Cupcakes and milkshakes

Pam Walker imagines what the kids thought of their special Shavuot service ...

"We had such fun at the children's service on Shavuot Sunday. Rabbi helped us to understand the meaning of Shavuot through singing, playing instruments, drawing and playing together. 

Rabbi helped us to get into the mood, as did Simone (piano) and David (lead guitar). Rabbi was very jolly, helping us to do the actions to the songs( he was even dancing and twirling about!) Tambourines, shakers and much slapping of out thighs and toe tapping helped us to make such great music as we sang along to the tunes. 

Whilst we were doing this, Rabbi cleverly helped us to learn about the meaning of Shavuot. We learnt that Ruth, who lived a long time ago, really wanted to belong to the Jewish faith and said to Naomi, "Where you go, I will go; where you live, I will live." She was really keen to belong and the Jewish people at the time told her that she was very welcome. 

We also learnt that we celebrate the Torah being given by God on Mount Sinai, and that the Ten Commandments were really important for everyone to follow so that they could be good people, just like we all try to be now. We even read some of them on the Ark. Of course the letters were quite high up, and we are only little, but we could make some of them out. 

When Rabbi took the Torah from the Ark we were really happy and even though it was heavy, we helped to put it back and close the Ark afterwards, which was a very special feeling.  

We had our magnetic aleph bet and a game to help us with our Hebrew too! 

After Rabbi had to go upstairs to make sure all the adults were learning properly about Shavuot, we carried on with Pam, David and Simone, making paper animals and drawing. 

To round everything off we all had cupcakes and milkshakes, as of course Shavuot also means that we celebrate our ancient land flowing with milk and honey, very sweet in our mouths, just like Torah."

SHAVU'OT

Where did the custom of holding a marathon all-night study session on Erev Shavuot (Tikkun Leil Shavuot) come from? Answer: the Kabbalistic mystics led by Yosef Caro in the 16th Century in Thessalonica, Greece. The experiment was  mind-blowing! Caro and co. experienced the Shechina, the presence of God talking directly to them, directing them to make Aliyah to Israel. This would enable them to make Tikkun - repair - in at least the Jewish world, if not the world. God, Torah and people would be reunited in the land.
This coming Shabbat I will tell the dramatic story of Caro's Tikkun.
Next weekend, beginning on Motza'ei Shabbat/Erev Shavuot we will have a study-discussion on conversion to Judaism - "Your people shall be my people", as Ruth said.  Conversion is a type of Tikkun, a repairing of your soul, a search for something missing, a seeking for rootedness.  The call to join the Jewish people comes to each person in different ways. The response to make that Tikkun is an Aliyah, if not actually physically to Israel, then to make an internal Aliyah, a personal ascent. And it requires the help of those of us who have already made it or were born into it to help, for the good of our whole community.

Rabbi Silverman

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Our Tikkun study session starts at 9 pm, Saturday 23rd May, at our shul, with both Rabbis Silverman and Zalud. On the morning of Shavuot itself (Sunday 24th May) there will be a traditional service, and also a children's service - Cup Cakes and Milk Shakes - at 10.30 am.  Lunch afterwards for everyone!  Shul will be buzzing, so do come along.  Ring the synagogue office if you intend to be there, for catering purposes.

Music Review from Mandy

PENTATONIX – MANCHESTER ACADEMY – SUNDAY 3 MAY 2015

There are no words to describe just how fabulously talented this 5 piece accapella group actually is.

They are relatively new on the scene, winning America’s Sing Off 2 years ago, then posting their music on You-Tube – (start off with their “Evolution of Music” – you won’t regret it!)

The group consist of Avi (yes he is!!), Scott, Mitch, Kirstie & Kevin whose voices are a perfect blend of harmonies most of us only dream of.

Kevin is the Beatboxer – who knew that the human voice can produce drum & bass sound that makes you think, “This guy ain't human!!”

He also played a Cello Solo with his own “drum” accompaniment.

Their live performances far outweigh their recordings as they have grown in confidence (since I saw them last year at the M.A.), and their stage presentation has grown with them.

There are no gimmicks, nothing cheap or tacky - and they're nothing like today's plastic manufactured pop-talent who can't sing without their pre-recorded backing track to mime to.

Almost 2 hours of live singing to 3,000 Pentaholix fans - all ages ranging from 10 year olds….. to erm 51+

 9.5 out of 10  for this one.

My only criticism is the venue – no seating – otherwise they would have the perfect 10.

Must wrap up this review as I want to be first in the queue for “Pitch Perfect 2” as the Pentatonix have a cameo appearance….PTX PTX PTX!

Mandy x

Nagar Kirtan

One of the great thing about being a city-centre synagogue is that there’s a lot going on around us. Today – Sunday, 3^rd May – just round the corner in Albert Square Manchester’s Sikh community celebrated Nagar Kirtan. It’s part of the festival of Vaisakhi, traditionally a harvest festival in India and in particular, the Punjab.

We were treated to a procession in which the lead float housed the Sikh holy scriptures.

Not only that, but that Albert Square was awash with colour and spectacle.

And of course there was food – masses of it, as hospitality is a central part of Sikhism. We enjoyed pakoras, samosas and curry – all vegetarian, of course.

It’s great to live in a city where religious communities share their faith and practices (and cooking.)  We ought to do the same.

Caring for the Elderly - what you can do to help

It was lovely yesterday to have the shul buzzing on a Sunday morning. We met to discuss the issue of care for the elderly.  This came up because many of us are in the position of having to care for, or arrange care for, family members, or are not so young ourselves, or are concerned about the more isolated members of our own community.

Our two speakers, Lee Bloomfield and Avrom Baker, had between them a great deal of knowledge and experience in these areas, and together we all began to see how we might move forward. The themes that emerged most strongly were that the elderly are individuals, with individual, specific needs. And also that it was difficult for carers to access the information and help they needed – systems are so labyrinthine.  Also, on a psychological level, it’s difficult for people to ask for help – those in need of help fear losing their independence and dignity; carers feel an irrational guilt when they realise they cannot look after family members single-handed.

So we have decided to try to address these issues in our community.  As a first step we are going to organise an Open Doors afternoon, when anyone can pop in to shul or contact us, to get information, support and advice – and also we want people who would be willing to be part of a volunteer team to get in touch too. There will a date and more information shortly, so watch this space.  In the meantime, do contact Sherry Ashworth via the shul office if you want to get involved, or if you feel you need help – or know anyone who does!

Yom Ha'Atzmaut celebrations at shul - we rocked!

Share our memories of a wonderful night celebrating Israel ..

And you'll be pleased to know we lost lots of calories dancing BEFORE we scoffed Sam's speciality cupcakes!

Thanks to all who organised this very special event. And please remember that this Sunday 26th 11 am, come to shul again for what will be a very inspiring session on Care for the Elderly - what can our synagogue do to help its older members in the right way?

Care For the Elderly

It was early in the morning of 16th December last year when my 89 year old father rang me to say he was experiencing pains in his chest. Being dad, he'd already summoned help and the paramedics were on their way. He was whisked into A and E and treated swiftly and effectively for a heart attack.
But that was only the beginning.
My once fiercely independent father was now a hospital patient in a horrendously busy cardiac ward, from which he was discharged with no support whatsoever. While we gave him all the care we could we didn't know to whom to turn, or what was available. And would he now be able to live
independently? Just a few weeks into his recovery, he caught pneumonia and found
himself back in hospital. Once again, his treatment was effective, but the problems in the hospital ward were challenging, and it was hard to get the balance right between advocating for dad, and harassing the over-burdened staff.
Dad's much better now, and still living independently, but with added support. I feel as I've been on a very steep learning curve, and I know I was woefully under-informed about care for the elderly. And I had few people to talk to about some of the difficult decisions that had to be made.

For that reason I wanted to have a morning at Shul where anyone in my position, or likely to be in my
position, might come along and listen to experts talk about the systems that I found so baffling, and to air some of the issues affecting looking after elderly family members.
If this is you, or if you know any fellow congregants in this position, please do urge them to come along to Shul this Sunday 26th April at 11am to our session entitled Care for the Elderly. Our speakers are Lee Bloomfield and Avrom Baker.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Sherry Ashworth