THE LARGEST CIRCULATED JEWISH NEWSPAPER IN THE UK!
Free Valuation
020 8203 2111 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 / 6 TISHREI 5787
@TheJewishWeekly 429
ISRAEL'S PROPERTY AND COMMUNITY MATCHMAKER
LET YOUR JOURNEY HOME BEGIN WITH US FEATURED REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES IN ISRAEL
NETANYA
HERZLIYA esale
e
o ect e ooms ool m i com le eat locatio Rea
Price on Request
JERUSALEM
a a Koo t. Re o ate a e e ooms ath ooms alco ies s ah a i sto a e Asking Price:
₪7,800,000
e o ect eat e elo e e ooms oi e eat o o t it Rea ec Starting Price:
₪3,586,000
JERUSALEM
a i illa e e ac e ooms a e i he i ishes to a e a i it
Price on Request
+972 54 441 5704
KimBashRealEstate.com
JERUSALEM
Ramot Bet otta e iet st eet e ooms ll ath ooms e ote tial Asking Price:
₪5,350,000
CAESAREA
e ooms ath ooms i ate ool e a ate it lose to the each eat locatio Asking Price:
₪11,490,000
THE LARGEST CIRCULATED JEWISH NEWSPAPER IN THE UK!
Free Valuation
020 8203 2111 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 / 6 TISHREI 5787
@TheJewishWeekly 429
ONE HOUSE: ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES Give Israel’s next generation the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive FIND OUT MORE INSDIE
BETRAYED FROM WITHIN
EDITORIAL BY YOSSI SAUNDERS
PARASHAT HA'AZINU SHABBAT: London Manchester Leeds Liverpool Birmingham Antwerp Bournemouth Gateshead Jerusalem
BEGINS 18:54 19:02 18:57 19:02 18:58 19:31 18:56 18:57 18:05
ENDS 19:53 20:04 20:06 20:11 20:01 20:38 20:02 20:08 19:17
YOM KIPPUR SHABBAT: London Manchester Leeds Liverpool Birmingham Antwerp Bournemouth Gateshead Jerusalem
BEGINS 18:49 18:57 18:52 18:57 18:53 20:27 18:52 18:52 18:02
ENDS 19:48 19:59 20:00 20:06 19:56 20:33 19:57 20:02 19:14
Before the Government announced its sanctions against Israel, the Chief Rabbi and other senior representatives of mainstream British Jewry held seperate meetings with Ed Miliband and Government officials. They did not make empty political gestures or shout from the sidelines. They went directly to those responsible and attempted to persuade them not Charley Baginsky, Josh Levy with 'Proud Jew' Ed Miliband to proceed. They explained why the sanctions were wrong, why concerns and undo the work undertaken they would damage Britain’s relationship during those private meetings. with Israel and why singling out the Jewish While the Chief Rabbi, the JLC and other State would have serious consequences for colleagues were trying to defend Israel and British Jews. protect British Jewry, these Progressive rabDespite those representations, Miliband bis gave Miliband the political cover to claim and the Government went ahead. that Jewish opinion was divided. We now know, because Miliband himself It was a shameful betrayal. has acknowledged it, that he also consulted These individuals did not speak for the two Progressive rabbis. Their intervention Chief Rabbi or the mainstream Orthodox apparently supplied the Government with community. Yet their rabbinical titles enaprecisely what it required: alternative “Jew- bled the Government to present their politiish voices” that could be used to dismiss the cal opinions as Jewish religious authority. Chief Rabbi, disregard mainstream Jewish It is time to stop pretending that every
person who uses the title “rabbi” speaks with equal legitimacy on behalf of British Jewry. They do not. The Chief Rabbi is the spiritual head of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. He carries the responsibility of leadership and represents the institutions at the heart of mainstream Jewish life. His warning should not have been placed on the same level as the opinions of Progressive activists whose politics repeatedly appear to take precedence over loyalty to Israel. They did not merely disagree with the Chief Rabbi. Their intervention helped Miliband disregard him. The Progressive movement must answer a fundamental question, when the Chief Rabbi and mainstream communal representatives are privately pleading with the Government not to punish Israel; whose interests are served by Progressive rabbis giving ministers the opposing Jewish endorsement they desire?
“When my brother told me he had prostate cancer, the first thing I did was call Chai.” If you or someone you know has been affected by a cancer diagnosis, call Chai on 0808 808 4567 or visit chaicancercare.org Chai Lifeline Cancer Care Registered Charity No. 1078956
Continued on page 2
2 NEWS Continued from page 1 It was certainly not Israel’s interest. It was not the interest of Jewish unity. It was not the interest of the thousands of British Jewish families who look towards Israel not as a foreign policy problem but as their ancestral homeland and the ultimate guarantor of Jewish survival. It served Ed Miliband and his Government. Miliband’s own behaviour has been utterly disgraceful. He repeatedly invokes his Jewish background and describes himself as a proud British Jew. Yet when the recognised leadership of mainstream British Jewry warned him against these sanctions, he chose to disregard them and seek comfort from those who would tell him what he wanted to hear. Jewish ancestry cannot be used as a political shield. It does not grant Miliband immunity from criticism when his decisions damage Israel and leave British Jews feeling abandoned. He has thrown his own community out to dry. Miliband knows—or certainly ought to know—that every hostile Government announcement against Israel has consequences in Britain. Whenever Israel is singled out, condemned or punished, British Jews face the backlash. Synagogues require more protection, Jewish schools increase security and ordinary Jews become
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 targets for rage over decisions they neither made nor control. A routine sentence condemning antisemitism does not absolve ministers of responsibility for the atmosphere their policies help create. The Government cannot punish Israel, dismiss the Chief Rabbi’s warnings and then act surprised when the language of anti-Israel hostility spills over into hatred of Jews. It cannot inflame the atmosphere and then pretend it had no ability to foresee the consequences. The same moral responsibility applies to those Progressive rabbis who supplied the Government with its Jewish cover. When a rabbi meets a senior minister, he or she is not treated merely as an ordinary voter. The title carries influence. The meeting can be cited as evidence of Jewish consultation and approval. If their words enabled Miliband to brush aside the Chief Rabbi and proceed with these sanctions, they cannot now pretend that their involvement was insignificant. Should, G-d forbid, a Jew be attacked or killed amid the atmosphere these decisions have helped inflame, the criminal will bear legal responsibility. But Miliband and those who enabled him will face the gravest moral questions. They were warned. They knew the fears of the community. They knew Jewish schools and synagogues already required extraordinary levels of protection.
Nevertheless, they helped intensify the climate of hostility. If Jewish blood is spilled after these warnings were consciously ignored, they will not be able simply to wash their hands and claim that nobody could have foreseen it. That blood will remain a moral stain upon everyone who dismissed the danger or provided political cover for doing so. Last week, this newspaper issued a clear public call regarding Phil Rosenberg and the Board of Deputies. Today, we reaffirm it. The United Synagogue must separate itself from any organisation, faction or communal structure that is not fully and unambiguously supportive of Israel. Mainstream Orthodox Jewry cannot continue lending its name and credibility to bodies in which anti-Israel or equivocating groups are treated as legitimate representatives of British Jewish opinion. Phil Rosenberg and the Board of Deputies must decide whom they represent. They cannot claim to speak for mainstream British Jews while allowing organisations that repeatedly undermine Israel to remain inside the communal tent and influence its direction. There can be no unity with groups whose version of unity requires Orthodox and Zionist Jews to remain silent while Israel is attacked from within. The Chief Rabbi deserves the
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026 community’s complete support. The United Synagogue must defend the convictions of its members. British Jewry requires leadership that stands with Israel without apology, hesitation or carefully worded qualifications. As Yom Kippur approaches, The Jewish Weekly wishes to remind its readership exactly where this newspaper stands. We are proudly, consistently and unapologetically pro-Israel. We support Israel one hundred per cent in its fight to defend its citizens, defeat terrorism and secure the future of the Jewish people. We will not condemn Israel to gain approval from politicians, Progressive activists or those who reserve standards for the Jewish State that they apply to no other country. The previous Israeli ambassador described The Jewish Weekly as the most pro-Israel newspaper in Britain. We regard that description as a badge of honour. At a time when others are wavering, apologising or betraying Israel for political acceptance, we will not. We stand with Israel. We stand with the Chief Rabbi. We stand with the United Synagogue and mainstream Orthodox Jewry. We will never remain silent while the Jewish State is attacked—or while those claiming to represent Jews help its enemies from within.
4 NEWS
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
Edgware Father-of-Seven Found Dead in Uman During Rosh Hashanah BY MARTIN KENT
A Jewish father-of-seven from Edgware has been found dead in a wooded area in Uman, Ukraine, during the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage, with Ukrainian authorities investigating the circumstances surrounding his death. Yitzchak “Alex” Elmkies, a British Jew from north-west London, was discovered in woodland on Kotsiubynskoho Street at around midday on Saturday, during Rosh Hashanah. Ukrainian police have opened an investigation into the death, while forensic examinations have been ordered in an attempt to establish precisely what happened. Reports surrounding the discovery have raised serious questions about the circumstances in which Mr Elmkies died. The case is being investigated by the relevant Ukrainian authorities, with officials working to establish a full timeline of his movements and the events leading up to his death. The investigation has been registered under the section of Ukrainian law dealing with intentional homicide. However, the precise cause of death has not yet
been officially established and investigators are awaiting the results of forensic examinations. According to reports from Ukraine, Mr Elmkies had entered the country on August 10. He was known to visit Uman regularly and had reportedly spent considerable periods in the city. Acquaintances told investigators that he had previously visited the wooded area where he was eventually discovered in order to pray. Mr Elmkies grew up in Golders Green and attended Hasmonean School. In more recent years, he was reportedly a member of the Elstree Evening Kollel. News of his death has caused shock and sadness within the British Jewish community, particularly among those who knew
him from north-west London. His death came during the huge annual Rosh Hashanah gathering in Uman, when tens of thousands of Jewish visitors travel from Israel, Britain and around the world to daven at the kever of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. The pilgrimage has continued despite the ongoing war in Ukraine and repeated warnings surrounding travel to the country. J e w i s h emergency organisations have been working with the Ukrainian authorities following the discovery of Mr Elmkies’ body. United Hatzalah representatives in Uman have been assisting with efforts to secure the release of the body as quickly as possible, in order to enable burial in accordance with Jewish law. ZAKA representatives have also
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
reportedly been involved in the case. Aharon Ben Harush, deputy head of United Hatzalah’s Uman branch, confirmed that the organisation had dealt with the incident during Yom Tov, while the circumstances surrounding the death remained under investigation. The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has confirmed that it is assisting Mr Elmkies’ family and is in contact with the Ukrainian authorities. The tragedy has cast a shadow over the Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage for members of the British community in Uman. Investigators are continuing their inquiries and awaiting forensic findings as they seek to establish exactly how the father-of-seven came to die in the woodland area.
A Magnificant Pesach
Nof Ginosar Hotel L A K E K I N N E R E T, I S R A E L 21-29 APRIL 2027 8TH N I G H T F R E E
INSPIRING PESACH WITH RENOWNED SCHOLARS, SHIURIM & TEFILLOT
EXCEPTIONAL KIDS', TEEN & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
PREMIUM ROOMS & OUTSTANDING KOSHER CUISINE
GLATT MEHADRIN NO KITNIYOT GEBROCHTS
A WARM ENGLISH SPEAKING DATI LEUMI COMMUNITY ATMOSPHERE
RELAX. CONNECT. CELEBRATE PESACH IN ISRAEL WITH KOSHER TRAVELERS.
GUEST SPEAKERS AND WORLD - CLASS ENTERTAINERS HERB & SUSIE KEINON
RABBI JOEL & RUTHIE PORTNOY
MATAN ROSENBERG MENTALIST
www.koshertravelers.com | info@koshertravelers.com
ISRAEL: +972 2 992 9801 | USA/CANADA: +1 646 240 4118 | EUROPE: +44 207 048 6168 | AUSTRALIA: +61 39 9997496 LUXURY CRUISES | EXOTIC TOURS | PRIVATE VILLAS | AFRICAN SAFARI | SUKKOT HOTELS | ISRAEL TOURISM
HOSTED
BY THE BELOVED GILDA POSNER JEREMY MAZUREK COMEDIAN
SCAN FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
SOLOMON BROTHERS CONCERT
6 NEWS
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
October 7 Families Demand Answers From Netanyahu and Government BY MARTIN KENT
Families of victims of the October 7 massacre have launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government, accusing the country’s political leadership of failing to provide answers nearly three years after the worst terrorist attack in Israel’s history. Bereaved relatives and survivors presented what they called “Case 7.10” on Tuesday, a detailed document setting out what they describe as an “indictment” of successive Israeli governments over the failures that preceded the Hamas massacre. The families insisted that responsibility cannot end with the IDF, Shin Bet or individual commanders, and demanded answers from those who set Israel’s political and security policy in the years leading up to the attack. Their intervention comes amid continuing anger that, almost three years after Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel, murdering around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, no full state commission of inquiry has yet examined the disaster from top to bottom. The families argued that the disastrous
“conception” surrounding Hamas — the belief that the terrorist organisation could be contained or deterred — was not simply an intelligence error but the product of political decisions taken over many years. They said those who held senior positions both on October 7 and during the years preceding the massacre must be required to answer for their decisions. The presentation included deeply emotional testimony from families whose lives were destroyed that morning. Shaylee Atary, whose husband Yahav Winner was murdered at Kfar Aza while protecting her and their baby daughter, was among those addressing the event. Hadas Kalderon, whose children were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz and whose former husband Ofer was also taken hostage, spoke about the catastrophic failures surrounding the community. Noam Perry, daughter of Chaim Perry, who was kidnapped from Nir Oz and later murdered in Hamas captivity, also addressed the gathering, raising painful questions over the handling of opportunities to return hostages. For the families, the central question remains brutally simple: how was October 7 allowed to happen?
They want to know why warnings were missed, why communities close to Gaza were so catastrophically exposed, why the border was overwhelmed so quickly and why it took Israeli forces hours to reach civilians desperately fighting for their lives. They also want the political leadership investigated alongside the military and intelligence establishments. The government has backed a different model of inquiry from the traditional state commission demanded by many bereaved families. Legislation advanced this year proposed a “statenational” commission whose members would be chosen through a special Knesset mechanism. Critics have argued that only a fully independent state commission can command public confidence and properly investigate decisions taken at the highest levels of government. The State Comptroller has separately warned that Israelis are still waiting for answers to some of the most fundamental questions
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
surrounding October 7. With Israel heading towards an election, the battle over responsibility for the massacre is once again moving to the centre of the national debate. For the bereaved families, however, this is not simply an election issue. Nearly three years after their relatives were murdered, they say they are still waiting for the country’s leaders — including Netanyahu and his government — to face the questions they believe have remained unanswered for far too long.
Natuzzi Residences Jerusalem Architecture, interior design & furnishings
75 turnkey apartments Full Natuzzi interior design & furnishing Wellness centre, pool & resident’s club Private green rooftop
*Images for illustrative purposes only.
1200 sqm ecological garden
For the first time in Israel, crafted by the same hands shaping Italian interiors since 1959. CRAFTED IN ITALY, HOME IN JERUSALEM. LIMITED PRE-SALE
Derech Beit Lechem St., bordering Baka Less than a one-minute walk to the light rail. +972 733-744-672 natuzziresidences.com
RARE! Limited apts. with Sukka balconies
8 NEWS
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
Labour MP Calls for ‘Military Action’ Against Israel as Sanctions Fallout Deepens
BY MARTIN KENT
A Labour MP has called for Britain to consider “military action” against Israel, as the fallout from the government’s unprecedented new sanctions against the Jewish state continued to escalate. Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, made the extraordinary intervention in Parliament as MPs pressed the government to go considerably further than the measures announced by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband last week. The latest comments come amid an increasingly bitter diplomatic confrontation between Britain and Israel following the government’s decision to impose sweeping measures targeting Israeli communities in the West Bank. McDonald asked ministers whether the UK was prepared to contemplate military action, arguing that Britain had previously been willing to use force in other international conflicts. His intervention marked a dramatic escalation in the rhetoric surrounding Israel at Westminster and came as other
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
MPs demanded further sanctions and restrictions. Last week, Miliband announced what he described as a major change in Britain’s approach towards Israel, including a ban on imports from Israeli settlements and restrictions targeting companies providing goods and services connected with settlement expansion. The government is also extending restrictions on arms export licences for equipment deemed to contribute materially to Israel’s presence in the West Bank. The measures provoked fury in Jerusalem. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused the Labour government of pursuing an anti-Israel agenda and announced a series of retaliatory measures. Israel is closing Britain’s consulate in Jerusalem, removing British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat and ending Britain’s role in training Palestinian Authority security forces. Continued on page 12
We can help you make your dream of celebrating 'next year in Jerusalem' Israel, a reality! We are experienced experts, with professional contacts, and passion to make your Aliyah journey a success. We will support you every step of the way, from finding a place to live to getting a job. We will help you navigate the red tape and make sure you have everything you need to make your Aliyah easy.
Don't wait! Contact us to start your Aliyah journey today!
FREE Advice & Guidance from A - Z.... and BEYOND!! Aliyah - Retuning Citizens - Investing in Israel REGISTER FOR A FREE IN PERSON OR ZOOM MEETING WITH DOV
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
10 NEWS Continued from page 10 Israel has also barred a group of British politicians and activists from entering the country, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and a number of prominent left-wing MPs. President Isaac Herzog described Britain’s sanctions as a “grave miscalculation” and accused London of interfering in Israel’s forthcoming democratic elections. The dispute has also generated considerable concern within Britain’s Jewish community. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis strongly criticised the sanctions, warning of their wider consequences and arguing that measures singling out Israel risk encouraging those seeking to delegitimise the Jewish state. Yet rather than the sanctions satisfying critics of Israel within Westminster, pressure is growing for the government to go considerably further. More than 130 legal experts, including 18 King’s Counsel, have now signed a letter arguing that the government’s measures do not go far enough. They are demanding
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 further action including a comprehensive arms embargo and additional economic restrictions. The growing calls for tougher action mean last week’s sanctions may prove to be the beginning rather than the end of the confrontation. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stubbornly defended his government’s position, saying Britain must be prepared to “stand against injustice”, while casually forgetting the October 7th injustice amongst all the other atrocities. ‘Proud Jew’ Ed Miliband has insisted that Britain still values its security and intelligence relationship with Israel, despite his unprovoked blistering attack on his own people. But McDonald’s suggestion that military action should now be considered takes the debate into remarkable new territory. For Israel and many British Jews, the question will now be how far the Labour government is prepared to allow relations with one of Britain’s longstanding Middle Eastern allies to deteriorate — and whether last week’s sanctions have opened the door to demands for ever more extreme measures against the Jewish state.
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
12 FEATURE
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
Pesach 2027 in Rhodes – Where Luxury, Tradition and Family Come Together There are few moments in the Jewish calendar quite like Pesach. It is a time when families reconnect, generations come together and we retell the story that has defined our people for thousands of years. But anyone who has made Pesach at home also knows just how much work goes into creating those precious days. For Pesach 2027, Kosher Travelers invites the UK Jewish community to experience all the beauty, meaning and tradition of Pesach – without the weeks of preparation – at the magnificent five-star Elysium Resort & Spa on the Greek island of Rhodes. Set directly on the shores of the Aegean, the Elysium is one of Rhodes’ leading luxury resorts, with elegant rooms and suites, expansive grounds, a spectacular lagoonstyle pool, spa and fitness facilities and a 400-metre beach. But what truly distinguishes our Pesach is experience and continuity. For almost 30 years, Kosher Travelers has been creating exceptional kosher travel experiences around the world, learning that the difference between a good programme and an outstanding one lies in the details. Pesach 2027 will mark our fifth consecutive year at the Elysium. That matters enormously. After five years together, the hotel management, chefs and staff don’t simply accommodate our Pesach programme – they genuinely understand it. They understand the complexities of kashrut and Yom Tov, the rhythms of a Seder night and
the particular needs and expectations of Jewish families over Pesach. For the duration of Pesach, the entire hotel is exclusively ours, creating a wonderful Jewish community under one roof. At its heart is uncompromising Glatt Mehadrin kashrut – no kitniyot, nongebrochts and Chalav Yisrael – complemented by gourmet dining, three meals daily, lavish Kiddushim and refreshments throughout the day. Yet a memorable Pesach is about far more than food. Our programme combines inspiring davening and learning with world-renowned scholars and guest speakers, quality entertainment and a warm, relaxed Yom Tov atmosphere. Guests can choose between private, semi-private, family and communal Seder experiences. Children and teenagers enjoy supervised clubs, activities and entertainment, while parents have the opportunity to truly relax. Chol Hamoed offers the chance to explore Rhodes’ remarkable medieval Old Town, coastline and fascinating Jewish heritage – or simply enjoy the resort, pool, beach and spa. Perhaps most special is the community that forms. Guests join us from Britain,
Israel, Europe, North America and beyond. Families reconnect, friendships are made and people who arrive as strangers often leave as friends. Pesach 2027 runs from 20 April–2 May, with 10 and 12-night packages available. After almost three decades of creating extraordinary kosher journeys, we know that Pesach is ultimately about family, tradition, community – and having the time to appreciate all three. This Pesach, leave the preparation to us – and simply arrive ready to enjoy Yom Tov.
Early booking is recommended for preferred rooms, family accommodation and suites. Kosher Travelers | Pesach 2027 | Elysium Resort & Spa, Rhodes UK & Europe: +44 207 048 6168 Full programme, pricing and reservations: https://koshertravelers.com/pesach2027-the-5-elysium-resort-spa-hotelrhodes-greek-isles/
Book your free valuation.
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Good houses are everywhere.
Good advice isn’t. Welcome to the service that plays it straight with you in mind.
Featured
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
Broughton Avenue, N3 | £1,250,000 6 Bedroom Semi-Detached House
FOR SALE
Hazel Gardens, Edgware | £1,295,000 5 Bedroom Detached House
Edgwarebury Lane, Edgware | £935,000 6 Bedroom Semi-Detached House
020 8958 8808 020 8455 4555
SALES | LETTINGS | MANAGEMENT | INVESTMENTS
Servicing Edgware, Hendon, Golders Green and surrounding areas.
16 LETTERS
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
Letters to the Editor Please note: The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Letters may be edited and publication is at the discretion of the editor.
FATHER OF 7 TRAGICALLY TAKEN AS MURDER INVESTIGATION CONTINUES Dear Editor, Over Rosh Hashanah this year, our community was shaken by the news that a British Jew, Alex (Yitzchak) Elmkies, had been found in the forest near Uman, close to the kever of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Alex was in his mid-forties, a father of seven, raised in Golders Green and more recently living in Edgware, known to many as a warm, free spirited, deeply thoughtful Breslover chassid. Friends report that Alex went into the forest after the Friday-night meal to practise hisbodedus: a form of personal meditation and prayer observed daily by many Breslov Chasidim, often for an hour or more. The practice is ideally undertaken alone in nature, and many people choose a forest or other woodland setting. Alex was deeply committed to it and, friends say, would often seek out woodland in the UK for this purpose. His body was discovered the following day by Chasidim walking through the forest on their way to their own hisbodedus. Ukrainian police have confirmed that he was discovered on 12 September in a wooded belt on Kotsiubynskoho Street, opposite residential buildings, and that they have opened a full investigation. They have logged the case under the homicide section of their Criminal Code and ordered comprehensive forensic examinations. The investigation continues. United Hatzalah’s Uman branch and ZAKA’s international division, who have been physically involved at the scene and in the process of releasing the body, have described that Alex was found in the forest, and pronounced dead by emergency personnel, with the circumstances still “under review”. Their focus, rightly, has been on securing kever Yisrael as swiftly and respectfully as possible. A necessary rebuke to the rumour-mongers Some people have sought to peddle rumours about the circumstances of his death with an inexplicable agenda. Unsourced and irresponsible statements attributed to unknown individuals try to link an “illness” to the circumstances of his petira, and to present that as if it were established fact. These rumours run contrary to how the Ukrainian police are treating the case and to every single on-the-ground source actually involved in recovering and releasing his body. They run contrary to halacha, to basic kavod hamet, and they serve no one
other than any person or people who may be responsible for causing his death. Stop peddling, and start helping. The mitzvah that is calling the British community At the time of writing, the niftar is still stuck in facility in Ukraine; his body has not yet been brought to kever Yisrael, and there is no single point of ownership coordinating the investigation and burial on behalf of his family. There has not yet been sufficient pressure on the UK Government to take active responsibility for a British citizen who died abroad in these circumstances. Days before Yom Kippur, the mitzvah of helping Alex and his family find justice and ensuring he receives a Jewish funeral is calling upon the British community in a very direct way. Now is the time to act. Make a call. Write a letter. Send an email. Find your own way to bring him peace. But act. Our last act of Chesed to Alex. If you live in Barnet, Hendon, Finchley & Golders Green, Stamford Hill or other Jewish neighbourhoods, you can act today by writing to your MP and asking them to raise this case urgently with the Foreign Office and the Ukrainian authorities, so that the investigation is properly followed and Alex’s body is brought home for burial without delay. Key constituencies and email addresses include • Hendon (Edgware, Hendon, Mill Hill, West Hendon): david.pintoduschinsky.mp@ parliament.uk • Finchley & Golders Green (Golders Green, Temple Fortune, Finchley): sarah.sackman.mp@parliament.uk • Chipping Barnet (Barnet, Totteridge and surrounding Jewish areas): theresa@theresavilliers.co.uk • Hackney North & Stoke Newington (Stamford Hill and surrounding kehillos): diane.abbott.office@parliament.uk • Hackney South & Shoreditch (wider Hackney Jewish community): meghilliermp@parliament.uk • Hampstead & Highgate / Hampstead & Kilburn (Hampstead Garden Suburb and nearby communities): tulip.siddiq.mp@parliament.uk In your own words, tell them that: 1) A British Jew, Alex (Yitzchak) Elmkies, died in a forest near Uman over Rosh Hashanah and his case is being investigated by Ukrainian police under their homicide procedure.
2) His body remains in a Ukrainian facility while multiple communal parties try to help, without clear government leadership. 3) You are asking your MP to ensure that: a. The Foreign Office actively engages with the Ukrainian authorities, monitors the investigation, and b. Supports the swift transfer of his body to the UK or Eretz Yisrael for a Jewish funeral. For those moved by his story, this is a practical way, in the days before Yom Kippur, to help bring Alex the justice, peace and dignity due to a man who was deeply connected to his faith, prayer and learning. If any other steps occur to you that could help achieve those aims, this is not the time to hold back. Anonymous Reader
DON'T LEAVE THE BOARD — MAKE IT STRONGER Dear Editor, I read with great interest and some surprise your editorial suggesting United Synagogue should leave the Board of Deputies. Although I don’t speak in any way for the US, I am one of the deputies elected centrally by the US and over many years in active communal leadership for a US shul and now for a number of years as a deputy got a reasonable feel for what I believe most US deputies think. The argument that the United Synagogue should leave the Board of Deputies deserves to be taken seriously. British Jews are living through an extraordinarily difficult time, and there is a legitimate debate about whether our communal institutions are defending Israel and British Jewry strongly enough. But I believe your conclusion is wrong. As one of the United Synagogue’s central Deputies, I have to tell you: We’re not leaving. We’re strengthening our presence and will be increasing our joint efforts. The answer is not for the United Synagogue to leave the Board. The answer is for it to remain, challenge it and use its considerable influence to make it even better. The Board has spent more than 250 years building relationships with Government, Parliament, media and the political establishment. Ministers meet its representatives, Government departments consult it and it has access that a newly created organisation would struggle to replicate. The present Board has continued this tradition and I believe is the only Jewish organisation who truly has the ear of the politicians and the media and despite the setbacks have achieved considerable success
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026 and results. The only other Jewish voice having anywhere the same influence is The Chief Rabbi who as you know obviously represents us all but is the Chief Rabbi for the United Synagogue and does such a wonderful job. Why would we voluntarily surrender that influence? We will not get everything we ask for, we never have, but we have, over the last few years, seen many decisions changed or altered and we are being listened to and consulted, something I doubt the US on its own would be able to do. The US has excellent both lay and executive leadership, but their purpose is different and I am a strong believer that you should focus on the areas where you are strongest and most effective. The best way the US can get heard is to work with the BOD to get the mainstream orthodox view as widely and loudly heard even when we have to accept that the BOD has to represent all British Jewry. We start from a strong position. Four out of five of the Board of Deputies’ current leadership represent Orthodox communities. Two of them – the President Phil Rosenberg, and Senior Vice President Adrian Cohen – represent United Synagogue Shuls and they are outstanding advocates for our community. We need representatives who are prepared to challenge ministers, explain Israel's security concerns and history, confront double standards and make clear that criticism of Israeli policy must never become demonisation of Israel or a justification for antisemitism in Britain. And we need those conversations to happen directly with the people making policy, and I believe we have the leaders that have access and can do that. So, we should engage stronger and more actively instead of simply pulling out which will make the BOD’s voice weaker and leave hardly any seat at the table for the orthodox viewpoint. Disagreement is not a reason to walk away The Board's broad membership can undoubtedly be frustrating. Organisations such as Yachad may hold views on Israel that many Orthodox Jews strongly disagree with. But the Board is meant to represent a broad spectrum of British Jewry. Its existence does not require every member organisation to agree on every issue. Yachad represents a very small fraction on the BOD and it is down to us, the huge majority who strongly disagrees with the views of Yachad, to challenge them and make sure they never get close to representing the views of the Board British Jewry needs unity and influence Creating another representative organisation risks fragmenting British Jewry into competing bodies, each claiming to speak for a different section of the community. That is not strength.
17 SEPTEMBER 2026 The United Synagogue has a lot of influence both in the Executive leadership and the divisions of the Board and we should use that influence. The beauty of one organisation representing so many segments and denominations of our communities and doing it in a balanced and successful way is something we all including the US should be immensely proud of and something communities in other countries would love to replicate. We need one strong voice and that voice is the BOD. It might be the courageous thing to walk away. In the present environment it would, in my view, be foolhardy and it is much more courageous and wise to stay to stay in the room, disagree openly and fight for our views and opinions to be heard loud and clear. In the end, the Board of Deputies is a democracy. And democracy is a participation sport. If you’re not in, you certainly can’t win. I can assure you that the United Synagogue is in, and in to win.
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 True to our name, we believe in keeping the community ‘United’. Wishing your readers a wonderful new year and a Gmar Chatima Tova, John Melchior Deputy for the United Synagogue
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER COMMUNAL BODY!
religious leaders, Phil is hugely capable and we’re lucky to have him. Things could be considerably worse. Without the BoD, Anglo Jewry is a collection of small interest groups, the largest one (the US) tiny relative to noise in the country and internationally. If you think the Government would have any interest in yetanother representative body you are delusional. People need to stay the course. Dan Coppel, Chairman Brondesbury Park US
Dear Editor, This article is very regrettable and misconceived. The leader of a representative democratic body will never be able to promote all views of a disparate membership. At a time when the community is under external siege we should be united in public instead of highlighting divisions. Having worked with him including meeting with MPs and
THE EDITOR GOT IT RIGHT!
COMMUNITY 17 myself for some time , both publicly and privately (in particular with Saul Taylor). As you can imagine, it has caused a stir with the standard “ abusive” response from the usual BOD suspects , but with which so many people agree. You got it right, and not for the first time. The Board of Deputies is no longer fit for purpose and fails to protect the UK Jewish Community It does nothing to quell the anti - Israel invective of Yachad providing them with a platform for their nonsense. They continue to fail to understand that anti Israel rhetoric incites and fuels anti semitic behaviour and activity and gives more energy to our enemies.
Dear Editor, Keep up the good work - Kol hakavod! I read your brave editorial “United Synagogue …… It’s Time to Leave the Board “ in the latest edition of the Jewish Weekly with which I concur completely and which I have been advocating
L’ Shana Tova Jonathan Metliss
Our community trusted the NHS. We have been betrayed! BY STEPHEN SILVERMAN, DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT AT CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTISEMITISM
We all know what it is to sit in a hospital waiting room and feel afraid. That fear might be for ourselves or loved ones anticipating or undergoing treatment. When people interact with the NHS, they are often at their most vulnerable. We place enormous faith and trust in the relationship between patient and provider, and in the assurance that those treating us see us as patients – nothing more, and nothing less. Our new documentary, titled ‘Malignant: Antisemitism in the NHS’, shows why for Jews, that faith and trust in the NHS has been betrayed. At a time when antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels in British life, the healthcare sector has proven no exception: it has become a hotbed of hateful rhetoric and discriminatory behaviour towards Jews. Jewish people in hospital waiting rooms are no longer afraid only about a procedure or a diagnosis; their fear now extends to the way in which they expect to be treated as Jews. Bringing to light the testimony of a brave handful of those patients and practitioners who have been affected was vital. The country cannot tolerate a situation where Jews feel restricted from seeking help in the NHS because of who they are. Our film exposes the antisemitic rot at the heart of our national healthcare provider, and makes for difficult viewing.
The scale and severity of this institutional crisis are staggering. We heard from patients and practitioners about how the NHS had failed them: a Jewish nurse subjected to a Nazi salute; antisemitic abuse directed at a Jewish patient by the doctor performing surgery on his head; a senior Jewish medical professor receiving antisemitic death threats; a Jewish patient being treated by a leader of a now-proscribed Islamist terrorist organisation; a Jewish emergency worker being physically attacked by a colleague; the list goes on. These are not isolated stories. According to our representative polling, presented in our documentary for the first time, a majority of British Jews are concerned about not receiving equal care because they are Jewish. Since the brutal Hamas terrorist attacks on 7th October 2023, one in three British Jews who have used the NHS say they felt uncomfortable because of their Jewish identity, and more than four in ten took steps to hide it. These are appalling statistics, particularly given that in a medical setting you need to be prepared to reveal sensitive personal information in order to receive the care you need. The figures lay bare just how unsafe British Jews now feel within a system that is supposed to heal them, not make them
feel worse. British Jews have become alienated from the NHS because of the conduct of practitioners and the failure of employers and regulators to rein them in—a failure that has created a permissive environment for antisemitism to thrive in. Medical personnel are abusing Jewish colleagues at work, engaging in vulgar street activism and delivering unhinged diatribes online. No Jew would feel safe in their hands – and frankly any ordinary patient would have their doubts too. That’s why the documentary was featured on the front page of The Telegraph this week and other major national newspapers. We included some examples of this appalling behaviour in our documentary, but if we had tried to include every instance the film would have never ended. We have been let down by the entire NHS apparatus: the individual doctors and nurses who engaged in antisemitic behaviour, the trusts that employed them and failed to apply their disciplinary processes properly and transparently, and the regulators meant to hold them to account. The documentary even shows a senior member of the GMC boasting to a gathering of the British Islamic Medical Association about how complaints about
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
antisemitism are routinely shut down. What is happening in British medicine is a national disgrace, and it’s past time the authorities addressed the crisis. It demands a wide-ranging response: one that confronts the growing extremist culture within healthcare, the abysmal failure of regulation, the shocking lack of transparency, and the total absence of accountability. We cannot accept politicians pointing to past reviews and recommendations that went nowhere: we need real, robust action now. That is why we will also be presenting a detailed plan to address this national scandal – one that requires practitioners, trusts, regulators and Government alike to act. Our documentary – and the brave testimony it features – is encouraging other people to come forward. If you have witnessed or experienced anti-Jewish racism in the NHS as a patient, practitioner or staff member, we want to hear from you. We can help you report incidents or simply tell your story (anonymously or otherwise). If we don’t speak and act, nothing will change. We encourage you to get in touch, in confidence, at investigations@antisemitism.org. The NHS is supposed to be a promise: that whoever you are, and whatever you believe, you will receive the same standard of care as anyone else. For British Jews, that promise is being broken. Until this is rectified, the NHS cannot be said to be for everyone.
18 COMMUNITY
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
Rob Rinder MBE in conversation with his mum Angela Cohen MBE delight zoom audience at B’nai B’rith UK heritage event Over 160 people attended B’nai B’rith UK’s flagship zoom event on Sunday 6th September, as part of their European Days of Jewish Culture and Heritage, which was hosted by Rebecca Taylor, editor of Jewish Renaissance magazine. TV presenter, broadcaster and author Rob Rinder MBE was in conversation with his mother, Angela Cohen MBE, Holocaust educator and chair of the ’45 Aid Society Holocaust survivor charity. The theme of the event was ‘Love’ and they discussed, among many other subjects, the different kinds of love such as that between husband and wife, parents and children, families and friends; faith and love for Judaism; ‘Derech Eretz’ – ethical behaviour and love of values; selfless love and giving to others. Rob and Angela both believe that love unites all of humankind, Jewish and non-Jewish. Rebecca began by asking him what life lessons he learned from his mum when growing up. He named three important things: “Strength, being able to choose your own path and a limitless capacity for kindness. Mum has always been proud of my achievements and the only thing I know would disappoint her is if I wasn’t kind. I learned a great deal from her belief that I could do anything I wanted – hers was always an unconditional love.” Angela talked about how growing up with a Holocaust survivor as a father influenced her own and Rob’s lives: “It changes how you view the world. My father Moishe’s family did not have much before the Second World War started, but they were happy and filled with a love for Yiddishkeit. My father had one brother and four little sisters and he was 15 when the Nazis invaded Piotrokow, Poland, where he grew up.” She talked movingly about how he was
the only survivor, having tragically lost his entire family in Treblinka – his parents, brother and sisters. He was moved from there to Buchenwald and then Theresienstadt, where he was liberated. He was brought to the UK with a group of over 700 other orphaned children by what was then the Central British Fund (now World Jewish Relief ). They became known as ‘The Boys’ but there were also 290 girls in the group. The first group of 300 (including Moishe) came to Windermere initially and described it as coming ‘from hell to paradise’. “Initially, when I was growing up, my father couldn’t talk about what had happened to him and I didn’t ask him. I wonder if I was trying to protect him or myself or both? In 2004, the family went to Yad Vashem and I found out for the first time the names of my father’s brother and sisters from a testimonial that he had given there in 1975: Nathan, Surele, Frumka, Devorah and the youngest, Miriam, who was only aged 8.” One thing her father always taught her was not to hate. She said that many other Holocaust survivors are of a similar belief and they embraced their new lives, enjoying every minute, as they had known the darkest of times. Rebecca asked Rob about his relationship with his grandfather. “I used to go to my grandparents’ house after school while mum was working and loved eating there as poppa was a wonderful baker! I remember my grandfather instilling in me the importance of not pushing myself forward until I knew what was at the other end, a product of learning to keep a low profile in the concentration camps for fear of punishment and even death.” Rob’s grandfather gave him a strong Jewish identity and a love of his heritage. “Making the TV programme ‘My family, the Holocaust and Me’ in 2020 with mum, helped to fill in the gaps in my grandfather’s life story, which I had learned only in fragments when growing up.” Rebecca asked Angela what it was like going back to Poland with her father, the family and in particular with Rob. She said: “Many years after WWII, the Polish government exhumed the bodies of those boys and men who had been shot and buried in the forest,
to give them a proper burial. I wanted to attend the ceremony and encouraged Rob and his brother Craig to come with. But my father initially didn’t want me to come to Poland as I was a woman!” Rob exclaimed that he actually didn’t know that story before their zoom conversation! She described feeling a physical pain and sadness that overcame her after she first went to Auschwitz, as though she had been punched in the stomach. “I said kaddish there for my father’s whole family. Going to Treblinka 20 years later with Rob was a different experience for me: I felt prepared in a way I hadn’t been when I visited Auschwitz.” Rob and Angela both firmly believe that it’s important to enjoy happy times and simchas after seeing such dark and terrible places. Angela and Rob both work in Holocaust education, teaching the lessons of the Holocaust through giving talks to children at schools across the UK. They are part of an incredible programme run by Professor Nicola Wetherall at UCL, which is now taught at 450 schools. Nicola teaches the importance of not being a bystander, watching people and communities become filled with hate and intolerance. Both Rob and Angela believe that Holocaust education is not just a Jewish story but a human one. Both of them enjoy a love of music and Rob has recently been made Chair of Trustees at the Jewish Music Institute. He described music as “my joy, whether that’s classical, klezmer, devotional music or sacred prayer. It’s all built around joy and memory.” Rebecca felt that was an excellent time to ask him about his experience of taking part in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ on TV. “Gosh, that was 10 years ago now! It was absolutely joyful to go from a serious job of prosecuting cases as a barrister to dancing, which was a lot of fun!” When asked if he still dances today, he exclaimed that there are very few places where you can dance the foxtrot now! “Mum enabled and empowered a love of dancing in me and
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
my brother Craig. When we finally got to Blackpool on ‘Strictly’, my grandfather did a beautiful foxtrot with my professional dancing partner, Oxana. My poppa was so proud of me.” During the final Q&A following their discussion, they were asked about whether
they felt we’ve heard enough about what took place in North Africa and Greece during WWII, as we often hear about the effects of WWII in Eastern Europe. Rob firmly believes that we don’t hear enough about Mizrachi Jews and those from Mesopotamia. In 2023, he co-presented the two-part BBC documentary ‘The Holy Land and Us: Our Untold Stories’ with writer and actress Sarah Agha about this very subject. When asked one final question from the audience “What are we doing to excite young Jewish people about the joys of Judaism?”, Rob replied: “Prior to the attacks on Israel on 7th October, I felt a degree of worry about the purposelessness of young British Jews but since 7th October, it has forced conversations to be brought to the forefront about what being Jewish means to young people. They are now keen to engage with these discussions and want both a shared identity and a safe home.” Co-ordinator of B’nai B’rith UK’s European Days of Jewish Culture and Heritage, Valerie Bello, brought the event to a close with a vote of thanks. “It has been such a pleasure to hear you both speak so openly and warmly tonight. Our festival is based on a theme of love this year and it suffused your conversation throughout. You both clearly embrace Jewish life and thank you so much for sharing your feelings and your beliefs with us.” She ended by wishing everyone Shana Tova.
Health Insurance Adviser of the Year
Who else wants to save money on their health insurance? 020 3348 9868 Isaac Feiner, Managing Director Executive Committee Member The Association of Medical Insurers & Intermediaries
Lifepoint Healthcare Ltd, is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), under firm reference number 843831
BUYITINISRAEL.COM HELPING YOU MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE
PRIVATE SALE
Sherwood Road London NW4
£1,725,000 A substantial five-bedroom, double-fronted detached house in a highly desirable NW4 location
Stand with Israel
• Comprehensive health policy, backed by Harel, Israel’s premier insurer • Serviced by our friendly, experienced, English-speaking staff • Private, contracted physicians and specialists • Full hospitalization, labs, etc. • No deductible or co-payment
For more information, visit:
egertcohen.co.il/tourist-health-insurance/
02-622-7999 • www.egertcohen.co.il • info@egertcohen.co.il
staiman.com
HERE YOU GO!
staiman.com
Looking for health insurance for your Israel trip?
CHARITY
SUPPLEMENT
Sponsored by KKL
תשובה תפילה צדקה
24 CHARITY SUPPLEMENT
SPONSORED BY KKL
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
Accessibility initiative in shuls gives families more confidence to attend Accessibility initiatives in shuls give families more confidence to attend This Rosh Hashanah, more United Synagogue communities than ever before expanded their efforts to make the Yamim Noraim more accessible and welcoming for children, young people and adults with sensory sensitivities, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and other additional needs. Communities including Borehamwood & Elstree, Radlett, Edgware, Bushey, Finchley, Cockfosters & N Southgate, and South Hampstead introduced a range of sensory-friendly features to their Rosh Hashanah services. Examples of these features included dedicated quiet rooms for families needing a calmer environment, accessibility boxes, ear defenders, adapted programming designed to reduce sensory overload, inclusive children’s services and more. These initiatives had a very positive
impact, with communities reporting that families spent significantly longer in shul than they had previously been able to. Families shared that these provisions had given them the confidence to see a place for themselves in shul life in the future. Daniella Neifeld, Head of Inclusion and Special Projects at the United Synagogue, said: “Whether through sensory services, quiet rooms, relaxe d spaces or accessibility resources, these initiatives send a powerful message: there is no single way to experience synagogue life, and everyone should have the opportunity to participate in a way that works for them. We are particularly proud that these projects have been developed locally by passionate volunteers, lay leaders, rabbinic
THIS KO L NIDRE HELP US G R OW
teams and staff who understand the needs of their communities. Inclusion is strongest when communities collaborate, and we have seen wonderful examples of that spirit across the United Synagogue this Rosh Hashanah.” Clare Diskin, Radlett United Synagogue Council Member and founder of the Relaxed Room initiative, said: “As a parent of a growing young man with SEND, and as the Radlett United Synagogue Council member with responsibility for Access and Inclusion, I know personally how difficult it can be for families to feel that they simply cannot attend synagogue because the environment does not meet their needs.
TRAILBLA ERS Join the Trailblazers leading the recovery of Israel’s north. Three years after 7th October, farmers, teachers and community-builders are rebuilding lives and communities. They’re restoring agriculture, closing educational gaps and helping Israel’s north grow stronger for the future. When fire destroyed the orchards of Kibbutz Bar’am, Paul Stahl chose to rebuild. Today, thousands of new saplings are already taking root, not just replacing what was lost but creating something stronger than what went before.
To donate visit ujia.org/KN26 or scan the QR code.
ujia.org
United Jewish Israel Appeal is a registered charity in England and Wales No. 1060078 and in Scotland No. Sc 039181. A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 3295115.
8066 UJIA KN 2026 Advert (JW HP) v1.indd 1
The new dedicated relaxed room marks an exciting step change for our community. It has already welcomed families who previously felt unable to participate, giving them a safe, dignified space from which they can remain part of synagogue life. But, more importantly, this is a powerful symbol of what can be achieved when community leadership plans through the lens of accessibility from the outset. When we design with inclusion in mind, we don’t just remove barriers — we open doors, strengthen communities and make it possible for more people to feel that they truly belong.”
KOL NIDRE APPEAL 2026/5787
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
02/09/2026 11:34
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
SPONSORED BY KKL
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
CHARITY SUPPLEMENT 25
26 CHARITY SUPPLEMENT
SPONSORED BY KKL
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
A New Year, A Resolute Promise: Why Northern Israel’s Children Need JNF UK Now
Rosh Hashanah arrives with the clear, piercing call of the shofar, a sound designed to stir our souls, demand our attention, and remind us of our sacred communal obligations. For nearly three years, hundreds of thousands of families living across northern Israel have awakened to a far more jarring sound - the relentless wail of red-alert air raid sirens. Since October 2023, continuous rocket attacks, emergency evacuations, and fractured school schedules have rewritten the reality of childhood in the North. While headlines often track physical damage and shifting front lines, an equally dangerous crisis brews away from the cameras. Israel’s next generation is facing an educational and emotional emergency that threatens their long-term potential. The scale of this collapse is no longer just a local concern, it is now confirmed by hard international data. The latest assessment from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) paints an alarming picture: • Historic Declines: Israel has recorded some of the steepest single-cycle score drops in PISA history, a worldwide study that compares performance data of 15-year-old pupils’ education. Since last measured three years ago, Israeli students have lost 38 points in reading comprehension, 25 points in mathematics, and 23 points in science.
• Bottom-Tier Rankings: The nation has fallen to 31st out of 38 OECD countries in reading and 33rd in both maths and science. • Widespread Failure: Nearly half (46%) of Israeli 15-year-olds now fail to meet baseline mathematics proficienc y, while nearly 29% fail to reach basic benchmarks across all three core subjects simultaneously. While these national figures are shocking, the burden falls hardest on underser ved peripheral communities like the ancient coastal city of Akko. Here, systemic inequalities were an everyday struggle long before this conflict erupted. Families contend with high poverty rates, minimal local industry, and strained public services compared to the affluent centre around Tel Aviv. When the war escalated, that existing gap turned into a chasm. Ministry of Health data indicates that up to 68% of students in the northern periphery suffer from active trauma symptoms, chronic anxiety, and an inability to focus in the classroom. In central Israel, more affluent families can afford private tutors charging £50–£75 an hour to bridge these OECD-confirmed learning gaps; in Akko, where every shekel counts, parents simply lack the financial means. Without decisive intervention, the academic deficit and trauma of sirens will define these
children’s adult lives. JNF UK’s House of Excellence in Akko represents much more than a classroom. Opened in May 2025, the state-of-the-art facility was built to guarantee that background and geography never determine a young person’s ability to succeed. Each morning, the centre welcomes primary school children to cutting-edge technology and AI programmes designed to reignite their curiosity. In the afternoon, it shifts gears to serve teenagers, offering free, high-level tutoring across core subjects including Mathematics, Physics, English, and Cyber Technology - the very areas where the OECD highlighted the greatest national drop. Crucially, every programme is 100% free. With 15 dedicated professional tutors teaching in intimate groups of three to ten, students prepare for their Bagrut matriculation exams in an atmosphere of dignity, focus, and security. Beyond academics, the House provides a vital sanctuary. It offers public speaking workshops, financial literacy classes, trauma counselling, and quiet spaceswhere students can find a warm snack after school. As Akko Mayor Amihai Ben Shlush observed, it is an inspiring initiative looking boldly toward the future. The real measure of success is reflected in the young people walking through its doors. Matan, 17, saw his studies derailed
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
by repeated security alerts. Through targeted tutoring and practice exams at the House of Excellence, he caught up and passed his final examinations with flying colours. His younger sister Avigail, 15, found the courage to master conversational English in a calm environment away from home disruptions. Today, Matan actively volunteers at the House, mentoring younger peers who are walking the same path. Over 700 children currently rely on the House of Excellence, and demand across the region continues to climb as families fight to overcome the national learning deficit. Whether providing a £25 conversational English session, a £250 technology workstation, or a £1,000 term of specialised science tuition, your generosity provides northern Israel’s children with the stability they were denied.
Let us stand together this New Year and ensure these resilient young people build the bright futures they deserve. To support the JNF UK Rosh Hashanah Appeal, visit jnf.co.uk/RH26 or call 020 8732 6100.
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
SPONSORED BY KKL
CHARITY SUPPLEMENT 27
TM
One simple account for all your charitable giving DONATE Give via voucher book or via your online account
Give more. Pay less. Make every donation count.
£ Save £££ on your voluntary contributions
Get 25% more to give to the causes you care about
Support as many charities as you want, all in one place
More for charity, less in fees
REDUCED FEES OF 2% FOR 5 WEEKS
17 AUGUST 20 SEPTEMBER Sta ndard fee: 3.5%
Create an account by visiting:
www.smartgiving.org.uk
Now on
or call us to find out more on:
*Excludes Payroll Giving. Terms and Conditions apply - please see www.smartgiving.org.uk/terms-and-conditions SmartGiving™ is the trading name of KKL Charity Accounts, Charity No. 1105998 and a Company registered in England No. 5118360
ONE HOUSE. ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
SUMMER PROMOTION*
020 8732 6145
Rocket alerts, cross-border strikes, and emergency school closures have severely affected children in the north of Israel. Already fighting to catch up with the rest of the country, they are now navigating intense trauma, shattered school routines, and profound learning loss. Today, up to 68% of youth in the region report severe difficulty focusing on their studies due to ongoing war anxiety. JNF UK’s House of Excellence in Akko is providing the vital stability they need. We are working to bridge the academic gap. Offering free intensive tutoring, mentoring, and a supportive environment, it’s a second home where the next generation can heal and learn.
OPEN THE DOOR TO OPPORTUNITY
PLEASE HELP ENSURE THAT THE TRAUMA CHILDREN HAVE LIVED THROUGH WILL NOT DEFINE THEIR FUTURE.
DONATE NOW: WWW.JNF.CO.UK/RH26 jnf.co.uk/subscribe
JNF UK
JNF UK
@jnf_uk
JNF UK
JNF UK
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Registered Charity Number 225910
28 CHARITY SUPPLEMENT
SPONSORED BY KKL
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
After his wife of 42 years passed away, Sam felt alone and worried about how he would fill each day. He says, “Jewish Care saved me at the lowest point in my life.”
Thanks to Jewish Care’s community services, Sam now looks forward to every week. This Rosh Hashanah, your support can help more people like Sam find connection and community when they need it most. Thank you!
To donate, scan the QR code, call 020 8922 2600 or visit jewishcare.org/roshhashanah
families need Your Support this rosh hashanah
Carmel, age 7
Our second daughter Carmel was born with a rare genetic disorder. As she grew, her speech was delayed, and she fell behind her peers. I knew of Norwood’s support for families of children with learning disabilities - and realised I was now one of those parents. Norwood offered us parenting support. My support worker helped us understand Carmel’s needs and secure short-breaks funding. Carmel adores attending Norwood’s Unity - it allows her to be herself, without masking. Nitsan, Carmel’s mum This Rosh Hashanah, please donate to Norwood so they can support more families like ours at norwood.org.uk/rh26.
Patron HM King Charles III Registered Charity No. 1059050
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Registered charity no. 802559
“The best part of my week is Jewish Care.”
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
SPONSORED BY KKL
CHARITY SUPPLEMENT 29
Jewish Legacy Announces New Chair as Anthony Broza Steps Down After Eight Years
Jewish Legacy is pleased to announce that Melanie Diamond will succeed Anthony Broza as Chair, as Jewish Legacy enters the next stage of its work encouraging people across the Jewish community to leave charitable gifts in their Wills. Anthony Broza is stepping down after eight years as Chair, during which time he has played a central role in the
development and growth of Jewish Legacy and its work with Jewish charities across the community. The leadership transition was approved by Jewish Legacy’s trustees at their meeting on Wednesday 9 September. Melanie Diamond has been closely involved with Jewish Legacy for a number of years, and for the past six years as a Trustee, and brings extensive knowledge of the organisation, its charity partners and the wider Jewish community. Anthony Broza said: “After eight years as Chair, I felt that the time was right for a change and for someone new to take Jewish Legacy forward. Mel knows the organisation, she knows the people involved and, most importantly, she has the full support of our trustees. I am delighted that she has agreed to take on the role. It has been a privilege to chair Jewish Legacy and to see the organisation develop over the past eight years. Leaving a gift to charity in a Will is an incredibly powerful way for people to
support the organisations and causes they care about for generations to come, and I am enormously proud of the part Jewish Legacy continues to play in encouraging that culture of legacy giving across our community.” Melanie Diamond said: “I am honoured to be taking on the role of Chair of Jewish Legacy and very grateful to Anthony for everything he has done for the organisation over the past eight years. Jewish Legacy has an important role to play in helping Jewish charities talk confidently and positively about legacy giving and in encouraging more people within our community to think about the difference they can make through leaving a charitable gift in their Will. I am looking forward to working with Gina, our trustees and all our charity partners as we build on Anthony’s work and take Jewish Legacy into its next chapter.” Gina Ross, Chief Executive of Jewish Legacy, said: “Anthony has given an extraordinary amount of time, commitment and energy
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
to Jewish Legacy over the past eight years, and we are immensely grateful to him. I am really looking forward to working with Mel as our new Chair. She understands Jewish Legacy, our charity partners and what we are trying to achieve, and she brings huge enthusiasm to the role. With Mel’s leadership, the support of our trustees and a growing network of charity partners, this is an exciting moment for Jewish Legacy and for legacy giving across the Jewish community.” Jewish Legacy works with charities across the UK Jewish community to raise awareness of the importance of leaving charitable gifts in Wills and to help charities develop their legacy fundraising. The leadership announcement comes as Jewish Legacy prepares for a busy autumn, including its charity networking and legacy event in October and Jewish Legacy Awareness Month in November, which will encourage people throughout the community to consider the difference they could make to future generations through a gift in their Will.
30 CHARITY SUPPLEMENT
SPONSORED BY KKL
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
WHEN HEARING LOSS THREATENS TO ISOLATE SOMEONE, JDA STEPS IN With 1 in 3 people in our community now living with hearing loss, the need for JDA has reached heights never seen before. This Rosh Hashanah, while we celebrate 75 years of being a lifeline for deaf people and their families, we’re facing rising costs and rising demands. We need your help more than ever. Please support us as generously as you can, so we can be there for you, your family and everyone who needs us.
Scan the QR code to donate:
jdeaf.org.uk
Registered Charity no. 1105845
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
SPONSORED BY KKL
CHARITY SUPPLEMENT 31
How Emotional Support Dogs Are Offering Healing and Hope After 7 October In the wake of the devastating events of 7 October, the role of Emotional Support Dogs in Israel has become more vital than ever. These remarkable animals, chosen for their exceptional temperament and gentle nature, are bringing comfort to families traumatised by war and displacement. Unlike assistance dogs trained for specific tasks, Emotional Support Dogs offer something less tangible but no less essential: companionship, emotional grounding and unconditional love. Their presence alone can ease anxiety, soothe distress, and provide much-needed mental stability. For more than
30 years, the Israel Guide Dog Centre has been known for its life-changing work pairing expertly trained guide dogs with people living with blindness and visual impairment. But today, its mission goes even further. In response to growing need, the Centre now also trains service dogs to provide comfort and reassurance for IDF veterans and Israeli civilians living with PTSD, as well as Emotional Support Dogs for children and families with additional needs. All dogs are provided free of charge, and the Centre continues to care for them from birth to retirement. The Centre has long provided Emotional Support Dogs to children with autism. But since the attacks, the programme has rapidly expanded
to reach evacuees, survivors and those suffering from acute trauma. In 2025 alone, 35 Emotional Support Dogs were placed with families in need, helping to restore calm and resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship. One particularly moving case is that of an IDF commander from Sderot. His family endured the trauma of war and the heartbreak of losing friends and colleagues who were killed or kidnapped. One of their children, who is autistic, was deeply affected - becoming completely withdrawn and silent outside the home. On the recommendation of a psychiatrist, the family received an Emotional Support Dog from the Centre. The results were extraordinary. The child formed a strong bond with the dog, and for the first time since the attacks, began speaking again. What was once a home filled with silence and sorrow now has a new source of hope and healing, thanks to this devoted companion. Ami Toren, Head of the Department of Special Needs at the Israel Guide Dog Centre, says the goal is to continue
growing the programme: “We are committed to ensuring that more families receive the comfort and support they so urgently need.” As the psychological impact of 7 October continues to unfold, Emotional Support Dogs are proving to be a vital part of the healing process - for children, for families, and for communities across Israel. To support this work or learn more, visit www.israelguidedog.org.uk
Together we can rebuild shattered lives one dog at a time Please donate now to help us provide expertly trained dogs for Israelis living with sight loss, PTSD and children dealing with emotional trauma.
020 8090 3455 israelguidedog.org.uk Registered charity no: 1188449
GUIDE DOGS
PTSD SERVICE DOGS
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOGS
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
32 CHARITY SUPPLEMENT
SPONSORED BY KKL
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
i w sh. e J P h.
Brit is
ud. ro
AJEX Remembrance Parade & Ceremony Sunday 15th November 2026 The Cenotaph, Whitehall, 2pm
Honouring generations of Jewish men and women who served and fought for our freedom. Marking 90 years since the Battle of Cable Street and standing proud against antisemitism. HONOURING OUR PAST. STRENGTHENING OUR FUTURE.
SAVE THE DATE • REGISTER NOW AT AJEX.ORG.UK
To support the Parade as a spectator from the East Whitehall Pavement no booking required. Please allow enough time to arrive at the event as there will be a high level of security provided by CST and the Met Police. PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
FOLLOW US: ! AJEX_JMA " AJEXHEADOFFICE # AJEX_JMA 020 8202 2323 AJEXREMEMBERS@AJEX.ORG.UK WWW.AJEX.ORG.UK AJEX - THE JEWISH MILITARY ASSOCIATION. REGISTERED CHARITY NO 1129591.
Protecting Bris Milah in the UK. Since 1745, The British Initiation Society (BRIS) has been at the forefront of protecting the right of our community to perform Bris Milah in the UK. Now more than ever, with increased challenges to Bris Milah this is a vital part of our role. For generations, BRIS has proudly served the Jewish community, enabling us to perform Bris Milah at the highest standard and supporting families at every step.
Help us protect this Mitzvah Your support helps BRIS train and support Mohelim, maintain high standards and defend Bris Milah in the UK.
Please support our work at bris.org.uk/donate
Today, BRIS continues to provide training, guidance and continuing education for the approximately 60 registered Mohelim and maintains established standards for their inclusion on its register of Mohelim. Together they perform over 1,500 Brissim annually across the UK & beyond.
020 8050 8938 . info@bris.org.uk www.bris.org.uk
Looking for a Mohel? Search the BRIS register of Mohelim by name or location at bris.org.uk/find-a-mohel/
Mohelim included on the BRIS register practice independently. Families engage their chosen Mohel directly and each Mohel is responsible for the service he provides. BRIS does not provide or supervise individual Bris Milah services. BRIS is a cross-communal organisation under the auspices of the Office of the Chief Rabbi and takes halachic guidance from the London Beth Din. The Initiation Society. Charity no 207404
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
SPONSORED BY KKL
CHARITY SUPPLEMENT 33
Our way of life is under attack. We need to defend it. The terrorist threat against British Jews has never been so severe. CST protects Jewish schools, synagogues and communal institutions through security expertise, trained volunteers and advanced technology.
£20m
invested in physical security enhancements
2,500 trained security volunteers
6,500 CCTV cameras monitored 24/7
Our community depends on security. Help us to continue our vital work. To make a donation, scan the QR code or visit cst.org.uk/protect National 24hr Emergency No. 0800 032 3263
LDN 020 8457 3700
MCR 0161 792 6666
Registered charity in England and Wales (1042391) and Scotland (SC043612)
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
34 CHARITY SUPPLEMENT
Playing Our Part
BY NICKY GOLDMAN, CEO, JVN
Volunteering has always been part of Jewish life, even if we have not always called it volunteering. That is why the latest national volunteering figures are encouraging. The Government’s new Community Engagement Survey found that the proportion of adults volunteering at least once a month has risen from 33% to 35%. A couple of percentage points may not sound dramatic, but after years of declining participation, they suggest that more people are giving their time to support others and strengthen their communities. Within the Jewish community,
SPONSORED BY KKL
there is strong reason to be proud. Figures in that survey by religion found that 45% of Jewish adults volunteered formally or informally at least once a month, compared with 33% of adults across England. Jewish adults recorded the highest volunteering rate of any religious group. Perhaps this should not surprise us. For generations, Jewish communities have been sustained by people who noticed what needed doing and stepped forward. They visited those who were unwell, supported families through difficult times, helped to run synagogues and communal organisations, and made sure that nobody was left entirely alone. That instinct is rooted in familiar Jewish values. Tzedakah teaches
us about charity and justice. Chesed calls on us to show loving kindness, while tikkun olam reminds us of our responsibility to help repair the world. These ideas tell us that caring for other people is not somebody else’s job. It is part of how we live Jewishly. Rabbi Tarfon teaches in Pirkei Avot: “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” None of us can solve every problem facing our community or wider society. We are not expected to. But we are asked to play our part. Many Jewish people first learn this through youth movements. From a young age, we are trusted to organise activities, lead groups and take responsibility for younger members. This can be enormously empowering. It shows us that we do not have to wait until we are older or more established before we can contribute. That principle continues throughout Jewish communal life. Volunteering might mean
TO SUPPORT THE LIFESAVING WORK OF UNITED HATZALAH OF ISRAEL THIS ROSH HASHANA
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
visiting someone who is lonely, delivering food, helping at a synagogue, mentoring a young person or serving as a trustee. It might mean offering professional skills to a charity. Today we describe these activities as volunteering, but the responsibility behind them is deeply Jewish. Life is busy, and another commitment can feel difficult. Yet volunteering need not mean taking on a fixed role every week. It can be occasional, flexible or based on a particular skill. For more than 20 years, JVN has helped people find opportunities suited to their interests, experience and availability, while supporting charities to make volunteering positive and rewarding. Jewish life is not simply about belonging to a community or benefiting from it. It carries an expectation that we participate and contribute. The question is not whether any one of us can do everything, but what each of us can do with the time we have. Find your volunteering role at jvn.org.uk
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
SPONSORED BY KKL
CHARITY SUPPLEMENT 35
Our community isn’t built once a yeaR .
LL SMA ON ACTI BIG T C IMPA
It ’s built on
TUESDAY
SUNDAY
every phone call. every visit. every Tuesday morning. every trustee meeting. every Sunday afternoon. every volunteer shift.
This YOM KIPPUR, help build what holds us together. find your next volunteer role with JVN www.jvn.org.uk Charity no. 1130719
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
36 CHARITY SUPPLEMENT
SPONSORED BY KKL
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
SPONSORED BY KKL
CHARITY SUPPLEMENT 37
“Yom Tov spending always sets us back for weeks. How do we make it easier?”
Plan ahead by bringing in a little extra income in the months before Yom Tov. Taking on a few extra hours or offering seasonal services before Pesach or Tishrei can cover the extras without affecting the rest of the year.
No matter what money questions you have, Mesila offers confidential, expert one-to-one coaching to help maximise your savings and income.
FIND OUT MORE > coaching@mesilauk.org 07788 690 949 www.mesilauk.org
YOUR PATH TO FINANCIAL PEACE OF MIND
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
38 CHARITY SUPPLEMENT
SPONSORED BY KKL
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
PLANNING TODAY IMPACTING TOMORROW Leave a Gift Beyond Your Lifetime to Israel through JNF UK
OUR SERVICES
WILL SERVICES
TRUSTEESHIP EXECUTORSHIP
LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY INHERITANCE TAX PLANNING
PASTORAL CARE
RECITAL OF KADDISH
BURIAL IN ISRAEL
ESTATE AND TRUST ADMINISTRATION
For a no-obligation and confidential consultation, and to find out more about supporting JNF UK’s vital work in Israel, please get in touch.
Call 020 8732 6101 or email enquiries@kkl.org.uk KKL Executor and Trustee Company Ltd (a Company registered in England No. 453042) is a subsidiary of JNF Charitable Trust (Charity No. 225910) and a registered Trust Corporation (authorised capital £250,000).
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Where experience meets influence.
Expertise that drives results. Connections that open doors. ASS I ST I N G YO U W I T H
Large loans Bridging finance Complex cases Company BTLs, HMO & MUFB
P R I D I N G O U R S E LV E S O N
25 years industry experience Extensive network with decision makers in banks Supporting your long term goals
www.planfunding.co.uk
020 3191 9111 Think carefully before securing debt against your property. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Plan Funding Solutions Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Number 966874). Plan Funding solutions Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales (Company Number 05856873) with its registered address at 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London W1W 5PF.
thedesigndrive.com
mplancey@planfunding.co.uk
40 JUDAISM
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
3
WHAT WORDS/// THE RIGHT ADDRESS! BY RABBI NAFTALI SCHIFF
There exist no meaningless rituals in Judaism. None of the familiar beating of the chest, shaking of the lulav or fasting on Yom Kippur is empty hocus pocus activity. No mitzva or millennial Jewish custom exists other than those with deep and resonant meaning, significance and practical life lesson. At this time of year, we speak constantly about teshuvah. It is usually translated as repentance, but its literal meaning is much more powerful and far more elemental -“ Return”. It is a coming home; a Return to something as familiar as that. Return to who I really am, to the innate cognisance, realisation and embracing of the real me; my essence; my source, to the deepest recesses of my soul and the purpose of my being here. Return to my People. Return to my values. And yes- Return to G-d. But if we aspire to return home, as obvious as it sounds, it is worth checking that we have the right address. The prophet Yirmiyahu says: ֵאַל ַי ָּתּ ׁשּוב ֵ ֵאִם ָּתּ ׁשּוב י ְִׂשְ ָּרֵאֵַל ְנְֵאֻם ה׳ “If you return, Israel, says G-d, return to Me” (Yirmiyahu 4:1). At first glance, the final words seem unnecessary. If Israel is returning, surely that means returning to G-d? Apparently not. Just as with the observance of mitzvot it is clearly possible to go through a prescribed process in an automated manner without actually meaningfully connecting, it is evidently plausible to go through the entire process of Return without actually returning to Him. We can attend more services, recite more prayers, demonstrably beat our chest, fast for twenty-five hours, yet still remain exactly where we were. The movements may be right, but both the direction and the destination can be oh so wrong. Observance can become habit, bereft of meaning, intention and consequence. It can become theatre. It can even become another form of self-interest- something that comforts me, reassures me or makes
AUTHENTICITY
-
HUMILITY
me feel virtuous. I may be returning, but only to a more self satisfied and comfortable version of myself. The verse says ֵאַלי תשוב. If you are coming back, come back to Me. Don’t do an augmented or virtual “return”! That doesn’t work with G-d! He’s the Real Deal and we need to mirror that too. The same idea appears in the opening words of the haftarah read before Yom Kippur: ׁשּובּה י ְִׂשְ ָּרֵאֵַל ַעַד ה׳ ֵאֱֹלֶקֶיָך “Return, Israel, all the way to the Lord your G-d” (Hoshea 14:2). Not towards G-d; not some spurious destination out there in the ether; not somewhere in the general direction of some place we call heaven! Rather- ַעד ה׳, all the way to Hashem who’s proverbial hand is outstretched to receive us any time we respond to His personal invitation. The Mishnah makes this point with startling clarity. On a public fast day, the elders addressing the people would proclaim “ויָרֵא הֵאַלוֶקים:ַלֵא ְנֵאמָר בֵאְנשי ְניְנוה “ויָרֵא: ֵאַלֵא,”ֵאת שֶקם וֵאת תַעְניתם הֵאַלוֶקים ֵאת מַעשיהם כי שבו מדָרכם ”.הָרַעה “It does not say regarding the people of Nineveh: ‘G-d saw their sackcloth and their fasting.’ Rather: ‘G-d saw their deeds, that they had turned from their evil way’” (Ta’anit 2:1, quoting Yonah 3:10). Their Return was not one of empty ritual, from their actions it was clear that their Return was wholehearted and genuine. The Mishnah quotes the prophet Yoel: ִּבְגְדֵ יכֶם ִ בכֶם ו ְַאַל ְ ב ַ ְ וְֶקִָרְ ַעּו ַל “Tear your hearts, not merely your garments” (Yoel 2:13). Don’t just go through the motions! Mean it! The reciprocal spiritual response will be tangibly felt. Sometimes even religious activity can be enumerated however, none of this necessarily proves that anything beyond surface level has changed. That is
-
BALANCE
-
ASPIRATION
not the yet true Return of תשובהto which we aspire. G-d did not respond to Nineveh’s religious performance. He responded to changed attitudes reflected in demonstrative behaviour. That is the great challenge of these days. Are we engaged in the performance of repentance, or the sincerity of Return? They appear deceptively similar, yet their reality is a world apart. Are we simply completing the annual service by rote, or allowing it to sink deep and transform us? A u t h e n t i c teshuvah must affect not only how long we spend swaying in shul, but how we commit to behave when we leave its pews. How do I speak to my family? How honestly do I conduct my business? Do I notice the lonely person? Do I carry responsibility for my community and my People? Am I helping to build the world, or merely occupying space within it? These days go an important step further. The prophet Malachi records G-d’s piercing question, the gist of which is reflected throughout our prayersֵאִם ָאב ָאְנ ִי ֵאֵַּי ֵה כְבֹודִ י “If I am a Father, where is My honour?” (Malachi 1:6). It is easy to sing Avinu Malkeinu, “Our Father, our King.” But if G-d is genuinely my Father and King, the vision of that partnership and relationship must make greater demands of me. Otherwise, the words risk becoming at best, just another familiar tune on the seasonal playlist. And the address to which we Return is larger than our own private lives. The world we refer to is not ours to redesign exclusively around our own personal comfort and self help preferences. It has an Author. It has an Architect. It has a Grand Designer who entrusted humanity with the majestic responsibility to complete His work. To this vision we return again and again throughout our prayers. Our Return is to
RESPONSIBILITY
TRUST
-
CARE
-
partnership in G-ds plan for His world, not an escape into the cocoon of our personal fantasy. G-d’s first question to Adam was ֵאיכה, “Where are you?” It was not a request for Adam’s geographical location. It was the eternal question addressed to every human being- Where are you in relation to the purpose for which you were created? Teshuvah therefore means returning not merely to my own little world, but to my place within G-d’s much bigger picture. It means asking not only, “What will give me “job satisfaction” and make me feel fulfilled?” but “What does the Author need from this particular character in His story?” That should feel elevating and inspiring and lead to far greater joy, aspiration and growth than reducing practical and lived Judaism into some form of self help handbook or mumbo jumbo set of ancient rituals. We each possess unique abilities, influence and opportunities. They were not given solely for personal advancement. They are tools with which to help build the world as its Architect envisaged it- a world of faith, belief, justice, kindness, responsibility, holiness and human dignity. This is not a call to grand gestures. Nineveh was saved when its inhabitants changed their attitudes that were manifestly expressed in their deeds. Real Return begins with the honest decision to Return to the Source it continues with one broken habit, one relationship repaired, one responsibility accepted. The gates of Return are always open. But before racing through them, we should check where we are heading. Return, certainly. But return to the right address.
In this column, Rabbi Naftali Schiff reflects upon 3 key words each week relating to contemporary and relevant issues. All feedback is welcome - nschiff@ jfutures.org. Rabbi Schiff is the Founder & CEO of the Family of Jewish Futures networks of educational organisations.
RELEVANCE
To support the work of Jewish Futures visit donate.jfutures.org | info@jfutures.org | charity number 1151066
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
-
PASSION
Advertisement
Now is the time to
Support Israel Invest in Israel Bonds
Per Annum 2-year GBP Jubilee bond £1,000 min.
6.27%
Jubilee rate as posted valid to 30 Sept. 2026. Subject to conditions.
See all rates at israelbondsintl.com
infoEN@israelbondsintl.com 020 3936 2712
Celebrating 75 years of global support for Israel Development Company for Israel (International) Ltd.
Your capital may be at risk.
This advertisement has been issued by the Development Company for Israel (International) Ltd., which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and register in England No. 01415853. This is not an offering, which could only be made by prospectus. Your capital is at risk, the rules under FSMA for the protection of retail clients do not apply. An investment in any of these bonds will not be covered by the provisions of the Financial Services Compensation scheme, nor by any similar scheme. Israel Bonds are intended as a long-term investment as they are not listed or admitted to dealing on any recognizsed investment or stock exchange nor is there any established secondary market, as a consequence Israel Bonds are not readily realisable before their maturity date. DCI (International) Ltd is not the issuer of these bonds, they are issued by the State of Israel. E/OE.
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
ASK THE RABBI Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com FOR THE SINS....NOT ME!
Dear Rabbi Why do we spend Yom Kippur confessing to sins I’m certain I’ve never committed? I have never robbed anyone, corrupted a judge, given false testimony or plotted anyone’s downfall. Yet every year I stand there beating my chest and apparently admitting to all of it. Can’t I skip the ones that clearly have nothing to do with me and concentrate on the sins I actually committed? Isaac Dear Isaac Firstly, I admire your confidence. Most people arrive at Yom Kippur hoping G-d has misplaced the file. You seem to be requesting an audit. But your question is actually a very good one. Why confess to sins we didn’t commit? One obvious answer is that the vidui (confession prayer) is deliberately comprehensive. We human beings are remarkably talented at defining wrongdoing in
ways that exclude ourselves. “I never stole anything.” I’m sure. But did you ever waste someone’s time? Take credit that belonged to somebody else? Use something that wasn’t yours without permission? “I never gave false testimony.” That’s great. But did you ever repeat something about somebody without knowing whether it was true? “I never deliberately hurt anyone.” Perhaps not. But did you ever make a cutting remark, embarrass somebody, or say something you knew would hurt and then dismiss it as “only a joke”? Suddenly that apparently irrelevant confession becomes quite personal. There is, however, a deeper reason. Notice that throughout Vidui we do not say, “I have sinned.” We say, “We have sinned.” Yom Kippur is not merely the private spiritual reckoning of an individual Jew. We stand before G-d as a people. Judaism does not subscribe to the idea that another Jew’s behaviour is entirely “their problem.” The Talmud says, “all Jews are responsible for one another.” If something is broken within the Jewish people, then on some level it is our collective problem.
“
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
That doesn’t mean you are personally guilty because somebody in Manchester committed fraud. It means that on Yom Kippur we stop standing before G-d as isolated individuals declaring, “Well, at least I didn’t do what he did.” We stand together and say: “We can do better.” So no, don’t skip the bits that you think don’t apply to you. Read them more carefully. You may discover that some apply more than you imagined. And if, after going through the entire Vidui you remain absolutely convinced that none of it applies to you, congratulations. You’ve just found the one about arrogance.
FAST FOOD Dear Rabbi Every Yom Kippur I genuinely try to focus. But by about 2 p.m. all I can think about is food. Does thinking about food defeat the whole purpose of fasting? Hannah Dear Hannah Yom Kippur requires you to abstain from eating, not to stop wanting to eat. If anything, the fact that you are thinking about food means the fast is doing what it is supposed to do - reminding you that for
one day you are choosing to put physical needs aside and concentrate on something higher. The challenge is not to pretend you aren’t hungry. It is to remember why you are hungry. So, if somewhere during Avinu Malkeinu your mind wanders from repentance and the Book of Life to chicken soup and a bagel, don’t panic. Bring your attention back and carry on. Just remember: Yom Kippur is not only about how you fast. What really matters is who you are when you break the fast.
Eli is a great agent. Totally trustworthy and honourable. Never
“
42 JUDAISM
pushy and always honest. That’s really the most important thing when buying or selling.
CALL TODAY:
eli@eli-gestates.com | www.eli-gestates.com
020 3633 8567
VALUATIONS
LETTINGS
SALES
Book your free valuation.
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Looking for best value for Private Health Insurance? Ask The Expert!
Maximising Health Cover Minimising Costs
To get the best value from your private medical insurance, you should speak to an expert who is qualified to advise you on the right policy for you, and recommend the providers who offer the most competitive premiums.
020 3146 3444 07956 244 350
This advice covers individual, family and company policies, and is always FREE.
Independent Expert
As an independent health insurance expert, I work with the healthcare insurers to provide you with the appropriate and most affordable level of cover. So whether you have an existing policy or not, let’s have a chat.
Trevor Gee
FCA registered Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute
You can contact me at 020 3146 3444 or 07956 244350 trevor.gee@patienthealth.co.uk Patient Health Ltd is an Appointed Representative of AM Health Solutions, trading style of The Confederation of Trades and Commerce Ltd and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Services Register number 764419 is registered in England, No: 02362544. Patient Health Ltd. Registered Address: Handel House, 95 High Street, HA8 7DB. Telephone: 020 3146 3444 & 020 3146 3446.
www.patienthealth.co.uk
44 JUDAISM
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
The Other Confession BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN
Yom Kippur is an intensely personal and solitary experience. We descend into the hidden chambers of our personality and search for what we spend the year avoiding. We confront weaknesses we would rather ignore and habits we have quietly learned to excuse. We peel away layers of ego, conceit, self-deception, and artifice, stripping ourselves down to something exposed and vulnerable. Without our usual protections, we search for painful truths and hope to summon the courage to change. Yom Kippur is the night journey of the soul. For one day, distractions recede and we confront who we are, what we have failed to become, and the brevity of our lives against the backdrop of eternity. Few images capture Yom Kippur more powerfully than a Jew bent over a machzor, quietly reciting Ashamnu and Al Chet, striking their heart as they name their failures before Hashem. Yet Yom Kippur is also a time for collective teshuvah. For the first time in two thousand years, we live as a sovereign Jewish nation in our ancestral homeland. Just as individuals must examine themselves, so must a nation. The past three years have tested Am Yisrael severely, and we have responded with extraordinary faith, courage, sacrifice, and resilience. But gratitude for what we have achieved cannot exempt us from honest self-examination. As a people, we too have an Al Chet to recite. Collective vidui is inevitably personal and subjective. Yet there are failures that we as a people should be willing to acknowledge on Yom Kippur and address through our collective teshuvah.
THE SIN OF SPIRITUAL BEWILDERMENT One of the curses described by the Torah is timhon levav—bewilderment or confusion of the heart. During these years, we have sometimes become consumed by questions about Hashem’s decisions and His hashgachah, without allowing sufficient emunah to steady us. Under the strain of war and uncertainty, pessimism about the future of our people and of the State of Israel has sometimes crept in, weakening our confidence in the destiny Hashem has promised His people. We have witnessed remarkable victories, made possible by the courage and heroism of our soldiers. Have we also sufficiently thanked Hashem and recognized His hand in those achievements? Have we allowed uncertainty to deepen our emunah, or has it weakened it?
THE SIN OF HISTORICAL INATTENTION
We are living through Jewish history. October 7 is an event that will shape, and should shape, the remainder of our lives. We will tell its story to our children and grandchildren, just as previous generations transmitted the great upheavals they witnessed. Yet it is possible to live through history without absorbing its meaning. We can remain absorbed in our own stories even while the larger story of Am Yisrael is hurtling forward around us. We can witness events of enormous historical consequence and still fail to ask what Hashem is demanding from us through them. Have we sufficiently taken the measure of this moment? Have we thought seriously enough about what these years mean for Am Yisrael, for the State of Israel, and for the long arc of Jewish history? Or have we retreated too quickly into our private lives?
THE SIN OF NUMBNESS Our society is exhausted. Three years of war have left us carrying grief, anxiety, and disrupted lives. The news cycle has been dizzying, with one major event barely settling before another arrives. Being tired is no sin. But prolonged exhaustion can quietly become numbness. Tragedies that once would have stopped us in our tracks can become another headline. Stories of sacrifice can begin to sound familiar. The suffering of another Jew can become part of the background noise of life. Have we begun, simply from sheer fatigue, to stop feeling what once would have shaken us?
THE SIN OF TAKING SACRIFICE FOR GRANTED The burdens of this war have not fallen equally. Some families have endured losses and sacrifices almost impossible to imagine. Their heroism can never become part of the background scenery of war. Bereaved families, wounded soldiers, reservists and their families, displaced families, and everyone who has carried an extraordinary burden deserve our gratitude, compassion, and support. Their sacrifice has protected all of us. Have we embraced them with the love and hakarat hatov they deserve? We must also be extraordinarily careful when speaking about their experiences. Pain is intensely personal, and even wellintentioned words can wound when they are careless or insensitive. Have we always chosen our words carefully enough? Have we sometimes spoken too casually about sacrifices we ourselves were not asked
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
to make? Have we ever diminished someone’s pain simply because others have suffered more? There is no hierarchy that determines whose suffering is worthy of compassion. Another Jew’s pain should never become ordinary to us.
THE SIN OF IDEOLOGICAL OVERCONFIDENCE The war and its aftermath have resurfaced tensions already simmering within our nation. We have slipped back into some of the social strife and divisiveness that troubled us before October 7. Positions have hardened around questions that touch the heart of Jewish identity, Torah, society, and the meaning of Jewish life in the modern State of Israel. Conviction is necessary, particularly when the issues are serious. Torah Jews should hold convictions and should care deeply about the religious and moral character of our people. But conviction can harden into certainty that leaves no room for humility. We should ask whether we have left enough room for the possibility that our own judgments may be mistaken, or at least incomplete. Have we rushed to defend our positions without examining their weaknesses and limitations? Have we confused commitment to our values with certainty that we fully understand every complicated issue facing Am Yisrael? Religious conviction should produce humility before Hashem, not absolute confidence in ourselves. We are obligated to follow what we believe to be true, but we should never imagine that our understanding is identical with Hashem’s.
THE SIN OF RECKLESS LANGUAGE Even amid profound ideological divisions, our language demands greater care. The issues dividing us are painful and touch deeply held values. Too often, though, we escalate rather than speak with restraint, respect, and nuance. At times our language has become outrageous. Calling another Jew a Nazi displays historical blindness and is deeply
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
disrespectful to Holocaust victims. A Jew who can casually call another Jew a Nazi has revealed a profound rupture in his sense of Jewish history and klal Yisrael. That comparison corrupts the discussion before it can even begin. Similarly, casually branding another Jew an antisemite distorts both Jewish history and the bonds connecting us as a people. We can believe another Jew’s position is profoundly mistaken, perhaps even dangerous to the Jewish future, without reaching for language that casts him outside Am Yisrael. Language, language, language. Perhaps no failure has contributed more to the escalation of our internal divisions. Words can intensify conflict, destroy trust, and leave wounds long after the argument itself has faded. On Yom Kippur we confess not only for what we have done but for what we have said. Our national vidui must include the words we have used against one another.
THE SIN OF FORGETTING OUR SHARED DESTINY We conclude Yom Kippur with L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim. After an entire day of personal teshuvah, we end by looking beyond ourselves toward the destiny of Am Yisrael.
The writer is a rabbi and educator at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush). Find his latest book, Reclaiming Redemption, Vol. II: Faith, Identity, Peoplehood, and the Storms of War, at mtaraginbooks.com.
46 JUDAISM
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
HIDDEN INGREDIENTS CHULIN 139B
BY RABBI SCHONBERG
YAKOV
THE KASHRUS OF FOOD ADDITIVES A curious allusion to Mordechai in the Gemara opens a window onto one of the most complicated areas of modern kashrus. The Gemara asks: “Mordechai min haTorah minayin?” — where is Mordechai alluded to in the Torah? It answers with the words “mor deror” ”—“flowing myrrh” (Shemos 30:23), one of the ingredients of the sacred anointing oil, which Targum renders mira dachya, linguistically recalling the name Mordechai (Chullin 139b). But what exactly was mor? The Rambam identifies mor with musk, a fragrant substance derived from the blood or bodily secretions of an animal found in India (Hilchos Klei HaMikdash 1:3). The Raavad challenged this identification. How could the sacred Shemen HaMishchah contain something derived from blood—and, in his understanding, from a non-kosher animal? Ramban vigorously objects on the same basis (Shemos 30:23). Ramban therefore identifies mor as a fragrant plant resin — myrrh — rather than an animal derivative. The description “flowing” myrrh is particularly apt for resin that exudes from a tree. The Magen Avraham (Orach Chaim 216:3), however, explains the Rambam on the basis that we judge the musk basar hashta—according to what it is now. Its original identity has changed, and it has become pirsha be'alma, mere refuse or dust. The Lechem Asher (Ki Sisa) uses this to explain the Gemara's cryptic association with Mordechai. One might have criticized Mordechai for provoking Haman rather than avoiding confrontation. But a person’s actions cannot be judged merely from what appears to be a dangerous situation at the outset. We know the end of the story: Mordechai’s greatness is attested to by his ultimate role as a leader of the Jewish people, one of the Anshei Kneses HaGedolah. The Torah
refers to Mordechai as בשמים ָרֵאש, the head of spices, and Chazal demonstrate Mordechai’s greatness by associating him with the oil used to anoint kings and Kohanim Gedolim.
PROCESSING TRANSFORMATION We encounter a similar concept in the context of food additives. A substance may originate in something prohibited, yet by the time it reaches us, it may bear little resemblance to its source. Does Halachah follow where an ingredient came from, what it has become, or the function it performs in the final food? That question now regularly confronts the kosher food industry. Rav Asher Weiss addresses this broader phenomenon in his discussion of panim chadashos b’maachalos asuros “new faces in prohibited foods” (Minchas Asher, Bereishis 69). He examines whether a substance derived from a forbidden food remains prohibited after undergoing a complete transformation. He distinguishes among three situations. If the original forbidden food remains intact but is consumed in an abnormal manner, it is generally still prohibited rabbinically. If it has merely become unfit for normal consumption, eating it may likewise remain prohibited because the consumer thereby assigns it significance. However, when it has entirely lost its identity as food and become “mere refuse,” “dust,” or “wood,” its original prohibition disappears. Examples include a forbidden creature burned to ashes, a thoroughly dried stomach lining used as rennet in cheese-making, and digested non-kosher fish and worms that have disintegrated inside larger fish such as tuna.
PANIM CHADASHOT A second, more remarkable principle is panim chadashos ba’u lekan: even an edible and desirable product may be permitted when its nature has been so fundamentally transformed that it is regarded as a new substance. We discussed this principle in Daf Topics No. 260 in connection with glycerin, where we cite the Rosh (Berachos 6:35), who presents a machlokes between the Baal HaMaor and Rabbeinu Yonah regarding the permissibility of musk. Rabbeinu Yonah permits this spice, comparing it to the legs of bees in honey. By osmosis, honey draws moisture from those legs, causing them to disintegrate into the honey. Rabbeinu Yonah describes
the source of the musk fragrance as a blood-like substance that accumulates in a swelling near the animal's neck and is processed into musk. Rabbi Weiss contrasts this positive transformation, in which food attains a new identity, with another form of transformation. When a substance has deteriorated so completely that it has ceased to be food and has become mere waste or dust, it is entirely outside the category of forbidden food. Once its taste has entirely disappeared, it loses its halachic identity as food. (As an aside, modern zoology confirms that musk is a glandular secretion produced in a pouch on the lower abdomen of the male musk deer. The picture I obtained shows it as pod-shaped. I found a reconciliation of this apparent contradiction regarding location in the above-mentioned Ramban. He first cites the Ibn Ezra, noting that the information that it was on the throat came from local musk suppliers. However, when the Ramban proceeds with his own explanation, he describes the location as on the animal's abdomen, thereby correcting the information held by the other Rishonim.)
RECONCILING RABBEINU YONAH The Magen Avraham challenges Rabbeinu Yonah on milk, whose permissibility the Gemara describes as a special Scriptural novelty despite its supposed origin in blood, and on an embryo from a tereifah egg, which is permitted only because the egg first decomposes. This indicates that transformation alone is insufficient. Rabbi Weiss cites the Chasam Sofer, who suggests that both deterioration and subsequent transformation may be required, but finds no such distinction in Rabbeinu Yonah’s words. Rabbi Weiss understands Rabbeinu Yonah to hold that a complete, essential transformation can itself remove the prohibition. He explains that an egg and its embryo constitute a single biological entity, so the embryo requires the egg’s prior decomposition to become permitted; musk, by contrast, is a genuinely new substance produced from a minute quantity of blood in a specialized gland. The Torah’s permission of milk from an animal may not be an isolated exception but rather the source of a general rule that when a prohibited substance truly acquires an entirely new identity, its former prohibition can cease. Modern food technology can subject raw materials to chemical and biological processes that Chazal could scarcely have encountered in their physical form. Enzymes, extracts, and other processing agents may originate in prohibited materials yet undergo transformations so extensive that the finished substance bears neither the taste nor the appearance of the original material. This raises several distinct halachic concepts. There is nosen taam: does the prohibited material
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026 impart a recognizable taste? There is nifsal mei’achilas adam: has it become so inedible that it has lost its halachic identity as food? There is panim chadashos: has processing created something sufficiently new that the original prohibited substance can no longer be regarded as present in its former identity? There is an even more fundamental question: was the starting material itself halachically regarded as food? These distinctions become particularly striking when we examine an ingredient with the unappetizing name L-cysteine.
HAIR IN YOUR BREAD? L-cysteine is a common amino acid used in the food industry, with two distinct main applications. In bakeries, it serves as a dough conditioner by reacting with sulfur bonds in wheat proteins to relax gluten and ease processing. It also plays a key role in flavor creation; during heat browning, L-cysteine reacts with sugars to produce roasted, chicken-like, or beef-like flavors, some of which may be certified pareve. Its source has raised kashrus concerns, as it is historically derived from human hair, poultry feathers, and pig bristles. These sources contain cysteine compounds, which manufacturers hydrolyze with hydrochloric acid to extract the amino acid. Despite sounding alarming—like “pig bristles in bread”—halachically, these substances—hair, bristles, feather spines—are considered inedible, akin to “etz b’alma” (mere wood). Unlike gelatin, which involves debates about collagen derived from animal tissue, L-cysteine’s permissibility hinges on whether its source was ever classified as prohibited—a prior question that simplifies the issue. If feathers come from non-kosher poultry, they are typically scalded in hot water to remove them. These feathers have been heated alongside non-kosher birds and blood, raising questions about whether non-kosher flavors could have been absorbed into the L-cysteine. Several factors influence this: the feather's core is horn-like; the water used is foul; and the manufacturing process involves hydrolysis with strong hydrochloric acid, which renders the final product inedible. Therefore, any absorption from the poultry does not necessarily pose a kashrus concern for the L-cysteine. It’s important to note that simply knowing "it came from a chicken feather" is not enough. One must understand which part of the feather, its initial halachic status, what it absorbed, whether that absorbed material retained taste, the chemical processes involved, and the final substance produced. Modern kashrus involves understanding the entire manufacturing process, not just reading ingredient lists (Kosher Food Production by Rav Zushe Yosef Blech, Chapter 17, pp. 374-8). Continued on page 49
17 SEPTEMBER 2026 Continued from page 48
THE ENZYME PROBLEM Enzymes make this even more complicated. An enzyme is not generally added for its taste. It is a catalyst: it enables or accelerates a biochemical reaction. Tiny quantities can perform an important manufacturing function while contributing virtually nothing identifiable to the finished product's taste or appearance. This creates an unusual halachic tension. In ordinary ta’aroves, the classic question is whether the prohibited substance contributes taam. Rav Asher Weiss highlights the modern problem of enzymes used in food manufacturing that lack significant taste or appearance. The relevant question, therefore, cannot always be reduced to the familiar calculation of shishim. We must first determine what the enzyme is, its source, whether it is itself edible, how it was manufactured, whether it remains in the product, and what halachic significance attaches to its function. Modern enzymes may themselves be products of fermentation. A microorganism is supplied with nutrients and induced to manufacture a desired enzyme. The final enzyme may consequently be many technological stages removed from the
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 original nutrient medium. This shifts the kashrus investigation backward through the production chain: What organism was used? On what substrate was it grown? What nutrients were supplied? Were animal-derived processing aids involved? What purification steps followed? Interestingly, L-cysteine itself demonstrates the changing technology. Rather than extracting it from hair or feathers, manufacturers can produce it through enzymatic conversion, and newer methods use microorganisms whose metabolic pathways have been altered to produce L-cysteine by fermentation. The ingredient may have the identical chemical name, yet its halachic history can be completely different (Kosher Food Production, pp. 288-295).
EMULSIFIERS: SMALL INGREDIENT, MAJOR FUNCTION A similar issue arises with emulsifiers. Oil and water naturally separate. An emulsifier attracts both oil and water, allowing substances that would otherwise separate to remain mixed. Emulsifiers are therefore ubiquitous in processed foods — bakery products, confectionery, margarines, sauces, and innumerable manufactured foods. Here again, the label tells only half the story. Many emulsifiers
are manufactured from fatty acids. Those fatty acids may originate in vegetable oils or animal fats, and after processing, the resulting molecules may be essentially indistinguishable. The kosher consumer, looking at the finished product, cannot determine its source. The halachic question is therefore not merely whether the finished emulsifier “looks” or “tastes” non-kosher. Its production history matters. Unlike a trivial contaminant, an emulsifier is deliberately added because it performs an essential function in the product. This is one reason why simplistic appeals to bittul are dangerous in industrial kashrus. A material present in minute quantities may nevertheless be intentionally added and be crucial to the physical character of the food. Questions of ma’amid, davar hama’amid, nosen taam, intentional addition, and the particular status of the ingredient must each be examined on their own terms (Kosher Food Production, pp. 283-287).
LANOLIN - AN ANIMAL SECRETION AS A FOOD ADDITIVE Lanolin acts as a notable link between musk and contemporary food additives. It is the purified, wax-like substance that coats sheep’s wool, collected during raw fleece washing, and then refined, bleached,
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
JUDAISM 47 and deodorized. Although mainly used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, lanolin and its derivatives have also been utilized in chewing gum and as emulsifiers in food products. Its animal origin raises a halachic question: can a secretion taken from a live animal be consumed? Rabbi Yehoshua Moshe Aronzon initially regarded “wool fat” as animal fat and raised serious concerns (Yeshu’as Mosheh 2:81). However, Rav J. David Bleich explains that this is chemically incorrect: lanolin is a glandular lipid secretion from the sheep’s skin, not fat derived from its flesh. Rav Bleich reasons that there are compelling grounds to permit the use of lanolin. According to the Beis Yosef’s ruling that substances secreted by kosher animals are permitted, including urine, secretions from a kosher species may be allowed (Yoreh De’ah 81:5). Furthermore, lanolin is inedible when secreted, and its extraction via soap and sodium carbonate renders it even less suitable for eating. As a result, even those wary of musk might have valid reasons to permit lanolin as a food additive (Tradition, 23:4). In kashrus, knowing what an ingredient is not enough. One must also know what it was – and precisely what happened to it along the way.
48 JUDAISM
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
Yom Kippur 5787 BY RABBI SHAUL YONATAN TAWIL
Whenever we meet someone new, we naturally want to know more about them. Who are they? Where do they come from? What is their story? What makes them who they are? Perhaps one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is the same question: Who am I? Yom Kippur is a fascinating day in this respect. It is arguably the most packed day of the year in our shuls. Jews all over the world fill synagogues for 25 hours. But when we think about what we are actually doing, it is quite strange. Jewish festivals are normally centred around food and celebration. Shabbat has Kiddush and beautiful meals. Weddings have food. Britot have food. Pesach has four cups, matzah and a whole Seder built around eating. And then comes Yom Kippur. No food. No drink. No leather shoes. No physical pleasures. Long hours of tefillah. People even pay premium prices for seats to spend an entire day saying, again and again, “I was wrong.” And yet, the shuls are full. Why? Perhaps because Yom Kippur is not really about what we are giving up. It is about what we are trying to discover. The Chafetz Chaim explains that our physical world is tiny in comparison to the spiritual worlds above us (Shaar HaTevunah). Chazal describe vast heavenly realms and countless angels who stand in the presence of Hashem and sing His praises (Avodah Zarah 3b). The Tanna D'Bei Eliyahu describes the angels proclaiming “Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh Hashem Tzevaot” from morning until evening, and at night saying “Baruch Kevod Hashem Mimkomo.” The angels have no distractions. They don't have mortgages, difficult relationships, insecurities, jealousy or anger. They don't struggle with the challenges that we face every day. They simply exist in the spiritual realm, praising Hashem. And yet there is something Hashem wants specifically from us. The pasuk says, ““ – ”השמיַעיְני ֵאת ֶקוַלךLet Me hear your voice” (Shir HaShirim 2:14). Hashem wants to hear our voice. Why? Because there is something uniquely powerful about a human being who has struggles, distractions, desires and challenges, and nevertheless chooses to turn towards Hashem. That is our purpose. Chazal tell us, “ – ”ָרחמְנֵא ַליבֵא בַעיHashem wants the heart (Sanhedrin 106b). He doesn't only want our words. He wants the heart behind the words. The Midrash explains the words ““ – ”וימיְנו תחבֶקְניHis right hand embraces me” – as referring to prayer (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:22). When a person stands in prayer, Hashem, embraces him. The Gemara therefore says, – “”וַלוֵאי שיתפַלַל ֵאדם כַל היום כוַלו “If only a person could pray the entire day” (Berachot
21a). There is something incredibly precious about our attempt to connect. Perhaps this is one of the deepest ideas of Yom Kippur. We often think we know who we are. I am my mistakes. I am my insecurities. I am my failures. I am my anger. I am my jealousy. I am the things that happened to me. All of these things may be real. They may genuinely hurt. They may have shaped us. But they do not necessarily constitute our essence. There is another voice inside us. A deeper voice. A purer voice. A holy voice. The voice of the neshamah! Yom Kippur is the day when we strip away the external layers and allow that voice to emerge. There is a fascinating idea in the very first chapter of the Torah. The Torah says, “”ויהי ַעָרב ויהי בֶקָר יום ֵאחד – “It was evening and it was morning, one day” (Bereishit 1:5). Why does the Torah say “”יום ֵאחד, one day, rather than “”יום ָרֵאשון, the first day? Rashi explains that it was called “one day” because Hashem was יחיד בַעוַלמו, the only One in His world; the angels had not yet been created (Bereishit 1:5). There is a beautiful message here. Before all the layers appeared, before the angels, before everything else was created, there was Hashem. And perhaps Yom Kippur gives us a glimpse of that original simplicity. For one day, we strip away the layers. We stop defining ourselves by our job, our bank balance, our appearance, our achievements or our failures. We stop feeding the body and start listening to the soul. And we can say, “This is the real me.” I am a neshamah. I was created by Hashem. I have incredible potential. I am capable of more. I am not my mistakes. I am not my past. I am not my weaknesses. There is something holy inside me that no failure can destroy. Pirkei Avot gives us a fascinating instruction: וַלפְני מי ֵאתה ַעתיד, וַלֵאן ֵאתה הוַלך,“דַע מֵאין בֵאת ”ַליתן דין וחשבון – “Know from where you came, where you are going, and before Whom you will ultimately give an accounting” (Avot 3:1). The Mishnah teaches us to know where we came from. On one level, this refers to our physical origins. But there is another question we need to ask: Where did our neshamah come from?
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
The Midrash Shmuel describe the neshamah as coming from a lofty spiritual source, “”חצובה מתחת כסֵא הכבוד – hewn from beneath the Throne of Glory (Avot 3:1). There are therefore two stories about who we are. There is our physical story. And there is our spiritual story. Both are part of us. And sometimes we forget the spiitual story. We become so consumed by everything that has happened to us that we forget who we are underneath it all. Yom Kippur comes and says: Stop. Come back. Come home. That is why it is called returning - Teshuvah. We don't become somebody else on Yom Kippur. We return to the person we always had the potential to be. The greatest gift of Yom Kippur is not simply forgiveness. It is clarity. For one day, we are able to see ourselves without all the noise. We realise that Hashem doesn't look at us and see only our failures. He sees the neshamah. He sees the potential. He sees the person we can become. The message we should take with us from Yom Kippur is simple: Know who you are. Know where you come from. Know what you are capable of becoming. And then take that knowledge with you into the year. May Hashem help us uncover the purity within us, unlock the potential He has placed inside each and every one of us, and give us the strength to live not according to our limitations, but according to our true essence. .ְגמָר חתימה טובה
50 COMMUNITY
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
New Beginnings and Freshers’ Week on Yom Kippur By Avi and Tammy Benarroch
A new year brings a new beginning for everyone. This time of year is perhaps one of the most intense, as families juggle Yom Tov plans, children starting new schools and the return to work after what can feel like a never-ending summer holiday. Amid all the busyness, taking a moment to reflect on the year that has passed before beginning the new one is important. For us, the past year has brought challenges, simchas and plenty of unknowns. Last Rosh Hashanah, we were in Israel, expecting our first baby and preparing for what we knew would be a big year ahead. Alongside the excitement of pregnancy came the challenges of hyperemesis gravidarum, with time spent in and out of hospital and attached to an IV, but also the unforgettable moment when we felt our baby kick for the first time, last Rosh Hashanah. At the same time, we were beginning our final year in Israel and starting to make plans for our move back to the UK, where we would be working with Aish on campus. A few months later, our shipment was on its way, our lives were packed into boxes and we were preparing to step into the unknown. Fast forward to now, and our home in Birmingham is about to welcome hundreds of students each week. It marks the beginning of something new - something unknown, but also something we have been working towards for a number of years. Thousands of students received their A-level results in August and are now preparing to take their own leap into the unknown: university life. For Jewish students in Birmingham, Freshers’ Week begins on Yom Kippur. It is a significant time, and one that can feel overwhelming as students settle into a new city, a new home and a completely new chapter of their lives. Thankfully, between the various organisations working on campus, incoming students will have plenty of support around them.
At Aish, we will be hosting a sushi and cocktails evening, as well as the first Friday night dinner and Shabbat lunch of the year in our sukkah. Even before Freshers’ Week has officially begun, students have already been coming over for dinner as they move into their new homes. Moving can be stressful. New beginnings can be stressful. And the unknown can be stressful. That is where we come in. Our aim is to provide students with a home away from home. Sometimes that means dinner when they have just moved in. Sometimes it means a birthday cake, learning together, or simply knowing there is a family nearby who they can turn to when they need help. At a time when antisemitism is increasingly visible on the streets of Britain, it is more important than ever for Jewish students to know that there are people nearby who genuinely care about them and who will be there if they ever need support. A source of comfort in the unknown. Aish operates across multiple university campuses, giving thousands of students the opportunity to connect with Judaism, their heritage and like-minded people in an environment designed around their needs. Jewish students are increasingly nervous about walking around openly Jewish, fearful of being confronted with anti-Israel chants, hostility or, in some cases, something worse. But once again, much of that fear comes from the unknown. What happens if something goes wrong? Who will be there to help? Who will pick up the
pieces? It is human nature to imagine the worst-case scenario. Our role on campus is not simply about organising events. It is about being present, building relationships and creating a community where Jewish students know they are not alone. It is about helping students feel safe, supported and connected, and giving them a home away from home. As we begin this new chapter, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to welcome hundreds of students into our home and to bring the warmth,
rabbi.burman@bwkollel.org
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
community and joy of Judaism to Jewish students at the University of Birmingham. A new year, a new beginning, and a lot of unknowns. But we are excited to see what this year will bring. Avi and Tammy Benarroch have backgrounds spanning Torah education, psychology and Jewish communal work. Avi studied at Hasmonean, JFS and in various Yeshivot. Tammy studied in Israel and holds a History degree. They’re both now Aish on Campus Educators and live in Birmingham with their daughter Atara.
52 HEALTH
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
A Sweet Start to Positive Change
BY HEATHER DANIELS BSC RD
As we move through the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the year that has passed and thinking about the changes we would like to make in the year ahead. For some, that reflection may include our health and eating habits. Perhaps we have promised ourselves that this will be the year we finally eat perfectly, lose weight, cut out sugar or completely
overhaul our diet. At the same time, the sweet foods of Rosh Hashanah are still fresh in our minds. Honey features prominently on our tables, and for some health-conscious individuals this can raise the question: is honey actually healthier than sugar? It is an easy assumption to make. Honey is natural, it comes from bees and it certainly looks very different from the white granulated sugar sitting in our kitchen cupboards. Honey is also often associated with words such as “natural”, “wholesome” and “healthy”. However, when it comes to our bodies, honey is still primarily sugar. It is true that honey contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that you will not find in the same way in refined sugar. However, these quantities are relatively small and do not change the bigger nutritional picture. Honey still provides sugar and calories, and our bodies still process those sugars. Does this mean we should avoid honey altogether? Certainly not. There is an important difference between understanding the nutritional
content of a food and deciding that we should never eat it. Healthy eating is not about placing foods into neat categories of “good” and “bad”. It is about the overall pattern of what we eat, day after day and week after week. This message feels particularly relevant during these special days. The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur encourages us to reflect and make positive changes, but it does not ask us to be perfect overnight. The same principle can apply to our eating habits. Meaningful change rarely comes from extreme rules or harsh selfcriticism. Instead, it comes from small, sustainable actions that we can maintain over time. That may mean adding an extra portion of vegetables to dinner, planning regular meals, being more active, drinking more water or paying greater attention to portion sizes. These small changes may seem insignificant in isolation, but over the course of a year they can make a remarkable difference.
the year, rarely leads to lasting positive change. Instead, we can acknowledge these foods for what they are: enjoyable parts of life that can sit comfortably within a balanced diet. One meal does not define our health, just as one day does not define our year. What matters most is what we do consistently. As Yom Kippur approaches, possibly one of the most valuable lessons we can take with us is that improving our health does not require perfection. We do not need to get everything right immediately. Small steps, repeated consistently, are often far more powerful than ambitious changes that are impossible to sustain. So as we continue through these Days of Reflection, let us focus on progress rather than perfection. We can strive to take better care of ourselves while still allowing room for enjoyment, tradition and family. Wishing you all a meaningful Yom Kippur, an easy fast and a year filled with good health, happiness and peace.
What is far less helpful is allowing guilt to drive our decisions. Feeling guilty about the honey we enjoyed on Rosh Hashanah, or the occasional treat we eat throughout
If you have a nutrition question you would like answered in this column, you can contact Heather at heather@theukdiabetesdietitian.com or on 07886 419 497.
£36.05 £56.23 £72.09 £84.11 £88.05 £96.11 £352.19 704.38 £2989.43 £38.00 £0.97 £1.05
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Flexible dates available
54 EXPERT ADVICE
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
EXPERT ADVICE My parents are getting older. Is there anything they can do now to reduce inheritance tax our family may have to pay when they pass away? Inheritance tax planning is often left until it's too late, yet in many cases the earlier planning begins, the more options are available. The first step is understanding the inheritance tax allowances. For a married couple with a joint estate valued at £2 million or less, who leave their home to direct descendants, up to £1 million can currently pass free of inheritance tax. Assets passing between spouses are generally exempt from inheritance tax, so tax is usually only assessed on the second death. For estates exceeding £2 million, the allowance is gradually withdrawn, reducing the combined allowance to £650,000 once the estate reaches £2.7 million or more. With inheritance tax charged at 40% on the value of an estate above the available allowances, HMRC can become one of the largest beneficiaries of a family's wealth.
HUMAN RESOURCES DOHR: DOHR is an HR Practice supporting employers of all sizes with the hiring, managing, inspiring and 'firing' of staff. Contact: 0208 088 8958 | www.dohr.co.uk
Fortunately, there are a number of planning strategies available, depending on your parents' individual circumstances. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it illustrates some of the options available through a specialist financial adviser. For cash and investment assets, the first step would be to assess your parents' income requirements, investment experience and attitude to risk before considering suitable solutions. If your parents require an income, a Discounted Gift Trust can enable assets to be moved outside their estate for inheritance tax purposes while allowing them to retain a regular, tax-efficient income through regular monthly withdrawals. Business Relief investments can also play an important role. Subject to qualifying conditions and current legislation, they can significantly reduce inheritance tax after a qualifying period of two years, while allowing your parents to retain ownership of, and access to, their investment. For older individuals, these arrangements can be particularly attractive where relying on the traditional seven-year gifting rule may be less appropriate. For non-investment assets, such as the family home, investment properties or property company holdings, beyond considering gifting strategies, life assurance can
FINANCIAL ADVISORS ARNOLD AARON: Arnold Aaron runs his own Financial Advisory practice, renowned for its expertise in inheritance tax and wealth preservation. Contact 020 7692 0884 | www.arnoldaaron.co.uk | arnold@arnoldaaron.co.uk
LEGACY KKL KKL Executor and Trustee Co Ltd is the legacy arm of JNF UK, with over 75 years of experience in estate admin. The company provides help with Will drafting, Estate Planning, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and related legal services. Contact: 020 8732 6121/6126 | https://kkl.org.uk
TRAVEL BESPOKE KOSHER TRAVEL: Bespoke Kosher Travel creates tailor-made holidays worldwide, combining exceptional experiences with fresh kosher food and every detail taken care of. Contact: 020 3151 1660 | bespokekoshertravel.com
HEALTH INSURANCE LIFEPOINT: We are London’s highest-rated, multi-awardwinning independent health insurance broker, helping thousands of individuals, families and businesses find the right private medical cover. Contact: 020 3348 9868 | www.lifepointhealthcare.co.uk | info@lifepointhealthcare.co.uk
often provide an effective solution. The policy proceeds can be used to meet an inheritance tax liability, helping preserve more of your parents' estate for future generations. One concern, however, is long-term affordability of premiums, particularly if personal care costs or other living expenses increase later in life. In appropriate circumstances, it may be possible to structure a one-off gift into trust that is designed to seamlessly fund the life policy's long-term premiums, helping provide greater certainty that cover can be maintained, irrespective of one’s changing income/expenditure position. Such a mechanism can be an extremely attractive proposition, in the right circumstances. Inheritance tax planning continues to evolve. With pension funds expected to fall within the inheritance tax regime from April 2027, reviewing your parents' pension arrangements has become an increasingly important part of estate planning. Every family's circumstances are different, so your parents should obtain specialist advice before implementing any inheritance tax planning strategy.
ESTATE AGENT - SPECIALIST ACROSS ISRAEL KIM BASH - KIM BASH REAL ESTATE, ISRAEL Not only do we help buy homes, but we also help finding the community which is what transforms a house into a home. Contact: 020 8203 2111 | mail@theroundtree.com | www.theroundtree.com
BUTCHERS KOSHER DELI Kosher Deli makes kosher meat and poultry affordable without compromising on kashrus or quality. Locations in: GG, Hendon, Temple Fortune, Edgware, Borehamwood & Manchester Contact: 020 8381 4450 | info@kosherdeliuk.co.uk
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
JEWELLERS JEWELLERY CAVE: 4th generation North London family jewellers since 1979, offering fine, bespoke, handcrafted and pre-loved jewellery, expertly crafted and remodelled by master craftsmen. Contact 0208 446 8538 | jonathan@jewellerycave.co.uk Whatsapp 07770 303745
FINANCE SPECIALIST UK FINANCE GROUP: Maxim Cohen is an award-winning finance specialist and accountant with extensive experience helping businesses access the right capital. He is an Official Member and Thought Leader of the Forbes Finance Council. Contact: 0161 773 3106 | maxim@ukfinance.co.uk
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY THE LPA COMPANY At The LPA Company, we provide a structured, professional service to ensure your LPA is properly prepared, correctly executed and validly registered. Contact: www.thelpacompany.com | 0330 133 4433 | Info@thelpacompany.com
ESTATE AGENT - SPECIALIST IN JERUSALEM CAPITIL, JERUSALEM We help English-speaking buyers find their perfect home in Jerusalem. From finding the right property to guiding you through every step of the process, we are your one-stop shop. Contact: ben@capitil.com | 00972 58 779 8224
PROPERTY INVESTMENT - ISRAEL GROUPBUY INVESTMENTS GroupBuy Investments helps people buy new homes in Israel through exclusive buyers’ groups. We have strong expertise in Carmei Gat and know the area, projects, prices, and opportunities inside and out Contact: 00972 5028 38683
WHAT’S YOUR DRAM THIS YOM TOV?
WHISKY
AGE
CASK TYPE
ARDMORE
17 Years
Margaux Barique
£99.99
BLENDED SCOTCH
21 Years
Refill Hogshead
£69.99
CLYNELISH
11 Years
Refill Hogshead
£69.99
GLENROTHES
25 Years
Refill Hogshead
£179.99
GLENGOYNE
16 Years
Lagrima Rosé Port Barrique
£89.99
HEBRIDEAN WISP
16 Years
Ex-Solera Oloroso Sherry Butt
£79.99
WHERE TO BUY:
fruitfulspirits.com
PRICE (RRP)
FULL OF FLAVOUR. A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WORTH TAKING YOUR TIME OVER. Meet Ever Curious, the new whisky range from Fruitful Spirits. THE RICH ONE
THE QUIRKY ONE
THE FRUITY ONE
THE SMOKY ONE
CLYNELISH GLENTAUCHERS STRATHMILL
FINGLASSIE
Refill Hogsheads
ex-Islay Barrels
Saint-Julien Barriques
Oloroso & Tawny Port
£ 4 9 . 9 9 · 4 8 % A B V · N O C O L O U R I N G · N O C H I L L F I LT R AT I O N evercuriouswhisky.com
Family Fun
58 FAMILY FUN
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year and a time when we pause to reflect honestly on our actions. It is known as the Day of Atonement, when we ask Hashem to forgive us for the mistakes we have made during the past year. Although Yom Kippur is a serious and solemn day, it is also a day of hope. It reminds us that Hashem gives us the opportunity to change, repair what we have done wrong and begin again. One of the central mitzvot of Yom Kippur is fasting. By stepping away from food, drink and our usual physical comforts, we are able to concentrate on our spiritual lives and our relationship with Hashem. Fasting is not intended simply to make us feel hungry. It helps us to put aside
our everyday distractions and focus on what is truly important. It reminds us that there is more to life than our immediate wants and needs. A major theme of Yom Kippur is teshuvah, returning to Hashem and trying to become better people. Teshuvah involves recognising what we have done wrong, sincerely regretting it and making a genuine commitment to behave differently in the future. During the prayers, we say Vidui, the confession, and acknowledge the many different ways in which people can make mistakes. We do this together as a community, recognising that everyone has areas in which they can improve. Yom Kippur also teaches us about the importance of asking other people
shofar is sounded, marking the end of the fast and encouraging us to carry the lessons of the day into the year ahead. Yom Kippur therefore teaches us an important lesson about honesty, responsibility and forgiveness. It asks us to look carefully at our behaviour, recognise where we have gone wrong and take meaningful steps to improve. We cannot undo everything that has happened in the past, but we can apologise, make better choices and become better people. Yom Kippur gives each of us the opportunity to repair our relationship with Hashem and with others, and to move forward with hope, purpose and a renewed commitment to becoming the best version of ourselves.
for forgiveness. While we can ask Hashem to forgive sins committed against Him, Yom Kippur does not automatically repair the hurt we have caused another person. We must speak to that person, apologise sincerely and try to put things right. This can be difficult and may require courage, but it is an essential part of taking responsibility for our actions and rebuilding our relationships. Throughout Yom Kippur, we spend much of the day in shul, praying and reflecting. We wear white as a symbol of purity and of our hope for a fresh start. The day ends with Neilah, the final prayer, when we make one last appeal to Hashem and commit ourselves to change. At the conclusion of Yom Kippur, the
Word Wheel LOL The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel. Each word must contain at least three letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.
T T A
N
O
E
Moishe walks into his shul on Yom Kippur with his dog. The rabbi stops him at the door and says “Moishe, what’s the matter with you? You can’t bring a dog in here.” “Don’t worry, Rabbi,” replies Moishe, “Isaac here is just as frum as I am, and he’s come to pray.” And as soon as he says that, the dog stands up on his hind legs, pulls a yarmulka out of Moishe’s pocket, grabs a prayer book and starts praying in perfect Hebrew.
N
The Rabbi is amazed. “Oh my G-d,” he says, “this is incredible, Moishe. You should make this dog become a rabbi!”
E M
“You tell him that, Rabbi,” replies Moishe. “He wants to be a doctor.”
Last Weeks Big Word was BLESSINGS
HISTORY HISTORY HISTORY
entury
1
2
EDEN
Take Bid
I Stend Stand
WINEEEE
3
4
5
6
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
17 SEPTEMBER 2026
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
FAMILY FUN 59
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CAMP SIMCHA’S SUPPORT BE IN TOUCH: 020 8202 9297 OR CAMPSIMCHA.ORG.UK
Sum UP
Circle specific digits in the grid so they sum up exactly to the target provided on the sides — בהצלחהand enjoy the puzzle!
20 2 15 25 14 19 17 9
4
5
8 8
3
11 2
2
7
9 6
5
20 8
3
6
7
7
7
8
2
9
1
8 6
2
12 2
7
4
6 8 9
27 9 9
5
9 8 9
Jokes
Riddles
1. On one historic Yom Kippur, the entire
Q: Why did the shofar take Yom Kippur off? A: It needed a break from blowing its own horn.
Jewish people ate and drank and were praised for it by Hashem.” When did this occur?
Q: Why did the rabbi bring a ladder to Yom Kippur? A: To reach a higher level!
When King Solomon built the Temple, Yom Kippur occurred during its seven Inauguration Days. The Sanhedrin decided that not only must the Inauguration Sacrifices for the Temple be offered but, moreover, the people must cook, eat, and drink on Yom Kippur or else the happiness of the Inauguration would be incomplete. Answers 1. History repeats itself 2. Long time, no see
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
Dingbat Answers
Q: What did the bagel say on Yom Kippur? A: I'm feeling a bit holy! 3. Garden Party 4. Takeover bid
5. I stand corrected 6. Win with ease
REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE 4 Bed Semi Woodlands, NW11
Asking ITRO £1,250,000 4 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
2 Reception
Off Street Parking Chain Free Sale Generally good decorative order En-suite to the principal bedroom Large garden Plenty potential STPP Family orientated road Eat in morning room Through Dining room lounge Spacious Hallway Guest WC Kosher Kitchen
Contact Eli-G to arrange a viewing 07980-802938
020-3633-8567
93a Bell Lane London NW4 2AR eli@eli-gestates.com
FOR SALE on Bell Lane
O ers in the region o £930,000 5 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
2 Reception
Large South facing Garden Sun all day 5 bedrooms 2 bathrooms 2 receptions Close to newsagent dry cleaners Kosher grocery shop Space for two full si e cars No overlooking from the rear Air conditioned 6 tr Planning permission from the original wall - APPRO ED Astro Turfed - low maintenance garden iewings by appointment 07980-802938 The property belongs to the owner of Eli-G Estates
93a Bell Lane London NW4 2AR eli@eli-gestates.com
020-3633-8567
בס”ד
THE
KEY
TO SELLING
YOUR HOME
eli@eli-gestates.com | www.eli-gestates.com
VALUATIONS
Bulk of instructions coming from RECOMMENDATIONS
HENDON
LETTINGS
SALES
CALL TODAY:
020 3633 8567 GOLDERS GREEN
EDGWARE
dsproductions.co.uk
Local. Trusted. Reliable.