In assembly today both schools stopped for a minutes silence, our second act of remembrance in less than a week. Our Union Flag is flying at half mast.
These acts show support and solidarity with the French people but do not say what will happen next.
For LJFS there is the consideration of any changes that we need to make to our planned trip to France, including Paris, in the spring. We know some parents and pupils are concerned about this going ahead in light of what has happened.
For all our pupils and students there is the growing awareness of the difficult times we live in and how close to home the conflict has come.
At 48 years of age I have seen this over the years time and time again. I grew up under the shadow of Irish Republican terrorism. Whilst peace now rests in Northern Ireland the threat still splutters on from time to time.
Those children and families living in Syria and Iraq live under daily threat from attack from any quarter as different factions and the western powers try to either take control or restore peace.
For my father's generation it was the blitz. His stories, as a young child, include remembering sitting in a shelter as bombs rained down on his home town of Coventry.
For the Jews of Europe who, leading up to the war were beaten, forced from their homes, businesses stolen and then many finally ending their lives the camps threat; violence and terror was at a level none can imagine.
Recent attacks have been targeted at the Jewish population but the most recent was targeted at anyone and no-one.
How then, should we respond? That question is one that can only be answered individually.
My response is that I cannot plan for the hate filled actions of the unknown and radicalised few. I can show my defiance in any way I can, as our communities have done over many years.
Can I be certain that I will avoid risk?
No!
I can ensure that precautions are taken, risk considered and no-one is put in the way of known significant risk.
Most of all I can strive to ensure that my sons, pupils and students all appreciate the safety they enjoy in a democratic country. They must also appreciate what others do to create that safety and most of all to appreciate that they have the freedom to have their own opinions, to disagree, to debate and to argue without fear of repercussions.
I leave you to your own thoughts and, if your child is old enough, encourage them to share and discuss their own thoughts.
Monday 16 November 2015
Thursday 12 November 2015
Year 6 In Buckden
If you get a chance try and visit the Year 6 Blog as they spend a wet week at Buckden.
Despite the 'fresh' weather they are having a great time.
https://brodetskyy62015.wordpress.com/author/karengill2013/
Despite the 'fresh' weather they are having a great time.
https://brodetskyy62015.wordpress.com/author/karengill2013/
Wednesday 11 November 2015
Armistice Day2015 as it was marked on the campus.
Today we were able to fully mark Armistice Day with all the pupils, students, Governors and staff on site (with some parents thrown in for good measure).
The British Legion also supported us this year bringing a self evident additional reality to the event.
The response from all our pupils to Armistice Day was amazing. I was really please see all our pupils wearing their poppies with a real sense of pride and importance.
As I walked through the playground at lunchtime the Brodetsky KS1 pupils were all trying to show me their poppies. One pupil showed me the poppy his mother had knitted for him. The time taken to make that poppy was significantly longer than the two minutes we gave today. This in itself was a true act of remembrance.
In the morning every pupil (both from LJFS and BJPS) took part in an assembly themed around Armistice Day and how it would be marked today.
At 10.50am am all the Brodetsky pupils in Cub, Brownie and Beaver uniforms joined all the LJFS sudents, representatives from the BJPS School Council, Cllr Dan Cohen, Rabbi Kleiman and Raina and the Zone team as we gathered beneath the Union Flag.
Mrs Bhogal, dressed in a sari as she marked Diwali, wore a poppy on her shoulder.
I had the privilege of joining representatives of the British Legion as they marched their standards into our memorial area.
At 11am the standards were dipped and everyone on the campus joined together for two minutes of silence and reflection.
Every parent can be proud with how their child conducted themselves, as am I. When you come to school next I hope you may take the time to pause by our wreaths.
Photographs From Today (Courtesy of John Fisher)
The British Legion also supported us this year bringing a self evident additional reality to the event.
The response from all our pupils to Armistice Day was amazing. I was really please see all our pupils wearing their poppies with a real sense of pride and importance.
As I walked through the playground at lunchtime the Brodetsky KS1 pupils were all trying to show me their poppies. One pupil showed me the poppy his mother had knitted for him. The time taken to make that poppy was significantly longer than the two minutes we gave today. This in itself was a true act of remembrance.
In the morning every pupil (both from LJFS and BJPS) took part in an assembly themed around Armistice Day and how it would be marked today.
At 10.50am am all the Brodetsky pupils in Cub, Brownie and Beaver uniforms joined all the LJFS sudents, representatives from the BJPS School Council, Cllr Dan Cohen, Rabbi Kleiman and Raina and the Zone team as we gathered beneath the Union Flag.
Mrs Bhogal, dressed in a sari as she marked Diwali, wore a poppy on her shoulder.
I had the privilege of joining representatives of the British Legion as they marched their standards into our memorial area.
At 11am the standards were dipped and everyone on the campus joined together for two minutes of silence and reflection.
Every parent can be proud with how their child conducted themselves, as am I. When you come to school next I hope you may take the time to pause by our wreaths.
Photographs From Today (Courtesy of John Fisher)
Sunday 8 November 2015
Remember, Remember The Fifth of November
The Finale
We had a fantastic Firework display again on Thursday 5th. This was a campus fundraising effort and all the partners played a role in ensuring it was a success.
Simon Barnett coordinated the display itself and again supported the cost of the fireworks. The display would not be possible without his support. He was backed up by Bryan Gothelf and Darren Taylor who helped set up the display and light the fireworks. The setting up takes several hours to complete. There is an additional donor who has supported some of the costs. I will add their name once I can confirm they are happy with this.
Raina and her Zone team opened their doors and provided amazing hospitality for the hundreds of people who attended. This takes days of preparation and hours of non-stop service and cleaning at the end. The hotdogs, baked potatoes, soup and cakes were amazing and well appreciated and is a key part of ensuring the event is a success.
The Schools Campus Administrative Team, led by Denise Robinson, with Nigel Barton (Site Manager) ensured that tickets and parking where organised and that logistical support, where needed, was given to all involved. They were also supported by Maccabi who provided stewards to help manage access to the site and parking. Bryan Gothelf played a second role coordinating the Maccabi volunteer gathering.
The Brodetsky Link volunteers staffed the ticket sales on the gates, ran a raffle, sold glow sticks and painted faces. They also designed the tickets and the fliers. As always their quiet work behind the scenes gives the special child focus to every event.
The Scouts Guides, Brownies, Cubs and Beavers organised the bonfire and the 'Make a Guy Stall'. All the 'guys' were added to the fire. We of course meant no offence to Roman Catholic guests. Guy Fawkes ended up on the fire because of an act of treason and not directly because of his faith.
And finally the LJFS Students and Staff (Including those from the Rodillian Academy) held a non-uniform day. They all paid to come to school dressed as 'Guys' and fireworks.
The Campus Administrative Team will collate the income and we will announce the final total as soon as it is known.
I would like to thank everyone who helped organise this event and those who supported it. It continues to be an amazing reflection of our community and the campus as one of its core hubs.
Sunday 1 November 2015
Remembrance
We are moving into two weeks of remembrance. One is a time for fun and festivities and the other a time for thought and reflection.
On Thursday we will celebrate Guy Fawkes night. This will be a little harder this year with the fields dug up and very muddy. However we are still going ahead and we hope you will join us again.
As we all enjoy the fireworks and fun it is worth spending some time considering the history behind the event. It harks back to a time of religious intolerance, persecution and the resulting threat to our democracy. The threat grew from the persecution, an injustice, but became a threat that undermined the very nature of this country. The Mother of Parliaments, no matter what its flaws are, is looked at around the world as a model to be emulated.
If we look at events in the Middle East with Israel still standing alone as the only true democracy in its area, ISL enforcing religious intolerance and military threat, instability in Syria, Iraq and Egypt it is clear that there is still a lot to be learned from our own history. It is clear the need for the freedom and democracy is still a distant dream for some people.
This Sunday is Remembrance Sunday. We will mark Remembrance day on the 11th at school. This history is closer than Guy Fawkes night and therefore more poignant. One hundred years ago this country and all of Europe was being ripped asunder by war. The scars this war left paved the way for the atrocities of the second world war.
As we stop and reflect, whilst remembering our own troops past and present, please also give some thought to those now caught in amongst the fighting in their home countries, looking to strong democracies like ours to give them some hope.
Finally, to show the modern face of the Poppy Appeal, I was able to see part of the launch of this year's appeal inside Kings Cross station. Surrounded by groups of uniformed servicemen and service women collecting for the appeal was this band from the Army Air Service. Reminiscent of the first appeal for servicemen (survivors from the Crimean War) at the start of the 20th century, through a dinner.
GIVE GENEROUSLY
On Thursday we will celebrate Guy Fawkes night. This will be a little harder this year with the fields dug up and very muddy. However we are still going ahead and we hope you will join us again.
As we all enjoy the fireworks and fun it is worth spending some time considering the history behind the event. It harks back to a time of religious intolerance, persecution and the resulting threat to our democracy. The threat grew from the persecution, an injustice, but became a threat that undermined the very nature of this country. The Mother of Parliaments, no matter what its flaws are, is looked at around the world as a model to be emulated.
If we look at events in the Middle East with Israel still standing alone as the only true democracy in its area, ISL enforcing religious intolerance and military threat, instability in Syria, Iraq and Egypt it is clear that there is still a lot to be learned from our own history. It is clear the need for the freedom and democracy is still a distant dream for some people.
This Sunday is Remembrance Sunday. We will mark Remembrance day on the 11th at school. This history is closer than Guy Fawkes night and therefore more poignant. One hundred years ago this country and all of Europe was being ripped asunder by war. The scars this war left paved the way for the atrocities of the second world war.
As we stop and reflect, whilst remembering our own troops past and present, please also give some thought to those now caught in amongst the fighting in their home countries, looking to strong democracies like ours to give them some hope.
Finally, to show the modern face of the Poppy Appeal, I was able to see part of the launch of this year's appeal inside Kings Cross station. Surrounded by groups of uniformed servicemen and service women collecting for the appeal was this band from the Army Air Service. Reminiscent of the first appeal for servicemen (survivors from the Crimean War) at the start of the 20th century, through a dinner.
GIVE GENEROUSLY
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