There was once a young girl who loved to play games, board games, video games, sport games – everything.
One day her parents took her to a giant hall.
They then opened the door to the hall.
The girl could not believe her eyes, the hall was full of all types of games that she loved, there were basketball nets, PlayStation screens, giant board games.
She turned to her parents, with a mixture of confusion and excitement on her face.
‘Is this for me?’
Her mother smiled ‘Yes, enjoy.’
‘But which are for me?’
Her father took her hand and whispered, ‘All of them, for the whole day.’
The girl skipped ecstatically into the hall, as her friends appeared from all sides – this would certainly be a day to remember. She turned back to her parents, she embraced them. ‘Thank you’ she said.
As she headed off her mother explained to her ‘Take advantage of today, as it will be gone tomorrow.’
That is how everyone should feel about this Sunday. Everyone who loves Jewish education and Israel. For one day the hall is open, for one day all the educators are here, for one day we can drink from the well of Torat Yisrael at the Day of Inspiration – but it will be gone tomorrow.
On Sunday we have three halls, not all of them are giant, but all of them will be filled not with games, but with Torah from 35 of our outstanding educators from Israel and our Chief Rabbi.
You like in depth learning you have Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon and Rav Ari Kahn.
You want Tenach you have Rav Alex Israel and Rav Menachem Leibtag.
Maybe you enjoy inspiring stories, you have Sivan Rahav Meir and Rav Sharon Shalom.
Or perhaps Jewish Spirituality, you have Rav Dov Ber Cowan and Rav Shalom Hammer.
The wonder of Israeli resilience, Devorah & Rav Avi Kay and Rav Binny Freedman.
Jewish History, Dr Tova Ganzel and Rav Eliyahu Silverman.
Torah and Science, Rav Gidon Weitzman and Rav Joel Kenigsberg.
Defending Israel, Rav Shlomo Kimche and Gil Hoffman.
Religious Zionism, Rav Yamin Goldsmith and Rabbanit Atara Eis.
Eretz Yisrael, Rav Jeremy and Tehilla Gimpel.
Leadership, Rav Doron Perez, and Rav Danny Mirvis.
Jewish Philosophy, Rav Reuven Taragin and Rav Jesse Horn.
Contemporary Issues, Rav David Milston and Rabbanit Pesha Fischer.
Chagim, Rabbanit Shani Taragin and Rabbanit Karen Hochhauser.
Technology, Rav Johnny Solomon and Rav David Katz.
Hashkafa, Rav Anthony Manning and Rav Yehoshua Grunstein.
And finally, global leaders with Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim MirvisKBE and Rav Leo Dee (on live link up).
You can walk into these halls in Kinloss, South Hampstead and Stenecourt, Manchester on Sunday and have it all. A total of 66 shiurim and 11 keynote addresses, nearly 24 hours of continuous Torah learning across the three locations. Remarkable.
This Shabbat we will finish Sefer Vayikra. A Sefer that explained in great detail how we as humans can strive to reach the Divine by connecting ourselves to the idea of kedusha and tahara – holiness and purity. How through acts of chesed and observance of Mitzvot we can rise above our base instincts and strive for Shleimut – completeness. As we end the Sefer and recite the Chazak we need to realise that the Weekend of Inspiration is here to give Chizuk, to the whole UK community.
Not just on Sunday, but over Shabbat as well. Our speakers will be inspiring all over the UK in over 50 different Shabbat services in London, Manchester and Birmingham. I hope you get to hear them.
So, I hope, like that young girl, you are passionate, not about games but about Jewish learning in the 21st century, learning that is relevant, inspiring and engaging. If that is the case, you too, should be incredibly excited about Sunday, a once-a-year opportunity to immerse yourself in a world that is uplifting, Torah focussed and proudly Zionist.
Please join us, the doors to the halls are opening soon…
We have worked so hard to make this weekend a possibility. This is such an opportunity; we urge you not to miss out.