The
first Chanukah Chavurah Supper was held on Friday, 7th December 2007 and was an
all round one hundred percent success, without exception.
The
first Chanukah Chavurah Supper was held on Friday, 7th December 2007 and was an
all round one hundred percent success, without exception.
Our advertising blitz in the magazine, on this website and via e-mail obviously did the trick as there was a tremendous turn out with plenty of children of all ages to make the evening very special. The synagogue was packed with old faces, new faces, not seen in a while faces and normally abroad faces.
The service started with the lighting of the Chanukah candles in several Chanukiyah by the youngest children and the reciting of the Chanukah blessing, prayers and a song. The Shabbat candles were lit by Frieda Graham and the evening service followed. Rabbi Elf finished with Adon Alam sung to the tune of Maotz Zoor - how does he do it?
After the service Rabbi Elf led the congregation in another round of Chanukah songs, whilst a light supper was served consisting of Vienna hot dogs with all the trimmings (coleslaw and pickles) and the traditional Chanukah latkes. The meal was made possible thanks to the extreme hard work of the synagogue Guild and other volunteers. There were several desserts including doughnuts, apple pie, strudel and parve ice-cream dessert served by David Sears.
Rabbi Elf rounded off the fantastic evening with, yes more songs. What can we say the guy likes to sing! Many thanks once again to the Guild, volunteers, Rabbi Elf and Lay Reader, Lewis Miller for conducting an outstanding service and everyone who made the evening possible before and during and all those that stayed behind to help clean the synagogue and hall after the event.
Saturday, 10th November 2007 saw the return of the SDRS favourite, our traditional quiz night with a fried fish in matzo meal supper and apple crumble dessert. The quiz consisted of nine rounds on various subjects: pop-potpourri (questions about the Beatles), Today's the Day (questions on 10th November), plus the usual sport and food rounds. All with Andy's special slant!
Twelve
tables took part. First place went to table number one, the Freedman table and second
place went to table number nine. The winner of a pile of lemons for the most
miserable score of the evening went to Southend Singles' table.
Thanks must go to: the many people who volunteered to help in the afternoon, our quizmaster Andy Rothwell and his wife Roni (pictured right). Many thanks also to all those who helped serve the food and those who stayed very late after the event to help clean up the synagogue hall.
Comments about the evening or suggestions to improve the event next time to Diane Miller please.
SDRS supports 'Out of the Box 4'
For
the fourth year running SDRS has supported Southend's 'Out of the Box' project.
Southend Council reported that this year's festival was to be "biggest and
best ever".
Their website stated "…Southend-on-Sea have built upon the vision to create a festival that brings together a wide range of cultures represented in our town. It is a chance for all of us to find out about each other's cultures and beliefs".
To read more about SDRS's participation in 'Out of the Box 4' please click here.
Yom Tovim Services 2007
Many
thanks must go to Rabbi Warren Elf (pictured left) for conducting most of the
services over the High and Holy period and to the lay readers for ‘standing
in’ when Rabbi Elf wasn’t in attendance.
Rabbi Elf’s services were welcoming and spiritually uplifting with his friendly personality and sense of humour helping to make the proceedings (sombre or otherwise) extra special. To read more about our Yom Tovim services this year please click here.
Welcome to our Youngest Member!
As
our new magazine editor (and webmaster) Richard (Levy), is too modest, I thought
that I would write a few words to say how wonderful the baby blessing for his
son Gavriel Meir was on Shabbat morning Saturday, 11th August 2007.
Gavriel behaved impeccably and I am sure I was not the only one who was moved by the words that Rabbi Elf said after blessing Gavriel, whilst he was cradled in his arms.
Since I have been a member of SDRS this is the first baby blessing that I can remember. Hopefully Richard and Devorah have set a precedent and with a bit of luck, this will be the first of many (and not just for the Levy’s).
Devorah’s father, Alfred, came over from America for the service and to meet his grandson. He and his wife, Homa, sponsored a delicious Kiddush which was enjoyed by all.
Diana Miller - Council Member (Guild and Practices).
New Baby at SDRS
SDRS
is delighted to announce the arrival of its youngest member, Gavriel Meir Levy,
who was born on Saturday, 7th July 2007.
His proud parents are Richard and Devorah Levy, who you may know as our resident Webmasters. Gavriel arrived at 9.16pm and weighed 6lb 9oz. Mum and baby are doing very well. Dad is exhausted.
James Fairman Wins Local Award
Volunteers who’ve helped to make the community a better place, were honoured by the Mayor of Castle Point, Mrs Beverley Egan (pictured below with James Fairman) in a ceremony held on Saturday, 9th June 2007.
The Mayor invited all local voluntary organisations to the annual garden party in Vicarage Hill, Benfleet to enjoy afternoon tea in a beautiful garden setting.
Dozens of residents had been nominated for special Volunteer Awards. All nominees were presented with certificates and there were three special awards - the Mayor's Award for a volunteer nominated by a community or voluntary group, the Valerie Well's Award for a volunteer nominated by a member of the public and the Ann Joad award for a volunteer aged 25 or below. The Volunteer Award scheme is administered by the Castle Point Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS).
Castle Point Mayor said: "It was a wonderful day and a pleasure to be able to host so many fantastic volunteers. "Volunteers play a very important role in our community, keeping vital services running, providing care for vulnerable people and enriching the lives of others. I am delighted to have had this opportunity to thank them."
The
Ann Joad Award was presented to James Fairman (pictured right with Mayor
Beverley Egan) of Castle View School. James is chairman of the Breakthru youth
group, is a peer counsellor helping fellow pupils deal with bullying, is a
school councillor and has personally raised more than £1,500 for charities. His
school said: "James is held in high regard by both his peers and adults
alike for his caring and considerate nature."
This article is an edited version from the Castle Point Council website. To read the full article please click here. You may also like to read an alternative article on the (Southend) Echo website. Please click here.
AJR Launches New Community Website
The
Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) is delighted to announce the launch of
their updated website www.ajr.org.uk.
With improved access and easier navigation the new site contains information about the extensive social and welfare services the AJR provides to its 3,500 members throughout the country as well as the types of financial assistance and compensation available to Holocaust survivors and refugees.
www.ajr.org.uk also details the activities of AJR's network of regional groups that offer its members a unique opportunity to socialise and share their experiences.
In an exciting development, the new site profiles the AJR's Holocaust education projects, Continental Britons and Refugee Voices, the AJR's audio-visual testimony archive featuring interviews with 150 Holocaust survivors and refugees speaking about their experiences of living in and fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe and their transitions to life in Britain.
As well as displaying information about the work of our special-interest groups, Kindertransport and the Child Survivors' Association, visitors to the site can read articles from the latest edition of the AJR Journal and see how they can volunteer their services. The site also includes information about the AJR Centre and Meals-on-Wheels programme.
AJR Head of Media, Michael Newman, said, "We are delighted with our new-look site which combines details of the extensive services the AJR provides and historical information about the lives of our members. We hope the site will be as popular as its predecessor and that it will play a pivotal role in providing vital services to Holocaust survivors at this important time in their lives."
Despite
the beautiful sunny day and the obvious draw of the seafront (after many wet
weekends) the first SDRS Open Day to welcome all to the synagogue (the idea of
our current chair, Sue Levitas), was held on Sunday, 10th June 2007
and was a one hundred percent success.
The event saw a steady stream of visitors of all ages, including David Amess MP, the Mayoress of Southend, Mrs Daphne White (pictured left with Rabbi Warren Elf), local Councillors and members of the local Jewish orthodox synagogue. Other visitors included those interested in joining the SDRS community as well as members of other faiths who were keen to learn about our synagogue, Reform Judaism and modern Jewish life in Southend.
The
event was billed as 'A Taste of Judaism' and was just that. Stalls
included; books of interest for sale, Judaica for sale (run by Pat DePass
pictured right), Jewish Artifacts, Movement for Reform Judaism, information
about RSY Netzer (Youth Movement), a display of the SDRS website, Sound of
Music, Southend Singles and of course a table full of Jewish nibbles, as no
event would be complete without that!
Rabbi
Warren Elf, attendees of the synagogue and a few guests were available to run
stalls and discuss aspects of membership and synagogue life. All were
certainly kept busy!
Many thanks must go to (in no particular order), Sue Levitas (pictured right, who has worked tirelessly for the last few months organising the event) the entire SDRS Council and Guild, Rabbi Warren Elf, The Mayoress of Southend, David Amess MP and all those who attended from near and far to show support for our Open Day and make the event very special.
The picture above is of Fern Potter and Philip Freedman, enjoying music. Apparently!
Communal 2nd Night Seder - 2007
The SDRS Communal Seder, conducted by Rabbi Warren Elf, was held on the second night of Pesach Tuesday, 3rd April 2007. After a brief introduction to the Seder, the evening started with the relevant blessings and some 'Rabbi Elf' humour.
The first half of the Seder was a combination of traditional
material, explanations and commentaries in a fun and friendly way, plus a couple
of new songs, such as 'The Ballad of the Four Sons' and ‘Moses and Aaron went
to see Pharaoh’ – a musical version of the ten plagues to the tune of ‘Old
MacDonald’. All the children present helped to ask the Four Questions and also
came up with some interesting new ones!!
A sumptuous four-course meal was prepared, cooked and provided by the Guild and their assistants. The Seder continued once Rebecca Wiseman found the Afikomen and was given a reward for returning it.
The evening concluded with the second half of the Seder and a tremendous chorus of all the traditional songs, interspersed with ‘Just a Tad of Charoset’, ‘My Passover Things’ and our famous ‘There’s No Seder Like Our Seder’. The Seder ended slightly later than in previous years but only because people wanted to stay and sing all the songs, and more!
The Seder was another success due to the hard work of many volunteers, particularly Sue Levitas, Diana and Lewis Miller, Pam Marks and her daughter Beverley and all those who helped on the night.
The picture is a library picture from 2006 of Rabbi Elf and his wife Simone with the Seder plate.
Saturday, 3rd February 2007 saw the first Batmitzvah at SDRS for nearly six
years, the last being Jamie Miller's. The event was extra special as the
Batmitzvah girl, Leigh Humpage (picured) was in fact an adult!
Leigh read (without any flaws) Beshallach Chapter 13 V17 - Chapter 14 V9 – The Hebrews in the Wilderness, before arriving at the Red Sea. The Haftorah was Judges and the story of Deborah. The service was followed by a fantastic kiddish afterwards. Mazel Tov to Leigh and all her family.
To read a moving account of Leigh's journey to her adult Bat Mitzvah please click here.
