Irene Lancaster's Diary

Book launch in Prestwich: Tales of a Wandering Jew

On Monday, the paper-back version of my book, Deconstructing the Bible, was launched in a small library in Prestwich, a couple of streets away from where I was born. The Times has written an article about the launch here:

http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2009/04/deconstructing-the-bible.html

Most thrilling was that my younger daughter, Esther, had just arrived from India and had come up to Manchester specially for the launch.

Also among the audience were friends and colleagues from various study groups: a former Muslim Mayor of Manchester, the Head of the Black Pentacostalist Church in the North West, the Canon Theologian of the Anglican Cathedral, a BBC radio producer, a violinist from Salford Symphony orchestra, members of the Jewish community (including small children) and others who were just interested in having a party, which is what it was.

Kosher nibbles were provided care of the publisheres, Taylor and Francis. The whole thing was organised by St. Denys bookshop, affiliated to the Anglican Cathedral (they are starting their own blog, by the way) here in Manchester.

And Revd Steve Williams, who I taught for the first time 22 years ago, hosted and introduced the whole event on behalf of Bury Libraries.

Later, The Times, invited him to write a few words about the event, which appear in the link above.

I wore a very smart outfit which I had bought in Israel in aid of the Hadassah-Israel charities, so Marilyn Dori, if you see this blog, thanks a million for all your great help in every way in Haifa!

Photos of the event were taken by my friends, Jonathan Kemp and Revd Keith Trivasse, and The Times has used some of them in their article.

A member of the audience, former journalist, Natalie Wood, has also blogged on the event here:

http://alwaysperfectlywrite.today.com/2009/04/29/left-at-the-end-of-the-earth-he-still-abides-with-us/

Talking of Keith, the next day, on behalf of the Muslim-Christian Forum

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_060123islamex.shtml

I was invited to visit the Islamic Centre in Bury, in response to an invitation from Keith himself and his Muslim counterpart, Hassanat Ahmed, a lovely guy, who was most welcoming and hospitable. The subject matter was the somewhat delicate subject of Interfaith Dialogue in Israel, but I tried as best I could from my own experience to discuss how well integrated minority groups are in Haifa, especially in the academic and medical professions.

The question session was interesting. I was asked why there are not more Sephardi faces on the BBC. What is the meaning of the word 'Israel', and if Israel is a secular country.

There was great interest in the fact that at Haifa University there was until recently a prayer room for Muslims, but not for Jews. I was asked why by a small child, and I said that probably the Jewish students and staff just hadn't asked for one!

After my talk, there was a lively discussion between members themselves on Forum business, which reminded me of a typical shul meeting. And then kosher fish-balls and accompanying veg were served, courtesy of the local Jewish deli in Bury New Rd! What an amazing surprise. And somehow very moving.

I was thanked for coming, told I was brave for venturing into unknown territory, and invited to future meetings of a Sufi nature, something I write about in the book on ibn Ezra:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism

Tonight, my daughter Esther and I attended a Yom ha-Atzmaut party in Prestwich, invited by Jonathan Kemp's wife, Sarah. This reminded me so much of the barbecues commonly held in Israel on this day:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Ha'atzmaut

Israel is just 61 years old. One of the Christian members of the Muslim-Christian Forum had been critical of Israel, but admitted that she had last visited it only 10 years ago. That is a sixth of its whole life ago. Just as if Britain were judged on how it was in the 17th century: you know - The Civil War, witch-hunts and the like!

The feeling of the place was incredible and I truly experienced a great warmth. Things seem to be happening in Bury and I hope that one day Christians, Muslims and Jews will all sit down together, as they did at my book launch, and begin the real task of repairing the world as one.

On sharing a birthday with Adolph Hitler

Today is my English birthday and I'[m 58. I can't wait till I'm 60 and can travel the length and breadth of the country for free, or at least at a reduced rate.

It's also Hitler's birthday and Haaretz has an interesting article on the irony of today falling on Holocaust Remembrance Day:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1078858.htm

This Pesach has been wonderful. The weather was remarkably sunny and warm. The shul services were excellent and I made many new friends who invited me for the Seders and other meals. There was also the outing to a Cromwellian stately home in Clitheroe; the panic of having to find a pharmacist open on Good Friday for one of my guests who became very ill; and today the flowers from both my children and future son-in-law - in Israel and India respectively.

On Tuesday, the local paper telephoned to interview me about the forthcoming launch next Monday of the paperback version of Deconstructing the Bible.

http://www.routledgepaperbacksdirect.com/books/Deconstructing-the-Bible-isbn9780415444446

The journalist (a history graduate from Cambridge) had just found out that she was not to be made redundant as a result of the credit crunch. Thank goodness, as she is brilliant!

At lunch time the photographer came round and took about 20 photos, two of which were chosen for the local papers.

This morning, when I woke up, the garden looked and smelled like Eden itself. I attended the usual Monday morning piano and bassoon session and then went to the library. There, a Muslim woman told me that she was thrilled that I had written the book on the Jewish genius, Abraham ibn Ezra, and was looking forward to attending the book launch next Monday. She had read the article in the Salford Advertiser:

http://www.salfordadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/1108875_books_peace_message

Both my children rang to wish me mazel tov. Various friends sent Happy Birthday wishes on Facebook, by e-card, or by snail mail.

All my life, my response to the fact of being born on the same day as Hitler (although the Hebrew birthday is on Erev Pesach) has been to try and work for understanding between different peoples and religions. My grandmother died in the Warsaw Ghetto.

Who would have thought that both my parents would have survived the Holocaust in Poland and that In one month my daughter will be married in Israel to an Israeli. Tel Aviv, her home town, is 100 years old this year. I will have Israeli grandchildren.

My Polish mother studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, (one of the best universities in the world) until the Nazis took it over. Today, my book is being taught in that university's department of Jewish Studies. My Polish Dad ended up being stationed in Scotland during the war. Today, my book is on the curriculum at Aberdeen University, one of the finest theology departments in the country. What a riposte to Hitler!

To be honest, I should have been born on April 21st, but the consultant was going on holiday and induced me one day early. So I would have shared a birthday with the Queen and been a sensible and practical Taurean!

As ibn Ezra would have said: 'It's all in the stars'

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/beliefs/Issues/Magic_and_the_Supernatural/Practices_and_Beliefs/Astrology/Medieval.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Dictator

Pesach in Tel Aviv, Goa and Broughton Park, Salford

Today is erev Pesach, which this year coincides with the festival known as Birchat ha-Chamah (The Blessing of the Sun). This occurs every 28 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=629JxUYTlFk

Pesach is usually a time when families are together. But this year, one daughter is making her own Seder in Tel Aviv:

http://www.tel-aviv.gov.il/English/Tourism/Sites/Index.htm 

and the other is doing her thing with others in Goa:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/goa

One gem from the weekly Shabbat shiur may be of interest. During the Seder we relate how the Egyptians were hard taskmaskers, who imposed 'hard labour' upon us. The word used for this is perech. When broken up into two words, peh rach, this spells 'a soft mouth'. What does this signify? If you want to impose an impossible regime on people, you do it gently, bit by bit, so that they don't even know it's happening.

Just as at the gas chambers - tell people it's a shower - and they will more easily be led to their deaths.

But, before getting down to emptying the house of the last piece of hametz, I would like to end on a high: this article from last week's Jerusalem Post by Rabbi David Rosen. It's about the Pope and his relations with the Jewish people. The Pope is shown in the picture greeting the Chief Rabbi of Haifa:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1237727572194

And after 11.44 am (empty hametz time) I shall relax, because it's also my Hebrew birthday. Today I'm 58, a fine age, which by gematria spells nach, meaning  'rest', and chen, signifying 'grace'.

What more could one want than a restful and gracious year.

Happy holidays!

Count-down to Pesach

With the run-up to Pesach hotting up (in some cases quite literally) I was grateful to a friend who introduced me to the 'hagalah' place round the corner. This is where Yiddish-speaking genial gents will boil your metalware in a huge cauldron and then plunge it into cold, so that it is 'kosher for Pesach'. Other kitchenware can be passed through a flame instead:

http://www.pbase.com/yalop/image/28718882

Before the operation, we are supposed to have washed and inspected our cutlery and other items at home. However, the experts on hand go over this again, and if necessary take their own scourer to it:

http://www.morim.org/Contents.aspx?id=1194&chpt=3

In the past, we did everything in urns with a net the night before, but this is much easier and quicker. And only goes to show the number of services offered by the Jewish community to make pre-Pesach cleaining (the scourge of the Jewish woman world wide) that much easier and efficient.

Which means that this afternoon I can sit down with the Haggadah commentary written by the great female Israeli commentator, Nechama Leibowitz:

http://www.lookstein.org/nechama.htm

http://www.jafi.org.il/education/torani/NEHAMA/indexgil.html

and this from my friend who works for the Jewish Agency and has just sent it me:

http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Compelling+Content/Jewish+Time/Festivals+and+Memorial+Days/Pesach/hagadat+nehama/

Talk about Serendipity

Loved this piece by Ruth Gledhill in the Church of England Newspaper.

This paper is kindly sent me weekly online by one of its leading contributors, George Conger:

http://geoconger.wordpress.com/

I e-mailed Ruth, asking for a link to her piece, and lo and behold, she had just reproduced it on her own blog! 

http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2009/04/fun-at-the-british-press-awards.html#more

There's loads in her piece, especially on the renewed interest in religion by her paper, The Times, which won the Newspaper of the Year award. I think this was thoroughly deserved.

Just take today's edition, with its opinion piece on Israel written by Foreign Editor, Richard Beeston:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6024654.ece

Spot-on. It is quite sympathetic towards Israeli concerns, and yet puts the onus on President Obama.

Meanwhile, whilst writing this, I've just received information about the Blessing of the Sun from my neighbour in Haifa, Rabbi Professor David Hershkovitz.

http://rav.ahuza.org/

No, this is not a new-age ritual originating in California, but a twenty-eight-yearly occurrence in the mainstream Jewish calendar. It usually takes place on April 8th every 28 years and is to do with the cycle of the sun. We actually had a very erudite lecture on it last Shabbat in shul after the normal service. This year the Jewish festival falls next Wednesday, just before Pesach starts:

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/sun/default_cdo/aid/817861/jewish/Birkat-Hachamah.htm

Nothing surprises me any more, so that when a friend in Haifa called to say that the genial rabbi, whose English is excellent, and whose shiurim are extremely erudite and user-friendly, had now been appointed the Minister for Science and Technology in the new Israeli government, I just took it as read:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/130622