Towards a radical UK Jewish denomination
JVL Introduction
In May Reform and Liberal Synagogues will be voting on a proposal to join forces. Joseph Finlay is concerned that the focus is on organisational factors but he believes other issues are more worthy of consideration and democratic debate, not least in a time when there is a genocide taking place. He believes that whether or not the movements do merge, they will continue to play their role within the UK Jewish “mainstream”, fearful of criticism from the Jewish Chronicle, Jewish Leadership Council and so on and very much connected not only to the State of Israel but also to the British State and he makes a strong case for distancing a new Jewish denomination from both.
He asks that they remember their radical – including the non Zionist – history; an anti-Zionism “based on a principled rejection of nationalism.” Finlay also recalls that the movements were both active in other progressive struggles such as for women’s right to vote, the “abolition of the death penalty, opposition to nuclear weapons and welcoming migrants”.
LL
This article was originally published by Torat Albion Blog on Wed 26 Mar 2025. Read the original here.
Merger She Wrote
Towards a Non-Statist British-Jewish Denomination
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A new grouping would be great, of course – but for those of us in areas where the nearest Reform synagogue is 50 miles away and the nearest Liberal one probably about 100, it’s a bit difficult to see how to go anywhere with this.
I have always taken some pride in being a diaspora Jew. Despite everything that has been done to us over hundreds of years, despite facing so many hardships and suffering so many atrocities, we have been able to establish stable communities in so many parts of the world, and have contributed, will always contribute, hugely to the nations we individually call our homes. And somehow, despite all the pressures to change, and even despite our dfferences, we keep our Jewish identity and our belief in ourselves. The whole world is our home; and it shocks me that those Jews who support the Israeli genocide, even if they are rhemselves of the diaspora, cannot understand or appreciate that simple truth.It would save so much pain if they did – and not just Jewish pain, but that of the people paying for the so-called Jewish state with their blood.
Reform and Liberal synagogues are part of the Board of Deputies which in turn seems to be led by the Orthodox Chief Rabbi Mirvis. Surely this cannot be right.