To Boldly Blog

The thought of writing a blog conjures up a sweet childhood memory of watching Star Trek with my younger brother. For years I thought that Captain James T. Kirk said, "Captain Slog- Star Date ..." Maybe it was a burgeoning work ethic, or just poor hearing.

Over the years, I have been lucky to do interesting work. Four months into this job- which is unpaid, and done in my spare time- I realise that when work is really productive and rewarding, it is also enjoyable. That, I am sure, is not commonly felt. One impressive thinker I occasionally turn to is the late Donald Winnicott, the child psychologist, who said that play is not the opposite of work, but of coercion. In a stroke, he not only made play, but work, potentially liberating.

Some of the best moments so far as Chairman have been enjoying our movement at play, particularly in Winnicott's sense. Our youth movement's Veidah was a brilliant example of this: young people discussing and debating, agreeing, disagreeing, proposing and voting on resolutions. They used this transition in their lives both to have fun and try for size the scope and limits of political leadership.

Getting around our communities, where I see so much enterprise and fun, I sometimes feel that we don't learn enough from what we do really well, and focus too much on what doesn't work. I hope that this year even more of our congregations engage with our youth workers. And in the same spirit, I am drawing more on our elders, rather than trying to reinvent every wheel. You don't have to sit on a committee to explore ideas or continue to shape the movement.

Limmud I attended only towards the end, but the enthusiasm of the participants was contagious. I would like to have seen a few more Orthodox colleagues, because as a Liberal Jew, I want more, not less, challenge. Take the recent decision by the Supreme Court on the JFS: I see it as very healthy that we all have to learn lessons from that- even if the whole episode was also an ordeal.

Questions about Jewish identity are never set in stone. We all have been changed by that ruling, whether we recognise it or not. I think this means giving an even bigger push for JCoSS. Whatever one thinks of faith schools, let this one be really successful.

At the weekends, reading some of the work of Leo Baeck and John Rayner serves as effortless inspiration. For all the depth and seriousness of their approach, they played with ideas, and explored different perspectives even if their conclusions were clear and discerning. The sermon David Goldberg gave this month on Moses and the burning bush reminded me of how much we learn by exploring what is mysterious, because it keeps us guessing. Was it Einstein who said that at the cradle of science and religion lies mystery?

As we work with our 35 congregations, I realise that with so much change in society, tradition will become more important. But genuinely engaging with what is really happening inside and outside Judaism will be even more important, and this can and should shape the developing character of Judaism. So with our officers and rabbis, we're wrestling with how we become even more outward-looking, and make a difference.

Speaking of character development, I am learning a new part as next month I make an appearance in a Purim production being performed at LJS. The part they've chosen for me: Haman! Well, leadership is not about popularity, they say. The director has told me to practise an evil laugh that has impact but doesn't scare the children...