Messages From Cantor Leon

Click on the hyperlinks below to read the details of our members contributions.  Enjoy and many thanks!

• Cantor Leon’s Message Regarding The Return of the Hostages for 5785/2025.
• Cantor Leon’s Tu Bishvat  Message for 5785/2025.
• Cantor Leon’s High Holy Days Message for 5785/2024.
• Cantor Leon’s Tisha B’Av Message for 5784/2024.
• The Importance of Rituals:  A multiperspective discussion with Cantor Leon
• Cantor Leon’s Shavuot Message for 5784/2024.
• Cantor Leon’s Yom Ha’ Atzmaut for 5784/2024
• Cantor Leon’s Pesach Message for 5784/2024. 
• Cantor Leon’s Purim Message for 5784/2024. 
• Cantor Leon’s Thought for the Day (Dec. 7th). 
• Cantor Leon’s Message — A Perspective from Belfast

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Cantor’s Message
27 February 2025 / 29 Shevat 5785

Dearest friends,
On Wednesday of this week I watched the funerals of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas.
They made for heartbreaking viewing — particularly when we recall that Yarden
Bibas was himself released from captivity on 1 February, expressing a wish to see
his family returned alive. It was not to be.

When the father spoke to the mourners about his children, he said he knew that four-
year-old Ariel would amuse the angels with his antics. When he turned to ten-month-
old Kfir, he recalled that at the time of his birth, the midwife was suddenly taken
aback; the parents wondered if something was wrong, but she was only expressing
surprise that the couple had produced another redhead (you will have seen that the
colour orange predominated in the memorialising of the two youngsters).
Yarden apologised to his wife and children that he couldn’t have done more to save
them.

I have heard from many in our community that they are hurting just now, and would
welcome a message of hope. Perhaps you will find some meaning in the final song
that was played over the loudspeakers at the Bibas funeral. It’s called “Hold on to
Memories”, by Disturbed:

Listen, everyone
The time will come when all of us say goodbye.
Feel that aching in your heart
Leaving you broken inside;
But we’re never really gone
As long as there’s a memory in your mind
So now go do the best things in life,
Take a bite of this world while you can,
Make the most of the rest of your life,
Make a ride of this world while you can.
Take the ones you love
And hold them close because there is little time,
And don’t let it break your heart;
I know it feels hopeless sometimes.
But they’re never really gone
As long as there’s a memory in your mind
So now go do the best things in life,
Take a bite of this world while you can,
Make the most of the rest of your life
Make a ride of this world while you can.

And hold on to memories,
Hold on to every moment
To keep them alive.
The world’s greatest tragedy
Souls who are not remembered
Cannot survive.
So now go do the best things in life,
Bring the fight to this world while you can.
Make the most of the rest of your life,
Shine your light on this world while you can.
And hold on to memories,
Hold on to every moment
To keep them alive.
The world’s greatest tragedy
Souls who are not remembered
Cannot survive.
You might also find comfort in a prayer. Let me share with you a passage from the
Amidah, the standing prayer that we recite three times each day, which you can use
in your own devotions:
Frustrate the hopes of all those who malign us. Let all evil soon disappear. Let
Your tender mercies, Adonai our God, be stirred for the righteous, the pious,
and for us. Reward all those who fully trust in You, and cast our lot with them.
May we never despair, for our trust is in You. Baruch atah Adonai, who
supports and sustains the righteous.
May the memories of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir, and indeed all those who have died in this
conflict, be a blessing to their bereaved families.

With love from Cantor Leon

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Cantor Leon’s Message
Tu Bishvat 5785/2025

Dearest friends,
Recently we experienced a violent storm that blew down many trees. Luckily our own
garden was spared; but almost everywhere I looked I saw branches, trunks, and
sometimes whole trees blocking paths, and even roads. I though about the meaning
of all this — particularly in the context of Tu Bishvat, which fall this Thursday.

This holiday is known as the New Year of the Trees. We mark it by planting
saplings (often in memory of loved ones), holding special Tu Bishvat seders (which
resemble the Pesach ritual meals, and have their roots in Jewish mysticism), and
raising awareness about the environment. This year, for me, the holiday is about the
significance of trees as metaphors for our faith and our relationships with one
another — especially since I’ve seen so many toppled over in a storm.

In the service for returning the Torah to the Ark, we sing ‘Etz chaim hi’ (‘It is a
tree of life’). The words in English run as follows:

I have given you a precious inheritance:
do not forsake My teaching.
It is a tree of life for those who grasp it,
and all who hold onto it are blessed.
Its ways are pleasant, and all its paths are peace.
Turn us toward You, Adonai, and we will return to You;
make our days seem fresh, as they once were.

The lines are taken from some passages in the Book of Proverbs. They’re
appropriate to the liturgy, because the Torah is identified as the Tree of Life; it
symbolizes the relationship between God and human beings. In Kabbalah, the Tree
of Life is represented as a diagram illustrating the ten divine spheres, or sefirot; they
include attributes like righteousness, justice, beauty, endurance, and understanding.
The branches are interconnected, in order to show how these traits are linked to
each other, and to God. In Jewish mystical teaching, by accessing the spheres we
not only come closer to God; we also engage in tikkum olam, repairing our broken
world (where the divine is increasingly absent), and mending our relationships with
one another.

If we ponder these ideas, while appreciating the trees are all around us, we
come to a greater understanding of the intimate ties that bind us all together as one
human family, and also connect us to the divine. With so many broken trees around,
and the imperative to repair the damage done, the healing of the world is, for me, the
profound lesson of this Tu Bishvat.

I wish you all a Chag Sameach.

With love from Cantor Leon

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Cantor Leon’s High Holy Days Message —

For 5785/2024

Cantor’s Message
Rosh Hashanah 5785 (2024)

Dearest friends,

The High Holy Day season will soon be upon us, and I am looking forward to being with
you again.

This has been a difficult year for Jews around the world: the rise in antisemitic incidents
has been unprecedented in my lifetime. My parents were Holocaust survivors, and I
grew up hearing harrowing tales of violence and persecution at the time of the Second
World War. I never thought that those dark times would return; sadly they have,
affecting synagogues, Jewish schools and other institutions, and even private homes
and people going about their daily lives on the streets. This year especially, we should
direct our prayers towards all who suffer animosity and discrimination — regardless of
their background.

You might remember that last year I said that the theme for our services in 2024/5785
would be the Environment. I have carried through with this, and have planned
addresses and a Tashlich service which focus on Jewish attitudes towards this issue,
and how we might think about climate change from a spiritual point of view. I have also
planned a special study session on Rosh Hashanah, in which we will examine passages
from Jewish wisdom and literature, with an opportunity for you to analyse these
observations about how we interact with our environment.

There’s more: our synagogue building has been without a Mezuzah on the front door
since the new high-security hardware was installed. We will therefore have a short
dedication ceremony on Rosh Hashanah, to affix this important symbol to the doorpost,
as commanded in the Shema, that proclamation of faith which we utter every single day.
Mezuzot feature three Hebrew letters on the reverse of the parchment: שד’’י, an
abbreviation for Shomer D’latot Yisrael, or “The Guardian of the Doors of Israel” — that
is God, one of whose “nicknames” is Shaddai (the Almighty). Given what I’ve said
above about antisemitism, we need God’s protection now more than ever.

And there’s even more: earlier in the year, we had an online discussion about Jewish
attitudes towards medical assistance in dying (MAID); this is available as an online
video (see the newsletter for details). We are going to offer another discussion — live
and in person — on Jewish attitudes to organ donation. This will take place on the
afternoon of Yom Kippur, before Ne’ilah. Please come along to hear me and Dr Dan
Houpt discuss this issue; there will be an opportunity to air your own views as well!

There will, of course, be plenty of music to stir the soul and make our observances lively
and pleasing to the ear. There’s always the invitation to join in if you hear a familiar
tune, so don’t be shy! You all know “Avinu Malkeinu”; but there are many other melodies
to sing along to as well!

I look forward to happy reunions with you all. We pray for better times ahead.

With love from Cantor Leon

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Cantor Leon’s Tisha B’Av Message —

For 5784/2024

Cantor’s Message

Tisha B’Av 2024/5784

Dearest friends

You may not have realised it, but Jewish people are currently in a period of mourning. It began on the 17^th day of the month of Tammuz (23 July this year), and concludes on the 9^th day of the month of Av, known as Tisha B’Av (which falls on Tuesday 13 August).

The 17^th of Tammuz (Shiva-asar be-Tammuz) marks the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by the Romans, before the destruction of the Second Temple (beit ha-Mikdash) three weeks later, on Tisha B’Av, in the year 70 ACE. This was not, however, the only tragedy to befall the Jewish people on Tisha B’Av: other calamities on this date include (1) the return of the twelve spies (meraglim) sent by Moses to survey the Promised Land, the majority of whom brought back negative reports, causing panic and despair; (2) the destruction of the first Temple in 586 BCE, and the beginning of the Balylonian exile; (3) the quelling of Bar Kochba’s revolt by the Romans in 135 CE, and the killing of over 500,000 Jews, thus depopulating Judea; (4) the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290; (5) the granting of approval by the Nazis for the ‘Final Solution of the Jewish Question’ in 1941.

You can readily appreciate how terrible an anniversary this is for our people. It’s traditionally commemorated by fasting for the whole day, chanting the Book of Eichah (Lamentations) in synagogue, and by reading a set of Hebrew dirges called kinnot, in which we express sorrow for the tragedies that we have suffered. I imagine that most of us would not mark this day, if it weren’t highlighted for us. After all, it’s summer, the weather is warm, and many of us go on holiday at this time. Yet there’s a growing movement amongst liberal congregations to engage with the themes and customs of Tisha B’Av. I think this is significant — particularly given the rise of antisemitism in our time. We need to be aware. We need to be alert. Most of all, we need to be resilient, which is a great Jewish character trait: we recover quickly from mishaps; we pick ourselves up and begin again, with renewed vigour and purpose.

So on Tuesday, do spare a thought for Tisha B’Av. And think about your own inner strength and resilience, come what may. You might find that it lends greater meaning and purpose to being a Jew.

With love and support from Cantor Leon

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Cantor Leon’s Shavuot Message —

For 5784/2024

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Cantor Leon’s Ha’Atzmaut Message —

For 5784/2024

Prayers of Contemplation

Dearest friends,

Today, the fifth of Iyyar, marks Yom Ha-Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. The
celebrations/commemorations will, of course, be different, on account of events
since Simchat Torah, which fell on 7 October last year. To mark this day, it would be
appropriate for me to suggest to you a number of prayers that you may keep in your
thoughts or use in your devotions.

The Al Hanissim (‘On the miracles’) prayer is used to give thanks to God for a
miraculous deliverance:

We thank You for the heroism, for the triumphs, and for the miraculous

deliverance of our ancestors, in other days and in our time.

In the days when Your children were returning to their borders, at the time of a

people revived in its land as in days of old, the gates to the land of our

ancestors were closed before those who were fleeing the sword. When

enemies from within the land together with seven neighbouring nations sought

to annihilate Your people, You, in Your great mercy, stood by them in time of

trouble. You defended them and vindicated them. You gave them the courage

to meet their foes, to open the gates to those seeking refuge, and to free the

land of its armed invaders. You delivered the many into the hands of the few,

the guilty into the hands of the innocent. You have wrought great victories and

miraculous deliverance for Your people Israel to this day, revealing Your glory

and Your holiness to all the world.

A Song of Ascent. When Adonai restored our exiles to Zion, it was like a

dream. Then our mouths were filled with laughter; joyous song was on our

tongues. Then it was said among the nations: ‘Adonai has done great things for

them.’ Great things indeed has Adonai done for us; therefore we rejoiced. Bring

back our exiles, Adonai, like streams returning to the Negev. Those who sow in

tears shall reap with joyous song. The seed bearer may plant in tears, but will

come home singing, carrying ample sheaves of grain.

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Cantor Leon’s Passover Message —

For 5784/2024

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Cantor Leon’s Purim Message —

For 5784/2024

Dearest friends,

The joyous festival of Purim will soon be upon us, on 23-24 March. When I describe it to my Gentile friends, I say that it’s a ‘kind of Jewish Hallowe’en’, in which people dress up, either as characters from the Megillah, or as secular figures like Spiderman and Taylor Swift! We are meant to make merry on this holiday, eat Hamantashen, make donations to the poor, and drink wine — even to excess, according to the Talmud — to remind us that the Purim miracles occurred when copious amounts of alcohol were consumed.

There is, however, a more serious side to Purim: one to which we should pay particular attention this year. The Megillah recounts how Haman, an official in the court of King Achashverosh, attempted to convince the monarch that the Jews of Persia should be destroyed; but he was thwarted through the intervention of Mordechai, and of Queen Esther, who was Jewish herself. Esther told her husband about Haman’s plan; as a result, he spared the Jews, and had Haman executed for his treachery.

We make lots of noise every time Haman’s name is mentioned in the Megillah; we do this so as to blot out his name every time it is mentioned. To understand why we do this, we need to recall Haman’s genealogy: he was the descendant of Amalek, the people who attacked the defenceless Israelites after they crossed the Red Sea, as recounted in the Book of Shemot (Exodus). The Bible specifically tells us that we must remember the deeds of Amalek, who set out to destroy the Jewish people. In our own time, we recall Amalek in the context of rising antisemitism, which is evident in many parts of the world. I myself have felt it — both in my workplace, and when I have been travelling recently. Hatred of the Jews seems to be everywhere at the moment. We need to be vigilant, and to call it out when we see it, for only in this way will we be able to overcome those who are intent on our persecution and (God forbid) our destruction.

There is, nevertheless, cause to be optimistic: spring is on the way, the days are getting longer, and we will be reunited with family and friends for events that remind us that we are stronger together, and that we can be grateful for all of God’s blessings.

I wish you all a very joyous Purim.

With love from Cantor Leon

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Cantor Leon’s Message —

A Perspective From Belfast 

Dearest friends,

This is a very trying time for our community. We have experienced a great shock and tragedy, which reverberates around the world. Antisemitism is on the rise; Jewish people are frightened, particularly given the public gatherings that have been held, the vitriol and menace of which are reminiscent of the darkest days of the last century. I grew up with the memory of the Holocaust deeply ingrained in me and my family, many of whom, including my parents, were survivors of that terrible tragedy. I never thought that I’d experience anything like the anxiety and dread that my mother and father felt, simply for being Jewish; unfortunately those feelings are beginning to surface. 

Here in Europe tensions are running high: you can feel the animosity towards Jews, and can see it daily in the media, and indeed on the streets of London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Belfast. We must all have our wits about us, and call out antisemitism wherever it surfaces. 

In addition to regretting the terrible toll in human lives lost, we should remember those who were removed by force into Gaza, including several Canadians. Over two hundred hostages have been taken by Hamas, including 30 children and 20 people over the age of 60. We live in hope that sense will prevail, and that they will be freed in the near future. 

On Monday 9 October I sat down to compose a prayer for those hostages who were taken on Simchat Torah. This was recited by our dear friend Dr Dan Houpt in his Kabbalat Shabbat, and I now offer it to the community at large. Please see it in full below.  It is adapted from our Shacharit morning service, and originates in a time when our ancestors were forcibly taken and held against their will; unfortunately this has happened all too often in our history. Those hostages taken from southern Israel need our love and support; I hope you will use this prayer, in public and in private, to help to bring them home to their loved ones. 

If anyone feels the need to reach out to me for pastoral support at this terrible time, please do get in touch. I’m always available to talk. 

With love from Cantor Leon

Prayer for the Hostages Taken by Hamas Terrorists

on Simchat Torah (7 October 2023)

For our brothers and sisters, all the House of Israel, who have fallen into hardship and captivity, who stand between the sea and the dry land, may the Everpresent One have mercy upon them and rescue them from hardship to wellbeing, and from darkness to light, and from bondage to redemption, now, in the world, at the earliest possible moment, we pray.

And let us say: Amen.

Extracted from daily Shacharit (morning prayer)

Cantor Leon Litvack, 24 Tishrei, 5784

Cantor Litvack’s Prayer for Ukraine

Prayer for Ukraine

Almighty God, we pray for the safety of our Jewish brothers and sisters in Ukraine, for their President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and for all people affected by the conflict. We pray for the security of the country, and for all the neighbouring countries that have opened their borders to provide humanitarian corridors and safe passage for evacuees. We pray for a peaceful resolution; we pray that those affected have the strength and resources to make it through this trying time.

We pray for the day when “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore.” May these words of the Prophet Isaiah come true in our day—in this very hour.

Source of Goodness, strengthen the hands of those who pursue peace, not war. Bring harmony where there is hostility, relief where there is pain, and hope where there is despair.

May God who makes peace in high places make peace for all on earth.

And let us all say Amen.

Cantor Leon Litvack
Shabbat Hagadol
9 April/8 Nisan 2022

Cantor Litvack’s ‘Thought for the Day’ (June 15th, 2022)

The synagogue for which I’m spiritual leader has, for nearly twenty years, shared its premises with a Unitarian congregation. The arrangement is a happy and successful one: we’re respectful of each other’s faith traditions, and their requirements. For Jews, having a kosher kitchen is essential; so, as an accommodation, both congregations serve only vegetarian or dairy foods at their events. As for visible symbols of faith, Jews wouldn’t feel comfortable worshipping in a sanctuary where there’s a cross; for Unitarians that’s not a problem, because their central symbol is a flaming chalice. These areas of cooperation, and others, constitute an admirable model of how two communities can fit together, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and share a single space.

            Last Sunday, there was a special joint service, to celebrate the signing of a memorandum of mutual understanding. This document outlined what responsibilities would be shared, and how the two partners would build a mutually beneficial relationship. The Unitarian minister got in touch with me before the event, and said, “I’ve heard that Judaism has a blessing for everything. Is there one for joining paths and making partnerships?” I thought for a while, and the only standard blessing I could think of was one that celebrates business partnerships; so I decided to adapt this blessing, and change the words to fit the circumstances of the special service. What I came up with was this:

May this partnership be endowed with happiness and blessing.

May this place be filled with protection and peace.

May our pathway be one of good fortune and surety.

May this be the doorway to agreement and abundance.

            This form of words went over well with the two communities, and spoke to what we’re trying to achieve — that is, a happy coexistence, accessed through a single entry point. We want security for maintaining our own way of life and worship, supported by our partners who wish for the same thing. We need to grow together, whilst maintaining trust and sharing responsibility. Of course there’ll be issues along the way; but I think this model will work well — particularly because of the imperative to inhabit the same space. There’s a lesson in this for all of us, in terms of peaceful coexistence and a shared future.  For my congregation and the Unitarians, this principle is best summed up by a banner that we proudly display on the road outside; it reads “Love lives here”.

Link to the recording of this Thought for The Day:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0cf05xt

Cantor Litvack’s ‘Thought for the Day’ (April 6th, 2022)

            I’m currently preparing for my services, to mark the Jewish festival of Passover, which begins next week. Its most outstanding feature is the retelling of the story of the Exodus: one of the greatest narratives of hope in the literature of the world. Its themes include the experiencing of suffering under a powerful oppressor; we mark this by eating bitter herbs, and tasting salt water, as a symbol of the tears shed by our ancestors. We also experience the quest for freedom of thought and action, symbolised by children’s asking such poignant questions as “Why at this time do we eat unleaved bread?” and the adults’ responding that “we had to leave Egypt in a hurry, and so the dough didn’t have time to rise”. Here we’re acting out the experience of liberation from tyranny; by a series of object lessons we’re reminded that living a life of freedom has its cost.

            My favourite part of the ritual Passover meal, called a Seder, is opening the door for Elijah the Prophet, who will, we trust, announce our final redemption, and the advent of the Messiah. It’s a stirring experience, particularly for children, who hope to see the miraculous apparition of Elijah’s entering, and drinking from the special cup that has been set aside for him. When I was a child, I can remember that when this moment arrived, my dad used to shake the table, to give the appearance that Elijah had come, and had indeed drunk the wine.  The passage from the Book of Psalms that we recite when this is happening is poignant; it begins, ‘Pour out Your wrath on the nations that don’t acknowledge you, for they have devoured Jacob and have laid waste his habitation’. You can appreciate the symbolism here: persecution of the people of Jacob in times past have made them cautious about opening their doors to people who don’t recognise God’s grace.

            This past week I’ve seen photos in the news, of doors in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha torn off their hinges, as the invaders wreak havoc and leave unimaginable destruction in their wake. People of all religions and none are afraid to open their doors, and have retreated to basements and other places of shelter, often in dire circumstances. In the coming days I shall be thinking about those suffering the humiliations and deprivations of war, and as I open my door, I’ll bear in mind not only the hope that Elijah will appear, but also how fortunate I am to have the freedom to welcome in all who wish to enter.

Cantor Litvack’s ‘Thought for the Day’ (March 30th, 2022)

            You’ve probably never heard of Medzhybisz, a small town in western Ukraine, half-way between Kyiv and Lviv. For Jewish people it’s one of the most important religious sites in the country, because it was the birthplace of the Chassidic movement, founded in the eighteenth century by a charismatic figure called the Ba’al Shem Tov, or ‘Master of the Good Name’.  This Rabbi loved the common people, and emphasised joy as a central component of religious experience. He valued singing and dancing while at prayer, in order to achieve a higher level of devotion; these principles continue to influence Jewish worship today. Many fable-like stories were passed down about him, and I can remember my father’s recounting some of these wonderful tales to me when I was a child.

            My favourite one concerns a man wishing to take his son, who couldn’t speak or read, to the Master’s synagogue, to experience the holy atmosphere. As the prayers progressed, the Master heard a strange whistling noise coming from the congregation; the prayers stopped dead: no one could imagine why the solemn atmosphere was interrupted. The service recommenced, and the whistling was heard again. This time the Master kept a sharp lookout, and saw that the noise was coming from the boy who couldn’t speak; he went over, and quickly understood what was happening: the boy was praying, even though he couldn’t enunciate words. The Rabbi then said to his followers: “This boy, through his whistling, has lifted our prayers to the Almighty much higher than we all could through our words. A fire was kindled in him, and he used the only language he knew, to reach God. It’s because of him that our prayers will be answered.”

            In Medzhybisz today, you’ll find the tomb of this Master, and various sites devoted to his memory, including the very synagogue where this incident took place. It’s a place of pilgrimage, particularly for this Rabbi’s adherents; they consider this small Ukrainian town their spiritual home. I know many people of all faiths who have derived great satisfaction from their religious pilgrimages to places made famous by charismatic figures; this points to our wish to get as close to a spiritual centre as possible. In the present circumstances in Ukraine, such considerations are way down the list, given the need to preserve life and freedom. Let’s hope that Medzhybisz and its inhabitants survive this conflict, and that, in the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore.”