Ishmael Khaldi a Bedouin member of the Israeli Embassy staff and a man with a fascinating story to tell, is speaking
at Woodford Progressive Marlborough Road South Woodford on Tuesday 15th May.

All members of local synagogues are welcome to attend.

If you are intending to come along you must phone the Woodford Progressive synagogue office
in order that you can be added to the list of guests.

The phone number is 020 8989 7619.

So what’s MRJ’s strategy all about?

Written by Ben Rich
Wednesday, 02 May 2012

Three weeks ago the Movement published its draft strategic priorities. They are:
Identifying and articulating Reform values
Developing communities
Investing in Leadership
Supporting youth and RSY-Netzer; and
Reaching out to students and young adults

Since then, members of the MRJ board and I have been making our way round communities and others who responded to the Strategic Review published last year, to take the temperature and understand how these priorities should be further developed. Personally, I have found the experience extremely encouraging. It seems that almost all our communities are taking the opportunity to debate these priorities and I am delighted that so many have shared their thoughts directly with the Board and myself.

So what are we hearing?

First, this short priorities document is easier to engage with than the earlier much longer Strategic Review. It is not – nor is it intended to be - the Movement’s full operational plan, but it tells people where we are focussing resources and what we are aiming to achieve over the next few years.

Chavurah Supper & Service Friday 1st June 2012 from 7.00pm

A Chavurah Supper & Service will held on Friday 1st June 2012 from 7.00pm. Why not come along and bring some food to share. These evenings are always enjoyable,,,,,Why not give it a try ?????

Why not come along and join us for a very enjoyable and social evening. Bring some food to share (no meat please)

Also on Friday 1st of July and Friday 3rd of August from 7.00pm

Ben Rich visited Sukkat Shalom on Friday 4th May.....He mingled with those members in attendance, said a few words and took questions etc from those who attend the evening. The evening started with a short service followed by a Chavural Meal. Ben is the new Chief Executive of the Reform Movement.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the representative body for British Jewry. It takes positions and makes public statements on the range of issues that affect British Jews from the practice of brit milah (circumcision) and shechita (kosher slaughter) to anti-semitism on university campuses and the UK government's relationship with Israel. These issues (and more!) are debated at around 10 plenary meetings a year and discussed in committees (known as divisions).

The Board operates on a constituency system with constituencies (mainly synagogues and other Jewish communal bodies) and each constituency can elect a number of deputies, depending on how many people it represents.

The average age of the elected deputies is relatively old (probably over 60) and in 2009 the Board decided to allow each constituency to elect an observer under the age of 35 in order to engage a younger generation in the Board's work. The under-35 observers attend plenary meetings alongside the deputies and are allowed to speak in debates but cannot vote. Under 35 observers are also encouraged to attend divisional meetings but again are not allowed to vote at them.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were on a camping trip. While lying on their sleeping bags looking up at the sky Holmes asked Watson what he noticed. “Well”, said Watson, “The moon is full and is surrounded by a shimmering ring so I perceive that there are a lot of ice crystals in the air, so we are likely to have a frost, I notice that Polaris is to our left so our heads are facing west and from the positions of Venus and Orion I would estimate that it is approximately midnight, but of course my powers of observation are nothing like yours Holmes, what do you notice?” To which Holmes replied, “I notice that someone has stolen our tent.”

What do we notice about our lives? I suspect that most of us would be like Sherlock Holmes in this joke, in that we would focus on the immediate and the practical, often to the exclusion of the greater if more remote aspects of reality.

I also suspect that we are like Watson, seeing what is there, often with great insight and ingenuity but never noticing what is missing.

Last Thursday (19th April), Jewish communities in Redbridge and world-wide marked 'Yom HaShoah', their day of memorial for all those Jews who were killed in the Holocaust. A solemn service of memorial was held at Bet Tikvah Synagogue, Barkingside. Around 60 people attended the service, many of whom were survivors or relatives of those who were murdered. The moving service was led by no fewer than six local rabbis, shown in the photograph, together with a special memorial light with six candles, one candle symbolising a million souls who perished.

Rabbi David Hulbert (0208-559-2235)

From the left:

Rabbi Richard Jacobi
Rabbi Michael Foulds OBE
Rabbi Larry Becker
Rabbi Stephen Howard
Rabbi Maurice Michaels &
Rabbi David Hulbert

Community Security Trust in partnership with the Jewish Community

CST is the Community Security Trust, a charity that provides security for Jewish community events and locations. Our purpose is to protect the well-being of our community, ensuring that we are all able to lead the Jewish life of our choice.

CST is also available, 24 hours a day, for those of us who are unfortunate enough to suffer, or witness, antisemitism.

It is challenging work that can only be done with the help and co-operation of the members of our community, its leaders and institutions. We need to share responsibility, together, and stand firm against the physical and political threats that
we face.

CST’s staff, volunteers and financial donors come primarily from within the Jewish Community. This is a working partnership in the most meaningful sense of the word: with CST consisting of members of our various Jewish communities and then working within these communities.

The Communal Seder was held on Saturday 7th April in the synagogue. There were around 70 adults and children in attendance and all had an enjoyable evening. Many thanks to Jocelyn Shepherd for all of the preparation work and to all of those that set up and cleared the building afterwards. Hope to see you all again next year.

Reform Haggadah Pilot Launched Why is this night different from all other nights? This year there will be another answer to the traditional Seder night question as the Movement for Reform Judaism pilots its first ever Haggadah. 1000 copies of the book will be used for the first time in a number of pilots across the Movement with full publication set for 2013.

ARE YOU BRITAIN’S BEST JEWISH MOTHER?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEONE WHO IS?

The Jewish News together with Channel 4 and Princess Productions are proud to be launching a contest to find and crown the Jewish Mum Of The Year.

We’re looking for new mums right through to grandmothers who are the best cooks, matchmakers, event planners, role models and all round supermums!

If you or a mum you know deserves the title
‘Jewish Mum Of The Year’
please email your name and contact details to jewishmum@princesstv.com or call 020 7985 1701

Like us on Facebook - jewishmumsearch
Follow us on twitter - @jewishmumsearch

From the Rabbi March 2012