Leo Baeck College

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Leo Baeck College Centre of excellence for Rabbinic training and Jewish learning. Find us also on Bluesky at:
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06/11/2026

Since its founding in 1956 by Rabbi Dr Werner van Der Zyl, Leo Baeck College has ordained 350 educators and 220 rabbis in 20 countries. Currently, the vast majority of clergy serving Progressive Jewish congregations in the UK received semichah at Leo Baeck College.

As the spiritual successor of the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums, over these seven decades, the College and its alumni have become an integral part of rebuilding post-war Jewry, improving interfaith relationships, while securing the College’s position as one of the world’s preeminent institutions of Jewish learning and scholarship. The depth and intensity of our rabbinic programme is a reflection of the centrality of the College in the life of the Progressive Jewish world in the UK and Europe.

To mark this momentous occasion, we have interviewed a number of people that played vital roles in the College’s history, collating these testimonies in a short documentary film available to watch on our website.

Reaching this milestone has only been possible thanks to the extraordinary support of our supporters. Help us mark 70 years of Leo Baeck College by raising £100,000 this academic year.

Watch the full documentary and donate today at: https://lbc.ac.uk/70th-anniversary/

“The life of Sarah was one hundred year and twenty year and seven years: the years of the life of Sarah.”Read this week'...
06/11/2026

“The life of Sarah was one hundred year and twenty year and seven years: the years of the life of Sarah.”

Read this week's d'var Torah on Parashat Chayei Sarah by Shamaya Mirviss-Carvajal, LBC rabbinical student, on our website: https://lbc.ac.uk/22530-2/

📖 What can the Talmud teach us about conversion, identity and belonging?What does it mean to become Jewish, and how have...
05/11/2026

📖 What can the Talmud teach us about conversion, identity and belonging?

What does it mean to become Jewish, and how have the rabbis understood the process of conversion throughout Jewish history?

Join Rabbi Mark Solomon for Conversion in the Talmud: Texts, Traditions and Contemporary Practice, a four-week intermediate Jewish Studies course exploring the fascinating discussions surrounding conversion in classical rabbinic literature.

Through Talmudic and midrashic texts, we'll examine the motivations, rituals and requirements of conversion, explore the stories of converts, and consider how these ancient discussions continue to inform Orthodox and Progressive Jewish practice today.

Course Details:
💻 4-week live online course
📅 Thursdays, 26 November & 3, 10, 17 December 2026
🕖 7.00–8.30pm (UK time)
💷 £70
🎓 Intermediate level

🔗 Find out more and register:
👉 https://lbc.ac.uk/lehrhaus-jewish-studies/ -22394

Join us for the launch event of our new Library exhibition on Thursday 26th November from 6pm at the Lily Montagu Readin...
03/11/2026

Join us for the launch event of our new Library exhibition on Thursday 26th November from 6pm at the Lily Montagu Reading Room.

We are excited to bring you the new LBC Library exhibition: Stories from the Lost and Found: The Library of Lost Books.

In 1941 the N***s stole the entire library of the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums the non-Orthodox seminary and centre for Jewish studies in Berlin. After the war the books were scattered around the globe. In 2023 the Library of Lost Books Project was created to recruit book detectives, seek out the books and reunite them in a virtual library.

This extraordinary global citizen science project set out to harness the tools of the 21st century to right a wrong and engage book lovers around the world in the rich history of the Hochschule and its wonderful library. The exhibition will run from 30th November 2026 until 22nd October 2027.

We are excited to launch the exhibition with a roundtable discussion, welcoming the women behind the Library of Lost Books (2023-2025): Bettina Farack, Dr Irene Aue-Ben-David and Dr Kinga S. Bloch, our exhibition’s curator. In conversation with LBC Librarian Cassy Sachar they will discuss their experiences in creating this pioneering citizen science project and bringing it to libraries and archives across three continents. The roundtable will be moderated by Rabbi Daniel Lichman, Leo Baeck College alumnus and PhD candidate at the Leo Baeck Institute London.

🌐 Book your slot on our website to join the conversation and be the first to see the exhibition: lbc.ac.uk/library-events/

🍂 Introducing Two New Courses to Our Autumn Jewish Studies Programme! 🍂We're delighted to introduce two new live online ...
02/11/2026

🍂 Introducing Two New Courses to Our Autumn Jewish Studies Programme! 🍂

We're delighted to introduce two new live online courses starting this November, offering opportunities for both beginners and more experienced learners to explore Jewish wisdom, ethics and tradition.

✨ Introduction to Mussar Practice

Join Rabbi Monique Mayer for a welcoming introduction to the Jewish ethical and spiritual tradition of Mussar. Explore how values such as humility, patience, gratitude and honour can enrich everyday life through study, discussion and reflection.

➡️ Learn more and register:
https://lbc.ac.uk/lehrhaus-jewish-studies/ -22415

📖 **Conversion in the Talmud: Texts, Traditions & Contemporary Practice**

Join Rabbi Mark Solomon for an intermediate-level exploration of the Talmudic texts that shape Jewish conversion, examining questions of identity, belonging and Jewish practice through classical and contemporary perspectives.

➡️ **Learn more and register:**
https://lbc.ac.uk/lehrhaus-jewish-studies/ -22394

💻 Both courses are taught live online, with recordings available for later viewing.

**Whether you're beginning your Jewish learning journey or looking to deepen your understanding of rabbinic texts, we'd love you to join us this autumn!**

🍁Explore our full Jewish Studies programme:
https://lbc.ac.uk/lehrhaus-jewish-studies/

28/10/2026

As part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of Leo Baeck College’s founding, we have interviewed a number of people that played vital roles in the College’s history. In this short fragment, recently-ordained rabbi, Rabbi Yael Tischler reflects on the impact of LBC on rabbinical students and their journey to the rabbinate.

On 29th October, we will bring you a short documentary film featuring these testimonies.

Reaching this foundational milestone has only been possible through the generosity of our supporters. Help us celebrate this momentous anniversary by raising £100,000 and support the next generation of inspirational Progressive Jewish leaders.

Donate today at: https://lbc.ac.uk/donation-to-leo-baeck-college/

“Lech lecha: go forth. The command is addressed to Abraham, but his story leaves us with questions of our own. What do w...
23/10/2026

“Lech lecha: go forth. The command is addressed to Abraham, but his story leaves us with questions of our own. What do we do when we cannot follow someone on their journey? How do we live with the knowledge that love does not give us ownership over another person's life, or the power to keep them where we want them to be? Perhaps the hardest lesson is that love cannot always be measured by our ability to hold on.”

Read this week's d'var Torah on Parashat Noach by Emily Carp, LBC rabbinical student, LBC rabbinical student, on our website: https://lbc.ac.uk/parashat-lech-lecha/

🍂 Discover the Lehrhaus Autumn Programme!Explore our inspiring range of live online courses in Jewish Studies, Languages...
22/10/2026

🍂 Discover the Lehrhaus Autumn Programme!

Explore our inspiring range of live online courses in Jewish Studies, Languages and Jewish Education.

💜 Learn. Explore. Connect.

👉 Explore the programme and register today:
https://lbc.ac.uk/study-with-us/lehrhaus

“Is the story of Noah one of rebirth or regeneration? Since we are on the same planet, destroyed by environmental catast...
16/10/2026

“Is the story of Noah one of rebirth or regeneration? Since we are on the same planet, destroyed by environmental catastrophe, and Noah and the creatures he saves repopulate the world, it would seem to be one of regeneration.”

Read this week's d'var Torah on Parashat Noach by Dr Ariel Kahn, LBC rabbinical student, on our website: https://lbc.ac.uk/parashat-noach/

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