Motzei Shabbos, 21st November

Ladies Guild Chanukah Gift Fayre This Sunday

Yeshurun’s Ladies Guild is staging its annual Chanukah Gift Fair (see left for a picture from last year's Fair) in the Leff Hall this Sunday, 22nd November, from 10am to 1pm. Everyone welcome.  Entry is £2 plus refreshments. Stalls include the Happy Puzzle Company, Bridge and Golf Gifts, Ladieswear, Children’s Books, Silver and Handmade Jewellery, Photo Frames, Personal Touch, Novelty T-Shirts and many more.   Always a good do to turn up to.   Gifts Galore for all the Family.

Two Weeks To Our Quiz Supper!
There's just two weeks to go to Yeshurun's Quiz Supper on Motzei Shabbos, December 5th.  This event is usually a sell out and no doubt this year will be the same. Tickets are £12.50 each and as previously we are looking for people to make tables as well as go on them.  Further details from David.  And, of course, everyone wants to know who the Quizmaster will be this year.....

Thursday 19th November

Martyn Krantz's Father Has Died - Funeral and Shiva Details

We're sorry to report the passing of the father of Martyn Krantz, Jack Krantz.   The funeral has taken place. Shiva will is at Martyn's House at 49 Hillside Gardens.  Shacharis will be at 7.00am on Friday, Monday and Tuesday morning and 8.30am on Sunday; Mincha at 1.30pm on Friday, Monday and Tuesday and Maariv at 8.00pm on Thursday, Monday and Tuesday.  Mincha followed by Maariv will be at 3.45pm on Sunday.  Shiva terminates on Wednesday morning.  Condolences to the family.

Rapports Become Grandparents

Mazzal tov to Muriel and Philip Rapport on the birth of a granddaughter to son Ben and daughter in law Nechama in Manchester.

Motzei Shabbos 14th November

Motty Kedar Pulls Big Crowd For Al Jazeera Talk

The Leff Hall was at capacity again after Maariv for an hour on Friday night to hear a talk on Israel and the Media by the noted expert on Israeli-Arab relations, Dr Motti Kedar (pictured).  Dr Kedar is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Israeli Military Intelligence and regular propagator of Israeli views on BBC Arabic and Al-Jazeera (although he explained Al Jazeera hadn't invited him back since he called for their cessation in Israel 8 months ago).  A reader at Bar Ilan University and lecturer in Islam at Tel Aviv University he took numerous questions from the audience on Israel's treatment in the media and pulled few punches with his responses.  Dr Kedar is in London as part of the 30th anniversary of the Begin-Sadat peace talks.

Hassles With Tassles - Did You Take Russell Dunstan's Tallis On Shabbos?

Someone took Russell Dunstan's Tallis (and bag) from the Hashcomah service last Shabbos in error. If you have this article, Russell would be grateful to be reunited with his tassles. Contact Russell here.

Parking In Fernhurst Gardens
All congregants are asked to please park considerately in Fernhurst Gardens and never over driveways, even slightly.  We have one or two rogue individuals who are spoiling things for the rest of us here.  And please, please, do not leave your car in Fernhurst Gardens over Shabbos.  If you have to drive to shul and leave your car in the area, please park it in another street other than Fernhurst Gardens.

Yeshurun Office Open On Sunday 15th But Then Closed To 22nd November Inclusive

Staff holidays mean that Yeshurun's office will be open this Sunday, 15th November, but then closed for the remainder of the week.   Emails to the office will be picked up and you may phone Yeshurun at any reasonable waking hour using the out of hours service (0750 317 8655) and speak to, or leave a message for the President.  If you leave a message on the office answerphone (020 8952 5167) during this period it will take longer to address your query.   

Yeshurun Office Hours To Change From Sunday 22nd November 

From Sunday 22nd November, Yeshurun's office hours will be altered to increase the efficiency of the office.   The office will be open for one hour each day only : on Sunday, between 11am and 12 noon; and on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 12 noon and 1pm.  The office will remain closed on Wednesdays.

Although the Administrator may be in the office during these times, the office will be closed.  This includes Yeshurun machers.  Yeshurun’s out of hours number (0750 317 8655) will continue to operate a 6 day a week service outside the office opening hours.   

Do You Own Any Of This Clothing?
Despite the winter being yet young, we already have an alarming array of lost property on our coathooks in both the front foyer and by the Beis Hamidrash.  If you recognise anything from this list, please take it straight off our peg! 

We Are Celebrating Liora Rabinowitz' Bas Mitzvah This Coming Shabbos
Mazzal Tov to the Rabinowitz family on Liora's Bas Mitzvah, which we celebrate in shul this coming Shabbos, Parshas Toldos.  

Sunday 8th November

Yeshurun Hosts Veteran's Events
Yeshurun was again pleased to support the annual Jewish Care veteran's event in the Leff Hall, held after the Cenotaph ceremony.  Around 100 veterans attended the event which included a lunch and entertainment.  The Shabbaton choir (pictured here) provided excellent leading, and the veterans needed little encouragement to join in!

Motzei Shabbos, 7th November

Hanging Your Hat, Casting Your Coat

Congregants are asked not to put their coats around the Leff Hall on a Shabbos morning when they come into shul.  It makes the hall look untidy and is disrespectful to those making the kiddush.   We know that cloakroom space at Yeshurun is limited, especially for men (the women's space upstairs was extended in 2007) and so we have provided an extra coat rail at the side of the Leff Hall.  If you're putting your coat in the Leff Hall, please use this extra rail.  

We Are Celebrating Victoria Palman's Bas Mitzvah This Coming Shabbos
Mazzal Tov to the Palman family on Victoria's Bas Mitzvah, which we celebrate in shul this coming Shabbos, Parshas Chaye Sara.  

Please redeem your Kol Nidre appeal donation!

We thank you in advance for your Kol Nidre appeal donation.  So far, however, less than half the money has been redeemed.  We need the rest please!  This is especially the case for the Stanmore and Canons Park Eruv because the Eruv Committee need to know they have enough money to get started on construction, hopefully next month.

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.

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.

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.

Motzei Shabbos, 31st October
Missions To Poland, February 2010 : Warsaw Mission 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 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 have pulled the three-day Mission to Kracow and Auschwitz, Sans and Tarnow. on Sunday 21st - Tuesday 23rd February as demand was not strong enough.  We might run this event later in the year if there is demand. 

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.

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.