As the sun set this evening, the Hebrew month of Nissan began. The moon is dark at the start of every new month. In two weeks’ time, it will be full, and Jewish congregations the world over will gather round our dining tables for the Pesach Seder, and recount the tale of the Exodus from […]
Two key passages in this week’s parashah, Torah portion, Ki Tissa, in Exodus chapter 31, contain elements which may be alien to Liberal Jews: God’s dwelling place on earth, the skilfully crafted sanctuary and its sacred vessels feels totally remote from the world of endlessly expendable objects we inhabit; the threat of punishment of death […]
GOING OUT AND COMING IN AND GOING OUT AGAIN: THE BAT MITZVAH OF MIRIAM SEGAL We have come here today, not simply to celebrate Shabbat. We have come here today, in particular, to celebrate Miriam Segal, as she becomes Bat Mitzvah, literally, ‘a Daughter of the Commandment’. We have come here to witness a special […]
BEING YOUR OWN PERSON – THE BAT MITZVAH OF CHAVIVAH Every Bar or Bat Mitzvah is a unique and special occasion, and every Bat or Bar Mitzvah is a unique and special individual. And yet, there is something particularly unique and particularly special, both, about this occasion and about this individual. Chavivah: here you are today. […]
As the new Year Approaches: Stationed and Ready to Go? The season known colloquially as, ‘the High Holy Days’ has arrived. This evening at 9 PM I will lead a study session on ‘The conditions for Forgiveness’, which will be followed by the unique S’lichot service, with its evocative rehearsal of the themes of confession […]
Challenging Autocracy What have been your thoughts about the upheavals going on in the Arab world? Are you pleased that the peoples of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Syria have been rising up against their autocratic rulers? Are you thinking that if the Palestinians also took to the streets in large numbers that might […]
Living in the Wilderness What are your thoughts about the lack of rain over the past few weeks? I’m not very keen on rain myself, but when you have a garden, the absence of natural water descending from the heavens during the spring time, is a considerable problem. And what about the farmers? If we […]
Bah Mitvah Jacob Swirsky This week our regular Shabbat morning service has a very special quality as we celebrate the moment that Jacob leaves his childhood behind and becomes Bar Mitzvah. In a profound sense, although Jacob only began actively preparing for today, just six months ago, he has been on a journey to this […]
As I mentioned at the beginning of the service, sadly, three of our members died during the past week: Cyril Davidson and shul President, Ivor Miskin, and L’Chayyim volunteer, Pam Magrill, finally let go, yesterday in the late afternoon – zichronam livrachah, may their memory be for blessing. Each one of these unique and precious […]
A few moments ago, the person standing here in the pulpit, leading the Shabbat Morning Service, was a young woman: Kate Goffi. Today, we are witnessing the moment when Kate becomes a bat mitzvah, literally, a ‘daughter of the commandment’, and by standing before us, signals that she is taking responsibility for her own Jewish life, and […]