Liberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
www.liberaljudaism.org
ljtoday March/April 2022 VOL. XLIX No. 2
Become an Ambassador Solidarity for Liberal Judaism Shabbat By Rabbi Charley Baginsky CEO of Liberal Judaism
O
VER the last 120 years of Liberal Judaism’s history we have created homes for an untold number of Jewish stories. Each one of you reading this today has your own story to tell. I know this because whenever I am in your communities, I hear about another unique journey. Some are beautiful, some heartbreaking, some pragmatic and some accidental. There are those of you who simply knocked on the door of the only community nearby and suddenly found yourselves part of our wonderful extended family. There are those of you who sought out a community where you could be yourself, where same-sex marriage was embraced and equality enshrined. There are those of you who found that Liberal Judaism was the only place that made you and your family welcome, fully including non-Jewish partners in all aspects of community and Jewish life. There are those of you whose children found a home in LJY-Netzer and those of us who found our own homes there back when it was known as ULPSNYC. There are those of you who found us standing next to you on calls for social justice, campaigning for the rights of refugees or the vulnerable or unheard.
You needed a home for your Jewish story and together we built communities for them to rest in. Now we need your help, because we have more to do. In this 120th year of Liberal Judaism we have to think about nurturing and securing a Liberal Judaism for the future. We are asking for you to volunteer and become Ambassadors for Liberal Judaism. For 36 hours, beginning on Sunday 19 June, we will seek to raise £500,000. In order to do this we need you to become LJ Ambassadors, telling your Jewish story to friends, family or anyone who’ll listen, and asking if they can help support Liberal Judaism become the home for the next generation of Jewish stories. Through your help we can continue to present new and inclusive ways to practise Judaism, we can preserve our tradition while radically interpreting it, we can ensure new generations stay connected to their Jewish identity and we can raise up the prophetic voice to campaign widely for social justice. Please remember your story matters. In telling it not only will we be able to ensure other stories can be told, but you never know who will hear it and know they are not alone, that there is a home for their Jewish story too. • To become an LJ Ambassador, please visit www.bringingjudaismhome.org
By Judith King ON 18 February, The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS) hosted an Erev Shabbat service, broadcast worldwide, to show solidarity with the Ukrainian Jewish Community. It was organised by Rabbi Igor Zinkov (pictured), whose personal circumstances are closely bound up with both Ukraine and Russia. Rabbi Igor’s introduction outlined how Progressive Judaism in Ukraine goes back to the late 18th century. After a major decline, there was a renaissance following the break-up of the Soviet Union, largely thanks to the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ). The guest speaker was Rabbi Julia Gris, who serves the Progressive Community in Odessa, Shirat ha-Yam. She told us how the hundreds of letters of support she has received from congregations all around the world mean a great deal to her. Julia expressed her deep gratitude and ended her moving talk with a prayer for international understanding. The service also included heartfelt contributions from Liberal Judaism’s Rabbi Dr René Pfertzel and WUPJ President Rabbi Sergio Bergman. Those wishing to help can donate to the Ukraine Crisis Fund, set up by the WUPJ, at www.wupj.org/give/ukraine • Page 5: A prayer for Ukraine
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#LJ120
March/April 2022
A Shabbat to celebrate 120 years
Rabbi Yuval Keren, Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, Kathy Shock and Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh at the LJS Shabbat. Photo by Peter Singer
LIBERAL JUDAISM communities will be holding special Open House Shabbat services throughout the next 12 months to celebrate 120 years of our movement. The first, fittingly, took place at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS), our movement’s oldest and largest community, and was broadcast live on YouTube to viewers around the world.
It marked 120 years since the meeting that founded the Jewish Religious Union, the original name for Liberal Judaism. The service was full of music, prayer and history, with an introduction from Rabbi Igor Zinkov, D’var Torah and Torah reading by Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh and special Prayer of Thanksgiving from Rabbi Alexandra Wright.
Of particular note were the contributions from Liberal Judaism leaders and rabbis charting the history and key moments of our movement from 1902 to the present day. You can read them below and on the next page. To find out about future Open House Shabbat services, please check the calendar at www.liberaljudaism.org
Wartime sacrifice By Rabbi Nathan Godleman The South London Liberal Synagogue MANY Liberal Jews fought in the Second World War. The letter on the left - which pays tribute to fallen soldier Jack Goldston - offers a vignette of wartime sacrifice. Penned by a fellow member of Ner Tamid, the famous youth club of The South London Liberal Synagogue (SLLS), it was recently rediscovered in the SLLS archive. Jack (pictured right) was one of four SLLS members lost in the Second World War, each in a different theatre of war: India, the Mediterranean, on the home front and, in Jack’s case, North Africa. This typewritten document ‘In Memoriam’ conveys the atmosphere and emotion of the time.
#LJ120
March/April 2022
LJ Today Page 3
The birth of Liberal Judaism A commitment Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein on the period 1902-1927 THE birth of Liberal Judaism can be seen as three acts. Act One: The setting is 1902, 120 years ago. Jews are drifting away from Judaism; synagogue membership and attendance are declining – a result of emancipation and enlightenment offering challenges to belief. We have been through a century of dramatic intellectual change and notable secular works. Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. Julius Wellhausen reinventing Biblical Criticism. There was the birth of reforming Judaism in Germany, going back to 1810, and its spread to Western Europe and America. The change is slower in conservative England. Yes, there was the West London (Reform) Synagogue, set up in 1840, but few radical transformations. It was also a century of industrialisation and the need to work a 5 ½ or 6-day week. There is now no time for Shabbos morning services. No time to study. Act Two: The response comes. Firstly, there were experiments tried by the United Synagogue: Reverend Simeon Singer starting Saturday afternoon services for girls and women in the East End; a service with mixed choir at the newly-established Hampstead United Synagogue; and, of course, Lily Montagu with children’s services in the New West End Synagogue and at her innovative West Central Club. At this same time, Claude Montefiore, Israel Abrahams and other leading lay people - a drawing room club of intellectuals - were motivated to revive Judaism in Anglo-Jewry. And then the touch paper was lit. A challenging article by Lily Montagu appeared in 1899 in the intellectual journal Jewish Quarterly Review, founded by Montefiore and Abrahams. The piece was titled The Spiritual Possibilities of Judaism Today and, in it, Miss Lily asks all religiously committed Jews to help her form an association aimed at strengthening the religious life of the Anglo-Jewish community through the propagation of Liberal Jewish teachings. This led to a gathering of leading lights: Orthodox Reverends Aaron Asher Green, Simeon Singer and Morris Joseph along with an array of influential lay people – men like Isadore Spielmann and women like Netta Franklin – who set the Liberal Judaism ball rolling.
Their mission, as stated in the advertisement for the first public gathering: “To provide means for deepening the religious spirit among those members of the Jewish community who are not in sympathy with the present synagogue services or who are unable to attend them.” Existing synagogues refused to hold meetings of the Jewish Religious Union (the original name of Liberal Judaism), so the first service was held the Great Central Hotel at 3.30pm on Saturday 18 October 1902. Regular services and meetings continued until it was realised a dedicated synagogue building was needed. And so, in 1910, the newly-named congregation founded the first Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS) in a converted chapel in Hill Street, Marylebone. The First World War intervened but, in 1920, a purpose build grand synagogue was opened in St John’s Wood Road. And here we are today. Act Three: A rabbi was needed and so Rabbi Dr Israel Mattuck was brought from the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati to become the founding rabbi of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue and Liberal Judaism. Mattuck oversaw a rapid growth in this congregation and also began, together with Lily Montagu and Claude Montefiore, to found other synagogues - in London, Liverpool, Birmingham and elsewhere. Together they founded this movement. Miss Lily brought to the JRU the need for spirituality and belief, Montefiore an intellectual approach and Mattuck added the third aspect so essential to the culture of Liberal Judaism – the need for social justice. So much developed in those first 25 years… let’s see where the story now takes us. Today: I was asked to give the closing blessing for this special Open House 120th anniversary service. I have chosen to repeat the final words of a sermon given by Israel Abrahams at the last service of the first year of the Jewish Religious Union: “Let these assemblages strengthen your moral fibre, redouble your loyalty to Judaism, kindle a new confidence in its power to save you, in your power to save it.” • Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein is President of Liberal Judaism
for the next 120 years
By Rabbi Charley Baginsky CEO of Liberal Judaism
Rabbis Rachel Benjamin and Charley Baginsky
RABBI Dr John Rayner Z’l wrote, in an article on Progressive Judaism and Jewish unity, that: “Unity in diversity: that is the only kind of unity worth having, and it is certainly the only kind that is realistically attainable.” As we begin this year of celebrating the last 120 years of Liberal Judaism, we must also look forward and commit ourselves to the next 120 years. Liberal Judaism was a necessary addition to the Jewish world, providing a home for so many Jewish stories. Over the years our necessity has only grown and become more evident. As we look forward, I am excited to plan for: the new stories we will tell; the new liturgies and rituals we will embrace; our continued commitment to a relevant and inspired religious experience; the voices we will lift up to ensure that the prophetic calls to justice are heard; the Jews we will open doors for; and the Judaism we will learn, experience and share. But today, more than any other day, I am also excited to be part of a movement that is unified by our diversity. We bring together so many different voices and communities, each with something unique to offer and yet united by being part of this movement. Over the last two years, through the pandemic, we have learnt how much we need each other and how much stronger we are when we collaborate. The next 120 years will no doubt bring challenges and changes that we cannot even begin to imagine today. However, our commitment to a multiplicity of voices being heard and the creativity of shared leadership will, I have no doubt, give us the strength to face the future with a courage and a hope. Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazeik – ‘be strong, be strong, and we will strengthen one another’.
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News
March/April 2022
NLPS Trust supports Leo Baeck Library By Cassy Sachar Senior Librarian, LBC
FOR more than 60 years, Leo Baeck College (LBC) has been training rabbis and educators to lead and serve Progressive Jewish communities in the UK and around the world. At the heart of all the College’s teaching and learning is an extraordinary library, containing 60,000 volumes covering every aspect of Jewish life, thought and culture and specialising in material from the Progressive Jewish world. We work to make Jewish literature accessible today and ensure it is preserved for the future. In the 2010s, a storage area containing some of our older books flooded and books had to be piled onto emergency shelving in the main library. This meant a significant part of our collections has been inaccessible and in danger of damage, as well as creating a chaotic atmosphere in the library. Thanks to the grant awarded by the NLPS Trust, we have been able to purchase a bespoke modular shelving system adding 50m to the library’s shelving capacity and maximising the use of our spaces. This has enabled us to begin consolidating and streamlining our historical collections, ensuring all our books are available. These collections hold rare and historical items including primary material from Progressive AngloJewish history and items that survived the Second World War. The additional library furniture ensures that these collections are housed safely and securely, helping the library to care for and preserve our unique collections for generations to come. We look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors to the library to enjoy the benefits of this project.
Comment
March/April 2022
‘It is difficult not to feel helpless’ Rabbi Aaron Goldstein’s powerful sermon on Ukraine AS we face the continued reality of Russian invasion of and war on Ukraine, it is difficult not to feel helpless, hopeless and that “despair is the dearest friend of tyrants” – as expressed in the prayer written by Rabbi Elli Tikvah-Sarah (right). We begin to see that diversity and difference, disagreement and discord, are not the enemies of “peace and freedom, equality and justice”; they are their foundation. However difficult and sometimes chaotic they can be, nations that provide freedom of choice to their citizens whilst not always stable as they adapt to change - enable God’s creation, humanity, to live free of warfare. We realise that power so centralised to a singly-defined group, or even an individual, is most likely to descend and resort to military means to maintain the ‘order’ that benefits only them. As simple citizens, we are realising that the way of our nations is not that of war. In our minds, we have been beating the thought of using our weaponry in war, into ploughshares and pruning hooks. Thus, we are stunned and shocked, surprised and saddened, to witness on our screens a country utterly dominated by one man destroy the lives of so many with the use of force. It is also clear that the leaders of our country, and those of its allies, are either ill-prepared to act in the short-term or have made the decision to progress our planet towards peacefulness by not acting militarily. Coming from a synagogue that is Czech and Slovak-ophile, we are all too aware of the comparison with the suppression of the Spring Revolution in 1968.
Are we leaving our friends in Ukraine as a sitting duck? If not to be slaughtered, then condemning them to life under an oppressive regime? Or, for the long term good, does the West need to refrain from resorting to military action and so perpetuating the cycle of violence? These are questions we all are wrestling with. Despite Rabbi Alex Dukhovny’s thanks to our UK Government, in his greeting from a shelter in Kyiv, we may question the efficacy of the response. Certainly, one of my friends in Lviv does so, telling me: “When we say Never Again - this is not just words it is an act. Otherwise, it doesn’t work.” Hearing this cry, it is hard to refrain from calling for military action. It is not easy for us to talk of long-term, nonviolent resolution of conflict when friends sit in fear beneath the ground, hoping and praying that their shelter is a sukkat shalom, one that will preserve their life. Currently, our country and those seeking not to present a single evil individual, the President of Russia, with the gift he seems to want, an excuse to begin World War 3, seem to be pursuing a non-military response. We can only maintain our contact by sending messages, support and prayers to our friends in Ukraine. They are living out the trauma that we feel in our hearts and minds. We can but be together and pray that the wisdom of our many leaders, will defeat that of an evil tyrant. • Rabbi Aaron Goldstein is Senior Rabbi of The Ark Synagogue
LJ Today Page 5
A prayer for Ukraine
By Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah Eternal One, Rock of our Existence, the Source and Sustainer of Life, as President Putin wages war on Ukraine and the forces of autocracy wreak havoc and attempt to instil terror and fear in every heart, we call on You to strengthen the people of Ukraine in their collective will to muster the courage and the fortitude to withstand the onslaught, strengthened by the knowledge that democratic nations across the world stand in solidarity with them and will do everything necessary to support their efforts to resist the imposition of tyranny. Meanwhile, as ordinary people everywhere, like ourselves, witness the horror and feel helpless and hopeless in the face of overwhelming events beyond our control, we ask You to enable us to understand that we are not powerless to help, that our deeds, however small, matter, and that above all, knowing that despair is the dearest friend of tyrants, we have the obligation to hope and to demonstrate our constant fidelity to the enduring values of peace and freedom, equality and justice. May this be our will. And let us say: Amen.
Join our anniversary Education Hub LIBERAL JUDAISM’S Education Hub Series has been celebrating 120 years of our movement. The first sessions took place in January and February looking at the people who have inspired us, from Lily Montagu and Rabbi Leo Baeck to Rabbi John Rayner and Rosita Rosenberg. The next term, which begins in March, now examines how we practise - both in prayer and through the Liberal Jewish values of equality, inclusion and activism. The sessions take place via Zoom on Wednesday nights at 7.30pm and will be:
Wednesday 9 March: Rabbi Mark Solomon – A Liberal Jewish approach to Jewish Status Wednesday 23 March: Rabbi Aaron Goldstein – Championing progress in JewISH marriage Wednesday 30 March: Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah and Rabbi Lea Mühlstein (pictured above) – Praying as a Liberal Jew
Wednesday 13 April: Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich – Moving from words to action: Case studies in EcoSynagogue Wednesday 20 April: Rabbi Rebecca Birk – Remember that you were a stranger: Campaigning for a welcome for Syrian refugees We are proud to make Education Hub classes available for free, to ensure that everyone has access. However, if you are able to, please consider making a donation to Liberal Judaism. To register for the Education Hub, visit www.liberaljudaism.org/education-hub
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News
March/April 2022
Conversion story inspires exhibition
The My Mikvah (left) and 613 Commandments (right) works at the My Name is Maya exhibition by Finchley Progressive member Manon Ouimet
A MEMBER of Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) has produced a photographic exhibition exploring her journey through conversion and into the Jewish way of life. Manon Ouimet, an award-winning photographer, created ‘My Name is Maya’ which ran last year at the Belfast Exposed Gallery and is now on display at FPS. She said: “As part of my conversion, I was asked to produce two essays, which, as a photographer, got me thinking. I embarked on a visual exploration of my personal account of my journey through conversion and into the Jewish way of life. “This photographic process gave me the opportunity to connect with Judaism in a way that I felt comfortable to ask questions and find visual metaphors. It felt pertinent to share this work and make it public, inviting audiences to reflect on their own spirituality, whilst shedding light on the beauty, nuance and family values of Jewish culture. “Conversion to Judaism is not just changing or gaining faith but a life transition - it’s a new way of being that I am embracing body and soul as one.”
By Martin Reading MANY in the Liberal community will have been saddened to learn of the recent closure of West Central Liberal Synagogue (WCLS), which represented such a direct and tangible link to one of our founders… Lily Montagu. The West Central community too is naturally grieving for its loss. That’s why a new Chavurah is being formed under the aegis of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS).
With the support of FPS, Arts Council England and Belfast Exposed Gallery, Manon was able to develop ‘My Name is Maya’, which culminated in a photographic book and ‘Photo Scroll’ inspired by the Siddur and Torah. Sharing her Jewish story, Manon (pictured left) added: “Conversion had been a consideration of mine for a long time; a desire to belong to a people, being welcomed into a home away from home, bringing family and friends together on Friday nights, connecting through food, values, endless questioning, metaphors, philosophy and all that is the Jewish way of life. “I was also guided by love for my partner Jacob, and our future. Conversations of how we would raise our future family would sometimes crop up. The Chavurah, which means Community of Friends, will honour the legacy and tradition of Miss Lily’s clubs and synagogue that are so at the root of the Liberal Judaism story. It is with pleasure that we invite both former members and friends of WCLS, as well as all those from the wider Liberal community, to the inaugural meeting of the new Chavurah. It will take place on Saturday 5 March at 3pm at the LJS, with people also able to join online via Zoom.
“Would we raise our children as Jewish? Our answer was always yes. I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to have my own connection with the rituals and traditions and be able to share those experiences authentically and meaningfully with my future. “My journey began during the height of the first COVID-19 lockdown in the UK, a strange but pertinent time where community and connectivity were physically lost and all the more desired. “Week to week, I joined the online Delving Into Judaism classes and Shabbat services at FPS – led by the brilliant Rabbi Rebecca Birk – with such love and awe and a hunger to be firmly ingrained in the community. “My experience of the synagogue has predominantly been a virtual one, so to share ‘My Name is Maya’ in physical form, in the place where it all began, with the congregation, is an unforeseen gift.” • Manon is selling a limited edition run of 613 Commandments. You can buy it from www.manonouimet.com/shop/613commandments It is envisaged that the Chavurah will then meet on the first Shabbat of every month. Its mission is to carry on the spiritual legacy of Lily Montagu through a programme of prayer, study and community fellowship. Please do come along or join online. If you would like to be sent Zoom links or further information, please email chavurah.kedushah@gmail.com • The next lj today will feature a history of West Central Liberal Synagogue.
News
March/April 2022
LJ Today Page 7
A gateway to a world of discovery William Carver on the importance of the new statue of Licoricia of Winchester
Dignitaries (left) including Rabbi Charley Baginsky at the unveiling of the statue of Licoricia of Winchester (right). Pictures by Iona Wolff
On Thursday 10 February, a statue of Licoricia of Winchester by Ian RankBroadley was unveiled in Winchester’s Jewry Street. Many important faith leaders attended the unveiling, including Liberal Judaism CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Rabbi Alexandra Wright of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS) and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis. My wife Maggie Carver and I, both members of the LJS, have been deeply involved in the project. Maggie founded The Licoricia of Winchester Appeal charity in 2018 and serves as Chair, while I am its Secretary and Treasurer. Other LJS members are Trustees. Winchester is an ancient former capital of England, which is well worth a visit, and which had an important but largely forgotten Jewish community in the middle ages. Licoricia was chosen for the statue because she is the best known Jewish Wintonian, whose life encompassed much to inspire today, but which also reveals the roots of much modern prejudice, such as Jews and money, and blood libel. Licoricia mixed with royalty, was widowed and ultimately murdered. She helped finance Westminster Abbey. She enables us to enter into conversations and to tell the story of how the Jews belonged to the King and he could take from them what he wished; that major financiers were a small minority of the Jewish population and that there was always Christian competition; that the period saw terrible persecution, constant attempts at conversion to Christianity, and ultimately that the Jews were forced out of the country in 1290. The aim is to use this top-class sculpture, a book, lessons for schools and activities around the presence of a minority in England nearly 800 years ago.
These will then promote tolerance and the value of diversity today, inspire women and young people through Licoricia’s achievements, educate the public about Winchester’s medieval Jewish community and royal heritage and enhance the city. The project is a gateway to a world of discovery about Winchester and England’s royal and medieval past. The project to design the statue and raise the funds has taken over five years. Supporters include Hampshire County Council, Winchester City Council, the Hampshire Cultural Trust, Winchester Cathedral Chapter, the Council of Christians and Jews and the Holocaust Educational Trust. We held a competition for the maquette in 2018 involving sculptors, both local and national, and the commission was won by Ian. He is a multi-award winning sculptor with many important commissions to his name. Following a launch of the maquette in London in 2019, fundraising began in earnest. We have raised all the funds privately apart from a contribution from the Arts Council. Licoricia wears the clothes worn by a wealthy woman of her time and is accompanied by her five-year-old son Asher. Careful research has gone into her clothes and headdress, with input from the V&A and British Library. Although, at that time, Jews and Muslims were required to wear a badge, she is not wearing one as wealthier Jews paid for the privilege not to. In Licoricia’s right hand is a tallage demand. Jews were tallaged (taxed) increasingly harshly and sporadically as the 13th century progressed, with demands often being accompanied by imprisonment. On the death of her husband, David of Oxford, Licoricia paid thousands of pounds to the King, which helped build Westminster Abbey.
In Asher’s hand is a dreidel, a spinning top thought to derive originally from the Roman game of Teetotum. The plinth has the words ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself’ from Leviticus and Matthew. They are also present in Islamic Hadith. It is therefore a key concept in all Abrahamic faiths and a message of reconciliation for our times. Working with Hampshire County Council, we have already completed five Key Stage 3 lessons. We aim to commission further lessons for Key Stages 1 and 2. Professor Miri Rubin of Queen Mary College, who is President of the Jewish Historical Society of England, and Rabbi Jonathan Romain reviewed the lessons before publication. They educate in disciplinary thinking in history, and develop young people’s knowledge of concepts and processes. They are available from HIAS in Hampshire. We are working with other schools to develop their curriculum and are keen to help more schools and cheders to do so, as well as developing material for download. We are also about to publish a book by well-known author Rebecca Abrams, which will bring the story of this remarkable individual to a general audience for the first time by exploring Licoricia’s significance as a woman, as a Jew and as a financier. An inspiring chronicle of her personal resilience and determination to stand up to power, it exposes the historic roots of English antisemitism and reveals how they continue to inform negative antiJewish myths and stereotypes today. We hope that this project will help change the way both British Jews and the wider community think of themselves and look at each other. More information is available on our website www.licoricia.org, where we also continue to fundraise.
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Communities
March/April 2022
More joy for Joyce’s Quiz
Bake off
THE Three Counties Liberal Jewish Community enjoyed a communal challah bake at Gloucestershire Deaf Association. Twenty members of the community participated, including six children who all got involved in mixing the ingredients, plaiting the bread mixture and shaping it. Claudia and Lily Sutton organised the event, measuring out ingredients and offering demonstrations. The challahs were then cooked in members’ homes. Yasmi Roberts and Joyce Rothschild show how much their quiz has raised in the last two years
By Joe Seager JOYCE ROTHSCHILD, Birmingham Progressive Synagogue’s supreme award-winning charity worker, has chalked up another record-breaking achievement. Steadfast supporters of Joyce’s Quiz, her annual brain-teasing challenge, raised a mammoth £22,514 at this year’s event. It was the largest amount raised for any one contest in the 25 years the quiz has been held. There is a good deal more to celebrate, as the total amount raised has now reached a towering £228,534. Macmillan Cancer Support will once again be the grateful recipient. Joyce began her fund-boosting campaign after recovering from breast cancer when she was 40, and has continued to provide the financial aid to benefit the needs of cancer patients. Jayna Kawa, a fundraising manager for the charity, thanked Joyce and her many supporters for helping to ensure that levels of care for patients were well maintained.
Jayna told how the phenomenal amount raised this time could fund a Macmillan nurse for over four months to give someone living with cancer essential medical, practical and emotional support She added: “Macmillan couldn’t be there for people living with cancer without fantastic supporters like you.” Joyce, 66, said it was thanks to many entry fees and donations that another marvellous amount has been raised. She acknowledged the support from members of the Jewish community. The intriguing themes for each of the eagerly-awaited annual contests are devised by Joyce and her husband Mark. Joyce is helped by her friend Yasmi Roberts to manage the administration. Joyce is a prominent member of BPS serving as co-leader of the shul choir. She is also a magistrate in Birmingham and travels the world applying her much admired photographic skills. She was awarded the British Empire Medal for her firm commitment and drive as a charity worker. The honour was seen as a fitting tribute to everything she has achieved over many years.
Green fingers
BERNARD GOLDSTEIN (pictured) was one of The Ark Synagogue congregants taking part in Tu Bishvat activities. Bernard planted fruit trees, while other members walked with Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, both in person or joining remotely from home.
Communities
March/April 2022
Tree planting
The dedication of the third Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) tree to be planted in Bedfordshire, took place in Bellcote Meadow, on the Millennium Green, in Shefford. A plaque also marks the spot. Bruno Ferber, aged 92, sponsored the oak tree. Bruno had been evacuated to Shefford in 1939 with his school from Stamford Hill. He attended the occasion with his wife Vivienne and son Neil. Young people from the Robert Bloomfield Academy presented Bruno with a card they had made. Susan Harrod, the AJR’s Head of Outreach, then spoke about the organisation’s goal of planting 80 native oak trees around Britain in honour of people and places that symbolise the contribution made by refugees who escaped from Nazi Europe.
Congratulations • DR ROBERT BUD, a member of Finchley Progressive Synagogue, received an MBE for Services to the Science Museum and Northern Industrial Heritage in the recent New Year’s Honours List. Robert is Emeritus Keeper at the Science Museum, London, where he was a senior curator for 40 years. He said: “I have been concerned throughout my life with the relationship between the cultures of science and technology and the rich cultures of citizens. As a museum curator, historian and member of the Jewish community, this has driven my activities.”
LJ Today Page 9
KT students organise Finchley HMD service
Finchley Progressive Synagogue’s Kabbalat Torah class with Holocaust survivor Janine Webber
THE Kabbalat Torah class at Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) wrote and led a special service for Holocaust Memorial Day. The teenagers had spent 12 weeks participating in the Rabbi Harry Jacobi Memorial Project – developed by Zoe Jacobs and Lesley Urbach with Rabbis Richard and Margaret Jacobi. The programme enabled the group to explore the Holocaust through personal stories - stories of Liberal Judaism members and their families - and linking those experiences of the Holocaust to social justice today. As part of the project, the teens went to Nottingham to visit Beth Shalom, The National Holocaust Centre and Museum – the only dedicated Holocaust museum in the UK.
There they met Holocaust survivor Janine Webber BEM. They were so taken by her story, her energy and her compassion, they asked if she could speak to the whole community for HMD. Janine told her story to a captivated audience of 50 people in the synagogue and 100 more at home. FPS’s Rabbi Rebecca Birk said: “Extraordinary, Janine told us how her nightmares stopped when she started telling her story. “Our children said that they had listened carefully and with gratitude to all Janine had shared - and so did everyone else in our hybrid sanctuary that night. It was incredible.” The Kabbalat Torah programme will culminate in a service and celebratory ceremony this summer.
• DAVID PHILLIPS has been elected as the new President of Dublin Progressive Jewish Congregation. • JANE CLARK, Chair of Bristol & West Progressive Jewish Community, appeared on ITV News speaking about her passion for astronomy. Jane explained to viewers about the Aurora Borealis seen recently over Wales and how to photograph it.
TO commemorate 120 years of Liberal Judaism, Howard Duckworth, Warden of York Liberal Jewish Community, is writing a paper on the old Aldwark Synagogue in York. If anyone has any old stories or information about the synagogue, please email him on howardduckworth@aol.com
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Comment
March/April 2022
Thoughts from the ‘Jew in the pew’ Ruth Seager on the changing history of Liberal Judaism from the perspective of a lay leader I WAS born at about the time my parents, along with others, founded Crawley Jewish Community. They were discussing which movement to affiliate to, when Michael Franklin announced: “My aunt is Lily Montagu, so we’re joining Liberal Judaism.” When I was a teenager, bar and batmitzvahs were seen by Liberal Judaism as a thing of the past. Children of 12 and 13 had been considered too young to make an adult commitment and so a confirmation was a more serious affair. I was confirmed at Shavuot just before my 16th birthday. Baroness Rabbi Julia Neuberger, who was then a student rabbi at The South London Liberal Synagogue, taught me my portion. My mother requested the ‘natty dresser’ for the service and Rabbi Dr Sidney Brichto was kind enough to oblige. Purim was not celebrated because it was thought wrong to celebrate the demise of your enemies, kippot were largely shunned and kashrut was beyond optional. The Liberal Siddur and Machzor had English names, and were written from left to right. The first women rabbis in our movement were being ordained. Liberal Judaism continued its culture and mission of remaining relevant and questioning of its practice. There had been a purity and coherence in Liberal Jewish practice that made complete sense to me, but perhaps we had become a little worthy. Maybe it was time to feel a bit more and rationalise a bit less.
Over the last 40 years, we’ve sorted the name and direction of our prayer books and we’re comfortable to enjoy Purim in the acceptance that it’s rather closer to a pantomime than a religious event. Bar and batmitzvahs have truly made a comeback, although confirmation was largely retained as Kabbalat Torah. Fifty years ago, God was seen as somewhat unnecessary and not a good enough reason for doing, or not doing, anything. There remains no definition or common understanding of what any one of us means when we talk of the Eternal and it would be a fool’s errand to look for one. Notwithstanding, theology is discussed more than it used to be within Liberal Judaism and the Eternal has a higher profile. We, and I include myself, use the adjective ‘religious’ when we describe Liberal Judaism much more than we used to and we use it with pride. We have become more inclusive over the years, absolutely no doubt about it. I feel conscious that women currently dominate the leadership positions within Liberal Judaism. However, I’ve come to realise, that we’re not quite as inclusive as we think. I’ll come back to that later. We have a history to be proud of and it’s been achieved by us all. There are our rabbis, who lead, teach and support us, community leaders who start new or lead existing communities, those of us who volunteer to make kiddush, sit on committees, care for our cemeteries, repair the world, phone members, or just turn up and join in. So what of the future? It would be presumptuous of me to talk about the next 120 years, but looking at a much shorter horizon, I think our priorities and objectives will remain constant. We need to initiate and nurture new and small communities. We must continue to reflect on our practice and adjust it so that Liberal Judaism stays both central and relevant.
We will need prayer books, the form and content of which will certainly change. I’m sure that the online versions will remain useful but we will need hard copies too. The facility to Zoom into a service or meeting has provided accessibility and connectivity that I could never have imagined. It’s invaluable and surely here to stay but we also need to meet, and have a cup of tea and a chat after a service. I’m expecting changes in our real estate and wonder if the dedicated synagogue building may have largely had its day. We need a place to assemble, but some communities already share facilities with other Jewish or non-Jewish groups and there are many informal arrangements. I see huge environmental, financial, and inter-faith benefits in having different communities sharing purpose-built, dedicated and truly ecumenical places for special occasions rather than our maintaining a sanctuary big enough for Yom Kippur morning. And now I return to my regular theme of inclusion because it’s important and because we haven’t quite got there yet. We need to listen even more intently to why people feel excluded so that we can understand and put things right. One barrier to this is that if someone feels hurt/ rejected/excluded, they will vote with their feet. So when we wonder why a family didn’t stay, the very people we need to ask aren’t there. We may end up guessing, blaming them for lack of commitment, reassuring ourselves about how inclusive we are, or wringing our hands in confusion. It’s a challenge but we are more than up to it. If someone has walked into our tent, even just to have a look around, then they have a Jewish story... and we should encourage them to share it with us. • Ruth Seager is Chair of Liberal Judaism
LIBERAL JUDAISM Chair Ruth Seager and her family took part in the campaign to give HIV the finger as part of National HIV Testing Week. Ruth said: “We can test, treat, stop transmission and so end HIV and AIDS in five years. There is no higher mitzvah than that of saving lives. As the lay leader of a religious organisation and as a mother, you will understand why I am so keen on HIV testing.” To find out more and order a test, please visit www.freetesting.hiv
Youth
March/April 2022
LJ Today Page 11
LJY-Netzer is Liberal Judaism’s youth movement. We give young people the chance to develop a strong Progressive Jewish and Reform Zionist identity, develop friendships and have lots of fun!
Themes, farms and tikkun olam AT LJY-Netzer, we’re really excited for the rest of 2022. The year started with some very important decisions taking place. Our Galimot (sixth form age) and Bogrimot (18+) members voted on two of our favourite topics: The first was for the LJY Theme of the Year (TOTY) – our running educational subject that we learn about on every event. This year it’s ‘Resisting Commercialism’. We’ve been hard at work researching and can’t wait to start running sessions covering ethical consumerism, gentrification, the psychology of social media and exploring the nuances of brands getting involved in social justice causes. These elements are a lens to see the world and to do tikkun olam through, which connects back to our Judaism. We also voted on our Tikkun Olam of the Year (TOOTY) – this is a cause that we pour our fundraising and social action resources into for the whole year. After a close race, the winning topic is Welcoming Refugees. We’re very concerned about the Nationalities & Borders Bill currently being passed, which makes this a really important time to learn and take action for this cause. We plan to fundraise for relevant charities, attend marches and get involved with local groups to help with integration. Make sure to keep an eye on our social media for ‘TOOTY Tuesdays’, where we’ll be learning all about migration, refugees, the issues they face and relevant news.
Shnat Netzer has also been continuing, with Mischa one of our participants lucky enough to spend the last three months on Hava & Adam, an ecological farm in the centre of Israel. Mischa (pictured right) said: “I was part of a programme called Eco Israel, where young people from around the world come to learn about permaculture and gain new skills. “This year consisted of three Americans and a South African, as well as Israeli shnat shirot who were working on and maintaining the farm as part of their national service before going into the army. I became quite close to them and had many discussions on their opinion of Israel through an ecological perspective. I also got to discuss what it’s like to be Jewish in America and South Africa and tell them about our lives in the UK.” “The eco programme itself was a mix of both physical work and education. The lessons we had centred around permaculture and included herbalism, weaving, foraging, Hebrew, mud building, climate action and more. “The work days would vary depending on where the farm needed the most help, and I got to experience lots of different kinds of work including painting the mud buildings, construction, fixing the irrigation systems, inventing flood solutions, weeding and planting.”
ISRAEL TOUR 5782 is officially on! We are beyond delighted to be able to say that Tour 5782 is going ahead and applications are now open. The deadline to submit the first form is 14 March and the deadline for the second form is 24 March.
This is a much shorter time period than usual, so it is important that you fill out all of the forms as soon as possible. Whether it’s learning about the multiculturalism of Haifa – with visits to the Baha’i gardens, Druze community and Leo Baeck Education Center –
“I found that the culture and people on the farm were incredibly unique and quickly fell in love with the place. The physical labour genuinely helped connect me to the land of Israel and all of the nature it inhabits “This connection was one I had never experienced when sightseeing or even hiking on trails and it is one I would love to experience again someday. “The lessons helped me to think deeply about what I want the rest of my life to look like. I believe I will take a lot of the things I learnt forward with me.” relaxing on the beaches of Tel Aviv or discovering the history of Jerusalem, Israel Tour has it all. Plus there’s hiking, snorkelling, kayaking and, after all that exertion, sleeping under the stars. Email j.mindel@liberaljudaism.org or visit www.ljy-netzer.org to join us.
Contact LJY-Netzer: Jess Mindel (j.mindel@liberaljudaism.org), Joe Shotton (j.shotton@liberaljudaism.org) Director of Youth - Rebecca Fetterman (r.fetterman@liberaljudaism.org)
March/April 2022
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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.co.uk W: crouchendchavurah.co.uk 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 T: 0116 271 5584 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 Printed by Precision Printing. www.precisionprinting.co.uk
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: wljc.info@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: nls@liberaljudaism.org
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: 0300 102 1506 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 Communities Janet Berkman 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 Community Partnerships Alexandra Gellnick Director of Youth Becca Fetterman Fundraising & Events Manager Thomas Rich Senior Administrator Tanya Garfield PR Simon Rothstein Finance Janet Manderson Events & Communications Coordinator Kes Stern Archivist Alison Turner Honeycomb Project Coordinator Rabbi Eryn London Office Coordinator Hagit Gitlitz Izhaki LJY-Netzer Jess Mindel and Joe Shotton