Articles archive
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Thought for the Day: Tisha B’Av 2021
“If we cannot look back on our past with honesty and humility, we are destined to repeat our worst mistakes.” It is said that Napoleon Bonaparte, when passing a small Read more... -
Devarim: Can one ever graduate from Jewish education?
Transcript: Can one ever graduate from Jewish education? In Parshat Devarim, Moshe brings the words of Hashem to the Israelite nation, then at Chorev, which is Mount Sinai. Hashem said Read more... -
Matot-Massei: Pack this in your bags – it doesn’t weigh anything
Transcript When travelling, the most important thing to take with us doesn’t weight anything at all. Now that at long last many of us can think about travelling once again, Read more... -
Pinchas: The best invitation ever
Transcript It’s one of the best invitations you’ll ever get. Parshat Pinchas includes within it details of our major festivals, and the Torah calls them by the term ‘mikra kodesh’ Read more... -
Thought for the Day: Shavuot 2021
“The most profound challenges can only be overcome when we act selflessly together.” Would we call the summit of a mountain ‘the climb’ or the World Cup Final the qualifying Read more... -
Shavuot: Which festival has the most surprising name?
Transcript Which festival has the most surprising name? For me, the answer is definitely Shavuot. Why do I say that? In Parshat Re’eh (Devarim 16:16), the Torah gives us the Read more... -
Acharei Mot Kedoshim: Holiness is probably not what you think
Transcript What is holiness? When we hear the term holy, we conjure up all types of images in our mind but actually the concept of kedusha, holiness, is quite Read more... -
Tazria-Metzora: A Torah view on cancel culture
Transcript When is it important to call a spade a spade? In Parshat Noach (Bereishit 7:2) the Torah gives us details of the animals brought onto Noah’s Ark: “Min habehema Read more... -
A moment in history
Covid-19 has created a fundamental rupture in the fabric of our communal life, disrupting our established infrastructure and institutions. In my inaugural address as Chief Rabbi in 2013, I made Read more... -
Shemini: The surprising value of self-doubt
Transcript: If you think that you’re not good enough, perhaps that’s the very reason why you’re the best person for the job. We learn this from Parshat Shemini. Hashem had Read more...