Purim – “How can we celebrate this year?” and “Underlying theme of Purim”

By Glen BerdNo Comments
Haftorah Initiative The Haftorah workshop is taking place Monday April 4th after the service (7:00PM), so please let the Rabbi know if you are interested. Thank you. Purim - "How can we celebrate this year?" and "Underlying theme of Purim"   Dear Friends, This year as we celebrate Purim millions of people still remain in war-torn Ukraine including tens of thousands of our brothers and sisters of Ukrainian Jewry. Last Shabbat I posed the question that is plaguing many of us at this challenging time: How can we celebrate fully Purim when so many people are suffering? Is it not callous for us to drink red wine in fulfilment of the Mitzva whilst blood is being spilt some two thousand miles away? I believe the answer lies in understanding the distinction between what western-secular culture terms fun or entertainment and what our Jewish heritage terms Simcha/Joy. Entertainment is primarily about distracting us from the stresses of life. Entertainment provides people with relief from the vicissitudes of life. Used properly,...
Read More

Beware the Ides of March !

By Glen BerdNo Comments
15th March - The Ides of March Ides simply referred to the first new moon of a given month, which usually fell between the 13th and 15th. In fact, the Ides of March once signified the new year, which meant celebrations and rejoicing.   Julius Caesar was assassinated in Rome on this date in 44 BCE. March 15 (the 75th day of the Roman calendar), famously marked as the “Ides of March” (a.k.a, the middle of March), was once best known as the date by which you had to settle your debts from the prior year (marking, as it did, the first full moon of the Roman new year). In 44 BC some serious debts were collected when a group of some 40 senators, including Marcus Junius Brutus (a.k.a, Quintus Caepio Brutus, a.k.a. “Et tu, Brute?”), assassinated Julius Caesar in the Roman Senate chambers. The Roman calendar is no more (the switch to the modern Gregorian calendar began in 1582, but the Ides of March live...
Read More

Purim Explanation-Half Shekel

By Glen BerdNo Comments
Purim Explanation-Half Shekel  There is a custom to give three Half Shekel pieces on the fast of Esther prior to Megillah reading (Wednesday Evening 7PM @ Shul) This is to commemorate the half shekel given each year by individuals in Temple times for the purchase of the communal sacrifices.  We read about this on the Shabbat prior to Rosh Chodesh Adar known as Parshat Shekalim. The reason for three half Shekel's is because this text mentions the word Terumah meaning an offering/contribution three times. In the times of the Temple the announcement was made in Adar so that contributions were collected and ready for the month of Nissan which was itself a new year for Communal sacrifices. Nowadays we fulfil this by giving half of the value of countries currency. So here in the UK we give 3 times 50 pence. This money in practice is given to the poor and needy and added to the gifts to the poor we given on Purim. It is interesting to note...
Read More

Not all Heroes Wear Capes

By Glen Berd1 Comment
Moti Ashkenazi was known to the police in the 90s as an old Tel Aviv drug addict and beach thief. To pay for another dose of drugs, he stole wallets from the bags of swimmers on the beaches. Some of the unsuspecting vacationers even asked him, while they were splashing in the sea, to guard their belongings, so that later they would return and see that both their wallets and the “watchman” himself had disappeared. On June 20, 1997, thousands of schoolchildren flocked to the Tel Aviv city beaches to celebrate the end of the school year. Jerusalem Beach was especially crowded… On that day, drug-hungry Moti Aashkenazi violated a court order on his house arrest and went on a “hunt”. The beach was strewn with bags. The choice was huge. Moti looked around, saw that there were no municipal inspectors nearby and began to choose his “game”. One of the bags caught his attention and he decided to "attack". A drug addict,...
Read More

Rabbi’s Blog – 11 March 2022

By Glen BerdNo Comments
Matonas Laevyonim- IMPORTANT UPDATE Please note in addition to raising money for Ukraine Jews (see below) we are continuing to raise money for poor people in the Manchester-wide community as per every Purim in fulfilment of the Mitvza Matonas Laevyonim (Gifts to the poor) The Rabbi will be collecting Cash or Cheques (payable to "The Purim Fund") on Wednesday evening as well as Thursday Morning (latest 11AM) The Rabbi ensures the money reaches Manchester on the day so as to fulfil the Mitzva properly. As we know the cost of living crises has hit us all but those already in dire need are even worse affected and so all donations are extremely appreciated. Thank you. Rabbi Haftorah Initiative We would like more men to be able to read a Haftorah in Shul on Shabbat. It has been noted for a while that we do not have enough volunteers to join in this special Mitzva and honour. If you are interested in learning to read a Haftorah. Please email rabbi@shulbythesea.co.uk to...
Read More

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ Lasting Impact

By Glen BerdNo Comments
From : Chairman of The Genesis Prize Foundation I am writing to you as someone who voted for the prominent scholar, theologian, and philosopher Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l during the Genesis Prize online voting campaign in 2020. Today would have been the 74th birthday of Rabbi Sacks. As Chief Rabbi of the UK and advisor to heads of governments and members of the British Royal Family, Rabbi Sacks left a legacy of teachings and wisdom that will be felt for many years to come. This past November, one year after his passing, The Genesis Prize Foundation honoured Rabbi Sacks with a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the President of Israel Isaac Herzog to Lady Elaine Sacks at a special event in London. I hope you will enjoy this documentary produced by our foundation in recognition of Rabbi Sacks’ role in inspiring the next generation of Jews. Best regards, Stan Polovets Chairman and Co-Founder The Genesis Prize Foundation The Genesis Prize Foundation 1540 Broadway, Floor 39 New York, NY 10036, USA ...
Read More