This coming Sunday may mark a new chapter in British Jewish communal history.
Member communities of the Reform and Liberal Jewish movements will come together, at separate but parallel General Meetings, to vote on whether to become a single denomination – Progressive Judaism.
The respective streams of Judaism have been travelling in this direction for some time. It has been two years since the announcement that the CEO’s of Reform and Liberal Judaism – Rabbi Josh Levy and Rabbi Charley Baginsky – would become co-Chief Executive Rabbis of Progressive Judaism. Ultimately, however, the decision is down to the member communities of each denomination at Sunday’s votes. If each one registers more than 75 percent in favour, it will seal the denominational fusion, marking the culmination of efforts dating back many decades. On two separate occasions in the 20th century – 1942 and 1983 – Reform and Liberal Judaism engaged in serious but ultimately unsuccessful discussions regarding a merger.
Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger was Chair of the Liberal Rabbinic Conference at
Progressive Judaism Co-Leads Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy:
the time of the 1983 merger proposition. She described how the denominations had made “a valiant attempt, but it did not succeed. The reasons were not of principle. They were to do with personalities, position and asking power. Some of those concerns still apply, but far fewer, and to far less an extent. The differences between the two movements are now vanishingly small, more of style than substance. In fact, public perception is that we are the same.”
Rabbi Colin Eimer, Chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis in 1983, concurs, describing how “The Progressive Jewish landscape then and now seems like chalk and cheese. Since talk started about merger in the past couple of years, all the ways in which the landscape has changed have been spelled out. Boundaries have changed beyond recognition, shifting for the better.”
As both Rabbis allude to, the prospect of Reform and Liberal Judaism joining together in such a fashion has undoubtedly been helped by the gradual but clear alignment between the two movements on many issues. This is perhaps best summed up by Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, now Senior Rabbi of Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue, but who started his rabbinical career with the Liberal congregations in Finchley and Woodford.
Writing last month, he described how “both movements now have an established route to equilineality, enabling children of one Jewish parent, irrespective of gender, to have recognised Jewish status. Both are fully egalitarian and built by people of all sexualities and genders. Both are fully able to integrate and build the Jewish lives of mixed faith couples and families. In regard to practice, Reform Judaism has become more flexible in its interpretation and Liberal Judaism more enthusiastic in its response to tradition. Above all, we celebrate the diversity of our synagogues and communities.”
Should the merger be approved, the new movement will have around 80 communities and roughly 30,000 members – approximately one third of all British Jews with a Synagogue affiliation . Apart from the financial considerations – increased fundraising possibilities, for example – the hope is that this will provide the new denomination with a louder voice, a greater presence and, crucially, the opportunity to further grow its communities.
The position of Progressive Judaism in America has clearly been an inspiration to many, including Rabbi Rebecca Birk, the representative of the Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors on the Progressive Judaism Advisory Board. She has written about how “In the USA, I had the mind-opening experience of Progressive Judaism being the largest and most confident of all Jewish denominations. This is why I know that the co-creation of one Progressive Judaism for the UK will amplify our voice, increase our numbers and broaden what it means to be Jewish and engaged in modern life.”
A successful merger will clearly bring its own challenges in terms of navigating a new joined landscape. But both movements have been very clear that the new denomination would be absolutely committed to communities retaining their individual identities, services and practices. This will mean, among other things, no changes to prayer books or congregational minhag (customs and practices), and no community would be asked to remove Liberal or Reform from their name. While the current denominational youth movements – LJY-Netzer and RSY-Netzer – will remain separate, they are already collaborating to offer enhanced experiences to young Progressive Jews – including a summer Israel experience and a new gap year programme.
It is believed that becoming one larger body will bring more opportunities – and funding – for youth, student and young adult work. And it is not just the younger members who have something to look forward to. Ruth Shire is a member of Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, and at 103 years old is believed to be the longest-serving member of Liberal Judaism. She describes herself as “feeling positive about the idea of a bigger group which can produce more important ideas and make them a reality.”
Will the member communities decide that they are better together, or opt to remain separate, with their two unique and historic identities? We will have the answer by Sunday afternoon.
