November/December 2021
VOL. XLVIII No. 6
Liberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
www.liberaljudaism.org
ljtoday
Building Homes for the next 120 years By Rabbi Charley Baginsky, CEO of Liberal Judaism
I
N 2022, our movement will be 120 years old and, like Moses at that age, we find a Liberal Judaism whose eyes are not dimmed and whose energy is unabated. This landmark anniversary, and the events we have planned, will allow us not only to celebrate all we have achieved, but to ask ourselves what is next. Over the last 120 years, Liberal Judaism’s achievements are numerous. I have been asking people for their favourites and their answers have ranged from our groundbreaking events to the development of new communities to how we empower our young people. Members mostly take pride in how our movement has been pioneering from the start. That its founders included a young woman, Lily Montagu, was unheard of in 1902 and we have continued to lead the way on inclusion from there.
From the early days of praying partly in English, holding fully egalitarian services and welcoming children of both Jewish mothers and fathers, to our recent successes on same-sex marriage, assisted dying and the inclusion of mixed faith families, Liberal Judaism has lived up to its motto as ‘The Home for Your Jewish Story’. The last two years, in the shadow of the pandemic, have been especially challenging - but there have been glimpses of light through the cracks. One of the major sources of light has been the way in which our communities have come together to collaborate and share, to challenge and support and to care and lift up. As we look forward, I am clear that not only does there remain an essential place for Liberal Judaism in the Jewish community, but that we are actually needed more than ever. This is our moment to reassert who we are.
In our 120th anniversary year we will present a new strategic vision, hold a Day of Celebration (Sunday 1 May) and continue with our incredible collaborative services and education offerings. In February, to mark 120 years from the first ever Liberal service, we will host a huge fundraising campaign. Together with our communities, we will try to raise £300,00 so that we can enact the next steps needed to build the Homes for even more Jewish Stories. This will be a key moment for our movement and I will be calling on you all to help. In his 120th year, Moses stood on the edge of the Promised Land and refused to abandon his ideals. We know too that it can be hard to change even the smallest thing. But as Liberal Jews we have always been committed to making our world a little better because we are in it. Now is the moment to recommit and create the Liberal Judaism that can continue to lead into the next generation. GEORGINA BYE, the CEO of Mitzvah Day, was a very special guest at the Liberal Judaism Community Briefing. Georgina, fresh from launching the day of social action in Parliament (pictured left), was excited to hear about all the plans our communties have. Meanwhile, The South London Liberal Synagogue (SLLS) put on an early Mitzvah Day project by tidying their section of Streatham Park Cemetery. Rabbi Nathan Godleman of SLLS said: “A cemetery requires tending, of course, and it was very pleasing to see a dozen members and friends turn out to do just that, on a bright Sunday morning, for what will become a regular event.” Mitzvah Day takes place on Sunday 21 November. Go to mitzvahday.org.uk to get your T-shirts and merchandise.
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Communities
November/December 2021
Rabbi Leah Jordan inaugurated at Kehillah
Liberal Judaism Chair Ruth Seager, National Officer Owen Power, Rabbi Leah Jordan and Kehillah North London Chair Robert Freudenthal
KEHILLAH NORTH LONDON held an inauguration service and celebratory kiddush to officially welcome Rabbi Leah Jordan as the community’s new minister. The inauguration was attended by local community leaders, including the Mayor of Hackney Phil Glanville, councillors and representatives from the Kurdish Community and St Mary’s Church. They were joined by Kehillah regulars, as well as Liberal Judaism chair Ruth Seager, National Officer for Inclusion Owen Power and CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky.
Leah said: “This was such a wonderful day and really felt like the cementing of something beautiful. “The service made me feel more grateful than ever to be Kehillah’s rabbi, and I look forward to great things in our shared future.” Although Leah joined Kehillah last year, a welcome ceremony had to be postponed due to the pandemic. Kehillah Chair Robert Freudenthal said: “Rabbi Leah joined us during a particularly challenging time.
A thriving partnership JILL ROSENHEIM of the Three Counties Liberal Jewish Communities (3CLJC) presented a generous cheque for £795 to Kath Ather of the Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA), cementing a thriving partnership between the two. 3CLJC have had a long-standing relationship with the charity over several years, enjoying the use of the GDA’s rooms and kitchen facilities for services and events. Anxious to express their gratitude, the community used their High Holy Days appeal to raise funds over Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The money will be used by the GDA to continue to provide vital practical and emotional support to children, young people and adults who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafened. All of GDA’s services aim to enable a person to live confidently with their deafness.
“She has already done a remarkable job at keeping us all connected and growing the community. “That made it extra special to be able to formally celebrate - especially as we could be joined by local community, faith and Liberal Judaism leaders.” Owen added: “I am so proud to serve this thriving inclusive community as their Liberal Judaism BoNO Link Officer. This ceremony, with guests from so many different places, was a great example of Liberal Judaism inclusion in action.”
Kristallnacht Commemoration THE LIBERAL JEWISH SYNAGOGUE (LJS) will hold a Kristallnacht Commemoration on Tuesday 9 November from 7-8pm. The event will take place in person at the LJS and online via Zoom. You can register via www.ljs.org Sir Anish Kapoor will be the evening’s very special guest speaker, introduced by LJS member Jeremy Lewison (former Director of Collections at Tate). Sir Anish Kapoor is the artist commissioned by the LJS in the 1990s to create the extraordinarily moving sculpture in the front foyer of the building in memory of victims of the Shoah. The evening will also include words and music, and end with the Memorial Prayer and Kaddish. Congregants will have the opportunity to spend time round the Shoah Memorial.
Communities
November/December 2021
LJ Today Page 3
Jacob makes five as Davis family celebrate once more
The five Davis siblings who were all bar/batmitzvahed at BPS (L-R) Joshua, Joseph, Jacob, Benjamin and Ilana. Picture by proud dad Charles
By Joe Seager JACOB DAVIS celebrated his barmitzvah at Birmingham Progressive Synagogue (BPS) – becoming the fifth and final sibling in Charles and Samantha Davis’s family to come of age in the community. Jacob’s big day completed the notable sequence of family bar/batmitzvahs, all conducted by Birmingham Progressive Synagogue’s Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi. The journey that brought the five to this significant stage of their Jewish lives took place over a period of 12 years. Ilana, the only daughter in the Birmingham family, was the first to set out on that trail, celebrating her wellaccomplished batmitzvah in 2009.
More joyful occasions for family members and friends followed as, in turn, her brothers Benjamin, Joseph, Joshua and now Jacob stepped up to give their assured readings of the Torah. Jacob’s barmitzvah should have taken place last year but was postponed because of Covid-19 restrictions. Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi complimented Jacob on the way he had taught himself his portion, taking the task in his stride and requiring little tuition. She added: “This was the first time I have conducted services for five children of the same family - a rare delight for any rabbi. All of them made their mark in different ways, but the constant was the support of their parents and siblings.
“Like the Maccabees, who too were five siblings, the Davis’s are a close family who respect, value and care for each other – with each one having their own special gift.” The ceremony ended with BPS President Frank Maxwell congratulating Jacob on the high standard set for his barmitzvah and presenting him with a certificate to mark the occasion. Jacob at his barmitzvah
Kent mum and daughter celebrate together MUM Malissa Taylor-Saks and daughter Abigail Coe celebrated their b’not mitzvah together in a special ceremony at Kent Liberal Jewish Community. Their journey started during lockdown when they discovered the Hebrew programme run by The Ark Synagogue. They enjoyed it so much that they kept the momentum going - culminating in a Torah reading to roughly coincide with Malissa’s 50th and Abi’s 13th birthdays. Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, Senior Rabbi of The Ark, conducted the service. He was previously Liberal Judaism’s Head of Community Development and maintains his passion for supporting people who live outside of the major Jewish hubs.
He said: “This was a perfect example of two communities coming together.” Malissa grew up in South Africa where, at the time, batmitzvahs didn’t really happen. She said: “I always felt like I had missed out. Having this ceremony, albeit 37 years late for me, was the most amazing experience. This felt like the final piece of my Jewish puzzle, the dropped stitch of a blanket sewn back into the tapestry that is my life.” Abigail added: “The last two years have been challenging for many people, but for me and my mum it was an opportunity to connect with each other, with our Jewishness, learn loads of Hebrew and ultimately celebrate our b’not mitzvah.”
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Communities
November/December 2021
Adult batmitzvah for Kingston Deputy Chair
THE community at Kingston Liberal Synagogue (KLS) celebrated the adult batmitzvah of Deputy Chair Rebecca Singerman-Knight at a special morning Shabbat service, co-led by Rebecca and Rabbi René Pfertzel.
Although Rebecca’s father is Jewish, she was not brought up in the Jewish faith so did not have a batmitzvah when she was young. Rebecca rediscovered her Jewish identity in early adulthood and joined the KLS community in 2018, where she has since become actively involved. Speaking after the service, Rebecca said: “It was such an important day for me – to be able to have a batmitzvah and affirm my Jewish identity in front of my family, friends and community. “I loved co-leading the service with Rabbi René and having the opportunity to leyn from the Torah scroll and share my reflections on my portion. The preparation for the day was hard work but worth every minute – I hope I have also inspired others to do the same”. René added: “I strongly encourage anyone who would like to have an adult bar/bat mitzvah to contact their rabbi or community leader. You won’t regret it!”
• MAZEL TOV to Student Rabbi Gabriel Kanter-Webber, who will become Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue’s new minister, following the retirement of Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah. Currently in his final year at Leo Baeck College, Gabriel will officially join BHPS next summer. • LILY’S LEGACY – the landmark heritage project documenting Liberal Judaism’s radical history – will be holding a free Archive Skills Training event at the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) on the afternoon of Thursday 18 November. The event will include an introduction to the LMA and an overview of different archiving processes, as well as the chance to get hands-on and help the project team catalogue and deposit the Lily’s Legacy Collection at the LMA. For more information, please email lilyslegacyproject@liberaljudaism.org Lily’s Legacy is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Leo Baeck lecture raises £5,000
Student Rabbi Matt Turchin, Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, John Kampfner and Dr Keith Kahn-Harris at the Leo Baeck College event
Journalist and author John Kampfner helped Leo Baeck College (LBC) raise almost £5,000 by delivering the College’s annual lecture in memory of the late Rabbi Lionel Blue. With guests back in person, and a further 50 watching via Zoom from as far away as the USA, John entertained in conversation with Senior LBC Lecturer Dr Keith Kahn-Harris. Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, Principal of Leo Baeck College, said the money raised by the evening will help underpin the costs associated with the College’s five-year long rabbinic training programme. Deborah added: “The need for well-educated rabbis with heart is more important than it has ever been – rabbis, like Lionel Blue, who embrace change, lead by example and stand up for the values of Progressive Judaism.”
Communities
November/December 2021
Raising money for mental health
LJ Today Page 5
Friday Night Rock returns
Sarah Ellenby, Jacob Corne, Daniel Atkinson and Max Worth setting off on their charity cycle
THREE young Liberal Jews and their teacher cycled almost 40 miles between Leicester Progressive Synagogue and Nottingham Liberal Synagogue (NLS) to raise money for a mental health charity. Daniel Atkinson, Jacob Corne and Max Worth are taking part in the Kabbalat Torah (KT) programme at NLS. KT is a unique Liberal Jewish lifecycle event that allows young people to continue their studies past bar/ batmitzvah and then, at the age of 15/16, affirm their commitment to Judaism. On Shabbat they led their KT service, with much maturity and insightfulness, linking the parsha of Noach to the pandemic lockdown and its impact on mental health. Then the next day, as part of their chosen social action project, the three boys set off on the ride accompanied by their Kabbalat Torah teacher Sarah Ellenby. Sarah is a member of Southgate Progressive Synagogue and currently studying in Nottingham.
Their goal was to raise £1,000 for the local Nottingham mental health charity, MIND. By the end of the bike ride they had raised almost £1,400 with donations still coming in. MAZEL TOV to Nottingham member David Bogod, who has been awarded a Gold Medal by the Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association. This is only the 13th gold medal to have been awarded during the organisation’s 52 year history and it is given to “someone who has made an exceptional contribution to obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia or to the aims of the Association”.
LIBERAL JUDAISM communities across the country enjoyed being back together inside the Sukkah, as we celebrated Sukkot. Those shaking the lulav and etrog included Reading Liberal Jewish Community (left) and The Ark Synagogue (right), who were joined by Mayor and Mayoress of Hillingdon Roy and Reeta Chamdal.
Chanukah 2021 will see a live return for Liberal Judaism’s hugely popular Friday Night Rock Service band. Following a successful run of lockdown broadcasts - which were produced by mixing archive footage and fresh homerecorded material - the band will now play in synagogue again for the first time in almost two years. The comeback gig will take place on Friday 3 December at The Liberal Synagogue Elstree (TLSE). Led by Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich, at Elstree, and Rabbi Yuval Keren, who will be beaming in from Southgate Progressive Synagogue, this special Chanukah service will also be broadcast live on the Liberal Judaism website and across its social media channels. This means that, as part of Liberal Judaism’s commitment to accessible and hybrid services, members and friends can watch live in Elstree, on screen via link-up in Southgate or from the comfort of their own homes. Elstree are putting on a fish and chip dinner, while Southgate are hosting a chavurah supper, to go with the music. To book, email office@tlse.org.uk (Elstree) or office@sps.uk.com (Southgate). The Friday Night Rock Service was written and first played in 2013 by musician Simon Cooper – taking familiar pieces from the synagogue liturgy and performing them in the style of bands including Status Quo, Led Zeppelin, The Darkness and Guns ‘N Roses. Simon lost his battle with cancer at the young age of 33. The band continues to play his music in tribute to him and to continue his mission: to make going to shul a little more fun for all the family.
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Environment
November/December 2021
Walking the walk from Camino to COP26 Val Harrison writes on how Climate Pilgrims inspired the Birmingham community They asked us to contact our own Members of Parliament to express our concerns about global heating and urge them to take action rather than just talk about it. We promised that we would and wished them good luck as they went on their way. We may not be able to do big things in our own lives to combat climate change, and the task may seem overwhelming, but if every person makes small contributions, they all add up. If we all regard ourselves as an acorn, think what a huge forest we could all become and how much good we could do collectively.
By Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi and Reverend Faith Claringbull with the Camino to COP banner
CLIMATE HEATING affects us all and it often seems as if we can do little to help reverse it. In a way, we can all be climate activists, even if we only make small changes; after all, an oak tree starts as an acorn. With global leaders gathering in Glasgow for COP26, a group of activists walked from London to Glasgow where they hoped at least to meet some influential people and emphasise the urgency to walk the walk instead of merely talking the talk, which is what nations have done for far too long. It isn’t someone else’s responsibility - it lies with every one of us. We met them on their stop in Birmingham. The group were multi-faith and none and covered a wide age range – one lady I spoke to was 75. They had overnighted at Carr’s Lane Church and came to us at Birmingham Progressive Synagogue (BPS) for lunch. Greeted by Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi and David Harrison, as members of BPS were decorating our Sukkah, they were interested to learn about Sukkot and to visit our building with its environmentally aware features such as zoned heating and lighting, which can partially or wholly illuminate areas as required. David was also able to talk to them about the interfaith environmental group, Footsteps, of which he is a member. They were captivated by our Tree of Life, so it was my privilege to be able to tell them about its significance and about Harry Seager who designed and made it. Eve Clevenger and I (largely Eve!) prepared a vegan lunch for our guests and members of the Sukkah Brigade.
We all had a chance to hear from the walkers about the people they had met on their route and how they were encouraged by the interest and friendliness they had encountered. Although they had walked from London (over 110 miles if you are wondering) and still had about 280 miles to go, they weren’t at all daunted by the task. They were going to spend another night in Birmingham and were to be joined the following day by a contingent who were walking up from Bristol. They had with them a Pilgrim’s Coat, made of cotton and felt, which was being embellished as they went along with embroidered and appliqué squares made by members of their organisation and sewn on as they were received. Some of us were invited to wear the coat and for those few minutes we became Climate Pilgrims, symbolically walking alongside the group. I felt privileged do this. So who were these Pilgrims? I deliberately have kept that to the end of this article because I didn’t want anyone to switch off if I told you earlier, as I know some people have rather strong views. They were members of Extinction Rebellion - yes, the same people who sit down in city centres and on motorway slip roads and bring things, inconveniently for some, to a halt. They were doing this walk not just because it matters to them but because what they are trying to draw attention to matters to us all. They had put their lives on hold for something about which they are seriously worried, even though they had no high expectation they would be able to have much, if any, influence on world leaders.
INSPIRED by meeting the Pilgrims, and in particular by Stephen Marcus’ talk to our Synagogue, I joined the ‘Caministas’ for the next part of their Camino to COP26 walk. We started at Newcastle-underLyme, where they had stayed overnight at the Quaker meeting house. Before setting off, we gathered in a circle to focus on the day ahead. The walk would be nearly 13 miles and it was well organised to ensure that the 25 of us who were walking crossed roads safely and weren’t lost on the way. On the way, I was able to talk to some of the Caministas, including a barrister, a retired careers adviser and a teacher. They ranged in age from their 20s to their 70s, and we were also joined for the day by an eight-year-old boy. Some had been involved in climate activism for years. For others, it had been more of a sudden realisation of the need to do something when they had encountered Extinction Rebellion. As we walked, we gave out leaflets explaining our purpose and most people were enthusiastic to hear our message. Passing cars tooted on the way to show their support. There was a clear sense that people were concerned about climate change and wanted the COP26 conference to take the action needed. Some of those I met had come to the walk from a religious background, others had no formal faith, but, as one said to me: “I do have a faith now, in our work together.”
Environment
November/December 2021
LJ Today Page 7
Take part in ‘It’s time to save the world in EcoShabbat real life, not just on screen’
Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich on why EcoShabbat is so vital “One generation goes and one generation comes, but the earth remains forever.” Kohelet (1:4).
ECOSHABBAT 2021 will take place on November 5/6. It will present a fantastic opportunity for us, the family of Liberal communities, to show our support for the COP 26 conference. It will let us celebrate our achievements in becoming an ecofriendly and sustainable movement, while examining the next steps we must now take to combat climate change. EcoShabbat is an EcoSynagogue initiative, which brings together the four denominations of Judaism (Orthodox, Reform, Liberal and Masorti). This unique intra-faith cooperation manifests the importance and urgency of the current climate crisis. Liberal Judaism’s CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky said: “EcoShabbat is an excellent initiative that brings the entire Jewish community together. “As a movement, Liberal Judaism is committed to living harmoniously with the world around us. “We are supporting and encouraging our communities to join EcoSynagogue and its projects, including EcoShabbat, to take an important step towards the reduction of our impact on the climate.” On the www.ecosynagogue.org website you will find an EcoShabbat Resource Pack for Communities which includes plenty of ideas and guides for the weekend. These include: • A guide to hosting a sustainable Shabbat dinner from Hazon: The Jewish Lab For Sustainability. • An EcoShabbat vegan menu from celebrity chef Jamie Geller. • Kosher vegan wine suggestions. • How to enjoy an EcoShabbat Kiddush. • Inspiration from the EcoSynagogue Rabbinic Team, which includes Liberal Judaism’s Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich. The good news is that its not too late to sign up for EcoShabbat - just email team@ecosynagogue.org to take part.
HAVE you seen the latest James Bond film? If you haven’t then you are in a minority, as it breaks box office records, taking £382 million so far. Quite a few of us are prepared to pay money to get thrills from watching someone saving the world on screen, but fewer of us are as prepared to engage in saving the world ourselves. Thanks to constant pollution, waste and animal abuse and the exploitation and annihilation of natural habitats, we are now faced with mission impossible. Some like to refer to it as saving the planet, but I think in fact it is saving ourselves. The magnitude of the problem – particularly exposed more recently thanks to the news coverage of the COP26 conference in Glasgow – is so great that it has made many people realise that it cannot be solved unless we all work together. Indeed, the climate change issue has become so real that for the first time it even cuts across communal lines in our Jewish community.
The only way to become a power that makes a difference is to act together as the EcoSynagogue organisation is doing, uniting the four denominations of our community. And if you or your community would like to join the Jewish eco-warriors, you have a great opportunity to do so very soon. The EcoShabbat of November 5-6 presents a fantastic opportunity to show our support for the COP26 conference, as well as to celebrate our commitment to eco and sustainable living. EcoShabbat can be a real turning point for you and your community when you make an Eco pledge, which will help to save our planet. This could be committing to a zero waste programme, stopping eating meat, reducing plastic usage or one of the many other options listed on the EcoSynagogue website. Above all else, let’s pledge to make this EcoShabbat the beginning of our EcoMission (im)Possible so that our children live a more harmonious life with nature and so that they will spend £382 million to protect the planet in real life and not only on the screen. • Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich serves The Liberal Synagogue Elstree.
Elstree children prepare STUDENTS at The Liberal Synagogue Elstree (TLSE) Sunday Hub have been busy preparing for EcoShabbat. Classes are especially looking at the ethical principle of bal tashchit (do not destroy), including considering how pollution is destroying our world. They examined packaging and the use of plastic bags and made collages out of the plastic waste. They have also be doing their bit to improve the environment by planting seeds, which will be nurtured indoors over the winter so that they are ready to plant in pots outside in the spring. The aim is to make the synagogue’s outside area more environmentally friendly. The students in the bar/batmitzvah class also went on a walk to look at the local environment and appreciate the beauty of the greenery in their area. Finally, the youngsters will be playing key roles in TLSE’s EcoShabbat service.
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Books
November/December 2021
Poetry for survivors of A sea view childhood sexual abuse By Elizabeth Shane I am a full-time mother, volunteer within my local community, poetry author, survivor of childhood sexual abuse and proud member of Kehillah North London. I grew up in a non-Orthodox Jewish family. Although not religious, I attended synagogue regularly. My parents, looked upon as respectable and to the outside, seemed like a typical Jewish family. It couldn’t have been further from the truth. Behind locked doors, we bore a secret that no one spoke about. My dad was sexually abusive towards me and other family members, as well as being physically violent towards my halfsiblings. It also led to my half-brother sexually abusing me from a young age. For so long I wondered what it was like not to wear the heavy anchor of shame around my neck as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I remember discussing this, at a later stage, with my rabbi at Kehillah, describing how I felt like I was a sinner for not honouring my parents and asking whether anyone would believe a respectable Jewish man to be capable of committing such heinous crimes. My rabbi and the Kehillah community have actively supported and encouraged me for speaking out and I value this tremendously. I had the opportunity to go to the coast last year and never felt such a connection to the sea as I did at that moment. I gave all my emotional pain to the power of the ocean and what came back felt like clarity from God. Not only was I meant to survive the storm, but walk through it with my head held high, with acceptance and recognition of my own inner strength. I had never originally considered sharing my story so openly, the thought of speaking out was terrifying. But I also felt this overwhelming desire to open up, leading to self-publishing my first poetry book Silhouette of a Songbird.
My poems share a part of my journey with feelings around the sexual abuse, overwhelming shame, low self-esteem, abandonment issues, struggles with complex PTSD, disassociation and fear. But I also write about the strength and empowerment of taking back my voice. Creative self-expression has given me a platform to break an entity of silence. I hope that sharing my story gives survivors support, strength and help - so they know there is light on the other side and they are not going through this alone. I would like to continue to raise awareness of the impact of childhood trauma, a subject not always spoken about within the Jewish community, as well as reaching out to other communities, through my writing and talking about my experience. I aim to break the secrecy, taboo and cycle of shame attributed from abuse. • Silhouette of a Songbird can be purchased from www.amazon.co.uk (ISBN: 9781916387423).
DANIEL RANDALL, who grew up in Nottingham Liberal Synagogue, has a new book out. Confronting Antisemitism on the Left: Arguments for Socialists was published in September to glowing reviews. It aims to build on the legacy of Steve Cohen’s That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Antisemitic. Drawing on Cohen’s work, it presents a series of essays
PAM FOX, whose histories of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue and Rabbi Dr Israel Mattuck won worldwide praise, is back with a new book on a Jewish theme. Jews by the Seaside: The Jewish Hotels and Guesthouses of Bournemouth (ISBN: 9781912676927) describes the rise and decline of Bournemouth’s Jewish hotels and guest houses within the context of Anglo-Jewish history; the growth of Bournemouth as a premier resort; and the evolution of its Jewish community. Pam, a member of Wessex Liberal Jewish Community in Bournemouth, looks back at the appearance of the first small Jewish boarding houses in the late 19th century. She charts the emergence of ever-more luxurious guest houses and then hotels, before going on to look at the decline and changing nature of Bournemouth’s Jewish holiday trade. Based largely on interviews, the text is replete with humorous and poignant memories and stories. Liberal Judaism members can save 20% (not including P&P) by using the code FOX21 at www.vmbooks.com
analysing the roots and contemporary construction of antisemitism on the political left - from primitive critiques of capitalism to modern anti-Zionism - and argues that a consistently democratic politics of working-class solidarity and equal rights can overcome it. The book, published by Whitefox Publishing Ltd, can be ordered from many stockists (ISBN: 978191353258).
History
November/December 2021
LJ Today Page 9
An ‘emotional rollercoaster’ trip to Germany Becca Fetterman on a family return to Germany to honour her grandfather
Becca Fetterman with her family under the street sign that bears the family name (left) and her grandfather and his family before the Holocaust
IN the May/June 2020 edition of lj today, I wrote about my family’s heritage trips to Lithuania, and Leipzig in Germany. Whilst we were in the country laying my granny’s Stolpersteine (brass plaques in the pavement to commemorate victims and survivors of the Nazis), my cousin started trying to organise one for my grandpa Kurt Heilbron and his family. Little did we know that a pandemic was coming. So when my cousin found out that the shop and home my grandpa was raised in was due to be demolished, we organised a ceremony - making it as late as possible so we could try and be there. During the summer, I visited the German Embassy with many of my cousins and their children to collect our German citizenship and apply for passports. This felt like a very uncomfortable journey in itself. We had real mixed emotions. We were becoming German when our whole lives had been about how Germans had treated our family. But we also felt post-Brexit that we want to open opportunities to our children and that the Germans owe us that. My children and I are now all European again. In September, my extended family and I visited Germany and, more specifically, Achim near Bremen where my grandpa was from - using our German passports. Unfortunately, due to Covid regulations many could not attend.
I had grown up hearing stories about this place but had no idea what to expect. Stephan, who is responsible for the town history and celebrations, looks after the Stolpersteine in the area. Achim had approximately 100 Jews before the war and only two families survived. They were two wealthy families, which is a very uncomfortable truth about my family’s privilege. We were the first survivors to ‘officially’ return. Stephan and the rest of the people who met us were very emotional about us coming. They have other stones in the town but no one had been able to attend, as there were no survivors. A large crowd from the town, maybe 200 people, attended the event; they were crying! We were able to go into the shop and apartment and we listened to tapes of my grandpa describing his life there. My cousins dug up some floor tiles to take home. We visited the Jewish Cemetery and saw our family plot with lots of unused space intended for the future generations. The road outside the shop had been renamed after my family. Stephan invited us back to the town hall for an exhibition he had coordinated about my family and the Jews of Achim. To honour the family business, which was tailoring, he presented us with a sewing machine from the shop with the name of the shop - my great-grandpa’s on it. At this point we were all in tears.
In so many ways we felt a high of how much the town cared and how antisemitism was a thing of the past in Germany. However, there were some uncomfortable truths that emerged. In the recent German elections, two members from a far right party were elected to the town council. Stephan cried as he told me this. At the ceremony, a man was upset and my cousin asked him if he was OK. He was the GP in Achim, recently retired. He explained that he had lived there for 30 years and had hidden the fact that he was Jewish as no one will go to a Jewish doctor in Germany. He said it is OK for us to come and be open as we were flying home, but it was not the same for him. We invited him to join our Friday night service in the town. It was the first Jewish service held there since the Shoah We also learned lots about the current refugee politics in Germany and saw a Black Lives Matter protest in Breman. On a more positive note, we met an amazing German group Omas gegen Rechts (Grandmas Against the Right). They are active across Germany and Poland and gained three new members from my family. On the whole, it was an incredible trip with an emotional rollercoaster alongside. I haven’t yet embraced my German citizenship but I do feel more connected to Achim and its people.
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Students
November/December 2021
Judaism booming at Sheffield University By Dora Hirsh AT THE start of October, Sheffield Jewish Society (J-Soc) held its first Friday night dinner since February 2020. With the help of social media, we achieved by far the biggest turnout any of us had ever seen. It was my first in-person event since becoming J-Soc President and, alongside a team of dedicated committee members, I spent many hours trying to get it just right. This included challenges such as figuring out how to scale up my grandmother’s goulash recipe from ‘serves 4’ to ‘serves 30’ and making sure we stayed Covid-safe while still providing a warm welcome. Organising Friday night dinners is not my only role as Jewish Society President. Creating safe and homely spaces for Jewish students to practice their religion and culture is a big part of the job, but making sure that campus as a whole is safe and welcoming is another part of it. In May, during the escalated violence in Gaza and Israel, there was a huge spike in antisemitism, including several incidents in Sheffield reported to me by our students. We released a statement condemning antisemitism on social media, writing that: “Antisemitism is never an acceptable response to current affairs in Israel and Palestine.” As the problem continued to increase, we brought a motion before the Students’
Union Council ‘Condemning Antisemitism and Standing in Solidarity with Jews’, which I spoke in favour of, and which, to our relief, passed without a fight. Aside from organising big events and fighting antisemitism, we’re here for all sorts. Educational talks, movie nights, pub-crawl socials - there’s something for everyone at our J-Soc and I’m very excited to see where this year takes us. Especially exciting for me is the high number of new students this year from Reform and Liberal communities. Two of our first years were on LJY-Netzer together - including one I briefly taught as a cheder teacher - and another is the daughter of a Reform rabbi. We’re so lucky to have a diverse membership.
The 60 or so students we are in touch with identify as ‘culturally Jewish’, ‘Jewish atheist’, ‘Progressive’, ‘traditional’, ‘Orthodox’ and, of course, ‘just Jewish’. It’s not always easy logistically, but we really try to make pluralism work through a big effort to accommodate everybody’s needs. Our J-Soc isn’t big enough to be fragmented, and that can require some effort at times, but everyone gets along and, as far as I know, nobody is ever made to feel like the wrong kind of Jew. • Dora Hirsh is President of Sheffield J-Soc. A member of LJY-Netzer, she has taught at both Finchley Progressive and The Ark Synagogue cheders
LBC graduates back together and in bloom
FOUR graduates received their MA in Jewish Educational Leadership at Leo Baeck College’s first in-person ceremony for more than two years. Adela Kobic, Head Teacher at Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, was among those gaining the award.
Adela was joined by Frankie Gruzd (Head Teacher at Bromley Reform Synagogue), Avi Marco (a member of Finchley Reform Synagogue Council) and Oren Giorno (Youth Director at JEM, Paris). All four had previously passed the Masters course but, as no in-person graduation could take place last year, they chose to wait for a time when a ceremony was possible that would allow them to be together. Dr Jo-Ann Myers, Director of Jewish Education at Leo Baeck College, said: “The wait was certainly worth it. Our students did themselves proud!”
Each graduate was presented with a beautiful handmade tallit, kippah and tallit bag in the College’s alternative colour palette, in order to distinguish them from the ones given to rabbinic ordinands. They were made by Maya Works, a member of the Fair Trade Federation that promotes economic justice for women in Guatemala. After the ceremony – which saw each graduate speak about what they had gained by studying for the MA – a planting service took place in the Biblical Garden in the College’s grounds for a pomegranate tree donated by the four. Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, Leo Baeck College Principal, said: “It was touching to hear the graduates talk about how studying at the College had helped them develop both personally and professionally. As we see the beautiful pomegranate tree bloom, we will remember this class.”
Youth
November/December 2021
LJ Today Page 11
LJY-Netzer is Liberal Judaism’s Zionist youth movement. It gives young people the opportunity to develop a strong Progressive Jewish identity, make lasting friendships and have loads of fun
The LJY summer in their own words
THIS YEAR, LJY-Netzer ran two large camps. Our classic Machaneh Kadimah for kids aged 8-15 was a huge success, as some of our youngest participants will tell you: Bella, age 9: “It was my first ever Kadimah and first ever stay away from home. I really liked our leaders and that I made two new best friends called Cassia and Neve, who are Jewish like me. “The outdoor activities were so much fun and I was brave. Sometimes I cried at night, as I missed home, but there was always someone there to make me feel happier again. “I want to go back to Kadimah every year until I can become a leader.” Emily, age 8: “I loved Kadimah. I liked the activities, particularly making things in the craft sessions. “The other children were really nice, and the leaders were kind, patient and lots of fun.” Rachel, age 8: “I go to Kadimah because my Dad went there 40 years ago. I look forward to it all year. This year, I particularly enjoyed the movie nights.”
We also ran a brand new camp this summer: Machaneh Hineini. This was a groundbreaking event for 16 & 17 year olds, giving them an opportunity to get together and stay involved in LJY-Netzer, even with our international tours and events on hold. After several days of kef (fun), adventure activities, and hadracha (leadership) training, our participants were ready to be madrichimot (leaders), and ran a day of sessions for each other. After this, they graduated and celebrated these new achievements. It was really exciting to see our next generation of leaders step up and learn so many new skills and topics so quickly. We can’t wait to see what they have in store for us when they start running LJY events in the years to come. Despite so many challenges this year, LJY-Netzer was proud to be able to provide a meaningful Jewish experience for so many participants this summer. 5782 is a big year for us and we’ve got plenty of events coming up - including sleepovers, an adventure weekend and online Chanukah celebration. Find out more at www.ljy-netzer.org/events and we’ll see you very soon!
WE are delighted to announce our LJY-Netzer Movement Workers for 5782 – Jess Mindel and Joe Shotton. Jess will be staying on for another year, after helping guide LJY-Netzer through the pandemic period, and will be joined by the amazing Joe. They said: “We cannot wait to see what 5782 brings and are so excited for the mix of brand new and old favourite events we have planned.”
Contact LJY-Netzer: Jess Mindel (j.mindel@liberaljudaism.org), Joe Shotton (j.shotton@liberaljudaism.org) Director of Youth - Rebecca Fetterman (r.fetterman@liberaljudaism.org)
November/December 2021
Page 12 LJ Today
Liberal Judaism congregations The Ark Synagogue (Northwood and Pinner) T: 01923 822 592 E: admin@arksynagogue.org W: arksynagogue.org
Eastbourne Liberal Jewish Community T: 07497 401 280 E: eljc.contact@gmail.com W: eljc.org.uk
Manchester Liberal Jewish Community T: 0161 796 6210 E: mljc@liberaljudaism.org W: mljc.org.uk
Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue T: 0845 869 7105 E: info@bedsps.org.uk W: bedfordshire-ps.org.uk
Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community T: 0131 777 8024 E: info@eljc.org W: eljc.org
Mosaic Liberal (Harrow) T: 020 8864 5323 E: office@mosaicliberal.org.uk W: mosaicliberal.org.uk
Beit Klal Yisrael (London) E: admin@bky.org.uk W: bky.org.uk
Finchley Progressive Synagogue T: 020 8446 4063 E: fps@liberaljudaism.org W: fps.org
Birmingham Progressive Synagogue T: 0121 634 3888 E: bps@liberaljudaism.org W: bpsjudaism.com Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue T: 01273 737 223 E: info@bhps-online.org W: bhps-online.org Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation T: 0117 403 3456 E: info@bwjpc.org W: bwpjc.org Crawley Jewish Community T: 01293 534 294 Crouch End Chavurah E: naomi@crouchendchavurah.co.uk W: crouchendchavurah.co.uk Dublin Progressive Congregation E: djpc@liberaljudaism.org W: djpcireland.com
Ealing Liberal Synagogue T: 020 8997 0528 E: admin@ealingliberalsynagogue.org.uk W: ealingliberalsynagogue.org.uk East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue T: 0208 989 7619 E: administrator@elels.org.uk W: elels.org.uk
Kehillah North London T: 07706 354 602 E: info@kehillah.org.uk W: kehillah.org.uk Kent Liberal Jewish Community T: 07384 993 553 E: enquiries@kljc.org.uk W: kljc.org.uk Kingston Liberal Synagogue T: 020 8398 7400 E: kls@liberaljudaism.org W: klsonline.org Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation T: 0116 271 5584 E: chair@lpjc.org.uk W: lpjc.org.uk The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (St John’s Wood) T: 020 7286 5181 E: ljs@ljs.org W: ljs.org The Liberal Synagogue Elstree T: 020 8953 8889 E: office@tlse.org.uk W: tlse.org.uk Lincolnshire Jewish Community W: lincolnsynagogue.com
The Montagu Centre 21 Maple Street London, W1T 4BE T: 020 7580 1663 E: montagu@liberaljudaism.org W: liberaljudaism.org
Liberal Judaism is the dynamic, cutting edge of modern Judaism. It reverences Jewish tradition, seeking to preserve the values of the past, while giving them contemporary force. Charity Number: 1151090
lj today is edited by Simon Rothstein. Please send news to s.rothstein@liberaljudaism.org Printed by Precision Printing. www.precisionprinting.co.uk
Norwich Liberal Jewish Community E: nljc@liberaljudaism.org W: norwichljc.org.uk Nottingham Liberal Synagogue T: 0115 962 4761 E: nls@liberaljudaism.org W: nottinghamliberalsynagogue.com
Peterborough Liberal Jewish Community T: 07561 331 390 E: info@pljc.org.uk W: pljc.org.uk Reading Liberal Jewish Community E: readingliberaljewishcommunity@ gmail.com
W: readingljc.org.uk Shir Hatzafon (Copenhagen) E: shir@shirhatzafon.dk W: shirhatzafon.dk South Bucks Jewish Community T: 0300 102 1506 E: info@sbjc.org.uk W: sbjc.org.uk Southgate Progressive Synagogue T: 020 8886 0977 E: office@sps.uk.com W: sps.uk.com The South London Liberal Synagogue (Streatham) T: 020 8769 4787 E: office@southlondon.org W: southlondon.org
Stevenage Liberal Synagogue T: 01438 300 222 E: stevenageliberalsynagogue@gmail.com W: stevenageliberalsynagogue.org.uk Suffolk Liberal Jewish Community (Ipswich) T:01473 250 797 E: sljc@liberaljudaism.org W: suffolkljc.co.uk Three Counties Liberal Jewish Community (Gloucestershire and Herefordshire) T: 07900 612 058 E: info@3cljc.org.uk W: 3cljc.org.uk Wessex Liberal Jewish Community (Bournemouth) T: 01202 757 590 E: wljc.info@gmail.com W: wessexliberaljudaism.org.uk West Central Liberal Synagogue T: 020 7636 7627 E: office@wcls.org.uk W: wcls.org.uk York Liberal Jewish Community T: 0300 102 0062 E: info@jewsinyork.org.uk W: jewsinyork.org.uk
Developing and affiliated Beit Ha’Chidush (Amsterdam) E: info@beithachidush.nl W: beithachidush.nl Oxford Jewish Congregation T: 01865 515 584 E: connections@ojc-online.org W: ojc-online.org
Chair Ruth Seager Deputy Chair Karen Newman Treasurer Paul Silver-Myer Legal Governance Ros Clayton Inclusion Owen Power Youth Hannah Stephenson Communities Janet Berkman Education Susanne Combe Strategy Alex Kinchin-Smith Finance Leslie Moss President Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein Vice Presidents Simon Benscher, Monique Blake, Lord Fink, Louise Freedman, Sharon Goldstein, Lucian Hudson, David Lipman, Corinne Oppenheimer, David Pick, Rabbi Danny Rich, Tony Sacker, Joan Shopper, Phil Stone and Beverley Taylor Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors Chairs Rabbi Rebecca Birk and Rabbi Dr René Pfertzel Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Charley Baginsky Chief Operating Officer Shelley Shocolinsky-Dwyer Director of Community Partnerships Alexandra Gellnick Director of Youth Becca Fetterman Fundraising and Events Thomas Rich Senior Administrator Tanya Garfield Archivist Alison Turner PR Simon Rothstein Finance Janet Manderson Heritage Shaan Knan Chaplaincy Rabbi Eryn London LJY-Netzer Jess Mindel and Joe Shotton Student Chaplain Rabbi Anna Posner