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Outreach

AUBREY MILSTEIN COMMUNITY LECTURE

The Aubrey Milstein Community lecture was established in 2005 in order to honour a member of our congregation who worked to promote interfaith understanding and cross-community co-operation in Brighton and Hove.

Aubrey Milstein worked for many years with the city council, the black and ethnic minority community and the police to foster harmony in the community and to challenge injustice. He was an active participant in the Brighton & Hove Jewish Representative Council, the Interfaith Contact Group and the Racial Harassment Forum, and was a critical friend to the police as a member of the Independent Advisory Group. Aubrey died in 2008, but the Annual Aubrey Milstein Community Lecture  keeps alive his commitment to racial and religious harmony.

Those invited to give the lecture are individuals who have also made a significant contribution to this field.  Past speakers include Imam Dr Abduljalil Sajid and Baroness Rabbi Julia Neuberger.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY AND YOM HA-SHOAH

National Holocaust Memorial Day

The synagogue supports Brighton and Hove Council in its efforts to co-ordinate a programme of activities and events across the city in conjunction with National Holocaust Memorial Day, which falls on 27th January each year.

On January 27th 2009 the synagogue held a service to commemorate the Holocaust open to the public, involving readers from across the Jewish community, and attended by the Mayor of Brighton and Hove, local MPS, and the leaders and members of a variety of faith groups within the city.

The synagogue’s contribution to NHMD 2010, will be to host an Exhibition of the art work of Darfuri children in connection with Brighton Voices in Exile, a local community group working with those seeking asylum and refuge.  The Exhibition will be launched on Friday 22nd January, 6pm – 8pm, and will also be open on Sunday 24th January, 11am – 4pm.   All are welcome.

Yom Ha-Shoah (‘Devastation Day’)

In addition to participating in the annual programme of NHMD activities in the city, Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue also holds its own Yom Ha-Sho’ah Service to commemorate the Sho’ah ( a Hebrew word meaning ‘devastation’) each year on the day set aside in the Jewish calendar for remembrance of the Holocaust – 27th Nissan (which falls sometime in April).   The name Sho’ah has been chosen in preference to the word ‘Holocaust’, which means ‘burnt offering’ – and consequently suggests that the programme of systematic killing of the Jews of Europe was in some sense ‘sacred’.

Our Yom Ha-Sho’ah Service, which begins with the lighting of six candles in memory of the six million Jews killed by the Nazis, has been created by Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah (link to ‘Our Rabbi’), drawing on a variety of materials, and includes the reading of the Sh’ma (‘Listen, Israel’ – Deuteronomy 6:4-9), from our Czech Torah scroll (link to ‘Czech Scroll’).  Our Czech Scroll was one of 1,564 that were collected by the Nazis – but not burned – and belonged originally to the Jewish community of Frydek-Mistek.  The Jews of Frydek-Mistek were all murdered during the Sho’ah – the great majority in the gas chambers of Treblinka, where they were deported in 1942.  During our Yom Ha-Sho’ah Service our Czech Scroll is honoured as a survivor and a witness.

INTERFAITH ACTIVITIES

Since it was established in the beginning of the 20th century, Liberal Judaism in Britain has played a major role in promoting dialogue between faiths and peoples.

As a constituent of Liberal Judaism, Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue is committed to forging links with others and developing ties of mutual respect and understanding.  To this end, the synagogue participates actively in the work of the Brighton and Hove Interfaith Contact Group , hosts the meetings of the local Council of Christians and Jews, and welcomes visits from local schools.

The late Aubrey Milstein zichrono livrachah – may his memory be for blessing – served as the Jewish representative on the IFCG for several years, combining this role with representing the congregation on a variety of interfaith activities throughout Brighton and Hove.

Since she became rabbi of BHPS in December 2000, Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah has continued her long-term commitment to interfaith work by contributing to local events, giving talks, participating in discussion panels, and developing relationships with some of her counterparts in the Christian and Muslim communities – which include one to one meetings, inviting colleagues and their congregants to the synagogue, as well as making visits herself, and participating in joint activities.

SCHOOL VISITS

We regularly welcome visits from local primary and secondary schools who want to learn more about Judaism or an aspect of Judaism. We normally need about 2/3 months notice to make the arrangements. Please be aware that requests for visits during September and October are very limited as this is the period of the High Holy Day festivals.

We can welcome about 100 pupils at a time, plus teachers and parent helpers. We run a flexible program, dependent on age, which includes a talk and introduction to various aspects of Judaism and the synagogue such as the Torah scroll, the ark and food tasting.

These visits can make quite an impact and many schools return to us on a regular basis. We regret that we cannot undertake visits to schools. If you would like to enquire about organising a visit please contact the office.

SOCIAL ACTION

BHPS follows the lead of Liberal Judaism (LJ) in being committed to social action.  We have a volunteer social action co-ordinator who publicises and organises events and campaigns.  BHPS supports Fairtrade and holds an annual Fairtrade Kiddush during Fairtrade Fortnight.  We also give on-going support to Brighton Voices in Exile, a local refugee charity.  In our annual Yom Kippur charity appeals we support a wide variety of charities, local, national and in Israel.

Social action is not a recent phenomenon in Judaism.  The Torah and the prophets, as well as later scholars, teach us to have respect and concern for other people and for the natural environment which feeds and clothes us.  In the modern context, social action encompasses ‘tikkun olam’ (repairing the world) which can range from buying fair-trade commodities and protecting the environment to boycotting the products of slave or child labour, and ‘g’milut hasidim’ (deed of loving kindness) which can include supporting the sick and the homeless, and victims of natural disasters and wars.

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