Congregation Data

Beit Klal Yisrael

(also known as Beit Klal Yisrael - Liberal Jewish Community since 2007)

Beit Klal Yisrael - North Kensington Reform Synagogue (until 2007)⁽ⁱ⁾

P.O. Box 1828 London W10 5RT

According to the Congregation's Facebook page, all services and events are held at The Montagu Centre, 21 Maple Street, London W1T 4BE (unless otherwise advertised)

Until at least 2004, services were held in Notting Hill Gate.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Active

March 1990⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Progressive

Since July, 2006, the congregation has been affiliated to Liberal Judaism (formerly the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues) and it is also affiliated to the World Congress of Gay and Lesbian Jewish Organisations.^(iv) However, from at least 1995 until about 2004, the congregation was a constituent synagogue of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain (now the Movement for Reform Judaism)^(v)

Rabbi Sheila Shulman (Founding Rabbi) - from 1990 until about 2007, and thereafter emeritus rabbi^(ix)

Rabbi Judith Rosen-Berry - from about 2011 until about 2014^(x)

Rabbi Anna Wolfson (then known as Posner) (part-time) - 2020 until 2021 ^(xi)

National Reports & Surveys^(xv)

2010 & 2016 - listed as having 50 to 99 members (by household)

On 20 March 1991, the congregation was incorporated as a registered company, Beit Klal Yisrael (company no. 02593458), limited by guarantee without a share capital (and with an exemption from use of the word 'Limited'). It is also a registered charity (no. 1034282), registered on 3 March 1994. The governing documents are the company's Memorandum & Articles Association dated 20 March 1991, as ameded 10 October 1993. ^(xvi)

The district of North Kensington in West Central London is in the Royal London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (an Inner London Borough, established on 1 April 1965) within the administrative area of Greater London.

Kensington  - Link to Register Office website.

The congregation is one of only a few Liberal congregations that are members of the Jewish Joint Burial Society (JJBS). As a London Synagogue, this includes rights of burial at one of the Society's cemeteries, in particular the Western Cemetery, Bulls Cross Ride, Cheshunt. There is also generally the option (through the JJBS) of a Woodland Burial in Cheshunt or cremation at Golders Green Crematorium.

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

• (i) The congregation was listed as Beit Klal Yisrael (North Kensington Reform Synagogue) in Jewish Year Books from 1996 through 2004. There were no listings for 2005 and 2006. In the congregation's annual reports, it states that, until joining the Liberal Movement, the congregation was also known as North Kensington Reform Synagogue. ↵

• (ii) Jewish Year Books from 1996 through 2004. ↵

• (iii) Congregation's website, accessed 25 March 2018. ↵

• (iv) Congregation's annual reports commencing from the report for the year ended 31 March 2009 and the congregation's website, last accessed 25 November 2018. ↵

• (v) Based upon the listing of the congregation within the Reform synagogues movement in the Jewish Year Books from 1996 through 2004. The congregation was not listed prior to 1996 nor in 2005 and 2006 editions, and commenced being listed within the Liberal synagogues movement from 2007. ↵

• (vi) to (viii) Reserved.

• (ix) Based upon Rabbi Shulman listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books until 2007, and is thereafter she is named as emeritus minister until the 2011 edition. To view a short profile of Rabbi Shulman, hold the curser over her name. ↵

• (x) Based upon Rabbi Rosen-Berry being listed as rabbi of the congregation in the Jewish Year Books 2012 through 2014. ↵

• (xi) Rabbi Anna's profiles on the websites of Norwich Liberal Jewish Community, accessed 6 January 2021, and the Mosaic Jewish Community, accessed 14 May 2023. ↵

• (xii) to (xiv) Reserved.

• (xv) Reports on synagogue membership in the United Kingdom, published by or on behalf of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and which can be viewed on the website of the Institute of Jewish Policy Research. Click HERE for links to the various reports. ↵

• (xvi) Charities Commissioners website (in beta trial stage), accessed 1 June 2018. ↵