Rev. W. Neier

Rev Neier was minister to the Kettering United Synagogue Members Group, Northamptonshire, from about 1942/3 until July 1945 when he was appointed minister, teacher, and secretary to the nearby Northampton Hebrew Congregation. In 1946 he was chair of the Northampton Zionist society. (Jewish Chronicle report 27 July 1945; Jewish Year Book listing.)

Rev. Emil Nemeth
(c.1911 - 1 October 1968)

Hungarian born Rabbi Nemeth (m. Masie Cohen), was the son of Rev Joseph Nemeth, a shochet in Leeds. He came to England in 1921 and studied at Etz Chaim yeshiva, Jews' College and obtained a BA from London University. He assisted the ministers at Bayswater Synagogue and Hampstead Synagogue, and from 1940-c.1946 was acting minister at the Central Synagogue, Great Portland Street, while Rev Philip Cohen was chaplain to the Forces. He was closely associated with welfare work for those made homeless during the blitz and during his term at Central, the synagogue building was destroyed by bombing in 1941. Rev. Nemeth, who obtained semicha from Jews' College in 1963, served as minister of Highgate Synagogue, north London from 1947 until his death 21 years later on Kol Nidre night, in hospital. Over 400 attended the memorial service at the Highgate synagogue. He was the brother of Rabbi Morris Nemeth of Liverpool and New West End synagogue and the father of Michael Nemeth, part time officiant at Highgate Synagogue. (Jewish Chronicle obituary 11 October 1968, tribute 1 November 1968; The Lost Synagogues of London by Peter Renton, p.7; various Jewish Chronicle reports; and Jewish Year Book listings.)

Rabbi Shmuel Neuman

Rev. Neuman served as chazan at Western Marble Arch Synagogue, London, and then at Hendon Synagogue, London (1981 to 2006). In 1996 he obtained semicha from Jews' College, London. Subsequently, Rabbi Neuman is a Jewish studies teacher at the Jewish educational charity Kisharon (2006 to present - December 2020). (Jewish Year Book listings and Jewish Chronicle reports.)

Rev. (or Rabbi) Heim Neumann
(c.1829 - 22 March 1899)

Rev. Neumann (m. Fanny Aarary in Dover in 1861), was resident in Dover, Kent, from on or before his marriage. From 1861 he advertised in The Jewish Chronicle that he had taken "a COMMODIOUS HOUSE, No. 10, St. Martin's Terrace, in the most healthy part of the town, within five minutes walk of the sea, and will be most happy to accommodate those families who intend to visit Dover for the season, and will also be glad to take charge of any children whose parents may feel desirous of committing to his care." Similar adverts continue until 1866. He is assumed to have become minister of Dover Synagogue following Rev. R.I. Cohen's retirement (c.1865) and is believed to have stepped down as minister by November 1867, when the congregation advertised for a hazan, shohet and baal korah, adding that "No Cohen need apply". He served as minister at the Norwich Hebrew Congregation, Norfolk, (1874-1888), where his wife died in 1894 (she is buried at Earlham cemetery, Norwich). In July 1895 Rev. Neumann was unanimously elected first reader of the Manchester Old Hebrew Congregation (or Great Synagogue), his last known post. (Jewish Chronicle various reports and internet research.)

Rev. Abraham Newman
(1869 - 26 March 1945)

Rev. Newman (m. Adeline Atlshuler in Leeds in 1891) was educated at yeshiva in Vilnius and came to England in the 1880s. He lived initially in Leeds working as a Hebrew teacher and in 1898 he was appointed as minister and shochet to the Blackburn Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, serving until late 1904, during which period he founded a Society for the Study of Rabbinical Literature and took a leading part in the formation of the community’s Zionist Society. He then served as minister of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation from 1905 until his retirement in 1939, being the longest serving minister in the history of the congregation, and even following his retirement, he continued to serve in an emeritus capacity. He died in Leicester in 1945. He was the founder and then Hon Life President of Leicester Zionist Society. ("From Poland To Paradise Lane and Other Journeys" - a history of the Jewish community of Blackburn, by Hilary Thomas, 2018, including Ch. 4 (the Newman Years) and biography, p.173; Jewish Chronicle reports; and profile on the Leicester Jewish Gilroes website.)

Rev. Gary Newman

Southport-born Rev. Newman was chazan (cantor) at the Higher Prestwich Hebrew Congregation, Manchester before moving south to become assistant minister and chazan at Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation (1994-2000). He then served as minister of Newbury Park Synagogue, London (c.2000-December 2014) and, following the merger of that congregation, he was appointed community welfare minister of the new entity, Redbridge United Synagogue, London (January 2015-May 2019). Following yet a further merger, he became community welfare minister of Cranbrook United Synagogue, Ilford, London (May 2019 to present - March 2021). (Jewish Year Book listings, Cranbrook United Synagogue website and press reports.)

Rabbi Isaac Newman
(3 April 1924 - 20 July 2011)

London-born Rabbi I. Newman, M.Phil. (m. Rita Rubin) had served as headmaster of Notting Hill Synagogue Hebrew Classes (where his father, Rabbi Julius Newman, was minister) before becoming minister of Kingsbury District Synagogue, London (c.1948-c.1950). He subsequently served as chaplain to the Royal Air Force (1950-1956), minister of St Albans Hebrew Congregation, Hertfordshire (1956-1958), Dalston Synagogue, Poet's Road, London (from 1958 until the synagogue's closure in 1967) and Barnet & District Affiliated Synagogue, London (from 1969 until his retirement in 1989). He had also served as a senior lecturer (Judaica) and chaplain at Middlesex Polytechnic, Trent Park, honorary secretary of the Rabbinical Council and United Synagogue Chaplain to the R.A.F. Following his retirement, he settled in Jerusalem in 1989, where he was one of the founders of human rights organisation, Rabbis for Human Rights. In 2000, he received the Knesset Award for Human Rights, presented by the then Speaker of the Knesset, Shevach Weiss.  (Jewish Year Book listings and "Who's Who" entries and information provided by Rabbi Newman's son, Prof. David Newman, OBE.)

Rabbi J. Newman

Rabbi Newman, who was born in Pressburg, Czechoslovakia (now Bratislava, Slovakia), came to Britain as a refugee in 1939 and spent some time as a lecturer and researcher on Juvenile Delinquency at the University of Liverpool. The results of his investigations were published under the title, "Youthful Lawbreakers". He also published a book on semicha: Semikhah (ordination); a study of its origin, history, and function in Rabbinic literature (Manchester University press, 1950). He served as minister to the war time community at Penrith, Keswick and District Hebrew Congregation, Cumbria, and later became Rabbi of the newly-formed Addiscombe and District Synagogue, Croydon (1947-1951). In 1952 Rabbi Newman was appointed Regional Rabbi to the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. (Jewish Chronicle profile 9 February 1951 and various reports.)

Rabbi Dr. Julius Newman
(1896 - 12 March 1950)

Rabbi Julius Newman (m. Ida, daughter of Rabbi Jacob Rabinowitz, in 1922) according to his obituary in the Jewish Chronicle, came to Britain from Poland aged six (although other sources state that he was born, in Leeds). He studied at Etz Chaim yeshiva London and received semicha from Rabbis Kook, Daitches and Hurwitz, and was one of only three rabbis known to have received semicha from Rav. Kook during the latter's stay in London during World War I. He was awarded BA and PhD. as an external student of London University. In 1916 Rabbi Newman was elected assistant rabbi and preacher at the Chevra Sephard Synagogue, Bridge Street, Leeds. He was the long serving minister of Notting Hill Synagogue, London (1920-c.1945) and headmaster of the Talmud Torah. Rabbi Newman was president of the Hakerem Zionist society and first hon. secretary of the Vaad Harabbanim. He was the father of Rabbi Isaac Newman. (Jewish Chronicle obituary 24 March 1950, Jewish Year listings and information provided by Rabbi Newman's grandson, Prof. David Newman, OBE.)

Haham Rabbi David Nieto
(1654 - 10 January 1728)

Rabbi D. Nieto (also spelled Nietto) (m. Sarah) was born in Venice, the son of Rabbi Phineas Nieto. He studied medicine in Padua and at the same time obtained semicha from a local rabbi. He graduated in Medicine and Philosophy in 1687 at the age of 33. Rabbi Nieto then moved to Leghorn, Italy to work as a physician and was appointed Dayan of the local Beth Din. There he wrote a number of works in which he dealt with the differences of calculation in the calendars of the Greek, Roman, and Jewish ecclisiastical authorities pointing out a number of errors which had crept into the Christian calendar. In 1702, Nieto was appointed Haham to the London Sephardi community, now in their recently completed Bevis Marks Synagogue. He died in office in London in 1728 and was succeeded by his son, Isaac Nieto. Nieto was one of the most accomplished Jews of his time and was equally distinguished in philosophy, physics, medicine, poetry, mathematics, astronomy and theology. (Jewish Encyclopedia article on "David Nieto" c.1906 and British Chief Rabbis 1664-2006 by Derek Taylor, 2007, Chapter 7, pp.80-99.)

Haham Rabbi Isaac Nieto
(1687 - 1773)

Rabbi I. Nieto (also spelled Nietto) (m.1. Rebecca Carion de Taiba; m.2. Leah Supino), who was born in Leghorn, Italy, succeeded his father, David Nieto, in 1733 as Haham of the London Sephardi community and rabbi of the Bevis Marks Synagogue, five years following his father's death. He resigned in 1741 and initially went to Leghorn. He returned to London in 1747 and took up the profession of a notary. In 1749, he travelled to Gibraltar and was appointed Gibraltar's first Rabbi, establishing the Shaar Hashamayim Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Gibraltar. Following the untimely death of his successor, Haham de Mesquita in 1851, he was appointed Ab Bet Din of the London Sephardi community, resigning in 1757 as a result of a violent dispute over the titles of the members of the Bet Din and the relationship of the members to one another. He died in London. (Jewish Encyclopedia article on "Isaac Nieto" c.1906 and British Chief Rabbis 1664-2006 by Derek Taylor, 2007, Chapter 9, pp.115-134.)

Rabbi Jacob Nieto
(22 December 1863 - 26 March 1930)

Born in England, Rabbi Nieto (m. Rose) was descended from a prominent Sephardi family, including amongst his rabbinical ancestors, the eighteenth century Hachamim of the Spanish and Portuguese congregation in London, David Nieto and his son Isaac Nieto. He was the son of Rev. Abraham Haim Nieto, minister at Kingston, Jamaica. Rabbi Nieto was brought up in Kingston from the age of eight and later studied in New York. Having returned to Jamaica, he was forced to leave again because of the great fire in Kingston in 1882. He returned to London and was employed as an assistant master at Norwood orphan asylum while he continued his religious studies. Rabbi Nieto served as minister of the Sheffield Hebrew Congregation (1889-1892), then attended Jews' College, London and preached occasionally at the Spital Square Synagogue in Bishopsgate, London. On the day after he obtained his educational qualifications from Jews' College, he emigrated to California and became Rabbi of Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco. He served there from 1893 until 1930. Rabbi Nieto led relief efforts after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. He strongly opposed the Great War as an imperialist venture, sought the abolition of capital punishment and advocated for women's rights. He held senior positions in Bnei Brith and freemasonry in California. A collection of the Rabbi's papers are held by the Online Archive of California. (Jewish Chronicle interview with Rabbi Nieto during a visit to London, 7 July 1907, internet research.)

Rev. Martin (Mayer) Norden
(c.1911 - November 2010)

Rev. (later Rabbi) Norden (m. Ruth), who had served as reader at the Sheffield Central Hebrew Congregation (c. 1946), was appointed as reader, shochet and teacher to the Middlesbrough Hebrew Congregation from 1948 to 1951. He then moved to Canada and subsequently to the United States, where he obtained semicha under Rav Moshe Feinstein. In the 1970's Rabbi Norden made aliyah to Israel. He died in Jerusalem, aged 99. (Jewish Year listings and obituary on Kehilat Middlesbrough website.)

Rev. Michael Simon Nuremberg
(c.1813 - December 1889)

Rev. Nuremberg, born in the Duchy of Posen, was shochet and reader of Brighton Hebrew Congregation, Sussex from about 1843 until about 1879. (Brighton Jewry 250 - An anthology of the Brighton & Hove Jewish Community 1766-2016; Jewish Chronicle reports.)

Rabbi Shlomo Odze
(b. c.1979)

Rabbi Odze was youth minister at St John's Wood Synagogue, London. He studied in Israel prior to his appointment as Minister of Birmingham Central Synagogue (2005-2012). In 2012 Rabbi Odze returned to London to become associate minister at South Hampstead Synagogue. (Internet research.)

Rev. Abraham Noach Oler
(19 October 1896 - c.1975)

Warsaw-born Rev. Oler (m. Rajzla) attended yeshiva and studied music at the Warsaw Conservatory. Following his move to Britain, he served as reader of the Sheffield Central Hebrew Congregation from 1927 to 1931. From about 1931 until World War II, he was first reader of the Sunderland Hebrew Congregation, also serving as acting minister until about 1934. In 1946, he moved to North America, serving congregations in New Brunswick, Canada, New York State and Connecticut. (Jewish Year Book listings; Various Jewish Chronicle reports.)

Rev. S. Olive
(d. 26 January 1928)

Rev. Olive, formerly known as Olwenstein, (m. Annie) served as minister, shochet, joint secretary and teacher of the Derby Hebrew Congregation (c.1912-c.1914), and then served the New Tredegar Hebrew Congregation, South Wales (1914 until at least 1916). He was later a shochet in London and died at Sandy's Row in London's East End. (Jewish Year Book listings and various Jewish Chronicle reports and death notice of 3 February 1928.)

Rev. Henry Olivestone
(c.1883 - 1952)

Warsaw-born Rev. Olivestone, who came to Britain in 1914. He is believed to have served two communities in South Wales, Ebbw Vale Hebrew Congregation in about 1915 and the Tredegar Hebrew Congregation in about 1916. He was later with Adath Yisroel Synagogue, London, before serving as minister of Blackpool United Hebrew Congregation (1920-1924), Portsmouth Hebrew Congregation (1924-c.1926) and Walthamstow and Leyton Synagogue, London (c.1926-c.1932). During the early years of World War II he served as a liaison officer with Hemel Hempstead Jewish Community and in charge of billeting for Jewish evacuees. He died in Paris on his way to Israel. (Jewish Year listings and Jewish Chronicle reports.)

Rev. Leslie Olsberg, MBE
(13 May 1922 - 26 July 2008)

Manchester-born Rev. Olsberg (m. Golda Landsberg from London) was an early pupil of the legendary Jonah Balkind and studied at Manchester Yeshiva. He was the founding (secular) head of Manchester and Salford Jewish Grammar School (now Mesivta High School) in 1947. Headmaster of Hebrew classes of the Higher Prestwich Hebrew Congregation, Manchester, and briefly, in 1970, of the Southport Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, Rev Olsberg decided to enter the ministry in 1971, aged almost 50. For the next 36 years he was minister at Heaton Park Synagogue, Manchester, (1971-2008) and undertook duties in the wider community. He was chaplain to Heathlands Jewish home for the aged, to King David High School and to the Scouts and Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade in Manchester, as well as President of the Council of Christians and Jews. Up to the point he retired, aged 86, he was believed to be the oldest serving Jewish minister in the country. In 1994, a road, Olsberg Close, was named after him in Salford. He was awarded an MBE in 2007 for his over 60 years of service to the community. (Jewish Chronicle obituary, 1 August 2008 and various reports.)

Rev. Abraham Opolion
(d. 1962)

Rev. Opolion (m. (1) Leah, 1913, d.1940; (2) Bluma Kaplan, 1943) served as reader of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation (1916-1920) and as a teacher at its Hebrew school, and as reader of the Tonypandy Hebrew Congregation, south Wales (1921). From 1 January 1922, he served as minister of the Blackburn Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, remaining there until late 1932 and then moved to London . He is also likely to be the Rev. A. Apolon who earlier served as minister of the Greenock Hebrew Congregation, Scotland (1913-1914). (Jewish Chronicle reports and online articles; "From Poland To Paradise Lane and Other Journeys" - a history of the Jewish community of Blackburn, by Hilary Thomas, 2018, including biography, p.177.)

Rev. Jonathan Ordman, JP
(b. 26 March 1952)

Manchester-born Rev. Ordman, the grandson of Rev. Menachem BenZion (Mendel) Ordman, trained at Jews' College, London and studied chazanut under under the aegis of Rev. Leo Brill at Jews' College, London. He served as second reader at the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation (1987-1988) and left to take up the post of minister of the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation, Kenya. By 1989 he had returned to the UK and was chazan at South Manchester Synagogue (1990-2003). Rev. Ordman was chair of the public relations and media committee of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and served as a Justice of the Peace for 25 years. (Information provided by the family; Jewish Year Book listing and Jewish Chronicle, various reports. See BBC spot, in which Rev. Ordman explains the place of chazanut and song in the Jewish faith.)

Rev. Menachem BenZion (Mendel) Ordman
(c.1889 - 28 May 1967)

Rev. Ordman (m. Molly Hinda Glickman) was born in Naveran (near Telz), Lithuania and attended the famous Telz Yeshiva until he was offered a post at Chevrah Tehillim Synagogue, Lombard Street West, Dublin, Ireland, around 1910, where he served as chazan, shochet and mohel. Moving to England, he served the Burnley Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, in about 1922, followed briefly by the Coventry Hebrew Congregation (c.1923-c.1924), and was elected chazan and shochet (and effectively minister) of the Stockport Hebrew Congregation, Cheshire (now Greater Manchester) in July 1924, where an additional duty was acting as Investigating Officer for the Benevolent Society. In about 1928, Rev. Ordman was appointed second reader, shochet and teacher to the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation, where he served until retirement due to ill health in April 1947. Post retirement, he purchased a farm near Peebles in Scotland and was known locally as "Rabbie Ordman". He continued to assist congregations in Dublin and Scotland and, for a short time, acted as reader at Hounslow and District Affiliated Synagogue, West London, where his son lived. He died in Manchester. Click HERE for photographs.  (Jewish Chronicle obituary 9 June 1967 and various reports, internet research and information provided by his grandson, Michael Ordman.)

Rev. Samuel Orler
(c.1853 - 31 December 1923)

Polish-born Rev. Orler came to Britain in about 1873 or 1874, living initially in Stepney, London. His first known post is at Falmouth Jewish Congregation, Cornwall (1875-1880). In 1880 the Falmouth synagogue closed, following which Rev Orler was appointed chazan and shochet at Stroud Synagogue, Gloucestershire, as that congregation's first minister. In 1890 he returned to London and worked for the Shechita Board as a shochet and inspector. He was informally regarded as the spiritual head of the New Road Synagogue, Whitechapel, and for a number of years he conducted High Festival services in an honorary capacity at Redman's Road Talmud Torah, Stepney, London. His daughter Queenie married Rabbi Arnold Mishcon. ("The Hebrew Community of Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud", 1989, by Brian Torode; Jewish Chronicle obituary 12 January 1924, various reports and internet research.)

Rev. Abraham F. Ornstein
(1836 - 6 December 1895)

London-born Rev Ornstein at eighteen became minister to the Portsea Hebrew Congregation, Portsmouth, Hampshire, and then was appointed headmaster of the Birmingham Hebrew National School and secretary of the Birmingham Hebrew Congregation, Singers Hill, in 1860. He resigned on 1 September 1865 to take up the post of minister of the Bourke Street Synagogue, Melbourne, Australia. Returning to Britain in 1875, the following year he became principal of Aria College, Southsea. Rev. Ornstein emigrated to South Africa where he was minister of the synagogue at Cape Town and later established a college there. He died in Cape Town. (Jewish Chronicle obituary 3 January 1896.)

Rabbi Shalom Osdoba

American born and educated in Chabad yeshivot, Rabbi Osdoba (m. Sarah) came to Hull in 1993 and served the Hull Jewish community as its only minister following the merger of Hull's Old Hebrew Congregation and Western Synagogue in January 1994 to form the Hull Hebrew Congregation . He served for 18 years, until 2011, and was the community's last full-time minister. Having moved to north west London he continued to assist the Hull community in a part time capacity until about June 2012. He is the director of the Chabad institution, Mayonos Hachassidus. (Jewish Chronicle press reports and internet research.)

Rev. Isaac Ostroff
(11 February 1880 - 6 February 1933)

Rev. I. Ostroff was born in Bauska, Latvia (m. Bluma or Bloomah Levy from Stroud, on 22 May 1904, and had 10 children). He served as reader, teacher and shochet at Stroud Synagogue, Gloucestershire (c.1902-c.1904), Aberdare Synagogue, south Wales (until at least 1906), and the Aberdeen Hebrew Congregation (c.1909-c.1911). From 1911 he was resident in London where his posts included teacher at Kilburn and Brondesbury Talmud Torah. In 1913 he inaugurated the Hebrew and religion classes at Wandsworth and Balham Synagogue, south London. Active for the rest of his life in south and south west London, he was, at the time of his death, aged 52, chazan at South-West London Associate Synagogue (by which name Wandsworth and Balham Synagogue was then known). He was a noted worker for the South West London Aid Society (Home for Aged Jews) and President of the South West London Jewish Literary and Social Society. (Jewish Chronicle tributes 17 February 1933 and reports; Jewish Year Book listings.)