Richmond Synagogue

Richmond upon Thames, London

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Richmond Synagogue, Lichfield Gardens
(courtesy Jeff Rosen)

Congregation Data

Name:

Richmond Synagogue⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Earlier Names:

Richmond Congregation (original name to 1916)⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Richmond Associate Synagogue (from 1916 until 1931)^(iv)

Richmond District Synagogue (from 1932 until 1976)^(v)

Address:

Lichfield Gardens, Richmond upon Thames, Surrey TW9 1AP^(viii)

This purpose built, single story, synagogue, designed by Stern Thom Fehler Architects, was constructed on a site provided by London Borough of Richmond, having previously been a temporary car park.^(ix) It was consecrated on 8 March 1987 by Chief Rabbi Sir Immanuel Jakobovits and Rabbi Moshe Barron.^(x) A rabbi's house was built later on part of the synagogue's car park in the 1990s.^(xi)

While the synagogue was being constructed, the congregation moved into temporary premises at the Vineyards Infant School, Friars Stile Road, Twickenham, from 1986 to 1987.^(xii)

Previous Addresses:

From 1938 until 1986, the congregation met at 8 Sheen Road, Richmond upon Thames, a former non-conformist chapel.^(xv) The building was converted to a synagogue, along plans drawn up by architect H.W. Ford, and consecrated by Chief Rabbi Dr. Joseph H. Hertz and opened by Joseph Freedman on 18 June 1938.^(xvi) These premises were compulsorily purchased by the Richmond council in 1986 to make way for a Waitrose supermarket and multi-storey car park.^(xvii)

Prior thereto, the congregation met at the Central Hall, Parkshot, Richmond upon Thames, from 1916 until 1938.^(xviii) These premises had been purchased and converted into a synagogue to seat 130 men and 30 women.^(xix) The synagogue were formally opened by Leopold de Rothschild, President of the United Synagogue, on 28 June 1916.^(xx)

Formation:

Although there were reports, going back to the end of the seventeenth century, of Jews having homes in Richmond (very often the country home of wealthy Jews),^(xxiii) there appears to have been no organised congregation until the twentieth century. In 1915, services were held for the New Year at Parkshott, attended by some 50 worshippers and, largely through the efforts of Arthur Howitt, the congregation was subsequently formed and the Parkshott premises acquired in 1916.^(xxiv)

Current Status:

Active

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

The congregation joined the United Synagogue as an affiliated synagogue in 1916, becoming a district synagogue in 1931.^(xxv) In about 1976, it became a constituent synagogue, when the district synagogue category was discontinued.^(xxvi)

Website:

https://richmondjewishcommunity.org.uk

Ministers:
(To view a short profile of a minister whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over his name.)

Rev. Hyman Goodman - minister and teacher from 1916 until about 1917.^(xxx)

Rev. Solomon Zvi Mestel - minister from about 1917 until 1919.^(xxxi)

Rev. Louis Wolfe - minister from about 1919 until 1922.^(xxxii)

Rabbi (and later Dr.) Morris Ginsberg - minister from about 1923 until 1961.^(xxxiii)

Rev. Dr. Julian Godfrey Jacobs - minister from 1961 until about 1970.^(xxxiv)

Aubrey Rosen - lay minister from 1972 until 1975.^(xxxvii)

Rabbi Alan Burns - part-time minister and headmaster from about 1975 until 1984.^(xxxviii)

Rev. B. Kay - minister from about 1978 until about 1981.^(xxxix)

Rabbi Moshe Barron - minister from 1984 until 1990.^(xl)

Rabbi Yitzchak Y. Schochet - minister from 1990 until 1993.^(xli)

Rabbi Menachem M. Junik - minister from 1993 until 1999.^(xliv)

Rabbi David Rose - minister from 1999 until 2003.^(xlv)

Rabbi Yossi Ives - minister from 2003 until 2012.^(xlvi)

Rabbi Jonathan Hughes - minister from 2013 until 2015.^(xlvii)

Rabbi Meir Shindler & Rebbetzen Rina Shindler - rabbinic couple from 2016 until 2021.^(l)

Rabbi Chaim Golker & Rebbetzen Gila Golker - rabbinic couple from 2022 until present (Jan. 2026).^(li)

Lay Officers:

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

Wardens

1916-1920 - David Harris

1920-1921 - L. Briscoe

1921-1922 - M. Horwitz

1922-1923 - H. Wilson

1923-1924 - J. Kuby

1924-1925 - A. Miller

1925-1926 - J. Lewinstein

1926-1930 - A. Bernstein, BA

1930-1933 - M. Rabson, MA

1933-1934 - Arthur Howitt & M. Rabson, MA

1934-1935 - Samuel Harris & J. Lewinstein

1935-1939 - J. Lewinstein & E.L. Davis

1939-1940 - M.M. Barry

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1946 - A.I. Wainstead & J. Lewinstein

1946-1949 - J. Lewinstein & W. Goldston

1949-1950 - J. Lewinstein & I. Zafransky

1950-1952 - J. Lewinstein & H. Webber

1952-1953 - H. Webber & R. Goldman

1953-1955 - J. Hockley

1955-1956 - Major R. Curry & J. Hockley

from 1956 - no data

President

1915-1933 - Arthur Howitt^(lvii)

Vice Presidents

1916-1917 - Arthur Cohen

1917-1920 - M. Wiseman

Treasurers

1915-1916 - J. Kuby

1916-1920 - Edwin I. Edwards

1920-1921 - M. Hovsha

1921-1924 - C. Gold

1924-1930 - S. Davis

1930-1933 - Cllr. Hyman A. Leon

Financial Representatives

1933-1934 - Cllr. Hyman A. Leon

1934-1940 - M. Hovsha

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1947 - M. Hovsha

1947-1949 - H. Webber

1949-1950 - Major R. Curry

1950-1953 - I. Berlin

1953-1954 - N. Mann

1954-1956 - I. Berlin

from 1956 - no data

Secretaries and Hon. Secretaries

1915-1918 - M. Hovsha

1918-1924 - A. Miller

1924-1934 - H. Avner

1934-1939 no data

1939-1940 - H. Rosenberg

1940-1945 no data

1945-1947 - H. Rosenberg

1947-1948 - B. Lipman

1948-1951 - A. Auerbach

1951-1963 - J. Blitz

1963-1970 - I. Sarfaty

1970-1971 - A. Portnoy

1971-1973 - R. Golding

1973-1978 - L. Shear

1978-1980 - Mrs. H. Samuels

1980-1981 - Mrs. B. Lamb

1982-1994 - P. Lamb

Membership Data:

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

1940

1950

1960

1970

111

235

222

180

National Reports & Surveys^(lxii)

1977 - 146 male (or household) members and 77 female members

1983 - 155 male (or household) members and 72 female members

1990 - 233 members (comprising 226 households, 5 individual male and 2 individual female members)

1996 - 170 members (comprising 146 households, 1 individual male and 23 individual female members)

2010 & 2016 - listed as having 100 to 199 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 suburb of Richmond in Southwest London is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (established on 1 April 1965) within the administrative area of Greater London.^(lxiii)

Richmond was previously in the former Municipal Borough of Richmond (formed in 1890) in the County of Surrey.

Registration District (BMD):

Richmond upon Thames from 1 April 1965^(lxiv) - Link to Register Office website

Worship Registration:

The synagogue in Lichfield Gardens is registered as a Place of Worship - Worship Register Number 77794 - under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.^(lxv)

Cemetery
Information:

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

Interior of Former Synagogue
pre 1986 (courtesy Jeff Rosen)

Interior of Synagogue
(courtesy Jeff Rosen)

Online Articles, Bibliography and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

on JCR-UK

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames bibliography, including:
- Richmond and its Jewish Connections, by A. Howitt, 1930 (published privately);
- History of the Richmond Synagogue, 1976 (published by the congregation);
- The Lost Synagogues of London, by P. Renton, 2000 (Tymsder Publications, London) pp. 145/6.

on Third Party Websites

A History of Richmond Synagogue on the congregation's website;
Richmond & South West London by Marcus Roberts, on jtrails.org.uk website.

Notable Local Jewish Residents
or Former Members of this Congregation

(with the assistance of Steven Jaffe)

A number of wealthy London Jews in the late seventeenth and the eighteenth century had large country homes in or around Richmond. These included:
- Sir Solomon de Medina (c.1650-1730), an army contractor for King William III and the first Jew to be knighted in England, who entertained the King at dinner in his country home in Richmond in November 1699;
- Benjamin Goldsmid (1753–1808), who had a 150 acre estate in Roehampton, near Richmond, where he entertained both King George III and his close friend, Admiral Nelson. His farm produced corn to make matzot for the Chief Rabbi;
- Aaron Franks (c.1689-1777), whose wife, Abigael (Bilah), was the sister of Moses Hart (see below) was a leading member of Bevis Marks Synagogue, London's Sephardi congregation and had a home at Isleworth House, Reading. Aaron hired out jewels to the aristocracy to grace their costume on great occasions. In 1727 he lent jewels to King George II for his coronation crown and in 1742 he lent the Princess of Wales forty-thousand pounds worth of jewels for a masquerade party she was attending.
- Moses Hart (1675-1756), who founded the Great Synagogue in Dukes PLace, London, the first Ashkenazi synagogue following the readmission of Jews to Britain in 1656, had a home in Reading; and
- Judith Levy (née Hart, 1706–1803), the daughter of Moses Hart and known as the Queen of Richmond Green, threw lavish parties at her home on Richmond Green. She was a woman of great wealth and largely funded the rebuilding of the Great Synagogue to accommodate its growing congregation.
Mayors of the former Municipal Borough of Richmond and/or the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames:
- Arthur Howitt (1882-1958), who was the principal founder of the synagogue in Richmond, served as the first Jewish mayor of Richmond (1924-25 and in 1927, following death of the previous incumbent) and, as he was a widower, his twelve-year old daughter was the mayoress. Prior to the establishment of the synagogue, he had set up an Jewish arts and literary society in the area, which met at his hotel, the Castle Assembly Rooms. Among his acts of generosity were to pay for 6,000 East End children to visit Epping Forest and to entertained 500 pensioners to tea in Richmond at his hotel and to give each a half pound of tea;
- Hyman Appleby Leon, OBE (1898-1982), served as mayor of Richmond (1939-40 and 1959-60) and mayor of Richmond upon Thames (1966-67), the only person to have served three times as mayor; and
- Sidney Grose (1918-1996) served as mayor of Richmond upon Thames (1977–78).
Alex Brummer, City Editor, Daily Mail, was for a time warden at Richmond Synagogue.
Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park (now Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park) is of German Jewish descent.
Percy Gourgey (d. 2008), campaigner for the rights of Jews from Arab lands.
Toby Jessel (d 2018) MP for Twickenham, son of Winifred Levy and great-grandson of Marcus Samuel, 1st Viscount Bearsted. A great-great uncle was the Judge George Jessel.
Leopold Neumegen (1787-1875), educator and school-master, who in 1840 established a private school in Kew (near Richmond) on what is now the site of Gloucester House, for the children of the Sephardi Jewish aristocracy, which lasted until the early twentieth century.
Eldred Tabachnik QC (1943-2020), President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, was for a time warden of Richmond Synagogue.
Harry Kenneth Woolf, Baron Woolf, CH, PC, FBA, FMedSci (b. 2 May 1933) is a British life peer and retired barrister and judge. He was Master of the Rolls (1996-2000) and Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales (2000-2005).

Other Organisations & Institutions
connected to this congregation

Educational

Hebrew & Religious Classes - founded by 1916.^(lxx)

Other Institutions

Ladies Guild - active by 1945.^(lxxi)
Jewish Institute - founded by 1920.^(lxxii)

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) This was the name adopted on the congregation becoming a constituemt synagogue of the United Synagogue in 1976 and was the name under which the congregation was listed in Jewish Year Books from 1976 until the final edition (2015). ↵
(iii) The congregation appeared under this name solely in the Jewish Year Book 1916. ↵
(iv) The congregation appeared under this name in the Jewish Year Books 1918 through 1931. ↵
(v) The congregation appeared under this name in the Jewish Year Books 1932 through 1976. ↵
(vi) and (vii) Reserved.
(vii) This was the address listed in Jewish Year Books from 1988 and remains the address until the present (January 2026) - the congregation's website, last accessed January 2026. ↵
(ix) Description from the architects' website, accessed January 2026 - New Synagogue for Richmond. To view a description of other Jewish architectural works of the architects, hold your cursor over their name. According to "Our Story" on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026, the Lichfield Gardens site had previously been a bungalow, small holding and orchard, owned by a Jewish family, the Solniks, who made their garden available for synagogue garden parties. ↵
(x) Inscription on synagogue plaque and "Our Story" on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026. ↵
(xi) "Our Story" on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026. ↵
(xii) Jewish Chronicle report of 18 April 1986. This was also the address listed in the Jewish Year Book 1987. ↵
(xiii) and (xiv) Reserved.
(xv) "Our Story" on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026. It was also the address of the congregation listed in Jewish Year Books 1939 through 1986 (except for the suspension of publication during war years 1941/5). ↵
(xvi) Inscription on synagogue plaque. To view a description of other Jewish architectural works of H.W. Ford, hold your cursor over his name. ↵
(xvii) "Our Story" on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026. ↵
(xviii) This was the address of the congregation listed in Jewish Year Books 1917 through 1938. ↵
(xix) "Our Story" on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026. ↵
(xx) Inscription on synagogue plaque. ↵
(xxi) and (xxii)
(xxiii) Richmond & South West London by Marcus Roberts, on jtrails.org.uk website."Our Story" on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026. ↵
(xxiv) "Our Story" on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026. The congregation was first listed, in the Jewish Year Book 1916, as an independent congregation under the name "Richmond Congregation". Thereafter, it was always listed as a United Synagogue congregation. ↵
(xxv) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 221, 223. ↵
(xxvi) The congregation was first listed as a constituent synagogue in the Jewish Year Book 1977. ↵
(xxvii) to (xxix) Reserved.
(xxx) Jewish Chronicle of June 1916 reported that Rev H Goodman was minister elect of Richmond (Associate) Synagogue and it was reported that he was chaplain to the Armed Forces in London in about 1917. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1917 and 1918. ↵
(xxxi) Rev. S. Mestel, BA was listed as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1919. ↵
(xxxii) Rev. L. Wolfe was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1921 through 1923 and was minister in Eastourne by 1922. ↵
(xxxiii) Jewish Chronicle obituary of 31 January 1969. Rabbi Ginsberg was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1924 through 1961 (except for the suspension of publication during war years 1941/5). ↵
(xxxiv) Jewish Chronicle of 13 October 1961 reported on Rev. Jacobs's induction as minister of the congregation and was already in London by 1 January 1971. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1962 through 1973. ↵
(xxxv) and (xxxvi) Reserved.
(xxxvii) The Jewish Chronicle of 10 October 1975 reported Mr Aubrey Rosen, lay minister of the Richmond Synagogue, had retired on the previous week-end after three years' service to the community adding that "Mr Rosen, a lecturer in constitutional law at Hendon Police College, is leaving communal work to devote himself to politics and journalism." He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1974 through 1976. ↵
(xxxviii) The Jewish Chronicle of 13 July 1984 reported his stepping down. He was not listed as minister of the congregation in any Jewish Year Books. ↵
(xxxix) Based solely on Rev. B. Kay's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1979 through 1981. ↵
(xl) The Jewish Chronicle of 28 December 1984 that Rabbi Shalom Barron had the pleasure of participating in the induction of his son, Moshe, as minister at Richmond Synagogue. He led a party of guests from Rabbi Moshe Barron's previous community at Bayswater and Maida Vale. On 16 November 1990, ir reported his inducted at Allerton Hebrew Congregation, Liverpool. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1985 through 1991. ↵
(xli) The Jewish Chronicle of 18 June 1993 reported Rabbi Shochet taking up the position at Mill Hill, adding that he had served two years at Richmond. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1992 through 1994. ↵
(xlii) and (xliii) Reserved.
(xliv) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 November 1993 reported that Croydon synagogue's former minister, Rabbi Menachem Junik, was forced to leave earlier this year, and a report 26 of November 1993 places him as the Richmond rabbi. On 8 January 1999 it reported that Richmond Synagogue's minister, Rabbi Menachem Junik, resigned suddenly on Tuesday after five years with the community. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1995 through 1999. ↵
(xlv) The Jewish Chronicle of 11 June 1999 reported that Richmond synagogue had named a successor to Rabbi Menachem Junik, who left in January because of "ill health and stress." A meeting on Monday unanimously ratified the appointment of Rabbi David Rose, a New Zealander now working in Sweden. On 17 January 2003 it reported that Rabbi David Rose was to leave Richmond Synagogue after nearly four years. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2000 through 2003. ↵
(xlvi) The Jewish Chronicle of 27 June 2003 reported that Cardiff Synagogue's minister, Rabbi Yossi Ives, has been appointed minister of the Richmond community. On 30 March 2012 it reported that RabbI Yossi Ives had left Richmond Synagogue. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2004 through 2013. ↵
(xlvii) The Jewish Chronicle of 1 April 2013 reported the appointment of Rabbi Hughes as minister of the congregation. On 24 July 2015 it reported that Rabbi Hughes was to leave Richmond later this year to become the spiritual leader of the Radlett congregation in Hertfordshire. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2014 and 2015 (the final edition). ↵
(xlviii) and (xlix) Reserved.
(l) Profile formerly on the congregation's website, accessed March 2021. The Jewish Chronicle of 14 June 2021 reported that Rabbi Meir Shindler will be moving from Richmond to Cockfosters and N. Southgate United Synagogue. ↵
(li) Profiles on the congregation's website, accessed January 2026. The Jewish Chronicle of 17 June 2022 reported Rabbi and Rebbetzen Golker's appointment as rabbinic couple. ↵
(lii) to (lv) Reserved.
(lvi) 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 the year appearing in 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 1935 through 1938, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1934 and continued in office until 1938). 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. Jewish Year Books were not published during WWII subsequent to 1940. There were no Jewish Year Book listings of officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. ↵
(lvii) Arthur Harris was described as Chairman in the Jewish Year Book 1916 (when the congregation was listed as the unaffiliated Richmond Congregation). From the 1926 edition he is referred to as Cllr Arthur Howitt. ↵
(lviii) to (lx) Reserved.
(lxi) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 216/7. ↵
(lxii) 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. ↵
(lxiii) The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, an Outer London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the Municipal Borough of Richmond and the Municipal Borough of Barnes (both situated south of the River Thames and were part of the county of Surrey), and the Municipal Borough of Twickenham (situated north of the River Thames and was part of the former county of Middlesex). It is thus the only London borough to sit on both sides of the River Thames. ↵
(lxiv) The former Registration Districts were: Richmond, from 1 July 1837 until 1 April 1935; Surrey North Eastern, from 1 April 1935 until 1 July 1948; and Surrey Northern, from 1 July 1948 until 1 April 1965. All registers would now be held by the current register office. ↵
(lxv) Page 1180 of the 2010 List of Places of Worship. ↵
(lxvi) to (lxix) Reserved.
(lxx) Although the the religious classes were not listed in Jewish Year Books until 1921, Rev. H. Goodman was employed also as a teacher in 1916. ↵
(lxxi) Although first listed in the Jewish Year Book 1945/6, the guild would presumably have existed for some years prior to then. ↵
(lxxii) First listed in the Jewish Year Book 1921. ↵

Jewish Congregations in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

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Page created: 1 October 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 27 January 2026
Page most recently amended: 1 February 2026

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

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