Liberal Jewish Synagogue
Rabbi Rachel Benjamin was ordained in 1998 and served as Assistant Rabbi (and then Associate Rabbi) of Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue until 2004. After that, she served as Rabbi of the Progressive Jewish Community of East Anglia and Woodford Progressive Synagogue, before joining South Bucks Jewish Community in 2006 where she served as a Rabbi until December 2015. She was appointed as Rabbi at the LJS where she had previously served to cover Rabbinic Sabbaticals and leave of absence.
From 2005-2008 Rachel served as Joint Chair of Liberal Judaism’s Rabbinic Conference and is committed to interfaith dialogue, working closely with the Sternberg Centre Jewish-Christian-Muslim dialogue Group, the High Wycombe JCM Group, Multi Faith One vision, a new group which started up recently in Chesham and has a close relationship with the Auerbacher Synagogenverein in Germany. She has taught at Leo Baeck College, and at the University of London (Heythrop College).
Rachel plays the guitar and is passionate about Jewish Music. She created a singing group at NPLS which, among many other engagements, sang at the ‘Jewish Cultural Day’ at the Millennium Dome in 2000. She led the Creative Music Workshop for the Liberal Judaism Day of Singing in 2003 and is an active participant in LJS music events.
Rabbi Rachel Benjamin contributed an article ‘A Jewish Reflection on Relations with Christians and Christianity’, in Beyond the Dysfunctional Family: Jews Christians and Muslims in Dialogue with Each Other and with Britain. The Manor House Abrahamic Dialogue Group in 2012. She contributed to Women Rabbis in the Pulpit, A Collection of Sermons and Responding to the Call: A Life of Liberal Jewish Commitment, a Festschrift in honour of Rabbi Harry Jacobi’s 90th birthday.
