Principal’s Welcome by
Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris
350 educators | 212 rabbis | 176 communities | 14 countries | One people
As Principal of Leo Baeck College, I feel passionately that we are the beating heart of Progressive Judaism in the UK. As the only seminary with a fully validated rabbinic training programme in the United Kingdom, LBC is the place where rabbis and educators equipped for the 21st century are trained, where the leaders of Progressive Judaism are nurtured, and where the core of Progressive Jewish thought is developed. From innovative programming like our beit midrash programme for rabbinic literature to commissioning our tallitot and kippot for our ordinands from a women’s fair-trade weaving collective in Guatemala, we carry a forward-thinking ethos through everything we do.
Based on the model of the Berlin Hochshüle, Leo Baeck College was founded in 1956 by Rabbi Dr Werner van der Zyl and named in honour of his teacher, Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck. With our select student body we are able to offer challenging academic and vocational studies whilst maintaining an individual, friendly, and supportive environment, making the learning experience a truly personal one. With academic and vocational faculty of the highest calibre and one of the most important Jewish libraries in Europe, as well as excellent teaching resources, Leo Baeck College is infused with a love of Jewish learning.
For over six decades, the College community has been a beacon of hope and renewal for Progressive Judaism, and I hope that it will remain so for years to come. Please look at our course offerings and see if one motivates you to join us here as a part of our ever-expanding family.