the former

Edinburgh Beth Hamedrash

(formerly Edinburgh Central Synagogue

and Roxburgh Place Synagogue)

Edinburgh, Scotland

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Congregation Data
Name:	Edinburgh Beth Hamedrash⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ formerly known as: Leith Central Hebrew Congregation;⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ Edinburgh Central Synagogue;^(iv) South Clerk Street Synagogue;^(v) Roxburgh Place Synagogue;^(vi) and Roxburgh Place Beth Hamedrash^(vii)
Addresses:	South Clerk Street, Edinburgh, (also referred to as the "Bolshie Shul") from at least 1913 to about 1915.^(x) Marshall Street, Edinburgh, from about 1915 to about 1916.^(xi) Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh, from 1916 to about 1931.^(xii) The synagogue in Roxburgh Place was consecrated in 1916, in a ceremony in which Rev. Jacob M. Teitelmann took part.^(xiii) Newington Road, Edinburgh, from about 1931 to 1932.^(xiv) 4 Salisbury Road, Edinburgh, (Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation synagogue) from 1932.^(xv)
Formation:	The congregation was formed in about 1906.^(xviii)
Status and Affiliation:	The congregation was initially an independent unaffiliated congregation under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi. By 1921, it had became a branch synagogue of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation,^(xix) being renamed as a Beth Hamedrash by 1925.^(xx) In 1932, it moved to the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation synagogue, becoming the Beth Hamedrash in conjunction with the synagogue, until about 1957.^(xxi)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Ministers and Readers: (To view a short profile of a person whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over the name.)	Rev. A. Liverman - reader from about 1911 until about 1915.^(xxv) Rev. Jacob Mendel Teitelman - minister from about 1915 until about 1918 and reader from about 1921 until about 1926.^(xxvi) Rev. Menachem BenZion Ordman - reader from about 1927 until at least 1932 and probably until his retirement in 1947.^(xxvii) From 1918 until 1945 Rabbi Dr. Salis Daiches served as rabbi of the Edinburgh Hebrew congregation, and accordingly, from at least 1922 when the Roxburgh Place congregation became a branch synagogue, he also served as minister of the latter congregation.^(xxviii)
Lay Officers:	All data on lay officers has been extracted from listings in Jewish Year Book.^(xxix)
	Presidents 1906-1908 - C.P. Michaelson 1908-1911 - no data 1911-1915 - P. Oppenheim (1913-1915 - B. Turiansky)^(xxx) 1915-1918 - J.H. Fred from 1918 - no data Wardens 1906-1908 - H. Fred 1908-1921 - no data 1921-1922 - L. Baker & P. Siger 1922-1923 - A. Klar & P. Siger 1923-1926 - A. Klar & L. Lurie 1926-1927 - A. Klar 1927-1928 - A. Klar & J. Simonoff 1928-1930 - L. Lurie & I. Davidson 1930-1931 - L. Lurie & L. Cowen 1931-1933 - L. Lurie & S. Nathan from 1933 - no data	Treasurers 1906-1908 - L. Liverman 1908-1911 - no data 1911-1912 - J. Fred 1912-1917 - J. Harris 1917-1918 - D. Levinson from 1918 - no data Hon Secretaries 1912-1915 - B. Fred (1913-1915 - H. Lipshitz)^(xxx) 1915-1916 - B. Levenson 1916-1917 - L. Siger 1917-1918 - L. Siger & H. Rifkind from 1918 - no data
Cemetery Information:	See Edinburgh Jewish Cemeteries Information on Edinburgh Community home page.

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) The congregation was first referred to as a Beth Hamedrash in the Jewish Year Book 1925, while still situated in Roxburgh Place. ↵
(iii) The Jewish Year Books 1914 through 1916 include an entry for a Central Hebrew Congregation under the town heading "LEITH" (a port area in the extreme northeast of Edinburgh) which appears to be a duplicate entry for Central Synagogue, Edinburgh. See footnote (x). It appears that they are the same congregation, although the actual facts are not clear. ↵
(iv) The congregation was listed as the Central Synagogue in Jewish Year Books 1906/7 through 1918. ↵
(v) An alternative name when the congregation was situated in South Clerk Street by the mid-1910s. ↵
(vi) The name of the congregation from the move to Roxburgh Place in 1916 and as listed in Jewish Year Books from 1917. ↵
(vii) The apparent name of the congregation from about 1924 to 1932 when situated in Roxburgh Place in 1916 and described as a Beth Hamedrash. ↵
(viii) and (ix) Reserved.
(x) South Clerk Street is in Central Edinburgh and is part of the A701 running north-south about a quarter of a mile west of Holyrood Park. It was listed as the congregation's address in Jewish Year Books 1914 and 1915. However, in the Jewish Year Books 1914 through 1916, there was a duplicate listing of the congregation (as the Central Hebrew Congregation) under the town heading "LEITH" (a port area in the extreme northeast of Edinburgh) but with its address also in South Clerk Street (Livingstone Hall). (The duplicate listing names the same treasurer, but a different president and hon. secretary.) There was clearly an error, although the Leith connection is currently unexplained. Prior to 1914, the congregation was listed without an address. ↵
(xi) This was the address listed in the Jewish Year Books 1916. Marshall Street is a short road, running east-west, to the west of Clerk Street (part of the A7) close to Edinburgh University. ↵
(xii) This was the address listed in Jewish Year Books from 1917 through 1931 (except 1919 through 1921, when the congregation was not listed). Roxburgh Place is a short road, running north-south, parallel with, and to the east of, Clerk Street (the A7), mid-way between Clerk Street and Holyrood Park. ↵
(xiii) Jewish Chronicle report of 14 April 1916, p.22. ↵
(xiv) This was the address listed in the Jewish Year Book 1932. Newington Road is the continuation of South Clerk Street (the A701) going south. ↵
(xv) This was the address was the listed in Jewish Year Books from 1933. Salisbury Road crosses over Newington Road and the synagogue is located in the eastern section. ↵
(xvi) and (xvii) Reserved.
(xviii) Based upon the first listing of the congregation (as the Central Synagogue) in the Jewish Year Book 1906/7. ↵
(xix) The congregation was unlisted in Jewish Year Book from 1919 through 1921 and when it was relisted in 1922, it was described as a branch synagogue. ↵
(xx) The Jewish Year Book 1925. ↵
(xxi) From 1932, all the orthodox congregations in Edinburgh were united with the construction of the Salisbury Road synagogue. The congregation was thereafter listed in Jewish Year Book (from the 1933 edition) under the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation as a Beth Hamedrash in conjunction with the synagogue, which listing continued until the 1959 edition. ↵
(xxii) to (xxiv) Reserved.
(xxv) Based upon Rev. Liverman's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1912 through 1914. ↵
(xxvi) Based upon Rev. Teitelman's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1916 through 1918 and as reader of the congregation in the editions 1922 through 1925. ↵
(xxvii) Rev. Ordman was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1928 through 1933. The congregation continued thereafter as part of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation, which Rev. Ordman served and continued to serve until 1947 ↵
(xxviii) Rabbi Daiches was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1922 through 1933. ↵
(xxix) 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 and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was 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.The congregation was not listed in Jewish Year Books 1919 through 1921. ↵
(xxx) B. Turiansky and H. Lipshitz were listed, respectively, as the president and hon secretary of the the duplicate "Leith" listing of the congregation discussed in footnote (x) above. The treasurer listed was J. Harris, who appeared in both listings. ↵

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Page created: 9 October 2005
Data expanded and notes added: 17 February 2022
Page further significantly expanded: 15 May 2025
Page most recently amended: 16 May 2025

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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