September 2020
the magazine of finchley progressive synagogue
Awaiting This Month’s Honey
From the Editor... September
is always a unique month for us. Not only is it ‘back to school’ and ‘back to work’, but the new year (ok, the exact dates vary) allows us to recharge our spiritual batteries. That may sound trite and obvious but I think it is true, whether you’re a regular shul-goer or an infrequent attendee. There’s something comforting about the familiarity of the Torah reading at Rosh Hashanah, the timetable of what to do, where to go and when, the warm bath of nostalgia that reminds you (well, me anyway) of childhood days doing tashlich by the stream, and teen years seeing who else from my school had turned up. The High Holy Days period is a reminder that in the midst of uncertainty there are some things that don’t change. Islands of stability to keep us grounded, that show that life goes on, that it’s ok to ‘keep calm and carry on’ even when we don’t always feel ready to. Even when the world
darren beach
around us seems bonkers, from exam algorithms to Brexit, from Twitter racism to Covidiots. We keep reading about ‘the new normal’. But what is normal? Isn’t it just the same but slightly different, like every day tends to be? We are far more adaptable than we realise. My favourite modern author is Matt Haig. A mental illness survivor, he has become one of Britain’s best-loved adult and children’s writers with his engaging style, keen eye for an aphorism and vivid characterisations. In his best-selling memoir Reasons To Stay Alive he wrote: “There is no standard normal. Normal is subjective. There are seven billion versions of normal on this planet.” For sure, many of us have been off on holiday, or just getting out in the fresh air and showing off our stylish face coverings. For many of course it is still a difficult period to deal with. And this time of year is an ideal time to take stock, and to help those who are currently not as able as us to deal with the cards they’ve been dealt. To finish, one more line from Matt Haig. “Everything is going to be all right. Or, if not, everything is going to be, so let’s not worry.”
Photo: Find out more about Dean Furman and Joe Jacobson’s experiences as Jewish footballers on page 16, as detailed on an entertaining and informative Zoom call with Maccabi GB.
Cover photo: Zoe Jacobs
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Copy deadline is the 10th of each month. Please email all content to shofar@fps.org
From the Rabbi
rabbi rebecca birk
H
ow will we mark the new year of 5781? I ask this because we are still so much entrenched in the strangeness that is 2020 and the ludicrous experiences we are becoming used to. This year has seen us weather (poorly at times) Covid 19 and the global pandemic status. Brexit, remember that? And most recently the shambolic handling of our public exams, A Levels, GCSEs and BTECs. Some of us have been hit harder than others; COVID-19 in particular may have had particular impact. I know well that some of you have struggled terribly. But now as we approach the New Year this September, we might consider what we can bring with us into our High Holy Day Season. No matter what happens in our lives, for some of us these days from Rosh Hashanah through to Yom Kippur have always kept us Jewish, kept us tethered, grounded and connected. 54 Hutton Grove has been historically critical to this process; standing within our building has been powerful, pulled back by this time of year and its services. ‘Zochreinu L’chayim’ Remember us for life. In Achad Ha’am’s words, ‘More than the Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.’ I think for many of us this applies to the HHD too. The memories and associations we make from them. It’s at this moment in our calendar that we set intentions and resolutions with the hope to return more fully to ourselves and to be our best version. I’ve taken these words from a prayer written by a contemporary Reform Rabbi, Joseph B. Meszler because they capture this year so well;
On Rosh Hashanah it is written, on Yom Kippur it is sealed: That this year people will live and die, some more gently than others and nothing lives forever. But amidst overwhelming forces of nature and humankind, we still write our own Book of Life, and our actions are the words in it, and the stages of our lives are the chapters, and nothing goes unrecorded, ever. Every deed counts. Everything you do matters. And we never know what act or word will leave an impression or tip the scale... This is the only way to embark on this new year, this Rosh Hashanah. As we gather in a different way than ever before. We are still directed to the same goal. We will still hear the Shofar. We will still eat the tart apples and the sweet honey. We will still dive into the reflection and hopefully the renewal that comes with it. Life and the waxing and waning of our days would be the poorer without it. I look forward to marking this together. Differently, yes, but still together. Let us be strengthened by what it offers us.
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From the Chair L
ast month I thought that I had written my final Chair’s article for Shofar before Tamara takes on the role, but here I am again! I started thinking about how we often get another chance or an opportunity unexpectedly arises. It was only well into my late 40s that I really got to know my late father’s twin sister and her husband and I am grateful to Carmen for encouraging me to get in touch with Pamela and Hymie. I was able to visit them in Worcester and learn much more about my paternal family as well as Hymie’s family too. My paternal first cousins, Annie, Martin and Simon are also part of this story and it has been so good to get to know them too. This weekend we went to Harrogate for my first cousin Annie’s marriage to her long time partner Hugh. When lockdown started Annie and Hugh thought they would need to postpone their wedding and notified their 100 guests. However
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cathy burnstone
they reconsidered and settled on a pared down wedding with ten guests, one friend each and the other guests were family members. I was Annie’s only relation and I was overjoyed to be a part of their wonderful celebration. I am sure that like many members of FPS I did not envisage that synagogue life would become virtual, nor that this way of engaging could be so meaningful or enriching, but it has. Of course when the opportunity arises for us all to be together again I will be there, but in the meantime I am so grateful that our synagogue is thriving. I wish every member, your families and friends a happy New Year and a good fast.
Cut It Out “We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together.” Martin Luther King. Grime artist Wiley’s recent anti Semitic rants on social media must be dealt with under the law as a hate crime. what is hate crime? Hate Crime is defined as “an act of hostility towards an individual as a result of their race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability” “Hate crime is merely the final act of a sequence of stages. It is the final, most extreme symptom of various ideologies which express intolerant and dogmatic views. In order to combat hate crime, we must effectively challenge hateful discourse and the circles in which it circulates.” - Board of Deputies of British Jews
“Groundless hatred is considered as serious an evil as idolatry, immorality, and bloodshed combined.” Any criminal offence carried out with hostility based on race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability. Hate crime includes: physical assault, verbal abuse and incitement to hatred through pictures, videos, words and music. what is hate speech? Hate speech is speech expressing hatred of a particular group and can result in increases in hate crime. For example after Boris Johnson referred to veiled Muslim women as ‘letterboxes’, anti-Muslim incidents rose by 375%. types of hate crime
lesley urbach
hate crime statistics According to an article in the Guardian in October 2019 the number of hate crimes reported to police have more than doubled since 2013. There were 103,379 hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales in 2018/19, an increase of 10% compared to 2017/18. what can we do? Support René Cassin’s ‘Cut It Out‘ campaign which aims to bring people together to call out abusive or inflammatory speech. Write to every media source every time they use unacceptable language. Use a template letter from the website to ask MPs to support Rene Cassin’s campaign. Challenge people when they make prejudicial remarks about any group. There is no hierarchy of discrimination and hate. As Jewish sources say: “Thou shalt not abhor the Edomite, for he is thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou was a stranger in his land” Deuteronomy 23:7 “Groundless hatred is considered as serious an evil as idolatry, immorality, and bloodshed combined.” Talmud, Mas. Yoma 9b
www.hopenothate.org.uk/research/state-ofhate-report-2019 www.cps.gov.uk/hate-crime www.amnesty.org.uk/files/Against-HateBriefing-2.pdf
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FPS People’s Page people welcome to new members
happy anniversary to
Michael Gorodi & Chloe Azulay; Robin Heller
Nina Steiger & Andrew Muir celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary; to Tessa & Derek Phillips their 59th wedding anniversary and to Miriam & Monty Bixer their 66th wedding anniversary. Mazel tov to all of you!
mazal tov to
Michael Gorodi & Chloe Azulay on their marriage in August happy birthday to
the following members who celebrate milestone birthdays in September: Lilian Kramer, Sylvia Mendoza, Joan Phillips, Howard Shopper, Stanley Volk, Gunter Lawson, Sammy Sofizade, Godfrey Mellins, John Michelson, Jacquie Fawcett, Tamara Joseph, Richard Logue, Paul Anticoni, Jonathan Kudlick.
stone setting
for Betty & Harry Cohen, officiated by Rabbi Rebecca at Edgwarebury Cemetery at 12:30pm on Wednesday 9 September
The Shul apple tree. Photo: Zoe Jacobs
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Beit Knesset At the time of writing, all FPS activities are being held via Zoom video conferencing. Links to access will be included in FPS emails. bridge group
Closed during lockdown rosh chodesh
Monthly celebration of the New Moon by women who enjoy meeting, sharing and learning. *The next meeting will be in October - no Rosh Chodesh in September book club
Wednesday 8 September @ 8.00pm Book Club meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month. Contact Sheila King Lassman skinglassman@gmail.com or Edgar Jacobsberg e.jacobsberg@gmail.com breakfast shiur
12 September @ 9.30am A Renewal of Hope presented by Paul Silver-Myer. We just need to listen to or watch the news to feel a daily helplessness or even hopelessness. Wherever we look, at home and abroad, there are so many issues, both pressing and depressing, and many fears about what is in store. Yet, at this season, Jews come together and look inward to search, contemplate and renew. T’shuvah involves a renewal of hope, but where does this hope come from? How and why do we pledge ourselves to do better, to challenge ourselves, to find the spirit to believe in a better self and society? Can we believe like Anne Frank who wrote: ‘I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.’
community events, all welcome!
delving into judaism
Wednesdays @ 7.00pm. Adult class with Rabbi Rebecca exploring the building blocks of Judaism plus Hebrew classes. 2 September: Welcome back with Introduction to Hebrew 9 September: Introduction to Hebrew 16 September: Birthday of the World 23 September: Sin, Original and Otherwise 30 September: Shelter and its Jewish Meaning learn
Thursdays @ 1.00pm An hour’s learning with Rabbi Rebecca – with or without your own lunch. 3 September : Tying up Loose Ends: Ki Tavo and Attitudes to Each Other 10 September:Netzavim, The Point of It All 17 September: Torah on Rosh Hashanah - the Meaning for Us 24 September:Haazinu, Last Words 1 October:Sukkot and Shelter and Torah pilates
Our excellent instructor Tali Swart teaches several classes a week on Zoom, all levels. For schedule and payment information, contact taliswort@btconnect.com
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Beit Tefillah
services at fps
services- september / elul leading into tishrei
services – june / sivan leading into tamuz At the time of writing, FPS services are being held via Zoom video conferencing. Links to access them will be included in FPS emails. Friday 4 September
6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Saturday 5 September
11.00am Shabbat Service
Friday 11 September
6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service
rosh hashanah
Saturday 12 September 9.00pm Selichot Service joined by Kingston Liberal Synagogue Friday 18 September
6.00pm Ready for Rosh Hashanah Family Kiddush 6.30pm Erev Rosh Hashanah Service
Saturday 19 September
10.00am Rosh Hashanah Family Service 11.30am Traditional Rosh Hashanah Service 5.00pm Tashlich and Havdalah
Friday 25 September
6.30pm Shabbat Resouled
Saturday 26 September
11.00am Shabbat Shuvah Service
kol nidre
Sunday 27 September
7.30pm Kol Nidre Service
yom kippur
Monday 28 September 11.00am Shabbat Service 10.30am Rise and Shine – a family moment 11.00am Traditional Yom Kippur Service 12.45pm Dramatised Musaf with NPLS 1.00pm Family Musaf: A Short History of Nearly Everything...Jewish with LJY-Netzer 2.00pm Prayer and Study options with Liberal Judaism 2.00pm Yom Kippur Afternoon Services with LJY-Netzer 3.00pm Reflections on Jonah 4.30pm Family Service 5.30pm Yizkor 6.30pm Ne’ilah and Havdalah
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Beit Midrash Thursday@ 7.00pm: Adult education programme to which everyone is welcome. 3 September:Can we make London the world’s greenest city? Supporting London Citizens’ listening campaign on climate change.
coming up at fps
6 September:Can we make London the world’s greenest city? 13 September:I’m Jewish but not in public. Do we hide our light under a bushel? With Adrian Lister and Karen Glaser
cafe
Sunday @ 10.00am: All welcome to join for a friendly chat and topical discussion (bring your own coffee!). Suggestions for discussion topics welcome, to Adrian: adulteducation@fps.org
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High Holy Days This has been a strange year. Our services this year will be different. This offers so much opportunity but also some uncertainty. We have tried to build in alternatives throughout the High Holy Days as we know Zoom fatigue can set in! But we are here, and we will be together – in a new way. Join us however and whenever you are able to. We wish you Shana Tova – a sweet and healthy new year.
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High Holy Days
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High Holy Days
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FPS At Lockdown
From top left, clockwise: Aaron making matzah in our cook-along – April; Beit Tefillah (services committee) meeting – May; Rebecca’s Zoom Bat Mitzvah – June; our speakers at the Black Lives Matter Beit Midrash discussion – July
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Shul Never Walk Alone I
n 1967 Mark Lazarus scored the winning goal for QPR as the R’s beat West Brom 3-2 to lift the League Cup, still to this day their only major honour. Until 13 July this was also the only goal ever scored at Wembley by a Jewish footballer. That ‘record’ finally ended with a 79th-minute penalty from Cardiff-born Joe Jacobson that sealed the 2-1 victory that promoted Wycombe Wanderers to the second-tier Championship for the first time. So why has it been so long between the two? Well, Jewish footballers have long been thin on the ground in English football. For sure, there have been a handful of Israeli players in the Premier League, but when Nick Blackman (now of Maccabi Tel Aviv) appeared for Reading in 2012 he became the first Anglo-Jew to start a topflight match since Barry Silkman at Manchester City more than 30 years earlier. Jewish footballers weren’t always so few. As Anthony Clavane’s magnificent book Does Your Rabbi Know You’re Here sets out, longforgotten pre-war pioneers such as Les Goldberg (Leeds United), Louis Bookman (Bradford City and a full Ireland international) and the prolific Harry Morris (Swindon Town) all made a name for themselves. However,as the community became more aspirational, less working-class and more integrated, the numbers tailed off and Jewish involvement became much more at the boardroom level we are now familiar with. A couple of weeks ago I was one of 70 who joined an evening in with Dean Furman & Joe Jacobson, hosted on Zoom by BBC sports broadcaster Rob Nothman for Maccabi GB. Joe Jacobson, 33, was born in Cardiff. There weren’t many Jews but he went to FZY and JLB, and at just 14 was picked to represent Britain at the Maccabiah Games. Dean Furman, 32, was 14
darren beach
born in South Africa but moved to England at age five. He was once a much-vaunted youth prospect at Chelsea but never quite made it at the highest level. Nonetheless, he has had a good career since in the lower leagues and in his native country, and has captained South Africa several times and played in major international tournaments. Close friends and (at Oldham) former housemates, Joe and Dean are articulate, personable men who were happy to share their experiences not only of the football world at large, but of what it has meant for them being Jewish footballers. Dean said that there was often a lot of naivety among many team-mates who had never met a Jew before and he still gets a lot of questions. Joe added that in such multicultural, multinational dressing rooms it’s really just another background to add. Both were keen to highlight that they had never heard anything anti-semitic from football crowds. It was refreshing to hear from two successful young men, each comfortable in his own skin as footballers approaching the twilight of their careers but also as Jews. They are great ambassadors for all of us. And good luck Joe for the season ahead in the Championship!
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Social Justice Work During Lockdown W
e want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has been involved in the social action and social justice work during lockdown. FPS has made an enormous difference in so many ways – here are just a few stories… caring for carers: Many members of FPS have had loved ones cared for by care workers when they are ill or coming to the end of their lives. And as lockdown highlighted the amazing work carers do, we stood with Citizens UK to ask for a Real Living Wage for carers across the country. Margot Katz had both her parents cared for by care workers in what she calls “extraordinary ways”. Margot, like so many of us, believes “the work carers do at such an important stage in life is outstanding and priceless”. And they should be paid a decent wage for doing so! collecting unwanted tech: Susanna was inspired by a tweet from Barnet Youth Forum who worked alongside Social Box to help collect and clean up unwanted tech ready to be donated to families in need. “It just seemed like the most sensible thing,” Susanna said. “We complain about old tech cluttering up our cupboards, and now it can help bring education into the home of a family who need it.” baking for nhs workers: Along with 6 other
bakers (all on zoom) we made biscuits and cakes for NHS workers. Hannah, a friend of a member and newly qualified doctor in Barnet General said: “It was so amazing to have hot food and cakes available at the end of a shift. Thank you so much”.
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zoe jacobs
helping school children in haringey: In neighbouring Crouch End Rabbi Sandra Kviat called for help through Citizens UK. A local primary school needed games, puzzles and arts and crafts equipment for families struggling in lockdown. The Assistant Headteacher said simply: “Thank you for offering. What a blessing!” as both FPS and Crouch End Chavurah came together with huge donations. food bank aid: Perhaps the biggest success is the continued donations to Food Bank Aid – an organisation set up just before Pesach to make sure local food banks were getting the donations they needed. With extraordinary commitment and determination from Alison and Peggy, Food Bank Aid was advertised throughout the postcode groups. Sharon decided to take it a step further by doing a street collection she said: “the result was heartwarming with generous donations of food and cash and around 15 bags of essential food and household items!”.
hannah grossmith-dwek bacp child/adolescent counsellor I am an experienced, accredited counsellor offering support for young people and their families. Based in East Finchley Please contact me on: Tel: 07855601335 Email: Hannah@gdwek.com Website: www.hgd-counselling.com
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mazel tov to our fantastic a level students!
• • • •
Ben is going to Nottingham University to study Mechanical Engineering Eddie is going to Israel to study and travel Eimonn is continuing study in the UK after a school swap Ella is going to Leeds University to study Psychology
• • • •
Evie is going to Birmingham University to study Educational Psychology Hannah is going to Cambridge University to study music Raphy is going to Nottingham University to study Economics Ruben is going to Glasgow University to study Economics
We know you’ll do us, your family and more importantly yourselves proud at university, and that you’ll all be well-equipped to cope with whatever student life throws at you.
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Contacts
fps website: www.fps.org
finchley progressive synagogue
Life President: Sheila King Lassman
54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR 020 8446 4063 www.fps.org facebook.com/finchleyprog Rabbi Rebecca Birk – rabbi@fps.org
Vice Presidents: Renzo Fantoni, Josie Kinchin, Alex Kinchin-Smith, Laura Lassman, Lionel King Lassman, John Lewis, Paul Silver-Myer, Andrea Rappoport, Joan Shopper
Emeritus Rabbi: Dr Frank Hellner
contacts
Community Development Manager: Zoe Jacobs – zoe@fps.org Musicians in Residence: Franklyn Gellnick, Dean Staker Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack pauline@fps.org executive 2020
Chair: Cathy Burnstone, chair@fps.org Vice-Chair: Anjanette Pavell, ViceChairAP@fps.org
Board of Deputies Reps: Janet Tresman, Stanley Volk Beit Midrash (Adult Education): Adrian Lister adrian@fps.org Beit Tefillah (Rites & Practices): Valerie Joseph valerie@fps.org Keep In Touch Team (contacting members): reached via Pauline in FPS office Website Editor: Philip Karstadt fpswebsite@fps.org
Treasurer: Chris Nash, treasurer@fps.org
Shofar Editor: Darren Beach shofar@fps.org
Honorary Secretary: Tamara Joseph, honsec@fps.org
Shofar Team: Sarah Rosen-Webb, Deb Hermer
board members
Sam King, sam@fps.org Phillip Raphael, security@fps.org Ann Pelham, apelham@fps.org Roy Balint-Kurti, roybk@fps.org
FPS Office: administrator@fps.org The Finchley Progressive Synagogue is a company limited by guarantee (Company No 9365956) and a registered charity (Charity No 1167285) whose registered office is 54 Hutton Grove, Finchley, London N12 8DR
President: Alan Banes
ashley page
janet tresman
insurance brokers
mediator & collaborative family law solicitor
Commerce House 2a Litchfield Grove London N3 2TN
Altermans Solicitors 239 Regents Park Road, London N3 3LF
Tel. 020 8349 5100
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Office phone: 0208 346 1777 Email: janet@altermans.co.uk