Laura Janner-Klausner

The Honourable Rabbi
Laura Janner-Klausner
Personal
Born
Laura Janner

1 August 1963
London, United Kingdom
ReligionJudaism
NationalityBritish and Israeli
SpouseDavid Janner-Klausner
ChildrenTal, Natan and Ella
Parent(s)Lord Janner of Braunstone,
Myra Sheink JP
DenominationReform Judaism
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge, Hebrew University, Jewish Theological Seminary, Brandeis University, Leo Baeck College
OccupationRabbi-Coach
Jewish leader
PredecessorPosition created
Websitewww.rabbilaura.org
PositionSenior Rabbi[1]
OrganisationMovement for Reform Judaism
BeganJanuary 2011
EndedSeptember 2020

Laura Naomi Janner-Klausner (Hebrew: לוֹרָה ג׳אָנֶר-קלְוֹזנֶר, born 1 August 1963) is a British rabbi and an inclusion and development coach who served as the inaugural Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism from 2011 until 2020.[1][2][3] Janner-Klausner grew up in London before studying theology at the University of Cambridge and moving to Israel in 1985, living in Jerusalem for 15 years.[4] She returned to Britain in 1999 and was ordained at Leo Baeck College, serving as rabbi at Alyth Synagogue (North Western Reform Synagogue) until 2011. She has been serving as Rabbi at Bromley Reform Synagogue in south-east London since April 2022.[5][6]

Janner-Klausner represents a progressive Jewish voice to British Jewry and the wider public, speaking on affairs including Israel-Palestine, social justice, same-sex marriage and interfaith relations. Janner-Klausner is a regular broadcaster on programmes such as BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day, BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought and BBC One’s The Big Questions and Sunday Morning Live. In November 2014, The Huffington Post reported that Janner-Klausner was "fast becoming the most high-profile Jewish leader in the country" and described her as "wildly likeable, emphatic, intense, and outspoken".[3] In 2018 she featured in The Progress 1000 list of London's most influential people.[7] She has written a book on the theme of resilience, Bitesize Resilience: A Crisis Survival Guide, which was launched on 7 May 2020.[8] She is Co-Chair of the Global Interfaith Commission on LGBT+ Lives[9] and an honorary fellow of The Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion at the University of Birmingham.[10] She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

  1. ^ a b Movement for Reform Judaism. "Senior Rabbi to the Movement for Reform Judaism". Movement for Reform Judaism. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Elgot was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Not was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Former senior Reform rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner to take over at Bromley shul". Jewish News. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  6. ^ Toberman, Barry (8 February 2022). "Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner announces return to the pulpit". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  7. ^ "The Progress 1000: London's most influential people 2018 – Social pillars: Faith". Evening Standard. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Leading Reform rabbi: 'How I found meaning in pain". Jewish News. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Global Interfaith Commission on LGBT+ Lives". Global Interfaith Commission on LGBT+ Lives.
  10. ^ "The Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion". The Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion.