20 April 2016 The leadership of Liberal Judaism has praised Her Majesty The Queen on the occasion of her 90th birthday. The Queen reaches the landmark on Thursday, with celebrations being planned around the country in April, May and June. Rabbi Danny Rich, Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, said: “I salute … Read More
Record numbers attend EUPJ Biennial Conference
18 April 2016 A record number of delegates took part in the 2016 European Union for Progressive Judaism (EUPJ) Biennial Conference. Held in London from April 14-17, the event was attended by more than 350 people from 29 countries, including 86 rabbis and student rabbis. The conference was an opportunity … Read More
A weekend of celebration at Woodford
12 April 2016 Three rabbis, two Christian clergy and a police officer were among 100 people celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodford Liberal Synagogue’s building on Sunday. Woodford’s Rabbi Richard Jacobi put together a special civic service, which contained some of the community’s favourite prayers from the last half century. … Read More
The history of the LJ Quiz
4 April 2016 It’s one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the Liberal Jewish calendar – where communities from all over the country battle it out in a test of knowledge. The 2017 Liberal Judaism Annual Inter Synagogue Quiz will take place on at Southgate Progressive Synagogue. Full details, … Read More
Wandering scroll finds its way to Crouch End
21 March 2016 The community at Crouch End Chavurah have welcomed a ‘new’ Torah scroll that is more than 100 years old and travels around the world. Canadian-born sofer Avielah Barclay – the first female Torah scribe for 250 years – visited the community at Shabbat and revealed many interesting … Read More
Behind the headlines as LJS makes history
Jeanne Myers 15 February 2016 You may have seen some of the recent media coverage about The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS) holding Friday evening services in French. ‘Sacrebleu’, you might have thought… what’s all this about?! Around a year ago, it occurred to me that, with the large number of … Read More
Liberal Judaism welcomes first Scandinavian member synagogue
2 February 2016 Shir Hatzafon synagogue – ‘The Song of the North’ – has become the first Scandinavian member of Liberal Judaism, increasing the movement’s number of members to 42 communities over five countries. Started informally in 1998, Shir Hatzafon was officially recognized by the Danish Government in 2004. Today, … Read More
Eight centuries after the pogrom, pride flickers again in York’s Jewish community
13 December 2015 The Guardian / Observer Liberal Judaism has given the city’s Jews a chance to uphold their faith while accepting the realities of modern life. In March 1190, the entire Jewish community of York – about 150 people – barricaded themselves inside the castle as antisemitic riots raged … Read More
A festschrift for Rabbi Harry
4 November 2015 Rabbi Harry Jacobi was surprised with a festschrift written in his honour, as he celebrated his 90th birthday at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS). Harry, who was born as Heinz Martin Hirschberg in October, 1925, and grew up in Auerbach, Germany, twice fled the Nazis to become … Read More
I fled the Nazis, so why do I still face intolerance from my fellow Jews?
Rabbi Harry Jacobi 29 October 2015 Any birthday is a good time to reflect, especially when it’s your 90th. Reaching that landmark, it gave me the chance to look back on my early years, long ministry with Liberal Judaism and the changes in Anglo-Jewry. I celebrated my bar mitzvah in … Read More