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.

5 Board of Deputies Election janet tresman

The Board of Deputies of British Jews was and also dealing with employment, education, established 260 years ago and has arrived in the and similar issues. There are many other 21st century as a campaigning, representative, working groups. I was co-opted onto the Family community and educational body devoted Law Group as soon as I became an FPS Deputy. to the welfare of Jews in the UK and overseas We are a group of mainly family law specialist territories. It is concerned with every aspect of lawyers and have dealt with Brit Milah, kashrut, Jewish life from cradle to grave, past present marriages, organ transplants, burial to name and future. Its constituencies are synagogues, just a few. and special interest Jewish groups, all listed on Until the 1970s, Deputies came from United the Board’s website. The Deputies, all voluntary Synagogues, Sephardi and some Charedi/Hasidic are elected by these bodies as their delegates communities. The affiliated groups were not as to the Board. The Board has a professional staff diverse as they are today and unlikely to have headed by their Chief Executive Officer, Gillian any Deputies of colour (there are still too few), Merron, known as The Baroness Merron since or any from the LGBT+ community. Similarly 28th January 2021 and shortly to leave the there were very few, if any women deputies. Board. The staff undertake the Board’s policy You may be aware that Reform and Liberal decided by the Deputies. Jews were not welcome. That has definitely At the beginning of each triennium, Deputies changed and is continuously improving with are registered as elected by their constituencies increased representation in the Divisions and and they elect honorary officers, the President the honorary officers, not to forget the various and 5 Vice Presidents. youth representations, not just refreshing but Each Vice President heads up a division of vital if the invaluable work of the Board is to the Board whose work is dealing with everyday continue. concerns and projects concerning Jewish life in I consider the input the UK. The work of the international division of all these groups, and deals, mostly but not exclusively, with Israeli in particular the Liberals, relations with the UK and ours with them. has changed the Board’s Deputies have a responsibility to attend outlook, but it still has a plenary sessions of the Board. There are usually long way to go. I would 10 per year, 9 of which are in London and one in encourage members of another region, all currently online. There are FPS, under 35s or older, additional meetings and events with celebrated to get involved and be the speakers. Board of the future. I have found being a Deputy Approximately 80 of the 250 + Deputies are to be a great honour and a way to contribute to elected at the first plenary of the triennium our community. I am not planning to retire yet to work in one of the Divisions. I have been but would welcome fellow congregants to seek elected 3 times to work in the Defence Division election at our forthcoming AGM. defending the lives and liberties of British Jews. Of course this means combatting anti-Semitism

6 FPS People’s Page people welcome to new members condolences to Anna Freeman; Paul Richman Joan Shopper & family on the death of Howard Caroline & John Sansone; Max Rebuck in February mazal tov to Roger Slater & family on the death of Barby in Bobbie Hood on her admission to the Liberal February Judaism family in February happy birthday to Raina Sheridan, Lesley Trenner and Sharon & members celebrating milestone birthdays Richard Pierce on their new homes in March: Ruth Hudson, Roger Marks, Mark Beverley Aarons on finishing her course of Long, Tami Nettler, Andrew Hochhauser, Daniel treatment & being cancer free Rosenberg, Adrian Lister, Ruth Logue Roger & Kitty Lyons on the birth of their 10th thanks to grandchild, Ezra Ren, son of Hannah & Rafael Jacquie Fawcett & Corinne Oppenheimer Lyons Singer for their ongoing telephone support to David Leibowitz & Gillian Stern who shared FPS members & to Beverley Kafka for her ‘nachus’ about their sons. Ben is about to move tremendous work expanding FPS welfare & care to Beijing where he will be Secondary Secretary Philippa Carr and the FPS Players for their novel Political, on Chinese Foreign Policy & Security in Purim Spiel the Middle East, Russia and India & Jonty is Ed Nina Steiger, Andrew & Zachary Muir on being Milband’s Political Advisor our Purim hosts. Huge congratulations to our own Rabbi Dr Frank Hellner, Sheila King Lassman & Corinne Oppenheimer who all featured in the London Jewish News 120 over 80s

a note about family announcements. 50/50 club draw winners, Please let us know in the office when you january 2021: have good news to share, grandchildren born, 1st James Oscarz Lassman £25 photos, joy to mark. We want to capture them 2nd Paul Miller £15 all. So please help us not to miss your life cycle 3rd Jake Silver-Myer £10 moments. [email protected] / [email protected] february 2021: 1st Jessica Lichtenstern £25 2nd Aaron Chrysostomou £15 3rd Barbara Shulman £10

7 Beit Tefillah services at fps

At the time of writing, FPS services are being held via Zoom video conferencing, links servicesto which are included – june in FPS / emails.sivan leading into tamuz

services- march / adar leading into nisan Friday 5 March 6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service Saturday 6 March 11.00am Shabbat Service Friday 12 March 6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service Saturday 13 March 11.00am Shabbat Service Friday 19 March 6.30pm Shabbat Resouled Saturday 20 March 11.00am Shabbat Service Friday 26 March 6.30pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service Saturday 27 March 11.00am Shabbat Service Sunday 28 March 11.00am Pesach Service 6.00pm Communal Seder

8 Pesach at FPS community events, all welcome!

9 Beit Midrash coming up at fps

10 To Zoom or Not To Zoom? josie kinchin

14th March 2020. A date I won’t forget. It displaying – either the Bimah or speaker view of was the very last time our synagogue was full someone reading for a mitzvah. I close down the of people for a service and my grandson Asher’s stream at Kiddush and swap to ‘Gallery View’ to Barmitzvah. Then, two weeks later, his friend, join everyone to wish ‘Shabbat Shalom’ so then Joe Balint-Kurti’s celebration was recorded and it’s just us! It works, it really does. These days, we replayed to a virtual congregation. ask people to confirm in writing their permission A week later, on behalf of the synagogue, I to stream their face if they are offered a mitzvah, purchased ZOOM. Bit like Marmite really – love that’s only fair under GDPR rules. it or hate it! In the beginning, Rabbi Rebecca Before I leave, I just want to shout out a ‘zoomed’ services from her home and then a few huge thank you, firstly to Rabbi Rebecca for services using her laptop in the synagogue and her virtual religiosity and calm in those difficult gradually, as we became more proficient, we technical moments, to Zoe Jacobs for her online added different events and finally, by the time innovation, to Michael Lassman and David we reached the HHDays, we had a whole new Lewis and their trainees at the control desk sound system and amazing cameras so that we in the synagogue operating the cameras and could beam out from our Bimah. I learnt how the sound. But that couldn’t happen without to stream the live Zoom feed to our ‘closed’ the help of Leo Mindel and Jon Fiber of NPLS Facebook group and if you’re a regular there, who assisted us with the sound and vision you’ll know that you only see the people on the purchases and installation and continue to be Bimah or someone who has been invited for the around to help with their technical expertise. Aliyah l’Torah or to read a prayer so, just like To my faithful co-host ‘on the door’ Valerie being there in real life. We now have the facility Joseph and able reinforcement, Paul Silver- to stream our services to the FPS open Facebook Myer, to the wonderful Adrian Lister, host of so page, to YouTube, to Twitter and as I write this, many educational and inspiring events, to my we’re working on enabling the FPS website to husband John Rubinstein for his technical back- pick up the feed. up in between Zoom Bar Mitzvah lessons and to Just to be clear, our amazing cameras do NOT all those who’ve stepped up to the plate to give visually record and display the congregation assistance. Thanks everyone and thanks to you, (what congregation?). They are in a fixed position our wonderful congregation, young and old, in place of the old projector and although who’ve learnt a new way of virtual prayer. And you at home using Zoom might have it set for we pray that it won’t be for much longer! ‘Gallery View’ and you sit at home watching 25 people getting up, down, scratching their nose, drinking coffee or eating a sandwich and then maybe scroll to the next page for similar views of another 25, I don’t see that because I keep Zoom on ‘Speaker View’ so that folk in the UK and around the world watching on those social media pages only see what the camera is

11 Book Review andrea narcin

journey through a small planet - to feed continually growing families, children to emmanuel litvinoff make sense of school, alien at best brutal (both This was the first teachers and children) and anti-Semitic at worst, book for a very and a teenager negotiating life on the street. long time that The emotions, smells and noises of the tough the whole of the life come through clearly, as do the indignities book club liked of the well-meaning and possibly self-serving unreservedly! encounters with charitable organisations. Emanuel Incidentally I would recommend the more Litvinoff was recent Penguin Modern Classics edition, whose born in 1915 appendix includes additional poems and essays and grew up in which promoted further discussion, particularly Whitechapel. He about relationships between Israel and Diaspora draws upon his Jews. memories of the East End to write a series of short stories that bring back to life the streets and atmosphere of the times. Litvinoff did not look kindly upon his life in the East End. He left it at the first opportunity, and did not look back sentimentally. Beautifully written, the stories are autobiographical, but each also stands alone as a vignette of a by- gone age with its poverty and casual cruelty. The separate stories combine to give a clear and sympathetic view of the author’s tough early my spring / sara dibb life. Too many springs to declare My personal favourite was the first story Each one different ‘Ancestors’; three men meet regularly to plot Yet each one the same the revolution and the downfall of ‘bloody The quiet white push of snowdrops followed by Capitalism’. Working as a tailor making soldiers bright daffodils shouting sunshine and greening uniforms, Golombek slips inflammatory leaflets to come. into the pockets while his friends distribute My mother’s death, my birth and always the them elsewhere. So far so good, until one of birds singing. them makes a bomb. What should they do? A Passover now, and then, soothing repeat, so short story that reminded me of Conrad’s ‘The many changes. Secret Agent’. Spring, so loud in its generosity of warmed hope Further stories portray life for a child whose That we too unfurl, father was sent back to Russia to fight for the Move beyond our scares and screens to stretch Tsar and never returned; struggles of mothers up high.

12 Passing the Baton lesley urbach

This year the Generation 2 Generation (G2G) their experiences. Holocaust Memorial Day event “Passing the Avital described her difficulty in imagining Baton - Holocaust Survivors in Conversation her strong and successful grandfather as a with Second and Third Generations” featured scrawny teenager surviving hand to mouth FPS member Susanna Rosenberg and her father and Susanna talked of her ongoing struggle to Sacha Kester alongside survivor Yisrael Abelesz deal with her anger and sadness about what and his granddaughter, Avital. The event was happened to her family. facilitated by Louisa Clein, of Emmerdale fame. Susanna is determined to do something For Sacha, the Nazi experience began when positive with this emotion and has started he was very young in France. He was five when working with Generation 2 Generation (G2G) to his father was beaten unconscious and taken develop a presentation about her father’s story to Drancy prison, near Paris. He never saw his so that she can educate young people about parents again. where unchallenged hate can lead. In September 1942, Sacha and his brother were sent South to Arrou, a small village 35 miles from Chartres, where they were hidden by an elderly couple living in a tiny cottage. By 1943, they had learnt that both their parents had been murdered at Auschwitz. Yisrael Abelesz spoke fondly about his childhood in Hungary which changed dramatically in 1944, when the Nazis invaded G2G is currently helping over 40 future and deported him and his family to Auschwitz. speakers develop presentations and is now He described the selection and how at the age focusing on recruiting the grandchildren of of 14 he and his older brother were separated survivors to guarantee the continued retelling from the rest of the family and held in a youth of Holocaust testimony. I am delighted to be barrack. His parents and youngest brother were helping with this project. Their CEO Olivia Marks- sent directly to the gas chamber Woldman CEO of Holocaust Memorial Day Trust The facilitator Louisa explained how her ensures the message stays alive today. She calls mother survived in hiding in Amsterdam. She on everyone to be a “light in the darkness” described her journey to discover her family whenever we see intolerance, injustice and facilitated by Rob Rinder’s TV programme My inequity in our society. Family, the Holocaust and Me which inspired Generation 2 Generation aims to fulfil this her to talk to more survivors, their children and responsibility by enabling the continuation of grandchildren. Holocaust testimony and telling their family Both Sacha’s daughter, Susanna and stories. Yisrael’s granddaughter Avital talked about For further information about G2G please their feelings of pride in how their father and contact Lesley Urbach or visit: grandfather had positively embraced life despite www.generation2generation.org.uk

13 Ivriah online has been exploring the FPS of word art inspired by Ivriah’s favourite prayers: community building, and all synagogues across Ma Tovu, Mi Chamocha, and And Then - the the world. Given we can’t be in our building, we alternative Aleynu poem by Judy Chicago. made our own! We also looked at the prayers we say - and what they mean. We have created WordArt based on different prayers. Below are two cardboard synagogues (note the ark, bima, Torah, yad, ner tamid and 10 commandments) and three extraordinary pieces

14 hebrew for march After studying Jewish Education for the first half and we’ve challenged them to complete two term, we now move onto a Hebrew Treasure modules by the end of term! Trail. Each child will start with one module,

you are the difference / cont. from p. 3 trump some grand ‘Huzzah’ but without which you lift us up and lead us one step further. If this our very world would crumble. is you, please do not change. We need you and To all who care: this is what you bring; this love you just the way you are as you guide our is how you inspire. This is love. And your deeds, painful, frightened steps out of the darkness of your words, your caring is what we reach for in our doubt and into the light of new beginnings. the dark and cling to with every frightened step. If this is you, be strong. Do not doubt. You If this is you you may not recognise your are the difference. beauty as it flashes on the wall. If this is you, you Roger Slater may not recognise your strength as once again

15 Contacts fps website: www.fps.org

finchley progressive synagogue President: Paul Silver-Myer, [email protected] 54 Hutton Grove N12 8DR Life Presidents: Sheila King Lassman, 020 8446 4063 www.fps.org Alan Banes facebook.com/finchleyprog Vice Presidents: Cathy Burnstone, Rabbi Rebecca Birk – [email protected] Renzo Fantoni, Josie Kinchin, Alex Kinchin- Emeritus Rabbi: Dr Frank Hellner Smith, Laura Lassman, Lionel King Lassman, John Lewis, Andrea Rappoport, Joan Shopper Community Development Manager: Zoe Jacobs – [email protected] contacts Board of Deputies Reps: Janet Tresman, Musicians in Residence: Franklyn Gellnick, Stanley Volk Dean Staker Beit Midrash (Adult Education): Adrian Lister Synagogue Manager: Pauline Gusack [email protected] [email protected] Beit Tefillah (Rites & Practices): Valerie Joseph executive 2021 [email protected] Chair: Tamara Joseph, [email protected] Community Support Coordinator: Vice Chair: Roy Balint-Kurti, [email protected] Beverley Kafka, [email protected] Treasurer: Chris Nash, [email protected] Website Editor: Philip Karstadt Honorary Secretary: Ann Pelham, [email protected] [email protected] Shofar Editor: Darren Beach, [email protected] board members Shofar Team: Deb Hermer Gordon Greenfield, [email protected] The Finchley Progressive Synagogue is a company limited by Beverley Kafka, [email protected] guarantee (Company No 9365956) and a registered charity Paula Kinchin-Smith, [email protected] (Charity No 1167285) whose registered office is 54 Hutton Sam King, [email protected] Grove, Finchley, London N12 8DR Phillip Raphael, [email protected]

ashley page janet tresman insurance brokers mediator & collaborative family law solicitor Commerce House Altermans Solicitors 2a Litchfield Grove 239 Regents Park Road, London N3 3LF London N3 2TN Office phone: 0208 346 1777 Tel. 020 8349 5100 Email: [email protected]