Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah

Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue

Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah studied Sociology at the London School of Economics (BSc. Soc. 2:1, 1974-77) and Rabbinics at the Leo Baeck College in London (1984-89) where she received semichah (ordination) and was awarded a distinction for her rabbinic thesis (40,000 words). Prior to her rabbinic studies she engaged in research, writing and editing. Since ordination she has worked as a full-time congregational rabbi (Buckhurst Hill Reform Synagogue, 1989-94), as Director of Programmes for the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain and Deputy Director of the Sternberg Centre (1994-97), as Chair of the Leo Baeck College Rabbinic In-Service Training Team (1996-2002), as a Lecturer at Leo Baeck College, teaching ‘Classical Hebrew’ and also ‘Spirituality’ (1997-2002), and as a free-lance rabbi - including a part-time congregational appointment at Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation (1998-2000).


In addition to her role as rabbi of Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue, she is a rabbinic tutor at the Leo Baeck College (1994-). Having served on the Liberal Judaism Rabbinic Conference Working Party on Same-Sex Commitment Ceremonies, she is currently chairperson of the Liberal Judaism Publications Group.

A writer, Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah has edited three books and contributed over three dozen articles and several poems to various journals and anthologies. She also teaches and lectures in many settings on a variety of topics and has delivered three conference sermons and four conference ‘key-note’ lectures.

An active feminist for more than twenty five years, her passions include: Classical Hebrew; biblical study; celebrating Jewish life; creating new midrashim (interpretations), prayers and rituals; ethical action; doing what she can to make Jewish life more inclusive; and helping to build bridges between different faith and ethnic communities.