Gosforth & Kenton Hebrew Congregation

Congregation Data

Gosforth & Kenton Hebrew Congregation

also known as Gosforth & Kenton Synagogue

Following World War II, a large section of the Newcastle Jewish community had moved to the north of the city, including many newly marrieds, and that by 1947 there were over one hundred Jewish families in Gosforth and Kenton, at some considerable distance from the nearest synagogue. Most were members of the Leazes Park Road synagogue. Accordingly, in the summer of 1947 a public meeting was held at the Gosforth Assembly Rooms, to discuss a project to establish a Hebrew congregation in the neighbourhood. Over 200 people attended the meeting (not all local residents) and the meeting voted heavily in favour of the project. The first religious services in the neighbourhood, for the High Holy Day services, were held in September 1947 at the Gosforth Assembly Rooms, which were very well attended and addressed by Rev. Emanuel Drukker and Dayan Grossnass.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Subsequently, there was a period of inactivity until 1 February 1948, when Sabbath morning services commenced at the Wallsend Conservative Club, Landsdowne Terrace, Gosforth. A year or two later, the venue was changed to a larger room in Gosforth High Street, where Sabbath services continued until 1954, when the new synagogue became available. Festival services were held at various venues.^(iv)

Landsdowne Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne.

The plot of land had been purchased in 1949 (the purchase price of about £1,600 being paid jointly by the congregation and the Leazes Park Road Synagogue),^(v) but it was not until 4 April 1954 that the foundation stone was laid, by Lionel Jacobson. On 21 November 1954, the building (comprising a communal hall/synagogue and class rooms) was opened by the president Julius Cohen and the synagogue was consecrated by Chief Rabbi Dr. Israel Brodie.^(vi)

In 1959 the building was extended by the addition of further classrooms. Later, a separate synagogue was added, containing permanent seating for 120 men and a gallery for 80 ladies, which was consecrated on 1 September 1963 by Dayan Morris Swift (in the absence of the Chief Rabbi), assisted by Rabbi S.P. Toperoff.^(vii)

Final Status:

In 1973, the congregation became one of the three constituent synagogues of the newly established Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation ("UHC").^(x) The Gosforth synagogue continued to serve as one of the synagogues of the UHC, until its closure in 1984. Thereafter, until the new synagogue in Culzean Park was ready in 1986, regular Sabbath services were held on a temporary basis at Culzean Park House and High Festival services at the Gosforth Civic Centre.^(xi)

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Until 1973, when the synagogue became a UHC constituent synagogue, it was an unaffiliated congregation under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi. However, there were close ties with the Leazes Park Road synagogue and from about 1954 arrangements were in place whereby a member of one congregation automatically became an associate member of the other congregation.^(xii)

By 1947, religious classes were being held in the in the Archibald Street Council School, Gosforth.^(xiii) In 1954, the classes (which covered also the classes of the Leazes Park Road synagogue) moved to the Landsdowne Terrace building.^(xiv)

Rabbi Shlomo P. Toperoff - regional minister from 1951 until 1973,^(xvii) but with less responsibilities for this congregation from 1968.

Rev. (later Rabbi) Mordechai M. Baddiel - minister from 1968 until 1973.^(xviii)

Dr. D. P. Birnbaum, Phd, BSc. was the hon. (lay) reader of the congregation for some ten years, leaving in about the mid 1960s.^(xix)

Presidents^(xxiii)

1947-1948 - M. Cannon

1945-1951 - W.E. Franks

1951-1952 - P. Josephs

1952-1955 - Julius Cohen

1955-1958 - Dr. D. P. Birnbaum

1958-1961 - B. Leon

1961-1964 - Walter Sharman

1964-1967 - M. Ison

1967-1970 - Dr. P.S. Gardner

1970-1973 - David Franks

Wardens

1950-1954 - E. Sherwood

1954-1955 - E. Sherwood & H. Abrahams

1955-1956 - S. Cohen & Walter Sharman

Treasurers

1949-1952 - P. Joseph

1952-1955 - S. Gatoff

1955-at least 1956 - A. Matcus

Hon. Secretaries

1949-1952 - M.M. Bomberg

1952-1955 - S. Aaron

1955-1959 - G.C. Rossman

1959-1961 - L. Gatoff

1961-1965 - Dr. P. Gardner

1965-1967 - G.B. Leigh

1967-1970 - N. Phillips

1970-1973 - A.D. Goldman

Chairmen

1973-1974 - David Franks

1974-1977 - G.B. Leigh

1977-1980 - Dr. Felix Lustman

1980-1982 - F. Seiler

1982-1983 - Austen Science

Wardens

1973-1976 - Walter Sharman

1976-1977 - F. Seiler

Financial Representatives

1973-1974 - G.B. Leigh

1974-1976 - Dr. Felix Lustman

The congregation's Ladies Guild had been formed by at least 1951.^(xxiv)

Cemetery
Information:

For details, see Newcastle Cemetery Information)

Congregational Records

General:

• Numerous records of the Jewish Communities in Northeast England (only a sample of which are listed below) are deposited with the Tyne and Wear Archives Service (http://www.legacyarchives.org.uk)

• CLICK HERE to view a list of these records (correct to December 2005).

Synagogue Records:

• Minutes 1954-1981 - Tyne and Wear Archives Service (see above)

• Annual Reports 1961-1971 - Tyne and Wear Archives Service (see above)

• Orders of Service 1947-1986 - Tyne and Wear Archives Service (see above)

• Plan 1984 - Tyne and Wear Archives Service (see above)

Registration District (BMD):

• Newcastle upon Tyne (since 1 July 1837)

• Link to Register Office website