Study Day and LBC at the Darkeinu Conference

On Thursday 25th June at Leo Baeck College we were joined by several dozen of our friends, supporters, faculty, students and alumni for a special Study Day & Viva Presentation celebrating 100 years of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

As part of the Darkeinu conference, the Thursday Study Day at LBC brought together scholarship, reflection, and the opportunity to connect with the spiritual foundations of Progressive Judaism. Guided by faculty, participants explored contemporary Jewish thought, text, and practice.

Some of the highlights included a shacharit service led by our student rabbis which concluded with a Fellowship of LBC being conferred upon Rabbi Dr James Baaden, Rabbi Rebecca Birk and Rabbi Michael Farbman celebrating their outstanding service as rabbis.

This was followed by:

• A keynote speech by Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris titled: The Shifting Faces of the Progressive Rabbi
• An interactive session by Cantor Sarah Grabiner titled: Embracing Diversity in British Progressive Prayer: Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrachi melodies for Piyyutim in our Siddurim’
• A study session by Dr Keith Kahn-Harris titled: How significant is antisemitism today?
• A study sessions by Rabbi Dr Tali Artman-Partock titled: Recovery and reintegration after sexual assault – halakha & reality

The day concluded with final-year student rabbi Yael Tischler’s Viva Presentation: Our Monstrous Mother: Encountering Lilith’s Multiplicities.

As part of the Darkeinu Conference LBC Principal, Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris, delivered the blessing at the Shabbat morning service – read it here.

On Sunday morning, LBC Student rabbis also led the shacharit service at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue. Reflecting on the experiences of this week, Rabbi Professor Kahn-Harris said:

“This past weekend saw the European Union of Progressive Judaism celebrate 100 years since the founding of the World Union for Progressive Judaism at their Darkeinu conference in London. In honour of that auspicious occasion the LBC students alongside their counterparts from the École Rabbinique de Paris led a truly transportive service. Using the resources of the LBC Library, the rabbinical students found the service used by the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in 1926 (where this weekend’s conference was held) and led the Sunday morning shacharit using this liturgy. So many participants remarked afterwards how meaningful this service was, reminding us all of our deep roots as Progressive Jews.”

In the coming days, we will be releasing more full recordings of the Study Day sessions via our newsletter, so make sure to sign up today.