Rosh Hashanah 2011 - Chatham Memorial Synagogue

Chatham Memorial Synagogue Newsletter Rosh Hashanah 5772 September 2011 

L’Shana Tova, to all our readers. I trust you will enjoy reading this publication. Included this time are several articles 

from communal organisations received by the Jon Weiner & Gabriel Lancaster, this newsletter gives the opportunity 

to disseminate them to you. Our Synagogue Newsletter is for YOU and input from members & friends is always 

appreciated. Jo Freeman ( Hon Editor) joeyfied@hotmail.com 

SOCIAL & PERSONAL 

Mazeltov to 

Lior Murphy and his family on celebrating his Barmitzvah in October 2011 

Marie Halpern on the occasion of her 80 th Birthday in August 2011 

Ari & Ismini Phillips on the occasion of their Chuppah in January 2011 

We wish long life and offer our condolences to Ian & Nina Cooper on the recent death of Margaret Cooper. 

A big thank you to, David Herling, Marc Brodheim and Joel Verstappen for recently clearing all the overgrown 

foliage from the back and side of the shul building. 

Marie Halpern would like to thank the community for the beautiful Challah Cloth and to everyone for their good 

wishes & gifts to mark her special birthday. 

FROM THE CHAIRMAN 

Everyone tells you that time seems to go faster as you get older. I can hardly believe that the High Holydays are upon 

us again so soon. The white curtains and covers will appear in the shul in the next few days and the shops will be 

running out of honey. 

Soon we will be together at Rosh Hashanah reflecting on the past year and asking the Almighty to inscribe us in the 

Book of Life for another year. We also reflect upon our community and how we can help to ensure that it continues 

to thrive in the year ahead. In the Chanukah newsletter I described how teamwork was essential to the success of 

any organisation and I want to thank everyone who has played a part in the life of the community in the last few 

months. Anything that our members and friends do to help is always valuable and gratefully received. 

One reason that our community has remained viable is our use of modern communications. Years ago, nothing 

would get done without meetings. Whilst meetings are still necessary, though I am pleased to say not so lengthy as 

they used to be, so much can be organised now via email. Information can be quickly sent to members and friends 

by email or by posting it on the synagogue website. We now have a Facebook page and you can follow us on Twitter. 

Anyone who becomes a “fan” of the Facebook page by choosing to “like” the page can post information of interest 

to other members. For example you may post details of a TV program which you think people may be interested in 

or a link to a piece of Jewish music, etc. Take a look at the “Facebook/Twitter” page on the website. I realise that a 

lot of the information on the website is now a little dated so I will be looking to update it in the next few weeks. Any 

suggestions for improvements to the site will be gratefully received. 

We have continued to hold a full range of services in recent months and had a good turnout for Chanukah, Purim 

and for most of the monthly Shabbat morning services. We again took part in the Holocaust Memorial Day event in 

Rochester Cathedral on 27 January. In 2012 it will the turn of the synagogue to host the event. 

Our relationship with the other Kent Jewish communities and with other religious groups continues to be a warm 

one. We welcomed a large number of visitors from Kent Liberal Jewish Community – Ohel Rachel (recently renamed 

in memory of their late Chair, Hazel Bishop) and Thanet and District Reform Synagogue at our Shabbat service on 3 

September when our guests were the Bishop of Rochester and the Acting Dean (see separate article). On Sunday 11 

September I attended a short ceremony at the cathedral with the chairman of Medway Inter-Faith Action Forum and 

the Acting Dean to mark the anniversary of 9/11. 

Full details of the services for the High Holydays and Succot appear on the website. I look forward to seeing you over 

the coming days and I wish you and your family a happy, healthy and peaceful year 

1


THE NEW YEAR GREETING APPEAL WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGHOUT THE YOM TOVIM. DONATIONS CAN BE 

LEFT IN THE SYNAGOGUE, GIVEN TO MARIE HALPERN OR POSTED TO: 

Jo Freeman Eastside Farm Yieldshields CARLUKE ML8 4QY Cheques should be payable to Chatham Ladies Guild 

Please give details of the names to be added to the list of donors. Funds raised will be divided between: 

Magen David Adom (www.mdauk.org) 

Jewish Blind & Disabled Society (www.jbd.org) 

Heart of Kent Hospice (www.hokh.co.uk) 

The list will then be distributed at Simchat Torah 

The annual Kol Nidre Appeal will as usual request funds for the maintenance & restoration of our beautiful 

Synagogue 

From Ismini Phillips 

I thought that it may be of interest for the Community to know how I have recently changed my career and hence 

my family life. I was a Document Production Manager for one of the largest City law firms for the last eight years, 

managing a team on a 24 hour basis and a part-time Pilates teacher for the last four/five years. In May this year, I 

took the decision to leave my permanent job and concentrate on Pilates which I am extremely passionate about, so 

from 1 July 2011 I became self-employed and now only teach Pilates and some Zumba classes. I took the decision 

for two reasons, a change of lifestyle so that I could do the school run more comfortably without the daily stress and 

because I felt a sense of joy whenever a client of mine told me that they felt their posture had improved, or their 

back ache had gone away, or that their scoliosis had got better and that they were standing more upright. Since 

leaving my full time job I have increased the number of classes that I teach and I have also immersed myself into 

further training, having recently become certified as a breast cancer exercise specialist and soon to start training as a 

specialist in low back pain. 

Having taken the decision to concentrate on Pilates, I was fortunate to receive an invitation, from a complete 

stranger via LinkedIn, to sign up for the Pink Ribbon Program training, which is a modified Pilates workout enhancing 

the post operative recovery of breast cancer survivors. Having worked with breast cancer survivors in my regular 

Pilates classes, I felt that this was meant to be and it would certainly improve my knowledge of this illness and how I 

could best help those recovering from the surgery and adjuvant treatments. I trained with the founder of the Pink 

Ribbon Program and I'm one of 30 Pilates teachers and/or physios in Europe who is certified to deliver this modified 

workout and feel privileged to have been chosen to take part in this launch in the UK. I pride myself on my thorough 

and focused approach to my Pilates sessions, which my clients love and this has just added to my repertoire. At the 

same time that I received this invitation to attend this training, I received an invitation to go for a mammogram 

which was out of the ordinary since I am not yet 50, the current age for breast cancer screening. I decided to go all 

the same and after having the mammogram, I spoke with the Breast Screening staff at Bluewater, Kent, about the 

Pink Ribbon Program which they felt was very much needed in the area and I am now hoping to work with the 

oncology Units in the surrounding regions to deliver this program to the many women that are recovering from 

breast cancer surgery, which very often leaves the patient with reduced mobility in the upper body and reduced 

stability depending on the surgery they have had. 

With the approach of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, I am running a Women's Wellness Day at the 

Thistle Hotel, Brands Hatch to launch the Pink Ribbon Program, where I will also be accompanied by various 

speakers, including a Addic Brillon from our Community who is highly specialised dietician with the NHS, who will 

talk about healthy nutrition, a breast cancer survivor talking of her experience and the lack of exercise support post 

surgery and other complementary therapists present to talk about women's health and to demonstrate various 

therapies. I will be talking about the Pink Ribbon Program and demonstrating some of the exercises within the 

program so that those present can experience the importance of it. The event is open to all and is free and non 

profit making. It is being held on Sunday 16 October from 1.30pm to 5.30pm. 

I am attaching a copy of my DL Trifold Pink Ribbon Program for your perusal, and I hope that this will be of interest 

as an article and as some PR for the Women's Wellness Day, since 1 in 8 women suffer from breast cancer, the ratio 

rises the older a woman is and 1% of men also contract the disease. With breast cancer screening ceasing for those 

reaching 70 unless they request a mammogram every three years, it is important that women really understand how 

to look for symptoms of this disease and that there are therapies beyond their treatment if they are survivors. 

2


Reprinted courtesy of Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild 

So, there was this man . . . who was so unhappy with his life . . . he grumbled, complained, and was 

not grateful for anything. One day the Angel of Death came to him and said, "OK-time's up; you're 

coming with me." The misanthrope suddenly perks up and pleads with the Angel of Death to spare 

him. "I'll do anything!" he says. "Just please don't take me now!" 

The Angel of Death makes him a deal: "Every day that you find something to bless in your life, 

everyday that you find something different to thank God for, is another day that I'll let you live. But as 

soon as you stop, I will come back for you." 

The man agrees and the Angel of Death departs. 

Amazingly enough, this man does find something different to bless and be thankful for every day, and 

this turns his life around. He is filled with gratitude and lives happily. 

The day he turns 120, he decides enough is enough. He's had a long, fulfilling life and has a deep 

appreciation for all of God's gifts. He decides that he will not say a new blessing that day. And sure 

enough, the Angel of Death comes back. 

"You didn't say a blessing today," the Angel remarks. 

"I have learned a lot and have been grateful for all God's blessings, but I am tired. I am ready to go," 

the man replies. 

"Then I will take you," says the Angel. 

"Thank God for that," says the man. 

The Angel of Death throws up his hands and turns away saying, "See you tomorrow!" 

3


More to make you smile! 

Terror threat/Bloody nuisance By John Cleese 

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have therefore raised their security level 

from "Miffed" to "Peeved". Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross". 

The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been 

re-categorized from "Tiresome" to "A Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning 

level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada. 

The Scots have raised their threat level from "Pissed Off" to "Let's get the Bastards". They don't have any other 

levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years. 

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide". The only 

two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender". The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that 

destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralysing the country's military capability. 

Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout Loudly and Excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing". Two more 

levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides". 

The Germans have increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching 

Songs". They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose". 

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out 

of Brussels. 

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass 

bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy. 

Australia , meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be alright, Mate". Two more 

escalation levels remain: "Crikey! I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!" and "The barbie is cancelled". 

So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level. 

......................................................................................................................................................................... 

Recipe: Rich fruit and nut honey lekach By Ruth Joseph, September 27, 2011 from the JC 

Celebrate and cherish the bees' extraordinary contribution with this ultimate honey cake or lekach – it is rich with dried fruit, nuts 

and a dash of brandy. If you want to spice things up a little bit more, try substituting the powdered ginger with 25g finely chopped 

crystallised ginger. 

Ingredients 

● 225g plain flour 

● ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 

● 1 tspn ground cinnamon 

● 1½ tsp-2 tsp dried ginger 

● 120g margarine or butter 

● 80g honey 

● 60g golden syrup 

● 120g soft brown sugar 

● 125g luxury mixed dried fruit 

● 100g chopped pecans or pistachios (optional) 

● 2 free-range organic eggs 

● 4 tablespoons milk or soya milk 

● Rind of 1 whole lemon and the juice of ½ lemon 

Method 

● Preheat your oven to 150–170°C, gas mark 2–3 and line a 21cm cake tin. 

● Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large mixing bowl. 

● Melt the butter or margarine with the honey, golden syrup and soft brown sugar. 

● Add the dried fruit and chopped nuts if using and leave to cool. 

● Grate in the lemon rind. 

● Beat the eggs with the milk and add the lemon juice. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and quickly pour the cake batter into the 

lined tin - the bicarbonate of soda will begin to react immediately. 

● Place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour until firm to the touch. Do not open the oven door or the cake may drop. 

● (Optional) When cake is cooled, pierce with tooth picks adding 2 tablespoons brandy, apricot brandy or Kiddush wine. 

4


FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF RABBI 

Rosh Hashana 5772 

"Penitence, prayer and charity avert the evil decree." We say those words at one of the climaxes of our worship on Rosh 

Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For centuries our ancestors said those words, knowing what each of them means. 

Penitence defines our relationship with ourselves. Prayer is part of our relationship with God. Charity is about our 

relationship with other people. We still know what it is to be penitent. We fall short, make mistakes, and seek forgiveness. 

And we know what it is to be charitable. We remain a generous community, giving out of all proportion to our numbers. 

But for many, prayer has become difficult. They find it hard to connect to the synagogue service or to the prayers 

themselves. Too few people nowadays find prayer meaningful, especially on the High Holy Days when the prayers are long 

and complicated. 

That is why, together with a wonderful team, I’ve undertaken a new project that I hope will make a difference. We’ve 

created a new Rosh Hashana machzor. Of course, in Judaism, the word “new” is relative. The Hebrew stays the same. But 

everything else is different: the translation, the introduction, the commentary, and the actual physical appearance of the 

machzor. 

We think this is a first in Anglo-Jewish history. The siddur – familiarly known as “the Singer’s” – has always been produced 

by Chief Rabbis, but not the machzor, “the Routledge”. We felt the time had come for this to change. Prayer has to speak 

to us if it is to speak to God. We have to be able to understand it if we are to put into it our heart and soul. 

In the translation, we've tried to bring out the poetry and power of the prayers. In the introduction, we explain the meaning 

and history of Rosh Hashanah. In the commentary, we've provided not just explanation but also reflection on what these 

holy days mean for our lives. Eventually we hope to bring out machzorim for the other festivals as well. 

Prayer matters. It's our conversation with God. Imagine having a relationship with your spouse, your child or your parent, 

in which you never speak to them. It can't be done. A relationship without words is almost a contradiction in terms. So it is 

with God. 

When we converse with God – when we pray – we enter into a relationship with the Force that moves the universe, the 

Voice that spoke to our ancestors, the Power that shaped our history as a people, the Presence that still listens to our hopes 

and fears, giving us the courage to aspire and the strength to carry on. 

Prayer makes a difference. It’s our way of giving thanks for the good in our lives and of enlisting God’s help as we wrestle 

with the bad. It’s our regular reminder of the world beyond the self, of the ideals and aspirations of our people. When we 

pray we speak with the words of our ancestors, joining the great choral symphony of the Jewish people throughout the ages 

and the continents. True prayer, said from the heart, has the undiminished power to make us feel that “Though I walk 

through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for You are with me.” 

May we, this year, pray from the heart. May our prayers be answered, and may it be for you, your families, and the Jewish 

people, a good and sweet New Year. 

Bebirkat ketivah vechatimah tovah, 

Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks Rosh Hashana 5772 

5


Message from The President of The Board of Deputies of British Jews 

Rosh Hashanah Message 5771-5772 

Rosh Hashanah is the time of year 

when according to tradition the whole 

world is arraigned before God in 

judgement. It is an appropriate time 

therefore for introspection and for 

reviewing the past year. Even by recent 

standards for the Board of Deputies 

the past year has been an eventful and 

challenging one. There has been unprecedented activity both in terms of the 

activities carried out by the Board and 

in terms of the issues faced by it. 

On the positive side we celebrated the 

250th anniversary of the establishment of 

the Board in 1760. The celebrations 

comprised some interesting and some very 

moving events with record attendances and interest shown in the work 

of the Board. It culminated in the 

Summer Banquet at the Guildhall where 

our guest was HRH The Prince of Wales. The fact that Prince Charles 

attended the dinner accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall and the fact that his moving address to us was so 

personal illustrates the regard which he has for the Board and by extension for the community. 

Yet though we live in an extremely benign and tolerant society where our religion is protected by law, we face 

continual challenges in the practice of it. A most obvious example is Shechita which is under constant threat. This 

year threats came not merely from this country but also from the European Parliament. The Board played a vital role 

in countering that threat both by as a constituent member of Shechita UK and also as a link between them and the 

European Jewish Congress. In the end the community’s efforts were successful but we should not be under any 

illusions. The danger to Shechita has not gone away. It will return both because of the misplaced concerns of the 

animal welfare lobby but also in the form of requests for greater consumer information which could make the 

economics of Shechita prohibitive. 

In numerous other areas the Board has been at the forefront of efforts to protect the community’s position, advising 

communal groups where appropriate and lobbying where necessary. In all these activities the Board shows two of its 

most important characteristics. First we are resolutely cross-communal, representing all strands of the community. 

Even those groups in the community which withhold formal support from the Board and are not represented on it 

come to us for help and political support when they need it. We never reject them. 

Secondly the Board achieves its success by cooperating with dedicated groups in the community working on the 

principle that there is no limit to what one can achieve as long as you do not care who takes the credit. To list but 

some of the examples; in countering the institutional antisemitism of the UCU we have worked alongside the JLC, in 

campaigning against hate speech on campus we have worked alongside UJS and CST, in countering antisemitism 

generally we have worked with the CST, in educational matters with the synagogal bodies and with the UJIA, on 

behalf of Israel with BICOM the UJIA and the Zionist Federation, on Brit Milah with the Initiation Society. One could 

go on - the list is almost endless. 

In all these matters the Board’s democratic mandate and cross-communal character gives it a unique authority. For 

example when the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that a poster prepared by the Israeli Government Tourist 

Office showing the Western Wall was misleading they defiantly told the community they would not listen to any 

complaints. At the same time they themselves phoned the Board asking for a meeting on the basis that a complaint 

from ourselves could not be ignored. Government and NGOs know when they deal with us that we speak for the 

community as a whole and that our voice is persuasive and rational. 

The year that has passed has seen many challenges to the community and we must expect that the new year will do 

likewise. You can rest assured that the Board meet those challenges with all its force and with the backing of the 

community. At this sacred time of the year let us hope and pray that in the new year we have the same success that 

we have enjoyed in the one that has passed 

Vivian Wineman 

President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews 

6


The Jewish Association for Business Ethics (JABE) 

Judaism and the Profit Motive: How Compatible are They 

This year Britain was rocked by a scandal which led to the closure of Britain's largest newspaper, brought a media 

empire to its knees, resulted in the resignation of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and reverberated 

into the highest echelons of government and politics. The News of the World hacking scandal epitomised business at 

its worst, with the desire for profit overriding all sense of ethics and integrity. 

What lessons can we, as Jews, draw from the hacking scandal 

The Rabbis understood that the desire for wealth and financial success is so strong that it can dominate us unless 

controls are put into place. On the other hand, Judaism recognises that there are positive aspects to the pursuit of 

wealth and material goods. In fact, when the High Priest came out of the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, nearly half of 

his prayer on behalf of the Jewish people dealt with financial wealth and material well-being. Among other things, he 

asked for God's "treasury to be opened for us" and he prayed for "a year of abundance; a year of grain, wine and oil; 

a year of expansiveness and success; a year of affordable prices; a year of commerce and a year of prosperity." 

(Talmud Bavli Yoma 53b and Yerushalmi Yoma 5:1 as quoted in the Yom Kippur prayers). 

Although Judaism does not condemn financial success and material wealth, it does stress the need to cultivate a 

healthy relationship with money; namely that halacha and values define its use rather than being defined by it. Rabbi 

Yechiel Ben Yekutiel, in his Book of Virtues and Values, lists 24 positive values, one of which is honestly-obtained 

wealth. The Babylonian Talmud asks what one should do to become wealthy, and the answer given is to "engage in 

much business and to deal honestly". 

While Judaism encourages us to work hard and to succeed, certain principles must be adhered to, including: 

Act with honesty and integrity at all times – This refers not only to one's business transactions, but to all one's 

dealings with other people 

Humility – Above all days of the year, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are a time to reflect that while our financial 

wealth and material success may be proportional to the amount of effort we put into our working life, ultimately 

everything we have flows from God 

Take Responsibility – On Yom Kippur the Confession (Viduy) impresses upon us the need to take responsibility for 

our actions 

Going beyond what the law requires – From an English legal perspective one is not required to report wrongdoing 

by a fellow employee, while from a Jewish perspective one may not stand aside and do nothing 

Generosity – As we say every Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the "Unesaneh Tokef" prayer, one way of removing 

the "evil decree" for the next year is through the act of giving charity. Charity is incumbent upon all Jews, no matter 

how rich or poor 

The desire for profit at all cost caused many in the media and the government to lose sight of higher principles and 

ultimately led to a scandal that rocked the nation. We as Jews recognise the pursuit of profit, financial success and 

material wealth to be valid. This pursuit, however, is only honourable if it is conducted ethically and with a sense of 

honesty, integrity and social responsibility. 

7


The Jewish Association for Business Ethics (JABE) encourages honesty, integrity and social responsibility through: 

- Money & Morals schools programmes (www.moneyandmorals.org) 

- Seminars and ethics training sessions for the Professions and Business 

- Publications and materials on key moral issues 

For further information please contact JABE on 0208 905 4048, e-mail: info@jabe.org, or visit www.jabe.org 

CST and Jewish Community: 

Proud and Responsible 

CST is the Community Security Trust, 

a charity that provides security for many hundreds of Jewish community events and locations every year. We have 

over 60 staff and approximately 3,000 trained volunteers, all working throughout the UK and for every part of our 

community. In the last two years we have installed security upgrades at hundreds of communal buildings, including 

shatter-proofing for windows. 

CST is also available, 24 hours a day, for those of us who are unfortunate enough 

to suffer, or witness, antisemitism. Our purpose is to protect the well-being of our community, ensuring that we are 

all able 

to lead the Jewish life of our choice. 

This challenging work needs the help and co-operation of our community, its leaders and institutions. We need to share 

responsibility, together, and stand firm against the physical and political threats that we face. 

Sharing responsibility means many things, including contacting your local CST and volunteering. It means 

understanding why we do security and co-operating with our personnel. It means contacting CST if you happen to 

have information that you think may be of use to us, or to the Police. 

Sharing responsibility also means keeping 

a sense of perspective. Today, our community is largely able to express its Jewishness however it wishes. That can be 

religious, cultural, political, charitable, sporting or whatever sort of Jewish life you do, or do not, wish to have. Our 

community is, on the whole, successful and well integrated into the rest of society. We have come 

a very long way indeed since the newly arrived immigrant generations of the late 19 th and early 20th centuries. 

Antisemitism should not define our Jewish lives, but it has been of increasing concern in recent years. It is, perhaps, 

not so much that people fear for themselves today, but rather they worry how things will be for our children and 

grandchildren. This is entirely natural. Police are keenly aware that the fear of crime can be every bit as important as 

actual crime itself: this also seems to apply with antisemitism and the fear of it. 

CST hopes that it helps our community to feel confident that someone is standing up for its rights. We take 

responsibility for the physical security of the community; and provide a confidential reporting service for those who 

experience antisemitism, be it physical, verbal, or in whatever form. 

Because CST works with the victims 

of antisemitism, we know the importance 

of people’s physical and emotional well-being. This is not about statistics. It is the human aspect that makes us all the more 

determined to work against antisemitism; and against the fear it causes. 

We want to deter those who wish us harm, and we work with politicians, police and others so that our community’s 

concerns are understood, heard and acted upon. 

CST, however, can only be as strong 

as the community that we serve. We rely upon the community to be strong-minded, to provide our motivated volunteer 

personnel and to work with them as necessary: whether that is in schools, synagogues, community events and rallies, 

or wherever.We do not charge the community for our services and rely upon charitable donations for our running 

costs. 

All of this relies upon partnership between CST and our Jewish community. 

We welcome you to join us in that partnership, in whatever way you can. 

8 

Visit 

of


The Bishop Of Rochester – Shabbat Shofetim – 3 September 2011 

It was a great pleasure to welcome the Rt. Revd. James Langstaff, 107th 

Bishop of Rochester, as our guest at the Shabbat morning service on 3 

September 2011. This followed a precedent set in December 2001, when 

his predecessor Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali was our Shabbat guest. 

Bishop James was accompanied by the Revd. Dr. Philip Hesketh, Acting 

Dean of Rochester, who is well known to several members of the 

community through his work on the Holocaust Memorial Day Planning 

Committee. 

A congregation of around 80 people were in the synagogue to welcome the bishop as well as to celebrate the recent 

80 th birthday of Marie Halpern, though she celebrated her actual birthday while she and Hilary were in New Zealand. 

A large contingent from Kent Liberal Jewish Community – Ohel Rachel joined us for the service together with guests 

from the Thanet and District Reform Synagogue. 

Chairman, Jon weiner, welcomed the bishop and expressed the hope that he would feel as welcome in the 

synagogue as members of our community were made to feel in the cathedral. Jon also emphasised the friendly 

relationship between the various Jewish communities in Kent. Greetings and best wishes from Revd. Malcolm 

Weisman, Minister for Small Communities, were passed on to the congregation. 

The Bishop was able to experience our regular form of service, with the Morning Service conducted by Jon Weiner 

and David Herling. The Torah reading was Shofetim from the book of Deuteronomy, which dealt with the theme of 

justice. Among those called to the Reading of the Law were our two Life Presidents and visitors from KLJC and 

Thanet. 

Once the Sefer Torah scroll had been returned to the Ark, it was a pleasure to welcome Beverley Tayor, the Baalat 

Tefilah from Kent Liberal Jewish Community – Ohel Rachel who gave a very interesting Dvar Torah or commentary 

on the week’s Torah portion. She concluded with a blessing to honour the bishop’s visit. 

The Additional Service was concluded with the Song of Glory sung by Ari Phillips and the Chatham Memorial 

Synagogue interpretation of the 6 Cantor’s version of Adon Olam sung by Jon Weiner, Gabriel Lancaster, David 

Herling, Ari Phillips, Eytan Melamud and Asaph Glass, which provided a rousing conclusion. 

After the service there was a wonderful Kiddush provided by the Halpern family to celebrate the visit of Bishop 

James and Marie’s 80 th birthday. 

The bishop was presented with a Chumash to mark his visit and in response he expressed the wish to nurture the 

friendly relations with the Jewish community. 

Marie Halpern was presented with a silk challah cover from the community and in presenting it David Herling drew 

attention to the many years of service given by marie to the community. 

In a letter received from the bishop following his visit, he says that “it was a huge privilege to share with you prayer 

and reflection upon the scriptures. It was also a pleasure to meet so many from within the Jewish community in 

Kent.” He also said that the commentary contained in the Chumash would provide him with useful and interesting 

insights, particularly when preparing sermons. He looks forward to continuing the good relationship that exists 

between our communities. 

.......................................................................................................................................................................... 

Our Joint Life President Gabriel Lancaster hosts school & synagogue visits 

Here is a breakdown of his 2010 - 2011 visits 

School visits to Synagogue …………………. 26 

Primary ………………… 24 

Special ……………….. 2 

Secondary ………………. 0. 

Synagogue groups ………………………………1 

Fees ………….. £1,505.5 

9


INTERESTING 

Q. From what Jewish holiday does the term scapegoat come and why 

A. The holiday is Yom Kippur. As described in the passage below, as an act of atonement, the sins of 

the people were symbolically placed on a goat and then the goat was sent off into the wilderness. 

Scapegoat today has come to mean unfairly blaming others for problems. Ironically, the Jews have 

been scapegoats over the centuries for a multitude of problems. i.e. the Nazis blamed the Jews for 

much of Germany and Europe's problems. 

10


Our beautiful shul is mentioned in this article kindly reproduced with permission of the JC 

www.thejc.com 

‘How Islam helped to beautify our shuls’ 

Anglo-Jewry's architectural heritage is celebrated in a sumptuous new book 

By Stephen Games, July 14, 2011 

Islamic influence at the grade 1-listed Princes Road Synagogue, Liverpool 

The Synagogues of Britain and Ireland Sharman Kadish; Yale, £45 

Diaspora Jews have always built in the manner of the communities among whom they have lived. In fact, until the 

20th century, most synagogue architects were non-Jews. Thus, the Alt-Neu Shul in Prague (1270) is essentially a 

small Gothic church, the even earlier St Mary-the-White (Santa María la Blanca) Shul in Toledo (1190) resembles a 

mosque and the synagogue in Kaifeng is, above all, a Chinese temple. 

Not surprisingly, British shuls reflect Christian architectural practice. Bevis Marks (1700-1), our oldest surviving shul 

in Britain, has its origins in the Esnoga, Amsterdam's Portugese shul of 1675, but the Esnoga itself was based on 

drawings by Spanish Jesuits. Likewise, Georgian shuls in the provinces - Plymouth (1761-2), say, or Exeter (1763-4) - 

could be mistaken for Unitarian meeting houses of the period. 

Even in the second half of the 19th century, when most British architects were reviving the medieval Christian- 

Gothic style for their own buildings, we continued to copy their overall approach and simply used different models. 

Our favourites were Islamic - at Princes Road, Liverpool (1872-4), Manchester Sephardi (1873-4), the New West End, 

London (1877-9), and Bradford Reform (1880-1) - and Romanesque at Middle Street, Brighton (1874-5), Leazes Park, 

Newcastle (1879-80), and Garnethill, Glasgow (1879-81). Canterbury's little shul (1847-8) even made a foray into 

Egyptian, which now seems perverse. 

In short, even when our references were different - and Romanesque was by no means a Jewish monopoly - we 

were still emulating our gentile hosts. That is why, when we consider shuls, it is logical to view them in the context of 

the religious mainstream. The problem is that few shuls can compete with the best of British architecture; and as a 

marginal culture, our buildings are easily overlooked. This raises the question of whether we should not define and 

judge shuls on their own terms. 

Enter Dr Sharman Kadish. Some 25 years ago, Kadish got interested in Jewish architectural heritage. Since then she 

has become this country's leading scholar and campaigner in the field. Her goal, as she explains in her new and 

sumptuously illustrated The Synagogues of Britain and Ireland, is to avoid "treat[ing] the synagogue as some kind of 

variant church", and instead "to explore the Jewish place of worship … as the product of its own particular history". 

Many shuls are no longer where they are needed 

The result is the first evolutionary study of the genus "synagoga britannica". Here, she establishes what was built, 

where, when, by whom, how, and at what cost. From these facts she draws lines of influence, naming the first 

example of each innovation. Bevis Marks was a one-off. More important, nearly a century later, was James Spiller's 

rebuilding of the Ashkenazi Great Synagogue (1790) as a Roman-style basilica à la John Nash. Then John Davies's New 

Synagogue (1837-8) in an Italianate style symbolising religious freedom and inspiring the "cathedral" shuls of the mid-century. 

11


Then Edward Salomon's Manchester Reform (1857-8), Britain's first "Islamic" shul. Then Hyman Henry Collins's Chatham (1865- 

70), the most spectacular example of Romanesque; and so on, into the 20th century. 

From questions of style she moves to technical matters: the first use in a shul of gas or electric lighting, of heating, of cooling, of 

toilets; provision for women; the introduction of stained glass from the 1850s; the use of huts in the 1930s; and the anomaly of 

misaligned arks - at Norrice Lea (1934-1960s), Beehive Lane (1961-2), and Stanmore (1959-63). Kadish also charts the 

involvement of gentile architects and the rise of their Jewish counterparts, the first of whom to build a shul was David Mocatta, 

who designed Ramsgate synagogue (1831-3) for his first cousin, Sir Moses Montefiore. 

And so to social history. Here, Kadish contrasts the sophistication of the early Reform movement with the simplicity of 

immigrant shuls, often in makeshift premises with interiors crafted by congregants in folk-styles brought from the heim. She 

notes the use of architecture by different groups to defend or impose their own forms of religious practice, the rise of the 

"cinema" shul, the devastation caused by wartime bombing and the move to the suburbs. 

Finally, she raises the demographic dilemma: the fact that many shuls are no longer where they are needed, leading to 

demolitions - at Adelaide Road, Dublin (1999), Clapton Federation (2006) and, now pending, Bournemouth - and a new 

nervousness about architectural commitment. With once proud synagogues stranded like beached whales, we now prefer adhoc 

spaces and conversions, a phenomenon taking us back to our origins in this country. Kadish does well to research examples 

of this as well. 

With all this cornucopia, the theoretical question of whether it is justifiable or special pleading to deal with shuls on their own 

terms, or even whether Kadish explores those terms fully, can be set aside for the lay reader. 

For our Youngest members................. A picture to colour & story to read............ 

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Even on the high seas, the Shofar reveals the greatness of G-d… 

A great and saintly Rabbi was once aboard a ship, together with two of his disciples. Rosh Hashanah drew near and land was 

not in sight yet. So the Rabbi and his disciples prepared to spend the Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah on the High Seas. 

On the night of Rosh Hashanah a terrific storm broke out. The ship was tossed about by the huge waves and was in grave 

danger of breaking up. The big waves swept over the ship again and again, flooding it from bow to stern. The sailors worked 

hard to bale the water out, until they had no strength left in them. It seemed only a matter of time before the ship would 

sink, unless the storm passed immediately. 

During all this time the saintly Rabbi sat in his cabin, engrossed in prayer, paying no attention to the storm threatening the 

ship. At dawn, when the storm had not let up, his two disciples decided to tell the Rabbi of the danger that threatened all of 

them. 

Entering his cabin, and finding him engrossed in prayer, they hesitated and withdrew, finding no courage to disturb him. A 

little while later they tried again, but again they turned back, not daring to disturb him. Finally, when the storm seemed to 

have reached its height and it was a matter of minutes before they would all be drowned, the disciples decided there was no 

time to be lost. With trembling voices and tears in their eyes they approached the Rabbi and told him of the danger they 

were in. 

"If this is the case, then waste no time. Bring the shofar quickly and let us fulfill the sacred commandment of sounding the 

shofar while we still are alive," the Rabbi said. 

The disciples brought the shofar, and soon the sound of the shofar was heard through the boat -- tekiah, shevarim, teruah, 

tekiah… ah... ah…" And the high winds seemed to snatch up the sounds of the shofar and carry them far away… 

Suddenly the wind began to calm down, as if afraid to drown out the holy sounds of the shofar. Also, the roar of the sea grew 

quieter and quieter and before long there was perfect calm over the water. The last sounds of the shofar rang clearly in the 

stillness of the early morning. 

It was a wonderful miracle! 

The captain and the sailors and many passengers, following the sound of the shofar, came to the Rabbi's cabin, where they 

found the Rabbi and his two disciples joyfully concluding the solemn shofar service. 

Amazed and full of awe, they bowed their heads in respect, and when the Rabbi concluded the service, the captain said, 

"That is certainly a magical horn that you have there, for it has changed the stormy sea into a calm lake. If you will sell it to 

me, I will give you anything you wish for it." 

The Rabbi smiled as he answered: "No, my friend, it is not a magical horn, but a shofar, a simple ram's horn, which we Jews 

are commanded to sound on the solemn days of our New Year. It raises a storm in our hearts, which is mightier than the 

storm of the sea, for it calls us to return to G-d with humility. 

"I did not know," the Rabbi continued, "that it would save us all. All I wanted to do was to fulfill one more Divine 

commandment in the last moments of life left to us. But G-d is merciful, and spared us all, so that we might live a good and 

holy life. Let us show our gratitude to G-d by obeying His commandments always, in times of safety as well as in times of 

danger, for we are always at His mercy." 

www.chabad.org 

13


Q: What distinguishes cartoons about Jews 

A: There aren’t very many cartoons about Jews. If you look back at the history of the New Yorker, you will see, especially in the 

'20s and '30s, when New York was changing, there were a number of, shall we say, interesting cartoons showing that change. I 

don't think the cartoons were anti-Semitic, but they would perhaps be looked at now in that way -- they recognized the 

changing nature of the city and the increasing place, especially in commerce, that Jews had in the city. 

Q: What are cartoons about Jews like now 

A: In general cartoons poke fun at generic religion. So I have one with a guy leaving church, who says to the pastor, "I know he 

works in mysterious ways, but if I worked that mysteriously, I'd get fired.'' 

Q: Is there a special sensitivity to cartoons about Jews 

A: I think there’s a special sensitivity, in general, to cartoons about specific religions. New Yorker cartoons, in general, are not 

mean cartoons. Much of the humor in society is the humor of ridicule. But our cartoons are not the cartoons of self-satisfaction, 

but of self-dissatisfaction, and that makes them almost unique now in American culture, which is so polarized, and in which 

humor is basically a form of mockery in which the other is the fool, or the person whose balloon has to be deflated. We do that 

too, but most of the cartoonists do cartoons that are in some sense autobiographical. When you look at Jewish humor, for the 

most part, the jokes are quite layered -- they build up and eventually show some sort of logical inconsistency -- and a lot are 

philosophical. (In the broader culture) a majority of jokes have an aggressive component, a scatological component, or a sexual 

component, but Jewish jokes work through understanding the absurdities of the logic. 

Q: Are there a lot of Jewish cartoonists at the New Yorker 

A: Jews are a tiny portion of the population, but are very well represented in the humor industry. Many of the cartoonists at the 

New Yorker are Jewish -- I’m Jewish, there's Roz Chast, and David Sipress. A classic cartoonist who represents certainly a Jewish 

sensibility is Roz Chast -- a real inward-looking sensibility, and the world as a worrisome, neurotic, yet humorous place, a 

sensibility which combines anxiety with humor. 

Q: There have been several controversial covers depicting Jews. 

A: I'm not involved in the cover, so that's not my controversy. But one thing everybody has learned is how intersected all media 

are. And to some extent, covers are different than cartoons -- they make much stronger satirical, even editorial, statements than 

the cartoons do. 

Michael Paulson www.boston.com 

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Rosh Hashanah 2011 - Chatham Memorial Synagogue

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