Glenn Roeder RIP

 

The week that he signed from Leyton Orient, he came to the next QPR match. On our way home, I spotted Glenn Roeder across from us in the carriage of the Central Line train heading east from White City. My dad went over and had a lovely chat with him, welcoming him to Loftus Road and talking about the club. After that we always looked out for where he was and what he was doing.

A gentleman from beginning to end - may he rest in peace. My condolences to all who loved him.

Parshat Tetzaveh - LJ Thought for the Week

One of the most memorable Bat Mitzvah gifts I received was my first tallit. My godmother took me to Golub’s, in the East End, and bought me a traditional white silk tallis with light-blue stripes and thin silky tsitsit. She also gave me a royal blue velvety silk-lined bag, with “tallit” embroidered on it in gold thread, within which to keep the tallit. I was the first woman in our synagogue to wear one during services, but not for long. The congregation was not yet ready for such a practice, and I was shamed into leaving it in its beautiful bag.

 

We don’t often talk about what Jews in the pews wear during services, but most communities have requirements for what should be worn on the bima by those who lead and who have mitzvot. This week’s portion Tetzaveh is very specific regarding the clothing of the priests. Moses is told to make bigdei kodesh for his brother Aaron, holy garments “for dignity and splendour.”[1] These garments are “a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a fringed tunic, a headdress and a sash”. [2] For 40 verses the Torah describes the materials used, their colours and the design of these clothes. It’s unlikely that the author of this text is an ancient Suzy Menkes, commenting on the fashion of the times, so why does our portion go into such detail?

 

The concept of hiddur mitzvah derives from Rabbi Ishmael’s comment on the verse “This is my God and I will glorify Them.”[3] He says:

 

“Is it possible for a human being to add glory to their Creator? What this really means is:  I shall glorify God in the way I perform mitzvot. I shall prepare before God a beautiful lulav, beautiful succah, beautiful tsitsit, and beautiful tefillin.”[4]

 

Adding to the beauty can add to the holiness of a ritual act. The beautiful Mishkan built from heartfelt offerings would be served by priests robed in stunning vestments, and this would enhance the glory of God.

 

The Temple is no more. But there are synagogues. There are no more priests making sacrifices on our behalf. But we are in the sanctuary praying. We expect those on the bima to be dressed appropriately, but what about the rest of us, down in the seats?

 

In the book of Numbers, God says:  “Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make tsitsit for themselves.”[5] This commandment was not for men, it was not for priests, it was not only for people on the bima. So when I was studying in Israel, my father came to visit, and took me to Gabrieli’s, in Jaffa, and bought me a large white woollen tallit with white stripes and thick woollen tsitsit. With a matching bag. And I began to wear it to services, alongside all the other people in the sanctuary.

 

Throughout history human beings have understood that what we wear influences our relationship with others and with ourselves. Our tendency, though, is to focus more on how we look rather than how we feel. Might we reconsider how ritual garments could help us feel more prayerful, and maybe find spiritual connection?

 

Nowadays I prepare young people for their Bat and Bar Mitzvah ceremonies. The first prayer that we study is for putting on a tallit. We wrap ourselves in the material, making a tent that marks a boundary between the world outside and the personal space within which we will explore our relationship with God while we pray. Then we lower the tallit gently onto our shoulders, so we may feel its embrace in the sanctuary, our sacred place of prayer. This is how the students will begin the worship service on that special day, and hopefully other prayer experiences throughout their lives.

 

We are all Children of Israel. There are no more priests, but there are still bigdei kodesh, holy garments. Let us come together, online or in person; and let us pray together, wrapped in our own beautiful, holy garments of worship.

---

[1] Exodus 28:2

[2] Exodus 28:4 

[3] Exodus 15:2

[4] Midrash Mechilta, Shirata, chapter 3, ed. Lauterbach, p25

[5] Numbers 15:38

Mohn Mohn MOHN

Purim is a festival of fun. It takes place at a similar time of year to Carnevale and Mardi Gras - and for one day we are encouraged to turn things upside-down. We read the story of Queen Esther and how she foiled evil Haman' (BOOOOOOOOOOO!)s plot to destroy the Jewish people. We may have a drink or two. We might put on fancy-dress (US:  costume). And (lockdown permitting) we make little care packages for friends and neighbours.

Hamantaschen (H's pockets, or his ears, or his hat) is a traditional pastry, here shown with a traditional poppyseed (aka mohn) filling. On other pages I have ranted about the myriad other fillings that people have created. Everything from apricot jam to spinach (two of my favourite comestibles, just not as hamantaschen filler). However, today I awoke to the scent of baking, and arrived in the kitchen to find these beauties on the counter. My beloved's first go at making them, and each and every one is filled with mohn. Grazie!

Chag Purim Sameach!!

Put in my Place by Wikipedia

Catching up on my Only Connect episodes, I was quite chuffed the other day when VCM responded to an answer being "The Star of David on the Israeli flag" by calling it a "Mogen Dovid" in a lovely Ashkenazi accent.

Cut to just now, watching a quarter-final wall, and 'shofar' is included as a Brass instrument. My dudgeon immediately raised to a very high point, I was all ready to e-mail the show (possibly to offer to be VCM's rabbinic consultant for all future eps) and point out that a ram's horn is not made of brass. However, a small voice in a corner of my mind suggested that maybe I should check before foolishly rushing in.

From the Wiki entry on "Brass instrument":

"A brass instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips. Brass instruments are also called 'labrosones' or 'labrophones' from Latin and Greek elements meaning 'lip' and 'sound'.

The view of most scholars (see organology) is that the term "brass instrument" should be defined by the way the sound is made, as above, and not by whether the instrument is actually made of brass. Thus one finds brass instruments made of wood, like the alphorn, the cornett, the serpent and the didgeridoo, while some woodwind instruments are made of brass, like the saxophone."

Schooled. My apologies to VCM & Only Connect for doubting you.

What a Wonderful Gift!

Wednesday afternoons I teach an English conversation class to a group of 20 11-year-olds as part of an after-school programme. It is tough for them - under Covid conditions, and all day in the same spot in the classroom for lesson after lesson - and then when everyone else gets to go home, they have to stay for two more hours, in the same place, and study English! 

Today was a particularly difficult day for several students, and I struggled to remain patient. Then one of the students, one who always has a tough day, usually shredding reams of paper over and around his desk, or making complex origami stars with glue and scissors, or just physically bouncing up and down in his defined space, handed me the drawing he had been doing. You can see it above - his view of me during class (he said doing the trousers was really difficult).

What a fantastic drawing - I love it! And what a way to melt my heart and diffuse the frustration that had built up during the class. What a wonderful gift!

Yom HaBlintz!

It's Pancake Day today! In the Xian religion it is known as Shrove Tuesday, and here in Italy it is Fat Tuesday (or Carnevale). Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent begins, a period of self-examination for the purpose of spiritual growth that leads up to Easter. This period is often marked by fasting, and "Fat Tuesday" is thus the last day of eating rich food. 

Clearly I am not following a religious tradition (although any chance to become more self-aware and make teshuvah for my mistakes is always welcome), but I am following a cultural tradition and a family one too.

Growing up in the UK, Pancake Day was such a part of the general culture that they made TV commercials about it (the traditional flavouring was lemon juice, so the JIF lemon juice company had a slogan - don't forget the pancakes on JIF Lemon Day!). And it was a tradition that my late mother loved to follow. She made the lightest crepes, and for the last decade of her life the two of us always celebrated together. Last year was the first Pancake Day without her, and so I learned to make them myself. One year later, I think I will have another go, and remember the sweetness of her pancakes, and of our times together at the kitchen table.

Piglet Retrospective VII

Thinking about loss, and anger ... this week I attended a funeral and shiva prayers for Rosita Rosenberg & Walter Kammerling. They were not people to whom I was especially close, but each played a positive part in my life and work. I was greatly touched by the love with which they were memorialised. 

Somehow, this moved me to reach out to another mentor, who broke off our relationship in anger many years ago. I read recently that she is unwell, and sent her a message this evening. It wasn't so easy - I was afraid she would still be angry, & she is a passionate person. Then I thought, what's the worst that could happen? If she doesn't want to reconnect, that's how it will be. So I wrote.

In this frame of mind, today I share a Piglet pic from Disneyworld c. 2006. I am usually very clear that I do not like the Disney version of Winnie the Pooh characters, and am utterly loyal to E.H. Shepard's designs. Piglet himself, however, decided to connect universes that were formerly parallel, as seen here when he posed with Eeyore, Pooh & Tigger during our visit. My ears should hear what my Piglet is saying. Reach out if you still have the possibility.

Rosita Rosenberg z"l

Rosita Rosenberg has died. Tributes are beginning to appear as the news gets out, e.g., the Jewish News, where she is described as "Liberal Judaism's pioneering first female head." Only last week they featured her in their "120 over 80" section highlighting the "Golden Generation" of the UK Jewish community. And Liberal Judaism has posted here, noting that "Rosita was greatly loved, her legacy has touched many."

What can I say? She was a wonderful woman, loved and respected by so many of us. She dedicated so much of her energy to the building and development of Liberal Judaism. And she was funny, forthright and passionate about her interests. I will miss her.

My love and condolences to her daughter Sallie, someone I have rarely met, but about whom Rosita would always tell me! May Rosita's memory be a blessing.

Here's a link to the Hakol newsletter of TLSE celebrating a special birthday of Rosita's.

Piglet Retrospective VI

 

I miss the Tube. I even miss the Northern Line. The idea of public transport being a safe way to travel seems so far away. So here is a picture of Piglet on the platform at Highgate, waiting for the train to Finchley Central. In fact, this is probably what the station looks like as you regard the photo - empty. (If people in Italy ever get vaccinated) I do hope to use the Underground again. Stay safe & well y'all.

RIP Captain Sir Tom Moore

Sad news from the UK this afternoon as the death was announced of Captain Sir Tom Moore. Yet another victim of the dread coronavirus. If you don't know his story, please look it up - here is a link. In a few short months, during a dark time in the community, he lifted the hearts and spirits of so many people.

The obituary in the Times today concluded with these words:

"Moore, who could offer no recipe for his own longevity, declared simply that he lived believing "tomorrow is going to be better than today, even if today was a good day". As for the risk of catching coronavirus himself, he was pragmatic. "If I get it, I get it, I'm not worried at all," he said. "You have endless chances of dying, in the end everyone has a turn, it has to happen sometime."

Thank you for your service, Captain Sir Tom. Rest in peace.

 

Piglet Retrospective V

It's February already? Wow. Let's start the month with a bit of February fun. This photo is from a visit to Graceland. This is one of the entrance gates whence you walk up to the house. Can you spot Piglet? & can you spot me?!

I think I need to make this a twofer, as there's a second shot that goes with this one. Apart from looking around the house itself, it is also possible to visit Elvis's grave. Here is Piglet paying homage:

Nu, after taking this photo, I picked Piglet up, put him back in my pocket, and headed towards the exit (the Union flags weren't mine so I left them there. Lucky coincidence). I was all shook up to realise that I was being chased by a security guard, and even more surprised to learn that she was accusing me of stealing Piglet from the graveside. Luckily, there were some photos of Piglet in other places on the memory card of the camera so I could prove that I'd had him with me beforehand. So the guard enjoyed the slideshow, then sent me on my way.

Happy February y'all!