Writing in the Jewish Chronicle, Foundation for Jewish Heritage Trustee Lord Daniel Finkelstein says we need to do something about our vanishing history.
Commenting on his support of the Foundation’s ‘Historic Synagogue Mapping and Preservation Project’, Lord Finkelstein writes: “The heart of Judaism, it seems to me, is to preserve customs and institutions that can yield wisdom. the intellectual and emotional challenge is then to learn the lessons from what we have preserved, gaining true understanding and adapting as we do so.
“If we are able to gain wisdom from an ancient ritual, such as holding unleavened bread in the air, then we can surely gain it from ancient synagogues, cultural centres and the built environment of vanished communities. So the job of preserving this heritage is as important as any task in the effort to ensure Jewish continuity and enrich Jewish learning.”
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