worship

Dying communities

Debbie Young-Somers — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:55:31 +0100

This weekend I visited Plymouth Synagogue, the oldest Ashkenazi (Jews from Western and Northern Europe) synagogue in the UK. It is being beautifully maintained and is a gorgeous little nugget of history, kept open by a dedicated non-Jewish care taker. He was sad, as were we, that there are now only four regular attenders at the synagogue for services. More come for the big holidays, but it's not really enough to keep the place going, epsecially as traditionally you need at least 10 men for a full service to be conducted.

We Come one

Amaranatho — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:22:24 +0100

What are you one with?

Sacred Journeys within

Amaranatho — Tue, 18 May 2010 12:56:59 +0100

How does your life change?

Where is the Love - Black eyes peas

Amaranatho — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:59:42 +0100

Where is the love

read the words here - what do they

What is it to be a Rabbi

Debbie Young-Somers — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:28:43 +0000

Leo Baeck College (where I studied to be a Rabbi) has produced a series of videos looking at the different elements of working as a Rabbi - these could easily apply to other community leaders I suspect. I am in one of them but they all present a different element of our work, and explore Jewish ideas of community, prayer, interfaith and education...

http://www.youtube.com/user/leobaeckcollege#p/u

Diwali: Barrack Obama Celebrates Hindu Festival of Light

Seeta Lakhani — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:42:38 +0100

Mr Obama became the first US president to personally take part in a White House ceremony for the festival of lights, lighting a diya (oil lamp) inside the executive mansion and bowing respectfully before a Hindu priest.

The festival will be officially marked in India and around the world on Saturday but celebrations are already underway.

Obama's Diwali Message

Seeta Lakhani — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:36:29 +0100

President Obama's Diwali Message, October 09:

God or the Dollar?

Mike Ward — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:41:42 +0100

"Er, well, OK...but nothing else, is that clear?"

Taking Time for Reflection - the Day of Atonement

Debbie Young-Somers — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:33:47 +0100

In 3 days time it will be Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. To atone is to somehow make up for your sins. We do this once a year, but it's not a one day process alone. We spend the month before preparing for Yom Kippur, and the 10 days before (from Rosh Hashanah - the new year) really seriously getting ready. But how do we get ready? How do we repair our relationship with God on this one day?

The mosque that's really a synagogue...

Basma Elshayyal — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:18:49 +0100

Below is a heartwarming article with contribution from Associated Press videographer Tracy Brown - It tells the story of how a Muslim community in America rents space from their local synagogue on a daily basis and the positive impact this has had on community relations...

More details on the AP website.

"Having a go"

Mike Ward — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:02:24 +0100

What do the parents of a tiny premature baby in Paraguay, certified dead and then heard crying when she was placed in her coffin for burial, have in common with Richard Cass, the father of the 19-year old backpacker Jamie Neale who was discovered alive after being lost in the Australian outback for 12 days? At first sight the answer is simple: both have experienced miracles after writing off for dead the life of a loved one – though sadly the baby did die a few days later when returned to hospital.

Some Ramadan traditions around the world

Basma Elshayyal — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:40:05 +0100

A quick whizz round the globe, to give you a tiny flavour of what makes Ramadan uniquely special all over the world

Firstly, a beautiful slideshow:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=110101144374

Some interesting articles on life in Egypt...