HUMAN RIGHTS SHABBAT 5781/2020

Take action for the Uyghur people

A message from Nick Silk

December 10/11th this year was Human Rights Shabbat, so called because it is the Shabbat closest to the 10th December, the date when the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" was signed in 1948.  The declaration was drawn up as a direct result of the shoah. The hope is that never again would there be an attempt to destroy a whole people. Yet Rabbi Mark Solomon, on Human Rights Shabbat 72 years after the declaration was signed, described the oppression being suffered by the Uyghur people. More than one million of these Chinese Muslims are believed to be detained in so-called 're-education' camps in Xinjiang province. You can read more about the camps at this BBC web page. The part that most struck me at last Saturday's service was is a quote from the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks:
 
As a Jew, knowing our history, the sight of people being shaven-headed, lined up, boarded on to trains, and sent to concentration camps is particularly harrowing. That people in the 21st century are being murdered, terrorised, victimised, intimidated and robbed of their liberties because of the way they worship God is a moral outrage, a political scandal and a desecration of faith itself.

What can we do?  We can write to our MPs (or our MSPs).

You can do that directly from the website writetothem.com. It is important to write in your own words. It need not be long. You could include some of these points:

• Your feelings about the persecution of the Uyghurs
• The pressure they should put on the UK government to take some of the actions listed on page 18 of the the resource pack
• Why you, as a Jew, feel this is important

Try to do it soon - before New Year if you can. Could you please let me know (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) if you do write to your MP or MSP and also if you receive any reply from them.

And, if you have links to an organisation (e.g. a business or school) please encourage them to join the Call to Action to place pressure on clothing brands and retailers to end the use of fabrics produced using Uyghur forced labour. Sukkat Shalom has already joined.

I do hope that you will take the time to write.

Thanks and chag Chanukah sameach.

Nick 16/12/2020

Passover recipes

INSTRUCTIONS 

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Service Links

Kabbalat Shabbat Service
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/324259631?pwd=UmtxeGVZM2tyYnhsMTNkMlZ1VWFkdz09
Meeting ID: 324 259 631
One tap mobile +442030512874,,324259631#,,1#,5781#
                       +442034815237,,324259631#,,1#,5781#

A sheet with transliterations of some of the prayers in the Kabbalat Shabbat Service can be found here.

Shabbat Morning Service
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/641515259?pwd=bFZUaEJrOUN5c3VodkxzcmQ5dlRvQT09
Meeting ID: 641 515 259
One tap mobile +442030512874,,641515259#,,1#,5781#
                       +442034815237,,641515259#,,1#,5781#

A sheet with transliterations of some of the prayers in the  Shabbat Morning Service can be found here.

Havdalah

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/300704737?pwd=cndKYXJ5V2N0NW5hSjhQK0pCRWEydz09
Meeting ID: 300 704 737
One tap mobile:
     +442034815240,,300704737#,,,,,,0#,,5781# United Kingdom
     +442039017895,,300704737#,,,,,,0#,,5781# United Kingdom

ONLINE STUDY PROGRAMME

During this time of quarantine, our Tea & Talmud and Philosophy series will continue as weekly sessions of 1 hour (an hour-and-a-half with shmoozing) on Zoom.

Maimonides sessions will start at the new time of 1.00 pm  

Tea & Talmud sessions will begin at 12:00 noon. 

Maimonides Mondays We will continue our study of the Guide for the Perplexed, 

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After Monday 22nd March there will be no classes until after Pesach

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