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Rabbi Yitzhak Austin
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Upcoming Services
Following the Government’s announcement about the re-opening of Places of Worship, we are re-opening for Shabbat morning services on Saturday 5th December. Going forward we will be open for weekly Shabbat morning services with certain safety measures in place. Shabbat Bo
Saturday 23rd January Morning Service 9:45am Shabbat Beshalach Saturday 30th January Morning Service 9:45am Parsha resources here.
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Interior Layout for Distancing
Chanukah Message from Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
At Chanukah we are given extra energy and strength to rededicate ourselves to Torah and to mitzvahs. This is connected with the concept of the menorah: the miracle of Chanukah was fixed with candles to represent the idea of “Ner mitzvah v’Torah ohr” – a mitzvah is like a candle and the Torah is like a flame.
Even though we find ourselves in difficult times we see that the Shul and its community of dedicated volunteers have been striving to keep people connected by delivering food parcels, Yom Tov parcels and supplying kosher food. We're now emerging from this second lockdown and again resuming services in the Shul with our regular Shabbos Minyan. Even through the lockdown we had our regular weekday shiur on Zoom. All these things connect people in the local area together, connect them to their source, to their Yiddishkeit.
This is the message of Chanukah. We need to use that extra energy which we are given, just like the Hasmoneans when they had to rededicate the temple. Now, we too have to rededicate ourselves to Torah and Mitzvahs. And just as we light one candle the first night, we don't stop there, one is not enough. When it comes to the second night we increase – to two candles – and so on. This is one of the fundamental messages of Chanukah: we should not just be satisfied with the minimum of what we're doing. We should always strive to do more and more and more. So I wish the Shul and the community and everyone involved much success in everything they are trying to do.
This is an excerpt for Rabbi Austin’s full message featured in our Chanukah booklet which can be downloaded below:
At Chanukah we are given extra energy and strength to rededicate ourselves to Torah and to mitzvahs. This is connected with the concept of the menorah: the miracle of Chanukah was fixed with candles to represent the idea of “Ner mitzvah v’Torah ohr” – a mitzvah is like a candle and the Torah is like a flame.
Even though we find ourselves in difficult times we see that the Shul and its community of dedicated volunteers have been striving to keep people connected by delivering food parcels, Yom Tov parcels and supplying kosher food. We're now emerging from this second lockdown and again resuming services in the Shul with our regular Shabbos Minyan. Even through the lockdown we had our regular weekday shiur on Zoom. All these things connect people in the local area together, connect them to their source, to their Yiddishkeit.
This is the message of Chanukah. We need to use that extra energy which we are given, just like the Hasmoneans when they had to rededicate the temple. Now, we too have to rededicate ourselves to Torah and Mitzvahs. And just as we light one candle the first night, we don't stop there, one is not enough. When it comes to the second night we increase – to two candles – and so on. This is one of the fundamental messages of Chanukah: we should not just be satisfied with the minimum of what we're doing. We should always strive to do more and more and more. So I wish the Shul and the community and everyone involved much success in everything they are trying to do.
This is an excerpt for Rabbi Austin’s full message featured in our Chanukah booklet which can be downloaded below:
| Chanukah Booklet |
Rev Menasche and Chazzan Steve at the Pre-Rosh Hashanah Kumzitz
Havdalah with Rev Menasche
The Chief Rabbi has just sent the following message to all of the communities under his aegis:
Over recent months, during times of unprecedented challenge, I have been inspired by our remarkable Rabbis, Rebbetzens, lay leaders, staff and communities as you maintained the vitality of our Synagogues through regular services, events and programmes. Public health professionals and government officials have recognised your determined commitment to protecting the sanctity of life before all else, in what has been a true Kiddush Hashem.
I have no doubt therefore that, whilst you will share my sense of profound pain, following the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday, that places of worship must once again close for congregational prayer, you will also share my desire to take whatever further action is necessary to prevent the spread of Covid-19. This directive from the government confers an imperative upon us to close our Synagogues from Thursday.
As I have noted at a previous time, it would be tempting to use the permission granted for Individual Prayer to open our Shuls so that we can daven privately in the presence of others which would certainly be a מעלה (meritorious). However this is significantly outweighed by the potential for לפני עור (placing a stumbling block before the blind), because those present for Individual Prayer might be tempted to daven together in a מנין which would be a clear breach of the law and a ‘חילול ה' - a desecration of Hashem’s name.
Detailed guidance will follow shortly.
It is my fervent prayer that our shuls will very soon be able to safely re-open once again.
May the Almighty bless all of humankind with healing and a speedy end to the Pandemic and all the suffering that it has brought in its wake.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
Over recent months, during times of unprecedented challenge, I have been inspired by our remarkable Rabbis, Rebbetzens, lay leaders, staff and communities as you maintained the vitality of our Synagogues through regular services, events and programmes. Public health professionals and government officials have recognised your determined commitment to protecting the sanctity of life before all else, in what has been a true Kiddush Hashem.
I have no doubt therefore that, whilst you will share my sense of profound pain, following the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday, that places of worship must once again close for congregational prayer, you will also share my desire to take whatever further action is necessary to prevent the spread of Covid-19. This directive from the government confers an imperative upon us to close our Synagogues from Thursday.
As I have noted at a previous time, it would be tempting to use the permission granted for Individual Prayer to open our Shuls so that we can daven privately in the presence of others which would certainly be a מעלה (meritorious). However this is significantly outweighed by the potential for לפני עור (placing a stumbling block before the blind), because those present for Individual Prayer might be tempted to daven together in a מנין which would be a clear breach of the law and a ‘חילול ה' - a desecration of Hashem’s name.
Detailed guidance will follow shortly.
It is my fervent prayer that our shuls will very soon be able to safely re-open once again.
May the Almighty bless all of humankind with healing and a speedy end to the Pandemic and all the suffering that it has brought in its wake.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
