Liberal Judaism’s Education Hub series, commemorating our movement’s 120th anniversary, has discussed one of the most vital and celebrated Liberal Jews – Lily Montagu.

Lily Montagu was a social worker, religious organiser and the first woman to play a major role in British Progressive Judaism.

In 1902, together with Claude Montefiore and Rabbi Dr Israel Mattuck, she founded Liberal Judaism (then called the Jewish Religious Union) and helped to shape and steer our movements over the following decades.

She was also the founder of the West Central Jewish Girls’ Club, which she set up with her sister Marion and cousin Beatrice Franklin in order to give working class Jewish girls the opportunity to develop themselves socially, intellectually and spiritually.

So incredible were her achievements, that Liberal Judaism’s recent history and heritage project was named after her. Find out more about Lily’s Legacy and the founders of Liberal Judaism by clicking here.

The Education Hub presentation examined Lily Montagu’s pioneering life and work. It will be delivered by Rabbi Jackie Tabick, who herself made history by becoming Britain’s first female rabbi in 1975.

Liberal Judaism’s Education Hub is a cross-communal adult learning programme. This year it will be split into four parts looking at 120 year’s of Liberal Jewish practice, values and beliefs.

Each session will be held on a Wednesday at 7:30pm via Zoom. Those registered to participate will also receive access to recordings of the sessions. Click here to register.

All sessions are designed to stand alone, so you can attend as many (or as few) evenings as you’d like. The previous and upcoming sessions are:

Wednesday 12 January: Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh presented a loving retrospective on Rabbi John D Rayner. You can watch it here.
Wednesday 19 January: Rabbi Pete Tobias and many others shared special memories of Rosita Rosenberg. You can watch it here.
Wednesday 26 January: Rabbi Michael Shire on Rabbi Leo Baeck: A Liberal Jew Before His Time. You can watch it here.
Wednesday 2 February: Rabbi Jackie Tabick on Lily Montagu and her Club
Wednesday 9 February: Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein on Amy K Blank
Wednesday 16 Feb: Rabbi Aaron Goldstein in conversation with Ruth Shire