London: 20:55 Birmingham: 20:00 Sheffield: 21:06 Jerusalem: 19:04 London: 22:09 Birmingham: 22:22 Sheffield: 22:36 Jerusalem: 20:34 On Tuesday the United Synagogue turned 150 years young. To mark the anniversary, today we are thrilled to launch our new TV station: TheUS.tv.
As the world has learned to adapt to these unusual times, the United Synagogue and our communities were thrown a new and unexpected challenge – how to engage our members and the wider community without being able to congregate.
We turned to the world of livestreaming to replace talks, events, and services which would usually all be held in person, and it has been astonishing to see the success of these livestreams grow.
Tens of thousands of people have viewed our content and watched the broadcasts from our communities. So that got us thinking: how could we take our thriving online presence to the next level?
And that brings us to TheUS.tv. Our new on-demand channel will be home to our videos and livestreams and will showcase great content from our communities. You'll be able to watch the popular Kabbalat Shabbat Live services, entertaining events, Lunch & Learns and high profile speakers.
Whilst the catalyst for this project was the coronavirus crisis, the long-term vision we'd already put in place was to create an enduring shift in the way that the United Synagogue presents content and engages with its members and communities and the wider Jewish community.
What better week than the one we celebrate our 150th anniversary to launch a product that represents our future and potential to reach out to our members in ways our founders could never have imagined?
And speaking of our anniversary, to commemorate the occasion, we've put together a lovely short booklet which you can download for free by clicking here. Shabbat shalom,
Richard Verber Communications Director, United Synagogue COVID-19 survey of UK Jews All United Synagogue members are encouraged to participate in this important Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR) survey. It asks how the pandemic has affected British Jews and is designed to help Jewish organisations manage the crisis. Please click below to take part as soon as you can. WATCH AGAIN A time to act Catch up on a compelling panel discussion between Nigel Savage, President and CEO of Hazon; Talia Chain, Founder and CEO of Sadeh Farm; and Steven Wilson, Chief Executive of the United Synagogue, as they discussed environmental sustainability and Golders Green United Synagogue. THE THREE WEEKS Destruction and renewal Join South Hampstead, along with JRoots and the United Synagogue, for a brand new three-part series: 'Destruction and Renewal', a visual history of the Jews and Jerusalem. The first session will explore Jewish life on the eve of the Temple's destruction. Wednesday 22 July at 8pm. WE'D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK! Do you have your finger on the pulse? Finger on the Pulse is a focus group where our members talk to the United Synagogue and we listen. The next focus group is on Monday 20 July, when we want to hear views on "How did the US do over lockdown?". The good, the bad and the indifferent. 12 places maximum - please RSVP via the button below. WILLESDEN JEWISH CEMETERY Rosalind Franklin day Join Willesden Jewish Cemetery and Jewish Renaissance for two special Zoom events on Sunday 26 July, celebrating the centenary of the birth of influential scientist Rosalind Franklin. The first, at 3pm will explore the impact of her work on viruses, and the second, at 6pm, will look at her life story.
“For a candle is a commandment, and the Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23)
The Menorah is one of the best-known Jewish objects. While it is most readily associated with Chanukah, the first menorah was built 1,000 years earlier from pure gold for the mishkan, the portable Tabernacle (Exodus 25:31-40). It was lit with fresh oil daily, but through a miracle one of the lamps never went out (Shabbat 22b).
There is an echo of this everlasting light (the reason we have a ner tamid in our synagogues) in our verse in Mishlei where King Solomon compares a candle to a commandment, and the Torah to light. As the commentator Rashi (1040-1105) explains, the merit of a commandment is only for a limited time, like the light of a candle, whereas the merit of the Torah lasts forever, just as light always illuminates.
Only pure oil from crushed olives can be used to light the Menorah in the mishkan (Exodus 27:20). Why crushed? Rashi says that only the first drop of each olive was fit to be used.
There is something important about pressure being placed on the olive to produce the oil that will fuel the Divine light of the menorah. Perhaps we too need to feel the pressure sometimes for our best to come out.
The current pandemic has certainly brought the best out of people through countless examples of selfless volunteering. Although we can’t stop bad things happening, we can choose how to react to them. And the light that comes from this is the light that is the most effective to bring God’s Divine light in the world.
Rebbetzen Dr Hadassah Fromson is the Community Rebbetzen of Golders Green United Synagogue
PINNER UNITED SYNAGOGUE The Jews who helped cure Nazis Join Robert Beiber, MBE, Visiting Research Fellow at King's College, London to hear a remarkable tale of three Jewish army officers who used kindness and care to rehabilitate their former SS enemies. Next Wednesday (22 July), at 8.15pm via Facebook Live. EDGWARE UNITED SYNAGOGUE We're all doomed? Join Edgware to hear from Robin Moss, the Director of Strategy at UJIA. This talk will discuss the predictions and visions of the early Zionists, including the prophecies of Herzl, Jabotinsky and more. Live on Zoom next Tuesday (21 July), 8pm. (Meeting ID: 377 543 5988 Password: 101203) RICHMOND UNITED SYNAGOGUE Boom! Get confident and get creative Apparently, Plato said: "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation", so join Richmond online for 90 minutes of live creativity with Dave Bourn, from improv group "Sprout Ideas". Next Wednesday (22 July) at 7.30pm. It's free and all are welcome! BARNET UNITED SYNAGOGUE Barnet bounces back Read Paul Lang's article about Barnet's response to the current crisis and the many ways in which they have helped to support their members. This has included food deliveries, Shabbat packs, and online education sessions. Read the full article by clicking the link below. COCKFOSTERS AND N SOUTHGATE SYNAGOGUE CLC presents: Dr Marcos Vital Now a retired doctor living in Plymouth, Marc was rounded up by the Egyptian authorities and put in prison whilst he was a medical student in Egypt in the 1950s. This is a free event but booking is essential. Next Tuesday (21 July), 11am. HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB UNITED SYNAGOGUE Movie night: The Women's Balcony Technion UK and UK Jewish Film invite you to a screening of the Israeli film 'The Women's Balcony'. Join us on Facebook Live afterwards for an in-depth discussion with HGSS' Rabbanit Batya Friedman, Bushey's Rebbetzen Jacqueline Feldman and the United Synagogue's Jo Grose. Tonight, 8pm. EDGWARE UNITED SYNAGOGUE Edgware US presents: Maureen Lipman Edgware are back with another Wednesday Night Live, this time featuring actress Maureen Lipman. Maureen has appeared in West End shows, in films, and on TV. Hear her speak live on Zoom tonight at 8pm. (Meeting ID: 867 0567 1231 Password: 077490) BUSHEY, STANMORE AND BELMONT UNITED Bringing the Old City to life Bushey, Belmont and Stanmore invite you to join them for an immersive experience with Rabbi Tzvi Shiloni who will bring the Old City to life. The event is on Wednesday 22 July at 8.15pm. You can watch via Zoom or on Bushey's YouTube channel. Email assistantrabbi@busheyus.org for the Zoom details. NEW WEST END UNITED JEWISH COMMUNITY Zoom around the world: Berlin After a successful first week in Rome, New West End are back for the next leg of their guided Jewish tours of 5 cities around the world, this week in Berlin. This Sunday (19 July) at 4pm, live on Zoom. Book now by clicking the link below. This email was sent with love from the United Synagogue. If you no longer wish to receive this email, please unsubscribe here |