A sermon in memory of my father Paul Janes, whose first Yarzheit (in the Hebrew calendar) was this week. We made it to Penarth whilst on holiday. It was a moment of peace after the turmoil of the first half of 2020. I had been to university in Cardiff and Read more…
As lockdown really started to kick in and the challenges of what it meant to not leave your home for days, social isolation, money worries and bereavement, kicked in, organisations, charities and even synagogues were transforming their work. Liberal Judaism pretty much shifted overnight in terms of its work, much Read more…
Many of you will know the famous story of the Maharal of Prague and his Golem – the lump of clay that he animated to be a living-but-not-human-being. The story goes that through mystical incantations and writing the word ‘Emet’ (truth) on its head the Golem came to life. When Read more…
This week I wrote to an academic colleague who is a mentor to me and a friend. I was trying to explain what it means to be a feminist reader of rabbinic literature as a man. The point is not that I only read stories about women or pay attention Read more…
To be – to choose life – to be written in the book of life. A sermon this year for Rosh Hashanah – there’s so much to think about and reflect upon. I’m sure my colleagues will run the full gamut of issues but much as I’m drawn to the Read more…
“It turns out that trust is in fact earned in the smallest of moments. It is earned not through heroic deeds, or even highly visible actions, but through paying attention, listening, and gestures of genuine care and connection.” (from “Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.” by Brené Read more…
ומעץ הדעת טוב ורע… Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat thereof you will surely die. (Genesis 2:17) What happens in the moment of eating of the fruit of the forbidden tree of knowledge Read more…
A B Yehoshua shot me a cheeky look as he reflected on how all the great Zionist thinkers in the early days were writers – Ahad Ha’am, Jabotinsky etc. Here was one of the greatest authors in Israel’s history up close and personal. He was on sublime form as he Read more…
A sermon for a Bar Mitzvah on Chayyei Sarah and #ShowUpForShabbat I’m delighted to welcome first and foremost all of Wylie’s family and friends to this special service when he becomes Bar Mitzvah. This is the moment of responsibility that every Jew is endowed with as they grow up – Read more…
You will know from my recent sermons that I’ve been researching my family tree as a gift to myself for my birthday. I’ve met, on paper at least, the bootmaker, the tailor, the grocer, the judge, the businessman, the tabaco stripper and I’ve walked London, looked up google street view Read more…