The Liberal Judaism Archives are open to members of the public by appointment and contain historical material from 1898 to the present day, from both the national movement and the Liberal Jewish communities of Britain.

Archive Description

The archives hold the communal records of the national movement which began as the Jewish Religious Union in 1902, was later renamed the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues, and is now known as Liberal Judaism. There is also information on activities that led to the formation of the Union, and its communities. This includes correspondence on potential communities that were not formed and communities that have since left Liberal Judaism.

The earliest holdings are manuscripts from 1898 and the collection continues to the present day. It has items both from the national movement and from our communities around the United Kingdom, and elsewhere in Europe. Some of these are in large cities and towns and others are in smaller, more rural places.

The archive includes prayerbooks and service booklets, minutes, letters and correspondence, press cuttings, circulars, newsletters and magazines, cash books, oral histories, leaflets and pamphlets, youth movement magazines, flyers, t-shirts, badges, memorabilia from events, students packs, outreach reports, CDs, DVDs, photographs, posters, trophies, and much more.

Access Information

The archive is open to the public by appointment only. A lot of the more frail material has been passed to the London Metropolitan Archives, also in Central London, on long-term loan and may be viewed there by arrangement. The archive has listings of this and of other material that has been deposited at the Anglo-Jewish Archives at the University of Southampton. The Archivist can send out the catalogue in hard copy or email on request, and can be contacted here. Access requires two weeks advance notification.

Street Address

The Montagu Centre
21 Maple Street
London
W1T 4BE