The One Where the ravaj Becomes an Artefact

Imagine that this photo was a (rectangular) piece of Battenberg cake. Now look at the top right-hand quarter of the cake. It's a bit hard to see cos they are so tiny, but about two-thirds of the way down there are 5 framed objects in a row displayed on the wooden case. The one furthest to the right is a photograph of rav aj, and the 3 pics to the left of it are also connected with my #FourFourJew story. I am still in Wisconsin, but if you'd like a closer look at this, and the cool Glasgow Celtic tallit in the case in the front, please feel free to pop over to Camden and have a closer look :-)

Four Four Jew & the Ravaj too

Four Four Jew from Four Four Jew on Vimeo.

Unfortunately I cannot be in London on Wednesday to witness in person the excitement of the opening of the Jewish Museum's latest exhibition Four Four Jew. Possibly you may also be unable to attend. Don't let that stop you checking it out during the rest of its run. That's what I'm going to do :-)

NB 00:38

Record Breakers

QPR keeper Rob Green is the main focus of the record his team broke today - 8 consecutive games without conceding a goal. The previous record was set in 1967, when the goalie was Peter Springett. Let the Brent & Kilburn Times tell the story.

The ravaj could get used to these winning ways. Today QPR players were kind enough to save the goalscoring until the second half when they were facing the Loft (where the home supporters sit). And Charlie Austin, despite my feeble taunts of "he scores one in ten shots" (well I just didn't agree with the Loft chant of "he scores when he wants" because he patently does not), celebrated his two goals (including another penalty kick) just about in front of us:

Here we see Joey Barton blessing the boot that kicked the ball so successfully. Apologies for the lack of focus - I was holding the camera above the heads of joyous dancing fans (and possibly swaying a little bit with joy myself). O what the heck, joy all around - here's Charlie jumping for joy after his second goal:

Congratulations gentlemen. Thanks for cheering me up at a difficult time. See you at the Burnley game. #COYRS

Women of the Wall Update

Press release from the Women of the Wall in Israel:

"October 2, 2013

Women of the Wall's First Prayer of 5774, Torah Damaged by Inadequate Storage at Robinson's Arch

Women of the wall will pray in the women's section of the Western Wall on Friday Oct 4, 2013, for their monthly Rosh Hodesh service. We expect over one-hundred women to join the prayer for the new month of Heshvan. The Torah scroll will again be missing from the women's prayer at the Kotel. The Women of the Wall Torah - banned from the Kotel since Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz's 2010 ordinance - was found with major damage from dampness and mold due to the inadequate facilities at Robinson's Arch where the women were forced to store the Torah. The Torah is being carefully cleaned and fixed by the leading authorities in Torah scroll repair and maintenance. Such repair will likely cost the Women of the Wall non-profit organization 8000 NIS, as this type of damage is not covered by insurance. Rabinoqitz's discrimination against women's prayers and the lack of an appropriate immediate government response in the matter has caused damage to a Torah scroll, an escalation from the previous blatant disrespect, shown by Rabinowitz and haredi protesters, of Jewish ritual items, including siddurim, prayer shawls and tefillin."

To find out more, the WoTW website is here. This may not seem like a major issue about which to care, but bear in mind that ignoring something when it is minor gives it the chance to develop into something major. Whether it is women's prayer in a corner of Jerusalem, or something else that has meaning for you, please get involved as soon as possible so that changes may be made before it is too late.