Kol Nefesh Masorti

A Jewish response to Chris Hitchen's 'God is not Great'

On Sundays whenever Rabbi Joel is with us, Rabbi Joel's shiurim will be looking at Christopher Hitchen's book 'God is Not Great' and looking chapter by chapter at what a modern Jewish Response would be to this paean to atheism.

Next Shiur: Sunday May 19th at 10am

Kol Hakehila - our community magazine

Here is the latest amazing edition of the KNM Magazine 'Kol Hakehila' for Pesach 2013. The theme for this edition is "Turning Points" and we also have a special section on Ethiopia.

Articles in this magazine are from Rabbi Joel, Chazan Jacky, Dr Annette Boeckler, Richard Wolfe, Gabi Peretz, Tanya Novick, Rena Pearl, Zvia Bowman, Allan Myers, Nikki Glantz, Mike Fenster, Meira Ben Gad, Shelley Marsh, Lev Rubin, Helen Stone, Steve Griffiths, Simon Gordon, Liz Preter Daniel Burns, Samuel Kelly Einav Diamond-Limor and James Burns, and drawings by Danny Fenster

[Here is the last edition (Rosh Hashanah 2012)]

Welcome to Kol Nefesh Masorti (KNM) Synagogue

We hold our services in the centre of Edgware and hope to see you there - Click for details; We are an inclusive, dynamic and welcoming egalitarian, Masorti (Conservative) community located in Edgware, North West London. Browse this site to learn about our services, our activities of educational and social events, including our youth programme, our Rabbi and our Cantor.

Joel Levy became the Rabbi of Kol Nefesh Masorti in September 2001. He became the director of Noam, the Masorti youth movement in 1994 for three years and received semicha from Rabbi Hartman.

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KNM Calendar

Current articles on Masorti Judaism

February 2013
And now, Masorti wine

http://www.cjvoices.org/article/masorti-wine-supervision-in-israel/

For the first time in Israel, a winery, (Rujum, the High Desert Winery near Mitzpe Ramon), has Masorti, not Orthodox, kosher supervision. The Masorti hashgacha (supervision) agreement also calls for a living wage for employees and transparency to assure that salaries and taxes are paid.

September 2012
How to find a flag for Simchat Torah that embodies Masorti values

http://www.masortiworld.org/http%3A/%252Fwww.masortiworld.org/molami/fla...

August 2012

An excellent article in the Forward by Yizhar Hess on the lack of religious pluralism in Israel, an ironic comment on Israel's response to Germany's possible ban on circumcision
http://forward.com/articles/160342/religious-freedom-for-israelis-too/

May 2012

'Masorti may boycott hotels that refuse to allow Torah scrolls to be used for mixed-gender services'.

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Should The Chief Rabbi be issuing statements on Gay Marriage? A letter from Rabbi Joel Levy

Two letters from Rabbi Joel Levy on Gay marriage

The issue of sexuality and gender once again rears its head and threatens to pull apart not only the Church of England but also the Tory Party over the Prime Minister’s decision to support legislation permitting gay marriage in the UK. The Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue and his Beit Din have weighed in with an assertion that the Jewish tradition is opposed to such a shift in policy:

“Marriage by definition in Jewish (biblical) law is the union of a male and a female. While Judaism teaches respect for others and condemns all types of discrimination, we oppose a change to the definition of marriage that includes same-sex relationships. Jewish (biblical) law prohibits the practice of homosexuality. It therefore follows that same-sex unions are against Jewish law.”

I do not agree with this statement.

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Traditional Judaism for Modern Jews

Watch the video recently shown at the Masorti Judaism dinner in December

Children's Shabbat at KNM

On the first Shabbat of every month we have a children's shabbat aimed at primary school age children. Children and parents join the adults for a dvar torah (discussion of the weekly portion) that is aimed at children and adults, and children are encouraged to discuss this with the whole community. Following this is a family tefillah (prayer service) including songs and chants, and including time for those who are reading the musaph amidah. Children's Shabbat concludes with kiddush, and a lunch at the shul (check calender for details).