London: 19:28 Birmingham: 19:33 Hull: 19:28 Sheffield: 19:32 Southport: 19:38 Jerusalem: 18:21 London: 20:29 Birmingham: 20:38 Hull: 20:39 Sheffield: 20:42 Southport: 20:49 Jerusalem: 19:36 London: 19:21 Birmingham: 19:26 Hull: 19:21 Sheffield: 19:25 Southport: 19:31 Jerusalem: 18:16 London: 20:22 Birmingham: 20:24 Hull: 20:31 Sheffield: 20:34 Southport: 20:41 Jerusalem: 19:32 London: 20:22 Birmingham: 20:24 Hull: 20:31 Sheffield: 20:34 Southport: 20:41 Jerusalem: 19:32 London: 20:19 Birmingham: 20:28 Hull: 20:28 Sheffield: 20:32 Southport: 20:38 Jerusalem: 19:31 You can find details of this week's Torah reading, Maftir and Haftarah in our weekly Daf Hashavua by clicking here. And you can read a special Daf Hashavua for Rosh Hashanah via the same link. Thursday 2 September, 2021 Rosh Hashanah is all about new beginnings. Next week we'll say in shul: Hayom harat olam, “Today is the creation of the world”. Rosh Hashanah is considered the ‘birthday’ of the world as tradition holds that Rosh Hashanah was when Adam, the first human, was created. The word harat is a tricky one to translate. It comes from the Hebrew root ‘h-r-h’ which means gestation or pregnancy.
Building on this, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz z’l (1937-2020) suggests that Rosh Hashanah is considered to be a little like a pregnancy: although there is a child there, it is not born yet and nobody knows what it will be or how it will turn out.
It is this sense of starting anew, of a fresh injection of new potential, of putting behind us any mistakes or false starts, that I find one of the most uplifting aspects of Rosh Hashanah. Which of us hasn’t committed ourselves to spending some time connecting more with our religion, only to find ourselves being beaten by work or family commitments? Now is the time.
So Rosh Hashanah at its core is, in a sense, all of our birthdays – a day of renewal, of new beginnings. This time of year affords us all the opportunity to take stock and ask ourselves some difficult questions: am I being the best me I can be? Am I making every day count? How can I make the world a better place? For many of our members, this Rosh Hashanah will also mark the start of their return to shul. Although Coronavirus is still with us, lockdown restrictions have been lifted and much of the population has been vaccinated. I know this will mean, as our recent membership survey suggested, that many members will be more comfortable returning to shul and we are so excited to welcome you back, whether for services, events, volunteering or even a fishball at kiddush.
Our membership survey also highlighted some of the challenges the United Synagogue faces. Some members told us how they were not satisfied with the provision for young people in their community during Covid. We are committed to redressing this balance now that young people’s programmes can once again take place in person.
Members were also clear that they want to engage through both online and in-person events and services. It's clear that members are excited to come back to their communities again but that engaging online is an option members want to see continue. This ‘hybrid’ model of community means we need to explore how to make the most of new technologies that continue to allow participation from afar as well as enjoying the many benefits that human-to-human contact brings – while ensuring we keep our members safe.
We know the journey to this Rosh Hashanah has had its challenges. I want to pay testament on behalf of my fellow Trustees to the extraordinary work of your Rabbinic and lay teams supported by your shul office team and colleagues at head office. Without them, and the thousands of volunteers across our organisation, there would be no United Synagogue.
This will be our first Rosh Hashanah without our beloved Rabbi Sacks zt'll. Like so many others, I am still coming to terms with him no longer being with us and shall be thinking of him and his family while using his superb machzor next week. Rabbi Sacks' Stonesetting (Matzeiva) took place on Monday at Bushey New Cemetery and you can watch the eulogies here.
Over the next week United Synagogue member households will receive their complimentary copy of Rabbi Sacks And The Community We Built Together, a new book we have written to honour the memory and teachings of the much missed Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt''l. It contains over 250 pages of Torah, recollections, photographs and stories from Rabbi Sacks' colleagues during his Chief Rabbinate as well as some of Rabbi Sacks' own writings from that period. You can order a copy here, watch a short video here and if your copy hasn't arrived by next Thursday, please email L&L@theus.org.uk.
It has been an incredibly difficult year since my last Rosh Hashanah message. But with your participation in your community and the support of the Almighty, we will have, please God, a bright future.
Michael Goldstein President United Synagogue WATCH NOW Stonesetting of Rabbi Sacks zt''l The Stonesetting (Matzeiva) of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l took place on Monday at Bushey New Cemetery. It was officiated by Rabbi Dr Harvey Belovski and eulogies were offered, in order, by the Chief Rabbi, Dayan Ivan Binstock and Lady Elaine Sacks. You can watch and read the eulogies via the link below. THEUS.TV Rosh Hashanah online content Our website is full of great content for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Do also check out www.TheUS.tv, our on-demand video platform, for programmes about the yamim noraim (High Holy Days) including highlights from last year. You can find these programmes by clicking the link below. THIS SUNDAY Women's Musical Selichot Join Rebbetzen Dr Hadassah Fromson (Community Rebbetzen of Golders Green Synagogue) and musician Hadassa Kessler with their instruments and voices for a spiritual, musical and soulful journey towards Yom Kippur. Live on Sunday 12 September, 8pm. This event is open to women only. WATCH NOW Chocolate & Pink Grapefruit Tart Borehamwood & Elstree Synagogue’s Rabbi Yaacov Finn continues to cook his way through the Parshiot – now we are onto the Book of Devarim. Each week Rabbi Finn will be bringing you a delicious new recipe to try! This week is Chocolate & Pink Grapefruit Tart - watch it by clicking the link below. What can creation teach us about New Year's Resolutions? Click here to find out in the Chief Rabbi's Rosh Hashanah message. COCKFOSTERS & N SOUTHGATE SYNAGOGUE Coffee&Company: Live Join CNSS for a very special Coffee&Company, live from Israel with Brothers for Life on Thursday 9 September at 10:45am. Brothers for Life’s mission is to empower injured combat soldiers to reclaim their lives, fulfil their dreams, and continue to serve and inspire the Jewish nation. HENDON UNITED SYNAGOGUE Shofar so good Join Raleigh Close for some pre-Yamim Noraim inspiration with renowned educator Rabbi David Aaron . Rabbi Aaron's topic is "Shofar so good, celebrating a joyous day of judgement". Next Thursday (2 September), 8pm on Zoom. Details in the link below and it will be available on TheUS.tv from tomorrow morning. GOLDERS GREEN SYNAGOGUE New logo, brand and website Golders Green Synagogue has launched a new logo, brand and website, the result of a major exercise undertaken over the past nine months to create a look and feel that better reflects their wonderful community, and a more user-friendly website that is designed to better support online engagement. Take a look via the link below! BELMONT UNITED SYNAGOGUE Honey cakes and a summer BBQ Rosh Hashanah gifts and honey cakes were distributed by Belmont Community Cares volunteers to 90 families, together with their community magazine. Belmont also held their first in-person social event in 18 months with 100 members enjoying a Summer BBQ and games. This week You&US reader J D Millaric has contributed a poem for the upcoming Yamim Noraim.
For most of us, the end of this Jewish Year 5781, can’t come soon enough It’s been a right, royal, annus horribilis Lockdowns, and restrictions on our freedoms aplenty – it’s been really tough Yes, for sure these we won’t miss
This year, the Coronavirus pandemic has played havoc with our lives And it’s certainly not over yet In 5782, there will surely be many continuing challenges to recognise And that will have to be met
Our normal observance of, and ability to practise, our Judaism Has been via a new paradigm Doubtless this was the case for the followers of other religions Who’ve also endured a torrid time
We have rarely been able to go to Israel throughout all of 5781 Or indeed travel to anywhere We have been at home, often feeling lonely, isolated and numb Living our lives in despair
Israel was once again drawn into a violent conflict with her enemy – Hamas Many people on both sides were injured or killed Israeli and Palestinian, because of this Islamist, terrorist regime, and alas, So much blood has been so sadly spilled
Let’s hope and pray that the New Year is much better for us all Everywhere, in all sorts of ways For the global Jewish community as well as all other people As our lives enter a new phase
Full of good things, health, all forms of sustenance and many simchas Starting with the joyous days of Succoth and Simchat Torah May this pandemic end, and peace come to Israel and her neighbours I wish you all a L’Shanah Tovah U’metukah This email was sent with love from the United Synagogue. If you no longer wish to receive this email, please unsubscribe here |