1 day agoBen and Jerry for Kiddush!Like many Diaspora Jews of my generation, I have been taught to hate “the settlers”. You know: those Israeli Jews who live beyond the Green Line, in Judea and Samaria, also known as “Occupied Territories”, where a Palestinian State was supposed to be born after the Oslo Accords. I was…Torah7 min read
Jun 25Moses was not good at politics. On Parashat KorachHere’s the thing. Moses was not good at politics. In the Torah reading, Moses, the most outstanding personality in Jewish history, the man who led the Israelites out of Egypt, was quite a strange leader. He remarkably lacked political skills. In this week’s Torah portion, Moses is challenged by Korach…Torah5 min read
Jun 18IN MEMORY OF ABRAHAM B. YEHOSHUA. ON PARASHAT SHLACHIN MEMORY OF ABRAHAM B. YEHOSHUA. ON PARASHAT SHLACH We used to call them “the Trimurti” of the Israeli literary scene: David Grossman, Amos Oz and A.B. Yehoshua, who passed away last week, may his memory be for a blessing. They were the Israeli writers who come to maturity one…Israel6 min read
May 28What shall we celebrateLadies and gentlemen, we have a problem. Or rather two. This coming week we have two happy dates, yet complicated.Monarchy6 min read
May 14On Classical Reform Judaism and its aftermathI will be blunt. It’s a tragedy. In Rabbinic seminaries, the #metoo movement is exploding all around the world. Former students of the Orthodox flagship, Yeshiva University, have recently revealed how they have been molested by prominent Rabbis since the 1960s. Sex offenders had been allowed to continue teaching in…Judaism7 min read
Apr 30Shabbat Atzmaut 5782There is a bit of a problem at the beginning of this week’s Torah portion. Leviticus 19:3 “You shall each revere your mother and your father, and keep my Sabbaths, I the Eternal am your God”. These are two very important commandments — honouring the parents and keeping Shabbat. But…Israel5 min read
Apr 24“Let my people go” and the missing bitFirst Shabbat after Pesach. It is safe to say that this is not the most attended service of the year. There are several reasons for that. The first is what I call the Pass-over Hangover. We have had, in rapid succession: Pesach -one Seder at home, then service here the…Judaism5 min read
Apr 9Ukraine and Palestine. And HametzA sermon for Pesach haGadol 5782 As Pesach is approaching, I want to give some advice for the Pesach cleaning. But, before that, let me say a couple of words about what’s happening in Ukraine. What’s the narrative of this war? It’s pretty straightforward. …Judaism6 min read
Mar 31To The Most Revd Justin Welby, Archbishop of CanterburyYour Grace, On a Sabbath day in March 1959, John XXIII stopped the papal procession to bless the Jews at the exit of the Great Synagogue in Rome. That simple gesture was the beginning of a new era in the history of interfaith relations. That episode came to mind when…Anti Semitism3 min read
Mar 19From Purim to PesachFROM PURIM TO PESACH Some months ago, a prominent British Jewish intellectual called me a sex addict, “like all Italians” on Twitter. It was an excruciating moment: being targeted by racism is never a pleasant experience. But, also, -as any mental health professional knows, the reference was tasteless. Sex addiction…Purim6 min read
