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This Week |
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- CHAGIGAH 2012 - A weekend celebrating Reform Judaism, 22-24 June 2012
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WLS Drop-In Centre |
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In her inaugural sermon to our Congregation, Rabbi Julia issued a challenge and an invitation, calling on us to give our time, energy and professional skills to help those in need. Because historically refugees have a special claim on Jewish philanthropy, Rabbi Julia proposed a drop-in centre for asylum seekers, offering services similar to those provided at a highly effective facility run by New North London Synagogue each month.
We will be staffing our centre from the ground up, and have meaningful work for all who want to participate. We need team leaders to take charge of specific tasks such as collecting and distributing good-quality clothing, providing legal guidance, medical attention, and hot meals as well as organising and supervising games and art projects for the children who attend, and monitoring the queue to ensure access to our services to all who need them. Moreover, we need energetic volunteers to work with those team leaders to ensure that all gets done.
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Preparing Advance Decisions |
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The last in a series of three adult education seminars on preparing for death and living a life was largely led by Dr Isky Gordon, Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Imaging, - ably chaired by Marilyn Rixhon, and wonderfully put together - her parting demonstration of her great creativity - by Tina Elliott.
Dr Gordon took us through how to prepare an Advance Decision, or 'living will', and how to ensure those who need to know about it know that you have one. The slides here give that guidance. As a congregation, WLS takes no view about whether or not people should have an advance decisions. However, we do believe that people should think about whether they want one, and, if they do, should do it properly. Not only that, but as good Jews preparing for High Holy days in Ellul- August, and over the summer- we think it's a good time to review what we have said and written. That includes any advance decision or appointment of a healthcare proxy (Lasting Power of Attorney) - someone you appoint to make decisions for you if you are unable to do so, whether to write an ethical will- a letter to ones' children/grandchildren about what you hold dear, and what other instructions, including a standard will, you wish to make.
One of the main points to emerge from all three seminars was that we should not pretend we are not going to die, and that there is real merit in being ready for it when the time comes.
At last, it is permissible to talk about death and dying in the wider community. I hope we will continue to set the lead at West London, and continue to debate the issues in the news around death and dying.
Rabbi Julia Neuberger
- Please click here to download Dr Isky Gordon's Slideshow
- Please click here to download the Preparing Advance Directives Booklet
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