January/February 2022 VOL. XLIX No. 1
Liberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
www.liberaljudaism.org
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Leading the way 120 years on... still making history and securing the future
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IBERAL JUDAISM Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Charley Baginsky recorded another piece of history for our movement by becoming the first ever Progressive rabbi, and the first woman, to light the Chanukah candles in Trafalgar Square. Charley attended the annual first night ceremony, which is organised by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) and the Board of Deputies of British Jews. She was joined at the event by the Mayor, JLC Chair Jonathan Goldstein and Co-Chief Executive Michelle Janes, Board of Deputies’ President Marie van der Zyl and Chief Executive Michael Wegier and Jewish London Forum Chair Adrian Cohen (all pictured above left). The tweet about the event on the @LiberalJudaism Twitter page has received 175,000 impressions – a record for our account. In addition, the video has been viewed more than 50,000 times across our social media channels. Charley said: “To light the candles at Trafalgar Square – this prominent, public London venue – was a landmark moment in representation, as well as a very special personal honour.
“When I first became a rabbi, I never thought being a woman and being a rabbi was unusual, because I grew up in a Progressive Jewish world. “But I then began to realise that actually that’s not the way that the rest of the world necessarily sees it - there are a lot of challenges around people’s perceptions. This moment will have helped to change many of those. “It underlines the confidence our movement now has, and the progress we have made on representation, as we enter our 120th anniversary year. There is still much to do, but I am optimistic.” The giant menorah was first placed in the middle of Trafalgar Square in 2007 to promote Anglo-Jewish life. For the last 14 years, it has been lit by an Orthodox male rabbi. Having a Progressive rabbi take the honour was a result of years of hard work and profile-building by Liberal Judaism. Charley said the moment was made even more poignant as she was accompanied by her two daughters Eliana and Cassia (pictured above right). She concluded: “This was an optimistic and profound statement of our Jewish community’s unity in its commitment to diverse voices and representation.”
RABBI CHARLEY BAGINSKY and Liberal Judaism’s other rabbis and leaders – including Chair Ruth Seager – have been very visible at major events involving prominent British and Israeli figures over the last two months. These included a celebration at No10 Downing Street hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson – where he honoured the “amazing contribution” that British Jews make to the country – and a reception in Parliament hosted by the Board of Deputies of British Jews. At the Parliamentary event, Charley, Ruth and Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich of The Liberal Synagogue Elstree were able to speak to senior members of all political parties about Liberal Judaism’s values and concerns, especially around the battle against antisemitism.
Charley and The Ark Synagogue’s Rabbi Lea Mühlstein met with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, on his recent UK visit (pictured above). Lea, who is the International Chair of Arzenu, was warmly welcomed by the President as a friend and colleague. Charley also sat with Sir Keir Starmer at the Labour Friends of Israel lunch, attended the annual Council of Christians and Jews meeting hosted by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and enjoyed the Duchess of Cambridge’s Westminster Abbey Christmas carol service. She said: “It’s a privilege to represent our movement at these events which are a real tribute to the valuable role of the Jewish community in British society.”