Minyans are Back

The LGBT Centre has reopened after its renovation work. There is now an accessible toilet! The Centre is located right next to Blackfriars station and has a step-free entrance.

As the days get cooler and shorter, we bring our own lights into the darkness. Come connect with other queer Jews to daven or just to chat. Our gatherings are small, but friendly and growing. If you have not booked or are running late, you are still welcome. We are open to Jews and allies from all backgrounds.

You can find our schedule on the calendar on this website or from Eventbright.

#daven #Jewish #London #Queer #UK

Shacharit

🗓️ Start: 11 November 2025 07:30
⏳ End: 11 November 2025 08:30
📍 Location: London LGBTQ+ Community Centre, 60-62 Hopton Street, SE1 9JH, London, United Kingdom

Join us bright and early for our first Shacharit or 8786! Check in and wrap tefillin (or not, as is your minhag) as we start the day with prayer and blessings.

7:30 – Doors open. People can arrive and wrap tefillin (we have one set to lend).

7:45 – The service starts

8:15 – We hope to reach kaddish around this time

8:30 – We must be out at this time

Late arrival is ok. We ask that everyone follow our code of conduct.

If you have not been before, please book.

https://jaq.blessing.exchange/event/shacharit/

Ma’ariv

🗓️ Start: 4 November 2025 19:00
⏳ End: 4 November 2025 20:00
📍 Location: London LGBTQ+ Community Centre, 60-62 Hopton Street, SE1 9JH, London, United Kingdom

Join us to daven and socialise!

We’ll have a Ma’aric service, check in with each other and daven together. We can grab a bite or a beverage nearby afterwards.

Late arrival is ok. We ask that everyone follow our code of conduct.

If you have not been before, please book.

https://jaq.blessing.exchange/event/maariv/

Seder!

One of our London members is organising a potluck seder on Tuesday. Short on notice but long on community!

If you haven’t been before to anything we’ve run, this would be a fun first event.

Bring a small vegan dish to share, and find fellowship and Matzo with queer and leftist Jews.

We do not have the ability to reheat food (there is a tea kettle however). Please note that we will use grape juice only at this event.

Late arrival is ok. We ask that everyone follow our code of conduct.

If you have not been before, please book.

(All of our events are listed in our Calendar, which you can sync to your phone or device.)

#Jewish #London #Queer #seder

This Tuesday: Pray and Pub!

Chag sameah, comrades!

We are going to carry this joyous Purim / Adar energy into Tuesday evening with prayer and pub! We’ll have a ma’ariv service with snacks 7-8 at the LGBT+ Centre and then head to the closest pub afterwards. (See more: https://jaq.blessing.exchange/event/maariv-3/ )

Please invite your friends! This is a lovely way to spend a spring evening. The pub also has food.

Spring is a time for growth, and we’re hoping for both our joy and our numbers to bloom.

#daven #jewdiverse #Jewish #lgbt #mazeldon #Queer #SouthLondon #tefillah

Start Your Day with Some Blessing and Community

We now have a calendar that you can subscribe to via your phone or favourite calendar app. (The LGBTQ+ Centre’s calendar is slightly wonky and is missing a few dates).

Our next minyan is tomorrow, 11 February, bright and early. Come start your day with blessings!

https://jaq.blessing.exchange/events

Upcoming Events

Shacharit

Ma’ariv

Shacharit

#lgbtq #London #minyan #tefillah

New Minyan Times

By popular demand, we’re experimenting with some different time slots for our London-based Weekday Minyan. Our next minyan will be a maariv, on Tuesday 4 February.

If you’ve never been before, you’re very welcome, but please book so we know to look out for you.

Future February dates and times aren’t yet fixed, but we’ll have a new set pattern by March. Watch this space for news and announcements or send us an email to get added to our list.

#London #minyan #tefillah

Tomorrow Morning Minyan

Help make it a minyan tomorrow! If you have not previously been, please book so we know to look out for you: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/queer-weekday-minyan-tickets-1105349162099

[Cross-posted to our insta account]

#daven #minyan #shacharit #tefillah

From the dark side

This is our first post to instagram:

We’ve joined insta! But we don’t want you to follow us here. We all saw the photos of the CEO of this platform honouring Trump. So, instead, why not follow us on a more ethical platform? See our website for more on how to do that. And if you or your organisation wants help in moving away from here, please contact us! Part of our mission is to support Queer Jews and organisations. https://jaq.blessing.exchange/2025/01/weve-joined-insta-but-dont-follow-us-there/

Fedi users: is this an ethical way to engage? Share your thoughts.

Weekday Morning Minyans

Our weekly Shacharit services continue in to their second month! The LGBT Centre has added a page for booking, for people haven’t been before.

Our regular schedule is:

7:30: Doors, laying tefillin (please bring your own if you have them. We do not yet have any to lend out)

7:45: Service starts

8:15: Kaddish and then the end of the service

8:30: We must depart

Late arrival is ok. We ask that everyone follow our code of conduct.

We have a signal group and an email list for announcements as well. If you want to get into the loop please book or email us: jaq@blessing.exchange

#London #mazeldon #minyan #Queer

What Is Service Leading?

Find out what it means to lead a service on Sunday 15th December 10am-12noon.

A 2hr online session exploring “what is service leading” – we’ll look at what skills are needed, what we already have and what we can develop. This is open to everyone!

This is appropriate both for people who are sure they want to lead and also for those who might be interested in leading but are unsure, who might want to only lead part of a service or who are just keen to know more about what it takes.

If you are interested in service leading in any context or future service leading training then come along to explore how it feels.

Really, this is for everyone interested. Don’t worry about your skill level:

• you do not need to be able to read Hebrew fluently, a lot of service leading can be in English. Services can also be lead by more than one person
• you don’t need to be able to sing! You can read, share with a confident singer and/or learn/practice singing simple tunes in your range
• you don’t need to be able to come to the weekday morning minyan or be in London for this one

If you’re interested, send us an email!

#leadership #learning

Learn to Lead Services

Have you ever wondered about learning to lead a service? We are arranging some training with a London-based teacher to build skills in the community!

There are going to be three parts – two on zoom, one in person. The first is open to all and the second and third tailored to participants in the weekday morning minyan.

The first part will be a 2 hour online session exploring “what is service leading anyway” – we”ll look at what skills are needed, what we already have and what we need to develop. This means it would be great for people to come who might be interested but are unsure, who might want to only lead part of a service or who are just keen to know more about what it takes. If you might want to take a leadership in your communities, this is for you!

If you are interested in service leading in any context or future service leading training then come along to explore how it feels.

Max people 15, pay what you can. This will be the 8th or 15th December. If you have a preference, leave a comment or send us an email.

#leadership

Starting the first week in November, there will be a new queer weekday morning minyan.

Every service with enough people will include a kaddish. The minhag of any particular service will be set by the leader that week. This group will also offer opportunities to learn to lead prayers, including a buddy system. We hope everybody who wants to can lead a service with us!

If you would like to attend, please email us: jaq@blessing.exchange

https://jaq.blessing.exchange/2024/10/weekday-minyans-starting-in-november/

“You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” – Exodus 22:20

As fascists terrorise our streets, we must stand up to be counted against racism. As Jews, we and our ancestors have been migrants and refugees. The same forces that have persecuted us are now persecuting others. Our ancestors and their allies fought bigotry and we must continue that fight. We have received welcome and aid and we must fight to ensure others do also. Racism must be resisted in all its forms.

This resistance can include going to counter demonstrations or donating to help support migrants. Our community is not immune to racism. It is just as important to show solidarity at shul as in the streets. We must speak up when we hear intolerance. Acting against bigotry is a mitzvah. An injury to one is an injury to all.

https://jaq.blessing.exchange/2024/08/no-to-racism/