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20th March 2021 / 7th Nisan 5781
Vayikra

Dear Member,

 

Please see below for our weekly e-newsletter.

 

Booking is now open for Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday, 26th March at 6.05pm and for Shabbat on 27th March at 10.30am.
 

Booking is now open for 1st Day Pesach, 28th March at 10am, 2nd Day Pesach, 29th March at 10am.

 

Bookings will close at 6pm on Wednesday 24th March.

 

We will be opening for Shacharit services during Chol HaMoed Pesach, on Tuesday 30th March at 7.30am, Wednesday 31st March at 7.30am, Thursday 1st April at 7.30am and Friday 2nd April at 8.15am, booking is now open.

 

Bookings will close at 8am on Friday 26th March.

 

Booking is also open for Friday Evening, 2nd April at 7.20pm, 7th Day Pesach, 3rd April at 10am, 8th Day Pesach (Yizkor), 4th April at 10am.

 

Bookings will close at 6pm on Wednesday 31st March.

 

The Shul office will remain open for phone calls only. Please do not visit the Shul office for any reason. If you are due to make a payment, this can be done by debit/credit card by ringing Michelle on 020 8629 2783 or by cheque through the post.

 

If you know of anyone that needs our help please contact the Shul office.

 

Please note: The Shul Office will be closed from midday Friday 26^th April until Tuesday 6^th April.

Details of our Weekday Zoom services are detailed below.

 

Shabbat Shalom

 

Cranbrook US

News and Views

 

This week begins the book of Leviticus, which deals with the laws given to the priests and Levites, and begins with the laws of the sacrifices - what was brought, how it was brought as a sacrifice. To us in the 21st century, the idea of animal sacrifice seems bizarre. How on earth is slaughtering an animal supposed to bring one closer to G-d? 

 

It seems that the Almighty himself is ambivalent towards the idea of sacrifices. Later on in the prophets, in Hosea, G-d tells him: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6). Amos (5:22) says: “Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.” It is clear that G-d does not have time for the sacrifices of his people, preferring real penitence and faith to this more ‘artificial’ means of connecting to the Almighty.

 

This begs the question: if Hashem does hate sacrifice, why bother going through all the details of how sacrifices are to be brought? Why are these sacrifices considered to be “a pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 1:9), if as Amos suggests, G-d has “no regard for them”?

 

The sages themselves explain that it is not that sacrifices do not work per se, rather that the people no longer had the correct intentions when they brought their sacrifices. The first person to bring a sacrifice was Hevel, the son of Adam, and he teaches us how to properly bring a sacrifice [1]. He brought “himself”- his own emotions and desire to give something to the Almighty, recognising how much we are given by G-d and generally take for granted. He brought “from the best of his flocks and their fats”, recognising that if one is to show gratitude for something, it is not enough to simply bring anything, it must be the best, and most expensive. Indeed, in ancient times, livestock were a sign of wealth. Also, Hevel didn’t bring sacrifices because he wasn't copying anybody else. If this is done, then the sacrifice has true meaning. Its aroma is fragrant to G-d.

 

However as time went on, people brought sacrifices because it was the done thing. They were copying others, and they had no specific desire to express any sort of thanks to G-d. Indeed they thought that by bringing sacrifices they could have forgiveness for their sins, without having to personally change at all. The animal would be the one to be sacrificing its life, they would simply stand and watch. It is this that the prophets were railing against. Their main concern was that sacrifices had become defunct, not because the idea was no longer meaningful, but because it had become perverted into something it was never meant to be.

 

We may not have sacrifices today, but these keys of having a relationship with G-d are key in our day-to-day lives. The first is faith and belief that G-d has given us such a gift by presenting us with our lives, that we should desire to find a way to repay that incredible kindness. We should want to give back in some way, want to repay the goodness bestowed upon us, and that whatever we do give should be “from the best”, not a second-rate presentation, but rather something which is truly meaningful. We can then become that “pleasant aroma” that G-d finds so pleasing.

 

I wish you all a good Shabbos

 

With love,

 

Rabbi Steven, Siobhan, Maya and Talia Dansky.

 

[1] Malbim on Genesis,4:2

COVID PRECAUTIONS

 

MEN TO ENTER THROUGH THE FRONT DOORS.

 

PROCEED STRAIGHT TO A SEAT WITHOUT STOPPING. AVOID GREETING AND TALKING IN FOYER

 

LADIES TO ENTER THROUGH SIDE DOORS AND PROCEED TO SEATS UPSTAIRS KEEPING TO THE LEFT

 

ALL CLOAKROOMS ARE CLOSED KEEP BELONGINGS WITH YOU

 

NO COMMUNAL SINGING OR CHANTING, RABBI / LEADERS ONLY

 

MEN TO EXIT ONLY THROUGH THE SIDE AND REAR FIRE EXITS

 

LADIES TO EXIT USING THE MAIN STAIRCASE, KEEPING LEFT AT ALL TIMES AND PROCEED SLOWLY DOWN THE STAIRS TO FRONT FORECOURT

 

PLEASE OBSERVE THE 2M SOCIAL DISTANCING RULE AT ALL TIMES

 

WASH HANDS REGULARLY

 

Please remember the Guidelines are there for your protection and safety.

Exercise for members offered by Jewish Care
 

We have the opportunity to participate in the programme offered by Jewish Care, particularly with regard to exercise.

The following is available:-

Monday - Chair Yoga with Dance is held from 12.00pm – 1.00pm
 

If members are interested in this they should contact Jewish Care on 020 8418 2114.

They will then be able to register to receive details of all events being offered and also given guidance to on how to set up a Zoom meeting.

There are occasions that we need men to help make a minyan at a levoya, this is a great mitzvah. We appreciate that during this difficult time men do not want to go out, perhaps some of our younger members would like to help out.

If you are interested please give Harold a call on 07434 580885.

Sponsorship

 

If you would like to mark a birthday or Simcha, or want to commemorate a Yahrzeit, this can be done by sponsoring Cranbrook News. In the forthcoming weeks, there are many dates that are available. The cost of sponsoring Cranbrook News is £15.

 

Sponsorship is available for the on-line version of Cranbrook News on the following dates: April 10th, 17th & 24th; May 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th.

 

To book any of these dates please call the synagogue office on: 020-8629 2780 or e-mail admin@cranbrooksynagogue.org.uk

Condolences to:

 

Sam Agasee and family on the loss of his brother, David Agasee.

 

Deanna Klein on the loss of her husband, Harold Klein

Mitchell Klein on the loss of his father, Harold Klein

Sale of Chametz

 

There is a specific mitzvah to sell one’s chametz before Pesach, and it’s very easy to do! The Sale of Chametz form has been sent out in the pre-Pesach mailing or you can access it online immediately.

 

All you need to do is complete the form and send it back to the Shul office by Monday, 22nd March 2021.

Pesach 5781 - Shalom Magazine

Many thanks to everyone who has submitted articles for the Shalom Magazine. We have now closed entries for the Pesach 5781 edition.

However, if you have any contributions you would like to make, please email them to stanton.philippa@gmail.com and I will keep them on file for inclusion in the Rosh Hashanah 5782 [New Year 2021] Edition.

Philippa Stanton - Editor

We wish Long Life to everyone who is observing a Yahrzeit this week: 

Frances Baum, Rochelle Bennett, Jeffrey Block, Renee Bravo,
Karen Brent, Ivor Clements, Irene Collins, Leila Conn,
Rachel Crabbe, Simon Devan, Rita Dryer, Debra Eisner,
Carol Emden, Derek Ettinger, Rhoda Freedman, Lionel Goldberg,
Barbara Goldman, Paul Goldman, Stuart Goldman, Joseph Gordon,
Joanne Green, Marc Green, Gerald Harris, Dalia Ilan,
Aline Kaye, Jessie Kenton, Suzanne Leigh, Patricia Lewis,
Maureen Linder, Annette Luder, Loraine Macatonia, Joyce Meltzer,
David Michaels, Sandra Mitchell, Kay Nathan, Ivor Perl,
David Rein, Emanuel Robinson, Hilda Rogoff, Jean Sanett,
Sidney Schlesinger, Jeffrey Scott, Alice Senk, Brenda Shinett,
Ruth Starr, Hannah Stern, Stanley Stevens, Cyril Stoller,
Philip Teff, Harvey Tibber, Kenneth Turner, Eileen Vilka,
Jenny Wernick, Helena Weston, Sally Winstock and Sylvia Zilesnick.

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