Report: ShabbatUK at Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue 1st - 2nd March 2019
Summary: First Ladies’ Challah Make in Leytonstone Shul – led by the Shul’s Rabbi’s wife – Rebbetzen Chaia Brackman.
Leytonstone families honoured to host the Travelling Chassidim over Shabbat overnight in their own homes, including two hosted overnight in sleeping bags in the Shul itself.
Extraordinary Shabbat led by the Travelling Chassidim including communal Friday night meal, Shabbat morning service, communal lunch followed by mincha, Seuda Shlishit followed by Kumzitz, and Musical Havdalah.
First time that Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue is participating in ShabbatUK.
First Federation Shul to host the Travelling Chassidim
Ladies’ Challah Make – 28th February 2019
Led by Rebbetzen Chaia Brackman
The ladies made dough together using the ShabbatUK recipe, while Rebbetzen Brackman taught the meanings behind the ingredients that go into challah, as well as how to make the dough, knead and leave it to rise. This was followed by discussions about the meaning of taking Challah and the brachah and why it is a good time to make a prayer. After the dough had risen, Rebbetzen Brackman showed the ladies how to take Challah, how much to take, and how to burn it. Then the dough was taken home where attendees then each baked their own Challahs. Collectively the group also made challahs for the Shul including two enormous Challahs for the communal Friday night dinner the following day and smaller vegan Challahs following Lucy Barnes’ Vegan Challah recipe.
Chassidic Families hosted in Leytonstone:
Families in Leytonstone hosted members of the Travelling Chassidim including Cheski Monheit and Yossi Austerlitz and their families, Binyomin Binet, Rabbi Ahron Weingarten and Chazan Hereshi Friedman. Straight after Shabbat they were joined by further family members and Ari Kalish and his accordion.
Friday night: Chazan Friedman and his Travelling Chassidim comrades led a harmonious Kabbalat Shabbat with energetic dancing and followed by maariv. Chairman Phil Schryber namechecked all the Chassidic guests in his welcome at the end of the service, and invited all present to stay for a communal Friday night dinner. There were further songs as Kiddush wine was poured and hamotzi was said over enormous Challahs made in the Shul from the Ladies’ Challah Make the night before. Yakov Korer from Lubavitch led heated debate and discussions over a hot “Chinese-style” chicken meal (with veggie option). Further harmonious songs were shared over the meal, ranging from Shabbos favourites, Yiddish classics, to riffs on the lyrics “ShabbatUK”, “Shabbat in Leytonstone”, and “Leyton is the best”. Even the very late arrival of member Sammy Ebrahimoff was greeted with applause and songs spontaneously adapted with Sammy’s name inserted into harmoniously performed lyrics.
Shabbat morning: Rabbi Weingarten and Chazan Friedman led the davening, our very own Etan Blass leined and did the haftarah, and Cheski Monheit led Musaf. The service was punctuated by harmonious singing from our Chassidic guests and plenty more dancing. Kiddush and a lunch with more Challahs baked in the Shul followed, with hot Chulent and Kugel. Following lunch the Chassidim joined Leytonstone members for mincha, after which a convoy of members of the community and Travelling Chassidim and their families took a chilly stroll around Leytonstone. They visited the green and sunny Leyton Flats and showed the guests Leytonstone’s plentiful wildlife at Hollow Ponds, returning to the Shul for Kumzitz and Havdalah.
Musical Havdalah: Following a cosy Seudah Shlishit in the Shul, Rabbi Weingarten led a meditative Kumzitz drawing Shabbos to a close. As further members of the Leytonstone community arrived, the Travelling Chassidim prepared for Havdalah, the lights were dimmed, and lit candles were passed around for everyone present to hold while the Havdalah candle was lit. Rabbi Weingarten explained how the single candles represented how we are all individuals lighting our own candles at the start of Shabbat; whereas at the end of Shabbat we are all as one. He compared this to the way we are all members of a diverse Jewish community, whether from the Chassidic community or the local community, but also we are all as one like the woven strands of the Havdalah candle.
Meanwhile, Ari Kalish arrived with his accordion just in time to accompany a series of atmospheric traditional songs, as the Travelling Chassidim sang together in harmony with Chazan Friedman. Rabbi Weingarten led an evocative sensory Havdalah ceremony and the Shul’s treasured spice box was passed around. Further Travelling Chassidim family members arrived during the evening, having made the journey over from Stamford Hill as soon as Shabbos went out. This was followed by further dancing and singing with Ari Kalish alternating between keyboard and accordion, Chazan Friedman and Rabbi Weingarten leading the songs.
By the end of the evening Chassidim and Leytonstone members were swapping phone numbers, looking ahead to Purim and to forging long term connections between our communities.
Report by Ruth Solomons (secretary and treasurer of Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue)
Photos: Challah make photos courtesy of Wendy Smith
Musical Havdalah and Motzei Shabbos photos courtesy of: Bernard Stern
Contacts: Contact at Leytonstone Shul: Phil Schryber (Chairman of Leytonstone Synagogue) 07961124391
Contact for Travelling Chassidim: Rabbi Menasche Scharf 07974160252 - www.travellingchassidim.org.uk
