Charlotte "Charley" Hannah Baginsky (born 25 December 1978) is a British executive, rabbi, and Jewish organisational leader. She is the Chief Executive Officer of

Liberal Judaism (UK) Liberal Judaism (formerly known as the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues (until 2002) and the Jewish Religious Union) was one of the two WUPJ-affiliated Progressive Jewish denominations in the United Kingdom. In 2025, a vote confirm ...

since 2021.

Early life and education

Baginsky was born in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, the daughter of William Baginsky and Mary Baginsky (née Yates). She studied

Theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

and

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

, before working and studying for several years in Israel. She was ordained as a rabbi at

Leo Baeck College Leo Baeck College is a privately funded rabbinical seminary and centre for the training of teachers in Jewish education. Based now at the Sternberg Centre, East End Road, Finchley, in the London Borough of Barnet, it was founded by Werner va ...

in London.

Career

For ten years Baginsky was the Rabbi for Kingston Liberal Synagogue. From March to December 2020 Baginsky was, with Shelley Shocolinsky-Dwyer, Liberal Judaism's joint interim Director. Prior to that she was, from 2016 to 2020, Liberal Judaism's Director of Strategy and Partnerships and also (part-time) the Rabbi for South Bucks Jewish Community. Since January 2021, she is the Chief Executive Officer of

. With

Reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

Rabbi Josh Levy, she also co-leads the project to bring British Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism together into a single new Progressive Judaism entity.

Family life

She has three children.

References

External links

Liberal Judaism (UK): Charley Baginsky

Jewish Women's Archive: Charley Baginsky

Baginsky's articles in ''The Jewish Chronicle''
1978 births Living people 21st-century English rabbis Alumni of King's College London Alumni of Leo Baeck College Alumni of the University of Cambridge British chief executives British Liberal rabbis British women chief executives Liberal Judaism (United Kingdom) Women rabbis {{UK-rabbi-stub