Tag: Hanukkah
-
God is Not a Monster
How do we find a meaningful Jewish response to the Sydney terror attack? In this week’s sermon on Parashat Mikeitz, Rabbi Adrian (Wimbledon Synagogue) challenges the idea that tragedy is part of a divine script. If we claim that everything happens for a reason, we risk portraying a “Puppeteer God” who is cruel. Instead, we…
-
At the End: Finding God After the Chaos
The Hebrew word that gives this week’s Torah portion its name, Mikeitz, translates simply as ‘at the end’. It refers to the end of two years of Joseph’s imprisonment, marking the precise moment his fortune shifts. In the biblical narrative, the timing is impeccable. Pharaoh dreams, the cupbearer suddenly remembers Joseph, and in a whirlwind…
-
The Festival of Contradictions
A Thought for Hanukkah Preparing for Hanukkah, I found myself reading a fascinating lecture by the scholar Yehoyada Amir, titled The Contradictory Sides of Hanukkah. It struck me how we often take the story of the Maccabees for granted, yet Amir reminds us that this festival has constantly shifted shape to suit the needs of…
-
Chanukah Oy Chanukah – Come light the menorah
Celebrate Chanukah with us on Friday 27 December with a festive service. Bring your own Chanukiah to the service and 7 candles to join in lighting the Chanukah lights. Chanukah Oy Chanukah (23. – 30. December 2019) Chanukah begins this year on the evening of Sunday, 22nd December. Chanukah (alternately spelled Hanukkah), meaning “dedication” in Hebrew,…
-
Chanukah @ Bet David
Chanukah (13. – 20. December 2017)Chanukah begins this year on the evening of Tuesday, 12 December. We celebrate the beginning of Chanukah with a short service, followed by a fun dreidl and donuts evening and a l’chaim sponsored by Len and Lali Gerber. Please bring your chanukiah and candles.A second chance to light the chanukiah…
