DIRECTORY: Our virtual community

Your essential, indispensable - and ever-growing - online resource for everything Jewish during the coronavirus lockdown.

By Andrew Gilbert 31 March 2020, 3:45 pm

The community is responding to the coronavirus lockdown with innovative online initiatives. Almost every Jewish organisation is finding ways to work online with members for services, talks, entertainment, social interaction and education.

Online culture is changing. This is a revolutionary moment in how we do Jewish.

Here are some of the ways in which the community is innovating and going online, from digital shuls, to home-schooling apps, charity fundraisers and activities by youth groups:

Central Orthodoxy 

  • Kabbalat Shabbat online is streamed by South Hampstead United Synagogue an hour before candlelighting. Other communities running similar initiatives include Mill Hill, Western Marble Arch, Cockfosters & North Southgate
  • Havdalah Live is streamed by Jewish News every Saturday night, featuring Rabbi Benjy Morgan. Other communities running online Havdallah lightings include Cockfosters, with Rabbi Daniel Epstein.

Watch the most recent Havdallah Live here!


  • On Rosh Chodesh, Hallel readings were streamed by shuls including Hampstead Garden Suburb, Golders Green, Sutton.
  • Cantor Albert Chait of UHC Leeds hosts daily Shacharit with the #LivingOnAPrayer on Facebook, in addition to Kabbalat Shabbat. Watch here:


  • Communities run online barmitzvahs, with the first being held at Borehamwood shul two weeks ago. Finchley United and South Hampstead ran similar initiatives.
  • Communities have video streamed funeral services, because of restrictions on attendance. For the passing of David Proops, the service was streamed on Facebook, with a eulogy given by his son, Rabbi James Proops from his home in Los Angeles. Hundreds watched it live.
  •  Chief Rabbi Mirvis, former Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks and Rabbi Dweck of the S&P Sephardi Community has increased its online broadcasts.


Essential links: 

Watch the United Synagogue’s Kabalat Shabbat here:


Reform, Liberal & Masorti 

Many Reform & Liberal communities have been streaming Shabbat services for over a decade.  With the lockdown, there is demand for an expansion of activities, with shuls offering shacharit, maariv, coffee with clergy, study opportunities, singing and much more.

Here are some of the activities going in across progressive communities:

  • The Reform Movement has launched programming in the form of a TV channel – RJ: TV
Reform Judaism’s RJ:TV schedule
  • Liberal Judaism listS what congregations are doing, providing links to streams. Northwood & Pinner Liberal offer one of the widest programme of activities
  •  Masorti Judaism has set up a dedicated site for community content during COVID-19.
  • Veranenu, a new grassroots, egalitarian, progressive community was founded. It runs a podcast which is released just before Shabbat.

Watch this Dvar Torah from Masorti Judaism’s youth wing, Noam:

Useful links from Progressive communities

Jewish Youth groups 

Youth groups faced with activities grinding to a halt have remained relevant and active online, with new initiatives and dynamic programmes.

  • Reshet, created by the JLC and UJIA has focussed on professional development and safeguarding, with the launch of a new page.
  • Bnei Akiva updates its daily schedule of online activities and will set up people with a chavruta [friendship].

Zoom Havdallah with BA:


  • BBYO is working with a global website offering a virtual experience for Jewish teens worldwide.
  • Habonim-Dror is focussing on self help tips
  • FZY is posting daily content and activities on Facebook including an education programme and a welfare drop-in.
  • PJ Library created a resources page for the isolated and the isolating family.
  • Noam Masorti Youth has a full co-ordinated programme. It has also created challenge packs for those in years 5-8.


  • JLGB has launched a virtual programme through different platforms, from Monday – Thursday 6.30-9.30 every week.
  • RSY-Netzer has become Remote Synagogue Youth. Any young person can access their wide programme following parental sign up.
  • Tribe is running online reunions, storytime, kahoots quizzes and the timely matzah baking. Every Monday from 4-5.
  • FZY, LJY, RSY, Habonim, RSY and Noam have launched the Inter-Youth Movement Games.
  • Jewish Interactive has responded by creating free Jewish resources for remote learning and this include a Pesach competition
  • Rabbi Simon Taylor, who works in the USA for NCSY, is doing online breakdancing lessons:


Youth Activities 

Advice Pages for parents and students 

Campus/Students

  •  UJS (The Union of Jewish Students) has created an online J Soc, Chicken Soup, with online cooking, exercise, dancing, as well as dvrei Torah, lectures
  • Masa Israel Journey has educational resources online
  • Rabbi Alexander Goldberg, Chaplain at the University of Surrey has spoken of the growing online presence of chaplaincy

Useful links:

Study, learning and action

As schools close and Jewish educational groups shut their doors, many organisations are adapting by putting resources online.

  • The Jewish Learning Exchange (JLE) has migrated all its programmes online, including Lunch & Learn (with Deliveroo), Havdalah Live, Rabbis Unscripted on Facebook, live phone-ins every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, and webinars from Rabbi Tatz.

Rabbi’s unscripted with the JLE:


  •  Reform’s RJ TV runs online learning each day at 12.30.
  • Masorti learning takes place on its online portal
  •  London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) made classes available online through Zoom. These include Rabbi Dweck on Monday nights and Rabbi Rafi Zarrum on Tuesday lunchtimes.
  • Leo Baeck College has added content online
  • The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain has online webinars, mentoring, networking and access to research material.
  • The Jewish Historical Society of England has significant archives and materials for member, available online
  • Limmud hosted its first e-festival in North America, and more events are to planned
  • Jewish Justice Training, a conference in the US, moved online, organised by an organisation called “Bend the Arc”
  • A Daf Yomi What’sApp group has been created, with Barry Kleinberg running a daily podcast

Useful links

JLE: https://www.jle.org.uk

Aish: https://www.aish.org.uk/

Reform: https://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/rjtv-online-community-from-reform-judaism/

Masorti: https://masortijudaism.social/

Limmud: https://limmud-north-america.mailchimpsites.com/efestival and www.limmud.org 

LSJS: https://www.facebook.com/LondonSchoolofJewishStudies/

LBC: https://lbc.ac.uk/study-with-us/additional-learning-opportunities/lehrhaus/

JGSGB: https://www.jgsgb.org.uk/

JHSE: https://jhse.org/

United Synagogue: https://www.theus.org.uk/

Bend the Arc, Pursuing Justice: https://conference.bendthearc.us/

 

Exercise, yoga, dance & spirituality

Local communities are offering exercise, spirituality and dance to keep people active during lockdown.

 

JW3

JW3 has turned itself into a virtual Jewish Community Centre within 48 hours of closing its physical doors. 

  • They moved all adult Hebrew courses online – with more than 200 students continuing courses via Zoom
  • All Gateways classes for 65 of  the most vulnerable 15-21 year olds moved to online one-to-one lessons. Counselling sessions took place by phone.
  • Adult education classes moved to Zoom within 4 days
  • 120 signed up for a live event with Anshel Pfeffer on the day Benny Gantz failed in his bid to be PM. 
  • JW3 has commissioned a new pre-Pesach show by Jewish Comedian Ashley Blaker “Alone at JW3” that goes out live from its site
  • It has launched a weekly “Shababoom” pre-Shabbat online event with stories and crafts on a Friday, as well as a pre-Shabbat good news round up with the Jewish News live on Zoom.
  • JW3 has launched the one-stop-shop Jewishonline.jw3.org.uk – a portal for people to access great online content.
  • JW3 https://jewishonline.jw3.org.uk/ and JW3 live https://jewishonline.jw3.org.uk/live-events


Preparation for the Seder

As Passover rapidly approaches many communities and families are preparing for seder night in a very different way.

  • Some are planning to run seder nights with Zoom
  • The Chief Rabbi has outlined numerous events happening over Pesach
  • Neshama has a series of online shiurim [talks].
  • Dr Ron Wolfson who published the 1988 guide to Passover with Joel Grishaver, published tips for a Zoom Seder.
  • Reshet has produced its tips for Pesach, which Chief Rabbi is strongly advising you to WATCH!

Useful links

Podcasts & broadcasts 

As everyone spends lot more time indoors, you may need something to occupy your time. Why not check out some of these podcasts?

  • While you may not be able to get on a plane and be whisked-off to Tel Aviv, you can tune into TLV1, and its six podcasts.  Stay in touch with the bustling city, Israel and the Jewish World.:

  • The Promised Podcast is a weekly discussion with contemporary Israeli music.
  • Kol Cambridge by Israeli tourguide and former mazkir of FZY Sam Greene showcases the talent and range of Israeli musicians, past and present.
  • Israel in Translation explores Israeli literature in English translation.
  • Streetwise Hebrew is a bite -size podcast showcasing Modern Hebrew and its slang.
  • Tel Aviv Review gives long form interviews with scholars, writeers and thinkers.
  • The Why Why Why show is people sharing true stores about misadventures in Israel.  
  • Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg run a blog “Judaism Unbound”, and played a key role in the new site, jewishLIVE and the linked facebook/zoom groups. 
  •   UK based podcast launched by Hayden Cohen after Limmud 2018, Hayden discusses UK community
  • Two from the Tablet, Daily Daf Yomi, as the new programme has just started it is a great time to join.
  • Unorthodox is a smart, fresh, fun weekly take on Jewish news and culture hosted by Mark Oppenheimer, Stephanie Butnick, and Liel Leibovitz.
  • J-TV , the Jewish UK TV channel created and run by Oliver Anisfeld has an archive of interviews.

Watch this piercing testimony from a Shoah survivor on J-TV:

  • The Jewish Story offers content to deepen the relationship with Israel.
  • Two Nice Jewish Boys is a weekly Israeli podcast in English. Naor and Eytan offer you a glimpse of Israel and the interesting people there.
  • Jewish Women’s Archive (JWA) podcast team brings stories and conversation and Jewish women.
  • The Book of Life features interviews with authors, illustrators, musicians, filmmakers, web creators and others to bring you the backstory on the Jewish arts.
  • Jewish History Matters features interviews and in-depth discussion of new research and enduring debates about Jewish history and culture and why it matters.
  • Jewish Journeys brings in educators like Jeremy Leigh and Julian Resnick to do virtual Jewish experiences, including a session ‘Jews, Plagues and Places’ Friday 3 April, 12 midday.
  • Rabbis Unscripted from JLE with Rabbi Benjy Morgan and Rabbi Dov Cowan
  • Stuart MacDonald, treasurer of the Board of Deputies, runs the the “Naked Short club” every Monday between 9-10pm and again at 9am on Thursday.

Useful links 

 

UK/Israel Business

Jewish Documentaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

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