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Rabbi's Page CHIEF RABBI’S ROSH HASHANAH MESSAGE 5771 This year, Israel needs our prayers. One of the enduring features of Jewish spirituality is that we relate to God as a people, not simply as individuals in search of salvation. It was as a people that our ancestors were rescued from Egypt, as a people that they made a covenant with God, and as a people that we have lived out our destiny ever since. Once a year, on Yom Kippur, the High Priest would seek forgiveness for the entire people. And though we have not had a Temple for almost 2000 years, still we confess together. We say “We have sinned,” not “I have sinned.” The same is true for other prayers. When we pray for people who are ill, we ask that the sufferer be healed “along with others in Israel who are sick.” When we comfort mourners, we say, “May God comfort you together with the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.” Our destinies are interlinked. A tragedy for one is a tragedy for all. As the sages said, “All Israel are responsible for one another.” The eternal symbol -- and today the living reality -- of that collective existence is the land and the state of Israel. In the 4000 years since the days of Abraham and Sarah, it is the only place where Jews have ever had the chance to construct a society according to our own principles and beliefs, to govern ourselves, defend ourselves, and live a collective life. Israel is built into the very idea of teshuvah, which means not “repentance” but “return.” All the prophets who experienced or foresaw exile, saw the Jewish return to the land as an essential accompaniment to the Jewish return to the faith. Our connection to the land is more than merely political. It is written in to the very terms of Judaism as a faith, the West’s oldest faith. Since the day it was born, 62 years ago, Israel has been under assault. Hardly a year has passed without war or the threat of war, terror or the threat of terror. But today its very legitimacy – its right to be, and to defend itself – is under attack. Israel has become the Jew among the nations, an international pariah, charged, as Jews were charged in the Middle Ages, with demonic crimes and wild accusations. It is hard not to see this as the continuation, in a new form, of an ancient and terrible history about which the world once said, “Never again.” Israel needs our prayers. It has achieved great things. It has rescued threatened Jews across the world. It has turned Hebrew, the language of the Bible, into a living tongue. It has built centres of Jewish learning unparalleled since the days of the Mishnah. Today we can say, with the prophet, “From Zion shall go forth Torah, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Born a mere three years after the Jewish people walked through the valley of the shadow of death, it represents a momentous affirmation of life. Please, in the days and weeks ahead, hold Israel in your prayers. Its people are our people. Its land is the only land Jews have known as home in the sense given by the poet Robert Frost: “the place where, when you have to go there, they have to let you in.” In the coming year may God bless the people of Israel in the land of Israel with security, tranquillity and peace, and may He write us all in the Book of Life. Bevirkat ketivah vechatimah tovah Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks Rosh Hashanah 5771 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Message from the President, Vivian Wineman Dear Friends, On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the old Chinese curse "to live in interesting times" remains consistently apt. As the Board completes its annual stock-taking, it is unquestionable that it has been an exciting even dramatic year full of issues, some more taxing than others, some simply resolved, others as yet, unresolved. We undertook to broadcast our work more energetically than ever to ensure that you, the people we represent, know that your concerns are our priorities. Without doubt, the JFS school case commanded community and national centre stage, sparking widespread attention, highlighting the existential issue of Jewish self-definition. The Board continues to lead the community in endeavouring to understand and cope with the new rules and will continue to monitor the situation in order to decide what future action is required. Equally, as new education legislation emerges regarding Academies and Free Schools, we will assist all our constituents in assessing and understanding any new education policy in order to make informed decisions. Universal Jurisdiction is another burning priority; threatening innocent Israelis with possible arrest should they visit the UK. At the time of writing we continue to lobby robustly for a modification of this anomalous law. In tandem, the Board encouraged community activists to write to their local MPs. Indeed grassroots activity of this nature was a recurrent theme in 5770 with our renewed appreciation that members of our community should continue to be an integral part of shaping debate. It was therefore extremely rewarding to witness how thousands nationwide were galvanized by our BUYcott campaign, purchasing Israeli products to counter the Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s boycott of Israeli products at several UK supermarkets. Similarly, our Hope not Hate campaign paid off handsomely in the election in Barking and Dagenham and showed how much a united community can achieve. In the latter part of the year and topping our agenda in recent weeks, have been our vigorous efforts to overturn the newly passed, biased Methodist Conference report, ‘Justice for Palestine and Israel’, which lends support to a growing trend of delegitimising Israel and the Jewish people’s historical and spiritual connections to the land. The age-old Jewish practice of Shechita also suffered a blow when it was banned in New Zealand at the end of May and now faces a ruling by the European Court, which would impose the label, ‘meat from slaughter without stunning’ on all Shechita produce. Such a move, singling out Shechita and omitting other methods such as electrocution and shooting, would be nothing less than discriminatory. Mis- stunning alone where the captive bolt has to be fired a second time involves far more animals than are dealt with by Shechita. MEPs cast their final votes this month and the impact on the kosher meat market across Europe could be devastating. Alongside Shechita UK, (the body formed by the Board) and other European communities, the Board has been lobbying at the highest levels of the European Parliament to avoid this eventuality. As 5771 begins anew, the Board’s 250th celebrations are in full swing. Our work is more relevant than ever and, on your behalf, we will continue to anticipate and plan accordingly for our continued role as an essential and vibrant contributing factor to modern day Britain, ultimately remaining core to the fabric of British Jewish life. Some of our challenges will remain familiar and some will emerge anew. Without the financial sustenance that keeps our wheels oiled we are unable to achieve what the community wants and expects us to. Please therefore continue or renew your support for the Board so that we too can continue to support you. My new year’s resolution is steadfast; to continue the privileged task of serving and representing the community to the best of my ability, guaranteeing that those issues and challenges of utmost concern are addressed, responded to and resolved robustly. May the New Year be a happy and sweet one for us all, for the entire Jewish community and indeed, for all of our fellow Jews around the world. May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year. Warm wishes, Vivian Wineman,
6 Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A 2LP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are
you a mover and shaker? This year, once again, sets are available at low-cost and owning your own set gives you and your family the chance to perform the mitzvah of 'bentsching Lulav' throughout the festival, even when you are not in Shul. If you require further information or would like to obtain a set and are unable to afford the prices below, please contact Rabbi Wollenberg who will be happy to help and advise. For those wishing to order, please complete this form and return it to the shul office, together with payment, to arrive before Yom Kippur. If you order after this time, delivery cannot be guaranteed. Orders must be prepaid. Rabbi Wollenberg will be picking up the sets from London between Yom Kippur and Succot so if you are going away for Succot please liaise with him to ensure delivery of your set. You will be notified as soon as the sets are available for collection. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Name _____________________________________________________________ Telephone Number or Email Address___________________________________ I wish to order ____
sets of Arba Minim @ £18
The different prices signify different 'grades'
of Arba minim - some of the more ______________________________________________________________________________________
Reflections on 5 years in Cardiff… In November 2003 my wife and I arrived here, knowing no Welsh at all whatsoever. Five years and four children later, we still don’t know any Welsh! In many ways, the community is busier than ever. There is no question that the ‘official community’ has declined but there is still a lot happening. A few weeks ago we had over 25 students and young adults around our Shabbos table, many of whom are just now becoming involved with Judaism. There are new faces all over and we continue to have a huge amount of individual contact with both members and non-members. In five years, we have come to know most of you by name and have shared happy and sad occasions together. We have seen the sad loss of too many beloved members of our community. At the same time we have welcomed new members, many of whom have contributed much to our community. We have seen somewhat of a baby boom, with over 25 children in Cheder, most in the youngest classes and more waiting to start in the coming years. There are events for adults, teenagers, children, toddlers and babies. This community is nowhere near dying. There is certainly less affiliation and the demographics are very different—there are far more “non-traditional” families as well as those who are Jewish but remain uninvolved in the organised community. There are more frequent minyanim than when I started five years ago and many more people who did not used to attend have started doing so. My wife and I continue to work hard on behalf of the community. Our belief is that we are here to dedicate ourselves to the community and not to have one foot out of the door looking for a larger shul or ‘better job’. Cardiff is an incredible community and one which we are proud to be a part of. Our work has certainly entailed sacrifices — without a doubt it is difficult to live in a community with a small number of Shomer Shabbat families, there is the as-yet-unresolved issue of finding a larger house, or of having to homeschool our children, but we believe it to be worthwhile in the long term. I also feel I have developed an excellent working relationship with the many organisations in the area both Jewish and non-Jewish and the City and County councils. One cannot please everyone all of the time and I take this opportunity to ask that anyone who has taken any offence or felt slighted will appreciate that it was not intended personally and accept this as an apology and that we can move on together. Someone told me a few years ago that, “We are not a religious community any more”. I take issue with this statement. We are whatever we want to be. We should not pigeonhole ourselves just for convenience. The fact is we are all striving to do more, to observe our traditions, to attend Shul, to support the community. How can we limit ourselves? We have a daily Minyan, a brand-new Mikveh, a kosher shop… are we not a religious community? The sky really is the limit… we will not be reduced to davening in somebody’s Garden Shed in ten years’ time! The Cheder has already outgrown the classrooms, so we are even outgrowing our building! It’s time for the old chin up, British spirit. There is a lot of life left in this community and we intend to keep it that way. I greatly enjoy the diversity of being a Rabbi in a small community and the only full-time Rabbi in Wales. There is always something new, whether prison visiting, broadcasting, lecturing to non-Jewish audiences, kashrus supervision in the strangest places, the Mikveh, the Chevra Kadisha, the list is endless. My colleagues in larger Shuls in London do not enjoy nearly as much variety in their daily lives. There is also the diversity within our community — people who are more religious, less religious, cynics and believers, all coming together to pray, to socialise and to celebrate simchas. Many “small-town” Rabbis look to move after three or four years. Just as they are getting their feet under the table they have one foot out the door. It is very difficult to have any continuity or stability in the relationship between Rabbi and congregation when this is the case. We have now been here over five years and in many ways feel our work is only just beginning. We hope that the stability this provides will enable all of us to continue to embark on exciting new projects to enhance the growth of our small but vibrant community, to preserve the facilities we do have, and to encourage as many Jewish people in the area as possible to get involved with our work. One thing is for sure—we will not rest on our laurels. Together we can continue to make this community a growing and vibrant one and a source of pride to us all. We look forward to the next five busy and fruitful years—and who knows, maybe in another five years we may know some Welsh.
“Rabbi, What Do You Do All Day?” The little boy goes up to the Rabbi and tells him he wants to be a Rabbi when he grows up. So the Rabbi lets the little boy shadow him for a week or two to see what kind of things he does.
After about two weeks the boy
says, “Rabbi, apart from laining and giving sermons, what do you actually do all
day?” For those who may wonder what I do all day, here is a small taster (besides laining and sermons!) - this does not include everything by any means but gives you a taste of the many hats I (and my wife) wear on your behalf: CATERING I cater refreshments after davening every day, Friday morning breakfasts, Rosh Chodesh Breakfasts, Shalosh Seudos in the summer and refreshments and meals for the many programmes taking place. CHARITY Overseeing Kol Nidrei Appeal and Discretionary Fund. CHEDER I am Head teacher and teach a Bar Mitzvah class. CHEVRA KADISHA Sadly too often, I am called upon to work with bereaved families, perform funerals and Stonesettings, and provide varied support to the Chevra. CROSS-COMMUNITY We have managed to establish mutually respectful working relationships with other local Jewish organisations. DAVENING I am the one who phones everyone to twist their arm for our twice-daily minyanim, along with our devoted co-ordinators Stephen Hamilton, Martin Joseph, David Woolf and Philip Dennis. EDUCATION In an average week, I have a Talmud class, an Ethics class, a teen GCSE class as well as a number of people I learn with one-to-one - topics ranging from Hebrew Reading to Mysticism. I also speak to visiting schools. EXTERNAL AFFAIRS In the past month, I attended a multifaith Chaplaincy consultation session at the Heath, I addressed a group of final-year nursing students on religious sensitivities for Jewish patients and ethical issues at Glamorgan University. I also attended the National Holocaust Memorial Day and am on the local SACRE committee for Religious Education in Schools. I also work in tandem with Alan Schwartz in local interfaith matters. HOME VISITS I visit many members who are ill or housebound each week ISRAELIS There are many Israeli families in Cardiff, several of whom attend Cheder and have subsequently joined the Shul. We work with them to address their specific needs. KASHRUS I oversee the Kashrus of the Shul, occasional external functions, and deal with numerous requests for kosher food or advice. MEDIA I feature regularly on BBC Radio Wales as well as in frequent interviews with the print media (e.g. Holocaust Memorial Day). MIKVEH I oversee Halachic and practical running of the Mikveh. NETWORKING I am in touch with national and local Rabbinic organisations on a regular basis and attend conferences where possible. PASTORAL I am a recognised Prison & Hospital Chaplain, as well as being informally associated with the local Universities. In the past month, I have been to the Heath Hospital; Llandough Hospital; Whitchurch Hospital; Neville Hall Hospital, Abergavenney; Holme Towers; Penylan House; HM Prison Cardiff; HM Prison Parc. PUBLICATIONS I produce the Focus magazine, a weekly email message, publicity for programmes and assist with the Shul website. SOCIAL In the past month alone, my wife and I have organised a Friday night dinner, Chocolate Fondue, Melave Malka and Hot Cholent Kiddush. SIMCHAS Currently working with several couples and several Bar Mitzvah students towards their Simchas. STUDENTS & YOUNG ADULTS We hold regular events for students and teens/young adults within our own community. We have an active Facebook group which caters to young Jews and students with over 60 people signed up, enabling social networking amongst this group and J-soc group. INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE STUDY Rabbi Wollenberg is available for private study in any subject, e.g. Hebrew Reading, The Meaning of our Prayers, Talmud, Kabbalah etc. Contact him to arrange a study session. Rebbetzen Wollenberg may also be available for study sessions. HILCHOS SHABBOS - LAWS OF THE SABBATH Rabbi Wollenberg will be starting a class studying the laws of Shabbos in depth, on Shabbos afternoons following Mincha and Maariv, from around 7:45-8:15pm All are welcome to attend all classes. No Hebrew knowledge is required
CARE COMMITTEE We are trying to revive the Care Committee once again. The Rabbi will be contacting those who have been involved in the past to arrange a meeting. We are looking for new volunteers, either to visit people or to help with logistics, in particular someone who is available by phone who would be willing to act as a co-ordinator. Please contact Rabbi Wollenberg for more information
Sunday Mornings in Shul After Minyan until 9:50am
Explore the Babylonian Talmud
in-depth. INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE STUDY Rabbi Wollenberg is available for private study in any subject, e.g. Hebrew Reading, The Meaning of our Prayers, Talmud, Kabbalah etc. Contact him to arrange a study session. Rebbetzen Wollenberg may also be available for study sessions.
HILCHOS SHABBOS Rabbi Wollenberg will be starting a class studying the laws of Shabbos in depth, on Shabbos afternoons for half an hour preceding Mincha
All are welcome to attend all classes. No Hebrew knowledge is required
Kashrus reminder
MENS Mikvah
Please contact Rabbi Mordechai Shofar blowing If you or anybody you know is unable to come to shul and would like to hear the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah, please contact Rabbi Mordechai who can arrange to blow shofar for you in your own home. There will be a Question-and-Answer session in place of the sermon on the
following Shabbat: Please e-mail or send questions on any topic as long as it has some Jewish link, however tenuous, to the Rabbi
YAHRZEIT REMINDER SERVICE The Shul office sends out Yahrzeit reminders as a service to members, shortly before the Hebrew date of the actual Yahrzeit. If you are not receiving notification of Yahrzeit dates and wish to do so, please make sure we have all yourYahrzeit details on our database by filling in the form below and returning it to the Shul office as soon aspossible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Name _______________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ Telephone Number _____________________________________ Please send me yahrzeit reminders for the dates below: Please fill in either the Hebrew date of the yahrzeit or the original English date including the year so we can calculate the Hebrew date Name/relative ________________________________________ Date of yahrzeit _______________________________________ Name/relative ________________________________________ Date of yahrzeit _______________________________________ Name/relative ________________________________________ Date of yahrzeit _______________________________________ Name/relative ________________________________________
INFORMATION ABOUT YAHRZEIT CUSTOMS For help with calculating Hebrew dates, please contact the Rabbi KADDISH It is a big zechus (merit) for the soul of the deceased to attend synagogue services on the actual Hebrew anniversary of the passing in order to recite the mourners' Kaddish prayer.For service times click here If you are unable to attend services but wish to have Kaddish recited, please contact Rabbi Mordechai or one of theWardens. ALIYA TO THE TORAH For men, it is customary to receive an Aliya (Call-up) to the Torah on the actual Yahrzeit or the nearest occasion to it - either the Saturday morning or a Monday or Thursday morning. If you attend Shul you will be welcome to an Aliya - it is worth advising the Rabbi or one of the wardens in advance to ensure a slot. LEARNING AND CHARITY It is customary to learn mishnayot in memory of the deceased. For help with this, please contact Rabbi Mordechai. It is also customary to donate to charity in honour of the deceased.The Yahrzeit is an especially auspicious time to do this and it is considered a great merit. YAHRZEIT CANDLE It is customary to light a Yahrzeit (memorial) candle which burns for24+ hours for the duration of the Hebrew anniversary of passing, starting from sunset of the previous night, like all dates in the Hebrew calendar. Yahrzeit candles are available from the gift shop at the Shul or sometimes from the Koshersections at Sainsbury's (Colchester Avenue) or Tesco Extra.
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