January/February2011

VOL.XXXVIIINo.1 ljtodayLiberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism

Communal candle lighting in Brighton (above) brought to an end a Shabbaton to mark Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah’s 10th anniversary at the synagogue. Shenfield (left) also brought the generations together. Elsewhere for Chanukkah, Southgate held a jazz evening and the LJS held an interfaith event, with the assistance of the synagogue’s new interfaith coordinator, Steven Derby, a graduate of the Woolf Institute’s Cambridge Centre for the Study of Muslim-Jewish Relations. NewSeferTorah,page3

wasafeelingacrossthemovementsthatinsomerespectsweareseeingacrisisinJewish–Christian relations. This booklet explainswhyJudaismandZionismareinseparable.’ Copies are available from the Montagu Centre.Chairman’s Actions, page 6Anat Hoffman, page 7

Zionism today: the Jewish perspectiveTheBoardofDeputieshaspublishedabooklet on Zionism in British Jewry aimedat setting out the Jewish people’s yearning forandattachmenttoIsraelfromahistoricalandtheologicalperspective.

Liberal Judaism’s chairman, Lucian J Hudson, was asked by leaders across the JewishcommunitytoedititandoverseeitspublicationonbehalfoftheBoard.

The 32-page booklet, Zionism:aJewishCommunal Response from the UK,isessentiallyareplytoadocumentissuedinDecember2009byPalestinianChristian theologians. Kairos Palestine,whileacceptingthatJerusalemisholyto

the city’s three main faiths, does not acknowledge Jews’ national aspirations ortheirtiestothelandofIsrael.

Kairos – Greek for ‘the right moment’ – wasmodelledonadocumentofthesamenameissuedin1985bySouthAfricantheologianscallingforresistancetotheapartheidregime.

TheZionismbookletcontainsessaysbyRabbis Danny Rich, Tony Bayfield (Reform) and Jonathan Wittenberg (Masorti) and leading United Synagogue educator Dan Rickman, with an introduction by Vivian Wineman,presidentoftheBoardofDeputies. Lucian Hudson says: ‘There

One hundred years and going strongAsTheLiberalJewishSynagogueapproachesthe100thanniversaryofitsfirstservice,inFebruary,ithasunveileditsprogrammeforcelebrationsthroughout2011tomark the event.

Thebiggestsynagogueinthemovement,itsowedtheseedsfromwhichmanyotherLiberalcommunitiesgrew.Itwason4February1911thatthescholarandlaypreacherIsraelAbrahamsledthefirstserviceattheLJS,atitsnewsynagoguebuildinginHillStreet,Marylebone.ThesermonwaspreachedbyClaude Montefiore. On 5 February 2011 the LJS’s

seniorrabbi,AlexandraWright,willleadacentenaryserviceatthe St John’s Wood synagogue.

Acentenaryconcerton15May,TheVoiceofthe Cello, will have fourdistinguished

cellistsandasopranoperforminginaconcertthatincludescelloduosbyHandeland operatic arias by Dvorak.

Thesynagogueisproducingasouvenireditionofitsbulletinthismonth,examiningall aspects of the community’s history.AndtheneweditionofManna,thequarterlyjournalofProgressiveJudaism,isdevoted to marking the synagogue’s first century. LJS centenary, page 5

Also in this issueHarrow & Wembley’s deal 2 Judaism and Justice 9LJY-Netzer 11

Matthew

Andrews

Page2LJToday January/February2011

TheHarrow&WembleycommunityisenteringintoadealwithMiddlesexNewSynagoguethroughwhichthetwowillsharepremises.

HarrowistoholditslastShabbatserviceatitspresentbuildingon11Junebeforeenteringintothearrangementwith its Reform neighbour.

Harrow’s premises, at Preston Road, havebeenitshomeformorethan60years. In 2003, the synagogue embarked onanewphaseofdevelopment,sellingtwothirdsofitsexistingsiteandinvestingin a new building – replacing its previous one, which dated from 1965 – on the remainingthirdandsomeadjoiningland.Nowthenewbuildinghasalsobeensold,andatenancyagreementhasbeensignedwithMiddlesexNewSynagogue,inBessborough Road, central Harrow. From 12Juneallservicesaretobeheldatthisnewhome.

At Bessborough Road, Harrow & WembleyProgressiveSynagoguewillhaveitsowndedicatedsanctuary,whichwillbeconsecratedinafirstserviceonSunday12June.Itwillalsohaveitsownofficesatthepremises.

MiddlesexNewandHarrow&Wembleywillremainseparateentities,withHarrowremainingaffiliatedtoLiberalJudaismandMiddlesexNewtothe

Reform movement. Each synagogue will preserveitsownethosandidentity.

Thecostsofthebuildingwillbesharedanditishopedthatthetwocommunitiescanjointogetherforsocialandotheroccasionsandsoenricheachother.

InSeptember2010,thesynagoguessuccessfullymergedtheircheders.ThecombinedreligionschoolmeetsatBessborough Road on Sunday mornings, with Reform and Liberal children being taught side by side. Rabbi Frank Dabba Smith, of Harrow, and Rabbi Kathleen de Magtige-Middleton,ofMiddlesexNew,haveco-operatedcloselywithrespecttothechederanditscurriculum.

Therewillbemanyotherareasofreligiousco-operation:nextPesach,forexample,Harrowisgoingtohaveajoint

Harrow secures building dealJanuary/February2011 LJTodayPage3newsnews

Birmingham at 75 ‘true to founding principles’

AtacivicserviceatBirminghamProgressive Synagogue (BPS) to mark its 75thanniversary,itsrabbi,DrMargaretJacobi, compared Britain’s current economicdifficultieswiththedepressionofthe1930s,whenthesynagoguewasestablished.

Theloomingprospectofeconomichardshipandsocialconcernsmadeitevenmoreimportantforthesynagoguetocontinueitseffortsacrossreligiousandcultural boundaries, Rabbi Jacobi said. ‘There will be more poor and dispossessed inBirmingham.Thehomeless,asylumseekers, chronically ill and unemployed will all need help and support.’

Lucian Hudson, the movement’s chairman, and Rabbi Danny Rich, its chief executive,underlinedtheimportanceofupholdingtraditionalvaluesofJudaismwhilesettingthepacefordesirablesocialandethicalchange.BPS,IsraelandLiberalJudaismhadmuchincommon,saidLucian.Attheirbest,theywereaboutcreativity,enterprise,adefiantstreak and making the most of available resources. Liberal Judaism could make anotherparticularcontribution,byaccepting and working through acknowledged differences.

Rabbi Danny Rich said that, true to its foundingprinciples,theBPScommunitysoughttocombinethebestofJudaismwith the best of modernity and make its contributiontothewell-beingofthecity.

Sunday 22 May

L’Dor VaDorFrom Generation to Generation

Plans are now well under way for an exciting and inspirational Day of Celebration, on Sunday 22 May at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John’s Wood, during its centenary year. Following on from the very popular Day of Celebration in Birmingham, in 2009, it will be a great opportunity to meet, talk, sing, learn and eat with other Liberal Jews.

The theme of the day is L’Dor VaDor – From Generation to Generation. There will be fun for all the family with a crèche for the under-5s and special programming for children aged five to eight. LJY-Netzer will be offering an activity-packed day for those aged eight to 15.

At workshops and speaker sessions, rabbis and presenters from Liberal Judaism, Leo Baeck College and beyond will be covering a range of topics from social action to text, and from history to inclusion and volunteering. There will be plenty of music throughout the day, as well as arts workshops and a tasty bagel lunch.

Booking forms will soon be available from the Montagu Centre and will be printed in the March edition of lj today. Cost: £6 per adult; £1 for people aged under 18 or in full-time education. Lunch is £4 if booked in advance or £6 on the day.

national dayof celebration

2011

national dayof celebration

2011

רווד רלדו

The Progressive community is to share premises with Middlesex New (Reform), witheachofthetwosynagoguespreservingitsownethos,identifyandaffiliation

communalSedernotonlywithMiddlesexNew but also with Ealing Liberal.

Adrian Cohen, the chairman of Harrow &Wembley,whowithothersynagoguemembers has worked closely with their counterpartsatMiddlesexNewtosecurethe shared arrangement, says: ‘From the standpointofvisionandstrategyforthefuture, the outlook is very healthy.’

Harrow’s social and cultural groups are tomovewiththesynagogueandcontinueinitsnewhome.Some,suchasthephotographyandartgroups,areexpectedtoattractmembersofMiddlesexNew,andvice versa. ‘This should benefit members of both communities,’ Adrian says.

Rabbi de Magtige-Middleton speaks of the ‘tremendous goodwill’ that has accompaniedallstagesofdiscussionbetweenthesynagoguesrelatingtothenew arrangements. ‘To be in one building anddoingthesamething,asitwere,differently,canonlyaddtoourmutualrespect and understanding,’ she says.

Adrian adds: ‘We believe we have the chancetobuildsomethingnewandexcitinghere,possiblyanewtemplateforProgressive Judaism in England – a communitycentrewherethereisachoiceofservicesandaffiliation,aswellasshared activities.’ Reunion, page 8

The Suffolk community has celebrated its firstbatmitzvah,forfoundermemberBeverleyLevy,writes Barry Spivack.

Growing up in an orthodox shul in the 1960s,Beverleydidnothaveabatmitzvahas a teenager. She says she ‘really enjoyed’ singing her portion nearly 50 years later, and valued having Rabbi Danny Rich leading the morning service forherceremony,on30October.

Onthesameday,aceremonyofadmissiontoJudaismwasheldforRebecca Steiner. For Rebecca, 50, this wastheculiminationofaninterestshehaddevelopedoverthewholeofheradult life. ‘Ever since I was 12 years old I’ve known I wanted to be Jewish,’ she says.ItisnaturaltobealittlenervouswhenappearingbeforeLiberal

Judaism’s Rabbinic Board. Rebecca was duetohavehergallbladderremovedthefollowingdayandsaysthatafterbeinginterviewedbythreerabbisthesurgerywasnothing.

Looking back on her journey to Judaism, Rebecca pays special tribute to her mentor, Rabbi Janet Burden, who she says was ‘a real star’.

The five-year-old Suffolk community is oneofthesmallestinBritainbutishopingtoreachouttothe600orsoJewswholiveinthecounty.

ItnormallyholdsaserviceonthelastFriday of the month. On 26 March, Rabbi DrMichaelShire,vice-principalofLeoBaeck College, will lead a Shabbat service and talk about the opportunities thecollegeoffers.

Suffolk celebrates as founder becomes batmitzvah

LiberalJudaismispleasedtobeassociated with an event at this year’s Jewish Book Week. Anat Hoffman, executivedirectoroftheIsraelReligious Action Centre (IRAC), will discussthetextsthathaveinspiredherandmovedhertoaction.

In ‘My Bookshelf, My Country: Understanding Israel through its Writing’, Anat (pictured) willtravelfromthepagesof Amos Oz’s works to Dirshuni,acollectionof

Bedford Way, WC1. Tickets are available online at www.jewishbookweek.com or by telephoning08448472274.

Inthiseditionofljtoday,AnatsetsoutIRAC’s ambitious aims for this yearandbeyond.

LiberalJudaismwillalsobeasponsorforthesecondyearrunningoftheSundayTimesOxfordLiteraryFestival,which

takes place from 2 to 10 April 2011.Judaism and culture, page 6 Fighting for hope, page 7

People power – a short survey Theworldissustainedbythreethings,plusone:byjustice,bytruth,bypeaceand by volunteers – something worth rememberingthenexttimesomeoneasks you for a hand.

Volunteersputthemselvesontheline;theyneednoinvitationtogetinvolved. Without their time and work, oursynagoguesandourwidercommunitieswouldsuffer.

LiberalJudaismhassetupavolunteers’ task force and it wants to know more about our community’s volunteers: what makes them tick, howtheyfirstgotinvolved.Allreadersare asked to complete a survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/ljvolunteers tohelptoensurethatourvolunteersare better acknowledged and valued.

Spreading Liberal Judaism from London to OxfordcontemporarymidrashimbyIsraeliwomen, which offers a fresh look at

ancienttexts.Jewish Book Week 2011 takes place from 26Februaryto6March.

TheeventwithAnatHoffman,chaired by Rabbi Danny Rich, is on Sunday 27Februaryat5pmattheRoyal National Hotel,

by Joe Seager

Shenfield parades its scrollTheShenfield,BrentwoodandDistrictssynagoguecelebrateditsfirstbirthdaywiththeinaugurationofitsSeferTorah.

Membersandfriendsofthe Essex community gatheredon5Decembertorejoiceintheiracquisition.Itspurchaseisatestamenttotheircommitment,especiallyinthecurrentdifficulteconomicclimate.

Local MP Eric Pickles joined Rabbi Danny Rich andfriendsfromthelocalandwidercommunityforaprocessionofthescroll,ledbythechair,Natasha Radford. A short service about

Chanukkah followed, with festival songs sungbythechildrenofthecommunity.

Natasha Radford, chair, holds the new scroll with, from left, Hiam Nacmias, Rabbi Danny Rich and Louis Feldman

Close co-operation: Rabbis Kathleen de Magtige-Middleton and Frank Dabba Smith

Page4LJToday January/February2011 January/February2011 LJTodayPage5

A brief tour of Liberal Judaism’s finances

LiberalJudaismoperatesa£1.35millionbudget – about the equivalent in money termsofasmallprimaryschool.Itsincomecomesfrommanysources;indeed,communities’ affiliation fees account for only31percentofthe£1.35milliontotal.Ofthebalance,54percentcomesfromLiberalJudaism-generatedincome,includingpaymentsforfuneralsandchargesmadeforyouthactivities,and11per cent from Patrons (£150,000).

Wehavehelpedafewcommunitieswhentheyhavehadcashflowdifficultiesandweexpectrepaymentsof£20,000(2010) and £30,000 (2011); others will repaywhentheycan.

Nowletmeexplainabitabouttheexpenditure.

ItissometimesdifficulttoclassifyallthemanywayswehelpcommunitiesandpromoteLiberalJudaismtothewiderworld.LiberalJudaism-generatedincome(includingfuneralsandchargesmade for youth activities) took 39 per centofourexpenditure;10percentwentto Leo Baeck College (£141,000); and the chief executive’s office together with accountingandfinancetotalled18percent. Education projects, university chaplaincy,publicrelations,communications(includingthenewwebsite), and ljtodaycost8.5percent.Fiveandahalfpercentwentoncommunitydevelopment. Montagu Centre overheads, includingtravel,were8percent.

Percentagesareallverywellbuthowdoyoucalculatethebenefittoevery

community of LJY-Netzer’s work with young people, every Leo Baeck-trained rabbi’s work with individuals and the communityatlarge,theadviceavailablefrom Montagu Centre staff on topics from conversiontopublicationsvialifecycleevents (such as where to find a mohel)?

Muchofwhatwedoisonlypossiblethanks to the generosity of our Patrons. Some of this year’s Patrons’ projects

include 200 Chanukkah parcels for Liberal Jewish university students (see page 11). PatronsalsofundedHighHolyDaysservicesatfournewcongregations(Wessex, Crouch End, North Hertfordshire and Shenfield) and gave bursaries for more young people than ever to take part inLJY-Netzerschemes.TheseandotherPatron-inspiredprojectsaccountedfor10percentofexpenditure.

Finally,downtomicro-economics:inNovember, chief executive Rabbi Danny Rich visited communities in Eastbourne, Nottingham, Manchester and East Anglia; he ran Employment Tribunaltrainingonreligiousdiversityin Northampton and he recorded Radio 4’s BeyondBelief (hope you heard it) in Manchester. His and everyone else’s (including volunteers’) travel cost LiberalJudaism£10,600during2010(0.8 per cent of expenditure).

Liberal Judaism’s finances are subjecttothesamescrutinyasanyotherresponsibleorganisation;wedobudgets,wedomanagementaccountsandweareprettyaccurate,althoughsomethingsareunpredictable,forinstancethenumberofpeoplewhowilldieinanyoneyear.

OuraccountsareinthepublicdomainandareavailableviatheCharity Commission or from your Liberal Judaism Council member. Email montagu@liberaljudaism.org and we will let you know who your memberis.

finance

As the national movement reaches the end of another 12-month accounting period, treasurer David Pelham gives an overview of income and expenditure

the ljs centenary

publishing book of members’ recollections.About60peoplehavebeeninterviewedforitandafurther20ormorehavecontributedstoriesandanecdotes.

The editors are Pam Fox, Carolyn Simon and Vivien Rose. Pam, who has beenresearchingandwritingpartsoneand two of the book, says: ‘We have also usedavarietyofothersourcessuchasdiaries, letters, memoirs, newsletters.’

AFriendofthesynagogue,whosehusband,MichaelHart,hasbeendeeplyinvolvedwiththecommunityallhislife,PamhasalsocontributedthecentralessaytothecurrenteditionofthejournalManna,copiesofwhicharebeingsenttomembersoftheLJS.Theessayiscalled‘Continuity, Change and Consistency: the historyoftheLiberalJewishSynagogue,1911-2011’.

Of her work on the book, which is due for publication in October, Pam says: ‘It’s been a real voyage of discovery and I’ve lovedeverymomentofit,butespeciallysitting talking to people about their memories.’

Let the celebrations begin...During a year of events to mark its centenary, the Liberal Jewish Synagogue will be holding a study day, an Any Questions session and an interfaith walk

TheLiberalJewishSynagogueVoiceofthe Cello concert in May will have among itsperformersfourdistinguishedcellists,all of whom have played Bruch’s setting of Kol Nidre for the synagogue’s Kol Nidreservices.

The cellists, Raphael Wallfisch, John Heley, Andrea Hess and Gemma Rosefield, and soprano Ilona Domnich willperformaprogrammewhich

includes Bruch’s Kol Nidre;MeditationHebraiqueandFromJewishLifebyBloch;celloduosbyHandelandMenotti;and operatic arias by Dvorak, Korngold andLehar.

TheconcertisonSunday15Mayat7.30pm;fulldetailsareatwww.ljscello.com and booking is now open. The concert is aid of The LJS Centenary Appeal and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.

A week later, on 22 May, the synagogue will host Liberal Judaism’s Day of Celebration, and on 18 June there will be aFamilyService,chavurahlunchandReligion School Pageant, with art and drama.

Othereventsare:aMid-Summerdanceon25June,adayconferenceon4July,inconjunction with Leo Baeck College, to recall and honour the life and work of Rabbi John Rayner, a Social Action Inter-Faith Walk on 10 July, a Language-a-Thonon11September,anAnyQuestionssessionon20NovemberandaShabbatonon3December.

Alsoforitscentenary,thesynagogueis

Our journey to Judaism – from Ivory CoastAfamilyofsixfromThorntonHeath,southLondon,becameJewishonthesameday,andwerepossiblythelargestgroupevertohaveappearedbeforethesame session of the Rabbinic Board.

AnadmissionceremonyforSevandJustineBrohiriandtheirchildren,Joshua, 17, Caleb, 13, Yerusha, four, and five-month-oldJochanan,pictured,ofSouth London Liberal Synagogue (SLLS), washeldon4September.

Growing up on the west coast of the Ivory Coast, Sev and Justine would hear Jewish names – Yaakov and Zion – and stories about a tribe of God. Those memoriessowedtheseedsofapersonalquesttofindoutmoreaboutthereligion.

Meeting in Britain ten years ago – each with a son from a previous marriage – the couplewerebothbroughtupasChristians. But it felt natural to have Jewishfriends,andSevinparticularbecameinterestedinfindingoutmoreabout Jewish practice. ‘I did my own research, from library after library,’ he says. Eventually, after making contact withseveralrabbis,andwithteaching

andencouragementfromhisfriendPatrick Cohen Ben Ballot, he found SLLS.

Whenthecouplefinishedtheirconversionprocess,themovementalsogainedpossiblyitsonlyAfricanhip-hoprapper: Sev performed at South London’s 80thanniversarycelebrationslastyear,singing his version of the Sh’ma.

Their admission ceremony was ‘the best day of my life’, says Sev – before glancingathiswifeandnewbabyandmodifying that, ‘one of the best days of my life’. Yerusha and Jochanan are being broughtupJewish,buthowdidtwoteenagers learn and adjust? ‘We explained to Joshua and Caleb why we were taking that path and they were happy,’ Justine says. ‘It was a blessing.’ Joshua, a Kabbalat Torah graduate, is nowanassistantteacheratthecheder,and Caleb has joined the KT programme.

Asadnessforbothparentsisthattheirwiderfamilieshavenotacceptedtheirnewreligion.ButJudaismwillcontinuetoinform the Brohiris’ lives, and inspire Sev’s music. A ‘RevoluZionist’, he sings in French withenergyandpunsunderthenameSevLesaved:hisnewsingleisMatière Grace.

They have not yet visited Israel – ‘only in spirit’ – but hope to soon. Most of all, Sevsays,asabenAvraham,hewantstokeep the Covenant with God, and pass the beliefsandvaluesofJudaismtothenextgeneration.Beatrice Sayers

SevandJustineBrohiriwiththeirchildrenJoshua, Caleb, Yerusha and Jochanan

Next Patrons’ dinner at LordsThe Council of Patrons annual dinner 2011willbeheldonTuesday5AprilattheHouseofLords.

Sir Victor Blank, the former chairman of Lloyds Bank, spoke at the Patrons’ tenthannualdinnerin2010.

If you would like information about Liberal Judaism’s Council of Patrons please contact Rabbi Danny Rich by emailing d.rich@liberaljudaism.org or telephoning02076319835.

Two Liberal Jews become peersTwoLiberalJewshavebeenelevatedtotheHouseofLords.

Stanley Fink, who with his wife, Barbara,isanactivememberofNorthwoodandPinnerSynagogue,hasbecomealifepeer.Adonortovariouscharitablecauses,hehaschairedLiberalJudaism’s Council of Patrons since its inceptionin2004.

A joint treasurer of the Conservative party, Lord Fink was formerly chief executive of the Man Group hedge fund. He said of his peerage:’It is a tremendous

honour and one that I hope to live up to.’Michael Grade, a member of The

LiberalJewishSynaogue,alsobecomesaConservative peer.

Lord Grade is a former chief executive of Channel 4, and a former ITV and BBC chairman. He was guest speaker at Liberal Judaism’s Patrons’ dinner in 2006.

Michael Grade (right) and Stanley Fink

Cemetery loan repayment £20k

Education, chaplaincy £60k

Comms inc PR & lj today £54k

Community development

£75kMontagu Centre overheads £109k

Other expenses £115k

Chief executive's office £121kSenior operations

staff, accounts and finance £122k

Leo Baeck College £141k

Funerals and cemetery £240k

Youth activities £295k

Expenditure 2010

Grants received £44kOther generated

income £103k

Patrons £150k

Youth activity £265k

Funerals and cemetery £363k

Community assessment fees

£267k

Income 2010

AserviceofrededicationattheLJSin1951,followingwardamagerepairs

Page6LJToday January/February2011 January/February2011 LJTodayPage7israel

Culture helps us to grow and conntect

The current theme of my talks to communities is ‘influencing for good’. If the20thcenturywasabouttheclashofpower,thiscenturywillundoubtedlybeabouttheexerciseofpower,butalsotheminglingofinfluence.Inourgrowinginter-dependence,wheremoreofourgreatestchallengeswillhavetobetackled collaboratively, we need to learn notonlyhowtoinfluencebuttobeinfluenced,withoutlosingintegrityorimpact.

Despiteourrelativelysmallnumbers,asJews,particularlyasLiberalJews,wecanchangetheworldthroughourcreativity and courage. David’s use of the sling-shot when he defeated Goliath servesasgreatinspiration.WheneverI face difficult odds, I think, ‘sling-shot!’. Dependingonthecircumstances,wecanchoosecooperationorcombat.Butitisthecombinationofcreativityandcouragethattransformsourprospects.InRabbi Danny Rich’s elegant phrase, we canbeconstructiveirritantstothemainstream.Butwecaninfluencethemainstream – regardless of our numbers – if our ideas are strong enough and we successfullyengage.

Culture is a way we can most effectively connectwithJewishandothercommunities.

LiberalJudaismisbuildingitspresenceatbothJewishandmainstreamculturalevents.WearesponsoringtheSundayTimesOxfordLiteraryFestivalandsupporting the Jewish Book Fair. Culture celebratesthejoyofcreation,andprovidesatangiblewaytoaccessthepotentialforgood in the world. Whatever form it takes, it can shock or calm us; it can make us cryorlaugh.Atitsbestitproducesaninnerchangeinusthatenablesustogrow and look forward. Above all, it connectsinwaysthatareunforeseenandgeneratespossibilities.Inaworldfixatedon what it can know and control, it frees ustotrustinabeneficentreality.

OneofthemostmovingtheatreproductionslastyearwastheshowNot

ByBreadAlone.TheIsraelicompanyNalaga’at (Hebrew for ‘do touch’) – the onlydeaf-blindtheatrecompanyintheworld – performed last summer at the ArtsDepotinNorthFinchley.Inthesetting of a bakery, the cast of 11, who are all deaf-blind, make, bake and break breadonstage.

Theplayopenswiththeactorskneading dough as they start to share theirstories.Inthecourseoftheplay,thebread rises and is baked. At the end, the actorsinvitetheaudienceonstagetoeatit,andmeetthem.Atthebeginningoftheevening,Iwasfeelingillatease,uncomprehending of what it must be like tobesodeprivedofsightandsound.ButIemergedinspiredbythetriumphofthehumanspiritandthegiftofstorytelling,andsharedinthejoythattheactorseffortlesslyexuded.Icommunicatedby

touchwithoneoftheactors,andhistouchisnowmorememorablethanmanyofthethingsthatIhaveseenandheard. Creativity teaches us that enough isoftenplenty.

‘Influencing for good’ means that if we seek to influence, it must be for the good oftheother,andthatthechangesweseek make a genuine difference. As a movement,weaspiretobebothethicalandeffective,soitcannotbeenoughtofeel good without also trying to make a difference.Thisencouragesustobepracticalaswellasprincipled.Thismeansbeingdifferent,andrecognisingandvaluingdifference.

Culture opens our senses to different perspectives and different lives. It takes theworldasitis,yetfindswaystoliberatethepotentialinherentinusall.Ifwe see the majesty of what makes a personfullyhuman,wemustcontinuetopushtheboundariesofequalityandinclusion,andcelebratethediversityofculture.

LucianJHudsonisthechairmanofLiberalJudaisml.hudson@liberaljudaism.org

chairman’s actions

Rabbi Danny Rich, Liberal Judaism’s chiefexecutive,andAlexandraWright,seniorrabbiattheLJS,arepartofagroupof14leadingMuslimandJewishclericsinLondonwhohavecometogetherinaninitiativeoftheJosephInterfaithFoundation.

Members of the Council of Imams and Rabbis hope to benefit from each other’s counselonmattersofcommunitycohesion.Asatheologicalandintellectual think tank, the council will disseminateitsviewsanddecisionstomembers’ communities and to the government,whereappropriate.

ThegrouphasbeenmeetingregularlyinprivateforayearandhadanofficiallaunchinNovemberattheHouseofLords.Thefiveotherrabbisareseniorrabbis of Orthodox, Reform and Masorti synagoguesandtheimamsareseniorleaders of Sunni and Shi’a communities.

Montagu Centre roles enhancedRabbi Danny Rich has been awarded a newfive-yearcontractasthechiefexecutiveofLiberalJudaism.Themanagement team at the Montagu Centre has also been reorganised to allow Rabbi Rich, who took office in 2005, more time for writing and public speaking.

Shelley Shocolinsky-Dwyer becomes operationsdirector,andYaelShottsbecomesservicesmanager.

Inotherstaffnews,LJY-Netzerboger(graduate) Sam Grant is the new social action co-ordinator, working with Tim Bergman.TimandSamcanbecontactedon socialaction@liberaljudaism.org.

SamisbasedinLeeds,whereheisinhisfinalyearofadegreeinphilosophy.

I’m Jewish, my partner isn’tThisannualseminarformixed-faithcouples is an opportunity to talk about issuesyoumayface.Itison16January,2.30pm-5.45pm at the Sternberg Centre, Finchley, and is led by Sheila King-Lassman and Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain.

For members of Liberal or Reform synagogues; charge – £5; telephone 01628 671058, email rabromain@aol.com orjustturnupontheday.

I communicated by touch with one of the actors and his touch is now more memorable than many of the things I have seen and heard

Liberals join Council of Imams and Rabbis

We have to fight for hopeShalom, ani nosa’at (Bye, I’m getting out of here) – these words, from a song by Chanoch Levin, have for Israelis just one association:London,oneoftheirfavouriteforeigntraveldestinations.InLondon,Levin, who is also one of Israel’s top playwrights, details the city’s attractions:

LondonhasmorefilmsLondonhasgoodmusicLondonhasexcellenttelevisionSodespairiseasiertobear.

What Israelis yearn for is to make their despairmorecomfortable.

TheinhabitantsofacountrywhosenationalanthemisHatikvah,TheHope,traveltoLondontoescapetheirdespair.Why are they immersed in despair? Is Israelnotastatethatcanbeblessedinherachievements and believe in her future?

SomethingisrottenintheStateofIsrael. Like Hamlet, many Israelis have criticisms;buttheydonotbelieveintheirpowertochangethefaceofsociety.Manydonotvoteinelectionsastheyfeelthatthereisnooneworthvotingfor.Thosewhoshowresourcefulness,determinationandanabilitytoadapttoandimproviseintheiradoptivecountries(some one million Israelis live abroad) turnpassive,indifferentanddespairingintheirowncountry.

ThereisagrowingfeelingthatthereallytalentedpeopleinIsraelisociety

findtheirplaceinbusiness,culture,technologyandscience.Onlyafewenterthearmyortherabbinate;butthesearethe training grounds for society’s dominantpowers.Asaresult,theagendain the Knesset is determined by former generals and (male Orthodox) rabbis. In theabsenceofacriticalcivilleadership,committedtohumanrightsandsocialjustice,Israelisgoinonthemselves,keeping their own house in order.

Thedutyofaradicalreligiousmovement like ours is to take Israelis out oftheirstateofcomfortabledespairandto awaken in them the belief that they have the power to change – and that this istheirmoral,religiousandhistoricalduty.WehavetonagthesedesperateIsraelis,especiallytheyoungones,and

enable them to get to work changing the faceofIsraelisociety.

Like the pioneers who drained the swamps,ploughedtheland,plantedandbuilttheyoungstate,soarewepreparingthegroundandtrainingtheheartsfortheawakening of the Israeli masses. We are pioneerswhoarenolessphotogenicthanthoseintheZionistarchives,andwearefillednolessthantheywithasenseofhistoricalmission.InthecomingyearswehopetotrainyoungactiviststhroughourLetaken (Repair) programme. We will teachboysandgirlsfromdifferentbackgrounds how to conduct serious and thoroughdebateonequality,socialjustice

andtolerance.Ourhopeisthatwewillnurturegroupsofyoungpeoplewhocanbe mobilised – for instance, to distribute a petitionforaprotestvigil.

Wealsowanttochallengetheadults.Aspartofourfighttoendsexsegregationofpublicspaces,wewanttorecruitwomen and men to our Freedom Riders project. We will ask them to board buses onwhichwomenareforcedtositattheback, to fill in forms and report what reallyhappenswhenawomanrefuses.Thereportswillformthebasisofourongoinglegalbattlesagainstreligiouslymotivateddiscriminationagainstwomen.

We are leaders in the Coalition Against Racism, a group of more than 20 organisations working together – Jewish andArabIsraelisinthestruggleagainstracism.Withourownelbowgreasewewillerase the ‘death to Arabs’ graffiti. We will analyseforourjointprojectracistpublicationsthatwerecompiledbyrabbis(of all people) who carry government positions, such as the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat, Shmuel Eliyahu. His hurtful, inflammatory messages,suchashisdemandsthatnoJewsrentoutflatsinthecitytoArabnursingstudents,aretearingthedelicatetissue of the Arab minority’s relationship with the Jewish majority in Israel. Recently weomittedfromhisnamethetitlerabbi:ourappealagainsthimbeforetheAttorneyGeneral refers to Mr Shmuel Eliyahu.

ThefactthataJewishreligiousmovementisattheforefrontoftheanti-racismstruggleinIsraelisaneducationforeveryJeworArabwhothinks that Judaism equals racism.

AnatHoffman says her organisation’s struggle is for nothing less than Israel’s soulAnotherimportantfrontinwhichwe

shouldencouragepublicinterestisconversionandconverts.NewimmigrantsinIsrael,andespeciallythosefromtheFormer Soviet Union, are a rising political forceandaretheonlyminoritygroupthatis over-represented in the Knesset. We have to make them our allies in the struggle for recognition of Reform and Conservative conversions.

InIsrael,thereisasystemfortheallocationoffundsforreligiousservices.TheprimebeneficiariesaretheOrthodoxestablishments.AlargesectorofIsraelisociety would be likely to choose non-OrthodoxservicesbutthesearenotofficiallyrecognisedasJudaismandsodonotbenefitfromstatefunding.

IRAC has been fighting in the Israeli Supreme Court for years to gain recognition and equal funding for Reform and Conservative Judaism in Israel. Now wemustunitethetaxpayerswhowantpluralismintoaforcethatdemandsrecognition;recognitionforourrabbis,synagoguesandschools.Wehavethelegalandmoralrighttodemandequalityandtransparencyintheallocationofstatefundstoreligiousinstitutions.Wehavetoback up the legal struggle with pressure fromthepublicinIsraelandabroad.

Our movement can and should speak withaclearandloudvoiceofhope.Nostruggleismoreworthwhilethanthatforthesoulandthecharacterofthestateof

Israel. What are the state’s Jewish values? Are they values of tolerance, equalityandjusticeorghostsofintroversion, xenophobia and racism?

As we sing in Hatikvah, kol od balevav nefeshyehudihomia(aslongasintheheart a Jewish soul still yearns) we have to fight for a new hope for Israel: ‘As a mothercomfortsherchildsoIwillcomfortyou;YoushallfindcomfortinJerusalem’ (Isaiah 66:13).

WithonearmwemustembraceIsraelwithallourmightandwiththeotherwemustpushouttheindifference,alienation,anddespair.

AnatHoffmanisexecutivedirectoroftheIsrael Religious Action Centre of the Israel MovementforProgressiveJudaism

What are Israel’s values – tolerance and equality or introversion and racism?

With our own elbow grease we will erase the ‘death to Arabs’ graffiti

LiberalJewscanchangetheworldthroughcreativityandcourage,saysLucian J Hudson

books

thepresentday,seemdeterminedtoeither take the Jews out of the world or the world out of the Jews – but what they conjure up is something other than ‘being Jewish’. And so, beingJewishmeansdoing justice, in a realm which is ‘wider than the sphere of human relations’ (p.4), ineveryplaceandineverycontext.And

Klug demonstrates that it means more thandoingjustice.Itmeanslivingjustice:‘[t]he word [justice] has a life of its own. I prefer to allow its meaning, like the thing itself, to ‘well up like water’, in the phrase of Amos (Am. 5:24), and to draw on that wellwhenfacedwithquestionsofrightand wrong’ (ibid.).

Ihaveonlyscratchedthesurface:youmust read the book. And when you do, remember:theauthorisoneofthosewhomsomeotherJewshavelabelleda‘self-hating Jew’. Go figure.

Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah is the rabbi at BrightonandHoveProgressiveSynagogue

Dr Brian Klug will be giving the Aubrey MilsteinLectureatthesynagogueon6Februaryat3pm.Admissionisfree

It is hard to do justice, if you’ll forgive the pun, to this important and complex book. The subtitle, ‘bringing argument to life’, is both an expression of how Brian Klug inhabitsthepageswithhisownlifeandconcerns – and a statement about the natureofJudaism,whichisarticulatedindifferentwaysthroughoutthisanthologyofhislecturesandwritings,spanning26years.Andso,informingthereaderintheintroduction that his book constitutes ‘chapters from my life’ (p.2), he writes: ‘The topics that engage me in argument andembroilmeincontroversyhavelainacrossmypathwhereIcouldnotignorethem’ (ibid.). And so, in his conclusion, he capturesthespiritofJudaismasheseesit: ‘Judaism is a configured space; it is an arenaofargument,notabodyofdoctrine.No one speaks for Judaism – except every Jew’ (p.361).

And so, Brian Klug challenges every Jew to ‘bring argument to life’, and offers hisownparticularperspective.AJew,

steepedinJewishsources,whowaseducatedthroughoutchildhoodataJewishschool,andaphilosopher,trainedtoconstruct,dissectandanalysearguments,hebringshispassionateengagementasaJewandhisbrilliantanalyticalmindtobearontopicsthatmatterdeeplytohim.Theseinclude,boththose that are of obviously ‘Jewish’ concern – Zionism, Israel, anti-Semitism, thenatureoftheJewishpeople,Jewishidentity – and those that intersect particularanduniversalissues:ethnicity,race,whatitistobehuman,therightsofanimals,andtherightsofchildren.

Significantly,asheinvestigatesthemeaningoftheparticularandtheuniversal throughout his book, Klug does notregardthesetwodimensionsinbinary, oppositional terms. Right at the

beginning,intheintroduction,headdressesquestionsthatmightbeputby‘someone’ about the very purpose of the book – and his response gets to the heart of his whole enterprise (pp.4-5):

Whynotsaythatdoingjusticeliesatthe heart of being human? Why Jewish?’ Well, because Jewish is what I am. ‘But are you not both – Jewish and human?’ There is no ‘both’ about it – not if this means addingonetotheother,norifthismeansregardingthefirstaspartofthe second. Nor does ‘Jewish’ trump ‘human’: it would be as gross a mistake to imagine this book subordinates ‘human’ to ‘Jewish’ as to think of it as a Pilgrim’s progress from the narrowly particular (Jewish) to the broader universal (human)… it is a mistake because there is more to beingJewishthanbeingJewish.

What does he mean? Klug explores the ‘more’ in many different ways throughout his book. What he says in the prologue, when he interrogates the meaning of ‘the people of God’, sets the scene (p.15):

So, that’s who Jews are: a people with an attitude!... Not just one attitudebutthree:aspiration,thecontinualstrivingtobeanexemplarypeople;atonement,thesorrowfulacknowledgement of repeated and abjectfailure;andhope,notjustforourselvesbutforthewholeofcreation:thestubbornbeliefinthelightattheendofthetunnelthatwillwipeawayallthetearsofhistoryfromthe anguished and wrinkled face of theearth.Itisnotsomuchastanceasastepordance:putonthespotweshiftfromonepositiontotheother,fromaspirationtoatonementtohope,and back again: constantly, faithfully, religiously.This,ourstyle,ourritual,is our raison d’être. Thus we take shape. Thus we loom in the dark: part light,partmirror,tothenations.

For Klug, it is impossible to separate being Jewish from being in the world – or rather,itispossible:bothJewsandnon-Jews,foravarietyofentangledreasons,throughouthistory,andduring

So, this is a ‘self-hating Jew’BEING JEWISH AND DOING JUSTICE: Bringing Argument to Life, by Brian KlugVallentineMitchell,£40ISBN:9780853039730Reviewed by ELIZABETH TIKVAH SARAH

For Klug, it is impossible to separate being Jewish from being in the world... without conjuring up something other than ‘being Jewish’

Page8LJToday January/February2011 January/February2011 LJTodayPage9

Topics that matter deeply to him include those of ‘Jewish’ concern and those that intersect particular and universal values

Could you take charge of lj today?

Liberal Judaism is looking for a talented, multi-skilled editor for its bimonthly magazine

After more than six years in the role, the editor of lj today is planning to step down and we are looking for a replacement. Applicants will be confident, experienced writers, also able to commission and sub-edit copy. The successful candidate will manage the content, layout and production of six editions of lj today each year.

This a freelance position with a set fee per edition. To apply, please send your CV, a sample of your writing/editing work and a short supporting statement to: Shelley Shocolinsky-Dwyer, Operations Director, Liberal Judaism, The Montagu Centre, 21 Maple Street, London, W1T 4BE, Tel: 020 7631 9831, shelley@liberaljudaism.org. Closing date: 31 January

InNovembertheProgressiveJewishCommunity of East Anglia (based in Norwich) hosted a Communities’ Shabbaton,writesByronSimmonds.

Sponsored by the Liberal and Reform movements and Leo Baeck College’s Department for Jewish Education (DJE), theshabbatonisanopportunityforsmallcommunitiestosharetheirexperiences.

TheNorwichShabbaton,organisedbyDebi Penhey, DJE’s Communities’ Consultant, was a full day, with sessions looking at the particular challenges facingsmallcommunities:howtocreateawelcomingcommunitygivenoftenverylimitedresources;andhowtoencouragetheactiveinvolvementofmembers,soimportantwhennumbersaresmallandgeographicallydispersed.

The day took in a ‘Torah breakfast’, a creative Shabbat service and a walking tourofJewishNorwichandendedwithhavdallahinthethree-storey,half-timberedmedievalcourtyardoftheKing of Hearts Centre. The courtyard, open to a starry night sky, was the perfect placetoendaperfectday.

Harrow reunionTribute to the late Rabbi Lawrence Rigal waspaidbymanyofhisformeryouthgroup members at a reunion weekend of whathad,inthe1950s,beentheWembleyLiberalSynagogueSeniorandJunioryouthgroups,writes Rosita Rosenberg.

Rabbi Rigal had led these groups at the thenrecentlyestablishedsynagogue,nowHarrowandWembleyProgressive.

Forty-sixpeopleattendedtheeighthresidentialreunioninOctober,thistimeheld just outside Norwich. The weekend included a boat trip on the Norfolk Broads and a walking tour of Norwich.

New websiteSouthLondonLiberalSynagoguehasanewwebsite,includinganewlogoandablog by Rabbi Janet Darley, at its usual webaddress:www.southlondon.org.

Quiz nightBedfordshireProgressiveSynagogueheldaquiznightinOctoberthatraised£350 for Keech Hospice Care.

East Anglia proud to host ShabbatonSynagoguesaroundthemovementwillbe

commemoratingnationalHolocaustMemorialDay,Thursday27January2011,witheventsonornearthatdate.

The theme of the day is Untold Stories. The idea is that by planning or taking part ineventswecanhonourthememoryofthoseaffectedbygenocideandhelptoshare some of the ‘untold stories’, millions of which we will never know.

Northwood’s annual HMD event will be heldfrom24to27January.Overfourdays,theLiberalsynagogue,inpartnership with Northwood (United) Synagogue,willhostmorethan2,000localstudentsaged13andaboveatthreevenues. It will also provide workshops for sixth-formpupils.

ThiswillbethetenthannualNorthwoodHolocaustMemorialDayEvent, and the organisers will for the first time be working with professional HolocausteducatorsfromtheJewishMuseum.

NorthwoodandPinnerLiberalSynagogue’s Etz Chayim gallery will be

showing ‘Memories’, described as ‘a remarkable exhibition of paintings and words’, by Maria Tudosa.

Maria,wholivesinNorthwood,isaCatholic. She was brought up in a small town in Romania, which had a vibrant Jewishcommunity.Lifewasidyllicforalluntil the outbreak of the war. Most of Maria’s friends and neighbours were Jewish and were killed. Her art reflects thisperiod.Theexhibitionrunsfrom18Januaryto13February.

Kingston Liberal Synagogue will be runningitsfifthannualHMDeventinJanuary,overfivedays.Nearly1,000childrenfromsevenschoolsaswellasagroup of 25 PGCE students from Roehampton University are due to take partinseminarswithasurvivorandrefugees.Theeventisruninconjunctionwith Kingston and Surbiton District Synagogue (United).

Liberal Judaism’s Shenfield community is joining with Christian Friends of Israel (Essex) to organise a two-day exhibition, Heroines of the Holocaust, at the Council OfficesinBrentwoodandatShenfieldHighSchool.At7pmon29Januarytherewill be a Meeting of Commemoration, with a guest speaker, Kindertransport survivorOttoDeutsch,andashortfilm,The Children who Cheated the Nazis.

Tocelebrateits60thanniversary,theLeicestershirecommunityheldaspecialweekend of services in the autumn, with theinvolvementofitsvisitingrabbis.

Rabbi Irit Shillor, the rabbi at Harlow, ledtheFridayeveningserviceon15October and Rabbi Harry Jacobi gave the sermon. The following morning, Rabbi MichaelStandfieldledtheserviceandRabbi Danny Rich delivered the sermon.

TheShabbatmorningservicewasalso

Sixty years in Leicestershireattended by Dr Amanda Grant, deputy chairofLiberalJudaism,andvisitingdignitaries.

To mark the anniversary of the community,whosesynagogueisaVictorianformerprimaryschoolintheClarendon Park area of Leicester, an apple tree was planted in the building’s garden.Itishopedthatinduecoursethetreemightprovideapplesforthecommunity at Rosh Hashanah.

January/February2011 LJTodayPage11

LJY-Netzer is Liberal Judaism’s Zionistyouthmovement.ItgivesyoungpeopletheopportunitytodevelopastrongProgressiveJewish identity, make lasting friendshipsandhaveloadsoffun

Half-term adventure means full-time fun

While2010wasafantasticyearforLJY-Netzer,wehope2011isgoingtobeevenbetterstill.Alltheyouthmovement workers are really excited aboutourFebruaryadventureweekends.

ThereareeventsforPlagim(school years 3-6), Nechalim (years 7-8) and Yamim (years 9-10), who will be going on a weekend trip to Dublin.

For Machaneh Aviv (Spring Camp), we are again returning to Cottesmore SchoolinWestSussexforsixdaysofLJY-Netzer-filledactivities,learning,prayer and fun!

MachanehAviv,thesecondbiggesteventofourcalendar,isafantastic

opportunitytofindoutforyourselfwhat

camp is like. Here’s where it’s easy to meet up with old friends or make newones.

Looking further ahead, Machaneh Kadimah, our two-week summer campandtheculminationoftheLJY-Netzeryear,willalsobeatCottesmore. As it will be our fourth summer there it feels very much like LJY-Netzer’s home.

All parents on LJY-Netzer’s mailinglistshouldhavereceivedacolourflyerabouttheseeventsand more in the post. If you’re not on the mailing list or haven’t received yours, or if you’ve any questions, please don’t hesistate to contact Adam, Josh, Robin or Yszi at the Montagu Centre. Contact emails and ourphonenumberareatthefootofthepage.

Wehopeeveryonehashadafantastic 2010 and we look forward to seeing LJY-Netzerniks, both new and old, in 2011!

Page10LJToday January/February2011

andonthesecondandfourthSaturdaysat10.30am for a ‘Torah discussion service’. After kiddush, there is a shared supper or lunch.Thecommunityalsocelebratesthemajorfestivals,findingunusualandcreativewaysofdoingso.Thisyearitwillbe holding its second ‘completely rubbish’ Tu B’shvat seder, focusing on recycling andtheenvironment. What else is on offer?Aculturalprogramme,with speakers giving talks and presentations onarichvarietyoftopics,theculminationofwhichistheHiddenTalentsevening,anannualeventinspiredandperformedbythosewithmusical,theatricalandpoeticgifts.

What about education?At the moment BKY has threewell-attended

courses: BEING jew(ishah) – discussingJewishidentity,ade/constructed God and post-modern halachah – an Access to

Judaismcourse,andacoursecalled Reading Talmud/Reading Levinas.

Beit Klal Yisrael – a Liberal synagogue?Yes, though it’s a relatively new Liberal community,havingdecidedtoaffiliatein2004.In2011,however,itwillbecelebratingits21stbirthday.

How did it start?ThefounderswereagroupofreligiousandsecularlesbianfeministswhoweredeterminedtocreateaJewishcommunitythatwelcomedandcelebratedlesbianandgaylife.Overtheyears,thiswelcomehasbeenextendedtoallJews,butparticularlytothosewhofeeldistancedorestrangedfromfacetsofcontemporaryJewishlife.

Who are its members now?Itisacommunitythatisalternativeinathoroughgoingsense.Itisforthosewhodo not think of themselves as formally religiousbutwhoatthesametimeimplicitlyseethemselvesasembeddedinJewish forms of thinking, being and doing; hence Beit Klal Yisrael (‘house of all Israel’). The congregation also continues tocelebratethepresenceofJewishwomen who want to work out an independentandchallengingrelation,aswomen,toJudaismandbeingJewish.

How did it start?Thanks to the determination of its founder, Rabbi Sheila Shulman, and supporters. Rabbi Shulman, an inspirational teacher, retiredin2007fromthedailydemandsofthecommunitythatsheledfornearly20years. In 2009, BKY employed Rabbi Judith Rosen-Berry, a graduate of Leo Baeck College, to lead the community in partnershipwithitscouncilandestablishedlayleadership.

Where does it meet?In the Unitarian Church, Notting Hill Gate, west London, five minutes’ walk from Notting Hill tube (on the Central line).

When are services held?OnthefirstandthirdFridaysofthemonthfor a kabbalat Shabbat service (at 7pm)

Spotlight on BKY

What else do members get involved in?During the past year they have taken part inthePridefestivities,theInternationalWomen’s Day March, pre-Copenhagen Climate Change protest, an anti-Fascist, anti-EDL (English Defence League) rally and the women’s Reclaim the Night rally.

How does BKY sum itself up?AsathoughtfulJewishcommunitywhichisboth‘alternative’ and Liberal – committednotonlytodebatinganddiscussingwhattherelationshipbetween ‘alternative’ and Liberalmightmeantoday,buttolivingit.Itinvitesalltocomeandvisit.

How do I find out more?See www.bky.org.uk.

BKY’s current and founding rabbis Judith Rosen-Berry (left) and Sheila Shulman at Rosh Hashanah 2010

Adam Francies previews LJY-Netzer’s spring andsummereventsandinvitesalltojoinin

youth

Contact the LJY-Netzer team: Josh (j.dubell@liberaljudaism.org), Adam (a.francies@liberaljudaism.org), Yszi(y.hawkings@liberaljudaism.org)orRobin(r.moss@liberaljudaism.org);telephone020 7631 0584 or email office@ljynetzer.org

Around the univers-ities in 28 days!Student worker Yszi Hawkings tours Britain to connect with and inform Liberal Jewish undergraduates

During two action-packed weeks in November I embarked on a tour of Liberal Jewish students, to meet them on their own territory, keep them abreast of Jewish opportunities and hear their ideas about events and ways to stay involved.

I also handed out Chanukkah packs – a chanukkiah, candles, blessings, (chocolate) gelt, a dreidl and a latke recipe. The packs were especially helpful this year with the festival being early are most students still on campus.

My trip took in Oxford, Cambridge, Loughborough, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Durham, Edinburgh, Dublin, Liverpool, Cardiff, Bristol, Exeter, Bath, Brighton and London.

As I moved my way across the country, eating became a regular activity, my task to make sure our students had at least one proper meal that week. In Edinburgh, we visited the cafe where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter, and Dublin was a chance to meet some new Liberal Jewish students as well as the familiar ones. In Cardiff I saw LJY-Netzer bogeret (graduate) Susie Crown in action as president of the Jewish Society at its Friday night dinner. Back in London, I caught up with some of our many students, who may be closer to home but are certainly not forgotten.

Several towns and cities just couldn’t be fitted in this time – including Manchester, Warwick, Birmingham and Portsmouth – I’m looking forward to visiting them in 2011.

Yszi (centre) in Sheffield with Dinah Combe and Sam ‘Teddy’ Janoff

Rabbi Rosen-Berry (right) and Marilyn Hermanonaprotestmarch, and (left) Tony

Fagin’s barmitzvah

JudahPassow

Too many chefs?! Making pizza at

thePlagimOctoberWeekend

18-20 FEBRUARY Dublin Weekend Yamim (school years 9-10)21-23 FEBRUARY Hadracha SeminarGalim Gimel (year 13)25-27 FEBRUARYHalf-term Adventure WeekendsPlagim (school years 3-6)Nechalim (years 7-8)

13-18 APRILMachaneh Aviv (Spring Camp)LJY-Netzer’s annual five-night experience for Plagim, Nechalim and Yamim – school years 3-10)

3-5 JUNEHiking Weekends For Yamim (school years 9-10) and Galim (school year 13)

28 JULY-11 AUGUSTMachaneh Kadimah (Summer Camp) Two weeks of brilliant fun – for Plagim, Nechalim and Yamim (school years 3-10)

Upcoming Events

Page12LJToday January/February2011

Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue (Rodef Shalom)01234 218387; bedsps@liberaljudaism.org; www.bedfordshire-ps.org.uk Beit Klal Yisrael c/o The Montagu Centre, 21 Maple Street, London W1T 4BE; 07505 477459, bky@liberaljudaism.org; www.bky.org.ukBet Tikvah Synagogue 129PerrymansFarmRoad, Ilford, Essex IG2 7LX; 020 8554 9682; bttkv@liberaljudaism.org; www.bettikvah.org.ukBirmingham Progressive Synagogue 1 Roseland Way, Birmingham B15 1HD; 0121 634 3888; bps@liberaljudaism.org; www.bpsjudaism.comBrighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue 6 Lansdowne Road, Hove BN3 1FF;01273 737223; bhps@liberaljudaism.org;www.brightonandhoveprosynagogue.org.ukBristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation 43-45 Bannerman Road, Easton, Bristol BS5 0RR bwpjc@liberaljudaism.org; www.bwpjc.orgCrouch End Liberal Jewish Chavurah info@crouchendchavurah.co.uk; www.crouchendchavurah.co.ukCrawley Jewish Community 01293534294Dublin Jewish Progressive CongregationPOBox3059,Dublin6,0035312856241;djpc@liberaljudaism.orgEaling Liberal Synagogue LyntonAvenue,DraytonGreen, W13 0EB; 020 8997 0528; els@liberaljudaism.org; www.ealingliberalsynagogue.org.ukEastbourne Progressive Jewish Congregation01323725650;fax:01323417645epjc@liberaljudaism.org; www.epjcong.org.ukEdinburgh Liberal Jewish Community0131 777 8024; info@eljc.org; www.eljc.orgFinchley Progressive Synagogue Hutton Grove, N12 8DR; 020 8446 4063;fps@liberaljudaism.org; www.fps.orgGloucestershire Liberal Jewish CommunityEnquiries: 01242 521468 or 01242 234232 Harrow and Wembley Progressive Synagogue 326 Preston Road, Harrow HA3 0QH; 020 8904 8581; hwps@liberaljudaism.org; www.hwps.orgHerefordshire Jewish Community 01594530721;hjc@liberaljudaism.org; www.herefordshirejc.org Kent Liberal Jewish Community07952 242432; bulletin.kljc@liberaljudaism.org;www.jewishkent.org.uk/communities/KLJC/kljc.htmlKingston Liberal Synagogue Rushett Road, Long Ditton, Surbiton, Surrey; KT7 0UX; 020 8398 7400; kls@liberaljudaism.org; www.klsonline.org Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation The Synagogue, 24 Avenue Road, LE2 3EA; 07875 123744; lpjc@liberaljudaism.orgThe Liberal Jewish Synagogue 28 St John’s Wood Road, London NW8 7HA; 020 7286 5181; ljs@liberaljudaism.org; www.ljs.orgThe Liberal Synagogue Elstree Elstree High

Liberal Judaism congregations

MAKE A DATE ...........The Montagu Centre

21MapleStreetLondon, W1T 4BE

Tel:02075801663Fax:02076319838

PresidentThe Baroness Neuberger DBE Chairman LucianJHudson Deputy Chair DrAmandaGrant Vice-Chairs Simon Benscher and Jackie Richards TreasurerDavidPelhamSocialactionanddisabilityLeonCharikar IsraelandthediasporaDanielNeedlestoneVice-PresidentsandHonoraryVice-PresidentsDavidAmstell, Monique Blake, Henry Cohn, Nigel Cole, Geoffrey Davis, Stanley Fink, Jeromé Freedman, Louise Freedman, Rabbi Dr David Goldberg, Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, Sharon Goldstein, Rabbi Harry Jacobi, Jeremy Jessel, Willie Kessler, David Lipman, Corinne Oppenheimer, David Pick, Rosita Rosenberg, Tony Sacker, Harold Sanderson, Joan Shopper, Beverley Taylor, Clive WinstonChairman of Rabbinic Conference Rabbi Pete Tobias Chief Executive Rabbi Danny Rich OperationsDirectorShelley Shocolinsky-Dwyer PR AlexandraBen-YehudaEducation Sandra Kviat InterfaithRabbi Mark SolomonShlichaDanaFriedmanLJY-NetzerJoshDubell,AdamFrancies, Robin Moss Student worker Ysabella Hawkings

ljtodayiseditedbyBeatriceSayersThedeadlinefortheMarch2011editionis1February.Pleaseemailyournews and letters to ljtoday@liberaljudaism.org.

Liberal Judaism is the dynamic, cutting edge of modern Judaism. It reverences Jewish tradition, seeking to preserve the values of the Judaism of the past while giving them contemporary force. Registered charity number 236590.

16 January (Sunday) I’m Jewish, My Partner Isn’t 2.30-5.45pm, Sternberg Centre; £5. Email Rabbi Jonathan Romain: rabromain@aol.com

27 January (Thursday) Holocaust Memorial Day

5 February (Saturday) Centenary Service atthe Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John’s Wood

27 February (Sunday) Anat Hoffman, of Israel Religious Action Centre, at Jewish Book Week, Royal National Hotel, Bedford Way, London WC1; 5pm; in association with Liberal Judaism

9 April (Saturday) National Inclusion CommitteeseminaratNorthwoodandPinner.Contact l.charikar@liberaljudaism.org

13-18 April Machaneh Aviv (Spring Camp) forschool years 3-10. Contact: office@ljynetzer.org

22 May (Sunday) Liberal Judaism’s Day of CelebrationatTheLiberalJewishSynagogue.Email a.grant@liberaljudaism.org

4 July (Monday) A Day to Study and Honour Rabbi John RaynerattheLJS

28 July (Thurs) - 11 August (Thurs) Machaneh Kadimah LJY-Netzer’s summer camp, at Cottesmore School. Please note revised dates

Street, Elstree, Herts WD6 3BY; 020 8953 8889;tlse@liberaljudaism.org; www.tlse.org.ukLincolnshire Jewish Community01427 628958; ljc@liberaljudaism.org Manchester Liberal Jewish Community 08432084441; mljc@liberaljudaism.org; www.mljc.org.uk NorthLondonProgressiveJewishCommunity0207403 3779; nlpjc@liberaljudaism.org; www.nlpjc.org.ukNorthwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue Oaklands Gate, Northwood, Middx HA6 3AA; 01923 822592, npls@liberaljudaism.org; www.npls.org.ukNottingham Progressive Jewish Congregation Lloyd Street, Sherwood NG5 4BP; 0115 9624761; npjc@liberaljudaism.org; www.npjc.org.ukPeterborough Liberal Jewish CommunityEnquiries: 020 7631 9822The Progressive Jewish Community of East Anglia (based in Norwich); www.pjcea.org.ukReading Liberal Jewish Community 01189428022; rljc@liberaljudaism.org; www.rljc.orgShenfield, Brentwood & Districts Synagogue 01277888610; info@roshtikvah.com; www.roshtikvah.comSouth Bucks Jewish Community POBox826,Amersham, HP6 9GA; 0845 644 2370; sbjc@liberaljudaism.org; www.sbjc.org.ukSouth London Liberal Synagogue POBox14475,LondonSW161ZW;02087694787;slls@liberaljudaism.org; www.southlondon.orgSouthgate Progressive Synagogue75 Chase Road, London N14 4QY; 020 8886 0977;sps@liberaljudaism.org; www.sps.uk.comWest Central Liberal Synagogue21 Maple Street, London W1T 4BE; 020 7636 7627;wcls@liberaljudaism.org; www.wcls.org.ukWoodford Liberal Synagogue Marlborough Road, George Lane, London E18 1AR; 020 8989 7619; wps@liberaljudaism.org; www.woodfordliberal.org.uk

Associated congregationsBeit Ha’ChidushPostbus 14613, 1001 LC Amsterdam,Netherlands,0031235247204;info@beithachidush.nl; www.beithachidush.nlOxfordLiberalJewishServices:01865515584or01865765197;www.ojc-online.orgWessex Liberal Jewish Group (Bournemouth) info@wessexliberaljudaism.org.uk; 01202 757084

Developing communitiesNorth Herts Liberal Jewish Community (based in Stevenage) 07507 947406; nhljc@liberaljudaism.org;www.northhertsljc.orgThe Suffolk Liberal Jewish Community (basedinIpswich), 01473 250797; sjc@liberaljudaism.org

‘tent: the meeting place’ the community for young adults Contact Avivit: a.katzil@liberaljudaism.org or 07866 501787

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Inspired by dog, one rabbi creates a service for pets When Rabbi Pete Tobias acquired a Yorkshire terrier, he was forced to factor a dog walk schedule into trips to watch his beloved Watford play. But the Elstree rabbi also had his eyes opened. ‘Suddenly Iunderstoodthesignificantrolethatpetsplay in people’s lives,’ he says.

Theexperienceofbondingwithhissix-month-oldterrier,Milo,inspiredthe

rabbitocelebrateandwelcomeanimalsinthecommunity.HispetsliturgyincludesreadingsfromJewishsages,including ‘Do noteatbeforeyouhavefedyour animal’

(Rav) and ‘A good man does not sell his animal to a cruel person’ (Sefer Chasidim).

Elstree’s first Service for Pets was held in the synagogue car park. About 40 owners and 15 animals – all dogs – came. Itlastedabout10minutes,andwasfollowedbyfoodforthedogsandrefreshmentsforthehumans.

Though Rabbi Tobias confesses to havingborrowedtheideafromtheTVcomedyTheVicarofDibley,anearnestwishtocelebratethediversityofcreationandthejoyofcompanionshipliesattheheartoftheservice,whichhehopeswillbecomeanannualevent.

... as another opts to sleep roughNorthwood’s Rabbi Aaron Goldstein spent anightsleepingoutontheforecourttoSt

AlbansAbbeyinDecember,joining200otherstoraiseawarenessoftheplightofthehomeless.Plasticsheetingandcardboardwerehisprotectionagainst

temperatures of -4°C, a snow shower and aprolongedperiodofsleet;noneofwhichstopped him lighting his chanukkiah.

Rabbi Pete Tobias with Milo

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