Mosaic Reform Synagogue

Congregation Data

Mosaic Reform Synagogue (since 2014)⁽ⁱ⁾

Middlesex New Synagogue

Since 2014, the congregation has been constituent synagogue of the Mosaic Jewish Community, a unique concept for Anglo-Jewry - a single community with three “strands” of Judaism - Reform, Masorti and Liberal.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

The other two constituent congregations are Mosaic Liberal Synagogue (formerly Harrow and Wembley Progressive Synagogue) and the Mosaic Masorti Synagogue (formerly the Hatch End Masorti Synagogue).

In October 2022, the congregation moved to 1a Halsbury Close, 65 Stanmore Hill, HA7 3DY, a purpose-built complex housing all three congregations.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Previously the congregation was at 39 Bessborough Road, Harrow HA1 3BS (from 1962, new building dedicated 1977).^(iv)

From June 2011, the Mosaic Liberal Synagogue also shared these premises and it was also the shared administrative address of all three Mosaic congregations.^(v)

Active

1959^(vii)

Reform

A constituent synagogue of the Movement for Reform Judaism (formerly the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain).

Rabbi Lionel Blue - 1961 to 1964 (first minister of the Congregation)^(viii)

Rabbi Michael Goulston - 1965 to 1968^(ix)

Rabbi Michael Standfield - 1971 to 1986^(x)

Rabbi Simon J. Franses - 1987 to 2008, and thereafter rabbi emeritus until 2009^(xi)

Rabbi Kathleen de Magtige-Middleton - 2008 to present (June 2025)^(xii)

Rabbi Ady Assabi^(xiv) - student rabbi from 1969 to 1971

Rabbi Larry Alan Tabick - assistant rabbi 1981 to 1986^(xv)

Rabbi Lisa Barrett - part-time assistant rabbi in about 2011^(xvi)

National Results & Survey^(xix)

1977 - 455 male members and an estimated 456 female members

1983 - 685 male (or household) members and 119 female members

1990 - 822 members (households)

1996 - 738 members (450 households, 93 individual male and 195 individual female members)

2010 - listed as having 500 to 749 members (by household)

2016 - listed as having 300 to 399 members (by household)

On 23 December 2013, the congregation was incorporated as a private company (company number: 08825271) limited by guarantee without share capital, initially under the name of The New Reform Synagogue Limited, changing its name on 19 November 2014 to Mosaic Reform Synagogue (with use of 'Limited' exemption).^(xx)

It is also a registered charity, its current registration dating from 20 November 2014 (registered charity number: 1159303). The governing documents are the Company's Memorandum & Articles Association.^(xxi)

The congregation's previous registration as a registered charity, under the name Middlesex New Synagogue was from 7 September 1999 (registered charity number: 1077299), which was removed from the register on 16 October 2018.^(xxii) With effect from 3 January 2016, all such charity's assets and liabilities were transferred to the new entity.^(xxiii) (There had also been an earlier registration under no: 69041.^(xxiv))

Bessborough Road and Stanmore Hill are in the London Borough of Harrow, an Outer London Borough created on 1 April 1965. Prior thereto, they were in the former Municipal Borough of Harrow (incorporated in 1954 and coextensive with the London borough), within the former County of Middlesex.

Harrow (since formation of congregation) - Link to Register Office website

The congregation has "London Synagogue" membership of the Jewish Joint Burial Society (JJBS), which includes rights of burial at one of the Society's cemeteries, in particular the Western Cemetery, Bulls Cross Ride, Cheshunt. There is also generally the option (through the JJBS) of a Woodland Burial in Cheshunt or cremation at Golders Green Crematorium.

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

• (i) The congregation's website, accessed 8 March 2015. This name was adopted when the congregation joined the Mosaic Jewish Community (see below) and was the name under which the congregation was listed in the Jewish Year Book 2015. ↵

• (ii) Mosaic Jewish Community's website, accessed 23 November 2018. ↵

• (iii) Jewish Chronicle report of 31 October 2022, entitled "'Unique step for Anglo-Jewry' as Reform, Liberal and Masorti community opens its new Stanmore home". ↵

• (iv) Jewish Year Books 1962 through 2015. 39 Bessborough Road was registered as a Place of Worship - Worship Register Number 69042 - under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855. (Page 656 of the 2010 List of Places of Worship.) ↵

• (v) Website of the then Harrow & Wembley Progressive Synagogue, accessed 8 March 2015. ↵

• (vi) Reserved.

• (vii) Jewish Year Books. ↵

• (viii) Congregation's website, accessed 8 March 2015, and Rabbi Blue's obituary in the Daily Telegraph. ↵

• (ix) Congregation's website, accessed 8 March 2015, and Rabbi Goulston biography in Palgrave Dictionary. ↵

• (x) Congregation's website, accessed 8 March 2018, and Rabbi Standfield's profile. ↵

• (xi) Congregation's website, accessed 8 March 2015, and Rabbi Frances's "Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books (latest 2009). ↵

• (xii) Rabbi de Magtige-Middleton's profile on the Congregation's website, last accessed June 2025. ↵

• (xiii) Reserved.

• (xiv) Congregation's website, last accessed 23 November 2015. Rabbi Assabi died in 2003. ↵

• (xv) Congregation's website, last accessed 23 November 2015 and Rabbi Tabick's entries in "Who's Who" in Jewish Year Books (latest 2015). ↵

• (xvi) Based on the profile of Rabbi Barrett on South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue website. ↵

• (xvii) and (xviii) Reserved.

• (xix) 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. ↵

• (xx) Companies House website last accessed June 2025. Clicking on the company number of this will take you to the registration on the Companies House website. ↵

• (xxi) Charities Commission website, last accessed June 2025. Clicking on the charity number of this will take you to the charity's registration on the Charities Commission website. ↵

• (xxii) Charities Commission's website (then in beta trial stage), accessed November 2018. ↵

• (xxiii) Congregation's Annual Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31 December 2016, filed with the Charities Commission. ↵

• (xxiv) Jewish Year Book 1995. ↵