Although the novelty of being homebound has worn off, the restrictions and the effects remain. In Israel on Yom HaZikaron many bereaved families feel bereaved yet again that they cannot attend the cemeteries or memorials to their loved ones who fell in battle, and on Yom haAtzma’ut no-one will be dancing a hora. This year […]

Thoughts on Parashat Shemini

Pesach, the festival of freedom, has just ended. The concept of freedom is inextricably linked to the concept of choice. Life brings choices before us, maybe not all the time, but it does, at least most of the time bring us in a position to choose. There are small choices and […]

Sermon for Beit Warszawa 10. APRIL 2020 – This is in all likelihood the strangest Pesach festival in recent Jewish history – and the experience is a worldwide one. The governments of various countries have simply announced – as part of a series of measures including schools and universities but also industries and commerce – […]

Passover – a festival of freedom – has begun. The concept of freedom is one of those concepts that we might think we fully understand or at least know what they’re about. However, the limits of how we might understand freedom are not strictly defined; this is a wide-ranging and deep concept. Also, when we […]

Thoughts on Parashat Vayikra

This week we begin reading Leviticus, the third book of the Torah. Leviticus contains detailed instructions regarding our ancient Temple ritual: animal sacrifice, priesthood, uncleanliness and purity, atonement and holiness. The Torah portion for this week is entirely devoted to animal sacrifices and they are: olah (burnt offering, also known as ascending offering), mincha…

Thoughts on Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei

At the beginning of this week Torah portion Moses commands Israelites to observe Shabbat:
Moses then convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do: On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any…