Rosh hashanah 1990 by Federation of Synagogues

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INSIDE:

D A Y A N B E R E L B E R K O V IT S ’ R o sh H a S h a n a h E x p e rie n c e A N G L O -J E W R Y ’S H E R IT A G E : Selling th e F a m ily S ilv e r !

T tK o rt

T H E B E T H D IN : A ‘C o n s u m e r G u id e ’

HAMAOR JOURNAL OF THE FEDERATION OF SYNAGOGUES

5751 ROSH HASHANAH 1990 Vol. 25 No. 2 £1

P lu s N e w s , R e v ie w s an d m o re

A*MSAAA*

CONTENTS F e d e ra tio n N e w s ......................................... 3 -5

HAMAOR JOURNAL OFTHE FEDERATION OF SYNAGOGUES Morris Lederman House 9/11 Greatorex Street London E1 5NF Founded 1961 Editor: Sharman Kadish Advertising: Michael Mandel 071-247 4471

EDITOR’S NOTE The dancing Chassidim featured on the front cover of this issue capture the spirit of what will be, B ’ezras HaShem, a joyful year ahead. Your Rosh HaShanah reading includes two articles by our new dayan Berel Berkovits, one semibiographical, which is as moving as it is seasonal, and the other which is extremely informative. Other con tributors tackle such topical subjects as Soviet Jewish emigration and animal rights in Jewish law. Recently, Dr. Tony Kushner of Southampton University played host to a major conference on “ Preserving the Jewish Heritage” which was devoted to raising Anglo-Jewish consciousness on the need to conserve our recent past in this country, in the form of records, artefacts and buildings. In an important piece, written espe cially for HaMaor, he highlights an issue which ought to be given priority by the community. L’Shanah Tova tikasevu to all our readers. Sharman Kadish

Views expressed in articles and reviews printed in HaMaor are those held by the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editor, or of the Federa tion of Synagogues. Front Cover: Ecstasy Dance in Mea Shearim by Pola Weizman. Courtesy of Palphot Ltd., Israel.

D A Y A N BEREL B ER K O VITS A Rosh H aS hanah E xp erien ce

7 -1 0

T A M A R SEGAL R e -G e n e ra tio n

9 -1 0

TO N Y KUSHNER A u to -D e s tr u c tio n

1 1-14

LEO PRIJS A n im a l R ights an d Judaism

15-16

JO N A TH A N ARKUSH G la z n o s t a t th e F r o n tie r !

17-18

ELLIS H IL L M A N T h e T h ir te e n th T rib e

1 9 -2 0

D A Y A N BEREL B ER K O V ITS T h e B e th D in — A G uide .....

2 1 - 2 3 ,2 6

B o o k R e v ie w s .......................................... 2 4 -2 5 Social & P e rs o n a l, O b itu a r y ................

2 6 -2 7

ARTICLES • REVIEWS • NEWS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR If YOU would like to contribute to HAMAOR Please contact the Editor at Federation Head Office Telephone: 071-247 4471 (Contributions must be submitted in double-spaced type on A4 paper or in the form of a word-processed print-out.)

(SIDNEY HARRIS)

The desecration at Edmonton Federation cemetery made the national headlines in May. In the wake of the outrage at Carpentras in France, a spate of “copy cat” incidents has occurred on mainland Britain. The Edmonton attack was the first and one of the more serious. Vandals smashed tombstones and sprayed about 20 others with blue swastikas in one section of the ground. However, the shock and distress caused to relatives of the deceased aside, the material damage done was not so great as it was first feared. It cost an estimated £700 to clear up the mess. President Arnold Cohen told HaMaor that he was in Brussels attending the Conference of Euro pean Rabbis when the outbreak at Carpentras occurred. He was present

at a moving memorial service in Bel gium, only to return home to discover that a similar incident had taken place here. Ralph Joseph, Treasurer of the Burial Society, is currently collaborat ing with the local police on ways to step up security at Edmonton. Mea sures under consideration include protecting the perimeter wall with barbed wire and installing electronic 3

equipment. But the vast burial ground, which is situated in a run down inner city area is, admittedly, a security headache. Relatives are urged to visit the grounds regularly to check that stones are in order. The threat of van dalism has come on top o f the storm damage of last winter.

U P FO R SA LE - E V E N T U A L L Y F e d e r a t io n P la n s t o Q u it E a s t End

C lo s e r B u r ia ls ! The Federation is planning to open a new cemetery in North West London. This will be in addition to its two exist ing grounds, the century old site at Edmonton where space is now at a premium and at Rainham which is considered too far out of town by many members. Two possible sites have been mooted but both have run up against problems with planning permission. The Executive is hopeful that a suita ble spot will be found soon.

B u t C o s t lie r B u r ia ls ! Great Garden Street Synagogue (Federation Archives)

Morris Lederman House, the headquarters of the Federation in Greatorex Street, once in the heartland of Jewish Whitechapel, has been put up for sale. But President Arnold Cohen has told HaMaor: “We are just sounding out the market” . It is clear that current stagnation on the property front means that a deal will not be struck in the immediate future. In the meantime however, Mr Cohen is hopeful that money raised will be used to purchase a new site in outer London. The decision to move reflects the shift in Jewish population away from the East End to the suburbs which has been going on for very many years. The Federation has, of late, been experiencing difficulties in staffing its East End premises. Mr Cohen would like to see relocation to offices in Northwest London, situated close to a tube station and thereby accessible to Federation members in Ilford and Gants Hill. Suitable sites are under consideration. The Federation moved as recently as 1974 from Leman Street to the pur pose-built offices in the renamed Great Garden Street. The latter house, as well as the administrative head quarters, the Beth Din, the popular Kosher Luncheon Club, and the Great Garden Street synagogue. The latter dates back to the 1900s and was responsible for purchasing the land upon which the present offices now stand. In 1962 it became a constituent of the Federaton.

Sadness

News of the proposed sale has been greeted with sadness in the East End. Mr Basil Stone, financial rep resentative of Great Garden Street and who has been associated with the shut for over fifty years, is full of regrets. So too, he informs us, is Mark Kasler, the 87 year old president whose late father Morris Kasler gave his name to the Hall. However, the shul is now no longer open for week day services and just manages a minyan on Shobbos. As is the case with other East End synagogues, Great Garden Street still has between 500 and 600 paying members on its books but many of them no longer live in the area. Paul Levine, manager of the thriving Luncheon Club, has no intention of moving. His lease has another five years to run. Mr Cohen is anxious that the Club’s future will be secured. If the site is finally sold, it will mean that the last major link between the Federation and its East End roots will have been broken; the end of an era in the one hundred year plus history of the Federation. 4

The Federation’s treasurers have plans to submit a formal budget to the next meeting of the Executive, which will include a proposal for higher Burial Society fees. At present fees stand at around 240 per annum and the cost of a Federation funeral is about 2640. These modest prices mean that the Burial Society is “not paying its way” according to Presi dent Arnold Cohen. It is not yet known how much the proposed increase will be. Meanwhile, a computerised register of Burial Society subscribers is being compiled.

SHECHITA BOARD BACK The London Board of Shechita is set to restart its operations soon, after the regrettable break in its 186-year tradi tion of service to the community. President Arnold Cohen is hopeful that the Board will be fully functioning after Succos. Delays have been inevit able owing to technical difficulties as well as to the recent food contamina tion scare in this country. Dayan Lichtenstein, who is one of the Board’s religious authorities, told HaMaor: “Our aim is to provide the highest degree of kashrus for the low est possible price". Meanwhile the Federation Kashrus Board is expanding its activities. (See opposite).

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The Federation Beth Din has finally agreed to new Government guidelines on shechita - but with reservations. The Ministry of Agriculture’s new regulations on animal slaughter which were debated in Parliament in July, require the abolition of the rotary pen which turns the animal on its back, and its replacement by an upright pen for the purposes of shechita. The new arrangements will come into force in 1992. Dayan Y.Y. Lichtenstein, who was appointed Federation Rosh Beth Din in 1988, was concerned that the Chief Rabbi Lord Jakobovits had agreed in principal to the Government propos als back in 1986. At that time, it was not specified exactly what type of pen would be recommended to replace the old model, and the Federation

Beth Din felt that it was important to reserve judgement in this matter. Moreover, the Beth Din feared that the wording of the legislation could lead to interference with the time-hon oured method employed by the shochet in administering the cut. As a result of the Federation’s stand, the Chief Rabbi sought assur ances from the Ministry regarding the objections raised. The Government has promised that in the code of prac tice to be laid down shechita will not be affected. Rabbinical authority over shechita will thereby be retained. Con sequently the Federation Beth Din has suspended its opposition and is now waiting to see whether the new mea sures will prove satisfactory in prac tice.

Passengers on El Al, Israel’s national airline, are now being served up with food licensed by the Federation Beth Din. Last March, El Al transferred its alllegiance to the Federation from the London Beth Din, after the latter insisted that meat meals be delivered to the aircraft sealed and kept sealed until handed to the passengers. According to a United Synagogue spokesman, El Al found that it could not comply with this request which, it was claimed, was designed to be an additional safeguard to ensure total kashrus. The Federation Beth Din dismissed the London Beth Din’s demand as “ halachically absurd” and without any foundation in fact. Dayan Lichtenstein is adamant that the Federation’s hechsher will guarantee the very high est standards of kashrus, not only on El Al but also on British Airways and other carriers providing kosher food on flights out of Britain.

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> a computerised register ;iety subscribers is being

FEDERATION OF SYNAGOGUES FEDERATION KASHRUS BOARD Chairman: Mr W. Ungar

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Director of Kashrus: Rabbi M.D. Elzas 071-247 4471

JHHL25L The following establishments are licensed by the Federation Kashrus Board and are under the supervision of the Beth Din of the Federation of Synagogues: R E S T A U R A N T S A N D D E L IC A T E S S E N S

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Aviv Restaurant 87 High Street, Edgware

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Kosher Luncheon Club Kasler Hall, Greatorex Street, London E1

HOTEL

Golders Green Hotel 147/149 Golders Green Road, London NW11

081-952 2484 071-247 0039

N U R S IN G H O M E

Pelter Stores 82 Edgware Way, Edgware, Middlesex Pizza Pitta 119 Golders Green Road, London NW11

Sonesta Luxury Nursing Home 797 Finchley Road, London NW11 8DP 081-455 8921

M ANUFACTURERS

El Al Kosher Catering

CATERERS

Kenneth Arfin Banqueting (Selfridges Hotel) Kosher Luncheon Club Kasler Hall, Greatorex Street, London E1

0202-24524/765910 071-247 0039

081-801 4311

081-985 0378

081-451 0066

Park Lane Hotel Piccadilly, London W1Y 8BX

071-499 6321

H. Forman & Son (Smoked Salmon ONL Y) 6 Queen’s Yard, White Post Lane, London E9 5EN

081-504 7635

Majesa Import and Export (Presentation with sugared almonds ONL Y) 11 Finchley Lane, London NW4 1BN

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Eliko Food Distributors (Cheese with Federation Kashrus Board label ONL Y) Unit D, Ashley Works, Ashley Road, London N17 9LJ

Grosvenor Rooms Ltd 92 Walm Lane, London NW2 4QY

Prince Regent Kosher Catering Ltd Prince Regent Rooms, Manor Road, Woodford Green, Essex

081-458 7127

ii 5

N EW E D U C A T IO N M AN The Federation’s new Director or Education is Rabbi Zvi Lieberman. Rabbi Lieberman comes to the post from Kingston & Surbiton United synagogue, where he served as minis ter for five years. He is also the newly appointed Rabbi of Edgware Adas Yisroel, an independent congregation, in succession to Rabbi Raphael Kahan who left last year. Rabbi Lieberman, who is still only 30 years of age, joins an increasingly youthful team of rabbonim and dayanim at the Federation. Their average age must now be below 45. Appropriately enough, Rabbi Lieberman’s priority will be the young. He plans to develop a modern syllabus for the chedarim to make learning “fun and exciting” for the children so that they will grow up feeling a part of the community. Indeed, “ Education towards Community” could sum up Rabbi Lieberman’s approach.

V a ’ad R e v iv e d The Va’ad HaRabbonim, or Council of Federation Rabbis, has been revived. Originally set up during the First World War, the Va’ad was incorporated in 1966 on the creation of the Beth Din. The present Beth Din feel that there is an important role to be played by the Va’ad in general pastoral and com munal work, leaving the Beth Din free to deal with purely legal matters. The new Va’ad consists of ten men under the honorary presidency of Dayan Michael Fisher, Emeritus Rav Rashi. It has nominated a standing committee of three - the three “ L’s”: Rabbi Zvi Lieberman, Federation Edu cation Director and minister of Edgware Adas Yisroel; Dayan Gershon Lopian, his opposite member at Edgware Yeshurun and Rabbi Reuben Livingstone of Ilford.

N in e tie s ’ C o n s t it u t io n The Honorary Officers are preparing a new constitution for the Federation to bring it into line with the changing face of the organisation. Two major reforms are projected. Firstly, the more compact nature of today’s Federation will be reflected in a reduction in the number of represen tatives. Secondly, the shift in emphasis from affiliated to con stituent synagogues will be taken into account. Details will be published in HaMaor as soon as they are made available.

Fed F in a n ce s The committee appointed by the Executive to investigate the Federa tion’s financial affairs is due to report on its progress just before Yom Tov. Consequently full coverage will appear in the Pesach issue of HaMaor.

S Y N A G O G U E R O U N D -U P

C R O Y D O N M O VE

The Croydon community is cur rently negotiating the acquisition of a suitable site upon which to build a new shul. Population shift in the area has meant that the existing synagogue in Elmwood Road is no longer within walking distance of many congregants. Arnold Cohen, President of the Fed eration, is keen to see the new shul materialise as he feels that South Lon don has been for far too long neg lected. The Croydon kehilla, which became a constituent of the Federation in 1958, is also looking for a new rabbi.

GROSVENOR ROOMS THREE LUXURIOUS BANQUETING SUITES AVAILABLE with catering by Johnnie Michaels for 50-400 guests

Surpervision by the London Kashrus Board and Beth Din of the Federation of Synagogues

NELSON STREET’S NEW MINISTER

Rev Eli Kohn, formerly of the Tot tenham Hebrew Congregation, has been appointed part-time minister at East London Central synagogue (Nel son Street). The position became available on the death of Rabbi Aron Herling (ztl) last winter.

WALM LANE, LONDON NW2 081-451 0066

LITERATURE

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uring the Second World War, my parents lived in a little town in the heart of the Transylvanian Alps. It was a picturesque little town, with a medieval castle; and it went under the picturesque name of Sighisoara. My father, olov haShalom, was the Rav of the town, which had a small, but loyal, Jewish population. In Sighisoara life proceeded apace as it had done for centuries. There was a mixed population; Rumanians, Hungarians, Germans and Jews. Every so often there would be sporadic outbursts of anti-Semitic sentiment, even the occasional pog rom; but that was simply part of the pattern of life. The Jews knew their place, and accepted their role.

My parents married in 1939. On the day of their marriage, general mobili sation was declared. It took some courage to get married in those days. Of course, no one could have imagined the horrors that were in store; no one could have dreamt of the Final Solution. But there was fear, and there was foreboding, and there was an atmosphere of apprehension. My father used to tell of a question people asked him. “ How can you get married?” they would say, “ How can you bring Jewish children into the world at a time of destruction and devastation? A world in which every Jewish child is marked out for death, a world in which there is no Jewish future?” And he gave an answer: a profound heroic answer - an answer born out of timeless faith. “ My father,” he replied, “ married in a period of war, but I hope to bring up my children in a time of peace.” Then the Germans came. Life changed; imperceptibly at first, but with ever-increasing momentum.

There were no deportations, but there was an occupation. There were cur fews, there was forced labour, there was uncertainty. What would the future bring? “Michutz teshakel cherev u’meichadorim eimah - out side the sword left bereft; inside, there was fear.” And yet, life continued. Three times a day, my father went to shut; three times a day, my mother watched him go, never knowing whether he would come back alive. There were always sudden raids, when Jews were picked off in the street; and the local Rabbi was a prime target. One year, shortly before Rosh HaShanah, the trains arrived. They were cattle-trains, ominously sealed and barred. They stood eerily empty on the railway sidings. They were marked, quite clearly, “ For the Jews and the gypsies.” There was no attempt at pretence. Nor was there much doubt about the appointed day. Yom Tov was always a favourite day for the Ger mans. It was convenient, and it made for better organisation. There was no need to round up the Jews in a messy fashion - they would do the job them selves. After all, every Jew would be in shu! on Rosh HaShanah. And it added something to the occasion; further degradation and demoralisation for the Jews; an added debasement of the Jewish religion. The tlNesaneh Tokef' would take on a new realism: “Who will live, and who will die?” The scene was set.

What thoughts must have passed through the minds of those oppressed Jews, as they waited for the doom which was inexorably creeping up on them! What willpower is required to ignore the waiting cattle-trucks; what strength does it take to retain one’s sanity under such conditions!

How does one react to an unbeliev able reality - to the spectre of immi nent death, to the taunts of the populace? “ Don’t worry, Mrs. Ber kovits,” said one of my mother’s neighbours. “ I hear that Hitler is taking you all away to Madagascar, and the climate in Madagascar is absolutely wonderful.” But the Jews of Sighisoara had other concerns. They came to my father with an extraordinary question; with a sha’alah which, for sheer simplicity and pathos, must have been unique in their history. “ Rabbi,” they said, “we know what is in store for us. The trains are here; Rosh HaShanah is approaching. But we do not know when the Germans will come - at eight o’clock, or at ten o’clock, or at noon. “ If they come early in the morning, during shacharis, we will not be able to blow the shofar, we will miss the opportunity of fulfilling, for the last time in our lives, the mitzva of teki’as shofar. So perhaps we should reverse the order of the service - perhaps we should blow the shofar first thing in the morning, as soon as we are all in s h u l- and then, if they have not come yet, we can continue with the daveningV

How does one answer such a sha’alah, how does one deal with such a question? Surely the heavenly angels must have wept at the sight; surely the Kisei HaKavod- the Throne of Glory itself - must have trembled! The shofar, says the Rambam, is addressed to man. It conveys a mes sage: “Wake up, you who are asleep, who are slumbering - wake up! Examine your actions, return - do teshuva and remember your Creator! You who forget the truth because of

EXPERIENCE Continued from over page transient distractions; you who spend the whole year in useless and empty activities which do not benefit you or save you - think of your souls, improve your ways and your deeds and abandon your faulty life-style and incorrect attitudes” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Teshuva 3:4).

That is the call of the shofar to those who are sleeping, to those who do not face up to reality. But what of those Jews who are awake - all too awake - who see life, for what it is, who do not forget the truth, who look death in the face? To these people, the Rambam does not refer; to them, the shofar does not direct its mes sage. It would be irrelevant, superflu ous - almost a blasphemy. And so, the Jews of Sighisoara came to shut that Rosh HaShanah to pray to HaKodosh Boruch Hu, and to blow the shofar. Not one Jew stayed away, not one Jew was missing. They decided to blow the shofar as it is always blown - in the still silence between shacharis and musaf, and during the poignant prayers of the Ba’al Musaf. No change, no alteration, no deviation. If they were to be inter rupted, if they were to be disturbed, if they were to be deported before they had a chance to blow the shofar - so be it. That was my father’s decision. Afterwards, he never spoke about it, never discussed it. No one but he knew the loneliness and anguish of that decision. Nor did he explain his reasons. Maybe he himself did not know his reasons. Sometimes one has to act on the basis of instinct. Perhaps he did not want to alter the traditional order - for who knows what impact these things have in the celestial spheres? Or perhaps he did not want to alter it so as not to further dishear ten the community; not to concede that this Rosh HaShanah was some how different. Perhaps he simply decided to leave matters in G-d’s hands —for does He not care even for His servants who are awaiting depor tation? Or perhaps he was hoping for a miracle, which would somehow allow them to daven and blow shofar as usual. And indeed the miracle happened. There was shacharis, and there was teki’as shofar, and there was musaf. No change, no alteration, no devia tion. “ O/am keminhago noheg." The world - that savage, mad, senseless

world of the 1940’s - continued to function as “ normal.” But the teki’as shofar in Sighisoara that year was not the teki’as shofar of the Rambam. It was not G-d’s call to man. Instead, it was the teki’as shofar of Rav Sa’adya Gaon. It was the shofar that commemorates the akeida of Yitzchok - the self-sacrifice, the ability to transcend one’s own wishes, hopes, desires - the willingness to fol low HaShem whatever the cir cumstances. It was the shofar of Jewish persecu tion, of Jewish martyrdom, of Jewish loyalty to Torah. It was the shofar that is addressed to HaShem rather than to man; that proclaims the unbreaka

ble bond between the Jews and their G-d. “ Punish us as You may,” it seems to be saying, “persecute us as You may, torture us as You may - we are still Your people. We still today obey Your will; we still cling fast to Your Torah. We still live by Your command ments - and if need be, we will die by Your commandments.” After davening, everyone left shut to go home. They were going home with mixed feelings, with confused emo tions. It had not happened. The Ger mans had not come. The trains were still waiting, still empty. They had davened as usual, they had blown shofar as usual. Truly a miracle. But what was in store? Why had the plans

Above: Innocence and Persecution: The Art of Jewish Children, Germany 1936-1941: Ben Uri Art Society Exhibition 1990 (Staat Museum Dusseldorf)

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not materialised? Was there some hid den surprise awaiting them, some unknown terror? Was this part of a ruse, a scheme to lull them into a false sense of security? There was no time to find out. As they pondered the stark impondera bles, the air-raid sirens began to wail. Rapidly the streets cleared - there was no one outside, no one to disturb or get in the way. Only the Jews leav ing their synagogue. Frightened, intimidated and demoralised. It was true that they had had a temporary reprive; it was true that they had, miraculously and against all the odds, davened as usual, blown shofar as

usual. But now they knew; the respite was short-lived. This was it; this was the roundup. But it was not. Another miracle occurred. Nobody appeared. No Nazi troopers, no SS men, no barking dogs. No one. The sirens stopped. Silence; it was quiet - almost peace ful. Paralysed at first, rooted to the spot, the Jews suddenly realised that nothing was happening. What were the sirens for? No one knows. Perhaps they were in reply to the blowing of the shofar. Perhaps they were HaKodosh Boruch Hu’s way of saying that He had heard the blast of their shofar The main thing was

Youth strong and resolute will walk their way to commemorate the journey of those r

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that they could go home, unscathed; that they could make Kiddush with their families on this awesome Day of Judgment. And so they did. And Rosh HaShanah passed.

After Rosh HaShanah, the waiting trains moved. They steamed out of the station, to an unknown destination. But they went empty. “ For the Jews and the gypsies,” the sign proclaimed - but for once it was not true. No Jews were deported; no one was trou bled. How was it that the Nazis were thwarted, and the Jews of Sighisoara escaped? Of course, no one can know the true explanation; no one can fathom the inscrutable ways of Divine Provi dence. Ultimately, the answer lies beyond human comprehension. But miracle though it was, it was not totally inexplicable. It was a miracle which owed much to the actions of one man - a young man of about forty, named Yitzchok Baruch. Yitzchok Baruch was not married. He turned his energies to commerce. He succeeded in his ventures, and became a wealthy businessman. He established contacts in the right quar ters. He knew whom to talk to for a favour, whom to influence; whom to bribe. And so, when he saw the cattletrucks pull into the station, he realised that he had to act: Ein somchin a! haNes - one does not sit back and wait for a miracle. It was a risk, but he had to try. There was simply no alter native. Slim as the chance of success appeared, the prospect of failure was too terrible to contemplate. And so it was that in the few days before Rosh HaShanah, he ran around desperately from one office to another - pleading, cajoling, begging and bribing. Large sums of money changed hands. And somehow - against all odds, and against all expectations - he suc ceeded. From then on, he was a marked man. My father warned him to escape as soon as the tide of war turned. There were too many people impli cated, too many officials who had dis obeyed orders, too many disgruntled and jealous people who would seek revenge. But he did not listen - he could not bring himself to leave. And so he died a tragic death. At the end of the War, he was arrested and taken to a prison in Bucharest. There he was interrogated and tortured, until even tually he succumbed. This story is written in tribute to Yitzchok Baruch - one of the unsung

EXPERIENCE Continued from over page and unknown heroes of the Second World War - who left no family to per petuate his memory. It is, in a sense, a repayment of debt, for it is to him that I owe my very existence. Had it not been for him, I would, in all probability, not be writing these lines; indeed, had it not been for him, I would, in all prob ability, not have been born. He gave up everything - his money, his sec urity, his life - in order to help his fel low Jews. And this story is also written in tri bute to the ordinary Jews of Sighisoara. They, too, were unsung heroes; men and women of courage, who sought to affirm their Judaism even in the face of impending destruc tion. Perhaps, indeed, that is why they were saved. Perhaps HaKodosh Boruch Hu looked down upon them, on that Yom HaDin, and tempered His judgment with mercy. There is a lesson here for us. The Gemora tells us: Mitzva haba’ah leyadecha, al tachmitzena - if you have the chance to do a mitzva, do not let that chance slip away. We do not live in the past, nor in the future. We live in the here and now. Now is the time to act. Yitzchok Baruch understood this: he seized the moment, however meagre it seemed. In a similar way, when the people of the kehilla came to my father with their sha’alah they, too, were seeking to utilise every opportunity, to do whatever could be done to fulfil the will of HaShem.

past and future - charotoh (regret) for past mistakes, and kabala lehaba (a firm commitment for the future). One must be able to look honestly into one’s past - and if need be to alter it before one can act in the present; and one must be able to look candidly into the future - and plan it carefully before one can move forward. But neither past nor future hold the key to life. Life consists of the present moment. Teshuva consists of acting in the present. And just as man is called upon to act in the present, so, too, HaKodosh Baruch Hu judges man, say our Rab bis, according to his status at the moment of judgment. Ba’asher hu sham - as he is at that moment. On Rosh HaShanah we read the story of Hagar and Yishmael. When Yishmael was dying of thirst in the desert, HaKodosh Boruch Hu “ heard the

voice of the child as he was.” Says Rashi: “The ministering angels con demned him in the Heavenly court. ‘Master of the Universe,’ they said, ‘his descendants are going to kill Your children by thirst - and are You going to provide a well for him!’ But G-d said: ‘What is he now —righteous or wicked? He is righteous - and that is how I am judging him.’” On that Rosh HaShanah fifty years ago, the people of Sighisoara were judged, and at that moment, they were granted a reprieve from the terri ble decree that had been pronounced on their brothers. May the memory of Yitzchok Baruch be blessed - Yehi Zichro Baruch. Dayan Beret Berkovits sits on the Beth Din of the Federation of Synagogues.

T H E M A R C H OF T H E L IV IN G The “March of the Living” took place on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day (April 22 1990), which was established in memory of the Six Million Jews who perished during the Second World War. Jewish youth from all over the world retraced the steps of hundreds and thousands of Jews who were sent to the death camps in Poland. From there, the participants proceeded to Jerusalem for the World Jewish Youth Salute to Israel which culminated on Yom HaAtzmaut, Independence Day. Tamar Segal, who is regarded by many as the Poet Laureate of the Jewish community, marked the event with the poem we publish on page 9. [Ed.]

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G0 0 DM0 S TOURS This idea is implicit in the message of the Yomim Nora'im. We are called upon to repent, to do teshuva. But what is teshuva and how do we do teshuva? Teshuva is simply the reali sation that we must put the past behind us, that we must start afresh. Not to leave matters to an indetermi nate future, not to live in the memories of the past. If we live in the past, we are held back by our mistakes; we relive our failures. And if we live in the future, we are held back by unrealized dreams; we live in anticipation. The only way to move forward is by forgetting the past, and ignoring the future. By living, and acting, now. That is what Chazal mean when they say, commenting on the verse “And now, Yisroel, what does G-d want of you?” - “ Now (Ve’atah) simply means teshuva.” Of course, there is a com plex mechanism of teshuva which requires some relationship with both

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Above: Victoriana vandalised: The Great Synagogue, Manchester, shortly before its demolition in 1986 (Manchester Jewish Museum)

he recent desecration of Jewish graveyards in Edmonton, Willesden, Leeds, Manchester and elsewhere graphically indicates the continued threat to the Jewish herit age in the United Kingdom from the outside world. The anniversaries which fall this year - the massacre at York in 1190 and the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290 - remind us of the duration of hostility to Jewish settlement in this country. Yet, the continued presence of the Jews in Britain since readmission provides a different side to this story. The Jews, if not welcomed, have at least been tol

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erated in British society for the past three hundred odd years. The biggest threat that Anglo-Jewry has ever faced was in 1940 when by mere good fortune and Nazi miscalculation, Bri tain avoided invasion. Even so, in the aerial bombardment of British cities, and particularly in districts of Jewish immigrant settlement such as the East End of London, Cheetham Hill in Manchester and the Gorbals in Glas gow, much damage was done to Jewish landmarks and many lives were lost. The loss of such treasures as the Great Synagogue and the original 11

Mocatta Library at University College London through bombing during World War II was, naturally, an enorm ous blow to the Jewish heritage in the United Kingdom. What is remarkable, however, is how this destruction pales into insignificance compared to the self-inflicted damage carried on by Anglo-Jewry in recent years. The Jewish community has long lavished much attention on its numerical de cline. At the same time the obliteration of the Jewish memory in British history has also taken place, in a quieter, but no less disturbing manner. It was the

HERITAGE Continued from over page purpose of the conference Preserving the Jewish Heritage, held at the Uni versity of Southampton in July 1990, to draw attention to this desperate state of affairs before it is too late. The conference brought together fifty speakers over a two day period. Subjects ranged from local oral his tory projects to priceless medieval Hebrew manuscripts in Oxford and Cambridge. The richness and diver sity of the Jewish heritage in the United Kingdom, from the Norman Jews in the Middle Ages to the lan guage of working class Jews in Man chester in the 1950s, was exposed. The success of local projects such as the Manchester Jewish Museum, Scottish Jewish Archives, the Birming ham Jewish History Group and many others across the British Isles was made clear. But a less positive side was to re-occur throughout the con ference. Ir r e t r ie v a b le Loss

A whole catalogue of irretrievable loss was reported. From Manchester, Bill Williams, President of that city’s Jewish Museum, told how all early Zionist records have been destroyed, due to the efforts of an over-zealous secretary in the 1950s; how in the 1970s the records of one of Manches ter’s most important synagogues, the Higher Broughton, were left buried in the basement as the building was bull-dozed. Williams also contrasted the fate of the Spanish and Por tuguese synagogue (which was pre served as the Manchester Jewish Museum to such a high standard that it was runner-up in the Museum of the Year awards in 1986) with that of its neighbour, the Great Synagogue. Despite being a Grade 2 listed build ing, the Great was demolished in the same year as the Museum won its commendation. Manchester, the tremendous work of the Museum notwithstanding, has thus lost much of its Jewish heritage. As Britain’s second biggest Jewish community, however, it is an unqual ified success story compared with Leeds. The local archivist, Bill Connor, talked of “The Vanishing Heritage of Leeds Jewry.” Without the impetus of the team that produced Manchester’s Jewish Museum, a fine synagogue building in the Yorkshire city was abandoned and in it, the records of the community rotted beyond repair in the basement. Again, unlike Manches ter, no large-scale oral history prog ramme has been undertaken in Leeds. The numerical decline of

Above: The Manchester Great Synagogue on its consecration in 1858 (Manchester Jewish Museum)

Leeds Jewry - now standing perhaps at 11,000 only half its maximum size has been matched by the disappear ance of its historical record. It is doubtful whether a really detailed his tory of this community can now ever be written. Glasgow, the fourth biggest Jewish community in Britain reflects the experience of Manchester more than Leeds in that an active Jewish herit age centre has been started to halt the destruction. Nevertheless, there is little that remains to illustrate the experience of the Gorbals, once the thriving Scottish centre of Jewish immigrant life. Lack o f P r io r it y

The loss of so much material in so short a space of time is quite remarka ble. The Gorbals, Cheetham, Strangeways, Chapeltown and the East End were still centres of Jewish religious, economic, political and social life as late as 1939 and, indeed, beyond the end of the Second World War. That the historian of Anglo-Jewry has to strug gle to locate any record of these com munities just fifty years later is test imony to the lack of priority the Jewish community places on its own past. Nowhere is this more clear than in what was once one of the most important Jewish settlement areas in Europe - the East End of London. 12

In 1987 one of the largest ever Jewish cultural events took place in Britain - The Celebration of the Jewish East End. Exhibitions across the capital, concerts, lectures and the like illustrated the vitality of this small area of London which once housed over 100,000 Jews. That the history and experience of the Jews of Britain mattered could no longer be in doubt after this successful enterprise. Yet still Anglo-Jewry failed to take itself seriously. The wealth of young talent exposed in the Celebration - resear chers, organisers, performers - has been left untapped. Rather than prom ote consciousness of the need to pre serve what is left of the Jewish East End, the rotting of old buildings and the financial greed of the City con tinues apace. There is great irony in the fact that the East London synagogue in Stepney Green was sold to developers in the same year as the Jewish East End Celebration. The destruction of its once handsome Vic torian interior was told with passion by Sharman Kadish, who has battled to keep this listed building safe. The East London has not been alone in its fate. It is amazing to consider that the intense Jewish life of the East End has left so little behind. Just a handful of synagogues survive and any walking tour of the area is denuded week by week of important sites. The valiant

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efforts of the Museum of the Jewish East End, now the London Museum of Jewish Life, itself located in Finchley, has not been able to stop the process of decay. Loss then, was a recurring theme in the reports of conference particip ants. The second theme, and one inseparable from it, is that of the need for funds. The United Kingdom and Eire have Jewish museums, libraries and local projects with tremendous potential. Outstanding collections and talented organisers are being held back simply by the shortage of funds. The cut backs in national and local government grants have created a huge dilemma for many Jewish cul tural projects - for the Jewish com munity has yet to fill the gap. F a m ily S ilver

Ultimately the two issues of loss and destruction and shortage of fund ing share the same roots - the abso lute lack of priority that preserving the Jewish heritage has on the AngloJewish agenda. Could any commun ity which took itself seriously con template selling off the silver of its most prominent and ancient congre gations? In popular mythology Jews

are meant to care deeply about the family. Apparently this concern does not extend to selling off the family silver. Other priceless materials books, records and artefacts - have already left these shores. One of the most alarming but accurate, state ments was made at the conference by Bill Williams who claimed that the loss of Anglo-Jewry’s historical heritage was now on the same scale as that suffered by the remnants of East Euro pean Jewry in the wake of the Holocaust. As Jews in the post-war world we have no excuse for letting this destruction continue. If, however, great responsibility rests on the Jewish community, this does not absolve the general non-Jewish world from playing an important role. In this respect both positive and negative tendencies came out of the conference. On the positive side a genuine interest and goodwill towards the Jewish heritage was evinced by record offices, both national and local, and by organisations such as English Heritage. In Manchester, Leeds and elsewhere local archives have shown great willingness to pre sent a much more complete coverage of the communities they represent

and to include Jewish materials. In the capital, where archival space is at a premium, the Greater London Record Office has played a vital role recently. A b o r te d

The planned export of the Chief Rabbi’s papers to Israel was aborted and now these important records, along with those of the United Synagogue, are to be housed at the GLRO. It is to be hoped that the records of other umbrella Jewish religious bodies such as those of the Federation of Synagogues and the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congrega tions can find a similar secure home. Meanwhile, Anglo-Jewish Archives, an enormous collection of some 53 cubic metres, has been re-located to Southampton University from its cramped premises at University Col lege London. The University of South ampton, which possesses the Library of the late Rev James Parkes is look ing to expand Anglo-Jewish Archives, and will thus become an important centre for Jewish material across the United Kingdom. There is, nevertheless, still much to be done by the larger community in respect of the Jewish heritage. Speakers

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HERITAGE Continued from page 13

from both English Heritage and the Historical Manuscripts Commission both indicated that their organisations have little information about Jewish buildings and records respectively. It is surely their responsibility as national organisations to ensure even coverage of all of Britain’s diverse population. If there is to be real com mitment to multi-culturalism then this concept must expand to include all aspects of society and particularly to matters concerning heritage. S olutions

These were some of the issues and dilemmas highlighted by this lively conference. But what practical solu tions did it come up with? 1. That a survey of the Jewish heritage in the United Kingdom should be undertaken so that the scale of the problem can be assessed. To do this thoroughly with a full time researcher would take three years and would cost £75,000. It is vital that this sum be raised as soon as possible to stem the loss of materials.

2. That local communities create the position of Communal Archivist. This can be done very cheaply as the example in Liverpool has shown. The archivist’s job is to make sure that if a Jewish organisation moves or ceases to function that its records are pre served. He/she liaises with the local record office so that records and artefacts are known about and if appropriate, deposited. 3. That the conference be formalised as a Standing Conference on the Jewish Heritage so that coordination of activities be maintained, contact be preserved and pressure applied to the community to take the Jewish herit age seriously. 4. That national organisations such as English Heritage and the Historical Manuscripts Commission play a more active role in helping to preserve material of Jewish concern through listing and other activities. 5. That the Working Party on Jewish Archives, which was one of the groups which initiated the confer ence, be expanded to include other aspects of the Jewish heritage includ ing buildings and museums. 6. That the Jewish community be urged to make the preservation of the Jewish heritage at least a minor prior

ity on its agenda through the Board of Deputies and local representative councils, rather than a non-existent priority as is the case today. F u tu re !

In conclusion, the question must be posed: what does it matter if the Jewish heritage is lost forever? The answer surely is that if we want to have a healthy future then we must take care of our past. The younger generation of Jews in this country do care about their roots. If we take this away from our youth we should not be surprised if they fail to identify with the Jewish community. The choice is stark. Either we take ourselves, our past and our future seriously or we continue to self-destruct - so that not even sufficient record remains to merit inclusion in future histories of this country.

Dr Tony Kushner is Parkes Fellow in the Department of History at the University of Southampton.

HALACHA

by Leo Prijs

consult us? s, and n common with Christianity, Judaism acknowledges the concept of “ Imitatio Dei,” emulation of the Divine Nature. "As G-d is compassion ate, so shall you be compassionate also.” That the compassion of G-d encompasses all Creation, human beings and the animal world alike, needs to be recognised. In the words of the psalmist: “The Lord is good to all and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). It follows that men should exercise compassion towards animals as well. On the Sabbath, the domesticated animal, too, must rest (Exodus 23:12). Furthermore, the Bible exhorts: “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn!” (Deuteronomy 25:4). Such injunctions and exhortations found in the Bible lead the Talmud (Baba Mezia 32b) to conclude that “causing pain to animals is actually forbidden in the Torah itself ’ and that, therefore, the law belongs to that specific category of prohibitions which rank as Biblical injunctions.

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Indeed, the Talmud provides us with various clear cut regulations in this connection. Thus, we find in Tractate Berachot (40a): “A man may not eat before feeding his animal.” The Tal mud (op. cit.) finds a Biblical allusion to this requirement, i.e. in Deuteronomy 11:15, where it states: “ I will send grass in your fields for your cattle” before continuing with “that you may eat and be satisfied.” Prevention of cruelty towards ani mals lies at the core of the prohibition that no limb may be eaten which has been severed from a living animal. In fact, that specific prohibition is included (according to Chullin 101b sq.) in the group of commandments styled “The Seven Laws of Noah,” that is to say, to those command ments that, as far as Judaism is con cerned, are binding on all the descen dants of Noah, i.e. on the whole of humanity and not only on the Jewish people.

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Above: The world renowned Rabbi Elijah Lopian (1876-1970), grandfather of Dayan Gershon Lopian, feeding a cat (Private collection)

It may be appropriate, at this point, to cite some relevant Talmudic pro nouncements, from a variety of con texts, yet all of them rooted in the fun damental principle of animal protec tion. It is stated in Tractate Sabbat (128b) that certain activities, normally forbidden on the Sabbath, are permit ted in the interests of animal welfare. For example, an animal which has fal len into a pit on the Sabbath may be

rescued from its wretched condition. Apropos this directive regarding ani mal welfare which dates from the sec ond century C.E., a note in the English translation of the Talmud reads: “The broad scope of this humane directive is all the more remarkable, as similar injunctions outside the Jewish tradi tion can only be traced to later cen turies.”

ANIMAL RIGHTS Continued from over page In the same Tractate (Sabbat 155b), we read: “G-d knew that there would be many stray dogs in the world which would have difficulty in finding food, and so He created their stomachs in such a manner that any food they did eat remained inside the dogs’ stomachs for three days, thus alleviating pangs of hunger. We deduce from this that G-d protects the vulnerable.” A little further on in the same Trac tate (Sabbat 156a), we discover the following curious assertion: ‘Anyone born on a Thursday inclines towards compassion, since on the fifth day of Creation (that is to say on Thursday), G-d created the fish and the birds, which obtain nourishment effortlessly and with ease because of G-d’s mercy.” The Talmud remarks that that statement was found “ in Rabbi Joshua ben Levi’s Notebook” - evi dently recording an old legend in the course of seeking out traditional tales for their homiletic value. C re a tio n

Another Talmudic injunction (Jerusalem Talmud, Ketubot 4:8) is concerned, too, with animal rights at the time of Creation: “ Rabbi Elieser Ha-Kappar said: A man is to buy cat tle and fowl for himself only when he has prepared nourishment for them in advance, just as G-d, at Creation, let plant life grow first (on the third day) before bringing birds and cattle into existence (on the fifth and sixth days), in order that those creatures might find immediate nourishment.” In 1946, the Swiss Councillor David Farbstein published a book defending the Jewish religion. In the chapter

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entitled “The Ethical Teaching of the Talmud” he wrote (p.87): “One must also show kindness to animals. The Talmud (Baba Mezia 85a) has a delightful tale to relate: Rabbi Judah, called The Prince, was walking in the street when a calf was being led to the slaughter house. The calf sought Rabbi Judah’s protection, but Rabbi Judah pushed the calf aside saying: you were born for this purpose. For that reason, G-d plagued Rabbi Judah with pain for thirteen years. Why did the pain then stop? We are told that it came about in the following manner: Rabbi Judah was watching his maidservant at her work as she tried to brush aside some tiny crea tures which were crawling around the place. ‘Leave them alone’ said the rabbi, ‘for it is written in Psalm 145 G-d’s mercy extends over all His works.’ At that moment, G-d released Rabbi Judah from his suffering.” Jewish literature has exhibited a caring attitude towards animals in post-Talmudic times as well. In con clusion, here is an example in the form of an amusing anecdote from eighteenth century Paris about a dog, a story recorded only in Rabbi Asulai’s travel diary, and reproduced in English for the first time. I translate from the Hebrew.

gatekeeper had no wish to let the thin dog pass, but the large dog stood in front of him, barking loudly and, behaving in an altogether arrogant manner. Then the large dog simply walked in with the thin dog, the gatekeeper acting as if he had seen nothing at all. Then, without further delay, the large dog took the thin dog to the kitchen, and gave it shelter for eight days. During that time, the thin dog ate and drank until it, too, was robust. Then the large dog led the erstwhile thin dog away. Ever since then, the strange dog visits the large dog at certain times, waiting at the gate. They both go for a stroll together, but the strange dog has never again been known to enter within the gates.” (Rabbi Asulai. Itinerarium, Jerusalem 1934, p.163).

Translated from the German by Sophie Herzberg.

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“ In Paris, there is a Home for retired and wounded soldiers. This Home is guarded by dogs, one of which is extraordinarily large and strong. The gatekeepers never allow a strange dog to enter. The extraordinarily large dog frequently used to go strolling, and, one day, he returned with a strange dog, a thin and wretchedlooking creature, which he allowed to walk very close to himself. The

Professor Leo Prijs is a former lec turer in Bible at Bar Han University, and professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Munich. Now retired, he is the author of Critical Edition of Abraham ibn Ezra’s com mentary to the Book of Genesis, Chapters 1-3 (London 1990) and of many other scholarly works.

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veryone has the right to leave any country including his own, and to return to his country These are the forthright words in Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights signed on 10 December 1948. They have been repeated in numerous international covenants since then, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) to which the Soviet Union is a party. The right to emigrate is without doubt universally recognised as enshrined in interna tional law. •

Recognised or not, Soviet law has traditionally ignored such a right to leave. Until as recently as 1987 there was no law at all on the subject - or if there was, it was secret and unpub lished. Emigration prior to then was a matter of administrative practice. In other words it was governed by politi cal policy, on which there could be no appeal to any court. A number of regulations on emigra tion which came into force in 1987 made little difference to the position. They were hedged around with restrictions. In effect they permitted 17

emigration only for the purpose of close family reunification. In so doing the law merely enshrined the then practice of requiring a prospective emigrant to submit an invitation from a “first degree” relative - a condition which few could meet. And once again there was no recourse to any court. The reason why the 1987 regula tions were passed at all is instructive. Twelve years earlier the 35 nations forming the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE)

SOVIET JEWS Continued from over page had reached agreement in Helsinki. In return for recognising the post-Second World War borders in Eastern Europe, ie- by implication the coun tries and territories taken by force by the Soviet Union, the western nations secured pledges that certain human rights would be observed. The Soviet Union, having made these commit ments, simply ignored them. The western response was to exert pres sure for their observance, in particular by making political and trade benefits conditional on an improvement in the Soviet Union’s lamentable human rights record. D e a d -le t te r

The 1987 regulations on emigration represented the Soviet Union’s first attempt to defuse the pressure. The attempt fell flat on its face. The new laws were rightly criticised as being far too restrictive to come anywhere near compliance with international law. So the western nations continued the pressure - prompted at least in part by widespread public opinion. Fortunately the 1987 law has never been effectively implemented. Events proved it to be a dead-letter from the date it was passed. Meanwhile the climate in the Soviet Union itself was undergoing a seachange. President Gorbachev launched his own battle within the system for transforming the disastr ous Soviet economy and with it the relaxation of many political and economic controls. Whether he was and is driven by a new-found belief in freedom or is merely acting out of expediency may not matter much in this context. What is important is that the Soviet system is having to be far more responsive to pressure - and emigration has proved to be a pres sure-point of major importance. After all, from the Soviet perspective letting some of its citizens out carries with it far less danger than radical reform of the system from within. That latter objective might otherwise become the focus of the calls for change. On emigration, we are hoping to witness a considerable advance. After many months of promises the Soviet Government late last year unveiled a draft emigration law which rep resented a significant departure from the past. Gone was the limitation to family reunification. Indeed the law provides that every Soviet citizen has the right to leave. Among the draft’s key provisions are those dealing with the reasons why emigration is still being denied to some Soviet Jews.

There may be fewer refuseniks than before — the number is in hundreds rather than thousands - but it remains substantial. First, there is the notorious restric tion applied to persons said to pos sess “state secrets”. The new law is an improvement in that persons can not be prevented from emigrating on that ground for longer than five years. Unfortunately, there is another categ ory - persons affected by “reasons concerning state security” - for which there is no limit of time. Soviet officials have claimed that this is intended to apply to those such as terrorists and not to genuine applicants to emigrate. If so, the law should state it explicitly. It will obviously be unsatisfactory if the final draft does not do so. Second, there are those who can not leave because the necessary per mission from family or even ex spouses cannot be obtained - the socalled “poor relatives” . The draft law, for the first time, affords a right for those affected to apply to a court to have the position adjudicated. If alimony is payable it can be settled by a one-off payment fixed by the court. Other welcome features of the proposed law are the right to apply to court for a determination of an emig ration application (while Soviet courts are far from perfect this should open up the emigration process) and a declaration that international coven ants entered into by the USSR shall be pre-eminent. Another novel feature is that the Soviet Government has invited two legal experts nominated by the British Government to comment on the draft and make any suggestions for improvement. As a result, a second draft was produced which was a fair improvement on its predecessor.

Major concerns remain - in particular the position on secrecy and the appplication of any new law on exist ing refuseniks. These are now under further consideration in Moscow. At the time of writing the final draft of the law was expected to be placed before the Supreme Soviet in the cur rent session commencing September 1990. Western countries and many organisations await its appearance with interest. Whether the law will bring a genuine improvement to the wholly inadequate legal background to emigration from the USSR remains to be seen. H e ls in k i

Lastly there is the obvious question: At a time when emigration levels are high, as everyone knows, at a record high, why does a law matter? After all, the Soviet Union has a poor record when it comes to keeping its own laws and international agreements. The answer must be that a new and improved emigration law does matter very much. Should the USSR choose to turn off the emigration tap that law will be an essential reference point for the West, just as the Helsinki Final Act has proved to be. As long as there are Jews whose desire is to leave the Soviet Union, and as long as anti-Semitism - now more pervasive there than for many years - is fuelling that desire, we must maintain the pressure for a proper emigration law to underpin the out flow and aliya of historic proportions which we are privileged to be witnes sing. Jonathan Arkush is Joint Co ordinator of LAWS (The Lawyers’ Association Working for Soviet Je wry).

(BIPAC)

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y i rthur Koestler wrote a rather fanciful book entitled The Thir/ Xteenth Tribe (1977) which attempted to prove that Russian and European Jewry were direct descen dants of the Khazars who converted to Judaism in the eighth century CE. The story of this remarkable conver sion is given in Judah Ha-Levi’s AlKhazari. The Khazars were Koestler’s “Thirteenth Tribe” . This article will explore a more promising line of inquiry into a “thir teenth tribe” based on the Biblical story of Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter. She was born, after Shimon and Levi, to Leah, Jacob’s first wife.

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The story of Dinah is told in Bereshis 34 with a mixture of embar rassment and distaste. Whilst Jacob was encamped near Shechem, Dinah “went out” to visit the local women folk. Shechem, the son of Chamor, the local Hivite prince was attracted to her, apparently forced himself upon her, and then sought her hand in mar riage from Jacob. Jacob’s sons, and in particular the brothers of Dinah, Shimon and Levi, were incensed and insisted upon a “mass circumcision” of the Shechemites before any mar riage between the two peoples could be legitimised.

Shimon and Levi took revenge. They caught the Shechemites off guard, following their circumcision, and slaughtered all the males without mercy. They took the women and chil dren captive and despoiled the city. The deed was denounced by Jacob: “You have brought trouble upon me by making me hateful even to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my house hold will be destroyed” . To which Shi mon and Levi replied bitterly: “ Should he (ie Shechem) have treated our sis ter like a whore?” —>

THIRTEENTH TRIBE Continued from over page The Biblical narrative abruptly stops here. The only later reference to Dinah is found in the list of Jacob’s family who emigrated to Egypt (Bereshis 46:15).

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A m b iv a le n t A t t it u d e s

Ambivalent attitudes to the behaviour of Shimon and Levi are reflected in later Jewish tradition. In the Apocryphal Book of Judith, Judith appeals to the example of her forefather Shimon in taking ven geance against the Shechemites to justify her own act of retaliation. In the Aggadah we are told that Dinah had originally been destined to be a boy. However, Leah, out of com passion for her sister Rachel, prayed that the child be a girl, so ensuring that of the twelve sons whom she knew Jacob would beget, two would be born to her sister. In other words, had Dinah been “male” she would have formed the thirteenth tribe. There are differing views about Jacob’s conduct as well as about that of Dinah. Dinah went out in the same way as her mother Leah “went out” (Bereshis 30:16) - “as the mother was tribe of Manasseh. After Zelophehad’s so was the daughter” - according to death in the wilderness, his five Bereshis Rabbah 80:1. Other sources daughters appealed to Moses and argue that Dinah had never left the Eleazar for an inheritance because tent willingly; Shechem lured her out their father had been without male by means of a subterfuge. Again, issue. Moses consulted HaShem and Jacob is criticised for concealing conveyed His answer to the Israelites: Dinah from his brother Esau. Accord “This is what the Lord commands ing to Bereshis Rabbah 80:4, Jacob’s concerning Zelophehad’s daughters. refusal to give Dinah in marriage to They may marry anyone they please her circumcised uncle Esau led to her as long as they marry within the tribal being ravished by the uncircumcised clan of their father. No inheritance in Shechem. Israel is to pass from tribe to tribe, for Such varied evaluations of the every Israelite shall keep the tribal behaviour of the Patriarch’s family land inherited from his forefathers” may have some bearing on later inci (BeMidbar 36:5-7). dents in the Torah. Is th e r e a Link? It is interesting to note that the There are Aggadic traditions which tribes of Shimon and Levi were not connect the story of Dinah with the granted a portion of the land of their story of Zelophehad’s daughters. We own in Eretz Yisroel in the time of are told that Joseph married the Joshua. They do not even merit so daughter of Potipher, who was none much as a mention in the Song of other than the daughter of Dinah who Deborah in the Book of Judges. had been adopted in Egypt. Dinah W o m e n ’ s P r o p e r ty R ights had been abandoned by Jacob - but As for Dinah, the question of her was later recognised by Joseph right to inherit any portion of the Land because she was wearing an amulet of Israel is not even addressed. Had which her father had given her. This she, it may indeed be asked, as a would mean that Manasseh, Joseph’s daughter of Jacob any right of inheri eldest son - and the whole tribe of tance? Or, was it merely her poor con Manasseh - were descendants of duct which disqualified her from her both Joseph and Dinah! rightful due? Thus it is appropriate that the whole This issue of principle is raised issue of female inheritance was raised most forcefully towards the end of in the case of the daughters of BeMidbar. Here we come to the story Zelophehad, who were the direct of Zelophehad, a descendant of the descendants of Dinah.

extend sincere greetings

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A n d fin a lly Job

The Aggadic tradition connects both of the stories related above with the towering Book of Job. We are told in Bereshis Rabbah 57:4 that Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, became the wife of Job. Can it be sheer coinci dence then that the concluding chap ter of Job shows Job vindicated with all his possessions restored and dou bled? We are told that Job had seven sons and three daughters. Contrary to the usual Biblical practice, in this instance the names of the sons are not given whilst: “The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there to be found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers”. (Job 42:14-16). Here Job, as it were, puts right the wrong done to Dinah, by giving her daughters the inheritance owing to them! The wheel has turned full circle! The thirteenth tribe was now established.

Cllr. Ellis Hillman is Principal Lec turer in Environmental Studies at the Polytechnic of East London and a member of Barnet Borough Coun cil.

SPECIAL REPORT

for the information of the Jewish Public compiled by Dayan Berel Berkovits ll

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c tradition connects ries related above with Dok of Job. We are told bbah 57:4 that Dinah, if Jacob, became the an it be sheer coinci: the concluding chap es Job vindicated with ons restored and douild that Job had seven jaughters. Contrary to ical practice, in this ames of the sons are ;f “The first daughter mimah, the second

Above: The London Beth Din in 1906. Chief Rabbi Hermann Adler (centre) and the Federation’s Rabbi M.A. Chaikin (second from left) (D. MacPherson for The Graphic, 11 Aug 1906)

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he Beth Din of the Federation of Synagogues is involved in numerous activities which affect all aspects of Jewish life. Not many people, however, are aware of the diverse nature of these activities, and of the manner in which the Beth Din can be of help to them, personally. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to give a brief outline of the work of the Beth Din, so that our members (and indeed, the wider public) can make best use of our services. We are here to serve the community and we welcome queries from anyone who feels we can be of assistance. It is often useful, however, to speak in the first place to your local Rav or Minis

ter, who may be able to advise you whether or not to contact the Beth Din. W h a t is a B e th D in !

A Beth Din is, in one sense, simply a Jewish court, which deals with dis putes and litigation between Jewish parties. But it has also been involved, traditionally, in many matters of a noncontentious nature, by virtue of its position as the supreme religious body in the community. It is, therefore, responsible, amongst other things, for supervising kashrus facilities, for arranging gittin (Jewish divorces), for granting mar riage authorisations, and for answer 21

ing sha’alos (questions of Jewish Law) covering every aspect of Jewish life. In addition, it plays an important part in communal issues. In the recent past, for example, the Beth Din has been heavily involved in defending shechita against attacks both in this country and in Europe, and also in attempts to pass legislation in Parlia ment to help overcome difficulties sometimes encountered in divorce situations. The dayanim of the Beth Din also give numerous public shiurim and lectures, and contribute to the Jewish press here and abroad. The main activities of the Beth Din are set out below, in alphabetical order. —»

BETH DIN Continued from page 21 A d o p tio n s

Whenever a couple adopt a Jewish baby, it is vital that they apply to the Beth Din for a formal certificate which will confirm the baby’s Jewish status. The reason for this is that in years to come, the documents relating to the child may no longer be available, and it may then be very difficult to prove that the child is Jewish. To avoid major problems regarding a bris, barmitzva or batmitzva, and in particular in rela tion to marriage, please contact us whilst the adoption is going through the courts, or as soon as possible thereafter, and provide us with all the necessary documents. We can then issue a certificate (which will be rec ognised throughout the world), con firming that the baby is indeed Jewish by birth. Where, as is usually the case nowa days, the baby adopted is not Jewish by birth, it is even more important to approach the Beth Din, so that the status of the baby can be regularised as soon as possible. The mere fact that a Jewish couple adopt a nonJewish baby does not make the baby Jewish in the eyes of Jewish Law. If nothing is done about this, and the child grows up believing that he or she is Jewish, there can be major problems later on, especially when it comes to marriage. It is often possi ble, however, to avoid these problems if the Beth Din is contacted at the earliest possible stage. Please do not neglect to contact us. It will save you and your child a lot of problems and heartache if you get in touch with us as soon as possible. It is not necessary to wait until the adoption order is through; it is best to contact us as soon as the adoption process is being contemplated. There is a special organisation, known as JAFA (the Jewish Associa tion for Fostering, Adoption and Infer tility), whose purpose is to assist Jewish people in relation to matters of adoption. Their address is: United House, 23 Dorset Street, London W1H 3FT, and their telephone number is 081-958 8095 or 081-444 9089. Bris M ila (C irc u m c is io n )

England is unique in having a spe cial Initiation Society, whose purpose is to train mohalim so that they are properly qualified to carry out a bris, both from the point of view of the medical requirements and also from the point of view of Jewish Law. The address of this Society is 15 Sunnyhill Court, Sunningfield Crescent, London NW4 4RB; telephone 081-203 1352.

The Society works in close conjunc tion with the Beth Din, and every Soc iety mohel is recognised by the Beth Din. If any difficulty should arise in obtaining the services of a mohel, the Initiation Society or the Beth Din will be pleased to help. Should any query arise regarding a bris (for example, as to when the baby is ready for the bris in cases of illness), the Beth Din will be pleased to advise. C h a litz a

If a man dies, leaving his wife child less, and also leaving brothers, it is necessary for her to participate in a ceremony known as chalitza before she can remarry. This ceremony is also required when the widow has children who are adopted, since adopted children do not have the status, in halacha, of biological chil dren. It is advisable for anyone who finds themself in this situation to contact the Beth Din for guidance as soon as is practically possible. Chalitza is a ceremony which involves the active participation of a brother of the deceased, and therefore it is not wise to delay, as complications can arise.

Jewish Law prescribes that whenever there is a dispute between Jews, the matter should not be dealt with in the secular (civil) courts, but in a Beth Din. The method for dealing with such matters is known as the Din Torah procedure. Although, in prac tice, many Jews do have recourse to litigation in the civil courts, this is in fact strictly prohibited by Jewish Law (except in special circumstances, after obtaining the prior consent of the Beth Din). The Beth Din hears many cases of a civil or commercial nature, and issues a psak (or award) which is binding in Jewish Law. Before the parties submit their case to the Beth Din, they are each asked to sign a special deed, which enables the decision of the Beth Din to be enforced in English law (under the terms of the Arbitration Acts). It should be emphasised that the procedure at the Beth Din is efficient, courteous and professional, and com pares favourably with that of any civil court. For further information about the Din Torah procedure, please contact the Clerk to the Court.

C h e v ra K ad ish a

Death is a reality which, (in the course of time) affects us all. Jewish Law has strict rules about burial, which, (in marked contrast to the English custom) has to take place as rapidly as possible after death. Strin gent regulations are laid down con cerning respect for the deceased, including the preparation for burial, the manner of the burial, and the mourning period of shiva. The Chevra Kadisha (Burial Society) of the Federa tion of Synagogues operates under the control and direction of the Beth Din, to ensure that all halachic require ments are adhered to. Every attempt is made to effect the arrangements as smoothly and sensitively as possible. The Burial Society is also responsible for the administration and mainte nance of the Federation cemeteries. Where a coroner wishes to carry out a post-mortem, or where a halachic query is involved, the Beth Din should be contacted for advice and assistance. Administrative mat ters, and arrangements for the fun eral, should be referred, in the first instance, to Mr. Nissim or his deputy in the Burial Society. Din T o ra h Cases (litig a tio n )

Although the primary purpose of a Beth Din was, originally, to hear dis putes between fellow Jews, most people are unaware of the extent and nature of the Beth Din’s jurisdiction in this area, and how it operates.

D iv o rc e

Sadly, one of the major activities of the Beth Din is the supervision and arrangement of divorces in accor dance with Jewish Law. With the con stant rise in the divorce rate, it is vital that anyone who has been married before (even if only civilly) and who is now going through the divorce pro cess should apply to the Beth Din as soon as possible for a proper Jewish divorce (known as a get). A civil divorce does not terminate a marriage in Jewish Law, and many serious problems can arise if there is no get. It is not necessary to wait for a civil divorce before applying for a get. If the get was not obtained at an early stage however, in most cases it may be obtained at a later stage too. Therefore, nobody should refrain from approaching the Beth Din for a get even if some years have elapsed since their civil divorce. Anybody who has been married previously and wishes to remarry, should contact the Beth Din regarding a get before making any arrange ments. It is not a good idea to book a wedding hall, for example, before making sure that the get will be se cured in good time thus enabling the marriage to take place on the date proposed. There are numerous misconcep tions about how the get procedure operates. In essence, however, it is a simple and straightforward process.

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major activities of e supervision and ivorces in accorLaw. With the conorce rate, it is vital las been married civilly) and who is i the divorce pro to the Beth Din as ir a proper Jewish S a get). A civil -minate a marriage nd many serious if there is n o # 1* o wait for a civ lying f«r 3 # ' tamedat an early nost cases it J J later stage too. ihou'd eth Din fo r 3 # ,ave elapsed since as been ^ Z „ to remarry'

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The Federation of Synagogues operates an educational system of chedarim, for children who are unable to attend Jewish day schools. This system is under the aegis of the Lon don Talmud Torah Council, whose Director of Education is Rabbi Zvi Lieberman. Our aim is to inculcate a love of Yiddishkeit in the children, and to equip them with the basic know ledge of Judaism which every Jewish child needs. The syllabus for the chedarim is drawn up in conjunction with the Beth Din, which also deals with queries which may arise regarding admittance to a cheder. Jewish S ta tu s

Cases can arise where, for one reason or another, an individual may not have clear-cut evidence that he/ she is Jewish. This may be because some of the relevant documents have been lost, or because members of the family came to England from foreign countries and left their records behind, or because the people con cerned are not members of an Orthodox synagogue. Where a person wishes to have his/ her Jewish status clarified, he/she may apply to us, and we will under take the necessary research. We enjoy the services of a professional genealogist who can generally handle the investigation. Once this work is completed, we will issue a formal document confirming Jewish status, which will be recognised throughout the world. It is advisable to apply to us whenever there is a doubt about per sonal status, especially as it may affect the status of any future chil dren. It is not a good idea to leave queries open until shortly before mar riage is contemplated. Investigations can take time, and it is therefore best to approach us as early as possible. K ashrus

The maintenance of kashrus, and provision of kashrus facilities, is one of the main tasks of our Beth Din, under its Kashrus Director, Rabbi M.D. Elzas.-The Beth Din is responsi ble for granting kashrus licences to shops, restaurants and caterers, establishing a database of kashrus information, supervising premises which require kashrus observance (such as nursing homes), and answer

ing kashrus sha’alos. In addition, the Beth Din is in charge of kashrus arrangements at the El Al Heathrow kitchens, which currently supply close on 10,000 meals per week to El Al flights, and to passengers on other air lines. The Beth Din also grants kash rus certification to manufacturers in this country, and for export. Within the last few months, the Beth Din has adopted a specific kashrus symbol (incorporating the letters KF, for “ Kosher-Federation”) which will henceforth appear on all our super vised products. A number of new kashrus projects and initiatives are currently being pre pared by the Kashrus Division of the Beth Din. M a r it a l S ta tu s

Sometimes there is no doubt that people are Jewish, but a query nonetheless arises regarding their status in terms of marriage under Jewish Law. In every legal system, there are rules as to whom one may or may not marry, and Jewish Law is no different in this respect. It may be, therefore, that a particular marriage is not sanctioned in Jewish Law, or can not be sanctioned until certain steps have been taken beforehand. Where anybody has a query of this

sort, it is advisable to contact the Beth Din as soon as possible so that we can try to sort it out. M a rria g e E ngland)

A u th o r is a tio n

All marriages celebrated in a Feder ation synagogue, or under Federation auspices, have to be approved in advance by the Beth Din before an authorisation for the marriage can be issued. The purpose of this authorisa tion is two-fold: firstly, to ensure that the marriage is halachically permissi ble, and secondly, so as to conform with the requirements of the Marriage Act. In order that a marriage authorisa tion may be issued, the Beth Din will want to be satisfied that the applicant is Jewish and single, and that there is no halachic impediment to the mar riage of the applicant and his or her intended marriage partner. The Beth Din will usually require applicants to produce their full birth certificate and the Kesuba of both sets of parents. In some cases the evidence of witnes ses may be sufficient or necessary. Please do not make any wedding arrangements (such as booking a hall or caterer) before contacting the Beth Din to obtain marriage authorisation. Continued on page 26

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David Cesarani (Editor): The Making of Modern Anglo Jewry Basil Blackwell, Oxford, 1990, £30

his book represents the coming of age of the “new wave” in Anglo-Jewish historiography which emerged in the 1980s. David Cesarani has put together a collection of essays whose authors are, for the most part, on the “right” side of forty. Not surprisingly, the younger genera tion challenges the assumptions of its elders and betters, in this instance the so-called “Whig school” of AngloJewish history. Until the 1960s the field was dominated by apologetics. The struggle for political emancipa tion in the nineteenth century and, in its turn, the Zionist Revolution in the twentieth, bred a distorted genre. Jews in Britain felt obliged to demonstrate their “fitness” to be a part of British society, or to subordi nate their own experience to the cent rality of Eretz Yisroel. The present work is to be welcomed for making the final break with such restraints. The strength of this volume lies in the fact that the contributors come to it from a diversity of disciplines and investigate hitherto neglected areas of the Anglo-Jewish past. Labour his tory, women’s history, education and literature are dealt with as ably as the more traditional political, diplomatic and institutional themes. All that can be attempted here is to extract a few choice nuggets from a welter of innovative material. Rickie Burman, for example, demonstrates how Jewish immigrant women did not conform to the West ern model of a division of gender roles between home (the “female sphere”) and work (the “ male sphere”). On the contrary, they made an important con tribution to the creation of an integ rated household economy. Often the wife was responsible not only for rais ing children, but also for running the family business from her own home, or taking in work from outside. This

Above: Wartime evacuation. For many Jews it meant the breakdown of religious observance, Cesarani (editor) p. 204. (Where’s Your Horns? Spitalfields Books 1979)

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BOOK REVIEWS pattern, she suggests, was an adapta tion of the traditional “set-up” in East ern Europe wherein the man sat and “learnt” Torah whilst the woman attended to the parnoso. By the 1920s, however, the next generation, born in Britain, aspired to the preva lent middle class ideal in which social status was measured by the ability of men to keep their wives at home. It could be argued (although Burman does not go quite so far) that this transition reflected the inroads sec ularization was making on family life. Rosalyn Livshin highlights the two fold pressure to anglicize on first gen eration Jewish children in Manches ter. Not only the host society, but also the established Jewish community through its educational institutions, the Jews’ School and youth clubs, sought to inculcate “proper” English values. These efforts were all too suc cessful as the virtual extinction of Yid dish - not to mention the rapid decline in Yiddishkeit - over one gen eration amply testified. The process was hastened for many by evacuation from the cities during the Second World War. On this subject Tony Kushner writes (p.204): “ Evacuation... acted as an integra tive force on Anglo-Jewry. Neverthe less, it illustrated that toleration had its price, the cost being a breakdown in religious observance from which in many ways the Jewish community in Britain has never recovered” . Kushner’s work is devoted to the question of anti-Semitism in British society. He argues convincingly that a tradition of anti-Semitism exists in this country, not so much in the easily identifiable form of political extremism, but rather in the subtler guise of an ambivalent “toleration”. He picks up Livshin’s theme that British Jews are trapped between the pressures of assimilation and exclu sion. The result has been the develop ment of an unhealthy Jewish neurosis rather than the creation of a positive Jewish identity. Louise London, for her part, tackles another controversial topic: she shows how official Anglo-Jewry (the Board of Deputies and the refugee committees) cooperated with Govern ment in selecting and limiting the influx of German and Austrian refugees to Britain in the years before 1939. Neither Zionists nor antiZionists “desired or expected large-

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scale or permanent movement of refugees to Britain” (p.166) and she is highly critical of their motives. Clearly the issues raised in The Making of Modern Anglo-Jewry are too important to be left to the academics. Sharman Kadish

V.D. Lipman: A History o f the Jews in Britain since 1858 Leicester University Press, 1990, Hardback £35; Paperback £9.95

The late Dr Vivian Lipman was an out standing historian of British Jewry as well as a distinguished civil servant. This book was substantially com pleted by the time of his death, and is published posthumously. It repre sents, therefore, the final thoughts of one who both researched into com munal affairs and played a part in their ordering. More than that, however, it reflects the views of a scholar who occupies an important place in AngloJewish historiography, as bridging the gap between the “establishment” his torians of whom Cecil Roth was the doyen, and the “realists” (of whom I freely confess to being one), who have turned their backs on the view that the supreme duty of the historian of Jewry is to present the Jewish com munity in the most favourable public light. Rather one should attempt always to paint the picture “warts and all” , in pursuit of dispassionate objec tivity. Vivian (who was a dear friend, and whose coffin I helped carry to the grave) occupied a middle position, which is fully reflected in this work. That is to say, he acknowledged the less attractive features of Jewish development in Britain, but preferred not to go into details. Let me give some examples. Concerning Moses Angel (1819-98), who was Headmas ter of the Jews’ Free School for 51 years, Vivian comments that he had “a negative attitude to the increasing immigrant population from Eastern Europe” . This is putting it mildly: Angel loathed Yiddish, and the immigrant parents who spoke it to their children, and he did his best to suppress its

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use, declaring to the London School Board in 1871 that the parents “were the refuse population of the worst parts of Europe” . If we move forward to the 1930s, we find a very superficial treatment of two aspects of the Anglo-Jewish experi ence at this critical time. In relation to what the Board of Deputies termed in 1940 the “ internal causes” of antiJewish prejudice, Vivian glosses over such embarassments as the supply of blackleg labour by the Jewish Board of Guardians, and the deep resent ment caused in East London by gross and persistent breaches, by Jews, of the Sunday-trading laws. On the sub ject of Anglo-Jewish treatment of refugees from Nazism, Vivian com ments dryly that “there was a certain ambivalence in the attitude of the communal leadership towards them” . In fact (as Vivian knew very well) there was deep prejudice against GermanJewish refugees throughout the com munity, which could have done much more to save many more; on Otto Schiff’s sad part in this affair, Vivian is almost totally silent. Vivian is at his best in dealing with statistics, in social and economic description, and in setting forth the broad chronicle of institutional development. But even in this regard his approach is uneven. His treatment of the Federation of Synagogues virtu ally begins and ends with Samuel Montagu. The book itself barely goes beyond 1939; the period 1939 to 1989 is dealt with in precisely fifteen pages. Vivian, like Cecil Roth and Albert Hyamson before him, felt uncomforta ble when confronted with recent his tory, within (say) living memory. For this reason, amongst others, his book will be widely read, but it can never be regarded as a standard work. Geoffrey Alderman

B o o k R e v ie w e rs in th is Issue Prof. Geoffrey Alderman is Professor of Politics and Contemporary History at Royal Holloway & Bedford New College, University of London. He has also written the official history of the Federation and is a member of the Executive.

Dr. Sharman Kadish is the Editor of HaMaor. She is a Researcher in the Department of History at Royal Holloway & Bedford New College, University of Lon don.

OBITUARIES

R EV IS A A C NODEL

BETH DIN Continued from page 23 M arriage A u th o ris a tio n (a b ro a d )

Where somebody from England is planning to marry abroad, the Rabbi nate in that country will usually not authorise the marriage, until they have received a formal document from the Beth Din here confirming that the per son concerned is able to marry in Jewish Law. This applies in particular, of course, to marriages in Israel. The Beth Din has to satisfy itself of two requirements, which it then con firms by way of a letter to its opposite number abroad; firstly, that the person intending to marry is Jewish, and sec ondly, that he or she is single and therefore able to contract a marriage. It is advisable, once again, to contact

the Beth Din as soon as possible so that all the details can be verified in good time. In the nature of things, communication with Batei Din abroad is often slow.

The above account is intended to give some insight into the main functions of the Beth Din. In due course, we hope to publish book lets giving more detailed and specific guidance on aspects of our activities. Any queries, meanwhile, should be addressed to the Beth Din, which is always ready to advise and help.

On the day after Lag B’Omer this year the Ilford Federation community was plunged into shock and sadness upon hearing of the passing of a man beloved to us all; our Emeritus Minis ter Rev Isaac Nodel (ztl). Rev Nodel had become an integral part of the two hundred family Coven try Road congregation since taking up his position as Minister, Chazan, Ba’al Koreh, Cheder Head and social worker in the mid 1950s. Even as the community grew, in no small measure on account of his efforts, to some one thousand members, he maintained a personal friendship with virtually everybody. He always had time and great compassion for each and every person and thus endeared himself, in an extraordinary fashion to his flock. Rev Nodel was respected for both his scholarship and his exceptional talent for laining and davening. He knew every note and letter of every sidra by heart - not to mention the numerous haftaros and the m egillosand was a perfectionist in his rendi tion. His davening was beautiful and moving to hear; he would always introduce nigunim that everyone could join in with and in this way uplifted and inspired us all. He was no less gifted as a teacher of children and Bar Mitzva boys. His caring for the sick and bereaved was legendary. He was an extremely hard worker of the “old school” who never really stopped serving the community. Rev Nodel shared his East End roots with many and refused to place the barrier of office between himself and others - sometimes even forego ing the appropriate honour due to a man of his standing and character. To most of us he was simply “ Noddy” and would answer the telephone as “ Mr Nodel speaking” . He was a man of great honesty and integrity, who, despite his modest means, gave a great deal to tsedaka.

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The greatest tribute the deceased’s two rabbinical successors could pay him was to acknowledge, at his levaya, their gratitude for his fatherly help and support, which was given with a total absence of any rivalry nor with the slightest hint of arrogance. His was a true heart and it was repaid with true affection. His 74 years were full of meaning and rich in mitzvas. He is irreplace able. He has left his dear wife Rosy, his children and grandchildren, and all of us - his spiritual family - with an enormous sense of loss. He lives on, not only in Gan Eden, but also in the very fabric of our shul\ the walls and the Sifrei Torah, and more importantly, for always, in our hearts. Rabbi R Livingstone

C o n g ra tu la tio n s On behalf of the Federation of Synagogues, HaMaor extends sincere congratulations to: B IR TH S

Rabbi & Mrs M.D. Elzas (Kashrus Director) on the birth of a daughter. Mr M. Kasler (Great Garden Street) on the birth of his tenth great-grandchild. Dr & Mrs I. Segal (Ilford) on the birth of a great-grandson. Mr & Mrs B. Stone (Great Garden Street) on the birth of twin granddaughters. Mr & Mrs W. Ungar (Vice-President of the Federation & Chairman of the Kashrus Board) on the birth of a grandson. M A R R IA G E

Mr & Mrs W. Ungar on the marriage of their daughter. A N N IV E R S A R IE S

B R U N O M A R M O R S T E IN

The late Bruno Marmorstein, who died recently at the age of 79, achieved eminence in the AngloJewish community through his active involvement in a wide variety of organisations. The son of a noted scholar, the late Rabbi Dr A Marmorstein, lecturer at Jews’ College for over thirty years and author of important studies in Bible and Rabbinics, it was natural that Bruno Marmorstein should evince interest in Jewish learning. Impatient with categories such as “ middle-of-the-road” Judaism, Mr Marmorstein exemplified that regrett ably rare type of person who suc ceeds in utilising the culture absorbed in a modern academic environment Mr Marmorstein graduated at Oxford - to enrich his own and others’ appreciation of Torah Judaism. His role in the Federation of Synagogues began in his later years when he joined the Sinai synagogue in Golders Green, where he was elected as an Honorary Officer and to represent the synagogue on the Fed eration Executive. His calm and dig nified contributions to debate, espe cially on the topic of education, were invariably useful and practical. As a founder-member and some time chairman of the Society for Jewish Study, Bruno Marmorstein

Mrs R. Cohen (receptionist at Head Office for over 25 years) and her husband on their Ruby Wedding. Mr & Mrs S. Doltis (Chairman, Leytonstone & Wanstead) on their Golden Wed ding. Mr & Mrs S. Marshall (Leytonstone & Wanstead) on their Golden Wedding. Mr & Mrs C. Millstone (Leytonstone & Wanstead) on their Golden Wedding. Mr & Mrs B.A. Perkoff (Life President, Great Garden Street) on their Golden Wed ding.

C o n d o le n c e s On behalf of the Federation of Synagogues, HaMaor extends sincere condolences to: DEATHS

The family of the late Mr. A. Chentow (President, Stamford Hill Beth HaMedrash) Mr L. Delroy (President, Woolwich & District) on the loss of his wife. Mr J. Gitlin (Treasurer) on the loss of his mother. Mrs D. Jacobson (Assistant Secretary, Fieldgate Street) on the loss of her mother. The family of the late Mrs A. Lasky (Ohel Shem). The family of the late Mr B. Marmorstein (Federation Executive, ex officio). The family of the late Rev I. Nodel (Ilford). The family of the late Mr J. Woolf (Ohel Shem). was a staunch advocate of adult learning and was himself a frequent and popular lecturer, as well as a con tributor to learned and community journals, including HaMaor. Movingly and accurately described by Rabbi Dr Irving Jacobs, Principalelect of Jews’ College - where Mr Marmorstein served as chairman for

M VI

over thirty years - as “a byword for faith, integrity and culture” , his distin guished presence and wise counsel will be sadly missed. Michael Goldman An obituary of the late Mr. Aryeh Chentow will appear in the next issue of HaMaor.

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