JCR-UK is a genealogical and historical website. It is not the official website of any of the organisations discussed below.

Partnership Minyanim

Congregations known as Partnership Minyanim maintain that they adhere to orthodox (halachic) standards and practices (such adherence being disputed by many within the orthodox community) while including women in ritual leadership roles to the fullest extent possible within the boundaries of halachah. This means that the traditional liturgy is used and although, for example, the minyan is made up of at least 10 men and the men are separated from the women by a mechitzah, women may fully participate in reading from the Torah, including chanting the text and receiving aliyot (generally other than the portions reserved for the Cohen and the Levi), and may lead parts of the prayer service such as psukei d'zimrah and kabbalat Shabbat.

Partnership minyanim were first established in Israel and the United States in 2002 and have since spread to a number of other countries including the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, these minyanim are independent and there is no central governing organisation. However, generally, they were established at the initiative of members of the UK chapter of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA UK) (see below), from whom they receive receive support and encouragement.

Congregations

There are currently five independent Partnership Minyanim in the vicinity of Greater London, as listed below.³

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Notes & Sources (↵ returns to main text)  

1. JOFA UK's website, accessed 9 August 2018. ↵

2. Charities Commissioners website (in beta trial stage) accessed 13 August 2018. ↵

3. Listed on the website of JOFA UK, last accessed 13 August 2018. ↵