Throughout the week of Chanukah JFS students were involved in a range of educational activities and plenty of doughnut eating!  Events included leading the United Synagogue’s communal Kabbalat Shabbat – already seen by over 1400 people – an online Havdala and a tour of the Old City, Jerusalem with StandWithUs.  In addition to candle lighting for each year group, students were engaged in present wrapping, cross-curricular lessons on the theme of Chanukah, tzedakah projects and a challah bake.  A special resource book was produced and included special messages from the Chief Rabbi and Lord Levy, the JFS President.  Rabbi Mirvis wrote: “Please be just like a Shamash.  Where there is darkness, bring light.  Where there is suffering, bring comfort.  Where there is hunger, bring food.  Where there is loneliness, bring friendships.  Where there is despair, bring encouragement”.

The school also launched “The JFS Shabbat Album”, a collection of traditional and original melodies from the Shabbat liturgy which includes original compositions by JFS students.  The “L’cha Dodi” composed by students in a project with alumnus Harry Style, featured in the Kabbalat Shabbat service.

Rachel Fink, Headteacher, says, “We are delighted to have filled JFS with the light of Chanukah and such innovative and impactful programming.  The positive messages of Chanukah are all the more necessary as 2020 draws to a close and I am delighted that we have been able to share some of that with the entire community”.