Friday, 6th November

Frankie Branston's Mother Has Passed Away
We are sorry to say that Minnie Marks, mother of Frankie Branston , has died. The Funeral has taken place. The family is sitting Shiva at 4 Dorset Drive , Edgware, Middx HA8 7NT.  Maariv is on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights at 8.00pm. The Shiva terminates on Wednesday, 11 November. Condolences to the family.

Sunday, 1st November

Nikki Brown and Adam Hersh Get Engaged
Mazzal tov to Estelle and Steven Brown and Tova and David Hersh and all the respective families on the engagement of Nikki and Adam.  

Motzei Shabbos, 31st October

We Are Celebrating Leeron Haffner's Bas Mitzvah This Shabbos
Mazzal Tov to Ronit and Stephen Haffner on Leeron's Bas Mitzvah which we celebrate in shul this coming Shabbos, Parshas Vayeiro. 

Mazzal Tov To The Abrahams
Mazzal Tov to Elaine and Geoff Abrahams on the birth of a granddaughter to Suzanne and Rabbi Gary Wayland in Glasgow.

Missions To Poland, February 2010 : Warsaw and Auschwitz Missions Now Booking
Yeshurun has released details of our Mission to Poland II : Warsaw, Lodz, Lublin and environs. This mission, to led by Rabbi Alan Lewis and Dayan Gershon Lopian will run from Sunday February 14th for four days until Wednesday 17th February.  Full details of the itinerary are here.   We are now looking for people to confirm bookings and to take additional bookings.  Please contact the President or Steve. 

We are also repeating this year's three-day Mission to Kracow and Auschwitz, Sans and Tarnow. on Sunday 21st - Tuesday 23rd February.  Again, we are now looking for people to confirm bookings and to take additional bookings. Full details of the itinerary are here. Please contact the President or Steve. 

Thursday, 29th October

Celebrated Historian Delves Into The nazi Mind

The Leff Hall was filled to absolute capacity on Tuesday night to hear award-winning BBC television writer, author and producer, Laurence Rees (pictured) speak on ‘inside the nazi mind” – a psychology of the Holocaust from the perspective of the perpetrators.

Speaking without a single aide memoire, Rees drew throughout on his extensive research in this area, culminating in a number of major works such as the BBC’s The Nazis A Warning From History and Auschwitz, and his interviews of many nazis over a period of twenty years’ research.

Rees explained to the audience his view that one of the reasons why the nazis felt or showed little remorse was because much of the murder apparatus, such as the gas chambers, were designed in a way so as few people as possible were personally involved.  He noted that it took only two or three Germans to actually operate the gas chambers and that the guilt of the majority was therefore often absent through lack of direct connection.   Read more on the President's blog.

Helen Patashnik Has Died - Funeral Update
We are sorry to inform the community of the death of Helen Patashnik, wife of Laurie Patashnik.  Helen passed away in Spain and so the funeral and shiva have been delayed.  The funeral is expected to take place on Friday, 30th October, at 11am at Rainham.  Shiva will be at 8 Powell Close on Motzei Shabbos, Sunday and Monday.  Maariv on Sunday and Monday (November 1st and 2nd) will be at 8pm. Condolences to the family. 

Aron Kleiman is Engaged
Mazzal Tov to Susie and Michael Kleiman on Aron's engagement to Emma Nelken, of Pinner. 

Borehamwood Bochrim Beaten By Yeshurun Yekkers
Following a suave victory against Hampstead, Yeshurun Yekkers beat Borehamwood Bochrim by 3-1 in yet another victory for the Yeshurun team.  Key strikers were Israeli striker Dror and Adam Lustigman. Well done lads!

Early Mincha Returns This Coming Shabbos

With the clock going back, we will be having an early Mincha after the Kiddush on a Shabbos morning again starting with this coming Shabbos, Parshas Lech Lecha.

Bar Mitzvah of Jack Malkinson 
Mazzal tov to Jack Malkinson and his parents Keith and Sarah on his Bar Mitzvah on Parshas Lech Lecha.  Jack read the sedra, maftir and haftorah. 

Sunday, 25th October

Fantastic Response To Clothing Collection

Yeshurun's ladies guild report a fantastic response to their collection for World Jewish Relief's 'Operation Winter Survival' to help impoverished Jewish families in the former Soviet Union countries cope with the winter.  Over 60 bags of goods, including pillows and duvets and lots of coats and warm clothes and blankets were collected.  The ladies guild would like to thank everyone who donated items - they really appreciate this.

Motzei Shabbos, 24th October

Edgware Choir Makes Its Debut To A Packed Shul

Last Shabbos, Parshas Noach, saw a packed shul at Yeshurun to hear the first of our occasional Choral Shabbosos, where choral elements will be introduced into the service.  This is a response to discussion at the AGM last year on the need to create greater inspiration and variety into the Shabbos services.   

Cantor Jonny Turgel led the service on this occasion, accompanied by the new Edgware Choir, in its debut appearance, conducted by Colin Dworkin. The choir comprises around 25 men and boys, drawn from all the Edgware orthodox shuls and practises at Yeshurun every Wednesday evening, if you would like to join them.  Contact Colin for further details.  The Choir's next appearance at Yeshurun will be on December 12th.

Shema Bni Debuts At Yeshurun

Parshas Noach also saw the debut of the special prayer at Yeshurun said on a Bar Mitzvah - Shema Bni.   Yeshurun changed its rules earlier this year to allow the singing of Shema Bni following a motion tabled to the AGM this year to include it on request and subsequent discussion at the Board of Management.  Since the summer, the prayer has been available as an optional extra for Bar Mitzvah families, to be sung by the Cantor or Baal Tefillah. 

Mazzal Tov To The Lees
Mazzal tov to Sharon and Alan Lee on the arrival of a new grandchild - a daughter for daughter Rachel Lee and her husband Gideon Greenspan in Tel Aviv on Friday 16^th October.  

Can You Help With Security?
We are short of volunteers for security duty on a Shabbos.  If you would like to put yourself forward for this important task, please contact Simon.

Wednesday, 21st October

A Simcha Every Week For The Next Five Weeks

As we return to normal after yomtov, we are pleased to announce a Simcha every week for the next five weeks (see our upcoming events at the end).  We begin this week with the Bar Mitzvah of Adam Newman - mazzal tov to all the Newman family.  

Sunday, 18th October

Renee Preston Has Lost Her Brother

We are sorry to inform the community of the passing of Renee Preston's brother, Geoffrey Gordon. The funeral has taken place.  Shivah is being held at Renee's house: 26 Orchard Drive.  Maariv will be each evening at 8.00pm.  Shivah terminates on Friday morning, 23rd October. Long life and condolences to the family.   

Are You Going To Rainham?

We have elderly members who would like to visit relatives at Rainham Cemetery but have difficulty getting there.   If you are going to Rainham (and returning), could you take another?  Please contact Yeshurun's Office.

We Want To Update Our Yahrzeit Database

Yeshurun has a database of members who have lost close family so that we can remind you on the date approaching your yahrzeit, call up eligible people to the Torah reading when appropriate and include the deceased's name in the weekly memorial prayers.   We want to update this database, especially to include names for the memorial prayer.   If you have a yahrzeit coming up and we have not reminded you a fortnight before the date; and/or you think we may not have the Hebrew name of the deceased for use in the weekly memorial prayer, please contact The Wardens.

Tuesday, 29th September
What to do with your Kol Nidre appeal donation

We thank you in advance for your Kol Nidre appeal donation. For the Federation appeal (brown cards) please make your cheque payable to "Federation of Synagogues".  If you haven't already signed a Gift Aid form to Yeshurun but would like to allow us to claim back tax on your donation, please complete the relevant yellow form available from the shul office.

For the Stanmore and Canons Park Eruv appeal (blue cards) please make your cheque payable to "Stanmore and Canons Park Eruv Committee".  As this is a separate charity, please complete a separate white form, also available from the shul office.

Both Gift Aid forms are available from outside the Office, even when the office is closed, through the miracles of technology (and some sellotape) or by post upon request.

Wednesday, 23rd September
Applications For Schools Admissions
We are receiving a number of queries for certification for schools admissions following the High Court ruling and the JFS affair.  We are aware that other shuls are setting up what appear to be quite complicated "spot and sticker" systems to record shul attendance, but we have fewer children and less complications and are therefore planning a much simpler system and on an individual basis.

If you have a query about getting your child accredited through Yeshurun for school admissions, please email The President who will reply individually to you.  Emails already sent to the Yeshurun office will be forwarded.