This week, Rabbi Miriam shares a 90-second video sermon on Parashat Mishpatim. She reflects: What is separating meat and milk really about? To borrow a Talmudic phrase, our current practice on separate EVERYTHING (plates, pots, brushes) is like " a mountain suspended by a hair " - an immense amount of halacha derived from a very slim Biblical reference. But I think that reference, which comes up in this week's parasha, teaches us a lot about how kashrut should be about mindfu

Rabbi Miriam's sermon - delivered Shabbat morning on 31st January 2026. Some people here will have heard of the 5 stages of grief, developed by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. While Kübler-Ross herself said herself that they’re not always linear, she has faced criticism for a theory which seems so neat, with its stages to progress through, ending in acceptance. Closure. Then with grief wrapped up, you can move on.  Grief, I thin

This week, Rabbi Miriam Lorie joined BBC Radio 2's Pause for Thought. She explains that: "My work is full of privileges. And a particularly unique privilege is hospital chaplaincy. I'm not paid for it, yet I stick with it because of the extraordinary and ordinary encounters I've had in those wards. I hope the conversations lift the patients and help them feel heard - this is of course the primary objective. But however much I give, it's something I'll always gain from more.

This Shabbat, Parashat Bo coincides with Jami's Mental Health Shabbat, a time to reflect on mental health and raise awareness of mental health in our community. This week, Rabbi Miriam is joined by Victoria Dadds, Kehillat Nashira's JAMI ambassador. Rabbi Miriam reflects: It's JAMI mental health Shabbat this week, an opportunity to raise awareness and talk about a side to health which we're still learning to talk about and care for well. Victoria shares how each of us reall

This week, Rabbi Miriam Lorie joined BBC Radio 2's Pause for Thought. Listen here They say that a shoemaker’s children go barefoot, but my lovely mum is an optometrist, and she did make sure to test my, my brother and sister’s eyes as we were growing up. And Scott, it’s confession time, because I was not  a good patient.  When mum said "is it better 1 or 2?” I would say “3”. And she had one of those swivelly office chairs with a lever for adjusting the height that was exactly

Rabbi Miriam's sermon - delivered Shabbat morning on 17th January 2026. Shabbat shalom all.  It is very special to welcome my friend, the Reverend Tom Mumford from Ipswich Minster, soon to be Chaplain to support the Bishop of Selby. Rev. Tom will address us at the end of shul, so I’m going to say something brief today.  And the opportunity is too good not to start with a joke about a priest and a rabbi.  A rabbi and a priest are the only passengers on a plane, along with the

This week, Rabbi Miriam is joined by her former teacher, Father Patrick Moriaty. He share a 90-second video sermon on Parashat Va'era. Rabbi Miriam reflects: There aren't many Christian priests who know the word "parasha" but this extraordinary man, Father Patrick Moriarty, does. He taught me religious studies at school, and is in large part responsible for my decision to study Theology, then a bit more Judaism, which led to a bit more Jewish study and a bit more. And here we

Rabbi Miriam's sermon - delivered Kabbalat Shabbat 9th January 2026 Tomorrow we begin the book of Shemot, literally “names”. But names are strangely absent from the opening story, as our people’s enslavement in Egypt becomes established then embedded. Perhaps this is because slaves, along with the most oppressed people in human history, have not been dignified with names, sometimes as we know, being numbered instead.  But onto this scene comes two figures with names. They are

This week, Rabbi Miriam is joined by her teacher Rabbi Zvi Hirshfield at Limmud. He share a 90-second video sermon on Parashat Vayechi. Rabbi Miriam reflects: "Limmud  festival was phenomenal in so many ways and one was being around so many teachers. So it was an honour to learn from Rabbi Zvi Hirshfield again and for him to give this week's Insta sermon. Thank you @pardesinstitute  for Rabbi Zvi and for all the inspiration you've given so many of us."

This week, Rabbi Miriam has been representing Kehillat Nashira bringing Chanukah light into many different spaces. Earlier this week, Rabbi Miriam visited Meadow Hill Care Home, a newly opened care home in Castleford Close, Borehamwood. She lit Chanukah candles with residents and staff, sharing songs, blessings, and a moment of warmth and connection. It has also been a painful week for the Jewish community. News from Sydney, Australia has reminded us that even when events tak

This week, Rabbi Miriam shares a 90-second video sermon on Parashat Vayishlach . She reflects: "A 90 second sermon on something that's difficult to talk about. Particularly in a family setting like shul. But because abuse thrives in silence, it's important to share this story and speak out against it happening in our communities and our world. If the Torah can, so can we. " If you'd like to read the full story, please click the link below: https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.34?l

Written by Gaye Daniels - November 2025 To explain what having a Bat Mitzvah meant to me at my tender age of 71, I should explain something about my life.   I grew up in an anglicised family, but we always celebrated the major Jewish festivals. I have always been passionate about being Jewish and a strong supporter of Israel.   My married years were observant, and when divorced, I tried to continue with as much as I could living by myself. However, I gradually developed an i

Rabbi Miriam's Vayetze sermon - delivered Shabbat 29th November 2025 What does it look like to have a safe home? The home is usually the place where we expect to “switch off” our threat responses. A place where you are physically protected, but also one with psychological safety. If home doesn’t feel safe, the body can stay in a chronic stress state and never truly relaxes.  On the other hand, a home with good physical and psychological safety has long-term positive effects o

Rabbi Miriam's Toldot sermon - delivered Kabbalat Shabbat 21st November 2025 Our parasha is Toldot, which contains the story of Yaakov and Eisav’s brotherly wranglings. It all starts with the twins wrestling in utero, which leads their mother to ask the existential question: “לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי” “if so, why do I exist?” In a time before obstetricians, she speaks to God via an oracle or teacher and is given a prophecy that the older twin will end up serving the younger - th

This week, Rabbi Miriam shares a 90-second video sermon on Parashat Toledot. She reflects: "It's one of the biggest questions in the Torah for me, and one with a clear answer despite religious commentaries (particularly the newer ones) tying themselves in knots to justify our Avot and Imahot's flawed human behaviour. Glad to have the Ramban and Radak onside for this one. "[Yaakov] was punished for initiating such a sale because he had upset the norms of civilised society by d

This week, Rabbi Miriam Lorie joined BBC Radio 2's Pause for Thought. Listen here , In about 40 minutes Sara Cox will begin her epic Great Northern Marathon Challenge for Children in Need - an incredible feat for an amazing cause. The first county she’ll be crossing is Northumberland - I expect she’s there warming up right now. Northumberland is where my family had our summer holiday this year, so Sara, if you’re listening, here are my reflections on Northumberland… and spir

Rabbi Miriam's sermon - delivered Kabbalat Shabbat 7th November 2025 I’m not sure about you, but I’m still waiting for the nice, quiet time beyond the two years of feeling tense. Don’t get me wrong, the news cycle seems better than the awfulness of even a few weeks ago. But that’s not a particularly high bar.  I expect that some people here, along with some of my American colleagues, are feeling anxious about Mamdani’s appointment. Others among my colleagues voted for him, s