26th December 2020 / 11th Tevet 5781 Dear Member,
Please see below for our weekly e-newsletter.
The Shul is now closed for all services and all other events until further notice.
The Shul office will remain open for phone calls only. Please do not visit the Shul office for any reason. If you are due to make a payment, this can be done by debit/credit card by ringing Michelle on 020 8629 2783 or by cheque through the post.
If you know of anyone that needs our help please contact the Shul office.
Details of our Zoom Services are below
This week’s Cranbrook News is kindly sponsored by Shabbat Shalom,
Cranbrook US
News and Views This week has been an incredibly stressful one for London. As a result of a new strain of the Covid virus, a large part of the South East of England is experiencing tier 4 restrictions. People who had expected to see their loved ones over this period were told that they could not, and I have no doubt that this caused a huge amount of disappointment for many. This new strain has also caused difficulties for our economy with many lorries and trucks stopped at the borders, unable to send their goods across to the European mainland.
Obviously all of these obstructions have caused a huge deal of argument in political circles as to who is to blame. Some have even gone as far as to blame the prime minister saying that he has “created” a new strain of the virus in order to increase the levels of restrictions, others that he is doing this to “spook” our European neighbours. Yet others are calling for the resignation of Matt Hancock because of his handling of lockdown, and constantly having to change his and the government’s stance towards lockdown rules. The government, on the other hand, holds fast to their view that they have been ahead of the curve in relation to the virus. In a fantastic article (The Times, 23 December 2020), Daniel Finkelstein points out that all of these arguments all stem from the idea that the government is in control of the virus. However, he points out, it is the virus that is in control, and that all of us are just trying the best that we can to save lives and to be as responsible as we can. It is a mistake to think that we have control, and therefore that we can criticise actions taken by others who are just trying the best we can to contain this virus.
This point that we at times we are not in control over the things that happen to us, is seen in this week’s parsha. Yehudah, the acknowledged leader of his brothers challenges the viceroy of Egypt, who unbeknown to him is actually Joseph, and entreats him not to take Benjamin into slavery. We note that Yehudah doesn’t blame anyone. He doesn’t blame himself for what has happened. He doesn’t blame his brother Benjamin for having stolen the cup which is the reason for Benjamin being taken into slavery in the first place. What he does do is take responsibility for his own actions. He says “for I have taken as a guarantor for the youth (Benjamin)” to his father. If a person is a guarantor for another person, and that person for example loses money, there is no point in the guarantor blaming that person for losing money. He has taken that responsibility upon himself, and therefore he must pay for the losses that that person has incurred.
Leadership is not about blaming others for what has happened. It is not about tooting your horn about how clever and wonderful you are in your endeavours. It is not bravery that prompts Yehudah into the stance that he takes, it is a question of being responsible for those in his care. He did not stand up for Benjamin to receive plaudits from his brothers. It is about saying what can I do to ensure that this situation is improved - what can I do, and if it means that I have to take the consequences for the actions of someone else, so be it, but that does not mean for a second that I should tar someone else with blame and guilt for their actions.
Perhaps our politicians should take a leaf out of Yehudah’s book. Perhaps they should not be so quick to pat themselves on the back, but simply say that they are doing the best they can. Perhaps, instead of blaming the government, they should question how they can best support their constituents in a proactive and responsible manner. The only result of blame is guilt, and guilt can only lead in one direction - to blame, anger and revenge. While this may be useful on the political stage, I doubt whether it improves the lot of anyone in this country.
Wishing you a good Shabbos Love Rabbi Steven, Siobhan, Maya and Talia Dansky
Service Times - Vayigash
Candle Lighting before 3.41pm Shabbat ends at 4.51pm Shabbat Candle lighting and Shabbat Begins next week (Vayechi) at 3.47pm.
Service Times
- Ma’ariv at 7.30pm on Zoom.
If members go into hospital to Queens, King George or Whipps Cross or any other hospital could they please inform the Shul office so that we can keep up to date as to how they are.
Zoom Service Details
Weekday Shacharit: On Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86385039085?pwd=aHU4bTJrT2I5b0syODU1T0szK3N6QT09
Meeting ID: 863 8503 9085 / Password: 695854
Ma'ariv: On Zoom Monday to Thursday evening at 7:30pm.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82329373357?pwd=bmdvaGpMa2wrYkdDVFFSTDllTnBMZz09
Meeting ID: 823 2937 3357 / Password: 582038
Nadia Bernstein, Keith Biller, Nicola Cohen,
Philip Fagelson, Marie Gordon, Joseph Gordon, Barbara Grossman, Monty Shoben, Antony Stewart on their respective birthdays.
Condolences to: Gerald Fox and family on the loss of his wife, Yvonne Fox.
Mandy Messias and Ruth Lederman on the loss of their mother, Shirley Greenbaum.
Rebbetzen Siobhan Dansky delivering gifts for the children at Queen's Hospital, Romford as part of the annual Camp Simcha toy drive.
We wish Long Life to everyone who is observing a Yahrzeit this week:
Vera Aarons, Renee Adler, Audrey Allen, Stephen Arbiter, Ann Belson, Ralph Berkley, Howard Berlin, Lilian Black, Kenneth Black, Susan Brattman, Jacqueline Burns, Kitty Davis, Raymond Franks, Michael Freed, Lydia Freedman, Sylvia Frydland, Norman Gershon, Ezekiel Gillis, Doreen Gold, Stephen Goldman, Ernest Green, Barbara Grew, Gaynor Grew, Elizabeth Greyman, Barbara Grossman, Robert Grossman, Brenda Harris, Lester Harris, Vivien Hoffman, Claire Hutchinson, Renee Jackson, Barbara Joseph, Martin Kay, Irene Kaye, Jeanette Kaye, Andrew Keizner, Cyril Keizner, Maureen Keizner, Janet Kennard, Minnie Kogan, Stella Landsberg, Elaine Lawson, Jeffrey Leader, Rita Lebetkin, Brian Lee, Lily Lee, Alan Lester, Ivor Lethbridge, Angela Levene, Anthony Levine, Sadie Levy, Patricia Lewis, Monica Mann, Jennifer Marks, Pauline Meardon, Sandra Nerden, Mandie Preston, Martin Rankoff, Sarah Roat, Joseph Rose, Daniel Rose, Estelle Rosenbloom, Barry Roth, Betty Saunders, Sharon Saunders, Linda Segal, Barry Shenker, Keith Shenker, Rita Shenker, Ruth Sherman, Rita Stedman, Stuart Stirling, Astrid Tartes, Eileen Vilka, Kenneth Wayne, Audree Wershof, Wendy Werth, Elliot Woolf, Yaron Woolf and David Zwirek.
Pesach 5781 - Shalom Magazine
Many thanks to everyone who submitted articles for the Rosh Hashanah Edition of the Shalom Magazine. We have had some excellent feedback from our readers. The next edition of the Shalom Magazine will be the Pesach 5781 Edition.
If you have any interesting or amusing articles with a Jewish content that you would like us to include, please email them as soon as possible to Philippa Stanton at stanton.philippa@gmail.com.
All articles, pictures and stories must be received by 1st February 2021 - however, I have already started collecting new articles, so please email me as soon as you can! Get your Company's name in print!
Not only do we need articles for the shul magazine, but we also need advertisements too. Adverts can be full size in colour, half page or quarter page.
Get your company's name seen by all our members, nearly 2000 of them. Contact the shul office for details. The 200 Club The 200 Club aims to raise funds for building and maintaining the Shul, but has extended its function to help with various events that need organising.
To join please fill out the application form by clicking here.
Congratulations to our latest winners.
November 1st prize £250 Yaffa Nathan 2nd price £100 Anne Jayson
December 1st prize £250 Martin Bloomberg 2nd price £100 Ivor Martin
Shul Office Opening Hours As the Shul office is not open currently please call Estelle on 020 8629 2780 or Michelle on 020 8629 2783.
Rabbi Dansky is available out of hours. You can contact him directly on his mobile 07780 236697 or by calling the Shul office and selecting option 3.
Reverend Newman is available out of hours. You can contact him directly on his mobile 07882 054321 or by calling the Shul office and selecting option 4.
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