Nature from the Editor

March 2021 the magazine of finchley progressive synagogue Nature From the Editor... darren beach “Come gentle spring/ two in the office feels like it would be an exciting Come at winter’s end/ day out... Gone is the pallow Seeing everyone on camera, in our gallery from a promise that’s of square boxes, has become so familiar as to be nature’s gift” (Talk the kind of thing you hardly give a thought to Talk, April 5th, 1986) any more. On one hand it’s a great way to stay in Every winter at touch without having to leave your front room, times gives you that and for sure it is incredibly democratic in the way feeling that it’s never it allows everyone to attend meetings, services, going to end, and this social calls and more no matter the weather or one in particular is proving to be a tough one if they have the time or the transport. However in many ways and not just because of the snow we all know deep down that it’s no substitute and ice. Nonetheless, climate change hasn’t yet for the real thing. changed the undeniable truth that ‘this too will Like all of you I’m very much looking forward pass’ and the onset of spring will soon be upon to the time when we can have the freedom us. to meet in the real world on our own terms. This month’s Shofar has a nature theme Regular readers of Shofar might have noticed which lends itself to a sense of hope and that I tend to like to throw in a borrowed lyric optimism. The greening of the fields and the or quote at some point in my piece. I thought trees, the sounds and smells of the natural this piece of optimism at the beginning would world waking up, is all a balm to stir our senses be pertinent as we tentatively tiptoe out of into positive thoughts. Knowing that things are the winter months. Written by the late, great going to change can be a big motivating factor. Mark Hollis, who died almost exactly two years And in the bigger scheme of things, it signals the ago, its sparse and haunting sound is to me like dawning of what we hope will be a way out of spring awakening from hibernation - which is the locked-down impasse we all find ourselves what we all want. in. Like many in our community, I was lucky enough to have my first vaccine in February, and I feel hopeful that if people and government pull in the same direction we can get close to some kind of normality again - when it’s safe to do so - by the summer. I for one am certainly hoping the schools get back to normal! Even a day or Cover photo: Adrian Lister Copy deadline is the 10th of each month. Please email all content to [email protected] 2 From the Rabbi rabbi rebecca birk God placed us in the Garden to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15) I am thinking about Spring beginning. My Ruben started a shared gardening business during lockdown; clearing sheds, tidying and mowing. He and fellow FPSnik and LJY-Netzer, Raphy K-F, will do anything they can to fund their Gap year travel (when they are allowed to go). Landscape designers they are not; but have they both learned about gardens, plants and the seasons? Yes, indeed they have. Are they more Meitzar karati yah v’anani v’merchav yah. So aware of the coming of Spring than ever before? says Psalm 118 we will recite at Pesach; “From Most certainly. a narrow place I cried to you and you answered Few of us have the good fortune to be me with wide expansiveness.” outdoors every day and to make our living from the nurturing of green things. In these past you are the difference / roger slater months, actually a year since our first lockdown, On the day we went to press we learned Barby the one thing remaining open and available has Slater died. This piece feels even more poignant. been our green spaces. And what a tonic they have been. We discovered the Totteridge open History is full of drama, sweeping gestures that space circular loop; an hour’s walk that can fool paint in great swathes across the horizons of you into thinking you’ve left London. And here our lives. And beneath these primary-coloured in my own garden I am waiting for the salmon brush strokes that inundate perception and pink tulip and white anemone bulbs I planted leave the eyes almost blinded to the reality after Rosh Hashanah to push up in time for, or of ordinariness are smaller details of all that perhaps a little after Passover. I have a new- is truly valuable: The tight-packed shale of found appreciation for all that is green, because friendship which holds the roof and lets us it literally has sustained me. stand a little straighter; the infinitesimal act of “Grant me the ability to be alone”, wrote love which, with its silent roar of declaration, Nachman of Bratzlav in the 18th century; “may challenges the very storm and cries “ this is us”. it be my custom to go outdoors each day among These primordial screams of our inner the trees and grass - among all growing things silences, these unconquerable declarations of and there may I be alone, and enter into prayer, all that matters, these cries of oak as it is split by to talk with the One to whom I belong.” Jove’s own bolt, these are our own declarations Just as the grass and growing things are of a deeper, greater love than nature ever pushing through, so is our life and our freedom. recognized. There has been much casualty through all this These are phone calls and messages from suffering and I am so conscious of so many friends. These are small gestures that do not loved ones lost. But things are opening: Min Ha Continued on page 15 3 From the Chair tamara joseph At the top of my FPS ‘to do’ list it says in bold: (us!) and how important it People First. Relationships First. That’s what is for progressive Jews to really lies at the heart of synagogue life. participate and contribute. In addition to our personal, internal Please consider nominating relationships we have important external yourself for election! relationships with people and organisations Lockdown has made which also require and deserve our attention collaborating with LJ and focus. and with other Liberal Council keeps a close eye on the ‘strategic synagogues so much relationships’ with our High Holy Days Charities, easier. We’ve enjoyed services with other the Board of Deputies and Liberal Judaism communities; taken part in topical weekly regularly asking ourselves - why do these briefings for synagogue chairs and Beverley relationships matter; is the money we spend Kafka has been invited to join an LJ advisory on them justifiable, and how can we make board to develop a joint Liberal and Reform relationships stronger, more fruitful and more training course for lay people to provide care for effective? people in their communities. And very recently To increase the impact of our giving we are the new LJ Chair Ruth Seagar was a guest at our weaving the work of our High Holy Day charities Shabbat morning service.. into the life of the community. On International I encourage you to help us to build and End Violence Against Women Day we heard from strengthen our relationship with our national community champion Andrea Collett about the movement. Please use the click-through link work of Jewish Women’s Aid; Rebecca preached in our weekly email to sign up for LJ’s weekly about food poverty, reminding us about e-bulletin to hear what they are up to and Foodbank Aid North London and Adam Ognall access some wonderful programming from our shared with us the progress of the NIF project sister congregations – also put our Biennial Team of Equals. Conference in your diary for the weekend of 30 This month’s Shofar contains information April – 2 May. Hope to see you there! about the upcoming elections for the new Triennal session of the Board of Deputies. You may be surprised to hear we even discussed at council whether we should continue to send Deputies to the Board; our relationship with them; the value it brings us and, if we continue, how we make the relationship as effective as possible. How lucky we were to be joined by Gillian Merron recently who made a compelling case for participating in a democratic organisation that seeks to represent the wider Jewish community 4 Notice Board challenge at the board / stanley volk Board of Deputies president Marie Van der Zyl is being challenged in the forthcoming elections this May by Jonathan Neumann, deputy for Shomrei Hadath Synagogue. As an incumbent it was expected that Marie would be unopposed. Mr Neumann who trained as a charity lawyer is the author of the book “To Heal the World?: How the Jewish Left Corrupts Judaism and Endangers Israel”. As a member of Facebook’s Private Group, Deputies Discuss, this challenge has sparked debate over the meaning of Tikkun Olam with members of the group. Locally too, we are reviewing candidacy for BoD representatives. As one of your current deputies, I am looking for your support to continue. Apart from Deputies Discuss, I’m active in the Progressive Deputies Group, whose aim is to raise the profile of Reform and Liberal Judaism, which at this time is even more important.

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