London is crying out for a new modern Orthodox high school
There is a crying need in the London Jewish community for a state-funded secondary school which is committed to a tolerant and inclusive modern Orthodoxy. A school which would provide a counter-voice...
View ArticleThe DIY spirit that is defying the impact of religious recession
The first night of Pesach conveniently fell on a Friday night this year, making it easier for many people to organise a Seder. But if it had fallen on a Tuesday or Wednesday, some would not have...
View ArticleWould Louis Jacobs have made a difference as Chief Rabbi?
Louis Jacobs was the last kind of Anglo-Jewish rabbi who was a rational thinker, an outstanding academic and a traditional talmudist; an alumnus of the Gateshead Kollel and a pupil of the outstanding...
View ArticleStreaming Shabbat services can be a tonic for hospital patients
After more than 11 weeks in various hospitals I am, hopefully, on the way to recovery. It has been very strange being "on the other side of the bed", so to speak, after 35 years as a congregational...
View ArticleIn India, women had their own space for hearing the Torah
The women's section, the ezrat nashim, is the most prominent feature distinguishing Orthodox synagogues from those of other movements. Orthodox men and women pray separately and, in almost all cases,...
View ArticleWe need more Jewish schools rather than just schools for Jews
Current discussion about Jewish free schools has centred on one aspect: their admissions policy. Under the regulations, they can reserve only half their places for Jewish children and, in theory, the...
View ArticleFrom the ashes of despair on Tishah b'Av comes a ray of hope
Korach was one of the villains of the Bible. He fomented a coup against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of arrogance, of despotic exploitation of the people. "All the congregation are holy and God is in...
View ArticleIs there an exorcist in the house? What rabbis felt about ghosts
Spectres and haunted houses are back in Hollywood fashion. After the return of Ghostbusters, a new band of spirit-chasers go after the paranormal in The Ghost Team. While both films are comedies, BBC's...
View ArticleHow the children of Israel are multiplying in Africa and Asia
A few months ago a group of more than 100 people dipped beneath the waters of a river in Madagascar. They had not gone simply to bathe; they were performing ritual immersion to complete the...
View ArticleBirth of a new tradition: Masorti ceremonies for same-sex couples
To any observer, it will look like a Jewish marriage service: the chupah, the sheva berachot, the breaking of the glass. But when Micki Pearlman and Kierra Colker consecrate their relationship at a...
View ArticleThe fiery furnace I witnessed on 9/11
Terror is becoming a daily news item. In the past year we have seen major attacks in Belgium, France, Iraq, Syria, Turkey and the USA. There have been many smaller attacks in countless other countries....
View ArticleDining Bible-style: quail and crispy caramel-dipped locusts
When we think of traditional Jewish cuisine, what normally comes to mind is gefilte fish and chicken soup. But if we look at the Bible, we see a far broader range of creatures that feature on the menu....
View ArticleSometimes words aren't enough to capture the meaning of prayer
Allow me to introduce you to Rosie (not her real name). Rosie is a funny and engaging young woman whose favourite food is macaroni cheese. Interacting with Rosie can prove challenging as she has...
View ArticleTake a deep breath for Rosh Hashanah
On a hot summer's day at the end of August, I climbed mount Hohliecht. I was on holiday in Switzerland with family and friends. Rising 2,168 metres above sea level, it took four of us more than three...
View ArticleBecome an angel for a day -by fasting on Yom Kippur
Can you picture a photograph of yourself as an angelic young child? One in which your face bursts with innocence and excitement.Tim Lott, the Guardian writer, recently quoted George Orwell's challenge...
View ArticleHorn of Plenty
It is one of the most recognised sounds in Jewish life. And, whether dedicated shul-goers or three-times-a-year types, we all stand to attention when we hear it. I am talking, of course, of the sound -...
View ArticleStuck with luck
Instead of congratulations, Jews tend to wish each other "mazeltov" - "good luck" with the emphasis on "good". Fortunes, as Jews know only too well, can be easily reversed. Luck is a dicey...
View ArticleWhen a temporary shelter gives us our best hope of security
Of all the festivals, Succot is surely the one that speaks most powerfully to our time. Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) could almost have been written in the 21st century. Here is the ultimate success, the man...
View ArticleWhy number eight has a special role in the search for happiness
In 2006 an Israeli post-doc, Tal Ben Shahar, broke Harvard University's record for having the most popular undergraduate course in its history. His topic: positive psychology, the science of...
View ArticleThe Chief Rabbi's India initiative is a distraction from local needs
When Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and his wife Valerie visited India earlier this year, they were moved by the unimaginable poverty they witnessed. It prompted them to establish a new project to enable...
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