Have you ever wished for more hours in the day? Or wished that there were two of you?

You’ll certainly be wishing you had a doppelganger when you see the newly released programme for Liberal Judaism’s Day of Celebration in Birmingham on Sunday 9th June. Structured around four essential tracks: parenting, study, art & music and community, the programme gives you a choice of two sessions to attend over the course of the day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. There will of course be plenty of time to schmooze at lunch and to compare notes with people who’ve attended different sessions.

There are a total of 21 sessions to choose from. Yes, 21 – of which you can choose two. With highlights ranging from mixed faith parenting, Torah chanting, Israel, justice, PR, and full-body prayer, you will have a very hard time choosing which sessions to attend. We are sorry to put you in such a difficult position!

The day will also see the launch of Liberal Judaism’s new Resource Bank – your new one-stop shop for all your congregational needs.

If you’d like to find out more about what a day spent immersed in the wisdom of your favourite Liberal rabbis and other Jewish experts would be like, why not download the full programme here and start deciding today.

Worried that you've missed out?  It's not too late, click here to book your place.

30 people from Wessex Liberal Jewish Community attended the consecration of the community’s new cemetery space in Kinson, Bournemouth, on Sunday 12th May. The plots are the first in Wessex ever to permit non-Jews to be buried alongside their Jewish partners. The cemetery provision was secured thanks to a unique partnership between Liberal Judaism and a local council.

Liberal Judaism’s chief executive, Rabbi Danny Rich, who officiated at the consecration, said: “After a Torah scroll and perhaps a rabbi, the next step that any Jewish community needs to take is to obtain a cemetery and it is a sign of the growing maturity and permanence of the Wessex Liberal Jewish Community that it can now offer its members and their partners a burial facility in accord with Liberal Jewish principles and practices”

We’re looking for new members for our Editorial Board, who help the Editor decide on content for each issue and proof read the edition before it is sent out.

We also want people to provide content. As well as articles and photographs from your community – we’re looking for those who can compile puzzles to sit alongside our quiz and bridge problems. Maybe you can provide chess, Sudoku or crossword puzzles? If so then please do get in touch.

To get involved with LJ Today, please email the Editor, Simon Rothstein, on simon.rothstein@hotmail.co.uk

Jewish youth and students in Britain have protested to Israeli leaders over a proposed Knesset bill to relocate Bedouin families who live in the Negev desert.

The Union of Jewish Students, the Progressive Zionist movement Pro Zion and four youth movements — Habonim, LJY-Netzer, RSY-Netzer and Noam Masorti — urged Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Finance Minister Yair Lapid to put a halt to the legislation.

In a letter, they wrote: “As Zionist organisations who care about the state of Israel, we cannot allow the expulsion of 40,000 Bedouin, and deny the Bedouin a fair opportunity to hold on to their ancestral lands.”

Israel’s image and standing in the world would be “significantly eroded” if the bill went ahead.

They called on the government to give official recognition to all existing Bedouin villages and accept land ownership claims made over the past 40 years.

“The Bedouin community constitutes 30 per cent of the Negev population, and their demands involve only 5.4 per cent of its land,” the groups stated.

“There has never been a fair process for examining their demands, and most of the land claims the government invited the Bedouin to submit in the 1970s were never processed, one way or the other.

“Evicting 40,000 people from their ancestral homes; cutting them off from their sources of income and destroying their social fabric and way of life will only increase problems.”

Sam Cohen, movement worker for the Liberal LJY-Netzer, said that all the signatories were members of the UK Task Force on Issues Relating to Arab Citizens of Israel.

“We all passionately believe in the Jewish homeland and believe that Israel should be a land which acts on Jewish principles of justice,” he said.

Liberal Judaism chief executive Rabbi Danny Rich reported a three per cent rise in membership to the movement’s annual patrons dinner, held at the House of Lords.

For the third successive year, there was also the addition of a new community, this time North Herts Progressive.

In a first, the dinner was addressed by an Israeli ambassdor, Daniel Taub, and Rabbi Rich looked forward to “Liberal Jews and Liberal Judaism as an institution strengthening our ties with Israel further”. The movement now has 9,000 adult members and 2,000 children and young people.

Rabbi Anna Gerrard is sick and tired of spaghetti and baked beans.

The minister of the Gloucestershire Liberal Jewish community is part of a Liberal Judaism Centre team who are taking part in this year’s Live Below the Poverty Line — the campaign which asks volunteers to spend only a pound a day on food for five days in order to raise awareness about extreme poverty.

The rabbi, who has been able to afford only starchy foods such as pasta, said the diet had left her deflated. “Even though I was feeling hungry most of the time, when I sat down to eat these anaemic dishes, I had no appetite for them.” She longed for fresh produce, she added.  Read more

A EALING rabbi is to live on just £1 a day in an attempt to raise awareness of global poverty.

Rabbi Janet Burden of Ealing Liberal Synagogue in Lynton Avenue, West Ealing will be joining hundreds of people around the country for the Live Below the Line challenge.

She will be raising money and awareness for anti-poverty initiatives carried out by Tzedek (Jewish Action for a Just World), which is a UK-based Jewish charity.

Rabbi Burden said: "One pound is the UK equivalent of the extreme poverty line. Living on so little will give us a glimpse into the challenges faced by the 1.4 billion people who have no choice but to live below the line every day for everything - food, medical care, transport, education, everything."  Read more

More than 65 people, dressed in white and blue, attended the service held at Woodford Liberal Synagogue, Marlborough Road, South Woodford.

That Israel invented the world’s smallest video camera, developed a drug for multiple sclerosis and a new air defence system were some of the facts read out.

Bob Kamall, chairman of the synagogue, said: “It was a lovely celebration bringing all ages together to rejoice in Israel’s 65th birthday." Read more (with picture)

Synagogue celebrates Israel's 65th birthday

East London and West Essex Guardian 
April 22 2013

A rabbi reeled off a list of 65 facts about Israel – one for each year the country has been independent – to celebrate Yom Ha-atzmaut, Israel's birthday.

The congregation dressed in blue and white and waved Israeli flags during the special event at Woodford Liberal Synagogue in Marlborough Road, South Woodford.

The facts listed by Rabbi Richard Jacobi celebrated Israeli medical and technological achievements, including the invention of the world’s smallest video camera and the development of a drug to treat multiple sclerosis.

Visitors also enjoyed a craft session at the celebrations creating a map of Israel.

Bob Kamall, chairman of the synagogue, said: “It was a lovely celebration bringing all ages together to rejoice in Israel’s 65th birthday.”

His Excellency Daniel Taub became the first ever Israeli ambassador to address Liberal Judaism’s annual patrons’ dinner, this time hosted by Lord Stanley Fink, at the House of Lords on Tuesday night. Ambassador Taub was introduced by former MP and current Liberal Judaism national officer, Gillian Merron, and spoke to a crowd of 126 patrons, movement representatives and rabbis. The ambassador gave a fascinating speech about the world’s obsession with Israel: the extraordinary frequency with which a country the size of Wales appears on the front covers of national newspapers.

Rabbi Danny Rich, the movement’s chief executive also gave a speech, in which he reported a 3% rise on Liberal Judaism’s membership numbers, as well as the affiliation of a new community – North Herts Progressive Jewish Community. 2013 is the third year in a row that Liberal Judaism has gained a new community. Addressing the ambassador, Rabbi Rich said: “Your Excellency, we look forward to Liberal Jews and Liberal Judaism as an institution strengthening our ties with Israel further, and working together to strengthen Jewish life and fulfil the mission of the Jewish people, both within the country you represent and in our own country, governed from this great city.”

The dinner was an opportunity to give thanks to Liberal Judaism’s generous patrons, to celebrate the movement’s achievements and lay out a vision for the coming year.

“Finally - an end to the outrageous situation whereby Jewish women are arrested simply for the ‘crime’ of praying at Judaism’s holiest site. Liberal Judaism proclaims the equality of all people – not only before God but also before the law. We continue to pray for peace in Jerusalem: between Jews and Arabs, and between Jews and Jews.”