Helen Stone 31 July 2018 When my phone rang one evening last February the voice was anxious and the tone urgent. The caller was one of the organisers of Northwood Holocaust Memorial Day Events educational sessions. “Our speaker is unwell,” they explained. “Can you take her slot tomorrow morning?” As … Read More
Rabbi Gilad Kariv responds to Israel’s Nation State Law & Tisha B’Av
Rabbi Gilad Kariv 19 July 2018 Israel Movement for Reform & Progressive Judaism In a few days, the Jewish people will mark exactly 1948 years since the second destruction of Jerusalem. The historians of the time left us with powerful descriptions of the political and military struggle between the … Read More
Share your story – Celebrating 70 years of the NHS #NHS70
5 July 2018 Seventy years ago today, the National Health Service (NHS) was created and has played a vital role in the lives of everyone in Britain ever since. Find out more about what the NHS is doing to celebrate this big birthday at https://www.nhs70.nhs.uk. Liberal Judaism is joining with … Read More
Why your kids (and you) will love Kadimah
Judi Herman 1 July 2018 LJ Today For Ed and Jess Herman (pictured), LJY-Netzer’s Machaneh Kadimah summer camp was more than just the highlight of the school holidays. Judi Herman asks them to explain why – then she and husband Steve add some parental memories: Ed says… The thing about … Read More
[Opinion] Why we must continue to speak out on Israel
Rabbi Charley Baginsky 17 May 2018 It is Thursday afternoon and 24 hours since I, along with our youth movement worker Simon Lovick, wrote an open letter criticising the Board of Deputies statement on the current situation on the border between Israel and Gaza. This is the first chance I … Read More
[Blog] Mental Health Awareness Week
Rabbi Alexandra Wright 15 May 2018 Two weeks ago, the Liberal Jewish Synagogue held its annual Kabbalat Torah service – one of the highlights of our year and always a source of great pride for any Liberal Jewish congregation. The class of nine fifteen year olds led the Friday evening … Read More
Liberal leaders contribute to René Cassin parashiot project
23 March 2018 Liberal Judaism rabbis and officers have contributed to a unique project offering communities a human rights commentary on each weekly Torah parasha. Put together by René Cassin – the human rights NGO that draws on Jewish experiences and values – the free resource offers 54 thoughts written … Read More
Why I had to walk out of the Zionist Federation’s dinner
Rabbi Lea Mühlstein 13 March 2018 The Jewish Chronicle “With no opportunity to voice my opposition to the guest speaker’s comments on asylum-seekers in Israel, I was left with no choice.” Sometimes enough is enough. I am a deeply committed Zionist and I believe that British Jewry must take a … Read More
Better Know a Jewish Charity – Memorials Scrolls Trust
Ben Crowne 6 March 2018 Better Know a Jewish Charity The story of the Memorial Scrolls Trust, and the 1,500+ Czech torah scrolls (“sifrei torah” in Hebrew, singular “sefer torah”) they administer, is a really remarkable one which it is worth going into in some detail (1). Put in the … Read More
[Blog] Celebrating diversity in LGBT History Month – a personal perspective
Karen Newman 23 February 2018 Board of Deputies website I joined the Jewish Gay and Lesbian Group (now Jewish LGBT+ Group) in 1999. I was reasonably secure in both identities, although I had never felt the need to manifest both in the same nano-second – I joined together with my … Read More