Nathan Jeffay 1 April 2016 The Jewish Chronicle Fears that Netanyahu will backtrack on historic Kotel deal under Charedi pressure Rabbis and community leaders around the world have warned that extremist stances taken by Israel’s Charedi leadership are alienating members of the diaspora. This week, the Israeli government was poised … Read More
Historic deal allows men and women to pray together at Western Wall
31 January 2016 The Guardian Israel approves official separate area for mixed gender praying that will be registered in country’s Law of Holy Sites. A battle lasting more than a quarter of a century over the Western Wall, the religious site revered by Jews all over the world, has resulted … Read More
How synagogues can make transgender Jews feel welcome
Rabbi Leah Jordan 29 October 2015 The Jewish Chronicle In the past few months, transgender people have moved from the twilight into the spotlight. Thanks to celebrities including Laverne Cox, Caitlyn Jenner and Kellie Maloney, transgender people and issues have found their way into the mainstream press and have been trending … Read More
Bienvenue à Finchley!
11 December 2014 The Jewish Chronicle Finchley Progressive Synagogue has appointed its first assistant rabbi. Rene Pfertzel joins Rabbi Rebecca Birk in a job share at the growing shul which now counts 330 households as members. “It’s quite a big step for the shul, and reflects the view that our … Read More
Putting the picture together
Lucian J Hudson 28 August 2014 The Jewish Chronicle Leadership in a crisis requires not just skill in responding appropriately in the moment but a coherence and consistency of purpose over time. Whitehall and Westminster’s response has lacked strategy, limiting UK’s influence short and long term, and unleashing an anti-Israel … Read More
Gove is right to push prevent
Lucian J Hudson 12 June 2014 The Jewish Chronicle Some family rows are worth having. After a stormy fortnight in Westminister, we should reflect that Michael Gove and Theresa May may in fact have done the British public a favour by surfacing a genuine tension in our approach to combating … Read More
Offering a third way for Judaism
Lucian J Hudson 16 May 2014 The Jewish Chronicle The growth of the Charedi and secular sections of our community identified by the recent JPR community survey has been much remarked upon. Much less noted has been growth by almost a third of those identifying as progressive. These figures hide … Read More
Mick Davis: Bibi hinders peace efforts and diaspora’s attempts to defend Israel
Simon Rocker 28 November 2013 The Jewish Chronicle The chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, Mick Davis, this week triggered fresh controversy over Israel by claiming it was doing too little to convey a commitment to peace. In an online article for the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz on Sunday, Mr Davis … Read More
Renewed call for board/JLC merger after chief executive steps down
Simon Rocker 10 October 2013 Jewish Chronicle The president of Liberal Judaism has called on the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council to renew efforts to unite into a single body. Lucian Hudson said that last week’s decision by JLC chief executive Jeremy Newmark to step down for … Read More
Liberal leader advocates ‘Federation’ with Reform
Simon Rocker 10 November 2011 The Jewish Chronicle Liberal Judaism chair Lucian Hudson has called for a closer alliance with the Reform movement, suggesting they combine forces in a joint federation. Writing in the latest issue of the Liberal newsletter, LJ Today, Mr Hudson said he wanted to go beyond … Read More