London: 20:08

Birmingham: 20:00

Hull: 20:12

Sheffield: 20:16

Southport: 20:22

Jerusalem: 18:39

London: 21:17

Birmingham: 21:28

Hull: 21:36

Sheffield: 21:38

Southport: 21:46

Jerusalem: 19:58

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

It's been one of the driest Aprils on record across the UK. But with a bank holiday weekend on the horizon, you can almost guarantee the rain will come. In fact forecasters are saying that wherever you live in the country, you'll probably need a brolly over the next few days.

Summer isn't too far away though and with it the end of another disrupted school year. Despite the pandemic Tribe have been preparing a wonderful range of Covid-secure camps for our young people - this year for the first time on the Isle of Wight.

Tribe has also just launched its most ambitious summer programme ever. The Great British Tribe Tour 2021 is a brand-new two-week summer programme for Year 11 students. Participants will be whisked off to a host of different towns and cities as they explore Scotland, Wales and England.

Loch Lomond and Edinburgh are likely to be the stops in Scotland with Llandudno in Wales and a number of English sites including Oxford, Bath and Cornwall. Participants will make lifelong friends as they enjoy water sports and time at the beach together with unique Tribe Shabbatot experiences and sessions exploring Jewish identity.

The trip runs from 7-21 July 2021 and costs £1,499 for United Synagogue members and £1,599 for non-members. All are welcome but places are limited. More information is available via www.tribeuk.com/summer or via Anna Coleman, annacoleman@tribeuk.com.

The Great British Tribe Tour has been launched in response to the Covid-19 pandemic which has seen the postponement of Israel tours, although Tribe still hopes to take young people to Israel as soon as government conditions permit.

VOTE NOW!

Our 'Choose your own Cheesecake' competition has reached crunch time. In partnership with Jewish News and COCO Bakery in Golders Green we've been on the hunt for a delicious new cheesecake to be made and sold ahead of Shavuot.

Over the past fortnight some 300 entries have poured in and this week we can reveal the top five which are now being put to a public vote.

Perhaps you’ll be tempted by THE MOJITO, fresh and zesty, finished with lime and mint. The ETON MESS will appeal to fans of the British classic, with strawberries, cream and crumbled meringue. Fans of American snacks might plump for S’MORES, a cheesecake with a Graham cracker base, chocolate and toasted marshmallows. Green tea aficionados might want to sample the MATCHA & WHITE CHOCOLATE: green tea and white chocolate, a matcha made in Heaven. Or will the RED VELVET, a rich and creamy decadent treat, tickle your tastebuds?

You can vote right now via www.theus.org.uk/cheesecake. Voting will close on Monday 3 May and to make the competition even sweeter, everyone who votes has a chance to win a free cheesecake. Yum.

Lag B'Omer

Everyone is welcomed to join St John's Wood Synagogue, Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue and South Hampstead Synagogue tonight at 8:15pm for a night of celebration and education in honour of Lag B'Omer!

The event will take place on Zoom (Meeting ID: 207 286 3838; Password: 1420) and will feature a tour of Meron in the north of Israel with Tzvi Sperber and a musical concert with Shimon Craimer! You can see more details by clicking here. The programme will be uploaded to TheUS.tv afterwards.

Walking tour

The bank holiday might also be the perfect opportunity for our London-based members to enjoy our brand new free walking tour, The Jews of London. We were blown away by the response last week when more than 1,400 of you explored the site. Enjoy!

Shabbat shalom and have a great Lag B'omer and bank holiday if you get some time off.

Richard Verber

Communications Director,

United Synagogue

Tribe summer camps!

This summer, Tribe are heading to a fabulous site on the Isle of Wight, with fantastic facilities and on-site activities! This beach front location has great water sports such as rafting, paddle-boarding and canoeing and exciting on-site adventures. There is also Tribe Leadership Camp for years 12 & 13 - a 10 day programme to learn key leadership skills and become leaders. Sample some of the incredible onsite activities and have a great time with friends.

Board of Deputies hustings

Together with our friends at the S&P Sephardi Community, last night we hosted an entertaining debate between the candidates for President and Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The Board of Deputies represents you and your community in dealings with government, media and other bodies so you can to see what the candidates had to say via the link below. Let your shul's Deputy know whom to vote for!

LAG B'OMER DEAL!

Burgers Bar Grill House special deal

For those of you that live in or near Hendon, Bagels Bar Grill House are offering a very special dinner deal tonight only for Lag B'Omer! Just mention 'United Synagogue' when placing your order. To find out more, click the link below.

WATCH AGAIN

Lunch & Learn

Want to appreciate the deeper meaning of the weekly Torah portion? Looking for a nice Dvar Torah to share at the Shabbat table? Catch up on this week's Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Rafi Goodwin, who delved into this week's Parasha, Emor. Watch via the link below.

WILLESDEN JEWISH CEMETERY

Guided walks

You can book a free guided walk through Willesden Jewish Cemetery, led by their wonderful volunteer guides. Learn about some of the fascinating residents of the cemetery, including scientist Rosalind Franklin, Tesco founder Jack Cohen, and more. You can book tickets now by clicking the link below.

WATCH NOW

Vayikra Variety

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

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

New book about Rabbi Sacks zt'l

We are producing a book to commemorate Rabbi Sacks' tenure as Chief Rabbi and would love to include photos from that time. If you have any of Rabbi Sacks by himself or with a group of people, please send them to us via L&L@theus.org.uk. Please be sure that the copyright holder has given permission for us to publish the photo.

How do you make each day count? Click here to watch this week's D'var Torah by the Chief Rabbi.

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

STANMORE & CANONS PARK UNITED SYNAGOGUE

'Israeli Spy' lectures

In honour of Yom Ha'atzmaut, Stanmore & Canons Park Zoom presents two revealing 'Israeli Spy' lectures: 'Betrayals in Espionage' with Saar Kadmon on Sunday 25 April, and 'From Mossad to Hollywood' with Avner Avraham on Sunday 2 May, both at 8pm.

AHAVAT YISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

Jerusalem: Majesty and Sanctity

Join Ahavat Yisrael as they hear from Rabbanit Dr Tamara Spitz, Dean of Students and Mashgicha Ruchanit of Midreshet Torah V'Avodah. Her talk, titled 'Jerusalem: Majesty and Sanctity' in honour of Yom Yerushalayim, will take place on Sunday 9 May at 8pm.

RUISLIP UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Zoomzits Kabbalat Shabbat

Join Ruislip this Friday night for their 'Zoomzits', a Lag B'Omer Kabbalat Shabbat Service Concert with The Travelling Chassidim. Friday 30 April at 6pm, live on Zoom. The Zoom link can be found by clicking the link below.

CHIGWELL & HAINAULT UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Zionism: The Challenges of Today

Join Chigwell & Hainault in partnership with StandWithUs for an adult educational crash course led by Senior Educator Charlotte Korchak. The course will be made up of four sessions, beginning on Wednesday 5 May. Book now by clicking the link below.

MILL HILL UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Mill Hill celebrates Covid Bar Mitzvahs

Mill Hill Synagogue is organising a special event for all boys who couldn't celebrate their Bar Mitzvahs in person over the past year because of the pandemic. Ten boys are anticipated to attend a specially organised personal service along with their parents and grandparents.

HENDON UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Shiurim for women

Join Hendon United together with Ner Yisrael for their series of shiurim for women, on Sunday evenings from 8:30-9:30pm. The next shiur will be by Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, titled 'Secrets of Redemption in Megillas Rus', and will take place on Sunday 2 May.

EDGWARE UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Edgware presents: Ali Drabu

Join Edgware for Wednesday Night Live with Ali Drabu, a Muslim student and a graduate of the StandWithUs Emerson Fellowship Programme. His talk will be titled 'A Muslim speaking out against anti-Semitism!' and will take place on Wednesday 5 May at 8pm, live on Zoom.

FINCHLEY UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Kinloss presents: Nadia Cohen

Join Kinloss as they hear from Nadia Cohen, for her talk titled 'The Untold Story of the Wife of Eli Cohen'. This inspiring, educational and insightful discussion will take place on Sunday 9 May at 7pm. Book now by clicking the link below.

KENTON UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Kenton presents: Rabbi Jackson

Rabbi Edward Jackson began his ministerial career at Kingston upon Thames Synagogue, then moved to the Kenton Synagogue and subsequently as Rabbi of Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue. He will be speaking on Wednesday 5 May at 8pm, live on Zoom.

EDGWARE UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Breakfast & Learn

Join Edgware for Breakfast & Learn, as they hear from Rabbi Zvi Portnoy, Associate Rabbi of Hendon United Synagogue. Rabbi Portnoy will be giving his talk on Tuesday 4 May at 9am, live on Zoom. The Zoom details can be found by clicking on the link below.

COCKFOSTERS & N SOUTHGATE SYNAGOGUE

CLC presents: Rabbi Yisroel Fine

Rabbi Yisroel Fine will be making a welcome appearance at CLC, which he founded during his twenty-seven years as Rabbi of Cockfosters & N Southgate Synagogue, and will give us a personal glimpse into a little considered aspect of the life of a community Rabbi. Tuesday 4 May at 11am.

KENTON UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Kenton presents: Rami Sherman

In 1976 when an Air-France plane was
hijacked and rerouted to Entebbe, Rami Sherman was the Operations Officer of the unit, under the command of Yoni Netanyahu z”l. Rami will be sharing his story on Monday 3 May at 8pm.

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.