Sad Thoughts

As those who know me well are aware, I am a Jew, and a Jew by choice rather than birth. I am a part of the Liberal Jewish movement, and have been so for the best part of 2 years or so now.

I quite like the small community I am part of. Having been to some of the bigger London synagogues, on can get lost in the large congregations. Being part of a much smaller place makes for a more familial atmosphere or so I thought. See, two things have happened recently that have not had me questioning my faith so much as they have left me angry as hell, not that us Jews believe in hell but you’ll allow me some poetic licence!

Firstly, there’s a bats hit insane woman at the place I go to. She sings along very loudly and always slightly out of tune. She also takes everything so very, very seriously. If you can imagine a Jewish version of the street corner preachers, you’d be more or less there. Just recently she has me in her sights for some reason. Before me it was the kids that she took against and I don’t understand that at all. Surely kids are the future of our faith, and to have kids having fun is kind of the hole point of them. Anyhow, at the moment she is gunning for me. I usually avoid her like the plague but the last 2 Shabbat services she has decided to have little digs at me. She’s asked me why I go to that synagogue when I can go to another one, as she doesn’t think I should even be a Jew as I was not born one. I treated that with the contempt it deserved and walked off. Then just yesterday she pulled me up again as I washed up my plate after the Kiddush. She decided to harangue me into going to a different shul. I just walked off again, before she could build up a head of steam, or I would have said something unfortunate. I can handle her, she’s annoying and offensive but I can ignore the bollocks she spouts.

The other thing though is much more upsetting. Hanah was a wonderful old lady who was a very lively part of our community. Her laugh was both infectious and fantastically dirty. Her potato salad is the stuff of legend. Hanah was in her 80’s I think and came to this country on the Kindertransport. She was obviously frail and would occasionally miss services due to ill health. I liked Hanah a lot and a few days back I was immensely saddened to hear that she had passed away after a short illness. However that sadness has turned into anger, a deep and burning anger because the rabbi at another synagogue, the place where Hanah’s funeral service was to be held has refused permission because she came from the Liberal movement. I have since spoken with that rabbi and I’ve told him of my contempt for his decision.

However right now I am still upset, more at losing Hanah then the stupid decision but even so it’s still playing on my mind a bit.