Who are we?
Progressiv Judendom i Stockholm (PJS) is the progressive (liberal, reform) branch of Judaism within Stockholm’s Jewish community. PJS was formed in the spring of 2005 as a non-profit and politically independent association, to respond to the need for a progressive alternative in Jewish Stockholm. At the same time, it was a way of reconnecting to the direction that the Great Synagogue had from its inauguration in 1870 until the post-war period. This year, 2023, for the first time we will have our own, permanent half-time rabbi. Her name is Rebecca Lillian and she looks forward to meeting you.
With services, studies, joint celebrations of Shabbat and other holidays, our goal is to develop Jewish life and Jewish traditions, strengthen Jewish identity and promote a Jewish community. For most of the year, we hold services once a month, often a Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday night with a lot of music and singing and followed by a potluck dinner with lots of socializing. Four or five times a year a Shabbaton over an entire weekend, is organized with services and studies with visiting rabbis. Over a hundred people are part of our network, and between thirty and seventy people attend our services.
We use our own progressive siddur, Kol Haneshama, a prayer book with the texts in Hebrew, transliteration and Swedish and with many explanatory texts. It can therefore serve as an introduction to Judaism. Progressiv Judendom i Stockholm is consistently egalitarian, we do not differentiate between women and men, both participate in services on equal terms. Both women and men are included in the minyan and can be called to the Torah. Being a Jew is considered equally from either the mother or the father and we welcome families in so-called mixed marriages.
