Involving non-Jews
To begin with, we must note that non-Jews have always been welcome to attend services at Finchley Progressive Synagogue. This is true both on an informal and formal level. Informally anyone who would like to see what happens in a Jewish service can be part of our congregation and, of course, no non-Jewish partner of a Synagogue member should ever feel that they are excluded from being with us. This is supported by Jewish tradition as non-Jews were able to bring voluntary offerings and sacrifices to the Temple in Jerusalem when it was the place of Jewish worship (see e.g. Babylonian Talmud Menachot 73b).
Whenever a Bar or Bat Mitzvah has a non-Jewish parent they are invited to join their child on the Bimah when the Bar/Bat Mitzvah prayer is recited at the end of the service in order to demonstrate their support for their child's upbringing as a Jew. Similarly, if one or more parents of a Bride or Bridegroom are not Jewish then they are invited to join their child under the Chuppah in order to be fully included in the celebration of their child's wedding.
The limitation that we put on the participation of non-Jews in our services it that they are not invited to perform mitzvot on behalf of the community, such as reading the blessings over the Torah (aliyah) or opening the Ark. They are also not invited to act as Shaliach Tzibbur (leader of the congregation in prayer). We make this limitation in accord with the principle recorded in the Mishnah that "a person who is not themselves under an obligation to perform a mitzvah (Jewish duty) cannot perform it on behalf of a congregation" (Rosh Hashanah 3:8).
