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MODEL, actor and author Ellie Goldstein has swapped catwalks for kitchens to take part in this year’s Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer.

Host Paul Hollywood is joined by Caroline Waldegrave OBE – the former co-owner and managing director of Leiths School of Food and Wine – to judge the best baking efforts in these special celebrity episodes.

Bake Off hosts Alison and Noel will also return to provide encouragement, tea and sympathy for the celebrity bakers going head-to-head tent.

Stand up to Cancer is a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.
The show, which has started airing when we went to press, saw a star-studded line up of 20 celebrities – including best-selling author, podcaster and businesswoman Sarah Beeny, comedian Adam Buxton and broadcaster Roman Kemp – go head-to-head in the hopes of being crowned Star Baker.

In each episode, four celebrities were challenged to create their best bakes in the signature, technical and showstopper rounds.

Ellie competed alongside Gloria Hunniford OBE, actor and writer Jim Howick and comedian Jamali Maddix in her episode which will go out on Sunday 13 April – and then go on the Channel 4 app for all those who want to watch after Pesach.

Loughton-based Ellie, 23, was born with Down’s syndrome, but it hasn’t stopped her from becoming a global fashion model, performer, author and influencer.

As a model, she made history as being the first model with Down’s syndrome to feature on the cover of British Vogue magazine, and she continues to use her platform to act as a champion for other people with differences or disabilities.

She will back on our screens again later this year in her first acting role as the history obsessed student, Nancy, in the new series of the BBC’s Malory Towers.

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Fresh from an award-winning run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this two-hander sees twins, Dan (Dylan Corbett-Bader) and Lauren (Gemma Barnett) meeting with ex-gangster Malcolm Spivak, an 80-year-old gangster at their grandfather’s funeral. Malcolm has ‘had enough’ and enlists the help of the siblings with a plan that’s absolutely meshugge – to kidnap Jeremy Corbyn. Yes, really!

The play was previously premiered work at the theatre’s NOW Festival in 2019 and The Yard’s Artistic Director Jay Miller is pleased to see its return.

“Nick started his journey here, and now returns with exactly the kind of bold, provocative theatre this building has always championed. Work that knows how to entertain while it challenges, to play while it provokes. It’s a celebration of everything The Yard stands for.”

Nick uses storytelling, humour and satire in Revenge: After the Levoyah to look at some of the big topics around what it means what it means to be Jewish in the UK today, like antisemitism, collective hysteria and how far you can through a jar of chraine from a moving vehicle!

His work has toured internationally, selling out in venues around the world. He has written plays, created and performed solo work, and made street performances in collaboration with some of the country’s most celebrated venues, including The Royal Court, Soho Theatre, and Battersea Arts Centre. He has an MA from Goldsmiths in Writing for Performance and is a graduate of the Royal Court Young Writers Programme. He is a co-artistic director of take stock exchange. For the past two years, he has also written the JW3 Panto.

For Nick, he considers this play to be ‘a love letter to Jewish Essex’.

“Growing up in Woodford around East London and Essex Jews, I have always been in love with the rhythms and the way people speak. I’m delighted to have this show playing at The Yard as it’s easy for people from Essex to get to and the parking isn’t bad!”He goes on to add: “This piece is full of things that if you come from that part of the world, you will understand plenty of jokes just for you!”

Revenge: After the Levoyah runs from 9^th – 25^th January at the Yard Theatre. To book tickets, visit The Yard Theatre website

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A new exhibition celebrating the life and work of Stanislaw Brunstein (1914-1994) has opened at Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue – the community where the renowned Warsaw-born Jewish artist made his home after surviving the Holocaust.

Free and open to all (with booking required for security purposes), it runs until 8 December 2024. Click here to arrange your visit.

For a long time after the Shoah – in which he lost his entire family – Stanislaw did not paint. He only resumed his passion in 1962, creating memories of pre-war Polish Jewish life. He said at the time: “I told myself if I could paint and recreate this society, it would be a way of making certain that no one would forget.”

Stanislaw’s first major exhibition took place at Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue nearly 60 years ago – so it is fitting that his paintings have now returned.

His daughter Denise said: “It is with great pride, pleasure and nostalgia to once more have my father’s paintings shown in our synagogue. To say this exhibition is timely is an understatement. In this difficult and ever-challenging world of rising anti-Jewish hatred, somehow the images of Jewish characters, albeit painted ones, hiding away in our loft, become an irony too hard to stomach.”

Titled ‘To Life! From Memory to Canvas: Celebrating the Life and Work of StanislawBrunstein’, the exhibition is split into three parts.

The Shtetl Room has been signed to give the viewer a full-bodied experience of the vitality of life in pre-war Poland – cramming in as many characters and scenes as possible on the wall.

In contrast, the second, called – Family/Attachment/Separation/Loss, is defined by empty spaces and pictures of people hungry, fearful and mourning. The third – named after the artist himself – is a series of self-portraits and looks at how Stanislaw experimented with different styles and content.

Writing in the last edition of the Essex Jewish News, former Movement for Reform Judaism President and friend of Stanislaw, Rabbi Professor Tony Bayfield said: “The deaths of the six million are an agony far beyond articulation or comprehension. But a major part of my learning has been about the equally unique and inarticulable pain and suffering of the survivors. The suffering of the murdered continues even to the second and third generations. And so does the faithfulness, loyalty and love expressed in the lives of Denise and Lorna, Stanislaw Brunstein’s children, manifesting in this exhibition for which Oaks Lane too should take enormous credit.”

The exhibition has been possible thanks to the support of The National Holocaust Centre and Museum, Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue, Redbridge Museum and a number of passionate volunteers.

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Brady Girls was a parallel to the older Brady Boys’ Club (founded 1896 by Lady Rothschild), the first Jewish youth club in the country. However, it wasn’t until 1960 that the Brady Boys and Brady Girls Club amalgamated. (They say marriages are made in heaven, but readers of a certain age may know of many who came into being at Brady.)

For eight decades in the 20^th century, the Clubs became a beacon of hope and support for underprivileged youth, provided social opportunities, skill development and even holidays for the youth of the Jewish East End.

Now The Bradians Trust present a new exhibition; ‘We are the Brady Girls part 2’,(Part 1 was held in London Metropolitan University in 2023) opens 6^th September. On show will be previously unseen images, objects from the Brady Archives and personal narratives from young women whose lives were shaped by the pivotal role the Club played in their lives and the lives of thousands of young women across the East End.

Furthermore, stories of the Brady Girls and Boys come to life in the new Brady Memory Map (www.bradymemorymap.co.uk)  where former members discuss formative experiences. There you can listen to fascinating personal stories connected to Brady by digitally pinpointing significant Jewish areas in the East End.  Such as:

Barbara; born 1942,

“We lived in; one bedroom flat – a short walk to Brady – 2 days a week; and God forbid you didn’t have your sub.

I did Hebrew a couple of hours a week and there was PT and there were other classes.  My best memory of Brady was it was just there; as were my friends and the community and there was a lot going on.”

Eric born 1944 ;

“I went to Brady when 12 or 13; I was a bit of a late starter.  We lived in a bit of a flea pit of a flat in Hessel Street market. 

My grandfather was a Kosher butcher; I worked out there were 17 Kosher butchers in the market that was 200 yards long; 20 yards wide; how any of them made a living I have no idea.”

Milly born1926:

“It was a hard life for my parents and I was the baby; one brother no money; We lived in a block of flats Hughes Mansions, Vallance Road.

‘134 people got killed in our flats [after V2 rocket attack in 1934]; my mother was sitting up in bed having a cup of tea and the girder fell the back of her neck; so then I was motherless, homeless and penniless.”

June born 1939:“Our parents loved us going to Brady because it gave us an interest; they knew where we were and there was always someone to come home with.  I was very interested in dramatics and we put on lots of different productions; I also played netball for the club and we did keep fit displays for the parents; and of course we enjoyed the socials.  Eventually I was on the committee and used to buy records for our dances and that’s when the boys used to come. “

‘We Are The Brady Girls’ will be held from 6 September to 28^th September; Mondays to Fridays 9am-7pm and Saturdays 10am – 4pm. at the original home of the Brady Girls Club in Hanbury Street, London E1; now known as the Brady Arts & Community Centre.

For more information please visit www.bradyarchive.co.uk

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Guests also heard first-hand from two JBD tenants, Diana and Gary, who were in conversation with TV star Rob Rinder.

Diana and her husband Steve moved into their Jewish Blind & Disabled flat 15 years ago after both being diagnosed with hereditary conditions.

Diana said: “We went from a normal working family of four to a family where three of us were too ill to work and Steve was caring for all of us, so had to stop working too. In 2000, I ended up in hospital for a month. This was my lowest point. I came home and couldn’t move, I just sat there staring out of the window – I was young and in despair. That’s when I was told about Jewish Blind & Disabled. I don’t know where we would be without them. JBD has given us hope and we can live independently with support around us for when we need it.”

Gary and his wife Yvonne contacted Jewish Blind & Disabled during Covid as his mobility was declining and he was struggling with few steps into his bungalow. At that time, they didn’t have a diagnosis but in Gary’s words – “I knew something was wrong”. Shortly after moving Gary was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. His condition has progressed in the last few years. Gary said: “I feel fortunate to live at JBD. We have peace of mind with the support from 24/7 house managers and it really is a special place to live.”

Speaking at the event, Jewish Blind & Disabled chair Marc Gordon said: “I have been chair of Jewish Blind & Disabled for just over a year now, but I have been a supporter for over 20 years. I thought I knew a fair amount about the work of the charity and its impact, however, the more I learn and see, the more impressed I am with our unique offering and how it is delivered. I have seen how the range of services we provide are truly life changing for people with physical disabilities and / or vision impairments. We have ambitious plans, but these are only possible due to the generous support we receive from across the community.”

Speaking afterwards, chief executive Lisa Wimborne added: “This event was a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on Jewish Blind & Disabled. All too often I hear people tell me they have never heard of us before they needed our support. Many of the people in the room were new to Jewish Blind & Disabled. I was delighted that they heard first-hand from  Diana and Gary, who spoke from the heart and articulated how their lives have changed since moving into their Jewish Blind & Disabled flats.

“Since the pandemic, we have seen increasing demand for both our housing and our Independent Living Advisory Service, and we expect this to increase for many years to come. That is why we have ambitious plans for the coming years, but these plans require us to increase our annual fundraising from £1.2m to £2.5m. Our event was another step in the right direction.”

• To find out more about Jewish Blind & Disabled or make a donation, please visit www.jbd.org.

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Stanley, who is now disabled and has to struggle with two sticks, says he intends to carry on marching for as long as he can.

He told us: “I have organised our group for a number of years out of respect for my father who served in Burma (now Myanmar) in the Royal West Kents Regiment from 1939 to 1945, and also my cousin Harold Newman, a past Chairman and very active member of AJEX.”

They called his father and his comrades the Forgotten Army, these brave men who played a vital role in victory over Japan, facing tropical diseases as well as the enemy.  Stanley’s father’s name was actually Robert Plotsky which he later changed to George Plotsky.

Stanley, added: “He was the only one of seven siblings to stick with his Warsaw name but I changed mine to Perry when I was 17 as no-one would give me as job or even an interview!”

The following organisations and areas took part in the AJEX Parade and/or had a banner on display:

• Chigwell Jewish Youth Club
• Clore Tikva Primary School
• Cranbrook United Synagogue
• Ilford Federation Synagogue
• JLGB
• Loughton and Chigwell
• Old Comrades Association
• Romford (bottom right)
• Southend
• Wanstead and Woodford
• Woodford Forest United Synagogue

Ashley Kissin and wife Hilary of the Romford group were among the many Essex marchers wearing the medals of their late fathers. Ashely also wore his dad’s 8th Army tie along with his own badge as a former mayor of Redbridge.

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The event was put on by Sarah Chessis, Ashley Sinclair, Jessica Shine, Julie Murray and David Blitz and was attended by over 120 members of the community aged from 20 to 50ish.

Quizmaster Jon Jacobs delivered a range of general knowledge questions and the whole event had a great atmosphere, raising £1,200 for the synagogue.

The committee also host monthly Sunday bagel brunches for young families, as well as lots of Shabbat and festival themed arts and crafts.

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A pour ceremony at their eighth development, Ephraim Court in Mill Hill East, was attended by a number of special guests including Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, and Dr Mathew Offord MP.

The building is named Ephraim Court in memory of brothers Menashi (Morris) and Heskel (Harry) Ephraim, after the charity secured a lead gift for the new development from the Ephraim 1998 Charitable Trust.

It will provide 23 one-bedroom mobility apartments and seven two-bedroom mobility apartments as well as an overnight studio apartment for the on-site house manager and a range of communal facilities.

The Chief Rabbi said: “I have witnessed the impressive work and activities of Jewish Blind & Disabled for many years and I am exceptionally proud of their amazing achievements.”

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IRIS TAYLOR, a Redbridge-based volunteer for Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA), has won the Unsung Hero Award at the national Third Sector Awards ceremony.

The 81-year-old member of Cranbrook United Synagogue has been a loyal, committed and inspirational volunteer for 30 years.

Iris is responsible for co-ordinating the volunteer rota for the Jewish Women’s Aid helpline, which is open for 12 hours every day from Monday to Thursday. She ensures that all shifts are covered so that someone is available to support women affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Judy Roth, JWA’s helpline and volunteers co-ordinator, said: ‘’Iris is a truly inspirational volunteer who has worked tirelessly for our organisation. She provides a kind, gentle and patient approach and is in regular contact with all 40 of our helpline volunteers to arrange the rota, troubleshoot and offer them motivation and reassurance.

“This award for Unsung Hero recognises her outstanding achievements over three decades.’’

The Third Sector Awards were held at The Brewery in London before an audience of 600 people from all across the charity sector. The judges praised Iris as “an incredible person, who has devoted years of support to a cause she believes in.”

Iris, a former shorthand typist and secretary, has two children and three grandchildren. Her husband passed away 13 years ago.

She told the Essex Jewish News: ‘’I feel that this is an important volunteering role and I believe it is a mitzvah to do it.’’

The Jewish Women’s Aid’s helpline not only provides callers with someone to speak to but often acts as the gateway to access all of JWA’s services, enabling women to make decisions about their lives. Together with the organisation’s webchat service, the helpline service received 196 calls in the first half of 2022, equivalent to at least one contact every day that the services are open.

The confidential, sympathetic and non-judgmental helpline can be reached on 0808 801 0500. It is open Mondays-Thursdays 9.30am-9.30pm, with trained Jewish women there to support callers. Outside of these hours calls are recorded, monitored and responded to as soon as possible.

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