Next Shabbat Morning Service 2nd September with Sasha’s Bat Mitzvah at New Unity, Newington Green

Rabbi Danny Rich will be leading the service, which will also be the Bat Mitzvah of our young member Sasha.

High Holiday booking open for members. Non-member booking opens 1st September.

Tickets to our High Holiday services & events are available now for Kehillah members and Supporting Friends to book! All services and events are taking place at St. Mary’s this year.

Thanks to so many members booking early, we are already well over half-way booked up for our Rosh Hashanah community lunch. Space at services will not be as limited, but members and Supporting Friends are still encouraged to book ASAP and before 1st September, when we will be opening bookings up to any non-members we have capacity for at our services and events.

Ben and Emily’s aufruf at New London Synagogue Abbey Road, Thursday 31st August from 8am

Our Members Emily and Ben are getting married in early September and would like to invite the Kehillah community to their aufruf. Both Emily and Ben will be leyning from the Torah at the aufruf, which will take place as part of the shacharit service at New London Synagogue on Abbey Road. The service starts at 8am on Thursday 31st August.

For security reasons, members of Kehillah should let Ben know if they are coming by emailing him below.

CST Awareness courses in early September

CST is offering free of charge online security training on Monday 4th & Wednesday 6th September to provide attendees with: Situational awareness, understanding of threats, understanding of security procedures, (visitors, deliveries, access control, profiling, lone worker policy, understanding of emergency procedures – invacuation and evacuation)

We would encourage anyone looking to help with Kehillah security to considering attending if they are able to. If you are signing up/would like to sign up to this course, please email our lead security volunteer Ken to let him know.

Liberal Judaism’s Annual Memorial services in September at Cheshunt and Edgewarebury cemetarys & Golder Green crematorium.

Liberal Judaisms’s 2023 Annual Memorial Services will be:

– Cheshunt Western memorial service is on Sunday the 3rd Sept at 11am.

– Cheshunt JJB memorial service is on Sunday the 10th September at midday.

– Golders Green crematorium memorial service is on Sunday 10th September at 3.15pm led by Rabbi Aaron Goldstein. Registration is not required.

Genetic testing for BRCA (a cause of breast & ovarian cancer) and other genetic diseases

You might have heard about BRCA-1 and BRCA-2. These genetic mutations can increase the risk of Breast and Ovarian cancers and are particularly common among those with Ashkenazi heritage. The NHS is encouraging all those with 1 grandparent of Jewish heritage (Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, Sephadi etc) to consider getting tested. This will greatly increase early detection and preventative procedures.

These gene mutations can affect the risk of other cancers too, so everyone is encouraged to get tested regardless of sex. This can also provide valuable information about potential risks for other family members.

Those consdiering becoming pregnant and their genetic pregnancy partners, as well as those who are pregnant should also speak to their healthcare provider/GP surgery for testing for other genetic diseases. The NHS can offer screening to those meeting certain clinical criteria for testing for genetic diseses that disproportionately impact those of their heritage. A healthcare provider may recommend that couples of Ashkenazi heritage get tested for Tay Sachs, Canavan disease and/or Familial Dysautonomia. Testing for cystic fibrosis may be appropriate for anyone with parents of European heritage, while sickle cell disease testing is generally for those of African heritage.

Please pass this information on.