Care Committee Pop-In Centre

The Care Committee have been delighted with the response to their afternoon tea sessions. The numbers attending have been steadily increasing. Whether it is Fay Sober’s delicious cakes or the warmth and friendship offered to anyone who decides to attend we do not know.

The President at the Tree Planting 1

The President at the Tree Planting 2

The President at the Tree Planting 3

Guests at the Tree Planting 1

Guests at the Tree Planting 2

.

The President at the Tree Planting 1

Please look out in the weekly leaflet for news of when each afternoon session is to be held. Invitations can also be picked up in the Shul foyer.

The Care Committee are overwhelmed by the number of people who have called the Shul office to advise that they cannot accept the invitation this time for one reason or another and those who call us the day after to thank the committee for their hospitality. We are also thrilled with the letters and poems received in response to our invitations. The fact that members make contact is very gratifying. It means they wish to stay part of our group.

Care Committee Members at Work

Alan Gershlick with Guests

Guests 1

Guests 2

Guests 3

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Care Committee Members at Work

 

As Tuesday 22^nd January was Tu B’Shevat, Janice invited the President, Alan Gershlick along to enjoy a cup of tea, have a chat with everyone present and then plant a tree on behalf of the Care Committee and to say a few words. Alan said he was thrilled with the success of the Committee and stressed how important their work was and how it was what our Community was all about. He thanked all the committee members for their continual hard work on behalf of SWHC. He felt the monthly tea sessions were invaluable to everyone.

Kenneth Carter had mentioned to Janice in Shul that he was a retired photographer. Not to miss an opportunity, she therefore invited him to come along for tea and take some photos, some of which can be seen here.

Dr Goldman

Geraldine and Guests

Janice and Norman

Janice and Geraldine

Janice and Guests

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Dr Goldman

If you would like to come along to our next ‘Pop In’ afternoon, please see the weekly leaflet for the date. Join us anytime between 2pm and 4pm. Call Janice in the office on 01702 344900 if you would like to be added to the mailing list to be notified of these events or speak to any of the other committee members, Fay Sober, Norman Zetter, Richard Shone, Lisa Berg, Clare Linden, Geraldine Jay or Jacqui Shuttleworth.

Looking forward to seeing you there

February-2008
 

My Dad !

"-----Original Message-----
From: Katherine [mailto:#######@######.co.uk]
Sent: 23 May 2007 01:46
To: swhc@btclick.com
Subject: My Dad.
 
 
Just a message to say that I have been looking at your website and  found it very interesting. I live a long way from Southend, my birth  place and found the sites very comforting to look at and read about  the people that I recall from my childhood. (Oh, by the way...my name  is Katherine and my dad is Sydney Barnett). If you are passing his  barber-shop or happen to see him, please tell him that I look forward  to seeing him very soon and celebrating his new Granddaughter, Remee.  Oh yes and tell him that I love him dearly and miss him every day.
 
Keep up the good work.
 
Katherine Hutchings (nee Barnett).
 
 

May-2007
 

Moonwalk 2005 (Riva Shaw)

"On 18th June at 11.20pm 15 ladies from the community and one brave man set out from Hyde Park for a half-marathon walk in aid of breast cancer research and cancer care. We all completed the walk with the last participants coming in at 3.45am, raising some £5000 between us. Thank you to everyone who sponsored us and to Trolls for the flowers which were used to decorate our costumes (not pictured here!!)."  Thank you also to Paul Binder and Gary Freeman for driving us all to Hyde Park and giving up a night's sleep to drive us back

Berni Zecharia, Riva Shaw, Marlene Binder, Vivien Klein, John Klein, Janet Levene,  Anne Green, Jackie Jacks, Cherry Sholem, Jackie Jay, Julie Hyams, Janice Linden, , Linda Ruben, Suzanne Elman, Leah Freeman, Sarah Roseman

June-2005
 

Jennifer Pepper's Walkathon
On 5th June 2005, Jennifer Pepper is walking 18 miles. Starting from Chalkwell Station (Beach side) along Westcliff seafront to the pier, then along the pier returning back, along the Esplanade to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, (Maplin Way). After a well earned 15 minute rest Jennifer will return along the same route.

After the Pier walk, she will go up Pier Hill and visit Raymond House, then continue along the Cliffs to the Jewish Day Centre, Cobham Road, where she will be met by Councillor Chris Dandridge, Mayor of Southend-on-Sea and Sybil Greenstein, Chairperson of the Southend and District Aid Society.

The money raised will go towards much needed medical beds.

Sponsors should send their cheques to the Southend and District Aid Society, c/o Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation, Finchley Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 8AD. Please make cheques payable to S.A.D.A.S.

March-2005
 

Children's Service Restarted
The children's service restarted on January 8^th under the excellent guidance of Rabbi Lew, assisted by leaders Lisa Berg and Eveanne Baker.  Everyone in attendance thoroughly enjoyed the service along with the lovely kiddush supplied by Cynthia Jacobs on behalf on the Ladies Guild.

Don't be shy, come along, bring your children and grandchildren.  Allow them to participate in this uplifting experience

Jan-2005
 

Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB)
Thank you for sparing the time to read this.

 We would be very grateful if you would kindly spread the word about  the next meeting of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain East London and Essex Group. We would welcome any of your staff or congregants at our meeting. We can forward you a poster in pdf form, if you want one and know any notice board where this can be be put up (not included in this email because of spam considerations).

Thank you so much for your time!

Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB) www.jgsgb.org.uk

East London and Essex Group

 

 "David Baddiel and me" A Jewish Genealogy Entertainment. Monday, December 6th 2004. Doors open at 7.45 pm for 8 pm. Ilford Synagogue, 22 Beehive Lane, Gants Hill, Essex

A fun and informative interactive evening for anyone with Jewish ancestry and for all levels and ages.

 Find out how you can discover your ancestry even without a team of BBC researchers!

Take part in a free raffle and win prizes!

However much or little you know about your Jewish family tree, we can  help you!

Refreshments served.

JGSGB members free.  Non members #3 (refundable on JGSGB membership)

For JGSGB membership write to PO Box 2508, Maidenhead SL6 8WS, see www.jgsgb.org.uk or fax 01628 632059

19-Nov-2004
 

Chanukah Celebration
 

We are very excited that we have been granted permission to erect a Menorah at the Cliffs Pavilion in Westcliff-on-Sea. This has been kindly co-sponsored by Julian Harris in memory of his dear late father and sister, Jeffrey Harris and Adrienne Harris and by Southend Borough Council.

On each of the eight days of Chanukah, you are invited to join with us for the lighting of the candles at 7.30pm, except for Friday which will be 3pm. Under the guidance of our very own Rabbi Lew these promise to be magical and memorable evenings.

On the first evening, Tuesday 7th December, everyone is invited back to the Synagogue Hall, Finchley Road afterwards for refreshments. On Sunday 12th, we are holding a buffet and disco at the Cliffs Pavilion, at 8pm. Tickets for this are £15 and are currently available in the Synagogue Office, but reserve yours now as they are going fast.

See you there

18-Nov-2004

Yom Hashoah Commemoration Captivated by One Woman's Life Journey

New Horizons, the adult education group chaired by Barbara Newman, must be congratulated for creating a very interesting evening for the packed audience at the Yom Hashoah commemoration in the Synagogue hall last night.

The commemoration of the holocaust must not be undermined. The evening commenced with some harrowing stories from several community members. Their loved ones, parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, cruelly murdered by the Nazi regime. As in previous years, a brief introduction was made by Otto Deutsch, his own dear mother and sister having perished. Otto was fortunate to have been evacuated by way of the famous Kindertransport. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005260

 The mourners were invited one by one to light a candle of behalf of their loved ones and give a brief account of their demise. This is a time of immense sorrow and reflection.

Barbara, through her contacts in the world of journalism managed to secure the attendance of Vera Gissing.  Vera gave an account of her life, which would not have extended beyond childhood if it was not for the courageous decision of an English stockbroker, a Mr Nicholas Winton.

Vera Gissing is one of 669 Czech children of whom Nicholas Winton rescued from their doomed fate in the Nazi death camps in 1939. For fifty years most of the children did not know to whom they owed their lives. The story of Nicholas Winton only emerged when his wife Greta came across an old leather briefcase in an attic and found lists of the children and letters from their parents. He hadn't even told her of his role during the war.

Nicholas Winton, then a 30-year-old clerk at the London stock exchange, visited Prague, Czechoslovakia, in late 1938 at the invitation of a friend at the British Embassy. When he arrived, the British team working in newly erected refugee camps asked him to lend a hand.

He spent only a couple of months in Prague but was alarmed by the influx of refugees, endangered by the imminent Nazi invasion. He immediately recognized the advancing danger and courageously decided to make every effort to get the children outside the reach of Nazi power.

He set up office at a dining table in his hotel in Wenceslas Square in Prague. Word got out of the 'Englishman of Wenceslas Square' and parents flocked to the hotel to try to persuade him to put their children on the list, desperate to get them out before the Nazis invaded. Winton managed to set up the organisation for the Czech Kindertransport in Prague in early 1939 before he went back to London to handle all the necessary matters from Britain.

An award winning documentary, "The Power of Good" was shown with accounts from some of the 669 people, whose current family offspring is estimated at around 5000, that owe their lives to Mr Winton. Vera, a writer, makes several appearances includes a heart rendering  extract from a 1988 episode of Esther Rantzen’s That’s Life. Here, for the first time, Nicholas’s deed was publicised. Unbeknown to them both, Vera was seated next to Nicholas and the moment of realisation could not leave a dry eye to anybody watching such a dramatic event. I was not surprised that this documentary won an Emmy for best documentary of 2002 at the International Emmy Awards Gala..

 I amongst other members of the audience, am delighted to have had the opportunity to meet Vera, to listen to her account put so sensitively and to have learnt that England has its own ‘Schindler’ in Nicholas Winton.
 

18-April-2004                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Footnote, summer 2007:Otto Deutch, featured in a Teachers TV documentary entitled The Kindertransport-Goodbye Home. Did you see it? Click above to watch the programme now.

37 Year Duke of Edinburgh Award Reunion Expedition to Yorkshire
Words: Lawrence Collin and the group

Three weeks ago an intrepid group of 10 diehard adventurers, past and present members of SWHC, set off again for the wild and rugged Yorkshire terrain, to recapture the spirit of adventure of our youth.
Our object, over two days, was to ascend and descend Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent, the two highest peaks in Yorkshire.

This was not a collective male menopause but an opportunity to come together as friends to see how we would all fare, with advancing years, against the elements.

Needless to say, the weather was magnificent, while the peaks were majestic and still, thankfully, in the same place after all this time. Everybody without exception rose to the

challenge and completed the course, and returned intact just as high (in spirit) as if they were still on the summits. Please G-d…next year on Snowdon.

regards

Lawrence

----- Original Message -----
A meeting about a potential Southend branch of the Jewish Historical Society of England JHSE will take place at the home of Lewis & Frances Herlitz, on Tuesday June 24th at 8 pm.   Mr Gerry Black from the JHSE will be there to explain what becoming a branch entails. And you just might get some refreshments too. RSVP 01702 715676 or by email at  jj69@dial.pipex.com

 

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Jon de Groot

The Shul hall was creaking at the seams on Sunday 11^th May, not the commencement of work on the building extension, but due to a capacity crowd for a highly successful fund raising quiz.

The quiz was held in memory of the late Jon de Groot and organised by some of his many friends.  The event opened with a speech from Jon’s brother David who travelled in from Israel specially to attend.  David recounted the zest for life and the sense of humour that epitomised everything people loved about Jon. A measure of Jon’s esteem could be gained by the appearance of many diverse groups. Amongst many organisations attending on the night were Fitness First, the gymnasium club and a contingent from Rebus, Jon’s employer. Groups from organisations within the community included Jon’s closest group the Tuesday Nighters, the After Eights, JNF, WIZO and many more.

Jon was a renowned Manchester United supporter – you either love them or hate them – which was seized upon by the maestros of quizmasters, Sybil and Geoffrey Greenstein. A question about the world famous football team was included in every round of the quiz.  Was it by chance or by heavenly intervention that Manchester United were presented the Premiership trophy just two hours before the quiz started?

A creditable £1200 was raised on the night and it is befitting that the money was raised in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research to help eradicate the disease that eventually took Jon away.

The Jewish Historical Society of England is planning to start a branch in Southend. If you are interested in learning more about the history of Jewish people in England and particularly in opportunities to learn about local and Essex Jewry then please contact me. Lewis Herlitz by email at  jj69@dial.pipex.com

SAUL REICHLIN
Last night a packed audience in the SWHC Communal Hall were treated to a splendid performance by the renowned Saul Reichlin. Saul is used to more acclaimed “shtetls” around the world; Johannesburg, New York, Canada, to name a few. To secure Saul’s presence in our Kehila is a coup for Audrey Barcan, Hon. Secretary of the Aid Society. Having seen Saul’s performance in Edinburgh, Audrey said “I just had to get him to Southend”.

Reichlin’s rendition of Gimpel The Fool by the noted Jewish Author Isaac Bashevis Singer, captivated the hearts of the audience. Sign’s of Saul’s professionalism were demonstrated when one of the more ‘senior’ members of the community was overheard whispering more audibly than she imagined, “what did he say”, Saul repeated himself coolly as if part of the script, producing rampant laughter throughout the Hall.  On another occasion, one lady, touched by the sensitive and realistic characterisation of the imbecilic Gimpel, told Saul “you made me cry”. “Ah”, said Saul, “but I trust I made you laugh as well”.

Preceding Gimpel, Saul’s appetiser for the main performance was an abridged version of Now You’re Talking, by Sholom Aleichem, a dramatisation based on stories which inspired the hit musical Fiddler on the Roof.

Find out everything about Saul Reichlin on his website www.saulreichlin.com

TALMUD TORAH
The Talmud Torah building is currently undergoing extensive renovation.  This will make an improved environment for the pupils to flourish. Classrooms are being renewed. A library and resource centre with computers are being constructed thanks to an anonymous donor.
 

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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PRESIDENT
I am writing to inform the Community that we have now agreed the sale of the Synagogue to Bryan and Jenny Woodford of the Leigh Village Day Nursery.

The Woodfords intend to use the building for a new nursery and have given us an assurance that they will respect the dignity of the building.

The sale price is £182,525 and the Woodfords have paid us a 10% deposit, refundable only if the Community decides not to proceed with the sale.  The Woodfords’ offer is unconditional.

We would hope to exchange contracts early in the New Year and are still to agree a completion date.  Accordingly, we are not yet able to state a closing date for the Synagogue.  As soon as we have agreed matters with the Woodfords I will advise the community once again.  We will then make arrangements for an appropriate closing service.

In all the circumstances, I have no doubt that this sale is in the community’s best interests, although the sale of this historic building is obviously tinged with sadness for the community.  Nevertheless we have to look forward and recognise our future needs. 

David Gold