Lilys Legacy - Voices & Visions of Liberal Judaism

A podcast series compiled from oral histories and produced as part of a digital exhibition exploring how Liberal Judaism has evolved since it was co-founded by British visionary Lily Montagu in 1902. This podcast series of oral histories is part of the exhibition: “Lily's Legacy - Voices and Visions of Liberal Judaism”, a project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It was produced by Miri Lawrence and Lucia Scazzocchio, narrated by Harry Hurst, sound editing and design by Lucia Scazzocchio, and special thanks to all the contributors who agreed to share their stories. For more information about what you’ve just heard, do visit the exhibition website, https://lilyslegacyproject.com

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Episodes

Journeys

In this series you will hear the voices of Liberal Jews as they share their experiences, views and visions. This first episode explores participants’ family background and how they encountered Liberal Judaism. It includes some of the stories about where they came from and the personal appeal of Liberal Judaism. As you will hear, Liberal Jews come from many places; some are refugees or immigrants, some are born into Liberal Jewish families, others are Jews by choice. All are united in finding a h...

May 20, 2020•26 min•Ep. 1

Through the Generations

One of Lily Montagu’s major achievements was the foundation of the West Central Jewish Girls Club in 1893. Since that time Liberal Judaism has been committed to the needs and future of its young people. As well as clubs run by the movement, a number of synagogues founded their own youth clubs. In this episode Liberal Jews reminisce about the clubs they formed and attended. Listen to memories that date back to Lily’s lifetime as well as perceptions from our current young members. For more informa...

May 20, 2020•19 min•Ep. 2

Inclusivity

Equality and inclusion are key values for Liberal Jews. Liberal Judaism welcomes all Jews, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. In this episode Liberal Jews from all walks of life share their stories about acceptance. You will hear that some people feel that their needs have been accommodated, whilst others feel these are yet to be addressed. Although these voices record diverse experiences, the overwhelming message is that Liberal Judaism offers a pla...

May 20, 2020•17 min•Ep. 3

Gender Equality

From its very foundations, Liberal Judaism has championed gender equality. Liberal Judaism’s prime founder Lily Montagu herself led services. Liberal Judaism made a significant departure from traditional Orthodox worship allowing men and women to sit together in synagogue. Today men, women - and in fact all sexes and genders- are engaged in all aspects of synagogue life. Women hold leadership positions in communities and the Liberal movement. The upcoming new prayer book aims to be even more rad...

May 20, 2020•19 min•Ep. 4

Social Justice

Liberal Judaism champions social justice. In this episode Liberal Jews share some their experiences in the search for social justice, locally and globally. Many of the activities described here are in partnership with other faith groups and non-faith groups and look beyond the needs of the Jewish community. At the same time participants debate whether the fight for social justice has been at the expense of Jewish learning and worship. To what extent is social action an integral part of being Jew...

May 19, 2020•17 min•Ep. 5

Founders and Pioneers

This series of podcasts and the exhibition of which it is part, honours the contribution of Lily Montagu to the foundation of Liberal Judaism. Lily founded the movement with Claude Montefiore and Israel Mattuck - together they were known as the three M’s. In this episode participants pay tribute to the three M’s, as well as other pioneers and influential figures. For over a century Liberal Jews have been indebted to the dedication of a number of Liberal rabbis and lay leaders. Some of them are r...

May 19, 2020•19 min•Ep. 6

Memories of Lily Montagu

Lilian Helen Montagu was born in 1873. She was a British social worker, magistrate, writer, and religious organizer. Along with Claude Montefiore and Israel Mattuck she formed the Liberal Jewish movement in England. In this episode, Liberal Jews remember Lily and the legacy she has created. For some this is deeply personal; Lily was instrumental in bringing Jews from Germany to safety in England to flee Nazi persecution in the late 1930s. Some of the voices here speak of owing their very lives t...

May 19, 2020•21 min•Ep. 7

Rituals and Worship

. In this episode Liberal Jews of all ages recall aspects of the synagogue service and the way it continues to change. The memories recorded here describe recent innovations such as the new prayer book. Others remember the early years of Liberal Judaism. Recollections include the preferences of individual synagogues, particularly in relation to the style of music at services. In addition to these differences over time and between congregations, individual Liberal Jews also express their personal...

May 19, 2020•22 min•Ep. 8

Mixed Faith and Conversion

Liberal Judaism welcomes sincere converts to Judaism. Liberal Judaism also recognises the Jewish status of children brought up as Jewish, whether they are of matrilineal or patrilineal descent. Sometimes a person may even discover that they are Jewish and would like to affirm their Jewish identity. In this episode, a number of liberal Jews discuss their search for acceptance of their Jewish status and their conversion to Judaism. They also share narratives of mixed faith marriages and the import...

May 19, 2020•22 min•Ep. 9

Legacy and Future

During the oral history interviews for this project, all of the participants were asked about what they considered to be Lily’s Legacy. They were also asked about their hopes and dreams for the future of Liberal Judaism. Responses were diverse, with many confident about the future. Others expressed the need for ensuring the survival of Liberal Judaism, which remains a comparatively small movement. Connected to this concern is a discussion about whether Liberal Judaism should merge with the Refor...

May 19, 2020•21 min•Ep. 10

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