Finchley Reform Synagogue (FRS) celebrated the spirit of Succot last week with a rainbow flair.

Raymond Zachary, who also goes by the name of “Miss Livinya Karr”, joined the FRS congregation for a night of music, learning and queer celebration, bringing their Rainbow Shabbat programme, which fosters LGBTQ+ inclusion in Jewish institutional settings.

Blending tradition with entertainment, countertenor and performer Zachary led the congregation through a workshop on the role of queer people in Judaism, from biblical times to today and offered tools “to make Finchley a more accepting place for queer Jews”.

“Rainbow Shabbat is about making sure that queer people not only feel represented, but also that allies know some common mistakes to avoid and how to make everybody feel included,” they said.

Miss Livinya Karr, aka Raymond Zachary, performing at Finchley Reform Synagogue for Succot last week.

Among such measures is the use of what Zachary calls “inclusive Hebrew”, offering children at the beginning of their bar or bat mitzvah journey the non-binary option to be a b’mitzvah or b’net mitzvah.

According to Zachary, Rainbow Shabbat has been implemented in 26 synagogues in the US, and the latest event at FRS in London marks the organisation’s international debut.

Miss Livinya Karr, aka Raymond Zachary of Rainbow Shabbat, with Cantor Zöe Jacobs at Finchley Reform Synagogue (Photo: Raymond Zachary)

Cantor Zöe Jacobs, principal clergy of FRS, expressed her gratitude and admiration for Raymond’s performance. “The opportunity to host Raymond Zachary, in their extraordinary drag role of Miss Livinya Karr, was a gift for FRS. As both Raymond and Livinya, they shared beautiful, deeply personal stories of growing up as a young, queer Jew, navigating school bullies and gender norms, as well as what it means to step onto the bima and lead a community.”

The evening at FRS was sprinkled throughout with music as Zachary told their story, and followed up with a Q&A.

“What was really beautiful was that the kids were some of the most participatory people in the space,” Zachary said. “I actually got an email from a young woman who is becoming bat mitzvah, and she really opened up to me about some similar issues and how she could identify with my story, and that just my being there on the bima was very validating for her.”

“That was the thing I walked away with that was most moving for me,” they said.

Zachary, who is based in California, runs Rainbow Shabbat independently and is working on making it an official nonprofit. Zachary is already hoping for an encore performance at FRS – and any other UK synagogues open to a splash of colour.