In two weeks from now the world comes to London!
Delegates from five continents are coming to celebrate the centenary of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, founded in London at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue on 12 July 1926. Everyone is welcome to join us at the Darkeinu Conference run by the European Union for Progressive Judaism and there is still time to book to join us for a day of the conference, for our Havdallah concert of one hundred years of Progressive Jewish music or for any of the trips and events leading up to the conference which are still open for bookings.
You can easily book for any of them by clicking here.
(Just press the ‘register today’ button and you will be taken through to all of the possibilities and the costs of each. Due to security requirements for this international conference, there are a few more questions that you will be asked as you register than you may be used to for synagogue events. The events from Friday to Sunday all take place at a single Central London synagogue venue.)
Friday 26 June – A Day of Learning, Discussion, Building and Celebration
Beginning at 9:30 (or at 8:45 if you would like to join us for Shacharit), this is the first day of the Darkeinu Conference. We begin with our keynote speaker MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv, and then you will have a choice of twelve different sessions throughout the day. They feature our century of WUPJ history, our evolving relationship with Israel, our next generation of young leaders, our advocacy and campaigns for a better world, our interfaith engagement, our liturgy and relationship with Jewish law, and innovations in Progressive Jewish life worldwide. Speakers and workshop leaders are from all around the world. Then come and join a Shabbat service and dinner at one of eleven Progressive synagogues around London. Lunch and dinner are included in the day fee of £150.
Saturday 27 June – Music That Moves Us: Highlights from a Century of Progressive Jewish Song and Music
Join us on a musical journey from Europe to America, Israel and the UK, celebrating our heritage and hope through Progressive Jewish synagogue music from 1926-2026 that continues to move us all. This spectacular and beautiful concert, beginning at 20:00, includes a luxurious dessert reception and Havdallah ceremony in the admission fee of £50.
Saturday 27 June – Whole Day Programme: Learning, Worship, Exploring
You are welcome to join us from 09:30 for shiurim in various languages, our Centenary Service, a Kiddush lunch, a choice of walking tours of Jewish London or afternoon learning sessions. The fee for the day is £50 (or £100 including the concert).
Sunday 28 June – A Morning of Learning, Discussion, Building and Celebration
Beginning at 9:30 (or at 8:45 if you would like to join us for Shacharit), this is the final day of the Darkeinu Conference. We end at 13:30 after a keynote talk from Rabbi Sergio Bergman, President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, and Rabbi Lea Mühlstein, Chair of the European Union for Progressive Judaism. Choose from eight sessions throughout the morning. They feature the remarkable global reach of Progressive Judaism and its impact, the meaning of Prophetic Judaism today, the evolution of Progressive clergy training, the campaigning of the WUPJ in the World Zionist Organization, the WUPJ’s inclusion agenda, the experiences of Jewish students worldwide, our engagements with other Jewish denominations and a further session exploring innovation, tech and otherwise, that will impact us. All this is included in the morning fee of £50.
Treasures of the British Jewish Community – Choose from Four Great Visits and Experiences Still Open for Bookings
Tuesday 23 June – Traces of Our Story: Jewish Journeys through the British Museum 10:30-12:30
Discover the Jewish stories woven through the galleries of the British Museum with Rabbi Josh Levy, Co-Lead of the Movement for Progressive Judaism – tracing the threads of history, faith and culture that connect ancient artefacts to the living story of our people. (Admin Fee: £15)
Tuesday 23 June – Illuminating the Word: Hebrew Manuscripts at the British Library 14:00-16:00
Explore the sacred art of Hebrew manuscripts with the curator of the British Library’s Hebrew Collection – where text and image meet across centuries of Jewish creativity in Britain’s treasure house of learning. (Admin Fee: £0 – free of charge)
Wednesday 24 June – Hidden Treasures: The Cairo Genizah and Jewish Discovery in Cambridge 09:00-18:00
Spend a day in Cambridge exploring the treasures of Jewish history and thought. At the University Library, encounter fragments from the Cairo Genizah – letters, prayers and everyday writings that open a window into a thousand years of Jewish life. After lunch at Beth Shalom, Cambridge’s Progressive Synagogue, continue to the Woolf Institute, where scholars and practitioners explore dialogue between faiths in today’s world. Together, these visits trace a journey from ancient texts to contemporary understanding – illuminating how our story continues to unfold. (Trip begins in Central London) (Fee: £100 includes transport, lunch and all admissions)
Thursday 25 June – Roots and Renewal: A Lay Study Day at Leo Baeck College 09:00-15:45
Spend a day learning at Leo Baeck College, the heart of Progressive Jewish scholarship and rabbinic training in the UK for the past 70 years. Guided by faculty, participants will explore contemporary Jewish thought, text and practice – engaging with the questions that shape our communities today. This study day, with lunch included, offers an opportunity to learn, reflect and connect with the intellectual and spiritual foundations of Progressive Judaism. Our teachers for the day include Rabbi Prof. Deborah Kahn-Harris, Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh, Dr Keith Kahn-Harris, Rabbi Dr Tali Artman-Partock, Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen, Cantor Sarah Grabiner and College Librarian Cassy Sachar, who will take us on a tour of the beautiful Lily Montagu Reading Room, opened this year. (Fee: £35)