If I were to give you the choice, would you choose to spend a day with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, or comedian Ricky Gervais?

Do you like watching Hollywood films where good overcomes evil?

We are living in uncertain times, or as my son says, ‘funky’ times.

What a year we’ve had! Thank God it’s over!

Speaking Out Against Racism: Nottingham Liberal Synagogue Solidarity with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities and all those who stand for justice.

Dear friends, I don’t know about you but for me this lockdown feels like a much longer experience than it has actually been. These 6 weeks feel like an eternity now and a whole universe away from where we were 6 or 7 weeks ago. I wonder whether that is how our ancestors felt when they were wandering weeks later in the desert looking back at their Exodus from Egypt.

Dear friends, How lucky we are to have such beautiful weather welcoming Pesach into our homes! Pesach is here and the spring is here too!

This is a question which most of us never ask, either because the answer seems too obvious for many of us, or maybe the question itself seems irrelevant to those of our people who are not particularly keen on Pesach observance.

Today is the Day of Atonement in the Jewish tradition. It is a time forself-reflection, for repentance and for forgiveness. In Judaism, sincere repentance is always accompanied by forgiveness, and we have to start by"forgiving ourselves".

Every time I read the story of Exodus I cannot stop thinking about all Moses’ many upsetting experiences with his people and his siblings.

Being on Sabbatical for a month has had the most profound effect on me. I realised how quickly, never mind time – a month flies!

For many people Pesach is a special festival for many reasons, actually for many VERY different reasons. As a product of Soviet propaganda I believed in my youth that religion was “opium for the people”.  It was lucky for me then that all we had to do for Pesach was to eat matzah. I didn’t like it then (tasteless!). And the whole concept of slavery seemed barbaric at the time when, in Belarus,  we were governed by a system very close to communism.  

What a wonderful year is ahead of us! A year (even 15 months!) to celebrate, to reflect, to kvell and to look into the future with confidence. Happy 50th anniversary to each and every, dear member of Nottingham Liberal Synagogue. Our community will meet this New Year with a strong healthy membership and good community spirit and your contribution to the life of the congregation has helped this.

Dear All, have a lovely, meaningful and fun Exodus from slavery tonight surrounded by your friends, family and loved ones.