JN Junior: buildings, ospreys and half term outings
If you've been helping to build a succah, maybe you'd like to be an architect?
GENIUS JENNA
Budding builders and determined designers take note. This month is an important one for architects. An architect is a professional who plans and designs buildings. Some of us might be junior architects this week, helping to create our own Succah for the festival of Succot. A Succah is a similar design to a hut, topped with branches and often decorated with harvest or Judaic themes. A Succah is used for eating in, spending time with friends and family, and even sleeping in! And next week (Oct 18), the 2022 Architect of the Year will be crowned in London, organised by Building Design. We see buildings every day but might not realise how important they are in our lives – we live, learn, eat, sleep, and work in them! Buildings can reveal a lot about the history of an area, and some are really impressive to look at. I love the Shard in London. Made of 11,000 glass panels, the Shard was the vision of the late Jewish property developer Irvine Sellar. Other Jewish people responsible for some of the world’s most iconic buildings are Daniel Libeskind, known for the Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany, that opened in 2001 and David Marks, responsible for the London Eye, the British Airways i360 observation tower at Brighton seafront, and the Treetop Walkway at Kew Gardens. Building Lego is a bit like being an architect! Did you know that over 36,000 Lego bricks are moulded every minute?
Q. What’s your favourite building and why?
One of my favourite buildings is the CN Tower in Toronto because it’s the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. When I visited the revolving restaurant near the top, we couldn’t see anything at first because it was so cloudy. However, soon after, I got a great view of the city. The best part was watching planes landing at a nearby airport, and I loved looking through the glass floor. I couldn’t believe how far away the ground was. Some people were too scared to walk on the glass but not me. Peter Showman, age 7, London
GOOD NEWS FOR … Ospreys!
A pair of osprey chicks have been bred for the first time in the UK for hundreds of years. Ospreys were generally considered to be extinct in Britain since the 1800s, so the birth of the chicks on the Bolton Estate in North Yorkshire is cause for celebration and signifies a resurgence of the bird of prey, as the osprey is recovering across several areas of England.
Ospreys are now found breeding in Cumbria, Northumberland, and north and west Wales, and a trust is now trying to reintroduce them to East Anglia as well.
BOOKSHELF
Children’s author Alison Grunwald has written the latest instalment in her popular Whatever Next, Grandma! series. Aimed at children aged 6-9, Grandma Gets a Bump on the Head (Blue Robin Press) follows the adventures of ‘Grandma’, who sustains an egg-sized bump on the head, which leads to a very confusing trip to the supermarket when her words come out backwards! Alison, a grandmother of eight, says: “In this story Grandma is at her most birdbrained, and totally unaware of her startling effect on everyone she talks to. Not surprisingly this doesn’t prevent her from being bossy and demanding. Gertrude, her faithful black and white cat, meanwhile, is doing a brilliant job scaring away the pesky pigeons partying in Grandma’s little garden. She’s had a fantastic idea: “If only their brains could swap over, then Grandma would be a genius – and Gertrude would get some peace and quiet. But with another six Grandma and Gertrude adventures in the pipeline, I can’t make any promises.”
Alison, who is married to Henry Grunwald, president of World Jewish Relief for 46 years, is a former news reporter, radio journalist, counsellor and teaching assistant. She wrote her first Whatever Next, Grandma! book in July 2020, and quickly wrote eleven more stories, which she says were a wonderful respite from concerns about the Covid 19 pandemic.
Grandma Gets a Bump on the Head is published by Blue Robin Press and available to buy on Amazon. alisongrunwald.co.uk
JUST FOR LAUGHS WITH IVOR BADDIEL
What type of Jewish building is full of water?
A swimming shul
WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH – Half Term and beyond!
Literary Festival at the Southbank: One for Tom Gates fans. Head down to the Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival for a free programme of family activities, including a doodling session with illustrator Tom Gates and author Liz Pichon. There’s something for all ages, from poetry games and storytelling to interactive workshops, and the chance to meet a host of other well-known literary stars. October 20-30 southbank.co.uk
Mexican Family Fiesta at Kew Gardens: put your dancing shoes on and immerse yourself in the vibrancy of Mexican culture this half term with a day of fun at Kew Gardens. Activities include dress-up stations, carnival dance workshops, parades and unique art installations in the Temperate House that bring Mexico to life. Runs October 22-31. kew.org
Hocus Pocus for Halloween: for a perfect Halloween treat, the iconic Disney film ‘Hocus Pocus’ (rated PG) will be presented live in concert for the first time in the UK with a nationwide tour. It will feature a screening of the complete film with Emmy®-winning composer John Debney’s musical score performed live to the spooky classic film. Wednesday 26 October at the Eventim Apollo, London. disneytickets.co.uk / eventim.co.uk
Dinosaur World Live: dare to experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family. Meet a host of impressive creatures and there is the chance for a meet and greet following the show. November 1-3. radlettcentre.co.uk
Harry Kane at the Museum of London: Spurs supporters can sdlettcentre.co.uktill head to the Museum of London for an exclusive, free display celebrating Harry Kane, the Tottenham Hotspur striker and England captain. There are rarely-seen personal items, family photos and iconic objects documenting Kane’s career so far. museumoflondon.org.uk
WIN! WIN! WIN!
Have you entered our writing competition yet? You could win an iPad and one for your school! Visit jewishnews.co.uk/wizo-writers-competition/ to find out more but hurry – entries must be in by 31 October.
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