Bridge Street Hebrew Congregation

Congregation Data

Name:

Bridge Street Hebrew Congregation, Bristol

Address:

Bridge Street, Bristol.

Date Founded:

1893. Members of the congregation seceded from the Bristol Hebrew Congregation. Consecration of the services in Bridge Lane Hall took place on 17 August 1893.⁽ⁱ⁾

Date of Closure:

In 1896, the congregation and the Bristol Hebrew Congregation were amalgamated.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Ritual:

Orthodox - Ashkenazi

Affiliation:

None

Minister / Reader:

Rev. Abraham H. Eisenberg - Minister 1893 to 1896 (who transferred to the congregation from the Bristol Hebrew Congregation)⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Rev. Emanuel Ritblatt - Assistant Minister 1893 to 1896^(iv)

Officers:

Mr. H. Goldberg - President (1893-94), Warden and Hon. Secretary^(v)

Mr. N. Joseph - Warden^(vi)

Mr. P. Millet - Officer^(vii)

Cemeteries:

The Congregation announced in 1893 the purchase of a plot of land for use as a cemetery and appealed for funds to "to complete the purchase".^(viii) It is not clear whether the purchase was completed as there appears to be no further mention of this plot. For details of Bristol Jewish cemeteries (including database) see Bristol Jewish Cemeteries (and also IAJGS Cemetery Project).

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

• (i) Jewish Chronicle 25 August 1893. ↵

• (ii) Jewish Chronicle 17 April 1896 reported on the reconciliation with the Bristol Hebrew Congregation and the amalagamation of the two congregations. ↵

• (iii) In August 1893, the Bristol Hebrew Congregation advertised for a replacement for Rev, Eisenberg, who had transferred to Bridge Street (Jews in Bristol by Judith Samuels, 1997,  p.157). On the remerger of the two congregations, he rejoined the Bristol Hebrew Congregatii (id. p.160). ↵

• (iv) The Jewish World 20 September 1893 reported on Rev. Ritblatt's participation in the congregation's services. He joined the Bristol Hebrew Congregation on the amalgamation of the two congregations in 1896 (Jews in Bristol by Judith Samuels, 1997,  p.160), serving until 1927. ↵

• (v) A letter to the Jewish Chronicle in August 1893, reported in Jews in Bristol by Judith Samuels, 1997,  p.158, refers to Mr. Goldberg as "Hon. Secretary". He is referred to a warden in a Jewish Chronicle report of 25 August 1893 and to the "retiring President" in a Jewish Chronicle report of a general meeting of the congregation held in October 1894 (Ms. Samuel's book, pp.159/160). ↵

• (vi) Mr. Joseph is referred to a warden of the congregation in a Jewish Chronicle report of 25 August 1893. ↵

• (vii) Name appears in a circular issued by the congregation dated 1 August 1893 (Jews in Bristol by Judith Samuels, 1997,  pp.158/9). ↵

• (viii) Jews in Bristol by Judith Samuels, 1997,  p.158/9, reproduces a circular issued by the congregation dated 1 August 1893, appealing for funds to complete the purchase. ↵