Liberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
www.liberaljudaism.org
ljtoday July/August 2022 VOL. XLIX No. 4
£275,000 raised... thanks to you!
L
IBERAL JUDAISM has raised more money than ever before… and it’s all thanks to you. In our 120th year, 120 of you signed up to be Ambassadors – telling your stories and asking your friends and family for donations to support us in our mission to bring Judaism home. Then, incredibly, 1,100 people made donations in a 36-hour online fundraiser. These included members of Liberal communities all around the UK, as well as Reform, Orthodox and Masorti Jews, and even three priests, who have been inspired by our pioneering work. In total, £275,000 was raised – with £155,000 donated in the online campaign and a further £120,000 pledged to match donations and fundraising event revenue over the rest of this year. The money will be used for a series of initiatives to build Liberal Judaism for the future, with many focussed on supporting youth and communities. The centrepiece will be a new online hub to throw our doors open as widely as possible and support people wherever they are. The money will also fund a Progressive Jewish Chaplain in universities, a social justice department and b’nei mitzvah and Kabbalat Torah programming for smaller communities. It will support families in need by providing bursaries for children wanting to attend LJY-Netzer youth camps and events, as well as sending Shabbat boxes to elderly members of the community living in non-Jewish care homes. Liberal Judaism CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky was blown away by the response of communities and members, of all ages and parts of the country, who really got behind the campaign.
Rabbi Charley Baginsky (second from right) and Liberal Judaism staff during the fundraiser
She said: “This has been an incredible achievement – five times more than we have ever raised before. What makes me most proud is that we had a whole army of people giving small amounts.
£155,000 raised in online crowdfunder
£120,000
pledged to match donations over the rest of this year
1,100 120
individual donors
Ambassadors
“This was about raising money to do more, but that has not been the bit that has really affected me. It has been the number of people who engaged, the stories I heard, the messages I received and the love that has surrounded us. I think we really might be bringing Judaism home. I cannot thank you enough.” Liberal Judaism chair Ruth Seager added: “Liberal Judaism has completed its most successful fundraising event. Ever. I am so grateful to our LJ Ambassadors and our donors, whose support means a very great deal to us all. “This was our launchpad. We are now aiming to use the rest of the year to get our total to £500,000 and ensure we are the home for everyone’s Jewish story.” Fundraising events now planned include a nationwide sponsored bike ride on Sunday 11 September and a President’s 120th Anniversary Ball. The Liberal Judaism crowdfunding page also remains open. You can donate at campaigns.causematch.com/LJ
Save the date: Liberal Judaism Biennial Weekend - 19-21 May 2023
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Comment
July/August 2022
From same-sex commitment ceremonies to the full inclusion of LGBTQI+ Jews Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah charts LJ’s LGBTQI+ equality journey and asks what can we do next TWENTY years ago, Liberal Judaism took a huge step towards putting one of the movement’s core values into practice. From its inception 100 years earlier, Liberal Judaism was committed to an approach to Jewish heritage that, alongside the prophetic inheritance of justice, was rooted in modernity’s values of democracy and equality. In 2002, the Rabbinic Conference and the Council of Liberal Judaism agreed a policy of inclusion of lesbian and gay individuals and couples – including couples with children – that also involved making provision for same-sex commitment ceremonies. The policy was a milestone. It also represented a compromise. Two years earlier, in response to my request and that of Rabbi Mark Solomon, the Rabbinic Conference (now called the Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors) had set up a Working Party. Chaired by Rabbi Danny Rich, it included Rabbis Margaret Jacobi, Mark Solomon, Moshe Yehudai-Rimmer and me. In the process of consulting with the Rabbinic Conference and the Liberal Judaism Council, it became clear that the consensus at that time was not in favour of using the language of ‘marriage’. Consequently, the new Liberal Judaism policy on the inclusion of lesbian and gay Jews and same-sex commitment ceremonies, agreed in 2002, did not describe such ceremonies as ‘marriage’ – although the Hebrew term for marriage, kiddushin, was used. The next step was for the Working Party to get to work on the liturgy for same-sex commitment ceremonies. Rabbi Mark Solomon took the lead in creating what became an anthology of ceremonies. In 2005, Rabbis Shulamit Ambalu and James Baaden joined the Working Party. As the Chair of the LJ Publications Committee at that time, I was delighted that the liturgy was agreed in time for a booklet to be published in December 2005 to coincide with the Civil Partnership Act coming into force.
The title of the booklet, B’rit Ahavah: Seder Kiddushin – Covenant of Love: Service of Commitment for Same-Sex Couples, reflected the compromise we had made. Fortunately, things moved on. As the climate of public opinion changed with the advent of civil partnership, and the consequent increasing acceptance of lesbian and gay relationships, so reluctance within Liberal Judaism to use the word ‘marriage’ declined. It is in this climate that the equal marriage campaign in wider society gathered pace. The goal was the provision of equal choice: a change in the law that would enable all couples – whether they are lesbian, gay or heterosexual – to have the choice of entering into either civil marriage or civil partnership. And so it was that, in February 2011, the Rabbinic Conference agreed and adopted a Statement on Equality of Access to Marriage and Civil Partnerships. It made clear that Liberal Judaism supports “the right of all couples, of any gender and sexual orientation, who are in a committed and exclusive relationship, to enter into a legally binding civil partnership or marriage.” The statement further committed our movement to lobbying for the necessary changes in UK law to bring about this much-needed equality and for the right for Liberal Judaism to conduct the legal as well as religious aspects of these marriages or civil partnerships. That year, efforts to change the law intensified and Liberal rabbis and members participated in a range of activities. These included an event at the Scottish Youth Parliament offices at which, as rabbi of Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community, Rabbi Mark Solomon spoke on behalf of Liberal Judaism. A key point in the campaign came in the 2012-13 parliamentary session when, in his position as Liberal Judaism Chief Executive, Rabbi Danny Rich gave evidence – presented both in person and as a document – to the Parliamentary committee deliberating the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. Liberal Judaism was joined in this fight for equal marriage by our friends in the Quakers and Unitarians. Other religious denominations came on board, including the Movement for Reform Judaism. Then, in 2013, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act was passed. It was a momentous milestone in British society.
At the same time, having become a champion of full equality for LGBT+ people, Liberal Judaism was already looking to the next step needed for true inclusion and working with queer and trans Jews to achieve this. Shaan Knan joining Liberal Judaism as Heritage Project Manager enhanced this commitment to equality through a series of groundbreaking projects. The first was Rainbow Jews, launched in October 2012 with funding from the Lottery Heritage Fund. Recording Jewish LGBT+ history from the 1950s to today, the project has produced a film, exhibition and educational materials. Two further inclusion projects hosted by Liberal Judaism with Lottery Heritage funding followed. The trans interfaith project Twilight People discovers and celebrates the hidden history of transgender and gender-variant people of faith in the UK past and present. Rainbow Pilgrims tells the stories of LGBTQI+ migrants to the UK, from the Kindertransport to today’s refugees. It explores the narratives around ‘rites and passages’, documenting the interconnection between faith, sexuality, gender and ethnicity. Both projects included pop-up events, cutting-edge learning tools and archive collections that can be found online. Shaan and Liberal Judaism were also involved in Ritual Reconstructed – looking at the ways in which Jewish people who identify as LGBTQI+ engage in religious and community life. So, after all this, what is there left for Liberal Judaism to do? In general, Liberal Judaism has a role to play in enabling all its constituent congregations to ensure that LGBTQI+ Jews, including trans and gender nonbinary people, can participate fully in the life of the synagogue, as well as having equal access to marriage and the full range of lifecycle ceremonies. In 2018, Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue began to offer all young people the option of gender non-binary b’mitzvah, alongside bat and barmitzvah. It would be wonderful if such a policy was adopted throughout our congregations. Similarly, ceremonies to mark gender transition also need to be offered across the movement. Ultimately, achieving full inclusion and equality means that LGBTQI+ people are able to participate in every aspect of congregational life wherever they live.
In Memory
July/August 2022
LJ Today Page 3
Tributes to wonderful LJY member who always had a smile on his face LIBERAL JUDAISM and its youth movement LJY-Netzer are mourning the tragic death of Zohar Dean Collins. Zohar, 22, died in a fatal accident while on holiday. He was a hugely special and valued member of LJY-Netzer. Writing on a tribute page, his friends and family said: “We are all unbelievably heartbroken from this tragic news and are all remembering Zohar as the witty, free spirited and warm person he was. He was truly special and touched many hearts along his journey. “He leaves behind a massive and loving family including his parents, three beautiful siblings, two grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and a community of close friends.” LJY-Netzer Movement Worker Joe Shotton added: “Zohar joined LJY in Nechalim (school years 7-8) and went on to become an amazing leader, filled with so much joy and passion. He always had a smile on his face and led countless others to share that smile.” More than 100 people attended Zohar’s funeral in Streatham Vale, including many friends from LJY, Leeds University and the South London Liberal Synagogue (SLLS), where he had attended cheder.
People wore white and some carried sunflowers or feathers to remember Zohar, whose name means light/ brilliance. The message of the funeral, as movingly articulated by his family, was for everyone to leave with a positive feeling about life – based on how Zohar had lived.
Remembrance through art
THE Ark Synagogue held a unique Yom HaShoah commemoration through music, art and remembrance. Northwood local and internationally renowned soprano Nelly Miricioiu was accompanied by mezzo-soprano Hanna-Liisa Kirchin. On display in the synagogue for the first time was the art of Nelly’s mother, Maria Tudosa, that Nelly has gifted to the Ark.
Maria was born in 1929 in Adjud, a small town in the Romanian province of Moldova – which then had a vibrant and large Jewish community. Her paintings record the destruction of her Jewish neighbours by the Nazis. Nelly provided an intimate hour of storytelling through verse and song to accompany her mother’s art.
Rabbi Nathan Godleman of SLLS said: “Zohar was widely loved and admired. The outpouring of sadness and support for his family is a testament to him. I am sure that the light he gave forth will continue to shine brightly and be an influence for good in all of our lives.”
Kindertransport Memorial update
A KINDERTRANSPORT Memorial will be unveiled in Harwich, Essex, in September. Sculpted by award-winning artist Ian Wolter, the statue depicts five children descending from a ship’s gangplank Helen Brown, a member of Norwich Liberal Jewish Community, has been a key part of making the project happen. Harwich Mayor Ivan Henderson said: “Visitors will now be able to visualise and connect with this historical event.”
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Communities
July/August 2022
Inclusion in Three Counties back together action at FPS to commemorate Anne Frank By Irris and Sid Singer OUR second Inclusive Kabbalat Shabbat service at Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) was exceptional. Zoe Jacobs, our Community, Education and Development Manager, prepared a workshop sequencing the stages of getting ready for Shabbat for those of us who may have difficulty doing this independently. Our daughter, who has a learning disability, and her friends from Langdon Jewish Supported Housing were invited to the workshop. Participants were asked to join a treasure hunt searching for a white tablecloth, candlesticks, candles, a Kiddush cup, wine and challot hidden around the room. The excitement mounted as items were found and the Kiddush tables prepared. Finally, participants took it in turns to read the blessings from beautifully illustrated laminated sheets they took home to practice from on Friday nights. They were rewarded with tasty Kiddush snacks before going into the service led by Dean Staker and Rabbi Rebecca Birk. It was a shorter, musical, interactive and joyful Shabbat service. Our daughter and a friend said the blessings for the candles. By the joy on their faces we could see they felt truly included and enriched. Besides wanting to share this experience for our daughter, her friends and their parents with FPS members, we would like to register the event as an important learning experience in the annals of Liberal Judaism inclusivity. Zoe, an experienced educator, used her professional skills to create a shared learning situation which enriched the individual and the community. It was a combination of play (the treasure hunt), practice (laying up two Kiddush tables) and finally reading and internalising the blessings via the whole workshop and the illustrated sheets. The sequencing worksheets, Makaton plans and siddurim are available to anyone who wants them. Please do email Zoe on zoe@fps.org for more information. A blessing on all those who put so much thought and time into preparing this incredible inclusive service.
The Very Revd Sarah Brown of Hereford Cathedral, 3CLJC Chair Natalie Towle and the High Sheriff of Herefordshire Sarah de Bohan in front of the Anne Frank tree
By Julian Brown and Mark Walton THREE Counties Liberal Jewish Community (3CLJC) held its first in person Anne Frank service for three years at Saxon Hall, Hereford. We had several dignitaries attending, including the High Sheriff of Herefordshire Sarah de Bohan; The Very Revd Sarah Brown, Dean of Hereford Cathedral; and Buddhist nun, Lama Tenzin Choesang. The service also attracted 3CLJC members from all parts of the three counties and beyond, including Cheltenham, Ross, Monmouth, Dursley, Stroud, Nailsworth, Malvern, Hereford, Oxfordshire and Powys – showing what a widespread community we are.
It was a pleasure to have a congregation of more than 80 people come together to fill the hall. This was very different from our usual Shabbat morning services, as we were joined by a choir of children from Monmouth Prep School, conducted by Joe Walton, together with their accompanist David Lawson. The choir sang to us in Hebrew, as well as songs in English and Swahili. We were also given a beautiful musical rendering on cello and keyboard of Ernest Bloch’s Prayer from Jewish Life, providing the perfect backdrop for a period of reflection at the end of the Tefilah. Children from the school read some of the extracts from Anne Frank’s diary. Rabbi Danny Rich was delayed, as he had stopped to assist with a road accident, but arrived just at the right moment to lead the service. He made the most of the opportunity of the children’s choir being present, as he asked them a range of questions about the Torah and elements of the day’s reading. In doing so, he also gave the rest of us some insight into what the Torah portion was about. In addition, Danny gave a brief, but very relevant sermon on the topic of compliance and rebellion, reminding the congregation that each has its place within society and that, in matters of leadership, reliance on one sole figure is best avoided. Two very moving elements of the service were Rosie Towle’s reading of Anne Frank’s last diary entry and Shelly Rider’s performance of her own poem, written in memory of Anne Frank. 3CLJC would like to thank all those who helped this service to be the success that it was. BIRMINGHAM Progressive Synagogue used Shavuot as an opportunity to study Ruth’s speech to Naomi and discuss what it teaches us about conversion to Judaism. There was also, of course, plenty of cheesecake - with recipes from New York to Ottolenghi.
Communities
July/August 2022
LJ Today Page 5
200 years of marriage celebrated in Nottingham
NLS golden wedding celebrants Mike and Sue Sokal, Peter and Maggie Gordon, Peter and Catherine Strauss and Sheila and Michael Billig
NOTTINGHAM Liberal Synagogue (NLS) held a fourfold simcha celebrating the golden wedding anniversaries of four couples, all of them long standing members of the congregation. The eight celebrants took a part in a Shabbat service led by one of them, Peter Gordon, which included an excellent sermon by another, Michael Billig.
The warm and enjoyable service was followed by the first full kiddush in the synagogue since the pandemic. Peter, who is also the outgoing President of NLS, said: “We felt that our shul building being 50 years old this year was a great occasion to celebrate our own 50th anniversaries, and bring the congregation back together again.
“It was a marvellous morning and wonderful to have synagogue life in Nottingham almost back to normal!” The four couples also used the event as a fundraising opportunity, asking guests for donations that have gone to the Nottingham Liberal Synagogue Building Fund and World Jewish Relief’s Ukraine Crisis Appeal.
Bloody great Bagels for Dubs lecture
the Jubilee
A SPECIAL medal has been presented to Rabbi Emeritus David Hulbert of East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue on making his 100th blood donation. With the ceremony postponed twice due to Covid restrictions, David has now actually made 107 donations of blood – equal to 107 pints or 13 gallons. He said: “I was delighted to receive this medal along with my friend Mark Finkletaub. I would encourage every member of our Liberal Judaism communities to follow the example of Mark and myself and donate their pint once every four months or so, during the day or after work. There are plenty of donation centres and all you have to do is to go online to book an appointment.”
KINGSTON Liberal Synagogue (KLS) opened its doors to the local community for a ‘Big Jubilee Friday Night Bagels’ event – putting a Jewish twist on The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Traditional bagels from Brick Lane were provided and around 70 neighbours joined the KLS community in their Kehillah garden to celebrate. In addition, Rabbi René Pfertzel conducted tours of the synagogue. Local resident Kathy said: “I’ve lived near KLS for many years but this is the first time I’ve been inside. It was a lovely and really interesting evening… and the bagels were delicious!”
THE next Rabbi Harry Martin Jacobi Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Lord (Alf) Dubs on Sunday 17 July on ‘Why does how we treat refugees matter?’ Lord Dubs, after whom the Dubs Amendment to protect the rights of child asylum seekers is named, visited Calais in 2016 with Harry and his children Rabbis Margaret and Richard Jacobi. Margaret said: “This topic would be very close to Harry’s heart – as he always supported the cause of refugees, drawing on his own experience as a child refugee from Nazi persecution.” The lecture will take place at Southgate Progressive Synagogue and will also be streamed live on social media. Please email office@sps.uk.com to book.
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Day of Celebration
July/August 2022
A Day to remember
Competition winners
Anna Dilphy receives her award for Best Photograph from Rabbi Igor Zinkov
Day of Celebration keynote speakers Sara Nathan and Paul Anticoni address the conference, while young Liberal Jews get creative and three of LJ’s finest musicians perform a concert
LIBERAL JUDAISM’S leaders and rabbis outlined “big dreams of what is possible” at the Day of Celebration 2022. With more than 150 people in attendance at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS) - and a further 100 watching live online - it was a chance to be together and celebrate 120 years of Liberal Judaism. In her opening remarks, Liberal Judaism CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky outlined our many recent successes and urged delegates to continue to help our movement develop and grow as we celebrate this special anniversary year. Charley said: “Today is all about exploring the past and beginning to think about the future. At the start of the pandemic, we made a commitment. We committed to collaboration, to raising up a multitude of voices and to ensuring that Liberal Judaism met the needs of those on the margins. But we also committed to ensuring that we were not seen as a marginal part of Judaism, but rather a central place in the beautiful spectrum of what it means to be Jewish. “This creative fulcrum where Liberal and Judaism meet now needs to be nurtured. We have such big dreams of what is possible and now is the time to bring them to fruition.” Liberal Judaism President Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein also laid down a challenge, saying: “In its 120 years, Liberal Judaism has faced several eras of change and challenge and has come out stronger, has often led the Jewish way and has been creative and outward looking, yet inwardly inclusive. “Let us now renew our enthusiasm and increase our commitment.”
The Day of Celebration’s keynote presentation was given by Sara Nathan, Co-Founder of Refugees at Home, and World Jewish Relief CEO Paul Anticoni. They outlined what role Liberal Jews can play to assist in the many refugee crises currently unfolding around the world. Other speakers and presenters at the event included JW3 CEO Raymond Simonsen, Reclaim the Streets CoFounder Jamie Klinger and the Church of England’s first Minority Ethnic Vocations Officer Rosemarie Davidson-Gotobed. Liberal Judaism Rabbis Sandra Kviat, Janet Burden, Margaret Jacobi, Danny Rich, Alexandra Wright and Anna Wolfson ran sessions during the day, as did Student Rabbi Rafe Thurstance and soonto-be Rabbis Gabriel Kanter-Webber and Lev Taylor from Leo Baeck College. The fun was provided with a cookery demonstration by top chef Silvia Nacamulli, a concert from three of Liberal Judaism’s finest musicians – Judith Silver, Joseph Finlay and Alexander Massey – and a programme of youth events put on by LJY-Netzer, where young Liberal Jews did everything from designing their own Torah to dressing up as the rabbis of the future. Rabbi Igor Zinkov, who co-chaired the Day of Celebration organising committee, said: “To have everyone back together in person after three years, while still making use of the new skills we learned in the pandemic to open our doors wider than ever, was truly special. Even more special is what will happen next, as we leave the day enthused and ready for the next steps in our Liberal Judaism story.” • Day of Celebration pictures by Yakir Zur
TO celebrate our 120th anniversary, Liberal Judaism launched a Creative Competition with these winners announced at the Day of Celebration: Best Photograph: UNCHAINED by Anna Dilphy Breaking the chains of prejudice, Ariel reinvents the meaning of community through the lens of queerness, inherently tied to his Jewish identity. Best Artwork: ALL THE WOMEN IN THE TORAH by Ruth Hallgarten All the women named in the Torah are handembroidered onto a tallit prayer shawl, with their roles re-imagined in a small panel on the left hand side. Best Poem: THE WORDS WE PRAY by Susannah Alexander and Kittah Vav (Year 6) of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue’s Rimon Religion School. Best Sermon or D’var Torah (under 18): Maia Rosenberg Best Sermon or D’var Torah (over 18): Sarah Stuart Thank you to everyone who took part. You can read the winning poem and sermons at www.liberaljudaism.org
Day of Celebration
July/August 2022
LJ Today Page 7
‘We were truly spoilt for choice’ ‘I have been
fully accepted’
By Ruth Seager Liberal Judaism Chair AT its root, the Liberal Judaism Day of Celebration was a meeting of people so happy to be together again after so long. I had such a lovely time chatting to those I know well, those I hadn’t seen for ages and those I was seeing in person, or meeting, for the first time. There was a palpable buzz in The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS). The quality of the programme, the speakers and the organisation were of the high standard that we have come to expect of Liberal Judaism events. We were truly spoilt for choice. I was very proud of the event’s CoChairs, Rabbi Igor Zinkov and Suzanne Szal, for their leadership, along with the graft and slick operation of the professional staff. The effective working between our lay and religious leaders and our professional colleagues is a hallmark of Liberal Judaism. I was struck by the warmth, kindness and humanity of the keynote speakers Sara Nathan and Paul Anticoni and their incredible work helping refugees from Syria, Ukraine and elsewhere. They shared a bucket load of practicality, knowledge and wisdom that will help greatly with our own work in this area. The morning session I attended was on inclusion where, together, we identified a list of easy, largely free and very helpful measures to make our communities as inclusive as possible. These included: • Introducing ourselves routinely to help those with poor sight, poor memory or poor hearing. • A tilting table so that anyone can raise the Torah scroll any time of the year. • Not making a fuss over wheelchair users or treating them differently, even if with good intentions. • Inviting people to stand if they can during a service, rather than giving permission to sit if they cannot.
By Alexandra Boyd, Wessex Liberal Jewish Community
• Relaxed services in which neuroatypical people, those with learning difficulties and children are comfortable. • Having some events that are not centred around food, as they can cause a problem for those with eating disorders. It was pertinent that the Acting CoChair of Reform Judaism Paul Langsford and I both chose to attend the afternoon session on future leaders. We know very well that the future of our movements depends on our young people stepping forward and stepping up. That starts with remembering every child is a blessing. Then, there are the little things about LJ events that are special but could almost go unseen – such as the warm and respectful atmosphere or the way our rabbis support and lift up each other. It was a great day and I now look forward to the Liberal Judaism Biennial Weekend on 19-21 May 2023. If you can make it, please introduce yourself… even if we’ve met before.
BEING chosen to be part of the inclusion panel at this 120 year celebration made me feel that I had been accepted fully by Liberal Judaism. It showed me that there is a place for disabled people and, not only that, Liberal Judaism gave me a voice and that voice was taken on board. Every disabled person has different needs. Inclusivity shines when we get asked questions and see our answers bloom into something very special, a community where the disabilities do not matter and everyone is welcome. Our session examined different kinds of situations around inclusion and, between the audience and our panel, we opened up the wider conversation to be carried on in Liberal Judaism’s different communities around the country. It was a lovely family day out and we also came to the conclusion that Wessex Liberal Jewish Community has a really good level of inclusion, which is why I love being a member there so much.
A HIGHLIGHT of the Day of Celebration was the first chance for members to see the incredible Lily’s Legacy exhibition – which chronicles the radical history and heritage of Liberal Judaism. Simon Rothstein (pictured), Editor of lj today, said: “We’ve witnessed this wonderful oral history and archive project develop and come to fruition, but due to the pandemic this was the first opportunity to see the physical exhibition itself. Viewing all this wonderful history up close really brought home how much our movement has achieved over the last 120 years for our members, for Anglo-Jewry and for the wider world.” Lily’s Legacy is supported by the Lottery Heritage Fund. See the online exhibition and collection at lilyslegacyproject.com
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News
July/August 2022
‘To be on this trip was an act of resistance’ Mia Bogod writes powerfully about her experiences on March of the Living
ON Yom HaShoah, I took part in March of the Living – the week-long educational journey in Poland that culminates in people from all over the world marching from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp complex. As part of this I walked into, and out of, an Auschwitz gas chamber – something that very few people in the Holocaust did. It was all so quick. I simply walked through the room and out the other end. At first, I was surprised. Having spent the week slowly comprehending the vast scale of the Holocaust, this room, the crematorium, was so small. I now realise that is what makes it so horrific. This small room was the site of so much evil and death. In many ways, that is far harder to comprehend than the vast derelict fields of Birkenau. There is a silence in the chamber that echoes with the trauma it witnessed. To walk through this room, to fill the silence with our whispers, was an act of resistance. We spent the week alongside seven survivors, ordinary people who have witnessed extraordinary atrocities. Agnes was with us the most. She was sent to an exchange camp when she was a child and remained there until it was liberated by the Soviets.
As we were walking together on the first day, Agnes told me about the difficulty of translating Shakespeare into Hungarian. As we were on the coach to Auschwitz, she told us her testimony. As we were walking alongside the train tracks at Birkenau, Agnes told me the story of when her camp was liberated, and the hardship that this entailed. She also talked of her friend Eve – another survivor on the trip – whom she sees every fortnight. When we were stood in Birkenau, Agnes saw Eve walk past. Her face lit up, and they waved at each other. There was, perhaps surprisingly, a lot of happiness in the week. We heard the story of a man that helped a stranger survive the Holocaust, narrated by three generations of these two men. I have never witnessed the direct impact of one person’s kindness on so many future lives quite like that: it was inspiring. We learnt about the resilience of youth movements in the ghettos, forming communities and acting in the most difficult of circumstances. It made me proud to be part of a youth movement - as this is what they are for. It also made me want to challenge my youth movement, LJY-Netzer, to act and grow in every way that it can.
The greatest happiness of all was the fact that we are free. We were free to leave Auschwitz and we don’t ever have to return again. We are free to pray, to sing, to be openly and proudly Jewish. The Nazis did not win. We have become a witness to these crimes so that their stories will never be forgotten. The march itself put this into action. To march alongside friends, old and new. To follow the steps that so many took to their death, but to celebrate life. I will never be able to express the feeling of praying, openly and communally, on that path of so much horror. To be on this trip was an act of resistance - to laugh on the coach, to sing together, to make new friends and discover all those mutual connections. Our varied Jewish geography is an act of resistance, because it means that, despite everything, we are still here. There was, of course, a lot of sadness on the trip. It all becomes very real when you are tracing the footsteps of an entire town of Jews as they were marched to their death or standing at a grave commemorating the lives of murdered children, the youngest of whom was just a few months old. As we stood, our educator said the words: “Not all trees were able to blossom.” We heard each survivor’s individual testimony, and the trauma that has haunted them throughout their lives. The end of the war did not bring about the end of this sadness - it is something that has plagued each and every survivor. The scars do not simply fade. We heard it in the raw and deep anger of a survivor as he spoke at the end of the march. Upon returning to the UK, I’ve been struggling to grapple with the sadness and the happiness. With the responsibility that we now hold, as witness to this evil. How can we sit, how can we study, how can we laugh when we have been a witness to such atrocities? In this time, the words of Alfred Garwood, who survived a concentration camp as a baby, are of guidance and solace. When asked what advice he would give to us, as young Jews with a life of freedom ahead of us, he said: “Enjoy your life, and have fun. But most importantly, be sensitive and be kind.” I will carry these words with me, living for those who were not so lucky, in memory and honour of all those whose lives were lost. And through my actions and those of LJY-Netzer, we will work for a better world as we say Never Again.
News
July/August 2022
LJ Today Page 9
Ba’alei Tefillah back together New Licoricia of
Winchester book
By Alexandra Gellnick THE sixth cohort of students on Liberal Judaism’s Ba’alei Tefillah lay leadership started their journey, full of joy and optimism, on 8 March 2020. A couple of weeks later, we were entering lockdown and our communities were closed for many months. The students met this challenge with amazing resourcefulness and resilience, adapting to the new reality of Zoom and hybrid services and learning from every new opportunity. One of the highlights of the two-year course, the residential weekend, had to be postponed twice because of the pandemic. But in May 2022, we were finally able to gather together in the beautiful Bedfordshire countryside.
Calling all cyclists WE need you to join our sponsored bike ride on Sunday 11 September. We will be riding 120 miles to celebrate Liberal Judaism’s 120th anniversary. Our London leg will take place in Regent’s Park and we will also have some satellite cycles happening around the country. All money raised will go towards Liberal Judaism’s fundraising campaign, meaning it will be doubled by our matchers. To get involved, please contact Kes on k.stern@liberaljudaism.org
It was a whole weekend of practicing and consolidating skills, learning from each other, feedback opportunities and finally getting to know one another in person after all this time. We are also pleased to announce that the seventh cohort of the course is now open for applications. Led by inspiring rabbis and lay leaders, it covers everything you’ll need to know in order to take services in your community. People from all over the UK and Europe, from Liberal communities big and small, take part in Ba’alei Tefillah – leading to opportunities to make new friendships and learn from the best practice of others. If you would like to find out more or take part, please contact Tanya on t.garfield@liberaljudaism.org
A BOOK on Licoricia of Winchester has been written to go alongside a statue that was unveiled earlier this year. Licoricia was the most important Jewish woman in medieval England, but had largely been forgotten until an appeal headed by Liberal Jews brought her back into consciousness by raising money for the statue, book and educational work. The book, by award-winning author Rebecca Abrams, tells how Licoricia rose from obscurity to become the most successful female financier in the 13th century. Her life spanned seven decades and two civil wars and was filled with incredible highs and heart-breaking lows. She secured the personal patronage of King Henry III but also experienced rising antisemitism first hand. This included violent attacks, degrading rules, punitive taxation and the untimely deaths of her loved ones. Her own life ended tragically in 1277 when she was murdered. Maggie Carver CBE, a member of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue and Chair of The Licoricia of Winchester Appeal said: “This gripping book will be both an inspiration and a revelation to readers”. The book can be purchased from Amazon and all good book stores.
Page 10 LJ Today
Travel
July/August 2022
Jewish life in Marrakesh 10 types of Anna Dilphy goes behind the walls of the Mellah
truth in Cardiff By Alison Turner Liberal Judaism Archivist
SOMETHING that has always fascinated me is Jewish life in different countries around the world, past and present. So when I visited Marrakesh my first stop had to be the narrow alleys of the Mellah. The Mellah (Jewish quarter) is the local heart of Jewish tradition – authentic even as the world around it changes. Once home to the Morocco’s large Jewish population, which at its peak numbered around 300,000, the Mellah now carries an echo of itself to tourists and the remaining community through landmarks such as the Lazama Synagogue, with its vibrant tiles and cool courtyard, and the nearby tranquillity of the Miaara Jewish Cemetery. As I stepped out from the buzz of Shabbat Kiddush into the lively Mellah Market, with meat and produce spilling onto the narrow streets, and walked into the heady scents of the Bab Mellah Spice Souk, it was easy to feel the bustle of old as wandering spectators like me mingled with locals buying and selling. These are streets that could have stood still in time, carts and beasts the only traffic that can pass – only the noise of engines in the distance to tell that the modern world and its progress continues. The Jewish population is now less than 5,000, reduced by the post 1947 opportunities of another version of Jewish life in Israel. Those that remain live side by side with their Muslim cousins sharing their affection for Morocco and the high regard of the King. In Marrakesh there are two synagogues open to visitors. The most active is the Reform synagogue in the modern part of town, but I decided to spend my time in the Lazama Synagogue to experience a different and older tradition.
Hidden down an alleyway in the Mellah, it dates to 1492. Beautifully sized, it was revamped recently. Only a security guard outside marked the entrance to the synagogue. I could have walked by without knowing of its presence on the bright sunny Shabbat morning I visited. But stepping inside and seeing the tables laden with Kiddush, and the bustle as service ended, I knew that the Jewish community was flourishing still. The cemetery is located adjacent to the Mellah quarter inside the medina (walled city). Like many places in the medina, there is no hint that behind the fairly anonymous entrance and perimeter walls lies such a vast space and one of such significance. Fascinating and incredibly well preserved, it is characterised by whitewashed tombs and sandy graves. It was established in 1537, although it is believed the area was used for burial of Jews since as early as the 12th century. Despite being the largest Jewish cemetery in Morocco, the graves have three burial layers in order to make the limited space go further. It is very important in the Jewish world and among the famous Moroccan rabbis buried there are Rabbi Pinchas HaCohen, Rabbi Shlomo Tammuzat, Rabbi Abraham Azoulay and Rabbi Hanania HaCohen. Behind the ancient walls of the Mellah is a vibrant area that gives us a perfectly maintained glimpse of a past Jewish life that is very different to the one we live as Liberal Jews in Britain today. I would highly recommend a visit. • Anna Dilphy is a member of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue and Social Media Consultant for Leo Baeck College
THE Association of British Theological and Philosophical Libraries (ABTAPL) Spring Conference was held in Cardiff and it was delightful to be back together in person after many virtual events. I had not spent much time in Cardiff before and found it a very fitting place to hold an ABTAPL conference. Every building seemed to have an ecclesiastical history, from the pub next to the railway station to houses, restaurants and shops. The delegates were friendly and our after dinner speaker was a particularly gregarious fellow, Professor Norman Doe, who reminded me of Dr Magnus Pyke in his delivery, mannerisms, enthusiasm and hand waving. He told us about a manuscript in Cambridge of an uncertain date, authorship and even variations in the title. It was a good introduction to the nature of truth and how it varies. We enjoyed visits to the National Museum of Wales and the Cardiff University Special Collections so I have now seen my first Bibles in the Manx and Scots Gaelic languages. I also saw the Salisbury Collection, started by a man whose interest began as a five-year-old boy when he was given Robinson Crusoe in Welsh. The collection grew to around 15,000 volumes on or in Welsh or related to Wales, though he defined that broadly. A highlight of the main conference was finding out from Dr David McMenemy about Baggini’s taxonomy of truth – giving us 10 types of truth including esoteric, reasoned, eternal, empirical and creative, for example that someone is either with us or against us. Neutrality used to be a cornerstone of librarianship, now we are in the culture wars of multiple world views, post-truth and fake news. Ranganathan’s five laws of library science were referenced along with Gorman’s enduring values. The danger of a single story, one viewpoint being mistaken for the whole, was also explained by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as part of Phyllis Thompson’s presentation on Black history and its importance to ABTAPL’s work. All in all, it was a very welcome opportunity to take a step back from everyday concerns and look at the bigger picture – knowledge as a whole and our place in it. I returned home reinvigorated, better informed and confident for the future.
Youth
July/August 2022
LJ Today Page 11
LJY-Netzer is Liberal Judaism’s Zionist youth movement. It gives young people the opportunity to develop a strong Progressive Jewish identity, make lasting friendships and have loads of fun
What Kadimah means to us
IT’S almost time for Machaneh Kadimah – our biggest camp of the year. Taking place from 15-28 August, it’s the perfect summer experience for all young Liberal Jews - aged 8-15. And we’ve been examining every letter of Kadimah to really figure out what it’s all about. Let’s take a look:
K
is for kef: Kadimah and all our LJY events are a non stop kef (fun) ride! Whether we’re getting to know each other or learning about tikkun olam (healing the world), we make sure everything we do is exciting and fulfilling.
A
is for activities: Camp is chock full of activities of all different kinds. From the wide game - a huge contest in different teams - to a ma’maad prayer service to swimming, there’s something for everyone.
D
is for day trips: We don’t spend all our time in the same place! While some of our older chanichimot (participants) go on a hike all the way
to Stonehenge, others go on a trip to a theme park or the beach.
I M
is for informal: The LJY atmosphere is safe, supportive and relaxed. We are always looking for new faces to join us – could that be you? is for madrichimot: Our madrichimot (leaders) have all been trained on our hadracha (leadership) seminars and have meticulously planned a wonderful camp for you. They grew up in the movement so understand what it’s like to be a chanichol, and what makes Kadimah fun.
A H
is for arty: Are you a budding artist? Or a keen doodler? Whatever you’re good at, this Kadimah is the place to get creative. is for happy: Let’s hear this one straight from a summer ‘21 participant: “It was my first ever Kadimah and first ever stay away from home. I really liked our leaders and that
I made two new best friends, who are Jewish like me. The outdoor activities were so much fun. Sometimes I cried at night, as I missed home, but there was always someone there to make me feel happier again. I want to go back to Kadimah every year until I’m a leader.”
How to book Machaneh Kadimah takes place from 15-28 August. For further details and to sign up please visit www.ljy-netzer. org/machaneh-kadimah If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our LJY-Netzer team using the contact details below. For children in school years 3 - 6, please contact Jess. For children in school years 7 - 10, please speak to Joe. For welfare and financial assistance enquiries, please get in touch with Becca.
Contact LJY-Netzer: Jess Mindel (j.mindel@liberaljudaism.org), Joe Shotton (j.shotton@liberaljudaism.org) Director of Youth - Rebecca Fetterman (r.fetterman@liberaljudaism.org)
July/August 2022
Page 12 LJ Today
Liberal Judaism congregations The Ark Synagogue (Northwood and Pinner) T: 01923 822 592 E: admin@arksynagogue.org W: arksynagogue.org
East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue T: 0208 989 7619 E: administrator@elels.org.uk W: elels.org.uk
Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue T: 0845 869 7105 E: info@bedsps.org.uk W: bedfordshire-ps.org.uk
Eastbourne Liberal Jewish Community T: 07497 401 280 E: eljc.contact@gmail.com W: eljc.org.uk
Beit Klal Yisrael (London) E: admin@bky.org.uk W: bky.org.uk
Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community T: 0131 777 8024 E: info@eljc.org W: eljc.org
Birmingham Progressive Synagogue T: 0121 634 3888 E: bps@liberaljudaism.org W: bpsjudaism.com Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue T: 01273 737 223 E: info@bhps-online.org W: bhps-online.org Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation T: 0117 403 3456 E: info@bwjpc.org W: bwpjc.org Crawley Jewish Community T: 01293 534 294 Crouch End Chavurah E: naomi@crouchendchavurah.org W: www.crouchendchavurah.org Dublin Progressive Congregation E: djpc@liberaljudaism.org W: djpcireland.com
Ealing Liberal Synagogue T: 020 8997 0528 E: admin@ealingliberalsynagogue.org.uk W: ealingliberalsynagogue.org.uk
Finchley Progressive Synagogue T: 020 8446 4063 E: fps@liberaljudaism.org W: fps.org Kehillah North London T: 07706 354 602 E: info@kehillah.org.uk W: kehillah.org.uk Kent Liberal Jewish Community T: 07384 993 553 E: enquiries@kljc.org.uk W: kljc.org.uk Kingston Liberal Synagogue T: 020 8398 7400 E: kls@liberaljudaism.org W: klsonline.org Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation E: chair@lpjc.org.uk W: lpjc.org.uk The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (St John’s Wood) T: 020 7286 5181 E: ljs@ljs.org W: ljs.org The Liberal Synagogue Elstree T: 020 8953 8889 E: office@tlse.org.uk W: tlse.org.uk
The Montagu Centre 21 Maple Street London, W1T 4BE T: 020 7580 1663 E: montagu@liberaljudaism.org W: liberaljudaism.org Liberal Judaism is the dynamic, cutting edge of modern Judaism. It reverences Jewish tradition, seeking to preserve the values of the past, while giving them contemporary force. Charity Number: 1151090
lj today is edited by Simon Rothstein. Please send news to s.rothstein@liberaljudaism.org
Lincolnshire Jewish Community W: lincolnsynagogue.com Manchester Liberal Jewish Community T: 0161 796 6210 E: mljc@liberaljudaism.org W: mljc.org.uk Mosaic Liberal (Harrow) T: 020 8864 5323 E: office@mosaicliberal.org.uk W: mosaicliberal.org.uk Norwich Liberal Jewish Community E: nljc@liberaljudaism.org W: norwichljc.org.uk
The South London Liberal Synagogue (Streatham) T: 020 8769 4787 E: office@southlondon.org W: southlondon.org Stevenage Liberal Synagogue T: 01438 300 222 E: stevenageliberalsynagogue@gmail.com W: stevenageliberalsynagogue.org.uk Suffolk Liberal Jewish Community (Ipswich) T:01473 250 797 E: sljc@liberaljudaism.org W: suffolkljc.co.uk
W: nottinghamliberalsynagogue.com
Three Counties Liberal Jewish Community (Gloucestershire and Herefordshire) T: 07900 612 058 E: info@3cljc.org.uk W: 3cljc.org.uk
Peterborough Liberal Jewish Community T: 07561 331 390 E: info@pljc.org.uk W: pljc.org.uk
Wessex Liberal Jewish Community (Bournemouth) T: 01202 757 590 E: secretary.wljc@gmail.com W: wessexliberaljudaism.org.uk
Reading Liberal Jewish Community E: readingliberaljewishcommunity@
York Liberal Jewish Community T: 0300 102 0062 E: info@jewsinyork.org.uk W: jewsinyork.org.uk
Nottingham Liberal Synagogue T: 0115 962 4761 E: info@nottinghamliberalsynagogue.com
gmail.com
W: readingljc.org.uk Shir Hatzafon (Copenhagen) E: shir@shirhatzafon.dk W: shirhatzafon.dk South Bucks Jewish Community T: 0300 102 1506 E: info@sbjc.org.uk W: sbjc.org.uk Southgate Progressive Synagogue T: 020 8886 0977 E: office@sps.uk.com W: sps.uk.com
Developing and affiliated Beit Ha’Chidush (Amsterdam) E: info@beithachidush.nl W: beithachidush.nl Oxford Jewish Congregation T: 01865 515 584 E: connections@ojc-online.org W: ojc-online.org
Chair Ruth Seager Deputy Chair Karen Newman Treasurer Paul Silver-Myer Legal Governance Ros Clayton Inclusion Owen Power Youth Hannah Stephenson Education Susanne Szal Strategy Alex Kinchin-Smith Finance Leslie Moss President Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein Vice Presidents Simon Benscher, Monique Blake, Lord Fink, Louise Freedman, Sharon Goldstein, Lucian Hudson, David Lipman, Corinne Oppenheimer, David Pick, Rabbi Danny Rich, Tony Sacker, Joan Shopper, Phil Stone and Beverley Taylor Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors Chairs Rabbi Rebecca Birk and Rabbi Dr René Pfertzel Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Charley Baginsky Chief Operating Officer Shelley Shocolinsky-Dwyer Director of Youth Becca Fetterman Fundraising & Events Manager Tom Rich Office Manager Tanya Garfield PR Simon Rothstein Finance Janet Manderson Events & Communications Coordinator Kes Stern Archivist Alison Turner Honeycomb Project Coordinator Rabbi Eryn London LJY-Netzer Jess Mindel and Joe Shotton