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As an American rabbi in King Charles’ court, I’m learning to love the king (in addition to the King)
(JTA) — Perhaps the strangest part was sitting through a Sunday service in the 1,000-year-old nave of St. Albans Cathedral (the longest nave in England!) and hearing the Hebrew Bible (specifically I Kings 1:32-40) read aloudt in English. Maybe stranger yet was hearing part of that passage set to the music of 17th-century maestro George Friedrich Handel! These, and many other oddities, were only a fraction of the wonderful and unusual experiences of being an American-born British rabbi during the first coronation this country has seen in 70 years.
As with the funeral last year of the late Queen Elizabeth, the scale of organization and competence required to pull off such an event is astounding. For a country where it often feels that small-scale bureaucracy can get in the way of day-to-day life, the coronation was, by all accounts, seamless. This of course makes it the exception rather than the rule, as coronations past were often marred by logistical issues, bad luck and sometimes straight-up violence.
It was the coronation of Richard I in 1189 that unleashed anti-Jewish massacres and pogroms across the country and led to the York Massacre in 1190, in which over 150 local Jews killed themselves after being trapped in Clifford’s Tower, which was set ablaze by an angry mob. During that year there were attacks in London, Lynn, Bury St. Edmunds, Stamford, Lincoln, Colchester and others. It was exactly 100 years later, in 1290, that Edward I would expel Jews from England altogether. They wouldn’t return (officially) for 400 years — or get an official apology from the church for 800.
This weekend’s festivities, thankfully, were of a very different caliber. Not only were Jewish communities front and center, but Jews, religious and not, were active and welcome participants in the ceremony in Westminster Abbey. Indeed, despite the ceremony taking place on Shabbat, the United Synagogue (a mainstream Orthodox denomination that accounts for 40-45% of British Jewish synagogue membership) was represented by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, who, together with other faith leaders, played a role in greeting the king as he left the church. This was especially unusual as it has long been the position of the United Synagogue that their rabbis and members should not go into churches (much less on Shabbat). In many ways, this demonstrates one of the consistent themes of the coronation: the interruption of normal routine and the continued exceptionalism of the royal family.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet stands atop the bell tower of St. Albans Cathedral before Rosh Hashanah in 2020. (Talya Baker)
Judaism is agnostic, at best, about kings. Our own monarchy came about because the people insisted on it, but against the will of the prophet Samuel against the desire of God. Once it was established — a process which involved several civil wars, a lot of bloodshed and the degradation of many historical elements of Israelite society — it did, for a brief time, bring some stability to the fragile confederacy of Israelite tribes. But it was really only the half-century golden era under King Solomon that managed this feat. After him, and ever since, the monarchy has been a source of conflict and violence. While we still hope that a righteous heir of the Davidic monarchy will reappear and take their place as king of Israel, we, famously, are not holding our breath.
Our approach to non-Jewish monarchs is even more complex. Whilst King Charles III was being coronated to the words of our holy texts and being anointed in oil (the ceremony for our monarchs) from the Mount of Olives (in our holy land), we were at the same time reciting a litany of prayers, as we do daily, to remind us (in the words of our prayers): “We have no king but You” (Avinu Malkeinu); “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom” (Ashrei); “God is King, God has ruled, God will rule forever (Y’hi Khavod); “God’s kingship is true there is none else” (Aleinu).
These words were chosen by our sages for our prayers in part because they shared the biblical anxiety about monarchs. Halacha, Jewish law, does retain the notion of a king over Israel, but that king is so heavily bound by legislation, it is far from the absolutist monarchies of most of Europe.
However, since 1688 at least, after the brief (and failed) experiment with the notion of divine right of kings, England (and now the United Kingdom) has endorsed the notion of a constitutional monarch — a king or queen who is esteemed, but also bound by the law and by restrictions imposed by the people. In practice, this makes today’s monarchy an awful lot like that of ancient Israel, and very different from historic European monarchies, as well as very different from how Americans and others often see it. After nearly six years living and working on these green isles, I’ve come to appreciate the complexities and absurdities of the British monarchy, and to value the role that the ceremonies play in the collective life of Britons.
Many here are surprised to find that, being a Yankee, I’m not also a republican (an anti-monarchist, in the British context). Indeed, while I have my doubts about the idea of monarchy and while, religiously, there is a strong argument against human authority, the monarchy as it operates in modern Britain is fairly compatible with the idea of kingship as established by halacha — restrained, limited and primarily occupied with being a moral exemplar rather than an authoritarian ruler. Maybe then it shouldn’t be so strange that so much of the ceremonies this weekend were drawn from our texts, and so much of the symbolism referential to our tradition. We can be grateful that King Charles’s coronation, the first in a generation, went off without a hitch and without bloodshed, and with the support and involvement of a diverse representation of Britain’s peoples and faiths.
To the outside, this weekend has likely appeared to be just a lot of pomp and pageantry. No doubt, it is often Americans who are camping out on the Mall in see-through tents or wearing the royal family’s faces as masks in coronation parties — but this American, after more than half a decade here in Britain, can appreciate the depth of the monarchy in ways I couldn’t before. I see both its deep significance and history, its connection to our own tradition (sometimes through appropriation), and its negatives. As a rabbi and a Jew, I will always be of the opinion that there is only one Sovereign who truly rules, but there is something to be said for having a king as well as a King.
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Israeli Airline El Al Launches New Youth Points Program to Encourage Young Travelers
Illustrative: The Israeli flag carrier El Al’s airliner lands at Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates, Aug. 31, 2020. Photo: WAM/Handout via REUTERS
Israel’s national airline El Al has announced a new program that allows young travelers between the ages of two and 18 to earn exclusive benefits and points through flights that won’t expire until they turn 21.
El Al Young is a free program that gives youth travelers access to rewards as part of the Matmid Frequent Flyer Program, and parents or guardians can register as many youngsters as they have starting at the age of two. The young passengers can earn points by flying on El A; or Sundor and gain access to content on the curated Youth Mode in the El A; app, where they can watch videos, play games, and learn facts about aviation all while earning loyalty points every time they fly. Kids who are already members of the Matmid Frequent Flyer Program are automatically enrolled in El Al Young.
Young travelers using the app will earn points that can be redeemed for rewards such as seat upgrades and free checked baggage, booking award tickets to fly with friends, and buying snacks from onboard duty-free. El Al will launch new promotions on the app in the months ahead that will help travelers earn more points and save on fares. El Al points typically expire after 18 months but travelers in the youth program can keep their points until they are 21.
“El Al Young is a game-changer for family travel, while making every journey more fun and engaging,” said Nadav Hanin, vice president of marketing and digital at El Al Airlines. “With this program, El Al Airlines is inspiring the next generation of travelers by allowing them to earn their own points, explore Youth Mode on the El Al app, and enjoy more independence and excitement when traveling with El Al. Family travel has always been at the heart of our business, and with El Al Young, we’re strengthening that bond while creating unforgettable adventures for travelers of all ages.”
El Al operated its first scheduled flight in 1949 and now serves 49 international destinations in 33 countries. It operates more than 50 weekly non-stop flights between the US and Israel.
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New Art Exhibit in NYC Examines Jewish Polish Artist Arthur Szyk and His Fight Against Nazism
“The Map Maker” (1942) by Arthur Szyk. The political drawing depicts Hitler painting his version of “Deutsches Sud America” (“German South America”) which consists of a large swastika painted over the shape of South America. Photo: Provided
An exhibition that opened on Sunday in New York City spotlights the work of prolific Jewish Polish and anti-fascist artist Arthur Szyk, including scathing portrayals of the Nazis and his attention to themes such as Jewish identity, resistance, and Zionism.
“Art of Freedom: The Life and Work of Arthur Szyk” opened at the Museum of Jewish Heritage –A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in Lower Manhattan on the anniversary of when the United States entered World War II. The exhibit in the museum’s Rita Lowenstein Gallery features over 100 objects, including original drawings, rare prints, illuminated manuscripts, commercial cartoons, and political materials. Visitors will have access to 18 never-before-seen pieces and 38 original artworks.
Szyk’s work “Anti-Christ” from 1942, which is a critique of Adolf Hitler and Nazi crimes, greets visitors at the exhibit and is back on view in New York City for the first time in over 80 years. The artwork shows Nazi officials standing over skulls, victims on the gallows, vultures bearing swastikas, and Hitler with tiny skulls in his eyeballs as he stares straight ahead at the viewer.
Also on view is “The Map Maker” (1942), a political drawing by Szyk that depicts Hitler painting his version of “Deutsches Sud America” (“German South America”), which is shown as a large swastika painted over the continent. Others stand around him — including Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and top Nazi officials Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Goering, and Heinrich Himmler — and they all want their own similar map. On the floor are folders that say, “Deutsches Europa,” Deutsches America,” “Deutsches Africa,” “Deutsches Australia,” illustrating the plan to have Nazism dominate the world. Also on the floor is a book titled Idiot’s Delight and a quote at the bottom of Szyk’s drawing says, “Now that you’ve joined us the Fuhrer will make a special map for you!”
Szyk was born in Łódź in 1894 but moved to Paris at the age of 15 to study art. With other Polish-Jewish artists and writers, he traveled to the area now known as Israel in 1914, which was an impactful trip that deepened his connection to Judaism and solidified his dedication to being a lifelong Zionist advocate. Szyk died in 1951.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in her “My Day” newspaper column that Szyk’s work “fights the war against Hitlerism as truly as any of us who cannot actually be on the fighting fronts today.”
“As an institution committed to educating visitors about Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust, we are thrilled to present Arthur Szyk’s exquisitely detailed and beautiful work, and to look back at his influential role inshaping public discourse around America’s pivotal entry into WWII,” said Jack Kliger, president & CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
The new Szyk exhibit highlights pieces by Szyk that are on loan from private collections as well as newly acquired pieces from the museum’s permanent collection, which will be on view for the first time. The exhibit will remain open at the Museum of Jewish Heritage through July 26, 2026.
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Netanyahu Will Meet Trump on Dec. 29 to Discuss Second Phase of Gaza Plan, Spokesperson Says
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reach to shake hands at a joint press conference in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Sept. 29, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump on Dec. 29 to discuss the next steps of the Gaza ceasefire, an Israeli government spokesperson said on Monday.
“The prime minister will meet with President Trump on Monday, Dec. 29. They will discuss the future steps and phases and the international stabilization force of the ceasefire plan,” Shosh Bedrosian said in an online briefing to reporters.
The prime minister’s office said on Dec. 1 that Trump had invited Netanyahu to the White House. Israeli media have since reported that the two leaders may meet in Florida.
The spokesperson’s comments came one day after Netanyahu said on Sunday that the second phase of a US plan to end the war in Gaza was close, but cautioned several key issues still needed to be resolved, including whether a multinational security force would be deployed.
Netanyahu, speaking to reporters alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Jerusalem, said that he would hold important discussions with Trump at the end of the month on how to ensure the plan‘s second phase was achieved.
Netanyahu said that he would discuss with Trump how to bring an end to Hamas rule in Gaza. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is entering its second month, although both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce agreement.
Netanyahu said that it was important to ensure Hamas not only upholds the ceasefire but also follows through on “their commitment” to the plan to disarm and for Gaza to be demilitarized.
Israel retained control of 53% of Gaza under the first phase of Trump‘s plan, which involved the release of hostages held by terrorists in Gaza and of Palestinians, many convicted of terrorism, detained by Israel. The final hostage remains to be handed over are those of an Israeli police officer killed on Oct. 7, 2023, while fighting Hamas-led Gazan militants who had invaded Israel.
“We’ll get him out,” Netanyahu said.
Since the ceasefire started in October, the terrorist group has reestablished itself in the rest of Gaza.
GERMAN CHANCELLOR: PHASE TWO MUST COME NOW
According to the plan, Israel is to pull back further in the second phase as a transitional authority is established in Gaza and a multinational security force is deployed, Hamas is disarmed, and reconstruction begins.
A multinational coordination center has been established in Israel, but there are no deadlines in the plan and officials involved say that efforts to advance it have stalled.
“What will be the timeline? What are the forces that are coming in? Will we have international forces? If not, what are the alternatives? These are all topics that are being discussed,” Netanyahu said, describing them as central issues.
Merz said that Germany was willing to help rebuild Gaza but would wait for Netanyahu‘s meeting with Trump, and for clarity on what Washington was prepared to do, before Berlin decides what it would contribute but that phase two “must come now.”
Israel has repeatedly carried out air strikes since the ceasefire came into effect that it says are fending off attacks or destroying terrorist infrastructure.
NETANYAHU: WEST BANK ANNEXATION REMAINS A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION
Netanyahu said that he would also discuss with Trump “opportunities for peace,” an apparent reference to US efforts for Israel to establish formal ties with Arab and Muslim states.
“We believe there’s a path to advance a broader peace with the Arab states, and a path also to establish a workable peace with our Palestinian neighbors,” Netanyahu said, asserting Israel would always insist on security control of the West Bank.
Trump has said he promised Muslim leaders that Israel would not annex the West Bank, where Netanyahu‘s government is backing the development of Jewish settlements.
The “question of political annexation” of the West Bank remains a subject of discussion, Netanyahu said.