A while back, a British newspaper interviewed a prominent member of the Jewish community (let’s call him Lord X) on his 92nd birthday. The interviewer said, “Most people, when … more

The early history of humanity is set out in the Torah as a series of disappointments. G-d gave people freedom, which they then misused. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Cain murdered … more

Leaders lead. That does not mean they don’t follow, but what they follow is different from what most people follow. They don’t conform for the sake of conforming; they don’t do … more

The praise accorded to Noah is unparalleled in Tanach. He was, says the Torah, “a righteous man, perfect in his generations; Noah walked with G-d.” No such praise is given to Abraham … more

If leadership is the solution, what is the problem? On this, the Torah could not be more specific. The problem is a failure of responsibility. The early chapters of Genesis focus on two … more

What an extraordinary way to the Book of books, with Moses seeing the Promised Land from Mount Nebo, tantalizingly near yet so far away that he knows he will never reach it in his lifetime. The … more

As we approach Yom Kippur, here are ten short ideas which might help you focus your davening and ensure you have a meaningful and transformative experience. … more

Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are festivals that ask us how we have lived thus far. Have we drifted? Have we been travelling to the wrong destination? Does the way we live give us a sense of … more

The former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, Jonathan Sacks, has come in for some stick over remarks he recently made about religion and politics. In an interview with JTA published in last … more

The Talmud gives an ingenious reading to the line, “Moses commanded us a Torah, as a heritage of the congregation of Israel.” Noting that there are 613 commands, and that the … more