12 June 2017 No topic was off the table at the Liberal Judaism Day of Celebration 2017, as 250 impassioned Jews of all ages debated everything from the impact of the recent UK general election to fighting antisemitism to how to use faith as a force for good. Delegates from … Read More
A triple celebration at Tikvah Chadasha
12 June 2017 Tikvah Chadasha (Shenfield, Brentwood & Districts Synagogue) celebrated a unique and special B’nei Mitzvah this weekend – as triplets Isabella, Nathan and Amelia all came of age. The triplets, along with parents Karen and Andy, joined the community not long after its formation in 2010. Grandparents Judith … Read More
Senior Labour figures fear party’s Jewish vote may have collapsed
Harriet Sherwood 3 June 2017 The Guardian Suspension of Ken Livingstone for allegedly antisemitic remarks and perception of failure to root out racism leads to ‘certain amount of stick on the doorstep’ After a year of torrid headlines and the suspension of Ken Livingstone over allegedly antisemitic remarks, senior Labour … Read More
Interfaith art exhibition brings people together at BHPS
29 May 2017 More than 500 people of all faiths, and none, attended an open house interfaith art exhibition, which ran at Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue (BHPS) throughout May. The synagogue has a long-standing commitment to interfaith work in the local area and, as part of the Brighton Festival … Read More
Liberals lead the way at World Union Conference
26 May 2017 Liberal Judaism’s rabbis, officers and members played a leading role in the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) Connections 2017 Conference. The Biennial event was this year held in Jerusalem and was attended by Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, Rabbi Danny Rich, chair Simon Benscher, president Rabbi Dr … Read More
Landmark Kotel service at WUPJ Conference
19 May 2017 British Liberal and Reform Judaism rabbis and members took part in a landmark service at the Kotel – which included a Torah reading with all genders participating. The senior rabbis of both movements, Rabbis Danny Rich and Laura Janner-Klausner, carried the scrolls during the service (pictured), which … Read More
Progressives combine for Shavuot discussion
17 May 2017 The Liberal, Reform and Masorti branches of Mosaic Jewish Community, Harrow, will unite for a discussion on Erev Shavuot. Led by Liberal Judaism’s Rabbi Frank Dabba Smith (pictured), the study session is titled ‘The Practice of Compassion and Kindness in Times of Hatred and Lies’. The session … Read More
York community hosts first ever Liberal service in Leeds
2 May 2017 York Liberal Jewish Community (YLJC) has held the first ever Liberal Judaism Shabbat service in Leeds. Every year, the Leeds Jewish Housing Association invites Masorti, Reform and Orthodox Jewish Groups from within the city to worship in their premises. This year, for the first time, YLJC – … Read More
[Response] Is there an upside to the Jewish “bubble” or are faith schools part of the problem?
Dora Hirsh 28 April 2017 The Jewish Chronicle Last week I read an article in the JC entitled The Downside of the Jewish School Bubble. Having attended Jewish schools since the age of six (I am now 16 and taking GCSEs), I profoundly disagreed with it. In my experience, being … Read More
Full and fun youth programme planned for Day of Celebration
Sam Alston, LJY-Netzer movement worker 25 April 2017 LJY-Netzer is very excited to once again be running the youth programme for the Day of Celebration with a crèche for under 5s, a full programme for those in school year 1 and above and a teen track. As the youth movement … Read More