Rabbi Adrian M. Schell

21/07/2026

When the Church of England Synod voted to "hear" Kairos II, they claimed listening wasn't agreement. But in Jewish and Christian tradition, hearing is never passive. Rabbi Adrian Schell unpacks why "just listening" becomes theological evasion—and why authentic hearing requires courage, accountability, and holding room for all grief without erasing Jewish identity. Click to watch this powerful sermon and to read more about why this document is so hurtful for Jews.

www.simanija.com/blog/kairos-ii-a-jewish-answer

28/05/2026

Welcome Is Not Enough

There's a difference between opening a door and sharing the room.

This week's Torah portion — with its "mixed multitude" and the bold question Lamah nigara? ("Why should we be excluded?") — has something urgent to say about Pride Month and trans inclusion in Jewish life.

Rabbi Adrian Schell argues that q***r and trans Jews aren't a modern challenge to Jewish tradition. They've always been part of how the Jewish community is built, contested, and renewed.

Welcome matters. But belonging demands more. 🏳️‍🌈✡️

http://www.simanija.com/blog/behaalotecha-welcome-is-not-enough

https://progressivejudaism.org.uk/rabbi-adrian-m-schell-parashat-bhaalotecha-5786/

Pride Month begins next week. Not everyone in our communities will feel the same way about it, and I think it’s worth mentioning that upfront. For some, Pride brings genuine joy. June is a month of celebration and visibility. For others, it causes discomfort and even a sense of threat. This messag...

03/05/2026

*When the canary stops singing, it warns us that the oxygen is running out.*

Following the attack in Golders Green, we must recognise the thinning air of our shared civic life. The Torah demands one standard of justice for all, and so do we now. We cannot just retreat behind high walls. It is time for politics and civic society to act, rather than only issuing statements.

I shared my reflections on this urgent issue in this week's sermon. You can read the full text on my blog: https://www.simanija.com/blog/confronting-antisemitism
or watch the recording on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LQuvbdmfTQk

3 likes. "We Will Not Hide Our Light | Confronting Antisemitism in the UK"

30/04/2026

We Will Not Hide | Our answer cannot only be defensive. A society that takes antisemitism seriously must make the cost of antisemitism far higher than it currently is, through education, through law, through political will, and through the moral clarity of a country that says, without equivocation: not here, and not to our neighbours. |

Our answer cannot only be defensive. A society that takes antisemitism seriously must make the cost of antisemitism far higher than it currently is, through education, through law, through political will, and through the moral clarity of a country that says, without equivocation: not here, and not t

23/04/2026

This week, as we mark Israel's 78th year of independence, the movement from grief to sovereignty feels more demanding than ever. The pain across the region remains acute, the political reality deeply fractured. What does it mean for us, sitting here in London, to mark this anniversary today?

It means that our response to loss cannot simply be despair. Our response must be a recommitment to the work of Kedoshim. We honour those who have fallen not merely by standing for a siren, but by insisting on a society—both there and here—built on justice, truth, and compassion.

www.simanija.com/blog/from-yom-hazikaron-to-yom-haatzmaut

16/04/2026

Step into the peace and joy of Shabbat with the Wimbledon Synagogue community. We welcome you to join our inclusive Reform services, streaming live from South West London.

Live Service Schedule (London Time):
Kabbalat Shabbat | Friday Evening: 7:00 PM
Shacharit | Saturday Morning: 10:30 AM

Wherever you are in the world, you have a seat in our sanctuary. We invite you to make this space your own as we gather for a time of reflection, soulful melody, and shared prayer to welcome the day of rest.

Enjoying the service? Please consider subscribing to our channel and liking the video. Your engagement helps the YouTube algorithm introduce our community to others searching for Jewish prayer and connection online.

Shabbat Shalom.

16/04/2026

Where we stand is never neutral - How we use our voices matters. Where we stand is never neutral. This week’s portion, Tazria-Metzora, asks: can silence be as corrosive as harmful words? I explore the thin line between being a bystander and becoming a sacred witness. Read this week’s reflection on why our testimony is a vital act of repair for our world and how our words build the community we share. -

How we use our voices matters. Where we stand is never neutral. This week’s portion, Tazria-Metzora, asks: can silence be as corrosive as harmful words? I explore the thin line between being a bystander and becoming a sacred witness. Read this week’s reflection on why our testimony is a vital ac...

11/04/2026

What We Feed the Mind - The current debate about children and screen time is real, and the concerns are serious. Studies on sleep disruption, on shortened attention spans, on the psychological effects of algorithmic content designed to provoke outrage or insecurity, all of this belongs in the conversation. Yet the instinct to simply ban or limit, while understandable, misses something. A child who grows up behind a wall, without ever learning to read a news article critically, to ask who produced a video and why, to notice when content is designed to humiliate rather than to inform, that child is not prepared. The wall comes down eventually. It always does. -

The current debate about children and screen time is real, and the concerns are serious. Yet the instinct to simply ban or limit, while understandable, misses something. A child who grows up behind a wall, without ever learning to read a news article critically or to notice when content is designed

09/04/2026

Being Alive is Reason Enough: Choosing Joy in a Broken World

Rabbi Adrian Schell argues that being alive is enough reason for joy. Drawing on the Song at the Sea, he explores how rejoicing is a quiet internal decision made even when the future is blank. By practising "radical amazement," we can recognise our breath as a gift and move beyond survival to truly thrive. Life is the most honest thing we can celebrate.

https://youtu.be/14IXVIAh7xs