JCR-UK

Nottingham Hebrew Congregation

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

 

 

   


JCR-UK is a genealogical and historical website covering all Jewish communities and
congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.
NOTE: We are not the official website of this congregation, the address of which is given below.

The principal works on the Nottingham Jewish community is
Eight Hundred Years - The Story of Nottingham's Jews (1998)
by Nelson Fisher (referred to below as "Eight Hundred Years")(i)


The former synagogue in Shakespeare Villas.

Congregation Data

Name:

Nottingham Hebrew Congregation

Current Address::

Hatikva Synagogue, Highurst Street, Nottingham NG7 3QA.

This former Methodist chapel, became the congregation's synagogue in 2017, when the congregation, due to dwindling numbers, moved to a smaller premises.(iii)

Previous Synagogue Addresses:

From 1956 to 2017

Shakespeare Villas (corner with Shakespeare Street), Nottingham NG1 4FQ.

A former Wesleyan (Methodist) Reform chapel, built in 1854. The premises were acquired for approximately £11,000 as they had suffered extensive damage from enemy action during World War II (on 8/9 May 1941) and required significant works of repair and alterations to make it suitable for use as a synagogue. The newly adapted synagogue, which included the ark and pulpit from the congregation's previous synagogue, was consecrated by Chief Rabbi Israel Brodie on 21 September 1954.(iv) In the mid-1970s, additional land was acquired to enable the erection of a community centre.

Following closure in 2017, the building was sold to Nottingham Trent University for £789,000 and, renamed The University Hall, is used for hosting students' graduation ceremonies and lectures by guest speakers.(v)

The building, together with the attached railings, was designated a Grade II Listed Building (number 1255018) on 12 July 1972 (most recent amendment 30 November 1995). See Historic England listing and description.

From 1890 to 1954

Chaucer Street Synagogue, Nottingham.

This was the congregation's only purpose built synagogue. The site was acquired for £1,000 and the foundation stone was laid on 21 November 1889, the cost of building being a further £3,000. Consecration of the synagogue took place on 30 July 1890.(viii) Following the dramatic increase in the size of the community during and following World War II, these premises were no longer adequate and were sold in the 1950s. The building was demolished in 1991.(ix)

Earlier Addresses:

Initially religious services were held in private homes and when this became impractical, such services were held, until 1890, in rented accommodation, more or less suitable for the purpose.(xii)

The following such venues, covering the years 1827 to 1890, have been identified:(xiii)

1827 - Glasshouse Street(xiv)

about 1840 - Lower Parliament Street(xv)

1845 to 1849 - a hired room in Barker Gate(xvi)

about 1849 to 1857 - a house on north side Park Street (now Friars Lane), belonging to Joel Davis(xix)

about 1858 to 1860 - upper floor room in a Broad Street factory(xx)

1860 to 1863 - Balloon Court, off Charlotte Street(xxi)

about 1863 to 1868 - Clare Street(xxii)

1868 to 1873 - Beck Lane, which ran from St. Ann's Well Road to Goose Gate(xxiii)

about 1873 to 1883 - 7 George Street(xxiv)

1883 to 1890 - Co-operative Hall, Greyfriar Gate, Stamford Street(xxv)

Formation:

Although the congregation appears to have been formally constituted in about 1845,(xxviii) there is reference to an organised Jewish community already in the 1820s or even earlier.(xxix)

Current Status:

Active

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

The congregation is an unaffiliated congregation under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.

Rival Congregation:

A rival congregation, founded by David Solomon, appears to have existed in Clare Street, Nottingham, in about 1836.(xxx)

Hospital Synagogue:

A synagogue, for use by both the Orthodox and Progressive communities in Nottingham, was established and dedicated in 1983 in the Queen's Medical Centre.(xxxi)

Website:

http://nottinghamsynagogue.org

Ministers:(xxxiii)
(To view a short profile of a minister whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over the name.)

Rev. Moses Levi - part time minister from at least 1821 until 1823(xxxiv)

Rev. Michael Solomon Alexander - minister/reader in about 1823(xxxv)

Rev. Jacob Kisch - shochet in about 1825(xxxvi)

Rev. Hart Symonds - may have served as minister in about 1827(xxxvii)

Rev. Mordechai Marshall - minister from 1835 until 1841(xxxviii)

Rev. David Volf - minister in about 1844(xli)

Rev. Wolf Fridman - reader, shochet and teacher from at least 1846 until 1849(xlii)

Rev. Ephraim Cohen - minister/reader in about 1849(xliii)

Rev. Lewis Goldberg - minister/reader from 1850 until 1858(xliv)

Rev. David Isaacs - reader in about 1856(xlv)

Rev. Davis Meyer - minister/reader from 1858 until 1868(xlviii)

Rev. Joseph Lewin - minister/reader from 1869 until 1871(xlix)

Rev. Bernard Lichtenstein - minister/reader from 1871 until 1875(l)

Rev. R. Goldreich - minister/reader from 1874 until 1876(li)

Rev. Samuel Brown - minister/reader from 1876 until about 1883(lii)

Rev. Abraham Isaac Scheff - minister/reader from 1883 until 1888(lv)

Rev. B. H. Rosengard - minister/reader in about 1888(lvi)

Rev. Harris Cohen - minister and teacher from 1888 until 1903(lvii)

Rev. Maurice Sisson BA - minister in 1904(lviii)

Rev. Harris Jerevitch - minister and head teacher from 1906 until 1912 (having previously served as head-teacher in 1904)(lix)

Rabbi Julius Kyanski - minister and head teacher from 1916 until 1920(lxii)

Rabbi Solomon Zvi Mestel - minister and head teacher from 1920 until 1923(lxiii)

Rev. Abraham Levene - minister from 1923 until 1936(lxiv)

Rev. Dr. Solomon Goldman - minister from 1937 until 1950(lxv)

Rabbi Dr. Jacob Posen - minister from 1951 until 1967(lxvi)

Rabbi Philip T. Greenberg - minister from 1968 until 1972(lxix)

Rev. Cyril Braslavsky - minister from 1972 until 1980(lxx)

Rev. Michael Atkins - minister from 1980 until 1987(lxxi)

Rabbi Moshe Perez - minister from 1990 until January 2018(lxxii)

Chazanim (Readers), Second Ministers and other Secondary Religious Leaders:

Rev. Lazarus Jacob Slevansky - reader or teacher from 1878 until 1880(lxxvi)

Rev. J.A. Valentine - teacher from about 1878 until about 1883(lxxvii)

Rev. Joseph Emanuel Myers - teacher and chazan from about 1882 until 1885(lxxviii)

Rev. Alexander (aka Sigismund) Schloss - chazan and shochet from about 1888 until 1919(lxxix)

Rev. Abraham Eker - teacher from 1907 until 1912(lxxx)

Rev. David Rabinovitch - second chazan and shochet from 1909 until 1914(lxxxiii)

Rev. Maurice David Hershman - temporary chazan in 1915(lxxxiv)

Rev. Aaron Miller - chazan from 1919 until 1946(lxxxv)

Rev. Bernard Landau - assistant minister from 1941 until about 1944(lxxxvi)

Rabbi Monty Newman - assistant minister from 1944 until 1947(lxxxix)

Rev. Kalman Joffé (Yoffe) - chazan from 1946 until 1949(xc)

Rev. Maurice Schwartz - chazan and shochet from 1950 until 1959(xci)

Rabbi Maurice Myerowitz - assisting rabbi from 1957 until 1962(xcii)

Rev. Ernest Rosenfeld - chazan from about 1961 until 1972(xciii)

Lay Officers of the Congregation:

Unless otherwise stated, the data on lay officers has been extracted from the following sources:

  • Presidents and Treasurers - Appendix V of Fisher's Eight Hundred Years, in conjunction with listings in Jewish Year Books (first published 1896/7) until 1956, when listing of presidents and treasurers generally ceased;

  • Wardens and Vice Presidents - Appendix V of Eight Hundred Years;

  • Shamassim - Appendix I (pp.186/8) of Eight Hundred Years; and

  • Secretaries and Hon. Secretaries - listings in Jewish Year Books.(xcvi)

In most instances, an officer's first name has been extracted from other sources, primarily elsewhere in Eight Hundred Years.

Presidents

early/mid 1800s - David Solomon(xcviii)

1852-1853 - Jonah Samuel(xcix)

1863-1869 - Jacob Weinberg(c)

1869-1882 - Davis Meyer(ci)

1889-1890s - Albert Cahn(cii)

1890s - Theobald Alexander(ciii)

* * * * *

at least 1896-1898 - Ralph Goldman

1898-1901 - Reuben Torlowsky

1901-1905 - L. Goldstone

1905-1908 - Ralph Goodman

1908-1911 - David Snapper

1911-1914 - J. Goldstone

1914-1923 - J. Sakoschansky(cv)

1923-1924 - Maurice Appleby

1924-1929 - David Snapper

1929-1931 - Harold King(cvi) 

1931-1937 - W. Max Snapper

1937-1938 - Cllr. Lazarus J. Levin(cvi)

1938-1940 - W. Max Snapper

1940-1944 - Maurice Appleby(cvi)

1944-1946 - Lazarus J. Levin

1946-1947 - Jacob Levin

1947-1949 - Henry Hyman Lionel Levine

1949-1950 - Lazarus J. Levin(cvi)  

1950-1953 - Jacob Levin

1953-1955 - W. Max Snapper

1955-1958 - Henry Hyman Lionel Levine

1958-1960 - Bernard Millet

1960-1961 - Lou S. Levin, JP

1961-1963 - M. Leventhal

1963-1964 - Samuel Saunders

1964-1965 - Henry Hyman Lionel Levine

1965-1967 - Michael Glass

1967-1969 - Jules Levy

1969-1970 - Joe Dessau

1970-1975 - Michael Glass

1975-1978 - Maurice M. Cresswell

1978-1981 - Ronald N. Hall

1981-1983 - Alec Spielberg

1983-1985 - Cllr. Michael F. Spungin, OBE

1985-1987 - Philip S. Morris

1987-1989 - Warren Torz

1989-1991 - Ronald Simmons

1991-1992 - Paul A. Levin

1992-1994 - David Kissman

1994-1996 - Martin Fisher

1996-1998 - Dr. Nelson Fisher


Wardens

1958-1964 - Victor CresswellJ. Knobil

1964-1965 - L. MillettGershom H. Young

1965-1967 - L. MillettVictor Cresswell

1967-1968 - Victor CresswellF. Ford

1968-1969 - Victor Cresswell

1969-1970 - J. Benjamin

1970-1972 - Leo Bloch

1972-1978 - L. MillettLeo Bloch

1978-1981 - L. Millett

1981-1982 - David M. Snapper


Vice Presidents

1982-1983 - David M. Snapper

1983-1985 - Warren Torz

1985-1987 - Ronald Simmons

1987-1988 - none

1988-1989 - Paul A. Levin

1989-1991 - none

1991-1992 - David Kissman

1992-1994 - Martin Fisher

1994-1996 - Dr. Nelson Fisher

1994-1996 - Dr. David Magrill


Shamassim (Beadles)
(except where listed elsewhere)

1880-1885 - Judah ben Hassan(cvii)

1898-1940 - Lazarus Glick(cviii)

1948-1956 - Percy Simmons(cix)

1957-1983 - Moshe Szold(cx)

Treasurers

at least 1896-1897 - Jacob Rabinovitch

1897-1898 - L. Goldstone

1898-1900 - David Snapper

1900-1901 - B. Serabski

1901-1902 - L. Reed

1902-1908 - Sol Snapper

1907-1908 - Jacob Rabinovitch(cxii)

1908-1909 - D. Ryness

1909-1911 - Benjamin Lilliman

1911-1912 - W. Robinson

1912-1914 - W. David Brener

1914-1917 - J. Sakoschansky(cxiii)

1917-1923 - Philip Leach

1923-1924 - David Rosenblatt

1924-1925 - Max Nepolsky

1925-1926 - A. Lipman(cxii)

1926-1928 - Lazarus J. Levin

1928-1931 - W. Max Snapper(cxii)

1931-1932 - Lyons Rabinowitch

1932-1933 - Louis Millett

1933-1936 - Louis Davis

1936-1937 - Cllr. Lazarus J. Levin

1937-1938 - W. Max Snapper

1938-1939 - Eli G. Weinberg

1939-1940 - Henry Hyman Lionel Levine

1940-1943 - Max Nepolsky(cxiv)

1943-1944 - Jacob Levin(cxii)

1944-1947 - Henry Hyman Lionel Levine

1947-1948 - Victor Cresswell

1948-1949 - N. Sieger

1949-1953 - W. Max Snapper

1953-1954 - Hymie Nathan

1954-1955 - Henry Hyman Lionel Levine(cxii)

1955-1958 - Bernard Millet

1958-1960 - Lou S. Levin, JP

1960-1961 - M. Leventhal

1961-1963 - Samuel Saunders

1963-1965 - Michael Glass

1965-1967 - Jules Levy

1967-1969 - Joe Dessau

1969-1970 - Michael Glass

1970-1971 - David N. Snapper

1971-1972 - Joe Spungin

1972-1974 - James Levin

1974-1978 - Ronald N. Hall

1978-1981 - Alec Spielberg

1981-1983 - Cllr. Michael F. Spungin, OBE

1983-1985 - Philip S. Morris

1985-1987 - Warren Torz

1987-1989 - Ronald Simmons

1989-1991 - Paul A. Levin

1991-1992 - Martin Fisher

1992-1996 - A.S. Markson

1992-1998 - D.R. Simmons


Secretaries & Hon Secretaries(cxviii)

c.1854 - Woolf Jonas(cxix)

c.1860 - Alexander Jonas(cxix) 

1860-1896 - Lesser Levy(cxx)

1896-1898 - Gershon Rabinovitch

c.1900 - H. Cohen(cxix)

1898-1903 - Rev. Harris Cohen

1905-1908 - Gershon Rabinovitch

1908-1917 - Abraham Lassman(cxxi)

1923-1931 - L. Berkovitch

1931-1944 - Abraham Lassman(cxxi)

1944-1947 - *Rabbi Monty Newman(cxxii)

1946-1956 - **Joe Spungin(cxxiii)

1948-1950 - *Gershom H. Young(cxxiv)

1950-1953 - *Morry Myerowitz

1953-1956 - *Singleton Carter & Co

1956-1961 - M. Greenberg

1961-1963 - H. Honigman

1963-1964 - L. Grabman

1965-1966 - R. Baker  

* Listed "secretary" (from 1947) 

** Listed "hon. secretary"

Membership Data:

General

1845 - 3 ba'alai batim and 1 seatholder (Chief Rabbi's Questionnaire)

Number of Seatholders - Board of Deputies Returns(cxxix)

1875

1880

1890

1894

1900

31

21

23

64

43

Number of Seatholders - as reported by Jewish Year Books

1896

1900

1902

1908

1911

1918

80

104

125

150

160

120

Reports & Survey(cxxx)

1977 - 473 male (or household) members and 77 female members

1983 - 230 male (or household) members and 83 female members

1990 - 307 members (comprising 157 households, 50 individual male and 100 individual female members)

1996 - 275 members (comprising 147 households, 31 individual male and 97 individual female members)

2010 - listed as having 200 to 299 members (by household)

2016 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)

Charitable Status:

Nottingham Hebrew Congregation is a registered charity, number 1188843, registered as a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) on 1 April 2020. It is the successor, with effect from 1 January 2021, to an earlier registration under the same name, number 1028244, registered on 10 October 1993, the governing document of which were a declaration of trust dated 5 October 1993 (amended by a supplemental deed of 24 August 2007).(cxxxi)

Worship Registration:

The former Shakespeare Street synagogue was registered as a Place of Worship - Worship Register Number 64632 - under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.(cxxxii)

Ritual:

For details of cemeteries used by this congregation, see Nottingham Cemetery Information on Nottingham home page.

 

Online Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

on JCR-UK

For Other Online Articles and Other Material relating to this Congregation,
see
Nottingham Jewish Community home page

 

Other Nottingham Jewish Institutions & Organisations
connected to this congregation

Educational & Theological

  • Hebrew and Religious Classes (Cheder) - from the establishment of the congregation. Generally held in the synagogue building.

    Number of pupils:(cxxxx)

    1896

    1898

    1909

    1918

     

    52

    60

    100

    80

  • Jewish Day School, from 1877 to 1884, in rented premises at People's Hall, founded by Rev. David Meyer.(cxxxxi)

Other Institutions

  • Nottingham Chevra Kadisha (Burial Society) - formally established in 1917,(cxxxxii) although this must have existing informally for many years, probably since the acquisition of the community's first cemetery. In 1972/3, this was merged with the synagogue administration.(cxxxxiii)

  • Ladies Guild - founded in 1944.(cxxxxiv)

  • Ladies' Holy Vestment Society - founded 1908.(cxxxxv)

 

Notes & Sources
( returns to text above)

  • (i) Nelson Fisher in his Eight Hundred Years states that drew heavily on an earlier unpublished historical account of the Nottingham Jewish community by Abraham Lassman ("Lassman"), who served for many years as the congregation's secretary.

  • (ii) Reserved.

  • (iii) Congregation's website, accessed April 2023

  • (iv) Eight Hundred Years, pp.105,108.

  • (v) Jewish Chronicle, report of 21 August 2017.

  • (vi) and (vii) Reserved.

  • (viii) Eight Hundred Years, pp.42-47.

  • (ix) Jewish Heritage in Britain and Ireland by Sharman Kadish (2015), p.158.

  • (x) and (xi) Reserved.

  • (xii) Eight Hundred Years p.40

  • (xiii) Listed in Appendx II (pp.189-194) to Eight Hundred Years. Additional information is to be found in the footnotes below

  • (xiv) Mentioned in a press report. There were at the time two streets in Nottingham of this name, and it is considered more likely that the synagogue was in what later became known as Old Glasshouse Lane.

  • (xv) Mentioned in Directories of 1842 and 1844.

  • (xv) Chief Rabbi's Questionnaire of 1845 refers to a "Room hired annually". Reseach by Nelson Fisher's teams identifies it as a room in Barker's Gate, previously used as a Calvinist chapel and now used as a bar.

  • (xvii) and (xviii) Reserved.

  • (xix) These facilities at Joel Davis's house are also described more fully than usual in the return for the Sunday Census in 1851.

  • (xx) According to a letter to the Jewish Chronicle of September 1858, these premises were the upper chambers of a factory producing pork sausages and pork pies, with the machinery operating during day-time services.

  • (xxi) The Balloon Court site was taken over by Victoria Station in the 1890s and subsequently became part of the Victoria Centre.

  • (xxii) The Clare Street premises were above a slaughterhouse and thus a somewhat unsatisfactory location.

  • (xxiii) This premises were held under a lease. The congregation was however obliged to move from the Beck Lane premises when the City Corporation decided to demolish the premises and open a new street, Heathcote Street, in 1873, for which the congregation received £200 compensation.

  • (xxiv) The George Street premises, which were rented for £21 per annum, were behind a building that used to be an industrial school. According to the Jewish Directory of 1874 the synagogue was "not a special building, but a large room fitted for Devine Service. ..... Steps are being taken by the Congregation to procure a suitable site for building a small synagogue".

  • (xxv) These rented premises in Greyfriar Gate, though larger than George Street, still did not provide sufficient space and also housed Hebrew and religious classes. There were accessed by three flights of stone steps, and were situated below a room where dozens of sewing machines operated during working hours.

  • (xxvi) and (xxvii) Reserved.

  • (xxviii) Jewish Year Book 1896/7 and Eight Hundred Years p.39.

  • (xxix) Jewish Year Book 1909 and reports of synagogue premises and ministers in Nottingham, The claim that a Jewish community was in existence in Nottinham by 1805 appears to be without foundattion.

  • (xxx) Eight Hundred Years p.33.

  • (xxxi) Eight Hundred Years p.108.

  • (xxxii) Reserved.

  • (xxxiii) Included in this list are those clergy, up until about the 1880s, who although described a reader and or shochet, were the congregation's only religious leader, and thus effectively carried out the duties of the minister.

  • (xxxiv) Eight Hundred Years pp.30 and 174.

  • (xxxv) Eight Hundred Years pp.174/5.

  • (xxxvi) Eight Hundred Years p.175. Rev. Kisch is believed to have come from Bohemia

  • (xxxvii) Eight Hundred Years pp.31/2 and 175, based upon a report in the Nottingham Journal of 10 February 1827 of a theoogical dispute between Rev. Symonds, minister of the Nottingham synagogue and the minister of a local Congregational chapel.

  • (xxxviii) Eight Hundred Years p.175. Rev. Marshall was described as "the eldest son of the High Priest of Warsaw".

  • (xxxix) and (xl) Reserved.

  • (xli) Eight Hundred Years p.176, based upon an entry in Whites Directory for Nottingham, describing Rev. Volf as the Jewish minister.

  • (xli) Eight Hundred Years p.176. He also appears, as Mr. Friedman, in the Chief Rabbi's Questionnaire of 1845 both in the Congregational Data and in thr Educational Data.

  • (xliii) Eight Hundred Years p.176 and Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chazanum, etc.

  • (xliv) Jewish Chronicle and Hebrew Observer of 30 April 1858 included a notice soliciting charitable contributions from readers following the death by accident of Rev. L Goldberg at his new home at Drury Hill, Nottingham. The notice states that Rev. Goldberg served the congregation for the last eight years as Chazan and shochet and was well regarded for his Torah learning. He left a widow and five children "totally bereft of support," and the congregation was too small to raise by itself sufficient money to help the family start a small business to secure a livelihood.

  • (xlv) Eight Hundred Years p.177, quoting Lassman. Little is known about this person.

  • (xlvi) and (xlvii) Reserved.

  • (xlviii) Eight Hundred Years p.177.
    The Jewish Chronicle of 4 September 1868 Reported: NOTTINGHAM — TESTIMONIAL- at the house of the President, Mr. J. Weinberg, to present the Rev. D. Meyer, minister of the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation, an address and a silver cup on his retirement in recognition of his valuable service..."presented to you, as a mark of satisfaction for the attentive, obliging, courteous, and dignified manner in which you have for the last ten years performed the very arduous functions of [in Hebrew] baal tokeah, shochet and bodek, chazan and baal koreh."

  • (xlix) Eight Hundred Years p.177. Lassman refers to him as Joseph Levy.

  • (l) Eight Hundred Years p.177 (in which he is referred to as Liechtenstein).
    In December 1870, the Nottingham congregation advertised for a chazan and shochet and on 2 June 1871 The Jewish Chronicle contained a report from Bath that the services during the late Holydays were ably rendered by the Rev. I. Greenberg, the new reader, who has succeeded the Rev. B. Lichtenstein, who has gone to Nottingham. On 15 January 1875 The Jewish Chronicle included a report on the departure of the Rev. B. Liechtenstein from the Nottingham Congregation "to fulfil his appointment as minister at Dunedin, New Zealand" and detailed the presentations made to him. Rev. B. Liechtenstein is listed as reader of the congregation in the Jewish Directory for 1874, edited by Asher I. Myers.

  • (li) Eight Hundred Years p.177.

  • (lii) Eight Hundred Years pp.177/8. Although Lassman stated that Samuel Brown left Nottingham to take up a similar post in Derby, Fisher deems this unlikely, although his brother, (Abraham) Saul Brown, lived in Derby and some time after leaving Nottingham, Samuel officiated at a wedding of one of Saul's children in Derby. Fisher puts his date of leaving Nottingham at 1885, but as his successor was resident there in 1883, the latter year seems more probable. According to Fisher, after .

  • (liii) and (liv) Reserved.

  • (lv) Eight Hundred Years p.178. Jewish Chronocle report of 19 October 1883 places Rev. Scheff in Nottingham and the Official record of Naturalisation places Rev. Scheff in Nottingham in 1888, he was minister in North Shields by 1890. Fisher gives his starting date as 1885, but 1883 appears more likely, as he was already in Nottingham in that year.

  • (lvi) Jewish Chronicle report 1 April 1887. Not mentioned in Eight Hundred Years.

  • (lvii) Eight Hundred Years p.179. The Jewish Chronicle of 28 November 1890 reported that the Rev. Harris Cohen of Merthyr was at a general meeting held on the previous Sunday, elected minister and religious teacher to the Nottingham Hebrew congregation. On 26 June 1903, it reported that the Rev. Harris Cohen had been elected minister of the Stoke Newington Synagogue. Rev. Harris is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1896/7 (the first edition published) through 1902/3.

  • (lviii) Eight Hundred Years p.179, quoting records in the Chief Rabbis Office.

  • (lix) The Jewish Chronicle of 23 September 1904 placed Rev. Jerevitch in Nottingham (aged 17), as headmaster at the Hebrew school. On 10 January 1908 it referred to Mr. Jerevitch who "was appointed head-teacher to the Nottingham Hebrew and Religion Classes in 1904 two years ago was also elected minister and second reader to the local congregation." The Jewish Chronicle of 4 September 1908 reported from Cardiff that Aat a general meeting of the congregation, held on Sunday, the Rev. H. Jerevitch, of Nottingham, was unanimously elected. Eight Hundred Years p.179 inaccurately gives Rev. Jerevitch's year of leaving as 1912. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1906/7 and 1907/8.

  • (lx) and (lxi) Reserved.

  • (lxii) Eight Hundred Years, p.180. The Jewish Chronicle of 30 June 1916 referred to Rabbi J. Kyanski as having recently been appointed Head Teacher and Minister of the congregation, and on 23 April 1920 it reported that Rabbi J. Kyanski, of Nottingham, had accepted a unanimous call of the members of the Old Hebrew Congregation [Newcastle] to be their Minister and Headmaster. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1918 through 1920, there being no minister listed from 1909 through 1917.

  • (lxiii) Eight Hundred Years, p.180. The Jewish Chronicle of 13 August 1920 reported from Nottingham that the Rev. S. Mestel, M.A., of Bristol, has been unanimously elected minister of the Hebrew Congregation and hadmaster of the Religion Classes, to take up his duties before the High Festivals. On 23 March 1923 it reported that the Rev. S. Mestel, M.A., minister of the Nottingham Congregation, had accepted a unanimous "call" from the East Melbourne Congregation, Australia, to fill the vacant post of minister there. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1921 through 1923.

  • (lxiv) Eight Hundred Years, pp.88/9 (who states that he handed in his resignation, effective one year from July 1935) and 180/1. The Jewish Chronicle of 16 April 1923 places Rev. Levene in Nottingham. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1925 through 1936.

  • (lxv) Eight Hundred Years, pp.181/2. Nottingham Journal of 13 August 1937 reported that "the Rev. Dr. S. Goldman, M.A., new minister of the Jewish Synagogue, Chaucer-street, Nottingham, began his duties yesterday." The Jewish Chronicle of 5 May 1950 reported Rev. Goldman's appointment at St Johns Wood, London. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1938 through 1950.

  • (lxvi) Eight Hundred Years, p.182. The Jewish Chronicle of 16 March 1951 reported on the induction service for Rabbi Posen in Nottingham. and on 14 July 1967 it reported that a presentation had been made on Rabbi Posen's impending departure from Nottingham to take up a position in Zurich. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1952 through 1967.

  • (lxvii) and (lxviii) Reserved.

  • (lxix) Eight Hundred Years, p.182. The Jewish Chronicle of 7 July 1972 reported that, after occupying the position of minister of the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation for four years, Rabbi Philip T. Greenberg had tendered his resignation to take up a teaching post at the Hasmonean Grammar School, London. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1969 through 1972.

  • (lxx) Eight Hundred Years, pp.182/3. The Jewish Chronicle of 30 June 1972 reported that the Rev. Cyril Braslavsky, minister of the Blackpool United Hebrew Congregation, had accepted a "call" to the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation as minister, reader and teacher and is expected to take up his new duties in October, and on 14 March 1980 it carried his obituary - he died in office. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1973 through 1980.

  • (lxxi) Eight Hundred Years, p.183. The Jewish Chronicle of 10 Octiber 1980 reported that the Rev Michael Atkins, minister of the Croydon and district Federation Synagogue, had accepted a "call" to be the minister of the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation in succession to the late Rev Cyril Braslavsky. On 8 April 1988 it reported that the Rev Michael Atkins had been dismissed in November as minister of the Nottingham Synagogue and that he had been at Nottingham for seven years. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1981 through 1987 and was the last minister to be listed for the congregation in Jewish Year Books.

  • (lxxii) Eight Hundred Years, p.183. The Jewish Chronicle of 30 November 1990 reported of the appointment of Rabbi Perez, the first Separdi rabbi of the Nottingham community. On 26 January 2018 it repported that the rabbi of Nottingham Hebrew Congregation had been made redundant at the end of the month after 27 years’ service. Rev. Perez was never listed as minister for the congregation in any Jewish Year Books. The office of minister was vacant from 1987 to 1990 and has not been filled since the departure of Rev. Perez.

  • (lxxiii) to (lxxv) Reserved.

  • (lxxvi) The Jewish Chronicle Charity list of 27 June 1878 places Rev. Slevansky in Nottingham. On 13 February 1880 The Jewish Chronicle places him in Nottingham but in 1881 it places him in Leeds. Not listed in Eight Hundred Years.

  • (lxxvii) According to Eight Hundred Years, pp.184/5, Rev. Valentine, first appears in the records of the Nottingham Hebrew congregation as a seller of lulavim and etrogim, became a teacher at the school which met at the Peoples Hall and, in 1883, signed the Marriage Register as "Minister". It is also stated that after leaving Nottingham he was a long-serving minister at the Withington Spanish and Portuguese Congregation in Manchester. However, the Rev. J. Valentine who served nearly 30 Years in Manchester, commenced in 1874, so either the date in incorrect or they are not the same person.

  • (lxxviii) Eight Hundred Years, p.185. The Jewish Chronicle of 16 December 1882 refers to Rev. Myers as headmaster of school, which had been in in existence for about a year. In the 1885 Jewish Chronicle Obituary of his father, Rev. J.E. Myers is described as chazan and schoolmaster at Nottingham. In the same year, the community advertised for a successor.

  • (lxxix) Eight Hundred Years, p.178/9, which gives 1888 as his start year in Nottingham. The Jewish Chronicle Obituary to Rev. Schloss of 6 February 1925 states that in 1914 he was the recipient of a presentation from the members of the Nottingham Congregation on the occasion of his completion of twenty five years as a minister in that town. The Jewish Chronicle of 11 July 1919 reported on Margate's newly appointed minister and reader of the congregation, the Rev. Alexander Schloss late of Nottingham. He is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1899/1900 through 1919 (except 1918).

  • (lxxx) The Jewish Chronicle report of 21 January 1912.

  • (lxxxi) to (lxxxii) Reserved.

  • (lxxxiii) Eight Hundred Years, p.180. The Jewish Chronicle of 13 August 1909 reporting from Middlesbrough on a presentation of a marble clock and ornaments, with suitable inscriptions, to Mr. D. Rabinovitch, assistant teacher and reader for the past eight years of the Hebrew Congregation, who is leaving to fulfil a similar position at Nottingham, and on 16 October 2014 reporting from South Shields that at a general meeting of the congregation, the Rev. D. Rabinovitch, of Nottingham, was elected Chazan, Shochet, Teacher, etc. He is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1911 through 1914, jointly with Rev. Schloss.

  • (lxxxiv) Eight Hundred Years, p.180.

  • (lxxxv) Eight Hundred Years, p.185. The Jewish Chronicle of 5 September 1919 reported on the installation the previous week of the Rev. A. Miller, the newly-appointed chazan at Nottingham. He is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1925 through 1950 (except for the war years when publication ceased), jointly with Rev. K. Joffe from 1947 through 1950.

  • (lxxxvi) Eight Hundred Years, p.187. Bernard Landau is also listed as a shamas (1940-1944).

  • (lxxxvii) and (lxxxviii) Reserved.

  • (lxxxix) Eight Hundred Years, p.187.

  • (xc) Eight Hundred Years, p.185. Rev. Joffe is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1947 through 1950 jointly with Rev. A. Miller.

  • (xci) Eight Hundred Years, pp.185/6, give incorrect dates for Rev. Schwartz term of office. The Jewish Chronicle of 17 March 1950 reported the appointment of Rabbi Schwartz at Nottingham and on 18 September 1959, it reported that a Kidduush was held in Nottingham in honour of the Rev. and Mrs. Maurice Schwartz. Mr. Schwartz is leaving Nottingham to take up a position at Hounslow. He is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1951 through 1960.

  • (xcii) An industrious minority: a history of the Bolton Jewish community by Hilary Thomas and John Cowell pp. 225-6 He is not listed for this congregation in Jewish Year Books.

  • (xciii) Eight Hundred Years, p.186. The Jewish Chronicle reported on 20 January 1961 on Rev Rosenfeld's induction service and on 1 December 1972 it reported on Rev Rosenfeld's retirement "after 14 years service", which appears to be an exageration. He is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1962 through 1973.

  • (xciv) and (xcv) Reserved.

  • (xcvi) Where a person is first listed as secretary in a year book, 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 listed as 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 a person is listed in Jewish Year Books as secretary from 1919 through 1924, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1918 and continued in office until 1924. 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. Jewish Year Books were not published during World War II subsequent to 1940. There were no Jewish Year Book listings of secretaries for this congregation for a number of years, including 1918 through 1925, nor subsequent to 1966. 

  • (xcvii) Reserved.

  • (xcviii) David Solomon's orbituary in the Nottingham Review of 19 September 1845 stated that he resided in Nottingham more than 40 years, was "for a long time superintendent of the Jewish synagogue", was one of five signatories to the petition requesting land for a Jewish cemetery in 1821 and was also instrumental in establishing the rival congregation in Clare Street He left Nottingham for Manchester in about 1840. (Eight Hundred Years, p.33).

  • (xcix) Eight Hundred Years, pp.61/3. Jonah Samuel came to Nottingham from Ipswich.

  • (c) Eight Hundred Years, pp.60 - Theses dates are not certain. Jacob Weinberg played a major role in the synagoge and funding much of the cost of constructind the congregation's mikvehs and providing a substantial donation for the purchase and construction of the Chaucer Street synagogue.

  • (ci) Eight Hundred Years, pp.57/8 and Davis Meyer's biography on p. 177. In the Jewish Directory for 1874, edited by Asher I. Myers, he was described as Warden and Treasurer.

  • (cii) Eight Hundred Years, p.61. Albert Cahn was born in Bavaria in 1854. He came to Nottingham from Cardiff. He was the father of Sir Julien Cahn, Bart.

  • (ciii) Eight Hundred Years, p.61. T. Alexander (died 1931), president "probably in succession to Albert Cahn".

  • (civ) Reserved.

  • (cv) Listed in Eight Hundred Years as J. Shakoschansky. However, elsewhere in the text (and in Jewish Year Books), the spelling is Sakoschansky.

  • (cvi) These listings of president (as well as presidents from 1957) did not appear in Jewish Year Books.

  • (cvii) Judah ben Hassan (1805-1885) came to Nottingham from Gibraltar. He was paid to two shillings aweek to act as a beadle and minyan man. Eight Hundred Years. p. 186.

  • (cviii) L. Glick from Latvia, came to Nottingham in about 1894. He married a wife from Leeds. Eight Hundred Years. pp. 186/7.

  • (cix) Percy (or Pesach) Simmons and his wife were Holocaust survivors from Czechoslovakia. Eight Hundred Years. p. 187.

  • (cx) Moshe Szold (d. 1998) was a Holocaust survivor, originally from Hungary, who came from Nottingham from Cardiff. He later retired to the United States, where he died. Eight Hundred Years. p. 188.

  • (cxi) Reserved.

  • (cxii) These listings of treasurer (as well as treasurers from 1957) did not appear in Jewish Year Books.

  • (cxii) Based upon J. Sakoschansky's listing as treasurer in Jewish Year Books 1915 through 1917. He was not listed as treasurer in Appendix V to Eight Hundred Years.

  • (cxiv) Eight Hundred Years, p. 92, refers to Max Nepolsky as treasurer in mid 1920s and again in the 1940s. However, in Appendix V he is listed as N. Nepolsky in the 1940s. This is presumed to be an error. As this was during war-time cessation of publication, there was no listings in Jewish Year Books.

  • (cxv) to (cxvii) Reserved.

  • (cxviii) The following, in a number of instances, contains somewhat of an overlap of dates. On occasions this may well be due to the fact that the title "Secretary" could be referring to the secretary of the congregation or the secretary (or registrar) for marriages when these posts were not held by the same person. In addition, from 1947 through 1956 Jewish Year Books listed both a secretary and an hon. secretary for the congregation.

  • (cxix) Eight Hundred Years, p. 64, refers to "Secretaries for Marriages and/or synagogue secretaries (H. Cohen, circa 1900; Alexander Jonas, 1860, and before him Woolf Jonas, 1854)".

  • (cxx) Eight Hundred Years, p. 63, refers to Lesser Levy's service as Secretary for Marriages (1860-1899) and his fatal accident in 1899 (which page also refers to a Joel Levy's service as synagogue secretary without any indication of dates). Lesser Levy is listed as secretary in the Jewish Directory of 1874. He is not listed in Jewish Year Books, the first secretary listed being G. Rabinovitch from 1896/7.

  • (cxxi) Abraham Lassman (1880-1944) wrote an unpublished history of the Nottingham Jewish community, upon which Fisher drew heavily in compiling his Eight Hundred Years. Fisher refers (p.12) to Lassman serving as secretary of the congregation "for many year before 1914 and between the two World Wars", without giving specific dates, adding (on p. 6$) that Lassman was the longest serving secretary of the synagogue. He is listed as secretary in Jewish Year Books 1909 through 1917, but as there is no listing of a secretary again until 1924, it is by no means certain that his first period in office terminated in 1917. Similarly he is listed again from 1932, such listing continuing until World War II (when publication ceased in 1940). It is unclear whether he continued to serve until his death in 1944. (He is actually still listed as secretary in the 1945/6 edition, which is clearly an error.)

  • (cxxii) Eight Hundred Years. p.187, refers to Rabbi Newman as, inter alia, secretary to the congregation and secretary for marriages from 1944 until 1947, although it is unclear if he held both positions at the same time. He is also listed as "secretary" in the Jewish Year Books 1947 and 1948, with a different person listed as "hon secretary", although he appears to have left Nottingham in 1947. Rabbi Newman is also listed as a shamas (1944-1947) in Eight Hundred Years. p.187.

  • (cxxiii) Listied erroneously as J. Springer in Jewish Year Books 1947 through 1949 and correctly as J. Spungin in the editions 1950 through 1956. He is listed as "hon. secretary" and there is another person (as listed here) named as "secretary" in each edition in which he appears.

  • (cxxiv) Gershom Young, who came to Nottingham from South Wales, is also listed as a shamas (1956-1958) in Eight Hundred Years. p.187, He died in 1973.

  • (cxxv) to (cxxviii) Reserved.

  • (cxxix) Paper on Nottingham from "Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain" - papers for a conference at University College, London, convened by the Jewish Historical Society of England, prepared by Aubrey Newman - 6th July 1975.

  • (cxxx) Reports on synagogue membership in the United Kingdom, published by 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.

  • (cxxxi) Charities Commission website, accessed 26 April 2023.

  • (xxxxii) Page 1068 of the 2010 List of Places of Worship.

  • (cxxxiii) to (cxxxix) Reserved.

  • (cxxxx) Extracted from Jewish Year Books for the relevant years.

  • (cxxxxi) Eight Hundred Years, pp.57/8.

  • (cxxxxii) Eight Hundred Years, p.81 (from President's Report to AGM of 1917).

  • (cxxxxiii) Eight Hundred Years, p.116.

  • (cxxxxiv) Eight Hundred Years, p.86. It was first listed in the Jewish Year Book 1945/6.

  • (cxxxxiv) Eight Hundred Years, p.76.


Nottingham Jewish Community home page

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Page created: 2 March 2004
Data significantly expanded and notes added: 9 April 2023
Page most recently amended: 13 November 2023

Research by David Shulman, assisted by Steven Jaffe
Formatting by David Shulman


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