Sunday, June 01, 2014

The Chief Rabbi's 'Good Show'

Almost three weeks ago, I was privileged to accompany Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis of England and some 40 other Rabbis to the Bnei David Yeshiva in Eli.

I know see he has addressed the Churh of Scotland's General Assemby and put forward the case for the Jewish national ethos:

...The inextricable link between the Jewish People and the Land of Israel is clear. According to our tradition, the Jewish People’s association with the Land of Israel is as old as time itself. It dates back to the creation of the world.  This link was confirmed by God to Abraham in Genesis Chapter 17, verse 8: “The whole land of Canaan, I give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” ...

...The Jewish People’s connection to the Land of Israel is deep and it is eternal. It goes to the very fibre of our being as a faith community and as a nation. It defines who we are...There is no legitimate theological narrative or theological interpretation that can deny this fundamental and essential link...Israel for the Jewish People is not an idea or a place of the heart. It is a physical reality, where the Jewish People lives and breathes...

Good show.

Even if he didn't mention the visit:


This is exactly what I was exploring last week when I took a delegation of 50 of my Rabbis from the UK to Israel. Our itinerary included a tour of Christian parts of Jerusalem’s Old City and we met with the leaders of the many Christian and Muslim communities, as well as the Druze and Baha’i faiths.


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