It’s the latest Kol Kehillat Kernow for April added to the Newsletter page.
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The Prime Minister addressed the country on 12 March 2020 through a news bulletin outlining the serious situation the country faces with the spread of the Coronavirus. The most important thing we can do to protect each other and reduce the speed with which this illness affects people is to minimise social contact. Coronavirus is now circulating in the general community throughout in the UK and Cornwall. To protect all members we have taken the decision to suspend all Shabbat Services including the one on Saturday, 14 March 2020 until further notice and this year’s communal Seder Night. This is in keeping with advice from Reform Judaism
Coronavirus can be transmitted before people have symptoms and the only action that can be taken in order to slow down the rate of transmission is reducing social mixing.
We are not aware of anyone at this time within Kehillat Kernow who has been diagnosed and very much hope everyone remains healthy.
When the public health situation settles we will be able to resume services.
The four special Shabbats leading up to Pesach are Godâs proscription for purification before the major festival of Passover to begin the Jewish calendar year. And you thought it was all about getting rid of the Chametz and purchasing your âunleavens.â Like all major Holy Days, the Torah guides the way with preparatory parashot to put us in the right frame of mind to participate in our festivals in the right spirit.
Shabbat Shekalim starts with the equitable contribution to the holy community with each of us giving our half-shekel. It is followed by Shabbat Zachor to remember our past, both its triumphs and desecrations. Shabbat Parah, the âRed Heiferâ is about purification, this weekâs parsha of Ki Tissa, a much needed element considering it is the narrative involving the Golden Calf incident and the redeeming second set of Tablets containing the Law carried down the mountain after Moses, once again, rescues the Bânei Yisrael from total annihilation. It took two tries. We are not called a âstiff-necked peopleâ in this parsha for nothing. Finally, just before Pesach, we have Shabbat Ha-Chodeh which concerns forgiveness, reconcilliation and specific instructions for Passover.
By that time, we ought to be both spiritually prepared and physically strong to meet Pesach with gusto!
In this weekâs service, led by Pat, you will learn more about what it takes to be purified, have a greater understanding of what God wants from us through the revelation of His thirteen attributes of mercy and learn that there is more to Aaron than meet the eye.
Graggers and Hamentaschen: It must be Purim
Pre-Purim got off to a fine start at Malpas Village Hall on Saturday, the 7th of March for children and members of Kehillat Kernow. A Purim party which included many young children in costume (several Queen Esthers on show along with a variety of spacemen and rakish looking youngsters resembling Mordechai, to be sure), arrived and began making their homemade graggers before the story of the Jews of Sushan, was shown. The older âkidsâ of the community laid out the goodies: varieties of Hamentaschen, Mohn Torte, assort sweets, salads for falafel-making, meringues and biscuits. Hamen was properly boo-ed and rattled; Mordechai and Esther were enthusiastically cheered. After, we were all treated to a mini-concert from Isaac Feldman who is becoming a genuine violin virtuoso.
Many thanks to the Feldman family who all worked very hard to make this a special celebration. Purim officially begins on the 14th of Adar, Tuesday, the 10th of March. Hag Sameach!
