The United Synagogue

A Great Tribe Shabbaton In Israel

PRESS RELEASE

London,
17th December 2010


A GREAT TRIBE SHABBATON IN ISRAEL

Nearly 100 British Gap Year students all participating on numerous different Gap Year schemes in Israel came together for the Tribe Israel Shabbaton last weekend at the Rimonim Hotel in Jerusalem. With Tribe members involved in numerous youth movements, yeshivot and seminaries across Israel, the theme for the Shabbaton was ‘Unite’, aiming to connect all Gap Year students from across the United Synagogue family. Guest speakers joining the Shabbaton included Dayan Yonasan Abraham (London Beth Din), Rabbi Jeremy Conway (Director of the US Kashrut Division) and Rabbi Gideon Sylvester (Tribe Israel Rabbi).

Throughout the Shabbat students participated in a variety of educational and thought provoking discussions run by leading educators, including topics such as ‘Orthodox and Orthoprax – is it more important to believe in God or to keep Kosher?’ and ‘Plots and Plans: If God really controls the world then of what use are we?‘

The keynote speaker Rabbi Andrew Shaw, Executive Director of Tribe addressed the Tribe participants on the topic “Learning from the past to Build the Future of British Jewry”, followed by a question and answer session. Commenting afterwards, Rabbi Andrew Shaw said: “The atmosphere throughout the Shabbaton was amazing. Everyone had a great time and it was so nice to be able to see everyone from all different kinds of Gap Years come together to share their experiences and meet new people through our Tribe event.”

Jeremy Jacobs, Chief Executive of the United Synagogue welcomed and introduced everyone to the Shabbaton and said: “What was particularly noticeable was how many of the participants had come through the Tribe Teens experience. We truly are creating a community within Tribe which will ensure the growth and strength of the United Synagogue for generations to come.”

Tribe participant Camilla de Kare-Silver of Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue who is on the Bnei Akiva Toranie programme at Midrest Harova seminary said: “I had a really nice time spending Shabbat with all my friends from all the different youth programmes. The sessions they offered were really good, especially as they catered for everyone. The food was great too! Much better than my sem food!”

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Photos (L to R):

Photo – Top row: Rabbi Andrew Shaw, Ariel Weiss, Jordon Foux, Benjamin Gordon, Jamie Solomon, James Proops

Bottom row: Sarah Proops, Jessica Moses, Camilla de Kare-Silver, Tamara Grossmark, Steph Lipman, Rachel Gaon

Editor’s Notes:

TRIBE, Young United Synagogue was launched in February 2003 under the leadership of Rabbi Andrew Shaw, with the Tribe membership scheme launched the following October. TRIBE’S goal is to support its communities to provide the best resources and facilities for its young people and to run complementary larger events and initiatives to support the work done at local level. TRIBE membership is divided into 4 divisions, kids, teen, campus and community. Tribe’s original target was to have 5,000 members by 2008. In October 2006 TRIBE signed up its 10,000th member. For further information on TRIBE, please visit www.tribeuk.com



For further information, please contact:

Nikki Saunders
The PR Office
Work: 020 7284 6969
Email: us@theproffice.com

this week
shabbat times

May. 25th - 26th
5th Sivan
Begins: 20:46
Ends: 22:03
Sedra: Bamidbar

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