Flowering relationship is celebrated in synagogue

WEST LONDON Synagogue hosted its first same sex wedding at the weekend, when English teachers Liz Shoffren and Jessica Rogers tied the knot in a traditional service.

The wedding — both a religious and civil ceremony — followed Ms Rogers’ conversion to Judaism.

“In the same way I fell for her, I fell in love with Judaism, too,” Ms Rogers said. “She would always go off to do Yom Kippur or other festivals and I always felt there was this part of her I didn’t know about.

“When I proposed two years ago, we discussedwhatourmarriagewouldlook likeanddecidedIwouldconvertbecause we wanted to have a full marriage.”

The 33-year-old said she had been brought up by “hippy” parents in Glastonbury, but that she and Ms Shoffren now enjoy keeping Shabbat together and taking part in festivals.

“Being Jewish has given me things I’ve never had in my life before,” she continued. “I think you get to a certain age and start to think about life and what it means. Judaism has provided those answers for me.”

Ms Shoffren said the reception venue — the Octagon Library at Queen Mary University in Mile End — reflected Liz Shoffren and Jessica Rogers on their wedding day the newly-weds’ professions. “It was a beautiful day,” she added.

“It has been a learning experience for both of us but it has been great to see Jess learn about everything from Purim to the mikveh.”

She continued: “We both want to have a child and we wanted both children to be Jewish.”

Rabbi David Mitchell, who conducted the wedding, said that it “was a wonderful celebration of two people who are deeply in love with one another.”

He added: Initially, Jess and Liz joined West London Synagogue because of its reputation as an inclusive and welcoming community.

“Since then they have become increasingly involved. It has been an utter privilege to support Jess’s journey into Judaism and there was not a dry eye in shul when, back in June, we held her admission ceremony at our annual LGBT pride service.”