Rabbi Shulamit Ambalu

North London Progressive Jewish Community

Rabbis Shulamit Ambalu’s connection with North London Progressive Jewish Community began, in a sense, long before the community existed and even before she began her studies at Leo Baeck College-Centre for Jewish Education. She lived in the Stoke Newington area for a number of years, a stone’s throw from the community rooms at St Mary’s Church, where NLPJC now holds Shabbat and festival services. She also came to know many of NLPJC’s current members who were at that time active in other local Jewish groups.

Rabbi Shulamit was born and grew up in London. She studied Speech Sciences at University College London and went on to work as a speech and language therapist in the National Health Service. For the last eight years of her career she worked as a Chief Speech and Language Therapist in Tower Hamlets. She developed several areas of specialist work and has published articles and taught at the advanced specialist level.

She passionately enjoyed her five years of study at Leo Baeck College-Centre for Jewish Education, and was ordained in July 2004. She spent a year in Israel as part of the course, living and studying in Jerusalem. Her practical experience within the Liberal Movement includes two years of teaching within Liberal Synagogues (LJS and North London Progressive), High Holiday Services, many ad hoc services at a variety of synagogues and her fifth year placement at North London Progressive Jewish Community.

Rabbi Shulamit wants to work together with members of NLPJC to create a community that is welcoming and vibrant and that allows people to uncover the spiritual possibilities within Judaism. She is deeply committed to education and wants to make possible an adult learning programme of real depth and quality. Since NLPJC has many families with young children, she would like to find a way to create opportunities for people of different ages to learn together, in a way that stimulates everyone fully. She believes that we should, as a progressive Jewish community, be playing an active part in our local community, making our contribution and speaking with our unique voice.