the former

Cricklewood Synagogue

Cricklewood, London NW2

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

Cricklewood Synagogue, Walm Lane

© Leslie Bailey 2008
A photograph of the former Cricklewood Synagogue, Walm Lane (July 2008),
now converted into an apartment block.
Reproduced with the kind permission of Leslie Bailey

Congregation Data

Name:

Cricklewood Synagogue

Former Name:

Willesden Green & Cricklewood Hebrew Congregation (until 1931)⁽ⁱ⁾

Address:

131 Walm Lane, Cricklewood, London NW2 3AU.

In 1989, due to dwindling numbers, the main synagogue building was sold (and converted into private apartments) and the congregation moved into the former Hall of the synagogue, which had been refurbished as a synagogue.

Initially, the congregation held services in a hut at the Warm Lane site. The foundation stone for the new synagogue, which was designed by architect Cecil J. Eprile, FRIBA,⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ was laid on 14 September 1930 (see plaque below) and the building was consecrated in 1931.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ The synagogue, with capacity for 1,100 worshippers, ultimately included 67 stained-glass windows, designed by David Hillman, who had been a member of the congregation, working over a 30 year period.^(iv)

Date Founded:

A meeting was held in on 30 December 1923 at the Crown Hotel, Cricklewood, to form the congregation.^(v)

Current Status:

Closed in about 2005.^(vi)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

A constituent synagogue of the United Synagogue from 1931.^(vii)

Ministers:

(To view a short profile of a minister or reader - hold the cursor over his name.)

Rabbi Dr. Louis Isaac Rabinowitz, MA - from 1932 until 1939 (leaving for army chaplain service)^(xi)

Rabbi Dr. Isaac Emil Lichtigfeld (temporary) - from 1939 until about 1946^(xii)

Rabbi Maurice Landy - from 1947 until 1978^(xiii)

Rabbi Dr. Harry Rabinowicz, BA - from 1978 until 1991^(xiv)

Rev. Gershon Glausiusz - from about 1991 until 1999^(xv)

Readers / Cantors:

Rev. A. Shechter - from 1930 until about 1958^(xix)

Rev. Pinchas Chaim E. Faigenblum - from 1959 until 1976^(xx)

Rev. M.J. Dubiner - from about 1977 until about 1979^(xxi)

Rev. Chaim N. Ingram, BA - from 1980 until 1982^(xxii)

Rev. Alan Bright - from about 1982 until about 1986^(xxiii)

Lay Officers:^(xxvi)

Honorary President

1925-1931 - D. Gould

President

1925-1931 - H. Nurick

Wardens^(xxvii)

1926-1931, 1932-1933 - M. Friedman

1929-1931 - H. Norman, ACA

1931-1932 - H. Nurick

1932-1935, 1937-1939, 1945-1946 - Benjamin B. Lieberman, MA

1933-1934 - J.V. Levartowsky

1934-1937 - B. Syder

1935-1936 - D.H. Aaron

1936-1940 - M. Barnett

1939-1940 - F.M. Landau, LLB

1940-1945 - War Years (no data)

1945-1946, 1951-1955 - Morris Cohen, LLB

1945-1951 - Hyman Gerstler

1946-1953 - S. Stark

1953-1956 - Sam Pfeffer

1955-1956 - J. Alberg

Treasurers / Financial Representatives^(xxviii)

1925-1927 - R. Adler

1927-1932 - L. Eisen

1932-1933 - H. Norman, ACA

1933-1934 - D.H. Aaron

1934-1937 - S. Myers

1937-1939 - D.H. Aaron

1939-1940 - S. Myers

1940-1945 - War Years (no data)

1946-1951 - M0rris Cohen LLB

1951-1953 - Sam Pfeffer

1953-1955 - J. Alberg

1955-1956 - Wilfred Goldberg

Hon. Secretaries / Secretaries^(xxix)

1923-1925 - A. Garman

1925-1929 - H. Norman, ACA

1929-1948 - B.H. Goldburgh^(xxx)

1948-1968 - H. Gilles

1969-1970 - T.L. Maxwell

1970-1974 - J.D. Binstock

Membership Data:

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

1931

1940

1950

1960

1970

50

663

742

700

519

National Reports & Surveys^(xxxiii)

1977 - 449 male (or household) members and 316 female members

1983 - 337 male (or household) members and 290 female members

1990 - 327 members (comprising 290 households, 1 individual male and 36 individual female members)

1996 - 227 members (comprising 210 households, 8 individual male and 9 individual female members)

Other

1989 - 153 male members.^(xxxiv)

About 2000 - 98 male and 128 female members. ^(xxxv)

Also see below for seatholder records on All-UK Database.

Local Government District:

The district of Cricklewood in Northwest London is split between three London Boroughs, the London Borough of Brent^(xxxvi) (the west, in which the synagogue was situated), the London Borough of Barnet (the northeast) and the London Borough of Camden (the southeast), all created on 1 April 1965 within the administrative area of Greater London.

The western part of Cricklewood was previously in the former Municipal Borough of Willesden (which was an urban district from 1894, being incorporated as a borough in 1933).

Registration District (BMD):

Brent^(xxxvii) - Link to Register Office website

Cemetery Information:

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

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

(i) The Lost Synagogues of London ("Lost Synagogues") by Peter Renton, 2000, p.51. The congregation was also listed under this name in Jewish Year Books 1924 through 1930. ↵

(ii) Carol Herselle Krinsky - Synagogues of Europe - Architecture, History, Meaning, 1996, Appendix I, p. 430 and and Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland, by S. Kardish, (2015) p.57. To view a description of the Jewish architectural works by C.J. Eprile, hold your cursor over his name. ↵

(iii) Lost Synagogues, p153. During the construction period, the congregation held services at the neighbouring Congregational Church Hall free of change. ↵

(iv) Lost Synagogues, pp.153/4 and Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland, by S. Kardish, (2015) p.57. Following the sale of the building the windows were distributed among a number of synagogues, including Brondesbury Park Synagogue and Hendon Synagogue. ↵

(v) Lost Synagogues, p.153. ↵

(vi) Based upon the congregation's last listing in the Jewish Year Book 2004. ↵

(vii) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 216/7. ↵

(viii) to (x) Reserved.

(xi) Lost Synagogues, p.153 and Rabbi Rabinowitz's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1933 through 1940. ↵

(xii) Lost Synagogues, p.153 and Rabbi Lichtigfeld's listing as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1945/6. He was appointed minister while Rabbi Rabinowitz was away on military service, but continued as minister when Rabbi Rabinowitz did not return to the congregation. There was no minister listed in the Jewish Year Book 1947. ↵

(xiii) North West Celebrates 60 by Marian Lebor, 2006, pp. 41 and Rabbi Landy's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1948 through 1978. ↵

(xiv) Rabbi Rabinowicz served concurrently as minister of is congregation and Willesden and Brondesbury Synagogue. Based on listings in Jewish Year Books 1979 through 1990 and Who's Who. ↵

(xv) Based upon Rev. Glausiusz's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1991 through 2000 and Jewish Chronicle reports. ↵

(xvi) to (xviii) Reserved.

(xix) Date of appointment based upon Jewish Chronicle report of 21 March 1930, although the year 1929 is given in Lost Synagogues, p.153, which adds that "He died, on the Almemar, at the end of what he had intended to be his last service prior to retirement". Jewish Chronicle obituary dated 11 July 1958. He is listed as reader of the congregation until the Jewish Year Book 1958 and there was no reader listed in the 1959 edition. ↵

(xx) Based upon Rev. Faigenblum's Jewish Chronicle obituary and his listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1960 through 1976. There was no reader listed in the 1977 edition. ↵

(xxi) Based upon Rev. Dubiner's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1978 and 1979. ↵

(xxii) Based upon Rev. Ingram's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1980 through 1982. ↵

(xxiii) Based upon Rev. Bright's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1983 through 1987. There were no listings of readers after that date. ↵

(xxiv) and (xxv) Reserved.

(xxvi) All the data as listed here has been extracted from Jewish Year Books (except where a given name appears in the list, this has been provided from other sources). Where a person is first listed in a year book as holding a particular, 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 year appearing the 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. ↵

(xxvii) There were generally two wardens in office at any one time. ↵

(xxviii) The office of "Treasurer" was replaced by "Financial Representative" with effect from about 1931. ↵

(xxix) In the Jewish Year Book listings for the congregation, the term "Hon. Secretary" was used for the first two persons listed below, and thereafter, the term used was just "Secretary". ↵

(xxx) Although the Jewish Year Book was not published during the war years from 1940 to 1945, and thus there is no firm data covering that period, Mr Goldburgh was listed in Jewish Jew Books as secretary of the congregation for a decade prior to the war, as mentioned as secretary of the congregation in a press report of 1942 and continued to be listed as secretary in the three year books published immediately following the war, and it is therefore assume that he also held such position throughout the war years. ↵

(xxxi) Reserved.

(xxxii) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 216/7. ↵

(xxxiii) 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 ↵

(xxxiv) Lost Synagogues p.153. ↵

(xxxv) Lost Synagogues p.154. ↵

(xxxvi) The London Borough of Brent, an Outer London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the Municipal Boroughs of Willesden and Wembley (both of which had been in the former county of Middlesex). ↵

(xxxvii) The former Registration District was Willesden, from formation of the congregation until 1 April 1965. All registers would now be held by current register office. ↵

Foundation stone plaque of the Synagogue, 1930,
now on view at Willesden Cemetery
(Courtesy Steven Jaffe, 2024)

Search the All-UK Database

The records in the database specifically associated with the Cricklewood Synagogue include:

Seatholders Lists

1933 (708 records).

For a list of other London records in the Database that may also include records associated with this congregation, click here.

Bibliography, On-line Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

on JCR-UK

Press Report on the death of Mr. Nathan Gerstler, 30 January 1941.
Selected Bibliography:
- History of the Cricklewood Synagogue by B.B. Lieberman, 1956. Published by the congregation.
- The Lost Synagogues of London by Peter Renton, 2000 (Tymsder Publications, London) pp 151-4.
- other Brent sources.

List of United Synagogue Congregations

Jewish Congregations in the London Borough of Brent

Jewish Congregations in Greater London (other than East End)

Greater London home page

Page created: 21 October 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 16 June 2020
Page most recently amended:: 5 August 2024

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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