the magazine of finchley progressive synagogue
Decorating the Sukkah
From the Editor... Like
many of you reading this, my everyday life has slowly started to get back to some kind of approximation of what it was at the beginning of March 2020. I’m back in my workplace 2/3 days a week, I’ve been to the pub and to a concert, and I’ve met most of the people I’d normally have met. So much has changed, so much the same. But what did we do with all this time? Did we use it wisely? It occurred to me recently that prior to the pandemic, what would I have replied if someone had asked the hypothetical question ‘What would you do if you had to stay at home for pretty much 18 months?’ Many of us would probably have replied with some kind of variation on up-skilling, a growth in self-knowledge, using the time to learn something new, that kind of positive move. I wish I could begin the next line by saying that I’d perfected my French, or learned more than a few piano chords, or got to grips with basic home improvement. However, things don’t always work out like that. Simply having time doesn’t always mean making good use of time, and
Cover: Our Delving into Judaism class decorating the sukkah
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darren beach
we’re all guilty at times of just letting time pass. Before you know it, the moment is gone. Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans, as a man once said. That’s why I’d like to tip my hat to all those of you that have done something. Those who have taken up something new during the extended ‘home’ period, whether it’s something academic, a new language or a new skill. Those who worked hard to pass their exams while studying in isolation without the camaraderie and motivation that being with your friends and contemporaries brings. Those young members who have helped even younger members with tuition, those older members who have explored the value of ’third age’ learning which keeps bright minds shining brighter, and those who have simply helped others get by. And of course those who gained a spiritual learning. Our young adults are now off to university, at last able to join in the true spirit of further education (and I don’t mean lectures…). I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing them all the best. The road to learning is lifelong and never ends. If anything it gets better - after all, subjects like history and geography are so much more fun when you don’t get tested on them every few months…. And yes, one day I will finally perfect my French. Finalement je le ferai.
Copy deadline is the 10th of each month. Please email all content to shofar@fps.org
From the Rabbi
rabbi rebecca birk
T
urn it and turn it again, for all is in it; see through it; grow old and worn in it; do not budge from it, for there is nothing that works better than it. This adage was given so we think by Ben Bag Bag in Mishnah Avot: turn it and turn it again, for all is in it; see through it; grow old and worn in it; do not budge from it, for there is nothing that works better than it. It’s about the Torah in the fullest sense, the canon of Jewish learning, there is always something more to learn or understand. And truly we know that’s true in all spheres. For the next few months our teenagers are learning through the Rabbi Harry Jacobi Memorial project with Lesley Urbach about the Holocaust. They will visit Beth Shalom in Nottingham and they’ll be interviewing Kindertransport ‘children’ and will make sense of Jewish history. The zenith of the project will be their trip to Amsterdam, now postponed for the spring to explore in real time the effects of the Shoah.
On three things the world stands; Avodah,Torah and Gemilut Chasadim.Which are Wisdom and learning (Torah) Spiritual connection (Avodah) and kind and constructive deeds. But don’t we all see ourselves as lifelong learners? Isn’t there always something new to develop and discover? Naturally I care particularly about what we are learning and teaching in the synagogue. I know that for adults learning even things for the first time, teaching needs to acknowledge and
honour the wisdom and experience they bring from other walks of life. That’s what makes our learning at FPS important. I see us in the synagogue as firmly standing on three pillars always. Those that were imagined by Simon the Righteous in Mishnaic times, under Roman rule as the Jewish world shifted and adapted after the temple destruction. On three things the world stands; Avodah, Torah and Gemilut Chasadim. Which are Wisdom and learning (Torah) Spiritual connection (Avodah) and kind and constructive deeds. I like the idea of everything we do in our congregation passing through the filter of these three things. Everything must have part of that within it. That’s all that matters. I’m enjoying the opportunity to think particularly this month of how we learn. Please note there are two taster sessions as follows: Adult B’nei Mitzvah: Wednesday 13 October at 6pm on Zoom Interest and Learning how to lead services: Tuesday 2 November at 6pm on Zoom: There are many other options in our Cafe Ivriah and when Beit Midrash returns and our Delving into Judaism on Wednesday evenings. If you think something is missing, tell me.
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From the Chair On September 5th, just before Rosh HaShanah, our security, welcome and tech volunteers, council members and Ivriah teachers came together for a training day to equip ourselves to play our roles in the community in the year to come. One member described how they’d felt at home from the moment that they first walked through the door at FPS, that it was the best thing they could have done and they’ve never looked back. That is what we hope for for everyone who comes to FPS, but we know that not everyone experiences it. FPS may not in practice be equally accessible to everyone. We have further to go to foster that sense of welcome and belonging. On September 19th, between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, we had a council ‘Awayday’ (in the small hall – we hadn’t gone far but on the other hand it was the first time that the members who joined council last year had been able to come to a meeting in person! After a full year of virtual meetings it was wonderful just to be able to be in the same room!) We discussed what FPS is for and what makes FPS FPS. Time and again we came back to the idea that FPS is a place where everyone and anyone can come and explore and live their Judaism; a place you can bring and be your whole self to whoever you are; a place where everyone can practice their Judaism in their own way and find their own place in the community. That includes those who don’t want to be regular synagogue attenders or more involved in the community than they already are. Over the festival period lots of people said things to me along the lines of, ‘I’m afraid I’m not a very good Jew. We don’t come very often – I’m not sure why not.’ For some, coming once a year for Yom Kippur connects them to their parents, 4
tamara joseph
their family tradition and their Judaism. That is what they want and need from synagogue membership. If that’s you, you are not a bad Jew and you should not feel guilty or apologise for it. Practice your Judaism in the way that is meaningful and right for you. For others, I had the impression that they really do wish that they came more often and were more involved. Perhaps something is holding them back or they just can’t quite figure out the right way in. If that’s you, I understand how difficult it can be to walk into somewhere unfamiliar or after a long absence. Feelings of uncertainty, guilt, embarrassment, or being out of place can all hold you back. But please don’t let that stand in the way of coming to shul! Give it a try again! If there is something standing in your way, a question you are too embarrassed to ask, a fear of coming to a place where people might not know who you are, please just drop me an e-mail! I’ll be happy to answer your questions or to make sure that someone knows you are coming and can welcome you. If services are not your thing then let’s figure out together how else you might dip your toe back into the water of community life. There’s one thing we can all do to make synagogue more welcoming. When you come to shul for any event, make sure that as soon as you are able to, BEFORE you talk to the people you already know, you seek out and speak to someone you don’t recognise or don’t usually speak to, especially if they are there on their Continued on page 5
From Zoe There
was something so powerful about Bat Mitzvah girl, Maia, and Rabbi Rebecca sharing the bima a few weeks ago. With current Covid regulations, we ask people to wear a mask when not leading the service. And so Maia and Rebecca took turns standing at the bima leading, and stepping back to put a mask on. And I think it was most significant when Rebecca took that step back and put a mask on - effectively silencing herself to let Maia’s voice stand solo. Maia was absolutely capable of holding the fort. It’s sometimes shocking when we realise our children - or in my case, your children(!) are becoming our equals. Perhaps not always - they aren’t paying rent or thinking about the mortgage - but their opinions and experiences of modern life should be valued entirely equally to every adult in the room. I remember equally fondly Lani’s Bat Mitzvah - the first I came to at FPS. When her mum, Gabi, sang y’varechecha - the priestly blessing - for her daughter I could see Gabi was singing not to a little girl, but to an extraordinary young adult. These transitions aren’t overnight. It is the gradual increase of confidence in their own opinions, an increased eloquence with which to
zoe jacobs
explain their thoughts, and a greater awareness of the wider world around them. And it’s not just our children who have been taking new steps. We held our first joint Ivriah and Community Training day in early September, offering us the chance to learn more about what running a community entails. Our Delving into Judaism cohort is the biggest ever - and took on the job of decorating the sukkah with sustainable material. And our Adult B’nei Mitzvah class, having had a last hurrah in September, are looking forward to handing the baton to the next group! I leave you with the question poorly misquoted from Thomas Huxley, a contemporary of Darwin, ‘is it better to have learnt something about everything, or everything about something?’ Answers on a postcard!
from the chair / cont. from p.4
own. Let’s all work to make our vision of FPS as an inclusive, welcoming community more of a reality in the year to come. If you can’t leave your dog at home we will make provisions so you can bring your dog with! 5
Theatre in the Community empty in angel
tsitsit jewish fringe festival - october 2021
Back in November 2019, FPS member James Woolf had his play Empty in Angel produced. The play was sold out for those first performances and was later a finalist in the Standing Ovation Awards. Empty in Angel is returning with the same actor to various London venues this autumn. One of the performances is at the Bloomsbury Theatre on Sunday 10 October at 7:30pm, and James is pleased to be able to offer FPS members a reduced-price ticket for this performance. With the code ‘FPS’ (online or at the box office) you can get tickets for £8.50 instead of £16.50. Based on actual events, Empty in Angel tells the story of a London bicycle courier and her community’s tenacious fight for workers’ rights in the gig economy – their simple demands for fairness, dignity and security which will end in a historic legal battle. Tickets can be bought at www.ucl.ac.uk/ event-ticketing/app/?ev=21007 You can read more about the play and view other performance dates on the website: www.emptyinangel.com “Skewering the gig economy with wit and stellar acting” (Standing Ovation Awards) “An altogether admirable hour of theatre, both inspirational and engaging” (London Pub Theatres Magazine) James Woolf
Tsitsit is a new fringe festival with a broad Jewish flavour, taking place across the UK in October 2021. With an approach of ‘if it’s Jewish enough for you, it’s Jewish enough for us’, Tsitsit is a celebration of the grassroots, with the fringe ethos ‘if you want to do it, you can’ and the particular Jewish ethos of not having a particular Jewish ethos. Tsitsit offers the latest Jewish-themed comedy, theatre, spoken word, music and family shows. So, if you like klezmer or cabaret, poetry or theatre, Ladino melodies or Cockney Yiddish music hall, Tsitsit will have something for you. Tsitsit is taking place in communities large and small, including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Exeter, Cambridge, Canterbury and overseas. Over 40 acts are signed up, including performers from the US, Brazil, Israel and Ireland, as well as the live UK-wide programme. The full programme is available on the Tsitsit website: https://tsitsitfringe.org/events/ If you are not able to make the live performances, or are worried about keeping a safe social distance from other audience members, you can download shows to watch via SceneSaver. FPS member Louise Balint-Kurti (aka Louise Morell) will be taking part in a rehearsedreading of ‘After The Unthinkable’, a new play by Matthew Campling about a Czech Holocaust survivor and her English soldier husband as they try to make a new life in post-war Britain. The reading is being directed by Israeli director Ariella Eshed and produced by her company, Tik-sho-ret Theatre. The reading will be taking place at The Jewish Museum on 17 October. Louise Balint-Kurti
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FPS People’s Page people welcome to new members
condolences
Jane and Brian Landes Jemma Shafier & Steve Garbutt with baby Zevi Deborah Dor & Mary-Jane Low
Richard Kravetz on the death of his father Nina Jacobson on the death of her father Beverley Kafka on the death of her mother Shirley Luder & Robert Luder on the death of son & brother Anthony Luder Barry Jay on the death of his brother Anthony Jay
mazal tov
Lesley Trenner on the arrival of grandson Jonah Darius, son of Tiffany & Amir Trish & Alan Banes on the arrival of granddaughter Stella, daughter of Jonathan & Clemence Wika Dorosz on the arrival of grandson Arthur, son of Stefan & Stephanie in New York Good Luck to our first-year university students: Jesse & Zac Neumann at De Montfort, Raphy Klinger-Fixler studying Economics at Nottingham, Eimonn Staker studying Criminal Psychology at Nottingham Trent, Ruben Qassim studying Economics at Glasgow, Rebekah Treganna studying Human, Social & Political Science at Cambridge, Chloe Grossmith Dwek studying Politics with Economics at Bath, Benjy Michael studying Film and Television at Nottingham Adam Rosenthal studying aeronautical engineering at Imperial College London, Gili Posylkin studying Chemistry at St Andrews, Neville Nathan studying aerospace engineering at Swansea
stone setting
The stone setting for Mary Huttrer will be officiated by Rabbi Rebecca Birk at Edgwarebury Cemetery at 9 am on Sunday 10 October The stone setting for Alan Freeman will be officiated by Rabbi Rebecca Birk at Edgwarebury Cemetery at 10.15 am on Sunday 7 November happy birthday
To the following members who celebrate milestone birthdays in October: Janet Barak, Jane Greenfield, Josie Kinchin, Margot Katz, Berthe Manning, Lesley Willner thank you
To all our High Holy Days community makers - welcomers, security wardens, tech wizards, online hosts and co-hosts, our musicians, singers, those who delivered Rosh Hashanah bags to members and our Sukkah decorators A note about Family Announcements. Please let the office know when you have good news to share, grandchildren born, photos, joy to mark. We want to capture them all. So please help us not to miss your life cycle moments. shofar@fps.org / pauline@fps.org
Security Wardens Please Note A CST-led training will be offered towards the end of October. Please see the weekly email for more information.
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Beit Tefillah
services at fps
Join us either at FPS or via Zoom, Facebook or FPS YouTube channel
services – june / sivan leading into tamuz
services- october / tishrei-cheshvan
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Friday 1 October
6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Saturday 2 October
11.00am Shabbat Service
Friday 8 October
6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Saturday 9 October
11.00am Shabbat Service celebrating the Bat Mitzvah of Hannah Stubbings
Friday 15 October
6.30pm Shabbat Resouled
Saturday 16 October
11.00am Shabbat Service
Friday 22 October
6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat service
Saturday 23 October
11.00am Shabbat Service
Friday 29 October
6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat service
Saturday 30 October
11.00am Shabbat Service
Beit Knesset
community events, all welcome!
join the 50/50 it’s a win-win!
There’s no actual guarantee that you’ll win, but your synagogue definitely will, and you’ll get ten chances to win too. £20 gets you one place in the club from November 2021 to August 2022. Half is a donation to FPS and the other half goes into the prize pool, hence 50/50. Each month from November to August there will be a draw and three people will win a share of the pot. Purchasing more than one place doubles your chances of winning! For a chance to win and to help your community, please contact FPS office and Pauline will ensure you are signed up without delay. You can pay by cash, cheque or bank transfer into our dedicated 50/50 bank account.
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Beit Midrash
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coming up at fps
On Learning adrian lister
Research Leader in Palaeontology at Natural History Museum and Cafe Ivriah and Beit Midrash co-ordinator I have come to realise that ‘learning’ comes in many guises. I read recently that the average human makes some 40,000 decisions a day. That would range from your decision to read this article now to a decision to pick up your coffee cup and drink at a particular moment. Many ‘decisions’ are subconscious, others are conscious. So it is with learning. When I presented a discussion on Evolution and Creation at FPS I did so because I knew that preparing it would be a learning experience for me, and because I wanted to hear the opinions of others on a topic where there are no certain answers. And so it proved – a terrific discussion had to be stopped after half an hour as we had to move on to the morning service! Please join us for Beit Midrash and Cafe Ivriah for conscious - or unconscious! - learning. Please approach me with topics you’d like to discuss, or sessions you are able to present: adrian@fps.org a congregant who would prefer to remain anonymous
partially sighted. The process of describing an artwork in ways that it can be visualised is a very rewarding challenge. You discover details that you may have never noticed and work out new ways of interpreting, such as raised drawings for touch descriptions or exploring other senses such as smell or taste. This is slow looking where a single painting might take 45 minutes. It can be difficult to try and describe both for those who were born sighted and those who have never seen. How for example do you describe blue to someone who has never seen it? bobbie hood
Ex-Head Teacher My class of eight year olds was sorting singular sounds. Following the rules for making them into plurals, they had to place them in the correct box on the answer sheet. Walking around the class, I noticed that Karl had misplaced a word. “Why have you put ‘giant’ into the box for nouns ending in -f or -fe?” I asked. He gave me a long, hard stare. “Because,” he said disdainfully, “they say fee fi fo fum a lot.”
I was in my first year of teaching, and was thrilled to see that a 15-year-old boy who never normally took an active part in my lessons had finally put his hand up to answer a question. Rejoicing that my pedagogic methods had succeeded in engaging this pupil, I invited him to speak. My disappointment when he queried ‘38 C?’ may probably be imagined! sara dibb
Gallery Education Officer People are often surprised that many galleries have programmes for people who are blind and
Zoe, Rebekah Treganna, Ruby Reich and Chris Nash at Simchat Torah. Photo by Rabbi Rebecca
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Manon Ouimet How does it feel to complete a spiritual journey through conversion to Judaism? Manon Ouimet, one of our newer members, has tracked hers via the medium of photography. Her exhibition ‘My Name Is Maya’ will be shown at Belfast Exposed from 7 October, and excitingly, part of it will be exhibited at FPS in November. I asked her a few questions to find out more about it. Tell us a little about your exhibition and the story behind your conversion to Judaism ‘My name is Maya’ is a personal photographic series that tracks my conversion to Judaism. The images reflect my journey; from a spiritual desire to belong, through a calendar year of richlygrounding festivals, traditions and food. Jewish stories and customs are metaphoric, deep and symbolic. And so, like all journeys that carry poignance, this adventure took me to corners of myself that had previously gone unexplored, culminating in a far more meaningful outcome than I’d have ever expected. My spiritual pursuit was enriched further by exploring and playing with the creative tool and friend that is my camera. This saw me transition, as the series reflects, from an outsider-observing-participant to an insiderparticipating-observer: part of the community, part of the family and part of the culture. I am very excited to be sharing part of the series in our Shul. There is no better place to share the work. What did your journey involve? In the height of the Covid-19 lockdown, a strange time to start the process of converting, but pertinent in a time where community and connectivity were physically lost and all the more desired. 12
interview by darren beach
As part of my conversion, I was to produce two essays, which, as a photographer, got me thinking. With Rabbi Rebecca’s blessing, I embarked on a visual exploration of What Being Jewish Means To Me, now with My Name is Maya, an exploratory photo essay of my personal account of a journey through conversion and the Jewish way of life. Could you tell us a little about your background in photography? I started out taking portraits, quickly realising that photography, for me, is a vehicle to explore what it means to be human, be it through others as the subject, or, occasionally, turning the camera onto myself. My work explores the function and composition of the human form. I’m ever-focusing on identity, visual representation and celebrating the body in abstracted and sculptural capacities. Has your ‘Jewish journey’ changed you? What did you learn about yourself? Conversion to Judaism has for a long time been a consideration of mine; a desire to belong to a people, having a home away from home, bringing family and friends together on Friday nights, connecting through the food, the values, the social justice, the endless questioning, the metaphors, all that is the Jewish way of life… Has it changed me? It’s enhanced me. Judaism has given me the love and support to be more me. I’ve experienced a deeper sense of self-love. A stronger sense of self. There is nothing like a welcoming, warm and loving community to help encourage you to be more you. This journey has given me a sense of belonging that I have longed for all of my life.
Had you previously considered yourself a spiritual person? A complicated understanding of spirituality = a complicated experience of spirituality. I understood a spiritual alignment with nature. My favourite festivals happen to be Sukkot and Tu Bishvat, and I am becoming very intrigued by Rosh Chodesh. It is a very personal journey, Manon. What do you think it can tell viewers about their own spiritual journeys? In making this work public, I am inviting audiences to reflect on their own spirituality, whilst shedding light on the beauty, nuance and family values of the Jewish culture.
Do look out for Manon’s exhibition at FPS in November. You can also view her work at www.manonouimet.com/ Manon is supported by the Arts Council England, and her work has been featured in many international publications and exhibitions. Her awards include the British Photography Award 2021, Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Award 2021 and the Monochrome Awards 2019.
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hannah stubbings bat mitzvah
Hi, I’m Hannah Stubbings and I am 13 years old. My Bat-Mitzvah is on 9 October. I will be leyning parashat No’ach Genesis Chapter 8, which tells the story of Noah and the Ark. I chose this portion because i like the story about the dove bringing back the olive branch, symbolising peace as it is a story that will never become outdated, and will always be relevant. I go to Camden School for Girls and love singing, drama and dance. I am excited for my Bat Mitzvah and to see all my friends and family for such an important time. Throughout my Bat Mitzvah journey my amazing teacher John Rubinstein (bat mitzvah legend) has made the experience fun, educational and (as) relaxing(as possible).
kt foodbank
Kabbalat Torah is the two-year post B’nei Mitzvah programme. I meet with the group fortnightly on Saturday evenings - regularly with outside guests - to explore what being a Jewish adult means. “The world rests upon three things”, it says in Pirkei Avot 1:2, “Torah, avodah, and gemilut hasadim”. In English (ish), studying Torah, participating in Jewish rituals, and doing acts of loving kindness.
So, for our first KT, I thought we’d do a bit of each. We did 10 minutes of Torah study through the pardes method of chevruta study, we spent 10 minutes decorating the sukkah… and then I gave the group £43. As with any sensible teeenagers, their eyes lit up: money! They got to spend this money? Yes, I said - but we’re buying for the foodbank. Maybe surprisingly, they weren’t disappointed that the money wasn’t for them. They were excited to spend the money and took very seriously the responsibility to buy thoughtfully. We discussed what food to buy, where from, what a nutritious meal looked like, and how we wanted to budget. I walked them to the local Aldi… and then I sat back and watched!
Activities like this are so important for our young Jewish adults. They had the opportunity to hone skills like budgeting, they thought about their privilege and life experiences, and they jumped in to practically help. Jonah said “It made you feel quite independent - and it was quite fun and challenging to be on a budget”.
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Contacts
fps website: www.fps.org
finchley progressive synagogue
President: Paul Silver-Myer, paulsm@fps.org
54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR 020 8446 4063 www.fps.org facebook.com/finchleyprog
Life Presidents: Sheila King Lassman, Alan Banes Vice Presidents: Cathy Burnstone, Renzo Fantoni, Josie Kinchin, Alex KinchinSmith, Laura Lassman, Lionel King Lassman, John Lewis, Andrea Rappoport, Joan Shopper
Rabbi Rebecca Birk – rabbi@fps.org Emeritus Rabbi: Dr Frank Hellner Community Development Manager: Zoe Jacobs – zoe@fps.org
contacts
Musicians in Residence: Franklyn Gellnick, Dean Staker Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack pauline@fps.org Chair: Tamara Joseph, chair@fps.org Vice Chair: Ann Pelham, apelham@fps.org Treasurer: Roy Balint-Kurti, treasurer@fps.org Honorary Secretary: Paula Kinchin-Smith honsec@fps.org Gordon Greenfield, gordon@fps.org Beverley Kafka, beverley@fps.org Sam King, sam@fps.org Mike Rocks, mike@fps.org
Beit Midrash (Adult Education): Adrian Lister adrian@fps.org Beit Tefillah (Rites & Practices): Valerie Joseph valerie@fps.org
executive 2021
board members
Board of Deputies Reps: Janet Tresman, Stanley Volk
Community Support Coordinator: Beverley Kafka, beverley@fps.org Website Editor: Philip Karstadt fpswebsite@fps.org Shofar Editor: Darren Beach, shofar@fps.org Shofar Team: Deb Hermer 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
ashley page insurance brokers Commerce House 2a Litchfield Grove London N3 2TN Tel. 020 8349 5100
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