FOSTERING A VIBRANT RENEWAL OF JUDAISM IN POLAND
This Sabbath we begin the Book of Numbers, in Hebrew Bamidbar (In the Desert). At the beginning of Parashat Bamidbar God asks Moses to conduct a census of the twelve tribes of Israel. Moses counts 603,505 men able to bear arms (20 to 60 years); the tribe of Levi, however, numbering 22,300 males aged one month and older, is counted separately.[…]
How does the behavior of individual people determine the life of human communities? This very interesting question, which is especially relevant today, has been tackled by whole generations of philosophers dealing with social relations, by social scientists, social psychologists and other social sciences specialists. Of course this question is extremely vague and there is no […]
Beit Warszawa. 8th. May 2020 – This is a day whose significance cannot be ignored, even if it is a day which has many facets. Officially, on 8th. May 1945, the Third Reich capitulated against the victorious Allied forces represented by Britain (together with its Imperial forces), the United States and the Soviet Union. At the stroke of a pen. Since I come from Britain, live and work in Germany and work also in Poland (even if held geographically distant at present by a new form of Iron Curtain) this is an anniversary that cannot be ignored. As we know – if we bother to listen and learn – this did NOT mean that the […]
Human beings dominated the world initially not by their physical power but by the power of intellect. The physical dominion came long after, with the beginning of the modern, industrial era. Over the centuries of this development we have gained more and more control over the natural environment and other living beings. By the forces of our intellect we won the survival battle with other creatures.[…]
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 […]
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 […]
