Nigel Cole is the new Chairman of Liberal Judaism

Liberal Judaism is delighted to announce the appointment of Nigel Cole as Chairman of Liberal Judaism following Liberal Judaism’s December council meeting.

Nigel, who was an Honorary Treasurer for two years and has been Deputy Chairman of the Movement since June 2004, succeeds the outgoing Chairman, David Pick.

Nigel Cole said: “I feel honoured to be taking on the role of Chairman of this forward-thinking and modern movement. The beginning of my term of office coincides with the appointment of Rabbi Danny Rich as Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism; I very much look forward to working with him and hope that, under our tenure, the Movement will continue to thrive and grow, thus providing a spiritual home for every person seeking one. I am relishing the opportunity to build on the enormous amount of work David Pick has put into the development of the Movement over the last three and half years.” Rabbi Danny Rich added: “In Nigel we have gained a Chairman who is strongly committed to the ethos and values of Liberal Judaism. I feel confident that together, we can build on the legacy of the past, to encourage, diversify and welcome each individual Jew into our movement, regardless of race, gender or sexuality.”

Notes:
• Liberal Judaism’s main departure from traditional Judaism concerns revelation. Liberal Judaism believes that the Hebrew Scriptures including the Torah are a human attempt to understand the Divine Will, and therefore uses Scripture as the starting point for Jewish decision making, conscious of the fallibility of scripture and of the value of knowledge outside of Scripture.

• Liberal Judaism emphasizes the universal over the particular, believes ethical injunctions to be of a higher order than ritual instructions, and affirms the equality of each individual Jew, regardless of race, gender or sexuality.

• Nigel Cole, 51 is a member of Southgate Progressive Synagogue and was before that a member of The Liberal Synagogue Elstree. Many years ago he was an active member of the LJS’ Square One and Alumni youth groups. He and his wife Andy, practice manager for an NHS doctors’ surgery, have been married for nearly twenty seven years. They have three children, aged 23, 20 and 16, all of whom have been or still are active members of SPS’ youth club, SPY, and of LJY Netzer. An accountant by profession he works as an interim Finance Director.