JCR-UK  

 

   
 


Rabbinic Profiles(1)(2)
Masorti, Reform and Liberal(3)

Part 5 - Surnames S to Z

Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich

Rabbi Tanya was born in Minsk, Belarus, where, in 1998 she attained her first MA in the History of Art and Music. She began her career working in various capacities for the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ). She served the Nottingham Liberal Synagogue (formerly Nottingham Progressive Jewish Community) as minister from about 2007 (becoming full time upon her ordination from Leo Baeck College in 2009) until 2021. She then become minister of the Liberal Synagogue Elstree, Hertfordshire, until November 2022, when she joined the Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue, northwest London, serving as a rabbi there until present (May 2023). (Online reports and congregations' websites.)

Rabbi Dr. Elisheva Salamo

American Rabbi Salamo was awarded a bachelors degree from Reed College, Portland, Oregan, a masters degree from Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut and rabbinical ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Wyncote, Pennsylvania. She served as a rabbi, teacher and youth leader in the United States, South Africa and at the Liberal Jewish Community of Geneva, Switzerland (June 2022-July 2023). In August 2023, she took up residence in York upon her appointment as the first rabbi of the York Liberal Synagogue, becoming York's first resident rabbi since the Jewish community was wiped out in a pogrom more than 800 years ago. (Congregation's website and press reports.)

Rabbi Thomas Salamon

Czech-born Rabbi Salamon was ordained in 1972. He served as assistant minister of the West London Synagogue (1972-1975), minister of Hertsmere Progressive Synagogue (now The Liberal Synagogue Elstree) (c.1980-c.1988), minister of the Hampstead Reform Jewish Community (c.1988-c.1990) and senior minister of Westminster Synagogue (1997-2018). (Profile on Westminster Synagogue's website and Jewish Year Book listings.)

Rabbi Dr. Georg Salzberger

See under The Belsize Square Synagogue (formerly the New Liberal Jewish Congregation).

Rabbi Harold Irving Saperstein
(9 December 1910 - 16 November 2001)

New York born Rabbi Saperstein was ordained in 1935. He served as the minister of Temple Emanu-El of Lynbrook, Long Island (1933 to 1980, initially as a student rabbi), during which time he spent short periods as an assisting rabbi at the West London Synagogue (1957, 1980-81, 1982-83) and later assisted other synagogues in the New York area.

Rabbi Elizabeth (Eli) Tikvah Sarah

Rabbi Sarah was ordained in 1989 at Leo Baeck College, London. She served as minister of Buckhurst Hill Reform Synagogue (now Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue) (1989-1994); Director of Programmes for the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain and Deputy Director of the Sternberg Centre (1994-97); Chair of the Leo Baeck College Rabbinic In-Service Training Team (1996-2002); a Leo Baeck College tutor and lecturer, teaching 'Classical Hebrew' and also 'Spirituality' (1997-2002); part time rabbi of Leicester Progressive Jewish Community (1998-2000) and minister of Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue (2000-2021, and thereafter emeritus rabbi). (Rabbi Sarah's profile on Liberal Judaism's website, accessed 20 June 2021.)

Rev Ernest Konrad Sawady
(27 February 1916 - 14 August 1956)

Rev. Sawady arrived in England from Berlin as a refugee from Nazi Germany. He obtained a BA in Psychology from the University of London and was minister of the St. George's Settlement Synagogue (1946-1956), dying suddenly in office while in Austria. (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History, p.866, Obituary in AJR Information, September 1956, p. 9 and Jewish Year Book listings)

Rabbi Fabian Sborovsky

See under Menorah Synagogue, Cheshire Reform Congregation.

Rabbi Adam Schell

Rabbi Schell was appointed minister of The Wimbledon Synagogue, London (2020 to present - January 2021). (Congregation's website.)

Rabbi Hermann Schreiber
(21 August 1882 - 27 September 1954)

Rabbi Schrieber, who was born in the former German town of Schrimm (now Śrim in Poland), served as rabbi in Potsdam until 1938, when his synagogue was destroyed during Kristallnacht. In 1939, after being held in Sachsenhausen concentration camp, he managed to flee to London and was an assisting rabbi at the West London Synagogue (1941). He is buried at the Jewish Weissensee Cemetery in Berlin, having died during a visit to Germany.

Rabbi Dr. Solomon Meyer Schiller-Szenessy
(1820 - 11 March 1890)

Rabbi Dr. Solomon Meyer Schiller-Szenessy was born in Altofen, Budapest and received a Ph.D from the University of Jena before studying to become a rabbi. He was a Hungarian nationalist and supported Kossuth in the 1848 uprising against Austrian rule (adopting the Magyar name Szenessy), was captured, sentenced to death, but escaped to England via Trieste and Ireland. In 1851, he was appointed minister of the recently re-united orthodox synagogue in Manchester, the Manchester United Synagogue. However, he came into conflict with Chief Rabbi N. Adler, and in 1856, although remaining traditional orthodox, he accepted the appointment as minister of Manchester's newly-formed reform synagogue, the Manchester Congregation of British Jews, resigning in 1860 to pursue an academic career in Cambridge, where he died in 1890. (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History, p.873 and The Manchester Congregation of British Jews 1857-1957 by Rabbi P.S. Goldberg, 1957.)

Rev. Gabriel Schulman
See Rev. J. Shulman

Rev. D. J. Seligman

See under Birmingham Progressive Synagogue (formerly Birmingham Liberal Jewish Synagogue).

Rev. Y. Shabatay

See under Manchester Reform Synagogue (formerly Manchester Congregation of British Jews).

Rabbi Robert Franklin Shafritz
(23 October 1944 - 23 July 1996)

US-born Rabbi Shafritz served as associate minister of the West London Synagogue (1987-1993) and minister of Wimbledon & District Synagogue (1993-1996) dying in office, aged 51.

Rabbi Zahavit Shalev

Rabbi Shalev received her ordination from Leo Baeck College, London, in July 2019. She serves (as of January 2020) as full-time assistant rabbi of New North London Synagogue (from September 2019, but where she also previously served seven years as a student rabbi) and part time (sole) rabbi of Buckhurst Hill Masorti Synagogue (from 2019). (Rabbi Shalev's LinkedIn account.)

Rabbi Chaim Shalom

See under Menorah Synagogue, Cheshire Reform Congregation.

Rabbi Sybil Sheridan

Bolton-born Rabbi Sybil Sheridan, who was ordained in 1981, served as rabbi / minister in a number of congregations, including Beersheva Reform Synagogue in Israel; Newcastle Reform Synagogue (as a student rabbi from 1980 to c.1981); Ealing Liberal Synagogue (1981-86); visiting rabbi to Swindon Jewish Community (c.1986-c.1992); Thames Valley Jewish Community (now known as the Reading Liberal Jewish Community (1994-2003); as a joint minister (with Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild) of Wimbledon & District Synagogue (2002-2014); as rabbi (part-time) of the West London Synagogue (2014-2020); and again, as rabbi (part-time) of Newcastle Reform Synagogue (2014 to present - January 2020). She is married to Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain of Maidenhead Synagogue. (Profile on Reform Judaism website and "Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books.)

Rabbi Irit Shillor

See under Harlow Jewish Community.

Rev. J. Shulman

Rev. J. Shulman (also known as Rev. Gabriel Schulman) served as assistant minister of Bradford Reform Synagogue from 1903 to 1906, and then departed to the United States (Tradition and Change by Kershen & Romain).

Rabbi Sheila Shulman
(18 October 1936 - 25 October 2014)

Brooklyn-born Rabbi Shulman was ordained in 1989, being one of the first two lesbian rabbis to be ordained in the United Kingdom. She was the founder of London's gay and lesbian synagogue, Beit Klal Yisrael Synagogue (BKYS) and served as its rabbi from 1990 until about 2007 and was thereafter its emeritus rabbi until about 2011. She also served as a rabbi at Finchley Reform Synagogue (c.2000-c.2005, initially part-time, then as half-time Associate Rabbi, then part-time again). (Jewish Year Book listings, Biography - LGBTQ Religious Archives Network and tributes to Rabbi Shulman on BKYS's website)

Rabbi Cantor Gershon Silins

Rabbi Silins was ordained as a cantor in about 1990 and holds a masters degree and honorary doctorate in Sacred Music from the School of Sacred Music HUC-JIA. In July 2019, he was ordained as a rabbi by Leo Baeck College, London on 7 July 2019, becoming Liberal/Reform Judaism’s first rabbi cantor. He had served as cantor of Temple Sinai Congregation in Toronto, Temple Avodah in Oceanside, New York, Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Beth Emet The Free Synagogue in Evanston, Illinois and Temple Emanuel in Kensington, Maryland before coming to Britain. After coming to Britain he has served as minister/cantor of Manchester Liberal Jewish Community (part time, 2017) and then as part of the Rabbinic Team of Liberal Judaism serving as rabbi for the Norwich Liberal Jewish Community (NLJC), Norwich (part-time c.2019) as well as the Liberal communities in Lincolnshire and Stevenage. In January 2021, he was appointed assistant rabbi of the West London Synagogue. In December 2022, he joined The Liberal Synagogue Elstree as interim rabbi. (Profile on WLS's website and Jewish Year Books listings.)

Rabbi Henry Phillips Silverman
(15 October 1894 - November 1979)

Portsea-born Rabbi Silverman served as minister of the orthodox Oxford Road Hebrew Congregation, Manchester (dates not currently known), Rab. of Temple B'nai Israel and People's Temple Bethel, Elmira, New York (1923-1935), minister of the Jewish Community of Jamaica (1935-1965) and (post-retirement) minister of Maidenhead Synagogue (1965 to c1968). (Jewish Year Book listings and "Who's Who" entries, Geni report)

Rabbi Dr. Reuven (Robert) Malcolm Silverman

Oxford-born Rabbi Dr. Silverman served as minister of Mikeve Israel Emanuel Synagogue, Curacao (1969-1971), an assisting rabbi at the West London Synagogue (1974), assistant minister of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue (1974-1977) and minister of Manchester Reform Synagogue (1977 to present - February 2022). (Manchester Reform Synagogue website, Jewish Year Book listings and "Who's Who" entries ).

Rev. Lawrence Mark Simmons

Rev. L.M. Simmons, father of the Rev. Vivian George Simmons, served as minister of Manchester Reform Synagogue (formerly Manchester Congregation of British Jews) (1877-1900).

Rev. Vivian George Simmons
(16 September 1886 - 4 January 1970)

Salford-born Rev. Simmons was the son of Rev. Lawrence Mark Simmons. He was assistant minister of the West London Synagogue (1913-1942), which period included four years as an army chaplain during World War I (serving initially in France and then, from 1917 to 1919, as resident chaplain/minister at the Aldershot Command, Hampshire). He subsequently served as interim minister of North-Western Reform Synagogue, Golders Green (1942-1943) and as minister of Birmingham Liberal Jewish Synagogue (1943-1948), North London Progressive Synagogue (1948-1956) and Wembley & District Liberal Synagogue (now Mosaic Liberal Synagogue) (1956-1961). (Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History and Jewish Year Book listings)

M. Simons

M. Simons was hon. president and lay minister of Ealing Liberal Synagogue (c.1949-c.1964).

Rabbi Leslie Sirtes

See under Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue (formerly Brighton & Hove Liberal Synagogue).

Rabbi Amnon Daniel Smith

Israel-born Rabbi Smith, M.A. was ordained in 1977. He served as associate minister of the West London Synagogue (1977-1982), minister of Wimbledon & District Synagogue (1982-1993) and as a senior minister of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue (1993-2015), continuing as senior minister following the merger of that congregation to form the Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue (2015-2019). (Listings and "Who's Who" entries in Jewish Year Books and profile on the website of the Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue.)

Rabbi Dr. Frank Dabba Smith

California-born Rabbi Smith received his rabbinic ordination from the Leo Baeck College, London. He served as assistant rabbi of Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue (1994-1997) and then as minister of Mosaic Liberal Synagogue (formerly Harrow & Wembley Progressive Synagogue) (1997-2019). (Jewish Year Book listings and Mosaic Liberal Synagogue's website.)

Rabbi David Soetendorp

Rabbi Soetendorp served as minister for over thirty years at the Bournemouth Reform Synagogue (1972-2005) and, following his retirement, was appointed part-time minister of Hatch End Masorti Synagogue (now the Mosaic Masorti Synagogue) (2007-2008). (Jewish Year Book listings and Jewish Chronicle report of 15 June 2007.)

Rabbi Dr. Frederick Solomon (previously known as Dr Frederick K. "Fritz" Solomonski)
(1899 - 1980)

Berlin-born Dr. Solomonski (m. Margot) fled Germany to Britain in 1938. Also an accomplished artist, he served as minister of the West Central Liberal Jewish Synagogue (from about 1946) and Leigh-on-Sea Liberal Jewish Congregation (now Southend & District Reform Synagogue) (probably from about 1948), in both instances until about 1954. He emigrated to the United States in 1954 and was appointed as minister to several US congregations, including Temple Beth Ha Shalom in Williamsport, Pennsylvania (1954-1957), and Temple B’nai Israel in Laconia, New Hampshire (1960-1963), as well as Temple Beth Israel in Vedado, Havana, Cuba (c.1957-1960). (Rabbi Frederick Solomon Papers, Jewish Year Book listings and Jewish Chronicle report of 15 June 2007.)

Rabbi Mark L. Solomon

Australian-born Rabbi Solomon studied for the rabbinate at the Lubavitcher Yeshivah Gedolah in Melbourne and Kfar Chabad in Israel, then at Sydney University (earning as BA (Hons) in English). He came to Britain in 1988 to study at Jews' College, London, where he received smicha in 1991 and served as minister of Watford Affiliated (United) Synagogue (1990-1992). He then moved from Orthodoxy to Liberal Judaism and received an MA in Jewish Studies at Leo Baeck College, where he subsequently taught. He has served as minister/rabbi of West Central Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London (1992-2000), The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Wood (2000-2009), Manchester Liberal Jewish Community (part time, 2010-2014), Sukkat Shalom - the Edinburgh Liberal Community Synagogue (part-time, 2009 to present - July 2019), Leicester Liberal Jewish Congregation (part-time 2014 to present - July 2019) (Profile on Liberal Judaism's website and Jewish Year Books listings.)

S. Solomons

S. Solomons's was assistant minister of North London Liberal Synagogue in about 1947/48 and was also chairman of the congregation from about 1938 to about 1947. It appears to have subsequently served as minister of Southgate & District Liberal Synagogue (now Southgate Progressive Synagogue) (c.1948-c.1956). (Jewish Year Book listings.)

Rev. Samuel Isaac Solomons

Served both Orthodox and Non-Orthodox congregations - see Rev. Samuel Isaac Solomons in Orthodox section.

Rabbi Dr Frederick K. "Fritz" Solomonski -
See Rabbi Dr. Frederick Solomon

Rabbi Michael D. Standfield

Rabbi Standfield was ordained in 1968. He served as minister of the St. George's Settlement Synagogue (1968-1971), the Middlesex New Synagogue (now the Mosaic Reform Synagogue) (1971-1986) and then congregations in Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa from 1989 until his retirement in 2005, when he returned to the UK and has acted as part time minister of the Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation (c.2011-14). (Rabbi Standfield's profile and Jewish Year Book listings.)

Rabbi Benjamin (Benji) Stanley

London-born Rabbi Stanley was ordained in 2013. He served as assistant rabbi of the West London Synagogue (2013-2014), "Rabbi for Young Adults" at Reform Judaism (2014-17) and minister of the Westminster Synagogue (2017 to present - January 2020).

Rabbi Dr. Solomon Elihu Starrels
(5 December 1895 - April 1984)

US-born Rabbi Dr. Starrels studied at the Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati and served congregations in New Orleans, Louisiana and Lincoln, Nebraska, prior to being appointed  "third minister" of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Woods (1928-1933) and assisted greatly in the establishment of the West Central Liberal Jewish Congregation, frequently leading the services. He then served as minister of North Western Reform Synagogue (1933-1938). He returned to the US in 1938 to serve as minister of several U.S. congregations. (Jewish Year Book Listings and A Place to Call Home by Pam Fox, 2011.)

Rabbi Chaim Stern
(1930 - 2001)

New York born Rabbi Stern MA studied at the New York branch of the Hebrew Union College and was ordained in 1958. He served as rabbi of Temple Shalom, New Jersey (1958-1962) and several other United States congregations. In 1962, he was appointed as associate minister of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St. John's Wood, London, becoming acting senior minister in 1963 until 1964 and was subsequently associate rabbi of the Westminster Synagogue (c.1967-c.1968). ("A place to Call My Jewish Home" by Pam Fox, 2011, p.415. Jewish Year Books listings and Jewish Virtual Library obituary.)

Rabbi David-Yehuda Stern

Rabbi D-Y Stern grew up in Hendon, northwest London and holds a master’s degree in Jewish Education from the London School of Jewish Studies. In July 2022, he received rabbinic ordination from the Leo Baeck College, London, and joined the rabbinic team at Radlett Reform Synagogue, Hertfordshire, serving until present (June 2023)  (Congregation's website.)

Ass. Minister M. Stern

Rev. Stern served as assistant minister of Manchester Congregation of British Jews (Manchester Reform Synagogue) in and about 1874, although his exact term of office is not currently known. (Jewish Directory for 1874)

Cantor Marshall Stone

Cantor Stone served as minister of Woodford Liberal Jewish Synagogue (c.1980-c.1983) and Congregation Beyt Elohim (c.1986-c.1988). (Jewish Year Books listings.)

Rabbi Paul Moses Strasko

See under Sinai Synagogue, Leeds.

Rabbi Dr. Joseph Strauss
(1845 - 1922)

Rabbi Dr. Strauss was born in Berlichingen, Wuerbeinberg, Germany and educated at Stuttgart Royal Gymnasium. He was ordained as a rabbi in 1870 and shortly thereafter obtained an MA in medieval history and modern philosophy and was awarded a PhD. He served the Bradford Reform Synagogue, Yorkshire, (then known as the Bradford Congregation of British and Foreign Jews) as its first rabbi from 1873 to 1922. He was an enthusiastic Zionist and founded the Bradford Zionist Society and was provincial VP of the English Zionist Federation. (Joseph Strauss 1845-1922 on BradfordJewish website.)

Rabbi Celia Surget

Rabbi Surget, who grew up in Geneva, Switzerland, studied the history of religions, Hebrew and philosophy at the University of Geneva and began her rabbinic studies at Hebrew Union College, later transferring to Leo Baeck College, London, where she received her rabbinic ordination in 2007. On graduating, she spent four years working for the MJLF Mouvement Juif Liberal de France in Paris, where she worked both as a congregational Rabbi and as Director of Education. She was France's second female rabbi. She was subsequently appointed associate rabbi of Radlett Reform Synagogue (2011-2021), and was chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis and Cantors UK, moving in May 2021, to take a post at Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. (Congregation's website and Jewish Chronicle report.)

Rev. F. Susman

See under Liverpool Reform Synagogue (formerly Liverpool Liberal Synagogue).

Rabbi Dr. Jacqueline (Jackie) Tabick 

Dublin-born Rabbi Jacqueline Tabick, the wife of Rabbi Larry Tabick, was ordained as Britain's first female rabbi in 1975. She served as associate minister of the West London Synagogue (1975-1999), minister of North West Surrey Synagogue, Weybridge (1998-2013) and as part-time (temporary) minister of South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue (2015-2016). She lead the Shabbat and Festival services at London's West Central Liberal Jewish Synagogue from 2014 until its closure in 2022, and thereafter frequently leads the services of the congregation's Chavurah Group until the present (December 2023). (Websites of North West Surrey and the West Central Liberal Jewish Synagogues and its Chavurah Group.)

Rabbi Larry Alan Tabick

American-born Rabbi Tabick, BA, MA, FLBC, the husband of Rabbi Jacqueline Tabick, was ordained in 1976. He served as rabbi of Shir Hayim - Hampstead Reform Jewish Community (1976-81, 1990 to December 2017), as assistant minister of Middlesex New Synagogue, now Mosaic Reform Synagogue (1981-86), as associate minister of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue (1986-1990), as an assisting rabbi at the West London Synagogue (1990) and as part-time rabbi of Leicester Progressive Jewish Community (1994-98). ("Who's Who" entries, listings in Jewish Year Books, Shir Hayim's website and twitter account.)

Rabbi Roni Tabick

Rabbi Tabick MA, the son of Rabbi Larry Tabick and Rabbi Jacqueline Tabick, was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, in 2015. He has served as rabbi of New Stoke Newington Shul (2015 until present - March 2019) and was an Assistant Rabbi of the New North London Synagogue (2015 until about January 2019). Rabbi Tabick holds a masters degree in Ancient Judaism from Oxford University. (Biography on New Stoke Newington Shul's website, data formerly on New North London's synagogues's website and press reports.)

Rabbi Lev Taylor

Rabbi Taylor grew up in Reading, Berkshire and studied at Warwick University. In July 2022, he received rabbinic ordination from the Leo Baeck College, London, and was appointed junior rabbi of the South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue (now known as Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue), serving until present (September 2023). (Congregation's website.)

Rabbi Uri Themal

See under Sinai Synagogue, Leeds.

Rabbi Pete Tobias

Rabbi Tobias was ordained in 1990 by Leo Baeck College. He served as minister to the Birmingham Progressive Synagogue (c.1992-1993) and the Glasgow New (Reform) Synagogue (1995-2003) and subsequently minister of The Liberal Synagogue Elstree (2003-2020). In 2020, he left the UK to take up a post in southern California. (Online reports; Jewish Year Book listings; and The Liberal Synagogue Elstree's website.)

Rabbi André Ungar

Hungarian-born Rabbi Ungar served as assistant minister of the West London Synagogue (1952-1955) and was then appointed minister of the Temple Israel congregation in Port Elizabeth, South Africa but was expelled in 1956 by the South African authorities for his decrying of apartheid. He then served as minister of the St. Georges Settlement Synagogue (1956-1957). (Jewish Year Book listing, Jewish Standard press report 19 February 2010 and biography)

Rev. Moss (Moses) Henriques Valentine
(10 February 1842 - 10 January 1920)

Rev Valentine (m. Sarah, d.1891) served as chazan of the Manchester Congregation of British Jews (Manchester Reform Synagogue) from about 1896 until about 1921. He was the brother of Rev. Judah Henriques Valentine of Manchester's Spanish and Portuguese Congregation. (Synagogue Council of Founders' minutes; Jewish Year Book listings; and online research.)

Rabbi Harold Vallins
(6 April 1941 - 2 June 2009)

London-born Rabbi Vallins was ordained by Leo Baeck College in 1970 and served as minister of Bournemouth Reform Synagogue (1970-1972). In 1981, he moved to Melbourne, Australia and in 1998, he joined the Jews for Jesus Movement. (Jewish Year Book listings and online obituary.)

Rabbi Werner Van Der Zyl
(11 September 1902 - 10 April 1984)

German-born Rabbi Van der Zyl was ordained in 1933 and had been rabbi of two congregations in Berlin prior seeking refuge in Britain. He served as senior minister of North Western Reform Synagogue, Alyth Gardens, Golders Green (1943-1958) and as senior minister of the West London Synagogue (1958-1968).

Rabbi Kath Vardi

Rabbi Vardi, who was ordained in 2017, has served as minister of the North West Surrey Synagogue from 2017 to present (August 2022). (Congregation's website.)

Rabbi Erlene Wahlhaus

See under Sha'arei Tsedek North London Reform Synagogue (formerly Southgate and District Reform Synagogue).

Rabbi Charles Wallach
(c.1951 - 23 August 2020)

Rabbi Wallach (m. Marilyn) was born and educated in Johannesburg, South Africa and received his ordination as a rabbi from Leo Baeck College, London in 1975. He served as rabbi of the United Progressive Jewish Congregation of Johannesburg (1975-1977), Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue (1977-1988), Temple David Congregation of Perth, Australia (1988-1995), Bet Menorah Congregation, Pretoria, South Africa (2000-2002), Temple Emanuel Congregation, Johannesburg (2003-2007) and Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue (2008-2012) and, at other times, acted as a self-employed rabbi. (Rabbi Wallach's LinkedIn profile and obituary dated 24 September 2020 on Reform Judaism's website.)

Rabbi Lee Wax

Rabbi Wax served as a self-employed rabbi for a number of congregation (1994-2015), including Buckhurst Hill Reform Synagogue (now Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue) (c.1995-c.1996) and Finchley Reform Synagogue (2002-2005)

Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman

US-born Rabbi Weiman-Kelman was ordained in 1979. He was as assisting rabbi at the West London Synagogue (1981-1982) and subsequently moved to Israel and founded Jerusalem's Kehilat Kol Haneshama in 1985.

Rabbi Chaim Weiner

Rabbi Weiner was ordained in 1989 from the Schechter Institute of Judaic Studies in Jerusalem. He was National Director of NOAM in Israel for three years (1988-1991) before becoming minister of Edgware Masorti Synagogue (1991-1998). He then followed Rabbi Dr. Louis Jacobs as Rabbi of the New London Synagogue (2000-2005). He has been Scholar in Residence at the New North London Synagogue, Finchley since at least 2007 until present (October 2022). (Profile formerly on New London Synagogue's website and communication from New North London Synagogue.)

Rev. Dr. Isaac Weiner

Rev. Weiner from Leipzig served as minister of Manchester Reform Synagogue (formerly Manchester Congregation of British Jews) from 1873 until 1877, his term of office ending as a result of his suffereing from mental disorder.

Rabbi David Wilfond

See under The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Wood, London.

Rabbi Mark Winer

Rabbi Winer, MBE, PhD, DD, (b. 1942, Utah), was ordained in 1970 and served as a congregational rabbi for some thirty years in the United States (Connecticut and New York State), becoming rabbi emeritus of Kol Ami Congregation, White Plains, New York in 1998. He then moved to London and to serve as senior minister of the West London Synagogue (1998-2010).

Rev. Abraham Wolf

See under Manchester Reform Synagogue (formerly Manchester Congregation of British Jews).

Rabbi William Wolff
(13 February 1927 - 8 July 2020)

Berlin born Rabbi Wolf escaped with his family to Amsterdam in 1933 and then to London in 1939. He initially worked as a journalist, but decided on a major change of career in 1979 when he commenced studying at Leo Baeck College. He was ordained in 1984 and served as associate rabbi of the West London Synagogue (1984-1986). He subsequently served as rabbi / minister at Newcastle Reform Synagogue (1986-90), Milton Keynes & District Reform Synagogue, Buckinghamshire (1990-1993), Reading Liberal Jewish Community, Berkshire (early 1990s) and Brighton & Hove Progressive Synagogue (1993-1997), including holding Friday night outreach services in 1997, rotating between the Eastbourne and Worthing Jewish communities in Sussex. He later served  Wimbledon & District Synagogue, south London (1997-2002). In 2002, he returned to work in Germany with that country's growing Jewish community. (Jewish Year Book listings and Jewish Chronicle reports.)

Rabbi Anna Wolfson (previously Posner)

Rabbi Anna grew up in Nottingham and following university was a movement worker for LJY Netzer and an educator for the Netzer gap year program in Israel. She attended Leo Baeck College, London, where she was ordained in the summer of 2020, and served as the rabbi for Beit Klal Yisrael, west London, and Norwich Liberal Jewish Congregation (in both cases, from 2020 to 2021), and as the Chaplain for Progressive Jewish Students. In January 2022, she was appointed Development Rabbi of the Mosaic Jewish Community (now in Stanmore), a unique position working across the three Mosaic congregations - Liberal, Masorti and Reform, while specifically spending one quarter of her time dedicated to the Mosaic Liberal Synagogue. (Rabbi Wolfson's profile on the Mosaic Jewish Community's website.)

Cantor Tamara Wolfson

New York born Cantor Wolson received her cantorial ordination in May 2018. She served as cantor of Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue (NPLS) and as spiritual leader of Kehilla North London (formerly North London Progressive Jewish Community), Stoke Newington (in both instances from July 2018 until 2020) and was subsequently appointed cantor of North Western Reform Synagogue (NWRS), Alyth Gardens, Golders Green, London (2020 to present - January 2021). (NPLS's, Kehilla North London's and NWRS's websites.)

Rabbi Alexandra Wright

Rabbi Wright, who studied at Exeter University and initially trained as a teacher, was ordained at Leo Baeck College in 1986. She had served initially as an associate minister of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS), St. John's Wood, London (1986-1989) and was subsequently the minister of Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue (now Radlett Reform Synagogue) (1990-2003) before returning to The Liberal Jewish Synagogue to assume the position of Senior Minister of that congregation (March 2004 to present - January 2021). ("A Place to Call My Jewish Home", 2011 by Pam Fox, pp.183-4 and Rabbi Wright's profile on LJS's website, last accessed 4 January 2021.)

Cantor Cheryl Wunch

See under North Western Reform Synagogue.

Rabbi M. Yehudai

Rabbi Yehudai served as minister of the Newcastle Reform Synagogue (c.1991-c.1994). (Jewish Year Book listings.)

Mr. David Young

David Young has served as lay minister and teacher at the Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue from 1988 until present (March 2024). (Communication from the congregation.)

Rabbi Roderick Young

Rabbi Young (born 1960, Salisbury), who had been raised as a Christian, only discovering his Jewish identity at the age of 23, was ordained in 1999 at the Hebrew Union College in the US. He served as a rabbi at Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, New York, minister of Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation (c.2002-?) assistant rabbi of the West London Synagogue (2004-2006) and senior rabbi of Finchley Reform Synagogue (c.2006-c.2008). (Biography and Interview.)

Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers

Rabbi Young-Somers was ordained in 2009 and served as a rabbi at the West London Synagogue (2009-2013). She then joined The Movement for Reform Judaism as a community educator before being appointed as one of the rabbinical team of Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue (from April 2020).

Rabbi Norman Zalud
(b. c.1933)

Rev. Zalud was the son of Rev. Jacob Zalud. He received ministerial qualification from the orthodox Jews' College and training in musical theory and voice production at the Guildhall School of Music, both in London. He was minister and reader to the Birkenhead Synagogue, Merseyside (1955-1959) and was then chazan at the Allerton Synagogue, Liverpool (1959-1962). He served as minister of Southport New Synagogue (now Southport & District Reform Synagogue) (1967-c.1975) and Liverpool Progressive Synagogue (now Liverpool Reform Synagogue) (c.1975-2007) - during which term he received rabbinical ordination from Leo Baeck College, London in 1993. He was part-time minister of Sha'arei Shalom North Manchester Reform Congregation (c.1999 to at least 2017) and Blackpool Reform Jewish Congregation (c.2001 to at least 2019). (Jewish Year Book listings; congregations' websites; and Meet the Rabbi article in the Jewish Chronicle 7 December 2007.)

Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet

Rabbi Zagoria-Moffet (m. Mikayla) has served as rabbi of St Albans Masorti Synagogue from 2017 to present (March 2021). (Congregation's website.)

Rabbi Dr. Andrea Zanardo

See under Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue.

Rabbi Gili Zidkiyahu

Rabbi Gili, from Israel, served as shlicha (emissary from the Jewish Agency) to Liberal Judaism in the UK from 2004 to 2006. During that time she attended classes in the rabbinic training programme at Leo Baeck College, London. In 2008 she was ordained by Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, then served for five years as rabbi to the community in Even Yehuda and two years as interim rabbi at the Or Chadash Congregation in Haifa. She also worked as a freelance rabbi with families from Israel and abroad, and as a rabbi educator at the TALI Foundation. She was the interim part-time rabbi at Ohel Avraham, the synagogue at the Leo Baeck Centre in Haifa, from July 2021 until August 2022. In September 2022, she was appointed rabbi of the Nottingham Liberal Synagogue, serving as until present (May 2023)(Online reports and congregations' websites.)

Rabbi Igor Zinkov

See under The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, St John's Wood, London.

Rabbi David J. Zucker

US-born Rabbi Zucker was ordained in 1970. He served as rabbi of Bradford Reform Synagogue (1970-1972), Newcastle Reform Synagogue (c.1971-c.1972) and Birmingham Progressive Synagogue (1972-1979) before returning to the United States in 1979, where he served as rabbi or chaplain to a number of congregations and communities until retiring in 2011. He returned briefly to the UK to take up the interim position of minister of the North West Surrey Synagogue (2013-2017). ("Our History" on North West Surrey's website and Rabbi Zucker's website, both accessed 17 December 2018 and Jewish Year Book listings.)


Footnotes    (returns to main text)

  1. Except as regards the West London Synagogue (for which the profiles of all its ministers are listed in this section), profiles of those rabbinical leaders who served at only one UK congregation can be found in the list and footnote relating to such rabbinical leader on the JCR-UK webpage for the congregation in which he or she served.

  2. Additional biographical information can be found in the source or sources shown in parenthesis following each profile. These were also the primary, but not necessarily the sole, source of the data provided in the profile.

  3. The period of office and position held by each minister of the West London Synagogue have been kindly provided to JCR-UK by the West London Synagogue. The webpage Ministers of the West London Synagogue includes, in most instances, a photograph of each such minister.


Other Non-Orthodox Rabbinical Profiles:

A to D;    E to H;    I to L;    M to R.


Orthodox Rabbinical Profiles:

A;    B;    C;    D & E;    F;    G;    H;    I & J;    K;    L;   

M;    N & O;    P & Q;    R;    S;    T to V;    W to Z.

 
Rabbinic Profiles Contents Page

 



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