Shanah Tovah
Message from the Rabbi This Shabbat is a time of endings and new beginnings: It is the last Shabbat of 5776, Jessica’s Bat Mitzvah, and the Torah cycle is nearly finished. We are bidding farewell to the past, and moving forward…
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
RabbiAdrian
What South African Progressive Jews have to say about Progressive Identity
In time for the High Holy Days the newest issue of the SAAPR Journal has been published. The journal collects contributions from Monica Solomon, Rabbi Schell, Prof Bilchitz, Merle Williams, Rabbi Alexander, James Lomberg and Rabbi Shaked. A copy of the journal can…
Parashat Ki Tavo: I forgive you as you forgive me
Only 10 more days until we celebrate the beginning of the New Jewish Year 5777. As mentioned in previous weeks, during this ‘season’ of the year, all of us are engaged in a kind of soul search; investigating whether we…
Parashat Ki Teitzei: Remember Amalek!
Our parasha ends with the commandment to remember. We are asked to remember what Amalek did to us. Amalek is in Jewish tradition the sworn enemy who attacked the Israelites in their weakest moment, right after the liberation from slavery,…
Parashat Shoftim: How am I to face God on Rosh Hashanah?
We stand only three weeks away from the Jewish New Year, thoughts of Teshuva beginning to confront us: What should I concentrate on this year? How am I to face God on Rosh Hashanah? Has this been a positive year?…
Rosh Chodesh Elul: Not fear, but love!
This coming Shabbat is also the beginning of a new Month. It is the last month of the Jewish year, the last one before the High Holy Days. According to tradition, the month of Elul is the time that Moses…
Parashat Eikev: The impact of words after acts of terror
The Haftarah readings on Shabbat between Tisha B’Av and Rosh Hashana are referred to as the 7 haftarot of comfort. But, comfort is often hard to come by. This week’s haftarah begins with the statement that Zion, despite being comforted,…
Parashat Va’et-chanan: Impress them upon your children
Our Torah Portion for this week, Parashat Va’et-chanan, is for sure the most cited section of the Torah in Jewish tradition, as it contains the Sh’ma Israel, the fundamental declaration of our Jewish faith: the unity of God; and our…
Parashat Devarim: Perhaps Moses forgot?
During my vacation in Berlin I was having a conversation with a friend where we were reminiscing about some events from our past. While we, broadly speaking, remembered the event in the same way, there were certain elements and details…
Parashat Mas’ei: Finding our goal(s) in life
In Parashat Mas’ei, we read a review of the Israelite’s journeys through their forty years in the desert. It is important to understand that the journey was not orchestrated by the human mind, but was designed by God. The point…