Programme of

Events

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Welcome to Chagigah 2016!

This weekend we hope that you will relax, be spiritually

uplifted, learn something new, meet new friends and be

inspired to take lots of ideas back home with you.

We encourage you to participate in as much of the weekend as

you wish. We have produced a full and varied programme and

hope there is something for everyone as we create a

community together. Please feel free to go to any session that

appeals to you but remember you can dip in and out of sessions

as you feel fit and if you want a break, take one!

If you need anything, please look for those of us in teal polo

shirts.

Shabbat shalom from all of us on the planning team.

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Friday

16:00 Registration Opens

Reception

16.00 Getting to Know You; Enjoy a drink in the bar, a quiz and make new friends. Reception Long Hall 1 Bar

17:00 Early Dinner; For under-fives (pre-booked)

Restaurant

17:00 – 18:00

Orientation Tours; Will leave from the bar between 17.00 and 18.00 to show you around this year’s venue

Bar

17:30 – 18:15

Kuddle-Up Shabbat Service; For our youngest participants, with Student Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen

Alfreton

Learn the Chagigah melodies If you would like the opportunity to get in the mood for Shabbat with a bit of singing come along and learn some of the melodies we will be using this evening grow With Cantor Zöe Jacobs

Barber

Navigating Chagigah whether it’s your first time or your umpteenth conference this session aims to help you get the most from your weekend. With Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, Irit Burkeman and Kathryn Michael

Ambergate

Introduction to the Initiatives You’re here, you’re enthusiastic and you’re ready to make change. Meet the initiative teams and each other.

MacGregor

18:30 – 19:40

Kabbalat Shabbat; Led by Rabbi Danny Freelander (WUPJ) & Cantor Zöe Jacobs Chatterley

19:55 – 20:00

Kiddush and welcome Lawrence

20:00 – 22:00

Dinner Lawrence

22:15 – late

Oneg; Celebrating Shabbat with song Chatterley

Late Night Study with Rabbi Jackie Tabick; So the spies came back and chaos set in...Were Moses and Aaron right to at least 'seem' to abdicate responsibility? Was Moses actually such a good leader? Should he be our role model? Was it a clever ploy to let Joshua and Caleb take control? Would you have followed the Ten or the Two, are fear tactics useful? And what would have happened if The Boss had not intervened? Come and discuss our sedra for the week

Long Hall 2

Having God Conversations – Tools and Anchors for the Spiritually Curious and Educators; God talk can be daunting, and hard to find the words for, especially if we are being asked difficult questions! This session won't promise any answers but together we will explore ways we can begin to have conversations about God with ourselves and with others. Does Judaism offer us any help? Can we exist as a community together when we hold such a diverse collection of beliefs? With Debbie Young-Somers

Long Hall 1

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Saturday

07:00 – 09:45

Breakfast Restaurant

07:30 – 08:15

Jogging Minyan with Rabbi Celia Surget; Exercise your body as well as your mind Bar

08:30 – 09:15

David, Bathsheba and Uriah: Babies, Baths and Corrupt Kings; We will explore the afterlife of one of the most iconic stories in the life of King David. We will begin by studying a variety of rabbinic responses to the text of 2 Samuel 11-12, and end by exploring some reactions to the story in the context of the English Civil War (including Thomas Hobbes and John Milton), and see how they might affect modern political thinking. With Student Rabbi Elliott Kardstadt

Chatterley 1

Mindfulness, Contemplation, Tefillah and Me; Danny will guide us through a contemplative and reflective experience where we will take some time for ourselves before the day begins. This session is designed to model that which we can repeat ourselves at home and help us begin to think about how we might develop our own personal spiritual practices. With Student Rabbi Danny Newman

Lawrence 2

Torah Tots; Who is your favourite Superhero? We would like to invite you to come and celebrate Shabbat dressed as your favourite superhero! We won’t leave you out if you haven’t got a costume with you, but we will be thinking about what makes a superhero, as well as singing and dancing our way through some fun Shabbat songs! All welcome but ideal for 5’s and under! Babies welcome too! With Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers

Linby

Beit Din Surgery; Do you have any questions about the work of the Beit Din? Maybe about conversion? Or divorce? Or surrogacy? If so, pick a 10 minute time slot from outside the door and grab a chance to talk privately to the Convenor, Rabbi Jackie Tabick

Barber

9:30 – 11:30

Shabbat Morning Service; We will all join together as one community and be led in t’fillah by Rabbis Paul Freedman, Esther Hugenholtz, Miriam Berger and Fabian Sborovsky

Lawrence

Session 1 11:50 – 12:50

Session 1

Tackling Adult Social Care Initiative: The Big Picture – It isn’t Pretty; Step beyond your own responsibilities or that of your community and allow Merav to share her knowledge from the coalface. Understand the realities of adult social care and the repercussions of loneliness and isolation on the NHS and on local authorities. If that doesn't alarm you let's take a look at the future if we do nothing. With Merav Dover

Holroyd

Empowering Jewish Practice Initiative: My Jewish Practice; Let’s dig deeper into our Jewish practice by looking at why we care about it and the different ways in which we experience it. In this session we’ll explore, through some inspiring texts, the ways that we can engage with Torah, Tefillah and mitzvot in our lives. We’ll also be listening carefully to what participants want from this process. And we will attempt to answer the big question – what is Jewish spirituality and how can we bring it closer into our lives? With Rabbi Benji Stanley

Barber

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Session 1 (contd) 11:50 – 12:50

Re-Imagining Leadership Initiative: Cultures and Communities; Every organisation has a culture but have we become prisoners of our own? Communities have all invested time and money in events and programming yet still haven’t managed to engage as many members as they hoped to. Why is it case? What could be changed? Join us to explore how we can create cultures of participation and meaning through building relationships with our members which will leave them eager to pursue leadership roles

Chatterley 2

Leo Baeck College @ 60: Keep calm and Study the Zohar; The Zohar is the cornerstone of Jewish mysticism and has had a remarkable impact on Jewish and non-Jewish culture (even on Madonna!). Yet, how can this obscure, riddling book be relevant to Reform Judaism? To get the answer, be prepared to embark on an inspiring journey which will lead you to the depths of the Zohar, and unravel its hidden layers. With Dr Alinda Damsma

Alfreton

Scriptural Reasoning: A Text Based Session Bringing in Voices and Perspectives from Three Faiths; Based on a Scriptural Reasoning model, this session will see three faith leaders bring their Scriptures to life, spoken or chanted in their original languages. Texts from Islam, Christianity and Judaism teach on the issue of poverty and we will have the chance to discuss and question how we make our sacred texts relevant in the UK at a time of increasing need. With Reverend Anna Alls, Sajid Mohammed and Student Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen. Chaired by Rabbi Sybil Sheridan

MacGregor

Step Back in Time; People look back on their youth movement days with such joy, but how many of us get a chance to step back in time and experience a peula (session) from our summer camp or youth club days? Join us as we engage in chinuch (education) in an immersive experiential way. It will be fun and educational all at the same time! With Libby Burkeman and Camille Grahame

Ambergate

Reform Judaism in Israel - Is there a future? Current events in Israel, following the historical decision on opening the Egalitarian Western Wall and Mikveh for Reform converts, have raised political disputes that quickly became very violent and loud. Can we live in a reality where Israel, the world's only Jewish and Democratic state, is also the only state where women can't doven with a tallis, lead services or use (or even touch) a Torah Scroll? We will discuss these current happenings, as well as the development of a unique new Reform community that is growing rapidly in Israel's periphery- in Be'er Sheva With Naomi Efrat

Scargill

Zen and the Pen Spend some relaxing time exploring the freedom of your mind and losing yourself in this perfect Shabbat morning activity. No artistic skills needed with Kathryn Michaels

Bar area

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch Restaurant

14:00 – 15:00

Free time

Colouring is not just for kids What is all the fuss about? Crafting with Kathryn Michaels

Bar area

Beit Din Surgery; Do you have any questions about the work of the Beit Din? Maybe about conversion? Or divorce? Or surrogacy? If so, pick a 10 minute time slot from outside the door and grab a chance to talk privately to the Convenor, Rabbi Jackie Tabick

Hazelwood

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Meet the Team If you would like any help, advice or ideas from the MRJ team here is an opportunity to get to know who is who: Yon Borthwick – RSY-Netzer Libby Burkeman – Informal Education Director Martin Dix – Communications Manager Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner – Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism Geoffrey Marx – MRJ Vice-Chair Daniel Raphael – Head of Fundraising Gilly Shulman - Head of Community Partnership and HR Rabbi Benji Stanley – Rabbi for Young Adults Robert Weiner – MRJ Chair Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers – Community Educator

Bar

Open Beit Midrash Bring a question, follow an issue - a bunch of Reform Rabbis will be on hand to help you to find an answer through classical and contemporary sources. Whatever you would like to study we are there to learn with you. Facilitated by Rabbi Mark Goldsmith

Barber

Session 2 15:00 – 16:15

Session 2

Tackling Adult Social Care Initiative: How does the issue of isolation and loneliness present itself in our communities?: The impact of ageing relatives, the increasing pastoral needs of our members, the new challenges that changing demographics present us with are just a few of the headlines this session will allow us to plot across our Movement. Come and explore what challenges we share and which we are future proofing ourselves from

Holroyd

Empowering Jewish Practice Initiative: The Amidah from a range of angles; Come and experience a close reading of the Amidah and use other texts to get at its range and meaning. Gain the confidence to be creative with it and look at ways of bringing it into your own daily life. And how can we bring our enhanced understanding of this central prayer back into our communities? With the Jewish Practice team; Sherry Ashworth and Rabbis Celia Surget, Mark Goldsmith and Benji Stanley

Barber

Re-Imagining Leadership Initiative: If only leaders grew on trees (Part 1); Many synagogues told us they felt that they rely on the same leaders time and time again or are worried about who is going to fill the next position on their Council. The Pentecostal leader Bishop Wayne Brown hasn’t quite managed to find seeds to that tree but he has been able to build thoughtful leadership trajectories for members at his successful Pentecostal black majority church, New Testament Church of God, with Bishop Wayne Brown

Chatterley 2

Leo Baeck College @ 60: Hope and Despair in Times of Crisis; Looking through the prism of the biblical book of Lamentations Rabbah, we will explore our complex reactions to extreme difficulties, allowing our sacred texts to give voice to our darkest fears and our keenest hopes. With Dr Laliv Clenman and Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris

Alfreton

Making Change Without Making Any Changes! Familiarity is what makes services comforting for many whilst others crave something new. How can we keep the familiar feeling of our t'fillah (services) and yet change the energy, without even changing the melodies? Join us as we investigate a new toolbox for change and go home with a set of new possibilities - all without changing a thing! No musical experience necessary, just enthusiasm to participate. With Rabbi Danny Freelander and Cantor Zöe Jacobs

MacGregor

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Meaningful Engagement With Israel; The Alliance for Progressive Judaism is in the midst of establishing an Israel Desk. This is an essential step forward in supporting the Reform and Liberal Movements, in collaboration with Leo Baeck College, deepen their Israel engagement. Explore the potential of this project and discuss how it can respond to the current multiple dialogues and needs within our community. Can the Progressive Movement be at the forefront of a paradigm shift in Diaspora/Israel relationship? With Rabbi Charley Baginsky (Chair), Dr Keith Kahn-Harris (LBC), Kalela Lancaster (NIF) and Roy Graham (UJIA). In partnership with UJIA, Leo Baeck College and New Israel Fund UK

Ambergate

Other ways to inspire in the classroom; Bringing stories alive through craft, whether for cheder or for the home you will be enthused with Kathryn Michaels

Bar area

16:15 – 17:15

Seuda Shlishit; Time for relaxation as we fulfil the Sabbath obligation of eating even more food. Eat, relax and enjoy varied discussion topics on each table

- Where do formal and informal education overlap? Come and join Debbie and Libby to share challenges and find solutions together, and to explore where we can all use more support.

- New Israel Fund with Kalela Lancaster and Amal Elsana Alh’jooj - RSY-Netzer Movement Workers - SuperCarers with Adam Pike - UJIA with Roy Graham - YASGB 70th Anniversary Celebrations WIth Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner

Discussion tables in Lawrence, Just nosh in the bar area

Session 3 17:30 – 18:45

Session 3

Tackling Adult Social Care Initiative: Sharing Inspirational practice; Come and hear all about it. We will unpack some great initiatives being used to tackle some of the major issues we highlighted in Session Two. Your synagogue will be grateful as this session will give them answers to problems they didn't know they had! There will be plenty of tangible, take home pieces from this session

Holroyd

Empowering Jewish Practice Initiative: The Shema from a range of angles: We will return to the shema, using other texts to help us interpret it. We’ll also include the use of tefillin, tallitot and the mezuzah. And again, as with the Amidah, we will consider how we can use our enhanced understanding of this prayer both personally and in our communities. With the Jewish Practice team; Sherry Ashworth and Rabbis Celia Surget, Mark Goldsmith and Benji Stanley

Barber

Re-Imagining Leadership Initiative: If only leaders (in our shuls) grew on trees (Part 2); Join Bishop Wayne Brown again as, with you, we unpack with you lessons on building a trajectory of membership for communities and explore with the teams how this might be translated into our communities, with Bishop Wayne Brown

Chatterley 2

Leo Baeck College @ 60: Joseph and Asenath: A Story of Love Across Boundaries and Through the Ages; Join the faculty of the Leo Baeck College for a unique and dynamic study session exploring the story of Joseph and Asenath through biblical, Hellenistic, Second Temple, targumic (Aramaic), midrashic and talmudic texts. We will explore and study the challenges posed by this famous marriage from the ancient world all the way through to our Jewish communities today. With Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, Dr Alinda Damsma, Rabbi Neil Janes, Rabbi Shulamit Ambalu, Dr Laliv Clenman and Dr Keith Kahn-Harris

Alfreton

A Bedouin Leader Against All Odds: Amal Elsana Alh’jooj; Amal grew up in, and became a leading activist for, the Bedouin community in Israel. As a fifth girl in a traditional Bedouin family, Amal has never taken ‘no’ for an answer and became a pioneer in advancing community development and women's rights in her Bedouin community. She is the former Executive Co-Director and founder of AJEEC-NISPED (Arab-Jewish Centre for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperative). For her incredible work she has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, together with other social activists. Amal also sits on the International Board of New Israel Fund

MacGregor

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and was awarded its Human Rights Award in 2013. Amal is briefly in the UK and will discuss the current and historical issues facing the Bedouin communities in Israel as well as Jewish-Arab relations. Amal is an inspiring activist with a remarkable story. In partnership with New Israel Fund UK

How Can I Keep From singing? Do you ever find that a melody catches your attention , and for some unknown reason you can’t get enough of it? In this relaxed Shabbat afternoon session we will each share songs that we particularly love and have special meaning for us, or perhaps simply a melody that has somehow grabbed us. Come prepared to listen, to sing or do a bit of both, even weaving your own harmonies in if you can with Cantor Zöe Jacobs and Judith Silver

Scargill

Heirlooms have to start somewhere we all have those treasured things left to us by past generations, make your Jewish heirlooms out of clay with Kathryn Michaels

Bar area

19:00 Group Photo; Meet on the grass by the bar Outside

19:15 – 23:00

Dinner and Chagfest ending with Havdallah marking the end of Shabbat Hopefully the sun will be shining for our barbecue Join the fun in our very own festival with music by Shir and Judith Silver Israeli Dancing, Coconut Shy, Planting the seed of Tikkun Olam with Libby Burkeman, Face Painting, Matkot Tournament, Bouncy Castle, Bouncy fun Run, Inflatable knock out, Boules

Outside

Study Bursts

20.15 - 20.45

Should Jews Make Converts? 'Jews don't make converts' is an oft-repeated refrain. Usually, it's seen as a point of pride: In a changing and increasingly open world is it time for us to be less shy about sharing our path to holiness and wisdom with others? With Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz

Kriyah Kedoshah Enjoy the tranquillity and stillness of a contemplative Psalm reading, inviting a spiritual encounter with the Psalmist's poetry through meditation, chant and personal reflection. With Rabbi Lisa Barrett

21.00 - 21.30

"Dogs, snakes and liability!" A surprisingly saucy Talmud text for Daf Yomi - the Talmud text for the day in the 7 year cycle of a page a day (Baba Kamma 23b) With Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner

Jewish Sources on Depression "I looked on all the work I had done, and it was all a waste of time, like chasing after wind. There is nothing worthwhile under the sun." Kohelet 2:11 with Rabbi Michael Hilton

A Woman’s World - A reflection on women’s related concerns in Hebrew poetry We will explore the perspective and position of women in Israeli society, focusing on themes such as sexual encounters, the female body, single parenthood etc. We will study both male and female poets. Poems will be provided in Hebrew and English and the discussion will be in English. No previous knowledge of Hebrew is necessary With Irit Burkeman

21.45 - 22.15

Avinu Malkeinu: A British Father and a British King? Get your repentance in early. An opportunity to explore the new machzor as we wrestle with God, metaphor and idolatry! With Rabbi Paul Freedman

Chag me with Joy The nature of joy and pleasure via some modern thought (Zadie Smith) and a small, funny, joyous section of the Talmud (the beginning of Chapter 5 of Tractate Brachot) With Rabbi Benji Stanley

23:00

Learning After Dark; Grab a glass of wine and get to grips with some provocative Jewish texts. By exploring the question of whether atheists can convert to Judaism we'll get stuck into the fundamentals of Jewishness asking whether secular Judaism is reserved for those who are born Jewish; whether we hold converts to higher

Long Hall 2

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standards; and figuring out just what role God should/does play in the lives of Jews. This is an open, discursive session and no previous study is required! With Student Rabbis Kath Vardi and Deborah Blausten

Sunday

07:30 – 09:00

Breakfast and Check Out (by 10am) Restaurant

08.10 - 08.40

Morning Meditation - Greet the new day with joy and gratitude, chanting and meditation. With Rabbi Lisa Barrett

Chatterley 1

08.30 - 14.00

It’s Sunday morning and time to shop! Book Shop with Janet Elf Craft Stall with Kathryn Michaels

Bar

08.45 – 10.00

AGM Lawrence 1

10:00 – 10:30

Shacharit with student Rabbis Daniela Touati and Yaera Ratel A classical morning service with a bit of French flavour

Lawrence 2

Session 4 10:40 – 12:00

Session 4

Tackling Adult Social Care Initiative: Be part of the next chapter; The MRJ are committed to combating isolation and loneliness but this session is the first step towards how we can we do this as 42 communities, effectively and strategically. When we celebrate the impact we have had at Chagigah 2018 you will have wanted to be at this session so you can say you were one of the pioneers

Holroyd

Empowering Jewish Practice Initiative: Growing inspiring practice; It doesn’t end here! Come to this session to reflect on the ways your spiritual practice has developed over Chagigah. We will use these reflections to plan how you will take back your gains to your communities. We’ll also set up a network so we can all support each other as we start on our journeys towards more meaningful Jewish practice. With Sherry Ashworth

Barber

Re-Imagining Leadership Initiative: Successful leadership and Congregational habits; Aristotle taught, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore is not an act but a habit”. But who is a leader and what does successful leadership look like? We will be looking at this and will be reflecting on 8 congregational habits that we are all now familiar with. Understanding these habits will allow us to create a congregational map that will identify strengths and weaknesses; this in turn will develop the future path to successful leadership and excellence

Chatterley 2

Leo Baeck @ 60: From Dinah to Tamar: Women’s Voices Reimagined; Join us for this hands-on study session of talmudic and midrashic tales connecting Dinah to Tamar and beyond. Through study of these rabbinic texts we will explore how women’s voices may re-emerge and be reimagined for our times. With Rabbi Neil Janes and Dr Laliv Clenman

Alfreton

L’Chaim A chance to pilot the newest unit in the L’Chaim (To Life) educational programme. This unit is about social justice and will enthuse and equip you to bring this easy to lead educational unit of 2 hours to your community and to use it as a springboard for more social action and social justice ideas and change. With Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner

Ambergate

Refugees; Rooted in Text, Inspired to Action: Throughout history Jews have taken refuge, how has this past shaped our present and what, if any, is our resulting obligation to refugees? From Kindertransport to private sponsorship and loving thy neighbour to creating and developing community through good coffee, good food and good conversation. Come along and join the conversation with those who are already

MacGregor

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Session 4 (contd) 10:40 – 12:00

doing so, with Anna Dyson (ToastLoveCoffee) and Andrew Jacobs (Citizens UK)

Design a Biblical Landscape to embroider or paint Using a very simple technique, design a landscape relating to a Bible story or modern Israel. There should be time to begin to embroider or paint this, so that you can complete it when you get home. Maximum 10 people with Lana Young

Bar Area

Social Activism on the Board: Monopoly tried it, the Game of Life tried it, and now RSY-Netzer is giving it a go! With themes of Social activism and Tikkun Olam (Repairing the world), we’re putting our own twist on immersive board games whilst we will think about the impact people can have on each other and how we can share these messages.. But how can we make the world a better place by playing a board game?! With Naomi Raanan and Natasha Shaw

Lawrence 3

12:15 – 12:50

Closing Tekes (Ceremony) Lawrence

13:00 –14:00

Lunch Restaurant

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Glossary of terms

Amidah The Amidah is the core prayer of every service, and is therefore also referred to as HaT’fillah, or ‘The prayer.’ Amidah, which literally means, "standing," refers to a series of blessings recited while standing.

Beit Din The Beit Din is the religious court of Reform Judaism, dealing with issues of conversion, Jewish status and divorce.

Cheder A cheder (Hebrew, meaning 'room') is a usually synagogue-based school teaching the basics of Judaism and the Hebrew language.

Havdallah The ceremony separating Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, from the rest of the week, usually performed on Saturday evening.

Kabbalat Shabbat The service to welcome and begin Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath.

Kiddush Kiddush is the sanctification of Shabbat, the Sabbath. Blessings are said on Friday night with a shorter version said before the meal the next day.

L'hitraot Hebrew for goodbye, or rather, until we see each other again.

Madrichim Youth movement leaders.

Mezuzah A mezuzah is a piece of parchment (often contained in a decorative case) inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah

Midrash Midrash is the process of imaginative interpretation by which the rabbis filled in ‘gaps’ found in the Torah.

Mitzvah Mitzvah means a religious commandment. It can also mean a good deed.

Oneg Literally meaning ‘delight of the Sabbath’ an oneg Shabbat is a celebration of

Shabbat, usually with songs, music and refreshments.

Parsha The weekly Torah portion.

RSY-Netzer The Zionist youth movement of the Movement for Reform Judaism.

Shabbat The Jewish Sabbath.

Shacharit Morning prayers.

Siddur Prayer book.

Talmud The comprehensive written version of the Jewish oral law and the subsequent

commentaries on it.

T'fillah Prayer.

Tikkun Olam Tikkun Olam is Judaism envisioning an ideal world. Often translated to mean

'repair of the world', and even as social justice, tikkun olam underpins our

religious way of life and perspective that works towards a time of peace – not

just ending war, but a time of prosperity, health and justice for all

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