Name:

Penzance Jewish Congregation

Address:

1 New Street (rear of the Star Inn 119 Market Street), Penzance TR18 2LD.^(v)

The first purpose-built synagogue was constructed on this site in 1768.^(vi)
In 1807 the synagogue was totally rebuilt^(vii) and in 1837 the synagogue was expanded by the addition two dwelling-houses, no.1 and no. 2 New Street.^(x).

Following closure of the synagogue, it was purchased in 1906 by the Plymouth Brethren for use as a meeting house for prayer. Subsequently, it was acquired by a brewery company and incorporated into the adjoining Star Inn.^(xi)

On 7 February 1974, the Star Inn, including the former synagogue at the rear, was designated a Grade II Listed Building (number 1143981) (most recent amendment 21 July 2015). View description on Historic England website.

Formation:

Congregation founded about 1750.

Closure:

Community dissolved by early 1900's and the synagogue was sold in 1906.^(xii)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

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

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

As regards those listed below with an asterisk*, there is some doubt as to whether, or the extent to which, they served as a minister of the congregation.

"Rabbi" Asher Hart* - spiritual leader from c.1720 until c.1740.^(xvi)

"Rabbi" Abraham Hart (Solomon Lazarus) - spiritual leader mid-1700s.^(xvii)

Rev. Aaron Selig* - reader in about 1808.^(xviii)

Rev. Moses* - reader in about 1808.^(xix)

Rev. Moses Levi or Rev. Moses Isaac* - reader about 1810.^(xx)

Rev. Hirsch* - reader about 1810.^(xxiii)

Rev. Philip Samuel (Rev. Feival)* - reader from about 1810 until about 1811.^(xxiv)

Rev. Barnet Asher Simmons (first term) - minister from 1811 until 1854 (not continuous).^(xxv) 

Rev. Elthanan Joseph Mortara - reader from October 1813 until July 1814.^(xxvi)

Rev. Hyman Selig - reader from 1815 until about 1816.^(xxvii)

Rev. Abraham Joseph - reader in 1817.^(xxx)

Rev. Moses Levi - reader from 1817 until about 1820.^(xxxi)

Rev. Hart Symons - reader from 1820 until about 1826.^(xxxii)

Rev. Myer Stadthagen - minister 1827 until 1829. ^(xxxiii)

Rev. Solomon Cohen - minister from 1854 until 1857.^(xxxiv)

Rev. Barnet Asher Simmons (second term) - minister from 1857 until 1859.^(xxxv)

Rev. Hyman Greenberg - minister/reader from 1859 until 1861.^(xxxvii)

Rev. A. Lupshutz - minister/reader from 1861 until 1862.^(xxxviii)

Rev. Marcus Spiro (or Spero) - minister/reader from 1863 until April 1866.^(xxxix)

Rev. M. Rittenberg - minister/reader from 1866 until about 1868.^(xl)

Rev. Isaac Bischofswerder - minister from about 1868 until 1886 with occasional duties post mid 1890s.^(xli)

Rev. Isaac Aryeh Rubinstein - minister from 1886 until 1887.^(xlii)

Rev. Michael Leinkram - minister from 1887 until mid-1890s.^(xliii)

Presidents of the Congregation:

It is not possible to compile a full list of the congregation's presidents or other lay officers. However, the following are persons known to have served as president of the congregation:

Lemon Hart (Asher Laemle ben Eleazar) (1768-1845), a grandson of "Rabbi" Abraham Hart (a founder of the Penzance Jewish community), had already, for some time, been considered the communal leader when, in 1808, he became the first president of the congregation from the opening of its new New Street synagogue. He served until 1811, when he left for London, although he remained intimately involved in Penzance affairs and supporting the congregation.^(xlvii) (See below regarding his business career.) 

Hyman Woolf (Hayim ben Benyamin), also known as Elias Magnus, the brother-in-law of Lemon Hart (married to his sister Eddle), served as president (or life gabbai) from 1811 until 1819, having previously served as treasurer.^(xlviii)

Lemon Woolf (1783-1848), the son of Hyman Woolf, was president in 1843.^(xlix)

Morris Hart Harris was president from an unknown date until 1850, when he left the town.^(l)

Thereafter, from 1850 until 1887, Henry Joseph (1806-1881) and Henry Levin (1798-1877) alternated as president, with brief periods when the office was held by Benjamin Aaron Selig or Israel Oppenheimer.^(li)

David Bischofswerder, son of Rev. Isaac Bischofswerder, was president from 1887, probably until dissolution congregation.^(lii)

Membership Data:

General

1845 - 11 ba'alai batim (Chief Rabbi's Questionnaire)

1845 - 30 appropriated seats, 51 individual members (C. Roth, The Rise of Provincial Jewry)

Number of Seatholders - Board of Deputies Returns

Registration District:

Cornwall, since 1 May 2007^(lv) - Link to Register Office website