The Movement for Progressive Judaism
UK synagogue movement formed in 2026 by the union of Reform and Liberal Judaism
| The Movement for Progressive Judaism
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|---|---|
| Logo | 
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| Type | Synagogue movement; registered charity and company limited by guarantee |
| Founded | 1 January 2026 |
| Registration ID | 1214734 (Charity Commission); company no. 16501951 |
| Headquarters | The Sternberg Centre for Judaism, 80 East End Road, London N3 2SY |
| Area served | United Kingdom |
| Registration | England and Wales |
| Key people | Rabbi Josh Levy and Rabbi Charley Baginsky (co-leads) |
| Website | progressivejudaism.org.uk |
The Movement for Progressive Judaism (MPJ) is the synagogue movement formed by the union of The Movement for Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism, which took effect on 1 January 2026.[1] It is a registered charity (no. 1214734), registered on 29 August 2025.[2] According to JCR-UK it is the largest synagogal body in the United Kingdom and Ireland by number of communities, and represents around 30% of synagogue-affiliated Jews.[1]
The MPJ lists 77 communities in the United Kingdom, 49 of Reform heritage and 28 of Liberal heritage.[3] Its co-leads are Rabbi Josh Levy and Rabbi Charley Baginsky.[4]
History
The Movement for Reform Judaism (charity no. 1139806)[5] and Liberal Judaism (charity no. 1151090)[6] announced in April 2023 their intention to merge into a single movement. On 18 May 2025, at two parallel extraordinary general meetings, members of both movements voted to unite. 'The Movement for Progressive Judaism' was incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee (company no. 16501951) on 6 June 2025, and the union came into effect on 1 January 2026. The new movement took in all 77 congregations and communities of the two movements, together with two affiliated communities abroad, in the Netherlands and Denmark. Its head office is the Sternberg Centre for Judaism in Finchley, and it has been a member of the World Union for Progressive Judaism since its formation.[1]
Relationship with Israel
The MPJ describes itself as 'a Zionist movement – committed to there being a Jewish, pluralist and democratic State in the historic homeland of Israel'. It states that it is 'committed to two safe and secure states – Israel and Palestine' and works alongside the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism.[7] In February 2026 its leaders opposed a Knesset bill to give the Chief Rabbinate sole control over the Western Wall, including its egalitarian section.[8] In June 2026 the co-leads welcomed UK government sanctions against those responsible for settler violence in the West Bank, while stating that the movement does not support BDS.[9] In September 2026 they described Israeli plans for the E1 area as 'part of an explicit project, led by Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, to establish permanent Israeli control and make a viable Palestinian state impossible', and stated: 'We defend Israel's security, condemn Hamas and reject BDS.'[4]
Member communities
The table lists the 77 UK communities in the MPJ's directory, with the movement each belonged to before the union.[3][1] A dash in the charity column means that no registered charity number is recorded for the community in the sources cited.[10][11]
| Congregation | Town | Nation | Heritage | Charity no. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue | Bedford | England | Liberal | – |
| Beit Klal Yisrael | London (North Kensington) | England | Reform | – |
| Beth Shalom Reform Synagogue, Cambridge | Cambridge | England | Reform | CC 1136605 |
| Birmingham Progressive Synagogue | Birmingham | England | Liberal | CC 242057 |
| Blackpool Reform Jewish Congregation | Blackpool | England | Reform | CC 1148088 |
| Bournemouth Reform Synagogue | Bournemouth | England | Reform | CC 1040356 |
| Bradford Synagogue | Bradford | England | Reform | – |
| Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue | Hove | England | Liberal | CC 1046457 CC 1149342 |
| Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue | Hove | England | Reform | CC 1155461 |
| Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation | Bristol | England | Liberal | CC 1191437 |
| Bromley Reform Synagogue | Bromley | England | Reform | CC 1098431 |
| Cardiff Reform Synagogue | Cardiff | Wales | Reform | CC 1144498 |
| Cheshire Reform Congregation | Manchester (Sharston) | England | Reform | CC 1124560 |
| Coventry Jewish Reform Community | Coventry | England | Reform | – |
| Crawley Jewish Community | Crawley | England | Reform | – |
| Crouch End Chavurah | London (Crouch End) | England | Reform | – |
| Darlington Hebrew Congregation | Darlington | England | Reform | – |
| Ealing Liberal Synagogue | London (Ealing) | England | Liberal | CC 1037099 |
| East London & Essex Liberal Synagogue | London (South Woodford) | England | Liberal | CC 232980 CC 1171254 |
| Eastbourne Liberal Jewish Community | Eastbourne | England | Liberal | CC 1115670 |
| Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue | Edgware | England | Reform | CC 1135296 CC 1038116 CC 1172458 |
| Finchley Progressive Synagogue | London (North Finchley) | England | Liberal | CC 1167285 |
| Finchley Reform Synagogue | London (North Finchley) | England | Reform | CC 1137557 |
| Glasgow Reform Synagogue | Newton Mearns | Scotland | Reform | OSCR SC052553 |
| Harlow Jewish Community | Harlow | England | Reform | CC 1186532 |
| Isle of Wight Jewish Society | Cowes, Isle of Wight | England | Reform | – |
| Kehillah North London | London (Stamford Hill) | England | Reform | CC 1163562 |
| Kehillat Kernow – The Jewish Community of Cornwall | Cornwall | England | Reform | CC 1090562 |
| Kent Liberal Jewish Community | Maidstone | England | Liberal | CC 1109044 |
| Kingston Liberal Synagogue | Long Ditton, Surbiton | England | Liberal | CC 270792 |
| Kol Chai - Hatch End Jewish Community | Hatch End | England | Reform | CC 299063 |
| Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation | Leicester | England | Liberal | CC 238867 |
| Lincolnshire Jewish Community | Lincoln | England | Reform | CC 1190120 |
| Liverpool Reform Synagogue | Liverpool | England | Reform | CC 1098181 |
| Maidenhead Synagogue | Maidenhead | England | Reform | CC 1110795 |
| Makor Hayim | London (Willesden Green) | England | Reform | – |
| Manchester Reform Synagogue (Jackson's Row) | Manchester | England | Reform | CC 1205446 |
| Milton Keynes & District Reform Synagogue | Milton Keynes | England | Reform | CC 1058193 |
| Mosaic Liberal Synagogue | Stanmore | England | Liberal | CC 251172 |
| Mosaic Reform Synagogue | Stanmore | England | Reform | CC 1077299 CC 1159303 |
| Ne've Shalom (Hull Reform) | Hull (Willerby) | England | Reform | CC 1080550 |
| Newcastle Reform Synagogue | Newcastle upon Tyne (Gosforth) | England | Reform | CC 246816 |
| North Manchester Reform Congregation | Whitefield | England | Reform | – |
| North West Surrey Synagogue | Weybridge | England | Reform | CC 256232 |
| North Western Reform Synagogue | London (Golders Green) | England | Reform | CC 1186738 CC 247081 |
| Norwich Progressive Jewish Community | Norwich | England | Liberal | CC 1053565 |
| Nottingham Liberal Synagogue | Nottingham | England | Liberal | CC 246773 |
| Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue | Newbury Park, Ilford | England | Reform | CC 236663 |
| Peterborough Liberal Jewish Community | Peterborough | England | Liberal | – |
| Radlett Reform Synagogue | Radlett | England | Reform | CC 1161059 |
| Reading Liberal Jewish Community | Reading | England | Liberal | CC 281610 |
| Seven Hills Shul | Sheffield | England | Reform | CC 1127317 |
| Sha'arei Tsedek North London Reform Synagogue | London (Whetstone) | England | Reform | CC 1171418 |
| Sinai Synagogue (Reform) | Leeds | England | Reform | CC 1149738 |
| South Bucks Jewish Community | Amersham | England | Reform | CC 1098078 |
| South Hampshire Progressive Community | Southampton area | England | Liberal | CC 1040109 |
| South London Liberal Synagogue | London (Streatham) | England | Liberal | CC 236711 |
| Southend & District Reform Synagogue | Westcliff-on-Sea | England | Reform | CC 237616 |
| Southgate Progressive Synagogue | London (Southgate) | England | Liberal | CC 239096 |
| Southport & District Reform Synagogue | Southport | England | Reform | CC 227576 |
| Stevenage Liberal Synagogue | Stevenage | England | Liberal | – |
| Suffolk Liberal Jewish Community | Ipswich | England | Liberal | – |
| Sukkat Shalom (Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community) | Edinburgh | Scotland | Liberal | OSCR SC035678 |
| Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue | London (Wanstead & Woodford) | England | Reform | CC 1188399 |
| Swindon Jewish Community | Swindon | England | Reform | – |
| Thanet & District Reform Synagogue | Ramsgate | England | Reform | CC 294859 |
| The Ark Synagogue (Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue) | Northwood | England | Reform | CC 1160487 |
| The Liberal Jewish Synagogue | London (St John's Wood) | England | Liberal | CC 235668 CC 1159292 |
| The Liberal Synagogue Elstree | Elstree | England | Liberal | CC 1182920 CC 262001 |
| Three Counties Liberal Jewish Community | Gloucester | England | Liberal | CC 1159055 |
| Tikvah Chadasha (Brentwood Reform Synagogue) | Brentwood | England | Reform | – |
| Totnes Jewish Community | Totnes | England | Reform | – |
| Wessex Liberal Jewish Community | Bournemouth | England | Liberal | CC 1160082 |
| West Central Liberal Synagogue | London (Bloomsbury) | England | Liberal | – |
| West London Synagogue of British Jews | London (West End) | England | Reform | CC 1155821 |
| Wimbledon & District Synagogue | London (Wimbledon Park) | England | Reform | CC 1150678 |
| York Liberal Jewish Community | York | England | Liberal | CC 1166145 |
See also
- The Movement for Reform Judaism
- Liberal Judaism (UK)
- Friends of Progressive Judaism in Israel and Europe
- Synagogues in the United Kingdom
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 JCR-UK, Movement for Progressive Judaism, United Kingdom, JewishGen, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, The Movement for Progressive Judaism – charity 1214734, Register of Charities, registered 29 August 2025, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Movement for Progressive Judaism, Find a Community, The Movement for Progressive Judaism, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Josh Levy and Charley Baginsky, Statement on the possibility of UK action on settlement expansion, The Movement for Progressive Judaism, 1 September 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, The Movement for Reform Judaism – charity 1139806, Register of Charities, registered 12 January 2011, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, Liberal Judaism (ULPS) – charity 1151090, Register of Charities, registered 5 March 2013, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ The Movement for Progressive Judaism, Our Relationship with Israel, The Movement for Progressive Judaism, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ The Movement for Progressive Judaism, Progressive leaders speak out against Kotel control bill, The Movement for Progressive Judaism, 25 February 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Josh Levy and Charley Baginsky, Statement welcoming targeted sanctions against settler violence, The Movement for Progressive Judaism, 10 June 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, Register of Charities, Charity Commission, public register data extract dated 13 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Scottish Charity Register, OSCR, accessed 29 October 2026.