Friday 24th of May 2024 16th Iyar Shabbat Shalom. Hardly a Shabbat of sweetness and calm for those of us who saw the short and terrifying video of the capture of the young Israeli women and the savagery of Hamas toward them. I forced myself to watch, but behind my horror at what I saw…

17th May 2024 Day 224 of October Shabbat Shalom dear friends. This has been a week that left me so exhausted, and for so many reasons, that I just hope I’m able to talk to you with some sense of reason.  A war is going on around us, the policies of our current government mean…

10th of May 2024 Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Yes I really think of you as friends, even those of you I haven’t met! It’s strange but you have become my catalyst for rational thought. When I write to you I have no choice but to think in a rational, pragmatic manner because otherwise you may…

6th of May, 2024 28th Nissan 5784 Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel A few minutes ago, Zvi and I stood outside in the rain, the skies weeping with us as the wail of the siren echoed our sadness, the siren whose wail brought Israel to attention. Today is the Hebrew date, the 28th…

3rd of May, 2024 Shabbat Shalom, I wish you a quiet weekend Where do I start? Students, George Soros, Iran, Police, demonstrations, hate, more hatred, and even more hatred? I suppose I should begin with the Students. Let’s face it, students demonstrate against power, always have, always will. In fact they demonstrate against almost anything…

26th April, 2024 October the 203rd Shabbat Shalom, Moadim le Simcha (what one says in the middle days of a festival wishing joy) I hope that your Passover Seder was meaningful and introduced a little joy into our complex lives. I promise to tell you all about our Seder later, but want to begin with…

19th April 2024 11th Nissan, 5784 195 days since October 7th Tonight we begin Shabbat haGadol, the great Shabbat, directly before Pesach. We read from Leviticus 14 – 16 and learn all about Elijah whose role in Judaism and Pesach are fundamental. Shabbat Shalom to all who care, Shabbat shalom to all who believe in…

12th April 2024 Shabbat Shalom dear friends, Shabbat Shalom and Eid Mubarak I hope this missive finds you well, undoubtedly disturbed but well. I decided to begin with a quote from Rabbi Jeremy Rosen’s missive of the week rather than my own because what he wrote today is so incredibly pertinent. It is the story…

5th April, 2024 181 days since October 7th Shabbat Shalom, Blessed Easter week and Ramadan Kareem OK, Let’s jump right in. It was a tragedy when the World Central Kitchen truck was hit and aid workers killed. It was a tragic mistake and one that will be thoroughly investigated. We have apologised, our President Herzog…

29th of March 2024 Shabbat Shalom, a blessed Good Friday and a Holy Easter. I remember the time when we used to think it funny to say “Chaos reigns and we all get wet” but I stopped laughing on October 7th. Chaos reigns in an ever confused and threatening world. Chaos in a world of…