Holocaust Memorial Services on the 26-28th of January to mark Holocaust Memorial Day were held in Cornwall to acknowledge the 73rd anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. The Cornwall Jewish Community participated in all these events which were held at Truro Cathedral and the Redruth Baptist Church.
On Friday and Saturday, the 26th and 27th of January, two days of services took place at Truro Cathedral. The weekend-long programme was a joint effort by Anglican church, the Devon and Cornwall Police and the Cornwall Council. An exhibit, The Power of Words, to educate the public about the impact holocaust experiences have had on the lives of so many people including the six million Jews lost in the Holocaust, in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur. Candle-lighting services to mark the loss of Jewish lives were held. KK member Liz Berg and Chairman, Jeremy Jacobson participated in those events.
On Sunday, the 28th of January, A special inter-faith service, organised and sponsored by Andrew Chapple, Elder of the Redruth Baptist Church, and Jeremy Jacobson of Kehillat Kernow. was held.
A specially created Yom HaShoah Memorial Service by the Cornish Jewish Community was led by Pat Lipert, the second to be held at the Baptist church. Many members of Kehillat Kernow attended and participated in this service which also included programme participation from the greater Christian and Baptist community. KK Members who read special prayers, testimonies of witness, poems and liturgy including Jeremy Jacobson, Rachel Brown, Harvey Kurzfield and Adam Feldman.
Two distinguished and accomplished visitors from the Beth Shalom Reform Synagogue in Cambridge led our end of the year Shabbat Va-y’chi services on the 30th of December: Mike Frankl and Fiona Karet Frankl. Both Mike and Fiona celebrated the Shabbat, along with their two delightful friends and bearded collie, Archie, after travelling from Looe in windy weather to be with us. A large turnout with visitors as far away as the USA and Germany, joined the KK regulars for a lively Shabbat of songs, prayers and much fellowship at the Kiddush which followed.
We were treated to new tunes and insightful commentary by Fiona and a fine lecture by Mike on the Jewish connection with the Hyksos in Egypt during the time of Joseph and Jacob.
Many thanks to Fiona and Mike for a fine end of the year Shabbat.
Jeremy Jacobson, Chairman of Kehillat Kernow, led our members through a fine summary of all that we have accomplished in the past year. We really do ‘punch above our weight,’ thanks to so many (but not enough!) of our hard-working members. So many worthwhile events are organised throughout the year in addition to our liturgical and pastoral duties as a synagogue. Council members were duly re-elected, and plans for new events for 2017-18 are well underway. Following the meeting a light luncheon was held and much time was spent in the Library which will figure largely in the coming year.
You can expect announcements from Jeremy shortly. In the meantime, check out here the photos from the meeting on our web-site.
If you missed the book, food and film festival on Saturday, 18th of November at Malpas Village Hall celebrating The Lady in Gold, Klimt’s masterpiece, and the title of Anne-Marie O’Connor’s book, you lost out on something very special. Not only was the film excellent (how can Helen Mirren not be first-rate?), but the poignant conversation after about Austrian life before and after the Nazi invasion, brought home so many truths about the terrible loss of Austrian Jewry. Needless to say, our ‘Golden’ food menu was sumptuous and meticulously prepared. Some photos of this fine event can be seen here on our web-site.
On November 4th, KK members, Jacqueline and Harvey Kurzfield, hosted and organised their annual Book Swap to raise funds for Cornwall Hospices. This year £665 was raised. A multitude of people arrived at the Kurzfield house to swap books, eat cakes, participate in raffles and contribute to this worthy cause which is held every year in honour the memory of one of our beloved, members, Kate Fagin (z’l). Pictures of this special event can be seen in our picture gallery by clicking here.
