York Liberal Jewish Community (YLJC) celebrated the congregation’s 10th Anniversary by holding a special interfaith civic service, attended by many dignitaries and VIPs from the region and beyond.
Guests – who included Lead members of City of York Council Cllr Claire Douglas and Cllr Katie Lomas, York’s Lord Mayor and Sheriff Cllr Margaret Wells and Cllr Fiona Fitzpatrick, Chaplain to the Archbishop of York Dr Jenny Wright, Bishop of Selby Flora Winfield, Chair of York Interfaith Group Avtar Matharu, Board of Deputies of British Jews Chief Executive Michael Wegier, Regional Director of English Heritage Andrea Selley, York MP Rachael Maskell and many other political and faith leaders including fellow Yorkshire Jewish community leads – joined a Shabbat of reflection and gratitude, as the community celebrated the past and looked to its future.
YLJC was created in 2014, bringing Jewish life back to the city with the re-establishment of a community holding regular services and events for the first time in 40 years. In the decade since, it has steadily grown into an established Progressive Jewish community of circa 100 members, and enjoys being a mainstream part of civic and interfaith life in York.
Highlights have included many special moments with City of York Council’s leaders, as well as the Archbishop of York and York Minster clergy, senior English Heritage staff and its Interfaith friends. Of particular significance, also at this time of year, were the first ever lightings of Chanukah candles within Clifford’s Tower – where one of the worst antisemitic massacres in British history took place in 1190 – and at Jewbury / Foss Bank, the medieval Jewish cemetery where those who died at Clifford’s Tower are believed to be buried.
In 2023, the community made history once more when it appointed Rabbi Elisheva Salamo, who became the first resident rabbi in York for more than 700 years.
The 10th anniversary service – led by Rabbi Elisheva Salamo – was very much one to thank all those who have helped YLJC become what it is today and to share the congregation’s strong desire to come full circle from the tragedy that happened in 1190 by establishing a new synagogue building and Jewish centre for York, which would also include a museum telling the story of Jewish life in the city over the centuries.
Lilian Coulson, one of the founders of the community, explained: “Whilst we endeavour to provide a Jewish home and Jewish family to those that seek one in York, we currently do so in these welcoming rooms provided by our Quaker friends. Our aspiration, in the not-too-distant future, is to have our own community home to welcome everyone to and which would allow us to do so much more.”
Rabbi Elisheva Salamo described how YLJC endeavours to be “the next light in the passing along of Jewish tradition within York; from those who kept the faith in 1190, to the engaged city builders of the 13th century, to the community of immigrants in the 19th and 20th century, and from us to our youth and those children yet to come”; adding “We are so blessed to be part of York”.
Progressive Judaism Co-Lead Rabbi Charley Baginsky spoke movingly as she delivered the morning’s sermon. She said: “Over the past decade, York Liberal Jewish Community has grown from a fledgling vision into a vibrant, dynamic force for Progressive Judaism in York. This year has been deeply challenging for Jewish communities worldwide. In the face of fear and uncertainty, York has remained a beacon of hope and resilience – reminding us that while memorials to the past are important, it is people and communities like this one that give us the greatest reason to believe in the future.”
After the event, Leader of City of York Council, Cllr Claire Douglas said: “I was honoured to join York Liberal Jewish Community for its 10th anniversary Shabbat service recently. YLJC is now a well-established and visible part of our city and of York’s Interfaith Group. I’ve been pleased to work alongside it on important local community initiatives since becoming Council Leader last year and I look forward to our continued partnership working in the future”.
And on behalf of the Diocese of York, the Rt Revd Dr Flora Winfield, Bishop of Selby said: “It was a pleasure to be part of the York Liberal Jewish Community celebration; interfaith relations are very positive in the City of York and it’s good to mark these important anniversaries together.”
YLJC, as part of Liberal Judaism, places interfaith dialogue and friendship at the forefront of its work. As it strives to provide a new Jewish home for its members and grow its community, it looks forward to continuing to work with its partners and interfaith friends accordingly.
