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JCR-UK is a genealogical and historical website covering all Jewish communities and
congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.
NOTE: We are not the official website of the congregation
discussed below.
Town of Guildford
Guildford, the county town of Surrey (although not currently its administrative
centre), in southeast England, has a population of about 70,000. Guildford
was a municipal borough until 1974, when it merged with the Guildford Rural
District to form the local government district, later borough, of Guildford,
within the county of Surrey.
Guildford Jewish Community
There was a
medieval Jewish community in Guildford - a chamber was discovered below a
bookshop in
Guildford High Street in 1995, which is widely believed to be the remains of a
medieval synagogue, dating back to about 1180. If it is indeed the remains of a synagogue, it is likely
to be the second oldest remaining synagogue structure in the English-speaking
world
(with only Jews Court, Lincoln predating it by
some 30 years).
The modern Jewish community is believed to date back to the early twentieth
century. However, World War II transformed the Jewish community, with a
substantial number of Jews being being evacuated to Guildford from built-up
areas of London, who were later joined by Jewish refugees from Europe. During
the War, a United Synagogue Membership Group was formed in Guildford. The
community continued to function following the war and saw an increase in
membership as a result of the University of Surrey being established in
Guildford in 1966. In the late 1970s the community built its own synagogue.
Guildford Synagogue, York Road (2014)
Congregation Data |
Name: |
Guildford & District Jewish Community
also simply known as the Guildford Synagogue since 1979(iii) |
Formation: |
World War II saw the influx into Guildford of evacuees from London and
refugees from Europe who formed the Guildford United Synagogue Membership Group(iv)
(see below) in the town. This was dissolved
following the end of the war, when many of the evacuees returned home.
However, the Jewish community continued to
exist, although it was not until 1979 that it acquired a permanent synagogue
building. |
Address: |
York Road, Guildford, GU1 4DR(v)
The
building was acquired, partly rebuilt and converted into a synagogue in 1979.
Consecration took place on 26 October 1980 in the presence of Chief
Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits.(vi)
In September 2024, the congregation celebrated the completion of a £10,000 refurbishment of its synagogue,
attended by 80 members, with a symbolic re-dedication ceremony,
a stone from Guildford's medieval synagogue being incorporated into the building.(vii)
The congregation previously met in hired halls.(viii)
|
Current Status: |
Active. Generally, services are held on the high holy days.
|
Ritual: |
Orthodox - Ashkenazi |
Affiliation: |
Although the Membership Group was linked to the
United Synagogue,
the later congregation is an unaffiliated provincial congregation under
the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.
|
Website: |
http://www.guildfordjewish.com |
Incorporated Congregation: |
Yisroel Ba’Astolat, a community founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, and made up of University of Surrey alumni and staff,
was formally merged with the Guildford community in September 2024.(ix) |
Minister: |
Until 2024, the post-war congregation had never had a
resident minister. However,
Rabbi Alexander Goldberg,
who was appointed as the Jewish chaplain to the University of Surrey in 2019
and served to some extent as the communal rabbi, was appointed as the
congregation's first resident minister in May 2024.(x) |
Lay Officers: |
The following are the lay officers known to have served the
post-war congregation, based upon Jewish Year Books 1965 through 2015.(xi) |
President
at least 1964-1979 - H. Gould
Chairmen
1979-1988 - Theo Ruben
1988-2004 - Dr. S. Cornbleet
2004-2014 - Prof. R. Spier
|
Hon. Secretaries
at least 1964-1979 - Mrs. J. Barnett
1979-1981 - Mrs. T.M. Goldberg
1981-1984 - Mrs. D. Davidson
1984-2014 - Mrs. B. Gould
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World War II Congregation:(xii)
|
The Guildford United Synagogue Membership Group
was formed, probably in about 1940, by members of United Synagogue
congregations evacuated from London to Guildford.
Address - Ayer's Hall, Bury Street, Guildford
Closure - about 1947
Minister - Rev. S. Clayman, BA(xiii) |
Lay Officers
|
President - J. Phillips
Vice President - H.M. Spiers(xiv) |
Treasurer - J.A. Rose(xiv)
Hon. Secretary - Miss Celia Royston
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Membership Data: |
Reports & Surveys(xvi)
1977 - 40 male (or household) members and 5 female members
1983 - 60 male (or household) members and 10 female members
1990 -
46 members (or households)
1996 - 37 members (comprising
22 households, 4 individual male and 11 individual female members)
2010 and 2016 - listed as having under 50 members (by household)
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Charitable Status:
|
Guildford and District Jewish Community is a registered charity,
number 268088
(standard registration), registered on 27 September 1974.(xvii)
|
Registration District: |
Surrey from 4 August 2008(xviii)
-
Link to Register Office website.
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Online Articles and Other
Material relating to the Guildford Jewish Community
on JCR-UK
|
Other Guildford Jewish Institutions & Organisations
|
Established by the
Evacuee Community(xix)
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Established Later
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Guildford Jewish Population Data
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1964
|
c.100 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1965) |
1979
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c.150 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1980) |
1982
|
120 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1983) |
1990
|
175 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1991) |
1996
|
100 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1997) |
2003
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383 |
(The Jewish Year Book 2004) |
Notes & Sources
(↵
returns to text above)
|
|
List of United Synagogue Congregations (and Membership Groups)
World War II Evacuee Communities
Jewish Congregations in Greater London and its Outskirts home page
Jewish Congregations in Surrey
Jewish Communities of England home page
Page created: 22 February 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 10 January 2024
Page most recently amended: 15 September 2024
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)
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