Rosh Hashana 5774 - 12/09/2013 - Federation Of Synagogues

GIVING ME
THE INDEPENDENCE
I CRAVE.
Garry is in his mid-forties and has multiple sclerosis.
“My Jewish Blind & Disabled flat
has given me a whole new lease
of life. I don’t have to worry now
about being forced to depend on
others to do the everyday things
that are so easy to take for granted.”
Our team of support staff
work around the clock to enable
people like Garry to maintain
their independence and it is
your support that enables us
to do this.
As an independent charity with no
government funding we are reliant
on donations and legacies to build
and run our unique developments
of mobility apartments.
For more information or to make a donation
visit www.jbd.org or call 020 8371 6611
Registered Charity No. 259480

Shanah Tovah!
The Yomim Noraim are
a time for reflection,
repentance and
reading Hamaor!
This edition brings
some enlightening articles for your
enjoyment. For a New Year, we have
some new contributors - Rabbi Zvi
Bloom, from Jewish Chaplaincy, shares
an insight into Sukkot and Emmanuel
Kushner provides a fascinating piece on
archeology. This is also the last edition
to be published with Mr Alan Finlay as
the Federation President and I would
like to thank him for his regular
contributions and for taking the time
to share his thoughts with the
Federation community.
With thanks to all our writers and
those who help behind the scenes. Cut
yourself a piece of honey cake, sit
down, read and enjoy!
I wish you all a Kesiva Vechasima Tovah
Eva
Contents
Diary 2
Where there’s a will, there’s a Derech – Alan Finlay 6
Shechita's stock rising in modern world
– London Board for Shechita 8
W’anna Hen-I (Whereto is the Island?) = Uanaheni
- Dr Eli Kienwald, Chief Executive 9
Chai Cancer Care 11
Maurice Tiefenbrunner - Obituary 12
Awe and Joy on Rosh Hashana
- Rabbi Chaim Zundel Pearlman 14
Will it be a sweet new year for all Jewish families? 16
Understanding the gift of tears - Rabbi Garson 17
Jewish Marriage Council launches
new family mediation service 19
Mah nishtanah ha’leilah hazeh?-
Chazan Michael Simon 20
“To give or not to give?” - Harvey Bratt 22
Sukkot: The Best Source of Vitamin E
- Rabbi Zvi Bloom 23
Chaplaincy – There for Jewish Students 24
How can archaeology speak to us?
- Emmanuel Kushner 25
Meir Panim gives the needy a sweet new year 26
Ohr Yisrael & JRoots 6th Journey
To Poland Reflections - David Woolf 27
Recipes for Rosh Hashanah - Denise Phillips 29
Jewish Blind & Disabled - More Than Just
Bricks & Mortar 31
“Help, I’ve been made redundant … ” 32
Personal 34
Kashrus Directory 39
Federation of Synagogues Contact Details 40
Burial Society 41
List of Synagogues 44
Published by The Federation of Synagogues
65 Watford Way, London NW4 3AQ
Tel: 020 8202 2263 Fax: 020 8203 0610
Email: info@federationofsynagogues.com
www.federationofsynagogues.com
Editor/Advertising: Eva Chapper
Page 1

DIARYDIARYDIARYDIARYDIARYDIARY
NEWS & EVENTS
Beis Hamedrash Nishmas
Yisroel
Nearly 400 men and boys
from both North West
London and Stamford Hill
descended upon Hasmonean
Boys’ School on Motzoei
Shabbos for a unique Lag
B’Omer event. It was a
kumzits arranged by Rabbi
Dovid Tugendhaft of the
Hendon Beis Hamedrash
Nishmas Yisroel. Popular
Photography by Adrian Salt
singer Shloime Gertner (pictured right) opened the evening
with lively niggunim in honour of Lag B’Omer and was then
joined by the renowned singer and composer Yitzchok Fuchs
(pictured left) who was flown in from Eretz Yisroel especially
for the event. Mr Fuchs has gained worldwide acclaim for
his niggunim which have been snapped up by famous artists
including Mordechai Ben David. Shloime Gertner announced
at the evening that he had secured the performing rights on
one of Mr Fuchs’s niggunim (Shehamashiach Yagiah) for his
upcoming CD and the gathering were treated to a unique
debut of the song. Guests enjoyed fresh pizza and sushi
courtesy of Avi Schwarz of Slice. Danny Saltman of Edgware
store The Wineman held a complimentary wine tasting, while
the £1500 split the pot raffle was won by a visitor from
Manchester who very generously donated his winnings back
to Nishmas Yisroel to aid the event.
Croydon
Croydon has been very busy since Pesach. The highlight, of
course, has to be the Induction of Rabbi Natan Asmoucha
by the Rosh Beth Din, Dayan Lichtenstein, on Sunday 16th
June 2013 / 8th Tammuz 5773. Dayan Lichtenstein spoke
of how the Rabbi of a community should be both a father
and a teacher of his congregation. Rabbi Asmoucha replied
by pledging his service, care and attention, to the Croydon
Congregation as well as to the wider Croydon Community.
Both the president of the Federation, Mr. Alan Finlay and the
president of Croydon Synagogue, Mr. Anthony Bond,
addressed a full Synagogue audience, amongst whom were
The Bishop of Croydon, Anthony Bond (president of Croydon
Shul), Rabbi Natan Asmoucha, Dayan Lichtenstein, Danny Harris
(Warden of Croydon Shul) and Alan Finlay
Rabbonim and representatives from many other
communities, together with local dignitaries including the
Bishop of Croydon and our local MP. The service was lead
by Chazzan Rev David Rome of Catford Synagogue together
with members of The London Cantorial Singers. Rabbi
Asmoucha’s mother was unable to travel to the Induction,
so the service was transmitted to Vancouver via a Skype link.
At the conclusion of the service the Ladies Guild provided a
wonderful reception which was enjoyed by all. With Rabbi
Asmoucha’s permission, we note below his feelings in the
unfortunately very sad week which followed the induction,
which is part of a letter he sent to the community.
“This is a community, together for the good times and the
bad. At the Induction I talked about creating a space where
we can come together and feel supported, safe, secure and
nurtured. This is something I have witnessed many times in
our community, but particularly recently with the so
contrasting situations in which we found ourselves; the
Induction ceremony and then during the whole week of the
Shiva of our dear Stuart Arbisman z”l. I was so moved to see
all the effort time and energy people put into the Induction
to make it a memorable experience for the entire
congregation and how they work to ensure our synagogue
community continues to be there for everyone. I have also
witnessed this support and warmth of the Croydon Jewish
community regarding my own self. A true leader grows and
develops. This community has provided this. For this I am
extremely grateful. I reflect on all these things with gratitude,
being privileged to be a part of this congregation”.
The communal Seder was very well supported and Rabbi
Asmoucha continues to hold his Wednesday evening shiur.
On a smaller but no less important note, “OUR CLUB”
continues to provide lunch and entertainment to everybody
who attends our Sunday lunchtime gatherings and the sun
even shone on our annual barbecue weekend.
The community recently lost Stella Hanover who, with her
husband Leon, worked so tirelessly for Croydon Shul. Stella
had moved to Bournemouth in her later years but never lost
touch with us. She will be sadly missed.
Ilford
FROM VISION TO REALITY –
A Moving Experience
It has taken around 12 years to find a suitable building to
re-house the Ilford community. Finally during the summer
of 2012 the shul at Coventry Road was sold and the Dennis
Centre building in Beehive Lane was purchased which started
the moving process. The programme of building works is
being undertaken in 3 phases. Phase 1, the enabling project;
will see building work to the first and second floors, with
Page 2 Hamaor / September 2013

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NEWS & EVENTS
Phases 2 and 3 bringing in
work to the ground and
completion of the first
floor works.
The property at 84 Beehive
Lane was formerly known
as the Dennis Centre and is
a modern 3 storey building at the junction with Clarence
Avenue. It was owned and used by both Jewish Care and
Norwood. The proposed works will see the building
ultimately converted and extended into a shul seating some
140 congregants and will provide a first floor social area for
upwards of 110 people – which can be used for the parallel
service for Yom Tov if needed for an extra 200 congregants.
The adjacent facilities will include a milk/meat kitchen. The
second, top, floor will provide a caretaker’s flat, Rabbi’s office,
and further meeting areas. All floors are to be served by a
Shabbat lift and the building will have a bespoke air change
system to provide temperature comfort for the occupants.
The building will be fitted internally in a contemporary style
but with elements taken from the much-loved Coventry
Road - the architects have been instructed to create the new
but incorporate our heritage where possible.
Having sold the freehold interest in Coventry Road, the new
owners granted the community an occupational lease which
will expire at the end of October 2013. Phase 1 will complete
the building work to the second floor, and provide the
congregation with a ''temporary home'' by way of a first floor
shul and kitchen for use until the permanent shul on the
ground floor is ready for use by the spring of 2014.
Currently the ground floor at 84 Beehive Lane is used for
Friday night and Shabbat evening services, and this will
continue until the builders need access for the proposed
major work. All services will then transfer to the temporary
first floor home when the congregants move from Coventry
Road in October.
Phase 1 commenced in May 2013, with a programmed
completion for the end of August. This element will allow
for the total completion of work to the second floor - at least
that part of the building will be fully finished. Phases 2 and
3 will see work to extend and re-model the ground floor so
as to provide a regular shape with a single ceiling height. The
fitting out with the Ark and Bimah has been designed in such
a way as to maximise the use of the space for both services
and weddings. The Board decided to use the new Ark to
incorporate some of the most beautiful stained glass
windows from Coventry Road, as a way, as previously
mentioned, of linking the present with the past. Phase 2,
which essentially limits itself to the bulk of the building
project, is due to commence in Autumn 2013, programmed
to conclude in the Spring of 2014, with Phase 3 - the
refurbishment of the first floor [conversion from the
temporary shul and kitchen to the function room] which will
then also include the new caterer-designed kitchen.
There are many stages to work through but the community
is confident that, once completed, the shul and the facilities
that will be on offer will rival anything elsewhere in the Capital.
Rabbi Chapper’s Tenth Anniversary
Ilford Federation Synagogue celebrated the tenth anniversary
of Rabbi Alex Chapper taking up the position of rabbi with a
special Kiddush.
In his sermon, Rabbi Chapper praised the community for
their commitment, energy and enthusiasm that has enabled
them to achieve many things during his tenure and he
thanked them for taking him and his family into their hearts.
The chairman of the shul, Mr Leon Newmark thanked Rabbi
and Mrs Chapper for giving so much of themselves over the
last ten years and being an integral part of everything that
happens in the shul. Mr Newmark presented Rabbi Chapper
with a specially created hand written certificate to mark this
milestone, as well as an inscribed Kiddush cup and plate. At
a celebratory Kiddush that followed the service, the chairman
of the Ladies Guild, Mrs Frances Bookatz spoke warmly about
Mrs Eva Chapper’s involvement with the women of the
community as a friend and teacher.
Mr Newmark said, “Over the last ten years, Rabbi Chapper has
done so much for this community, he has worked tirelessly,
creating highly successful and innovative programmes and
reaching out to so many people. It is an excellent shidduch,
which we hope will continue for many more years.”
Rabbi Chapper added, “It has been an honour and a privilege
to lead such a warm and friendly community who’ve been
so receptive to our ideas. Now with a move to new premises
imminent, this community not only has an illustrious past
but also a bright future.”
Ohr Yisrael
Breakfast with Rabbi Paysach Krohn
Our community was privileged to host
a special breakfast together with Rabbi
Paysach Krohn. Rabbi Krohn is a worldrenowned
lecturer, sharing stories in the
manner of a maggid and also collecting
stories for his speeches and books. He
also leads Jewish historical tours
throughout Europe, speaking about the
rich and vibrant Jewish communities
that existed prior to World War II.
Photography by
Alan Fish Living World
The Rabbi began by mentioning his special love of the Jewish
Community city of Gibraltar, which is where Rabbi Garson
was brought up. He inspired the community with thoughts
of how each and everyone of us can become a unique cup
of blessing. If we all used our talents and life experiences to
help and encourage others, blessings can be born.
Hamaor / September 2013
Page 3

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NEWS & EVENTS
Sunday Night Speakers
Our special Sunday Night Speakers continued these past
months, with some big names from the Torah World inspiring
our community. Rabbi Zev Leff made his second appearance
in the community in a very special pre-Shavuot shiur. Rabbi
Zev Leff is one of Israel’s most popular English-speaking Torah
educators. For more than 20 years, he has served as the Rav
of Moshav Matityahu, a small religious community located
in central Israel adjacent to Kiryat Sefer, and just outside
Modiin. In addition to the shiurim (lectures) he gives seven
days a week at Matityahu, Rabbi Leff is constantly traveling
to speak at schools, yeshivot, seminaries, community centres,
and events throughout Israel and abroad.
In addition we welcomed back the renowned Rabbi Dovid
Kaplan from Israel. Originally from Chicago, now living in
Jerusalem, Rabbi Dovid Kaplan started his professional life
as a business entrepreneur; part-owning a local kosher
restaurant. Following a career change, Rabbi Kaplan became
a much sought-after international lecturer, author,
newspaper columnist, guidance counsellor and teacher.
Ask Your Elders – Adult Programme
In April this year following the successful trips to Poland,
Rabbi & Deborah Garson felt it was time for the next
generation to hear the stories of the special survivors.
Working together with Rabbi Andrew Davis, Deputy Head
and Head of Kodesh of Yavneh College, they launched a
program called Ask Your Elders. On average, some 75 kids
aged 11-15 were kindly hosted locally in people’s homes and
had the opportunity to hear the stories first-hand.
Many parents were also craving the opportunity and so a
special book launch was held. This new book shows how an
international team of UNRRA (UN Relief and Rehabilitation
Administration) social workers supported the rehabilitation
of young Holocaust survivors in post-war Germany. It offers
a close and significant insight into the creation of a
therapeutic milieu for displaced children and allows a vivid
impression of many of these child survivors "then and now."
German author Anna Andlauer
met with the community to talk
about the research and writing of
her vital and fascinating work. The
launch was a conversation
between Anna and Leslie
Kleinman.
Photography by
Alan Fish Living World
Leslie was born in 1929 to a Satmar Hasidic Family in the
small village of Ombod in Romania. Leslie survived several
death camps including Auschwitz and was liberated while
on a death march to the infamous Dachau extermination
camp on April 23, 1945. Following his miraculous survival he
spent several months in a convent and was able to relay firsthand
the care, concern and love he received during his
rehabilitation.
Yom Yerushalayim 5773
The weather held out and the sun stayed shining as we as a
community celebrated Yom Yerushalayim. Deborah Garson
organised huge bouncy castles and giant slides, together
with a scrumptious buffet of Israeli food. The community
spent the afternoon celebrating in the Garson’s garden. A
wonderful time was had by all.
Purim
Some 150 people attended a
wonderful annual Purim
Seuda. Once again Deborah
organised an exciting event,
complete with live music,
fantastic food and a terrific
animal show. Young and old
squealed with delight at
seeing G-d’s creations up
close. From pythons & bats, to
meerkats and crocodiles,
Photography by
Alan Fish Living World
everyone had the chance to come and hold and feed the
majestic creatures of the Animal World.
Pre-Pesach Seminar
For the fourth year running, the communities of
Borehamwood and Elstree came together to learn and be
inspired. A Pre-Pesach seminar was organised by HLX
(Hertfordshire Learning Experience) & SEED.
HLX is an organization set up 5 years ago by Rabbi Raphy
Garson at the Ohr Israel Federation Synagogue in memory
of the late Rabbi Shmuli Kass, the former Rabbi of Shenley
United Synagogue and a man who was a leader and
inspiration to so many.
The evening was introduced by Rabbi Jeff Berger of the
Rambam Sephardi Community, thanking the close-to-100
people who had braved the cold weather. We were elated
to hear guest speaker Rabbi Dr Akiva Tatz, who
mesmerized the crowd with deep ideas about the
significance of Pesach in our daily lives. As always, with
his wonderful humour and dynamic delivery, Rabbi Tatz
left the community with much food for thought.
The second half of the seminar brought together the 3 local
senior rabbis, Rabbi Shimshon Silkin interim Rabbi of the
Borehamwood/Elstree United Synagogue, Rabbi Berger and
Rabbi Garson and journalist Miriam Sharviv.. Each gave a
unique and inspiring class on a Pesach-related theme.
The local Rabbonim were delighted that once again all the
local communities had joined together. Rabbi Garson
mentioned "It is a credit to Borehamwood and Elstree that
Jews of all walks of life and varied religious backgrounds are
inspired to learn. This was Rabbi Kass’s z”l, dream! Whilst our
local SEED/HLX Bet Hamedrash functions weekly, it is always
wonderful to have extra learning in the community.”
Page 4 Hamaor / September 2013

DIARYDIARYDIARYDIARYDIARYDIARY
NEWS & EVENTS
5th Annual Cross Communal Tisha B’av
Event
This year saw the 5th annual Tisha B’Av event at Ohr
Yisrael. Rabbi Garson & Deborah arranged a whole day of
various films and speakers, which brought over 350 people
from across the local communities together. The guest
speaker was Mr. Henry Wermuth. Henry is 90 years old and
has recently had a stroke, and despite his condition he
made huge efforts to join us.
Henry was born in Frankfurt and deported with his family
to Poland in 1938. He survived the camps of Klaj, Plaszow,
Auschwitz and was eventually liberated from Mauthausen
by the Americans in 1945. His miraculous survival is
remarkable, as he had many near death experiences
including being shot at by the infamous Amon Goeth
(made infamous in the film Schindler’s List) commandant
of Plaszow.
His claim to fame is that he had the opportunity to
assassinate Hitler, which he did his best to take. For almost
two hours this true Jewish Hero, inspired the huge crowd
with his story of resilience and faith, illustrating the
fortitude of the Jewish People who have rebuilt from the
ashes. We are immensely grateful to have had the
opportunity to hear him.
Kalever Rebbe’s First Visit to Elstree
Last April, Elstree was
visited by a very special
unique guest; the Kalever
Rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Taub.
The Rebbe is world
renowned for his
inspiration, wisdom,
advice and blessings for
Chinuch Habanim (child
rearing), Shalom Bayis
(marital harmony),
Parnassah (livelihood) and
all other pressing issues of
today. The Rebbe is a direct descendant from many of the
Talmidei Baal Shem Tov, and is the sixth generation of
chasidus Kalev. He is a Holocaust survivor, originally from
Hungary. For 35 years, the Rebbe has met with people of
all ages and denominations; in over 60 countries, hundreds
of thousands have been uplifted and motivated by his
advice and words of wisdom.
Queues extending into the street were a sight to behold
as the Rebbe greeted people in the Garson’s home.
Towards evening he met with even more people at Ohr
Yisrael. He then gave a special lecture of inspiration to a
large crowd and continued to meet people well into the
night. Some 600 people visited the Rebbe for guidance
and blessings that day in Elstree.
Hamaor / September 2013
Photography by Alan Fish
Living World
Head Office
Burial Society
Our visitors may have already noticed the vastly improved
landscaping that has taken place as one exits the Ohel at our
Rainham cemetery. To build on that, this coming year the
Burial Society will be looking to undertake a major
landscaping project in our Rainham cemetery with the
ultimate aim of providing a more peaceful environment for
the cemetery. Drawings and plans are ahead to landscape
the cemetery at the same time as in keeping with Halachik
guidelines. In addition we are looking to replace the buggy
which is currently being used to transport our elderly around
Rainham cemetery with a new 10 seater covered minibus.
This would be a great improvement on our current buggy
which is open to all inclement weathers, especially in the
winter months. The cost alone for the minibus will be in the
region of £10,000.00
Unfortunately as much as we try to provide additional
comforts for our members when visiting their loved ones, it
does put a great strain on the Federation budget. We would
therefore be extremely grateful for any donation, large or
small, in order to make our forthcoming endeavours a reality.
Sponsorship of specific permanent features to be
incorporated in the project is possible. This would be a very
apt way of remembering a departed relative. Please discuss
your wishes with the Burial Office.
We have been extremely fortunate this year to have received
a number of generous donations for our cemeteries. In
particular we are indebted to Mr Ronnie Brown for his very
kind gift of a new electric bier for our cemetery in Rainham,
to our neighbour Mr Bob Miller for providing us with an
electric mobility scooter and to our anonymous benefactor
for his generous donation which went towards the rebuilding
of a new roof of the ohel of the late Rabbi Eliezer Gordon
z’tzl in our Edmonton cemetery.
URGENT APPEAL
Unfortunately our old buggy which has been
in use for the last 7 years has now broken
down and sadly needs replacing with a new
one. This buggy is invaluable in transporting our elderly
and infirm members and visitors around our cemetery in
Rainham, as without that, it would be too difficult for
them to access their loved ones’ graves. The basic cost for
the buggy is £9,000.00 and with a weatherproof cover in
inclement weather, the cost will exceed £10,000.
The Federation of Synagogues is urgently appealing to the
community for a benefactor or benefactors who would
be prepared to sponsor the purchase of a new buggy. If
‏,מצוה there is anyone who is able to help in this great
please contact the Burial Society on 020-8202 3903.
Page 5

Where there’s a will, there’s a Derech
By Alan Finlay, President - Federation Of Synagogues
And so dear reader, with elections
for Federation Council and
Honorary Officers due to take
place later this year, this is my
last Hamaor article as President.
Having served six years as
Treasurer and twelve years
as President, it is time to
pass on the baton. I wish
the next President every
success. Whether I have
been successful during my terms of office is for others
to judge and so please excuse me if this article is not a
blow by blow account of the last 18 years or a
politician’s attempt to publicise triumphs and spin
everything else.
In recent times, the outside world has been obsessed
with legacy, whether it be the legacy of the Olympic
Games, the legacy of New Labour or the legacy of
Thatcherism. Such discussions revolve around
identifying principles which endure for the future.
As Jews, we operate around a different set of values
which are not based upon individuals, single events or
political movements but on the enduring message of
the Torah and the observance of the commandments.
And yet, each one of us is unique and the way that we
practise our Judaism is different. On Friday night, I will
say kiddush using the same words as everyone else. But
the dynamics around the Shabbos table, the
atmosphere, the interactions, the whole Friday night
experience is different in each household. Are we a
home of laughter, telling jokes, teasing each other,
serious, studious, argumentative, modest and so on? My
kiddush ends up being different from your kiddush.
Similarly, when it comes to giving tzedoko, Mr Cohen
may give exactly the same money as Mr Levy but the
way in which the money is given will be different. Will
it be given wholeheartedly, grudgingly, with a smile or
perfunctorily?
The way we practise our religion and the morals and
ethics that we hold is the legacy that we pass on to our
family. Our children can learn the way we perform our
yiddishkeit and may accept it, refine it or reject it.
However, how many of us, other than by example,
actually write down the values that we hold dear with
the purpose of conveying these values to our children?
We all (or should) make wills which convey our physical
assets on death and may include some element of
estate planning. Similarly, many of us take out life
insurance to provide for our loved ones. What we do not
do is write an ethical will, which in Hebrew is called a
tzavo’oh.
Rav Issachar Frand writes in his inspirational book “An
Offer You Can’t Refuse”:
“We all have something of value to convey to our
children. Regardless of who we are and what we have
done with our lives, we have lived and experienced and
made mistakes and learned our lessons from the hard
knocks we have absorbed. We know which things we
would do over again exactly as we did and which we
would give everything in the world to change. We have
strong opinions about which goals to pursue and which
to avoid like the plague.”
Such thoughts contain important messages for our
children but also provide benefits to those writing a
tzavo’oh because it helps us to crystallise our motives
and values for our future as well as for our family.
In Koheles (Ecclesiastes) (chapter 7 verse 2) King
Solomon writes “It is better to go to the house of
mourning than to go to a house of feasting…” This is
understood to refer to the thoughts provoked by
hearing the eulogies. A eulogy does not emphasise the
last great business deal or professional success achieved
by the deceased, the car that they drove or the designer
clothes that they wore. The eulogy concentrates on the
deceased’s relationship with his or her family, the work
that they did for the community and the principles that
they held dear. By listening to the eulogies, it makes us
think of our own values and lifestyle.
So, writing a tzavo’oh, an ethical will, brings clarity to
our lives. It need not just be written to one’s spouse or
Page 6 Hamaor / September 2013

children. It can be for a brother or sister or for a friend.
It could even be a communal project so everyone’s
tzavo’oh is published anonymously in book form in
order to inspire others.
Around 20 years ago, there was concern that with
advances in technology, there would be fewer working
hours and more leisure time and that this would be a
lifestyle challenge. We look back now and see that such
concerns were laughable when our concerns now centre
on achieving a work/life style balance. Not only do we
work longer hours but emails demand an immediate
response, mobile phones mean that we can never
literally switch off and family time has become more
pressurised. And then suddenly, it is Shabbos and Rosh
Hashanah again and another week and year have gone.
When do we have an opportunity to tell our families
what we consider to be important to us? Writing a
tzavo’oh makes us take a step back from our every day
lives and makes us consider the legacy we wish to
pass on.
It seems to me that if individuals can write a tzavo’oh,
so can organisations. If I were writing a tzavo’oh for the
Federation, what would I write to my successor?
The primary principle that I would emphasis would be
that, as an orthodox Jewish institution, there is no
separation between the religious (kodesh) and the
secular (chol). This means that before any decision is
taken, the Honorary Officers or shul boards of
management must consider whether the matter before
them is kodesh, chol or both and if there is a kodesh
aspect, that matter must be referred to the rabbinical
authority.
The clearest example is the process we have undertaken
to change our constitution and in particular, the
constitutional role of women. Our esteemed Rosh Beis
Din, Dayan Lichtenstein, produced a halachic ruling
(psak) in December 2008 which set out the principles
by which the Federation and our synagogues could
incorporate women into the decision making process.
Since that psak, individual shuls have been able to
arrange their governance to allow women a say in
synagogual management, subject to the halachic
restrictions set out in the 2008 psak.
By contrast, during the process of constitutional review,
we needed to consider the contractual position when
Hamaor / September 2013
someone joins a Federation shul. Is that person
contractually a member of the shul that belongs to the
Federation or are they a member of the Federation
which then enables them to have various benefits in a
Federation shul? Such a question did not need any
religious consideration. It was entirely chol.
We have recently had an approach from a local
authority willing, in principle, to purchase, for a seven
figure sum, part of the cemetery land within the walls
at Rainham cemetery. That money would have
transformed the finances of the Federation as well as
Anglo-Jewry but it was a kodesh matter. Dayan
Lichtenstein was fully aware of the implications and
after spending many days researching the halacho and
looking at the minutes of the relevant meetings at the
time the land at Rainham was purchased, his conclusion
was that the land had been designated for Jewish burial
and could not be used for non-Jewish burials. That
halachic ruling is binding on the Federation, however
much we might wish otherwise. Such process would
not happen in a secular organisation but is central to
the Federation.
My Federation tsavo’oh would also set out the required
relationship between the rabbonim, their shul and the
shul members and the guidelines to adopt when
deciding on expenditure of Federation monies.
I could not have been President without the support of
a wonderful team of Honorary Officers over the last 12
years. Each one has been committed and conscientious
and we have been on the whole a very effective
decision-making body.
I wish to pay tribute to my predecessor, Arnold Cohen,
who has remained a wise and trusted mentor and to the
loyal and conscientious Head Office staff led by our
Chief Executive, Dr Eli Kienwald.
Last but not least or as we Jews say, acharon,
acharon, choviv, I could not have been Federation
President without the support of my wife and
family. Has the time spent away from my family on
Federation business been worth it? That is for my
personal tsavo’oh.
My fellow Honorary Officers join with me in wishing all
Federation members and their families a kesiva
v’chasima tovah.
Page 7

Shechita's stock rising in modern world
By London Board for Shechita
If you were living in a yurt in Siberia, it’s possible that
news of the horsemeat scandal that swept Europe just
a few months ago might just have passed you by.
It caused widespread dismay among many people in
many communities, predominantly among those who
bought cheap pre-made meals or burgers. The Jewish
community showed concern but mainly was unaffected.
However, it did bring an increase in people – non-Jews
as well as Jews - buying kosher meat and poultry.
The connection might not seem obvious at first, as it is
pretty nigh impossible for horsemeat - or any other
non-kosher meat - to enter the kosher food chain.
Rather, it is in the traceability of kosher meat and
poultry wherein lies the link.
This is where the London Board for Shechita (LBS) comes
in. In its own words, the LBS is a
charitable organisation operating
on a non-profit basis to ensure the
provision of kosher meat to
the Jewish public.
What does that mean? In
simple terms, it’s the job of
the LBS to make sure that
every one of its licensed
kosher butchers and meat product manufacturers is able
to get kosher meat and poultry throughout the year, for
every Shabbat and every chag. In doing so, it will know
the source of every leg, wing, steak, chicken liver and
chop that crosses a counter or decorates a dinner plate.
That capability and certainty of knowing where it all
came from and where it’s all going is what gives the LBS
its caché in today’s world.
When consumers see an LBS licence certificate displayed
in a shop window, they can be safe in the knowledge
that what it says on the label of what they’re buying is
what they will get in their basket. It is fast becoming a
market-leading organisation in food information and
education.
The organisation has been in existence since 1804. It is
unique in Anglo-Jewry at bringing together the United
Synagogue, the Federation of Synagogues and the Spanish
and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation under one roof as its
constituent parts. It has its own Rabbinical Authority with
a senior Dayan from each parent body (Dayan Gelley from
Dayan Lichtenstein, Dayan Gelley and Dayan Amor
the London Beth Din, Dayan Lichtenstein from the
Federation and Dayan Amor from the S&P).
The LBS plays no role in buying livestock or in
wholesaling meat and poultry. Its role is to employ
teams of shochtim – Jewish religious slaughtermen (and
their aides who do the checking and the sealing) at
abattoirs, whose job is a religious calling for which they
train for years before they ever pick up a knife. It also
employs shomrim, essentially food inspectors, who
oversee kashrut operations in the premises of licensees
and particularly the porging and the koshering. It finds
abattoirs who are willing to work with shechita – there
are very few in England. It will award those coveted
licences to butchers and factories it deems fit and
worthy to handle kosher meat and poultry, whether
they sell it over the counter or ready packaged. Butchers
offer different products and vary greatly in style but the
LBS inspects all of them before giving
a licence.
The LBS is a charity so is not in
business to make profits. It gets
no donations but charges fees
for its services and for the
people it employs.
Occasionally, one will see
stories in the Jewish press about shechita fees. However,
tough management and tighter economic controls have
led to its fees per kilo being lower now than in 2005 and
this in a period in which worldwide meat and poultry
prices have increased. The LBS is seriously concerned
about the price of keeping kosher, but it must be
stressed that it plays no part in setting the prices paid
by consumers. Uniquely among UK shechita authorities,
it seeks to have a number of abattoirs where it offers its
services so its butchers have a choice and there is
competition for their custom.
While it might be more than two centuries old, the
reach and influence of social media in today’s world is
being acknowledged as the LBS is about to revamp its
website and is launching its own Facebook page. This
will bring greater accessibility, transparency and
knowledge to both its licensees and consumers in a
world where the substance of what we eat has never
been of greater importance.
To find out more look at www.shechita.co.uk or email
info@shechita.co.uk
Page 8 Hamaor / September 2013

W’anna Hen-I (Whereto is the Island?) =
Uanaheni
By Dr Eli Kienwald - Chief Executive
The bearded man pulled up the
collar of his black cloak and,
with a swing of his right arm,
wrapped the capa over his
open shirt and around his body.
He lowered his beret firmly over
his forehead and ventured out
of the dark vestibule, into
the narrow calle in
the port quarter of
Palos de la Frontera.
Rodrigo de Triana smelt the salty sea-breeze of that cold
January evening and waited for the twilight to give way
to the more comforting darkness of night before leaving
the relatively secure shelter of his modest lodgings to
walk along the cobbled alleyway. All the while he kept
close to the crumbling walls of the old storehouses and,
from time to time, gave a furtive look over his shoulder
to check whether he was being followed. He reached
the corner of Calle del Puerto where a flickering lantern
hanging from the wall cast a dim light on a sign he
knew well: “Tasca de los Marineros” (Sailors’ Bar).
The tall man bowed his head and bent his shoulders in
order to go through the low doorway; he entered a large
room furnished with wooden tables and benches. The
light of wax candles gave the place an eerie look and
the smell of good wine identified it as a typical Spanish
drinking house. The tasca was deserted or so it seemed
until Rodrigo spotted the cowered figure of a man
slowly emerging from behind a screen. “Rodrigo” –
whispered the shadow. “It is me, Manuel, Shalom
Alechem”. “Shhh” - was said more as an imploration
than as an order – “so, you too are still keeping…” and
with those words, Manuel grabbed Rodrigo’s hand and
pulled him behind the screen. Manuel rolled up a rag
that was spread across the floor, lifted a well-concealed
trap door and revealed a narrow stepladder. The two
men quickly disappeared, closed the hatch above their
head and, by pulling on a cord, Manuel drew the rag
back into position.
Manuel lit a candle and placed it in one of a pair of silver
candlesticks. This room was much smaller than the one
above and was furnished with only one table and two
Hamaor / September 2013
chairs. The two men looked at each other for a few
moments and, almost in unison, threw their arms
around each other, whispering “Hermano” (brother) “it’s
been so long…”. Manuel gestured to Rodrigo to sit and
went to the far corner of the room. He came back with
a bottle and two glasses and sat in front of his brother.
“This is the best Condado de Huelva, bottled by me
personally; you can drink it. Rodrigo, your face is aged!
You must tell me what has been of you during the last
seven years”, and in so saying, Manuel filled the two
glasses with the amber-coloured Andalusian wine. Over
the next few hours, only interrupted by the uncorking
of another couple of bottles, Rodrigo told his story.
It was the summer of 1490, shortly after the infamous
La Guardia trial, when the Jews of Spain were accused
of black magic in an effort to stop the Inquisition. Life
for Spanish Jewry became even harsher and the number
of those undergoing forced conversions (conversos) and
becoming ‘secret Jews’ (marranos) increased
dramatically. Many, with no family ties or whose
businesses allowed it, sought refuge abroad. Rodrigo de
Triana, as a seasoned sailor, thought that he would
easily find work away from his beloved Palos and moved
to Lisbon in Portugal. One evening, while deep in
thought, sipping wine at one of the taverns in the
Jewish quarter, the Juderia, a man sat across the table
from Rodrigo and greeted him “Shalom! Buenas tardes.
May I share a drink with you?” Rodrigo came out of his
reverie and raised his eyes: he saw a good-looking man,
clean-shaven, with deep blue eyes and wearing the
attire of nobility. “Who are you? – Rodrigo asked. “My
name is Don Christobal Colon and I am a maritime
explorer” – came the answer. The stranger’s language
and accent were unusual, thought Rodrigo; a mixture
of old Catalan and Ladino. However, encouraged by the
good wine and by the common interest in sea voyages,
the two men were at ease with one another. Don
Christobal told Rodrigo that he was born in the Italian
port of Genoa and that his father had been a Catalan
weaver. They had changed their name to Colombo so as
to make their integration into Italian society easier. He
had been a sailor on various military campaigns under
different flags but now he had embarked on the project
of a lifetime: to reach the East by sailing West. Rodrigo
Page 9

told him about his own family, about his brother Manuel
and the wine plantation in Palos and that he was very
worried about what was going to happen to the Jews
of Spain.
“Rodrigo – said Don Christobal – Jews will be expelled
from Spain. I have inside information. Rabbi Yitzchak
Abravanel and Luis de Santangel, counsellors at the
Spanish Court, are trying to buy the loyalty of King
Ferdinand by raising money for his war effort in
Granada, but they are fighting against powerful
enemies. Thomas de Torquemada, the Chief Inquisitor,
is devil incarnate and is pulling the strings. I need good
sailors for my expedition and, when I reach the Indies
of Marco Polo, I know that the descendants of King
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba live there and I need
somebody who will be able to speak to them in Hebrew.
Think about it and I will meet you here again in
six months”.
There were several more meetings between Rodrigo and
Don Christobal in the Lisbon wine bar, as a result of
which a friendship between the two men developed and
plans took shape. In January 1492 Don Christobal told
Rodrigo that an edict to expel the Jews from Spain was
only weeks away and that the royal order providing him
with the funds to finance his enterprise would be issued
at the same time. “I am sailing from Palos with three
ships on 2 August, Rodrigo. I want you to be on one of
them”. “But 2 August is Tisha b’Av – not a propitious day
to start such a voyage”. “All right, we shall leave on
3 August”.
And so it was. The Edict to expel the Jews and the order
to Don Colon to equip a fleet were both proclaimed on
30 April 1492.
On 2 August, the mass exodus of the Jews took place
and on 3 August, the Pinta, the Nina and the Santa
Maria set sail on their voyage to discover a new land.
Rodrigo was on the Pinta as a member of a crew made
up almost entirely of conversos and marranos: there was
no priest on board and no Inquisitor. The men were
unsure of their destiny but relieved to have finally found
relative freedom from fear and oppression. The official
language on the ships was Spanish but the crew used
Hebrew or Ladino when speaking to one another.
Good progress was being made across the ocean but on
15 September the westward wind subsided and the
three ships stood still for several days. On 21 September,
Rosh Hashana 5253, Don Christobal left the flagship
Santa Maria by rowing boat and came on board the
Pinta to speak to Rodrigo.
“The crew are becoming restless – said Don Christobal –
G-d seems to have forsaken us. All I ever wanted was to
find a place, a land, where Jewish people, the
descendants of our fathers Avraham, Yitzchak and
Yaakov, could live in peace. G-d performed great
miracles when he led the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Why would He not wish to lead them to safety now?
My tongue is tied, Rodrigo, like Moses’. But you know
what to say. Please help”.
And on that holiest of days on board the Pinta, Jewish
sailors gathered together to pray, reciting with solemn
devotion the familiar piyutim composed by the great
payetanim Yehuda haLevi and Shlomo ibn Gabirol. One
of the men had a shofar and the sound of the ram’s
horn was heard in all its glory across the vast expanse
of the ocean.
Two days later the West wind filled the sails once again.
In the morning of 12 October, Hoshana Rabba, Rodrigo
was on duty on the forecastle of the Pinta. Suddenly a
scream blasted out of his throat “I, I” (Hebrew for Island,
Island). Someone on the deck below shouted back:
“W’anna” (and whereto) to which Rodrigo answered
“Hen-I” (there is the island), pointing forcefully ahead.
That brief exchange between sailors was used to name
the island Uanaheni or San Salvador. Don Christobal
Colon had opened a New World to which the Jewish
people could flee from religious persecution.
Manuel had listened intently to his brother’s story.
“Rodrigo, why did you come back?” “I could not stay
with Don Christobal’s party – replied Rodrigo with
sadness – he defrauded me of 10,000 maravedis and a
waistcoat promised by the King and Queen to the first
man who would sight land. Don Christobal claimed to
have seen land the day before me. I am going to
emigrate to Morocco. But you, Manuel, you should go
to the New World. Don Christobal is planning more
voyages and you can start a successful wine business
there. Your wine is the best in the world”.
Rodrigo raised his glass once more and, with a
broad smile on his battered face saluted his brother:
“L’Chayim”.
Notes
1.
Was Christopher Columbus Jewish? There are a number of
eminent historians who make this claim or at least that his
family had Jewish Catalan roots
2.
When converting Gregorian calendar dates into Jewish calendar
dates for years prior to 1752CE, one must take into account ten
days added to the calendar by Pope Gregory XIII under the
Gregorian Reformation.
Page 10 Hamaor / September 2013

Chai Cancer Care
Medical Outpatient
Rehabilitation
and Palliative
Care Services
Most of us will have to deal with the effects of a
cancer diagnosis at some point in our lives; either
at first hand or through someone close to us. Chai
Cancer Care is the Jewish Community’s Cancer
Support Organisation, enabling patients, their
families and friends affected by cancer to cope.
Chai’s expertise and services are for the benefit of
everyone involved.
We provide a wide range of services; from
therapies and complementary therapies to group
activities and counselling to advisory services.
From its inception in 1990, Chai has gained the
reputation of being a pioneer and leader in the
field of cancer support. The combination of earlier
diagnosis and better treatments mean more
people are living longer with cancer. There are
currently 1.8 million cancer survivors in the UK
and it is estimated the number will rise to
4 million by 2030.
Hamaor / September 2013
Frequently the treatments that are keeping
cancer patients alive for longer result in side
effects that make life difficult, and in some
cases, unbearable. In order to meet the need of
cancer survivorship, we initiated a
groundbreaking three way collaboration with
The Royal Free Hospital and Marie Curie Cancer
Care. A Palliative Care Consultant runs the
Medical Outpatient Rehabilitation and Palliative
Care Service, based at our flagship centre
in Hendon.
Chai currently supports over 1750 clients (60%
cancer patient & 40% are their loved ones). We
do not receive any statutory funding, and rely on
the generosity of the community to enable us to
provide our expertise, care and specialised
support.
For more information, please call 020 8202 2211
or visit our website at www.chaicancercare.org.
Page 11

Maurice Tiefenbrunner - Obituary
Maurice Tiefenbrunner, who has died aged 97, was a German Jew who served with British Special Forces
behind enemy lines in the Second World War.
Tiefenbrunner was
born in Germany, but
in 1939 he fled to
Palestine to escape
Nazi persecution. In
March 1942 he was
recruited by the
Special Interrogation
Group (SIG), the name
given to a small force
of German-speaking
troops assembled to
carry out raids in North Africa while disguised in enemy
uniforms.
Most of the volunteers were Jews from Palestine, and,
like Tiefenbrunner, had previously served with the
commandos. At a PoW camp near Suez the SIG observed
the behaviour of German soldiers, learned their
commands, their salutes, their slang, their marching
songs and how to handle their weapons. Their false
identities were rounded out by photographs of German
girlfriends actually posed for by British ATS girls in Cairo.
The SIGís first mission, in June 1942, was to help the
SAS to destroy the aircraft on the airfields at Derna and
Martuba in Libya, 100 miles west of Tobruk. This would
involve bluffing their way through enemy lines with
forged documents and wearing captured uniforms. If
caught, they could expect no mercy.
Travelling in two Afrika Corps lorries and a staff car, 12
members of the SIG led by Captain Herbert Buck posed
as guards escorting 15 French prisoners (in fact, these
were soldiers of the Free French Squadron of the SAS).
The lorries were driven by two genuine German PoWs
who claimed to be anti-Nazi. Tiefenbrunner, who was
then a corporal, did not trust them and objected to
their coming.
As they approached the targets, they split into three
groups. One lorry made for the airfield at Derna, the
other for Martuba. Tiefenbrunner stayed with the car
and liaised between the two.
After hearing some loud explosions, he assumed that
the attack was going well. Then he heard frantic
shouting, and a lone Free French officer appeared. He
was exhausted and almost incoherent. Their lorry, he
said, had broken down. The German driver had gone into
the airfieldís guardpost ostensibly to obtain a spare part
but had betrayed them, informing his compatriots that
he had a lorry full of Allied soldiers. All the other raiders
in that group had been killed or captured.
The other detachment of Frenchmen had also been
taken prisoner before they could destroy any aircraft,
and the surviving members of SIG had no option but to
try to return to base in the remaining lorry.
Tiefenbrunner covered the second German driver with
his gun, ready to kill him if he made a wrong move. On
the way they were bombed by a German aircraft, but
when they unfurled a Swastika flag on the ground it
flew off.
After the remnants of the raid had made it back to their
own lines, Tiefenbrunnerís driver was returned to a PoW
camp he was later shot trying to escape. The other
driver, who had betrayed them, was received as a hero
and decorated by the German High Command.
In July 1942, Tiefenbrunner took part in successful raids
on the Egyptian airfields at Fuka and Mersa Matruh,
where a large number of enemy aircraft were destroyed.
But two months later , following a failed raid on Tobruk
in which it was almost wiped out, SIG was disbanded,
its remaining members being amalgamated with
the SAS.
In December 1942, however, Tiefenbrunner was taken
prisoner and shipped by submarine to Italy. On the way,
he and seven British officers made an unsuccessful
attempt to overcome the crew, and they were forced to
spend the remainder of the journey on the floor, packed
together like sardines.
After the Italian armistice in 1943, Tiefenbrunner was
moved to Austria, then to a camp in Prussia. As the Red
Army got closer, he and several hundred others were
marched to Fallingbostel, near Hanover. Food was scarce
© Daily Telegraph
Page 12 Hamaor / September 2013

and the weather freezing at night they slept in the
open fields.
In February 1945, with the British Army approaching,
the German guards surrendered to the PoWs.
Tiefenbrunner was released the following month.
One of eight children, Maurice Tiefenbrunner
(nicknamed ”Monju” was born to an orthodox Jewish
family at Wiesbaden, Germany, on December 18 1915.
His parents, who had moved there from Poland before
the First World War, ran a kosher grocery and
delicatessen store. He helped his parents in the shop
after school, but emigration was affecting the business,
and in 1931 he moved to Mainz to work in a
department store.
In 1934 Nazi storm troopers burst into the store and
began beating up the staff. Tiefenbrunner tried to
protect his boss but was knocked down with a
truncheon and had to spend several days in hospital.
In October 1938 his parents were arrested, imprisoned
and taken to the railway station to be deported to
Poland. Monju begged to be allowed to take his
motherís place so she could return home to look after
the younger children.Reluctantly, the police agreed.
Thus he accompanied his father, who was blind, to
Krakow, where they stayed with relations. Some weeks
later, after receiving an order to enlist in the Polish
Army, he succeeded with great difficulty in getting to
Antwerp, where his brother was living. He never saw his
father again.
In April 1939 Tiefenbrunner was busy learning the
business of diamond-cutting when an inspector asked
to see his work permit. He had none and was told that
he would be deported. To avoid this fate he joined a
small group of refugees similarly placed and was
smuggled across the frontier into France, making his
way to Paris.
For 10 days he hid from the authorities. Then, having
contacted Jewish agents of the Irgun, he got to Marseille,
where he bribed the captain of a pleasure boat to take him
to the cargo boat Parita, which was bound for Palestine.
The boat was meant to take about 250 passengers, but
at Constanta, in Romania, 750 joined the 80 already on
board. The passengers were told that, when they
Hamaor / September 2013
reached Cyprus, they would be transferred to four
sailing boats. In the event these boats never arrived;
meanwhile, the food ran out and many of the more
elderly became ill.
A group of 100 passengers decided to act. They
locked up the captain and his officers, hoisted the
Israeli flag and took command of the ship. The Greek
crew took all their money and valuables but helped
them reach the coast of Palestine after 70 days at sea.
There, the passengers smashed the engines before
running the vessel deep into the sand at Tel Aviv
beach. The Second World War broke out a month later;
the passengers were released from internment and
became legal citizens.
Tiefenbrunner volunteered immediately for the British
Army and, posted to the Pioneer Corps, was sent to
France. Two weeks after the French surrender, he was
evacuated from St Malo in one of the last British ships
to get away.
He joined 51 Middle East Commando and fought in the
Eritrean campaign. Leading a section of machine
gunners in the fiercely contested battle of Keren, he
was wounded and was subsequently mentioned
in despatches.
In October 1945 Tiefenbrunner returned to Palestine, to
learn that his parents had perished in Auschwitz. For a
time he worked as a diamond cutter. He was also active
in the 1948 struggle for Independence, after which he
moved to Britain , settling in west London. He managed
a book production business and raised a family before
spending the last 30 years of his life in Israel, where he
worked as a bookbinder until finally retiring at the age
of 95. He considered the large family surrounding him
his personal revenge against Hitler.
Monju Tiefenbrunner married, in 1947, Friedel Sturm.
She predeceased him, and he is survived by their son
and three daughters.
Maurice Tiefenbrunner, born December 18 1915,
died July 24 2013.
This article originally appeared on 2nd August 2013 on
the Daily Telegraph website.
Page 13

Awe and Joy on Rosh Hashana
By Rabbi Chaim Zundel Pearlman
Rabbi of the Machzikei Hadath Synagogue & Rosh Beit Midrash Hendon
We are presented on Rosh Hashana with a paradox.
It is a festival – a time for joyous celebration as is
reflected in the midrashim and minhagim; yet on
the other hand it is a time of fear and trepidation
as the awesome day of judgement. How can we
reconcile these two diametrically opposed
concepts? This dilemma is accentuated in the piyut 2
The earth and its dwellers look forward to the din
but tremble and dread the frightful din. Is this not
a contradiction?
The Tur 3 quotes a midrash 4 - which nation can
compare to this nation which knows the ways of
Hashem? It is customary for a man who has a court
case to wear black, to grow his hair etc. since he
knows not the outcome of the judgement. But not
so Israel who wear white, cut their hair, and eat,
drink and rejoice on Rosh Hashana, confident that
Hashem will perform miracles for them. Hence, to
display our confidence in the outcome of the
judgement, on Rosh Hashana we rejoice and wear
festive clothing.
Since Rosh Hashana is called a chag 5 although it is
yom hadin 6 , it is incumbent to have a festive meal
and it is forbidden to fast 7 . Some of the Geonim
ruled that moadim lesimcha and vehasieinu should
be recited on Rosh Hashana 8 . Nechemia 9 instructed
the returnees from exile “this day is holy to
Hashem, mourn not, nor weep … go eat delicacies
and drink the sweet and send gifts to those who are
unprepared, for this day is holy to our Master, do
not grieve for the joy of Hashem is your strength.”
Based on these verses, the Vilna Gaon prohibited
crying on Rosh Hashana. 10
At the same time, Rosh Hashana is the first day of
the Yomim Noraim - days of awe. In contrast to the
Gaon the Ari zal was wont to cry profusely in the
tefilot of Rosh Hashana 11 and declared it is a sign
of an imperfect soul if tears are not shed! The
Zohar 12 writes that the tefilot of one who sheds
tears are more acceptable.
This dichotomy is reflected in the midrash 13 , which
depicts the mixed emotions of Avraham as he walks
towards the place of the Akeida. When he is
commanded to sacrifice his only son Yitzchak, he
cries in his heart but with his mouth he declares
hineini and with joy he binds his son as a sacrifice.
He who walks weeping, carrying his progeny, he
comes with joy etc.
In the Pizmon 15
We chant about our dread of the impending days -
As they shudder and tremble before the days of
Your coming, shaking before Your burden of wrath,
like a woman at her first birth etc.
Rosh Hashana marks the birth of man,
The trembling at the approach of this
awesome day is compared to labour pains tempered
by the expectation of the impending arrival of the
firstborn child. The cries of pain are overtaken by
the ecstasy of the birth.
The sound of the shofar itself contains this
ambiguity. Says the Levush 16 , if the tekia and terua
are blown in one breath one has not fulfilled the
obligation. Why? Because the tekia is a sound of joy
and peace whilst the terua a sound of crying and
sobbing. These opposites cannot join together in a
single sound.
Rosh Hashana is referred to as yom terua 17 . This
term itself has a dual meaning – that of joy as in
the verse
18
Page 14 Hamaor / September 2013

and friendship from the root But in addition
it also has the meaning of crying, as translated by
19
Onkeles
All the readings from the Torah and the Navi on
Rosh Hashana refer to crying. On the first day we
read how Hagar and Yishmael cry, on the second
day we read the akeida and as stated earlier
Avraham cried and the midrash records that the
tears of the angels blinded the eyes of Yitzchak in
his later years 20 , Sarah cries when she hears the
news and then her soul departs. In the haftorot we
read about the tears of Chana on the first day and
the tears of Rochel imeinu on the second day.
The theme of awe is reflected in the halachot of the
day. Hallel is not recited.
Is it possible that the King sits on the throne of
judgement when the books of life and death are
opened in front of Him and Israel says shira?
Rambam 22 comments
“because these are days of avoda, humility and fright
.. fear of Him and flight and refuge to Him … in all
these circumstances it would not be fitting to rejoice.”
The Brisker Rav 23 , elaborates on these words of the
Rambam. When one is so frightened of the day of
judgement that one reaches a level where one feels
impelled to flee and find refuge, then, somewhat
perversely, one is able to achieve a high level of
bitochon in Hashem, to be worthy of His miracles.
However, if one has no fright, he cannot possibly
attain a high level of closeness to Hashem. This is
reflected in the language of the piyut 24
- I flee from You, it is to You.
Rabbeinu Yona 25 writes that although awe and joy
in relation to another human being are at the
opposite ends of the spectrum, it is not so in
relating to Hashem. When one contemplates His
greatness and is in awe of His presence, one is
enabled to rejoice. Of such a joy which is a product
of awe, it is said.
Fear of Hashem is not contradictory to
rejoicing. On the contrary true fear of Hashem
is the vehicle and tool to attain that ultimate
ideal of rejoicing with Hashem. Our avoda
on Rosh Hashana is to reconcile what
appears to be superficially conflicting
objectives. If we merit to achieve this goal
it is truly awesome and simultaneously
exhilarating.
Notes
1.
Tehilim 2:11
2.
First day Shacharit after
3.
Tur Orach Chaim 581
4.
Yerushalmi Rosh Hashana 1:3
5.
6.
Mishna Berurah 597:1
7.
Orach Chaim 597, see also Rambam Hilchot Yomtov 6:17
8.
Tur Orach Chaim 582. The halacha is not like these Geonim.
9.
Chapt. 8 verses 9-10.
10.
Maasei Rav siman 207
11.
Kitvei HoAri Shaar Hakavonot Drush le Rosh Hashana.
Attempts have been made to reconcile with the view of the
Gra. Some distinguish between crying during tefila and at
non-tefila times (Eliyohu Ki Tov). In the name of Rav Chaim
Volozhin it is said that spontaneous crying is permitted.
12.
Machazik Bracha (Chida) Orach Chaim 1:3
Hamaor / September 2013
13.
Tanchuma Vayeira 39
14.
Tehilim 126:6
15.
First day Selichot
16.
Levush Orach Chaim 590:5
17.
Pinchas 23:21
18.
Balak 23:21
19.
Beha’alotcha 10:5
20.
Rashi Toldot 27:1
21.
Rosh Hashana 32b, Eiruchin 10b
22.
Commentary to Mishna Rosh Hashanah 4:7. See also the Yad
Hilchot Chanuka 3:6
23.
Chidushei HaGriz Hachadoshim 75
24.
Keter Malchut. Ibn Gabirol Machzor Yom Kippur, who lived a
century before the Rambam.
25.
Berachot 22a
Page 15

FAMILY HAMAOR
Will it be a sweet new year for all Jewish families?
In most of our communities there are families who have a child with a life threatening illness.
Jane and Mark contacted Camp Simcha and our Big
Brother and Sister volunteers quickly became part of
Jess’s life and that of her sister Mia. They visited Jess
regularly and took her to parties and outings, providing
respite for Jane and Mark, whilst their dedicated Family
Liaison Officer provided them with 24/7 practical and
emotional support. The whole family came on Camp
Simcha Retreat where they met many other families
who really could understand and the children had the
time of their lives. One day straight after
chemotherapy, Jess and Mia went with Camp Simcha
to Chessington where she had a day to remember.
When we spoke to her a few weeks later, Jess didn’t
even remember the treatment she had that day – all
she could think of was her amazing day out.
CAMP SIMCHA HELPS ALL MEMBERS OF
THE FAMILY FEEL BETTER, STRONGER AND
MORE ABLE TO COPE
From Cancer to Muscular Dystrophy, these families
face high levels of stress and anxiety and it is our
responsibility to be there for them. At Camp Simcha,
our vision is that no Jewish child, wherever they are in
the UK, should have to suffer serious illness without
our support. We believe that the best way to improve
quality of life for the sick child is to change the life of
the whole family including siblings, often the
forgotten sufferers.
JESS’S STORY
In February 2010, 7 year old Jess was diagnosed with a
brain tumour. She has endured surgery and years of
chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Her parents, Jane and
Mark, watched their daughter change from a bundle
of energy into a shadow of her former self.
All Camp Simcha’s services are provided free of charge
to families from all sectors of the Jewish community.
We receive no government funding and rely on the
generous support of the community. If you know of a
child or family that could benefit from Camp Simcha's
help, please do not hesitate to contact us on 020 8202
9297 or for further information visit our website at
www.campsimcha.org.uk
HELP US MAKE TOMORROWS TREAT MORE
IMPORTANT THAN TODAY’S TREATMENT
To support our services please visit
www.campsimcha.org.uk, send a donation to “Camp
Simcha,” The House, 12 Queens Road, London,
NW4 2TH, or contact us at office@campsimcha.org.uk.
Charity no:1044685
Page 16 Hamaor / September 2013

FAMILY HAMAOR
Understanding the gift of tears
By Rabbi Garson
“The most efficient water
power in the world -
women's tears.” So said
Wilson Wizner an
American playwright
from the early 1900s.
He understood what
we as a nation have
known for millennia –
the power of the Jewish
woman’s tears.
We are told that “real” men don’t cry. Yet, there is one
time of the year where both men and women, are
hopefully moved to tears.
The Rabbis debate is it permissible to cry during the
prayers on Rosh Hashanah? After all Rosh Hashanah
is a festive holiday, perhaps crying should be forbidden,
notwithstanding the sense of awe we experience.
Chacham Ovadia Yosef addresses this question and
concludes that one who is overcome with emotion
during the prayers is not required to restrain himself
from crying, but one should not attempt to bring
himself to tears on this holiday. However on Yom
Kippur, knock yourself out! Tears and crying are
encouraged.
The Arizal comments that the moment when one cries
on Yom Kippur, his soul is being judged. Shockingly he
adds that one who is not moved to tears, is indicative
of a very sullied soul. Rav Hirsh claimed that tears are
the sweat of the soul. Tears indicate heartfelt prayer.
Hence the numerical value of heart and BECHI (crying)
are both 32.
These are all important ideas. However this past July,
my wife and I were privileged to lead a 6th “Journey
to Poland”. It was then that we really understood what
it means to cry. The time was 11:00 at night. Carrying
candles we took the group to the site of a mass grave
of 1000 babies and children in the Zbylitowska Góra
Hamaor / September 2013
forest, a few kilometers away from Tarnów.
Understandably tears flowed.
I told our wonderful group, how in life we cry at such
stupid irrelevant things. The end of a movie or a novel.
We waste our tears which are so precious. But then I
shared with them a moving story which changes the
way we view this precious emotion.
A year ago, Chief Rabbi Lau spoke at the Sinai Indaba
Conference in South Africa. He related the story how
he was liberated from Buchenwald on April 11th 1945.
American Troops led by General Patton broke in and
liberated the prisoners.
He and his colleagues were sent to France, to Equis, a
small village 90km from Paris and placed in a small
hospital for orphans. 220 orphans from Bergen Belsen
and Buchenwald made their way there. Rabbi Lau was
the youngest at 8 years old, the oldest child was 22.
Eli Wiesel was also in this group.
There was a mother figure to run the sanatorium
whose name was Rachel Minsk. A lady born in Lodz
who spoke French and Polish.
One day she stood up and said “Boys I have a request
today; at 4pm I want you all to gather on the grass in
the centre of the village as we have to welcome very
important guests. The mayor of Equis, the head
commander of police, and some leaders of welfare
groups who subsidise this place. Without them we
could not treat you physically and psychologically. So
please come and treat them with respect and let us
pay tribute to them.”
One of the boys got up and said “Mrs Minsk we will
N OT go. We oppose this visit, we are full of anger.
Where were they the last 6 years? We heard no voices
of the armed forces, the police and the people of
France when our families were being slaughtered, we
were beaten to death. And now they come to
take photos of orphans of the holocaust because
Page 17

FAMILY HAMAOR
its popular – we will not co-operate and we will not
be there.”
All the boys agreed. But she knew that the future of
the sanatorium depended on these people. She replied
“I was told that each of you will get from the guests
an individual present.”
This was a huge thing for all the boys who had not
received anything in 6 years. “We don’t want their
presents or presence. We are on our way to Israel with
Aliyat Hanaar, we will have nothing to do with them.
We won’t be there.”
She stood at the door and said “OK, but do it for me”.
Once she left, a decision was made. Physically they
would be for Mrs Minsk but would not cooperate. They
decided not to even look at them. “We will not
welcome them and we will demonstrate our anger for
doing nothing for 6 years to save our lives.“
She tried to be the Chair: “Boys this is the Mayor of
Equis, General so and so.” All the speakers understood
they had no address to talk to. “We bless you and happy
you are here.” She translated from French to Polish.
Then she said the last speaker was Duvid Leibovitzch,
a survivor of Auschwitz. “This man lost his wife and
three children. He came to France because his textile
business was here before the war and he promised
himself that for the rest of his life, all his money,
energy and time would be dedicated to the orphans of
the holocaust - as if they were his own children. He
wants to talk to you.”
No one gave an order, but spontaneously 220 heads
were lifted up. With a look of empathy and solidarity.
“He was one of us. No reason to oppose him.”
He was not a speaker but was excited to come to Equis
and when he saw this change, 220 children looking at
him, he was overcome with emotion and he was
trembling into the microphone.
He said 3 words “Kinder …… Tayreh Kinder!!!”(children
my dear children) and he cried into the microphone.
Mrs Minsk took him to the seat on the bench. “Thank
you, now sit and relax”.
The silence was followed by a miracle. “All of a sudden
we felt our cheeks were wet and tears flowed. It was
strange. These young boys had not cried in years. All
of them tried to dry his face from the tears. 220 young
boys crying a beautiful cry.”
A 20 year old boy called Aharon said “Mrs Minsk,
distinguished guests on behalf of my friends I hope I
express their feelings. I want to thank you. Not for the
visit or the presents. We never asked for it. But I want
to thank you for one present you brought us without
knowing. The ability to cry. You cannot imagine what
a gift it is.”
When they killed my father at 16 years old in front of
me – I stopped crying. When I was starving, beaten,
suffering in the death marches, I NEVER cried. I didn’t
laugh for a year or cry for over 3 years.
After the liberation I have been crazed with the
question. Maybe I am not a human being anymore.
Maybe my heart is not made of meat. But of stone. If
I don’t laugh or cry I am an automatic machine. ICH
BIN NISHT A MENSTCH – I am not a human being. Who
will marry me? I have no future? Who will build a
family with someone who has no heart and emotions?
Will I have children?”
“For the last few months, day and night we are
consumed with these thoughts – up until five minutes
ago. When we cried. It means we are human beings.
And everyone knows, that those who cry today can
smile and laugh tomorrow. Thank you for this gift you
brought us – THE POWER TO CRY!”
Let us use Yom Kippur this year to gain a greater
appreciation of our tears. And may our tears always be
tears of joy.
Ketiva Vechatima Tova.
Page 18 Hamaor / September 2013

FAMILY HAMAOR
Jewish Marriage Council launches new family mediation service
Among the many important purposes in its mission
statement, the Jewish Marriage Council seeks to
provide appropriate services to support individuals at
the end of relationships and beyond. Recognising that
not all marital breakdown can be avoided, even with
its excellent confidential counselling and other support
services, the Council has decided to create a new
mediation service for this aspect of its work.
Most separating couples make a tremendous effort to
save their marriages before they make the difficult
decision to separate and, ultimately, divorce. Once this
decision has been made, most think that their only
option is to find a solicitor and begin the lengthy,
expensive and often hostile process of solicitors’
meetings and correspondence, which frequently result
in protracted Court proceedings, often embittering one
or both parties and having significant emotional
ramifications; to say nothing of the impact on both
themselves and, of course, their children.
Family mediation is an increasingly popular alternative,
which is being championed by both the Government
and the Judiciary. Lord McNally, the Family Justice
Minister, has recently been quoted as saying that
mediation is “a quicker, simpler and more effective way
for separating couples to agree how they divide their
assets or arrange child contact, which avoids the
traumatic and divisive effect of courtroom battles.”
Mediation puts the parties in control of how they deal
with the end of their relationship. Further, it
encourages parties to communicate in a confidential
setting and agree their own solutions, which will
inevitably be much more innovative and family specific
than a Court would ever contemplate. By encouraging
dialogue, mediation helps parents to re-establish or
maintain effective communication so that they can
work together in their lifelong role as co-parents. The
Jewish Marriage Council recognises how important it
is that people are given a cheaper, quicker and more
reliable alternative to resolving the issues, which stem
from separation and divorce. His Honour Judge Martyn
Zeidman QC, Chairman of the Jewish Marriage Council
says ‘Sitting in family cases, one sees over and over
again litigants losing thousands of pounds in legal and
court fees. But the price they pay can be even higher
as the court process itself can often increase the
acrimony between the parties. It is in the nature of
this sort of dispute. There is no simple solution but
mediation provides the very best opportunity for an
efficient, effective and less stressful result.’
The new mediation service, which is being offered at
significantly reduced rates, also acknowledges the
importance of having a professional involved, who is
sensitive to the complexities and intricacies
surrounding a Jewish divorce, both in the orthodox
and secular communities. Dayan Menachem Gelley, the
senior Dayan at the London Beth Din endorses the
service provided by the Jewish Marriage Council. He
says “I am aware of the initiative (mediation service)
provided by the JMC and would be happy to
recommend their services.”
Mediation is hugely successful with the Legal Aid
Agency (formerly the Legal Services Commission)
estimating that between 60% and 70% of mediated
cases result in agreement. It is suitable for most
separating couples, providing that neither party is the
subject of ongoing domestic abuse. If you are unsure
of your suitability please contact the Jewish Marriage
Council and you will be able to talk to one of our
mediators entirely confidentially.
The service is being run by two experienced family
lawyers: Rachel Jaysan (Dor-Chay) and Michael Simon.
Rachel is a family solicitor and mediator specialising in
all aspects of family law. Rachel is experienced in
religious divorce, particularly in the complexities of the
Jewish Get. She runs her own mediation practice,
Rachel Jaysan Family Mediation and is also a
consultant solicitor with TV Edwards LLP. Michael has
over 20 years experience as a family law barrister, in
court and the Beis Din, and is a qualified mediator. His
particular expertise is in the law relating to children
and education.
For further information, please contact the Jewish
Marriage Council on 0208 203 6311; info@jmc-uk.org
Hamaor / September 2013
Page 19

Mah nishtanah ha’leilah hazeh?
by Chazan Michael Simon, warden of Edgware Yeshurun
Few tunes, if any, are
more stirring to those
with even the most
dormant or suppressed
emotions, than the
unique melody of Kol
Nidrei. The “tefillah”
(prayer) itself has had
a lengthy, though
somewhat chequered,
history. Dating back to
the time of the
Geonim (7th to 10th Centuries CE), misunderstandings,
and no doubt some deliberate misinterpretations, of
the nature of the vows for which it grants nullification,
have led to textual emendations and even Rabbinic
opinions arguing against its inclusion in the machzor.
And yet it remains as a vital component of the Yom
Kippur liturgy, so much so that the whole evening
service is known colloquially as Kol Nidrei night. Its
dominance in the public conscience is all the more
remarkable when one considers that it is not, even
technically, a prayer but rather a legalistic formula
recited three times by a Beit Din (represented by the
chazan and two supporters) before sunset, in order to
have the required halachic effect upon the specific
category of oaths to which it is addressed. With this
context in mind, we would be forgiven for wondering
just what the magnetic appeal of Kol Nidrei is, such
that it has had our brethren, however loosely affiliated,
flocking to shul in their droves for many centuries,
anxious to be included in this annual ritual.
Many theories abound, but Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik
may have a persuasive answer that draws upon a
central theme of the High Holyday period. He points
out that the nullification of an oath creates in its wake
a tremendous fillip in that it retroactively negates it,
meaning that it is as if it never existed. The benefit is,
obviously, that any breaches of the oath that have
already been occasioned will no longer incur any
penalty as there was no oath to break. Rav
Soloveitchik explains that there are two grounds upon
which the Beit Din can pronounce an annulment. One
is called (meaning ‘opening’), which may be
appropriate where a person states “I would not have
made such a vow had I known that it was worthless
and would cause more trouble than existed prior to it”.
The second is (meaning ‘remorse’) and applies
where someone truly regrets that they made such a
vow in the first place.
By way of example, the category of ‘remorse’ applies
to the man who vows to divorce his wife in a month’s
time if she will not desist from frivolous expenditure
[this plainly far-fetched example does come from an
ancient source]. During the allotted period of time,
the man hears a most eloquent, rabbinical oration on
the incalculable self-sacrifice of Jewish ladies
throughout the ages, never allowing poverty or
privation, turbulence or confrontation to deflect them
from their holy task of raising the next generation.
Ruminating on this message and recognising the true
value of his eishet chayil, the man is horrified at the
folly of his vow and, quickly realigning his priorities,
he rushes to the Beit Din to have the vow annulled.
The category of ‘opening’ is exemplified by the father
who vows to disown his son if he persists in marrying
a girl far below his station [I appreciate this may be
considered as equally far-fetched as the first example].
The son elopes and settles with his new wife in another
Page 20 Hamaor / September 2013

town and the father has no contact with him for
several years. Then an acquaintance of the father tells
him that he recently met the son, who is happily
married with two children and running a successful
business. Though maintaining his stance that the vow
was legitimately made at the time, the father
acknowledges that it no longer has worth, as it did not
accomplish its intended purpose. It is for this reason
that the father now wishes for his vow to be annulled,
allowing him to pursue a relationship with his
grandchildren as well. The fundamental difference
between the two cases is that the remorseful husband
actually holds the vow itself to be repugnant, not
just ineffective.
Rav Soloveitchik suggests that this is a perfect analogy
for the concept of (repentance), which is ideally
undertaken by a person recognising and actually
lamenting the terrible mistakes that he has made in
life. This process of remorse has caused him seriously
to alter his outlook on life and to become a new
person. There is a lesser level of repentance, achieved
by one who examines his life and concludes that
his abandonment of the Torah, by, for instance,
working seven days a week in order to maximise
his income stream, has not in fact achieved its
intended aim. Moreover, he can see that his Shabbatobserving
neighbour is happier, healthier and just
as materially successful. This brings him to a
realisation that, had he known that his failures in Torah
and mitzvot would not offer him any advantage,
he would more likely have embraced his
religious obligations.
The difference in quality and consequences between
these two levels can be illustrated through the famous
Gemara in Masechet Yoma [86a] which records two
apparently conflicting statements of Reish Lakish. The
first is that is so great that one’s deliberate sins
are converted to a level of inadvertence. The second
is that affects deliberate sins to the extent of
transforming them into zechutim (merits). The Gemara
explains that the first statement relates to that
is done out of fear of punishment, whereas the second
describes the monumental outcome of repentance
performed out of love for Hashem.
Applying these categories to annulment of vows, Rav
Soleveitchik equates the ‘remorse’ category with one
who repents out of love, because he has genuinely
effected an internal change, becoming a new person.
This person now merits great reward, because Hashem
reviews all of his actions in the context, retrospectively,
of his new outlook and grants him concomitantly
greater reward. By contrast, one who only returns to
the path of Hashem when he discovers that his sins
have not gained him the physical or material rewards
that he was anticipating, is essentially admitting that
he made a mistake. This equates with repentance out
of fear and achieves only the downgrading of his
sinfulness.
This whole concept of is a supernatural
manifestation of Hashem’s goodness and mercy.
Maybe it is this that Jews of previous generations
recognised and understood. For them, Kol Nidrei
represented the quintessential component that
brought to mind the level of that they were
striving to attain. This profound meaning within Kol
Nidrei clearly connects with us all, even on an entirely
subconscious level.
May we merit to achieve the highest level of so
that any negative actions over the last year will
be transformed into mitzvot and may Hashem inscribe
and seal us all and our loved ones for a year of
good health, happiness and success in every aspect of
our lives.
Hamaor / September 2013
Page 21

“To give or not to give?”
by Harvey Bratt
As a faith group British Jews are renowned for being
extraordinarily charitable. The vast majority of us give to
charity every year 1 . As long ago as 1997 the income of the
Jewish voluntary sector was estimated at £503m 2 per
annum, some 3-4% of the income of the sector as a whole,
whereas Jews account for only 0.5 % of the population of
England and Wales. So there can be no doubt that we punch
well above the weight our quarter million strong population
would warrant.
Yet only 16% of the income of the Jewish charitable sector
is derived from legacies and only one in four of us leave a
gift to charity in our wills. Why is this?
Perhaps there is a natural reticence to consider our own
mortality. Maybe the subject of wills is therefore a no-go,
taboo area. Possibly in our busy lives, making a will, or
changing an existing one, just doesn’t take top priority. But
maybe it’s because we simply haven’t considered the
possibility that giving can be about more than just the ‘here
and now’. As former PM Tony Blair has said when speaking
on behalf of his Foundation “Philanthropy...is not just about
giving, but about giving creatively”.
There can be no more creative, cost effective and tax
efficient way to give than through a legacy. You can even
use a legacy as a means of memorialising a loved one in
perpetuity. A legacy is particularly beneficial for those in
retirement, on fixed pensions or for whom investments are
producing poor returns, because, quite simply, it costs
nothing now. Instead, money will come out of one’s estate
when, not to put too fine a point on it, one is no longer in
need of it!
And there is no more tax effective form of giving to charity
than through a gift in your will. The Government has
recently changed the Inheritance Tax laws to encourage and
incentivise us to include legacies to charity. Now by leaving
just 10% of your taxable estate to charity (after deducting
your tax free allowance) your family will now benefit from
a lower rate of tax – reduced from 40% to 36%. The effect
is dramatic; over three quarters of any legacy you give to
charity is met by the taxman. In announcing this tax break
Chancellor George Osborne aspired “... to make giving 10%
of your legacy to charity the new norm in our country”.
The concept of tithing (from the word ‘tenth’) one’s income
to charity is one that resonates well with the Jewish
community. Its origins are deep rooted in the Torah, which
is replete with mitzvot of giving to charity generally, and in
particular in the parsha of Vayetzewhere we learn of the
mitzvah of ma’aser kesafim - giving one-tenth of one’s
income to charity: “And of all that You will give me I will
surely give a tenth to you” (Bereishit 28:22).
I believe that the concept of ma’aser and the tax breaks now
available put legacy giving in the philanthropic spotlight in
a way that has not been seen before. The Jewish community
must ask ourselves how we, too, can look to increase
support for those charities close to our hearts, in new and
different ways.
Let us strengthen and deepen the inbuilt mutual
responsibility that we have as Jews to each other and to the
wider community, both here and in Israel by leaving gifts to
charity in our will. Why not consider including UJIA as your
Israel charity, and the Federation of Synagogues as your UK
charity? Legacies of any size would be a welcome addition
to the funds utilised by both organisations in continuing
their important charitable endeavours and activities for the
benefit of the Jewish people here and in Israel.
Let’s add to our generosity of giving while we’re alive by
giving an enduring legacy, because sometimes the best gifts
are those we leave behind.
Harvey Bratt is UJIA Director of Legacies
and Planned Giving. For more
information about how you can leave a
legacy to the Federation of Synagogues
and UJIA and take advantage of UJIA’s
free will writing service, contact Harvey
at harvey.bratt@ujia.org or on 0207 424
6431. For more information about UJIA’s
projects and programmes in Israel and the UK, visit
www.ujia.org.
Notes
1.
87% according to JPR Research “A Portrait of Jews in London
and the south-east: a community study” (2002)
2.
JPR Research “The financial resources of the UK Jewish
voluntary sector” (2000)
Page 22 Hamaor / September 2013

Sukkot: The Best Source of Vitamin E
By Rabbi Zvi Bloom
If I were to guess a holiday that
Jewish people have a deep
connection with, Sukkot
probably wouldn't pop in my
mind. Camping just doesn't
seem to be what I think of
when it comes to Jews. Yet we
do on Sukkot! We leave the
comfortable nest of our warm
dry house and live outside. We eat drink and many even sleep
in the sukkah (okay, well, maybe not in the UK). We take our
things outside and try our hand at camping for a week.
In order to understand this seemingly peculiar mitzvah, at least
from the outsider’s perspective, we must understand a basic
principle behind every Jewish holiday. As taught by the Arizal,
every holiday is not just a commemoration of a past event but
rather is a powerful opening of a portal of energy in which it is
ripe to acquire specific higher levels of spirituality. Put another
way, we're not just re-enacting a past experience, we're taking
and using the energy that the holiday provides in real time. One
can also say that the energy that God manifested at each point
of the year was always there even before the holiday ever took
place. This is why Avraham ate matzot during the time of year
Passover took place even before the event of Passover occurred.
The energy of freedom was always there at that point in the
year since the beginning of creation. Even though Avraham had
never been through the slavery of Egypt and the redemption,
he was still able to tap into the energy in which that time period
brings forth.
Linked to this is a concept taught by Chovot Ha’levavot that
every Jewish holiday as well as every mitzvah is like a vitamin.
Some vitamins need to be taken daily and some periodically.
Vitamin ‘D’ for ‘Davening’ needs to be taken daily. We need
Vitamin ‘S’ for ‘Shabbat’, weekly. Vitamin ‘C’ for ‘Chagim’ needs
to be taken, one for each Chag, annually.
With this in mind, let’s understand the spiritual vitamin that
Sukkot provides us. The kosher sukkah is comprised of two
elements; The walls and the roof. The walls can be made of any
strong material whereas the roof must be made of a material
that grew from the ground but is no longer attached. The sukkah
cannot be kosher, though, if this organic material is so thick that
to rain cannot pass through it. By leaving our strong protective
roof and moving into a flimsy, thatched, non-waterproof
dwelling, we're saying quite boldly that a Jewish person’s real
trust is in God. This vitamin is called Vitamin "E" or vitamin
‘Emunah’ (trust in God). We obtain it by going out and saying,
"this roof that I usually have over my head, it may look like it's
the thing that truly protecting me, but in reality it is God who
is my real protection.” All other protections are illusory. This
vitamin or message is taken throughout Sukkot and is meant
to be brought into the remaining 357 days of the year. Much
like the idea of enlightening the weekday by drawing on the
inspiration of Shabbat.
Rabbi Hirsch points out an interesting idea in his collected
writings. He says that this is what the war of (Gog
U’Magog) will be in the end of days . The word (Gog) comes
from the word (Gag) which means ‘roof’. (Gog) claims
that real trust in life is in my roof and nothing else. However
strong I fortify myself that is how strong I'll be. There can be
nothing that can stop whatever physical protection I have
created. Whereas (Magog) represents the idea that even
though I do dwell under a roof it is not my protection. My real
protection is God.
Sukkot is called , literally ‘the time of our joy’. One
of the reasons for this is that real lasting joy can only come
from realising that the greatest possession you can have in
this world, above all else, is your trust in God. With that,
anything can be accomplished. We move out of the house, but
we move into the Sukkah. We move into the wings of the
divine presence and under the total trust of God. There can be
no greater joy than that. Directly after Yom Kippur after all
your sins have been forgiven, now there's nothing stopping in
intimate relationship with the divine. The holiday culminates
with Shmini Atzeret. On this day, we don't bring any sacrifices
for the nations of the world. Hashem gives us a gift of one
more day alone with Him. It's just us and Hashem and is a time
when the deepest connections can be formed.
May we merit this divine closeness over this special , get a
lot of vitamin "E", and speedily yet gently see show the
light of our true trust in God with the coming of Moshiach
Rabbi Bloom is The Jewish student Chaplain for the University
of Nottingham. He enjoys relating to students and sharing
his knowledge of Judaism through his many interests. After
studying in Yeshiva for several years, Rabbi Bloom discovered
his strength in teaching and inspiring while working with high
school students in his hometown of San Diego, California. His
most recent learning was done under Rav Yitchok Berkovitz
of the Jerusalem kollel.
Hamaor / September 2013
Page 23

Chaplaincy – There for Jewish Students
Imagine this scenario: Ben is in his
first week at University. From a
traditional Jewish family, he has
spent part of his year off in Israel.
Ben is chatting with a second year
student who lives on the same
corridor as him. “What did you do
in your year off?” asks the student.
Ben tells him enthusiastically about volunteering on
kibbutz and his semester in the Hebrew University. “Oh,”
responds the student. “So you’re Jewish then?” Ben
replies confidently that he is. The student musingly
replies, “I can never understand why you reject Our Lord.
After all, he said that the way to the Father is through
me – you are damned!” Ben is, not surprisingly, rather
taken aback by this. His Jewish education did not take
him much past bar mitzvah and he is unable to answer,
nor to cope with the doubts about his religion and
future that have been raised.
Now imagine this: Natasha has been going out with
her boyfriend for two years, including her first year at
university. He is studying elsewhere and one day, he
tells her, over the phone, that he has met someone
else… Natasha is devastated: she thought that she had
found her life’s partner. She can’t face getting out of
bed and going to classes; she’s not eating and she’s
wondering whether life is really worth living.
Josh is away from home for the first time. He is studying
at a university with a small Jewish society, which runs
Friday night dinners a couple of times a term. He went
the first week and really enjoyed it, but this week, there
is no J-Soc dinner. He can’t bring himself to go to the
pub with his coursemates on a Friday night and is faced
with the prospect of sitting in his room by himself,
thinking sadly of his mother’s chicken soup.
What do all these young people have in common? They
are all in need of a Jewish Chaplain. Chaplaincy
(formerly University Jewish Chaplaincy) has chaplaincy
couples on campuses across the country, to help
students deal with situations such as these. Whether
it’s a life crisis, a religious crisis or simply a need for a
bowl of chicken soup on a Friday night, our chaplains
are there to provide a listening ear, a friendly face and,
if necessary, a referral to specialist help.
With dynamic chaplaincy couples based in Universities
from Glasgow to Nottingham, from Birmingham to
London, and not forgetting Oxford and Cambridge, and
with visiting chaplains for Bristol and the South Coast,
Chaplaincy uniquely serves the needs of Jewish students.
Each couple lives on or near a campus and visits other
universities in their area regularly. They are officially
recognised by the University officials as the Chief Rabbi’s
representatives on campus, which means that if there are
problems with exams falling on Shabbos or yomtov, the
Chaplain can assist in sorting this out, by informal or
official channels and even, when necessary, invigilating
Jewish students over Shabbos or yomtov, in an
environment recognised by the University, so that they
can take their exams on the next weekday, without
compromising either religiously or academically.
Chaplains work with the Jewish societies, giving
them as much support as they would like, both
practical such as ensuring the kashrus of the
food, spiritual and emotional. They run a wide range
of social and educational events, ranging from Girls’
nights in, to lunch and learn programmes, shiur with
beer, football matches and one to one learning. Of
course, they all excel in home hospitality, with
students frequently dropping in for a coffee, or
joining the Chaplains and their family for a Shabbos or
yomtov meal.
The Chaplains are supported by a small team of
professional staff, who dedicate themselves to ensuring
that each campus is matched with the most suitable
chaplain, by including the student body in the selection
process and providing support both to the chaplains and
the students. At local level, each Chaplain has a local
board, with members from the local community, who
are there to both support and monitor the Chaplains.
Chaplaincy is a charity and relies on donations to be
able to continue its essential work.
Chaplains typically remain on campus for two or three
years. This year, the Chaplaincy team is delighted to
welcome new Chaplains Rabbi Michael and Tracey
Rosenfeld in Oxford and Rabbi Yonosan and Braha
Bender to Leeds. They will join the team of chaplains
already in place across the country.
So if you are sending your Ben, Natasha or Josh to
University this year, please tell them to contact their
local Chaplain, who is looking forward to meeting them
– before they have a crisis!
Contact: Suzy Richman, Director of Operations
suzy@mychaplaincy.co.uk 020 8343 5678
www.mychaplaincy.co.uk
Page 24 Hamaor / September 2013

How can archaeology speak to us?
By Emmanuel Kushner
Emmanuel 'James' Kushner was a
teacher in London for 12 years.
Since making Aliyah in 2010
Emmanuel has continued
teaching and is also a licensed
Tour Guide in Israel. His aim is
to infuse his clients with
a connection and love for
the land of Israel. With
over 15 years' experience
in education, he provides meaningful activities to
keep your children occupied happy and learning
something during the tour.
Emmanuel Kushner
Always putting you 1 st
As a guide I feel it is important to connect people to
sites and see how this can in turn affect one's life. So I
have chosen to write about Masada. Somehow I can
imagine you reading this article and thinking you know
what I'm going to say, he will talk about how the zealots
killed themselves and relate this to the story of
Unasaneh Tokef.
observe all of this royalty and this splendor, we can
picture what real wealth was. Indeed, to see a 2000 year
old swimming pool and a bathhouse on top of a
mountain in a desert is quite something. This bring one
to the feeling that nothing is impossible and this brings
me to how it can affect your attitude as we go through
to Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur.
But to me the most impressive thing that can be found
on Masada is the remains of the Zealots . But more
importantly one can see the different way that they lived
their life in contrast to Herod; this is in a few places.
1. First of all the synagogue that was built on Masada
was done so during the time of the Zealots. Even if
the Zealots were against the ruling classes, they
didn’t forsake their Judaism and even if they were
against the way Judaism was being run, they still
aspired to keep Halachot.
Picture 1 We see the
frescos in Herod’s
bath-house and we see a
beautiful mosaic floor.
But built on top, we see
the remains of the
Zealots’ bath.
Picture 2: We see in one of the guests' palaces a beautiful
mosaic, again we see how the Zealots have made their own
little bath to avoid using the luxury next to them.
But the truth is I want to talk about something that is
still visible on the top of Masada.
One of the most impressive things that we can
appreciate on Masada is Herod's palace. We can observe
the genius of the architects and the stucco and frescos
and the excellence of the art work. Whenever I guide
here, I am always amazed and marvel at the spectacular
remains of the building. As we move out of the palace
we see the amazing plethora of store rooms which also
shows you the magnificence of Herod. But as we
Hamaor / September 2013
Page 25

2. Also one can see the remains of a mikvah, with an
Otzar. Thus keeping the laws of Torat Hamishpacha
for the Zealots was also important
3. What I think is the most exciting thing that was
found on Masada was the way that the Zealots
adapted the palace and the living conditions. They
changed and 'damaged' a Royal Bath House, because
they didn’t want to use the Royal splendor. To me
this really speaks of their ideology.
So the real story of Masada is not that the Zealots killed
themselves, but that they lived according to their
ideology. They were on a mountain top and probably
thought that they were the last Jews around and that
no one would ever see them. They had a choice to live
in the Royal Palaces of Herod, but they preferred to live
in casemate walls. They had a chance to bathe in his
bath houses, but chose to adapt it as we can still see
today. They also built, using their strength and time, a
Mikvah, a Bet Knesset. So what we can take away from
Masada, is the selfless ideology of the inhabitants. If
we think through our last year (or 10) have we stuck
firm to our ideologies? Have we fought against
something we thought was wrong? Maybe we can gain
inspiration from these people who thought they were
perhaps the last surviving Jews and they wanted to live
to the very end like Jews according to their ideologies.
MEIR PANIM GIVES THE NEEDY A SWEET NEW YEAR
‘Every day after I have been to the Meir Panim After
School Club, I collect used cans in the streets for
recycling and make about 50 Shekels a week…’
‘I’m lucky I have the After
School Club where I can do
my homework, learn
computer and receive a hot
meal…’
Maor (10), pictured left, is one
of 900,000 children in Israel
who live below the poverty
line. His parents divorced when he was a baby and he
does not have any contact with his father who doesn’t
support them financially. Two years ago his mother (33)
suffered a heart attack whilst working in a factory. Since
then her heart function has deteriorated so much so
that today she requires daily medical attention. She
subsequently lost her job and is considered disabled and
therefore unable to work. She receives 3,100 shekels a
month from the National Insurance Fund and from this
amount pays 2,200 shekels for her mortgage. Maor and
his mother struggle to survive on the meagre amount
left after this.
The one silver lining in this desperate situation for Maor
is the aid they receive from Meir Panim.
Thanks to supporter generosity Meir Panim can help
Maor and his mother. One of the ways the charity assists
them is with the Food Shopping Cards. These cards are
Page 26
never as important as on Rosh Hashanah. The festival
is a time for families across Israel to enjoy traditional
holiday foods. For the thousands of financially
challenged families in
Israel who struggle
every day to make
ends meet, receiving a
Rosh Hashanah card in
the post from Meir
Panim means much
more than merely a
holiday greeting. The
card is no ordinary card, as well as a greeting card it is
also a Food Shopping Card which enables the recipient
to buy the groceries they need for this special festival.
The card resembles a normal debit card and can be used
in all major supermarkets in Israel allowing the recipient
to shop preserving their dignity like everyone else.
The Rosh Hashanah Food Shopping Cards are distributed
to the working poor (People who are working yet still
can’t afford basic supplies), Holocaust survivors and
many other needy people.
This year Meir Panim will be giving
Food Shopping Cards to Maor’s family
and thousands of others like them to
ensure they can also have a sweet new
of
year just like anyone else.
For more information please go to
www.meirpanim.org.uk or call 0208 906 7755
Hamaor / September 2013

Ohr Yisrael & JRoots 6th Journey To Poland
Reflections
By David Woolf
Here we were, 60 Jews of all ages and stripes, arriving
at Warsaw airport to embark on a three day Journey
that was being promoted as a life-changing event.
Some were children of Holocaust survivors, some
attracted by the desire to learn more about the Shoah
and some wanting to visit the few remaining places of
enormous Jewish significance.
We were mainly from England, (a large portion of those
members of Ohr Yisrael Congregation in Elstree)
together with a few Canadians, Americans and Israelis.
We were led by Rabbi Raphy Garson of Ohr Yisrael and
by Tzvi Sperber, head of JRoots, a British-based
organization offering today's generation of Jews
compelling and powerful travel experiences to places of
enormous historic significance to our people.
More than a tour, we would come to learn that a JRoots
journey is an exploration of Jewish life in the context
of the given destination, looking at the past, the present
and the future.
This would be the 6th time that JRoots and Ohr Yisrael
had co-operated on a Journey to Poland and from
looking at the itinerary, it was clear that we would be
on the move from early morning to late at night. As in
past trips, the group was accompanied by a Shoah
survivor and we had the good fortune of having Leslie
Kleinman and his wife Miriam join us.
In three days, we experienced the widest possible range
of emotional highs and lows.
We travelled the path followed by great Jewish leaders
in the glory days of Jewish Poland and Jewish
scholarship in Krakow and then boarded a bus for a
short drive to the rail lines leading to the ovens of
Birkenau, the largest Jewish Burial Ground in the world,
where over one million Jews were murdered by the
Nazis in just a couple of years.
We danced and drank a l’Chaim at the grave of great
Hassidic Masters in Lijhensk and we shed enormous
tears at the huge pile of Jewish ashes just outside the
crematoria of Majdanek.
Hamaor / September 2013
At the gates to Birkenau by David Woolf
We read the Torah with great joy at the famous
Talmudic College of Chachmei Lublin and we recited
Kaddish and Keil Maleh Rachamim for the 6 million in
front of the bombed out crematoria at Birkenau.
We tried to comprehend the mentality and the absence
of humanity of Poles who stood by and watched three
and a half million Polish Jews taken from the safety of
their homes to their “final solution”.
In what was one of the most haunting experiences, we
stood in total darkness and total silence at midnight in
a forest near Tarnow, at the mass graves of 800 precious
children, tossed into a pit and slaughtered. What could
the children have thought as they watched the horror
and realized that they were next, we wondered?
Yet at the same, that place of immense horror allowed
so many of us to understand the power and gift of tears.
We all thought about our children and grandchildren
and were thankful that they were safe. In the darkness
and in that horrible place, our eyes welling with tears, a
commitment to love and bond more, was cemented in
Page 27

our hearts. A place where we understood that we are in
essence one people, beating with one heart.
And as happened over and over again on this trip, we
began to realize that we get stressed and upset too
much in our lives by petty issues and arguments. No
matter how bad things seem, they pale in comparison
to the horrors that we were witnessing.
We were so fortunate to be in the presence of the
walking miracle that is Leslie Kleinman. His infectious
smile, sparkling eyes, warmth, cheyn (grace), courage,
honesty, humour and resilience are something all of us
will remember for eternity. His unique ability to cry and
laugh simultaneously is touching.
Together with his dear wife Miriam, who cares for him
with such tenderness and love, they brought this unique
journey to life, with their true testimony, their joie de
vivre, their tears, their smiles, their warmth and humility.
What was indeed perhaps the most poignant of all
moments occurred on the final day of our journey at
Birkenau. We stood at the one remaining rail car that
transported thousands of Jews from all over Europe to
this very place to their deaths. Rabbi Garson & Tzvi
helped Leslie sit down on a low stool at the platform
where selections took place. The very place where Leslie
last saw his mother and seven siblings.
Rabbi Garson gave a hesped and framed the concept of
the mourner’s greeting within the context of the
Hagbah in Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin by David Woolf
Holocaust. Leslie has no Kevarim (graves) to visit which
would help bring comfort. We all tried to ease the pain
and bring comfort to a man who never got to
say goodbye.
Birkenau for a few moments became a place of positive
energy as our group locked eyes and arms with Leslie,
wishing him the traditional greeting to a mourner
during shiva, "Hamakom....", and in tight hugs of
consolation mixed with tears, we showed him clearly we
felt his pain and suffering in a most tangible way. Every
hug was followed by words of strength not only to
Leslie, but from Leslie to us!
Since we have returned, we have spoken with many
people about our journey. Many have a common
comment that they could never ever embark on such a
journey. Many have very valid reasons being the children
of survivors, and we understand all too well the
emotional effect that such a journey could cause.
Having taken the trip, we believe that the Talmudic
dictum of "ain domeh shmiyah l're'eeyah" (loosely
translated as "seeing is believing”), is very applicable in
this case.
We believe the journey has made us more sensitive,
more aware and better educated in the Shoah. Saying
"we will never forget" is totally different having been
there. Having taken the journey, we can truly say "we
can never forget".
Rabbi Garson and Tzvi Sperber spoke with us about the
lessons that we need to take away from a place like this.
How we need to cherish every moment we have here
on this earth and how we have to work harder to
improve our relationships with each other, with our
families, with our spouses and between various factions
in our own communities. At the end of the day, we are
one Am Yisrael and we need to function together in
harmony and with love.
As we took the long walk back to our bus, my cousin
from Manchester, Josh Rose, who has made this trip
three times, told me that he always keeps a small pebble
in his wallet, taken from the rail tracks leading into
Birkenau. And when he has a "bad" day, when things are
not going the way we think they should, he takes out
the pebble and it helps put things back into perspective.
An amazing lesson, I thought, as I picked up a few
pebbles and placed them in my pocket.
(For more blogs and travel diaries from David Woolf,
please see www.travelkosherwithus.blogspot.ca )
Page 28 Hamaor / September 2013

Recipes for Rosh Hashanah
By Denise Phillips
Golden Glazed Cinnamon
Chicken Served with Mint
and Date Cous Cous
This is an ideal recipe for Rosh Hashanah - family friendly
and easy to make and serve. Dates and brown sugar all
provide sweetness which we hope for in the forthcoming
New Year.
Dates are also served at the Rosh Hashanah because
their Hebrew name is ‘tamar’ which means to finish or
consume. We ask that in the year ahead our enemies will
be finished.
Ingredients
8 chicken leg portions or chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 red onions – peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves – peeled and finely chopped
1 large tablespoon dried cinnamon
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
100g brown muscovado sugar
Date Cous Cous
450g cous cous
3 tablespoons olive oil
900ml vegetable or chicken stock
80g pack fresh mint, stalks discarded and roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
150g fresh or dried dates –
stone removed and roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1) For the chicken, mix the salt, sugar and 100ml cold water
until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the red onion, garlic,
cinnamon and orange juice and zest.
2) Using a sharp knife make several incisions into the
chicken flesh before adding the marinade. Using your
hands rub the marinade into the chicken turning to
ensure that it is well coated. Cover with cling film and
refrigerate at the bottom of the fridge overnight.
3) Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas mark 6.
4) Transfer the chicken to an ovenware dish and pour over
the marinade. Cover with foil and roast for 35 minutes or
until cooked and golden.
5) To make the cous cous, mix 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil
into the grains using your hands until they are well
coated.
6) Pour over the hot stock. Cover and leave for 15 minutes
or until the stock has been completely absorbed. Fluff up
with a fork to loosen the grains.
7) Stir in the remaining olive oil, chopped herbs, lemon juice
and dates.
To Serve the stylish way: Sit the golden glazed chicken on top
of the warmed date cous cous and garnish with fresh mint.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes plus overnight marinating
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves: 8 people
Hamaor / September 2013
Page 29

Sephardi Carrot Cake
This cake is very fast to make and can be put together in one
bowl. Carrots are symbolic at this time of the year as their
omens present us with thoughts of good fortune and
prosperity. Sephardi recipes often contain dried fruits and
cinnamon and this is a typical example of tasty Sephardi
desserts at its best!
It’s a healthy sweet choice, ideal for any family celebrations.
You can even use wholemeal flour if preferred
If you can not find crushed pineapple in your supermarket,
tinned cubes or rings can be substituted and then crush in
the food processor or buy fresh pineapple and similarly crush
in the same way.
Ingredients
225g plain flour
175g caster sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
200ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
175g grated carrot
200g tin crushed pineapple
55g walnuts – chopped
Garnish: A dusting of icing sugar
Method
1) Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas mark 4.
2) Grease and line a 22 cm/ 9 inch loose bottom cake tin.
3) Mix all the dry ingredients together.
4) Add the eggs, oil and mix well.
5) Stir in carrots, pineapple and prunes.
6) Bake for approximately 1 hour or until set.
To serve the stylish way: Dust a little icing sugar on the top
just before serving.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves: 8 people
DATE ON A PLATE
This is a really successful format
for meeting new people –six men &
six women learn to cook a threecourse
meal, and then eat it!
Sun 1 Sept Age: 40–55 Yom Tov Favourites
Sun 22 Sept Age: 28–40 Succot Special
Sun 13 Oct Age: 35-50 A Taste of Italy
Sun 20 Oct Age: 45-60 Classy Caribbean
Sun 27 Oct Age: 30–40 Exciting Israeli
Sun 3 Nov Age: 40–55 Gourmet Greek
Sun 17 Nov Age: 30-45 Chinese Feast
Sun 24 Nov Age: 50–60 Lebanese Banquet
Sun 1 Dec Age: 28-38 Chanukah Special
Sun 15 Dec Age: 45-55 Gourmet Winter
LEARN TO COOK - THE STYLISH
WAY
Join Denise Phillips for a fun “hands-on”
class, presented in my trademark simple
but stylish manner. Enhance your love of
food and add to your cooking repertoire:
Wed 16 October
Jewish Baking
Thurs 17 October Moroccan Favourites
Sun 10 November Chanukah Special
Wed 20 November
Lebanese
Thurs 21 November Winter Entertaining
Wed 4 December Family Vegetarian
Thurs 5 December
Parev Starters
Sun 8 December Classy Canapés
Venue : Northwood. Times : Weekdays 10am –1.30pm. Sunday : 6pm-10pm
Cost : £65 including three course meal and all ingredients
More info : www.jewishcookery.com or denise@jewishcookery.com
Or phone Denise on 01923 836 456
Page 30 Hamaor / September 2013

Jewish Blind & Disabled -
More Than Just Bricks & Mortar
Example of current apartment
This Rosh Hashanah we are looking forward to
welcoming the first tenants to our latest development
of state-of-the-art mobility apartments in Bushey
Heath. This building is called Cecil Rosen Court in
honour of the man who founded the charity nearly 45
years ago, and it is his vision that drives everything we
do to this very day.
We are still dedicated to ensuring that neither physical
disability nor impaired vision should become a barrier
to someone being able to live independently with the
dignity and choice that are so easy for others to take
for granted. To this end we continue to develop and run
mobility apartment complexes with on-site support 24
hours a day/7 days a week.
Of course our buildings, with all their special features
and thoughtful touches, are vital to enabling our
tenants to live independently, but it is our committed
team of support staff who enable not just these tenants
but their families too to enjoy this independence with
total peace of mind.
Our house managers sit at the heart of this team, always
on call in an emergency any time of day or night as well
as constantly providing a reassuring presence and a
friendly face. In addition our tenant support advisors
offer help and advice with benefits, entitlements and
arranging care packages; whilst our maintenance team
are always on hand to make any modifications to an
apartment if a tenant’s condition deteriorates as well as
ensuring that all the buildings are maintained to the
very highest standards. The social side of life is also well
catered for with numerous clubs and activities put on
by our community team, plus twice
weekly trips to the local shops with our
specially trained mobility bus driver.
For many of our tenants, the possibility of enjoying an
independent lifestyle had been a distant dream as they
struggled to cope with normal everyday tasks in a world
designed for the able-bodied. As one of our new Cecil
Rosen Court tenants said:
“Our independence is threatened by a lack of the right
kind of accommodation. This can often mean we are
compelled to live at home (with parents) and become
permanently reliant on family. Not because we are not
capable of living independent lives, but because there
is nowhere else appropriate for us to go.”
This young man is now looking forward to life in
accommodation that has been specifically designed to
be ‘appropriate’ so that he, and all our other tenants,
can realise their dream of leading an independent life.
Cecil Rosen Court is the seventh of our state-of-the-art
developments of mobility apartments situated across
North West and North East London, housing some 360
people from the age of 18 upwards. Between them our
tenants represent a vast array of different disabilities
including multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, motor
neurone disease, Huntingtons disease, rheumatoid
arthritis as well as impaired vision and those disabilities
that come with age.
As an independent charity that does not receive any
government funding this is all only possible with the help
of our friends and supporters, so with your help we look
forward to continuing to realise Cecil Rosen’s dream and
ensuring that any adult who is physically disabled or
vision impaired receives their own key to independence.
Fitted kitchen in Cecil Rosen Court
Hamaor / September 2013
Page 31

“Help, I’ve been made redundant … ”
Friday, 26 October 2012 started out like any other
workday for Steven Davies*. Until his boss called him
into his office, told him he was being made redundant
and would he please clear his desk and leave straight
away.
Steven was a senior compliance officer with a leading
financial services company, with a wife and two children
under six.
Three months down the line and in the depths of
despair, a friend suggested he contact Resource, the
charity that provides free professional advice, support
and training for Jewish people seeking employment.
Although he was a bit embarrassed and wasn’t sure how
they could help him, Steven made the call.
At Resource Steven was assigned his own
dedicated adviser and
together, at their
initial one-to-one
session, they agreed
a plan of action to
meet his specific
needs. He attended
their two-day
introductory seminar
programme, which covered
practical tips on coping with unemployment, preparing
an effective CV, interview skills, networking skills and a
whole lot more.
expertise and support I received from Resource proved
invaluable. It’s an excellent service within the
community and we are fortunate to have it.”
Resource, the Jewish Employment Advice Centre, is a
charity based in Finchley, with satellite services in
Redbridge and Stamford Hill. Led by volunteers who
are all HR and business experts, it offers free confidential
one-to-one guidance and a wide range of seminars to
help its clients to succeed in today’s jobs market.
If you would like further information or to make an
appointment, please call 020 8346 4000 or visit
www.resource-centre.org.
* Client’s identity has been changed to protect his
anonymity.
Article from Resource, the Jewish
employment advice centre
For further information please contact
Michelle Henley on 020 8346 4000
or e-mail michelle@resourcecentre.org
Steven said he really needed his CV to stand out and
found all the advice from Resource invaluable in helping
him achieve a higher ‘strike rate’ of interviews.
The Resource Networking team also sprang into action.
They were able to set Steven up to meet networked
contacts at four companies. As a result, Steven is now
successfully settled into a well-paid position, with
excellent prospects, at a leading investment company.
He said: “It was a really difficult time for me and my
family and I had begun to fear for the future. But the
Page 32 Hamaor / September 2013

PERSONAL
Mazal Tov wishes are extended to the following people:
BIRTHS
Head Office
Dayan and Mrs Lichtenstein on the birth of a granddaughter
Dayan and Mrs Elzas on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Hashy Gluck, of Carmel Funerals, on the birth of
twin grandsons
Aish
Rabbi and Mrs Roodyn on the birth of a daughter
Beis Hamedrash Nishmas Yisroel
Zevi and Michal Feiner on the birth of a son Ariel Chaim
Gaby and Verity Weisz on the birth of a daughter Chava Leah
Moishy and Ruth Bloch on the birth of a son Yehoshua
Michoel
Steven and Natalie Unsdorfer on the birth of a son
Mordechai
Eli and Deena Schryer on the birth of a son Chaim Simcha
Isaac and Chavi Braier on the the birth of a daughter Eliana
Henya
Daniel and Miri Ickowicz on the birth of a daughter Chana
Tova
Daniel and Marcelle Wosner on the birth of a son Ari
Alex and Toby Claire on the birth of a daughter Meira Gittel
Uri and Ali Feld on the birth of a son Zechariah Moshe
Noch and Talia Spitzer on the birth of a son Neshama Meor
Benji and Abigail Perlberger on the birth of a son
Finchley Central
Mr and Mrs ID Lebens on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs C Solomons (Former Members) on the birth of a
grandson
Mrs P Wittner (Secretary) and family on the birth of a
granddaughter
Ilford
Doreen and Ivor Ross on the birth of a great grandson
Frances and Andrew Garfield on the birth of a
granddaughter
Machzikei Hadath
George and Ruth Blachman on the birth of a great
granddaughter
Ian and Judi Beider on the birth of a granddaughter
Rabbi and Mrs Tony Goldblatt on the birth of triplet
grandchildren, a boy and two girls
Dr and Mrs David May on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs J Goldblum on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Gedalia Schindler on the birth of a son
Mr and Mrs Johnny Wosner on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Tony Hanstater on the birth of a grandson and a
granddaughter
Ohr Yerushalayim
Mr and Mrs Avi Smith on the birth of a daughter
Mr and Mrs David Steinberg on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Paul Albert on the birth of a daughter
Mr and Mrs Malcolm Fagelman on the birth of a grandson
and a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Chizky Salomon on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Robert Berman on the birth of a grandson
Dr Danny Dresner on the birth of a granddaughter
Rabbi and Rebbetzen Cohen on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Dovid Nissenbaum on the birth of a son
Mr and Mrs Peter Nissen on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Avi Dolties on the birth of a daughter
Rabbi and Rebbetzen Cohen on the birth of a great
granddaughter
Judge and Mrs Knopf on the birth of two grandsons
Mr and Mrs Adrian Rodrigues-Pereira on the birth of a
daughter
Mr and Mrs Yitzchok Douek on the birth of a son
Dr and Mrs Michael Wilks on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Bernard Markovic on the birth of a grandson
Ohr Yisrael
Eric and Brenda Brett on the birth of a granddaughter
Jason and Taryn Honickberg on the birth of a daughter
Lance and Deborah Richard on the birth of a son
Darren and Melissa Freedman on the birth of a son
Richard and Racheli Kaye on the birth of a son
Yitzchak and Rebeca Vitale on the birth of a daughter
Anthony and Emily Cowan on the birth of a daughter
Rik and Emily Saunderson on the birth of a daughter
Moshe and Daliah Ziman on the birth of a son
Stuart and Adrienne Rocklin on the birth of a granddaughter
Michael and Sharon Ross on the birth of a daughter
Glen and Anat Keller on the birth of a daughter
Sinai
Mr and Mrs David Moussaioff on the birth of a son
Mr and Mrs Jamie Romer on the birth of their daughter
Rabbi and Mrs B Knopfler on the birth of a grandson
Rebetzen Z Berkovits on the birth of a granddaughter
Rabbi and Mrs C Hoffman on the birth of a granddaughter
Page 34 Hamaor / September 2013

PERSONAL
Rabbi and Mrs D Kirsch on the birth of a grandson
Rabbi and Mrs R Chevins on the birth of a grandson
Rabbi and Mrs L Bloch on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs A Bloch on the birth of a grandson
Rabbi and Mrs S Bloch on the birth of a grandson
Rabbi and Mrs J Grunfeld on the birth of a granddaughter
Rabbi and Mrs D Goldman on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Y Steinhaus on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs S Bradpiece on the bith of a grandson
Mrs Esther Homburger on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Y Englard on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs M Grun on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs M Itzinger on the birth of a granddaughter
Dr and Mrs Y Adler on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs R Weisbart on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs N Iwanier on the birth of a granddaughter
Dr and Mrs Y Spitzer on the birth of a grandson born
Mr and Mrs M Kedourie on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Ralph Klajn on the birth of two grandsons
Yeshurun
Rabbi and Mrs A Lewis on the birth of two grandsons
Mrs Hilary Chesler on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Alan Lee on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Harold Stone on the birth of a great grandson
Mr and Mrs Philip Rapport on the birth of a granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Lenny Lowy on the birth of a granddaughter
Mrs Diane Finkel on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Michael Cohen on the birth of a great grandson
Rabbi Julian and Rosalind Shindler on the birth of a
grandson
Mr and Mrs Michael Goldberger on the birth of a grandson
Lt Col Mordaunt Cohen on the birth of a great
granddaughter
Mr and Mrs Cyril Solomons on the birth of a grandson
Mr and Mrs Ronnie Salomon on the birth of a granddaughter
ENGAGEMENTS
Mazel Tov to the following:
Head Office
Samantha Herskine on her engagement
Beis Hamedrash Nishmas Yisroel
Jack Bennet on his engagement to Lucy Swirling
Mr and Mrs Moishe Stern on the engagement of their
daughter Aliza to Moshe Kaufman
Mikey Mendelsohn on his engagement to Ashira Rabinowitz
Phillipe Monderer on his engagement to Esti Avisar
Avi Gertner on his engagement to Shoshana Sugarman
Hamaor / September 2013
Finchley Central
Sara Parsowith on her engagement to Jason Moreman
Machzikei Hadath
Mr and Mrs David Wieder on the engagement of their son
Avi to Miss Sara Conrad
Ohr Yerushalayim
Mr and Mrs Leo Stern on the engagement of their son
Gavriel to Devorah Weller
Dr and Mrs Leon Bernstein on the engagement of their son
Aaron
Ohr Yisrael
Stuart and Adrienne Rocklin on the engagement of their
daughter Serena
Sinai
Rabbi and Mrs B Knopfler on the engagement of their
daughter Yehudis to Mr Ari Wolf
Rabbi and Mrs S Gurwicz on the engagement of their
daughter Miriam to Mr Binyomin Taylor
Mrand Mrs L Levison and Mr and Mrs Y Bamberger on the
engagement of their children Eli to Sara
Mr and Mrs Z Soriano on the engagement of their son Oriel
to Miss Aliza Ziskind
Mr and Mrs M Grun on the engagement of their son Eli to
Miss Miri Chody
Mr and Mrs D Kaufman on the engagement of their son
Shloime to Miss Sara Gerber
Rabbi and Mrs G Broder on the engagement of their son
Avromi to Miss Naomi Dove
Mr and Mrs Julian Cohen on the engagement of their son
Yoel to Miss Esti Gutstein
Mr and Mrs Alan Lewis on the engagement of their
daughter Katya to Mr Dovid Chinagel
Yeshurun
Mr and Mrs Alan Lee on the engagement of their daughter
Deborah to David Swaden
Mr and Mrs Michael Rabinowitz on the engagement of their
daughter Ashira to Mikey Mendelson
Mr and Mrs Jeremy Salter on the engagement of their son
Simon to Nulman
Mr and Mrs John Sheer on the engagement of their
daughter Danielle to Mordechai Gedalla
Mrs Diane Finkel on her engagement to Dr Jack Kay
Mr and Mrs Jeff Gordon on the engagement of their son
Ronen to Debra Sherman
Mr and Mrs Steven Brown on the engagement of their son
Ian to Ceri Pritchard
Page 35

PERSONAL
WEDDINGS
Mazel Tov to the following:
Beis Hamedrash Nishmas Yisroel
Rafi Margulies on his marriage to Miriam Haffner
Daniel Richards on his marriage to Adi Sharbat
Dov Staczewski on his marriage to Victoria Gilbert
Edgware Torah Centre
Rabbi and Mrs R Z Godlewsky on marriage of their son
Ilford
Howard Ordever and Mozelle Warents on their marriage
Colin and Nicole Franklin on the marriage of their son Sam
to Rebecca Schapira
Machzikei Hadath
Dr Stuart and Anne Rosen on the marriage of their son
Joshua to Miss Adina Bishop
Mr and Mrs Brian Resnick on the marriage of their daughter
Michal to Mr Benyamin Grunfeld
Mr and Mrs Ben Sadka on the marriage of their daughter
Rachel to Mr Meir Adler
Mr and Mrs Eli Seliger on the marriage of their daughter
Adina to Mr Eli Lobenstein
Netzach Yisrael
Rabbi and Mrs Ahiel on the marriage of their daughter
Ohr Yerushalayim
Dr and Mrs Michael Wilks on the marriage of their son
Donny to Miriam Amar
Mr and Mrs Bernard Levey on the marriage of their son Josh
to Rifka Stern
Mr and Mrs Johnny Berkowitz on the marriage of their son
Aron to Tehilla Massarano
Sinai
Rabbi and Mrs E Klyne on the marriage of their son Gershon
to Miss Bracha Emanuel
Mr and Mrs Danny Rotenberg on the marriage of their son
Hillel to Miss Hannah Kachani
Mr and Mrs Ronnie Weisbart on the marriage of their son
Moishe to Miss Chani Weltscher
Mrs E Homburger on the marriage of her son Yehoshua to
Miss Chani Eiss
Mr and Mrs N Iwanier on the marriage of their son Elimelech
to Miss Shulamis Bordon
Rabbi and Mrs L Bloch on the marriage of their daughter
Shulamis to Mr Simcha Bamberger
Yeshurun
Mr and Mrs Andy Harwood on the marriage of their
daughter Gemma to Yoni Goldstein
Mr and Mrs Barry Blain on the marriage of their daughter
Rachel to Steven Kaye
Mr and Mrs John Raphael on the marriage of their son
Daniel to Francesca Weinburg
Mr and Mrs Shmuli Orenstein on the marriage of their son
Avi to Stacey Neiken
Mr and Mrs Stuart Ifield on the marriage of their son Adam
to Rachel Freeman
Mr and Mrs Melvyn Ezekiel on the marriage of their son Joe
to Shoshana Ezekiel
Mr and Mrs Richard Taylor on the marriage of their son Benji
to Hadassah Hodari
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
Mazel Tov to the following:
Head Office
Avril and David Fine on their Ruby wedding anniversary
Ilford
Shirley and Michael Appleby on their Golden wedding
anniversary
Yeshurun
Mr and Mrs Alan Lee on their Ruby wedding anniversary
Mr and Mrs Brian Lebetkin on their Emerald wedding
anniversary
BAR MITZVAHS
Mazel Tov to the following:
Finchley Central
Mr and Mrs P Arbeid on the barmitzvah of their son
Mr A Isaacs on his 2nd barmitzvah
Mr and Mrs E Renton on the barmitzvah of their son Asher
Machzikei Hadath
Mr and Mrs Jerome Melcer on the barmitzvah of their son
Dovi
Ohr Yerushalayim
Mr and Mrs Dov Black on the barmitzvah of their son Rafi
Ohr Yisrael
Johnny and Debbie Mansoor on the barmitzvah of their son
Jordan
Rabbi and Deborah Garson on the barmitzvah of their son Avi
Page 36 Hamaor / September 2013

PERSONAL
Danny and Juliet Summerfield on the barmitzvah of their
son Zak
Colin and Rejane Frey on the barmitzvah of their son David
Anthony and Fiona Brooks on the barmitzvah of their son
Matti
Sinai
Mr and Mrs Harvey Shapiro on the barmitzvah of their son
Avi
Mr and Mrs N Iwanier on the barmitzvah of their son Sruli
Mr and Mrs David Wagner on the barmitzvah of their son
Yair Boruch
Yeshurun
Mr and Mrs Joseph Holder on the barmitzvah of their son
Aryeh
Ohr Yisrael
Nitzan and Joanne Yaniv on the batmitzvah of their
daughter Mia
Johnny and Nicola Summerfield on the batmitzvah of their
daughter Orli
Rabbi and Deborah Garson on the batmitzvah of their
daughter Batsheva Leah
SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS
Mazel Tov to the following:
Finchley Central
Mrs D Leverson on her 95th Birthday
Mr J Lewis on his 75th Birthday
Mrs D Cohen on her 85th Birthday
Ilford
Millie Gee on her 106th Birthday
Eva Morgan on her 85th Birthday
Sonia Hayeem on her 80th Birthday
Pauline Malter on her 80th Birthday
Yeshurun
Lawrence Berman on his 85th Birthday
Gertrude Ogus on her 90th Birthday
Sadie Neville on her 90th Birthday
Golda Lyons on her 90th Birthday
Millicent White on her 90th Birthday
Jane Rose on her 90th Birthday
Joe Leitz on his 90th Birthday
Helen Olivestone on her 103rd Birthday
Hamaor / September 2013
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Mazel Tov to the following:
Ilford
Hillel Chapper donating his hair and funds to Zichron
Menachem (helping children with cancer in Israel) and
donating funds to Emunah on the occasion of his 3rd
birthday
Ohr Yisrael
Batsheva Leah Garson who had 12 inches of hair cut, and
donated the hair to Zichron Menachem. The hair will be used
to make a wig for a child who needs one as a result of their
cancer treatment.
Dr Darren Freedman for achieving the coveted prize of the
“longest walk to shul” award. We thank him for his
commitment on walking over 5 miles each week.
Gaby Niman on winning the Borehamwood and Elstree Got
Talent Competition
Jodie Deacon who had her long beautiful hair cut, and
donated to Camp Simcha. Her hair will be used to make a
wig for a child who needs one as a result of their cancer
treatment.
CONDOLENCES
We offer condolences to:
Head Office
Mr G Coleman, former Chief Executive of the Federation on
the loss of his wife Dena
Mr David Hiller on the loss of his sister Frances Herlitz
Chevra Kadisha
Mrs Chaviva Rumpler on the loss of her husband
Clapton
Mrs J Leifer on the loss of her husband
Mr Robin Jacobs on the loss of his father
Mrs R Stern on the loss of her husband
Croydon
Mrs Arbisman on the loss of her husband
Finchley Central
The family of former member Jeffrey Bard
Mrs S Goodkin former member on the loss of her mother
Mr M Layton and sister on the loss of their mother Mrs
Carole Layton
Mrs J Leifer on the loss of her husband Jeffrey
The family of the late Mr M Tiefenbrunner former President
Page 37

PERSONAL
CONDOLENCES
Ilford
Elsa Linder on the loss of her mother Betty Diamond
The family of Manya (Maria) Garfinkle
Janet Woolfson on the loss of her husband Philip
Shirley Anderson on the loss of her husband Alec Anderson
Maureen Mendleson on the loss of her sister Anita Kaminsky
The family of Rita Davis
The family of Davina Palmer
Sam Winick on the loss of his mother Isobelle
Harold Levy on the loss of his sister Anita Starling
Joyce Brent on the loss of her sister Norma Henderson
Michelle Selwyn on the loss of her mother Denise Selwyn
The family of Samuel Conrad
Leslie Temple on the loss of his sister Minnie Braier
Machzikei Hadath
Mrs Naomi Cohen and family on the loss of Mr Norman
Cohen z”l, senior Trustee of the Machzike Hadath Synagogue
Ohr Yerushalayim
Mrs Cynthia Marcovic on the loss of her mother Mrs Kessler
Mrs Rosenston on the loss of her sister Avril Rowland
Ohr Yisrael
Geoffrey Kay on the loss of his brother Mr. Leonard Kay
Martin Landau on the loss of his mother Mrs Ilse Landau
Alan Fish on the loss of his mother Mrs Kayla Rivka Fish
Shoshana Gilmore on the loss of her mother Esther Malka
Uri Kamara on the loss of his mother Mrs Janet Kamara
Sinai
Mr Andrew Cohen and Mr Julian Cohen on the loss of their
father Mr Norman Cohen MBE
Yeshurun
Mrs Faye Strom on the loss of her husband Mr Sidney Strom
Mrs Sarah Greene on the loss of her brother Mr David Wicker
Mr Stephen DeGrasse on the loss of his mother Mrs Stella
DeGrasse
Mr Michael Lever on the loss of his wife Mrs Anita Lever
Mrs Ruth Taylor on the loss of her husband Mr Laurence
Taylor
Mr Darren Brodin on the loss of his mother Mrs Lynn Crozier
Mr Robert Eisner on the loss of his mother Mrs Rose Eisner
The family of Mrs Lucy Godfrey

DIRECTORY
FEDERATION OF SYNAGOGUES
KASHRUS BOARD
Chairman: Mr A. Finlay
Director of Kashrus: Dayan M. D. Elzas
The following establishments are licensed by the
Federation Kashrus Board and are under
the Supervision of the Beth Din of the Federation of Synagogues:
CATERERS:
PARK LANE HOTEL
Piccadilly, London W1Y 8BX 020 7290 7368
STARGUEST CATERING
Arieh Wagner - www.starguest.com 020 8458 7708
THE PILLAR
19 Brent Street, NW4 2EU 020 8457 4000
DELICATESSENS AND SHOPS:
MATOK BAKERY
1 Bridge Lane, London NW11 0EA 020 8458 0280
MR BAKER
119-121 Brent Street, London NW4 2DX 020 8202 6845
PELTER STORES
82 Edgware Way, Edgware, Middx HA8 8JS 020 8958 6910
PELTER STORES (Meaty & Parve Delicatessen)
7 Edgwarebury Lane, Edgware, Middx 020 8958 4536
THE KANTEEN BAKERY
23 High Road, Bushey, Herts WD23 1EE 020 8950 0400
MENDY’S FOOD (Delicatessen)
17-19 Edgwarebury Lane, Edgware, Middx 020 8958 3444
JENNY’S CAKES
70 Kings Close, London NW4 2JT 020 8202 1795
RESTAURANTS:
AVIV RESTAURANT (Meaty)
87-89 High Street, Edgware, Middx HA8 7DB 020 8952 2484
020 8381 1722
BEIT HAMADRAS (Meaty - Indian)
105 Brent Street, London NW4 2DX 020 8203 4567
IMA K’S
67 Deans Way, Edgware, Middx HA8 9NH 07956 569625
K GRILL (Meaty)
60 Edgware Way, Edgware HA8 8JS 020 8958 7062
K PIZZA/ FISH K CHIPS (Milky)
66 Edgware Way, Edgware HA8 8JS 020 8958 9087
MET SU YAN (Meaty)
134 Golders Green Road, London NW11 8HB 020 8458 8088
MET SU YAN (Meaty)
1-2 The Promenade, Edgwarebury Lane,
Edgware HA8 7JZ 020 8958 6840
PITA (Meaty)
98 Golders Green Road, NW11 8HB 020 8381 4080
PIZAZA (Milky)
53 Brent Street, London NW4 2EA 020 8202 9911
PIZAZA (Milky)
100 Golders Green Road, London, NW11 8HB 020 8455 4455
SLICE (Milky)
8 Princes Parade, London, NW11 9PS 020 8458 9483
SOYO (Milky)
94 Golders Green Road, London, NW11 9HB 020 8458 8788
THE KANTEEN (Milky)
23-25 High Road, Bushey, Herts WD23 1EE 020 8950 0747
THE KANTEEN (Milky)
Unit 22 Brent Cross Shopping Centre, London NW4 3FD 020 8203 7377
THE KITCHEN (Meaty)
16-17 Promenade, Hale Lane,
Edgware, Middx, NW4 2JT 020 8905 4488

65 Watford Way, London NW4 3AQ
Tel: 020 8202 2263 Fax: 020 8203 0610
Email: info@federationofsynagogues.com
www.federationofsynagogues.com
Federation of Synagogues
Honorary Officers
President: Mr Alan Finlay
Vice-Presidents: Mr Henry Dony &
Mr Benjamin Mire
Treasurers (Federation):
Mr Leon Newmark & Mr Malcolm Greenbaum
Treasurers (Burial Society):
Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen &
Mr Michael Ezra
Beth Din
Rosh Beth Din: Dayan Y Y Lichtenstein
Dayan M D Elzas
Registrar: Rabbi Z Unsdorfer
Enquires to the Registrar
Tel: 020 8202 2263
Chief Executive
Burial Society
Administrator: Mr Thomas Zelmanovits
Sexton: Mr Noson Kahler
Tel: 020 8202 3903 Fax: 020 8203 0610
Out of hours answerphone: 020 8202 3903
Cemeteries
Montagu Road, Edmonton N18 2NF
Tel: 020 8807 2268
416 Upminster Road North, Rainham,
Essex RM13 9SB
Tel: 01708 552825
During the winter months both cemeteries
are open daily, except Shabbos and Yom
Tov, from 9am until dusk.
During British Summer Time gates are
open until 5pm and during the month of
Ellul until 6pm.
Dr Eli Kienwald

65 Watford Way, London NW4 3AQ
T: 020 8202 3903 F: 020 8203 0610
E: burial@federationofsynagogues.com
BURIAL SOCIETY
RAINHAM & EDMONTON CEMETERIES
VISITING TIMES FOR ELUL 5773 & TISHRI 5774
THE CEMETERIES ARE OPEN FROM 9.00AM
PLEASE NOTE THE CEMETERIES CLOSE EARLY ON
FRIDAYS AND EREV YOM TOV AND REMAIN CLOSED
ALL DAY ON SHABBOS AND YOM TOV
The cemeteries will remain open each day from Wednesday 7th August to Tuesday
3rd September 2013 until 6.00pm, Fridays - until 3.00pm
Wednesday 4th September – Erev Rosh Hashono - until 3.00pm
From Sunday 8th September – Thursday 12th September - until 5.30pm
Friday 13th September Erev Yom Kippur - until 3.00pm
Sunday 15th September – Tuesday 17th September – Until 5.00pm
Wednesday 18th September Erev Succos - until 3.00pm
Sunday 22nd September – Wednesday 25th September Chol Hamoed - until 3.00pm
VISITORS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO ARRIVE NO LATER THAN
30 MINUTES BEFORE THE GATES CLOSE
Visitors are advised to check the closing times of cemeteries during the rest of the
year by calling the office numbers listed below or online:
http://www.federationofsynagogues.com/burial-society/
Rainham
Edmonton
01708 552 825 020 8807 2268

NOTICE: SALMONS BROOK FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME
This is to inform all our members and their families that the
Environmental Agency is in the process of work along the boundary
wall of Edmonton Cemetery. This will entail constructing a flood wall
on the riverbank of Salmon’s Brook which runs along the other side of
the Cemetery’s boundary wall on the eastern side of the Cemetery.
The construction machinery to carry out this work will be sited outside
of the Cemetery on the other side of the river.
However in the interest of safety there will be scaffolding erected
alongside the Cemetery wall within the Cemetery and it will mean
that the first 6 rows of graves nearest to the boundary wall will be
out of bounds to visitors except by prior arrangement with the
Burial Society.
Please note, the areas applicable to these works in our Cemetery are
Sections V, X and Z. All other parts of the Cemetery will not be
affected and the Cemetery will be open at the usual times.
The Federation would like to reassure all members of the
public that no graves will be disturbed whilst these works
are being carried out.
The works are expected to last for 30 weeks and the Federation would
like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused while these
works are being carried out.
For any queries or making prior arrangements regarding the affected
areas, please telephone the Burial Society on 020-8202 3903.
Tom Zelmanovits, Burial Administrator

We are delighted to print this edition
of Hamaor Magazine
A WISHING HAPPY NEW THE COMMUNITY YEAR FROM A ALL SHANA AT EXCO TOVA
CONTACT STEWART SINCLAIR
CONTACT STEWART SINCLAIR
56A GLENGALL ROAD
PHONE: 020 8958 7000
PHONE: 020 8958 7000
EDGWARE, 14 MIDDLESEX KINGS DRIVE HA8 8SX
MOBILE: 07976 707 916
MOBILE: 07976 707 916
EDGWARE, OPEN SUNDAY MIDDLESEX MORNINGS HA8 8EE
E-MAIL: print@excodps.co.uk
E-MAIL: www.excoprint.co.uk
print@excodps.co.uk
FREE PARKING
The President and
Honorary Officers
extend their warmest
wishes for
A Ksiva Vachasima
Tova
to all Members of the
Federation of Synagogues
and their Families
The Dayanim, Chief
Executive and
Head Office Staff
extend their warmest
wishes for
A Ksiva Vachasima
Tova
to all Members of the
Federation of Synagogues
and their Families

Constituent Synagogues
BEIS HAMEDRASH NISHMAS YISROEL LIMITED
62 Brent Street, Hendon, London NW4 2ES.
Secretary: Andrew Krausz. Email: Andrew.krausz@clydeco.com
Website: www.bhny.co.uk
CLAPTON FEDERATION SYNAGOGUE
(Sha'are Shomayim). (in association with Springfield Synagogue)
202 Upper Clapton Road, London E5 9DH.
Secretary: Robin Jacobs. Tel: 020 8530 5816.
CROYDON & DISTRICT SYNAGOGUE
The Almonds, 5 Shiriey Oaks Road, Croydon, Surrey CRO 8YX. Tel: 020 8662 0011.
Mrs B Harris. Tel: 020 8726 0179. Rav: Rabbi N. Asmoucha
Email: enquiries@croydonsynagogue.org.uk Website: www.croydonsynagogue.org.uk
EAST LONDON CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE
30/40 Nelson Street, E1 2DE. Tel: 020 7790 9809,
Rav: Rabbi Y. Austin. Secretary: Mr J. Beninson. Tel: 020 8529 8146.
FINCHLEY CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE
2 Redboume Avenue, N3 2BS. Tel: 020 8346 1892.
Rav: Rabbi Y. Hamer. Secretary: Mrs P. Wittner. Tel: 020 8346 1892
Website: www.finchleyfed.org.uk
HENDON BEIS HAMEDRASH
65 Watford Way, Hendon, London NW4 3AQ.
Tel: 020 8202 2263. Rav: Dayan Y.Y. Lichtenstein.
Contact: P. Burns. Tel: 020 8203 7757.
ILFORD FEDERATION SYNAGOGUE
14/16 Coventry Road, llford, Essex, IG1 4QR. Tel: 020 8554 5289.
Rav: Rabbi A. Chapper. Secretary: Mrs L. Klein
Email: ilfordsynagogue@btconnect.com Website: www.ilfordfeds.org
MACHZIKEI HADATH V’SHOMREI SHABBAT SYNAGOGUE
1-4 Highfield Road, London NW11 9LU. TEL: 020 8455 9816
Rav: Rabbi CH. Z. Pearlman. Secretary: R. Shaw.
Website: www.mhshul.org
NETZACH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
281 Golders Green Road, London NW11 9JJ Tel: 020 8455 0097
Rav: Rabbi Doron Ahiel. Email: netzachisraeltrust@gmail.com
OHR YERUSHALAYIM SYNAGOGUE
470 Bury New Road, Salford, Manchester M7 4NU Tel: 0161 792 9242
Rav: Rabbi Berel Cohen. Website: www.ohryerushalayim.org.uk
OHR YISRAEL SYNAGOGUE
31/33 Theobald Street, Elstree, Herts WD6 4RN
Rav: Rabbi R. Garson. Secretary: Josephine Kay Tel: 020 8207 4702
Website: www.ohr-yisrael.org.uk
Affiliated Synagogues
AISH HATORAH COMMUNITY
379 Hendon Way, London NW4 3LP. Tel: 020 8457 4444.
Rav: Rabbi J. Roodyn.
Website: http://aish.org.uk
CONGREGATION OF JACOB SYNAGOGUE
351/353 Commercial Road, London E1 2PS. Contact: Mr David Behr.
Tel: 020 7790 2874.
Email: info@congregationofjacob.org Website: www.congregationofjacob.org
FIELDGATE STREET GREAT SYNAGOGUE
41 Fieldgate Street, E1 1JU. Tel: 020 7247 2644.
Secretary: Mrs F. Treep.
Email: fieldgatestsynagogue@fsmail.net
FINCHLEY ROAD SYNAGOGUE
(Sassov), 4 Helenslea Avenue, London NW11 8ND.
Rav: Rabbi S. Freshwater. Tel: 020 8455 4305
LEYTONSTONE & WANSTEAD SYNAGOGUE
2 Fillebrook Road, London E11 4AT.
Secretary: Cllr. L. Braham. Tel: 020 8989 0978.
LOUGHTON SYNAGOGUE
Borders Lane, Loughton, Essex, IG10 1TE. Tel: 020 8508 0303.
Rav: Rabbi Y. Aronovitz. Secretary: Mrs M. Lewis.
Email: admin@loughtonsynagogue.com Website: http://loughtonsynagogue.com
SPRINGFIELD SYNAGOGUE
202 Upper Clapton Road, London E5 9DH. Tel: 020 8806 3167
Rav. Dayan I. Gukovitski. Secretary: Mr. R. Conway. Tel: 020 8806 3167
STAMFORD HILL BEIS HAMEDRASH
50 Clapton Common, London E5 9AL. Rav: Dayan D. Grynhaus.
Secretary: M. Chontow. Tel: 020 8800 7369.
WALTHAM FOREST HEBREW CONGREGATION
(Queens Road) 140 Boundary Road, London E17 8LA Tel: 020 8509 0775.
Rav: Rev. S. Myers. Secretary: Mrs B. Rose.
Email: secretary@wfhc.co.uk
WEST END GREAT SYNAGOGUE
(Beth Hasepher & Soho), 32 Great Cumberland Place, W1H 7TN.
Tel: 020 7724 8121.
Minister: Rev. Ari Cohen. Administrator: Naomi Singer.
Email: wegs@clara.co.uk
SHOMREI HADATH SYNAGOGUE
64 Burrard Road, Hampstead, London NW6 1DD.
Rav: Rabbi D.Glass. Secretary: Mrs P. Schotten. Tel: 020 7435 6906.
Website: http://shomrei-hadath.com
SINAI SYNAGOGUE
54 Woodstock Avenue, London NW11 9RJ. Tel: 020 8455 6876.
Rav: Rabbi B. Knopfler. Secretary: Mr E. Cohen. Tel: 020 8455 6876
YESHURUN SYNAGOGUE
Corner of Fernhurst Gardens and Stonegrove, Edgware, Middlesex HA8 7PH.
Rav: Rabbi A. Lewis Emeritus Rav: Dayan G. Lopian.
Administrator: Lisa Denby. Tel: 020 8952 5167.
Email: admin@yeshurun.org Website: www.yeshurun.org

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