SSUSSEUSSExx 1 JJEEwwISHISH NNEEwwSS Whats wHAt’S INSIdE.... SARA REBECCA PLAtt | JEFFREY CAINE | COUNtdOwN | AN APPRECIAtION | ANd MORE NOVEMBER 2012 • CHESHVAN / KISLEV 5773 • ISSUE 224 2 Pause for thought 3 The history of the Jewish People is punctuated by lobbyists. The compliance of The Co-operative episodes of discomfort and existential threats. In the supermarkets (good with food, naive with politics) period since the end of World War II, Anglo-Jewry with a boycott of Israeli goods is a mistaken policy has seen a generation raised in an atmosphere of that reflects poorly on the organisation. And now, confidence, comfort and security. However, current most recently, the decision of the Brighton Dome to times pose three basic questions. cancel the Saturday performance of the Batsheva Dance Company and to restrict it to the Friday night Are we still able to feel (our Shabbat) is disgraceful. comfortable about our future? How do IT IS NOT ALARMIST TO REFLECT ON HISTORY. It is not alarmist to reflect on we evaluate present INCREMENTAL INFRINGEMENTS ON OUR the lessons of history and to events? How do SECURITY HAVE IN THE PAST LED TO note that inability to react to we react to them incremental infringements on in a balanced and DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. our security has in the past considered way? led to disastrous consequences. These are questions applicable to Anglo-Jewry as a whole, but recent events in Brighton necessitate Our communal leadership must analyse these events a local appraisal. The Israeli-owned EcoStream and propose a strategy for addressing them. shop is under weekly siege by so-called Palestinian SJN brings local news, events, articles, reviews, announcements, people, congregations, communitites, ADMINISTRATOR Bernard Swithern contacts and more. Delivered at the start of each month, SJN is run entirely by volunteers for reporting, Administrative Assistants Ivor Sorokin, Gweni Sorokin editing and circulating each edition that has become the cornerstone of the Jewish community across the region. COMMUNAL DIARY [email protected] EDITORIAL BOARD Doris Levinson / Stephanie Megitt COVER PHOTO Brian Megitt David Seidel/ Michael Rich TECHNICAL ADVISOR Brian Megitt PRODUCTION/LAYOUT Anand Day SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 8 NOVEMBER 2012 SUSSEX JEWISH NEWS SUBSCRIPTION Name: ____________________________________________________Date: _________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Postcode: _________________________ Email: _______________________________________________ Telephone: _________________________ Subscription (tick one) I would like to receive electronic copies of SJN. £15 p/a I would like to receive printed copies of SJN. £20 p/a. 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ISSUE 224 | NOVEMBER 2012 2 Contents 3 Sussex Jewish News PO Box 2178 • Hove BN3 3SZ FEATURES Telephone: 07906 955 404 1 THE KADAVUMBAGAM SYNAGOGUE Brian Megitt shows us the interior of the synagogue in Cochin, India which has been moved to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem 9 AN APPRECIATION A thank you to Ivor Sorokin for his years as SJN Administrator 10 A LIFE OF MUSIC Eleanor Platt and Susan Elias remember their concert pianist mother 12 RAISING CAINE Bernard Swithern interviews screenwriter Jeffrey Caine 14 MY COUNTDOWN EXPERIENCE Ivor asks for a vowel REGULARS 4 COMMUNITY LIFE Your news, views and announcements from across the county 15 CULTURE Watermarks and the programme from the Centre for German-Jewish Studies 20 WHAT’S ON Regular and special events in your community YOUR COMMUNITY 16 HovE HEBREW CONGREGATION 17 BRIGHTON & HOVE REFORM SYNAGOGUE 18 BRIGHTON & HOVE PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE 19 BRIGHTON & HOVE HEBREW CONGREGATION Full page (A4 size) £170 Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board: Half page (A5 size) £100 • are not allied to any synagogue or group and the views expressed by writers are Quarter page (A6 size) £65 not necessarily those of SJN; • accept advertisements in good faith but do not endorse any products or 1/9 page (credit card size) £40 services and do not accept liability for any aspect of any advertisements; and Personal: £4 per line • welcome readers’ contributions but reserve the right to edit, cut, decline or submit the content to others for comment. Flyers: Price on application To ensure that we receive your submissions by email, please send them ONLY to Local Jewish charities will not be charged, subject to [email protected], otherwise we cannot guarantee their consideration for publication. To assist the Editorial Board, submissions should be in Word format editorial decision. using Times New Roman as a font. Receipt of submissions may not be acknowledged, unless specifically requested. As the Editorial Board is made up entirely of volunteers, BOOK NOW! 07906 955 404 any response may be subject to delay. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING IN SJN GUIDELINES ISSUE 224 | NOVEMBER 2012 4 Your News & Views 5 Your news Civil Partnership Births Mazel tov to Tara Becker and Anna Massey on their civil partnership. Anniversary On 13th August a son, Simcha Shlomo, born to Rabbi Ben Davis Mazel tov to Sue and Tony Rosenfield on their Ruby Wedding (formerly of Brighton) and Gevura Davis, in Kansas City. A anniversary. brother for Baruch Mordechai, Ezriel, Temima and Rochel Leah. Another beautiful grandchild for Angela and Joe Davis. New Home Mazel tov to Henrietta and Stephen Hempling on their new home in Brighton and wishing them every happiness. We are delighted to announce the birth of Poppy in Auckland NZ, a daughter to Karen Louise Davis and Sean Lee. Mazeltov to Uncle Jeremy, grandparents and great-grandma along with all the family. Achievement Mazel tov to Penina Shepherd, founder of Brighton firm Acumen Mazel tov to: Business Law, for being crowned Entrepreneur of the Year for the • Mendel and Bruria Efune on the birth of a daughter, Mussi, another South of England, by the British Chamber of Commerce at their grandchild for Rabbi Pesach and Penina Regional Awards ceremony. • Shirley Hale on becoming a great-grandmother to Yael, born in Israel on 12 August to Meital and David Langford, and to Grandpa Get Well Jeremy Langford. We wish a Refuah Sheleima to Harry Atkins, Paulina Bass, Barbara • Henrietta and Stephen Hempling on the birth of another grandson, Comiskey, Kate Davidson, Harold Day, Marilyn Fisher, Roz Flashman, Leo, a brother for Harry Alan Hershman, Michael Levene, Mandy Randall-Gavin, Richard • Andy and Diane Lewis on the birth of a grandson, Leonardo • Ruth Nguyen-Seltzer on the birth of another grandchild, Luca Reed, Anthony Weinstein. Sidney • Rabbi Hershel and Perla Rader on the birth of a grandson in Roz and Mike Flashman would like to say an enormous Australia ‘thank you’ to the Rabbonim, their wonderful family and • Sandra and Ronnie Rutherford on the birth of another friends for their truly amazing support received since Roz granddaughter, Julia, a sister for Filipa. has been unwell. Thank you for all your good wishes, flowers • Rabbi Zalman and Shterna Lewis on the birth of a daughter, Chana and goodies, all of which have been so much appreciated. Our thanks once again and may you all be blessed with a Special birthdays happy and healthy New Year. Mazel tov to Irene Brookes, Mary Burnard, Joshua Firsht, Bella Gerstman, Oliver Harris, Jude Kelly, Michael Lovegrove, Annabel Pagel, Michael Phillips (apologies for the belated wishes!), Doris Raven, Ronnie Rutherford, Anna Sherwood, Diana White who are Deaths celebrating special birthdays this month. We wish Long Life to the families of Stanley Benjamin z’l, Mrs E Daniels z’l, David Green z’l, Malcolm Margo z’l, Cyril Miller z’l, Yitzchak Perl z’l, Marjorie Phillips z’l, Frances Selby z’l and Mrs Weddings Susan Winter z’l Mazel tov to Sarah-Jane Lennard and Ben Rosen of Manchester on their marriage at the Grand Gloria Lennard z’l Hotel in Eastbourne on 9th September. Mazel tov also Ray Williams and family would like to thank to Sarah-Jane’s mother the community for all their many letters of Marilyn Lennard, two brothers Paul and Daniel condolence received on the sad death of Gloria. and to grandmother Lee A wonderful sister. A great lady. Panto. Your views From Westminster Thank you from Gabi I am concerned that, as a result of the ongoing demonstrations at Ecostream, an atmosphere is being created in which anti-Semitic I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone in the Brighton and prejudice is becoming normalised. Hove Jewish Community who came to see my show “This Is The Moment” at Ralli Hall on 19th August. Thanks also to all those people I feel it is my duty to challenge such bigotry whenever it shows who made donations and who helped behind the scenes and in so any sign of rearing its ugly head in any form. I am disgusted at many other ways. the thought of members of the local Jewish community feeling intimidated or discriminated in any way. With your support I raised most of the fees for my first term at Performance Preparation Academy in Guildford, which is going really Please get in contact with me on [email protected] if well & I’m learning lots! I’m now looking to find other ways to raise you have had any personal experiences of the issue. the money for the other two terms. Here’s the website with all the details about the show: Yours sincerely, www.gabimarkhamproductions.co.uk Mike Weatherly MP Hove and Portslade Best wishes, Gabi Markham ISSUE 224 | NOVEMBER 2012 4 Community life 5 AJEX Remembrance Service 2012 by Sidney Lipman The Brighton & Hove Branch of AJEX invite you all to our by the stewards before 4.15 pm.