Here, you’ll find thoughts as they come, as they originate from my daily life, or my current inner conversations. They represent my own views, and not the view of my synagogue, or my movement.
Historically, Jews could read and fit into the political landscape with some clarity: the far right was hostile (with its explicit antisemitism), while liberal and left spaces offered refuge and solidarity. Conservative spaces were more complex,...
In April 2025, 36 members of the Board of Deputies of British Jews signed a letter that was published in the Financial Times that criticised the Israeli offensive in Gaza. This sparked months of internal feuds and an inquiry from the Board, and...
As I write these words, the Middle East is once again engulfed in escalation. We are seeing with anguish the exchange of missiles between Israel and Iran. Many of us have families and friends in Israel, and we find ourselves entrapped in painful...
The Name That Emerged from Crisis The term "Judaism" itself was born from crisis. In biblical times, there was no such term. People identified as am Yisrael (the people of Israel), bnei Yisrael (children of Israel), or Yehudim for the inhabitants...
Parashat Naso – KLS – 7 June 2025 / 11 Sivan 5785 First, I would like to thank Rabbi Lev for inviting me to his pulpit for this Shabbat, a pulpit I had the privilege to hold for seven years until last summer. Before me, Rabbi Charley, who is here...
I hesitated to write this. The expressions of personal pain don't always belong in public spaces, and there's something that feels almost indulgent about sharing grief that is so private. But perhaps it's precisely because this experience feels so...
There was a time I believed that if I just explained myself clearly enough, with nuance and compassion, people would understand, even if they disagreed. That faith has been tested in recent months.In February, I returned from a trip to Israel. What...
Someone asked me recently, "What's the purpose of Shavuot?" "Cheesecake" was my immediate answer. There could be a way to teach Jewish holidays by the main food consumed: Pesach, when we avoid chametz; Chanukkah, when we eat latkes and doughnuts;...
Parashat Acharei Mot - Kedoshim - 10 May 2025 / 12 Iyyar 5785 "God spoke to Moses after the death (acharei mot) of the sons of Aaron..." (Lev. 16:1). Our weekly Torah portion begins with these words, "after the death of." There is a life after...