Omer Counting 2025
The Omer marks our journey from freedom to purpose — day by day, step by step. Download your free counting sheet now from my website and join the tradition of sacred time.
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
RabbiAdrian
The Holiness of Showing Up: A Shabbat Sermon on Nearness and Connection
In this special interfaith Shabbat sermon for Parashat Vayikra, Rabbi Adrian M. Schell reflects on the meaning of korban, often translated as “sacrifice”, and its deeper message of karov, nearness. What does it mean to truly draw close to one…
Bak, Buk, and the Great Purim Heist
Wasn’t that a great Purim weekend? Such fun. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to a great celebration. By the way, did you notice this year’s most ambitious, albeit ill-fated, heist attempt? Our two ever-mischievous Minions, Bak and…
In the Shadow of Beauty
Shabbat Ki Tissa brings us face to face with a rare figure in our tradition—Bezalel, an artist whose name itself means “in the shadow of God.” Bezalel’s job was special: crafting the Tabernacle, creating beauty as an act of holiness.…
Rabbi, do you believe in God?
‘I hear that nowadays Rabbis don’t have to believe in God – Rabbi, do you believe in God?’ You know, this question comes up surprisingly often in my life as a rabbi. Sometimes it’s asked earnestly, other times it’s more…
The real test of morality
There’s a reason we come back to the following teaching again and again: Love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. It’s the most often repeated commandment in the Torah—more than keeping Shabbat, more than kashrut,…
A Thought for Shabbat: The Mystery of God’s Name
Have you ever wondered about the profound mystery of calling someone’s name? Names are magical, aren’t they? They’re more than just sounds—they’re connections, bridges between hearts and souls. In our Jewish tradition, we find something wonderfully intriguing about God’s name.…
Jewish Perspectives on the Assisted Dying Debate
As the assisted dying debate is currently being discussed in Parliament, I wanted to share a summary of Jewish perspectives on this important and complex topic. The attached paper offers an overview of how Judaism approaches the sanctity of life,…
We will dance again—Simchat Torah 5785
On Simchat Torah, we gather,with hearts heavy,remembering those taken from us,in the fields where life once bloomed.Kibbutzim quieted by sorrow,echo with voices we still hear,their absence a wound, raw and open. We hold in prayerthose still lost in the shadows,abducted,…
Taking Responsibility in the Age of AI
Join Rabbi Adrian M. Schell as he delivers a thought-provoking, and at times light-hearted, sermon during the Neilah service at Wimbledon Synagogue. He explores the balance between human responsibility and technological advancement. In this heartfelt Yom Kippur sermon, Rabbi Schell…