Hampstead Synagogue

Name:

Hampstead Synagogue

Address:

Dennington Park Road, West End Lane, West Hampstead, London NW6 1AX⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

In July 1890, the Council of the United Synagogue resolved to assist in the founding and erecting of a synagogue in the Hampstead district. The site, on the corner of Dennington Park Road and West End Lane, was acquired after a site in Hilltop Road, West Hampstead, was rejected as being too close to the synagogue in St. John's Wood. The renowned  Jewish architect, Delissa Joseph,⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ was initially commissioned to design the synagogue with its frontage on West End Lane. However, after discussions regarding the position of the Ark, the plan was revised to give the synagogue its frontage on Dennington Park Road.^(iv)  The foundation stone for the synagogue, with capacity to seat 700, was laid on 13 March 1892, the festival of Purim, by Benjamin Louis Cohen, vice chairman of the United Synagogue, uniquely, in the presence of Chief Rabbi Hermann Adler; Rev. Simeon Singer, minister of the New West End Synagogue; Haham Rabbi Dr. Moses Gaster representing the Sephardi community; and Rev. Professor David Woolf Marks of the West London (Reform) Synagogue.^(v)  The synagogue was consecrated by the Chief Rabbi on Sunday, 18 September 1892.^(vi)

The synagogue is of an unusual octagonal shape and was the first synagogue in Britain to follow the European tradition of placing the bimah and pulpit on a platform in front of the Ark.^(ix) In 1897 (to mark Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee), classrooms, a board room and a sukkah were erection at the side of the building (foundation stone laid 20 June 1897).^(x) Based upon plans drawn up by Delissa Joseph, the original building was enlarged and the enlarged building was reconsecrated by the Chief Rabbi on 8 September 1901.^(xi)

The Synagogue is now a Grade II* Listed Building (number 1271984) designated on 25 September 1989. View description on Historic England website.

Formation, Rictual and Affiliation:

The congregation grew out of a movement which originally had for its object the amalgamation into one congregation, in the Hampstead district, of those connected with the Orthodox, the Reform and the Spanish and Portuguese branches of Judaism. In about 1889 a preliminary committee was formed for this purpose under the chairmanship of Herbert Bentwick. Representations were made to the Chief Rabbinate with requests for alteration and amendment of the ritual in several respects, but after prolonged negotiation it was clear that the Chief Rabbinate was averse to conceding any but very slight modifications as to ritual. Following this rebuff, the committee decided nevertheless to focus on establishing a synagogue in Hampstead (or more correctly West Hampstead, in the vicinity of which Jews had began to settle in some numbers), and that as regards ritual, such proposed congregation be along as liberal lines as the Chief Rabbi (by now Hermann Adler) would allow. ^(xiv)

The synagogue in Hampstead was consecrated in 1892 as an Orthodox Ashkenazi congregation and a constituent synagogue of the United Synagogue (and has remained so until the present), although the special character of the synagogue and the resolve of its leaders to implement changes to "modernise" the traditional Orthodox service was present from the origins of the congregation (although somewhat less so today).^(xv)

One of the earliest issues facing the establishment (i.e. the Chief Rabbinate) regarding the liberal approach of Hampstead Synagogue occurred even before the synagogue opened.  A few weeks after the laying of the foundation stone, the congregation's committee decided on 10 May 1892 to recommend the appointment of Rev. Morris D. Joseph as the first minister of the congregation, an individual well known for his liberal views. The nomination required the approval of the Chief Rabbi, who refused to sanction the appointment. A storm of public controversy followed, but ultimately, on 29 May 1892, Rev. Joseph withdrew his candidacy.^(xvi)

The following are some the "progressive" changes initially implemented by the congregation, all of which have now been reversed: the permitting of mixed choirs at regular Sabbath services (although the Chief Rabbi had refused to permit a mixed choir to participate in the ceremony for the laying of the foundation stone of the synagogue);^(xvii) Dropping the repetition of the Amidah at the Sabbath Musaph service;^(xviii) No longer permitting the Kohanim to give the priestly blessing (duchaning) on Festivals (a decision that was not reversed until 1955).^(xix)

Current Status:

Active

Website:

https://hampsteadshul.org.uk

Synagogue Magazine:

In the early 2000s, the congregation's magazine was renamed from "The Hampstead Chronicle" to "The Review", similar to its original name.^(xxi)

Alternative Congregation:

Following the rejection by the Chief Rabbi in 1889 to the list of reforms proposed by the "Hampstead" committee, a group of secessionists from the committee decided to organise Sabbath afternoon services "so framed as to meet the wants of those who are not en rapport with the present form of public worship".^(xxii) A mixed choir of male and female voices would lead the congregational singing, accompanied by an organ. The Rev. Morris D. Joseph would officiate regularly. The services commenced in 1890 initially at the Town Hall in West Hampstead and subsequently at the Kilburn Town Hall, and continued until 1893.^(xxiii) A. Lindo Henry was Hon. Secretary.

Ministers: (To view a short profile of a minister or reader whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over his name.)

Rev. Aaron Asher Green - minister from 1892 until 1930.^(xxvi)

Dayan Mark Gollop - minister from 1933 formally until 1944, but full time chaplain to the forces from 1939.^(xxvii)

Rev. Sidney Clayman - temporary minister from 1939 until 1940.^(xxviii)

Rev. Morris Nemeth - temporary minister from 1940 until 1945.^(xxix)

Rev. Dr. Isaac Levy - minister from 1946 until 1964.^(xxx)

Rev. Raymond Apple - minister from about 1965 until 1972.^(xxxiii)

Rabbi Dr. Norman Solomon - minister from 1974 until 1983.^(xxxiv)

Rabbi Saul Aronov - minister from 1986 until 1987.^(xxxv)

Rev. Dr. Norman E. Gale - minister from 1988 until 1995 (also see under Assistant Ministers).^(xxxvi)

Rabbi Dr. Michael Harris - minister from 1995 until 2025.^(xxxvii)

Rabbi Akiva Rosenblatt & Rebbetzen Batya Rosenblatt - rabbinic couple from 2026.^(xxxviii)

Student, Assistant and Associate Ministers:

Student Ministers in the 1930s, who assisted Dayan Mark Gollop: ^(xlii)

Rev. Philip Cohen

Rev. Isaac Levy from 1934 until 1936 (later minister).

Rev. Samuel Venitt

Rev. Sidney Clayman, who then became temporary minister in 1939.

Rev. Joseph Shaw - assistant minister from about 1949 until 1952. ^(xliii)

Rev. Ronald Lubofsky - assistant minister from 1952 until 1954. ^(xliv)

Rev. Dr. Norman E. Gale - assistant minister from about 1954 until about 1958 (also see under Ministers). ^(xlv)

Rev. Eddie L. Jackson - assistant minister from 1958 until 1961. ^(xlvi)

Rabbi Jack Cohen & Rebbetzen Rivka Cohen - associate rabbinic couple from 2019 until 2023.^(xlvii)

Cantors (Chazanim) / Readers:

Rev. Samuel Manné - reader from 1892 until April 1899.^(li)

Rev. Wolf Stoloff - temporary reader from 1899, then permanent reader from 1902 until 1931.^(lii)

Rev. Hyman Cooper - part time assistant reader from July 1928 until on or before 1930.^(liii)

Rev. Gershon Boyars - reader from 1931 until 1959.^(liv)

Rev. Charles Lowy - reader from 1959 until 1987.^(lv)

Rev. Stanley Ivan Brickman - reader from 1987 until 2004.^(lviii)

Rev. (later Rabbi) Shlomo Roger Gerzi - reader from 2005 until at least 2021.^(lix)

Honorary Officers:

The data below on honorary officers has generally been extracted from listings in Jewish Year Books (JYBs), supplemented by the list of Honorary Officers appearing on p. 115 of Rabbi Raymond Apple's The Hampstead Synagogue 1892-1967 (which list did not distinguish between the wardens and the financial representative).^(lxv)

Wardens

1892-1894 - Frank L. Lyons & Herbert Bentwich, LLB^(lxvi)

1894-1896 - Frank L. Lyons & Henry Nathan^(lxvii)

1996-1901 - Frank L. Lyons & Samuel Moses, MA

1901-1903 - Alexander Jacob & Samuel Moses, MA

1903-1904 - Samuel Moses, MA^(lxviii) & Carl Stettauer

1904-1907 - Carl Stettauer & Abraham Davis

1907-1908 - Abraham Davis & Dr. Jacob Snowman

1908-1909 - Dr. Jacob Snowman & Emil Kahn

1909-1913 - Emil Kahn & S.M. Heilbut

1913-1915 - S.M. Heilbut & George G. Jacob

1915-1916 - George G. Jacob & Robert S. Mosely

1916-1919 - Robert S. Mosely & Isidore J. Rozelaar

1919-1921 - Isidore J. Rozelaar & D. Magnus

1921-1923 - D. Magnus & S.T. Cohn

1923-1924 - S.T. Cohn

1924-1925 - S.T. Cohn & Lawrence Levy

1925-1927 - Lawrence Levy & A.J. Jacobs

1927-1929 - A.J. Jacobs & John Lewis

1929-1931 - John Lewis & Henry Gledhill

1931-1933 - Henry Gledhill & Aaron Jackson

1933-1935 - Aaron Jackson & Henry M. Cohen

1935-1937 - Henry M. Cohen & George J. Tibber

1937-1939 - George J. Tibber & Leopold J. Lazarus

1939-1941 - Leopold J. Lazarus & Bernard Raperport

1941-1942 - Bernard Raperport

1942-1944 - Bernard Raperport & Isaac W. Goldberg

1945-1944 - Bernard Raperport & Emanuel Snowman

1947-1949 - Emanuel Snowman & Joseph C. Gilbert

1949-1951 - Joseph C. Gilbert & Mark Kleiner

1951-1953 - Mark Kleiner & Michael Abrahams

1953-1955 - Michael Abrahams & Claude Green

1955-1957 - Claude Green & Joseph Phillips

1957-1959 - Joseph Phillips & Ellis Josephs

1959-1961 - Ellis Josephs & Harry Sumeray

1961-1963 - Harry Sumeray & Cyril M. Abelson

from 1963 - no data (except for 1967 below)

Financial Representatives

1892-1894 - John Meredith^(lxvi)

1894-1897 - Samuel Moses, MA

1897-1901 - Alexander Jacob

1901-1903 - Carl Stettauer

1903-1904 - Abraham Davis

1904-1907 - Dr. Jacob Snowman

1907-1908 - Emil Kahn

1908-1909 - S.M. Heilbut

1909-1913 - George G. Jacob

1913-1915 - Robert S. Mosely

1915-1916 - Isidore J. Rozelaar

1916-1919 - D. Magnus

1919-1921 - S.T. Cohn

1921-1923 - Lionel Tuck

1923-1924 - Lawrence Levy

1924-1925 - A.J. Jacobs

1925-1927 - John Lewis

1927-1929 - Henry Gledhill

1929-1931 - Aaron Jackson

1931-1933 - Henry M. Cohen

1933-1935 - George J. Tibber

1935-1937 - Leopold J. Lazarus

1937-1939 - Bernard Raperport

1939-1942 - Isaac W. Goldberg

1942-1944 - Emanuel Snowman

1944-1947 - Joseph C. Gilbert

1947-1949 - Mark Kleiner

1949-1951 - Michael Abrahams

1951-1953 - Claude Green

1953-1955 - Joseph Phillips

1955-1957 - Ellis Josephs

1957-1959 - Harry Sumeray

1959-1961 - Cyril M. Abelson

1961-1963 - Maurice Sanders^(lxix)

from 1963 - no data (except for 1967 below)

The Hon. Officers in 1967^(lxx) were:

Wardens: Oscar Swan & Jonas Shaw;   Financial Representative: Dr. Henry Stoll

Secretaries and Hon. Secretaries:

1892-1902 - Rev. Aaron Asher Green^(lxxiii)

1902-1910 - Rev. Wolf Stoloff^(lxxiv)

1910-1930 - B.M. Woolf^(lxxv)

1930-1962 - Nathan Lionel Herman^(lxxvi)

1962-about 1971 - Phineas L. May^(lxxvii)

Miscellaneous Other Officers:

Beadles

1892-1930 - Charles Abrahams^(lxxx)

1930-1955 - Julius Bernstein^(lxxxi)

Followed by:^(lxxxii)

Horace Haft (from 1955)

Harry Scott

David Hinden

Stanley Kershaw (in 1967)

Choir Masters

1896 - Algernon Lindo^(lxxxv)

1896-1915 - Louis Freeman^(lxxxvi)

1916-1947 - Samuel Alman^(lxxxvii)

Followed by:^(lxxxviii)

Bernard Cousin

Dudley Cohen

Willy Scharf (in 1967)

Membership Data:

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

1892	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950	1960	1970
141	384	486	511	613	713	767	833	773

National Reports & Surveys^(xciii)

1977 - 600 male (or household) members and 502 female members

1983 - 660 male (or household) members and 528 female members

1990 - 776 members (comprising 754 households, 11 individual male and 11 individual female members)

1996 - 673 members (comprising 600 households, 40 individual male and 33 individual female members)

2010 and 2016 - listed as having 400 to 499 members (by household)

Charitable Status:

Local Government Districts:

West Hampstead, a district in northwest London, is in the London Borough of Camden, within the administrative area of Greater London.^(xciv)

Previously, it was in the former Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead (incorporated as a borough in 1900) in the former County of London. Prior to 1900, Hampstead was a civil parish in the former County of Middlesex.

Worship Registration:

The synagogue in Dennington Park Road is registered as a Place of Worship - Worship Register Number 41346 - under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.^(xcv)

Cemetery
Information:

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