On Kristallnacht, the night of 9 November 1938, the Nazis
destroyed the interior of the Westendsynagogue in Frankfurt-am-Main, where my
grandfather, Dr Georg Salzberger, served as rabbi from 1910 until the family
fled to Britain in April of the following year. But the Ner Tammid, the Eternal
Light, continued to burn. People took it for a sign. This light, which shone through the darkness
and turmoil of those days, symbolises the hope which is the essence of Judaism
and all faiths.
I was 18 when my grandfather died and he has
been a role model for me all my life, especially in my own work as a rabbi. On
the centenary celebrations of my grandfather’s former synagogue I plan to light
a torch from its Ner Tammid and walk with it through Germany and Holland to the
sea (together with my faithful companion, Mitzpah) travelling back to London to
kindle the Eternal Light of my community’s new synagogue.
I hope you will sponsor Mitzpah and
me.
Your sponsorship
will:
- support the Tikkun Olam, social action,
projects of the synagogue in which we are engaging as part of our wider
responsibility as we build our own new home.
These include: constructing a school library in
Malawi, planting a woodland forest near London; equipping a Jewish community
centre in the Ukraine; building a library for the benefit of all citizens in the
Galilee; providing start-up scholarships and mentoring to young people
developing their own social enterprise projects.
- support The Parents' Circle: bereaved Israeli
and Palestinian parents working together for
peace
- help create the Ner Tammid (everlasting
light) and sacred objects in each of the places of prayer in our new synagogue.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and
totally secure. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity
(NNLS) and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK
taxpayer. So please dig deep and donate now.
