Presenters: J

Harry Jacobi

An escapee from Germany, then Holland, the path of Harry's life was changed by a speech of Leo Baeck's in 1949. In 2011, he completed 50 years of ministry, serving as rabbi in the UK and Switzerland. Two children, Margaret and Richard, followed him into the rabbinate and he is a great-grandfather!

Margaret Jacobi

Margaret Jacobi is rabbi of Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, and enjoys the interfaith opportunities Birmingham offers. Originally trained as a medical doctor, she has a PhD in Talmud and teaches rabbinic texts at Leo Baeck College. She loves the ambiguity of seemingly simple talmudic stories.

Richard Jacobi

After a first career training managers, Richard is one of the rabbis at the newly formed East London and Essex Liberal Synagogue and a member of faculty at Leo Baeck College. He and Lyn are parents to Josh, Abigail and Hannah, and grandparents to Zach, courtesy of Philippa and Josh!

Andrea Jacobs

Andrea is a feminist educator and consultant, using a systemic lens to examine issues of social justice and leadership. She has a PhD in linguistics, thinks a lot about language and identity, and performs with a Playback Theatre troupe in Philadelphia, using theatre as a strategy for social change.

Ivor Jacobs

Now partially retired from his software and print business, Ivor is director of Friends of LouisJacobs.org which runs a major educational website offering resources as well as a lecture programme discussing issues of theology. With Ian Gold the Rubens are 60's music songsters.

Jill Jacobs

Jill Jacobs is a rabbi and Executive Director of T’ruah, which mobilises 1,800 rabbis and their communities to protect human rights in North America, Israel, & the occupied territories. She is the author of two books on Judaism and social justice: Where Justice Dwells and There Shall Be No Needy.

Zöe Jacobs

Zöe Jacobs holds a unique place as the only ordained cantor in the Reform Movement; a statistic she is working hard to change! Zoe received semicha in 2009 from HUC-JIR in NY & can mostly be found on the bima of FRS. She seeks any opportunity to create harmony with fellow musicians and friends!

Jonathan Jacobson

Jonathan has spent his life trying to make sense of the world he lives in. An ongoing search for truth, through developing his understanding of God, life, and the universe and connection therewith.

Ruth Jacobson

Ruth studied painting and etching at the Slade and architectural glass at Central St. Martins, London. Her work is an exploration of her Jewish identity. In 2004the Victoria and Albert Museum commissioned a glass panel for the Judaica display, Sacred Silver and Stained Glass Gallery.

Michelle Janes

Michelle is the new Director of Programmes and Consultancy at Lead (formerly Operations Director at Masorti Judaism). A qualified school teacher with an MBA focused on the CEO/Chair relationship, she’s passionate about training and enabling others, including her children who constantly amaze her.

Neil Janes

Neil Janes is the founder of the Lyons Learning Project & rabbi at West London Synagogue. He is a PhD student, lecturer, and writer. He is passionate about bringing textual literacy to progressive Judaism and an informed Jewish conversation to thinking about issues around social justice and Judaism.

Laura Janner-Klausner

Laura Janner-Klausner is Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism. Passionate about social justice, community cohesion, Israel and LGBT issues, she worked in Israel with youth leaders and in Israeli-Palestinian dialogue. She is said to be “fast becoming the most high-profile Jewish leader in the country".

Colin Jaque

Educated at Clifton College, Colin is a solicitor specialising in chancery litigation. He has co-authored a paper prompting the Woolf Reform for Litigation and two books on chancery procedure, as well as a book proving that the Exodus fits into Egyptian history.

Max Jared Einsohn

Ahavat Hinam is the project of Max Jared (USA) and shannyn.art (Melbourne, Australia) who create music inspired by Judaism, pop, rock, love, and social action. Since their formation, they have performed all over the world, from Texas to Sydney, and are currently launching their debut album.

Elliot Jebreel

Elliot is a bureaucrat by trade and a proud Jewranian. In his spare time he helps make the Jewish community embrace diversity; fighting ashkenormative & heteronormative attitudes in our structures and mindsets. He’s a trustee of Sephardi Voices UK, and alum of the Adam Science Leadership Programme.

Roxana Jebreel

Roxana works for Stand Up! Education Against Discrimination, facilitating sessions in mainstream schools around challenging antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate. She is also interested in identity and bringing Mizrachi culture and tradition into mainstream Jewish spaces and institutions.

Sandra Jerusalmi

Sandra is a French coordinator of educational projects at the Alliance. She studied at Paideia, Matan, Pardes, and is a Moishe House resident and a ROIer. She writes articles about religious feminism and French Jewry. She joined LectureSefer to organise Torah readings by Orthodox women in France.

Elie Jesner

Elie Jesner is a UKCP psychoanalytic psychotherapist and Jewish educator. He studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion, Cambridge and Warwick.  He is a research fellow at Leo Baeck College and is studying for Semikha at Bet Midrash Harel in Jerusalem. He is a founder member of Finchley Partnership Minyan.

UK Jewish Film Festival

UK Jewish Film showcases a wide range of films, representing stories of Jewish culture and life. Through the medium of film we aim to build greater understanding across communities, combat antisemitism and racism, and educate audiences across the UK about Jewish culture and heritage.

Jo Johnson

Jo Johnson is the MP for Orpington. He is the Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation at the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Energy & Industry Strategy. In this role, he has worked to address the rise of antisemitism on campus.

Melinda Jones

Melinda is a human rights lawyer with expertise in gender, disability & children’s rights. Her current research looks at inclusive Judaism; gender & children’s rights. She taught law at UNSW, was Editor-in-Chief of the Australian Journal of Human Rights & Director of Australian Human Rights Centre.

Leah Jordan

Leah Jordan currently works as a University chaplain for the Alliance of Liberal and Reform Judaism and as the rabbi of Norwich Liberal Jewish Community. She has studied in Jerusalem and as a Fellow at Yeshivat Hadar in New York City. She lives in London with her partner, Rabbi Benji Stanley.

Lyn Julius

Lyn is a writer specialising in Jews from the Middle East and North Africa. She has just published 'Uprooted: How 3000 years of Jewish civilisation in the Arab world vanished overnight' (Vallentine Mitchell). She has blogged for the Guardian, the Huffington Post, Times of Israel, and Jerusalem Post.

Charles Justin

Charles Justin is cofounder of SJB and Plus, major architectural practices in Australia, and a past president of the Jewish Museum of Australia. He is an avid contemporary art collector & cofounder with wife Leah of the Justin Art House Museum in Melbourne, a not for profit public art house museum.