Two bodies representing progressive Judaism in the UK have joined forces to give their movement greater reach and a stronger voice.
The Movement for Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism announced on Monday that they will put aside 120 years as separate organisations “to create one single unified progressive Jewish movement for the UK”.
The new body, Progressive Judaism, will represent about 30% of British Jews who are affiliated to synagogues. About half of observant British Jews are Orthodox, and up to 15% are ultra-Orthodox or Haredi. A small proportion of British Jews are Masorti, offering “traditional Judaism for modern Jews”.
In a joint statement, Paul Langsford, the co-chair of the Movement for Reform Judaism, and Ruth Seager, the chair of Liberal Judaism, said: “Our lay leadership and clergy are clear that the future for progressive Judaism is to have one shared movement to represent all of Britain’s progressive Jews. It will mean that our reach, our voice and ultimately our Judaism will be stronger.
“Our movements have made a huge impact on the development of the Jewish and wider world, but there is much more to do, and we believe this can be better achieved together.”
Progressive Judaism will be led by Rabbi Josh Levy, currently the principal rabbi of Alyth, or North Western Reform synagogue together with Rabbi Charley Baginsky, the CEO of Liberal Judaism.
The two movements had grown together “hand in hand” in recent years, said Baginsky.
“We believe the same things – for example, our welcome of mixed faith families and fully egalitarian services. We are as one on everything from campaigning for same-sex marriage to training rabbis and educators, to offering provision for students and young people,” she said.
Rabbi Jonathan Romain of Maidenhead synagogue said: “It has always been one of the great mysteries of British Jewry as to why they have two progressive movements. They not only share the same values and largely have the same practices, but their rabbis are trained at the same institution, and many of them have served congregations in both movements.
“There has been talk of combining into a new entity for many years and the arguments for doing so are now overwhelming. I am sure we will look back and say ‘why on earth did it take us so long to achieve?’”
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Progressive Judaism mixed “the best of the traditions of the past with the realities of today”, he said. “For instance, in services, whereas the Orthodox use only Hebrew prayers, in Reform and Liberal, there is a mix of Hebrew and English. In terms of modern issues, it means women are accepted as religious equals and can be rabbis, mixed-faith couples are welcome and gay marriages can take place.”
Jews make up 0.46% of the population of England and Wales, according to the 2021 census. More than half the 271,327 people who declared themselves Jewish in the census live in Greater London.
Research published by the Institute of Jewish Policy Research in 2015 forecast that ultra-Orthodox Jews will make up the majority of British Jews before the end of this century, driven largely by high birthrates. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish women give birth to an average of seven children, compared with 1.93 for other Jewish women, 1.53 for Christians and 3.25 for Muslims.
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