Dear Members and Friends of the NLJC,

I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful weather we’re having. We were fortunate to be blessed with sunshine on Saturday the 7th of May, which enabled us to have the community meeting outside. I’d like to thank Paul and Jean for their generosity in setting up tables and chairs for us.

Although we were small in numbers, I think all who were there would agree that we had a good discussion. Not least, it was an opportunity to engage with different members of the community whom we had perhaps not met properly before.

Charley Baginsky, the Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism, introduced the meeting. We considered the following questions and statements in a series of rotating “speed dates” where we each asked and answered, with a different person for each item, the following:

1. My favourite Jewish memory
2. What brought you to Norfolk?
3. What would be in your NLJC treasure box?
4. What do you want this community to do for you?

Afterwards, people raised their particular concerns and there will be a group of people both from the Council and from the general community, who will take these forward. We agreed to have regular community meetings to build up the engagement and commitment of members.

We also had our first Cheder for a long while and three children attended. My son Adam supported me in doing this and Charley spent some time with us. Both Adam and Charley have a special way with young people. Adam enjoyed working with the children and has agreed to come along on a regular basis. He is also happy to take over from his dad in documenting our community through photography. 

Our next service weekend is June 10/11^th at which we will be welcoming Julisa and Carlos as full members of our community. They had a successful visit to the Beit Din in March. Thanks as ever to Hannah for her calm and spiritually uplifting services. SEE YOU ALL in JUNE!

Annie – May 2022

Dear Rabbi Anna, Members and Friends,

Our High Holy Days services were a great success despite Covid restrictions, and because of the participation and contributions of each of you!  Our Rosh Ha’Shanah services were ‘home-grown’ and took place in person and on Zoom on the 6/7th of September.  Linda Albin, Alan Joseph and I shared the Torah reading. The technology worked remarkably well for those attending via Zoom. A big thank you to Annie and Sarah for their planning!

Rabbi Anna led our Yom Kippur services, the highlights of which were cellist John Mudd’s playing of Bruch’s Kol Nidre and Anna’s chant of the sacred prayer, the expression of repentance for all those unfulfilled vows.  14 congregants present in the OMH and a further 16 joined via Zoom.  On Yom Kippur numbers varied throughout the day, but were generally about 16 present in person and a similar number joining in via Zoom.  The afternoon service was led by Alan Joseph, who read the entire Torah portion himself. “Yasher Koach”.   A very thought provoking study session was taken by Michael Frazer.  

As I mentioned last month, NLJC Council submitted written questions concerning the NHC proposal to their committee.  A written response has now been received.  This was discussed by the NLJC Council at the end of September.  I now envisage that we will have further discussions with NHC representatives.  We’ll keep you updated. 

Philip Lawrence

Dear Rabbi Anna, Members and Friends

Earlier this month we had our first service inside the OMH for more than a year.  It was attended by 12 and more than a dozen others participated via Zoom.

As mentioned last month, Rabbi Anna will be taking our Yom Kippur services, but she is with her London community, BKY, for Rosh Ha’Shanah.  The High Holydays are very early this year, with erev Rosh Ha’Shanah being on the evening of Monday 6^th September.  We will be having a home-grown service at OMH and with participation via Zoom for those unable to be present.  Home-grown services were much appreciated in 2018 and 2019.

I presented Rabbi Anna with a small gift, a paperweight, from NLJC in recognition of her recent wedding.

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As part of the preparations for resuming services inside the OMH, Annie Henriques and I went there on Thursday 29^th July.  The eternal light in the Ark is powered by batteries which should last no more than six weeks. They were last charged in March 2020.  Remarkably, this is how I found the light:

Still glowing, just, after nearly 18 months.  A nes gadol, a great miracle, reminiscent of Chanukah.

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On Thursday 27^th July we visited the Norwich Hebrew Congregation shul to see the renovations.  NLJC participants were Sarah Boosey, Venetia Strangwayes-Booth, Byron Simmonds and Philip Lawrence.  We were warmly greeted and shown around by Marian Prinsley and Poppy Simons.

Written questions concerning the NHC proposal have been submitted by the NLJC Council to the NHC Committee.  We have been asked for some additional information about NLJC and understand that a written response will be sent.  This will form the basis for further discussion.

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Peter Whear, a former Chair of NLJC and long-serving Council member, has had to stand down because of ever increasing work commitments.  We all thank him for his efforts on our behalf over the years.  Recently Leiat Becker, Donna Frankel and Elise Page were co-opted onto the Council.

Philip Lawrence

Dear Rabbi Anna, Members and Friends

Last month we had our first ‘in person’ service for more than a year, in the grassed area behind the OMH. It was attended by more than a dozen. The rain stayed away and the wifi for the Zoom component of the service worked, most of the time.

Rabbi Anna is getting married over the weekend of our July service and is therefore on leave. A big mazeltov to her and Tamara from NLJC. We are very fortunate that Rabbi Roddy has kindly agreed to take Friday evening and Shabbat morning services via Zoom.

In August the plan is for Rabbi Anna to lead another service in Norwich. We are looking into how we can arrange this inside the OMH. Government and LJ guidance will be followed and we may decide to take even stronger precautions to maintain everyone’s safety.

The High Holydays are early this year, with erev Rosh Ha’Shanah being on the evening of Monday 6 September. Rabbi Anna will be with her other community, BKY, but she will be  taking our Yom Kippur services. Possibilities for our RH services are to join the BKY service  by Zoom, to have a locum minister or a home-grown service.

By now you should all be aware that Rabbi Anna will be leaving us at the end of the year. Preliminary steps are under way to find a successor.

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And now for something completely different. I had arranged a treat for you on Thursday

10th June – a 31% partial eclipse of the sun. Unfortunately, I missed the newsletter  deadline. To make up for this I shall be arranging a total eclipse of the Moon in May 2022 and a small partial solar eclipse in October 2022.

Philip Lawrence

Dear Rabbi Anna, Members and Friends,

You may be wondering what is happening ‘behind the scenes’. It may seem like not much has been happening, but I can assure you that many hours of effort have been and are being expended for the NLJC and its members.

The big topic is about the resumption of services ‘in person’. Services via Zoom have been amazing, by the fact that this wonderful technology exists at all – my Boobas and Zaidas would have been astounded – and by their warm content. They could have been cold and impersonal, but we must thank Rabbi Anna for making them the exact opposite. They have kept us going in very trying circumstances.

You will have received emails about our service on Saturday 12^th June taking place outdoors at the OMH. This will be proof that Rabbi Anna is not generated by computer graphics. We will be restricted to a maximum of 30, prior ‘booking’ will be needed, everyone will be widely spaced, no singing although you can hum behind a mask! No schmoozing or hanging around afterwards. Bring your own siddur, umbrella, and chair or blanket. No shared Kiddush, so no Palwin’s number 9³/4. We would be reassured by negative Covid tests in the previous 24-48 hours.

Rabbi Roddy has kindly agreed to officiate for the July service, which will be via Zoom.

No decisions have been made yet about August and then the High Holydays, although we are hoping that national circumstances will be such that we can resume services inside the OMH. Rabbi Anna will be taking our Yom Kippur services, but she will be with her other community, BKY, for Rosh HaShanah.

Philip Lawrence