Today, in London 5th of Sept 2018, the city is giving place to PR everywhere for the Anti Semitic Labour endeavour, naturally the Major is approving it as so many others in the party, ( there are actually more than 11 majors in the Uk that are muslims, and have strong opinions on Israel) and…
Author: Paul Heller
Cantors Convention between Palms with Psalms
This 71st Convention of the Cantors Assembly where I am sharing with more than 190 of my American colleagues of the organisation that groups the Conservative/ Masorti Cantors which between others is here to support all our efforts in the benefit of our profession. A strong and respected organisation that shows what we can and…
Again, the leader of the Labour Party in the UK
Wanted to share Chief Rabbi Sacks article about what my mother, saved by the British Army on D-day, can not believe is happening in 2018 U. K., neither did many in Germany 1933 of what was coming. https://www.timesofisrael.com/former-uk-chief-rabbi-lord-sacks-jeremy-corbyn-is-a-dangerous-anti-semite/ And to do justice and give the other side of the story a space of reflection. “Siding…
What will be the next step
We feel ashamed of a country that was actively involved in the Holocaust now engaged in passing a law to have all references and teachings to say the contrary. I am afraid that the next step will be for the Polish government to close down all the concentration camps that show the horrors the Nazis…
The Art of being Jewish
A very energetic member of Belsize Square Synagogue whom I sat with last Sunday during the shul’s annual Channukah Market, told me he came up with the trademark Belsize Square should promote itself and stands for “The Art of being Jewish”. A market with members making coffee, while not in court as Queen Counsellors, or…
Remembrance weekend
While in the UK the fallen in the wars are remembered, we had a remembrance weekend starting with our usual Friday Kristallnacht service and on Sunday a Music at Belsize concert “Romantic Vienna and the Jews” featuring the Wallace ensemble under Ben Wolf and the Chair of the committee Phil Keller conducting Mahler and…
Another case of limitation of treatment
Seven years after my post in Stockholm on the question on who has the right to decide on life or death, Charlie Gard’s case has made the headlines, at least here in Great Britain. Charlie suffers from mitochondrial depletion syndrome which affects the cells’ ability to generate energy. Specialists at the hospital say he has…
Orthodox Jewry splits
As the objective of this blog is to inform on attitudes towards Judaism, I feel it is my obligation as a Religious Minister especially living in the UK where the issue has grown out of proportion, because of the lecture on homosexuality given by Senior Rabbi Dweck of the Spanish and Portuguese Community. Here is…
Maintaining decorum in the Synagogue
In conjunction with preparing a short study session for the Tikkun Leil Shavuot on the subject of talking in synagogues and the blessing the Tosfos Yom Tov Lipman Heller wrote for those who do not talk during prayers. I found an interesting article by (Irving N. Levitz, “Talking During Tefillah: Understanding The Phenomenon” in The…
L’Dor vaDor
Last weekend two Synagogues that are the guardians of their unique musical legacy, the Pestallotzistrasse from Berlin and Belsize Square from London, showed their very best. These synagogues are the embodiment of the great tradition of the Liberale German Jewry and its renowned liturgy, together with to my knowledge, two others, one in NY and…
