16 November 2016 The first Jewish burial, of modern times, in Lincoln has taken place in the Lincolnshire Jewish Community’s new burial plot at Jews’ Court. The funeral was for Allan Levene, a prominent member of the Lincolnshire Jewish Community, which established in 1992. It was officiated by Rabbi Aaron … Read More
Elstree team win the 50th Annual LJ Quiz
15 November 2016 Members of The Liberal Synagogue Elstree fought off 11 other teams to win the hotly contested Liberal Judaism Annual Inter-Synagogue Quiz. Held at Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue on Sunday November 13, a dozen teams tackled taxing, but entertaining, questions on wide-ranging subjects. Finchley Progressive Synagogue finished … Read More
Leo Baeck College celebrates 60 years of training Europe’s rabbis
8 November 2016 More than 200 people, including 43 rabbis and student rabbis spanning six decades, attended the 60th Anniversary Service of Celebration for the Leo Baeck College this weekend. Leo Baeck College is a preeminent institution of Jewish scholarship and learning, based in Finchley, Barnet, that is the heart … Read More
New community to be called East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue
8 November 2016 Liberal Judaism’s newest community has been given its English name – East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue. The community will officially form on January 1, 2017, after members of the area’s two current Liberal Judaism congregations – Bet Tikvah and Woodford Liberal Synagogues – voted overwhelmingly to … Read More
Woodford to host inclusive Shabbat service
Woodford Liberal Synagogue is to host another in its successful series of inclusive Shabbat services. Taking place this Saturday in the East London community, the Shabbat Shelanu service is designed to be accessible and sensitive for a variety of needs and welcoming to all. It celebrates Shabbat through music, multisensory experiences and … Read More
How your religion school can enter the LAFTAs
4 October 2016 Every two years, at the Day of Celebration, Liberal Judaism’s religion schools take part in a short film competition. The LAFTAs (Liberal Academy for Film and Torah Awards), see our youth make films, of a few minutes long, on a Jewish topic. They are then judged on … Read More
Join the Human Rights Shabbat Programme
2 October 2016 A dozen Liberal communities have already signed up to take part in the René Cassin Human Rights Shabbat Programme for 5777. René Cassin – a charity working to promote and protect universal human rights, drawing on Jewish experience and values – has run the project for the … Read More
A new Jewish community for East London as Bet Tikvah and Woodford Liberal Synagogues vote to unite
26 September 2016 A new Liberal Judaism community for East London and West Essex will be formed, after members of its two existing synagogues voted overwhelmingly to unify. In parallel EGMs on Sunday September 25, members of Bet Tikvah and Woodford Liberal Synagogues voted in favour of the dissolution of … Read More
LJ’s Surat-Shaan profiled by best-selling magazine
Liberal Judaism’s Twilight People project manager, Surat-Shaan Knan (pictured), has been profiled by Attitude Magazine. He featured in a lengthy article in the UK’s best-selling gay publication, looking at LGBTQI+ people of faith. Speaking about coming out as trans, he told the magazine: “I’m very, very blessed because I’m a … Read More
Rabbis welcomed at South Bucks and York
20 September 2016 Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Student Rabbi Deborah Blausten have been welcomed at South Bucks Jewish Community (SBJC) and York Liberal Jewish Community (YLC). South Bucks inducted Charley in a moving Shabbat service on Saturday, which was attended by dignitaries including Cheryl Gillan, MP for Chesham and Amersham, and … Read More