Rev. Aaron Harry Pakman
(c.1908 - 1985)

Rev. Pakman (m. Mary Nyman in 1930) served as reader (chazan) of the Bristol Hebrew Congregation (c.1927-c.1930) and was the brother-in-law of Rabbi Harris Swift, who at the time was the minister of the Bristol congregation. In 1930 he was living in Liverpool having left the ministry. In 1950 he moved to Southport, worked as a wholesale merchant, and was a council member of Southport Hebrew Congregation. (Jewish Year Book listings, 1928 through 1930; Philanthropy, Consensus and Broiges...a history of the Southport Jewish Community by John Cowell p.681.)

Rev. Bernard (Barnett) Paletz
(c.1893 - 6 January 1971)

Rev. Paletz (m. Kate), born in Wilkomir (now Ukmerge Lithuania), studied at the yeshivot in Wilkomir, Slobodka and Vilna and chazanut at Vilna under Chazan Sirota and his choirmaster Low. He came to England in 1904 and studied voice production at the Guildhall School of Music. He served as minister and reader of Bangor Hebrew Congregation, North Wales (1905-1907) and as reader (chazan) of Bristol Hebrew Congregation (1907-1919). In 1919, he was appointed reader of Hammersmith and West Kensington Synagogue, serving until May 1953, when he was appointed emeritus reader. During his period at Hammersmith, he identified himself with all synagogal activities.  He held honorary office in the Association of Ministers (Chazanim) of Great Britain. (Jewish Chronicle obituary; An Appreciation of Rev. B. Palettz on his retirement in The Brook No 12, Farewell Address in The Brook No 47; and Jewish Year Book listings.)

Rev. Dr. Chaim Pearl
(25 November 1919 - 18 December 1995)

Liverpool born Rev Pearl (m. Anita Newman in 1941) studied at yeshiva for six years and was awarded a BA from the University of London, 1947, MA from Birmingham University in 1952, and PhD, from the University of London, 1956. He was assistant minister at Central Synagogue, Liverpool. On the outbreak of war he became principal of the Jewish Children's Community, a hostel school in South Wales, later moving to another JCC school at Ascot, in Berkshire. He was an assistant minister of Birmingham Hebrew Congregation (1945-1949) and principal minister (1949 to 1960). He was then minister of The New West End Synagogue, London, (1960-1964). When Rev Pearl moved to the United States in 1964, he told the press that as a rabbi in London he felt unable to institute change at his synagogue, particularly in education. He was ordained in 1964 as a Conservative Rabbi and took a post at the Conservative Adath Israel Synagogue, Riverdale, New York City (1964-1980). He was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Divinity from the Jewish Theological Seminary, America, in 1981. Following his retirement, he was appointed honorary rabbi of Edgware Masorti Synagogue, London (c.1989-1991) thereafter being named its emeritus rabbi until his death in 1995. Rev Pearl moved to Israel, lectured at the Hebrew University and died in Jerusalem. He was co-author of a Guide to Jewish Knowledge, contributor to the Encyclopedia of Judaism and editor of the Jewish Bible Quarterly. (Jewish Chronicle obituary 29 December 1995; Jewish Year Books listings.)

Rabbi Dr Yaakov Pearlman

Manchester-born Rabbi Pearlman (m. Sheila) studied at Manchester yeshiva where he obtained semicha aged 20, and then pursued advanced religious studies at Lakewood, New Jersey. He later obtained a MA at Hofstra University, New York, and a PhD in educational administration from the University of California, San Diego. For over 40 years Rabbi Pearlman pursued a rabbinic career with congregations in Providence, Rhode Island, and the Congregation Beth Joseph Center and Congregation Light of Israel Sephardic Center, both in Rochester, New York. He also taught at yeshiva and was principal and teacher at Jewish day schools. From 2001 to 2008 he was Chief Rabbi of Ireland, serving the congregational and wider needs of the Jewish community in the Republic of Ireland, returning to the USA in 2008. (internet research.)

Rev. Elias Pearlson
(1852 - 27 January 1914)

Rev. Pearlso

n (or Perlsohn) (m.  Henrietta Bischofswerder, 1876) was born in Zgierz, Poland. He was appointed minister at the Charlotte Square Synagogue, Newcastle upon Tyne in 1872 and in 1880, he became first reader at its successor congregation, the Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation (Leazes Park Road Synagogue) serving until 1882. He later moved to Hull, where he served the Robinson Row Synagogue (Hull Old Hebrew Congregation) for eighteen years as shochet, mohel and teacher, and as chazan for thirteen years. He was the son-in-law of Rev. Isaac Bischofswerder of Penzance. ("Service and Scandal" by Daniel Appleby, 2013; "The Lost Jews of Cornwall" by Kieth Pearce, Helen Fry and Godfrey Simmons; Jewish Chronicle reports.)

Rev. S. Pearlstein

Rev. Pearlstein, from London, was appointed minister of the Exeter Hebrew Congregation, Devon, from 1898 until July 1899. In 1899, he was appointed reader and shochet to the Great Yarmouth Hebrew Congregation, Norfolk, at a weekly salary of £1 and the use of a free house. He is believed to have left Yarmouth in around 1901. (Jewish Chronicle report and Jewish Year Book listing.)

Rabbi Moshe Perez
(b. 1958)

Casablanca-born Rabbi Perez (m. Iris in Israel) was educated at yeshivot in Morocco, New York, Manchester and Israel. He qualified as a shochet in Israel. He was working as shochet and assistant minister to the Dublin Jewish Community before his appointment as minister to the Belfast Hebrew Congregation (1988-1990). He later served as minister of the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation (1990-2018), the community's first Sephardi minister, obtaining semicha from Jews' College, London, in 1995. (Research by Steven Jaffe.)

Rev. Isaac Phillips
(c.1845 - 16 July 1924)

Rev. Isaac Phillips (m.1 Esther Edwards 1867, d. 1916; m.2 Florence Gabriel 1920) was born in Whitechapel in London's East End and educated at City of London School and Jews' Colleage. He served the Portsea (Portsmouth) Hebrew Congregation continuously for at least 58 years (stated to be a world record), from his appointment most likely in 1866 (but perhaps earlier in 1864) until his retirement in June 1924, a month before he died. He was visitor and chaplain to hospitals and prisons in Hampshire, and his duties included taking regular services and teaching Hebrew at the dedicated synagogue room at Portsmouth convict prison. His half-brother was Rev. Philip Phillips of the Western Synagogue, London. He was the father of both Rev. Jacob Phillips, for over 25 years minister of the Manchester Congregation of British Jews, and of Rev. Lewis Phillips, who for 30 years was minister of Princes Road Synagogue, Liverpool. His grandson, Rev. Henry Phillips Silverman, was for 30 years rabbi in Jamaica. He was also an uncle of the Rev. Eleazar P. Phillips who was for some 50 years minister of Garnethill Synagogue, Glasgow. He died in Portsmouth and is buried at the Fawcett Road cemetery, at Southsea (view image of his gravestone and the plaque dedicated to him at Portsmouth synagogue). (Jewish Chronicle obituary and tributes, 16 and 25 July 1924.)

Rev. Jehiel Phillips
(1799 - 7 September 1870)

Rev. Phillips was possibly born in Hamburg and came to England from Poland with his Polish-born wife Rosa (d.1875) and two Polish-born children some time in or after 1826. He had six children born in Kent, conducted a marriage in Chatham, Kent in 1838, and he appears residing in the town as minister in the censuses of 1841 and 1851. He later moved to south Wales where he became secretary for marriages and possibly an early reader for the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation. He died and is buried in Cardiff. (Jewish Life in Medway Towns by Irina Shrub, Shemot 17/1, 17; The Jews of South Wales by U.R.Q. Henriques, 2013, p.23; Cemetery Scribes.)

Rev. Philip Phillips
(1828 - 18 January 1918)

London-born Rev. Phillips was the grandson of Rabbi Uri of Amsterdam. He received his training for the ministry at the time of Chief Rabbi Solomon Hirschell. His earliest career was in Australia. By 1866 Rev. Phillips had returned to England, was living in Houndsditch, London, when he was appointed minister to the Cheltenham Hebrew Congregation, Gloucestershire (May 1866 to September 1874). In 1874 he was elected reader and secretary to the Maiden Lane Synagogue in London, serving until 1907. He was the visiting minister to St Giles workhouse and a number of hospitals. In 1908 (aged about 80) he was taken on by the Western Synagogue, the mother synagogue of the then declining Maiden Lane synagogue . Rev. Philips was the senior member of an important family of Anglo-Jewish clergymen: he was father of Rev. E Phillips long-term minister of the Glasgow Hebrew congregation; the older brother of Rev. Isaac Phillips whose term at Portsmouth was even longer; and uncle to Rev. Jacob Phillips and Rev. Lewis Phillips both of the Port Elizabeth congregation in South Africa. Rev. Philip Phillips is buried at the Maiden Lane synagogue's Bancroft road cemetery, east London. (Jewish Chronicle obituary 25 January 1918; Hebrew Community of Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud by Brian Torode (1989), p.42-45.)

Rabbi Shmuel Pink

Manchester-born Rabbi Shmuel (known Shmuli) Pink (m. Rivkie Weinbaum) studied at Yeshivot in Israel, South Africa and in New York, where he obtained semicha in 1998. He held early posts in South Africa, the USA, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, as well as elsewhere in England, before his appointment as minister of Leicester Hebrew Congregation in 2001 until present (June 2021). He and his wife are also directors of Chabad of Leicester. He is the brother of another Midlands community rabbi, Rabbi Yehuda Pink of Solihull. (Profile Chabad of Leicester website and internet research.)

Rabbi Yehuda Pink

Manchester-born and educated Rabbi Pink (m. Dinie) obtained semicha and qualifications as a scribe at Kfar Chabad yeshiva, in Israel. Having engaged in campus work in Russia and Israel, he became rabbi and minister of Solihull and District Hebrew Congregation, West Midlands, in January 1994, reputed to be the youngest communal rabbi in the UK at that time. He is now (June 2022) one of the longest serving Provincial rabbis, still at the same congregation. Rabbi Pink serves as chaplain to four prisons and the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, and in 2014 received the Mayor's Award recognising his wide engagement with civic life in Solihull. He obtained an MSc in Health Care Ethics and Law from the University of Birmingham. Author of Medicine and Morals published by the Jewish Learning Institute. Together with New York raised and qualified teacher Dinie, the couple represent the International Lubavitch movement in the Solihull area. Rabbi Pink is brother of Rabbi Shmuel Pink of Leicester. (Profile on congregation's website.)

Rabbi Alan Plancey, MBE
(b. 1941)

Glasgow-born Rabbi Plancey (m. Miriam) studied at Glasgow and Gateshead yeshivot and obtained semicha from Gateshead yeshiva in August 1965 and the following month was appointed rabbi of the Luton Hebrew Congregation, Bedfordshire, and principal of the Hebrew classes (1965-1970). He was then youth minister at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue, north west London. From 1976 until his retirement in 2007 Rabbi Plancey was minister at the fast growing Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue, Hertfordshire, (and appointed emeritus rabbi in 2008). A leading activist in the Soviet Jewry campaign, he was Chaplain to the police for over 30 years, and Chaplain to Luton Airport. Since his retirement, Rabbi Plancey served in a temporary capacity as spiritual leader of Northwood Synagogue, London (2007-2009). A Conservative Councillor he was elected Mayor of Hertsmere Borough Council 2019-2020 and accepted the post again in 2020 following the death of his successor. In 2023, he was awarded an MBE in the King's birthday honours. (Internet research and various Jewish Chronicle reports including report of 2008.)

Rev. Aaron Plaskow
(3-January 1889 - 3 June 1972)

Born in Spitalfields, London, Rev. Plaskow (formerly Plaskowsky) (m. Gertie - d.1942) studied at University College (Hollier Scholarship in Hebrew) and Jews' College, London, and gained a BA degree from the University of London. He was visiting minister to the Aldershot Synagogue, Hampshire, (1912-1916) and in 1915, the War Office officially granted him recognition as the officiating clergyman to Jewish troops of the Aldershot Command. He then served as minister at Queens Park Synagogue, Glasgow (from 1916) and was minister of the Sunderland Hebrew Congregation, Moor Street (1920-1923) coupled with acting as a visiting minister to South Shields Synagogue and Durham Synagogue. Rev. Plaskow was then minister at Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation for almost three decades (1923-1951). He also served as chaplain to the nearby Shoebury Barracks in World War II. He is buried at East Ham Cemetery. (Jewish Year Book listings; Jewish Chronicle obituary of 9 June 1972 and various reports; and "The History of the Sunderland Jewish Community 1755-1955" by A. Levy, 1953*.)
*A. Levy inaccurately gives Rev. Plaskow's first name as Abraham.

Rev. Abraham Plaskow
(c.1916 - 1944)

Rev. Abraham Plaskow, a former chairman of the North London Torah Va'Avodah, served for several years as chazan at the Springfield Synagogue, Upper Clapton, north London, and was a prominent member of the Mizrachi Movement, until his tragic death in 1944, aged 28, as a result of enemy action. (Jewish Chronicle obituary, 7 July 1944.)

Rev. Michael Plaskow, MBE
(d. 2 April 2023)

Tel-Aviv born Rev. Plaskow was brought up in Wales and Stamford Hill, London. He studied chazanut at Jews' College, London and served as chazan (cantor) at Woodside Park Synagogue, London from 1956 until 2000, and was thereafter emeritus chazan. He was awarded an MBE in 1998. He subsequently retired to Netanya, Israel, where be died. (Biography formerly on Woodside Park congregation's webpage.)

Jonah Podhorzer
(15 September 1908 - 29 September 1996)

Jonah Podhorzer (or Pedahzur, later John Leyton) (m. Henrietta), who was born in Safed in Ottoman Palestine, where his father was the first Jewish Mayor, came to England in 1936 to study social science at Liverpool University. He was briefly headmaster of the religion schools for the Southport Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire in 1937. He returned to Israel (1948-1955) and was municipal secretary to the Histadrut in Tel Aviv. Returning to the UK he became Midlands Area Director of the Zionist Federation and known to many as "Pod" he was associated with other Zionist and community organisations in Birmingham. ("Philanthropy, Consensus and Broiges...a history of the Southport Jewish Community" by John Cowell, p.683 and Jewish Chronicle obituary, 29 November 1996.)

Rev. Isaac Polack

Isaac Polack lived in Penryn (Falmouth), Cornwall, during the 1760s and 1770s. It is uncertain whether he had any ministerial qualifications or held any formal position with the Falmouth Hebrew Congregation. In 1760, he  married Mary Stroughton, a non-Jewish widow, and was referred to in the parish register as a "Jewish Priest". He acted as a translator and interpreter of commercial and legal documents. ("The Lost Jews of Cornwall" by Keith Pearce and Helen Fry.)

Rev. Saul Polakoff
(d. 4 June 1974)

Hungarian-born Rev. Polakoff (m. Leonia - d. 1967) was first reader for the Belfast Hebrew Congregation (c.1931-c.1948). Rev. Polakoff moved to London where he is assumed to be Rev. S. Polakoff, a well-known mohel and resident of Edgware. He is buried at Bushey cemetery. (Jewish Year Book listings.)

Rev. Saul Polakoff
(d. 4 June 1974)

Hungarian-born Rev. Polakoff (m. Leonia - d. 1967) was first reader for the Belfast Hebrew Congregation (c.1931-c.1948). Rev. Polakoff moved to London where he is assumed to be Rev. S. Polakoff, a well-known mohel and resident of Edgware. He is buried at Bushey cemetery. (Jewish Year Book listings.)

Rev. Joseph Polack, BA
(1857 - 14 September 1932)

Rochester-born Rev. J. Polack, a son of Rev. Lazarus Pollack, studied at the University of London and at Jews’ College, London. He served as senior minister at the Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, Princes Road. From 1890 until 1923 he was house master of the Jewish house at the public school, Clifton College, Bristol, which was named Polack House, after him. He also served as chairman of the Bristol Hebrew Congregation from 1919 until his death in 1932. During World War I, at least twenty-two of the former pupils of Polack's House were killed on the battlefield, including two of his own sons. Another son, Albert Isaac Polack succeeded him as housemaster (1923-1948), followed by his cousin, Philip Polack (1948-1964) and then by Joseph's grandson, Ernest Polack (1964-1979). Joseph's brother, James L. Polack, was Principal of Crawford College, Maidenhead. (Jews of Bristol by Judith Samuel, 1997.)

Rev. Lazarus Pollack (or Polack)
(1813 - 21 November 1900)

Hamburg-born Rev. L. Pollack (m. Mindela (d.1879), a daughter of Rabbi Isaac Berlin of Hamburg), was the son of a well-to-do bookseller and antiquarian whose customers included the poet, Heinrich Hein. He came to Dover on the south coast of England where he taught French and German at the school of the Rev. R.I Cohen. In 1854 he declined a post as reader in Hull to become reader of the Chatham Synagogue, Kent. Rev. Pollack undertook his duties there "quietly and unostentatiously" and was relatively little known to the Jewish community in near-by London. During his term at Chatham the old wooden synagogue was replaced bv the "handsome temple" - the Magnus Memorial Synagogue, erected by Simon Magnus in 1870. Rev. Pollack took up occupation of the new neighbouring minister's house. He retired in 1884. His son, Rev. Joseph Polack was a house-master of Clifton College, Bristol. Another son, James L. Polack, was Principal of Crawford College, Maidenhead. (Jewish Life in Medway Towns by Irina Shrub, Shemot 17/1, 17; Jewish Chronicle obituary 23 November 1900.)

Rabbi Joel N. Portnoy
(b. c.1959)

Rev. Portnoy ARCM (m. Ruthie) qualified in voice production and chazanut, was reader at the Yeshurun Synagogue, Edgware, for three years (c.1977-1980) and in 1980 became the first reader appointed by the Kingston, Surbiton & District Affiliated Synagogue, south west London. Rev. Portnoy also worked with the Jewish Youth Study Group movement and as education director of the London Board of Jewish Education. In 1985 he became full time student chaplain in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. For over 30 years he served as minister and rabbi of the Hale and District Hebrew Congregation, South Manchester, from about 1986 until 2019. He is the father of Rabbi Zvi Portnoy. (Jewish Year Book listings; and Jewish Chronicle report.)

Rabbi Zvi Portnoy

Rabbi Z. Portnoy (m. Orly Lopian) is the son of Rabbi Joel Portnoy. He obtained semicha at yeshivot in Jerusalem and holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and counselling and a master's degree in Jewish education. He served as minister of Loughton, Chigwell and District Synagogue, Essex (2013-2019). From 2019 until present (March 2021), he and rebbetzin Orly have served as associate rabbinic couple at Hendon United Synagogue. (Report on United Synagogue website and press reports; Video of Rabbi Zvi Portnoy at his induction ceremony at Loughton Synagogue in 2014)

Rabbi Dr. Israel Porusch, OBE
(16 July 1907 - 22 May 1991)

Jerusalem-born Rabbi Porusch (m. Berta Link, 1934), studied at Etz Chaim Yeshiva, then in Germany at University of Berlin, as well as rabbinics at the Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary, Berlin. He earned a PhD in 1933 from the University of Marburg and received semicha in 1934. In view of the rise of Hitler, he moved to Britain, teaching at Jews' College and serving as minister of Finchley District Synagogue, London (1934-1938). He subsequently accepted the position as senior minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, Australia (1940-1973), being awarded an OBE in 1966. (See Biography by Suzanne D. Rutland on Australian Dictionary of Biography website.)

Rabbi Jacob Posen
(15 July 1909 - 7 September 1995)

Born and educated at Frankfurt-on-Main and later in Berlin, Rev. Posen (m. Annelies Goldmeier) arrived in Britain in 1939 as a refugee and was shortly thereafter interned on the Isle of Man. After release he was appointed minister to the Hemel Hempstead United Synagogue Membership Group in 1941, where his duties included leading services, conducting classes for evacuee children and welfare work. After the war he was minister at the Upton Park District Synagogue, east London (1945-1950), and obtained rabbinical diploma at Jews' College, London, in 1959. He served as minister at the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation (1951-1967), was a lecturer at Nottingham University and would, from time to time, perform the duties of visiting minister to the Derby Hebrew Congregation. In July 1967 he took up a rabbinical post in Zurich, Switzerland where he served until 1981. He died in London. (Jewish Chronicle report of 22 July 1949 and obituary 27 October 1995; on-line profile (in German); various other reports)

Rev. Gustave Prince
(March 1869 - 12 April 1937)

Born in Austria and educated at Halberstodt in Saxony, Rev. Prince (m.1 Augusta - d. 1913, m.2 Violet Bregman, d. 1938) served a number of German congregations before arriving in Britain. He was briefly reader in Cardiff (1897-1898), and then served as reader at Hammersmith & West Kensington Synagogue for eighteen years (1899-1917).  Having obtained leave from the educational board in Hammersmith, he conducted daily morning religion classes at the synagogue for Jewish children attending local schools. Following Rev. Michael Adler's departure in 1903 he assumed additional duties as secretary to the congregation, and was praised for his energy and organisational skills. In 1914 he worked to establish a synagogue and religion classes at Knightsbridge (later known as the Victoria and Chelsea Associate Synagogue) and from his base in Hammersmith he was also one of the founders of Ealing and Acton Hebrew Congregation. In 1917 Rev. Prince was elected reader at St Johns Wood Synagogue and on retirement in 1935 he was appointed emeritus minister to the congregation. He was for a time President of the Association of Chazanim in the UK. Having tried to retire to British Mandate Palestine in 1936 he was forced to return due to ill health. He died in London and is buried at Willesden cemetery. (Jewish Chronicle obituary 16 April 1937.)

Rev. Isaac Pulver
(c.1803 - 11 May 1873)

German-born Rev. Pulver (m. Rosetta Hadkins, 1840 in Birmingham) came to England as a young man. He was reader and shochet to the Cheltenham Hebrew Congregation, Gloucestershire (1839-1849). Unusually for this time he preached in English. Rev. Pulver also supplemented his income as “Professor of the Hebrew and German Languages” and taught Hebrew to local Christian clergy. He then settled in Cape Town, where he conducted services in the private house where he lived at the corner of St. John and Bouquet streets (c.1849-1851). He is considered the first Jewish clergyman in South Africa. In 1851 he moved to Australia where he pursued a business career. He later became assistant reader and shochet to the Melbourne Hebrew congregation and then at the East Melbourne synagogue. He helped found and served on the Melbourne Beth Din. In 1871 he went to Hobart, Tasmania, to serve as minister and shochet. He died in Hobart and was buried in the Jewish section of the new Cornelian Bay Cemetery, Hobart (view image of gravestone). He was the father of Louis Pulver (1855-1897), a celebrated teacher in both Melbourne and Sydney who was the author of First Bible Stories for Little People (1889). (Jewish Chronicle reports; The Cheltenham Mercury obituary of 2 August 1873; Study of Louis Pulver by Rabbi Raymond Apple, which also covers his father's career in some detail.)