‘This is an idea whose time has come’ Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy on their vision for Progressive Judaism

THE uniting of Liberal Judaism and Reform Judaism into one Progressive movement is a change to over 100 years of history and yet feels like the most natural step in the world.

As a unified movement, we will be stronger and our voice will be clearer and louder. We will be able to make an even bigger contribution to the wider Jewish community both in the UK and beyond our shores. We can better support our communities and enable our rabbis and cantors to work more sustainably and powerfully. We can raise up each other’s voices, promote our shared values and help more people live rich and vibrant Jewish lives. And, most importantly of all, we will leave this inheritance to our children, grandchildren and future generations of Progressive Jews.

So, as we’ve been asked countless times since the announcement, why didn’t it happen sooner?

It’s true that since Progressive Judaism first emerged in the 19th century, Britain has been one of the only countries in the world without one united movement.

Things could have been different when both movements were established or as our communities grew side by side throughout the country. Unsuccessful talks were held throughout the 1970s and 1980s about coming together. An ‘Alliance’ was formed a decade ago, but was limited to a few areas.

The truth is that in the past there were some substantial differences between our movements and there was also a lack of urgency and will.

By Ruth Seager and Paul Langsford

AS Chairs of Liberal and Reform Judaism, we had felt the moment was right to create one single unified Progressive Jewish movement, but the response has been more positive than we could ever have hoped for.

It feels as though we are amid a simcha – everyone joyous and celebrating the happy couple – but we know we need to plan for the following day when the music stops, and we all return home.

The next step is to take the thrill of our new union and turn the vision into a Progressive Judaism that continues to combine Jewish traditions with modern values and lifestyles.

The personal arguments of yesteryear are long gone and, most importantly, so too are many of the theological and cultural ones.

Our two movements share the same values – for example our welcome of mixed faith couples and families, samesex wedding ceremonies, bat and bar mitzvah celebrated in the same way and so on. Our rabbis and educators train together at Leo Baeck College.

The last major difference fell in 2015. Since that date both our movements have been able to recognise the Jewish status of those with one Jewish parent, without asking them to undergo conversion, irrespective of the gender of the parent.

“What is the difference between Liberal and Reform Judaism” has therefore become a question that our rabbis, cantors, lay leaders and even PR people struggle to answer.

But, as with everything, a spark was needed to set things in motion – and that spark was the pandemic, or rather how we all felt afterwards. When we looked back at that Covid period, as difficult and filled with loss as it was for so many of us personally, we saw a renewal of our Progressive Judaism.

Liberal and Reform rabbis and communities learned from each other and inspired each other. We changed, adapted and innovated. Our online services were vibrant, volunteers were everywhere.

Then last December, we looked at what we achieved together and wondered why we were doing this separately.

We are conscious that we are part of a long line of people who have tried to make this happen over the last 50 years, and we are grateful and respectful for their invaluable contribution. We are proudly standing on the shoulders of those who came before us.

Today’s world is very different from that of the 1970s. The liberalisation of society as a whole has helped remove the gap between the two movements and align our values and practices.

Our movements share so many practices such as whole families sitting together and prayers recited and sung in both English and Hebrew so that everyone of us can feel part of the service and join in.

There are the shared values Charley and Josh talk about above.

This is an idea whose time has come. Both movements feel like truly equal partners and we can finally put in place the move that people have talked about for decades.

Led by our Boards and our rabbinates, this isn’t a merger or a takeover but the formation of a brand new movement, Progressive Judaism.

Together we have 40,000 members –around 30% of those who are affiliated to synagogues in the UK – and know there are many more unaffiliated people we can now reach.

Key to our vision is not only what will change, but what will stay the same.

Our 80+ Progressive communities up and down the country will retain their individual identities, names, services, prayer books and practices. No two Liberal or Reform synagogues or services are the same… and long may that continue. We embrace the diversity.

Our two wonderful youth movements, LJY-Netzer and RSY-Netzer, will currently stay separate, offering different experiences to cater to different audiences. Going forward, they will now benefit from an overarching movement that will provide better resources and stronger support to improve the lifechanging experiences our children and young people enjoy.

So as we stand on the edge of our promised land, and with it having taken us three times longer than it did Moses, we can look back with pride at our past and look forward with excitement towards Progressive Judaism’s future.

And as we look deeper, even more similarities emerge.

We use technology to improve the Shabbat experience to allow those at home – whether because of distance, disability, ill health, family or simply because they prefer it – to take part.

And there is the acknowledgment that for many being Jewish is not just about prayer, but about being in a Jewish space, volunteering or social action.

As we reflect on how we got here, and the support we have received, we know every one of us has a role to play in this new chapter for Progressive Judaism and has ownership of its future.

This is not only the right thing to do, but the next link in the ever progressing chain that has kept Judaism alive for thousands of years.