November 2015
West London Synagogue
‫ק"ק שער ציון‬
Cheshvan/Kislev 5776
Review
Celebrating 175 Years of Reform Judaism in Central London
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Sunday 22 November, 7.00pm
Programme:
Haydn Symphony No 6, Le Matin
Mozart Concerto for Flute and Harp
Bach Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor
Haydn Symphony No 8, Le Soir
Performed by:
Rachel Podger on violin/director
Lisa Beznosiuk on flute
Frances Kelly on harp
Post Concert Sparkling Canapé Reception
Meet and chat with members of The Orchestra, find out what makes them tick; why do
they play instruments dating back to the time the music was composed and what do
they do when not at Southbank Centre or Glyndebourne.
Concert Ticket Price: £30.00
Reception Ticket Price: £25.00
Call Ronit on 020 7535 0275 or book online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/wls175
In this Month’s Review:
175th Anniversary Celebrations, the Lyons Institute,
State of the Art Kolnoa-Cinema, WLS in Calais, Matt Lucas and More!
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Joins the 175th Celebrations
We are delighted and honoured that the
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
(“OAE”) has agreed to perform a concert
at the Synagogue on 22 November as
part of our 175th anniversary
celebrations. I am a trustee of the OAE.
I fell in love with the sounds they
produce when I first started attending
their concerts some ten years ago.
Shortly after, I volunteered to work with
them.
The OAE are rightly recognised as
Britain’s leading period instrument
orchestra. By period instruments, I
mean the instruments that the composer would have known at the time he was
composing. These would have been the
sounds he had in his mind. For example,
in the eighteenth century (the century
from which the music in our concert
comes), violins would have had strings
made from cat gut rather than the
metal of today; woodwind instruments
were actually made from wood and
brass instruments would not have had
any valves to control the sound.
The OAE’s music is not restricted to the
Enlightenment – the period of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
that saw the transition from
Renaissance music to the classical and
romantic repertoires we know well
today. Whatever is played, the OAE will
use period specific instruments.
The OAE plays the music for two of the
operas performed at the Glyndebourne
Opera Festival each year. It also gives a
dozen concerts on London’s Southbank,
and tours regionally and internationally.
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of
seeing the OAE perform Dvorak’s New
World Symphony to great critical
acclaim at the Lincoln Center in New
York. I have travelled with them to the
Salzburg Festival where they played the
music for the Marriage of Figaro, to
Vienna where they were invited to play
Mozart’s last three symphonies at the
Musikverein under Sir Simon Rattle on
Mozart’s birthday and to Paris where
they performed Berlioz’s grand opera
masterpiece Les Troyens. I mention this
to demonstrate their significant
international reputation and to
emphasize how fortunate we are to
have persuaded them to perform for us
in our Sanctuary. I hope we can
welcome them with a very large
audience. The acoustics of our
Sanctuary will enhance the music and
the players are very excited about
performing for us.
employment in the service of Prince
Esterhazy. They were crafted to please
the musicians with each given a virtuoso
part.
Le Matin evokes the beginning of the
day and Le Soir the evening, ending
with a storm. Haydn’s symphonies are
considerably shorter than the later
Mozart symphonies and the works of
Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms which
followed. Betwee n these t wo
symphonies we will be hearing Bach’s
beautiful double violin concerto,
characterised by the Italian influences
inspiring Bach at that stage of his
composing career. The OAE will also
play the Mozart Flute and Harp
Concerto, a commission from a Duke in
Paris for which the composer was never
paid!
The evening promises to be special. I do
hope you can join me to give a very
warm welcome to an outstanding group
of musicians.
David Marks
The concert programme has been
designed to appeal both to non-regular
concert attenders and also to lovers of
the beautiful eighteenth century music.
It will feature two of Haydn’s
symphonies, Le Matin (no 6) and Le Soir
(no 8), which were written at Eisenstadt
soon after the composer started his
YAD Break Fast and Pizza in the Hut
Food was never this appreciated before!
After a beautiful start at the Kol Nidrei,
Yom Kippur was truly felt. Coming
Ne’ila, everyone was feeling the
meaning of Yom Kippur. It was time to
return to the land of the living. With a
group of enthusiastic Young Adults, we
went to Dim-T and enjoyed some
beautiful dishes, drinks and inspiring
conversations.
Our annual Young Adult Sukkah
celebration was themed this year “Pizza
in the Hut”. When YAD took over the
Sukkah, its interior changed for one
night into an Italian restaurant. There
were beautifully laid out tables, with
Italian wines, Peroni beers and
wonderful pizzas. The only thing missing
was a violinist. Having said that, one of
our YAD-members played beautiful
music on the piano.
The year could not have started better.
Throughout the night, the Italian
influence flew out of the Sukkah and
Oriental and Israeli music entered. The
space proved big enough to allow much
enjoyed (Yemenite) dancing, chatting
and eating.
Thank you for coming! I hope to see you
at the next Young Adult-event.
Peter Luijendijk
The Lyons Institute: Transformative Learning, Raising Literacy and
Commitment to Jewish Life with Progressive Values
to
This
November
we have
our first
mini-series
of learning in
the lead up to
Chanukah.
You’re all invited
join. The classes
will be on Monday
nights – 9, 16, 23 and
30 November. Then on
25 January 2016 we will
have a launch reception
coinciding with Tu Bish’vat
(the New Year for trees). Why
not plant the seed of Jewish
learning in your life?
I promised there were two things
you would hear and read me saying
often. The first is about our own adult
learning. The point is simple really, but
harder to fulfil. We cannot claim, as a
community, to value Jewish learning for
our children if we do not demonstrate
that we regard it as a life-long
endeavour. As I raise my children, I’m
constantly trying to remember what I
learned at school about the natural
world, science, literature or history. And
we learn together. I’m not afraid to tell
my daughters that I do not know an
answer but that we can and should learn
and be inspired together.
Judaism is no different, well almost no
different – I’ll come back to that later. I
am proud that I’m able to talk to my
family about my teachers of Judaism,
about going to visit them and learning
from them even today, even though I’m
a rabbi. Yes, your rabbis are learning all
of the time about Judaism. It’s an
ingrained part of being Jewish that we
are constantly learning. The goal is not
knowledge, the goal is learning.
The second thing I’m going to say often
is really the other side of the coin to our
own adult commitment to learning. In
Judaism, there is no-one who can live
your Judaism for you. It is not possible
to delegate Jewish life to our leaders and
there is no value in vicariously
experiencing Jewish life through others.
Judaism is nothing if it is not lived. It is
of little importance to me how you chose
to live your Judaism, what is important is
the conscious deliberate choices you
make as a Jew or as a supporter of a
Jewish partner or family. And in order to
make those choices we must be
thoughtful and to be thoughtful we must
have space to learn and reflect.
Chanukah Mini-Series
6.30pm: Dinner, 7.15pm: Start
Thought provoking conversations as we
lead up to Chanukah. From the Talmud
to Progressive Judaism, could Chanukah
make us see our Judaism in a new light?
But I said that Judaism was almost no
different to history, science or the arts in
terms of our on-going learning. But it is
different. Rabbi Abraham Joshua
Heschel suggests that the learning we
do as Jews must help us interpret
Judaism in terms of humanity and the
Jewish situation. In other words, he
writes, “What is the meaning of my
individual existence?... What does it
mean to be a Jew? What does it mean
to be responsible for three thousand
years of living experience? How can we
mediate between all of the past and all
of the future?”.
Jewish learning must be transformative.
It must enrich our lives, make them
fuller with meaning and support us to
think about the significance of the
choices we make as human beings,
cognisant of Jewish life.
This November the course will be an
opportunity to learn some Talmud – the
foundational text of Judaism for the last
2,000 years. Get to grips with the
radical innovations of the Chanukah
story and its observance, reflect on what
it means to celebrate Chanukah in the
21st century and, most importantly,
share your thoughts, conversations and
learning with other adults in central
London. The flyer is inside the Review.
Please book to let us know you are
coming and whether you would like the
pre-learning dinner provided. Sessions
start at 7:15pm.
Finally, I would like to invite you to be
part of the learning going forwards.
Please email me to be on the list for the
learning. In particular, I will be seeking
to gauge interest in courses at lunch or
breakfast in people’s work places and
special courses for parents on the Torah
on Sunday mornings. Be in touch and
let me know –
[email protected] or 07481 464
654.
Rabbi Neil
Like facebook.com/lyonsinstitute/ and
join the conversation about Jewish
learning.
Follow @lyonsinstitute
Visit www.lyonsinstitute.org.uk
Monday 9 November:
Beauty, piety and holiness - Judaism?
Monday 16 November:
Going public - Judaism in the public
square
Monday 23 November:
The stories we tell - collective memory
and history
Monday 30 November:
Commanding voices
Book your place now: Special
introductory price £45 for all four
sessions, 20% discount for WLS
members, under 30s and unwaged pay what you can. Pre-learning dinner
option – £15 per head. Booking is
essential at
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/
lyonsinstitute
SAVE THE DATE
January - Lyons Launch
25 January:
Tu Bish'vat - seeds of learning reception
Take Two! A Brand New Chapter for Kolnoa WLS
Kolnoa WLS, our monthly cinema club,
is currently at the start of its 13th
successful season. Regular attenders
have already noticed a different
experience from the one they have
come to enjoy over the years. So what’s
all the fuss about?
Well, during the summer months
(thanks to the generosity of our
benefactors, not to mention to the vision
of our President and Chairman) we were
able to install new state-of-the-art
equipment in the Room of Prayer.
have had to change. Hannah is 80 years
old. She has devoted her entire life to
building the kibbutz in which she still
lives and works. She tries to adjust as
commercialisation comes to Israel,
making the kibbutz less and less like the
original dream. Privatisation requires her
to seek insurance, and when this proves
to be impossible to obtain at her age,
she is forced into retirement. Hannah
tries to adjust but ends up in conflict
with her own daughter, whose job it is
to bring in many of the changes.
An enormous cinema-size screen, a
‘snazzy’ new digital projector and an
unbelievable new sound system
beautifully enhance the experience of
watching a film in the comfort of the
newly refurbished Room of Prayer, truly
enveloping us in a thrilling cinematic
sensation.
So what are you waiting for? Regulars
and new faces, why not come along for
a test drive and see what you’ve been
missing out on. Kolnoa WLS takes place
every second Thursday of the month.
Evenings start with drinks and Israeli
snacks at 7pm; screenings start at
7.45pm. Entry is free but donations
towards catering are very welcome.
Next screenings:
12 November - A Beautiful Valley
(2011). Dir. Hadar Friedlich
Winner of the Best First Film award in
Jerusalem, this gentle but persuasive
story illustrates the way the kibbutzim
The start of the film is sweet and almost
comedic but Eyad’s childhood innocence
soon fades as he realises the cold
choices he will have to make in an adult
world. Tension and drama mount as he
finds his own identity in a complex
society. The original title was taken from
the expression “dancing at two
weddings”, which refers to the dilemma
of a population that has to live with both
its Arab identity and its Israeli
nationality, a dual allegiance.
10 December - Dancing Arabs (A
Borrowed Identity) (2014). Dir.
Eran Riklis
For more information, please contact me
at [email protected]
Jim Fletcher
Chair, ERETZ Programme
Eran Riklis returns to fine form in his
most recent film, the script for which
was written by renowned IsraeliPalestinian journalist Sayed Kashua and
based on his own semi-autobiographical
novel. An Israeli-Arab boy, Eyad, is sent
to a prestigious boarding school in
Jerusalem, where he struggles to fit in.
Peace of Mind
As you may know from the High Holy Day Appeal, West London Synagogue’s ERETZ
Programme is hosting a project entitled Peace of Mind for one week between 3-10
April 2016.
We take great pride in doing this. It is one of the most important cross-communal
projects with an Israeli dimension to reach West London Synagogue for a very long
time.
Working closely with Jerusalem’s renowned Herzog Centre for the Treatment of
Psychotrauma, our aim is to bring a group of around 15 young former Israeli soldiers
to London and to give them an intensive week of experiences and therapy which will
help them reintegrate into normal civilian life back home.
We are hoping for donations to help fund this project but we also welcome your
practical help in any way you feel you can. We need families to act as home-hosts,
providing evening meals and entertainment. We are also hoping for offers of
entertainment for the group (theatre, sport and cinema outings) as well as offers of
help to chaperone, prepare lunches, or help in a more general way.
If you would like to be involved, please email me at [email protected] or call me for
an informal chat on 07768 455667.
Becoming a Dementia Friendly Community
I will be wearing my DEMENTIA
FRIENDS badge with pride and I invite
you to join me in making this a
Dementia Friendly Community, a sign of
inclusivity and awareness.
I spoke over Yom Kippur about the
Jewish tradition of honouring the elderly
in the community. In Hebrew the word
ZAKEIN means old and it also means
wise, the assumption being that the old
were not a burden or a worry but a
source of knowledge and life experience
from which the young could only
benefit.
Sometimes that is hard to remember for
families whose older members are
showing signs of dementia, forgetting
everything and perhaps repeating
themselves, even wandering from home
in the early stages. In the later stages,
dementia becomes even more
challenging with incontinence, the loss
sometimes of all speech and the sense
that the person we once knew and loved
has gone forever even before they die.
Coping with dementia in the family is
addressed in a wonderful and moving
book, edited by Rabbi Douglas Kohn and
called ‘Broken Fragments: Jewish
Experiences of Alzheimer’s Disease
through Diagnosis, Adaptation and
Moving On’. Rabbi Kohn’s book contains
articles by rabbis who work with older
people dealing with dementia, as well as
with their families and friends who are
trying to enable them to stay in contact
with the world and their loved ones as
long as possible.
Rabbi Jonathan Plaut described the
Alzheimer’s disease of his world-famous
father Rabbi Gunther Plaut, whose
chumash we use to this day as ‘death
by a thousand subtractions’. Rabbi Plaut
senior died at 99 years old but had lived
with Alzheimer’s for many years
beforehand. In the end, he couldn’t
remember his own name but he still
responded with grace to the regular
ritual of Shabbat, being greeted with
‘shabbat shalom’ by people to whom he
had been really important and eating a
regular Shabbat dinner with his family.
This is a little of the focus of a Dementia
Friendly Community. It means involving
a person who is losing their orientation
and language in regular community
events for as long as possible.
Our carers’ group at WLS involves a
number of people caring for those with
dementia. Together we have learned
some important things to help those
living with the loss of the person they
grew up with as a beloved parent or
perhaps as a partner of many years.
Here are some things that can help
make us a dementia friendly
community:
Accept the reality of the dementia
patient. If they are convinced that a
long dead parent is still around, go with
their understanding and move it gently
on to something else. Ask what they did
professionally or ask what their favourite
food used to be
Involve the person with dementia
in family and community occasions.
Talking to them allows them to hold on
to their language as long as possible
A Dramatic Performance of
West London Synagogue’s history
Sunday 8 November, 5pm
33 Seymour Place, London, W1H 5AU
Tickets £5 with wine reception to follow
With music by Maya Levy and Isaac Gryn as his
grandfather, Hugo. Adapted from a text by Jack Rosenthal by
Joshua Edelman and Robert Benton.
Performed by the WLS Amateur Dramatics troupe.
Contact Kathryn on 020 7535 0259 to book your tickets.
Be patient and tolerant if things
take longer than they used to do. People
with dementia (and their carers) really
appreciate a bit of humour
If hospital care is needed, make
sure the hospital will allow a familiar
face to stay with the patient. There is
nothing more terrifying than being left
alone in a new and strange
environment, especially if you are in
pain
Remember that carers for
dementia sufferers are entitled to
priority treatment at the GP to ensure
that they are well enough to continue
caring
In case of emergency, make sure
that you have the numbers for the GP,
the Synagogue and any other important
services somewhere clearly accessible
Join the Carers’ Group. It is
surprising how much you can learn
about services available from the local
authority to help you and your loved
ones. Not only that, but we have outings
twice a year and have fun together. It’s
important for a carer to have a little
break at regular intervals.
You can become a Dementia Friend, an
Alzheimer's Society initiative, by
registering and watching a video online
at www.dementiafriends.org.uk/register
-digital-friend. Much of the material will
be familiar but it is helpful to have a
reminder now and again. You will
receive a book of hints on being
Dementia Friendly and a badge to wear
with pride.
Rabbi Helen Freeman
The Movement for Reform Judaism:
Partnering with Communities for Tikkun Olam
One of the wonderful aspects of being
part of the wider Movement for Reform
Judaism is the opportunity for
synagogues to share best practice and
learn from one another. This is
especially important for our smaller
communities. As Reform Judaism’s
Community Partner, I work closely with
communities large and small across the
south of the country and it is a privilege
to do so. In many ways, West London
Synagogue has led the way in engaging
with tikkun olam projects, repairing the
world and reaching out to the wider
society in which we live. This
commitment is especially notable now
with refugees and asylum seekers in
such desperate need.
Reform Judaism is excited to partner
with Citizens UK to offer a special course
to enable current and future leaders to
strengthen their communities. Led by
WLS member Charlotte Fischer,
‘Congregational Development,
Leadership and Tikkun Olam’ will take
place in Finchley on 14-15 November.
This reflects our commitment to
providing and fostering inspiring
leadership and to developing and
supporting our communities and
members in every aspect of synagogue
life. And it embodies one of our core
values: bringing holiness into the world
by seeking meaning in our lives and a
just society for all.
The seminar is aimed at those who want
to develop vibrant and powerful
synagogues or communities by building
relationships, whilst empowering its
members to become agents of
innovation. It is also for those people
who are motivated by the Jewish
principle of tikkun olam (repairing the
world). Delegates may already be
involved in social action projects and
want to think about how synagogues
can do and be more of a force for good
in the local community – and how tikkun
olam can play a greater role in their
community’s Judaism. It is for people
who want to go beyond good intentions
to really make an impact.
The course will start with a Shabbat
service on 14 November finishing
around 8:30pm with Havdallah, with
optional film and discussion afterwards.
The Sunday session will start the next
day at 9.30am and finish around
6.00pm. Please note, to participate in
this course you must be available to
attend both days. The cost is £35 and
this includes meals.
If you feel you have something to share
with others from your own experience of
working in this field or if you would like
to get more involved and broaden your
knowledge, we would be delighted to
welcome you to the seminar. For more
information, please don’t hesitate to be
in touch: email
[email protected]
or call 020 8349 5693.
Amit Handelsman
A Warm Welcome to Our New Junior Wardens
Paul Jaffa
My interests are family and friends,
music of all sorts from rock to opera,
theatre, architecture and buildings, the
Victorian era, skiing, watching rugby,
reading spy novels and antique
furniture.
Michelle Ross
Professionally, I run a specialist legal
services PR consultancy based in the
City representing UK, US and
international law firms and barristers’
chambers. I speak and write in the UK
and internationally on professional
services marketing issues.
My youngest daughter was married by
Rabbi Helen and now attends the
Shabbat Tots services with her young
daughter. I volunteer whenever possible
and have assisted at the monthly
Drop-In centres, the coffee/Kiddush rota
and on various other occasions.
It was with immense pride and joy that
I accepted the invitation to be a
co-Junior Warden and to have the
opportunity to serve WLS in this way. I
look forward to the next three years and
eagerly anticipate working with my
co-Junior Warden, Paul Jaffa.
I am a proud member of the Reform
Jewish movement and have been a
member of WLS for over 20 years.
Although now divorced, I was married at
WLS in 1994 by the marvellous Rabbi
Willy Woolf. My son Jacob had his baby
blessing and was Bar Mitzvah at WLS
under the guidance and wise counsel of
Rabbi Helen Freeman.
meaningfully in the services and as a
result were spiritually moved.
Professionally, while now semi-retired, I
was latterly in HR for a global financial
services provider.
Originally raised in South London within
an Orthodox Jewish family, it was some
14 years ago that I, along with my
youngest daughter, sought to improve
on our religious services and Jewish
community experiences. We were
introduced to WLS and were
immediately taken with its culture. For
the first time we were able to participate
My interests are ballet, theatre,
architecture, design and the arts
generally together with an eclectic taste
in music.
A divorcee, I have two daughters, Kim
and Natasha, and two gorgeous granddaughters!
Members’ Feast at Gala Dinner
members, plus donations, ticket and
brochure sales, will go towards our
refurbishment projects at WLS. Rabbi
Julia Neuberger took the opportunity to
introduce a special limited edition of 175
silver mezuzot, designed by leading
silversmith Mila Griebel, many of which
were snapped up on the night.
Her Majesty the Queen sent a message
of greetings to members of West
London Synagogue of whom more than
200 attended our 175th Anniversary
Gala Dinner at the Hyatt London
Churchill Hotel on 11 October. Guests
were welcomed by Elizabeth Shrager,
our 175th Anniversary chairman.
Members were joined by the Chairs of
the Movement for Reform Judaism, the
Leo Baeck College and the European
Union for Progressive Judaism. All our
Rabbis hosted tables. The assembled
company feasted on a fabulous threecourse dinner accompanied by a
selection of fine wines and preceded by
a glass of vintage fizz.
Over £10,000 was raised from a raffle of
exciting prizes which, along with
generous sponsorship from a number of
The highlight of the event was our guest
speaker, the broadcaster and journalist
David Aaronovitch, who spoke with
great passion about the need for a more
positive response to the refugee crisis as
well as amusing us with a number of
anecdotes. It was a wonderfully relaxed
evening, enjoyed by all those present.
22 November, the Orchestra of the Age
of Enlightenment will perform its first
ever concert in a synagogue and will be
joined by world-renowned violinist
Rachel Podger for a varied programme.
Then, by popular demand, the London
Gay Men’s Chorus will be returning to
WLS for a concert that will take place
after our very moving World Aids Day
service, starting 6pm on Sunday
29 November. Finally, on Sunday
6 December, we have Chanukah
extravaganza featuring X Factor star
Stacey Solomon, Edinburgh Festival
storyteller and singer songwriter Daniel
Cainer, along with amazing fire artist
Jonas Fahey. Tickets for all these events
can be booked through Ronit on
020 7535 0275 or at
www.ticketsource.co.uk/WLS175.
We’ve had an amazing year of
celebrations and I look forward to seeing
many of you at these final events of the
year.
Stephen Moss, President
There are still opportunities to attend
175th anniversary events. On Sunday
An Interview with Silversmith Mila Griebel
Mila Griebel came to West London
Synagogue about three years ago. She
has become a stalwart of the religion
school, of the parents’ association and of
the wider community. But many people
do not know how distinguished she is as
a silversmith. She is making mezuzot to
commemorate our 175th anniversary. A
number of the limited edition of 175 are
already sold but some are still available.
Her grandfather began training as a
rabbi but rebelled. The family came
from near Cracow, Poland. Mila’s father
was sponsored before the war to come
to England by an English family. He
arrived aged 11, travelling on his own
from Poland to England, speaking little
English. Meanwhile Mila’s grandmother
somehow got false papers and travelled
through Germany and France to
England. There was family all round
Europe and many perished in the
Shoah.
Mila describes herself as artistic at
school and dyslexic. She took some time
deciding on art school. Eventually she
did her foundation year at Central
School of Art then took another year out
doing masses of work on props,
designing and making costumes for the
embryonic independent TV companies.
She went to Middlesex Poly, as it was
then, and got hooked on threedimensional design. While in the glass
department, she went to metal work to
make some fittings. And that was it. She
was hooked. For her dissertation she
wrote a type of cultural biography
exploring her Jewishness, essentially for
the first time. She looked at Jewish art
and artefacts to answer the question
‘what makes something Jewish?’.
Later, Mila went to the Royal College of
Art. Her interest in Judaica grew. And
then, with what she describes as ‘the
stupidity of youth’, she set up her own
workshop.
Except it wasn’t stupid. People found
her. She started with travelling
chanukkiyot, then she made tallit clips,
Kiddush cups, and this year she won the
Judaica 21 prize, a pan-Europe prize for
Judaica, with a Kiddush cup for her
daughter Sofia with the theme of ‘far
above rubies’.
Meanwhile, Mila has pieces in
synagogues up and down the country
and in the United States. The V&A has
one of her mezuzot and the Jewish
Museum has purchased an etrog box.
Her reputation is growing exponentially.
We are extremely fortunate that she is
part of our community. But, when asked
what she is proudest of, it is her
children. She could not do it all without
her family. Mila is a remarkably modest
person for such a great talent and a
great asset to WLS.
Rabbi Julia Neuberger
The 175th commemorative mezuzah is
£130, including the claf. If you would like
to purchase one, please contact Roni Wang
on 020 7535 0285.
Orders on a first come first served basis.
REFUGEE CRISIS

Write to your MP, the Prime Minister and the leader of your local council, asking
them to increase the number of refugees being admitted and resettled in your
area. (We can give you advice on the most effective way to write the letter/
email and supply you with a template). Some of us say 20,000 a year rather
than 20,000 over five years is a better target- still a drop in the ocean.

Donate clothes (in good condition) and money to the WLS monthly Drop-In
centre for asylum seekers. This has been running for over 3 years and
specifically helps asylum seeker families with children.

Register as a volunteer and/or donate money for a new WLS Drop-In centre
which we’ll be launching for refugees in January.

Sign up as a volunteer for our Winter Night Shelter for the homeless which runs
from October to March every Saturday night at WLS. Run in conjunction with 6
local churches, we provide a hot dinner, conversation, a warm place to sleep
and breakfast for 15 homeless people. Around a quarter of our guests are
asylum seekers or refugees.

Donate money to World Jewish Relief for their refugee crisis appeal. They are
providing food, shelter and emergency materials to refugees in Turkey,
Bulgaria and Greece.

Pledge to volunteer in your local area in the event that refugees are resettled
there. This would involve welcoming newly arrived refugees, helping them
access public services and settle into the local community.

Volunteer with a befriending programme for detainees at Harmondsworth
Detention Centre near Heathrow. This is a twice a month commitment to have
an hour long meeting with detainees to support them during their detention.
This has a hugely positive impact on their mental health.

If you are a Landlord, could you offer up housing to a refugee family; or if you
have a spare room and the space in your home, offer to host a refugee.

Sign up as a volunteer to help with English language classes for refugees and
asylum seekers which we will be running at WLS one evening a week starting in
January.
To get involved and for more information please contact
Nic Schlagman at WLS
Phone: 0207 535 0270
Mobile: 07956 628 990
Email: [email protected]
WLS Goes to Calais to Support Refugees
It is not easy to find the correct words to describe our recent
visit to the refugee camp in Calais. Despite now numerous
conversations with friends and colleagues, the right words, the
right tone, the right message still seem hard to grasp.
There were also a number of refugees, friends made during the
weeks of hard work, helping sort donations and taking a lead
role in organising the distribution of tents, blankets, shoes and
clothes into the camp.
We volunteered. This helped. We were useful, which felt good.
We saw abject poverty. We sat in a cul-de-sac of the refugee
migration and saw tears and pain, none of that felt good at all.
We arrived early in the morning at a large warehouse on the
edge of Calais that was being run by the three local NGOs
(charities) who have been helping the refugees and migrants
living in Calais for a number of years. Since the explosion of
media attention, they have been inundated with donations and
volunteers and have been able to upscale their operations
significantly. We arrived with two vans full of donations that
had been collected by West London Synagogue, Northwood
and Pinner Liberal Synagogue as well as a local church and a
local mosque in Northwood.
We unloaded quickly and got to work in the warehouse, sorting
through donations, packaging boxes and building more stacks
of shelves. We did our best to maintain order in the semi chaos
of jumbled bin bags coming in and sorted donations going out
to the people who need it most. The NGOs estimate that up to
200 people can arrive in the camp every day. The numbers
there have grown significantly since the start of the year.
The volunteers we met were warm, kind and organised. They
come from across the UK and France. Many have been there
for weeks, even months, working hard to make a difference.
It was during our unloading of the vans that the most
surprising interaction and perhaps most useful advocacy of the
day occurred. One of the British volunteers approached our
group to inform us that the donations being sorted and
distributed were going to mostly Muslim refugees from Syria
and Afghanistan and also to tell us that there were no Jewish
refugees in the camp. A number of our volunteers were
wearing kippot – we were not hiding our faith. We informed
him that we knew this and patiently explained that this
collection had come from a number of synagogues, and that we
represented a cross section of British Jewry who had come
together to help because these were humans in need. Because
we remember our own history.
He was genuinely shocked. This was not the way he thought
Jews behaved. I reflected that the way Israel is portrayed in
the media, and the way that the Left in Britain view Israel,
Zionism, and Jews by extension, gives a warped view of our
values and interests. Further, it is clear to me that we have to
be in these spaces, without a song and dance, just making a
difference in all the ways we can. This is how we can tell a
different story. We are, understandably, a cautious and inward
looking community with a strong need to focus on
self-preservation. This is not, however, the sum of what we are
about. We were refugees, we remember, and we want to help.
across the Middle East and Africa sit staring into space with the
look I know only too well from my years of work with refugees.
People with nothing happening, with only their thoughts and
daydreams – wherever those take them. No smiles.
In the afternoon we left the warehouse and headed over to the
‘Jungle’, the refugee camp of 4,000 residents in Calais, for a
heavy dose of reality. This is not the first refugee camp I have
visited and it was not nearly the worst living conditions in
which I have seen people surviving. I had to remind myself
that I was just a three hour drive from London. This was closer
to my home than my in-laws in Leeds.
We had been told to go there and speak to people, that this
helps lift the dull monotony of the days. It reminds the people
living there of their humanity, their curiosity, their humour. We
entered the camp into a small square with tents around it and
a group of guys sitting on a collection of plastic chairs. I said
hello and introduced myself to Adam and Hamdi from Darfur.
We exchanged some pleasantries and they invited us to sit
down. One other was sent off to fire up the stove and put on
some tea. We must stay and be hosted they told us. In all my
work in places of significant poverty, the importance of hosting
visitors and making people feel welcome is rarely diminished.
Thousands of tents sprawled across a wasteland, with
ramshackle huts built from wood and tarpaulin, dozens of
people congregating around a generator with hundreds of
mobile phones plugged in to ever increasing splitters and
adaptors. Ten water taps for the camp with long queues
behind each, makeshift showers set up by Doctors of the
World, volunteers buzzing around while young men from
We spent an hour there talking. Hamdi was 25. He had seen
his village destroyed when he was a teenager and had been
living with the family who made it out in a IDP (Internally
Displaced Persons) camp in Sudan ever since. His family
(including possibly some abroad) had finally saved enough
money for him to set off to Europe to try and get refugee
status here. He hoped to start to build a life that might
eventually see him be able to send money back for a next
family member to come – to see how much of the family might
eventually be saved.
we met were less friendly and are famously reserved and
cautious of strangers. Throughout this, and in fact throughout
the whole afternoon, we always felt safe. I do not know why we
felt that, or in fact if we were safe, but everyone we made eye
contact with smiled and said hello.
After this we visited the Ethiopian church in the centre of the
camp, an oasis of calm and contemplation. Inside a number of
people were praying, some crying. How many loved ones had
been lost on the journey to Calais? How many left behind in
squalid camps? How many never made it out of their beds
when the murderers came?
This had been the story of my great-grandfather who had
come first to Britain and established a butcher’s shop in
Bethnal Green before managing to save enough for two sisters
to join him. The rest of family were swallowed up by the
Holocaust.
Hamdi had been in Libya and had cheated death at the hands
of the smugglers and the fighters in the civil war. He had
crossed by boat to Italy and survived. He had been chased out
of Italy by thugs and beaten. He was smartly dressed in a shirt
and woollen vest. At times in our conversation he had dreams
– a home, studies and a degree, a family. At other points he
stared quite blankly and said he just wanted to rest, to feel
safe, to be quiet. After tea we thanked our hosts and headed
off to see the rest of the camp.
As the sun started to set we made our way back to our vans to
make the drive home. No trip to Calais can bypass the wine
outlet supermarkets to load up on bottles of Châteauneuf-duPape. Each bottle set to grace our dining tables the equivalent
of meals for dozens of people we have left behind.
The whole day is full of contradictions, of highs and lows,
positives and negatives. I do not know how I am left feeling. It
is not OK that people who have fled for their lives are left to rot
on our borders when we have the capacity to help but it is
inspiring how many thousands of volunteers are making the
journey to Calais to bring supplies, share humanity, break
bread and share smiles with the people living there.
There is an Afghan café with a growing reputation on the
central strip of the camp. In fact it sits alongside a row of small
shops selling very basic provisions such as soap, toothbrushes,
eggs and cigarettes. We went inside and four of us ordered
lunch. Pilau rice, Afghan bread and beans in a tomato sauce. It
was genuinely delicious and served with a smile. The Afghanis
Each person there has their own story, their own hopes and
dreams, their own traumas. Refugees as a group term means
nothing really. Syrian refugees, Eritrean refugees, nothing. We
encounter individuals, humans, and we are asked to respond.
It is not easy initially to meet someone from a totally different
world to your own and open your palm to shake hands, to
accept tea, to share your own life and hopes and dreams. The
incongruity is overwhelming and unsettling. I have no answers
for Calais, or for the world refugee crisis. I just know I can keep
meeting Hamdis and Sayeds and Sylvains and be myself, and
smile, and break bread, and look them in the eye and walk a
few paces together as equals. Then I go home.
Nic Schlagman
MITZVAH DAY
Join us on Sunday 22 November
175 years… 175 minutes
On Mitzvah Day we can all make a positive difference by coming
together in hands-on social action projects which help those in need.
In this year, the 175th Anniversary of the founding of WLS, we are
asking for just 175 minutes of your time to help.
We will be running a range of projects throughout the day:

Food preparation and cooking on site at WLS to provide lunch for
our asylum seeker Drop-In centre, lunch for families in food
poverty at St Paul’s Church in Lisson Grove, sandwiches and cakes
for our Care Home teas, dinner for the Winter Night Shelter, and
food parcels to be distributed to the street homeless in
Westminster.
Food preparers, cooks and servers needed.

A tea Party at Selig Court Care Home in Golders Green (Jewish
Care) for their residents, as well as for guests who are senior
citizens within our own congregation.
Drivers and helpers needed.

Tea and conversation at two additional Care Homes.
Families with babies or children aged 4 plus needed.

Painting and redecoration of local Day Centre for the homeless.
Helpers needed.

Knitting blankets, hats, scarves and gloves for our asylum seeker
Drop-In centre and for World Jewish Relief.
Knitters needed.
To get involved and for more information please contact
Nic Schlagman at WLS
Phone: 0207 535 0270
Mobile: 07956 628 990
Email: [email protected]
From Sylvia Morris, Chair, Karen Morris Memorial Trust
“When I was first diagnosed I
philosophised about death but I never
truly believed I was going to die. I
remember saying at the time that if I was
to die (which I wasn’t but if I was) I know
I will have led a full and active life and on
the whole a very happy one, short though
it may be. In the last 22 years I have
managed to live in three countries, meet
dozens of fascinating people, been able to
do the type of work that I believe in
(although lucrative it wasn’t!), build up a
beautiful set of friends and have very
close, loving relationships with my family”.
Karen Morris, June 1998
Many WLS congregants will remember
my Karen as their friend, Shemesh and
Sheleg madricha and leader of an Israel
tour in 1996. She wrote the above
words a few months after being
diagnosed with chronic myeloid
leukaemia and shortly after suffering a
relapse but it clearly shows her attitude
of the glass being half full. She passed
away just three months later, having
lost her year long battle against this
insidious disease.
Karen began fundraising on her first visit
to Hammersmith Hospital when she saw
an advertisement for the Sue Harris
Bone Marrow Trust. She contacted them
and agreed to front a major campaign
which saw thousands join the bone
marrow register and significant funds
raised. My studious daughter then
planned to devote her life to fighting
leukaemia once she had recovered, but
it was not to be. She passed away in
September 1998.
Now we, her family, friends and a
growing network of supporters who
have been inspired by her story when
staying in a Karen’s Home from Home
or benefitting from one of the several
complementary services we have
supported for leukaemia patients and
their families, are driven by her legacy,
thus finding some meaning to our
immense loss. To quote from just one
letter:
With the treatment for leukaemia
moving away from the need to stay in
hospital but requiring daily treatment, it
is envisaged that there will be a growing
need for Karen’s Homes from Home.
Please help us to meet that need.
“Karen’s Home from Home is a central
part of our BMT (bone marrow
transplant) strategy and we remain
incredibly grateful to you and your
trustees for your generosity”.
Professor Charles Craddock, KMMT
Patron, Karen’s consultant and
Professor of Haemato-Oncology at
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.
“Many many thanks for providing a lovely
home for us during my husband’s bone
marrow transplant. I was able to cook all
his meals which enabled his early
recovery. Such a pleasant experience not
to have to worry about accommodation at
a stressful time. Heartfelt ‘thank you’”, Jill,
Bristol.
For further information about the Karen
Morris Memorial Trust and how to
support its work, please go to the KMMT
web site: www.kmmt.org.uk or email
Sylvia: [email protected]
The Karen Morris Memorial Trust cannot
find a cure for leukaemia but we can
and do ease the emotional, and thereby
the physical, pain of leukaemia patients
and their families’ immense loss.
Collecting at Brent Cross on Saturday
12 December: As in previous years,
the KMMT will be at Brent Cross with
our buckets and sashes. Experience
has shown that the more collectors we
have, the more money is raised,
so please make 12 December your
Chanukah/Christmas shopping day
and factor in an hour or two to collect
for the KMMT. Please let me know if
you can spare any time between
10.00am and 6.00pm. A warm
welcome is guaranteed. Thank you.
Sylvia Morris ([email protected];
01223 845201).
We currently fund four Karen’s Homes
from Home for leukaemia patients and
their families – at Hammersmith
Hospital in London, the Churchill
Hospital in Oxford, Addenbrooke’s
Hospital in Cambridge and, most
recently, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
Birmingham.
Karen Morris Memorial Trust:
We have also funded complementary
staff and patients’ rooms in leading
haematology departments in the UK.
Here the objective is to fund a service
for a limited period that would not
otherwise be available but is so
appreciated by the haematology
patients, their families and the Hospital’s
staff in the hope that once the need has
been proven, alternative funding will be
found. I am delighted to report that this
has been the case with all the positions
we have funded.
Raising the profile of Volunteering in the Community
Monday 30 November, 6:30-9.00pm (refreshments from 6.00pm)
Social Care and Social Action Volunteers Induction Course with Jo Michaels, Tirza Waisel and Nic Schlagman
The purpose of the training is to discuss issues you will come across when volunteering and provide support for WLS volunteers
working within the community in the social care or social action fields.
For more information please contact Tirza Waisel on 020 7535 0278 or email [email protected]
Double Act at the Seymour Group
It is doubtful there has ever been such an abundance of good
humour and laughter as was to be found at September’s
Seymour Group luncheon. We were entertained by a
somewhat rotund and completely bald Matt Lucas being
interviewed by ‘Aunty’ Denise Williams, no mean star herself in
Berkeley Street circles.
Of course, ‘Little Britain’ is the programme for which Matt is
best known by TV audiences and for which, way back in 2004,
he won the British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy
(together with David Walliams, whom he first met at the
National Youth Theatre, and Myfanwy Moore). Sensing though
that it was what one might describe in our Synagogue Review
as a little risqué, Matt set out to produce something more
family orientated. His favourite film role, he told us, was
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee (directed by Tim Burton).
Some of his more daring parts engage a stunt man, but not
always. If you laughed in ‘Paddington’ at him dangling upside
down, you might have been a little sympathetic had you known
the considerable amount of physiotherapy that he needed
afterwards.
We were treated, so to speak, to the ‘bald facts’ right from the
start as Matt was asked about when he first shed his hair to
reveal his now shiny trademark head. We learned, in quite a
matter of fact way, that he started losing his hair when he was
just six years old. Suffering from alopecia, trials with wigs
(there were apparently two, one of which would seem to have
found its way into Denise’s garden) were not successful.
The only time when we were left with unanswered questions
was when Denise prompted Matt to tell us what was next in
store for us. His responses can best be summed up with the
quote “Watch this space!”. He is sworn to secrecy but it does
appear that we are all in for a treat (or two). He did not
mention Charles Dickens once, but I can safely say that the
programme ended on a note of ‘Great Expectations’.
The discussion was a pot-pourri of anecdotes. We listened
enthralled to Matt’s accounts of ad-libbing Shakespeare and
mishaps as life goes by. I went away more convinced than ever
that, notwithstanding the wonders of literature, and the
marvels of film, nothing beats live entertainment. But of
course, it is thanks to the media that Matt is now a star of
worldwide repute. And dare I say, that despite the training, he
is a ‘natural’. He has come a long way since that U grade
maths and for sure he still has a long way to go.
Throughout the half hour, which simply whizzed by, we were
treated to a frank account of Matt’s life, always told with a
twinkle in the eye and a chuckle in his voice. He attained (if
one can call it that) a ‘U’ in his Maths GCSE even after extra
tuition (he was a student at Haberdashers) and almost boasted
that other than acting he was ‘not good at anything else‘. We
were left in no doubt whatsoever that he was not going to let
such failings deter him from a quite remarkable career in the
acting profession.
Matt studied Drama at Bristol University and was with the National Youth Theatre for a while. He has frequently been nominated for BAFTA awards. He assured us that it is only in the
last seconds, when the six cameras hone in, that you are
aware that you have been the chosen one.
As their Patron, Matt is an ardent supporter of the Karen Morris
Memorial Trust. It was fitting, after such an enjoyable doubleact, that he was presented with a donation to that worthy
cause.
Jack Lynes
SAVE THE DATE:
Thursday 19 November
Alan Cohen – The Relationship between ‘Art and Music’
Thursday 10 December
Judge Barrington Black
To book: Call Hermy Jankel on 020 7722 8489, if she is
unavailable please leave a clear message.
An Evening with Sir Max Hastings
Our Autumn series of Shabbat Dinners
has started on a high. Uplifted by the
music and joyous atmosphere of the
Combo Service, 150 congregants and
their guests packed the Stern Hall to
hear Sir Max Hastings, Britain’s leading
military historian, talk about his latest
book ‘The Secret War 1939-1945 –
Spies, Codes and Guerrillas’. Just out, it
has already been hailed as the best single volume on the subject and is as
gripping as any spy thriller. ‘Hastings’,
say his reviewers, ‘understands better
than any previous historian that this is
as much a story of human nature as it is
about the mechanics of code-breaking
and spy-craft’.
Introducing him, Jill Todd, our
Chairman, said his was a name to be
conjured with. A past editor of the Daily
Telegraph and the Evening Standard,
with 23 books and countless articles to
his credit, Max Hastings has always
been there, at the cutting edge, as
recent history happened. Gently
interviewed by Rabbi Julia, he impressed
us with his intellect, detailed knowledge
of his subject and total recall but, above
all, by his humanity.
Sir Max spent his early years as a
foreign correspondent. He covered 11
conflicts including Vietnam and the
Falklands War, where he was attached
to the 2nd Parachute Regiment. He was
once credited with liberating Port
Stanley for ignoring an order to halt and
marching up an empty road waving a
white handkerchief. He lived because
the Argentinians assumed he was a
lunatic or perhaps just a journalist.
Asked about modern world conflicts, Sir
Max called Putin ‘an unpleasant
gangster’ who existed and has to be
dealt with. But he is not Stalin and
doesn’t listen to the BBC or read the
Guardian and is driven by the weakness
of Russia.
Sir Max maintains that democracy is not
for everybody and agrees with his hero
Kissinger who said ”You cannot export
democracy to third world countries run
by dictators and it is foolish to try”.
Whereas his father, also a renowned
journalist thought we won WWII single
handed and the US simply supplied the
chewing gum, Sir Max admired the
honesty with which the English consider
their past. In 1945, the UK looked pretty
small and were realistic about it.
We are justly proud, he said, of the role
of British Intelligence in defeating the
Germans. In researching his latest book,
trawling through the archives at Kew, he
turned up previously unknown stories.
The Russians also played deception, but
more ruthlessly, at a cost of 70,000
soldiers. Another hero of Bletchley Park
was not only Alan Turing but the unsung
Bill Tutte, a scholarship boy, who broke
the code that the Germans were
sending out on the Lorenz teleprinter.
He also uncovered the amazing work
done by the Poles.
Finally, quizzed about his attitude to the
development of Israel over the last 40
years, Sir Max admitted to being in love
with the idealism of Israel in her early
years and spent much time there. As his
friend Amos Oz predicted, however, he
has become disillusioned and feels she
needs a leader more worthy of the
Israeli people.
At the end of an exhilarating evening,
full of warmth and fellowship,
compliments abounded. Sir Max had
been told by his wife, a member of LJS,
that he might be Britain’s leading
military historian but that Rabbi Julia
was Britain’s best Rabbi. We all heartily
agreed.
Jill Leuw
Hilary Schuman’s Kitchen: Pea, Mint and Cucumber Soup
I love this delicious soup because it is
very quick and simple to make. The
lovely deep green colour is so warming.
Serve with crusty French or sourdough
bread.
Ingredients:
 2 tbs olive oil
 2 onions (chopped)
 1 garlic clove
 175 g potatoes (chopped into small
pieces)
 400 g frozen peas [save some for
garnish]
 450 g cucumber (skinned and
chopped)
 425 ml vegetable stock
 1 tbs lemon juice
 Small bunch of fresh mint chopped)
Keep some whole leaves for garnish
 50 ml milk
 200 ml single cream
 Seasonings: salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Method:
 Heat olive oil and add onions and
garlic and cook slowly until soft
 Add potatoes, peas, half the mint
and cucumber. Heat through for 2
minutes
 Add stock and lemon juice plus
seasonings
 Simmer, covered, for approximately
20 minutes
 Puree until smooth. You can pass this
through a sieve if you want the soup
extra smooth
 Stir in the rest of the chopped mint,
milk and cream
 Reheat gently WITHOUT boiling
When serving the soup, the following
garnishes can be used separately or
together:
 Whole peas sprinkled over the top
 Cucumber slices
 Croutons
 Creme fraiche or plain yogurt
OR, to be very special, a small piece of
poached salmon in the middle of each
soup bowl plus a little creme fraiche or
plain yoghurt swirled on top topped with
a single mint leaf.
ENJOY!
NOVEMBER 2015
Sun 1
3.00pm: WLS Tea Party
If you want to take part in the Tea Parties as a guest or a volunteer-driver or would like to host a tea party, please contact
Tirza Waisel at [email protected] 020 7535 0278.
Mon 2
12.30pm: Parashat Hashavuah
The portion of the week means so much more if you have
studied it before. Join Rabbi Helen Freeman in the Stourcliffe
Mezzanine and bring along a light non-meat lunch.
Tue 3
10.30am: Berkeley Lunch Club
Come and join us for a super day out at this weekly club on
Tuesdays at 10.30am-2.30pm. Price of £8.50 includes:
welcome tea, coffee and biscuits, “What the Papers Say”, three
course hot lunch and tea, coffee & chocolates and
entertainment. For further information, please contact
Selina Marks on 07810 153 592 or Elaine Jankel on 07850 645
573.
Wed 4
6.30pm: JPrep
Thu 5
7.30pm: Kishkushim
In Beginners’ Hebrew, we work on your confidence – all based
on what you want to learn and what you need to improve, with
the main focus being on speaking, listening, chatting and
pronunciation. In the Intermediate Hebrew group we chat
about holidays, hobbies, current affairs, celebrations and even
conjugations! Led by a fluent speaker, this group works to
increase your fluency and vocabulary. Meanwhile our Fluent
and Native Speakers come together and read stories, sing
songs and watch plays with each other. Join our mailing list by
emailing [email protected] to get updates on what's
up-coming and reminders of dates. We ask for a £5 donation
towards the food, wine and professional teachers provided.
Fri 6
6.00pm: Erev Shabbat Service
7.15pm: Shabbat Shira
Sat 7
10.30am: ShabbaTots Service
Run by Avivit Katzil, our Shabbat morning services are
informal and fun, with English and Hebrew songs,
accompanied by guitar and ukulele, and percussion
instruments for children to join in. The Rabbis join us for
Kiddush.
11.00am: Remembrance Shabbat Service
This beautiful and meaningful service includes a list of West
London members who died in the first and second World Wars,
the Last Post played on the bugle and the lowering and raising
of the AJEX flag. It allows us to honour those who gave their
lives for their country and the participation of those who were
in the services. Servicemen and women please wear your
medals.
5.00pm: Winter Night Shelter
We have teamed up with the West London Day Centre and
twelve local churches to providing emergency accommodation
on Saturday night each week. To volunteer for this initiative,
please email [email protected]. Please join our
team in providing a number of services on and throughout the
night.
Sun 8
10.00am: Religion School Day
10.15am: Sunday Workout - Adult Ed
10.15am-11.15am: Understanding the Siddur
Ever wanted to understand the format of the service? Ever got
left behind during a service by the speed of reading? Would
you like to learn a bit of the vocabulary so you can make sense
of the Hebrew? Then this is the class for you! This is an easy
access class for those who would like to celebrate an adult bar
or bat mitzvah.
10.15am-11.15am: Pilates Lessons
Religion School parents and the wider WLS community on
Sunday mornings, with Caroll Kerner in the basement. Bring
your own mat, and a bottle of water!
11.30am-12.30pm: PATCH
Parents, don’t get left behind by your children – come along
to PATCH - Parents AT Catch-up Hebrew - and gain the skills to
keep up with your kids and help them practice Hebrew at
home. This will be a complete beginners class where Rabbi
Helen will gently introduce you to the Hebrew alphabet
assuming no prior knowledge at all. Come along, learn Hebrew
and make new friends at the same time as your kids – what
could be easier?
11.30am-12.30pm: Community Choir
Do you love to sing? Does it fill your heart? Do you love singing
the prayers for Kabbalat Shabbat or Shabbat Morning? If the
answer is ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then this is made for
YOU! Join Maya Levy in the Sanctuary to learn the tunes,
prayers and songs of the services. Open to all!
12.30pm: Youth Club
5.00pm: WLS AmDram performance
Mon 9
12.30pm: Parashat Hashavuah
2.30pm: Carers’ Support Group
Sometimes the caring role is overwhelming, isolating and hard,
even if it is difficult to admit this to ourselves and to others.
More often than not it takes its toll on us if we don’t get the
right support. Most important of all is the support we can give
each other in the community, by providing advice, information
and a space to socialise and interact with others who are
often struggling with the same kind of issues and who
understand the challenges we face. The sharing of
experiences with others, may strengthen our ability to cope
and does make a real difference.
Tue 10
10.30am: Berkeley Lunch Club
7.00pm: Cancer Support Group
This is a support group for people who have had or currently
have cancer. There is no age limit and it is open for both male
and female attendees. WLS is a safe environment to come to
in which to share issues in confidence with people
who understand what you are going through. Each meeting is
facilitated by Jo Michaels and Rabbi David Mitchell.
Wed 11
6.30pm: JPrep
7.00pm: Learn to Lein - Adult Ed
Have you ever wanted to chant from the Torah? It’s never too
late to learn to lein. Mastering the age-old Jewish art of reading
the musical cantillation marks will give you new insight into the
pace, tone and rhythm of the Torah. It will also help you with
Hebrew reading and understanding. This easy-going and
enjoyable course is open to all, irrespective of musical ability.
Thu 12
7.00pm: Kolnoa-Cinema: A Beautiful Valley
Winner of the Best First Film award in Jerusalem,
this gentle but persuasive story illustrates the
way the kibbutzim have had to change. Hannah
is 80 years old, she has devoted her entire life to
building the kibbutz in which she still lives and
works. She tries to adjust as commercialisation
comes to Israel, making the kibbutz less and less
like the original dream. Privatisation requires her
to seek insurance, and when this proves to be
impossible to obtain at her age, she is forced into
retirement. Hannah tries to adjust, but ends up in
conflict with her own daughter, whose job it is to
bring in many of the changes.
Fri 13
10.30am: ShabbaTots Café
Run by Crystal Cowley, the Café is our Friday
playgroup, where we play, sing together and
welcome Shabbat with candles, challah and
grape juice.
12.00pm: Kneading the Kings
Join Rabbi David in the Samson Family
Concourse on a Friday lunchtime to explore the
plots, the twists and the turns of the books of
Samuel and Kings for an adult, ‘no holds barred’
discussion of all aspects of this fascinating text
(no Hebrew necessary). If you like a good epic,
or just a gripping tale, then this course has your
name on it.
6.00pm: Erev Shabbat Service
7.15pm: Erev Shabbat Communal Dinner
With guest speaker Stanley Johnson. Join us at
our regular Shabbat Dinners for a delicious three
course meal with wine followed by guest
speakers giving us fascinating insights into the
world of politics, culture and entertainment. £25
members £35 non-members. To book your place,
please contact Ronit on 020 7535 0285.
Sat 14
9.30am: Torah Bagel Breakfast
You are invited to join our Rabbis as we study the
week’s Torah portion over delicious coffee and
bagel.
11.00an: Shabbat Morning Service
5.00pm: Winter Night Shelter
Sun 15
10.00am: Religion School
10.15am: Sunday Workout - Adult Ed
12.30pm: Youth Club
Mon 16
12.30pm: Parashat Hashavuah
4.00pm: Bereavement Support Group
WLS serves its membership in many aspects of
their lives, and relies on its members who
contribute in so many ways. Helping others is
probably the most rewarding of all activities.
Perhaps the most neglected are those who suffer
the loss of a loved one. Maybe a parent, a
relative, even a child. Or a close colleague or
special friend. We at WLS have our own
'Bereavement Visitors Group' but it is tiny in
comparison with the numbers that it might be
supporting. We are each unique in the way that
we may 'accept' bereavement and only a
proportion of us want to experience the help that
may come from a trained Bereavement Visitor.
People from all walks of life may become trained
visitors. The more such visitors we have the
better service we can offer.
Tue 17
10.30am: Berkeley Lunch Club
Wed 18
6.30pm: JPrep
Thu 19
12.30pm: Seymour Group Lunch
Guest speaker: Alan Cohen – The Relationship
between ‘Art and Music’. To book: Call Hermy
Jankel on 020 7722 8489, if she is unavailable
please leave a clear message. Early bookings will
be appreciated, to facilitate catering
arrangements. Please advise Hermy by 10.00am
on the Friday before the lunch. Cancellations can
only be accepted by that time, or you will be
charged. Parking Problem? We aim to finish our
meetings by 2.30pm
7.30pm: Kishkushim
Fri 20
6.00pm: Erev Shabbat Service
7.15pm: Shabbat Shira Service
8.15pm: YAD Shabbat Dinner
Relax into Shabbat with fellow Young Adults and
enjoy food, drink, entertainment, and good
company. The dinners usually follow the Shabbat
Shira service, everyone welcome. Please contact
Peter at [email protected] or call 020
7535 0256 for more information or to book
Sat 21
10.30am: ShabbaTots Service
11.00am: Religion School Shabbat Morning
Service
Our Religion School is a very happy and
productive part of the WLS Community. From the
moment you walk in on a Sunday morning to be
greeted by one of the rabbis, to the moment you
leave, our young people and their parents have a
busy programme. There is adult education for the
parents, or a chance to relax with the Sunday
papers, whilst the children have a really
interesting programme leading up to and beyond
Bar/Bat Mitzvah, including our ongoing Ritual Art
Project, EdJewtainment Days and class trips. For
our post-BM teenagers there is the Tripod
Programme which incorporates several
inspirational trips abroad, the very special Peace
by Piece course with Muslim friends, a Jewish
Identity programme and Hadracha training to
enable them to stay involved and take an active
part in Religion School and Youth Club as
Madrichim. All this works so well because of the
hard work of our teachers, Madrichim, education
committee, Parents Association, administrators,
security personnel and the rest of the Sunday
Morning WLS community. So come and celebrate
those special people on our Education Team
Shabbat. Our Shabbat morning service will be
dedicated to honouring those who make our
Sunday mornings special. Come and take part in
the service and meet some of them in person.
5.00pm: Winter Night Shelter
Switchboard
020 7723 4404
Reception
Nathalie Scaianski
Extensions
dial 020 7535 0…
Finance and
Membership
Executive Director
Simon Myers
268
Finance Manager
Navani Shankar
280
Finance Assistant
Izabela Romanowska
292
Venue Bookings
Manager
Kathryn Forro
259
Membership
Co-ordinator
Maggie Petrova
273
Education
Communications
Co-ordinator
Clare Allen
298
Head Teacher
Helen Michael
271
Director of
Education
Susie Fraser
258
School Administrator
Jane Gough
270
Student & YAD
Worker
Peter Luijendijk
256
Youth Worker
Gil Reshef
260
Community Projects
Manager
Nic Schlagman
270
Rabbinic and
Ritual Services
Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Julia
263
Principal Rabbi
Rabbi Helen
Rabbi
Rabbi David
279
Rabbi
Rabbi Neil
273
PA to Rabbis Julia &
Helen
Paola Churchill
255
Ritual Co-ordinator
Micky Nathanson
284
Social Care
Co-ordinator
Jo Michaels
290
Social Care Assistant
Tirza Waisel
278
Asst. to Jo Michaels
Linda Bookman
272
Editor
Liz Mendes
[email protected]
Sun 22
8.00am: Mitzvah Day
10.00am: Religion School
10.15am: Sunday Workout Adult Ed
12.30pm: Youth Club
1.30pm: WLS Drop-In
There are many ways to support our Drop-In Centre, from
donating nappies, basmati rice and clothing (in good, wearable
condition), to pitching in at the centre on the third Sunday of
each month. Keep in mind that all of our volunteers were once
first-time volunteers, so inexperience need not be an
impediment to your participation! We are there to support each
other as much as to assist the mothers, fathers and children
who come for our help. To volunteer, or enquire further, please
contact: [email protected]
7.00pm: The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Mon 23
12.30pm: Parashat Hashavuah
Tue 24
10.30am: Berkeley Lunch Club
7.00pm: Bereavement Visitors Group
WLS serves its membership in many aspects of their lives, and
relies on its members who contribute in so many ways. Helping
others is probably the most rewarding of all activities. Perhaps
the most neglected are those who suffer the loss of a loved
one. Maybe a parent, a relative, even a child. Or a close
colleague or special friend. We at WLS have our own
'Bereavement Visitors Group' but it is tiny in comparison with
the numbers that it might be supporting. We are each unique
in the way that we may 'accept' bereavement and only a
proportion of us want to experience the help that may come
from a trained Bereavement Visitor. People from all walks of
life may become trained visitors. The more such visitors we
have the better service we can offer.
Wed 25
6.30pm: JPrep
Thu 26
7.30pm: Open Arts Café
Exciting performances of new work by Britain’s up-and-coming
young (20s/30s) musicians, theatre performers, puppeteers,
visual artists and dancers. Fun, intimate and inventive, Open
Arts Café is a brilliant night out. Wine and nibbles available.
For more information, email [email protected]
Fri 27
10.30am: ShabbaTots Café
6.00pm: Erev Shabbat Service
Sat 28
11.00am: Shabbat Morning Service
11.00am: Shirah Chandashah
Shirah Chadashah - A new song and a new dimension in
learning, praying, celebrating the magic of Shabbat.
On Shabbat morning, Jews in synagogues the world over
celebrate the peace and joy of the day of rest in a multitude of
ways. For some it's music and song that lifts the spirit, for
some it’s silent prayer, and for others it's discovering the
Hidden meanings of the Parashat HaShavua.
5.00pm: Winter Night Shelter
Sun 29
10.00am: Religion School
10.15am: Sunday Workout Adult Ed
12.30pm: Youth Club
6.00pm: Embrace the Positive WAD Concert
Mon 30
12.30pm: Parashat Hashavua
DECEMBER 2015
Tue 1
10.30am: Berkeley Lunch Club
7.00pm: Cancer Support Group
Wed 2
6.30pm: JPrep
7.00pm: Learn to Lein - Adult Ed
Thu 3
7.30pm: Kishkushim
Fri 4
6.00pm: Erev Shabbat Service
12.00pm: Kneading the Kings
7.15pm: Shabbat Shira
Sat 5
9.30am: Torah Bagel Breakfast
10.30am: ShabbaTots Service
5.00pm: Winter Night Shelter
Sun 6
2.00pm: Chanukah Extravaganza
Mon 7
12.30pm: Parashat Hashavuah
4.00pm: Bereavement Support Group
Tue 8
10.30am: Berkeley Lunch Club
7.00pm: Bereavement Visitors Group
Wed 9
6.30pm: JPrep
7.00pm: Learn to Lein - Adult Ed
Thu 10
12.30pm: Seymour Group Lunch
With guest speaker His Honour Judge Barrington
Black, speaking on 'Both Sides of the Bench'
From defence lawyer to judge and beyond
7.00pm: Kolnoa-Cinema: Dancing Arabs
Eran Riklis returns to fine form in his most recent
film, the script for which was written by
renowned Israeli Palestinian journalist Sayed
Kashua, based on his own semi autobiographical
novel. An Israeli Arab boy, Eyad, is sent to a
prestigious boarding school in Jerusalem, where
he struggles to fit in. The start of the film is sweet
and almost comedic, but Eyad’s childhood
innocence soon fades as he realises the cold
choices he will have to make in an adult world.
Tension and drama mount as he finds his own
identity in a complex society. The original title
was taken from the expression “dancing at two
weddings”, which refers to the dilemma of a
population that has to live with both its Arab
identity and its Israeli nationality, a dual
allegiance.
October
Social & Personal
New Members
James Rothschild
Maurice & Carole
Stanton
The Hoffman Family
Lenka Murphy
Chris Fredrick Parker
Bar/Bat Mitzvot
Louis Bloomberg
Joshua Sterling
Reece Dubin
Funerals
Sam Lawson
Rosetta Benjamin
Fri 11
6.00pm: Erev Shabbat Service
7.15pm: Erev Shabbat Communal Dinner
With guest speaker Alexandra Shulman. Join us
at our regular Shabbat Dinners for a delicious
three course meal with wine followed by guest
speakers giving us fascinating insights into the
world of politics, culture and entertainment. £25
members £35 non-members.
Sat 12
10.00an: Shabbat Morning Service
5.00pm: Winter Night Shelter
Mon 14
12.30pm: Parashat Hashavuah
Tue 15
10.30am: Berkeley Lunch Club
Thu 17
7.30pm: Kishkushim
Ernest Maurice
Gloria Fisher
In the event of death,
please call the
Synagogue’s general
switchboard number
020 7723 4404.
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
25
18.30: JPrep
2
18.30: JPrep
19.00: Learn to Lein
17
10.30: Berkeley Lunch
Club
24
10.30: Berkeley Lunch
Club
18.45: Bereavement
Visitors Group
DECEMBER
1
10.30: Berkeley Lunch
Club
19.00: Cancer Support
Group
8
10.30: Berkeley Lunch
Club
18.45: Bereavement
Visitors Group
15
10.30: Berkeley Lunch
Club
16
12.30: Parashat
Hashavuah
15.30: Bereavement
Support Group
19.15: Lyons Institute
23
12.30: Parashat
Hashavuah
19.15: Lyons Institute
30
12.30: Parashat
Hashavuah
19.15: Lyons Institute
7
12.30: Parashat
Hashavuah
15.30: Bereavement
Support Group
14
12.30: Parashat
Hashavuah
16
9
18.30: JPrep
19.00: Learn to Lein
18
18.30: JPrep
11
18.30: JPrep
19.00: Learn to Lein
10
10.30: Berkeley Lunch
Club
19.00: Cancer Support
Group
9
12.30: Parashat
Hashavuah
14.30: Carers’ Support
Group
19.15: Lyons Institute
4
18.30: JPrep
3
10.30: Berkeley Lunch
Club
2
12.30: Parashat
Hashavuah
Correspondence to:
33 Seymour Place, London, W1H 5AU T: 020 7723 4404
W: www.wls.org.uk
WEST LONDON SYNAGOGUE
MONDAY
17
19.30: Kishkushim
10
12.30: Seymour Group
Lunch
19.00: Kolnoa
3
19.30: Kishkushim
26
19.30: Open Arts Café
19
12.30: Seymour Group
Lunch
19.30: Kishkushim
12
19.00: Kolnoa
5
19.30: Kishkushim
THURSDAY
18
12.00: Kneading the Kings
18.00: Erev Shabbat
Service
19:15: Shabbat Shira
11
18.00: Erev Shabbat
Service
19.15: Communal Dinner
4
12.00: Kneading the Kings
18.00: Erev Shabbat
Service
19:15: Shabbat Shira
27
10.30: ShabbaTots Café
18.00: Erev Shabbat
Service
20
18.00: Erev Shabbat
Service
19:15: Shabbat Shira
20.15: YAD Dinner
13
10.30: ShabbaTots Café
12.00: Kneading the Kings
18.00: Erev Shabbat
Service
19.15: Communal Dinner
6
18.00: Erev Shabbat
Service
19:15: Shabbat Shira
FRIDAY
19
11.00: Shabbat Morning
Service
12
11.00: Shabbat Morning
Service
5
10.30: ShabbaTots Service
11.00: Shabbat Morning
Service
28
11.00: Shabbat Morning
Service
11.00: Shirah Chadashah
21
10.30: ShabbaTots Service
11.00: Shabbat Morning
Service
14
11.00: Shabbat Morning
Service
7
09.30: Torah Bagel
Breakfast
10.30: ShabbaTots Service
11.00: Remembrance
Shabbat Morning
Service
SATURDAY
20
13
6
From 2.00pm
LIGHT MY FIRE
CHANUKAH
EXTRAVAGANZA
29
10.00: Religion School
10.15: Adult Education
13.00: Youth Club
19.00: WAD Concert
22
08.00: Mitzvah Day
10.00: Religion School
10.15: Adult Education
13.00: Youth Club
13.30: WLS Drop-In
19.00: OAE Concert
15
10.00: Religion School
10.15: Adult Education
13.00: Youth Club
8
10.00: Religion School
10.15: Adult Education
12.30: Youth Club
1
15.00: Tea Party
SUNDAY