Just One Thing - what will your thing be?

A synagogue is not just four walls - it comes alive when it's full of people. And from three weeks from 21st November to 13th December, we're going to breathe new life into our community as each of us is going to do just one thing to connect with the rest of us.
You can simply like our Facebook page or read the blog. You could study at home or write something about yourself to read aloud or for publication. You could come to shul, or give someone a lift to shul. You could take part in Mitzvah Day, speak to someone new at Kiddush, try out one of the two special Shir Chadash services and of course come to our grand finale - the Chanukah Party in shul on December 13th 3pm to 6pm.
You should have received a flyer about Just One Thing, and Mandy or Isabel will call you too. We're so lucky to be part of Jackson's Row - its history, its traditions. So many of us have family memories of the synagogue. And as we face an exciting future, now is the time for us all to get together and celebrate who we are, what we've achieved, and what lies in front of us. Be part of it!
I'll be blogging regularly about the lead-up to Just One Thing - watch this space!

 A fruit stall in Tsfat, Galilee


In other news, this Thursday evening there's another online learning session for Northern Communities led by Rabbi Mark Solomon of Leo Baeck College. The subject is Hasdai Crescas. Yes - I don't know who that is (!) but I shall definitely be at the seminar as the last one was totally inspirational - and so easy. If anyone is interested in joining me on line at 8 pm this Thursday, email me - Mandy in the office has my email address.

Northern Chagigah 27-29 November

The tables for Friday night dinner are filling up quickly – where to sit?  There’s the Jackson’s Row posse, but then there are friends from Sinai I’ve not seen for ages, not to mention the Menorah crowd. And the Sheffield people, and Newcastle – and a few people I don’t know yet – but will do as the weekend progresses. Decisions, decisions. Not to mention which workshop to go to, which minyan to join on Shabbat morning.  What’s not to love about Northern Chagigah?

Chagigah means celebration, and of course we in the northern Reform communities know we have a lot to celebrate. In fact we’ve been meeting for a weekend away for many years now in a variety of locations. Everyone who comes along has an inspirational time, and this year looks as if it’s going to be better than ever.

We’re going back to Kenwood Hall in Sheffield as it proved to be such an excellent choice last year.  The food was good (first things first!), the accommodation very comfortable, and there was masses of room for all the different activities on offer. This year our theme is Lighting the Way – a nod in the direction of Chanukah. 

So apart from the food and the company, what happens? We have some excellent rabbis, speakers and educators who are coming up from London , including Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner and Edie Friedman from JCore. There will be quizzes, play readings, different kinds of services to try and opportunities to learn and debate with fellow reform Jews on a variety of subjects from Kabbalah to social action. Of course there’s plenty of stuff for kids, with RSY support and crèches. And then what you do is up to you!

But perhaps what is most special about Northern Chagigah is what happens at the edges – the conversations you strike up over dinner or in a workshop. Friendships are formed and connections are made. We remember that a vital part of being a Reform Jew is community – and we are not only part of our own shul community, but we have family elsewhere in the north. There are more of us than you think – and there is strength in numbers.

If you’re wavering about coming to Chagigah this year, waver no more.  You deserve the fun, companionship and enlightenment on offer. Email Sarita at Sarita.Robinson@reformjudaism.org.uk and book yourself and your family a place. The cost is surprisingly reasonable. The dates are Friday 27^th – Sunday 29^th November.

See you there!

Here's a pic of Rabbi's succah ...

 Leafy or what?

And no photos, I'm afraid, of our wonderful Simchat Torah celebrations yesterday. But there was much flag-waving, dancing, smiling and eating of the wonderful lunch kindly provided for us.

 

Do you want to find out more about Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav?..

Who doesn't? He's one of the most inspirational and charismatic of rabbis - and we JR members are invited to an online seminar on him, given by Dr Chani Smith.

Chani teaches Torah reading and chanting at Leo Baeck College. She studied Kabbalah and Musicology at the Hebrew University and flute and composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and wrote her PhD on music as a spiritual process in the teaching of Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav at UCL. Her book, “Tuning the Soul”, was published by Brill.

This is an unmissable opportunity to hear a first class speaker talk about her passion. Up till now, Leo Baeck College's extra mural programmes have only been available for Londoners - but not any more.

So what do you have to do to join in? The seminar takes place at 8pm on Thursday 8th October - on your computer or tablet. Before then, email admin@reformjudaism.org.uk and indicate you wish to have a place. Places are limited, so book early. You will be sent a short text to read in advance. You will also be sent joining instructions and these are very simple - just a matter of clicking on a link. If you have never tried online learning before, I can promise you it's very simple and satisfying. And if you are at all nervous (or have any further questions), email me at sherryashworth1@aol.com and I'll talk you through it.

And watch this space, as two more seminars are planned in this sequence entitled Discovering Jewish Thinkers - Thursday 12th November and Thursday 10th December. All sessions start at 8pm and last about an hour.
 

 

Rosh Hashanah arts and crafts

While the grown-ups were enjoying the service upstairs, our younger members were busy celebrating in the Alexander Levy Hall with an arts and crafts spectacular, run and organised by our own Pam Walker.

A sweet and creative new year to all!

#refugeeswelcome

Synagogues all over the country this Shabbat resounded with the message that we welcome refugees. Rabbi's sermon reminded us of our own history, and the empathy we feel with today's asylum seekers. I was glad that at yesterday's Rep Council meeting there was a strong statement on similar lines:

So ... what can we do to help?  If you want to donate money, World Jewish Relief has a fund set up all ready for you - here's a link
https://www.worldjewishrelief.org/ways-to-give/appeals/refugee-crisis/donate-step-1/ 

All around Manchester - including our own synagogue - there are drop-off points for goods and donations. Make sure donations are appropriate - eg Calais asylum seekers are mainly male so women's clothing is not required!

You can also donate time - once our asylum seekers arrive, we can join organisations which help them to settle and navigate their way around life in this country. I'll let you know when I find out more.

...

Did you know that the MRJ runs online learning sessions? Last night I logged on for an hour of Talmud with Rabbi Laura and an assortment of fellow Jews from locations including New York, Madrid and Glasgow! We studied a passage about all the different New Years there are, leading us to consider why Rosh Hashanah is so special.

If this appeals to you, watch out for details of the online lectures by Leo Baeck teachers in the autumn term. An unmissable opportunity - and all free! The technology is unbelievably simple and the whole experience is inspirational.

But that's not all. Jackson's Row is about to launch a campaign to re-energise our wonderful synagogue community - details from the bimah on Rosh Hashanah ...

Shanah Tovah to everyone!

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

I’d be a dreadful subject for the genealogy TV programme, Who Do You Think You Are. The researchers would only be able to go back three generations max – after that, all my ancestors sink into a shtetl-style anonymity. There are no papers, no records – nothing. My mother once told me I had a great-grandfather called hairy Moishe, and he was said to have chopped down trees for a living. And that’s it.

In England, having a traceable ancestry has always been seen as conferring status.  You might not have any money, but if you have blue blood, then you can hold your head up high. A named ancestor – Lord such and such or squire whoever, really matters.  Most Ashkenazi Jews don’t come out too well on this scale, I’m afraid.

Recently, I’ve become engrossed in reading history books. This started with Rabbi’s wonderful Jewish history sermon sequence (still ongoing!) and broadened to take in Simon Schama, then European and world history in general. History is partly the story of great men (with some women) and a ruling elite. Where am I in all of this? With my dubious/non-existent ancestry? Whenever we read, we like to identify with a character, and feel involved. Where can someone like me start?

This is the joy of being Jewish. I have no knowledge of my individual ancestors, but I do know the people of Israel, the Jews, Hebrews – whatever you wish to call them – are my family. I am part of the Jewish people – a nobility in itself. When I read history books, I always look for the part the Jews played – and they always did play a part – sometimes as heroes, sometimes as victims. They were busy trading, advising, healing people or just getting on with life. Or perfecting the expressive language of Yiddish which in turn has so enriched modern day English.

I feel just as good as the person whose family came over with William the Conqueror. My family goes right back to before the Romans, before the Greeks, before the Egyptians. This is just as true for Jews by choice as Jews by birth – we are all part of the same family.

And what a family!

SA