the former

Dollis Hill Synagogue

Dollis Hill, London NW2

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Dollis Hill Synagogue

Congregation Data

Name:

Dollis Hill Synagogue

Former Name:

Dollis Hill and Gladstone Park Synagogue (from about 1937 until about 1948)⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Formation:

The first meeting was held in 1929 in a private home, and the congregation continued holding services in private homes or in rented premises, including the Neasden Mission Hall, until 1933.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Address:

Parkside, Dollis Hill Lane, London NW2 6RT.^(iv)

Initially, in 1933, a small purpose-built synagogue, designed by architect, Cecil Jacob Eprile, FRIBA, was constructed on the site at the cost of approximately £1,400, which the congregation very quickly outgrew. Accordingly, work commenced on the construction of a new larger synagogue adjacent to the existing building, the cornerstone being laid in February 1937. The earlier synagogue became the congregation's community centre.^(vi)

The new, highly innovative, ultra-modern, purpose-built synagogue, designed by the distinguished engineer and architect, Sir Evan Owen Williams, was consecrated by Chief Rabbi Hertz on 13 February 1938, with seats for 524 men and 392 women.^(vii)

The 1938 synagogue, together with the forecourt railings, was designated a Grade II Listed Building (number 1252679) on 9 March 1982. View description on Historic England website.

On 29 December 1947, the synagogue was the subject of a particularly vicious act of vandalised. The congregation's Sifrei Torah (torah scrolls) and a number religious books were destroyed, as were the reader's desk and a fire was started in front of the Ark, which caused serious damage, and graffiti was scrawled on the wall of the synagogue.^(x)

Closure:

Due to dwindling numbers, the synagogue, including the adjacent community center, was sold in 1995 to the Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, although it was not occupied by the school until 1998, having been divided into classroom space. The former community center became the school hall, part of which the much reduced congregation used as a synagogue for Shabbat services.^(xi) This new synagogue was rededicated in December 1996.^(xii)

However in 2011, the hall was demolished to make way for a playground and, as the congregation was now no longer able to muster a minyan for Sabbath morning services, member of the congregation decided to wind up the congregation.^(xiii)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

The congregation joined the United Synagogue as an affiliated synagogue from 1932, becoming a district synagogue in 1937 and a constituent synagogue in 1946.^(xiv)

Ministers:
(To view a short profile of a minister or cantor - hold the cursor over his name.)

Rev. (later Rabbi) Isaac Swift - minister from 1938 until 1951^(xviii)

Rabbi Harry Rabinowicz - minister from 1951 until about 1978^(xix)

For Rav. Morris Harold Taylor, who effectively served as minister from about 1978 until 1995, see below.

Rabbi Maurice Landy - part-time honorary spiritual leader between 1978 until 1987^(xx)

Rabbi Dr. Bernard Susser - part-time honorary spiritual leader between 1988 and mid 1990s^(xxi)

Rev. Moshe Fine - minister from 1998 until 2011^(xxii)

Cantors (Chazanim) / Readers and Others:

Rev. Hyman Cooper - reader from about 1930 until 1945^(xxv)

Rev. Isaac Roeg - reader from 1945 until 1950^(xxvi)

Rev. Morris Harold Taylor - reader from 1951 until 1995 and effectively part-time minister from 1978 until 1995^(xxvii)

Lay Officers:

Unless otherwise stated, all data on lay officers has been extracted from listings in Jewish Year Books.^(xxx)

Chairmen

1933-1936 - Frank E. Ellis

1936-1937 - B.I. Beckman

Vice Chairmen

1933-1935 - H.M. Green

1935-1936 - B. Halprin

1936-1940 - Cecil N. Cash

Wardens

1936-1937 - S. Krantz

1937-1938 - B.I. Beckman & Cecil N. Cash

1938-1939 - Cecil N. Cash & S. Krantz

1939-1940 - Cecil N. Cash & E.H. Segal

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1946 - H. Cash & F. Florshein

1946-1947 - F. Florshein & M. Werman

1947-1949 - M. Werman & A. Softness

1949-1950 - A. Softness & D.K. Phillips

1950-1951 - S.H. Barton & D.K. Phillips

1951-1952 - C. Gertler & D.K. Phillip

1952-1953 - C. Gertler & P. Kersen

1953-1954 - E.H. Segal & N.M. Cohen

1954-1956 - C. Gertler & S.H. Barton

from 1956 - no data

Treasurer

1933-1936 - J.M. Ladsky

Financial Representatives

1936-1940 - Julius Cohen^(xxxi)

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1949 - S.H. Bresloff

1949-1950 - S.H. Barton

1950-1951 - C. Gertler

1952-1956 - W.M. Harris

from 1956 - no data

Secretaries & Hon Secretaries

1933-1935 - S. Harris

1935-1937 - Myer Harris

1937-1938 - Albert Courts

1938-1946 - Rev. Isaac Swift^(xxxii)

1946-1948 - H. Gilles

1948-1961 - K. Feiler^(xxxiii)

1961-1962 - S.M. Lesser

1962-1974 - E. Lozowick

1974-1989 - S. Gittleman

1989-2011 - Warren Land^(xxxiv)

Membership Data:

United Synagogue (male seat-holders)^(xxxvii)

1950

1960

1970

617

640

492

National Reports & Surveys^(xxxviii)

1977 - 359 male (or household) members and 240 female members

1983 - 278 male (or household) members and 220 female members

1990 - 328 members (comprising 310 households, 4 individual male and 14 individual female members)

1996 - 244 members (comprising 213 households, 15 individual male and 16 individual female members)

2010 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)

Charitable Status:

As a constituent of the United Synagogue, the congregation operates within that organisation's registered charity status (registered charity no. 242552).

Local Government Districts:

The Northwest London suburb of Dollis Hill is in the London Borough of Brent (created on 1 April 1965), within the administrative area of Greater London.^(xxxix)

Previously, it was in the former Municipal Borough of Willesden (incorporated as a borough in 1933, previously the Urban District of Willesden from 1894) in the former County of Middlesex, which entities were abolished in 1965.

Registration District (BMD):

Brent from 1 April 1965^(xl) - Link to Register Office website

Cemetery
Information:

For United Synagogue cemeteries, see Cemeteries of the United Synagogue.

Dollis Hill Synagogue
(courtesy Jeff Rosen)

Bibliography, Online Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

Bibliography, including:
- Rachel Wischnitzer - The Architecture of European Synagogues, 1964, pp. 244-247;
- Carol Herselle Krinsky - Synagogues of Europe - Architecture, History, Meaning, 1985, pp. 419-421;
- Paul Lindsay - The Synagogues of London, 1993, pp. 111-112; and
- Peter Renton - The Lost Synagogues of London, 2000, pp. 162-163;
- Sharman Kadish - Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland - An Architectural Guide, 2015, pp. 62-63; and
- Other London Borough of Brent Bibliography

Other Organisations & Institutions
connected to this congregation

Educational

Hebrew & Religious Classes - founded by 1935.^(xliv)

Other Institutions

Ladies Guild - developed in about 1935^(xlv) from the Ladies Social Circle, founded by 1933.^(xlvi)
Dollis Hill Combined Aid Committee - founded by 1945,^(xlvii) which in about 1951 incorporated the Dollis Hill Synagogue Benevolent Fund, founded by 1946.^(xlviii)
Literary Society - founded by 1950^(xlix)

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) The congregation was listed in Jewish Year Books as Dollis Hill Synagogues, except in the editions 1938 to 1948, when it was listed under this name. ↵
(iii) Synagogues of Europe - Architecture, History, Meaning by Carol Herselle Krinsky 1985 ("Krinsky"), 419-421, which contains an extensive description . ↵
(iv) This was, at all times, the address for the congregation listed in Jewish Year Books. ↵
(v) Reserved.
(vi) Krinsky, p.419. ↵
(vii) Krinsky, p.419 and The Lost Synagogues of London, by Peter Renton, 2000, pp. 162-163. ↵
(viii) and (ix) Reserved.
(x) The Synagogues of London, by Paul Lindsay, 1993, p. 112. ↵
(xi) The Lost Synagogues of London, by Peter Renton, 2000, p. 163, and Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland by Sharman Kadish, 2015, p. 62. Jewish Chronicle report of !5 December 1995 ↵
(xii) Jewish Chronicle report of 15 December 1995. ↵
(xiii) Jewish Chronicle report of 15 July 2011. ↵
(xiv) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pp. 221/2. ↵
(xv) to (xvii) Reserved.
(xviii) The Jewish Chronicle of 27 May 1938 reported that The Shepherds Bush synagogue was crowded last Sunday on the occasion of a farewell service for the Rev. I. L. Swift, who had been appointed minister to the Dollis Hill Synagogue, and on 20 July 1951 it reported that a farewell reception to Rabbi I. L. Swift, had been given by the Hon. Officers and Board of Management of the Dollis Hill synagogue. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1939 through 1951 (except for war-time cessation of publication 1941-1945). ↵
(xix) The Jewish Chronicle of 7 December 1951 reported that the Rev. Dr. H. Rabinowicz, a descendant of the Baal Shem, was on Sunday inducted minister of the Dollis Hill Synagogue, by Dayan H. M. Lazarus and on 2 July 1978 it reported that Dr Rabinowicz had conducted his final Shabbat service at Dollis Hill a fortnight ago. (Note: from 1977 he was rabbi of both Dollis Hill and Willesden synagogues.) ↵
(xx) The Jewish Chronicle of 20 March 1987 reported that Rabbi Landy became associated with Dollis Hill when he retired in 1978 as minister of Cricklewood Synagogue and in 1988 it described him as a "guest preacher" at Dollis Hill. He is not listed Jewish Year Books with regard to Dollis Hill. ↵
(xxi) Rabbi Susser, who was honorary rabbi and spiritual guide at the near-by Willesden Synagogue, was also described in The Jewish Chronicle of 4 November 1988 as having a similar role at Dollis Hill Synagogue. In The Synagogues of London by Paul Lindsay, p. 112 published in 1993, stated that Sabbath services were conducted by Rabbi Landy. He is not listed Jewish Year Books with regard to Dollis Hill. ↵
(xxii) Rev. Fine was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1999 through 2012. ↵
(xxiii) and (xxiv)
(xxv) Rev. Cooper was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1934 through 1940 (after which publication ceased and was not resumed until the 1945/6 edition). ↵
(xxvi) Rev. Roeg was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1952 through 1996 (there was no reference to him being minister). ↵
(xxvii) The Jewish Chronicle of 25 May 1951 reported that the election of the Rev. M. H. Taylor as reader was approved unanimously at the recent annual meeting of the congregation and in 1995 it reported that he had conducted the final service at the synagogue in April 1995. Rev. Taylor was listed solely as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 through 1950. ↵
(xxviii) and (xxix) Reserved.
(xxx) 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 (which was generally towards the end of the year prior to the year appearing in the title of the year book) and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was vacant (e.g. if he is listed in Jewish Year Books 1948 through 1952, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1947 and continued in office until 1952). However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and accordingly his actual years of office may differ slightly from those shown here. Jewish Year Books were not published during WWII subsequent to 1940. There were no Jewish Year Book listings of officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. ↵
(xxxi) Initially elected Treasurer. ↵
(xxxii) The minister, Rev. Swift, was listed in Jewish Year Books as also holding the office of secretary of the congregation both prior to World War II (1939 and 1940 editions) and after the war (1945/6 edition). It is therefore assumed that he also held such office throughout the war years. ↵
(xxxiii) No one was listed as hon. secretary of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1952, but as K. Feiler was listed as hon. secretary from 1948 through 1951 and 1953 through 1961, it is assumed that he also served during the intermediate year. ↵
(xxxiv) Administration from about 1992. ↵
(xxxv) and (xxxvi) Reserved.
(xxxvii) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 218/9. ↵
(xxxviii) Reports on synagogue membership in the United Kingdom, published by or on behalf of 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 the various reports. ↵
(xxxix) The London Borough of Brent, an Outer London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the Municipal Boroughs of Willesden and Wembley. Both municipal boroughs had been within the former County of Middlesex. ↵
(xl) The former Registration Districts were: Hendon, from 1 July 1837 until 1 October 1909. Willesden, from 1 October 1909 until 1 April 1965. All registers would now be held by the current register office. ↵
(xli) to (xliii) Reserved.
(xliv) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1936. ↵
(xlv) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1936. ↵
(xlvi) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1934. ↵
(xlvii) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1945/6. ↵
(xlviii) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1947 and first listed as incorporating the Benevolent Fund in the 1952 edition. ↵
(xlvii) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1951. ↵

List of United Synagogue Congregations

Jewish Congregations in the London Borough of Brent

Jewish Congregations in Greater London

Greater London home page

Page created: 12 October 2006
Data expanded and some notes first added; 24 January 2018:
Data significantly expanded: 21 November 2025
Page most recently amended: 24 November 2025

Research by David Shulman, assisted by Steven Jaffe
Formatting by David Shulman

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