Liverpool Reform Synagogue

Wavertree, Liverpool, Mersyside

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Congregation Data
Name	Liverpool Reform Synagogue
Former Names	Liverpool Progressive Synagogue, from about 1977 until 2005⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ Liverpool Liberal Synagogue, from 1938 until about 1977⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ Liverpool Liberal Jewish Congregation, until about 1938^(iv) (also known as *Hope Place Synagogue* from about 1937 until about 1962)^(v)
Address:	28 Church Road North, Wavertree, Liverpool L15 6TF (built mid 18th century) Initially the synagogue was in the main building at 28 (or 28a) Church Road North, but subsequently moved to a smaller building in the gardens on the same site. In 2003 the synagogue was completely refurbished and now includes a banqueting hall, which accommodates the cheder, and a library. The building vacated by the congregation, together an adjoining building, is a Grade II Listed Building (number 1068326), designated on 28 June 1952. (View description on Historic England website.)
Former Address:	From about 1937 until 1962, 1 Hope Place, Liverpool (now the Unity Theatre and previously the synagogue of the Liverpool New Hebrew Congregation). Prior to then, services were held in the Royal Institution, Colquitt Street.^(vi)
Current Status:	Active
Formation and Affiliation:	The congregation was founded 1928^(ix) as a constituent synagogue of the Jewish Religious Union for the Advancement of Liberal Judaism (later the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues and now known as Liberal Judaism). Although there had been discussions as early as 1964 about the congregation joining the Reform movement,^(x) it was not until 2005 that it left Liberal Judaism and became a constituent synagogue of the Movement for Reform Judaism (MRJ, formerly known as Reform Synagogues of Great Britain).^(xi)
Ritual:	Reform, previously Liberal / Progressive
Website:	http://www.lrshul.org/
Ministers: *(To view a short profile of a minister who also served other UK congregations - name in blue - hold the cursor over his name.)*	Rabbi Morris Goldstein, MA - from about 1929 until about 1932^(xv) Rabbi Raphael H. Levine, BA LLB - from about 1932 until about 1938^(xvi) Rabbi Maurice Kleinberg - from about 1938 until at least 1940^(xvii) Rev. F. Susman - from about 1946 until about 1948^(xx) Rabbi Jakob Jankel Kokotek - from about 1951 until about 1956^(xxi) Rabbi Simon J. Goldberg - from about 1959 until about 1962^(xxii) Rabbi Norman Zalud (part-time) - from about 1975 until about 2008, and thereafter rabbi emeritus^(xxiii) Rabbi M. Mayer - from about 2011 until at least about 2015 ^(xxiv)
Lay Officers: (to c.1950s)^(xxx)	Presidents c.1929-c.1932 - Herbert J. Davis, CC, HP^(xxxi) c.1932-c.1936 - E.A. Behrend c.1936-c.1939 - Herbert Wolf circa 1939/40 - S.H. Gluckstein c.1945-c.1948 - Harry Gershon^(xxxii) c.1948-c.1949 - M.S. Yates c.1949-c.1950 - Harry Gershon^(xxxii) c.1950-c.1952 - J. Bramson c.1952-c.1955 - S.E. Goldsmith c.1955 to at least 1956 - D. Rich Hon. President c.1930-1935 - Dr. Claude G. Montefiore, MA	Treasurers c.1929-c.1946 - M.S. Yates c.1946-c.1953 - Reginald L. Sington c.1953-c.1955 - B.A. Simpson c.1955 to at least 1956 - L. Greenman & B.A. Simpson Hon. Secreataries^(xxxiii) c.1929-c.1940 - E. Gabriel Jones, M.Sc. c.1946-c.1948 - M.S. Yates c.1948-c.1949 - Harry Gershon^(xxxii) c.1949-c,1952 - A. Simpson c.1952-c.1955 - J. Bramson c.1955-c.1956 - B. Caplan &Mrs. W. Hafkin c.1956 to at least 1957 - Mrs. W. Hafkin
	Vice Presidents c.1929-1930 - Hon. Lily Montagu; A. Beer; Prof. Ian Morris Heilbron, DSO; B. Stern Hon. Vice Presidents c.1930-at least 1935 - Hon. Lily Montagu; A. Beer; Bertie Heilbron; B. Stern Vice Presidents c.1930-c.1932 - E.A. Behrend; S.H. Gluckstein; Prof. Ian Morris Heilbron, DSO c.1932-c.1936 - S.H. Gluckstein; Prof. Ian Morris Heilbron, DSO c.1936-c.1937 - S.H. Gluckstein; Prof. Ian Morris Heilbron, DSO c.1938-c.1939 - E.A. Behrend; S.H. Gluckstein c.1938-c.1945 - E.A. Behrend; H. Wolf c.1946-c.1949 - E.A. Behrend; S.H. Gluckstein; H. Wolf; Lieut. Col. R.A.L. Cohen c.1949-c.1952 - E.A. Behrend; H. Wolf; Sir Ian Morris Heilbron c.1952-c.1954 - E.A. Behrend; Sir Ian Morris Heilbron
Congregation's Magazine:	The Newsletter of the Liverpool Reform Synagogue
Membership Data	General 1999 - 167 (as reported by Board of Deputies) National Reports and Surveys^(xxxvii) 1977 - 111 male (or household) members and 91 female members 1983 - 108 male (or household) members and an estimated 107 female members 1990 - 158 members (comprising 88 households, 35 individual male and 35 individual female members) 1996 - 120 members (comprising 60 households, 25 individual male and 35 individual female members) 2010 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household) 2016 - listed as having 200 to 299 members (by household)
Charitable Status:	The congregation is a registered charity (no. 1098181), registered on 24 June 2003. The governing document is the congregation's constitution adopted 27 Aptil 2003 as amended 25 September 2005.^(xxxviii) Although, according to one source it was removed from the register on 9 September 2009, but was clearly reinststed.^(xxxix)
Cemetery Information:	See Liverpool Jewish Cemeteries Information on Liverpool Jewish Community home page
Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above) (i) Reserved. (ii) The congregation was listed under this name in Jewish Year Books from 1978 through 2005. ↵ (iii) The congregation was first listed under this name in Jewish Year Book 1939 and the last such listing was in 1977, although there were intemediary listings as Hope Lane Synagogue (see below). ↵ (iv) The congregation was listed under this name from its first apearance in the Jewish Year Book 1930 and until 1938. ↵ (v) The congregation was listed under this name in Jewish Year Books from 1947 through 1959, although the formal name was probably Liverpool Liberal Synagogue. ↵ (vi) The address given in Jewish Year Books from 1938 through 1953 was Hope Place, and prior to then, the Royal Institution. ↵ (vii) and (viii) Reserved. (ix) Tradition and Change - a History of Reform Judaism in Britain 1840-1995 by A.J. Kershen and J.A. Romain (1995), p.133. ↵ (x) Tradition and Change see above), p.244. ↵ (xi) The congregation was first listed an affilaite of the MFJ in Jewish Year Book 2006 and as a constituent synagogue the following year. ↵ (xii) to (xiv) Reserved. (xv) Based upon Rabbi Goldstein's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1930 through 1932. ↵ (xvi) Based upon Rabbi Levine's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1933 through 1938. ↵ (xvii) Based upon Rabbi Kleinberg's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1939 and 1940. There were no editions of the book during the war years 1941 through 1945. ↵ (xviii) and (xix) Reserved. (xx) Based upon Rev. Susman's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1947 and 1948. There was no minister listed in the edition for 1945/6, nor from 1949 through 1951. ↵ (xxi) Based upon Rabbi Kokotek's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1952 through 1956. There were no ministers listed in the editions for 1957 through 1959. ↵ (xxii) Based upon Rabbi Goldberg's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1960 through 1962. There were no ministers listed in the editions for 1963 through 1975. ↵ (xxiii) Based upon Rabbi Zalud's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1976 through 2008 (until 1993 as Rev. Zalud) and rabbi emeritus from 2009. There were no ministers listed in the editions for 2009 through 2011. ↵ (xxiv) Based upon Rabbi Mayer's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 2012 through 2015 (the last year of publication). ↵ (xxv) to (xxix) Reserved. (xxx) All this data here has been extracted from Jewish Year Books and the period of service given here runs from the year prior to first listing of the officer and ends with the year in which the officer was last listed. The Jewish Year Book was not published during the war years 1941 to 1945. There were no listings of officers after 1956 or (for hon. secretaries) after 1957. ↵ (xxxi) Mr. Davis is given the title Alderman Davis in Jewish Year Books 1930 and 1932. ↵ (xxxii) In the Jewish Year Book 1945/46 the name of the president is given as Harry Gershen and is presumed that this is a typographical error it that he is the same person as H. Gershon, the name given for the president in the editions for 1947, 1948 and 1950. ↵ (xxxiii) In addition to the office of hon. secretary, the Jewish Year Book (JYB) listed secretaries. These were Miss Flora Lyons (JYB 1930 through 1940); Miss May Lyons (JYB 1945/6 through 1949); and L.F.S. Sington (JYB 1950 through 1952). ↵ (xxxiv) to (xxxvi) Reserved . (xxxvii) 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. ↵ (xxxviii) Charities Commission's website (in beta trial stage) accessed 2 October 2019. ↵ (xxxix) Open Charities website accessed 2 October 2019. ↵

On-line Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

Trustees Annual Reports and Financial Statements filed with the Charities Commission (pdf):
- For years ended 31 December 2017 and 2018.

Congregational & Marriage Records
Registration District (BDM):	Liverpool (since 1 October 1969) For previous registration districts, see on Liverpool Home Page. Any registers would now be held by current register office. Link to Register Office website Worship Number: 70435 Group for Marriage Certification: West London Synagogue
At Liverpool Records Office:	1927-1990: minutes, correspondence, membership records, financial records and miscellaneous of Liverpool Progressive Synagogue. (ref: 296 PRO; NRA catalogue reference: NRA 30754)

Liverpool Jewish Community home page

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Jewish Communities of England home page

Page created: 22 August 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes added: 1 October 2019
Latest revision or update: 3 May 2023

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