Living Judaism – One Year On

Just over a year ago, we began something ambitious at IJC. We called it Living Judaism, and the name was deliberate. We did not want simply to offer a course, or a lecture series, or a bookish introduction to Judaism. We wanted to create a space where Judaism could be explored as something lived – questioned, wrestled with, tasted, argued over, and slowly woven into the fabric of daily life. Knowing Jewishly and living Jewishly, interwoven in a single path.

What began as a hopeful pilot has grown into a steady and vibrant circle of around twenty plus regular participants. Some Anglophone participants preparing for conversion in Liberal Jewish communities in Netherlands are walking the long and serious path of giur with us. Others are already Jewish but felt the need to refresh, deepen, or reconnect with parts of the tradition they may not have encountered in years. A significant portion are IJC’s own giur candidates, now at various stages of our two-year programme, studying, reflecting, and gradually finding their place within Jewish life.

There is something deeply moving about watching these different journeys unfold alongside one another. Those who are new to Jewish texts sit next to those who know them well. People ask questions they may have carried quietly for decades. Conversations stretch beyond the formal session and continue over coffee and nosh. Sunday afternoons have developed their own rhythm: a presentation to ground us in sources and ideas, followed by open and thoughtful discussion where perspectives are shared generously and respectfully. Learning feels serious, but never heavy. There is laughter. There is warmth. There is curiosity.

Over the course of the year, we have explored the shape of the Jewish calendar, discovering not only how we celebrate festivals but why sacred time matters. We have reflected on Shabbat as both rest and recreation, on the meaning of prayer, and on the ways Jewish law continues to evolve in progressive contexts. We have examined lifecycle moments – birth, bnai mitzvah, maturity, partnership, and loss – and what they ask of us spiritually and communally. We have also wrestled with Jewish ethics and the responsibilities that come with belonging to a tradition that insists on moral seriousness. Monthly online sessions with with Nada Joppe have looked at Jewish history in its long arc, from biblical beginnings through exile and emancipation to the modern Jewish world. In the coming year we plan to explore Jewish textual sources together as well as Jewish spirituality and thought, all the while continuing to grow into the embodied and lived Jewish experience in the synagogue, in community, and at home.

What has emerged most clearly over the year is that Living Judaism is not simply about acquiring knowledge. It is about forming a community of learners. It is about creating a space where those considering Judaism and those long rooted in it can learn together without hierarchy or anxiety. It is about giving people the confidence to ask difficult questions and the tools to engage Jewish sources with honesty and integrity.

For those on the path of conversion, the programme offers structure and grounding. For those already Jewish, it offers renewal. For all of us, it offers connection.

If you would like to see the full Living Judaism programme, including themes, dates, and upcoming sessions, you can find all the details on our website at ijc.be. And if you would like to participate, just mail me – rabbi@ijc.be

We are grateful to everyone who has made this first year possible, those who attend faithfully, those who join occasionally, and those who support the programme behind the scenes. Living Judaism has become one of the quiet strengths of our community, and we look forward to another year of shared learning, thoughtful conversation, and plenty of coffee.

Rabbi Brian