There were certainly two Jewish congregations in Sunderland in the
1830s, the 'Polish' and the 'Israelite'. The former seems to have [been] based
upon a largely East European 'Chassidic' group, while the others were
Dutch or German. The Polish congregation was originally, perhaps, more
active, since it was that group which elected a delegate to the Board of
Deputies in 1838, but he never took his seat and Sunderland 'was not in
the list' at the election in 1844 for the Chief Rabbi. The 'Polish'
congregation was obviously dwindling in numbers and by 1862 its
religious properties were purchased by the 'Sunderland Hebrew
Congregation'. In the meantime Sunderland had been the centre of a
significant disagreement over the eligibility of its deputy to the
London Board. The delegate chosen was also apparently a member of the
West London [Reform] Synagogue of British Jews, and as such not then
eligible to become a member of the Board. Eventually he was compelled to
withdraw.
The two congregations were formally united in 1857, and in
1858 appealed for money for a new building. A notice in the Jewish
Chronicle, headed 'Appeal to Isralites only', read:
The Jewish
Communityof Sunderland at present amounting to 250 souls have for the
last ninety years (when their number was much smaller) worshipped in
rooms under different congregations and heads. They are now desirous of
building a spacious synagogue and uniting the different congregations in
one body.
The new building was commenced in 1861 and was consecrated
in May 1862. The congregation was in a relatively strong position
financially, being responsible for the supply of kosher meat to the
community in Hartlepool, and being large enough to require an overflow
service at the High Holydays. In addition, the other, neighbouring
congregations used the Sunderland cemetery.
The congregation was also
notable for the series of teachers and ministers who were prepared to
serve the community. Admittedly many of them used Sunderland as a
stepping-stone to more prestigious communities, but among those who
stayed for four years was the Rev. A. A. Green, who later went to
Hampstead, but who managed during his stay to bring a new lease of life
to many of the local institutions, such as the Jewish Young Men's Mutual
Improvement Society, and the formation of English classes to help remove
the practical disabilities of foreign-born Jews.
During the 1880s the community began a series of developments
which were to be of the greatest importance. In company with many
such communities it received a number of immigrants from Russian
Poland, including many from the little town of Krottingen. In the
early summer of 1889 there was a devastating fire in that town which
resulted in nearly 2,000 being rendered homeless. Many in Sunderland
did their best to help, but an appeal had to be made to Anglo-Jewry
as a whole to help, and in the meantime there was a further influx
of 'greeners' from Krottingen to Sunderland. The town's Jewish
population grew, but so also did the strains on it. There were
reports for example of the strain being placed on the Board of
Guardians; in 1893 the Board found itself in a very difficult
position and it was also agreed to press for the establishment
of a Federation of the Boards all over the country to regulate
the 'casuals' travelling from town to town. As a consequence
however of the growth in the number of new immigrants splits
developed between them and the other longer-established members
of the congregation, splits which became evident in differences
in religious practice and which led in the 1880s to the establishment of several 'chevras' or brotherhoods. Their early history
is obscure, but in 1897 it was agreed to establish a proper building
to house the Beth Hamedrash, Cheder, and Mikvah. The new building
was consecrated in November 1899 and had seating capacity for 200
men and 70 women. The two congregations did not always see eye
to eye; the older body had for example tried in 1895 to suspend
the holding of services away from the main congregation, while
during the years after 1901 there is continual evidence of discord.
Nonetheless when in 1904 the new congregation wished to become a
member of the Board of Deputies its secretary reported to the Board:
Our congregation was established in 1888; the reasons
of our having formed ourselves in a separate Congregation
were:
1. That the other Congregation had not enough
accommodation for the whole of the Jewish Community in
Sunderland.
2. That in our opinion the other Congregation
was not conducted in such an orthodox manner as we desired
and it became essential in the interest of peace to form
ourselves in a separate Congregation where we could
conduct our services in the manner most sacred to us
and we now have over 100 members and we have built a
suitable place of Worship ....
All other institutions such as Board of Guardians, Chevra
Kadisha and other charitable institutions, are worked under
the auspices of both Congregations and supported by the
whole community.
Further notes prepared by L. Olsover
Among the activities in Sunderland not mentioned in the Year
Book was the creation of a local branch of the Chovevei Zion, fostered
by the visits of the Kamnitzer Robbe, Reb Chaim Maccoby, and Col. E. W.
Goldsmidt. When the English Zionist Federation was founded in 1899
a local branch was established in Sunderland, with a membership of
between sixty to eighty members and a subscription of ld. a week.
The members of the Sunderland community also played a significant part in the life of the outside community. Apart from the
Jonassohns who were prominent coal mine owners another member was
Isidor Isaacs, legal adviser for a time to the Durham Miners
Association and Newman Richardson who was the first Orthodox Jew
to be elected to the Town Council.
