Leo Baeck College 20 March 2017 More than 230 people packed into the North Western Reform Synagogue (Alyth) in Barnet to hear the Rt Rev & Rt Hon Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, deliver the first Lionel Blue Memorial Lecture. The event was part of the 60th anniversary celebrations for … Read More
The best Purim pictures from our communities
14 March 2017 From children walking the walls of York to a Cockney Megillah reading in Finchley, Purim 5777 was an action packed one in Liberal Jewish communities. Liberal Judaism’s newest congregation at East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue celebrated their first Purim, with our oldest, The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, … Read More
[Blog] Why today’s Liberal Jews have reclaimed Purim
Rabbi Leah Jordan 13 March 2017 It’s hard to imagine now – with our synagogues full of spiels, fancy dress and hamantaschen – but for much of our movement’s early history, Liberal Judaism downplayed the festival of Purim. The reason is because the Book of Esther, the Megillah, ends in … Read More
[Sermon] It’s a Topsy Turvy World!
10 March 2017 As published in the Crouch End Chavurah magazine Purim (meaning ‘lots’) falls this year on the evening of Sunday 12 March. The biblical book of Esther is the source of Purim. Although lacking any historicity, the Book of Esther tells of a Persian King, Achverosh, his Jewish … Read More
More than 100 attend LJ’s first ever Northern Service
20 February 2017 The first ever combined service of Liberal Judaism’s northern communities has taken place in York, attended by around 120 people. Liberal Judaism members and friends from as far afield as Cumbria, Northumbria, Nottingham, Durham and Manchester gathered for the service, which was led by Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich … Read More