Rabbi Bayfield's New Year address

It bothers me a lot that we still teach childish notions of faith whilst missing the genuine article.
I never cease to be appalled by how much I read and forget. But some things at least do stay with me. An example comes from a book of short stories called 'In the Reign of Peace' by the American author Hugh Nissenson published forty years ago. When I took it down from the shelf recently, I was reminded that the word shalom is wrongly spelled in Hebrew on the dustcover!

What I had remembered, however, was one of the short stories called 'Charity'. It’s about an impoverished Jewish tailor on the lower East Side of Manhattan who always has a guest to Friday night dinner, someone "even poorer than us" and "with no place to go".

Read more: Rabbi Bayfield's New Year address

Shnat Netzer - Update 2

Dear parents, snifim and shnattim shalom,

A good week just ended, and things are going really well here. The weather is cooling down a little bit, and it might even rain soon. We finally had a full week of "normality"- lessons, lectures, activities. Don't get used to it yet… the holidays are here!!!

This week, the Etgarniks went to a great Siyur day (day trip) to Massadah- for some it was the first time. On Tuesday, Machon and Etgar came together for Yom Tnua, where we had some games first, and then had a creative prayer- each shnatti received a part of the Arvit prayer, and had to go to the library, add more ideas to it, find replacements to their reading if they did not agree or like it etc. The outcome was truly interesting and meaningful. Yom Tnua finished with a potluck dinner which was organized by the shnattim and the tzevet and was lovely.

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Read more: Shnat Netzer - Update 2

RSY-Netzer leaders’ boost to Communities

Eleven synagogues from across the Reform Movement are now employing RSY-Nezter bogrim (graduates) to run their youth provision. As part of the new Community Youth Leader Scheme, ten youth leaders have now completed a two day training seminar held at the Sternberg Centre in preparation for their new roles.

During the seminar it was worked out that between the participants there was some 162 years worth of joint experience of involvement in and leading on youth activities. All of the Youth Leaders have participated on RSY-Netzer camps and most have taken the Shnat Netzer gap year in Israel. The training seminar is aimed at advancing the quality of youth work for participating synagogues. It also enabled the youth leaders to create a support network which will allow them to exchange ideas and to cooperate on joint programmes, bringing Reform Jewish youth together more frequently and involving them in RSY-Netzer’s events, camps and tours.

RSY-Netzer Mazkir, Josh Martin, Rakaz Hadracha, Ben Jacobs and Shaliach Ben Jardine also took part and ran sessions on the youth movement's strategy. The seminar then took an advanced look at communication and team building skills, the needs of young people and communities, the challenges they will face as well as the youth events calendar for this year. David Jacobs, Director of Synagogue Partnership at the Reform Movement had a chat with them over lunch about the history of their individual synagogues; Paul Glicker, Chair of NWSS, talked with them about the importance of their role in delivering youth activities and how they should be valued; he also gave them a few tips about working in a synagogue. The eleven synagogues who are part of the scheme are Alyth, Brighton, Cambridge, FRS, Hendon, Jackson’s Row, Menorah, NWSS, Wimbledon, Radlett and Bushey, and Sinai.

RSY-Netzer Makes a Difference with Sanitary Towels

RSY-Netzer decided to do some social action this summer. While loading the coaches with suitcases and over 460 young people, RSY-Netzer asked participants to bring sanitary towels or nappies to donate. These will be distributed at the first of its kind North London Drop In Centre for Destitute Asylum Seekers. The Drop In Centre offers help, provisions like clothes and food, legal and medical advice and even friendship.

Sanitary towels and nappies collected for the North London Drop In Centre for Destitute Asylum SeekersMany apply for asylum in the UK, many are denied, many of those will then return to their country of origin. Others decide that they would rather be without home, money, food and an unknown future than return to their country of origin. The Drop-In supports people who have fled war, torture and abuse but have failed in their bids for asylum in the UK. Without that legal status they cannot work, leaving many living on less than £5 a week.

RSY-Netzer movement workers had learnt the story of a young woman who had been imprisoned in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for political activity and was beaten and raped in prison. She was refused asylum but decided to stay in the UK anyway. Living in the UK with her five year old daughter in terrible conditions was almost unbearable but with the help of expert and experienced lawyers from the Drop In Centre she made a second appeal, this time successful allowing her to stay in the UK.

It was inspiring to see the effort that all the families made to collect sanitary towels and nappies for the RSY-Netzer appeal. Thank you to everyone who donated. These are basic provisions that the destitute asylum seekers could not afford to buy and that the Drop In Centre distributes each month.

As Daniel Lichman, former Mazkir of RSY-Netzer said of the project: “It is humbling and heartbreaking knowing these basic necessities are unaffordable.”

RSY-Netzer would like to continue to extend their support of the Drop In Centre and would like to invite the Reform Movement members the opportunity to support this unique Drop In Centre by donating just £1 towards the collection of a year supply of nappies and sanitary towels for the centre. Donate at the Jcore website. The donations will be used to buy sanitary towels and nappies that will be stored in a Big Yellow Self Storage facility in Finchley who have donated a storage space to the centre for free.

Maybe it is that most of our Jewish histories include running from persecution, but the Drop In Centre particularly touches Jews. the centre shows us the possibility of reaching out to another human being. The human spirit is amazing, and we begin to see glimpses of how one human can make a difference in the life of another; even simply by buying some sanitary towels!

RSY-Netzer Subsidies Appeal 2009

Despite the credit crunch, more young people than ever enjoy RSY-Netzer summer experiences. A summer of success for RSY-Netzer has had its most successful summer to date, with more than 700 10-18 year olds participating in activities, including Shemesh camps and Israel Tour.
Please click here if you would like to donate to the Financial Assistance fund.

RSY-Netzer Mazkir, Daniel Lichman commented: "It has been an amazing summer of activities. We are delighted that we have been able to involve so many young people in a Jewish experience which will stay with them forever. People have made friends for life and learned more about what it means to be Jewish."

Parents and chanichim (participants) have all benefited from the recently upgraded RSY-Netzer website where they have been able to read regular reports from Shemesh and daily updates from Israel Tour.

Due to the difficult financial climate, more applications for bursaries for summer camps and Israel Tour were received than ever before, a rise of 45% on last year, with parents also applying for larger subsidies.

To meet this demand, as well as to contribute to the ongoing cost of running programmes for youth and young adults, a special appeal was launched.

Reform Movement Chair, Stephen Moss, commented: "The Reform Movement, together with Reform synagogues and the UJIA, have been able to give a contribution to every applicant, to ensure that no child missed out on the opportunity of going on Shemesh or Israel Tour due to lack of funds. We consider these experiences to be a key part of strengthening our children's Jewish identity and Jewish education. This is our next generation of youth leaders and our community leaders of the future. We must invest in them now."

Massuot: Your Chance to Nominate

Nominations can be made online by clicking here.

Over 250 young people, parents, community leaders and rabbis from across the Reform Movement attended the Community Youth Awards reception last year. With your help, this year could be an even greater success.

Information and nomination forms for the Massuot Community Youth Awards have now been sent to Reform Movement communities. This is your chance to identify the young people who have shone in your community as well as those who have really put themselves out to make youth activities happen and give them a pat on the back, celebrating their achievements and hard work.

Massuot means 'beacons' in Hebrew. The Awards aim to recognise and celebrate the enormous amount of work and achievements of young people, their adult helpers and Reform communities. In addition, this year each award has been generously sponsored so that each winner will receive a £200 prize for their synagogue or youth project.

There are two categories of award:

1. 'Awards for Young People' - six ‘Tikkun Olam’ Awards for ages 8-18; individuals and groups can be nominated, although two are for specific age groups.
2. 'Awards for Contribution to Reform Jewish Youth' - three awards for adult volunteers and leaders and one for innovative youth provision.

Everyone is encouraged to make a nomination. Every nominee will receive a certificate in recognition of their achievement and be invited to the reception. Nominations can be made online by clicking here.

The closing date for nominations is Monday 2nd November 2009. The winners will be announced at the Community Youth Awards Reception on Sunday 6th December 2009, at Edgware and District Reform Synagogue.

The Youth and Community Worker at the Movement said: "We believe that if a person, group, adult or youth project is nominated, that this is enough cause for celebration, whether they win or not. So get ready to break out the kiddush wine and make a fuss over all your youth and helpers!"

For information about the Awards do not hesitate to call 020 8349 5670 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Awards are generously sponsored by the Alan Senitt Memorial Trust, the Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK, Jeneration, the Jewish Volunteer Network, the New Israel Fund, PRO-Zion, RSY-Netzer, the Movement for Reform Judaism and Streetwise.