Cardiff United Synagogue

Cardiff, Wales

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A Photograph (taken in 2015) of the former Synagogue in Cathedral Road
(now Cardiff Temple Court serviced offices)

Congregation Data
Name	Cardiff United Synagogue
Address:	Cyncoed Gardens, Cyncoed Road, Penylan, Cardiff CF23 5SL, from 2003.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ The synagogue was consecrated by Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
Formation:	Established in 1942,^(iv) by the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation of Cathedral Road and the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation of Penylan, who joined together to form a single united synagogal organisation, but with congregations initially at two different locations (until December 1988).
Addresses of Synagogues prior to 2003:	The congregation's synagogues from 1989 to 2003 were: Brandreth Road, Penylan, Cardiff CF3 5LB, from about 1993 until 2003^(v) Arnside Road, Cardiff, from about 1990 until about 1993^(vi) Penylan Synagogue, Ty Gwyn Road, Cardiff, from 1989 to about 1990^(vii) From the formation of the congregation in 1942 until 1988, there were two synagogues functioning concurrently: Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9HA, which was designed by the notable architect Delissa Joseph, FRIBA,^(ix) and had been the synagogue of the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation since 1897, was closed on 30 December 1988.^(x) The synagogue was designated a Grade II Listed Building (reference number 14107) on 20 December 1984 (amended 24 May 2002). View listing on the website of Cadw (Welsh Government’s historic environment service). Most of the building was demolished in the early 1990s, except the facade and rubble stone vestibule, to give way to an office block. (see Gallery of Photographs of the former Cathedral Road Synagogue.) and Penylan Synagogue, Ty Gwyn Road, Cardiff, which was consecrated on 9 January 1955 by Chief Rabbi Brodie, with the Cardiff clergy participating (and from 1988 continued in use as the sole synagogue of the congregation after the closure of the Cathedral Road synagogue).^(xi) This was preceded by: the synagogue at Windsor Place, Cardiff, which had been the synagogue of the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation since 1918,^(xii) which remained in use until 1955.
Current Status:	Active
Affiliation:	A provincial synagogue under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Website:	http://www.cardiffshul.org
JSCN Link:	Click on Cardiff United Synagogue (a member community), on the Jewish Small Communities Network website.
Ministers: (To view a short profile of a minister or reader whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over the name.)	The first two listed were each appointed as the communal rav of Cardiff; Rabbi Moshe Eliahu Rogosnitzky - communal rav from the formation of the congregation until 1944.^(xv) Rabbi Mordechai Dov (or Ber) Rogosnitzky - communal rav from 1945 until 1984.^(xvi) The following served since the formation of the congregation as a minister at one of the congregation's constituent synagogues and/or as minister of the congregation itself: Rev. Harris Jerevitch - minister of the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation from 1908, and from 1941 continued to serve at the Cathedral Road synagogue until 1953.^(xvii) Rev. Maurice Unterman - minister of the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation from 1937, and from 1941 continued to serve at the Windsor Place synagogue until 1946.^(xviii) Rabbi Ernest Wiesenberg - minister at the Windsor Place Synagogue from 1946 until 1947.^(xix) Rev. M. Solomon Warshaw - minister at the Windsor Place Synagogue from 1947 until 1948.^(xxii) Rev. Leo Sichel - minister at the Windsor Place (later Penylan) Synagogue from 1954 until 1957.^(xxiii) Rev. Dr. P. Roodyn, MA - minister at the Penylan Synagogue from about 1960 until about 1964.^(xxiv) Rev. Gershon Gray - senior minister at the Cathedral Road Synagogue from about 1960 until about 1961 (see below). Rev. Meyer Fine - minister at the Cathedral Road Synagogue from 1961 until 1974.^(xxv) Rev. M. Berkovitch - minister at the Penylan Synagogue from about 1968 until about 1972.^(xxvi) Rabbi Mordechai Lev (Lionel) Cofnas - senior minister of the congregation from 1975 until 1980.^(xxix) Rabbi Clive Baddiel - senior minister of the congregation from 1980 until 1981.^(xxx) Rabbi Leonard Book - senior minister of the congregation from 1982 until 1987.^(xxxi) Rabbi Jeremy Stanton - minister of the congregation from 1988 until 1989.^(xxxii) Rabbi Eliezar Durden - minister of the congregation from 1989 until 1992.^(xxxiii) Rabbi Joseph Lever - minister of the congregation in 1992.^(xxxvi) Rabbi Daniel Levy - minister of the congregation in 1993 until about 1997.^(xxxvii) Rabbi Yossi Ives - minister of the congregation in 2000 until 2003.^(xxxviii) Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg - minister of the congregation in 2003 until 2011.^(xxxix) Rabbi Michoel Rose - minister of the congregation in 2012 until present (May 2025).^(xl)
Assistant Ministers:	The following served at some stage as assistant minister of the congregation or one of its synagogues. Rev. Gershon Gray (formerly Grayewsky) - served the congregation (in particular the Cathedral Road synagogue) in a number of different capacities, including assistant reader, reader and assistant minister from the establishment of the congregation until his death in 1975.^(xlv) Rev. Bernard Hollander - assistant minister and, later, assistant reader, at the Cathedral Road Synagogue from about 1961 until about 1967.^(xlvi) Rev. B. Fagil - assistant minister of the congregation from about 1962 until about 1965.^(xlvii)
Readers:	The only known appointment of a communal reader (cantor) was: Rev. Girsas Braunstein - communal reader, mohel and shochet from 1948 until about 1950.^(li) It appears that all other readers were appointed specifically to serve one of the congregation's constituent synagogues, although as regards the first two readers listed here, it is uncertain to which of the two synagogues was served by them. No readers are known to have been appointed since 1988. Rev. Emanuel Fischer - reader in the mid 1950s.^(lii) Rev. Pesach Segal - reader in about 1960.^(liii) Readers at the Cathedral Road Synagogue Rev. Eli Willencyk - reader of the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation from 1933, and from 1941 continued to serve at the Cathedral Road synagogue until 1947.^(liv) Rev. Aaron Cohen - reader from about 1948 until about 1952.^(lvii) Rev. Moshe David Ovici - reader from 1958 until about 1960.^(lviii) Rev. Gershon Gray - reader in 1947/9 and from about 1961 until 1975 (see above) Rev. B. Hollander - assistant reader from about 1964 until about 1967 (see above) Rev. Wilfred Wolfson - reader in about 1976.^(lix) Readers at the Windsor Place / Penylan Synagogues Rev. Abraham Zucker (initially known as Abraham Pryszucker) - reader of the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation from 1937, and from 1941 continued to serve at the Cathedral Road synagogue until 1958.^(lxii) Rev. Joshua Toledano - reader from 1965 until 1967.^(lxiii) Rev. Yitzchok Tzvi Finkelstein - reader from about 1968 until about 1972.^(lxiv) Rev. Richard Rosten - reader from about 1973 until about 1974.^(lxv)
Lay Officers of the Congregation:	The following data on lay officers of the congregation and wardens of the synagogues has been extracted from Jewish Year Books. These only resumed publication with the 1945/6 edition, after the cessation of publication during World War II.^(lxix)
	Presidents 1945-1947 - H.H. Roskin, MA 1947-1949 - Henry Silver 1949-1951 - Isadore Rapport 1951-1954 - Abraham Hauser 1954-1955 - Gershon Cohen 1955-1956 - Bernard Caller 1956-1982 - no data 1982-1985 - L. Greenbaum 1985-1987 - H. Epstein 1987-1989 - Mrs. S.C. Glavin Treasurers 1945-1949 - Max Shepherd 1949-1953 - Gershon Cohen 1953-1954 - Simon Stern 1954-1956 - Alec Gaba	Vice Presidents 1945-1947 - Henry Silver 1947-1949 - Charles Zavsner 1949-1951 - David N. Curitz 1951-1953 - Simon Goldberg 1953-1954 - Gershon Cohen 1954-1955 - Dr. J. Jacobs 1955-1956 - Saul Joseph Secretaries 1945-1953 - A.M. Levy 1953-1955 - Abraham Hauser 1955-1957 - E. Fischer 1957-1961 - H. Wagner 1961-1963 - H. Seager
Wardens of the Synagogues:	Cathedral Road Synagogue 1945-1946 - David Silver & A. Craimer 1946-1948 - David Silver & Morris Cohen 1948-1949 - Morris Cohen & L. Corfan 1949-1950 - L. Corfan & Moses Samuel 1950-1953 - L. Corfan & P. Munitz 1953-1956 - L. Corfan & L. Hamburg	Windsor Place Synagogue 1945-1947 - Alter Rivlin & A. Gordon 1947-1948 - A. Gordon & F. Stern 1948-1950 - F. Stern & Barnett Caller 1950-1952 - Barnett Caller & Saul Joseph 1952-1953 - Barnett Caller & Fritz Stern 1953-1954 - Barnett Caller & H.S. Bloom 1954-1955 - Barnett Caller & L. Nevies 1955-1956 - Gershon Cohen & S. Stern
Membership Data	General 1946 - 400 members at Cathedral Road Synagogue and 300 members at Windsor Place Synagogue 1999 - 230 (as reported by Board of Deputies) National Reports and Surveys^(lxx) 1977 - 425 male (or household) members and 131 female members 1983 - 330 male (or household) members and 144 female members 1990 - 367 members (comprising 191 households, 46 individual male and 130 individual female members) 1996 - 302 members (comprising 145 households, 43 individual male and 114 individual female members) 2010 and 2016 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)
Charitable Status:	Cardiff United Synagogue is a registered charity (no. 1055573), standard registration, registered on 22 May 1996.^(lxxi)
Worship Registration:	The Penylan synagogue in Ty Gwyn Road is registered as a Place of Worship - Worship Register Number 64822 - under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.^(lxxii)
Cemetery Information:	The Orthodox Community has two Jewish cemeteries - the Old Jewish Cemetery in Heathfield Road, Roath Park and the New Jewish Cemetery in Ely. For details, see Cardiff Cemetery Information, which includes alinks to the JCR-UK Hosted Databases of both the Highfield Road Cemetery and the Ely Cemetery.
Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above) (i) and (ii) Reserved. (iii) Congregation's website, last accessed August 2024. This address is first listed in Jewish Year Book 2004 ↵ (iv) Cardiff Jewish Community records and papers, p.10 (listing of material deposited with the Glamorgan Records Office relating to the Community - Reference Code GB 0214 DJR - The National Archives). ↵ (v) Listed in Jewish Year Books 1994 through 2003. ↵ (vi) Listed in Jewish Year Books 1991 through 1993. ↵ (vii) Listed as the sole synagogue of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1989 and 1990. ↵ (viii) Reserved. (ix) Carol Herselle Krinsky - Synagogues of Europe - Architecture, History, Meaning, 1996, Appendix I, p. 430. To view a description of Jewish architectural works by Delissa Joseph, hold the cursor over his name. ↵ (x) Cardiff Jewish Community records and papers deposited with Glamorgan Records Office (see note (iv) above) p.15. It was listed as a synagogue of the congregation until Jewish Year Book 1988. ↵ (xi) Listed as one of the congregation's synagogues in Jewish Year Books 1956 through 1988. ↵ (xii) Listed as one of the congregation's synagogues in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 (the first following World War II) through 1955. ↵ (xiii) and (xiv) Reserved. (xv) Jewish Chronicle reports, including a report of 5 January 1945, which refers to the vacancy which occurred following the death of Rabbi Moses Rogosnitzky. ↵ (xvi) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 January 1945 reported that Rabbi B. [for Ber] Rogosnitzky, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, had received a call to be Rav of Cardiff. The vacancy occurred following the death of his father Rabbi Moses Rogosnitzky. On 13 July 1984, it reported that Rabbi Ber Rogosnitsky, who has been the rav of Cardiff and South Wales since 1945, and his wife, received many warm tributes at a retirement farewell reception in their honour held by the community and attended by over 200 people. He is listed in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 through 1984 as rav of the Cardiff United Synagogue. ↵ (xvii) The Jewish Chronicle on 25 October 1908 reported that the Rev. H. Jerevitch (late of Nottingham) arrived in Cardiff last Friday to take up his duties as Minister to the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation (Cathedral Road) and on 30 April 1954 it reported that Rev. Jerevitch retired last year after 45 years' service as minister of the Cathedral Road Synagogue. He was listed as minister of the Cathedral Road Synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1909 through 1954 (not published in World War II years). ↵ (xviii) Rev. Unterman was listed as minister of the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation in Jewish Year Books 1938 through 1940 and (after the cessation of publishing during the war years) of the Windsor Place Synagogue in the 1945/6 edition. ↵ (xix) Rabbi Wiensenberg was listed as minister of the Windsor Place Synagogue in the Jewish Year Book 1947. ↵ (xx) and (xxi) Reserved. (xix) Rev. (later Rabbi) Warshaw was listed as minister of the Windsor Place Synagogue in the Jewish Year Book 1948. ↵ (xxiii) Rev. Sichel was listed as minister at the Penylan Synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1957 and 1957. ↵ (xxiv) Based upon the listing of Rev. P. Roodyn, MA, PhD, as minister at the Penylan Synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1960 through 1964. He was also listed as reader in the 1960 edition. ↵ (xxv) The Jewish Chronicle of 3 November 1961 reported that Rev. Meyer Fine, minister of the Merthyr Congregation, was the minister-elect of Cardiff United Synagogue and on 26 July 1974 it reported that the previous week Rev. Meyer Fine, of Cardiff, had been appointed minister of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation. He was listed as minister at the Cathedral Road Synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1962 through 1974. ↵ (xxvi) Rev. Berkovitch was listed as minister of the Penylan synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1969 through 1972. ↵ (xxvii) and (xxviii) Reserved. (xxix) The Jewish Chronicle of 27 June 1975 reported that Rabbi M.L. Cofnas has accepted a "call" from the Cardiff United Synagogue to be senior minister to the community and on 4 July 1980 it reported that Rabbi Cofnas, senior minister of the Cardiff United Synagogue, had been appointed minister of the Childwall Hebrew Congregation, Liverpool. He was listed as senior minister of the Cardiff United Synagogue and minister at the Penylan synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1976 through 1980. ↵ (xxx) Rabbi Baddiel was listed as senior minister of the Cardiff United Synagogue and minister at the Penylan synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1976 through 1980. ↵ (xxxi) The Jewish Chronicle of 7 May 1982 reported that the appointment of Rabbi Leonard Book, formerly of Durban, South Africa, as the new minister of the Cardiff United Synagogue, was endorsed by the membership at the synagogue's annual meeting and he had now taken up his new post. On 1 May 1987 it reported that Rabbi Book would be leaving Cardiff United Synagogue at the end of this month to take up a part-time appointment at Potters Bar. He was listed as minister of the Penylan synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1983 through 1987. ↵ (xxxii) The Jewish Chronicle of 18 March 1988 reported that Rabbi Jeremy Stanton is moving from London to Cardiff with his wife and three young children to take up the post of minister of Cardiff United Synagogue. On 27 October 1989 it reported that Rabbi Stanton was leaving the Cardiff Congregation next week, having served the community for 18 months. He was listed as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1989. ↵ (xxxiii) The Jewish Chronicle of 27 October 1989 reported on Rabbi Eliezer Stanton's appointment and on 31 July 1992 it reported that the Cardiff Synagogue congregants bade farewell to Rabbi Durden and his wife. He was not listed as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Books. ↵ (xxxiv) and (xxxv) Reserved. (xxxvi) The Jewish Chronicle of 9 September 1994 reported that Rabbi Josef Lever left the Cardiff congregation in November, 1992, after only three months, due to "Family difficulties". He was not listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books. ↵ (xxxvii) The Jewish Chronicle of 9 September 1994 reported that Rabbi Daniel Levy has been appointed full-time minister of the Cardiff United Synagogue. He had been employed there on a part-time basis for the past nine months, while studying at Jews' College for his BA degree, which he has just obtained. (Induction ceremony 1996.) On 30 July 1999, it reported that Rabbi Levy, who has been minister of Cardiff's Orthodox Synagogue for the past six years, is to take over the pulpit of the UHC, in succession to Rabbi Ian Goodhard. He was not listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books. ↵ (xxxviii) The Jewish Chronicle of 3 March 2000 reported that Rabbi Yossi Ives had been appointed as the new minister at Cardiff United Synagogue (Induction ceremony at Cardiff 24 June 2001) and on 29 August 2003 it reported that Rabbi Yossi Ives was leaving Cardiff to take up a position at Richmond Synagogue. He was not listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books. ↵ (xxxix) The Jewish Chronicle of 15 October 2004 refers to Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg joining the congregation in 2003 and on 3 February 2012 it refers to Rabbi Wollenberg, who served Cardiff for eight years before joining Liverpool’s Childwall congregation in June [2011]. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2005 through 2013. ↵ (xl) The Jewish Chronicle of 18 May 2012 reported that the appointment of Rabbi Michoel Rose, 25, was approved by more than 50 members at a general meeting and he will take up his duties the following month. The congregation's website, last accessed May 2025, confirmed that he is still in office. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2014 and 2015 (the last edition). ↵ (xli) to (xliv) Reserved. (xlv) Various Jewish Chronicle reports including obituary of 7 November 1975. Rev. Gray was listed in Jewish Year Books as assistant reader (1947 through 1949); assistant minister (1951 through 1960, 1962); reader (1954 and 1955, 1962 through 1976); and senior minister (1961). All in respect of the Cathedral Road Synagogue. He was also listed (as Rev. G. Grayewsky) as teacher and shochet at Cathedral Road in the 1928 and 1929 editions. ↵ (xlvi) Based upon Rev. Hollander's listing in Jewish Year Books as junior minister (1961); assistant minister (1962 through 1964); and assistant reader (1965 through 1967); and senior minister (1961), all in respect of the Cathedral Road Synagogue. ↵ (xlvii) Based upon Rev. Fugil's listing as assistant minister at the Cathedral Road Synagogue in Jewish Year Book 1962 and at the Penylan Synagogue in Jewish Year Book 1964. ↵ (xlviii) to (l) Reserved. (li) Rev. G. Braunstein is listed as reader of the Cardiff United Synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1949 and 1950. ↵ (lii) Various Jewish Chronicle reports. Rev. Fischer was not listed in Jewish Year Books with regard to Cardiff. ↵ (liii) Michael Jolles's "Encyclopaedia of British Jewish Cantors, etc." - 2024 edition, p. 871. ↵ (liv) Rev. Willenczik was listed as reader of the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation in Jewish Year Books 1935 through 1940. Publication then ceased until 1945 and he was listed as reader of the Cathedral Road synagogue in the 1945/6 and 1947 editions. ↵ (lv) and (lvi) Reserved. (lvii) Based upon Rev. Aaron Cohen's listing as reader at the synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1949 through 1952. ↵ (lviii) Based upon Rev. Ovici's listing as reader at the synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1959 and 1960. ↵ (lix) Based upon Rev. Wolfson's listing as reader at the synagogue in the Jewish Year Book 1977. ↵ (lx) and (lxi) Reserved. (lxii) Rev. Pryszucker was listed as reader of the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation in Jewish Year Books 1939 and 1940 followed by cessation of publication until 1945. From 1945/6 he was listed (under the name Rev. A. Zucker from 1949) as reader at the Windsor Place synagogue until 1959. ↵ (lxiii) Rev. Toledano was listed as reader at the Penylan synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1965 and 1967. ↵ (lxiv) Rev. Finkelstein was listed as reader at the Penylan synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1969 through 1972. He died in January 1972. ↵ (lxv) Rev. Rosten was listed as reader at the Penylan synagogue in the Jewish Year Book 1974. ↵ (lxvi) to (lxviii) Reserved. (lxix) Generally there were no Jewish Year Book listings of officers subsequent to 1956, except for secretaries and (in the case of this congregation) presidents in the 1980s. Where a person was first listed in a year book as holding a particular office, we have assumed that his term of office commenced in the year of publication of the relevant year book and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor. During this period, year books were published according to the Gregorian year, being published generally towards the end of the year prior to the year appearing in the title of the year book. For example, if an officer was listed in Jewish Year Books 1949 through 1952, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1948 and continued in office until 1952. However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and, accordingly, his actual years of office may differ somewhat from those shown here. ↵ (lxx) Reports on synagogue membership in the United Kingdom, published by 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. ↵ (lxxi) Charity Commission website, last accessed August 2024. Clicking the charity number will take you to the charity's registration on the website. ↵ (lxxii) Page 242 of the 2010 List of Places of Worship. ↵

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Page created: 1 May 2003
Notes first added: 24 September 2020
Page significantly expanded: 22 August 2024
Page most recently amended: 7 May 2025

Research By David Shulman, assisted by Steven Jaffe
Formatting by David Shulman

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