the former

Ravensworth Terrace Synagogue

(Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation

and Beth Hamedrash)

Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear

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Ravensworth Synagogue, Newcastle
The former Synagogue in Ravensworth Terrace, Newcastle
(Courtesy Peter Gatoff)

Congregation Data
Name:	Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation and Beth Hamedrash⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ also known as Ravensworth Terrace Synagogue
Address:	Ravensworth Terrace (off Westgate Road), Newcastle upon Tyne⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ The site on which the synagogue was built consisted of three Victorian houses, a legacy from Mr. M. Levinson. Marcus T. Glass, FRIBA was engaged as architect and the foundation stone was laid on 5 November 1924 by Chief Rabbi Dr. J.H. Hertz and the synagogue opened for worship by Col. Charles Waley Cohen on 5 September 1925.^(iv) The synagogue was built to accommodate 450 congregants, with the main hall on the first floor and a ladies' gallery. On the lower floor was a beth hamedrash classrooms and committee rooms.^(iv) In the short period from 1924 to 1925, while the synagogue in Ravensworth Terrace was being erected, the congregation held services in Villa Place, which had been the home of the former Newcastle Beth Hamedrash.^(v)
Formation:	The congregation was formed in 1924, on the merger of the Corporation Street Synagogue and the Newcastle Beth Hamedrash.^(vi) (Note: this was the second instance of the formation of a "Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation", the first being in 1880 (the Temple Street / Charlotte Square merger) and there was to be a third instance, the 1973 merger.)
Final Status:	The synagogue closed in 1969 and the building was sold to a missionary group.^(vii)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Affiliation:	Congregation was unaffiliated but was under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.
Rabbis and Ministers: (To view a short profile of a rabbi or minister whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over his name.)	Rabbi Y.M. Sandelson - minister from 1924 until 1935^(xi) Rev. Kraut - shochet, headmaster and reader from 1924 until 1931^(xii) Rev. Abraham Shechter - reader from about 1925 until 1929^(xiii) Rev. Isaac Waller - reader from about 1931 until not later than 1945^(xiv) Rabbi Mordechai Dov (Ber) Rogosnitzky - minister from 1941 until 1944^(xv) Rev. H.S. Braunstein - reader from about 1949 until about 1952^(xvi) Rabbi Grossnass - minister from about 1949 (end year not currently known)^(xix) Rev. Katz - reader, dates currently unknown, but probably the 1950s^(xx) Benjamin (Benny) Solomon Sugarwhite - shammas from 1924 until 1960)^(xxi)
Officers:^(xxiii)	Presidents 1924-1937 - I. Woolf^(xxiv) 1937-1969 - D.G. Guttentag^(xxv) Wardens 1924-1940 - C. Kaufman 1940-1945 - no data 1945-1946 - D. Cohen 1946-1950 - W. Silver 1950-1956 - P. Cohen (1952-1954 - *B. Bradpiece* jointly with P. Cohen) Treasurers 1924-1929 - M. Wiseman^(xxvi) 1929-1940 - Abe Weiner 1940-1945 - no data 1945-1948 - N. Ernstone 1948-1956 - A. Hantman^(xxvii)	Chairman 1938-1950 - Moses Jacobson, MA^(xxix) Hon. Secretaries 1924-1925 - M. Rosencrantz^(xxx) 1925-1936 - M. Ross 1936-1940 - M. Tavroges 1940-1945 - no data 1945-1946 - L. Kossick 1946-1955 - M.L. Rothfield 1955-1958 - H. Mendel 1959-1969 - I. Simpson^(xxxi) Secretary 1949-1950 - H. Wiener
Cemetery Information:	The Orthodox Community in Newcastle had several Jewish cemeteries (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 full list of these records (correct to December 2005).
Congregational Records:	Minutes 1940-1969 - Tyne and Wear Archives Service (see above) List & Indices of Members 1924-1950 - Tyne and Wear Archives Service (see above) Plans 1924 - Tyne and Wear Archives Service (see above) (The early records of the Congregation have been lost.)
Registration District (BMD):	Newcastle upon Tyne (since 1 July 1837) Link to Register Office website

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) The Jewish Communities of North-East England by Lewis Olsover (1980) ("Olsover's Book"), p.57. "Beth Hamedrash" means House of Learning in Hebrew. ↵
(iii) The congregation was listed at this address in Jewish Year Books from 1927 through 1968. ↵
(iv) Olsover's Book, p.57. To view a description of the Jewish architectural works by M.T. Glass, hold your cursor over his name. ↵
(v) The congregation was listed at Villa Place address in Jewish Year Books 1925 and 1926. ↵
(vi) Olsover's Book, p.57. ↵
(vii) Olsover's Book, p.62. ↵
(viii) to (x) Reserved.
(xi) Rabbi Y.L. Sandelson was listed as minister of the congregation from its first appearance in Jewish Year Books (1925) until his death. ↵
(xii) Although Olsover's Book refers to him as Rev. E. Kraut, it is believed that this is the same person who elsewhere is described as Rev. Abraham Kraut. According to Olsover's Book, p.59, Rev. Kraut served as shochet and headmaster of the congregation from 1924. He is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1925 through 1931, initially as Rev. S. Kraut and later (from 1930) as Rev. A. Kraut. ↵
(xiii) Listed as Rev. A. Schechter's (jointly with Rev. Kraut) as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1926 through 1929, although he is known to have assumed his next post in about 1927. ↵
(xiv) Jewish Chronicle reports of 20 June 1941 on Rabbi Rogosnitsky's induction and of 25 May 1945 on his move to Cardiff. He was not listed in the Jewish Year Book, which was not published in the war years. ↵
(xv) Based primarily upon Rev. Waller's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1932 through 1940 and the first post-war edition of 1945/6. ↵
(xvi) Based upon Rev. Braunstein's listing as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1950-1952. ↵
(xvii) and (xviii) Reserved.
(xix) Olsover's Book pp. 59 refers to Rabbi Grossbass's "call" to become spiritual leader of the congregation. He was not listed in Jewish Year Books with regard to this congregation. ↵
(xx) Olsover's Book pp. 60, 206 listed a Rev. Katz (after Rev. Waller) as "Teacher/Cantor" of the congregation but no dates were given. He was not listed in Jewish Year Books with regard to this congregation. ↵
(xxi) Jewish Chronicle reports. ↵
(xxii) Reserved.
(xxiii) Unless otherwise stated, this data 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. 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 somewhat from those shown here. The year books ceased publication during the war years 1941 through 1945 and generally ceased listing lay officers (other than the secretary) from 1956. ↵
(xxiv) I. Woolf was listed as the first president of the congregation in Olsover's Book, p. 59 and was the last president of the Corporation Street Synagogue. ↵
(xxv) D.G. Guttentag served 32 years as president from September 1937 until the closure of the synagogue in December 1969 - Olsover's Book p. 60. ↵
(xxvi) M. Wiseman was listed as the first treasurer of the congregation in Olsover's Book, p. 59 and was the last treasurer of the Corporation Street Synagogue. ↵
(xxvii) Jewish Year Books generally ceased listing lay officers (other than the secretary) from 1956. B. Hantman was named in Olsover's Book p. 62 as treasurer on the closure of the synagogue in 1969, and accordingly he may have served in such office continuously from 1956, but this is not certain. ↵
(xxviii) Reserved.
(xxix) As Moses Jacobson was listed in Jewish Year Books as chairman of the congregation both before and after the cessation of publication (1941-1945) during World War II, it is assumed that he also served as chairman during the intervening period. ↵
(xxx) However, in Olsover's Book, p. 59, a Mr. I. Ross was listed as the first secretary of the congregation. ↵
(xxxi) I. Simpson was also named in Olsover's Book p. 62 as secretary on the closure of the synagogue in 1969. ↵

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Page created: 9 October 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 23 April 2020
Page most recently amended: 23 August 2024

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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