London: 20:48

Birmingham: 20:00*

Hull: 21:04

Sheffield: 21:07

Southport: 21:14

Jerusalem: 19:05

London: 22:00

Birmingham: 22:24

Hull: 22:38

Sheffield: 22:38

Southport: 22:47

Jerusalem: 20:26

*Birmingham communities bring in Shabbat at 20:00 throughout the summer

You can find details of this week's Torah reading, Maftir and Haftarah in our weekly Daf Hashavua by clicking here.

Thursday 15 July, 2021

The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians led to widespread destruction. Fires burned across the city. It also led to mass hunger. Why?

Author and educator Dr Erica Brown shared an interesting idea this week at the Chief Rabbi's conference for Rabbis and Rebbetzens.

A verse in the book of Eicha says: "He [God] has stripped His Booth like a garden; he has destroyed His Tabernacle." (Lamentations 2:6) The temple was an enormous stone edifice, a huge building at the heart of a thriving city. So why is the Temple likened to a garden?

The commentator Rashi (France, 1040-1105) defines "stripped" as the "cutting off the vegetation of a garden". Rabbi David Altschuler (Prague, 1687-1769) links the term to an act of perverse decimation. Dr Yael Ziegler, a senior lecturer in Tanach, suggests that "the garden metaphor, with its absconded produce, alludes to a plundering of Jerusalem's food as the catastrophe unfolds. The result is hunger in Jerusalem."

These sobering thoughts will be on our mind when we read the Book of Eicha after Shabbat to mark Tisha B'Av. This Saturday night and Sunday is the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. You can read more about Tisha B'Av on our website, where we also have copies of Eicha and Kinnot to download.

In addition, we've put together a full online programme to complement events being run by our shuls. You can see the programme here and watch it on TheUS.tv by clicking here.

On Saturday night we'll have Ma'ariv, Eicha and explanatory Kinnot with Rabbi Akiva Rosenblatt live from Hadley Wood Jewish Community at 10.25pm. On Sunday morning at 9am we're offering in-depth Kinnot study with Rabbi Daniel Roselaar of Alei Tzion.

At 1pm and at 5pm there's a two-part Tisha B'Av tour of Jerusalem with Tzvi Sperber of JRoots and Luis Herszaft of the United Synagogue. And at 4pm join us for an Oxford walking tour with Rabbi Michael Rosenfeld-Schueler, the Oxford Jewish chaplain.

Moving out of lockdown

This week the Prime Minister confirmed England will move out of lockdown on Monday (July 19). Whilst we are excited to begin to return to 'normal' communal life, we are mindful that Covid will be with us for the foreseeable future and that the current infection rate is high. Consequently, we must proceed with caution. This morning we sent updated Coronavirus guidance to our Rabbis, Rebbetzens and Chairs. You can read it here.

From anguish to action

On Sunday speakers including the Rt Hon Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP and Amassador Kelley Eckels Currie talked powerfully about what needs to be done to support the Uyghur community. We were very proud to host Magen Avot's successful high-level conference with international speakers. You can read the Jewish News report of the conference by clicking here and watch all the sessions again in your own time by clicking here.

Penalties, again

In the end football didn't come home. Turns out it fancied a pizza and a trip to the Trevi Fountain. As the Chief Rabbi said, the result may not have been the one we were hoping for, but Gareth Southgate and his players have brought the country so much pride and joy over the last month.

Sadly, the feeling of the country coming together was tarnished by the racist abuse three black England footballers have faced on social media. As Jews, we know only too well what racism feels like. We stand with those abused. We are, at times, a divided society. As we enter Tisha B'Av on Saturday night, we have much to reflect on to try to heal our broken world.

Shabbat shalom and have a meaningful Tisha B'Av,

Richard Verber

Communications Director,

United Synagogue

WW1 Guided Walks

For a limited time only, the House of Life will be running free guided walks focusing on the soldiers commemorated at Willesden Jewish Cemetery who lost their lives during the first World War. Led by our wonderful volunteer guides, every stop along the way will introduce visitors to stories of people who gave their lives fighting for their country. Book now by clicking here.

There will also be a webinar about those commemorated at Willesden Jewish Cemetery who lost their lives during World War I which you can book here. The House of Life visitor centre has also now reopened, which you can find out more about by clicking the link below.

JWA training session

United Synagogue Honorary Officers were recently invited to join a two-hour online training session held in partnership with Jewish Women's Aid (JWA). This bespoke training session was designed with the aim of looking at how domestic abuse impacts on the various aspects of the role of Honorary Officer. Issues relating to domestic and sexual abuse were explored as well as looking at the vital work that JWA carries out every day in our communities. The training started with an introduction from Madeleine Abramson, Chair of both JWA and Hampstead Synagogue. You can read more about the training session by clicking the link below.

KLBD

Kosher news!

There is a new branch of KLBD supervised bakery La Brioche on Brent Street in Hendon! Cadbury Bournville Giant Buttons listed on p.39 of The Really Jewish Food Guide 2021 as approved Parev now contain milk powder and are approved Dairy. Meatless Farm plant-based products are Certified KLBD Parev no logo. For more information please click the link below.

WATCH NOW

Devarim N' Dine

Borehamwood & Elstree Synagogue’s Rabbi Yaacov Finn continues to cook his way through the Parashiot – now we are onto the Book of Devarim. Each week Rabbi Finn will be bringing you a delicious new recipe to try! This week is Majadra - watch it by clicking the link below.

US CEMETERIES

Opening times for cemeteries

On Tisha B’Av, Sunday 18 July, the United Synagogue cemeteries at Alderney Road, Brady Street, Lauriston Road, Plashet and West Ham will be open between 11:00-15:00. Appointments are not required for visits on this day.

WATCH NOW

The Destruction of the Temple

Join Rabbi Dr Harvey Belovski for a special series of Lunch & Learns as he explores the Three Weeks ahead of Tisha B'Av. In case you missed this week's Lunch & Learn, titled 'The Talmud’s Account of the Destruction of the Temple', you can watch it by clicking the link below.

Can one ever graduate from Jewish education? Click here to find out in this week's D'var Torah by the Chief Rabbi.

In addition, in this week's Jewish News, Rebbetzen Dina Golker, the Assistant Rebbetzen of St John's Wood Synagogue, explores when to say 'yes' to our children - and when to say 'no'. Click here to read it.

for more Torah content, click here to read out Daf Hashavua

MUSWELL HILL UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Tisha B'Av

Join Muswell Hill for their Tisha B'Av programme live on Zoom. Including a talk titled 'Kitty's Story of Survival' told by Peter and Moira Hart, son and daughter-in-law of Kitty Hart-Moxon OBE and Holocaust survivor. You can find the full schedule by clicking on the link below.

HENDON UNITED SYNAGOGUE

3 Shiurim for the 3 Weeks

Join Hendon for a series of Shiurim during the Three Weeks. The next one will be by Josh Sinclair, titled 'From Tisha B'Av to Tu B'Av' and will take place on Wednesday 21 July at 9:30am, live on Zoom.

COCKFOSTERS & N SOUTHGATE SYNAGOGUE

CLC presents: Philip Rubenstein

Philip Rubenstein has been the founding director of the Holocaust Education Trust and ran the All-Party Parliamentary War Crimes Group in the late 1980s, which succeeded in securing a change in the law to enable the prosecution of Nazi war criminals in the UK. Tuesday 20 July at 11am.

BOREHAMWOOD & ELSTREE UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Heads Up! With Michelle Barnett

Join Borehamwood & Elstree's Rebbetzin Emma Taylor in conversation with Michelle Barnett MBE, Founding Director of GIFT. Inspired by Rabbi Naftali Schiff’s vision, GIFT started from Michelle’s kitchen table in 2004. Watch the full video by clicking on the link below.

WHAT'S ON?

Online events

Despite the challenges of lockdown we've got lots of great events taking place online! See what virtual events are happening in our communities every week by checking out the United Synagogue events portal.