25 July 2016

Liberal Judaism administration manager, and Ba’alei Tefillah graduate, Alexandra Simonon took her first full Torah service this weekend, spending Shabbat with Gloucestershire Liberal Jewish Community (GLJC).

Alexandra – who graduated Liberal Judaism’s lay leadership course with 16 others at the Biennial Weekend earlier this month – led the service and stayed on to enjoy a bring-and-share lunch in the community’s idyllic Cotswolds setting.

Rabbi Anna Gerrard, GLJC’s rabbi, is currently on adoption leave so the community has invited various rabbis and lay leaders to take services in her absence.

Alexandra, pictured above with members of the congregation, said: “Gloucestershire is a small community but of such warmth and vibrancy that it was a real honour, and a true joy, to be asked to spend Shabbat with them.

“The Ba’alei Tefillah scheme gave me the knowledge and confidence to lead a full service. It’s so important that Liberal Judaism has strong lay leaders and I’m proud that we have so many graduates leading services around the country.”

Previous services at GLJC have been led by Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, Rabbi Danny Rich, president Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, Rabbinic Conference co-chair Rabbi Alexandra Wright, Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, Rabbi Monique Mayer and Cantor Gershon Silins, who is currently also a student rabbi at Leo Baeck College.