London: 19:33 Birmingham: 19:38 Hull: 19:34 Sheffield: 19:38 Southport: 19:44 Jerusalem: 18:24 London: 20:38 Birmingham: 20:47 Hull: 20:50 Sheffield: 20:53 Southport: 21:00 Jerusalem: 19:42 You can find details of this week's Torah reading, Maftir and Haftarah in our weekly Daf Hashavua by clicking here. Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Yom HaShoah UK held a moving National Holocaust Commemoration event last night. Click here to watch it.
Sunday marks the 60th anniversary of the start of the historic trial of Adolf Eichmann, one of the orchestrators of the Final Solution. We have a powerful article about the trial in this week's Daf Hashavua which you can read here.
If it weren't for the pandemic, hundreds of British Jews would have spent this week in Poland with March of the Living UK. Today they would have marched from Auschwitz I through to Birkenau, together with Holocaust survivors and thousands of other people from around the world.
Instead, March of the Living UK has produced some beautiful videos of well-known personalities walking with survivors here in England, including snooker champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, vice-chair of West Ham United and Apprentice star Karren Brady and ITV's Robert Peston. Click here to watch the trailer and click here to see all the interviews.
Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut
Next week is Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism and Israel's Independence Day).
Join us on Wednesday evening (14 April) at 7.00pm for Bnei Akiva's annual Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut service, usually held at Finchley United Synagogue. Sadly this cannot take place in person for the second year running, but the online service promises still to be moving and uplifting. The singing of Hallel by Jonny Turgel, Chazan of Stanmore & Canons Park United Synagogue is a highlight of the year and we look forward to a keynote speech from the Chief Rabbi. Click here to watch on TheUS.tv.
We have three powerful broadcasts coming up on TheUS.tv to mark Yom Hazikaron:
On Sunday (11 April) at 8.00pm, join United Synagogue Israel Educator Rabbi Dov Kaplan in conversation with Arnold Roth, Chairman of Malki Foundation and father of Malki Roth who was killed in the Sbarro restaurant bombing in Jerusalem in 2001. You can watch here.
On Monday (12 April) at 7.30pm, Rabbi Dov Kaplan will be speaking to the families of three soldiers who tragically lost their lives in the heroic defence of the State of Israel. Watch via this link.
And on Tuesday (13 April) at 8.00pm, join JRoots' Tzvi Sperber for a virtual tour of Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem to discover the fascinating stories of those heroes who lived, fought and died in defence of the State of Israel. Watch at 8.00pm and on demand afterwards by clicking here.
From Exile Towards Redemption
From Exile Towards Redemption is a ground-breaking machzor (special prayer book) for these special days. Produced by the United Synagogue and Koren Publishers, the machzor includes prayers, photos, maps, inspirational stories and essays with contributors past and present including the Chief Rabbi, Natan Sharansky, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt'l and Golda Meir describing the significance of these days from people who lived through these events. You can buy yours now for £15, including postage and packaging (UK orders only).
Hope you had a good Pesach.
Shabbat shalom, Chodesh tov and Yom Ha'atzmaut sameach,
Richard Verber Communications Director United Synagogue The CRP process The Certificate of Religious Practice gives applicants the chance to demonstrate Jewish practice when applying to schools. Collecting CRP points allows you to prove that you are eligible for a faith place. Some changes have been made to the process this year in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. You can read the full details here and watch a short informational film by clicking the link below. Women's Hallel: Live Join Rebbetzen Dr Hadassah Fromson, Community Rebbetzen of Golders Green Synagogue, and Rebbetzen Siobhan Dansky, Rebbetzen of Cranbrook United Synagogue, for an uplifting Women's Hallel service to mark Rosh Chodesh, the new Jewish month of Iyar. Monday 12 April at 1pm, live on Facebook and on Zoom. Please note that this event is for women only. EUROPEAN CANTORS ASSOCIATION The Voice of the Cantor Join the European Cantors Association for the next in their 'Voice of the Cantor' series, which will be titled 'The Challenge of Modern Orthodoxy for the Cantorate', featuring Michael Goldstein, President of the United Synagogue. Wednesday 14 April at 7pm. Register by clicking here. 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 chicken in white wine - watch it by clicking the link below. The surprising value of self-doubt: click here to watch this week's D'var Torah by the Chief Rabbi.
And in addition, as part of our regular series with the Jewish News profiling Rebbetzens and female educators, United Synagogue educator Pnina Savery explores what we can learn from having a "stiff upper lip". Click here to read it. MUSWELL HILL UNITED SYNAGOGUE The Big Israel Quiz Join Muswell Hill for 'The Big Israel Muswell Hill Quiz' to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut, with some delicious Israeli food from Jasmine catering delivered directly to your door. Sunday 18 April at 8pm.To book and buy raffle tickets, please click here. BOREHAMWOOD & ELSTREE UNITED SYNAGOGUE Job searching during Covid-19 Join Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue for an informative panel discussion on job searching and skills training for everyone, from school leavers to those with experience during this difficult time. Monday 19 April at 8pm, live on Zoom. BOREHAMWOOD & ELSTREE UNITED SYNAGOGUE Yom HaZikaron with Rabbi Black Join Borehamwood & Elstree for Yom HaZikaron as they hear from Rabbi Gideon Black, who will discuss his experiences surviving two terrorist attacks, and losing his cousin and best friend, Yoni Jesner. Tuesday 13 April at 8pm, live on Zoom. COCKFOSTERS & N SOUTHGATE SYNAGOGUE CLC presents: Dani Rotstein Dani Rotstein moved from New Jersey to the island of Majorca, Spain, in 2014. There, he learned of the taboo history of the Conversos or Chuetas of the island. In 2018, he founded Limud Mallorca and has run over 50 successful events promoting diversity and inclusion in the growing, Jewish community. Tuesday 13 April at 11am. FINCHLEY UNITED SYNAGOGUE Optimising your health Join Kinloss for the third talk in their 'Healthcare Talks' webinar series in partnership with The Wellington Hospital and the United Synagogue. This talk will be titled 'For the over 70s: optimising your health', featuring a panel of consultants. Tuesday 13 April at 8pm, live on Zoom. Welcome to 'Tell US', where we invite you to contribute a joke, a poem or a story. This week's contribution is by Menasche Scharf, KLBD's Certification Manager.
Deciphering the Sephirah (Counting the Omer)
The seven weeks of Omer Counting started on the morrow of Pesach so far, we counted one week and two days, keeping an eye on our goal
Sephirah is all about counting up – to a countdown to Chag Shavuot when we received the Ten Commandments on two Tablets
Sapphire is the stone from which the Tablets were hewn delivered to us by none other than the prophet Moses
Superman is only a fantasy; us mortals however do it slowly our mission these days is clear: a daily improvement regimen
Safer to stand on firm ground and work our way up - step by step no point trying to imitate fiction characters for short-lived thrills
Cypher conceals the layers of mystery shrouding the meaning of Sephirot or Middot – the personal qualities we ought to aspire to
So that by the time we count day forty-nine and are ready to look forward to a new ‘me’, have the cheesecake AND eat it! This email was sent with love from the United Synagogue. If you no longer wish to receive this email, please unsubscribe here |