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John Rayner

August 25, 2023

For the British military officer, see John William Rayner.

Rabbi John Desmond Rayner CBE (30 May 1924 – 19 September 2005) was a British Liberal Jewish rabbi. He was born in Berlin as Hans Sigismund Rahmer. He left Berlin in 1939 on one of the last Kindertransports. The Kindertransport programme brought around 10,000 children to the UK. Both his parents, Ferdinand Rahmer and Charlotte Landshut, were murdered in the Holocaust.

Between 1943 and 1947 Rayner served in the British Army. In October 1947 he took up an open scholarship in modern languages that he had previously won at Emmanuel College, Cambridge five years earlier. In his second year he switched to Moral Science which comprised philosophy, logic, ethics and psychology and graduated in 1950 with First Class Honours. In his third year Rayner specialised in Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac and Semitic Epigraphy. In his sixth year Rayner began working as a research student on a thesis about Maimonides' conception of Revelation.

Rayner was ordained in the Liberal Jewish ministry on 21 June 1953 and served the South London Liberal Synagogue, in Streatham until 1957. He then worked at St John's Wood Liberal Synagogue until in 1963 he left for Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States. Rayner had been invited to the Hebrew Union College to take up a graduate fellowship. He returned to the UK to serve as Minister at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in June 1965.

He wrote books on diverse topics including halakha, marriage, ethics, Zionism, theology and Jewish-Christian relations. He also gave a large number of sermons. He was voted one of the best preachers in Britain by Harpers and Queen magazine in 1976. During the late 1960s and 1970s Rayner made several appearances on national television and radio.

Working with American Rabbi Chaim Stern, Rayner was the main liturgist of British Liberal Judaism. They compiled the Sabbath and Festivals and High Holidays liturgy used by all Liberal Synagogues, Service of the Heart and Gates of Repentance, continuing their editorial partnership to co-edit Siddur Lev Chadash. He was the teacher of liturgy at Leo Baeck College in London.

He was an active participant in inter-faith work as co-chairman of the London Society of Christians and Jews. As a result of this work in 1993 he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

His thought emphasises the importance of ethics and the need for a more halakhic approach to Progressive Judaism.

On 19 September 2005 he died, at home, after a long illness. A carer was by his side on his last night. Her name was "Comfort".

John Rayner was married and had three children and two grandchildren.

Works Edit

  • The Practices of Liberal Judaism (1958).
  • Service of the Heart (1967)
  • Gates of Repentance (1973)
  • Guide to Jewish Marriage (1975). ISBN 978-0900521058
  • Judaism for Today (1978). ISBN 978-0900521096
  • Siddur Lev Chadash (1995). ISBN 978-0900521201
  • An Understanding of Judaism (Berghahn Books, December 1997). ISBN 978-1-57181-971-0
  • A Jewish Understanding of the World (Berghahn Books, March 1998). ISBN 978-1571819734
  • Jewish Religious Law. A Progressive Perspective (Berghahn Books, May 1998). ISBN 978-1-57181-976-5
  • Principles of Jewish Ethics: From a Progressive Point of View (New Jewish initiative for social justice, 1998)
  • Aspects of Liberal Jewish Thought (1999)[1]
  • Signposts to the Messianic Age: Sermons and Lectures, Vallentine Mitchell (2006). ISBN 978-0853037033

References Edit

  1. ^ Aspects of Liberal Jewish thought. Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues. 1999. OL 18258236M.
  • Obituary[dead link], The Independent, 22 September 2005
  • Obituary. The Guardian, 26 September 2005, and follow-up letter
  • Obituary. The Times, 29 September 2005
  • , European Judaism, 39(1), Spring 2006
  • Brownfeld, Allan C. Rabbi John D. Rayner 1924–2005, Issues, American Council for Judaism, Winter 2006
  • Middleburgh, C. H. "A Final Interview with John D. Rayner", European Judaism, 40(1), Spring 2007, pp. 93–99
  • Friedlander, A. H. 'The German Influence on Progressive Judaism in Great Britain", Second Chance:Two Centuries of German-speaking Jews in the United Kingdom, (1991), pp. 425–436
  • Goldstein, A. "German, English, American Liturgist", European Judaism, 40(1), Spring 2007

August 25, 2023
john, rayner, british, military, officer, john, william, rayner, rabbi, john, desmond, rayner, 1924, september, 2005, british, liberal, jewish, rabbi, born, berlin, hans, sigismund, rahmer, left, berlin, 1939, last, kindertransports, kindertransport, programme. For the British military officer see John William Rayner Rabbi John Desmond Rayner CBE 30 May 1924 19 September 2005 was a British Liberal Jewish rabbi He was born in Berlin as Hans Sigismund Rahmer He left Berlin in 1939 on one of the last Kindertransports The Kindertransport programme brought around 10 000 children to the UK Both his parents Ferdinand Rahmer and Charlotte Landshut were murdered in the Holocaust Between 1943 and 1947 Rayner served in the British Army In October 1947 he took up an open scholarship in modern languages that he had previously won at Emmanuel College Cambridge five years earlier In his second year he switched to Moral Science which comprised philosophy logic ethics and psychology and graduated in 1950 with First Class Honours In his third year Rayner specialised in Hebrew Aramaic Syriac and Semitic Epigraphy In his sixth year Rayner began working as a research student on a thesis about Maimonides conception of Revelation Rayner was ordained in the Liberal Jewish ministry on 21 June 1953 and served the South London Liberal Synagogue in Streatham until 1957 He then worked at St John s Wood Liberal Synagogue until in 1963 he left for Cincinnati Ohio in the United States Rayner had been invited to the Hebrew Union College to take up a graduate fellowship He returned to the UK to serve as Minister at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in June 1965 He wrote books on diverse topics including halakha marriage ethics Zionism theology and Jewish Christian relations He also gave a large number of sermons He was voted one of the best preachers in Britain by Harpers and Queen magazine in 1976 During the late 1960s and 1970s Rayner made several appearances on national television and radio Working with American Rabbi Chaim Stern Rayner was the main liturgist of British Liberal Judaism They compiled the Sabbath and Festivals and High Holidays liturgy used by all Liberal Synagogues Service of the Heart and Gates of Repentance continuing their editorial partnership to co edit Siddur Lev Chadash He was the teacher of liturgy at Leo Baeck College in London He was an active participant in inter faith work as co chairman of the London Society of Christians and Jews As a result of this work in 1993 he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire His thought emphasises the importance of ethics and the need for a more halakhic approach to Progressive Judaism On 19 September 2005 he died at home after a long illness A carer was by his side on his last night Her name was Comfort John Rayner was married and had three children and two grandchildren Works EditThe Practices of Liberal Judaism 1958 Service of the Heart 1967 Gates of Repentance 1973 Guide to Jewish Marriage 1975 ISBN 978 0900521058 Judaism for Today 1978 ISBN 978 0900521096 Siddur Lev Chadash 1995 ISBN 978 0900521201 An Understanding of Judaism Berghahn Books December 1997 ISBN 978 1 57181 971 0 A Jewish Understanding of the World Berghahn Books March 1998 ISBN 978 1571819734 Jewish Religious Law A Progressive Perspective Berghahn Books May 1998 ISBN 978 1 57181 976 5 Principles of Jewish Ethics From a Progressive Point of View New Jewish initiative for social justice 1998 Aspects of Liberal Jewish Thought 1999 1 Signposts to the Messianic Age Sermons and Lectures Vallentine Mitchell 2006 ISBN 978 0853037033References Edit Aspects of Liberal Jewish thought Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues 1999 OL 18258236M Obituary dead link The Independent 22 September 2005 Obituary The Guardian 26 September 2005 and follow up letter Obituary The Times 29 September 2005 Tributes to John Rayner European Judaism 39 1 Spring 2006 Brownfeld Allan C Rabbi John D Rayner 1924 2005 Issues American Council for Judaism Winter 2006 Middleburgh C H A Final Interview with John D Rayner European Judaism 40 1 Spring 2007 pp 93 99 Friedlander A H The German Influence on Progressive Judaism in Great Britain Second Chance Two Centuries of German speaking Jews in the United Kingdom 1991 pp 425 436 Goldstein A German English American Liturgist European Judaism 40 1 Spring 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Rayner amp oldid 1152284734, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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