Mosaic Liberal Synagogue is delighted to announce the appointment of Rabbi Rachel Benjamin as our Rabbi.
Rachel’s appointment will commence on July 1st, and she will be supporting us on a part-time basis. Rachel will be performing all key Rabbinic tasks for our community: she will be conducting one Friday evening and two Shabbat morning services per month, and Festival services; working with our Care Coordinator, Esther Aronsfeld, to support the essential pastoral needs of our members; liaising closely with our other Mosaic Jewish Community synagogues (both at a Rabbinic and community level), including adult education; and connecting us with our parent body, Liberal Judaism.
Rachel has extensive experience across the Liberal movement. She was ordained in 1998 and served as Assistant (and then Associate) Rabbi of Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue until 2004. After that, she served as Rabbi of the Progressive Jewish Community of East Anglia and Woodford Progressive Synagogue, before joining South Bucks Jewish Community in 2006 where she served as Rabbi until December 2015. She then served as part of the rabbinic team at LJS before earlier this year re-joining South Bucks, for a six-month appointment. She has also taught at Leo Baeck College, and at Heythrop College, the University of London. From 2005 to 2008 Rachel served as Joint Chair of Liberal Judaism’s Rabbinic Conference. She is committed to interfaith dialogue and social justice. Rachel also plays the guitar and is passionate about Jewish music. In addition, she is a keen sportswoman, and has played tennis and squash for Great Britain at both European and International Maccabi Games.
Rachel has been working with us in a Rabbinic pastoral supportive role during the Covid-19 crisis, and we are very happy that she will be staying with us in her new role as our Rabbi. We extend a warm welcome to her.
