Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue

http://vimeo.com/29311639

Early on there is a clip showing Antony Twyman with the Shofar.....

Later on there is a section showing our Summer Tea

http://news.reformjudaism.org.uk/chagigah-2012

Chagigah is the new name for the Movement for Reform Judaism’s Biennial Conference. It means 'celebration' and reflects the spirit of a joyful, fun, uplifting, spiritual, family-friendly gathering which we will be creating during our weekend in Daventry.

As well as wonderful, music-filled services, we will be hosting inspiring speakers and educators, offering learning opportunities for all ages and levels. There will also be plenty of innovative and practical ideas and resources for you to take back to your community.

We do hope you will be able to join us for what promises to be a really special and memorable weekend of celebration."

Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner on behalf of the Chagigah 2012 Team.

Register now as there are early bird savings to be had by following the link above

Ten things you have the right to expect from the Movement for Reform Judaism in 2012

1

Event: 'I'm Jewish My Partner Isn't 2012'

Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner was profiled by the Times last Saturday in a piece by Michael Freedland. Rabbi Laura will become Movement Rabbi in January.

This post by Deborah Blausten, passionately committed to both community and Reform Judaism, first appeared on Cartoon Kippah. We have taken it from the Reform Newsletter

While Deborah deliberately didn't name either synagogue or movement in the original piece, it is shared here with her permission as being particularly written to a Reform audience.

Running alongside our strategic review, we would love to hear your thoughts and feedback about the issues raised. Let us know at debate@reformjudaism.org.uk

We are writing as you are now in our 'over 21 membership' section and so unfortunately you are no longer covered in your family’s synagogue membership

Pam Goldsmith, Director of Community Development at the Movement for Reform Judaism, reflects on her role in the establishment of JCoSS, the Jewish Community Secondary School, as it prepares to open its sixth form next year:

I am incredibly proud to have been part of the JCoSS story for almost ten years. Back in 2002 I was asked to join a small team of individuals to consider the financial viability of establishing a cross-communal secondary school. We had no site, no money and no head teacher, but we had enormous amounts of enthusiasm and dedication to the project.

The Movement for Reform Judaism has today announced that it is to appoint Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner as its first ever Movement Rabbi, a full time position beginning in January 2012.

Rabbi Janner-Klausner, currently rabbi at Alyth (North Western Reform Synagogue) in North London, will represent the Movement as its rabbinic spokesperson in the national arena. This is a new position that has been created to increase awareness of Reform Judaism and its values, which are widely shared across much of the Jewish community. Rabbi Janner-Klausner is a well-known national broadcaster, featuring regularly on, amongst others, BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today programme’s ‘Thought for the Day’, and BBC 1’s ‘The Big Questions’.

The Board of Governors of Leo Baeck College (LBC) voted on Monday night to accept the unanimous recommendation of the Principal Search Committee to appoint Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris to take over as the new Principal from Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein who following the completion of his five-year term, will remain at the College in an academic role as Professor of Jewish History and Homiletics.
 
Newly elected Chairman of LBC, Alasdair Nisbet said, “Deborah is one of a new generation of leaders of the Progressive Jewish Community that was trained at the College. I believe that she is one of the first women to be appointed to lead a rabbinic college anywhere in the world. I look forward to working closely with her”.
 

My father has never really understood what I do for a living. "It's communications, dad: helping organisations explain what they do." "But surely they know that?" he replies.

Yet do any of us? Isn’t much of what we do force of habit?

As I prepare to take up my role as Chief Executive of the Movement for Reform Judaism, I want to reflect on why I personally do what I do and the individual journey which has brought me to where I am today.

On leaving university I dabbled in politics, until a headhunter suggested public relations as "more of a real job". So I spent the next thirteen years helping an eclectic selection of clients such as McDonald's tell their customers what they were about.

From time to time, I came across organisations that saw PR as a catch-all panacea for everything wrong in their businesses, but I soon came to realise PR can only tell the truth in the best possible light - it can't change the truth. Bad news is still bad news.

I enjoyed those years, but I found it hard to get excited about Chicken McNuggets, so when we sold the business, I took the opportunity to re-engage with my Judaism.

Rabbi Dr. Tony Bayfield to Step Down in January 2011

Following 15 years as Head of the Reform Movement, Rabbi Tony Bayfield has decided to step down at the beginning of January 2011. This is prior to his planned retirement at the end June because, in his words, "The handover has gone smoothly and I’m ready and excited to get on with the next phase of my life."
The intention is for Rabbi Bayfield to continue his relationship with the Reform Movement as its President, in a voluntary capacity, with Sir Sigmund Sternberg becoming its Life President.

Pluralism means living creatively with diversity. It is based on treating other groups and their philosophies with respect, while maintaining the right to uphold the value of one's own position. Diversity is a reality within the British Jewish community; true pluralism is, as yet, not. We believe that British Jewry both needs and deserves better.

These days it seems that young people are portrayed as hooded miscreants, knife wielding yobs or drunken louts. Every news item about youth seems to focus on their bad deeds and accusations of wild behaviour. For those involved in community youth provision, we know that this image is often at odds with what we experience on a weekly basis.

The Reform Movement is proud to introduce the new edition of 'Seder Ha–T’fillot Forms of Prayer'

“A prayer book is the most accessible window into the Jewish soul; this new edition reflects the challenges and opportunities faced by a new generation.” Rabbi Prof Jonathan Magonet, Editor

This highly innovative new prayer book includes services for Shabbat, weekdays, festivals and special occasions. Its flexible format enables you to participate in the most traditional or creative style of service.