BULLETIN BOARD
CIVIC SERVICE 2019
Princes Road again played host to the annual Civic Service as, with the Lord Mayor in attendance, the Merseyside Jewish Community came together for wonderful event which serves both to raise funds for our communal organisations and to thank the City for their support during the year, which is both practical and vital. (pics: Alan Humphreys)
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WE WERE THERE TOO WW1 COMMEMORATION
The final Sunday in October saw an appreciative Princes Road audience of more than 200 people enjoy one of the UK's most engaging and deeply passionate performers return to Liverpool after playing the Phil earlier in the year.
STATEMENT RE KOSHER MEAT SUPPLY
THE sudden loss of Roseman’s proprietor Robert Kaye was a shock to all.
When we met at the shop, Robert and I used to reminisce about what we called ‘the good old days’, the times we fondly remembered as kids at Broughton Jewish Primary School in Manchester.
On one occasion, he was taken by something I wrote in my weekly column about the smells of a bakery from childhood, and how good memories were triggered just thinking about the past.
We now stand in a state of communal bereavement for what could have been. If only I had known enough to pastorally help Robert at his time of distress.
Last Shabbat, I addressed my congregation at Princes Road Synagogue on the true purpose of kashrut.
Beyond the technicality of what we eat is the fundamental issue of sharing food as Jews which is designed to lead to helping each other.
Rachamanut (compassion and empathy) is the one key ingredient without which even the most kosher food might as well be treife.
From now on, let us focus more on our communal obligation of mutual care and look out for each other.
All our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to Robert’s family.
Meanwhile, those of us to whom it falls upon have been doing what is necessary to take the community back to the kosher standards which have been disrupted.
Rabbi Natan Fagleman, of the Liverpool Kashrut Commission, arranged for kosher provision at Roseman’s last weekend.
He and LKC have also assured staff at Roseman’s of their month’s pay, which is a great kiddush Hashem.
A session of koshering utensils was held at Childwall Synagogue last week.
I have addressed the immediate and most pressing concern to thoroughly investigate the matter of ongoing provision of a wide choice of fresh kosher meat into Liverpool.
As of Tuesday, I have endorsed Haydn’s Kosher Meats delivered to Liverpool from Manchester by order, under the London Federation of Synagogues Beth Din.
This is one step in the direction of beginning to restore adequate supply to the community.
Hopefully we will be able to achieve it with co-operation between all stakeholders, lay and religious leaders, to the standard now required: only the very best will do for Merseyside.
We must not suffer the humiliation to be the “poor relation” among the Jewish communities when it comes to insisting on the highest level of halachic quality assurance.
Several of my rabbinic colleagues across Anglo-Jewry disagree with me over my insistence that a rabbi should be prepared to lead by example and share the same standard of kashrut with his membership, or else not take the mantle of congregational leadership.
I have always done so, and always will, and I hope that the entire community will see matters the same way.
Let us push for the highest denominator in kashrut and out of this crisis, unify through maintaining high levels of kashrut and take the lead regionally in this respect.
(This article was originally published in the Jewish Telegraph)
RABBI ARIEL ABEL: TRAGEDY SHOWS WE MUST FOCUS ON LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER
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RABBI ABEL’S INDUCTION
* pictures c/o Rena Pearl *
On Sunday 25th November Rabbi Ariel Abel CF LLM LPC was inducted as rabbi of the Princes Road synagogue.
The induction address was given by the Principle Jewish Chaplain to HM Forces, Rabbi Reuben Livingstone CF LLM. Rabbi Livingstone conveyed best wishes to Rabbi Abel from the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis and the Chaplain General, Padre Jonathan Gough.
In his response, Rabbi Abel outlined a four-part vision for the synagogue, proposing its role in the wider community. After the service, led by the congregation’s Chazan Edward Marks, the crowd were entertained to a reception in the annexe.
Keith James' distinctive take on the iconic and unique Cohen - whose passing in 2016 was mourned across the globe - featured songs such as Famous Blue Raincoat, Sisters of Mercy, Suzanne and Hallelujah, along with Poems by Federico Garcia Lorca - said to be Cohen's greatest influence - which Keith himself set to music. Thanks to him and all involved for a wonderful evening,
PICTURES AND VIDEO : Alan Humphreys
