Wessex Liberal Jewish Community

Congregation Data

Wessex Liberal Jewish Community⁽ⁱ⁾

Adat Chaverim - (Community of Friends)⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Southern Jewish Community (from February 2010 until about August 2010⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾)

Southern Reform Community (From October 2009 until February 2010^(iv) )

Services held at various venues, usually in Bournemouth or Poole, Dorset.^(vii)

The Congregation initially met in the Dorset Fire Service Christchurch station.

Active

The Congregation began as a breakaway group from Bournemouth Reform Synagogue in September/October 2009.

See Press Reports 2009-2010 for a brief history of the formation of the congregation.

Liberal / Progressive

The congregation has been a constituent community of Liberal Judaism from Autumn 2010. (However, it had previously been in discussion about joining the Movement for Reform Judaism.)^(viii)

https://www.wessexliberaljudaism.org.uk/

Click on Wessex Liberal Jewish Community (a member community), on the Jewish Small Communities Network website.

Rabbi Dr. René Pfertzel - visiting rabbi (one weekend per month) from 2014 until 2023^(xi)

Rabbi Dr. Miri Lawrence - visiting rabbi 2023 until present - July 2025^(xii)

The congregation is a registered charity (no. 1160082), registered on 22 January 2015. The governing document is the congregation's constitution of 11 December 2011, as amended 2 January 2016.^(xv)

Bournemouth  (since 1 October 1932)^(xvi)  - Link to Register Office website

Poole  (since 1 July 1837)  - Link to Register Office website

Cemetery Information:

The congregation is one of only a few Liberal congregations that are members of the Jewish Joint Burial Society (JJBS).

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

• (i) This name was adopted in about August 2010, appearing in a press report (Jewish Chronicle) of 2 September 2010. However, in a press report (Jewish Chronicle) of 1 July 2010, the previous name was still in use. ↵

• (ii) Congregation's website, accessed 2 May 2019. ↵

• (iii) This name was adopted to comply with a request from the Movement for Reform Judaism, who felt that the previous name, having ‘Reform’ in it, might lead people to think we are already affiliated to the Reform movement, with whom it was then in discussion. Press report (Jewish Chronicle) of 11 February 2010. ↵

• (iv) This name was adopted in October 2009. Press report (Jewish Chronicle) of 2 October 2009. ↵

• (v) and (vi) Reserved.

• (vii) Congregation's website, accessed July 2017. ↵

• (viii) See press reports (Jewish Chronicle) of 11 February 2010, 1 July 2010 and 2 September 2010. ↵

• (ix) and (x) Reserved.

• (xi) Communication from the congregation. ↵

• (xii) Wessex Jewish News, Spring 2023 and community's website, last accessed July 2025. ↵

• (xiii) Reserved.

• (xiv) Report on Synagogue Membership in the United Kingdom in 2016, published by the Institute of Jewish Policy Research (JPR) on behalf of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and which can be viewed on the website of JPR. Click HERE for a link to the report. ↵

• (xv) Charities Commission website, accessed July 2025. Clicking on the charity number will take you to the charity's registration on the Charities Commission website. ↵

• (xvi) For previous registration districts, see on Bournemouth Home Page. Any registers would now be held by the current register office. ↵