30 January 2017 Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, Rabbi Danny Rich, helped to rededicate a plaque commemorating the Kindertransport in the Houses of Parliament. Danny joined Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, Lord Alf Dubs and Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, … 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
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
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
Standing in solidarity with Hebrew Union College
4 January 2017 Liberal Judaism and Leo Baeck College (LBC) stand in solidarity with America’s Hebrew Union College (HUC) and denounce the defacement of HUC’s Cincinnati campus with a swastika on Tuesday. Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, principal of Leo Baeck College, said: “Current political trends appear, over recent months, to … Read More
Nottingham welcomes Austerlitz scroll after 50 years
3 January 2017 The congregation at Nottingham Liberal Synagogue (NLS) have welcomed a Torah scroll from Austerlitz, in the Czech Republic… finally putting a 50-year mix-up to an end. The community was founded in 1965 as Nottingham Progressive Jewish Congregation and immediately applied for, and received, a Torah from the … Read More