Love, Justice, and the Soul of Israel
Rabbi Adrian Schell examines the moral test of the soul of Israel in this Pesach [Passover] sermon. Drawing on Deuteronomy and Song of Songs, he addresses the Kotel [Western Wall] bill and the Death Penalty Bill, arguing that liberation requires protecting the dignity of the stranger and the Soul of the Jewish State. True love for Israel means speaking out when justice and inclusion are at stake.
Beyond the Megillah
Purim usually brings laughter, but this year the news from the Middle East feels particularly heavy. As we watch regimes shift and sirens sound, how do we find the genuine courage to celebrate? I have been reflecting on the resilience of our friends in Israel and the humbling grace of the Baha'i community. Let us hold onto hope and one another as we navigate these uncertain days together.
Memory as a Sacred Obligation
The silence left behind by the stopped hostage clock is not the joyous quiet of a struggle won, but the heavy stillness of a cycle closed. In Parashat Beshallach, we read that Moses took the bones of Joseph with him out of Egypt. Even in a life or death escape, the leader of our people stopped to ensure no one was left behind. We do not leave our dead in the narrow places. This Shabbat, we hold space for the silence, honouring the persistence of a people who insist on the dignity of every soul and the sanctity of every name.
The Festival of Contradictions
How Can We Rejoice? A Sukkot Message Two Years After October 7th
My sermon for Erev Sukkot addresses a direct and painful collision in the Jewish calendar: the beginning of 'z’man simchateinu', the season of our joy, falls on the exact second anniversary of the October 7th atrocities. It explores how the sukkah itself, with its flimsy walls and lesson in vulnerability, will not let us hide from this echo. This year, those walls are a stark reminder of the vulnerability imposed on so many. The sermon grapples with how we can possibly celebrate in the face of this memory, the ongoing hostage crisis, and the fresh grief from the recent antisemitic attack in Manchester. The message redefines Sukkot's joy not as a distraction, but as an act of defiance, resilience, and sacred memory—a way to honour those who no longer can, by choosing to build, gather, and sing because we remember.
When Conscience and Command Collide: Faith and Ethics in the Akedah (Binding of Isaac) Story
700 DAYS
Marching With the Sound of Hope
Planting Hope in Fragile Soil
We will dance again—Simchat Torah 5785