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13th March 2021 / 29th Adar 5781
Vayakhel-Pekudei / Mevarachim HaChodesh
Parshat HaChodesh

Dear Member,

 

Please see below for our weekly e-newsletter.

 

Booking is now open for Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday, 19th March at 5.55pm and for Shabbat on 20th March at 10am.

Bookings will close at 6pm on Wednesday 17th March.

 

Booking is now open for our Pesach Services.

 

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.

 

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.

This week's Cranbrook News is kindly sponsored by
Michael Griver in loving memory of his late father
Eliezer Ben Aaron, Leslie Griver z"l.

Details of our Weekday Zoom services are detailed below.
 

Shabbat Shalom

 

Cranbrook US

News and Views
 

There has been a huge fuss made out of the interview that took place between Oprah Winfrey, Harry and Meghan. In the interview, they made various aspersions against the Royal Family, including a claim of racist comments against their, as yet, unborn child Archie, as well as other comments about how challenging and stress-provoking being a member of the Royal Family was and how it affected Meghan’s mental well being. The Royal Family responded by saying that it would deal privately with the “concerning” racism allegations, and that “some recollections (of what happened) may vary”.

 

When any groups are in conflict the objective truth of any given statement is always up for interpretation, and the truth lies somewhere in between. As a Rabbi I have seen many times that perceptions of what is happening very often do not come close to the reality. There are so many biases that can be fallen prey to; so many ways of skewing the reality to support our subjective views of a matter that the truth can be a subtle and elusive thing.

 

Furthermore, by making it public, the couple have made this discussion not about the truth, but about the court of public perception. It stops being about the truth, and it starts to be about how we feel about them. Those who are fans of Harry and Meghan will support them regardless of whether they are correct or not, and those who are fans of the Royal establishment will support them despite the interview. Emotion often pushes aside the blinkers of logic, and decisions are made which have nothing to do with the truth, and everything to do with our feelings, sometimes causing us to arrive at the wrong destinations.

 

However, I think that at its core we have a more serious question at hand which is - should such a conflict have been made public in the first place? Do we, or rather should we have a right to know about this schism in the Royal Family? Some might say that as taxpayers, we have a right to know what our Royal family is up to. They are public servants and the way they present themselves needs to be kept to the highest level, and they should be mindful of the way they act, and the things that they say. Others might reasonably argue that it is not something that should be discussed in public. Surely there were better ways of managing this conflict without it going out publicly to millions of views across the world?

 

Since the 90’s we have had television shows which promote the right of the public to know about the private goings-on of families, and conflicts to which the public has no connection. One thing which is sure is that the more people that are aware of a situation, the harder it will be to resolve it. Supporters will bolster both sides, and they will be more obstinate in their position, feeling that the support makes them right. Furthermore, making views official by publicising them makes those views iron clad as the truth, and such a view cannot be reversed.

 

Perhaps it is for this reason that in the Torah, Bilaam the pagan prophet said “how goodly are your tents Jacob”. The commentaries explain that the tents were good, because their openings were not available to passers-by. Others couldn’t comment and decide who was right in a conflict which took place in private. They couldn’t expand the conflict, and distort its true lines, they couldn’t make lines of disagreement so strong that they couldn’t be broken, thereby minimising the chances of a peaceable resolution. 

 

Keeping conflict private and open between the various parties ensures that both parties can examine their views and feel strong enough to take a step backward, without feeling that they have to save face because others know about it. Making conflict public essentially means that you have no trust in those with whom you disagree to resolve the issue. Keeping this confidential ensures that even though there is disagreement, it doesn’t have to effect the relationship – it’s bent but not broken, and with a little calm conversation can be resolved.

 

I wish you all a very good Shabbos.

 

Rabbi Steven, Siobhan, Maya and Talia Dansky.

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: March 20th; April 3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th.

 

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

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 will be 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: 

Ruth Abrahams, Bernice Bass, Lilian Black, Mercia Bloom,
Adrienne Braham, Estelle Brill, Rosalind Burns, Sidney Cohen,
Harvey Cohen, Irene Collins, Hetty Conway, Betty Cooper,
Audrey Davis, Sandra Dollow, Elaine Duque, Bruria Eisen,
Deborah Epstein, Clive Filek, David Flaum, Helen Flax,
Laurence Freedman, Shirley Gold, Freda Goldstein, Ernest Green,
Barbara Grossman, Sandra Harris, Carole Harris, Gary Hyman,
Victoria Joffe, Adele Judt, Susan Kalinsky, Deanna Karp,
Rosalind Kaye, Carol Lacome, Sadie Langsman, Susan Lasky,
Leslie Leigh, Sally Leigh, Edward Leon, Roy Levene,
Leonard Lewis, Hetty Liborwich, Eleanor Lyndon, Norma Maisner,
Denise Mallach, Joy Mallach, Michael Mallach, Wendy Mallach,
Harold Marco, Merissa Metzger, Shirley Millar, Linda Myers,
Malcolm Nathan, Marilyn Nieman, Russell Prince, Jean Prince,
Arnold Rose, Rachelle Rose, Lilian Rosenberg, Natalie Rubin,
Anita Sears, Hilary Segall, Barbara Seider-Benson, Barry Shamplin,
Rita Shaw, Aubrey Siteman, Haim Sobel, Vivienne Springer,
Barbara Stone, Roberta Tobe, Blanche Van Gelder, Derek Wigul,
Phoebe Wigul and Josette Wolffe
 

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