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Yom Kippur  5780 - Rabbi Celia Surget

Torah scrolls are just like people-they come in all shapes and sizes. There are tall scrolls, and small scrolls, scrolls that are heavier and scrolls that are lighter; scrolls from which we can read easily, and scrolls whose ink has faded a bit, or whose writing is less clear. And all share a common denominator: they were crafted with love and the utmost care and reverence.

One...Read more...

KOL NIDREI 5780 - Cantor Sarah Grabiner

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ROSH HASHANAH 5780 - Rabbi Paul Freedman

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B’HA'ALOT’KHA - Elizabeth Crossick

At first glance, this week’s parasha seems a little remote, a little out of touch with the modern world.

Do we really believe God exists in a white fluffy cloud? Would we behave like those early Israelites and do as we were told? Do we really care about the blowing of trumpets?

Is there anything in this for us, today?

So it was with a bit of a heavy heart that I sat down to try to figure out what relevance I could draw...Read more...

Free Will, Cohanim and Game of Thrones - David Reissner

I recently read a review of a new book that suggests we have far less free will than we think; and our actions are dictated more than we realise by a combination of complex factors including genetics, upbringing, and the society we live in, rather than by independent thought. 

I was mulling over about my apparent lack of free will before catching up with the latest episode of Game of Thrones. Even if you haven’t been watching...Read more...

92% attend a seder! - Irene Blaston

This week’s parashah, Acharei Mot, begins with God speaking to Moses after the death of Aaron’s sons, they had catastrophically got too close to the Eternal. It consists of dire warnings of tragedies that will occur again unless the Priests take certain steps to prevent them. There follows several chapters about being in the right state to approach God including the rites and rituals of atonement, giving the message of “this is what you...Read more...

Creating your Destiny - Jonathan Bergwerk

This week’s Torah reading is very special.  It’s about the actual Exodus moment, when the Israelites succeeded in crossing the border of Egypt.  So what really happened?  Well, just before services I overheard one of our students talking about it to his mother.  "The Rabbi told us how Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt" he said.  "How?" she asked.  The boy replied: "Well Moses was a big strong man...Read more...

Rosh Hashanah   5779  - Rabbi Celia

If you have seen the movie “The Greatest Showman” feel free to let your mind wander for thirty second while I attempt to summarize it. Or you can listen with great care and attention and decide for yourselves if you agree with me.

With music and dancing, the movie tells the ever so slightly Hollywood-ed up life story of P.T. Barnum, the founder of the circus, who defined...Read more...

Erev Rosh Hashanah   5779 - Rabbi Celia 

It is an unverified story- the kind you wish you had paid closer attention to when you heard it perhaps as a fleeting moment on the radio, perhaps watching a random programme on television- as you were really focusing on something else: let’s say, for the sake of the season, trying to successfully get out at least one decent honey cake. The kind of story you think “that could find its place in a sermon” and...Read more...

The Purpose of Ritual - Jonathan Bergwerk

The simple message of this week’s parashah is that the fertility of the land depends on us keeping God’s commands.  God’s protection is triggered by our conduct.  Verses 10 to 12 explain that the lands of Egypt and Israel work differently.  In Egypt, water comes from regular floods and people can use canals to move water to the fields; their survival is under their own control.  But in Israel, water comes from...Read more...

What is Justice?  - Maureen Grossman

My reading is very restricted.

I do not like to read about violence, definitely no torture, no cruelty and no war. I am particularly squeamish about eyes. This means many modern novels have passed me by, many classics and indeed parts of the Bible. So why was I in the library picking up the latest in the violent Millennium Series of novels about Lisbeth Salander? I saw the title “The girl who takes...Read more...

What will the Secret Shul Go-er think? - Irene  Blaston

This week God tells Moses to climb the majestic cloud covered mountain in order to receive the tablets of stone.

Mountains are sites of divine revelation throughout the ancient world even in cultures very different to our and it’s really not difficult to see why. There is something incredibly spiritual about nature – it is often the place where people report feeling closest to God.

I love the outdoors, and whilst I don’t...Read more...

The  commandment to  honour - Laurence Turner

Having recently completed the Reform Judaism lay leaders course, I now find myself presenting my first sermon; not only my first, but Parasha Yitro and the Ten commandments.

For the D’var Torah module, it was explained how each sermon should have an introductory element a main message and then a conclusion. Not too short, and not too long and definitely not more than half an...Read more...

I never knew gender  was an issue - Yom Kippur 5778 - Rabbi Celia Surget

I never knew that gender could be an issue in Judaism. It was not until I started my rabbinic studies in my early twenties that I was made aware of the challenges I might face, of the limitations that could be placed on me in my role as a Rabbi, because of my gender. My childhood rabbi, Francois Garai, one of the most open-minded rabbis I know, never brought it up as an issue.  Sure I knew that some of our...Read more...

"When is good enough?" - Rosh Hashanah  5778 - Rabbi Celia Surget

“As people have contact with items of high quality, they begin to suffer from “the curse of discernment.” The lower quality items that used to be perfectly acceptable are no longer good enough. The hedonic zero point keeps rising, and expectations and aspirations rise with it. As a result, the rising quality of experience is met with rising expectations, and people are just running in place. As long as expectations keep pace with...Read more...

Forecasts or prophecies - Jack Alvarez 

As a physicist, I wish to make two predictions:

 Halley’s Comet will next come closest to the sun in July 2061.

Tomorrow’s weather... will be here.

Are all forecasts prophecies? Are solving scientific equations and interpreting the results anything more than modern approaches to fortune telling? More on this in a while.

In many ways, Deuteronomy chapters 12 and 13 are an explanation, and an...Read more...

What is our justice?  - David Reissner

We in Britain are going through a troubling year.  Terrorist attacks, the uncertainty following the General Election and, of course, the Grenfell Tower fire.  Sometimes, we just want to look for escapism.

When it comes to escapism, we Brits, we love a good murder.  We are fascinated by killing. When I was a teenager, I enjoyed reading Agatha Christie books. Then, Raymond Chandler.  We watch Morse, or Scandi Noir...Read more...

Belief or Faith - Robert Wiltshire

1973 was in many ways a good year : The 1st female jockey to win a horse race in the USA,The open university awarded its first degrees, women were admitted to the floor of the Stock Exchange for the first time, and the Austin Allegro was launched and the cod war ended . But it has to be said in terms of fashion and music it really left a lot to be desired. My Barmitzvah was on the 28th July of that year and I have to tell you...Read more...

Exodus 32 / Numbers  19 - Susan Zonneveld

THE GOLDEN CALF – as we just heard in the first Torah reading, Moses was furious with the people of Israel for worshiping and subsequently believing in an idol.  In this case, a golden calf. As we all know, in our faith we don't "do" idols - there is only one God, although the children of Israel didn't yet know that.

I have however tried to look at the Israelites dilemma...Read more...

Free Will ? - Maureen Grossman

Did you choose to come to synagogue this morning?

Did those who stayed away choose not to come?

Did we make a choice of our own free will? Do we have free will?

Like many others I have been attending Jonathan Bergwerk’s sessions on Audacious Jews. During a discussion on the philosophy of Spinoza I found myself wondering if we really do have free will or are our so...Read more...

Genesis 45 - Richard Burn

Families, tensions & reconciliations.

Shabbat shalom and, although we’re almost one week into it already, a happy new year to you all.

As with any New Year, everyone hopes for the best and looks forward to what the New Year will bring. Many of us will have made New Year resolutions, some of which will be kept and some of which won’t. Over the recent break, many of us will have spent extended times with our family, both...Read more...

Genesis  33 - Robert Wiltshire

Jacob, Esau & Peanut Butter Sandwiches

This is the third version of this sermon. And as I am writing it there may even come a fourth but...Read more...

Vayetse – Genesis 29:15-30 – Jonathan Bergwerk

A Jewish Response to the Post Truth Society 

I think it’s fascinating to learn how...Read more...

Noach – Genesis 9:1-17 – Irene Blaston

Rainbows & Making a Difference

Even though I’m definitely not what you could call...Read more...

B’reishit – Genesis 3:1-21 – Julian Anthony

We celebrated the New Year, cleansed our souls during the Day of Atonement, enjoyed the fresh air and fruits during the time in our sukkahs and have commenced reading the Torah from the beginning all over again.

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Ha’azinu – Barry Hyman

So all the Al chet-ing, the self flagellation – if you still follow the custom of beating on your heart as we recite it, as I see our rabbis and a few congregants do [I haven’t since I left Egerton Road United 50 years ago] – is past. To paraphrase approximately...Read more...

Yom Kippur 5777 – Rabbi Celia Surget

In 1955, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote the following words: “As civilization advances the sense of wonder declines. Such decline is an alarming symptom of our state of mind. Humankind will not perish for want of information; but only for want of...Read more...

Kol Nidre 5777 – Rabbi Paul Freedman

I mentioned on Rosh Hashanah that last month I was at a two-day seminar with other Jewish lay-leaders and professionals, including four of us from this community. I explained that one of the initiatives of the Reform Movement, launched at...Read more...

Erev Rosh Hashanah 5777 -Fractal Community – Rabbi Paul Freedman

 A couple of weeks ago I was at a two day seminar with other Jewish lay-leaders and professionals, including four of us from this community. One of the initiatives of the Reform Movement, launched at this summer’s chagigahconference, is...Read more...

Deut.9:1-19 EIKEV. What is Torah? – Maureen Grossman

Today we have read from the Torah. Do we sometimes stop to ask what exactly is the Torah?

Some believe that the Torah is the word of God, literally, and work hard to justify some of the more unpleasant aspects of the writings.Read more...

Va-‘Ethannan Deut. 3:23 – 4:8. – Jonathan Bergwerk

Why did you come to shul today? Maybe because you have a Yahrzeit or are wardening. Perhaps you came to meet friends. Maybe it’s the lure of the fish balls at Kiddush.

One reason we probably should come is to pray. The three names we have for our shul are the house of community, the house of study and the house of prayer. Well we all know how to meet and socialise and Radlett is pretty good at that. We have all experienced study and...Read more...

Numbers 33:1-10. Jewish Journeys & Connections – Irene Blaston

Did the parasha today take you back to your primary school days? You know, where the first English lesson after the long summer break was always to write something about your holiday and where you went – hopefully we all wrote somewhat more descriptively about the...Read more...

Parashat Balak – The Lion, the Witch & the Aron Kodesh – Student Rabbi Hannah Kingston

Looking into the inside, she saw several coats hanging up – mostly long fur coats. There was nothing Lucy liked so much as the smell and feel of fur. She immediately stepped into the wardrobe and got in among the coats and rubbed her face against them, leaving the door open, of course, because she knew that it is very foolish to shut oneself into any wardrobe. Soon she went...Read more...

Shavuot sermon 5776 – Elizabeth Crossick, Chair

SERMON FOR SHAVUOT 2016

The fridge is full of curd cheese and eggs. It is the ritual of the cheesecake, the time of year my husband takes over the kitchen. I don’t do deserts and I don’t make them either, but he loves them especially the good old cheesecake.

So out comes the little used man-apron and the ceremony of The Making of the Cheesecake. Which is then followed by the Praising of the Cheesecake and finally the...Read more...

Tue, 19 March 2024 9 Adar II 5784