Shir Hadash
Shir Hadash is an egalitarian Progressive congregation. It encourages equal participation of men and women of all races, national origins, sexual orientations and physical, mental or emotional disabilities. The members are happy to welcome as guests persons visiting Florence and the surrounding area. Jews from other denominations are also very welcome to attend, as are persons of other religious faiths.
Shir Hadash is a member of the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ), the international umbrella organization of the Reform, Liberal, Progressive and Reconstructionist movements, serving 1,200 congregations with 1.8 million members in more than 45 countries.
Shir Hadash was founded in Florence by a group of ex-pat American Jewish women and Italian Jewish men, both looking for an alternative space to express their Judaism in Italy. Today, Shir Hadash is an active and growing congregation which still reflects those origins. Members are a mixed group of nationalities, ages, traditions and Jewish origins, using their diversity to study, celebrate and live a Jewish lifestyle which is a unique blend.
As a small congregation, Shir Hadash doesn’t have the resources for a full-time rabbi. However throughout the years, it had the great fortune to have been guided by a series of American rabbis and guest cantors. From their years of experience they have provided the congregation with the mediation, teaching and inspiration that has been invaluable for its growth as a community.
Now that safety measures imposed for COVID-19 have been eased,
services for Shir Hadash will again be conducted in person.
NOA is co-funded by the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020) of the European Union