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Brief Profiles of Ministers1. Rabbi Charles Berg Rabbi Berg (1911-1979), born Karl Rautenberg in Treptow, Germany, became, in 1952, the first non-Orthodox rabbi to be ordained in the UK. He served previously as minister of the Bournmouth Reform Synagogue (1948-52) and subsequently as minister of Wimbledon & District Synagogue (1953-1974). (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History, "Who's Who" entry and obituary in Jewish Year Books.) Rabbi Dr. Joel Blau Rabbi Blau (c.1878-1927) previously served as rabbi of synagogues in Rochester and Brooklyn, Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, New York and Peni-El Temple, New York. (Jewish Telegraph Report of 26 October 1927) Rabbi Lionel Blue London-born Rabbi Blue, OBE (1930-2016), who was ordained in 1958, previously served as minister of the St. George's Settlement Synagogue (c.1958-1961), minister of the Middlesex New Synagogue, now the Mosaic Reform Synagogue (1961-1964). (Mosaic's website and obituary in the Daily Telegraph.) Rabbi Danny Burkeman Rabbi Burkeman, who was ordained in 2009, later served as associate rabbi of The Community Synagogue, Port Washington, New York (2011-2017) and senior rabbi of Temple Shir Tikva, Wayland, Massachusetts (2017 to present - January 2019). (Temple Shir Tikva's website accessed 20 January 2019) Rabbi Louis J. Cashdan Detroit-born Rabbi Cashdan (1906-1987) was ordained in 1933. He also served congregations in Des Moines, Charleston, W.Va., Kansas City, Mo., Toronto and Washington DC and retired in 1981. (Obituary) Rabbi Curtis E. Cassell Rabbi Cassell (1912-1998), born Kurt Kassell in Opeln, Germany, was ordained in 1936 and came to Britain in 1939. He also served as rabbi of Glasgow Progressive Synagogue (1945-1948) and was rabbi of the Progressive Jewish Congregation in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) (1957-1977). (A History in our Time - Rabbis and Teachers Buried at Hoop Lane Cemetery, 2006) Rabbi Marim D. Charry Rabbi Charry (born 1935) returned to the United States and was connected to a number of US congregations, in particular Temple Israel of Great Neck. Rabbi Malcolm Cohen London-born Rabbi Cohen, who was ordained in 2006, later served as rabbi of Temple Sinai, Los Vegas (2009 to present - January 2019). (Temple Sinai's website, accessed 20 January 2019.) Rabbi Prof. Dan Mark Cohn-Sherbok
Denver-born Rabbi Professor Cohn-Shertok, a theologian and prolific author, is a former professor of Judaism at the University of Wales. Rabbi Michael Curtis Rabbi Michael Curtis (1896-1988) came to Britain from Germany as a refugee in the 1930s. He also served as Clerk to the Reform Beth Din (1948-1972). Rabbi Dr. A. Stanley Dreyfus
Ohio-born Rabbi Dreyfus (1921-2008) was ordained in 1946 and served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army (1956-1965). He was rabbi of Congregation Beth El in Beaver Falls, PA (1950-1951), Congregation B'nai Israel in East Liverpool, OH (1951-1956), Terre Haute, IN (1953-55), Temple B'nai Israel in Galveston, TX (1956-1965) and Union Temple of Brooklyn, NY (1965-1979) and Director of Rabbinic Placement of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (1980-1991). Rabbi Colin Eimer Rabbi Eimer, who was ordained in 1971, also served as rabbi of Union Liberale Israelite Synagogue, Paris (1971-74), part-time rabbi of Bushey & District Reform Jewish Community, now Radlett Reform Synagogue (1974-1977), senior rabbi of Southgate & District Reform Synagogue, later known Sha'arei Tzedek North London Reform Synagogue (1977-2015) and thereafter rabbi emeritus of that congregation. He also acted as minister of Finchley Reform Synagogue (2001-2005) and held various offices in the Reform movement and education. ("Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books and biography of Rabbi Einer on Sha'arei Tzedek's website.) Rabbi Michael Farbman Rabbi Farbman, born is Belarus, then part of the Soviet Union, was ordained in 2001. He later served as rabbi of Sha'arei Shalom Progressive Jewish Community, St Petersburg, Russia (2004-2007), Washington Hebrew Congregation (2007-2009) and Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven (2009 to present - January 2019). (LinkedIn profile) Rabbi Helen Freeman Rabbi Freeman, MA, who was ordained in 1990, previous served as an associate rabbi of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Wood (c.1994-1999). (Congregation's website, last accessed 20 January 2019, and Jewish Year Books listings) Rabbi Henry Goldstein Rabbi Goldstein (b. 1936, London) also served as rabbi of Finchley Reform Synagogue (1968-1973) and minister of South West Essex Reform Synagogue (South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue from 1998) (1973-2001, and thereafter as emeritus rabbi). ("Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books.) Rabbi Michael Goulston Rabbi Goulston (1931-1972), who was ordained in 1963, had also served as rabbi of Southport New Synagogue and as minister of the Middlesex New Synagogue, now the Mosaic Reform Synagogue (1965-1968). (Biography in Palgrave Dictionary, Mosaic Reform Synagogue's website and Jewish Year Book listings.) Rabbi Hugo Gabriel Gryn Czechoslovakian born Rabbi Gryn (1930-1996), a survivor from the Auschwitz death camp, was ordained in 1957. He served as rabbi of the Jewish Religious Union in Bombay (1957-1960), executive director of World Union for Progressive Judaism (1960-1962), senior executive of American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (1962-1964) prior to his period at WLS. He was also a vice-president and lecturer of Leo Baeck College (1964-1996). (Obituary) The Rev. Isidore Harris Rev. Isadore Harris, M.A. (c.1854-1925) was also editor of the Jewish Year Book (1900-1924). Rabbi Bernard Heller Rabbi Heller Ph.D. (1897-1976) was born in Kishinev (now Moldova) and moved to the United States as a child. He was ordained in 1920 and served in Scranton, Pennsylvania, from 1920 to 1930. Thereafter he held a number of positions in the United States. Rabbi Sonny Herman Rabbi Hermon (1925-2009) also served as at Southgate & District Reform Synagogue from 1961 until 1977, initially as student rabbi and later as the congregation's first minister. ((Jewish Year Book listings) Rabbi Bruno Italiener Rabbi Italiener (1881-1956) was born in Burgdorf, near Hanover. He was a rabbi in Darmstadt (1907-1927), and of Hamburg Tempel (1928-1939). He also served as rabbi of the St. George's Settlement Synagogue (early 1940s) and Southport Reform Synagogue. Rabbi Neil Janes Rabbi Janes, MA, who was ordained in 2006, previously served as rabbi of Finchley Progressive Synagogue (2006-2010) and the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Wood (2011-2015). (Biography on Reform Judaism's website, accessed 20 January 2019) The Rev. Morris David Joseph London-born Rev. Joseph (1848-1930) was initially an orthodox minister serving as minister of the North London Synagogue (1868-1874) and Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation (1874-1882). (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History) Rabbi Shamai Kanter Boston-Rabbi Kanter (1930-2018) was ordained in 1955. He served as rabbi of several congregations in North America, including Congregation Beth-El, Toronto (1958-1962), Temple Israel, Sharon, Mass. (1962-1976) and Temple Beth-El, Rochester, NY (1976-c.2002) Rabbi Arthur Katz Prague-born Rabbi Dr. A Katz (1908-1996), who was ordained in 1933, was the rabbi in the small Czech town of Soběslav (Sobislau) and the only Jew from that town to survive the Holocaust, having been out of the country at the time of the mass deportation and murder of the town's population. He served minister of Hendon Reform Synagogue (c.1950-c.1982). Rabbi Wolfe Kelman Rabbi Kelman (1923-1990), who was born in Vienna, Austria and grew up in Toronto Canada, was ordained in 1950. He became one of the leaders of Conservative Judaism in the United States, but chose never to lead his own congregation. Rabbi Dr. Michael Leigh London-born Rabbi Dr. Leigh, M.A. (1928-2000) later served as senior minister of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue (1963-1999), where he received his doctorate while in office and was named as Emeritus Minister after the appointment of his succcesor. ("Who's Who" entries and listings in Jewish Year Books.) Rabbi John Levi Rabbi Levi (born c. 1935) was the first Australian-born rabbi to be ordained. He joined the Temple Beth Israel of Melbourne in 1960 becoming its senior rabbi from 1974 until his retirement in 1998 and was a founder of The King David School, Melbourne in 1978. (On-line interview and profiles.) Rabbi Josh Levy Rabbi Levy was later appointed as a rabbi of the North Western Reform Synagogue (Alyth), Golders Green (2008 to present - January 2019) (Alyth's website, last accessed 20 January 2019) The Rev. Albert Löwy Rev. Löwy (1816-1908) was born in Mährisch-Aussee (Usov), Moravia and came to England in 1840. See separate Biography on JCR-UK. The Rev. Philip Magnus (later, Sir Philip Magnus, first Baronet) London-born Sir Philip Magnus (1842-1933) was knighted in 1886 and made a baronet in 1917. He served as Unionist MP for London University (1906-1922), being the first man elected to Parliament to have served in a rabbinical capacity. (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History) The Rev. Professor David Woolf Marks
London-born Rev. Marks (1811-1909) was the first minister of the WLS. He had previously served as assistant reader of the Western Synagogue, London (1831-1833) and reader of the Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, Steel Street (1833-?). Rabbi Ignaz Maybaum Viennese-born Rabbi Maybaum (1897-1976) had served as a rabbi in Germany prior to World War II, escaping to England in 1938. He also served as senior minister of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue (1947-1963), where he was named as Emeritus Minister after the appointment of his succcesor and until his death. ("Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books) Rabbi Alan Miller Hull-born Rabbi Miller, PhD (1926-2016) was also minister of S.W. Essex Synagogue (c.1958-c.1961) and subsequently moved to the United States to became rabbi and teacher at the Society for the Advancement of Judaiam (1961-1992). (Jewish Year Book listings and Obituary in the New York Times.) Rabbi David Mitchell Rabbi Mitchell, who was ordained in 2009, previously served as associate rabbi of Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue (2009-2011). (Congregation's website, accessed 20 January 2019) Rabbi Julia Babette Sarah Neuberger DBE (Baroness Neuberger)
Since 2004, Rabbi The Rt Hon The Baroness Neuberger DBE, MA. Rabbi Neuberger (née Schwab; born 1950) was ordained in 1977, being Britain's second only female rabbi and the first to have her own synagogue when she served as minister of South London Liberal Synagogue (1977-1989). She was subsequently involved in many communal, academic and public activities before returning to the pulpit in 2011. (Congregation's website, accessed 20 January 2019) Rabbi Dr. Allen Howard Podet
Rabbi Podet (born 1934, Cleveland, Ohio), who for much of his career was a professor or part of the academic team at various US educational institutions, had also served as rabbi at Temple Israel, Dayton Ohio (1962-1964) and Temple Sinai, Bellview, Washington (1970-1974). Rabbi Harold F. Reinhart American-born Rabbi Reinhart, DD (1891-1969) was ordained in 1915 and served congregations in Gary, Indiana, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles and Sacramento, California, coming to England in 1929 to take up the position at WLS. He resigned after 27 years as a result of a widening rift with a majority of members of the synagogue and establish the Westminster Synagogue, serving as its minister from 1957 until his death in 1969. (Westminster Synagogue's website and papers of Rabbi Reinhart at Southampton University.) Rabbi Erwin S. Rosenblum Rabbi Rosenblum (1922-1996) was born in Bratislava and sought refuge in Britain from the Nazis in 1938. His first appointment was as a chazan at the orthodox Maida Vale Beth Hamedresh (c.1945) before joining the Reform movement. He served as minister of Maidenhead Synagogue (1953-1956), assistant minister of North Western Reform Synagogue, Alyth Gardens, Golders Green (1955-1956) and minister of Brighton & Hove New (Reform) Synagogue (1956-1984). (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History) Rabbi Thomas Salamon Czech-born Rabbi Salamon was ordained in 1972. He also served as minister of Hertsmere Progressive Synagogue, Elstree (c.1980-c.1988), minister of the Hampstead Reform Jewish Community (c.1988-c.1990) and senior minister of Westminster Synagogue (1997-2018). (Profile on Westminster Synagogue's website and Jewish Year Book listings.) Rabbi Harold Irving Saperstein
New York born Rabbi Saperstein (1910-2001) was ordained in 1935. He served as the minister of Temple Emanu-El of Lynbrook, Long Island (1933 to 1980, initailly as a student rabbi), during which time he spent short periods at WLS, and later assisted other synagogues in the New York area. Rabbi Hermann Schreiber Rabbi Schrieber (1882-1954), born in the former German town of Schrimm (now Śrim in Poland) and served as rabbi in Potsdam until 1938, when his syangogue was destroyed during Kristallnacht. In 1939, after being held in Sachsenhausen concentration camp, he managed to flee to London. He is buried at the Jewish Weissensee Cemetery in Berlin, having died during a visit to Germany. Rabbi Robert Franklin Shafritz
US-born Rabbi Shafritz (1944-1996) later served as minister of Wimbledon & District Synagogue (1993-1996) dying in office, aged 51. Rabbi Sybil Sheridan Bolton-born Rabbi Sheridan, who was ordained in 1981, also served as rabbi / minister of Beersheva Reform Synagogue in Israel, Newcastle Reform Synagogue, Ealing Liberal Synagogue (1981-86), Thames Valley Jewish Community (now known as the Reading Liberal Jewish Community (1994-2003), as a joint minister of Wimbledon & District Synagogue (2002-2014) and again as rabbi (part-time) of Newcastle Reform Synagogue (2014 to present - January 2019). (Profile on Reform Judaism website and "Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books (latest 2015).) Rabbi Dr. Reuven (Robert) Malcolm Silverman
Oxford-born Rabbi Dr. Silverman also served as minister of Mikeve Israel Emanuel Synagogue, Curacao (1969-1971), assistant minister of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue (1974-1977) and minister of Manchester Reform Synagogue (c.1977 to present - January 2019). (Manchester Reform Synagogue website, Jewish Year Book listings and "Who's Who" entries ). The Rev. Vivian George Simmons
The period of service of Salford-born Rev. Simmons (1886-1970) at WLS included four years as an army chaplain during World War I. He subsequently served as interim minister of North-Western Reform Synagogue, Golders Green (1942-1943) and as minister of Birmingham Liberal Jewish Synagogue (1943-1948), North London Progressive Synagogue (1948-1956) and Wembley & District Liberal Synagogue (1956-1961). (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History) Rabbi Amnon Daniel Smith Israel-born Rabbi Smith, M.A., who was ordained in 1977, also served as minister of Wimbledon & District Synagogue (1982-1993) and as a senior minister of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue (1993-2015), continuing in such capacity following the merger of that congregation to form the Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue (2015 to present - January 2019). (Listings and "Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books (latest 2015) and profile on the website of the Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue.) Rabbi Benjamin (Benji) Stanley
London-born Rabbi Stanley, who was ordained in 2013, later served as Rabbi for Young Adults at Reform Judaism (2014-17) and minister of the Westminster Synagogue (2017 to present - January 2019) Rabbi Dr. Jacqueline (Jackie) Tabick
Dublin-born Rabbi Tabick, the wife of Rabbi Larry Tabick, was ordained as Britain's first female rabbi in 1975. She also served as minister of North West Surrey Synagogue, Weybridge (1998-2013) and as part-time (temporary) minister of South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue (2015-16) and has lead the Shabbat and Festival services at London's West Central Liberal Jewish Synagogue since at least early 2017. (Websites of North West Surrey and West Central Liberal Jewish Synagogues.) Rabbi Larry Alan Tabick American-born Rabbi Tabick, BA, MA, FLBC, the husband of Rabbi Jacqueline Tabick, was ordained in 1976. He also served as rabbi of Shir Hayim - Hampstead Reform Jewish Community (1976-81, 1990 to present - January 2019), as assistant minister of Middlesex New Synagogue, now Mosaic Reform Synagogue (1981-86), as associate minister of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue (1986-1990) and as part-time rabbi of Leicester Progressive Jewish Community (1994-98). ("Who's Who" entries and listings in Jewish Year Books, Shir Hayim's website.) Rabbi André Ungar Hungarian-born Rabbi Ungar later served as minister of the Temple Israel congregation in Port Elizabeth, South Africa but was expelled in 1956 by the South African authorities for his decrying of apartheid. He then served as minister of the St. Georges Settlement Synagogue (1956-1957). (Jewish Year Book listing, Jewish Standard press report 19 February 2010 and biography) Rabbi Werner Van Der Zyl German-born Rabbi Van der Zyl (1902-1984) was ordained in 1933 and had been rabbi of two congregations in Berlin prior seeking refuge in Britain. He also served as senior minister of North Western Reform Synagogue, Alyth Gardens, Golders Green (1943-1958). Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman US-born Rabbi Weiman-Kelman, who was ordained in 1979, later moved to Israel and founded Jerusalem's Kehilat Kol Haneshama in 1985. Rabbi Mark Winer Rabbi Winer, MBE, PhD, DD, (b. 1942, Utah), was ordained in 1970 and served as a congregational rabbi for some thirty years in the United States (Connecticut and New York State), becoming rabbi emeritus of Kol Ami Congregation, White Plains, New York in 1998 and in the same year assuming the pulpit at WLS. Rabbi William Wolff Rabbi Wolf (b. 1927, Berlin), who escaped with his family to Amsterdam in 1933 and then to London in 1939, was ordained in 1984. He also served as rabbi / minister at Newcastle Reform Synagogue (1986-90), Milton Keynes & District Reform Synagogue (1990-1993), Reading Liberal Jewish Community, Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue (1993-1997) and Wimbledon & District Synagogue (1997-2002). In 2002, he returned to work in Germany with that country's growing Jewish community. Rabbi Roderick Young Rabbi Young (born 1960, Salisbury), who had been raised as a Christain, only discovering his Jewish identity at the age of 23, was ordained in 1999. He previously served as a rabbi at Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, New York and Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation and later served as senior rabbi of Finchley Reform Synagogue (c.2006-c.2008). (Biography and Interview.) Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers Rabbi Young-Somers, who was ordained in 2009, is curently (January 2019) the Community Educator at The Movement for Reform Judaism. Footnotes (↵returns to main text)
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