Edgware United Synagogue

Edgware, Middx.

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Edgware Synagogue (panorama view), June 2018
© David Shulman 2018

Congregation Data

Name:

Edgware United Synagogue⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
also known as Edgware Synagogue

Former Names:

Edgware District Synagogue (from about 1937 to 1954)⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Edgware Synagogue (from about 1935 to about 1937)^(iv)

Edgware Hebrew Congregation (to about 1935)^(v)

Address:

Parnell Close, Edgware Way, Edgware, Middx. HA8 8Y

Previous Addresses:

In reverse order:
Mowbray Road, Edgware, Middx. (consecrated 2 September 1934, in use until 1957)^(viii)

Lodge House, High Street, Edgware, Middx. (from about 1931 until 1934)^(viii)

Initially the congregation used a private house in Fairview Way, Edgware^(ix)

Current Status:

Active

Date Formed:

1927^(viii)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

Joined the United Synagogue as an affiliated synagogue in 1933, becoming a district synagogue in 1937 and achieving constituent (full member) status in 1954.^(x)
(See also Ahavas Yisrael (United) Synagogue, also in Edgware.)

Website:

https://www.edgwareu.com

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

Rev. Saul Amias - from 1931 to 1975 (with break during WWII), subsequently emeritus^(xiii)

(Rev. Alexander Tobias, BA - temporary minister, from 1941 to 1946)^(xiv)

Rabbi Cyril K. Harris - from 1975 to 1979^(xv)

Rabbi Benjamin Rabinowitz - from 1981 to 2007^(xvi)

Rabbi David Lister (and Rebbetzen Rachie Lister) - from 2008 to present (October 2021)^(xvii)

Assistant Rabbis:

Rabbi Avrohom Zeidman - from about 2010 to about 2014^(xx)

Rabbi Ben Kurzer (and Rebbetzen Abi Kurzer) - from 2014 to 2019^(xxi)

Cantors (Chazanim) / Readers:

Rev. Jeremiah Nathan Fagan - temporary from 1940 to 1946, permanent 1946 to 1966^(xxiv)

Rev. Joseph Malovany - from 1968 to 1973^(xxv)

Rev. Asher Hainowitz - from about 1974 to about 1976^(xxvi)

Rev. Ze'ev Toren - from about 1979 to about 1983^(xxvii)

Rev. L. Stephen Robins - from about 1986 to 1997^(xxviii)

Rev. Shimon Craimer - from about 2002 to 2003^(xxix)

Rev. Jonny Turgel - from about 2007 to about 2011^(xxx)

Rev. Yossi Schwarz - from November 2011 to present (October 2021)^(xxxi)

Lay Officers:^(xxxiii)

Presidents

1933-1935 - L. Lewis

1935-1936 - none listed

1936-1937 - G. Rosenmann

1937-1940 - L. Lewis

Vice-President

1933-1935 - J. Chapman

Wardens

1935-1936 - R. Rosenmann and I.L. Maitz

1936-1938 - none listed

1938-1939 - L. Lewis and S.E. Ofstein

1939-1940 - L. Lewis and S. Somper

1940-1945 - war years

1945-1949 - L. Lewis and S. Goldberg

1949-1952 - D. Fisch and S. Goldberg

1952-1956 - J. West and S. Goldberg

Treasurers

1933-1934 - A. Hyman

1934-1935 - I.L.. Maitz

1935-1936 - none listed

1936-1937 - Frank A. Cooper

1937-1938 - A.H. Wilson

1938-1940 - I.L.. Maitz

1940-1945 - war years

1945-1947 - J. West

Financial Representative

1947-1956 - R. Kandler

Secretaries

1933-1934 - Miss C. Barnett

1934-1935 - Rev. Saul Amias

1935-1940 - M. Harkavy

1940-1945 - war years

1945-1948 - Rev. Jeremiah N. Fagan

1948-1952 - H.S. Ward

1952-1953 - Miss C.H. Genese (acting)

1953-1983 - C. Abrahams

Membership Data:

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

1940

1950

1960

1970

247

941

1,092

1,270

National Reports & Surveys^(xxxv)

1977 - 1,350 male (or household) members and 257 female members

1983 - 1,331 male (or household) members and 400 female members

1990 - 1,648 members (comprising 1,563 households, 30 individual male and 55 individual female members)

1996 - 1,406 members (comprising 1,291 households, 49 individual male and 66 individual female members)

2010 & 2016 - listed as having 1,000 to 1,499 members (by household)

Charitable Status:

As a constituent of the United Synagogue, the congregation operates within that organisation's registered charity status (registered charity no. 242552).

However, the congregation has its own general charitable trust - Edgware Charitable Trust Fund, a registered charity (no. 281244), registered on 11 November 1980. The governing document is a Trust Deed dated 7 October 1980.^(xxxvi)

Local Government Districts:

Edgware, a residential suburb in Northwest London, has a substantial Jewish minority. Most of Edgware (including the locality in which the synagogue is situated) is in the London Borough of Barnet and was (until 1965) in the former Municipal Borough of Hendon (incorporated as a borough in 1932).^(xxxvii)

Bibliography - Barnet

Registration District (BMD):

Barnet^(xxxviii) - Link to Register Office website

Cemetery
Information:

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

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.

(ii) Although the congregation is generally known by this name, it appears that its name is still officially Edgware Synagogue, in use since 1954. ↵

(iii) Use of this name generally coincided with the period the congregation was a district synagogue of the United Synagogue, althoughthe addition of the word "District" may not have occurred immediately on attianing "District " stutus . See under "Affiliation" below ↵

(iv) The congregation appeared under this name in Jewish Year Books from 1936 until it commenced being listed in Jewish Year Books as a district synagogue. ↵

(v) This was the initial name under which the congregation was listed in Jewish Year Books (to 1935). ↵

(vi) and (vii) Reserved.

(viii) Congregation's website, accessed 25 March 2018. ↵

(ix) Reminiscence of Rev. Saul Amias in "Our History" section on Rosh Pinah Primary School website. ↵

(x) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 221/2. ↵

(xi) and (xii) Reserved.

(xiii) Reminiscence of Rev. Saul Amias in "Our History" on Rosh Pinah Primary School website. ↵

(xiv) Based upon Rev. Tobias's listing as temporary minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 and 1947 and Jewish Chronicle report. ↵

(xv) Based upon Rabbi Harris's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1976 through 1980. ↵

(xvi) Congregation's website, accessed 25 March 2018. Rabbi Rabinowitz retired in 2007 ↵

(xvii) Rabbi Lister's profile on congregation's website, last accessed 3 October 2021 and his listing as rabbi of the congregation on the uniquely edgware website, accessed 30 May 2021. ↵

(xviii) to (xix)

(xx) Based upon Rabbi Zeidman's listing as assistant minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2011 through 2014. ↵

(xxi) Based upon Rabbi Kurtzer's listing as assistant minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Book 2015 and profile on Pinner Synagogue's website. ↵

(xxii) and (xxiii)

(xxiv) Based upon communication from Rev. Fagan's family. He was listed as temporary reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 and 1947 and as reader from 1948 through 1966. There were no readers listed in the 1967 and 1968 editions. Rev. Fagan was also listed as secretary from 1945/6 through 1948. ↵

(xxv) Based upon Rev. Malovany's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1969 through 1973. There was no reader listed in the 1974 edition. ↵

(xxvi) Based upon Rev. Hainowitz's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1975 and 1976. There were no readers listed in the 1977 through 1979 editions. ↵

(xxvii) Based upon Rev. Toren's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1980 through 1983. There were no readers listed in the 1984 through 1986 editions. ↵

(xxviii) Based upon Rev. Robin's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1987 through 1997. There were no readers listed in the 1999 through 2002 editions. ↵

(xxix) Based upon Rev. Craimer's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Book 2003. There were no readers listed in the Jewish Year Books from 2004. ↵

(xxx) Cantor Jonny Turgel's website. ↵

(xxxi) Rev. Schwarz's profile on the congregation's website, last accessed 3 October 2021. ↵

(xxxii) Reserved.

(xxxiii) All the data as listed here has been extracted from Jewish Year Books. 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 relevent 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. ↵

(xxxiv) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by Aubrey Newman (1977), pages 218/9. ↵

(xxxv) 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. ↵

(xxxvi) Charities Commissioners website (in beta test stage) and Open Charities website, both accessed 23 March 2018. ↵

(xxxvii) The London Borough of Barnet, an Outer London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the the Municipal Boroughs of Hendon and Finchley and the Urban District of Friern Barnet (all of which had been in the former county of Middlesex) with the Urban Districts of Barnet and East Barnet (both of which had been part of the county of Hertfordshire). The former Municipal Borough of Hendon comprised the former Hendon Urban District and part of the former Hendon Rural District (both created in 1894). Edgware had been within the Hendon Rural District. ↵

(xxxviii) The former Registration District was Hendon, from the formation of the congregation until 1 April 1999. All registers would now be held by current register office. ↵

List of United Synagogue Congregations

Jewish Congregations in Edgware (London Borough of Barnet)

Jewish Congregations in Greater London

Greater London home page

Page created: 16 November 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 25 March 2018
Subsequent significantly expansion of data: 3 May 2020
Latest revision or update: 3 October 2021

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