{"id":5386,"date":"2020-04-29T15:22:08","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T14:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/willing-lavender-dog.synagogue.org.uk\/test\/?p=5386"},"modified":"2020-05-15T13:48:04","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T12:48:04","slug":"chairmans-message-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willing-lavender-dog.synagogue.org.uk\/test\/chairmans-message-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Chairman’s message 29 April"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For full details on the Synagogue’s programme, click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dear Friends, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today is Israel Independence\nDay, Yom Ha’atzmaut. As\nI am sure you already know it is celebrated on the fifth day of the\nmonth of Iyar, which is the Hebrew date of the formal establishment of the\nState of Israel, when members of the \u201cprovisional government\u201d read and signed a\nDeclaration of Independence in Tel Aviv. The original date corresponded to\nMay 14, 1948. Yesterday was Yom Hazikaron, Israel\u2019s Memorial Day honouring\nIsrael\u2019s fallen soldiers. Whatever our politics and beliefs around Israel today,\nthese two days always make me think of words such as endurance, support and\ncompassion. I see this happening now, both on the large scale of Israel and in\nthe smaller but equally important setting of our community. I hope you do to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, Cantor Heller has created a video with members\nof our Youth Choir. Together they sing Avinu Shebashamayim and it will be used\non this Shabbat, Saturday 2 May during our virtual Shabbat service which is\nwhen we traditionally commemorate the State of Israel. Avinu Shebashamayim is\nthe prayer for the welfare of the State of Israel sung to the music of Sol Zim\nand was sung by Cantor Heller with the youth choir at our 80th anniversary\ncivic service. Please watch the service but if you would like to see the video\nin advance or indeed again afterwards it can be found with this link https:\/\/youtu.be\/S4onuzI2MeI<\/strong><\/a>. I have seen it and it is wonderful and\nuplifting. I send a huge personal thank you to all of the youth choir members\nwho participated in creating it and of course to Cantor Heller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\nthought that you would be interested to know that last Sunday 21 members of the\nAdult Discussion group hosted a virtual visit with Marie Van der Zyl, President\nof the Board of Deputies. Marie spoke for approximately 20 minutes about the\nhistory and work of the Board of Deputies and then asked for questions. Marie\ntalked about various interfaith projects, Charedi communities and more details\nof the workings of the Board. It was a very informative and enlightening\nmeeting with good positive feedback. It especially highlighted what a hard\nworking person Marie is and her difficulties as President of the Board of\nDeputies in trying to represent a very disparate Jewish Community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also\nlast week, we held a regular but virtual meeting of the Executive of the Board\nand the Board itself will meet virtually on 14 May. The Board has taken a\nunanimous decision, after taking advice from our Constitution Committee, to\npostpone the Synagogue AGM, which is usually held in June, to 2 November 2020.\nWe would all much prefer to hold the AGM in person than virtually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you\nknow I am still asking for volunteers to offer events to the Community to\nbrighten up our days. I have had two brilliant offers from the Jay family.\nHannah Jay is happy to offer Maths and Science tuition up to GCSE level.\nDeborah Jay is offering French or Italian Conversation practice and is also\nhappy to offer help to anyone who is trying to write a memoir and feels they\ncould do with some guidance. If you would like to take up either of these\noffers please email Deborah on deborahjacinta@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have\nalso been contacted by Emma Alter, who is running online Feldenkrais group\nclasses, (Improving your movement), via Zoom. Her usual class fees are \u00a310, but\nshe has kindly said that if people have had their income affected by the\ncurrent pandemic they can join and pay only if they can afford it. To\nparticipate in Feldenkrais you have to be able to get up and down from the\nfloor. If there is enough demand, Emma is happy to have a regular Belsize\nFeldenkrais Class and aim it in terms of ability towards what is needed, for\ninstance, a seated class for those of us who are less mobile. For more\ninformation or to ask questions please email Emma at themovingbrain@fastmail.fm<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can I\nalso remind you of Claire Walford\u2019s Zoom Kiddush which I wrote about last week.\nSeveral people joined and she would like some more of you to come along. You\ncan contact her on claire.walford@yahoo.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally\nour telephoning of members continues through the Tikkun Olam Committee and\nvolunteers are now reaching out to everyone over 50. If you are over 50 and\ndon\u2019t receive a call but would like one, then please do contact the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I\nstarted this email by talking about Israel and community, I finish it by saying\nthat I hope this tells you that you belong to a thriving and supportive\ncommunity. Keep the volunteer offers coming and below you will find some more\ngardening tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay\nsafe <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jackie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gardening Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n