Helen Stone 31 July 2018 When my phone rang one evening last February the voice was anxious and the tone urgent. The caller was one of the organisers of Northwood Holocaust Memorial Day Events educational sessions. “Our speaker is unwell,” they explained. “Can you take her slot tomorrow morning?” As … Read More
Finchley mark Tisha B’Av with powerful play
30 July 2018 More than 70 people were wowed by a performance of Hyam Maccoby’s play The Disputation, staged by members of Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS). The play is a powerful re-enactment of the Barcelona Disputation of 1263, when Rabbi Moses ben Nachman (later known as Nachmanides) was pitted against … Read More
Chair’s Awards winners are shining lights of Liberal Judaism
13 July 2018 Liberal Judaism is proud to announce the winners of its 2018 Chair’s Awards. Handed out every two years, at the Liberal Judaism Biennial Weekend, they honour members who have gone above and beyond while serving the movement at a national and/or local level. Winners were nominated by … Read More
The rabbi who went to Bali in order not to speak for a week
Rabbi Rebecca Birk 4 June 2018 The Jewish Chronicle Rabbi Rebecca Birk decided to try something different when she took a sabbatical. At the end of last year, as Chanukah finished, I travelled 7,747 miles not to talk. I attended a silent meditative retreat at the foot of a mountain. … Read More
Four communities unite for unique Kabbalat Torah trip
31 January 2018 Twenty seven young people, three rabbis, two LJY-Netzer movement workers and a community worker – representing four different Liberal communities – visited three parts of the Midlands over one weekend. The Kabbalat Torah students from Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue, Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, Finchley Progressive Synagogue and … Read More
Elstree triumph by just one point in LJ Quiz
22 November 2017 A team from The Liberal Synagogue Elstree (pictured) were the winners of this year’s Liberal Judaism Annual Inter-Synagogue Quiz, after beating Kingston Liberal Synagogue by just one point. Teams from Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue, Mosaic Liberal Synagogue in Harrow, Finchley Progressive Synagogue, Bedfordshire Liberal Synagogue and … Read More
Israel events to take place at Finchley Progressive
15 August 2017 Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) is hosting a series of events around key Israeli anniversaries in October and November to which all members of Liberal Judaism are invited. The first is a set of four evening talks, by eminent speakers, to mark the centenary of the Balfour Declaration. … Read More
A wide ranging conversation with Susie Orbach
8 June 2017 Bodies, psyches and Judaism were all on the agenda in A Conversation with Susie Orbach at Finchley Progressive Synagogue. More than 80 people gathered for the event, over eggs benedict, coffee and cake, as the writer and psychotherapist spoke of her concerns about social media and the … Read More
Shabbat Resouled celebrates 10th anniversary
3 May 2017 Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) celebrated 10 years of Shabbat Resouled, with music, song and a chavurah supper. More than 200 people attended a musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, a true mark of the success of the first dedicated ‘prayer band’ in the UK Jewish community. Shabbat Resouled was … Read More
Finchley’s Lindsey raises £4,000 with Marathon run
26 April 2017 Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) member Lindsey Block completed the London Marathon on Sunday, raising more than £4,000 for the Karen Morris Memorial Trust. Karen Morris was the sister of Lindsey’s best friend, Debbie, and well known in the Liberal and Reform Jewish youth movements. She died in … Read More