethical obligation, second only to … the doing of kind deeds”.

We have busy lives. Distractions abound.

It took me years to get around to writing a will. What will be your legacy? Please remember FPS in your will. Remembering FPS in your will is an enduring legacy which will help this synagogue maintain its current range of services, and serve the generations to come.

as possible. If you do not have any suitable key holders, they will send someone round in an emergency or give you a morning call. Another very useful idea is to install a locked key box outside your home. The combination to it could be known to the alarm centre, your GP and any other relevant people.

Rochelle Simmons

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dear ivriah families...

Welcome back to a new year of learning at FPS. We’ve been working hard over the summer gathering a new cohort of teachers, creating a curriculum of learning that will be clear and community minded and crafting a new Hebrew learning programme. We are confident we are building on past years’ foundations and moving forward. One initiative is that you parents will be invited to join us more for services, supporting students and Shabbaton ‘learn-ins’.

I, Rabbi Rebecca will be Principal of Ivriah and very much leading our direction.

Jess Lichtenstern will be senior teacher and will oversee the Ivriah morning. Rabbi Janet Burden will be supporting resources for our teachers.

Paula Kinchin-Smith, Louise Gellman & Peter Rosenthal are the FPS Education team to go to with any concerns.

We look forward to welcoming you all to our first class on 19 September and of course for Rosh Hashanah on the Monday before.

Warm wishes Rabbi Rebecca

FPS chanichim arrive at LJY-Netzer Machane Kadimah.

This year’s camp for school years 3-10 ran from 11-24 August. www.ljy-netzer.org

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ella balint-kurti’s d’var torah

Shabbat Shalom! My portion is called Mattot (which means tribes) from the Book of Numbers and is the last one as a double with Massei, which means journeys. The piece is all about vows and keeping your promises. I was especially interested in how women kept their vows and how they were treated in comparison to men.

This led me to thinking about the women in my family.

The oldest woman in my family is my Great Grandma Agi, a strong and inspirational woman, who lived in Hungary during the Second World War. She died her hair blond so that she would look less Jewish and went into hiding. Great Grandma Agi came to live here

after the Holocaust with her son, who would become my Grandpa Gabriel. When my Grandpa Gabriel grew up, he married my granny Kitty and they met in the house that I live in now.

Granny Kitty’s mother (Great Grandma Ava) died when I was very little and I have heard so many stories about what a wonderful person she was. Macmillan nurses really supported her at the end of her life. So, for my Tzedakah project I decided to raise money for Macmillan by baking as many cakes as we could and selling them at my old primary school with four of my friends.

This is a short extract of Ella’s D’var Torah, you can find the full version on our website www.finchleyprogressivesynagogue.org

syrian refugee crisis- your help needed!

There are now 4 million Syrian refugees in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, looking for somewhere to be safe. London Citizens, of which FPS is a member, is trying to get Barnet Council to accept just 50 vulnerable Syrians direct from the Refugee camps. The population of Barnet is 356,400 (2011 census), so I don’t think we are asking a lot! The European Community is to fully fund these refugees for the first year. This will cover all living costs, rent, medical costs (the group to be resettled would include a number requiring medical treatment) education etc.

27 September is the day when we need your presence at the synagogue to ask Barnet Council to back the scheme. The date coincides with Sukkot, our festival remembering what it was like to not have a home!

We also need potential landlords who are ready to commit to renting their property to refugees for a year (rent guaranteed by the EU).

If you feel you have somewhere appropriate, or have further questions, please contact me at andrea_narcin@yahoo.co.uk Remember, we too are a refugee community!

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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 Musicians in residence: Franklyn Gellnick, Dean Staker Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack pauline@fps.org Premises Manager: Howard Hamerton executive & council

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

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

Treasurer: Martin Silk

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

Honorary Secretary: Josie Kinchin honsec@fps.org

CafĂŠ Thursday: Nicky Marzell

Vice-Chairs: Louise Gellman, Adrian Lister

Shofar Editor: Pat Lehner - shofar@fps.org

Council members: Jacquie Fawcett, Wika Dorosz, Braham Fredman

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

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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