Southend & District Reform Synagogue

Southend-on-Sea, Essex

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Picture of the Synagogue provided by Richard Levy

Congregation Data
Name	Southend and District Reform Synagogue (from March 1972)⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
Hebrew Name	Congregation of Har Sinai ("Mount Sinai")⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾
Former Names	Southend Progressive Synagogue - (from 1961 until 1972)^(iv) Southend & District Liberal & Progressive Synagogue (from about 1955 until 1961)^(v) Leigh-on-Sea Liberal Jewish Congregation (until about 1955)^(vi)
Address:	851 London Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 9SZ
Former Address:	149a Leigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, until 1961^(ix)
Current Status:	Active
Date Formed:	October 1946^(x)
Ritual:	Reform
Affiliation:	Became a constituent synagogue of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain (now the Movement for Reform Judaism) in March 1972.^(xi) Initially, a member of the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues (now known as Liberal Judaism).
Website:	http://www.southendreform.org.uk/ (with a fanzine site at http://www.southendreform.co.uk/index.htm)
JSCN Link:	Click on Southend and District Reform (a member community), on the Jewish Small Communities Network website.
Newsletter:	Hakol Shel Sinai
Ministers: *(To view a short profile of a minister who also served other UK congregations - name in blue - hold the cursor over his name.)*	Rev. Dr. Frederick K. ("Fritz") Solomonski (later Rabbi Frederick Solomon) - from about 1948 until about 1954.^(xiv) Rabbi Michael Elton, MA - from about 1966 until about 1969.^(xv) Rabbi Roger Victor Pavey - from about 1970 or 1971 until about 1979.^(xvi) Rabbi Jeffrey Gale - from about 1980 until about 1982.^(xvii) Rabbi G. Reuben - from about 1983 until about 1989.^(xviii) Rabbi Warren Elf, MBE - from about 2003 until present (December 2022).^(xix)
Reader:	David Abrahams - from about 1955 to about 1966^(xx)
Membership Data	General 1946 - 17 families^(xxiv) 2006 - 200 to 250^(xxv) National Reports and Surveys^(xxvi) 1977 - 145 male (or household) members and estimated 145 female members 1983 - 182 male (or household) members and estimated 182 female members 1990 - 183 members (households) 1996 - 176 members (households) 2010 & 2016 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)
Charitable Status:	The congregation is a registered charity (no. 237616), registered on 1 April 1965. The governing document is the congregation's constitution dated 29 March 1998, as subsequently amended.^(xxvii)
Registration District (BMD):	Southend-on-Sea (since 1 July 1939) - Link to Register Office website. Worship Number: 68119. Group for Marriage Certification: West London Synagogue.
Cemetery Information:	There is a Reform Synagogue section to the Southend Municipal Cemetery, Sutton Road, Southend-on-Sea. See Jewish Cemetery Information on the Southend Jewish Community home page. Furthermore, the congregation is a member synagogue of the Jewish Joint Burial Society (JJBS), through which the congregation's members participate in a burial scheme, including rights of burial at one of the Society's cemeteries, in particular the Western Cemetery, Bulls Cross Ride, Cheshunt.
Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above) (i) Reserved (ii) Congregation's website, last accessed 8 September 2019 (although the congregation was not listed under this name in Jewish Year Books until 1977). ↵ (iii) This name was mentioned on the congregation'a website, when accessed in 2017, but when accessed 8 September 2019, there does not appear to be any reference to it. The fanzine website (accessed 8 September) refers to it and states that the name "Congregation of Mount Sinai" has been promoted since the congregation's 60th anniversary year. ↵ (iv) Congregation's website, last accessed 8 September 2019 (although the congregation still listed under this name in Jewish Year Books until 1976). ↵ (v) Based upon the congregation being listed under ths name in Jewish Year Books from 1956 through 1961. ↵ (vi) Based upon the congregation being listed under ths name in Jewish Year Books from 1949 (its first appearance) through 1955. ↵ (vii) and (viii) Reserved. (ix) This was the address given for the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1949 through 1961. According to the congregation's website, it moved into its current building in 1961. ↵ (x) Congregation's website, accessed 8 September 2019. ↵ (xi) According to the congregation's website, accessed 8 September 2019, the congregation joined the Reform movement when it adopted its present name in March 1972. ↵ (xii) and (xiii) Reserved. (xiv) Based upon Rev. Dr. Solomonski's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1949 through 1954. There were no ministers listed for 1955 through 1966. ↵ (xv) Based upon Rabbi Elton's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1967 through 1969. There was no minister listed for 1970. ↵ (xvi) Based upon Rabbi Pavey's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1971 through 1979. There was no minister listed for 1980. ↵ (xvii) Based upon Rabbi Gale's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1981 through 1983. ↵ (xviii) Based upon Rabbi Reuben's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1984 through 1989. There were no ministers listed for 1990 through 2003. ↵ (xix) Based upon Rabbi Elf's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 2004 and the congregation's website, last accessed 12 December 2022. ↵ (xx) Based upon David Abrahams being listed as reader in Jewish Year Books 1956, 1957 and 1966 and assuming that he acted in such capacity in the intervening years. ↵ (xxi) to (xxiii) Reserved. (xxiv) Congregation's website, accessed 6 July 1917. ↵ (xxv) Board of Deputies Return. ↵ (xxvi) Reports on synagogue membership in the United Kingdom, published by or on behalf of 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. ↵ (xxvii) Charities Commission website, accessed July 2025. Clicking on the charity number of this will take you to the charity's registration on the Charities Commission website. ↵

On-line Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

on JCR-UK

General

Trustees Annual Reports and Financial Statements filed with the Charities Commission (pdf):
- For years ended 31 March 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Southend-on-Sea Jewish Community home page

List of Reform Judaism Congregations

List of Liberal Judaism Congregations

Jewish Congregations in Essex

List of Member Synagogues of the Jewish Joint Burial Society

Jewish Communities of England home page

Page created: 22 March 2003
Data significantly expanded and notes added: 8 September 2019
Page mosr recently amended: 12 December 2022

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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