Picture a typical Jewish chaplain. A bearded man in a black suit, white shirt and a black  kippah may spring to mind. Not this one.

 Ariel Friedlander is a 48-year-old Liberal female rabbi wearing jeans and a purple striped  T-shirt, with a gold hoop in one ear - and the New Yorker is Liberal Judaism's new  university chaplain.

 Concerned that Liberal students were struggling with questions and concerns and had  no one to provide answers, Rabbi Danny Rich, LJ chief executive, created the new  position.

Rabbi Friedlander began work in the summer and is now travelling between campuses, going to Limmud events and co-ordinating with LJY Netzer to create a voice for Liberal students who may feel they get a raw deal.

She has been in contact with students in 32 cities, from London to Cardiff and as far afield as Dublin, and believes progressive Jews might not feel comfortable talking to an Orthodox chaplain about religious and relationship issues. Read more