Latest News
A new Rabbi for SWESRS
The Council of South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue (SWESRS) is delighted to announce the appointment of Rabbi Jordan Helfman as their new Rabbi. Rabbi Jordan is currently Associate Rabbi at Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto and will be joining SWESRS on 1st January 2022. Rabbi Jordan was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in New Jersey. Whilst studying Political Theory and International Relations at Michigan State University his Jewish values and synagogue community became increasingly important to him. He began leading services and taking weekend trips to the Rabbinical school in Cincinatti. On the advice of a…
Reform Movement Applauds Board’s Action on Kotel Abuse
The Movement for Reform Judaism would like to thank the President of the Board of Deputies, Marie van der Zyl, for writing to the Israeli Ambassador to the UK raising the violent harassment faced by women worshippers at the Kotel (Western Wall) recently. A group of ultra-Orthodox men destroyed 39 Siddurim as Women of the Wall, a feminist group, attempted to pray with a Torah at the Kotel. Rabbi Miriam Berger of Finchley Reform Synagogue commented on the incident, “When some Jews see these scenes they will be shocked by the images of siddurim being torn up by those who claim…