21 Rabbis Join Reform Jews from Across the UK for Biennial
Monday, 07 June 2010
With over 300 people, representing 24 different communities across the country, participating in the weekend, held at Manchester Reform, Menorah and Sha'arei Shalom synagogues, the new model trialled for the 2010 Biennial Conference was widely considered an enormous success.
There was an intense level of engagement in themes of crucial importance to British Jews in the 21st Century, such as the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora, how Jewish ethics inform the way we live our lives today and how we can deepen our collaboration with our communal partners, for the good of the whole community.
As 2010 marks the 200th Anniversary of Reform Judaism, participants explored the history of Reform Judaism - from German origins to the present day, as well as through the evolution of Reform Jewish music. Reform Movement Head, Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield celebrated the achievements of the Reform Movement over its history, in particular as it has moved “from the margins to the mainstream” and Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand described a vision for the future of Reform Judaism in the UK based on its unique values.
Practical educational sessions were held on ‘the Future of the Cheder’ and ‘Emerging Adulthood and the Changing Nature of Community.’
These sessions were interspersed with innovative, inspiring, spiritual and music-filled services led by rabbis from across the UK, as well as guests from the USA and Israel. In all, 21 rabbis contributed to the 2010 Biennial Conference, including Rabbi Danny Rich, Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism, who jointly led a session with the Reform Movement’s Executive Director, Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand. This session followed on from a similar one which they led together at the Liberal Conference held in April this year, demonstrating the strength of the collaboration between the two movements which continues to grow. As one participant commented: “Danny and Shoshana showed there was a healthy future for our movements in the UK”.
Rabbi Gilad Kariv, visiting the UK for the first time in his capacity as Executive Director of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, described the cultural and political landscape for Reform Jews in Israel. And Rabbi Ofek Meir, representing the Leo Baeck Center in Haifa, whose unique fusion of prayer and study was described by those who attended as “wonderful” and “inspirational”.
One participant described her experience in this way: “Something of a secular Jew, thanks to you, I felt a powerful sense of belonging and connection that left me wanting so much more.”
Another participant commented: “this was my first Conference and I found it thoroughly enjoyable and particularly interesting to visit the three shuls, none of which I'd been to before.” With another saying “the programme was restorative.”
The climax to the weekend was a Celebratory Dinner at Menorah Synagogue on Saturday evening at which guests were treated to entertainment from the magnificent Menorah Choir.
Summing up the weekend, here were some of the comments from those who attended: “It felt ‘wholly a Shabbat’ from start to finish, very relaxed, with wonderful opportunities to renew old friendships, and meet new members of our rabbinate”, “a wonderful atmosphere pervaded throughout the weekend”, “the Manchester Conference at the weekend was a great success from all points of view.”
Click here to view a gallery of photos from Conference taken by Howard Barlow.
Click here to access the Conference evaluation form.
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