2011 in Review
Thursday, 12 January 2012
2011 was a year of new faces as well as continued innovation and success for the Movement for Reform Judaism. Here is a month by month review.
JanuaryPam Goldsmith appointed Director of Community Development.
West Hampstead Yeshivah launches offering young adults a way to engage with serious Jewish learning with Reform educators.
Mike Grabiner, former Chairman of the Movement, announced as the next chair of the WUPJ.
February
Ben Rich appointed Chief Executive of the Movement for Reform Judaism.
Movement for Reform Judaism and West London Synagogue co-host a special interfaith service to mark the 250th anniversary of the Board of Deputies.
March
Sir Sigmund Sternberg elected Life President of the Movement for Reform Judaism, with Rabbi Dr. Tony Bayfield CBE elected President.
Alyth (North Western Reform Synagogue) win the annual RSY-Netzer International Purim Spiel-Off.
April
Sixteen couples attend Jeneration’s first ever DIY Wedding workshop for mixed-faith couples.
Rabbi Dr. Tony Bayfield CBE represents Reform Judaism at the Royal Wedding.
May
Ben Rich makes his first community visits to Bromley Reform Synagogue and Wimbledon and District Synagogue in his first week in post.
Work starts on the first ever UK Reform Haggadah.
June
Over 200 members from six synagogues come together on Erev Shavuot for the annual Tikkun Leyl Shavuot at the Sternberg Centre.
Rabbi Mark Goldsmith elected as new Chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK. Rabbi Sybil Sheridan elected as Vice Chair.
First ever SMart: South Manchester Arts Festival takes place at Menorah Synagogue.
July
Four new rabbis from Leo Baeck College ordained in a ceremony at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue.
MRJ organises first ever Anglo-Jewish Music and Song Leading Conference attended by representatives of thirty congregations. Occasion marked with launch of 'Shirei Ha-T’fillot'; the first new book of Jewish liturgical music in the UK for 100 years.
Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner appointed as first-ever Movement Rabbi: "there is a new voice for British Jews and that voice is progressive" says Ben Rich.
180 16 and 17 year olds depart for Israel on RSY-Netzer tours, the largest number for a decade.
Rabbis and leaders of Progressive synagogues in the UK, Denmark and Germany gather for the fifth annual Leo Baeck College Summer Institute for Jewish Leadership.
August
MRJ launches a nine month review of all its activities, to engage every one of our communities and prepare the Movement for the challenges ahead. By December, three quarters of all Reform communities have responded.
50 children attend RSY-Netzer's first ever pilot Shemesh Day Camp for five to eleven year olds at the Sternberg Centre in Finchley. Plans are now being made for a similar camp in Manchester.
Almost 900 young people take part in Shemesh summer camps and tours having, in the words of nine year old Lucy Harris, "the best time ever!" 
September
RSY-Netzer lunchtime club starts at JCoSS teaching English and Hebrew songs.
'Reform Judaism News', the Movement's first ever newspaper, published. It is distributed to all communities and reaches a wider audience via the inclusion of 25,000 additional inserts in the Jewish News.
Largest ever fundraising Annual Dinner held at RIBA in central London.
October
High Holy Day ticket outreach scheme allows students and young adults to attend services for free.
Consolidation of MRJ staff in the Manor House with RSY-Netzer moving in: saving money and improving communication and collaboration.
November
Annual legal dinner held with speaker the Rt Hon the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger.
Big Tent for Israel event in Manchester is cross-communal following intervention from MRJ and communal bodies.
Jeneration relaunches with focus on Reform provision and outreach to mixed-faith couples.
Northern Communities' Weekend held in Grange-over-Sands with representatives attending from 13 communities in Scotland and Northern England.
Movement Rabbi designate, Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner profiled in The Times.
Reform communities across the country as well as staff at the Sternberg Centre take part in Mitzvah Day activities.
December
Massuot Awards reception recognises and rewards the achievements of young Reform Jews and their adult helpers who have made an outstanding contribution to their Reform and wider community.
Jenny Pizer becomes Chair of the Movement for Reform Judaism.
MRJ featured on the BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today programme.
Largest ever delegation of two dozen representatives from seven communities attends URJ Biennial conference in Washington, DC.
141 trainee leaders attend RSY-Netzer's Machaneh Hadracha leadership seminar.
And through the course of 2011 the Beit Din held 30 sittings, enabling around 100 people to become Jewish by choice through the Reform Movement.
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