JCR-UK

the former

Bradford Hebrew Congegration

Bradford, West Yorkshire

 

 

 

 
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Congregation Data

Name

Bradford Hebrew Congregation

Last Address:

Springhurst Road, Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD18 3DN (from 1970)(ii)

Former Address:

Spring Gardens, Bradford (1905 to 1970)(iii). The first purpose built orthodox synagogue in Bradford, consecrated 24 June 1906 and sold in 1970, becoming an Islamic primary school.(iv)

22 Houghton Place, Bradford (1885 to 1905)(vi)

Prior to 1885, the congregation met, at times, in a room in Tyrrel Street, Bradford.(vii)

Date Formed:

1875(x)

Current Status:

Closing ceremony held on 7 April 2013(xi) (but see Charitable Status below)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

The congregation was unaffiliated but under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.

Ministers:

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

Rev. Moses Abrahams, B.A. - visiting minister (from Leeds) from 1886 until 1899(xv)

Rev. Joseph Barnett Menkin - first resident minister from April 1899 until 1902(xvi)

Rev. Reuben A. Tribich - from 1902 until August 1908(xvii)

Rev. Isaac Livingstone - from 1909 until 1916(xviii)

Rev. Joseph Rabbinowitz, BA - from 1917 until 1919(xix)

Rev. Jacob Israelstam - from 1920 until 1962(xxii)

Rev. Aubrey Rosenberg - from 1962 until 1964(xxiii)

Rev. Leslie Mockton - from 1965 until 1969(xxiv)

Rev. Barry Lent - from 1970 until 1973(xxv)

Rev. Stuart Myers - from 1974 until 1979(xxvi)

Rev. David Braunold - from about 1980 until about 1985(xxvii)

In February 1987, in an effort to secure its future, the congregation decided, at a special general meeting, to enlist the services of a different guest minister every month to conduct services on the Shabbat and festivals and officiate at barmitzvahs, weddings and funerals. The minister's house was to be sold to augment synagogue finances.(xxviii)

Readers (Chazanim) & Shochets:

Rev. H. Angel - from about 1896 until 1900(xxxii)

Rev. Harris Cohen - in about 1900 / 1901(xxxiii)

Rev. Asher Littenberg - from about 1903 until 1912(xxxiv)

Rev. Abraham I. Reiss - from 1912 until about 1923(xxxv)

Rev. Hyman Miller - from about 1923 until about 1925(xxxvi)

Rev. Isaac Levine - from 1925 until about 1949(xxxix)

Rev. Marcus Singer - from about 1951 until at least 1954(xl)

Rev. Benjamin Topp - from about 1985 until 1987(xli)

Rev. Solomon Raphael Evans - about 1998(xlii)

Other Small Orthodox Congregations in Bradford:

Rival Hebrew Congregation of the 1890s

In 1890, the first schism in the Orthodox community occured when a rival Hebrew Congregation was formed, meeting  at 25 Houghton Street (opposite the existing Hebrew Congregation's synagogue at no. 22). There were about 25 seatholders.(xlv) In 1899, unity was restored when the two congregations were amalgamated.

From at least 1897:(xlvi)

Reader - Rev. S. Finkelstein (xlvii);

President (to 1898) - S. Cohen; Treasurer - S.J. Harris

Bradford New Hebrew Orthodox Congregation

A second schism occured in the community in about 1909 with the forming of the Bradford New Hebrew Orthodox Congregation, of 3 Chapel Court, Kirkgate, Bradford, which was active from about 1909 until about 1911.(xlix)

Readers:

Rev. S. Wolfe - from about 1909 to about 1910(l)

Rev. Mendel Sheinfield - from about 1910 to about 1911(li)

Officers (from 1909 to 1911):

President - Abraham Maizels(lii)

Hon. Secretaries: L. Levin - 1909-1910(l); Maurice Maizels - 1910-1911(li)

Ilkley Hebrew Congregation

Ilkley is a small spa town within the City of Bradford, situated approximately 12 miles north of Bradford proper. For a short period, from sometime during World War II until about 1947, Ilkley had its own Hebrew congregation, presumably formed by Jewish evacuees from populated areas.(liii)

Hon. Secretaries: R. Ellis - at least 1945-1947; Miss Rapporport - 1946-1947 (joint)

Lay Officers of the Hebrew Congregation (from 1896):

Unless otherwise stated, the data on lay officers of the congregation has been extracted from Jewish Year Book listings, first published 1896/7.(lvi)

Presidents

1896-1897 - Benjamin Bernstein

1897-1898 - Maurice Cohen

1898-1899 - Abraham Maizels(lvii)

1899-1904 - Maurice Cohen

1904-1905 - Nathan Chasens

1905-1906 - Abraham Maizels

1906-1907 - Maurice Cohen

1907-1909 - Hyman Angel

1909-1910 - Henry Robinson

1910-1913 - Maurice Cohen

1913-1915 - D. Jerome

1915-1916 - A.G. Bernstein

1917-1921 - S.M. Baron

1921-1923 - J.H. Baron

1923-1924 - M. Friedman

1924-1927 - A. Maizels

1927-1934 - N. Keidan

1934-1937 - Manuel Levin

1937-1940 - H. Shaffner

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1947 - L. Jerome

1947-1955 - M. Brown(lviii)

1955-1956 - Ald. Dr. D. Black

Wardens

1945-1950 - H. Shaffner

1950-1956 - Manuel Levin

Treasurers

1896-1897 - Henry Robinson

1897-1898 - A. Wolfe

1898-1899 - E. Englander

1899-1902 - Henry Robinson

1902-1903 - Abraham Maizels

1903-1904 - Jacob Gershon

1904-1907 - Hyman Angel

1907-1908 - D. Hammel

1908-1909 - S. Selka

1910-1913 - Jacob Gershon

1913-1915 - Benjamin Bernstein

1915-1916 - S. Selka

1917-1920 - S. Jerome

1920-1923 - Hyman Angel

1923-1932 - D. Sugarman

1932-1934 - H. Silman

1934-1940 - Alfred Cope

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1947 - M. Brown

1947-1948 - M.M. Maizels

1948-1949 - Alfred Cope

1949-1950 - M. Levi

1950-1952 - H. Shaffner

1952-1953 - O. Frankl

1953-1956 - W. Levi

Secretaries and Hon. Secretaries (to 1986)

1896-1897 - E.N.. Gershon

1897-1898 - G. Aaronson

1898-1899 - Maurice Cohen

1899-1903 - Benjamin Bernstein(lix)

1903-1905 - Elias Brodie

1905-1907 - Rev. Reuben Tribech (pro tem)

1907-1909 - I. Brodie

1909-1910 - M. Myers

1910-1911 - Joseph Levy

1911-1915 - Benjamin Bernstein

1915-1916 - S. Selka

1917-1919 - Rev. Joseph Rabbinowitz

1919-1923 - J. Bernstein

1923-1934 - M.B. Jacobs

1934-1940 - Maurice J. Benson

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1948 - P. Jerome

1948-1949 - M. Levi

1949-1950 - W. Jerome & S. Levin

1950-1951 - R. Bernstein & L. Ross

1951-1952 - L. Ross & S. Levin

1952-1953 - L. Ross & W. Levi

1953-1954 - L. Ross

1954-1955 - Stanley Brown

1955-1965 - S. Hoffbrand

1965-1967 - N.Q. Nisse

1967-1971 - S. Hoffbrand

1971-1974 - M. Elford

1974-1976 - A. Borchert

1976-1979 - Z. Klipstein

1979-1982 - N.Q. Nisse

1982-1983 - B. Barnett

1983-1985 - I. Levin

Membership Data:

Number of Seatholders(lxx)

1896

1898

1899

1900

1903

1904

1908

22

35

37

67

90

104

74

National Reports and Surveys(lxxi)

1977 - 98 male (or household) members and 27 female members

1983 - 78 male (or household) members and 40 female members

1990 - 86 members (comprising 35 households, 21 individual male and 30 individual female members)

1996 - 73 members (comprising 38 households, 15 individual male and 20 individual female members)

2010 - listed as having under 50 members (by household)

Charitable Status:

The congregation had been an unincorporated charity, governed by laws originating from its inception and largely pertaining to a fully functioning community with a synagogue. Following the closure of the synagogue, on 2 June 2020 Bradford Hebrew Congregation was registered with Charity Commissioners as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with the registered charity number 1189757. All the assets of the former unincorporated charity, as well as the three historic agreements with Bradford municipality regarding the cemetery, were transferred to the CIO on 6 July 2020.(lxxii)

Registration District

Bradford & Keighley (since 1 October 2008)(lxxiii) - Link to Register Office website.

Cemetery
Information:

Until 1912, the congregation had an arrangement with Leeds Old Hebrew Congregation granting burial facilities in their cemetery at Gildersome (the present UHC Cemetery).

From 1912, the congregation had its own cemetery, the Orthodox Jewish section at Scholemoor Cemetery, Necropolis Road, consisting of two separate parts. For details and database see Cemetery Information on Bradford Jewish Community home page.

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

  • (i) Reserved.

  • (ii) Springhurst Road was the address listed in Jewish Year Books from 1971. ↵

  • (iii) Spring Gardens was the address listed in Jewish Year Books from 1906/7 through 1970. ↵

  • (iv) Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland by Sharman Kadish, p.204. ↵

  • (v) Reserved.

  • (vi) Houghton Place was the address listed from the first Jewish Year Books (1896/7) through 1905/6., although no. 22 is ↵

  • (vii) Tyrrel Street is mentioned in Jewish Year Book 1903/4. ↵

  • (viii) and (ix) Reserved.

  • (x) Jewish Year Book 1925. Earlier editions had referred to 1886 as the date founded, but this was probably just related to the date when the Houghton Place synagogue was organised. ↵

  • (xi) Video of closing ceremony. ↵

  • (xii) to (xiv) Reserved.

  • (xv) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 May 1899 reported that Rev. Abrahams "has hitherto acted in the capacity of visiting minister to this congregation since its formation in 1886, and who recently resigned that office on the appointment of the Rev. J. B. Menkin as resident minister, preached a valedictory sermon." ↵

  • (xvi) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 May 1899 reported that "Rev. J. B. Menkin, who was recently appointed minister to the Bradford Hebrew Congregation, entered upon his practical duties and preached his inaugural sermon on Saturday last." By 1903, he was reported in Cardiff. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1899/1900 through 1901/02. There was no minister listed for 1902/03. ↵

  • (xvii) The Jewish Chronicle of 3 October 1902 reported on Rev. Tribich accepting a sudden call from the Bradford congregation and The Jewish Chronicle of 28 August 1908 reported that he would preach his farewell sermon to Bradford the following morning. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1903/4 through 1907/8. There were no ministers listed for 1909 and 1910. ↵

  • (xviii) The Jewish Chronicle of 18 August 1916 refers to Rev. Livingstone's seven years in Bradford and adds that "The Rev. I. Livingstone, Minister of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation, has been elected minister of the Golders Green Congregation". He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1911 through 1916. There was no minister listed for 1917. ↵

  • (xix) The Jewish Chronicle of 9 February 1917 reported that Rev. Joseph Rabbinowitz, BA....is leaving during the week to take up his duties as minister at Bradford". The Jewish Chronicle on 3 January 1919 places him still in Bradford and on 4 April 1919 reported his induction at Manchester. He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1918 and 1919. There was no minister listed for 1920. ↵

  • (xx) and (xxi) Reserved.

  • (xxii) A Jewish Chronicle report of 1919 places Rev. Israelstam in Merthyr Tydfil, and a report of 18 June 1920 places him in Bradford. His Jewish Chronicle obituary gives 1920 as his start year in Bradford. The Jewish Chronicle of 5 January 1962 reports that "the Rev. J. Israelstam is shortly leaving the city". He was first listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books was 1921 and his last listing was 1962. ↵

  • (xxiii) The Jewish Chronicle reported on 3 August 1962 that "Rev. Aubrey Rosenberg was inducted as minister of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation" and on 4 September 1964 that "Rev. Aubrey Rosenberg, minister of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation, has accepted an invitation to become minister of the Hounslow Synagogue." He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1963 and 1964. There were no ministers listed for 1985 and 1966. ↵

  • (xxiv) The Jewish Chronicle reported on 20 August 1965 that the "Rev. Leslie Mockton took up his duties as minister of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation last Shabbat" and on 16 May 1969 reported that the "Rev. Leslie Mockton, minister of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation, has been appointed minister of the Highams Park and Chingford Synagogue. He will take up his appointment in August." He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1967 through 1969. There was no minister listed for 1970. ↵

  • (xxv) The Jewish Chronicle reported on 13 March 1970 that the "Rev Barry Lent, of Manchester, is to be the minister of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation" and on 16 November 1973 that the "Rev Barry Lent, minister of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation, has announced his intention of leaving the community at the end of this year." He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1971 through 1974. ↵

  • (xxvi) The Jewish Chronicle reported on 12 April 1974 that the "Bradford Hebrew Congregation has appointed Mr Stewart Myers to be its minister" and in 1979 that the "Rev. Stuart Myers, minister of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation since 1974, has announced that he and his family are to go on aliya in October and he will therefore be relinquishing his post in July". He was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1975 through 1979. There was no minister listed for 1980. ↵

  • (xxvii) Rev. Braunold was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1981 through 1985. There were no later listings of ministers for the congregation. ↵

  • (xxviii) Jewish Chronicle report of 20 February 1987. ↵

  • (xxix) to (xxxi) Reserved.

  • (xxxii) Jewish Chronicle reports and Rev. Angel's listing as shocket in Jewish Year Books 1896/7 and as shocket and reader in the editions from 1897/8 through 1899/1900. There were no readers for the congregation listed in the 1900/01 and 1901/02 editions. ↵

  • (xxxiii) Rev. Harris was reported in Bradford in 1900 and was listed shochet and reader of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1902/03. ↵

  • (xxxiv) Jewish Chronicle reports and Rev. Littenberg's listing as shocket and reader in Jewish Year Books 1903/4 through 1912. ↵

  • (xxxv) Jewish Chronicle of 28 August 1912 reported that the "Rev. A. Reiss, who has been appointed Chazan-Shochet to the Bradford Spring Gardens Congregation, began his duties last week...formerly of Preston" He was listed as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1913 through 1923. However, it would appear that he did not leave Bradford until 1931 as the Jewish Chronicle reported on 7 July 1931 that "at a meeting of seat holders of the Psalms of David Synagogue, held recently, with Mr. H. Zermanskyin the chair, it was unanimously agreed that the Rev. A. Reiss (of Bradford) be engaged as Chazan to the Congregation" and on 31 July 1931 that a "Presentations were made on Sunday to the Rev. A. I. and Mrs. Reiss...Mr. Reiss was formerly Chazan of the Bradford Congregation, and was recently appointed Chasan in Leeds." ↵

  • (xxxvi) Based upon Rev. Miller's listing as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1924 and 1925. ↵

  • (xxxvii) and (xxxviii) Reserved.

  • (xxxix) Rev. Levine was first listed as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Book 1926 and his last listing was 1949. Although there was no reader listed for the congregation in the editions for 1950 through 1952. His Jewish Chronicle obituary states he entered upon his Bradford appointment and that until "1945 his duties there comprised those of reader, shochet. mohel, and teacher. He retired in 1951, when a presentation was made to him." The report does not specify the nature of the duties he retained after 1945. ↵

    in 1925

  • (xl) Rev. Singer was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1953 through 1955 There were no readers for the congregation listed in Jewish Year Books from 1956 through 1985. ↵

  • (xli) Rev. Topp was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1986 through 1988. The Jewish Chronicle of 20 February 1987 reported that "Bradford's full-time minister, the Rev. Ben Topp, is to leave at the end of this month because the congregation can no longer afford his services". ↵

  • (xlii) Jewish Chronicle obituary of 7 June 2002. ↵

  • (xlii) and (xliv) Reserved.

  • (xlv) Listed in Jewish Year Books 1897/98 through 1899-1900. ↵

  • (xlvi) Jewish Year Book 1900/01. ↵

  • (xlvi) Rev. Finkelstein was later listed in Jewish Year Books 1900/01 and 1902/02 as the teacher at the Hebrew Day School. ↵

  • (xlviii) Reserved.

  • (xlix) Listed in Jewish Year Books 1910 and 1911. ↵

  • (l) Listed in Jewish Year Book 1910. ↵

  • (li) Listed in Jewish Year Book 1911. ↵

  • (lii) Listed in Jewish Year Books 1910 and 1911 as A. Maizel and believed to be the Abraham who served the main Hebrew Congregation as president and treasurer. ↵

  • (liii) Listed in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 and 1947. ↵

  • (liv) and (lv) Reserved.

  • (lvi) 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. Initially year books corresponded to the Hebrew year, and thus ran roughly from autumn of one year - the year of publication - until autumn of the next year. From 1909, year books were published according to the Gregorian year, being published generally 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 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 somewhat from those shown here. Jewish Year Books were not published during WWII subsequent to 1940 and generally there were no listings of presidents, wardens or treasurers after 1956. ↵

  • (lvii) Abraham Maizel was also listed as Vice President of the congregation in the Jewish Year Books 1902/3 and 1903/4. ↵

  • (lviii) No president was listed for the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1951. ↵

  • (lix) B. Bernstein was listed as secretary jointly with A. Englander in the Jewish Year Books 1900/01 and 1901/02. ↵

  • (lx) to (lxix) Reserved.

  • (lxx) Jewish Year Books for the relevant year. ↵

  • (lxxi) 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. ↵

  • (lxxii) Charity Commission website, accessed 12 August 2021 and the filed annual report of the congregation for period to 31 December 2020. ↵

  • (lxxiii) For previous registration districts, see on Bradford home page. Any registers would now be held by the current register office. ↵

 

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

  • Bibliography

    • "Former Bradford Hebrew Congregation Synagogue" - Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland (2015) by Sharman Kadish, p 204.

    • Other Bradford Bibliography

Third Party Websites


Bradford Jewish Community home page
(which includes links to congregational histories and
other articles relating to this congregation.)

Jewish Congregations in West Yorkshire

Jewish Communities of England home page

Page created: 24 June 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes added: 9 August 2021
Page most recently amended: 3 September 2024

Research by and formatting by David Shulman

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