My grandmother didn’t particularly want me to be a rabbi. She thought it an odd choice of profession and one that would categorically impede my ability to make dinner every night. She was not wrong there. But what happened over the last 21 years of my rabbinate is that she grew to love it. She came to baby blessings at Woodford Progressive Synagogue (as was) and Rafael at Westminster Synagogue at the rather late age of 18 months, because third children suffer from after thought planning. But it was when she came to FPS that she fell in love with liberal synagogue services, familiar tunes and yet she admitted to me she rather liked the English that permeated the prayers.
Although I must admit she told me she was prouder of my roast chicken than any of my other achievements. It was her style of chicken and she was impressed I’d learned from her. And committed the recipe to memory.
And so this week’s dilemma of being both at her week long Shivah and also with my rabbi colleagues at the long planned retreat was interesting for me. But I know she’d like what I managed.
We Liberal Rabbis and the movement in general raised money to bring over the superb Rabbi Larry Hoffman to teach us and visit synagogues. Larry is both a liturgist and even more so a rabbi’s rabbi who’s greatest interest is in ritual and the power of synagogues to grow, be welcoming and make meaning for its members and friends. He suggests we have things to learn from Howard Shwartz the Starbucks founder who insisted We are not in the business of filling bellies, we are in the business of filling souls.
And as Larry said “if that was so for a coffee selling company all the more so for synagogues!”
Larry is with us here at Charney Manor in Oxfordshire for the Rabbi’s retreat, and he will be joining us for our Friday night Erev Shabbat service and we will hear from him then. I can’t wait.
Today I return to Shivah for my grandmother. This Shabbat is Parashat Vayeitzei and sees Jacob leaving Lavan. And on the way uses a stone for a pillow and sleeps and dreams his dream of the ladder; and the curious thing was that there were angels olim v’yordim.; going up and down. Generations of rabbis and commentators questions this, as angels usually come from heaven down to earth. Why the other way round here? It could not be more perfect for me this week as I mourn my grandmother. The angels here are grounded and centred on the earth, not in heaven. I hope not only that she is safe and at peace, but even more that her menschlikeit (humaneness) here on earth throughout her life, ascends with her. And that her resilience and generosity live on in me and all who loved and learned from her. Because unlike Jacob realising, ‘Truly, the eternal is in this place and I, I did not know it’, I knew how lucky I was every day of my life.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
Pnina Tamano-Shata is the first Ethiopian woman to be a member of the Knesset in Israel, and was appointed Minister of Immigrant Absorption.
We rabbis joke there are no festivals in Cheshvan the month we are about to finish this coming Friday.
Actually although Torah doesn’t command or instruct there is indeed another festival. Sigd is an Ethiopian Jewish holiday celebrated on the 29th of Cheshvan, exactly 50 days after Yom Kippur.
The Ethiopian Jewish community lived in complete isolation from other Jewish communities for many centuries, until 1980s when when many Ethiopians were air-lifted to Israel. For this reason, the Ethiopian Jewish community, called the Beta Israel, developed many holidays and celebrations that do not exist in other Jewish communities.
The name “Sigd” means “prostration” in Ge’ez, an ancient Ethiopian liturgical language, but it is related to the word sged (same meaning) in Aramaic, one of the languages of the Talmud. It’s meaning is of accepting Torah and yearning for Israel and the Temple. It also holds the idea of the date when God first revealed himself to Moses. 50 days after Yom Kippur gives me pause in my own life. What have I held onto? What commitments that I made have I successfully sustained and – most importantly – how am I walking with God, personally and within our congregation. These 50 days have felt intensely busy for me and I take from Sigd the gift of assessing how much I act rather than react in my life. How Torah and my tradition compells me.
29th Heshvan corresponds to 23 November: yesterday. There are very few members of the Beta Israel community here in the UK. We have invited Rabbi Sybil Sheridan, who has visited Ethiopia several times and has learned a great deal about the community to visit us and teach and give us more context of the community. This will be our way of understanding Sig and ensuring their Jewish tradition becomes known and honoured by the wider Jewish community. Sybil will speak during the service on Shabbat 10th December. Please Save the Date and in the spirit of Sig check all that is happening in our synagogue, all that connects us to our Jewish life and tradition.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
Nice people made the best Nazis. My mom grew up next to them. They got along, refused to make waves, looked the other way when things got ugly and focused on happier things than “politics.” They were lovely people who turned their heads as their neighbors were dragged away. You know who weren’t nice people? Resisters.” ― Naomi Shulman
It was world kindness week on 7th-13th November. And I am thinking about this audacious statement by Naomi Shulman.
She wrote it to when she was thinking about the difference between NICE and KIND. I welcome that distinction because if you are conflict averse then nice is a goal. We want our synagogues to be nice places… or do we? Don’t we instead want them to be kind? Kind is strong, principled and generous. It doesn’t run from conflict or standing up for what is right.
I often wonder if I miss opportunities to ensure we all know what being part of a kind community is. Where people feel welcome, honoured, at home and appreciated here. But I do love this portion with my namesake. Rebekah’s kindness to Eliezer, Abraham’s servant but also famously the camels. This was no mean feat and meant Rebekah was strong as well as kind.
‘Drink, my lord,’ she said, and she quickly lowered her jar upon her head and let him drink. When she had let him drink his fill, she said, ‘I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking.’ Quickly emptying her jar into the trough, she ran back to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.” (Genesis 24:17-20)
Rebekah’s kindness to the animals is often the focus when teaching this story. However, there is more to chesed (the Hebrew term for lovingkindness) than her actions with the animals. Chesed is a brilliant word that encompasses so much-the love described of God to people and the kindness people can offer to each other. I think Gemilut Chasadim ( those kind loving deeds) often are at the heart of synagogue life; in ours I’ve seen Corinne and Jacquie calling folk in friendship. I have seen Beverley and her excellent team bake, draw and pack gift bags for the festivals and I know what a difference those presents make to peoples’ lives. I remember Deborah Laikin and Ann Pelham overseeing KT Challah baking and deliveries indeed our own Gordon Greenfield received one after recuperating from hip surgery and expressed delight at being part of our synagogue.
I welcome the challenge of Chesed as the pillar of Jewish life alongside learning Torah and prayer services Avodah.
This is the Judaism that nourishes me and sits so well in our contemporary lives and search for meaning. As we end Kindness Week do join us on Saturday for Mitzvah Day activities – see below how to join. It’s our first opportunity to build properly our relationship with the Rainbow Centre and ensure we strengthen it as we go into this harder winter.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
Rabbi Albert Friedlander z’l used to talk of the brutal events of 9 November 1938 known as Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass or as we prefer now the November progrom, a name that does not sentimentalise what happened that night across Germany. Rabbi Friedlander said it made him a super Jew determined to not just remember but be all the more Jewish because of it. His family fled to Cuba initially the day after, when on returning to their apartment they heard Nazi guards still there. That night is remembered as the beginning of the end, or perhaps the end of the beginning of brutality towards the Jews and then towards others as well.
My partner Anthony’s great aunt was murdered that night in the street, beaten to death by Nazis in Neuss. She was a young woman in her twenties. I associate this anniversary as the critical call for ZACHOR-Remembering. And what that remembering and honouring has passed on to us. It informs our backward glance to the past as well as our attitude to the present and our future. Twitter, one of our platforms of communication, is now permeated with more free hate speech than ever before and much is familiar. We are all considering our presence on its platform. Offensive terms for people have colour have increased by 500% as has reference to ‘the Jews’ a phrase as Hugo Rifkind writes ‘ that does not bode well’. Our task was ever thus to be vigilant about and sensitive towards hatred everywhere. Join me if you can at the UK Jewish Film’s showing of the film A Tree of Life about the deadliest attack on Jews in American history. It is a beautifully made and moving film and I will facilitate a discussion afterwards with Lord Mann, UK Government’s ‘anti semitism tsar’ and Mark Gardner CEO of the CST.
Sensitivity and vigilance in that synagogue community and still in every institution informs our behaviour. I love to think of this with the backdrop of this week’s portion Parashat Vayeira in the book of Genesis, Bereshit. The first time we are taught the power of hospitality and welcome, one that permeates our Jewish sensibility alongside caution.
Abraham is recovering from his circumcision, sitting in the opening of his tent at the hottest time of the day when he sees three strangers approach;
” he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.He said, “If I have found favour in your eyes, my lords do not pass your servant by. 4 Let me bring water to wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed..”(18:3-5)
That balance is one I speak of a great deal. Consider joining me on Monday night.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
“And the ETERNAL said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your land and your birthplace and your father’s house to the land I will show you. And I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.’”
These words are so central to our Jewish story, to the notion of wandering, home and blessing. This week I read such thoughtful commentary on this week’s portion by Dr Marshall Ganz and Professor Marshall Fine both lectures in Civil Society and Employment.
In our own time and place, we are wise to recognize the danger of allowing any single land to confer sanctity on any single people.
Reading these words against the backdrop of the Israeli Elections and the prospect of what might be there in such an unholy alliance with Itamar Ben Gevir who calls for the death of Arabs has been interesting. And it calls us to consider the juxtaposition of land and blessing. The results, still unclear today, will affect those living in Israel and of course those working for the state from the diaspora.
It couldn’t be more timely that we get to welcome two extraordinary people from Israel this Shabbat morning; whose organisations are changing lives there. Palestinian civil society activist Nabila Espanioly and both Jewish and Palestinian representatives from Ir Amim, who work towards a more stable and equitable Jerusalem. What blessings their work bring.
They have won Human Rights Awards from NIF and are here to be celebrated and we get to host them before the dinner on Sunday. Please join us Shabbat morning to hear from them and meet them over kiddush with our ambassador Abigail Dolan.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
In honour of Parashat Noach and the Tower of Babel; this week’s Torah portion. I visited the Hieroglyph exhibition at the British museum with Rafael and my father David. Seeing the Rosetta Stone moved into this exhibition demonstrating the process of decoding from hieroglyphics to Demotic to Greek couldn’t have manifested Torah’s description better;
Genesis 11:9 Therefore its name is called Babel; because the Eternal confounded the language of all the earth: and from this the Eternal scattered them abroad across the face of all the earth.
The deciphering and decoding of French Egyptologists like Jean-Francois Champollion changed our understanding of the ancient Near East and it adds to our biblical comprehension as well.
The story of Babel and the challenge of communication is usually understood as a myth about hubris and human audacity. But this week at the British Museum I was reminded that the attempt to converse and or understand each other is the most human response to life we have. It’s a nice lesson to be reminded of.
Please note this week is our final call for HHD charity donations and we now turn towards our Mitzvah Day plans with the Rainbow Centre- We are looking for accountants for their much relied upon debt advice service, ex-teachers for homework help, craft-y people for February Half Term holiday club.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
John Steinbeck used the story of Cain and Abel as the seed for his East of Eden about competing brothers and the devastation it unleashes on the family. He ends with the word taken from God’s exchange with Cain; V’Atah Timshol Bo…You can overcome the desire to do wrong. This idea compelled Steinbeck so that the novel’s denouement is about this devastating truth; we all have choice in how to behave. This is in our first portion of the year Bereshit, after the creation story and Adam and Eve and their eating from the tree of knowledge, right at the end of the portion is this powerful story that has echoed way beyond the verses of Genesis chapter 4. We always have choice and the ability to manage unhealthy inclinations that will cause us and others pain. I love this challenge coming as it does so swiftly after the Tishri festivals. As we restart our cycle of Torah following the unscrolling on Sunday and Monday.
Watch out for FPS folk reading their verses of Torah on Shabbatot over the next few months.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
AL SHLOSHA DEVARIM HA’OLAM OMED -AL HATORAH, AL HA-AVODAH, V’AL GEMILUT CHASADIM
ON THREE THINGS THE WORLD STANDS; TORAH, WORSHIP AND KIND DEEDS.
Mishnah Avot
If Torah is one of the foundations of our Jewish life, and learning such a key part of our synagogue community, then it stands to reason that Simchat Torah is one to truly celebrate as we end and begin again the Torah cycle. It is the final festival of the month of Tishri, completing it all and we will be honouring our Chatan Torah Franklyn Gellnick and Kallat Bereshit Alex Gellnick. And as we did 2019 before COVID we will be unrolling the scroll -bringing Torah to us all and so many of you will be reading a verse, some of your for the first time ever and some rehearsing your B’nei Mitzvah memory. Truly the looking inside the Sefer Torah is an experience, not just the proximity to this particular scroll but also the recognition of key stories, poems, moments in our Torah narrative. I love this and so look forward to sharing this with you all. Come Sunday 6.30pm and Monday 11am. Wear warm clothes (windows and doors open as usual). Bring drinks or desserts to share.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
It was so meaningful to see so many of you over Yom Kippur, in the synagogue and online. I felt so keenly how we are were altogether in a very profound way. And the huge participation by so many of you made me exceedingly proud of our congregation. Thank you.
These days are busy in the life of any rabbi, Shabbat tomorrow again, and then into Sukkot and I anticipate our Sukkah crew have planned something special. I feel very fortunate.
I look forward to continuing through this month of Tishri and being reminded by this week’s Parashat Haazinu of the continuity we are all engaged in; ensuing we and our community has a future and a hope. (From Shechinah Mkor Hayeinu we repeated yesterday).
“Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations; ask your parent and they will show you….”
We are doing good work together.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
It’s such a precious time these ten days – we have opened the door, our hearts perhaps are sharpened and doubtless we are thinking of ways to commit to the year ahead with some changes, new habits, forgiving and letting go of old ones. The twenty five hours of Yom Kippur are a gift of reflection. The metaphor of the Book of Life quickening pulse and perspective.
I love these lines from Lucille Clifton (1936-2010)
i am running into the new year and
i beg what I love and I leave to forgive me
See this opportunity for (anonymously) adding your thoughts to our collective al chet – confession …
We are better generally at forgiving others than ourselves. There is something familiar about chastising ourselves for not being good enough, kind enough, effective enough. I want that very much as I am sure you do. But there is also acceptance in the process of Teshuvah. I so look forward to seeing you then with our green machzorim in hand.
This coming Shabbat Shuvah I’ll be preaching at the LJS in my role as Rabbinic conference Co-Chair. Rabbi Igor Zinkov will be preaching at FPS. I know he’ll be warmly welcomed.
Shabbat Shalom
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