Community News February to May 2017

News updates from our communities

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BHNY

MATZO-BAKING

Nishmas Yisroel held a pre-Pesach matzo-baking session which many members of the community, and the Rav, eagerly participated in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINCHLEY CENTRAL

fundRAISING

Two Finchley Central members ran the London Marathon this year – Alon Stock, in aid of ‘The Fed’ – the leading social care charity for the Greater Manchester Jewish community – and Daniel Susser in aid of World Jewish Relief.

ilford

FAREWELL

On Sunday 26th March the Ilford Federation community said a sad farewell to Rabbi Alex and Rebbetzin Eva Chapper and their five boys, as they headed off to pastures new in Borehamwood immediately after Pesach.

The afternoon began with a video presentation of several members of the community, including the caretaker of the shul, giving their personal thanks to Rabbi Chapper along with farewell messages. There were also short speeches from Maxim Segal, life Vice President, Rabbi Rodal, who had worked alongside Rabbi Chapper, and the then Chairman, Melvyn Weinberg. This was followed by presentations from the community of a handwritten Megillat Esther and cover, a personally embroidered Pesach set from the Ladies’ Guild, a poem written by Mrs Anita Schuster, and a piece of marquetry created by Mr Ron Brown. There then followed a sumptuous tea put on by the Ladies’ Guild. Many members of the wider Ilford community, along with several Rabbonim, also attended in order to say goodbye. The Chappers’ final Shabbat in Ilford will be 22nd April.

The Chapper family had moved to Ilford over 13 years ago, with just their two eldest boys, and made an immediate impact on the community. The Rabbi’s style appealed to all members of the community from young to old, and he was always supportive in times of need. Eva regularly welcomed members of the community to their Shabbat table. They celebrated Britot, Upsheirin, and Bar Mitzvahs with the community over the years. During their stay in Ilford they innovated a number of educational programmes, including an Eishet Chayil course for those women who missed out on a Bat Mitzvah when they were younger, and a diploma in Judaism awarded to participants via the LSJS. The Rabbi also organised a number of cross-communal Pre-Pesach programmes based in Sinclair House, as well as ensuring there were always regular programmes of shiurim at the Federation, culminating this year with a weekly series on Happiness followed by a weekly in-depth parsha shiur. Rabbi Chapper will also be missed by Chigwell Ladies’ Sem where he regularly delivered shiurim.

OTHER EVENTS

For Purim this year Rabbi and Mrs Chapper arranged a ‘Bugsy Malone’ style Purim Seudah, which was well attended by many members of the community.

Ilford Federation launched the ‘Young Shaliach Tzibbur’ competition. The community have so far heard Rabbi Josh Bamberg, and PG will have also hosted Shloimy Freedman and Anton Ereira by the time this article goes to print.

Events coming up include another film evening, a joint Tikkun Leil Shavuot with Ilford United Synagogue and a Ladies only Strawberries and Cream table Quiz.

KEHILLAS NETZACH YISROEL

EVENTS

KNY ran a Circus-Style Purim event, complete with a fire juggler, circus skills workshops, plenty of fantastic food and cocktails for adults and children including a fancy-dress parade.

Later in the year there was KNY on ICE, a fundraising ice skating event.  There were prizes for the most money raised and the most laps made by men, women and children.  Part of the fun included a ‘guess the number of laps skated by Rabbi Grayeff’ game!

OHR YERUSHALAYIM

OVOS UBONIM MELAVE MALKA

Motzei Shabbos Parshas Teruma saw the culmination of this year’s Ovos Ubonim programme with a wonderful Melava Malka prizegiving held in the Shul function suite, following a bumper zman. Some 150 Bonim and Fathers joined together to hear Divrei Brocho from the Rov, who spoke of a Father’s responsibility in being an example to his children, and was followed by eloquent Bonim speaker Nissan Kahan who told of the significance of the Keilim in the Mishkon.
Guest speaker Rabbi Leiby Pomerantz regaled a mesmerized audience with stories of Gedolim and talked of how the learning in Ovos uBonim creates a wonderful Achdus.
The proceedings were expertly chaired by Mr Ari Scherer, and each boy received a beautiful personally embossed Megillas Esther. Presentations were made to the guest speaker and chairman and thanks were given to Marcel for running Ovos Ubonim each week, and to the Manchester Ovois Ubonim committee for all their wonderful work. Catering was once again supremely managed by Sorela Bookman and Hadassah Weiss, with help from Penina Bookman, Tehilla Klein, Chaya Grosskopf and Shani Roitenbarg.

GUEST SPEAKER

We were honoured to welcome Rav Moshe Taragin, RAM at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush), who spoke Friday Night Shabbos Hagodol between Kabolas Shabbos and Maariv on the subject – Why is the Mateh such a crucial icon on the night of Pesach.

PESACH NEWSLETTER

Our very own Bochurim contributed Divrei Torah to the pre-Pesach edition of the Shul newsletter. They were enjoyed by members who could share them over their Seder and Yom Tov tables.

NEILAS HACHAG

Once again we hosted a Neilas HaChag on last day of Yom Tov kindly sponsored by Yitzchok Douek in honour of the Yahrtzeit of his late father. Yitzchok made a Siyum on Mishnayos Seder Mo’ed to mark the occasion. There were also inspiring droshos by members, Mr David Bondt and Rabbi Jonny Ross.

manchester mesivta yom iyun

Once again we hosted a Yom Iyun in conjunction with Manchester Mesivta on Monday May Day Bank Holiday on the Sugya of Sefiras HaOmer. Opening words were given by the Rov, Rabbi Berel Cohen, followed by Chavrusa learning and finishing with a shiur on the sugya by Rabbi Ephraim Hochhauser.