JLife Leeds April-May 2023

Ray Ban Sunglasses from James Daly Opticians Coffee and Cakes at The Pantry, Oakwood

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CONTENTS:

IN THISISSUE

Passover

The best places for a Matzah Ramble and see thoughts on the festival. Starts page 8.

Easter Break

Keep young minds active with our exciting pick of family friendly attractions. Page 16.

Spring Fashion & Beauty

Get beachy with our spring fashion & beauty guide. Page 26.

Clocking In

Explore everything that Oakwood has to offer. Page 34.

Spring HomeStyle

Get inspired with our guide to sprucing up your home this spring. Starts page 46.

PUBLISHER

Elliot Landy

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Stephanie du Preez

FEATURES EDITOR

Emily Stone

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Katerina Hough

MARKETING

Tracey Cleminson

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alan Benstock

Steve Bootle Photography: stevebootle@dsl.pipex.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Dan Cohen

Gary Don Eli Pink

ES Motors

James Daly Opticians

Juliet Shenderey

APR / MAY 2023 YOUR REGULARFEATURES

JLife Meets…

Meirav Sasson’s new role raising funds to build new homes with LJHA. Page 32.

Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch, chaplain at University of Leeds, about supporting Jewish students. Page 70.

Coronation

Find out what’s going on in Leeds to celebrate the big day. Page 20.

Community

Check out the latest news, events, and simchas across the community. Starts page 22.

Competitions

Win a pair of luxury Ray Ban sunglasses with James Daly opticians. Page 29. Bag a coffee, and cake selection for two from the Pantry. Page 36.

Going Green

Replace your household products with sustainable alternatives. Page 57.

Business

The latest UK-Israel and local business news, and the return of the LJWB Pride Awards. Page 75.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

Congratulations to Rosalind Shenderey who won a voucher worth £50 to spend at Rubin’s. Neeta Scrivener bagged a pair of tickets to Harrogate Theatre!

Jane Sanderson won a massage, while Marsha Stankler can enjoy a holistic treatment from New Beginnings Retreats.

A spring in the step now for April as the Passover cleaning starts in earnest, and with it the annual whisky no go and lovely Manischewitz fest. Not an easy time for some, both economically and emotionally, as we reflect the family and friends we spent Seder with over the years.

So, what else? There’s the Coronation, a look around Oakwood and some Spring Home and Garden. We meet some community

characters and some glitzy stars, as Leslie Joseph has been in town starring in Sister Act! Plus, we find out about the influence of Jewish 20th century fashion designers, look around the UK for some budget busting UK travel and give you all the latest lifestyle and community events been and upcoming.

We can also help you win some Ray Ban sunglasses courtesy of James Daly and a coffee and cake selection at The Pantry in Oakwood too!

Check out our daily socials and online at Jlifemagazine.co.uk

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Chocolate Raffle in Memory of Elliot

Local parents David and Donna Bransby are hosting a Forever Chocolate raffle in memory of their son, Elliot Bransby. On what would have been his 34th birthday, four years after his death, David and Donna are fundraising for The Compassionate Friends, a charity in aid of bereaved parents.

Their JustGiving page, where people can make donations in exchange for a raffle ticket, has almost passed the halfway mark on the way to their £2,500 total goal. The prize includes over 200 pieces of chocolate, a Selfridges hamper, and a mystery gift voucher.

£150,600 Raised in 36 Hours

98-year-old D-Day veteran Mervan Kersh spoke about the importance of AJEX and connecting generations through remembrance. The interview was one of two recorded interviews to incite donations for AJEX which were doubled through a generous match funding plan.

Mervyn said: “The numbers of servicemen are falling, I think I am one of the last. It is important everyone remembers. It mustn’t be allowed to disappear.”

Continuing to spread the message, second interviewee Rachel Riley MBE, shared what remembrance means to her. She said: “We should be grateful to everyone who puts on a uniform in our name. Jews are no different to anyone else.”

Quiz ‘Massers’ Retire After 30 Years

Quiz masters Pam and Michael Masser, with help from Andrew Ullman, wrote their last questions for UHC’s Sunday quiz. Retiring after 30 years, the couple are moving to London to be closer to family.

Their tireless support for the Leeds Jewish community was commemorated with a video tribute at the end of the evening, presenting the very beginning of their journey scoring the quiz on chalk boards to present day automatic scoring.

The final quiz included nine rounds and one picture round marking the 75th anniversary of Israel’s independence. The competition was nail-bitingly close with only single points separating the teams. But the champions of the special event quiz were Miriam and Oded Brosh, Michelle and Stewart Lewis, Andrea and Alan ClayJohnson, and Debbie and Brian Addlestone. The victorious were presented with the Pamela and Philip Glynn trophy.

UKIB and UJIA Celebrate International Women’s Day

Over 100 people joined UK Israel Business and UJIA to celebrate International Women’s Day online and in person and hear from a panel of inspirational women who have excelled in business, broadcasting and entertainment in a joint initiative.

The virtual panel included Debra Tammer, Naomi Dickson and Samantha Simmonds, while Gabby Rosenberg, Charlotte Newman and Helen Butters joined organisers Jane Clynes (UKIB), Alexa Harris (UJIA) and facilitator Philippa Goldstone at the event at MAZ centre.

Leeds Jewish Community Celebrates Purim

LJWB, Sinai, Etz Chaim, and BHH all recently celebrated Purim with their own wonderful, well-attended events. There was fancy dress, excellent food, and even some magic.

BHH and Etz Chaim teamed together to provide a Chinese inspired Purim party with a three-course meal and a magician for the children. Etz Chaim also hosted a kid’s fancy dress party with an interactive Megillah reading where children made masks with glitter and feathers.

The LJWB party was attended by a crowd of over 90 people many of whom came in fancy dress. The Megillah was read by Alby

Chait followed by refreshments, live music, and dancing.

Sinai celebrated the festival with a pre-Purim fancy dress disco. The party included face painting, a snow machine, a bouncy castle, and ice cream. The Megillah reading was organised and co-led by Sarah Glatherine and Val Morgendorff.

LJWB Remembers Lloyd Rakusen

Leeds Jewish Welfare Board was deeply saddened at the loss of Lloyd Rakusen. Lloyd was an amazing man and very much part of the LJWB family for over 20 years. He was a true leader and role model who inspired and mentored generations of runners and fundraisers for LJWB. Through his hard work and dedication to help others, his fearless and legendary fundraising positively impacted the lives of so many members of our community.

Elizabeth Bradbury CEO of LJWB says: “Lloyd was a true friend of LJWB not only serving tirelessly on our Fundraising committee but as an inspiration and motivator to our running teams. He truly was one of a kind and we will all miss his cheerful, caring, compassionate and make everyday count approach to life.”

A group of ten people have decided to run the London Marathon in Lloyd’s memory. Mark and Rebecca Manning, Candice, Sam, and Nick Warner, Marcus Edge, Phil Rakusen, David Samuel, Ed Rivlin, and Charles Goldstone will be following in his footsteps to fundraise for LJWB.

L-R JANE CLYNES, GABBY ROSENBERG, HELEN BUTTERS, CHARLOTTE NEWMAN AND ALEXA HARRIS.

“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, I just didn’t know what to do.

I had my surgery in Israel as both mine and my husband’s families live there. Then I had a big decision to make - where would I have my treatment?

How could I uproot my husband and girls?

But equally, how would I get through my chemotherapy here without our families’ support?

Then my oncologist told me about Chai.

They have been amazing – I truly believe there is nothing like it in the world.

Being able to rely on Chai’s all-encompassing support gave me the confi dence to come home to my husband and girls.

Thanks to Chai, we’re together as a family again”

Ready to Ramble

Roundhay Park | Roundhay

With a stretch of 700 acres, Roundhay Park is one of the largest inner-city parks in Europe. The park is home to woodland, lakes, and gardens to provide you with the perfect backdrop for tucking into your Pesach picnic. If you want to make it a family day out, extend your visit by stopping by the playground, Tropical World Zoo, or Roundhay Castle, all without leaving the park.

The Meanwood Valley Trail

The Meanwood Valley Trail is perfect for the hiking fanatics of your family. The route begins in Woodhouse Moor and ends in Golden Acre Park, taking approximately two hours to complete. There are multiple stopping places to unpack your picnic along the trail. The Meanwood Valley Park Rangers especially recommend Scotland Wood, along the Adel Beck, to have a peaceful picnic among the trees. The trail can also be split into three smaller sections for those wanting a shorter walk.

all with benches overlooking idyllic views. Walk through the Wildflower Meadow, Heather Garden, Cherry Orchard, or beside the Wildfowl Lake to find a setting for your Matzah picnic. With all its beautiful flowers the park in full bloom is a sight to see, and there are plenty of trails to walk, with the longest taking around an hour and a half.

Eccup Reservoir | Alwoodley

For nature and wildlife-lovers Eccup reservoir is the option for you. The park is well-known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its large overwintering bird population. Find a route around the water’s edge and pause for some bird watching on your way to your picnic spot, you might even spot a red kite from the viewing platform.

Golden Acre Park | Bramhope

At Golden Acre Park there are several corners of manicured gardens to explore,

Hetchell Wood Nature Reserve

Discover your own unique route around Hetchell Wood Nature Reserve and stumble upon a quiet picnic spot to eat your Matzah. Expect tall, ancient trees and rocky footpaths, and in the spring find seasonal bluebells and wild garlic. Hetchell Woods is a great place to walk for families with dogs as they can run around and discover the open space off-lead.

Beautiful walks to provide the perfect backdrop for your Passover Matzah ramblings.

Liberation with Henry

Sephy Stern talks preparing for Passover.

For any homemaker Pesach comes with a whole host of well, housework. Whether it be making sure the house is Pesadikke (a word that I learnt when in Leeds) or cooking up a feast – no, eight feasts using only nuts, eggs, and potatoes, Pesach can be quite a challenge. The hoover takes centre stage and the servitude begins.

Perhaps it is meant to be like this.

The name Pesach is our name for the festival. It means Passover and is called so after G-d's symbolic passing over of Jewish houses at the time of the Plague of the firstborns. It is a festival born in the home of every Jewish family.

We are told that the name Pesach is representative of our great love for G-d, we remember what He did for us in saving each of us in each of our homes.

G-d has a different name – Chag Hamatzot. Perhaps this is because no self-respecting Jewish woman would name a festival after that crumb inducing food having just scrubbed the house top to bottom. Or perhaps it is because G-d named the festival after what we did for Him; we left the comfort of our little homes with almost no provisions – and dough that hadn't even had time to rise.

Any Jewish trip requires a copious amount of food. We went against our very essence in walking out of Egypt with only this dough semi-baked in the warm spring sun to make the matza we know and love (when eaten over a plate).

Pesach is a time when we celebrate the individual homes that make up our people. We celebrate G-d's love, care, and notice of each home unit – He passed over each one. And He in return celebrates our connection to Him – we

were prepared to leave our homes with nothing and cleave to Him.

These two factors together create the Pesach festival as we know it.

So why all the cleaning?!

The Torah is very strict in its command to rid ourselves of any Chametz over Pesach. This reconnects us to the very start of our religion. A place of total reciprocated love between G-d and His People.

Love has to be more than pink hearts and Cupid's arrow. Love comes from serious commitment, where one gives of oneself to such an extent that we see ourselves in the other. Love takes investment.

When we physically invest in the festival that marks the beginning of our relationship with G-d, the cleaning takes on new meaning. With every piece of cracker we remove from between the car seats (disclaimer – no food is officially allowed to be consumed in my automobile) we remove a little of the parts of ourselves that are egoistic. Those parts are too self-centred for the level of love we are aiming for. The cleaning and cooking prepares us for the dinner party to top all dinner parties. The Seder night when we will meet our beloved and relive our joint love story, in each Jewish, precious home.

When focusing on this, the process to get there, with Henry vacuum in all his glory, should feel somewhat less daunting. Pesach then becomes the beginning of our own journey into freedom. Freedom from servitude of the self to the liberation of living in the warm embrace of our loving Creator.

PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE

In honour of mathematics and statistics month this April here are some fun statistics about Passover and the Jewish community in England.

BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST!

The biggest ever Matzah ball weighed 193kg, that’s the same weight as an adult male African Lion. The ball was created by Jon Wirtis, a Chef from Arizona in 2010.

STAT CREDIT: GOTHAMBAGELS.COM

PASSOVER SEDER

The largest Passover seder is hosted in Kathmandu, Nepal where nearly 2,000 people gather from all over the world. This is the average capacity of a cruise ship, which usually have 2,000 to 4,000 occupants.

STAT CREDIT: KATHMANDUPOST.COM

VOLUNTEERING

LEEDS COMMUNITY

The 2011 UK census recorded 6,847 people reporting their religion as Jewish in Leeds, only 48% of which live in Alwoodley!

STAT CREDIT: NATIONAL OFFICE OF STATISTICS

PASSOVER PARTICIPATION

According to the Pew Portrait of American Jews, Passover is the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday, more than Yom Kippur and Chanukah. 23% of people surveyed went to religious services but 70% take part in Passover seders.

STAT CREDIT: GOODHOUSEKEEPING.COM

Jewish people volunteer more than people of other faiths in England. 84% of Jews during a 2019 census stated they had undertaken some form of volunteering in the past 12 months prior to the survey.

STAT CREDIT: CONTRIBUTION OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY TO THE UK- UK PARLIAMENT.

As Pesach approaches, we find joy and comfort in celebrating with our community. Community is truly at the heart of this special festival, and it is at the heart of CST’s mission: everything we do, we do with our community in mind. Every Jewish person in the UK should be able to lead the Jewish life they choose for themselves, without fearing for their safety in doing so.

This is why our commitment to security is unwavering. We must stay vigilant to the reality that confronts us: antisemitism, extremism and terrorism pose a constant threat. The last few years have demonstrated that those who hold this prejudice not only look to attack the biggest, most established

communities, but also those that are relatively small. Every Jewish community needs security, and we are dedicated to protecting it in its entirety.

This protection can only happen together. You can trust CST to be there, working tirelessly to secure our community, as we have been for decades. This trust works both ways, and we trust that our community will support our efforts too; in fact, we rely on it.

Our volunteers are at the core of our operation. They are trained in the theoretical, technical and physical aspects of modern-day security. Our training courses are always open to new recruits who wish help protect their synagogue and fellow congregants from the dangers that face us.

We also trust that our community

will report antisemitism and suspicious activity to us when it happens. Every report provides us with a deeper understanding of how, why, and where anti-Jewish hate manifests in the UK and enables us to better represent our community to police, government and other partners committed to tackling this prejudice.

To fulfil our mission, we depend on the generosity of our community. Only through donations can we maintain our work and continue to safeguard Jewish schools, synagogues, communal organisations and events and – in turn – the flourishing of Jewish life in all its vibrancy.

However, you choose to give it, your help goes a long way in service of our community. From everyone at CST, we wish you a Chag Pesach Sameach.

Cst.org.uk

MARCIA & ANDREW BROWN

THE AWARDS ARE:

Monica Gay Female Award

SPONSORED BY Philippa & Jonathan Straight

Which amazing woman do you know who deserves recognition?

Adrienne & Louis Harris Lifetime Achievement Award

SPONSORED BY Linda & Martin Lee and Sheryl & Martin Harris

This person has dedicated their life to our community; who do you think it should be?

Outstanding Recognition Award

SPONSORED BY

Richard Goldberg Male Award

SPONSORED BY

LJWB Champion

SPONSORED BY

We’re looking for someone who has made a big impact on the Leeds community with their tireless work.

Community Volunteer Award

SPONSORED BY TerrI & Ian Barnett

There’s so many to choose from who are the backbone of our wonderful community; who do you know who goes above and beyond?

Is there a super man that you know that deserves an award? Tell us all about him.

Covid Hero Award

SPONSORED BY Debbie & Adam Cutler

The pandemic was a time when our community spirit knew no bounds; was there one person who you think deserves recognition?

Business Award

SPONSORED BY

This person may well be Leeds’ answer to Alan Sugar; who do you know who has thrived in business?

A group or person that has volunteered their time above and beyond.

Community Achievement Award

SPONSORED BY

Person or people - we’re looking for an individual or organisation that has achieved levels beyond expectation.

The Lloyd Rakusen Sporting Achievement Award

SPONSORED BY The Rakusen & Sandle

Families

We’re lucky to have some amazing people involved in sport in Leeds but is there anyone exceptional who deserves this award?

Leader of Youth Award

SPONSORED BY

Youth is at the heart of our vibrant community; who is the stand-out leader who deserves this award?

Egg Citing!

intervals during the day. Eureka! invites you to bring your sea legs and set sail for an aquatic adventure.

Eureka.org.uk

Treasure Hunt | Treasure Hunt

Leeds | 1st to 30th April

Medieval Easter | Royal Armouries

1st to 6th April

Try your hand at archery or wielding a sword at Royal Armouries Medieval Easter. See knights demonstrate axe combat or hear about the Secrets of the Sword. With combat demonstrations and talks throughout the day alongside the armouries full-time collections, Medieval Easter is a full day of family fun. If you love all things Medieval, then get your ticket for the International Jousting Tournament hosted by Royal Armouries from 7th to 10th April. Royalarmouries.org

The Animals’ Wild Escape

Leeds Museum | 4th to 6th April

The Animals’ Wild Escape is a craft project which challenges kids to imagine all the animals trying to escape the museum. You might create a sneaky snake, a stealthy sloth, or feisty fox at this open table drop-in event. Everything is free of charge, no booking required. Drop by Leeds Museum between 10am and 12pm to get crafty.

Museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk

Rapunzel | Leeds Playhouse

5th to 6th April

This family-friendly ballet retelling of Rapunzel, aimed at ages five and up, tells the story of Rapunzel’s isolation and rescue from her tower. Great for introducing any

little aspiring dancers to ballet performance due to its narration by leading British Actor Lesley Sharp, making the story easier to follow than a traditional no-dialogue ballet performance.

Leedsplayhouse.org.uk

Commotion on the Ocean

EUREKA! The National Children’s Museum | 1st to 16th April

Eureka! aims to change how we see the world around us with its highly interactive, user-orientated exhibitions. Explore a range of amazing things above and below the ocean. Catch performances and science demos suitable for all the family at regular

Can you uncover Leeds’ hidden treasure? Solve clues and search the City Centre to complete this treasure hunt on your phone. Displayed like a WhatsApp group chat, Captain Bess will send you clues relating to a location in the city centre. Answer the riddle correctly in the chat to receive your next clue or type HINT for some help. The activity takes two hours total but can be spread out throughout the day as long as you’d like.

Treasurehuntleeds.com

Keep kids entertained this Easter half-term with our pick of fun family activities.

RAISE YOUR

VOICE!

JLife spoke with Lesley Joseph about her role as Mother Superior in the 2023 tour of Sister Act the musical, during its recent run at Leeds Grand Theatre.

Sister Act follows the story of Dolores Van Cartier, a singer who must go into witness protection as a nun after watching her boyfriend commit a violent crime. There she meets Mother Superior, a devout Catholic, who must ensure Dolores follows the strict rules of the convent as not to influence the other nuns with her reckless rock and roll attitude. When Dolores takes over the convent’s choir and teaches them how to sing with soul, Mother Superior worries the sisters will stray from their faith.

Hi Lesley! Pleasure to meet you. So, this is not your first foray into musical theatre, do you prefer performing in tv or theatre?

Hello! I actually started performing in musicals way back in my drama school years and then gradually television took over. I love television, I love the opportunities television brings. But if I had to choose, it would be theatre.

Theatre is where my heart is. I love the atmosphere and the family you build. I

love to stand in the wings and watch other people’s work. I also love what theatre can do to an audience. So yes, at the moment I prefer musicals, but even that might change one day.

Due to the repetitive nature of live theatre, how has the character of Mother Superior developed?

I’m being absolutely honest when I say every show is different. Every audience is different. So, the performance is never the same.

I look at it as, every show is the first time I have said those lines and I take this incredibly seriously. I get as much out of performing the show as the audience will get out of watching it. And I find some nights I get incredibly moved. I remember one night, tears came into my eyes and my co-star said: “Please don't do that to me, I can't sing if I'm watching you crying”.

Your main solo Here Within These Walls tells the story of the safety Mother Superior feels inside the convent. Does this song make you

feel more spiritually connected?

To be honest, it does. Of course, I’m Jewish and the character is Catholic. But I still have a strong spiritual feeling despite those differences. It’s my favourite part of the show, I love the lyrics about feeling the comfort of your own sanctuary – it’s such a beautiful song.

Because it’s about the rest of the world being sinful and the convent being the only holy place left, it can be viewed as pessimistic. But it’s not that Mother Superior has a pessimistic view of what’s outside, she has an optimistic view of what’s inside.

I mean, you only have to read the news sometimes to think life can be incredibly depressing. But on the flip side life can be incredibly amazing. And that’s the effect this show has on people, when they come out the feeling they have is joyous.

I think it has a huge effect after what people went through with lockdown. We look out at the audience at the end of the show, and everybody is on their feet and waiving their arms in the air, it’s an extraordinary feeling.

New & Improved

The Pack Horse

After closing to undertake a £300,000 refurbishment, The Pack Horse on Woodhouse Lane is back serving customers once more. Inside the traditional exterior you’ll find a modern and relaxed interior, and even a live events venue fittingly called The Upstairs due to its location. Among the refurb additions is an outdoor bar and beer garden perfect for the spring and summer afternoons.

Upstairspackhorse.co.uk

Rudy’s Pizza

Already a firm favourite in Chapel Allerton and the city centre, Rudy’s Pizza is branching out to Otley Road. Known for its Neapolitan-style pizza and 24-hour double fermented crusts. The Tarantina pizza is a popular choice, featuring San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte, anchovies, capers, kalamata olives, parmesan, and olive oil.

Rudyspizza.co.uk

Riva Blu

Despite the closure of his Park Row restaurant last year, Gino D’Acampo’s brand is making its way back to Leeds, this time opening its doors inside the Marriott. The celebrity chef’s restaurant is known for authentic Italian cuisine, with menu highlights including wild mushroom risotto and rigatoni arrabbiata.

Rivablu.co.uk

Residence Bar & Kitchen

This popular café bar has recently opened a brand-new location in Headingley. This is an all-day locations, with breakfast and brunch options including All of the usual suspects, as well as a vegan full English and the ever popular avocado toast. Heading into evening you can expect a Greekinspired menu, serving gyros, chicken souvlaki, and grilled halloumi, as well as more traditional pub fare such as burgers.

Residence74.co.uk

Absolute Body Solutions

Good news for fitness fanatics! A brand-new gym has opened its doors in Leeds city centre. With a focus on personal training, the brand was founded in a garden shed 10 years ago by Connor O’Brien. Looking at the polished interior of the new gym, it’s difficult to picture the origins of the business. The gym offers sixand 16-week transformation programmes for those who really want to hit their goals.

Absolutebodysolutions.com

Pretty Green

The fashion brand of Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher has made its way to Leeds, with a brand-new shop in Victoria Gate.

The brand is named after the song Pretty Green by The Jam, as was established by Liam Gallagher in 2009. Inside you’ll find streetwear that delivers on the shop’s promise of “simple, classic clothing with a modern twist”.

Prettygreen.com

Shokupan

Have you heard of a sando? A Japanese take on the British classic: the sandwich. (Did you know that sandwiches were popularised by the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who created the snack as a way to take meals without having to leave the table when playing cards?) A sando is a sandwich made with light and fluffy milk bread, and often containing a katsu interior, which is exactly what you’ll find at new street food vendor Shokupan. Another popular side dish worth checking out are the spicy furikake fries, complete with sweet glaze.

TADA

TADA is a new casual yet elegant Japanese restaurant and bar located in the heart of Headingley. Upstairs, the restaurant takes inspiration from the vibrant Japanese dining scene – serving ramen and yakitori skewers and a host of trendy cocktails, sakes, and Japanese whiskeys in a more traditional sitdown restaurant, while downstairs sushi fans can tuck in to their favourite nigiri or sashimi.

Tadajapanese.com

Leeds is a vibrant city which attracts tonnes of new businesses! See a rundown of some of the latest hotspots here.

the Castle King of

With the country’s last coronation taking place 70 years ago in 1953, when Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne, it’s unsurprising that the coronation of her son Charles III will be a grand affair. For those unfamiliar with the protocol, the coronation will be overseen by the Archbishop of Canterbury inside Westminster Abbey, after the King and Queen Consort arrive at the abbey during The King’s Procession. After the ceremony, Their Majesties will leave the abbey and head to Buckingham Palace along with other members of the royal family during the Coronation Procession.

Royalty fans in Leeds can enjoy viewing the ceremony in Millennium Square, where a giant screen will be installed. More than £1 million has been made available by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for the big screens across 30 major locations in the UK. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: "The coronation will be a magical moment that brings people together to celebrate the best of Britain over a special weekend in May. These big screens, in major locations in towns and cities in the four nations of the UK, will make it easier for everyone to take part and have a memorable experience to mark this exciting and historic event."

There are other ways to get involved in celebrating the coronation in Leeds. The Big Lunch programme is taking place across the

weekend between 6th and 8th May, bringing communities and neighbours together to share a meal and some fun. At the time of writing, there are 13 Big Lunches taking place in Leeds over the weekend. And if you can’t find one near you, why not have a go at organising your own? Order a free Big Lunch pack full of ideas, inspiration, top tips, and the practical bits to help get your event started.

Another initiative taking place in conjunction with the coronation is The Big Help Out, a national charitable project starting on 8th May, which will be an extra Bank Holiday this year. Some of the events taking place in North Leeds include a taster session at the Age UK charity shop on Street Lane, just head over to see if volunteering there would suit you. Or if you’re experiencing a slight hangover from the festivities the day before, one of the national events is simply to donate to a charity of your choice in honour of the coronation.

In addition there will also be a celebratory concert held at Windsor Castle on 7th May. The concert will be broadcast on the BBC, with several thousand pairs of tickets to be made available via public ballot, details on how to enter will be posted on the coronation website as soon as they’re available.

Royal.uk/coronation-weekend

King Charles III will be crowned on 6th May in the first coronation many Brits have ever experienced. Here’s how you can get involved!

Heart of the Community

COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS

Members of the Leeds community visited Manchester Jewish Museum in a reciprocal visit.

In June 2022, a group representing the Greater Manchester Muslim and Jewish Forum visited Leeds to build acquaintances and to share experiences of Muslim Jewish cooperation in Manchester. On 26th February 2023 there was a reciprocal visit from Leeds to Manchester. In total 23 people attended the morning part of the tour at Manchester Jewish Museum with a further three guests joining the group later.

The day began at the museum on Cheetham Hill Road in Manchester. This building was originally the second oldest Sephardi synagogue in the UK and lay at the heart of Manchester’s Jewish community. After most of the community moved further north, the building became Manchester Jewish Museum, and has recently been significantly enlarged and refurbished thanks to lottery funding.

Forum Co-Chair Cllr Heather Fletcher welcomed the guests and introduced the guest of honour, Ceremonial Mayor of Salford Cllr Ann-Marie Humphreys. She spoke about the importance of harmony between people of different faiths and the importance of the Jewish community in Salford.

Forum Executive Committee member Cllr Rabnawaz Akbar spoke briefly about his community work, mentioning that he was born in Bradford.

Frank Adam, a Jewish volunteer at the Museum gave a detailed talk about its history before the party explored the museum and its mementos of Manchester Jewish history. The highlight of the visit was the lentil soup and bagel lunch, which led to new friendships being

made as people chatted about their interests and experiences. After lunch, the group relocated to Manchester Central Mosque in Victoria Park, which is the oldest mosque in Manchester.

The guest of honour, the Lord Mayor of Manchester Cllr Donna Ludford spoke about the long-standing Jewish and Muslim communities of Manchester and how much they have contributed to the city while Else Prins, former Chair of the Sinai Synagogue in Leeds, shared how much the visitors from Leeds had learned from the visit.

“It was great to join the Muslim Jewish

Forum on a fascinating day out visiting the splendidly refurbished museum and the beautiful Manchester Central Mosque. We learnt so much about the similarities in beliefs and practices of these two important world faiths and about the contributions of their communities over the years that continues today to make Manchester a vibrant diverse and welcoming city,” said Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Cllr Jackie Harris, a first-time attender said: “The event commenced at the Jewish Museum which I had not seen since its refurbishment. The individual stories with the exhibition about refugees to Manchester evoked memories of my own grandparents who had similar tales to tell. Visiting the Mosque was a first for me. I had no idea of the splendour and magnificence of the interior or any knowledge of the scope of the religious and community services provided and commend the Forum’s mission to promote the shared values and traditions of the Muslim and Jewish communities and look forward to attending many future events.”

See more photos on pages 30 and 71

THE

WAS ONE TO REMEMBER!

PHOTOS

SONNY BARRON CELEBRATED HIS BAR MITZVAH IN FEBRUARY.

PHOTO: CLAIRE BARTFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: STEVE BOOTLE PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: CLAIRE BARTFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: CLAIRE BARTFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: STEVE BOOTLE PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: STEVE BOOTLE PHOTOGRAPHY

PARTY

BUT ESPECIALLY BY MARTINE!

WHICH WAS ENJOYED BY ALL OF MARTINE’S FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

THE CEREMONY TOOK PLACE AT UHC SYNAGOGUE.

MARTINE MYERS CELEBRATED HER BAT MITZVAH IN JANUARY ALSO AT UHC.

TIME OUT

Enjoy our pick of the latest books, tv series, and films about to hit.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

Netflix | 4th May

Normal Schmormal | Harper Collins

20th July

The heart-warming and hilarious partmemoir part-guide from comedian and father of six, Ashley Blaker, on parenting, adoption, and raising children with special needs. Normal Schmormal is coming alongside an Edinburgh show and then UK and US tours, with Ashley Blaker: 6.5 Children returning to BBC Radio 4. Quotes from the inside cover say: “If it sells a million copies how much LEGO will I get”, Edward Blaker and “The words are too bright for my ears”, Dlyan Blaker.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love | Netflix

Centred on Queen Charlotte's rise to prominence and power, this Bridgerton-verse series provides fans with a prequel to the original storyline. It tells the story of how the young Queen's marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the Ton inherited by the characters in Bridgerton. The greatly anticipated release of Queen Charlotte provides Bridgerton fans with their latest fix.

Dead Ringers | Amazon Prime Video 21st April

A modern take on David Cronenberg’s 1988 thriller starring Jeremy Irons, Dead Ringers will feature Rachel Weisz playing the double-lead roles of Elliot and Beverly Mantle, twins who share everything: Drugs, lovers, and an unapologetic desire to do whatever it takes—including pushing the boundaries on medical ethics—in an effort to challenge antiquated practices and bring women’s health care to the forefront.

27th April

After an unexpected breakup, a travel executive (Rachael Leigh Cook) accepts an assignment to go undercover and learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam. Along the way she finds adventure and romance with her Vietnamese expat tour guide (Scott Ly) when they decide to reroute the tour bus in order to explore life and love off the beaten path.

Happy Place | Penguin Books

27th April

Emily Henry, beloved author of Beach Read and You and Me on Vacation, is back with another flirtatious, charming, and heart-warming romance novel. In Happy Place, ex partners Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple, they go together like bread and butter, or at least they did before they broke up six months ago. Yet to tell anyone, the pair must go on holiday with their best friends to the cottage that has been their yearly getaway with for the past decade. But how can you pretend to be in love with someoneand get away with it - in front of the people who know you best?

Find your inner siren with this season’s beachinspired fashion and beauty trends.

Round

Monsoon | £40

Woven bags give an instant coastal chic look. Take your supplies to the beach or swap out your tote bag to add texture and a casual beach look to your daytime

Let’s Take A Shelfie Nails. Inc

£11

Mimicking the pearl jewellery, another way to incorporate the look is through iridescent nail polish. The effect is a subtle colour-changing shimmer depending on the way the light catches your nails. A much softer alternative than glitter, iridescent nail polish has a subtle eye-

Chrishell x Lipsy Cornelli Maxi Dress | Lipsy | £78

Going to a beach wedding? Scalloped edges, seen on the neckline of this dress, resemble seashells creating a delicately beach-inspired, feminine effect. The loosely draped fabric of the skirt creates an undone and effortlessly elegant look which will take you from a day-to-night event seamlessly. Next.co.uk

Reflect beach style in your accessories with pearl jewellery. These earrings add a touch of summer lightness to your wardrobe. Their minimal effect dresses up a simple outfit or adds the glamourous finishing touch to an evening look.

Oliverbonas.com

Frida Pearl Drop Hoop | Oliver Bonas | £55

Raffia Beach Bag

Ivory Sparkle

Knit Top Oliver Bonas £45

Easily paired with skirts, jeans, or shorts, this versatile knit top is perfect for a minimalist coastal style. Knit or crochet material tops are a core element of boho beach style as they add pattern and texture using natural materials like wool.

Beauty Light Wand

For an easy-to-apply and blend liquid blush, opt for Charlotte Tilbury’s sensational Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm. Dot a small amount of the blush high on your cheeks and across the bridge of your nose to cheat a light sunburn and create a glowing sunkissed look.

Haloscope | Glossier | £18

Available in the shades Moonstone, Quartz, and Topaz, Glossier Haloscope is a beauty staple highlighter. Its balm-like texture gives your cheekbones a glowing sheen without using fine glitter in its formula. If you want to look lit from within and like you’ve spent the day in the sun, this highlighter is for you. Glossier.com

Bias Cut Midi

Very | £22

Les Beiges Bronzing

Cream

Chanel | £43

Les Beiges Bronzing Cream has been a cult-classic bronzer since its release in 2009. Chanel’s cream bronzer is like a tan in a pan. A perfect pairing with cream blush to blend the two, this bronzer lightly warms up and enhances your complexion without looking cakey with its light but buildable formula. Chanel.com

Skirt

To echo the fluidity of the ocean, opt for light, draped materials which hang softly off the frame. This bias cut skirt evokes smooth ocean waves with its satin front panel. Wearable from day to night due to its dual fabric on either side, this skirt can be worn in a casual setting with trainers or dressed up with a pair of heels. Very.co.uk

Kem Cuts Texturising Sea Salt Spray

Primark | £4

To finish the beachy look, sea salt spray to texturize your hair is a must-have. Add to damp or dry hair to get the same effect as going for a dip in the sea, creating wavy or tousled hair. You can also apply it before braiding to add a little volume. Primark.com

Whether you are new to contact lenses or worn them for a while, we look at some general care reminders.

Do

• Have regular check-ups as advised by your practitioner

• Always wash and dry your hands prior to handling your lenses

• Always rub, rinse and store your lenses in the recommended solution before and after each use (except single-use lenses, which should be discarded after each wear)

• Always clean the lens case with solution, wipe with a clean tissue then air-dry after each use by placing the case and lids face down on a tissue

• Always apply the same lens first to avoid

Dos and Don’ts of Contact Lenses

mixing them up

• Check the lens is not inside out or damaged before applying

• Handle carefully to avoid damaging the lens

• Apply your lenses before putting on makeup

• Remove lenses then remove makeup

• Replace your lens case at least monthly

• Wear only the lenses specified by your contact lens practitioner

• Have an up-to-date pair of spectacles for when you need to remove your lenses

If the answer to any of these questions is no, leave your lenses off and consult your contact lens practitioner immediately, who will advise you on what to do next.

Don’t

• Use tap water, or any other water, on your lenses or lens case

• Wet your lenses with saliva

• Put a lens on the eye if it falls on the floor

or other surface, without cleaning and storing again

• Continue to wear your lenses if your eyes don’t feel good, look good, or see well

• Re-use or top up solution – discard and replace with fresh solution each time lenses are stored

• Decant solution into smaller containers

• Wear lenses left in the case for more than seven days without cleaning and storing them in fresh solution

• Sleep in your lenses unless specifically advised to by your practitioner

• Wear any lens overnight if you are unwell

• Use your lenses for swimming, hot tubs or water sports

• Switch the solution or use any eye drops without advice from your contact lens practitioner

Remember that if you have any questions about your contact lenses you should consult your eyecare practitioner for advice. Jamesdalyopticians.co.uk

With James Daly, Founder of James Daly Opticians

Win a Pair of Ray Ban Sunglasses!

James Daly Opticians is offering readers the chance to win a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses worth up to £159.

Wow! It’s been over 15 years since James Daly Opticians first opened at Moortown.

The team comprises James assisted by Dispensing Opticians Kelly and Lisa, providing a wide choice of frames, contact lenses, and sunglasses.

The practice on Harrogate Road also includes the experienced reception team of Lynn, Bernie, and Andrea who will give you a warm welcome whether your appointment is for an eye examination, NHS urgent eyecare or need help

COMPETITION

selecting from a range of eyewear. Significant investment has been made in state-of-the-art OCT equipment that uses the latest technology to study the eye in incredible detail, allowing for the early detection of conditions such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.

In addition, a selection of the latest frames from the likes of Chopard, Tom Davies, Prada, Jaguar, Johann Von Goisern, Reykjavik Eyes, Ray Ban, Oakley, Emporio Armani, Ralph Lauren, and Polo are now available at the practice.

Your facial measurements will ensure frames are the perfect fit and ensure everything from the colour to the material used is perfect for the customer. With James Daly Opticians’ expert advice, you can narrow the search and select the style and colour that you’ll love.

Jamesdalyopticians.co.uk

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses to protect you in style from the spring and summer sun, simply answer the following question…

How long ago did James Daly Opticians open?

Enter online at Jlifemagazine.co.uk/competitions-leeds or by post to JLife Ltd, Unit 7, Gemini Business Park, Sheepscar Way, Leeds, LS7 3JB. Please ensure your entry includes your name, address, daytime telephone number, and email address. The winners will be randomly selected on the closing date: 19th May 2023

Terms and conditions apply: One entry per person. By entering the competition online, you will automatically be entered in JLife Magazine’s and James Daly Opticians’ databases to be contacted about news, promotions, and special offers. Postal entry data will also be added to the databases. Main prize subject to availability. Money off vouchers will be determined by the individual event and agreed at time of booking.

RABBI ALBY CHAIT RECEIVED HIS MBE FROM KING CHARLES III.

ALBY WAS ACCOMPANIED BY HIS THREE DAUGHTERS AND HIS WIFE TO THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY.

NO PURIM MEGILLAH WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT COSTUMES! ABI DECIDED TO DRESS AS A LOVABLE YELLOW MINION.

LIORA AND NOMES TEAMED UP AS A FRIED EGG AND KETCHUP.

DESPITE THE SNOWY WEATHER LEEDS AVIVA WIZO GROUP HELD A SUCCESSFUL COFFEE MORNING AT THE HOME OF SUE AND RAY APPLESON.

OVER 100 WOMEN MADE THIS HISTORY THIS YEAR AT A WOMEN’S MEGILLAH AT BHH. WITH SUPPORT FROM LIORA BARAM AND OLIVIA DAVIDSON, 11 NOVICE READERS READ FROM THE SCROLL IN FRONT OF A PACKED ROOM.

THE FAMILY POSED TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF WINDSOR PALACE.

FOOT OR ANKLE PAIN?

One of the most senior orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons in Leeds

Expert and comprehensive treatment for all foot and ankle problems

A painful ankle has many possible causes, ranging from joint instability to arthritis, and it’s possible to treat almost every problem, relieve pain and restore function. Mr Monkhouse treats the entire range of foot and ankle problems, with a special interest in sports injuries, persistent pain after an ankle injury or just exercise, joint instability, mid-foot pain or pain in the ball of the foot when standing.

Other specialist interests include surgical management, tendon transfers and selective joint fusions of neuromuscular deformities of the foot and ankle, whether from stroke, congenital degenerative nerve problems, cerebral palsy or nerve injury. Mr Monkhouse treats traumatic injuries of feet, ankles and achilles tendons.

Hallux valgus surgery

• Big toe arthritis surgery

Bunionectomy

• Toe straightening

Ankle ligament repair/ reconstruction

• Ankle keyhole surgery

• Achilles tendon surgery

• Major foot joint fusions (ankle, hindfoot and midfoot)

KERB APPEAL

chooses 20 exceptional leaders across sectors). Both experiences had a tremendous impact on me and crystalised what I want to do as a social change leader.

In the past four years I have been most privileged to work with leaders of social change as a bid assessor for Leeds Community Foundation, Comic Relief, and NHSCT. Working with such influential organisations gives me a wider fuller understanding of philanthropy through funders’ perspective.

While the last four years were about making a wider impact, and this is still my direction, this new project is one that immediately caught my attention. Building 28 affordable housing for families, especially in the current climate is a simple necessity, because we all need a home for our children, and we all want to live in proximity to our communities.

It's been a few years since Meirav Sasson was last featured in JLife. Some of you will know her well from her former roles at Leeds Jewish Free School and 10 years at LJWB where she brought us the likes of Jason Manford, David Baddiel, and Lee Nelson for mental health awareness fundraisers. Meirav spoke to JLife about her latest role with LJHA.

You have been working with charities for over 25 years. What led you to this career path?

I believe that my family history has influenced my constant search for justice, with my grandparents coming from Syria, Poland, Egypt, and Greece. This, together with many years as a leader in Israeli Habonim youth movement and a member of a Kibbutz, made a lasting impact on my life motto – it has to matter.

This is why I partner up with organisations that make a positive impact on society. Knowing that I am able to contribute to social justice, helping those who cannot act alone, those whose voices are not heard, links me back to my roots with grandparents escaping Nazi Europe or leaving Syria and Egypt to come and fight in the war of independence for Israel.

What have you been doing most recently?

The catalyst for my career change four years ago was the combination of volunteering as a family in Uganda where we made a massive impact to a grassroot community and being selected to become a Clore Leadership Fellow (a programme that

As a social impact consultant I work with organisations that have a vision for social change, helping them to develop systems and strategies that enable effective engagement with their donor base, creating donor loyalty and increased levels of cause visibility. So in simple words, I am a management consultant for third sector organisations. I've supported international organisations such as Topaz, Hope for Justice and WasteAid UK, and local organisations such as Forum Central (Leeds health and care third sector partnership, The Zone and Leeds Community Foundation.

I believe that we all need to give back to our communities, and my way of doing that was being governor at LJFS high school until 2022, as well as an Enterprise Ambassador for Leeds University Business School since 2016, and a leadership member of ORCA international businesswomen community since 2021. Together with running a tight shift as a mum to a competitive swimmer (Go Leeds Sharks) and a ballet dancer at NSCD, it’s been busy...

So, what brought you back to the community and why LJHA?

For as long as I remember I was a part of a community. Growing up it was our neighbourhood, where my home was the hub of the community and the youth movement; later it was my life in the Kibbutz and then being a part of Leeds Jewish community. I believe in community life and the positive influence it can have on people and on society as a whole.

This project not only gave me an opportunity to do something good again for our community, but it is also a big challenge, since despite making a massive impact on our community for 70 years, this will be the first time LJHA has ever fundraised. Luckily those who know me know how much I love a challenge.

The current waiting time of 10 years for affordable family housing and the extremely high cost of rent in North Leeds is sending families further afield from their community. LJHA plans to turn onebedroom flats into 28 family homes and secure the future of our community.

I think it is a shame that government funding is not available for this crucial development, but in its absence, I know that we have a conscious and generous community.

As a community, we were so lucky to have this infrastructure for 70 years, and we all have a friend or a family member that used housing support from LJHA over the years, all of it without ever being asked for donations.

I am counting on the shared values of our Leeds community, and I know that we all believe in the right for shelter and belonging to a community. This means that over the coming months I will be approaching everyone and ask that people give responsibly in whatever way they can. This is a first and one off ask, so I know our community will step up to make it happen.

Linkedin.com/in/ meirav-sasson

meirav.sasson@ ljha.co.uk

This February Meirav Sasson teamed up with Leeds Jewish Housing Association (LJHA) to lead its capital appeal to build 28 family homes during one of Britain’s hardest socioeconomic times.

With Meharban Singh Riyat, Clinical Audiologist and Director of Simply Hearing

Two very important events took place last month, World Hearing Day on 3rd March, and International Woman’s Day on 8th March.

The World Hearing Day is celebrated every year and is led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), this global advocacy event calls for action to address hearing loss and related issues. Its aim is to raise awareness of hearing loss and promote hearing care across the world.

This year’s theme is “Ear and Hearing Care for All – let’s make it a reality”. It will highlight the importance of integrating ear and hearing care within primary care, as an essential component of universal health coverage. The key messages are:

World Hearing Day BETTER HEARING

• Ear and hearing problems are among the most common problems encountered in the community.

• Over 60% of these can be identified and addressed at the primary level of care.

• Integration of ear and hearing care into primary care services is possible through training and capacity building at this level.

• Such integration will benefit people and help countries move towards the goal of universal health coverage.

On this day, WHO will launch a new training manual – primary ear and hearing care training. The manual will be accompanied with trainer’s handbook and other community resources. With this theme, the communication objectives are to;

• Draw attention of decision makers in governments and civil society groups

towards the WHO’s recommendations regarding integration of ear and hearing care into PHC.

• Encourage governments to integrate primary ear and hearing care into training programmes for health care providers at primary level.

• Call attention of primary level health care providers (health workers and physicians) towards the needs of people with hearing loss and ear disease.

• Inform people about the importance of ear and hearing care and encourage them to seek services.

To celebrate World Hearing Day, let Simply Hearing take care of your hearing health. To book your hearing check just call 0113 267 0000 or email info@simplyhearing.com

CLOCKING IN

Tucked just ten minutes away from LS17, Oakwood is a greenery-filled neighbourhood drawing in families and young professionals who want to be close to the city, without being directly in the hustle and bustle. According to Rightmove, houses in Oakwood had an overall average price of £227,879 over the last year, making it an upmarket yet affordable location to settle.

Most notably, Oakwood is home to the Oakwood Clock, a large clock that was built in 1904. The clock was designed by Leeming & Leeming, an architectural firm established in Halifax in 1872, and constructed by Potts of Leeds. The clock currently sits at the bottom end of Roundhay Park. However, this wasn’t the location it was originally intended for. It was first designed as the centrepiece of Kirkgate Market. After the design of Kirkgate Market was revised, the clock no longer fit the style of the architecture, and the idea to place it in Oakwood came about. Eight years after it was first built the clock was erected in Oakwood. In early 2015, the tower underwent restoration, with the original clock being kept.

buffs will recognise that this date precedes the invention of Thomas Edison’s Kinetograph by three years, making Oakwood the site of the invention of the first motion picture camera. Sadly, Louis Le Prince was unable to patent his invention and show it to the public due to his sudden disappearance in September 1890, on his journey to the USA, where he intended to publicly premiere his work.

a series of activities to do in the area. Once you complete a challenge, simply go to one of the designated stamp venues and collect one of over 40 different ink stamps. When you have collected 10 stamps, you are entitled to a badge which you can get from the stamp venues. There are over 40 challenges to do around Oakwood, with new challenges being constantly added. The passport is a fun way to explore the area.

Speaking of Oakwood’s history in cinema, the Oakwood Cinema was set up in 2015 to bring a much-needed, regular community event for the residents of North Leeds. The cinema is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers, with a regular showing every month, except in July and August, as most of the residents are on holiday during these months.

An upcoming community event organised by the Oakwood Business Community in conjunction with the Oakwood Traders and Residents Association takes place on 29th April between 10am and 4pm. The newly established group aims to bring independent Oakwood businesses together to support each other, while supporting the Leeds United Foundation.

Oakwood was also the site of the very first moving picture, Roundhay Garden Scene, filmed in 1888 in Oakwood Grange by Louis Le Prince, on the world’s first single lens camera. The film itself might seem unimpressive to a modern day viewer, featuring only a few seconds of people walking around a garden. At the time, however, this was revolutionary. History

Oakwood is home to several other independent businesses, a variety of bars and fooderies including a fish and chip shop which has been operating since 1934, housed in a stunning art deco building. Fans of fresh produce should also check out the Oakwood farmers market, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of every month from 9am to 12.30pm. Here you can peruse local organic produce and products such as pies, bread, cheese, jams and chutneys, and Indian snacks.

For those wanting to explore the area further, the Oakwood Passport is a great way to do it. The passport operates by holding

The day will include live music and craft stalls, as well as a children’s fancy dress competition, and a raffle with prizes supplied by local businesses. The Leeds United Foundation will also be offering football fans a chance to win a signed Leeds United shirt and tickets to the upcoming Leeds vs Tottenham game. A six-month fitness programme called Fit Leeds will also be launched for residents including walking football and boot camps.

The Oakwood Business Community is also looking at providing an Oakwood Business Community membership card for a fee. The cards will give members discounts at participating businesses in Oakwood and proceeds from the cards will go towards the charity.

Loveoakwood.co.uk

LOUIS LE PRINCE

A STILL OF THE FIRST MOVING PICTURE, FILMED IN OAKWOOD.

Discover the delights of Oakwood, an upcoming suburb for food, drink and shopping, and some exciting events in the pipeline.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION

Perfection Carpets

A family run business sitting right in the centre of Oakwood, Perfection Carpets is committed to providing all its customers with the best service, advice, and quality flooring. Head down to the Roundhay Road showroom to check out the vast selection of carpet, luxury vinyl tile, laminate, wood, and vinyl flooring, with options to suit every budget.

Perfectioncarpets.co.uk

menu is constantly updating with exciting new items inspired by Owners Paul and Rebecca’s foodie trips around the UK. Even long-time Tasty fans will soon find something new to savour, with the café set to be rolling out afternoon teas, as well as one off specials like the recent Mexican taco evening. If you have a big celebration coming up, bespoke business and party catering is also on offer.

Tastyleeds.com

0113 345 6319

Southlands Retirement Apartments

A care home is not the only option in later life. Southlands Retirement Apartments in Oakwood offer the perfect option in later life where you can continue to own your own home with the reassurance of care and support on-site 24/7 if, or when you need it.

The Pantry

Tasty Kitchen & Coffee

An Oakwood staple, Tasty has been delighting customers with great tasting bites and coffee for 12 years now. Serving tasty sandwiches, gourmet handmade burgers, and delicious salads, Tasty also offers a selection of scrumptious cakes. Also on offer is a range of brunch and breakfast dishes, including pancake stacks, a full English, and a selection of breakfast sandwiches. The

Each apartment has been designed to maintain your independent living. You choose your timetable, make your space your own and live life as you please –with none of the worries that come with maintaining your own property – that's all taken care of.

Find out more today!

Visit Westwardcare.co.uk to take a virtual tour of a one and two bedroom apartment, watch some short films with current apartment owners who share what life is like living in an apartment and find out more about what’s on offer. Apartments also available at our location in Headingley – Headingley Hall.

Oakwood Travel Ltd

We have been in Oakwood since 1984, independent travel agents and can issue rail tickets immediately.

Holidays Worldwide including the UK

Ticket agents for National Rail, National Express, Theatre and IATA Airtickets

Tel: 0113 240 1040

Email: oakwoodtravel@btopenworld.com

480 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS8 2HU

Fresh from the owners of Blue Pepper Catering, The Pantry is a brand-new deli and mini local store providing tasty bites at a reasonable price. The menu includes homemade sandwiches, cakes, and treats, all of which are freshly prepared on-site at Blue Pepper every day. Be sure to sample the fresh coffee from North Star to wash it down with! Also popular are the fresh fruit and veg boxes which can be pre ordered in store, It's the perfect spot for a mid-afternoon treat or lunch on the go. Everything is made with fresh local produce so you can keep your conscience clean while enjoying a delicious treat. The Pantry even offers venue hire downstairs and outside catering for events, so you can enjoy your favourite dishes during special occasions or corporate gatherings.

0113 871 5999

info@bluepepperpantry.co.uk

jen@bluepepperpantry.co.uk

COMPETITION

WIN COFFEE AND CAKES AT THE PANTRY

The Pantry is offering readers the chance to win an afternoon treat, consisting of coffee and cake selection for two worth £25. To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question:

Which business provides The Pantry’s fresh coffee?

Enter online at Jlifemagazine.co.uk/competitions-leeds or by post to JLife Ltd, Unit 7, Gemini Business Park, Sheepscar Way, Leeds, LS7 3JB. Please ensure your entry includes your name, address, daytime telephone number, and email address. The winners will be randomly selected on the closing date: 19th May 2023. Terms and conditions apply: One entry per person. When entering the competition online you have the option to not be entered in JLife Magazine and The Pantry databases to be contacted about news, promotions, and special offers. Postal entry data will not be saved. Publisher’s decision is final. Tickets are subject to availability.

We put a spotlight on some of the independent businesses that make Oakwood great.

SEASON OF CHANGE

Dan Cohen, Councillor for Alwoodley, discusses the wealth of festivals approaching and the upcoming local elections.

April is here and hopefully after March giving us a snowy shock, spring will soon be in the air.

Also in the air are a multitude of religious festivals, celebrated across April (literally… almost something for everyone).

Ramadan, with its daytime fasts and night-time Iftar (breaking of the fast) starts on the evening of 22nd March runs through until 21st April (there can be some date variances); Good Friday is on 7th April with Easter Sunday on the 9th bringing Lent to a close and chocolate eggs aplenty; Passover starts in the evening of 5th April with the first Seder (a ritual meal retelling of the exodus from Egypt) and on 14th April, Sikhs around the world, together with some Hindu communities celebrate the festival of Vaisakhi, both an ancient harvest festival and for Sikhs the celebration of the founding of the Khalsa, the Sikh community.

I mention these, as to have so many of the world’s faiths celebrating major festivals during one month all within one community – with all of these festivals having within them the notion of the importance of community and renewal – is a reminder that, truly, we have far more in common than divides us. If you are celebrating any of these festivals I wish you a truly joyous festival with family, friends and the whole community.

Moving into May – on 4th May – Leeds will hold local elections, when residents choose who will represent them on Leeds City Council. They will not have the slightest impact on who runs our country. They will, most certainly, determine who runs our amazing city… and how. They will most certainly determine the quality of the councillor you have working on your behalf – ensuring your local issues are properly and promptly addressed.

After many years, my dear friend and colleague Councillor Peter Harrand is retiring this May. The debt of gratitude Alwoodley residents owe Peter for his many years of service to us all, is immeasurable and I will miss his counsel, wit, and good humour at the many meetings we attend.

I am though, delighted that Alwoodley Parish Councillor, Lyn Buckley has agreed to stand as a councillor for Alwoodley on 4th May. Lyn and I have worked together for many years, she is a powerhouse and will, with your support, make a superb councillor and member of the Alwoodley team.

Do remember, Neil, Peter and myself (and now, of course, Lyn Buckley too) are always here for any and all of your local issues, so if you need us, do get in touch.

Daniel.Cohen@leeds.gov.uk or 07711 647849

PRIVATE LAW

The Wider Picture when Home Buying Together

Buying a home is exciting but you must remember to consider legal ways to protect yourself. Having a conversation now about the possible future eventualities is sensible and could prevent legal and financial difficulties later down the line.

Who owns the home you buy together?

When you buy a property with another person, there are two types of property ownership:

Joint Tenants (Joint Tenancy)

• You own the property equally irrespective of whether one person has put more into the pot than the other.

• On death the property automatically goes to the other owner (Right of Survivorship). This avoids probate and inheritance tax issues.

• You cannot leave your share of the property to anyone in your will.

Tenants in Common

• You can own the property in different shares.

• On death your property does not go to the other owner unless noted in your will or through the intestacy rules.

• You can leave your share of the property in your will.

Couples, who are not married, tend to opt for Tenants in Common as the property can be owned 50-50 or in unequal shares. While owning your property as Tenants in Common provides legal protection, there are additional ways of protection you should consider, too.

How to protect the home you buy together Declaration of Trust

A Declaration of Trust is a legally binding document made at the time of buying a property. It sets out your financial arrangements, detailing shares or what sums of money are paid back to each party in the event that the property is sold or disposed of in the future. A Declaration of Trust is a great way to avoid confusion or assumptions.

Cohabitation Agreement

This is a legal document between unmarried couples who are living together. It can cover bank accounts, debts, household bills, vehicles and even care of pets in the event of the end of the relationship. When life decisions require legal advice from different specialist areas, you will see the benefit from using a team who work together across departments, to provide you with one seamless service. solicitors.co.uk

With Leasa Foster and Teresa Davidson, Private Law Specialists at Solicitors.

THE HEIGHT

OF

Museum of London Docklands has unveiled plans for its major exhibition, Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners Shaped Global Style, taking place between 13th October 2023 and 14th April 2024. For the first time, the exhibition will uncover the major contribution of Jewish designers in making London an iconic fashion city.

From East End tailors to the couture salons of the West End, the exhibition tells the story of Jewish designers, makers, and retailers responsible for some of the most recognisable looks of the 20th century. Those who fought against the odds to become leading figures in their industries, founded retail chains still present on the high street today, and whose businesses boosted the British post-war economy.

Dr Bethan Bide, Lecturer in Design and Cultural Theory at the University of Leeds, is the Academic Advisor to the exhibition. While Bethan is extremely excited and passionate about the subject now, the Jewish influence on British fashion was a

narrative she stumbled onto by accident while conducting other research: “I have been working with Dr Lucie Whitmore, the Fashion Curator at the Museum of London, for about three years. I was doing some other research about the rise of British ready-to-wear and how Britain really led the way in democratising fashion in the 20th century through creating that. I realised as we were doing this research, how many of the people that were important in this story were Jewish. It seemed fascinating that this wasn’t something that really was told.”

Further research revealed the tragic and all too familiar reason that this aspect of British fashion history remains a littleknown secret: “The more digging we did, the more we realised that there were perhaps a couple of reasons that that story wasn’t told. Many of the people who were really important in the industry arrived as migrants in the late 19th and early 20th century, fleeing the pogroms in Russia or leaving difficult circumstances in Poland

and other areas of Eastern Europe. And there were all sorts of prejudices facing them when they got here. They were discussed as though they were dirty and bringing these alien ways of life. Lots of those migrants chose to anglicise their identity and distance themselves publicly from being Jewish.

“Even more tragically, we also have some amazing stories of people who fled the Nazis in the 1930s arriving in the UK and changing their name because they sounded too German. There was a lot of antiGerman prejudice in spite of the fact that they’d had to flee for their lives.”

Bethan felt that it was important to shine a light on this little-known part of history: “We wanted to celebrate these stories that have never been celebrated because of antisemitism at the time. It feels important.”

A book will also be released about this fascinating subject, made to accompany the exhibition, and also titled Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners Shaped Global Style: “The book is authored by myself and

Dr Bethan Bide, Lecturer in Design and Cultural Theory at the University of Leeds, gives us a preview of the influence that the Jewish community has had on British fashion.

PHOTO: TRINITY MIRROR DAVID BOWIE WEARING A DRESS DESIGNED BY MR FISH.

Dr Whitmore. There are many stories and they can’t all go in the exhibition, so the book will allow us to share those stories. The exhibition is fairly focused on London, by nature of its location, but the more research that we’ve done the more we’ve realised that London fashion stories are rarely confined to London. Because of the nature of the British fashion industry those stories are really strongly connected to Manchester and Leeds, because they were such important centres of fashion.”

The book will feature both well-known and more obscure stories from the Jewish fashion world: “There are people like Michael Marks of Marks & Spencer, who came from Belarus and first set up his stall in Leeds’ Kirkgate Market. His story is reasonably well-known. But there are other ones, like Hans Schneider, who was the Head of Design for M&S from 1949 to 1970, and he was a refugee from Nazi Germany. Because he had this slight outside perspective on the British public, he had an incredible ability to know what they wanted. He was responsible for turning M&S into a fashionable brand.”

Naturally Bethan has some parts of the exhibition which particularly stand out for her: “There are so many incredible, personal stories, and that is something that is really important about this exhibition for me. Its not just about the big famous designers, but also a couple of much smaller dressmakers,

designed for Mick Jagger. We’re also looking for some pieces designed by Cecil Gee, who designed men’s fashion in the 50s which for the first time, didn’t look like what your dad wore. He dressed the Beatles and we would love to find some of those pieces. We’re also on the hunt for pieces from a couturier called Isobel. We know she was really active in the 1920s and 30s and there’s press coverage about her pieces, but as far as we know there are only three that still exist.”

Pieces the museum is still searching for:

• Menswear pieces made by Mr Fish and worn by famous names such as Sean Connery, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Caine.

• Menswear pieces made by Cecil Gee and worn by famous names such The Beatles.

• 1930s or 1940s womenswear pieces made by Rahvis and worn by famous names, including Hollywood film stars.

• Hats made by Otto Lucas and worn by famous names such as Greta Garbo or Wallis Simpson.

• Theatre costumes made by Neymar for Cecil Landau’s production of Sauce Tartare (1949).

• 1930s gowns made by dressmaker Madame Isobel (Isobel Spevak Harris).

FASHION

because their families have helped us out and told us their stories. We’ll feature a dressmaker called Nettie Spiegel, who designed under the name Neymar, who arrived in the UK on the Kindertransport, and became incredibly important as a dress designer in the Jewish community. She made enormous numbers of wedding dresses and she’d knock you up an outfit for your son’s Bar Mitzvah. Her pieces are incredible, they’re really beautiful, and to be able to combine these beautiful pieces with this incredible, personal story about how somebody rebuilt a life through fashion is really moving and important to me.”

While there are already plenty of exciting pieces making up the exhibition, the museum is still on the search for some more famous pieces: “There are a couple of people we know designed for some amazing celebs. We are trying to track down some of those pieces of clothing, because we think that they might still exist somewhere. For example, an amazing dress worn by David Bowie that Mr Fish designed, and also for any pieces that he

While Bethan is excited about the whole exhibition, she has one favourite item: “There is one piece that I would love to wear, and it isn’t necessarily the most spectacular piece. It’s a beautiful red coat that was made in the 1940s. It was made according to the war-time restrictions. During the war, the government said you can’t do fancy, elaborate designs because we need to conserve material and focus on the war effort. Lots of people often think that that means that fashion got quite boring. This coat absolutely proves it didn’t. It was made by a brand called Koupy, which was run by a guy called Charles Kuperstein. It is so simple and elegant but so well designed. It has absolutely beautiful pocket details, it doesn’t waste any fabric, nothing on it is superfluous. For me, it really highlights the brilliance of Jewish fashion design and what that brought to the British fashion industry.”

Museumoflondon.org.uk

PHOTO: MUSEUM OF LONDON DR BETHAN BIDE IN ACTION.

PHOTO: MUSEUM OF LONDON A RAHVIS EVENING GOWN.

PHOTO: HARRY MYERS SEAN CONNERY AT A MEN’S OUTFITTERS HAVING CLOTHES MADE TO MEASURE FOR A JAMES BOND FILM.

What a Mitzvah!

With

Juliet Shenderey Owner of Shenderey Events

Planning any event can be an intensive affair, but luckily our expert Event Planner

Juliet Shenderey knows what to focus on. With years of events experience behind her here are some top tips to ensure your Bar or Bat Mitzvah is planned to perfection.

Pick a theme

Though it may not be essential, a clear, creative focus can guide your planning and give you a theme to continue throughout your celebration. Think of something that can carry through your table displays, lighting, and perhaps even your meal choices to bring the day together.

Choose your entertainment

A great DJ or band is fundamental to

making your event memorable. To make sure they set the tone just right, get organised and speak to them in advance. Let them know any songs they must play, or any ‘speech intro’ songs you need before your event to allow them to prepare.

Find the right photographer and videographer

Long after the guests have gone home and the party is over, photos and videos leave you with lasting memories of the day. It’s important to choose professionals who will capture every special moment on camera, including those you may have missed.

To make the most of your photographer or videographer’s skills, brief them in advance on who the key family members are, and what the running order of the day will be.

Make it meaningful

You’ve chosen the band; you’ve hired the venue, and you’ve picked out the menu. But

how can you give your event that extra ‘wow’ factor to make it even more memorable?

A meaningful, charitable dedication is the perfect way to honour an event such as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Organise some volunteer work before the celebration, such as a Mitzvah project, or twin your child’s event with a child who is unable to host their own celebration.

Enjoy yourself!

After months, or even years, spent planning the perfect Bar or Bat Mitzvah, enjoying the day once it arrives can seem like the biggest challenge of all! However, the event can fly by, so it’s time to relax, have fun, and make the most of every moment.

Take a step back, and trust in the professionals. At Shenderey Events, our many years of planning milestone celebrations give you the peace of mind to ensure your event goes without a hitch. Shenderey-events.com

GET AROUND

Take your pick of upcoming events to enjoy this spring.

Mamma Mia! | Leeds Grand Theatre

4th to 15th April

Be transported to the Greek Islands to relive ABBA’s greatest hits in the stage show which inspired the fan favourite film, Mamma Mia! Interlaced with ABBA’s most well-known songs Mamma Mia follows Sophie as she invites her mother’s three ex-lovers to her wedding to try and uncover her mother’s past and find her father.

Leedsheritagetheatres.com

Leeds’ Comedy Cabaret | Pryzm | 29th April

The Comedy Cabaret promises award-winning and TV comedians at every performance. For an affordable, laughter filled evening with tickets starting from £5, watch three comedians perform three sets in one evening. Previous guests have included Matt Price, Mick Ferry, and Freddy Quinn. For a more luxurious experience, book a VIP ticket which includes a private booth for up to four people with a bottle of prosecco on arrival.

Skiddle.com

Ghost Hunt with West Yorkshire

Paranormal Leeds

Library | 29th April

Uncover the paranormal history of Vincent Sternberg, the resident ghost at Leeds Library since 1884, first sighted by librarian J.Y.W MacAlister. Participants will be given a guided tour of Leeds Library by their ghost host while being shown Victorian style ghost hunting techniques as well as using modern ghost hunting apparatus. A Q&A with the current library team who claim to have experienced some paranormal activity themselves is also included.

Eventbrite.co.uk

Duran Duran | First Direct Arena | 4th May

Performing their greatest hits Hungry Like the Wolf and Girls on Film, Duran Duran will be returning to old favourites as well as performing their new album, Future Past. Their 2023 tour is formed of five dates across UK cities, Manchester, London, Leeds, Birmingham, and Dublin, beginning in Manchester on 29th April and ending in Dublin on 7th May.

Ticketmaster.co.uk

North Leeds Food Festival 2023 | Roundhay Park | 13th May to 14th May

Returning for its seventh year at Roundhay Park, this food festival is a celebration of local and international food. With live music, entertainment, and cookery demonstrations throughout the day and a funfair and inflatable land for the kids, North Leeds food festival makes the perfect day out for the whole family. Gates open at 10am and close at 7pm, tickets start at £6 with concessions for under 16s.

Tickettailor.com

Thursday 5th May

Elect…

Thursday 5th May

Elect

Elect... SHAZAR AHAD

Shazar Ahad for Roundhay

Shazar Ahad for Roundhay

for Roundhay

Shazar was born and raised in North Leeds. He wants to give Roundhay residents what so many have been calling out for, a local councillor that will put them first and a councillor that will represent Roundhay for the long term.

Shazar was born and raised in North Leeds. He wants to give Roundhay residents what so many have been calling out for, a local councillor that will put them first and a councillor that will represent Roundhay for the long term.

“If you elect me as your councillor, I will address the serious traffic issues around the park and ensure events at Roundhay Park take local residents into account. I will tackle our crumbling highways, protect our PCSO numbers and be the voice for every one of my residents on Leeds City Council - not just for a few years, but into the future.”

If you elect me as your councillor, I will address the serious traffic issues around the park and ensure events at Roundhay Park take local residents into account. I will tackle our crumbling highways, protect our PCSO numbers and be the voice for every one of my residents on Leeds City Council - not just for a few years, but into the future.”

Shazar was born and raised in North Leeds. He wants to give Roundhay residents what so many have been calling out for, a local councillor that will put them first and a councillor that will represent Roundhay for the long term.

“If you elect me as your councillor, I will address the serious traffic issues around the park and ensure events at Roundhay Park take local residents into account. I will tackle our crumbling highways, protect our PCSO numbers and be the voice for every one of my residents on Leeds City Council - not just for a few years, but into the future.”

Elect

…

Lee Farmer for Moortown & Meanwood

for Moortown & Meanwood

Lee was born and raised in Moortown, attending Allerton Grange High School, just outside the ward.

Lee was born and raised in Moortown, attending Allerton Grange High School, just outside the ward.

An account manager for American Express, Lee is passionate about the local community and ensuring Moortown and Meanwood have a visible councillor, who puts local residents first.

Lee was born and raised in Moortown, attending Allerton Grange High School, just outside the ward.

An account manager for American Express, Lee is passionate about the local community and ensuring Moortown and Meanwood have a visible councillor, who puts local residents first.

“I am hugely concerned that the promised works at Stonegate Road roundabout have been shelved. We need them reinstating now.”

An account manager for American Express, Lee is passionate about the local community and ensuring Moortown and Meanwood have a visible councillor, who puts local residents first. I am hugely concerned that the promised works at Stonegate Road roundabout have been shelved. We need them reinstating now.”

“I am hugely concerned that the promised works at Stonegate Road roundabout have been shelved. We need them reinstating now.”

Lee is a fervent advocate of conservation and fairness he promises to be a councillor who will represent the whole ward.

Lee is a fervent advocate of conservation and fairness he promises to be a councillor who will represent the whole ward.

Lee is a fervent advocate of conservation and fairness. He promises to be a councillor who will represent the whole ward.

Elect

Elect

…

Safaraz Ahad

for Chapel Allerton & Chapeltown

Safaraz Ahad for Chapel Allerton & Chapeltown

LEE FARMER for Moortown & Meanwood SAFARAZ AHAD for Chapel Allerton & Chapeltown

My name is Safaraz Ahad. My parents came over from the Caribbean and I was born, raised and reside in Leeds.

“My name is Safaraz Ahad. My parents came over from the Caribbean and I was born, raised and reside in Leeds.

“My name is Safaraz Ahad. My parents came over from the Caribbean and I was born, raised and reside in Leeds.

m standing as your local candidate for Chapel Allerton & Chapeltown because I believe in equality, respect & cohesion. It is what a community needs, what every individual deserves. Everyone has the right to a voice, a right to be heard and a right to make a difference within their community locally as well as nationally. I want the honour of being your voice in the matters that mean the most to you. Please vote for me and for all of your local Conservatives on Thursday 4th May - we are all committed to working for YOU.”

I’m standing as your local candidate for Chapel Allerton & Chapeltown because I believe in equality, respect & cohesion. It is what a community needs, what every individual deserves.

Everyone has the right to a voice, a right to be heard and a right to make a difference within their community locally as well as nationally. I want the honour of being your voice in the matters that mean the most to you. Please vote for me and for all of your local Conservatives on Thursday 4th May - we are all committed to working for YOU.”

I’m standing as your local candidate for Chapel Allerton & Chapeltown because I believe in equality, respect & cohesion. It is what a community needs, what every individual deserves. Everyone has the right to a voice, a right to be heard and a right to make a difference within their community locally as well as nationally. I want the honour of being your voice in the matters that mean the most to you. Please vote for me and for all of your local Conservatives on Thursday 4th May - we are all committed to working for YOU.”

Vote for your Local Conservative candidates, putting Residents not Politics first.

Promoted by S. Weiner on behalf of S. & S. Ahad, L. Farmer & L. Buckley all of 6 Sandhill Oval, Leeds LS17 8EA

Promoted by S. Weiner on behalf of S. & S. Ahad, L. Farmer & L. Buckley all of

Elect... LYN BUCKLEY

Dear Alwoodley Resident,

I am asking for your support at the local elections taking place on Thursday, May 4th.

I have served Alwoodley as a Parish Councillor and community volunteer for over 12 years. I would be honoured to represent you on Leeds City Council together with Dan & Neil – and keep our hard-working team together.

There is no more generous and friendly a community in the City as Alwoodley. We have more voluntary groups and societies than almost any other area, dedicated to helping and improving our neighbourhood.

If elected I will work to ensure that we:

• Fight any future Labour proposals to introduce parking charges at our parks.

• Invest in police traffic enforcement to spend extra time in Alwoodley improving road safety and work with the police to protect our PCSO numbers.

• Fight to reinstate the number 48 bus service that both the Labour Mayor and First Bus have failed to protect and to improve local bus services across Alwoodley.

• Expand all our surgeries, to be as widely available for residents as possible.

• Protect the summer scheme in partnership with Leeds Rhinos & ensure this will happen in 2023.

• Speedily tackle litter and fly tipping across the ward.

• Support our amazing local groups with advice and grants, e.g. the new Alwoodley 2030 Climate Action Hub.

It has been my honour to serve you as a Parish Councillor. With your support and your vote on May 4th, I hope to continue to work for the whole ward as one of your LOCAL City Councillors.

Kind regards,

ABOUT YOUR LOCAL CANDIDATE LYN BUCKLEY:

• Born in Leeds and lived in Alwoodley for most of my life, together with Neil my husband of over 30 years.

• A founder member and former chairman of Alwoodley Parish Council.

• Together with Cllr Dan Cohen & Cllr Neil Buckley, a key and valued member of the Alwoodley team.

• Passionate about being as available as possible for all Alwoodley residents

No Place

Like

place to climb or pose for a picture. For a shopping fix, explore the island’s largest town, Portree. Here you’ll find pretty, colourful buildings and fishing boats. Outaboutscotland.com

Edinburgh

Four of the best in…SCOTLAND

Glencoe

Outlander producers choose this Highland gem for the series’ opening credits, and Glencoe’s grim history and breath-taking scenery lures visitors from all over the world. The site of the infamous Massacre of 1692 where the MacDonald clan was ruthlessly slaughtered, Glencoe is a 16-mile drive from Fort William, but well worth the trek. Pay a visit to the famed Clachaig Inn and soak up the Highland welcome with one of 400 malt whiskeys and some hearty Highland fayre. Drop into the Glencoe Museum or search out the locations used in blockbuster movies such as Braveheart, Rob Roy, Harry Potter and Skyfall.

Visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/ glencoe/

Isle of Skye

The tranquil Isle of Skye is part of the Hebridean islands off the northwest shore of Scotland. From here you can watch the Atlantic Sea crash against the rugged shores and long sweeping sandy beaches. Hike along or take a swim (weather permitting) in the beautiful Fairy Pools which boast water so clear and luminous that it’s said that fairies have bathed in it. The Old Inn on the shores of Loch Harport is perfect for a wee dram. Explore Kilt Rock where waterfalls plummet into the sea and check out the famous Old Man of Storr, a great

Scotland’s historic capital is a gorgeous mix of olde-worlde charm and architectural grandeur. The beautifully preserved Medieval cobbled streets make up the Old Town, Prince’s Street (Scotland’s most famous and upmarket shopping area) and the supposedly haunted series of underground chambers known as the ‘vaults’. A visit wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Edinburgh Castle, while a stroll down the Royal Mile which leads from the castle down to the Scottish Parliament is lined with quirky shops, buzzing pubs and restaurants.

Visitscotland.com/ destinations-maps/edinburgh/ see-do/

Loch Ness

A place of myth and mystery, the most famous loch in the world is also one of the most beautiful places to visit in Scotland. Extremely deep, Loch Ness is the largest body of freshwater in Britain – maybe that’s why ‘Nessie’ chose to make this home? Located 37 kilometres southwest of Inverness, whether you believe in the Loch Ness Monster or not, there’s no denying that this is a special place.

Visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/ loch-ness/see-do/

Four of the best in…IRELAND

Galway, Co. Galway

The second largest county in Ireland and one of the Emerald Isle’s most popular and vibrant destinations, Galway is on many people’s bucket lists thanks to the popularity of Ed Sheeran’s Galway Girl. This delightful

university city is brimming with activity; theatre, Irish music, pubs, restaurants …but it’s the people of Galway who really make this this atmospheric city one to visit.

Historic-ireland.com

Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry

The Dingle Peninsula is an incredible stretch of natural beauty: seaside cliffs, sheep-strewn fields, and rich green hills. The North Atlantic ocean boasts superb seafood, and Dingle is the best place to try it. From quaint eateries to elegant venues overlooking the harbour, every restaurant serves meals inspired by the catch of the day. Learn about Dingle's famous resident, Fungie, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who was first spotted off the coast of Dingle in 1983. Fungie is one of the main tourist magnets for the area and several cruise companies offer a boat ride to see him.

Rabbies.com/en/blog/12-reasons-visitdingle-peninsula-ireland

With the cost-of-living crisis eating into holiday budgets, there’s never been a better time to forgo the all-inclusive and explore the beauty of the United Kingdom.

LOCH NESS

ROCK OF CASHEL

Home

Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary

One of Ireland's most popular tourist attractions is also one of the most beautiful – a group of Medieval buildings (some dating back to the 12th Century) situated on an outcrop of limestone. Don't miss the Romanesque Cormac's Chapel, or the Hall of the Vicars, which houses several Celtic relics like the original Cross of St. Patrick. Heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/rockof-cashel/

Dublin

Packed with culture, creativity and craic (fun), Dublin boasts busy pubs, live music, shops and friendly faces. But Ireland’s capital is also a place of natural beauty if you head beyond the city. Dublin Bay opens up with coastal walks, little villages, wide

sea views and rugged mountain backdrops. Take to the mountains for a hike, go rockclimbing in Dalkey Quarry, walk the cliff path at Howth or join the Dublin hardcore who sea-swim whatever the weather.

Visitdublin.com

Four of the best in…WALES

Tenby, Pembrokeshire

Tenby is probably the most iconic seaside town in Wales. Full of charm, it is home to three great beaches: North, South and Castle, each with its own character. For culture, head to Tenby Museum or the National Trust owned Tudor Merchant’s House. For something a little different you could try evening ghost walks!

Visitwales.com/destinations/west-wales/ pembrokeshire/things-do-tenby

Brecon Beacons

The Brecon Beacons National Park offers a spectacular landscape rich in natural beauty. Practically free from light and noise pollution, it is the perfect break from modern life, with wide open spaces and secluded waterfalls. To get the most

stunning views of the area, trek to the highest point in South Britain – Pen-y-Fan.

Nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/breconbeacons

Snowdonia National Park

Snowdonia in northwest Wales is concentrated around the mountains and glaciers of the expansive Snowdonia National Park. The park's historic Snowdon Mountain Railway climbs to the summit of Wales's highest mountain, Mount Snowdon, offering views across the sea to Ireland. The park is also home to an extensive network of trails, over 100 lakes and craggy peaks like Cedar Idris and Tryfan. Just a short drive away is Caernarfon with its glorious Castle and Segontium Roman Fort.

Snowdonia.gov.wales

Langland Bay, Gower Penninsular

Langland Bay on the Gower Peninsular in Wales is a surfers’ paradise! However, if surfing is not your thing you could chill on the sandy shore and take in the amazing views, have a cuppa in a pretty café or stroll along the promenade. A magical place for children.

Visitwales.com

BRECON BEACONS

On Trend

Get inspiration for your next home makeover with our rundown of this season’s trends.

went to Viva Magenta, a vibrant red purple. If you want to stay ahead of the trend, try incorporating these shades into accent pieces for a subtler style, or go bold with coloured furniture or wallpaper.

DIY décor

An increasing focus on sustainability and the old motto of “reduce, reuse, recycle” is ushering in a trend for do-it-yourself home décor this spring. From hand-sew quilts made from recycled clothing to knitted footstools, picking up a new hobby can also help you revitalise your home at the same time. Of course, for those who want in on the trend without the bother, ecommerce sites such as Etsy are just a click away. We won’t tell anyone!

Vintage vibes

the flora begins to bloom outside, keep your home up to speed by bringing the outside in. Plenty of houseplants and plant motifs on wallpaper are essential for this trend. But this doesn’t just mean that you’re stuck to green tones, as colourful fruit motifs are set to make a return, seeing mugs and vases patterned with blackberries, oranges, and even mushrooms.

Light it up

Lavender haze

Colours often come in and out of fashion, and right now purple shades are having their moment. With a historic association with royalty and opulence, today’s popular shades are the calmer tones of lavender and lilac. However, Pantone’s Colour of the Year

It seems that each year there’s a new decade that makes its way back into fashion, but in home interiors this year’s choice seems to be any and all of them! Mixing vintage and modern furniture is on the rise, with vintage pieces making a bold statement when surrounded by more current fashions. Vintage allows you to bring a piece of history directly into your home, and if you know what you’re doing when going antiquing, you might even save a penny or two.

Natural chic

It’s no surprise that nature-inspired decorating becomes popular in spring. As

As the days grow longer, bringing light into the home is a must. It not only brightens the place up and creates a more pleasant atmosphere; it also highlights and improves all the other decoration in your home. Light can be its own accessory. Sadly, not everyone is blessed with plenty of natural light in their home, but bold decorative lamps can add a lot to your room’s overall aesthetic.

House Proud

Spring is a time of renewal and new beginnings, meaning there’s no better time to redesign your kitchen. However, fitting a completely new kitchen can cost an arm and a leg. Luckily, Pavilion has a costeffective service that will have your kitchen fittings feeling brand-new at a fraction of the cost of replacing them and with minimal disruption. By taking your doors and drawers to its spray shop and repainting them in any colour you choose, Pavilion can refresh your kitchen without hurting your wallet.

So how does the process work? Firstly, the expertly trained team will ask for an image of the space you’d like repainting, so that they can get an accurate idea of the job. If the job is particularly large or tricky, they will also conduct a review at a convenient time to view the location in-person. After this you will receive a free, no obligation quote.

Once the work begins, Pavilion will identify any removable parts of the fittings such as the doors, drawers, and plinths, and move these to its Oakwood-based spray shop in order to minimise disruption to your home. For the work that must be completed in your home, Pavilion will remove all handles and hinges, and securely cover any area that doesn’t need to be painted.

To ensure that the paint properly sticks to the furnishings, the surface will be prepared using abrasive materials so that the paint will “key”, forming a durable bond. Once the area is fully prepared, the painting process begins. First a specialist primer paint will be applied to create a durable base coat, then a rub down of the base coat to create a smooth surface, ready for the top coat, which is then applied.

Interior spray painting is far from the only service that Pavilion offers to rejuvenate your home. Exteriors get just as much love with the uPVC window spray painting service. Rather than replacing uPVC windows and doors you could have them spray painted for a fraction of the cost and without all the hassle as there’s no construction or building work involved. The windows and doors are spray painted with a sustainable and cost-effective speciality uPVC paint, giving them a refreshed, colourful style, and making your house the envy of the neighbourhood.

The high-quality uPVC window spray paint that Pavilion employs is designed to bond and integrate with existing surfaces, producing a durable, long-lasting paint finish, available in any colour. The north Leeds firm also offers a five-year guarantee on any external work it does, ensuring that

you are fully happy with the longevity of the finished product.

Also available is a furniture spray painting service that can save you redecorating. Furniture spray painting can revive old furniture that you might be thinking of throwing out. It's a chance to create a completely new design with a wide variety of colours and finishes. Or perhaps you have a much-loved piece of furniture that no longer fits your home’s interior décor. A simple respray is a quick way to give your furniture a complete makeover.

With thousands of colours to choose from and materials that can be treated Pavilion can brighten up your home in no time.

Pavilionspraypainting.co.uk

Breathe new life into your kitchen at a fraction of the replacement cost with Pavilion’s spraypainting services.

A New Kitchen without the Cost

Pavilion provides professional and economical spraypainting services with incredible results on kitchen cabinets and drawers, transforming your kitchen for a fraction of the price of a new one.

17 Ravenscar Walk, Leeds, LS8 4AT

07939 489394

admin@pavilionspraypainting.co.uk

With Mark Manning, Managing Director of Manning Stainton

After a period of turbulence at the end of 2022 we are pleased to report that the world of property has now restored itself to a state of normality. But let’s be really clear what we mean when we refer to normal.

Forget the furore and madness of the last few years – that was definitely not normal – and instead look further back to the numbers we would have excepted around 2017 through to 2019. This is what a normal market looks like, albeit one which still presents challenges of its own.

The volume of property coming to market and indeed the number of sales is where we would expect to it be and while market commentators might have predicted big price drops the reality so far has been

The Old Normal PROPERTY

very different. The most recent data from the Land Registry (the source of truth when it comes to property prices) showing that up to the end of December 2022 we lost 0.5% on the price of the average property across the UK, while we expect another price fall to come in the next index due out, there can be no doubt that calm has been restored and prices remain stable for the moment.

One trend of interest we have observed is a drop in the total number of buyers registering across our group at the start of 2023. And when analysing these numbers, it is clear that while the number of first-time buyers and second steppers searching has not changed, there is a notable fall in two other groups in investors/landlords (which has dropped by up to 25%) and downsizers who are struggling to find the motivation to move from their comfortable and much-loved family homes. What a shame that the spring

Buy Green ANTIQUES

clothes, jewellery, and watches and 25 to 44 year olds are more likely to buy collectables and furniture second-hand.

budget missed an opportunity to tackle this problem which will only aid the continued constraints that exist on supply in both the sales and lettings sector.

For the spring and summer months ahead, we expect this new normal to continue with good levels of activity and critically very little movement in prices particularly across an area like North Leeds which remains in high demand as always.

Manningstainton.co.uk

Buying green is the new way!

Buying pre-loved items tended to be looked down upon by many people in the past. It was all about brand new. Now it is now become a trendy thing to do. The environmental benefits of not buying new are gradually being realised.

In a recent survey it was found that 58% of people now know that buying secondhand furniture is greener than buying new. The impact of sustainable buying was found to be more important to women and young people. The survey also found that 18 to 25 year olds are the most likely to buy used

Reasons given for buying second hand, pre-loved and antique items are finding a bargain, more environmentally friendly, valuing the quality of craftsmanship, uniqueness of the item, heritage and stories of antique/vintage items or the possibility of increase in value.

As well as the obvious saving of money in this cost of living crisis, it is the environmental friendliness of the items. The estimated annual carbon footprint of person in the UK is said to be about 13 tonnes. One purchase of buying a second-hand dining table can save almost half a tonne. The emissions involved in manufacturing a new mechanical wristwatch means that buying a used watch can save

around 0.8 tonnes of carbon emissions. There are of course household items that are no longer fit for purpose and do need to be disposed of. As auctioneers providing a house clearance service, we have set up a green disposal service. Items are offered to charities, to be re-cycled or up-cycled rather than ending up in landfill.

We look forward to seeing more of you purchasing from auctions and making this a greener planet for future generations.

Garydon.co.uk

With Gary Don, your antiques expert and Auctioneer

Growth Plans

Get out into the garden with our guide to the best spring plants to spruce up your outdoor spaces.

Calling all green-fingered gardening fiends! With the start of spring the ground is thawing and it’s time to get planting again. However, if you’re just getting started with your gardening passion, our handy guide to some easy wins will have your garden looking tip-top in no time.

Courgettes are a great bit of produce to grow at home, so long as you have the space for them. These marrows are best sown in mid-to-late April. Because they’re such large plants they need to be spread out. The seeds should ideally be placed at least 90 cm apart and thrive best in a sheltered location in full sun needing around eight weeks to grow.

Lettuce

Easy to grow and a great salad staple, cultivating lettuce is a great starting place for a beginner. The seeds can be planted any time between March and September, so you don’t need to worry about missing your window. However, if the temperature is still a bit chilly, they’re best planted with some protection against the cold, either from horticultural fleece or plastic covers. The seeds need to be placed in full sunlight in moisture retentive soil 30 cm apart and will take between 30 and 70 days to grow.

Monarda

Monarda is a perennial flower which blooms in summer and autumn and is best suited to flowerbeds with chalky moist soil. The blooms will thrive best in full sun but can also survive in part shade should it be necessary. The seeds should be planted 45 cm apart and can grow to 90 cm high. This aromatic bloom will definitely bring the bees buzzing, giving the flower its nickname, Bee Balm.

Cornflower

Cornflowers are a great plant for those who don’t have a lot of space to spare as the seeds only need to be spaced 15 cm apart to thrive. These flowers do best when planted in direct sunlight and well-drained soil. Known for their particular shade of blue, but also popping up in other colours, cornflowers make a great ornamental edition to the garden. Once they’re grown, they require very little care, making them ideal for those just starting out in the garden.

Spring onion

As their name might suggest, spring onions are an ideal spring crop. In fact, they can be planted any time between March and October, meaning that if you start early you can have fresh onions for most of the year. Since they don’t need much space or soil, they’re good space-saving crops for those with a smaller garden to grow. The seeds only need to be planted 10 cm apart and 20 mm deep and will produce a finished onion within eight weeks.

Marigolds

Marigolds are a popular garden staple due to their cheery yellow colouring and easy to care for nature. When planting marigolds, simply sow the seeds across a moistened patch of soil, then once the seeds have germinated, remove the weakest sprouts, leaving the remaining ones 10 to 20 cm apart. While growing, marigolds don’t require anything more than regular watering, but they will die off as soon as they experience frost, so make sure that winter is well and truly over before planting.

Henley and Richmond Dining Set | Bridgman

£4,399

This beautifully crafted dining set has been made for easy, everyday living for use in any stylish garden. Balancing traditional elegance with contemporary style, the modern glass table pairs perfectly with six Richmond dining armchairs, supported by gorgeous matching teak legs and upholstered in exclusive waterproof fabric – ideally suited to being in the elements. Bridgman.co.uk

Wild Garden Mulberry Ecru Cushion

Abigail Borg | £110

Garden Paradise

Spruce up your garden ahead of the (hopefully!) warmer weather.

Siesta Garden

Parasol

Bridgman £1,848

On sunny days it’s always good to have an escape from the sun to avoid sunburn or the even more serious sun stroke. Parasols are perfect for adding a touch of timeless elegance to your garden and the Siesta 3.5m Cantilever Parasol comes in a classic almond shade, meaning it’s easy to match with any garden furniture set. This medium-duty parasol shades a large area and is easy to position to keep you and your guests sheltered from the sun.

Bridgman.co.uk

Garden furniture isn’t known for being the comfiest place to relax, but a good cushion goes a long way towards improving matters. Featuring a delicate pattern of wildflower blooms and a simplified and feminine colour palette, this pattern is ideally suited for an outdoor environment. Printed on a natural linen colour fabric, washing will be as easy as sticking it in the washing machine. Just make sure to bring it inside before any sudden April showers!

Abigailborg.com

Dandelion Solar Powered Garden Lights | Annabel James | £32.95

Garden lights can go a long way toward glamming up even the plainest of gardens. This eclectic offering from Annabel James comes in the form of a stunning solar powered dandelion light on a stake. The light will automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn; the length of time it will stay illuminated will depend upon the weather conditions and the time of year, as it will recharge throughout the day. But even in not-so-sunny North Leeds you will get a few hours of light during springtime, and even longer in summer Annabeljames.co.uk

XL Teppanyaki Grill | VonHaus | £49.99

As the weather heats up, everyone knows it’s time to break out the barbecue! But add a little something extra to your set up with this extra large teppanyaki grill. Traditionally, the teppen (hot plate) is used as a multi-purpose cooking surface for grilling a wide range of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. Experiment with beautiful fresh fish, strips of steak and stir-fry vegetables – all cooked quickly to preserve the delicate flavours. Vonhaus.com

Squeaky Clean

Dan Reid, Owner of Leeds-based cleaning business Poppies, gives his top tips on tackling the prePassover Spring clean.

As the weather gets nicer and with spring firmly in our sights, that can only mean one thing: the spring clean is right around the corner! As Passover approaches, there has never been a better opportunity to get stuck into that much-needed clear-out and to revitalise your home environment. Whether you are short of time and can only give an hour to the task or you have given yourself the entire weekend, approaching the spring clean systematically will have a hugely positive impact on results, and ultimately your own wellbeing.

Room by room

One of the biggest mistakes when starting the spring clean is only looking at the bigger picture. But as with all tasks, you should break up the clean into smaller, manageable chunks, room by room. This, along with a top-down approach to cleaning (start upstairs, move downstairs gradually), forces the dust and debris out of the door with no corner missed.

Remember appliances

We’ve all seen those uninviting statistics on common touch points such as TV remotes, door handles and light switches, be sure every nook and cranny of your home is gleaming, especially the common ones you might overlook in any other clean! In particular, remember the sides of your fridge and cooker as well the toaster, kettle, and other smaller

kitchen devices that are regularly exposed to bacteria from foods. Remember, a baking soda and white vinegar mix is a great tool in dissolving grease, dirt, and sticky areas that might be overdue some TLC.

Rearrange

Maximising the space in your home has never been more important. Rearranging a room can not only breathe a breath of fresh air into a common space, but can almost be a long-term investment, which becomes easier to clean and gives a more welcoming, homely feel to the environment.

Hoarders beware! Rearranging might mean waving goodbye to some the things of the past that have begun to take up too much space. But there is loads of evidence to suggest hoarding can have a negative impact on your mental health, so not being afraid to rearrange by making more space can lift significant stresses you didn’t even realise you had. A de-cluttered house means a decluttered mind, and there is a reason feng shui introduces the concept of harmony and balance in your living environment.

Simplicity is key

Overcomplicating the task at hand can often create additional work and stress. Using a high-quality multi-purpose cleaner and a reusable microfibre cloth can often be the key to cleaning well, keeping your utility spaces decluttered and can even lift those

questionable odours that you might have become unknowingly nose-blind to Remember the obvious places like bins, the inside of your fridge, cupboards, and common touchpoints and half the battle is already won.

Bring backup

The spring clean is never a one-person job, and it will never truly be a spring clean unless the whole household is prepared to devote some time to making their space more liveable. Getting everyone involved breaks up the load and shows everyone the value of keeping your home at a certain standard, but more importantly, it streamlines the room-by-room, systematic approach to the clean. Making the spring clean a shared effort can also avoid any potential conflict over accidentally discarding any beloved, untouchable clutter.

Dan summarises: “The spring clean doesn’t have to feel like a punishment. It can actually be fun, and certainly gives those who take part the chance to start fresh. Whether it is you, your housemates, or the whole family, it’s the perfect way to wipe away the stresses of the last few years and to say hello to a familiar but revitalised living space.”

Positive Energy

property styles and consumer preferences, the windows and doors are available in a wide variety of styles and finishes. The Ultimate window and door collection has been refined and designed to protect your home and provide total peace of mind. Ultimate windows achieve an A plus energy rating with an energy index of 10 and U value of 1.4.

Elmhurst Windows is helping customers make their home more energy efficient with its new Ultimate collection of doors and windows.

The success of the Elmhurst Ultimate brand is largely down to the many features that will not only enhance the appearance of your home, but also the security and energy efficiency.

In order to cater for the diverse mix of

As the name suggests the Ultimate Heritage collection from Elmhurst is a range of elegant windows and doors that are packed with the characteristics and charm of period timber windows. The GENUS flush sash window is assembled using traditional joinery techniques. In order to cater for a diverse range of property styles the Ultimate Heritage collection offers you the choice of three sash options. All three options utilise the same thermally efficient chambered

outer frame and all provide a beautiful white woodgrain ovolo sculptured finish on the inside.

Elmhurst-windows.co.uk

LOVE YOU R

Giving Back

for

Carolyn Abrahams will be running the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon. The route will see 10,000 participants take on a brand-new course around Leeds, starting and finishing at Headingley Stadium. The marathon route and event has been created in tribute to the amazing talent and tireless fundraising by the Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow.

Carolyn will fundraise for the Robert Sinclair Davidson Foundation: “The marathon is in honour of former Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow, who has a diagnosis of motor neurone disease. I’m running for the Robert Sinclair Davidson Foundation. We have some very good friends, Michael and Susanne Davidson who sadly lost their son to motor neuron disease in 2016. He was only 36. I ran the London Marathon in 2017, and I had said that that was it for me. Michael asked me if I would run the marathon for his

foundation. I remember he said: ‘Do you want to go away and think about it?’ and I said: ‘No because if I think about it I’ll probably say no.’”

Training for a marathon takes a lot of hard work and months of preparation beforehand: “I was always a runner, but I followed a 16 week plan to train. Basically, you just build up your miles. The longest I’ve done while training is 17 miles. I tend to do two or three shorter 10 km runs during the week, and then on a weekend I run for between two and three hours.”

At the time of writing, Carolyn’s JustGiving page was well on track for her total goal of £3,000.

To donate to Carolyn’s JustGiving page, scan the QR code.

Elmhurst Windows’ owner Richard Abrahams is helping save money with his new energy efficient window and door collection.

Carolyn Abrahams is running to raise funds

the Robert Sinclair Davidson Foundation.

Switch it Up

Cleansing spray

It might come as a surprise to some people, but makeup wipes and baby wipes often contain microplastics which are harmful to both the environment and your own health. Cleansing spray is an alternative which helps to avoid this effect. The spray can be applied directly to crocheted or knitted pads to work the same as makeup wipes. When you’re done, you don’t need to throw them away, just pop them in the washing machine and they’ll be good to go again.

Rechargeable batteries

Disposable batteries are full of chemicals which are harmful to the environment and have a negative effect when batteries are sent to landfill. In the UK each year, around 600 million batteries are thrown away. Since rrechargeable batteries can be reused from 500 to 1,000 times depending on usage, making the switch to rechargeable can not only help cut down on the number of batteries going to landfill, but it can also save you quite a bit of money long term.

Wax wraps

Cling film and sandwich bags are a lifesaver for everything from packed lunches to leftovers, but as we are all becoming increasingly aware, single-use plastics have a terrible impact on the environment. Wax wraps are an environmentally friendly and reusable alternative that can help you cut down on the amount of plastic your household is throwing away. Even better, unlike their clear alternatives, wax wraps come in all likes of funky patterns so you can make your leftovers look glam!

Bamboo brushes

According to the British Dental Association, in the UK alone, we dispose of 200 million plastic toothbrushes every year. That’s a lot of plastic going to landfill and taking up to 500 years to decompose. In comparison, bamboo toothbrushes are compostable and can take just 180 days to decompose,

over 1,000 times less time than plastic. Toothbrushes aren’t the only brush you can switch over, as plastic hairbrushes are also easily replace with a more sustainable bamboo alternative.

Good news for coffee enthusiasts! You no longer have to choose between having machine coffee and being sustainable. Sadly, coffee pods are often made of plastic and have a harmful effect on the environment. Keurig now makes reusable coffee pods, which will fit into any machine that takes a K-cup pod. This reusable pod allows you to fill it with your preferred type of coffee grounds and wash the pod like any other utensil. Just make sure you compost the used coffee grounds when you’re done!

Trying to make sustainable choices can often feel like a bit of a minefield, but here are some simple switches you can make in everyday life to reduce your carbon footprint.

75 and Counting

Leeds Shaliach, Yaakov Pinsky, discusses Israel’s independence ahead of the 75th anniversary celebrations.

of Israel did in fact have large swaths of arid land that lay desolate for centuries. But Israel is no longer a desert, as it is no longer deserted.

There is a website named Nocamels.com; it documents Israeli tech innovations. Perhaps the joke of a name is lost on some. For many decades, Israel was certainly seen by many as a desert land, undeveloped and uncultured, not a place you’d want to live. The notion that the average Israeli lived in a hut and rode a camel to work used to be quite a common one, when much of what people knew about Israel came from Mark Twain’s unflattering account in “The Innocents Abroad”. I too experienced this; I still remember being perplexed as a child when an aunt from USA asked: “Do you have traffic lights in Israel?”

In fact, up until the late 1800’s the land

This year we celebrate 75 years of Israeli independence. Since the dawn of modern Zionism, almost half of the world’s Jewry has made its way back to Israel. They have found providence and fortune, turning Israel into a bustling, flourishing oasis

News from Israel at times isn’t as positive as we might like, some voices even fear it may be going down a path of no return, I never share these fears. Rave Kook*, one of the fathers of Religious Zionism said that “The eternal people do not fear a long journey”. I choose Israel not because it is easy, but because it is our homeland. Despite multiple challenges, the people of Israel have and will face, how amazing is it

MOTORING

By Accident

insurance or is under the influence of drink or drugs.

• You suspect that the other driver caused the collision deliberately.

that we are now free to argue (albeit in high tones) over our joint future, in our own language, on our own land! Israelis rank as one of the happiest nations, arguing is just our national sport.

As the Holy-land days approach (Yoms: HaShoah, Hazikaron, Ha’atzmaut, Yerushalayim) I find myself positive and hopeful, our old-new land is far closer to that described by Herzl and Rav Kook than that described by Twain, and it is only getting better. Happy 75th Israel!

* Rav Avraham Yitzvhak HaCohen Kook was one of the greatest Jewish philosophers of the 20th century, a prolific writer, and an avid and active Zionist. During World War l he briefly served in London and played an important role in supporting the Balfour declaration. In his years in the UK he and his family would summer in Harrogate.

Sadly there are many accidents on our roads every day, we hope you stay safe, but here are some pointers to help readers be prepared.

What to do immediately after the accident

1. Stop the car as soon as possible

2. Check for injuries

3. Try to remain calm

4. Exchange details

Calling the police

After a car accident, things can often be resolved without calling the police if noone’s injured and the other people involved co-operate with you. But it’s necessary to call the police if:

• The other driver or drivers leave the scene without giving details.

• You think the other driver has no

• Tell the police about the accident within 24 hours – if you don’t you may be given a fine, points on your licence, or a disqualification from driving.

Exchanging details after an accident

Exchanging details at the scene of a car accident is very important. You’ll need to do this to sort out insurance and it may be required by law.

Share your name and address with everyone involved if the accident caused damage or injury – the law says you must do this.

Swap insurance information with the other drivers and take down details of any other passengers and witnesses to the accident.

Dealing with crash-for-cash claimants

Cash-for-crash claimants are people who deliberately arrange accidents in order to

make a fraudulent insurance claim. They may do this by:

• Braking unexpectedly, causing you to go into the back of their car.

• Flashing their lights to indicate you’re free to go before purposely crashing into you.

• They might also take out their brake light bulbs, so you won’t have a warning when they hit the brakes in front of you and will be more likely to crash into them.

Crash-for-cash claimants will usually blame you for the accident and give you their insurance information, which is sometimes written out ready on a bit of paper.

A few weeks after this happens, you might receive a letter from your insurance company highlighting the damage from the accident. The claims can be exaggerated to maximise the money they try to win back. You’ll be less likely to be involved in such a scam if you keep your eyes open, being especially careful in stop to start traffic. Esgarageleeds.co.uk

With Raffaele Saccoccio from ES Motors Moortown

DINNER DATE

The UJIA North East Dinner took place in February, featuring a conversation between UJIA Chief Executive, Mandie Winston and Israeli Diplomat Efrat Perri.

Over 140 people came together at the UJIA North East Dinner in Leeds for an evening was filled with engaging conversation, entertainment, and a call to action for support of UJIA’s vital work.

Martin Harris, the UJIA Leeds Chair, welcomed guests and members of the Leeds Jewish Community for the first in-person dinner since COVID. Alexa Harris, UJIA Head of Community Campaign updated the guests on the “Next Steps Campaign” giving opportunity for families in need to benefit from the UJIA Access Israel Fund to ensure that no one child misses out on an Israel experience due to personal financial circumstances.

One of the highlights of the evening was the conversation between UJIA Chief Executive, Mandie Winston and Israeli Diplomat Efrat Perri, Director of Public

Diplomacy at the Israeli Embassy in the UK. Efrat, who was appointed to her role in 2021, has been working to strengthen the relationship between the UK and Israel, promoting understanding and cooperation on a range of issues.

During the conversation, Efrat spoke about the three biggest challenges facing Israel today, which she first identified as "Iran, Iran, Iran." Efrat spoke briefly about the importance of a new trade deal currently being negotiated, following on from the post-Brexit trade deal that was signed between both countries. She also spoke about how both health ministries worked together during COVID and emphasised the importance of the UK Jewish community in supporting the State of Israel, as well as the crucial role that UJIA plays in ensuring the strong connection between the State of Israel and British Jewry.

Benjy Goldstone, the Mazkir of Habonim, also made an appeal for support, stressing that the next generation of leaders within the Jewish community depend on the support given to UJIA: “Without UJIA, there would be no youth movements, no summer camps, no leadership training, no Israel tours, and no gap years,” he said.

Jeremy Sassoon provided entertainment from his show “Musicians of Jewish Origin”, adding to the atmosphere of the event, while Alexandra Abrahams and Sofie Hirschstein were announced as the new Young UJIA Chairs in Leeds. Alexandra, who’s great grandfather, Louis Harris supported the work of UJIA in Israel spoke about how proud she was to carry on her grandfather’s legacy: “We are the connection. The link not only between generations of Jews, past, present and future, but the link between Jews here and in Israel. Now is our time to make a difference.”

The event was a powerful reminder of the important work that UJIA does to support and connect Jewish communities both in the UK and in Israel. While continuing to invest here in Leeds ensuring our young people, our next generation of leaders have a strong Jewish identity.

Holly House has branched out to open an exclusively exotic pet clinic due to high demand and the rising popularity of exotic pets. Its newly refurbished location on Shadwell Lane has all the latest facilities and supplies to suit the exotic pet’s needs. We spoke to Sarah Brown, Head of the Exotic Pets Division, to tell us about the new practice.

Hi Sarah! So, how did the new exotic pet clinic begin?

Hi! We have always been fitting in exotic pets, where we can, at our other two practices on Street Lane and Moor Allerton. But we’ve reached the point where the caseload is so high, we can open an exoticsonly branch, which is quite rare in the UK.

Previously when people found out we cared for exotic pets we’d have clients travelling from as far as Sheffield and Lincolnshire, as well as all over Leeds, because the service is so rare. We’d get lots of referrals too. When someone’s bearded dragon got sick and they couldn't find a vet

Making History!

more experienced in dealing with reptiles, they’d send them to us.

This new arrangement is much better for the animals too. We now have the space to keep prey and predator animals separate in the waiting room and the hospital, so they’re not distressed around one another.

It’s great to know these animals now have a dedicated space! To be clear, how does Holly House define an exotic pet?

Another way of putting it is to call them non-traditional companion animals. But it’s everything that isn’t a dog, cat, or farm animal.

It's a broad category and covers everything from rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters – which aren’t nearly typically thought of as ‘exotic’ – to Koi fish, snakes, and sugar gliders.

Rabbits and other small mammals such as guinea pigs have a different physiological make-up to cats and dogs, and different requirements for care and treatment, making them classed as 'exotic' pets.

Rabbits are also the third most popular pet in the UK and, as we’re now seeing more people have house rabbits than keeping them in a hutch at the bottom of the garden, they want more than a basic level of care. So we see them at the surgery having CTs, X-rays, and blood tests far more routinely than 10 to 15 years ago.

Wow, I had no idea such a common animal could be considered exotic. Are exotic animals more difficult to care for and what would you advise someone considering taking one? You need to do a lot of research before you buy. Talk to people and come and have a chat with us and we can talk about what specific pets involve.

As for being difficult to take care of, they can be if you haven’t sought advice. It can be dangerous to an animal if their diet and husbandry are wrong, especially because some exotic animals don’t originate in the UK.

For example, we see a lot of parrots with a diet nowhere near what they would have in the wild. Most pet stores sell seed-heavy pet food for birds but quite often they’d be far more likely to eat green leaves and shoots in the wild. So, they end up with vitamin A and calcium deficiencies. But if you ensure you’re getting your information from good sources and your pet has its required habitat and diet, it doesn’t have to be a difficult process.

Hollyhousevets. co.uk/services/ exotic-services

0113 322 4341

Exotic pet expert Sarah Brown from Holly House Vets tells us about the North Leeds clinic’s deep dive into the world of exotic pets.

THE TEAM AT HOLLY HOUSE CELEBRATES AFTER WINNING BURGESS EXCEL'S VETERINARY AWARD FOR GUINEA PIG FRIENDLY PRACTICE OF THE YEAR 2022.

NEW!

Exotic Services

Here at Holly House Vets - Exotics we are a hard-working and enthusiastic team of veterinary professionals waiting to care for and treat all exotic pets.

We see a wide range of species from commonly kept mammals such as rabbits and guinea pigs, to reptiles, birds, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.

Whatever your question, our expert exotics team are likely to have an answer!

SERVICES INCLUDE

Purpose built exotic only consultation rooms

Separate waiting areas for predator and prey species

Separate dedicated predator, prey, and isolation hospital wards with vivaria, accommodation for larger species of reptiles, birds and small mammals, and equipped with appropriate UV lighting, heating, and species-speci c food

Mammals

Fish Reptiles

State-of-the-art surgical suite and specialised equipment including surgical instrumentation, diagnostic imaging (radiography and access to CT scanning, endoscopy and ultrasonography) and lab testing

Amphibians

143 Shadwell Lane, Leeds LS17 8AE

0113 3224341

Birds

Invertebrates

w w w.hollyhousevets.co.uk

Heart of the Community

DAYS TO REMEMBER

The wandering Jew has experienced many trials and tribulations since the days of Abraham. In all these years, the nation of Israel has seldom been free, united, and independent. Conditions without which Jews have always found themselves in danger – physically and spiritually.

This year we celebrate 75 years of independence for the Jewish state and homeland – Israel. Besides being a round number this is also a very important turning point, we are walking into uncharted territory. This is the third time Jews have been united and independent. The first time under King David – and then Solomon – the kingdom lasted around 73 years. The kingdom then splits, initially because of tax issues, then over who inherits the throne, and ultimately this leads to the end of the kingdom and the first exile. The second kingdom of Israel only truly becomes independent after the Hasmonaean revolt, and it too only lasts for around 70 years. Until, again because of infighting over the true heir to the throne, the kingdom is conquered, and the Jews ultimately are sent to a diaspora of almost 2,000 years until we finally achieve independence again in Israel, 75 years ago.

In the timeline you will see how important Jewish independence is for the continuity of our people. After the first kingdom falls apart, the Jewish people then numbering at least five million, die out drastically, to a point that 400 years later, when Haman wants to wipe out all the Jews on Purim – the Jews only numbered 300,000. The same trend repeats in the second temple – after the Hasmonaean revolt we see exponential growth (in Israel and in diaspora, under the protection of

the Jewish Kingdom). Which plateaus when the Romans take over, then once the temple is destroyed the Jews number under one million. It is only a millennium and a half later, under the industrial revolution and the beginning of Jewish emancipation that we see true growth for the Jewish people, only to culminate in the Holocaust where there was no nation state to protect the Jews.

The state of Israel is home for all Jews; through the Jewish Agency (for which I work), and many other organisations. Israel acts as the guardian of Jewish people in all their diaspora. Likewise, Jews in all their diaspora band together in support of our one Jewish state in our historical homeland, bridging political and religious gaps. It is therefore so important that we mark both our days of mourning, Yom HaShoah and Yom Hazikaron – remembering those who died for being Jewish, and those who died for standing up to protect Jews and the Jewish state, and then celebrate Yom

Ha’atzmaut (Independence) and Yom Yerushalayim (Reunification of Jerusalem).

As Israel embarks on these uncharted waters past its 75th year, it experiences perhaps one of the stormiest political conditions since its inception, and some voices fear it is the beginning of the end. How will you be celebrating Israel’s 75 this year? I for one, am full of hope.

So join us, young and old for our reimagined and carefully crafted community events around these important events:

Yom HaShoah VeHagvura Memorial - April 17th

Yom Hazikaron (Israels Remembrance day) –April 24th

Yom Ha’atzmaut - April 26th after school - blue and while carnival of Israeli food, fun, and culture with all Leeds communal organizations running stalls, activities, and competitions for all ages.

Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem day) - May 18th Israels 75th Independence Day concert with Jeremy Sassoon June – TBA

Info@makor.co.uk

0113 268 0899

Leeds Shaliach Yaakov Pinsky talks about celebrating 75 years of independence for the Jewish state.

THE BEE’S KNEES

Arthritis of the knee currently affects approximately 8.5 million people in the UK, with one in five adults over 45 years old having symptoms that affect their daily life. These symptoms can range from intermittent discomfort and an occasional knee swelling at lower intensities, to constant pain with marked joint deformity, stiffness, instability, and resultant falls at higher intensities. So how does one know if the early symptoms of possible knee arthritis need treatment? Is there anything that can be done to prevent or slow down progression of knee arthritis? What are the latest treatment developments?

Mr Owen Wall is a nationally recognised Consultant Knee Surgeon with 24 years of experience. He offers NHS and private services locally and nationally. His NHS practice allows him to be part of groundbreaking clinical research with cutting edge technology, which studies the results of stem-cell manipulation via keyhole surgery in treating early arthritis of the knee. He specialises in treating patients with both simple and more complex knee problems. His focus is to provide each patient with an accurate diagnosis and a tailored, individualised treatment plan centred around their goals and expectations.

Mr Wall was asked for his comments regarding the development of treatments available for knee arthritis over the next decade: “Over the past 15 to 20 years,

multi-million pound investment from national charities and private companies have been made with the singular goal of trying to prevent or treat early arthritis in the hope of avoiding knee replacement surgery. Great gains have been made and there are now techniques available which can manipulate stem cells in the knee to restore damaged cartilage, thereby possibly negating the need for knee replacement. I’m in no doubt that the next decade will see these techniques become an established treatment for arthritis of the knee, helping to bridge the gap before existing treatments, such as partial and total knee replacement, need to be utilised. Every patient has unique and personal expectations, therefore it’s imperative to provide a complete consultation with access to cutting-edge diagnostics that helps formulate a bespoke solution.”

To book an appointment with Mr Wall get in touch on:

Leedskneeclinic.com

0113 388 2009 or 07943 938 811

owenrwall@leedskneeclinic.com

Instagram @theleedsknee or on Twitter @kneedoc74

Owen Wall, Consultant Knee Surgeon at Leeds Knee Clinic, details the ins and outs of treating knee arthritis.

THE SECRET IS OUT

JLife’s Katerina Hough headed to Sukhothai to sample some of the restaurant’s authentic Thai cuisine and enjoy the new Secret Garden theme.

It’s many peoples’ dream to be a restaurant critic for the day or at least a frequent dream of mine. So when given the opportunity to visit Sukhothai, one of Leeds’ most decorated restaurants across 20 years, I said yes without checking my calendar.

Upon arrival to Chapel Allerton, we were welcomed by friendly staff before being ushered to our table. The comfortable corner seat provided an impressive view of the expansive restaurant with a glass wall giving a reassuring insight into the happenings of the kitchen. The ambience of the restaurant was impeccable and excitement ensued as we took in the new secret garden theme, the talk of the town in North Leeds. It really is amazing, the relaxing sounds of the feature wall and pond the perfect backdrop for a romantic and intimate experience and the visual impact sparkling under tropical florals and bespoke lighting.

Our drinks order was promptly taken, my guest and I don’t drink alcohol which usually leaves

us drinking sparkling water at several restaurants. But here we were thrilled to find a selection of thirst-quenching mocktails! We ordered two Virgin Mojito’s which were refreshing and tangy and made the evening feel like a real occasion.

WHAT WE ATE

Starter

Phed Mango £8.50

Tom Kha £7.25

Main course

Massaman Kaa Gae £20.95

Gang Pak Tai £12.95

We perused the extensive menu which, had we been less hungry, could have been even more considered. Skimming over one delicious-sounding dish to another we settled on the Tom Kha soup and the Phed Mango duck breast for starters. The soup was so incredible that we ended up splitting it (much to the dismay of my dinner guest). Its coconut milk base with chilli oil seasoning provided the perfect balance of coolness and heat which resulted in a flavoursome dish even suited to those with a low spice tolerance. Between courses, the staff were on hand over to wipe our table, the cleanliness and service were second to none. We were always checked on at appropriate times in the meal and every waitress and waiter was friendly and smiling.

Dessert

Mango Sorbet £5.50

sauces showcased tasty blends of spices. Sukhothai is great at taking Thai staples such as yellow curry and coconut rice to a unique, decadent version of their own. And as someone who loves this cuisine, I was pleasantly surprised to discover new favourites or new versions of old ones.

Though we were full of our generously portioned starter and main course, we couldn’t resist attempting a dessert. We shared the Mango Sorbet which was, expectedly by this point, delicious. The sorbet came in a large sundae glass and was a vibrant yellow. It had an extremely smooth ice-cream-like texture with a punchy not too sweet tropical flavour. It was the perfect palette cleanser to end the meal.

Given the opportunity to return to Sukhothai, I would absolutely take it. Its reliably good food, wonderful staff, and dazzling new theme would make it a perfect spot for a celebratory dinner or a casual meal. If you haven’t been for a while, get a date in your calendar soon.

Sukhothai.co.uk

For our main course we ordered the Massaman Kaa Gae, a lamb shank braised in Massaman curry sauce, served with jasmine rice and the Gang Pak Tai yellow curry served with coconut rice. Both curry

CHAPEL ALLERTON | SOUTH PARADE LEEDS | HARROGATE

Heart of the Community

DISCO INFERNO

Local charity PhysCap raised an amazing £45,000 at a fundraiser at Bibis Italianissimo.

It is hard to believe that it has been three years since PhysCap last held a fundraising event but the charity was back with a bang with a “Disco Inferno” charity night at Bibis Italianissimo in March.

support. It means so much to be able to help many children with vital equipment. Hopefully everyone enjoyed a fantastic night and watch this space for details of the next big fundraising events!”

Over 200 people supported the fundraiser which was a huge success and raised in excess of £45,000 which will help to provide specialist equipment and care for disabled children and their families across Yorkshire.

Event organiser Jodie Harris said: “We just want to thank all of our incredible supporters for their ongoing generosity and

SNOW PATROL

Homeless Street Angels provided for those stuck out in the snow during recent freezing temperatures.

As Leeds saw temperatures plummet below freezing and snowy weather on 9th March, Homeless Street Angels were out on the streets of Leeds city centre, providing vital food and supplies to those left without a place to shelter in: “Tonight was certainly needed for the guys we support – one of our worst nights this year,” the charity’s

Facebook page stated: “Absolutely freezing temperatures and so cold my face hurt, I just can’t imagine spending the whole night in it. We managed to get a few guys a bed in St George’s Crypt, and made sure everyone we saw got everything they needed to keep them as warm as possible.”

The team were also accompanied by

representatives from Look North, who were filming for the programme the next day: “Lots of thanks to Michelle from Look North for joining us, the Konexo team and Franco Manca for our weekly pizzas-all helping to make a terrible evening that little bit better.”

A RESPLENDENT BIBIS IS READY TO GO.

SCOTT HARRIS IS ON TRACK.

EVENT ORGANISER JODIE HARRIS FLANKED BY MELISSA AND SAM ROSENBERG.

PHYSCAP CHAIR DANIEL GRAY FRONTS UP WITH GUESTS.

L-R SIMON GRAY, JAMES ROSENBERG, DANIEL GRAY

FUNNY GIRL

Jewish Director and Writer Susan Sandler talks to JLife about her new film Julia Scotti: Funny That Way and her rom-com classic Crossing Delancey.

In the comedy boom of the 1980s, Rick Scotti was a busy guy – appearing in clubs across the country, on bills with Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld – when he came to the powerful realisation that nothing felt right. Rick’s true awakening at age 47 led to a new identity as Julia Scotti. Susan met Julia after one of her shows when she was contemplating telling her life story, she said: “I found her in the best possible way. A friend of mine, who is also a comedian put together a comedy show in Nantucket, and I saw her on stage. I loved what I saw. We hung out afterwards and I was working with Jane on putting together a one woman show which is what a lot of comedians do when they’re moving from their stand-up sets to doing more theatrical work. I’d worked with another comedian and she hinted that maybe Julia was interested in doing a one woman show.

“I started to hear more and more during conversations we had long into the night about what was going on in her life. That she returned to comedy after she transitioned, that she had been out of touch with her children for 15 years. The pieces were all there. As a storyteller all my nerve-endings screamed ‘this wants to be a documentary’.”

With Sandler’s previous writing success

Crossing Delancey, the play which she would later adapt into a screenplay for the 1988 rom-com, Susan knew a thing or two about telling life stories: “Crossing Delancey was heavily autobiographical. Especially in showing my relationship with my Bubbe which was very, very close.

“And you know what, at the centre of that story is that grandparents have a pure wish for their grandchildren that they will be happy. They see through all of this pressure about professional success, climbing a social ladder, the urge to make money that we might have. Grandparents don’t want any of that – they just want happiness for their grandchildren.”

Julia Scotti expressed in her story the devastation she felt for being removed from her children’s lives when everything else, including her gender identity and her marriage, was going wrong she felt her love for her children was the only thing which kept her afloat. Susan wanted to draw upon that re-connection with family in the documentary saying: “I was very grateful to Julia’s children for being so open. The separation part of their story is very heart-breaking, but very joyful that the film captures the return. The beginning and rebuilding of this relationship and all of the things that come from that. And letting

people know that living your truth is where happiness is.

“The heart-breaking thing is that they were living just 15 minutes away during that time. So, it wasn’t like she was living on the other side of the country, they were living in the same community, but estranged. Julia would learn about them, as she says in the film, through family members who would see them and bring her things like Emma’s graduation photos and their view of events – all told through Julia’s mother or cousin who were in touch with them. But there was never direct contact.”

Thankfully, Julia’s story comes to a happy ending, which Susan was happy to portray: “But how they opened up and reconnected! They were extraordinary, her son Dan was very connected to her through his love of comedy. For the time of their estrangement, he became focused on doing comedy, being a sketch writer – almost as if he was genetically drawn to it. There’s a deep bond there.

“I think Emma had a more difficult time coming back to understanding their history, that’s understandable in many ways. But both do welcome Julia back into their lives.

The film was released on Transgender Visibility Day on 31st March.

Heart and Home

Seacroft Grange Care

Village ensures residents feel at home with its welcoming community and friendly atmosphere.

palliative care, the home also delivers respite care for carers in need of some help or those looking to ease into a care environment for the first time.

Dedicated care

Each resident’s experience is tailored to their unique requirements via a personalised care plan. This charts their unique mental and physical care, both of which are equally important to the care village’s dedicated staff.

The importance of finding a comfortable care room which feels right for your loved ones’ is of great importance at Seacroft Grange. This is why residents are welcome to make additions to their rooms. Pictures for the walls, treasured items, and smaller pieces of furniture are recommended pieces to make your loved ones’ room feel more personal.

spa offer opportunities to enjoy life’s little luxuries and most importantly continue independence.

Engaging social activities

Seacroft Grange is a family-run care home which offers personalised care in a warm and welcoming environment. Located by Seacroft village green, the Grade II listed building has stood proudly in the historic village of Seacroft since 1600. Refurbished in 2016 by Springfield Healthcare, it now offers its residents beautiful interiors with a stylish but comfortable blend of modern and traditional furnishings. The home is full of natural light from the large windows, which afford wide ranging views across Leeds.

Seacroft Grange Care Village ensures residents feel at home with its welcoming community and friendly atmosphere. Offering a range of personal care pathways including residential, nursing, dementia and

Friendly service

The team know how important mealtimes are, and residents can take their pick of tasty and varied meals from daily menus. For residents with cultural and dietary needs, food such as certified kosher meals are also available.

Reflected in the home’s menu and activities, Seacroft Grange includes integration of a guest’s religious practice a priority, alongside the quality of their care. For example, the celebrating of Jewish high holy days is incorporated into the schedule of Jewish residents and the home has support from the local Rabbi.

Between celebrations and mealtimes, the care villages’ unique facilities such as a cinema room, Bistro, hairdressers, and

Residents also have the option to engage in a rich schedule of activities. The activities team make it their mission to get to know the hobbies and interests of its residents so they can tailor activities towards them. Favourites include animal therapy days or Grab Your Passport days in which residents have a day of virtual globetrotting.

Spending time in green spaces is a frequent favourite for residents, their constant connection with the outdoors is a priority. To encourage time in nature the activities team hold frequent gardening groups as well as hosting the Springfield Strollers group which provides daily walks outside.

If you are looking for care then Seacroft Grange Care Village will give you peace of mind knowing your loved ones are in an understanding, care-devoted community focused on their unique needs.

Springfieldhealthcare.com/care-homes/ care-villages/seacroft-grange/

0113 537 0308

We spoke to Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch, chaplain at University of Leeds about the support he and his wife, Nava, provide Jewish students based in Leeds and Yorkshire.

Leeds is a strong hub for Jewish students from all over the UK, and there are organisations on campus to support and welcome them, and offer mental health support and a space to report antisemitism while they’re studying, Zecharia and Nava open their home to build the student community and give them confidence to become future leaders.

Strong Support

Hi Zecharia! So, tell me about your work day-to-day?

Hello! We are the official rabbinic couple of the university, so we work on campus full time. We support students with anything they need. Whether it’s an issue they have with the university such as a religious freedom issue, a social struggle, a bowl of soup or just a chat – we give them a place to go.

We host meals at our home on Shabbat and during the week. We host a Dinner and Discussion group where students come over for dinner and we discuss Jewish values or identity – something educational. But it’s mostly social because that’s what people are looking for after a long day of university. We really do try to be a home away from home.

It seems like you’ve created such a welcoming environment! How did you first get involved with the university?

Since we met, my wife and I always said we wanted to do some type of community work together and that was our dream ever since. In 2018 we did a short shlichut in Ethiopia for a month and a half with the youth there. This was an incredible experience, but we wanted something longer so when we returned to Israel, we did a two-year training programme called Amiel by Ohr Torah Stone which trains couples to go to different communities around the world and take on either educational, leadership, or rabbinical work.

We were very keen to work at a university campus because we wanted to be part of Jewish students’ experience at such a meaningful time in their lives. We were in touch with some of the Jewish university campus organizations in the US and UK and Baruch Hashem we found University Jewish Chaplaincy.

How does your work fit into the wider Leeds community?

Leeds is very special in the sense that all the organisations on campus work really well together. There’s a lot of communication. We try not to make events clash with community events so each student doesn’t have to choose which events they go to, they can attend them all.

At the university there’s a very strong JSOC (Jewish Society) who work very well with us. There’s also Chabad and Aish who are very active and do amazing things on campus and are located very close to our house. Its nice to have them so close to us because when the students are away they are our small Jewish community in the centre of Leeds.

We really want to get the students and the North Leeds community more involved with each other and are currently working on an event together so stay tuned!

Advertisers on photo pages have not necessarily been involved with events shown.

ETZ CHAIM SYNAGOGUE HELD A CHILDREN’S PURIM PARTY. THERE WERE SOME SUPER FANCY DRESS EFFORTS.

THE CHILDREN ENJOYED ACTIVITIES OF MASKMAKING AND COLOURING.

A LARGE CROWD ATTENDED THE SOLD OUT JOINT BHH-ETZ CHAIM CHINESE THEMED PURIM SEUDAH.

UHC HELD A SILENT DISCO PURIM PARTY.

Negligence Medical

Stuart Cretch from Ison Harrison explains how the firm can help should you need to make a medical negligence claim against your healthcare provider.

Medical negligence happens when healthcare professionals provide substandard care which causes injury and loss. This can happen in a number of contexts and may involve private or NHS treatment. Unfortunately, despite the excellent standards of today’s medical professionals there are still occasions where the standard of care provided by hospital doctors, nurses, GPs and dentists is so poor it is deemed negligent.

For a legal claim to be successful it’s necessary to show that both the care received fell below an acceptable standard and that the patient has suffered injury and loss as a result of that care. This is usually done with the assistance of independent medical experts.

We understand that pursing a claim for medical negligence can be daunting and stressful and our team is on hand to support and guide you through the process. Our experts aim to get our clients back on their feet by negotiating financial assistance from those at fault.

It’s important to seek legal advice as soon as possible as there are strict time limits which apply to making a claim for medical negligence.

If we believe that there are sufficient prospects to pursue a claim we will guide you through the process and ensure that you get the compensation you deserve to enable you to obtain support and assistance when you need it the most. If you would like further information, please visit our website or contact a member of the team for free

advice on 0113 284 5000 or email clinneg@ isonharrison.co.uk

Ison Harrison has long been recognised as The Leeds Law Firm and is now established as The Yorkshire Law Firm, with a network of 17 city centre and regional offices including Chapel Allerton, Harrogate and Leeds city centre. All branches carry the same ethos that runs throughout the organisation, that of a broader legal service, a deeper understanding and a local and personalised service. The dedicated, professional and friendly team also cover other core legal issues such as family law, residential conveyancing and wills and probate, personal injury, criminal law and immigration law.

Isonharrison.co.uk

Smelling a Cure

SpotItEarly is an innovative Israeli business that is shaking up the healthcare industry with an unorthodox cancer screening method. Founded in 2019, the company’s mission is to revolutionize the way cancer is detected and diagnosed, making it easier, faster, and more accessible to everyone. The business has made this possible by using the capabilities of a slightly strange test method – a dog’s sense of smell. As it turns out, our canine friends have incredibly sensitive olfactory senses which can detect the scent of cancer even in the early stages.

“We were looking to do something impactful for the world and for humanity,” Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Udi Bobrovsky explained. “We started reading around and looking through some studies and looked for how we can do something which will bring value. Cancer is a huge problem in the world today and part of the solution is to find it early. If you find it early you can save nine out of 10 people, whereas if you find cancer in the later stage, only one in 10 people will survive.”

The problem that SpotItEarly is trying to solve is significant. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and early detection is critical for successful treatment. However, the traditional methods of detecting cancer, such as mammography and biopsies, are invasive,

time-consuming, and can often produce inaccurate results.

The solution to this problem is a noninvasive test which can be done by the user at home, applying and breathing into a mask for five minutes and then sending the sample off to be examined by the dogs.

This approach has several advantages over traditional cancer screening methods: “This screening option doesn’t require any co-ordination or involvement from other people, which makes it a quicker and cheaper solution. We are also able to screen for multiple types of cancer with one sample. We can look for lung, colon, breast, and prostate cancer.”

The screening is currently in clinical

trials, which are producing encouraging findings: “We haven’t finished the clinical trial yet but we’ve had some very promising results and we have been able to reach a very high accuracy level,” Udi explained. “We’ve achieved over 90% accuracy, which is quite high. But the more encouraging result is that we’re also receiving really promising results with finding early cancer results.”

After clinical trials, the product could be reaching consumers by as soon as next year: “We hope to finalise the study by October this year. It then has to go through clinical validation and regulations, but we hope to have this done and have the product commercialised by 2024.”

Udi Bobrovsky, Co-Founder of SpotItEarly, details how the business is using dogs to detect cancer.

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Cows End the War on Antibiotics

The overuse of antibiotics is causing a decline in their efficiency from bacteria’s ability to mutate and resist them. But new research has indicated the problem doesn’t lie in local GPs over-prescribing, it lies with farmers overdosing their cattle.

Livestock account for 70% of all antibiotics used globally as farmers find it cheaper to prevent udder infections in cows than to treat them when they occur. As cows and humans have some overlap in the bacteria they carry, cows becoming resistant to antibiotics can transfer to humans through the meat and dairy we consume.

Miletutis, an Israeli bio-pharmaceutical start up, has developed a natural alternative to keep animals healthy without antibiotics. Its solution, Imilac, uses peptides– small proteins – extracted from milk which are then lab processed into a medicine which boosts the cow’s immune system. David Javier Iscovich CEO of Miletutis says: “We have spoken to farmers in the UK, in South America, North America, China and India. And for them, it’s a game changer.”

Date Set for UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement Mission

A date for the upcoming trade mission has recently been narrowed down to 14th or 15th May.

Tapping into the new business collaboration opportunities for Northern Powerhouse tech companies in particular, the Department for International Trade (DIT) and UK Israel Business (UKIB) is inviting local and ready-to-export companies to take their tech to Israel through a trade mission set to launch in May.

UK Leads Business Delegation to Israel

His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner, Chris Barton CMG, led a 30-strong business delegation from the UK financial services sector on a three-day intensive visit to meet with Israeli businesses, regulators, and policy makers. The delegation brought together a leading group of associations including UKFinance, CityUK and CBI. Fintechs such as Revolut, and Wise, and major global players such as Citi and the London Stock Exchange Group.

The delegation showcased the groundswell of support among UK services firms for an upgraded FTA with Israel, one of the world’s fastest growing, most innovative and dynamic economies. In

A round up of the latest local business and UK Israel trade news.

parallel to the delegation, UK and Israeli negotiators held technical discussions on Financial Services as part of the FTA negotiations. Both sides are working towards a second round of negotiations in due course.

Debbie Serota, Partner and Head of Israel desk at Irwin Mitchell said: “An advanced FTA between the UK & Israel will deliver significant new opportunities for Irwin Mitchell and our clients as a major legal firm and large exporter of services. Our clients (both business and personal) are showing increased interest in Israel and the delegation visit was a great opportunity to explore the opportunities which Israel presents as a market for trade and investment.”

Undetectable Nutritional Benefits in Plant-Based Food

Vegan alternatives have run into two overriding problems: plant-based food doesn’t have the nutritional benefits of its animal-product counterpart, or they’re nutritionally beneficial with an unappealing taste.

Israel-based start-up, Brevel, has found a solution to both problems. Its researchers have created an undetectable protein made from microalgae, which is virtually tasteless and has no effect on the food item’s texture. The product results in a white powder developed from chlorella, a widely used health supplement known for its strong and unpleasant seaweed flavour. Brevel has discovered a way to remove its strong flavour while preserving its high protein qualities.

In discussion with No Camels, CEO, Yonatan Golan says: “For the first time, we’re actually able to get to cost levels that are relevant for the food industry, and relevant for large food manufacturers that want to replace existing protein sources with a new source that is also sustainable and tasty.”

Law Firm Celebrates International Women’s Day

Upcoming law firm, Clarion, based in Leeds celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting regular events to help men and women across its 300-strong team to better understand menopause symptoms and treatment.

Dr Ella Russell, also known as the Yorkshire Menopause Doctor has been

working with Clarion since 2021 to deliver informative healthcare advice on one of the most common, yet infrequently discussed, aspects of women’s healthcare. The popularity of Dr Ella’s workshops has led to the partnership providing complimentary consultation for women in the Clarion team who feel they need extra support.

In discussion with the Yorkshire Times Dr Ella says: “Clarion is the only firm I’ve come across that is allocating a ‘women’s wellbeing budget’ to provide complimentary, one-to-one consultations for those in the team who are struggling. With research showing that at this life stage, women are at higher risk of leaving work, passing up promotions or reducing their hours, it is vital that companies provide the help women need to enable them to continue to flourish in the workplace.”

Rudding Park Invests In New Electric Vehicle Chargers

Rudding Park has invested over £50k to add EV chargers to its carpark. The hotel teamed up with Manchester-based sustainable tech company, Pilot Group, to ensure it was doing everything it could to be a responsible green company for the Harrogate business community. The chargers are a welcome addition for guests, residents, and visitors of Harrogate who have already chosen to switch to electric vehicles.

The units, which are 22kw each, are electrically fed from the Rudding Park Energy Centre. Therefore the EV Chargers benefit from a 30% reduction in Carbon Dioxide emissions (compared to grid-supplied chargers). Purpose-built, the chargers are enabled with the latest technologies with sufficient electricity supply to deliver a consistent and fast charge across all bays.

Matthew Mackaness, Rudding Park Director said: “As a responsible business it is vital we do our bit and ensure the environment is at the heart of all business decisions. We teamed up with The Pilot Group for their Tap and Go solution and Yorkshire-based Utley-EV on the installation.

“The way to give people the confidence to switch to electric is to increase the provision of chargers across the district. The charging points are extremely user-friendly and can be activated on a Tap and Go basis so there is no need to download an app or create an account.”

The first UKIB meeting of the year welcomed record numbers of new faces, as Colin Glass noted in his opening speech. Colin highlighted the upcoming trade mission to Israel, taking place on either 14th or 15th May, which will overlap with the bio-med conference in Tel Aviv. He also took the time to congratulate UKIB member Jonathan Straight on winning the Portrait of Britain competition with a street photograph.

The meeting’s main speakers then took to the stage with Martin Port, Founder and Chairman of Big Change chatting to Ben Ziff, Managing Director of Town Centre Securities.

With prompting from Martin, Ben discussed how investing in technology is good for business: “By 2012 TCS was involved with a substantial parking operation which consisted of 650 sites. It was all cash-based, credit and debit didn’t

BACK TO

The February UK Israel Business Breakfast saw Ben Ziff of Town Centre Securities in conversation with local philanthropist Martin Port.

really exist in that world in the early 2000s. One of the very first things that I did when I took over was start recruiting developers. When they heard the word ‘developer’ the board thought we were going to build a load of car parks. In fact, we were going to do the opposite. We used some of the Bluetooth equipment that we’d had from another project, and created a product that enabled the barrier to open automatically for season ticket holders at the car park, because the car had been pre-authorised with a £1 payment, much like hotels used to do with card payments. We lost money for a period, but we had the basics where we could open this barrier without any customer interaction. It was an expensive journey but worth it in the long run.”

Ben also discussed the last UK Israel tech mission he attended: “The highlight of that trip for me was having a private tour of Shimon Peres’ office. It was fascinating

because all of the original artefacts, including his Nobel Peace Prize, were in the glass cabinet. The businesses we saw were mind-blowing. We are very good at deploying new technologies within startups across TCS’s portfolio. If we invest in these start-ups in the early days, then hopefully we can make them a substantial entity.”

Experiencing the business on the ground is something that Ben believes is important for seeing how your business is operating: “My grandfather taught me this. In the old days he would have me sweeping the stock room floors in his shoe shops. It’s really eye opening what you see when you’re one of the team on the shop floor. I regularly wear a CitiPark uniform and work branches and see what’s going on and what can be changed. It’s not about catching your staff out; it’s about how can we make the customer journey smoother as they go from A to B.”

After a talk from Joshua Diamond introducing the Israeli ambulance service Magen David Adom, Humanitarian Sally Becker took the stage to tell her story, which began during a civil war in Bosnia in 1999: “I began my work in Mostar on the west side of the city, helping the Jewish community, there were about 70 of them who hadn’t gone to Israel. These were people who were strong enough to say ‘no, we’re not moving again’ but they were missing so many things such as electricity.

“One day, a UN officer came to see me from UN civil affairs, and he said: ‘Sally, you know you’re the only foreign aid worker going in and out of west Mostar.’ And I didn’t know that. He said: ‘We’re taking in a convoy, the first one for three months. Can you please get permission for us to take out a child who needs heart surgery.’”

Sally gained permission to remove all of the injured children on the condition that she went with the convoy: “I went back to see the

Sally Becker was the guest speaker at the March UK Israel Business Breakfast, discussing her incredible experiences rescuing children from warzones.

BUSINESS

UN officer and said they couldn’t take me in because I’m a civilian. The convoy set off, that night I was watching TV and I saw a report that they were blocked and couldn’t leave. I got a call, and it was the UN officer. He said: ‘Everything’s arranged, you can come now.’”

Armed with an ambulance and supplies Sally got to the front line, but the trials were far from over: “Suddenly, there was a crack, and the light on top of the ambulance had been shot by a sniper. I’d never been shot at before and I was terrified. I didn’t know if I’d ever see the people I loved again. I put my foot down and swerved. I made it into the city and once I was there the buildings protected me.”

It seemed that the UN were hoping that Sally could fix their problems for them: “I got there and the UN officer told me that I had to convince the Bosnian army to let them go with the children. I went to the hospital, it was so primitive, it reminded me of scenes I’d seen from the Crimean War. A 10-year-old girl called Selma and her little brother had been trapped in their home for months, Selma had convinced her brother they should sneak outside and play in the sunshine. A grenade hit and they were severely wounded and rushed to hospital, but there was only enough anaesthetic for one of them. Selma said her brother should have it because she felt it was her fault. They had to remove her left arm without anaesthetic. She was the most amazing little girl.”

Sally became known as ‘The Angel of Mostar’, after a fraught standoff with the UN which attracted the attention of the world’s media, she evacuated 100 children and their families.

Sally relived many stories helping children all around the world, from Israel to Ukraine, along with photos that had been taken by press along the way and closed to a standing ovation.

Jack, Darren and the team are on hand to help you. Drop in for a coffee, in the heart of the community, for help with your tax queries and accountancy support. Our door is always open.

Success for New Networking Group

“People buy from people” is the premise for a new North Leeds networking group created and sponsored by Solicitors. The inaugural “LS8 Meet-Up” was held at The Leeds Deli, with coffee, croissants, and conversation being the only agenda items, plus a raffle which raised £90 for Cash For Kids.

With the focus to support local, create strong networks and keep business thriving in North Leeds, the first meet-up was fully booked with a waiting list. Such was the enthusiasm for the concept of a casual business networking group, that as people left, they were already reserving their place for the next event.

Donisthorpe Fund to Aid Elderly

LJWB recently received a £1 million donation which came from the proceeds made from the sale of Donisthorpe Hall. Following feedback about the issues faced by older people in the community who suffer from dementia, or are trying to navigate the care system to arrange care after hospital discharge, or have a change in their care needs, the board announced two new posts to help with these challenges.

LJWB will be recruiting an Older Person’s Dementia Specialist Support Worker working with individuals and their families in the community when faced with a diagnosis of dementia. The board will also recruit a Care Facilitator to support people being discharged from hospital and looking for longer-term care; working with families to navigate the complex care and financial systems. Once suitable care has been found this role will then continue to support people in long term care to ensure that they are able to access culturally appropriate care.

“We are so delighted to be able to directly use the Donisthorpe Hall donation to fund two new workers for the next five years to support the needs of the Jewish community,” said Elizabeth Bradbury CEO of LJWB. “These roles will complement our current comprehensive support for older people in our community and provide much needed help and support when people, often at time of increased stress, are trying to navigate the often-complex health and social care systems.”

Max Heads Bar-Ilan’s British Friends

Former Chief Executive of Manchester Jewish Museum, Max Dunbar, has been appointed Executive Director of the British Friends of Bar-Ilan University.

Dunbar had spent the past 11 years transforming Manchester Jewish Museum, raising £6 million to build a major extension and restore the museum’s historic Sephardi synagogue. Having spearheaded the museum’s fundraising efforts, he will now be responsible for gathering support and raising the profile of Bar-Ilan University in the UK.

With over 20,000 students, 29 libraries and the largest Jewish Studies Faculty in the world, Bar-Ilan University is one of Israel’s leading universities. Located in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, the university has nine faculties, uniquely combining cutting-edge scientific and medical research with education steeped in Jewish values and social responsibility.

Commenting on his new position, Max said: “I’m thrilled to be representing Bar-Ilan University here in the UK. On my recent visit, I saw first-hand the remarkable work Bar-Ilan is doing with Israeli communities and in the fields of health, medicine and renewable energy. I’m looking forward to sharing this work with communities across the UK, helping the university make a positive impact in Israel and around the world.”

Celebration of Volunteering Awards

Over 400 guests from the Jewish and wider community arrived at the Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire to see 90 charity award winners from 46 charities receive their individually personalised trophies.

Hosted by renowned community compere, Nigel Rothband, the evening

offered up a mix of simcha, memories, community spirit and inspiration as speeches were made by charity professionals, executives, and the volunteers who made an enormous contribution to the community.

The evening showcased volunteers from four award categories: Volunteer of the Year, Volunteer Team of the Year, Young Adult Volunteer of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Winner of the Volunteer of the Year award was Dr David Spitzer, volunteer at Kef Kids. To honour Dr Spitzer’s award, parents of a Kef Kids service user came forward to say: “Our child has highly complex medical needs and we have only been able to send him to Camp Kef (so we can get respite) due to Dr MD Spitzer volunteering his time and expertise summer and winter for years! He takes on this enormous responsibility with humility, good humour, warmth, and love. He is an exceptional doctor, an incredible person, and an outstanding volunteer.”

Yearly Passover Pop-Up Shop Opens

The Pesach pop-up shop is once again in full swing at Etz Chaim Synagogue. Run by Marshall Frieze and Simon Williams (L-R) in conjunction with Gourmet, this is the 6th year since the team stepped in after Moortown Deli closed suddenly just before Pesach in 2018 leaving the community without a local provision. It will be open through to 9th April, full opening hours are on the Leeds Jewish Community facebook group or available from Etz Chaim office.

TERESA DAVIDSON WITH RAFFLE WINNER NIGEL GRIZZARD.

Heart of the Community

HELPING HAND

Leeds Jewish Welfare Board is searching for new volunteers.

LJWB prides itself on having a bank of 250 volunteers that it can call on to help with various activities and tasks. Join its amazing team change both your life and the lives of others. Volunteers are central to the work and purpose of LJWB. Their contributions are highly valued and have a direct impact on the work of the organisation.

Could you help with any of the following roles?

Activity Support Volunteer (Board Games Host) – Host a session of board games at the MAZCC between 10am to 12pm every Wednesday.

Charity Shop Volunteers – Volunteers are needed to help both on the shop floor and to prepare the stock for sale.

Befrienders – Can you spare an hour each week or fortnightly to meet someone for a coffee or visit them in their home?

Training and support will be given and a DBS check is essential, though the volunteer team will arrange this. Call: 0113 218 5846 to find out how you can get involved.

ONWARD & UPWARD

We catch up with Becky Teiger as she takes on the brandnew role of Community Director at Sinai Synagogue.

A recent study by the Institute of Jewish Policy Research highlighted that the COVID pandemic accelerated numerous challenges facing Jewish communities, including declining attendance at services, fewer volunteers, and a weakening attachment to Jewish identity.

But that’s simply not the case at Sinai Synagogue, where despite the challenges mentioned, the community is coming back from COVID with renewed purpose and focus. Instrumental to this has been the appointment of a new senior professional who is driving

the strategic direction of the community.

Becky Teiger has been a member of Sinai since she moved to Leeds in 2000 and has held lay leadership positions across the Leeds community throughout this time. After a 20-year career in education, coaching, and leadership development she is now using these skills to reinvigorate Sinai.

After two years as consultant to the community, she has now been appointed Community Director, a new senior role for Sinai: “We want Sinai to be a place where everyone feels they can belong, regardless of their gender, sexuality, level of Hebrew, family structure, whatever. Our members come from a hugely diverse range of backgrounds but what connects us is our desire to celebrate together, to share Jewish ritual, learning and culture and continue to build a community steeped in tradition yet relevant to today.”

LJWB VOLUNTEERS FOR THE PAST PREPARING MEALS.

Heart of the Community

CLEAN AS A WHISTLE

Astonish provides new LJHA residents with cleaning products just in time for the Passover clean.

Leeds Jewish Housing Association have received a donation of a range of household cleaning products from Astonish as part of welcome packs for new residents. The welcome packs will also include a mug, tea, coffee, challot, and grape juice.

Simon said: "Leeds Jewish Housing Association would like to make the experience of moving into a new property as smooth and as clean as possible. In doing this, we

SUIT UP

Skopes recently donated a full suit to a man in need of clothing to attend a funeral.

Chapel Allerton-based charity Homeless Street Angels has received a donation of a full suit from luxury formalwear provider Skopes. The charity reached out to Skopes Owner Simon Cope when a couple it has supported for five years needed formalwear to attend the funeral of a close relative.

Shelley Joyce, Co-Founder of the charity said: “Simon has supported our charity since the beginning and he is always there if we need anything. To have this support makes what we do easier, and his generosity has meant that one of our previously homeless guys can walk into a family funeral looking smart with his head held high. It’s the little things that count when we

support our homeless guys. When they get a property, we like to stay connected and be there for them whenever they need a hand.”

Simon Cope commented: “It is all our duty to help whenever and however we can.

Becky and Shelley are the real heroes with the dedication they show (week in week out) by helping the homeless. They feed, find new accommodation, provide all they needed to survive (clothing and shelter) and are the essential lifeline that is needed. When the ladies from HSA called, I was only too pleased to help, as this chap who has just lost his father (which is a traumatic time) wanted to pay his respects at the funeral by dressing appropriately.”

appreciate the generosity of Astonish in contributing to our welcome packs, which are designed to help support our residents as they set up home with us.”

On behalf of Astonish, Daniel said: "Astonish are delighted to offer our support to the LJHA. What a wonderful initiative to be a part of, by giving the residents a lovely welcome pack for their new homes, just in time for spring cleaning!"

Jackie’s mother rarely talked about what had happened during the war. It was only after her uncle and aunt had died that Jackie inherited an archive of material relating to the family back in Germany. Jackie’s mother had managed to get out of Berlin in 1936, following her brother and sister who had already escaped. But Jackie’s grandparents had remained.

One night, on a whim, Jackie searched her grandparents’ names on the web. What she found felt like a sign: four days earlier two Stolpersteine (stumble stones) had been laid in their names outside the house in Berlin where they had once lived. Each listed their name, year of birth, date of deportation to Theresienstadt, and date of their murder by the Nazis.

“The book is about me getting to know these grandparents that I never knew,” Jackie explained. “It was a gradual realisation in childhood that they had not met a normal death. A lot of my generation were brought up in the aftershock of the Second World War and the Holocaust, and our parents wanted a new life and to just start again, so it wasn’t talked about. When I found out about these memorials to my grandparents, that was really the trigger that set the whole thing off. Writing the book was also kind of one in the eye for the Nazis.

BACK TO LIFE

They tried to annihilate them, but this book brings the memory of them back to life.”

Having found out about the stones dedicated to her grandparents after a spur of the moment search – only days after they were placed – was quite the coincidence for Jackie: “I’ve never been someone who believes in some great cosmic order, but I think things do happen at certain times, and I can’t really explain it. All I know is that it did happen, and it was a coincidence. Things are sometimes in the ether and there are times when things are meant to come to the surface. I’m not really a judge of that, all I know is that it’s happened.”

Though this story is deeply personal to Jackie, there are a few things that she would like readers to take away from reading her book: “One thing that I would like to impress on people is that there is evidence when you start digging. Because the Nazis did a lot to obliterate the people they were annihilating. They gave them numbers, made the men take the name Israel and the women Sara as a way of dehumanising them. It’s important to bring back their humanity and see them as people. They’re not only identified by being victims of the Nazis, I want people to see that they were human beings who had normal lives that ended horribly, but that was just the end,

there was a normality before that. And also to show that you can find the evidence, the Nazis were maniacs at keeping records.”

The Memory Keeper will be available from all major book retailers from 20th April.

We sit down with author Jackie Kohnstamm to discuss her deeply personal book, The Memory Keeper.

Each of our festivals comes with a tagline. Sukkot is the Festival of Happiness; Shavuot is the Festival of Receiving the Torah, and Passover is the Festival of Freedom. To some this may be ironic – Passover is the most labour intensive of all our festivals and requires a thorough cleaning of our houses before the festival. We are also very limited in what we can cook and eat on the festival. None of this seems to scream freedom!

The original freedom relates to our freedom from slavery in Egypt over 3,300 years ago, yet we still celebrate Passover to this day. We consider not only our

LastTheWORD

FREE SPIRIT

Rabbi Eli Pink of Chabad Lubavitch Leeds ponders freedom just in time for Passover.

freedom from the ancient bonds of slavery but also modern forms of slavery and being slaves to our own desires, urges, and habits. Sometimes freedom is to be found in breaking away from imposed norms, sometimes it is to be found in adhering to rules and avoiding anarchy.

Whenever I think of Passover and freedom, I remember my first Passover away from home. At the age of sixteen I was studying in Israel when a friend asked me if I would join him in Ukraine for Passover to help the local Chabad Lubavitch Rabbi to bring Passover to his community.

In 1997, the shadow of communism was still very much present in the former Soviet Union. We hired a hall that used to be the meeting room of the local communist party and prepared a communal Passover Seder. Two hundred people booked for the Seder, we catered for three hundred and three hundred and fifty came. They were

cautious, sometimes subdued, but excited at what the Passover Seder represented – their recent freedom from communism and its repression of religion.

Unfortunately, too many people in the world are still to find their freedom, whether because of challenges they face in their personal lives or because of wars and oppression. May this Passover bring true freedom and peace to the world.

As usual, Chabad Lubavitch Leeds will be running a Passover Fund for those in need. If you, or anyone you know is in need of support, please reach out to us in confidence. Similarly, if you know anyone in need of Shemura Matza or a place for a Pesach Seder, please contact us at office@ judaismlive.com and we will be happy to assist.

You can support our Pesach Fund at JudaismLive.com/pesachfund and sell your chametz online at JudaismLive.com/sale