Kehila magazine is brought to you by KThe Moesaic communhity lmagaazine| Rosh Hashanah 2014/5775 Issue 2 Shana Tova to the Mosaic Community In this Issue The Little Shop of Koppers for Going back to school – 10Shnorrers – 61 years in 22Kindergartens – 32 A lesson in History Stamford Hill Supporting a Ukrainian Community Other days other ways 100th anniversary of 41– A 1936 bar mitzvah 18 WW1 – Still recovering Life on an urban farm – remembered the fallen 28 It’s animal time! . About our members From the editor’s desk Leslie Kopitko, 70 HEMS MOSAIC Michael Reik, 70 HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES IN Pam Henry, 70 SEPTEMBER TO: REFORM WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS: Eunice Carne, 80 Jamie Brooks, 12 Dear Reader Lee Greenfield Iris Cohen, 80 Nicholas Young, 13 Joanne Collett Marie Stillerman, 85 By the time areas of communal life. I hope that Michael Gurner, 70 HIGHLIGHTS Fred Stern, 91 you read this this is reflected in the content of this Samuel Taratooty, 85 magazine, the second edition of Kehila, which I trust MAZEL TOV TO: Lawrie Nerva, 92 Raymond Barda & Karen Graft vote for Scottish has something for everyone. If you 4 Hilda Tichauer, 94 on their recent marriage independence have any ideas for future publications Chairmen’s Reports Debbie Banks & Dan Moualed Humphrey Phillips, 94 will have been please let me know - do keep sending HWPS taken. The your articles, photos and snippets of 8 MAZEL TOV: on the birth of their son, Leo Barbara & Harry Grant on their question for information. Bar mitzvahs Rosemary & Geoff Wolfson on 40th wedding anniversary Anne & Jeremy Banks on the the Scots to The next edition of the magazine the birth of their third grandson Joan & Steve Noble on their 9 birth of their grandson consider was, will be at Chanukah. In between times 45th wedding anniversary Relocation Working Brenda and Alan Hunt on the Maureen Daniels on the birth of would their you will continue to receive Kehila Group report marriage of Joel Winston to her grandson, Samuel Philip interests best be served going alone, or monthly which will give you up to GET WELL WISHES TO: Maryjane Wilson Antonia & Howard Berger on the remaining in a formal arrangement with date information about events and 24 Shirley Jacobs Frances Silver on the birth of engagement of their daughter, the rest of the UK. Whilst not wishing happenings in the community. New Year greetings her great-grand-daughter, Mia Luciana, to Alistair Goldsmith Sylvia Wiseman to overstate our position, it struck me On behalf of the Editorial Team I that maybe Alex Salmond could have wish you Shana Tova – a peaceful, 2, 27 & 36 GOOD LUCK IN THEIR SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS & CONDOLENCES TO: done worse than consult with the happy and healthy New Year. Rabbi’s Messages NEW HOME: ANNIVERSARIES: Anne Banks on the death of leaders in our own Mosaic Community 34 to look at the pros and cons of being Robert Gilbert Eden Shackell, 2 her mother, Eva Sheldon Soapbox part of a 3-way arrangement or being Alexander de Magtige, 3 Rita Joseph on the death of CONDOLENCES TO: totally independent!! For us it was a no 44 Leora Goldsmith, 5 her brother, Sydney Graham brainer! Rosa Zaraiah on the death of Events Hilary Stanton on the death Whilst our Mosaic community is her husband, Jack Aedhan Brown, 8 Robert Pinkus of her brother, Peter Sewell very much in its infancy, I can see from 46 Editor the number of articles I receive that What’s On and [email protected] our members are involved in many Services What is Mosaic? Mosaic is a vibrant new Jewish community which comprises the members of three partner synagogues. The three synagogues represent the Masorti, Reform and Liberal strands of Judaism respectively providing Mosaic members with a choice of emphases and ritual across the Progressive spectrum. Indeed, the providing of choice is a key Mosaic principle which extends beyond ritual. Mosaic provides its members with a wide range of social, educational, cultural and recreational activities designed to appeal to diverse interests and age groups. There is an excellent religion school for younger members with innovative opportunities to extend Jewish learning beyond bar/bat mitzvah. Most important, we look out as well as in and offer exciting opportunities to get involved with influential social action and inter-faith programmes, whether locally, nationally or internationally. Mosaic is living proof of what can be achieved with goodwill, mutual respect and a willingness to work together. Find out more at www.choosemosaic.org or contact Membership Officer Lindsey Cohen on 020 8420 7498 1 Rabbi Kathleen Middleton returns from rural France by the familiar smell of the log fire, escape our responsibility from tikkun lavender, limestone and hay and we et ha-olam – repairing this suffering feel instantly at home. world of ours, but in order to remind Arriving at the ‘little home in ourselves that shalom - peace and France’ as the children call it, is like wholeness - is not just a dream, but stepping back in time into a bubble a liveable reality, just as real as the untouched by current affairs. We chaos that currently reigns in the spend the days reading, painting, Middle East. rambling and picking copious Shabbat is such an instance as amounts of blackberries, nuts, are the High Holydays. In these s I write this message we apples, juniper berries, figs and we can retreat from the chaos and have just returned from flowers. The house is so remote that anguish around us and, in the midst Aholidays in an old farmhouse without TV, internet or telephone of our community, focus exclusively just outside the little village of reception, it is entirely shielded from on the things which give meaning Cazals in the Lot region of France. news of the outside world. Being cut to our lives. Such things as the The farmhouse is about 200 years off from the moral and existential people we love and the things we old, situated on the top of a hill anguish over Israel’s Gaza war, the do that give us a sense of fulfilment. overlooking the valley and a forest. situation in the Ukraine and the This gives us the courage to join My family has been going to this worrying advance of the IS in the the voice of goodness in a confused house for many years. When we Middle East reminded me of the and anxious world. turn the gigantic rusty key in the importance of creating for ourselves May the year to come be a better weather-beaten door we are greeted sanctuaries of peace. Not in order to year for us and the rest of the world. Elevenses at Kol Chai • volunteers to help make and serve tea and sandwiches • budding entertainers to sing, play instruments, tell a joke or two... Microvolunteering Mitzvah Day is a brilliant international CDs Seed Hope Volunteers with skills that they could day, dedicated to helping others through Join this Tzedek project by donating share with the rest of the community, simple acts of kindness, goodwill and unwanted CDs and DVDs. These will for example: giving. Please come along and be a part be used to directly help people help • computer skills/ knowledge of it! themselves out of extreme poverty in • odd jobs and DIY This year Mitzvah Day is on Sunday Africa and India. • gardening 16th November and we would really Gift boxes for Barnados Harrow Nature Conservation Forum appreciate help with any of the following: New toys, books and gifts for children We will also be contributing to the Collecting for the New Hope Trust aged 0-16 that will fit into a shoe box. upkeep of our local environment, so Volunteers to go to Morrisons on Pinner any willing helpers would be greatly Road and collect food donations appreciated. For more information, please contact: Harrow and Wembley Diana Ayres Email: [email protected] Tel: 0208 452 2017 Hatch End Masorti Traci Spivack Email: [email protected] Tel: 020 8421 2300 Kol Chai Jacky Martin Email: [email protected] Tel: 01923 825409 Mosaic Reform Viki Kenton Email: [email protected] Tel: 01923 802787 2 3 Mosaic board Reports from the Neil Mendoza – HEMS up to defend itself, and us, while the rest of the Chairman world continues its disgusting prejudices. Here Am Yisrael Chai! at Mosaic we have a range of activities covering In order to meet copy deadlines different social and cultural areas; but we should Chairmen I am writing this at the tail end not overlook the importance of promoting support of July. Operation Protective for Israel which has a far greater significance Edge is proceeding in Gaza and for us all, particularly in the current climate. We Harry Grant – Mosaic Adrian Cohen – HWPS the world is in uproar. By the should be proud to say Am Yisrael Chai – the Chairman Chairman time you read this the outcome people of Israel live! As ever, the August Bank As I put pen to paper it is of yet another violent conflict in the Middle East Holiday marks the end of the August and we are fast will probably have become clearer and things will holiday season, the rapid approaching Rosh Hashana have settled down. At present, that is something approach of the new school and the penitential season. we can only hope for. But recent events have Barbara Grant – Mosaic term, and the home run August is a strange month in demonstrated a simmering anti-Semitism that lies Reform Chairman towards Yomtov, the first for England as the weather never only just below the surface across Europe.