|
Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
Screen for Aliyahs |
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 Lech Lecha
Saturday 16th October Morning Service 9:45 a.m. Shabbat Vayera Saturday 9th October Morning Service 9:45 a.m. London Shabbat Times
Parsha resources here.
|
Interior Layout for Distancing
Message for Elul 2021 from Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
The month of Elul is the last month of the Jewish calendar and thus the High Holidays are just around the corner. Elul, spelt Aleph, Lammed, Vov, Lammed, is hinted to in the Tanach in the following verses, which spell Elul with the first letter of each word:
אנה לידו ושמתי לך , אני לדודי ודודי לי , איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים
The first verse refers to teshuvah (or Torah learning), the second to prayer and the third to acts of kindness. These are the three pillars on which the world stands and are also mentioned in our prayers on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
This year has been a challenging year for everyone. We thought the pandemic would be behind us and life back to normality. Yet we are not finished with it, and certainly for many, days blurred into weeks, weeks into months, and here we are another year gone.
Despite all of the difficulties the shul has continued to thrive and withstood the obstacles in all of the above three mentioned areas. We had a zoom Torah class every week, maintained the weekly Shabbos minyan even during most of the lockdown period, and continued to distribute weekly Shabbos packages to many in the community.
All this has only been possible through the dedicated members and volunteers who give their time and effort to support these activities. If you haven’t been part of this until now, please make an effort to join in.
As we approach the new year I wish each and every one a Kesiva Vchasima Tova, that we should be written and sealed for a healthy and happy new year.
B’Vracha
Rabbi Yitzchok Austin
The month of Elul is the last month of the Jewish calendar and thus the High Holidays are just around the corner. Elul, spelt Aleph, Lammed, Vov, Lammed, is hinted to in the Tanach in the following verses, which spell Elul with the first letter of each word:
אנה לידו ושמתי לך , אני לדודי ודודי לי , איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים
The first verse refers to teshuvah (or Torah learning), the second to prayer and the third to acts of kindness. These are the three pillars on which the world stands and are also mentioned in our prayers on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
This year has been a challenging year for everyone. We thought the pandemic would be behind us and life back to normality. Yet we are not finished with it, and certainly for many, days blurred into weeks, weeks into months, and here we are another year gone.
Despite all of the difficulties the shul has continued to thrive and withstood the obstacles in all of the above three mentioned areas. We had a zoom Torah class every week, maintained the weekly Shabbos minyan even during most of the lockdown period, and continued to distribute weekly Shabbos packages to many in the community.
All this has only been possible through the dedicated members and volunteers who give their time and effort to support these activities. If you haven’t been part of this until now, please make an effort to join in.
As we approach the new year I wish each and every one a Kesiva Vchasima Tova, that we should be written and sealed for a healthy and happy new year.
B’Vracha
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
