SSUSSEUSSExx 1 JJEEwwISHISH NNEEwwSS what’S INSIdE.... SHANA TOVAH | HISTORY OF THE JEwISH wELFARE BOARd | Whats THE CHORAL SYNAGOGUE | wHAT’S ON | ANd MORE OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2016 • ELLUL 5776 / TISHREI 5777 / CHESHVAN 5777 • ISSUE 268 2 3 MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF RABBI – ROSH HASHANAH 5777 ”ןומתחי רופיכ םוצ םויבו ןובתכי הנשה שארב“ ‘On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed and on Yom Kippur it is sealed’ s we recited these moving words in the Unetaneh The Talmud describes prayer as avodah shebalev – the Tokef prayer last year, we could hardly have ‘service of the heart’ – because, in essence, prayer Aanticipated the devastation that would be is about training oneself to love and serve God. The wrought by the relentless terrorist atrocities that would Hebrew word for prayer, tefillah, is linked to tofel, which follow. The daily threat of terror is one to which our means connecting to a greater power. We pray with a brethren in Israel have long become accustomed, but deep sense of humility and responsibility because we that awful reality has largely been greeted by silence understand that we can never simply be a ‘law unto in the mainstream media. Global terrorism has spread ourselves’. The power of prayer has always been and its tentacles far and wide, making no place on earth will always be a force for good; a spiritual connection immune to this scourge. As the French philosopher and with something greater than ourselves, elevating our author Bernard-Henri Lévy has said, the world must souls and directly affecting our future actions. We will now learn from the experiences of the Jewish State. never fully comprehend the potency of our prayers or how things would have turned out without them but Never before in the history of human conflict has every we do know that while terror thrives on a sense of innocent man, woman and child found themselves narcissism and superiority, through prayer, we act with on the front line. As we endure an onslaught on our modesty and accountability. freedom, our democracy and our very civilization, what Charity/Righteousness – הקדצ ?should our response be The Unetaneh Tokef prayer provides an answer: The first Chief Rabbi of the Holy Land, Rav Kook, Repentance, Prayer, and Charity. taught that the antidote to causeless hatred is - הקדצו הליפת הבושת causeless love. Having embraced Teshuvah and Tefillah - Repentance with all of the self-improvement that they require, we הבושת Teshuvah comes from the Hebrew word meaning will have an instinctive and deeply rooted love for ‘to return’. Over our High Holydays we are tasked peace. But Tzedakah is the means by which we look with making a uniquely honest and comprehensive beyond ourselves and turn that goodness into positive, assessment of ourselves so that we can return to our meaningful action that will leave a lasting impact on the natural state of piety and purity. Our global challenge world around us. is to return to the values of human dignity, tolerance, Every one of us can increase the degree to which mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. That process we give of ourselves to others, whether as part of an must begin with ourselves and those upon whom we organised charitable campaign or by investing our time can make a positive impression. and energy into kindness and generosity. There is no Prayer degree of evil that cannot be overcome and outshone – הליפת by an equal and opposite desire to do good for others. #PrayersForParis #PrayersForMunich #PrayersForBrussels. If these popular sentiments Embracing more fully these three fundamental from social media are anything to go by, it seems that principles of Jewish life as a response to global hatred the world is rarely more united in prayer than after and violence might feel inadequate, even naïve. But, I devastating terrorist attacks. In July, after a particularly believe that we are far more likely to change the world brutal murder of a beloved Catholic Priest in Normandy, through positive action and leading by example, than one Twitter user responded to my own message in simply by standing in judgement. despair: “The time for prayer is long gone,” he said. I May this coming year be one filled with only peace and couldn’t disagree more. reconciliation among the peoples of the world. Valerie and I extend to you all our very best wishes for a happy and fulfilling New Year. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis September 2016 • Ellul 5776 ISSUE 268 | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2016 2 Contents 3 Sussex Jewish News PO Box 2178 • Hove BN3 3SZ Telephone: 07906 955 404 FEATURES 1 THE CHORAL SYNAGOGUE, VILNIUS Photo by Brian Megitt 2 CHIEF RABBI’S NEW YEAR MESSAGE A pause for thought 9 CHANIA – WHY NOT? A British artist in Crete 10 SHANA TOVAH Your New Year Greetings 13 SETTLING IN More on the Aliyah transition by Sylvie Schapira 14 THE STORY OF HELPING OURSELVES A history of the Brighton & Hove Jewish Welfare Board REGULARS 4 SUSSEX AND THE CITY Your news, views and stories from across the county 16 CULTURE Art, film and more 22 WHAT’S ON Regular and special events in your community YOUR COMMUNITY 18 HOVE HEBREW CONGREGatION 19 BRIGHTON & HOVE PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE 20 BRIGHTON & HOVE HEBREW CONGREGatION 21 BRIGHTON & HOVE REFORM SYNAGOGUE Full page (A4 size) £170 Sussex Jewish News (‘SJN’), its Editor and Editorial Board: • are not allied to any synagogue or group and the views expressed by writers Half page (A5 size) £100 are not necessarily those of SJN; Quarter page (A6 size) £65 • accept advertisements in good faith but do not endorse any products or services and do not accept liability for any aspect of any advertisements; 1/9 page (credit card size) £40 and Personal Announcements in a box (up to 6 lines): £25 • welcome readers’ contributions but reserve the right to edit, cut, decline or submit the content to others for comment. To ensure that we receive your Flyers: Price on application submissions by email, please send them ONLY to sjneditor@sussexjewishnews. Local Jewish charities will not be charged, subject to com, otherwise we cannot guarantee their consideration for publication. To assist the Editorial Board, submissions should be in Word format using Times editorial decision. New Roman font, size 12. Receipt of submissions may not be acknowledged, unless specifically requested. As the Editorial Board is made up entirely of BOOK NOW! 07906 955 404 GUIDELINES volunteers, any response may be subject to delay. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING IN SJN ISSUE 268 | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2016 4 Sussex and the City 5 Your News Weddings Mazel tov to David Oppenheimer and Lucy Burman on their Births recent marriage. Mazel tov to: • Amanda and Gary Epstein on the birth of a grandson - a Get Well great-grandson for Helen Epstein and Joan Levine. We wish a refuah sheleima to John Abrahams, Derek Carlton, • Mazel tov to Aileen and Barry Hill on the birth of another Ivor Sorokin and all who are unwell or in hospital at the present time. granddaughter. Deaths Special Birthdays We wish Long Life to Parisa Walker whose mother passed Mazel tov to all those who have special birthdays in October away after a long illness. and November. • October: Ruth Donnelly, Joan Melcher, Ann Packham, Tombstone Consecrations Sharon Rubin, Beatrice Reder, Laurence Wise, Pamela • The stonesetting for Ivor Collins z’l will take place on Wolfisz, Margaret Wood and Melvyn Wyner. Sunday, 9 October at 2.30 pm at the Jewish Cemetery, • November: Samuel Firsht, Adrienne Gross, Sandra Meadowview, Bear Road, Brighton. Rutherford, Irene Style and Irene Wise. • The stonesetting for Muriel Wilks z’l will take place on Sunday, 30 October at 2.30 pm at the Jewish Cemetery, Special Anniversaries Meadowview, Bear Road, Brighton. Mazel tov to Alison and Graham Dollow on the celebration of • The stonesetting for Pamela Rosen z’l will take place their Pearl Wedding (30 years). Lynn and Daniel Lachs on the on Sunday, 20 November at the Jewish Cemetery, celebration of their Ruby Wedding (40 years). Meadowview, Bear Road, Brighton. Achievements Mazel tov to: • Simon Blomenberg, son of Jacqueline and Maurice and Thank You grandson of Rita Blomenberg, on being accepted at Queen Sincere gratitude to all my family and friends who Mary University, London to study Politics and Business Studies kindly and generously made donations to Macmillan • Toby Irwin (grandson of Judy Irwin) on being accepted at Cancer Support for my recent birthday. Thanks to the University of Nottingham to study History and Spanish you, we went well over the target of £1,000 and I am • Ava Sharpe (granddaughter of Judy Irwin) on achieving 11 sure you will be as delighted as I am. A* in her GCSE exams the University of Nottingham Once again “A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!” with • Rachel and Charlotte Seligman on their excellent ‘A’ level love, Liz Posner. results. We wish them much success in the future Ralli Hall Lunch and Social Club by Jacquie Tichauer I would like to start by thanking all those generous people weekends are so who have joined our 100 Club and those of you who have successful with more given us donations. We are so grateful to you. We are only a members joining us few short of the 100 members and at only £8.00 a month, we each time. hope very shortly to reach the magic 100. I would like to thank all On 24 August we went to Hyman Fine House for a BBQ. The my wonderful volunteers weather was very kind to us and we enjoyed lovely food and for all their hard work great entertainment. I was very happy to be able to hold one over the year.