the former

New South London Synagogue

Balham, London SW17

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*Congregation Data*
Name:	New South London Synagogue⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
Address:	239 Balham High Road, Tooting Bec, London SW17, from 1940.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ The congregation's former address was 277 Balham High Road, Tooting Bec, London SW17, which had previously been the address of one of the predecessor congregations (see below).^(iv)
Formation:	The congregation was formed in about 1937 upon the merger of two United Synagogue affiliated congregations: Balham & Tooting Hebrew Congregation and Wimbledon Hebrew Congregation.^(v)
Predecessor Congregations:	Balham & Tooting Hebrew Congregation Formed by 1933,^(viii) its address was 277 Balham High Road, London SW17 from at least 1935.^(ix) (Note: The Balham and Tooting Congregation was also the name of a congregation that existed in the early 1910s and merged into a congregation that became the South West London Synagogue.) Wimbledon Hebrew Congregation Formed by 1933,^(x) its address, in about 1933, was the Synagogue and Institute (opposite Rutlish School), Station Road, London SW19.^(xi)
Closure:	The congregation closed at some time during World War II.^(xiv)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Affiliation:	The congregation, as well as both predecessor congregations, were affiliated synagogues of the United Synagogue.^(xv)
Minister & Reader:	Rev. Myer Schwartz served as minister, reader and secretary of Balham and Tooting Hebrew Congregation from about 1935 until the merger and then held the same posts at the New South London Synagogue until at least 1940.^(xvi)
Lay Officers:^(xvii)	Balham & Tooting Hebrew Congregation President 1933-1937 - S. Harris Vice-President 1933-1937 - B. Rose Vice-Chairman 1935-1937 - M. Hopton Treasurers 1933-1935 - I. Shorr 1935-1937 - B. Lewis	Wimbledon Hebrew Congregation President 1933-1934 - J. Benjamin Vice President 1933-1937 - S. Gordon & Mr. Morene Hon. Secretaries 1933-1934 - Mrs Geller 1934-1936 - M.S. Blanchfield 1936-1937 - B. Levinson
	New South London Synagogue
	Presidents 1937-1938 - R. Morris 1938-1939 - J.R. Ritblat 1939-at least 1940 - M.S. Blanchfield Vice-President 1938-at least 1940 - M. Hopton	Treasurer 1937-at least 1940 - L. Heller Wardens 1937-1938 - S. Harris & E. Goldberg 1938-1939 - M.S. Blanchfield & R.M. Beskin
Local Government Districts:	Balham and Wimbledon, neighbourhoods in south London, are situated, respectively, in the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Merton, both established on 1 April 1965, within the administrative area of Greater London. Prior to 1965, Balham was in the former Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth and Wimbledon was in the former Metropolitan Borough of Wimbledon, both of which were established in 1900 within the former County of London (established 1889).
Registration Districts (BMD):	Balham - Wandsworth from 1 July 1837 - Link to Register Office website Wimbledon - Merton from 1 April 1965^(xviii) - Link to Register Office website
Cemetery Information:	United Synagogue cemeteries, see Cemeteries of the United Synagogue.

Other Organisations & Institutions
connected to this congregation

Educational

Hebrew & Religious Classes - founded at Balham and Tooting by 1933 and held initially at Ravenstone LCC School, Elmfield Road, Balham.^(xxi)

Other Institutions

Ladies Guild - active by 1937.^(xxii)

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) This was the name under which the congregation was listed from the Jewish Year Book 1938. ↵
(iii) Peter Renton's The Lost Synagogues of London, p.143. ↵
(iv) The address listed for the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1938 through 1940 and the address listed for Balham and Tooting Hebrew Congregation 1936 and 1937. ↵
(v) The merger was first reported in the Jewish Year Book 1938. ↵
(vi) and (vii) Reserved.
(viii) First listed in the Jewish Year Book 1934. ↵
(ix) This was the address for the congregation listed in Jewish Year Books from 1936 until the merger of the congregation, when it became the address of the merged congregation. ↵
(x) First listed in the Jewish Year Book 1934. ↵
(xi) This was the address for the congregation listed solely in Jewish Year Book 1934. ↵
(xii) and (xiii) Reserved.
(xiv) It was listed in the Jewish Year Book 1940 (and there is reference to a move in the same year) but was not listed in the next edition (1945/6), published after the end of World WarII. ↵
(xv) The Jewish Year Books list all three congregations as affiliated synagogues of the United Synagogue. However, none of these are listed as United Synagogue affiliates in Aubrey Newman's centenary history of the organisation, The United Synagogue 1870-1970 (1977). (This is the only known instance of such omission.) ↵
(xvi) Based upon Rev. Schwartz's listing as minister and reader of the respective synagogues in Jewish Year Books 1935 through 1940. ↵
(xvii) 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. 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 1934 through 1937, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1933 and continued in office until 1937. 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. ↵
(xviii) The former Registration Districts were Croydon, from 1 July 1837 until 1 April 1934, and Surrey North Eastern, from 1 April 1934 until 1 April 1965. All registers would now be held by the current register office. ↵
(xix) and (xx) Reserved.
(xxi) Listed in the Jewish Year Book 1934. ↵
(xxii) First listed in the Jewish Year Book 1938. ↵

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Page created: 22 October 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 15 March 2026
Page most recently amended: 17 March 2026

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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