SUSUSSSSEXEX 1 JEWIJEWISSHH NEWNEWSS WHAt’S INSIDE.... MORE ON BRIGHTON JEWRY 250 | A PORTRAIT OF MIDDLE STREET Whats SYNAGOGUE | HAGANAH VETERANS MEET | WHAT’S ON | AND MORE may 2016 • NISaN-IYAR 5776 • ISSUE 263 2 Pause for thought 3 The Jewish Community in the UK is a Admittedly, there are kosher products shelves of the supermarkets and minority of approximately a quarter of on supermarket shelves but they high prices for the likes of Aviv or a million people. It suffers because of are not marketed as such - most Yehuda matzo. The problem is we its size, and after the Pesach period Kellogg’s cereals fall into that are a minority and we don’t buy has passed over another question category, they have a hechsher, enough to make it economical for comes to the fore. Why does the however Nestlé and Weetabix the supermarkets to stock what we food retail world fail the community at also have kosher products but need for a selling period of about 3 Pesach? no reference whatsoever on the weeks. The algorithms built into the packaging. Many kosher goods do stock control and stock availability It is no longer easy to be Jewish programs used by their computerised and to live by the laws of kashrut systems cannot cater for exceptions in this country. How many shops Does big business wish to like Passover and the accountants knowingly provide kosher products? and buyers do not understand the Where is the nearest kosher baker have a relationship with concept of an intense but extremely or butcher? Brighton and Hove has Judaism? Will we be even short consumer buying period. to rely on very limited support from more limited in the future? the likes of the big supermarkets. Does big business wish to have a The rest of the community in relationship with Judaism? Will we be Sussex and further afield has even even more limited in the future? Of not carry a hechsher but can be less retail support. Eastbourne has course, if we can attract more people found in the kosher food guide. After only one supermarket that regularly to the area then the market may just Pesach, we must ask ourselves how provides a kosher Pesach food stand be big enough for someone to open a long before we cannot buy kosher for but the Pesach offering this year was kosher grocery / baker / butcher shop Pesach products in our local stores? very limited. Some might say that you and we can enjoy many Pesachs full reap what you sow. Shopping this year has identified of all the products we missed this many missing products from the year. EDITORIAL BOARD Norina Duke, Doris Levinson, Stephanie Megitt David Seidel, Michael Rich SJN brings local news, events, articles, reviews, announcements, people, congregations, TECHNICAL ADVISOR Brian Megitt communities, contacts and more. Delivered at ADMINISTRATOR Bernard Swithern the start of each month, SJN is run entirely by Administrative Assistants Ivor Sorokin, Lydia Swithern volunteers for reporting, editing and circulating COMMUNAL DIARY [email protected] each edition. It has become the cornerstone of the Jewish community across the region. 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ISSUE 263 | MAY 2016 2 Contents 3 Sussex Jewish News PO Box 2178 • Hove BN3 3SZ Telephone: 07906 955 404 FEATURES 1 JUDAS TREE AT RAMAT HANADIV The living memorial to Baron Edmond de Rothschild 9 BRIGHTON JEWRY 250 More on our community’s celebrations 10 THE MIDDLE STREET SYNAGOGUE A portrait by Godfrey Gould 12 HAGANAH VETERANS Haganah members from long ago meet for the very first time 12 LIGHTING UP TIME A reflection on the light and its impact REGULARS 4 COMMUNITY LIFE Your news and stories from across the county 14 CULTURE JACS news, history, Sir Arnold Wesker z’l and more 20 WHAT’S ON Regular and special events in your community YOUR COMMUNITY 16 BRIGHTON & HOVE PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE 17 BRIGHTON & HOVE HEBREW Congregation 18 BRIGHTON & HOVE REFORM SYNAGOGUE 19 HOVE HEBREW Congregation 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. 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ADVERTISING ADVERTISING IN SJN ISSUE 263 | MAY 2016 4 Community Life 5 Your News Deaths We wish Long Life to the families of Denise Abb z’l, Eva Special Birthdays Hagard z’l, Phyllis Sylvia Hyams z’l, sister of David Cuddis, Robert (Bob) Kaltz z’l, Betty Mendoza z’l, Selda (Zelda) Mazel tov to Alan Abrahams, Arthur Alvarez, Beverley Barnett, Samuels z’l (mother of Steven Samuels and Lauren Wolman) Alan Burke, Sandra Carlton, Rose Cannan, Archie Charach, who passed away peacefully on Thursday 24 March 2016 Margaret Kallen, Peter Kauffman, Cynthia Laurie, Helen aged 95 years, Shirley Smorodinsky z’l and Sir Arnold Wesker Silver-Andrews, Warwick Winston, Sheila Zimbler and all who z’l. have special birthdays this month. Bar Mitzvah Thank You Ronnie Taylor will be celebrating his second Bar Mitzvah on Derek & Jackie, Bethia & Ilan, Jeremy & Adrienne and Jonathan 14 May at Eastbourne Hebrew Congregation, Susans Road, would like to say ‘thank you’ to Rabbonim, family, friends and Eastbourne. community at large for support and condolences on the recent passing of Jackie Richards z’l. Engagements Mazel tov to Maggie and Arthur Oppenheimer on the engage- Thank You ment of their son David to Lucy Burman. David Schaverien would like to thank Rabbonim, family and friends for their concern and support during his recent stay in Wedding Anniversaries hospital and nursing home. Mazel tov to: • Sandra and Derek Carlton on the celebration of their Emer- ald Wedding anniversary. Stonesettings • Ivan Tannenbaum, Sunday 8 May, Meadowview, 12.45 pm • Adrienne and John Harwood on the celebration of their Golden Wedding anniversary. • Henry Aidallberry, Sunday 8 May, Meadowview, 2.30 pm • Rabbi Vivian and Mrs Lynette Silverman on the celebration • Martha Lyons, Wednesday 18 May, Old Shoreham Road, of their Ruby Wedding anniversary. 2.00 pm • Lee Panto, Sunday 29 May, Old Shoreham Road, 3.00 pm Get Well We wish a refuah sheleimah to all members of our community who are in hospital or unwell at the present time. Sunday 29 May, 2.00 pm – The memorial stone in memory of Carole Lever z’l will be consecrated at the Jewish cemetery, Meadowview, Brighton Sussex Jewish Film Club The next meeting of the Sussex Jewish Film Club at Ralli Hall will be on Sunday 19th June (and not 12th June as printed on p.14 of the April issue). Details of the film will be given in next month’s SJN. Voluntary Support Agencies • Ralli Hall Lunch & Social Club (Day Centre) Hastings and District Jewish Society 01273 739999 [email protected] by Stella Harris • Norwood/Tikvah, Rachel Mazzier House On Sunday 3 April, over 100 people celebrated Velma 01273 564021 Krever’s 90th birthday. Her son Jeremy flew over from New • Hyman Fine House 01273 688226 Zealand and her granddaughter gave a touching speech. • Helping Hands 01273 747722 Members of the H & D JS joined her many friends from all [email protected] walks of life. She was our vice-chairman for many years • Brighton & Hove Jewish Welfare Board and is still on the committee. There are plaques in Bexhill 07952 479111 or in her and her husband’s names in recognition of all the [email protected]; website: www.bhjwb.org help they gave to special-needs schools. Velma was a • Brighton & Hove Jewish Housing Association teacher and an inspector in various parts of the country. [email protected] For many years she worked and lived in Golders Green. • Welfare at Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue/ Velma has done so many good things in her life and given L’chaim project 01273 737223 so much to charity. She raised money for St Michael’s • Welfare Officer at Brighton & Hove Reform Hospice by singing with a group at open garden days and (Sue Rosenfield) 01273 735343 at other venues around East Sussex.