Letter: In brief

Sir: As co-editor of a "gender-sensitive" prayerbook for Britain's Liberal Jewish community, I read with much agreement the Rev Bruce Deakin's Faith and Reason column "God our Mother is not a trendy affectation" (13 March). He could have added to his quotations from the last chapter of Isaiah: "Thus says the Eternal One.... As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you...." But is it not time to lay to rest the misinformation that Abba translates as "Daddy"?" In Aramaic Abba just meant "Father". Only in modern Hebrew is it used as a term of endearment.

Rabbi JOHN D RAYNER

London N12