May/June 2021 VOL. XLVIII No. 2
Liberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
www.liberaljudaism.org
ljtoday
Welcome to the Liberal Judaism Biennial 2021
T
HIS edition of lj today has been timed to coincide with the start of Liberal Judaism’s flagship event – Biennial 2021: Breaking Down Walls. Taking place online from Friday 30 April to Sunday 2 May, the Biennial is open and accessible to all. It will be broadcast live on Liberal Judaism’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels, with interactive elements also running on Zoom. The Biennial boasts 52 speakers and four categories – a main track, keynotes, services and LJY-Netzer sessions for young Liberal Jews. You can see the schedule in the box below and sign up at www.liberaljudaism.org Rabbi Benay Lappe, the Founder of SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva, will kick off Biennial 2021 with a keynote
address: a reframing of the communal Jewish project as a radical, subversive story of meaning. The event’s other keynote will see Leo Baeck College Principal Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris and Rabbi Deborah Waxman, President of America’s Reconstructing Judaism, discussing the Future of the Progressive Seminary.
Thursday 29 April Saturday 1 May
Stephen Bush, the Chair of the Board of Deputies’ Commission on Racial Inclusivity, will explore what Liberal Judaism can do better in this area, while Citizens UK’s Charlotte Fischer and Glitch CEO Seyi Akiwowo will showcase their groundbreaking anti-racism training. There is also a chance to hear Liberal Judaism’s own voices including Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Chair Ruth Seager and Biennial Co-Chair Rabbi Leah Jordan - as well as crosscommunal and interfaith panels. Services have been put together by Rabbi Igor Zinkov and will be led by rabbis from across our communities. Biennial 2021 will showcase the best of Liberal Judaism in conversation and at prayer. We can’t wait for you to join us.
5pm: Challah Making
9am: Anti-racism Training
5pm: Breaking Down Walls – A Home For Your Jewish Story
Friday 30 April
10am: Triangulating Judaism – Thinking in Threes
6pm: What is Religion in a Post-COVID World?
11am: Shacharit Shabbat
7.30pm: Havdallah
12.30pm: Lunch & Learn
7.50pm: LJY Gangaschlaff
1.30pm: Keynote 2 – The future of the Progressive Seminary
9pm: Quiz Night!
1.30pm: Classic LJY Kef
9.30am: What’s the Future of 21st Century Judaism?
3.30pm: Breaking Down Walls – Welcome to Biennial 4pm: Biennial’s Big Question 5pm: Can You Hear Me? 6pm: Kabbalat Shabbat 7.30pm: Keynote 1 – The Crash Talk with Rabbi Benay Lappe 9.30pm: Is ‘Radical Inclusivity’ Liberal... or even Jewish?
3pm: Breaking Down Walls – Combatants for Peace in Israel 4pm: LJY-Netzer – Always Setting the Example
Sunday 2 May
10am: LJY Ma’amad 10.30am: Creating British Jewish Community Outside ‘the Establishment’
11.30am: Breaking Down Walls – Lessons from our Youth Organisers 12.30pm: Lunch & Learn 2pm: Breaking Down Walls – A Liberal Jewish Liturgy 3pm: LJY Kef from Israel with Leo Baeck Haifa 3pm: Stephen Bush in conversation with Tamara Joseph 4pm: Inclusion in Action project final (shortlisted communities pitch to win £3,000 in funding) 4.45pm: Breaking Down Walls – Take Home
Page 2 LJ Today
Communities
May/June 2021
I should not have become a rabbi Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah writes for lj today on her retirement from the rabbinate
I SHOULD not have become a rabbi. After all, my secular Jewish parents only joined a synagogue briefly for the time it took for my brother to study for his barmitzvah. My mother, the daughter of refugees from Czarist Russia, was a socialist and a Zionist. Aged 14, she had collected blankets for the International Brigade fighting the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. My father fled Vienna for South Africa in 1936 but, as an ardent internationalist, when the racist nationalist government was installed in 1949 he and my mother, who had met and married in London in 1947, left. Growing up, my mother lit candles on Erev Shabbat and the Eve of festivals, and we always attended a Seder at the home of her closest sister. That was it – apart from the most significant contribution to my Jewish heart: my mother’s beautiful contralto voice singing a glorious repertoire of Yiddish and Hebrew songs. With these radical roots, I was already involved in anti-Apartheid activism by my teens and then became a Marxist as a student at LSE. When I began to recognise that I needed to pay attention to my own struggles, I turned to radical feminism and came out as a lesbian.So, not exactly rabbi-making material! Except, I loved studying – and singing. I was propelled to the rabbinate by two powerful forces. First, the additional commandment articulated by the philosopher Emil Fackenheim: ‘Thou shalt not give Hitler a posthumous victory’ (The Jewish Return into History, Schocken Books, 1978), exhorting me to live as a Jew after the Sho’ah. Just as important, I felt driven to challenge my exclusion from the Jewish community by including myself and contributing to the transformation of Jewish life.
It was a daunting prospect. From the time I applied to Leo Baeck College in 1984, through being rabbi of a Reform synagogue, Director of Programmes for the Reform Movement and Rabbi of Leicester Progressive, to finally moving to Brighton in March 2000 and becoming a rabbi as a lesbian feminist with an inclusion agenda, it proved to be quite a struggle. When I started working as Rabbi of Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue (BHPS) in December 2000, the struggle was not yet over. I had applied to the congregation three years earlier in July 1997. I wasn’t called for an interview. When the post became vacant again in July 2000, with the help of my dear colleague Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh, Executive Director of Liberal Judaism at the time, I was interviewed – by the entire Council of the synagogue, as it turned out – and I was offered the job. I was delighted. And so, we embarked together on a new departure in the life of BHPS. Because of my own experience of exclusion, the principal priority of my rabbinate has always been inclusion, and enabling those who, like me, had not received a Jewish education as children, to learn and feel confident to engage Jewishly, both at home and in the synagogue. So, I’ve always taught a rolling weekly Exploring Judaism programme, as well as biblical and liturgical Hebrew for all levels, including total beginners, on a weekly basis – and for many years, twice weekly. My first step as rabbi of BHPS was to institute these adult learning opportunities. The journey towards greater inclusion continued with some significant further steps: the decision taken at the 2001 AGM to vary Erev Shabbat services, so they appealed to a wider audience; the subsequent decision to move children’s learning from Sunday to Shabbat from the beginning of January 2002; and to have those aged 8 to 15 lead the Shabbat morning service once a month with their teachers. These were changes that enabled our young people to participate more fully in the life of the congregation.
In September 2002, we held our first outreach event on a Sunday morning, headlined as ‘Are you Jewish or Jewish?’ Advertising in the local press and on BBC Radio Sussex, we had no idea how many people would cross the threshold. Thirty bagels with requisite cream cheese and smoked salmon were purchased. Seventy people – Jewish, Jew-ish and non-Jewish – showed up! Fortunately, everyone got at least a quarter of a bagel. Another important change was the Council’s decision to choose a Hebrew name – Adat Shalom v’Rei’ut, (Congregation of Peace and Friendship) – to reflect the welcoming, nurturing ethos of the shul; and so to call the monthly newsletter Open Door. Then, in 2005 the Council adopted Liberal Judaism’s policy on the inclusion of LGBT+ individuals and couples and decided to allow same-sex ceremonies to be held in the synagogue. Indeed, in March 2006, my spouse Jess and I had the joy of celebrating our chuppah with the shul packed to the rafters. In due course, the Council also followed Liberal Judaism’s lead in supporting equal marriage. By 2012, with growing awareness of the marginalisation of trans people, the Council’s plans to rebuild the synagogue as a totally accessible space encompassed installing two all-gender toilets – with requisite signage – to proclaim loud and clear that when we say ‘all are welcome’ we really mean it. But does a rabbi ever really retire? In the last few years, health issues have taken their toll. I chose to retire at the end of April - three days before my 66th birthday. Blessedly I’ve been made Rabbi Emeritus at BHPS, which means that, after taking a retreat-like break to the end of 2021, in agreement with the Council and the new rabbi when they are appointed, I will lead the occasional service or study session. In retirement, I look forward to spending my mornings writing – starting with my next book, Triangulating Judaism. Hopefully, as the Covid-19 pandemic wanes, I will also return to working on the new Liberal Judaism prayer book Siddur Shirah Chadashah with my Co-Editor Rabbi Lea Mühlstein. Meanwhile, I will always savour my two decades as rabbi of BHPS; years that have been among the most meaningful and significant of my life.
Communities
May/June 2021
LJ Today Page 3
Elli will always be our ray of light
Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah in the Faiths’ Tent at Brighton and Hove Trans Pride (left) and taking part in a local gardening project on Mitzvah Day
By Claudia Gould, Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue WHEN Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah blew into the life of the Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue (BHPS) with the new century, she was far from unknown in the wider Jewish world. Nevertheless, we had no idea how much we were getting. If a hurricane can be said to be beneficent and constructive, rather than catastrophic, then Elli entered the synagogue like a friendly hurricane, a new broom and a ray of light. Elli did all the things that we might have bargained for. She gave us thoughtful and erudite sermons, made herself available for sympathetic chats and came to see us when we were sick. She was everywhere. But beyond all that, she gave her time and energy to enlarge the experience of the shul and our community. Elli made education a bigger than ever part of the life of the BHPS. She welcomed and encouraged our children,
By Martín Hasan LAST MONTH my community Beit Klal Yisrael observed Mimouna - the Moroccan celebration that marks the end of Pesach and the recommencement of chametz eating. This is notable for several reasons, one of which is that it addresses the issue of Ashkenormativity. Liberal Judaism in the UK is based on Ashkenazi rituals. The order of services, the tunes and the way in which the festivals - from Pesach to the High Holy Days - are observed and celebrated is all according to Ashkenazi tradition. This can effectively marginalise Sefardim who want, or indeed need, Liberal expressions of Judaism.
so that now we have a joyous class of nursery-aged Shabbatots, a thriving religion school and teenagers in a lively Kabbalat Torah class. Elli ran Access to Judaism classes to which both the Jewish and the Jew-ish were welcome. She taught Hebrew both to absolute beginners and experienced readers of all ages. She instituted a monthly Beit Midrash service for the linguistic and philosophical study of the parashah. Elli insisted that the whole synagogue should be a house of study as well as a house of prayer and encouraged us to make use of the library and its quiet spaces at any time. Elli was always among us. During the time we were without a building, while our synagogue was being redeveloped, Elli was one of those who opened her home for Friday night services, and year after year we were invited into her Sukkah. She and Jess were married at BHPS; a celebration for us all. Elli opened our doors. With her leadership, we were conspicuous in the Brighton community: our synagogue
The view of Sefardi practices as unique, strange or different is very much Ashkenazi-centric, as is the assumption that everybody coming to Liberal Judaism from Jewish backgrounds will be familiar with the tunes or styles of prayer services. Honouring Sefardi and Mizrahi customs is about more than making mufletas (pancakes) or hearing Gibraltarian te’amim (leyning), it is about learning that Sefardi and Mizrahi history and culture is rich and carries its own history of inclusion. Indeed, it is a Sefardi siddur that is the first to have male, female AND non-binary options. As a Queer Jew growing up with parents that converted to Messianic Judaism, it was my connection to
has been an Open House during the Brighton Festival, and we have held art exhibitions to which we invited the world (some of whom came). We’ve been the host for talent shows and for serious lectures; we have come to expect our shul to be a home for us and a centre of interest and activity for everyone. The work to end poverty, to house the homeless, to make the immigrant welcome, to guarantee LGBT+ rights, to speak up loudly for peace and justice world-wide and to bring those values home to Brighton, to put the environment at the centre of all our choices… for all these we have trusted Elli to advise, support and lead us. We have been proud of the recognition Elli has earned as a writer, a thinker, a broadcaster, a translator, a lecturer and one of Liberal Judaism’s most wellknown leaders. We have been glad to shine in her ‘reflected light’. So Elli is retiring, but her congregation have voted to make her Rabbi Emeritus and so we are saying ‘L’hitra’ot’ (see you again) and not ‘Goodbye’.
Sefardi expressions of Judaism that empowered me, alongside the knowledge that Liberal Judaism - in my case Birmingham Progressive Synagogue - existed. But, it is still important to be able to express my Judaism in ways that are meaningful to my own culture and my own spirituality; attending and leading a service at a synagogue that was founded on the desire to include all Jews (Klal Yisrael) was a powerful moment. I hope others follow BKY’s lead in inviting Sefardi and Mizrahi members to lead services that honour their traditions and their Judaism. And that BKY and Liberal Judaism continue to grow in this desire to include all Jews who need a home.
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Communities
May/June 2021
A pathway to Liberal Judaism Synagogue and By Joe Seager
PHILIP GWILLIAMS (pictured) cherished the day a long-held wish to give real meaning to his Jewish birthright was fulfilled – taking his place as a member of the Birmingham Progressive Synagogue (BPS) community after a long and, at times, difficult, journey. That he harboured such a firm objective was more than apparent from his first meeting with Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi at the shul. “His desire to live a Jewish life was so evident that I was glad to help him fulfil his wish”, she said. “It was good to see his joy in wanting to learn more.” The Liberal Judaism Beit Din, who endorsed his admission to Judaism, were equally impressed.
Margaret conducted a ceremony that allowed Philip to give full affirmation to the Jewish faith as she welcomed him into the community. Philip said: “This means everything to me. I didn’t have a Jewish upbringing and, at 72, I thought it would be too late to become as Jewish as I have long wanted to be. So, I am very thankful that it has come about”. Philip’s mother was Jewish and his father was Christian - the faith the family followed. He says: “I was part of a loving family with two brothers and a sister. We would go to church yet there were times when I felt my mother was at a synagogue, when she was considered to be working on Saturdays. “She didn’t tell me I was Jewish until I was about 16 and said it was then my choice to decide whether I wished to make Judaism my religion. From that moment, I knew that was what I wanted.” But Philip still had a long path to follow before that ambition was achieved. He enjoyed a good marriage with his non-Jewish wife, but tragically she suffered a severe stroke that left her paralysed. For 12 years, Philip gave her full-time care and took medical training to acquire the skills required to meet her needs and ensure she was still able to live at home. Philip has found great comfort finding his spiritual home at BPS, saying: “I have been warmly welcomed by the members here and it is a joy to be part of such a friendly community.”
Liberal Judaism chair Ruth Seager led a Pesach cooking session for all ages as part of online Passover celebrations that involved Liberal Judaism communities all over the country. From Zoom Pesach preparations to Communal Seders, our members and their families really made the most of the festival, despite the lockdown restrictions still in place. Next year in person!
Church, 2021 By Rabbi Nathan Godleman
Jewish artist Arnold Daghani’s paintings of the Stations of the Cross on display in church
IN an age of interfaith work, a rabbi helping a priest, or vice versa, is nothing special. At the South London Liberal Synagogue we enjoy good relations with our local church, as we do with a nearby mosque, and join with others as part of Faiths Together in Lambeth. Of course, it was not always so; a fact that stood out recently. Nadia Lasserson, a lifelong member of South London, had been talking to me about her uncle’s art. Arnold Daghani was sent with his wife to a concentration camp in Ukraine during the war. His talent as an artist helped them survive, and provided the couple with the opportunity one night to escape across a river, holding his paintings high above their heads. Daghani eventually settled in England, leaving a body of work to the University of Sussex. Other pieces are with Nadia, which led to our conversation. Interestingly, one series depicts not the camps, but the Stations of the Cross, exhibited at St. Leonard’s, Streatham, during Holy Week this year. As Rabbi Danny Rich pointed out in a recent sermon, Easter was once a time to be dreaded by Jews - one of danger and humiliation. The origins of antisemitism in the teachings and actions of the Christian Church are widely accepted. Therefore, this collaboration was an extraordinary one. Ironically, as I read later, in representing Jesus’ Passion, Daghani meant to create a metaphor for the suffering of the Jewish people, in a similar way to Marc Chagall and his Crucifixion motif. Nevertheless, when a synagogue can help a church at Easter, through the work of a Holocaust survivor and his use of such Christian imagery as the Stations of the Cross, we have come a long way. • Learn more about Arnold Daghani at www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/ last_portrait/daghani.asp
Communities
May/June 2021
LJ Today Page 5
The Ark Synagogue: Positive thinking for the future Rabbi Aaron Goldstein on a new name, vision and strategy for the former NPLS THE YEAR 2020 will certainly be a memorable one for humanity. With almost no advance notice, the way we lived our lives, gathered in community, prayed together and supported each other radically changed. Moments of great global upheaval are naturally accompanied by a heightened sense of anxiety. But they are also a key time to embrace new challenges, reexamine our ways of working and shift our thinking. Supported by our national movement, the communities of Liberal Judaism have adapted, innovated and collaborated. The Ark Synagogue is one example of innovation out of adversity. Having witnessed the remarkable (positive) response to community in the pandemic, the Rabbis and the Board of NPLS decided to embrace this unique moment of change and embark on a process to re-imagine the work of our synagogue for the future. One thing that stood out more than almost anything else during our reflections is that we had become (and in many ways had long been) so much more than a synagogue in a physical building rooted in a single location.
Watching one of The Ark’s innovative services
NPLS began life as the Pinner and District Liberal Congregation in 1964. In 1966 the congregation moved to a former Methodist hall in Northwood and changed its name to Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue. And while we remain deeply anchored in our local neighbourhood, as many others have found, the reach of our congregation has now expanded far beyond, to other cities, countries and even continents. In July, we shared with our members a new strategy focused on a core belief that drives everything that we do. That core belief is that we are a synagogue that exists “to instil a love for Liberal Judaism that shapes the future of Jewish life”. One of the tools that would help us was a name that would turn heads towards us. So why The Ark Synagogue? The images that the ark invokes resonated with us for numerous reasons. There are two ‘arks’ in the Torah: Noah’s Ark and the Ark, which contained the two tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments written on them.
The Ark of our Sanctuary is not only our visual focus point during services but holds particular meaning for our congregation, as it houses our sacred treasure – our Torah scrolls, and linked to them, our rich history of engagement and commitment to their Czech and Slovak heritage. This is further amplified by the beautiful arch surrounding our ark, which connects us even more closely to our Torah town of Kolín. Noah’s Ark, on the other hand, is called in Hebrew ‘teiva’ (Genesis 6). The only other use of this word in the Torah is for the ‘wicker basket’ in which the baby Moses was placed by his mother to save his life from Pharoah’s decree (Exodus 2). During this pandemic, members have referred to the synagogue as a life-saver and sustainer. Finally, and coincidentally, our twin community in Lviv, Ukraine, is called Teiva. The Ark has become a vessel, a platform enabled by the use of technology brought by Leo Mindel and Jon Fiber, of potentiality to inspire that “love for Liberal Judaism” at our core. The change of name, website and ‘look and feel’ of the synagogue is just a part of an ongoing strategy development focussing on what religious, pastoral, learning and social life will look like post-pandemic. Like all congregations of Liberal Judaism, we are having to consider the balance of a hybrid community and the structures that will make this work. The ongoing Liberal Judaism briefings provide a way for us all to continue to share mutually beneficial developments in thought and practice. They are a space to think positively for the future.
• Rabbi Aaron Goldstein is Senior Rabbi of The Ark Synagogue
ELELS talks provide lots of pleasure MEMBERS of London and Essex Liberal Synagogue (ELELS) have been enjoying the community’s Hidden Pleasures series of events on Zoom - where they learn about each other’s stories and passions. ELELS Community Development Manager Nick Young (pictured left) gave a talk about the four years he lived and worked in Japan, while Tracey Grant and Dan Janoff (pictured right) spoke about the joys of their allotment.
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News
May/June 2021
Vaccinating the world Holocaust testimony By Tony Samuel
EVERYONE knows that this has been the most terrible 12 months. Many have suffered loss, grief and despair as a result of Covid-19. Perhaps the only glimmer of hope has been the introduction of vaccines, starting in the UK in December 2020, which began to accelerate in January this year. It was wonderful to see the joy people experienced after getting their jab in those early months – they were almost ecstatic in the realisation this could be a life-saver for themselves and could end lockdown far sooner than ever imagined. All of which triggered a friend of a friend to phone me in January wanting to pick my brains about a fundraising idea she had. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could encourage people to donate to a charity that would ensure vaccines are delivered to those in greatest need in parts of the world where they would otherwise wait for years before any vaccine is available?” she said. I was immediately hooked. I spent much of my career in fundraising and I knew that this idea had lots of potential. But it needed to reach key decision-makers who could make it a reality. We worked hard over the next week to refine the idea into a one-page document to summarise the benefits, the operational logistics and the partners we might need to make it happen. The idea needed ‘end-to-end’ guarantees – that any money donated would go to a trusted organisation who could ensure vaccine delivery on the ground. And ideally it would have NHS endorsement – so that in those 15 minutes after receiving a jab, when joy and relief are at their highest, one could perhas see a poster or a leaflet and make a donation immediately. We also wanted this to be a ‘people’s campaign’ – after a year of being disempowered, here was an opportunity for people to do something positive.
Even though some Governments are making pledges to give both money and excess vaccines to the least developed countries when the time is right, this would be an opportunity for each individual to immediately play their part. One of my first calls was to an old friend who had been a CEO of an international aid charity – he liked the idea too and immediately thought of some charity contacts to approach. What I didn’t know was that his wife was a key figure in the Anglican community – she said that she would raise this with the Archbishop of Canterbury, who she thought would be positive to the idea! Another early call was to a trusted friend who had worked in the medical profession and is a keen social activist. He immediately liked the idea too and ended the call by saying “I think my brother might be able to help… he’s a Director of NHS England.” Within weeks the idea began to move at tremendous speed and it wasn’t long before we had a firm commitment from UNICEF UK to make this happen. The Archbishop of Canterbury convened a Zoom call in late February, which included senior figures from the faith world, NHS and Government, all of whom said that they would give their support. What was needed was a campaign name, a plan and a launch date. On 21 March, exactly two months to the day that the friend of a friend called me to discuss her idea, UNICEF launched Vaccinaid. In their words “UNICEF is ensuring no one is left behind in the race to vaccinate against COVID-19. Because we’ll only be safe when we’re all safe. This is the biggest health and logistics project in history – and you can help.” Momentum behind Vaccinaid is growing and I’m delighted that Liberal Judaism has given its full support. At the time of writing, almost £1million has already been raised from small donations. I’ve been involved in many large product launches over the years, but nothing of this scale or at this speed. Obviously from the outset I thought of the Jewish concept of tikkun olam – but I could never have dreamed that I could help turn an idea like this into a global reality. If you can help donate to this campaign, or publicise it through your synagogues or networks, I urge you to do so. You can find out more and donate at www.vaccinaid.org
• Tony Samuel is a member of the Liberal community in the Oxford Jewish Congregation
By Kezia Niman HOW do we honour the stories of loved ones touched by the Holocaust? Charity Generation 2 Generation (G2G) has answered this question by supporting second and third generation survivors in retelling their family stories as they heard them first hand. After developing talks with G2G, Finchley Progressive member Lesley Urbach and Kingston Liberal Synagogue member Seymour Kelly have been busy presenting their family Holocaust stories to a variety of audiences. Lesley, a trustee of Generation 2 Generation, recounts how her mother Eva Urbach and aunt Ulli Adler escaped Germany through the selfless behaviour of their parents, who sent them to safety in the UK on the Kindertransport, but were never seen again. Seymour tells how his mother Lushka and two sisters were forced to work as slave labourers in Poland. They were separated from their parents and younger brother, who were deported and murdered by the Nazis. Their presentations are unique as they integrate videoclips of their parents’ eyewitness testimony. The charity has helped 19 speakers to complete the development of presentations with a further 25 currently receiving assistance. G2G is now focusing on recruiting the grandchildren of survivors to guarantee the continued retelling of Holocaust testimony. Every month, under the banner of G2G Presents, one of the new speakers presents their story to an international audience. Members of allied organisations then discuss contemporary issues of interest. Generation 2 Generation has also created a virtual Wall of Memories to pay tribute to victims of Nazi persecution. You can honour a loved one on the Wall of Memories by adding their story to an online plaque with a virtual Yahrzeit, along with a donation towards G2G’s valuable work. For Andrew Hirsch, Trustee of G2G, the Wall of Memories means “that as people die, their lives and stories don’t die with them”. Andrew further stresses the importance of the Wall’s accessibility and educational role. You can learn more about all the great work of Generation 2 Generation at www.generation2generation.org.uk
News
May/June 2021
LJ Today Page 7
Liberal Jewish leaders on the World stage LIBERAL JUDAISM’S rabbis, including Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Charley Baginsky, will address delegates from more than 50 countries at The World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) Connections 2021 event. The first WUPJ conference in four years, it has the theme of Facing Our Jewish Future Together. Highlights will include the installation of new WUPJ President Rabbi Sergio Bergman, the first conference appearance by MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv since he became the first ever Reform Rabbi to be elected to Israel’s Knesset and a keynote address from Israel’s opposition leader and possible next Prime Minister MK Yair Lapid. Sergio – a social activist, community leader and former Minister in the Argentinian Government who has received numerous distinctions and awards – will use the event to bring together all the different voices of the WUPJ, the global network of Progressive Jewish movements, which serves 1.2 million members. He will initiate discussions on new initiatives and platforms to further the values and aspirations of Progressive Judaism in communities both large and small. His installation ceremony will feature contributions from political, faith and society leaders including Pope Francis, a close friend who has sent a handwritten personal message to be read out.
New WUPJ President Rabbi Sergio Bergman
Sergio said: “The Covid-19 crisis has changed the paradigm. It is now time to restart and build our Union to show all the things that Progressive Jews stand for and not just what we stand against. We will come together to share our values and voices as a force for change.” Charley will join fellow leaders Anna Kislanski (Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism), Rabbi Deborah Waxman (Reconstructing Judaism – America) and Rabbi Rick Jacobs (Union for Reform Judaism – America) in a discussion looking at the Future of Movement Judaism.
She said: “The World Union is a vital part of Progressive Judaism in the UK. It provides us with a connection to our sibling movements around the world, who all face the same opportunities and obstacles as we do. “Connections 2021 allows us to do exactly as the name suggests and meet and learn from each other – using our many voices to build our global Jewish future and family together.” Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich of Nottingham Liberal Synagogue, and a member of the EcoSynagogue Steering Group, will form part of the keynote panel on climate change, while The Ark Synagogue’s Rabbi Lea Mühlstein will join two debates on the Progressive movement’s relationship with Israel in her role as International Chair of Arzenu. Rabbi Dr René Pfertzel, Co-Chair of the Liberal Conference of Rabbis and Cantors, LJY-Netzer Movement Worker Jess Mindel and Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah will take part in discussions on aspects of Progressive Judaism in 2021. Others from Liberal Judaism speaking at the event include Ben Baginsky and Leo Mindel. One of the most eagerly anticipated moments of Connections 2021 will see MK Yair Lapid give a keynote address laying out his vision for Israel. For further details on Connections 2021, and to sign up to take part, please visit www.wupj.org/connections
Awards and more for Lily’s Legacy
IT has been been a great start to 2021 for Liberal Judaism’s groundbreaking Lily’s Legacy Project. The Lily’s Legacy Project team were the proud winners of the Volunteer Team of the Year trophy at the Jewish Volunteering Networks (JVN) Awards.
The team were joined at the online event by Liberal Judaism’s Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Charley Baginsky. Charley said: “This was an evening spent celebrating Jewish volunteering and its many different aspects and so I was especially delighted to give an award to the Lily’s Legacy volunteer team. “They not only delivered a wonderful community project, including a spectacular online exhibition, but also amplified Liberal Judaism’s importance to British history and society.”
Later in March, Lily’s Legacy videographer Mike Beral and core volunteer Sue Temple presented a well-received paper on The Making of the Voices and Visions of Liberal Judaism Exhibition at the Jewish Small Communities Network’s Connecting Small Histories’ Festival. It is available on You Tube at https://youtu.be/jO8hi_VRp1E Finally, the team is excited to be launching the project’s resource pack for schools and chederim at the Liberal Judaism Biennial. The production of this innovative toolkit has been overseen by Thamar Barnett, a freelance Heritage Educator and Liberal Judaism member. To find out more about Lily’s Legacy, email project manager Shaan Knan on lilyslegacyproject@liberaljudaism.org or explore the website and exhibition via www.lilyslegacyproject.com Lily’s Legacy is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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Books
May/June 2021
Book reviews by Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh Unbinding Isaac: The Significance of the Akedah for Modern Jewish Thought by Aaron Koller (ISBN: 9780827614734) A QUICK glance at the book’s title may cause the reader to miss the ‘for’ and replace it with ‘in’. Unbinding Isaac, as the title suggests, is a book that seeks to allow the reader to release Isaac from the shackles of the biblical narrative and its countless commentaries. In the introduction, Aaron Koller sets out the words of the biblical story in Hebrew and English, describing them as 300 words that have haunted readers for thousands of years. He explains that he intends to investigate the ethics of the story and its major themes - particularly how philosophers have viewed and interpreted it - following on from an influential interpretation of the text by Soren Kierkegaard.
There are eight chapters in Unbinding Isaac: Jewish Experiences of the Akedah;
The Book of Jonah: A Social Justice Commentary by Rabbi Dr Shmuly Yanklowitz (ISBN: 9780881233605) IT IS always fascinating to read another take on a text you feel you know well.
OUR regular book reviewer Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh has his own new work out - Stumbling on the Mountains of Twilight: Topical Sermons 1992-2019 (ISBN: 9783639794304). Containing sermons on Anglo-Jewry, as well as national and international events, it’s a wonderful look at more than 25 years of history through the eyes and words of one of Progressive Judaism’s most senior rabbis and educators. We will have a full review in a future issue.
Whether the writer agrees with your own understanding, challenges it fundamentally or adds further layers of meaning, it is always worth remembering the rabbinic adage eylu vaeylu divrey Elohim chayyim – the words of each come from the living God. The powerhouse that is Rabbi Dr Shmuly Yanklowitz has reframed Jonah as a platform for a social justice commentary. His physical and mental passion for this cause has revealed new depths to a familiar text. The book is divided into 25 concise chapters, looking at the sequential themes of the biblical text and then using them to highlight an over-arching issue. For example: chapter 4, Each Cried out to Their Own God - On Religious Truth in a Pluralistic World; chapter 9, Jonah Remained in the Fish’s Belly - On Solitary Confinement and Compassion; and chapter 16, Protesting God - Rebellious Prophets and Human Morality. Yanklowitz ably and convincingly demonstrates that there are many more themes to be extrapolated from the Book of Jonah than the standard repentance and the universality of God, and many rabbis will owe him their gratitude for facilitating the journey so easily. But this is as much a book for lay people as for rabbis. Indeed, many might find it an excellent companion for the long hours of Yom Kippur this year!
Kierkegaard; Jewish Parallels from the Century of Kierkegaard; Jewish Followers from the Twentieth Century; Criticizing Kierkegaard; On Child Sacrifice; Maimonides and the Complexity of the Divine Will; Rejecting Child Sacrifice. In his conclusion, Koller brings all the themes together in a very satisfying way, ending with these three provocative sentences: “It is all well and good to celebrate the personal and individual faith that animates some people’s lives, but society cannot afford to allow individuals’ sense of religious devotion to take precedence over the welfare of others. As a society, we must allow knights of faith to ascend the mountain to be alone with God. But we must not allow them to bring Isaac along.”
Thinking about the Prophets by Kenneth Seeskin (ISBN: 9780827615052) THIS is the second book in the JPS Essential Judaism Series by Kenneth Seeskin, Professor of Jewish Civilization at Northwestern University. It is a companion to the first book, entitled Thinking about the Torah. It is a concise book with introduction, conclusion and eight chapters. Seeskin starts from the premise that the prophets are disturbing characters with disturbing books, who are unlikely to resonate strongly with the modern Jews who only encounter them, semicomatose, as a Haftarah reading. It is his opinion, however, that we do the prophets a disservice if we try to sanitize them and their message. They were wrestling with the fundamental question concerning how God might be worshipped in their world and how that worship would manifest itself. This is a question that should be asked in every age - albeit that perhaps it challenges in our time more than ever. What makes Thinking about the Prophets special is that Seeskin doesn’t just consider them in isolation but introduces great philosophers from Maimonides to Soloveitchik who were influenced by the prophets’ teaching. This is a brief book but it is full of riches. If you consider the prophets the most significant individuals in biblical history, as I do, you have a joy in store.
In Memory
May/June 2021
LJ Today Page 9
‘He was kind, generous and got on with everyone’ Rabbi Kathleen de Magtige-Middleton remembers LJ Vice President Ken Teacher
Ken Teacher and wife Marilyn representing Liberal Judaism at The Queen’s Garden Party
WHEN we are touched by the pain and sadness of death and loss, it feels as if our lives have been turned upside down. And so it has been for all of us who knew Ken Teacher. Ken was a tremendously sociable man. He was kind and generous, pragmatic and helpful. He was a great raconteur who could see the humorous in everyday life and who loved to share his experiences and insights with friends and family. He had a wonderful ability to meet and get on with everyone: never differentiating between age, rank or circumstance. Ken was born to Renee and Arthur Teacher in Stamford Hill in August 1931. He was the younger, cheeky one of their two sons, a fact he readily admitted with stories to confirm. At the start of War, Ken’s parents thought it would be safer to move away from London. Initially they moved to Lancing on the South Coast, but once there they became worried about being too near the coast and moved back to Golders Green to stay with Ken’s grandparents Mini and Bert. There, they spent many a night in the air raid shelter during the Blitz. Ken loved to tell how he slept through the heaviest of bombardments but never failed to be woken up afterwards by the sound of a bar of chocolate being opened! When the bombing became too heavy, the family moved to Hitchin. There, with the help of the local Jewish community, they found a lovely place to live; it had a large garden, chickens and a dog. Ken had many fond memories of the place, its school and the countryside. He developed a lifelong fondness for the Chilterns and for rambling.
By that time, Ken had started barmitzvah lessons and a rabbi had to come specially from London. Due to the circumstances, Ken’s Hebrew education was a little haphazard and he claimed that for a long time he could only read Hebrew upside down, as all the children had to crowd around one book. Ken matriculated at 16 and went on to study economics at Regent Street College where he qualified as an accountant. Afterwards he did his military service in Holland. There he learned to love Dutch cheese and to drive, which was no small feat as the learning was done in army trucks with very complicated gear systems. In 1969, while working at managing consultancy firm MM&WM, he was introduced to Marilyn by a mutual friend and, in 1971, they married. Always a practical man, Ken wrote out a long list with pros and cons to marriage before he proposed to Marilyn. In 1973, their son Jonathan was born. Their daugher Naomi completed the family. Ken decided that his job involved too much travelling and found a position at Government Stockbrokers Mullens & Co, in the city, which he loved. Ken, as we all know, got on with everyone he met and at the firm he soon became known as the go-to person whenever anyone had a problem, as he was a very patient and engaged listener. He often joked that growing bald young was an advantage as it gave him more gravitas. Ken was also an involved and handson father (and grandfather), who often found creative ways to help his children’s education - making up little ditties, a sliding times table device or a rotating calendar to help them learn.
Ken was very active and popular in the Liberal Jewish community, both in the UK and abroad, throughout his life. He first became a Council member of North London Progressive Synagogue when he was still a teenager. He went on to serve in many roles including Treasurer, Secretary and then Chair. When the community was without a rabbi, he even stepped in as a lay leader. After the synagogue’s closure in 2004, he became a trustee of the NLPS Trust – which uses the income generated from the community’s financial assets to award grants for projects that further the advancement of Progressive Judaism. He also joined The Liberal Jewish Synagogue and served on Council there too. He and Marilyn were fundraisers for the Friends for Progressive Judaism and the European Union of Progressive Judaism (EUPJ). They attended many EUPJ conferences, visiting and maintaining personal contacts with the communities they had raised funds for. In 2016, Ken was nominated by then Liberal Judaism Chief Executive Rabbi Danny Rich to become a Vice President of the national movement – a position he served with pride until his death. In recognition of their work, Ken and Marilyn were also invited to represent Liberal Judaism at one of the Queen’s Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace. Ken enjoyed the little pleasures in life, such as taking breakfast in the garden if weather permitted. He loved concerts, theatre and dining out. He was proud of the fact that he could eat whatever he liked and never put on any weight. And he loved chocolate! Ken and Marylin made a wonderful team and together they had an incredibly special ability of taking people into their hearts entirely, with tremendous generosity, without any pretences or preconceptions. They truly cared, not just about you, but about your life, your successes, your struggles and your whole family too. Ken had a beautiful ability to expand his social horizons and to incorporate everyone he met in a full and equal manner, with humour and kindness and great generosity. May Ken’s memory and all the good he did be an inspiration and his memory a blessing.
• Rabbi Kathleen de Magtige-Middleton is Rabbi at Mosaic Synagogue
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Youth
May/June 2021
LJY-Netzer is Liberal Judaism’s Progressive Zionist youth movement. It gives young people the chance to develop a strong Jewish identity, make lasting friendships and have loads of fun
Two camps are better than one
Young Liberal Jews at a previous Machaneh Kadimah summer camp (left) and just one of the adventurous activities on offer at Hineini
AFTER cancelling a total of three camps, four tours and countless weekends due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are now delighted to say that LJY is back this summer… and better than ever! From 16-29 August, we will see the return of Machaneh Kadimah – LJYNetzer’s biggest event of the year. We bring together hundreds of young Liberal Jews from all over the country. Aged between 8 and 15 years old, they will have the Liberal Jewish experience of their lives. With two weeks of magical, creative, fun and engaging activities - Machaneh Kadimah is the place to be this summer. It is an amazing inclusive environment where all participants can flourish, make friends and have fun.
We run sessions ranging from swimming to singing, drama to denbuilding and football to friendshipbracelet making. Then there are the discussions, debates and, of course, discos that bring so much enjoyment. And did you really believe we’d come back after all this time bringing JUST Kadimah? Well think again. Due to the pandemic, we are not able to travel to Israel this year for our famous Israel Tour. That doesn’t mean there’s no LJY for years 11 & 12 however. Instead, we want to introduce you to our new exciting Machaneh Hineini, a two-week long summer camp for years 11 & 12, which combines hadracha (leadership) with plenty of adventure.
From 25 July to 8 August, participants will be doing all manner of activities at an adventure site in South West England. From rock climbing to Reform Zionism, Jacob’s ladder to Jewish identity, leap of faith to leadership training and high ropes to hadracha - Hineini will have it all. This camp will not only involve participants challenging themselves and working as teams physically, but it will also see them learn vital skills to help along their hadracha journey to become the next generation of LJY-Netzer and Liberal Judaism leaders. Applications for both Kadimah and Hineini are now open so please visit www.ljy-netzer.org for more information and to sign up.
Contact LJY-Netzer: Jess Mindel (j.mindel@liberaljudaism.org), Josh Powell (j.powell@liberaljudaism.org) Director of Youth - Rebecca Fetterman (r.fetterman@liberaljudaism.org)
Youth News
May/June 2021
LJ Today Page 11
Shnat Netzer by Lily CraneNewman and Tali Ehrlich After months of uncertainty – and one failed attempt that resulted in getting turned away at the airport gate – we finally made it! Israel’s skies reopened and five of us from LJY-Netzer and RSYNetzer met at Luton Airport to start our Shnat journey. As we write this, we are on day eight of quarantine. Together, we have been going on LJY for more than 10 years and this gap year in Israel is something we have been looking forward to for what feels like a lifetime. We started this morning with a trip to a drive-through testing site and hope to get the Pfizer vaccine soon. Once that is done, we will finally be heading to Kibbutz Lotan. The five of us have been isolating with three South Africans, from their Netzer branch, and are beginning to bond as a unit of eight. We have had multiple sessions run by Orit and Lior who are part of the Netzer team. In these sessions, we’ve been discussing ‘the big questions’ such as our relationship with Israel, what community means to us, role models and our Jewish values.
We have just finalised our ‘Shnat vision’, built through mind maps, debates and educating each other about our separate Netzer branches. This week we celebrated the birthday of Julian, one of the Netzer South Africans, learning all about their culture and slang. We’ve been sharing stories from our homes and discussing the new traditions we look forward to making together over the coming months.
We’ve also been lucky enough to soak up the heat, as it reached 30 Celsius today, helping us to prepare for the very hot desert to come. Starting at Lotan and then later heading to Jerusalem, we now can’t wait for the programme to really begin. This will be a journey of purposeful education, bonding, tikkun olam and Progressive Judaism in such a meaningful place.
Machaneh Lemala by Mia Bogod I SPENT the recent holidays leading on the Machaneh Lemala day camp, and it ended up being one of my most treasured events in a decade with LJY. The theme was new beginnings – a chance to reflect upon the new beginning we want to create after the pandemic, so that when ‘normal’ returns it is a better world for everyone. We connected through laughter, fun, crafts and disco, revelling in freedoms we’d forgotten existed. We sang together in prayer and blessing. We learnt about rights and democracy. The chanichim (participants), aged 8-11, constantly amazed us with their intelligence, awareness and openmindedness, providing a glimmering hope for a better future. I have no doubt that they will change the world. I finished Lemala with a passion reignited. Whether I had simply forgotten the magic, or if it had grown stronger in its absence, I feel more grateful than I have ever been for LJY and my holy community.
May/June 2021
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Liberal Judaism congregations The Ark Synagogue (Northwood and Pinner) T: 01923 822 592 E: admin@arksynagogue.org W: arksynagogue.org
Eastbourne Liberal Jewish Community T: 07497 401 280 E: eljc.contact@gmail.com W: eljc.org.uk
Manchester Liberal Jewish Community T: 0161 796 6210 E: mljc@liberaljudaism.org W: mljc.org.uk
Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue T: 0845 869 7105 E: info@bedsps.org.uk W: bedfordshire-ps.org.uk
Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community T: 0131 777 8024 E: info@eljc.org W: eljc.org
Mosaic Liberal (Harrow) T: 020 8864 5323 E: office@mosaicliberal.org.uk W: mosaicliberal.org.uk
Beit Klal Yisrael (London) E: admin@bky.org.uk W: bky.org.uk
Finchley Progressive Synagogue T: 020 8446 4063 E: fps@liberaljudaism.org W: fps.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 East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue T: 0208 989 7619 E: administrator@elels.org.uk W: www.elels.org.uk
Kehillah North London T: 07706 354 602 E: info@kehillah.org.uk W: kehillah.org.uk
Norwich Liberal Jewish Community E: nljc@liberaljudaism.org W: norwichljc.org.uk Nottingham Liberal Synagogue T: 0115 962 4761 E: nls@liberaljudaism.org W: nottinghamliberalsynagogue.com
Kent Liberal Jewish Community T: 07952 242 432 E: enquiries@kljc.org.uk W: kljc.org.uk
Peterborough Liberal Jewish Community T: 07561 331 390 E: info@pljc.org.uk W: pljc.org.uk
Kingston Liberal Synagogue T: 020 8398 7400 E: kls@liberaljudaism.org W: klsonline.org
Reading Liberal Jewish Community T: 0118 942 8022 E: readingliberaljewishcommunity@
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 Lincolnshire Jewish Community T: 01427 628 958 E: ljc@liberaljudaism.org W: lincolnshirejc.co.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
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W: readingljc.org.uk Shir Hatzafon (Copenhagen) E: shir@shirhatzafon.dk W: shirhatzafon.dk South Bucks Jewish Community T: 0845 644 2370 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
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 Three Counties Liberal Jewish Community (Gloucestershire and Herefordshire) T: 07900 612 058 E: info@3cljc.org.uk W: 3cljc.org.uk Wessex Liberal Jewish Community (Bournemouth) T: 01202 757 590 E: wljc.info@gmail.com W: wessexliberaljudaism.org.uk West Central Liberal Synagogue T: 020 7636 7627 E: office@wcls.org.uk W: wcls.org.uk York Liberal Jewish Community T: 0300 102 0062 E: info@jewsinyork.org.uk W: jewsinyork.org.uk
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
The South London Liberal Synagogue (Streatham) T: 020 8769 4787 E: office@southlondon.org W: southlondon.org
President Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein Chair Ruth Seager Deputy Chair Karen Newman Treasurer Paul Silver-Myer Secretary Amanda McFeeters Fundraising Ros Clayton Youth Hannah Stephenson Communications Joel Beckman Inclusion Owen Power National Officers Janet Berkman and Susanne Combe Vice Presidents Simon Benscher, Monique Blake, Lord Fink, Jeromé Freedman, 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 Simonon Director of Youth Becca Fetterman Fundraising and Events Thomas Rich Senior Administrator Tanya Garfield Reception Ben Combe Archivist Alison Turner PR Simon Rothstein Finance Janet Manderson Interfaith Rabbi Mark Solomon Student Chaplain Rabbi Anna Posner LJY-Netzer Jess Mindel and Josh Powell