London: 20:32 Birmingham: 20:00 Sheffield: 20:44 Jerusalem: 18:49 London: 21:46 Birmingham: 21:58 Sheffield: 22:12 Jerusalem: 20:10 "When I informed one of our members that she would be getting a 'Shabbat in a Box' from the United Synagogue," said one of our volunteers recently, "She was so relieved it brought tears to my eyes. You see, she doesn’t have the resources or energy at the moment to prepare food and she has been really worried about how she was going to eat, especially over Shabbat. It is totally heartwarming to see what difference this makes to people’s live."
This small vignette has been repeated across our communities over the last few weeks. These past three months have been unspeakably hard for our older and vulnerable members. For those living alone and having to self-isolate, the challenge must be even more acute.
Our communities, though, unsurprisingly, have risen to the occasion. Volunteers are calling long telephone lists, dropping off challah on a Friday and collecting shopping and medicines.
The United Synagogue has launched two new projects to support its most vulnerable members during the Coronavirus crisis: 'Shabbat in a Box' and 'Essential Food Parcels'.
The 'Shabbat in a Box' contains everything one needs for Shabbat: Friday night dinner, Shabbat lunch and Seuda, challah, grape juice and printed materials to guide readers through the beauty of Shabbat. These freshly-cooked meals are delivered weekly and are free of charge for those who need them.
The 'Essential Food Parcels' have been developed to ensure that nobody goes hungry. They are offered, free of charge, to members who are self-isolating and cannot go out to buy food and to those in financial need. They contain items such as tea, coffee, soup, tinned vegetables, pasta, rice, crackers, cheese and cold meats. We also try to include some household items too such as toiletries and washing machine tablets that are needed for day to day living.
Since the Jewish newspapers reported on these programmes last week we've had so many requests to help that we've set up an Amazon Wish List. This is an easy way to sponsor items to help support those in need: www.theus.org.uk/amazon
Our communities have been identifying people who really need additional support during this time and we have an obligation to help them. If you know someone who would benefit, or would like to receive a package yourself, please get in touch in confidence with your community.
The United Synagogue is one big Jewish family and as the Talmud teaches, "kol yisrael areivim zeh la-zeh", we are all responsible for one another.
Yom Yerushalayim
Yom Yerushalayim starts next Thursday evening, 21 May. In particular, get ready for the Mizrachi UK and United Synagogue UK Community Shabbat at Home: Jerusalem edition, taking place on Friday 22 and Shabbat 23 May.
Continuing the style of the pre-Pesach Shabbaton at home, this edition will provide inspiring readings, stories, quizzes and other fun activities for that Shabbat, focusing on Jerusalem, past, present and future. Look out for details from your community or in next week's You&US and on our social media platforms.
Shabbat shalom,
Richard Verber Communications Director Welcome Rabbi and Rebbetzen Chalk and family! A very warm welcome to the United Synagogue family to Rabbi and Rebbetzen Chalk and their three lovely children who have been voted in as the new Rabbinic couple in Watford. This is a challenging time to start a new job, to say the least, and we wish them and the Watford community all the very best. Read all about them in this profile. Join us on Sunday for a musical premiere on YouTube! As a response to Coronavirus, Mosaic Voices and New West End Synagogue commissioned a stirring setting of Psalm 23 from composer Benjamin Till. Set to photographs received from United Synagogue communities it is a poignant insight into the challenges posed by lockdown and Covid-19. We'll be premiering it live on YouTube at 7.30pm on Sunday evening. THIS WEEK'S KABBALAT SHABBAT SERVICE Borehamwood and Elstree United Synagogue welcomes you this Friday! BOOKS United Synagogue and Tribe Bookshop Our Shuls might be closed, but our online bookshop is still open for business, with a special offer until Shavuot (including delivery) on our Yom Yerushalayim machzor of prayers and stories! Hit the link to find out more and and email publications@theus.org.uk to place your order... This week, Rabbi Elchonon Feldman shares a verse from Mishlei, Proverbs.
“She extends her palm to the poor, and she stretches out her hand to the pauper.” (31:20)
There was once a Jew in Vilna who took a great interest in local history and would go to the old cemetery to read the inscriptions on the tombstones. One day, he came across two adjacent graves. According to the inscriptions, the two men were brothers and extraordinary philanthropists. Strangely, the two tombstones shared an inscription with the verse above, often read on Friday night as ‘Eishet Chayil’.
The inscription began on one tombstone with “she extended her palm (kappah) to the poor” and was completed on the other with “and she stretched out her hand (yadeha) to the pauper.”
The man was puzzled since inscriptions from Eishet Chayil were used almost exclusively for women! The man sought out one of the oldest men in the Vilna community and asked him about the inscription. It turns out these two brothers were wealthy and extremely generous givers of charity. Suddenly, their fortunes took a turn for the worse. The poor, not knowing of their circumstances, continued appearing on the doorstep of the brothers.
Without money to offer, they began to give away the silver in their cabinets. Eventually they were left with one silver spoon between them. The next day, when a beggar approached each of the brothers, they broke the last spoon in half. One took the spoon part and the other took the handle and gave them away.
This wonderful act of charity was memorialized on their tombstones: “She extended her palm (kappah) to the poor” – kappah also meaning “her spoon” appeared on one tombstone. “And she stretched out her hand (yadeha) to the pauper” – yadeha also meaning “her handle” - appeared on the other.
Rabbi Elchonon Feldman is the Senior Rabbi of Bushey United Synagogue
RICHMOND UNITED SYNAGOGUE Conversation with the Israeli Ambassador The Israeli Ambassador is coming to Richmond this evening (virtually!) for a conversation and Q&A and you are invited to join him. You can submit your questions via rabbi@richmondsynagogue.org.uk. Hit on the link below to RSVP. 8.15pm tonight, via Zoom. HENDON UNITED, ALEI TZION AND MAGEN AVOT The Race to Beat Covid-19 in the UK Our three-Hendon communities invite to you to a fascinating three-part series on efforts to deal with the virus, dealing with those infected and halachic perspectives on Coronavirus and the lockdown. Monday, May 18, 25 and June 1 at 8.30pm on Zoom. PINNER UNITED SYNAGOGUE Pop-up cafe continues despite Covid-19! Last year Pinner's Community Café opened to great acclaim, welcoming people both young and old on Thursday mornings. It has now moved online - with 60 people joining from the comfort of their homes. Having to provide their own coffee and cake hasn't stopped everyone from attending and enjoying everyone's company and guest speakers! EDGWARE UNITED SYNAGOGUE The Stranger on the Bridge At the age of 20, Jonny Benjamin MBE was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar. In 2014, he was talked out of jumping off Waterloo Bridge when he was suicidal. He now speaks publicly about living with mental illness. Next Tuesday (May 19) at 8pm. COCKFOSTERS AND N SOUTHGATE SYNAGOGUE A Street Map of Jewish History Cockfosters and N Southgate's online learning programme invites you to join them for the final session in their series exploring the personalities behind Israel's street names. The lecture will be on Zoom on Tuesday (May 19) at 11am. All welcome. This email was sent with love from the United Synagogue. If you no longer wish to receive this email, please unsubscribe here |