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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
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, and travels once a month to Basel, Switzerland, to work with a small community there. 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
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
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). You might also like to look at her website at www.therabab.mypodcast.com, where you'll find some good music she'd like to share with us.
And what's happening soon?
21 November 2008
Don't forget the Friday night dinner on 28 November - but please make sure to book.
Saturday 13 December is Human Rights Day. Sir Jeremy Beecham will be the guest speaker at our shabbat morning service. Do come and join us.
And here's something to get in your diary, well in advance. Rabbi Barbara Borts service of induction as our Rabbi will be at 3pm on Sunday 1 February 2009.
2 November 2008
The latest edition of our community newsletter, Focus, is available here
There are many ways to study and learn at NRS: the Talmidim group on Mondays at 7pm, The GCSE/Basic Judaism class on Sundays at 10.30am and the Pirkei Avot Study Sessions on the first shabbat of each month at 9.30am. If you'd like more information, contact the rabbi.
The next vegetarian lunch is on Tuesday 11 November at 12 noon - please book if you'd like to come.
Our next Friday night dinner begins with the service at 6.30pm on 28 November. Please book if you want to come for the meal, which always has a wonderful atmosphere and enables us to welcome shabbat together.
There will be a First Night Chanukah Dinner on 21 December at 6pm.
28 October 2008
The next book group meets on Tuesday 3 February 2009, at 7.30pm and the book to read is "Truth and Consequences" by Alison Lurie. Please let us know if you intend to come, and bring some vegetarian nibbles to share. Get this date in your diary now, and don't miss out - this is a lively and fun 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.
NRS News - what's been happening?
28 October 2008
Tonight's book group meeting discussed "The Septembers of Shiraz" by Dalia Sofer and - a first - everyone there liked the book!
26 October 2008
Our Simchat Torah service honoured Professor Paul Novak as Chatan Torah and Mrs Elizabeth Novak as Kallat Bereshit. This wonderful age-old ceremony had us dancing and singing, reminding us of the reasons we are together.
14 October 2008
As ever, Jewish calendar events pile on thick and fast at this time of year, and Sukkot is already underway before any mention of Yom Kippur has made it to this page! The services were powerful and meaningful, enhanced by the rabbi's sermons and singing, and the service for children was a great innovation which we hope to build on.
30 September 2008
We had a wonderful Rosh Hashanah service, full of great singing (especially by the rabbi!) and Lucy's awe-inspiring blowing of the shofar. Then it was off to Brenda's for lunch - another year where one can only wonder at her extraordinary energy and capability. This was a great social occasion, from which some of us left to celebrate tashlikh locally, casting our bread on the water. Here we are - the sun even came out for us!
The year has started well!