shofar jan 2015
DESCRIPTION
Shofar Jan 2015TRANSCRIPT
January / February 2015
Shofarthe magazine of finchley progressive synagogue
פר שו
A Happy 2015!
Cover: Chanukah lighting at FPS, credit Louise Gellman Copy deadline is the 10th of each month. Please email all content to [email protected]
2
2014 was a long and eventful year for our FPS family. In
many ways we have grown together more than in other
years. In our many conversations, in and out of services
and during many suppers and shiurim we have learnt
much from each other. This is certainly what I’ve learnt
to appreciate the most this year – how we are always
stronger together.
In the first week of December my family (along with
many other families in North London) had the privilege of hosting two members
of the YMCA Jerusalem Youth chorus, an amazing project with teenagers from
very different backgrounds coming together to learn from each other – and they
sound pretty fantastic, too. (http://jerusalemyouthchorus.org. Photo on p.10).
A very Happy 2015 to all of you!
From the Editorpat lehner
an invitation to help shape our future
A Vision for FPSCouncil has been working on a vision for the
future of our community. We want to get you
involved too.
When? Saturday 31st January, 2:45 – 5:00pm
What? An afternoon to explore our vision for
FPS and plan for the future. An opportunity
to hear where Council thinks we are going, to
debate and shape our plans and to be part of
joining up our activities behind a common view
of what we want as a community.
Why? We are part of a great community. With a
shared vision and approach we can ensure that
FPS continues to thrive.
Who? Everyone is welcome. We particularly
want everyone to come who is already involved
in helping to run aspects of FPS. But you should
also come if you are interested in sharing your
views or just to find out more.
So we can plan for numbers, please email
[email protected] to let us know you are
coming.
3
rabbi rebecca qassim birk
Green shoots are coming. We may be in the
dead of winter still, but there will be green
shoots. That is the nature of things. My
Ruben, who as you know has been treated for
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, is responding well to
his treatment. The green shoots of Spring will
coincide precisely with his emerging from the
last chemotherapy. And we hope the beginning
of his recovery. The seasons will mean even
more this year. Thank you for your cards,
gifts, kind words and of course cake!
It has meant so much to us, and I am
convinced has helped propel us through
this inevitable but brutal cycle of
treatment. We feel so grateful.
At the end of this month will be
Tu B’Shevat, New Year for Trees. Not
much marked outside of agricultural
circles until the kabbalists decided it
was worthy of celebration. It’s a hugely
symbolic portent of the advent of spring. We’ve
often planted trees in our garden at FPS with
Ivriah, eaten fruit and talked of Spring. This
year we’re planting something more.
Some of you know that we have embarked
gently, and modestly on an initiative to reach
out to more of our members. We have wanted
to hear your thoughts and experiences of
being part of our synagogue. It’s universally
acknowledged that a healthy community is
full of members who feel happy and fulfilled
and cared for by it. We want that. Out of our
first listening and cups of tea campaign came
interesting insights.
“A friendly community, but I’m not sure
I have friends there.” Many share a strong
interest in good care for the elderly;
some members have concerns about
mental health in their children; some
want help to get here and be at the
synagogue.
I’m very struck by the need for
friends and connections and the
opportunity to share experiences.
Surely that is what a synagogue
is for? And eating together helps,
doesn’t it?
As a means of planting shoots this Tu
B’Shevat we will be arranging six dinners/
house meetings hosted by different members of
the communities bringing people together. This
is our next stage of community building and
ameliorating. Our synagogue has a strong trunk
and we’re growing new branches, twigs and
leaves! (forgive the metaphors!). If you’d like
to host or come to one, learn more, do contact
me. I’m looking forward to the approaching
spring for many reasons now.
From the Rabbi
Our synagogue has a strong trunk and we’re growing new branches, twigs and leaves!
From the Chair
4
Several years ago I
went on a leadership
programme climbing
in the Austrian
Alps in the middle
of winter. Yes, it
was as crazy as it
sounds. Freezing
temperatures, waist high snow, hanging off the
side of a cliff-face with rucksacks on our backs
and sleeping on the mountains with only a
thin piece of canvas hanging from the trees to
shield us from the falling snow. I learnt a great
deal from the experience. The most poignant
lesson I remember is that the little things really
matter to people. This was illustrated most
clearly when the group was reflecting over hot
chocolate at the end of a long day. Those of us
who had waterproofed our boots thoroughly
were pretty content, whilst those who had
spent half the day with wet toes were decidedly
less cheerful.
I have observed this at Finchley over the
last few months. Lots of things really do matter
a great deal to people, particularly in terms
of how we relate to each other. It may be how
we are spoken to when the car-park is full, it
may be about our perception of appropriate
behaviour or even what is worn during services,
and it may be what to do when there is a
double booking of part of the building or how
someone asks us to adjust our plans. All these
things really matter to people and I want
members to know that Council considers these
issues as they arise.
I think it is important for our community
that our values guide how we interact with
each other. I believe amongst these are
inclusivity, individuality, tolerance and choice
through learning. Just like I could empathise
with my colleagues with wet toes (I was lucky
enough to have been in the waterproof boots
group!) I know that we can all consider each
other’s perspective when things that matter to
us are called into question. To quote from our
siddur ‘the first thing to learn in intercourse
with others is non-interference with their
own peculiar ways of being happy, provided
that those ways do not assume to interfere by
violence with ours’.
In general, I am a big picture person and
so would like to encourage you to come to a
session looking at the future of our synagogue
we are holding on the afternoon of Saturday
31st January. We will be looking at our vision
for the community and seeking to join up
the dots so that we are all working together
towards this vision. I would really like everyone
who is involved in FPS – Council members,
Vice-Presidents, members of groups and
committees, teachers, those who organise
activities, services, rotas, indeed anyone who
feels they have a stake, to join us and help
shape our future. Whether you are a big picture
person, or one who cares about the little
things, I would love to see you there.
alex kinchin-smith
‘the first thing to learn in intercourse with others is non-
interference with their own peculiar ways of being happy, provided
that those ways do not assume to interfere by violence with ours’.
D’var Torahhannah gelman
5
vayatzei - imperfection
This is much abbreviated version of Hannah’s beautiful D’var Torah – you can find the full version, as well as Millie Bonneff’s D’var Torah, on our
website: www.finchleyprogressivesynagogue.org
My portion is Vayatzei, from Genesis: Chapter
28, verses 10 to 22. It is about Jacob and his
dream.
Jacob sees a ladder reaching to the clouds
and on the ladder, angels. Strangely, the Torah
says that the angels went up first, then down,
implying that the angels started from the
ground.
This makes rather a lot of sense to me as I
am scared of heights. A heaven in the clouds
is not exactly what I’d call fun or an attractive
prospect. I’d be much happier on solid ground.
The rungs of the ladder also represent Jacob’s
spiritual journey. He must
go through this before he
is renamed Israel, and fully
accepts his role as leader of
the Jewish People later in
the story.
This led me to wonder:
Where am I on my spiritual
journey? What are our
communal goals, and what’s at the top of our
ladders?
Jacob was awestruck. He had the feeling
of “Yirah” which means shock, amazement,
disbelief, or something in between. He marked
his feeling of Yirah with the monument.
How do we mark our feelings of Yirah? Do
we take a photo on our phone? Offer a prayer?
Share with friends and family? How will I mark
my Bat Mitzvah?
I’ve been marking it in a number of ways:
my tzedakah project to raise money for the
charity Cool Earth; leading part of the service
today; and wearing this tallit which I made
decorated myself, with other girls from FPS and
David Hoffman.
I treasure the idea of the imperfect Jacob
and his relationship with God. I like the idea
that our ancestors and leaders weren’t perfect,
and I don’t think God expects us to be perfect
either. Rather, we are just expected to be
human, rising up on our ladders, one rung each
time we show compassion, kindness, strength
and courage. Like Jacob, we are just human,
after all.
...we are just expected to be human, rising up on our ladders,
one rung each time we show compassion, kindness, strength
& courage.
Left: Mitzvah day at FPS
6
Adult Learning at FPS
Ben Bag Bag, a Sage of early Mishnaic times (1st-
2nd century C.E.), used to say: Turn it, and turn it,
for everything is in it [i.e. Torah]. Reflect on it and
grow old and gray with it. Don’t turn from it, for
nothing is better than it (Pirke Avot 5:22).
As part of its ethos and identity, FPS wants to
be a place for intense Adult Learning. We offer
a wide range of opportunities for people who
want to join us and study. I would like to thank
Adrian Lister and Tony Rose for their ongoing
commitment to these various programs.
Information is provided on the website, and on
the weekly newsletter. I will issue a monthly
flyer with the different programs running in our
premises, the topics, the speakers. Meanwhile,
I would like to present a comprehensive picture
of our Adult Education programs. Most of them
are run during school terms.
Groups that meet on a regular basis:
beit midrash
Every Thursday, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, people
passionate about
Judaism run
sessions on various topics. For example, we
just finished a series on “What did the Rabbis
say?” We had the chance to study rabbinic texts
on education, marriage, etc. Adam Ognel of
the New Israel Fund will give six presentations
in January/February on Thursday evenings.
In summer term, Leo Baeck College teachers
and scholars will come and share with us their
teachings and their passions. Do not miss this
chance to meet and study with them! For
further information contact Adrian Lister
and/or Rabbi Rene.
delving into judaism
This class runs also on Thursday evenings (7.30 – 9.30pm), and is led by Rabbi Rebecca
and myself. It is primarily intended to people
in the conversion program, but it is open to
anyone who wants to refresh basic Jewish
knowledge. The first hour is dedicated to
learning the basics of Hebrew, and the second
hour to Jewish studies. We follow the Jewish
calendar, and we cover in one year various
topics, such as Jewish practice, thought,
calendar, and so on. For any question contact
me.
lunch & learn
On Wednesday afternoons, from 12.30 till 2.00pm, we meet and study together. We
finished a series on the question of evil and
suffering, and we will start in January a series
on the Books of Chronicles, understanding their
relationship to other historical books, and their
proper theology. For any question contact me.
cafe ivriah
Originally started by parents whose children are
at Ivriah, this group meets every Saturday from 9.45am till 10.45am, to allow people to join
the service at 11.00am. Coffee is served from
9.30am. Various speakers are invited to talk on
various subjects, whether Rabbis on parshat
ha-shavua, or other speakers, on poetry, art,
philosophy… For any questions contact Adrian
Lister.
breakfast shiur
On some Shabbat mornings, Tony Rose invites
guest speakers about key issues. For example,
in October, Paul-Silver Myer talked about “God,
Gaza, and Israel”. Valery and Frank Hellner
explored the “Choreography of Prayer”. More
rene pferzel
7
Adult Learning at FPSrene pferzel
recently, I was honoured to talk about Rabbi
Abraham Geiger. For further information
contact Tony Rose.
upcoming ad hoc programs in 2015 (save the dates!)
Kippah & Tallitot: why do we wear them? How
do we, as Liberal Jews, take informed decisions
and make changes? Two Café Ivriah sessions
will be dedicated to this question:
On Shabbat January 17, Rabbi Rene will expose
the traditional views on kippa and tallitot, and
on Shabbat January 24, Rabbi Rebecca will
bring a liberal input on these questions and
guide the community into policy making.
“I am a Jewish father, my partner isn’t”Liberal Judaism accepts patrilinearity as a valid
definition of Jewish identity. Why so? What
happens when the father is Jewish and the
mother is not? We will explore as a community
this definition of Jewish identity, not (yet?)
widely accepted. In February, we will meet and
have a dinner with Jewish fathers, to discuss
their issues. I will invite a speaker to explore
our sources, and to help us to understand how
Jewish identity has been defined.
FPS will host a “Patrilineal Shabbat” on March 14. We will celebrate together patrilineal Jews as
full members of our congregation.
Young Adults.In collaboration with Rabbi Leah Jordan, LJ
Chaplain for students and young adults, and
Rabbi Benjy Stanley, her MRJ partner at work
and at home, we will set a series of learning for
the young adults in our community. Details to
follow very soon.
“It is OK to be gay!”One of your rabbis and some of our
households belong to the LGBT community.
This demonstrates the strong ethos of FPS
as a true constituency of Liberal Judaism, its
commitment to diversity and its openness.
On Saturday May 8 we will hold a special LGBT Shabbat at FPS, with music, speakers, and
food!
I hope these different opportunities will meet
your expectations, and I hope to see you soon
and to take the chance to study together in
depth our wonderful and meaningful tradition.
change of undertaker
From 1 January 2015 Ronnie King of Michael
King Funeral Directors will serve as the Liberal
Judaism undertaker. His contact details are
020 8368 7453 or mobile 07595 956936
and they replace any previous numbers
you may have been given in any previous
Finchley Progressive literature. Ronnie will be
contactable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
including Bank and Jewish holidays.
woodland burial
From 1 January 2015 woodland burial is
available at both Edgwarebury and Cheshunt
Cemeteries. There is an additional charge
– payable by the family or the estate of the
deceased before burial – of £1,700 for 2015.
This charge, to be reviewed annually, reflects
that payable for the land. This extra charge
is not payable by either Finchley Progressive
Synagogue or by Liberal Judaism under any
insurance or other arrangement.
8
Beit Tefillahservices at fps
Friday 2 January Erev Shabbat service
Saturday 3 January Shabbat service
Friday 9 January Erev Shabbat family service
Saturday 10 January Shabbat service
Friday 16 January Shabbat Resouled
Saturday 17 January Shabbat service
Friday 23 January Kabbalat Shabbat service
Saturday 24 January Shabbat service
Friday 30 January Kabbalat Shabbat service
Saturday 31 January Shabbat service
services - january
new reflective erev shabbat service
Uninspired by our siddur, struggling with the
liturgy and the language? Yet yearning for a
quiet and uplifting spiritual connection?
Several of you have expressed this and so we
are creating a new reflective erev shabbat service with a difference. Music, Silence & Space.
Come Join Dean, Franklyn and Rabbi Rebecca
on Friday 9 January and 6 February
9
Beit Knesset
people
congratulations & mazal tov
To Patricia and Alan Banes on the birth of
their grandson, Rufus Lionel Nightingale
Banes born to Robert and Katherine
And to Laura Lassman and Danny Rich
on the birth of the first grandchild, Emilia
Remi Lassman-Wat
Many members are celebrating important
life milestones by hosting and accepting a
mitzvah at a Shabbat service. If you have a
celebration you would like to share with the
community please contact the office.
yahrzeit list
There is an FPS Yahrzeit list from which we
remind those who would like a Yahrzeit to be
announced, that the date is coming up.
If you do want to be reminded please provide
the office with: Name of the Honoree, Date of
Yahrzeit, Name of Observer/s.
people
what’s happening at fps
notes from the council
Key topics discussed at Council meetings will
be published in Shofar. If you are interested to
know more then please contact Alex Kinchin-
Smith at [email protected]
In November Council• Reviewed the accounts for 2014 year to
date
• Considered a budget for 2015 and agreed
membership fees
• Reviewed all aspects of adult education
• Considered external communications –
website, Facebook
• In December Council• Considered the plans for fundraised
presented by our new fundraising group
• Considered the plans for increasing
membership developed by our new
membership group
• Received an update from our Citizens UK
listening project
• Considered policy on Tallit and Kippot
discussed at Beit T’fillah (our group that
oversees worship).
Emilia Remi Lassman-Wat
condolences
To Judith Wolfe on the death of her sister Ruth.
And to Brian Solomons on the death of his
mother Deborah.
We wish the families long life.
10
beit midrash
Israel behind the Headlines
15 January – 19 February
Led by Adam Ognall,
CEO of the New Israel Fund.
This series will explore some of the key
issues within Israel; both those hitting the
headlines as we head towards an election,
and those issues that are less in the
spotlight that are no less important.
Also at Beit Midrash, our flagship adult learning
experience:
Thursday evenings 6.30 - 9.30pm6.30-7.15pm - PilatesGet fit in our small, friendly class, under the
Beit Midrashlearning at fps
expert guidance of Tali Swart. Cost £60 for a
series of six sessions. To arrange a trial session,
contact [email protected]
7.30-9.30pm Discussion, Debate & Culture with break for tea, coffee and cake. A voluntary
donation of £5 is requested to cover costs.
cafe ivriah
Saturdays 9.45 – 10.45amInformal discussion over coffee and biscuits,
between Ivriah drop-off and morning service.
delving into judaism
In-depth Jewish learning, Thursday evenings 7.30pm-9.30pm7.30-8.30pm: Learning and discussion8.30-9.30pm: Biblical Hebrew with Ofra
Rosenwasswer. Everyone welcome so long as
they can at least read Hebrew slowly.
Above, left: Alaa Obied and Alaa Jodeh, of the YMCA Youth chorus, with Dylan, Lyra and Pat Lehner, a quick breakfast before a busy schedule of concerts and recordings.
Above, right: Happy Chanukah from Rabbi Rebecca
11
the screen on the grove
4 January: The Squid and the Whale (2005) American comedy-drama film written and
directed by Noah Baumbach and produced
by Wes Anderson. It tells the semi-
autobiographical story of two boys in Brooklyn
dealing with their parents’ divorce in the 1980s.
The film is named after the giant squid and
sperm whale diorama housed at the American
Museum of Natural History, which is seen in the
film. The film was shot on Super 16mm, mostly
using a handheld camera.
2 February - (please note change of date to
monday due to Homeless Shelter at FPS) The Cheap Detective (1978) American satirical comedy film written by
Neil Simon and directed by Robert Moore
as a follow-up to their successful Murder by
Death. It stars Peter Falk as Lou Peckinpaugh, a
detective in the Humphrey Bogart mould. The
film is an affectionate parody of Bogart movies
such as Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon.
2 March (please note change of date to
monday) - His Girl Friday (1940) American screwball comedy film directed by
Howard Hawks, from an adaptation of the play
The Front Page by Hecht and MacArthur. Walter
Burns (Cary Grant) is a hard-boiled editor for
The Morning Post who learns his ex-wife and
former star reporter, Hildegard “Hildy” Johnson
(Rosalind Russell), is about to marry bland
insurance man Bruce Baldwin. Can Walter
sabotage these plans by getting the reluctant
Hildy to cover one last story?
curtain up!
The theatre group will be starting off the new
year of 2015 with two visits to theatres. The
first is Golem at the Young Vic, a Wednesday matinee at 2.30pm on 14 January. Next is
Shaw’s Man and Superman at the National Theatre (Lyttelton), another Wednesday matinee at 1.30 on 4 March. You are all are
welcome to attend and also to join us for dinner
after the theatrical event, if you would like to.
All are welcome. For details contact the office
or Elaine Borish at 020 8445 8159
book club
Meetings are held in people’s homes, 7.30pm on the second Wednesday of each month.
Contact [email protected]
yoga
Thursdays @ 7.30pm.
Contact Richard on 020 8349 9602
cafe thursday
Thursdays @ 12.45pm, £6, for details contact
Nicky Marzell via the synagogue office
bridge group
Mondays @ 7.45pm £4, for details contact
Gunter Lawson on 020 8346 5208
rosh chodesh
21 January (Wednesday): Rosh Chodesh Shvat “Women and Revolution” – led by Sarah Ereira
& Wika Dorosz
18 February (Wednesday): Rosh Chodesh Adar “Immigration & Me” – led by Sheila King
Lassman
Beit Knessetarts at fps
12
Rather than use this letter from Beijing as a
travelogue, I shall put down some thoughts
on being an exile. This has often been the
Jewish situation, although enforced rather
than a freely-chosen exile, and most often for
economic reasons, sometimes for political ones,
and occasionally through choice.
The exile is faced with the choice of living
in isolation, or making “native” friends, or
socialising with other foreigners. Many famous
writers – from Ovid to James Joyce to DH
Lawrence – have lived in forced or chosen exile,
and the Jewish condition takes it as a sine qua
non. Of course I can just jump on a plane home,
and global communication nowadays means
instant communication with friends and family
in the UK, so perhaps it is unfair to compare
myself to exiles of past generations. But I would
like to share some thoughts on this subject.
Living away from one’s homeland is a
refreshing and a difficult option. Living in
China, in particular, means I am functionally
illiterate (yes, I can read about 300 characters,
but not enough to be able to read fluently,
or fast enough, out of a list of some 85,000
characters). Each province in China has a
different dialect, so that many Chinese cannot
understand each other (hence the Chinese
subtitles on Chinese television, so that the
whole nation can read if not understand their
TV programmes). So the moment I leave Beijing
and its environs I cannot be understood. This
has the effect of developing the other senses
far more strongly – visual clues for where to go,
and heightened awareness of other people’s
reactions.
Being cut off from television, other than
endless soap operas about the civil war and the
Japanese invasion, or dating shows (surprisingly
popular here, the parents get involved as well
to give their sons and daughters advice on
whom to choose) means that I read English
books a great deal. So I’m catching up on the
classics, something perhaps that in the UK I
would force myself to do.
The psychological effects of living away
from one’s own country, where one cannot
Letter from Beijingjohn olbrich
One develops a strong awareness of other people’s natures, simply because one cannot communicate
verbally in the same way, and also a sense of direction and place
which I never had at home
13
Letter from Beijingjohn olbrich
read or understand, are interesting. Many
ex-pats – I must include myself here – become
extraordinarily sensitive to real or imagined
slights. One develops a strong awareness of
other people’s natures, simply because one
cannot communicate verbally in the same way,
and also a sense of direction and place which
I never had at home (my Chinese friends are
always amazed that I can find the way without
their help).
What is more disturbing is that I find an
underlying sense of anger at the constant
pushing in front and lack of manners,
particularly on the road. In a vastly over-
populated country, I suspect that the only
way of handling constant overcrowding is just
to move slowly, regardless of other people,
and to slowly forge ahead. So pedestrians will
cross the road without looking – and certainly
ignore traffic signals – in the expectation that
bikes or cars will avoid hitting them (they
usually do). Cars park on pavements because
any law forbidding this is never enforced.
Cycles, including myself, motorcycles, and
three-wheeled vehicles will ride on the left (i.e.
contra-flow) side of the road. The only safe way
to cross the road is to go with a large group of
people, since cars can legally turn both right
and left where pedestrians are crossing, despite
any red light to the contrary. It was a shock
when I visited the Republic of Korea recently to
find that cars waited for me to cross at zebra
crossings; I think that here crossings are simply
painted as pretty decorations on the street.
The standard advice on culture shock is to be
adaptable and just accept the way things are,
and of course it is unhealthy to feel angry at
what one cannot change, and impossible for
one person to change the behaviour of 1.5
billion people. But I can try!
As an aside, for those interested in travel:
last summer I visited the western end of the
Great Wall, Jiayuguan, and the Buddhist caves
at Dunhuang, where printed Buddhist sutras
from the ninth century were discovered in
the early twentieth century, and incidentally
pillaged by the British (and other Europeans).
This still rankles greatly with the Chinese,
especially since the British Museum publicly
exhibit very few of these priceless documents
and wall carvings. We (my son and myself)
also went to a Tibetan town in Gansu province
[the difficulties in getting a permit to travel
to Tibet proper, other than with a group, are
immense], providing a stark contrast with
rapidly modernising China proper.
14
from the headteacher
This term at Ivriah our young people have come
every Shabbat, to meet each other and build
a bond with their group, to work with their
teachers on Hebrew and Jewish Studies, and to
be part of the rich Shabbat atmosphere at FPS.
In Jewish studies, we have been working
to find out about Tzedakah - looking at
Maimonides’ ladder of charity and discussing
the differences between each step; finding
out about how Tzedek work with the people of
Ghana to make a difference to their lives; and
working on a project of their own - Kita Aleph
and Bet have made and decorated pillows to
give to homeless people at the FPS Winter
Shelter.
In Hebrew we work in small groups - we
have two extra teachers for Hebrew! - and
everyone is improving, from beginners learning
letter by letter of the Aleph Bet, to confident
readers who are deciphering meaning and
nuance in the text of the Torah. Last year a lot
of children’s feedback was they wanted to learn
more Hebrew - and we can see that happening!
We have found out about the festivals of
Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Chanukah in
creative and hands-on sessions for everyone
- we like to mix the groups up when we cover
festivals, to give the children a chance to work
with people of different ages and get to know
the whole group.
Every week Ivriah has Tefillah (prayers) with
Dean leading our songs and a different teacher
introducing the prayers and adding their own
touch. One week we even thought about how
we can pray without songs or written prayers
and considered deeply what we say when we
pray.
Ivriah has been proud to see the first of the
year’s Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and Kita Zayin will
join and support their friends for each one as
the year goes on. Mazal Tov to the families of
Hannah Gellman and Millie Bonneff who have
pioneered this term with their simcha’s!
Wishing everyone Chanukah Sameach - a
very Happy Chanukah and the teachers and I
look forward to seeing you again on January
10th, for the first Ivriah of 2015!
xxAdele Silk - Ivriah Headteacher
Baby blessing of Baby Reuben Jack Israel at the Havdalah service in November
15
16
Contactsfps who’s who
finchley progressive synagogue
54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR
020 8446 4063
www.finchleyprogressivesynagogue.org
Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk - [email protected]
Rabbi René Pfertzel - [email protected]
Emeritus Rabbi: Dr Frank Hellner
Ivriah Headteacher: Adele Silk
Musicians in residence: Franklyn Gellnick,
Dean Staker
Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack
Premises Manager: Howard Hamerton
executive & council
Chair: Alex Kinchin-Smith - [email protected]
Treasurer: Martin Silk
Honorary Secretary: Josie Kinchin
ashley pageinsurance brokers
Commerce House2a Litchfield Grove
London N3 2TN
Tel. 020 8349 5100
janet tresmanmediator & collaborative
family law solicitor
consultant now at hoffman-bokaei
Suite 2, Exhibition House, Addison Bridge Place
Kensington Olympia, London W14 8XP
Tel. 020 7433 2380 / [email protected]
Vice-Chairs: Louise Gellman, Adrian Lister
Council members: Jacquie Fawcett,
Wika Dorosz, Braham Fredman, Andrea Collett
President: Alan Banes
Life Presidents: Clive Winston
and Sheila King Lassman
Vice Presidents: Renzo Fantoni, Josie Kinchin,
Lionel King Lassman, John Lewis, David Pelham,
Paul Silver-Myer, Andrea Rappoport,
Joan Shopper
contacts
Board of Deputies Reps: Janet Tresman,
Stanley Volk
Beit Midrash (Education): Adrian Lister,
Louise Gellman
Beit Tefillah (Rites & Practices): Michael Lassman, Josie Kinchin
Café Thursday: Nicky Marzell
Shofar Editor: Pat Lehner - [email protected]
Calendar Co-ordinator: Sarah Aldridge