the former

Worksop Hebrew Congregation

& Jewish Community

Worksop, Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire

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congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.

Town of Worksop

The town of Worksop (population about 40,000), in the English East Midlands, forms part of the local government district of the Bassetlaw, the most northerly district of Nottinghamshire. Bassetlaw was formed in 1974 by the merger of the municipal borough and rural district of Worksop with the municipal borough and rural district of East Retford (also known as Retford).

Worksop Jewish Community

Jews began settling in Worksop in the latter years of the nineteenth century and an organised congregation was established early in the twentieth century, which functioned until the 1920s. Religious services recommenced for a brief period during World War II. Also, during the mid-nineteenth century, there were also a number of Jewish families living in Retford, a few miles to the east of Worksop, although these do not appear to have established a formal congregation.

Congregation Data
Name:	Worksop Hebrew Congregation⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
Address:	Not known.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾
Formation:	From about 1891 services for the High Holydays were held at the residence of members.^(iv) However, it appears that it was not until about 1907 that a congregation was formed.^(v)
Affiliation:	None known.
Closure:	The congregation appears to have become defunct in about 1929.^(vi) However in 1941, during World War II, devine services were again held in Worksop, made possible by the attendance of Jewish soldiers based in the district.^(vii)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi - Orthodox
Ministers:	None known
Lay Officers:	President - B. Goldberg from about 1910 until about 1927^(x) - S. Goldberg from about 1927 until about 1928^(xi) Treasurer - S. Goodman from about 1910 until about 1928^(xii) Hon. Secretaries - E.B. Finestone from about 1910 until about 1928^(xiii) - S. Goorney from about 1928 until closure^(xiv)
Registration District (BMDs):	Nottinghamshire since 1 April 2012^(xv) - link to register office website
Cemetery Details	There is no Jewish cemetery in Worksop. Notices in The Jewish Chronicle indicate that it was the practice to use burial grounds in Sheffield, the nearest significant Jewish community (some 20 miles away).

Online Articles and Other Material relating to
the Worksop Jewish Community

on JCR-UK

Early Jewish Residents, extracted from Census Returns.
Some Press Reports relating to the Worksop Jewish Community

Worksop Jewish Population Data
1906	6 families	(The Jewish Chronicle 16 November 1906)

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) This was the name listed in Jewish Year Books. ↵
(iii) There was none listed in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 nor mentioned Jewish Chronicle press reports. ↵
(iv) Jewish Chronicle report of 8 October 1897. ↵
(v) An advertisement by the "Worksop Hebrew Congregation" was first place in the Jewish Chronicle of 30 August 1907 (for a shochet and teacher). A report of 10 January 1910 refers to a recently established congregation in Worksop. The congregation was first listed in the Jewish Year Book 1911 ↵
(vi) Although the congregation remained listed in the Jewish Year Books until 1939 it was shown in square brackets (from 1935) with a note "synagogue closed" (from 1929). The Jewish Year Book 1940, p.231 noted that "the congregation ceased to exist about 1927." A new hon. secretary was, however, listed in the 1929 edition. ↵
(vii) Jewish Chronicle reports of 5 September 1941 and 24 October 1941. ↵
(viii) and (ix) Reserved.
(x) Listed as president of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1911 through 1927. ↵
(xi) Listed as president of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1928. ↵
(xii) Listed as treasurer of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1911 through 1928. ↵
(xiii) Listed as hon. secretary of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1911 through 1928. ↵
(xiv) Listed as hon. secretary of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1929 through 1938. ↵
(xv) Previous Registration Districts: Worksop (from 1 July 1837 to 1 May 2005) and Bassetlaw (from 1 May 2004 to 1 April 2012). Any registers would be held by the current register office ↵

Jewish Congregations in Nottinghamshire

Jewish Communities of England homepage

Page created: 4 November 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 15 January 2023
Page most recently amended: 7 February 2023

Research by David Shulman and Harold Pollins
Formatting by David Shulman

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