TO LEAD AND TO SERVE King Charles’ Coronation has been a rich feast of symbolism, some of it drawn from biblical sources. Last week, we referred to the Jewish roots of the anointing of a monarch. For thousands of years, we have crowned kings in a ceremony to mark their investiture. The Book of Chronicles...
G-D SAVE THE KING It has clearly been a matter of great importance to King Charles that the Chief Rabbi can attend his Coronation even though it was going to be on Shabbat. Extensive arrangements have been provided for the Chief Rabbi to accommodate his Shabbat needs. He and Valerie will spend Friday night at...
BIODIVERSITY An incoming EU law plans to ban the sale of products made or based on land that was deforested. Whilst this law wouldn’t apply to the UK, because of Brexit, it shows how seriously many governments are taking the challenge of biodiversity loss. Hundreds of thousands of different species of animals and plants are facing...
WORDS AT THE WALL This Shabbat is Rosh Chodesh Iyar. During the course of this month, we will celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary of independence and Jerusalem’s 56th anniversary of reunification. As well as being momentous occasions of celebration and thanksgiving, these days have given rise to wonderful Jewish music. A prime example is the song,...
THE EIGHTH DAY Our parasha this week, Shemini, “the eighth day”, describes a stark scene. A community enjoying the simcha of the dedication of the Tabernacle, is suddenly plunged into tragedy with the death of Aaron’s elder two sons, Nadav and Avihu. Our Jewish world, likewise, in the midst of its Pesach celebration has been...
PESACH THOUGHTS “And G-d will pass over the opening” (Exodus 12:23) We are told in the Haggadah that in every generation we should try and picture ourselves as if we are leaving Egypt. The Chassidic writers point out that this is not simply an exercise in imagination. We too, can benefit, in some ways, from...
