the former

Corporation Street Synagogue

(the New Synagogue)

Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear

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The former Corporation Street Synagogue

Congregation Data
Name:	Corporation Street Synagogue also known as the New Beth Hamedrash⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ and the New Synagogue^(iv)
Address:	37 Corporation Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, consecrated in 1904^(v) The synagogue was located in a somewhat shabby building on two floors over a blacksmith's yard. The lower floor of the synagogue, with a capacity for 140, being used by male worshippers and the upper floor, with capacity for 100, being used by the ladies.^(vi)
Formation:	The congregation was formed in 1904.^(ix)
Amalgamation and Final Status:	In 1916, the congregation amalgamated with the Newcastle Beth Hamedrash, although both places of worship continuing in use, the Sabbath and Festival services being held at Corporation Street and weekday services and study at the Beth Hamedrash, and with High Holy Day services held in the nearby Westgate Hall.^(x) Despite the amalgamation, both congregations continued to function for some years with separate administrations. The end came in 1924, with the formation of the Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation and Beth Hamedrash (Ravensworth Terrace Synagogue), into which both congregations were incorporated.^(x) (Note: this was the second instance of the formation of a "United Hebrew Congregation" in Newcastle, the first was 1880 merger (Leazes Park Road Synagogue) and the third was the 1973 merger.)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Affiliation:	Congregation was unaffiliated but was under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.
Spiritual Leaders: (To view a short profile of a leader whose name appears in blue, hold the cursor over his name.)	Rev. L. Kopel - from about 1904 until about 1908^(xiii) Rev. Letovitch - reader and shochet following Rev. Kopel^(xiv) Rabbi Tarshish - from about 1909 until about 1912^(xv) Rev. Israel Brodie - from about 1916 until about 1919^(xvi) Rev. Kraut - reader and shochet from about 1920 until 1924^(xvii) Rabbi Y.M. Sandelson - minister from about 1919/1920 until 1924^(xviii)
Lay Officers:^(xxi)	President 1905-1906 S. Rosenberg 1906-1908 S. Cohen 1908-1909 M. Wiseman 1910-1915 B. Bromberger (Chairman) 1915-1924 I. Woolf Vice President 1905-1906 A. Mickler Treasurers 1905-1909 A. Erdberg 1909-1910 J. Caller 1910-1911 A. Mickler 1911-1923 M. Wiseman	Hon. Secretaries 1905-1906 S. Levinstein & B. Bromberger 1906-1907 S. Levinstein & E. Krawitz 1907-1908 E. Krawitz 1908-1909 M. Bergman 1909-1910 S. Levinstein 1910-1912 E. Krawitz 1912-1918 J. Weiner 1918-1919 L. Newman & J. Sherman 1919-1920 J. Morris & J. Sherman 1920-1921 J. Sherman Secretary 1910-1915 A. Lewis
Committees:	The Corporation Street Chevra Kadisha, for the Hazelrigg cemetery, founded in 1909.^(xxii)
Cemetery Information:	The congregation would have used the Elswick Jewish cemetery and, from 1906, the Hazelrigg cemetery (for details, see Newcastle Cemetery Information).

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) and (ii) Reserved.
(iii) Listed under this name in Jewish Year Books 1905/6 and 1906/7. ↵
(iv) Listed under this name in Jewish Year Books 1907/8 through 1923. ↵
(v) Jewish Year Book 1905/6) ("Olsover's Book") p.41. ↵
(vi) The Jewish Communities of North-East England by Lewis Olsover (1980) ("Olsover's Book") p.41. ↵
(vii) and (viii) Reserved.
(ix) Olsover's Book, p.41. It was first listed in Jewish Year Book 1905.6. ↵
(x) Olsover's Book, p. 42. ↵
(xi) and (xii) Reserved.
(xiii) Based upon the listing of Rev. Kopel (or Koppell) as minister in Jewish Jew Books 1905/6 and 1907/8. In Olsover's Book p. 41, he was referred to as the congregation's first spiritual leader, but no date is given. ↵
(xiv) In Olsover's Book p. 41, Rev. Letovitch was referred to as following Rev. Kopel, but no date is given. He was not listed in the Jewish Year Books. ↵
(xv) Rabbi Tarshish was listed as minister in Jewish Year Books from 1910 through 1912. He was not mentioned in Olsover's Book. ↵
(xiv) The future Chief Rabbi, then Rev. Brodie, was listed as minister of this congregation in Jewish Year Books 1917 through 1919. He was referred to as serving the congregation in Olsover's Book, p.41, but no dates are given. ↵
(xvii) Although Olsover's Book refers him as Rev. E. Kraut, it is believed that this is the same person who elsewhere is described as Rev. Abraham Kraut. On pp. 41/2 it states that in 1920 he transferred his services from the Beth Hamedrash to Corporation Street and that in 1924, on the closure of the congregation, he served the Ravenscroft Terrace Synagogue. In Jewish Year Books, he is listed as Rev. S.K. Kraut, reader of the congregation in the 1922 and 1923 editions.↵
(xviii) Rabbi Sandelson was listed as minister of this congregation in Jewish Year Books 1920 through 1923. In Olsover's Book, p.42, it states that Rabbi Sandelson(sic) transferred his services from the Beth Hamedrash to Corporation Street in 1920. ↵
(xix) and (xx) Reserved.
(xxi) The data on lay officers of the congregation has been extracted from Jewish Year Books. Where a person was 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 was listed in Jewish Year Books 1909 through 1914, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1908 and continued in office until 1914. However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and accordingly his actual years of office may differ slightly from those shown here. ↵
(xxii) Listed in Olsover's Book, p. 209. ↵

Newcastle upon Tyne Jewish Community home page

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Page created: 14 June 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 22 February 2024
Page most recently amended: 10 March 2024

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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