Kingston Liberal Synagogue

Wurzburger Centenary Concert
2014-10-18 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London)
A concert of music by Walter Wurzburger and Hans Gal, to celebrate the centenary of the birth of émigré composer Walter Wurzburger. For more information and tickets see wurzburger.org

Hans Gal
Five Intermezzi for String Quartet (1914)
Walter Wurzburger
String Quartet no 2 (1944)
Hans Gal
slow movement from String Quartet no 2(1930)
Walter Wuzburger
Danse Russe for String Quartet (1989)
Walter Wuzburger
3 pieces for clarinet (1981)
Walter Wuzburger
Wind Quintet (1946)
Performers include The far flung four, Patrick Clements, Richard Stockall and friends

Please note that this event is not arranged by Kingston Liberal Synagogue

Bookcrashers
2014-10-18 10:00 - 11:00
KLS’s book club has rebranded itself as ‘Bookcrashers’ to recognise that gatecrashers who have not read the book being discussed are not only welcome to attend but also encouraged!
But for those who do want to read the book, October’s is ‘My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel’ by Ari Shavit. The author is an influential columnist for the liberal Israeli newspaper Haaretz. He tells the story of Israel and the Israeli condition through interviews, historical documents, and private diaries, as well as his own family’s experience. The book has received a lot of praise, named one of the best books of the year by the New York Times and the Economist and won the New York-based National Jewish Book Award in 2013.
A selection of reviews can be found at:
www.amazon.co.uk/My-Promised-Land-Triumph-Tragedy/dp/1922247545/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-promised-land-ari-shavit/1114032563?ean=9780385521703
www.goodreads.com/book/show/15798334-my-promised-land
www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/my-promised-land-the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-israel
More information from Sara Alston via the KLS office.

Shabbat Service
2014-10-17 20:00 - 21:00
Shabbat Service led by Vince Daly. Please bring something to share for Kiddush.

Simchat Torah Service
2014-10-16 10:30 - 11:30
Service led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky.

Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah
2014-10-16
שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶֽרֶת שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה
Thursday 16th October
Eighth Day of Assembly / Rejoicing of Torah

Erev Simchat Torah Family Service
2014-10-15 18:30 - 20:00
Family service led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky. Usually involves lots of sweets….

Stone Setting - Robert McMillen
2014-10-12 12:00 - 15:00
The Stone Setting will take place at the Long Ditton Cemetery. Please join the family, and share your memories of Robert, and have refreshments at the Synagogue afterwards.

Sanctuary Sukkah
2014-10-11 13:15 - 15:00
Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Danny Rich, together with other faith leaders and members of their communities, will be leaving from KLS at 1.15pm on the 11th October to walk to the Bentalls Centre in Kingston-upon-Thames. Bring your lunch to KLS if you are going from there. Otherwise, meet us outside the front entrance of the Bentalls Centre at 1.45pm. Please bring some greenery and decorations for the sukkah.
Outside Bentalls, we will be building a sukkah​ – representative of all the places where we as a people have been offered sanctuary. We will petition the Council of Kingston to make attempts to house Syrian families. We will be sharing our stories of our own journeys and decorating the sukkah together. Please join us, all welcome – including children.
We live in times when we often do not know how to respond to the many difficulties present in society. There is never a more poignant time in the year than during the Chuggim for us to really think about what it means to have as part of our identity a history of slavery in Egypt, refugee status in more recent times and now to live lives in freedom.
Citizens UK, a civil society alliance of 350 synagogues, mosques, schools, churches and unions, is launching a campaign for the 2015 elections to ensure that the next national government resettles 1500 UN refugees per annum in the UK. These refugees, who are the victims of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, would be resettled through an EU funded program. Partnering with Liberal Judaism synagogues, they’re looking to go throughout the country to build ‘Sanctuary Succot’ and ask local councils to commit to resettling 5 families. In the Jewish community, we know the importance of sanctuary. Whilst many were turned away, we remember that 70 000 Jews found sanctuary in the UK during the 1930s.

Shabbat Service
2014-10-10 20:00 - 21:30
Led by Sandra Webber – bring something to share for kiddush under the Sukkah.

Sukkot Service
2014-10-09 10:30 - 11:30
Led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky

1st Day Sukkot
2014-10-09
סוכות‎
Thursday 9 October
First day of the the Feast of Tabernacles

Erev Sukkot Family Service
2014-10-08 18:30 - 20:00
Family service at 6.30pm led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky. Bring greenery to decorate the Sukkah in the service, and something to share for kiddush.
Decorating the Sukkah
Beautiful!
To read more on the meaning of this festival, click here for a short article by Rabbi Pete Tobias.

Yom Kippur Afternoon Service, Concluding Service and Havdalah
2014-10-04 16:15 - 18:15
Led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky.
Admittance by ticket only. Non-members wishing to attend High Holyday Services @ KLS must contact the office to buy tickets in advance. Tickets must be purchased before Kol Nidre.

Yom Kippur Additional Service
2014-10-04 13:15 - 15:00

Yom Kippur Family Service
2014-10-04 11:30 - 12:30

Yom Kippur Service
2014-10-04 11:00 - 12:30

Yom Kippur
2014-10-04
יוֹם כִּפּוּר
Saturday 4 October 2014
The Day of Atonement

Click here for details of services.

Kol Nidre Service
2014-10-03 20:00 - 21:30

Kol Nidre
2014-10-03

Can Jews Produce Christian Art?
2014-10-01 20:00 - 21:30
Andrew Williams, the Kingston University Faith Advisor, will explore the different ways in which Jewish painters and sculptors have drawn on the image of the crucifixion and consider the meaning these references may have for Christianity, Judaism and their interaction.

Shabbat Service
2014-09-26 20:00 - 21:00
Shabbat Service led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky. Please bring something to share for Kiddush.

Rosh Hashanah Lunch
2014-09-25 13:00 - 14:00
Join the Chair and the Rabbi for lunch after the services. Bring a vegetarian or fish plated meal.

Rosh Hashanah Family Service
2014-09-25 11:30 - 12:30
Led by Rabbi Bethany Stone.
Admittance by ticket only. Non-members wishing to attend High Holyday Services @ KLS must contact the office to buy tickets in advance. Tickets must be purchased before Erev Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah Service
2014-09-25 10:30 - 12:30
Led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky.
Admittance by ticket only. Non-members wishing to attend High Holyday Services @ KLS must contact the office to buy tickets in advance. Tickets must be purchased before Erev Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah
2014-09-25
Thursday 25th September 2014
ראש השנה
Jewish New Year
Click here for details of the Rosh Hashanah Services

Erev Rosh Hashanah Service
2014-09-24 20:00 - 21:30

Erev Rosh Hashanah
2014-09-24
Click here for details of the Erev Rosh Hashanah Service

Choir Rehearsal
2014-09-23 20:00 - 22:00
Usually once or twice monthly on Tuesdays @ 8pm
The KLS Choir rehearses once or twice a month (and enjoy tea, cake and chat!), and sings at the monthly choral service on the 4th Friday of the month and at other services. You don’t have to read music, you don’t have to read Hebrew. Come and try it! Singing is a great way to meet people, blow away life’s cobwebs, contribute to KLS, learn about our prayers and about Jewish music. Interested? Contact Sandra Webber via the KLS office.

Selichot Service with the Selichot Island Discs of Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh
2014-09-20 19:30 - 20:30
We are delighted to be welcoming Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh back to KLS to share his Selichot Island Discs for the High Holy Days as part of the Selichot Service at 7.30pm. The service will be led by Rabbi Charley Baginsky and the KLS Choir.
Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh was the Rabbi at KLS from 1977 to 1983, he has lectured at Leo Baeck College since 1984, and is the Director of Jewish Studies and a Senior Lecturer at the College.
Please join us at this service, and do bring something to share for kiddush afterwards.

Citizens UK Campaign Meeting - ‘Sanctuary Succot’
2014-09-20 10:00 - 11:00
We live in times when we often do not know how to respond to the many difficulties present in society. There is never a more poignant time in the year than during the Chuggim for us to really think about what it means to have as part of our identity a history of slavery in Egypt, refugee status in more recent times and now to live lives in freedom.
Citizens UK, a civil society alliance of 350 synagogues, mosques, schools, churches and unions, is launching a campaign for the 2015 elections to ensure that the next national government resettles 1500 UN refugees per annum in the UK. These refugees, who are the victims of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, would be resettled through an EU funded program. Partnering with Liberal Judaism synagogues, they’re looking to go throughout the country to build ‘Sanctuary Succot’ and ask local councils to commit to resettling 5 families. In the Jewish community, we know the importance of sanctuary. Whilst many were turned away, we remember that 70 000 Jews found sanctuary in the UK during the 1930s. .
Organisers and leaders from Citizens UK will be coming to Kingston Liberal Synagogue this Shabbat morning, 20 September, from 10 – 11 am to discuss the campaign and look at how KLS members can get involved. We are planing to build a Sanctuary Succot in Kingston in October.
BISHOP, SENIOR RABBI, IMAM AND COMMUNITY LEADERS LAUNCH PLAN TO BRING 1500 SYRIAN REFUGEES TO BE RESETTLED IN UK
Posted on August 21, 2014 by Gillian Owen

On Saturday 25th July the Liberal Jewish Synagogue played host to the New Citizens Organising Team as they launched their plan to resettle 1500 Syrian refugees in the UK.
A group of 55 faith and youth leaders, including Bishop Peter Selby, Senior Rabbi Alexandra Wright of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism Rabbi Danny Rich, Canon Steven Saxby of Saint Barnabas in Walthamstow and Imam Suliman Gani from the Croydon Mosque and Islamic Centre, came together to plan an 18 month strategy leading up to the 2015 national election. The strategy involves large-scale migrant voter registration, interfaith teams to support the resettlement of refugees in local areas, and increasing the number of refugees settled in the UK from 750 to 1500 per year. Britain, the sixth richest country in the world, has resettled only 48 Syrians in 2014 – not enough people to fill a double decker bus. Jordan, the world’s 89th richest country, has taken 1.2 million!
This is not the first time Citizens UK and faith leaders have joined forces to change the experiences of migrants in this country. The 2010 Citizens UK ‘Sanctuary Pledge’ to end child detention was supported by the Church of England, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, the Methodist, Baptist and United Reformed Churches, The Muslim Council of Britain, the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Chief Rabbi.
The campaign culminated at a Citizens UK assembly of 2,500 people just prior to the 2010 General Election, where David Cameron, Nick Clegg and then Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged to end child detention. Since then 4,000 children have escaped the trauma of detention. In January 2014 the Government announced an amendment to the Immigration Bill to prohibit in law the detention of children for immigration purposes. This enshrines in law the progress that the government has made since 2010 in ending the practice of locking up over a thousand innocent children with their families in prison-like conditions.
The recent planning and strategy meeting was interspersed with a Muslim Iftar meal – hosted in the synagogue – and the Jewish celebration of Havdalah, marking the end of Shabbat and the beginning of the working week.
Afterwards, Imam Suliman Gani stated:
“I visited the Liberal Jewish Synagogue because our faiths must act together for the common good. Our communities must welcome refugees, particularly those who have been driven from their homes.”
Rabbi Alexandra Wright said:
“The Liberal Jewish Synagogue is honoured to have hosted the Citizens UK ‘Sanctuary Pledge’ planning day. It was uplifting to see so many different communities engaged in vital action for change and to be part of the breaking of the fast for the Muslim community.”
Rabbi Danny Rich said:
“I pledge that Liberal Judaism’s synagogues will build temporary dwellings during the Jewish festival of ‘Succot’ and invite our Christian and Muslim brothers and sisters in to join us, as part of our work to ask our local councils to resettle a refugee family in our neighbourhoods.”
