24 January 2017 South London Liberal Synagogue’s plan to turn part of the shul into a flat to house a refugee family has made headlines across the UK and Israel. The Observer ran a lengthy article in this Sunday’s newspaper, which is also available on the website. South London Chair … Read More
Tikvah Chadasha celebrates a special second bar mitzvah
22 January 2017 The oldest male member of Tikvah Chadasha (Shenfield, Brentwood & Districts Synagogue) has celebrated his second bar mitzvah – with slightly more time to prepare than for his first. Eighty-three year-old Bernie Jackson was evacuated during the war, and upon returning home, at age 12, was thrust … Read More
Learn how Jews contributed to modern history
20 January 2017 Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) will be running a series of Beit Midrash (adult learning) sessions on The Jewish Contribution to Modern History. The sessions will be delivered by Lionel Lassman, a renowned researcher and speaker, as well as a founding member of FPS. They will take place … Read More
Volunteer for Liberal Judaism’s Rainbow Pilgrims project
18 January 2017 Liberal Judaism is looking for enthusiastic and dynamic volunteers for Rainbow Pilgrims – our latest landmark project that celebrates the hidden history of LGBTQI+ migrants in the UK. We are looking to build a volunteer team with a dynamic range of skillsets and passions – including budding … Read More
Southgate’s Gerald awarded British Empire Medal for his Holocaust education work
16 January 2017 Gerald Granston, a long-standing member of Southgate Progressive Synagogue, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his work in Holocaust Education Gerald, a Holocaust survivor, travels around the country speaking to schools and youth clubs about being a young child in Nazi Germany. He talks about … Read More
Rabbi Anna Gerrard painting to be featured in ‘Faith’ exhibit
15 January 2017 A painting of Liberal Judaism’s Rabbi Anna Gerrard will hang in Gloucester Cathedral throughout January and February, as part of an exhibition entitled ‘Faith’. Artist Russell Haines (pictured with Anna and her portrait) has spent the last 18 months producing 37 large portraits for the exhibition, which … Read More
First services held by new East London community
11 January 2017 East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue (EL&ELS) enjoyed a “wonderful” turnout for its inaugural Shabbat services this weekend. The new community formed on January 1, after members of Bet Tikvah and Woodford Liberal Synagogues voted to unite. It will operate over the two sites, while a search for a … Read More
Birmingham’s Joyce honoured with British Empire Medal
6 January 2017 Joyce Rothschild, of Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. Joyce received the honour as a result of her remarkable annual quiz, which has been running for 20 years and has raised more than £120,000 in the fight … Read More
Jewish boys get their names at their bris. But how and when do we name our daughters?
Jessica Weinstein 5 January 2017 The Jewish Chronicle When Jewish parents have a baby daughter they have a dilemma. Do they hold a ceremony to name her? Picking a baby’s name is a tricky business. There are the grandparents that need to be honoured, family traditions and the double whammy … Read More
Liberal Jewish youth promise to ‘Reclaim Zionism’ in 2017
5 January 2017 Members of LJY-Netzer, the youth movement of Liberal Judaism, have chosen ‘Reclaiming Zionism’ as their Theme of the Year for 2017. The theme was picked at LJY-Netzer’s annual decision-making event, Veidah, which sees the movement’s members, aged 15 upwards, decide the direction in which they want to … Read More