Diary Entry

Tuesday night - Yom HaShoah.
This is always a period of the year that makes one think deeply about the modern history of our Jewish people. We have Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Day, which was in the middle of last week. This week will bring Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and then immediately after the Independence Day, Yom Haatzmaut. The United Synagogue commemorated the Holocaust in a well organised ceremony held in Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue. The moment that touched people most was the playing of a rendering of HaTikva that was sung at the liberation of Bergen-Belsen. You can hear it at the end of the famous Patrick Gordon Walker radio broadcast on entering Belsen - http://www.isracast.com/article.aspx?id=766

Wednesday
Tribe Club returned this week with continued energy, and more importantly more attendees. With more children beginning this coming week, our Tribe Club is becoming a solid part of the fabric of our community. It has a mixture of fun and social with a nugget of Jewish knowledge from the Rabbi for good measure. It is a great way for children to spend time in a Jewish environment after school - so try it out if you haven't yet. Hodaya is loving it!

Thursday
Akiva (the youngest) started nursery this past week which was a big moment for the family! The Talmud Class returned after the Pesach break and was this time around given at Eddy Levin's house. We are learning through lots of Talmudic discussions of Kiddush and Havdalah on Shabbat and Yom Tov, and loving it as well.

Shabbat
This was the -- year anniversary since Rabbi David's barmitzvah...I'll leave you to fill in the gaps. But what a difficult portion it is to read, let alone understand! The sermon in many ways carried on from the theme of last week where Holocaust Day was the main theme. This week it was the way we see the Independence of Israel. One way of looking at our State is in terms of what we want ideally a Jewish state to be. From a religious perspective, is this the redemption or not. On this basis there are complicated discussions as to whether we say Hallel or not on Yom Haatzmaut. If you would like a summary of rationales, then look at the following link which lists the rationales: http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2007/04/hallel-on-yom-ha-atzmaut.html
There is another way of looking at the State of Israel. Not in terms of where we want to be, but in terms of how far we have come from the helpless persecution of the Holocaust. In our national anthem, Hatikva, authored by Naftali Imber in 1886, we read 'Our hope is yet not lost'. In Ezekiel's prophecy of dry bones which is read on Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach, God explains to Ezekiel that the dry bones are in fact 'All the house of Israel' who are saying 'Our bones have dried, our hope is lost'. This statement is clearly echoed in Hatikva. What we have to be so thankful for is that the existence of the State of Israel has restored our hope in a Jewish future that was so nearly shattered in the Holocaust.

This week has seen two new barmitzvah boys join the study of their layening and parasha with the Rabbi.

Sunday
Elisheva enjoyed attending the Rosh Chodesh group at Margaret's and this is an opportunity to wish a warm Happy Birthday to Norma Brewer on a very special Birthday - many more years in health, strength and continue doing so much good for your community!

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