York Liberal Jewish Community celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special interfaith civic service attended by dignitaries from across the region.
Created in 2014, YLJC brought Jewish life back to the Yorkshire city with the re-establishment of a community holding regular services and events for the first time in 40 years.
It has steadily grown into an established progressive Jewish community of around 100 members with hopes for a new synagogue building and Jewish centre for York, which would also include a museum telling the story of Jewish life in the city over the centuries.
Clifford’s Tower in York is illuminated to mark Chanukah, the festival of lights. Credit: Guzelian Photography. December 2022.
The 10th anniversary service, led by Rabbi Elisheva Salamo, was to thank all those involved in the community’s development and to share the congregations re-emergence following the massacre of the city’s Jews in 1190.
Guests at the service included lead members of City of York Council, York’s Lord Mayor and Sheriff Cllr Margaret Wells and Cllr Fiona Fitzpatrick, chaplain to the Archbishop of York Dr Jenny Wright, Bishop of Selby Flora Winfield, chair of York Interfaith Group Avtar Matharu, Board of Deputies of British Jews chief executive Michael Wegier, regional director of English Heritage Andrea Selley, York MP Rachael Maskell and many other political and faith leaders.
Founder members Ben Rich, Lilian Coulson and Katrina Blackmore toast the future.
Highlights of the last decade include the first ever lightings of Chanukah candles within Clifford’s Tower – where one of the worst antisemitic massacres in British history took place in 1190 – and at Jewbury / Foss Bank, the medieval Jewish cemetery where those who died at Clifford’s Tower are believed to be buried.
In 2023, the community made history once more when it appointed Rabbi Elisheva Salamo, who became the first resident rabbi in York for more than 700 years.
Lilian Coulson, one of the founders of the community, said: “Whilst we endeavour to provide a Jewish home and Jewish family to those that seek one in York, we currently do so in these welcoming rooms provided by our Quaker friends. Our aspiration, in the not-too-distant future, is to have our own community home to welcome everyone to and which would allow us to do so much more.”
Rabbi Elisheva Salamo described how YLJC endeavours to be “the next light in the passing along of Jewish tradition within York; from those who kept the faith in 1190, to the engaged city builders of the 13th century, to the community of immigrants in the 19th and 20th century, and from us to our youth and those children yet to come.”
Progressive Judaism co-lead Rabbi Charley Baginsky said: “Over the past decade, York Liberal Jewish Community has grown from a fledgling vision into a vibrant, dynamic force for Progressive Judaism in York. This year has been deeply challenging for Jewish communities worldwide. In the face of fear and uncertainty, York has remained a beacon of hope and resilience – reminding us that while memorials to the past are important, it is people and communities like this one that give us the greatest reason to believe in the future.”
