A Busy Month at the Synagogue Celebrate Shavuot Saturday evening, 19 May Service at 7.30 pm, followed by Tikkun Leyl (study session) with cheesecake! Festival service, At the Communal Seder the Rabbi presented prizes to the finders of the Sunday 20 May, hidden afikomen 10.30 am In This Month’s Highlight View from the Chair ..........................2 Jewish Farming Week ........................2 Inheritors and Creators ......................3 RJ distance learning for conversion classes ................................................3 The meaning of Shavuot ....................3 Cheder News ......................................4 Social Centre News ............................4 AJEX film show .................................5 On the last day of the Cheder term the children of the Gan made afikomen SE10 and Beyond ...............................5 covers in preparation for their Pesach sedarim Remembering Bob Harmes ................5 Social and Personal ............................6 Bromley Three Faiths Forum .............6 Leaving Party for the Rabbi ...............6 Shemesh Summer Camp ....................6 Holocaust Survivor Centre Project ....6 Surviving in Warsaw ..........................7 Lehrhaus at Leo Baeck College .........8 We were there too ..............................8 Services ..............................................8 Bromley Beit Midrash ........................8 CCJ Anniversary Event ......................8 Dates for Your Diary ..........................9 During the Yom Hashoah service on the first day of the new Cheder term Chagigah 2018 ...................................9 the children of each class kindled memorial lights in turn Eleanor Marx play ............................10 May 2018 - Shavuot 5778 Advertisements ................................10 A Catalogue of Chairs - View from the Chair Sadeh by Michelle Brooks Evans The field and all that are in it will hen I was asked to write “View Another chair recently enjoyed by a lot rejoice Wfrom the Chair” this month I of us was at the Communal Seder at shul on thought, “What am I going to write 31 March. Once again the organisation by Jewish farming week about?” However I decided to take a Harriet Posner and her many helpers was 14 - 20 May 2018 literal approach and tell you about the impressive. Rabbi Jason led the service and views from a few chairs in my life, and we were lucky to have Vicki leading us in hence a bit about me. song. I found myself sitting in a shul that One of the first chairs I ever remember I first visited when I was 15. However, was in the garden of my grandparents’ as I looked around I was sitting with my courtyard in Tehran, Iran. During the long husband and four children: Lili, Esther, summer months that we used to spend Lloyd and Ezra. I reflect on Judaism’s there much of our time was spent outside. positive perspective on the unending circle My grandparents lived in a house with of life and the continuity of generations. Would you love to try out farming, a courtyard that was shared with mostly Even at the close of a period of mourning, growing vegetables and getting your Muslim neighbours. As my brother and one Jew says to another, “Af simchas” – let hands dirty? Are you interested in I were the youngest grandchildren there us come together again at times of joy. Just finding out what Jewish farming means we had our own little chairs. These were after a baby boy undergoes circumcision, and how Sadeh can nourish your mind, always placed under the tree for shade, the tension in the room is often released in body and soul? and the view was of a water fountain and laughter as the mohel wishes his parents What will I learn? jasmine growing everywhere. We spent the joy of bringing their son to the wedding In the field: Sadeh farm is based on many magical times with our family in Iran. canopy. permaculture and no dig systems. Get The beginning of Jewish history in What might be seen as a silly blessing ready to get muddy, learn how to feed Iran dates back to late biblical times. The for an eight-day-old infant actually reflects the soil and grow veggies. books of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah a communal orientation filled with hope. Jewish education: Learn about earth- all contain references to the life and The ritual belongs not only to the child’s based Judaism, our agricultural experiences of Jews in Iran. In the book of family, but also reminds others present of traditions and the spirituality of Ezra, the Persian kings were credited with farming. Our Jewish educator, Rachel similar ceremonies held, so this moment allowing and helping the Jews to return to Rose Reid, Kohenet, will be leading links them to other Jews across time, tying Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This this journey. took place in the late 6th century BCE and, their personal history with that of the Jewish people. Land and food preservation education: by this time, there was a well-established explore land ownership, our current Jewish community in what was then called My son Lloyd celebrated his bar systems and how to preserve and keep Persia. The number of Jews in Iran has mitzvah on 14 April. This was the Shabbat the food we grow. dwindled and some put it as low as 8,500. corresponding to Israel’s 70th year of its Shavuot The majority now live in either Israel or independence. It was wonderful to see the This week will conclude with a Shavuot- Los Angeles. Being of Persian Jewish shul filled to bursting point, with family, focused Shabbat, where we will be heritage has certainly greatly influenced friends and community coming together. inviting others to join us. my life, especially with food and music. Yom Ha’Atzmaut commemorates when Many of the Ashkenazi traditions in this David Ben-Gurion, who was Israel’s first This programme is sponsored by Moishe House. country were alien to me and, until I came prime minister, publicly read Israel’s to Bromley shul, I had never had a fish ball Declaration of Independence. So happy The programme takes place over or gefilte fish in my life. anniversary to Israel and l’chaim as you Shavuot and, though we will wrap the The view from the chairs at my celebrate life. The festivities of Lloyd’s programme up Sunday night, there will grandparents’ house in Florida played a bar mitzvah were continued in the evening be an option to stay an extra day for those who would like to keep second big part of my life. When my grandparents when he was carried high on a chair to Hava day Shavuot. Food, peace, company left Tehran they settled in Florida with Nagila. I think his view from the chair and good walks will all be available. the rest of my uncles, aunts and cousins. might have been a bit scary, for those of They were split with other cousins going you who know Lloyd, this was a great feat No experience needed! to Los Angeles. Still the family stuck to of strength as he is a 6 foot rugby player! Cost of the programme is £120, though its sacrosanct Friday night Shabbat dinners, Lifting the chair is all about singling the bar no-one will be turned away for lack where my grandma would cook all week. mitvah out for celebration and having fun. of funds. Her house and many chairs were open to Please email talia.chain@sadehfarm. everyone and her cooking was famous, The final chair I am going to mention is co.uk for an application form if you with up to 25 of us at the dinner table. The the one at the AGM in March. Here I was would like to apply. typical Shabbat dinner was rice, chicken honoured to become joint Vice Chair. So I and gondi, which is like a dumpling made look forward to sharing many views from You have to be over 18 to attend this from ground chicken or veal with chickpea many chairs with many of you. programme. flour. Michelle Brooks Evans Copy date for June Highlight: Monday 14 May 2 Inheritors and Creators by Rabbi Jason Holtz Reform Judaism enhances his is my penultimate Highlight article, and use it to craft conversion classes with Tand I am writing it knowing that when Jewish life now and distance learning my final column is printed for the June for the future. Torah eform Judaism has just launched an Highlight, I will have already said goodbye. shouldn’t be seen as Rinnovative online learning programme Jodi and I are sad to be leaving, and we a finished product, for conversion candidates. couldn’t have asked for a better synagogue meant to be locked The online sessions, led by Rabbi Sybil over the past five years. But this is not my away and stunted. We Sheridan, are intended to complement last Highlight column, so onwards to an say, “Etz Chayim Hi – regular classes arranged and taught in otherwise “regular” column. It is a Tree of Life — a Living tree”. We synagogue communities. They will benefit must nurture Torah to grow into the future. This month is Shavuot, the festival that students living in remote areas or smaller In that way, Jewish life will be all the better celebrates the giving of the Torah, so I’d communities and those who might be for new expressions, and so will we, as we like to share with you my favourite story constrained by illness or disability. Students allow our creative impulses to flourish. about the Torah. It comes from a midrashic will have the support of a sponsoring work called Seder Eliyahu Rabbah. Reform Judaism recognizes the truth of rabbi and it is expected that all candidates Once there was a king who had two this story better than anyone. Reform isn’t participate in some form of local Jewish subjects that he loved.