The Movement for Progressive Judaism

19/06/2026

🌍 One planet. One shared responsibility.

Eight Movement for Progressive Judaism communities, two cross-communal schools and one of our members won prestigious prizes at EcoJudaism’s Annual Community Awards.

The awards are presented to congregations who have displayed exceptional commitment to Jewish environmental responsibility, engaged their community in bringing these values to life, and achieved gold, silver or bronze level in EcoJudaism’s Sustainability Action Plan (SAP).

The Progressive winners on the night included Gold Awards for Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue, Kol Chai – Hatch End Reform Jewish Community, Newcastle Reform Synagogue and Oxford Jewish Congregation and many more besides!

Head to our website to find out more.
https://progressivejudaism.org.uk/progressive-communities-honoured-at-ecojudaism-awards/

19/06/2026

Wishing a very warm congratulations to Finchley Progressive Synagogue on being awarded as the UK’s first Synagogue of Sanctuary from 🧡

As draws to a close we recognise and celebrate all of our communities who put Jewish values into action on a daily or weekly basis across the country.

Refugees will always be welcome in Jewish community. We’ll never stop believing it, we’ll never stop saying it and as our communities show, we’ll never stop living it.



Featured in this video:
Helen from Odessa, Ukraine who arrived in Britain as part of a refugee scheme and lived with a family from Finchley Progressive Synagogue.
Rabbi Rebecca Birk, Rabbi of Finchley Progressive Synagogue
Rabbi David Mason, Executive Director of HIAS JCORE

16/06/2026

🔵 How are Israelis and Palestinians choosing to live side-by-side?

Join Rabbi Charley Baginsky in conversation with the Amnon and Shahira, the Israeli and Palestinian Co-Executive Directors of The Abraham Initiatives for an honest and detailed discussion about Israeli society today.

Tuesday 30th June 2026
7pm
North West London Location & Online

Drawing on the expertise and work on the ground of The Abraham Initiatives, together they will explore the realities facing Palestinian citizens of Israel, the challenge of building shared society, and what it means for British Jews to meaningfully engage with Israel-Palestine beyond simple slogans.

Sign up below:
https://tinyurl.com/TheOnlyWayToLive

The Abraham Initiatives is a Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli organisation that advances social inclusion and equal rights for Israel's Palestinian citizens by influencing public policy, shaping public opinion and demonstrating practical models for a shared society.

Read more about The Abraham Initiatives here: https://abrahaminitiatives.org/about-us/mission-statment/

15/06/2026

Wishing a warm Mazal Tov and congratulations to Rabbi Lev Saul and Kingston Liberal Synagogue on the installation of Rabbi Lev as their Rabbi this past Shabbat. ✨

15/06/2026

Thank you to Wimbledon Synagogue for hosting such a thoughtful and honest evening last week of conversation around Israel, Zionism and the Diaspora.

Rabbi Josh Levy joined Rebecca Singerman-Knight and Rabbi Adrian Schell to reflect on their contributions to the newly published Progressive Judaism, Zionism and the State of Israel, exploring how Progressive Jewish communities can hold grief, fear, moral challenge and hope without flattening the complexity of this moment.

The conversation explored how Progressive Jewish communities can make space for honest disagreement, moral seriousness and multiple truths held at once.

12/06/2026

Holding Multiple Truths: A Conversation on Zionism and Israel

Readings and Reflections from the New Progressive Judaism Collection

Join Wimbledon Synagogue for an evening of open, honest discussion about the complexities of Israel, Zionism, and the Diaspora.

Questions surrounding these topics are being debated with intense passion today. We are often searching for language that can hold multiple truths at once: grief for Israeli lives lost, anguish for the suffering in Gaza, fear at rising antisemitism, and deep concern for the moral and political direction of Israel.

On 13 June at 7:00 PM, we welcome three contributors to the newly published book Progressive Judaism, Zionism and the State of Israel.

Rabbi Josh Levy, Rebecca Singerman-Knight, and Rabbi Adrian Schell will read from their essays and share the insights that shaped their writing.

The evening offers an opportunity to hear perspectives rooted in Jewish text, pastoral experience, and community leadership.

Come be part of a conversation that refuses to resolve complexity by silencing difference.

Live Stream to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/P7zDHQuaitw

12/06/2026

East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue (ELELS) marked National Volunteers’ Week with a special Volunteers’ Shabbat celebrating the many people who give their time and energy to support community life.

The service, led by Rabbi Richard Jacobi and ELELS Musical Director Mich Sampson, recognised volunteers across every area of synagogue activity from governance, finance and religious life to education, pastoral care, security, building maintenance and hospitality.

Stewart Spivack, Honorary President of ELELS, explained how volunteers are vital to the community.

He said: “Our synagogue would not be able to run without the help of volunteers who do so much to organise events, maintain finance records, hold Council meetings, help in the kitchen, support our Religion School, provide pastoral care and assist with security. It has always been a joy to be part of the wonderful group of people who give freely of their time.”

11/06/2026

11/06/2026

"For many, the tallit is a vehicle for spirituality, a wrapping of comfort and protection, a thread tying us to generations past, while grounding us in prayer in the present. It is a mitzvah through which Jews have long expressed their devotion and belonging."

Rabbi Hannah KIngston of Alyth writing so powerfully in The Jewish Chronicle this week about women and tallit and this week's Sidrah.

Read below:

“Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner” Numbers 15:38