Rebecca Birk is an English Liberal Jewish rabbi, rabbi of Finchley Progressive Synagogue in North Finchley, London. In 2016 the Evening Standard listed her as one of "London's most influential people".The Progress 1000: London's most influential people 2016 – Faith Leaders, Evening Standard, 7 September 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2020. In July 2026 it was announced that she would succeed Alexandra Wright as Senior Rabbi of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, taking up the post in 2027.
Life Rebecca Birk is a grand-daughter of Alma Birk, Baroness Birk, the journalist and Labour peer, and her husband Ellis Birk, a media lawyer.'Baroness Birk: Labour's dynamo in the Lords', The Guardian, 31 December 1996. She grew up in Oxford. She gained a BA in theology from Bristol University and an MA from Harvard Divinity School before training to be a rabbi at Leo Baeck College.
Rabbi Birk led Woodford Liberal Synagogue, and was an associate at Westminster Synagogue, before becoming the Rabbi at Finchley Progressive Synagogue (FPS) in 2010.
At Finchley Progressive Synagogue she has led a successful campaign with Citizens UK to ensure that accommodation was found for refugees from the Syrian Civil War.Urwin, Rosamund. How we can help Syrian refugees: compassionate Londoners offering asylum seekers food, shelter and spare rooms, Evening Standard, 4 September 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2020. In October 2015 Barnet Council became the first Conservative-run local authority district to resettle refugees under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme,Liberal shul helps secure Sukkot sanctuary for child refugees, Jewish News, 23 September 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2020. agreeing to admit 50 Syrian refugees. The synagogue has continued to provide support to the refugees,Doherty, Rosa. How the Jewish community is helping refugees integrate in Britain, The Jewish Chronicle, 22 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2020. and in October 2018 the Council pledged to continue to offer sanctuary to child refugees.
Birk has also worked as a Jewish prison chaplain, holding an annual Seder celebration at Holloway Women's Prison:
In May 2020 she joined other faith leaders to help hand out free meals from the Queen’s Crescent Community Centre in Kentish Town.Foot, Tom. Supper for all as faith leaders help hand out free meals, Camden New Journal, 28 May 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
She has been a contributor to BBC Radio 2's Pause for Thought,Pause For Thought: 'No man is an island.', BBC Radio 2, 17 July 2019.Pause For Thought: 'Laziness might just be overrated!', BBC Radio 2, 22 July 2019. and written for newspapers including Jewish News.
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