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Many more women rabbis now
• JOHN Gulliver (Thou shalt make wisecracks, December 4) refers to the dedication of a plaque at the West Central Liberal Synagogue.
He wrote that it was founded: at the end of WWI “by a wealthy aristocrat, Lily Montague…”.
Her surname was Montagu and, as I wrote you in July 2007, The Hon Lily Montagu (1873-1963), daughter of Sir Samuel Montagu MP who became Lord Swaythling, was a founder in 1902 of the Jewish Religious Union. She also instigated the development, in 1928, of the West Central section of the JRU into the West Central Synagogue.
John Gulliver also wrote that it is unusual for its rabbi (Janet Burden) to be a woman; but among the progressive branches (Liberal and Reform) there are now many women rabbis, eight are Liberal congregational ministers in Britain. The orthodox movements have not admitted that women can adopt this role; hopefully some may do so before the end of the century.
BRYAN DIAMOND
Hon Archivist
Liberal Judaism, NW3
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