A selection of news items and features from in an around the community
Thanks from Feodosiya
Dear Lyn, Social Action Group, and everyone at Southgate Progressive Synagogue!
We are so grateful to you that you thought about us and how to help us. Your letters made us very glad and it is a really big present from you!
Your suggestion to fund our Seder nights, we can use for our Seder on Rosh-ha-Shana. This is popular in our community like Seder on Pesach. On this holiday and others every member of the community gives its modest contributions, now it can be even better. We take your proposal about your paying for presents for the older members of our community with big pleasure. We will tell you when we have a bar or bat mitzvah.
We haven't held Seder Tu'bishvat in our community before and due to your support, we'll start it with pleasure. More than that we have an agreement with Rabbi Misha Kapustin about his help in holding this Seder. It is a big idea.
Thank you so much for your wish to buy Tallitot for us but we wouldn't want you to spend money on them but beside it, you may for us buy candles for Shabbat and Havdallah, please.
Once again we thank you Lyn and all members of your Community for all you do for us.
Sincerely yours
Iliya Fumanov
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Dear Lyn, Social Action Group, and everyone at Southgate Progressive Synagogue!
We are so grateful to you that you thought about us and how to help us. Your letters made us very glad and it is a really big present from you!
Your suggestion to fund our Seder nights, we can use for our Seder on Rosh-ha-Shana. This is popular in our community like Seder on Pesach. On this holiday and others every member of the community gives its modest contributions, now it can be even better. We take your proposal about your paying for presents for the older members of our community with big pleasure. We will tell you when we have a bar or bat mitzvah.
We haven't held Seder Tu'bishvat in our community before and due to your support, we'll start it with pleasure. More than that we have an agreement with Rabbi Misha Kapustin about his help in holding this Seder. It is a big idea.
Thank you so much for your wish to buy Tallitot for us but we wouldn't want you to spend money on them but beside it, you may for us buy candles for Shabbat and Havdallah, please.
Once again we thank you Lyn and all members of your Community for all you do for us.
Sincerely yours
Iliya Fumanov
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The Debate
The evening of Sunday 30th March saw the first event in the Synagogues celebrations for the 60th Anniversary of the re-birth of the modern state of Israel. Over eighty people attended the Debate, including a number of non-members.
Whether Jews throughout the world like it or not, Israel has a significant impact on our lives. We are deemed to be the House and Children of Israel. In modern times that perception has acquired a new meaning. Now it refers to the state of Israel, but the same logic still holds. It makes no difference if we support Israel, or have no feelings one way or another. Jews and Israel are inexorably linked, not only through tradition and religion, but also by Israel’s actions. In the eyes and utterances of fanatics who abhor us, Jews and Israelis throughout the world are the same legitimate target.
Apart from one or two discontented people, and as is well known, it is an impossibility to please two Jews, let alone over eighty, the Debate was a resounding success. In addition to congratulations on the night, I received a number of e-mails and telephone calls from people who found the evening interesting and thought provoking. The quality of the debate was due to the highly intelligent, well-informed men and women panellists. They proved to be an eclectic group of Jews, who despite differences of opinion, spoke with eloquence, good humour, passion, pragmatism and honesty. The amount of hands that shot up for questions, showed the enthusiasm of the audience. The evening overran by almost half an hour, and could have gone on a lot longer. £350 was raised, and donated to Magen David Adom.
My grateful thanks to the hard working Israel group, who helped to organise the evening, the panellists, and the lovely ladies of the house committee who made sure there was plenty of tea, coffee, and goodies. Also well done to everyone who took the time to come and support the Synagogue. Especially those who were unwell, but still came. They embodied the true sense of community spirit.
I continue to hope that the community will support the next two events. Yom Ha’zikaron/Yom Ha’atzmaut on Wednesday 7th May and on Sunday 11th May, the final event, “The Grand Celebration Party”.
Robert Dulin
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The evening of Sunday 30th March saw the first event in the Synagogues celebrations for the 60th Anniversary of the re-birth of the modern state of Israel. Over eighty people attended the Debate, including a number of non-members.
Whether Jews throughout the world like it or not, Israel has a significant impact on our lives. We are deemed to be the House and Children of Israel. In modern times that perception has acquired a new meaning. Now it refers to the state of Israel, but the same logic still holds. It makes no difference if we support Israel, or have no feelings one way or another. Jews and Israel are inexorably linked, not only through tradition and religion, but also by Israel’s actions. In the eyes and utterances of fanatics who abhor us, Jews and Israelis throughout the world are the same legitimate target.
Apart from one or two discontented people, and as is well known, it is an impossibility to please two Jews, let alone over eighty, the Debate was a resounding success. In addition to congratulations on the night, I received a number of e-mails and telephone calls from people who found the evening interesting and thought provoking. The quality of the debate was due to the highly intelligent, well-informed men and women panellists. They proved to be an eclectic group of Jews, who despite differences of opinion, spoke with eloquence, good humour, passion, pragmatism and honesty. The amount of hands that shot up for questions, showed the enthusiasm of the audience. The evening overran by almost half an hour, and could have gone on a lot longer. £350 was raised, and donated to Magen David Adom.
My grateful thanks to the hard working Israel group, who helped to organise the evening, the panellists, and the lovely ladies of the house committee who made sure there was plenty of tea, coffee, and goodies. Also well done to everyone who took the time to come and support the Synagogue. Especially those who were unwell, but still came. They embodied the true sense of community spirit.
I continue to hope that the community will support the next two events. Yom Ha’zikaron/Yom Ha’atzmaut on Wednesday 7th May and on Sunday 11th May, the final event, “The Grand Celebration Party”.
Robert Dulin
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Fancy dress at SPS
Purim was an exciting festival at Southgate Progressive Synagogue this year. There were monsters and ghouls, princesses and pirates, all cheering and booing exuberantly during the megillah reading whilst noshing, of course, on hamantaschen. Everyone in the hall, from the youngest to oldest, joined in the fun which reached a peak with the Purim spiel.
This was performed by Rabbi Stephen Howard (in false beard), his son Sam and Lyn Davis, who sang, danced and enacted the complete story of Esther in rhyming couplets, using about 23 different hats each - which was no mean feat! The singing was accompanied by Janet Solomons on piano who had the unenviable task of trying to find a key which suited everyone – including the audience who joined in all the songs. It was a night to be remembered.
Thanks must go to the House Committee who prepared all the food and set up the hall.
Lyn Davis
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Purim was an exciting festival at Southgate Progressive Synagogue this year. There were monsters and ghouls, princesses and pirates, all cheering and booing exuberantly during the megillah reading whilst noshing, of course, on hamantaschen. Everyone in the hall, from the youngest to oldest, joined in the fun which reached a peak with the Purim spiel.
This was performed by Rabbi Stephen Howard (in false beard), his son Sam and Lyn Davis, who sang, danced and enacted the complete story of Esther in rhyming couplets, using about 23 different hats each - which was no mean feat! The singing was accompanied by Janet Solomons on piano who had the unenviable task of trying to find a key which suited everyone – including the audience who joined in all the songs. It was a night to be remembered.
Thanks must go to the House Committee who prepared all the food and set up the hall.
Lyn Davis
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SPY Weekend Away 7th -9th December 2007
The SPY weekend away this year took place during the festival of Chanukah. Twenty-five children, including leaders, celebrated the festival at Moat Mount Outdoor Activity Centre in Mill Hill. Apart from celebrating Chanukah, participating in Shabbat, and enjoying preparing their own morning Shabbat service, the participants joined in drama, singing, meditation, and an arts activity, as well as the centre organising for us archery and the use of their assault course, plus much more. Thanks must go to Lyn Davis, Cynthia Salter, Stephanie Marsh and Peggy Cohen who helped cook, wash up, lay tables, and be a great support to the leaders and myself during the weekend, especially during the famous SPY wide game organised by Sam Howard and Ian Kafka, where I personally was covered this year in water, mud and much more.
Last year, 2006, the SPY participants left me no HOT water to shower with afterwards; this year, 2007, the SPY participants and leaders left me NO WATER!! Once again, we had a brilliant time.
Abigail Howard
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The SPY weekend away this year took place during the festival of Chanukah. Twenty-five children, including leaders, celebrated the festival at Moat Mount Outdoor Activity Centre in Mill Hill. Apart from celebrating Chanukah, participating in Shabbat, and enjoying preparing their own morning Shabbat service, the participants joined in drama, singing, meditation, and an arts activity, as well as the centre organising for us archery and the use of their assault course, plus much more. Thanks must go to Lyn Davis, Cynthia Salter, Stephanie Marsh and Peggy Cohen who helped cook, wash up, lay tables, and be a great support to the leaders and myself during the weekend, especially during the famous SPY wide game organised by Sam Howard and Ian Kafka, where I personally was covered this year in water, mud and much more.
Last year, 2006, the SPY participants left me no HOT water to shower with afterwards; this year, 2007, the SPY participants and leaders left me NO WATER!! Once again, we had a brilliant time.
Abigail Howard
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SPS Twinned with Feodosiya
The Social Action Group have recently been busy. In June, Lyn Davis, Kate D'Arcy and I attended an Exodus 2000 meeting and picked up a few ideas to help with our project - our twinning with Feodosiya Progressive Synagogue in the Crimea.
After many years of religious oppresion, members of this community are now able to openly practice their faith and we would like to support them as much as possible. We have been regularly corresponding with them and finding out about their lives, post Communism.
More information about the community, including letters and photographs, will be posted on the notice board in the Baron Harris Room.
Part of our High Holy Day Appeal this year will be sent to Feodosiya to help the community. Please contribute to this worthwhile cause.
Joy Cox
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The Social Action Group have recently been busy. In June, Lyn Davis, Kate D'Arcy and I attended an Exodus 2000 meeting and picked up a few ideas to help with our project - our twinning with Feodosiya Progressive Synagogue in the Crimea.
After many years of religious oppresion, members of this community are now able to openly practice their faith and we would like to support them as much as possible. We have been regularly corresponding with them and finding out about their lives, post Communism.
More information about the community, including letters and photographs, will be posted on the notice board in the Baron Harris Room.
Part of our High Holy Day Appeal this year will be sent to Feodosiya to help the community. Please contribute to this worthwhile cause.
Joy Cox
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