This page was last updated on: Monday, 01 September 2008
SDRS Opens Up Services With iPod Approach To Prayer
Prayers dealing with difficult
modern day issues, such as environmental and natural disaster, poverty,
depression, miscarriage and even the loss of a pet form part of a huge new
selection being offered for use by members of Southend and District Reform
Synagogue.
The new prayers are part of drive by the synagogue and its parent movement, the Movement for Reform Judaism, to make worship more relevant to the modern world. They can be found in a new prayer book, Forms of Prayer, which was used in Reform Synagogues across Britain for the first time in June.
The radical new prayer book aims to challenge traditional styles of worship by providing a huge variety of prayers and readings from which worshippers are able to create a form of worship relevant to themselves and their real life concerns.
Rabbi Warren Elf of Southend and District Reform Synagogue explains, "This unique prayer book is to its predecessors what the iPod is to the album. Users can shuffle their choices to reflect their mood, their degree of radicalism or conservativism, and the issues on which they wish to reflect at any one time."
The book also aims to increase participation by using English letters to spell out Hebrew words, so that non-Hebrew speakers, including non-Jewish partners, can join in services. English translations are also provided throughout the prayer book, which uses gender neutral language.
Rabbi Elf adds, "The launch of our new prayer book has an important role to play in challenging current perceptions of religion and re-engaging with the modern world. In terms of actual practice and beliefs, it will make Reform Judaism the natural home for the majority of British Jews."
A lot of publicity has been given to the plight of Westcliff's Fair Havens hospice in the local press and SDRS Council and Executive thought we should do our bit as a community. To raise essential funds a very special fish and chip supper quiz was held on Sunday, 18th May 2008 at 6.30pm. The event was a great success and raised an amazing £900, which is going in total to Fair Havens.
The quiz consisted of ten mixed subjects rounds, with an additional question at the end of each round on which you could gamble. Get the answer right and double your points; get it wrong and your points were halved for the round.
Ninety-two
people purchased tickets for the event, making ten tables. First place went to
the Lee table (Brenda and Stewart, pictured left). The winner of a pile of
lemons for the most miserable score of the evening went to Ina Miller, the
Franklins and the Faws'.
Many thanks must go to the many people who volunteered, in particular, Sue Levitas for doing the bulk of the shopping, Denise and Ken Phillips for helping to set up and our quizmaster for the evening, Sybil Greenstein.
Communal 2nd Night Seder - 2008
The
SDRS Communal Seder, conducted by Rabbi Warren Elf, was held on the second night
of Pesach Sunday, 20th April 2008. As with previous years the event was a
massive hit with at least eighty people attending (members, their guests and a
few non-members too). There were plenty of new faces although sadly there were
fewer children this year.
After a brief introduction to the Seder, the evening started at the earlier time of 6.30pm with the relevant blessings by Rabbi Elf and candle lighting by his wife, Simone.
The first half of the Seder was a combination of traditional readings taken from the Haggadah, explanations and commentaries in a fun and friendly way, plus a couple of 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'. The adults asked the Four Questions as none of the children present wanted to recite them this year.
A sumptuous four-course meal was prepared, cooked and provided by the Guild and 'their assistants'. The Seder continued once Ben Bermon found the Afikomen. 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 at 10.30pm.
The Seder was another huge success due to the hard work of the many volunteers, especially Sue and Colin Levitas, Diana and Lewis Miller, Pam Marks and her daughters, Beverley and Isobel, Barbara and Alan Goldstein and Shirley and Pat DePass plus prospective members Denise and Ken Phillips.
Of course a big thank you must go to Rabbi Elf and Simone, who drove down from their home in Manchester for the Seder and then returned afterwards!
The picture above is a library picture from 2006 of Rabbi Elf and his wife Simone with the Seder plate.
Rabbi
Warren Elf was interviewed on the morning breakfast show of high profile local
radio station, BBC Essex, on Sunday, 13th April 2008 at 8.15am. Rabbi Elf also
reviewed a few topical articles in the Sunday newspapers.
Weekend presenter, Ian Wyatt started the discussion by quizzing Rabbi Elf as to why he lives and works in Manchester as a math teacher (at Bury Grammar School), whilst being a part time minister in Southend and for an explanation of the differences between Reform and Orthodox Judaism.
They went on to discuss the unfounded rumour that the Holocaust is to be removed from the school syllabus and how important Holocaust education is in the modern curriculum, which led on to how difficult it can be to get youngsters (and young families) to participate in youth groups and the wider community.
Rabbi Elf selected articles from the newspapers highlighting the plight in Darfur, financial donations to Islamic studies, a recent news story regarding religion and blood transfusions and Israel's 're-branding' of Kibbutzim. The interview was ended with a prayer by Rabbi Elf for safety, security and peace, particularly in the Middle East.
The interview proved extremely popular with listeners and the producer of the show asked Rabbi Elf to record several brief explanations of the festival of Passover, which were played through the early and mid morning shows on the first day of Pesach, Sunday, 20th April 2008.
It's been and gone - Special Shabbat Service
I
would just like to say how much my husband and I enjoyed the special Shabbat
service on Saturday, 1st March 2008.
The service marked the official "welcoming" to the synagogue of Natalie Hijmensen and I after we successfully completed our conversion courses to Judaism and passed through the Beit Din. During the service Rabbi Elf also performed baby blessings for my son, Ethan and Natalie's daughter, Keren.
This was a big moment for me, albeit a very nervous and emotional one! The baby blessing for my son was lovely, the Rabbi was fantastic and great with the kids as always!
I, along with Paul would like to thank everyone who attended, helped with the Kiddush and especially Rabbi Elf for leading such a special service. Next up is the Jewish wedding ceremony......!
The picture above is of (from left), Paul, Jane, Rabbi Warren Elf, Ethan, Natalie and Keren.
On
Sunday, 2nd March 2008 at St. George's United Reform Church in Westcliff, the
Council of Christian and Jews presented the film 'The Forsaken Promise'. This
hard-hitting movie documents Britain's failure to honour the promises given in
the Balfour Declaration in November 1917 and her legal obligations under the
Mandate.
The British government made a pledge with the Jewish people through the Declaration to help establish a Jewish National Home in the territory known as Palestine.
The film also highlighted the blatant anti-Semitism shown by the ruling military in Palestine and tragic consequences of the failure to establish a Jewish homeland for European Jews, who became victims of the Shoah. It highlighted events that took place during that period, through testimonies of victims, participants and eyewitnesses.
David
Noakes (chairman of the 'Hatikvah Film Trust' board) and Hugh Kitson (the writer
director and producer) were guests at the presentation answering questions after
the film.
Synagogue member, Brenda Lee (pictured left), attended the screening and the question and answer section afterwards. Brenda reports that all in all it was a very thought provoking evening!
Southend
Council's annual 'National Holocaust Commemoration Service' took place at the
Civic Centre in Southend on Sunday, 27th January 2008 between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.
Southchurch Ward Councillor, David Garston, chaired the event and the theme of the day was: Remember the past, reflect on the future and react to create a better future.
Southend Boys and Girls School Choir (with soloists Tony Compton and Andrew Walters) was superb, especially a wonderfully performed version of Ein Kelohenu. The guest speaker was due to be David Kutner, a holocaust survivor. Unfortunately David passed away just two weeks before the occasion. However a close friend, Mark Willcox, read out his very moving account entitled, 'The war experiences of David Kutner 1939-1945'.
A young pupil from a local school who had heard David talk a few weeks previously, told us of the affect David's talk had on him personally. It was a moving tribute to David. The service also featured readings by local school children about more recent genocides.
Councillor David Garston asked the audience to join him in a short silence in memory of David as well as our own Heny Waldman who had also spoken to groups about her experiences in the war.
It was a poignant reminder of the past, especially the depth of feeling and quality of the singing of the choir. It was an enjoyable and very moving evening.
Lewis Miller (Chairperson).
