Statement regarding safeguarding issue at West London Synagogue

Statement regarding safeguarding issue at West London Synagogue

A joint statement from the Chair of Reform Judaism, the Chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis and Cantors and the Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism:

“Our primary concern is the welfare and wellbeing of everyone who engages with Reform Judaism, including synagogue members and employees. In recent weeks, serious matters have been raised in the Jewish and national media regarding safeguarding and employment practices at West London Synagogue. We recognise that this will be unsettling for West London’s members and distressing for all parties concerned. We believe that these issues must be treated with the utmost care.

We also respect the spirit in which an open letter on safety in sacred spaces was sent this week to communal leadership.

We, as Chair of Reform Judaism, Chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis and Cantors and Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism, would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to building robust safeguarding guidelines across our movement.

We continue to work collaboratively to develop our Covenant/Code of Conduct, which will help define our collegiate working relationships with communities, clergy and Reform Judaism. The Joint Ethics Committee of Reform and Liberal Rabbis and Cantors is finalising a robust and transparent code and a clear set of practices and processes to protect members, employees and clergy.

If concerned parties would like to discuss these issues in further detail, they should feel free to be in touch”.

Geoffrey Marx, Chair of Reform Judaism

Rabbi Fabian Sborovsky, Chair of Assembly of Reform Rabbis and Cantors

Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism