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the former

Hull Old Hebrew Congregation

Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire

 

 

 


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Osborne Steet Synagogue, Hull
The former Osborne Street synagogue

 Congregation Data

Name:

Hull Old Hebrew Congregation
(initially simply known as the Hull Hebrew Congregation)(ii)

Formation:

Founded 1826, to replace and combine the Posterngate Synagogue and the Parade Row Synagogue.(iii)

Last Address:

Osborne Road (corner Anne Street), Hull, HU1, from 1903 to 1993.

The foundation stones were laid on 25 September 1902 by Osmond D'Avigdor Goldsmid (on the same day as he laid the foundation stone for the Hull's Western Synagogue in Linnaeus Street) and the synagogue was opened on 10 September 1903 by Albert Holt of London (a former Hull resident) and consecrated by Rabbi Prof. Hermann Gollancz, the services being conducted by the congregation's reader, Rev. H. Bendas.(iv)

Subsequently, the synagogue was extensively rebuilt, the foundation stone being laid by Isaac Levy, and the new enlarged building (with accommodation for 700 congregants) with a Beth Hamedrash (able to hold 140 congregants), was opened on 17 July 1932 by Ald. Benno Pearlman (a future Lord Mayor of Hull) and consecrated by Chief Rabbi Dr. J.H. Hertz.(v)

On the night of 7/8 May 1941, the synagogue was destroyed in a German air raid, although the Beth Hamedrash, though badly damaged, survived.  It was not until 1 September 1955 that the rebuilt synagogue (the foundation stone for which having been laid by Mr. A. Levine) was re-opened by the congregation's president, Louis Rapstone, and reconsecrated by Dayan Rabbi Dr. Myer Lew, of the London Beth Din.(vi)

Previous Address:

Robinson Row, Hull, from 1827 to 1903.

The foundation stones of the synagogue was laid on 27 September 1826, the first being laid by Solomon Meyer (of the Posterngate Synagogue) and the second by Israel Jacobs (of the Parade Row Synagogue).  The synagogue opened on 18 June 1827.(ix)

Subsequently largely rebuilt and re-consecrated on 26 September 1852, the foundation stone being laid by Israel Jacobs.(x) The rebuilt synagogue had room for 120 male congregants and 70 women.(xi)

Final Status:

On 31 December 1993, the congregation held its final service, the members then joining with the Hull Western Synagogue to form the Hull Hebrew Congregation later in 1994.(xii) The Osborne Street building was due for demolition as part of a general redevelopment of the neighbourhood.(xiii)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

Congregation was unaffiliated but under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.

Early Ministers and Readers:(xviii)
(To view a short profile of a minister or reader whose name appears in blue, hold the cursor over his name.)

Until the appointment of Rev. I.A. Levy as the congregation's minister in 1881, the reader of the congregation generally performed many of the functions of a minister and was often described as such.

Rev. Samuel Simon - minister from the 1826 merger until at least 1853.(xix)

Rev. Philipp Bender - minister from about 1851 (departure date uncertain).(xx)

Rev. Benjamin Jacobs - assistant reader and teacher in early 1850s.(xxi)

Rev. Jacob Lindiner - reader in early 1850s (short term).(xxii)

Rev. Rosenbaum - shochet and mohel from 1858 until 1861.(xxiii)

Rev. Ephraim Cohen - reader in and about 1861.(xxvi)

Rev. Goldschmidt - reader and preacher in the early 1860s.(xxvii)

Rev. Henry Davis Marks - reader in the 1860s.(xxviii)

Rev. Elkan Epstein - reader and shochet, appointed May 1864.(xxix)

Rev. Meyer Elkin - reader in and about 1866.(xxx)

Rev. Abraham Elzas - minister and teacher after 1867.(xxxiii)

Rev. Jacob Furst - reader from about 1871 until no later than 1874.(xxxiv)

Rev. David Rosenthal - shochet, mohel and second reader in and about 1873.(xxxv)

Rev. B. Grossbaum - teacher and assistant reader from about 1874 until no later than 1877.(xxxvi)

Rev. David Fay - preacher and headmaster from about 1877 until no later than 1880.(xxxvii)

Ministers from 1881:

Rev. Israel Aaron Levy - minister from 1881 until about 1903.(xl)

Rev. (later Rabbi) Dr. Salis Daiches - minister from 1904 to 1907.(xli)

Communal Rabbis of Hull

Rabbi Eliezer Simcha Rabinowitz, BA served as the first Communal Rabbi of Hull from 1956 until 1959 - see Jewish Chronicle press report of September 1956 on his appointment.(xlii)

Rabbi Dr. Chaim Joshua Cooper, MA, PhD served as the second and last Communal Rabbi of Hull from about 1960 until at least 1977 and possibly until 1981.(xliii)

Rabbi Dr. Chaim Joshua Cooper, MA, PhD - minister from at least 1981 until about 1993.(xliv)

Later Readers:

   
Courtesy Steven Jaffe, May 2024
These plaques are now displayed at the current synagogue in Pryme Street.

Rev. Elias Pearlson - shochet, mohel and teacher from about 1882 until about 1885 and then also reader until about 1900.(xlvi)

Rev. Moses Eker - reader in about 1892.(xlvii)

Rev. Simon Bronkhorst - reader and shochet in about 1893.(xlviii)

Rev. Joseph Dov Glushak - reader and shochet from about 1901 to about 1902.(xlix)

Rev. Hirsch Meyer Bendas - reader and shochet from about 1903 to about 1920.(l)

Rabbi Samuel Menachem Brod - strongly associated with the congregation, 1910s-1930s, no formal position.(liii)

Rev. Harry Abrahams - reader and shochet from about 1920 to about 1927.(liv)

Rev. Abraham Warshawsky - reader and shochet from 1927 to 1931.(lv)

Rev. Lewis Wykansky - reader in about 1932.(lvi)

Rev. Abraham Krushevski - reader from 1933 to 1939.(lvii)

Rev. Judah Levinson - second reader from 1932 until about World War II and then reader until 1956.(lx)

Rev. Eli Willencyk - reader from 1957 until 1973.(lxi)

Rev. Herschel Caplan - reader from 1973 until 1978.(lxii)

Honorary Officers (from 1896):(lxv)

Hull Old Hebrew Congregation - plaque
Courtesy Steven Jaffe, May 2024
Plaque listing officers of the congregation, now displayed at
at the current synagogue in Pryme Street(lxvi)

Presidents

1896-1897 - M. Shafers

1898-1900 - Myer Shapero

1900-1901 - S. Wacholder

1901-1902 - A. Vice

1903-1907 - Marcus Casril

1907-1908 - J. Rosenthal(lxvii)

1908-1926 - J.E. Cohen(lxvii)

1926-1928 - Myer Miller

1928-1931 - Jack Levy

1931-1940 - D.M. Rosen

1940-1958 - L. Rapstone

1958-1963 - H.M. Bentley

1964 - H. Rosen

1965-1975 - H.M. Bentley

1975-1980 - G. Gold

1980-1985 - Henry Taylor

1986 - H. Schulman

1987-1994 - Barrie Donn

Chairman

1924-1926 - Israel Bentley

 

Life President

1926-1927 - J.E. Cohen

Vice Presidents

1945-1958 - A. Levine

1958-1963 - H. Rosen

1965-1967 - H. Rosen

1968-1974 - G. Gold

1975-1985 - H. Schulman

1986-1994 - C. Marks

Hon. Treasurers

1896-1897 - S. Lieberman

1898-1900 - Aaron Jacobs

1900-1902 - A. Vice

1902-1903 - J. Rosenthal

1903-1907 - J.E. Cohen

1907-1908 - C. Rosen(lxviii)

1908-1920 - J.E. Rosenthal(lxviii)

1920-1926 - Jack Levy

1926-1946 - L. Rapstone

1946-1950 - David J. Robinson

1950-1958 - J. Rosen

1959-1961 - J.W. Finestein

1962-1980 - Henry Taylor

1980-1985 - C. Marks

1986-1993 - I. Michaels

1993-1994 - H. Schulman

 

Honorary Secretaries (from 1896):

1896-1900 - David Moss

1900-1903 - Joseph Bush

1903 - B. Pearlman

1903-1905 - David Moss

1905-1907 - B.H. Jessel(lxix)

1907-1908 - L. Rosenthal(lxix)

1908-1909 - B.H. Jessel(lxix)

1909-1910 - Alfred Casril

1910-1915 - D.M. Rosen

1915-1918 - Phineas Hart

1918-1920 - Phineas Hart & R. Marks

1920-1945 - Barnett Goldstone

1945-1948 - Victor Marks

1948-1956 - Louis Finestein

1956-1963 - D. Silverstone, BA

1964-1975 - H Schulman

1975-1983 - Barrie Donn(lxx)

1983-1984 - H Schulman (lxx)

1984-1987 - Barrie Donn(lxx)

1987-1994 - M.J Gold

Minor Nineteenth Century Rival Congregations:

Nile Street Synagogue

Situated in Nile Street (off Myton Place), Hull, in and about 1878.(lxxiii)

Prince Street Synagogue

Situated in Prince Street (off Dagger Lane), Hull, at the end of the nineteenth century.(lxxiv)

Great Thornton Street Synagogue

Situated in Great Thornton Street, Hull, in a building that was formerly a mission. Existed from 1885 until 1900.(lxxv)

Membership Data:

General

1845 - 8 ba'alai batim (Chief Rabbi's Questionnaire)

1851 - 9 members and 70 seatholders (Chief Rabbi's census)

Number of Seatholders - Board of Deputies Returns(lxxvi)

1852

1861

1870

1880

1890

1900

82

82

110

125

153

170

Number of Seatholder - as reported by Jewish Year Books

1896

1898

1899

1900

1901

1909

1915

1938

1956

160

170

152

180

200

180

200

240

250

Reports & Surveys(lxxvii)

1977 - 153 male (or household) members and 63 female members

1983 - 102 male (or household) members and 65 female members

1990 (jointly with Hull Western Synagogue) - 390 members
(comprising 230 households, 35 individual male and 125 individual female members)

Institutions associated with the Congregation:

Chevra Kadisha Society, established 1890.(lxxx) 

Old Hebrew Congregation Board of Shechita, established 1983.(lxxxi)

Cemetery
Information:

For details, see Cemeteries Inform

ation on the Hull Jewish Community home page.

 

Online Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

On JCR-UK

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

  • (i) Reserved.

  • (ii) The name was presumably adopted to distinguish the congregation from the newer Hebrew congregations and first appears in the Jewish Year Book 1904/5. ↵

  • (iii) The History of Hull's Orthodox Synagogues (2000) by Elliot Oppel ("Oppel's History"), p.ix. ↵

  • (iv) Oppel's History, p.17. ↵

  • (v) Oppel's History, p.17. ↵

  • (vi) Oppel's History, pp.17/18. ↵

  • (vii) and (viii) Reserved.

  • (ix) Oppel's History, pp. ix and 4. ↵

  • (x) Oppel's History, p.4. ↵

  • (xi) This figures appear in Oppel's History, pp. ix and 4, whereas in the Jewish Directory for 1874 by Asher Myers, p.67, it states that the synagogue had seat accommodation for 210 persons, 120 gentlemen's seats and 90 ladies' seats. ↵

  • (xii) Oppel's History, p.20. ↵

  • (xiii) Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland by Sharman Kadish (2015), p.212. ↵

  • (xiv) to (xvii) Reserved.

  • (xviii) The list is clearly not comprehensive, in particular with regard to the early years of the congregation, where information is very scanty. In addition, some of those listed, in particular in the last three decades of the nineteenth century, may have served one or other of the minor rival congregations listed below. ↵

  • (xix) Oppel's History, p.4 states that in 1826 Rev. Simon, "who had combined his minister of Parade Row, with a probable more lucrative income as a seller of spectacles, now became a full-time minister of the Robinson Road congregation. An extract from a Board of Deputies report, dated 13 February 1853, in Oppel's History, p.32, refer to him was still "chasan and shochet" in 1853. ↵

  • (xx) The date c.1851 appears in Rev. Bender's profile on the online Dictionary of Irish Biography, although in Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc (2024 edition) p.288, he gives the date as 1850. In neither source is it clear whether he remained in Hull until he left for Ireland in 1851. ↵

  • (xxi) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.583. ↵

  • (xxii) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.583. ↵

  • (xxiii) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.583. ↵

  • (xxiv) and (xxv) Reserved.

  • (xxvi) 1861 Census. ↵

  • (xxvii) Scenes and Personalities in Anglo-Jewry by I. Finestein, (2002), pp.112-163. ↵

  • (xxviii) Scenes and Personalities in Anglo-Jewry by I. Finestein, (2002), p.143. ↵

  • (xxix) Rev. Epstein had been a cantorial student of the composer Salomon Sulzer of Vienna. Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.443. ↵

  • (xxx) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.438. ↵

  • (xxxi) and (xxxii) Reserved.

  • (xxxiii) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.441. ↵

  • (xxxiv) Various Jewish Chronicle reports including obituary of 8 November 1918. ↵

  • (xxxv) The Jewish Directory for 1874 by Asher Myers, p.67. ↵

  • (xxxvi) Jewish Chronicle reports. ↵

  • (xxxvii) Jewish Chronicle obituary 15 March 1907 ↵

  • (xxxviii) and (xxxix) Reserved.

  • (xl) Jewish Chronicle reports and Rev. Levy was listed as minister of this congregation from the first Jewish Year Book (1896/7) through the 1902/3 edition. He remained in Hull, to become minister of the Western Synagogue. ↵

  • (xli) Rev. Daiches was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1904/5 and 1906/7. ↵

  • (xlii) Rabbi Rabinowitz was listed in Jewish Year Books 1957 through 1959 as Communal Rabbi of Hull and had previously, from the Jewish Year Book 1953, been listed solely as minister of Hull's Western Synagogue. ↵

  • (xliii) Rabbi Cooper is listed as Communal Rabbi of Hull in Jewish Year Books 1961 through 1977, although it is believed that he remained Communal Rabbi until he became the minister solely of this congregation. The Jewish Year Books 1978 through 1981 do not list him at all, although the "Who's Who" in the editions for those years still refer to him as Communal Rabbi. ↵

  • (xliv) Rabbi Cooper is listed in Jewish Year Books 1983 through 1990 as the minister of the congregation and is also referred to as such in the "Who's Who" in the 1982 edition. Oppel's History, p.19 states that Rabbi Cooper served the congregation until "the Synagogue's eventual closure". ↵

  • (xlv) Reserved.

  • (xlvi) Jewish Chronicle reports and Rev. Pearlson was listed as reader and shochet of the congregation from the first Jewish Year Book (1896/7) through the 1900/1 edition. Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.792, refers to Rev. Pearlson serving "for eighteen years as shochet, mohel and teacher, and as chazan for thirteen years" but such service appears to be concurrently, from about 1895. ↵

  • (xlvii) "From Poland To Paradise Lane and Other Journeys - a history of the Jewish community of Blackburn by Hilary Thomas (2018), pp.132/3. He may have served one of the minor congregations listed here. ↵

  • (xlviii) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.583. He may have served one of the minor congregations listed here. ↵

  • (xlix) Rev. J. Glushack was listed as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1901/2 and 1902/3. ↵

  • (l) Rev. Bendas was listed as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1903/4 and 1920. ↵

  • (li) and (lii) Reserved.

  • (liii) Oppel's History, pp.19/20 and jewishmiscellanies blog. ↵

  • (liv) Rev. Abrahams was listed as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1921 through 1926. ↵

  • (lv) Rev. Warshawsky was listed as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1928 through 1931 and Oppel's History, p.19 gives his term of office as 1927-31. ↵

  • (lvi) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. (2024 edition), p.973. ↵

  • (lvii) Oppel's History, p.19 gives Rev. Krushevski's term of office as 1933-3. He was listed (as A. Kruchevski) as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1934 through 1940 (and also in the 1945/6 edition, which appears an error). ↵

  • (lviii) and (lix) Reserved.

  • (lx) Rev. Levinson was listed as second reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1933 through 1940 and 1945-6 (there being no publication 1941/45) and as reader in the editions 1947 through 1957. Oppel's History, p.19, gives his overall "long-serving" term of office as 1932-1956. ↵

  • (lxi) Rev. Willencyk was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1958 through 1973 and Oppel's History, p.19, gives his term of office as 1957-1973. ↵

  • (lxii) Oppel's History, p.19, gives Rev. Caplan's term of office as 1973-1978. He was only listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1977 and 1978. There were no readers listed for the congregation after him. ↵

  • (lxiii) to (lxv) Reserved.

  • (lxv) Unless otherwise stated, the data relating to the congregation's honorary officers, as listed here, and honorary secretaries, as listed below, has been extracted from Oppel's History (in particular the lists on page 42) for the period from 1903 and from Jewish Year Books (first published in 1896/7) for the earlier period. We kindly acknowledge our thanks to Mr. Oppel for such information. When a person is first listed in a year book as a particular officer, it has generally been assumed that his term of office commenced in the year of publication of the relevant year book, which was generally towards the end of the year prior to year appearing the the title of the year book and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor or the office is noted as vacant. ↵

  • (lxvi) The lists of lay officers on the plaque are consistent with the lists in Oppel's History, p.42. ↵

  • (lxvii) J. Rosenthal is listed as president of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1907/8. He does appear in the list of presidents from 1903, as listed in Oppel's History, p.42, in which J.E. Cohen is listed as president from 1907. ↵

  • (lxviii) C. Rosen is listed as treasurer of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1907/8. He does appear in the list of treasurers from 1903, as listed in Oppel's History, p.42, in which J.E. Rosenthal is listed as treasurer from 1907. ↵

  • (lxix) L. Rosenthal is listed as hon. secretary of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1907/8. He does appear in the list of hon. secretaries from 1903, as listed in Oppel's History, p.42, in which B.H. Jessel is listed as hon. secretary from 1905 to 1909. ↵

  • (lxx) H. Schulman is listed as hon. secretary of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1984. He does appear in the list of hon. secretaries from 1903, as listed in Oppel's History, p.42, in which B. Donn is listed as hon. secretary from 1975 to 1987. ↵

  • (lxxi) and (lxxii) Reserved.

  • (lxxiii) Oppel's History, p.ix. ↵

  • (lxxiv) Oppel's History, p.x. ↵

  • (lxxv) Oppel's History, p.ix. ↵

  • (lxxvi) From the Paper on Hull presented at the 1975 conference Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain. ↵

  • (lxxvii) 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. ↵

  • (lxxviii) and (lxxix) Reserved.

  • (lxxx) Jewish Year Books 1898/9 It continued to be listed until 1936. It is assumed that thereafter there was a united Chevra Kadisha for all the city's orthodox congregations. ↵

  • (lxxxi) Jewish Year Books 1898/9 Listed separately in Jewish Year Books from 1984 through 1991. There was a united Board of Shechita listed until 1985 and from about 1991. ↵


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Page created: 2003
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 3 April 2024
Page most recently amended: 21 May 2024

Research and current formatting by David Shulman

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