An Orthodox Rabbi On The Road With...

for On The Road With... An orthodox rabbi. Matthew Stadlen spends the

day with a rabbi. Harvey is the rabbi of Golders

Green synagogue. He is 43 years old and lives in London, where he grew

I want to get a sense of what life is like for him as an orthodox

rabbi, so I spent the day with him. Good morning, Rabbi. Where are we

have to? It is 6:45am the morning and dark outside, Sue we are off to

the synagogue. How long have you been rabbi there? 8 1/2 years.

how long have you been a rabbi overall? 15 years. Where does the

word Rabhi come from? It means teacher. You are a teacher? I do

lots of things, but yes. morning service lasts around a 45

minutes. Today the rabbi is leading it with members of the congregation.

These are prayer boxes we were wearing. The bubble in the Book of

Exodus and Deuteronomy in straight sets to take the passages where

these things are mentioned and turn them into device is one chapter to

the arm and head. So you have a box which contains each of these

passages, one for the arm, one for the head. The arm one represents

devotion and physical strength. The head one represents the devotion of

How often would you lead a service? On a weekday, quite infrequently.

There are many competent people in our community who can do it as well

as I can. And also, all of us have the right to lead a service.

Following the death of a parent, for example, they can choose to

lead a service and generally do. I am part of a rota of people, so I

need the services periodically. it not a primary rabbinical

function to lead a service? No. It is not. In some communities, the

rabbi is the only person who is able to do so, in which case they

have no option. But there are lots of able people who can lead the

service, and I take my turn with them. It is not among my primary

responsibilities. The focal point of every synagogue is this cupboard,

in which the Torah scrolls are stored. A Torah scroll is a

handwritten version of the five books of Moses, written on

parchment with a special pen in the Hebrew original. They are stored in

this cupboard, except when they are being read, which is on certain

days during the services. The service did not take place in

the main building of the synagogue, so I am going to have a look at it

with the rabbi. How big is this synagogue? It is a pretty big one.

Synagogues come in all shapes and sizes, from the very small to huge.

This is not the largest, but it is from an era when people built

grandiose buildings on a huge scale, Cathedral-style. It was an era when

lots of people came together in a single space. When was it built?

the 1920s, in two phrases. The building was as it is by the end of

the '20s. Why didn't you hold that service here? This synagogue seats

nearly 1200 people. On a weekday, the attendant is modest, so it is

nicer to have an atmosphere where the building is full. On Sabbath's

and festivals, we have a service here. Why were there no women at

the service? Women are welcome. They sometimes come during the week.

There are as many women as men during many festivals. During the

week, only men have an obligation to pray in a forum like this. As

many women pray as men, but they tend to pray in private rather than

at a service. But they are welcome. And when they do come, do they go

in the same room or a separate room? In the same room, but we have

services which are segregated. is that? Jewish law understands

that men and women tend to mix socially in certain environments

and it is better in terms of concentration, thinking about the

prayers and focusing on what is at hand, to be in a separate

environment. After the service, the rabbi had a steady session with his

friend. -- a study session. And I think you are right. Learning the

Torah, understanding the world through the lens of the Torah and

the rabbinical tradition that goes with it, is a central part of

Jewish life. Many times a week, in this context three times a week, we

study a passage from the Talmud. was pernickety. He did not like the

idea of holding sticky food in his fingers. At the moment, we are

studying the last chapter that deals with the Day of atonement. On

the yum Kapoor, the Bible forbids us to eat. So there is a discussion

as to what constitutes eating, how little food or how much food. We

are discussing relative quantities in ancient times. Quantities were

not measured as they are today. But there were foods we are familiar

with - eggs, dates. We were discussing volumes and their

significance in Jewish law. What is the significance of you studying

with a partner? Studying art alone is like playing tennis alone. There

is no interchange of ideas, no excitement. If I have a view, I

want to discuss it with someone else to make sure I have it right.

It is a traditional study method since ancient times. You study with

a partner, and it is the most exciting way to learn. This may

sound like a silly question. There are no silly questions, just silly

answers. Do you really believe in God? Yes, I really believe in God.

What does that mean to you? means I believe in a God who is

interested in individuals, who supervises the actions of man. And

although he gives us free choice and human beings are misusing it

and mucking up the world, in essence it is possible for humans

to find meaning and spirituality in their lives and build a connection

with a higher power which brought the universe into being and has

expectations of our lives. What would you do if hypothetically I

were able to prove to you that God does not exist? It is like this. I

think Judaism is more than capable of abutting, discussing and

considering every philosophical challenge, and always has been. But

when you can do that, come back and we will discuss it. What do you

believe happens after death? continue to exist in some spiritual

form. You believe in an afterlife? Absolutely. I am going with the

rabbi to a cemetery where funerals are held for members of his

community. As a community Rabbi, I deal with the range of pasta or

needs. That means, that God, that people are getting married,

celebrating and having babies. But it also means that there are people

who have counselling needs, problems and issues and need

support in various ways. The role of the rabbi and the communities to

ensure that we can provide support in happy times and difficult times

as well. I am involved in that process, but providing the support

and encouraging others. Sadly, people die, and I need to be on

hand to conduct the funeral and deal with the practicalities. I

need to be there to support them through their grief and a difficult

process, and to help them conduct any memorial services and other

activities they wish to do in memory of the person who died.

often do you go to the cemetery? depends whether somebody dies in

the community. If there is a loss, I come to conduct the funeral

service. And then between six and 12 months later, we have a

tombstone consecration. The family get together and there is a eulogy

about the deceased and a few songs and readings, and we come to the

cemetery to read the newly consecrated stones which the family

have chosen. So twice per bereavement, but happens. Hopefully

there will not be too many visits in the coming winter. Described to

me how a funeral service works. body arrives having been prepared

for burial and dressed in shrouds. The service is brief. We go into a

hall, the family gather round, there are some brief readings which

talk about themes and god's justice at difficult times. Then there is a

eulogy they given by a rabbi or a member of the family. Then the body

is brought out and buried. Then we returned to the hall for a short

reading of Psalms, and that is it. The service part takes no longer

than 15 minutes. After the funeral, the family go home and spend a week

of mourning. During this time, they don't go to work. They sit around

and chat and think about the deceased and begin to come to terms

with their loss. There are also services in the house during that

time. Lots of people offer their condolences. I would visit during

that time. What were you doing there? When one leaves a cemetery,

it is customary to wash one's hands. It marks that one has completed

one's responsibilities to the deceased and moving on to something

else. The rabbi has a meeting with local MP Mike freer. So you two are

in dialogue? Yes. Sometimes we speak often. Other times, there is

a gap. We don't badger each other, but we know we are both there for

advice. It works very well. It is time for lunch, before the rabbi

takes a rest. I start my day very early in the morning and often

teach until 10 or 11 at night. So I need a snooze after lunch, and that

is where I am going now. How did you come to be a rabbi? I have been

a rabbi since 1994, when I received my ordination from the college in

which I studied. You become a rabbi by studying certain texts. And you

demonstrate competence in Jewish sources, and then you become

entitled to call yourself a rabbi through a process where you are

examined in Jewish law and become competent in it. There is another

kind of Rabbi which is advertised and interviewed for, which in 1997,

I got one of these jobs in Essex. Did you go to university, and if so,

where and what did you study? went to Oxford in the late '80s. I

did a maths degree and then a PhD in philosophy. Did you always want

to become a rabbi? No, actually. I went through various phases of

wanting to be an accountant, a lawyer, actuary. After I finished

university and went to study, it really gripped me. I enjoyed what I

was learning and had the right kind of character. Eventually, it became

apparent that this was the right path for me and my wife. How many

times a day do you pray? Three- times. There are a morning and

afternoon service, and an evening service. Sometimes the afternoon

and evening services are back to back, so I only go to the synagogue

twice. On Sabbath's, there is a morning service which is a fourth

service. What does it mean to you to be an orthodox Jew? It means to

believe in the historical truth of the revelation at Mount Sinai, that

God presented the five books of Moses as we have them and that that

revelation creates a binding imperative for all time for Jewish

people. There is a tradition which was given at the same time as the

five books of Moses. Together, the written texts and the all tradition

form the obligations of Judaism which we observe today. How would

you describe yourself on a scale of orthodoxy? I prefer to allow God to

describe my level of orthodoxy. Have governed by Jewish law is your

day-to-day life? Jewish law is a way in which every aspect of human

experience can be enhanced. It does not tell me how to prioritise my

time or what job I should take or how I should spend my day, but it

does tell me what I should eat, how I should speak. It tells me I have

to prey on certain occasions. It The rabbi is a mentor at two

chaplaincy. He supports and provides services to Jewish

students. If they themselves cannot do it? As long as they get someone

to do it. He is meeting up with another rabbi. He is acting as a

mentor for his younger friend. There is a wonderful atmosphere. It

is warm and welcoming. There is a great rapport between some of the

members. Is it successful despite you? Is there a community of

orthodox rabbis? How does it work? There is an active organisation

with the rabbis work together in the general interest of the

communities. When we are working together for a conference programme

early next year which will hopefully enhance the personal and

communal experience of all of other rabbis. The rabbi has that meeting

with a family about their son's upcoming balm its fat. He was the

most positive person we ever knew. It is going really well, it is

great. You are losing it a little by going too fast. Your father is

and master at speaking at the exactly right pace. Listen to your

dad and it is going to be fine. You have only got five minutes. Is it

easy, it difficult or a bit of both being unorthodox due in London in

2011? We are lucky to live in a country whose laws allow was to

observe our religion freely, dress as we wish and raise our children

as we wish. Most Jews throughout history did not enjoy those things.

By and large it is a great pleasure to live in London as an orthodox

Jew today. What is your basic view of his real? I am in awe of the

miraculous return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. That

they have managed to build a stake since 1948. I take my hat off to

the visionaries who have worked to make it so successful. I believe it

is absolutely right for the Jewish people to have their own homeland

in Israel. I strongly support its activities. I commiserate with its

failures. It does not mean I agree with every policy of the Israeli

Government but by and large it is a positive identification. Any

sensible person does not blindly agree with every policy of any

Government but recognises it has good points and weaknesses as well.

Do you ever find yourself thinking hang on a second, why am I doing

this, according to Jewish law? should certainly hope so. The

purpose of creating a system is to make you think why am I doing this?

While my be heaving a certain way? What does God want of me? That

prompts me also to say do I understand why Jewish law regulates

in this particular way? We all go on doing things by robot which is

the enemy of spirituality. Every act in Jewish law is encouraged.

What is the significance of the Sabbath? It is the central plank of

weekly Jewish observance. It recognises that God made our world

in six days, it recognises he runs the show. It is time for prayers

and family in a non- pressured environment. It is against the

backdrop of certain prohibitions. We are not allowed to do certain

activities. You can imagine if you take some sand, metal and oil and

with human ability we can turn that into an amazing device of

communication. Human beings are incredible at reworking and

reforming the materials in our world in the same week got it in

the original creative process. We acknowledge hour attempt to emulate

got by ceasing those activities on the Sabbath and celebrating what we

have rather than what we can create. Rather than becoming it is a day of

being that is what the Sabbath is about. Do you switch lights on on

the Sabbath? We do not. Turning lights on, creating circuits is

like making fire. The world of the Sabbath is experienced by leading

lights on timers. It is cheaper to leave a light on a timer? No. Many

people think timers have been created recently but in ancient

times there were ways to run water mills at certain times of the tide.

Those questions were debated in ancient times as to whether people

could set a process of on a Friday to run something on a Saturday.

you believe God created the world in six days? I believe absolutely

that God created the world. I also recognise that a story of creation

in six days is strongly refuted by scientific evidence from a range of

disciplines. A modern faithful interpretation to the text is that

the six these represent six periods of time, six either as of an

evolutionary process and I find no conflict between an ancient

universe and the traditional understanding of the biblical story.

What you think happened before got? The word before it in respect to a

God who lives outside of a time frame has no meaning. It is like

seeing what colour is 2 o'clock? -- saying. It is back to the synagogue

This evening's service seemed less formal than this morning's. People

were not dressed in the same way. That is right. The Bible prescribes

what should be worn during D-Day but not at night. The rabbi is

teaching a class in Jewish law. must be someone you can trust to is

reliable. There are two and a monocle signs to identify these

fish. One is what it swims with, a thin. -- fin. The other is as gale.

It might appear on some part of its body but does not need to be

completely covered in them. -- scale. The question was whether at

her but is a fish. -- a turbot. Behind the scenes there is a

question on whatever community has a practice which does not seem to

be supported by Jewish law. We explore at the legal issue within

the backdrop of social methods. you think the slaughter by a kosher

method is cruel? I do not think so. I think it is as good as any other

method. The how are you paid? a full-time employee of the

synagogue. In addition to that, teaching, advisory roles and other

things I do for bodies, organisations and individuals are

charged separately. Do you ever doubt the existence of God?

really but it is clear that any sensitive thinking person when

accompanied -- confronted by bad things happening in the world will