The programme is constantly developing and we are always open to suggestions for events and especially to offers of help from volunteers. For further information, or to go on the mailing list, please call Jim on 07768 455667 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to email.

19-22 April: Yom Ha’atzmaut Leo Baeck weekend
This year, ERETZ has devised a special menu of events, designed to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut in a range of special ways, with something for everyone.   

• Thursday 19 April:  Kolnoa Classic screening of the 1960 classic film Exodus
• Friday 20 April: Yom Haatzmaut Oneg Shabbat – We Are Family! with dancing to everyone’s favourite Klezmer band Shir and a special appearance by The Carmelim – a dance troupe of 25 Jewish students from the Leo Baeck Education Centre, Haifa. Please click here to order tickets or contact Kathryn Forro on 020 7535 0259.
• Saturday 21 April: Shabbat Morning Service - Rabbi Ofek Meir will speak to the congregation
• Sunday 22 April:  The first UK performance of Step by Step – Sauwa Sauwa. This new musical featuring 40 young Arab and Jewish students from Leo Baeck Education Centre in a unique theatrical experience. Step by Step is sung in Hebrew, Arabic and English with subtitles. Tickets – with special discount packages available now, click here.   

ARTS AND CULTURE

Where possible, West London Synagogue hosts cultural events by notable Israeli artists. In the past these have included The Israel Piano Trio, Tikshoret Theatre Company, Eli Amir and numerous art exhibitions and in the Summer of 2008, we were privileged to host the only public performance in the UK by the award-winning Carmel Quartet.

INSIGHT ISRAEL

The Israel briefings programme was relaunched on 5 March 2009 under the new title of Insight Israel. These briefings are designed to foster a clearer understanding of some of the major issues Israel faces by providing the community with up to date information from a range of experts.  For the first of these, a warm WLS welcome was bestowed on Shmuel Ben-Tovim, Economics Minister from the Israeli Embassy in London. Mr Ben Tovim unveiled some of the reasons why Israeli economy’s is so remarkably robust and how this prepared the country so well for the so-called ‘credit crunch’.

West London Synagogue’s Eretz programme is designed to engage the community, through a variety of events, with aspects of life in Israel.If you would like to help with the Eretz programme or have any ideas for future events, please contact Jim Fletcher on 07768 455667 or please click here to email.

kolnoa-cinema

Now in its fifth year, our monthly film screenings attract a loyal, regular audience representing a wide demographic cross section of the community. A bistro-type atmosphere starts each screening with snacks and refreshments and there’s always a lively discussion afterwards. In April, a new dimension was added - Kolnoa Classic – with the screening of the 1966 classic Hollywood film Judith, starring Sophia Loren. We were honoured to welcome the film’s producer, Kurt Unger, to give an introduction together with some of the original crew.

Upcoming Films:

• Thursday 9 March
  Broken Wings-Knafayim Shvurot
• Thursday 19 April
  Exodus

(please click on the dates for more information) 

PICTURES & REport backs

Kolnoa-Cinema: The Infidel
Report back from Anthony Feather
Report back from Fr Patrick Morrow

Israel's Arab Citizens: Why Bother?
Report back from Monica Jankel

Friday 23 April: Yom Ha'Aztmaut Oneg Shabbat

Irene Levin's Oneg report back