Bournemouth

Great-gran drops in for charity

Corinne Rein — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:40:28 +0000

With her 88th birthday coming up, Poole great-grandma Helen Woolf felt it was time to show her appreciation to the About Face charity for helping her cope with skin cancer for 13 years.

Setting her sights way above the standard’s octogenarian’s fundraiser, she opted to skydive from a height of 10,000 feet at the Old Sarum Airfield, near Salisbury.

As well as bringing in £3,000 for About Face, which she also assists as a volunteer, she hopes to raise sun safety awareness.

Mrs Woolf said the experience had been “marvellous. The scenery was amazing. I could see the Isle of Wight. I’d be happy to do it again.”

On parade to remember the lives that were lost

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:34:38 +0000

Many communities took part in Remembrance Day services to pay their respects to fallen soldiers.

A service in Radlett, conducted by Rabbi Leo Dee of Radlett Synagogue, Rabbi Paul Freedman of Radlett and Bushey Reform and Reverend William Hogg of Christ Church, drew a crowd of 800 people, among them teenagers from Radlett United's Tribe Challenge course. Wreaths were laid by local group representatives including RUS member Philip Grahame who laid a wreath on behalf of the Association of Jewish ex-servicemen and women.

Jewish Care residents gathered at a service at Edgware Cenotaph on Sunday, joining forces with the Royal British Legion and Ajex. Michael Karmel, a resident of Ella and Ridley Jacobs House and a WWII veteran, said: "Remembrance Day is an opportunity to remember the lives that were lost in the name of democracy making the world a safer place."

Brighton and Hove Ajex held a memorial service at Holland Road Synagogue, conducted by Rabbi Vivian Silverman. Around 100 people attended.

The standard of Bournemouth Ajex was in pride of place at the Hebrew Congregation at the Ajex Shabbat. Rabbi Adrian Jesner praised the courage of those who served to enable future generations to live in freedom. Ajex members took part in Sunday's parade through the town to the war memorial in Bournemouth Gardens. Rabbi Jesner and Rabbi Neil Amswych of Bournemouth Reform were among the ministers conducting the service.

Armistice Day celebrations took place at Newton Mearns Syngogue in Glasgow on Sunday. Jewish veterans joined a parade from Fairweather Hall to the Cenotaph accompanied by JLGB members. Rev Aharon Soudry said: "It was very moving to see the young people and not so young people together." A service was also held at Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation.

Manchester's city centre ceremony was attended by the Representative Council's Lucille Cohen and Louis Rapaport and Prestwich Hebrew Congregation's Rabbi Dovid Eisenberg. Ex-servicemen marched in the parade while JLGB's 12-year-old Francesca Goga laid a wreath. Services, including in Hale, Whitefield and Bury were also conducted. Yeshurun Synagogue, Gatley, hosted a civic service to mark the day and to honour Ajex.

Outside Liverpool's St George's Hall, veteran Gerry Lipson laid the Ajex wreath, with Gordon Globe and Rev Stanley Cohen representing lay and faith leadership. Remembrance Shabbat services were held at Allerton and Liverpool Reform synagogues.

Around 250 people attended Sunday's Ajex service, held in conjunction with Leeds Representative Council at Beth Hamidrash Hagadol. The service, held in the shul's Ajex garden of remembrance, was conducted by Ajex chaplain Rev Anthony Gilbert. At a reception plaques were presented to Zone members Jake Packter and Dion Taylor for their voluntary work and Ajex's Vernon Caplin was honoured for his long service.

A remembrance service was held at Penylan House care home, Cardiff. Maurice Simove was the Ajex flag bearer at Sunday's civic service at Cathays Park.

In Southend a service was held at the town's Cenotaph. The gathering included Rabbi Binyomin Bar from Southend Hebrew Congregation and Rabbi Warren Elf from Southend Reform and local Ajex members.

Chatham Memorial Synagogue member Gabriel Lancaster was invited to conduct Medway Council's Remembrance Day service.

Ajex north east held its remembrance service at Newcastle's United Hebrew Congregation on Shabbat conducted by Rabbi Aaron Lipsey. Ajex north east chair Jeffrey Fox read a prayer to fallen comrades and Rabbi Lipsey paid tribute to Ajex. At a Remembrance parade Rabbi Lipsey took part in a service and veteran Sydney Hymes laid the Ajex wreath at the war monument in Eldon Square. In the march past, the new standard bearer was the JLGB's Judith Levene.

Welfare group launch

Corinne Rein — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:28:48 +0100

A social services group offering support to vulnerable members of the Bournemouth community has been started by volunteers Pat Cravitz, Josie Lipsith, Marcia Goodman and Liz Harris.

Bournemouth and District Social Services will help residents to access local social services and will give emotional support to those in need.

Sixty people attended a fundraising launch event at the home of Josie and Harvey Lipsith, which was addressed by Jewish Care's head of volunteering and community development, Sonia Douek.

"This is community development at its best," she said. "I am delighted that Jewish Care has been invited to support and advise this impressive community initiative.

"We plan to offer the group the first of what we hope will be many training sessions for their volunteers in December."

Run from a room at Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation, the cross-communal enterprise has the mandate "to co-ordinate the care and support of the Bournemouth Jewish elderly and anyone, irrespective of age, who finds themselves in difficulty".

It will operate under the auspices of Jewish Care, which will help with the training of volunteers and marketing.

Having worked with Jewish Care and Jewish Community Housing in London, Mrs Cravitz is team leader.

Shul-goer hurt in Kenton blast

Jennifer Lipman — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:46:57 +0100

A Kenton Synagogue congregant required surgery after being "thrown up into the air" by an exploding manhole cover as he walked home from Shabbat lunch.

Colin Wingate, 74, suffered severe injuries to his right knee when the cover of an electrical junction box on a Kenton side street flew up and severed his tendon. A friend walking beside him sustained cuts and bruises.

"The explosion was like nothing I have ever heard before," he said. "There was a huge noise and this four-foot long object flew up into the air. Because I was standing on it, it took me with it.

"The next thing I knew I was spread-eagled on the floor covered in blood. I was, to say the least, very confused. I was in a lot of pain as well."

Police, firemen and emergency workers arrived on the scene and Mr Wingate was taken to hospital.

He underwent surgery on Monday, having an artificial tendon inserted into his knee. He remains unable to walk more than a few metres.

Now living in Bournemouth, Mr Wingate may have to stay near his son in Kenton while he recovers.

A spokeswoman for UK Power Network said the cause of the explosion was being investigated. "We deeply regret the injuries sustained by two members of the public following a fault on our underground electricity."

Reform aims for carbon neutral Judaism

Jessica Elgot — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:24:43 +0000

Reform synagogues are to radically upgrade their green credentials to help the movement towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral.

The Assembly of Reform Rabbis has launched a sustainability plan on 15 key issues, including "food miles", waste, and use of pesticide, organic produce and Fairtrade goods.

Bournemouth Reform's Rabbi Neil Amswych devised the plan to coincide with the launch of the Big Green Jewish Campaign earlier this month.

The aim is to achieve zero carbon emissions across the movement in coming years and a time scale will be decided at the organisation's 2011 strategic review, once the new chief executive is in place.

Rabbi Amswych said the impetus came from the birth of his daughter Zafra five months ago. "I want to be able to tell her in 20 years time that I tried my best," he said. "Sustainability has always been top of the agenda but I'm really proud that we as a movement can do something like this together. To state the intention to become carbon neutral is an important first step. I hope it can inspire other movements too."

His congregants are taking the subject seriously, contemplating solar panels on its large, flat roof, or having a grass-covered "green" roof or a place in the garden to grow vegetables.

"Solar panels can be installed free under a government scheme and we're also considering the ionisation of our gas supply which reduces the amount of gas needed."

The shul already recycles and composts waste food and includes a policy on sustainable fish and organic vegetables in its kashrut guide. Responsibility for the environment is a key part of the cheder curriculum.

In Cheshire, Menorah Synagogue's building was designed to be environmentally friendly, with energy efficient measures including timers on electricity, heating and light fittings.

"We recycle almost everything and the food and drinks we buy are Fairtrade," said board member Jeffrey Krell.

Sheltered housing plan is revealed

Corinne Rein — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:37:59 +0000

Plans for "extra care" Jewish sheltered housing units in Bournemouth have been submitted to the local council.

The application follows five years of discussions and involves a partnership between Bournemouth Jewish Representative Council and the not-for-profit Raglan Housing Association.

They are planning 27 flats on the site of the former David Lloyd Centre on Knole Road, opposite the Boscombe Gardens, which lead to the seafront. Close to bus connections to the major shopping areas, the proposed development will incorporate a communal garden, kosher kitchen and dining room and residents' lounge.

It is intended for those of 55 and above who have disabilities but want to live independently with some care help. It will be open to Bournemouth Jews and people with a connection to the town - for example, someone with a child living there.

The hope is that with planning approval and grant funding in place, building work will start this year with completion in 2013.

Rep council welfare officer Pat Cravitz said the project reflected local needs. A number of residents have expressed interest in the accommodation. The architect's plans were displayed before Shabbat in Bournemouth synagogues.

Although the project will be run on Orthodox lines, a requirement of the housing association and local suthority support is that in the event of empty flats, non-Jews on the "extra care" housing list can be allocated a property.

Tributes paid to Bournemouth car accident death

Corinne Rein — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:17:53 +0100

A long-time member of the Bournemouth community has died following a car accident.

Paula Bright, 77, drove her Rover through a closed communal garage door of the East Cliff apartment block where she lived. The vehicle then smashed into an interior wall.

Mrs Bright was the daughter of the late Rabbi Jonah Indech, a past Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation minister.

She and her late husband Jack moved to the town from London, where she had taught at a number of Jewish schools. Before retirement, the couple ran a local kosher hotel and she was involved in Emunah, the BHC ladies' guild and its cheder. Around 150 people attended her funeral.

Bournemouth police are investigating the accident, which was witnessed by gardeners working in the grounds.

BHC senior trustee Harry Ellis said Mrs Bright "will always be remembered as an ideal rabbi's daughter, who from a young age did everything which could be expected of her for our community and the wider community".

Ladies' guild chair Thelma Cowan said: "Paula was a wonderful person always with ideas, help and common sense. She will be very sadly missed."

Love actually - East Ender and wife mark 76th anniversary

Corinne Rein — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:37:17 +0100

Love continues to blossom in Bournemouth for a couple who are celebrating 76 years of marriage.

Helen and Maurice Kaye live independently in an East Cliff apartment. Warsaw-born Mrs Kaye, 97, attributes their lasting union to trust, being on the same wavelength and enjoying each other's company. "Our problems drew us together rather than pushed us apart. No one said it would be a bed of roses."

Her East Ender husband is 98. They met in 1930 when he went into her parents' shop in Walworth, south London, where she worked, to try to win an order for his father's drapery business. They married four years later at Borough Synagogue.

Mr Kaye went on to manage his father's factory and two shops in Camberwell. His wife worked with him, taking over the reins in 1939 when he volunteered for the Army.

In 1944 their factory, shops and home were destroyed by enemy action. In her husband's absence, Mrs Kaye searched for a suitable business, happening upon a shop in Boscombe, Bournemouth.

Their business expanded to five shops, including Kapri Kasuals in the town's prestigious Westover Road, which they ran for 21 years. Its lease expired in 1987, when they sold all their shops to pursue other business interests.

In their leisure time, the Kayes have enjoyed competitive ballroom dancing and travelling, especially to Israel. Their first visit was in 1951 when Mr Kaye was chairman of the Bournemouth Joint Palestine Appeal. They also play bridge at least once a week.

Mr Kaye celebrated his 87th birthday by going paragliding and had his first flying lesson at 90.

Two of the couple's four children predeceased them. They have nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, with a fourth expected in December.

Couple die in Bournemouth car tragedy

Robyn Rosen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:07:51 +0100

A Jewish couple from north London have died after a car collided with them as they walked along a road on holiday in Bournemouth.

Alan and Rochelle Bernard, members of Northwood United Synagogue, were declared dead at the scene after a silver Mercedes crashed into them at 10.35pm on Banks Road in Sandbanks on Saturday.

The 51 and 53-year-old, who had a holiday home in Bournemouth, had three children, aged between 17 and 27.

Another injured woman was taken to Poole Hospital and has since been released.

A 33-year-old Poole man has been arrested on suspicion of driving offences.

Northwood's Rabbi Moshe Freedman said: “We feel totally shocked and devastated. The community has never experienced anything like this.

“They were very valued members of our community. When such a tragedy occurs, it is a tragedy for the entire community. The ripples of this will continue for months and maybe years.

“They had a very wide circle of friends, as do their children and this has directly affected many families.”

Liberal party gains strength in Bournemouth

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:48:52 +0100

The Wessex Liberal Group in the Bournemouth area has held its first services, led by Liberal Judaism chief executive Rabbi Danny Rich.

"They were a huge success with about 40 people of all ages at each service," reported group member Melanie Smith. And because of the Bournemouth Air Show weekend, "several members couldn't attend as they were hosting family". Rabbi Alan Mann will lead its High Holy Day services.