I have added a new event listing for this year’s communal Sedar. Details on times, location, pricing and bookings can be found here.

Our celebrations for the 2009 European Day of Jewish Culture went really well with many people turning up to enjoy our evening with Levow an Bys and Azoy.

Congratulations to our organisers Jonathan Poznansky and Anne Hearle for this entertaining event.

Levow an Bys, a small choir from Penzance, gave a sparkling and melodic display of songs from around the world, leaving the audience clapping for more – always a good sign.

Azoy – a relatively new klezmer band in Cornwall – was a joy to listen to and many of our guests were compelled by the music to leave their seats and dance! (Azoy can be booked at contact.azoy [at] gmail [dot] com).

Overall, the impression I was left with was one of tremendous satisfaction from both the participants and the audience and I’m sure we’ve made many new friends as a result of this evening’s celebration. Many thanks to the staff  who once again helped to make the evening a great success.

Members : Please note – there is a morning service only for Rosh Hashanna. This will be held, as last year,  as will services for Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur. All members should have received details through the post. Please contact me if you need any more details.

This weekend also saw the visit of Andrea Zanardo, a trainee rabbi at Leo Baeck college, and all were agreed that his warm, friendly personality made our Shabbat service equally agreeable.

We also had an unexpected appearance in the Saturday Times (Sept. 5th 2009) with a piece by Simon Rocker of the Jewish Chronicle which will certainly have helped to maintain our positive profile.

Just to remind you all that our Pesach communal seder takes place on Wednesday 8th April starting at 6.30pm. This will be our second Passover service at this venue following last year’s very successful event. This is an all ticket affair so please make sure you have purchased your tickets from Anne in good time.

To all our friends out there ‘Chag Sameach’ for the Passover Festival.

Our title mixes Hebrew and Cornish. ‘Kehillat’ is understood as (Jewish) community and ‘Kernow’ is the ancient form for Cornwall – thus we arrive at the Jewish Community of Cornwall.
We have been established since 1999 and our members come from widely differing backgrounds. We have former members of the progressive movement, people who were brought up in the orthodox tradition, others who have been part of the reform establishment for many years, some who have converted to Judaism, and some, indeed, who are in the process of converting. We also have members who are not Jewish at all. The final words of the Dr Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi, in his wonderful book ‘The Dignity of Difference’ apply to the formation of our community within the body of Judaism itself – “Difference does not diminish; it enlarges the sphere of human possibilities.”

With just over 50 family memberships, although still small in number, we continue to grow, with new members joining our ranks each year. We also welcome the many Jewish holiday visitors who come to Cornwall from all parts of the world.

We hold regular fortnightly Shabbat services in the entrance hall of The Truro Baptist Church and festival services are also held on a regular basis either at members’ houses or in appropriate halls.
As a community we are associated with the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain from which organisation we have received considerable help and support, especially from David Jacobs, the director of the RSGB’s synagogue support service.

Our subscription rates are very modest and we have charitable status, which makes such subscriptions even more useful to our budgetary needs.
We look forward to meeting many more visitors. When you see how (reasonably) well organised we are and you experience the warmth of our community you may wish to become permanent ‘friends’ of the community. For a reduced subscription you will receive a copy of our regular newsletter and be able to attend any services and most events during your visits to Cornwall.

If you require further information you may visit us on our website kehillatkernow.com or feel free to contact me by e-mail.

Remember whatever the weather here in Cornwall, you can be assured of a warm welcome from Kehillat Kernow.

Shalom!

Registered Charity No 1090562.