London: 16:29

Birmingham: 16:30

Sheffield: 16:26

Southport: 16:30

Jerusalem: 16:31

London: 17:36

Birmingham: 17:41

Sheffield: 17:42

Southport: 17:48

Jerusalem: 17:50

Good news! The Really Jewish Food Guide 2021 is available now. The guide is fully updated and contains more than 8,300 products which can be found in regular supermarkets and health shops. The range of KLBD-certified products continues to expand, with some 2,500 now listed – the largest number of KLBD-certified products ever.

Highlights this year include three new flavours of M&M’s – Biscuit, Crunchy Caramel and Salted Caramel (other varieties are Not Kosher), Salted Caramel Twix, Warbutons Gluten Free Toastie, Penderyn Welsh Whiskies and Tiptree Gins (35cl only, excluding miniatures). Yum.

The guide also contains details of the Eruvs in London maintained by KLBD and general kashrut information. There are also exclusive vouchers to use in KLBD-licensed shops and restaurants. Speaking of kosher restaurants, check out details of the NEW Bagels Bar Grill House below!

The guide costs £9.95. Details of how to purchase a hard copy can be found via www.kosher.org.uk/guide.

US Chesed needs more volunteer drivers

Every week we provide more than 100 of our most vulnerable families with food parcels. We have wonderful volunteers who help us pack them and wonderful volunteers who help us deliver them. A big thank you to all of you.

But we need more drivers, particularly for Purim and Pesach, subject to government and United Synagogue Covid guidelines. So if you have some spare time and would be willing to deliver food parcels to US members and the asylum-seekers that we support, please get in touch. No specific time commitment is needed. We put the "jobs" out on our WhatsApp group of drivers and you just reply if you are able to do it. We then private message you with the details. Deliveries are required throughout London. For more information, please e-mail Hannah Skolnick on hannahskolnick@theus.org.uk.

Purim and Tu B'Shevat

Today was Tu B'Shevat - the Jewish New Year for Trees. You can watch all our Tu B'Shevat programming on-demand on TheUS.tv! Take a look at the importance of planting trees in Israel, a traditional Tu B’Shevat Seder, turning the desert green and more.

And that means exactly four weeks today is Purim. We know it will be very different to last year given the pandemic so we've been busy behind the scenes putting together a great programme in addition to the wonderful ideas our communities have. We'll be sharing more details next week.

Shabbat shalom,

Richard Verber

Communications Director

United Synagogue

Holocaust Memorial Day 2021

Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 took place on Wednesday 27 January, and we commemorated it with four inspiring programmes, which are all available to watch on-demand on TheUS.tv. This programming included the world's largest online gathering of Holocaust survivors and their descendants, an interview with Auschwitz survivor Eva Schloss MBE, and more. Watch now by clicking the link below.

Do you have space you can donate to US Chesed?

We are looking for space for United Synagogue Chesed activities in North West London or Borehamwood, for 6-12 months. We're looking for at least 1,000 square feet at ground floor level for activities including packing our weekly food emergency food parcels. If you have space you could donate, please email David Collins via dcollins@theus.org.uk, and click on the link below for more information.

LISTEN NOW

Mosaic Voices on BBC Radio 3

Listen to this stunning new piece by Mosaic Voices, New West End Synagogue's choir, on BBC Radio 3. The piece is Benjamin Till's arrangement of a 19th century Jewish melody, Eitz Chayim Hi, by Nissan Blumenthal. Listen by clicking the link below, from 55:45 minutes.

KLBD

New KLBD supervised restaurant!

Bagels Bar Grill House (Glatt Meat) in Hendon is now open for takeaway, with salt beef, pastrami, burgers and more available to order by clicking here. For more KLBD news, please click on the link below.

KASHRUT ALERTS

Ben & Jerry's and Cofresh

Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough Chunks are certified KLBD Dairy however, some batches have been mis-labelled with a KLBD Parev logo. Cofresh Corn Crackers Chilli & Lime are neither KLBD certified nor approved however some packs have been labelled in error with the KLBD logo. You can find out more and see more alerts via the link.

WATCH NOW

Shemot Snacks

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

WATCH NOW

Lunch & Learn

Catch up on this week's Lunch & Learn: Explore the Parasha with Rabbi Yoni Golker of St John's Wood Synagogue, who delved into this week's Parasha, Beshalach. Watch it by clicking on the link below.

WATCH NOW

The Book of Shemot

Join Rabbi Baruch Davis from Chigwell & Hainault United Synagogue for his series exploring the Book of Shemot. This week's talk is titled 'The Paradigm Shifts of Beshalach', and is available to watch on TheUS.tv by clicking the link below.

NER TAMID PROJECT

Daily digital davening

Sadly, with many of our shuls now closed again due to rising infection rates, we've stepped in once again to organise daily prayer services. We will endeavour to broadcast prayers on our Facebook page three times a day (other than Shabbat) led by Rabbis from across our communities.

Why should our children and grandchildren carry out mitzvot? Click here to watch this week's D'var Torah by the Chief Rabbi.

And click here to read a D'var Torah from Rebbetzen Vicki Belovski of Golders Green United Synagogue. This is the latest in our series with the Jewish News profiling United Synagogue Rebbetzens and educators.

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

ST JOHN'S WOOD SYNAGOGUE

The genocide of the Uyghur Muslims

Join St John's Wood, The Saatchi Shul, The S&P Sephardi Community and JRoots for an evening to explore the genocide of the Uyghur Muslims, putting their story in the context of ours. Sunday 31 January at 8.30pm, live on Zoom, and available on-demand on TheUS.tv from Monday.

MUSWELL HILL UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Cook Down in Lockdown

Join Muswell Hill for a cooking demonstration with Chris Honor of Chriskitch, who will be sharing some new, quick and delicious recipe ideas. Tickets cost £5, and all proceeds will go to the Winter Shelter. Sunday 31 January at 8pm. Book now by clicking the link below.

COCKFOSTERS & N SOUTHGATE SYNAGOGUE

CLC presents: Dr Irving Finkel

Irving Finkel has a PhD in Assyriology with a dissertation on Babylonian exorcistic spells against demons, and is Assistant Keeper in the (then) Department of Western Asiatic Antiquities at the British Museum. This is a free event but booking is essential. Tuesday 2 February at 11am.

STANMORE & CANONS PARK UNITED SYNAGOGUE

The impact of Biden on Israel

Join Stanmore & Canons Park for an evening with Jeremy Sharon, Jewish World reporter and the Religious Affairs reporter for The Jerusalem Post, who will be discussing the impact of Biden on Israel. Sunday 7 February at 8pm on Zoom. To request the code, please click the link below.

HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB SYNAGOGUE

The Rabbinic Chavrusa

Join Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue for 'The Rabbinic Chavrusa' in memory of Rabbi Lord Sacks. Rabbi Friedman and Rabbi Lawrence discussed 'To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility'. Watch it on Facebook by clicking the link below.

RICHMOND UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Tu B'Shevat science lab

Join Richmond as they celebrate Tu B'Shevat by doing different fun science experiments using the great heroes of this holiday: fruits, vegetables and seeds. For kids of all ages and their families! Sunday 31 January at 4pm. Book now by clicking the link below.

EDGWARE UNITED SYNAGOGUE

EUS cantors in the 20th century

Join Edgware for an evening presented by Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler, who will be talking about the lives and music of Edgware United Synagogue cantors in the 20th century. Tuesday 2 February at 8pm, live on Zoom.

ST JOHN'S WOOD UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Social Action Project

St John's Wood recently launched a new Social Action Project. With the help of a group of young professional volunteers, they were able to deliver over 200 meals to St John's Wood Synagogue members, United Synagogue members and the wider Westminster community.

WOODSIDE PARK UNITED SYNAGOGUE

The Jewish Impact Series

Join Woodside Park along with Mizrachi for the first in their new 'Jewish Impact Series', as they hear from Sivan Ya'ari, Founder and CEO of Innovation Africa, an Israeli NGO. Monday 1 February at 8pm, live on Zoom.

KENTON UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Kenton presents: Sue Rothstein

Join Kenton for a live recital by internationally acclaimed harpist and composer, Sue Rothstein. The recital will include a fascinating talk about the harp as well as a Q&A. Sunday 31 January at 3pm, live on Zoom.

EDGWARE UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Edgware presents: Rahima Mahmut

Join Edgware for Wednesday Night Live with Rahima Mahmut, a Uyghur singer, human rights activist and award-winning translator of Soyungul Chanisheff's poignant prison memoir. Wednesday 3 February at 8pm, live on Zoom.

KENTON UNITED SYNAGOGUE

Anshei Midot

Join Kenton as they about two giants from the world of Jewish education: Ruth Topper will talk about Sarah Schenirer who created the Beis Ya'acov schools for girls. David Harris will introduce us to Moses Angel, a former headmaster of the Jews' Free School, now JFS. Monday 1 February at 8pm, live on Zoom.

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.