Newsletter No 5

Newsletter 05 23.4.20 Scottish Charity No. SC46585

Welcome everyone. Hopefully some of you managed to get onto the Yom HaShoah UK website for the commemoration. Not sure if you are aware, but there will be some fundraising going on through SCoJeC for ASJCC to help raise funds for the roof repairs. Please if you can, book your tickets for at least one of the talks, and make a small donation. Please also pass on to any other friends and family that you know that may be interested. Zoom is really easy to use. Hopefully you are all staying safe and managing to get everything that you need. Don’t forget that we do have volunteers standing by to help if you do need anything. Please let me know on communitysupp.asjcc@gmail.com Please can you also reply to this, letting us know that you are fine. Just an ok in the heading on an email will be fine. Hilary Shul Fundraising ASJCC ran into another a problem with the Aberdeen Synagogue earlier this year. The roof was full of rot and woodworm. The builder said that she could not leave the roof in an unsafe condition even though we couldn’t cover the full cost of repairs and did as much of the work as she could to secure the building before the lockdown. A link to photos of the works can be found here: https://we.tl/t-mqDwCz62LP We are still looking for volunteers to help in writing various funding grant applications, please let me know on communitysupp.asjcc@gmail.com if you are able to help at all. Shul News Our tenant in the basement flat has given notice of leaving, so now we are looking for a new tenant from May/June. If you know of anyone who is looking to rent somewhere from this time, please contact treasurer.asjcc@gmail.com in the first instance. Please ask around as the income from the flat rental is very important to the future of the Synagogue. Police Scotland are carrying out a survey to provide a platform for those in all our communities. The survey which takes about 5 minutes to complete can be accessed via the link below: https://consult.scotland.police.uk/surveys/your-police-2020-2021 Letter from Chief Rabbi We received the following email from the Office of the Chief Rabbi and have been asked to share this information with all of our community: The Jewish Leadership Council, in partnership with Work Avenue, has established a fund to support people across the community whose earnings have been directly affected by COVID-19. The fund specifically assists those who are ineligible for Government support or who face delays accessing Government funds. This fund is designed to help with essential expenses up until the end of June. For more information, please click here. You can read articles about the fund here in the Jewish News and Jewish Chronicle. SCoJeC SCoJeC has up to date information on various Zoom facilities and activities going on, and where and how you can access services etc. Please visit their website: https://www.scojec.org/ and go through the dedicated page for Coronavirus. It is updated regularly. There will also be an Open Mic night on Sunday – details on the web site. Mental Health and wellbeing There are various strategies in place which are advertised on TV and radio, also see www.clearyourhead.scot to give you tips and ideas on how to cope in ways to make you feel better, stay connected with others and keep perspective while staying at home. The link will also signpost to further support e.g. NHS inform, Breathing Space and the Samaritans. If you wish to speak to a Jewish counsellor, you can contact a variety of services e.g. Jewish Care in London, Jewish Care Glasgow or find an organization through the SCoJeC website, or the Grampian Coronavirus Assistance Hub https://www.gcah.org.uk/ .

Three Virtual Authors Talks in aid of Aberdeen Synagogue. Book (and donate) at www.trybooking.co.uk/RMY Aberdeen Synagogue Fundraising Talk series: Tuesday 28 April, 7 for 7.30 p.m.: 75 Years of Dee Street – The history of the Aberdeen Jewish Community with Professor Nathan Abrams. Professor Abrams, author of "Caledonian Jews. A Study of Seven Small Communities in Scotland has a personal connection with the Aberdeen Synagogue - he lived in the flat upstairs from the Synagogue when he was doing the research for his book. Sunday 3rd May, 7 for 7.30 p.m.: From Glasgow to Galilee and Beyond – novelist J David Simons in conversation with Fiona Frank about his life and work with particular emphasis on his novels based around the Jewish Community in Scotland. Tuesday 5thMay: 7 for 7.30 p.m.: A Shetland Jewish Childhood with Ethel Hofman, author of ‘Mackerel at Midnight, growing up Jewish on a small Scottish island. Ethel Hofman gave her illustrated talk to a crowded library in Lerwick, Shetland, last summer. Jewish Small Communities Network (JSCN) JSCN are holding coffee mornings, through Zoom. DROP IN FOR A COFFEE BREAK Drop in and share a coffee and a chat with people in small Communities around the country. Shake out the cobwebs and have a coffee with some new friends in the JSCN Coffee Break every Tuesday. JSCN 11am Coffee Break each TUESDAY for 1 hour: Apr 28, 2020 11:00 AM May 5, 2020 11:00 AM May 12, 2020 11:00 AM May 19, 2020 11:00 AM May 26, 2020 11:00 AM Register in advance for this meeting: https://us04web.zoom.us/meeting/register/upEsc-6qrTgsE9AkScCnqJf5JtXlh4ZtVbVq After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Scottish Youth Programmes for the UJIA A Kabbalat Shabbat Zoom call on Friday mornings aimed at kids in P1-P7, older and younger siblings and parents can join in also! Here's the call information: Join Jewish students in P1-P7 from across Scotland for a pre-Shabbat celebration! We meet at 10:15 am on Friday mornings for songs, stories and activities before Shabbat. Join the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/3131365333540469 Log on by downloading the Zoom app via zoom.us After opening the application, enter the meeting ID: 744 398 0929. When prompted, enter the password: 459626.