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• Background to the PJCEA
• Liberal Judaism in Summary
• Milestones
• Constitution

In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, there are nearly thirty Liberal and Progressive Jewish congregations, large and small. All work together to uphold and spread their beliefs, combining rabbinic and lay resources, through the national organisation, the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues.

The organisation was founded in 1902 by men and women committed to the ideal of a liberal philosophy, in order to ensure the continuity of Jewish faith, tradition, practice and ethics within a contemporary framework. They worked unsparingly to re-instil Judaism in the hearts of Jews through services, public meetings, sermons, writings and inspiring leadership. The movement they founded, the Jewish Religious Union, was later renamed the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues, the ULPS.

At the beginning of 1989 advertisements were placed in local newspapers on behalf of the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues. The intention was to discover whether or not there were people living in East Anglia who might be interested in forming a progressive Jewish community, to be based in Norwich and affiliated to the ULPS.

Over the first twelve months or so, a number of events took place. A series of small gatherings was followed by an erev Shabbat service held in September 1989. This was attended by more than forty families, and in December 1989 a "drop-in" weekend was held at the Hotel Norwich that attracted more than eighty families. It was the success of the "drop-in" weekend that prompted the ULPS to facilitate the formation of the PJCEA. A steering committee was formed. The year ended with a Hanukkah party, which was a further opportunity to meet new people.

With thanks to the generous and continuing support and encouragement of ULPS, these events clearly demonstrated that there existed a great deal of enthusiasm for setting up a progressive Jewish community in East Anglia. On 11 January 1990 the first meeting of the steering committee was held in Norwich. A number of priority areas were identified, in particular, religious services and religion classes for children. The first annual general meeting was held in March 1991 when executive and other officers were elected to form a Council. The congregation’s new constitution was also endorsed. Formal affiliation to ULPS was approved by the ULPS officers the following May and ratified by the ULPS Council in September 1991. The PJCEA is now a Constituent Member of the ULPS and celebrates its 10th anniverary in December 1999/January 2000.

In September 2003 the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues was officially "rebranded" as Liberal Judaism.