RSGB Letterhead

Company Limited by Guarantee 14th July 2015 Company Number: 07431950 27th Tammuz 5775 Registered Charity Dear synagogue Chair, No: 1139806 We hope this finds you well. The Sternberg Centre 80 East End Road Finchley, London We are writing to update you about a recent proposal made by N3 2SY the Assembly of Rabbis in response to requests from many Telephone communities (as well as our Youth Movement, RSY-Netzer) to 020 8349 5640 consider our current approach to Jewish status. The Assembly Facsimile were keen that we stay true to our core values, treasuring both 020 8349 5699

Jewish tradition and Judaism’s ability to evolve in response to E-mail the contemporary world, as well as being inclusive and [email protected]

egalitarian. After a suitably thorough process of study and Website www.reformjudaism.org.uk discussion, they are proposing a new way of welcoming people into our communities, specifically where one parent is Jewish. It Chair Robert Weiner is a flexible framework to respond to a variety of needs. Vice-Chair Geoffrey Marx

Naturally, all the existing options for conversion remain Treasurer available. The Assembly recognises, for example, that if a Paul Winter

person has a Jewish father and a Jewish upbringing and wishes Honorary Secretary Sue Pearlman to embrace their Judaism through a Reform Synagogue, formal Chair - Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK conversion may not be the most appropriate response. Instead, Rabbi Paul Freedman for someone with one Jewish parent who leads (will lead) a Life President ‘Jewish life’ it will be possible to confirm Jewish status in a local Sir Sigmund Sternberg KC*SG

process led by the person’s rabbi and ratified by the Beit Din. President Rabbi Professor Tony Bayfield CBE The proposals are a natural evolution of our current practice,

and as communities have done for centuries, respond to the Vice-Presidents needs of our members. Leslie Bergman Neil Benson OBE Rabbi Dr Lionel Blue OBE Sir Trevor Chinn CVO You will find more detail in the attached FAQs document. We Harvey Cohen are proud to offer these new ways of welcoming people to our John Cohen Ruth Cohen communities, just as we were proud to lead on equal marriage Dame Vivien Duffield DBE and on calling women to the bimah. We anticipate that Andrew Gilbert Raymond Goldman congregations will now, in consultation with their rabbis, discuss Michael Grabiner CBE Judge Jerome Karet the details amongst themselves. We ask that you share this Miriam Kramer message with your communities and please use the enclosed Peter Levy OBE Rabbi Professor Jonathan Magonet FAQs document to answer questions that may arise. We are Rabbi Maurice Michaels very happy to respond to any more detailed queries you or your Dr Dolf A Mogendorff JP Stephen Moss CBE members may have. Jenny Pizer Jeffery Rose R. Stephen Rubin OBE Warm regards, Cliff Siegel Gordon Smith Judy Smith Robert Weiner Paul Freedman Laura Janner-Klausner Dr Lisa Stock Lord Stone of Blackheath Chair of Movement Chair of Assembly Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism Dr Richard Stone OBE David Tilles David Walsh

Senior Rabbi to the Movement for Reform Judaism Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner

Affiliated to World Union for Progressive Judaism

Lucy & Matthew Weiner | Lana Young | and our sixteen anonymous patrons

Updated July 2015