North West Surrey Synagogue

Weybridge, Elmbridge, Surrey

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Town of Weybridge

Weybridge is situated immediately to the southwest of the administrative boundary of Greater London. It is in the borough of Elmbridge, a local government district of the county of Surrey, formed in 1974. Prior to 1974, it was part of the rural district of Walton and Weybridge.

Weybridge Jewish Community

There is a small Jewish community in Weybridge although the local congregation, a Reform congregation formed in the 1950s, includes families from other towns in the vicinity. The borough of Elbridge (of which Weybridge forms part) also has a liberal congregation - the Kingston Liberal Synagogue.

Congregation Data
Name:	North West Surrey Synagogue⁽ⁱ⁾
Address:	Horvath Close, Rosslym Park, Oatlands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 9QZ⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
Previous Addresses:	a "pre-fab." in Princes Road, Weybridge (from 1981 to about 1987)⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ Finnart House, Oaklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey (from formation until 1981)^(iv)
Current Status:	Active
Foundation:	Finnart House, the first address of the congregation, had been, since 1937, the address of an Approved School for ‘problem’ Jewish boys at which a small synagogue was consecrated. Local Jewish families were invited to participate in the Sabbath services. In 1968 the congregation was formally established using the synagogue.^(v)
Ritual:	Reform
Affiliation:	A constituent synagogue of the Movement for Reform Judaism (formerly the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain).
Website:	http://www.nwss.org.uk/
Ministers: (To view a short profile of a minister whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over his or her name.)	Rabbi Anthony (Tony) Michael Bayfield - from 1972 until 1982 (and previously student rabbi from 1969)^(viii) Rabbi Fred Morgan - from 1984 until 1997 (and previously student rabbi from 1983)^(ix) Rabbi Peter S. Knobell (interim minister) - from about 1998 to about 1999^(x) Rabbi Dr. Jacqueline (Jackie) Tabick - from 1999 until 2013^(xi) Rabbi David J. Zucker - from 2013 until 2017^(xii) Rabbi Kath Vardi - from 2017 to present (August 1922)^(xiii)
Membership Data:	General 1972 - about 100 people^(xvi) National Reports and Surveys^(xvii) 1977 - 118 male (or household) members and 12 individual female members 1983 - 143 male (or household) members and 37 individual female members 1990 - 274 members (comprising 174 households, 50 individual male and 50 individual female members) 1996 - 340 members (households) 2010 - listed as having 200 - 299 members (by household) 2016 - listed as having 300 - 399 members (by household)
Charitable Status:	The congregation is also a registered charity (registered charity no: 256232) registered on 17 July 1968. The governing documents are the congregation's Laws, adopted 25 January 1968 as amended by its Constitution, adopted 29 October 2006 (and subsequently amended).^(xviii)
Registration District:	Surrey^(xix) - Link to Register Office website.
Cemetery Information:	Membership of the synagogue includes burial rights through the Jewish Joint Burial Society (JJBS) at one of its cemeteries, principally the Western Cemetery in Cheshunt. There is also the option (through the JJBS) of a Woodland Burial in Cheshunt or cremation at Golders Green Crematorium.
Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above) (i) In Jewish Year Books through 1994, North West was written with a hyphen between the two words. ↵ (ii) Horvath Close takes its name from Imre Horvath, a Hungarian refugee and founder member of the congregation. ↵ (iii) This was the congregation's address as listed in Jewish Year Books from 1983 through 1987. ↵ (iv) This was the congregation's address as listed in Jewish Year Books through 1982. it was sold in 1981 (Congregation's website). ↵ (v) "Our History" on the congregation's website, accessed 16 December 2018. ↵ (vi) and (vii) Reserved. (viii) "Our History" on the congregation's website, accessed 16 December 2018 and "Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books (latest 2015). ↵ (ix) "Our History" on the congregation's website, accessed 16 December 2018 and Rabbi Morgan's biography on IRCI's website. ↵ (x) Based on Rabbi Knobell's listing as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1999 and "Our History" on the congregation's website, accessed 16 December 2016.↵ (xi) "Our History" on the congregation's website, accessed 17 December 2018. ↵ (xii) "Our History" on the congregation's website and Rabbi Zucker's website, both accessed 17 December 2018. ↵ (xiii) "Our History" on the congregation's website, last accessed 21 August 2022. Rabbi Vardi was ordained in 2017.↵ (xiv) and (xv) Reserved. (xvi) "Our History" on the congregation's website, accessed 17 December 2018. ↵ (xvii) 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. ↵ (xviii) Charities Commission's website (in beta trial stage) and Open Charities website, both accessed 16 December 2018. ↵ (xix) The former Registration Districts were Surrey Northern, from the formation of Congregation until 1 October 1996 and North Surrey, from 1 October 1996 until 4 August 2008. Any registers would now be held by current register office. ↵

On-line Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

Annual Reports filed with the Charities Commission (pdf):
- For years ended 31 March 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

List of Reform Judaism Congregations

Jewish Congregations in Surrey

List of Member Synagogues of the Jewish Joint Burial Society

Jewish Congregations in Greater London and its Outskirts

Jewish Communities of England home page

Page created: 21 May 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 17 December 2018
Date page most recently amended: 22 August 2022

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