Climate catastrophe and planning for the next seven years

‘Thought’ on Mikkeitz – Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah LJ E-Bulletin, 12.23 COP28, which brought together 50,370 delegates (including 2,456 fossil-fuel lobbyists), 15,063 registered NGOs, and 1,293 Media organisations, concluded on 13 December after two weeks of intense deliberations in a compromise: an agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, but no commitment to phase them […]

CHANUKKAH CANDLE-LIGHTING DEDICATIONS 2023 – 5784

We dedicate the 1st flame to the people of Tibet, a proud nation that was annexed by China in 1951, and remains subject to Chinese authority. We dedicate the 2nd flame to the Muslim Uyghurs, and the other ethnic and religious minorities in the Xinjiang province of China, who are being subjected to ethnocide – […]

THE LEO BAECK COLLEGE RABBI LIONEL BLUE MEMORIAL LECTURE

LGBTQ Panel: What is the Legacy of Queer Rabbis? Rabbis Judith Levitt, Daniel Lichman, indigo Raphael, Judith Rosen-Berry, Elli Tikvah Sarah, Anna Wolfson Finchley Reform Synagogue, 8 November 2023 Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah’s contribution to the Panel Personal introduction It’s good to be here with you all for this special event. I was ordained on […]

Sh’mini Atzeret Acheret Shabbat, 7th October 2023 / 22nd Tishri 5784

Sh’mini Atzeretthe ‘Eighth (day of)Closure’concludingthe sacred seasonthe days set apartfor repairing ourselvesour relationshipsour communitiesour worldand thenrejoicingin nature’s bounty.But this yearin IsraelSh’mini AtzeretAcheret‘another’kind of closureon that holy-daywhich was also Shabbatmonstrous desecrationas Hamas terroristshearts-sealed-shuthands wielding gunsknivesstopped heartsin their hundredsyoung peopledancingin the desertinto dawnmowed downbabieschildrenfamiliesas they woketo a new daytorturedmurdered mutilatedtheir homes set aflame.Meanwhilegirls and women rapeddozens of […]

Simchat Torah

Simchat Torah[1]the joy of Torah joyousrespitefor agile mindsforeverdivinginto the flowof wordsdecipheringand multiplyingtheir meanings the annual rejoicingstirring the heartand the feetto rapture.Eitz Chayyim hila-machazikim bah ‘She is a Tree of Life to those who grasp Her’the Torah claspedin loving embrace its ancient lettersdancingfrom pastto presentfrom endingto beginning whirlinginto new lifewith every step.Elli Tikvah Sarah Post-Biblical festival […]

Sh’mini Atzeret

Sh’mini Atzeretthe eighth day after Sukkot[1]that closesthe sacred seasonof the seventh month.[2]In ancient times the annual cycle ofpilgrimage to Jerusalem also concluded on that day. And sothe returning pilgrimsshut down for the bare months of winter shadowed by concern that the late harvest’sbountymight not lastuntil the spring Aviv the month of beginnings[3] when the full […]

Sukkot LJ E Bulletin

Sukkot, chag ha-asif, ‘the feast of ingathering’, is the concluding autumn festival of the ‘three feet’ festivals (shalosh r’galim), when our ancestors would go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem with their offerings (Exodus 23:14-17, Deuteronomy 16:16). The first is Pesach, chag ha-matzot, ‘the feast of unleavened bread’, in the spring. The second is Shavuot/Weeks, yom ha-bikkurim, […]

The 50th Anniversary of the Yom Kippur War (6-25 October 1973)

Fifty yearssince the Yom Kippur Warbut no Jubileeto be soundedwith T’ki’ah G’dolahthe ‘Great Blast’at the end of the fast. After triumphin 1967 Israel caught unawaresin 1973on Yoma‘The Day’ when everything ceaseswhen even soldierslay down their armsmake confessionand seek forgivenessof the Onein whose imageevery human beinghas been created (even thosewe may consider to beour enemies). And […]

Rosh Ha-Shanah

Rosh Ha-Shanah‘The head of the year’a ‘day of blasting’on the first dayof the seventh monthas we are taughtin the Torah. [1] Halfway throughthe cycle of monthsthe yearturnsa milestone momentfor us to pauseand turnour headsto our heartsbeatingto every shofar blastthe roar of ‘T’ki’ah’broken ‘Sh’varim’the rapid-fire of ‘T’ru’ah’ [2]wordless missivesfrombeyondcalling usto accountfor all we have doneand failed […]

Elli Tikvah Sarah, studied Sociology at the London School of Economics (1974-77) and Rabbinics at the Leo Baeck College in London (1984-89), where she received s’michah (ordination), and has been Rabbi of Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue since December 2000. The first ordained lesbian Rabbi to lead a mainstream synagogue in Britain (…)