Volume VIII, Issue I

May 1998 - Iyar 5758

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The WHAM "10 for 10" Campaign

For many, the attraction of WHAM is its relaxed style on Shabbat morning. With its friendly atmosphere, members are welcomed as friends throughout the morning. In a bid to strengthen the character of our service, and to allow time for more tunes and the invitation of speakers and scholars to WHAM, we would like to guarantee a minyan by 10:00am every Shabbat.

We are therefore launching the new "10 for 10" campaign and are seeking volunteers to join a 10:00am Shabbat minyan rota. Our target is to find sufficient campaign members to establish a monthly rota.

If you are interested in joining "10 for 10", please speak to Robert Shaw, or Mike Davis.

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New Mechitzah Update

At WHAM's recent AGM, the new committee was mandated to investigate more inclusive mechitzah arrangements. At the time of going to press, discussions are taking place with Rabbi Harris to ensure that any changes are consistent with Halachah.

Options under consideration include placing the mechitzah down the centre of the shul, in line with the bimah and the ark, such that both men and women have an adequate view of the service.

Initially, the new mechitzah will be installed for a trial period. Please use this opportunity to pass any comments to the committee, so that a final decision can be made.

If the trial proves successful, the committee will also look into alternative materials for the mechitzah, (and, perhaps, one that doesn't fall down quite as often).

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New Committee: 1998-99

The WHAM committee for the year 1998-99 was elected at the recent AGM.

The committee members are:

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WHAM Membership Fee Fixed Again

Yet again, WHAM have maintained their membership fee at £60 per person. If you would like to join, (regardless of whether you are a full United Synagogue member), please contact any member of the committee.

The new streamlined joining process is much quicker and simpler than it ever has been before. To show you how keen we are to have you on board, the committee has even volunteered to do all the paperwork for you!

For those who are interested in signing up for full United Synagogue membership, that too is possible by getting in touch with the committee. Alternatively, you can fill in the simple form enclosed with this newsletter and send it to WHAM Membership, West Hampstead Alternative Minyan, 1 Dennington Park Road, London NW6 1AX.

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Mazel Tov

Mazel tov to Mike and Michelle Knight on the birth of a son, Jacob.

Mazel tov also to Steven Mendel and Bev Lester, and to Lyall Cresswell and Candice Katz, on the occasions of their recent weddings.

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R'fuah Sh'lemah

We wish a speedy recovery to Jonathan Metzer, who has recently had his appendix removed.

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Tikun Leil Shavuot

The premier educational event in the WHAM calendar will take place at midnight on the first night of Shavuot, Saturday/Sunday 30/31 May, at the home of Deborah Frieze, Flat 3, 82 Shoot Up Hill, London NW2, (opposite Kwik Fit).

This year's guest speakers are Rabbi Michael Harris, Andrew White and Henry Grunwald, Vice President of the Board of Deputies, (see also WHAM presents .. The Tikun Leil Shavuot).

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Contemporary Jewish Issues

The discussion series continues, with two further sessions led by Rabbi Michael Harris taking a relaxed but in-depth look at the Jewish view on subjects of contemporary interest. All are very welcome.

Monday 18 May Why Jews don't accept Jesus as the Messiah Monday 15 June Chicken soup, cholent and chopped liver - traditionally Jewish or morally wrong?

Each discussion commences at 8:15pm in the Mezzanine Room, Community Centre, The Hampstead Synagogue, 1 Dennington Park Road, London NW6. (Note change from regular venue.)

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Times of services

WHAM holds a Shabbat morning service every week in the Beit HaMedrash, commencing at 9:45am.

A Yom Tov morning service will also be held at the same time on the second day of Shavuot.

Morning services for the first day of Shavuot will follow immediately after the conclusion of the Tikun Leil, at approximately 3:30am. There will be no WHAM service in the Beit HaMedrash on that day.

Other regular services are held by Hampstead United Synagogue, as follows:

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Rosh Chodesh Breakfasts

WHAM has relaunched the traditional Shabbat morning breakfasts each Shabbat Mevorachim HaChodesh. The next two breakfasts, which will take place during a break in the service after the leining, are scheduled for 23 May and 20 June.

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Chairman's message

Welcome to the new year at WHAM. Rosh Chodesh Nissan is one of the four "New Years" in the Jewish calendar and almost coincides with the new WHAM committee's start. We thank last year's committee for their hard work.

The committee wants to ensure that WHAM continues to offer "what the punters want". We are already in discussion with Rabbi Harris about improving the Mechitzah, while still remaining within the Halacha, (see New Mechitzah Update), and hope to attract speakers, both religious and secular, throughout the year to stimulate the mind. Any suggestions will be well received by any committee member.

We are an alternative to mainstream United Synagogue services and invite audience participation in these services. Anybody wanting to lein or daven, or to learn how, should contact either myself or Geoffrey Charin and we can make the necessary arrangements. We also would like the women to be more involved, so, if you have any suggestions on how, the committee would love to hear them.

On a personal note, I have been at WHAM since its inception and would like to see it continue, if for no other reason than people want it to, and I enjoy that type of service. We are, however, dependent on people for a minyan. Prompt starts will enable us to enjoy guest speakers, breakfasts and even Shabbat afternoon rests in the winter, (work it out for yourselves), but that will need commitment to a minyan rota. Please let us know if you can manage a l0:OOam start once in a while so we can organise this, (see The WHAM "10 for 10" Campaign). Without a regular minyan on Shabbat morning, we will stagger and fail.

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Shavuot - Festival of the Jewish Mind

In a sense, Shavuot is a peculiar festival. Consider how different it is from other chagim, particularly the two others that make up the shalosh regalim - Pesach and Succot.

Pesach and Succot are very concrete, tangible festivals. Pesach, of course, has Seder night and the turning upside-down of the Jewish home to get rid of all chametz. Pesach has matza and maror and charoset and wine and many other concrete symbols. Succot, too, is replete with visible symbols: the Succah itself, adorned with leaves, fruit and decorations, and also the arba minim.

Shavuot is quite different. To be sure, we have specific Yom Tov davening, we wear festival clothing and we eat as befits a Yom Tov - but that's about it. There are no special symbols, no particular practical mitzvot. There's the cheese cake, of course - but that's only a custom.

Why is Shavuot so lacking in the external dimensions so important to the other festivals? Because Shavuot is the festival of the Jewish mind, of the intellect. Shavuot is Zeman Matan Torateynu, the anniversary of the Giving of the Torah to our people at Mount Sinai. It celebrates our acceptance of G-d's Torah. But in order to accept Torah, we have to understand it, study it, think about it. These are internal matters. And so, on Shavuot, external symbols are ignored and we focus on that part of ourselves, inside of us, that is crucial to accepting Judaism: our minds.

With the constant pressures of time in the contemporary world, Shavuot reminds us not to neglect our intellects, of the need to think about Judaism and to educate not only our children, but ourselves also. Chag Sameach!

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5 Reasons to Come to WHAM

1. a friendly and welcoming atmosphere
2. a relaxed and informal style of service
3. responsive to members' needs
4. based in the heart of West Hampstead
   and, most importantly,
5. you can arrive on time and still get a lie-in

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Shavuot Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

• 1/2 lb digestive biscuits
• 2 oz margarine
• 1 tbl syrup
• 8 oz cottage cheese
• 2 oz sugar
• 1 small carton soured cream

1. Melt margarine and syrup.
2. Add crumbled biscuits.
3. Press into an 8 inch loose bottom tin.
4. Mix together cottage cheese, soured cream and sugar.
5. Pour onto biscuit base.
6. Place in fridge for a few hours until firm.
7. Can be served with soft fruit on top.

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Are you reading someone else's copy of WHAM'98?

To add your, or anyone else's, name to the WHAM mailing list, please notify Steven Mendel.

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Announcements / Contributions

If you have any announcements for the next issue of WHAM '98, (due late June / early July), or would be willing to conribute an article, please contact Steven Fisher, Email: newsletter@wham.org.uk.

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AnagWHAM Corner

Herbacious Border

Can you spot the WHAM member whose name is hidden in the above anagram. Answers on a postcard to AnagWHAM Corner, West Hampstead Alternative Minyan, 1 Dennington Park Road, London NW6 1AX.

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Security Rota

The new WHAM security rota is shown below. It is your responsibility to ensure that your slot is filled. If you cannot make your allotted time then please arrange a swap. Failing that, please call Louise Sylvester and she will arrange cover for you.

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WHAM Cricket

The WHAM cricket team will be re-forming this summer. If you would like to join, please contact any member of the committee.

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Shabbat / Yom Tov times

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WHAM on the Web

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WHAM presents...

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This page is © 1998 West Hampstead Alternative Minyan, all rights reserved. The WHAM News logo is © 1996 Geoffrey Charin.
This Edition of WHAM News - the alternative: was edited by Steven Fisher and HTML-ised by Andrew Hougie.
Last revision: 25 May 1998.
http://www.wham.org.uk/circular/news0598.htm

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