Reform Judaism senior rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner is stepping down at the beginning of October.
Announcing the news, Reform chair Geoffrey Marx said: "We are so blessed to have had Rabbi Laura serving our movement with tremendous energy, warmth and integrity."
Reform Judaism had been "transformed" under her leadership since 2012. "We are now acknowledged major players in debates of national importance, standing up for our values on issues that matter – refugees; antisemitism; LGBT+; progressive Zionism. From our leading efforts on the campaign for equal marriage and our front-line role standing up for refugees, I know that her work has made Britain better. The movement, with its outstanding rabbinic and cantorial leadership, is well placed to build on this success.”
Rabbi Janner-Klausner said she would be leaving at the start of the academic year to take a PhD in digital theology - "yes that really is a thing" - at Durham University. "I will be looking at the experience of Jewish young adults who are involved in online communities and seeing how this impacts on their perception and participation in our in-person community activities. I am also going to be training leaders in resilience, especially in times of crisis."
