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Netbuddy is setting up a website for Jewish people with learning disabilities, their families and professionals. In order to ensure that the website is fully comprehensive we seek your help. We would be most grateful if you could include the attached notice in your newsletter, weekly email and/or website. Set up by Linda Goldberg,, former CEO of a learning disability charity, and Deborah Gundle, mother of a disabled teenager, Netbuddy aims to provide the Jewish community with a comprehensive list of all that is available from large organisations to support groups and individuals active in the field wherever they are in the UK. Netbuddy is endorsed by the Board of Deputies and major learning disabilities organisations such as Norwood, Langdon and Kisharon. This website which will offer information, notice boards, and interactive forums will be an invaluable resource for people with learning disabilities, their families, and professionals within the Jewish community. It would be most helpful to us if you could email us by return to let us know when and in which issue you plan to publish our notice. Thank you for your support, Best wishes, Deborah Gundle and Linda Goldberg

Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   tel: 0787 981 7733

Download pdf synagoguenewsletterinsert

Members of BSRS held their first fundraising event to raise money for a new shul building. The community have already raised half a million pounds to purchase the land in Cambridge and now need to raise further funds to provide a building.

    Although it was 'chilly with a chance of sunshine', around one hundred members and guests enjoyed a Kosher barbecue at the home of Peter and Estelle Wolfers, while relaxing in their beautiful gardens. Kosher burgers, sausages and veggie sausages were provided along with an array of salads, followed by strawberries and delicious (parve) ice cream for dessert. Groups of friends gathered round to eat, drink, gossip and discuss the plans, which caused a great deal of interest and comment. The children played games and explored the extensive grounds, and especially enjoyed the butterfly meadow.

    Initial concept plans, for the new building were on display, for everyone to view and comment on. Council members were on hand to discuss ideas and concerns. The plans show a two-storey building with the synagogue upstairs in a light, airy room with a vaulted ceiling to give a feeling of space and substance. One member said, “I was very moved, close to tears, when I saw the plans, and realised how much having a shul meant to me, and to our community. Seeing the plans made it feel very real.”

    Frank Harris, chair of the Buildings committee, commented, “The members have been really interested and inspired by this initial set of drawings, and we have had some valuable discussion, feedback and ideas this afternoon. We now need to raise close to one million pounds to make this dream of having our own synagogue a reality. I'm sure everyone will be delighted to know that this event has raised £1065 towards our target.”

    The Building Committee would like to everyone who attended, and of course those who helped organise the event, especially the Wolfers family for providing the idyllic setting.

There will be a charity concert on 9 May - please see pdf below, or calendar for details

concert_09.05.10

Publicity for the new shul building is taking off with a radio interview with Frank Harris on Matt Jamisons Easy Sunday Programme on Radio Cambridgeshire.

If you move through the 3 hour programme to 2:04:10 you will hear Frank's 6:45 min piece where he explains about the new shul with a plug for both Carter Jonas and Cowper Griffith.

BBC website has an article as well.

Plus the Reform Movement’s latest Email Newsletter link

and finally the Cambridge News published a story in print and on the website.

See pdf here

More information is available on their website at www.bod.org.uk

A New Jewish Group is being formed at Anglia Ruskin University by Natania Goldrich for Students or Staff who might be interested.
The Society would be unaffiliated and Ethno-Cultural (rather than primarily religious) so that all Jews from all walks of life, backgrounds and religious persuasions can be included. The group would be intended to foster a sense of common identity through cultural events including Jewish art, music, literature and theatre, learning basic Hebrew and any subjects that might be of interest within the group. The University has never had its own Jewish Society although I have now introduced Simon Mandel, the Jewish Chaplain to Cambridge University to the ARU Chaplaincy and I understand he is to become an Associate Chaplain. Please would anyone interested contact Natania Goldrich This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 01223 874539.

WJR says thank you to BSRS Cheder

A thank you certificate has been received from World Jewish Relief for the collection by the Cheder families for the Haiti relief fund.

Edie Eligator, who received the certificate, will bring it to Cheder to show everyone on Sunday. She said "It's fantastic that the children have been able to help towards this emergency fund, which needed immediate response."

10/3/10

The purim celebrations at Beth Shalom were something to write home about this year. Starting with the boisterous Megilah reading and fancy dress parade on Saturday 27 February, the Cheder continued the party spirit on Sunday 28. 

The Cheder children from the younger classes sang some Purim songs, such as Chag Purim. This was followed by a Purim play in true panto tradition with leading ladies Esther and Vashti played by boys, and Haman, Mordecai and the King played by girls. The play was beautifully orchestrated by Shally Shefer and included fabulous costumes, super acting and jazzy singing by all.

After the entertainment we were able to enjoy the home baked treats on the cake stall, sponge throwing at Haman and lucky dip, among others, and a good time was had by all.

We have received information about a new kosher shop opening in Essex - download the pdf below:

Pesach shop, Essex

Note there is also Derby Stores, Cambridge, who will get Pesach orders, and Just Kosher in Borehamwood, Herts if Gants Hill seems a bit far. Tesco Borehamwood also stocks a good range of basic Kosher for Pesach stock.

Just Kosher

Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration Activities in the East of England

There were a number of events in the East of England region to commemorate this important occasion.

In Cambridge on 26th January, there was the Launch of the exhibition "Polish Heroes; those who saved Jews during the Holocaust" from the Galicia Jewish Museum in Krakow, at the Guildhall, Market Square, Cambridge. This is an inspiring exhibition about Polish people who have received recognition by Yad Vashem. They are among the "Righteous Among Nations" and are commemorated in the Jerusalem museum.

Cambridge City Council's Holocaust Memorial Day event took place on 27^th January.

This year's national theme was Legacy of Hope. Holocaust survivors - both victims and rescuers - spoke movingly of pain and loss, survival and despair and their wish for a legacy of hope. 

The evening began with an address from the Mayor of Cambridge and ended with the usual moving candle-lighting ceremony.

The focus of HMD is memory and the lessons from the Shoah. This year the Cambridge community welcomed a distinguished recipient of the Yad Vashem Righteous Among Nations Award (given to non-Jews who saved Jewa during the Holocaust). We will hear the story of Mr Jozef Marionuk (pictured, right) and how his family helped saved a group of desperate Jews by hiding them in their farmhouse in rural Poland.

The programme also included a new talk by Eva Clarke, reflections on a visit to Auschwitz by two local school students, a performance by the Beth Shalom Jewish choir, Kol Echad, an original dance piece based on Schindler's List and more.

Also on the morning of 27 Jan the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse screened the film "The Power of Good" and winner of the 2002 International Emmy Award for Best Foreign documentary.

The film shows how, on the wave of the Nazi invasion and threats of war,  Nicholas Winton, a young British businessman,  managed to take 669 mostly Jewish children, out of Czechoslovakia to England.  By helping to save their lives he showed how one person can really make a difference and inspire hope in a troubled world.

HMD, Norwich 27 January

Dr. John Clark and Dr. Jeannette Fine, as representatives of the Jewish community, attended a HMD event at Norfolk County Hall in Norwich and performed some readings. They were invited by the county hall chaplain, the Rev. Christine Copley, to a lunchtime service for county employees.

There were 36 people there including the chief executive and the Chairman of the County Council. The chaplain did some readings, Jeannette sang and read the Shema, John read from Elie Wiesel and read the Kaddish and an Imam gave a very supportive sermon, a prepared reading and read from the Haditha, the opening of the Koran in a very moving service.

At the lunch afterwards in the Chairman’s office, they were shown some documents by a Kindertransport survivor, who had managed to track down what happened to his parents. John was shown a three page typed document, in German, which was the summons to his mother to present herself for transport to Theresienstadt. His German is not the world’s greatest, and it was whisked off before he could read it properly.

However, Dr. Clark said, ”I did not get a chance to ask how he came into possession of the document, but by goodness it made my blood run cold. Not the least chilling aspect of it was that the Nazis had the chutzpah to label the document as being from the Office of Jewish Culture (rough translation).”  

New youth group at Beth Shalom

BSRS is starting a branch of RSY-Netzer for Cambridge Jewish youth aged 12+ to join. The group has been initiated by Danielle Ross, a mother of teenagers and member of BSRS, who was concerned that there was nothing socially for her own children to do, to help connect them to other Jewish kids and enlarge their sense of Jewish identity.

Danielle says, “The teenagers need something other than shul services, to enable them to meet other Jewish kids. As we are a small community, I want the teenagers to have a sense that they are part of something bigger and provide a route for them to meet more Jewish kids both in and outside of Cambridge, hence RSY-Netzer, an established youth organisation."

The first meeting will be on January 24th. For more details, see the Calendar and our Youth Page

Review - Fiddler on the Roof

Fiddler on the Roof was a production by Cambridge Operatic Society in November 2009. An enjoyable rendition, it starred David Gower as Tevye, the milkman from Anatevka, and Caroline Dyson as his wifeGolda, as well as Beth Shalom's Leslie Wheeler as the Rabbi. Niki Samer, Director and Shearer Abrahams, Costumes Manager completed the Jewish contingent.

Latest Building News

Since its foundation, our community has relied on hiring halls and other venues for services and other activities. Now, we hope, this is about to change - click here for more details.

Mitzvah Day

Cambridge Beth Shalom Reform Cheder donate 50 bags of goods for World Jewish Relief

Members of Beth Shalom Reform Synagogue’s (BSRS) Cheder in Cambridge were among around 15,000 Jews and others who gave a few hours of their time to support numerous good causes on “Mitzvah Day” yesterday  (Sunday 15th November).