Woodford Liberal Synagogue

bimah September – October 2015

shana tova

] 1 [

WLS New Council – a fresh start

Following the AGM on 21 May 2015, new officers and members of council were elected – see picture. From left to right, your council members (with their roles/responsibilities in brackets) are:

Bob Kamall (Vice-Chair) | Alice Wilcock (Vice-Chair) | Mel Millenbach (Co-Treasurer) David Gold (Security and Events) | Tina Gold (Co-Treasurer) Ben Glassman (Rites and Practices) | Jonny Hurst (Chair) Dan Rowson (New council member) | Richard Stephens (Administration) Merle Muswell (Membership and PR) | Michelle Levy (New council member)

Missing from the picture are Ben Fryer (Legal) and Zara Hajioff (Inclusion) who make up the rest of the WLS council. CANDY PARFITT CANDY Photo:

22nd November 2015

This year St. Anne's Church are joining us with our Mitzvah Day projects. We are collecting for Jason Lee House, . Please ensure all food items are in date – we will collect dry food items, toiletries, crockery, etc. Please leave your donations in a bag or box in the synagogue annexe. Volunteers are required to help – please contact MERLE MUSWELL – tel. 07961 336 543 or email [email protected]

] 1 [ High Holy Day 2015 Venue

PLEASE NOTE: This year, all High Holy Day services will be held 'at home' at Marlborough Road EXCEPT the MORNING Service for Rosh Hashanah. This will be held at Woodford Memorial Hall on High Road, , next to St Mary's Church. On this day the Tots’ and Children’s services will be held in the Memorial Hall's adjacent rooms.

All of the details and times can be found on the back of your High Holy Day tickets.

Parking in the vicinity of the Memorial Hall is rather limited. Please look at the map below to locate where the local car parks are situated. Also please note car parking fees will apply. There is some parking in the side streets near the Memorial Hall but keep in mind that this is fairly limited. At present, as far as we know, parking may be charged in Marlborough Road on Yom Kippur, as it falls on a weekday this year.

If you are travelling by public transport, South Woodford tube station is about a 10 minute walk away, but we hope to organise lifts from the station. The 179 bus from Chingford Station stops opposite the Memorial Hall. The W13 also stops near the Memorial Hall.

If you require a lift from the tube station, please contact Donna at the Synagogue office. For those who are able to provide lifts to other members from the station we would be most grateful if you could also contact Donna with your details.

179 and W13 bus stops Derby Road Car Park

MEMORIAL HALL

South Woodford Library Car Park

] 2 [ HighHIGH Holy HOLY Day DAY Services SERVICES 2015 2015–5776 - 5776

ADMISSION TO THE HIGH HOLY DAY SERVICES IS STRICTLY BY THIS TICKET ONLY. IT MUST BE PRESENTED AT THE DOOR AT EACH SERVICE AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE.

SELICHOT SERVICE & Preparation for High Holy Days Saturday 5th September at WLS 9.30pm-12am EREV ROSH HASHANAH (Eve of New Year) Sunday 13th September at WLS 8.00pm ROSH HASHANAH MAIN SERVICE (New Year) Monday 14th September at Woodford Memorial Hall 10.30am ROSH HASHANAH CHILDRENʼS SERVICE* Monday 14th September at Woodford Memorial Hall 11.15am ROSH HASHANAH TOTSʼ SERVICE** Monday 14th September at Woodford Memorial Hall 12.30pm WHOLE COMMUNITY KIDDUSH Monday 14th September at Woodford Memorial Hall 1.15pm EREV SHABBAT SHUVAH (Eve of Sabbath of Penitence) Friday 18th September at WLS 8.00pm SHABBAT SHUVAH Saturday 19th September at WLS 10.30am KOL NIDRE (Eve of Day of Atonement) Tuesday 22nd September at WLS 8.00pm YOM KIPPUR MORNING SERVICES *** (Day of Atonement) Wednesday 23rd September at WLS 10.30am Additional Service 1.00pm Family & Totsʼ Service**** 3.00 pm Afternoon Service 4.15pm Memorial Service (Yizkor) 5.15pm Concluding Service (Neilah) 6.15pm Approximate time of conclusion 7.40 pm, followed by Havdallah and break of fast. * This service will be for children of school age and will be led by the Cheder teachers. It will be followed by activities on a Rosh Hashanah theme. ** This service will be for children of pre-school age and their parents/guardians. *** Two formats of Morning Service will be offered – a traditional formal service and an informal service. **** This service will be especially suitable for children, young people and their families. Details of Sukkot and Simchat Torah celebrations below Please Note Note ––

1. Please pay close attention to the venues given for each service for High Holy Days (overleaf) and Sukkot/Simchat Torah (below). We do want you to come to the right place at the right time! 2. The full address of Woodford Memorial Hall is High Road, South Woodford, London E18 2QF. The full address of Bet Tikvah Synagogue is Perrymans Farm Road, , Essex IG2 7LX. 3. Please ensure you bring your own copy of the prayer book Machzor Ruach Chadashah with you. Copies should be purchased from the Synagogue office before the High Holy Days. 4. The fast should be a full 24-hour period, though tradition has made it 25 hours. Liberal Judaism acknowledges some members might wish to keep the traditional times, which are: Fast starts 22nd September at 18:45 and ends 23rd September at 19:44. Sukkot and and Simchat Simchat Torah Torah Celebrations Celebrations – –

EREV SUKKOT* Decorating of Sukkah ...... Sunday, 27th September at 5.30pm Chavurah** Supper...... Sunday, 27th September at 6.30pm Service start time ...... 7.20pm Service concludes ...... 8.00pm SUKKOT MORNING...... Monday, 28th September at 11.00 am at Bet Tikvah EREV SIMCHAT TORAH SERVICE followed by Chavurah Savoury Finger Buffet***...... Sunday, 4th October at 6.30pm SIMCHAT TORAH MORNING...... Monday, 5th October at 11.00 am at Bet Tikvah

* These events will be especially suitable for children and young people. ** Chavurah, meaning ʻfriendshipʼ, is a bring and share meal, giving us the opportunity to eat and talk together. Please bring vegetarian or permitted fish main courses and/or desserts. *** Please inform the synagogue office of numbers of children under the age of 13yrs planning to attend the Erev Simchat Torah Service, for catering purposes, as we will be providing light refreshments for this age group during the Service.

] 3 [ Jonny Hurst’s first Chairman’s column…

At the first council meeting reason for belonging is to attend services, for I chaired since being the cheder, for social reasons, ʻall of the elected, I set a simple aboveʼ or something else. But there cannot be task: I asked everyone a community unless we work collectively to present (with the exception maintain the one we have been fortunate to of Rabbi Richard) to inherit. We owe a great debt to our founding complete anonymously the members who had the vision, strength and following sentence: capability to create what has become WLS today. And it is, arguably, just as much of a “I am a member of Woodford Liberal challenge to maintain what our founders built Synagogueʼs council because …”. for us.

Not surprisingly, one theme came over in the I served on the synagogue council for nine responses time and time again: the sense of years before taking the chair and had the wanting to help and play a greater part in our privilege of working with a number of talented community. and committed individuals who have had the “I want our community to be the best it can determination and wisdom to steer the be”. community through a succession of challenges. And it is they who have really “I want to help make and implement the enshrined in me a real sense of what our ʻdifficultʼ decisions.” community is and why it is so important to cherish what we have and to take collective “I would like to be part of the team and put responsibility for the safeguarding of its future. something back.” That is why I have made sure that I have been “Our community has a special identity and at the forefront of the discussions with Bet culture and Iʼd like to see that continue.” Tikvah over the possible merger since I took the chair. I want to make sure that we make “Iʼd like to help shape the future of the the ʻright decisionʼ – for what is in Woodfordʼs community - merger or no merger.” best long term interests and that we do so on “Woodford matters to me: I want to help us terms which are consistent with our values. move forward, thrive and grow.” I have punctuated the remainder of this article Impressive stuff. Particularly when these were with some of the remaining quotes from the comments of just one member of council! council members from my first council meeting. Three other council members made similar comments: “Most of us will have times when we need to ʻtakeʼ, so that should, wherever possible, be “I want to promote Liberal Judaism as a whole balanced by the times when we are able to and be part of an LJ community – giving ʻgiveʼ.” something back to ensure a rounded community.” I attended our AGM in 2006 and listened to a passionate speech by the then chair, Simon “I want to be involved with the community and Benscher. Simon was pleading for more help and support it to thrive and prosper.” volunteers to support an overworked synagogue council. At the time, I had been a “I care about WLS and feel that by being on member for the best part of ten years. I had council Iʼm giving something to the community done much ʻtakingʼ, but, in my mind, I had by my involvement.” been involved in much ʻgivingʼ too – after all, A sense of community is something which I paid my annual subscriptions. So, should binds us all together whether your primary I have to ʻgiveʼ any more? After all, I was a

] 4 [ partner in a City law firm and had a young “I would like to try and increase involvement family to support. I thought that made it easy and engagement of younger members (20- for me to duck any further responsibility: for 35), particularly those who are newly married. years I kidded myself that I “didnʼt have the I want to be involved in the running of the time” or “the energy”. That was, of course, synagogue in a general sense and see if I can nonsense. I had time. Everybody has at least bring a new perspective.” some time – even if it is just a few hours per year. And if I had really wanted to find the I am very fortunate to lead a council which has energy, I could have done so, which is, of a fantastic mix of youth and experience, course, something most of us who are including (I believe), for the first time in our blessed with reasonable health can do. history, four talented members under the age of 33: Ben Glassman, Ben Fryer, Zara Hajioff So what, in the end, made me volunteer? and Dan Rowson. It is refreshing to see so I heard Simonʼs plea and ʻgot it.ʼ many new faces who have already contributed Communities donʼt run themselves. Nor so much to our community and who are should they rely on the ʻsame old, same oldʼ already offering a fresh vision for the future. people year after year. We all get tired. At I am hopeful that other ʻtwenty, thirty and forty- times we feel unappreciated. Occasionally we somethingsʼ will now follow their lead and take disagree with each other. But when you see a more active involvement in our community. the smile of the faces of the audience (adults and children) at a Purim Spiel, when you “I have been a member of WLS and involved comfort the bereaved family of a deceased in many aspects of shul life for over 25 years member or make a contribution at the council and hope I can bring some experience to table, it all makes it all worthwhile. I donʼt council. I would like to use this experience to have the same skill-set as Simon or any other hand over to the next generation of member of council. Woodford.” I donʼt have the same skills as you – please donʼt ask me to cook, do any DIY or anything Having a blend of youth and experience is any else of a practical nature! But thatʼs the point football managerʼs dream and itʼs no different – we all have something to offer – something as a synagogue chair. We are privileged to to bank on the ʻgivingʼ side for the times we have two former chairs serving on council, may need to ʻtakeʼ in the future. Iʼm not saying Bob Kamall and Richard Stevens, along with a that you have to ʻgiveʼ before you ʻtakeʼ – of number of other conscientious, hard-working course not. But the reality is that once we members who, collectively, have clocked up reach adulthood, if we want to sustain our decades of diligent service to the community: community, we should be asking ourselves the Tina and David Gold, Merle Muswell and Mel question “how shall I contribute” rather than Millenbach. Long may they serve on council to leaving it to someone else. continue their hard work, but, equally, I hope their successors will emerge from the general I like to think that when I retire, I will be able to synagogue membership, like I did nine years hold my head up and enjoy a return on the ago – perhaps as a result of reading this time I have invested in our community: I hope piece. And of course, there is still plenty of there will be someone like Harriet and Russell room for the ʻfifty, sixty, seventy and eighty- or Ben and Zara to run our Friendship Club. somethingsʼ who arenʼt currently volunteering I hope that the ʻnext David Goldʼ will organise to provide wise counsel and play a significant a quiz or a dance and that there will be part in our team as well. community-minded volunteers like Merle Muswell and the rest of the Woodford-in- “When I was a child, my father took me to shul Touch team to give me a call or pay me a visit and there were men in top hats sat around the to discuss Englandʼs latest Ashes defeat if and bimah. I thought they must be special when I become less mobile. If more of us members. I have now found that I am one of volunteer today, we will all benefit tomorrow. those men, but with no top hat….”

] 5 [ This member of council says he isnʼt ʻspecialʼ. nature which the council member above was Oh, but he is! Except heʼs not like those referring to. And unlike the men in top hats, pompous, self-important men in top hats some thatʼs what makes us ʻspecialʼ. Itʼs worth of us remember from the past. Our team of investing in, isnʼt it? volunteers donʼt need badges of honour like If this piece has resonated with you, please do top hats or a special seat in shul. give me a call or send me an email so we can “When I joined WLS, it was so welcoming that discuss what you can do for your community: when the request was made to get involved, to help keep us all warm. There is always I decided it was time to give something back something to do, whatever your background, to the community”. skill-set or experience. And you might surprise yourself, like I did. Nine years on, Iʼm still I attended three consecutive (but very volunteering and get huge satisfaction from different) Saturday morning services at WLS the work I do. I still have a demanding day in July prior to writing this piece – Stan job and a family to fit in as well, but I make it Shuteʼs Barmitzvah, a family service when we work (most of the time). It might be seen as a said an emotional ʻgoodbyeʼ to cheder head mitzvah by some, but to me, itʼs simply a teacher Josh Newham, and a service when pleasure and an honour. we were joined by thirty members of Bet Tikvah, which was led by our Nick Young. I wish the community a happy New Year – Iʼm sure the warmth we generated on each Shanah tovah – of those occasions could have heated up the Jonny Hurst whole of Redbridge! Thatʼs the ʻwelcomingʼ Chair, Woodford Liberal Synagogue

If you can spare some time, please call or email Jonny and let him know how you can help your community. You could join one of our committees which looks after the synagogue or offer to help us with: Security / Friendship Club/ Catering / Woodford-in-Touch / Teaching / Financial / Building maintenance / Rites and Practices / Fundraising / Running events / Choir / Kiddish / Social events /or any novel community idea you may have!

Kol Nidre 2015

Woodford Liberal Synagogue Council members have chosen the following three recipients for the 2015 Kol Nidre Appeal:

Women of the Stevens-Johnson Woodford Torah Wall Syndrome Scrolls

] 6 [ Choices and Decisions

Approaching these refresh and renew our community. We might High Holy Days has a decide that our best future is to continue as very different feeling for Woodford Liberal Synagogue, or we could me. They might be our choose to become a part of a larger, more last as Woodford diverse and stronger community by merging Liberal Synagogue and with Bet Tikvah. Your Council is determined to that gives me cause of follow the guiding principle of Liberal Judaism, stop and reflect on what namely informed choice, to give every will be gained and lost if member the opportunity to contribute to the the major change, in the form of a merger, decision-making. I know they are confident comes about. These will also be my tenth that the wisest decision will be made by the High Holy Day services at Woodford, having membership when everyone has the first joined you for Erev information, has Rosh Hashanah 5767, when considered the emotional the evening services were and spiritual aspects of the held at Marlborough Road decision too, and has held and the day services held at respectful discussions Oaks Lane in their wonderful This year, as about the proposals. round sanctuary. For the first time in its Over the decade, our day- a community, history, Woodford is time Yom Kippur services providing the movement of have been held at four we have Liberal Judaism with two different venues – Oaks key leadership roles. Lane, Bet Tikvah, the Simon Benscher is now the Memorial Hall, and important Chairperson of Liberal Marlborough Road. Each Judaismʼs Council while, time we have had to change decisions in together with Rabbi venue or chosen to change Alexandra Wright of the venue, the Rites and front of us Liberal Jewish Synagogue, Practices Committee, I am chairing the Rabbinic Council and I have sought to Conference. Through adapt and innovate to individuals and as a respond to the new community, I hope this year situation. The congregation will see us as leaders in has benefitted from, for example, an additional making good decisions wisely and sensitively. Totsʼ service on Rosh Hashanah morning and an alternative service on Yom Kippur morning. Lyn and all my family join me in wishing This has equal status to the service in the everyone at Woodford a happy and healthy sanctuary, but gives the opportunity to turn 5776. I hope it will be a year during which we fewer pages and to reflect on the key themes grow stronger and more confident as a of Yom Kippur through prayer and study. community and make the decisions that are genuinely in the best interests of the current This year, as a community, we have important and future congregation. Lʼshanah tovah! decisions in front of us and I hope we will see them as opportunities to adapt, innovate, Rabbi Richard Jacobi

] 7 [ Next two Bar/Bat Mitzvah children

Hi, Iʼm Ethan and I have been going to My name is Clara Greenhalgh and I go to Cheder at Woodford Liberal Synagogue for Willowfield Humanities College in about 4 years now. Walthamstow. My favourite subject is design technology. I have spent the last 10 months studying for my Bar Mitzvah. There were four of us in the I have a brother and sister (Samuel and group at the beginning of the year and we met Josephine) who are seven and ten. each week to practise our blessings and Torah portions, the group really bonded. I have attended cheder since I was six years old and have always enjoyed it. My favourite Iʼve enjoyed attending Sashaʼs Bat Mitzvah festivals are Passover and Rosh Hashanah. and Stanʼs Bar Mitzvah and, after Claraʼs, Iʼm up next! I am looking forward to my bat mitzvah as I have learnt so much and am ready to show Many friends and family will be coming to that through the service. watch me become Bar Mitzvah in synagogue and I hope members of the community will come to celebrate with us.

After the service we are having a Kiddush and then later that night a big party to celebrate.

The Ladies’ Quiz – 14th July

The Ladies Quiz went very well. It seemed to be enjoyed by all who attended from both Barkingside and Woodford.

Many compliments were received on the ʻlight refreshmentsʼ provided and we made an excess of almost £800 which was divided between the two Synagogues.

Thanks go to David Gold and his team of merry men for writing and presenting a great quiz. We look forward to the full main quiz later on in the year or early next year, bringing the two communities together again. Jenny Sclaire (Editor)

] 8 [ Cheder Headteacher waves goodbye…

Thank you all so much for the kind wishes, them leave for university with greater messages, cards, presents and send off that confidence. you gave me in July. I have worked with some excellent teachers, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as wonderful parents and, above all, some headteacher at Woodford and have loved fabulous children. I truly believe that Woodford working with the young people of our is blessed with a lovely group of children who community. I have overseen a number of B'nei will continue to make us proud as they grow up and B'not mitzvah and have been proud of into the young members and future leaders of every single one of them. Watching children the community. Woodford has offered me so enjoy the activities that we have planned for much and helped to develop me as a person them and see them run up the stairs with and professional. excitement has always been a highlight for me. After eight years as headteacher of Woodford From singing with the youngsters in tots Liberal Synagogue Cheder, I cannot just say services to leading Yachdav trips to Wales and goodbye and never return. I will definitely exciting projects for LJ, I have loved every continue to be an active member of this minute! wonderful community and I promise not to be Working with young staff, many of whom have a stranger. come through the Cheder ranks, has been With warmest wishes for the New Year – most fulfilling and I have enjoyed nurturing and developing the young teachers and seeing Josh

Building a truly inclusive community

We are working to ensure that Woodford is • Welcome congregants welcoming and accessible for all. Everyone • Provide assistance to congregants should have the opportunity to feel part of a throughout the service community. We therefore wish to remove any • Provide musical accompaniment barriers which may prevent people with disabilities from engaging in synagogue • Prepare kiddush activities. • Help us to set up at the start and tidy at the end Following the lead of Finchley Reform • Supervise parking and transport Synagogue, we will be holding an all-inclusive Shabbat morning service on 28th November We also welcome volunteers to assist with 2015, inviting individuals with learning preparation of service content, music, materials disabilities, physical disabilities and mental and resources. health difficulties from the local area, and If we do not have enough volunteers on the day welcoming all. we will not be able to run the service, so please Please come along, and find yourself moved, get in contact if you can help in any way. enlightened, uplifted and proud to be part of a To find out more, please contact Zara Fryer community that embraces and celebrates (email: [email protected] or phone: 07976 difference. 007 735) or join us for our planning meeting after the Shabbat Shuvah Service on Saturday If you would like to have a more hands-on role 19th September, at WLS. in organisation and planning, we need volunteers on the day to: Rabbi Richard, Mich Sampson and Zara Fryer

] 9 [ • Affordable Quality Work • A Fast Response • Highly Skilled • Free Estimates

Call your local, reliable repair specialist Karl Ward on 07968 230 767

Big Enough to Cope, Small Enough to Care

] 10 [ Welcome New Members

Katrin (known as Rachel Nitsche), Josh Hurst Alex Dacosta-Fraser Friend of Woodford James Peterson Leah Simmons Charlie Rose Hannah Fellman Talia Gee Knit & Natter Group James Rose Maayan Cohen- Yasmina Hurst The Knitting Group will most likely Morton Olivia Nineberg meet after the High Holy Days. Freddie Osborn Dylan Cooper-Parry When the date is decided it will be Amber Osborn sent out on the weekly e-mail and Katie Joy Rothstein Sophie Gillespie a notice will be put on the shul Miles Rothstein Nathan Wilson noticeboard advising the exact date. Friendship Club Think you should do more exercise but donʼt really enjoy it? The last meeting of the Friendship Club Sort of like walking but not dawdling? Have you thought of trying was at the end of August. NORDIC WALKING in Epping Forest? At the time of going to print a future day I thought about it numerous times but as had not yet been set. usual did nothing… until this summer when I decided to bite the bullet and try the Please keep watch in the weekly email FREE taster session. Enjoyed it? You bet! for the next date. If you want information, please email me – [email protected] – and Iʼll send you details of the local instructor. New Burial & Cremation secretaries

The Synagogue council is delighted to A speedy recovery… confirm that Tracey Grant and Dan Janoff have been appointed as WLS's joint Burial and Cremation Secretaries in place of Jonny Hurst. to All who are unwell at this time Please contact Dan or Tracey with any funeral-related queries on: E-mail: [email protected] Our Condolences to … Mobile: 07711 107 153

WLS member and former Otherwise, the same procedure applies in Synagogue bookkeeper, the event of the death of a member. In Susan Kaye, on the order of priority, you should contact: passing of her father, (1) Dan and Tracey (see above) Harry, in July. (2) Ronnie King (Michael King Funeral Directors): 020 8368 7453 or Stonesetting … 07595 956 936 l’’z For Ros Avnir at 2pm, 6th September, at (3) Synagogue Administrator/Office: the Kinson Cemetery, South Kinson Drive, 020 8989 7619 Bournemouth BH11 8AA

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