Communal Events

The Synagogue host many activities for the whole community. Here are some highlights:

The Annual Isaiah Berlin Lecture

The annual Isaiah Berlin lecture has proved to be a highlight of the year.

Since 2003, Hampstead Synagogue has held an annual lecture in memory of Sir Isaiah Berlin, who was a long-standing member of the Synagogue.

Sir Isaiah lived from 1909-1997 and was one of the most distinguished philosophers of the twentieth century. For details of his life, see the obituary written by Henry Hardy, or the biography by Michael Ignatieff.

The inaugural lecture was given in June 2003 by the Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks.

List of Lectures:

2003	Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks	The Politics of Freedom
2004	Lord Leon Brittan	European Unity
2005	Sir Martin Gilbert	Churchill and Parliamentary Democracy
2006	Trevor Philips OBE	Keeping the Faith Integration in 21st Century Britain
2007	Nick Cohen	What's Left? How Liberals Lost their Way
2008	Baroness Helena Kennedy QC	Law: The First Pillar
2009	Efraim Halevy	Diplomacy and Intelligence in the Middle East. How and why are the two inexorably intertwined?
2010	Archbishop Dr Rowan Williams	Faith and Enlightenment: Friends or Foes?

Yom Ha'atzmaut Debates

Over the last few years, The Hampstead Synagogue has become known for its Yom Ha'atzmaut debates. The panelists have included well known politicians such as Oliver Letwin MP and Stephen Twigg MP, as well as prominent members of the Jewish community.