HOME | ABOUT US | SHABBAT & FESTIVALS | EDUCATION | LIFE-CYCLE EVENTS | MEMBERSHIP | CALENDAR | CONTACT US

 

 

 

Welcome to the website of the Newcastle Reform Synagogue (NRS), a community of about 200 adults and children living in the North East and Cumbria

Services

Erev Shabbat services (Friday night) usually begin at 8pm and last about an hour, but on the last Friday of each month, the service is at 6.30pm, followed by a Friday night 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)
Registered charity No: 246816


And what's happening soon?

14 July 2008

August is surprisingly busy!

Our new Rabbi, Barbara Borts, will be with us to lead the shabbat services on 1 and 2 August. Do come and join us!

She will also be at our Friday night dinner on 29 August - if you want a place, please book soon.

On 9 August, there will be a special kiddush in celebration of Professor and Mrs P Novak's 65th wedding anniversary.

The next vegetarian lunch will be at 12.00 noon on 12 August.

We celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Simeon Zack on 16 August.

The Monday night Talmidim meetings start again on 1 September.

The new prayer book, Seder Ha-T'fillot, is now available through the synagogue at £19.95 for Members and Friends and £24.95 for non-members.

The latest edition of Focus is available here

Calendar


4 July 2008

On Sunday 6 July there will be a coffee morning at the shul, starting at 11am, opened by Brenda and Jeremy Beecham. There will be a cake stall, coffee and biscuits. This is a much-needed fund-raiser for the synagogue, so please support it.

On Tuesday 15 July, 7.30pm at the synagogue, the Newcastle Jewish Book Group will be discussing "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. No charge, but please bring some vegetarian nibbles to share. Please let us know if you plan to attend.

At the same time on the same day, also at the shul, there will be a meeting of the Council of Christians and Jews. All welcome, and refreshments will be served.

Over the summer holiday period, there won't be so much going on, but please do come along to our Friday night and Saturday morning services. There will NOT be a Friday night dinner at the end of July, but there probably will be one at the end of August - watch this space!!

And the best news of all - our new part-time rabbi, Rabbi Barbara Borts, will be starting with us on 1 August.

 


NRS News - what's been happening?

16 July 2008

The coffee morning on 6 July raised a good sum of money for the Guild, with the cake stall being especially well-patronised! Brenda and Jeremy Beecham opened proceedings, and Brenda expressed how much both NRS and the Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation mean to them both.

The recent book club meeting, discussing "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, was very successful, with very different views on the book being expressed. The next meeting will be on 28 October to discuss "The Septembers of Shiraz" by Dalia Sofer. Please contact the synagogue if you'd like to attend - and get reading!

At the same time, the Council of Christians and Jews met in the synagogue and had a lively evening of food (of course!), listening to and discussing a range of secular and religious music and having a good chat about life in general. The shul felt very lively with these two engaging meetings going on on the same night.


4 July 2008

We said goodbye to Rabbi Amanda Golby in early June. For the last year, she has been visiting us about once a month and has been very important in helping to build bridges within the community. It's appropriate, therefore, that we gave her a leaving gift of a print of some of the Tyne bridges. We have all appreciated her presence and thank her most sincerely for all she has done. We hope she'll be back to visit.

The AJEX tea dance on 15 June was a huge success, and the Guild (as ever) were warmly praised for the delicious catering.

The last Friday in June saw one of our renowned Friday night dinners, and we are all still wondering how on earth Brenda manages to make such wonderful food and create such a lovely atmosphere for everyone.