Cockfosters and N Southgate Synagogue

Southgate, London N14

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Cockfosters & N Southgate Synagogue - interior
(courtesy Jeff Rosen)

Congregation Data

Name:

Cockfosters and N Southgate Synagogue⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

(sometimes referred to simply as Southgate Synagogue)

Former Names:

Cockfosters and N Southgate Hebrew Congregation (until about 1952)^(iv)

Cockfosters and N Southgate District Synagogue (from 1952 until 1976)^(v)

Address:

Old Farm Avenue, Nursery Road, Southgate, London N14 5QR.

The site (which consisted of two old cottages) was acquired in 1949 for £1,000. However, due to a number of reasons, including, initially post-war austerity conditions, it took some time before the building could be constructed. The foundation stone was laid in September 1953 and on 19 December 1954 the synagogue was consecrated by Chief Rabbi Dr. Israel Brodie.^(vi)

By 1959 the building was too small for the growing congregation and it was rebuilt, following extremely heated negotiations with the United Synagogue, in 1965. In October 1978, structural defects caused the roof of the hall to collapse.^(vii) The building has since been restored.

Members of the congregation also held services in Cockfosters and also used to hold services in Hadley Wood.

Date Formed:

The Congregation commenced life as an offshoot of Palmers Green and Southgate Synagogue in 1944, when Jewish inhabitants of the Oakwood/Cockfosters area formed themselves into a "Southgate Committee" and began renting "The Hollies", the British Legion Hall, Nursery Road, Southgate, for the holding of Shabbat services, with High Festival services being held for the first time in the area at Church House (later a Masonic Hall) in September 1945.^(x) It become a separate congregation in 1948.^(xi)

Current Status:

Active

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

Joined the United Synagogue as an affiliated synagogue on 1 April 1948, becoming a district synagogue in 1952.^(xii) In about 1976, it became a constituent synagogue, when the district synagogue category was discontinued.^(xiii)

Satellite Congregation:

From the mid 1990s until it became an independent congregation in 2012, the Hadley Wood Jewish Community was a satellite congregation of this congregation.

Website:

http://www.ourshul.co.uk/ (July 2025, not functioning)

Magazine:

Ha-Kol.

Ministers:
(To view a short profile of a minister or cantor - hold the cursor over his name.)

Rev. Ronald Lubofsky - minister from 1954 until 1956^(xvii)

Rabbi Rafael Wolf Cymberg - minister from 1958 until 1987^(xviii)

Rabbi Yisroel Fine - minister from about 1987 until December 2013.^(xix)

Rabbi Daniel Epstein & Rebbetzen Ilana Epstein - rabbinic couple from January 2014 until 2021^(xx)

Rabbi Meir Shindler & Rebbetzen Rina Shindler - rabbinic couple from 2021 until present (June 2025)^(xxi)

Cantors (Chazanim) / Readers and Others:

Rev. M. Szydlo - part-time chazan from at least 1949 until about 1952^(xxv)

Rev. Joseph Herman - part-time chazan from 1956 or 1957 (initially minister-reader until August 1958) until 1964^(xxvi)

Rev. Aaron Segal - chazan from 1966 until 1990^(xxvii)

Rev. Dov Samuel Speier - part-time chazan from 1990 until about 2002^(xxviii)

Early Lay Officers:

Unless otherwise stated, all data on lay officers has been extracted from listings in Jewish Year Books.^(xxxii)

Chairman

1948-1955 - Maurice Tilloff

Wardens

1953-1955 - H. Joe Osterley & L.B. Sigler

1955-1956 - D. Lawrence & T. Zinkin

Treasurers/Financial Representatives^(xxxiii)

1948-1955 - I.L. Zinkin

1955-1956 - William Hayes

Secretaries, Hon. Secretaries
& Administrators^(xxxiv)

1948-1952 - William Hayes

1952-1953 - Lionel Watson

1953-1977 - Michael Sherbourne

1977-1991 - Martin Wechsler

1991-1995 - M. Howard

1995-1999 - Mrs. R. Graye

Membership Data:

United Synagogue (male seat-holders)^(xxxvii)

1948

1950

1960

1970

146

199

661

984

Other Sources

1951 - 200 members^(xxxviii)

1952 - 230 members^(xxxix)

National Reports & Surveys^(xl)

1977 - 1,076 male (or household) members and 192 female members

1983 - 1,113 male (or household) members and 251 female members

1990 - 1,381 members (comprising 1,336 households, 16 individual male and 29 individual female members)

1996 - 1,216 members (comprising 1,133 households, 37 individual male and 46 individual female members)

2010 - listed as having 750 to 999 members (by household)

2016 - listed as having 500 to 749 members (by household)

Charitable Status:

As a constituent of the United Synagogue, the congregation operates within that organisation's registered charity status (registered charity no. 242552).

Local Government Districts:

The North London suburb of Southgate is the western section of the London Borough of Enfield and was previously (until 1965) in the former Municipal Borough of Southgate in the former county of Middlesex,^(xliii) whereas the suburb of Cockfosters is partly in the London Borough of Enfield and partly in the London Borough of Barnet, which part, until 1965, was in the former Urban District of East Barnet in the county of Hertfordshire.^(xliv)

Registration District (BMD):

Enfield from 1 April 1965^(xlv) - Link to Register Office website

Worship Registration:

The synagogue in Old Farm Avenue, Nursery Road, is registered as a Place of Worship - Worship Register Number 64913 - under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.^(xlvi)

Cemetery
Information:

For United Synagogue cemeteries, see Cemeteries of the United Synagogue.

Bibliography, Online Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

on JCR-UK

Bibliography, including:
- "Our First 25 Years - The Origins of Cockfosters and North Southgate Synagogue" by H.J. Osterley
- "The History of the Cockfosters and N Southgate Synagogue" by Joseph Frayman, Heritage No 1, Jewish Research Group of the Edmonton Hundred Historical Society, 1982.
- "Swell Southgate" London Extra, Jewish Chronicle 17 February 1989 - 40th anniversary feature article
- Other London Borough of Enfield bibliography.

Notable Jewish Residents of Cockfosters

(For Notable Residents of Southgate, see HERE on
the Palmers Green and Southgate congregation page)

Ian Jacobs (b.1957), born in London's East End, academic, medical doctor and vice chancellor of the University of New South Wales (2015-2022), was raised in Cockfosters.

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) and (ii) Reserved.
(iii) This is how the congregation styles itself on its Facebook page and its website. When the congregation was being formed there was opposition from the Palmers Green and Southgate synagogue to the inclusion of "Southgate' in the new congregation's name. At a meeting at the United Synagogue, the name Cockfosters and N Southgate was proposed as a compromise, with the "N" not standing for anything, although, by common use, it acquired the meaning of North. ↵
(iv) The congregation appeared under this name in the Jewish Year Books until 1952, when it was listed as affiliated to the United Synagogue. ↵
(v) The congregation appeared under this name in the Jewish Year Books from 1953 through 1976. ↵
(vi) Article entitled "Cockfosters and N Southgate Synagogue" by Joseph Frayman which appeared in Heritage No 1, an historical series by the Jewish Research Group of the Edmonton Hundred Historical Society ("Frayman's History"), pp. 5 and 6. ↵
(vii) Frayman's History, pp. 8-10. ↵
(viii) and (ix) Reserved.
(x) Frayman's History, pp. 1-2. ↵
(xi) The congregation was first listed in the Jewish Year Book 1949. ↵
(xii) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 221/2 and Frayman's History, p. 5. ↵
(xiii) The congregation was first listed as a constituent synagogue in the Jewish Year Book 1977. ↵
(xiv) to (xvi) Reserved.
(xvii) Jewish Chronicle of 23 April 1954 reported that Rev. R. Lubofsky had begun his duties as minister and reader of the congregation. Frayman's History, p. 8, stated that Rev. Lubovsky on 26 November 1955 offered his resignation to take effect three months later. Possibly, his departure was delayed, as it was not until 26 April 1957 when the Jewish Chronicle reported that the Council had ratified the advertising of the vacancy for a minister at the congregation, following the resignation of the Rev. R. Lubofsky. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1955 through 1957. ↵
(xviii) Jewish Chronicle of 27 May 1958 reported that Rabbi Cymberg had been appointed minister of the congregation, where he will commence his duties on August 1. On 10 April 1987 it reported that Rabbi Cymberg had recently retired as minister of the congregation. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1959 through 1986. ↵
(xix) Jewish Chronicle of 23 January 1987 refers to the need "to house the synagogue's new minister, Rabbi Yisroel Fine". On 28 January 2013 it reported that "Rabbi Yisroel Fine of Cockfosters and North Southgate, is to retire at the end of December after reaching the age of 65" and on on 24 January 2014 it referred to the congregation needing "to fill its ministerial vacancy following the retirement of rabbi Yisroel Fine". He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1987 through 2014. ↵
(xx) Jewish Chronicle of 24 January 2014 reported the Epstein's appointment and of 23 October 2020 reported that they would be leaving the congregation the following spring to join the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London's West End. ↵
(xxi) Jewish Chronicle of 14 June 2021 reported that "Rabbi Meir Shindler will be moving from Richmond to Cockfosters and North Southgate United Synagogue to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Rabbi Daniel Epstein .... the couple are expected to start their new roles in November." The congregation's Facebook pages, last accessed June 2025, places Rabbi Shindler still with the congregation. ↵
(xxii) to (xxiv)
(xxv) Michael Jolles' Encyclopaedia of British Jewish Cantors, Chazanim, Ministers, etc, 2024, ("Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim"), p.918, places him as officiating at the congregation in 1949 and Frayman's History, p.7, states that he officiated as part-time chazan until the appointment of Rev. Lubovsky as minister in 1952. ↵
(xxvi) Frayman's History p.8 states that following Rev. Lubovsky's departure (1956 or 1957), Rev. Herman was welcomed to the congregation and acted as minister-chazan until the arrival of Rabbi Cymberg on 1 August 1958. Jewish Chronicle obituary of 5 May 1967 - "The members of the Cockfosters Synagogue mourn the passing of Mr. Herman, writes Rabbi R.W. Cymberg. He came to us at a crucial period when the congregation had no minister, and served as minister and reader, until a minister was appointed, when the congregation prevailed upon him to continue his association with the community, which he did as reader until his retirement two years ago." He was not listed as reader of the congregation in any Jewish Year Book. ↵
(xxvii) Jewish Chronicle of 4 May 1990 reported on a farewell reception being held at Cockfosters and N. Southgate Synagogue in North London, "to mark the retirement of the cantor, the Rev Aaron Segal, who has served the community for 24 years." He came from Israel and returned to Israel after his retirement. He was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1966 through 1991. ↵
(xxviii) Listed (as Rev. D. Spier) as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1992 through 2002. ↵
(xxix) to (xxxi) Reserved.
(xxxii) Where a person is first listed in a year book as holding a particular office, it has 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, unless the office was vacant (e.g. if he is listed in Jewish Year Books 1947 through 1952, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1946 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 slightly from those shown here. There were no Jewish Year Book listings of officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. In a number of instances the officer's given name has been obtained from other sources↵
(xxxiii) The title Financial Representative (in place of Treasurer) was used by the congregation from about 1953 (first appearing in the Jewish Year Book 1954). ↵
(xxxiv) The title Administrator (in place of Secretary) was used by the congregation from about 1992 (first appearing in the Jewish Year Book 1993). ↵
(xxxv) and (xxxvi) Reserved.
(xxxvii) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 218/9. ↵
(xxxviii) Jewish Year Book 1952. ↵
(xxxix) Jewish Year Book 1953. ↵
(xl) 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. ↵
(xli) and (xlii) Reserved.
(xliii) The London Borough of Enfield, an Outer London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the Municipal Boroughs of Enfield, Edmonton and Southgate. All three municipal boroughs had been within the former County of Middlesex. ↵
(xliv) The London Borough of Barnet, an Outer London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the Urban Districts of Barnet and East Barnet (both of which had been part of the county of Hertfordshire) with the Urban District of Friern Barnet and the Municipal Boroughs of Finchley and Hendon (all of which had been in the former county of Middlesex). ↵
(xlv) The former Registration Districts were Edmonton, from 1 July 1837 until 1 October 1947, and Wood Green, from 1 October 1947 until 1 April 1965. All registers would now be held by the current register office. ↵
(xlvi) Page 510 of the 2010 List of Places of Worship ↵

List of United Synagogue Congregations

Jewish Congregations in the London Borough of Enfield

Jewish Congregations in Greater London

Greater London home page

Page created: 3 September 2003
Data expanded and notes first added: 14 February 2018
Page reformatted and data significantly expanded: 13 July 2025
Page most recently amended: 18 July 2025

Research by David Shulman, assisted by Steven Jaffe (rabbinic profiles)
Formatting by David Shulman

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