The Movement for Reform Judaism

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Ruth Kelly speaks to Reform Movement

Written by Andie Newman

Wednesday, 18 October 2006

The Secretary of State for the newly-formed Department of Community and Local Government addressed 200 guests at the most successful Reform Movement Annual Dinner to date at the Inner Temple Hall yesterday.

PRESS RELEASE
London, 18 October 2006

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The Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP began by offering belated birthday wishes to the President of The Movement for Reform Judaism and the Guest of Honour last night, Sir Sigmund Sternberg, whom she recognised as having managed “to draw the three faiths together” through the Three Faiths Forum, demonstrating the “hugely important insight (that) … there is more that binds us than divides us”. She acknowledged that Sir Sigmund “has been way ahead of the game” and had seen the importance of things that “the government is only now realising it needs to address.” She then presented Sir Sigmund with a card and gift from the Prime Minister, who, she said, had very much hoped he could have attended himself.

Speaking of her own agenda within the new department, Ruth Kelly reassured guests that, despite what may appear in the media, the idea that the government were only interested in Muslims “could not be further from the truth”.

Later in the evening, Lord Carey of Clifton PC, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, paid tribute to Sir Sigmund, whom he referred to as “one of our nation’s most distinguished sons”, for his “outstanding contribution to interfaith friendship and understanding”. George Carey also acknowledged the Movement for Reform Judaism as having always been at the forefront of interfaith work in the UK and praised the leadership of Rabbi Tony Bayfield.

Guests were hugely inspired by a film by 31 year old Jewish filmmaker, Josh Newman, which focused on the Reform Movement’s 2020 Vision, its strategy for the next 15 years addressing the key challenges facing Anglo-Jewry today. And a presentation was made by 28 year old web marketing consultant Gabrielle Moss which outlined the cutting edge ‘work in progress’ for reaching out to the 18-35 age group.

Watch the film here

The evening was an enormous success; the best attended Annual Dinner to date. Indications are that fundraised income for 2007 will be in the region of £750,000, an increase of 25 percent on 2006.

In his speech, Reform Movement Head, Rabbi Tony Bayfield, said:

Something momentous is happening. We’ve reached the tipping point. The point at which what you’ve dreamt of and worked for, for years, begins to happen. The point at which the pace of change quickens, dramatically. RSGB has developed into the Reform Movement and a loose association of synagogues has become a real Movement which challenges, inspires and excites its members, particularly its members in the 18-35 age group.