!Spring Edition 2016

KVETCH & KVELL

COMMUNITY NEWS AND VIEWS QUARTERLY

which way to the kiddush?

the Village Shul

Did you know… that the Village Shul used to be a morgue used by the Royal Free hospital? Ok so you’ve heard that one already… but did you know the New End Theatre as our lovely shul building was known prior to September 2011, was the brainchild of someone who was running the export section of an engineering business? Hah got you… her name is Buddy Dalton and she, coincidently, happens to be related to a member of our shul.

Buddy and husband Alec were running a successful company with two children and living in Hampstead. She always had a love for the theatre and had wanted to become a journalist, but left school early, due to being evacuated during the war and never went back to education. After marrying Alec in 1947 and joining him in his company, the pull of the Theatre never left her. They eventually sold the company and started looking for a site that could make Buddy’s dream a reality. They found the disused morgue and in 1974 the New End Theatre opened. Buddy wanted to create a comfortable fringe theatre that was slightly more appealing than the usual beer glass in the back of a pub experience – the venues were fairly rough and for that reason appealed to a mainly younger audience. Buddy succeeded in her vision and The New End attracted many leading actors such as Susannah York, Stephanie Beacham and Steven Berkoff.

Buddy, in an interview in 2008, acknowledged that even though they had many successful plays, this didn’t have any bearings on the finances, and the New End was constantly running at a loss!

In 1981 Buddy sold the theatre but in 1992 she was given a special award for outstanding contribution to the fringe.

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THE WAY WE WERE…

Kvetching!!!!!To endlessly whine or complain; a person who finds fault with anything.!!!!Today the sun is too bright, it’s getting dark later and later, the clocks will be turning forward to summertime, and there are more hours of daylight than I can take! See how easy it can be to Kvetch! !Now the dog can be walked on the Heath anytime between 6.30am to 6pm. No excuse if it’s raining in the morning… it can always brighten !up by the afternoon! The endless gallons of mud being trawled through the house, the hours of sweeping, !then mopping, not to mention the constant shoe cleaning and trouser changing due to mud splats. The all !day dog walk also means new ‘dog walking’ friends - I don’t want new friends! I wish it would go back to !being dark, cold and miserable… !See, it’s so easy to Kvetch!!Welcome to the first edition of our magazine for the Village Shul. Okay it was a hassle, but at last someone has has put together an informative look at life in our growing Hampstead community.!!

Kvelling!!!!!To feel delighted and proud to the point of tears; to boast; to gloat.!!!!!Today the sun is shining, it’s getting dark later and later, the clocks will be turning forward to summertime, and wow, my son will be marrying a fabulous girl later this year! See how easy it can be to Kvell! !On the other hand… my study floor has flooded and the boards are taken up. The skirtings, the joists and the carpet are ruined, and to top that my neighbour wants to start a fight about land rights. But, then again… I’m so lucky to have a study, I’ll enjoy the retail experience of buying a new carpet, and I’ve just found the legal documents which hopefully will mean my nasty neighbour can go take a leap. Yup it’s easy to Kvell!!Welcome to the first edition of our magazine for the amazing Village Shul. An exciting challenge. Time for us to take an informative, and sometimes irreverent look at the flourishing life that makes up our wonderful and constantly expanding, Hampstead community.!!!

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Top tips from Rabbi Weisz The overarching principle of Judaism is that the purpose is to live with the mitzvot, but not die for them. Therefore if it comes at the threat of your life you do not need to observe 610 of the 613 mitzvot. The 3 big ones that you do have to give up your life for are, murder idolatry and adultery.

Easy peasy pesach

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Matzo Pizza – serves 1

Ingredients:

1 matzo

tomato ketchup

hard cheese

1) place your matzo on a microwavable plate.

2) Grate the cheese onto the matzo

3) Squirt a liberal amount of ketchup over the cheese

4) Place in the microwave for 45 seconds

Enjoy!

Enter our Competition! !Design our front cover for the September edition of Kvetch & Kvell. See it in print and also win a Waterstone’s gift card for £10.00 !!!!!

Participants must be under the age of 12.

The theme for the design is FANTASTICAL FOOD!

Entries on size A4 paper to: The Village Shul, 27 New End NW3 1JD. Please include a name & phone number. Closing date 3rd July 2016

!On Saturday 6 February a very full turn out welcomed Chief Rabbi Mirvis to the Village Shul. His visit was suitably accompanied by the amazing voice of Chazan Yudi Cohen who by happenstance was also visiting Hampstead. In his case not walking the 1 hour and 11 minutes from Hendon, but flying in from South Africa.!

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For those who didn’t make it to hear the lively 95 year old Marthe Cohn tell her story of heroism in WW2, an opportunity was missed to marvel at her bravery and feel awed by the table that heaved with her well-deserved collection of medals. There are some who probably wouldn’t be here today had she not helped reduce the length of the war with the information she gathered in Germany at great personal risk, having volunteered despite being a jew, to cross the border as a spy for the French army.

it’s been and gone…! where were you?

Of even greater significance… apologies to Chief Rabbi Mirvis, came the birth of child number five for Rabbi Yisroel and Devorah Leah. A son born on January 24 at a very precise 7:01am. A big welcome to Menachim Mendel!!!!!!! !

WHO’S WHO NAME: SIMONE KROK - ARTIST RESIDES: HAMPSTEAD BIRTHPLACE: SOUTH AFRICA Journey: I moved to London via Germany, LA, Israel and Australia to be close to my family and for Sahara to be with her cousins Childhood: Growing up in South Africa was amazing. I enjoyed all forms of dance, influenced by my mother, who was a ballerina. Due to the weather a lot of time was spent outdoors – most of the time we were protected from racial tension but you were aware that it existed. I remember one day when my mother took us to a public swimming pool with the nanny’s children - local kids threw stones at us. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Describe your art: Eclectic – I like to try and find the common denominator that makes us all the same, Art allows me to express what I want to say in a visual way. I love working with plaster and clay. At the moment I have been commissioned by a charity called !CHIVA AFRICA which works with children and HIV in Africa – to make a unique chair – about 30 other artists and personalities will be taking part. Words of wisdom: remember that other people might just be having a bad day and you need to love them anyway. Judaism in 3 words: kosher, Friday and schmaltz.!

Princess Kitty J.P (Hons) ! !!

Dear Kitty, !

I am a short lady. Not that I’m complaining. But… every Shabbat the best seats in shul have already been taken, and my view of the rabbi is blocked. Many of these women are my taller neighbours, would it be poor etiquette if I were to visit them at home and mention the problem? !

Sincerely S.A (Mrs)!

Dear S.A,!

I suggest you kick the back of their chairs throughout the entire service — or otherwise leave home earlier.!

Dear Kitty,!

I am a terrible cook and my new in-laws are coming for dinner. What should I do?!

Kindest P.G!

Dear P.G,!

Find a kosher caterer and transfer the food into your own dishes just like everyone else does.!

Dear Kitty,!

My wife gets upset if I don’t buy her flowers every yom tov. My late father never bought so much as a Dandelion for my mother (a true saint) in 45 years of happy marriage. !

Confused, Hampstead.!

Dear confused,!

If you can afford to live in Hampstead you can also afford to buy a bunch of flowers. !

Dear Kitty,!

My Pesach macaroons are hard and inedible. Should we dunk them in tea or throw them away?!

Mary B.!

Dear Mary B, !

Why waste good food? Take them round to the poor woman with that mean husband who doesn’t buy flowers — she can use them for missile practice.!

THE MODERN FACE OF RELIGION

!Chanele Weisz… !Most of the community are familiar with the smiling face of Rabbi Yisroel’s younger sister Chanele, but few of us know that she teaches children across the world via the internet. The Shluchim online school is a valuable tool for families who for various reasons are removed from receiving a regular religious education. From Thailand to India the States, Europe and Australia, lessons are scheduled to the appropriate time zones. Teaching can be in the English or Hebrew language depending on the needs of a class.

Hard to imagine, but these classes have a web cam and the kids can interact, make friends, and even pass notes to each other. There is a white board to post pictures of their families, a chat box for those who prefer not to use a microphone, and virtual break out rooms where they can go with friends to play a board game or talk. Once a month the rewards cupboard is opened and they can pick their prize based upon the points they have gained for good behaviour. The choice is then mailed out to them from a central office in New York. Lucky kids — punishment only takes the form of a comment or poor grade on their report card! So versatile is the set up that Chanele admits to once teaching a class from a busy airport. All she needed was to sit or stand before a blank background and speak from a quiet space… no mean feat when travelling!

Hello…

We now have not one, but two brand new and health conscious coffee shops: LLS offering salads in a jar on Heath Street, and Joe & The Juice pressing and squeezing on the High Street. !

A plethora of children's shops have recently opened in the Village, find knitted animals at Maison Auguste in Heath Street, and cute nostalgia at Jacardi on the High Street.!

!Yet another beauty spa/nail bar has appeared, this one on the corner of Perrins Lane. We have no idea of its real name, but we like the stripped back facade that declares it used to be, Leonard’s Continental Delicatessen.!!

!!Goodbye… Sometime soon the old nursing home next to the Village Shul will be demolished and a luxury block of flats built in its place. Hopefully the disruption will be minimal to services and our daily life. Go to camden planning online if you would like more information. !

The Old White Bear remains sad and empty despite its listing for community use. We question when, if ever, Camden are going to enforce their toothless directive?

Calendar of events !!In Future:!Communal pesach seder 22/23 April!

Eva Shlass talk (Anne Franks sister) date to be confirmed in May.!

Lag Baomer BBQ 25 May!

Shavuot ice cream party 12 June!

!Cheder:!1st May bank holiday, no classes!

8 May Summer term begins!

29 May/5 June half term, no classes !

12 June Shavuot, no classes!

19 June term continues!

10 July last class of the year. Term ends.!

!Weekly/Monthly:!Hebrew language school for children, Sundays 12pm!

Parsha class for adults, Sundays 10.15am!

Women’s learning, Tuesdays 9.45am (held in various homes)!

Young girl’s learning/discussion group, Mondays 8.30pm in Shul!

Young guys learning/discussion group, Wednesdays 8.30pm in Shul!

Rosh Chodesh club, monthly, held in various homes!

My view from here… by Elizabeth Barrekette ex The Village Shul!

HelloFromtheUSA!

Iwas thinking of horrifying youwith stories of the Boulder Shakespeare Festivalwho askedmy kids to audition… in an American accent.InsteadIwillsharetheequallyhorrifyingexperienceofme,anativeNewYorkertryingtoprovidegoodNYDelifoodtooneofthe,shallwesay,“mostunique”JewishCommunitiesIhavecomeacross.

Forcontext,BoulderinColoradoisasmallcityof100,000includingaround30,000universitystudents. Inthewholeofthecitythereareanestimated12,000 Jews– thereforewellover10%of thepopulation. This isabigproportion,oneof thehighest in theUS.But,Boulder isaccordingtoonesurvey,themostsecularplaceintheUSA–andthisstretchestotheJewishcommunity. Ofthese12,000Jews,onlyasmallnumberareinterestedinbeingJewish;perhaps15%areactivelymembersofacongregation.Wehaveahandfulofsynagoguesincludingoneeachofthemorefamiliarorthodox,conservativeandreformmovements. However,BoulderalsohasawholeseriesofdenominationsandmovementsthatIhadn’theardofbeforeincludingRenewal(lotsofchantingandmediating),Humanistic(lovesthepracticebutleavesoutanycontributionbyG-d),‘JudaismYourWay’(yourguessisasgoodasmine–that’sthepoint),theAdventureRabbi(whichinvolvesclimbingupnearbymountainsandcommuningwithG-dthere)…the listgoeson. Yetwithall theseopportunities forJewstocongregate,therearenokosherrestaurantsuntilonearrives inDenver–morethan30milesaway. Boulderdoeshavetwodifferentgrocerystores thatsellkosherpackagedmeatofsometimesquestionablemoralorigins,andanotherstorehasprettyreliablefrozenchicken.Thislackofkosherchoiceonlyseems to concern a small number of Jews here, andmost choose to eat non-kosher rather than compromise their organic/pasture-raisedstandards.ThisisBoulderafterall,sobeingorganicandall-naturalisareligioninitself.

So,nowthatyouhavethelayoftheland,let’sgetbacktomystory. TheannualBoulderJewishFilmFestival–impressivethatwehaveone,no?–was showinga film“DeliMan”. By theway, this isworthawatchandyou can likely find iton-demand. As the festivalorganisersexpectedthistobeashowcaseevent,theplanwastoservedelisandwichesalongwiththefilm.No-brainerfortheFestivalorganisers:they’llgo toa Jewish-ownedsandwich shop inBoulder toprovide the fare. In thisway theywill supporta localbusinessand the Jewishowner.What!?!Seriously,What?!HowcanyouservetraifesandwichesatafilmabouttraditionalJewishDelis?Ifweareservingdeli,thenlet’sserveDELI!!GoodoldkoshercornedbeefandpastramiongoodoldJewishryebread.Andmakeitallcompletelycertifiedkoshersoeveryoneinthecommunitycanenjoyit. SoI,ElizabethBarrekette,willstandonmysoapboxandbringkoshertoBoulder!!! PleaseimaginethisstatementechoingacrossthemountainslikeCharltonHeston’sMoses,redeemingtheJewishPeople.AndasIraisedmyhandamongtheboardmembersoftheFestivalorganisationwitha“leaveitwithme,”IalreadyhadvisionsofgrandeurthatIwasgoingtoenlightenthisprovinciallittletownwitha“thisishowyoudoit”process. AllIneededwaskoshercertifiedbreadandmeat,andallatlesscostthanthesubsidisedsandwichesfromthenearbysub-shop.Easy,right?

I had it all plannedout.Get thekosherdeli inDenver to sponsor themovieandprovideall the food inexchange for all thepublicity andadvertising. Butthisiswherethingsalreadygooffonanangle. Frompersonalexperience,thekosherdeliinquestionhasfoodthatis,tobediplomatic,ugh.Inaddition,accordingtotheFestivalorganisers,thatdelihasbeendifficulttoworkwithinthepast.

Okay,noworries,herecomesPlanB: TheUniversityofColorado’sChabadHouse,whichisreliablyGlattkosher,doesaweeklydelinightfortheirstudents.We’llhavethemsponsortheDeliManfilm,bringtheirdelimeatandtheirstudentstohelpserve.Afterall,weonlyneededanaddition170sandwiches.Winwinwin!ExceptthattheChabadrebbitzenjusthadababyandwasalsoplanningtheirson’sbarmitzvah.And,theChabadHouse’sjurisdictionislimitedtotheUniversity,sogettinginvolvedinthiswasastretchtoofar.

Thatwas ablow,but soon Iwas formulatingPlanC: approach the koshermeat andbakedgoodswholesalers and get them todonate inexchange for the publicity. Okay, step one, I tracked down a Jewish-ownedbakery that sells in local grocery stores. All their breads arecertifiedkosher.Theywerehappytocontribute36poundsofbread.Thiswasabigwinwhichrevitalisedmyspiritsandconfidence.Nowontothemeat.ItrackeddowneverywholesalerthatsendskosherdelimeattoBoulder. Inshort,eitheritisnotslicedwhichwouldrequiremetofindakosherslicer,oritonlycomesin100lb.batches,oritissuchbadqualitythatIcouldn’tfaceservingittoanyone.

Refusing to admit defeat, though feeling nearly hopeless, I called a small kosher distributor on theUS East Coast that produces premiumhormone,antibioticandnitrate-freedelimeatfrompastureraisedcattle. MydesperationclearlycamethroughasIpleadedourplight–andthiswholesalersaidyes! YES!!! Theyreallysaidyes! Igotbread!Igotmeat! Igotgreatmeat! Igotmeatthatpeoplewouldnotfeelguiltyeating! Igot50poundsofpastramiandcornedbeefsenttomeandnowstoredinmyfreezer(sorrykids,noicecreamthisweek),andnowIhavetomake175topnotchdelisandwiches,wrappedandreadytogo!Deepsigh!

Themoralofthestory?Becarefulwhatyouwishfor?Becarefulwhatyoupromise?Don’tbeoptimisticthatsomethingiseasyordoable?Or,neversayneverandfinddeeppersonalpleasurethatyougotabunchofunaffiliatedJewstoeathighqualityNYKosherDelicompletewithGulden’s spicy brown mustard (sorry, English mustard just won’t do), kosher coleslaw (which I found at a local restaurant distributorwarehouse,andwhichwasrathergood)andaDrBrown’sCreamSoda.AndifyouknowwhatIamtalkingabout,thenyouknowgoodDeliandwhywewalktheedgesoftheearthtogetit.

Untilnexttime,Elizabeth

9043(AW) A4 B&R Shul Magazine Ad.pdf 21/3/16 12:26:43