Liberal Judaism on Jewish status and equilineal descent

Rabbi Alexandra Wright 21 July 2015 Liberal Judaism recognises equilineal descent: namely, that individuals born of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother should be treated in exactly the same way as individuals born to a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father. The Affirmations of Liberal Judaism state that children of mixed … Read More

Gloucestershire wins the LAFTAs

8 June 2015 Gloucestershire Liberal Jewish Community (GLJC) has won the prestigious Liberal Academy of Film & Torah Awards (LAFTAs). The cheder/religion school of every Liberal community was tasked with producing a three-minute film on the theme ‘A Day in the Life of Israel’. GLJC fought off stiff competition to … Read More

Ritual Reconstructed website launches

11 May 2015 Liberal Judaism’s new equality and diversity project Ritual Reconstructed has launched an innovative and interactive website: http://ritualreconstructed.com/ Jewish people who identify as LGBTQI, and the wider audience, are invited to sign up to get access to exclusive film and audio footage, as well as other research and … Read More

Don’t react to attacks on freedom by restricting it

Lucian J Hudson 25 January 2015 The Jewish News Reflecting on events in France 200-plus years ago, philosopher and politician Edmund Burke was quoted saying: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Recent events, again in France, bring Burke to mind. Violence … Read More

Bienvenue à Finchley!

11 December 2014 The Jewish Chronicle Finchley Progressive Synagogue has appointed its first assistant rabbi. Rene Pfertzel joins Rabbi Rebecca Birk in a job share at the growing shul which now counts 330 households as members. “It’s quite a big step for the shul, and reflects the view that our … Read More

Stephen Fry saves Rainbow Jews

7 October 2014 World-renowned actor and comedian Stephen Fry has donated more than £2,000 to Rainbow Jews to keep the ground-breaking LGBTQI+ oral history project running. Rainbow Jews had been seeking to raise funds to continue its great work through an online crowdfunding initiative. With just two days left to … Read More

In the media: The new Alliance for Progressive Judaism

23 September 2014   We have received lots of media coverage this week about the announcement of our launch, with the Movement for Reform Judaism, of an alliance for Progressive Judaism. Jewish Chronicle The Reform and Liberal movements have agreed a formal alliance, pledging greater co-operation in order to strengthen … Read More

Liberal and Reform movements launch Alliance for Progressive Judaism

17 September 2014 Liberal Judaism (LJ) and the Movement for Reform Judaism (MRJ) have today announced an alliance between their two movements. Together already accounting for nearly a third of synagogue-affiliated Jews, with 82 communities, the UK’s two Progressive movements are seeking to capitalise on the 30% growth in those … Read More

Putting the picture together

Lucian J Hudson 28 August 2014 The Jewish Chronicle Leadership in a crisis requires not just skill in responding appropriately in the moment but a coherence and consistency of purpose over time. Whitehall and Westminster’s response has lacked strategy, limiting UK’s influence short and long term, and unleashing an anti-Israel … Read More