2009
Sussex Jewish News was conceived on a coach trip to the synagogue in Portsmouth in September 1993. Arnold Lewis z’l and Doris Levinson learned that Irene Noah, who had been producing a magazine called Jewish Life with her husband for some years, had decided to give it up because of ill health. As members of the Representative Council, Arnold and Doris felt that the essence of the magazine – the Communal Diary, so lovingly and carefully produced every month by Pauline Fifer z’l – should continue to be available for members of the Jewish community in Brighton and Hove. Read more...
The very first issue of Sussex Jewish News came out in October 1993 and consisted of a letter from Herzl Sless z’l, the then President of the Brighton & Hove Jewish Representative Council, with the Communal Diary on the reverse. It was sent out to members of synagogues and organisations asking for membership of £5.00 and a request for articles and advertisements. It was hand-typed and photocopied (no electronic equipment in sight at the time) and stuffed into envelopes and posted out to arrive on people’s doorsteps on the first day of every month.
And so it has continued – arriving on the doorsteps on the first day (or as near to the first day) of every month (except for a combined 2-month New Year issue). The price has of course had to be increased, due to printing and postage costs, but it is still very affordable and fantastic value for money, as well as being a lifeline for many members of the community, especially those who do not have computers or are housebound.
After a few months, Steven Morris very kindly offered to produce the information on his computer in his back room, often working until 2.00 am. Gradually, advertisements and more copy arrived, and the magazine grew to four, then eight and even twelve pages – still in black and white and still being photocopied, collated by hand before being sent out.
In November 1996, Hilary Miller designed the first colour cover and proudly SJN now boasted 16 pages of information, rising to 20 or even 24 for the Rosh Hashanah issue.
Every month, each of the four synagogues contribute a page with inspiring messages from each of the rabbis. News came in from Worthing, Eastbourne, Hastings & Bexhill. Most of the community organisations send in stories and messages, including personal announcements, details of events and photographs, charity reports, information from the JACS and Historical Society team and also the very full programme at Ralli Hall. There continue to be film and theatre coverage, book reviews, reminiscences, personality profiles, poetry, history and information about Israel.
SJN has no reporters as such, but is grateful for all those who send in articles, comments, letters and advise the team of what has or is about to happen. All the major community events have been covered, such as the Holocaust Memorial at Meadowview Cemetery, the launch of Jewish Continuity; the Anne Frank Exhibition at Brighton College; the Brighton Jewish Film Festival; the deaths of our greats – Yitzhak Rabin, Rabbi Erwin Rosenbloom, Rev. Kalman Fausner; MBEs and OBEs awarded to members of our community; the Torah Academy; Hillel House; the Centre for German-Jewish Studies at Sussex University as well as the induction of Rabbis Efune and Rader by Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks; the visit of Chief Rabbi Efraim Mirvis; the induction of Rabbis Meyer and Zanardo at the Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue and Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah at the Progressive Synagogue.
The SJN team is very small, but very dedicated and there have been a few changes. Katie Lyons took over from Steven Morris for a while with her computer expertise and helped to redesign the SJN look. The blind and partially-sighted were delighted when Stewart Macintosh recorded each month’s issue onto cassette tapes and then floppy disks which were sent out free of charge every month to ten or twelve subscribers in special envelopes which they returned free of charge in the post.
Over the years, SJN benefited from the knowledge and support of a number of wonderful helpers – Laurence Temerlies, Calum Turner, Myra Winston, Deanna Samuels, Laura Sharpe, Angela Goldman, Sharon Rubin, Karen Pettit and Ivor Miskin z’l. Doris Levinson stepped down in 2006 as her husband was very ill and sadly passed away in 2007. Arnold Lewis, who had been the Administrator, also sadly passed away in 2007. But miraculously, Linda Freeman, who had come back down to live in Brighton from London, stepped up to the mark and offered to take over the editorship of the magazine for a couple of years, with Ivor Sorokin as Administrator, assisted by David Seidel, Sharon Rubin and Ivor Miskin, who sadly is also no longer with us.
Out of the blue, SJN had the extreme good fortune to be joined by Stephanie and Brian Megitt who had come to live in Eastbourne from Manchester and they have been and still are an immense asset, working tirelessly with great expertise together with Ivor Sorokin, Bernard and Lydia Swithern, David Seidel, and Michael Rich Doris Levinson, who came back on board,.
The magazine has been completely transformed into a full colour production with amazing front covers and interesting articles. Two weeks of every month are dedicated to the production of SJN, sourcing information, editing and proofing copy, chasing people for articles in time for the deadline, sourcing Communal Diary events, obtaining advertisements, sending out invoices and organising the printing and posting of the magazine. It is a professional production, produced by a team of dedicated volunteers.
Sussex Jewish News has become an archive for the Jewish community in Brighton, Hove and Sussex. It is sent to the East Sussex archive and to the Jewish Museum in Jerusalem. There are readers all over the world.
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Issue 189
August 2009
SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS www.sussexjewishnews.com | £2 | AUGUST 2009 | AV/ELUL 5769 | ISSUE 189 IN THIS ISSUE: . Summer Sensation is a HUGE success . Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” . Spotlight on - Community Security Trust (CST) team Strawberry Tea Showing us what happens when good weather, good food and good friends come together PERSONALS • WHAT’S ON IN YOUR AREA • COMPETITION WINNER • JANET’S COLUMN Editorial Board: Doris Levinson Community Issues: Laura Sharpe Stephanie Megitt Ivor Miskin Communal Diary: Angela Goldman David Seidel diary@sussexjewishnews.com Administrator: Ivor Sorokin Photographer: Sophie Sheinwald Admin Assistant: Gweni Sorokin E-Publishing: Gary Weston Andy Devon Design/Production: Katie Lyons August 2009. Av / Elul 5769. Issue 189. £2. PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ. Tel: 07906 955404. Email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com www.sussexjewishnews.com Editorial Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board: It’s all in the preparation. • are not allied to any synagogue or group and the Everyone enjoys the summer. It’s a time for holidays views expressed by writers are not necessarily those and a time to recharge our individual batteries. We find of SJN; time to relax, enjoy the sun and gear up for the stresses that are to come. • accept advertisements in good faith but do not endorse any products or services and do not accept The Jewish calendar is somewhat similar. July contained liability for any aspect of any advertisements; and the Three Weeks between the Fast of Tammuz and • welcome all contributions, including letters, but Tisha B’Av, commemorating some of the worst times in reserve the right to edit, cut, decline or submit the Jewish history. Now we enjoy the balance of Av and use content to others for comment. the beginning of Elul to reflect and prepare for the Ten Days of Teshuvah to come next month. Submission deadline for next issue: 8th August 2009. And that’s what this month is all about: preparation for To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, the future. please send them ONLY to editor@sussexjewishnews. com, otherwise we cannot guarantee their consideration We are pleased to welcome Katie Lyons as another for publication. member to the Sussex Jewish News. Katie is easing into her role on layout, design and production. Her work will become more and more apparent over the next several months and we look forward to the ideas she will be bringing to your community magazine. And we are busy preparing for our “bumper-sized” September issue, which will include New Year’s greetings from members of the community. If you wish to ensure your good wishes are included, please complete the enclosed form and send it, with your payment of £10, to Sussex Jewish News, PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ. Greetings must be received on or before 8 August 2009. Enjoy the summer. ‘This month’s cover picture was taken by Ivor Miskin. SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS - SUBSCRIPTION OFFER UNTIL 31 OCTOBER 2009 Name: Date: Address: Postcode: Telephone: Email: Subscription (tick one) ( ) I would like to receive electronic copies of Sussex Jewish News for one year at a cost of £12 ( ) I would like to receive printed copies of Sussex Jewish News for one year for a cost of £15 Payment (tick one) ( ) I enclose my cheque payable to Sussex Jewish News at PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ ( ) I have made a bank transfer to the Sussex Jewish News at Lloyds Bank, Sort Code 30-98-74, Account No. 00289447 and I have included my name as a reference to ensure my subscription is noted. Or you can subscribe online at www.sussexjewishnews.com and pay with PayPal! 2 Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 www.sussexjewishnews.com announcements PRIVATE CARER AVAILBLE Proud grandparents Tina & Michael Tack are delighted 20 years experience - qualified to administer medication. to announce the birth of Sophie Beth, a second Hourly rates and references available. great-granddaughter for Phyllis Tack. Further information, ring Jenny King 01273 880013. The memorial stone in loving memory of Stella Taylor will Personals be consecrated on 16th August 2009 at 3.00 pm at the Jewish Cemetery, Old Shoreham Road, Hove. Births Mazel tov to Lisa & David Graham and their extended The memorial stone in loving memory of Eva Lewis families on the birth of a grandson (mother of Benita Ferris) will be consecrated on 13th September 2009 at 2.30 pm at the Jewish Cemetery, Mazel tov to Mark & Jenny Samuels on the birth of Meadowview, Bear Road, Brighton daughter Helena Rose. The Trustees & Governors of the Brighton & Hove Mazel tov to Claudette Woolfson on the birth of her Charitable Youth Trust send condolences to all the family grandson Leo Edward. of our Vice Chairman, Stanley Jackson z”l. We will miss Special Birthdays him. Mazel tov to Barbara Curtis, Judy Gabriel and Stephanie Megitt, all of whom are celebrating special birthdays. Letters Bar/Bat Mitzvah We were delighted to receive a subscription to the Mazel tov to Barbara & Ian Gordon on the bar mitzvah of SJN as an anniversary gift from our daughter and we their grandson, Steven. note mention of our 57th Anniversary on July 6th. This should, in fact, have included our dear friends Joe & Julie Mazel tov to Fiona & Andrew Lerner on the bar mitzvah in Benjamin who married on the same date. Much to our Jerusalem of their son Joel. mutual regret we could not attend each other’s wedding. Mazel tov to Maia Orme, daughter of Galia & William We are, however, in frequent contact with them and Orme, on her bat mitzvah. would welcome hearing from our many other friends we left behind when we immigrated to Oz nearly twenty Marriages years ago. Mazel tov to Tim Nedas and Charis Brook on their Harvey & Eileen Stalbow (Sydney, Australia) marriage blessing. Anniversaries A sensational start to summer Mazel tov to Dot and Harry Lederman on their Golden A “Summer Sensation” cross-community fundraiser was held Wedding anniversary. in the beautiful gardens of the Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation on Sunday 28 June. Over £700 was raised for Mazel tov to Pat and Roland Moss on their Golden Sussex Tikvah and the Torah Academy Nursery. Wedding anniversary Families from all over Sussex enjoyed activities that Mazel tov to Rabbi Charles and Marilyn Wallach on their included a petting zoo provided by Mobile Ark with Pearl Wedding anniversary. tortoises, rabbits, chickens, ducks and guinea pigs. Other Get Well entertainment included an Usborne book stall, jewellery We wish a refuah shelaimah to Susan Conway, John Katz, stall, lucky dip, face painting and arts & crafts. One of the Natalie Levene, Pam Magrill and Diana White. highlights was a delicious Israeli-style buffet lunch with falafel, pitta, salads, humous and Mrs Stark’s very famous Achievements chocolate fudge brownies. Mazel tov to Judy Ironside on having been invited to sit on the jury of the 2009 Jerusalem International Film Organiser and Torah Academy Governor Tessa Bass said, Festival “I want to thank all the volunteers for putting this event together, Brighton and Hove Hebrew Congregation for Mazel tov to our athletes who competed at the Maccabiah letting us use their lovely gardens without charge and Games in Israel: Efraim Carlebach and Harry Hatchwell the Sussex Jewish Representative Council for funding (football), Daniel Levene (golf) and Bradley Solomon the event. We started planning the day back in April (coach, British ladies football team). and it was a pleasure to see over 165 people having a Mazel tov to Emma Rickman on graduating from Leeds wonderful day in a fantastic Jewish family atmosphere.” University with a 2:1. Volunteer organiser, Lesley Walker, parent of a child who Mazel tov to Sharon & Brian Rubin on receiving British citizenship. attends the Torah Academy Nursery, and Sarah Amram, Mazel tov to Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks on being Parent Governor at Torah Academy, were delighted that appointed a life peer. the day had been more successful than original y expected. Deaths The Sussex Jewish Representative Council would like to We wish long life to: extend their thanks to Tessa Bass for the tremendous • the family of Stanley Jackson z”l amount of work she contributed to the success of this event. • the family of David Joseph z”l • the family of Tony Luper z”l www.sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 3 community life Hastings & District Jewish Society Eastbourne Progressive Congregation On a nice sunny day, a group from the Society visited On Friday 26th June we were entertained by Cellist the Open Gardens in Little Common, Bexhill. This Christopher Le Bon who gave a short musical recital to event is part of the Open Gardens Scheme organised members after the Chavurah supper and before the Erev by St Michael’s Hospice, St Leonards on Sea. It was a Shabbat Service. All present found the evening very wonderful day out. entertaining. It is hoped that Christopher will return at At our well-attended Friday night service, we welcomed some time in the future. Dr Alfred Bader as our speaker. Surrounded by our We are delighted to announce that Rabbi Monique Mayer members and members of his family, he spoke softly in will be returning to Eastbourne this year to lead our his usual elegant style. He referred to the sedra of the High Holy Day Services. Further details will be in the week, including of course Balaam and his donkey. On September Newsletter. August 7th, after our next monthly service there will be Our popular Coffee Mornings continue, with the next to an additional talk on the subject of Zionism. Come along be held on Wednesday 5th August at 11am in the Garden to find out more. Room (Conservatory) of The Hydro Hotel, Mount Road, We had a good turnout for our most recent afternoon Eastbourne. The Hydro is very disabled-friendly with easy tea which was held at the home of Rose and Esther Jane access through the side entrance in the main car park. All Hamilton. Esther Jane is a keen gardener and it was a can be assured of a very warm welcome. pleasure to see the garden in full bloom. On 14th August there will be an Erev Shabbat Service at Due to unforeseen circumstances, the date of the Annual 6.30 pm. On 28th August there will be a Chavurah Supper Cream Tea organised by The Council of Christians & at 5.30 pm with the Erev Shabbat Service following at Jews has been changed to Sunday August 2nd. It will still 7.00 pm. All Services are held at The Friends Meeting be held at the Church of the Holy Redeemer, Hastings. Place, Wish Road, Eastbourne. Please contact Stella Harris if you have any new, unwanted items that are suitable for the tombola stall. All enquiries to the Administrator on 01323 7256750 or email on EPJCONG@AOL.COM We are very sorry to learn that Malcolm Bronzite is quite ill. He has done so much for others when they have needed support. We are all thinking of him at this difficult time and wish him well. For all enquiries please contact the Society on 07743 992295 or write to HDJS, PO Box 74, Bexhill, East Sussex, TN39 4ZZ. Adonai Boat Trip Judy Irwin This photo was taken whilst I was travel ing along a tributary of the Amazon earlier this year. The name on the larger of the two craft needs no explanation! Interestingly, there were many smal shops, boats and ‘street’ names with a biblical inference to be found in this remote area. ADVERTISING IN SJN Display ads B&W Colour Full page (A4 size) £160 £260 Half page (A5 size) £90 £160 Quarter page (A6 size) £50 £90 1/9 page (credit card size) £35 £50 Personal £4 per line n/a Flyers POA POA Local Jewish Charities wil not be charged, subject to editorial decision. BOOK NOW! 07906 955 404 editor@sussexjewishnews.com 4 Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 www.sussexjewishnews.com community life Helping Hands Liz Posner Chutzpah Choir Although known to many, we are often The Chutzpah Choir will be reconvening on Wednesday asked how Helping Hands began. 19th August after its summer break (Ralli Hall, Back in 2000 and armed with a mobile Wednesdays, 7.00pm – 8.45pm). phone, Sarah Wilks and Liz Shaw During the past six months we have learned some were setting something up to help new songs in Yiddish, Ladino and Hebrew, as well as the community at large. Liz Posner more tunes without words in Jewish modes (niggunim). was introduced to them soon afterward. Liz brought her Sometimes we also enjoy singing some of our old experience of working on the community help line at Ral i Hal . favourites from last year just so that we don’t forget Sarah, Liz and Liz come from different backgrounds and them! generations. Liz Shaw is the youngest of our trio with We were delighted to be invited to represent the Jewish a son at university and a teenage daughter at home. tradition at Musica Sacra, held earlier this year at the Then comes Sarah Wilks. Married to David, they have White Rock Theatre in Hastings, where we performed five children and three grandchildren between them. to a packed house and had the audience joining in Liz Posner is the senior member of the three and is enthusiastically with our last song. We shared the subject to senior moments! She has twin daughters, two programme with song and dance groups from the Hindu, grandsons at university and a granddaughter who is now Buddhist, Christian, Muslim and Sikh traditions, with all working in London. the performers coming together on stage for a grand The early days were great fun. We had – and still have finale. – so many ideas. It is as if the three of us make up A rather different event was a last minute slot at our local one brain. Our working time is pretty intense as we all Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations at Ralli Hall on 28 April, have “outside” lives and have to make the best of our during which Polina, our musical director, delighted us all time face-to-face. We phone and e-mail one another with a solo. constantly. Any e-mails we write or receive are copied to the other two to make sure that we all know what is If you think you might enjoy singing and haven’t yet going on, no matter what. tried us, do come along to one of our sessions some time soon. It’s very relaxed and informal, all are welcome (no Through the years we have enjoyed the support of our auditions or requirement to read music), and we have amazing volunteers as well as our executive committee, a lot of fun. During the mid-session break we have tea trustees and mentors. All of them have made Helping and biscuits and get to know each other socially. Love of Hands the service that it is. singing and of Jewish music unites people of all ages and The rabbis have been and stil are amazingly helpful, as our members span a very large age range. are the Sussex Jewish Representative Council and the For more information about the Chutzpah Choir you generous friends and supporters in Brighton & Hove who can visit our webpage at: www.polinashepherd.co.uk/ made the purchase of the bus possible last August. The static_pages/choir/ and if you might be interested in administration for our bus is dealt with by a separate team having us sing at your event, you can contact us at: of volunteers who take bookings and arrange drivers etc. chutzpahchoir@hotmail.co.uk Our monthly teas also have their own team to prepare, We are one of the regular activities of Ralli Hall, to which serve and entertain our clients. The teas are always well we are very grateful for supporting the establishment of attended and very popular. There is able back-up behind the choir. the scenes from the transport and telephoning tea admin team. Helping Hands is very much a community project by and for the Community. We three are very proud of how well our “baby” has grown and thrived. Volunteers are always needed and welcome, including those who would like to write articles about us for Sussex Jewish News. Please get in touch by telephone on 01273 747722 or e-mail at helping-hands@ntlworld.com EASTBOURNE JEWISH SOCIAL SCENE proudly presents Polina and Merlin Shepherd of international acclaim who will entertertain us with an afternoon of Klezmer Music at The WRVS Centre, Eastbourne 3pm-5pm Sunday 13th September Photo: members of the Chutzpah Choir singing at a tea Tickets are £6.00 and include another scrumptious tea party for older people at BHRS Tickets in advance from Claudy 01323 521283 or Sharon 01323 733868 www.sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 5 community life Youth Aliyah wows them again! Jewish Historical Society Doris Levinson Joan Melcher, Hon. Secretary A most successful fashion show by Occasions of Blessings On 5th May 2009 Elkan Levy gave an impressive talk on of Brighton entertained over 80 guests who came to take The Road to Emancipation, to a large and appreciative tea at the AJEX Hall on 8th July. All the models were audience at Ralli Hall, followed by an interesting question ‘locally grown’ and showed off the glamorous dresses and answer session. with great aplomb. As usual, the tea was scrumptious and Mr Levy examined the complicated history of the struggle over £1,100 was raised for Youth Aliyah Child Rescue, by influential Jews in England, including the Rothschilds, under the expert guidance and leadership of Liz Posner, Montefiores, Salomons and Goldsmids, to achieve who has generously agreed to be the chairman again for civil rights, hold public office and eventually to enter the umpteenth time. Parliament. He placed all this against the fascinating background of contemporary British history including the growth of railways and financial markets and the ways in which Jews were involved in many aspects of public life. Finally, Mr Levy movingly described Lionel de Rothschild presenting himself for the twelfth time to take his seat in the House of Commons carrying a Hebrew Bible and with his head covered, and how Benjamin Disraeli crossed the floor to welcome him! The great struggle for emancipation had been won. The next meeting of the Sussex Branch of the Jewish Historical Society will be on 27 October 2009 at Ralli Hall. Details will be announced shortly. Watch this space! Worthing & District Jewish Community Barbara Gordon We’ve had our belated and successful Chanukah/Shavuot AJEX celebration and also our annual supper quiz. Anyone who Judy Gabriel, PRO Brighton & Hove AJEX has devised a quiz will know the hours it takes. Not just Dennis Hollis MM attended the Drumhead Service in to find questions, but to find the RIGHT questions so that Normandy to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the everyone will feel they have not only participated but also D-Day landings. He laid a wreath on behalf of AJEX. HRH to have enjoyed the evening. Ian managed to produce Prince Charles spoke to Dennis and commented on his just such an atmosphere and he has kindly offered to Military Medal. The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, who repeat the quiz for a charity in the Brighton & Hove area. came later, also spoke to Dennis. A full account of this We are waiting to hear from this group but should they occasion is being prepared as a separate report to Sussex not be able to take up his offer we would be delighted to Jewish News. hear from any other charitable organisation who would Veterans Day, June 27th, has been renamed Armed like to take advantage of his generosity. Forces Day. Last year, Brighton & Hove Council arranged We had our (now) annual visit from Worthing West MP a programme of events to celebrate it. As it fell on the Peter Bottomley. He is involved with a Parliamentary Sabbath this year, AJEX could not take part. The Chief Inter-Faith venture which involves escorting three young Rabbi has now named the Sabbath preceding June 27th people from different faiths and showing them around his as Armed Forces Sabbath and has issued a special prayer constituency. They visit churches, the Salvation Army, the for it. local mosque and Ian and me. This year we were visited Time marches on. Remembrance Day will soon be upon by a Mormon, a Muslim from Poplar and a Jewish medical us. This year our service will be at New Church Road student who lives in Golders Green very near my old Synagogue. school. When they were shown a painting of old Hessel Street, E1, the Muslim exclaimed that he did his food shopping there. How times have changed! Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday BRIGHTON & HOVE JEWISH HOUSING ASSOCIATION 14th September at 2.00 pm with a talk from Rabbi TO LET Efune. Members please note that there are going to be First Floor self-contained flat in central Hove some changes to WDJC from September– so make sure 1 Bedroom, lounge, kitchen and bathroom you attend to find out what’s happening. For further Affordable rent includes: central heating, constant hot information please contact me on 01903 779 720. water and use of garden Please telephone 01273 277225 for an application form 6 Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 www.sussexjewishnews.com community life Race for Life Judy Irwin On the first weekend in July approximately 7,000 women took part in the Race for Life to raise money for breast cancer research. Among that huge number were Marilyn Magrill and myself. We had been warned that travelling and parking could be a major problem, but, having spent seven years in the biochemistry department actually involved in cancer research, I knew the secret parking places. Armed with water, sun cream, hats and labels, we joined the enormous crowd in Stanmer Park on a beautiful day. The excitement was tangible. Off we went, giving it our very best. Along the walk we chatted to many other participants: some were survivors, some taking part in memory of a beloved family member or friend. The overriding theme was one of “together we will beat this terrible scourge”. Marilyn and I completed the 5 km course in just over 1 hour. Not Olympic standards, but we did get our medals and goodie bags! We were exhilarated, proud to have done our very smal bit in helping to raise over £270,000 on the day. Thank you to all who so generously sponsored us. It is still not too late to donate. Go to www.raceforlife.com and click on the giving/donation site for Judith Irwin. We dedicated our walk and this article to the memories of two very dear and special people: Doreen Gordon and Stephen Magrill. Capital to Coast Bike Ride Daniel Seligman is 13 years old and recently completed the Capital 2 Coast bike ride – 66 miles from Esher Will you College in London down to Hove Lawns. Daniel, an asthma sufferer, has been training for this charity ride remember for the past few months and appeared to take all the steep hills in his stride. He completed the 66 mile ride with his cousins Adam and Nicholas Newman, together Norwood? with his Uncle Neville, who rode in tandem with a friend from Norwood Village. Daniel met up with his dad, Simon, at the half way point and they cycled the last 30 miles together. Daniel is raising his donation for Norwood. If any readers would be interested in sponsoring Daniel to raise more funds for Norwood, please contact 07768- 373174. It’s not too late and all donations will be greatly appreciated by Norwood. Please include us in your will so that we can continue our vital work supporting children and adults with learning disabilities. Contact us now: t: 020 8420 6849 e: legacy@norwood.org.uk w: www.norwood.org.uk/legacy Patron Her Majesty The Queen Registered Charity No 1059050 Photo: Daniel Seligman makes cycling up Devil’s Dyke look easy. www.sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 7 spotlight on... protecting our own behind the scenes and on duty with your Sussex Community Security Trust (CST) team CST is proud of Britain’s diverse and vibrant Jewish community, Community Security Volunteers and seeks to protect its many achievements from the external threats of bigotry, antisemitism and terrorism. CST’s security work is built on the dedication and professionalism of its trained volunteers across the UK. Without CST provides physical security, training and advice its volunteers, CST simply could not function. for the protection of British Jews. They sit at the heart of CST’s ethos that the Jewish community CST assists victims of antisemitism and monitors needs to take responsibility for its own safety. Today, CST has antisemitic activities and incidents. over 3,000 security volunteers. These CST personnel come CST represents British Jewry to Police, Government from every part of the British Jewish community, regardless of and media on antisemitism and security. religious observance, political beliefs, age or gender. CST believes that the fight against antisemitism Teams of volunteers protect a wide variety of events, and terrorism is an integral part of safeguarding reflecting the the full range of cultural, political, charitable our wider democratic British society against extremism and and social activity in Britain’s Jewish community. These range hatred. from fundraising dinners attended by the Prime Minister to conferences such as the biennial Limmud Conference for over CST received charitable status in 1994, and continues a 600 people. heritage of Jewish defence dating back to the 1930s. Volunteers give their time to protect their local synagogue CST has four offices across the UK and 55 full-time members of services and religious classes, as well as national events such staff with al of its services provided free of charge to the community. as the Jewish Film Week and Jewish Book Week. In all, CST protects over 1,000 events each year entirely free of charge. CST works with the whole of the Jewish community, from strictly Orthodox to Liberal, Reform and secular Jews. Unfortunately, the threat of a terrorist attack on the UK remains high and this resonates deeply with the Jewish community because often antisemitism and anti-western hatred go hand-in-hand with extremist views in Britain. As extremist hatred grows in Britain, whether it is fuelled by tensions in the Middle East, or the decline in the world’s economy, CST’s work becomes more diverse and challenging. Securing Sussex Community Security Trained CST Badge Holders Jewish communal life in Sussex is wide and varied, and thankful y In addition to training its own security personnel, CST offers most of us are never directly affected by antisemitism. training courses for synagogue congregants, parents at Jewish schools, rabbis and caretakers of Jewish buildings. The enduring However, sadly, antisemitic incidents do sometimes occur in threat of terrorism and the dangers of antisemitism mean that Sussex, as they do elsewhere. everyone has a role to play in ensuring that everyone can live in Antisemitic incidents in the region are reported to CST and confidence and safety. that number is likely to increase in 2009, as part of a large Regardless of the size of the community, every volunteer national rise in antisemitic incidents during the Gaza crisis at receives the same training from senior CST volunteers and the beginning of the year. It is also likely that, in common with staff members. They may also receive training from the Police, other forms of hate crime, some people who suffer antisemitic including POLSA, the specialist Police search team who are incidents do not report them to either CST or to the police. responsible for searching locations, and Special Branch, who Antisemitic incidents can take several forms, from the more have provided close protection training. This relationship with serious types of physical assault to desecrations, graffiti or the Police is only possible because CST volunteers go about verbal abuse. If you do suffer or witness such an incident, we their work with a level of skill, understanding and responsibility urge you to report it to the police and to CST without delay, as that has earned the respect of the Police over many years. this is the best way to ensure that it gets properly investigated, The reasons why people become CST volunteers are as many and reduces the chance of the perpetrators doing it again. and varied as the type of people who are involved in CST’s You can report an incident to CST by calling your Brighton work. The desire to protect one’s family and community brings contact on 07659 180265 or the London Office on 020 8457 with it a positive connection to Jewish communal life. 9999. It is important not to allow antisemitism to define our Whilst many people are in the fortunate position of being able community and there is no reason for it to inhibit Jewish life in to contribute financially to the welfare of the community, others Sussex. We are all free to express our Jewishness however we are able to give their time. Whatever the motivation, CST and see fit. the entire British Jewish community is indebted to everyone Equally though, racist abuse or hate crimes of any kind should who contributes to the safety and well-being of the Jewish have no place in our society, and antisemitism is no different. community. By reporting antisemitic incidents to the police and CST, you can help ensure that this remains the case. 8 Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 www.sussexjewishnews.com spotlight on... protecting our own behind the scenes and on duty with your Sussex Community Security Trust (CST) team On The Gate And On Duty Your Sussex Security Team To become a security volunteer is a mitzvah for the community A Sussex Jewish security team has been established in Brighton usually involving a few hours a month to assist a CST badge & Hove for over 30 years, and some of today’s team have been holder in carrying out their duty at a synagogue on Shabbat. serving the community ever since the team began. There are no age, gender or requirements other than your time and commitment to your duty, during which you will receive The regional team is made up of a Team Commander reporting informal training and instruction whilst on duty. to and integrating with CST head office in London and local police at the highest level. We are fortunate in Sussex to Most CST badge holders started out as volunteers and went on have the benefit of advice and planning from one of CST’s to do full training.Volunteering brings many benefits, mainly most experienced security officers. One person has even been that of making new friends, since teamwork brings with it a honoured by the Queen for services to the Jewish community. special camaraderie and helps bring about a closer acquaintence of the community. Supporting them are experienced Security Team Leaders, each equipped with the necessary skills to manage shul and Becoming A CST Security Badge Holder community events and coordinate security team operations. CST To become a CST badge holder involves completing a very trained badge holders are the mainstay of security across the comprehensive training programme, specifically developed by region, and the community is indebted to them for their time professionals here and abroad for the security of Jewish people, and dedication to their training and duties here and also when congregations and Jewish events. Once trained and having called upon to assist the CST security teams in London at major passed your assessment, you are equipped and trained for this events and services. task to a very high level. Make no mistake, being fully trained As well as the CST security team itself, there are various means just that and your training can continue as far as you security initiatives in operation to ensure we have the latest want it too at residential training camps here and abroad. electronic entry gates, HD CCTV, protected windows initiative and the CST ‘Enhancement Project’ for shuls and Jewish public buildings. Training Courses & Summer Camps CST runs a series of residential and one day training courses to help develop your personal skills and understanding of every aspect of security work that you will find as challenging and rewarding as you do interesting. Locally, CST organises team development and scenario training, as well as Caretakers’ and Administrators’ courses for Rabbis, synagogue staff and administrative personnel - (ask us about our October course). Security team volunteers and trained CST badge holders Everyone Has A Security Role on duty together at shuls work together to ensure services, Just as we are watching for possible dangers, so it is clear from congregants and staff can go about their life the way they wish. incident reports, newspaper reports and advice from the police that we as a community are being watched by our enemies for potential security weaknesses. Streetwise For Jewish Youth People, social groups and boards must work closely with In 2005 the CST and Maccabi joined together to launch their local security team to report incidents and suspicions. Streetwise, one of the most innovative youth work programmes They must especially ensure that doors, windows and gates provided by and for the Jewish community. are properly locked on exit and be ready to report anything Streetwise was formerly known as suspicious on arrival. Complacency is also a major enemy of the Maccabi Street Project, a unique community security. initiative which, as its name suggests, The resources to protect ourselves are there, but it is up to gave support and advice to teenagers each and every one of us to ensure that security and well-being on the streets of North-West London. of our loved ones, our community, and our way of life remain The Project won awards from the Chief just that - secure and safe. Rabbi and also praise from various agencies including OFSTED. Under the new name of Streetwise, it has now JOIN US... Become part of the local security team and serve been expanded and redeveloped to your community either as a volunteer, or as a fully trained CST offer both personal support and informal badge holder by calling 07659 180265. education to assist young people’s safe physical, mental and emotional development. ASK US... about our Caretakers & Administrative and other Streetwise embraces all Jewish youth training courses - next course this October regardless of religious, political or social outlook. FOR MORE INFORMATION... about the work of the Community Register now for our next local Security Trust (CST) simply visit the CST information website at Streetwise course for 13-17 years. www.thecst.org.uk www.sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 9 culture Treasure islands: worth discovering Getting into our Jewish Musical Genes Joachim Hemmerle Cecily Woolf Once two British soldiers in post-war Germany gave me I recently attended a course on Jewish musical trail-some chocolate, which was quite a new experience, and blazers organised by Cambridge University’s Institute my first taste of the British Isles too. It was about 1946 of Continuing Education. Robert Letellier explained how and I was not yet in school. Some years later, Doctor talented Jews have been iconoclasts. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Oscar Strauss, Jewish composer of The Waltz Dream, had Treasure Island created my first juvenile literary images a nail-biting escape from the Nazis after wisely deciding of Great Britain. to join his wife in Switzerland. Travelling by train, he took his seat in the dining car when a stranger, who In the summer of 1959, exactly 50 years ago, I paid my recognised the famous composer, asked to join him. first visit to this island – the beginning of a lifelong love affair with the country. Well, I didn’t succeed in finding “My parents fell in love to the sound of your music, so Puddleby-on-the-Marsh and I also failed to catch sight of you could say that I am a by-product,” said the stranger deprecatingly. When they reached the Austrian frontier, any horses wearing Doctor Dolittle’s glasses in Cuckmere Strauss learned that his travelling companion was the Valley, but nevertheless, my expeditions were a new regional commander who advised his troops that his resounding success and very rewarding. Some years after friend was “not to be molested.” Oscar Strauss eventually falling in love with Britain, I also developed a fascination travelled to New York and died in 1954 at the age of 84. for Yiddish culture. But how could I have ever imagined that these two passions would ever fit together like two Meanwhile, in Paris, Jacques Offenbach and his librettist Halevy turned a Greek legend upside-down in their halves of a puzzle? operetta Orpheus in the Underworld. They had Euridyce, They did, thanks to Stevenson’s novel Treasure Island. ahem, enjoying herself, and Orpheus not wanting her My first copy had been a German translation, nicely back anyway. What a kerfuffle that caused! There were illustrated with little pen-and-ink drawings. My wife and fierce thinly-veiled anti-Semitic protests from critics that I, searching through Brighton’s flea-markets and also the work was “vulgar” and “debased.” However, the public loved it! in old book shops in Sussex (many of which have sadly since disappeared), found other English editions, which This fascinating weekend course ended with a survey I started to collect mainly on account of the different of Showboat, the work of Jerome Kern and Oscar illustrations of that book. About two hundred editions of Hammerstein II. It was the first popular musical to Treasure Island are on my bookshelves now. This is, I feature a mixed-race romance. confess, a little bit meshugge, even more so because I also began to include translations into different languages (some of which I can’t read). Among them is a Hebrew Rodgers & Hammerstein’s version. At least I am able to decipher words in Ivrit, because of my knowledge of Yiddish which is also written ‘Oklahoma’ in Hebrew characters. But I never expected to find a Join the Israel Solidarity Group for its summer Yiddish translation of Treasure Island. fund-raising trip to the Chichester Festival Theatre But I did! There is a Yiddish edition and years ago I Monday evening 24th August 2009 - £35.00 per person bought Oytser Indzl, published in 1927 in New York. It Coach from Ralli Hall at 6.00 pm £15.00 per person to is very fascinating to compare Stevenson’s text with the include smoked salmon sandwiches and refreshments careful translation into the Yiddish language by the gifted All proceeds will go to the Emek Hospital Opthalmology young poet and journalist Alef Katz. Department, Afula, Israel, which has just opened Some people act quite distantly towards this idiom and and is sorely in need of support to save sight thus acquire hardly any knowledge of its cultural richness. Reservation hotline: 01273 821577 That is a pity. Yiddish itself is a treasure island that is well ask for Susan ref: Oklahoma worth discovering. No Appeal Note: The author is a German journalist who has long been interested in Jewish history and Yiddish culture. For many years he has been making frequent visits to Sussex. At Brighton and Hove Limmud last March he gave a lecture about the Yiddish puppet theatre “Hakl-Bakl.” Competition Winner Mazel tov to Alison Rees on winning our Odd Couple Competition. She was the first entry drawn with the following correct answers: (1) Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau played Felix Unger and Oscar Madison in the film; (2) the roles were then played by Tony Randall and Jack Klugman on television; and, (3) Neil Simon, was Image with thanks to Manuel Harlan part of Sid Caesar’s writing team. 10 Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 www.sussexjewishnews.com Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation 31 New Church Road, Hove, BN3 3AD Tel: 01273 888855 Email: office@bhhc-shul.org www.bhhc-shul.org Rabbi Hershel Rader bhhc Sedra for 15 August 2009: Re’eh One answer might be that the way we ‘see’ things plays a great part in how we live our lives. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Looking outward, looking inward Berditchev once chanced upon a strong, young man who Rabbi Hershel Rader was brazenly eating on Yom Kippur. The Rabbi suggested The Parsha of Re’eh begins with a powerful statement: that perhaps he was feeling ill. The fellow insisted he “See, I have placed before you a blessing and a curse! was in the best of health. Perhaps he had forgotten that The blessing: that you listen to the commandments today was the holy day of Yom Kippur? “Who doesn’t of Hashem, your G-d, that I command you today. The know that today is Yom Kippur,” asked the young man. curse: if you do not listen to the commandments of Perhaps he was never taught that Jews do not eat on this Hashem, your G-d, and you stray for the path that I day? “Every child knows that Yom Kippur is a fast day, command you today, to follow the gods of others, that Rabbi!” Whereupon Rabbi Levi Yitzchak raised his eyes you did not know.” heavenward and said, “Master of the Universe, see how wonderful Your people are! Here is a Jew who, despite Before his death Moshe reminds the Israelites that their everything, refuses to tell a lie!” The Berditchever Rav fate is inextricably linked with the way they live their life. was always able to look at others with a compassionate, A life of goodness will lead to blessings, while deviating understanding and benevolent eye. from the Almighty’s path will produce a life of suffering and trauma. This sounds like standard Biblical rhetoric: How do we view the good fortune enjoyed by others? a prophet exhorting the people to forsake bad ways and Are we happy for them, or do we look at them with pursue righteousness. begrudging envy? How do we see ourselves and our own shortcomings? Are we objectively truthful or subjectively But there is an extra word that is somewhat unusual; biased? A great sage was once asked by his young son the word Re’eh – see. What was there to see? What did “Why did Hashem give us two eyes?” To which he replied Moshe show them? True it has a fine oratorical ring to “The right eye is to be used lovingly, when looking at it, but the Torah is not generally given to using a word our fellow. The left eye is to be used discerningly, when because it is poetic or dramatic. Is there a lesson this looking at ourselves”. word is trying to teach us, so much so that we name an entire sedra after it? To live a life of righteousness we must ‘see’. We must learn how to look at others and ourselves in a manner which is both honest and compassionate. It is this kind of life vision which will lead to a life of blessing. technology technology Find what you’re looking for Find what you’re looking for Think of the internet as a massive library. Search engines • Think of the internet as a massive librar A search engine is not human. It is a program that help you find those few pages out of the millions of books matches the words you give it to pages on the web. in that library. Searching is simple. Just type what you’re Use the words that are most likely to appear on a web looking for in the search box and hit Enter. Your search page. For example, instead of saying “my head hurts“, engine will search the web for the relevant pages. Most try “headache” because that’s the term a medical page of the time, you’ll find what you’re looking for. will use. However the following tips can help refine your technique • Describe what you need with as few terms as possible. to make the most of your searches. The goal of each word is to narrow or focus your search. Each additional word limits the results. Too • Every word matters. Generally, all the words you many words could be limiting the search too much. put in the query will be used. You don’t have to The main advantage of starting with fewer keywords worry about capital letters or punctuation because is that, if you don’t get what you need, the results will your search is always case insensitive, and, with few likely give you a good indication of what additional exceptions, punctuation is ignored. words are needed to refine your results for the next • Choose descriptive words. The more unique the search. word, the more likely you are to get relevant results. Happy searching! If you have any questions, just email Words that are not very descriptive, like ‘document,’ SJO at webmaster@sussexjewishonline.com ‘website,’ ‘company,’ or ‘info,’ are usually not needed. Keep in mind that even if the word has the correct Your Sussex Jewish Online Team meaning but it is not the one most people use, it may not match the pages you need. Jewish Care Clarification • Keep it simple. If you’re looking for a particular Following the article about Hyman Fine House in July’s company, type its name or as much of it as you can edition of Sussex Jewish News, Jewish Care would recall. If you’re looking for a particular concept, place, or product, start with its name. If you’re looking for like to clarify that Hyman Fine House is a care home a pizza restaurant, just enter pizza and the name of providing residential, dementia and nursing care, not your town or your post code. solely dementia care as previously stated. www.sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 11 bhps Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue Adat Shalom Vereiu’t-Al Sefat Hayyam 6 Lansdowne Road Hove BN3 1FF Tel: 01273 737223 Email: bhps@freenetname.co.uk www.brightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk Sedra for 22 August 2009: Shof’tim Sedra for 29 August 2009: Ki Teitzei Justice, Justice, you shall pursue The Meaning of Justice Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah Shof’tim opens with laws of Justice, and at Deuteronomy Deuteronomy chapter 24, towards the end of Ki Teitzei, chapter 16, verse 20 we read: Tzedek, Tzedek tirdof includes a number of rules related to the theme of Justice – ‘Justice, Justice, you shall pursue’. The word ‘pursue’ in introduced in Shof’tim that also echo some of the ethical Hebrew, indicated by the three consonants, Reish Dalet injunctions set out in K’doshim, in the Book of Leviticus Pei, conveys a sense of urgency, as it does in English. In (chapter 19). Outlining laws concerning economic Justice, Hebrew syntax, it is usual for the verb to come first, and and, the need to deal fairly with employees and make so, in the verse, Tzedek, Tzedek tirdof – ‘Justice, Justice, provision for the marginal and dependent – ‘the stranger, you shall pursue’, the tone of urgency is heightened, the orphan and the widow’ (Deut. 24:17;19) – the Torah not only by the repetition of the word, Tzedek, Justice, here underlines our responsibility ‘not’ [to] ‘pervert the but also by the word order: ‘Justice, Justice, you shall justice due’ to these vulnerable groups (:17) with the pursue.’ Meanwhile, the repetition of ‘Justice’ suggests much-repeated phrase: ‘For you shall remember that you something else, impartiality: where two parties are were a slave in Egypt’ (:18). involved, pursuing Justice for the one also necessitates It isn’t easy to translate our own remembrance of pursuing Justice for the other. Interestingly, Psalm 34, oppression into just action towards those who are verse 15 declares: Sur mei-ra va-aseih-tov; bakeish suffering persecution today. On 3 July my shul hosted shalom v’rodfeihu – ‘Turn away from evil and do good; eight refugees from a range of countries – Zimbabwe, seek Peace and pursue it.’ The use of the word ‘pursue’ Sudan, Iran, Yemen and China – who joined us for in both contexts suggests that Peace and Justice are our monthly shared Erev Shabbat meal. Organised in inextricably linked. We cannot wait for Justice and Peace conjunction with the local project,’ Brighton Voices in to ‘happen’ – both require us to actively pursue them. Exile’, this wonderful event launched a new initiative for BHPS. I hope it will inspire others to reach out to the vulnerable in our midst. Strawberry Tea Book review: Sivor Smiskin Arthur Seldon: A Life For Liberty by Colin Robinson Superb Summer Sunshine Saw Some Twenty Something Shul A major architect of Margaret Thatcher’s economic revolution, Subscribers Scoff Strawberries, Scones, Tea, Strawberries, Arthur Seldon CBE (1916-2005) was one of the most influential Scones, Strawberries Til Total y Stuffed. Songs, Strawberries, economists of the late twentieth century. Together with the late Scones & Strawberries Secured Total Success, So There! Sir Anthony Fisher and Ralph (now Lord) Harris, he founded the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in 1957. Photo: The Strawberry Ladies, The son of Russian-Jewish refugees and orphaned at the age of three owing to a Spanish influenza epidemic that swept through from left to right, Europe, Seldon was adopted by a cobbler and his wife, attended Sandra Walker, Dempsey Street elementary school in Stepney, was a state Amanda Winston, scholar at Raine’s Foundation School and graduated with first Pauline Lewis and class honours from the London School of Economics in 1937. Louise Mordecai The LSE was crucial to his intel ectual development. He became an advocate of the classical liberal economics taught by Professors Lionel Robbins, Friedrich Hayek and Arnold Plant. His DIARY – AUGUST 2009 view that state welfare undermined the traditional forms of self-No “Access” classes this month help, of community, charities and friendly societies, was strongly Access to Hebrew resumes Thursday 3rd September, influenced by his Jewish beliefs and background. 11.00 – 12.30 For thirty years Seldon was the editorial director of the Institute 16th August Summer Walk starts 11.00 of Economic Affairs, considered the UK’s pre-eminent free-Contact the office for details. market think-tank. He directed a publishing programme that included some of the world’s most eminent economists. With contributions from friends, family and former col eagues, HIGH HOLYDAY SERVICES Arthur Seldon: A Life For Liberty from Profile Books is a comprehensive study of Seldon’s impact on the British economy. Tickets are available from the Office, and show the times of all services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. (Arthur Seldon was the father of Anthony Seldon, former Headmaster of Brighton Col ege, biographer of Tony Blair, Tickets for non-members are £50 for adults. Students, currently Master of Wel ington Col ege and popular political members of Liberal and Reform Synagogues and LJ commentator. Anthony and his family are members of the Passport holders enter free. Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue. I.M.) Non-member ticket price will be refunded in the event of Merle Kessler joining the Synagogue within 3 months. 12 Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 www.sussexjewishnews.com Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue Palmeira Avenue, Hove, BN3 3GE Tel: 01273 735343 Email: office@bh-rs.org www.bh-rs.org Rabbi Charles Wallach bhrs Sedra for 1 August 2009: Va’etchanan Remembering and observing Beginnings, endings and returns: all the Rabbi Charles Wallach world’s a bagel The richness of this sedra is hard to encapsulate in just Rabbi Charles Wallach a few lines. Containing both the repetition of the Ten Commandments and the first paragraph of the Shema, the portion also deals with issues of idolatry, tolerance of others, intermarriage and total love of God. The Shabbat when it is read is called Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Comfort, coming as it does immediately after Tisha B’Av. The teaching gained from the Haftarah from Isaiah Chapter 40 (“Comfort ye comfort ye My people”) plus the juxtaposing of it after such a nadir in the psyche of the people, was perhaps meant as an attempt at an uplift. This Shabbat certainly begins the countdown to Yom Tov – seven weeks to Rosh Hashanah. The few differences between the first version of the Ten Commandments in Exodus and the second version here are worth noting. Perhaps the most worthy of comment is that concerning the fourth commandment, that of Shabbat. In Exodus it commences zachor (remember), It is certainly delightful to enjoy the bounties of the while here it says shamor (observe) the Sabbath day. natural world and to bask in that summer sunshine. As Some may know that in the Lecha Dodi, the Friday the academic year drew to an end I am sure there were evening hymn of welcome to Shabbat, its author Alkabetz many who had that inner tussle between studying for says shamor v’zachor b’dibur echad. The words “observe” exams and spending some time outside. My best wishes and “remember” are seen as being two sides of the go to all who managed that balance to their advantage same coin. Rashi says they were said at the same time. and did well in their endeavours. A further interpretation says that the reason it says We ended the 2008/9 Cheder year with a number of shamor is that the Shabbat should be “kept in mind” all special activities. The annual prize-giving was preceded week long. However, a more forceful idea encapsulating a week earlier firstly with the excellent Bar Mitzvah of both versions might be that we should “remember” the Steven Jackson. Steven did everyone proud through his Shabbat during the week and “observe” it when it occurs. fine delivery and command of all that had been asked of him. The wider world may have spent the Sunday watching Bulletin Board for August 2009 the Wimbledon finals, but prior to that most of the Sat 1st Aug Rabbi Shiur at 9.15 am families of our Cheder had a splendid picnic in St Anne’s Friday 7th Aug Service at 8.00 pm Well Gardens. With children and parents roped in to play cricket and other pursuits, it proved a splendid end Sat 8th Aug Service at 10.30 am to a fine year’s activities. Those activities included the Fri 14th Aug Service at 6.30 pm collection of monies for World Jewish Relief following a special Shabbat focusing on that charity a few weeks Sat 15th Aug Service at 10.30 am earlier. Part of the gimmickry for that event was the Wed 19th Aug 2.00 pm - JACS selling of key rings with a bagel motif. That stimulated one of the parents, Katy Jackson, to have a cake baked Fri 21st Aug Service at 6.30 pm for the occasion in the shape of the bagel key ring. Both Sat 22nd Aug Service at 10.30 am in style and taste it went down a treat. Wed 26th Aug 2.00 pm - JACS Recently we received visits from ex-members from abroad, such as the Losners who are now resident in Fri 28th Aug Service at 6.30 pm San Diego. The family, including Ingram Losner who was Sat 29th Aug Service at 10.30 am Bar Mitzvah at the synagogue in 1973, attended on a recent Friday evening and 17-year old Josh addressed the congregation most eloquently on his work as a summer intern with the Anti Defamation League countering anti-Cheder Semitism in his region. All were impressed, not least Those wishing to send a child to our Cheder at the start grandmother Mona who “kvelled” twice: once at listening of the 2009/10 – 5770 school year are asked to contact to Josh and once on being invited to jointly light the our Administrator, Saonie Lyons, through our office on Shabbat candles at the commencement of the service. 01273 735343. Classes commence at 10 am on Sunday, 6th September 2009. www.sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 13 hhc Hove Hebrew Congregation 79 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JN Tel: 01273 732035 Rabbi Vivian Silverman Email: hovehc@btinternet.com Sedra for 8 August 2009: Ekev Like the Stars in the Heavens Rabbi Vivian Silverman In Harper’s Magazine for September 1897 the American author Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) paid this tribute: The phrase “k’kohvei hashamayim” (like stars in the “If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one Heavens) is found in Devarim Chapter 10, verse 22, quarter of one percent of the human race. It suggests where God promises to increase the People of Israel a nebulous dim puff of stardust, lost in the blaze of the abundantly. The very first mention of this promise is in Milky Way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard regard to Avraham, when the Almighty took him one of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He night into the open and said: “Look heavenwards and is as prominent on the planet as any other people and count the stars. So numerous shall be your descendants.” his importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the In another Torah passage Avraham is assured that his smallness of his bulk. descendants will be like the dust of the earth. “The Egyptians, Babylonians and Persians, rose, filled the Yet, throughout time, our numbers have certainly not planet with sound and splendour then faded to dream been as numerous as the stars or as many as the grains stuff and passed away. The Greeks and Romans followed of dust! We have been decimated through persecution, and made a vast noise - and they are gone. The Jew saw assimilation and forced conversion. Our greatest numbers them all, survived them all and is now what he always in ancient times were during the later Roman Empire was. Exhibiting no decadence, no slowing of his energies, when the Jewish population numbered some six million, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are one-tenth of the entire Roman Empire! These figures mortal, but the Jew. All other forces pass away, but he were only exceeded during the past one hundred and remains. What is the secret of his immortality?” fifty years. Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks has written that the So what is the Torah actually telling us? The Talmud Jewish people are compared to the stars, not in numbers explains that when Israel does the will of God, that is, but in brightness. The stars are billions and trillions of fulfils his mitzvot, then he is above all others - like the miles from earth (vast light years away) yet their light stars. However, when he disobeys the Divine Will, he is shines out through the darkness of space. Similarly, the trampled on by all, just like people trample the dust. Jewish people are tiny numerically, yet they shine out Rashi brings a Midrash that says: Israel is scattered through their contributions to mankind: in medicine, throughout the world just like the dust. However, without maths and science, humanities, law and ethics, literature, soil and dust nothing can grow. Likewise, if there were economics, history and music. Over the past 110 years, no People of Israel, the world would not be able to exist twenty-five percent of all Nobel prizes have been - meaning that Israel has given ethics, morality and other awarded to Jews, That is, out of all proportion to our standards to the world through the Torah. Without it the numbers. We can take justifiable pride in continuing to world would quickly revert to anarchy and chaos. fulfil the promise to be “like the stars in Heaven”. Janet’s Column MALCOLM Janet Cowan My morning newspaper included an interesting article on ways in which to improve one’s life. There were hints on diet and GREEN dieting, parenting and a number of other subjects, including ways of combating stress. One suggestion was to listen to music by Beethoven, another was to laugh and yet another Your local, international Caterer was to pray. Apparently researchers have found that praying, especially for the good and health of others, is also good for Check out our sensational reception one’s own health. buffet and our exceptional kiddushim So that brought me to the conclusion to suggest that you come to join us in our Shul every Saturday morning to pray KOSHER CATERING AT ITS BEST with us and then join us for a l’chayim after the service. I am sure that your weekly stresses and strains will have been Contact Rachel on 01273 726495 smoothed away and you will feel nice and relaxed - but I hope Or Malcolm on not too relaxed that you fall asleep during Rabbi’s sermons! On the last Saturday of every month, instead of Rabbi giving a koshercaterer@yahoo.co.uk sermon, he holds a Question and Answer session. So I would www.kosherservicesworldwide.com like to suggest that you come along and ask any questions that you may have. It is always very stimulating. UNDER SUPERVISION BRIGHTON & HOVE Finally, we wish a hearty mazel tov to the Hatchwell family on KASHRUT COMMITTEE the wedding of Allan and Joanna. PLUS CRUISES, HOLIDAYS AND I hope that you enjoy the summer and look forward to seeing WEDDINGS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD you in shul. 14 Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 www.sussexjewishnews.com ralli hall and book review Hot air, cool comfort and positive thoughts Roger Abrahams, Hon. Chairman We have now submitted twenty-one applications for If you’re planning a winter simcha or function, think capital grant funding to upgrade the ground floor toilets about booking the Great Hall and/or the Magrill Lounge. and the lower ground floor central heating. We have We can advise on catering as well as music and no idea how successful we will be. I am continuing to entertainment to your taste. We can also provide a full think positive thoughts – for grant funding or a local liquor licence, using our in-house licensee. And don’t benefactor. forget, parking around the corner at Hove Station Car Park is free on Sundays. Nevertheless, the Great Hall is becoming more and more popular for functions and simchas, and we are close to For more information, please speak to Centre Manager finalising its upgrade. We have given instructions for Norina Duke on 01273 202254. If you are a member the reinstatement and modernisation of the original then reduced rates are available. If you’re not already a ventilation system. It is designed to expel hot air from member, you are invited to join to take advantage of all the hall and draw in cooler air through the electrically our membership benefits. We are a registered charity and operated windows on the north side. We would look to the community for support. much prefer full air conditioning but this would be See you at Ralli Hall. astronomically expensive both to install and to run. We will also have a third gas blow-heater installed before the winter to make the temperature at floor level more comfortable when it is very cold outside. A book for adults and children friend. She writes down her most private thoughts and shares her closest of secrets with “Dear Kitty”. Even in of all ages to share an attic, life can be experienced and the stifling of a first Anne Frank love and hope for the future become a precious part of by Josephine Poole Anne’s life. Two years later there is unexpected betrayal illustrated by Angela Barrett and subsequent capture. I have always avoided films, books, etc on the Holocaust Only the penultimate page deals with the discovery because each face and story could have been my family, of the family by the Germans. But turning to the last my friends or me. I truly can’t bear it. Yet I was intrigued page, I was surprised to find it had immediately “fast to find out, after all my years in teaching, how Anne forwarded” to post-war – the survival of Otto Frank and Frank’s story could honestly be recounted to a child? his daughter’s diary (safeguarded by a loyal worker). This At fourteen pages long with illustrations throughout, was a clever device. There was no need to weigh a child the visual impact is impressive. If your child is showing down with horror stories of what adults know occurred interest, asking questions or just at the point you think between those last two pages. a deeper knowledge of this part of our history should be The fact that grim reality is only touched upon leaves told, this book could well be your starting point or follow-the child (and adult) in charge. The child may want to up. Except for the time difference, Anne’s life, her family discuss it further or come back to it later when he/she and aspirations remain the stuff of today’s adolescent’s is emotionally ready to understand a little more of the world. Holocaust. After all, the child should be left interested The story is told in a factual style and makes no effort without being filled with terror. to be overly dramatic or employ ‘hand-wringing’ tactics. The illustrations by Angela Barrett are particularly good. The language is probably more suited to older primary In fact, the story could easily be told through these alone. children and would certainly benefit from an adult reading Each one is sensitively drawn, evoking the sepia era of it to or with them. There is much room for discussion to the Box Brownie. They have enough visual impact for a develop awareness and understanding of this period. young child to focus on, with so many levels within the A most poignant extract from Ann’s actual diary is the illustrations that can be discussed. foreword. Then the story unfolds with Anne’s birth, Author Josephine Poole understands children. She knew glimpses of life in pre-war Germany and how everything just what to retain in this short biography - but also became tainted with the rise of Adolf Hitler. After the - equally important what to leave out. You are left with a family’s flight to Amsterdam, Anne briefly enjoys all the book which is concise, readable, yet full of unanswered normality of most children’s lives – playing with friends, questions and is highly recommended. helping her father in his office, family gatherings and laughter. Here is a child who has escaped once, thanks to Anne Frank is available from Dave’s Comics on Sydney her parents’ decision to flee Germany. Street, Brighton. But once again, she disappears, this time to an attic. It is Sharon Granville here that her diary comes to life and becomes her best www.sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish News - August 2009 15 diary and what’s on Diary - August 2009 Shabbat Shalom, Brighton Times Regular Activities In Fri July 31st 8.31 pm out Sat Aug 1st 9.48 pm In Fri Aug 7th 8.20 pm out Sat Aug 8th 9.34 pm Sundays In Fri Aug 14th 8.07 pm out Sat Aug 15th 9.19 pm • Shalom Programme Breakfast Show 9.00 - 9.55 am In Fri Aug 21st 7.53 pm out Sat Aug 22nd 9.03 pm www.radioreverb.com and 97.2 FM In Fri Aug 28th 7.30 pm out Sat Aug 29th 8.47 pm • Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am -12.00 noon weekly all levels welcome: Simon 01273 235607 Mondays Special events this month • Afternoon Club with Tea 1.30 pm Note: there will be no JACS meetings on the 5th & 12th Greta 01273 721987 RH Friday 7 – Sunday 16 • Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 1.30 – 4.30 pm ₤2.00 • JLGB Summer Camp Deborah Roos on 0208 989 8990 Reba 01444 410435 or email deborah.roos@jlgb.org Tuesdays Monday 17 • Advanced Oil Painting Group • Sarid with guest speaker Janet Naim Martin 01273 327403 RH Neve Shalom/Wahat Al Salaam – The Peace Village • Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm – how to co-exist in harmony - 10.45 am at Ralli Hall weekly: 01273 503708 RH Wednesday 19 • Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm - 9.45 pm weekly • JACS 2.00 pm with DVD presented by Kitty Norman Jacky 01273 688538 RH Jewish Parliamentarians and Jewish War Heroes of • Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club 10.30 am - 4.30 pm the British Armed Forces at AJEX Centre, Eaton Road, weekly: Suzanne 01273 739999 RH Hove (members ₤1.50/non-members ₤2.00) Wednesdays Sunday 23 • Mothers and Toddlers 10.00 am -12.00 noon weekly • Helping Hands Tea at Mark Luck Hall Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm (donation ₤2.50) • Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am - 12.00 Monday 24 noon weekly: 01273 540464 RH • Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma at Chichester Israel Solidarity Group fundraising trip (£35 per • Chutzpah Choir RECOMMENCES 19TH AUGUST person, reservation hotline 01273 821577) coach from Singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ralli Hall 6.00 pm (£15 per person to include smoked Ukrainian with Polina Shepherd. 7.00 – 8.45 pm salmon sandwiches and refreshments) Rosalind 01273 541031 RH Wednesday 26 Thursdays • JACS 2.00 pm with guest speaker Helen Poole • Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club 10.30 am - 4.30 pm ‘The G-ds of Mount Olympus’ at AJEX Centre Eaton weekly: Suzanne 01273 739999 RH Road, Hove (members ₤1.50/non-members ₤2.00) Sunday 30 Grodzinski’s challot and rye bread are available • AJEX Cream Tea 3.30 pm: Aubrey Cole 01273 737417 from Premier Convenience Stores in Hove Street every Thursday morning until supplies run out. SPECIALISTS IN SECURITY SYSTEMS SINCE 1974 Access Control Gates & Barriers Door Entry Systems CCTV Surveillance Care Call Systems Sales Service FREE SURVEYS Repair & QUOTATIONS Installation Maintenance TRADE & PUBLIC Technical Advice SHOWROOM Design 0800 068 5447 info@dorcom.co.uk www.dorcom.co.uk Unit 3, St Josephs Business Park, St Josephs Close, Hove, BN3 7HG PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ. Tel: 07906 955404. Email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com www.sussexjewishnews.com -
Issue 192
December 2009
SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.COM | £2 | DECEMBER 2009 | KISLEV/TEVET 5670 | ISSUE 192 PERSONALS • COMMUNITY LIFE • CULTURE • TRAVEL • WHAT’S ON 2 Pause for thought A welcome note from the editor ADVERTISING IN SJN Full page (A4 size) B/W: £160 Col: £260 “To paraphrase Dion’s hit single of 1961, “They call us The wanderers. Yeah, The wanderers. we roam around around around”. shortly after we’d announced that we would feature travel stories, we started to receive many articles on the interesting places that you had seen and the even more interesting Half page (A5 size) activities in which you became involved. To all who put pen to paper, thank you. next B/W: £90 Col: £160 issue we’ll be featuring jewish communities around the world and their histories. Quarter page (A6 size) one of the best-known Chanukah songs is Ma’oz Tzur or Rock of Ages. originally a hymn B/W: £50 Col: £90 of praise written in the medieval times, it was set to the music we all know and love in Germany during the 19th century. The theme is that faith in God will help us overcome our foes and overthrow tyranny. 1/9 page (credit card size) B/W: £35 Col: £50 There are different kinds of tyranny. Thankfully, at sjn Central, we are only currently subject to the calendar and the time of year. Because of the holiday season and holiday Personal: £4 per line season closures, we have to advance the deadline for the january issue a few days if we are to get it in your hands in time. The editorial board extends its apologies for this inconvenience as we ask for you to send us your material by 4 December 2009. Ditto for Flyers: Price on application your entries to the sjn hall of Fame. Local Jewish charities will not be our copy deadlines will go back to normal for the February issue, when we’ll be talking charged, subject to editorial decision. to a variety of jewish musicians and featuring jewish music from around the world. To coincide with jewish book week, our March issue will be about jewish literature. Anyone wishing to get involved with interviews or writing reviews, please contact our virtual BOOK NOW! editorial office at editor@sussexjewishnews.com 07906 955 404 Day by day, more and more, we smell the latkes cooking. happy Chanukah. editor@sussexjewishnews.com ” ConTACT us To ADVeRTise heRe oR onLine 07906 955 404 | eDiToR@sussexjewishnews.CoM sussex jewish news (‘sjn’), its editor and editorial Board: The SJN • are not allied to any synagogue or group and the views expressed by writers are not Hall of Fame necessarily those of sjn; • accept advertisements in good faith but do not endorse any products or services and our new look has been the talk of the do not accept liability for any aspect of any advertisements; and town. But we want more than just • welcome readers’ contributions but reserve the right to edit, cut, decline or submit talk. we want to see who is looking at the content to others for comment. us. send us a picture of yourself with Submission deadline for next issue: 4th December 2009. a celebrity. each month we’ll pick one To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, please send them onLY to celebrity pic and print it. if it’s yours, editor@sussexjewishnews.com, otherwise we cannot guarantee their consideration for you’ll get a free 1 year subscription publication. (or subscription renewal) to sussex To assist the editorial Board, submissions should be in word format using Times new Roman jewish news! have fun and get as a font. snapping! Receipt of submissions may not be acknowledged, unless specifically requested. As the editorial Board is made up entirely of volunteers, any response may be subject to delay. This month’s cover is a photograph taken by Godfrey Gould during his trip to uzbekistan. issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk Contents SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS on the cover sussexjewishnews.com 1 FRonT CoVeR sjn brings local news, events, articles, photograph by Godfrey Gould reviews, announcements, people, 9 PeACe insiGhT in isRAeL congregations, communities, contacts by sylvie shapira and more. Delivered at the start of each month, sjn 10 The GoLDen RoAD To sAMARkAnD is run entirely by volunteers for reporting, by Godfrey Gould editing, printing, and circulating each edition that has become the cornerstone 12 ouR RiVeR niLe CRuise of the jewish community across the by Diane joseph region. editorial Board Doris Levinson Regulars stephanie Megitt 2 PAuse FoR ThouGhT ivor Miskin David seidel 2 The sjn hALL oF FAMe: who will we see you with? Administrator 4 PeRsonALs, LeTTeRs AnD PosTCARDs: Your thoughts and views ivor sorokin 5 CoMMuniTY LiFe: Pictures and news from the past month Admin Assistant Gweni sorokin 1 CuLTuRe: Music and more Community issues 19 whAT’s on: Regular and special events in your community Laura sharpe Communal Diary Angela Goldman Your Community diary@sussexjewishnews.com 14 BRiGhTon & hoVe ReFoRM sYnAGoGue Photographer sophie sheinwald 15 hoVe heBRew ConGReGATion e-Publishing 16 BRiGhTon & hoVe heBRew ConGReGATion Gary weston 17 BRiGhTon & hoVe PRoGRessiVe sYnAGoGue Andy Devon 18 RALLi hALL Design/Production katie Lyons sussex jewish news suBsCRiPTion name: Date: Address: Postcode: email: Telephone: subscription (tick one) i would like to receive electronic copies of sjn. £15 p/a i would like to receive printed copies of sjn. £18 p/a. Payment (tick one) i enclose my cheque payable to sussex jewish news at Po Box 2178, hove Bn sZ i have made a bank transfer to the sussex jewish news at Lloyds Bank, sort Code 0-98-74, Account no. 00289447 and i have included my name as a reference to ensure my subscription is noted. or you can subscribe online at www.sussexjewishnews.com and pay with PayPal! issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 4 Personals, letters and postcards Births Miracles do happen ... especially in the Holy Land Mazel tov to Roz & Mike Flashman on the birth of a grandson By Carolyne Davis it is astonishing how quickly we can go from chatting and Mazel tov to Ruth & Cecil josman on the birth of a great-grandson worrying about trivial matters to fighting for you life in a matter Mazel tov to Gillian & jeffrey Lyons on the birth of their eighth of seconds. unfortunately, having been in that situation twice grandchild joshua David, a son for their daughter sara. now in less than three years we are also in the very fortunate position of really appreciating every minute of the gift of life and Mazel tov to Rowena & james Rowley on the birth of their son Bruce. knowing how delicate and fragile we really are. Special birthdays This last experience, like the one before, came out of the blue in Mazel tov to wilfred Assin, jeffery Bodner, elizabeth Curtis, helen a split second while we were just sitting at road works waiting to Finkle, Peter Franks, judith harris, Mary joffe, Betty Phil ips, kitty pass. The driver of a 45-ton articulated truck had fallen asleep norman, Gwyneth Rose and sue Rosenfield, Rabbi Vivian silverman and slammed into a similar truck sitting just behind us. it is a and julian woolfe, al of whom are celebrating special birthdays tragic loss of life that the sleeping driver never woke up. Alan B’nai Mitzvah and i were more fortunate and escaped with relatively minor Mazel tov to Yitzy efune on the occasion of his bar mitzvah. injuries that are now healing. however the mental scars of these experiences do not heal as quickly as the body and we Mazel tov to sarah & Martin winstone on the bar mitzvah of their must now struggle to make sense of what has happened. some son joshua. people have told us how unlucky we were to be involved in two Engagements accidents while many others and ourselves think we are very Mazel tov to Mariamne Rose on her engagement to Daniel Bratton. lucky to have survived. some people have advised us never to return to israel but others like ourselves are looking for a deeper Weddings meaning to these strange incidences. we certainly are returning Mazel tov to Corinne & Robert Blass on the marriage of Adam to to israel, however perhaps now we are beginning to understand Beverley. that we have a mission to do in israel. Mazel tov to Carolyne & Alan Davis on the marriage in israel of it is a shame on the face of israel that more people are kil ed on Dan to Maia. the roads than in al the wars and terrorist attacks. so much money Mazel tov to Ruth & Cecil josman on the marriage of their and resources are spent to keep the country safe from the external granddaughter threats and the internal threat is being overlooked. so when we return to israel the ministry of transport wil wish we had stayed in Anniversaries the uk as we plan to start a very aggressive road safety campaign. Mazel tov to Adele & Paul Feinson on their 45th wedding anniversary The silver lining to our story is that my son Daniel was married Mazel tov to sara & jack nathan on their 65th wedding days after the accident and i was well enough to leave hospital anniversary and to walk to the Chuppah with him. Achievements we wish mazel tov to the happy couple Dan and Maia, uri Mazel tov to Lindsey Doyle, daughter of Anne Rose, on her nuinow and Terry Abrahams, Brian, evelyn and Morrie evans and appointment as a Recorder all the proud brothers and sisters. Mazel tov to stephanie & Brian Megitt on their new home. Mazel tov to Tottenham hotspur on its 9-1 victory last month over wigan, and, to jermain Defoe on scoring five (count ‘em, five) goals in the match. Get well Refuah shelaimah to Carolyne & Alan Davis, nicholas Godfrey, Penny ixer and Micahel Porthouse. Death we wish long life to the family of Dr Lawrence Phillips z’l Stonesetting The memorial stone in loving memory of stanley jackson z’l will be consecrated on sunday, rd january 2010 at 2.00 pm at the jewish Cemetery, Meadowview, Bear Road, Brighton. Leslie Lewis together with Andrew and sharon would like Au Pair Available to thank friends and relations who sent cards and letters of condolence at the loss of our beloved Audrey. These were Israeli girl (20 years old) available as au pair. greatly appreciated. Speaks English, Hebrew, and Russian. we should also like to thank those who gave donations to the Good references. Martlets hospice in memory of Audrey. e-mail: richard.r.harris@btinternet.com issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 5 Community life Bexhill and District Jewish Friends Remembering Rabbi Unsdorfer by Margaret Phillips by Malka edreyi At our erev Rosh hashanah meeting members and friends enjoyed Rabbi Dr. julius a ful y-catered salmon buffet after our Friday night service. unsdorfer M.A. Ph.D. was born in in the near future a group of our members will be looking Czechoslovakia on forward to a conducted tour of the De La warr Pavilion, followed May 10th 1919. by afternoon tea. At the outbreak of At our last ladies meeting at the home of eve edwards the holocaust in in eastbourne we all enjoyed an afternoon of stimulating l99 he was sent to conversation followed by a delicious tea. Manchester, england, with his brother we are celebrating Chanukah with our usual service and a shmuel. he met Ada catered buffet. jaffe, a daughter of For further information and enquiries please phone us at an aristocratic family 07724172880. and they married on 15th september 1940. My father had come to EJSS celebrates its First Birthday Manchester as a Yeshiva student and knew only Yiddish and no Time has flown so quickly of late that it’s hard to believe that english whatsoever. it was through my mother’s determination a whole year has passed since eastbourne jewish social scene that my father gained his M.A. degree at Manchester university emerged as a social organisation for the community. To some in 195 and a Ph.D. degree from Leeds university in l962 degree it was borne out of despair. how could we bring together all the disparate parts of it including the non-affiliated to have in 1950 he was appointed Rabbi of the holy Law Congregation a good time together? on the other hand we had a vision of a in Manchester. in 1964/65, he was appointed as Chaplain to group which could not only thrive by itself but would also bring the Lord Mayor of Manchester and years later became chaplain benefits to the wider community. to two Mayors of salford. Although during these years he was offered various Rabbinical positions in south Africa, he did not it gives us great pleasure to report that ejss has been a bigger wish to split up his family of four daughters and a son. in 1972 success than we could have imagined. we have had a Quiz, a my father accepted a position in Brighton & hove, which led to Purim Party, a shavuot Tea and Discussion Day, jazz Musicians, the happiest period of his life. and an afternoon of klezmer music. The numbers attending have been increasing: at our last event we were virtually at capacity My parents were well-known and well-liked in Brighton & hove. with over sixty present. Thanks to the enthusiasm and hard whatever the weather, my father walked on alternate shabbats work of the team and its supporters, we have been providing from his home at 6, Princes Road, along the promenade to the scrumptious teas and an opportunity to mingle with old and new Middle street shul in Brighton and to new Church Road shul in faces. even the parking (away from the sea front) is free on a hove. My father loved these walks and was stopped by many sunday – long may it last! people to say “hello.” There is stil time to buy a ticket for the winter pantomime, Zinderel a, in addition to performing the usual duties as religious leader, a solomons Production. it is our Chanukah event and along with the my father opened a childrens’ kindergarten and Library splendid catering should be a lot of fun. Tickets booked in advance and introduced children’s services on shabbat and Festivals are £6.00 and are available from Claudy on 012 52128 and sal y and more. The local Brighton radio station gave my parents 0779 08258. Tickets sold on the door wil be £8.00. separate slots on sundays during which they each spoke to the community. My mother gave many lessons to the ladies and girls. i have in my possession letters from young girls thanking my mother for teaching them and introducing them to judaism. in addition, every single morning my father worked hard to find a minyan of 10 men to daven. These prayers were held in new Church Road as Middle street shul was open for shabbat only. he knocked on the doors of his “regulars” to bring them in the car. one of his oldest grandchildren remembers my father bringing in the youth and offering them half a pound for each day they came to pray. For eight lovely years he served the Brighton & hove community: they liked him and he liked them. My father passed away of a heart attack at the age of 59, on erev Rosh Chodesh kislev, corresponding to 29th november 1978. he left my mother devastated. My father is buried in israel, and now after 1 years yearning for him, my mother has passed away at the remarkable age of 95. The photograph on the left, which by the way, each and every one of my siblings has on their wal , shows my parents in al their glory. issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 6 Community life Hastings and District Jewish Society Helping Hands by Claudette woolfson our second Community Volunteer Day was on sunday 2nd november we held our Annual General Meeting. held on sunday 25th october at the Ajex The weather outside was atrocious but, not withstanding, members Centre with an encouraging turn out. inspiring arrived one-by-one bent forward, huddling from the gales and the work shops and the ‘Changing the image of rain. Two latecomers were almost carried in by their still intact but Community Volunteering’ message, combined dripping umbrellas! once again we reviewed the events that had to make Volunteer Day a great success for all. taken place over the year. it is good to note that we are still very active as a society. we are grateful to all those who work hard to we had four workshops make all the services and other events possible. during the day running concurrently no sooner had official proceedings ended than we all sat down to with speakers on the a wonderful ploughman’s lunch ably organised by nicole and Peter subjects The joys of Lennard. Volunteering, new ways of Volunteering, on wednesday 4th november we had a visit from Rev. Malcolm Creating Life histories weisman, who met members and friends at the home of and Creating a stella harris. his topic was about the challenges facing small Framework for communities today. This is no doubt a subject which has given Volunteering. cause for concern to many people and organisations within jewish communities around the country. A buffet lunch was provided while we mingled, exchanged news and views and on Friday 6th november we were due to hold our monthly service realised the advantage of networking with other volunteers. it and social with a short talk from Dr Alfred Bader on this occasion. helped to create a real feeling and buzz of togetherness. we shall also be involved with the Coalition of Christians & jews to celebrate Chanukah. For further information about what is taking The main speaker, sarah Bird gave us an interesting insight into place, please contact stella harris. Timebanking. Visit www.timebanks.co.uk for more information. Please let us know if you think this is something that could work in For all enquiries please contact the society on 0774 992295 or our community. write to hDjs, Po Box 74, Bexhill, east sussex, Tn9 4ZZ. After the afternoon workshops had finished we had a presentation by Dr jo Greenwood on health and safety. The subject, which AJEX Remembrance Service sounds dry, was dealt with in a light-hearted way but jo still by Martin Boyask managed to convey it’s importance. on sunday 8th november it was the turn of Brighton & hove hebrew Congregation to host the annual Ajex Remembrance Day katie Lyons of Lyons Rankin then launched the new helping hands memorial service at west hove synagogue. website: www.helping-hands.org Both katie and her colleague, helen Rankin, gave up their time voluntarily to create the website we welcomed members and officials of Ajex, the Mayor, the for us. we are very grateful to them and feel that this is a Lord Lieutenant, and members of the several Brighton and hove wonderful illustration of how to volunteer in a new way. synagogues, to the service conducted by Rabbi hershel Rader. Rabbi Rader, in his address to the assembled visitors, emphasised we closed with a Community Volunteer Day the debt we owe to those who sacrificed their lives in past wars feedback session Feedback in order that we should be able to lead the life of freedom and and questions from “Congratulations on organising such prosperity we the floor about the a fully packed and interesting day have today. it was day’s events. we for hh and Community Care. it was evident that this would like to thank address was received Community Renewal so proficiently organised and had a with emotion and Project for sponsoring wonderful ambience.” appreciation by those the day, the board of “Thank you to sarah, Liz and Liz for all present. the Brighton & hove your hard work and as ever making a Reform synagogue for After the service, thought into a reality.” their hospitality, the all present enjoyed volunteers who helped “Congratulations on an exCeLLenT hearty refreshments us to put the day volunteers’ day.” in the Mark Luck together and sonia hall, provided by the “A successful day you organised and Douek from jewish ladies of the social hosted!!” Care for facilitating Committee of BhhC. and providing the “Thank you for a very informative The tasty bridge-rolls, speakers for the day. cakes and biscuits, and helpful day. i was really glad not forgetting the washed down with to be able to be part of it. i think volunteers and ‘would tea and coffee, made that everyone who was there really be’ volunteers who a welcome conclusion enjoyed the day and judging from attended. we hope to the sombre but the chatter after lunch, the idea of you all had a helpful poignant ceremony of timebanking is definitely one which and informative day. the memorial service. has captured peoples’ imagination.” issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 7 Community life Brighton and Hove Hillel Foundation Young Families@BHHC by Aileen hill Many young families spent a morning in the Mark Luck hall at we are all very excited that we have finally exchanged on the Brighton & hove hebrew Congregation. Approximately twelve building behind Middle street shul. we can finally begin the children played under the supervision of parents who organised refurbishment and expect to open our new student Centre at the day’s activities and refreshments, and, got to know each beginning of the next academic year in september 2010. other. Although outdoor activities were originally planned, owing There is a lot to do, but we are now on our way. to the harsh weather, people brought toys so the kids could play until the children joined in from the cheder. The Centre will be available and designed for all jewish students for meetings, social events Friday night and Yom Tov dinners. The next Young Families event will be the holding of a Toddlers There will be every sort of facility including wi-Fi to plasma service at 11.00 am on 5 December. Play dates and Toddlers TV screens, pool tables, milk and meat kitchens, and even services are to become new, regular activities at BhhC with accommodation for those who live too far away to get back future dates to be announced shortly. home on shabbat. The jewish society will also be able to have their base there. Most importantly, it will be their space just to be able to meet and form a stronger student community in the Sussex Jewish Golfing Society area. our aim is to make it the best in the country!! Watch this By Derek Carlton space!! The sussex jewish Golfing society was formed 55 years ago to provide and promote jewish Golf. From an initial six members, we have blossomed to a membership of over sixty. Between a rock and the Fisherman’s Hard place by Maurice Langham we meet at least once a month, between April and october, to This photograph was taken in 190 and shows my father, harry test our skills at many beautiful and challenging courses situated Levenstein, wearing the white pinafore, manning his rock stall on throughout sussex and surrounding areas. what was known as the Fishmarket hard on the lower esplanade our typical day consists of a light lunch, followed by a round at the bottom of Middle street, Brighton. of golf and ending with an evening dinner. The competition is As the sticks of rock were a penny each, this meant that he had played according to our handicaps. to sell 240 in order to take £1.00. i can only hope that the sun we welcome all golfers of varying handicaps where they will be shone and the rain kept off. embraced in a warm and friendly atmosphere. A fun day with great camaraderie is always guaranteed. MALCOLM GREEN CATERING The selection of your menu is an important part in the planning of your Simcha. For that reason our Chefs continue to create exciting and tasty menus to meet your every need. We can tailor a menu to fit your specific requirements and help create the function you are proud of. Let us introduce you to a cuisine that has made us one of Israel’s leading Caterers. Plus summer holidays in Italy, Ireland Middle Street Update and weddings throughout the world. by Martin Boyask in early november 2009 Brighton & hove hebrew Congregation KOSHER CATERING AT ITS BEST completed a lease to hillel for the building behind the Middle street synagogue. The building will be used as their new student Contact Rachel on 01273 726495 drop-in facility and we are delighted that a dynamic, young jewish presence will be re-established in and around the Middle or Malcolm on street site. koshercaterer@yahoo.co.uk For Brighton & hove hebrew Congregation, the arrangement has many benefits, including a good working relationship www.kosherservicesworldwide.com with hillel and students, an enormous improvement to the physical condition of the Middle street site, and will provide the UNDER SUPERVISION KASHRUT Congregation with much-needed funds for the restoration of the DIVISION OF THE LONDON BETH DIN Middle street synagogue and generally. issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 8 Community life Platinum Riches Milly & Moss Rich celebrated 70 years of marriage on october the 9th this To Milly year. Seventieth Anniversary Greeting it was war-time in 199 when they married and, as the evening Argus This day’s the Anniversary reported on 9 Of the day we decided october 9th 2009, “…there was no party To wed, and live as spouse and spouse or honeymoon and no photographs of their special day. After No longer be divided. the ceremony Moss returned to work that afternoon at a timber merchants, whilst Milly went shopping for a kettle. a saucepan and two cups and saucers.” And each to each, we send kind thoughts Touched by Milly’s request for a wedding photo at last, The Good wishes that we wish us Argus sent a photographer to their hove flat to do the honours, and this, together with a visit from Rabbi Rader , literally made A notable day - it’s often called Milly’s day. A special delivery card signed by the Queen, a huge A day that is auspicious. bouquet brought by Deputy Mayor Gary Peltzer Dunn, and greetings from Brighton & hove hebrew Congregation completed the anniversary party for more than a 100 people at the Bali Brasserie in kingsway Court. And looking back along the years Milly used to do the lettering on Tree certificates for the jewish We find our bonds have been national Fund. if you have ever planted a tree in israel, it could Stronger and stronger all the time very well have been Milly herself who lettered the illuminated certificate sent as a thank-you. Our love is evergreen. Moss, aged 99, a published poet, wrote a poem for Mil y as he has done for every birthday and anniversary since they married. Moss Rich, october 9th 2009 Mil y’s comment on her long and happy marriage was to “Take it easy but take it”. image: Moss and Milly opening the Queen’s greeting issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 9 Travel PeaceInsight by sylvie shapira i have just returned from a trip to israel to continue training facilitators for the Peaceinsight summer camps. Due to lack of funding, we were not able to bring over Palestinian and israeli teenagers for the two weeks summer camp this year. The summer camps are where the young people learn how to dialogue and work together to overcome the mistrust and hatred that many feel on both sides of the conflict. something so vital that can only take place with support. i decided however to use the smal amount of money we stil have left to train israeli and Palestinian adults as facilitators to set up short courses in the region. Then when i do have enough funding those groups wil be able to come to the uk for the summer camps. The venue i chose for this latest training was at neve shalom/ wahat al salaam, the jewish/Arab village that squats on a hillside is rare to hear about them in the media. But i can assure you between Tel Aviv and jerusalem. The land has been given to the that they do exist, and whilst not everyone who attends them villagers by the Latrun Monks and there are 55 families living is able to change their mindset or let go of their prejudices, i there side by side, with a primary school where every lesson is believe that the seeds of change are sewn. There are enough taught in Arabic and hebrew. it is an idyllic setting, in spite of like-minded people who know that they have to find ways to live the two cockerels just below my bedroom that started up in vocal together. competition at 2.0 each morning, joined by a gang of goats and some screechy geese. The night before i travelled to israel i went to hear the Festival of world sacred Music at the Ajex hall in hove. how amazing But as with everything to do with the conflict, there are it was to hear Razia Aziz and Lou Beckerman singing together. real obstacles and difficulties in trying to do this work. The i asked Lou if i could have a copy of the beautiful song that her Palestinians i had trained on the west Bank in May did not sister Lynn had composed - salaam shalom. Lou and Lynn were arrive, due to one of them being hospitalised. Between 12 and more than happy to learn that i would be seeing some of the 15 israelis had agreed to attend, but only five came; and they young people who had participated in the summer camps, and were held up for two hours by an accident on the main highway gladly gave me a number of copies of the song to take with me. and a cycle protest. Two israeli Palestinians did come. we were As Lynn said ‘the song was going home’. i was able to give three therefore a very uneven group at the outset. copies to a couple of the Palestinians i met in east jerusalem, The israelis are mostly teachers who really do not understand and three to israelis i saw in Tel Aviv. the difference between teaching and facilitating. nevertheless i hadn’t seen the young people for about two years. They had grown they are all very keen to continue training, which means that i and matured, losing that teenage look of being unsure; the israelis will have to find funding to go back and work with that group, are about to go into the military, the Palestinians are either working, whilst hoping that i can recruit more Palestinians. The work is looking for work or going to university. Al of them agreed that the vital if ever there is to be any understanding between the two encounter at the Peaceinsight summer camp was life changing and peoples. The wounds and scars will remain for generations, but they would never forget their experiences. They also felt that in spite there are enough of the Gaza war they wanted to keep reaching out to the other. people of goodwill i don’t think that they were saying those things for my benefit. i SPECIALISTS IN SECURITY SYSTEMS SINCE 1974 who want to do what hope not. i want to believe that they crave a future of peaceful co-they can to make a existence and wil do whatever it takes to try and make it happen. difference. waiting for politicians seems Access Control only to exacerbate Gates & Barriers the problems; Door Entry Systems meeting with each CCTV Surveillance Care Call Systems other is an important way forward. Sales Service There are FREE SURVEYS Repair probably dozens & QUOTATIONS Installation Maintenance of organisations TRADE & PUBLIC Technical Advice SHOWROOM in israel, the west Design Bank and abroad that are working, 0800 068 5447 like Peaceinsight, info@dorcom.co.uk towards bringing www.dorcom.co.uk both people together. Unit 3, St Josephs Business Park, unfortunately it St Josephs Close, Hove, BN3 7HG issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 10 Travel The Golden Road to Samarkand by Godfrey Gould world travel has now become quite commonplace. But even in my parents’ days it was not so. My mother, before her marriage in 190, holidayed in Blankenberge and it was then regarded by her contemporaries as really adventurous. My parents did not fly until after the war and then it was only the once, to jersey. Although i had travelled widely throughout the uk (by hitch- hiking), i did not go abroad until i was 19. Then it was on a university field trip to holland. And my next overseas journey was likewise, this time as a postgraduate student, by train to italy. i did not fly until i was 26, a week in Paris. i have now lost count of the number of flights i have taken or even of the airlines used. i have certainly been to about fifty countries from north Cape to Cape Point and from Bangkok to Vancouver island. Most of my journeys have been commonplace, but some, in their time, fairly exotic - Cuba, india, Peru, sri Lanka, ukraine, the alphabet from Cyril ic to Roman, thereby rendering most of the Venezuela and Zimbabwe. But some, even now, are rare population il iterate at the stroke of a pen (pun intended). destinations for the tourist - eritrea, Myanmar and uzbekistan. it is, nevertheless, a truly amazing country. just the names of its i went to uzbekistan in 200 for two and a half weeks on an cities resonate with mystery and exoticism - Tashkent, Bukhara archaeological/cultural tour. The country is of ancient origin and and samarkand. khiva, in the west of the country just north of lies in central Asia between kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, part the border with Turkmenistan, is a largely restored desert town. of the ancient silk Route. Apart from omar khayyam, its most To walk round it is like being in some hollywood film set. we famous son must be Timur Leng, ‘Timur the Lame’, rendered stayed in the hotel Madrassah, the students fortunately having by Marlowe as Tamburlaine the Great (reigned 170-1405). his gone. But despite being in the desert the rooms, having only great grandson, uleg Beg (reigned 1447-1449), mathematician tiny, high, open window spaces set in the thick walls, are not and astronomer, had reasoned that the earth was round, half a merely cool, they are ****** cold. century before Columbus, although his kingdom is just about as far as one can get from any open sea! Tashkent, the capital, is not so interesting. Much of the centre was rebuilt during the soviet era following a catastrophic The country (with others) was annexed in the mid nineteenth earthquake. That this happened was denied at the time although century by Tsarist Russia as a buffer against perceived British seismologists everywhere knew that it had. There is, however, expansion from india. The people had hoped for independence a monument to the hundreds of workers who were drafted in to fol owing the Russian revolution, but instead it became a soviet rebuild the city. republic and its economy ruined by an emphasis on growing rice and cotton. As much of the country is desert, the effect of the Bukhara and samarkand are fascinating. here, as elsewhere, it massive growth of crops which are so dependent on water has is the blue clay tiles which adorn the roofs of so many buildings been catastrophic. The sea of Aral, once thriving with fish, is now which give the whole place such a special aspect. And the blue a largely dried up salt field. independence came with the breakand green and black and white tiles of the interiors are no less up of the soviet union, but it has since 1990 been ruled by an dramatic. The hotels we stayed at here, as in Fergana in the old-style ‘soviet’ dictator, President karamov, who has played to east, are modern edifices which could be anywhere. except the gal ery and kept a potential y viable country in poverty. But that they have a tendency (as elsewhere) of serving ultra sweet it has to be said that despite being a Moslem country, it has full cakes, and of bars selling bottles of local vodka for a few us diplomatic relations with israel. his most stupid act was to change dollars - a very cheap way of celebrating, who cares of what. everybody wants dollars so that they can go across a border and buy basic goods which are simply not available at home. The local currency is not negotiable, but the government discourages the use of the dollar so far as it can. Much of our travel was by coach, but we did have three internal flights. The first, from Tashkent to Fergana, was in an old Antonov 20 highwing twin-engined turbo-prop. All announcements were in english, good for us but not so helpful for the indigenous. The door from the cabin to the cockpit did not fit, nor did the window next to my seat - you did not need air conditioning; the draught was quite adequate. instructions to put the seats upright and fold-away tables could not be followed - the seating was rigid tubular steel and canvas, and there were no tables, folding or otherwise. And when we landed, reverse thrust and brakes were unnecessary as the aircraft virtually came to a stop on the runway and the captain had to rev his engines to get us off the runway and to the terminal. But not the most issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 11 Travel hair raising commercial flight i’ve ever taken - that was in Peru. on one of the other two flights we had a Tupolev version of the uk Trident. A rare method of transport in the cities is to stop a car and ask the driver to take you where you want to go having first negotiated a price. This worked better when you went from a hotel as the porter did the negotiating and agreed a reasonable price. But if you were doing it for yourself, the price tended to be higher, but still cheap, especially in Tashkent when the driver learned that we wanted to go to the hotel sheraton! There are today about 5,000 jews in uzbekistan. From ancient times there have been the Bukhari, who today reside mainly in Bukhara and samarkand They have many of their own practices and speak a hebrew/Persian tongue, judeo- Tajik. The largest group are the Ashkenazim. They live mainly in Tashkent, at 1,000, the largest community, and came to the country in soviet times. There are synagogues in these towns and elsewhere - i counted four in Bukhara alone. The jewish population is inevitably declining, not least because of emigration to israel. however, in these three main cities there are significant Lubavitch activities. in Tashkent especially can be found synagogues, schools, a yeshiva, mikveh, library, communal centre, soup kitchen, etc. indeed, it all quite puts our local facilities to shame. one of the more intriguing aspects of life in uzbekistan revolves around the markets of which there are many. Go to one and find a bookstall - not difficult; they are common. Amongst the collection there you will find for sale siddurim, Chumashim and Machzorim, usually in poor condition with covers and/or pages missing and generally looking the worse for wear. who buys them i do not know, but they are usually marketed as being valuable old hebrew tracts of antique origin. in fact, if they were, it would be illegal to export them. Literati amongst you wil know that my title comes from the final scene (Act V, scene ii) of ‘hassan’ by james elroy Flecker. here the caravaneers chant “we Take the Golden Road to samarkand” as they set out from the Gate of the Moon, Bagdad (sic). But before that the merchants recite the wonderful goods that they wil convey. Responding to the list enumerated by the jewish Merchants the Master of the Caravan responds “But you are nothing but a lot of jews”, to which the Principal jew observes (shades of oscar wilde) “sir, even dogs have daylight, and we pay”. issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 12 Travel Our River Nile Cruise by Diane joseph Yes, we knew it would be hot but not 45C, which is 120F! But of course the ship, the Da Vinci, was total y air-conditioned which made it liveable. we flew to Luxor, a five and a half hour flight, and once on board we cruised to esna, edfu, kom-ombo, Aswan and back. The food was very good and plentiful and the other two couples on our table were good company. our cabin boy - there were no women crewmembers - was very thorough, and each day he sculptured our towels, pil ows and clothes into various shapes like swans, a snake, an elephant and best of al , a monkey hanging from the ceiling of our cabin in front of the door that scared the life out of us. The pool on the top deck was a very good size and there was plenty of shade but even then it was very hot and we couldn’t stay up there too long, even in the late afternoon. before rebuilding it on higher ground. in some of the temples you can stil see beautiful colours which have hardly dimmed in thousands of years. we came across the only Pharaoh who was a woman, hatshepsut. she ruled for over twenty years without ever revealing her gender. women were never al owed to hold a position of importance. we were told that there were stil many many sites to be excavated but the Antiquities Department do not start on new sites until opened ones have been ful y excavated. Manal explained the process of mummification, but nowhere amongst the hieroglyphics did the ancient egyptians give the formula. when we visited a shop which showed the art of papyrus printing i bought an original painting of the god of embalming, Anubis, which is represented by a jackal. when we first lived in Malta we saw quite a few dogs with large pointed ears and always cal ed them the ‘Pharaoh’ dog so i have a memento of both egypt and Malta. The egyptians did not worship animals but rather what our tour guide Manal, an egyptologist, made the holiday for each animal stood for, like honesty, shrewdness, power etc. us. Apart from the fact that she was very attractive, she was so animated and enthusiastic, speaking with her eyes, hands, arms, obviously we saw a lot of poverty, people living in what looked and in fact the whole of her body, that this enthusiasm rubbed off like broken- down shacks, but it would appear that if a property on us and we didn’t balk at getting up every morning at 5.20am in is unfinished, i.e. minus a roof, windows, doors etc. tax is not order to beat the heat! she read some of the hieroglyphics for us, payable. Yet many of these shacks sported a sky dish!! The street some of them dating back to 1600 BC which according to Manal vendors at the temples and tombs drove you crazy and they means ‘Before Chocolate’. one told the story of the particular thought they were being considerate saying ‘no touch, no touch’ Pharaoh buried in his tomb and gave us an idea of how the ancient which meant that they would not touch you. egyptians lived. it wasn’t until 1822 when the Rosetta stone was i think that the best part of the holiday was the very slow sailing along found by a Frenchman that these hieroglyphics were deciphered. the nile, so beautiful and soothing that i would like to do it al over again. every Pharaoh has a cartouche with his name and birth and death dates carved on it alongside his figure, a cartouche being rectangular and standing upright. The Aswan Dam was built by the Russians. on top of the dam is an enormous statue like a jester’s hat. Apparently when flying over the ‘hat’ it looks like a hammer and sickle. The lock is opened only once a year to avoid flooding in ethiopia. Alongside the dam is Lake nasser which holds enough water to last seven years so there is never any fear of drought. Before the dam was built the land was home to thousands of nubians who are dark skinned but do not have African features. in fact they are very good looking, hence the Pharaohs had plenty of nubian girls around them! i found it very interesting that after al these years they stil have their own language and do not intermarry. one interesting temple was the Philae Temple which was dedicated to the goddess isis. As it had been in danger of flooding unesCo had numbered every block, and dismantled the whole building issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 1 Culture Limmud is coming to Bournemouth An early musical Eclipse on sunday May 2 2010, Bournemouth university will be the by Cecily woolf venue for the town’s best Regional Limmud to date, with 0 it was heartening to learn from the seven talented members top speakers and other attractions already confirmed. There is of eclipse that there was a Christian equivalent to the so-called an additional reason for making this Limmud extra special as Golden Age of Muslim tolerance, at the 1th century spanish it coincides with the town’s bicentenary celebrations which will court of Alfonso the wise. Their afternoon programme at The be reflected in parts of the programme. Participants at previous old Market entitled The Court of a Thousand Dreams was a events will first notice improved facilities for all-day refreshments, re-creation of that time when jewish, Christian and Muslim lunch and drinks in the entrance atrium by the market place. This musicians worked together in harmony. allows instant access to stock up while moving from one lecture hall to the next, thus ensuring you don’t miss a thing! They performed praises to the Virgin Mary alongside traditional sephardi music with equal enthusiasm, laced with some our tireless organisers have ensured a line-up to suit all splendidly fiery flamenco and contemporary dance from natalia tastes, needs and age groups from politics, the arts, spiritual Garcia huidobro and a little folklore, though this would have themes, topical issues and music to history, religion, education, benefitted from more amplification. politics, the media, interactive workshops and even a session with the famous jewish Princesses! You are thus ensured of a Among the fascinating instruments was one resembling a stimulating day of learning and entertainment plus a taste of beige drainpipe that sounded surprisingly mellow. The hands the unexpected. Registration is from 9.00 am and you can relax too were very effective when used percussively in clapping or over coffee while planning your individual choice of speakers snapping the fingers (how i wish i could do that!). joy smith etc. All this will culminate in a ViP Question Time when our team coaxed a particularly beautiful tone from her harp in the group’s of hand-picked experts will provide inside knowledge to answer improvisation on a sephardic wedding song. questions from you, the audience. During the day you will be There were other sephardi songs in the programme, all in able to browse in the market place with stalls offering ceramics, Ladino: Bre sarika, about a pretty but cheeky servant, La serena books, magazines, music and more as well as a host of activities (the calm) which, despite sounding mournful included the words that are being planned to keep the younger generation happy. “Curses upon you who sleep alone, so i am coming to sleep entrance on arrival is £28 which includes a light lunch and all-day with you.”; and ‘why are you crying?’, the heartfelt words of an refreshments but you can reduce this to £22 by booking before abandoned sweetheart. April 0th. The Bournemouth university campus has easy access i learned from the informative programme that Ladino, or judeo- with ample free car parking and is within reach of the train and spanish, was actually based on mediaeval Castilian and written in coach stations. everything possible is being meticulously planned hebrew script, the ballads being transmitted mainly through the by the organising committee to make Bournemouth Day Limmud female line. The concert offered a unique chance to place this better than ever before – you won’t want to miss it! part of our own musical heritage in the context of other spanish music, and i am grateful to the organisers of the Brighton early JXG to provide Music Festival for bringing such a versatile and international musical Sanctuary ensemble to our city. jarmila xymena Gorna (pronounced Yarmeela kseemena Goorna) is an extraordinary, London-based, Polish vocalist, pianist and composer. Born into a musical family in Lodz, Poland, jarmila brings a wealth of musical experience to her work. she combines classical piano with european folk traditions and jazz. Gorna’s debut album, hashgachah, received a five-star rating by BBC Radio . it is deeply personal, audacious and powerful and features virtuoso piano playing, sophisticated arrangements and extraordinary vocals utilising her four octave vocal range. jarmila xymena Gorna will be performing at the The sanctuary Cafe Cellar Bar, 51/55 Brunswick street, hove on Thursday December 2009 at 8.00 pm. Tickets are £7 and only available at the door. issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 14 BhRs Brighton & hove Reform synagogue Palmeira Avenue, hove, Bn Ge Tel: 0127 754 email: office@bh-rs.org www.bh-rs.org Rabbi Charles wallach Activities light the way Sedra for 5 December 2009: Vayishlach Rabbi Charles wallach Struggling with ourselves with the Yom Tov season dominating so much of the recent past Rabbi Charles wallach the social side of communal life somehow took something of a back seat. however, the past few weeks have seen a resurgence of that, As with so much of the Book of Genesis, this sedra is filled with our regular members’ teas engaging the more senior citizens with well-known stories. Vayishlach opens with jacob sending and activities taking place with and on behalf of our youngsters. messengers to meet brother esau and describes the meeting of the brothers twenty years on from their parting over the As to the latter the Rock & Rol evening at the beginning of issue of the birthright. it is followed immediately by the november brought over 100 revel ers to our Ajex hal . Fuel ed by a struggle with the mysterious stranger at jabbok Ford and the splendid fish meal they danced away the night to the music of our story of the rape of Dinah. own samuel Firsht and his group, the Firetones. what with a raffle as wel as an auction finances were wel garnered, the purpose of in many ways this is the sedra where jacob effectively which was seen in evidence the very next day when, on return to grows up or rather, begins to take on the responsibilities classes after the mid-term break we had almost ful attendance of a patriarch. scholars point to the struggle with the angel fol owed by a lovely group staying on for the monthly Cheder kids as being effectively his “call”. But before that can happen, Club where, under the watchful eye of sara sasson chal ah was the little matters of that awful split with esau need to be baked fol owed by the usual playing of games and so on. addressed. Twenty years is a very long period for such matters to fester and jacob is clearly unsure as to what sort The next Cheder kids club is sunday, 6th December when of reception to expect. when they do meet we are told esau chanukiyot for Chanukah will be made ahead of our double “vayishakehu”. The translation is that “he kissed him”. But celebration of the festival - first on the first eve of Chanukah on the Rabbis of old placed dots on the word, marking it for Friday,11th at 6.0 p.m. (followed by a kiddush arranged by our comment. was it truly a kiss or was it a bite (not a “love wonderful Parents Committee) and then on sunday afternoon the bite”!)? it has left commentators guessing for centuries. 1th from 2.0 p.m. for the great Chanukah party! Perhaps the one whose actions are to be looked at is jacob Chanukah same’ach!! who, as i say, learns a thing or two. esau follows that initial contact of not attacking his younger brother by acknowledging Bulletin Board for December 2009 the family and wealth he has acquired these twenty years • Friday night services are at 6.0 pm except on 4th December with Laban. jacob is now able to assert himself over Laban when the service will begin at 8.00 pm after having worked for the man well over their initial agreement. Then jacob is able to slay his demons regarding • saturday morning services are at 10.0 am esau and finally the struggle with the character. • every Monday at 11.00 am – seated exercise with Adele But, as one has put it so succinctly, our struggles are often with • (note: no session on 28th December) ourselves. During the struggle jacob says, “i wil not let you • every wednesday at 1.00 pm - Rabbi Discussion Group go unless you bless me!” what he is actual y saying though • every wednesday at 2.00 pm – jACs in the Ajex hall is that he wil not go on until he has found the meaning to al • Tues 1st 12.0 pm - Lunch Discussion - this. suffering, says our commentator, does not heal of itself. should we be in Afghanistan? understanding the meaning of it though can lead to self-healing, Facilitated by Michael harris. growth and a deeper sense of purpose. There may wel have been a physical struggle, but the greater struggle was for jacob • sun 6th 1.00 pm - Cheder kids Club to rid himself of his darker side and, as Yisrael struggle with and • Fri 11th Chanukah - 1st Candle service starts at 6.0 pm on behalf of the Almighty as patriarch and leader. • sat 12th First day of Chanukah • sun 1th Chanukah party for the Cheder children Last day of term • we are closed on Monday 28th December Brighton & Hove Cheder is looking for a teacher for its ever expanding classes: Sunday mornings in term time. INTERESTED? Please contact either Rabbi Wallach or our Administrator Saonie Lyons on 01273 735343 or email cheder@bhrs.org issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 15 hhC hove hebrew Congregation 79 holland Road, hove, Bn 1jn Tel: 0127 7205 email: hovehc@btinternet.com Rabbi Vivian silverman Janet’s Column Sedra for 12th December 2009: Vayeishev by janet Cowan Rabbi Vivian silverman it has been a sad month for our community. Audrey Lewis loved The individual dreams of Pharaoh’s Chief Butler and Chief our shul, and was very active both on the Board of Management Baker (two important personages in his court) so baffled them and the Ladies Guild. on a personal note, she was a very close that only the young hebrew prisoner, incarcerated with them friend, a very kind person who gave a great deal of warmth, and in the Royal dungeon, could fathom their meaning. always cared about all of us and expected nothing in return. if The butler saw three branches on a vine which were blossoming either one of us were going to shul, the other would go along so into clusters of ripe grapes. he was pressing the grape juice into we could keep each other company, having our seats next to one Pharaoh’s goblet, which he then offered to the king. another for many years now. Audrey will be missed very much, and i send my love to the family that she adored. The baker dreamed that he was carrying three baskets of white bread on his head. Birds were pecking the bread from the top- Audrey was a very good cook, and i have several recipes from most basket. her, including her Chopped herring, which i make using my food processor. here is the recipe. Yosef interpreted the dreams. The chief butler would be restored to court in three days time, on Pharaoh’s birthday, Chop -4 Trifle sponge cakes and add hard-boiled eggs and and he would give the king his cup of wine, once again. This is eating apples, using the metal blade. Then add the onions from the what the office of butler signified. The hebrew “sar hamishkim” jars of herrings and final y jars of Bismark herring. Mix wel and indicates “the officer who pours out the drink”. As for the chief then add teaspoons of sugar which has melted in boiling water. baker, on Pharaoh’s birthday he would be hanged and the birds This is certainly the nicest chopped herring i have tasted, would peck at his carcass. although i do not make it very often as chopped herring is in each case the three branches and the three baskets available in most supermarkets these days. But the bought meant three days, but the consequence was to be so sharply product is just not the same as the home made. different. in one case, within three days Pharaoh will lift up it was so lovely to celebrate Yitzy efune’s bar mitzvah recently. your head and restore you to your position. in the other, our lovely shul was crowded and the sun shone through the within three days Pharaoh will lift your head from off you. stained glass windows just as Yitzy was reading his Parsha. As As soon as Yosef had interpreted the butler’s dream, he added i looked over to my left i saw his two very proud grandmas “please remember me to Pharaoh when it goes well with you, smiling from ear to ear along with his Mum, sisters, grandfathers and bring me out of this prison. i was stolen away from the and brothers. A hearty mazel tov to Rabbi Pesach and Penina land of the hebrews”. This is the very first mention of eretz efune and their four generations of family who were all in shul to Canaan as eretz ha ivrim (the land of the hebrews), the land celebrate such a lovely occasion. of the descendants of Avraham (Yosef’s great-grandfather) happy Chanukah to you all. who was also called ha ivri because he came from the other side of the river euphrates (meieiver hanahar). December Diary Precisely because Yosef placed his hope and faith in the butler, 1 Tue 11.00 am - weekly Talmud shiur and not in the Almighty, he learned how fickle human beings 11 Fri .5 pm - 1st Chanukah light before shabbat can be. The butler forgot al about the young hebrew prisoner once he was out of prison, and so Yosef had to spend a further 12 sun joint Chanukah service with west hove two years there. 15 Tue 10.0 am - Ladies discussion circle followed by Talmud Al tivt’hoo vindivin - do not place your trust in princes (psalm 146). 17 Thu Rosh Chodesh Tevet 18 Fri Rosh Chodesh Tevet 19 shab 8th day Chanukah Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Return visit of Ruth Sless to Holland Road Can you spare a couple of hours occasional y? Rabbi silverman with janet Cowan (left) and Ruth sless (right) at a L’Chaim hosted by Ruth sless. We are looking for volunteers to help run our very busy Lunch and Social Club on Tuesday/Thursday and to assist with serving lunch and/or tea. The atmosphere is relaxed, sociable and very friendly. Most of our members are elderly and are wel known in the community. If you are interested in helping out, please call Suzanne on 01273 739999 and she will be delighted to give you any further information. issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 16 BhhC Brighton & hove hebrew Congregation 1 new Church Road, hove, Bn AD Tel: 0127 888855 email: office@bhhc-shul.org www.bhhc-shul.org Rabbi hershel Rader Adult Education @ BHHC Sedra for 19th December 2009: Miketz The first page of any volume of the Talmud is numbered ‘two’. Wake Up Calls one of the reasons advanced for this tradition is that however by Rabbi hershel Rader much we may have learned, we must realise that we have not yet covered page one! in this spirit the BhhC has recently we are al familiar with the story of Pharaoh’s dreams. Popular introduced several new Adult education initiatives aimed to suit culture tel s us that ‘any dream wil do’ but joseph realised that the community both in their content and accessibility. although both dreams – the dream of the fat and thin cows as wel as the second dream of the healthy and blasted produce winter warmers – had the same meaning. There was profound significance in A series of four talks on ‘hot topics’ from a jewish perspective, the fact that the same message was repeated. As joseph tel s using authentic jewish sources to examine current events. The Pharaoh ‘As for the repetition of the dream to Pharaoh – twice first, on ‘immigration – welcoming the stranger’ took place at – it is because the matter stands ready before G-d and G-d is the home of Linda and nick werner on the 18th of november. hastening to do it’. (Genesis 41:2) G-d sent the same message Details of further talks are available from the shul office. in two different forms in order to stress the immediacy with Lunch and Learn which the events would unfold. A weekly opportunity for both men and women to enjoy a Pharaoh’s dreams were a ‘wake up call’ to him and his shiur and lunch. This takes place in the Bais hamidrash every country. he realised they had phenomenal significance and wednesday from 12.0 – 1.0 pm. The shiur is an in-depth look eventually found, in joseph, the man to both interpret the at one aspect of the parsha of the week. Lunch is provided and dreams and implement a plan which would save egypt. we there is a small charge of £2.50 towards the cost of the lunch. can say that Pharaoh was a great leader in recognising both Ladies shiur the importance of the dreams and the tremendous ability every Thursday in the Bais hamidrash from 11.00 am to 12.00 of joseph. Pharaoh was, in all probability, well and truly pm giving the ladies of the community a chance to learn about ensconced in a powerful and luxurious lifestyle which he the aspects of judaism which are of specific interest to them. assumed would continue. nevertheless he did not ignore this wake up call and put everything in place to ensure national haftarah Club survival. This takes place on Thursday evenings at 8.00 pm in the Bais hamidrash. we really want to encourage participation in the Are we as wise when we receive life’s wake up calls? on the services and activities of the BhhC. The haftarah Club provides health and well-being level, a little cholesterol, climbing blood an opportunity for men who wish to recite a haftarah on a pressure or recurring bronchitis might be the not-so-subtle shabbat morning or Yom Tov. whether you want to learn from signs that it’s time for a change of lifestyle. These are the scratch, polish up your skills or refresh yourself on your Bar medical wake up calls we receive. Do we really have to wait Mitzvah haftarah, come to the haftarah Club where assistance for a heart attack, G-d forbid, to stop smoking, or start eating will be on hand as well as some spiritual refreshment! less and exercising more? That’s what wake-up calls are for, to help us get the message before it’s too late. Don’t let the term shiur scare or mislead you. shiur simply means ‘lesson’. it requires no initiation. There is no pre-requisite of what about wake up calls on a spiritual level? The jewish religious observance i.e. one does not need to be ‘frum’! The calendar is replete with festivals. They differ in their form, shiurim at BhhC are tailored, as far as possible, to the level of content and traditions, but each bears its own message, its those who attend. own wake up call for the soul. As we continue through the year’s seasons, each festival provides us with its own brand of inspiration. The beautiful festival of Chanukah, which invariably coincides with the Parsha of Miketz, is observed by lighting the Menorah. our tradition is that we light one candle on the first night, two on the second, three on the third and so on, finishing with eight on the eighth and final night. This offers us an important insight into our relationship with hashem. By lighting one candle on the first night we have performed the mitzvah in its entirety. on the second night one candle is no longer sufficient. The same applies throughout Chanukah; each night requires something extra, something new. whatever sufficed yesterday is no longer sufficient. so too in our quest to come closer to the Almighty through the observance of his Torah, constant progress is required by adding something regularly, however smal . in so doing we heed the wake up cal of Chanukah, emulating the 01273 930931 Menorah and bringing hashem’s light to the world. info@lyonsrankin.com www.lyonsrankin.com issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 17 BhPs Brighton & hove Progressive synagogue, Adat shalom Vereiu’t-Al sefat hayyam, 6 Lansdowne Road hove Bn 1FF Tel: 0127 7722 email: bhps@freenetname.co.uk www.brightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk Rabbi elizabeth Tikvah sarah Diary — December 2009 Sedra for 26th December 2009: Va-Yiggash Access to hebrew: Why did our ancestors “go down” to Egypt? Thursdays, rd, 10th & 17th 11.00 am – 12.0 pm Rabbi elizabeth Tikvah sarah Access to hebrew workshop: The ‘joseph story’ is so well known we may forget that it begs Thursday 17th 7.0 – 9.00 pm a few important questions. Access to judaism: At the beginning of Parashat Va-yiggash, after judah, the saturdays, 5th & 12th 1.00 – 2.0 pm, following shabbat fourth son of Leah and jacob, has made an impassioned plea Morning service to joseph for the safe return of Benjamin to their father, Monthly shiur: joseph, realising that his brothers have learnt their lesson, Thursday 10th 7.0 – 9.00 pm, study of jewish sources led by finally reveals his true identity to them (Genesis 44:18-45:4). Rabbi sarah when he does so, joseph says something very curious (45:7): ‘… God sent me before you to ensure you would be a remnant Friday 4th erev shabbat Chavurah supper 7.00 pm on the earth, and to keep you alive for a great deliverance.’ Led by Rabbi sarah, with Refugees from Brighton Voices in exile joseph’s words bring to mind what Avram learnt during a Friday 11th erev shabbat Channukah 1 – 8.00 pm with 1st ‘deep sleep’ at the beginning of his journey (Leich L’cha - Gen. Candle, led by steve Field, followed by oneg: on Chanukah with 15:1-14): ‘You shall surely know that your seed shall be a Cath senker and the williams family stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and saturday 12th Beit Midrash shabbat Chanukah Morning they shall afflict them 400 years; / and also that nation, whom service 11.00 am, led by Rabbi sarah, with Mi shebeirach for they shall serve, i will judge; and afterwards, they shall go Bob kaltz’s 80th birthday out with great substance.’ Chanukah Celebrations: The mediaeval commentators, Rashi and Ramban, were • 6.30 pm Havdalah followed by lighting of 2nd Candle concerned to reconcile the reference to ‘400 years’ with the actual period of enslavement in egypt: exodus 12:40, for • 7.00 pm Chavurah Supper with latkes & doughnuts example, states that the total period of time that the israelites Bring a permitted dish to share or pay £2.50 ‘dwelt’ in egypt – that is, including the time when they were • 8.00 pm Concert with the Chutzpah Choir not slaves – was 40 years. – tickets £7.50 (see advert below) But there is a more puzzling issue: why did Abraham’s Tuesday 15th CCj Meeting 7.0 pm with Rabbi sarah descendants, the ‘children of israel’, have to become slaves speaking on ‘jewish-Christian Relations’ at all? so, they ‘went down’ into egypt because of the famine wednesday 16th L’Chayyim Lunch 12.00 – 2.00 pm with – but why couldn’t they have returned to Canaan after the 6th Chanukah candle famine was over? The Torah seems to be suggesting that before the israelites could inherit the land promised to Abraham they had, first, to be ‘strangers in a land not theirs,’ become enslaved, and then be ‘delivered’ from their bondage – that these were essential pre-conditions. why? joseph’s brothers had to be taught a lesson about family fidelity. But what lessons did the israelites have to learn? To acknowledge God as the sole ‘Redeemer’? To realise, from experience, that it is wrong to oppress strangers? (exodus 2:9; Leviticus 19:-4). what do you think? A Musical Treat by ivor Miskin Despite appalling weather, a select audience was treated to an RETURN OF CHUTZPAH CHOIR evening of outstanding musical talent. we were delighted to welcome back Rod hart and imogen Ryall, who kept this evening Once again we are delighted to welcome Polina clear of their London engagements to be with us. imogen has Shepherd and the Chutzpah Choir. a great voice, and adapts it to many types of song, from slow ballad to the faster tempo material. Rod’s keyboard skills are Join us for another treat of delightful Israeli, considerable, both as backing for imogen and when playing his improvised solo passages. Russian & other ethnic music delivered in the inimitable style of this wonderful local group. Apart from their musical skills, they are a genuinely warm couple and spent an appreciable time talking with members of their Saturday 12 December, 8.00pm, tickets £7.50 from audience during the interval. we shall be booking them again, so watch this space. the Office or at the door, but don’t delay! issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 18 Ralli hall So much to do, so much to support The Joy of Tech by Roger Abrahams, hon. Chairman by the sussex jewish we have a happy and colourful holy Day this month, as online Team Chanukah commences on the 11th, and to help celebrate the D television and D occasion, there will be a Chanukah Tea and entertainment on computer screens sunday afternoon, 20th December. This will be presented jointly will be with us next by the Ralli hall Lunch and social Club and helping hands. i am year with the new sure that it will be a lovely afternoon for all. windows operating system (windows 7) After many years of running the Monday Club, Greta Bennett rumoured to be catering for D gaming and D film experiences. is retiring at the end of the year. Thank you, Greta, for al of At your local cinema, a crop of D films have appeared so it your dedication and hard work. You wil be sorely missed by al makes sense if you’re going to be able to view these flicks at concerned and wil be a hard act to fol ow. her enthusiastic co-home on DVD. volunteers, janet and Betty, are staying on, as is Reba Cohen, who wil also be continuing with the Rubber and Duplicate Bridge in the Talking of D, we came across a free to download D art gallery stephen Magril Lounge (now up to five tables on most sessions). programme called ‘Photo! D Album’ (http://pho.to/albumd) Reba has told me that she has a few new and exciting ideas in that generates onscreen D art galleries for your photos or art mind, but would welcome any suggestions or ideas, as to what you can save or share with family and friends. if that wasn’t the members would like. Please either talk to her on a Monday good enough value, it comes with a nifty free partner called afternoon, or contact her via the Ral i hal office on 0127 202254. ‘Photo! D screensaver’ for making your own screensavers. As mentioned last month, we have frozen the cost of Annual For those looking for a better e-mailer than outlook, try Membership for the coming year and renewals will be sent out Zimbra Desktop from Yahoo. Zimbra includes lots of features soon after you receive this edition of sjn. if you are not already including tasks, calendar, address book and more – and its a member, or if your membership lapsed more than two years free to download and simple to set up for single or multiple ago, and you wish to join B&hjCF, please contact the office e-mail accounts – and syncs to your phone, PDA, laptop, etc. for membership details and a membership form. it would be There’s also a professional online version at cost. Google ‘Zimbra incredible if everyone supported the only non-affiliated jewish Desktop’, try it, and if you don’t like it, just uninstall it. we like it Community social facility in Brighton & hove. even if at the at sjo. present time there is not a specific activity going on that sparks your interest, just think about how many important jewish To close, here’s a hot mobile phone tip and saver they didn’t functions, activities and meetings are held at Ralli hall during the want you to know about. instead of receiving voice mail year. Besides, where else locally you can hold a simcha for up to messages and paying for them (noch), just dial your own mobile 150 people with kosher meat & milk kitchens and a free car park phone number on your mobile phone and you should get your on sundays just around the corner! voicemail and your messages – only free. i have tried it on T-Mobile, checked my bill and the tip seems to work. in addition, on the first sunday of each month we host the only Vegetarian Farmers’ Market on the south coast. This takes place Monday Social and Bridge Club in the car park, the gymnasium and in the Youth Lounge so if it is by Reba Cohen cold or wet, many of the stalls are inside. You will be pleasantly After many years of running the Monday Friendship Club Greta surprised as to what is available for sale. Bennett has decided to step down and take a well-deserved rest. we thank Greta for all her efforts. see you at Ralli hall. i am very happy to announce that as from Monday 21st December i will be taking over the organization of the Monday Friendship Club, as well as continuing running the Bridge Club. The Ral i Hal Lunch & Social Club Fortunately, janet and Betty have agreed to continue being part of the team. together with we will be introducing some new activities for the Friendship Helping Hands Club and would love to hear from you if you have any thoughts or ideas. Present The Bridge Club is going from strength to strength and is enjoyed by players of various levels. why not come along (with or without Chanukah Tea & Entertainment a partner) and give us a try? we are a friendly lot and apart from having a good game you will partake in a lovely afternoon tea. on Sunday, 20th December watch out for further announcements about the Friendship and Bridge Clubs. At Ralli Hall, Denmark Villas, Hove You can call me on 01444 41045 or 07742 10991 or norina at At 2pm – 5pm Ralli hall on 202254. see you at Ralli hall. No charge Raffle prizes For more information phone 747722 issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk 19 what’s on diary@sussexjewishnews.com Shabbat Shalom – Brighton Times wednesdays (continued) • Fri 4th Dec in .9 pm, out sat 5th 4.5 pm Chutzpah Choir (singing in Yiddish, Ladino, hebrew, Russian • Fri 11th Dec in .7 pm, out sat 12th 4.52 pm * and ukrainian) with Polina shepherd 7.00 -8.45 pm Tel: 0127 54101 (Rosalind) Rh. • Fri 18th Dec in .7 pm, out sat 19th 4.5 pm * • Fri 25th Dec in .41 pm, out sat 26th 4.57 pm Thursdays Ralli hall Lunch and social Club Tel: suzanne 0127 79999 * on Fridays light Chanukah candles before shabbat candles and 10.0 am -4.0 pm Rh on saturdays after shabbat goes out Events this month Regular Activities wednesday 2 jACs – Guest speaker Christopher Rudd: ‘The sundays heart of London Part 2’ Ajex Centre, eaton shalom Programme Breakfast show on www.radioreverb.com as Road, Hove. Members ₤1.50/Non Members ₤2.00 well as 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Thursday jarmila xymena Gorna in Concert Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am-12.00 noon weekly. All levels with Mamaloshen klezmer Band in support welcome. Tel: Leon on 07717 222744 Pianist, vocalist and composer of hashgachah 8.00 pm, sanctuary Cafe, Cellar Bar, Mondays Brunswick street. Tickets £7 at the door note: Ralli hall will be closed on Monday 28 December for the Bank holiday Friday 4 submission deadline for january issue of • Afternoon Club with tea 1.0 pm. Contact Greta 0127 sussex jewish news 721987 Rh wednesday 9 jACs - Guest speaker Rabbi Charles wallach ‘ • Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 1.30 – 4.30 pm ₤2.00. Tel: Thoughts of Chanukah’ Ajex Centre, Reba on 01444 41045 eaton Road, hove. Members ₤1.50/Non Members ₤2.00 Tuesdays wednesday 16 jACs - ‘An Afternoon of Fun and Music’ • Advanced oil Painting Group Tel: Martin 0127 2740 Rh Ajex Centre, eaton Road, hove. • Painting with Rochelle (jAs) 7.00 pm-9.00 pm Tel: 0127 Members ₤1.50/Non Members ₤2.00 50708 Rh sunday 20 The Ralli hall Lunch and social Club together • israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm-9.45 pm Tel: jacky 0127 with helping hands present a Chanukah Tea 68858 Rh and entertainment at Ralli hall 2.00 – 5.00 pm. • Ralli hall Lunch and social Club Tel: suzanne 0127 79999 no charge. 10.0 am-4.0 pm Rh Monday 21 sarid – Belated Chanukah Party 10.45 am • ivrit Classes at Ralli hall 6.45 pm – 7.45 pm. Contact sara at Ralli hall Allen on 566416 or norina on 202254 wednesday 2 jACs - Guest speaker Chris shaw ‘An era of Climate Change’ Ajex Centre, wednesdays eaton Road, hove. j:Tots (formerly Mothers and Toddlers) 10.00 am - 12.0 pm Tel: Members ₤1.50/Non Members ₤2.00 Rachel on 0127 2044 Rh wednesday 0 jACs – Quiz presented by janice Greenwood Painting with Gwyneth Rose (jAs) 10.00 am -12.00 noon Tel: Ajex Centre, eaton Road, hove. 0127 540464 weekly Rh Members ₤1.50/Non Members ₤2.00 Grodzinski’s challot and ONLINE... rye bread are available Between issues of sussex jewish news, you can get community news bul etins and features from these websites: from Premier Convenience • sussex jewish news on www.sussexjewishnews.com Stores in Hove Street • sussex jewish online on www.sussexjewishonline.co.uk every Thursday morning • Brighton & hove online jewish Community on www.webjam.com/indi until supplies run out. each website has different features and all should be supported. issue 192 / DeCeMBeR 2009 / www.sussexjewishnews.Co.uk BRIGHTON & HOVE JEWISH WELFARE BOARD Caring for Jewish people in need ...we can help you (Registered charity no. 255060) Are you, or someone that you know, in need of assistance? The Brighton & Hove Jewish Welfare Board was established in 1846 and, since that time, has been assisting Jewish people living in Sussex. Our aims are to alleviate hardship and deprivation by, for example: • Providing financial help, usually in the form of a weekly grant. • Casual help of a financial nature. • Benefits in kind, usually in the form of food, furniture, television sets etc. • Grants to students pursuing a Jewish education, or a recognised course in Higher Education. • The provision of ‘Kosher for Pesach’ food parcels. • Day Centre facilities for the elderly at Ralli Hall. • Recuperative holidays. If you or someone you know is in genuine need and would benefit from our help, please call our Welfare Secretary Mrs Joy Markham on (01273) 722523. Please be assured that all information will be treated in the strictest confidence. New Board members In addition, the Board is looking to recruit new members to replace long standing members who have recently retired. If you have a caring nature and skills that would enable you to make a valuable contribution to the work undertaken by the Board, please in the first instance contact our Chairperson Miriam Book at miriam@gardenbook.co.uk. Or perhaps you can help us..? The Brighton & Hove Jewish Welfare Board derives its funding from you, the local community. We simply distribute your money to other members of our community who are in greater need. Have you considered making a monthly or one-off donation to the Welfare Board? Have you considered leaving a legacy to the Welfare Board in your will? If you are at al interested in making a donation to the Welfare Board, please contact our Treasurer Alan Style on (01273) 597343 during office hours. Alan wil be delighted to speak to you or to arrange a brief meeting, in order to explain how you can make a significant difference to the lives of those less fortunate living in our Sussex community. To make a donation, please cal : (01273) 597343 Document Outline Pause for thought Contents Personals, letters and postcards Births Special birthdays B’nai Mitzvah Engagements Weddings Anniversaries Achievements Get well Death Stonesetting Miracles do happen ... especially in the Holy Land Community life Bexhill and District Jewish Friends EJSS celebrates its First Birthday Remembering Rabbi Unsdorfer Hastings and District Jewish Society AJEX Remembrance Service Helping Hands Brighton and Hove Hillel Foundation Between a rock and the Fisherman’s Hard place Middle Street Update Young Families@BHHC Sussex Jewish Golfing Society Platinum Riches Travel PeaceInsight The Golden Road to Samarkand Our River Nile Cruise Culture Limmud is coming to Bournemouth JXG to providemusical Sanctuary An early musical Eclipse BHRS Sedra for 5 December 2009: Vayishlach Activities light the way Bulletin Board for December 2009 HHC Sedra for 12th December 2009: Vayeishev Janet’s Column December Diary Return visit of Ruth Sless to Holland Road BHHC Sedra for 19th December 2009: Miketz Adult Education @ BHHC BHPS Sedra for 26th December 2009: Va-Yiggash A Musical Treat Diary — December 2009 Chanukah Celebrations: Ralli Hall So much to do, so much to support The Joy of Tech Monday Social and Bridge Club What’s on Shabbat Shalom – Brighton Times Regular Activities Sundays Mondays Tuesdays Wednesdays Thursdays Events this month -
Issue 185
April 2009
Editorial Board Doris Levinson Stephanie Megitt Ivor Miskin David Seidel Administrator Ivor Sorokin Admin Assistant Gweni Sorokin Front Cover Sophie Sheinwald Community Issues Laura Sharpe Communal Diary Angela Goldman PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ. Tel: 07906 955404. Email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com www.sussexjewishnews.com Editorial In our pages, weʼre reaching out to our children, asking them From this month, Sussex Jewish News is embracing the to write about things that interest them. Depending on age, a technology of the modern generation to reach out and welcome child may need help from parents or grandparents who more people to our community. patiently ask questions to sort and structure thoughts into something of which the child, the family and our whole Weʼre now offering you the choice of receiving future issues in community can be proud. print or electronically. The e-version is exactly the same as the one you hold in your hands, except it will be on your computer Conversely, although many in our community did not grow up screen and can be printed at home. with electronic technology, our children have. We hope everyone will take a look at our new website. If you have any To sample an electronic issue, simply go to our new website at trouble, speak to your children or grandchildren. They can www.sussexjewishnews.com, which we are also launching as easily teach you how to come to grips with the modern age. part of Sussex Jewish Online, our internet community centre at www.sussexjewishonline.com. Working together we become closer and stronger and better. From generation to generation may we go from strength to When Moses directed the children of Israel to teach their strength. children, it was so that, as the generations followed, the Jewish people would never forget their history. In a month where we Chag Pesach Same’ach celebrate Pesach and commemorate Yom Hashoah, it is a lesson that remains as current as it is important. Volunteers are the unsung heroes of our community. Weʼre profiling a few of them as part of the launch of Sussex Jewish Community Care to show how our generations take care of our generations. Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board • Are not allied to any synagogue or group and the views expressed by writers are not necessarily those of SJN; • Accept advertisements in good faith but do not endorse any products or services and do not accept liability for any aspect of any advertisements; • Welcome readersʼ contributions but reserve the right to edit, cut, decline or submit the content to others for comment. Useful Contacts: Submission deadline for next issue: 7 April 2009. SJN email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish Representative Council: 01273 206456 To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, Helping Hands: 01273 747722 Security telephone: 07973 419772 please send them ONLY to Ralli Hall: 01273 202254 Hyman Fine House: 01273 688226 editor@sussexjewishnews.com, otherwise we cannot Welfare Board: 01273 722523 SJN Advertising: 07906 955404 guarantee their consideration for publication Day Centre at Ralli Hall: 01273 739999 SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS - SUBSCRIPTION FORM Name…………………………………………….................................................................... Date ............................... Address………………………………………………………………………………………….............................................. .......................................................................................................................................... Postcode ……….................... Telephone………………………...................................... Email ........................................................……………........... ( ) I enclose a cheque for my payment of £15.00 ( ) I have made a bank transfer to the Sussex Jewish News Bank Account at Lloyds Bank. Sort Code 30-98-74 Account No. 00289447. Or subscribe and pay with PayPal online at www.sussexjewishnews.com I have included my name as a reference to ensure that my subscription will be noted 2 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 announcements Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration – 28 April The community will be celebrating Yom Haʼatzmaut at Ralli Hall Personal at 7 pm on 28 April 2009. The evening will feature Colin Shindler, author of A History of Modern Israel and What Do Births Zionists Believe? Prof Shindler [see profile on page 5 – eds] Mazel tov to Cynthia & Ronnie Arden on the birth of a will be talking about the birth of the modern state of Israel and granddaughter. how it has had an impact on the recent conflict in Gaza. Prof Mazel tov to Sharon Gross on the birth of another Shindler will also be signing copies of his books and looks grandson. forward to meeting our community. Birthdays Afterward, enjoy light refreshments whilst browsing our market of books, music and Judaica, all of which will be available Mazel tov to Leslie Carlin, Suzi Collard, Estelle Kaye, through our friends at City Books, Daveʼs Comics, Jewish Music Daniel Lachs, Rose Levin (100 years young), Laura Distribution and Rimmon Judaica. Sharpe, Louis Strong and Faye Tanner, all of whom are celebrating special birthdays. Admission is free and we look forward to you joining in the celebrations! Engagement Mazel tov to Jane & Tony Morcowitz on the Drivers’ get together to be rescheduled engagement of their daughter. Helping Hands is rescheduling our volunteer driversʼ get Mazel tov to Cheryl Margo, daughter of Alan Margo, on together to the afternoon of Sunday 7 June. The time will be her engagement to Jonathan Green of Leeds. announced in the next issue of Sussex Jewish News. Anniversary Our drivers are a very important part of Helping Hands. Without them, we would be unable to run our monthly teas and a great Mazel tov to Francine & Ivor Miskin on the celebration part of our activities in general. Taking clients to appointments of their 45th wedding anniversary. might not always seem necessary. We are not a taxi service Get Well but many people want company, reassurance, a friendly face Refuah shelaimah to Janice Greenwood, Jack and often have no family near them. Lackland and Dolly Ross. At the get together we would like driversʼ feedback on such topics as claiming expenses, insurance, difficult and Achievements complicated journeys, clients with special needs and MIDAS Mazel tov to Richard Harris who has won our Mea tests. Culpa Competition. Weʼve sent Richard the CD The Jewish Songbook: The Heart and Humor of a People. The start of a new e-era All of our entrants have been invited to help us ITEM! Sussex Jewish News is now available online at our proofread future issues of Sussex Jewish News. revamped website, www.sussexjewishnews.com. During the month of April youʼll be able to read this issue on any Condolences computer and our website has a user guide to help you get We wish long life to: started. In future, our website will also have updates on • the family of Annie Blakeley z”l activities in and the news affecting our community. • the family of Betty Clark z”l ITEM! • the family of David Gaiman z”l Our communityʼs new online Jewish community centre, Sussex Jewish Online, is now launched! Go to • Derek Kesyton on the loss of his stepfather www.sussexjewishonline.com to check out the many fun • the family of Valerie Morelle z”l features and learn more about our organisations who have • the family of David Rubins z”l come together as one big e-community! • the family of Maurice Weissberger z”l ITEM! You can now listen to songs by Emil Skobeloff and the FunkeyMonkeys, whose music has been reviewed in our pages. These talented musicians are kindly allowing you the Brighton & Hove Jewish chance to hear their songs. And there are links to where you can purchase CDs and downloads for your personal listening Housing Association pleasure. ITEM! To celebrate the launch of our new website, the An unexpected vacancy has arisen FunkeyMonkeys are offering their childrenʼs song about Noah and the Ark, Rise and Shine – Children of the Lord, for FREE in respect of a two bedroom flat in download. Parents and children love music by the one of our sheltered housing FunkeyMonkeys. Simply go to our website, click on the music room and get your own copy of this song. schemes in central Hove. CARER AVAILABLE PRIVATE For further information please contact 20 years experience. Qualified to administer medication. Mrs Georgie Phillips on Hourly rates and references available. Further information ring Jenny King 01273 880013 01273 277225. sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 3 community life Eastbourne Jewish Social Scene Bexhill & District Jewish Friends Sally Taylor, We are holding our usual Seder night on Thursday 9 Claudy April. This will be attended by members, their families Woolfson, and friends. Anyone wishing to come please contact us Sharon Gross on 07724 172880. and Dana The ladies meeting for April is being held at the home of London are Jeanette Kaye on Tuesday 22 April. pleased to report that the Purim Party AJEX held at the The characters of EJSS WRVS centre The AJEX Annual General Meeting will be held on in Eastbourne on Sunday 8th March was a fantastic Sunday 5 April at 10.30 at Ralli Hall. Please try to attend. success. Fifty-six people from Hastings and Fairlight in On Sunday 14 June we will be holding the AJEX Summer the East, to Brighton & Hove in the West, gathered Quiz and Tea at the Mark Luck Hall. Make up a table, together to listen to superb trad jazz, enjoy Hamentashen bring your friends, and call Aubrey to book on 737417. and other delicious edibles and to socialise. Put the date in your diary! Judy Gabriel In the middle of the proceedings we had a short prayer PRO AJEX Brighton & Hove on Purim led by Andrew Jay, Chairman of the Eastbourne Progressive Congregation. The Purim Story, narrated by Hastings & District Jewish Society Stephen Rosenberg, was accompanied by a tableau of Purim characters from the community including Menashe We were all saddened to learn of the death of Valerie Harounoff and Ronnie Taylor, President and Chairman Morelle early in March. We admired her fortitude in the respectively of Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation. An face of an illness which had cast a shadow over her life appreciative audience found the presentation to be most for the last two years. She was determined to live life to entertaining! the full as far as possible and continued to see friends and family and to take holidays. Notwithstanding her own Many thanks to all those who made cakes and helped fragile health she maintained a cheerful demeanour and behind the scene preparing and clearing teas. We are recently visited one of our members in hospital. This hoping to hold more events later in the year and we gesture was typical of her consideration and kindness to welcome your support and ideas to make such occasions others. She will be much missed by us all and we extend enjoyable and memorable for all. our condolences to her husband Steve and his family. Eastbourne Progressive Jewish We had an excellent turnout for the latest afternoon tea at the home of Kath Bluh. There was a delicious spread of Congregation cakes and biscuits and everybody enjoyed seeing each other and having a good chat. We are looking for more The Eastbourne Council of Christians and Jews met on volunteers to host these very popular afternoons. Thursday 26 February. Canon Gordon Rideout, Chairman of St. Wilfridʼs Hospice and Andrew Jay, On Friday 6 March, we held our monthly service at the Chairman/Lay Reader of Eastbourne Progressive Jewish Hugh Smith Hall in Bexhill. This occasion was also very Congregation discussed Jewish and Christian beliefs and well attended and we had an interesting discussion on approaches to the subject of death. the subject of Purim. This was followed by an illustrated talk by our special guest, Ken Brooks, who spoke about Our monthly Coffee Mornings continue to be very popular Pompeii, a place where time has stood still. So much of it across the community in Eastbourne and Brighton. Our remains intact, yet Vesuvius remains a live volcano and next Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday 1 April at who knows when it might erupt again? 11am in the Garden Room (Conservatory) of The Hydro Hotel, Mount Road, Eastbourne. All can be assured of a Many members travelled to Eastbourne for a Purim Party very warm welcome. on the 8 March organised by Eastbourne Jewish Social Scene and drew guests from a wide area. Our Services, which are held at The Friends Meeting Place, Eastbourne, Wish Road, will be on: - The Society, together with the Council of Christians and Jews, is in the midst of planning a joint Passover Meal 10 April - Erev Shabbat Service – 7.00 pm and Service. It promises to be a fascinating evening and 24 April - Chavurah Supper 5.30 pm, we anticipate a good attendance. Please do not delay in Erev Shabbat Service – 7.00 pm reserving a place as bookings are on a first come first Please direct all enquiries to Administrator on 01323 served basis. 7256750 or email on epjcong@aol.com For all enquiries please contact the Society on 07743 Andrew Jay 992295 or write to HDJS, PO Box 74, Bexhill, East Chairman /Lay Reader Sussex, TN39 4ZZ 4 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 community life Colin Shindler to speak at Ralli Hall on Yom Ha’atzmaut Colin Shindler is a Colin Shindler will be speaking to us at the Yom courageous man. As the UKʼs Haʼzikaron/Yom Haʼatzmaut event at 7.00 pm on Tuesday first Professor of Israeli 28th April at Ralli Hall when he will speak on the birth of Studies, in July 1998, he Israel and the current situation in Gaza. He will be chose to work at Londonʼs signing copies of his book which will also be available for SOAS (School of Oriental and sale at discounted prices. It will be a fascinating evening. African Studies), a hotbed of Cecily Woolf hysterical anti-Israel propaganda. There have Lighting another SPARKS even been swastikas daubed on posters advertising his On 1 March, lay representatives from Jewish communities latest book; but he is in Sussex, Surrey and Kent met at Gatwick Airport for the unfazed, insisting that “my second of the four SPARKS Programme training students number both Arab Muslims and Israeli Jews – seminars. This Programme focussed on what it is to be and it has always been perfectly OK in class.” Jewish in the UK and on some of the emerging issues. His explanation for the continuing and well-publicised Ahron Bregman, lecturer in the Department of War brouhaha is simple: “A year or two ago, my union, UCU Studies at Kingʼs College London, started off the (University and College Union) added lecturers in supply leadership and management sessions by talking about and higher education. Within that small group thereʼs a Israel after last monthʼs general election. In the afternoon, highly radical leadership dominated by the Socialist the group was joined by Dr Winston Pickett who focussed Workersʼ Party with its own ideological agenda which they on media relations, especially on the presentation of put before trade unionism.” oneself and oneʼs community to the wider world. Tensions during and following the recent Gaza conflict Prof Shindler himself has not hesitated to attack the were an important issue under discussion highlighting the “selective outrage” of UCU which, whilst condemning relevance of both topics. Israel, remains silent about the Hamas bombardment that has halted classes in Sapir College, Sderot and the The education sessions looked at how to speak to Ben-Gurion University in the Negev. “I take my stand and non-Jews about being Jewish, either when invited to donʼt bow to intimidation,” he declares, but he is more speak to a local school, or when groups came to visit the charitable to other opponents. “I often find that people synagogue, or just in general conversation or at a social who use stereotypes do it out of ignorance rather than event. The morning session was led by Hannah Ashleigh, malicious intention. The dividing line for anti-Semitism is the Education Projects Manager in the Community Issues when people use Zionism to attack the Jews.” Division of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Rachel Heilbron, Programme Director of the Three Faiths Forum Prof Shindler passionately campaigns against the presented interesting research on approaching the boycotting of Israeli academics and universities. “Israeli commonalities and differences found in the different Arabs can be Israeli academics,” he points out. “Besides, Abrahamic religions. the majority of my Israeli colleagues are sympathetic to the peace camp; and thereʼs no similar advocacy for All the delegates who attended this second session found boycotts elsewhere. Any fair-minded person must be the subject matter and discussions most interesting and of against this action.” great value and are looking forward to the remaining sessions of the programme. In 1982 Prof Shindler helped to found the British Friends of Peace Now and is currently involved in the Olive Tree The third of the SPARKS Programme seminars is to be Project which brings groups of ten Israeli and ten held on 26 April at Salomons in Tunbridge Wells, where Palestinian students to study at City University and live the subjects will be social action in the community; making together as a community. He notes that, although times the most of volunteering; as well as Jewish education for are difficult, itʼs remarkable to see how young people children and adults. To facilitate attendance, the Board of attempt to overcome their preconceived ideas and Deputies have organised a bus to transport a number of emotions, He says that he is a realist, but we must have delegates from Hove Station to Salomons and back. The hope and if you donʼt strive to bring both sides together, final session is to be held on 31 May at Ralli Hall. then you are destined for eternal war. There is a limited number of spaces still available for the A member of the New North London Masorti synagogue, remaining sessions. All sessions are free and travel Prof Shindler is married with 4 children and 6 expenses are reimbursed by the Board of Deputies. For grandchildren. He is primarily a historian. His latest book, more information or to register to attend sessions, please A History of Modern Israel is published in paperback by contact Hannah Ashleigh at the Board by e-mail to CambridgeUniversity Press at £14.99. It covers 60 years hannah.ashleigh@bod.org.uk or by telephone on in just under 400 pages, with the connecting thread being 0207 543 5400. ideology from Ben-Gurion to Hamas. David Seidel sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 5 community life Community policeman reviews the Jewish beat PC Jake Rolf recently completed his community policing Brighton and Hove today, although the threat to individuals placement with the Brighton & Hove Jewish community and may be small (because of socio-economic demographics it has provided Sussex Jewish News with the following précis could be argued that a Jewish person is actually less likely to of his report on the time he spent with our community. be a victim of crime than other groups). Also, in reality most Jewish people are unidentifiable as the stereotypical beard My two week placement was within the Jewish community of and black hat are really only worn by a small minority of Brighton and Hove. I had a schedule which included a Jewish people descended from some European sects of Jewish nursery, day centre for the elderly and visits to Judaism. As an exercise for myself I took a short walk various synagogues. through Brighton wearing the Kippa hat and hardly anyone My knowledge of Judaism and Jewish custom was not very even appeared to notice, although I did feel slightly advanced however I have previously studied with many uncomfortable as one person did a “double take”. Israelis and held no prejudices. I have always kept informed However the threat to the community is real and continues, of world politics and do not agree with some recent Israeli hateful literature still gets disseminated, cemeteries still get actions in the Middle East and do have sympathies with the vandalised as do synagogues. The table below shows the Palestinian people. number of incidents during 2007 (figures taken from CST To begin the placement I met with a local Jewish historian material): and one of the editors of the Sussex Jewish News to gain an Category Number of incidents 2007 understanding of the Jewish Community. Brighton and Hove Extreme violence 1 has historically had a large Jewish minority, and at present Damage and desecration 62 Literature 19 there are approximately 3,000 affiliated (to a synagogue) Jews in Brighton and Hove and the surrounding area with Speaking to Rabbi Sarah, one of her main concerns was possibly another 9,000 non-affiliated Jews. This community is not to personal safety but the demonisation of the Jewish an aging one with a large number of ʻ60-plusesʼ. There are people. The figures for literature shown above do not four working synagogues in Hove which therefore forms the include anti-Semitic web sites or some of the historically centre of the community. anti-Semitic literature, some of which dates back centuries. Rabbi Sarahʼs concerns are insightful. She The community has few needs and actually provides a large amount of services and funding internally. The needs are was concerned that hate crimes would not stop against those of any aging community; day care, sheltered the Jewish people until the levels of anti-Semitic accommodation, home help, community transport and other materials were cut. Even today new conspiracies theories social services. These needs are, if anything, catered to well, demonise the Jewish people. One increasingly common better than outside of the Jewish community. A history of story with a modern twist is that the neo-conservative charitable benefactors and bequests has allowed the Jewish American government that has lobbied for aggressive community to provide excellent day care, homes, nurseries action (these “neo-cons” are often referred to as hawks and a minibus. The only gap in services appears to be the or being hawkish in the news) in the Middle East is apparent difficulty and high price of obtaining kosher food in actually controlled by a cartel of powerful Jews. Other Brighton. stories which refer to the “New World Order” often suggest the world is increasingly being controlled by The other perceived need is for security and safety to malevolent Jewish cartels. practice their religion. Anti-Semitism has, to varying degrees, existed for thousands of years. The Jews have had no The relationship between the police and the Jewish homeland for hundreds of years and have therefore settled community in Brighton and Hove is good. All of the in many countries. They have always been respectful of the Jewish people I spoke to said that they supported the countries they have settled in and have always tried to Police and that they would feel comfortable to speak to contribute to the local community and economy. During the the Police if they needed to. Most people felt that the community placement programme was a good idea even if it was not immediately relevant to them. The CST team I took a short walk wearing a provides an extra, highly organised, level of Kippa and hardly anyone noticed. communication between the communities. They also I felt slightly uncomfortable when provide training above and far beyond the training which one person did a “double take”. police neighbourhood watch and similar schemes offer. From my placement I have taken an understanding of Holocaust, six million Jews were killed. Many more were what it means to be Jewish. All of the people I met were displaced. To put this in perspective there are only 13 million kind, genuine and had a great feeling and commitment to Jewish people worldwide today and over half of them live in community. I personally would feel much more Israel which was given to the Jewish people by the allies comfortable, and able, to deal considerately with after World War 2. Continuing problems in the Middle East problems involving the Jewish community. I will maintain and the existence of right-wing, neo-Nazis and Holocaust contact with people from inside the community, and, deniers still pose a threat to Jewish culture. because it is such a close knit community, would hope to A feeling of threat still exists in the Jewish community of be made aware of any concerns they have. PC Jake Rolf 6 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 heritage Creating a JTrail in Brighton and Hove The history of the Jewish community in England stretches You can also do this through our website, back well over 1,000 years. JTrails, the National Anglo-www.jtrails.org.uk, where you can click on Get Involved. Jewish Heritage Trail, is an initiative of Spiro Ark, working From April 2009 we will be working with Sussex Jewish to raise awareness of this rich history among both Jews Online, www.sussexjewishonline.com, to bring you an and non-Jews through the creation of heritage trails and interactive project site where you will be able to add community projects across the UK. contributions or volunteer. We need budding or active During 2009-2010, with funding support from English illustrators and artists as well as people able to Heritage, JTrails is running a community history project in advise on physical access issues along trail routes and Brighton & Hove to develop a trail and tour and you can assist with Braille or audio content to ensure the project get involved. We are looking for memories and stories of is accessible to all. Brighton & Hove to compile a history of the area We will be reflecting experiences pre and post World War II right up compiling all of to the 2000s. The Brighton & Hove JTrail will be launched your contributions with an exhibition and heritage festival day in 2010. into a community We will be holding a series of Heritage Meets at several archive. We venues during 2009, with our first at the Limmud Day in would also like to Roedean on 29 March. Memory Roadshow Days in work with you to Brighton & Hove will run during the summer and autumn select a number of 2009, starting in May. Details will be posted on our of memories to turn into digital stories to create a learning website and advertised locally. Feel free to turn up on the resource for future generations on the Jewish experience day and share a tale, a memory, bring an old photograph, and heritage in Brighton & Hove. video clips and historical data or simply find out more If you would be interested in recording an oral history at about the project. the May Roadshow, or want to get in touch, please Progress at Middle Street contact the Outreach Project Manager by email at philip.kiberd@mypostoffice.co.uk. For more information There are many people who are interested in the fate of and other JTrail locations visit our website at Middle Street Synagogue, not just the members of www.jtrails.org.uk or write to us at JTrails c/o Oxford Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation. Many supporters Centre for Hebrew & Jewish Studies, Yarnton Manor, locally belong to other shuls and there is a large number Yarnton, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 1PY. who are not Jewish. Middle Street receives visitors and interest from all over the world. It is not surprising Philip Kiberd therefore that English Heritage, who has awarded a grant for the first part of the building works, regards this project Jewish history, Franks-ly as high profile. On 24 February Gordon Franks gave an interesting and well-researched talk at the Jewish Historical Society To proceed with the work, the building had to be made entitled Jacob and his 12 Sons, Their Journey to England, safe from wind and watertight. Scaffolding was erected Sussex Links and the Pirate Connection? in February and repairs have started. As is common with old buildings, some areas were found to need more work The theme was based on the 16th century Spanish artist than anticipated, but to a degree this was set off by the Francisco de Zurbaran's interpretation of Jacob's final fact that the roof timbers were in much better shape than words to his sons as recorded in Genesis. It has long might have been expected. been believed that the 13 paintings were brought to England, possibly by pirates. Some of the paintings were The task is to get all the necessary work done within brought together for viewing at the National Gallery in budget. This may be difficult because of the necessary 1994, having passed through many hands over the extras. We shall need more immediate help to get our centuries. The many adventures of the paintings were appeal for the Phase II works under way and perhaps highlighted, as well as their brief reunion in 1994. Several also some additional funds for Phase I. We need people links were mentioned including one to Middle Street to come forward to help raise funds and manage the Synagogue and Glynde Place in Sussex. on-going project. Some have already The next meetings of the Sussex Branch of the Jewish volunteered. If you Historical Society will be on 31 March and on 5 May at would like to be 7.45 pm at Ralli Hall. On 31 March Professor M. Alpert, involved please President of the national society, will speak on The Jews contact me through of Spain and the Inquisition. Then, on 5 May, Mr Elkan the BHHC office on Levy will give a talk on The Road to Emancipation. 01273 888855. Martyn Cooperman Joan Melcher sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 7 commercial For all your printing requirements please contact ANDUS PRINT ON 01273 558880 email: andus@mistral.co.uk www.andusprint.co.uk Telephone: 07906 955404 LOOKING FOR THAT UNUSUAL GIFT? Ever thought of giving a subscription to Sussex Jewish News? Not just one but twelve gifts throughout the year. Complete the form on page 2 and send it to SJN, PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ or phone 07906 955404 and tell us who the gift is for . We will do the rest. 8 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 children’s music FunkeyMonkeying around with Joshua Sitron Why I Like the FunkeyMonkeys “Kids are cooler than adults,” FunkeyMonkeys founder Joshua The first time I Sitron explained. “They are more real and more entertaining. heard Jewish Adults have too many layers of self-consciousness to really let FunkeyMonkeys, I down their guard.” Sitron, with colleagues Carey White, Mike was in the car Gold and Brian Carter, dress in monkey costumes and with my Mum, entertain families with music and comedy that crosses Dad and little generations. Monkey Josh, as he is known in costume, let his brother Gabriel guard down to talk to Sussex Jewish News from his Brooklyn who is one year home. old. When the Sitron is best known for writing the theme song to Dora the first song came Explorer even though he left the cartoon before it had even on, Gabyʼs legs aired. Although he is thankful for what it has done for his started kicking like career, he found the he wanted to experience frustrating. dance and my “I grew up with The head started swaying to the music. Muppet Show and Free To Be You and Me,” he I like all of the twenty-two songs on this CD, but my says. “The music was favourite was Ma Nishtanah. I really liked it because, magical and the best even though I learned a lot of the songs at the Torah musicians were involved, Academy nursery, this version was faster and more fun. like Ray Charles, Diana I also thought Tatala and Bubula was funny because the Ross and Michael singer had a lot of fun with the Yiddish words. My Jackson. It was about Boobie and great-Boobie (dadʼs mum and grandma) content. Dora was more say these words to me whenever I speak to them. about merchandising.” It is why the only Because we were listening to the CD so much, Mum FunkeyMonkeys and Dad got us other FunkeyMonkeys music. The merchandise is their newest one is Jewish ʻTil Youʼre Satisfied. There are CDs. only seventeen songs but I really like to dance to the songs for Purim, Pesach and Chanukah. There is a fast The FunkeyMonkeys version of Dayenu in Hebrew and English. My dad told were born, to an extent, out of Monkey Joshʼs growing up in a Jewish family as well as Dora. “In 2000 I was in the studio me that he used to sing Rise and Shine – Children of with Harrison Chad, the voice of Boots the Monkey,” Sitron the Lord when he was a little boy. He has been recalls. “We were bored so I started playing a heavy drum teaching me the words. beat. Harrison started singing Ma Nishtanah to it.” It was the Since getting their CDs, Gaby and I listen to the seed of an idea that would take one year to germinate on FunkeyMonkeys a lot. I really like that children sing with record and three years to blossom into a proper group that the adults but also on their own. My favourite songs are now features Monkey Carey, Monkey Mike, Monkey Brian as the fast ones because they are easier and more fun to well as soul musicians of the highest calibre who now help dance to. If weʼre not too tired at night, we listen to a co-write their original songs. CD after our bath. Dancing makes us tired so we can Two of the groupʼs six CDs are Jewish FunkeyMonkeys and go to bed. Jewish ʻTil Youʼre Satisfied. Both originated from Sitronʼs love of soulful songs written in minor keys. “I wanted to bring out I think my friends would like all the music by the the spiritual aspect of Judaism and Jewish music,” he FunkeyMonkeys too. revealed, noting that he also loves the joyous aspect of gospel Moses Barnard Seidel, Age 5 and would one day love to work with Kosher Gospel singer Joshua Nelson. You can listen to songs from Jewish FunkeyMonkeys and However, songs in sad, minor keys do present a challenge. Jewish ʻTil Youʼre Satisfied on our “Itʼs hard to be happy and joyous in minor keys unless you website www.sussexjewishnews.com make it more Latin or disco,” Sitron commented. “I did that in Bashana Habaʼa. Otherwise, the song is too dark and is FREE GIFT! re-arranged in a major key. I did that with Hatikvah.” Joshua Sitron hopes every FunkeyMonkeys song will help As a gift to celebrate the launches of our new website and the connect parent and child through music. And watching e-publishing of your community magazine, Josh Sitron and the parents sing songs with their children is, for Sitron, a FunkeyMonkeys are offering readers a free download of Rise and magical moment of inner fulfilment. Shine – Children of the Lord, a song about Noah’s Ark, through David Seidel our website at www.sussexjewishnews.com All FunkeyMonkeys CDs are available from www.cdbaby.com sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 9 travel China – a land of contrasts railway and, from the outside, looks like something from In November 2008 a London tour operator had a science fiction film. advertised a China Highlights & Jewish Heritage Tour in The JC. I was one of eleven who were curious enough Beijing has a population of thirteen million. Normally very to sign up for it. Our group never met until we left for hot and humid in summer, at this time of year the Beijing. We were four married couples and two single temperature was a pleasant 65oF. There was some pollu-widows from northwest London and me. tion apparent because bicycles have virtually disappeared since 2000. Now the roads are jammed China is the worldʼs third largest country in area – after with cars. Drivers are prohibited from using their cars for Russia and Canada. It is the worldʼs most populated one day each week. Which day a car must remain idle is country with over 1.3 billion people. It is wider than the determined by the last figure of a carʼs registration plate. continental United States, yet it is only on one time zone. There are six ring roads. The Chinese invented gunpowder, paper, porcelain and Two hours after meeting our tour manager, local guide the compass. More people read Chinese than any other and bus driver, unpacking and having something to eat, language. Chinese is a tonal language, which makes it we started four days of sightseeing that included the very difficult to speak. Each written character has up to Olympic Stadia, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City ten different meanings and each one represents one (the former Imperial Palace), the Summer Palace and the syllable. A Chinese child aged nine or ten is expected to Great Wall of China. know at least one thousand different characters. Adults to whom we spoke said that they know at least ten From Beijing we flew west to Xiʼan, where we spent two thousand. days. About 1,400 years ago Xiʼan – then called Chang-an – was Chinaʼs capital and was at that time English is very much a second language. Although the reputedly the worldʼs most civilized city.The highlight here Olympic slogan – One World, One Dream, was seen was our visit to see the Terracotta Warriors, and this everywhere on hoardings in Chinese and English and all certainly exceeded our expectations. main roads are ʻsub-titledʼ in English, there are no foreign newspapers available. There are, however, two English Next we flew south to Guilin where it was warm and language newspapers: China Daily and Shanghai Daily humid. We enjoyed a very scenic trip on the River Li News, that are both government-controlled and given out surrounded by limestone outcroppings. Oxen and water by hotels. buffalo worked in fields on the riverbank. We also visited farms, rice paddy fields, banana plantations and bamboo The overnight flight from Heathrow to Beijing was ten forests. hours. The British-designed Beijing Airport was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is vast, very spacious - Travelling east, we arrived at 1.00 am in Shanghai, a very we collected our baggage from carousel number 47, and vibrant city of 18 million people. We were surprised to be is shaped like a Chinese dragon. It has its own internal stuck in a traffic jam on the highway into the city at that time of night! Even though a 50% car tax is imposed to ease the traffic congestion, it doesnʼt look as though itʼs working. Like Beijing, Shanghai has large areas of skyscrapers of modern design with cranes everywhere. Both cities have a very large, modern underground system. Ticket machines are operated by touch and work in English. A ticket covering the entire system costs less than 20p. Taxis are very cheap – I did an 111/2 mile journey for only £4.00 and the drivers donʼt expect a tip. I also travelled on the Mag-Lev train. This operates by magnetic levitation on a purpose-built track above the A chilly day on the Great Wall of China rooftops. It connects the 10 sussex jewish news . . april 2009 travel International Airport to the city centre. Trains go every fifteen minutes. The ride is very smooth, even at speeds of over 270 mph. It took exactly 7 minutes 20 seconds to go 21 miles. At a cost of £5.00 single or £8.00 return, it is quite an experience. In both Shanghai and Beijing we spent Shabbat with the local Chabad House. In Beijing we ate at a kosher restaurant which had opened just before the Olympics. In Shanghai, Chabad House had its own ʻin-houseʼ restaurant and we ate our evening meals there. Our visit coincided with that of the Israeli Minister for Three Gorges Dam, way down upon the Yangtse River Construction who was accompanied by the Deputy Is- raeli Ambassador to China, who had previously served at help navigation and stop the floods that in recent years the Israeli Embassy in have killed tens of thousands. It also provides London. Speaking to both of them, I learned that in the hydro-electric power to all parts of the country. late 1930s Shanghai was the only place in the world that We finally disembarked at the city of Yichang (ʻFemale took in Jewish refugees from Nazi oppression without Pigʼs Mouthʼ) and flew back to Beijing where we spent any examination of their papers. Over 20,000 Jews - our last two days. Since we left a fortnight before, the mainly from Eastern Europe but some from Russia, lived temperature had dropped and it was now down to about there until 1945. An Israeli photo-journalist, Dvir 40oF but felt chillier due to strong, cold north winds. Bar-Gal, runs a terrific half-day tour, visiting various Thankfully, we had dry weather throughout the trip except places of interest, that was very enjoyable. for our first two days in Shangai when we had to endure After twelve days our tour manager left us and we were continuous torrential rain. on our own. Three of our number flew back to London On the first of our final two days in Beijing, our group kept whilst another three travelled on to Hong Kong before together and visited some places such as the Temple of returning to London. I, together with the remaining four, Heaven. On the second day we split up to do some flew to Chongqin, formerly Chunking, which was Chinaʼs shopping and met up for dinner in the evening. Stores in World War 2 capital when they were fighting the the city centres of Beijing and Shanghai are open seven Japanese. It is the worldʼs most populated city with over days a week, up to 10.00 pm. I noticed that both cities thirty-three million people. have a C&A store. We cruised the Yangtse River for three days and nights. Wages generally are low in China compared with the The river rises in the extreme west of the country, flowing West. The Chinese government now expect over 40 for over 3,900 miles and emptying into the East China million unemployed in 2009. In 2007 one million Sea just north of Shanghai. The scenery was superb as undergraduates would have expected to be employed we passed mountains up to 4,000 feet high and saw with salaries of some £2,500 to £3,500 per annum but many newly-built large cities. Each day we had a have yet to find employment. Over 800 million different shore excursion, including a two hour trip Chinese live in the countryside, many hundreds of down the Narrow Gorges. millions of them existing on an income of 20p to 25p per We sailed for 410 miles through the Three Gorges where week. Education facilities and healthcare are poor, a new dam and reservoir are now, after fifteen years, compared to what is available for city-dwellers. complete. It is the worldʼs largest dam at nearly 11/2 miles I found the entire trip to be fascinating. For the visitor, wide. Whilst we were there, we could only see half of it, China can certainly be a shock – culturally, visually and since half was lost to view in the mist. Thanks to the linguistically. It is a land of contrasts indeed. dam, the Yangtseʼs water level has now risen 350 feet to Phillip Freeman sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 11 our unsung heroes Volunteering: explaining the inexplicable? Volunteering. Just say the word and it conjures up a host Security Trust, Helping Hands, Brighton & Hove Hebrew of associations. On the altruistic side thereʼs selflesness, Congregation, Limmud and Sussex Jewish News came doing good and helping others. On the negative side about because of one simple act: I was asked. there is the notion of work-substitute, too much time on And the rewards? If the personal accounts of the oneʼs hands or an inability to find ʻa real jobʼ. volunteers on these pages are any index, the benefits As with all stereotypes, none is anchored in reality. None transcend the deeds themselves. For me, each explains what drives humans to this basic act. For organisation I have offered my time to has brought me volunteering can range from the episodic – an ad hoc a wider circle of friends, made me realise just who and giving an assist when called upon – to the near what really make this community ʻworkʼ, and given me a permanent, exemplified by those who take their keener sense of what the Pirke Avot means when it says responsibilities so seriously that they constitute ʻthe reward of the mitzvah is the mitzvah itselfʼ. daily or weekly routines. As a personal example, when I was first approached by And yet, chances are if you ask volunteers why they Helping Hands to drive a clutch of octogenarians to a do it, youʼll be met with an eloquent loss of words. As a Sunday tea, I didnʼt hesitate. To me, it was a no-brainer. full-time journalist working for a string of Jewish Any one of the ladies could have been my mother in newspapers in the US and Florida: aged, living Israel I would always take alone (sometimes with Ten reasons to Volunteer a deep breath when assistance) and happy seeking its ʻroot causesʼ. to have (blissfully, by I would invariably come up 1. You can do the small things that make a big difference, comparison) ʻyouthfulʼ empty-handed. and remember a little time goes a long way. company. Each was almost embarrassingly Time after time Iʼd find my 2. You can learn interesting stories about people, the appreciative of what interviewees – from the community and their history. seemed like a modest ʻJew in the streetʼ to 3. There are many varied volunteering opportunities within donation of time and high-flying executives and the community or behind the scenes. effort. Touchingly, some captains of industry – 4. Youʼll feel good about doing something worthwhile. of my charges have astoundingly unanimous in 5. There are many clients who need you. even tried to repay me the simplicity of their 6. Youʼll be an integral part of the organisation and the with sweets for my answers. “Because one community. children or myself. does it, doesnʼt one?” Or; 7. Volunteers say they get more out of volunteering than “Because itʼs part of what But there is more than it means to be Jewish”. what they put in. just the feel-good factor, 8. Itʼs an opportunity for you to learn new skills. which should not be But if Iʼd dig just a bit 9. Volunteering looks great on your CV. dismissed lightly. deeper into their personal 10. Daytime television is lousy anyway. Spending time with my narratives I could get passengers is a window beyond a generalised into their lives, their ethos of doing good or a variant of the mitzvah-impulse. memories and personal Jewish histories of Brighton and Sometimes I would even hear, matter-of-factly: “I do it Hove. Combine this with regular banter, occasional because I was asked.” kibitzing and discussions prompted by music (playing That was the clue I was waiting for – and perhaps the Bette Midler singing Bei Mir Bis Du Shoen once sparked key to understanding the volunteering phenomenon. a resplendent free-association of memories that are best kept private) and I now simply come away feeling From childhood Jews are taught the mitzvah of giving singularly enriched – all the more so since my own (tzedakah) and of donating our personal time for the mother passed away two years ago. sake of a greater communal good. On the one hand this tendency is woven into our Jewish consciousness. Even So whatʼs the secret behind volunteering? ʻacculturatedʼ and non-religious Jews seem to gravitate Perhaps it really boils down to this: it makes us towards it at the same time that other forms of Jewish feel good, whole, complete, satisfied and enlarged expression may fall by the wayside. by the deed. Not better. Just good. But we only activate this latent impulse when we are So when someone from one of our many organisations asked. happens to ask for your help, consider the Nike slogan Could it be that simple? Looking at my own involve-and Just do it. Just volunteer. It may just change your ments since moving to Brighton & Hove almost 10 years life. ago I saw that each of my own involvements (past and Winston Pickett present) – Brighton Jewish Film Festival, Community 12 sussex jewish news . . april 2009 sjcc Local care organisations launch new joint effort Sussex Jewish Community Care was initially the idea of As with all new organisations we have evolved and Helping Hands in partnership with Jewish Care. It changed and are now far nearer in our aim for started approximately 18 months ago as Helping Hands co-ordinated community care. With this issue of were becoming more aware that we needed to work with Sussex Jewish News you will find a new directory with the other welfare organisations to identify common contact information of the main organisations involved needs and concerns. with Sussex Jewish Community Care. We intend to Sussex Jewish Community Care (SJCC) consists of: distribute this leaflet to reach the wider community • Helping Hands through doctorsʼ surgeries, hospitals, libraries, coffee shops etc. • The Jewish Welfare Board, • The Brighton & Hove Jewish Housing Association Our ultimate goal is to reach every Jewish person in Sussex who needs any of the services provided by our • The Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club constituent organizations. • Hyman Fine House (Jewish Care) Sarah Wilks • The Brighton & Hove Jewish Centre • Sarid Lending Helping Hands • The Monday Club Helping Hands is a support • AJEX network run for the community, by the • Mother & Baby Group community. We work with • Sussex Tikvah synagogues and other • all the synagogues voluntary organisations to provide practical and SJCC is facilitated by Sonia Douek, Head of Community emotional care as well as Development and Family Carers at Jewish Care and assistance for the entire Ronnie Silverman on the co-chaired by Sarah Wilks of Helping Hands and Fiona community. first HH bus run Sharpe of the Jewish Welfare Board. The idea is for all of our welfare organisations to share news and views, offer Our carers and administrators are all volunteers. There further training and support for our volunteers and to are many different volunteering opportunities, and we are become a cohesive group for the benefit of the whole always in need of new recruits either on a one-off basis, Jewish community. or for a regular commitment. Our aim is to be an umbrella body for the entire So please register as a volunteer at Helping Hands. You community that will enhance the lives of Jewish will be making a valuable contribution to the community, individuals living in Sussex, support anyone within the as well as making new friends and having some fun Jewish community with a specific need, and support along the way. If you or someone you know is in need of those organisations in the area that provide services to our assistance, please get in touch and we will do our meet the needs of the community. best to help. Our mission is to identify common issues for member We need help with: organisations in providing services and to work jointly to • grocery shopping – taking the client shopping or do the address those issues, and to identify hidden issues shopping for them. within the community and work together to support • grocery Internet shopping – order goods on the clientʼs people affected by those issues. behalf and arrange for door to door delivery. • delivery and collection – prescriptions, dry cleaning, How to book the Helping Hands Community Bus library book collection and return, • assisted transport and assisted trips to personal The bus is available for hire by any Jewish organisation in Brighton & appointments such as doctors, dentists, hospitals Hove and surrounding areas. All you have to do is phone the ‘Bus Line’ on 01273 701467 or by email to hhbusline@googlemail.com • in the home - to just sit with the client and have a chat We need at least three weeks’ notice to book the bus unless you have a and a cup of tea regular booking with us throughout the year. There will be a returnable • the Helping Hands Community Bus is available – deposit of £25 on booking to cover cancellation fee. We need at least fifteen seats with wheelchair access and you could seven days’ notice to cancel the booking. There is no charge for the become a MIDAS driver. hiring of the bus BUT you will need to pay for fuel. • monthly teas held on the last Sunday of every month. You will need a MIDAS licensed driver. Helping Hands have 3 volunteers • keeping in contact through the telephone who are MIDAS trained and if one is not available, Community Transport can supply a driver. The current charge is £8/hour. • sensitive helpline We encourage organisations to find people to take the MIDAS test. • help with form filling They must have a D1 category on their licence. If they are prepared to How can we help? Call us on our community information drive for Helping Hands at least twice a year we will be happy to help help line on 01273 747722. with the cost of the test. sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 13 sjcc volunteers Marc Carlton sing to the residents but now Iʼm older and my voice has changed. I prefer to just go and talk. My uncle lives there now and so I am still a regular visitor. Most of the residents donʼt remember me from one visit to the next, but I still enjoy chatting to them and making them smile. In recent years, I have done several fundraising events for charity, such as swimming a mile in aid of Torah Academy and The Martlets Hospice, and I have cycled half-way from London to Brighton for Norwood-Ravenswood. This year I am already in training to cycle the whole 60 miles. I like helping others because itʼs nice to see a smile on an old and lonely personʼs face, and I like to help others who may not be as fortunate as I am. Community, to me, means taking care of each other. When I returned to Brighton in 2002 I was going to need a lot of support from my family and friends, but equally I Prue Baker had the ability to help others. I was asked to join the Brighton and Hove Jewish Welfare Board taking responsibility for a small number of ʻclientsʼ, often vulnerable people, helping with their day to day needs. Some clients would simply require an occasional phone call or visit. Others would need the full spectrum of support including re-housing, financial aid and regular supervision. After a couple of years I took on the role of Assistant Treasurer. Full Board meetings are held once a month and, on average, I probably spend three or four hours each week undertaking voluntary work. My volunteering probably dates from wobbling up the The Board is financed from within our community and Iffley Road on my bike to help at a girlsʼ club for young simply redistributes money and resources to those in offenders. The significance is that a very hunky boy greatest need. It changes, and very occasionally saves, cycled there with me. lives. To be a part of that process, and a part of this community, is a huge responsibility and privilege. And the moral is that we volunteer most honestly when we recognise that we gain as much as we give. From then volunteering was mostly linked with where we Daniel Seligman were living – starting a baby-sitting circle, in order to have a ready supply of reliable baby-sitters; helping to build bridges between our New Town estate and the old village which pre-dated it. Result: a jointly built and owned community centre. My housing training equipped me to help reconstruct an old charity - The Jews Temporary Shelter. By 1990 it was clear that there was no longer the need for a physical shelter and we started to make grants to do with housing. Every Sunday we have a three-way phone call to allocate funds. For me the bonus is the speed with which we are able to make grants. In Brighton our Jewish Housing Association asked for My name is Daniel Seligman and I am 13 years old. someone with experience of sheltered housing. Up to Iʼm at Blatchington Mill School in Year 8. retirement I was managing almshouse charities dotted around London. So joining the committed Board of the When I was little I went to Yavneh Nursery and Torah B & H JHA gives me a deal of satisfaction in continuing Academy School. At both, we used to visit the old age to use those skills. home in Brighton and that is where I started to enjoy volunteering. As little people, we used to go there and And who said grandparenting wasnʼt volunteering? 14 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 in their own words Vivienne Stockman In later years I was a governor at a local school and became involved in helping children who needed support with their reading. The most important thing in my life has always been my family. I am pleased to have the time and opportunity to be one of the many volunteers who are involved with Helping Hands. My role involves visiting and supporting people who no longer have the comfort of a surrounding family and I would like to think that my being there makes a difference. Through these activities I am fortunate to have met a lot of admirable and lovely people, many of whom I count as close friends. Vivienne with Rita Gordon There was almost a sense of inevitability that we would both spend time “volunteering”. Both mum and I grew up Sandra & Chaz in homes where working for the community was perceived as natural and to be actively encouraged. Mum saw her parents involved in the very early days of Hyman Fine House (then the Brighton & Hove Jewish Home) and, together with my father, continued those worthwhile efforts. I have recently continued with the tradition. We both derive a great deal of pleasure in visiting the residents at Hyman Fine House and if it were not for volunteers such as us, many of the residents would have no visitors and they do so enjoy feeling that that they are still part of the wider community. The Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club is also very important to us - from serving coffee in the morning to bingo in the afternoon – it is Hello everyone. Itʼs me again, Chaz. Remember, Iʼm so gratifying to see everybody mixing and having fun. the West Highland Terrier who volunteers with Helping Hands. I visit people who would like to see a dog, and We both enjoy the rewards that volunteering brings - a have the occasional chat with my mum Sandra. I smile and “hello” from a lunch club attendee whilst thought Iʼd let you all know what Iʼve been up to lately. walking around Tesco says it all. It is just so lovely to be told how much they appreciate all that we do – even if we I absolutely love my outings to see people and think that it is not a lot – as they say - every little helps! sometimes Iʼm given treats, although my mum is very careful that I donʼt have too many and put on weight. Itʼs been a busy few months! Just before I was due to Lydia Swithern have my last haircut for the winter, I had to have a little operation. Nothing to worry about and Iʼm in total tiptop condition. Anyway, not getting to the dog groom means Iʼm looking very longhaired and shaggy at the moment. Iʼm sure mum will have me booked in for my hair cut very soon and Iʼll be back to looking clean and smart, hopefully in time for Seder Night! I hope that spring and the better weather will be here soon as when I go to the park for my walk every day I have been getting very muddy. Itʼs not much fun being pulled about by mum or dad Martin, as they try to clean me off with a towel. Maybe it would help if I stopped rolling about in the wet mud and puddles that I find at the park!! When my children were small, I devoted some time to helping with Meals on Wheels. It was then that I realised Wishing you all a happy Passover and donʼt forget if that the regular appearance of someone who cared was youʼd like to meet me Iʼm sure I can get my mum to as important as the food that was delivered. introduce us! sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 15 culture For the love of art The Jewish Arts Society held its annual exhibition at the Great Hall, Ralli Hall, Hove on Sunday 22nd February 2009. The exhibition also included works by the residents of Hyman Fine House and children in our community. Joseph Davisʼ painting, Master of All He Surveys won the main prize. Marilyn Panto acted as judge of the childrenʼs works. The exhibition was enjoyed by all of the more than 150 people in attendance. Rochelle Oberman, Chairman sussexjewishonline.com We all like a freebie and the internet is full of them. Three websites are a good starting place: www.totallyfreestuff.com, www.thunderfap.com and www.free-stuff.co.uk. For free computer advice, programmes, games and Prize-winner Master of All He Surveys applications, head for www.computeractive.com. Another gem of free advice is www.moneysavingexpert.com, run by (nice Jewish boy) Martin Lewis. And at www.lightbulbs4free.com you can get free energy saving jacs light bulbs. Free hotel weekends away? At www.travel-offers.co.uk, you can pay for a meal and your room comes free. For a free car hire for a day, or even a weekend, search out the car February proved a “trying” month. We cancelled the first manufacturers dying for you to road test their latest cars. I meeting as, two days beforehand, snow and icy booked and borrowed a top of range Mondeo estate on a conditions made us fearful of accidents. Of course, by Ford promotion from my local dealer and took the family Wednesday it had cleared up but by then it was too late shopping, the parents to the airport in the afternoon followed to re-organise. Then Janice became ill, but TG is now “on by a night out with the wife. On the Sunday we had a nice the mend” and quietly organising us again. Unable to family day out and delivered the car back first thing Monday morning on the way to work. prepare for the March AGM we have had to postpone it with the consent of National Chairman, Sidney Grant. Free phone calls are available from www.skype.com. Sidney informed us of the death of Annette Pearlman Download Skype to your PC and add a USB internet phone who, with the late Rev. Saul Amias had founded the to your computer and start talking free from home or JACS movement. anywhere in the world. You can also download Skype to your wifi-enabled mobile phone and make free calls from any ʻwifi hot zoneʼ to other Skype users. An easier Away from the gloom we enjoyed further meetings. alternative to Skype is an Israeli company offering free Godfrey Gould illuminated the history of the railways and internet calls to landlines at www.jajah.com. the rearrangements and closures made by Dr. Beeching at the time of Margaret Thatcher, and the benefits as well Donʼt miss out on the numerous discount vouchers just waiting to be downloaded to your printer and cashed. Just as the defects caused by them. We also had a Hat search Google for your favourite family diner (eg Pizza Debate – always popular, as people enjoy expressing Express, Slug & Lettuce, etc), and usually there are free their views. Later in the month a most glamorous money saving discount vouchers waiting to be grabbed. Mongolian lady, accompanied by her artist husband (in Finally, just add the magic word ʻfreeʼ before anything youʼre full Mongolian costume), told us about the history of looking for with your favourite search engine. Youʼll be Mongolia, politics, population and literacy. She is the surprised how many freebies are out there just for the founder member of the English Speaking Union of asking. As the great man once said, “If you donʼt ask, you Mongolia. See the Diary for our April programme. Due donʼt get”. Happy web hunting and savings. Let us know to the occurrence of Pesach we will only have two your favourites and weʼll share them with the community. meetings this month. The Committee join me in wishing Next issue weʼll look at PC virus protection. all members of JACS and SJN readers, a happy and The Sussex Jewish Online Team kosher Pesach. www.sussexjewishonline.com Nina Taylor 16 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 pesach Chief Rabbi’s Message Why was it so hard? Why was the Jewish journey to the the people and state of Israel. May the angel of death be land of promise and freedom so fraught with obstacles, defeated by the God of life, and may Israel and its people setbacks, diversions and delays? That is a question that find the peace for which they and we long. must haunt us as we prepare, again, to relive our Be-birkat chag kasher ve-sameach, ancestorsʼ journey from slavery on Pesach, the worldʼs Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks oldest ritual, the Westʼs most powerful story. No sooner does Abraham arrive in the land than he is Music for the festival within earshot forced to leave because of famine. Isaac too faces difficulties. There is another famine, and there are David Itkin quarrels about wells. Jacob dies in exile, as do his conceived, children. A new pharaoh, one who forgets how Joseph composed and saved his nation from starvation, afflicts his people, conducted turning what was once a refuge into a vast labour camp. Exodus: An Even when God has chosen Moses to lead the people to Oratorio. Yet the freedom there are further delays. Pharaoh increases the featured artist is peopleʼs burdens. He defies Godʼs request to let the narrator William people go. Plague after plague hits the Egyptians, but Shatner. The still Pharaoh refuses and hardens his heart. Even after libretto is well he has finally given them permission to leave, days later crafted and very he pursues after them with his chariots and army. interesting, owing more to parashat Might it be that the difficult events of the past few months Bo than Cecil B and years contain an answer? Israel has suffered much: De Mille. first the years of suicide bombings, then the Katyushas Listening to it is a from Lebanon, then the missiles from Gaza and the good primer in advance of reading the agonising conflicts each has involved. Haggadah. Although the music augments the story well, Could it be that, at the very dawn of our history as a the narration is delivered in a style that can only be people, God was telling our ancestors and us that the called “Shatnerian”. Some may find this either annoying road to freedom is never easy? That it involves much or comical; however, Exodus is a must-have for fans of suffering along the way? That it needs faith and courage, Captain Kirk and all things Star Trek. It is available from memory and hope? Could that be why we tell the story www.cdbaby.com every year and pass it on to our children, so that they will Recognising that the Jews and African-Americans share never forget that freedom must be fought for, and that a musical heritage focussing on freedom, Brother Moses whatever setbacks there are along the way, to be a Jew Smote the Water is a CD by The Klezmatics with special means never to lose hope? guests Joshua Nelson and Kathryn Farmer. The album The very existence of the state of Israel after 2000 years mixes traditional songs for or about Pesach with of exile is as near to a miracle as any you will find in the spirituals about the release from slavery. It is an sober pages of empirical history. Faith brought the amazing crossover album that combines klezmer with Jewish people back to the land. Faith has sustained the gospel. Tracks of particular note are Eyliyohu Hanovi, Ki people and state of Israel through some of the most Lue Noy and the title track. Brother Moses Smote the agonising threats and dilemmas faced by any nation in Water is available from our friends at Jewish Music the contemporary world. And faith will one day bring Distribution. Contact them by telephone on peace, whatever the setbacks and obstacles. 0800 7811 686 or order online at www.jewishmusic-jmd.co.uk Not by accident does the Seder service, at least as we observe it today, end with Godʼs victory over the angel of Basya Schechter is the leader of the band Pharaohʼs death. So as we relive our peopleʼs history, we gain Daughter. And with a name like that, how could they not strength for the struggles ahead. For what Jews, be included in music reviews at this time of year? Judaism and Israel represent is not a small thing. It is Daddyʼs Pockets was originally released in 1999. It is a nothing less than the proposition that a nation can strong album of beautifully written songs. Strong lyrics survive against all the odds by the power of its faith in combine with modern music that makes good use of freedom and the God of freedom, in life and the God of middle-eastern rhythms and instrumentation. Highly life, in ultimate peace and the God of peace. recommended, especially for the title track, the opening Niggun and Nevermore. CDs by Pharoahʼs Daughter This year, as we lift our glasses for the four cups of wine, are also available from Jewish Music Distribution as we sing Dayenu and thank God for all the miracles of our survival, let us also have in our hearts a prayer for David Seidel sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 17 Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue Palmeira Avenue, Hove, BN3 3GE bhrs Tel: 01273 735343 Email: office@bh-rs.org www.bh-rs.org Rabbi Charles Wallach Sedra for 4 April 2009: T’tzav Rituals of purity Parashat Tzav opens with details on three clear sacrificial allowing people to come with their sacrifices any time during rituals – the olah (burnt offering), the minchah (meal the day. Today of course the concept of sacrifices has fallen offering) and the chatat (purgation offering). In addition, the away, but the threefold function of olah, minchah and chatat role of the priests is discussed including the linen raiment has effectively remained. The olah eventuated into the they had to wear during the performance of these rituals. shacharit or morning service, the mincha became the afternoon service and the evening service moved from being There follows detail of the inauguration into office of priests. the sin offering to a votive or freewill offering. This involved further ritual accompanied by the wearing of specific clothes of office including the tunic, the sash, the One further comment: The portion is entitled Tzav from the robe, the ephod, a further decorated band, the breast piece first key word which means “command”. Later we find and the headdress on which was a gold frontlet. reference to the priests eating matzot or unleavened bread, not as a Pesach ritual but as part of the process referred to At the heart of all of this was a sense of purity: purity of the before. The fact that this sedra comes just before Pesach altar so that the rituals that would in time have to be per-gives added weight to this: the mitzvah of Chag HaMatzot formed could so be done; purity of the priests so they could (in the Torah the two words for matzot and mitzvot appear act on behalf of the community. Indeed, their identical as there is no vocalisation) is upon us – a fact inauguration or dedication was to take place in full view of underscored by this also being Shabbat HaGadol – the the community. “great Sabbath” on which traditionally the laws and requirements of Pesach were explained and discussed. From the Book of Chronicles we learn that the priests did in fact fulfil these tasks and that in the period of the Rabbi Charles Wallach Second Temple a standing group of priests acted, thus Romans seemed to espouse. The Jews of that time had but The festival of freedom limited freedom: they were free to an extent but not to pursue Pesach – Chag Heruteinu, the Festival of our Freedom Judaism fully. Often out of necessity, they hid away in caves beckons and dominates. From the cleaning of our homes to or in far off distant parts of the land. the purchase of the foodstuffs we seem to be on a path of gastronomic concern. This is of course ancillary to the As the songs at the end of the Seder remind us, other religious observance of Pesach, where we celebrate our privations were later to be forced upon the Jews, including freedom not just in word but in deed. during the Second World War with a plaintive cry for forgiveness for having to eat bread in order to survive – a Without the Exodus there would have been no freedom to decree issued by a Rabbi in one of the ghettoes who insisted celebrate, no concept of our peoplehood, no belief in a that the inmates did so rather than die. More recently, Jews single, unseen God. Pesach is effectively the basis of all that within the former Soviet Union used the Seder to highlight we are, and, not to stretch it too far, the base of Christianity their plight – as some of us did by not only leaving the Cup of and Islam. The somewhat snide remark found in the Elijah undrunk but actually laying a place “for absent friends”. Haggadah concerning the wicked son – that if he did not respect this he would remain a slave, is a salutary Pesach and its message are timeless. Our responsibility is to reminder of the importance of this festival. enjoy it and celebrate: be it with a full scale Seder at home, be it with the help of others, or perhaps by joining a communal We call the Seder the Meal of Freedom. Developed in Seder such as the one we have at the Reform synagogue. Mishnaic times some two thousand years ago it was a Roman meal – ironically perhaps aping the largesse of the Roman May the festival of Pesach – that Chag of our freedom, be overlords but nevertheless glorying in the freedom that the enjoyed by all…and be yet a further springboard towards a fuller Jewish life for us all. Rabbi Charles Wallach Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue is seeking a Part Time Synagogue Administrator Bulletin Board for April 2009 Mondays 11.00 am – Seated exercise with Adele (but not on 13th) to facilitate the efficient and effective running of the Synagogue Wed nesdays 2.00 pm – JACS, AJEX Hall (but not on 8th and 15th) The successful applicant needs to demonstrate the following: Fri 3rd 8.00 pm - Late Service • previous experience providing an efficient administrative service Tue 7th 12.30 pm - Lunch/discussion group facilitated by • a good knowledge of Excel, Word, Publisher & Outlook (experience working Scarlett Epstein. How can we ensure that the with computerised accounts and payroll desirable but not essential) Holocaust experience will never be forgotten? • a knowledge/understanding of the Jewish community • excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills Wed 8th 1st night Pesach • ability to prioritise and work with great attention to detail and accuracy Thurs 9th 1st day Pesach - Service 10.20 am • time management skills, the ability to accept responsibility and work as part Thur 9th 2nd night Communal Seder - 6.30 pm of a team Tues 14th 6.30 pm - Seventh eve of Pesach service • an understanding of the importance of diplomacy and confidentiality Wed 15th 10.30 am - Seventh day of Pesach service • the ability to retain composure and work effectively under pressure Mon 20th Service for Yom Hashoah - 7.30 pm Sun 26th For further details please contact the Chairman on chairman@bh-rs.org 10.00 am - Cheder term starts 18 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 Hove Hebrew Congregation 79 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JN Tel: 01273 732035 hhc Email: hovehc@btinternet.com Rabbi Vivian Siverman Sedra for 11 April 2009: Pesach Readings Janet’s Column Spring’s rebirth, renewal and redemption Yes, it is almost upon us - Pesach I mean. The shopping lists are probably made, the panic is setting in because The festival of Pesach marks redemption, renewal and not all the main supermarkets here stock all the required rebirth. The Haftorah for Shabbat Chol Hamoed (taken ingredients - and we all spend our time running to each from the 37th chapter of Ezekiel) and the scroll of Song supermarket in turn for probably only one or two things of Songs (Shir Hashirim) together emphasise these that the others don't supply. Never mind, it will soon be special qualities: rebirth, renewal and redemption at over and we will be worrying about Rosh Hashanah! springtime. Breakfast cereal is always a problem for Pesach, and I The prophetic portion describes how Ezekiel was set discovered this one in a new recipe book I recently down in a valley filled with bones. The voice of God acquired. asked him if those dry bones could possibly live. Passover Granola - makes approximately 8 portions. Then, the Almighty commanded Ezekiel to prophesy that the bones should be covered with sinew, flesh and Crumble 150g of matzo into very small pieces (crumb-like) skin. Finally, the dead bodies were to be filled with the and fry it with 6 tablespoons of runny honey over a low breath of God. Then, they all stood up like a great heat. Cook gently until the matzo is covered with the army. The Almighty exclaimed "I will open your graves honey. Add 100g chopped hazelnuts and 100g chopped and bring you to the land of Israel". walnuts and place under a hot grill and toast for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so the mixture does not When this Haftorah was read during Pesach 1945, burn. soon after Auschwitz and Belsen had been liberated, When cool, add 100g prunes, 150g raisins, 150g dried these words were given poignancy - the death camp apricots and 100g dates (all these dried fruits to be survivors were literally skeletons brought back to life. chopped). Add the fruit to the matzo mixture and stir well. Song of Songs describes the love between the Store your granola in an airtight container. Almighty and the people of Israel. Among its To serve, just add milk or yoghurt and enjoy! famous verses are: I wish you all a Happy Pesach, and more importantly, • “The birds appear - songtime has arrived and the good health to those who are going through a rough patch sound of the turtledove is heard in the land”; at this time. Chag Sameʼach. • “My beloved is mine and I am his, feeding among the lilies”; Janet Cowan • “I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, tell him I am lovesick”; • “Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers wash it away”. Shir Hashirim was composed by King Solomon when he was a young man, and so it is appropriate to read it at springtime when there are thoughts of love, rebirth and renewal. And whenever we replace the Sefer Torah inside the Ark we sing: "Bring us back to you, Lord, and we shall return / Renew our days as of old" (Chadeish yomeinu k'kedem). Renewal (reattachment with Jewish practice) is to be a constant reminder for all of us. Rabbi Vivian Silverman APRIL DIARY: Tue 7: Ceremonial search for Chametz after dark Wed 8 Erev Pesach. Fast of the first born. No Chametz to be eaten or drunk after 10.12 am Chametz collected previous night to be burned before 11.37 am. Eruv Tavshilin to be made. Yom Tov and mincha 7.30 pm. First Seder after dark Thu 9-Fri 10 Pesach Wed 15-Thu 16 7th and 8th days with Yizkor on 8th morning. Tue 21 Yom Hashoa for the six million victims of The Holocaust Tues 28 Yom Hazikaron Wed 29 Yom Ha'atzmaut sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 19 Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation bhhc 31 New Church Road Hove, BN3 3AD 01273 888855 Email: office@bhhc-shul.org Mala Tribich to speak at Yom Sedra for 18 April 2009: Shemini Maintaining our spiritual integrity Hashoah service With construction completed, Aaron, the High Priest, Mala Tribich will be our and his sons bring the offerings to formally dedicate the guest speaker at the Yom Sanctuary. But the festivities are suddenly and tragically Hashoah evening service interrupted. Two of Aaron's sons, Nadav and Avihu, on Monday April 20th at “brought before God an alien fire that He had not 7.30 pm. commanded them. A fire came forth... and they died.” Born in Piotrkow What had they done to deserve this fate? Rabbi Trybunalski in Poland in Yishmael says that they entered the sanctuary while 1930, she was sent to intoxicated with wine because, in the very next section, Czestochowa when the the remaining Kohanim are enjoined not to drink Nazis invaded. Staying intoxicating wine when they enter the sanctuary ʻso that with a Christian family until they may not dieʼ. It is interesting that in many the deportations were over, life was uncertain. She often communities the Kohanim bless the congregation on hid in a wardrobe until visitors left. On returning home, Simchat Torah during the earlier Shacharit service her father was waiting although her mother and younger rather than Musaf because later in the day there is a sister had already been murdered. good chance that they will be in a state of intoxication! Mala became a slave labourer until November 1944 when For the contemporary Jew the message is clear and the remaining Jews were deported. Separated from her powerful. However enthused we may be about a new father and brother, she was sent to Ravensbruck idea or practise we discover, it is important to realise concentration camp and then to Bergen-Belsen. that an ʻalien fireʼ has no place ʻbefore G-dʼ. On liberation by the British Army, Mala, suffering from Assimilation is not necessarily official conversion to typhus, was transferred to hospital and a childrenʼs home. another faith. That threat, real enough in Jewish history, Three months later she was sent, with other children, to is not necessarily the most imminent today. Sweden where she spent nearly two years. Contemporary assimilation is more of a blending - acquiring the characteristics of the society in which we Not expecting any of her family to be alive, Mala was live. Jewry and Judaism lose their uniqueness in two surprised to receive a letter from her brother Ben in ways. First, specifically Jewish modes and qualities (in England. In March 1947 she came to England and was religion, language, culture, etc.) are abandoned. reunited with Ben. Secondly, the Jew adopts the manner of the Gentile. In 1949 she met Maurice and they married in 1950. It is difficult enough to maintain the purity of Judaism in Whilst her children were growing up Mala studied and our individual lives. The pressures of society and of gained a degree in Sociology from London University. earning a livelihood create formidable, though not Mala Tribich also has three grandchildren. insurmountable, challenges to the path of Torah observance and a traditional Jewish way of life. A Pesach insight However, Jewish institutions, because of their influence on the community, have a responsibility to rigorously A great part of our history is, tragically, a tale of suffering. maintain the highest standards of Judaism. If Pesach, Purim and Chanukah are all festivals emanating assimilation is permitted to adulterate the spiritual from historical periods of oppression. Tragically, we are still integrity of these institutions then what future can we not free from anti-Semitism. But is suffering all there is to expect? being Jewish? Rabbi Hershel Rader When Moshe is about to liberate the Jewish people from Egypt, does he lecture them on the virtues of freedom? educate the next generation in a meaningful fashion. First Does he speak of their destination, a land flowing with milk and foremost we educate by example. We say ʻthis and honey? No! He states, in great detail, exactly how Matzoh which we eatʼ. We donʼt just look on, we take Pesach should be observed. He tells them, on three part. The rites of Pesach donʼt just symbolise oppression. separate occasions, if your children ask you about this day They also symbolise a faith bolstered by over three thou-and its practices; this is how you shall answer, each child sand years of survival against the most horrendous odds. according to its individual level of understanding. This is the origin, together with a verse in Deuteronomy, of the The Haggadah involves us in an actual observance of Haggadahʼs four sons. Judaism in which eating, singing, washing our hands and how we sit all become religious experiences. For to know Moshe understood that to be a Jew is to be educated, to and appreciate what Judaism is all about, we must live it! put oneʼs education into practice and, most importantly, to Rabbi Hershel Rader 20 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue Adat Shalom Vereiu’t-Al Sefat Hayyam 6 Lansdowne Road Hove BN3 1FF– Tel 01273 737223 Email:bhps@freenetname.co.uk bhps Website:wwwbrightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah Sedra for 25 April 2009: Tazri’a-M’tzora The Imperative to Set Apart With the double parashah, Tazriʼa-Mʼtzora, the concerns of describes them as ʻgreenishʼ and ʻreddishʼ – which we the Book of Leviticus turn to child-birth, bodily emissions, might identify as mildew or wet-rot. As the anthropologist skin eruptions and house ʻplaguesʼ. What has all this got Mary Douglas observed in her book, Purity and Danger, to do with ʻholinessʼ you may wonder? Well, the Hebrew what connects all these conditions is that they involve a concept of ʻholinessʼ, kʼdushah, means to ʻseparateʼ or to breaking of boundaries and a disruption of order: the birth ʻset apartʼ. There is a holy logic here, which connects of a child involves a very tangible break out of the womb Tazriʼa-Mʼtzora to the other themes of Leviticus – to the list into the world; menstruation and seminal emissions both of sacrifices, the consecration of the Priesthood, the food involve fluids breaking out of the body – fluids, which laws, the sexual prohibitions, the ethical injunctions, the would otherwise be directed to the generation of new life; festival calendar, the sabbatical and Jubilee years – the skin eruptions break out of the skin, just as mildew breaks imperative to create order, make separations and set out of the walls of a house – in both cases a boundary is apart. And so: offerings are set apart for God; the priests broken. And so it is that the ritual solution to all of these are set apart from the people; creatures that may be eaten disruptions involved a seven day period of separation and are set apart from those that may not be eaten; the cleansing. Israelites are set apart from the other peoples in every Significantly, when the rabbis developed the laws aspect of their behaviour from the most intimate realm to governing Jewish life following the destruction of the the domain of economic relationships; the sacred days are Temple in 70 CE by the Romans, the only rules to survive set apart from daily life; the seventh year is set apart from from this ancient system were those relating to women, the six that precede it; and after seven cycles of seven, the which were then made more stringent, and given a new fiftieth year is set apart as a year of release and freedom. rationale: taharat ha-mishpachah – the ʻpurity of the In Tazriʼa-Mʼtzora the imperative to set apart translates into familyʼ. I will leave you to ponder for yourselves why the rules concerning child-birth, menstruation, seminal rabbis chose not to maintain the rules relating to men, emissions, skin eruptions, tzaraʼat – translated as ʻleprosyʼ, which, according to the Torah, also involved a seven-day and connected to the word mʼtzora, translated as ʻleperʼ – period of purification (Lev. 15:13)… and a similar affliction as it affects houses, which is also Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah called tzaraʼat: the discoloured blotches – the text Purim fun and feast DIARY FOR APRIL 2009 Access to Hebrew Thursdays 11.00 – 12.30 & 6.30 – 7.30 pm Some fifty weird and wonderfully disguised people turned (except on Pesach, 9th April) up for a really fun evening on erev Purim. From the identifiably biblical through “modern gangster” to Aussie Access to Judaism Saturday, 1.00 – 2.30 pm after service cricketer, the range of outfits was amazing. We did not Saturday 4th 5th Annual Quiz, 7.00 pm prompt! know, for example, that our Rabbi was really a Welsh Tickets £8.00 to include light refreshments Wednesday 8th Pesach Service & Communal Seder 6.30 pm rugby international! Tickets £15 non-members, £10 members, bring After a shortened Maʼariv service, a succession of a dish to share. Children under 13 free. characters was called upon to read the Purim story. Thursday 9th April Pesach Morning Service 10.30 am They did so with performances that would have Led by Rabbi Sarah impressed any TV talent show jury. Friday 10th April Pesach Erev Shabbat Service 8.00 pm Led by Claudia Gould After the Megillah, six candidates came forward each Followed by Oneg : ʻTea & Plavaʼ staking a claim to be recognised as the Messiah. They Relax and chat over tea & chametz-free cake had two minutes each to justify their potential ability to Tuesday 14th April Erev 7th Day Pesach Service 8.00 pm save the world - and if comedy was going to do this, Led by Steve Field they were all qualified. Wednesday 15th 7th Day Pesach Morning Service 10.30 am Led by Rabbi Sarah The evening ended with the quaffing of wine and Monday 20th April Erev Yom Ha-Shoʼah Service 8.00 pm consumption of vast quantities of hamantaschen, no Led by Rabbi Sarah doubt followed by indigestion aids for many. Wednesday 29th LʼChayyim Yom Ha-atzmaʼut Lunch 5th Grand Annual BHPS Quiz 12.00 – 2.00 pm Saturday 4 April for prompt 7 pm start. All welcome Special Advance Notice Come on your own, or with a friend, or make up a table Sunday 3rd May Antiques Road Show 2.00 pm Tickets £8.00 from the office 01273 737223 Have your goodies valued by professionals @ Light refreshments included. £4 per item, maximum 2 per person Questions for the light hearted and fainthearted of all ages ALL WELCOME sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 21 Brighton & Hove Jewish Community Foundation ralli hall 81 Denmark Villas Hove, BN3 3TH 01273 202254 Day Centre: 01273 739999 Email: rallihall@tiscali.co.uk Out for new blood & AGM announcement Please note that the Annual General Meeting of the more hair and far less girth! I am prepared to stand Brighton & Hove Jewish Community Foundation will be again for the time being but I would really like to be able held at Ralli Hall on Thursday 30 April 2009, at 8.10 pm, to retire from the position of Hon. Chairman in the which means that you wonʼt have to pay to park. knowledge that Ralli Hall will be in good hands with a suitable successor waiting in the wings. I am happy to say that, although we have a good membership base, for the past few years there have not You will no doubt remember that in last monthʼs SJN, been many members coming to the AGM. Instead of Alan Burke, the Chairman of the RH Lunch and Social being disappointed, I take it as a compliment and Club (and also my Vice Chairman) has decided to take approval of the way that this charity is being run by the retirement and I do hope that the right person will be Board of Management and the staff. It is very gratifying willing to step into his successful shoes and lead the club to feel that we are doing it right, but would be delighted to into the next decade. see a few more of our friendly faces at the AGM. After The Jewish Centre at Ralli Hall is busier than ever with all, why not take the opportunity of meeting up with an increasing number of activities and functions taking friends and discussing with the Board what you would place by and for the community. Also now, after many like to see for the future of our Community Centre? It years, we have a Sunday evening Youth Club led by two would be nice too to encourage a few more members to dedicated youth workers, Liron Greenberg and Raquel join and benefit from the many events that are on offer at Buckland. Ralli Hall. Unfortunately, we no longer have a Modern Hebrew As this is the last message before the AGM, I would like teacher and we would be pleased to hear if there is to thank everyone, staff and volunteers, for their hard anyone in the community who would be interested in work, dedication, enthusiasm and loyalty during the past taking over this activity – I understand that there are still year. a number of students keen to renew their studies. All Board members (including me) are willing to stand for Previously, the teacher has retained weekly student fees another year but we are all becoming ʻrather geriatricʼ while Ralli Hall just retains annual membership of and we would like to welcome some new recruits to the B&HJCF and I would expect this arrangement to Management Committee. We need younger members continue. Anyone interested, please contact the office on with fresh ideas and the willingness to take over the reins 01273 202254. of what we believe is a most important institution in the See you at Ralli Hall and especially at the AGM. Brighton and Hove Jewish community. Members of B&HJCF are therefore invited to stand for election – Roger Abrahams nomination forms, plus the other AGM papers, will be Children’s Book Sale sent out in good time to all current members, and also to those whose memberships have lapsed within the last Usborne Books for children will have a stall at few years. However, please note that only fully paid-up the Ralli Hall Toddler Group on members can attend the AGM or stand for office. If Wednesday, 29 April 2009 between anyone wishes to have an informal chat before possibly 11.00 am and 12 noon. A percentage of book sales committing themselves, please do not hesitate to phone on the day will be put towards books for the me on 01273 415433. Toddler Group. For more information, contact Sharon on 07900 443874. I have been in the driving seat since 1990 when I had has pleasure in inviting you to hear Simon Morris, Chief Executive of Jewish Care speak about its services after a film presentation, An Inconvenient Truth on Wednesday 1 April 2009 at 2.30pm in Ralli Hall, 81 Denmark Villas, Hove BN3 3TH Tea will be served • There is no charge for this event • All welcome Charity Registration Number 802559 22 sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 Shabbat Shalom In Fri 3rd 7.7 pm out Sat 4th 8.27 pm In Fri 10th 7.28 pm out Sat 11th 8.39 pm diary april 2009 In Fri 17th 7.40 pm out Sat 18th 8.54 pm In Fri 24th 7.51 pm out Sat 25th 9.05 pm Notable Dates 1st Seder Night Wed 8th 7.25 pm 1st day Pesach Thur 9th 8th day Pesach Thur 16th Wednesday 1 JACS no meeting -Pesach Monday 20 SPARKS Programme Session 3 Mothers and Toddlers Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Sarid with guest speaker Sydney at Salomons, Tunbridge Wells 10.00 am-12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian Levene: The Case of The Yorkshire Monday 27 Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH and Ukrainian) with Polina Ripper.10.45 am at Ralli Hall. Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Painting with Gwyneth Rose Donation £1.00 with tea/coffee. 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. For further information contact Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: Fausta Shelton 01273 734648. Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 01273 540464 Weekly RH Thursday 9 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. 1.30-4.30 pm £2.00. Shalom Programme on Ralli Hall Lunch Club will not Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Tel: Reba 01444 410435. www.radioreverb.com as well as take place due to Pesach Rubber and Duplicate Bridge Tuesday 28 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am Sunday 12 1.30-4.30 pm £2.00. Advanced Oil Painting Group: JACS with guest speaker Shalom Programme on Tel: Reba 01444 410435. Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Naomi Tucker ‘The Work of the www.radioreverb.com as well as Yom Hashoa with guest speaker Painting with Rochelle (JAS) Dogs’ Trust’ 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Mara Tribish at 31 New Church 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- Road, 7.30 pm Tel: 01273 503708 RH Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels wel- Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- and Ukrainian) with Polina come. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Tuesday 21 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: Advanced Oil Painting Group: Weekly RH 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Monday 13 Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Bank Holiday - Ralli Hall closed Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Painting with Rochelle (JAS) Thursday 2 Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tuesday 14 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Tel: 01273 503708 RH Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Yom Ha’zicharon/Yom Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Ha’atzmaut 7.00 pm– Everyone 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Sunday 5 Painting with Rochelle (JAS) invited to Ralli Hall on this Weekly RH 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly important day in the Jewish Shalom Programme on Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Tel: 01273 503708 RH calendar. Listen to renowned www.radioreverb.com as well as Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 historian and author Colin 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 688538 Weekly Shindler. Refreshments and Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- RH Wednesday 22 much, much more 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels wel- Mothers and Toddlers 10.00- come. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Wednesday 29 Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg Sale of Usborne Books for Monday 6 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH 779966 or 07962 828877 RH children at RH toddler group Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Painting with Gwyneth Rose 11.00 am-12 noon Tel: Sharon Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Wednesday 15 (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 07900 443874 Mothers and Toddlers Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 01273 540464 Weekly RH 10.00 am-12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Mothers and Toddlers 10.00- 1.30-4.30 pm £2.00. Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Shalom Programme on 12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg Tel: Reba 01444 410435. www.radioreverb.com as well as 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Shalom Programme on Tuesday 7 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am Painting with Gwyneth Rose www.radioreverb.com as well as (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: Advanced Oil Painting Group: JACS with guest speaker David 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am 01273 540464 Weekly RH Tel: Martin 01273 327403 R Leech A.R.P.S ‘Through the Red Painting with Gwyneth Rose Light’ Painting with Rochelle (JAS) (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: Shalom Programme on 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Chutzpah Choir (Singing in 01273 540464 Weekly RH www.radioreverb.com as well as Tel: 01273 503708 RH Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am JACS No meeting - Pesach and Ukrainian) with Polina Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- JACS with guest speaker Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Weekly RH Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian) with Polina and Ukrainian) with Polina Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: Thursday 23 Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Ralli Hall Lunch and Social 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 Thursday 16 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Wednesday 8 Thursday 30 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Mothers and Toddlers Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 Sunday 26 Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.00 am-12.00 noon Weekly Tel: 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Shalom Programme on 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH www.radioreverb.com as well as Ralli Hall AGM. 8.10 pm in the Painting with Gwyneth Rose Sunday 19 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Stephen Magrill Room. Further (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: Shalom Programme on Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- information from Norina on 01273 01273 540464 Weekly RH www.radioreverb.com as well as 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels wel- 202254. 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Shalom Programme on come. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 www.radioreverb.com as well as Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- Helping Hands Tea at the Mark 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels wel- Luck Hall 2.30-4.30 pm. come. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Donation £2.50 Except during Pesach, Grodzinski’s challot and rye bread are available from Premier Convenience Stores in Hove Street every Thursday morning until supplies run out. sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 23 DÉJÀ Shoes Brighton Hove and Worthing Exclusive Ladies Shoes and Handbags for all occasions All at High Street prices odeon 1A Kensington Gardens, Brighton North Laines Head Office 88 George Street, Hove 01273 323675 30 Brunswick Road, Shoreham-By-Sea Opposite the Main Post Office 10% off with this advert (not on Sale or discounted goods) sussex jewish news . . .april 2009 -
Issue 186
May 2009
SMa N J SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS February 2009 y 2009 Price £2 Tevet / Shev Iyar / Siv at 5769 an 5769 ISSUE 183 ISSUE 186 Happy Shavuot Editorial Board: Doris Levinson Front Cover David Forman Stephanie Megitt Back Cover Sophie Sheinwald Ivor Miskin Community Issues Laura Sharpe David Seidel Communal Diary Angela Goldman Administrator Ivor Sorokin diary@sussexjewishnews.com Admin Assistant Gweni Sorokin Photographer Sophie Sheinwald E-Publishing Gary Weston Andy Devon PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ. Tel: 07906 955404. Email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com www.sussexjewishnews.com Editorial Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board Almost all of this month will be spent counting the Omer, • Are not allied to any synagogue or group and commemorating the forty years that the children of Israel the views expressed by writers are not spent wandering the desert after leaving Egypt. It was a necessarily those of SJN; period of hardship and unrest but ultimately it was a time of growing pains. The people grew into something new: a • Accept advertisements in good faith but do not nation, worthy of a land and worthy of being a nation. endorse any products or services and do not accept liability for any aspect of any Weʼre currently experiencing our own growing pains. Over advertisements; the past months your Editorial Board with our friends at • Welcome readersʼ contributions but reserve Sussex Jewish Online worked hard to launch our new the right to edit, cut, decline or submit the website at Limmud. We met that deadline, but somewhere content to others for comment. along the way time grew short. Despite the best will in the world, some parts of our new website needed to be Submission deadline for next issue: 7 May 2009. completed at a later day. To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, So soon we will have our music room where youʼll be able to please send them ONLY to listen to songs from albums that we have reviewed. Soon editor@sussexjewishnews.com, otherwise we cannot youʼll be able to download Rise and Shine – Children of the guarantee their consideration for publication Lord for free. And weʼre still sorting out the technical glitches between our website and our PayPal account. We apologise for these delays. For updates on when each of these new features will be available, check www.sussexjewishnews.com regularly. But, like Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen, we prefer to Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive. The electronic publishing of Sussex Jewish News has received rave reviews and unanimous support from across and outside our community. Not only are we starting to receive subscriptions in electronic format, some of our existing readers, of all ages, are asking to receive your community magazine in e-format only. So if you would like to switch to e-reading, e-mail us at editor@sussexjewishnews.com and weʼll take care of the rest. On second thought, perhaps the forty years in the desert was also about setting aside the need for instant gratification for the promise of something better. Weʼre trying that electronically today. And as long as we keep the end goal in sight, itʼs possible to have fun along the way. SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS - SUBSCRIPTION OFFER UNTIL 30 JUNE 2009 Name…………………………………………….................................................................... Date ............................... Address………………………………………………………………………………………….............................................. .......................................................................................................................................... Postcode ……….................... Telephone………………………...................................... Email ........................................................……………........... My subscription (check one): ( ) I would like to receive electronic copies of Sussex Jewish News for one year at a cost of £12 ( ) I would like to receive printed copies of Sussex Jewish News for one year for a cost of £15 Payment (check one): ( ) I enclose my cheque payable to Sussex Jewish News at PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ ( ) I have made a bank transfer to the Sussex Jewish News at Lloyds Bank, Sort Code 30-98-74, Account No. 00289447 and I have included my name as a reference to ensure my subscription is noted. Or you can subscribe online at www.sussexjewishnews.com and pay with PayPal! 2 sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 community life AJEX events and Euro-votes Our Summer Quiz will be held on 14th June at the Mark Luck Personal Hall. You are encouraged to book early to ensure your place. Births Our Cream Tea will be held courtesy of Penny and Michael Mazel tov to Diane & John Joseph on the birth of a Phillips on a date to be confirmed. Watch for more information great-granddaughter. in future issues of Sussex Jewish News. Mazel tov to Betty Skolnick and David Watson on the Finally, we would like to impress on all readers the necessity to birth of a granddaughter. vote in the European Elections on 4th June. The larger the Mazel tov to Sandra and Cliff Walker, grandparents, voter turnout, the less chance the BNP candidate has of being and Naomi and Paul Aylott on the birth of a son to elected. Please use your vote! Naomi. Judy Gabriel, PRO Brighton & Hove Birthdays Children and Youth Aliyah Mazel tov to Lady Faith Barrett, Joseph Bartel, Nick Beck, Susan Besser, Michael Brummer, Stanley Rosa and Stuart Panto hosted a very successful coffee morning Cohen, Samuel Franks, Barbara Glass, Freda Gordon, recently for our charity. It was a lovely warm sunny morning and Claudia Gould, Michael Harris, Peter Kauffman, Stella so the event was very well attended. We raised £775.00, Lawrence, Sharon Rose, Steven Samuels, Valentine including some very generous donations. Ruth Sless, our Life Scriven, Marjorie Seldon, Vera Silver, Rob Starr, Rabbi Vice-President now living in Israel, sent us a donation, and Ernst Stein and Rose Stein (100), all of whom are wished to be remembered to all who know her. The money raised is on its way to Talpiot. Our sincere thanks to Rosa and celebrating special birthdays. Stuart and all our supporters. Weddings Our next event will be a coach trip to The Old Barn Nursery in Mazel tov to Beryl & Frank Lazarus on the marriage of Storrington, with cream tea, on Wednesday May 20th. For their son Julian to Phillipa, daughter of Inge & Robin details please ring 01273 776671. Hyman. Congratulations to Barbara Moss on the marriage of Liz Posner Paul to Sarah. An open letter from the JLGB Wedding Anniversaries The Jewish Ladsʼ and Girlsʼ Brigade is a national organisation Mazel tov to Cecile & Sydney Levene on their diamond in England, Scotland and Wales. It has units situated all over wedding anniversary. the country which meet on a weekly basis and are run by Mazel tov to Melanie & Sam Firsht on their tenth trained staff. wedding anniversary. Every summer we have a national camp that is attended by Achievements JLGB members from all over England. We also have Jewish Mazel tov to the Limmud Steering Committee for all children from Israel and other Jewish children from the USA and their hard work and efforts in making the third Brighton France who attend our camp. We would love to welcome more & Hove Day Limmud an exciting day and successful children of other nationalities and from other areas within the event at Roedean. UK to our camp this year. Get Well The camp is from 7th to 16th August, and will be held at a youth Refuah shelaimah to Tricia Allen, Jack Lackland, Dolly campsite near Colchester in Essex. The age range is 11 to 16 Ross, Barry Smith and Hymie Sheftz years. It is impossible to tell you everything in just one short letter but we have a fabulous ten days with over 300 members Death and friends getting together and doing great activities. The days We wish long life to: are filled with canoeing, climbing, biking and much more. • the family of Stanley Bloch z”l Evenings are jam packed with entertainment too. The theme • Roger Caidan and family on the sad death of Jacqui this year is the circus and we are planning to make this yearʼs • Jonathan Hyman and family on the loss of his camp “The Greatest Show on Earth”. mother The cost of the camp is £440 which would include • Sarah Pastor on the loss of her mother transportation if you are able to rendezvous with one of the • the family of Louis Phillips z”l many coaches that depart from various locations within the UK. • the family of Lily Valman (Lily Spencer-Marcus) z”l, We would like to invite any Jewish children between the who passed away just before her 101st birthday. ages of 13-15 to join us this year. Condolences to the family of Bill Miller, caretaker and If you visit our site at www.jlgb.org you will see just a small part friend to Hove Hebrew Congregation for many years. of what we do and what our camps involve. Of course, feel free Consecrations to contact me if you have any more questions. My e-mail address is ringmaster@jlgb.org. We wish long life to the family of Sidney & Marjorie Spiro z”l, whose memorial stones will be set on Sunday B/Capt Shirley Lane 31 May, at the Jewish cemetery, Old Shoreham Road, Commanding Officer Hove at 2.00 pm National Summer Camp 2009 sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 3 community life Worthing & District Jewish Community We held our Purim celebration on Tuesday 10th March matzos the day we did our Pesach shopping. Although and Rev Malcolm Weisman joined us for a light lunch belated, we hope that all our members, families and prior to his rushing back to London to attend a black tie friends in Brighton & Hove had a happy Pesach. dinner engagement that evening. This tireless man is Our next function will be Sunday 24th May when we will be totally amazing in all that he does – and he manages this holding a Chanukah party at our usual venue of the busy life without the benefit of email! Anyway, more by Quaker Meeting House. Although we in Worthing normally luck than judgement, and in order to accommodate the celebrate our festivals at the same time as other Jewish Rabbi, it has turned out that our members enjoyed communities, for various reasons we were unable to hold meeting at mid-day (44 attended) rather than our usual this party in December and we donʼt wish to miss out on afternoon time – so, ever mindful of their wants, we will our annual ʻfress upʼ. endeavour to repeat this format. Also joining us was Gary Weston of Sussex Jewish Online (SJO) who Also – our Annual Supper Quiz will be held on Saturday explained this new service for the community. Ideally, 13th June. We hope to be able to welcome participants Barbara would love to be able contact members by email from the Brighton & Hove area again and even though on a regular basis – where possible – and she will try to they were last yearʼs winners, we wonʼt hold it against compile a list of email addresses to enable her to do this. them. Perhaps theyʼll encounter stiffer local competition. By the time you read this, Pesach and all the surrounding For details of the above functions please contact Barbara fuss will be over but, at the time of writing, it is the on 01903 779 720. Sunday before and telephone calls and email messages Finally, we are sad to report that our beloved Louis are flying around amongst the Committee members. Phillips, husband of Marjorie and father of Pamela passed Madam Chairman has list upon list of the many away at the age of 93 just before Pesach. He was such a requirements for making the evening a success. We are wise, lovely man and we will all miss him very much. expecting nearly 50 people so there is such a lot to do and it certainly didnʼt help that Tesco in Hove ran out of Barbara and Ian Gordon Hastings & District Jewish Society The Society has had a busy month and turnout for our Wells. This proved most useful for future action and events has been surprisingly high. Following our monthly events. service and social on the first Friday, Alison Marchant provided a fascinating talk comparing Passover with The speaker for our next Friday service and social will be Easter and showed quite clearly how the Christian Brian Linke, who will entertain us with his life story “From festival, with its Pagan origins and different symbolism, Farming to Pharmacy”. We look forward to seeing all our parallels the events of Passover. members and friends for this. Soon after this, preparations began for our Seder, which For all enquiries please contact the Society on 07743 was very successful and brought together Society 992295 or write to HDJS, PO Box 74, Bexhill, East members and friends from the CCJ and CFI. The event Sussex, TN39 4ZZ was completely sold out and had to be restricted to 50 people. We apologise to those who did not obtain tickets, Eastbourne Progressive Jewish so please remember to apply early next year. Congregation Society members also joined with Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation for the second Seder, which was again Our monthly Coffee Mornings continue to be very popular completely sold out and highly enjoyable. across the Community in Eastbourne and Brighton. Our next Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday 6th May at Our afternoon tea at the home of Trish Russell was a 11.00 am in the Garden Room (Conservatory) of The great opportunity for socialising, with delicious tea and Hydro Hotel, Mount Road, Eastbourne. All can be cakes, and again had an excellent turnout. assured of a very warm welcome. Society members attended the talk at Eastbourne Our services, which are held at The Friends Meeting Synagogue by Eric Moonman and Rabbi Herschel Gluck Place, Eastbourne, Wish Road, will be on: - on the future of the Anglo-Jewish Community. The Synagogue hall was packed to overflowing for this event, 8 May - Erev Shabbat Service – 7.00 pm at which many concerns were expressed by both the 22 May - Chavurah Supper 5.30 pm, speakers and the audience. Erev Shabbat Service – 7.00 pm Our month ended with the BoD SPARKS educational For any enquiries regarding services or coffee mornings, programme, which took place for our members at please contact the Administrator on 01323 7256750 or Salomons, a magnificent country house near Tunbridge email on EPJCONG@AOL.COM 4 sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 community life Helping Hands reconciled to the Church. Those who did not confess were Unfortunately we have to report executed. that an unfounded rumour has been started that an elderly lady This brilliant talk gave us an insight into the working of the had an accident on the Helping Inquisition, and what life must have been like for Jews in Hands bus. 15th Century Spain. An interesting question and answer session followed. The Helping Hands bus was not involved as the vehicle The next meeting of the Society will follow the AGM on 5th concerned was another May 2009 at 7.45 pm at Ralli Hall when Elkan Levy will Community Transport vehicle. In speak about The Road to Emancipation. Joan Melcher any event, it was a complete accident which was in no way the fault of either the bus or the driver. The person Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation who started the rumour did not even witness the event. Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation and Christian Friends We have since heard that the lady concerned is now of Israel jointly hosted a meeting with Professor Eric home and recovering and we wish her well. Moonman OBE, President of the Zionist Federation and On a positive note we are pleased to report that since former MP, together with Rabbi Herschel Gluck, Chairman taking delivery of the HH bus in August 2008 the of the Muslim-Jewish Forum at the Susans Road shul Community has saved in the region of £1,600 that would hall. otherwise have been spent on hiring a Community The meeting was chaired by Geoffrey Smith, Director of Transport bus. The indications are that bus bookings are the Christian Friends of Israel, and some sixty members increasing and we look forward to being able to report and friends listened with great interest to the two speakers even greater savings by the time we get to the first on the ways Jews interface between Britain and Israel. anniversary of our having our own bus. Professor Moonman highlighted the way Jews in Britain, In the last issue of SJN it was stated that we had three and their Christian friends, can assist in providing a qualified MIDAS drivers. That article was written a little in positive face on Israel and its policies. He stressed that it advance of the April issue. In fact we now have six drivers is important to monitor press reports and speak out and we would like to thank all of them for the work they against unfair reporting of Israeli policies and actions, as are, and will be, doing. well as any proposals of boycotting Israeli academics, scientists or goods, as this would hurt the UK as well as If anyone would like to become a qualified MIDAS driver Israel. please get in touch with us on 01273 747722 or at helping-hands@ntlworld.com Rabbi Gluck, who has had many years of engagement with European institutions, governments and Jewish Following the postponement of our Driversʼ Evening in communities, spoke about the treatment of Jews March, we are pleased to announce that it will now be historically in various European countries and questioned held on Sunday afternoon, 7th June 2009 at the Mark whether much had changed. However, he believes that Luck Hall from 3.00 pm until 4.30 pm. Refreshments will present-day Europe is generally the best ever, in terms of be available. Look out for more information. democracy, and cited the current re-establishment of Liz Posner Jewish communities in Germany and Poland. Questions were then invited from the floor and it was clear Jewish Historical Society from Eric Moonman's response, in particular, that he was not optimistic about the current situation in the UK and On 31 March 2009 Professor M. Alpert, President of the Europe. He considered that Israel's standing was at an Society, gave a fascinating talk on The Jews of Spain and extremely low point and that the growth of Islamic the Inquisition to a packed audience at Ralli Hall. influence in Europe would not assist this in the future. The subject being so broad, his lecture concentrated on The meeting concluded with light refreshments. the trial of a woman, 22 years old, and her husband. They were accused of being 'secret Jews'. Both were Manny Godfrey arrested and kept apart. A Spanish speaker, Professor Alpert was able to access this information from original Eastbourne Jewish Social Scene archive records. He explained that during the Inquisition, “You donʼt have to be Jewish – there were very strict rules giving the authorities full would Ruth and Boaz be acceptable today?” powers to investigate 'secret Jews', powers that included A Shavuot discussion with cheesecake & tea torture. Sunday 24 May, 3.00 -5.00 pm WRVS Centre, 24 Hyde Road, Eastbourne The woman and her husband were interrogated separately over a period of eighteen months after which Advance tickets £4.00 from Sharon on 01323 733868 time she finally confessed as a result of being tortured. or Claudy on 01323 521283 She was then imprisoned for a further two years and had Please book asap for catering purposes to wear the yellow tunic of shame. She was then sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 5 commercial For all your printing requirements please contact ANDUS PRINT ON 01273 558880 email: andus@mistral.co.uk www.andusprint.co.uk Telephone: 07906 955404 6 sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 euro-election Your Voice or Theirs: the European elections on June 4th 2009 Friends, I make no apology for the words that follow. I am which will be fed back into BNP coffers so they can angry and outraged but, above all, I am determined. continue to spread their politics of hate. For the first time in my life, a racist political party may Last month the Board of Deputies of British Jews stood achieve a national electoral breakthrough. Not in France, together against racism and extremism to send a message Italy or Austria, but in our country, the United Kingdom. to those who advocate the politics of hate. A new The British National Party (BNP) is seeking election to the campaign kit was launched to assist grassroots activities in European Parliament on an anti-immigrant, anti-European the run up to the June European Elections, with the slogan and racist platform. It claims it is no longer antisemitic, ʻYour Voice or Theirsʼ. The aim is to assist local Jewish hoping that, as a community, we will experience collective communities and groups to unite to run local campaign amnesia and forget BNP leader, Nick Griffinʼs, statements events to highlight the threat faced from the British about the “Holohoax” or the text of his book - “Who are the National Party and the importance of voting for a Mind Benders” - alleging Jewish control of the media. mainstream political party. Some of you may believe the BNP isnʼt really a threat to us The Board of Deputies is distributing a thousand of these or our immediate communities, and that we should be kits across the country over the next four weeks and they focusing our efforts elsewhere. It is true that antisemitism have already arrived in Sussex. The kits contain today comes from many different parts of society. The everything needed to run a local campaign from posters to unprecedented number of leaflets and balloons. A antisemitic hate crimes regional support network reported during the recent has been created as well Gaza crisis is testament as a campaign helpline to to that fact, as is the assist local groups in their incitement against Jews campaigns. from radical Islamist I, for one, am not movements. This does prepared to say that I sat not mean, though, that we back and did nothing should forget the danger whilst a national racist to us and to society from campaign is launched a strong and growing far- across Britain. The Board right. Jews have always of Deputies is doing been in the forefront of everything it can to the fight against fascism support local community and neo-Nazism. We groups in our collective should be proud to Henry Grunwald shows the new fight against the BNP and continue that fight today. campaign boxes I hope that, collectively, we will rise to the occasion. Do not believe the propaganda that the BNP and the far-We want the community to spread the word about the right have forgotten their hatred of the Jewish Community elections and the threat posed by the BNP. Use your or that we can afford to ignore them as, even if successful, democratic right and register to vote by May 18th for the their politics wonʼt impact on us. The BNP is a threat to elections on June 4th. The higher the turnout across the the Jewish Community as well as a threat to wider country, the harder it is for the BNP to succeed. Every community relations in Britain. We need to vote – we need vote for a mainstream political party is a vote against to stand up to the BNP and, most importantly, we need to extremism. say NO to the politics of hate and division espoused by the BNP. We do not want to see the BNP winning a At the end of May, I retire as President of the Board of significant number of seats and representing the UK in the Deputies. This is my last major campaign as the elected European Parliament. leader of our community. I am determined to make sure that I, the Board of Deputies and the Jewish community In the South East, which covers Sussex, the BNP need to can stand tall on June 4th, knowing that we did everything secure only 7.5% of the vote to succeed in getting an MEP we could to stop the BNP and the politics of hate. elected to Brussels. The size of your constituency is huge and covers all of the South East (with the exception of So I urge you to – Join our campaign, get involved and London) and the unusual electoral system will make it most importantly USE YOUR VOTE on June 4th 2009. easier for the BNP to succeed. Which is why YOU are so Henry Grunwald QC important. Your vote and your voice really can make a President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews difference. To be clear, for every MEP the BNP successfully get For more information, and to join the campaign, please elected to the European Parliament, they will secure over visit the new website at: www.fight-racism.co.uk and join £250,000 per annum in salaries and expenses. Much of the “Your Voice or Theirs” Facebook group. sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 7 culture Eastbourne’s Towner Art Gallery re-opens The closure of the old Towner gallery, now unfit to house designer and wood-engraver. its treasures, failed to coincide with the opening this week, As a landscape artist he was more than two years later, of the long-awaited new Towner inspired by the South Downs Art Gallery in Eastbourne, close to the seafront. Attached around Beddingham and to the Congress Theatre, the glass and concrete buildingʼs conveyed the atmosphere of minimalist design suffuses light and airiness, capitalising the time in a uniquely wistful on its prime architectural position in Eastbourneʼs cultural manner. His paintings are quarter. Huge picture windows on the staircases give exhibited here in an intimate The New Towner Gallery spectacular views of the local Victorian buildings and the setting and to great advantage. Devonshire Park Tennis courts. The café, situated on the There is, of course, the ubiquitous art gallery shop in the top floor, benefits from an external balcony area large entrance hall, a lovely place in which to browse and overlooking these. It offers good vegetarian choices for chat. There is an interesting selection of books on offer, lunches and afternoon teas and will doubtless prove a reflecting the character and content of the gallery. Here is a popular meeting place for coffee and cake. challenge to those of you in Brighton and Hove who rarely The exhibition spaces are varied in size and lend venture out beyond those confines: have a fine day out themselves well to flexibility of use. There are currently and enjoy this oasis of calm and beauty. It is a welcome four exhibitions: one modernist Tate-like one, one devoted added gem in Eastbourneʼs charms. Stephanie Megitt to local artists, both childrenʼs and adults, one of the Chilean artist Ivan Navarro, entitled Nowhere Man and one entitled The Peopleʼs Choice. This latter consists of just some of the Townerʼs collection of paintings chosen by children’s music Eastbourne residents in different categories. My personal favourite is the selection of Eric Raviliousʼ works, which are outstanding. Ravilious was an official war Oy Vey! The Young People's Klezmer Workshop artist and he received a commission as a Captain in the It makes me feel that my heart's beating really fast. It Royal Marines. He was killed in 1942 at the age of 39 in makes me feel really dizzy. It sounds really funny. And it 1942 while accompanying a Royal Air Force air sea rescue gives me a really good taste that is really nice. It makes mission off Iceland that failed to return to its base. He had me want to dance really really nicely, just doing ballet spent a large part of his youth in Eastbourne and after dancing. The instruments are funny. winning a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in Jamie Levinson, age 5 London he became a highly-skilled watercolourist, Oy Vey! is available from www.judaicaonsite.com May at JACS We have another interesting month of events planned cd reviews every Wednesday at 2.00 pm in the AJEX Centre, Eaton Road, Hove. Our first session on May 6th features Cliff Dargonne who Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Ages will speak about Climbing Everest: The 50th Anniversary Fretwork is a London-based ensemble which has set new Year. Then on the 10th Elayne Bourne will be with us to standards in the performance of great English music for discuss The Benefits System. Our Quiz will be held on viol consort. Their latest recording, Birds on Fire: the 20th, presented by our own Janice Greenwood. We Jewish Music for Viols is exciting and an interesting welcome Harry Gaston on the 27th to who talk about historical curiosity. Brightonʼs County Hospital. The CD features Jewish music that was played in the Everyone is welcome. Entrance to each session is Tudor and Stuart courts. The curiosity is that Jews were £1.50 for members (who must show their membership not permitted into England then. But, according to the cards) and £2.00 for non-members. Membership is extensively-researched accompanying booklet, the Lupo £4.00 annually payable in January. For more and Bassano families – originally from Venice, were information, please contact Janice on 01273 772812. dynasties of composers that were permitted to remain in England. With titles to pieces such as Hashkivenu and The Player Piano Group presents Shir Hammaʼalot, it was not as if the composers were DEAD PIANISTS LIVE hiding their faith. The music is interesting and Hear Bruch, Joplin and more - as they played! marvellously framed by Orlando Goughʼs Birds on Fire, a Ralli Hall - 3rd May at 2.30 pm / 4th May at 7.30 pm, contemporary work inspired by Klezmer. Tickets £10 (discounts for groups) To book ring Adam on 01273 463148 or Birds on Fire: Jewish Music for Viols is available from our e-mail publicity@pianolasociety.com friends at Fine Records on George Street, Hove. David Seidel 8 sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 culture Previewing May’s arts festivals and looking at a Chinese Noodle This yearʼs Brighton Festival features many events of Jewish interest. To begin with, the Festivalʼs guest artistic director Anish Kapoor is Jewish. A winner of the prestigious Turner prize, his sculptures will be displayed around our city, including the famous Sky Mirror in the Pavilion Gardens. The Hofesh Shechter Dance Company presents the World premiere of a modern ballet, The Art of Not Looking Back at The Dome on Thursday 14th, Friday 15th and on Sunday 17th. A free event, Bangers and Mash, involving local youth dance companies and bands, will take place at Brightonʼs old Paddling Pool. On Tuesday 19th the Jerusalem Quartet will perform at the Blood Stick by Anish Kapoor magnificent Royal Photo courtesy of the artist and Barbara Gladstone Gallery Pavilion Music Room. © Dave Morgan The Sitkovetsky Piano and Rochelle Oberman at the Sussex Sculptorsʼ Trio will give a exhibition. lunchtime recital at the For tickets to all Festival and Fringe events call 01273 Pavilion Theatre on 709709, or log on to the websites www.brightonfestival.org Tuesday 5th. and www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk respectively. Among the performers at Brighton Festival At the nearby Charleston literary festival thereʼs Alain de Fringe, Daniel Cainer Botton on The Pleasures and Sorrow of Work (16th), presents Jewish Deborah Moggach - who wrote the recent television series Chronicles, billed as “a on Anne Frank, on Art and Authenticity (17th) and Dame master songwriterʼs Julia Neuberger in an event entitled In the Frame. For exploration of race, tickets call 01323 811 626 or log on to religion and identity” on www.charleston.org.uk Sunday 17th at the The Jerusalem Quartet Finally, The Old Courthouse was the cosy new venue for Ralli Hall. This is also two films shown at the UK Jewish Film Festival in Brighton. the venue for Dead Pianists Live, presented by Adam First there was a short by poetess Leah Thorne about Ramet, in which an historic pianola apparatus is connected Jewish identity with irritatingly bad shots of family simchas. to a grand piano. However the main film, Noodle, was an enchanting tale Three Israeli-born classical musicians combine with featuring the dilemma of Mira, a widowed and childless air Brighton-based belly-dancer Galit Meersand to present a hostess. She was left to care for a little boy nicknamed show combining music, dance and theatre entitled Piano Noodle, the son of her Chinese cleaning lady who had Recital (Piano not included) at the Friendsʼ Meeting House been deported by the Israeli authorities as an illegal on 2nd and 3rd. immigrant. In the Artistsʼ Open Director Ayelet Menachemi had coaxed a moving House Scheme, local performance from little Booqi Chen, with emotions ranging Jewish artists displaying from heartbreaking sadness and bewilderment to seraphic their work on Festival happiness, when he was finally reunited with his Mum. weekends from 11am - Mind you, it was difficult to believe that a chubby 6-year-6pm include Orna old could be bundled into a case and transported all the Schneerson with way to Peking, whilst only emerging at night for food and paintings at the Bellis drink. Gallery (8 Kings Road, Brighton) and Although we knew that Miri was going to miss the child she sculptress/painter Marilyn had grown to love, essentially this was a feel-good film in Lennard (Panto) in which family romantic problems were finally sorted out. Brighton. The Hove The Sitkovetsky Piano Trio However it was tough on the actors, who had to work not Arts Trail includes only with an appealing child but also with an adorable Amanda Davidson (architectural drawings and interior brown and white terrier which clearly relished his stardom. design), Jess Wood-Sarah (paintings about Jerusalem) Cecily Woolf sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 9 What they said afterwards... Fastest-selling Day Limmud on record The programme had huge breadth and depth and, as Britainʼs greatest Jewish learning experience returned to well as having tremendous variety, for me what stood Brighton & Hove with over 600 participants coming from out was the wonderful contemporary feel to it. as far as Hungary, Canada and Manchester. Few events, Everything I went to was excellent and all the sessions I Jewish or otherwise, could claim to include Britainʼs most attended had a great degree of participation and controversial columnist, a famous crime novelist, a interaction – just the way it should be. I noticed that you leading interactive Jewish educator, the deputy Israeli had a few programme changes and I can imagine that ambassador, and six renowned journalists in the same there must have been some nerve-wracking things place. Sold out seven weeks in advance, Brighton & happening offstage, but you handled it very well. Hoveʼs third Day Limmud exceeded expectations with Evelyn Tiefenbrun, Co-ordinator, Regional Limmud over fifty presenters and My every encounter with everyone involved in the day two full childrenʼs was warm, constructive and truly committed to the aims and teen of Limmud. I do hope that you feel hugely proud of your programmes. day. Rabbi Jeremy Gordon, New London Synagogue As expected, Julie Burchill was It was a joy to be part of this amazing day and my perhaps the most audience were a delight, I had a lot of fun. controversial Peter James presenter of the Mazel tov on an outstanding Limmud (Iʼve been to many day. Her writing Songwriter Tony Macaulay – this was one of the very best!) Roedean was a superb may have venue. My only kvetch with Limmud in general is that suggested a woman of steel in the Melanie Phillips fifteen minutes break (with no lunchbreak) is a little short mould, but in reality she came across as coy and – no time for looking at the bookstore or for talking with emotional while talking to a large expectant audience, friends if one goes to a lecture in each session (and with where there was little standing room. While she admired such wonderful ones on offer in Brighton, how could one Israel from the point of its existence, she admitted a lack skive?) Judaism and Yiddishkeit were clearly thriving of appreciation of its culture or of Jewish culture in and exhilaratingly fun at Brighton Limmud. general, which she said she might one day take time to Margaret Brearley explore. Her indefatigable support for Israel was, not unsurprisingly, warmly received by the audience; but this The audience was terrific at the adult session; the kids was combined with some controversial views on the were a bit more chaotic, but that is to be expected. nature of Islam, which equally brought concern from Miri Rubin some members and a few challenging questions for her Iʼm afraid I was nervous – but I loved it. I would love to to answer. come back! Interactive Israeli educator David Solomon brought his Julie Burchill “The Whole of the Bible in One Hourʼ and “The Whole of In just a few words Julie Burchill at Limmud said it all. Jewish History in One Hourʼ, using paper on all four walls How refreshing to hear the unreserved words of a true to give his dioramic presentations. Elaine Rose from Judeophile. She spoke her own mind, completely Brighton, was impressed with his sessions finding them unaffected by views outside her world... Thank you, ʻengaging and very goodʼ, a view echoed by David Julie, for saying it like it is. Vulkan from London, who considered him ʻvery fluent and Rochelle Oberman funnyʼ. A packed audience also saw Alex Brummerʼs session on press freedom and bias in the British media, using as a case study the reaction over the recent Gaza conflict, to show the different aspects of the British media. With clarity and precision, he broke down how the story developed over the four weeks, the different stages and how the media relayed the story, and even found praise for the BBC coverage and for Donald McIntyre of The Independent. A range of questions from the audience added to the session, which local resident Alida Steinfeld, found as ʻvery stimulatingʼ. For crime novel fans, the appearance of Peter James at Limmud was a big draw. He first talked about his own upbringing, finding out from his mother once he was at 10 sussex jewish news . . may 2009 d welcomes 600 from around the world boarding school at 15, that he was indeed Jewish (his mother was a Viennese refugee who later became the royal glovemaker). He then explained how he plans his books including how he gains his insights for his novels by going out on real police patrols. This has led to occasional close shaves, including a raid on an armed robber and being protected from a gang of rowdy youths by police suggesting he worked for the CIA. Although the venue was tested to it limits, few could disagree that the backdrop of the English Channel and A moment in an hour with David Solomon the city of Brighton & Hove gave added value to the day. What they said afterwards... Many people had not been to Limmud before and many I was humbled to have been invited to so important an participants are now inspired to try Limmudfest – the event. I had a lovely day and had some excellent three day outdoor Limmud festival on August Bank discussions with attendees. I wish you well in the future Holiday, or, National Conference in December. Judy and will be happy to help wherever I can. Trewin from Brighton, heard about Limmud from her Fiyaz Mughal sister, and admitted that she ʻdidnʼt usually take part in Jewish life generally, but still wanted to carry on a Jewish It was a pleasure to be with you all. pathʼ adding that she ʻdidnʼt expect the quality of Sir Ivan Lawrence QC intellectual debateʼ. Russell Coleman from Portslade, Congratulations on a resounding success. The variety of came to Limmud to meet new people. He found it talks and events was excellent and the food was really ʻrefreshingʼ and would definitely come again. Peter Grant, good and seemed to be much appreciated by everyone. from Liverpool, found the programme to be ʻexcellent and Judy Ironside, Founder UK Jewish Film Festival wide-rangingʼ, describing Jess Wood-Sarahʼs session on Judaism and Buddhism as ʻinteresting and interactiveʼ. Excellent and moving talk on working with Israeli and Palestinian teenagers. The finale was delivered by Brightonʼs own renowned Rob Steen klezmer couple, Polina and Merlin Shepherd, who Seeing you all contributed to the pleasure I took in the captured the audienceʼs imagination as the sun streamed day – it seemed to be a very successful event in every through the first British summer evening of the year. way – well done! For the organising team, it was a moment of celebration Maureen Kendler and a little relief, for an event that had started life in April I was able to see the little childrenʼs activities (my two 2007. Day grandchildren were there) and I am full of praise for Limmud Chair, Janet and Sharon – their tireless patience! Michael Davids Sylvie Schapira described the day as ʻstimulating, Mazel tov on finishing a great project! We hope there will exciting, be more and more Limmudim! informative and Polina and Merlin Shepherd upliftingʼ. Clive Echoing everything that has already been said, I just Lawton, co-wanted to thank you for what was a genuinely uplifting founder of and inspiring day. I was bowled over by the buzz and the Limmud, Oliver Kamm wonderfully positive atmosphere around the corridors congratulated everyone - and session rooms. There were so many great volunteers and participants, on making it a ʻmagnificent conversations happening over cups of coffee and dayʼ. He called upon everyone to offer their services for sandwiches in the dining rooms, sparked off by the future events, as Limmud happens because people come presenters and panels. Conversations that simply would forward, stating, ʻIt happens because you happen, not have been had by many of those people and many because people do Limmud stuff themselvesʼ. conversations between people who would not New members for the Limmud Committee are now necessarily otherwise have been talking to one another. sought. Anyone in the community - whether belonging to Please do pass on my congratulations and thanks to a shul or not, can help out. To get involved, please call your wonderful team of volunteers. It was clear how hard Michael Davids on 01273 549397 or contact him by they were all working on the day and how much time and e-mail on brighton@limmud.org effort must have been put in over many months to create such a successful event. Gordon Kay Raymond Simonson, Executive Director, Limmud sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 11 tikkun olam Alyn Hospital: a place to heal, a place to learn how to cope Whilst busy in the office, I had a telephone call from We were in the swimming pool area and watching Brenda Hirsch in Jerusalem. She was the public children, even those with respirators, taking exercise with relations officer of the Alyn Woldenberg Family Hospital the Wingate Institute-trained therapists, and there was and Paediatric and Adolescent Rehabilitation Centre and much laughter and pleasure evident on the faces of the asked why I should be nominating the Alyn Hospital as a children. charity on the celebration of my husband Phillipʼs 80th The story of each child was sometimes very sad: the boy Birthday and yet had never visited. who played hanging himself and became brain damaged I explained that I had heard about the hospital by its and had to learn to speak and walk again; the child who reputation and she invited me to visit the hospital with was badly burned in a fire; the child who was run over in Phillip on my next visit to Israel. a road accident. However, one thing was central. The child would come through the experience and would leave the hospital coping to the best of his or her ability, knowing that the support would continue after leaving, if necessary. The children were both Arab and Israeli and they were living together as one large family. Arab and Jewish parents were integrated in the care of their children and there was no differentiation in attitude toward them. The parents were in the corridors and in the wards, and were made most welcome and clearly were considered part of the rehabilitation process. They were not treated as outsiders to be tolerated. They were able to take meals with their children. The hospital was, despite the severity of the childrenʼs The following Tuesday there we were, in a beautifully problems, a very uplifting and exciting place to visit. The designed purpose-built building nestled in the hills on the children continue to visit as outpatients after their top of a pine forest. We were treated as important guests departure, and there is a splendid outpatientsʼ area. and had a coffee with Brenda. We then wandered Other children are sent for assessment by major trauma around the hospital for about three hours accompanied hospitals as outpatients for guidance and advice. by her. A wonderful pet corner contained white rabbits, gerbils, We started off in the hall area and there was a lot of snakes, lizards and hamsters and these too are used in noise coming from the children having a good time, and the most effective way to encourage children to make we learned that the hospital entertains children for progress. Helping a child to breathe better by feeding an breakfast and gives them the opportunity to learn about animal through a tube was an interesting example. We healthy eating and exercise. Walking on we saw a were told that snakes relate well with semi-comatose number of children riding tricycles and go-carts. These young children. serve to give the children exercise and some mobility during rehabilitation. There were very few wheelchairs in We were excited and emotionally drained when we said sight. “Goodbye”. A plaque had been put up, very hastily considering our short notice of arrival, to commemorate The corridors were brightly decorated. In one ward we Phillipʼs special birthday. We left with a few tears and a met some ten children on respirators. Their parents were lump in our throats, promising that we would return, and learning how to cope, for such children will remain on tell everyone all about the Alyn Hospital. respirators when they leave the hospital. It was stressed that this was a rehabilitation hospital and not a Do visit. You will be made so very welcome. And to find permanent home for the children. By each little cot, was out more about Alyn Hospital, please visit their website at a rolled up mattress so that a parent could stay with the www.alyn.org child at night time. Susan Conway Each child has a specific programme for the day, and for many this includes continuing with school studies. We Brighton & Hove Jewish visited class rooms. A delightful medical clown was Housing Association doing a ward round and the use of humour therapy adds TO LET to the morale of the little ones. They laugh with her and First floor self-contained, unfurnished flat in for a few moments can forget their problems. She central Hove, 1 bedroom, lounge, kitchen & bathroom demonstrated that she understood the needs of the Please telephone Georgie Phillips on patients, the aims of the therapists and was an integral 01273 277225 for an application form part of the medical team. 12 sussex jewish news . . may 2009 identity The many joys and sorrows of cooking and eating My mother is very proud of me. She is proud that I have That evening when she dished up the apple pie my chosen to work in the battle against those who dare to grandmother told everyone I had made it. I almost abuse others because they have a different skin colour choked on my spoon. Needless to say I still canʼt make or a different faith. My motherʼs only disappointment in or bake an apple pie, but I still smile when I think of my me (along with all the other only disappointments she grandmotherʼs attempt to teach me. mentions now and again) is that I have not inherited the My mother has become more pragmatic about my familyʼs cooking cooking skills. Every night she asks me, “So what did gene. My you have for dinner?” When I tell her, she adds the grandmother detail. “An already cooked chicken from the My motherʼs could make an supermarket, microwavable pre-cooked potatoes and old boot taste disappointment is steam-in-the-bag microwavable broccoli,” she says. I delicious. My sigh in agreement. mother and that I have not sister have it, but Despite not being able to cook I have many cookbooks inherited the the cooking gene in my house, including one called Jewish Gourmet has passed me Cooking by Rhona Wahlhaus. Published in 1970, it familyʼs cooking over. actually belongs to my mother. She bought it when we lived in London, and it has travelled the world with her. I My grandmother gene. love to read the recipes in this book. Not that I will ever and mother tried be able to cook any of them, but it is a lovely memento to teach me to of my motherʼs own life. cook. My sister is still trying even though it is very much a lost cause. It is a secret life in fact that is still not always talked My idea of gourmet cooking is an egg and onion about by some members of her own family who mutter sandwich with some cress on it. For dessert I can just that the Jewish blood in the family is a long way back about make myself up an Angel Delight (butterscotch is and should be forgotten or ignored. They say this as my favourite). The only recipe I have mastered to some they tuck into food such as chicken soup with matzo degree is Jamaican Chicken Hot-Pot Soup (recipe balls, all of them love their pickled fish and gherkins, available on request). It has taken me years and no one ever turns down an egg and onion snack to perfect it. that my mother can whip up in an instant. My father, I think, understands their reticence more than others. He As a teenager I really tried to improve my cooking skills. once said to me, “When youʼve gone down a certain One day I told my grandmother that I was going to make path for whatever reason, it is very hard to find your way an apple pie. She was ecstatic and watched me until back.” she saw how I cut up the apples. I accepted her offer of help and then threw her now-nicely chopped apples into However when I a pan wanting to add a ton of sugar to cook them in. My think of cooking, They say this grandmother snatched the sugar bag from me, telling food, eating and me to mix white and brown sugar with some cinnamon my family I as they tuck into for extra flavour. know that the food such as path they To make the pastry I would have stuck the flour and the walked down so butter in a dish and hammered away at it with our chicken soup long ago was a electric mixer. Instead my grandmother showed me path that they how to rub it together to make a stiff sticky concoction with matzo must have often that was then turned into pastry with egg and milk to looked back balls bind it. Hoping I would know how to do it the next time, upon with some she then rolled out the pastry for me because when I longing; for we rolled it out the dough had more bumps in it than a still hold B-road in the Himalayas. memories of what once was in the form of what we eat I was allowed to add the first dollop of hot apple pie and how we eat it, with love, tears, laughter and mixture to the pastry base. After that my grandmother occasionally sorrow. took over thinking I would burn myself. She then put the Suchi Chatterjee pastry top on, dusted some cinnamon and sugar over it and put the pie in the oven. I have to admit that when it Suchitra Chatterjee is the Race Liaison Officer for was done, the pie looked a treat even though you could Sussex Police. In May 2008 she wrote an article for spot where I had pinched the edges. Those parts Sussex Jewish News about her Jewish roots entitled My looked like someone with 23 outsized fingers had Very Jewish Family. grabbed at it. sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 13 Hove Hebrew Congregation hhc 79 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JN Tel: 01273 732035 Email: hovehc@btinternet.com Rabbi Vivian Siverman Sedra for 2 May 2009: Acharei-Kedoshim someone else and always thinking: how would I feel if such and such was done to me? In other words we should wish The Jewish way of life for another person what we would wish for ourselves: health, Chapter 19 verse 18 of the Book of Vayikra has one of wealth, happiness, prosperity, etc. the most famous phrases in the entire Bible: "v'ahavta Judaism believes it is physically impossible to love another l'reiacha kamocha" / "and you shall love your neighbour person as much as we love ourselves - with the possible as yourself". Yet it is a passage that is one of the least exception of a parent for a child. And so that is why Hillel understood. What does loving your neighbour mean? phrased his famous answer in the negative, to give a To what extent must we go in showing love? positive motivation. Note, too, that the Hebrew word reia The Talmud explains this in a passage from Gemara (usually translated neighbour) really means fellow human Shabbat. A heathen came to Hillel and said "Teach me being. the entire Torah while I stand on one foot and I will When Jesus of Nazareth was asked to name the two most convert to Judaism". Hillel answered "What is hateful to important commandments, he instantly replied, as a Jewish you, do not do to your friend. This is the whole Torah. person would: Love of G-d and love of one's fellow creatures The rest is the explanation - now, go and learn". (Shema Yisroel (Deut. ch 6) and v'ahavta l'reiacha (Levit. ch The phrase "al regel achat" (on one foot) actually 19)). means: Teach me the essential principle of Judaism in But note, too, that Hillel, once he had patiently explained to the shortest possible time. And so Hillel (who lived in the heathen convert the essence of Judaism, told him to go Palestine two thousand years ago) summed it up by and learn, because there is so much more to know about the putting love of one's fellow in the negative. In this way Jewish way of life. he showed that it means wanting only the best for Rabbi Vivian Silverman Janet’s Column MAY DIARY: We are delighted to see Rabbi Silverman back in shul after his 5 Tue: Talmud Shiur - Sanhedrin recent bout of ill health, and we wish him well. 9 Shabbat: Bar Mitzvah of Dario Crescenzo 12 Tue: Lag b'Omer : 33rd day of counting the Omer It is also good to see Michael Brummer back in his shul seat 19 Tue: 10.30 am Ladies Discussion Circle followed after his rather eventful trip to Israel recently, and it is certainly by Gemara Shiur good to see him looking so well again. Happy birthday Michael. 29 Fri: First day Shavuot Also, happy birthday to our chairman, Stanley. Welcome to the 30 Shabbat: Second day Shavuot Bus Pass Club. 31 Sun: 10.30 am. Shul AGM Now, a very special mazel tov to Audrey and Leslie Lewis, whose grandson Dario will be celebrating his bar mitzvah on the 9th May. Mazel tov to parents Sharon and Tony, elder sister Anna and brother Emilio. Dario recently had his appendix out, and he is making a very speedy recovery. I send you all congratulations and my very good wishes for good health. Sadly, Bill Miller, a friend and caretaker of our congregation for many years, passed away on 13 April. Our congregation joins me in extending condolences to his family. He will be greatly missed. Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday morning, 31st May 2009, and I look forward to seeing you there. Janet Cowan Kedoshim Tihy – Being holy Being Kadosh (holy) does not mean cutting yourself off from society, or being a saint with a halo. That is something that is impossible for most of us to achieve. In Jewish terms "holiness" means leading an upright life within society and influencing those around by leading an ethical, moral and virtuous day-by-day existence. This kind of "holy" lifestyle is open to all, and it includes the way we treat other people and the way we speak to them - the language we use (crude or respectful). Seven hundred and fifty years ago one of our classic Torah commentators, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Nachmanides) pointed out, in his opening words to the Sedra Kedoshim, how the way we speak to people is so important. Rabbi Vivian Silverman 14 sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation 31 New Church Road Hove, BN3 3AD 01273 888855 bhhc Email: office@bhhc-shul.org Sedra for 9 May 2009: The commandments to sanctify the name of G-d and not to desecrate it are found in the sedra of Emor Living for G-d (Leviticus 22:32). Thank G-d, nowadays this is There was a time when our peopleʼs faith was observed by most of us, not by dying as Jews, but challenged in the most terrible way. Whether it be the living as Jews. How do we give G-d a good name? story of Channa and her seven sons or the ultimatum By choosing to act in a way that others recognise as ʻMohammed or the swordʼ issued by the fanatical noble and honest. When a Jew acts with honour, he Almohade sect in the Middle Ages, devotion to our brings honour to his faith and to his G-d. faith was a life or death decision; possibly the ultimate Conversely, when a Jew acts dishonourably, he dilemma. Over the ages, countless Jews gave their desecrates G-dʼs name. Maimonides in his Sefer lives Al Kiddush Hashem – for the sanctification Hamitzvot states that if a person is known for his of G-dʼs name. Torah scholarship or for his piety, the responsibility to With the ever changing news cycle, it is easy to forget act with scrupulous honesty and propriety becomes that just a few months ago we witnessed the horrific greater. ʻWhat is a desecration of G-dʼs name?ʼ asks killing of a young Rabbi, his wife and guests in the Talmud (Yoma 86a) ʻIf someone like meʼ answers Mumbai, who were targeted solely because of their Rav ʻwould take meat from a butcher and not pay Jewish identity. Their deaths were indeed a Kiddush immediatelyʼ. Hashem, for they highlighted the wonderful It is told of Albert Einstein that he once said, ʻIf my accomplishments of their selfless and all too-short theories prove correct, the Germans will claim me as lives, imparting an example for us to follow. a German, the French will say I am theirs and the BHHC thanks the following members for their Americans will call me their own. If my theories are generous gifts to the shul: incorrect, they will say I am a Jewʼ. • Cecile & Sydney Levine for the beautiful armchair to mark We seem to be scrutinised so carefully; by choosing their diamond wedding anniversary the highest Torah standards we are able to sanctify • June & Laurence Temerlies for their gift of books in G-dʼs name by the way we live - not by the way we honour of the birth of their grandchildren die. • Jackie & Ivor Richards for their gift of books in honour Rabbi Hershel Rader of the birth of their grandchildren sussexjewishonline.com virus package will suss them and zap them before they land. Freebie virus programmes are just not up to this Virus protection: task. 4. Run a total deep scan of your computer at least once a antibiotics for your PC week. Do a scan whilst doing your shopping or donʼt need the PC as scanning often slows down the PC. Do Virus protection is an important aspect of PC ownership and regular scans on any memory sticks and external hard internet usage. Everyone needs to protect their computers drives. against hackers, viruses, spam, worms and the like. Hereʼs a simple spot check for you to follow. 5. Use strong passwords and usernames when registering with any programs. Simple ones may be easier to 1. Make sure your Firewall is on. Go to Start (bottom right remember but also easier to get past for any clever hand corner of your screen) - Control Panel – Windows hackers. Jot them down somewhere safe away from your Firewall – and check your PC firewall is on or off . It MUST PC, not on your mobile phone which can also be hacked be on. If your virus protection programme has a firewall into (and thatʼs another story). included, turn off your Microsoft one and use theirs but make sure it is on. 6. Lastly, take PC protection seriously and help stop the spread of viruses on your PC and onto others. Thatʼs 2. Invest in the best virus protection you can – not a freebie – right. PC viruses infect other PCs such as your family and a solid total protection package including virus, firewall and friendʼs PCs. internet protection. (Youʼll be thankful in the end.) We have discovered two virus protection package programs worth 7. OK, really lastly, use common sense. If it looks dubious, mentioning: Panda Protection Software, and BitDefender it probably is, so donʼt open emails or attachments from 2009. Both are the business and fully automated once set people you donʼt know. Youʼll one day live to regret not up and will protect e-mails, internet, programs, installs, adhering to this last piece of advice (one of us did once spam, etc. (Look them up in your search engine.) and had to buy a new PC). 3. Stop downloading toolbars, games, music, programmes Next month, the SJO team offers a round-up of the best and freebies from dubious sources. They could be carrying and latest internet browsers out there. viruses as you open the door to your computer. A decent Your Sussex Jewish Online Team sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 15 Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue Adat Shalom Vereiu’t-Al Sefat Hayyam bhps 6 Lansdowne Road Hove BN3 1FF– Tel 01273 737223 Email:bhps@freenetname.co.uk Website:www.brightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah Sedra for 16 May: B’har-B’chukkotai So, the double portion, Bʼhar-Bʼchukkotai, dramatises a paradox at the heart of Judaism: Freedom and slavery. Freedom and Slavery Just think of laying tʼfillin – the ʻbindingʼ of black leather Bʼhar and Bʼchukkotai are separate portions with radically straps and boxes, which express, physically, the keeping different messages. Bʼhar (Leviticus 25) focuses on the of the Mitzvot, Commandments (Exodus 13:9; cycle of sabbatical years, years of rest for the land, Deuteronomy 6:8). Could there be a more powerful culminating in the great Yoveil (Jubilee) every fiftieth year, dramatisation of sacred bondage than this? And so, as following seven cycles of seven, when dʼror (freedom) is to we celebrate Shavuot towards the end of May; the feast of be proclaimed with the blasts of the shofar (ramʼs horn) ʻWeeksʼ, which the Sages transformed into Matan Zʼman ʻthroughout the land, to all its inhabitantsʼ (25:10). We Torateinu – the Season of the Giving of our Torah – each might deduce from this that the weekly Sabbath is not just one of us might ask ourselves: What does it mean for me about ʻceasingʼ work, as the word, Shabbat, suggests, but to be a Jew? How do I live as a Jew? Do I feel free or is also a day of freedom. And so, the second version of enslaved,or both? the Aseret Ha-Dibbrot – the Ten Words known as the Ten Chag Sameiʼach! Commandments – in Parashat Va-etchannan, exhorts each person to ʻkeepʼ Shabbat, ʻand remember that you Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah we were a slave in the land of Egyptʼ (Deuteronomy 5:12-15); and so, birkat ha-yom (the blessing for the day) DIARY FOR MAY 2009 recited as part of kiddush on Erev Shabbat, declares that the Sabbath is both zikaron lʼmaʼaseh vʼreishit, a memorial Access to Judaism Every Shabbat, 1.00 – 2.30 pm of the work of Creation, and zeicher litziʼat Mitzrayim, a after the service. memorial of the Exodus from Egypt. Access to Hebrew Every Thursday, 11.00 am – 12.30 pm and 6.30 – 7.30pm The call to liberation is at the heart of Judaism. But then Sunday 3rd Antiques Road Show, 2.00 – 5.00 pm we turn to Bʼchukkotai, the portion with which the Book of Friday 8th Erev Shabbat Service followed by Va-yikra (Leviticus) closes: ʻIf you walk in my statutes – Oneg Ron Gould on The Day I Sang with bʼchukkkotai – and keep my commandments and do themʼ with Bob Dylan (Lev. 26:3). The first verse of the portion does not Thursday 28th Erev Shavuot Service, 7.30 pm, followed complete the sentence. The message that follows is very by Tikkun Leyl Shavuot Exploring the clear, however: If you obey me, I, the Eternal One, will meaning of the covenant with God and its make you flourish and prosper (verses 4-12); if not, ʻI will signs – with cheesecake! appoint terror over youʼ (verses 16-39). Bʼchukkotai Friday 29th Shavuot Morning Service 10.30am contains the ʻsmall printʼ of the Bʼrit (Covenant) and reminds us of the message from God that Moses delivered INCLUSION EQUALITY DIVERSITY JUSTICE COMPA CELEBRA SSION RESPECT LIBERAL PROGRESSIVE HUMANITY to Pharaoh: ʻLet My people go that they may serve Meʼ (Exodus 9:1). The liberation of the slaves was not BHPS proudly present their TION JOY LOVE CUL absolute; the slaves were liberated from bondage in Egypt in order to be the servants of God. Antiques Road Show “If you’ve ever wondered what it’s worth... RTNERED MARRIED ISRAELA wonder no longer!” TURE MUSIC POETR A busy start to April Sunday 3rd May • 2.00pm onwards April really kicked off with a rush of activities at BHPS. Doors close at 5.00pm unless there is still a queue Shabbat morning of 4th April was the occasion for our Y HUMOUR FUN LAUGHTER W There has never been a better time to search out those young people to participate in a “30 minute Seder”. Led by T OLD YOUNG SINGLE P long forgotten valuables and get an up-to-date appraisal Andy Cable, with some enthusiastic adult support, this (for insurance or sale) by Peter Brynin of TV Fame and “essential Haggadah” was an excellent example of owner of the Brighton Antiques Centre. “edutainment” – a ghastly word but it does sum up what was Jewellery, paintings, watches, silver, gold items, clocks, pottery, achieved. Some wonderful food finished off the morning. porcelain, even furniture. You could be in for a very big surprise at what they’re worth. And if your item is too big to bring, The evening of the 4th was the occasion for the Annual bring some photographs! ARMTH INTEGRITY SINCERITY ACCEPT TION PEACE FRIENDSHIP SUPPOR Quiz, demand for which was so great that people were How does it work? turned down for tickets. Devised and presented by Prue and The show takes place on Sunday 3rd May • 2.00pm onwards. Each person can bring up to two items for valuation, Stan Baker, the evening was both challenging and great the charge of £4.00 per item going towards the fun. BHPS Roof Repair Fund. ••• First come first served ••• Our Communal Seder on Wednesday 8th was also fully T FESTIVITIES COMMEMORA booked, as usual, and some 70 people enjoyed an inspiring So if you’ve ever wondered “what’s it worth”...wonder no more! ANCE RESPECT evening led by Rabbi Sarah. The food was excellent and Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue • 6 Lansdowne Road • Hove BN3 1FF abundant – Iʼm sure I heard someone say “Our four cups tel 01273 737 223 email: bhps@freenetname.co.uk www.brightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk runneth over”. FOOD SPIRIT SHABBA HEALING HERITAGE TRADITION INNOVATION STUDY LEARNING TEACHING PRAYER MEDITATION Ivor Miskin 16 sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue Palmeira Avenue, Hove, BN3 3GE Tel: 01273 735343 Email: office@bh-rs.org www.bh-rs.org bhrs Rabbi Charles Wallach Sedra for 23 May 2009: Bemidbar (Shabbat Machar Chodesh) In the desert This weekʼs Torah reading introduces us to the fourth Book dominate the book as the Children of Israel move both of the Torah. Known in English as Numbers, in Hebrew it is spiritually and physically. As we know from the story of the called Bemidbar – literally, ʻin the desertʼ. In fact, in this spies several chapters further on, that that leap was to be a case, the two can be linked as the numbering referred to did difficult one, reminiscent perhaps of everyoneʼs personal take place in the desert. development in life. It is a thought echoed by the set Haftarah for the day – from Hosea and his complex home Several numberings are referred to: the adult male life. As it happens, because 24th May this year is Rosh population – given as 603,550 being the number of adult Chodesh we read from I Samuel Ch. 20, the reading where males of fighting age and the number of Levites qualified to Jonathan says to David that on the morrow will be a feast at do service. It was important to know what forces were which Davidʼs place will be empty – another sense of growth available for action. But perhaps more important is where all as David comes to terms with King Saulʼs jealousies of him. this was taking place: Bemidbar – in the desert, in that no manʼs land between the slavery of Egypt and the hopes for Rabbi Charles Wallach the Promised Land. And it is that symbolism that will A festival of many names The Omer period which links Pesach to Shavuot contains two Both the agricultural and the rabbinic elements come together, elements. One is the biblical or agricultural element, harking especially on Shavuot which is traditionally the day on which back to the farming roots of the Children of Israel when they we acknowledge the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, a time spent this period cutting the new corn, counting it and sending which also marks the end of the gathering of new produce it together with the other new fruits of the fields to market. On from the fields. It is also known as Zeman Matan Torateinu, this grew a second layer – a religio-historical one - when, Chag HaKatzir and Chag HaBikurim – the Time of the Giving during the Roman control of the Land of Israel strenuous of the Torah, the Festival of Cutting and the Festival of First efforts were made to prevent the Rabbis from teaching Fruits. Traditionally we read the Ten Commandments at this Judaism. Many were killed, others hid away in caves and far time; However various further customs have been added. off areas well away from the acknowledged centres of our Last year, we at BHRS focused on the children with a First faith developing the Judaism which we have inherited. It is Fruits ceremony. This year, the idea of study will take centre that which has turned this into a period of semi-mourning, stage – a Tikun, arising out of the idea that Moses spent time denying festivities, save for Lag bʼOmer, the thirty-third day of in prayer and study prior to receiving the Tablets. this period, when the killing and disease stopped. This year, on Erev Shavuot (Thursday 28th May), following Kiddush (with cheesecake and perhaps something a little more substantial!), we shall spend a bit of time looking at Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue aspects of the Book of Ruth which is also traditionally read at this time. And we shall see how, in that little book, the Cheder Kids Club elements of Torah and agriculture combine. Come along….and Chag Sameʼach! All Cheder girls and boys of all ages are welcome to join in the fun and games Rabbi Charles Wallach on the first Sunday of every month. The club will start directly after Cheder Bulletin Board for May 2009 Mondays 11.00 am – Seated exercise with Adele (not 4th and 25th) from 12.30 – 2.15 pm Wed nesdays 11.00 am – 1.00 pm – Rabbi’s weekly discussion group Activities include 2.00 pm – JACS Ball games Quiz Sewing Art Board Fri 1st 8.00 pm - Late Service Games Talent Contests Cooking Sat 2nd 9.00 am - Shiur led by Rabbi Story Telling Team Games Toy Swap Sun 3rd Kid’s Cheder Club Tue 5th 12.30 pm - Lunch/discussion group on and much much more.... contemporary anti-Semitism facilitated by Please provide your child with a packed lunch Dr Winston Pickett [no meat please] to eat in the hall before the Thurs 28th 6.30 pm Erev Shavuot Service followed club starts. by a shiur discussion as is traditional on Shavuot. All activities will be structured and supervised Fri 29th 10.30am Shavuot Service. Sun 31st 2.00 pm Sidney & Marjorie Spiro Stone Setting by myself and other parents. • Cheder half-term is 24th May and 31st May For further information talk to Laura on 07980 • Friday night services are at 6.30pm except the 568021 or Rabbi Wallach first Friday in the month • Saturday morning services commence at 10.30am sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 17 Brighton & Hove Jewish Community Foundation ralli hall 81 Denmark Villas Hove, BN3 3TH 01273 202254 Day Centre: 01273 739999 Email: rallihall@tiscali.co.uk Reflections on the past, hopes for the future I am writing this monthʼs message on the evening before prices, including discounts for members of B&HJCF. the Seder when 21 of us, plus three babies, will be sitting Please contact the office at Ralli Hall on 01273 202254. down at the home of our daughter and son-in-law. I know To date, I regretfully have no further news to give you that Pesach will be long gone by the time that you read with regard to our endeavours to obtain funding for the this, but I wish you all a belated chag sameʼach. provision of the much-needed unisex disabled toilet plus Also, by the time my message is with you, the Annual the general upgrade of the toilets at Ralli Hall. However, General Meeting of B&HJCF will be behind us. As the the matter is very much in hand. A great deal of the AGM documentation, with nomination forms etc., has necessary preliminary work has already been carried out, only just been posted off to the membership, it is so hopefully it will not be many more months before I premature to mention the committee for next year, so I have some good news to announce. Otherwise I shall be will just keep to a simple thank you to the whole extremely disappointed. committee for their dedication and enthusiasm during the I stated incorrectly in the previous issue of Sussex Jewish past year. News that Ralli Hall no longer had a teacher of Modern You will see from the annual accounts that the very Hebrew. I am pleased to confirm that Sara Allen is substantial sum paid out for the excellent upgrade of the available to resume Hebrew Classes. For information great hall, plus the solving of a one-off, long-standing about classes, please ring her on 01273 566416, or maintenance problem in our only basement room, has Norina Duke at Ralli Hall. Apologies to Sara for the been all but balanced by our commercial income, mainly misunderstanding. the letting of rooms. This has been substantially Congratulations to all those who worked so hard to make increased since last year, due, in the main, to the selling the recent Limmud so successful. It was a super day for skills of our centre manager, who could “sell ice cream to one and all. the Eskimos”. Well done, Norina and your team in the office. Finally, by the time that you read this, Yom Haʼatzmaut 5769 will have been hosted at Ralli Hall. I hope that all I will take this opportunity to once again remind the goes well and I am very much looking forward to hearing readers of SJN that the facilities at Ralli Hall, including full what Prof Colin Shindler has to say about Israel, 61 years milk & meat kosher kitchens (subject to the supervision of on from its birth in 1948. the Kashrut Committee), are available at very realistic See you at Ralli Hall. All this for you - and lunch too? Roger Abrahams Do you do anything on Tuesday or Thursday mornings? If not, why not come and join us at Ralli Hall for New Chairman Required morning activities? The Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club (née Day Centre) The Club opens at 10.30 am for a cup of tea or coffee. has been running now for about seven years. It has At 11.15 am we offer gentle yoga, tai chi and seated proved to be a successful and valuable asset within exercise classes. The cost of each class is a very the community. reasonable £2.00. At 2.00 pm you can enjoy a game of cards I have chaired the Management Committee for the (bridge/kalooki) or a game of Scrabble or chess for whole of this period, and I have decided to relinquish £2.00 with tea and biscuits included. this position towards the end of this year whilst still continuing as a volunteer and Committee member. Alternatively, if you wish to spend the whole day with us at Ralli Hall, the total cost is £7.00 and includes a A new Chairman is therefore being sought for this very superb three course kosher lunch. Afterwards, there is interesting and rewarding position of helping to run entertainment, socialising, cards and bingo. and administer the Lunch & Social Club for our senior The choice is yours! Whatever you decide to do, you citizens. We have a very efficient part-time Organizer can be sure that you will be made welcome by running all of the day-to-day operations. everyone at Ralli Hall and there is bound to be someone that you know to have a natter with. So there If you feel that you would like to offer your services (or is no need to be lonely. Transport is also available to would like to discuss the position) please contact me and from your door at a cost of £1.50 return. at home on 01273 416335 or at Ralli Hall on 01273 739999. I will of course continue to help over this year If you wish to know anything else about the Ralli Hall with all aspects of administration and fundraising for Lunch & Social Club, please contact me on 01273 the unit. 739999 and I will be delighted to help you. I look forward to seeing you at Ralli Hall. Alan Burke Suzanne Collins 18 sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 diary may 2009 Shabbat Shalom Events this month In Fri 1st at 8.02 pm and out Sat 2nd at 9.19 pm Sunday 3 & The Player Piano Group presents In Fri 8th at 8.13 pm and out Sat 9th at 9.32 pm Monday 4 Dead Pianists Live In Fri 15th at 8.24 pm and out Sat 16th at 9.45 pm 7.30 pm (Sun) 2.30 pm (Mon) In Fri 22nd at 8.34 pm and out Sat 23rd at 9.58 pm Ralli Hall, Tickets £10 In Fri 29th at 8.43 pm and out Sat 30th at 10.10 pm Contact Adam on 01273 463148 for information and booking Notable Dates Tues 12th – Lag b’Omer Tuesday 5 Jewish Historical Society The Road to Emancipation spkr Elkan Levy Fri 22nd - Yom Yerushalayim 7.45 pm at Ralli Hall Thu 28th - Erev Shavuot (candles at 8.42 pm) Fri 29th - 1st day Shavuot Wednesday 6 JACS, 2.00 pm at AJEX Centre, Sat 30th - 2nd day Shavuot Eaton Road, Hove Members £1.50 / Non-members 2.00 Climbing Everest: the 50th Anniversary Year Regular activities Guest speaker Cliff Dargonne Sundays • Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com or 97.2 FM, Thursday 7 Susssex Jewish News – 9.00-9.55 am Submission deadline • Carmel Tennis Club, 10.00 am-12.00 noon. All levels Send submissions to welcome. Contact Simon on 01273 235607 editor@sussexjewishnews.com Mondays Wednesday 13 JACS, 2.00 pm at AJEX Centre, Ralli Hall will be closed for the bank holidays on the Eaton Road, Hove 4th and 25th. Members £1.50 / Non-members 2.00 • Afternoon Club with tea, 1.30 pm at Ralli Hall. Contact The Benefits System with spkr Elayne Bourne Greta on 01273 721987. • Rubber and Duplicate Bridge, 1.30-4.30 pm at Ralli Hall Sunday 17 Daniel Cainerʼs Jewish Chronicles (£2.00). Contact Reba on 01444 410435. Ralli Hall, 7.30 pm Tuesdays Tickets £8 from the Fringe Box Office • Advanced Oil Painting Group at Ralli Hall. Contact on 01273 709709 Martin on 01273 327403. Monday 18 Sarid 10th Birthday Party • Jewish Arts Society: Painting with Rochelle, Food, entertainment and the opportunity to 7.00-9.00 pm at Ralli Hall. Telephone 01273 503708. socialise and celebrate together. • Israeli Folk Dancing, 7.45-9.45 pm at Ralli Hall. Contact Jackie on 01273 688538. Wednesday 20 Youth Aliyah Outing, • Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club, 10.30 am-4.30 pm at Ralli Phone 776671 for details Hall. Contact Suzanne on 01273 739999. Wednesday 20 JACS, 2.00 pm at AJEX Centre, Wednesdays Eaton Road, Hove • Mothers and Toddlers, 10.00 am-12.00 noon at Ralli Hall. Members £1.50 / Non-members 2.00 Contact Meg on 01273 779966 or 07962 828877. Quiz presented by Janice Greenwood • Jewish Arts Society: Painting with Gwyneth Rose, 10.00 am-12.00 noon at Ralli Hall. Wednesday 27 JACS, 2.00 pm at AJEX Centre, Telephone 01273 540464. Eaton Road, Hove • Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com or 97.2 FM, Members £1.50 / Non-members 2.00 11.00-11.55 am Brightonʼs County Hospital spkr Harry Gaston • Chutzpah Choir (singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian) with Polina Shepherd, 7.00-8.45 Wednesday 27 Parkes Institute and Jewish Historical pm at Ralli Hall. Contact Rosalind on 01273 541031. Society of England 7.00 pm, Southampton University Thursdays Book launch of Anglo-Jewry Since 1066, a • Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club, 10.30 am-4.30 pm new book by Tony Kushner at Ralli Hall. Contact Suzanne on 01273 739999. Sunday 31 SPARKS Programme at Ralli Hall Final session for lay leaders in the south east. Useful Contacts: Contact Hannah Ashleigh at the Board of SJN email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com Deputies, 0207 543 5400 or Sussex Jewish Representative Council: 01273 206456 e-mail hannah.ashleigh@bod.org.uk Helping Hands: 01273 747722 Security telephone: 07973 419772 Ralli Hall: 01273 202254 Hyman Fine House: 01273 688226 Sunday 31 Helping Hands Tea Welfare Board: 01273 722523 SJN Advertising: 07906 955404 2.30-4.30 pm at the Mark Luck Hall. Day Centre at Ralli Hall: 01273 739999 Donation £2.50 Grodzinski’s challot and rye bread are available from Premier Convenience Stores in Hove Street every Thursday morning until supplies run out. sussex jewish news . . .may 2009 19 -
Issue 187
June 2009
Mike Weatherley in Israel... see page 11 Editorial Board: Doris Levinson Community Issues Laura Sharpe Stephanie Megitt Communal Diary Angela Goldman Ivor Miskin diary@sussexjewishnews.com David Seidel Photographer Sophie Sheinwald Administrator Ivor Sorokin E-Publishing Gary Weston Andy Devon Admin Assistant Gweni Sorokin PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ. Tel: 07906 955404. Email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com www.sussexjewishnews.com Editorial Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board This month we welcome in another British summer • Are not allied to any synagogue or group and and all predictions are that it will be a hot one. We the views expressed by writers are not donʼt know if summertime living will be easy, but it necessarily those of SJN; should certainly be fun. • Accept advertisements in good faith but do not And over the next few months weʼd like to capture that endorse any products or services and do not fun in words and pictures. Reader Diane Joseph accept liability for any aspect of any enjoyed the front and back covers of the last issue and advertisements; we hope that everyone enjoys the covers to this issue. • Welcome readersʼ contributions but reserve However, Diane also suggested that we encourage the right to edit, cut, decline or submit the people to submit their photos for use as any of our content to others for comment. covers. We send our thanks for this terrific suggestion Submission deadline for next issue: 8th June 2009. and remind everyone that the submission door is and To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, has always been open to your words and pictures. please send them ONLY to editor@sussexjewishnews.com, otherwise we cannot In the case of photos, just capture some aspect of guarantee their consideration for publication Jewish life, Sussex life or Jewish Sussex life in an engaging way, please send your images to us at editor@sussexjewishnews.com. But, please remember the following: • photos should be taken with a digital camera and with a high enough resolution to allow your image to be blown up to A4 size in a portrait layout • from a composition point of view, images do need to leave space for our logo • we can only offer a credit in the magazine for use of an image • all submissions remain subject to our general guidelines • the deadline for photo submissions each month is the same as our deadline for your articles, letters and announcements. Sussex will be blooming this summer and we look forward to capturing it with you over the next few months. SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS - SUBSCRIPTION OFFER UNTIL 30 JUNE 2009 Name…………………………………………….................................................................... Date ............................... Address………………………………………………………………………………………….............................................. .......................................................................................................................................... Postcode ……….................... Telephone………………………...................................... Email ........................................................……………........... My subscription (check one): ( ) I would like to receive electronic copies of Sussex Jewish News for one year at a cost of £12 ( ) I would like to receive printed copies of Sussex Jewish News for one year for a cost of £15 Payment (check one): ( ) I enclose my cheque payable to Sussex Jewish News at PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ ( ) I have made a bank transfer to the Sussex Jewish News at Lloyds Bank, Sort Code 30-98-74, Account No. 00289447 and I have included my name as a reference to ensure my subscription is noted. Or you can subscribe online at www.sussexjewishnews.com and pay with PayPal! 2 sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 announcements Seagulls are in Bloom again! Personal Wendy & Ronnie Bloom Births have plenty to ʻkvellʼ about Mazel tov to Mel & Keith Davis on the birth of a grandson now that their younger son Mazel tov to to Brian Gordon and to Bernice Gordon on Tony has become the new the birth of identical twin granddaughters chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion following a Special Birthdays huge cash injection by him Mazel tov Willy Albert (98), Ian Elkin, Jan Green, Rita into the club. Most of the Grimwood, Bernard Harris, Stan Lassman, Hilary Marks, funds will be absorbed by Rachel Rosen, Gweni Sorokin, Carol Sweiry and Anthony the building of the new Wayne, all of whom are celebrating statium at Falmer, as he is special birthdays. determined to see the Barmitzvahs Seagulls back in the Mazel tov to Dario, son of Sharon & Tony Crescenzo and Championship as soon as grandson of Audrey & Leslie Lewis on his barmitzvah possible. He wants to fulfil Mazel tov to Daniel Breuer on his barmitzvah the dreams of so many of Tony Bloom Mazel tov to Rabbi Jeremy and Lucinda Collick on the the fans of the club and to barmitzvah of their son Joel recreat the glory days of his grandfather in the 1970s. Mazel tov to Jill & Alan Bass on the batmitzvah of their granddaughter Lauren He is the third generation of the Bloom family to be a mem-Weddings ber of the Board of the club, following in the footsteps of his Mazel tov to Jennifer Book & Philip Berman on their late grandfather Harry, who was vice-chairman of the club marriage. when it reached the old first division in 1979, and his uncle Mazel tov to Sandra & Stuart Lewis on the marriage of Ray who is a club director. their daughter. Tony, his wife Linda and baby son Joshua divide their time Mazel tov to Pat & Roland Moss on the marriage of between the UK and Australia. Mandy to Adam Newman Mazel tov to Lucy Stone and Toby Lovat on their marriage. The stone-setting of Henry Goldapple z”l , late father of Mazel tov to Norina Duke on the marriage of Alex to Judy Irwin, will take place at Waltham Abbey at 12.30 pm Rebecca on Sunday 14 June 2009 and afterwards at 8 Hillside Drive, Wedding Anniversaries Edgware HA8 7PG. RSVP 01273 773836. Mazel tov to Andrew & Alyson Sopel on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Mazel tov to Wendy & Michael Lovegrove on their Sussex Jewish Representative Council thirtieth wedding anniversary. Mazel tov to Moss & Yetta Kimmelman on their Summer Sensation diamond wedding anniversary. Cross-Community Fun Day Get Well Refuah shlaimah to Ida Bloom, Victor Comiskey, Michael Mobile Ark, Cuddly Animals Porthouse and Shula Rich Meet rabbits, guinea pigs, wallabies and a giant tortoise New Home Trampoline, Special Raffle, Lucky Dip, Ice Cream and Good wishes to Pearl Redhouse on her move to London. Cake Stall A founder member of the local Youth Aliyah Committee, Arts & Crafts Pearl will be much missed in Brighton and Hove Falafel & Salad Lunch Death We wish long life to: Sunday, 28 June 2009 from midday • the family of Valerie Feldman z”l At 29/30 New Church Road, Hove • the family of Eva Fosterman z”l • the family of Myra Sinclair z”l • the family of Hester Stewart z”l For tickets contact Tessa Bass • the family of Dolly Ross z”l 01273 558884 or 07962 870642 by 16 June 2009 • the family of Trudy Zaft z”l Tickets in advance: Adults £5.00, Children £3.00 • the family of Harry Zurick z”l (to include lunch) On the day £6.00 and £4.00 Thank you Gloria Lennard would like to thank all of her friends and family for their condolences and loving memories of Cyril Proceeds to Tikvah and Torah Academy Nursery Lennard z”l sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 3 community life Eastbourne Progressive Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation Jewish Congregation Thirty members and friends sat down to a second night LIBERAL JUDAISM’S SCHLICHA VISITS Seder in the Susans Road shul hall. The service was EASTBOURNE: On Friday 24th April, Noa Marom, ably conducted by Chairman Ronnie Taylor and a Liberal Judaismʼs Schlicha (Emissary from Israel) delicious meal, prepared by Linda Taylor and her helpers, attended the Congregationʼs Chavurah Supper and was enjoyed by the congregation. The second half of the during the following service gave an inspired talk about service included some lusty singing and competing Israel. After the Service, Noa gave a demonstration of tunes! Israeli Cookery, which all present enjoyed. We look Morning services, commencing at 10.00 am, are held forward to Noa making a return visit before she returns every Shabbat and a warm welcome will be given to all to Israel in August. members and visitors. Manny Godfrey COFFEE MORNING: Our next Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday 3rd June at 11am in The Conservatory AJEX - Edmund de Rothschild (The Garden Room) at the Hydro Hotel, Mount Road, As we all know, earlier this year British Jewry mourned Eastbourne. The Hydro is very disabled friendly and all the passing of one of its eminent citizens, Edmund de can be assured of a very warm welcome. Enquiries Rothschild, who was notable for his active participation Angela Jay 01323 725650. and as a benefactor to many organisations throughout SERVICES: Our Erev Shabbat Services in June are at the country that he served so well, in war and peace, The Friends Meeting House, Wish Road, Eastbourne. most notably as President of the Association of Jewish 12th June - 7pm Service 26th June - 5pm Chavurah Ex-Servicemen and Women. Supper, 7pm Service More recently, his family arranged a Service of Thanks-Enquiries: Tel: 01323 7256750, Fax: 01323 417645, giving for his illustrious life at the Liberal Jewish Email: EPJCONG@AOL.COM, or visit our Web Site Synagogue in London, on 21 April, where I was www. epjcong.org.uk honoured to represent the Brighton & Hove branch. Angela Jay It was an impressive service, with the entry of our ADMINISTRATOR National Standard Bearers and a trumpet tune. The opening words and tributes were given by well-known Hastings and District Jewish figures from the classics, such as The Glory of the Society Garden by Rudyard Kipling, a direct reference to the famous gardens at Exbury. Leopold de Rothschild opened his tribute with much humour, followed by an We had a most interesting talk from Brian Linke after our equally articulate Charlotte de Rothschild, who read the Friday night service. Brian, a longstanding member of the poem Remember, by Christina Rossetti. The service was Society, gave us a fascinating account of his career. He musically enhanced by the LJS Choir, organist, trumpeter trained as a pharmacist and enjoyed some rather varied and harpist. jobs, working initially in a rather traditional environment. As expected, many members of the congregation His later career brought him involvement in a more appeared to have come direct from their businesses and corporate world. As he worked in central London, Brian or they were financial City whizzkids, very staid, with a often encountered celebrities and his anecdotes about whiff of printersʼ ink from £50 notes, even though a rep some of the characters that he met were most amusing. from the Royal Mint Banknote Division was not present, Then the career changed rather dramatically and he went nor was Mervyn King, come to think of it! from pharmacy to farming; it also brought him into contact The atmosphere was further prolonged for me, for as we with Hastings and eventually the Jewish Society. It must were leaving this house of worship, all were presented have been extremely hard work to run a farm but he with a book of memoirs by ʻMr. Eddyʼ, entitled aptly A Gilt-nonetheless conjured up an idyllic scene of rural life. Edged Life. Not surprisingly, as one man departed in a Thank you Brian for such a lively account of your career. chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce, I left in a bus to Victoria. As summer approaches the Open Gardens Scheme is Quite a memorable day! getting under way and no doubt some of our members Sidney Lipman. V/President will enjoy attending a few gardens. Looking ahead, there is The CCJ Cream tea on Sunday July 19th. Please AJEX Local watch out for more details of this event soon. Our next A reminder that our Summer Tea Quiz will be on 14th Service and Social is on Friday 5th June, at the Hugh June at 3.00 pm at the Mark Luck Hall. Smith Hall in Bexhill. Our special guest and speaker on Our Cream Tea, courtesy of Penny and Mike Phillips, will this occasion is Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah. be held on 30th August at 3.30 pm, 1 Whitethorn Drive For all enquiries please contact the Society on 07743 Brighton. For tickets please contact Aubrey Cole on 992295 or write to HDJS, PO Box 74, Bexhill, East 01273 737417. Sussex, TN39 4ZZ Judy Gabriel, PRO Brighton & Hove 4 sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 community life Helping Hands Visit to Nightingale The Helping Hands bus left early The Commission for Social Care inspects regularly and one morning in May for a trip to regulates every aspect of life at Nightingale and has visit The Nightingale Home in awarded the Nightingale three stars. This Home belongs South London. We had all been to and is largely funded by the Jewish Community. collected from our respective We so enjoyed the hospitality shown us – the beautiful front doors by the Helping Hands lunch as served to the residents, tea with some of the volunteer driver Liz Shaw. residents including Amy Godfrey, and Esther Rosen, Thanks to the bus, we were all patron of Helping Hands, who looked so well and was able to go to Nightingale for different reasons: some of us delighted to see us and the bus! wanted to visit friends or relatives while others wanted to After fond goodbyes and a big thank you to the visit for the first time. There were ten of us altogether. On Nightingale Team we had a great journey back, thanks to arrival, we were met at the door of this beautiful house our driver Liz. We arrived home with so many ideas we and taken to a large dining room for lunch. We were would like to promote here in Brighton and Hove – so welcomed by Sheila Shear and her team. During lunch WATCH THIS SPACE! Sheila told us a little of the history of Nightingale. Liz, Liz,& Sarah It was founded in 1840 with very humble beginnings in the East End. At that time the poor were put into Jewish Care Chief Executive workhouses, and the Jews fared very badly. This situation was addressed when the Hand in Hand Addresses Brighton Community Asylum for Decayed Tradesmen was opened for ʻThe Jewish Careʼs Chief aged, infirm and reduced Jewish tradesmenʼ. Some three Executive, Simon Morris, years later a womenʼs section was opened at the spoke to representatives instigation of the then Chief Rabbi – Dr. Nathan Adler. from across the Brighton & Money was needed, and a stall holder in an East End Hove Jewish community market passed a hat round the other stalls, netting the recently, addressing the princely sum of two shillings. The primary function was to changing needs of the give refuge and asylum, thereby saving the aged poor community and the from the terrible workhouse conditions, and secondly to importance of providing allow them to practise and die in their faith. specialist care services for After moving around the East End they all ended up in those in need. Hackney. It was then in 1908 that Lord Wandsworth of Leading a tour of Jewish the de Stern family gave the Grade 11 listed building, Careʼs Hyman Fine House, along with just over 5 acres of ground to be used for the Mr Morris introduced Jewish aged. Nightingale stands here to this day. The David Pincus, Simon Morris dignitaries to residents, cost of renovation at the time was £17,000. In 1912 Lord and Cissie Luper volunteers as well as to Wandsworth left a bequest of £5,000 and also left a supporting committees. In further sum of £1,555,984, mostly to charity. addition to touring the Jewish Care home, which provides As the years went by improvements in care and the personal and nursing care for the elderly and those with standard of living were constantly reviewed - not least of dementia, key issues on the topic of communal welfare which was a wireless that was purchased in 1925, were discussed. followed by a telephone in 1927! Later that day, Mr Morris gave a presentation to the After the talk and lunch we were taken for a tour by Brighton & Hove community at Ralli Hall which included a volunteer guides. screening of “An Inconvenient Truth”, a Jewish Care We saw that now Nightingale has a medical practice and documentary highlighting the pressing need for further an extensive medical team on site plus a visiting dentist. elderly care provision in an increasingly ageing Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy are available population. He then spoke of his own role in Jewish Care, in-house as well as counselling services, a hairdressing the plans for the future in response to the changing and beauty salon, an on-site laundry (handling 9,000 needs of the community throughout Anglo–Jewry, and the items per week), a café, and a well-stocked shop and current challenges the charity faces in a difficult trolley. There is a leisure centre for arts, crafts and economic climate. cookery, as well as beautiful gardens, the pharmacy and As well as the recognition of the need for financial much more. We also visited the beautiful Synagogue - support, there were pledges of volunteering from Shabbat and all festivals are conducted by the resident newcomers, a valuable resource that the Hyman Fine religious adviser. House manager, Wilna Smith, stressed was a unique The first aim at Nightingale is to give the best possible feature of our communal care. care and a wide choice of daily activities to enhance life. sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 5 community life Aviv Walkers Dear All We may not have an Aviv Our circular walk took us to the parish of Hammenden walkersʼ blog but I thought when shortly afterwards the twelve of us stopped for that you might be interested lunch. A debate then followed as to whether anyone had as to how our first walk in ever benched in this parish before and we decided that 2009 went. Last Sunday the as there were no mezuzahs in sight, probably not. Young Aviv walkers met outside the Yitzi Efune led the prayers whilst the rest of the group Cat Inn pub in West Hoathly suitably marked our location with a magen dovid in twigs. on what was a most beautiful Our walks are normally about 5 or 6 miles and we always sunny spring morning. have short cuts for those who need them, but as the walk The Amit & the Richman families who were part of our was so pleasant and we were enjoying ourselves so founding group also joined us in spirit, admittedly the much, no-one elected to take the short cut. former around North London and the latter in Washington Unfortunately, yours truly took a wrong path and we at 3 in the morning! ended up opposite the South of England Agricultural Sussex is such a pleasant county at this time of year, Society showground in Ardingly. Whilst the pub seemed a when the bluebells are reaching their full bloom, good option, the consensus was that if we went in then carpeting swathes of the wooded countryside with their we probably wouldnʼt come out, so about turn and back distinctive blue heads. through the beautiful bluebell woods we went. We Aviv means spring and we all eventually made our way back to West Hoathly via set off with a spring in our step Philpots and some breathtaking Sussex countryside. All as we walked out of West in all, the walk was a little more than 7 miles, but our Hoathly towards Sharpthorne. youngest walkers Ben Amram & Tal Lewis ( with a We then followed the Bluebell combined age of 13) still had smiles on their faces at the Railway line south, though finish, whilst we more mature walkers were pleased to whilst we could hear the enjoy a pint in the pub or to rest our tired feet. distinctive steam engines and Our next walk will be in late Spring/early Summer, so their whistles we never actually watch this space, BHHC Brighton & Hove Online Jewish saw the elusive train. Community or Sussex Jewish News web sites or click on www.communigate.co.uk/sussex/avivwalkers/ It is always advisable to wear good walking shoes or Once again a big thank you to my father for setting the boots for our walks, though one of our walkers, forgetting walk & donʼt forget everyone is most welcome to join us. that the countryside doesnʼt have much pavement but a Ivan Lyons fair bit of mud, was wearing his Shabbos best black shoes! Bexhill and District Jewish Friends It is with deep regret and great sorrow that we have to report the very sad loss of our Secretary Jacqueline Caidan. Jacqui was a lovely lady who was very friendly with a JACS great sense of humour and she charmed everyone she met with her effervescent personality. She was a very April was a short month for JACS due to the Yomtovim. We popular member of our group who enjoyed being had a real treat when David Leach A.R.P.S. showed us Secretary, organising and participating in our events and some of his work. David is a member of the Royal outings. Photographic Society and has had exhibitions both Jacqui will be very sadly missed but always remembered nationally and internationally. His photographs are works with love and affection by all our members. She will never of art and he specialises in taking photographs of everyday be forgotten. objects from unusual angles. Graham Albon, Geographer, Mensa member and prolific Marathon runner, told us the We send our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences origins of the Marathon in ancient Greece. He came to tell to her husband Roger, son Michael, daughter Nicola, us about his “runs” all around the world, and he has the grandchildren and family. medals to prove it. We held a successful second night Seder, which was enjoyed by all our members and several visitors from the We have a varied programme for this month. Come and USA. Our next regular meeting will be held on Friday 19th join us for an interesting talk, a quiz, tea and biscuits; where June and our next Ladies meeting will take place in the else can you get all that for a mere £2? Better still, become afternoon on Tuesday 16th June. All enquiries and further a member and itʼs only £1.50! details please contact us on telephone number 07724 Nina Taylor 172880 6 sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 commercial For all your printing requirements please contact ANDUS PRINT ON 01273 558880 email: andus@mistral.co.uk www.andusprint.co.uk Telephone: 07906 955404 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 7 this & that Cecily’s Column A Tribute to David Gaiman Piano Recital (piano not included) was David Gaiman recently left this soil a very rich man, rich a quirky but original entertainment at because he had led a fulfilling and creative life from his the Friendsʼ Centre which featured the sponsorship of the arts to supporting innovative projects in talented Goldman Ensemble, Gavriella education and health. (French horn), Tirzah (ʻcello) and Ortal David, who lived in East Grinstead, West Sussex, was a (violin) with Israeli belly-dancer Galit nutritionist by trade and with his wife Sheila, a pharmacist, Mersand. She had been ʻhiredʼ they made a great team. Together they travelled the globe because the pianist hadnʼt arrived. helping people. Using his faith in nutritional methods, David And yes, it was odd to see Galit wiggling her tochas to 3 worked with some of the sufferers of the Chernobyl of Mendelssohnʼs Songs Without Words. In fact she was disaster and many childrensʼ groups to effect cures for their a very good dancer, who wore different glamorous outfits illnesses. He also embarked on projects closer to home in at each appearance and really conveyed the joy of Sussex, one being the Young Writers' Festival, where movement, but belly-dancing to Beethoven was going children from local schools were helped by well- known too far! professional writers. The show humorously featured some of the problems But like any good Jewish boy, David Gaiman knew how to which professional musicians face, from sibling rivalry to talk and how to create laughter with his articulate verbal printer errors Ortal arranged most of the programme, delivery. Wherever David could help he would, whether in which worked particularly well in Scott Joplin and also groups or person to person. His wife Sheila is proud today baroque music B.P.R. (before the piano ruled). of their successes, especially their marriage of 50 years which produced accomplished daughters Sue and Lizzy All performers wished it to be known that they are and son, acclaimed childrensʼ writer Neil Gaiman. available for birthdays, weddings and Barmitzvahs. Dead Pianists Live was the arresting title of an equally David was a great man who managed to accomplish a arresting pianola entertainment presented by Adam great deal in his lifetime. Ramet and Julian Dyer at the Ralli Hall. This machine, Sophie Sheinwald dating from 1910, was connected to a grand piano so that we could hear Gershwin, Thomas Fats Waller and Duke Ellington , through the medium of the piano rolls which they made. Youth Aliyah So popular were they that Gershwin reportedly made 125 piano rolls in his youth, receiving $100 apiece. Moreover Child Rescue Waller and Ellington both freely admitted that theyʼd invite you learned to play piano by following the keys of a pianola. to a The programme even included Felix Arndtʼs Desecration Rag, which jazzed up Chopinʼs Funeral March; but, most A memorably, in the interval, Adam invited us on stage and put on a 1913 roll of Max Bruch playing Kol Nidre – and Summer that really was a close encounter of the third kind! Tea Listening to the Sitkovetsky Trio at a lunchtime concert in the Domeʼs Pavilion Theatre, I was not surprised to learn on that they recently played before the Queen. Noch, they Wednesday, were awarded a Fellowship by the Royal Academy of 8th July 2009 at Music last year and are currently Fellows at Trinity College of Music. the Ajex Hall, Palmeira Avenue, Alexander Sitkovetsky is an accomplished violinist like his Dad; pianist Wu Qian performs as though her life Hove at 3pm depended on it, and Leonard Elschenbroich plays a soulful ʻcello with great stage presence.The impression of Fashions by three talented individuals conversing with each other through their music was palpable throughout Beethovenʼs OCCASIONS Piano Trio in D major Op.70 No. 1, (nicknamed the Ghost at Blessings because of its eerie-sounding slow movement) and Smetanaʼs passionate Piano Trio in G minor, Op.15. Donation : £12 Encouraged by the deservedly enthusiastic applause, Raffle they gave us Mendelssohn at his most mellow as an Contact: 01273 776671 encore – the beautiful slow movement from his Piano Trio in D minor – a truly uplifting end to this eclectic programme. 8 sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 technology Internet Browsers: Surfing or Why I chose to go digital Switching from receiving a printed version of my SJN Just Browsing? magazine to the new digital version was a decision I didnʼt Today there are more internet browsers to choose from take lightly. I had been reading my printed version for over than ever before. ten years now. But I tried the free sample digital online We are all familiar with Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) magazine and I was amazed at how much better this was, because it probably came as part of the Windows system so immediately went to the SJN website to make the or Microsoft Office that came with your PC. But have you switch. upgraded to the latest IE version 8? The biggest reason was environmental. Have you ever considered just how much carbon footprint, natural IE V8 is much cooler looking and works a treat, but resources and wastage is involved with printing a before you do take a look at some of the competition magazine? I hadnʼt until I heard about digital online because Internet Explorer is ʻnot the only game in townʼ, magazines and this factor alone was enough to sway me. so why not stay ahead of the game. Hereʼs our quick One day I foresee all books and magazines, newspapers round-up of the main players: and leaflets being in digital only and I really believe that Mozilla Firefox (www.mozilla.com), like IE, is free to this change alone could greatly contribute towards saving download, is extremely popular across the internet and the planet. the second most popular to IE. Not only is Firefox a I understand this is just the start and soon the SJN digital powerful internet browser, but also comes with many magazine will include lots of exciting features to make it other useful free extras such as its own email reader, interactive with lots of multimedia, animations, moving called Thunderbird. images, sound, downloads and links. Exciting times! Then thereʼs Opera (www.opera.com) claiming to be not Lastly I am now an e-reader and can say I really enjoy only free but also ʻfaster and saferʼ than other browsers. I e-reading online. I can also download my magazine and like Opera and the new version looks really cool with lots print it out if I choose, or any pages I want to refer too of useful features. Opera can also be downloaded for later such as the events calendar. I can also download my free in mini format for mobile phones, PDAʼs, and smart magazine and save it and start my own archive for future phones. reference. Then thereʼs the benefit of simply emailing it to Google Chrome family and friends as an attachment and everyone gets to is a newcomer to browsers but a really read it instantly, rather than having to wait for someone to cool one that I like a lot and of course links nicely to the finish with it. hundreds of Google applications, Google search engine, Google maps, Google Earth and the new Google G1 Oh and before I forget to mention, I am 73, became a phone, also known as the ʻAndroidʼ. ʻsilver surferʼ two years ago and wouldnʼt be without my computer and the internet for anything. I canʼt wait for the Safari is quite new to the internet but looking very ʻMac-new Sussex Jewish Online community centre to open! likeʼ because of course it has been developed by Apple Ruth Karp, Hove for both Mac and PC, as well as the Apple i-Phone. Safari is again free-to-download (www.apple.com/safari/download) and I have to say, I The Jewish Gay and Lesbian Group will be in really like its clean look and feel. Safari also claims to be Brighton hosting its third mid-summer event on really fast and I wouldnʼt disagree. the weekend of Friday 19th – Sunday 21st June 2009. Internet Explorer is not the best browser out there, so whichever browser you choose is down to your own Events include:- preference - so download them all and take them for a test drive (or test surf). Whichever one you choose, you • Friday night Erev Shabbat service and wonʼt go wrong. supper, • Saturday afternoon event, Next month we will look at search engines in more detail. • Saturday evening Sundowner drinks on Till then - happy surfing. the beach Your Sussex Jewish Online Team • Saturday evening restaurant dinner and • Sunday discussion and Bagel brunch. Letters Members £30, non-members £50. Day price on request. The coloured photos on the front and back of the May SJN made a lovely change. May I suggest that you ask All Jewish LGBT community and partners and members to send in their photos depicting Jewish life to be children welcome. used as the front cover for future copies occasionally interspersed with a painting etc. of Jewish interest. Further information from Info@jglg.org.uk or 07504 942724. Diane Joseph sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 9 Afula/Emek The Department of Ophthalmology in Afula was set up in whom have poor vision. the 1950s and today comprises a staff of about 15 A new purpose built doctors, 9 nurses, 2 technicians, and 4 secretaries. The premises is being built department has a mixed ethnic medical staff, both but we only expect to Jewish, Muslim and Christian working side by side to move into it in about serve the whole community. three to four years time. The present condition of The department serves a population of more than one the main facility is million people from as far apart as Caesarea, Zichron intolerable for both the Yaacov and Nazareth to Zfat and the Golan Heights. Due patients and the to its strategic location, it is the nearest University dedicated staff who treat them. My urgent priority as the newly appointed Chairman is to raise about £30,000 to temporarily renovate the department with new flooring and essential furnishings until we move to our new premises. This renovation will also improve the image of the department and help me attract more sub-specialists to work here. The Department of Ophthalmology at the Emek Medical Center represents the future of northern Israel and today we all have the historic opportunity of making a difference which will affect and touch the lives of Hospital Ophthalmology Department providing all sub-thousands each year. Please consider helping us in our specialities of eye surgery to much of the northern Israeli efforts to make that difference. population. Cataract, corneal transplant, glaucoma, I aim to create a Family of Friends of the Ophthalmology retinal, oculoplastic, lacrimal,and orbital surgeries are all Department in Afula and wish to host British performed here on a daily basis. Most ophthalmologists Optometrists and Ophthalmologists as part of that family work in community clinics in the north of Israel as part of the community outreach programme. Development of the ophthalmology department is of the utmost importance for both everyday and emergency war needs in view of the essential sub- specialty it provides. We serve as a national teaching center in ophthalmology, and in addition to educating medical students, we also have a number of ophthalmology here in our department on both a professional and social residents in training. basis regularly. However we have I hope that our hospital department will become a many critical welcoming visiting stop for all our Family of Friends and problems which need that we will all watch its growth and development over to be tackled urgently the coming years with a great sense of pride and and among them a achievement. desperately-needed building renovation. The main department is housed in the old original hospital building, Daniel Briscoe MD and the facility looks depressing and dilapidated. Chairman and Head of Department of Opthalmology Conditions are cramped and very run down, even lacking Emek Medical Centre, Afula, Israel easy reachable toilets for admitted patients, many of 10 sussex jewish news . . june 2009 israel Educational Fact Finding Visit October 2007 by the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Hove & Portslade followed to the Golan Heights (with Hezbollah flags flying next to United Nations flags), where our hosts explained the importance of controlling the water supply, a stop off at the Sea of Galilee and then on to the capital Jerusalem, meeting all seven political parties at the Knesset. In Jerusalem, a sombre part of our learning was a visit to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum – perhaps as a timely reminder about how / why this tiny country evolved in recent history. Since its inception in 1953, Yad Vashem has preserved the memory of the six million Holocaust victims and it was clear the Childrenʼs memorial had a profound affect on us all. In Sderot in front of some of the rockets collected that But for me the visit to the town of Sderot on the edge of fell during 2007 – note date:6th October 2007 - the Gaza Strip was the most memorable experience of a The week before we arrived trip crammed full of memorable events. This town has Until 27th October 2007, my main source of information had just over 1,000 rockets land on it in the past year - about Israel was what the media reported in short news including 10 in the week we were there. In the school bulletins - I had not visited the country previously and playground there is a bomb shelter. Not a ruin from a always felt that my background knowledge needed distant past but a improvement. So when Gordon Brown ʻbottled itʼ and life saver in which didnʼt call an election, I had a spare few weeks and was the children have delighted to accept the invitation of the Conservative 15 seconds to Friends of Israel to find out more about this very small take refuge when country (being as it is the size of Wales, which often the sirens sound. comes as a surprise to many people). Together with 19 This was not a other Parliamentary Candidates from key marginal seats, 'one-sided' I signed up for the mystery tour. I had questions and went propaganda looking for answers. exercise, which Childrenʼs playground had been my biggest Based in Tel Aviv, our first stark ʻface-to-faceʼ encounter bomb shelter in Sderot worry. There were no with reality was a visit to the barrier on the West Bank. It restrictions placed on us, with full access to politicians is not a wall and not fully enclosed, but there are secure from all parties, free to ask any question we wanted – checkpoints that have, we were informed, reduced including a meeting with Rami Nazrallah, Director suicide bombings by 98%. Not a great solution but it is General of the International Peace and Cooperation difficult to see what other realistic options exist. We then Centre (IPCC) in Jerusalem (an independent Palestinian had a very informative talk on Israeli economics (Israel non-profit organization). What I found was clear imports nearly all the basic items that it needs to exist, frustration and anger by the Palestinian Authorities, but including oil, gas, coal and food, funded by a flourishing also a realisation that in order to facilitate any peace they hi-tech industry and backed up by US aid). Visits then would have to look internally at their own organisation to promote reconciliation of some sort. This was rather striking as all we ever hear about on the news is the two sides at war. I left the meeting with some hope for the future of Israel and Palestine as the search for desperately needed resolution goes on. As the Palestinians do not speak through one organisation that adds to the challenge. I would like to thank the CFI for this opportunity to learn about a country that until now was just a mention in yet another news bulletin. Itʼs an extremely complex issue and I came back with more questions than I had before I went. We all did. But at least they are now more informed questions. The Childrenʼs Memorial at Yad Vashem. Pillars roughly Mike Weatherley sliced down to symbolise development cut short sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 11 miscellany Skirting the Issue Emirates Airline is a very good airline indeed. Is it world as well as diamond-studded Rolex watches, all of blasphemy for a Jew to travel with such a company? My which most of us can only dream about. Further into the answer is that Emirates is an international operator flying magazine I glanced at the obligatory route map. Was I around the world, conveying millions of people, including imagining things? Israel had ceased to exist. I looked Jews, safely to their destinations, in what is today a cut again in case my eyes were deceiving me. Good above the average flight. Boycotting this organisation heavens, the printers had forgotten to put in a minor detail. lends credibility to prejudice. In my humble opinion it is Six million denizens of little Israel had been deleted! The always better to keep lines of communication open, rather fount of Judaism, Christianity and Islam had not been than to slam the door shut on any possible inter-racial acknowledged. In its place was a fuzzy grey area of ink. progress. Not one word or inkling of recognition was afforded the On board the aircraft you are immediately arrested by an Jewish State. Although the West is vilified as much as array of beguiling sensory offerings. Israel, the USA and Great Britain were on the map. I sat Instantly you notice the alluring pastel for a while frozen in my seat by such a crass Six million colours of the upholstery. To me it was political statement. reminiscent of what I imagine a Sheikʼs Emirates Airline offers Halal food and almost harem to be! The stewardesses did denizens of little every other dietary concoction known to nothing to dispel the magic with their man except, of course, Kosher fare. In the dramatic and seductive veiled twenty-first century it is a sad statement Israel had been headgear. It was all most enchanting. that an international airline, well aware that It is no wonder that Emirates, with all it regularly carries Jews, holds onto archaic deleted! the latest state of the art aircraft, and dogmatic values that are no longer valid including the new A380 behemoth, has deservedly built up in todayʼs global village. a huge reputation for service. My particular journey was What chance is there for mankind when such perverse via Dubai, the Emirates hub, with a stopover for an hour and backward attitudes are adopted? If one nation is and then on to the Far East. I only saw the inside of the unable to admit the existence of another any progress is airport in this Mecca of commercialism, but the wall-to-wall impossible. I have returned with a feeling of overwhelming merchandise was all tastefully displayed and there were sadness, certainly not anger, about the backward thinking more checkouts than in a large Tesco. of a people who should know so much better. If there is Long haul aircraft mainly take the great orbital route, the ever any advance in solving the tragedy of the Middle East most economical path following as near as possible in a it has to start with the simple expedient of facing issues straight line to the arc of the earth without over-flying and not skirting them. hostile nations or war zones. The Boeing 777 was Simon Weinberg equipped with the latest state of the art GPS on which I could track every mile from my personal TV monitor. As The Jewish Lads' & Girls' Brigade we reached the Middle East the aircraft catapulted over Summer Camp Turkey, over the Mediterranean just east of Cyprus and tracked south-east for quite a long while. It seemed that There are still places available at the JLGB's we were heading straight for Israeli airspace! Surely it didnʼt have flying rights over the Jewish state, I asked forthcoming National Senior Summer Camp. An myself. My mind was full of the dire possibility of my wife amazing time will be had by all those who attend and I being vaporized by an Israeli rocket at any moment. this year's camp My own people, by dint of a simple navigational error, could actually blow us to smithereens. "THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH" Allah must have heard my prayers for our safe Camp will be running from Friday 7th to deliverance, as a miracle soon took place. The plane changed course and began to track east. It made it Sunday 16th August and is open to boys and overland between Tripoli and Beirut before flying girls aged 11 - 15. diagonally over Damascus and then due south across the The cost of camp (until 26th June) will be £440 - middle of Jordan until it reached the UAE. Again we excellent value (including transport from central tracked south-east running along the neutral zone pick up points) for 10 days of fun. following the now defunct Trans Arabic pipeline between We already have over 260 people attending - Iraq and Arabia and from there straight on to Dubai. The come and join our happy family. plane had successfully skirted Israeli airspace and conflict, and we were all still alive. Not one Israeli jet For more information give us a call 020 8989 fighter buzzed us, nor was a single missile fired. I was 8990 or check out our website www.jlgb.org. greatly relieved! Deborah Roos National Development Manager I thumbed through the glossy Emirates magazine showing excessively overpriced properties for sale around the 12 sussex jewish news . . june 2009 identity What is a Jew? In the hurly-burly of political conflict, abuse is common. Islam, too, thought it had replaced Judaism and by rights Friends fall out and identities are tested. Boundaries of we ought not to continue. Mohammad, like Luther after loyalty are stretched and sometimes broken. The current him, initially welcomed us as allies and possible converts situation in the Middle East is a perfect example of a crisis but turned against us when we refused the invitation. There that tests the strongest of bonds. No Jew of any morality or were odd dynasties who embraced us, but only so long as sensitivity likes to see casualties, innocent or otherwise. we knew our place. Similarly, new nation-states, in their Our religion demands that we recognize the suffering even struggle to establish national identities, found no place for of our enemies. We search around desperately for Jews, and so 'modern' anti-Semitism added a layer to the solutions, for different ways of doing things. We feel old. We just did not belong; even if we were given helpless bystanders, not always knowing the full story or citizenship, it was with reluctance, either because we were what other options there are. We are disturbed by seeing useful or because of external pressure. Even conversion hatred, hearing illogical and prejudiced opinions. did not help. The Inquisition hunted Marranos, Jews who Propaganda, political posturing, and preconceived had converted, more aggressively than Jews who stayed positions are the enemy of reasoned debate or possible Jewish. The English Prime Minister Disraeli was excoriated solutions. as a scheming Jew till the end of his days. The composer Mendelssohn was accused of spreading corrupt Semitic We Jews are divided into a number of camps. At two music. Both men were converts to Christianity. extremes of the spectrum are Jews who are unreservedly and unquestioningly supporters of whatever Israel does, We were a Marxist danger to Capitalists, Capitalists to and those who are implacably opposed to Israel's Marxists, Westerners to Easterners, and Orientals to existence. The middle includes those Occidentals. And all this, simply because who are committed to Israel but we survived, and we did indeed include question its military tactics and policies, all of these within our ranks. Our those who are committed to Israel's If there is any behavioural religion helped us adapt and right to self-defence and believe that we managed to put roots down deterrence is the only option under genetic bonus regardless of the host society's religion present circumstances, and all points on or politics. We were indeed the universal the spectrum in between those four to being Jewish, scapegoat, the universal oddball, the positions. universal outsider. And that helped us it was because survive, too--the fact that we could take Included in all these positions are a step back and have a different religious Jews of every shade and we had to perspective, the fact that we were secular Jews of every degree. Both always being moved on and had to extremes detest each other, yet will survive..... prove ourselves. The fact that we always admit to being part of the same people, had challenges to overcome has made the same culture, and the same ethos, us struggle all the harder. If there is any if not the same religion. genetic bonus to being Jewish, it was It is an amazing feature of us Jews that from the moment because we had to survive and Darwin was right. The Moses took us out of Egypt, it seems we have not all fittest survive! We have fought consistently above our agreed on anything religious or political. Yet somehow, weight. We have had our share of crooks and saints, of against the odds, we have survived and kept on coming Nobel prize-winners and Ponzi schemers. back from the brink. We have clashed with every major In the end there is a common thread, a common unifying civilization we have encountered. We have conflicted with factor; it is this sense of belonging to an unwanted and every major power block at one time or another. I honestly suspect people. With it you are a complex bundle of believe our survival is a miracle. I do not believe in proofs contradictions always trying to reconcile different values of the existence of God (I think that is an oxymoron by and cultural strengths, but at least if you have a positive definition--how can anything not physical in any way be religious component this compensates. It gives one a proved using material methods?), but if ever there were sense of pride and spiritual direction. Those whom we call proof, the survival of the Jewish people, a few million self-hating Jews are those with nothing to make them feel facing billions of enemies, must be it! good about their Jewish identity. So what is it that keeps us together and what is it that We are hurting at the moment because we feel our defines us all? Wherever we are we are the archetypal alienation for different and conflicting reasons. But it outsiders. We are there, but we are not completely there. appears that God thinks that sometimes we have to! If one Christianity thought it had replaced us and we were wants to find a common denominator it is that Jews do not condemned to be the wandering outcast Jew, and we were entirely fit in anywhere, even amongst Jews. We are for a long time. There was no good reason for Judaism to archetypal outsiders, even when we think we belong. Most survive, they thought, now that Christianity had replaced of the world is against us. Some Jews think deservedly so, the Old Israel with the easier more convenient New. If we others do not. But those who hate Jews make no did survive it was a reproach, 'stubborn Jewry'. Changing distinction. That is what being a Jew is like. times and ideas forced the Christian world to tolerate us, Rabbi Dr Jeremy Rosen sometimes even love us, but not really accept us. sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 13 Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue Palmeira Avenue, Hove, BN3 3GE bhrs Tel: 01273 735343 Email: office@bh-rs.org www.bh-rs.org Rabbi Charles Wallach Sedra for 20 June 2009: Parshat Hashavua Tourism!), the response remains negative. This in turn causes Moses to make a far reaching decision: That Shelach Lecha generation, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, are The story of the spies is one of the better known to die out in the desert, allowing for a new generation segments of Torah. Briefly, in advance of the peopleʼs untainted by the slavery and slave mentality of Egypt to entry to the Promised land Moses selects twelve men – arise in the desert and be readied to enter the Promised each a “prince” of his tribe – to scout the land and report Land. as to its topography, its population and anything else of significance. They do so, and return with a less than The message to be gleaned is perhaps that expressed in favourable report, causing great consternation in the the Talmud in tractate Sotah (35a). The spies, or rather camp. Only two – Joshua and Caleb – mollify their scouts for that is really what they were, showed a lack of comments, saying that it is a challenge but it can faith, a lack of belief. And that perhaps is the message for certainly be met. Nonetheless, despite reporting that it is us all: Theodor Herzl said it thus: IMTIRZU ZU EIN an ERETZ ZAVAT UDʼVASH – a land flowing with milk AGADA: If you will it, it is no dream: Have faith in and honey, and bringing with them a cluster of fruit on a yourself, both in oneʼs ability and in the Almighty who has branch (which today is the logo of the Israel Ministry of implanted in us a higher goal in life. Rabbi Charles Wallach Jewish material? Recently I had cause to go up to our People of the Book national office in Finchley where, on the premises is With Shavuot falling this year at the very end of May, the found a lovely bookshop offering books and other items months of June, July and August lie before us as life was of every description and of appeal to every age. Likewise for the Jewish people in bible times – free of festivals. Of such as Amazon and other publishing houses have a course Tisha Bʼ Av or the Fast of the 9th Av preceded by cornucopia of books. the “three weeks” was eventually to be added to the The important thing is that, as we are known as AM calendar, but our ancestors essentially took these months HASEFER – the People of the Book – we should do what to rest and relax, enjoy or perhaps endure the long hot we can to retain it, enhance it, and imbibe for ourselves summer in Israel and come back ready to face the rigours that essential extra that is us. Or, as Hillel added when of the autumn and winter, punctuated by the major asked what Judaism was while his enquirer stood on one festivals of that season. leg “what is Judaism”: Do not do to others that which is The weather forecasters have predicted a long hot hateful to you….Now ZE ULEMEID: Go and learn!! summer for us as well this year, and hopefully that will be Rabbi Charles Wallach the case. One certainly hopes so, given the harsh winter. Of course we here in the community will continue with the regular shul programmes – Shabbat services, cheder, Bulletin Board for June 2009 adult classes and the like, the latter certainly through July. So, letʼs be seeing you…. Sunday 31st May at 2.00pm Stone Setting for Sidney & Marjorie Now, as is often the case particularly with the Sunday newspapers, as summer beckons so we are encouraged Spiro to take with us reading material to while away the hours Tues 2nd Lunch Discussion Group ‘ Has in the sun. I wonder how many of us add into that some Political Correctness gone too Far?’ facilitated by Joan Melcher Friday 5th Service commences at 8pm TEACHING VACANCY Saturday 6th Rabbi’s Shiur 9.00am Sunday 7th Kids Club @ 12.30 A vacancy has opened for Sundays Cheder teaching at our expanding Mondays 11.00 am – Seated exercise with Adele and vibrant Cheder. Wed nesdays 1.00 pm – Are you available on Rabbi’s weekly discussion group a Sunday morning 2.00 pm – JACS for a couple of hours? Fri 19th 6.30am Service Involving Do you like working with children? Cheder family. All other Friday services commence Please contact Saonie Lyons, at 6.30pm administrator on 01273 735343 Saturday morning service is at 10.30am 14 sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 Hove Hebrew Congregation 79 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JN Tel: 01273 732035 hhc Email: hovehc@btinternet.com Rabbi Vivian Siverman Sedra for 27 June 2009: Acharei-Kedoshim In this way, with the backing of Israel, Korah would Korah - The Great Rebellion delegitimize his cousins, assume the leadership under the cloak of respectability and then become a despot. Korah was a first cousin of Moshe and Aharon - their Now we can understand why Korah had never been fathers, Yitzhar and Amram, were brothers. The two considered fit for a communal position. younger brothers were Hevron and Uziel. All four were children of K'hot the middle son of Levi. The Almighty now had to prove to the entire assembly of Israel, once and for all, that Moshe and Aharon had Korah had seen Moshe become leader of the people indeed been divinely chosen. Moshe was to announce to of Israel and Aharon installed as Kohen Gadol (High everyone that should the ground beneath the rebels open Priest) and was filled with jealousy. After all he, and swallow them, this would prove their treachery and Korah, was also entitled to a position of authority, Moshe's innocence. This duly occurred. seeing that he, too, was a grandson of K'hot. Even Then Moshe asked each of the heads of the twelve tribes entitlement to be the Prince of the family of K'hot had to place his staff of office in the tent of meeting, having been given to his cousin Elitsafan, the son of the written his name on the wood. Whichever staff flowered youngest of their grandfather's four sons. That would be God's way of stating that that person had been position should have been his, seeing that his father, duly selected as his High Priest. Next morning, it was the Yitzhar, was the second of the four sons of K'hot. staff of Aharon which blossomed with almonds. Yet, even Korah, having worried himself into a frenzy, schemed though the people could no longer question the legitimacy to overthrow his cousins by cloaking his jealousy in a of Moshe and Aharon as secular and religious heads of veneer of righteous indignation. The entire Israel, the rebellion, instigated and fomented by Korah, congregation of Israel was righteous and deserved Dotan and Aviram, festered for a long time afterwards. honours: to be the leader; to be Kohen Gadol. Why Hence the words recorded in Mishna Avot chapter 5: had Moshe and Aharon usurped these prestigious And what kind of controversy is not in the name of positions for themselves? As the prototype of all Heaven (ie which is for an ulterior motive?): the demagogues Korah, having collected 250 influential controversy of Korah and all his confederates. members of the people, counted on his powers of persuasion and hoped his audience would have v'eizo mahloket sh'eina l'shem shamayim, zoo mahloket forgotten that it was the Almighty who had elected Korah v'hol adato. Moshe and Aharon. Rabbi Vivian Silverman Janet’s Column JUNE DIARY When one mentions Shavout, we all think of cheesecake and cheese blintzes. However I have a nice alternative - 2 Tue: Talmud Shiur - Sanhedrin : weekly Cream-Filled Pancakes, which are delicious. 20 Shabbat: Bar Mitzvah of Aron Borkum Mix 4oz plain flour, 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, 1/2 pint milk, with small amount of water. When smooth add 1/2oz softened 23 Tue: 10.30 am Ladies Discussion Circle butter, pinch of salt, 1dessertspoon sugar, mix well. Allow to stand for 1/2 hour. Cook pancakes, allow to cool - separately. Whip 1/2pint Stop Press.... Matthew has been double cream and pipe a line of cream on each pancake. Roll over and freeze so cream is frozen. The pancakes are accepted for Harlequins Academy.... best made at least 3 days in advance, and frozen. Make sauce - zest and juice of of 4 oranges, 3 lemons and 3 limes. Matthew Faull, has just Put in pan and add jar of smooth apricot jam. Bring to boil, passed his Grade 4 Piano. stir for 5-10 minutes, refrigerate. To add to his familyʼs Take pancakes from freezer 3 hours before needed. Just 'nachas' Matthew has been before serving heat sauce and pour over pancakes, sprinkle picked by his school for a with toasted almonds. Rugby trial to attend The Should make approximately 8 pancakes, depending on size Harlequin Academy. of your frying pan. Obviously Matthew is a This is easy because you can make the pancake with cream talented musician, as well well in advance. Enjoy. as a talented Rugby player. Good luck Matthew. Hag samaech - have a good Shavout. Janet Cowan sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 15 Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation bhhc 31 New Church Road Hove, BN3 3AD 01273 888855 Email: office@bhhc-shul.org Sedra for 6 June 2009: Nasso so, how does this tally with the concept of ʻraise up the headsʼ? The Highest Common Denominator This depends on how we view the essence of humanity. Once again, in the most aptly named Book of Numbers, If man is basically neutral, if we start off as nothing then we have a census. In its opening chapters we read that what unites us as human beings is the least of our one year after the Exodus, there were 603,550 adult qualities; a lowest common denominator. Maybe G-d Israelite males between the ages of 20 and 60, of whom has a different perspective, the census is not just a 22,273 were firstborn. A separate census counted statistical headcount, but an assertion of each personʼs 22,000 Levites one month and older. We were also potential. It is not just a counting of bodies but a given the figure for each of the twelve tribes, from recognition of souls. If the ʻsoul of man is G-dʼs lightʼ, Judahʼs 74,600 to Menassehʼs 32,200. then life is a journey in which we endeavour to fan the flame of that light by reaching the full and immense Now a more specific census is taken of the Levites, potential that G-d has given us. counting the number of males in each subsection of the tribe between the ages of thirty and fifty, the age of The divine command to count the people was, in fact, eligibility for service in the sanctuary. But this was no an expression of their highest common denominator. On ordinary census, as G-d says to Moshe, ʻNasso et Roshʼ the spiritual census sheet, our differences are – Raise up the heads of the tribeʼ. A similar expression transcended to reveal the basic G-dliness and hence was used previously regarding the general census. potential for good planted within us. G-d counted the Clearly the purpose of the census was not limited to Israelites for a number of reasons. The Rabbis tell us mere counting, in some way it also served to elevate He wanted to show His love for them. On a practical the people. level He wanted to establish their military potential. The count was also G-dʼs way of asserting the importance, The census included a wide, and indeed diverse, variety indeed potential greatness, of each individual. of individuals; no one fitting the basic criteria was omitted. The level of a personʼs piety or scholarship was As the Children of Israel embarked on the next stage of irrelevant. The count reflected the one quality they their journey through the wilderness, contemplating a shared equally – that they exist. Which raises the new and tremendously challenging phase of their following question: Is a headcount an expression of the history, G-d was ʻraising their headsʼ and assuring them lowest common denominator in a group? A process of their ability to rise to the impending challenges and which takes no account of what makes the individuals embrace their destiny. special or unique, but renders them mere statistics? If Rabbi Hershel Rader Seder in the north of Scotland chabad news Lag B'Omer Report and Upcoming Classes Special thanks to the more than 75 people who participated in the Lag B'Omer BBQ. All enjoyed a delicious menu (special thanks to Mr Danny Brummer who managed the grill) and live entertainment with singer Eli Tamir. The fantastic community atmosphere withstood even the gloomy predictions of bad weather, apparently due to the miraculous nature of this special date, which marks the passing of the Kabbalistic Mishnaic Sage Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai. The 6th Annual Student & Young Adults BBQ was held on Monday evening on the beach, attended by over 50. While 10 students at University of Southampton together with Rabbi Zalman & Shterna and their children enjoyed a This Pesach, for the first time in 40 years, I had the joy of Barbecue on Tuesday evening. At both events, delicious food going to a family Seder. With 15 cousins – albeit from with all the frills including toasted marshmallows were once to four times removed, but still first cousins – plus consumed, while words of inspiration were shared. cousins-in-law, we were a total of 20 gathered together The first class in the new men's series 'Four Weeks of spanning five generations. This must surely have been Inspiration' begins with 'Two Souls' this coming Tuesday the most northerly Seder in the UK, held in the village of evening at 8:15PM, while the weekly Ladies Discussion Gairloch in Wester Ross on the north west coast of Group starts at the same time. Both are held at Chabad northern Scotland, an area of great beauty. The house House. The second class in the new Halachic Questions was a large one with 24 mezzuzahs – many with hand-series, on Thursday 21 May, addressed the ideas and knitted covers! significance of requiring 10 Men for a Minyan. Aubrey Cole Rabbi Pesach Efune 16 sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue Adat Shalom Vereiu’t-Al Sefat Hayyam 6 Lansdowne Road Hove BN3 1FF– Tel 01273 737223 Email:bhps@freenetname.co.uk bhps Website:www.brightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah Sedra for 13 June 2009: B’ha’alot’cha DIARY FOR JUNE 2009 Where Was Miriam? Access to Hebrew Thursday 4th & 18th 11.00 – 12.30pm Where was Miriam at Sinai? If you were following the Thursday 11th, 25th & July 2nd Torah narrative of the Revelation closely at Shavuot you 11.00 – 12.30 & 6.30 – 7.30pm may have noticed that someone was missing… Not just Access to Judaism Saturday 6th 1.00 – 2.30pm ʻsomeoneʼ, of course, the elder sister who was Kiddushin: Marriage & Civil Partnership instrumental in saving the life of her baby brother, Moses Saturday 20th 1.00 – 2.30pm Divorce (Exodus 2:4-9). As the slaves flee, the Torah mentions Saturday 27th 1.00 – 2.30pm her for the first time since that moment, telling us that she Death & Mourning led the women in dancing and song, through the Sea of Saturday 4th 1.00 – 2.30pm Reeds (Exodus 15:20-21) – and gives her a name: Jewish History & Geography Miriam. The Torah even calls her a nʼviʼah – prophetess Friday 12th Oneg after erev Shabbat (:20). But Miriam is not mentioned in the Book of Exodus creative service @ 8.00pm after the crossing of the Sea… Indeed, all that the Torah Monday 21st Jewish Gay & Lesbian Group has to say about Miriam amounts to just thirty verses; Brunch & Discussion 11.00 – 2.00pm sixteen of which, occupying one short chapter in Saturday 27th Fairtrade Kiddush to celebrate marriage of Numbers (12), appear in the parashah, Bʼhaʼalotʼcha. Tim Nedas & Charis Brook after Shabbat Morning service 11.00am To say that Miriam is marginalised in the Torah is an Saturday 28th Wedding of Tim Nedas & Charis Brook under-statement! But then the tale recorded in Saturday 4th July Bat Mitzvah of Maia Orme Bʼhaʼalotʼcha is very revealing. We read (12:1-2): ʻShe spoke – Miriam and Aaron – against Moses because of the Cushite woman, whom he had married…. And they said: ʻHas the Eternal One only spoken with Moses? Has Bob, Dylan & Ron He not also spoken with us?ʼ Significantly, the Hebrew is Oneg, erev Shabbat, 8th May clear – and the disjunctive nʼginah (cantillation sign), pashta, which hovers over the first word, separating it In a week from what follows, forces the reader to pause when Bob momentarily: Va-tʼdabbeir – She spoke. Although the Dylan Torah then adds: ʻMiriam and Aaronʼ, indicating that became the Aaron shared her grievance, Miriam is the prime-mover. oldest Interestingly, the two packed verses in Exodus speak not musician to only of ʻMiriam, the prophetessʼ (Ex. 15:20), but also add, have a ʻthe sister of Aaronʼ (ibid.). The two siblings are linked number one because they share a similar status vis-a-vis their pre-album in the eminent baby brother. But at least Aaron becomes the record High Priest – and so itʼs not surprising that Miriam takes charts, Ron the lead in their rebellion: Designated as a nʼviʼah, Gould took prophetess, she, more than Aaron has reason to feel Norma Waring singing at the us back to an evening aggrieved about Mosesʼ special relationship with the LʼChayyim lunch, 29th April earlier in the singer's Eternal – and, perhaps, as a woman, she was also career, during the winter of 1962/63, when Ron played particularly upset on behalf of Zipporah, Mosesʼ wife, and sang with the now legendary Bob - or Blind Boy when he married again. Grunt as he was listed on that recording. Dylan was And so, although the Torah tells us that ʻthe anger of the visiting England on his first ever trip outside North Eternal was kindled against themʼ (:9), Miriam alone is America as his agent had arranged for him to take an punished for her effrontery – with leprosy (:10) and acting and singing role in a BBC play. Whilst in London excluded from the camp for seven days (:14). Bob visited Dobell's Jazz shop in Charing Cross Road, Significantly, the people did not journey on until Miriam which was a must for everybody interested in Jazz. On was brought again (:15) – but then we donʼt hear the night in question, Ron Gould and several other well anything more about her until the Torah records Miriamʼs known musicians of the time were already in Dobell's, death thirty-eight years later in one brief verse ( Chukkat – playing and recording their songs on a tape recorder, Numbers 20:1). No wonder the rabbis linked the peopleʼs when Dylan came in and joined them. We were privileged thirst for water immediately afterwards with their loss, and to hear a copy of this very rare album as only 99 discs developed the legend of ʻMiriamʼs Wellʼ: a miraculous were cut. The record featured several songs amongst source of water which accompanied the Israelites on all which was the 'Overseas Stomp' featuring Ron on Kazoo their journeys, only drying up when Miriam died (See and Bob on harmonica. Although Ron's career was more Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg, Vol. III, diversified than Bob's he has found fame through this ʻMiriamʼs Wellʼ, pp.50-44. JPSA, Philadelphia, 1968). musical association and his story appears in several of Dylan's biographies! Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 17 Brighton & Hove Jewish Community Foundation 81 Denmark Villas ralli hall Hove, BN3 3TH 01273 202254 Day Centre: 01273 739999 Email: rallihall@tiscali.co.uk Roger’s Ralli Hall Round-up Our Centenarian Our Annual General Meeting has come and gone and I am commencing my twentieth year as your Honorary Chairman. Very soon I will be celebrating my 65th birthday. A great deal of water has flowed under the bridge since I first took office nineteen years ago. Back then the building had to be closed soon afterward and was then, thankfully, re-opened due to the generosity and foresight of those few who really believed in Ralli Hallʼs future. We are now in a vastly different position, both in terms of finances and organisation. We hope that history, will never repeat itself. However, we must never be complacent. We must therefore constantly strive to improve and upgrade the building and its facilities for the benefit of our members and the Community as a whole. The Management Committee has remained mainly unchanged, although the position of Honorary Treasurer has now passed to Philip Simons, as Michael Marks stood down. Thank you Michael for your many years of Mrs Rose Levin celebrated her 100th birthday at a tea with loyal service. We also welcome a new Committee entertainment at Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club. Surrounded member, Carolyne Davis - who (if she works only half as by family and friends, it was a great event, especially for the hard on the Committee as she has done previously with Birthday Girl. A wonderfully ʻfeistyʼ lady, she enjoyed herself the Yom Haʼatzmaut, which I am assured will not be the enormously and we wish her Mazeltov and many more happy days. case) will be an extremely useful member. Maxine Gordon is now officially employed as the Assistant Centre Manager. Amongst her other duties, she elder abuse workshop will have the specific tasks of Membership Secretary and Fund Raising/Grant Administrator. As our facilities have expanded, we have become busier and busier. Maxineʼs Report on L’Chayyim Project Workshop assistance to Norina Duke is now most welcome. held on 13th May 2009 I would like to wish a hearty thank you to all of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Committee members, volunteers & staff, for their dedication and help to make 2008/9 yet another Sharon Borrett from Southdown Housing Association led a successful year. workshop at the Progressive Synagogue on the theme of safeguarding vulnerable adults. This was part of the The Yom Haʼatzmaut 5769 celebrations took place at LʼChayyim project and was attended not only by volunteers Ralli Hall on 28 April. Dr. Colin Shindler was most who are part of the visiting and support network of BHPS, but interesting and educational, while the Chutzpah Choir also by representatives from Helping Hands and the Jewish was inspiring. Congratulations to all those volunteers and Housing Association. We considered the categories of elder organisations who worked so hard together to make the abuse, the most prevalent being financial and physical, and evening a success. the factors which can lead to abuse. Sharon stressed that Unfortunately, Creating Futures, the Princeʼs Trust-whilst we should not expect to find abuse around every corner, we should be aware of the indicators which may funded organisation, which has been occupying the indicate that a person is being abused, some of which are rooms at the rear of the stage for some time, has had to very subtle. By looking at case histories we realised that it is vacate due to their shrinking finances, caused, no doubt, not always easy to differentiate between bad practice, lack of by the credit crunch! However, we are taking the support, neglect and abuse, but the workshop gave us all a opportunity to redecorate the suite of rooms and clearer idea of when we should be concerned and looked at upgrading their facilities. We have already a number of ways in which to respond. This was a valuable training ideas as to how they can be gainfully re-used. morning for all of those involved with the welfare of elderly Nevertheless, if anyone wishes or knows someone who people and thanks are due to Betty Skolnick and Mary may wish to hire one or both of these rooms, each of Burnard who organised the event. which will have an en-suite toilet and tea point, plus their own “non-core” entrance, please contact the office on Modern Hebrew Classes 01273 202254. at Ralli Hall See you at Ralli Hall. For further information contact: Roger Abrahams Ralli Hall 01273 202254 Hon. Chairman Sara Allen 01273 566416 18 sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 diary june 2009 Shabbat Shalom Events this month In Fri 5th 8.50 pm out Sat 6th 10.19 pm In Fri 12th 8.55 pm out Sat 13th 10.26 pm Wednesday 3 JACS, 2.00 pm at AJEX Centre, In Fri 19th 8.59 pm out Sat 20th 10.29 pm Eaton Road, Hove In Fri 26th 9.00 pm out Sat 27th 10.30 pm Members £1.50 / Non-members 2.00 Guest speaker Barrie McFarlane ʻMagnus Volk and His Railwayʼ Regular activities Sunday 7 Helping Hands Volunteers 3.00-4.30 pm Sundays at the Mark Luck Hall with refreshments. • Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com or 97.2 FM, Monday 8 July Submission Deadline 9.00-9.55 am Susssex Jewish News – • Carmel Tennis Club, 10.00 am-12.00 noon. All levels Please send submissions to welcome. Contact Simon on 01273 235607 editor@sussexjewishnews.com or by post Mondays • SARID – 3rd Monday of every month Wednesday 10 JACS, 2.00 pm at AJEX Centre, • Afternoon Club with tea, 1.30 pm at Ralli Hall. Eaton Road, Hove Contact Greta on 01273 721987. Members £1.50 / Non-members 2.00 • Rubber and Duplicate Bridge, 1.30-4.30 pm at Ralli Hall Speaker Linda Whitby (£2.00). Contact Reba on 01444 410435. ʻHives Save Livesʼ Tuesdays Sunday 14 AJEX Tea Quiz • Advanced Oil Painting Group at Ralli Hall. Contact Mark Luck Hall. 3.00 pm. Donation ₤6.00. Martin on 01273 327403. Please contact Aubrey Cole on 737417. • Painting with Rochelle (JAS), 7.00-9.00 pm at Ralli Hall. Telephone 01273 503708. Monday 15 Sarid 10.45 am at Ralli Hall – Donation ₤1.00 • Israeli Folk Dancing, 7.45-9.45 pm at Ralli Hall. Guest Speaker Professor Scarlet Epstein Contact Jackie on 01273 688538. The Impact of Globalisation on • Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club, 10.30 am-4.30 pm at Ralli Indian Villages. Hall. Contact Suzanne on 01273 739999. For further information contact Fausta Shelton on 01273 734648 Wednesdays • Mothers and Toddlers, 10.00 am-12.00 noon at Ralli Hall. Wednesday 17 JACS, 2.00 pm at AJEX Centre, Contact Meg on 01273 779966 or 07962 828877. Eaton Road, Hove • Painting with Gwyneth Rose, (JAS) Members £1.50 / Non-members 2.00 10.00 am-12.00 noon at Ralli Hall. Guest Speaker Geoff Mead Telephone 01273 540464. ʻWay Up West – Hove Actuallyʼ • Chutzpah Choir (singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian) with Polina Shepherd, 7.00-8.45 Sunday 21 Helping Hands Tea pm at Ralli Hall. Contact Rosalind on 01273 541031. 2.30-4.30 pm at the Mark Luck Hall. Donation £2.50 Thursdays • Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club, 10.30 am-4.30 pm Wednesday 24 JACS, 2.00 pm at AJEX Centre, at Ralli Hall. Contact Suzanne on 01273 739999. Eaton Road, Hove • Art in the Studio 10.00am-4.00pm with Members £1.50 / Non-members 2.00 Martin 01273 327403 Guest Speaker Brian Chattock ʻSingapore Revisitedʼ Sunday 28 Summer Sensation Family Fun Day Useful Contacts: 12 noon at Brighton and Hove Hebrew SJN email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com Congregation Garden, New Church Road. For tickets in advance contact Tessa Bass on Sussex Jewish Representative Council: 01273 206456 07962 870642 – Adults ₤5.00, Children ₤3.00 Helping Hands: 01273 747722 to include lunch. Tickets will be a higher price Security telephone: 07973 419772 if purchased on the door. Ralli Hall: 01273 202254 Hyman Fine House: 01273 688226 Photo on back page is of the Welfare Board: 01273 722523 Childrenʼs Procession at the SJN Advertising: 07906 955404 Brighton Festival by Sophie Sheinwald Day Centre at Ralli Hall: 01273 739999 Grodzinski’s challot and rye bread are available from Premier Convenience Stores in Hove Street every Thursday morning until supplies run out. sussex jewish news . . .june 2009 19 -
Issue 190
October September 2009
SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS www.sussexjewishnews.com | £2 | SEP/OCT 2009 | ELUL 5769/TISHREI 5770 | ISSUE 190 ROSH HASHANAH GREETINGS • BACK FROM THE BRINK • BALTIC CRUISE 2 Pause for thought A welcome note from the Editor “Shana tovah. Fittingly, this issue marks our paper anniversary. Over the past year, the Editorial Board has received contributions of many articles, photographs, art or help with proofreading and layout of our community magazine. These volunteer contributors come from across our community and from outside our community, providing us with tremendous diversity in content, opinion and interests. Without our volunteers, there would not be a Sussex Jewish News. On behalf of our community and ourselves, we thank them all for their efforts. Putting Sussex Jewish News together monthly is a labour of love for the Editorial Board. We also recognise that our community is comprised of different practices and views, and, we are not naive enough to think that we will be able to satisfy all of our readers all of the time. As the calendar heads toward the Ten Days of Repentance, it is our obligation to try to make peace, to try not to enter the New Year with any broyges. It is in this spirit of teshuva that the Editorial Board extends its apologies to anyone we may have offended in the past year, whether by commission or omission, as a board or individually. May the New Year bring health, joy, success and prosperity to all and to our community. Shana tovah / happy New Year and well over the Fast. ” ADVERTISING IN SJN Full page (A4 size) B/W: £160. Col: £260 Half page (A5 size) B/W: £90. Col: £160 Quarter page (A6 size) B/W: £50. Col: £90 1/9 page (credit card size) B/W: £35. Col: £50 Personal £4 per line Flyers Price on application Local Jewish charities will not be charged, subject to editorial decision. BOOK NOW! 07906 955 404 editor@sussexjewishnews.com CONTACT US TO ADVERTISE HERE OR ONLINE 07906 955 404 | EDITOR@SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.COM ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 3 Contents Cover stories 12 SPOTLIGHT ON... BACK FROM THE BRINK A new documentary on moral courage and compassion during the Holocaust 16 TRAVEL Sailing, sailing, over the Baltic Sea 18 CHIEF RABBI’S ROSH HASHANAH MESSAGE The questions posed by Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur 28 ROSH HASHANAH GREETINGS Shana Tova wishes from the community SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS Regulars sussexjewishnews.com SJN features local news, 2 PAUSE FOR THOUGHT: Shana tova events, articles, reviews, announcements, people, 5 PERSONALS, LETTERS AND POSTCARDS: News and views congregations, communities, contacts and more. 5 SPECIAL OFFER: Sussex Jewish News subscription Delivered at the start of each 14 CULTURE: Interesting summer reading month, SJN is run entirely by volunteers for reporting, editing, printing, and 19 CULTURE: The arts beat circulating each edition that has become the cornerstone 31 WHAT’S ON: Regular and special events in your community of the Jewish community across the region. Editorial Board Your community Doris Levinson Stephanie Megitt 6 COMMUNITY LIFE: Pictures and news from across the county Ivor Miskin David Seidel 22 HOVE HEBREW CONGREGATION Administrator 23 BRIGHTON & HOVE HEBREW CONGREGATION Ivor Sorokin Admin Assistant 23 RALLI HALL Gweni Sorokin Community Issues 24 BRIGHTON & HOVE PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE Laura Sharpe 25 BRIGHTON & HOVE REFORM SYNAGOGUE Communal Diary Angela Goldman diary@sussexjewishnews.com Photographer Sophie Sheinwald E-Publishing Gary Weston Andy Devon Design/Production Katie Lyons ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 4 About our contributors Getting involved Thank you to our contributors in 5769: THIS MONTH’S COVER is the inside of the Grand Choral Godfrey Gould, Gabi Markham, Jean Etherton, David Stamp, Synagogue in St Petersburg, taken by Diane Joseph on her Cecily Woolf, Sophie Sheinwald, Moss Rich, David Schaverien, recent Baltic cruise. Diane writes about her trip on pages 15 Debra Goodman, Rabbi Charles Wallach, Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah, and 16 of this issue. Hans Levy, Rabbi Vivian Silverman, Sam Barsam, Laura Sharpe, Manny Godfrey, Barbara Gordon, Claudette Woolfson, Jacqui Caidan, Nina Taylor, Judy Gabriel, Roger Abrahams, Angela Goldman, Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board: Shula Rich, Gary Weston, Cynthia Barnett, Terry Barnett, Jodie Graham, Lisa Graham, Jane Dennett, Rabbi Dr Jeremy Rosen, Janice Greenwood, • are not allied to any synagogue or group and the views Liron Greenberg, Raquel Buckland, Marjorie Phillips, Michelle Kay, expressed by writers are not necessarily those of SJN; Lily Korn-Bernstock, Ashley Sheinwald, Gloria Lennard, Joan Melcher, • accept advertisements in good faith but do not endorse Ivor Sorokin, Ian Gordon, Michael Davids, Gordon Kay, any products or services and do not accept liability for any Sharon Granville, Richard Wood, Ben Wood, Bryan Wood, Suchitra Chatterjee, Gweni Sorokin, Rabbi Hershel Rader, Ivan Lyons, aspect of any advertisements; and Rochelle Oberman, Robert Blass, Andrew Jay, Gerald Levy, Imam Sajid, • welcome readers’ contributions but reserve the right to edit, Yael Breuer, Ivor Richards, Janet Cowan, Ann Conn, Andy Devon, cut, decline or submit the content to others for comment. Martin S Wertheim-Gould (Salmond), Betty Skolnick, Penina Efune, Rochel Hoose, Chutzpah Choir, UK Jewish Film Festival, Alan Burke, Shirley Burke, PC Jake Rolf, Phillip Kiberd, Martyn Cooperman, Submission deadline for next issue: 7th October 2009. Moses Barnard Seidel, Jackie Fuller, Philip Freeman, Fiona Sharpe, To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, please Miriam Book, Winston Pickett, Marc Carlton, Daniel Seligman, send them ONLY to editor@sussexjewishnews.com, otherwise Prue Baker, Vivienne Stockman, Lydia Swithern, Sandra & Chaz, Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, David Forman, Liz Posner, Ruth Smee, we cannot guarantee their consideration for publication. Henry Grunwald QC, Jamie Levinson, Susan Conway, Suzanne Collins, To assist the Editorial Board, submissions should be in Word Mike Weatherley, Angela Jay, Sidney Lipman, Liz Shaw, Sarah Wilks, format using Times New Roman as a font. Ruth Karp, Daniel Briscoe, Richard Harris, Vivien Harris, David Melcher, Simon Weinberg, Rabbi Pesach Efune, Aubrey Cole, Judy Irwin, Receipt of submissions may not be acknowledged, unless Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Margaret Phillips, Sharon Rubin, Gillian specifically requested. As the Editorial Board is made up entirely Rich, Katie Lyons, Tessa Bass, Community Security Trust, Joachim of volunteers, any response may be subject to delay. Hemmerle, Merle Kessler, Diane Joseph, Susan Dineen, Victor Sharpe, Paul Jackson, Dr T Scarlett Epstein OBE, Emanuel Marx. CONTACT US TO ADVERTISE HERE OR ONLINE 07906 955 404 | EDITOR@SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.COM ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 5 Personals, letters and postcards Personals Something extra special Mazel tov and welcome to Rabbi Hershel Rader as the A triple Mazel tov for October celebrations to Millie Rich on new rabbi of Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation. We her 92nd birthday, Moss Rich on his 99th birthday and to both send him and his family our sincerest good wishes on Millie and Moss on their platinum (70th) wedding anniversary. his appointment and hope that he will have a happy and successful time in our community. Achievements Births Mazel tov to Daniel Levene, who received 4 ‘A’ grades in his ‘A’ levels and will be going to St Peter’s College, Mazel tov to Penny and Michael Phillips on the birth of Oxford to study geography. their first grandchild, Buckley Baxter Phillips. Mazel tov to Sheila & Gerald Grossman on the birth of Get well their first great-granddaughter, Leah. Refuah shelaimah to Estelle Kay, Michael Linde, Raynor Samuel, Betty Sniders and Cliff Walker. Special Birthdays Mazel tov to Montague Boam, Cyril Davidson, Renne Deaths Davis, Pamela Levy, Cissy Luper, Estelle Mordecai and Condolences to the family of John Cobbs z”l Jack Zukor, all of whom are celebrating special birthdays. Condolences to the family of George Conway z”l Condolences to the family of Dr Arnold Elliot OBE z”l Engagements Condolences to the family of Myrel Ginsburg z”l Mazel tov to Elaine and John Abrahams on the Condolences to the family of Johnny Katz z”l engagement of their daughter Juliet to James Harrison, Condolences to the family of Ella Preisler z”l son of Linda Phillips and Philip Harrison. Condolences to Michael Rosenberg and family on the death of his brother Mazel tov to Claire and Sam Barsam on the engagement of their son Jean-Marc to Heather Freedland of Thank you Manchester. Arnold and Wendy Bloom are most grateful for all the comfort they derived from their many friends on the death Anniversaries of their beloved wife and mother, Ida. Thank you all. Mazel tov to Irit and Roger Abrahams on their ruby Thank you from Susan Conway wedding anniversary. I would like to express my appreciation of all the wonderful Mazel tov to Michele and Stanley Cohen on their pearl kindness and thoughts shown by friends. Words are not wedding anniversary. sufficient to say thank you. I was overwhelmed by this support. My sincerest thanks also to Rabbi Rader and Rabbi Efune. Mazel tov to Susan and Phillip Conway on their 45th wedding anniversary. SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS SUBSCRIPTION OFFER UNTIL 31 OCTOBER 2009 Name: Date: Address: Postcode: Email: Telephone: Subscription (tick one) ( ) I would like to receive electronic copies of Sussex Jewish News for one year at a cost of £12 ( ) I would like to receive printed copies of Sussex Jewish News for one year for a cost of £15 Payment (tick one) ( ) I enclose my cheque payable to Sussex Jewish News at PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ ( ) I have made a bank transfer to the Sussex Jewish News at Lloyds Bank, Sort Code 30-98-74, Account No. 00289447 and I have included my name as a reference to ensure my subscription is noted. Or you can subscribe online at www.sussexjewishnews.com and pay with PayPal! ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 6 Community life High Holy Day Services Around on Shemini Atzeret will commence at 10.00 am on the County Shabbat, 10 October and will be followed by Yizkor. Later that day we will celebrate Simchat Torah with Bexhill & District Jewish Friends will be meeting in the evening service beginning at 6.30 pm. the evening on Friday 18 September (Erev Rosh Hashanah), and this will be followed by a fully catered Eastbourne Progressive Congregation is delighted salmon buffet. to announce that Rabbi Monique Mayer will be leading this year’s High Holy Day Services which will Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation will be holding be held at The Friends Meeting House, Wish Road, services for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Succot, Eastbourne. All are welcome. Unfortunately, for Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. security reasons admission is by ticket only @ £20 per For both days of Rosh Hashanah, morning services person (non-members). commence at 10.00 am on Shabbat, 19 September Rosh Hashanah Services will commence at 7.00 and Sunday 20 September. Morning services will also pm on Friday 18th September and at 10.00 am on commence at 10.00 am on Shabbat, 26 September. Saturday 19th September. On Yom Kippur, the fast begins at 6.15 pm on Sunday Yom Kippur Services will commence at 7.00 pm on 27 September with Kol Nidre services commencing at Sunday 27th September and at 10.00 am on Monday 6.45 pm. On Monday 28 September services for the 28th September. entire day commence at 10.00 am. Hastings & District Jewish Society - For information We will also hold morning services for Succot on regarding High Holy Day Services, please contact Shabbat, 3 October from 10.00 am. Morning services Frank at the Society on 07743 99 22 95. Eastbourne Progressive Jewish Klezmer Concert and Tea in Eastbourne Congregation by Angela Jay Sunday 13th September We hold regular Erev Shabbat Services on the 2nd and On Sunday 13 September Eastbourne Jewish Social Scene 4th Friday of each month at 7pm at The Friends Meeting (EJSS) are delighted to present the internationally acclaimed House, Wish Road, Eastbourne. duo, Merlin and Polina Shepherd who will be performing for us at the WRVS centre in Eastbourne. They are amongst Our Beit Chaverim Friendship Club holds a regular Coffee the world’s leading players of traditional East European Morning at The Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne on the 1st Klezmer-style music and are a treat not to be missed. Wednesday of each month at 11am in the Garden Room (The Conservatory). Merlin Shepherd is a renowned clarinet and saxophone player. He has been Musical Director for the Royal National Both venues are accessible to disabled persons and all and Shakespeare Globe Theatres as well as music can be assured of a very warm welcome. co-ordinator for Klezcamp and Klezfest London. Merlin Enquiries to the Administrator on 01323 725650 or email has also taught at Klezfest in St Petersburg, Ukraine and at EPJCONG@AOL.COM Klezkanada. Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation Polina Shepherd is a composer, singer and pianist She was also the foremost Yiddish choir leader in the former Soviet by Manny Godfrey Union and currently directs the Chutzpah Choir at Ralli Hall. Forty-five people enjoyed a wonderful Kiddush after the She works as the live accompanist to rare black and white service on Saturday, 1st August when we celebrated the films. Her songs and music for choirs, vocal groups and birthdays of President, Menashe Harounoff-Cohen and Jewish Theatre are performed in various places around the Security Officer Sally Brown. Guests included members world. of the Hastings & District Jewish Society, Geoffrey Smith, Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to see this amazing and Director of the Christian Friends of Israel and visitors talented couple in action. Our event is from 3pm to 5pm on from Cambridge and London. Sunday 13th September and includes another scrumptious tea. Tickets are only £6.00 and can be obtained in advance from Claudy 01323 521283 or Sharon 01323 733868. ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 7 Community life In the mid-1980s, Stanley and June separated. A few years later, he married Joy (formerly Franks), a long-time friend, with whom he enjoyed many years. Joy’s death last year, after a long illness, left Dad bereft. With our families spread around the world, Dad was our personal “Facebook” phoning us all every Friday, keeping us up to date on what was going on in our respective hemispheres. Stanley is greatly missed by his eight grand/step-grandchildren, step-daughter Judy, sister Sally and family, and by the three of us. The stone-setting is planned for January 3, 2010. Stanley Jackson (1931-2009) Hastings and District Jewish Society by Graeme, Paul and Beverley by Claudette Woolfson Stanley Jackson died suddenly of a heart attack on June At our last Friday night meeting Frank gave us a 18 in Brighton; he was 77. most interesting talk on the history of Zionism, and in particular its origins as a movement dating back to the Stanley was born in London on November 27, 1931 19th century. On Friday September 4th our speaker will within the sound of Bow Bells. So, despite being such be Jo Oliver from the Association of Carers in Hastings. a true Brightonian, he was also proud to call himself an official Cockney. His parents came to England as Mazel tov to Stella Harris on the Bar Mitzvah of her teenagers: his mother from Rumania, his father (born grandson Daniel. The Society presented Daniel with a Buscovitch) from Lithuania. As a baby, Stanley had lovely illustrated book about Israel. A hearty mazel tov breathing difficulties and a doctor advised the family, also to Menashe Harounof, President of the Eastbourne which included his two elder sisters, Sally and Jean, to Hebrew Congregation, who recently celebrated his move to the seaside. 86th birthday. Members of the Society joined him (and Sally Brown, who had a less significant birthday!) for a He worked in the family estate agency, B. Jackson & Co. wonderful service and kiddush in Eastbourne. This was the beginning of his acquiring a remarkable knowledge about the architecture and history of The annual Coalition of Christians & Jews Garden Party Brighton and Hove, some of which found its way into was held on August 2nd in Hastings. The weather was articles in this magazine. sunny and warm so everybody was able to sit outside and enjoy a lovely afternoon. Many thanks to all the Stanley was a member of the Maccabi Youth Club where he volunteers from both the CCJ and the Society who worked took part in musicals and played table tennis. It was there hard to make this event a success. For all enquiries please he met June and in 1954, they married. We, their children, contact the Society on 07743 992295 or write to HDJS, Graeme, Paul and Beverley, came along a few years later. PO Box 74, Bexhill, East Sussex, TN39 4ZZ Dad was very much a community man and sat on many Bexhill & District Jewish Friends committees. He was a member of the Jewish Welfare by Bernice Lee Board, a founder of Ralli Hall – later appearing in the musicals there – and an active member of the Brighton Our last meeting was held on Friday 17th, July, and all and Hove Youth Trust, to name a few. members present had a very pleasant evening. The lady members spent a delightful afternoon in the beautiful He, like his father, was a member of Middle Street surroundings of the garden at the home of Iris and Synagogue, where he loved to sing and his love of music Stanley Goldklang, where all ladies enjoyed a delicious infused our childhoods – everything from classical music afternoon tea. to big band jazz (not much beyond the 1970s though!). Our next ladies afternoon tea will be held at the Over the years, he had developed an interest in stamps. Eastbourne home of Eve and Rick Edwards, starting In mid-life, he left the family business and went to at 2 pm on Wednesday, 9th September. For further work for Stanley Gibbons in London as an expert in the information about Bexhill Jewish Friends and their stamps of the Middle East. activities, phone 0772 472 880. ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 8 Community life FIRST BIRTHDAY FOR I really enjoy riding around the town. People wave at HELPING HANDS BUS me. I don’t always know who they are but I guess they had something to do with raising the money to buy me. as told to Janice Greenwood All my drivers are well trained and experienced; they I can’t believe that I’m a year old have to take a special road test every four years which already. I’ve already clocked up is very stringent. Please don’t stop making donations, nearly eight thousand miles and I hope to have a brother or sister soon, but it’s all up everybody comments on how to you. If you want to use me all you have to do is well I’m keeping my looks and always looking so spick phone the Helping Hands Bus Line on 701467 or e-mail and span. Most of my trips are taking and fetching hhbusline@googlemail.com people to Ralli Hall for the luncheon club, to the Reform Shul for their monthly teas and to the Mark Luck Hall for the Helping Hands teas. I tell you, you’d be If you would like to go the grounds before the Hagim surprised at some of the conversations that the elders and need a lift, Helping Hands are arranging visits of our community have, but I must keep to the law of to Old Shoreham Road Cemetery on Sunday 6th confidentiality so – no names no pack drill. Ferrying September and to Meadow View Cemetery on Sunday people to and from Roedean for the Brighton Limmud 13th September Please call Helping hands was great fun. How I boasted to the other buses in the on 747722 to book transport. garage – I had been to ROEDEAN!! I also take people on private trips. My first outing was to an 80th Birthday Party out in the country. Everything Remembering George Conway went fine until we drove up to a house with balloons by Aubrey Cole, Branch Chairman outside, which we’d been looking out for, and just as AJEX Brighton & Hove everybody was about to pile out we were told it was the July 27th was a sad day for many - it was the day that wrong house. So all the passengers had to get back in George Conway died. George had been an essential their seats and strap themselves in again. All my drivers part of AJEX for many years; as committee member, his are very fussy (bossy?) and won’t so much as turn welfare and defence work and Vice Chairman. He was on the engine until everybody is strapped in. Another deservedly elected Vice- President of the Branch. George fun trip was when a lady, to celebrate her birthday, was always the life and soul of the party - always with a took a group of her friends on a trip round Brighton & hilarious Yiddisher joke - not necessarily new! This was Hove and then to a cream tea. I took a group of ex-ideal when we made welfare visits. Servicemen and women from AJEX up to London for the Jewish Remembrance Service in Whitehall. A local When his illnesses took hold of George he had to give couple’s daughter is an actress and when she was up active service with AJEX, but he always maintained appearing in Eastbourne they asked if I would take a his interest in it. From then on his life was one of group of their friends to see her performance. continual treatments at home and frequent visits - sometimes emergencies - to hospital. He took all this I was very proud when Liz, Sarah and Liz booked me to in his stride. Whenever I phoned him he might be up or take a group up to Nightingale House for the day. They down medically, but his spirit never changed - it always had a lovely day and what made it especially nice was remained high. that they got to see one of our Patrons, Esther Rosen, who was thrilled at seeing me as she hadn’t been able We were all delighted when George managed to come to make the inaugural celebrations. A group of eleven to our tea quiz on 14th June. ladies meet in each other’s homes for lunch on a George Conway was truly a fine man. He will be monthly basis. They all make a donation to The Martlets remembered by many with great affection. Hospice and once a year they go out for lunch, so that was another country trip. One trip cost me some beauty sleep, I took a team of golfers to Gatwick as they were flying off somewhere to play in a tournament, then I went and collected them at goodness knows what time of night. ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 9 Community life AJEX Worthing & District Jewish Community by Judy Gabriel, PRO Ajex Brighton & Hove by Barbara Gordon Aubrey Cole, Bert Gabriel and myself were honoured to Well, summer has finally come to Worthing, and our represent AJEX at the funeral of Henry Allingham at St annual garden party was held on a warm afternoon with Nicholas of Myra Parish Church on July 30th. We were our usual sumptuous strawberry cream tea. We were fortunate to have a bright sunny day, and to see the particularly delighted to welcome two gentlemen who coffin carried through the Standards representing all Her had made a special journey to be with us. They were Majesty’s forces, plus the British Legion and local and two of the eleven children of the Kindertransport who Surrey Police. Of course the AJEX Standard, carried by had been brought to Worthing. Vernon showed us the our National Standard Bearer Leslie Sutton, was a truly book given to him for his bar mitzvah in 1942 inscribed moving sight and a wonderful and deserving tribute to as being from Worthing Synagogue. He also brought this dear man. along a 1949 magazine from the Worthing Jewish Youth Group containing fourteen pages of fascinating articles. Also present were HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, We very much hope that these two gentlemen will be Patron of the World War One Veterans’ Association, The able to visit us again. Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Brighton & Hove and our Vice Chairman After talking about it for ages, we finally arranged a from London Dr.Arnold Phelops group outing for our members thanks to Roger Berlin. We filled the coach and went to visit Portsmouth It was heartwarming to see so many people there to Synagogue. This is one of the oldest Jewish communities pay their respects, all ages gathered together, and once in the British Isles and a shul has been there for over the service began, at which family and those invited 200 years. The present one was built in 1936 when the attended, everyone waited to see the procession make community purchased a large house and built the shul it’s final journey. A brief stop, at which the Last Post in the garden incorporating many of the features of the was sounded, was followed by one minute’s silence then original shul. Portsmouth, like so many of our outreach Reveille and the Church bell tolled (113 times). Just as communities, is suffering from lack of members and everyone started to leave, a fly-past of World War One they haven’t had a cheder or bat/bar mitzvah for many Aircraft circled the Church, including the one that Henry years. But they do have a magnificent synagogue and himself flew when in the Fleet Air Arm. He would have we were grateful for their warm welcome. loved it! Unfortunately this summer hasn’t been all good in Police and the Community Worthing. We have recently had the sad deaths of by Yael Breuer two of our most valued members – David Josephs and Representatives of Sussex Police joined the Sussex Barbara Pinto and we extend sincere condolences to Jewish Rep Council at a recent meeting, to discuss the Estelle and Ed. relationship between the Jewish community and the Future functions: Monday 14th September at 2.00 pm police. Detective Chief Inspector Nev Kemp, who is – AGM when we are delighted to welcome Rabbi Pesach himself Jewish and who used to take Hebrew lessons in Efune back for a return visit. For further information Brighton before his parents moved to Israel some years contact 01903 779 720. ago, explained that Sussex Police representatives are holding regular meetings with various ethnic minority groups, and emphasized the importance of a viable Connection, Continuity and Community dialogue between the Jewish community and the British Jewish Women Speak Out police. He praised the work of the CST and encouraged The 2009 Women’s Review has been published by community members to involve the police more with The Board of Deputies of British Jews. reports on incidents of antisemitic nature and any other concerns of safety. He added that in relatively It is available for download on the Board of Deputies minor incidents, even when it is not possible to find the website at www.bod.org.uk (click on Publications). culprits, any information passed on to the police would Hard copies may be requested by calling Lillian contribute to the build-up of intelligence that will, in Bennett at the Board of Deputies on 020 7543 5400. turn, help support the community. ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 10 Community life Brighton & Hove JTrail Roadshow: an open invitation by Phillip Kiberd The aim of the Brighton & Hove JTrail project is to create a trail linking sites of Jewish interest that can promote the area’s Jewish heritage to Jewish and non-Jewish audiences and can sit alongside existing city tours as a viable tourism and educational experience. JTrails is working with Brighton History Centre, part of Brighton Museums and Libraries, situated on the first floor of Brighton Museum & Art Gallery in the Pavilion Betty Sharpe: celebrating 100 years Gardens and will launch the trail at the History Centre by Victor Sharpe in 2010. JTrails aims to present stories and memories, with the consent of contributors, provided by the local As a very young girl, Betty Sharpe remembers standing community in an exhibition at the launch, which will also with her mother near Black Friars Lane in London’s East be on show at Ralli Hall during the Brighton Festival in End watching as a Zeppelin flew overhead during the May 2010. First World War. Now, many years later, Betty has just celebrated her 100th birthday in Hove surrounded by To learn more about the project and to view progress close family and friends. Other family members sent on the tour and get a chance to see some of the greetings and flowers from around the world, including memories collected JTrails is holding a ‘roadshow’ event Spain, Israel and the United States. Among the many at Ralli Hall on November 29, 12 noon-4.00 pm. birthday cards was one from HM the Queen, which took JTrails extends an open invitation to the Brighton & pride of place. Hove Jewish community to come along and see what’s happened so far; what’s planned and what else we’d like Betty came to Hove as a newly-married bride in the to know. The 29 November roadshow will also feature mid-1930s when her husband, Sydney Sharpe, was a selection of boards from other JTrail projects and appointed musical director of the orchestra at the will provide an opportunity for individuals to add their Brighton Hippodrome. After seeing service during World own story or memory; bring in an old photograph or War Two, Sydney returned to Hove and took up the document to share with the project or suggest additional baton again at the Hippodrome where he remained for Jewish locations in Brighton & Hove to include in the well over thirty years before retiring and sadly passing final trail. Further events are planned for January and away nearly thirty years ago. Betty loves to show visitors March 2010 before the trail launch in May 2010. the pictures she has of her beloved Syd with the family, as well as those photos taken at the many concerts For more information on JTrails or to contribute a story which she attended at the Hove bandstand, at the or memory visit our website at www.jtrails.org.uk ; email Plummer Roddis department store, and at the Jewish – jtrailsoutreach@hotmail.co.uk or write to JTrails c/o charity functions at which his orchestra played . Oxford Centre for Hebrew & Jewish Studies, Yarnton Manor, Yarnton, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 1PY. We Sydney and Betty were among the founding members also have a project page at Sussex Jewish Online which of the Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue and Betty is we will be using to update progress on the project over the synagogue’s longest surviving congregant. But if you the coming months. ask Betty for one of her earliest childhood memories, she will proudly tell you that she was a member of the Second South Stepney Forget-Me-Not girl guide troop Wednesday 16 November - a far happier experience than watching with horror European Day of Jewish Culture and Heritage all those years ago as the menacing German dirigible JTrails Heritage Tour of Jewish Brighton, 2.00pm hovered overhead. This is a trial run (approx 1 hour) for the tour that is to be launched Victor Sharpe is a freelance writer and author of next year. Everyone welcome, but please advise www.jtrails.org.uk Politicide: The attempted murder of the Jewish state. (then go to contact us) beforehand. Meet outside Brighton Railway Station, Queens Road. ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 11 Community life Sussex Jewish Working and playing together across the Community Care divide by Yaron Jackson, aged 12 The idea of Sussex Rosh Hay’im, Israel Jewish Community This summer I came to Brighton on my own to have a Care (SJCC) started holiday with my grandma, June. We were invited out to approximately eighteen months ago following agreement some of her friends for Friday night dinner. It was very about the need for a forum across all of the Sussex nice and we chatted a lot. The friends around the table Jewish care organisations consisting of Helping Hands, asked me about my life in Israel and especially about my the Jewish Welfare Board, Brighton & Hove Jewish school. Housing Association, Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club, Hyman Fine House (Jewish Care), the Brighton & Hove They were so interested when I told them about the Jewish Centre, Sarid, the Monday Club, Jewish Care, project that we had at our school where Arab children Jewish Women’s Aid, AJEX, the Mother & Toddler Group from the nearby village, Kfar Qedem, came to our (now JTots), Sussex Tikvah and all of the synagogues. school. At the beginning, we were very wary of each other and kept ourselves to ourselves, but as the days SJCC acts as an umbrella body for care across the entire went by, we became friendly and we all realised that we community. Our mission is to provide care across the are not as different as we thought. By the end of the Jewish community. The independence of the constituent week, after lessons about each others’ culture and team organisations will be maintained whilst they will gain games, the week was a big success. the advantage of being part of a co-ordinated approach which enhances support and shares the valuable Sussex Jewish Representative Council experience of all of the individuals. On 22 July 2009, the Sussex Jewish Representative Our ultimate aim is to facilitate the provision of first Council wrote to Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks class care within our community as we are becoming following his appointment as a life peer. more aware that we all need to work with each other On behalf of the Sussex Jewish Representative Council, I to identify common needs and concerns, to enhance would like to pass on to you our hearty congratulations on the lives of Jewish individuals living in Sussex, and your recent appointment to the House of Lords. to support anyone within the Jewish community with a specific need. We also want to be able to identify We wish you well in your continuing work on behalf of the UK common issues for member organisations in providing Jewish community. services and to work jointly to address those issues, On 27 July 2009, the Sussex Jewish Representative as well as identifying hidden situations within the Council received the following reply: community and work together to support people affected by them. For member organisations, we will Thank you so much for your kind letter about the peerage. offer further training and support for volunteers which Elaine and I really appreciated your writing and we were will benefit the whole Jewish community. touched by the warmth of your words. SJCC is facilitated by Sonia Douek, Head of Community We know that the honour belongs in large measure to the Development and Family Carers at Jewish Care and respect in which the Jewish community, and Judaism itself, are co-chaired by Sarah Wilks of Helping Hands and Fiona held, and that too has given us great delight. Sharpe of the Jewish Welfare Board. As with all new These are challenging times for the Jewish community, for organisations we have evolved and changed and are now Britain, and for the world, and it’s a privilege to have a voice far nearer in our aim for co-ordinated community care. in the conversation about our shared future. In this month’s issue of Sussex Jewish News is Thanks again, and may all you do be blessed. our directory with contact information of the main Treasurer Sought organisations involved with Sussex Jewish Community Irvyn Isaacs has carried out the role of Treasurer of Care. The aim is for this leaflet to reach the wider the Sussex Jewish Representative Council for a number community by distribution to doctors’ surgeries, of years and wishes to step down at the next Annual hospitals, libraries, coffee shops etc. We want to reach General Meeting. Responses from volunteers wishing every Jewish person in Sussex who needs any of the to succeed Irvyn are invited from the community. services provided by our organisations. ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 12 Spotlight on... Back from the brink Back from the Brink thus promoting a more humane world society. Through by Dr. T. Scarlett Epstein OBE the initial grant from Austria, we, the producers are pretty well assured of European-wide distribution. But we have We live in times of unscrupulous profiteers and chasms a wider vision - to instil courage and conviction into the of moral decay. We have our champions of justice and people who see this film. The Shoah Foundation has also people of compassion. Looking back to the plight of the promised to help with its world-wide distribution. Jews caught in the grip of Hitler’s wrath, we find not only many villains, but also many unsung heroes. Although there are many video archives of survivor interviews providing valuable tools for research, we want Back from the Brink is a film documentary in the to go that one step further. With these stories we want to course of production which highlights the plight of four highlight the moral obligation on ourselves as Jews and European Jews hanging on to their lives by a thread and on all other faiths throughout the world to reach out and their harrowing experiences of being just steps away support the persecuted minorities, whatever their faiths or from death at the hands of the Nazis. beliefs, in order to affirm our own faith in humanity. All four are saved, brought back from the brink, not by Sadly we are all aware of the horrors of the Holocaust chance or by luck, but through the selfless compassion and those who perpetrated those dreadful events. and moral courage of non-Jews. The four tell their However, we must also give praise to those brave stories as if the events had happened just yesterday and people who risked their own lives to save Jews and this all four are still amazed that others were willing risk their bravery, highlighted in our film, should inspire and set own lives to save them. To our knowledge, such a film an example for future generations to do the same if they has never before been made. are called upon to do so. The producers of the film are Ric Wasserman and We are confident that the Jewish communities will Scarlett Epstein and we have been given a modest grant appreciate the special features of our venture and will from the Austrian authorities to make this documentary, support our work in making this film, thus allowing us to tell but another £23,000.00 is needed so that it can be these important stories so that we can make our tribute to completed. Ric Wasserman is a well-known documentary those unsung heroes for their unflinching bravery, a reality. film director who has also worked with the Steven Spielberg Shoah Foundation as a cinematographer. To provide support for this venture or for more information, please write to me at 5 Viceroy Lodge, One of our goals is to show Back from the Brink to an Kingsway, Hove BN3 4RA or contact me on 01273 international television audience, with special emphasis 735151 or by e-mail at scarlett@epstein.net. on the annual National Holocaust Memorial Day events, B. D. Sanders Ltd lyonsrankin For all your floral requirements DESIGN . MARKETING . DIGITAL For all your printing requirements please Bouquets Lyons Rankin is an ethical M Flower arrangements contact design agency based in Fresh flowers Brighton. ANDUS PRINT M Weddings Birthdays M Bar mitzvahs z design ON Celebration balloons z marketing z digital 01273 558880 Tel: 01273 880 022 01273 930931 email: andus@mistral.co.uk 0800 068 4488 info@lyonsrankin.com www.andusprint.co.uk Email: bdsanders@businessserve.co.uk www.lyonsrankin.com Web: www.bdsanders.co.uk ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 13 Spotlight on... Kristallnacht The Kristallnacht as Symbolic Turning Point Secondly, it demonstrated the Nazi state’s complete in Nazi Rule by Professor Emanuel Marx subjugation and degradation of its Aryan citizens. It regulated their lives to the point where it could permit The Kristallnacht of November 9-10, 1938 was both a them to commit excesses without fear of losing control. carnival and a complex ritual pregnant with meaning. From now on, it would drop all remaining moral restraints, A noisy and rowdy public display that broke the stern and exploit and maltreat them almost like the non-Aryans. and demanding routine of the regular “Aryan” German Aryans would no longer be treated as individuals, but as citizens, participants were permitted to derive pleasure expendable units of production or fighting. Men would from the suffering and death of others to still their own be sent to their deaths in the various war zones. Women fear of disorder and death. The pogrom sent out three would be exploited as workers and mothers of successive intertwined symbolic messages. generations of soldiers. If any German could or would First, it was a turning point in the relations between not work, fight or otherwise serve the purposes of their Germany and the world. Until that day, after each masters they would be imprisoned or eliminated. conquest the Nazis reassured the world that they would Thirdly, Jews would no longer be encouraged to refrain from further demands. From now on, the Nazis emigrate from Germany, and would be dealt with more would freely develop and pursue grandiose political harshly. The Nazis expropriated Jewish property, then projects and the founding of a colonial empire, without deported them to the East, and finally exterminated concern for what the world thought of them. them by forced labour and outright murder. Peter Marson Wishing you a Happy New Year BSc MC Optom Optometrist & and well over the Fast Contact Lens Provider 188 Church Road, Hove BN3 2DJ 01273 719012 Barnard Associates OPTOMETRISTS Providing eye care to the community for 30 years Telephone: 01273 772318 e-mail: reception@barnard-associates.co.uk Connaught House, 27 Sackville Road, Hove BN3 3WA ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 14 Culture Interesting summer reading This summer offered some interesting reading material. The Israel Test Outliers: The Story of Success and The Israel Test are different in subject, but they have some common George Gilder threads. In addition, both books inadvertently adopt a Richard Vigilante Books, similar structure in that the final chapter in each book 320 pages adapts the author’s lessons to his own personal past. George Gilder is a free Outliers: The market economist whose Story of Success books over the past thirty years have been Malcolm Gladwell exceedingly influential Penguin Books, 320 pages in the West. Again, this Truth told, I was a little is a book that is easy to sceptical about Malcolm read, despite its complex Gladwell. Friends have subject matter and biases recommended The Tipping for which Gilder is unashamed and unapologetic. It Point and Blink, his previous is also filled with a lot of information that is of great works, with what seemed assistance in understanding a difficult issue. almost a cultish fervour from The Israel Test begins with Gilder using the State of Israel which I have always felt as a marker, a test for all nations on Earth to determine who compelled to keep away. I was given a copy of Outliers: The and what they stand for. A supply side capitalist, he looks at Story of Success by a friend who said that the book is a series the historical issues of antisemitism from a socio-economic of true stories that are engagingly told. Again, I hesitated. and secular perspective and arrives at an interesting theory. After reading the introduction, I was hooked. Importantly, he looks at other examples of racial persecution Gladwell’s writing style makes complex subjects readily for exactly the same reason. It is a compelling argument comprehensible and enjoyable. The chapters are about that also acknowledges the mutability of antisemitism as it diverse subjects, including sportsmen, classical musicians, morphs into current-day anti-Zionism. Jewish immigration, Chinese numbering, education The book then examines the impact of government systems, school holidays and more. Some were more redistribution of wealth. It is not pretty reading, particularly interesting than others, but all worked together to prove for those favour economic redistribution, within the context the central thesis that success is not about talent alone, of Israel and the Palestinian territories from 1948 to present. but about talent, circumstance and luck. Divided into three periods, it leads to some interesting One outstanding chapter outlined the 10,000 hour rule, conclusions about the prospects for peace in the Middle East. the practising time necessary to become an expert The last third of the book deals with an historical in any field. However, the genius in Gladwell’s book Israel Test. Looking at Israeli economic policies from was looking at The Beatles and Bill Gates, two clear 1948 and its origins in the labour movement, Gilder examples of individuals achieving their 10,000 hours points out that for its first fifty years, the modern state at an early age and then using their skills to set their failed its own Israel Test. How things turned around profession and even the world on fire. The information for Israel – include examinations on the importance of on Bill Gates alone helps to understand why the professional immigration from Russia and how Israel Microsoft founder has deserved his success. became a leader in technology development. Both are On education, Gladwell looks at the Ivy League and Oxbridge striking tales, but not as interesting as the final chapter, universities and asks what they should do when all of the where Gilder outlines how as young man he failed his applicants are geniuses. The answer makes perfect sense. own Israel Test. It is an uncomfortable tale. The chapter on the links between ethnicity, obedience to The Israel Test is, in some ways, a paean to a country authority and plane crashes was particularly interesting. that has survived and prepares to continue to survive. Outliers is a wonderful book filled with engrossing That is something that Gilder admires and hopes will narratives and information that prove a slogan in an continue for the future with the support of nations who old television advert in Canada: it takes twenty years to will join in a fight for what is right. become an overnight success. by David Seidel ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 15 ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 16 Travel Sailing, sailing, over the Baltic Sea by Diane Joseph When we arrived at our airport hotel on 4th Helsinki, Finland June, the night before our early-morning flight to At midnight it was still light, although the sun was Copenhagen, so too did guests for an Orthodox starting to set. I got up at 2.30am and I took a wedding. In fact a chuppah had been erected beautiful photo of the sun high in the sky, a liner sailing outside. We considered mingling with the guests underneath and the reflection of the sun continuing on and partaking of the reception but didn’t think I the other side of the ship. Unlike Stockholm, where from the ship you can see numerous hills, Helsinki is flat, would be welcomed in trousers. although there are also many little rocks. The Swedes Copenhagen, Denmark annexed Finland in the 13th century and in the 17th We flew to Copenhagen and had a half-hour coach ride century it passed from Sweden to Russia by treaty. The to the docks to board the ship for a Baltic cruise. The Finns are considered some of the world’s best soldiers Emerald Princess is the largest ship we have been on and during the winter of 1939 – 1940 little Finland, with with about 3,400 passengers and 1227 crew, There was only four million people, held back the might of the a new show every other day and entertainers in many of Soviet Union and was even able to counter-attack. the bars. We had a tour back stage and were amazed to In Sibelius Park there is a huge monument in stainless see a moving clothes rack in the dressing room and the steel honouring John Sibelius, a great nationalistic wardrobe as high as three decks. A show is mounted in composer who helped keep the ethnic consciousness Los Angeles every three years at a cost of two million alive. This monument is made up of six hundred tubes dollars and after a season on one ship it goes on to with openings at the top and bottom of each tube. another. During the Russian period it was illegal to play Finlandia Stockholm, Sweden and some of his other compositions because of the Sweden is a country made up of 14,000 islands, so it patriotic stirring that it prompted in the Finns. can be very treacherous sailing to it. There are small Helsinki is built on granite of all different colours and and even smaller islands necessitating three pilots to we went into a very modern Lutheran church, Lutheran show ships the way, many of these islands having a being the main religion of Scandinavians. Schooling small lighthouse on them. There are fourteen islands in is free up to the age of 18 but then they only pay for Stockholm, which are reached via fourteen bridges, a bit the books, not the tuition. With regard to health, there like Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham! We went on a 2 are private schemes but with non-private they pay 20 hour coach trip and saw all points of interest, the Palace, Euros a visit to the doctor. (We were not told about House of Parliament etc. It is unbelievably hilly but very visits to the hospital and operations.) There is a very big clean, not one piece of paper or plastic to be seen, just department store called Stockman which brags about like the UK! being the biggest store in the world, however the guide The country is preparing for the wedding of the King disagreed with this. Stockman has a motto: ‘If we don’t and Queen’s daughter, who has been engaged to a have it then you don’t need it’!! commoner for the seven years it has taken the Royal St. Petersburg, Russia couple and parliament to agree that the 33 year-old In 1703 Peter the Great had no ill feelings against princess can marry him. We saw the house of Nobel, he the Jews – the first Jews in Russia were converted of the Peace Prize, who, you will remember, developed Portuguese. Peter’s motto was ‘if a person has been dynamite but while experimenting he unfortunately blew baptised or circumcised it’s all the same to me as long up the house, killing his twenty year old brother. as they do their job’. In 1742, some years after Peter’s We heard the same complaint in all the Scandinavian death, all Jews were deported unless they agreed to countries: warmer winters. They used to have thick become Russian Orthodox - only 142 Jews remained snow and ice; even the sea froze but in the last year in St. Petersburg. In the 1760’s Catherine the Great or two this has scarcely happened. Our first day’s annexed part of Poland, Lithuania and Belarus and they tour ended with the excitement of passengers on the became part of Russia. Hundreds more Jews thus came balconies cheering and applauding as 3 latecomers just to St. Petersburg but as they were not allowed to live in made it before the ship sailed. the centre they were put into fifteen districts outside St. Petersburg. ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 17 Alexander the First assimilated Jews through education of all these buildings is supported by different Jewish and in 1804 allowed them to go beyond settlements to organisations and very wealthy businessmen. There is work and live. There were about 400 by 1825. Yet again no membership fee or burial society fee but if they want the tide turned as there was a list of Jews who were to give, they give. They have a Shochet and a Mohel deported who did not have an occupation. Hundreds and the Cantor made a joke about not mixing up the were deported to convict labour camps, which left only two! There is also a souvenir shop called Kosher, selling 29. These were soldiers, doctors, nurses, and dentists Judaica, memorabilia, packets of kosher food available who worked at the Imperial Court. Others who remained in the UK and would you believe, a wurst at £10!! There were converted. We took photos of St. Isaacs Church were also the Russian bubba dolls that fit into each and the statues of Rimsky Korsakov and Blinka, the other, and items of silver, all expensive. composer. Only a quota of about 5% of Jewish students may go to The purpose of our visit to St. Petersburg was to visit university. Jews are tolerated: there is no discrimination the Grand Choral Synagogue. Alexander the Second from the state but there are odd cases of intolerance. allowed Jews to construct the Grand Choral Synagogue, Intermarriage is at 90% but the Rabbi will accept whose foundation date is considered to be 1 April children of mixed marriages into the Jewish schools. 1802, but it took years to get permission because they There is no such thing as a get. They have five scrolls, couldn’t erect one near Orthodox Churches - the ‘nimby’ one original one from Lithuania which is about 100 years effect. The history of the St. Petersburg Jewish Religious old, rather tattered, which the Cantor felt was no longer Community dates back over 200 years. There are kosher, so they use the other modern scrolls. 90,000 Jews in the USSR, 1300 belonging to the Grand In the summer the sun doesn’t really set, although it Choral Synagogue, known as the second Jerusalem. The does start to get darker at about 11pm but as that is amazing thing is that the shul was never damaged in too late, they bring Shabbat forward to about 9.20pm. WW11 – a bomb hit one Shabbos morning but there was It doesn’t go out until about 3.00am Sunday morning. no damage and no one was hurt – Divine Intervention! In the winter Shabbat comes in about 3.00pm as in There are 7 Sephardi and Georgian families and 150 England. Ashkenazi families worshipping in the main Synagogue. About 100 Lubavitch, whose Rabbi comes from At the end of the talk the Cantor answered questions Brooklyn, worship in one side room and the rest in the and then was joined by a pianist and clarinettist. He other side room. then thrilled us all, singing songs in Yiddish, Hebrew and Russian, giving me goose pimples. He sang Tumbala and When we arrived we were taken to the Le Chaim kosher asked everyone to join in. Those that knew the words restaurant where we had a very nice four course meal, sang them and we illiterates who didn’t la-la’d but it but the waiters thought they were in the day centre was beautiful. I whispered to John that he could be an where I had worked for years, because almost before opera singer. When we eventually left, the guide pointed you had put your cutlery down they snatched the plate out the Opera House and said that is where the Cantor away. We had a fit of the giggles as the waiter shushed worked!!! me! We were then ushered into the main synagogue which was beautiful, and greeted by Cantor Gregory He showed us the Wedding Chapel – the whole room Yakerson, a charming and eloquent young man who had is the chuppah. There is a white covered chair under studied in America. He firstly gave us a talk on the shul a small canopy for the bride to sit on and he pointed and gave us many facts and figures. out the ornate domed roof: all the wedding guests are under the chuppah and take part in the ceremony. We In early 2000 an American philanthropist Edmond also went upstairs into a very small synagogue where Safra spent zillions of dollars refurbishing the shul. On daily prayers are said – the notice read ‘Only Men and this site, as I mentioned, there is a restaurant which Tourists’!! I noticed two charity boxes on a shelf which doubles as a soup kitchen feeding 60 poor people were screwed down. daily, a day centre for elderly people where Yiddish lessons are given, five Hebrew classes, a mikvah, and This 10-day tour lived up to all expectations and was the another building erected by ORT in 1880. The upkeep highlight of the cruise for us. ISSUE 190 / SEP/OCT 2009 / WWW.SUSSEXJEWISHNEWS.CO.UK 18 &+,()5$%%,·6526++$6+$1$+0(66$*( $WWLPHVOLNHWKHFXUUHQWUHFHVVLRQZHQHHGPRUHWKDQHYHUWRUHIOHFWRQWKHTXHVWLRQV5RVK+DVKDQDKDQG -
Issue 184
March 2009
2 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 Editorial Board Doris Levinson Stephanie Megitt Ivor Miskin David Seidel Administrator Ivor Sorokin 01273 507979 Admin Assistant Gweni Sorokin Reporter/Photographer Sophie Sheinwald Community Issues Laura Sharpe Communal Diary Angela Goldman PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ. Tel: 01273 220461. Email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com www.sussexjewishnews.com Wraparound cover: Roedean by Martin S. Wertheim-Gould (Salmond) For prints of this and other works, please contact the artist on 01273 327403 SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS - SUBSCRIPTION FORM Name…………………………………………….................................................................... Date ............................... Address………………………………………………………………………………………….............................................. .......................................................................................................................................... Postcode ……….................... 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I have included my name as a reference to ensure that my subscription will be noted Useful Contacts: SJN email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish Representative Council: 01273 206456 Helping Hands: 01273 747722 Security telephone: 07973419772 Ralli Hall: 01273 202254 Hyman Fine House: 01273 688226 Welfare Board: 01273 722523 SJN Advertising: 01273 220461 Day Centre at Ralli Hall: 01273 739999 Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board • Are not allied to any synagogue or group and the views expressed by writers are not necessarily those of SJN; • Accept advertisements in good faith but do not endorse any products or services and do not accept liability for any aspect of any advertisements; • Welcome readersʼ contributions but reserve the right to edit, cut, decline or submit the content to others for comment. Submission deadline for next issue: 8 March 2009. To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, please send them ONLY to editor@sussexjewishnews.com, otherwise we cannot guarantee their consideration for publication Editorial March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb? You really have to wonder. Our communities have been roaring into March with a wealth of activities that helped dispel the winter cold. It also explains why there have been no entries so far in our Mea Culpa Competition (even though we purposely left a number of typos in there – just to be fair). People were busy. Thankfully the number of activities we are all enjoying is increasing. Weʼll see each other at any one of the readings of Megillat Esther or meet up in the pub to drink in honour of Purim. Or maybe weʼll join in any one of the many varied social activities listed in the communal diary or go to the films being shown in Brighton as part of the UK Jewish Film Festival. Many of us will also be coming together at Roedean for the Brighton & Hove Day Limmud. Thatʼs where weʼll be launching our revamped website as one of many parts of the new community website, www.sussexjewishonline.com, which will also launch at the same time. One thing is certain: Sussex Jewry is active and becoming more so. Maybe March comes in like a lion and goes out like a bigger lion. Unless one looks at the calendar. Then March comes in like a lion and goes out like a korban Pesach – a Paschal lamb with all of us waiting to pounce on new social activities later in April. Happy Purim / Chag Purim Same’ach to all. sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 3 from our readers Births Mazel tov to Sandra and Brian Josyfon on the birth of a fourth grandchild. Mazel tov tov to Sylvia Ash on the birth of twin great-granddaughters. Birthdays Mazel tov to Muriel Elkin-Rose, Benita Ferris, Ron Gould, Emma Myers, Ivor Miskin, Paul Samrah and Sybil Wilson, all of whom are celebrating special birthdays. Get Well Refuah shelaimah to Suzi Collard and Jack Levy. Achievements Mazel tov to Kimberly Style and her family on the occasion of her bat mitzvah. Mazel tov to Ronnie Marcovitch on his second bar mitzvah. Condolences We wish long life to: • the family of Hetty Levene z”l • Ruth Morris on the passing of husband Bruce • the family of Jessie Price z”l Consecration The memorial stone in loving memory of Stella Noble z”l will be consecrated on Sunday, 1 March at 2.00 pm at the Jewish cemetery, Meadowview, Bear Road, Brighton. Letters I was very impressed and delighted that you published the article The challenges and prospects for Jewish-Muslim dialogue by Imam Sajid. I wonder if a similar article from a leading Rabbi would be published in a Muslim newspaper or magazine. One would hope so. I have always thought that it is luck where you are born and therefore which religion or culture you belong to. That's why we need to tolerate (and understand) other people's faiths and cultures however challenging that may be. Keep up the good work addressing such issues. Andy Devon I was very interested in your article about Joshua Nelson and The Kosher Gospel Singers in last month's SJN. In my years as choir leader at the Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue we explored many different tunes to Adon Alom. We all had our favourites so I thought it might be a nice exercise to challenge the choristers to come up with a novel idea for a melody to this anthem. Very tongue in cheek, it was suggested that at Christmas time we could use Good King Wenceslas! Scarborough Fair fits in quite beautifully and I was thinking about teaching the Cheder children to sing it one Shabbat morning. However, the most unusual tune put to me was Any Dream Will Do from Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Try it for yourselves; it really does work. Gweni Sorokin The article about the Wood triplets in your January issue reminded me of the Yom Kippur of 1981. During the afternoon break, three very smart boys in grey suits walked into Middle Street shul. I knew about them, but had never met them. They decided that it was the shul for them and that was the begining of a long and happy relationship. Their knowledge of Hebrew was outstanding and soon they were partaking in the service whenever it was needed, and became part of the ʻMiddle Street Familyʼ, as the regulars were known. They also went to the Jewish Home on Friday nights to take the service there. They used to help us with the Succah and whenever we had a Shabbaton, we knew we could rely on them to shift the furniture around. After all these years they have gone their separate ways and become very successful in their careers; Bryan in Prague, Benjamin in America and Richard in Canada, who is now engaged to be married. Mazel tov to him. They are now young men but keep in touch with us and all their news through their parents, Margaret and Robin Wood. I look forward to the day when they come back to see us, but until then they will always be known as ʻour boysʼ. Elizabeth Caplin Join the community at Ralli Hall at 7 pm on 28 April 2009 to celebrate Yom Haʼatzmaut with Colin Shindler, author of A History of Modern Israel and What Do Zionists Believe? Then come and shop in our market of Jewish books, Jewish music and Judaica. Enjoy refreshments and much, much more. Look for more details, next month in Sussex Jewish News! We mourn the loss of two dear cousins Hetty Levene and Jessie Price. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all at Hyman Fine House for their loving care of Jessie, and to Fausta Shelton for her great kindness and consideration visiting both cousins. June Sinclair and Joe Levene Personal announcements / classified Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration – 28 April CARER AVAILABLE PRIVATE 20 years experience. Qualified to administer medication. Hourly rates and references available. Further information ring Jenny King 01273 880013 ROOM WITH EN-SUITE BATHROOM TO LET Iʼm a 25 year old male looking for a flat mate. I have a 2 bedroom flat at Brighton Marina. Age 18/35, non-smoker. £525 per month inclusive. Please call 07703 562400. 4 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 community life Hastings & District Jewish Society This yearʼs National Holocaust Memorial Day service at St. Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings, was without doubt a most remarkable and outstanding event. Attended by over 400 people, including many dignitaries from around the county, it was a collaboration between the Society, the Council of Christians and Jews and Christian Friends of Israel. It was sponsored by Hastings Council. In keeping with this yearʼs theme, Standing up to Hatred, the story of how the Danish people saved their Jewish compatriots from the Nazis was recounted. It was especially poignant, as one of our members and her family were amongst those who were rescued. Stella Harris and Christophe Lennard led the reading of this amazing story. We were honoured to have the presence of the Danish Deputy Ambassador, who spoke most generously about the contribution that Jewish people made to Danish society. The internationally renowned violinist, John Kane, played music from Schindler’s List. Bernard Perkins of Opera South East sang Kaddish. This event always involves a lot of hard work behind the scenes over a long period of time and we are grateful to all those who made it happen. On Friday 6th February we held our monthly service and social. In place of a speaker we had a very friendly meeting recounting stories from our lives. In March our speaker is Mr Ken Brooks Eastbourne Jewish Social Scene is holding a Grand Purim Party on March 8 – see below for details. On Purim itself, Tuesday March 10th, Stella has kindly offered her home for a reading of the Megillah – in English. Please let her know if you can attend. Since 1974 Hastings & District Jewish Society has been bringing people together who are interested in Jewish life in Hastings, Bexhill, Rye and the surrounding areas. For all enquiries please contact us on 07743 992295 or write to PO Box 74, Bexhill, East Sussex TN39 4ZZ. Ralli hall hosts first SPARKS seminar The SPARKS Programme is a series of seminars that launched on 1 February 2009 as a regional development initiative for lay leaders by the Board of Deputies. The first and was attended by over thirty community representatives including delegates from Brighton & Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings, Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury and Maidstone. Delegates chose between sessions on managing community organisations or Jewish education in the community. In the morning sessions, Angela Gluck Wood discussed “Were you born great or did you have greatness thrust upon you?” whilst Clive Lawton worked with the education group on how to create a curriculum for Jewish education. In the afternoon the presenters switched sessions. Clive Lawton continued the leadership and management session on “How do you get people to do things?” Meanwhile, Angela Gluck Wood met with the education group to discuss teaching and teaching techniques. Delegates learned a lot on various issues and enjoyed the opportunity to meet and network with leaders from different communities. All looked forward to the next sessions on 1 March at Gatwick, 26 April in Tunbridge Wells and 31 May at Ralli Hall. Future sessions will feature a variety of speakers who will be looking at topics such as Israel following the general election, social action, creating speakers panels, inter-faith issues and Jewish education for children and adults. Additional spaces are limited for future sessions. All sessions are free and travel expenses are reimbursed by the Board of Deputies. For more information or to register for future sessions, please contact Hannah Ashleigh at the Board by e-mail to hannah.ashleigh@bod.org.uk or by telephone on 0207 543 5400. David Seidel ultimately benefit both our clients and volunteers. The first of this yearʼs events was on Sunday 25 January at the Mark Luck Hall. The volunteers who came were the trustees, executive members, tea administrators, the “phone-uppers” (who call our clients monthly) and of course the Sunday tea team who organise the catering and entertainment. Our aim was to bring together all the back-room staff involved in the lead-up to our monthly teas. We drank tea, and ate delicious sandwiches and cake. The afternoon was a great opportunity to learn a little more about how much work goes into the arranging of our Sunday teas. The next event will be an evening in March for all our drivers followed by another evening in May for our volunteer home visitors and befrienders. After reading this if you can put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard please send us a few words. Helping Hands Over the past few months, like many local organisations, we have taken a step back to look at how we can do things even better. We have been taking advice from our mentors and are in the process of implementing a much more efficient and caring organisation. We would like more contact with our volunteers and to be able to offer more to our clients. With this in mind we have now introduced a Volunteer Information Sheet that we will distribute monthly in order to keep our volunteers up to date. We also intend to have a ʻHands Onʼ newsletter for our clients which will coincide with the chagim. It will replace our existing newsletter. We would welcome contributions from both volunteers and clients for inclusion - sad or funny, serious or amusing, but worthy of passing on. We are planning a series of events for volunteers where they will be able to share news and views which will Eastbourne Jewish Social Scene EJSS invites you to their Purim Party which is being held on Sunday 8th March from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm at the WRVS centre in Eastbourne. In addition to another scrumptious tea and a tribute to Purim we have the fabulous Downtown IV playing Trad Jazz for your entertainment. Fancy dress is optional. All this for only £5.00 or £2.50 for children aged 5-12. To obtain tickets in advance contact Claudy on 01323 521283 or e-mail claujune@aol.com sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 5 community life SJYG at Hyman Fine House In honour of Tu B'Shevat the Sussex Jewish Youth Group, along with the kind help of Rabbi Pesach Efune, planted a beautiful tree in the Hyman Fine House garden. Much to the excitement of many of the residents, after planting the tree we had a little chat to them whilst Aaron Borkum serenaded everyone with his fantastic alto saxophone. We would like to thank Helping Hands for allowing us to use their minibus, the Hyman Fine House for allowing us to perform this mitzvah and for being so welcoming, Liron and Raquel our two fantastic youth workers, for all the help they put in and all our members who were, as always, fantastic representatives of the Brighton & Hove Jewish youth community. We have many exciting new projects coming up, there is talk of a trip to Thorp Park, a big haunted sleepover, a charity fundraiser night walk from the marina to the lagoon and we are even organizing the teen programme for Brighton Limmud. So please come along. For more information please contact Liron on 07730 970975. Gabi Markham A tree for our generations Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation In anticipation of Purim, Frank Miller writes that “Haman, the Prime Minister of Iran 2,500 years ago, was intent on killing all Jews. Fortunately he did not succeed and, thanks to this, the 9th and 10th of March this year marks the celebration of Purim – the noisiest and most irreverent festival in the Jewish calendar. [Today the] Hamas leadership calls for the killing of all Jews, so has anything changed in the last 2,500 years apart from an ʻsʼ being substituted for an ʻnʼ? Amazingly, “Hamas” is also a Biblical Hebrew word meaning ʻviolenceʼ or ʻdestructionʼ. Now do you believe in Bible codes?” There will be no Purim service at Susans Road as there will be an incorporation of the Esther story at the EJSS Purim party. Please see above for details. There will be a communal Seder on Thurs. 9th April 2009 at 7pm held in the Synagogue hall. For more details collect a leaflet from the Shul or phone Linda on 01323 484135 or Sally on 07739 082538. The Christian Friends of Israel will be using our Shul hall to hold a forum together with our community. Participants will include Eric Moonman, ex-Member of Parliament and member of the Zionist Federation. It will be open to all members of the Jewish Communities. A date will be confirmed and circulated. Eastbourne Progressive Jewish Congregation A moving and meaningful service was held at the Friends Meeting House, Wish Rd, Eastbourne at 4pm on 27 January. It was led by the Rev. Sheila Foreman of the Central Methodist Church, Andrew Jay of Eastbourne Progressive Jewish Congregation and Ronnie Taylor of the Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation. Members of the Christian and the Jewish communities of Eastbourne met to remember the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust during the last World War, as well as the countless others lost in subsequent genocides elsewhere. Kaddish was recited, Psalm 19 was read, and a moving version of Psalm 121 sung by the Liberal Jewish Synagogue Choir was played. Readings were heard from the works of Elie Wiesel, and Corrie Ten Boom. Six candles were lit in commemoration of the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Our next Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday 4 March at 11am in the Garden Room (Conservatory) of The Hydro Hotel, Mount Road, Eastbourne. Our Services, which are held at The Friends Meeting Place, Eastbourne, Wish Road, are: - 13 March - Normal Erev Shabbat Service 7pm 27 March - Chavurah Supper 5pm, Erev Shabbat Service 7pm WIZO@Home Quiz 2009 An innovative way to raise funds for WIZO which was launched last year and it was so successful that it was repeated again this year. Sussex WIZO organised two tables - one in Hove and the other in Eastbourne. In excess of £30,000 was raised nationally by this event, which funds are dedicated to helping the one in five vulnerable children at risk in Israel. 6 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 community life community spanning a large age range. Other members of the community delivered a series of readings from the writings of a wide range of authors. The Ark was opened for the reading of the Shemah from the Synagogueʼs Czech scroll. Rabbi Sarah explained that the scroll had come from a community in Fridek Mystek which had been effectively destroyed by the German war machine. Amongst many poignant moments, probably the most touching was the rendition of the Patriots Song, sung from the balcony of the Synagogue by Josephine Spiegel and accompanied on violin by Tilly Kearey. The evening ended with Aubrey Cole, the Chair of the Local AJEX branch, being invited to light the memorial candle, which he did with great grace. Thanks are due to Rabbi Sarah for arranging an excellent cross-communal event. Ivor Miskin Worthing & District Jewish Community Well, here we are again and yes, we are still going strong. Unfortunately, due to holidays and defunct computers weʼve not been able to submit our usual articles for the last couple of months. We even had to cancel our Chanukah party but have promised our members and Rev. Malcolm Weisman a late celebration at the end of May. We are grateful to have had several visits from Rabbi Charles Wallach of BHRS ranging from a very successful and enjoyable afternoon meeting in November to his attending our Worthing service for Holocaust Memorial Day. The Mayor, many church dignitaries, representatives of the police, Salvation Army and very importantly, the local Imam, joined our Community in a moving service held near the tree planted in Beach Park to commemorate this special day. Rena Haines, accompanied by her husband and daughter, tied a wreath to the tree in memory of her family. The Imam impressed all with his oration and Rabbi Wallach ended by saying Kaddish. Afterwards we were all treated to coffee and cake in the local park café by the Mayor. All in all a very satisfactory morning apart, that is, from the failure of Barbara to set free all three doves from their basket. Two flew out on cue but it took the assistance of the Mayor to get the third to move! And the weather in this miserable winter … well this IS Worthing … and, of course, just before we were due to start the sun came out. We are regularly approached on HMD by someone who expresses an interest in our Community and this year was no exception. A lady told us that her grandfather had been a Rabbi but that her father had opted out. This was the first time she had ever heard Hebrew and she now wants to join us for Seder night. Another timely reminder of how many people out there may be searching for their Jewish roots. They are all given a warm Worthing welcome. Forthcoming events: Purim Tuesday 10, March 2.30 pm with special tea Seder night: Thursday 9 April Ian & Barbara Gordon Shoah Memorial Event In the absence of any spiritual event being organised by the City Council, Rabbi Sarah volunteered to arrange a Community event for National Holocaust Memorial Day. The Progressive Synagogue was packed on 27 January for this event, with the Mayor of the City of Brighton and Hove, Councillor Gary Peltzer Dunn, and the Mayoress, Mrs Chip Peltzer Dunn in attendance. A wide cross-section of the local community, both Jewish and otherwise, was present. The proceedings began with a six minute silence, signifying the 6 million Jews who perished in the Shoah. This was followed by the lighting of the six candles on a menorah with each one lit by a different member of the AJEX All the events in January were well attended. The Ajex Quiz compiled and hosted by Stewart Macintosh was a great success, and we say a big "thank you" to him and all those involved. Aubrey Cole has reported the sad news that our National President, Major Edmund de Rothschild CBE VMH, died on 17th January at the age of 93. 'Eddie' had been our National President for many years, during which time he had done very great service to AJEX. He had been our sheet anchor. He will be remembered by us with great affection. Our branch has a special memory of the time when we (together with other branches) were invited to Exbury for lunch to tour the magnificent gardens. We remind you that the AJES AGM will be held at Ralli Hall on Sunday April 5th 10.30am. Please try to attend. Judy Gabriel, PRO Ajex Brighton & Hove Youth Aliyah Child Rescue The Brighton and Hove Committee of Youth Aliyah Child Rescue thank all who contributed so quickly and generously to our recent appeal. Tom opened its doors to over 40 families, frightened children, weary and worried parents, all badly in need of rest and recuperation. At Aloney Yitzchak the children who normally return to their families for the weekend are reluctant to do so, and so additional staff and provisions have had to be organised – and paid for! While we continue to care for the children in our villages – as we have for over 75 years - we can only hope and pray that the coming months will be more peaceful for the children, and all concerned with their welfare, everywhere. Thank you again. Liz Posner, Hon.Chairman sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 7 community life On our sixteenth bus Two recent batches of Brighton & Hove buses have all received names of people associated with this locality. Seven single-deckers will ply the 50 Shuttle route, whilst 13 Scania Omnicity double deckers have been allocated to route 5. Of the latter no. 706 is named 'Alfred Feld'. He was only the second Jewish Mayor of Brighton, holding office in 1978-9. The first was Lord (then Lewis) Cohen who is on bus no. 818. The Alfred Feld bus was put into service on 9 January 2009. It brings the number of Jews commemorated on our buses to sixteen. Comments about Alfred Feld by some who knew him have not always been kind and, as I will be speaking about Jews commemorated on our buses at Limmud on 29 March, I would like some more personal reminiscences of him. Anybody who would like to give me their views will be most welcome to do so. It would also be helpful to have observations about others who have lived here fairly recently. They include Lewis Cohen himself, David Land, Harry Leader, Ben Sherman (Arthur Sugarman), Sir Hans Singer and Jack Solomons. Herzl Sless I knew well myself and have also had the benefit of talking about him with his widow, Ruth. I can be contacted at 8 Rothbury Road, Hove BN3 5LH or by telephone on 01273 419412. Obviously comments cannot be kept confidential if I am to use them in a lecture, but they will be unattributed unless otherwise authorised by the source. Godfrey Gould Alfred Feld continues to roam the streets of Brighton & Hove Jewish Historical Society Rabbi Charles Wallach gave an interesting and informative talk entitled 36 Good Men and True on Tuesday 27th January at the Ralli Hall. He pointed out that the 27th January was the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. The 36 men were Rabbis from Europe who had came to England before the war. British Jewry was very much influenced by the influx of these Rabbis with their emphasis on scholarship and learning. Rabbi Wallach then went on to talk about the origin of the Reform Movement in the United Kingdom and the influence of people like Leo Baeck and Lily Montagu. The talk was enthusiastically received and ended with questions and discussion over tea. Joan Melcher JACS March Programme JACS begins the month with our Annual General Meeting on 4 March with special guest, National Chairman Sydney Grant. On 11 March Theresa Sundt will be discussing the 9 Colour Personalities and Your Birthday Colours. One week later, on 18 March, Philip Freeman will be telling us about his trip to China – Land of Contrasts. Then on 25 March we will be joined by Alan Grey who will speak on Weather, Climate and Landscapes. All JACS meetings are held at 2.00 pm in the AJEX Centre, Eaton Road, Hove. Admission is £1.50 for members (who must show their membership cards) and £2.00 for visitors. For more information about JACS, please call Janice Greenwood on 01273 772812. Hate crimes and the CPS Four members of Brighton and Hoveʼs Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities met with members of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on February 5th. The meeting was suggested by the CPS in order to develop our understanding of how the CPS works and how it deals with racially and religiously motivated crime. We learned how the CPS in Sussex is structured, how charges are decided upon, how cases are progressed and how prosecution witnesses are supported (particularly important when witnesses may feel intimidated either by individuals or just the thought of being in a court of law). Most valuable, however, was the discussion that took place enabling community members to comment, for example, on aspects of witness support to ensure the quality of evidence is not diminished because of language or cultural issues. All of us who attended are members of the Racial Harassment Forumʼs Scrutiny Panel. The Panel was established in 2007 to scrutinize the work of statutory bodies like the CPS, and to review the statistical and evidence base of Race crime in the city. In 2008 the Panel did a very thorough review of the CPS, identifying gaps in the service it was providing in the area of racially and religiously motivated crime, such as gaps in statistical monitoring, the availability of interpreters, communication with other agencies, communication with victims, etcetera. The CPS has a duty to address the issues identified and our meeting was part of their response. The Scrutiny Panel has now begun its scrutiny of Brighton and Hoveʼs Housing Department. For anyone interested in the CPS Policy regarding hate crime there are two booklets available: “Racist and Religious Crime – CPS Prosecution Policy” and “Policy for Prosecuting Cases of Homophobic and Transphobic Hate Crime” (email publicity.branch@cps.gsi.gov.uk). Betty Skolnick 8 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 community life Shedding light in dark times I was very happy to be able to welcome thirtyfive ladies to our Chabad House (of 22 years) in aid of such a worthy cause - our children's Jewish education at Torah Academy Nursery. It was our 4th Ladiesʼ Sephardic-themed supper and attracted new people from the Brighton and Hove community. The event raised £250 for the nursery. I wanted to dedicate the evening to a fellow shlucha Rifka Holtzberg who was so tragically killed in her Chabad House in Mumbai. She and her husband were a couple who sought only to do good and many acts of kindness, bringing the warmth of Judaism to all those around them. I was deeply affected by their death. I felt as if family had been taken away by such dreadful forces of evil. How could this happen? How could the grandparents handle so much suffering? Amidst all the tragedy, what I found amazing and so encouraging was the response. Instead of wallowing in misery, we were encouraged to channel our emotions into positive acts to bring more light and goodness into the world; in the same way as the Rebbe had led the generation after the Holocaust by nurturing and encouraging the pained and suffering to focus on positive acts to bring about healing through building. In 1974, in response to the Yom Kippur War, the Rebbe started a campaign to revive the age-old custom that young girls, from the age of three, light their own Shabbos candle before their mothers did. This was actually a way of combating the darkness in the world. Ladies night out for the Torah Academy Sussex Police have launched an initiative likely to be of great benefit to our community. They wish to establish a forum, meeting perhaps quarterly, in which fears and concerns, incidents and reactions to all aspects of anti-Semitism can be aired. The objective is to give the Police the feedback they need to deal with such issues and to give us feedback on police activity on current issues. The initiative is not confined to the Jewish community, as similar forums are planned for three other ethnic groups. However, they are beginning with us. An initial meeting was held on 11 February at the Progressive Synagogue. In attendance from Sussex Police were Graham Bartlett, Detective Chief Superintendent, Detective Chief Inspector Nev Kemp, and Sargeant Peter Castleton, Strategic Support Officer matters. The level of involvement is an indication of the seriousness with which the police are treating this project. DCI Kemp will be acting as project manager for the Jewish Faith Forum. He advised us that he volunteered for this role as his father is half Jewish and both his parents live in Israel. Just like a little candle pushes away a lot of darkness, so the mitzvah of a young Jewish girl lighting her candle, with a brocha at the right time, pushes away a lot of darkness in the world and creates real light and brings a lot of blessing. All of the ladies were encouraged to do another special deed - either lighting candles at the right time, putting tzedakah in a box before lighting, saying a special extra prayer when lighting the candles or any other good deed in memory of the Holtzbergs. Many thanks were given to Tessa Bass who helped organise the event together with Sharon Granville, Sandra Gross, Stephanie Anderson and Rose Ani who helped make some of the tastiest dishes. Penina Efune Though not fully representative of the whole community, nine members of our local Jewish community attended this initial meeting. Police stressed that they want to hear about all incidents of anti-Semitism, no matter how minor. Even if there is no possibility of catching the offender, reports help to build a picture of what is happening and where, and, could possibly lead to an offender being identified at some later stage. Discussion ranged around pro-Palestinian demonstrations, issues at Sussex and Brighton Universities and at some local schools. It was stressed that serious problems are at a very low level here. It was also reported, and agreed, that there is generally now a very quick response to any calls made. Finally it was agreed that the Sussex Jewish Representative Council would deal with the matter of representation on the Forum, with a limit of approximately ten participants for effectiveness. A tentative date in May was set for the next meeting. Ivor Miskin Police establish Jewish Faith Forum sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 9 Supporting Israel with one hand I looked for familiar faces in the crowded seminar room.The debate to come was likely to be volatile and I didnʼt want to be caught amongst unsympathetic peers. At the back of the room I spotted the Jewish students, from differing backgrounds and opinions but united because all felt similarly targeted. We had requested an emergency student council meeting to challenge the invitation of a particularly inflammatory speaker, Dr Azzam Tamimi, to our campus. At last yearʼs Annual General Meeting, the Sussex Student Union had passed a ʻno-platform ʼ policy. The policy – at the time a subject of much debate, is supposed to prevent fascist groups from using the university as a platform for hate and a place from which to recruit equally intolerant individuals. In January the Jewish students were confident that the policy would be used to bar Dr Tamimi from speaking at Sussex. The student councilʼs votes were split fifty-fifty until President Laura Tazzioli cast her vote to break the tie. Dr Tamimi was allowed to make a stand at Sussex. But isnʼt Dr Tamimi, a representative of Hamas and an advocate of suicide-bombing, the sort of extremist we donʼt want to legitimise? Sussex is known for being militantly left-wing. The climate at the university has become hostile to Jewish students and nearly anyone who doesnʼt side with the Palestinians. The conflict playing out in the Middle East is brought into our lecture halls, our seminar rooms, and nearly any public space where a poster might be hung. There are student societies at Sussex which make Jewish students feel uncomfortable, angry and even victimised. I donʼt believe it is their aim to do so, because I donʼt think they seek to target Jews. But the very nature of their beliefs - and more importantly their activities, clash so severely with Jewish beliefs and ideals that conflicts are bound to arise. Particularly problematic is the Palestine Society, whose fundamental stance, according to their web page, is the freedom of Palestinians from ʻillegal Israeli occupationʼ. To me, their society seems to be comprised of the personally affected and the emotionally misguided. Some do have legitimate ties to ʻPalestineʼ, such as a parent who grew up in the West Bank. What causes the personally unaffected to join remains a mystery to me. With the many injustices being committed in the world, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict appears quite far down the list. It still amazes me that Sussex students havenʼt organised to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers in Africa, or that there are no vocal protestors seeking to end human rights violations in China. Free Tibet? Was it just a fad, or a cause that was truly taken to heart? I have a feeling that Israel-bashing has become the new trendy cause, and that many of its supporters are just joining the bandwagon of popular protest. I was somewhat surprised and delighted when I read another studentʼs reaction to Dr Tamimiʼs speech, published in our student newspaper, The Badger, on 26 January. Although supportive of the Palestinian cause, the student was upset by ʻthe constant comparisons drawn between the plight of the Palestinians and the plight of the Jews during the Holocaust.ʼ Rhetoric such as this, as well as terminology like ʻapartheidʼ is hugely inappropriate. Not only does it describe the situation in Israel inaccurately, it also belittles the historical records of the Holocaust and South Africaʼs apartheid. The Badger article continued, ʻSome of the language used also bordered on anti-Semitism with one speaker talking of a conspiracy involving Zionists around the World.ʼ Are people really still buying into The Protocols of the Elders of Zion propaganda? Sadly, it seems that this is the case. As much as all the anti-Israel hate makes me angry, I donʼt mean to suggest that Israel has done no wrong. Certainly, every death at its hands is a tragedy, as is loss of life anywhere in the world. Most Jews, however, are not going to stop supporting Israel simply because theyʼve been caught in a public relations nightmare. Eretz Yisrael is fundamental to the essence of the Jewish people and always has been. It is for this reason that the whole spectrum of Jewish students was present at that decisive council meeting. We showed our support for the Jewish state and expressed our outrage that a speaker fundamentally opposed to its existence could express his views unhindered. Jewish youth today is put in a unique position. It supports Israel with one hand, and deflects blows with the other. Itʼs exhausting. It isnʼt helped by unfavourable news coverage or unsympathetic decisions by student councils. These are blows we cannot deflect with one free hand. So what can be done? In the hours before Dr Tamimi arrived at Sussex, fliers were handed out to publicise an authentically Jewish response to adversity: students were urged to carry out more acts of goodness and kindness. ʻA little light dispels much darkness.ʼ I think the most detrimental tactic is to mimic the actions of those who oppose us. It is not our way to resort to anger, racism, or violence. We can make the biggest changes through leading by example, doing good when it seems as if the whole world enshrines evil. Rochel Hoose Rochel Hoose is a third year student at the University of Sussex reading Contemporary History and Politics campus life At the back of the room I spotted the Jewish students, from differing backgrounds and opinions but united because all felt similarly targeted. We can make the biggest changes through leading by example, by doing good when it seems as if the whole world enshrines evil. “ “ “ “ 10 sussex jewish news . . march 2009 available to you For all your printing requirements please contact ANDUS PRINT ON 01273 558880 email: andus@mistral.co.uk www.andusprint.co.uk LOOKING FOR THAT UNUSUAL GIFT? Ever thought of giving a subscription to Sussex Jewish News? Not just one but twelve gifts throughout the year. Complete the form on page 2 and send it to SJN, PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ or phone 01273 220461 and tell us who the gift is for . We will do the rest. sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 11 chutzpah choir Keeping our musical heritage alive Did you know that we have a Jewish singing group in Brighton & Hove? We call ourselves the Chutzpah Choir. Weʼre a cross community group of people who enjoy coming together to learn and sing Jewish folk songs, both traditional songs that have been handed down through the generations and also some original compositions using the same Jewish modes. Most of us have never sung in a choir before, so we do have ʻchutzpahʼ! Since the Choir was started just over two years ago, people have joined from all over Sussex - not just Brighton & Hove but also Lewes, Worthing, Eastbourne and elsewhere. We come together because we share a love of this wonderful Jewish music and we want to keep it alive in Brighton & Hove and Sussex. Our members are not exclusively Jewish, as there are also some non-Jewish people who love our kind of music. The Choir spans a large age range. Polina Shepherd, our musical director, teaches us with infectious enthusiasm and infinite patience and brings with her many years of professional experience as a Jewish composer, singer, pianist and choir leader. Polina comes originally from Russia but has performed and taught in many parts of the world. Our weekly choir sessions are quite informal and we have a lot of fun. Thereʼs always a mid-session break for tea and biscuits as well, which is a good opportunity for the Choir members to get to know each other. During the past two years the Choir has learnt Jewish songs in Yiddish, Ladino (the Spanish-related language spoken by the Sephardic Jews in Spain), Hebrew, and even Russian and Ukrainian! Of course we donʼt speak all these languages, so we just learn the words phonetically (but we also have the translations so we do know what they mean). We also sing niggunim, the age old Jewish songs without words, and sometimes we have fun experimenting with improvisations in Jewish modes. Most of us donʼt read music and so Polina teaches us by ear, although the musical notation is also available for those who want it. The Chutzpah Choir had a very busy autumn season. On 5th October we were invited to represent the Jewish musical tradition at the first Brighton & Hove People’s Day, organised by B&H City Council at Hove Town Hall. The aim was to celebrate diversity and to bring the cityʼs different faith and ethnic communities together. Then we performed at a sell-out concert called ʻSacred Sussexʼ in the Brighton Festival of World Sacred Music at the Friends Centre on 15th October. And last but not least we enjoyed providing the entertainment for the Reform Synagogueʼs Tea Party for Older People on 9th November. We currently have about 30 members, although of course not everyone can come every week. We would welcome some new members in 2009, so why not come along and give us a try (and bring your non-Jewish friends too)? We meet on Wednesdays in the basement at Ralli Hall, 7 – 8.45pm. You can come once as a ʻtasterʼ before you need decide whether to join. The cost is £6 per session or £4 if youʼre a member of Ralli Hall (or agree to become one). Thereʼs also a special reduced rate for full-time students. Members pay monthly in advance just for the sessions theyʼre able to attend. One of our main ambitions for 2009 is to develop a strong male section. At present our regular members are all women, although a few men do come occasionally. However, weʼre planning a special evening shortly when new male singers could all come along at the same time and sing together. It would be good to have some deeper voices in some of our song arrangements! So how about it, men? We canʼt believe that there arenʼt lots of men in our community who enjoy singing and previous experience isnʼt necessary. If you contact us weʼll just keep your name on a list and then when we have enough men interested weʼll arrange a date for our special Menʼs Evening. Whether you are men or women you can contact us by email at: chutzpahchoir@hotmail.co.uk or you can ring Rosalind, our New Members Contact Person, on (01273) 541031. If you have questions related specifically to the music, you can also email Polina, the Choirʼs musical director, at: polina_shepherd@yahoo.co.uk Finally, do contact us via the Choir email address above if you might be interested in having the Chutzpah Choir sing at your event during 2009.... Weʼd love to hear from you! Some members of the Chutzpah Choir in full voice at Hove Town Hall, October 2008. © Nina Emmett film festival 12 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 How to book tickets Tickets can be purchased on the door of the venues as well as in advance. For advance tickets for UKJFF screenings at Duke of Yorkʼs Picturehouse please call the cinema box office on 0871 704 2056 (9.30am-8.30pm) For advance tickets for UKJFF screenings at The Old Court Room please call Brighton Dome Box Office on 01273 709 709 or book online at www.brightonticketshop.com UK Jewish Film Festival gets reel to real in Brighton during March Venue details: Duke of York’s Picturehouse Preston Circus, Brighton BN1 4NA Box Office: 0871 704 2056 Tickets: £7.20 (no concessions) The Old Courtroom 118 Church Street, Brighton BN1 1UD Please use the side entrance Box Office: 01273 709709 (via Brighton Dome Box Office) Tickets: £7 (no concessions) Brighton UK Jewish Film Festival 2009 22 & 28 March Sunday 22 March 11am: The Old Court Room Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh Dir. Roberta Grossman | USA | 2008 | 85 mins | English Hannah Senesh was just 22 when she parachuted into Nazi-occupied Europe with a small band of Jewish volunteers from Palestine: the only military rescue mission for Jews during the Holocaust. A gifted student from a wealthy Budapest family, Hannah became a committed Zionist in the face of growing anti-Semitism in Hungary, emigrating to Palestine in 1939 without her beloved mother Catherine. Hannahʼs mission ended in tragedy when she was captured and executed in a Gestapo prison, yet her poetry and diaries have left an inspirational legacy. Roberta Grossmanʼs film tells Hannahʼs story as much through the eyes of Catherine Senesh as those of the heroine herself, bringing their letters and diaries to life with gripping reconstructions to explain how their bond, as well as Hannahʼs love for her people, compelled this courageous idealist to return to Hungary from the safety of her kibbutz. Narrated by Oscar-nominated actress Joan Allen, and featuring interviews with Hannahʼs fellow female parachutists and former Israeli president Shimon Peres. Blessed is the Match is an unmissable testament to a 20th century Joan of Arc. The film will be followed by a discussion led by Judy Ironside, Festival Director of the UK Jewish Film Festival. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE UKJFF WEBSITE: www.ukjewishfilmfestival.org.uk And don’t forget, the UKJFF will also be screening three short films – Sidney Turtlebaum, Veils and Holocaust Tourism on Sunday, 29th March as part of the Brighton & Hove Day Limmud at Roedean School. sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 13 film festival Sunday 22 March 4pm: The Duke of York’s Picturehouse Strangers Dirs. Erez Tadmor, Guy Nativ | Israel | 2007 | 85 mins | Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles Weʼve all locked eyes with an attractive stranger on the underground, but most of us havenʼt accidentally picked up their bag. Thatʼs how Palestinian Rana (Lubna Azabal) and Israeli Eyal (Liron Levo) meet by chance in Berlin. Eyal promised an ex-girlfriend heʼd be there for the 2006 football World Cup, but finds his calls unanswered; Rana is running from something. Two orphans in a strange city, the pair swap bags and decide to look for somewhere to stay. A holiday romance ensues despite the fact heʼs from a kibbutz and sheʼs from Ramallah. But Rana has unfinished business back in Paris, and when Eyal follows her their innocent love affair gets a lot more complicated. Will they realise that all they really need to have in common (besides their taste in rucksacks) is each other? Set against the backdrop of the 2006 Lebanon War, Strangers is a beautifully acted, down-to-earth love story with two great leads in the free-spirited Azabal and the handsome Levo, whoʼs sure to inspire some swooning in the aisles. With Veils Winner of Pears Foundation UKJFF Short Film 2007 Dir. Dan Susman | UK | 2007 | 80 mins | English Starring Maureen Lipman and David Horovitch, and written and directed by Dan Susman, Veils is a story about a Jewish girl and a Palestinian guy on their wedding day. But this is not a standard Romeo & Juliet story of forbidden love - there is much more than meets the eye... Saturday 28 March: Reception 8pm Film 8.30pm: The Old Court Room Reception: Please join us for a glass of wine or a soft drink before the screening Noodle Dir. Ayelet Menahemi | Israel | 2007 | 101 mins | Hebrew with English subtitles with Mili Avital, Alon Aboutboul and Anat Waxman A charming and deeply moving comic-drama about a young Israeli woman and an abandoned Chinese boy whose lives converge in the most surprising manner. Miri, a thirty-something flight attendant who has been twice widowed, lives with her volatile sister Gila, who is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Returning home from work one day Miri thinks nothing of being asked to look after their Chinese maidʼs young son. But when she fails to return Miri finds herself with a six year old Chinese boy silently waiting for his mother to come back. Thus begins a remarkable journey involving family, friends and an array of engaging characters, crossing continents and cultures in an attempt to reunite mother and child. Flawless script, witty dialogue and well-crafted visuals are all spiced up with a sensitive insight into human lives and loves, turning this delightful film into a meaningful cinematic experience. Best Supporting Actress Award, Anat Waxman, Israeli Film Academy Grand Jury Prize, Montreal Film Festival With My Amulet Dir: Leah Thorn | UK | 2008 | 8 mins | English Beehives and high heels, fur stoles and Ford Zephyrs, 60ʼs Ashkenazi Anglo-Jewish suburbia cut with poet Leah Thornʼs spin on assimilation, acculturation and ʻother such aggravationʼ. 14 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 arts In the Biblical sense In The Year of Living Biblically, A J Jacobs recounts his year living according to the literal laws of the Bible. The problem is that as a secular Jew, Jacobs barely knows where to begin. Avoiding shellfish was easy. The stoning of adulterers proved a little more difficult. Was it enough to walk up to adulterers and gently touch them with a stone? For answers Jacobs seeks guidance from a large team of spiritual advisors from across the Biblical spectrum. Jacobs and religion are not a natural fit. He participates in a number of rituals that he cannot understand. He meets religious fundamentalists and moderates of all sorts. Whether meeting a shatnes inspector, building a succah in his apartment, dancing at Lubavitch headquarters on Simchat Torah, sharing a joke with the Amish, attending a gay religious support group, spending time with Mormons and the Moral Majority, acquiring a slave(!) or simply interacting with his wife and sons, Jacobs writes with humour and affection for all those with whom he has come in contact. The Year of Living Biblically is an engaging book with a conclusion that will give even the most cynical reader pause for thought. It is published on 25 March by Arrow. David Seidel On the CD And Sarah Danced Emil Skobeloff reinterprets Shabbat songs using original melodies. “I wanted to give the listener new insight into prayer and a stronger sense of its meaning”, he told Sussex Jewish News from his home in the Philadelphia area. “I wanted to look at the essence of these beautiful songs.” As a child Skobeloff, who is also an emergency physician and a former cantor, was taught to reflect the meaning of the song in his singing. “And Sarah Danced is my chance to reflect this wonderful liturgical music within the context of my life,” he said, revealing that he was also paying homage to influences such as The Mills Brothers and Van Morrison among others. Much of the album is about love. Questioning how many people really see Shabbat as a bride marrying the people of Israel, Skobeloff turned L’Cha Dodi into a rollicking Appalachian-style wedding dance. “I wanted something pure, simple and innocent,” he said, “but something uniquely American.” In Ahavat Olam – where G-d pronounces his love for the people of Israel, the tune is that of a wispy and romantic Irish love ballad. “When people say that they donʼt understand how I could do such a thing,” Emil explained, “I sing it in translation using an Irish accent.” By contrast, when that love is told from the perspective of Israel, the tone is coquettish and flirtatious. V’Shamru is a tango. “I wanted it to feel like Carmen,” Skobeloff said, noting that the lead vocal of soprano Ann Thaller and the subtle instrumentation make the song more seductive. Two songs are song mostly in English. Elohei N’Shamah harkens back to Skobeloffʼs love of Preservation Hall jazz/blues. Rather than use any particular translation, he wrote lyrics based on the prayerʼs themes. Because the style is raw, Emil confessed, “I intentionally mangled some of the Hebrew.” Mi Sheberach is a kick in the kishkes moment. Skobeloff wrote it for a friend whose son was born with swallowing and breathing difficulties and was often in hospital. Written as a lullaby, Emil captures the hope and prayer of a parent who prays for Divine intervention whilst at the bedside of an ailing child. In real life, thankfully, the story ends well. The boy is three, well and learning to eat. The last two tracks are production opposites. Ashrei is done in a finger-picking style that would not be out of place on a Pete Seeger record. Commenting that more often than not it is overlooked as the end of the Torah reading and as a lead-in to Musaf, he wanted to “give it some life and make Ashrei fun to sing. If you slow it down, you lose the energy of the words.” By complete contrast, Adon Olam has the lushest production on the album. It is also where Emil was able to channel his inner Elvis. And Sarah Danced took four years to write, record and produce. It is a labour of love that brings Shabbat comes to life whenever you listen to it. It is highly recommended and is available from www.cdbaby.com. For more on Emil Skobeloff, please check out www.myspace.com/emilskobeloff. You will be able to listen to tracks from And Sarah Danced after the new www.sussexjewishnews.com is launched at the Brighton & Hove Day Limmud And Sarah Danced to keep the Sabbath holy Emil Skobeloff sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 15 nhmd The theme of this yearʼs National Holocaust Memorial Day event was Stand Up to Hatred. The Centre for German-Jewish Studies at the University of Sussex organised an extraordinarily interesting, informative and emotional day on 28 January that was sponsored by the Association of Jewish Refugees. The introduction by the Dean of the School of Humanities, Dr Stephen Burman, was followed by Michael Newman of the Association of Jewish Refugees, Student Union president Laura Tazzioli [who, by contrast, used a casting vote to allow Dr Azzam Tamimi to speak at the University: see page 9 – eds.] and Prof Christian Wiese, Director of the Centre for German-Jewish Studies. Three guest speakers included Philip Spencer from Kingston University and Dr James Smith from the Aegis Trust, both of whom spoke about learning from the Holocaust and the issue of genocide in modern times. The final speaker was the cellist and Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch who recounted how music had saved her life when she addressed the two hundred and fifty people who filled the Chowen Lecture Theatre. Born in Breslau in 1925, she was only sixteen when her parents were deported. Desperately trying to leave the country, she was taken off the train and arrested by the Gestapo on charges of “forging passports, helping the enemy and trying to escape.” “Friends supplied me with what I thought were cyanide pills, so I decided to commit suicide, but the pills turned out to be made of harmless sugar,” she recalled. “It seemed actually fortuitous to be a criminal. Even prison turned out to be better than the camps.” Later she was indeed taken to Auschwitz. Once again her life was saved when the Germans discovered that Mrs Wallfisch could play the cello. She joined the Womenʼs Orchestra at Auschwitz. Musicians were privileged to have better food and even a shower every day! An emotional film entitled Playing to Survive shows her chatting with two French-speaking friends and fellowmusicians. They recalled playing all kind of marches each morning as the wretched inmates went out to work in freezing temperatures. Apparently, the music-loving Nazis obtained musical instruments by stealing them. Mrs Wallfisch was later transferred to Belsen, which was liberated by the British in 1945. She arrived in England on 17 March 1946, where she helped found the English Chamber Orchestra. Consumed with hatred for the Germans, she vowed never to return to her homeland. However, fifty years later, on hearing the news that there was to be a museum established in Belsen, she decided to relate her horrendous experiences to German schools and adult groups. In the question and answer session which followed, a Palestinian activist asked if the suffering of the people in Gaza could be equated with the Holocaust. Mrs. Wallfish answered this with commendable dignity. “That question always upsets me,” she said. “The Israelis do not use poison gas and crematoria, neither do they plan the worldwide extermination of Palestinians. “ Evidently there is much that still needs to be done. Cecily Woolf Standing up to hatred: remembering The Holocaust Prime Minister’s Message The theme of this Holocaust Memorial Day is Standing up to Hatred. We all like to think that we know what we would do in the face of hatred – that in a moment of decision we would honour our obligations to resist brutality and to stand with its victims. In studying the Holocaust, however, one thing becomes painfully clear; that the full barbarity of Hitlerʼs death camps was the end point of many acts of cruelty and discrimination, each injustice feeding on the last. The murder of six million Jews and countless Roma, Poles and other Eastern Europeans, gay men and lesbians, trade unionists, disabled people and political and religious opponents of the Nazis was not a sudden and frenzied explosion of hate, but a horror that had been methodically and carefully planned. Hatred may begin with small acts of prejudice or bigotry – but it rarely ends with them. That is why we all have an obligation to stand up to hatred. Last year I had the great honour of meeting with Elie Wiesel who was in Britain to speak to the Holocaust Educational Trust. So many of his words and writings inspire me, but today I think particularly of his quote about the imperative to act as we remember: “Because I remember, I despair. Because I remember, I have the duty to reject despair.” This, then, is how we must honour the victims of the Shoah. In remembrance, yes, but also in finding the courage to act even in our sorrow. This Holocaust Memorial Day I hope that people all across Britain will join me in renewing a personal commitment to resisting hatred wherever it is found today. The Rt Hon Gordon Brown House of Commons Angela Lasker-Wallfisch and Dr Chrstian Wiese 16 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 ROOM 1 PETER JAMES ~ Our Criminally Good City ROOM 2 DAVID SOLOMON ~ The Whole of The Bible in One Hour ROOM 3 GODFREY GOULD ~ Sixteen Jewish Buses ROOM 4 OLIVER KAMM ~ The Bankers, the Jews and Conspiracy Theory ROOM 5 ROB STEEN ~ My Life as a Yiddisher Hack ROOM 6 JOACHIM HEMMERLE ~ Puppets which enchanted Chagall ROOM 7 WINSTON PICKETT & DAVID SEIDEL ~ The future of Jewish Education in small communities ROOM 8 CHARLES WALLACH ~ Ma Nishtana. Creative Insights to add to your Seder ROOM 9 ROCHELLE OBERMAN ~ Create your own fabulous Passover Seder Plate First Session 10.00 to 11.00 ROOM 10 GUEST SPEAKER ROOM 1 ALEX BRUMMER ~ Press Freedom and bias in the British media ROOM 2 ANTHONY JULIUS ~ The New Anti-Semitism ROOM 3 BRIAN NATHAN ~ Jewish contribution to Popular Music of the 20th Century ROOM 4 VIVIAN SILVERMAN ~ The Parting of the Ways. Nazarene Christianity. Rabbinic Judaism. ROOM 5 SYLVIE SCHAPIRA ~ with ADRIAN LOCHER Working for peaceful co-existence with Israeli & Palestinian Teenagers ROOM 6 STEWART MACINTOSH ~ ‘Talking to a Mop’ ROOM 7 MIRI RUBIN ~ Church and Synagogue. The History of a medieval image ROOM 8 WILLY WOOLF ~ Can you revive a Jewish culture once it has been destroyed or abandoned? ROOM 9 GORDON CHARATAN ~ Quill, Reed, Pen Second Session 11.15 to 12.15 ROOM 10 ERIC MOONMAN ~ After the Parades ROOM 1 GUEST SPEAKER~ Israel – the situation at the moment. ROOM 2 TONY MACAULAY ~ Award-Winning British Songwriter, in conversation with DAVID SEIDEL ROOM 3 GERRY GABLE ~ Facing the Enemies of Democracy ROOM 4 JEREMY GORDON ~ In Search of a Useable Revelation ROOM 5 MARGARET BREARLEY ~ Nazism and Nature: some roots of the Holocaust ROOM 6 PAUL BASS ~ Judaism, Medicine & Pathology ROOM 7 MICHAEL J.FLEXER ~ Funny because it’s true. The last two Jews of Afghanistan ROOM 8 DENA COLEMAN ~ Jewish Schools: Desirable or divisive? Third Session 12.30 to 1.30 ROOM 9 SHIVAUN WOOLFSON ~ A Journey into the Heart of Jewish Lithuania Brighton & Hove Day Limmud Programme to Here is what you can look forward to (subject, as always, to last-minute changes), along with our youth programme, children’s programme, creche, market stalls, and the launches of Sussex Jewish Online and the new Sussex Jewish News websites. Due to unprecedented demand, Limmud tickets are sold out! Due to unprecedented demand, Limmud tickets are sold out! sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 17 ROOM 1 Is it too late for a two state solution? OLIVER KAMM, FIYAZ MUGHAL, STEPHEN POLLARD, moderator ALEX BRUMMER ROOM 2 JULIE BURCHILL ~ In conversation with WINSTON PICKETT ROOM 3 MAUREEN KENDLER ~ Why are these four sons different from those other four sons? ROOM 4 LINDSAY WITTENBERG ~ How high is your EQ? Raise your Emotional Intelligence Quotient in 60 minutes. ROOM 5 EVA SCHLOSS ~ Living with the aftermath of The Holocaust ROOM 6 MARC SAPERSTEIN ~ British Rabbis Facing Catastrophe ( 1939 – 1945 ) ROOM 7 DAVID LAWSON ~ Steel & Schnapps. Sausages & Soldiers. Scrolls & Survival. The Story of Ostrava ROOM 8 POLINA SHEPHERD ~ The Phoenix of Jewish Music Fourth Session 1.45 to 2.45 ROOM 9 ALISTAIR FALK ~ Whose ritual is it anyway? Changing religious practices in 19th Century Germany. ROOM 1 ‘Can Judaism survive modernity?’ MAUREEN KENDLER, CLIVE LAWTON, ERIC MOONMAN, MARC SAPERSTEIN and moderator HUGH LEVINSON ROOM 2 DAVID SOLOMON ~ The Whole of Jewish History in One Hour ROOM 3 CLIVE COLEMAN ~ Jews are like everyone else … only more so ROOM 4 DAVID HIRSH ~ The Relationship between hostility to Israel and anti-Semitism ROOM 5 FIYAZ MUGHAL ~ Where to After the Middle East? ROOM 6 IVAN LAWRENCE ~ Being a Jewish M.P. ROOM 7 MERLIN SHEPHERD ~ Identity through Music. Klezmer as a ‘way back in’ for secular Jews. ROOM 8 DIANA LIPTON ~ What’s in a name? The Biblical Background of a Talmudic Martyrdom ROOM 9 GUEST SPEAKER Fifth Session 3.00 to 4.00 ROOM 10 ELENA MARKHAM ~ Physical Theatre Workshop DINING ROOM Antisemitism: not so much a threat from the Right, but rather from the Left? JULIE BURCHILL, GERRY GABLE, DAVID HIRSH, ANTHONY JULIUS, and moderator WINSTON PICKETT. ROOM 3 STEPHEN POLLARD ~ Editor of The JC, will outline his plans and take your questions ROOM 4 DANNY SCHEINMANN ~ Random Acts of Heroic Love, from inspiration to publication ROOM 5 CLIVE LAWTON ~ Seder Miracles. Strange things you never thought about before ROOM 6 ANN ROTH ~ Janusz Korczak. Champion of the Child ROOM 7 JONATHAN HOFFMAN ~ Do they really hate us ? ROOM 8 JUDY IRONSIDE ~ ‘Brief Encounters’- 3 short films from the UKJFF ROOM 9 JESS WOOD-SARAH ~ Jewish Painting. A contradiction in terms? Sixth Session 4.15 To 5.15 ROOM 10 ALISTAIR FALK ~ ‘ Two Jews on a train ‘ o attract sold out crowd to Roedean Due to unprecedented demand, Limmud tickets are sold out! Due to unprecedented demand, Limmud tickets are sold out! 5.30 FINALE in ROOM 1 with DANIEL CAINER, RUSSELL LEVINSON, POLINA and MERLIN SHEPHERD Tu B’Shevat Celebrations Some 30 congregants and visitors stayed after the Shabbat morning service on 12 Shevat for a lovely seder. We had been asked by Rabbi Sarah to bring food to share and items to represent the seven food species celebrated at this time – wheat, barley, figs, pomegranates, olives, dates and anything from the vine. Various special items were in evidence, including pomegranate syrup, date syrup and dates in several unusual forms. Particular favourites seemed to be the dates with marzipan and the barley with raisins and rose water. Prayers and readings prepared by Rabbi Sarah brought a level of solemnity to the friendly and cheerful seder lunch. The following day, we planted a tree in the garden of the home of Dany Louise. This was a double pink hawthorn, which looked very healthy and will certainly brighten Danyʼs outlook when it matures. We had not realised what a superb soup chef Dany is, and the delicious spicy broth warmed us wonderfully, complemented by the various other lovely eats on the table. What a lovely way to remember this under-rated festival and its significance for Israel. Ivor Miskin 18 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 bhps Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue Adat Shalom Vereiu’t-Al Sefat Hayyam 6 Lansdowne Road Hove BN3 1FF– Tel 01273 737223 Email:bhps@freenetname.co.uk Website:wwwbrightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah powerful and enduring symbol of Judaism, it has not been a living sign of Jewish life for almost two thousand years. As the famous stone frieze depicts, the Romans took the Temple M’norah back to Rome as booty. But although the M’norah has not been lit since Temple times, it has been replaced by something else. Taking its cue from Parashat T’tzavveh, after the Temple was destroyed, Jews began to light a ʻregular lightʼ in the synagogue – known as a Ner Tamid – which in time found its place above the front of the Aron Ha-kodesh, the Sacred Ark. Although Parashat T’tzavveh makes it clear that the M’norah was to burn ʻfrom evening until morningʼ (:21) – not all the time – it has become customary to refer to the Ner Tamid as the ʻEternal Lightʼ, rather than the ʻregular lightʼ of Temple times. This change of meaning is very significant: Although the Temple M’norah is no more, the Jewish people remain committed to keeping the light of Judaism alive forever. And so, when we turn after reading T’tzavveh, to the additional verses from the Torah, set aside for the Shabbat before Purim, Shabbat Zachor (Deuteronomy 25:17-19), let us not only ʻremember Amalekʼ and our history of anti-Semitism, but also remember the seven-branched M’norah, blazing with light, and re-dedicate ourselves to this central mitzvah: to re-kindle Jewish life, day after day. Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah Sedra for 7 March 2009: T’tzavveh From M’norah to Ner Tamid Parashat T’tzavveh opens with an astonishing phrase: V’attah t’ztavveh – ʻThen you shall commandʼ (Exodus 27:10). The preceding parashah, T’rumah, concerning the instructions for the construction of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, sets out all the elements involved in the building of the structure and all its utensils, by repeating the refrain, ʻyou shall makeʼ – and, so, for example, we read at Exodus, 25:31: V’asita M’norat zahav tahor, ʻThen you shall make the lamp-stand of pure goldʼ. Parashat Tʼtzavveh returns to the lamp-stand to declare: ʻV’attah t’tzavveh – Then you shall command the Israelites to take for you oil of beaten olives for lighting, for setting up a regular light – l’ha’alot ner tamid’. Rashbam – Rabbi Shʼmuel ben Meir (1085-1174) – Rashiʼs grandson commented: “ ʻYou shall makeʼ referred to what had been done once [i.e. the building of the Mishkan]; ʻyou shall commandʼ to what was to be a regular procedure in that and future generations” [i.e. the lighting of the M’norah] So here we find a crucial commandment, mitzvah – a noun derived from the same root, Tzadi Vav Hey, as the verbal form t’tzavveh. And yet although the two verses dealing with the lighting of the Mʼnorah close with the words, ʻIt shall be a statute for ever on the part of the Israelites throughout their generationsʼ (:21), clearly since the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, the M’norah has not been lit. And so, while it remains the most DIARY FOR MARCH 2009 Acess to Hebrew Each Thursday, 11.00 – 12.30 & 6.30 – 7.30 pm Acess to Judism Each Saturday, 1.00 – 2.30 pm after service Friday 6th Erev Shabbat Tent Service 7.00 pm Chavurah Supper 8.00 pm led by Rabbi Sarah Saturday 7th Shabat Morning Service 11.00 am Led by Ron Gould & Mi Shebeirach for his 70th birthday Friday 13th ONEGBlind Cricket in Oz, the “Ashes” – Steve Field. Tuesday 17th Interfaith Womenʼs Panel at BHPS with Rabbi Sarah For details or information, contact the shul office Saturday 21st Shabat Morning Service 11.00 am Led by Ivor Miskin & Mi Shebeirach for his 70th birthday and Francine and Ivorʼs 45th wedding anniversary Tuesday 31st CCJ meeting On the level, Dany had ordered a bonsai. sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 19 Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue Palmeira Avenue, Hove, BN3 3GE Tel: 01273 735343 Email: office@bh-rs.org www.bh-rs-org Rabbi Charles Wallach bhrs Dwelling on the positive The coming festival of Purim allows us both a moment of levity and a sense of soberness. Soberness because we know that that joyous festival has got a darker side to it – an unbridled anti-Semitic attack by Haman borne out of his not being bowed down to by Mordecai the Jew. Sadly, it always affords us an insight into the minds of those bent on seeing the negative in us as a people. Recent situations emerging out of the Gaza conflict are prime examples and the need to be vigilant remains. It was therefore rather refreshing that within one week two visits occurred at the Reform Synagogue which partly redressed the situation in my eyes: one was a party of local police officers and the other a group of theological students from Chichester. As I had occasion to say from the pulpit at the time the fact that such visits did occur was in stark contrast to the situation sixty and seventy years earlier when Jews and things Jewish were decidedly shunned then. Happily we tend to dwell not on the negative but rather on the positive side of Purim and so, come that day we shall rejoice, enjoy ourselves and hope many will come and celebrate. And among them I hope will be our wonderful children who, over the past few months, have expanded their activities here both at Cheder and through the monthly Kids Club. The first meeting of the club attracted a dozen, by the second meeting it had doubled! At the second meeting delicious vegetarian sushi was made and consumed as well as a number of model trees in advance of Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of Trees which was then in the offing. So come along on Sunday, 1st March to prepare for Purim and letʼs have a true Purim Sameʼach. The Shabbat is actually called Shabbat Parah and is one of the Shabbatot counted in advance of Pesach. Parah refers to the red heifer and elements of purification in temple times Rabbi Charles Wallach Sedra for 14 March 2009: Ki Tasa Mercy and Forgiveness This is a Torah portion brimful of events. The world at large would perhaps focus on the incident of the Golden Calf where Aaron acceded to the peopleʼs wish to build an idol while Moses tarried on the mountain. We Jews might do well to focus on Mosesʼ reaction – both his anger at what he saw causing him to break the stone tablets and the aftermath. For it is in the aftermath that perhaps we see the pathos of it all as first Moses pleads with the Almighty on behalf of the sinful nation and then describes Godʼs merciful qualities – qualities which are recalled liturgically in the Thirteen Attributes of God as enumerated by Maimonides, and in Godʼs forgiveness – words which have become included in the Yom Kippur ritual. For it is in the concept of appeal and forgiveness that much of what we might deem true religion comes to the fore: the enigmatic line: “I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Ex. 33 v 19) perhaps encapsulates it. The challenge is ours to be merciful and considerate in our lives…. Rabbi Charles Wallach Bulletin Board for March 2009 Every Mon Exercise to Music with Adele Every Wed JACS meeting in Ajex Hall Sun. 1st 12.30 – 2.15 pm Cheder Kids Club Fri. 6th Monthly 8 pm service Sat. 7th 9 am Rabbi’s shiur Sun. 8th 2.30 – 4.30 pm - Members Tea Mon. 9th 6.30 pm - Erev Purim Service & Party Sat. 14th 9am Meeting of the Book Club Bat Mitzvah of Kimberley Style Fri. 20th Chavura Supper following the 6.30 pm service Thu 9th Apr Second evening of Pesach communal seder. Please contact the office for details and cost. sussexjewishonline.com How many out there are using social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo, Friends Reunited and Twitter? Facebook has over 70 million members, all socialising, networking, communicating and interacting with each other using the internet. With busy lifestyles, social networking websites enable us to maintain our social lives from wherever we are - home, office and even on your mobile phone. If you have access to the internet, you can network and keep contact with your friends and family, wherever they are. When Sussex Jewish Online launches on 29 March, weʼll have our own social networking community hub - an ambitious and exciting project capturing the attention of Jewish communities across the UK. By bringing our communities across the region closer together using the internet and technology, weʼll create an online Jewish community centre! Online social networking is big and getting bigger. Soon weʼll have our own online social networking hub for Jews across Sussex. For more information on the social networking scene, just go to www.sussexjewishonline.com or e-mail us at info@sussexjewishonline.com. Next issue: all the lovely freebies you can get on the internet,... if you know where to look. The Sussex Jewish Online Team info@sussexjewishonline.com Janet’s Column I canʼt believe how quickly time flies – it will soon be Pesach. I was reminded of this because my window cleaner came today and his next visit is in eight weeksʼ time – just days before the Festival. To get you in the Passover mood, I thought you might like one of my tried and tested recipes for Apple Macaroon Pie. For the Apple Sauce: peel, halve and core 4 large apples. Place in shallow pan with tight fitting lid, add 4 tblspns water, cook on very low heat for about 20 minutes until they fall apart. Mash with a fork and, if too watery, continue to cook with the lid off for a further 5 minutes. Beat in 100g of sugar, 3 tablespoons matzo meal and 4 eggs. Mix well and pour into a pie dish. For the Pie Topping: Grind 150g blanched almonds in food processor. Add 100g of sugar, 1 egg and 3 drops almond essence and blend to a stiff paste. Slightly oil your hands so the paste does not stick. Take lumps of the paste and flatten them between your hands to thin them out, then lay them in patchwork style over the apple puree, so the whole of the apple mixture is covered. Bake in preheated oven 350oF/180oC/gas no.4 for about 25 minutes, until top is golden. Best eaten warm. Delicious! Birthday News Ronnie Markovitch will be 83 years young on 14th March and he extends an invitation to the whole of our community to a kiddush on that Shabbat. Congratulations Ronnie - and here's to many more celebrations. Enjoy the Spring flowers that are appearing everywhere. Janet Cowan 20 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 hhc Hove Hebrew Congregation 79 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JN Tel: 01273 732035 Email: hovehc@btinternet.com Rabbi Vivian Siverman (codified in the Mishna and Gemara, which together form the Talmud) Jewish families have light and warmth in their homes and can eat their meals hot. So long as lights are put on before Shabbat and the fires or heating likewise, they are permitted the whole of Shabbat. As a result of their strict literalist approach to Judaism, there are only a few thousand Karaites in the entire world - mainly living in the State of Israel. the West Bank and the Crimea. One of our greatest sages, Saadya Gaon, who lived during the tenth century, fought with all his might against the Karaite scholars and their views, which were gaining ground among Egyptian and Babylonian Jewry. He fought a one-man battle, knowing that to lose would spell the demise of Jewry as we know it today. Eventually, Saadya succeeded in weakening the Karaite impact on world Jewry, whose main centre was Babylonia. Rabbi Vivian Silverman Sedra for 21 March 2009:Vayakhel-Pekudei Literalism and the Oral Tradition “You shall not light fire in your habitations on Shabbat." These words from Shemot, chapter 35, verse 3, became the focus of fierce contention between Jewry and the Karaite community in the early centuries of the Karaite sect (eighth to twelfth century). Anan ben David, founder of the sect, laid down the rule that only the written text of the Torah was to be observed and not the oral tradition. Hence their name in the Hebrew: Kara'im (those who keep the written word). Thus, thus the verse quoted above would be kept literally "to the letter". As soon as Shabbat began, all lights would have to be extinguished. There would be no easy way to keep warm, or have light in their homes over Shabbat and meals would be eaten cold throughout the year. Also the Karaites did not light Shabbat candles. Jewry (labelled "Rabbinite" by the Karaites) maintained that the written Torah could only be fully understood, and fulfilled, by the oral tradition. By following the oral Torah MARCH DIARY: 3 Tue: 1.00am - Talmud Shiur (weekly) 9 Mon Fast of Esther. Begins 4.47 pm and ends 6.36 pm. Maariv and Megilla reading at West Hove Synagogue 10 Tue Purim: 7.00 am Shachrit and Megilla at West Hove 11 Wed Shushan Purim 24 Tue 10.30 am : Ladies Discussion Circle 26 Thu Rosh Chodesh Nisan 29 Sun Limmud at Roedean School sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 21 bhhc Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation 31 New Church Road Hove, BN3 3AD 01273 888855 Email: office@bhhc-shul.org Almighty. When God spoke, Moshe heard His voice with a loud and clear reception while the rest of the people, not on the same level as him, were unable to hear. The word of God is with us throughout the generations, at all times and wherever we may be. But so many of us go through life without really relating to our wonderful heritage; the Torahʼs words seem to pass us by and, possibly, lack relevance. What an awful shame! The well known Jewish lawyer and writer Alan Derschowitz writes: American Jews, who are the most highly educated group in this country when it comes to general knowledge, are the least educated when it comes to their own heritage. We get our history from Fiddler on the Roof, our traditions from canned gefilte fish, our Bible stories from television and our culture from Jackie Mason. This doesnʼt only apply in America! Surely, as the People of the Book, we should make an effort to ʻswitch on and tune intoʼ Godʼs word, as written in His Book. It may require an effort but the reward for that effort is infinite. Rabbi Hershel Rader Sedra for 28 March 2009: Vayikra Switching on and tuning in On the opening words of our sedra ʻHe called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meetingʼ the famed commentator Rashi writes the following: ʻThe voice of God would reach Mosheʼs ears but the Israelites would not hear itʼ. It can be difficult for us to relate to the miraculous events recounted in the Torah. How was it possible for Godʼs voice to reverberate thoughout the Israelite encampment, but be heard only by Moshe? It is probably easier to understand this in modern times than ever before. Most of us have a radio in our homes. We are used to switching on the radio and instantly hearing the programme playing on the particular station we are tuned into. Now the radio waves which bring us that programme are being transmitted constantly and are with us in our home the whole time, itʼs just that the radio is not always switched on and tuned in so consequently we donʼt hear them. We can say that the same applied to Moshe and the Israelites. Moshe was on such a high spiritual level that he was constantly switched on and tuned in to the Rabbi Rader answers questions about Purim Why is Hashem not mentioned in Megillas Esther? Rabbi Rader replies: Ibn Ezra explains that the authors of the Megilla were concerned that the Persians, who incorporated the story of Purim in their Book of Chronicles, would substitute the name of their deity for Hashem. To prevent this happening they did not mention Hashem’s name. Another reason given is that there was no particular overt miracle in the Purim story, rather the entire sequence of events is miraculous. If one was making a movie of the Megilla it would not require special effects unlike, say, the Exodus from Egypt. The Megilla teaches us that miracles are not necessarily openly supernatural but the hand of God can work through seemingly mundane events. The Megilla teaches us to look for God in our everyday lives, not only when He appears openly. What is shalakh mones and why do we give it? Rabbi Rader replies: Shalakh Mones (more accurately Mishloakh Monos, Esther 9:19) means ʻsending portionsʼ. The Jews celebrated the miracle of Purim in various ways; one of them was by sending gifts, consisting of portions of food, to their friends. This remained part of the Purim celebration (see Esther 9:20-23) and is one of the Purim Mitzvos. Shalakh Mones should consist of at least two portions of different foods which are ready to be eaten. Two reasons are given for Shalakh Mones: The Terumas Hadeshen writes that this is a way of ensuring that everyone has food for the Seudas Purim – Celebratory Purim Meal. Others describe Shalakh Mones as a way of increasing friendship and brotherhood within the community. Why are we commanded to give tzedakah to the needy at Purim? Rabbi Rader replies: This is called Matonos Lo’evyonim and is one of the original Purim observances ordained by Mordechai (Esther 9:22). Maimonides writes that ʻthere is no greater Simkha than gladdening the heart of the poor, widows, orphans and strangersʼ. The joy of Purim is therefore enhanced by the performance of this Mitzvah. One should give tzedakah to at least two poor people on Purim. Both Shalakh Mones and Matonos LoEvyonim should be observed during the daytime and after the Megillah reading. Are there any reflective lessons during Purim and, if so, doesn’t getting drunk hinder that reflection? Rabbi Rader replies: The Rabbis tell us that ʻwine enters and the secrets come outʼ. When a person becomes intoxicated his true self emerges. If one has listened to the Purim narrative and truly absorbed its message, then that message will emerge openly through saying L’chayim on Purim. YOM HA’ATZMAUT 5769 An Evening with Colin Shindler Come celebrate at Ralli Hall 7 pm on 28 April 2009 22 sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 ralli hall 81 Denmark Villas Hove, BN3 3TH 01273 202254 Day Centre: 01273 739999 Email: rallihall@tiscali.co.uk Last month I wrote about our need to obtain funds to pay for the urgent provision of a full-size unisex disabled toilet and the modernising the ladies and gents toilets. We have now been introduced to a professional fundraiser, who will endeavour to find for us grant monies or donations to provide the funding to help carry out this most important project. Soon we will be making the many required grant applications, etc. – so watch this space for what we hope are good results! Our professional fundraiser is also a member of our community and is prepared, at a realistic cost, to hold a training day that would be an “Introduction to Fundraising”. The day will be about how to raise funds from government bodies, charitable trusts, companies, the public and putting on fundraising events. Ultimately, the goal is that our many community and charitable organisations would then be better suited to plan successful fundraising activities without relying heavily on professional fundraisers. The training day is aimed at representatives from any and all of our various community and charitable organisations – particularly for Treasurers and/or members of fundraising committees. Ralli Hall will donate the accommodation for the course, for which we have a suggested date of Sunday 7 June. We are currently looking for funding to pay for the other costs of the day. If you or anyone in your organisation are interested in participating in such a course, please contact the office at Ralli Hall, on 01273 202254, to express your interest. Lunch & Social Club seeks a new chairman The Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club (formerly the Day Centre) has now been running for about seven years and has proved to be a successful and valuable asset within the community. I have chaired the Management Committee since the beginning and I have decided to relinquish this position towards the end of this year whilst still continuing as a volunteer and (if required) committee member. It is time for some new blood to take the Lunch & Social Club from strength to greater strength. A new Chairman is being sought for this very interesting and rewarding position. To help manage and administer the Lunch & Social Club for our senior citizens, we have a very efficient part-time organizer running all of the dayto- day operations. For more information or if you feel that you would like to offer any volunteer help to the Lunch & Social Club, please contact me on 01273 416335. I will of course continue to help over this year with all aspects of administration and fundraising. Alan Burke Training to meet fundraising challenges The course will only happen if we have sufficient interest from our community, so we would appreciate receiving your responses by the end of April in order to give time to make the necessary arrangements. When the Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club first came into being, one of the original three “partners” was Jewish Care. For various reasons, they regretfully had to discontinue their regular funding of the project. However, I am very pleased to announce that we have just been sent by Jewish Care a grant of £5,000 towards the running costs of the Lunch & Social Club. The grant has been very gratefully received and will help considerably towards our funding requirements. The new SJYG – the Sussex Jewish Youth Group for 11 to 16 year olds, has Sunday evening meetings booked through to the spring. For more information, contact either of their two excellent volunteer youth workers, Liron Greenberg and Raquel Buckland by e-mail at lirongreenberg@ hotmail.com or on 07730 970975. I am pleased that the SJYG have found a home at Ralli Hall, particularly as our community has gone many years without a youth club. Details of meetings are sent by e-mail to all known young people in the community and are included in Sussex Jewish News. Look for the new SJYG website at the new community website www.sussexjewishonline. com, which launches at Limmud at the end of the month. See you at Ralli Hall. Roger Abrahams It’s in the cards for Hyman Fine House On Sunday, 1 February, around 100 people played bridge and kalooki at Ralli Hall at a very successful card afternoon benefiting Hyman Fine House. The event raised nearly £1,500. In addition to prizes for the best scores, players had a delicious tea catered by the committee and a very enjoyable time was had by all. The event was organized by Raymond and Linda Felsenstein and the Fundraising Committee. This event has now been held every year since 2002, raising a total of around £11,000 for the benefit of the residents. The funds are used to provide the residents at Hyman Fine House with extras over and above the normal excellent service provided by Jewish Care. In addition to providing all sorts of in-house entertainment and facilities at the home, the residents also enjoy organised outings such as visits to the cinema, the ice show and the Theatre Royal. Thank you for your continued support and generosity which enable us to provide these extra benefits the residents so enjoy. Shirley Burke, Chair, Fundraising Committee Monday Bridge Club We are happy to announce that due to popular demand we will now be playing Duplicate as well as our regular Rubber games. For further details please call Reba on 01444 410435. Look forward to seeing you at Ralli Hall. Regards, Reba and Norina sussex jewish news . . .march 2009 23 diary march 2009 Sunday 1 Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels welcome. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Musical Spectacular in aid of Martlets Hospice at The Dome, Brighton 4.30 pm and 8 pm Tickets £12 from Box Office 08700 606 650 Monday 2 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 1.30-4.30 pm £2.00. Tel: Reba 01444 410435. Tuesday 3 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Tel: 01273 503708 RH Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Weekly RH Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Wednesday 4 Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com as well as 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am Mothers and Toddlers 10.00 am12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 01273 540464 Weekly RH JACS Annual General Meeting with guest speaker Sidney Grant, AJEX Centre, Eaton Rd, Hove Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian) with Polina Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Thursday 5 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Helping Hands Volunteer Drivers – Mark Luck Hall 8.00 pm with coffee/tea and cake Sunday 8 Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels welcome. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com as well as 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Monday 9 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 1.30-4.30 pm £2.00. Tel: Reba 01444 410435. Tuesday 10 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Tel: 01273 503708 RH Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Weekly RH Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Wednesday 11 Mothers and Toddlers 10.00 am12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 01273 540464 Weekly RH JACS 9 Colour Personalities and Your Birthday Colours, AJEX Centre, Eaton Rd., Hove Chutzpah Choir with Polina Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Thursday 12 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Sunday 15 Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels welcome. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Monday 16 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 1.30-4.30 pm £2.00. Tel: Reba 01444 410435. Tuesday 17 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Tel: 01273 503708 RH Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 688538 Weekly RH Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Wednesday 18 Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com as well as 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am Mothers and Toddlers 10.00 am 12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 01273 540464 Weekly RH JACS China - Land of Contrasts AJEX Centre, Eaton Rd., Hove Chutzpah Choir with Polina Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Thursday 19 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Sunday 22 Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels welcome. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com as well as 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Helping Hands Tea at Mark Luck Hall 2.30–4.30 pm Jewish Film Festival – 11.00 am The Old Court Room ‘Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh’. 4.00 pm The Duke of York’s Picturehouse ‘Strangers’, with ‘Veils’ Monday 23 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 1.30-4.30 pm £2.00. Tel: Reba 01444 410435. Tuesday 24 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Tel: 01273 503708 RH Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Weekly RH Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Wednesday 25 Mothers and Toddlers 10.00- 12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 01273 540464 Weekly RH JACS Weather, Climate and Landscapes AJEX Centre, Eaton Rd., Hove Chutzpah Choir with Polina Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Thursday 26 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Saturday 27 Jewish Film Festival – The Old Court Room – Please join us for a reception at 8.00 pm – screening starts at 8.30 pm. ‘Noodle’ with ‘My Amulet.’ Sunday 29 One Day Limmud at Roedean School, sessions commence 10.00 am. Tel: 206456 Monday 30 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Rubber and Duplicate Bridge 1.30-4.30 pm £2.00. Tel: Reba 01444 410435. Tuesday 31 Jewish Historical Society Prof. Michael Alpert (President of the Jewish Historical Society of England): ‘The Jews of Spain and the Inquisition’ Shabbat Shalom In Friday 6th 5.31 pm out Sat 7th 6.39 pm In Friday 13th 5.43 pm out Sat 14th 6.51 pm In Friday 20th 5.54 pm out Sat 21st 7.03 pm In Friday 27th 6.06 pm out Sat 28th 7.15 pm Notable Dates Purim March 9th/10th Grodzinski’s challot and rye bread are now available from Premier Convenience Store in Hove Street every Thursday morning until supplies run out -
Issue 183
February 2009
2 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 SJ N ussex ewish ews Editorial Board Doris Levinson Stephanie Megitt Ivor Miskin David Seidel Administrator Ivor Sorokin 01273 507979 Admin Assistant Gweni Sorokin Reporter/Photographer Sophie Sheinwald Community Issues Laura Sharpe Communal Diary Angela Goldman PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ. Tel: 01273 220461. Email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com www.sussexjewishnews.com Front cover: Another Tu B’ Shevat by Sophie Sheinwald and Ashley Sheinwald SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS - SUBSCRIPTION FORM Name…………………………………………….................................................................... Date ............................... Address………………………………………………………………………………………….............................................. .......................................................................................................................................... Postcode ……….................... Telephone………………………...................................... Email ........................................................……………........... ( ) I enclose a cheque for my payment of £15.00 ( ) I have made a bank transfer to the Sussex Jewish News Bank Account at LLoyds Bank. Sort Code 30-98-74 Account No. 00289447. I have included my name as a reference to ensure that my subscription will be noted Useful Contacts: SJN email: editor@sussexjewishnews.com Sussex Jewish Representative Council: 01273 206456 Helping Hands: 01273 747722 Security telephone: 07973419772 Ralli Hall: 01273 202254 Hyman Fine House: 01273 688226 Welfare Board: 01273 722523 SJN Advertising: 01273 220461 Day Centre at Ralli Hall: 01273 739999 Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board • Are not allied to any synagogue or group and the views expressed by writers are not necessarily those of SJN; • Accept advertisements in good faith but do not endorse any products or services and do not accept liability for any aspect of any advertisements; • Welcome readersʼ contributions but reserve the right to edit, cut, decline or submit the content to others for comment. Submission deadline for next issue: 8 February 2009. To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, please send them ONLY to editor@sussexjewishnews.com, otherwise we cannot guarantee their consideration for publication Editorial Deadlines are a blessing and a curse. The blessing is productivity. We all do things to meet real, imagined or imposed deadlines. In the case of Sussex Jewish News, most of our deadlines are imposed. Material is received early in the month for the printers to do the voodoo that they do so well. Then, by the beginning of the month, Royal Mail has to deliver each issue to your door. Itʼs all about timing, and that is where the curse comes in. Chanukah was late this year, arriving after last issueʼs deadline and six weeks before this issueʼs release. Weʼve included some Chanukah reports and photos, but Chanukah in February seemed somewhat old news – particularly as our communities are doing so much now. Weʼll continue to work with our deadlines and, by updating our website, weʼll start to work around them. The new www.sussexjewishnews.com should be ready for launch at the Brighton & Hove Day Limmud on 29 March. Itʼs where youʼll find the news and photos that just canʼt wait to get into the next issue of Sussex Jewish News. In addition, weʼre also considering whether to publish both in print and electronically. If so, readers will be able to decide whether to receive your community magazine through the post or on screen (and print it up on your home computer). Mea Culpa Competition Deadlines and the December holiday season played havoc with our proofreading of the January issue. We apologise for each and every error. Hopefully we did better this time. To find out, weʼre holding the Mea Culpa Competition. E-mail or write to us with your name, address and telling us what typos you found in this issue and where. To the reader who finds the most typographical errors, weʼll send a copy of The Jewish Songbook: The Heart and Humour of a People. Entries must be received before 5 pm on 28 February 2009. sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 3 from our readers Births Mazel tov to Lady Faith Barrett on the birth of her grandson, Isaac James Barrett. Mazel tov to Rabbi & Mrs Efune on the birth of a grandson Birthdays Mazel tov to Kathleen Davidson, Daphne Randall, David Sherman and Sybil Wayne, all of whom are celebrating birthdays this month. Engagement Corinne & Robert Blass and family are delighted to announce the engagement of their son Adam to Beverley, daughter of Ann & Arnold Lewis of Dublin. Get Well Refuah shelaimah to George Conway, Peter Curtis, Dennis Hollis, Mike Lyons, Daphne Randall, Pam Magrill Achievements Mazel tov to Raynor Samuel on her new home. Mazel tov to Josh Winstone on passing Grade 5 Piano Exam and passing Grade 2 Musical Theatre exam with a merit. Condolences We wish long life to: • Ivor Richards on the death of his mother in London • Ann Conn and family on the death of Elsie Marshall • Esther Rosen MBE and family on the death of Jack Rosen • the family of Bert Ash z”l • the family of Anne Johnson z”l • the family of Anthony Lyons z”l Letters Many thanks for a year of magazine treats. Each month Jean puts up her “do not disturb” sign as soon as I open the envelope and then regales me with the best bits. Jean & Willie Shaw, France We always enjoy reading the SJN. What a shame you missed out on our 60th wedding anniversary last 29th June. We also, in the same week, attended a Royal Garden Party for Red Cross veterans. I have served for 64 years. Gerald & Sheila Grossman EDITORSʼ NOTE: Readers are always invited to write to us by post or e-mail to share their joys and sorrows with our community. Unfortunately, we did not know of these occasions until receiving your letter in the last month. We are certain that the community joins us in wishing Sheila & Gerald Grossman a hearty but belated mazel tov on the celebration of their diamond wedding anniversary and their honour in attending the Royal Garden Party. Announcements Jumble Sale – 9 February 2009 The Torah Academy Nursery will be holding a Jumble Sale on 9 February 2009 at 29 New Church Road, Hove from 10 am to 1 pm. To assist us, we would be grateful to accept your good quality clothing and/or unwanted gifts. Please bring your items for sale to the Nursery. Limmud Early Bird Ticket Sales End – 13 February 2009 You can enjoy the Brighton & Hove Day Limmud for as little as £22 per adult, £10 for children and students and a family ticket for just £55. Book your Limmud tickets online with ease at www.limmud.org/day/brighton-hove. Or call 01273 206456 or email brighton&hove@limmud.org to receive an application form. Donʼt miss out. Get your Earlybird tickets now because after 13 February full prices apply. Jewish Arts Society – Exhibition – 22 February 2009 Calling all young artists! The Brighton Jewish Arts Society is holding their annual exhibition at Ralli Hall on Sunday 22 February 2009. Would you like to join us? We would love to meet you. Just draw or paint a picture of your own choosing and we shall be happy to display it and enter it into our competition. There will be prizes for all age groups from pre-school to 16 years. Please phone Rochelle 01273 503708 for details and we shall see you on the day. Happy painting! Rochelle Oberman Chairman Martlets Show at Theatre Royal – 1 March 2009 This yearʼs Martlets Show is at the Theatre Royal in Brighton on 1 March 2009 (see the enclosed leaflet ). There will be over 150 performers and a FULL Orchestra under the direction of Simon Gray providing non-stop entertainment with excerpts from your favourite shows. Tickets are from £10. Please continue to support these shows which are in aid of the Martlets Hospice who need to raise £4 million each year to continue to provide the essential services for people in Brighton and surrounding areas. Tickets sell out very fast so please book your tickets now direct from the Theatre Royal. Thank you for your support. Robert Blass Show Producer Many congratulations to Phillip Conway on his 80th birthday with love from Susan, Jonathan and Simon and family. Elsie Marshall passed away peacefully on 21st December. Deeply mourned and loved by cousin Anne Conn and family. Personal Hastings and District Jewish Society Early January was a quiet time for the Society, as the recent cold weather encouraged many people to stay at home. Late December was quite another matter. On Sunday 21st many members joined with Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation for a Chanukah celebration, which included an uplifting service followed by a talk by Reverend Malcolm Weisman on aspects of Jewish humour. There was a surprisingly large number of guests present, all of whom enjoyed the day, especially the delicious afternoon tea which followed the service. On Sunday 28th the Societyʼs own Chanukah Party took place at the Arthur Easton Hall in Hastings. It was the first time that all eight candles were lit at a Society event and it was quite wonderful to see the Societyʼs large Chanukiah in full operation. Stella Harris organised an excellent fundraising table with great prizes and just about everyone won something nice. After a brief recounting of the story of Chanukah and the singing of Maʼoz Tzur, we all enjoyed a lovely meal. This was followed by an evening of entertainment in the form of Louise Denny of Café Caricature and Cooden Beech Hotel fame, who played music from the movies and musicals on the piano to an appreciative audience. Many thanks to all those who made this occasion such an enjoyable success. Following last autumnʼs Tea and Social organised by The Eastbourne Jewish Social Scene, advance notice of their forthcoming Purim Party is below. All are cordially invited. Our next monthly Service and Social will be held on Friday 6th February at 7.00 p.m. at the Hugh Smith Hall and we look forward to seeing members and guests alike. Hastings and District Jewish Society was founded in 1974 to bring together all people interested in Jewish life in Hastings, Bexhill, Rye and the surrounding areas. For all enquiries please contact the Society on 07743 992295 or write to HDJS, PO Box 74, Bexhill, East Sussex, TN39 4ZZ 4 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 around the county Eastbourne Jewish Social Scene EJSS are holding a Purim Party on Sunday 8th March at 3.00 pm at WRVS Centre in Eastbourne. Included in the event will be another scrumptious tea so please make a note in your diary now. Fancy dress is optional. For further details and tickets (£4.00 in advance), please contact Claudy on 01323 521283 or by e-mail at claujune@aol.com Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation Forty-five adults and children attended a Chanukah party at the Susans Road Shul Hall. The Rev Malcolm Weisman gave an interesting and amusing talk on Jewish humour, followed by a short service, during which the first candle was lit by the children and Ma’oz Tzur was sung with great gusto, accompanied by Nina Liebenberg on the keyboard. Her brother Lazar then in turn entertained the congregation with his superb playing whilst delicious traditional refreshments, prepared by Linda Taylor, were served. Amongst the visitors was Jonathan Malka, an Israeli triathlete who is training in Brighton for the 2012 Olympic Games. Manny Godfrey Eastbourne Progressive Jewish Congregation We are sorry to announce the deaths of Bert Ash and Anne Johnson on Sunday 28th December 2008. Lady Faith Barrett is delighted to announce the birth of her 4th grandson, Isaac James Barrett, on Wednesday 31st December 2008. Our monthly Coffee Mornings are proving to be very popular across the community in Eastbourne and Brighton. Our next Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday 4th February at 11am in the Garden Room (Conservatory) of The Hydro Hotel, Mount Road, Eastbourne. All can be assured of a very warm welcome. Our Services, which are held at The Friends Meeting Place, Eastbourne, Wish Road, are: 13 February - Normal Erev Shabbat Service – 7pm 27 February - Chavurah Supper 5pm, Erev Shabbat Service – 7pm A tribute to Anne Johnson Anne Johnson, who had served on the Congregationʼs Council for many years and had been a member since the Congregationʼs founding in 2001, lost her battle against cancer on Sunday 28th December 2008. I have never known a braver lady, one who, despite her illness, continued to work tirelessly for the congregation behind the scenes. I felt immensely privileged when Ron and Anne asked me to officiate at their Marriage Blessing Ceremony on the occasion of her 80th Birthday in October 2007 and also at the memorable service in the hospital chapel when Anne assumed the Hebrew name Rachel. Despite her serious problems Anne maintained her charm and dignity to the end and was an example to us all. She will be sorely missed. Andrew Jay Chairman/Lay Reader Opera South East: Tribute to Bruce Eton On the first weekend in December, Opera South East (formerly Hastings Opera) staged a production of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, in memory of Bruce Eton, a member of the company for over 20 years. A beautiful programme highlighted his membership in the company over the years. The Eton family was in the audience for the Sunday afternoon performance, which was well attended. News Round-up from the Union of Jewish Students Sussex JSoc’s Interfaith Chrismukkah Party Sixty students enjoyed Brighton and Sussex JSocʼs interfaith Chrismukkah party. The club night, held in the centre of town, raised £120 and saw participants enjoy doughnuts, homemade latkes and inflatable dreidls. Brighton and Sussex JSoc chair, Judith Flacks, said, “The event was a huge success and shows how much the JSoc has grown over the last two years. It was great for students to share their different cultures with each other and the committee worked really hard to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves.” sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 5 around the campuses UJS Chairperson Re-Elected Adam Pike was re-elected as National Chairperson of the Union of Jewish Students at the first annual UJS training Summit for newly elected JSoc Committees. He was first elected in December 2007. After 6 months as UJS Chair he has managed to consolidate and strengthen his support amongst Jewish students. Of those who nominated him to stand 10 were Jewish Society Presidents and he was voted for unanimously by the 60 newly elected JSoc committee members present. His re-election is an indication that Jewish students and JSoc feel that the UJS strategic plan is headed in the right direction. Campus Life and the Real World As is too often the case, recent events in the Middle East may well lead to heightened tensions and emotions on campus. All students have a right to be a vocal part of their university community without fear or intimidation, and Jewish students are no exception. Students are responsible for becoming involved in intelligent debate on campus and to express their views proudly. As always UJS will be right behind every Jewish student in the country. UJS and Jewish students will not stand by while Israel is vilified and demonized for defending its citizens. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of southern Israel who have lived in fear for too many years. We are all united in the hope for peace and security for all people in the Middle East. Throughout the year UJS works in partnership with CST to ensure the safety of Jewish students on campus. Please continue to report any suspicious behaviour or anti-Semitic incidents to the CST on 020 8457 9999 or by an e-mail to enquiries@thecst.org.uk. In an emergency always dial 999 and then call CST. CST can also be contacted 24 hours a day via the emergency pager - 07659 101 668 (London). Students with any questions or concerns are kindly advised to contact the UJS office on 020 7424 3299 or by e-mail to office@ujs.org.uk Arnhem – The Liberation Route The Liberation Route was officially opened as part of this yearʼs commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem (The Bridge Too Far). It extends across The Netherlands from Belgium to the German border and includes 23 stone monuments depicting the various battles liberating the Dutch people after years of Nazi occupation. Two veterans of the Battle of Arnhem, Norman Jones (92) and Gerald Levy (82), were invited as guests to the official opening of the Liberation Route by The Arnhem/Nijmegen Tourist Board, P&O Ferries and the Scandic Sanadome Hotel, Nijmegen. The veterans and their carers travelled north to join the overnight ferry, The Pride of Hull, for the journey across the North Sea to Rotterdam. They were invited to the bridge by the captain of the ship and were royally entertained during their journey. On arrival at Rotterdam an executive coach took the party, which included reporters and photographers from the UK, to the five-star hotel in Nijmegen for lunch. Afterward they enjoyed a sightseeing tour of both Arnhem and Nijmegen. The following day was the official opening of the Liberation Route where there were receptions at venues along the route and where Mayors (Burgomeisters) formally unveiled the monuments in the presence of diplomats from the British, American and Polish embassies. It was a hectic day and the veterans had their photos on front pages of some Dutch newspapers together with brief articles about their stories. Gerald was on Dutch TV and was subsequently sent a video of the interview. It was most peculiar to watch, with him speaking in English with the commentary and subtitles in Dutch. A relaxing evening in the hotel followed where everybody was waited on hand and foot. The next morning was free. Some of the party used the hotelʼs spa to further unwind in the warm natural spring water. After lunch we boarded the coach to Rotterdam for the overnight ferry back to the UK. It was a very poignant and memorable few days. Gerald Levy Norman Jones and Gerald Levy at one of the monuments ajex 6 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 on faiths The following are extracts from the address by Imam Dr Abduljalil Sajid, of the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony UK, delivered at the Third World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace held in Paris in December 2008. Imam Sajid lives in Hove. Religion brings joy and hopes to millions of people in the world. Religion is a social force that can be harnessed to build bridges or manipulated to erect walls. Living and working together in todayʼs multicultural, multi-religious and multi-faith society is not always easy. Faith communities have huge human and financial recourses. Religion motivates its followers for doing good deeds such as raising funds for good causes, helping elderly and needy people in our communities and motivating their followers to volunteer for many social issues in our society. Religion harnesses deep emotions, which can sometimes take destructive forms. Where this happens, we must draw on our faith to bring about reconciliation and understanding. The truest fruits of our faith are healing the wounds of the past and being positive to construct trust and fellowship between different people. We have a great deal to learn from one another, which enriches us without undermining our own identities… We should see religion as a total way of life anchored in faith in God and expressing itself in ethical conduct at the individual and social level. Justice, love and compassion - values that are highly cherished in any religion - rather than form, ritual and symbol, should propel this way of life. Since these values are universal, religion, which serves as a conduit for them, should also be preached and practised in a genuinely universal manner. This is what one expects the practitioners of the religions to do in the coming century to counter the challenge of globalisation… In a sense, certain aspects of globalisation may make it easier for us to put across the universal, all-embracing message of religion and its core values. Given the worldwide reach of the media we have today, for the first time in history the opportunity exists to convey to humankind as a whole the universal essence of each of our religions. Instead of allowing narrow-minded bigots to monopolise the airwaves, why shouldn't men and women with a universal outlook state their case through the global media infrastructure? ... It is as if social reality itself is forcing us to get rid of our exclusive attitudes and develop a universal orientation to our religion, which will be more accommodating of ʻthe otherʼ... Dialogue is a sustained conversation between parties who are not saying the same thing and who recognise and respect the differences, the contradictions and the mutual exclusions between their various ways of thinking. The object of this dialogue is understanding and appreciation leading to further reflection upon the implications for oneʼs own position of the convictions and sensitivities of other traditions… Theological explorations have striven to enter into the rich spirituality of all three [Abrahamic] faiths. A three-fold focus of dialogue was identified and explored: 1) a dialogue of the head with an emphasis on intellectual matters; 2) a dialogue of the heart, beginning to see others from their standpoint, 3) a dialogue of the hands, asking questions like: “What are we able to do for others?” It is incumbent upon us to speak in ways that are not offensive or meaningless but respectful of the authenticity of our different faith traditions with their attendant moralethical and spiritual values, upon which a new world order must be based. A new world order in which every human life is valued and respected, “We are called to pray and work for the coming of Godʼs realm.” I passionately believe the act of remembrance must be active, not passive. If we are to avoid the mistakes of the past, we must educate people — particularly our young. Each one of us has a fundamental responsibility to protect and promote civil and human rights of all our brothers and sisters around us irrespective of their colour, creed, ethnic origin and their appearance. Jews and Muslims must reject their lunatic, fanatic and extremist fringes. Ayana and Jada celebrate lighting the menorah at The Old Steine Situation Wanted - My name is Eduardo and I am a newcomer to Brighton & Hove and am currently working as a part-time cleaner and caretaker for the Progressive Synagogue. I am looking for extra work. I am Spanish but speak English quite well. I have obtained a Nursing Diploma in Spain and have experience helping the disabled. Any additional work relevant to my experience would be appreciated. Please contact me (Edouardo) on 07984 351113, or contact either the Synagogue on 01273 737223 or Ivor Miskin on 01273 708519 for further information. For Sale – Morphy Richards food processor with all attachments. Only three years old. Please call 01273 321623 between 6-10 pm. For Sale – TRIO seat walking stick – tripod aluminium leg style with firm seat. Brand new, never used. Bargain at £10.00. Phone 07808 580047 classifieds The challenges and prospects for Jewish-Muslim dialogue sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 7 israel Join Israel Trip ’09 this May Following the three previous successes, Rabbi Efune & Friends have arranged a fourth tour of Israel. Israel Trip 09 will take place from 17-24 May 2009 and has been arranged with Diesenhaus Unitours (Israel). Participants will spend three nights in Netanya, one night at the Dead Sea and three nights in Jerusalem, and enjoy many sites including Masada, Yad Vashem, Ein Gedi, the Kotel, an archaeological dig, camel rides and much more. Rabbi Efune answered questions about Israel Tour 09 for Sussex Jewish News. What is the idea behind these trips? The first trip was arranged in the middle of the 2003 Intifida, when very few people were going to Israel. It was a solidarity tour. That trip was so successful that two years later a second one was arranged and the next trip in May will be the fourth. Who is the tour geared towards? In the first instance any member of the Jewish community. However it would have special meaning for those who have never been to Israel before. What should people get out of this trip? There is always a wide range of visits and activities so that all interests are catered for. There is an ancient as well as more contemporary historical dimension. Weʼll see modern Israel and people doing amazing and inspirational things. There is also a fun dimension so that people should go home more informed, inspired and relaxed. How safe is it? We have a policy of not going to any danger points. We do not travel on public transport and are either in our own coach or in a protected environment such as a hotel or tourist venue. If Rabbi Efune is leading the tour, wonʼt it be too religious? No. There is always a very relaxed atmosphere with no coercion to do anything that a person may not wish to do. All meals are obviously kosher and on Shabbat participants can go to a shul of their own choice or do their own thing. What about the cost? The cost is somewhat more expensive than in previous years due to the fall in pound, higher airfares and increased costs in Israel. It still is good value for what is offered. Good class hotels, air-conditioned coach and English speaking guide, entrance to all attractions and most meals. Will participants be expected to make any donations? This is not a "fund-raising mission". Whilst we do visit interesting projects and some individuals may decide to make a financial contribution, you certainly will not be asked to do so. What do I do if I wish to go? Please contact Rabbi Efune on 07885 538681 or email rabbiefune@hotmail.com A Night to honour Israel On 10 January a sell-out crowd of Christians and Jews from Brighton and Hove met at Ralli Hall to celebrate together in song, dance and food. In support of Israel in its current military operations, £455 was raised to provide parcels for soldiers in the Israel Defence Forces. Organiser Jane Dennett and her son Peter eloquently related the importance of Judaism to the birth of Christianity, for after all, was not Jesus a Jew? She gave a moving introduction of her love for the Jewish people and belief in the partnership of Judaism and Christianity in mutual respect and understanding. The Ebenezer Church had raised funds to help 100,000 new immigrants make aliyah and become settled in Israel. In addition, £154,000 had been raised by churches in small communities. A heart-warming DVD depicting their magnanimous and courageous efforts was shown. Peter Dennett eloquently defended Israel in these trouble times. He was joined by Roy Nightingale who maintained that God was on our side, that together we could beat the anti-democratic forces that rail against Israel and the West, and that the Old Testament prophets would realise the future ingathering of the exiles so that peace would reign over Jerusalem. When the evening ended with Hatikvah, those members of our community who were present recognised that it was indeed a unique experience to see so much respect and support for Israel and the Jewish people from a Christian organisation. In this day and age we are thankful for those who stand by us. Sam Barsam Norina Duke presents a gift of a map of Israel to Peter and Jane Dennett 8 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 available to you For all your printing requirements please contact ANDUS PRINT ON 01273 558880 email: andus@mistral.co.uk www.andusprint.co.uk LOOKING FOR THAT UNUSUAL GIFT? Ever thought of giving a subscription to Sussex Jewish News? Not just one but twelve gifts throughout the year. Complete the form on page 2 and send it to SJN, PO Box 2178, Hove BN3 3SZ or phone 01273 220461 and tell us who the gift is for . We will do the rest. sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 9 Brighton and Hove Day Limmud is nearly here… don’t miss out Preparations for the 3rd Brighton and Hove Day Limmud are moving from strength to strength as we near the event on March 29th at Roedean. To get your Earlybird tickets, 01273 206456 or email brighton&hove@limmud.org as soon as possible before 13 February. Assure your bargain prices now! Our line-up of presenters gets better and better. Here are some more gems of who will be showing up to titillate you during this great and imaginative day of learning. Check our website daily, www.limmud.org/day/brighton-hove, for the most up to date list of presenters who now include: • David Hirsh, editor of Engage(www.EngageOnline.org.uk) which campaigns against boycotting Israel and anti-Semitic campaigns • Anna Roth from the Jewish Museum telling a life story which will put your faith back in humanity • Brian Nathan on the Jewish contribution to popular music of the 20th century • David Solomon an inspirational speaker from Israel giving us The whole of Jewish history in one hourʼ and also the ʻwhole of the Bible in one hourʼ. How on earth does he do it? • Local Klezmer musician Merlin Shepherd on the Klezmer revival. • Polina Shepherd, composer, singer, pianist and the foremost Yiddish choir leader of the FSU will also be presenting and performing. • Sylvie Schapira & Adrian Locher on working with teenagers from Palestine and Israel learning how to deal with conflict, fear, prejudice and hatred. • Stephen Pollard, editor of The Jewish Chronicle on the paperʼs history • A mini-minyan of Rabbis to enhance your thirst for religious knowledge • David Lawsonʼs talk is called ʻSteel and Schnapps, Sausages and Soldiers, Scrolls and Survival – the story of Ostrava and the Czech scrollsʼ • Miri Rubin on Church and Synagogue: the history of a medieval image • Diana Lipton on the biblical background of a Talmudic martyrdom • Rob Steen, sports journalist on his life as a Yiddisher hack! • Tony Macaulay, songwriter of over 50 hit singles for artists such as Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, David Soul, The Drifters and more We are also delighted that Judy Ironside, founder and director of the UK Jewish Film Festival will be presenting a number of new film shorts by young film-makers. The Holocaust Tourist: Whatever Happened to Never Again? is not another sad film about the Holocaust, but a wry animated documentary about Auschwitz hot-dogs and Krakow's kitsch Judaica. How is dark tourism changing history? Veils stars Maureen Lipman and David Horovitch in a story about a Jewish girl and a Palestinian guy on their wedding day. But this is not a standard Romeo & Juliet story of forbidden love as there is much more than meets the eye... Sidney Turtlebaum stars Sir Derek Jacobi in this bittersweet comedy and cautionary tale set in present day Golders Green. Teenage and children programmes Our lively Teenage Programme is being run in association with the Sussex Jewish Youth Group. Presenters include Miri Ruben, Clive Lawton, Sylvie Schapira and Eva Schloss. There will be drama, music and dancing as well as lots of fun stuff. Get your young people to bring their friends for a fantastic and enjoyable day out. Our Childrenʼs Programme will include the return of the highly successful arts and crafts sessions with artists Rochelle Oberman and Gordon Charatan. Also, Dan Freedman, author of the Jamie Johnson series of childrenʼs football novels, will be on hand. Younger children will have puppets and stories, art and TV vet Marc Abraham will bring in a variety of furry and feathered friends. And thereʼs still more! Weʼll have two inspiring and informative exhibitions from the Jewish Museum, a selection of relevant books from local store City Books, an Israeli produce stall and a Judaica stall from Steimatzky Early bird prices start as little as £22 per adult, £10 for children and students and a family ticket is just £55 - but these are only held until February 13. Book online with ease at www.limmud.org/day/brighton-hove. Or call 01273 206456 or email brighton&hove@limmud.org to receive an application form. Donʼt miss out. Get your Earlybird tickets now! After 13 February full prices apply. We look forward to seeing you at Limmud! The spirit of Limmud When asked what has made Limmud such a success in the Jewish cultural world, co-founder Clive Lawton replied, “Limmud means learning. Learning is very different from education. Education is done to people, learning is what people do... Limmud does not decide what you learn”. The Limmud ethic is one of equality - everyone is a participant rather than a consumer. Name badges do not bear titles such as Dr, Professor or Rabbi, which can lead to some surprising conversations when the person you have just discussed Jewish medical ethics with is a world authority on stem-cell research. Anyone with any knowledge or particular interest can give a presentation. Due to this egalitarian policy, Limmud has created a number of exciting and valued young Jewish educators, who may have presented for the first time at Limmud and then have gone on to study more and even taken on roles in the community. Limmud has influenced a new generation of national Jewish leadership, reflected by the chair, Elliot Goldstein, and chief executive Raymond Simonsen, both of whom are in their early thirties. According to Clive, “Limmud reflects the importance of uncovering and cultivating people.” So why not come and join us and take one step further along your Jewish journey? Gordon Kay 10 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 spotlights Award for Hove legal eagle Local solicitor Penina Shepherd, founder of Acumen Business Law, was voted the winner of the ʻBest New Kids on the Block” business award in Brighton and Hove sponsored by The Royal Mail and was also voted one of 500 UK rising stars by The Observer, in partnership with Courvoisier. The award recognised Acumen Business Law as being an innovative and creative law firm which has broken away from the old-fashioned style of commercial lawyers, transforming the manner in which legal services are being purchased and provided in the market place. Penina, trained at Sussex University and prior to establishing Acumen Business Law, worked for law firms in Tel Aviv and Brighton. She attributes some of the innovative approach of her company to 'importing' the Israeli legal charging system to England. She said: “Even after more than ten years of working in this country, I remained somewhat mystified by the ʻopen cheque systemʼ operated by UK law firms when charging clients for commercial work, by which the solicitor in effect charges for every minute he or she spends on a case. By scrapping the hourly rate system and operating a fixed-fee-pricing model (as solicitors tend to operate in Israel), we are removing the ambiguity and lack of transparency that are part of legal services here." A keen art enthusiast, Penina also promotes the work of local artists by enabling them to present their work in exhibitions in the company's boardroom/ gallery known as THE SPACE @ Acumen. "We have recently displayed the excellent work of local Jewish artist Ruth Rix, and we would be happy to promote more talent from within the community", she said. Penina is a member of the Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue. Yael Breuer Penina Shepherd, second from right, receives her award Jewish Association of Cultural Societies (JACS) Brighton and Hove Branch JACS meets regularly at the AJEX Centre, Eaton Road Hove on Wednesdays at 2.00pm (doors open at 1.30pm). Our Membership fees are £4.00 annually and are due on 1 January of each year. Entrance fees for lectures are £1.50 for members and £2.00 for visitors. We ask that members show their membership cards when attending. Our Committee consists of: • Chair: Stella Beckerman • Vice-Chair: Nina Taylor • Hon. Treasurer & Hon. Secretary: Janice Greenwood Our detailed programme for February, which is also included in the Communal Diary on page 19, is as follows: 4th Elayne Bourne ʻCan I Help You?ʼ 11th Godfrey Gould ʻThe Good Dr Beechingʼ 18th Hat Debate presented by Dr Nina Taylor ʻHave your say – speak your mindʼ 25th Gantogtokhim Orkhon, Director-General of the English Speaking Union of Mongolia Our Annual General Meeting is to be held on 4th March. We welcome members and visitors to our meetings and they can be assured of a stimulating and interesting afternoon. Further information can be obtained from our Hon. Secretary, Janice Greenwood, on 01273 772812. Women in Touch We can always expect the unexpected when attending Women In Touch evenings organised by Penina Efune. About 20 ladies congregated at Chabad House on 23rd December. For the first part of the evening, we were given a talk by Rabbi Rader on the meaning of Chanukah. We were then ushered into the kitchen to be met by Sylvie Mettyear, who was surrounded by beautifully decorated small trinket boxes which she had decorated herself. She then unleashed on the participants a host of ribbons, crystals, pearls, beads, lace and bead chains, gold and silver lame pieces of cloth and all manner of pretty small items for us to choose from and to create our own gift or jewellery boxes in any way we wanted. Of course there was glue – some of which worked and some of which didnʼt and we needed help to get stuck, or more often than not, unstuck! It was a hilarious evening, full of fun and imagination. We all went home with our beautiful trinkets after a most entertaining and productive evening. Doris Levinson Hannah Smith and Doris Levinson concentrate on their artistic activities. ´ sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 11 history Tanach Tour On Sunday 7th December, I was a member of a small group which met at the British Museum for a Tanach Tour organised by the London School of Jewish Studies. The study session was entitled “Israel in the shadow of the ancient super powers”, and covered the period from 874 BCE to 530 BCE. By the time our study period started, the United Hebrew monarchy had split into the Northern Kingdom of Israel, comprising the ten tribes which refused to accept the leadership of Solomonʼs successor, Rehoboam, and the two southern tribes which stayed loyal to the Davidic dynasty, Judah and Benjamin. This latter kingdom took the name of the large tribe, Judah – subsequently Judea. It is important to recognise the political scene in the Near East at that time. At the commencement of this period, the dominant super power was Assyria (Egypt, the other superpower was already in decline). Assyria was feared by all its neighbours. Successive rulers followed a policy of aggression, leaving their victims a choice – submit and pay tribute (taxes) or fight. The Assyrian army was a fearsome foe – the best organised in the Ancient World and unmatched until the Romans. It was our ancestorsʼ misfortune to fight against both. Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom and sacked its capital Samaria in 721 BCE. Following its customary practice, the ruling family, nobility and skilled craftsmen were deported and dispersed to other parts of their empire, other nations being brought in to Israel in their place. (This is recorded in the second book of Kings, Chapter 17.) There was no archaeological record of this – either there is some but it has not yet been discovered, or the Assyrians thought the matter so trivial that they made no record. The subsequent invasion of Judah, 20 years later, does have such evidence to support the account in the second book of Chronicles, chapter 32. However, the viewpoints are very different. The facts are straightforward. Senacharib, King of Assyria, attacked Judah, captured 46 cities, laid waste to much of the country, took booty and prisoners. He also laid siege to Jerusalem but did not succeed in taking it. That Jerusalem was saved is ascribed to a miracle in Chronicles, perhaps assisted by the incursion of an Egyptian expeditionary force at that time, or an uprising in Babylonia, which diverted Assyrian attention from a relatively minor matter to a serious super power challenge. It was fascinating to compare the description of the siege and capture of Lachish in Chronicles, with the Assyrian record. Chronicles dismisses the matter in a few words, concentrating on the miraculous saving of Jerusalem. The Assyrian record places considerable emphasis on the taking of Lachish, including wall reliefs in details, while glossing over events in Jerusalem. As ever, history is a subjective matter! The second item was of a minor matter but even more significant because of it! In Jeremiah, ch. 39, he describes what happened when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 586 BCE. He mentions by name three senior officials who took charge of the City once it had fallen. Only a year or so ago, one of the many clay tablets in the Museum store was examined by an expert who found, to his amazement, the name of one of these officials recorded thereon. Usually names were recorded only for Royal persons. Very useful evidence to show that the facts recorded in our history are real and not fables. Finally, a visit to the Museum would not be complete without inspection of the Cyrus cylinder. This records the conquest of Babylon by the Persians in 539 BCE and goes on to describe the change in policy by Cyrus towards peoples conquered by the Assyrians and Babylonians. He reversed their policy, encouraging the return of all exiles (not just our ancestors), a policy which helped the Persian Empire to last until the coming of Alexander the Great. Unfortunately, we could not see this as it had been removed to form part of the current Babylon exhibition there – perhaps on our next visit! Ivor Richards arts 12 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 Choreography of a life: Hofesh Shechter Hofesh Shechter is a showbiz phenomenon. Not only does he dance, but he also choreographs composes and – noch - plays percussion. Choreography is his first love because “it encompasses all the music, the timing and the essence of whatʼs happening on stage.” The music is very modern and sometimes uses his voice on a pre-recorded sound track. His unusual name, which he describes as “very challenging”, means ʻfreedomʼ. “My parents were hippies,” he explains wryly. He was born 33 years ago in Jerusalem and was educated at a Masorti (Conservative) school with the emphasis on religion and Zionism. This, as well as the very fact of living in Israel, has “subconsciously” affected his work in contemporary dance. “There was a constant tension between so many groups of people, so much richness about the situation,” he reflects. “It made me always question everything and not take anything for granted.” Mr. Shechter graduated from the Jerusalem Academy for Dance & Music in 1993 and then moved to Tel Aviv to join the famous Batsheva Dance Company and to study percussion, especially drumming, but he came to the U.K. in 2002 as part of a rock band, The Human Beings, which specialised in 1970ʼs style music. After a year the band split up but by then Mr. Schechter had joined the Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company. He made his choreographic debut there with a ballet entitled ʻFragmentsʼ, about a coupleʼs emotional life, which won first prize in the Serge Diaghilev competition. It was an auspicious start to his career, which included gaining an Audience Choice Award and - a remarkable achievement - obtaining Brighton Domeʼs first three-year residency for the Hofesh Shechter Company, which he founded in 2008. He has also secured funding from South East Arts for his latest project. “As part of this yearʼs Brighton Festival weʼll be working with youth dance companies and rock bands to create an evening dedicated to performance by young people,” he told SJN. “There will also be a premiere starring female dancers of my company. I want to try to find a way of connecting to the emotional side of the opposite sex.” Mr. Shechter intends to complete the programme with two ballets which were so successful last November at the Dome. They were ʻUprisingʼ, which one critic described as “washing the stage with a wild drive of hope” and ʻIn Your Roomsʼ, which is all about our failure to communicate with one another. His present company comprises twelve dancers and five apprentices. “Iʼm really proud of them and what they have achieved during the past 2 or 3 years, “ he says. And weʼre proud of you, Mr. Shechter! Cecily’s Column Hofesh Shechter, second from left, in Uprising. Photo by Andrew Lang Beeb brings Anne Frank’s Diary to life BBC 1, 5th – 9th January 2009 The BBCʼs portrayal of the most enduring and personal memoir of the Holocaust by a young, difficult teenager was an exciting and evocative venture. Deborah Moggachʼs programme attempted to show Anne, not just as a victim of unimaginable suffering at the hands of (in her own words) ʻcruellest beasts known to manʼ, but to show her as a young teenager, no different from the teens of today. Anne is shown as a chatterbox and a rebel who was forced to live in hiding in the annexe of a large house in Amsterdam, in close proximity with her own family, with the family Van Daan and with Mr Dussel, the dentist. Her frustrations, irritation and anger at the bickering of people living together were excellently shown. The acting was superb, capturing not only the claustrophobic conditions in which they all lived, but also the fear at the hands of the German oppressors. The producer had full access to passages of the diary previously cut out by the family. Her relationship with the young boy, Peter, is explored, showing Anneʼs gradual sexual awakening which made her personality seem even more relevant to today. Interest in Anne Frankʼs diary grows steadily and her popularity among young readers is on the increase. This programme will have generated fresh readers and, hopefully, will be used by teachers of the Holocaust in schools; it is a wonderful teaching aid made even more poignant because it is true. Joan Melcher tv review sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 13 Move over Sister Act and make room for Joshua Nelson & The Kosher Gospel Singers. Mi Chamocha is a recording that is devout and joyous. Tradition becomes fun all the while maintaining its sacredness. Adon Alom with its two different Gospel arrangements is the first of twelve tracks of toe-tapping stuff. Yet I loved the transition as Joshua Nelson sings Hineh Ma Tov in the style of Louis Armstrong singing When The Saints Go Marchin in. Lo Yisa Goy is arranged to Down By The River Side, and Avot plays with the melody to Day-O! Every song is a treat. Mi Chamocha? is an album filled with love for Judaism and all things Jewish. It is hot and infectious. To learn more about Joshua Nelson, Kosher Gospel Music and the Black Jewish communities of America, check out www.joshuanelson.com where his CDs are also available through the Museum of Jewish Heritage in America. My only caution is that the CDs are reasonably priced, and the shipping is extremely efficient (3 day delivery) but expensive. So look at the price as if Sterling. The CD is worth every penny. Subtitled “Echoes of Ancient Israel”, King Davidʼs Lyre is a CD filled with Michael Levyʼs passion for the Kinnor (the lyre of ancient Israel). His enthusiasm and respect for the instrument is evident in every one of the 22 songs. The album takes the listener back in time to the sounds of the Kinnor, the instrument played by King David and the Levites in the Holy Temple Michael Levy has done a copious amount of research on the Kinnor – how it was constructed, how the ten strings were tuned and playing techniques. The instrument used on this CD is a replica Kinnor built by Levy himself from a design believed to be in use in the era of the Second Temple. The songs on the CD are taken from throughout Jewish history – ancient to traditional to modern. To keep the listener interested, Levy varies his playing technique not only song by song, but within the songs themselves. The sound is simple, gentle, relaxing and loving throughout – and something other than what is expected from modern music. King David ’s Lyre Echoes of Ancient Israel by Michael arts Modern, Ancient and Difficult Musical Traditions Levy is available from Jewish Music Distribution in Hailsham. For this and other musical treasures, check their website at www.jewishmusic-jmd.co.uk Jewface, from Reboot Stereophonic, takes its name as a vaudevillian companion to blackface. Here Jewish performers put on or accentuate Yiddish accents and make fun of Jewish stereotypes as part of their acts. The sixteen tracks – billed as being by the “leading Yiddish warblers of our time”, were taken from original wax cylinder recordings made between 1905 and 1924. The list of songwriters is impressive. Among them are Irving Berlin, Eddie Cantor, Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, all of whom went on to be extremely successful and well known. The performers include Fanny Brice, Monroe Silver (the Heavenly Hebe) and Rhoda Bernard (That Zany Zaftig Meidele). For a recording of such pedigree, it must be listened to not only with todayʼs ears, but also within the context of history. The songs play on all of the Jewish stereotypes: the Jewish mother (My Yiddisha Mammy – a parody of the two famous songs), Jewish names (Pittsburgh, Pa.), miserliness (Cohen Owes Me 97 Dollars), the threats of intermarriage (Marry A Yiddisher Boy), tenement living (No Hot Water Way Up In The Bronx). Amid the negative portrayals, there is much humour. Two songs particularly caught my attention. The first was Becky Is Back In The Ballet (the last word rhymes with “valley”). Itʼs funny and Fanny Briceʼs accent makes it all the more so. The other was When Mose With His Nose Leads The Band. It is familiar only because it later formed the basis for America The Beautiful. In the first half of the 20th century, Jews in vaudeville were beating non-Jews to the punch with Jewish jokes to show that they knew how Jews were viewed generally. It was an outsiderʼs way of trying to gain acceptance in society. Yet however successful the performers on Jewface became later in life, one should remember that Groucho Marx – at the height of his career, was refused admission to a country club on religious grounds. It prompted Marx to famously ask the country club if his daughter, who was half-Jewish, could go into the pool “up to her knees”. In other words, whatever we may believe to the contrary, acceptance only goes so far. An outsider ultimately remains an outsider. Jewface is a marvellous if sometimes discomforting album. From a historical point of view, it is an education in a different tradition that is a welcome addition to anyoneʼs collection. It is available from www.amazon.co.uk David Seidel 14 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 bhhc Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation 31 New Church Road Hove, BN3 3AD 01273 888855 Email: office@bhhc-shul.org Alone in the fields, communing with nature, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, these are factors which can be conducive to being a man of faith. But to run a massive government infrastructure as the most high-profile statesman in the land whilst remaining faithful to oneʼs traditions - this is not only a novelty, this is absolute inspiration. Thrust as he was from the simple life of a young shepherd boy into the hub of the nation's capital to juggle the roles of Viceroy and Jew, Joseph represented tradition amidst transition. It was possible, he taught the world, to be a contemporary traditionalist. One could successfully straddle both worlds. Now that they were about to leave Egypt, the Jews were facing a new world order. Gone were slavery and oppression, and in their place were freedom and liberty. During this time of transition, only Joseph could be their role model. They would need his example to show them the way forward into uncharted territory. That is why the Torah mentions Joseph as the one whose remains went along with the people. They needed to take Joseph with them as an example that they could make their own transition successfully. Ever since leaving Egypt, we have been wandering. And every move has brought its own challenges. Every transition has come with culture shocks to our spiritual psyche. In all our own transitions today, may we continue to learn from Joseph. Rabbi Hershel Rader Sedra for 7 February 2009: Beshalach Transition and Tradition Parshat Beshalach records the beginning of the Exodus – the transition of our ancestors from slavery to freedom. We find that at this tumultuous time in our history Moses was occupied with a special mission - Moses took the bones of Joseph with him (Exodus 13:19). Many years before Joseph had made the Children of Israel swear that they would not leave Egypt without him. As Viceroy of Egypt, Joseph could not hope to be buried in Israel where his father Jacob lay, for the Egyptians would never tolerate their political leader being buried in a foreign land. But he did make his brethren give him their solemn undertaking that when the time came and all the Israelites were departing they would take his remains along with them. So it was that while everyone else was busy packing up and getting ready for the trek into the Wilderness, Moses was busy with this mission, fulfilling the sacred promise made to Joseph generations ago. Now Joseph was not the only one to be re-interred in the holy land. His brothers, too, were accorded the very same honour and last respects. Yet, it is only Joseph whom the Torah finds it necessary to mention explicitly. Why? The answer is that Joseph was unique. While his brothers were simple shepherds tending to their flocks, Joseph was running the affairs of state of the mightiest superpower of the day. To be a practising Jew while blissfully strolling through the meadows is not so hard. Major new community website announced The launch of the exciting new Sussex Jewish Online (SJO) website is to be celebrated at the forthcoming Brighton & Hove Day Limmud, on 29 March at Roedean. The new website, www.sussexjewishonline.com (or SJO), will enable every area of our local communities, and every Jew across the region, to keep fully up-to-date with events and news across Sussex and the South Coast – from one website. Work has begun on this exciting and important project with development of the new SJO website being completely resourced from within the community as a collaborative initiative between Sussex Jewish News, OvVay.co.uk and community leaders across the county and London. Sussex Jewish Online will include free access for everyone to up-to-date Jewish news and developments from across the country, blogs, webinars, local weather reports, reviews, articles, art, music, free downloads, gallery of photos, online charity fundraising events, auctions, debates and much more as the website develops throughout 2009 to represent the most comprehensive, ambitious and technically advanced Jewish community website anywhere in the UK. The aim is that SJO will offer something for Jews of all ages, regardless of religious practice, diversity and politics. If youʼre Jewish, thatʼs all that matters! Another exciting development is that SJO will host the new Sussex Jewish News website, the first fully-integrated part of SJO, which will also be launched at Limmud with a few surprises. In addition, Sussex Jewish Online will provide free website facilities to local Jewish synagogues, organisations, charities, social services and activity groups. All they have to do is contact SJO to organise their free website to reach a much wider audience and raise their profile. Alternatively, organisations with existing websites are encouraged to contact SJO to ensure their place within SJO, to increase their visitor traffic, and to ensure they benefit from all SJOʼs advanced website features and functions. By bringing together all the individual Jewish community websites in one place – and all Jews across the region together in a single ʻwebsite hubʼ accessible from any PC at home or work - Sussex Jewish Online promises to bring the community much closer together and make it possible for everyone to access community information, as well as to interact, network, communicate and reach the wider communities much more conveniently than ever before. For more information, just email: info@sussexjewishnews.com, or visit www.sussexjewishonline.com. www.sussexjewishonline.com sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 15 DIARY FOR FEBRUARY 2009 Acess to Hebrew Each Thursday, 11.00 – 12.30 & 6.30 – 7.30 pm Saturday 14th /21st/28th, 1.00 – 2-30 pm, after service. Friday 6th Erev Shabbat Chavurah Supper 7.00 pm Led by Rabbi Sarah Saturday 7th Tu Bishvat Seder 1.00 – 2.30 pm (part of Access to Judaism) after the Shabbat Morning Service – Led by Rabbi Sarah Sunday 8th Tu Bishvat Tree Planting at the home of Dani Louise Friday 13th ONEGBlind Cricket in Oz, the “Ashes” – Steve Field. Proud Dad and international escort to Daniel, his cricketing son, Steve will talk about Englandʼs national blind cricket teamʼs recent trip to Australia where they won the “Ashes”. bhps Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue Adat Shalom Vereiu’t-Al Sefat Hayyam 6 Lansdowne Road Hove BN3 1FF– Tel 01273 737223 Email:bhps@freenetname.co.uk Website:wwwbrightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah wash their garments, / and be ready for the third day; for on the third day the Eternal One will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai” ʼ. But then, when Moses is repeating this instruction, he only addresses the men (19:15): ʻThen he said to the people; “be ready for the third day; do not come near a woman”.ʼ So, did the women enter the covenant with the Eternal One, or were they simply onlookers? Did the Eternal One address all the people, or were the women excluded? The comment in Mechilta suggests inclusion – but if we examine the comment more closely, we see that it also suggests segregation – again: ʻThe house of Jacob refers to the women; the children of Israel to the menʼ. Rabbinic teaching (see, for example, Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 33b-35a) makes it clear that while men are responsible for the public realm of Jewish life, women are confined to the home, where, exempt from prayer and study, their main obligations centre on lighting the Shabbat and festival candles, dividing the challah dough, and maintaining the laws of family purity – taharat hamishpachah. Women are included, but their role within Jewish life, defined by men, is privatised and limited So, from Moses onwards, men have shaped Jewish teaching. During the past century, women have begun to notice – and lay claim to the covenant between the Eternal One and Israel on equal terms. Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah Sedra for 14 February 2009: Yitro Who was standing at Sinai? The parashah Yitro centres on the account of what happened at Mount Sinai – an event that is both shrouded in mystery – the mystery of the presence of the Eternal One, dramatically evoked with thunder and lightning and blasts of the Shofar – and captured in the voice of the Eternal One: Aseret ha-dibbrot; the ʻten utterancesʼ, better known as the ʻTen Commandmentsʼ. Whatever we make of the narrative we find in the Torah (Exodus 19 & 20), it was the defining moment when the descendants of Jacob, together with the ʻmixed multitudeʼ, who made a dash for freedom with them (Exodus 12:37-38), assented to the covenant with the Ineffable One and became the Jewish people. Because it was the defining moment, we are bound to ask, did the Eternal One address everyone – or only the males? Just prior to Revelation, the Eternal One declares to Moses: ʻThus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israelʼ (Exodus 19:3). Interpreting what looks like repetition, we find this comment in Mechilta, a collection of rabbinic midrash: ʻThe house of Jacob refers to the women; the children of Israel to the menʼ, indicating that both women and men were included. But then something curious happens. We read (19:10- 11): ʻThe Eternal One said to Moses: “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them Chanukah Bash Saturday 27th December - our lovely event to celebrate the lighting of the 7th candle was enjoyed by 50 members including many young people. Havdalah, candle lighting, Open Mike Cabaret and wonderful food (including doughnuts and latkes) all made for a great evening. Appreciation of an influence The death of Helen Suzman at the age of 91 brought back a myriad of memories to me. She had been elected unopposed to enter the South African parliament in 1953. Six years later, she and ten others had left the United Party because they viewed that partyʼs opposition to apartheid as being ineffectual. At the first election held thereafter, in 1961, she alone was elected and remained the newly formed Progressive Partyʼs sole representative until 1974. I was deeply conscious of Helen Suzman during those wilderness years. She was my Member of Parliament. As soon as I could I joined the Young Progressives, and worked to get her re-elected, never a foregone conclusion. The United Party always did its best to unseat her. Helen Suzman never apologised for fighting her corner, publicising the iniquity and distresses of apartheid and highlighting its every ill. As a student at the University of the Witwatersrand – Johannesburgʼs liberal university, I heard her speak many a time. It was at the university that she felt able to publicise those evils – including the maltreatment of prisoners, the inhumane ways, how she met Nelson Mandela and saw, early on, that he was the potential leader of the future. Though raised in a Jewish home and married to a Jew, Helen Suzman was never a conventional synagogue member – until she retired. When I became Rabbi of the main Reform synagogue in Johannesburg in 2003, she was on the membership list! I was, however, curious for I knew her not to be a shul goer. Helen Suzman identified herself as a Jew. Judaismʼs prophetic and ethical messages helped inspire her. She let her name be given to one of the Wizo groups in Johannesburg and the Jewish National Fund in South Africa held a tribute event in her honour. Speaking on that occasion she was as feisty as ever, enjoining those present to oppose those excesses that the African National Congress was allowing because of its overwhelming majority. When I look back on my life or am asked why I became a Rabbi I realise that many factors coalesced. One of those was surely the stance of Helen Suzman. Her tribute by the JNF seems most appropriate. Monday 9th February marks Tu BʼShevat – the New Year for Trees and carries a spiritual message. The saplings that are planted are seen as the start of growth, much as Helen Suzman, by her indomitable spirit and despite often being so alone, kept alive the spirit that ultimately brought the change that occurred in South Africa. She was, as it were, the very embodiment of the idea expressed by the prophet Amos, let justice well up as waters and righteousness as an ever-flowing stream. Rabbi Charles Wallach 16 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 bhrs Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue Palmeira Avenue, Hove, BN3 3GE Tel: 01273 735343 Email: office@bh-rs.org www.bh-rs-org Rabbi Charles Wallach another, each othersʼ property and so on. It is as it were that the reading is saying: These are the ideals (the Ten Commandments) but this is how to turn those ideals into living reality. This Shabbat is also known as Shabbat Shekalim, one of a series of Sabbaths which carry an additional name and indeed has a special maftir or final reading. In ancient times this was a reference to ensuring the providing of the necessary for the upkeep of, initially the tabernacle, thereafter the Temple in Jerusalem. Today it remains a double reminder: That our synagogues and institutions are always reliant on goodwill offerings and that charity in Judaism is really nothing other than tzedakah – a righteous act given as part of our very living. Rabbi Charles Wallach Sedra for 21 February 2009: Mishpatim Turning ideals into reality The sedra Mishpatim follows immediately after Yitro wherein we find the Ten Commandments. Indeed, there were some who felt that Mishpatim lived in the shadow of the previous portion, precisely for that reason. However, the word Mishpatim means ordinances, or by-laws, and its importance is further enhanced by the opening letter to the reading: Vʼeleh Ha Mishpatim: AND these are the ordinances… The Ten Commandments, the experience at Sinai was of course a highlight, perhaps THE highlight on the long march through the desert. But one expresses ideals, hopes, beliefs in the execution of the ordinary: Living is about getting on with the ordinary aspects of life, observing the rules of society, consideration of one DIARY FOR FEBRUARY 2009 Every Monday 11.00 am Exercise to Music Every Wednesday 2.00 pm JACS Every Sunday Cheder Kids’ Club from 12.30 to 2.15 pm. Sunday 1st Feb Cheder Kids Club 12.30-2.15 pm for more information contact the Shul office Tuesday 3rd Feb Bring your own Luncheon Discussion Group at 12.30 Topic this month is Has political correctness gone too far? led by Joan Melcher. Fri 6th Feb Service at 8.00pm Sat 7th Feb Shiur Sat 28th Feb Shiur sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 17 hhc Hove Hebrew Congregation 79 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JN Tel: 01273 732035 Email: hovehc@btinternet.com Rabbi Vivian Siverman ourselves to the world, is an important Jewish principle. It is known in Hebrew as toho k'varo. A human being has to be an upright and true person in every respect. A further thought: Why were the broken set of Ten Commandment tablets placed in the Ark together with the second set? The tablets, which Moshe dashed to pieces when he saw the people rejoicing around the golden calf, still retained their sanctity, despite having been broken into pieces. From this, we learn a vital principle of life. It is forbidden to ill-treat or show disrespect to a person who has become old, or broken in body and mind. That individual is still a human being and should be treated with dignity. His or her life may be shattered, just like the tablets of stone, yet that person still deserves consideration and support. This is all part of kavod habriot - the dignity of the human being. Rabbi Vivian Silverman Sedra for 28 February 2009: Terumah The dignity of the human being "And you shall cover the Ark, inside and out, with pure gold". The Ark (which would contain the word of God) was to be made from acacia wood, with a gold rim around the top, and it would be carried like a sedan chair. The most unusual feature was that it would be covered with a thin layer of gold outside and inside. Why? After all, the inside of the Ark would never be seen. The Talmudic sage, Rava, answered: From this description of the Ark (which was destined to contain the 1st and 2nd set of Ten Commandments) we learn that a Torah scholar, whose internal attributes do not mirror his external, cannot be called a scholar and God-fearing person. This emphasis placed on the fact that our inner self must be a reflection of how we portray Janet’s Column By public demand, I'm back! Several years ago I read that J.K. Rowling (of Harry Potter fame) had "writer's block", but her publisher was offering JKR millions of pounds to finish writing her next book. However there was nothing so exciting to tempt me back. Nevertheless, I'm here. A hearty mazel tov to Rabbi and Mrs Silverman on the birth of a new grandson - a second son for Gary and Chava and I was delighted to learn that mother and baby are doing well. My very good wishes to you all. Mr and Mrs Jo Angelman made a kiddush to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary recently. I believe the probation period on both sides is now over, and they are looking forward to spending many more happy years together, hopefully in good health. Congratulations to you both. Bill Milller, our shul caretaker of many years, has recently decided to retire from his duties. We will all miss his cheery face, welcoming us on Shabbat morning when we arrive at shul. I am not sure how long Bill has been with us, but I believe it is in excess of 20 years. The Board will be making a kiddush for Bill on Shabbat, 31 January in gratitude for all he has done for us. Bill, we wish you a happy retirement. Our Question and Answer sessions are proving very popular, and the next one is on Shabbat 21st February. Keep warm. Janet Cowan FEBRUARY DIARY: 3 Tue: 1.00am - Talmud Shiur (weekly) 9 Mon Tu BʼShevat (15 Shevat) New Year for trees 24 Tue 10.30am - Ladies discussion circle. 25 Wed Rosh Chodesh Adar Brighton Jewish Futures held a party on the 1st night of Chanukah. The group lit candles and shared more doughnuts and latkes than could be eaten! A range of ages turned up and it was good to see that everyone mixed well. An enjoyable night was had by all. Brighton Jewish Futures can be accessed either through our Facebook site or via email on brightonjewishfutures@hotmail.co.uk. This social group and network is open to all ages and across the Jewish community. Sandra Barnett’s turn to light the candles brighton jewish futures 18 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 ralli hall 81 Denmark Villas Hove, BN3 3TH 01273 202254 Day Centre: 01273 739999 Well, the festive season is over and it is the start of a New Year at Ralli Hall. The new SJYG – the Sussex Jewish Youth Group, held their Launch Party on 13 December and it was good to see some new faces attending. It is wonderful to see the return of a much needed, re-established Youth Club for our community after so many years without one. The SJYG will be meeting every second Sunday evening under the leadership of volunteer youth workers Raquel Buckland and Liron Greenberg. For more information about the club, please contact Liron on lirongreenberg@hotmail.com The Concert held at Ralli Hall on 14 December was, I feel, a great success. It was attended by well over one hundred people despite the cold and damp weather. The donations received were approximately the cost of the recent purchase of one hundred smart and definitely far more comfortable red and gold banqueting chairs. These replaced the awful grey plastic chairs that had been “numbing our bums” since long before I was involved with Ralli Hall. I should like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone who helped to make the evening such a success, including, of course, the three fine performers! However, the purchase of the remaining fifty new chairs, which we would like to have now, is on hold as our supplier is currently unable to obtain any more. This is due, no doubt, to his suppliers holding back on replacing their chairs with new ones, because of the Credit Crunch. Hopefully, it will be over sooner rather than later. We are still taking more bookings than ever, well into the year, for functions both in the Great Hall and the Stephen Magrill Lounge. It convinces me even more that we did the right thing to “speculate to accumulate” by upgrading the Great Hall as well as we were able to within our financial budget at the time. This year we intend to continue with our plan to improve and update Ralli Hall for the benefit of our members and the whole community. The next big and really essential job that needs to be undertaken is the provision of a full-size, unisex disabled toilet. This will be part of the modernisation of the ladies and gents toilets. Unfortunately, although it is a very expensive exercise (likely to cost in the region of £25,000, or perhaps even a little more), it is not what one would consider a “glamorous scheme”. So far, we have not been able to raise funds from trust funds or donor(s) within our community. However, we live in hope. In the meantime, please accept our apologies for the present, rather worn, state of the toilets although we endeavour to keep them as clean and shining as possible. See you at Ralli Hall. Roger Abrahams Hon. Chairman Members of The Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club celebrate Chanukah Elsie Marshall (1916-2008) Elsie was born in London in January 1916 and came to live in Brighton with her family where they ran a guest house in Charlotte Street. She entered a talent contest and won, which started a stage career. She was invited to go abroad; however her mother didnʼt agree and so her days in showbiz sadly came to a close. However, Elsie always kept up her interest in the live stage and regaled her friends with tales of what was going on in the theatre. She met Charlie and they married in June 1938. Their son, Raymond, was born in 1943. After Charlie passed away in 1967, she started her own catering business and provided food for many functions, most notably the Seders at the Reform Synagogue. She moved to Alexandra Court in 2001 and was always the life and soul of any gathering. In 2007 she celebrated her 90th birthday with a tea party. She was devoted to her cousins and surrounding family. Her unique humour and spirit will be missed by all. Ann Conn 2008 goes out with a bang - 2009 goal: bums on better seats obituary sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 19 diary february 2009 Sunday 1 Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels welcome. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Bridge afternoon in aid of Hyman Fine House 2.00 pm at Ralli Hall. Donation £7.50 to include refreshments. Tickets available from Alan Burke on 416335 or Raymond Felsenstein on 505056. Monday 2 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Bridge/Kalooki Club 1.30 pm- 3.30 pm. Tel: Reba 01444 410435 or 01273 202254 RH Tuesday 3 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00pm-9.00pm weekly Tel: 01273 503708 RH Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45pm- 9.45pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Weekly RH Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30am-4.30pm Weekly RH Wednesday 4 Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com as well as 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am Mothers and Toddlers 10.00- 12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 01273 540464 Weekly RH JACS 2.00pm spkr Elayne Bourne Ajex Centre, Eaton Rd, Hove Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian) with Polina Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Thursday 5 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Sunday 8 Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels welcome. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com as well as 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Monday 9 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Bridge/Kalooki Club 1.30 pm- 3.30 pm. Tel: Reba 01444 410435 or 01273 202254 RH Tuesday 10 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Tel: 01273 503708 RH Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Weekly RH Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Wednesday 11 Mothers and Toddlers 10.00- 12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 01273 540464 Weekly RH JACS spkr Godfrey Gould 2.00 pm Ajex Centre, Eaton Rd., Hove Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian) with Polina Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Thursday 12 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Sunday 15 Carmel Tennis Club 10.00 am- 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels welcome. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Monday 16 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Bridge/Kalooki Club 1.30 pm- 3.30 pm. Tel: Reba 01444 410435 or 01273 202254 RH Tuesday 17 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Tel: 01273 503708 RH Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 688538 Weekly RH Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30am-4.30pm Weekly RH Wednesday 18 Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com as well as 97.2 FM 11.00-11.55 am Mothers and Toddlers 10.00- 12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 01273 540464 Weekly RH JACS Hat Debate 2.00 pm Ajex Centre, Eaton Rd., Hove Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian) with Polina Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Thursday 19 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Sunday 22 Carmel Tennis Club 10.00am- 12.00 noon Weekly. All levels welcome. Tel: Simon 01273 235607 Shalom Programme on www.radioreverb.com as well as 97.2 FM 9.00-9.55 am Art Society Annual Exhibition at Ralli Hall 2.00-5.00 pm with refreshments. Contact Rachel Oberman on 503708 Helping Hands Tea at Mark Luck Hall 2.30–4.30 pm Monday 23 Afternoon Club with tea 1.30 pm. Contact Greta 01273 721987 RH Bridge/Kalooki Club 1.30 pm- 3.30 pm. Tel: Reba 01444 410435 or 01273 202254 RH Tuesday 24 Advanced Oil Painting Group: Tel: Martin 01273 327403 RH Painting with Rochelle (JAS) 7.00 pm-9.00 pm weekly Tel: 01273 503708 RH Israeli Folk Dancing 7.45 pm- 9.45 pm Tel: Jacky 01273 688538 Weekly RH Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Jewish Historical Society Talk by Gordon Franks ‘Jacob and his 12 sons; their journey to England – a Pirate Connection’ 7.45 pm Wednesday 25 Mothers and Toddlers 10.00- 12.00 noon Weekly Tel: Meg 779966 or 07962 828877 RH Painting with Gwyneth Rose (JAS) 10.00 am-12.00 noon Tel: 01273 540464 Weekly RH JACS spkr Gantogtokhim Orkhon, 2.00pm Ajex Centre, Eaton Rd., Hove Chutzpah Choir (Singing in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian) with Polina Shepherd 7.00-8.45 pm Tel: 01273 541031 (Rosalind) RH. Thursday 26 Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club. Tel: Suzanne 01273 739999 10.30 am-4.30 pm Weekly RH Shabbat Shalom In Friday 6th 4.42 pm out Sat 7th 5.53 pm In Friday 13th 4.54 pm out Sat 14th 6.04 pm In Friday 20th 5.07 pm out Sat 21st 6.16 pm In Friday 27th 5.19 pm out Sat 28th 6.27 pm Notable Dates Monday 9th Tu B’Shevat For inclusion in this diary, email details to angiegoldman@ntlworld.com or telephone Angela Goldman 01273 880659 Grodzinski’s challot and rye bread are now available from Premier Convenience Store in Hove Street every Thursday morning until supplies run out 20 sussex jewish news . . .february 2009 What do these photos have in common? The photo at the top shows Limmud co-founder Clive Lawton at a session at Limmud Conference in Warwick, December 2008 (photo by Aron Darwish). The photos along the bottom row are stills from the films Sidney Turtlebaum starring Sir Derek Jacobi, Veils starring Maureen Lipman and Holocaust Tourism. Q: What do all of these photos have in common? A: The Brighton & Hove Day Limmud – all will be seen at Roedean on 29 March 2009 Films will be presented by the UK Jewish Film Festival.