Shana Tova

As usual at this time of year, we are asking you to give Tzedakah for two appeals; one where your donations will be split between a charity in the UK, a charity in Israel and the United Synagogue’s national projects, and one for our own Pinner community.

As is traditional in our community, we have always demonstrated kindness, care, and generosity to others in its response to the annual Yom Kippur Appeal. This year that generosity is needed more than ever.

You should have already received an email and video detailing the charities we are supporting this year The Michael Levin Base and The Gesher School as well as the United Synagogue’s national projects – including Chesed, Tribe, US Living & Learning, and support for Jewish students through University Jewish Chaplaincy.

I would just like to take a moment or two to share some information about our chosen charities as I do feel that it helps to understand the impact our donations make on the lives of those we are trying to support.

This year’s chosen charity supporting Israel is The Michael Levin Base.

The Michael Levin Base was formed in February 2020 and is a non-profit organisation that supports Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Lone Soldiers and Lone B’not Sheirut (young women who carry out voluntary National Service in Israel) from both Israel and abroad.  These young people, who are many miles away from their families, need practical and emotional support that MLB provides from their premises located in Jerusalem.  Since they opened their doors, they have helped over 2000 of these dedicated and brave youngsters.

The charity was named in loving memory of Michael Levin Z” L, who made Aliyah from Philadelphia to Israel in 2002 and voluntarily chose to draft into the IDF Paratroopers Unit. Sadly, he fell in battle during the 2^nd Lebanon war in 2006. During his service, Michael recognised the many hardships that lone soldiers face, such as finding the correct unit and information, not always having a Shabbat meal to go to, or having someone to turn to for advice and guidance.

At the time of the High Holydays, their services are much in demand – from providing Rosh Hashana packages to pre and post Yom Kippur Fast meals.  They also provide Arba Minim to every person that uses their services. For example, a Yom Tov meal costs £18 and a set of Arba Minim £36 and your donation will ensure that every Lone Soldier and Lone young woman carrying out National Service helped by The Michael Levin Base is supported over Yom Tov.

Our UK based charity is The Gesher School

Gesher School is a twice Ofsted Outstanding Independent all-through Jewish SEND school providing a specialist, meaningful and functional learning environment for young people with mild to moderate needs, including Autism, ADHD, and Down’s Syndrome.

The last three years have seen remarkable change and achievement for Gesher: relocating to Pinner mid-pandemic and expanding to become an all-through school. Alongside this, they have been fundraising to modernise and equip this building to meet their children’s secondary and SEND needs.

Now, as part of their final push, they need our help to raise the money to refurbish the main hall which desperately needs modernisation to become a multi-functional space and the heart of the school.

Our support will allow the children to have access to drama, sports, and many other activities. The hall needs acoustic panelling, performance lighting equipment, seats, painting, and staging – all virtually non-existent at the moment. This project will be totally dependent on income from donors, and this is our opportunity to make the finished school hall a reality for our children and generations to come.

After yom Tov, please use the link in your emails to give as much as you can support these causes & reassure me that making videos which is way out of my comfort zone – is worthwhile!

Now, I’d like to move on to our Pinner specific local appeal.

REFURBISHING THE MAIN SHUL KITCHEN

I doubt that there is anyone listening to me today that has not made use of our shul kitchen – but why is it so important that is the subject of our appeal this Yom Kippur?

Food is a pretty big deal in all our lives. Its effect on our physical and emotional health is tremendous. Hence the saying: “You are what you eat.” Just ask the person suffering from coeliac disease or diabetes or the nutritionist who helps a child cut back on his or her sugar intake and sees amazing results in behaviour. Sports players have strict diet regimens to ensure maximum weight gain, strength, and health.

So, it doesn’t seem to be too far a stretch to say that food has a tremendous impact on our spiritual health as well. Why else would the shul be fuller on Shabbat when we have a cholent kiddush or at Shavuot when we hold a communal barbecue??

The shul kitchen is quite possibly the most used room in our shul. It is used by our many shul groups such as Chat and Share for their coffee mornings & lunches, and the Maturians for their lunches and dinners.

It is used weekly for our kiddushim and occasional Seudot as well as many Yom Tov meals, it is a space where people come to chat, make a drink, and catch up with friends.

Our kitchen space has often been admired by external caterers as it is a good size, and we would like to explore this avenue for future revenue streams to support community activities.

The kitchen was fitted out many years ago and is now passed its best.

This hardworking space needs major refurbishment to improve the decor, re-equip, and retrofit many elements of the kitchen. We need to reconfigure the space to accommodate an additional dishwasher and a freezer in the kitchen itself. The cupboard doors need fixing and some need replacing, we need drawers – who designed the original kitchen without drawers??? Our sinks need replacing and I’m sure much more needs doing….

We aim to raise approximately £15k from this appeal as our ultimate ambition is to completely refit our kitchen. It is impossible to say how much all this will cost but we promise that every penny you donate will be put to good use – hopefully by each and every one of us.

PLEASE GIVE AS GENEROUSLY AS YOU CAN TO HELP US REFIT OUR KITCHEN.