May/June 2006
VOL. XXXIII No. 3
ljtoday
A half-century of pioneering excellence The year 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of Leo Baeck College. The College was the vision of Rabbi Dr Werner Van der Zyl, following the devastating impact of the Shoah, to continue the scholarship and rabbinic training that had existed in prewar Germany. Werner Van der Zyl, rabbi of West London Synagogue, became the architect, builder and director of a new rabbinic college in London staffed by refugee rabbis, all of whom had studied under their revered teacher, Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck. Originally called the Jewish Theological Seminary, it was renamed in Leo Baeck’s honour when he died in 1956. The college began with two students, one of whom was Lionel Blue, in rooms attached to West London Synagogue. It was not until 1965 that the Liberal movement joined with the Reform movement in co-sponsoring the college, and not long afterwards Rabbi John Rayner became the director of studies and gave it the high academic standards it enjoys today. Rabbi Professor Jonathan Magonet served as principal for 20 years at the Sternberg Centre, exemplifying the aspiration of the college’s founders in creating a home-grown generation of rabbis and teachers to replace the generation lost, and to develop Liberal and Reform Judaism into the 21st century. More than 150 rabbis have now been ordained for the UK, Europe, the Commonwealth countries, North and South America and Israel. Recently, the college’s role in training rabbis for the FSU
Liberal Judaism congratulates Leo Baeck College on its 50th anniversary and looks forward to many more years of collaboration. We also welcome Marc Saperstein, the next principal, who is interviewed on page 6 has resulted in a network of Leo Baeck graduates leading the largest Jewish community in the world, albeit in difficult circumstances. The college pioneered the work of Jewish-Christian-Muslim dialogue and opened leadership of the Jewish community to women and the eventual ordination of gays and lesbians. External validation as part of the UK’s university system ensured academic development and a rabbinic library second to none was developed. The merger five years ago with the Centre for Jewish Education enabled a flow of creativity and new inspiration to emerge including lifelong learning initiatives, Progressive day school education, professional development of rabbis, educators and other communal workers. The college has been continuously blessed with some of the finest teaching staff, many of whom are college graduates, as well as Jewish and non-Jewish scholars of all shades of belief and practice. It has served the Liberal and Reform communities’ needs for these past 50 years with intelligent, dedicated and caring rabbis. Leo Baeck would be proud of all the achievements of his students – and the
students of the students who have followed them. The 50th anniversary year is marked in July by an international rabbinic conference, gathering rabbis and scholars from around the world in a unique deliberation on the future of rabbinic leadership for the Progressive movements. There will be a gala dinner in November to celebrate all these achievements with Rabbi Baroness Neuberger, Prince Hassan of Jordan and the Archbishop of York. Student rabbis will travel around the country on Shabbat Lech Lecha to preach, teach and present the college to congregations in conjunction with a travelling exhibition and learning opportunities at the college and in congregations and schools. We will gather at Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck’s grave in Hoop Lane cemetery on his 50th yahrzeit to pay homage to all those who survived the destruction of European Jewry and mark the remarkable achievements in securing the future leadership for Liberal and Reform Judaism. Rabbi Dr Michael Shire Acting principal, Leo Baeck CollegeCentre for Jewish Education
In this issue..
Education Torah L’Am
Biennial After-dinner speaker Roger Lyons’ life beyond the page 3 trades unions
Spotlight On Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue page 8
Book review Sidney Brichto on The Divided Self page 4
Israel The election through the page 9 eyes of an ex-pat
page 5
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May/June 2006
British Friends of Leo Baeck Education Center launched Harriet Karsh, former consultant at Liberal Judaism, on how she became involved in putting a Haifa project on the UK map
New Patrons Liberal Judaism welcomes the following supporters who have joined our Council of Patrons: Tony and Avril Klinger Trevor Moross and Patricia Touton-Victor David Rowland Richard and Ellen Schmidt
Celebrating 350 years of British Jewry
From left: Israeli Ambassador Zvi Heifetz, Harriet Karsh, Michael Howard MP, Lady de Rothschild, Carol Brauner, the centre’s director of development for the UK, and Rabbi David Goldberg at the launch in April
My first contact with The Leo Baeck Education Center was in 2003, during my time as interim operations executive at Liberal Judaism. The Leo Baeck connection was more than partially due to Danny Rich’s longstanding friendship with Ofek Meir, a former, much loved shaliach (Israeli emissary), now the dynamic young director of a place called The Lokey International Academy of Jewish Studies in Haifa. (In fact, Liberal Judaism’s last three shalichim all have a Leo Baeck-Haifa background). One of the gaps in Liberal Judaism’s provision at that time was a dynamic contemporary curriculum on Israel. Our shaliach, Eran Shafir, a former member of Ofek’s team, created a vibrant programme for the movement, called Israel Counts, together with his colleagues in Haifa. Our congregations loved it, and we loved it. It was a non-intrusive way to bring Judaism to non-orthodox and secular Jews. Not long after, Carol Brauner, the Leo Baeck Education Center’s tireless director of development for the UK, visited me at the Montagu Centre, bearing brochures, photos, DVDs and asked – ‘Do you have any idea of who we are or what we do? Do you know that the Lokey International Academy of Jewish Studies is part of the Leo Baeck Education Center?’ After listening to her for several hours, I realised that she was right; I knew less than I thought, but I loved what I was hearing and I wanted to know more, and to see it for myself. The Liberal Judaism Israel tour in the summer of 2004 marked the beginning of my love affair with The Leo Baeck Education Center. We started off with morning prayers
in the Lokey Academy’s Beit Midrash, heard the high school kids shouting across the campus, and then went to visit some of Leo Baeck’s social outreach projects: an ArabJewish community centre they established in an area that had never before had social services, and two early childhood education centres – one for tiny Ethiopian kids, the other in Haifa’s Hadar area, for Arab children at risk. What I saw and what I felt that day touched me, reaffirmed my feelings for Israel, and made me want to get involved. Months later, on a grey London day, Carol and Ofek met me in London. They said the Progressive Jewish community, secular Jews, and even some non-Jewish organisations in the UK were responding so positively to The Leo Baeck Education Center, particularly its social outreach and coexistence work, and its innovative approach to bringing Judaism to Israelis and non-orthodox Jews, that they felt the time was right to establish a circle of British Friends. They needed a chair; would I do it? Today is 2nd April, ‘launch day’, and here I am, chair of a fledgling organisation – an eclectic group of special people with a common cause: putting the Leo Baeck Education Center on the UK map. The British Friends of the Leo Baeck Education Center – Haifa, are up and running. Join us, get involved, and feel that ‘Leo Baeck Magic’!
For more information about BFLBEC-H and how you and your community can get involved, contact info@bflbec.org.uk, write to BFLBEC-H, 75 Chase Road, London N14 4QY, or phone 01494 766100
A group will be visiting the Lincolnshire Jewish Community on 16th July for Liberal Judaism’s celebration to mark 350 years of British Jewry. The community celebrates its barmitzvah on the same weekend. We will be meeting at 12 noon at Jews’ Court, Lincoln, for a guided walking tour and afternoon activities. Transport by coach can be arranged. Contact j.thwaites@liberaljudaism.org
Two synagogues gain Fairtrade status Birmingham Progressive Synagogue received the first Fairtrade Synagogue certificate at the launch of the Fairtrade Synagogue initiative, organised by the Make Poverty History Jewish Coalition, in March. The synagogue serves Fairtrade tea and coffee at its meetings and supports and promotes the concept of fair trade wherever appropriate. Southgate Progressive has also gained Fairtrade Synagogue status, though has yet to receive its certificate.
Visual treats Two interesting exhibitions are scheduled for the Etz Chayim art gallery at Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue. In May, we have the London showing of an exhibition of works by Michael Rogatchi, a Russian living in Finland. The exhibition has been mounted in Jerusalem, Warsaw, Riga, Rome and Geneva. In June, we will exhibit work by Hannah Frank, now 98, who lives in Glasgow. One of the last surviving members of the Glasgow Arts and Crafts movement, her work shows the influence of Art Nouveau, Rennie Macintosh and Aubrey Beardsley. Frances Sacker
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May/June 2006
Union man who crosses continents Former TUC president Roger Lyons, taking part in Biennial Weekend as an after-dinner speaker, tells Beatrice Sayers about his work in Israel, South Africa and beyond Roger Lyons is so well known for his 38 years’ work as a trade union leader that it is something of a surprise to learn that a large part of his interests in the field of civil and workers’ rights lie abroad. As chairman of Trade Union Friends of Israel, he led a delegation to IsraelPalestine in January, and was in Nablus on the day of the West Bank elections. He is also patron of the Burma Campaign UK, dedicated to pressing for human rights and democracy in that country, has been vice-chairman of the Colombia Solidarity Campaign, which campaigns for a socially just peace and was a founder member of the AntiApartheid Movement. Roger’s interest in social justice goes back to his undergraduate days, when he took a degree in economics at University College London. He specialised in international economic relations, especially aid and trade, and during this time, in the summer of 1964 volunteered in the Mississippi Civil Rights campaign, to give black people the right to vote. ‘While I was there the bodies of the three Mississippi victims [Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney] were found,’ he says, recalling that two of the dead civil rights activists were Jewish. Roger’s involvement with Israel also took root during this time: he spent his first summer vacation from university on Kibbutz Zikim, on the coast, just south of Ashkelon. ‘I’m very proud that I helped to build a children’s home there,’ he says. While at university, Roger was vicepresident of the National Union of Students, and took a year’s sabbatical to take up the salaried post of presidency of the UCL student union. In 1966, he became the first graduate to work as a union official, when Clive Jenkins appointed him to cover north-west England with the Asset union. At that time, the union had 36,000 members. Asset later became ASTMS, which merged with Tass to form MSF. In 2004, when he stepped down from Amicus (the result of a merger of MSF and the AEEU), Roger was general secretary of a union with 1.1 million members. He went on to be president of the Trades Union Congress, a post from which he retired in 2004. The situation in Israel-Palestine is clearly close to Roger’s heart. Trade
Roger Lyons, chairman of Trade Union Friends of Israel, is a former general secretary of Amicus and a former president of the TUC. He and his wife, Kitty, are members of Finchley Progressive Synagogue
Union Friends of Israel’s role goes further than demonstrating friendship with Israel’s Histadrut trade union federation. ‘Because of the conflict in the region, we work with the Palestinian trade union movement, based in Nablus,’ Roger says. ‘We also work with the TUC, encouraging co-operation between Israeli and Palestinian trade unioinists.’ Since the second intifada, this co-operation has stopped. ‘We’re waiting and hoping that should it become possible we will be able to take on that responsibility again,’ he says, adding that, for peace in the region: ‘People need to work together and have mutual trust.’ Before the intifada, 250,000 Arab workers travelled to Israel to work every day, he points out. ‘Now the figure is about 30,000. There is 60-70 per cent unemployment in the West Bank. We play a crucial role, I believe, in helping to bring people together.’ Social justice is, as ever, close to his heart: ‘It’s not just a trade union question, it’s about helping to build a better society for all in the Middle East.’ Despite his strong connections with Israel, neither Roger, 63, nor his wife, Kitty – a Barnet borough councillor and Citizens Advice worker – has family there. Kitty and her family were rescued from the Budapest ghetto with the help of Raoul Wallenberg;
her father, Imre Horvath, was instrumental in forming North West Surrey Reform Synagogue. Roger, who was barmitzvah at Cricklewood United synagogue, is, with Kitty, a longstanding member of Finchley Progressive Synagogue, an allegiance based on conviction. ‘I fell out with the United Synagogue over several key issues, one of which is the lack of gender equality – it’s very much a male chauvinist organisation,’ he says. ‘One or two prayers are hostile to women, and the whole running of the religion is completely male-controlled.’ Neither would one have expected him to have got on particularly well with Margaret Thatcher, into whose Finchley constituency he and his wife moved shortly before 1979, the year she was elected prime minister. ‘Our paths definitely crossed,’ he says enigmatically. Roger and Kitty, who were married by Rabbi John Rayner at The LJS, have four grown-up children, Sarah, Gideon, Hannah and Joshua, and became grandparents 18 months ago to baby Isaac. Gideon is a former worker for ULPSNYC, LJYNetzer’s previous incarnation, and the family are clearly at home in an egalitarian, forward-looking Jewish movement. A report on the Biennial Weekend, held in Cheltenham from 5th to 7th May, will appear in the next issue of LJ Today
May/June 2006
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A challenge to Zionism The Divided Self: Israel and the Jewish Psyche Today By David J Goldberg. Published by I B Tauris at £18.99 (hardback). Reviewed by Sidney Brichto David Goldberg is a very engaging personality and it is therefore not surprising that his latest effort will succeed in stimulating his readership. He writes the way he speaks, crisply and with acerbic wit. His motive for writing The Divided Self is to challenge two ‘assumptions about modern Jewish life’, namely that ‘the Diaspora is in a state of terminal decline and the future of Israel lies only in Israel; and that there has been a disturbing rise in antisemitism disguised as anti-Zionism’. His conclusion is ‘that there is a profound difference between the Israeli and the Diaspora responses to’ her contemporary situation ‘which has resulted in an experiential divide and a gulf of comprehension [between them] in how to relate to the outside world’. Rabbi Goldberg brilliantly summarises the whole of Jewish history to contrast the ‘superior’ pragmatic approach of the Diaspora to the world with the black and white approach taken by Israel. But, as he himself indicates, it is difficult to prove any thesis from such an analysis because ‘history is in the eye of the beholder’. Also history keeps unfolding and a publisher’s deadline means that we can only surmise how Goldberg would have interpreted Sharon’s successful expulsion of the settlers from Gaza and a part of the West Bank. He is quite right to say that to reject the Diaspora experience is to be blind to the richness of the Jewish experience. If the ‘New Jew’ whose courage created the Jewish state turns his back on his Diaspora origins, he is the poorer morally and spiritually for it. However, I don’t think that this is the case. Israel is no longer contemptuous of Diaspora history; nor does she minimise its achievements in the past and in the present. How could she, when as he himself points out, hundreds of thousands of Israelis choose to live in the Diaspora. Equally, Israel, whether by choice or not, has been very pragmatic in adapting to new circumstances. She is continually trimming her sails to achieve a workable peace with the Arab world and the Palestinians. The Jewish critics may not believe that she has done enough. On the other hand, can Goldberg seriously argue that the Diaspora has been successful in dealing with its masters in the light of the libels, exiles and persecutions, the climax of which was the Holocaust?
Also, the claim that Israel’s approach to her place in the world reveals a division between herself and the Diaspora is belied by the fact admitted by Goldberg: 10 per cent of Israel went into the streets of Tel Aviv to demonstrate against the invasion of the Lebanon. My recollection is that most Diaspora Jews closed ranks and rallied behind Israel in spite of their misgivings. The Jewish psyche may be suffering from a divided self, but is this between the Diaspora and the Jewish state or is it an ailment of each individual Jew? When Israel was fighting the war for her independence, and I heard two Irish kids say, ‘Those damned Jews can fight,’ I became a New Jew – I went on a spiritual aliyah not only to Israel but into the human race. Yet, I had no desire to live in Israel. There is a bit of ‘Israel’ in most Diaspora Jews as there is a Diaspora chromosome in most Israelis.
‘Even the harshest of Israel’s critics would not be so cynical as to suggest that the memorialising of Holocaust victims was just another propaganda stunt by the Zionists’
The tension does exist. In our desire for national self-fulfilment, did we Jews ignore the need of the Arabs who were indigenous to the land? Did we allow our struggle with their misguided leaders to corrode our attitude to the ordinary Palestinian? These are important concerns and it is right that he raises them in his book. Our Liberal Jewish founders did not wish Jewish ethics to be sacrificed on the altar of nationalist fervour. But, to be fair, this is as much a concern of Israelis today, whose lives are under constant threat, as it is of Liberal Jews, who are secure in England. What will startle readers are certain controversial claims for which no evidence is given, such as the one made against Israel for her ‘manipulation of the Holocaust to justify draconian collective punishments in response to terrorist attacks and civil disobedience in the Territories’. Even worse, how can Goldberg justify his inflammatory proposition that in 1975 because ‘Israel was under pressure, Jewish lobbying groups in America decided to embark on an intensive programme of Holocaust education that would result, eventually, in the impressive Washington Holocaust Museum, opened in 1993’. I think that even the harshest of Israel’s reputable critics would not be so cynical as to suggest that the memorialising of Holocaust victims was just another propaganda stunt engineered by the Zionists. Equally gratuitous and shocking is Goldberg’s statement that ‘the memory of the Holocaust will always be invoked to place her [Israel] outside the usual canons by which political behaviour is judged’. Isn’t the opposite the case? The Divided Self is an easy read, but its literary charm may also be its major fault. To win support for an unpopular view, at least among Jews, one needs scholarly proof, and this is notably lacking. As a challenging book, I would recommend it, but I would also advise readers to test whether this is more than Rabbi Goldberg’s personal judgment by constantly looking for his evidence before accepting that his sweeping generalisations reflect the truth about ‘Israel and the Jewish psyche today’. My opinion is that they do not.
Rabbi Dr Sidney Brichto is senior vice-president and a former executive director of Liberal Judaism
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Torah L’Am course a huge success Torah L’Am (Torah for Everyone), the sixweek intensive course on learning and teaching Torah held at the Montagu Centre, central London, attracted 21 students, from recent graduates to retirees, and from Liberal and Reform communities north and south of the river. With the help of tutor Justin Wise, members of Bet Tikvah, Northwood and Pinner, North London Progressive, Kingston, South London Liberal, Wimbledon and Cambridge learned how to analyse texts and Torah commentaries in a logical way using the Torah L’Am handbook, written by Raphael Zarum, of the London School of Jewish Studies. The two-hour lessons flew past as students got absorbed in the material, though Justin ensured that there was plenty of time for discussion. Participants were even enthusiastic enough to complete homework. The underlying aim of the course is to enable particpants to give a davar Torah, or Torah talk, to an audience. The Torah L’Am handbook presents eight thematic perspectives through which Torah can be studied, from Misgeret (Framework) and Ishim (Personalities) to Adonai (God) and Brit (Covenant). The amazingly condensed
Facilitator Justin Wise with Judy Thwaites, education consultant and course participant
handbook includes information in table form – created by Raphael – based on people, places or events in Torah, some of it a collocation of research and ideas by Jewish thinkers throughout history. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the course, which ended in March, and I have learned a great deal about the
Big delegation at Hanover biennial More than 20 delegates from Liberal Judaism attended the World Union for Progressive Judaism’s European Region Conference in Hanover. Nigel Cole, chairman, led a networking group, and Danny Rich, chief executive, delivered the Shabbat morning sermon (which can be found at www.liberaljudaism.org). The conference, in March, was the largest to date. It was hosted by the Liberal Jewish community of Hanover and the theme was Building Progressive Jewish Communities in the 21st Century. Keynote speaker Professor Julian Schoeps, director of the University of Potsdam’s Moses Mendelsson Center for European-Jewish Studies, gave a talk entitled The German Legacy Today. A number of Liberal Jews hold prominent positions on the executive of the European Region; its treasurer is Andrew Hart (Finchley Progressive) and its secretary is Paul Zatz (Harrow & Wembley); Rabbi Andrew Goldstein is its vice-chair and Rabbi David Goldberg is region vice-president. After the conference, many delegates visited Berlin. Senior representatives of the WUPJ, including its chairman, Steve Bauman, met leaders of Zentralrat – the Central Council of Jews in Germany, which is the umbrella body for the country’s Jewish
community – and government ministers. After a long battle, led by the WUPJ, for recognition by Zentralrat, the umbrella body is now to share German government funding with the UPJ (Union of Progressive Jews in Germany). Some of the initial funds will go to Abraham Geiger College, which is to ordain its first three rabbis this September. Louise Freedman
The task ahead Paul Zatz spoke at the ‘Evening With’ held at the Sternberg Centre by FPJ (Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe) in March. His subject was the task of developing progressive Judaism in Europe. Congregations in Stockholm and Montpelier have joined the union this year, as have the umbrella organisations Arzenu Europe and Netzer Europe. This brings the total number of members of the European Region to nearly 80. Paul thanked FPJ for its continued financial support, and particularly for sending haggadot printed in Russian to the FSU and the Russian immigrant communities living in Germany.
structure of Torah and am inspired to read more. Others gave very positive reports. ‘I even found myself talking about it to my nonJewish friends,’ one participant told me. We were all a little apprehensive about giving our talks on the final evening but it turned out to be great fun. We split into groups of three or four in different rooms and gave our talks informally, sitting down. It was a stimulating evening and we felt a sense of achievement. I now have the confidence and the tools to look at other texts, which I hope to do in the future. In fact, as my text was Shemot 13: Remembering the Exodus, what better opportunity than beginning our Seder with my davar, which I am planning to do! Many of those who took the Montagu Centre course are now looking forward to further training so that they can become Torah L’Am facilitators, teaching the course in Liberal communities outside London, sharing the pleasures of studying Torah. Judy Thwaites j.thwaites@liberaljudaism.org
Torah L’Am: students’ views: Justin is a fabulous and skilled teacher – he has made the programme accessible, interesting and rewarding. The structured approach provides an excellent framework of gaining extra understanding from Torah. Mike Frankl Torah L’Am offers a methodology and a time and space for the novices and the more learned/experienced to come together on a level to share Torah and each other’s experiences and relations to it. Aaron Goldstein This has reintroduced me to engaging with Jewish text and given me great tools to access parts of Torah I had not encountered/ been interested in/attracted by. Eva Crasnow Has given me several new insights into Torah study. Breaking the whole into manageable units has been a good way to tackle it. Judith Konzon Interesting new insights into the structure and content of Torah. Group interaction was thought-provoking and informative.
Joe Swinburne
Thought-provoking – and a joy to meet and speak to new and stimulating individuals.
Julia Wendon
Torah L’Am has equipped me with tools that enable me to have a deeper understanding of texts, commentaries and what it all means to me. Exceptionally interesting and thought provoking. Jenny Walton
May/June 2006
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Interview: new Leo Baeck College LJ Today talks to Rabbi Professor Saperstein as he prepares to lead the college into its next half-century How do you feel about your forthcoming move to Britain? I have a lot of friends and colleagues in the academic world here – some very, very wonderful people whom I admire greatly: Rabbi Louis Jacobs, Martin Gilbert, the historian, and Ada Rapoport-Albert at UCL. You are taking over from Jonathan Magonet. How well do you know him? It’s only in the last few years that we’ve established a very nice relationship. I really admire the work that he’s done on European Judaism, as editor of that – he was very helpful to me in providing an issue that contains sermons delivered by rabbis in response to September 11. That fits into a book I’ve pretty much completed on American and British preaching in times of war, 1800-2001. I’m planning to use a sermon by Rabbi Alexandra Wright of which she has graciously provided a full text. Your father was a rabbi, and so is your brother. So – you’re part of a tradition Grandfathers on both sides of my family were orthodox rabbis. My father was the first one to make a break with orthodoxy – he was trained at the Jewish Institute of Religion in the early 1930s, and his younger brother also studied there and was ordained. Both of them were congregational rabbis throughout their career. This was the environment that I grew up in, and made me appreciate as I was growing up, and now in retrospect, the power that a congregational rabbi has to inspire people and to change their lives, without necessarily trying, and without sometimes being aware of the extent to which that influence has changed things. My brother is the director of the Religious Action Centre in Washington DC, which is the social justice arm of Reform Judaism in the US – and I decided to go into an academic career. But you did some congregational work while you were studying at Harvard? Yes, for a total of 13 years I had a half-time position with a congregation. And at the High Holy Days it was two full-time positions. There were a hundred families, but there were two days of Rosh Hashanah, so it was as much work preparing if there were 250 people as if there were 2,000 people. You’re taking over from Jonathan Magonet,
Marc Saperstein: to take over as principal in July
who has been at the college for 31 years. What challenges are there ahead for you? Well, first of all, just the idea of leading an institution that bears the name of one of the greatest Jewish leaders of the 20th century is a very humbling honour for me, and if I didn’t think that I had the qualifications to do it I wouldn’t have applied for the position. I certainly appreciate that it will represent challenges but I hope I can make a significant contribution to, and continue to build on the structure that Jonathan Magonet and others have made in past decades. There’s a very, very impressive tradition of
The CV 1962-66 Harvard College, degree in English Literature 1966-67 Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, (17th-century literature and intellectual history) 1967-72 MA and ordination as rabbi, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York 1969-71 MA (Jewish history, Hebrew literature), Hebrew University, Jerusalem 1972-77 Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, PhD (Jewish history, literature, and thought) 1977-86 Tutor in Hebrew and Jewish studies at Harvard; 1973-86, part-time rabbi at Temple Beth David, Canton, Massachusetts 1986-97 Gloria M Goldstein professor of Jewish history and thought at Washington University 1997-2006 Charles E Smith professor of Jewish history and director of the programme in Judaic studies at The George Washington University
leadership both in terms of the principal and the faculty. We’re living in a somewhat different world now, in terms of other rabbinical seminaries sprouting up, some tentatively, some more securely, in European countries, and the greater accessibility of Jewish studies courses at universities. The implications of that and the challenges for a rabbinical seminary are significant. We don’t want to have a situation where people who have taken Hebrew language and Hebrew literature in university come to a congregation and find a rabbi stumbling over Torah, or repeating generalisations about Jewish historical experience that they know from courses that they’ve taken don’t reflect the consensus of good scholarship today. So that’s one challenge: to maintain academic standards for rabbinical education and for the training of Jewish educators. Jewish studies, history, literature and thought – and the Hebrew language, which is the central core of Jewish cultural experience – provide the tools and the knowledge for rabbis to be respected teachers of Judaism in congregations of highly educated, sophisticated people. A lot of the research and publication I’ve done in the last 20 years has been on Jewish sermons as sources of Jewish historical experience. A hundred years ago, the sermons given by Reform rabbis in the United States and in Britain were a major source not only of Jewish knowledge but of general cultural knowledge for congregations, which had a relatively small percentage of university graduates. So they would give sermons not just on Jewish and biblical topics, but on Shakespeare, Ibsen – literature in general. Fifty years ago, that wasn’t the case any more – a much higher percentage of people in the congregation had gone to university. But the rabbi was the primary, almost exclusive source of knowledge about Judaism. Now, that’s not the case either. There are other ways in which people are exposed to sources of Judaism, so the rabbi has to be articulating a tradition in a way that can stand up to alternative presentations that may come from the right wing – from the orthodox – or from people who simply are opposed to religion in general. That’s one of the biggest challenges today: reading the newspapers so many people come away with the impression that religion is the problem, not the solution. They identify it with such negative things now, and here’s where I really believe that Reform and Liberal expressions of progressive Judaism have a major role to play, alongside colleagues in the Christian community, of representing in their lives and their words the claim that religion can –
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principal Marc Saperstein should – be part of the answer, not simply a place where fanatics, extremists and people committed to violence derive their motivation.
Tell me about your interest in the history of preaching I decided that the Jewish sermon – the history of Jewish preaching, the use of Jewish sermons for historical sources as expressions of literature, as ways of documenting the dissemination of certain ideas – was a particularly important topic, and one that colleagues theoretically recognised was important but that very few people were actually working upon. [When we read a historical sermon), it’s as if we’re turning to a moment in history with all of the excitement and uncertainty and seeing what rabbis were saying to their people, what kind of leadership they exerted at critical moments like that. 9/11 is vivid in our memory so I think every rabbi will identify with that challenge. It came right before Rosh Hashanah – there was one Shabbat in between. You have to say something about it. You can prepare other sermons in advance, but not this one. Are you going to emphasise the need to get behind the military effort to fight terrorism wherever it may be? Are you going to say: what is it about ourselves, what we’ve been doing that gets people to hate us so much?
Those are very different kinds of messages. People come to their congregations at critical times like that needing to hear something. They don’t want the rabbi to lead a discussion at a time like that – they want to hear a message that is rooted in the tradition but applied to the contemporary reality and expressed in a literary form with eloquence and commitment and so forth. There’s still a role for that kind of preaching, even though my impression is that it is increasingly rare. Many of my colleagues, at least in the United States of the younger generation, have deemphasised the value of the sermon. The internet raises an interesting challenge because on the one hand so much now is available on your home computer – on the internet – but one wonders 200 years from now what of that is going to be available. I was trying to find a sermon by a British rabbi responding to the Falklands War. The rabbi I was trying to contact said she had moved house and I asked her to look in her files for the spring of 1982 and she said she’d been culling the more topical sermons – the sermons that are linked with specific events and are timebound. I wrote back and said I could certainly understand but that from the historian’s point of view it’s a disaster to simply throw out the topical sermons relating to specific events.
Did you know John Rayner? When I was here in the fall of 2002 I was invited to give a lecture at Leo Baeck College and we had a very nice conversation then. He sent me two volumes of his sermons – one on more internally Jewish issues and one on more general world issues that I found very very interesting and important sources and I really treasure that. What about others from the Liberal movement? For anyone who works in Jewish history Israel Abrahams is one of the heroes. He did such important work 100 years ago on everyday life in the Middle Ages. I’ve got a book of sermons that collects both his and several by Claude Montefiore. It’s wonderful material. One of my first memories of London – I was in ninth grade – was when we came to London for the World Union conference in the summer of 1959. I remember as an impressionable ninth-grader Lily Montagu getting up and speaking at this. I had a real sense of history. Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein is to deliver the Rabbi Dr David Goldstein 2006 Annual Memorial Lecture on Wednesday 12 July at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John’s Wood. 7.30pm for 8pm.
Scholar who admires the art of preaching Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein is the author of many monographs and books, but his magnum opus is Jewish Preaching, 1200-1800, An Anthology. Published in 1989, it contains annotated sermons beginning in the Sephardi world of the 13th century and proceeding through Europe to late 18th-century Poland. Cynics may opine that many sermons are rarely worth hearing once, let alone re-heated centuries after they were first delivered, and furthermore transmitted not in their original context but as mere
words on a printed page. The reason why the content of Jewish preaching confounds such a view is two-fold; first, because of Marc’s judicious choice of material, and second because of the excellent and informative introduction that he provides for each text. Another valuable insight into why this subject so animates Marc is provided by Witness from the Pulpit, Topical Sermons, 1933-1980, edited by Saperstein. This is a personal book, containing as it does some classic sermons by the editor’s father, Rabbi Harold I Saperstein. Harold served
Liberal Judaism’s Community Tour to Israel in partnership with the LJS and Tent
26th May to 4th June 2006: places still available
Join Rabbis Danny Rich, Mark Solomon and Aaron Goldstein and Liberal Judaism’s shlicha, Gili Tzidkiyahu. The trip includes the Hugo Gryn conference at the Leo Baeck Education Centre – Haifa; Shavuot; in and around Tel Aviv; Shabbat in Jerusalem; and a choice of The Arts and Culture Extravaganza or The Desert Experience. Cost £1,100 Contact Gili: shlicha@liberaljudaism.org,or 020 7631 9823; or Monique Blake: 020 7631 9826
his congregation, Temple Emanu-El of Lynbrook, New York, for 50 years, and the sermons in Witness from the Pulpit are a fascinating reflection of American Jewish and general Jewish history. Marc’s introduction evinces not only his love of the art of homiletics in general but of his father in particular, and gives a flavour of his own scholarly approach. It is thoughtprovoking material for anyone – rabbi or lay person – who has ‘preached’ in public. Rabbi Dr Charles H Middleburgh Interim director of rabbinic studies, LBC-CJE
Going North-West As LJ Today was going to press, Rabbis Aaron Goldstein and Danny Rich, chairman Nigel Cole and vice-chairman Joan Shopper were taking part in Liberal Judaism Goes North West, a full Shabbat of activities aimed at raising awareness of Liberal Judaism’s membership initiative in the area.
May/June 2006
Page 8 LJ Today
Spotlight on Northwood
Who is the minister? Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, who has been with NPLS since his ordination in 1970. He had, since 1965, been principal of the Religion School and student rabbi with the community. Andrew is vice-chair of the European Board of the World Union for Progressive Judaism and co-chairs the Theology Committee of the International Council of Christians and Jews. He co-edited Liberal Judaism’s Machzor Ruach Chadashah and chaired the editorial committee of our Siddur Lev Chadash. His wife, Sharon, a magistrate, set up the Care and Bereavement project in the synagogue, and is involved nationally in Jewish bereavement work and the Progressive Jewish marriage bureau. Their son, Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, is outreach director of Liberal Judaism and their daughter, Ruth Colin, is the congregation’s choir leader. Sharon and Andrew founded, and ran for 19 years, the Kadimah holiday school.
Children from NPLS sing Purim songs in March
Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, minister at Northwood & Pinner since 1970, and his wife, Sharon. The couple, who founded the Kadimah holiday school, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in January John R Rifkin
How did the synagogue begin? Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue – or Etz Chayim (Tree of Life) – began as Pinner & District Liberal Synagogue in 1964, with the first meetings held in Pinner. It changed its name to Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue when the community moved to premises in Hallowell Road, Northwood. These remained its home until the present site in Oaklands Gate was purchased in 1979. Soon after the new synagogue was consecrated, in 1981, an ark surround (the Kolin Arch) was rescued from the Cemetery Chapel in Kolin, Czechoslovakia, and reassembled in the synagogue as a memorial to the many Jews from Kolin who were transported to the concentration camps by the Nazis. One of the synagogue’s Torah scrolls comes from Kolin.
Who is the chairman? Brian Sass, an active member since 1965, is about to begin his second year as chairman of the council. He and his wife, Veronica, are stalwarts of the choir, having sung with it since its inception. How does NPLS keeps up its links to Czech and Slovak Jewry? The rabbi has led many visits by groups to the Czech and Slovak Republics since the Velvet Revolution against communist rule in 1989, as well as several visits in communist times. He has helped to develop Liberal Judaism in these countries and acted as consultant rabbi to congregations in Prague, Brno and Bratislava.
and usually puts on two productions a year; the Etz Chayim art gallery, monthly Lecture & Luncheon speaker meetings, the Tuesday Club (a weekly teatime group for the retired); Serendipity (a monthly discussion group); cricket club; film club; table tennis club; book club, Swan (social activities for the widowed at Northwood); and an Events Group, which raises funds for NPLS and outside charities. There are also golf days two or three times a year, and a care group looks after the needs of individual members of the community. The synagogue also collaborates with the local United synagogue for joint blood donor sessions.
When are services held? Friday evening and Shabbat morning services take place each week, as well as festival services. The volunteer choir, made up 17 men and women, lead the singing for festival and bar and bat mitzvah services. For several years, the old Watford Town Hall, now called the Colosseum, has been used for the High Holy Days; up to 950 adults and 200 children attend each of these services.
What about Jewish-interest activities? Under a venture named Goldstein Tours, Andrew and Sharon run annual tours to places of Jewish interest abroad; a Czech Jewry Group investigates and keeps up with the Czech Progressive communities; and a new Ukraine Jewry Group supports Progressive Judaism in the Ukraine. All activities, both religious and secular, are catalogued in the monthly magazine, Davar.
What education is on offer, and what is there for children ? Cheder classes take place on Shabbat and Sunday mornings, and adult education classes are held on weekday evenings. There are monthly ‘tots’ shabbat’ services and a playgroup, nippers@northwood, on Friday mornings for babies and toddlers as well as early festival activities for young children.
Tell me about the Holocaust Memorial Day event The community joins with Northwood United Synagogue to run a week of talks, workshops and discussions, held in both synagogue buildings, for Holocaust Memorial Day. More than 2,000 children from local schools attend. During the year, NPLS also welcomes visits from schools wishing to learn about Judaism.
NPLS is known as a busy community. Tell me about its secular activities There is a singing group; the Oaklands Drama Group – which started in 1982
Where can I learn more? At the synagogue’s informative website: www.npls.eclipse.co.uk.
Page 9 LJ Today
May/June 2006
Our shlicha, Gili Tzidkiyahu, travelled to Kensington to exercise her right to vote
Long-distance player in the election circus 27th March: Two weeks ago I went to vote in Israel’s parliamentary election. I went with my partner, Perla, and Reform Judaism’s shlicha (emissary from Israel), Meirav Kalush, all of us enjoying the status of official representatives of the state of Israel, and therefore entitled to vote abroad. Election day had always been a festive day for me. Long before I was old enough to vote, we used to go with our parents to the polling station, and even after my sisters and I grew up we still returned to our home city of Ra’anana, north-east of Tel Aviv, to vote together – with my young nieces accompanying us. So going to vote in the Israeli embassy in lovely Kensington was a very exciting event, even if lacking the election-day atmosphere: I actually missed the banners, leaflets, posters and badges. But a day before the elections take place in Israel, I am thinking of the naive excitement of this festival of democracy – how much does it reflect the way the people in the street think or feel? What about the people who are not caught in the excitement and don’t even intend to exercise their civil right? I find myself wondering how much of my excitement is a real hope for change, a belief that I
can make a difference. I reach the conclusion that part of the fun was detaching my optimism and hope from the complex realities in Israel, enjoying the chance to imagine and hope, regardless of what the polls are saying and regardless of what the predicted outcomes might be. 29th March, the day after the results come in: I’m glad I didn’t put any bets on the results; if I had I would probably have embarrassed myself. But who would have predicted seven seats for the Gil (Pensioners) party, and the collapse of the Likud, which has just 11 seats now compared with 37 in 2003? One of the commentators I appreciate wrote that this is one of the most civilian elections Israel has known, with more attention given to social issues than to security; but is that so? It seems that we are still far from ‘normal’ civilian concerns, with the Green party not making it into the Knesset, again. So still, I would think that the traditional division of Left and Right (and Centre?) in regard to security issues is the main consideration, with some strong sectorial voting to religious parties. I am looking at the almost final results
now: 12 parties have won seats in the Knesset; 19 didn’t make it. Shinui, the centrist party that campaigns against political corruption and backs the separation of religion and state, was the big surprise of 2003, when it won 15 seats (after which nine of its MKs broke off into Avraham Poraz’s new Secular-Zionist Party). This time, Shinui did not win any seats (and I would think the pensioners are likely to repeat this scenario in 2010). What is amazing is how natural Kadima seems already; though it has gained less power than was predicted, it is still the first leading party that isn’t Likud (the party of Binyamin Netanyahu and Natan Sharansky) or Avodah (the Labour party, whose MKs include Amir Peretz and Isaac Herzog). The excitement I felt when I went to vote is giving way to surprise, confusion, maybe even disappointment, but also some suspense – what will the coalition look like? Is Kadima really to be counted left of centre, as it seems to be regarded by much of the Israeli media? But there is enough space for optimism before the picture becomes clearer and the complexities of the reality in Israel make themselves apparent. May this new beginning lead us forward towards more peace and social equality.
South London Day Limmud: The Whole Megillah A dynamic cross-communal team put together an amazing one-day Limmud in south London in March, which was attended by more than 800 participants, breaking the record for a one-day Limmud, set by Brighton two years ago. I attended the first Limmud 25 years ago, and been involved with Limmud since the late 1980s, when it comprised 400 participants. This South London Limmud provided further evidence of the extent to which Limmud has developed. Simply listing the number of participants does little to convey the rich programme, comprising 50 sessions on a huge variety of subjects, followed by Purim themed performances and a party. There was also a dynamic children’s programme, with 150 of the kids contributing to a Persian mural. Although the programme had a strong Purim theme, within it there was a mixture of study, culture, Israel, communal issues and inter-faith dialogue. The speakers covered a broad range of the Jewish community, with rabbis from all of the main movements, academics and other professionals, as
well as others who have something to bring. This diversity was evident the moment I arrived and found myself walking into the event with Iman Abuduljalil Sajid, whom I first met at Brighton Limmud two years ago. He is now a regular at both the main Limmud conference. On this occasion, he participated in a session on the need for integration between faith communities, and joined a panel discussion on faith schools in a multi-faith society. Among the highlights of the day was a session on the Ethiopian Jews, presented by Barbara Ribacove, who had flown over from the US. In her session it soon became apparent that she is one of the world experts on Ethiopian Jewry in terms of both her knowledge of their rich heritage, and most notably her great activities to provide real support. Another significant session was from Alan Bolchover of the New Israel Fund with a presentation on its recent trip to launch a campaign on ‘kicking racism out of football’ in Israel. Unfortunately racism has become a big problem among crowds, and to launch the campaign John
Barnes, together with top people from the English FA, met up with leaders of the Israeli FA. This initiative actively involved the Israeli Arab team in Sakhnin (who won the Israeli FA cup last year), as well as both the British ambassador and President of Israel. As usual there was also an appreciable amount of music, both in live performances and workshops. In recent years I have also started to give sessions myself on the rich heritage of Israeli music. On this occasion, I presented a session on ‘Israeli Songs with a Legacy’ which developed into a tribute to Shoshanna Damari after her death in February at the age of 83. This wonderful singer was the Israeli equivalent of Edith Piaf or Vera Lynn, with her live performances spanning 60 years, right up to a few weeks before her death. Giving such a session was an honour for me, and the warmth and enthusiasm of my audience was indicative of the event as whole. Bournemouth, Brighton and Leeds one-day Limmuds are currently being put together for later this year, and will be worth looking out for in addition to the main conference in December. David Jacobi
May/June 2006
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Liberally Speaking There is a case for selective divestment in direct response to human rights abuses by Israel, says Byron Simmonds. But those who’ve recently proposed boycotts would do better to act positively to promote Israeli-Palestinian co-operation Boycotts and divestment from Israel have become newsworthy topics beyond the Jewish community. Hardly surprising, really. Building Design magazine, no less, recently reported the inaugural meeting, in London, of a group calling itself Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine. The meeting was facilitated by Lord Rogers. Reports as to its aims differ: a boycott of construction companies involved in building the separation fence and settlements in the occupied territories, or a wider boycott of Israeli construction companies, architects and planners complicit in supporting the ‘apartheid state’. There seems even to have been a call for Israeli members to be expelled from the International Union of Architects. As a retired architect myself, I can say with some authority that the architectural lobby in Britain is not something that as a rule one needs to be too concerned about. Alex Brummer in the Jewish Chronicle half-joked that UK property companies might like to boycott those architects supporting the boycott. But the fact that luminaries such as Richard Rogers and Charles Jencks have endorsed the group is worrying. (This endorsement was, in Rogers’ case, later rescinded. Can he really have been that naive?) Even if the group’s concerns are primarily centred on the fence and settlements, it takes just a few short straight lines on the drawing board to realise the connection between architecture, planning and construction, and the unhappy situation in which many of Israel’s own Palestinian citizens find themselves. The week the architects’ boycott story broke, we heard about a vote of the Church of England – again, subsequently rescinded – to divest from companies profiting from Israel’s continuing occupation of Palestinian lands. Predictably, this caused uproar in the Jewish community. The Council of Christians and Jews responded by ‘calling for churches to use their
Three cheers for Liberal Judaism
At this year’s Jewish Community Media Awards, organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Liberal Judaism and its congregations won three awards. At the prize-giving in February, Bet Tikvah Synagogue (www.bettikvah. org.uk) came third in the category best website; as positions one and two went to a school (Immanuel) and a charity (JNF), Bet Tikvah is delighted to be able to say it has the best synagogue website in the UK. In other categories, LJ Today was runner-up as best community newsletter and LJS News was runner-up as best synagogue newsletter.
Rabbi ties knot
Byron Simmonds: ‘Boycotts go too far’
investments to promote co-operation between Israelis and Palestinians and alleviate poverty, rather than “making hurtful and negative gestures”’, according to the JC. Amen to that. Nevertheless, might it be possible to make a case for selective divestment as a direct response to Israel’s alleged rights abuses in the territories – as discordant as that may sound to Jewish ears? The destruction of Palestinian homes and livelihoods is hard to justify simply in terms of albeit legitimate security concerns. What we see is a dehumanisation of ‘the other’. And, of course, Palestinians reciprocate in spades. The degree of fear and loathing between the two populations is unbearable. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The other day I saw a film of a concert by Daniel Barenboim and his East-West Divan Orchestra in Ramallah in 2004. Certainly, some in the audience were clearly uncomfortable at the display of such Arab-Israeli camaraderie. But I think the majority were, like myself, deeply moved. Barenboim draws out the humanity in us all. His performance in Ramallah won him a dressing down by the Knesset; what he deserves is the Nobel peace prize.
Byron Simmonds chairs the Progressive Jewish Community of East Anglia
Liberally Speaking is an opportunity for a Liberal Jew to air a view or take a stand, or share ideas about one or more aspects of Jewish life. If you are interested in writing for this column, please email the editor: ljtodayeditor@liberaljudaism.org
Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue hosted a commitment ceremony for its rabbi, Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah, and Jess Wood in March. Rabbi Marcia Plumb presided over the exchange of rings and Rabbi Danny Rich delivered the main address. Blessing the partnership, student rabbi Gili Tzidkiyahu read out the Covenant of Love, Liberal Judaism’s same-sex liturgy. Rabbi Sarah, as chairperson of the publications committee, had played a large part in compiling the liturgy. Ivor Miskin, president of the synagogue, said the congregation had ‘massive’ affection for the two women.
Impact in Edinburgh
Sukkat Shalom, the Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community, has a new logo, created by local designer Latte Goldstein. It is aimed at depicting the community’s core values: being joyous, inclusive and welcoming, as well as having religious dignity.
SPS site goes live
After months of preparation, Southgate Progressive Synagogue’s new-look website has gone live. Visit it at www.sps.uk.com.
Fifty years of bliss
Mazel tov to Don and Audrey Gould, founder members of our Lincolnshire congregation, who are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary at the community’s Shabbat service on 6 May.
Page 11 LJ Today
May/June 2006
Shnat update Yom Limmud a real treat The first LJY-Netzer Yom Limmud was held for all the bogrim (young adults) and madrichim (leaders, aged 15+) as a day of learning about Torah. We arrived at Finchley Progressive Synagogue early Shabbat morning on 18th March and, after chatting over tea and biscuits, we started the day with a shacharit service. There was much ruach in our singing and praying and, when it came to the Torah reading, we split into pairs and discussed the parsha. This way of studying Torah continued after the service as we split into groups, one group studying the Torah through the use of movement and dance, and the other through the more traditional method of studying it through looking at its different contexts and commentaries. I was in the second group, and learnt many useful skills which I will carry with me when teaching or studying Torah. After lunch, we split into groups
once more. I was in a group which was looking at the Torah through feminist eyes. I learnt about how women in the Torah are portrayed and how their side of the story is often left untold. Our final sessions were looking at interpreting texts and looking at what really happened in Eden. I was in the second session, discussing the story from the viewpoint of Eve. We all had a lot of fun acting out the different characters, each putting our arguments forward. At the end of the day we had a session on ‘speed texting’, spending 10 minutes discussing different sacred texts. Throughout this whole day I learnt a huge amount in a fun and interesting way whilst spending time in an LJY-Netzer community. Everyone agreed that this event should definitely be repeated! Judi Posner
Learning in the Lake District
Yuriko Friedmann, one of the four LJY-Netzer participants on the 10-month Shnat Netzer programme in Israel, writes from Machon, the study and leadership programme in East Talpiot, southern Jerusalem: The only LJY-Netzernik in more than a hundred students, I bravely walk into the crowded room on the Kiriat Moriah campus. I boldly smiled my way through the opening tiyul... Now, five weeks into Machon, I walk around and say hello to everyone on site. I’m loving every minute – and who wouldn’t in such a warm and friendly atmosphere. There are two sides to Machon: social and educational. The social is a fast-paced world of parties, trips to the local nargillah bar, and everchanging gossip. The educational side is informal; everyone is accommodated. I’ve never been the classroom type, but with a variety of methods and inspiring teachers I discover a huge hunger for knowledge. Classes range from sex and sexuality to Talmud to Israeli history and society. Add hours of Hebrew and hadracha (leadership training) and you get the measure of our daily routine between 8am and 6.30pm. Israeli cinema is my favourite class, something I’ve never had the opportunity to look at before. I am finding a whole new world of religion, culture, history and leadership as well as having a chance to study alongside others from youth movements across the world with Masorti, Progressive and modern Orthodox views. The only downside? It’s ending in 10 weeks!
Up and coming… • Chazon Weekend: 5th-7th May, years 3-10, alongside the Biennial Weekend in Cheltenham • Israel Tour: Year 11, 18th July to 16th August Kadimah Summer Camp: school year 3-10, in Nottinghamshire, 31st July to 13th August • Kayitz Netzer: Two-week tour around Eastern Europe, school year 12, 16th-30th August
For more information, please contact LJY-Netzer
LJY-NETZER
The youth movement of Liberal Judaism This is the group (minus Jess, who took the snap) on LJY-Netzer’s memorable and scenic Hiking Chofesh (chofesh: holiday) in the Lake District. The theme of the weekend was journeys, and the other picture shows Tania Sheratte (left) and Lizzie Jones with an improvised Moses basket fashioned from dried grass, all part of a text-based project looking at the journey of Moses’ life. Being a LJY-Netzer event regular, I already expected to have a great time, but this trip far exceeded my expectations. We spent two nights in a lovely youth hostel in Arnside, learnt about the LJY-Netzer boycott of Coca-Cola, Israeli politics and discussed our Jewish and British identities (which tied in with the fact that it was both Tu B’Shevat and Valentine’s Day), and we still had energy to do all the walking! It had to be the best trip (apart from Kadimah) I have ever been on, and that’s coming from a committed LJY-Netzer girl! Sarah Walton
Contact Jess Herman or Jenny Walton at LJY-NETZER, The Montagu Centre 21 Maple Street, London W1T 4BE T: 020 7631 0584 F: 020 7631 9838 E: j.herman@liberaljudaism.org or j.walton@liberaljudaism.org
May/June 2006
Page 12 LJ Today
Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue (Rodef Shalom), 01234-218387, bedsps@liberaljudaism.org, www.bedfordshire-ps.org.uk Beit Klal Yisrael, P.O.Box 1828, London W10 5RT 020-8960 5760, bky@liberaljudaism.org www.beit-klal-yisrael.or g.uk Bet Tikvah Synagogue, 129 Perrymans Farm Road, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex IG2 7LX, 020-8554 9682, barps@liberaljudaism.org, www.bettikvah.org.uk Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, Jericho House, 196-198 Edward Road, B12 9LX, 0121-643 5640, bps@liberaljudaism.org, www.bps-pro-syn. co.uk; Branch: Leamington Spa, 01926-421300 Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue 6 Lansdowne Road, Hove BN3 1FF 01273-737223, bhps@liberaljudaism.org www.brightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.uk Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation, Hon. Sec. 0117-954 1937 bwpjc@liberaljudaism.org, www.bwpjc.org Crawley Jewish Community, 01293-534294 Dublin Jewish Progressive Synagogue, PO Box 3059, Dublin 6, 00-3531 2856241, djpc@liberaljudaism.org Ealing Liberal Synagogue Lynton Avenue, Drayton Green, W13 0EB 020-8997 0528, els@liberaljudaism.org www.ealingliberalsynagogue.org.uk Eastbourne Progressive Jewish Congregation 01323 725650, fax: 01323 417645 epjc@liberaljudaism.org, www.epjcong.org.uk Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community 07891 439646, www.eljc.org Finchley Progressive Synagogue Hutton Grove, N12 8DR, 020-8446 4063, fps@liberaljudaism.org, www.fps.org Harrow and Wembley Progressive Synagogue 326 Preston Road, Harrow, Middx HA3 0QH 020-8904 8581, www.hwps.org Kent Liberal Jewish Community, 07952 242432, bulletin.kljc@liberaljudaism.org, www.jewishkent.org.uk/communities/KLJC/kljc.html Kingston Liberal Synagogue Rushett Road, Long Ditton, Surbiton, Surrey KT7 0UX, 020-8398 7400, kls@liberaljudaism.org Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation, The Synagogue, 24 Avenue Road, LE2 3EA, 07875 123744 The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, 28 St John’s Wood Road, London NW8 7HA, 020-7286 5181, ljs@liberaljudaism.org, www.ljs.org The Liberal Synagogue Elstree, Elstree High Street, Elstree, Herts WD6 3BY, 020-8953 8889 tlse@liberaljudaism.org, www.tlse.org.uk
Liberal Judaism The Montagu Centre, 21 Maple Street, London W1T 4BE, 020-7580 1663 Fax: 020-7631 9838 montagu@liberaljudaism.org, www.liberaljudaism.org Youth Department: 020-7631 0584 Fax: 020-7631 9838 Chairman Nigel Cole Chief Executive Rabbi Danny Rich Vice Chairman Joan Shopper Treasurer Tony Kerron Hon. Officers Mikko Arevuo (LJ Zika - Israel Action Group); Simon Benscher (community development); Penny Beral (communications); Roz Bott; Amanda Grant (youth); Paul Infield; Elsbeth Mendes da Costa (social action); Michael Romain (regions) Senior Vice-President Rabbi Dr Sidney Brichto Vice-Presidents Jeromé Freedman, Louise Freedman, Rabbi Dr David Goldberg, David Lipman, Rosita Rosenberg, Tony Sacker Hon. Vice-Presidents David Amstell, Geoffrey Davis, Rabbi Harry Jacobi, Corinne Oppenheimer, David Pick, Harold Sanderson, Clive Winston Joint Chairs of the Rabbinic Conference Rabbi Rachel Benjamin and Rabbi Margaret Jacobi Outreach Director Rabbi Aaron Goldstein Chaplain Rabbi Melinda Michelson-Carr Shlicha Gili Tzidkiyahu Mazkira, LJY-Netzer Jess Herman Social Action Officer, LJY-Netzer Jenny Walton Liberal Judaism promotes the religious and cultural traditions of our faith within the framework of progressive thinking and ethics. Donations to support our work are always welcome. Liberal Judaism is a registered charity, number 256390 LJ Today is edited by Beatrice Sayers. The deadline for the July/August 2006 issue is Sunday 28th May. Send articles or letters for publication to: ljtodayeditor@liberaljudaism.org Printed by Freedman Bros.
Lincolnshire Jewish Community 01427-628958, ljc@liberaljudaism.org North London Progressive Jewish Community 020-8340 5513, nlpjc@liberaljudaism.org www.nlpjc.org.uk Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue Oaklands Gate, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 3AA 01923-822592, npls@liberaljudaism.org www.npls.org.uk Nottingham Progressive Jewish Congregation Lloyd Street, Sherwood, Nottingham NG5 4BP 0115-9624761, npjc@liberaljudaism.org www.npjc.org.uk Or Chadash Liberal Jewish Community of Luxembourg 00 352 31 65 94 lljc@liberaljudaism.org Peterborough Liberal Jewish Community 01733-358605 The Progressive Jewish Community of East Anglia (based in Norwich), 01508-538666 pjcea@liberaljudaism.org, www.pjcea.org.uk Reading Liberal Jewish Community www.rljc.org 0118-375 3422, rljc_mail@yahoo.co.uk South Bucks Jewish Community 01494-431885 sbjc@liberaljudaism.org, www.sbjc.org.uk South London Liberal Synagogue, PO Box 14475, London SW16 1ZW, 020-8769 4787 slls@liberaljudaism.org, www.southlondon.org Southgate Progressive Synagogue, 75 Chase Road, London N14 4QY, 020-8886 0977 sps@liberaljudaism.org, www.sps.uk.com West Central Liberal Synagogue, 21 Maple Street, London W1T 4BE, 020-7636 7627 wcls@liberaljudaism.org, www.wcls.org.uk Woodford Progressive Synagogue Marlborough Road, George Lane, London E18 1AR 020-8989 7619, wps@liberaljudaism.org www.woodfordprogressive.org.uk Associated congregations Herefordshire Jewish Community Enquiries: 07789 218823 Oxford, for details of Liberal Jewish Services: 01865-515584 or 01865-765197 www.oxford-synagogue.org.uk New communities Ipswich Liberal Jewish Group 020 7631 9821, ijgroup@hotmail.com Manchester Liberal Jewish Community 08709 917327, a.goldstein@liberaljudaism.org, www.mljc.org.uk
DIARY DATES........... 5th to 7th May (Friday to Sunday) Biennial Weekend, in Cheltenham 18th May (Thursday) Ideas Café at The LJS From Our Own Correspondent, with Jeremy Bowen, 7pm 20th May (Saturday) Open Shabbat at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue 10am-3pm. An exciting day filled with a choice of activities. 020 7286 5181 1st June (Thursday) Ideas Café at The LJS One Night Stand: Ideas Cafe Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, 7pm 25th June to 3rd July Bog Tour (Israel Trip) Age 18+ 11th June (Sunday) Liberal Judaism Inter-synagogue Quiz at Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, 3:30pm 12th July (Wednesday) Rabbi Dr David Goldstein Memorial Lecture given by Prof Rabbi Marc Saperstein, at The LJS 31st July to 13th August LJY-Netzer Machaneh Kadimah (two-week summer camp): years 3-10 16th to 30th August Kayitz Netzer Two-week tour around Eastern Europe: end of year 12
Problem solvers
Phil Stone
Liberal Judaism congregations
Rabbi Dr Naftali Brauer of Northwood United congregation (left) and Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein of Northwood and Pinner Liberal take part in a ‘Rabbi, I have a problem’ question and answer session hosted by the Liberal synagogue in April. At the event, chaired by Simon Rocker of the Jewish Chronicle, members of both synagogues posed ethical and religious dilemmas to the rabbis, with each minister offering his own response.
Southgate reunion More than 100 former members of Southgate Progressive Youth Club (SPY) enjoyed a reunion in March, many renewing acquaintances with old friends from more than 30 years ago. The event was aimed at people who attended the club in the 1970s. Many travelled long distances to attend; a number of those present had children who are or were members of Spy. During the afternoon the club’s Israeli folk dance group, Spy Rikud, entertained the guests. Rikud has been busy over recent months. In January, it performed at the Enfield Civic Centre as part of the borough’s Holocaust Day Commemoration; it also performed at the synagogue’s Purim Spiel and the annual National Israel Folk Dance Festival.
Tony Halle
Music as midrash? The Jewish Music Institute is holding a four-day intensive course at West London Synagogue, entitled The Sabbath in the Progressive Tradition. It runs from Sunday 18th to Wednesday 21st June. The course, directed by Cantor Josée Wolff, of Hebrew Union College, New York. includes: the history and structure of Shabbat liturgy; traditional synagogue modes in contemporary worship; congregational melodies for the Kabbalat Shabbat service; integration of choirs into the services; how music can be midrash. Information and online registration: www.jmi.org.uk; or phone 020 8909 2445.
Cyril Sherwood The Liberally Speaking column in March/ April’s LJ Today was by Cyril Sherwood, of Northwood and Pinner, and not as printed. We offer sincere apologies to Cyril for the error.