Reading Hebrew Congregation

Reading, Berkshire

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Reading Synagogue 1900
Reading Synagogue at its opening in 1900

Congregation Data

Name:

Reading Hebrew Congregation
(or simply Reading Synagogue)

Address:

Goldsmid Road^(iv), Russell Street, Reading RG1 7YB
The land was purchased on 5 April 1899 for £420^(v) and the foundation stone laid on 21 March 1900.^(vi) On 31 October 1900, the synagogue was consecrated by Chief Rabbi Dr Hermann Adler and Rev. Dr. Hermann Gallancz and opened by Sir Samuel Montagu (later Lord Swaythling).^(vii) Sir Samuel Montagu had strongly supported the formation and development of the community and its synagogue^(x) and was an early contributor to the community^(xi). He was subsequently appointed Hon. Treasurer of the Building Committee^(xii) and donated fifty guineas (£52.50) to the synagogue building fund.^(xiii)

Attached to the synagogue is the Sir Herman Gollancz Hall, initially erected as a hut in about 1925 and rebuilt in about 1956. It is used as the venue for many of the community's social events.

The synagogue was designated a Grade II Listed building on 3 April 1995 (List Entry Number: 1277762) - Historic England Listing & Description.

Previous Address:

6 Anstey Road, Reading^(xvi)

Previously services were held in private homes, including the home of Rev. Nathan Aarons (Body Road, part of Baker Street)^(xvii)

Current Status:

Active

Formation:

Founded in 1886^(xviii)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

Independent, but under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.

Website:

https://readingsynagogue.uk

Ancillary or Rival Congregations:

World War II Evacuee Satellite Congregations^(xix)
- Tilehurst United Synagogue Membership Group
- Congregation in Caversham
- Congregation in Whiteley
Jewish Community of Berkshire (JCoB), established in 2015 by Rabbi Zvi Solomons and Rebbetzin Shira Solomons following termination of their service at Reading Hebrew Congregation.

Ministers and Readers:

(To view a short profile of a minister or reader - hold the cursor over his name.)

Rev. Nathan Alfred Aarons - shochet, reader and later, at times, minister from about 1892 until 1906^(xxiii)

Rev. Solomon Alfred Adler - visiting minister from November 1901 until March 1902^(xxiv)

Rev. Reuben A. Tribich - visiting minister from March until October 1902^(xxv)

Rev. Solomon Fogelnest (first term) - reader, shochet and teacher from 1906 until 1913^(xxvi)

Rev. Louis Wolfe - minister, shochet and mohel from 1914 until 1919^(xxvii)

Rev. Abraham Samet - minister from 1919 until 1922^(xxx)

Rev. Solomon Fogelnest (second term) - minister from 1923 until 1933^(xxxi)

Rev. A. Behrman - minister from 1933 until 1936^(xxxii)

Rev. J. Edelstein - minister from 1936 until 1938^(xxxiii)

Rev. Israel Dvorkin - minister from 1938 until 1947 (previously shochet)^(xxxiv)

Rev. Avrom Haim Karwan - minister from about 1947 until 1949^(xxxvii)

Rev. Phillip Isaacs - minister from 1950 until 1959^(xxxviii)

Rev. Leo Sichel - minister, shochet and headmaster from 1959 until 1987^(xxxix)

Rabbi Ian Goodhardt - minister from 1988 until 1992^(xl)

Rabbi Jason Kleiman - minister from 1994 until 1996^(xli)

Rabbi David Lister - minister from 1997 until September 2000^(xliv)

Rabbi Alexander Chapper - minister from February 2001 until July 2003^(xlv)

Rabbi Adrian Jesner - minister from 2003 until February 2008^(xlvi)

Rabbi Zvi Solomons - minister from June 2008 until May 2015^(xlvii)

Since 2015, services are conducted by members of the congregation and visiting ministers.

Lay Officers:

Unless otherwise indicated, the information below, on the congregation's officers, has generally been extracted from Jewish Year Books, first published in 1896/7.^(lii) However, in many instances, the officer's first name has been obtained from other sources.^(liii)

Presidents

early 1890s - Isaac Goldman^(liv)

1896-1900 - S.A. Prashner^(lv)

1900-1908 - Israel Ehrenberg

1908-1924 - Percy Cohen

1924-1928 - no data

1928-1929 - Cyril Keene

1929-1933 - Jack Album

1933-1938 - David Lessor

1938-1940 - Philip Pulvermacher

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1950 - Mortimer Kosky

1950-1956 - Sidney Auerbach

Vice Presidents

1925-1928 - W. Breen

1928-1929 - David Lesser

1929-1948 - no data

1948-1949 - A.H. Wolfson

1949-1950 - Sidney Auerbach

1950-1952 - P. Phillips

1952-1954 - S. Mindel

1954-1956 - Arthur Lesser

Treasurers

1896-1897 - Isaac Goldman

1897-1900 - Samuel Tencer

1900-1901 - Israel Rosen

1901-1914 - Percy Cohen

1914-1916 - no data

1916-1918 - Percy Cohen

1918-1924 - David Lesser

1924-1928 - Jack Album

1928-1929 - Mark Cohen

1929-1937 - Jacob Patolowsky

1937-1938 - J. Pulvermacher

1938-1940 - I. Pulvermacher

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1946 - Harry Chalfen

1946-1952 - Arthur Lesser

1952-1955 - D.M. Houseman

1955-1956 - J. Cohen

Wardens

1900-1906 - Samuel Tencer

1906-1909 - no data

1909-1910 - J. Conreich

1910-1914 - H. Solomons

1914-1917 - Israel Pulvermacher

1917-1918 - David Lesser & Morris Cohen

1918-1919 - David Lesser & H. Goldstein

1919-1924 - W. Gold & H. Goldstein

1924-1929 - W. Breen

1929-1931 - I. Pulvermacher & S. Chalfen

1931-1933 - I. Pulvermacher

1933-1936 - J. Pulvermacher

1936-1937 - I. Pulvermacher

1937-1938 - J. Pulvermacher

1938-1940 - I. Pulvermacher

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1946 - Mortimer Kosky & S. Mindel

1946-1950 - Mortimer Kosky & P. Phillips

1950-1952 - S. Mindel

1952-1954 - Sidney Auerbach & S. Mindel

1954-1955 - Sidney Auerbach & Mortimer Kosky

1955-1956 - Sisney Auerbach & P. Phillips

Secretaries & Hon. Secretaries

1896-1900 - Israel Ehrenerg^(lvi)

1900-1901 - H. Lipman

1901-1902 - M. Solomons

1902-1904 - no data

1904-1906 - M. Cohen

1906-1909 - H. Springer

1909-1913 - B. Posener

1913-1914 - D. Solomon

1914-1916 - D. Solomon & A.P. Cohen

1916-1918 - Rev. Louis Wolfe

1918-1924 - no data

1924-1928 - Harry Chalfen

1928-1929 - Mark Cohen

1929-1939 - Congregation's Minister

1939-1940 - M. Goldberg

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1947 - Rev. Israel Dvorkin

1948-1957 - A. Cutner

1957-1959 - W. Dubosky

1959-1964 - J. Silverston

1964-1966 - J. Houseman

1966-1970 - Dr. S. Orman

1970-1973 - H. Harris

Membership Data:

Number of Seatholders (Jewish Year Books)

1896

1898

1899

1900

1901

25

30

31

35/40

40/50

Reports & Surveys^(lx)

1977 - 140 male (or household) members and 4 female members

1983 - 131 male (or household) members and 32 female members

1990 - 179 members (comprising 104 households, 29 individual male and 46 individual female members)

1996 - 161 members (comprising 85 households, 26 individual male and 50 individual female members)

2010 & 2016 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)

Newsletter

Kadimah, first published April 1974^(lxi)

Charitable Status:

The congregation is a registered charity (no 220098) under the name Reading Hebrew Congregation (with alternative name of Reading Synagogue) registered on 21 August 1963.^(lxii)

Worship Registration:

The synagogue at Goldsmid Road is registered as a Place of Worship - Worship Register Number 38242 - under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.^(lxiii)

Cemetery
Information:

There is no Jewish cemetery in Reading. Until about 1960, burials generally took place in London, at the Edmonton cemetery or the United Synagogue's Willesden cemetery. Since 1960, the burial ground alloted to the congregation is at the United Synagogue's Bushey cemetery, although there is no specific Reading section.^(lxiv)

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) to (iii) Reserved.
(iv) The address given in Jewish Year Books from 1901/2 through 1903/4 was Westfield Road, Junction Road. Westfield Road, also known as The Junction road was renamed Goldsmid Road in honour of Reading's Jewish Member of Parliament, Sir Francis Goldsmid. ↵
(v) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community - Reading Synagogue 1900-2000, pp.5\6. ↵
(vi) Jewish Chronicle report of 16 March 1900. ↵
(vii) Jewish Year Book 1901/2. ↵
(viii) and (ix) Reserved.
(x) This was part of Sir Samuel's efforts to persuade poor Jewish immigrants to leave London's over-crowded East End for greener and healthier pastures. ↵
(xi) Jewish Chronicle report of 21 January 1887. ↵
(xii) Jewish Chronicle report of 20 November 1896 and Jewish Year Book 1899-1900. ↵
(xiii) Jewish Chronicle report of 17 February 1899. Other major early contributors include William Palmer (of Huntley and Palmer biscuit company), Sir Francis Goldsmid, MP, Claude Montefiore, Sir Osmond d'Avigdor-Goldsmid and Mrs Lionel Lucas. ↵
(xiv) and (xv) Reserved.
(xvi) The first Jewish Year Book (1896/7) through Jewish Year Books 1900/1. ↵
(xvii) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, p.4. ↵
(xviii) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, p.4 and Jewish Year Books from 1901/2, although the editions for 1896/7 through 1900/1 give the year of establishment as 1888. ↵
(xix) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, p.9. ↵
(xx) to (xxii) Reserved.
(xxiii) Jewish Chronicle of 15 June 1906 reported on Rev. Aarons leaving the congregation after 14 years. Rev. N. Aaron (sic) was listed as minister of the congregation from the first Jewish Year Book (1896/7) through 1901/2 and as reader from 1902/3 through 1905/6. ↵
(xxiv) Jewish Chronicle of 22 November 1901 reported on Rev. Adler's appointment and Jewish Chronicle of 28 March 1902 reported on Rev. Adler's farewell. ↵
(xxv) Jewish Chronicle of 4 May 1902 reported on Rev. Tribich's appointment and Jewish Chronicle of 10 October 1902 reported on Rev. Tribich's resignation. He is listed as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1902/3. ↵
(xxvi) Rev. Fogelnest served two terms at the congregation. First term - Jewish Chronicle of 22 June 1906 reported on Rev. Fogelnest's appointment as reader and Jewish Chronicle of 3 January 1913 reported on his resignation. He is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1906/7 through 1913. ↵
(xxvii) Jewish Chronicle reports in January 1914 and March 1919 place Rev. Wolfe in Reading. He is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1914 through 1919. ↵
(xxviii) and (xxix) Reserved.
(xxx) Jewish Chronicle of 2 January 1920 reported on Rev.Samet officiating in Reading and 15 September 1922 notice for High Holy day services places Rev Samet still in Reading. He signed a contract with the Chatham Hebrew congregation, Kent in January 1923. ↵
(xxxi) Rev. Fogelnest second term of office - Jewish Chronicle of 23 February 1923 reported on Rev. Fogelnest's reappointment and Jewish Chronicle of 26 May 1933 included an advertisement, that Rev. Fogelnest had opened a guesthouse at Boscombe, Bournemouth. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1924 through 1933. ↵
(xxxii) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, pp.34/5. Rev. Behrman was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1934 through 1936. ↵
(xxxiii) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, pp.34/5. Jewish Chronicle reported on 25 December 1936 that Rev. J Edelstein was teaching at Reading synagogue. An earlier report in 1936 place him still in Doncaster. Rev. Edelstein is listed in Jewish Year Books 1937 and 1938 as the minister of the congregation. ↵
(xxxiv) Jewish Chronicle report of 9 December 1938 places Rev. Dvorkin in Reading and Jewish Chronicle of 30 May 1947 reported on his farewell. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1939 until 1947. ↵
(xxxv) and (xxxvi) Reserved.
(xxxvii) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, pp.34 & 36. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1949 and 1950. ↵
(xxxviii) Jewish Chronicle of 17 February 1950 reported on Rev. Isaacs "call" to Reading. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1951 through 1959. ↵
(xxxix) Jewish Chronicle of 25 September 1959 reported that Rev. Sichel was the new minister to the congregation and on 4 September 1987, it reported on his retirement that month. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1960 through 1987. ↵
(xl) Jewish Chronicle of 29 July 1988 reported that Rev. Goodhardt was the new minister to the congregation and on 24 July 1992, it reported on his move to the Shadwell Lane synagogue in Leeds. He is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1989 through 1994. ↵
(xli) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, pp.38/9. Rabbi Kleiman is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1995 through 1996. ↵
(xlii) and (xliii) Reserved.
(xliv) Jewish Chronicle of 13 June 1997 reported on Rabbi Lister's appointment as minister to the congregation and on 25 August 2000, it reported on his move to Muswell Hill. Rabbi Lister is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1998 through 2000. ↵
(xlv) Jewish Chronicle of 2 February 2001 reported on Rabbi Chapper's appointment as minister to the congregation and on 23 March 2003, it reported on his move to the Ilford Federation. Rabbi Chapper is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2002 and 2003. ↵
(xlvi) Jewish Chronicle of 12 June 2003 reported on Rabbi Jesner leaving Glasgow upon his appointment as minister to the congregation and on 9 February 2008, it reported on his farewell sermon in Reading. Rabbi Jesner is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2004 through 2008 ↵
(xlvii) Jewish Chronicle of 29 February 2008 reported on Rabbi Solomons leaving Liverpool’s Old Hebrew Congregation to take up his appointment as minister to the congregation in June and on 11 September 2015, it reported that Rabbi Solomons had been made redundant by the Reading Hebrew Congregation and was establishing with his wife Shira the separate Jewish Community of Berkshire. Rabbi Solomons is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 2009 through the last edition (2015). ↵
(xlviii) to (li) Reserved.
(lii) Where a person is 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 is listed in Jewish Year Books 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. The Jewish Year Book was not published during the war years 1941 to 1945, nor were there any listings of lay officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. ↵
(liii) In particular, Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community - Reading Synagogue 1900-2000. ↵
(liv) Described in Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, p.5, as a founder member and one of the first presidents of the community, and chairman of the building Committee. ↵
(lv) Listed as president in the first Jewish Year Book (1896/7), S.A. Prashner is described in Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, p.5, the president following Isaac Goldman. Accordingly, his term of office could have commenced some time earlier than 1896. ↵
(lvi) Listed as hon. secretary in the first Jewish Year Book (1896/7), Isaac Ehrenberg is described in Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, p.5, as the son of Solomon Ehrenberg, a founder of the congregation. He is also referred to as the hon. secretary to both presidents Isaac Goldman and S.A. Prashner. Accordingly, his term of office would have commenced some time earlier than 1896. ↵
(lvii) to (lix) Reserved.
(lx) 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. ↵
(lxi) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, p.77. ↵
(lxii) Charities Commission website, accessed 19 May 2022. ↵
(lxiii) Page 1146 of the 2010 List of Places of Worship. ↵
(lxiv) Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community, p.76. ↵

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Page created: 4 March 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 10 May 2022
Page most recently amended: 15 March 2023

Formatting and research by David Shulman

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