Festivals

Members of Derbyshire Jewish Community received a very warm welcome at St Barnabas Church earlier this week, where we joined an interfaith Seder learning event organised with the Derbyshire branch of The Council of Christians and Jews. The Seder was led by Eve Sacker, who guided attendees through the structure, symbolism and meaning of the evening with clarity and warmth, making it accessible to those experiencing it for the first time. Together, we explored the biblical stor

While this Purimspiel is hosted by Nottingham Liberal Synagogue (NLS), I feel the Derbyshire Jewish Community has a good claim to it too. NLS Purimspiels are the work of Derby resident, Mike Sacker, who year after year combines the Purim story with what often seems like a completely incompatible story from pop culture. Last year, we didn’t think he could combine Purim with Austin Powers, but he proved us wrong. This year, the task has been even more challenging as the cast w

Two books in the Bible don’t mention God; Esther is one of them (the other is Song of Songs). But maybe there is a lesson here. There are a number of what could be called coincidences in the Megillah but maybe a coincidence is another way of saying God is acting behind the scenes. In the first place, Mordechai just happens to be within ear-shot of two of King A’s guards (I’m calling him King A because I don’t want an argument on how to actually spell or pronounce his name). S

As Chanukah draws to a close, with the final candles now lit and the menorahs gently extinguished for another year, this feels like a natural moment to pause and reflect - not only on the festival just passed, but on the year of 2025 as a whole. Chanukah is a story of resilience, continuity and quiet defiance. It reminds us that Jewish survival has never depended on overwhelming power, but on commitment, identity and the determination to keep a flame alive even when circumsta

We would like to wish all our members a very happy Rosh Hashanah, however you are celebrating. It has been an exciting year for our...