Saatchi's Rabbi

Sgt Scott should not have resigned

2013-04-12T06:28:00.004-07:00

Is tweeting Lashan Horah (inappropriate evil-talk)? The latest causality of inappropriate tweets, this time aimed at the late Margeret Thatcher, was Sgt Jeremy Scott of the Metropolitan Police. Yesterday, he submitted his resignation before a police suspension over the incident came into force. Did he need to resign? How would the Torah deal with an inappropriate tweet? The first of this week’s double-long Torah portion is called Tazria. Tzaria, literally means conceives (and gives birth) - the topic about which the portion begins. Interestingly, for the remainder of the reading it goes on to speak about Tzaraat, an obsolete disease that affected the skin, hair and even garments and walls of a home. About which the Talmud said: “A person inflicted with Tzaraat is considered dead.” Why would the name of Torah portion that spends most of its time talking about the skin disease, alluded to death - be Tzaria, one of life, birth to conceive? Maimonides tell us about the Tzaraat: This change that affects clothes and houses which the Torah described with the general term of tzara'at is not a natural occurrence. Instead it is a sign and a wonder prevalent among the Jewish people to warn them against lashon hora, "undesirable speech… This causes him to be isolated and for it to be made known that he must remain alone so that he will not be involved in the talk of the wicked which is folly and lashon hora" Implying that Tzaarat is not merely a punishment, in fact it acts as with a constructive measure, helping to fix the individual by making him realize the cause of his sin, requiring him to be alone to think about his action, and what it is like to be on the receiving end. All this ensures that after his ‘alone time’ and purification process he will actually come out a changed individual. With a new life, conceived and born again, Tazria. Again, the Torahs common sense approach to helping us better our lives. So maybe Sgt Scott should not have resigned. And just had some time-off. Shabbat Shalom.

The Saatchi Synagogue - By Bernard Kops

2013-02-10T12:15:00.002-08:00

Entering The Saatchi Synagogue was like entering another world. It was dazzling. The blue Chagall like window dazzled and the young kids, beautiful and excited, laughed and played, running around spinning and singing a cacophony of laughter and joy. And the intensity of young worshippers filled every space. And some even younger teenagers were flirting at the back. And a little girl rushed to the Rabbi, her father and demanded to be held, all in the middle of the sacred prayers. And the young rabbi laughed, scooped her up and continued his devotions. Hooray for the Saatchi synagogue. And I lifted my head at the blue window and I swear I saw Marc Chagall nodding and laughing down from the sky.

Mazal Tov Obama; L'chaim to good time ahead!

2012-11-09T06:15:00.000-08:00

The US Presidential elections are behind us and fingers are still being pointed about whose fault the current economic crisis is. People wish for the “Good Old Days” of prosperity. One interesting observation highlighted by the BBC was how much a President ages in four years. The strain on Obama’s face was clear after just one year in office. While he looks fabulous now at 51, four years as the leader of the Free World has done its bit in turning his hair white. It is now only very occasionally that I get asked for ID when buying alcohol, as I too have aged, as Rabbi to the Shul of the Free World. But, is there secret to staying young? And staying youthful? Here is a tip from the opening passage of this week’s Torah reading. Describing the celebrated life of our matriarch Sarah: And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah. Classic commentator Rashi explains: the reason that the word “years” was written after every digit is to tell you that every digit is to be expounded upon individually: when she was one hundred years old, she was like a twenty-year-old regarding sin... And when she was twenty, she was like a seven-year-old as regards to beauty.

A teacher of Breslav rationalizes as follows: It is common for people to say: “the good old days”…“it used to be good”…”back then I could do it.” King Solomon dispelled this notion when he said Do not say: "How was it that the former days were better than these?" For not out of wisdom have you asked concerning this. The natural tendency to say “it used to be better” is because when a child (aged 7) sees something for the first time - the sun, a bird, a tree or the snow - they are so excited, so thrilled and fascinated. But as we become adults (aged 20+) we are less enthralled and less captivated. In other words, our first encounter at earlier stages is more positive and as we grow older it is less enthralling. This then was Sarah’s message. When she was 20 she saw things and appreciated it with the same vigour and excitement as a 7 year old. Renewing ones energy in all aspects of one’s life with freshness of the heart, like an excited youthful child. The Zohar says that Sarah's life was her own. She recognized her essential nature, and her essential mission, and she did it to completion. The political debates may be old, but the excitement and promise born out of the democracy and freedoms of the USA are a shining light to us all. To the good times ahead!

How to stop racism and violence @ Football grounds

2012-11-05T08:02:00.000-08:00

The Evening Standard summed a week, actually a year, of disgraceful racial tension in football, as follows: As club accuse referee of saying ‘shut it up monkey’ to one of their black players, one of their fans makes a gesture towards black opponent. Racism, bigotry and violence have no place anywhere, at any time, and as a Leeds United supporter I am disgraced by the supporter’s violence at Sheffield Wednesday last week. But how does a society change? What will bring an end to this behaviour? The manager of Sheffield Wednesday was on to something when he said: "People that go to games that are disgusted, they're the ones that should walk out and police their own fans," Is it everyone’s responsibility when some misbehave?

Much is made of Abraham’s valiant efforts to save the wicked city of Sodom. We read how he virtually went to battle with G‑d on behalf of very sinful people, contesting the divine decree that Sodom be destroyed. “It behooves You not to do such,” Abraham challenged, “to kill the righteous together with the wicked . . . Shall the Judge of the entire world not do justice?!” “If there be found fifty righteous people in the city,” Abraham bargained, “would You not spare the place because of the fifty righteous ones who are in it?” “What if there be five less than fifty?” Abraham persisted. “What if there be forty? . . . Thirty?” But something about the story doesn’t add up. Why should the wicked people be spared “because of the righteous”? If there are some righteous people left in Sodom, G‑d obviously doesn’t have to “kill the righteous together with the wicked”—He can airlift them outta there before He wrecks the place. Indeed, G‑d sent two angels to rescue Lot and his family, the only righteous people in Sodom, before overturning the city. So where’s the injustice? What’s the logic in Abraham’s argument? One of the explanations offered by the commentaries is that as long as there are righteous people in a place, there remains the possibility and hope that they will have a positive influence on their community. So it makes sense to spare the entire city because of the righteous people in it—it’s not a lost cause yet. When Abraham learns, however, that there are no righteous people remaining in Sodom (or not enough righteous people to make a difference), he has nothing further to say on their behalf. While we are not racists, and would never get violent with someone of an opposing team, it is the good people that can affect a change.

Armstrong Vs Savile

2012-10-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

Lance Armstrong and Jimmy Savile - famous names now synonymous with disgrace and reputational annihilation. While it is unfair to put these two names in the same sentence, both individuals were highly successful at the height of their careers, and built wonderful charities. One writer in The Telegraph put it like this: "Like Jimmy Savile’s charitable efforts, Livestrong provided Armstrong with a cover of respectability and decency behind which he could continue his sporting deception. No one could believe a man who did so much for good causes could be so duplicitous." Someone asked me whether one should return charity received from them, or from other dubious sources.

Fame is testing, but so is charity and kindness. In this week’s Torah portion G-d sends Abraham from the comfort of his home, from the support of family and friends, "to the Land that I will show you". Moving from place to place (before the age of mass media, Twitter and Facebook) diminished one's status. So G-d assures Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing." Rashi Explains: "Since travelling diminishes procreation, it diminishes money, and it diminishes fame, he required these three blessings, concerning children, concerning money, and concerning fame." Which is all very well. Having G-d's blessing for family and income is reassuring. But what kind of fame was Abraham in need of? The question is reinforced when some suggest the fame was G-d letting the world know of Abraham's kindness. Why would he want this on the front pages? One philanthropist once told me he didn't want awards or recognition for his charity. "If I do," he said, "the very next day will begin my downfall." So what is the aggrandize bit for? If we look at one Midrash’s choice of words describing this blessing to Abraham, we can find a healthy balance of fame: Sheodia Tivecha Beolam, which literally means: I will make the world aware of your nature. Why the term nature? G-d here was not letting everyone know of Abraham to make him famous, or even to make his kind deeds famous. Rather, Abraham represented a revolution in kindness, it was his nature, and it was the core of who he was. This then was the start of the Jewish people’s mission, exemplified by its forefather and founder Abraham; that we are a people of kindness and charity, and that it is in our DNA. This is the message, the status, the update G-d was sharing with the world.

Science, one of the greatest gifts to religion

2012-10-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

How old is the universe? It's a question that almost as old as the universe itself (however old that is!). The frum answer might cite Noah's flood: in terms of disturbing the ability to accurately date the world using its minerals; and the logistical problem of stuffing dinosaurs into the ark (though some suggest the Nachash - the snake with feet which persuaded Eve to eat the forbidden fruit - was not unlike a Tyrannosaurus-Rex.) Whatever the outcome, the story of the flood has continued to be one of science and religion. Which leads us to another point of contention: whether or not there is life on other planets?

After, listening to the highly informative "Life Scientific" programme on Radio 4, I once again realised how science is more of a supporter to religion than it is an adversary. Science serves as a great advantage to the believing man or woman. This week, as the Rover Curiosity continues exploring Mars, Monica Grady, a Professor in Planetary Sciences at the Open University, spoke about ‘Life on Mars’. Interestingly, she begins by clarifying that "life on Mars" does not mean little green men, or little green animals for that matter: “They would have been seen by telescope," she says. Rather, they look for signs of "micro-life, hidden from view and highly un-evolved”. Life therefore would be no more than micro movement. So what does religion think of life on other planets? In the book of Judges, chapter 5, the Prophetess Devora (yes, there were women leaders) sings a song of praise to God for helping Barak win his battle against his enemy, Sisera. In verse 20: "The stars in their course fought against Sisera." And then, in verse 23, she continues: "Curse Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they did not come to the help of the Lord...against the mighty men." Just who is this Meroz? The context in which the reference to Meroz is found compels one opinion in the Talmud to define it as a planet (and not as a neighbouring city), as it is preceded by the verse that states "the stars in their course fought against Sisera". So it follows that Meroz refers to a celestial body whose ‘inhabitants’ did not come to Barak’s aid, indicating there is life on another planet. Of course, it's problematic to consider these ‘inhabitants’ as intelligent beings, since Torah defines intelligent to mean the capacity to make decisions with free will which is only possible where there is Torah. So some sort of (unintelligent) life on other plants may not be contrary to Torah. In fact Dr. Velvl Greene, a biologist enlisted by NASA to determine if there is life on Mars, asked the Lubavitcher Rebbe if this was something he should be doing. The Rebbe replied: “Dr. Greene, look for life on Mars. And if you don’t find it there, look somewhere else in the universe for it. Because for you to sit here and say there is no life outside of planet Earth is to put limitations on the Creator, and that is not something any of His creatures can do!” Which leads us to the way Monica marvellously and poetically describes her passion for stones and meteorites and how, for her, it all began: The rocks from the moon were beautiful, the colours are so deep and so clear, beautiful cerise and turquoise and pink, yellow and beige and grey...you can see such sharp outlines of the crystals, you can look and you can see how this rock has come from a magma from a lava that has crystallized, and you can see how all the grains and how all the mineral fit together so beautifully. It was the thin sections of the Apollo rocks that inspired me”. Rocks generally are the most inanimate organism, the lowest on the rung of creation, a rock from the moon, noch. Yet herein lies a blessing and support for all of us that believe: "You alone are the Lord; You made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens and all their host, the earth and all that is upon it, the seas and all that is in them, and You give life to them all", the true wonders of this most beautiful creation.

The Torah's way to getting some stock @ Facebook

2012-05-18T08:13:00.002-07:00

How much is your Facebook account worth? Based on the initial public offering of $38 a share, which values FB at $104 billion - each of the 900 million profiles is worth about $115. Investors, naturally, buy for the long-term (never for a fast buck!), betting that in the future, the company's value will only grow. But what if the future is a bumpy one? Well for starters, Mr Zuckerberg (not yet a Saatchi member) is cutting his salary to just one dollar a year. So that might help. But this week we read some of the Torah’s thoughts on a safe economy. First there is the Shemitah, or Sabbatical y ear, during which no work is to be done in the land and all produce is free for all to take. No work. No income. "You may sow your field for six years, and for six years you may prune your vineyard, and gather in its produce, But in the seventh year, the land shall have a complete rest..you shall not sow your field, nor shall you prune your vineyard." But how can you survive without income, without the fruits of your wineyard?

Fear not: the Torah asks the same thing. After issuing all the rules and regulations for the Sabbatical year, it tells us: "And if you should say, "What will we eat in the seventh year? We will not sow, and we will not gather in our produce!"." The commentators struggle. The Torah is clearly addressing the doubters and those concerned how they will survive when there is no business. Why then does it wait to address this valid concern until after its set out the rules? The Lubavitch Rebbe explains. The verse here uses the term VeKi tomeru, and when you should ask, not Im tomru, if they ask. No, the Torah is not addressing the doubters' questions about where we will get our food from, and who they should rely upon. Rather, the Torah is answering a practical concern - about survival when the land rests. This then is G-d's timeless response, which can serve as a lesson for us and those concerned with austerity matters and recession: "I will command My blessing for you in the sixth year, and it will yield produce for three years. And you will sow in the eighth year, while [still] eating from the old crops until the ninth year; until the arrival of its crop, you will eat the old [crop]. May we all be blessed with stable jobs, healthy incomes and may G-d provide for us all (and perhaps throw in some Facebook shares to boot).

Which is better, London or Leeds?

2012-05-11T04:55:00.000-07:00

Spending last Shabbat in Leeds, a couple of people said to me: “The Olympics in London have zero impact on us in Leeds, the games might as well be held in Holland or China.” I am not sure Lord Coe would be too happy about that. The Diamond Jubilee is perhaps a little less London-centric, indeed the queen has a trip planned around her glorious empire. But there is something about London: it’s where the Queen lives; it’s where the Olympics are happening. Does that not make London choicer? Which leads us to one of the most contentious ideas as Jews: The chosen people. Many interesting explanations and excuses have been given over time. Here is another which sheds some light on this touchy subject by looking at juxtapositions in this week’s Torah portion. Emor begins with the laws of the Kohen - Priestly Purity, and acceptable animals for sacrifice, followed by the laws of Shabbat and festivals.

Why this order? Let us go back to our earlier illustration: A human king rules over all his subjects, but he chooses his personal servants for special duty. He commands all his army, yet he chooses a special regiment, his "royal regiment." He rules over all his lands and cities, yet he chooses one city for his personal residence, his royal palace. This does not mean that by choosing his personal servants and royal regiment he takes no further interest in any of his other subjects, or the rest of his army, just as making his residence in a certain city does not mean that he has given up the rest of his country. It does mean, however, that his personal servants have special duties to perform, members of the royal regiment who bear the king's crest, must be model soldiers; the city that is the king’s residence must be kept particularly clean and beautiful. G-d tell us in the Torah that He created the world, and that His plan included a chosen people, who would have the special duty to spread G-dliness on this earth. He would give them His Torah and Mitzvot, both as the guide in their daily life and the source of G-dliness which it was their duty to spread in the world. Within the Jewish people themselves, G-d chose the tribe of Levi, for special service; and within the tribe of Levi, G-d chose one family, for greater service as kohanirn (priests). Therein lies the order of this week’s Torah portion. First the Kohen followed by Shabbat. One of the focal point of Shabbat is Kiddush where we recite: For You have chosen us and sanctified us from among all peoples. Like the Kohen was given additional responsibilities to serve G-d, Am Yisroel too, have been chosen for a unique responsibility. The juxtaposition therefore serves us as a reminder that to be Chosen and Holy is to carry responsibilities on a more intimate level.

Why Sacha Cohen should not be banned from this years Oscars

2012-02-24T03:50:00.000-08:00

Should Sacha Baron Cohen be banned from the Oscars? Hollywood has been buzzing this week with news of a ban, then no ban, for Baron Cohen to attend the industry’s most prestigious event. His planned stunt - to arrive as The Dictator - has angered some at the Academy awards. Some suggest the very stunt is part of his story. Clearly, the most fascinating aspects of his act, in all his characters, is his ability not only to act, but to actually be that person. He is not dressing up. It is him.

While living in Los Angeles I got a call from Sacha’s agent. He wanted me to come for a photo shoot on the beach and bring along my Tefillin. “As all good Chabad Rabbis would do," he said "approach Sacha and ask him if he would like to don them.” I asked the caller whether some embarrassment may be caused to the holy Teffilin by his client. There was silence on the other end. At which point I wished them much success and invited Sacha to come to my office any time and pray. In this week's Torah portion we read about the incredible vessels that adorned the Tabernacle and later the Temple. The most holy was the Ark in the Holy of Holies: And you shall overlay it with pure gold; from inside and from outside you shall overlay it. Why would they waste expensive gold on the insert of the Altar as well? The Talmud addresses this, Raba said: Any scholar whose inside is not like his outside is no scholar. Meaning, inside and outside there should be the same golden character. In fact at the Yeshivot in Israel, Rabban Gamaliel issued a proclamation: No disciple whose character does not correspond to his exterior may enter the Bet haMidrash. The Talmud tells us that when his ruling was abolished many stools were added [in the yeshiva]... one opinion says that 400 stools were added, and the other says seven hundred. One Chassidic master suggests how one could ensure that those who came were in fact golden inside and outside. Rabbi Gamliel’s very announcement caused trepidation in the hearts of all the pupils, and those who did not feel thoroughly authentic would not go in. So life is about being transparent: who we are is the way we are. Except for one time of year. No, not the Oscars, But Saatchi’s legendary Purim party. This year we are going back to the 1920s. (Interestingly, "The Artist" is the best-picture favourite. Set amid the transition from silent cinema to talking pictures in the late 1920s) So join us on Wednesday March 7, 8pm. Come dressed up. Come and Drink and have a good time. Tickets at www.SaatchiShul.org.

The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots - I miss Cholent

2012-02-23T08:45:00.001-08:00

Fervour has resurfaced in the ultra-orthodox world. This time it is down to Deborah Feldman. Two years ago, Feldman packed her son and some belongings into a rented Kia and drove away from the ultra-Orthodox Satmar community in which she’d grown up. She has written a book UNORTHODOX: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots and was recently quoted saying: “I miss the smell of cholent on Shabbos morning when you wake up. I miss the sort of security and consistency... (not of cholent, but of a large family). There are shops in Benei Berak that sell cholent mid-week; a song about ch-ch-ch-cholent, a blog called left-over-cholent and a group of former Chassids that meet every Thursday in the Garment District of New York City, that call their meeting chulent. What is the fascination surrounding this food that some suggest a person who does not partake of the savoured dish is a heretic. Cholent (Yiddish: טשאָלנט, tsholnt or tshoolnt) or Hamin (Hebrew: חמין‎) is a traditional Jewish stew. It is usually simmered overnight for 12 hours or more, and eaten for lunch on Shabbat (the Sabbath). Cholent was developed over the centuries to conform with Jewish religious laws that prohibit cooking on the Sabbath. (Wikipedia) The headline above reads: You don’t like Cholent? Not certain you are Jewish. A Yeshivah student who came to Israel from a distant country aroused suspicion from his host when (in addition to not shockeling- the swaying motion which sometimes accompanies praying) he did not like cholent. Alarmed, the host informed the Rabbis who later instructed the student to undergo a “conversion lechumrah” (which is generally is applied when a previous conversion has a doubt, but is not without basis.) The Shulchan Aruch writes: “It is a mitzva to seal CHAMIN for Shabbat, in order that he should eat CHAMIN on Shabbat, for this is the honour and enjoyment of Shabbat. And anyone who doesn't believe in the words of the Sages, and forbids eating hot food on Shabbat, there is a suspicion that he may be a (apikoros) denier.” While a poem by Heinrich Heine made Cholent a little more famous, The Chofetz Chaim, writing in the in the Mishna Berurah, has an even earlier example of Cholent-worship. He quotes a 12th century sage, the Ba’al Ha’maor, who wrote what could pass a rap about this favourite dish: Kol Mi Sheano Ochel Chamin,

Tzarich bedikah acharav im hu min Ulehazmiin, Levashel, Lehatmin, Uleoneg Et Hashabat Lehashmin, Hu Hamamin, Vezoche Lekaits Hayamin. Whomever does not eat cholent, Needs to be checked he may not believe, To Honour the Shabbat and to fatten up, To invite, to cook, and to insulate the pot, He believes, and will merit to the End of Days (Moshiach) So while the Rabbis may question ones faith: How else can one enjoy warm food on Shabbat? Only Karaite’s (who did not believe in Oral tradition) were against warm food on Shabbat. Perhaps more so, it is an instruction to us to enjoy the Shabbat. The sages are telling us, don’s look at the prohibitions as a reason to not enjoy yourself. Get creative and express yourself, make a cholent and enjoy Shabbat

How to put the Jewish Chronicle and the London Jewish News out of business

2012-02-10T05:32:00.000-08:00

Anti Semitism is a problem, yes. But how much of a problem? The Jewish press in Britain chooses to report Anti-Semitic incidents on the front page almost every week. What unites us, as Jews, in the eyes of the media is the way we are chased and hated. It doesn't matter what synagogue you are affiliated with, if at all. Or what colour your kippah is - if you wear one. The remaining pages do the work on highlighting what divides us. This is a problem, and here is one solution. First, when did the Israelites become a nation? When was the transition from, ‘children of Israel’ to ‘am - the nation of, Yisrael’? In the beginning of Exodus, the title “nation” is given to the Hebrews by King Pharaoh. He said: “Behold! The nation of the children of Israel is growing stronger than us” - let us devise a plan to rid ourselves of them. And so began the labour and death. Yet, in this week’s Torah portion – a couple of hundred years later - the Israelites stood at the foot of Mount Sinai and Moses tells them: “You shall become to me [G-d] a kingdom of priests and a holyn ation.” So who made us a people? Pharaoh or Moses? Was it in Egypt or at Mount Sinai? Perhaps this double ‘people-making’ represents the great identity crisis of our people. What makes you Jewish? What is the commonality uniting all Jews? There is Pharaoh’s (Haman, Hitler, Ahmedinjad etc.) definition, in terms of anti-Semitism. We are the group that causes all the problems. Some people see themselves on a united Jewish front, if we were all being chased (G-d forbid). Then there is Moses’ definition: “You shall become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” build a world saturated with light and love and unite in a life full celebrating the Torah and Mitzvot with joy. Will we be bound only in our collective fate or our collective faith? Moses tells the Jewish people, Hayom hazeh nehayata laam! Today you have become a nation! Today - Here at Sinai, not there in Egypt. When we unite for the good of our faith, the united front of our fate will only be good. So let us change the headlines, although that won’t leave much to print on the middle pages.

Would you have torn off a yellow star?

2012-01-26T13:11:00.000-08:00

Six of us were leaving Aschersleben for Vienna. Our travel permission stipulated that we must report to a certain place on a certain day for Umsiedlung – “relocation” – in the east. But every rumour we had heard suggested that we should not keep this appointment.

“But how?” asked a girl named Hermi Schwartz, as we packed for the journey. “They’ll see the yellow star and grab us right away.” “I’m not wearing mine,” I whispered. “If I wear the star, I’ll never have a chance to see my cousin Jultschi and to hear how Mama was before she left. I won’t be able to spend any time with my friend Christl or with Pepi.” I was imagining the warmth of their welcome, a few days of love. “But we can’t even get on the train without the star,” Hermi said. “True,” I answered. “But we can get off the train without it.” We met in the dark of the early morning, the last Jewish slave girls of Aschersleben. We embraced and whispered good-bye and, so as not to attract attention, agreed to travel in groups of two, each pair in a different compartment. Hermi and I rode together. It was a pleasant train, full of families on vacation. For a people at war, I thought, the Germans seemed awfully carefree. In my isolation, I had not yet learned that they had been winning victory after victory and, in June 1942, fully expected to conquer all of Europe. About an hour into the journey I made my way down the train corridor to the lavatory. I shimmed past chatting policemen, murmuring “Excuse me.” I held my coat over my arm and my handbag over the place where the star was sewn. Once inside the lavatory, I tore loose stitches and dropped the star into my handbag. On the way back, I met Hermi in the corridor. She was on her way to the bathroom to do exactly the same thing. You will ask why we did not think of Berta, our friend who had been sent to a concentration camp for doing this. I will tell you that we thought of nothing but Berta, that every uniformed man who passed the window of our compartment filled us with terror. But we tried to appear calm, and we exchanged pleasantries with the other passengers. One of them said she was going to Vienna to visit her daughter. I wished her a happy visit. I turned my face away so she would not see that I was fighting back tears, thinking of Mama. At the station, my dear friends melted into the Austrians the way flesh melts into dust. Does anyone remember them? Did anyone see them at the end? I stood absolutely still. I had a sense that the holes where I had sewn the star onto my coat were forming a vivid Jewish outline for everyone to see. I expected the Gestapo to spot me an arrest me. --- Excerpts from pages 133-135 of: The Nazi Officer’s Wife, written by Edith Hahn. An outspoken young women studying in Vienna when the Gestapo forced her and her mother into a Ghetto, issuing them papers branded with a ‘J’. Soon, taken away to a labour camp, Edith returned home to find her mother had been deported. Edith tore the yellow start from her clothing and went underground, before fleeing to Munich with a friend’s identity papers. There she met Werner Vetter, a Nazi party member who fell in love with her. And despite her protests and ever her eventual confession that she was Jewish, he married her and kept her identity secret. Edith and Werner later had a daughter, Angela. Angela moved to London at a young age, at 16 she went back to see her father. Angela will be joining us at the Saatchi Shul, Shabbat 4th of February to tell us her story. There will be a Dairy brunch. Please RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/312109055491200/ Hayley@SaatchiShul.org. Service 9:30am. Jan 27th is Holocaust Memorial Day.

2012-01-20T05:35:00.000-08:00

Two Conversations: 1. Captain Schettino of the ill-fated Costa Concordia with the Italian coastguard Gregorio De Falco.

De Falco: "Listen Schettino, there are people trapped aboard, you go with your lifeboat under the prow of the ship on the port side and you go aboard the ship using the rope ladder. You go aboard and you tell me how many people there are. Is it clear? I'm recording this conversation, Commander Schettino." Schettino: "Commander, right now the ship is skewed." De Falco: "Understood. Listen … you take that rope ladder on the opposite side, you go aboard and you tell me the number of people and what they have on board. Is that clear? You tell me whether there are children, women or people needing assistance. ..Is that clear? Schettino, maybe you saved yourself from the sea, but I'll make you pay for sure. Go aboard." Schettino: "Commander, please?" De Falco: "Please, now you go aboard." ….Do you refuse?" Schettino: "No, no I'm not refusing." De Falco: "You're refusing to go aboard, commander, tell me why you're not going." Schettino: "Do you realise that it's dark here and we can't see a thing?" De Falco: "And what, do you want to go home, Schettino? It's dark, so you want to go home...? Go on the prow of the ship... You've been telling me this for one hour. Go aboard. Go aboard… Schettino: "Ok commander." De Falco: "Go, quickly." ------ 2. G-d and Moses. G-d: "I have seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their slave drivers, I know their pains....So now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and take My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt’ Moses: Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should take the children of Israel out of Egypt?" G-d: "..I will be with you.. Moses:.. “I come to the children of Israel, and I say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" G-d: “…So shall you say..:, 'The Lord God of your forefathers .. has sent me to you.'.. I will stretch forth My hand and smite the Egyptians with all My miracles …afterwards he will send you out. Moses:".. they will not believe me, and they will not heed my voice, ..they will say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you.' G-d: ..if they do not believe you, and they do not heed the voice of the first sign, they will believe the voice of the last sign. Moses: "I beseech You, O Lord. I am not a man of words… for I am heavyof mouth and heavy of tongue." G-d: "Who gave man a mouth, o rwho makes [one] dumb or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ..So now, go! I will be with your mouth, and I will instruct you what you shall speak. Moses: "I beseech You, O Lord, send now [Your message] with whom You would send." G-d: (G-d’s wrath was kindled against Moses )"Is there not Aaron your brother…he will speak for you to thepeople, and it will be that he will be your speaker, and you will be his leader. Moses comes to Egypt, indeed the Israelites believe him, that G-d had remembered them. But, when they came to Pharaoh, it made things worse, unbearably worse for the Israelite slaves. Moses: "O Lord! Why have You harmed this people? Why have You sent me? Since I have come to Pharaoh..he has harmed this people, and You have not saved Your people. G-d: "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. -- The conversations may have similarities, but they are very different. What happened to Moses? First came the excuse of humility; how do I explain G-d; they won’t believe me. Running out of excuses: but I have a speech impediment? The Chassidic masters explain that Moses knew that he would not merit bringing Israel into the Holy Land and thereby achieve the ultimate redemption of his people. He knew that Israel would again be exiled and suffer the afflictions of exile. So Moses refused to go. ‘Send the one through whom You will affect the complete and eternal redemption.' For seven days and nights Moses jeopardises his very relationship with G-d for the sake of his people and contested G-d's script for history, and incurred G-d's wrath for the sake of Israel. Moses never did accept the decree of exile. After assuming, by force, G-d's command to take Israel out of Egypt, he continued a lifelong struggle to make this the final redemption. To the very last day of his life, Moses pleaded with G-d to allow him to lead his people into the Holy Land; knowing that thereby they would never have been exiled again and the Temple would never again get destroyed This is a true leader. May this final exile end soon.

Luis Suarez, John Terry & MP Burley - Happy Chanukah

2011-12-23T03:23:00.000-08:00

What do lawyers who oppose public Menorahs on state property think of the Rabbis who put them there? What do Pakistani Muslims feel about Jews and America? And how do Greeks feel about Chanukah? A message for the footballers… A few years ago I was invited to light the Chanukah Menorah with Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was Governor of California. During the de-light-full ceremony, at the State Capitol in Sacramento. special mention was made of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivky Holtzberg, agents of good who were murdered a few months earlier during the Mumbai attacks. It was a peaceful and friendly Chanukah experience, where people of all faiths and backgrounds celebrated the religious freedom afforded by America- even the self-proclaimed: "lefty" Jewish lawyer who happened to be walking past during a recess in his trial case. He stopped by while we were setting up and decided to register his protest against religious symbols on state property.

I asked him how his family was doing. He smiled and told me all about them - an unmistakable touch of pride in his voice. After the ceremony he gave me hug. He was inspired, he said, to share the light and warmth, after hearing the amazing story of young Moshe Holtzberg's miraculous survival as told by the Governor. I then rushed off to the airport to get on the standby list for a flight back to Los Angeles. I jumped into a cab, but the driver claimed that he does not know where the airport is. Another cab driver tells me that he does not accept credit cards. A sign from G-d or what?!The third cab driver was happy to take me. He was from Pakistan. Of course you can guess where our conversation went. Well, you are probably wrong. He was a warm and friendly person; I asked him how his family was doing, and how long he's been in America. He told all about his family, and his love for life and his beautiful country - the USA. As we approached the airport I finally asked him to share his thoughts on the Mumbai attacks. My preconceived notion was wrong. Rahim was very upset at what had happened. In broken English mixed with Punjabi, he said, "No Pakistani likes this; this is so, so bad, I am sorry for this..." I arrive at the airport and luckily they book me for a flight. While waiting, Dennis Prager, the famous American Radio talk show host, entertains us and shows us a video he had just filmed of himself with the Governor smoking a cigar. "If you want to make it with people," he says, "don't talk to them about their work or politics. Speak about their hobbies and their families." How appropriate, I think to myself, as I recall my conversations earlier that day. I got on the plane and I'm seated next to a Greek woman. She serves as a psychologist to the Northern California county jails. She wanted to know what all the Amish were doing in town... I laughed and told her that we were actually Jewish, rabbis lighting the Governor's Menorah. She wanted to know the story of Chanukah. Well, she is Greek, but I told her anyway... But then she tells me how her maternal grandfather was killed by the Nazis for resisting them and how her paternal grandfather hid Jews in their village house, thus saving their lives. She told me how she had seen some religious Jews before and wanted to ask some questions but felt uncomfortable. Why do we judge? Why the stereotypes? As the football world deals with racism; and people of all creeds are verbally abused daily in this country for their religious differences, maybe it is time to realise the warm message of Chanukah: The freedom to practice ones religion, and wipe out racism, are not only something to respect, but behind the different coloured skin or different garb is someone to engage with in conversation: How are you? How is the family? Happy Chanukah!

Have you smashed your TV yet?

2011-12-09T02:45:00.001-08:00

We come across a fascinating story in this week’s Torah portion. Jacob and his family are heading back to Israel from the house of Lavan. His brother, Esau, who tried to kill him here some years earlier was on his way to ‘greet’ them. Jacob did all sorts of things in preparation for this fearful confrontation: he prayed, sent gifts and armed. The night before the encounter he crossed the Yabok river with his family and belongings. The Torah accounts: And Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. Why was he alone? Where was he? The Talmud answers: It was for the sake of some small jars he had left behind. The Talmud continues, from here it is learned that to the righteous their money is dearer than their body.

Why would the righteous place such premium on… money? And why would Jacob risk his life to return for nothing more than the value of some "small jars"? The saintly Baal Shem Tov answers: The righteous know that their material possessions contain "sparks of holiness" which are redeemed and elevated when the object or resource they inhabit is utilized to fulfil the Divine will. The righteous person sees these sparks of Divine potential as virtual extensions of his own soul, since he understands that the very fact that Divine Providence has caused them to come into his possession indicates that their redemption is integral to his mission in life. So these small jars had much more value, and could not be wasted. Everything has value, nothing can be wasted. In our home we never had a TV. My parents would tell us: “There are inappropriate things on some channels; it is best not to have a TV in the home." The only live TV we got to watch (aside from my grandfather making us sit and watch county cricket) was Chanukah Live, an amazing program of simultaneous public menorah lightings from around the world, London to Melbourne, the Kremlin to the Western Wall. It was a highlight of our childhood. You see, like many things, the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that one must use modern technology for the positive message of sharing light and spreading warmth. Contrast all that with a report this week about a group of demonstrators that gathered outside the Jerusalem offices of the national broadcaster, Israel Broadcasting Association, smashing hundreds of televisions in protest at what some in the ultra-religious community says are the 'immoral' programmes being shown in the country. Is this a waste? Can TV have positive use as well? Jacob wouldn’t leave even small jugs behind. Shabbat Shalom

Will You Marry Me?!

2011-11-18T05:17:00.001-08:00

“The [Israeli] Rabbinate’s marriage-registration procedure has become a major source of tension and anxiety...we can now efficiently administer the entire Jewish marriage process in a warm and welcoming environment”. So says Tzohar, an Israeli organisation that marries an average of 3,000 couples each year. These are mostly non-religious couples who would likely have gone to Cyprus or other venues outside Israel to tie the knot - without a Chuppah. However, The Israeli Chief Rabbinate Council this week said it would investigate the procedures of the organization of Modern Orthodox rabbis that performs alternative religious wedding ceremonies for non-religious couples. The Council added that it could overturn an agreement brokered last week, between Tzohar and the Religious Ministry that allows rabbis from the group to marry people. Should getting married the Jewish way be made easier? In this week’s Torah portion we meet the first ever matchmaker, Eliezer, the trusted servant of Abraham. He [Abraham] said to his senior servant of his household, who was in charge of all that he owned: “Place your hand under my thigh”. I will bind you by an oath to G-d, Lord of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of Canaan...instead you must go to my native land...and obtain a wife for my son Isaac.” Commentators ask, why the juxtaposition of Eliezer’s position as trustee and executer of Abrahams’ entire household and the oath? Furthermore, if Abraham trusts him with all his portfolios, surely he should have confidence in finding a spouse for Isaac his son, why the need for the oath altogether? One answer given: In buying stocks or managing properties, Eliezer had complete freedom. But when it came to choosing a suitable wife for Isaac, the future of the Jewish people, Abraham made Eliezer swear in the name of G-d. Abraham was setting the standards: Jewish continuity, the sanctity and sacredness of marriage, must be of the highest standards, with G-d’s involvement. Shabbat Shalom

Famous people in-flight..

2011-11-11T01:39:00.001-08:00

Who is the most famous person you have shared a flight with? In my time in the air I have met a few. Last week singer Seal was flying with us to New York. Though he was rather cold to the excited passengers trying to get his attention - when we landed, there was a group waiting for him and they ushered him to the front of the immigration line. I once flew to Russia with the son of an Oligarch and we had a similar team awaiting our arrival, although our duty-free bag of Vodka somehow never made it through. No one likes queuing in long lines after a long haul flight. The directors at Heathrow immigration knew that as they welcomed guests in to our home t

his summer without checking them. Who do we run and welcome as they arrive? Who do we open our doors for? While you would imagine G-d is the greatest VIP you could host, apparently 99 year old Abraham asked G-d to hold on while, - bandaged from a circumcision three days earlier - he ran to greet three strangers, dressed as Arab travellers. And he saw that behold, three men were standing a short distance from him..he ran to greet them. Even though he was in the middle of talking to G-d, he noticed that guests had arrived. The Sages point out, the fact that Abraham interrupted his audience with G-d to attend to his guests shows that "hospitality to guests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence". I had a slightly different experience this week at the World Travel Market, a must-see annual show at the Excel. A fascinating showcase of every country, tourist and travel organisation in the world, each trying to lure everyone as a guest to their homes. Well, almost everyone. As I looked for the Israel stand in the Middle East section, (the most exuberant part of the show where people were dressed in traditional Arab garb showcasing the magnificent cultures of Middle Eastern countries), Palestine with the capital Jerusalem was the closest I could find. After further investigation and some chary faces I eventually found Israel in the Europe section. Are your doors open? Perhaps you shouldn’t keep your doors unlocked, but are you inviting and welcoming people in to your home? As the Saatchi community continues to grow let us make each other feel welcome and invite guests to our homes for a Friday night dinner or Shabbat lunch. If you would like to host a meal please let us know. Shabbat Shalom.

7 Billion and Who?

2011-11-04T06:20:00.001-07:00

It's official: out of the 7 billion people now living on this planet, I'm the 4,619,589,123rd. In tha annals of history, I'm the 79,309,175,129th person to have lived. At least, that's what the BBC population tool tells me. Both numbers have been calculated using UN Population Division figures; the second number includes calculations based on the methodology of scholar Carl Haub, who estimate

how many people had been alive since 50,000 B.C. Some ask if people really did live 50,000 years ago? Jewish tradition counts the world at 5,762 years old. What we all can agree on is the tiny Jewish population, although many people suggest staggeringly higher figures. Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra recently met with PM Bibi Netantyahu. When she asked Bibi how many Jews lived in Israel, he responded: 7 million or so. "No," replied Yingluck. "I asked how many Israelis are there in Israel not Thailand!" Sitting in Heathrow's Terminal 5 Gallery, praying this Sunday morning, I realised the percentage of Jews in an airport at any given time must also skew our numbers. Can we be counted? In this week’s Torah portion, when our small people make their debut with Abraham, G-d addresses this issue: Abram said: "You have given me no children..” He then took Abraham outside and said: ‘Look at the sky and count the stars, see if you can count them...That is how numerous your descendants will be” Why did G-d tell Avraham, if you are able to count them? Surely He knew it was an impossible task for a mortal being. The holy Tzanser Rebbe explains: The stars are small down here on earth, but the higher up you go, the greater they become. So too the Children of Israel: down here we may seem small, but in Heaven, in Spiritual terms, we are mightily important. I think Mr. Mark Twain (despite being the 1,747,985,459th person alive) said it best: "If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of stardust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvellous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. ..The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet wth sound and splendour, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?" Perhaps the secret lies in the verse that follows the above dialogue between G-d and Abraham. It concludes: "He [Abraham] believed in G-d, so (G-d) accounted it for him as an act of righteousness." In other words, G-d gave Abraham brownie points for believing in Him. Our commentators tell us that G-d would later transform this implicit trust in Him into an inherited character trait in Abram's descendants.

Merkel, Sarkozy: why don’t you call me for some advice?

2011-10-28T04:43:00.000-07:00

If the leaders of the eurozone can’t agree a foolproof plan to solve the economic crisis, I certainly can’t offer much guidance. One thing is clear, much time and effort; energy and resource are required to stabilise and revitalise the world economy. Many minds are used and brains are squeezed. There is a very comical Israeli movie called Hagigah b’Snooker about twin brothers, Azriel and Gavriel. Azriel is a shy, religious Jew and Gavriel a thug and good-for-nothing hustler who runs a Snooker Bar with a guy called Hanukah. They offer a blank cheque to anyone that beats them at snooker but win every game. One day, a mafia guy called Salvador wins a game and when the cheque bounces things get ugly. Gavriel must sell his apartment but his father’s will forbids him from selling it until his twin Azriel marries. Gavriel convinces Hanukah to become Rabbi Chanukah Ben Moshe Halevi, the matchmaker, to match Azriel with the Rabbi’s daughter while Salvador wants the Rabbi’s daughter for his nephew Moshon. The story goes on. Later on, the Rabbi, who loves to quote passages from the Torah, speaks of his daughter’s new found love and with a smiley face he exclaims: Mayim Rabim Lo Yuchlu Lechabot et ahava, uneharot lo yishtefuha, quoting a verse from Song of Songs: “Many waters would not be able to quench love, and rivers would not drown it”. Chassidic philosophy brings a deeper more significant insight to this verse, which may shed some light on how to prevent economic breakdown. The phrase “many waters” is a reference to the waters of Noah that symbolise all one’s struggles to earn a livelihood and preoccupation with worldly concerns. These can indeed seem overwhelming and, as anyone who works for a living knows, can sometimes make a person feel they are “drowning” (G-d forbid). The soul, however, originated in Heaven, where it was unburdened by the distractions of this physical world. One may then wonder why the soul had to come down to this sorry realm at all? Would it not have been better off to remain where it was? The answer: just as a person sometimes reveals hidden strengths when confronted with adversity, G-d saw fit to send the soul into this material world so that, by overcoming the challenges posed here, it would develop spiritually to a far greater extent than would have been possible otherwise. Against this background, the verse in Song of Songs reassures us that we have a real “fighting chance”: even the seemingly overwhelming floodwaters of this world and its material concerns cannot extinguish our strengths and what makes us who we are. On the contrary, through the struggles of worldly life, we can reach even greater heights.

To Play or not to Play

2011-09-23T08:32:00.001-07:00

Devout Christian Euan Murray has questioned the need for Rugby World

Cup matches to be played on Sundays. "...the Sabbath day is a full day. It's not a case of a couple of hours in prayer then playing rugby” One must admire when a professional puts their religion before their work. I was reminded of the times this occurred for Jewish sportsmen. Most recent was last Yom Kippur: respect Avram Grant's absence for Yom Kippur, West Ham fans were told. While Avram’s prayers didn’t prevent the Hammers from getting relegated, in some American sports, however, prayers often brought much success. While it seems that on Rosh Hashanah some chose to play, most Jewish sportsmen keep off the field on Yom Kippur. The most Jewish sport in the world it seems is baseball. Over the last 80 years as many as 12 players have had the dilemma of playing on Yom Kippur. In 1965 Sandy Koufax refused to pitch for the LA Dodgers in Game One of the World Series because it was Yom Kippur. Drysdale pitched in his place, and he gave up seven runs in a couple of innings. "I bet right now you wish I was Jewish, too," Drysdale said to the manager when he pulled him from the game. The Dodgers lost to Minnesota. Koufax fasted and went to Shul. That evening he was back though and pitched to victory. His decision and his pitching brilliance remain a source of huge pride among American Jews. In 2001, Shawn Green, also of the Dodgers, followed in Koufax’s footsteps. "There is nothing I would rather do than play.. but some things take precedence over that." Much earlier in 1934, Hank Greenberg, anguished over whether to play on Rosh Hashanah. The local media sought out the opinions of local rabbis, with one newspapers headline: "Talmud Clears Greenberg for Holiday Play." "The team was fighting for first place," wrote Greenberg in his autobiography, "and I was probably the only batter in the line up whowas not in a slump. But in the Jewish religion, it is traditional that one observe the holiday solemnly, with prayer…. I wasn't sure what to do." He missed practice but finally chose to take the field. He hit two home runs to lead the Tigers to a 2-1 victory. The next day, the Detroit Free Press ran a banner headline, in Hebrew that read "Happy New Year, Hank". Came Yom Kippur Hank didn't come to play. The coach said: “We shall lose the game today!..But he's true to his religion -- and I honour him for that!” When he arrived at the synagogue, the service stopped, and the congregants gave him a round of applause. Jose Bautista, who pitched for five teams in a ten-year career that ended in 1997, told the Village Voice, "My family and I go to synagogue when we can and we pray every Friday. We fast on Yom Kippur and not only do I not pitch, I don't even go to the ball game." The Lubavitcher Rebbe once spoke of Koufax and said: "The first condition in influencing a child, is that the child must see a living example by his parents. If the child sees the parent studying Torah at a time when the parent would otherwise be involved in business dealings, this is an example of self-sacrifice for the child. When a parent gives up a half hour of watching television, reading the newspaper and discussing politics... When he renounces all of this that's an example for your child... “ So as the High Holydays approach let us give up one element and dedicate a part of our life to G-d. Shabbat Shalom.

Jewish State?

2011-09-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

The longer I serve as a Rabbi the more apolitical I become. Perhaps it is to keep everyone happy. But, the Palestinian state is on the mind of many people these days. I attended an event at the RUSI think tank on security implications of a Palestinian state. I was sitting beside a very friendly polish journalist, who later asked the Israeli delegation: what is the definition of a Jewish state?” She whispered to me that she had asked this question before but had not received a satisfactory response. They attempted at various responses including the safe one: a place that Jews can feel safe from their terrible history. But, is that why we deserve a state? Perhaps. The commentators on this week’s Torah portion give another reason. I suggest that the more we endeavour to achieve this reason for deserving our own state, the more worthy we will become of our beautiful, precious and treasured home land. This week Torah opens with the Mitzvah of Bikkurim, first fruits. “And it will be, when you come into the land which the Lord, your God, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it, that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. And you shall put [them] into a basket and go to the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to have His Name dwell there.” The Sifri (midrash) writes: “Do this Mitzvah, as it is in its merit that you entered the land”. The more recent Malbim continues: “The Jews were only commanded to keep this mitzvah after settling in the land. But it was in the merit of their prior acceptance of it that helped get them in to the land.” What is so special about this Mitzvah? Giving the first fruit is a reminder that everything we have comes from G-d, the great kindnesses that G-d bestows each of us every day. We want to give something back to G-d. This is the mitzvah of Bikurim; first fruits. It is our recognition and thankfulness that makes it fitting for us to return to G-d the first and best of what He gave us. So let us thank G-d for the great miracle of our land that he has given us. The land that is unquestionably ours. Whatever the UN, USA, EU, or any others may think. The land about which the verse says: The eyes of Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. May this New Year be a year of blessing and peace for our brothers and sisters in our holy land. Shabbat Shalom.

Jews Call for Madame Tussauds to Make Hitler Look Defeated

2011-09-02T04:57:00.000-07:00

Call for Tussauds to Make Hitler Look Defeated, read the headline in the Evening Standard this week. The previous day's reported: Tussauds Puts a Guard on Adolf but Visitors Still Give Heil Hitler Salutes:

“Madame Tussauds has been forced to employ a guard to prevent tourists making offensive Hitler salutes next to a waxwork of the dictator. But London's most popular tourist attraction today had to admit the move has failed - as these pictures show. Visitors to the Marylebone Road attraction were repeatedly seen making the Heil Hitler gesture even though the staff inspector was nearby.”

I am not sure if this 2008 Daily Mail report presents a better option: “A man has torn the head from a controversial waxwork figure of Adolf Hitler on the opening day of Berlin's Madame Tussauds museum today.”

Which brings us, believe it or not, to this week’s Torah portion. In it, we read: "You shall set up judges and law enforcement officials for yourself in all your cities."

Rashi comments on the verse: "Judges, Magistrates who render legal decisions. Police officers, who compel the people to abide by their instructions by administering corporal punishment with cudgels and whips, until they accept the judge's decision."

Rather than looking defeated, perhaps the security guards should have whips, ready to hit those entertained by giving the Nazi salute? Maybe that's what the country needs as it deals with the some 1500 rioters, who clearly weren’t afraid of cudgels.

But another solution can be found in a small inconsistency hidden in a prophesy, discussing the peaceful, crime-free and non-violent Messianic times.

Isaiah prophesises: "And I will restore your judges as at first and your counsellors as in the beginning." Notice the difference with this week's reading: counsellors vs. law enforcement officials,

Simply, in a peaceful world there will be no need for law enforcement officials; no need to enforce the orders made by the law. So what about the counsellors or advisors? What is their position in restoring law and order?

Herein lies an important message in dealing with people that commit audacious acts.

The difference between a judge and counsellor is that a judge decrees a verdict from a position above the petitioner. He's often disconnected, sits on a raised seat. The accused must obey whether he likes it or not.

An advisor, by contrast, puts themselves at the same level of the one seeking counsel, advising them in a way that they understand, showing love and support which will have an internal effect.

So how do we defeat Hitler the Jewish way? By continuing to live by and share the treasured democratic morals and rights from our precious Torah, that he and many others tried to obliterate. Shabbat Shalom.

What is your vision?

2011-08-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

This week we commemorate Tisha B’av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. It was on this day that both our holy Temples were destroyed in Jerusalem.
But we now also use it to commemorate the two World Wars, the Holocaust, and the expulsion of British Jews in 1290, which also took place on Tisha B'av.
Appropriately, I'm penning a little known story from a dear friend and Holocaust survivor, Rosa.
In the Ghetto there was a famous man. No one knew where he came from but they called him Yidel . Yidel dressed like a beggar. Everyone looked malnourished but Yidel, in his tatty clothes, looked like a tramp, walking wi

th his head down.
Yidel was famous because he supplied cigarettes to German soldiers. In those days it was hard to get your hands on anything, even SS officers appreciated a cigarette. He would walk up and down the streets of the ghetto and everyone knew him. He would barter for bread, as money had little - or no - value.
When the Germans came to take our family, my sister told her seven year-old son, Shalom, to run and hide with me. My sister was pregnant, she couldn't run.
Shalom replied: "Mum, I don’t want to end up looking like Yidel, I want to stay with you." He put up a fight and unfortunately he won. Together with his parents and younger sister he was sent to Auschwitz.
Ninety two year-old Rosa, alive and well and so animated tells the story wiping tears away. She shows me a photo of her nephew, a bright and handsome little boy. "Everything was to be taken from the child," she says. "Why would he want to be another Yidel?"
Young Shalom didn’t have the chance to have a bar mitzvah. He could have been a father, a grandfather; a teacher or an artist. All that remains of Shalom is a small black and white photo, of a smiling young child, wanting to stay with his parents.
This Shabbat is called Shabbat Chazon: Shabbat of vision. Says Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, each and every one of us is granted a vision of the third and final Temple.
Sweet Shalom had a vision and expectation of himself. We all have dreams and visions of where we want to be.
May the vision of the holy Temple become a reality and with it the dreams of so many speedily in our days.

"They wanted me to go to Yeshivah but I said no, no, no."

2011-07-29T05:55:00.001-07:00

"They wanted me to go to Yeshivah but I said no, no, no."

These were the lyrics to my Purim Idol song. It’s an annual event at the only Jewish rehab centre in the world: the Chabad Residential Treatment Centre in LA - where I served as Rabbi for three years. Imitating the popular television show, clients and staff would take to the stage.

When I arrived in LA I knew very little about drugs and addiction. When I left I had learned much, mostly from direct experiences and it is from that place (non-professional) that I write today.

Like many others I was saddened when I heard of the untimely passing of Amy Winehouse last Saturday night. Like many others I was not shocked.

To all those that asked whether she attended Saatchi Shul, sadly she didn’t. Not long after moving to London and becoming the Rabbi at Saatchi, I tried to reach out to Amy. So did many others, I have now learned.

We don’t know for sure how Amy died but we know she suffered from addiction: a destructive path that has taken the lives of many young and talented people

I remember when my close friend Josh overdosed, after a long year of sobriety. So many people were looking to take the blame. No one can be blamed, no parents, no doctors, no friends or producers. Some refer to addiction as a disease.

What then is its cure? If any?

What is it about addiction that those affected seem hopeless?

What does one do if someone they know has symptoms of addiction?

Rehab experts, psychiatrists, psychologists and hypnotists the world over have marvelled at the state of the mind the addict and come up with different “cures”.

The 12 step program is the most widely accepted. One of the most preeminent figures in America in the field of addiction is Rabbi Dr Abraham Twerski:

“The 12-step programs have been a very effective method of overcoming the scourge of a variety of addictions — alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, sex — and several others.”

In his introduction to Judaism and the 12 steps, Rabbi Twerski asks: “Are the 12-steps kosher? I think they reach the highest standards.”

If a friend or family member has questionable behavioural patterns, seek help for them, as there are places to turn.

There are many resources online and in London there is Drugsline Chabad, run by my colleague Rabbi Sufrin http://www.drugsline.org/.

Shabbat Shalom

Can a Rabbi drive a Mercedes?

2011-07-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

Our Vauxhall Zafira has a serious fuel-injection problem. In short, it's knackered. So I've been looking to buy a new car. A friend offered me his Mercedes at a very reasonable price. I couldn't accept it. I mean, a rabbi with a fancy car?

In the US, some preachers have their own private jets. Many have a hard time equating luxury with true religious devotion. But let me ask you this: is it possible to live a life of luxury, with private jets and fancy yachts, and still be pious and devout?

Okay, so none of us won the £160million lotto (at least, no-one who'll admit to it). Can you imagine yourself sitting before a succulent, mouth watering roast on Shabbat and eating it purely for the sake of Shabbat and not at all for self enjoyment?

There are exceptional people who carry off this level of devotion to perfection. But for those that can't, Jewish law permitted vows. When we feel incapable of enjoying a particular pleasure without succumbing to self indulgence, it is permitted to vow to avoid that particular pleasure.

For example: suppose you had a particular weakness for ice-cream, and try as you might you could not overcome it: every time you see ice cream your mouth waters.
Can you harness ice-cream to the service of G-d? If you were able to eat it to enhance Shabbat then the ice-cream would be used to enhance G-d’s holiness on Shabbat. But if one gets immediately distracted by one’s own enjoyment, how can the ice cream ever serve G-d?

So the vow was there to help a Jew avoid a pitfall in the service of G-d. All the same, vows can be annulled. As soon as one feels confident in one’s ability to partake of that pleasure without corrupting one's purpose and soul, they should be back to eating as much as ice-cream as they please.