A special afternoon of celebration and reflection will take place at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John’s Wood, this Sunday (29 October) to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial legalisation of male homosexuality in England and Wales.

A Service of Celebration, led by Liberal and Reform Judaism rabbis, will be be followed by a choice of learning and discussion sessions and, of course, a celebratory tea.

The guest speaker for the event is Robert Rinder, criminal law barrister and star of hit TV shows Strictly Come Dancing and Judge Rinder. He will discuss the legal process involved in this landmark decision and implications of the anniversary.

The afternoon is being jointly hosted by Leo Baeck College (LBC), the Jewish Gay and Lesbian Group (JGLG), Keshet UK, Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism.

Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah, of Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue, will be giving the opening address.

Tickets are free but those wishing to attend are required to register, for catering and security purposes, by visiting http://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/events/service-of-celebration/

During the afternoon, we will invite you to support the Leo Baeck College to endow faculty chairs in honour of two respected and much-loved LGBTQI+ teachers – the Rabbi Lionel Blue (z”l) Chair in The Public Engagement in Progressive Judaism and the Rabbi Sheila Shulman (z”l) Chair in Jewish Feminist Theology.

LBC trains rabbis and educators equipped for the 21st century, nurturing the leaders of Progressive Judaism and developing the heart of Progressive Jewish thought.