Rev. Eli Kahan, BA
(10 August 1896 - 1 May 1952)

Rev. E. Kahan (m Gladys Miller of London), son of the Rev. Casriel Kahan, was a student at Jews' College, London and London University. Aged 21 he became minister, secretary and teacher of the Harrogate Hebrew Congregation, Yorkshire, from its inception in 1918. He served there until he died 34 years later. During World War II he was acting chaplain to Jewish members of the Forces in the Harrogate district. He was Chairman of the Harrogate Zionist Society. Rev. Kahan is buried at Gildersome cemetery, Leeds. (Rosalyn D. Livshin's The History of the Harrogate Jewish community; JYB listings; JC obituary 9 May 1952.)

Rabbi Eliezer Kahan
(1901 - 4 July 1968)

Rabbi Eliezer Kahan (m. Bluma Feiga) was born in Daugavpils, Latvia and studied at the yeshiva in Wishkow (now Wyszkow, Poland). He was instrumental in the founding of yeshivot in Ostroleka and Polatski (both of which became renowned seats of learning but perished in the Holocaust) and he served as rosh yeshiva of Lunz Yeshiva. He came to Britain in 1931, at the invitation of Rabbi Nachman Landynski and joined the staff of the recently established Gateshead Yeshiva, where he served as menahel (rector or director) until his death in Gateshead in 1968. He is buried in Jerusalem. He was the father of Rabbi Refoel Kahan. (The Jewish Communities of North-East England by Lewis Olsover, 1980; Gateshead Yeshiva Alumni website; online research.)

Rev. Jacob Kahan
(9 October 1910 - 1 August 2004)

Manchester-born, Rev. (later Rabbi) Kahan (also known as Kahnovitch or Kahn) (m. Doris Freedman) was a shochet and bodek - kashrut inspector - for Jewish communities around the United Kingdom. The son of a Manchester kosher butcher, he studied for six years at Manchester yeshivah under Rabbi M. Segal, and then at the Telzer yeshivah in Lithuania, from where he received a certificate of high standard in Rabbinics and Kabbalah and a certificate for shechita. He later obtained semicha in about the mid-1960s. Rev. Kahan served for three years as second reader to the Holy Law Congregation, Manchester, and hon. organiser and lecturer to the Young Men's Hebrew Association of Manchester. For the next 57 years he worked in Southport (1932-1933); as minister and shochet of Bolton Hebrew Congregation (1934-1937) (during which period he was also visiting minister to the Blackburn Hebrew Congregation); as minister of the Canning Town Synagogue, east London (1937-c.1939); in Belfast; as reader, shochet and teacher at the Sunderland Beth Hamedrash (c.1945-1949); as reader of Leazes Park Road Synagogue, Newcastle (second reader c.1949-c.1951, first reader c.1951-c.1954); at Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation (reader, c.1954-c.1968); and in Tottenham (North London). For many of the communities he served he added the roles of chazan, mohel, teacher and rabbi to his core functions. On retirement he worked in the kashrut division of the London Beth Din until aged 80. After eight years of serving as supervisor of both kashrut and the synagogue at the Ella and Ridley Jacobs House in Hendon, North-West London, in 1990 he and his wife then moved to a retirement hotel in Netanya, Israel, where he died. Described as an outgoing and larger-than-life personality, he attracted many pupils and friends. (JC report of 1937 and obituary of 24 September 2004; Bolton Synagogue and its Ministers by H. Thomas; and JYB listings.)

Rev. Michael Kahan (or Kahn)
(b. c.1915)

Born in Tiszabercel, a village in eastern Hungary, Rev. M. Kahan (m. Fanny in Leeds in 1942) was educated at Galanta yeshiva, Czechoslovakia. He studied chazanut in Vienna and began studying shechita in Rome, when, assisted by Chief Rabbi Hertz's Emergency Council, Rev. Kahan managed to come to Britain as a refugee before the outbreak of war. After qualifying as a shochet and shomer, he served for eight years as chazan at Louis Street Synagogue, Leeds, then briefly at Middlesbrough Hebrew Congregation, and was reader at Jesmond Hebrew Congregation, Newcastle, for 15 years (c.1967-1962). In 1962, he became reader for the Brighton and Hove Hebrew Congregation, Sussex, principally serving the synagogue at West Hove. Rev. Kahan retired in January 1985 to Kenton, north London, to be close to family. (JC profile 30 November 1984 and various reports.)

Rabbi Refoel Kahan
(December 1937 - 2009)

Gateshead-born Rabbi Kahan (m Doreen Alony, daughter of Dayan Alony of the Federation Bet Din) was the son of Rabbi Eliezer Kahan, menahel of the Gateshead Yeshiva. He studied at yeshivot in Gateshead and Ponevezh and had been a teacher at schools in Manchester and Sunderland as well as Hasmonean High School, Hendon, London, in the 1970s. He served as minister of Sutton Affiliated Synagogue, London, before becoming part-time rav of Edgware Adath Yisroel Congregation, London (1972-1988). Rabbi Kahan became the first headmaster of the Torah Temimah Primary school in Golders Green, London. (History of the Edgware Adath Yisroel Congregation on its website.)

Rev. Joshua Louis Kahn
(c.1888 - 25 November 1961)

Rev. Kahn was born in Vilna (today Vilnius, Lithuania) and was educated at the Radin yeshiva, located in Radun, Poland (founded by the Chofetz Chaim, d.1933) Rev. Kahn came to Britain in 1913, where his first post was to serve briefly as reader to the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation. Arriving in Sheffield in about 1914 to serve as chazan, shochet and mohel to the Sheffield Hebrew Congregation and its successor congregation (from 1953), the United Sheffield Hebrew Congregation, for approximately 45 years. He retired in 1959 and was appointed emeritus chazan. He died in Southport and is buried in Israel. His portrait is displayed in the hall at Sheffield synagogue. (JC obituary 15 December 1961.)

Rev. S. Kahn

Rev. S. Kahn (or Cahn) served as shochet and teacher to the Dudley Hebrew Congregation, historically in Worcestershire, (1903-1904), briefly officiated at the Huddersfield Hebrew Congregation, West Yorkshire, (1904), and served as reader of the Abertillery Hebrew Congregation, south Wales, (1905-c.1908). (JYB listings; and JC reports.)

Rabbi David Kale, MBE

Rev. Kale acted as minister of Staines and District Synagogue (2008-2018), having previously undertaken a number of communal and educational roles in Bournemouth, and subsequently served as minister of the Belfast Jewish Community (2018 to present - January 2023). In 2022, he obtained semicha and was awarded an MBE in King Charles III's New Year Honours List, published on 30 December 2022.  (JYB listings; information provided by a former member of the Staines community; and news reports.)

Rabbi Dr. Lior Kaminetsky

Rabbi Kaminetsky is a seventh generation Jerusalemite. He obtained semicha from the Ohr Torah Stone in Israel. He served as rabbi of of the Birmingham Central Synagogue from 2015 until 2021, and is is an internationally acclaimed violinist, holding a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in violin performance from University of Southern California and a master's degree from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and the Hebrew University. Rabbi Kaminetsky has recorded musical albums and in 2018 he made a documentary film, "Keeping the Flame Alive" about Jewish communities in mid USA. (Online profile)

Rabbi Chaim Kanterovitz

Leeds-born Rabbi Kanterovitz (m. Bianca), son of Rabbi Michael Kanterovitz, was raised in Israel and studied at yeshivot in Israel. He obtained a BA in Psychology and International Politics and an MA in Jewish Studies. After a period in in East London, South Africa, he returned to England and served as minister of Leicester Hebrew Congregation (1998-c.2001) and Kenton Synagogue, London (c.2001-c.2003) before becoming minister of the Yeshurun Hebrew Congregation, Gateley, Greater Manchester (c.2004-2013). He was subsequently senior rabbi of Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue, Hertfordshire (2013-2018) and from 2019 senior rabbinic international educator at the Ohr Torah Stone institute, Israel. (JYB listings, JC press reports and Ohr Torah Stone website)

Rabbi Doniel Karp

London-born Rabbi Karp (m. Nechamah) studied the Mercaz Hatorah and Mir Yeshivot in Israel. He returned to Britain in 2004 and became one of the founding members of Dayan Ehrentreu’s Edgware Kollel and received semicha from the late Dayan Lopian. In 2008, Rabbi Karp became Rabbi of the new Sephardi minyan set up in Edgware which, from 2011 to present (May 2021) became part of the Edgware Adath Yisroel Congregation, London (Profile on Edgware Adath Yisroel Congregation's website.)

Rev. Avrom Chaim Karwan
(c.1908 - 7 July 1984)

Born in Poland, Rev. Avrom Chaim (Haim) Karwan (m. Sara Pesha (Pat) Gamse) studied at yeshivot in Liverpool, Manchester and London. He served as minister in Dunedin, New Zealand (in 1930s) and at Kingsbury Hebrew Congregation, London, from at least 1945 until about 1947. He was then minister of the Reading Hebrew Congregation (1947-1949). In 1950 he was appointed minister to the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation, Kenya and in 1953 was inducted as minister to the Strand Hebrew Congregation, Cape Province, South Africa. He died in Jerusalem. (JYB listings; online research; and JC reports.)

Rev. A. Kassel

Rev. A. Kassel was working in Liverpool in 1909. He served as minister of the Grimsby Hebrew Congregation, Lincolnshire, from 1910 until 1916. In 1925 he officiated at the United Synagogue's free services in London's East End on the High Holy days (D and L Girlis, Story of the Grimsby Jewish community; JYB listings; and JC various reports, including 9 October 1925.)

Rabbi David Katanka
(27 December 1950 - 10 February  2014)

London-born Rabbi Katanka (m. Marilyn Cofnas), the son of Rev. Morris Katanka, studied at Liverpool Yeshiva and Jews' College. He was awarded an M.A. in Hebrew and Jewish Studies from the University of London and, in 1990, he received semicha from the London Beth Din following study at Manchester Kollel. He served as chazan (cantor) at Chiswick and District Affiliated Synagogue, London (1970-1972), Bayswater and Maida Vale Synagogue, London (1972-1975, in the latter period also fulfilling the function of minister) and Brixton Synagogue, London (1975-1978) and United Hebrew Congregation, Leeds (1978-1985, chazan rishon). He was then appointed minister of United Sheffield Hebrew Congregation (1985-1990) followed by his service at Golders Green Synagogue, London (1990-2000), initially as chazan but subsequently as minister. Rabbi Katanka then had a short break from congregational ministerial duties, during which time he served as religious advisor to the Nightingale Home for the Elderly, South London. He subsequently served as minister of Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation (2002-2003), Portsmouth & Southsea Hebrew Congregation (2004-2011) and finally St Annes Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire (2013-2014), where he died in office. He is buried at Enfield Cemetery, London. He was the father of Rabbi Shlomo Katanka and Rabbi Moshe Boruch Katanka and the son-in-law Rabbi Lionel Cofnas. ("Kol Dodi" (2015) - Selection of articles by Rabbi David Katanka edited by Rabbi Moshe Borach Katanka, "Golders Green Synagogue" (2016) by Helen Fry, pp.55/56 and JYB listings)

Rabbi Avrohom Katz

Rabbi A. Katz was born in Leeds and studied and obtained semicha from Gateshead Yeshiva. He served as minister of Pinner Synagogue, north west London, probably during the 1980s. He then moved to Gateshead and after teaching in the Gateshead Beth Midrash Lemoroth (the "Old Seminary") for ten years, he opened the "New Seminary", Beis Chaya Rochel, Gateshead, in about 1997, serving as its principal until the present (July 2024). (Profile on mishpacha website.)

Rabbi M. Katz

Rabbi M. Katz (initially as Rev. Katz) served as minister and secretary to the Berkhamsted United Synagogue Membership Group, an evacuee community in Hertfordshire, from 1941 to about 1947. He also taught at the Hebrew and Religious classes of the near-by Hemel Hempstead United Synagogue Membership Group. (JC reports; and JYB listings.)

Rabbi Mordecai (Marcus) Katz
(c.1870 - 3 April 1924)

Born in Lemberg (today Lviv, Ukraine), Rabbi Katz (m. Millicent) served the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation, Cathedral Road, where he was also headmaster of the Talmud Torah classes (c.1900-1906), and was minister of Queen's Park Synagogue, Glasgow (c.1906-1921) and headteacher of its Hebrew classes. In 1921, he retired to Ayr, west of Scotland, where his wife opened a kosher and strictly Orthodox boarding house and he was the honorary minister of the Ayr Hebrew Congregation for three years until his death. He is buried in the Chevra Kadisha Cemetery, Western Necropolis, Glasgow (view gravestone details and image). (JC obituary of 11 April 1924; and JYB listings.)

Rev. Morris Katz
(b. c.1914)

Born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (in what was to become Czechoslovakia), Rev. Katz emigrated to British Mandate Palestine in 1938 and fought in Israel's War of Independence, being wounded on two occasions. In 1952, he was appointed reader of the Great Synagogue in Tel Aviv. He came to London in 1955 and was appointed reader of the New Synagogue, Stamford Hill, London, until resigning in 1965 following a dispute with the synagogue management board. He was appointed first reader of the Birmingham Hebrew Congregation, Singers Hill in 1965 and served until 1969, when he emigrated to Canada. (JC report 12 November 1965 and various reports.)

Rev. Solomon Katz
(d.1944)

Rev. Katz was born in Kishinev (today Chisnau, capital of Moldova) and learnt at local yeshivot before coming to England in about 1905 in the aftermath of pogroms. He studied at Jews' College, London. In 1906 he was appointed minister of the revived Coventry Hebrew Congregation which had been largely dormant since 1890. He served at Coventry until 1911. Rev. Katz then emigrated to New Zealand, where he was assistant minister at the Beth Israel Congregation, Auckland (1911-1920). He received semicha in the USA and served communities in Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama, at New Rochelle, New York state, and in New York city. In 1931 Rev. Katz returned to New Zealand where he was minister of the synagogue in Wellington, headmaster of the Hebrew school and chair of Wellington's Zionist society. A Rabbi Katz memorial library consisting of his extensive collection of Hebrew and other books was acquired by Wellington Central Library. (Harry Levine, The Jews of Coventry 1970 pp.42-3; JC report 3 July 1931 and obituary 18 February 1944.)

Rev. David Kaufman

Rev. D. Kaufman served the Portsea (Portsmouth) Hebrew Congregation, Hampshire, an unknown date until no later than 1860. In 1860, he was appointed as minister to the Old Hebrew Congregation, Leeds. (JC report, 7 September 1860.)

Rabbi Wovshi Kaufman

Rabbi Kaufman served as ram (rosh mesivta - a senior lecturer) of the Sunderland Yeshiva in the 1950s to the 1970s and in about 1979 became principal of Manchester Kolel. (The Jewish Communities of North-East England (1980) by L. Olsover, pp. 284/5)

Rev. Jakob Kaufmann
(c.1892 - April 1977)

Rev. Kaufmannn, who was born and educated in Germany, became a chazan and Hebrew teacher in the Rhineland and later at Halle. In 1939 he and his wife found refuge in Shanghai, China, where he conducted services and trained choirs. Rev. Kaufmann subsequently came to England and was minister at the Welwyn Garden City Affiliated Synagogue, Hertfordshire, from about 1947 until his retirement in 1968 when he was appointed emeritus minister of the congregation. (JC obituary 29 April 1977.)

Myer Kaye (formerly Kaizer)
(c.1871 - 12 May 1956)

Born in Kovno (today Kaunas, Lithuania) Myer Kaye MSc (m. Esther) was a teacher at the South London Jewish school and then headmaster of the Liverpool Jewish schools (1902-1910). He served as headmaster of the Jewish Orphanage and Asylum at Norwood in South London from 1910 until 1936 and his wife served as matron. He died in London. He was the father of sculptor Marcus Kaye. (Various JC reports.)

Rabbi Joel Kenigsberg

Rabbi Kenigsberg (m. Sarah) grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa and subsequently made aliyah to Israel. He studied at various yeshivot, including Yeshivat HaKotel and Eretz Hemdah, received semicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and obtained a B.Ed degree from Lifshitz College of Education and M.Sc. degree in Science and Halacha from Bar-Ilan University. Rabbi and Rebbetzen Kenigsberg came to Britain in 2018 as shlichim of Mizrachi UK. They served for five months as the scholar-in-residence Rabbi and Rebbetzin at Tsur Yisrael (Gibraltar Minyan), Hendon, northwest London, following which they were appointed as the rabbinic couple at Magen Avot, Hendon, from 2019 until mid 2022, when they returned to Israel. (Magan Avot congregation's website.)

Rabbi Daniel S. Kerbel

South African born Rabbi Kerbel served as minister of the Hackney & East London Synagogue (c.1995-c.1997) and as minister (jointly with Rabbi Dr. Alan Unterman) of Yeshurun Hebrew Congregation, Gateley, Greater Manchester (c.1999-c.2001). Rabbi Kerbel was headmaster of Broughton Jewish Primary School in Manchester until c.2007 when he became head of North West Jewish Day School in north London. In 2018 he became headmaster of Grange Primary School in Harrow. (JYB listings.)

Rev. Bernard Kersh
(27 January 1915 - 6 February 1997)

Sunderland-born Rev. Kersh (m. Sally) was educated at the local Talmud Torah and yeshivot in Gateshead and London. Still in his teens he held brief appointments as reader and teacher to the Whitley Bay Hebrew Congregation; first reader at the Vilna Synagogue, Leeds; and reader at the North West London Synagogue, Kentish Town. In 1935, at the age of 20, he was appointed minister of the Derby Hebrew Congregation (1935-1937). Rev. Kersh was then appointed minister, first reader, mohel and teacher to the Cork Hebrew Congregation, Ireland, (1937-1952). He subsequently became the last and longest serving minister in the history of Middlesbrough Hebrew Congregation (1952-1989), also acting as headmaster, mohel and shochet, retiring to Bournemouth after 37 years' service. (JC obituary 21 March 1997.)

Rev. B. Kertzman
(d. 1936)

Rev. Kertzman had his own Hebrew school, was active in the Beth Hamidrash Hagodol Synagogue and was a Zionist activist in Leeds. He then became Chazan, Shochet and Teacher for the Tonypandy Hebrew Congregation, South Wales from 1927. He served as second reader and shochet of Leazes Park Road Synagogue (the Old Hebrew Congregation), Newcastle (1929-1936) and taught at the Rye Hill Hebrew classes. Rev. Kertzman died in office in Newcastle. ("The Jewish Communities of North-East England" by Lewis Olsover (1980), p.204; and JYB listings; JC obituary of 27 February 1931 states he served in Bangor, North Wales before coming to Newcastle - this may be an error or he may have served in both Bangor and Tonypandy.)

Rabbi Nick Kett

London-born Rabbi Kett studied at Yeshiva Netiv Aryeh in Jerusalem and Manchester University. Rabbi Kett and his wife, Rebbetzen Shira, worked with the Jewish community in Hale, south Manchester. From 2017, they served as the assistant rabbinic couple at Bushey United Synagogue, Hertfordshire, with Rabbi Kett's position being changed to that of community rabbi from October 2020. The served until December 2023, when they were appointed the rabbinic couple at Ratlett United Synagogue, Hertfordshire, surving until the present (October 2024). (Profile on Bushey Synagogue website, last accessed August 2023.)

Rev. Israel Joshua Kibel
(c.1897 - 14 July 1976)

Rev. I.J. Kibel (m. Esther Mary - d. 1972) was the son of a renowned Polish chazan, Rev. Moshe Aron Kibel of Grodzisk. At an early age he occupied cantoral posts in Germany before coming to Britain in 1924. For some time he was at the New Synagogue, Stamford Hill, London, and during the war years he served the Oxford Jewish Congregation. He advertised his services as a mohel weekly in The JC, from the end of 1941 his address being in Oxford. Soon though the adverts had a London address in addition to the Oxford one, until the summer of 1945 when his only address was a London one. He was for a long period in the service of the London Board for Shechita. A musician of considerable talent, he composed many items of liturgical music. He was the brother of Rev. Samuel Kibel and the father of Rev. Maurice A. Kibel. (JC reports; Last Minister in Oxford by Harold Pollins.)

Rev. Maurice Aaron Kibel
(5 October 1936 - 1 June 2005)

Rev. M.A. Kibel (m. Glenda Collins), the son of Rev Israel Joshua Kibel, studied at Yeshiva Etz Chaim and Jews' College, London. He served as reader at Upton Park Synagogue and at Streatham Synagogues (from 1966) and taught at the Ilford Synagogue Hebrew classes. He was later appointed as assistant minister of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation (1972-1973), after which he became minister of Swansea Hebrew Congregation from 1973 until at least 1981, and was serving there on a part time basis until at least 1995. He is the nephew of Rev. Samuel Kibel. (JYB listings; JC reports.)

Rev. Samuel Kibel
(c.1901 - 9 May 1985)

Rev. S. Kibel (m. Rachel Rosenberg in 1922) was the son of a renowned Polish chazan, Rev. Moses Aron Kibel of Grodzisk. He was appointed minister at Chester Hebrew Congregation in 1917 and served briefly as minister, teacher and mohel at Falkirk Hebrew Congregation, Scotland, in about 1919. By the summer of 1919, he was in Edinburgh and officiated at the Edinburgh New Hebrew Congregation. He served as chazan, teacher and mohel at the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation, Cathedral Road, (1924-1928). He then left for southern Africa in 1928, serving initially at the Great Synagogue, Cape Town. In 1954, he was appointed the minister for Kitwe and District, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). He was the brother of Rev. Israel Joshua Kibel. (JYB listings; and JC reports.)

Rabbi Dr. Alan A. Kimche
(b. 1952)

London-born Rabbi Kimche (m. Via, from Amsterdam) studied in yeshivot in Jerusalem under senior rabbis. After receiving semicha, he returned to London in 1983 to direct a series of adult learning programmes known as Da'at and in 1984 became the part-time rav of a fledgling new congregation, the Ner Yisrael Community, in Hendon, which initially brought together about 15 to 30 families but grew rapidly into one of the leading and largest modern orthodox orientated synagogues in London. Rabbi Kimche was instrumental in the setting up of the NW London eruv in 2003. He obtained a PhD from London University entitled: “Kavod Habriyot: Human Dignity in Talmudic Law”. He is an adult educator with a particular interest in Jewish philosophy and halakha. Rebbetzen Via Kimche has a degree in psychology and education, is an educator and counsellor, and ran a voluntary organisation to help women through childbirth. In 2019 Rabbi Kimche was appointed emeritus rabbi at Ner Yisrael and the couple returned to Jerusalem. (Congregation's website and JC reports.)

Rev. S. King

Rev. King served as reader of Waterford Hebrew Congregation, Ireland (c.1911-c.1912 and c.1914-c.1917) and as minister of Dundee Hebrew Congregation, Scotland (c.1912-c.1913). (JYB listings JC report.)

Rev. Kirchbaum
(1821 - 22 February 1895)

Krakow-born Rev. Kirchbaum was educated Pressburg (now Bratislava) and arrived in England in 1848. He served as a shochet in Hull and then served as reader and shochet at the Cheltenham Hebrew Congregation, Gloucestershire, from 1854 until May 1855.  Torode (see sources) wrote that Rev. Kirchbaum "caused some embarrassment while he was with the congregation in his role as shochet, which probably indicates why his stay was not of a longer duration." He moved to London in 1876 and retired in 1880. (Jolles's Encyclopaedia; The Hebrew Community of Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud by Brian Torode (1989), p.40 and Appendix.)

Rev. Harry Klain
(c.1902 - May 1967)

Rev. Klain (m. Rusha) from Warsaw, served as reader of the Birmingham New Synagogue,  from 1931 until 1967. He had originally officiated at a service in 1930 and the congregation was so impressed by him, they invited him back to serve as their reader after he had returned to Warsaw. (Jolles's Encyclopaedia; JYB listings.)

Rabbi Jason Kleiman
(b. 1969)

Leeds born Rabbi Kleiman (m. Elise), is a theology and religious studies graduate from Leeds University who later obtained semicha from Jews' College, London. As a teenager he officiated at services at the Sheffield Hebrew Congregation and Beth Hamidrash Hagadol Synagogue (Street Lane Gardens Synagogue), Leeds. In 1992, he became assistant minister of the Childwall Synagogue, Liverpool. He was then part-time minister of the Reading Hebrew Congregation, Berkshire, (1993-1996) and served as rabbi at Catford and Bromley Affiliated Synagogue, south east London, (c.1996-1999) and Clayhall Synagogue, Essex (1999-2004), where he revived the Rabbinical Council of East London and served as its chairman. In 2004 Rabbi Kleiman returned to his native Leeds to become rabbi at Beth Hamidrash Hagodol Synagogue, and serves as director of the Leeds Jewish Education Authority. (JYB listings and various JC reports.)

Rev. David Myer Klein
(5 December 1874 - 5 October 1934)

Warsaw-born Rev. D. Klein (m. Rosa daughter of Rabbi Nathan Bauer of Posen, today Poznan in Poland) came from a family of chazanim (his father was a chazan in Warsaw and his brother was Rev. I. Henry Klein). He came to England in 1895 and was choirmaster at the Great Synagogue, Manchester. He was briefly reader at the Beth Aaron Synagogue, Manchester (1899-1900) and then first reader of Sheffield Hebrew Congregation (1900-1910). Rev Klein served as second reader and secretary of Bayswater Synagogue, London, from 1910 until about 1914 and as its first reader and secretary from about 1914 until his death in 1934. He was active in supporting the Jewish orphanage at Norwood and was president of the British Association of Chazanim. He is buried at Willesden cemetery. (JC obituary 19 October 1934 and JYB listings.)

Rabbi Hyman Klein, MA
(1908 - 1958)

London-born Rabbi H. Klein, a talmudic scholar, attended the Etz Chaim yeshivah and Cambridge University, where he received honours in mathematics. He was principal of Aria College, Southsea, Portsmouth (1938-1944), which included the period from 1939 to 1944 when the college was evacuated to Winchester, Hampshire. He subsequently headed the Liverpool Talmudical College (1944-1950). Thereafter he was in London for a short period and spent his last years in Jerusalem. Rabbi Klein wrote many papers on the literary composition of the Babylonian Talmud, which were published from 1933 onwards. (Encyclopedia.com biography; JC reports)

Rev. Israel Henry Klein
(14 August 1883 - 19 April 1960)

Warsaw-born Rev. I. H. Klein (generally known as Rev. Henry Klein) (m. Sadie, or Sarah, Lang) was a chazan, choir master, chorister and for a while an opera singer with the D'Oyly Carte opera company. From a family of chazanim (his father was a chazan in Warsaw and his brother was chazan Rev. David M. Klein), he arrived in the UK in 1904. His first post was as choir master at the Great Synagogue, Manchester. He was for a time chazan to the Fieldgate Street Synagogue, London, before serving at the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation, Cathedral Road, Cardiff, Wales (c.1911-c.1913), and as minister, hon. secretary and superintendent of classes for the Woolwich and Plumstead Synagogue, London (until 1915). Rev Klein was appointed first reader and headmaster of the Hebrew and religion classes at the Cork Hebrew Congregation, Ireland (1915-1920), serving, for at least some of the time, as minister of the congregation. In September 1920 he returned to London as chazan to the Borough Synagogue, where he served for 33 years until retirement in 1953. He was President of the Association of Ministers (Chazanim) of Great Britain and died in London. (JC obituary 29 April 1960 and various reports.)

Rev. Joel Klein
(d. 1990)

Rev. J. Klein (m. Malka - d. 1980) was born at Satmar (today Satu Mare), Romania, and studied at yeshivot there. He was first reader at the Great Synagogue, Bucharest and at Cluj in Romania, and then served as a chazan in Rehovot, Israel. For over twenty years, Rev. Klein served as the last full-time reader/chazan of Hackney Synagogue, now the Hackney & East London Synagogue (1958-1979). Following his retiement in 1979, he and his wife moved to Israel, where Rev. Klein died. A memorial service was held for him at the Hackney synagogue in June 1990. (JYB listings.)

Rev. Julian Klein
(24 March 1951 - December 2007)

London-born Rev. Klein (m. Sandy), who held a B Ed from London University and a post-graduate degree in curriculum development and multi-ethnic education, attended yeshiva at Gateshead as well as the Yavneh yeshiva in Israel. He received semicha in Israel but did not use the title of rabbi in the UK. In 1981 he was headmaster of the North London Higher Study Centre which offered Jewish studies to O Level, based in Stanmore and then Edgware. Rev. Klein taught Jewish studies at the Jewish Free School, Kisharon and Hasmonean Primary schools. He served part time at Welwyn Garden City Affilaited Synagogue, Hertfordshire, as headmaster of the cheder from 1985 and also as minister of the congregation from 1987 until 1991. He assisted at Finchley (United) Synagogue 1995-1996, was part-time minister at Notting Hill Synagogue c.1997, and at Hounslow and District Synagogue and Cheltenham Synagogues (dates unknown). He was Headteacher of Southend cheder 2000-2002. Noted for his love of and performance of chazanut, chazans from across the UK and beyond took part in a memorial concert for Rev. Klein at Finchley Ssynagogue in 2008 and a Julian Klein Tephilharmonic Cantorial Scholarship was established in his memory. (JC report of 21 December 2007 and online research.)

Rev. Leopold Wolf Klein
(3 March 1868 - 29 August 1933)

Rev. L.W. Klein's (m. Dora, d. 1930) was born in Zmygrod, Galicia. His first known post is at York Synagogue (1899-1901), then as reader at the Central Synagogue, Hull (1901-1905) and in 1905 he was elected chazan, shochet and mohel to the Byron Street Congregation, Leeds. in August 1906, at the first AGM of the recently formed Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation in August 1906 he was appointed minister and conducted the congregation's Hebrew classes, leaving Bournemouth in 1914. At a meeting of the United Synagogue in December 1917 it was resolved to retain the services of the Rev. L. W. Klein as temporary reader at the New Synagogue, Stamford Hill, London. By 1919 he was settled at the then independent Bermondsey and Rotherhithe Synagogue, south London, serving as its miniser from at least 1923 to about 1932. In 1932 he was auditor to the Association of Chazanim in London. He is buried in East Ham cemetery, London. (JYB listings; various JC reports includind death notice of 1 September 1933.)

Rev. Louis Klein
(20 September 1916 - 28 February 1999)

Rev. Louis Klein (m. Sonia 1937) was born in Lilim-Salaj, Transylvania (then in Austria-Hungary, now in Romania), the son of a chazan. In 1928 the family moved to Belgium and he studied at Yeshiva Etz Chaim in Heide, Antwerp and Mir Yeshiva and subsequently studied music at the Conservatorium in Ostend. His first post as a chazan was at Ostend Synagogue. He managed to come in Britain in about 1940 and continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music in London. He served as chazan at the Great Garden Street Synagogue, east London (1940-1948) and at Wembley District Synagogue, northwest London (1949-1956). In 1956, he left for the USA and was appointed chazan to Kneses Israel of Sea-Gate, New York. In 1958 he moved to take up the position of chazan at the Congregation B’nai Moshe, initially in Detroit, moving in 1959 to Oak Park, Michigan, and later to West Bloomfield, Michigan. Rev. Klein served the congregation for over 40 years. He died in Texas, while visiting family. (JYB listings; Detroit Jewish News obituary 5 March 1999 online; Jolles's Encyclopaedia.)

Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Klughaupt
(d. 29 December 1980)

Rabbi Klughaupt (m1. Yanta Schmerler; m2. Feigah Ronia Shmerler), the son of Rabbi Moishe Klughaupt, served during World War II as rav of the Bletchley Hebrew Congregation, the strictly orthodox evacuee congregation in north Buckinghamshire. He was the father of Rabbi Yakov Shloime Klughaupt. (UOHC Shuls of Yesteryear - Addendum to UOHC Hakohol Madrich HaKashrus 2015; JC reports; JYB listing; online research.)

Rev. Samuel Knopp
(c.1912 - 1986)

Polish born and brought up in Leeds, Rev. Knopp was the son of Rev. Sima Knopf, chazan of the Leeds Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Synagogue. Rev. S. Knopp (m. Judith Matyas of Paris - a trained singer and artist) studied at Leeds University and also the Leeds College of Music and in London. He was chairman of the Torah v Avodah religious Zionist youth movement in Leeds. His first post was as minister to the Ayr Hebrew Congregation, west of Scotland, (from at least 1953 to 1955) and was then minister and reader of the Terenure Hebrew Congregation, Dublin in (January 1955-1958). Rev. Knopp served as chazan at the Great Synagogue, Belgrave Street, Leeds (1958-1972), and he then became reader of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation and in 1980 he succeeded Rabbi Dr Jacob Weinberg to become minister of that synagogue. He retired to Israel in 1982. (JC report 14 January 1955, and obituary 27 June 1986.)

Avrohom Dov Kohn

Avrohom Kohn was born in Germany and received his early education in Nurenburg. From 1919 to 1926, he studied in Hungarian yeshivot, although it is uncertain whether he received semicha. He then returned to Germany where he joined the Wurzburg Teachers Seminary, from which he graduated in 1929. He obtained a State diploma in 1934 (somewhat unusual as the Nazis were already in power) and became one of the outstanding leaders of orthodox Jewish Youth in Germany. He taught at the Jewish Real Schule in Furth and Adass Yisrael Schule in Nurenburg until 1939, when he managed to escape to Britain. He made his way to Gateshead where he initially took charge of the Hebrew Classes for boys. In 1944, against some stiff opposition, he established the Gateshead Beth Midrash Lemoroth (Jewish Teachers Training College or Seminary for Girls), the only institution of its kind in Britain, where he served as principal until about 1988. He was the father of Rabbi Simcha Kohn. (The Jewish Communities of North-East England by Lewis Olsover, 1980, Book Two, Chapter Two; JYB listings)

Rev. Eli Kohn
(b. 1946)

Jerusalem-born Rev. Kohn served as part-time minister to various synagogues in the Federation of Synagogues from about 1967, including the former Tottenham Hebrew Congregation, London and the East London Central Synagogue, Stepney. In 1990 he was appointed minister to the Sheffield Jewish Congregation, Yorkshire but in 1991 returned to the East London Central Synagogue. From 1995 to 1996 he served as non-resident minister to the Belfast Hebrew Congregation. (JC reports.)

Rabbi Simcha Kohn

Rabbi S. Kohn, the son of Avrohom Kohn, has served as principal of the Gateshead Beth Midrash Lemoroth (Jewish Teachers Training College for Girls or the Old Seminary), established by his father, since about 2000 until the present (July 2024). (online reserach)

Rabbi Abraham Israel Kon
(1892 - May 1968)

Lodz-born Rabbi Kon, who received semicha in Poland in 1914, served as rabbi of the Adath Yisrael Community in Stettin, Germany (now Szczecin, Poland) (1924-1938) and managed to make his way to Britain in 1939. During the war he established a hostel in Ely, Cambridgeshire, for Jewish refugee boys and also worked as an honorary chaplain to the British Armed Forces. He later managed another refugee hostel in Stoke Newington, London, while working as a shochet, and served as honorary minister at the local Rutzon Tov Synagogue (later known as West Hackney Synagogue), North London (c.1951-1954), before being appointed as the congregation's rabbi (1954-c.1957). He also became vice-president of the British Mizrahi Association. (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History (2011) by W. Rubinstein (ed.) and M.A. Jolles and H. L. Rubinstein (ass. eds.), p.531; JC report of 20 August 1954 and JYB listngs.)

Rabbi Ephraim Konigshofers

Rabbi Konigshofers escaped Nazi-occupied Vienna with the assistance of Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfeld, presiding Rabbi of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (UOHC), who obtained visas from the British authorities for young rabbis, on the grounds that a number of British synagogues were in need of spiritual leaders. Rabbi Konigshofer was chosen to served as the first rav of the newly founded, UOHC-assisted, Edgware Adath Yisroel Synagogue, London (1940-1942), he subsequently moved first to Stamford Hill and then joined the recently-launched Gateshead Kollel. (History of the Edgware Adath Yisroel Congregation on its website.)

Rev. L. Korn

Rev. L. Korn served as minister to the Bangor Hebrew Congregation, North Wales, from about 1933 until at the latest 1934. His letter to The JC in September 1933, accusing his congregants (or former congregants) of hypocrisy for running to make up a yahrzeit minyan but not attending synagogue on the Sabbath, received a strong rebuke from the congregation's president, Mr. A. M. Levy, in a subsequent edition. There were then 14 adult males who were members of the congregation. In September 1934, Rev. Korn, described as being of Bangor and London, was appointed minister,teacher and shochet to the Derby Hebrew Congregation. Possibly he is the Leopold Korn who was a shochet in east London. (JYB listings and JC reports.)

Rev. Moshe M. Korn
(1926 - 23 October 1985)

Cologne-born Rev. M. Korn (m. Hannah) had left Germany for Palestine in 1934. In 1957, he returned to Germany to take up a post as chazan in Frankfurt and later in Cologne. He then came to Britain and served as chazan at the Hendon Synagogue from 1960 until his death in 1985. (JC obituary dated 1 November 1985; and Profile by Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler.)

Rev. Bernd Koschland, MBE
(b. January 1931)

Rabbi Koschland, BA was born in Fuerth, near Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany and escaped to Britain on the Kindertransport in March 1939. He served as minister of a number of congregations, including Kingston, Surbiton & District Affiliated Synagogue, London, North Finchley and Woodside Park District Synagogue, London (c.1961-c.1964) and Barnet and District Affiliated Synagogue, London (c.1965-c.1969). He also became a full-time teacher, working at JFS and the City of London School for Girls, before retiring in 1995. He was awarded the MBE in 2017 for his work in Holocaust education. (JYB listings and JC report.)

Rev. David Koussevitzky
(1911 - 1985)

Cantor David Koussevitzky (also Kucewicki or Kusevitsky) was the youngest of four brothers, all born in Smorgan (now Belarus) and all of whom became well-known cantors in the United Kingdom, USA and South Africa. The other brothers were Moshe, the eldest, who did not serve any congregation in the United Kingdom, Jacob and Simcha. David became choir leader under Jacob at Kremenetz (today in the Ukraine) and then under another brother, Simcha, at Rovno (also today in Ukraine). When Simcha left to take up a post in Glasgow, Scotland, David left for Army service, on completion of which he returned to Rovno where he was appointed chazan. In 1937 he too came to Britain on his appointment as chazan of Hendon Synagogue, London, which he served until 1949 when he accepted a "call" to as first cantor of Temple Emanuel, Brooklyn, New York city. He combined his duties as reader with teaching as professor of chazanut at New York's Jewish Theological Seminary. He noted that his ministerial duties in America were less onerous than those in Hendon, and this enabled him to broadcast frequently, to give concerts and to make gramophone records. Temple Emanu-El in the Borough Park section of Brooklyn, was a block away from Temple Beth-El, where his brother Moshe was cantor. (JC obituary, 9 August 1985, Profile by Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler.)

Rev. Jacob Koussevitzky
(1903 - 1959)

Cantor Jacob Koussevitzky (or Kucewicki) was the second eldest of four brothers, all born in Smorgan (now Belarus) and all of whom became well-known cantors in the United Kingdom, USA and South Africa. The other brothers were Moshe, the eldest, who did not serve any congregation in the United Kingdom, Simcha and David. Jacob was the tenor soloist in the choir when his eldest brother Moshe was chazan in the Vilna State Synagogue, shortly after World War I. Shortly afterwards, Jacob was appointed chazan himself in Kremenetze (today in the Ukraine), where his younger brother David served as his choirmaster. Some years later they worked together in Lemberg (now Lviv, Ukraine). In 1936 Jacob came to London, where he was appointed to chazan of the Dalston Synagogue, Poet's Road, London (c.1936-c.1948) followed by the Western Synagogue, London (c.1948-1951). He then moved to North America. He was chazan of the Congregation Rosh Pinah in Winnipeg, Canada for two years and in 1953 he became chazan at the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills in New York until his death six years later. His daughter, Margaret, was the wife of Rev. Chaim Zack. (Profile by Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler.)

Rev. Simcha Koussevitzky
(1905 - 1998)

Cantor Simcha Koussevitzky (or Kucewicki) was the third eldest of four brothers, all born in Smorgan (now Belarus) and all of whom became well-known cantors in the United Kingdom, USA and South Africa. The other brothers were Moshe, the eldest, who did not serve any congregation in the United Kingdom, Jacob and David. Simcha was the chazan (cantor) at Rovno (today in Ukraine) before coming to Britain to take a post in Glasgow and subsequently with the Great Synagogue, Dukes Place, London. (Article by Cantor Elihu Feldman)

Rev. Chaim Kowalski
(c.1894 - 1 March 1953)

Rev. Kowalski (m Shana Epstein in Lubien, Poland, 1917) served as reader of Central Hackney Synagogue, London from c.1932 until that synagogue's merger with South Hackney Synagogue in 1935 to form the Hackney Synagogue (now the Hackney & East London Synagogue) and served the new merged congregation as minister until his death. (The History of the Hackney Synagogue appearing in its Centenary Commemorative Booklet 1897-1997 and JYB listings.)

Rev. Abraham Kraut
(12 July 1877 - 20 February 1931)

Rev. A. Kraut (also referred to E. Kraut, S. Kraut and S.K. Kraut*) (m. Leah (Liba) Landau), was born in Kutno, Poland, served as minister at the Pontypridd Synagogue, south Wales, (c.1910-c.1911) and then briefly at the Burnley Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire (c.1912). He was then minister at the nearby Blackburn Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, (July 1912-1919). In 1919, he moved to Newcastle upon Tyne, where he served the community as reader, shochet, mohel and/or teacher, initially at the Newcastle Beth Hamedrash (1919-1920), then at the city's Corporation Street Synagogue (1920-1924) and finally at the then newly-established Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation and Beth Hamedrash - Ravensworth Terrace Synagogue (from 1924 until his death in 1931). A Rev. S. Kraut served as shochet and teacher at the Durham Synagogue and Jewish community, County Durham, from about 1924 until about 1929 and, in view of Durham's proximity to Newcastle, he is believed to be the same person. A fine Hebrew scholar and Talmudist he compiled a Biblical concordance and also a ten-volume Rabbinical Thesaurus which were both unpublished at the time of his death. He was described as having inherited the good humour and wit of his chasidic teacher and mentor, the Gaon of Kutno. ("From Poland To Paradise Lane and Other Journeys" - a history of the Jewish community of Blackburn, by Hilary Thomas, 2018, including biography, pp.161/2; JC obituary 6 March 1931; Lewis Olsover's "The Jewish Communities of North-East England", 1980, JYB listings.)
*Hilary Thomas gives his name as Abraham, whereas Lewis Olsover refers to him as Rev. E. Kraut. In JYBs, he is listed variously as Rev. A. Kraut, Rev. S. Kraut and Rev. S.K. Kraut.)

Rev. E. M. Kreugal

Rev. E.M. Kreugal (also referred to as E. or M. Kreugel) from Hesse-Darmstadt, near Frankfurt in south west Germany, was unanimously elected chazan, shochet and mohel to the Grimsby Hebrew Congregation, Lincolnshire, in 1891. By February 1892 the congregation was obliged to release him because he had failed to demonstrate his competence as a shochet to the satisfaction of the authorities in London. He served briefly as minister to the Northampton Hebrew Congregation in 1896, where he received a call to be minister at the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation, Kent. (Minute book of the Grimsby Hebrew congregation, available on the JCR UK website; A Short History of the Jews of Northampton by Michael Jolle; and various JC reports.)

Rev. Samuel Kronson
(1849 - 21 April 1924)

Born in Vienna, Rev. Kronson (name also mispelled Kronsow) (m. Leah Harris - d.1923) was reader and shochet at the Oxford Hebrew Congregation in about 1870. By the time of his wedding in Oxford in 1872, he was trading as a jeweller. He was still in Oxford in December 1875 when he was described as a general dealer. By 1881 he was living in Wolverhampton and he then settled for some years in Northampton as a leather agent. In the 1920s he was settled in the USA where he was described as a Rabbi. He died in Pittsburgh but is buried alongside his wife at Towcester Road Jewish cemetery, Northampton. (Ministers in Oxford by Harold Pollins; JC reports.).

Rev. Abraham Krushevski
(8 April 1896 - 1983)

Rev. Krushevski (or Kruchevski) was born in Białystok, Poland. He had also been at Novi Sad, in the former Yugoslavia. He was reader at the Central Synagogue, Manchester, from 1928 to 1933, and in July 1928 he officiated at the opening of the congregation's new synagogue building in Heywood Street, Cheetham, and in 1931, he officiated at the opening of its Hebrew School. He then left for Hull, where he was of reader of the Hull Old Hebrew Congregation from 1933 until 1939. He appears to have subsequently moved to the United States and is believed to have died there in 1983. (The History of Hull's Orthodox Synagogues, 2000, by Elliot Oppel; Jolles's Encyclopaedia; and JYB listings.)

Rev. David Kurnoff

Rev. Kurnoff, who was educated at yeshivot in Liverpool, London and Gateshead, was assistant minister at Childwall Synagogue, Liverpool for 15 years until 1962. He then became the last resident minister at Stockport Hebrew Congregation (1962-1964). In 1964 Rev. Kurnoff was appointed minister of Sale and District Hebrew Congregation, South Manchester, where he officiated at the consecration of the new synagogue in 1966. When he retired in 1974 the congregation had more than doubled its size. In retirement he lived at Heathlands, Manchester. (JC reports.)

Rabbi Ben Kurzer

New York-born Rabbi Kurzer (m. Abi) was awarded a BA in Jewish History and obtained rabbinic semicha when living in New York before coming to Britain. He served as assistant minister of Edgware United Synagogue, London (2014-2019) and as minister of Pinner Synagogue, London (1919 to present - May 2020). (Biography on Pinner synagogue website.)

Rabbi Julius Kyanski
(c.1872 - February 1954)

London-born Rabbi Julius (or Judah) Kyanski (m. 1st Johanna (Annie), daughter of Rabbi B. Gelles of Korotoshen, Posen; m. 2nd the former Mrs. A. Monusson) was educated at the Jews' Free School, London. He travelled to Eastern Europe to learn at Volozhyn Yeshiva (today Valozhyn, Belarus) and he obtained semicha from Rabbi Yitzhok Elchonon of Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania). He lived in Germany for a time. For more than 16 years, until 1916, he taught at the Great Garden Street Talmud Torah, London, most of the time as its headmaster. Rabbi Kyanski then served as minister of the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation (1916-c.1920). The Newcastle Old Hebrew Congregation, Leazes Park Road, appointed him minister and headmaster in 1921 and he served there until retirement in 1938, whereupon he was appointed emeritus minister. He retired to Southport. He was the uncle of Rabbi Benjamin Gelles. Rabbi Kyanski is buried at Bushey cemetery, Hertfordshire. (JC obituary 12 February 1954; "Who's Who" entries and listings in JYBs; 1911 UK census; Nottingham Daily Express report of 10 July 1916; Nelson Fisher Eight Hundred Years - The Story of Nottingham's Jews.)