Shabbat UK
24 & 25 October 2014
1 Cheshvan 5775
Welcome from our guest, the Chief Rabbi
I am truly delighted to
introduce this groundbreaking initiative; a
project that seeks to promote active engagement
with Shabbat throughout
the UK.
At its core, Shabbat UK
is about harnessing all
the goodness and
uniqueness of a traditional, authentic Shabbat
and inviting Jews around
the country to celebrate
it in a way they never
have before. Shabbat is a
central part of what it is
to be Jewish. It plays a
crucial role in Jewish
identity with its powerfully uplifting and transformative qualities.
Everyone can participate
in Shabbat UK, from the
most observant Jews to
those who may have
never experienced the
beauty of a Shabbat. It is
about reaching out to
people and inspiring
communities. Some will
keep Shabbat, perhaps
for the first time, others
will participate in the
numerous events taking
place. Many will find
ways to bring Shabbat
into their homes,
whether by lighting Friday night candles, blessing their children or by
inviting others into their
home to share the Shabbat experience.
Synagogues, Jewish
schools and other Jewish
organisations have
planned a series of
events to mark Shabbat
UK. This is an incredible
opportunity to join with
fellow Jews around the
world, to experience life,
for just one day,
disconnected from the daily
grind and engage with
Shabbat in a meaningful
way.
I invite you to join with me
and with tens of thousands of
Jews across the country, in
celebrating together a Shabbat
like no other.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
The Stanmore Eruv is up and
in use this Shabbat.
With thanks to our shomrim and
the Stanmore Eruv committee.
Welcome from our Rabbonim
"I’m looking forward
to making my own
Challas on Thursday
- knowing that at the
same time there are
hundreds , hopefully
thousands of women
across the world
doing the same that we're one link in
a very long chain.
Also looking forward
to spending a whole
25 hours (or near
enough) with our
lovely Stanmore
friends with a fantastic Stanmore
spirit"
If there’s one thing about
Shabbat and Stanmore, it is
that it is always an unforgettable experience. The two
words go seamlessly
together - like a glove on a
hand. Our services are
renowned for their spirit,
energy, and atmosphere.
The singing in Shul by our
fantastic Chazan, Simchas
almost every week. Not to
forget our magnificent
Kiddush at the end. And of
course who can forget our
wonderful Limmud services,
Sephardi services and the
Women’s Learning Experience. Those who attend
Stanmore on Shabbat
invariably go away with a
warm glow and a smile
With Shabbat UK, we have
an opportunity to take this
to another level. As the
Chief Rabbi spells out in this
brochure, it’s an opportunity
for everyone - regardless of
practice - to take part in the
worldwide phenomenon of
celebrating Shabbat together.
From the minute the candles are lit on Friday night,
our Shul will be a hive of
activity. The Friday night
service is always an uplifting
service – this Shabbat we
will lift the roof! Join us for
a very special Kumzits after
dinner to sample the unique
Shabbat spirit. Then there is
Shabbat day with our wonderful services with the Chief
Rabbi, delicious buffet lunch
and entertainment and relaxation all afternoon.
All this will climax with
Seudah Shelishit with the Chief
Rabbi, Ma’ariv and then an
unbelievable Havdalah ceremony which will inspire and
uplift you at the end of this
most magnificent Shabbat.
So whether you are a regular
to our shul, or this is your first
time – enjoy, participate and
celebrate the power and the
beauty of Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Lew and Rabbi Shaw
Shabbat UK 2014
Keeping it Together - Candle Lighting 5:30pm
sundown on a Friday afternoon
through the mitzvah of lighting candles.
SHABBAT UK
AT STANMORE
WOULD NOT BE
POSSIBLE
WITHOUT THE
GENEROUS
SUPPORT OF
OUR
SPONSORS.
We offer our
grateful thanks
to:
Ruth and Anthony Angel
Andrea and Lewis Bloch
Michelle and Jonathan
Goldberg
Esther and Gerry Lee
Elise and Darren Leigh
Shelley and Merrick
Wolman
Carmelli Bakeries Ltd
This evening, as the women of
Stanmore light candles with
Rebbetzin Rivkie Lew, you will
be ushering in the light of
Shabbat alongside millions of
Jewish women all across the
world, just as Jewish women
have done throughout the ages.
We bring in Shabbat just before
As you light your candles you
will be joining sisters, mothers,
grandmothers, daughters, cousins and friends from diverse
communities and cities who will
be reciting the prayer at their
respective candle lighting times.
Take a moment to think about
the connection among women
throughout time, and across
continents and communities;
take a moment to reflect back
on your week, to be present
now and to welcome the quiet
warmth brought into the world
by the unique light of Shabbat.
Times for
Friday night
5:30pm Candle lighting
with Rebbetzin Rivkie Lew
5:45pm Kabbalat Shabbat
service in the Main Shul
6:45pm Dinner in the
Freeman Susman Hall
8:45pm Birkat Hamazon
(Benshing)
9:00pm Dessert served
downstairs
9:15pm Kumzitz/Oneg
Shabbat in the classrooms
led by Jonny Turgel and
Rabbi Shaw
Keeping it Together - Friday night dinner 6:45pm
As we gather around our tables,
we sing Shalom Aleichem.
We welcome the “Angels of
Peace” who have followed us
and brought us ‘home’ in peace.
We greet the angels, welcome
them and ask for their blessing.
Finally, we wish them farewell.
We then sing Eishet Chayil,
“A Woman of Worth”, which
is a hymn customarily recited
on Friday evenings before sitting down to the Shabbat
evening meal. The beautiful
text describes the qualities of an
ideal woman. Everyone sings
Eishet Chayil, as this is not a
song about an earthly woman.
It is a song about all of us,
about the entire Jewish people
and our relationship with God,
which is as close as that of a
husband and wife.
Parents place their hands on
their children’s heads and recite
the blessing - a specific one for
a son and for a daughter.
There is a beautiful family custom to bless one’s children
and family on Friday night.
Keeping it Together - Kumzitz/Oneg Shabbat 9:00pm
“I’ve never properly kept
Shabbat before, but I am
going to do my best to keep
Shabbat for Shabbat UK. I
even bought time switches.”
“I am looking forward to it
all going according to plan!!
(one of the organisers)
Kumzitz means “come sit” in
Yiddish and refers to a gathering where everyone sits close
together to sing beautiful songs
and tell inspirational stories.
Tonight, after benshing, we will
move downstairs for our
Kumzitz or Oneg Shabbat
(pleaure of Shabbat) led by
Chazan Jonny Turgel and Rabbi
Andrew Shaw. No prizes for
guessing which one will be
singing beautiful songs and
which one will be telling
inspirational stories!
This is a time to express our joy
of Shabbat, of our togetherness
and of our community.
Shabbat UK 2014
Keeping it Together - Shabbat Morning 8:30am
We are delighted to be able to
welcome the Chief Rabbi,
Ephraim Mirvis, to join us for
our Shabbat morning services.
The Main Shul service will
begin at 8:30am but you are
welcome to arrive at Shul at a
later time. As it is Rosh
Chodesh (new month), our
chazan will be davening Hallel
at about 9:15 with many joyous
and beautiful tunes. Rabbi
Lew will address our Bar
Mitzvah boy after the return of
the Torah to the Ark and the
Chief Rabbi will be speaking
at the end of the service at
about 11:50am.
There will also be a Limmud
service in our Beit Mordechai
Beit Hamidrash starting at
8:30am. Rabbi Shaw will give
a d’var Torah (thoughts on the
parsha of the week, Noah). At
about 11:30am the Chief Rabbi
will come into Beit Mordechai
to consecrate our new Beit
Hamidrash. There is limited
seating so please arrive early if
you wish to attend this service.
There are a number of options
for all children and teenagers.
Our Youth Service (years 9
and older) takes place in the
Community room on the top
floor starting at 9:30. Our
Intermediate Service, run by
Adam Drucker (years 5-8)
starts at 10:30 in the classrooms. Also in the classrooms
are our Children services led by
Rabbi Avraham Zeidman (years
1-4) starting at 10:40 and our
vibrant and fun Toddler Service
which starts at 11:00am.
Please feel free to join any of
these services - parents are of
course welcome in the Children
and Toddlers services and a
Kiddush will follow all services.
Please wash your hands for
challah at the washing stations
outside the hall. There will be
baskets of challah rolls available. With your family, please
take two rolls, make hamotzi,
sprinkle your rolls with salt and
give a piece to each member of
your family.
Please help yourselves to food
from our delicious buffet..
Maurice Aben - wine tasting
Jonny Turgel - Kumzitz
Take time to relax with friends,
meet new people, schmooze,
eat, drink and enjoy - just like
on a regular Shabbat. The
Chief Rabbi will be with us for
a short while so feel free to
greet him.
As on Friday night, we will say
Birkat Hamazon (bensching)
at the end of our meal.
Keeping it Together - Afternoon activities and Seuda
At 3:45pm in the Main Shul,
there will be our ever-popular
Q ‘n A with our Rabbonim.
Norman Jonas - website
booking system
The ladies who helped
lay up for the meals
The Bnei Akiva madrichim
and young leaders who
helped run the activities
The Brownies and
Rainbows who made our
From 2:00pm there will be a
huge variety of Shabbat afternoon activities. The full timetable is on the back
Please also feel free to have
time out and relax in our Beit
Midrash with a newspaper, or
help yourself to a hot or cold
drink in the Bride’s Room.
Sadly, we have not been able to
arrange beds for a Shabbat
afternoon shluf!
Bernard Redhouse whisky tasting
Keeping it Together - Kiddush Lunch 12:30pm
Lunch is
one of the
3 special
Shabbat
meals.
Kiddush should be recited before eating anything. The
Rabbi will recite Kiddush in
Shul and in the Beit Midrash.
We wish to
thank all those
who have
offered their
help to make
Shabbat uk at
stanmore a
success.
There will be games to play all
afternoon, wine and whisky
tasting (if booked), and a
special Shabbat Olympics for
all the family.
Mincha (afternoon service) will
be at 5:20pm and the Chief
Rabbi will be re-joining us and
speaking at Seuda Shlishit, our
3rd meal, at 5:35pm in the Hall.
“I am looking forward to
spending a whole day without looking at my phone,
without needing to check the
football scores, without
thinking about work. Just
switching off!”
“I can’t wait to have a Friday
without cooking or laying
the table. Thanks for
organising Shabbat UK.”
spice bags
Our Office staff
Wayne, Ram, Mali
The Security team
Shabbat UK 2014
Keeping it Together - Afternoon fun and games (or relax in the
Beit Midrash reading room) 2:00 - 5:15pm
2:00 – 5:15 Board Games and Hot Drinks in the Community
Room upstairs
Table tennis, Shabbat Olympics and Family Games in the
classrooms
THE SHABBAT
UK COMMITTEE
HAS WORKED
TOGETHER WITH
OUR RABBONIM
TO CREATE A
WONDERFUL
SHABBAT
PROGRAMME
FOR OUR
MEMBERS.
with thanks to:
Rabbi Lew & Rabbi Shaw
Nicki Marks, Jacqui
Rudolph, Laura Sint,
Michèle Tenzer, Judith
Bower, Emma Brown,
Nicky Ginsberg, Samantha
Jacobs, Gabrielle Perez,
Romy Saidel and all who
supported the team.
Hot and cold drinks in the Bride’s Room
Reading and Relaxing in the Beit Midrash
2:00 – 2:45 Whisky tasting (session 1) in Classroom 1 and Wine
tasting (session 1) in Classroom 2
3:45 – 4:30 Q ‘n A in the Shul with our Rabbonim
4:30 – 5:15 Whisky tasting (session 2) in Classroom 1 and Wine
tasting (session 2) in Classroom 2
Times for
Shabbat Day
8:30am Shacharit in Main
Shul and in Beit Mordechai
12:30pm Kiddush Lunch
followed by bensching
2:00pm Afternoon activities (see times above)
3:45pm Q ’n A in the Shul
5:20pm Mincha in the Shul
5:35pm Seuda Shlishit with
the Chief Rabbi in the Hall
6:35pm Ma’ariv in the Shul
6:45pm Havdallah with
the Chief Rabbi in the Hall
"I’m looking forward to doing something new"
"I like that we get to all be together at Shul"
“I like having grape juice because it's sweet and tasty!"
“I hope there’s dancing!” (Stanmore children)
Keeping it Together - Havdallah 6:45pm
Havdallah marks the end of
Shabbat just as Kiddush marks
the beginning of Shabbat. Just
as we bring in Shabbat with
wine, so we see it out with
wine. In addition, we smell
spices to revive our spirits
which are bereft of the extra
level of holiness experienced on
Shabbat, and we light a multiwick candle to symbolize the
beginning of the work week.
spiritual Havdallah with a
candle and a spice bag for each
family. The Chief Rabbi will
be with us and will inspire us as
we end a memorable Shabbat
UK and
move into
the week.
Shavua Tov.
Join us for an uplifting and
And a last word from our Chairman, Philip Hertz
We very much hope you will enjoy and take something from the amazing Shabbat events we have in
store for you at Stanmore. We are honoured with the presence of Chief Rabbi and Rebbetzin Mirvis
and are also blessed to have many donors and volunteers -including our amazing Shabbat UK committee - who have not hesitated to give of themselves to ensure the success of this event. Most importantly
we have an amazing kehilla with members like you who ensure all of our events are supported and special. Thank you all. May I wish you all a special, meaningful and peaceful Shabbat.
In acknowledgment of The Shabbos Project Toolkit, Office of the Chief Rabbi (2014)