December 31, 2020 09:45

The ordinary heroes we’ll remember this year

'Long after the pain of 2020 has faded into the background, the individual stories of human triumph over adversity, of personal selflessness and self-sacrifice that have emerged this year will remain strong.'

November 26, 2020 12:21

Farewell to a rabbi and leader who really cared

'Rabbi Sacks cared about the future of the Jewish community, the future of Britain and the future of the world. But most of all, he cared about people, as people.'

October 13, 2020 15:19

Shuls must not close their doors for winter

'The facilities which faith communities offer are not luxuries. They are essential, frontline services, which provide a lifeline of spiritual and often physical support, particularly during difficult times.'

September 04, 2020 15:19

Don’t lose your connection because of Covid

'When a connection is limited to start with, the fibres that keep it strong need, at minimum, an annual reinforcement'

August 03, 2020 11:22

It’s the United Synagogue that keeps us Jewish

'This is a time to focus on the remarkable historical contribution the United Synagogue has made to British Jewry over multiple generations.'

June 25, 2020 20:25

Let’s celebrate when the shuls reopen at last

'|We will be on the road to rebuilding Jewish communal life. That should be a huge celebration.'

June 01, 2020 10:38

Zoom is no substitute for a real community

At its heart, Jewish communal life is not a business. It isn’t a company that can coldly consider the viability of working from home and a life in video conferencing, writes Yoni Birnbaum

April 17, 2020 12:24

Helping others makes us a closer community

'In these worrying times, we have fallen back on the core of who we are, upon what matters to us most in life. These times have stretched all of us to the limit.'

March 12, 2020 16:18

The stones that remind us of our foundations

Compiling a Jewish history tour of London gives clues about what makes a community survive

February 10, 2020 12:58

A cold day in New Jersey, never to be forgotten

' To sing and dance with 90,000 other Jews, joined together in celebration of our precious heritage, was transformative.'

January 02, 2020 11:41

2019 awoke a slumbering sense of belonging

'Events of this past year have made many young Jews like Alex seriously reflect upon what their Jewish identity means to them.'

October 24, 2019 14:42

What do I say to a congregation when most of them won't be back in the synagogue for another year?

Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum ponders what to say to the twice a year shul-goers

September 19, 2019 15:02

The most significant gift for a barmitzvah boy

'From this day forwards, every day will begin with a half-hour wrapped (literally) in prayer and reflection.'

August 16, 2019 16:00

Children are a blessing we should never spurn

Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum discusses the choice of having children in the modern age

July 11, 2019 10:23

The lessons I learned from a room of refugees

'For a humbling lesson in the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, Sara’s story was difficult to beat'

June 06, 2019 15:58

Daf Yomi: Sign up now for the biggest simchah on Earth

This online daily study plan could be the most positive thing to happen to Jewish-themed Google searches, says Yoni Brinbaum