ByAnonymous, Anonymous
The first female Scandinavian rabbi is part of a new ministerial team at Liberal Judaism's central London headquarters.
Sandra Kviat was one of four Progressive rabbis ordained on Sunday by Leo Baeck College at a service at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Wood. She will mainly advise on the educational content of national and congregational ventures. Another new rabbi, Anna Gerrard, joins the team with responsibility for community development and young adult projects.
The others ordained - Lisa Barrett and Marc Neiger - will respectively serve the cross-communal secondary school JCoSS and Progressive communities in Brussels.
Rabbi Ariel Friedlander and cantor Gershon Silins are also part of the rabbinic team, headed by Liberal Judaism chief executive Rabbi Danny Rich. Rabbi Friedlander is university chaplain, Mr Silins will be developing musical programmes.
The appointments will also ensure a rabbinic presence at the Montagu Centre HQ from Monday to Thursday able to respond to a variety of inquiries. Communities will have their own head office contact.
"This is a landmark moment for Liberal Judaism and will fulfil many of the goals we set ourselves as a movement," Rabbi Rich said.
"Our London office is inundated with inquiries from constituents on sensitive matters, so it is very important to make sure there is always a rabbi on hand to answer those questions.
"Equally as important, it means every Liberal community, and especially our emerging ones, will now have full rabbinic support and guidance."