Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy have both welcomed what they say is the “incredible privilege” of leading their respective Liberal and Reform communities into a newly unified Progressive Judaism movement.
Speaking to Jewish News after an overwhelming vote in favour of the merger was confirmed on Sunday, the two inspiring leaders both stressed their fundamental belief that diversity of opinion within their 80 communities in the UK would continue to make Progressive Judaism stronger, rather than weaker.
“You know, the idea that we should all agree with one another is not a Jewish idea, ” reasoned Rabbi Levy. “And it’s not a particularly healthy idea, actually.”
He added:”I think we welcome the fact that diversity exists within our communities.
“And Jewishly – these are the words of the living God – our task is to find ways of ensuring that our disagreements are constructive.”
“When in April 2023 the Reform and Liberal movements first announced their intention to merge, there were, perhaps understandably, some in the community who doubted the proposal would actually happen in the end.
Liberal Judaism and Reform Judaism took the historic step of voting to unite at parallel meetings on Sunday. Each vote easily exceeded the required 75% threshold for the move, with about 95% in favour.
The merger will be formally launched in November.
The fact that the vote in favour of unification was so high has much to do with the drive and dedication of Baginsky and Levy.
Rabbi Josh Levy and Rabbi Charley Baginsky met with Middle East minister Hamish Falconer MP
As joint CEOs they took their vision of a newly strengthened Progressive movement to every community across the country in an exhaustive two-year long campaign.
To those fortunate enough to see them sell their vision in person, their leadership skills have proved both infectious and compelling.
“It now feels like an unbelievable privilege,” remarks Baginsky, when asked how both she and Levy feel, having learned of the scale of the vote in favour of unification.
“We have spent the last two years in the heart of our congregations.
“And now to be able to be here, at this moment of incredible privilege – something I didn’t think I would see in my entire career.”
Levy, Principal Rabbi at Alyth Gardens shul in Temple Fortune, then adds:”And now there is work to do.”
“The decision we made today is a decision to go on a journey together, to make something new together. The trust our communities have placed in us is humbling, and heartening.
“We now need to do the work of making this new movement one that really represents progressive Judaism in the faith community, and in wider communities. ”
Celebrations as vote in favour of Reform and Liberal Judaism uniting as Progressive Judaism is confirmed
Both leaders are, of course, fully aware that the merger takes place at a time of great tension, stress, and indeed division in the community in this country, mainly as a result of Israel’s continued war against Hamas in Gaza.
“I don’t think divisions are just between communities or denominations or movements,” opines Baginsky, “we are conflicted internally ourselves.”
She continues:”The current situation makes us pull in one thousand different directions. To the hostages, to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to the images we see on television, to the joy of watching Israel compete in the Eurovision…
“We are constantly in a moment of feeling internally conflicted.
“Our job as a movement, as Progressive Judaism, is to be able to help communities to be able to hold that and to be able to say that actually it is complex.
“It is OK to feel two things or to talk about two truths at the same time.”
Abraham Geiger founded Reform Judaism
Baginsky, who had been Chief Executive Officer of Liberal Judaism since 2021, reasons:”It is possible to be a Zionist, a committed Zionist, and to believe there needs to be a humanitarian aid response in Gaza.
“It is possible to be critical of the Israeli government, and at the same time to absolutely feel for friends and family who are serving in the IDF.”
Levy is also keen for the new movement to draw in those who are struggling to grapple with their response to the conflict in the Middle East.
“Disagreement, in and of itself, is not unhealthy,” he says.
“What is unhealthy is suppressing our disagreements and not allowing people to articulate that.”
Asked if there is room within the Progressive Judaism movement for those now struggling with their Zionism, he adds:”Part of being Jewish is a struggle, ” he reasons.
“So the idea that we should somehow pretend that we are not challenged, as a community, as individuals, also a Jewish community – it is not healthy for anybody that we are trying to do that.
“And what I also think is really important ithat we speak about is the idea that anybody who disagrees with you must either be a fool or have evil intent, or be a liar – and is worthy of the sort of abuse we are seeing on social media.
“The Jewish community needs to learn to disagree well and respectfully, and not to be a source of the sort of inner conflict … that is unhealthy. ”
“And to count people out,” adds Baginsky.
“”That’s the bit that we see constantly, the desire to push people out of the tent.
“Our job is to make sure the tent is open for anybody who wishes to be in it.”
Liberal Judaism’s Rabbi Danny Rich with the United Synagogue’s Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
Asked how an increasingly powerful Progressive movement would now conduct relations with the modern orthodox United Synagogue, Levy is keen to stress:”We have very good and respectful relationships.
“This project is not about trying to compete or take someone else’s voice away,” he says.
“What this project is, in part though, about is making sure the diversity of the Jewish community in this country is amplified. We want all of the diverse voices of our community to be heard.
“This isn’t in any way about trying to compete with central Orthodoxy.”
Asked finally about the prospect of two large London communities – the independents of Westminster Synagogue, and the West London shul – now being asked to join up with Progressive Judaism, Levy accepts a wider belief that “we believe we are stronger when we work collaboratively together.”
But he adds:”It is not our decision to make, it is for those two independent progressive communities to decide whether or not they want to be a part of us.
“Our task is to build something that is effective and exciting and ambitious and compelling. ”
On a busy Sunday, with national media organisations requesting interviews after learning about the merger, our interview is brought to an end by the rabbi’s PR managers.
But not before Levy warns Baginsky that downing a second celebratory glass of champagne to mark a truly historic day in the history of UK Jewry, might not be the best idea.
