The case for King David

All major Biblical personalities are described as being imperfect beings. Read more

Shabbat Vayigash: Failed priests

When Pharaoh accepted Yosef’s interpretation of his dreams and his advice to Pharaoh on how to prepare for it, he was given the opportunity to prepare for the approaching catastrophe. Read more

Shabbat Mikeyts: Was Joseph Fair?

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Forced conversions

As we come to the end of Chanukah, apart from the heroics, there is another side to the Hasmoneans I  am not particularly proud of. Read more

Shabbat Vayeyshev: Favouritism

“And Israel loved Yosef more than his other sons because he (Yosef) was born in his (Yaakov’s) old age”( Genesis 37: 3). Read more

Why celebrate Chanukah?

For some, Chanukah is just a Jewish answer to Xmas. But why do we make such a fuss of it? Isn’t it just glorifying militarism? Read more

Shabbat Vayishlach: Bad Company

Jacob fled the corrosive atmosphere in Laban’s house. But secretly his beloved Rachel took with her, the teraphim, the household gods of her father. Read more

Discipline

We live at a time when discipline is regarded as a bad word and a destructive educational policy. Read more

Shabbat Vayeytzey : Angels

Angels figure prominently in Jacob’s life. As he runs away from Esau, he sleeps and dreams. He sees angels climb up and down a ladder. Read more

A man of substance

I love to get feedback. Even when it is critical. Given the range of human opinions that’s hardly surprising. But there is one criticism I feel the need to respond to. Read more

Can one love God?

The Torah talks a lot about love, love of God, love our neighbours, and love the stranger. Read more

Shabbat Toldot: A perfect marriage?

The marriage of Isaac and Rebecca appears on the surface to have been a perfect one. Read more

The lost world of American Jews

Irving Howe, in 1976, wrote the “World of Our Fathers.” It pays tribute to the American Jewish world of the nineteenth and twentieth century which was re-shaped by the massive immigration from Eastern Europe. Read more

Shabbat Hayey Sarah: Say what you mean

This week’s Torah reading has a subtle undercurrent of a theme. Never take what people say at face value! Read more

Shabbat Vayera: Not Lot

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The last Jew in Afghanistan

For several years now Zebulon Simantov, “The last Jew in Afghanistan,” has garnered sympathetic press attention. Read more

Shabbat Lech Lecha: No one is Perfect

Abraham is the first, full character study in the Torah. Read more

Shabbat Noach: The Curse of Canaan

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American culture

The debacle in Afghanistan has proved how difficult it is to change another country’s culture. Read more

Shabbat Bereishit

After the first chapter of Genesis describes the creation of the physical universe, the rest of the book goes on to deal with the often-ambivalent relationships with God and other human beings. Read more

Carmel School Bulawayo

My late father left his position as Principal Rabbi of the Federation of Synagogues in London to realize his dream of establishing a Jewish school that would combine the best of secular education with a good Jewish education and religious experience. He became a spokesman for Jewish education at a time when it was not only unfashionable but perceived as an impediment to integration and success in life.  Read more

Durban 4 Disgrace

The “World Conference against Racism Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance”, was founded by the United Nations, after the Second World War and the Holocaust. Read more

A different kind of festival

The ancient festival of Sukkot has three elements to it. There is the Sukah itself, the Arba’ah Minim, the Four Plants, Geshem, the prayers for rain and Simchah, the command to celebrate and be happy, and added later, the rejoicing over the Torah. Read more

A day like no other

The Torah says of Yom Kippur, “For this day will atone for you, to cleanse you of your sins and you will be purified before God.” (Leviticus 16.30). Read more

Why God hides: Shabbat Shuvah and Shabbat Vayeyleh

The Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is always called the Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat of Return. Read more

Shabbat Nitzavim

In the short reading this week Moses addresses the whole of the Israelite community, men, women, and children. Read more

Shmitah

No, this is not a misprint. A Shmutteh is a rag in Yiddish. Whereas Shmitah is a genuine Hebrew word. Our New Year starts on September 7^th (5782 in the Jewish calendar) and ushers in the new Sabbatical year. In Hebrew the word for the Sabbatical is Shmitah. The release. What is it? Is it in any way relevant now? Read more

Appeasement

I was brought up to despise the word appeasement. It was the ideology favoured by much of the British aristocracy and political leaders before the Second World War. Read more

Shabbat Ki Tavo

Why do we do things in life? Is it to get some kind of reward? Read more

Royalty

I am amazed that so many Americans are enamoured with the British Monarchy and with its least impressive of its scions who hog the headlines precisely because of their limitations. Read more

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