Jewish News Charity Supplement 938

Jewish

18 February 2016

CHARITY SUPPLEMENT

Belarus 1,467, Bulgaria 215, Estonia 60, Georgia 682, Hungary 89, India 713, Kazakhstan 9, Latvia 34, Lithuania 16, Moldova 2,083, Nepal 7,655, Philippines 10,230, Poland 540, Romania 58, Russia 872, Rwanda 1,121, Serbia 51, Sierra Leone 3,406, Ukraine 38,976, United Kingdom 634

If these are the answers, what is the question...?

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CHARITY

GLOBAL Brigit Grant reveals how one Jewish charity is making a world of difference IF THE ANSWER IS 68,911, what is the question?

Could it be the number of Arsenal fans waiting for season tickets? The cost of a new BMW series 7 630d M Sport? Or is it the amount of people World Jewish Relief helped last year?

Providing assistance in multiple ways to 68,911 individuals around the globe is too big a number to contemplate, particularly when the help is orchestrated from small premises in NW2.

But addressing the needs of the vulnerable has been the objective of WJR since it was founded in 1933 to assist Jews fleeing Nazi oppression.

Back then it was known as the Central British Fund for German Jewry (CBF) and it supported 65,000 German and Austrian adult refugees and 10,000 children arriving in the UK. Today under a new acronym, the objectives of this Jewish humanitarian agency remain the same – to offer assistance on a practical and emotional level to those affected by poverty, discrimination and international disasters.

PRIORITIES What the WJR does on a day-to-day basis is impossible to encapsulate in two pages as it operates in 20 countries, each with its own unique problems, while simultaneously responding to international crises as they happen. Right now Syrian refugees are high on the WJR agenda and its September appeal, which raised £820,000, has paid for back-to-school kits for 2,000 Syrian refugee children in Turkish schools; 3,000 winter kits (coats, boots, clothes, sleeping bags) and basic shelter and food for 1,500 refugees in Greece’s Aegean Islands. Along with improving access to healthcare for refugees in northern Greece, WJR has also developed a new employment programme to help 1,000 Syrians learn the language and integrate into British life over the next five years.

Supported by private donors, it is a programme informed by the charity’s experience in the former Soviet Union, where it helped 15,000 people to train for the workplace and, as the government does not currently have an employment programme, it has welcomed the WJR initiative.

For most organisations, working with Syrian

refugees would be more than enough to contend with, but it is the proverbial tip of the iceberg for WJR. One only has to look at the number of beneficiaries in 20 countries during the period 2014 – 2015:

Belarus 1,467, Bulgaria 215, Estonia 60, Georgia 682, Hungary 89, India 713, Kazakhstan 9, Latvia 34, Lithuania 16, Moldova 2,083, Nepal 7,655, Philippines 10,230, Poland 540, Romania 58, Russia 872, Rwanda 1,121, Serbia 51, Sierra Leone 3,406, Ukraine 38,976, United Kingdom 634 After more than 80 years in the rescue business, WJR knows how to assess the damage and where to apply its expertise. This is what it has been doing in the following countries: EASTERN EUROPE This part of the world has been the focus of WJR’s attention for many years, as the older Jewish people are among the most discriminated, with many facing persecution stretching back to the Nazis and the Cold War. The aim is to ensure that those needing immediate support – food, housing, warmth – are cared for, while bringing the elderly together to help forge a sense of community.

UKRAINE In the past year, 2.2 million people, including thousands of Jews, have fled their homes because of the conflict in east Ukraine, which has resulted in 6,400 deaths. Economic and political uncertainty, along with the hiked prices of food, gas and electricity, has devastated the population, and a fragile ceasefire has done little to ease living conditions. WJR programmes supported 15,816 people, some of whom still receive multiple services, ranging from the provision of coal, wood, blankets, shoes, payment of utility bills and window repairs to evacuating 80 people from Mariupol when the fighting escalated.

With food and hygiene kits distributed to 1,790 vulnerable people in the conflict zone and livelihood development classes given to 869 internally displaced citizens who escaped to new towns, WJR is integral to the survival of many Ukranians. Undeterred, the charity has also defiantly organised much-needed respite from the conflict with “home gatherings” that bring people together and these have continued during bombings.

SPOTLIGHT Vitaliy Kartamyshev, director of World Jewish Relief Ukraine What is it like to live in Ukraine?

“The country is a huge and sometimes ruthless social experiment. More often, what people say will happen is quite the opposite of what happens in reality. The country is in deep economic crisis, unemployment is very high, wages are lower than the subsistence minimum, so many residents have barely enough to buy food after paying their utility bills.”

How are you are making a difference?

“By delivering much-needed humanitarian relief to people affected by the conflict and poverty in eastern Ukraine. We work primarily with Jewish people, but others too, providing shelter and other types of non-food assistance. I can vividly

remember delivering food aid (canned food, buckwheat, rice, sunflower oil, pasta, salt, sugar, tea, etc.) to an elderly disabled lady in a village called Kamyshnoe. The lady, obviously forgotten by everybody, even her children, lived in isolation in the buffer zone between Ukraine and the so-called ‘Lugansk People's Republic’ (in eastern Ukraine). Their village was bombed on several occasions a year ago. Food, fuel and other items necessary for survival are scarce. When she saw us coming with all the food aid, she burst out crying.

Life must be very harsh for this lady. The package will last her about a month. She told us that if it were not for us, she would barely have any food.”

GEORGIA WJR supports the elderly in Georgia by contributing homecare workers, medicines, heating and the WJR bank card scheme preloaded with money, which gives the card holder the freedom to choose where they shop or buy medicine. Many could not afford to do this on their pensions.

BELARUS Here, the emotional well-being programmes support older people, mainly those living alone without close family ties. Tackling loneliness and

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Solutions seeds or plastics for tunnels for growing tomatoes.

It’s also about helping households to get product to larger markets so that they will increase their income to rebuild their homes demolished by the earthquake, and have greater access to educational opportunities for their children and better healthcare. I feel very privileged to be facilitating these efforts.”

emergency food to 210 households and shelter support to 1,531. Deploying a staff member to an unfolding emergency for the first time allowed WJR to form strategic partnerships with local organisations and it targeted the most hard-to-reach communities that were not supported by other aid agencies or governments. This emergency relief phase helped to establish WJR’s reputation as an organisation able to respond rapidly and efficiently and, as its programmes shift from emergency relief to recovery, it is examining agricultural industries and vocational opportunities in order to help the people increase their incomes and fund self-recovery.

PHILIPPINES Typhoon Haiyan was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, devastating parts of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines in November 2013. WJR’s emergency appeal initially provided relief following the devastation and is now at the rebuilding phase. Working with partners to support the country’s redevelopment, it has provided thousands of metres of fishing lines for producing edible seaweed, distributed a further 130 boats, farm implements and even 51 carabao (water buffalo). All of this support has enabled 10,230 diverse people in island communities to rebuild.

SPOTLIGHT Mike Rosenkrantz, WJR’s Nepal programme manager

isolation is the goal and dozens of younger people have been actively involved this year in Belarus, helping hundreds of older people live lives with more dignity. WJR organised eye tests, glasses, eye surgeries and hearing aids for hundreds of older people, all of which is critical to their well-being.

MOLDOVA Repairing the homes of the elderly is a programme that has been running for four years in Moldova.

In a survey on the project done in Kishinev, 37 percent felt comfortable and dignified in their homes before WJR repaired them, compared to the 93 percent who felt that way afterwards.

SPOTLIGHT Masya Haimovna, 76 is a Holocaust survivor living in Rybnitsa, Moldova, who was forced to live in incredibly difficult conditions. Her meagre income and poor health meant there was little money left for food, let alone repairs. Window frames were falling away, floors were cracked,

RWANDA Supporting communities with a shared history of genocide is at the heart of WJR’s philosophy, hence Rwanda, where around one million people were murdered in 1994 and where they are now helping young orphaned farmers to learn innovative farming techniques that are also supported by Comic Relief. WJR has empowered 903 young people to increase their income and support their families.

there was no running water and damp and fungus corroded the walls.

Through WJR’s Home Repairs Programme, critical changes were made to Masya’s home, including the renovation of her kitchen and electrical wiring. The flat is now unrecognisable and Masya’s life has completely changed, as she said herself: “I could not even dream about such a gift! Now I want to live… as they say – until 120!”

SIERRA LEONE Following the Ebola outbreak in 2014 WJR, together with Street Child of Sierra Leone, supported children orphaned by Ebola and their foster families. The charity’s first grants provided 2,078 children across five locations with food and other basic items. When the crisis began to subside, WJR supported 360 children without parents to return to school, gave food grants to 350 families so they could focus their energies on restarting their business and launched an Ebola education and prevention programme, using teachers forced out of work by closed schools. These 968 educators across 25 chiefdoms reached an estimated 242,000 people.

NEPAL In April last year, Nepal was hit by a catastrophic earthquake, which claimed the lives of more than 9,000 people. Thousands were injured and more than half a million homes were destroyed.

WJR was among the first international development agencies to respond and it provided

What is it like to live in Nepal?

“I’ve lived here since June 2012 and I thoroughly enjoy living in a very different environment from where I grew up in the United States. It is very challenging, especially given the partial border closure with India, which has lasted at least five months with no end in sight as this has resulted in long lines for petrol, diesel, limited cooking gas and rising food prices. Instead of taking buses, I’ve shifted to riding my bicycle, sometimes 16 miles a day from one of the NGOs that we are working with to another. There are also no hot showers, but you adapt and, for me, there is something about the diversity of living in another culture that really draws me in, no matter the challenges.”

How are you making a difference?

“The charity takes a business-based approach to recovery efforts. It’s not only about providing formal skills trainings and business inputs, such as

COMING SOON By 2020, World Jewish Relief plans to: • Take 100,000 people, the majority from within Jewish communities, out of poverty by helping them to help themselves • Assist 50,000 older Jewish people to live dignified lives • Respond to those affected by catastrophic disaster by strengthening the British Jewish community’s response to international emergencies

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CHARITY

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT When it comes to finding innovative ways to help people with mental health issues, JAMI is full of bright ideas, as Debra Barnes discovers

Liz Jessel, head of development at Jami

Y

ou might think that an event called ‘What Can Falafel Teach Us About Ourselves?’ would be run by a cookery club or healthy eating course perhaps. Surprisingly, it is actually run by Jami, the mental health service for the Jewish community, and it forms part of its fascinating and extensive ‘Head Room’ programme.

Launched last autumn, Head Room details a range of courses, seminars and events for the whole community. “Head Room educates the Jewish community about mental health and also provides practical seminars to Jami clients about recovery as they return to everyday life after a period of illness,” explains Liz Jessel, the charity’s head of development. “There’s something for everyone in the community and we’re really pleased with the response to the programme so far.”

Head Room sessions are split into four cate-

gories. The falafel event, inspired by the delicious street food snack, is one of the Information Seminars and will give food for thought around the issues of acceptance and social inclusion within a Jewish cultural context.

Other seminars include ‘We are all a little bit OCD... aren’t we?’ and another that explores the Jewish gang history of East London and thinks about the popular fascination with crime. Hardly the sort of subjects you would naturally associate with a mental health service, these seminars are open to a wide range of people, including professionals working in mental health or other areas, carers, people with lived experience of mental illness and individuals who are simply hooked by the topic.

“Stress and anxiety affect us all and we have responded to the growing public interest in these areas at the same time as looking at other topics and issues that capture public imagination. Head Room is an inclusive and exciting approach to topics that challenge stigma and discrimination and equip people with the tools to manage daily life,” clarifies Liz. ‘Recovery at Jami Head Room’ is aimed at those who have lived with mental illness or

distress, and sessions include a sleep college and a creative writing course. The Graduate Programme, for anyone thinking of returning to work or study following a period of absence owing to mental health issues, can help with application processes and interview techniques.

“I had been out of work for two years due to my mental health and was getting really frustrated,” says Jami client Dee. “Coming here has made me realise that out of my painful experiences and negative thoughts could come something very positive.”

The fourth category is the ‘Mind and Body Spa’ evening courses for anyone who wants to improve their well-being, cope better with stress and connect with others in a supportive environment.

These sessions are held in various venues around north-west and east London, including the new Jami Head Room café, which is being created as part of the current refit of the Jami shop in Golders Green, which will also include a workshop room along with boutique retail space. “Opening this spring, the café is going to be an excellent addition to our portfolio,” says Liz. “We have also relocated one of our centres to Leila’s House in North Finchley and

our new resource hub there, The Elliott Simmons Centre for Wellbeing, can be found in Christchurch Avenue. Jami has purchased the building from Mind in Barnet, which is still operating from upstairs in the building, allowing for some great opportunities for collaboration between our two organisations.”

This timely reorganisation of some of Jami’s centres will help the charity cope with the 140 percent increase in new referrals experienced since the launch of its Think Ahead campaign last May. Liz explains: “Think Ahead encourages everyone to be in touch with their own mental health, improve understanding and challenge stigma.

Think Ahead has been delivered using a range of images designed to stimulate debate and challenge audiences to think differently about mental health. The response in the first nine months has been extremely encouraging and means that a huge number of people are now aware of and using the service.”

The campaign calls on the community to get support (if they need help from mental health services), get involved (through volunteering) or give support (as the charity relies on donations to deliver services).

Mark Shooter, Mayor of Barnet, singing for Jami with chief executive Laurie Rackind and trustee Alan Lazarus

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LIVING OUT LOUD With life expectancy on the increase, sheltered housing is in demand, says jLiving’s June Morton “I now turn to the old people... who are beginning to feel ‘I do not want to go and live in a home. I like my own little house or flat...

However, I am beginning to feel that I cannot go on living by myself with safety.’”

So went the speech made by Sir Keith Joseph on 3 March 1964 to the House of Commons when he was the Minister for Housing and it became the inspiration behind the Housing Association now known as jLiving.

Today, jliving provides sheltered housing to more than 500 people and, with the average life expectancy in the UK having risen from 71 to 81 years since that speech was made, the demand for shel-

tered housing has never been greater. “As I have witnessed from my first six months here in the role,” explains recently-appointed jLiving chief executive June Morton, “the challenges for social housing providers have also increased.”

This week, however, June is breathing a sigh of relief as it has just been announced that sheltered housing providers such as jLiving have been granted a one-year exemption from the one percent cut in housing association rents, proposed by the current government in its Welfare Reform and Work Bill.

“We can’t sit on our laurels though” said June, “the one percent cut was intended to be the first of four one percent cuts over the next four years, which means that, as a social housing provider, we have to review how we manage our services to ensure we can continue to deliver what our tenants want and need.”

The welfare sector has already been hit by funding cuts, as June explained: “Local authorities have been forced to reduce services such as mental health

teams and home helps, both of which are used by our tenants. Some people are having to pay for their own home help now, which is far from ideal. jLiving has a head of housing and welfare officer, who are available to assist our tenants to access additional services and, of course, each property has a scheme manager.” jLiving provides good quality and excellent value sheltered housing along with the services of the scheme managers in all properties. “Our scheme managers are highly professional and caring individuals. They all benefit from our in-house training programme and can access external training when they need to, plus all of our scheme managers meet up

regularly to share their knowledge and experience. They check on their tenants every day, with particular attention for anyone who might be recovering from an illness or injury. I really believe that the scheme managers are the unsung heroes of our organisation.”

Spooky Halloween parties, welcoming youth groups to light the Chanukah candles, Frank Sinatra tribute singers, visits from renowned modern artists, day-trips on the canal, 100th birthday parties, jewellery making workshops ..... these are just some of the social activities organised by the scheme managers for the benefit of their tenants, to prevent them feeling isolated and to encourage them to stay active and use their motor skills and keep their minds alert.

June added: “When you live in a jLiving property, you have your own home with its own front door and its own kitchen, but if you fancy some company, you can pop along to the communal lounge – some of which also has as a synagogue for the holy days if the property is not located very close to a shul. Our tenants have the best of both worlds and we will continue to manage external challenges thrown at us so that we can keep supporting our community.”

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CHARITY

BRING IT &Buy It donations to sign up for Gift Aid – after all, that means an additional 25 percent of income from the Inland Revenue once an item is sold, not an insignificant amount.

All items donated with Gift Aid are labelled with a barcode sticker, which is scanned when the item is sold so that All Aboard will email the donor quarterly to let them know how much has been raised from their donations. “Some donors might wonder why we email them but it’s a legal obligation,” Pearl explains. “We also have to give donors the right to ask for the money back at that point – fortunately no-one ever does.”

“As the largest chain of charity shops in the Jewish community, All Aboard depends on the generosity of its donors and the many thousands of people who shop with us each year,” says Alan Haynes, who took over as chief executive officer in January. “Without their ongoing support, we would not be able to help those who really need it”.

Debra Barnes took a sneak peek behind the scenes at All Aboard

R

emember that nice little white cardigan that you bought from Zara on a whim? It still has the sales tag, but you’ll never wear it now and it’s too late to return it for a refund. It’s just taking up space in the wardrobe, so you put it in a plastic bag along with some other old clothes and when you finally remember you pop it in to a charity shop, such as All Aboard in Station Road, Edgware.

So what happens then?

All donations are taken into the back of the shop for sorting.

Electrical items, such as toasters and lamps, are stored until the All Aboard PAT tester comes around to check them out and make sure they are safe to sell. Bric-a-brac is quickly priced up

by assistant manager Gloria Olalla who, having been with All Aboard for 18 years now, knows exactly what price to put on to each item, which is then put out on the shop floor by one of the volunteers like Mike Hogg, who helps out three days a week. Store manager Pearl Moore says: “I’ll ‘Google’ anything that looks like it could have an antique or designer quality to make sure we don’t miss any hidden treasures.”

Clothing donations, like our little white cardigan, often arrive very creased from being stored at the bottom of a bag, but that’s not a problem as Rosa is also an expert with the industrial clothes steamer (“we always wear cotton gloves to stop us getting burnt”), which can

‫בס”ד‬

ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS transform a rumpled rag into a creaseless cardi in seconds and it’s quickly out onto the appropriate rail on the shop floor – £3, £5 or £8, unless, of course, it belongs to the Absolutely Fabulous collection, which has seen Yves Saint Laurent and Burberry donations in the past, the likes of which command a higher price tag.

Pearl encourages anyone who brings in

Number of items sold in the shops in 2015: approx. 500,000 Shop revenue generated in 2015: more than £2,000,000 Number of shop volunteers: 110 currently (more always needed) Number of shop donors signed up for Gift Aid: to date 13,000

You never know who has a crisis going on behind their front door.

Crises can hit anyone.

People with families just like yours.

We have built up a team of therapists, family support workers, advocates and legal advisors to help families in crisis.

We help with: post-natal depression • messy divorces child protection • police involvement • social services liason • school exclusion • single parenthood • and more.

I told the family I was dealing with: ‘if you really want someone who can help you, go to the London Jewish Family Centre’ IRO; Barnet Family

Support

Family Support Services at the London Jewish Family Centre 113b Golders Green Road, London, NW11 8HR tel 0208 209 1117 | familysupport@ljfc.com | www.ljfc.com registered charity number 1162132

London Jewish Family Centre

Family Support Services is a division of the London Jewish Family Centre.

The Centre at the Heart of the Community For our other programmes and activities visit our website or call the Centre to request a programme.

ALL ABOARD ONLINE All Aboard also has a shop on eBay – aboard613 – which often has some exquisite pieces you may not find in the stores, such as this feathered hat and designer Fassbender handbag

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THEY’RE KICKING! Louisa Walters finds out how Super Soccer Stars are achieving goals ANYONE WHO’S BROUGHT UP CHILDREN will know that a football is an extremely useful tool when it comes to encouraging social interaction and building bridges. Give two boys a ball, send them out into the garden, problem solved. Here in the UK, it’s taken for granted that kids play football at school, with their friends, at weekly classes and at school holiday schemes.

Super Soccer Stars, founded in the US 15 years ago, has brought a new level of expertise to football coaching, in particular through an extensive child development programme that brings football to children as young as one. The organisation teaches soccer skills in a fun, non-competitive and educational environment and last year it was launched here in the UK. “Our philosophy is to use soccer to nurture, to build self-confidence, and to develop teamwork,� says Adam Waters, regional coordinator in London. Their extensive curriculum, designed by child development specialists, helps children develop social, emotional, cognitive and motor skills, as well as improving literacy and numeracy.

A low child-to-coach ratio ensures that each child improves at his or her own rate, and gets the individual attention and positive reinforcement needed to develop each week.

Super Soccer Stars has forged strong links with the communities in which it works, running weekly classes at JW3, Kinloss, New North London Synagogue and other communal organisations. With classes running for children aged from one to 10 across London, the extensive early years curriculum has meant a strong connection with local nurseries and children’s centres.

However, not all children have access to this opportunity. Super Soccer Stars also has a charity foundation called Round Star Foundation. This USA-based not-for-profit organisation is dedicated to ensuring that football is accessible to all, regardless of ability or income. “Soccer is the one language that is understood by the vast majority of people on our planet,� says founder Gustavo Szulansky. “Regardless of culture, gender, origin, religion or national origin, socioeco-

nomic standing or degree of ability, any child on earth can benefit from learning and playing soccer.�

Through the generous donations from partners and parents, and with the help of Super Soccer Stars, The Round Star Foundation has managed to bring football, education, equipment and clothing

to some of the poorest communities around the world.

Each year, the Building Soccer Bridges programme runs trips to partner communities in Zimbabwe and Brazil, delivering adult education courses and training, as well as running football

classes for the communities’ children.

The communities are left with crates of equipment, from footballs to cones, as well as T-shirts donated by Super Soccer Stars parents. “Having the opportunity to cross borders and continue what we do here is amazing,� says managing director Toby Tenenbaum.

The Shine Programme runs alongside Super Soccer Stars to run specialised classes for children with additional needs. Through the allocation of shadow coaches, or through specific classes with high coach-to-child ratios, the Shine Programme works with children and adults with autism, Down syndrome and ADHD. The Round Star Foundation also allocates scholarships and bursaries to children wishing to enjoy Super Soccer Stars classes, in particular the elite Star Premier competitive classes.

Some children have attained scholarships to college in the US as a result of this initiative.

Back here in the UK, the Foundation enables Super Soccer Stars to run subsidised classes for families who can’t afford the termly fees, as well as bringing classes to the Lubavitch school in Stamford Hill.

The Round Star Foundation and Super Soccer Stars have brought quality early years football programming with a philanthropic conclusion to the London community, • Visit london.supersoccerstars.com or roundstarfoundation.org

happily ever after Rochelle and Victor recently celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary at home.

Over the last 50 years, jliving have become one of the largest housing associations in the UK working primarily with the Jewish community.

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jliving.org.uk

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CHARITY

SUFFERING in silence Inflammatory bowel disease is four times more prevalent in the Ashkenazi Jewish community, yet no one wants to talk about it. Brigit Grant spoke to the founders of a new charity who do

W

HEN THE JEWISH DIGEST LAUNCHED LAST JUNE, it was discreet and without a fanfare. Some made assumptions about the name and believed wrongly that it was a new community publication. Others might not have noticed it at all. But for those who have suffered – often in secret – with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the arrival of a charity which addresses their problems is something to shout about.

Now inflammatory bowel disease sufferers, suddenly have a platform and an organisation to turn to that recognises how isolating this condition can make someone feel. For in spite of the fact that Jewish people are the first to discuss

their ailments over the Friday night dinner table, the anguish for those who live with a debilitating bowel condition find there is rarely a good time to mention it. Because IBD is such a a tough topic to talk about, the family and friends of a sufferer tend to know little or understand what it means to live with such a chronic condition.

Here, the Jewish Digest team, which includes sufferers Jonathan Jay and Deborah Eckstein, explain why their charity is so needed.

When people meet you, they would wrongly assume nothing is wrong?

Many patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis may look healthy, but are actually

Jonathan Jay

Deborah Eckstein

living with pain, inflammation, and much more that isn’t visible. Both Crohn’s and UC are chronic conditions that can flare up unpredictably. There is no cure at present but drugs, and sometimes surgery, can give long periods of relief from symptoms.

cope with their condition. The Jewish Digest website offers information about all aspects of IBD, lifestyle tips and advice, summaries of recent and ongoing research, together with articles from medical professionals, interviews with people living with IBD and gut-friendly recipes and ideas. Hopefully the site will help to create an IBD community where people find it easy to get information and inspiration on anything relating to Crohn’s and colitis. We are also extremely lucky to have just received funding to enable us to set up an IBD helpline, so on Wednesday and Thursday evenings we will have an IBD nurse available to answer any questions, either online or on the phone.

When are people usually diagnosed and how does it impact on their lives?

IBD can start at any age, but usually appears for the first time between the ages of 10 and 40.

Research shows that new cases of Crohn’s and colitis are being diagnosed more often, particularly among teenagers and children.

How does it affect you day-to-day?

IBD exists on a huge spectrum, ranging from minimal to quite invasive – no two people with Crohn’s or colitis suffer exactly the same symptoms. For some, it’s a constant struggle to keep their condition under control, however many people manage their IBD very well with medication with few flare ups or problems, so it does vary considerably.

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Were you tempted to keep your condition a secret?

It makes it a lot easier to deal with if you can talk about your IBD openly, which is one of the main reasons we set up Jewish Digest – to create a platform where people can share experiences, get practical advice and feel part of a community that understands what is involved.

Is the Ashkenazi community aware of how prevalent IBD is?

Most people know at least one person with Crohn’s or colitis, so that should give a good indication of how common it is!

What are the charity’s objectives?

Jewish Digest hopes to raise awareness, reduce the sense of stigma and provide sufferers and their families with the support they need to help

Is there any other charity like this outside the community?

We have collaborated with Crohn’s and Colitis UK, a national charity, to provide wide-ranging information about all aspects of inflammatory bowel disease. We have links on our website to the Crohn’s and Colitis UK website as they have a huge amount of resources available if people want more detailed information. We also have a useful links page on our website for recommendations of other resources available.

Why is it so important to have something like Jewish Digest?

When someone is diagnosed with IBD, whether it is yourself or your child, it can feel very daunting and overwhelming. Jewish Digest hopes to make a real difference to those who live with the ups and downs of an IBD condition by providing information, support and advice to deal with the everyday challenges it brings.

We want people to start talking about their IBD and not have to suffer on their own and, in the future, we want to host more events and raise awareness still further. Ideally, we would like to be in a position to fund research projects that will eventually find a cure.

THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH of Jewish Digest charity is on 24 February 2016 at 9pm, when Mr Richard Cohen, consultant surgeon at UCLH will speak about: Chicken Soup: Jewish Penicillin? Diet, lifestyle and disease prevention.

To reserve a place, please email info@jewishdigest.org To keep up to date with all the latest news, visit the Jewish Digest Facebook or Twitter pages and sign up for its email digest via www.jewishdigest.org

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FROM THE SOFA to the runway...

ON TUESDAY, 1 MARCH, NIKKI TAPPER is getting off the Gogglebox sofa and marching onto the catwalk in support of breast cancer charity Future Dreams. She will be joined by several ladies who are currently battling the disease, plus others who have finished their treatment.

The event is being held at the newly launched Twenty @ N20 event space in Whetstone and offers a sneak peek at the hottest looks for spring and summer 2016 from Lili Grace Boutique in Edgware.

Sasha Haralambous and Nikki Marks of Lili Grace have been styling and serving the style-hungry ladies of north-west London for almost 20 years.

“We are thrilled to be able to support Future Dreams by putting together this fashion show,” says Sasha. “Several of our customers have battled this disease and we felt strongly that we wanted to do some-

thing to support the work of this incredible charity,” Future Dreams Ambassador Nikki Tapper ( left and comfy on the sofa with her family, right), star of Channel 4’s multi awardwinning show Gogglebox, has won her own battle against breast cancer.

“What Future Dreams does as a charity inspires me and I am honoured to be one of the faces behind it. No one should feel alone when going through this daunting journey,” she says.

All monies raised will take Future Dreams a step closer to building a £5 million breast cancer support centre in King’s Cross. Future Dreams House will provide bespoke emotional, physical and financial support for women dealing with breast cancer and their families.

• For tickets visit www.futuredreams.org.uk/shop

I’m fine!

One in four people will experience mental illness, yet it is rarely talked about openly.

Jami is tackling this stigma in the Jewish community.

Give support • Get support • Get involved Give £5 by texting THINK to 70500* jamiuk.org | #jamithinkahead | 020 8458 2223

Registered Charity 1003345. A Company Limited by Guarantee 2618170. *100% of your donation will go to Jami. Terms at www.jamiuk.org/ways-to-give/text-donations

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CHARITY

IT TAKES A VILLAGE To Raise a Child Deborah Cicurel on the importance of this truism with Youth Aliyah

W

hen nine-year-old Yoav came to Israel from Ethiopia a few years ago, he found his struggle was just beginning. Living with his parents, both drug addicts who could not take care of him, he saw things no one should ever have to see: his father trying to murder his mother, his mother suffering traumatic injuries, and as a result of the tragedy, his mother finding herself unable to connect with him or his siblings.

Unbelievably, Yoav is one of the lucky ones. He was taken in by Youth Aliyah Child Rescue – a charity founded in 1933 which raises funds for seven of Israel’s 56 Youth Aliyah Villages – and admitted into residential family units in Talpiot, where he and his siblings live with

house ‘parents’ in an environment blessedly unlike the life he was born into.

A staggering amount of children in Israel today are deemed at risk: 450,000, to be precise. From children like Yoav, whose parents are in no fit state to look after them, to young people living in squalor who have suffered from abuse, cruelty, poverty, anti-Semitism and neglect.

There are far too many children who do not have the stable home they deserve.

Israel’s Youth Villages welcome suffering children from all over the world, from Eastern Europe to Africa, giving them the stability, care and attention they need – but right now, only 18,000 of the 450,000 at-risk children in Israel are lucky enough to live in one.

While the government funds 70 percent of the

Talking Matters WELLBEING CENTRE HEALTH & WELLBEING SERVICE

SPRING PROGRAMME 2016

INTRODUCTION to COUNSELLING SKILLS (LEVEL2) Registration in March, commencing in May 2016 Men @ North Hendon Synagogue, NW4 - 10 weeks Sundays 12 noon-3pm Ladies @ Talking Matters Wellbeing Centre, N16 -11 weeks Mondays 10 am-1pm An ideal course for educationalists, care/voluntary workers, those who wish to improve their work skills and to expand their horizons. As an Accredited course, it’s run ethically & transparently leading onto Levels 3-4. The tutors are well known professional, frum therapists in North & North West London. Accredited by CPCAB. Fees; £ 600 + £100 returnable deposit upon completion. Grants and/or bursaries may be available.

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Referrals can be through the GP. www.onehackneyandcity.org.uk or Talking Matters Wellbeing Centre

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The Eastern Stars Project

A partnership between Talking Matters Wellbeing Centre, MRS Independent Living and the over 50’s of Hackney’s Sephardi communities (Adeni, Indian, North African, Spanish, Portuguese and Yemenite.) A unique programme of health & wellbeing activities chosen and inspired by your communities. Cultural foods, art, music, dance, reminiscing and occasional trips. You choose!

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8802 9222

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Like many other charities we rely heavily on donations. Your support would be greatly appreciated as a 10 week course of professional, accredited & ethical counselling can cost a minimum of £750 per person. Please help those in need whose issues are not visible but locked deep in their hearts and minds.

Charity Registration No. 1095523 Company Limited by Guarantee No 04141018

villages’ running costs, there are still the outstandcosts of educational and capital projects – not to mention the expansion that is necessary to care for the growing number of at-risk children.

“We raise on average around £1.2 million per annum, which is transferred to the seven villages,” says Youth Aliyah Child Rescue’s communications manager Nicola Noah.

“The more money we raise, the more we can help the children through therapy, education, scholarships and a safe, comfortable environment.

With more money, we can help more children.

“We are helping to educate the next generation and create the future leaders of Israel,” she adds. “Many of our graduates return to the villages to support and mentor current students.”

Upcoming projects for the charity include building new dormitories in the villages, funding animal therapy sessions and buying musical instruments, which can help with the children’s sense of well-being, while notable achievements – attained through the goodwill of donors – include raising funds for a new therapy centre, hosting eight boys from one of the villages in London so they could take part in the Duke of Edinburgh award, and rebuilding one of the children’s homes after a fire destroyed half of the village’s buildings.

Yoav is just one example of a child who, through no fault of his own, was not given the luck he deserved in the first few years of his life – but, through the generosity of supporters, is

getting another chance.

While therapists at Talpiot work closely with Yoav, his mother is also receiving psychological treatment, counselling and parental training in the hope that one day, the family will come back together again.

“I love being with my house family, we have lots of fun and they take good care of me while my mummy is trying to get better,” Yoav says.

“Next year I hope to be back living with her and my brothers and sisters, although I will miss my house mum and the animals in the village petting zoo.”

Devastatingly, there are hundreds of thousands of Yoavs, as increasing numbers of children find themselves at risk of poverty and abuse. But sadly, children are being turned away as the services are operating at full capacity, and there are just not enough villages to cope. But this could all change.

“The dream is that every parent who brings a child into this world would protect and love them for the rest of their life but, for children like Yoav, this is only a dream,” says Nicola.

“As child abuse and neglect exists in this world, all children – not just the ‘lucky’ ones – should have somewhere to turn when they need it.”

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18 February 2016 The Jewish News

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FAMILY COMES FIRST T

he London Jewish Family Centre is tucked away under the bridge on Golders Green Road – easy to miss but gratefully found by those who benefit from its services. Founded

by Sandy Weinbaum 15 years ago, the centre has grown and developed to become a beacon of light for the community it serves.

“Managing a large family of my own highlighted to me how many areas there are where support is needed,” says Sandy. “I could see there was nowhere financially and culturally accessible for the community, so I turned what was a disused pool hall and disco in a state of

disrepair into a place that helps children, young people and families into a place to go when times are not so sweet.”

At the same time, it offers a warm welcome to all; its many activities when times are good with pre-school developmental activities, Sunday and holiday Fundays, summer camps and after-school activities. More than 300 children come through the doors every week, such is the demand.

LJFC comes into its own when young women stop work to have a family and feel isolated – especially if they are here from abroad with no close family nearby. The centre is there to provide

the help, guidance and friendship they need.

On some days, the primary language that can be heard is French or Ivrit. The centre also runs a small but strong family support team providing therapy, counselling, advocacy and legal guidance for families in crisis.

The Single Mums’ Group has given many women a place to turn to when faced with the

breakdown of their marriage, or a bereavement.

“The centre was my virtual hug when no-one else cared,” says Linda, 37, from Hendon. ‘When I was going through an acrimonious divorce, it gave me a safe place to vent but, more importantl,y a group within which to grow.”

• Details: www.ljfc.com, 020 8209 1117

Our wish... for everyone to have the baby they long for.

1 in 6 couples face the challenge of infertility To date, 618 babies have been born with Chana’s help

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Registered charity in England and Wales (1042391) and Scotland (SC043612)

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CHARITY

HOUSE Benefits With its ever-expanding programmes, KEF now needs a place to call home AMONG THE MYRIAD OF FANTASTIC AND VARIED JEWISH CHARITIES operating in the UK, Kef is the one offering friendship and fun to children, teens and young adults with special needs and disabilities, along with respite and support for their families. And like all of the other charities, it is inundated with requests from people who are desperate for its help.

If the name rings a bell, it’s probably because of the summer and winter residential camps the charity runs, but Kef has expanded its programmes, which now run throughout the week and include Kef Sunday, Kef swimming, Kef baking, Kef after-school club, Kef older boys, Kef older girls, Kef buddies, and day camps during holidays and half terms, each hosted at different venues.

Because the charity has so much going on and offers services many rely on, it has reached the stage where it needs a home of its own, to include disabled bathroom facilities, multiple rooms for different activities, soft play and sensory areas, storage space, and permanent décor to excite the children.

“The children who attend Kef Sundays vary in ages and disabilities, requiring individualised

programmes,” explains Kef’s Michal Wittenberg.

“In our own Kef home, we would be able to cater for each child with love, care and security. An ideal location will also allow Kef to accommodate all the children on our rapidly growing waiting list.”

To raise funds for this exciting and necessary project, Bike4Kef 2016 is taking place on 29-30 May 2016, with a fundraising target of £500,000.00.

“Our past bike rides were both amazing and memorable events,” says Michal. “The bikeathon is an incredible way for people to undertake helping Kef to meet its financial obligations, while getting fit, training, making new friends… and culminating in what has become a memorable and moving yearly event.”

Registration is now open and, as you would expect, Kef is keen for cyclists to become part of its family. As Michal says: “The special children of Kef are the special children of our community, and we must all take responsibility to enable them to blossom.”

• Visit www.bike4kef.org and, for more information about the programmes, go to www.kefkids.org

WHO CAN SHOW ME WHAT I NEED TO DO NEXT? HOW WILL I MANAGE FINANCIALLY? HOW CAN I AFFORD HOW HOW WILL I COPE? HOW DO I FILL OUT THI ORM? WHO WILL WILL I ACCESS WHAT I AM ENTITLED O? WHAT ABOUT THOSE BILLS? WHAT DO HOW WILL AVOID FALLING IN TO DEBT? WHAT IF THERE’S NO-ON LSE TO ASK? WILL I BE OK ON MY OWN? HOW CAN GET MY FINANCES IN ORDER? WHO WILL ORGANIS HINGS FOR ME PAPERWORK? DOES ANYONE EVEN CARE? WHO IS LOOKING OUT FOR MY NEEDS? WHO CAN GIVE ME ADVICE? WHO CAN ITURN TO? IS THER ANYONE THERE FOR ME? WHAT IF I HAVE NO FAMILY WHERE DO I START? WHAT IF I CAN’T FACE ANY OF IT WHAT ABOUT MY BENEFITS? WHO CAN DIRECT ME?

WE’LL TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF YOUR SHOULDERS When there’s nowhere else to turn, Paperweight can help you Ì> i V ÌÀ v Þ ÕÀ w > V > ] i}> > ` >` ÃÌÀ>Ì Ûi >vv> Àð À Ài v À >Ì À Ì ` ÃVÕÃÃ Þ ÕÀ «iÀà > à ÌÕ>Ì V w`i Vi] « i>Ãi V> Õà 020 8455 4996 À i > info@paperweighttrust.com

Because life is for living

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18 February 2016 The Jewish News

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LOCATION,Location,Location The next time you hold a charity event, how about thinking closer to home?

T

empting though it is to hold a charity function in London’s West End, sometimes it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Of course, a snazzy address looks great on the invite, but the realities of travelling to town, parking and the inevitable traffic wardens who now work 24/7 can take the joy out of supporting a cause one believes in. Yes, uptown can indeed be a bit of a downer, particularly on a rainy evening when the idea of travelling but a few miles down the road to attend a worthy function seems so much more appealing.

And that is what they are banking on and hoping for at Mill Hill’s brand new, state-of the-art Ner Orre Community Centre. Available for private and community function hire throughout the week, the centre has special rates for charities, which makes it the ideal place to have a fundraising dinner or function.

Who needs the West End when you can have the North West and enjoy the benefits of a short journey to a building that has a fully functioning audio and video set-up with two jumbo screens and a projector screen built into the hall, as well as all the regular sound mixers, cordless microphones, and anything else you would need to run an event? The centre also has very reasonably priced technicians who can assist in advance or on the day with all this wonderful tech and there’s a great lighting and sound team in situ, should you need them.

Just ask the Chief Rabbi’s office if you want a reference as Rachel Shababo was most enthusiastic about the venue when she wrote: “You provided us with all the information and assistance that we could possibly have required, so there wasn’t a single hiccup. The day was very successful, we were

delighted with everything, from the hall, to the food, to the speakers.”

And Hayley Sussman, events manager for Myisrael, concurs when she says: “Everything was seamless and all your staff were fantastic,” while Samantha Landesberg of Tikva UK, who has held various events at the hall, adds: “The service and equipment included in the price are excellent and we will continue to use the hall for many more events. Thank you to all the staff who make our job easy.”

With weekday hire to charities starting at just £100 per hour during the day and £200 per hour from 5pm (minimum 4 hours) and ‘full weekday’ or ‘Saturday night’ hires for under £1,750, Mill Hill’s Ner Orre Community Centre offers great value for money and it offers Sunday evening and full day hires with a large charity discount.

Able to accommodate seated dinner events for up to 400 guests and theatre-style seating for up to 550 guests, the centre can give any grand West End hall a run for its money in the capacity stakes and, if a dance floor is required, 270 dinner guests can move to the music.

Let’s not forget the balcony level, which can accommodate a further 50 to 60 guests at tables or more in theatre-style seating.

Additional packages for promotion will mean that your charity event is flagged up to the synagogue’s vibrant community through digital marketing (sponsoring a weekly email for example), which will allow those who live locally to know about it and, as it’s right on their doorstep, they will be more likely to come.

Picture: Lara Minsky Photography

Picture: Genie Events

TALKING POINT AS THE OLD BT AD CAMPAIGN SAID… ‘It’s good to talk’ and Talking Matters in Stamford Hill was set up with that objective, so that Holocaust survivors and their families could communicate with one another. But over the past 15 years, it has developed and grown into a much-lauded resource for the wider community. It provides a wide range of counselling services, including cognitive behavioural therapy, neuro-linguistic programming and Holocaust counselling, plus complimentary health services such as acupuncture and holistic massage. Group activities include art classes, fitness training, relaxation and yoga.

Originally serving the Orthodox Jewish community, all services provided are under the auspices of Orthodox rabbis. Founder José Martin says: “Our doors are open to all. Everyone from Orthodox Jews to Muslims are providing and using our services, and we fully embrace community cohesion. We send black Muslim therapists into the homes of Orthodox Jews and there are no issues at all! “ Talking Matters still works with Holocaust survivors, mostly third and fourth generation, and

provides therapies to Italians, Irish, Portuguese and Muslim clients. “The most interesting client we ever had was an Afghani asylum seeker,” says José.

She believes in prevention rather than cure and works with those with mental health issues, the stressed, the depressed and all those in between.

“Whether you are young or old, male or female, on your own or in a family, there is a service for you, for your mind or your body, one-to-one or in a group, in our premises or out in the community,” she explains.

José is delighted to have received lottery funding for a new scheme called Connect Hackney.

This is the first of its kind and is set up to work solely with Sephardim in Hackney and the City of London.

“There is simply not enough provision for community and wellbeing groups for the Sephardim who live or are GP-registered in these areas and we are thrilled to now have the facilities to offer services to them,” she says.

José trained and qualified as a youth and community worker in the 1980s. While employed by Hackney council social services as the Orthodox

Jewish community liaison officer (1992-1999), she identified a big gap in services.

“There were no mental health services for Orthodox Jews as the stigma was so great,” she says. “So as part of my work for the local authority I established Chizuk, which is still the only service

in England for Orthodox Jewish mentally ill patients.

Talking Matters receives no government or local authority finding and relies purely on donations.

• Talkingmatters.info, 020 8802 9222

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CHARITY

A WEIGHT OFF YOUR MIND For those who need a charity for the moments in life when admin and bureaucracy is just more pressure...

D

ealing with piles of paperwork at the wrong time can push an otherwise rational person over the edge. Faced with the loss of a partner through death, separation or divorce or coping with an increasingly frail loved one alone makes even the simplest administrative tasks feel insurmountable and it is not unusual for a couple to become ill and less agile simultaneously.

Those who have family they can rely on are fortunate, but as we all lead busy lives it is not always possible to pass on the paperwork and bureaucracy to someone else.

That is when The Paperweight Trust can help. As a charitable organisationthe Trust provides a free professional service giving immediate practical help to those who find themselves in need of guid-

ance in all manner of domestic administration, paperwork, bureaucracy, and procedures. Educating and empowering those who need to navigate their way through these complexities is what the charity does effortlessly as they work cross communally and across London.

Their caseworkers hail from all walks of life. Many are professionals in law, accountancy, banking, social work and benefits. All bring a wealth of experience and share a 'can do' attitude.

The trust have their own group of experts and professionals whose expertise they can garner.

Paperweight steps in, either following a self referral or recommendation from one of the Jewish social care organisations, synagogues, or borough councils.

They have a proactive approach to

debt management, household expenditure and setting out budgets. They intervene with creditors to help stabilise precarious situations and deal with bureaucracy, welfare and benefits, correspondence with banks & building societies, hoarding, the taxman, councils, utilities, bills, forms, probate, insurance, divorce and legal issues.

They also act as advocate and help review documents while offering guidance, anonymity and a good deal of common sense.

Ultimately their aim is to steer clients towards independence and an improved quality of life, so they have the confidence to carry on paper-free.

Contact info@paperweighttust.com Phone : 020 8455 4996

SUPPORTING ISRAEL’S AT RISK CHILDREN Emunah was established over 80 years ago to support vulnerable children. Today thousands of children in Israel still need vital support to break continuing cycles of poverty and neglect. With your help we can transform lives.

Donate now at www.emunah.org.uk or call 020 8203 6066.

Call 020 8203 6066 www.emunah.org.uk Follow British Emunah British Emunah Fund - Registered charity number 215398

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THE NER ORRE COMMUNITY CENTRE Opened in 2013, the Ner Orre Community Centre at Mill Hill Synagogue is suitable for all kinds of events. The hall can host 550 guests seated theatre style or for a standing reception, 400 for a seated dinner and 270 guests seated, with a dance oor.

The Centre has a fully equipped state-of-the-art KLBD kitchen and a complete range of sound and video options.

We offer special discounts for charity events. Full day packages are available at up to a 50% discount. Hall hire starts at ÂŁ100 per hour.

For more information to make an enquiry, contact Gerry on t. 020 8959 1137 e. info@nerorre.co.uk

Photography Credits Top: Lara Minsky Photography Middle Left: Jamie Nessim Photography Middle Right: Lara Minsky Photography Bottom: Mill Hill Shabbat UK Dinner