PESACH 5777 APRIL 2017 Am Yisroel’s Document of Proof RESTORING THE SIFREI TORAH OF YESTERYEAR Libel Wellspring Blood Accusations through the Generations Dr Mosheof Rothschild Salvation One Doctor for One City rom gypt to ternity שליט“א HoRav HaGaon R’ Avrohom Gurwicz Editorial 4 Thoughts from Andrew Cohen, Federation President Am Yisroel’s Document of Proof 6 Restoring the Sifrei Torah of yesteryear From Egypt to Eternity 11 HoRav HaGaon R’ Avrohom Gurwicz shlita, translated and adapted by Rabbi Dovid Roberts Remembering Dayan Berel Berkovits z”tl 14 As a book of his responsa is prepared for publication he mere mention of even the first letter of the word Blood Accusations through the generations Libelby Rabbi Aubrey Hersh Pesach strikes fear into the heart of Jewish women 16 Din Torah in Beis Din • Collects 2.3 million hot meals Teverywhere – nightmarish images of elusive pretzel 22 Arbitration and mediation of financial disputes in Beis Din crumbs loom large, and in many communities, the battle of 7 Adar Chevra Kadisha Seuda 5777 • Rescues 14,000 tons of fresh A tribute to Mr Arnold Cohen z”l the cleaning ladies begins. 28 produce from destruction Charged with the responsibility (and privilege) of editing AWellspring profile of Dr Moshe of RothschildSalvation – One Doctor for One City • Distributes surplus food to Hamaor, however, ‘the P-word’ begins to appear in my diary 32 Return to Egypt 195 non-profit partners, as early in the year as November, when we begin planning 34 Highlights and lowlights of Jewish communal life in Egypt since the Exodus this edition. APesach fast track to spiritual liberation feeding 175,000+ people For those of you who are reading this while taking a break 43 A Message for Generations in need each week from the cleaning and cooking, Dayan Posen’s article about 46 An interview with Rebbetzin Rena Lichtenstein viewing Pesach as a fast-track to spiritual liberation may Recipes from the Rebbetzins well resonate strongly. And Rochel Grunewald’s short story 50 A collection of Pesach recipes ‘A Miracle for Miri’ is a humorous and timely reminder that AShort Miracle story for Pesachfor Miri everything tends to work out alright in the end. 53 Inside the Factory From engaging historical pieces by Rebbetzin Shoshana 56 A visit to Gilberts’ Kosher Foods Tugendhaft and Rabbi Aubrey Hersh, to illuminating EgyptKids’ fun Hamaor facts profiles of inspirational role models, Dr Moshe Rothschild 58 and Rebbetzin Rena Lichtenstein, there is plenty of other fascinating reading to be found in these pages. All that remains for me to do is to wish you a chag kosher v’sameach and a freilichen Pesach. Judy Silkoff Editor Federation of Synagogues | 65 Watford Way, London NW4 3AQ [email protected] | www.federation.org.uk TRUSTEES CHIEF EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT Andrew Cohen Rabbi Avi Lazarus Dov Black BURIAL SOCIETY Menachem Gertner SEXTON Noson Kahler In Israel This Pesach? Adam Jacobs Tel: 020 8202 3903 Join Leket’s network of 56,000+ volunteers Leon Newmark Fax: 020 8203 0610 Jacky Weg Out of hours answerphone: and pick vegetables for distribution to Israel’s needy Moshe Winegarten 020 8202 3903 BEIS DIN CEMETERIES Montagu Road, th th ROSH BEIS DIN Dayan Y Y Lichtenstein April 12 and 13 Edmonton N18 2NF Dayan M D Elzas Tel: 020 8807 2268 416 Dayan Y D Hool Email [email protected], or call (+972)-52-743-3541 for details Upminster Road North, DIRECTOR OF BEIS DIN OPERATIONS Rainham, Essex RM13 9SB Dayan Y Y Posen Tel: 01708 552825 REGISTRAR Rabbi A Lewis During the winter months both cemeteries are open Enquires to the Registrar daily, except Shabbos and Yom Tov, from 9am until dusk. During British Summer Time gates are open until 5pm To Support Leket Israel: Tel: 020 8202 2263 and during the month of Ellul until 6pm Leket UK, CP House, Otterspool Way, Watford WD25 8HP [reg. charity no. 1126755] Designed and printed by Kwirkee Ltd [email protected] www.leket.org/en Pesach 5777 / April 2017 HAMAOR 3 OP ED >> Andrew Cohen, Federation President בס“ד PRE-PESACH As an interested party, being Chair of Governors of Beis Yaakov, I was recently involved in the relaunching of NAJOS (National Association of Jewish Orthodox Schools). No HAGOLAS KEILIM sooner had Mrs Judith Nemeth been appointed as the new Executive Director, than she was invited by the Secretary ADDITIONAL VENUE FOR 2017! of State for Education, Justine Greening, to a round table discussion on the Government’s planned changes to ©DAVE HADLEY ©DAVE schools - and specifically its removal of the 50 percent cap on admissions based on religion into faith schools. SAFEGUARDING THREATS change that is occurring, Orthodox Jews are It takes positions on many political, What became clear from that meeting expected to constitute a majority among the religious and social issues, advises its was that the Government had yet to fully British Jewish population as a whole, and members, advocates for its constituency in understand the position of the Jewish among children as early as the 2030s. the halls of Government and files amicus Orthodox community regarding what is Since 1836, when the British Government briefs on behalf of the Orthodox Jewish deemed appropriate and acceptable to our gave statutory recognition to the Board community in the US. parents on diverse topical issues, such as the of Deputies, issues affecting the Jewish In this country, no such organisation Sunday 2nd April from 2-6pm teaching of British values and safeguarding population and for which Parliament wishes exists but there is a growing urgency to threats from social media. Mrs Nemeth to consult to hear their views, have primarily bring together our united voice. We, the was able to present a comprehensive been directed to the Board of Deputies. The fastest growing section of British Jewry, document collated with guidance and BEIS HAMEDRASH NISHMAS YISROEL Board of Deputies is thereby a significant in Gateshead, Manchester, North West advice from ten Orthodox school leaders. 4 Brent Green London NW4 (Rear Carpark) The paper set out clearly the way our and influential voice, and has perpetrated London and Stamford Hill, must be heard the perception that, arising from this status, as one powerful pressure group by the Board schools respond to the legal requirement שליט“א ON SITE SUPERVISION BY DAYAN Y POSEN for faith schools to demonstrate delivery of it speaks for all Jews in this country. of Deputies and to present the views of the community cohesion. Orthodox Community to the Government. AN UMBRELLA ORGANISATION It is a dereliction of our responsibility EDGWARE YESHURUN CALL FROM DOWNING STREET FOR TORAH JUDAISM to under-estimate the significance of So impressed were Government advisors In 1971, the Federation along with the petitioning in the process of Government Fernhurst Gardens Edgware HA8 (Front Carpark) with the contribution from our schools and Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, policy-setting. Lobbying the judicial and the presentation from Mrs Nemeth, that left the Board of Deputies after they amended legislative branches of Government on שליט“א RABBI D ROBERTS & שליט“א ON SITE SUPERVISION BY RABBI A LEWIS a couple of weeks later she received an Clause 43 of the Board’s constitution, critical issues deemed significant morally Please ensure all items for kashering are clean and have not have been used for 24 hours. Though maximum care invitation from 10 Downing Street to meet conferring consultative status upon the or religiously to our community is vital to the Prime Minister, to discuss the initiative religious leaderships of those congregations will be taken, the Federation takes no responsibility for any damage to property or persons. protect our future. ‘Schools that Work for Everyone’. not under the jurisdiction either of the Equally, maintaining ongoing relations United Synagogue’s Chief Rabbi or of the Here was a demonstration of policy with Ministers, Members of Parliament Chacham of the Spanish & Portuguese Jews’ agenda-setting, through consultation with and Civil Servants on numerous issues and Congregation. vested interest groups, and the opportunity being heard at the highest levels, ensures to access the decision-making process at the In the intervening years, representation a continuing relevance and a credibility highest levels of our Government. of the views of the Orthodox communities of our representation. Our communities against growing challenges to its observance ADULTS OF TOMORROW should be monitoring and interceding on has been met in an uncoordinated and The Institute for Jewish Policy Research behalf of causes important to maintaining sporadic manner. In specific religious recently issued a report entitled ‘The their lifestyle and being active in the political areas, where a clear threat to continuity rise and rise of Jewish schools in the governance of this country. and practice has arisen, the community has UK’. It summarised that in the academic year 2014/5 there were 30,900 children come together to defend its observance. The A COLLECTIVE VOICE enrolled in Jewish schools, of which 17,475 National Council of Shechita Boards, Milah The Orthodox community requires were in strictly Orthodox schools. Of the UK and Najos are examples; however a recognition of its substantial combined 139 Jewish schools in operation, 97 were national unified communal representative status. Such a shift in perception will only For more information email [email protected] strictly Orthodox. The pupil number is 134 organisation has yet to emerge. materialise from the formation of a cohesive percent of that in 1995, ie, the size of the In America, Agudas Israel was set up umbrella organisation, established purely to or telephone 020 8202 2263 pupil population has more than doubled almost 100 years ago and advocates for represent the spectrum of well-defined and over this twenty-year period.