History of Jews in England

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Jewish Refugees Arriving in England

The history of Jews in England began in 1066 with an invitation. William the Conqueror had just won the Battle of Hastings and the Normans lay claim to England. The new king wanted the skills and capital of the Jewish people to benefit his fledgling kingdom. He invited a group of Jews living in Rouen, Normandy (modern day France) to come to England. William saw the Jewish people only as an economic boon that could be leveraged in his country’s favor.

Jew’s primary role in England was to act as moneylenders. It was forbidden for Christians to loan money with interest (the sin of usury), so they relied on Jews to do so. Their moneylending became crucial to the functioning of England’s economy. Many nobles, barons, and other members of the royal court relied on loans from Jews in order to purchase castles and pay dues to the crown. Furthermore, wars and journeys of exploration were similarly funded.

The unique and precarious situation of medieval Jews in England was codified under the rule of King Henry I. They weren’t true English citizens, instead functioning as royal serfs, a sort of servant/property of the king. Their position came with benefits such as free use of all the royal roads, special legal status, the right to use royal castles and tunnels for protection, and more. In return they paid higher taxes, gave what they earned through usury back to the crown when they died. Their lives and status were at the current king’s whims. For a while the Jews prospered under this system. They built communities in towns across England and by 1168 it was estimated that the Jewish community possessed a quarter of the wealth of the entire country.

Bodleian Bowl
The Bodleian Bowl, an Artifact of Medieval Jews Living in England

The late 1100s saw the rise of increasingly violent anti-Semitism. Much of this bigotry had rooted a few decades earlier in 1144 when the mutilated body of a young boy named William was found. Though there was no evidence pointing to whom specifically committed the heinous act, the Jews were blamed. Little came of the tragedy until 5 years later, when in 1149, a knight was tried for killing a Jewish banker to whom he owed money. In court, the knight’s defense was that since the Jews as a collective were never punished for William’s murder, no Christian should be punished for killing Jews. No verdict was reached and the knight walked free. A year later, in 1150, a monk named Thomas of Monmouth wrote a book further highlighting how the Jews had killed young William. Thomas took things a step further saying that Jews had an insatiable need for the blood of Christians. From his writing the false myth of blood libel was born, these hateful lies spread like wildfire across Europe. Anytime a child disappeared or died under mysterious or accidental circumstances the Jews were blamed. This led to many riots and massacres against the Jewish people.

Anti-Semitic sentiments were further stirred up by the crusades. Taking back the holy lands increased the population’s Christian zealotry and their dislike of those that didn’t share their faith
Jews, in particular,were seen as being responsible for Christ’s death. Throughout the years the papacy issued edicts calling for increasing restrictions on the rights of Jews. Furthermore, through their role as moneylenders earned the ire of those indebted to them. The nobles and barons of England owed the Jews the most and thus hated them the most and leveraged their political clout to hurt them in any way they could.

One of the worst anti-Semitic riots occurred in March of 1190. A massive and violent riot sprung up in York, spurred on by nobles who hoped to use it as a chance to wipe out their debts. The entire Jewish population of York (about 150) fled to the local royal castle. The castle was surrounded and besieged by the rioters. Ultimately, the Jews choose to kill themselves rather than be forcibly baptized and violently murdered by the mob.

In addition to violent anti-Semitism, Jews also faced economic pressures. The English monarchy levied increasingly high taxes on the Jews. When Jews couldn’t pay or objected to the disproportionate demands, they were subject to harsh punishments.

In 1253, King Henry III issued the first Statute of Jewery. This royal edict codified the anti-Semitic sentiment held in England at the time. Its biggest component was requiring that Jews always wear a clearly visible badge on their clothing so they could be identified as Jewish. The statute also said that no new synagogues could be built, barred most interactions between Jews and Christians, restricted the ability of Jews to live outside of Jewish communities, and even required Jewish services be held in whispers so that any passing Christians wouldn’t have to hear them.

In 1275, King Edward I issued the second Statute of Jewery which placed even more restrictions on the Jews of England. The biggest of which was outlawing Jews from practicing usury and forgiving many of the debts they were owed. By banning the Jews from money lending, Edward effectively cut them off from their livelihood with no reasonable means for them to earn enough money to support themselves and their families. Many Jews saw no choice but to turn to crimes like coin cutting and highway robbery. In 1278, there were more than 600 Jewish men arrested and imprisoned, many of them were hanged.

The anti-Semitism in England came to culmintated in 1290. On July 18th, King Edward issued the Edict of Expulsion. It stated that all the Jews living in England must leave by All Saint’s Day (November 1st) of that year. A small number of Jews stayed in England either converting to Christianity or keeping their faith a secret. The remaining 4,000-16,000 Jews living in England left, returning to the European mainland and settling in new countries. Jews would remain officially banned from England for over 350 years.

Menasseh Ben Israel
Menasseh Ben Israel

The movement to allow Jews to settle in England once more was led by Menasseh Ben Israel; a Rabbi, writer, and printer from Amsterdam. He wanted the Jews to be able to return to England because he believed it would hasten the arrival of the Messiah. In 1653, Israel and a few other rabbis visited England to rally support for the idea of Jews returning. They found an unexpected ally in Oliver Cromwell.

Cromwell had seen the economic benefits Jews living in Amsterdam had brought to the Netherlands and wanted the same for England. Britain’s economy had been devastated by civil war and the prospective commerce Jewish merchants could bring in was appealing. Furthermore, there was a popular belief that the second coming of Christ could not occur until Jews were living in all parts of the world.

In 1655, Israel petitioned the British Council of State that Jews be allowed to resettle in England. In response, Cromwell convened the Whitehall Conference; a gathering of merchants, lawyers, and clergyman, to discuss allowing Jews back into England. Though the conference did not reach a unified conclusion, the lawyers in attendance pointed out there was nothing illegal about allowing Jews to return. There was no official policy change or new law, just a verbal promise from Cromwell, and in 1656 Jews were allowed to settle in London once more.

Soon after Cromwell’s promise around 300 Sephardim (Spanish and Portuguese) Jewish merchants settled in London. Thus, began a new chapter for the Jews of England. There were attempts by businessmen, Christians, and aristocrats to re-expel them but the economic boons they brought were too good to refute and England’s new Jewish community was allowed to stay. However, antinti-Semitism persisted and there were laws branding Jews less than citizens and limiting their rights. However, their place in British society was far more stable, and slowly, through the centuries, they would gain more rights and opportunities.

Bevis Marks
Interior of Bevis Marks

In 1701, Bevis Marks, the first purpose-built synagogue in England was constructed. The synagogue still stands today and is the only building in Europe where Jewish worship has continued uninterrupted for over 300 years.

During the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the Jews provided both volunteers and financial aid to the defense of London. In 1753, as a reward for their loyalty, the Jewish Naturalization law was passed by parliament, allowing Jews to become naturalized. Public outrage to the law was so immense that it was repealed in 1754.

Over the course of several decades Jews would rise to new ranks in British society and the laws restricting them were abolished. In 1837, Queen Victoria knighted Jewish banker and philanthropist Moses Haim Montefiore, the first Jew to be knighted in hundreds of years. In 1841,Isaac Lyon Goldsmid became the first Jew to hold a heredity title when he was given the title of baronet. In 1846, laws that limited Jews’ ability to enter churches and required them to adhere to a specialized dress code were repealed.

Lionel de Rothschild
Lionel de Rothschild

In 1847, Lionel de Rothschild was the first Jew to be elected to the British House of Commons. However, all members of parliament were required to take a Christian oath in order to be seated and Rothschild refused. It would take more than10 years and 2 re-elections before he could take his rightfully earned seat in 1858. In 1855, Sir David Salomons was the first Jew to become Lord Mayor of London. And, in1876, Benjamin Disraeli became what many consider to be the first Jewish Prime Minister. Disraeli was born a Jew, however his father had him baptized into the Anglican church at age 13. While he was a practicing Christian, Disraeli was open about his Jewish roots. By 1882 all restrictions on the Jewish people of England had been lifted and the Jewish community had grown to around 46,000.

The period between 1880 and 1920 saw a huge influx of Jews into England. Jews from Germany, Poland, and Russia came to England fleeing the pogroms that had overtaken their homes. By 1919 the Jewish population of England had grown to 250,000. Generally speaking, the modern English were accepting of Jews and their culture. In turn, Jews often anglicized their names and cultures. They mimicked English traditions like the British Scouts with their own Jewish Lads Brigade. In 1936, when pro-fascist anti-Semitic group decided to march through a Jewish neighborhood, anti-fascist demonstrators defended the Jewish residents and drove off the marchers.

Jewish Brigade Group
Soldiers in the Jewish Brigade Group

During World War I, there were 50,000 Jews who fought in the British army. There was even an all Jewish regiment called the Jewish Legion. In the 1930s, the British did not fully open their arms to Jewish refugees of Nazism, but they did permit around 100,000 settle in England. When World War II began tens of thousands of British Jews volunteered for the war effort. Britain also recruited Jews from Mandatory Palestine to form the Jewish Brigade Group. Many Polish Jews ended up fighting alongside the allies under British military command, these soldiers were all eligible to settle in the United Kingdom after the war.

While Great Britain presently has the 6th largest Jewish population in the world, the current numbers are a substantial decline from their peak in the 1950s. Since its founding many British Jews have left to live in Israel. The Jewish population of England has further declined from intermarriage. Anti-Semitism and violence against Jews beganising in the early 2000s and remains a pressing issue today, driving fears that it will push even more of the country’s Jewish population to move elsewhere.

Further Reading:

In 2021 archaeologists found evidence that Jews living in medieval England kept kosher. You can read about it here.

Fun Fact: Other famous British Jews include:

  • Harold Abrahams: a gold medal Olympiad in the 100-meter sprint whose life was dramatized in the academy award winning film Chariots of Fire.
  • Daniel Mendoza: a boxer in the late 1700s who became the boxing champion of England and revolutionized boxing with his scientific fighting style and book The Art of Boxing.
    Ernst B Chain: a biochemist who won the Nobel prize alongside Howard Florey and
  • Alexander Fleming for their work on discovering penicillin’s therapeutic properties, its chemical structure, and how to isolate and produce it.
Fish and Chips

Fish and Chips

Fun Fact: A surprising fact about British fare is that fish and chips had Jewish origins, well at least the fish part. Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal had long eaten a dish consisting of white fish fried in a thin layer of batter. It was specifically made for Shabbat as they felt the frying process preserved the fish just long enough that it could be cooked beforehand and eaten when work was prohibited. When these Jews came to England, they brought their fish recipe with them. It was a big hit amongst British Catholics who ate fish on Fridays. From there “Fish in the Jewish Manner” became a mainstream delicacy.

Peak Population of Jews in England: 1951 when there were approximately 420,000.

Population of Jews in England Today: There are between 269,000 and 290,000 Jews living in the Great Britain today.

Population of English Jews in Israel: Approximately 41,000

 

Ordinary to Extraordinary Lives: Edda Debora Rafaelle Servi Machlin

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Edda Debora Rafaella Servi was born in Pitigliano, Italy on February 22, 1926. This small town in Tuscany was known as the little Jerusalem due to the large Jewish community which had been in the region for centuries. Servi’s father was the village Rabbi. It was with her mother Sara that she learned many of the traditional Italian-Jewish recipes that would become part of a series of cookbooks she published later in her life.

What had been a peaceful life for Servi’s family changed dramatically in 1936 when Benito Mussolini entered a pact with Germany. Anti-Semitic laws passed in 1938 further altered the dynamic between Jews and gentiles. In 1943, Servi’s parents and youngest brother were sent to a concentration camp in northern Italy. Servi, two sisters and a brother fled into the Tuscany hills where farmers risked their own well-being to shelter them.

Servi’s parents and brother were liberated from the concentration camp and they were all able to reunite back in Pitigliano. But the once vibrant Jewish community there was gone and the family relocated to Florence. Later, Servi immigrated to New York joining one of her sisters.

She married Eugene Machlin in 1960 and settled in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. Since she was unable to finish her education during WWII, she later entered Columbia University where she earned a Bachelor’s in 1979.

Her foray into cookbook-writing was set in motion by early visits to NY Italian restaurants. Unimpressed by the local Italian cuisine offered, she began cooking the Italian recipes she recalled from life in Italy and invited friends to dine at her house. They soon began asking for the recipes and Servi began writing them down.

In 1981, her first book, The Classic Cuisine of the Italian Jews, was published. In the book she wrote of growing up in Pitigliano and how the Jewish community adapted local Italian recipes within Jewish kosher tradition. Volume 2 of her original cookbook was published in 1992, followed by The Classic Dolci of the Italian Jews: A World of Jewish Desserts in 1999 and Classic Italian Jewish Cooking in 2005.

Edda Debora Rafaella Servi Machlin passed away on August 16, 2019 at the age of 93 at her home in New York.

 

History of Jews in Hungary

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Did you know that the first records of Jewish settlements in Hungarian territory can be traced to the Roman province Pannonia more than 2,000 years ago?

There are written records indicating the presence of Jews during the Middle Ages in the Kingdom of Hungary. And it was during this time in the 11th century that more Jewish immigrants from Germany, Bohemia and Moravia began settling in the region. As the Jewish population increased in the area, anti-Semitic rules began emerging. For example, in 1092, the Church made marriage between Jews and Christians illegal and forbid Jews from working on Sundays and Christian holidays. However, despite this rise in anti-Semitism, the Hungarian Jews were thriving with several holding leadership positions in various economic institutions.

Legal rights were granted to Jews in 1251, but even with legal protection, the Church created a hostile environment for Jewish residents. Nobles introduced the “Golden Bull” article in 1222 prohibiting Jews from attaining powerful positions in certain offices or receiving any noble titles. The hostilities further increased after the Black Death, also known as the Great Plague, one of the largest pandemics in history. Rumors permeated Europe that the Great Plague was a consequence of Jews poisoning Christendom. As a result, Jews were expelled from Hungary. It wasn’t until 1364 they were allowed to return.

During the 15th century, Jewish communities formed in Buda, Esztergom, Sopron Tata and Obuda. Although Jews were not permitted to live in major Hungarian cities, this did not stem the number of Jews immigrating. By 1769, the Hungarian Jewish population grew to approximately 20,000. The Edict of Toleration, proposed in 1782 by Holy Emperor Joseph II, granted religious freedom to Jews and people of other minority religions. As a result the Jewish population in Hungary exploded, reaching 81,000 by 1787.

In the early 1800s, under the leadership of Moses Sofer, Pressburg became the spiritual center for Orthodox Jews. Sofer established the Pressburg Yeshiva which soon grew into the largest Yeshiva in central Europe. It was attended by hundreds of students. In 1840, a law passed enabling Jews to settle in any free city. Following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, there was an effort to unify Hungarian Jews. These efforts failed and the Hungarian Jews split into three factions: Orthodox, Neolog (Reform) and Status Quo Ante Jews. Status Quo Ante Jewish communities did not associate themselves with either Orthodox or Neolog Jews. It was during this time that Reform Judaism in Hungary also emerged. In 1895, the Jewish religion was officially recognized in Hungary. By 1910, the Jewish population in Hungary reached 910,000 with Jewish merchants comprising 60% of all merchants in the region by the advent of WWI.

World War II brought the first massacre of Hungarian Jews. In 1941, more than 20,000 were expelled from the Falacia region and killed. Another massacre followed in 1942 with 1,000 Jews dying. In addition, 50,000 Jews lost their lives on the battlefield against the Soviets.

Later, Hungarian Prime Minister Miklos Kallay proposed the “final solution of the Jewish Question” which pushed for the resettlement of 800,000 Jews. During the German occupation of Hungary, 63,000 Hungarian Jews were killed and many were sent to ghettos or concentration camps per Adolf Eichmann’s order in 1944. The Haganah, a Jewish paramilitary organization in the British mandate of Palestine, made efforts to save Hungarian Jews during this time. The famous paratroopers Hannah Senesh and Perez Goldstein were sent out on several rescue missions. Swiss diplomat Charles Lutz and secretary of Swedish Legation in Budapest Raoul Wallenberg were also involved in saving Hungarian Jews during the war. Zionists also sponsored relief efforts for Hungarian Jews. By the end of WWII in Budapest’s central ghetto, only 69,000 Jews remained. Following the war, only 260,000 Jews remained in all of Hungary.

After the war, 250 Jewish communities were re-established in Hungary with most choosing to live in the capital, Budapest. Although anti-Jewish laws were eliminated by the government, much of the lost or confiscated property was never returned to the Hungarian Jews. In 1948, the Jewish community was officially recognized by the Hungarian government and along with the freedom of religious practice came financial support. Diplomatic relations were established between Hungary and Israel the same year. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee made generous donations to help rebuild the Jewish communities, funding education, food and welfare programs.

In 1949, Communism arrived in Hungary and Jewish institutions were quickly closed. Jewish activists were arrested and Zionism and immigration were forbidden. Following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, approximately 20,000 Jews left Hungary.

Today, the Alliance of the Hungarian Jewish Communities is the leading Jewish organization in the country. There are a number of schools and synagogues, including a Jewish high school, the Anne Frank Gymnasium, in Budapest. The Great Synagogue, built in Szeged in 1903, stands as an official architectural monument. The 19th Century Hodany Synagogue in Budapest is the largest synagogue in Europe and second largest in the world. The Mad Synagogue, originally built in Hungary in 1795, was restored by Peter Wirth in 2004 after being destroyed during the Holocaust. It stands as a memorial to this day. In Budapest, the Balint Haz Community Center was established in 1995 and is the center of many cultural and educational activities in the Jewish community. The current population of Jews in Hungary is approximately 47,900.

Quick Fact: Some of the first Jewish settlers came to Hungary from the German and the Slavic countries in the second half of the 12th century. In 1279, they were restricted to living in one specific area and were required to wear an identifying red badge.

Peak Population of Jews in Hungary: 910,000 in 1910
Population of Jews in Hungary (2016): 47,400
Population of Hungarian Jews in Diaspora: 453,000

History of Jews in Argentina

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Did you know that the immigration of Jews to Argentina began as early as 1492 – the same year Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean?

With Spain’s expulsion of Jews under the Alhambra Decree or Edict of Expulsion, Conversos or Marranos (baptized Jews practicing their religion in secret in Spain and Portugal), immigrated to Argentina. Fast forward a few centuries to mid-1800s and there were very few Jews in Argentina. This was mainly because the Jews had assimilated to the culture through intermarriages with Catholics. An established Jewish community only began emerging after Argentina gained its independence from Spain in 1810.

After gaining its independence, the first president of Argentina, Bernardino Rivadavia, supported policies emphasizing freedom of immigration while also focusing on human rights and abolishing the Inquisition. During the mid 1800s, Rivadavia’s open door policy led to a wave of Jews from Western Europe. This led to new cultural developments such as the first recorded Jewish wedding in Buenos Aires (1860) as well as the first minyan in 1882 at the “Congregacion Israelita de la República”. Another wave soon followed as pogroms and poverty increased throughout Eastern Europe and Jews fled to Argentina in hopes of a better life. Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe were known as “Rusos” (Russians). With many Russian Jews arriving in 1889, they began labelling themselves “guachos”, or Argentine cowboys, establishing a colony named Moises Ville. Baron Maurice de Hirsch helped fund this new community while also founding the Jewish Colonization Association in 1891.

Between 1906 and 1912, approximately 13,000 Jewish immigrants were coming to Argentina per year. The majority were Ashkenazi coming from Europe, but some were Sephardic from Morocco and the Ottoman Empire as well. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews lived in Argentina.

Anti-Semitism began to rise in the 1900s. In 1919, an anti-Jewish pogrom took place in Buenos Aires. Many Jews had their property burned and looted while being beaten. With Juan Peron’s rise to power in 1946, immigration of Jews to Argentina abruptly ended. Peron had public schools force Catholic teachings and allowed fleeing Nazis to come to Argentina. That included Adolf Eichmann, a high-ranking Nazi officer who oversaw many death camps. Although Peron’s policies hurt the Jews, he also established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1949. This allowed more than 45,000 Jews to immigrate to Israel from Argentina.

The highest population of Jews in Argentina was recorded in the early 1960s at 310,000. In 1976 the Argentine coup d’état, a right-wing coup, overthrew President Perón and a military junta was put in place. Nazi ideas permeated this military regime and many Jews were arrested, tortured and/or vanished into the 1980s. Argentina’s defeat in the Falklands War in 1982, hastened the demise of the military junta and paved the way toward a democracy. In 1988, laws against racism and anti-Semitism were established setting the stage for a freer way of life for the Jews. Unfortunately, due to the struggling economy in Argentina, emigration from the country peaked with over 10,000 Jews leaving the country – 6,000 of whom went to Israel.

Today, Argentina has 55 synagogues, 70 Jewish educational institutions and 18 Jewish cemeteries. In Buenos Aires, more than 17,000 children attend the Jewish education system and Argentina has the 6th largest Jewish community in the world with a current population of about 260,000.

Fun Fact: The first Jewish wedding was recorded in Buenos Aires in 1860. In 1882, Argentina got its first Rabbi.

Peak Population of Jews in Argentina: 310,000 in 1960
Population of Jews in Argentina Today: 260,000 in 2017
Population of Argentinian Jews in the Diaspora: 229,000

Dream Seeking 5/21/20

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As I reflect on this unusual period, I realize that it has provided me with a catalyst for creativity and a space for inspiration.

One of my daily rituals is to have this pad and blue pen always nearby for whenever I have an idea. I have placed these pads in all of my home locations — by my bed, bathroom, kitchen, office, and in my gym.

Whenever I have an idea, I simply write the idea down. I have literally used over 25 pads during this unusual period. There are 50 pages per pad, I usually write 2-3 ideas per page, and therefore over 2,500 ideas!

I find that when I am away from my desk, I often have the biggest ideas. Writing an idea down helps me focus and then make it happen.

I have always had a saying for myself that “my dreams never gather dust” This period has certainly helped bring that belief more into focus.

I encourage you all to dream…by having some space…then to write the dream down…and not to let it gather dust.

Here is a blog I wrote about “why do we delay our dreams?”

Regards,

Andy

 

How Friends Makes a Virtual Bar Mitzvah Even More Magical!

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During times of social distancing milestones that are usually celebrated together can be difficult. The prospect of a Bar or Bat Mitzvah without a large group of loved ones can seem dark at first, but there are many ways such a celebration can still be meaningful and joyous. I have written up my thoughts and insights on throwing a virtual Bar or Bat Mitzvah here.

I recently learned about story of a particularly magical, meaningful, and memorable virtual Bar Mitzvah and wanted to share it.

Naftali Arden was planning on having his Bar Mitzvah during March of 2020. Unfortunately, he couldn’t celebrate in person, so he decided to have a virtual Bar Mitzvah instead. He lived streamed the event for his friends and family. However, Naftali’s Bar Mitzvah celebration was no ordinary one. It was themed around the wildly popular television sitcom Friends. The unique theme drew in thousands of viewers from around the world who all came together to celebrate the young man’s special day. It was truly a meaningful and memorable happening.

Flashforward two months and something happened to make Naftali’s Bar Mitzvah it even more magical. Due to the incredible turnout to his virtual Bar Mitzvah, Naftali was invited to appear on the Late Show with James Corden. While talking about his story on the show he was surprised with a special guest: Friends star Courteney Cox. Cox told him how touching his story was and said her famous line “I know.” She also got Naftali a very special Bar Mitzvah present: a foosball table just like the one in Joey and Chandler’s apartment on Friends. Naftali and the rest of the world were blown away by Courteney Cox’s generosity.

Mazel Tov to Courteney Cox for this magical act of kindness and Mazel Tov to Naftali Arden on his Bar Mitzvah!

You can read more about Naftali’s story here.

You can see more about the Virtual Bar Mitzvah and Courtney Cox’s surprise response in this clip from the Late Show with James Corden:

15 Minute Passover Seder – Short and Sweet

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On April 8th, 2020 I held a virtual Seder with my daughters Lucy and Caroline, live on instagram. It was a magically fun time and a meaningful memory I will cherish forever. You can see our virtual Passover below.

Resources for a Virtual Shabbat

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How do you celebrate Shabbat when you’re not supposed to leave the house?

Each week Shabbat is a time of faith, fun, friends, and a family. An unprecedented pandemic has resulted in many being unable to celebrate together in the fashion to which they are accustomed. Even though we must celebrate the apart, it doesn’t mean we have to celebrate alone. Here are some resources to help you and your family navigate Shabbat during times when you can’t be together.

Chabad.org has compiled a list of resources and inspirations for this time of social distancing. You can find it here.

Chabad has also written a list of tips on how to prepare for Shabbat while social distancing. You can read it here.

They also put out this piece on how to conduct Shabbat prayers at home.

The Union for Reform Judaism has gathered a list of resources that can be accessed here and a list of virtual events that can be read here.

Temple Israel of Boston has a variety of virtual services and programs including weekly Shabbat services offered via Zoom. You can access these events here.

Lab/Shul hosts virtual gathering to discuss spirituality through spoken art and conversation. They have several Shabbat programs that can be found here.

OneTable has produced an ebook on hosting a solo Shabbat that still feels connected. It can be read here.

OneTable also hosts a variety of virtual events including ones for Shabbat, you can join them here.

ReformJudaism.org wrote an article on how to have a meaningful Shabbat while in your own home. It can be found here.

TC Jewfolk has this article about finding new traditions while living under quarantine.

 

 

Broaden Your Perspective 5/1/20

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Can you believe that it is May 1st?

I would like to acknowledge that it has been a difficult time in many ways.

Nevertheless, I would also like to encourage everyone to broaden their perspective and look for the blessing in the journey.

Please this cartoon further explains my point explain my point:

Connect the Dots

I would encourage you to think about this discuss question: “What blessings have your discovered during this period? Personally and Professionally?”

Please feel free to share your answers in the comment section or on our Facebook page.

Regards,

Andy

Virtual Passover Preparation: The Connection Between Passover and Succot

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On April 6th, 2020 I held a virtual Passover preparation session with my daughter Caroline on zoom. We discussed the connection between Passover and Succot, our personal slavery, did two cooking demonstrations and showed how to make your own Elijah/Miriam glass. You can see our virtual Passover below.