Kol Kehillat Kernow Voice of the Jewish Community in Cornwall Issue 38 kehillatkernow.com August 2014, Av 5774 A triumph for Torah Rededication day! Pat Lipert officially handed over to a Jewish community Israel. Barnard Benarroch, our scribe who by a member of the Royal family on behalf of repaired the scroll, and his son, Zachary, came On Wednesday, 28th of May 2014, something the Royal Institute of Cornwall. Not only was from London. The onlookers must have took place for British Jewry that has never this a landmark event, but a day of ecumenical wondered what all the fuss was about, but happened before. A precious Sefer Torah was and spiritual exaltation for Kehillat Kernow, waved and smiled in approval. This was clearly something very special. The atmosphere was electric. We were admitted into the Museum where the Torah scroll was waiting and where the official ceremony would take place. At 10:30am, as we gathered in various groups, the Duke of Gloucester, Col. Edward Bolitho, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall and President of the RIC, and Mr. Ian Wall, director of the Museum, descended the grand staircase in the main entrance hall. They greeted and spoke with many KK members present along with various representatives of government and civic leaders. At 10:50 am, the official handover of the scroll began. Speeches by Ian Wall, the Duke of Gloucester, and KK Chairman, Harvey Kurzfield took place. When the Scroll was given into the arms of Harvey, one could hear a pin drop; it was such a dramatic and moving moment. The Torah was dressed in a beautiful, hand-made mantle created and made by Mrs. Anne Hearle, overlaid with a silver yad inscribed, Zot Mazel Tov! - The Duke of Gloucester and Harvey look on as Murray Brown blows the shofar HaTorah. This precious Falmouth Scroll once in jubilation after the official handing over of the Torah Scroll to the Kehillat Kernow Community used by a Jewish community in the Falmouth (photo: Bernie Pettersen). synagogue over one hundred years ago was ours! the Jewish Community of Cornwall. Murray Brown blew the Shofar! Exaltation! LotsLots moremore About 100 members of the Jewish Community At 11:00am, we processed to the entrance of and greater Cornwall Community were on hand the Museum and onto the street. The Chuppah, inside,inside, to witness this historic event. Representatives covered by Leslies Tallith, was raised by David Lots more of the police, civic and municipal officials, and Hearle, Adam Feldman, Murray Brown and Zeev including...including... travellers from Israel, London and HRH, Prince Cohen. Harvey took his place under the inside, Richard, Duke of Gloucester were on hand to Chuppah. Cornish Piper, Robin Holmes participate in the daylong activities to proceeded, and all of the invited guests commemorate the rededication of the followed led by Councillor Loic Rich, the Right including... Falmouth Torah Scroll. And HaShem must have Worshipful Mayor of Truro in full regalia. Torah Rededication................2 been smiling down at us for He provided the Escorted by the three constables, and two KK most glorious, warm, sunny day to enhance the marshals, Graham Berral and Saul Berger, we A miracle................................3 joy of the occasion. walked from River Street to the Municipal The day began on River Street outside the RIC, Building on Boscawen Street. The Chuppah was the Truro Museum at 10:00 am. On the raised at the entrance to the building and Photo extravaganza!.........4-5 pavements surrounding the front of the everyone walked beneath it into the building museum, a multitude of euphoric Jews, some and up the stairs where the Service of Shadows Behind Curtain ......6 local, some not, those who had travelled from Rededication was being held. MP Sarah Newton across Britain, gathered together, hugged and joined us for the service. kissed and greeted each other, so elated to be Members presenting various clergy, museum Days of Awe venue.................7 able to be part of this simcha, so proud to be officials and trustees, representatives from members of the family of Israel. Plymouth, Exeter and Totnes Synagogues, David Jacobs, Director of Synagogue Council and Civic officials, as well as a majority Newsletter designed by Noah Hearle Partnership of the MRJ, had flown in from of KK members, and media reporters, entered Toronto the day before, and the Rev. Elkan Levy, the room across from the Council Chambers. designextreme.com past President of the US and past chairman of It had been set up in Synagogue format with Website design and Sudoku puzzles the Chief Rabbinate Council, flew in from the Ark at the... Continued on page 2 Æ Do you want to share your Kol Kehillat Kernow? Visit: kehillatkernow.com/newsletter for an online version of the newsletter! 2 August 2014Kol Kehillat Kernow Chairmans Torah Rededication day! remarks Harvey Kurzfield So, we now have our own scroll What does it mean for us and how will we use it? What will be its effect on the wider community and where do we go now? What does it mean? It means we are an established group with an established synagogue ritual to which we faithfully try to adhere. We have grown in confidence over the last fifteen years and can hold our heads high. Having our own scroll also gives us added dignity as well as a sense of pride in being part of a much wider and well- respected Jewish community. How will we use it? I hope all our regular service takers will accept the challenge of preparing at least a small portion to be read aloud from our new scroll each time it is brought out for a service. Great lengths have been gone to obtain this and it only seems right and proper it be used as much as possible and not seen as simply a holy object. Of course, it is a holy object and very precious but it will truly be restored to life by consistent usage. The script is small, but I hope I led the way at the last Shabbat service by reading the first paragraph of Parashah Naso. It wasnt a flawless effort Hag Bahah-Sofer Bernard Benarroch raises the newly repaired Falmouth Sefer Torah as Adam by any means, but I still felt immensely uplifted Feldman, the gelilah, looks on during the rededication service led by the Rev. Elkan Levy by the experience and hope that others will (photo: Anthony Fagin). feel the same way over the course of time. What will be its effect on the wider community? Continued from front page ...head of the the uniqueness and greatness of the day and I hope, after all the excellent publicity we room, reading desk and lectern in front of the gave a history of the scroll which began over received, that we will be expanding as a Jewish Ark and chairs to either side. 350 years ago in German Bohemia, the pains entity as more Jewish people hear about our At 11:30am, the service began, led by the Rev. and rituals the scribe would have taken to existence in Cornwall and ask to join. Acquiring Elkan Levy, and David Jacobs. prepare and to write this sacred text, its the Falmouth scroll has projected our image The double doors opened. Murray Brown and journey to Falmouth in the 1740s, the long across Cornwall, Britain and abroad in a very Harvey holding the Sefer Torah stood at the road to its acquisition by the Kehillat Kernow positive way and that may well have positive entrance. The congregation stood mesmerised community and its repair to make it repercussions. Your committee will certainly as they looked upon this Torah. The Shofar halachically useable in services. be working hard to make sure that we respond was blown again. Tekiah! Anthony Fagin, We have today brought together a scroll appropriately. recited the Baruch Haba and Harvey written in the time of the Stuarts, carried to Where do we go now? Theres only one answer proceeded up the centre isle to David Jacobs this country during the reign of George II, put to this forward, with renewed vigour and and Elkan Levy who were waiting to receive to sleep in the reign of Queen Victoria, and confidence. I trust you will all share in that the Torah. now resurrected in the reign of her great-great forward progression. The service couldnt have been more moving granddaughter, our Sovereign Lady Queen Shalom. and well thought out. Classic Jewish prayers Elizabeth, he said. were recited; four perfectly chosen readings His sermon closed with a prayer for this Torah were delivered by: Rosie Brown, Bonnie and the Kehillat Kernow community. Kiddush help Rockley, Rachel Brown and David Jacobs. The A speech by Harvey Kurzfield and the Major Hag Bahah was performed by sofer Bernard of Truro and presentations of gifts by Leslie needed Benarroch with Adam Feldman assisting as his Lipert followed. The service, of course, closed gelilah. with Adon Olam. People who attend the Saturday services Elkan Levy led prayers especially written by Following the service, a luncheon was held in at Three Bridges School are super about him for this service for the Queen, Israel, and the Council Chambers catered by Mrs. Anne bringing food and drink for a wonderful the Community. Anne and David Hearle Curtis and guests who wanted a closer Kiddush and light lunch after. What we accepted the Torah into the Ark and Elkan inspection of the Scroll took place in the also need are for more people to help delivered his sermon. And what a sermon it presence of Elkan.