Rosh Hashanah Sermon 2010

"The only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey....and the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it."  (Winnie the Pooh in 'The House at Pooh Corner')

Honey is perhaps the original superfood. Mesolithic rock paintings in Spain that are thought to be over 10,000 years old show women collecting honey from a wild bee nest. Since then, in every part of the world, people have kept bees, collecting their honey and using its delicious natural sweetness in baking and cooking, in drinks and deserts and, of course, drizzled on apples.


For nearly 3,000 years, honey has been used for its medicinal qualities; as an antiseptic for cuts and burns; as an antibiotic for infections and sore throats; as an antiallergenic for pollen-related hayfever; and more recently, as an antioxidant for boosting the body's defenses against serious illness. Certain varieties, like New Zealand Manuka Honey, have become incredibly popular in recent years as an all-round healing miracle food.

Rabbinic Ordination Speech, July 2011

In December 2004, I filled in an application form to join the Rabbinical programme at Leo Baeck College.  "Question E3:  Please state your reasons for wishing to enter the progressive Rabbinate."

My response was based on Hillel's famous idiom: Im ein ani li, mi li?  Uch'sh'ani li ma ani?  Im lo achshav, eimatai?  If I am not for myself, who will be for me?  When I am only for myself, what am I?  If not now, when?

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?  

Having rediscovered a passion for Judaism and Jewish community through my academic studies towards a degree in theology and through meeting Rabbi Margaret Jacobi and becoming involved with Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, I wanted the opportunity to fill my days with Jewish learning.

Challenging Fashion on Parashat Tetzaveh

Isaac Bashevis Singer once said: “What a strange power there is in clothing.”  Fashion magazines, makeover shows and Trinny and Susanna tell us the same thing.  From 80s power-dressing to the classic understatement, the message is clear – you are what you wear!

This week, God instructs Moses to make the priestly clothing for Aaron and his sons ‘for honour and for adornment’ (Exodus 28:2).  Employing only the most skilful craftsmen, Moses is to have vestments made for the community leaders who will serve God as priests; ‘a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a fringed tunic, a headdress, and a sash’ (Exodus 28:4).  And the vestments are to be made of only the finest materials: ‘gold; blue, purple, and crimson yarns; and fine linen' (Exodus 28:5).

It would seem that God agrees with Trinny and Susanna!  It is very important that the priestly clothing is not only suitable and functional but also aesthetically beautiful; one could even say glamorous.  The rich colours and textures, the dramatic headdress and sash, the elaborate fringes and jewellery; would have gone together to create a remarkable fashion statement.

Some Toilet Talk for Parashat Ki Tetze 2011

There is a Jewish custom that one does not think about God or sacred things on the toilet.  As far as I know, however, the custom does not work both ways and it is permissible to think about the toilet in God's sacred spaces.  So I will proceed with caution with my sermon.

As far back as I can remember, I have been aware of the battle of the toilet seat.  My mother used to chastise my father and later on my brother for leaving the toilet seat up!  At university, we lived in a mixed house in our second but we made sure there was a girls' bathroom and a boys' bathroom to avoid an inevitable conflict over the positioning of the toilet seat.

For many years, I only lived with female flatmates and was surprised and quite put-out every time a male visitor had the audacity to leave our toilet seat in its upright position.  It is, it would seem, an unwinnable battle that began when the modern toilet was invented by Thomas Crapper in 1861 and will continue for as long as we continue to need toilets (which, I assume, will be forever).