Thought of The Week: 16 July 2015

Written by Writings & Sermons by others — 16 July 2015

This thought for the week is written on the last day of term of the wonderful Alyth Kindergarten.  Earlier this year Alyth hosted a presentation on aspects of procedure in the military courts in the West Bank as they affect Palestinian minors who are accused of taking part in violence.  What do the two have to do with each other?  The courts issue was presented by Danny Friedman QC, a human rights lawyer of international reputation and Joe Grabiner, who had recently returned from RSY-Netzer’s Shnat programme, having learned a great deal from a year in Israel.  Both of them spoke with passion about the campaign that they were creating called Kids Court in Conflict.

Before beginning their presentation they both spoke about something that they shared beyond being members of Alyth. That was that both Danny and Joe are alumni of Alyth Kindergarten.    Danny had been at our Kindergarten in its early years nearly forty years ago and Joe had been there seventeen years ago.  They said that what they had learned at Alyth Kindergarten had been values of care, compassion and confidence and co-operation – all of which were at the bedrock of their compassionate Zionism which drove them in their campaign, and also in their careers!

On the last day of term of our Kindergarten we Rabbis get to participate in the leavers’ assembly – as tearful parents and grandparents see their children ready to take the step into primary school, They enjoy their last moments at Kindergarten with song, proudly speaking to the assembled crowd and just looking sweet and ready for their next steps in life supported by their teachers and Head Teacher, Cindy Summer.  We bless the children together with their parents and speak with them about all that the  Alyth Youth and Education Department offers for the next phase of Jewish life, our Kef zone clubs, our Galim Jewish education, our tea parties on the festivals and family prayer services.  We encourage them and their families to see their Jewish journey as steps of growing and developing their relationship with Judaism, Jewish learning and their Synagogue – of which Kindergarten is the first highly significant beginning and as Danny and Joe told us the building block of their values.   Next year alongside our Kindergarten some of our children will be learning at the Shofar Day Care Nursery which Alyth is building together with Finchley Reform Synagogue.   We will be giving their parents and grandparents the same welcoming message.

Our Torah portion this week Matot – Masei sees the Children of Israel in the same situation as our Alyth Kindergarten children.  They are poised on the border of the Promised Land ready to take their step into responsibility for their future.  It is the last in the Book of Numbers and next week we begin to hear Moses’ farewell address in Deuteronomy – Devarim.   May the journey of our children be as rewarding and Jewishly fulfilling as any that the Children of Israel have ever taken.