Leo Baeck College is delighted to welcome Laliv Clenman, its first full-time woman lecturer in Talmud and Rabbinic Literature. In late August Dr Clenman successfully defended her PhD dissertation at the University of Toronto investigating intermarriage and Jewish identity in Rabbinic Literature. She will be lecturing at Leo Baeck College on the new MA Programme in Jewish Studies held jointly with Kings College, London, where she will be a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Dr Clenman previously taught at the University of Toronto.

Dr Clenman steps into the post vacated by Dr Moshe Lavee, now teaching at the University of Haifa.

On Tuesday 8 September Dr Clenman presented a shiur in Talmud to a combined meeting of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis and Liberal Rabbinic Conference. It is planned that she will lead a City shiur for businessmen and women in the City of London in the New Year.

Rabbi Dr Michael Shire, Vice-Principal remarked, “We are fortunate to have found a wonderful young scholar of rabbinic literature who is an excellent and exciting teacher of Jewish texts. As a mark of her charisma one of our graduating students on the search committee asked if she could come back to study with Dr Clenman.”

Leo Baeck College is proud to announce the Ordination on 5 July 2009 of eight Rabbis for the Progressive Movement in the UK.  Leo Baeck College is the only institution in the UK to ordain eight rabbis in one ceremony, all of whom are due to serve in very different UK communities after ordination and have come from different backgrounds. Five of the ordinands received a distinction in their MA, writing dissertations on minor tractates of the Talmud, Mikveh, Rabbinic Sermons of the First World War, Sexual Violence in the Torah, etc. The ordinands will enter the rabbinate with experience in multiple fields including Jewish Education, Cantorial Nusach, Interfaith dialogue and social action.

The Ordination which took place at West London Synagogue attracted 700 guests, the largest number for many years.  As a consequence the Reception was divided between the three reception areas at West London Synagogue.

Leo Baeck College, Vice Principal, Rabbi Dr Michael Shire commented: “ Leo Baeck College is strengthening the Progressive Movements in this country by graduating eight new rabbis whose influence will be felt by a generation to come.  We are proud of their high academic achievements and skilled pastoral and spiritual abilities.” 

Annual Event for Leo Baeck College raises over £80,000

The Kaufmann Memorial Lecture and Dinner – hosted by Leo Baeck College and held on Thursday 14 May at the Inner Temple – succeeded in raising over £80,000 for the College and the future of Progressive Judaism.

A total of 126 guests attended this year’s event - with leading figures from the academic, business and professional worlds. Guests enjoyed the elegant surroundings in the Hall of the Inner Temple, one of the four ancient Inns of Court based in the heart of London’s legal quarter. The cost of the evening was sponsored by anonymous donors and the Blavatnik Family Foundation.

The Leo Baeck College library receives a rare collection of children's books on long term loan

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