Two years ago, it seemed very strange to me that I had learned almost nothing about the Flu epidemic of 1918-19 at school. The second deadliest epidemic of all time, second only to the Black Death of the 14th Century, seemed to have been erased from our collective consciousness, reduced to foot notes in volumes […]
Words from the Rabbi – Shavuot 5782
Every Friday, we light Betty’s candlesticks. My grandma Daisy passed away when I was twelve and a year or so later, we adopted an honorary grandma into our family – her name was Betty, and just as we needed a grandmother around, she needed some grandchildren. Her own granddaughter was living far away in Japan and […]
Words from the Rabbi – Pesach 5782
“Doesn’t it get a bit depressing after a while?” That was the question I was asked this week when discussing the seder. We were looking at the line “Next year in Jerusalem!”, and thinking about how we always look forward that perhaps next year the Messiah will have come, that perhaps the world will be […]
Words from the Rabbi – Vayikra 5782
I’ve known days when a passing sight Was window to the infinite. -From ‘Roots’, by Thomas Sharp in “Behold, this Dreamer!” ed. Walter de la Mare Sometimes it’s the small things that matter, the small things that we can hold on to, tiny things that can give us a glimpse of the infinite. […]
Words from the Rabbi – Terumah 5782
I’ve been a great believer in education, especially for children. That’s why before I went to rabbinical school I spent two years in Manchester, first getting my teaching qualification then teaching Religious Studies at Manchester Grammar School. It felt really important to me that if I was going to be working in a community, that […]
Words from the Rabbi: Ha’azinu 5780
Shana tova! I stepped out of our Yom Kippur services last night on a real spiritual high. I had found our service moving and up-lifting. I always love Yom Kippur, but each year, as I look around the congregation and see a mix of new and familiar faces, I’m always freshly moved that so many […]
Words from the Rabbi: Shoftim 5779
This summer, thanks to my in-laws looking after our kids, my wife Shoshi and I were able to take a couple of days off and to visit the town of Rye in Sussex. It’s a wonderful little place and very close to the Camber sands beach. In the evening, we took the bus down towards […]
Words from the Rabbi: Matot-Masei 5779
This month I’m trying something new, writing to all the members of New Stoke Newington Shul to share some thoughts about the week and the Torah reading. I plan to send these out roughly once a month – let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions. “Where we had thought to travel outward, […]