Your blogs
What nazirite vow can we & especially women make today
Rabbi Aaron Gol...
May 22, 2013The state of the nazirite is an interesting one in that it is unusually inclusive for the Torah of men and women.
Why would a woman take upon herself such a vow? We know that there were two women in the Tanakh who accept nazirite vows for their children. There is Mrs Manoah. I call her this as we are not actually told her name, only her husband’s even though he is a bit part player and she the star of the episode that Maya read for us, with a direct, possibly intimate relationship with God’s messenger (Judges 13). Mrs Manoah’s accepts the vow instructed of her, for herself during childbirth and for the life of her son whom she is promised.
Hannah makes a direct vow that she will have a son and that he would be a nazirite. Samuel is born and after weaning him she takes him to Eli, the priest and Samuel spends the rest of his life in God’s service (I Sam 1). Both women accept vows for the promise of a son, the motivation is the same and seemingly given freely, although it seems one takes the initiative and the other follows external instruction.
Oxfam and the Board - what should happen if the red lines are crossed
Jonathan Hoffman
May 19, 2013I have been asked to set out what I said today at the Board.
In January the Oxfam tie-up was approved with the following safeguard:
We will discontinue our involvement if OXFAM GB:
MEMO 352
SCoJeC
May 19, 2013MEMO 352 A weekly overview of information of interest to minority ethnic communities in Scotland, including parliamentary activity at Holyrood and Westminster, new publications, consultations, forthcoming conferences and news reports.
http://www.scojec.org/memo/2013/memo_352_20_may_2013.pdf
My eulogy for Ruth Weyl - Shiva Prayer
Rabbi Aaron Gol...
May 19, 2013Ruth Weyl – Rut bat Peretz
We have made many connections over Shavuot and today between the Biblical Ruth and ‘our’ Ruth: Quite rightly so because both have been role models. We deeply admire the Biblical Ruth, her loyalty, her determination, her desire only to use the past to create a better future and the incredibly special relationship that she enjoyed with women living within a patriarchal society to negotiate and create that future life, a life that would ultimately produce important descendants.
All this could be said of ‘our’ Ruth and yet as my father spoke about in his eulogy to Ruth this afternoon soon to be found on our Synagogue website, the book of her incredible life is yet to be written. Fortunately, we who are here can all participate in writing and compiling it and perhaps a beginning will be found in the video interview that Ruth gave to our member and Ruth’s dear friend, Judi Herman.
SCoJeC and Board of Deputies respond to Church of Scotland revised report
SCoJeC
May 17, 2013SCoJeC and the Board of Deputies have issued a statement in response to the Church of Scotland's revised report on "The Inheritance of Abraham?".
http://www.scojec.org/news/2013/13v_cos/cos_3.html
Ruth Weyl: Eulogy for a Remarkable Woman
Rabbi Aaron Gol...
May 17, 2013Somehow it is fitting that we should be mourning Ruth Weyl at Shavuot time. But then Ruth's was always on time. Today is the day after the Giving of the Torah and the text does not seem to record what the Israelites did on the day after, except to hint at the fact that they were shell-shocked, just dealing with the awesomeness of the events they had witnessed. I know many of you are at a loss trying to come to terms with the fact that Ruth is no longer with us. My son Aaron in ringing to ask me to preach today said "I can't imagine life without Ruth she was always there." And indeed she was for such a significant part of so many of our lives.
For Celia and Maya, of course, for all their lives....for Jessica, Claire and Annick
and the great-grandchildren the same....what will life be without Ruth....hopefully the host of memories will keep her alive in your thoughts and conversation as long as you live.I first met Ruth over 40 years ago when she appeared, unannounced at a Friday evening service in our old shul, the converted Methodist chapel at the bottom of Hallowell Road. Fitting symbolism because she came on the arm of Bill Simpson, her partner in the Council of Christians and Jews and with her, sort of co-founder of the International Council. Bill the Methodist who, I believe brought Ruth back to organised Judaism, much to her Israeli families puzzlement. Christian and Jewish relations being at the heart of Ruth's later life and amongst her greatest and lasting achievements. From Bill you got a warm beatific smile and a "Bless You". From Ruth you got a rib crushing hug....though physically slight, boy did she have physical strength...and mental strength....overcoming difficulties...fighting her final illness to the very end....optimistic....trying ever to lead a busy life though her leg was failing and her eyes clouded...her mind and spirit and intellect as sharp as ever.
Cultural identity
Leon A Smith
May 17, 2013The Jewish Chronicle recently ran an interesting feature in which they asked numerous people, some of them well known, some of them not, to define their Jewish identity. The range of answers was diverse. Everybody identifies Judaism in their own way and at their own level. For some it is religious believe and for others it’s cultural identity or being part of a group who have one thing in common, ie that they are Jewish.
We are well aware that the phenomena of polarisation is apace within our community with a significant increase in the numbers of Haredin and also increased levels of secularisation. But even secularisation has changed.
We are pleased that at Nightingale House and Hammerson House we welcome residents from all parts of the community, from all levels of religious adherence and from all sorts of different backgrounds. Some are devoutly religious, some are totally areligious, agnositic, or atheist. One thing that they all have in common is that they are Jewish.
Time for Reflection – Scottish Parliament
SCoJeC
May 17, 2013Rabbi David Rose was the speaker at "Time for Reflection" in the Scottish Parliament.
http://www.scojec.org/pov/tfr.html
MEMO 351
SCoJeC
May 12, 2013MEMO 351 A weekly overview of information of interest to minority ethnic communities in Scotland, including parliamentary activity at Holyrood and Westminster, new publications, consultations, forthcoming conferences and news reports.
http://www.scojec.org/memo/2013/memo_351_13_may_2013.pdf
SCoJeC welcomes Kirk withdrawal of Assembly report
SCoJeC
May 12, 2013Following protests from SCoJeC and others to the Church of Scotland about the Church and Society Council report on "The Inheritance of Abraham?", the Council of Christians and Jews arranged a meeting between representatives of the Church and the Jewish Community, following which, a joint statement was issued.
http://www.scojec.org/news/2013/13v_cos/cos_2.html