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Easy Fundraising is our new initiative to help raise cash for the Shul renovations. For every online purchase you make from over 2000 retailers, a small %age of their profit comes to us instead! All you have to do is visit the Easy Fundraising site first, then the retailer - and shop as normal.

It really is that easy, and does not cost you anything!

Please register now, and start donating to a good cause right away!

Tel Aviv, like Aberdeen, is really two towns joined together, although Tel Aviv is a lot more modern! The 'old' Tel Aviv, the ancient port of Jaffa יָפוֹ ("pretty") is mentioned several times in Torah, particularly in relation to Solomon and Jonah.

Modern Tel-Aviv was founded on the outskirts of Jaffa in 1909, and the two finally merged in 1950. Even today, some people will write their address as Jaffa-Tel Aviv.

In parallel, there is also an Old Aberdeen, dating back to 1489; most famous for the University, founded in 1495. This was one of the very first Universities in Europe to accept Jews as students, and there are records showing six Jewish students studying medicine in 1503. The University also houses a priceless collection of ancient Judaic literature from that period, as well as the Biesenthal Collection, one of the most complete collections of Rabbinic literature in the UK.

Kings College, University of Aberdeen in the High Street, Old Aberdeen.
(Public domain photo from Wikipedia)

Old Aberdeen, which now forms the northern part of the City of Aberdeen, was joined to "New" Aberdeen, a burgh originally founded by King David I of Scotland in 1124. The two settlements were united in 1815 by the building of Union Street, which is really one big bridge across several hills; the project was both ambitious and expensive, and led to the bankruptcy of the city in 1817. Citizens were advised to live frugally and save their money, leading to the legend of Aberdonians as being "grippy", or mean with their money!

Aberdeen is now facing a period of it's own "aviv", or renewal - not only the Shul itself, but also the rest of the city. This photo shows the recently restored Marischal College, once part of the University of Aberdeen Medical School, but now home to the City Council offices.

Nissan is also the month of the Omer count, and the Creation of the Universe, according to some Talmudic sources.Other Jewish holidays in the month of Nissan include Passover פֶּסַח (Pesach), 15-21 Nissan and Yom HaShoah יום השואה, 27 Nissan.

We recite a special blessing on seeing a rainbow -

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֶלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם זוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית וְנֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתוֹ וְקַיָם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ

Baruch ata Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech ha'olam zocher ha'brit v'ne'eman bivrito v'kayam b'ma'amaro.

Blessed are You, Lord our G*d, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to His covenant, and keeps His promise.