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Author Archives: Mark Frazer

  1. Chief Rabbi celebrates 175 years of South African Jewry

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    The Chief Rabbi and Valerie Mirvis were delighted to join celebrations in South Africa to mark the 175th anniversary of the Jewish community.

    On Monday night, they were received as Guests of Honour at an event organised by the local Board of Deputies in Johannesberg and later traveled to Cape Town, where they joined one of the largest gatherings of the local community in recent times, again as Guests of Honour.

    They also enjoyed a special, celebratory Shabbat with Rabbi Feldman and his congregation at Gardens Synagogue, which is known as the Mother Synagogue of South Africa.

    The Chief Rabbi told the audience in Johannesberg: “Here in South Africa I grew up to be proud of my Judaism and to be passionate about caring for all of humanity.”

    SA article

    From left to right: Rabbi Feldman of Gardens Synagogue, South African Chief Rabbi Goldstein, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Valerie Mirvis, Rebbetzen Feldman and Rebbetzen Goldstein


  2. As one Prime Minister steps down and another takes over, the Chief Rabbi offers tributes

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    ‘As David Cameron’s tenure as Prime Minister ends, I wish to take this opportunity to thank him for his deep friendship and for his unwavering commitment to promoting the values of decency, respect, liberty and responsibility, which we all hold so dear.

    I have been privileged, in particular, to have worked alongside Mr Cameron to ensure that Britain remembers the Holocaust and educates generations to come about the lessons we must learn from it. He is a man who not only speaks with great principle and conviction but who acts upon what he believes. I know that the strong relationship he enjoys with the Jewish community will endure for many years to come.

    ‘She has proved herself to be a friend and champion of our community’

    Today, Theresa May becomes Prime Minister at a time of great political, social and economic uncertainty. Few people are more talented or better qualified to tackle these immense challenges. I recall the speed and the sensitivity with which she reached out to the Jewish community following the terror attacks on Jewish targets in Europe last year. As she made clear then – “Without its Jews, Britain would not be Britain”. She has proved herself to be a friend and champion of our community and of other faith communities who share her values of tolerance and understanding.
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    Last night, on the eve of her becoming Prime Minister, Theresa May kept a longstanding arrangement to join Valerie and me at our home for dinner. The fact that she did this in the midst of critically important preparations before taking up office is a reflection of her strong desire to keep to her commitments and the esteem in which she holds the British Jewish community. I was delighted to have the opportunity to give her my blessings at this very auspicious time.

    I wish her every success as Prime Minister and look forward to building upon our warm relationship over the coming years.’

    Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis

  3. Kenton: Residential Shabbaton

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    Event

    A spirit of unity was fostered very successfully during Kenton’s Residential Shabbaton in the Buckinghamshire countryside, as participants, including those who are housebound and can’t ordinarily make it to shul, enjoyed a full Shabbat with communal meals, ruach-filled davening and inspirational speakers Elana Chesler and The Rabbi created an onsite Eruv before Shabbat, and though there was no pressure to attend all aspects of the programme, each session was close to full, with full attendance at the musical Havdalah.

    Objectives

    To provide a setting in which the participants could establish closer relationships
    To inspire members and show how Shabbat can be meaningful

    Evaluation from Rabbi Black

    ‘I have been overwhelmed with the positive responses and feedback that I have received from the community. The Shabbaton brought everybody closer together. Every aspect of the Shabbaton went to plan and everybody was engaged in the Shabbat fully. We taught people about Eruv and other aspects of Shabbat. Throughout the Shabbaton there was a tremendous Ruach. Everyone came away with something they had learned and people are now talking about how inspiring it was, wanting to bring that inspiration into Shabbat in Kenton.. (Yes)!! We definitely want to do this again next year- but bigger and better!!’

    Participant Feedback:

    • Gained the opportunity to learn from the speakers, to experience a wonderful Shabbat atmosphere and to become involved with individual members of the community.
    • Extremely good bonding experience. Chance to retreat from one’s usual world
    • The musical Havdalah with Rabbi Black, singing and dancing accompanied by accordion and tambourines, with everyone joining in, was magic
    • This have me a feeling of belonging to a community again (Non-Shul member)
    • My husband and I enjoyed taking part in a lovely Friday night service – it is a very long time since either of us attended shul on a Friday night. I spoke to several people in the community that I had never talked to before and got to know some members of the Wembley community, who also attended

     

  4. The Chief Rabbi attends interfaith Iftars during Ramadan

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    Over the past few weeks, the Chief Rabbi has been privileged to take part in several Iftars, the traditional fast-breaking meal for Muslims observing Ramadan.

    As well as attending an Iftar hosted by the Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev at his residence, the Chief Rabbi also presided over an Iftar together with Dayan Ivan Binstock at St John’s Wood Synagogue, where the Jewish community was joined by Muslim neighbours, including Sheikh Khalifa Ezzat, Head of Religious Affairs at the Islamic Cultural Centre and London Central Mosque.

    At another event hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chief Rabbi joined the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, fellow faith leaders and young people from diverse religious backgrounds to mark the fast’s end. He praised the “spirit of unity” fostered by this particular Islamic tradition, which brings together the Muslim community while welcoming non-Muslims to join.
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    The Chief Rabbi has now called on Jewish communities to stage similar events, hosting their local Muslim counterparts in order to promote a sense of unity and understanding between communities.

  5. Kingston, Surbiton & District: Seaside Shabbaton

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    Event

    A cross-section of the Kingston community joined with the Bournemouth congregation for a residential Shabbaton that allowed them to celebrate Shabbat in a warm, family atmosphere with communal meals, a learning programme, introspective conversations and song. Participants deepened their connection with Shabbat and each other, as well as potentially setting in motion a long-term relationship with a regional community.

    Objectives

    To experience a warm Shabbat atmosphere as a community
    To build the community through shared experience
    To deepen understanding and appreciation of Shabbat through the programme
    To connect with other communities and build links

    Evaluation from Rabbi Landau

    ‘The Shabbaton allowed the participants to come together, in a family-like manner, to celebrate a Shabbat experience, while demonstrating how much the community still has the capacity to achieve despite a predominantly older membership. I believe they will have had an inspirational and enriching experience that will impact upon their future enjoyment of Shabbat and community. We did not expect people to want to attend a ‘kumsitz’ following dinner, but many did, demonstrating their genuine enjoyment and eagerness. It was a pleasure for our community to join with the Bournemouth community.’ 

    Participant Feedback:

    • There was a true sense of being together, regardless of how religious you were; it gave me the chance to sit back and reflect on how my life has changed since my husband passed away 6 years ago, but how lucky I am to be able to share this special weekend with friends.
    • It was a lovely bonding experience for those who attended and we had a very interesting external speaker. The Bournemouth Shul congregants were very welcoming
    • The talks by Rabbi Landau together with his explanations of the various traditional actions, prayers and songs, reminded me of my younger years when they were all part of our lives. Additionally the talks by Rabbi Moshe Freedman were most interesting.
    • A beautiful Shabbat with friends and community members. An opportunity to connect with others in a Shabbat environment.

  6. Rebbetzens join Valerie Mirvis for leadership seminar day

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    The latest seminar day in Valerie Mirvis’ Investing in Rebbetzens series, ‘You, Your Community, Your Family’ focused on helping 30 Rebbetzens maximise their contribution to their communities while creating a space for them to reflect on the multiple and often conflicting demands that their role encompasses.   

    Dr Mannie Sher, an expert consultant in organisational development, led the morning sessions. He introduced participants to understanding the importance of ‘group dynamics’, breaking down the boundaries that exist within any group and how to apply that in their respective roles as Rebbetzens.

    After a buffet lunch, the ladies regrouped for an afternoon session on ‘Counselling from the heart’ led by Rebbetzen Esther Cohen, which drew on her experience of hosting, counselling and advising young Jewish students as the wife of a university chaplain. She provided an insight into the unique needs of a demographic that must navigate various social, economic and personal challenges as they transition from teenagers into adults.

  7. Liverpool Old: Carlebach Friday Night

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    Event

    Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation attracted new visitors and non-members into the shul for a Carlebach-style Friday night service that enhanced the spirituality of their Shabbat and led into a sociable communal meal that brought together members and students. Rabbi Abel took a range of questions during a Q & A session in which he addressed a range of issues.

    Objectives

    To create a sense of an expanding community by attracting students and young families

    Evaluation from Alaster Burman

    ‘The congregation had not held a Friday evening service for some considerable time, so it was suggested that we hold a Carlebach- style service, as a way of encouraging people to attend. This event was part of our drive to make Princes Road more active, as we encourage our members and young students residing closer to the city centre to get involved, not in just attending Synagogue services but taking part in other activities that our shul is offering.’

    Participant Feedback:

    • We are now looking forward to the next one!
    • I enjoyed getting to know the Rabbi and his lovely family better and also to getting to know members of the community better. The Q&A were also particularly interesting and it was nice that people didn’t hold back with their questions.
    • Through CRE, what people see and hear coming from the Chief Rabbi’s office is going to help everyone find or continue to maintain their connection
    • Some more people attended our Shabbat service, plus there was a good atmosphere at our Kiddush and lunch.

  8. Cardiff: Learning together with JLI course

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    Event

    Cardiff United joined the highly-respected Jewish Learning Institute to deliver a series of refreshing educational lectures, presented by Rabbi Rose, over a six-week period. The content, which had been rigorously prepared and researched by the JLI team, dealt with many of Judaism’s big questions to provide participants with a deeper understanding of their religion and ignite a new interest in Jewish learning. For some attendees, this was their first time studying in shul for many years.

    Objectives

    To enhance the Jewish knowledge of the community through interesting and engaging, professional – quality courses
    To engage people in education on a new and refreshing level, to bring about a fundamental shift in attitudes towards Jewish study and place more priority of quality education for all ages

    Evaluation from Rabbi Rose:

    ‘The programme led to participants, some of whom do not regularly study in shul, to having a better understanding of the reasoning behind the things we do and their relevance to our daily lives in the service of the Almighty. The appealing content and professionalism of the JLI encouraged many to attend a well-prepared course that covered the Jewish reasoning and rational behind what we believe. A huge thank you to the CRE for getting off the ground what I would have thought near impossible in the past, and with fantastic results beyond everyone’s expectations.’

    Participant Feedback:

    • This was a first class course, well-resourced and excellently presented by Rabbi Rose.
    • The JLI course has given me an insight into why we routinely do what we do, giving me enough knowledge to go on to learn more – I understand the basics.
    • I came away with greater knowledge of various things from a Jewish perspective…it was a diverse and interesting course.
    • Not only have I gained a widespread knowledge of various subjects, but I also spoke to people in the community who I haven’t really spoken to before!

  9. Photo Gallery: The Queen’s birthday weekend in our communities

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    Almost 60 US and UHC communities availed of a free personalised banner supplied by the Office of the Chief Rabbi as part of their celebrations for The Queen’s 90th birthday weekend. You can view some of these communities with their banners in the photo gallery below. Click the image to enlarge.

  10. The Chief Rabbi’s Statement on the Orlando massacre

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    ‘Having ended Shavuot on such a high, it was absolutely devastating to hear the details yesterday evening, of the massacre in Orlando which took 49 precious lives. At a time of such anguish, it is difficult to adequately convey the depths of our moral revulsion for an individual who was so motivated by hatred, that it led him to mass murder.

    As Jews, we join with all of those across the world who stand defiant and united in declaring that there is absolutely no place for hatred or intolerance in our societies.

    ‘It is difficult to adequately convey the depths of our moral revulsion for an individual who was so motivated by hatred’

    We must also be honest enough to recognise that there are places where the scourge of homophobia persists, even in our own communities, and that is totally unacceptable. Where that hate is religiously motivated, faith leaders and faith communities carry a particular responsibility to act.

    Unambiguous condemnation of terror attacks such as this is an important place to start, but it alone is not sufficient.

    In the face of such unspeakable violence, we must be introspective. The Torah takes a clear, well-known position on acts of homosexual intimacy but it also leaves us in no doubt about our responsibility to provide a welcoming environment in our Synagogues and beyond for all Jews, regardless of their level of religious observance, ethnicity or sexuality.

    ‘Unambiguous condemnation of terror attacks…is an important place to start’

    After Orlando, we must take a step beyond condemnation and open our hearts and our Synagogues so that no Jew feels persecuted or excluded from the warm embrace of our communities.

    Together with adherents of all faiths and none, may we all find the courage to overcome the forces of division and darkness so that we might create a more peaceful and tolerant world.’