Liberal Judaism

We revere Jewish tradition, and seek to preserve the values of the Judaism of the past while giving them contemporary force. We aspire to a Judaism that is always an active force for good in the lives of Jewish individuals, families and communities today, and equally makes its contribution to the betterment of wider society.

We have over 36 communities nationwide and our non-judgemental welcoming spirit means that we are growing steadily. We were the first synagogue movement in the country to publish liturgy with egalitarian non-gendered language. Everyone is welcome in our houses of prayer, wherever they are on their Jewish journey. Unique among Jewish communities in the UK, we welcome patrilineal Jews alongside matrilineal ones, provided they are given a Jewish upbringing. This is because we hold that Jewishness is not genetic, but social in origin. As such, we are the natural home for mixed-faith couples, even if the non-Jewish partner does not wish to convert. We were also the first religious movement in the country to publish official liturgy for same-sex partnerships, and the first Jewish movement to come out publicly in support of equal marriage which, to us, has always been a matter of justice.

We stress the importance of sincerity in practice, and encourage a direct and questioning relationship with our tradition.

Our tradition has never stood still and we need your help to keep moving it forward, so that more and more people – of all ages – can benefit from the Liberal Jewish message of inclusivity, equality and social justice. Let us not ‘lose’ Jews to intermarriage, but rather let us widen our circle to include all Jews by meeting them where they actually are.