The Movement for Progressive Judaism’s Co-Leads, Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, have taken part in a number of key national events this week to mark Chanukah.
On the second night of the festival, Rabbi Josh joined the English FA and Maccabi GB at Wembley Stadium – England’s most famous sporting venue – lighting the candles alongside Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Ephraim Mirvis.
Rabbi Josh said: “In a very challenging week for the Jewish community worldwide, it matters that our national institutions stand with us – taking the opportunity to not only celebrate with the Jewish community, but to express how important a part of British society we really are.”
On the same night, Rabbi Charley joined The Jewish Labour Movement for a Chanukah lighting at Central Synagogue in London where guests included Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Housing Minister Steve Reed.
Addressing the event, after lighting the menorah, Rabbi Charley spoke of the need for solidarity and shared resolve in this moment. She said: “A society in which Jews are safe behind barriers is not a healthy or cohesive society. Lasting security also depends on something harder and more demanding… political leadership that names antisemitism without qualification, public discourse that does not normalise or excuse hatred, civic spaces where Jewish presence is understood as belonging and not provocation, and relationships across communities that are strong enough to hold disagreement without allowing it to turn into dehumanisation.”
Rabbis Josh and Charley then joined many other Progressive clergy and leaders for the official Chanukah party at 10 Downing Street on the third night of Chanukah. They also took part in the festival celebrations hosted by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s Jewish staff network (The Horace Society), The Speaker of the House of Commons, and Lord Mann in Westminster Hall.
In Westminster, on the fourth night of the festival, they were joined by politicians from across parties and members of our Jewish community, including a delegation from Heaton Park Synagogue.
They said: “We’re grateful to Lord John Mann, and to the Speakers of the House of Commons and House of Lords, for making this possible. Chanukah teaches that light is strengthened by partnership and the presence of allies in the room mattered more than ever.”
