the former

Hull Western Synagogue

Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire

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The former Hull Western Synagogue, 2022
(Courtesy Steven Jaffe)

Congregation Data

Name:

Hull Western Synagogue (or the Western Synagogue, Hull)

Address:

Linnaeus Street, Hull HU3 2PD.

Formation:

At the turn of the twentieth century, as a result of a large increase in Hull's Jewish population, lack in space in the existing synagogue of the Hull Old Hebrew Congregation (then known simply as the Hull Hebrew Congregation) and the attraction of better housing, a movement, inaugurated by Benjamin S. Jacobs and Henry Feldman, was started to secure a suitable site for a new synagogue and Jewish school.

In 1902, the Linnaeus Street site was secured and Mr. Jacobs, an architect, designed and arranged the building of the synagogue and its adjacent school. On 25 September 1902, the foundation stone was laid by Osmond E. D'Avigdor Goldsmid (on the same day as he laid the foundation stone for the Old Hebrew Congregation's Osmond Street synagogue). In May 1903, the synagogue was consecrated by the Chief Rabbi Rev. Dr. Adler.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

The synagogue was designated a Grade II Listed Building on 24 January 1989 - number 1283079 (See Historic England listing and description). The synagogue's gates (erected 1926) were separately designated a Grade II Listed Building on 8 May 2008 (most recent amendment 30 June 2010) - number 1392593 (See the gates' Historic England listing and description).

Final Status:

In 1994, the congregation combined with Hull Old Hebrew Congregation to form the new Hull Hebrew Congregation.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ The synagogue closed in 1994 and was left abandoned. In 1999 the building, by then in a state of near dereliction, was acquired and refurbished by a missionary church, the Judeo-Christian Study Centre.^(iv)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

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. Israel Aaron Levy - from about 1903 until 1915^(vii)

Rev. Samuel Gross, BA - from 1913 until 1920^(viii)

Rabbi Lewis Miller - from March 1920 until about 1930^(ix)

Rev. David Hirsch, BA, JP, HCF - from 1931 until 1950 ^(x)

Rabbi Eliezer Simcha Rabinowitz, BA - from 1953 until 1956 ^(xi)

Communal Rabbis of Hull

Rabbi E.S. Rabinowitz (see above) served as the first Communal Rabbi of Hull from 1956 until 1959 - see Jewish Chronicle press report of September 1956 on his appointment^(xii)

Rabbi Dr. Chaim Joshua Cooper, MA, PhD served as the second and last Communal Rabbi of Hull from about 1960 until at least 1977 and possibly until 1981^(xiii)

Rabbi Irvin Broder - from about 1982 until about 1983^(xvi)

Rabbi Joseph Lever - from about 1985 until about 1992^(xvii)

Readers (Cantors):

Courtesy Steven Jaffe, May 2024
Plaques shown are now displayed at the current synagogue in Pryme Street.

(Rev. Abraham Shinerock may have served this congregation sometime in its early years^(xix))

Rev. Harris Cohen - from June 1902 until about 1906^(xx)

Rev. B.M. Alperovitz - from about 1906 until about 1914^(xxi)

Rev. Isaac Aarons - from about 1914 until about 1926^(xxii)

Rev. Joshua Freedberg - from July 1928 until 1967, and thereafter emeritus^(xxiii)

Rev. Michael A. Binstock - from about 1967 until 1968^(xxiv)

Rev. Hyman (Hymie) Davies - from 1948 until 1985^(xxv)

Honorary Officers^(xxvii) & Beadles:

Courtesy Steven Jaffe, May 2024
Plaque listing officers of the congregation, now displayed at
the current synagogue in Pryme Street^(xxviii)

Presidents

1901-1926 - Benjamin Septimus Jacobs^(xxix)

1926-1929 - Benn Franks

1929-1941 - Harry Rosenston

1941-1944 - J. Lewenstein^(xxx)

1944-1970 - Dr. Solomon Lurie^(xxxvi)

1970-1975 - Norman Rosenston

1975-1980 - Conrad Segelman, MSc

1980-1983 - E. Marks

1983-1985 - J. Rose

1985-1987 - H. Cohen

1987-1991 - Cyril J. Rosenston BA, FCA

1991-1994 - P.H. Daniels, BSc & H.J. Levy

Hon. Life President

1926-1931 - Benjamin Septimus Jacobs^(xxix)

Vice Presidents

1901-1915 - Henry Feldman, JP^(xxxvii)

1915-1919 - L.H. Bergman

1919-1921 - Benn Franks

1921-1923 - D. Lipinski^(xxx)

1923-1925 - Benn Franks

1925-1929 - M.V. Gosschalk, MA

1929-1930 - J. Aaron

1930-1942 - H.R. Science

1942-1943 - D.L. Jacobs^(xxx)

1943-1944 - Dr. Solomon Lurie^(xxx)

1944-1955 - J. Lewenstein

1955-1970 - Louis Harris, MBE

1970-1975 - Conrad Segelman, BSc

1975-1976 - R.G. Field, FCA

1976 - W. Sugarman, MC

1976-1980 - E. Marks

1980-1983 - M. Black

1983-1985 - H. Cohen

1985-1991 - Dr. C. Rosen

Treasurers

1901-1909 - Julius Magner

1909-1920 - B.I. Barnard

1920-1926 - N. Goldstone

1928-1929 - Jos. Bush

1929-1930 - I. Bergman

1930-1933 - Jos. Bush

1933-1934 - H. Science^(xxxi)

1934-1936 - S. Zimmerman

1936-1942 - S. Goldrein

1942-1955 - S. Zimmerman

1955-1958 - L.A. Abrahams

1958-1962 - H. Cohen

1962-1968 - Norman Rosenston

1968-1970 - Conrad Segelman, MSc

1970-1975 - R.G. Field, FCA

1975-1976 - Mark Field

1976-1980 - J. Lewin

1980-1982 - H. Lanch, BA

1982-1983 - J.E. Finestein, LLB

1983-1984 - P.H. Daniels, BSc

1984-1985 - B. Fidler, LLB

1985-1987 - Cyril J. Rosenston, BA, FCA

1987-1991 - E. Bennett

1991-1994 - A. Rowland, FCA

Beadles^(xxxviii)

1902-1916 - H. Harris

1916-1919 - J. Brown

1919-1943 - Morris Abrahamson

1944-c.1998 - Harry Westerman

Courtesy Steven Jaffe, May 2024.

Honorary Secretaries:

1901-1915 - L.H. Bergman

1915-1921 - M.V. Gosschalk, MA

1921-1926 - Jos. Bush

1926-1928 - T.G. Vice, ACA^(xxx)

1928-1929 - D.L. Jacobs

1929-1937 - E. Levinson

1937-1943 - L. Barnett

1943-1949 - Mark Field

1949-1953 - I.S. Schultz

1953-1955 - H. March

1955-1958 - W. Sugarman, MC

1958-1968 - Conrad Segelman, BSc

1968-1969 - H. Lanch, BA

1969-1970 - M. Koskie^(xxx)

1970-1975 - W. Sugarman, MC

1975-1977 - J. Rose

1977-1980 - H. Lanch, BA^(xxx)

1980-1983 - P.H. Daniels RBSc

1983-1987 - L.F. Kauffman

1987-1991 - H.J. Levy

1991-1994 - E. Pearlman

Membership Data:

Number of Seatholder (as reported by Jewish Year Books)

1939

1947

1949

1950

1951

1957

1960

260

270

330

360

370

350

360

Reports & Surveys^(xxxix)

1977 - 178 male (or household) members and 42 female members

1983 - 300 male (or household) members and 45 female members

1990 (jointly with Hull Old Hebrew Congregation) - 390 members
(comprising 230 households, 35 individual male and 125 individual female members)

Institutions associated with the Congregation:

Western Synagogue Chevra Kadisha, established by 1915.^(xlii)

Western Synagogue Vestment Committee, stablished by 1933.^(xliii)

Western Synagogue Board of Shechita, established by 1984.^(xliv)

Synagogue Museum, Linnaeus Street, established in 1994.^(xlv) [jrb 1994-1994]

Western Synagogue Ladies Guild,

Cemetery
Information:

The Congregation used the northern section of the Delhi Street Cemetery. For details, see Cemeteries Information on the Hull Jewish Community home page.

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.

(ii) Jewish Year Books 1903/4 and The History of Hull's Orthodox Synagogues (2000) by Elliot Oppel ("Oppel's History"), pp.15 and 17. ↵

(iii) The History of Hull's Orthodox Synagogues (2000) by Elliot Oppel ("Oppel's History"), p.15. ↵

(iv) Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland by Sharman Kadish (2015), p.213. ↵

(v) and (vi) Reserved.

(vii) Based partly upon Rev. Levy's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1903/4 through 1915 and date of commencement of his successor. ↵

(viii) Jewish Chronicle obituary 6 June 1924. Rev. (later Rabbi) Gross was listed listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1916 through 1920. ↵

(ix) Based upon Rabbi Miller's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1921 through 1930. There was no minister listed for the congregation in the 1931 edition ↵

(x) Oppel History, p.12 and Rev. Hirsch's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1932 through 1950. There was no minister listed for the congregation in the 1951 and 1952 editions. ↵

(xi) Based upon Rabbi Rabinowitz's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1953 through 1956 and the press report of September 1956. There were no ministers listed for the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1957 through 1982. ↵

(xii) Rabbi Rabinowitz was listed in Jewish Year Books 1957 through 1959 as Communal Rabbi of Hull. ↵

(xiii) Based upon Rabbi Cooper's listing as Communal Rabbi of Hull in Jewish Year Books 1961 through 1977. The Jewish Year Books 1978 through 1981 do not list him at all, although the "Who's Who" for in the editions for those years still refer to him as Communal Rabbi. He then became minister solely of the Hull Old Hebrew Congregation. ↵

(xiv) and (xv) Reserved.

(xvi) Based upon Rabbi Broder's listing as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1983. There were no subsequent Jewish Year Books listings of ministers for the congregation. ↵

(xvii) Based upon Rabbi Lever's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1986 through 1992. There were no ministers listed for the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1984 through 1985. ↵

(xviii) Reserved.

(xix) Jolles's Encyclopaedia. ↵

(xx) Oppel's History, p.11 and the listing of Rev. Cohen in Jewish Year Books 1902/3 through 1905/6 as reader. (He was also listed in the 1901/2 edition (apparently erroneously) as minister.) ↵

(xxi) Based upon Rev. Alperovitz's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1906/7 and 1909. In Oppel's History, p.11, his name appears as H. Alperovitz. ↵

(xxii) Based upon Rev. Aaron's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1915 through 1926. There were no readers listed for the congregation in the 1927 and 1928 editions. ↵

(xxiii) Oppel's History, p.12 and Rev. Freedberg's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1929 through 1967 (from 1953 through 1967, jointly with Rev. Davies). ↵

(xxiv) Based upon Rev. Binstock's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1968 and 1969 (jointly with Rev. Davies). ↵

(xxv) Oppel's History, p.12, Jewish Chronicle reports and Rev. Davies's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1953 through 1985 (from 1953 through 1967, jointly with Rev. Freedberg and 1968 and 1969 jointly with Rev. Binstock). ↵

(xxvi) Reserved.

(xxvii) Unless otherwise stated, the data relating to the congregation's honorary officers, as listed here, and honorary secretaries, as listed below, has been extracted from The History of Hull's Orthodox Synagogues (2000) by Elliot Oppel (in particular the lists on page 41) and, as a secondary source, from Jewish Year Books. We kindly acknowledge our thanks to Mr. Oppel for such information. Where there has been a discrepancy between the two sources (which were few), we have opted for the details as provided in Oppel's History. Furthermore, the Jewish Year Books were not published during WWII and ceased providing details of honorary officers after 1956. ↵

(xxviii) The lists of lay officers on the plaque are consistent with the lists in Oppel's History,, p.41. ↵

(xxix) Mr. B.S. Jacobs (1851-1931) served the congregation as its president for its first 25 years of existence and was then awarded the title of honorary life president, until his death in 1931 (Oppel's History, p11 and Jewish Year Book listings). ↵

(xxx) Term of office does not appear in Jewish Year Books, and which also does not list any honorary officer beyond 1956 (which is not the case as regards honorary secretaries). ↵

(xxxi) Term of office is not listed in Oppels' History. ↵

(xxxii) to (xxxv) Reserved.

(xxxvi) Dr. S. Lurie, the son of the rabbinical scholar, Rabbi Jacob David Lurie, served for 25 years as president of the congregation, came with his family to Hull from Bialystock as a child. He served the Hull community as a doctor for over 50 years, having qualified in 1938, and held office in a number of Jewish communal organisations in Hull (Oppel's History, p.7). ↵

(xxxvii) Mr. H. Feldman (died 1915), a well-known woollen merchant, was elected as the first Jewish Mayor and Chief Magistrate of Hull (Oppel's History, p.11). ↵

(xxxviii) Oppels' History, p.13. ↵

(xxxix) 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. ↵

(xl) and (xli) Reserved.

(xlii) Listed separately in Jewish Year Books from 1916 through 1936. It is assumed that thereafter there was a united Chevra Kadisha for all the city's orthodox congregations. ↵

(xliii) Listed in Jewish Year Books from 1934 through 1940. ↵

(xliv) Listed separately in Jewish Year Books from 1984 through 1995. There was a united Board of Shechita listed until 1985 and from 1996. ↵

(xlv) Listed in Jewish Year Books from 1994 through 1998. ↵

On-line Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

On JCR-UK

Photographs of the Former Synagogue, taken September 2022
Congregation Reports and Accounts - Annual Reports, following World War II and for year ended February 1952.

Hull Jewish Community home page

Jewish Congregations in East Riding of Yorkshire

Jewish Communities of England home page

Page created: 21 June 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 5 April 2020
Page most recently amended: 21 May 2024

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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