January/February 2014 VOL. XLI No. 1
Liberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
www.liberaljudaism.org
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Fighting for a living wage LIBERAL JUDAISM has become the first synagogal movement in the UK to receive official accreditation as a ‘Living Wage Employer’. Below, Rabbi Richard Jacobi outlines our commitment to ensuring a fair salary for all: LIBERAL JUDAISM’S self-proclamation as the heir to the social justice ideals of the prophets cannot be achieved by words alone - it requires action. That action can be taken by you (yes, you, dear reader), as well as by your synagogue and by our national movement. When I attended a parliamentary reception to mark Living Wage Week in November, I heard some shocking facts and some inspiring ones. One shock was that since the National Minimum Wage was established in 1999, it has risen from £3.60 per hour to £6.31. However, if the National Minimum Wage had risen at the same rate as the pay of the directors of Britain’s top 100 companies, it would now stand at £19 per hour. One clear focus for Liberal Judaism is to ensure that anyone from whose work we benefit is paid a living wage. Internationally, the Fairtrade kite-mark has become well known for assuring us of this. Until recently, there was no similar way to know who in this country was receiving a living wage. Citizens UK and The Living Wage Foundation have been campaigning to change this. The national living wage is calculated at £7.65 per hour. The London living wage is £8.80 per hour. Both rates aim to enable an employee to achieve a basic but acceptable standard of living, something in line with the teachings of Judaism.
Liberal Rabbis Tanya Sakhnovich and Richard Jacobi meet with Rachel Reeves MP (centre)
One of the key laws of the ‘Holiness Code’ that we read every Yom Kippur afternoon relates directly to the wages of a hired servant, which must be fair and paid on time (see Leviticus 19:13). Maimonides set the highest level of tzedakah (meaning social justice) as being to enable someone to earn a living. At the time of writing, 480 companies have committed to be ‘Living Wage Employers’ and that number is growing rapidly. As well as receiving this official accreditation, Liberal Judaism has also participated in events designed to encourage other employers, such as Premier League football clubs, to improve their community relations and reputations by following suit. This is just the start of the process. Our aim is that by May, when our movement gathers for its Biennial Weekend, all our synagogues will also be recognised as Living Wage Employers. It would be even more wonderful if, at that point, every individual Liberal Jew could also say that everyone who is paid to provide goods and services directly to them receives a living wage. It’s only just!
JANUARY is your last chance to secure a discounted place on Liberal Judaism’s Biennial Weekend 2014. Early Bird rates end on January 31, so book now to save money and avoid disappointment. Read more about the Biennial on page 2.
ACCLAIMED artist Grayson Perry CBE was the guest of honour as Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) held a fundraising dinner to celebrate its 60th anniversary. The elegant evening, which took place at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, was the culmination of a year-long series of events. FPS member Viktoria Dorosz said: “Grayson gave a speech on ‘Why we should celebrate bad art’ that was both hilarious and thoughtprovoking. His flamboyant attire was much admired – he took the instruction to wear ‘celebratory dress’ to a whole new level!” Finchley’s Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk and Liberal Judaism chief executive Rabbi Danny Rich – pictured above with Grayson – also spoke at the packed event.