the former

East London Synagogue

Stepney Green, London E1

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and congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.

The former East London Synagogue
courtesy "the Cable", 2009

Congregation Data

Name:

East London Synagogue

Building Controversy:

The establishment of the synagogue marked a significant philosophical and financial shift within Anglo-Jewry. When the United Synagogue was constituted in 1870, its strict foundational policy dictated that it would only support self-financing congregations. However, following the formation of the local building committee in 1871, founders Henry Hymans and Frederick Stern (father of the congregation's first minister) fiercely challenged this rule.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ They argued that the rapidly growing working-class immigrant population arriving in London's East End could not afford the high seat rentals required to sustain a major building. They asserted that without a "respectable" institutionalized house of worship, the community would drift toward unregulated, informal chevras or away from communal frameworks altogether.

The United Synagogue relented and took over the scheme in 1873. A freehold site was acquired in 1875, which paved the way for the organization's first subsidized "deficit synagogue".⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Formation and Address:

The synagogue, at 52 Rectory Square, Stepney Green, London E1 3NU, was designed by architects, Davis and Emanuel, and built in 1876/77.^(iv) The foundation stone had been laid on 17 April 1876 by Lionel Lewis Cohen and the synagogue was opened and consecrated by the Chief Rabbi Dr. Nathan Marcus Adler on 25 March 1877, at a total cost (including the freehold site) of £9,781.^(v) It was the first synagogue to be erected under the auspices of the United Synagogue and the only synagogue in London's East End planned to be a "cathedral synagogue".

The exterior of the synagogue was purposely built out of relatively plain brown brick in a simplified Byzantine/Romanesque style to prevent it from drawing negative public attention in a lower-income neighborhood.

The synagogue was designated a Grade II Listed Building (number 1065762) on 11 March 1988 (most recent amendment 11 November 1988). View description on Historic England website.

Final Status:

The synagogue closed and was sold to a property developer in 1987. The building then fell into disrepair, subjected to arson, flooding, theft and vandalism, but despite pleas for its preservation, it was eventually converted to up-market apartments, known as Temple Court, in 1996, retaining solely the building shell.^(viii)

In the meantime, congregants moved initially into an adjoining community centre. In 1993, the congregation merged with Hackney Synagogue, which changed its name to Hackney & East London Synagogue,^(ix) which itself closed in October 2026.

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

The congregation was a constituent synagogue of the United Synagogue from 1877 until its merger in 1993.^(x)

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

Rev. Joseph Frederick Stern - minister from 1887 until 1927/8.^(xiv)

Rev. Mendel Zeffert - minister from 1928 until his death in 1958.^(xv)

Rev. Nathan Bergerman - minister from 1958 until his death in 1978.^(xvi)

Rev. Gunther Rosenthal - minister from about 1980 until his death in 1986.^(xvii)

Rabbi Yitzhak Macmull - minister from about 1988 until about 1991.^(xviii)

Readers / Cantors and Others:

Rev. Henry Millem - second reader from 1877 until his death in 1885.^(xxi)

Rev. Victor Rosenstein - first reader from 1877 until 1887.^(xxii)

Rev. Israel Greenberg - reader from c.1891 until 1912.^(xxiii)

Rev. Mendel Menachem Brown - assistant minister from about 1912 until about 1917.^(xxiv)

Rev. Moses Signaiewsky - reader from 1914 until his death in 1932.^(xxvii)

Rev. Aaron Fuchsman - reader from 1933 until 1955.^(xxviii)

Rev. Melech Bursztyn - reader from about 1964 until, possibly, 1970.^(xxix)

Rev. Aron Engelmeyer - reader from October 1986 until July 1987.^(xxx)

Lay Officers since 1896:

Unless otherwise stated, all data on lay officers has been extracted from listings in Jewish Year Books (first published 1896/7).^(xxxii)

Wardens

1896-1900 - J. Green & Lewis Levy

1900-1903 - Lewis Levy & David Moses

1903-1905 - Harris Marks & David Moses

1905-1915 - David Moses & B.J. Friend

1915-1917 - J.A. Samuel

1917-1918 - I. Bloomfield & J.A. Samuel

1918-1919 - J.A. Samuel

1919-1925 - J.A. Samuel & E. Norden

1925-1926 - J.A. Samuel

1926-1934 - J.A. Samuel & E. Norden

1934-1935 - E. Norden & S.J. Lampel

1935-1940 - S.J. Lampel & C. Goldstein

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1948 - P. Gluckstein & S. Schaverien

1948-1956 - P. Gluckstein & P. Weiner

from 1956 - no data

Finacial Representative

1896-1897 - J. Green

1897-1899 - David Moses

1899-1902 - Henry Harris

1902-1905 - B.J. Friend

1905-1915 - J.A. Samuel

1915-1919 - E. Norden

1919-1920 - A. Goldberg

1920-1925 - Joel Hart

1925-1926 - E. Norden

1926-1934 - Joel Hart

1934-1935 - C. Goldstein

1935-1940 - L. Courts, LLM

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1953 - N. Levy

1953-1954 - N. Bernstein

1954-1956 - M. Shear

from 1956 - no data

Secretaries and Hon. Secretaries

1877-1885 - Rev. Henry Millem^(xxxiii)

1887-1920 - Rev. Joseph Frederick Stern^(xxxiv)

1920-1951 - Henry Hart^(xxxv)

1951-1958 - Louis Staals

1959-1964 - M. Joseph

1964-1969 - T.L. Maxwell

1969-1973 - H.S. Lunzer

1973-1974 - N. Cohen

1975-1976 - C. Franks

1976-1977 - A. Cohen

1977-1983 - S. Caplan

1983-1993 - S. Mather, JP^(xxxvi)

Membership Data:

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

1877

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

222

227

272

345

340

397

383

359

411

467

376

National Reports & Surveys^(xl)

1977 - 307 male (or household) members and 217 female members

1983 - 337 male (or household) members and 348 female members

1990 - 511 members (comprising 481 households, 1 individual male and 29 individual female members)

Also see below for seatholder records on All-UK Database.

Location and Local Government Districts:

Rectory Square. Stepney Green, is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (created on 1 April 1965), within the administrative area of Greater London.^(xli) It is is a short cul-de-sac at the southern end of White House Lane, almost at the junction with Stepney Green, lying approximately half a mile south of Stepney Green Underground Station and Mile End Road.

Previously, Rectory Square was in the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney (established 1900) in the County of London (established 1889), both of which entities were abolished in 1965.

Rectory Square was also in the civil parish of Mile End Old Town (abolished in 1927 to be absorbed into Stepney Borough parish, which itself was abolished 1965), which was in the former County of Middlesex until 1889. From 1856 to 1900, the Vestry (council) of the Parish of Mile End Old Town was a local authority, with functions similar to that of a local government district council.

Cemetery
Information:

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

Search the All-UK Database

The records in the database specifically associated with the East London Synagogue include:

Seatholders Lists:
- 1885 (234 records);
- 1899 (301 records);
- 1910 (398 records); and
- 1933 (516 records).

Click here for a list of other London records in the Database that may also include records associated with this congregation.

Bibliography, Online Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

on JCR-UK

Jewish Listed Heritage Sites in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Bibliography, including:
- The Lost Synagogues of London, by Peter Renton, 2000, pp. 90-94;
- The Synagogues of London, by Paul Lindsay, 1993, London, pp. 53-55;
- Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland by Sharman Kadish, 2015, p. 25;
- "The Curious Case of Hyman Samuel" - The Cable, Issue No.9, pp 44-48, - the magazine of the Jewish East End Celebration Society, 2009; and
- Other Tower Hamlets bibliography

Congregation Records
Registration District (BDM):	Tower Hamlets, since 1 January 1983^(xlii) - Link to Register Office website
Marriage Records:	12 marriage registers (first entry 10 October 1877; latest entry 13 October 1985) are deposited with Tower Hamlets Register Office (ref: s19):

Other Organisations & Institutions
connected to this congregation

Educational

Hebrew & Religious Classes - probably founded on or shortly after the establishment of the congregation.^(l)
The KnowSuperintendent of the classes from at least 1900 until about 1917 was H. Weinstein.^(li)
The following are details of the approximate number of pupils enrolled in the classes for the relevant years:^(lii)

1902

1907

1909

1910

1912

1914

1915

1916

c.200

250

300

350

380

360

300

140

Other Institutions

Young Israel Society - founded by 1900.^(liii)
Ladies Guild - formed by 1914.^(liv)
Burial Society - founded by 1929.^(lv)

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) Jewish Year Books 1902/3 to 1911 and online research. ↵
(iii) Online research. ↵
(iv) Sharman Kadish's Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland, 2015, p. 25. To view a description of the Jewish architectural works by Davis and Emanuel, hold your cursor over their name. ↵
(v) Jewish Year Books 1902/3 to 1911. ↵
(vi) and (vii) Reserved.
(viii) Peter Renton's The Lost Synagogues of London, 2000, pp. 92/3 and online research. ↵
(ix) The congregation continued to be listed, with its address at Rectory Square, in Jewish Year Books to 1993 ↵
(x) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), p.221. ↵
(xi) to (xiii) Reserved.
(xiv) Appointment - Paul Lindsay's The Synagogues of London,, 1993, London, p. 53. Rev. J.F. Stern was listed as minister in the Jewish Year Books from the first edition (1896/7) through 1927. While he stepped back from full pulpit duties in 1927, official community records (including the Open Siddur Project archives) note his retirement officially concluded or was finalized in 1928. ↵
(xv) Rev. Zeffert was first listed as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1929 and his final listing was in the 1958 edition. ↵
(xvi) Although he appears to have obtained semicha in the late 1940s, he was listed as Rev. N. Bergerman (minister) in Jewish Year Books 1959 through 1978. ↵
(xvii) Based upon Rev. G. Rosenthal's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1981. Due to administrative updates and publication lead times, his name continued to appear posthumously in the Jewish Year Book listings through 1988. ↵
(xviii) Based upon the listing of Rabbi I. McMull [sic] as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1898 through 1991. ↵
(xix) and (xx) Reserved.
(xxi) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. An article in the New York Times from 21 July 1885, titled "Strange Death of a Minister," explicitly refers to Rev. Millem as the "Secretary and second reader of the East London Synagogue, who had died under singular circumstances". ↵
(xxii) Rev. Rosenstein's appointment confirmed in The Jewish Chronicle of 18 May 1877. His removal in 1887 is confirmed in the article on Rev. J.F. Stern in opensiddur.org. ↵
(xxiii) Appointment - Jewish Standard of 15 August 1890. The United Synagogue records note that Rev. Greenberg initially requested a partial relief of duties or tendered a conditional retirement around 1912 due to his failing health, but probably did not step down from all his duties until his successor was appointed. Rev. I. Greenberg is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from the first edition (1896/7) through 1912. ↵
(xxiv) Based upon the listing as assistant minister of Rev. M. Braun, BA in Jewish Year Books 1913 through 1916 and Rev. M. Brown in the 1917 edition. ↵
(xxv) and (xxvi) Reserved.
(xxvii) Rev. M. Signaiewsky is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1915 through 1932. The Jewish Chronicle of 31 July 1914 explicitly documents his transition from the New Road Synagogue to the East London Synagogue. The Jewish Chronicle of 19 August 1932 contains his formal obituary, confirming his death on 12 August 1932. ↵
(xxviii) Rev. A. Fuchsman was first listed as reader of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1934 and his final listing was in the 1955 edition. ↵
(xxix) Based upon Rev. M. Bursztein's listing as reader of the congregation in the Jewish Year Books 1965 through 1970. ↵
(xxx) Online research. Rev. Engelmayer was not listed in Jewish Year Books with regards to this congregation. ↵
(xxxi) Reserved.
(xxxii) Where a person was 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 and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was shown as vacant. Initially year books corresponded to the Hebrew year, and thus ran roughly from autumn of one year - the year of publication - until autumn of the next year. From 1909, 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 is listed in Jewish Year Books 1919 through 1924, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1918 and continued in office until 1924. 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. Jewish Year Books were not published during World War II subsequent to 1940. There were no Jewish Year Book listings of officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. ↵
(xxxiii) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. An article in the New York Times from 21 July 1885, titled "Strange Death of a Minister," explicitly refers to Rev. Millem as the "Secretary and second reader of the East London Synagogue, who had died under singular circumstances". ↵
(xxxiv) Appointment - Paul Lindsay's The Synagogues of London,, 1993, London, p. 53. ↵
(xxxv) The publication of the Jewish Year Book was suspended in the war-years 1941-1945. However, as Henry Hart was listed as secretary of the congregation for many years prior to the cessation of publication (since the 1921 edition) and until a number of years after the resumption of publication (until the 1951 edition), it is assumed that he also serve as secretary during the intervening period. ↵
(xxxvi) The title of the office was changed from secretary to administrator in about 1992. ↵
(xxxvii) and (xxxviii) Reserved.
(xxxix) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 218/9. ↵
(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) The London Borough of Tower Hamlets, an Inner London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the former Metropolitan Boroughs of Stepney, Bethnal Green and Poplar (all of which had been in the former County of London, established 1889). ↵
(xlii) The former Registration Districts were: Mile End Old Town, from 1 October 1857 to 1 January 1926; and Stepney, from 1 January 1926 until 1 January 1983. All registers would now be held by the current register office. ↵
(xliii) to (xlix) Reserved.
(l) The congregation's reader, Rev. V. Rosenstein, was employed also as master of the Hebrew Classes in 1877. ↵
(li) H. Weinstein was listed as Superintendent in Jewish Year Books 1900/01 through 1917. ↵
(lii) Figures extracted from the Jewish Year Books for the year following. ↵
(liii) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1900/1. ↵
(liv) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1915. ↵
(lv) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1930. ↵

List of United Synagogue Congregations

Jewish Congregations of the London East End

Street Directory of Synagogues in London East End and City of London

Jewish Congregations in Greater London

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Page created: 30 August 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 30 September 2026
Page most recently amended: 6 October 2026

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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