Sharing Shabbat on the ocean waves

”WHERE ARE YOU from?” were the words on everyone’s lips at the erev Shabbat service on board the Queen Mary 2 Liner. This state-of-the-art floating palace may be the queen of the seas,with magnificent theatres, ballroom, planetarium, golf range and dog kennels, but in room seven of the computer suites. this was Kol Mishpachah or family of Jews.

There were passengers from 25 countries and for an hour we came together as one, united by our faith.

The service was conducted by an Englishman from Didsbury. Everyone joined in and followed the service from prayer books, both in Hebrew and English.

Some came to the service to remember their lost Judaism ,cruelly taken from them along with their families in the Holocaust. Others came saying it brought back memories of their youth and although they could no longer read Herbrew, they could still recite the Shemah taught to them by their mother. Others came just to belong.

After the service, kiddush wine and warm challah bread were served along with chopped boiled fish and chrane.

All was provided by Cunard, and all kosher. It was wonderful to speak with Jewish people from different countries. We told them we live in South Manchester and they asked: “Is that near Scotland or the Cotswolds”.

One couple from Canada were disappointed whilst touring England, as they could not find one synagogue listed in the local phone books or yellow pages. We explained about the security risks.

People chatted and ate and ate and chatted as Jewish folk do, all joined as Kol Mishpacha, and then disappeared into the vastness of the ship to mingle with the other 2,500 passengers.