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Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
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Upcoming Services
Following the Government’s announcement about the re-opening of Places of Worship, we are currently opening for Shabbat morning services. Going forward we will be open for weekly Shabbat morning services with certain safety measures in place. Shabbat Beshalach
Saturday 15th January Morning Service 9:45 a.m. Shabbat Yitro Saturday 22nd January Morning Service 9:45 a.m. London Shabbat Times
Parsha resources here.
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Melaveh Malka 16/10/21
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Interior Layout for Distancing
A Chanukah Message from Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
Chanukah - latkes, doughnuts, dreidels and lighting the Menorah…
The latter is the main mitzvah of the Chanukah festival and is unique in several ways:
Firstly, the benefit of lighting the Menorah is immediate. Some mitzvos, like giving charity, may take time to reach their desired destination; the effect of kindling the Chanukah lights is felt straight away – immediate light, warmth and radiance.
Yet we are not just satisfied with this for ourselves in our own homes, we want this to be shared outside. That is why the Menorah is placed facing the street. We want our efforts to reach everyone who passes our door. Even when the world is dark, confused and upside down, our Chanukah lights change the situation to one of hope and clarity.
“bayamim haheim, bezman hazeh”
– in those days, in this time
In those days of the Maccabees, the few overcame the many, the weak overpowered the strong. In this time, the Jewish population is less than one per cent of the earth's population. We may remain small in numbers, but we have the spirit of the Maccabees. In those days, as in this time, we can turn the dark to light.
“mehadrin minhamehadrin”
– the best of the best
We are not satisfied with the minimum effect, with one candle; we want the best of the best. And this is the way we light the Menorah, increasing and doing more each subsequent day – because we are not satisfied with what we did yesterday.
This is what the Leytonstone community is about – increasing our activities, connecting more people with their heritage - and all of this is symbolised by the public Menorah opposite the station! I hope you will be part of it too.
With greetings for a Happy Chanukah!
Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
Chanukah - latkes, doughnuts, dreidels and lighting the Menorah…
The latter is the main mitzvah of the Chanukah festival and is unique in several ways:
Firstly, the benefit of lighting the Menorah is immediate. Some mitzvos, like giving charity, may take time to reach their desired destination; the effect of kindling the Chanukah lights is felt straight away – immediate light, warmth and radiance.
Yet we are not just satisfied with this for ourselves in our own homes, we want this to be shared outside. That is why the Menorah is placed facing the street. We want our efforts to reach everyone who passes our door. Even when the world is dark, confused and upside down, our Chanukah lights change the situation to one of hope and clarity.
“bayamim haheim, bezman hazeh”
– in those days, in this time
In those days of the Maccabees, the few overcame the many, the weak overpowered the strong. In this time, the Jewish population is less than one per cent of the earth's population. We may remain small in numbers, but we have the spirit of the Maccabees. In those days, as in this time, we can turn the dark to light.
“mehadrin minhamehadrin”
– the best of the best
We are not satisfied with the minimum effect, with one candle; we want the best of the best. And this is the way we light the Menorah, increasing and doing more each subsequent day – because we are not satisfied with what we did yesterday.
This is what the Leytonstone community is about – increasing our activities, connecting more people with their heritage - and all of this is symbolised by the public Menorah opposite the station! I hope you will be part of it too.
With greetings for a Happy Chanukah!
Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
Havdalah with Rev Menasche
Rev Menasche and Chazzan Steve at the Pre-Rosh Hashanah Kumzitz
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
