|   | 
			
   
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 
community. 
City of Cork 
Cork (Irish: Corcaigh) is the second largest city of the Republic of Ireland. 
The city is a major port, although situated slightly inland from Ireland’s 
southern coast proper, sitting on the estuary of the river Lee where it flows 
into Lough Mahon and thence to Cork Harbour. Although geographically part of 
County Cork, the city of Cork has a separate administration, and was officially 
referred to as a “County Borough” until 2001, when the term was formally replaced 
by “City”. Although the city has a population of about 120,000, there are well 
over 185,000 living in the Greater Cork area.
 
Cork Jewish Community and Congregations 
The first Jewish community in Cork, was a relatively small 
community of Sephardi Jews 
from Portugal in the mid-eighteenth century, of which relatively little is known. 
Subsequently, an Ashkenazi Jewish community was established in the late 
nineteenth century, which founded the Cork Hebrew Congregation in 1881. A short while after the founding of that congregation, there was 
contention in the community and a second congregation, the Remnant of Israel Synagogue, 
was established and the two rival congregations continued to exist in the 
community until unity was restored after some thirty years. In 1915, there was another short lived breakaway congregation, the 
Cork 
Hebrew Congregation in Union Quay. 
The community reached its zenith shortly after World War I, numbering 400-500 
souls, but thereafter numbers gradually continued to decline. By February 2016, 
only a handful of Jews remained in Cork and, due to these declining communal 
numbers and unsustainable finances, the Cork Hebrew Congregation's synagogue closed 
its doors and was sold, bringing to an end some 135 years of continuous Jewish 
congregational presence in the city. However, following the closure of the 
synagogue in 2016, a Reform-flavoured group was established, the
Munster Jewish Community. 
Shalom Park at Monerea Terrace was developed in 1989. The land for this amenity was donated by Cork Gas Company, who also provided the traditional style lighting within the park. 
The park name commemorates the Cork Jewish community, which originally settled in this area of the city having arrived as refugees. 
(See further details, see 
History, reproduced from the former Cork Jewish Community and former congregation's official website.) 
  
Cork Synagogue, 10 South Terrace, September 2014 
© David Shulman 2014 
	
	  | 
       
      Congregation Data 
	   
      (All data relates to Cork's principal congregation, unless otherwise 
	  stated)  | 
	 
	
		| 
         
        Name:  | 
		
		 Cork Hebrew Congregation 
		also known simply as Cork Synagogue
		 and , in the early twentieth century, also known as the Old Hebrew Congregation(ii)  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Last Address:   | 
		
		 
		10 South Terrace, Cork, from about 1926(iii)  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Previous Addresses:   | 
		
		 
		The immediate previous address, from at least 1915, was 9 South Terrace(iv) 
		(which also housed the Talmud Torah after 1926).
		 
		Prior to 1915, the congregation appeared to be situated at 10 South 
		Terrace from about 1903.(v) 
		 
		Prior to 1903, although the congregation's listed address was always in 
		South Terrace (since 1896), the situation is less clear as to the 
		exact number.(vi)  
		The congregation had 
		initially held services in a rented room in Eastville and then, from 1884 in 
		a room in Marlborough Street.  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Date Founded:  | 
		
		 1881(ix)  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Current Status:  | 
		
		 
		Synagogue was de-consecrated and sold due to 
		"declining communal numbers and unsustainable finances". The 
		Synagogue closed its doors on 7 February 2016.
		For some years prior to closure services were held only monthly and on High Holy Days.  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Ritual:  | 
		
		 
		All of Cork's congregations were
		Ashkenazi Orthodox (except for the earliest community, which was 
		Sephardi, and the present reform group) .  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Community Website:  | 
		
		 
		https://www.jewishcork.com - 
		although the congregation has closed this website is still maintained.  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Affiliation:  | 
		
		 Although none of Cork's congregations were affiliated 
		to any organisation, 
		the Cork Hebrew Congregation accepted the aegis of the Chief Rabbi
		in London until the establishment of the office of Chief Rabbi of 
		Ireland in 1922.  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Local Jewish Press:  | 
		
		 At one time (at least from about 1954 to about 
		1958), the community had its own Jewish newspaper, the Cork 
		Jewish Times, whose editor was Mr. F. Sless.(x)  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 
        Membership Data:  | 
		
		 
		Jewish Year Books (number of 
		seat-holders)(xi) 
			
				| 
				 1897  | 
				
				 1902  | 
				
				 1904  | 
				
				 1905  | 
				
				 1909  | 
			 
			
				| 
				 
				65  | 
				
				 
				35  | 
				
				 
				40  | 
				
				 
				30  | 
				
				 
				25  | 
			 
		 
		
		 | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Earlier 
		Congregation:  | 
		
		 The first Jewish community in Cork, was a relatively small community of Sephardi Jews. 
		It was founded by Jews 
		from Portugal who settled in the city in the eighteenth century. According 
		to certain sources (Roth 
		- Rise of Provincial Jewry), the community was established at some 
		time between 1731 and 1747. Other 
		sources (History 
		from Cork Jewish Community's website) state that the Sephardi Jews did not settle in Cork until 1772 
		(although there is reference in a
		
		press report to Jews in the town in 1771). Relatively little is 
		known of these Jews and it is uncertain whether they established a 
		synagogue, although they had their own Jewish burial ground in Kemp 
		Street. This community appears to have died out by 1796.  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Rival Congregations:  | 
		
		 Remnant of Israel Synagogue
  
		This rival congregation was established in 
		the early 1880s(xv) and merged with 
		the main Cork congregation in about 1913.(xvi) 
		Address 
		Services were held at 26 Marlborough Street, Cork (until about 
		1901/2),(xvii) 
		and subsequently, from at least 1903, the congregation's synagogue was at 24 South Terrace, Cork.(xviii) 
		Number of Seatholders(xix) 
			
				| 
				 1902  | 
				
				 1903  | 
				
				 1905  | 
				
				 1909  | 
			 
			
				| 
				 
				65  | 
				
				 
				35  | 
				
				 
				40  | 
				
				 
				30  | 
			 
		 
		
		
		Ministers
		
		 
		Rabbi Abraham Sheftel Birzansky 
		from about 1882 until early 1900s.(xx) 
		Rev. Myer Elyan 
		from at least 1901 until its merger in 1913.(xxi) 
		Lay Officers 
		See list below.  | 
	 
	
		
		
		 
	
		| 
		 
		  
		 
		  
		
		 Union Quay street signs 
		© David Shulman 2014 
		 | 
		  | 
	 
 
		
		
		Cork Hebrew 
		Congregation at Union Quay This rival congregation, 
		which also called itself the Cork Hebrew Congregation, split from the main Cork Hebrew Congregation in 1915.(xxiii) 
		 Its relationship with the main congregation 
		appears to have been extremely acrimonious, as witnessed by the
		chain 
		of letters to the Editor of The Jewish Chronicle of September and October 
		1915.(xxiv) 
		This congregation also claimed to be successor to the Remnant of Israel Synagogue.(xxv) 
		It lasted until about 1918.(xxvi) 
		Address 15 Union Quay, Cork.(xxvii) 
		Reader
		
		 
		Rev. Maurice David Hershman 
		(or Herschman) 
		was appointed chazan, shochet and teacher from October 1915(xxviii)
		
		 
		The congregation 
		did not appear to have appointed a minister.  
		Lay Officers 
		See list below.  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Current Jewish Group:  | 
		
 
		Cork Jewish Communiy (formerly Munster Jewish Community) 
		
		
		This group was 
		formed in 2016, following the closure of the Cork Hebrew Congregation's 
		synagogue and describes itself as "a community without a shul".
		In July 2021, it changed its name from Munster Jewish Community to Cork 
		Jewish Community (adding in parenthesis, "serving the whole of Munster").(xxix)
		
		Website - 
		http://corkjewishcommunity.ie.
		
		It is based in Cork, but includes the surrounding counties, and its membership 
		is a broad mix of Jews living, working, studying or visiting in Munster, the South-West corner of 
		Ireland.(xxx)
		
		 Although unaffiliated, the Community has a 
		predominantly Reform orientation and has been host to a number of 
		visiting Reform rabbis.  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Ministers of the Cork Hebrew Congregation: 
		(To view a short profile of a minister 
		or reader whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over his name.)  | 
		
		 
		Rev. Myer Elyan 
		- from 1881 until about 1890s(xxxv)
		
		 
		Rev. Joseph Emanuel Myers 
		- from 1890 until 1898(xxxvi)
		
		 
		Rev. Eli Bloom 
		- from 1898 until about 1901(xxxvii)
		
		 Rev. M. Cohen - from about 1901 
		until 1903(xxxviii)
		
		 
		Rev. Jacob Lazarus Goldstone  
		- from about 1904 until about 
		1915(xxxix)
		
		 
		Rev. I. Henry Klein 
		- from about 1915 until 1920(xl)
		
		 
		(Alexander Levison reputedly served the congregation for some three 
		months in the 1920s)(xliv)
		
		
		 
		Rev. H. Khan 
		- shochet from 1920, then minister, reader and shochet from about 1922 until about 1927 
		(and thereafter shochet and assistant reader until at least 1937)(xlv)
		
		 
		Rev. Joseph Wolman 
		- from 1926 until 1937(xlvi)
		
		 
		Rev. Bernard Kersh 
		- from 1937 until 1952(xlvii)
		
		 
		Rev. Shalom Barron 
		- from 1952 until 1955(xlviii)
		
		 
		Rev. Mordechai Moshe Baddiel 
		- from 1957 until 1963(xlix)
		  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Readers (Chazans) of the Cork Hebrew 
		Congregation:  | 
		
		
		 
		Rev. Matthias Bookman 
		- reader from 1898 until date unknown(l)
		 
		Rev. W. Weiner 		 
		-  reader in about 1900(li)
		  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Lay Officers - Cork Hebrew Congregation 
		from 1896:  | 
		
		 Unless where otherwise stated, the data on lay officers has been extracted from 
		Jewish Year Books, first published in 1896/97.(lv)   | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Presidents
		
		 1896-1897 - Mark L. Cohen
		 1897-1898 - Elias Jackson
		 1898-1900 - Solomon Cruger(lvi) 
		 1900-1903 - S.L. Goldfoot
		 1903-1904 - S. Trifer
		 1905-1908 - S. Spiro
		 1908-1909 - A.M. Sandler
		 1909-1910 - Wolfe Jackson
		 1910-1913 - S. Spiro, JP
		 1913-1914 - Max Newman
		 1914-1917 - S. Spiro, JP
		 1917-1920 - Wolfe Jackson
		 1920-1924 - Max Newman 1924-1930 - Wolfe Jackson
		 1930-1932 - J. Levin
		 1932-1936 - J. Epstein
		 1936-1937 - J. Levin
		 1937-1938 - L. Jackson
		 1938-1939 - M. Elyan
		 1939-1940 - Max Newman
		 1940-1945 - no data
		 1945-1946 - S.J. Goldberg
		 1946-1947 - M. Elyan
		 1947-1948 - Gerald Yael Goldberg(lvii) 1948-1949 - P. Diamond
		 1949-1952 - J. Jackson
		 1952-1953 - H. Sless
		 1953-1954 - Dr. L. Scher
		 1954-1955 - S. Vard
		 1955-1956 - A. Sless
		 Hon Secretaries 
		1902-1903 - S. Spiro 
		1905-1906 - A.M. Sandler 
		1906-1907 - S. Spiro 
		1907-1908 - A.M. Sandler 
		1908-1909 - S. Spiro 
		1909-1913 - I.I. Epstein 
		1913-1914 - I. Scher 
		1914-1918 - Louis Jackson 
		1918-1926 - J.T. Clein 
		1926-1928 - A. Sless 
		1928-1960 - J.T. Clein(lviii)  
		1960-1963 - Gerald Yael Goldberg(lvii) 
		1963-1964 - H. Cohen 
		1964-1969 - A. Elyan 
		1969-1977 - H. Cohen 
		1994-1999 - Fred Rosehill, 
		who  continued to serve as chairman  until closure of the 
		synagogue in 2012.(lix)  
		
		 | 
		
		 Vice Presidents 
		1925-1928 - J. Levin 
		1928-1929 - H. Sless 
		1929-1930 - J. Levin 
		1930-1932 - L. Goldberg 
		1934-1936 - J. Levin 
		1936-1937 - H. Sless 
		1937-1938 - P. Diamond 
		1939-1940 - J. Levin 
		1940-1945 - no data 
		1945-1946 - H. Elzam 
		1946-1947 - J. Jackson 
		1947-1949 - M. Nathan 
		1949-1951 - M. Elyan 
		Treasurers 
		1896-1897 - David Schar 
		1897-1898 - Jonas Goldwater 
		1898-1900 - Gadaliah Sayers 
		1900-1901 - Jonas Goldwater 
		1901-1903 - H. Jackson 
		1905-1909 - E.L. Jackson 
		1909-1911 - S. Criger 
		1911-1912 - I. Dimond 
		1912-1913 - L. Cohen 
		1913-1914 - L. Herman 
		1914-1915 - I. Marcus 
		1915-1917 - Joe Levin 
		1917-1918 - M. Levin 
		1918-1920 - J. Marcus 
		1920-1924 - J. Levin 
		1924-1926 - H. Sless 
		1926-1928 - J. Marcus 
		1928-1929 - L. Jackson 
		1929-1930 - H. Sless 
		1930-1931 - A. Sless 
		1931-1932 - H. Sless 
		1932-1934 - A. Sless 
		1934-1936 - H. Sless 
		1936-1937 - N. Kaitcer 
		1937-1938 - C.T. Clein 
		1938-1939 - B. Atkin 
		1939-1940 - S. Marcus 
		1940-1945 - no data 
		1945-1946 - S.J. Goldberg 
		1947-1948 - P. Cowan 
		1948-1952 - J.T. Clein 
		1952-1953 - H. Kaitcer 
		1953-1954 - J. Jackson 
		1954-1955 - H. Cohen 
		1955-1956 - C.T. Clein 
		 | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Lay Officers - Remnant of Israel 
		Synagogue 
		from 1900:  | 
		
		 Presidents 
		
		 1900-1901 - Philip Sayer
		 1903-1904 - L. Herman
		 1904-1906 - Max Newman
		 1906-1907 - D. Scher
		 1907-1909 - Max Newman
		 1909-1913 - I. Levin
		
		  | 
		
		 Treasurers 
		1900-1901 - Harris Clein 
		1901-1902 - Joseph Levin
		 1906-1907 - S. Medalie
		 1907-1909 - S. Clein
		 1909-1913 - H. Wyne
		  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Secretaries or Hon. Secretaries  | 
	 
	
		| 
		
		 1900-1901 - J.I. Epstein
		 1901-1902 - B. Rostovsky
		 1903-1906 - Myer Sayers
		 1906-1908 - I. Marcus
		
		  | 
		
		 1908-1909 - I. Marcus & B. Rostovsky(lx) 
		 1909-1910 - I. Nathan
		 1910-1913 - Jacob Sayers
		  | 
	 
	
		| 
		 Lay Officers - Congregation at Union Quay:  | 
		
		 1915-1918 President -
		A.H. Goldfoot;  Treasurer - S.M. Criger;  
		Hon. Secretary - M. Cliffe  | 
	 
	
		| 
         
		Notes & Sources - These now appear towards the foot of this page, 
		instead of the foot of this box. However, the note can also still be viewed in a pop-up box when the cursor is held over the note number.   | 
		 
	 
  
  
    | 
       
			Online Articles, Bibliography and Other Material  relating to the 
			Cork Jewish Community 
 
     
		on JCR-UK 
      
	  
	  on third parties' websites 
	  
		    - 
		    
			Nobody Visits Synagogue Now - 
			Vibrant Jewish Community in Irish City of Cork has Dwindled Away, article by John Corr in the Seattle Times, 26 August 1990. 
			 
			- 
		    
			Blogs by Patrick Comerford - The synagogues of Cork: 
			
				- 
				
				1, a lost Sephardic synagogue, blog dated 13 February 2020. 
				 
				- 
				
				2, Cork Hebrew Congregation, South Terrace Synagogue, blog dated 13 February 2020. 
				 
				- 
				
				3, Cork Hebrew Congregation, 15 Union Quay, blog dated 14 February 2020. 
				 
				- 
				
				4, The Remnant of Israel, 24 South Terrace, blog dated 14 February 2020. 
				 
				- 
				
				5, Munster Jewish Community ‘a community without a shul’, blog dated 15 February 2020. 
				 
			 
			 
			- 
		    
			Links to Various Press Reports on the Community 2012-2016, 
			including the Closure of the Synagogue. 
			 
			- 
		    
			Online Videos: 
			
			 
			- 
		    
			In 2017,
			Cork Public Museum opened a permanent exhibition on the History of the Jewish community in Cork 
			- 
			
			press report. 
			 
	   
	 | 
   
 
			
  
  
    | 
       
		
		Other Cork Jewish Institutions & Organisations* 
	 | 
   
  
    | 
       Educational & Theological 
	  
		  - 
			
Hebrew and Religious Classes 
			(also known as Talmud Torah) (date founded not known), 
			address continued to be 9 South Terrace, 
			after congregation moved to 10 South Terrace. 
		   
		  - 
			
National School (founded 
			1890) 
		   
	   
	   | 
   
  
   | 
       Other Institutions & Organisations 
	  
		  - 
		  	
		  	Jewish Board of Guardians (founded 1902).
			 
		 
		  - 
			
			Jewish Athletics Association (founded by 1909). 
		 
		  - 
			
			Chovevei Zion (founded by 1911). 
		 
		 - 
			
			Literary and Social Society and Social Society (founded by by 1922).
			 
		 
		 - 
			
			Daughters of Zion (formerly Ladies Zionist Association) (founded by 1925).
			 
		 
	   
	   | 
   
  
    | 
      
			
			
     * As listed in Jewish Year Books prior to World War II.  | 
   
 
				
  
	
  
    | 
	 
	Cork Jewish Cemetery Information 
	
 
	
		| 
		 
		  
		
		 The entrance gates to the Cork  Jewish Cemetery in Curraghkippane 
		© David Shulman 2014 
		 | 
		  | 
	 
 
 The following are the present and past Jewish cemeteries in Cork:
		
			- 
			
			Eighteenth century Jewish burial ground. Remains 
			of this cemetery, used by the short-lived Sephardi 
			community, were discovered in Kemp Street, on the 
			south-east corner of White Street, to the rear 
			of the Cork Hebrew Congregation's recently-closed 
			synagogue in South Terrace. 
			 
			- 
			
			Cork Jewish Cemetery, Blarney Road, 
			Curraghkippane. Established in 1887 and extended in 1914 
			and 1947. Still in use. 
			 
	 
			
			For further information on Cork's Jewish cemeteries, see 
			IAJGS International Jewish Cemeteries Project - Cork) 
			 | 
   
   
	
	 
	
			
			  
 
	
	
 Cork Jewish Population Data 
In the scroll-down table below, the census figures 
are marked with an asterisk (*) to indicate that such figures  relate to the whole of 
Munster, not just Cork. | 
	 
	
| Year | 
Number | 
Source | 
 
 
			  
| 1861 | 
	2* | 
	1861 Census of Ireland |  
| 1871 | 
	15* | 
	1871 Census of Ireland |  
| 1881 | 
	44* | 
	1881 Census of Ireland |  
| 1896 | 
	300 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1896/97 |  
| 1897 | 
	350 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1897/98 |  
| 1900 | 
	400 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1900/01 |  
| 1918 | 
	450 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1919 |  
| 1921 | 
	350 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1922 |  
| 1946 | 
	300 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1947 |  
| 1948 | 
	220 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1949 |  
| 1950 | 
	320 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1951 |  
| 1953 | 
	200 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1954 |  
| 1958 | 
	154 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1959 |  
| 1959 | 
	150 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1960 |  
| 1963 | 
	75 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1964 |  
| 1964 | 
	60 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1965 |  
| 1969 | 
	70 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1970 |  
| 1970 | 
	60 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1971 |  
| 1975 | 
	50 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1976 |  
| 1973 | 
	30 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1974 |  
| 1983 | 
	50 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1984 |  
| 1985 | 
	60 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1986 |  
| 1991 | 
	30 | 
	Jewish Year Book 1992 |  
| 2004 | 
	Two families and some scattered Jews in surrounding countryside | 
	Cork Hebrew Congregation's website |  
| *for all Munster.  | 
	 
 
 
			
		  
	
		| 
		 Notes and Sources: 
		
		(↵ 
		returns to text above)
		
		  | 
		 
	
		| 
         
				
		
		  | 
		 
	 
			  
JCR-UK Ireland 
home page 
		
			
			 Page created: 31 January 2006 
			Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 11 January 2021 
			Page most recently amended: 29 June 2025 
			Research by David Shulman and Steven Jaffe  
			Formatting by David Shulman
 
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Contact JCR-UK Webmaster:  
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