the former

Shepherd's Bush, Fulham & District Synagogue

London W6

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and congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.

© Leslie Bailey 2008
The congregation's former synagogue at Poplar Grove (January 2008),
now a kingdom hall for Jehovah Witnesses.
Reproduced with the kind permission of Leslie Bailey

Congregation Data
Name:	Shepherd's Bush, Fulham & District Synagogue (from 1959)⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
Earlier Names:⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾	Shepherd's Bush Synagogue (until early/mid 1940) Shepherd's Bush Synagogue & Talmud Torah (from early/mid 1940s until 1959)
Final Address:	1a Poplar Grove, London W6 7RF The foundation stone for the original synagogue on this site was laid by Stuart Samuel in February 1924 and the synagogue was opened in May 2024 by Lord Swaythling and consecrated by Dayan Asher Feldman of the London Beth Din.^(iv) In 1938/39, the synagogue was rebuilt, or largely remodelled, designed by architect Henry Darsa,^(v) and consecrated by Dayan H.M. Lazarus. In 1962 a communal hall was added and was a flat for the minister and in 1963 the synagogue was refurbished.^(vi)
Earlier Addresses:	The congregation initially met in a hut at 61 The Lawn, Shepherd's Bush Green, London W12.^(ix) In 1918, it moved to Park Hall, Providence Place, London W12, where it remained until the opening of the Poplar Grove synagogue in 1924.^(x)
Formation:	The first meeting of the congregation was held on 30 November 1913 at the home of a Mr. I. Fineberg "in connection with the formation of a synagogue and Talmud Torah in Shepherd's Bush."^(xi)
Final Status:	The synagogue closed in 1989,^(xii) although congregation was not wound up until several years later.^(xiii) The synagogue building became a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.^(xiv)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Affiliation:	The congregation was unaffiliated until becoming affiliated to the Federation of Synagogues by about 1917, although until the 1920s such affiliation may have have been very loose, possibly relating solely to the burial fund.^(xvii)
Mergers:	In May 1959, the congregation adopted its ultimate name, when the neighbouring Fulham & Kensington Synagogue merged with the congregation.^(xviii) Subsequently, in the early 1990's, the Notting Hill Synagogue also merged with the congregation.
Ministers: *(To view a short profile of a minister or reader whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over his name.)*	Rev. S.A Michelson - minister from 1914 until about 1916.^(xxii) Rev. Morris Brown - reader, and from time to time minister, from about 1915 until about 1945.^(xxiii) Rev. Gedalia Gerald Kirsner - minister/preacher from 1916 until about 1926.^(xxiv) Rabbi Louis Isaac Rabinowitz - minister/preacher from about 1926 until about 1928.^(xxv) Rev. Israel Abramovitch - minister from 1928 until 1932.^(xxvi) Rabbi Morris Swift - minister from 1932 until 1936.^(xxix) Rabbi Isaac Louis Swift - minister from 1936 until 1938.^(xxx) Rev. (later Rabbi) Raphael Feldman - minister from 1938 until about 1958.^(xxxi) Rev. (later Rabbi) Ivor L. Abrams - minister from 1958 until 1970.^(xxxii) Rabbi Monty Aaronberg - minister from 1970 until 1980.^(xxxiii) S. Goldstein - minister from about 1984 until about 1987.^(xxxvi) Stanley Coten - minister from about 1987 until about 1988.^(xxxvii)
Readers :	Rev. Morris Brown - see above Emanuel Meyer Freilich - reader in early 1940s and in 1947.^(xl) Rev. M. Levy - reader from about 1948.^(xli) Rev. Morris Katanka - reader from 1950 until 1955.^(xlii) Joseph Lazar Freilich - reader from about 1956 until about 1958.^(xliii)
Lay Officers:	Unless otherwise stated, all data on lay officers has been extracted from listings in Jewish Year Books^(xlv)
	Presidents 1914-1915 - J. Kaplan 1915-1918 - A. Rubinstein^(xlvi) 1918-1921 - A. Lipshitz^(xlvi) 1921-1923 - J.H. Franks^(xlvi) 1923-1929 - J. Winkler^(xlvi) 1929-1930 - D. Plotzker 1930-1932 - H. Koller 1932-1934 - J. Winkler 1934-1952 - S. Stern ^(xlvii) 1952-1954 - Mark Ashken 1954-1955 - Dr. S. Jacobs 1955-1956 - Mark Ashken from 1956 - no data Wardens 1914-1915 - I. Walter & S. Rosenfeld 1915-1918 - A. Fisher & S. Rosenfeld 1918-1921 - A. Fisher & R. Cohen 1921-1923 - H. Fisher & R. Cohen 1923-1927 - H. Fisher & D. Plotzer 1927-1929 - H. Fisher & J. Phillips 1929-1930 - H. Fisher & P. Jacobson^(xlviii) 1930-1932 - H. Fisher & D. Plotzer^(xlviii) 1932-1933 - H. Fisher^(xlviii) 1933-1934 - H. Fisher & H.J. Pearl^(xlviii) 1934-1936 - H. Fisher & W. Paros^(xlviii) 1936-1937 - H. Fisher^(xlviii) 1937-1938 - H. Fisher & A.C. Spurling^(xlviii) 1938-1945 - no data 1945-1946 - A.C. Spurling & H. Pearl 1946-1953 - no data 1953-1956 - M. Goldston & S. Atkins from 1956 - no data	Vice President 1947-1950 - Emanuel Dee 1953-1955 - Emanuel Dee Treasurers 1914-1915 - A. Rubinstein 1915-1918 - J. Winkler 1918-1923 - N. Waterman 1923-1927 - no data 1927-1931 - D. Lewis 1931-1932 - A. Lipshitz 1932-1933 - M. Schwartz 1933-1934 - S. Lee 1934-1936 - P. Kutzman 1936-1938 - Mark Ashken 1938-1947 - no data 1947-1952 - Mark Ashken 1952-1954 - Alfred Bush 1954-1955 - H. Barnett 1955-1956 - S. Wolfe from 1956 - no data Secretaries & Hon Secretaries 1916-1918 - I. Walker 1918-1923 - J. Winkler 1923-1926 - Rev. G. G. Kirsner 1926-1927 - S. Stern 1927-1929 - J. Cole 1929-1932 - S. Stern 1932-1951 - N. Goldston^(xlix)^(l) 1951-1957 - H. Lewis^(l) 1957-1959 - M. Kelvin 1959-1967 - L. Wasserman 1967-1970 - Rabbi I. L. Abrams 1970-1980 - Rabbi M. Aaronberg
Membership Data:	Jewish Year Books (seatholders) 1917 - 94 members 1922 - 180 members National Reports & Surveys^(liii) 1977 - 108 male (or household) members and 60 female members 1983 - 74 male (or household) members and 61 female members 1990 - 91 household members 1996 - 56 members (comprising 16 households, 6 individual male and 34 individual female members)
Local Government Districts:	Shepherd's Bush, a district in west central London, is in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, an Inner London Borough created on 1 April 1965 (and until 1979 named the London Borough of Hammersmith), within the administrative area of Greater London.^(liv) Previously it was in the former Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith (established in 1900) in the former County of London (established 1889), both of which entities were abolished in 1965.
Registration District (BMD):	Hammersmith & Fulham from 1 January 2001^(lv) - Link to Register Office website
Cemetery Information:	For Federation cemeteries, see Cemeteries of the Federation of Synagogues.

Online Articles, Bibliography and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

on JCR-UK

Bibliography:
- The Lost Synagogues of London, 2000, by Peter Renton, pp. 174-6;
- Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland, 2015, by Sharman Kadish, p. 52;
- "Shepherds Bush" in Kol Dodi - a selection of articles by Rabbi David Katanka, 2015, p.113;
- other London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham bibliography

on Third Party Websites

Shepherd's Bush Synagogue in London on the Center for Jewish Art website (Historic Synagogues of Europe).

Other Organisations & Institutions
connected to this congregation

Educational

Talmud Torah - founded on the formation of the congregation^(lx)
The following are details of the number of pupils enrolled in the classes for the relevant years:^(lxi)

1914

1915

1916

1921

40

54

82

86

Other Institutions

Ladies Guild - active by 1927.^(lxii)
Youth Club - flourishing in 1953.^(lxiii)

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) This was the name adopted by the congregation following the merger in 1959 with Fulham and Kensington Synagogue. It was listed under this name in Jewish Year Books from 1961 until its closure ↵
(iii) The congregation was listed as Shepherds's Bush Synagogue in Jewish Year Books from its first appearance (1915) until 1940 (when publication was suspended due to the war), and as Shepherds's Bush Synagogue and Talmud Torah from when publication resumed (1945/6) through 1960. However the Talmud Torah was an integral part of the congregation from its inception as the initial meeting was called "in connection with the formation of a synagogue and Talmud Torah". ↵
(iv) Kol Dodi - a selection of articles by Rabbi David Katanka, 2015, p.113. ↵
(v) Sharman Kadish's Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland, 2015, p.52. To view a description of the Jewish architectural works by Henry Darsa, hold your cursor over his name.. ↵
(vi) Peter Renton's The Lost Synagogues of London, 2000, ("Renton") p. 176. ↵
(vii) and (viii) Reserved.
(ix) Renton, p. 176. Although this address was listed in Jewish Year Books from 1915 through 1921. ↵
(x) Renton, p. 176. Address listed in Jewish Year Books 1922 and 1923. ↵
(xi) Renton, p. 175. ↵
(xii) Renton, p. 176. Its last listing was in the Jewish Year Book 1989 ↵
(xiii) The congregation continued to report membership numbers to the Board of Deputies of British Jews until at least 1996. ↵
(xiv) Sharman Kadish's Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland, 2015, p.52. ↵
(xv) and (xvi) Reserved.
(xvii) The Jewish Year Books list of Fedeeration congregations included the congregation from the 1918 edition. However, contemoraneously, until the 1927 edition, the congregation was also listed as non-affiliated. ↵
(xviii) Renton, p. 176. The amalgamated name was first listed in the Jewish Year Book 1961. ↵
(xix) to (xxi) Reserved.
(xxii) Renton, p. 176. However, Rev. Michelson (listed as Rev. S.H. Michelson) only appears the Jewish Year Book 1915. ↵
(xxiii) Jewish Chronicle obituary 15 November 1957. Although generally referred to as the congregation's chazan or reader (and listed as such in Jewish Year Books 1928-1932, 1934, 1945/6-1947), he was frequently listed as minister of the congregation (in Jewish Year Books 1916-1927, 1933, 1936-1938). ↵
(xxiv) Jewish Chronicle of 17 November 1916 and Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. p.626. He was listed, under the name Rev. G. Kirshner, as preacher of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1922 through 1926. ↵
(xxv) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. p. 815. Rev. L. Rabinowitz, BA was listed as preacher of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1927. ↵
(xxvi) Rev. I. Abramovitch, BA was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1928 through 1932. ↵
(xxvii) and (xxviii) Reserved.
(xxix) Rabbi Morris Swift was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1933 through 1936. He moved to Brixton Synagogue in 1936. ↵
(xxx) Rabbi Isaac Swift was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1937 and 1938. He moved to Dollis Hill Synagogue in 1938. ↵
(xxxi) Rev. R. Feldman was first listed as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1940 and Rabbi R. Feldman was last listed in the 1957 edition. A memorial dedication published in Hebrew rabbinic texts by his brother explicitly lists his exact tenure at the congregation as 1938 to 1958. ↵
(xxxii) Rev (later Rabbi) I.L. Abrams was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1959 through 1970. ↵
(xxxiii) Jewish Chronicle reports of 10 April 1970 and 3 October 1980. Listed, as Rabbi A. Aaronberg, as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1971 through 1980. ↵
(xxxiv) and (xxxv) Reserved.
(xxxvi) Based upon S. Goldstein's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1985 through 1987. ↵
(xxxvii) S. Coten (without title, although later a Rev. and a Rabbi) was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1988 and 1989. ↵
(xxxviii) and (xxxix) Reserved.
(xl) Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanim, etc. Rev. E. Freilich was also listed as reader of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1948. ↵
(xli) Based upon Rev. M. Levy's listing as reader of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1949. ↵
(xlii) Rev. M. Katanka was listed as reader of the congregation. in Jewish Year Books 1951 through 1959. ↵
(xliii) Rev. J.L. Freilich was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1957 and 1958, after which no further readers were listed. ↵
(xliv) Reserved.
(xlv) Where a person is first listed in a year book as holding a particular office, it has been assumed that his term of office commenced in the year of publication of the relevant year book (which was generally towards the end of the year prior to the year appearing in the title of the year book) and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was vacant (e.g. if he is listed in Jewish Year Books 1935 through 1938, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1934 and continued in office until 1938). However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and accordingly his actual years of office may differ slightly from those shown here. Jewish Year Books were not published during WWII subsequent to 1940. There were no Jewish Year Book listings of officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. ↵
(xlvi) In addition to the separate entry for the congregation, Jewish Year Books 1918 through 1927 listed the name of each Federation synagogue together with its president and number of members. However, the presidents listed for this congregation did not generally correspond with the presidents named in the congregation's separate listing (as listed above). The names of the presidents in the 1918/27 list were: 1918 Marcel; 1919-1922 A. Lipshitz; 1923-1925 D. Plotzker; 1926 J. Winkler; and 1927 H. Coller. ↵
(xlvii) As S. Stern was listed as president both prior to and following the war-time cessation of publication, it is assumed that he also served as hon. secretary during the interim period (1941-1945). During certain years (1935 through 1939(, no president was listed. ↵
(xlviii) During the period 1929 to 1938 (Jewish Year Books 1930 through 1938) H. Fisher was listed as life warden and the other warden (if any) was listed as second warden. ↵
(xlix) As N. Goldstone was listed as hon. secretary both prior to and following the war-time cessation of publication, it is assumed that he also served as hon. secretary during the interim period (1941-1945). During certain years (1939 and 1949), no hon. secretary was listed. ↵
(l) From at least 1945 until 1957, Rev. R. Feldman served as secretary, and N. Goldston and, from about 1951, H. Lewis served as hon. secretary. ↵
(li) and (lii) Reserved.
(liii) 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. ↵
(liv) The London Borough was created upon the merger of the metropolitan boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham. Both metropolitan boroughs had been within the former County of London. ↵
(lv) The former Registration Districts were Fulham, from 1 April 1875 until 1 August 1915, and Hammersmith, from 1 August 1915 until 1 January 2001. All registers would now be held by the current register office. ↵
(lvi) to (lix) Reserved.
(lx) The Talmud Torah was an integral part of the congregation from its inception as the initial meeting was called "in connection with the formation of a synagogue and Talmud Torah". ↵
(lxi) Figures extracted from the Jewish Year Book for the year following. ↵
(lxii) First listed in the Jewish Year Book 1928. ↵
(lxiii) Renton, p. 176. ↵

List of Federation of Synagogues Congregations

Jewish Congregations in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

Jewish Congregations in Greater London

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Page created: 30 October 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 6 August 2026
Page most recently amended: 13 August 2026

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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