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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 this congregation, 
the address of which is given below.
 
 Southport Synagogue
 Town of Southport 
			The seaside town of Southport, with a population of about 90,000, is 
			situated on the coast of the Irish Sea about 17 miles north of 
			Liverpool in the north west of England. Until 1974, it was a county 
			borough, geographically within the county of Lancashire, when it was 
			merged with the county borough of Bootle and the urban 
			district of Crosby to form the metropolitan borough of Sefton in the 
			metropolitan county of Merseyside. In 1986, Sefton became a unitary 
			authority, when the metropolitan county of Merseyside lost its 
			administrative status, becoming purely a ceremonial county. 
Southport Jewish Community 
			
			There have been Jewish residents in 
			Southport since at least the mid-nineteenth century, although an 
			organised (orthodox) Jewish congregation (see
			below) was not established until 
			the 1890s. Following World War II, the orthodox congregation was 
			joined by a reform congregation, now known as the
			Southport & District Reform Synagogue 
			(dealt with separately). 
	
		| 
      
	  Congregation Data |  
		| 
      Name: | 
		Southport Hebrew Congregation |  
		| Address:  | 
		Arnside Road, Southport, PR8 1LR 
		The foundation stone was laid in May 1924, and the synagogue consecrated 
		on 2 September 1926(ii) 
		Below  the synagogue is the much smaller Beth Hamedrash, equipped for religious services in the same way as the main 
		synagogue, but is also a place for study and meetings. 
		The synagogue building also houses a fully working mikvah, along with a toiveling mikvah for utensils. |  
		| Previous Address:  | 
		Sussex Road 
		(corner of Windsor Road), Southport.		
		 
		The building, which was previously a chapel for the Plymouth Brethren, was acquired in 1893 and consecrated 
		by Chief Rabbi Hermann Adler on 8 May 1893.
		In 1913, the building was reconstructed, with a new facade and an upper level ladies gallery was created. 
		The house abutting the synagogue was used as a vestry and Hebrew 
		classes.(iii)		
		 |  
		| Current Status: | 
		Active |  
		| Date Founded: | 1893(iv) (which 
		is the date of consecration of first synagogue) |  
		| Ritual: | Ashkenazi Orthodox. |  
		| Affiliation: | The congregation was an unaffiliated 
		congregation under 
		the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.
		However, in October 2020, the congregation became 
		a full constituent member of  
		the
		United Synagogue.(v) It was the 
		fourth Provincial 
		syngogue to join the organisation.
		 |  
		| Website: | 
		
		https://www.southportsynagogue.co.uk/ |  
		| JSCN Link: | 
		Click on Southport Hebrew Congregation 
		(a member community), on the Jewish Small Communities Network website. |  
		| Rival Congregation: | In and about 
		1949/1950 the was a second orthodox congregations in Southport known as 
		the Birkdale and Hillside Hebrew Congregation, which 
		held services at 47 Trafalgar Road, Birkdale, Southport.(ix) |  
		| 
      Principal Ministers(x):(To view a short profile of a minister or other official whose name appears 
	  in blue- hold the cursor over his name.)
 | 
		Rev. Noah Blaser 
		- from 1893 until 1927(xi)
		 
		 
		Rabbi Dr Alec E. Silverstone 
		- from 1928 until 1967,(xii)
		 
		and thereafter emeritus 
		Rabbi Michael Asher Alony 
		- from 1967 until 1976(xiii)
		 
		 
		Rabbi Ephraim Groundland 
		- from 1976 until 1981(xiv)
		 
		 
		Rabbi Clive Baddiel 
		- from 1981 until 1983(xv)
		 
		 
		Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag 
		- from 1984 until 1987(xviii)
		 
		 
		Rev. Lee Sunderland 
		- from 1987 until 1988(xix)
		 
		  
		Rabbi Meir Rogosnitzky 
		- from 1988 until 1999(xx)
		 
		 
		Rabbi Moshe Santhouse 
		- from 1999 until 2001 (non-resident, part time)(xxi) 
		 Since 2001 the community has been served by temporary and visiting rabbis and ministers 
		 on a rota system.(xxii) 
		 Amongst these was Rev. Ben Topp, 
		 who was appointed temprary minister in 2002 and served the congregation 
		 until at least 2009.(xxiii) |  
		| 
      Assistant Ministers, Chazanim, Teachers, Shochets, etc.(x): | 
		 Any of the following who also served as Secretary are listed 
		 separately below. 
		 
		 Rev. Naphtali Levy 
		 - shochet who helped found the congregation, about 1893(xxvii)
		 
		  
		 Rev. Hermann Abrahams 
		 - chazan and shochet from 1918 until 1928(xxviii)
		 		 
		  
		 Rev. Mark Bensky 
		 -  headmaster from 1922 until 1928(xxix)
		 		 
		  
		 Rev. Isaac Gottlieb 
		  - chazan and shochet from 1928 until 1932(xxx)		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Philip Brummer 
		 - chazan from 1931 until 1936(xxxi)
		 
		  
		 Rev. Jacob Kahan 
		 - temporary shochet from 1932 until 1933(xxxii)
		 
		  
		 Rev. Maurice Landy 
		 -assisting minister early 1930s(xxxiii)
		 
		  
		 Jonah Podhorzer 
		 - headmaster, 1937(xxxv)
		 
		  
		 Rev. Sandor Meisels 
		 - first reader from 1937 until 1940(xxxvi)
		 		 
		  
		 Rev. Shalom Segal 
		 - junior minister from 1936 until 1945(xxxvii)
		 
		  
		 Rev. Shalom Barron 
		 - headmaster from 1938 until 1939(xxxviii)
		 		 
		  
		 Rev. Reuben S. Bruches 
		- junior minister, shochet, headteacher from 1939 until 1950(xxxix)
		 		 
		  
		 Rev. Orland (Aladar) Zicherman 
		 - first reader from 1940 until 1943(xl)
		 		 
		  
		 Rev. Morris Glazier 
		 - second reader, shochet and teacher from 1940s until 1960s(xli)
		 
		  
		 Rev. Chaim Goldman 
		 - assisting minister in 1946(xliv)
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Ginsberg  
		  - teacher and youth leader in 1946(xlv)
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Emerich I. Friedlander 
		 (later Yitzchak Eshel) - from 1947 until 1949(xlvi)
		 
		  
		 Rev. Isaac Norman Goodman 
		  - teacher and beagle from about 1949 until 1952(xlvii)
		  
		   
		 Rev. Reuben Berkovitz
		 - first reader from 1950 until 1953(xlviii)
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Simon Herman 
		 - headmaster, second reader and ba'al koreh from 1950 until 1951(li)
		 
		  
		 Rev. Meier S. Eisemann 
		 - headmaster from 1951 until 1953(lii)
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Philip Copperman 
		 - chazan from 1955 until 1959(liii)
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Solomon Greenstein 
		 - chazan from 1954 until 1956(liv)
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Joseph Trabinovitz 
		 - chazan from 1959 until 1962(lv)
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Samuel Lynn 
		 - chazan from 1963 to about 1965(lviii)
		 		 
		  
		 Rev. Aubrey Levin 
		 - chazan from 1967 until 1968(lix) 
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev. Leslie Olsberg 
		  - headmaster from about 1970 until 1973(lx)
		 
		 
		  
		 Rev Henry Chait 
		 - 
		 chazan from 1973 until 1975(lxi) 
		 
		 
		  |  
		| 
        Lay Officers (generally from 1896): | 
		Unless otherwise stated, the data below has been 
		extracted from Jewish Year Books, first published in 1896/7.(lxv) |  
		| 
		Presidents
		
		 1896-1900 - S.M. Harris
		 1900-1903 - J. Hakim
		 1903-1904 - S. Frankenstein
		 1904-1906 - D. Finestone
		 1906-1907 - A. Haim
		 1907-1908 - H. Plotzker
		 1908-1917 - S.M. Harris
		 1918-1921 - J. Levi
		 1921-1924 - S.M. Harris
		 1924-1925 - H. Doniger
		 1925-1983 - none listed
		 1983-1984 - A. Horwich
		 1984-1992 - A.I. Cohen, JP
		 1992-2002 - Dr. Cyril Nelson
		
		 Vice Presidents
		 1917-1918 - S. Claff
		 1918-1921 - L. Hazan
		 1924-1925 - H. Harris
		
		 
		Wardens
		
		 1925-1927 - H. Doniger & S. Schama
		 1927-1928 - S. Schama & S. Tarshish
		 1928-1929 - S.A. Claff & J. Pearlman
		 1929-1930 - M.H. Goldstone & A.H. Rose
		 1930-1933 - H. Angel & J. Pearlman
		 1933-1934 - S.A. Claff & H. Harris
		 1934-1935 - I. Labovitch & J. Pearlman
		 1935-1936 - J. Pearlman
		 1936-1937 - S.A. Claff
		 1937-1938 - M.H. Goldstone & L. Stonefield
		 1938-1939 - S.H. Harris & H. Fletcher
		 1939-1940 - S.H. Harris & H.M. Brodie
		 1940-1945 - no data
		 1945-1946 - H.M. Brodie & Harry Smith
		 1946-1947 - Harry Smith & H. Jacobs
		 1947-1950 - M. Joseph & S. Kaitiff
		 1950-1953 - M. Joseph & S. Morris
		 1953-1954 - J.J. Jaffe & L. Solomons
		 1954-1955 - J.J. Jaffe & L. Potash
		 1955-1956 - J. Cowen & L. Potash
		
		 | Treasurers about 1893 - Rev. Naphtali Levy(xxvii) 
		 1896-1900 - A. Price
		 1900-1902 - A. Blumberg
		 1902-1903 - S. Frankenstein
		 1905-1906 - J. Pearlman
		 1906-1907 - H. Plotsker
		 1907-1909 - M. Strawbaum
		 1909-1911 - S. Claff
		 1911-1914 - L. Abrahams
		 1914-1918 - J. Pearlman
		 1918-1920 - H. Weinberg
		 1920-1921 - J. Pearlman
		 1921-1923 - L. Raiher
		 1923-1925 - A. Rose
		 1925-1927 - A.H. Rose
		 1927-1928 - J. Pearlman
		 1928-1930 - H. Adler
		 1930-1931 - A. Morrison
		 1931-1933 - H. Adler
		 1933-1934 - J. Pearlman
		 1934-1936 - I. Levy
		 1936-1937 - B. Kaitiff
		 1937-1938 - S.H. Harris
		 1938-1939 - M. Joseph
		 1939-1945 - no data
		 1945-1947 - M. Joseph
		 1947-1953 - L. Solomon
		 1953-1956 - R.N. Davidson
		 Baalai Segan
		
		 1925-1927 - H. Harris
		 1927-1928 - B. Kaitiff
		 1928-1929 - S. Tarshish
		 1929-1930 - I. Myers
		 1931-1933 - H. Harris
		 1933-1935 - H. Fletcher
		 1937-1938 - H. Fletcher
		 1938-1939 - A. Arlick
		 1939-1949 - no data or none listed
		 1949-1950 - M. Freeman
		 1950-1956 - R. Davidson
		
		
		 |  
		| 
		Secretaries and
		Honorary. Secretaries |  
		| Hon. Secretaries
		
		 1896-1901 - Max E. Lambert
		 1901-1904 - S. Abouhab
		 1904-1906 - N. Leachinsky
		 1906-1908 - J. Lambert
		 1910-1911 - Abraham Claff
		 1911-1912 - L. Abrams pro tem
		 1912-1914 - Emil Dulberg
		 1914-1917 - H. Weinberg
		 1918-1920 - H. Franco
		 1920-1921 - C.L. Levy
		 1921-1929 - A. Isaacs
		 1929-1930 - A. Morrison
		 1930-1933 - Dr. S. Burns
		 1933-1937 - M. Joseph
		 1938-1939 - H. Brodie
		 1939-1940 - J. Reuben
		 1940-1945 - no data
		 1945-1947 - M. Goldberg
		 1947-1950 - I. Desser
		 1950-1953 - W. Grosswald
		 1954-1955 - J. Mayer
		 1955-1956 - A. Kay
		 | Secretaries
		
		 1908-1910 - Rev. Noah Blaser(xi) 
		 1925-1928 - Rev. Mark Bensky(xxix)
		 1930-1935 - H. Hart
		 1935-1937 - Rabbi Dr Alec E. Silverstone(xii)
		 1937-1945 - Rev. Shalom Segal(xxxvii) 
		 1946-1950 - Rev. Reuben S. Bruches(xxxix)
		 1950-1952 - Rev. Isaac Norman Goodman(xlvii)
		 1952-1953 - J. Mayer
		 1953-1974 - I. Freeman
	 |  
		| Officers of Rival Congregation: | 
		The following of the officers of the  Birkdale and Hillside Hebrew Congregation 
		in 1949/50:(lxvii) 
		Chairman: M.J. Canter;  Vice Chairman: C. Polak;  Treasurer: I. Rabinowitz; Secretary:  H. Green. |  
		| 
        Membership Data: | 
		Number of Seatholders(lxviii) 
		 
			
				| 
				1896 | 1897 | 1899 | 1900 | 1901 | 1905 | 1907 | 1911 |  
				| 
				39 | 
				36 | 
				37 | 
				40 | 
				50 | 
				57 | 
				50 | 
				55 |  
			
				| 
				1914 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1920 | 1922 | 1924 |  
				| 
				70* | 
				83* | 
				80* | 
				84* | 
				86* | 
				143* | 
				158* |  * Including females 
		Reports & Surveys(lxix) 1977 - 320 male (or household) members and 137 female members 1983 - 350 male (or household) members and 150 female members 1990 - 374 members (comprising 165 households, 63 individual male and 146 individual female members)  1996 - 252 members (comprising 147 households, 13 individual male and 92 individual female members) 2010 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)  2016 - listed as having 50 to 99 members (by household)  |  
		| 
		Registration District (BMD): | Sefton (since 
		1 July 2011)(lxx) -
		Link to Register Office Website. |  
			    
  
    | 
			Bibliography, On-line Articles 
			and Other Material relating to Southport Jewish Community
 
		on JCR-UK 
		
		
		
		"Southport" from  Provincial
		Jewry in Victorian Britain - From papers for a 
		conference at University College, London, convened by the Jewish 
		Historical Society of England, prepared by Aubrey Newman - 6th July 
		1975.
		  
			Bibliography 
			  
			  
			  Southport - No. 2 in the "Small is Beautiful" 
			  series by Rabbi David Katanka, initially published by the 
			  Jewish Tribune, and subsequently included in the selection of 
			  Rabbi Katanka's writing, entitled Kol Dodi (2015), pp 
			  95/6.
			  
			  
			  other Southport Bibliography. 
		on third party websites 
	  Notable Former Jewish Residents of Southport
 
		  
		  
			Sophie Abelson, television actress, was born in 
			Southport in 1981. (Jewish Chronicle
			
			report of 3 June 1910)
		  
			George Berthold (Bertie) Samuelson (1889–1947), 
			director and film producer -"a pioneer of British cinema", was born in Southport. (Profile 
			on the Congregation's website.) |  
  
  
    | 
			Other Southport Jewish Institutions & Organisations
 |  
    | 
		Educational & Theological  |  
    | 
		Other Institutions & Organisations(lxxvii) 
		  
		  
			Anglo-Jewish Association branch 
			(founded by 1920)
		  
			Chevra Kadisha 
			(founded by 1913)
		  
			Hebrew Ladies Union 
			(founded by 1910)
		  
			Jewish Convalescent and Aged Home, 
			81 Albert Road, formerly 46 Avondale Road (founded by 1948)
		  
			Jewish Home for the Blind, 
			Manchester House, 83 Albert Road (founded by 1964)
		  
			Jewish Literary Society 
			(founded by 1915)
		  
			Jewish Refugee Hostel, 
			Harris House, 27 Argyle Road (corner of Hesketh Road)
			(February 1939 to May 1940), which gave sanctury 
			to some 20 young Jewish girls rescued from Nazi oppression (and near certain death) in Austria and Germany.(lxxviii)
		  
			Ladies Mizrachi Group 
			(founded by 1947)
		  
			Ladies' Philanthropic Society  (founded by 1950)
		  
      	  Literary & Social Club 
		  (founded by 1920)
		  
      	  Sharon House Rest Home, 111 Leyland Road, 
		  Southport (founded by 1993)
		  
      	  Southport Hebrew Philanthropic Society 
		  (founded 1897)
		  
      	  Southport Nursing & Care Home, 126 Leyland 
		  Road, Southport (founded by 1994)
		  
      	  Mizrachi Society (founded by 1945)
		  
      	  Young Women Zionists 
		  (founded by 1953)
		  
      	  
			Zionist Society) 
			(founded by 1939)
	  	 |  
			  
  
    | 
			Southport Jewish Cemetery Information
 
			
		Southport Cemetery, Jewish Sections, Duke Street and 
		Cemetery Road, Southport PR8.  
			
			Consist of two plots: 
				
				
				the small
		Old Section, in use from 1894 to 1938; and 
				
				a larger New 
		Section, still in use.  
			Burial records (1894-2012) are searchable on the All-UK Database. 
			See above.
	
	
			 
			(For additional information, see also
				
			
				
			IAJGS Cemetery Project - Southport.) |  
  
	
		| 
			Southport Jewish Population Data |  
		| 
		1895 | 
		200 | (The Jewish Year Book 1995/96) |  
			
		| 
		1902 | 
		250-300 | (The Jewish Year Book 1902/03) |  
			
		| 
		1913 | 
		300-350 | (The Jewish Year Book 1914) |  
			
		| 
		1918 | 
		350-400 | (The Jewish Year Book 1919) |  
			
		| 
		1945 | 
		700 | (The Jewish Year Book 1945/46) |  
			
			
		| 
		1946 | 
		2,400 | (The Jewish Year Book 1947) |  
			
			
		| 
		1954 | 
		3,000 | (The Jewish Year Book 1955) |  
			
			
		| 
		1971 | 
		2,610 | (The Jewish Year Book 1972) |  
			
			
		| 
		1973 | 
		2,600 | (The Jewish Year Book 1974) |  
			
			
		| 
		1986 | 
		1,500 | (The Jewish Year Book 1987) |  
			
			
		| 
		1990 | 
		1,382 | (The Jewish Year Book 1991) |  
		| 
		2001 | 
		650 | (The Jewish Year Book 2002) |  
		| 
		2003 | 
		699 | (The Jewish Year Book 2004) |    
		
		| Notes & Sources(↵ returns to text above)
 |  
		|  |  
  Jewish Congregations in Merseyside Jewish Communities of England home page 
			Page created: 18 April 2004
 Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 26 April 2021
 Page most recently amended: 8 June 2025
 
			Research and formatting by David Shulman
 
 
 
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