The Sermons and Torah Thoughts of Rabbi Irwin Landau

After the death of his father, Rabbi Irwin Landau in 1969, his son David Landau often spoke about his idea of publishing his father’s sermons. Unfortunately, David was unable to achieve this in his lifetime. However, David’s widow Angela and the family were determined to see this through to fruition and for that we must all thank them. The Rabbi’s sermons combine current affairs, within the context of Jewish life in the United Kingdom, along with the weekly Parashat HaShavuah and the Jewish holidays. This provides a detailed historical record of the matters, both national and international that were of serious concern to British and indeed world Jewry in those days. It must be remembered that this was a momentous period in Jewish history. The Jewish people were still reeling from the catastrophe of the Shoah, while the fledging State of Israel was at the same time inspiring a miraculous renaissance. There will be many families today whose forebears were members of the Gladstone Park and Neasden Synagogue in London, where Rabbi Landau was Minister for some twenty-five years. Many of the descendants of celebrants of Barmitzvahs, Weddings and other significant occasions, will be fascinated to learn of the Rabbi’s personal addresses to them on those occasions. Rabbi Landau’s sermons and Torah insights provide a record of what virtually encapsulated Jewish life in the United Kingdom in the mid-twentieth century and we are fortunate to be able to enjoy them and to allow succeeding generations to appreciate their ever-increasing historical value.