the former

South London Synagogue

Streatham, London SW16

JCR-UK is a genealogical and historical website covering all Jewish communities
and congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.

Entrance to South London Synagogue
Photgraphe kindly provided by ©South London Synagogue

Congregation Data
Name:	South London Synagogue
Formation:	The congregation was formed in 1982 on the amalgamation of Brixton Synagogue with Streatham Synagogue.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾
Address:	45 Leigham Court Road, Streatham, London SW16 2NF.^(iv) The site was acquired by 1982 and the purpose-built synagogue was formally opened in 1986,^(v) although the transition to these premises may have taken place earlier. Following the 1983 merger, until the move to the Leigham Court Road premises, the congregation continued to use the former Streatham Synagogue at 26 Estreham Road, SW16.^(vi) The premises were subsequently sold and became the Hyderi Islamic Centre.^(vii)
Final Status:	The synagogue closed in December 2021 due to an aging demographic and dwindling membership numbers that made it impossible to consistently secure a weekly Shabbat minyan.^(x) The former synagogue, together with adjoining property, is, as of mid-2026, the subject of a proposed major development plan.
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Affiliation:	The congregation was a constituent synagogue of the United Synagogue from its formation.^(xi)
Ministers: *(To view a short profile of a minister - hold the cursor over his name.)*	Rabbi Philip N. Ginsbury - minister from 1982 until 2007^(xiv) Rabbi Menachem Lester - minister from 2007 until 2011^(xv) Rabbi Yaakov Grunewald - minister from 2011 until 2017^(xvi) Rev. Stewart Myers - from 1 April 2017 until July 2021.^(xvii)
Membership Data:	National Reports & Surveys^(xx) 1983 - 467 male (or household) members and 318 female members 1990 - 501 members (comprising 474 households, 1 individual male and 26 individual female members) 1996 - 376 members (comprising 352 households, 10 individual male and 14 individual female members)^(xxi) 2010 and 2016 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)
Local Government Districts:	Streatham is an area within London Borough of Lambeth and was previously in the former Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth (established in 1900) within the former County of London (established in 1889), both of which entities were abolished in 1965.^(xxii)
Registration District (BMD):	Lambeth from 1 July 1837 - Link to Register Office website
Worship Registration:	The synagogue in 45 Leigham Court Road was registered as a Place of Worship - Worship Register Number 77756 - under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.^(xxiii)
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

Recollections of the South London Talmud Study Group 1986-2019 (pdf file) by Bernard Enlander.
Bibliography of the London Borough of Lambeth (and elsewhere), including:
- Publications, referred to in the footnotes to above Congregation Data, which make reference to this congregation.

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) and (ii) Reserved.
(iii) The names of the two predecessor congregations were last listed in the Jewish Year Book 1982, and South London Synagogue was first listed in the 1983 edition. Although JCR-UK is treating South London Synagogue as a separate congregation formed as a result of the 1982 merger, it could also have been considered as a change of name of Streatham Synagogue on its incorporation of Brixton Synagogue. Accordingly, Streatham Synagogue now whas its own JCR-UK page. ↵
(iv) Although this was the address of the congregation listed in the Jewish Year Books from 1983 (jointly with the Estreham premises 1983 through 1985), it was some time before the premises were constructed and able for use. ↵
(v) The South London Synagogue Magazine of September 1986 confirmed that the new facilities at 45 Leigham Court Road were completed and officially opened to the community in September 1986. ↵
(vi) 26 Estreham Road was listed as the congregation's address jointly with 55 Leigham Court Road in Jewish Year Books 1983 through 1986. ↵
(vii) Renton's Lost Synagogues, p.166. The Streatham Society's Streatham Heritage Trail - Greyhound Lane item 35, stated that "Since 1983 it has been used by local Muslims as the Hyderi Islamic Centre", but this date may have been too early. ↵
(viii) and (ix) Reserved.
(x) Jewish Chronicle report of 22 July 2021 entitled "South London Synagogue to close as numbers fall", the report stating that "Only 67 of its 107 members live in the South London area. Thirty-eight are aged between 81-90; ten are aged between 91-100. Just two are under 40." The United Synagogue Official Communal Circular of 16 December 2021 announced that on Sunday afternoon, 19 December 2021, a special valedictory service was to be held at the South London Synagogue to mark its physical closure. ↵
(xi) Listed as a constituent synagogue in Jewish Year Books from 1983 until its closure. ↵
(xii) and (xiii) Reserved.
(xiv) Rabbi Ginsbury had previously served as minister of the Brixton Synagogue and upon its amalgamation with Streatham Synagogue in 1982, was appointed minister of the merged entity. (He had also previously served as minister of Streatham Synagogue.) The Jewish Chronicle report of 1 May 2008, confirmed his retirement the previous year. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1963 through 2007. ↵
(xv) The Jewish Chronicle report of 1 May 2008, confirmed Rabbi Lester's appointment in 2007 and on 4 September 2018, it confirmed that he had left for Israel in 2011. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2008 through 2011. ↵
(xvi) Rabbi Grunewald was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 2012 through the last edition (2015). His successor commenced service in 2017. ↵
(xvii) The Jewish Chronicle of 22 July 2021 stated: "...and the Rev Stewart Myers - who has been serving the shul since 2017." The United Synagogue Official Communal Circular of 16 December 2021, announcing the closure of the synagogue, stated that "on Friday afternoon we are delighted to be coming live from South London Synagogue for our weekly Kabbalat Shabbat: Live. Join Reverend Stewart Myers..." ↵
(xviii) and (xix) Reserved.
(xx) Report 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 various reports. ↵
(xxi) This report incorrectly listed the congregation under the London Borough of Lewisham and totalled the figues inaccurately. ↵
(xxii) The London Borough of Lambeth, an Inner London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the former Metropolitan Borough of Lambeth with the Clapham and Streatham areas of the former Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth (both established in 1900). These areas had been within the (then abolished) County of London (established in 1899). ↵
(xxiii) Page 787 of the 2010 List of Places of Worship ↵

List of United Synagogue Congregations

Jewish Congregations in the London Borough of Lambeth

Jewish Congregations in Greater London

Greater London home page

Page created: 24 October 2006
Notes first added and data significantly expanded: 13 May 2026
Page most recently amended: 17 May 2026

Research and formatting by David Shulman

Explanation of Terms | About JCR-UK | JCR-UK home page

Contact JCR-UK Webmaster:
jcr-ukwebmaster@jgsgb.org.uk
(Note: This is to contact JCR-UK, not the above Congregation)

Terms and Conditions, Licenses and Restrictions for the use of this website:

This website is owned by JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. All material found herein is owned by or licensed to us. You may view, download, and print material from this site only for your own personal use. You may not post material from this site on another website without our consent. You may not transmit or distribute material from this website to others. You may not use this website or information found at this site for any commercial purpose.