Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz

Rosh haShanah Sermon 2016 Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz The Deep Story Let me ask you an honest question: how has your year been? How has it really been? Are you angry? Are you scared? Are you hopeful? Are you determined? Any, all or none of the above ring true; it’s been quite the year, hasn’t it? Tumultuous, volatile, unpredictable. Many of us may feel disconnected and worried, disempowered and cynical. Like the prophet Jonah, we’re cast upon the waves, facing an uncertain destiny. This year has been quite the year of headlines; here’s to name just a few: The Paris, Brussels and Nice terrorist attacks, the continued devastation of Syria and Iraq, the refugee crisis, the Zika virus, the failed military coup in Turkey and of course, the impactful events on both sides of the Atlantic: the Brexit vote and one of the most contested American presidential elections. No wonder, then, that we find ourselves in a liminal space, waiting to exhale. (Even one of the grea...

Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz The Heart of the Matter ‘ Kol ha’olam kulo gesher tzar me’od v’ha’ikar lo lefached klal ’ – ‘All the world is a narrow bridge, but the essence is to fear naught’. These famous words from the Chassidic Rebbe Nachman of Breslav have been rehashed time and again. They’re the staple of youth movements, summer camps and sing-along Friday night services to the point that they have almost become trite. Still, this simple aphorism speaks to the universal human experience of existential fear and encourages us to overcome that fear. However, the fulcrum on which the verse is balanced – ‘all the world is a narrow bridge’ and ‘fear naught’, is ‘ikar’ – ‘the essence’. The essence of something is distilled, purified, intensified. It cuts out clutter, does away with fluff, and purges the dross, as in the words of our Prophets. Getting to the heart of the matter is to find truth through restriction, through philosophical editing and spiritual discipline. Luri...

Power of the Person – Shabbat Av/Parashat Devarim Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz You are powerful beyond compare. It’s a message that’s unexpected, counter-cultural, radical even. We live in times where many of us feel adrift, swept along on currents and riptides that are very much beyond our control. Our world seems more unstable and volatile than we’ve seen in generations and an instinctive response is to be paralysed by our own sense of powerlessness. What can we do, after all, about the many problems that beset us? About war and hunger, poverty and destitution, hatred and bigotry? The answer is: everything. The Talmud, in Tractate Gittin 55b, tells us the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza. A rich man decides to throw a party and asks his servant to invite his friend, Kamtza. The servant, however, makes a mistake by mixing up names and invites Bar Kamtza instead, who is a sworn enemy of the rich man. When Bar Kamtza shows up to the party, the patron shoos him and tells hi...

Sermon Pride Shabbat Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz Coming Out/Into the Promised Land During last year’s Pride Shabbat, I spoke about journeying from acceptance to celebration. We commemorated the murder of a young Israeli girl during Jerusalem Pride. A similar, more devastating, sermon could be given today where we touch about the horrific tragedy of the Orlando Shooting. Yet, I am choosing not to address the tragedies that have befallen the LGBT community over the past years. Not because they are not significant – they are, and we should mourn, remember and fight – but because this should not define our sacred journey into acceptance, celebration and sanctification. What far more illustrative of our journey as a LGBT community, is the focus on settling our promised land. What is this promised land? To each individual, it will be different but I want us to dream about the place in which we find the fulfillment of our soul. The embrace of a loved one, the empowerment of sel...

Parashat Beha’alotcha 2016 / Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz  Our God makes demands of us.  Our God makes demands of us.  As modern Jews, we may be unaccustomed and even uncomfortable with the above statement. We relish in a world of autonomy, even permissiveness, and we associate Divine demands with another world entirely—one of unbridled zealotry and narrow-minded fanaticism.  Yet it is true, our God makes demands of us.  Our God demands our relentless pursuit of justice. ‘ Tzedek tzedek tirdoff ’—‘justice, justice you shall pursue’ (Deut. 16:20). Our God demands abiding love. ‘ V’ahavta le’arecha kamocha ’—‘you shall love your neighbour as yourself’ (Lev. 19:18). Our God demands lives guided by wise lovingkindness—‘ torat chesed al leshonah ’—‘the law of kindness shall be upon her tongue.’ (Prov. 31:26) Our God demands our unwavering commitment to peace. ‘ Sur me’rah v’aseh tov, bakesh shalom v’rad’fehu ’—‘Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and...

Parashat Bamidbar 2016 Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz Legacy and Destiny There are two Midrashim that discuss the circumstances under which the Torah was given at Shavuot. Each story places a radically different emphasis. Listen to them both and tell me what stands out for you. Midrash #1: The Torah was given to the people of Israel in the ownerless desert. For if it were given in the Land of Israel, the residents of the Land of Israel would say, “It is ours”; and if it were given in some other place, the residents of that place would say, “It is ours.” Therefore it was given in the wilderness, so that anyone who wishes to acquire it may acquire it. Mechilta d’Rashbi And: Midrash #2: Rabbi Meir said: When the Jews stood before Sinai to receive the Torah, God said to them: "I swear, I will not give you the Torah unless you provide worthy guarantors who will assure that you will observe its laws." The Jews responded, "Master of the world, our forefath...

Parashat Kedoshim Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz The Law of Kindness The last few weeks, I’ve been really engrossed in watching BBC’s ‘MasterChef’. As we speak, the final has been aired (on Friday night) and as soon as Shabbat goes out, I’ll watch it on iPlayer and can’t wait to find out who wins! I love watching the show for its adventurous and creative cooking. It’s a guilty pleasure because, as a religious Jew, I can only have 10% of the dishes they prepare! It’s a true celebration of treyf : the episode where they cooked the giant prawn with urchin sauce and noodles flavoured with octopus ink powder really took the proverbial cake! What I’ve really enjoyed about MasterChef is its unexpected and counter-cultural message of kindness . This is a Reality TV competition where the prize opens the doors to a career that could change contestants’ lives, where judges from the best and brightest of the food industry submit the contestants to their unrelenting judgement. There’s ...