| HOME |
| LIBERAL JUDAISM |
| HISTORY OF WCLS |
| PRESIDENT'S PAGE |
| SERVICES |
| OUR RABBI |
| MEMBERSHIP |
| NEWSLETTER |
| PHOTO ALBUM |
| LINKS |
| SPIRITUALITY |
| LEARN & GROW |
| MEET THE PEOPLE |
Chaverim - WCLS Newsletter
|
|
July/August 2008 My hair is growing back! That is one of the signs that the hardest part of my cancer treatment, the chemo-therapy, is now over. The loss of one’s hair is the most obvious visual sign that someone is suffering from cancer. Once the ‘fall out’ became significant, I decided to take control and shave the lot off. I expected to be traumatised by the transformation in my appearance, but it wasn’t as bad as I had feared. Fortunately, I had found a good wig and wore it for several months without much fuss. I don’t think I shed more than a few tears over the experience. Imagine my surprise, then, when something else triggered my weeping – something totally unexpected. It was a letter from the National Blood Service. For many years, I have been a regular blood donor. Two or three times a year, my husband Jon and I would traipse over to the Shepherds Bush Village Hall to trade units of our blood for the tea and biscuits proffered by smiling volunteers. I had obviously been unable to attend for some time due to my illness, of which I had informed them. This letter was different than those I had been used to receiving. It was a thank you letter for all my past donations, but also informed me that I would no longer be able to give blood. I positively choked when I read the words. I suppose the letter forced me to realise that although my life will gradually return to normal, the definition of ‘normal’ for me is going to change – at least a bit. It was normal for me to be a blood donor. I can’t do that anymore. It was something I took pride in, something that allowed me to fulfil in the most physical way imaginable, the instruction given in the book of Deuteronomy to “Choose Life.” It saddens me that I can no longer perform this mitzvah personally. Nevertheless, I am determined to find a way to ‘make up’ for the blood that I am no longer able to donate. For this, I need your help. I am looking to recruit at least one new donor for the National Blood Service to take my place. If I can recruit many new donors, that would be fantastic! Giving blood is a relatively easy thing for healthy people of average weight. All it takes is your time – and your willingness to be added to the blood donor register. If you think that you might be able to help me out with this, please check out: http://www.blood.co.uk. You can also ring them on 0845 7 711 711. Please do it today – and let me know! Many thanks, Rabbi Janet Mah Shlomeinu? - Looking Towards the High Holy Days Periodically, when I pop into my local newsagents, I take a moment to scan the various magazines on the shelves. Occasionally, I treat myself to a little light reading – something on gardening, for example. But lately I find myself increasingly reluctant even to browse through the offerings before me. So many of them seem bent on making me discontent – with myself, my home, my partner…. Just reading the covers is often enough: “Is your body ready for the beach?” “Why settle for less? Get your dream kitchen” “Does your man appreciate you?” I object to such messages and to the thousands of subliminal ones that daily assault our psyches. Perfection awaits you just around the corner. You CAN have the perfect home, the perfect partner, the perfect body. Moreover, you don’t even necessarily need to work for these things. They can be purchased if you just know where to go. Everything is obtainable – at a price. So why are you waiting? You, too, can have it all… It’s no wonder our western world is distinctly lacking in any sense of peace. Oh, we have Peace, with a capital P – that is to say, our streets are not full of armed soldiers or police; we mostly go about our daily business unimpeded by car-jackings or kidnappings. So often when we use the word, ‘peace,’ we think of it in terms of the absence, not presence; the absence of violent conflict, for example, or of threats to our personal security. We have learned to view it in this way, but this is not how our ancestors would have understood it. For them, the idea of peace definitely had positive content. One only needs to think of the Hebrew word ‘shalom’ to see this. Biblically, shalom was not used to indicate the absence of menace. When the text means that, it talks about living b’vetach, in security. Shalom was, and is, about being complete or whole. Modern Hebrew reflects the ancient understanding. If we want to know how someone is, we say, “Mah shlomech?” or “Mah shlomcha? We translate these phrases by the banal, “How are you?” – but literally, the words are asking after one’s wholeness or well-being, enquiring as to our peace of mind as well as our bodies. So, Mah shlomeinu? What is the state of our collective peace these days? Not so hot, it seems to me. As one pundit put it, “We work; we buy, consume and die.” As a society, we seem to focus almost entirely on what we lack, rather than on what we have. No wonder we don’t feel the sense of completeness that is shalom! How could we, when we are constantly told that what we have, and what we are, are inadequate? We have managed to create an economy that depends on our dissatisfaction to keep everything ticking over. If there is not sufficient demand, demand must be manufactured, or the whole house of cards will collapse. When you think about it, it is absolute madness. As we approach the Yamim Nora’im, the Days of Awe, I’d like to suggest that we all take time to reflect upon the difference between our REAL needs and those that have been ‘manufactured’ for us. We also need to consider where, and in what, our shalom truly lies. Maybe even by asking these questions, we can move just a little closer to peace. B’vrachah and wishing you well over the fast, Rabbi Janet Burden |
MESSAGE FROM THE RABBI
Whether you are a visitor to London or someone looking for a Jewish spiritual home, WCLS would be delighted to welcome you. Why not join us for our unique 3 pm Shabbat service and get to know some new friends? Shalom u'vrachah, Peace and blessings, Rabbi Janet |
NOTABLE DATES
We regret that our synagogue is able to seat only a small number of visitors. If you will be visiting the London area during the High Holy Days, please contact Liberal Judaism's headquarters at www.liberaljudaism.org for advice. EREV ROSH HASHANAH Monday, 29 Sept 6:30 for 7 pm ROSH HASHANAH MORNING Tuesday, 30 Sept, 10:30 for 11 pm Then Shabbat Shuvah, as normal at 3pm KOL NIDRE Wednesday, 8 Oct 6:30 for 7 pm YOM KIPPUR Thursday, 9 Oct 10:30 for 11, lasting until 7 pm or so SUKKOT Tuesday, 14 Oct 3:00 pm |
West Central Liberal Synagogue
The Montagu Centre, 21 Maple Street
London W1T 4BE
Phone: (020) 7636 7627; Fax: (020) 7631 9838; Email: wcls@liberaljudaism.org
The Montagu Centre, 21 Maple Street
London W1T 4BE
Phone: (020) 7636 7627; Fax: (020) 7631 9838; Email: wcls@liberaljudaism.org