by Richard Levy

The congregation was originally in the form of a Liberal community, which began in Leigh-on-Sea in October 1946, the foundation committee being all male.

Meetings were called weekly in a hall above shops in Leigh Road, and were inaugurated in 1947.  The annual fees were £3 for a single member and £5 for a family, plus burial fees.

The synagogue moved to its present building in 1961, and the name was changed to ‘Southend Progressive Synagogue’.  Looking back at the bulletin of that year the membership is still (September 2006) about the same size, but with fewer children unfortunately.

In March 1972, in a letter to the RSGB (Reform Synagogues of Great Britain) * it was announced that our synagogue was to be known as the ‘Southend and District Reform Synagogue’.

The congregation's Hebrew name is the 'Congregation of Mount Sinai', and this is the name they have been promoting since their 50th Anniversary year.

* Now MRJ (Movement for Reform Judaism)
 

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Page created: 29 September 2006
Reformatted: 2 November 2011