the former

Birmingham New Synagogue

Birmingham, West Midlands

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Congregation Data

Name:

Birmingham New Synagogue, from about 1919⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Previous Name:

The Old Beth Hamedrash⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Address:

11 Park Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8AB, a purpose built synagogue, foundation stone laid 25 October 1953 and consecrated 19 September 1954^(iv)

Formation and Former Addresses:

30 Holloway Head, Birmingham
When, in 1901, the Beth Hamedrash (which later became the Central Synagogue) moved from these premises, a group of extremely orthodox former congregants, keeping a relatively low profile, continued to hold services there, calling themselves the "Old Beth Hamedrash"^(v)

Hurst Street, Birmingham 5.
These premises were consecrated on 16 September 1923^(vi) and were in use by the congregation until 1954.

Status:

Closed 1995 - incorporated into Birmingham Hebrew Congregation.^(ix) However, it was agreed with the remaining members of the congregation that a separate minyan would be maintained for them, as a branch of the Birmingham Hebrew Congregation, and such minyan meets at the King David School, 244 Alcester Road, Moseley.

Ritual:

Ashkenazi - Ultra Orthodox

Affiliation:

Independent, but under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.

Ministers:
(To view a short profile of a minister or reader whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over his name.)

Rabbi Aaron Reuvain Charney - minister from at least 1918 until about 1921^(xii)

Rabbi Dr. Solomon Fisch - minister from about 1925 until about 1926^(xiii)

Rabbi Levi Freedman - minister until 1938^(xiv)

Rabbi Yerachmiel Cofnas (also known as Freedman) - minister from 1938 until 1988^(xv)

Rabbi R. Goodman - minister from about 1989 until 1995^(xvi)

Readers:

Rev. Harry Klain - reader from about 1931 until 1967^(xix)

Rev. Meir Lev - reader from 1968 until 1972^(xx)

Lay Officers:

Unless otherwise indicated, the information below, on the congregation's officers, has been extracted from Jewish Year Books.^(xxiii)

Presidents

1918-1922 - L. Zissman

1922-1923 - S. Levine

1923-1927 - M. Bergbloom

1927-1936 - L. Brooks

1936-1938 - B. Levy

1938-1956 - J. Tobias^(xxiv)

Vice Presidents

1919-1922 - A. Rich

1922-1930 - no data

1930-1934 - L. Hassall

1934-1936 - L. Hassall & L. Zissman

1936-1938 - J. Gaffin

1938-1948 - no data

1948-1956 - S. Ploskin

Chairman

1938-1940 - B. Levy

Wardens

1929-1936 - L. Brooks & S. Levine

Treasurers

1918-1922 - R. Burstein

1922-1923 - D. Corn

1923-1924 - M. Greenbaum

1924-1926 - L. Brooks

1926-1927 - Phillip Cohen

1927-1928 - L. Hassall

1928-1933 - L. Zissman

1933-1938 - J. Tobias

1938-1940 - E.J. Bassovitch

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1949 - M. Gross

1949-1955 - M. Gross & M. Levine

1955-1956 - E.J. Bassovitch

Secretaries & Hon. Secretaries

1918-1921 - W. Fagensohn

1921-1922 - H.H. Davis

1922-1923 - W. Fagensohn

1923-1938 - H. Stone

1938-1956 - Arthur Rose^(xxv)

Membership Data:

Number of Seatholders (Jewish Year Books)

1918

1921

1922

1923

1938

300

180

200

180

130

Reports & Surveys^(xxvi)

1977 - 114 male (or household) members and 62 female members

1983 - 87 male (or household) members and 58 female members

1990 - 103 members (comprising 39 households, 22 individual male and 42 individual female members)

1996 - 94 members (comprising 33 households, 21 individual male and 40 individual female members)

Cemetery
Information:

The congregation acquired its own cemetery, the Jewish Section of the Brandwood End Cemetery, in 1917. For earlier burials and further information, see Birmingham Jewish Cemeteries Information on Birmingham Jewish Community home page

Institutions of the New Synagogue

The New Synagogue Chevra Kadisha. The congregation had its own Chevra Kadisha from at least 1930 (and probably somewhat earlier) unti at least 1938.^(xxx)

The New Synagogue Shechita Board. This is known to have existed at the end of the 1920s.^(xxxi)

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) The name "The New Synagogue" appears to have first been used at a thanksgiving service for the end of World War I, on 6 July 1919 - Birmingham Jewry More Aspects 1740-1950, editor Z. Josephs, p.27. However, the congregation was not listed under this name until Jewish Year Book 1924. ↵
(iii) Birmingham Jewry More Aspects 1740-1950, editor Z. Josephs, p.27. However, the congregation did not appear in Jewish Year Books until 1919. ↵
(iv) Birmingham Jewry More Aspects 1740-1950, editor Z. Josephs, p.27. This was also the listed address in Jewish Year Books from 1955. ↵
(v) Birmingham Jewry More Aspects 1740-1950, editor Z. Josephs, pp.26/27. ↵
(vi) Birmingham Jewry More Aspects 1740-1950, editor Z. Josephs, p.27. This was also the listed address in Jewish Year Books from 1922. ↵
(vii) and (viii) Reserved.
(ix) Last listed in Jewish Year Books in 1997. ↵
(x) and (xi) Reserved.
(xii) Rabbi Charney is listed as rabbi of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1919 through 1921. ↵
(xiii) Rabbi Fisch is listed as rabbi of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1926 and 1927 and took up his post in Sheffield in 1916. ↵
(xiv) This is the brother of Rabbi Yerachmiel Cofnas, who succeeded him as minister. Rabbi Yerachmiel Cofnas by Rabbi M.B Katanka (2013). ↵
(xv) Online Interview. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 through 1989 and succeeded his brother Rabbi Levi Freedman. ↵
(xvi) Listed as minister in Jewish Year Books 1990 until the closure of the congregation. ↵
(xvii) and (xviii) Reserved.
(xix) Although listed a reader of the congregation only from Jewish Year Book 1939 (until the 1967 edition), according to the Jolles Encyclopaedia, he served from 1931. ↵
(xx) Listed as reader in Jewish Year Books 1969 through 1972. ↵
(xxi) and (xxii) Reserved.
(xxiii) 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 and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was vacant. The year books were generally published towards the end of the year prior to the year appearing in the title of the year book. For example, if an officer is listed in Jewish Year Books 1929 through 1934, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1928 and continued in office until 1934. However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and, accordingly, his actual years of office may differ somewhat from those shown here. The Jewish Year Book was not published during the war years 1941 to 1945, nor were there any listings of lay officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. ↵
(xxiv) Although the Jewish Year Book was not published during World War II from 1941 to 1945, as J. Tobias was listed as president both prior to and following the War, it is assumed that he also served as president throughout the war. ↵
(xxv) Although the Jewish Year Book was not published during World War II from 1941 to 1945, as A. Rose was listed as hon secretary both prior to and following the War, it is assumed that he also served as hon. secretary throughout the war. ↵
(xxvi) Reports on synagogue membership in the United Kingdom, published by 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. ↵
(xxvii) to (xxix) Reserved.
(xxx) Listed in Jewish Year Books from 1931 through 1938. ↵
(xxxi) Listed solely in the Jewish Year Book 1930. ↵

Birmingham Jewish Community home page

Jewish Congregations in West Midlands

Jewish Communities of England home page

Page created: 6 November 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 27 july 2022
Page most recently amended: 31 December 2023

Formatting and research by David Shulman

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