Our rabbi
Our part-time rabbi, Barbara Borts, began work with us in August 2008. After studying in her native California, Rabbi Borts moved to Europe and was ordained in 1981 from Leo Baeck College (becoming the joint 3rd woman rabbi in the UK). She worked as a congregational rabbi at Radlett and Bushey Reform Synagogue, and then she took a break to run the Homeless Volunteer Scheme of CSV (Community Service Volunteers) She founded and ran the Social Issues Group of the RSGB and was involved in interfaith and women's dialogue groups. Rabbi Borts then worked as an adult Jewish studies educator in North America, leading to her M.A. from McGill University in Culture and Values in Education. Since her return to the UK, she has worked as a rabbinical consultant and an educator. Rabbi Borts is pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Durham. She loves music, and is often to be found walking her dogs.
You can contact Rabbi Borts at therabab@hotmail.com or by telephone on 07889 206327
Services
Erev Shabbat services (Friday night) begin at 18.45 apart from the first service of the month, which is at 20.00. Evening services last about an hour. On the second Friday of the month, please bring food to share for a chavurah dinner following the service; on the last Friday of each month the service is followed by a Friday night catered dinner (must be pre-booked and paid for).
Shabbat morning services begin at 10.30am and last up to 2 hours.
We also have services for all major and most minor Festivals
[see Calendar page].
We are a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism.
To contact us
Telephone: 0191 284 8621
(24 hr answerphone)
E-mail: admin@nertamid.org.uk
Registered charity No: 246816
Rabbi's website
The rabbi has provided the synagogue with a file on her homeserver, with various pieces of music for us to use. She will be adding things, and is also happy to try to accommodate special requests. You can access the site here
Sign in using EXACTLY the details given below.
Username: therabab
Password: Therabab!
General
Do let the rabbi know of any personal or health issues where her support would be appreciated (remembering that as a part-time rabbi, she'll prioritise the most urgent).
Help with financial difficulty
Turn2us helps people to access money available to them - through welfare benefits, grants and other financial help. You can reach their website by clicking here.
NRS News - what's been happening?
Have you attended something recently? Please write to your web editor, who will create a report for this column.
23 October 2011
Our Rosh Hashanah service was well-attended, and a large proportion of
the community then filled Brenda Dinsdale's house. It never ceases to
astonish us that there is always more food that we can eat and the house
seems to manage to accommodate the dozens of people and yet there's always
more room! Those who could stir themselves then went to Big Waters Country
Park to celebrate Tashlikh.
At Yom Kippur, the rabbi challenged us to think about some
controversial issues, linking the message of inclusiveness inherent in the
Kol Nidre with the issues of inclusiveness facing the Reform Movement. We
also had a fascinating address from Professor Rabbi Seth Kunin.
18 June 2011
Our evening with Rabbi Lionel Blue was delightful. We had a wonderful service with the new committee pledging themselves to their work, and thanks being expressed to all the many volunteers. Then a flurry of activity transformed the synagogue and we sat down to one of Brenda's stupendous meals. At the end of this, Rabbi Blue spoke with that mixture of humour (the jokes never stopped coming!) and quiet wisdom that has become his trademark. He spoke of how Jews have survived through humour and wove some poignant tales among the jokes, while explaining how he finds ways to communicate with his radio and theatre 'congregations'. He was accompanied by his partner Jim, which added to the warm family feel to the evening.
17 June 2011
Just to alert everyone to the fact that Rabbi Borts will be for the most part off-duty from 20 June to 4 August. In an emergency, please contact our chair, Monica Stern.
25 May 2011
The cheder has been busy! The children are studying Israel at the moment, with even the youngest children joining in with cooking, crafts and singing. They have learned about the sweep of Jewish history to 1948 by means of a fun timeline. They are preparing a display about what they have learned about the Qumran Caves, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Dead Sea.
Thinking ahead: Did you know that in 2013, NRS will celebrate its 50th
Anniversary and 30 years in our Synagogue building?
And what's happening soon?
The January/February Focus is available here, and the calendar for these months is here and further information about Tuesday night adult education is here
Very occasionally, events have to be cancelled. We try to keep up-to-date here but you are advised to check with other members.
7 January
09.45 Cheder - kita gimmel
11.00 Kindershabbos
Wednesday 11 January
19.30 Games and tapestry night
13 January
18:45 Der Rebbe's Tisch chavurah supper
Tuesday 17 January
19.30 Adult education: Reform in Judaism
Tuesday 24 January
19.30 Adult education: Reform in Judaism
27 January
18.45 Erev shabbat service, followed by catered dinner (please book)
28 January
09.30 Pirke Avot
10.30 Shabbat morning service
4 February
09.45 Cheder
11.00 Kindershabbos
Tuesday 7 February
Tu B'Shevat chavurah supper
Tuesday 14 February
NO Adult Education
Tuesday 21 February
19.30 Adult education: Reform in Judaism
24 February
18.45 Erev Shabbat service followed by catered dinner
25 February
09.30 Pirke Avot
10.30 Shabbat morning service
Monday 27 February
19.30 Jewish Book Group (Homesick by Eshkol Nevo)
Tuesday 28 February
19.30 Adult education: Reform in Judaism
General information
There are many ways to study and learn at NRS: the GCSE/Basic Judaism class on Sundays at 10.30, Adult Education on Tuesday evenings and the Pirkei Avot Study Sessions before one shabbat morning service each month at 09.30 are just three. If you'd like more information, contact the rabbi.
Cheder (Sundays)
Cheder Yachad, for children 1-10, happens once a month, 11.30-12.30 BUT
PLEASE NOTE that, as an experiment, which might continue, in December
it will be held before the Kindershabbos service, at 09.45 on 3 December
Kita Aleph, for children of reception and Year 1 age, happens 10.30-11.30 and Kita Bet, for 6-10 year olds, at 10.30-12.30 (except when Cheder Yachad takes over the final hour). Kita Gimmel, for 10+, is a pre-bar/bat mitzvah group.
The new prayer book, Seder Ha-T'fillot, is available through the synagogue at £19.95 for Members and Friends and £24.95 for non-members.