One of the most important Jewish acts there is is that of enabling someone to perform a mitzvah they would not otherwise have an opportunity to perform. Giving an elderly neighbour a lift to shul, sitting next to a first-time visitor and showing them the right pages in the siddur, offering a welcome to those…
A נדר is more consequential than any new year’s resolution, any money-back guarantee, even any contract of employment. A נדר effectively creates a new, personalised law for the individual in question, with the full force of the Torah. If Brian vows to give up eating chocolate, then for him chocolate has the same halachic prohibition…
Rabbi Gabriel Kanter-WebberBrighton and Hove Progressive SynagogueSaturday 6 June 2026 Scrutiny is important, yet relies on the existence of an accurate, comprehensive, and accessible underlying record […C]ommunication via platforms which allow automatic deletion contributes to a sense that government officials are seeking to avoid accountability by obfuscating decision making. Keeping proper documentation is absolutely vital…
Shamaya and Avtalyon went into work one morning in the 2nd century, and were quietly going about their rabbinic business – writing their sermons, meeting prospective new members, updating the shul website – when suddenly Kark’mit’s irrationally jealous husband barged in, dragging his wife behind him. He demands that the rabbis immediately begin the sotah…
I’ve written a column for Vashti about the Movement for Progressive Judaism’s decision to co-sponsor a rally against antisemitism with various far-right extremists. Click here to read it. As always, all views are personal to me.