Rev. Dr. Norman E. Gale
(9 November 1928 - 8 January 2021)

Leeds-born Rev Gale (m Goldie) served as minister at the Harrogate Hebrew Congregation, Yorkshire, from 1958 until 1967, where he was also president of the Zionist society and chaplain for the nearby Menwith Hill RAF base. He was subsequently minister at Ealing and Acton Synagogue, west London (1968-1988) and at Hampstead Synagogue, north London (1988-1995), where he was appointed emeritus minister in 1995. For a time Rev Gale held the welfare portfolio in the Chief Rabbi's cabinet, from 1994 he chaired the United Synagogue rabbinical council and in 1996 he was acting minister at Belmont Synagogue, northwest London. He was for many years active in prison chaplaincy and hon director of the United Synagogue's Jewish prison chaplaincy service, and was chaplain to the national association of Jewish Friendship societies. (Rosalyn D. Livshin's The History of the Harrogate Jewish community, 1995; JC obituary of 30 April 2021 and various reports.)

Rev. Phillip Gallant

Russian-born Rev. Philip Gallant, of London, served as the first minister of the Blackburn Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, (1893-1894), having been appointed through the office of Chief Rabbi, Dr Hermann Adler. ("From Poland To Paradise Lane and Other Journeys" - a history of the Jewish community of Blackburn, by Hilary Thomas, 2018.)

Rabbi Yechiel Gallas
(d. 1987)

Lithuanian-born Rabbi Gallas (also spelled Galas) studied at Slobodka yeshiva and obtained semicha aged 19. He later learnt in Switzerland and came to Britain in 1936. Rabbi Gallas taught Talmud at the Machzikei Hadath Synagogue, Brick Lane in London's East End. During World War II, he travelled across the Home Counties to give regular Hebrew classes and provide practical assistance to evacuees in reception areas such as Maidenhead, Slough and Worthing, as a representative of Keren HaTorah, an organisation headed by Dayan Abramski. Rabbi Gallas was the founder and first minister of the Maidenhead Hebrew Congregation (c.July 1940-c.1941) and headmaster of the Hebrew classes. In 1942 he qualified as an optician and practiced in Golders Green, London. He gave regular shiurim at the Golders Green Beth Hamedrash and at the close-by Bridge Lane Beth Hamedrash (BLBH), Golders Green, London, where he became honorary rabbi of the congregation (c.1971-1979). The BLBH historian states: "although never officially inducted into office as Rabbi, [Rabbi Gallas] gave regular Shiurim, spoke on many occasions and was looked to by the members for advice." In 1979 Rabbi Gallas made aliyah and he died in Israel. He was the author of Insight into the Halacha (1973). (JC obituary 26 June 1987; press reports; and History page on the BLBH website.)

Rev. Simon Gampell
(14 January 1873 - 5 June 1931)

Warsaw-born Rev. Gampell (m. Susie Ginsberg) attended Yeshiva in Wolozin (now Volozhin in Belarus). He officiated at the high holy day services in the recently established Bolton Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, in 1904 and subsequently served as second reader at Higher Broughton Synagogue, Manchester, where he also taught the religious and Hebrew classes. He died in Manchester and is buried in the Rainsough Jewish cemetery. (JC Reports.)

Rev. Avrom Gamzu
(3 March 1918 - 4 March 1995)

Rev. A. Gamzu, the son of Rev. Elkan Gamzu of Gateshead, was acting minister at Giffnock and Newlands Synagogue, Glasgow, from 1975 until 1982. (Jolles's Encyclopaedia, p.485.)

Rev. Elkan Gamzu
(c.1884 - 29 November 1928)

Rabbi E. Gamzu (m. Eva, d.1943) was born in Russia and had served in the Russian army as a young man. He was the reader / shochet at Gateshead Hebrew Congregation from about 1917 until 1927. He was also a trained teacher and was the driving force of the congregation's Talmud Torah, which he totally reorganised and of which he was headmaster. In 1927, he left Gateshead for a post in Liverpool, but died shortly thereafter, aged 44. He was the father of Rev. Avrom Gamzu of Glasgow. He is buried in Liverpool's Rice Lane cemetery (view image of gravestone). (JYB listings; The Jewish Communities of North-East England by Lewis Olsover (1980).)

Rev. David Garb (Garbarz)
(b. c.1910)

Warsaw-born Rev. Garb (formerly Garbarz or Garbacz) studied music in Brussels and at the London College of Music and obtained an ALCM. He served as chazan of Lennox Street Synagogue, Dublin (1932-c.1934), Darlington Hebrew Congregation (1934-1939), Blackpool United Hebrew Congregation (1939-1946) and Witbank Hebrew Congregation, Transvaal, South Africa (1949-1956). (JYB listings.)

Rev. Aryeh Garbacz
(c.1899 - 1986)

Born in Rovno, Poland (today Rivne in western Ukraine), Rev. Garbacz studied at Novograd, Volynsk and Rovno yeshivot and trained in chazanut. He was conscripted into the Polish army and through the intervention of the community's rabbi, was concurremtly able to serve as principal chazan at the Great Rovno Synagogue. He moved to London in 1928, bringing to England "all the style, spirit and flavour" of pre-war Polish chazanut, and worked for a short time at New Road Synagogue, Whitechapel in east London. He then served as chazan for Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation for almost 53 years (1930-1983) - despite an official retirement in 1975 he continued to conduct services regularly in an emeritus capacity. He was a Hebrew teacher to generations of Southend children. His son Bernard, a  communal leader and activist, married the daughter of his colleague at Southend, Rabbi Pinchas Shebson. He was also the father-in-law of Rev. Sidney Black of Ilford. (JC obituary 20 June 1986; and online biography by Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler.)

Rev. Wolf Garbarz
(13 May 1899 - 10 March 1958)

Rev. Garbarz (or Garb) (m. Rachel Rosenstrauch) was born in Warsaw. Poland. He performed as a soprano boy soloist in a Warsaw synagogue and as a chazan in Antwert, Belgium. He served as reader of the New Road Synagogue, Whitechapel in London's East End (c.1927) and the Holy Law Synagogue and Beth Hamedrash, Manchester (c.1927-1930). Later, he served as first reader of Dublin's United Hebrew Congregation, Greenville Hall (c.1931-c.1944). In 1947, he was appointed cantor of the Congregation Mishkan Tefila, Boston, Massachusetts but had to return to Ireland when his visa expired. (Jolles's Encyclopaedia; JYB listings.)

Rabbi Alan Garber

Rabbi Garber (m. Tanya) holds a degree in human geography from Leeds University and received semicha at Gateshead Yeshiva in 2007. He was Jewish university chaplain at Leeds University and served as associate rabbi of The Great Synagogue, Sydney. He and rebbetzen Tanya served as the rabbinic couple at Shenley United Synagogue, Hertfordshire, from 2020 until July 2024. (Profile formerly on the United Synagogue's website.)

Rev. S. Garber
(d. c.1916)

Rev. Garber (or Garbar) served as reader and shochet at the Falkirk Hebrew Congregation from about 1907 and as minister of the Inverness Hebrew Congregation (1913-c.1915). In November 1915 he wrote to the chief rabbi requesting assistance to be placed in a Jewish home as he was terminally ill and a single man. (Online research and JYB listing.)

Rabbi Raphy Garson

Manchester-born Rabbi Garson (m. Deborah), who was brought up in Gibraltar, holds a degree in computer science and management from Kings College (University of London) and obtained semicha under the auspices of the former Chief Rabbi of Israel – Harav Mordechai Eliyahu z"l. He and rebbetzin Deborah have served as the rabbinic couple at Ohr Yisrael Synagogue, Borehamwood & Elstree, Hertfordshire (2005 to present - July 2020). (For further background, see The Garsons' profiles on Ohr Yisrael's website.)

Haham Rabbi Moses Gaster
(17 September 1856 - 5 March 1939)

Rabbi Gaster (m. Lucy Friedlander) was born in Bucharest (now Romania) into a renowned Jewish Austrian family. He received a degree from the University of Bucharest in 1874, a doctorate from Leipzig University in 1878 and semicha from yeshivah in Breslau in 1881. He served as lecturer on the Romanian language and literature at the University of Bucharest, inspector-general of schools, and a member of the council for examining teachers in Romania, but was expelled from Romania in 1885 for being a member of an allegedly "irredentist society". He came to Britain, where he lectured in Slavonic languages at the University of Oxford. In 1887, he was appointed Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese community in London and rabbi of the Bevis Marks Synagogue, serving until 1917. He was also principal of Judith Lady Montefiore's Theological College in Ramsgate, Kent, from 1891 to 1896. After just a few years in Britain, the Romanian government canceled the decree of expulsion and he was awarded the Romanian Ordre pour le Mérite (first class) in 1891, and invited him to return, which he declined. However, In 1895, at the request of the Romanian government, he wrote a report on the system of education in Britain, which was accepted as a basis of education in Romania. Rabbi Gaster was among the most active leaders of the Zionist movement in England; and even while in Romania he assisted in the establishment of Zichron Ya'akov, the first colony of Romanian Jews in Ottoman Palestine. He was vice-president of the first Basel Congress, and has been a prominent figure in each succeeding congress. In 1917, his home in London served as the venue for early talks between prominent Zionists and the Foreign Office and was where the first draft of the Balfour Declaration was written on 7 February 1917. He was a prolific writer and was author of many books and articles on diverse subjects. He was also a great collector of manuscripts, mainly Hebrew, Samaritan and Slavonic, which ultimately became parts of collections housed by the University of Manchester and the British Library. (Jewish Encyclopedia article on "Moses Gaster" c.1906 and British Chief Rabbis 1664-2006 by Derek Taylor, 2007, Chapter 19, pp.288-310.)

Rabbi Ephraim-Levy Gastwirth
(9 September 1920 - 4 September 2006)

London-born Rabbi Gastwirth (m. Selma) was educated at Yeshiva Etz Chaim, Jews' College and the Universities of London and Durham was the first mazkir (secretary general) of the religious Zionist youth group, Bnei Akiva in the UK and lived in Israel from 1945 to 1955. Returning to Britain, he served as minister of Regents Park and Belsize Park Synagogue (now South Hampstead Synagogue), London (1956-1960) and received rabbinical diploma from Jews' College in 1959. He was minister at the Sunderland Hebrew Congregation (1960-1964). He was then appointed Director of Hebrew at Carmel College (1964-1966), director of British Friends of Bar Ilan University, and then principal of Judith Lady Montefiore College (1968-1974). He subsequently served as minister of Bayswater and Maida Vale Synagogue, London (1973-1975), Blackpool United Hebrew Congregation (1976-1979) and Sale & District Hebrew Congregation, Greater Manchester (c.1980-c.1983). In retirement Rabbi Gastwirth was chaplain to Heathlands, the Manchester Jewish care home with a synagogue attached to it, for nearly 25 years. (JC obituary 6 October 2006; Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History (2011) by W. Rubinstein (ed.) and M.A. Jolles and H. L. Rubinstein (ass. eds.), p.314; JYB listings and Who's Who entries.)

Rabbi Elkan Eliezer Gavron
(c.1866 - 9 October 1941)

Born in Klikol, Kovno, Lithuania, Rabbi Gavron was taught by the famous Gaon, Rabbi Spektor, of Kovno, and he studied at Volozin yeshiva. In 1896 he received a rabbinical diploma from Rabbi Werner of London and a year later was appointed rabbi in Cardiff, Wales. After a brief returned to Lithuania, in about 1900 he went to Ireland, where he became second reader at the Dublin Hebrew Congregation's Adelaide Road Synagogue,  until 1920. It was through Rabbi Gavron's efforts that a mikveh was erected in the synagogue grounds in 1915. In 1908 Rabbi Gavron received semicha from Chief Rabbi Dr. Hermann Adler. In 1921 Rabbi Gavron was appointed rabbi and minister to the Chevrah Tehillim Synagogue, Lombard Street, Dublin, a position, he held until his retirement in 1939. After the departure of Rabbi Herzog from Dublin in 1936, Rabbi Gavron was appointed rabbi in charge of Kashrut for the city. He published a number of rabbinic commentaries. He was the father-in-law of his successor at Adelaide Road, Rev. Morris Roith. (JC obituary 14 November 1941 and various reports.)

Rabbi Dr. Benjamin J. Gelles
(2 November 1916 - October 2000)

Rabbi Gelles, was born in Lissa, Posen (now Leszno, Poland), son of Rabbi Siegfried Gelles, rabbi of Lissa and later of Mönchengladbach, Rhineland (m. Annette Broza). He came to the UK in 1939 with his family as refugees from Nazi Germany. Educated at Hildesheimer seminary, Germany, he continued yeshiva studies in Liverpool, Manchester and London, obtaining semicha from Rabbi Nachman Greenspan of Etz Chaim Yeshiva, London. He was awarded an MA by Manchester University in 1946 and a Doctorate from University College London in 1974. He served as minister of Manchester Great Synagogue (1944-1946) and Finchley Synagogue, London (1948-1981). Following his retirement from Finchley, he served as rabbi in Cologne, Germany and university lecturer at Heidelberg, before making aliyah in 1990. Died in Jerusalem, Israel. (JYB Who's Who, JC reports and obituary 17 November 2000.)

Rabbi Zachariah Gelley
(7 September 1932 - 19 April 2018)

Rav Gelley (formerly Gellai) was born in Topolcany (near Bratislava), Slovakia. His father, Reb Menachem Gellai, died in the Holocaust but he together with his mother and two younger siblings survived deportation to Bergen Belsen. After the war, aged 13, he made his way alone to Britain, without his mother and siblings, who went to Australia, in order to study at yeshiva. He joined the newly established Sunderland Yeshiva and after eight years, in about 1953, aged 21, he transferred to the Gateshead Yeshiva. Two years later, he was accepted into Gateshead's Kollel Harabbonim where he studied for 12 years. In 1956, he married Angeline Feldman, daughter of Rabbi Raphael Feldman, of the Shepherds Bush Synagogue, London. From 1965 until 1987, he returned to the Sunderland Yeshiva to served as its rosh yeshiva (principal). In 1987, he was invited to join the rabbinate of Khal Adath Jeshurun (KAJ) in Washington Heights, New York City, becoming its sole rabbi in 1995 and serving there well into the 2000s.(Jewish Press obituary.)

Rabbi Shmuel Gerstenfeld
(21 October 1873 - 6 June 1958)

Rabbi Gerstenfeld (m. Braina) was born in Rava-Russkaya in Galicia (today in western Ukraine). He studied in the yeshiva at Klausenberg (today Cluj-Napoca, Romania) where he received semicha. He is said to have spent 12 years as minister in England (in fact, Britain). A Rev. S. Garstenfeld served as chazan to the Barrow-in-Furness Hebrew Congregation (then in Lancashire) (c.1903-c.1904) and as chazan, shochet and teacher to the Abertillery Hebrew Congregation, south Wales (from 1904). Rev. Samuel Gerstenfeld was at neighbouring New Tredegar from at least 1906 until about 1912. The JC published a number of letters from Rev. Gerstenfeld from New Tredegar on scholarly rabbinic points which sometimes provoked trenchant responses from other scholars. By about 1912 he was resident in Croydon, south London, possibly serving the Croydon Hebrew Congregation. Emigrating to the United States in 1916, as Rabbi Gerstenfeld he served at Beit Haknesset Shomer Shabbat- Nusach Ashkenaz in Brooklyn, New York City. In 1917, he was appointed a senior teacher at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, where he taught for more than 40 years. According to an online biography published by Yeshiva University, Rabbi Gerstenfeld wrote in the English language "with ease and style," and published articles in various specialist Torah journals as well as for the broader community. He is buried in Jerusalem. His son, British-born Norman Gerstenfeld, was a Reform rabbi in Washington, D.C. (Biography previously online; JC reports.)

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchok Getter
(d. 7 December 1985)

Reb A.Y. Getter (m. Yita (Ida)), together his brother, Reb Mendel Getter, were founders of the strictly orthodox evacuee community in Bletchley, north Buckinghamshire, during World War II, having rented a row of houses in the town and put them at the disposal of a number of Jewish refugee and evacuee families. They were also instumental in setting up the yeshiva in Bletchley, which later moved to Staines. (UOHC Shuls of Yesteryear - Addendum to UOHC Hakohol Madrich HaKashrus 2015; online research.)

Rabbi Mendel Getter
(d.1978)

Romanian born Reb M. Getter, together his brother, Reb Avraham Getter, were founders of the strictly orthodox evacuee community in Bletchley, north Buckinghamshire, during World War II, having rented a row of houses in the town and put them at the disposal of a number of Jewish refugee and evacuee families. They were also instumental in setting up the yeshiva in Bletchley, which later moved to Staines. (UOHC Shuls of Yesteryear - Addendum to UOHC Hakohol Madrich HaKashrus 2015.)

Rev. Malcolm Gingold
(1944 - 2020)

Leeds-born Rev. Gingold studied at Gateshead Yeshiva and Jews’ College, London. He was the assistant minister at the Birmingham Central Synagogue (at least 1973-1974). He then served as minister of Woolwich and District Synagogue (1974-1997). In 1998, he became communal rabbi for the synagogues of London’s East End, which included Sandys Row Synagogue, Nelson Street Synagogue, Congregation of Jacob Synagogue and Fieldgate Street Synagogue. He also later served as minister of the Congregation of Jacob Synagogue (in about 2001). (JYB listings and online research)

Rabbi Dr Morris Ginsberg
(c.1896 - 21 January 1969)

Born in Vilna (today Vilnius, Lithuania) Rabbi Ginsberg (m. 1st Anne Freda - d. 1950; 2nd Fay Shapiro), came to Britain aged nine. He studied at Etz Chaim yeshiva. He was lecturer at King's College, London in rabbinics (1922-1932) and later a London University extension lecturer. In 1934 he gained a doctorate for his translation and commentary on the Sifra (an early rabbinic work) on Leviticus. Rabbi Ginsberg also translated Tractate Beitza for the Soncino Talmud. He served as the minister of Richmond Synagogue, south west London, for almost 38 years (1923-1961), being that congregation's longest-serving minister. During World War II, Rabbi Ginsberg served as a chaplain to the Forces. He was also chaplain to the Jewish Lads' Brigade for over 40 years and served as a chaplain at Friern Hospital. He retired to Finchley. Rabbi Ginsberg's work on the Sifre was published posthumously. His son, Sir Ian Gainsford was dean of King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, King's College London (1988–1997) and vice-principal of King's College London (1994–1997). Rabbi Ginsberg is buried at Willesden cemetery. A collection of his papers are held at Southampton University. (Rabbi Ginsberg's obituary, JC 31 January 1969 and internet research.)

Rev. Alec Ginsburg
(23 August 1920 - 7 January 2005)

Rev. A. Ginsburg and his twin brother, Rev. Samuel Sidney Ginsburg, were born in Aberavon, south Wales, the youngest two of 11 children and were educated at boarding school in Gateshead from the aged of eleven and at Gateshead Yeshiva. Alec (m. Rose Naim from Alexandria) was briefly minister at the St. Annes Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire (1943 to late 1944). In 1945 he was appointed Chaplain to the British Army, with the rank of (Hon.) Major, and served until about 1963, when the last conscripted National Servicemen left the forces. Stationed for some time in Cyprus in the late 1940s, Rev. Ginsburg was able to assist Jewish refugees detained by the British authorities on the island prior to Israel's independence. He used an adapted military ambulance as a mobile synagogue and taught moral leadership courses with the British Army on the Rhine. In 1950 he was transferred from Egypt following an attempt on his life and posted to the British Army on the Rhine. On leaving full-time army chaplaincy, Rev. Ginsburg served Ruislip and District Affiliated Synagogue, Middlesex in the early 1960s. He moved to Plymouth in 1963, where his twin brother and older sister were living, and was appointed minister of the Plymouth Hebrew Congregation in 1965, serving until 1975. During his time in Plymouth, he renovated the mikva and played a full part in the naval, military and civic life of the town. He was a hospital and prison chaplain and acted as mohel across the west of England where he was also chaplain to the Jewish students and part-time lecturer in theology at Exeter University. In Freemasonry he became Provincial Grand Chaplain for the Province of Devonshire. He later served Terenure Hebrew Congregation, Dublin (1975-1976), Hove Hebrew Congregation, Holland Road (1976-1980), and the Old Hebrew Congregation, Princes Road, Liverpool (until end of April 1981). Rev. Ginsburg died in London and he and his wife are buried at East Ham cemetery, London (view image of gravestones). (JC obituary 29 April 2005; Helen Fry's The Jews of Plymouth, 2015; and various reports.)

Rev. Sidney Samuel Ginsburg
(c.1921 - 2004)

Rev. S. Ginsburg and his twin brother Rev. Alec Ginsburg, was born in Aberavon, south Wales, the youngest two of 11 children and were sent to learn at Gateshead aged 11. Sidney (m. 1st Anna Novogrodsky in Southend in 1946, devorced; m. 2nd Anna Rotenberg, 1968) briefly served the Newbury & District Hebrew Congregation in 1945 before becoming actively involved with the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation from about 1945 until about 1956 and was appointed as its assistant minister and reader in about 1950, his title changing in about 1953 to simply reader (in both instances he was reader jointly with Rev. A. Garbacz). He was Chairman of Southend Jewish Seniors Club, took a leadership role for the Youth Club and was responsible for introducing Hebrew classes to adults in the community. In the early 1950s Rev. Ginsburg left the ministry and settled in Plymouth where his older sister lived. He became a proprietor of a wholesale jewellery business but on occasions undertook synagogue duties when required. He died in Poole, Dorset. (JYB listings and data provided by Anne Marcus.)

Rabbi Mordechai S. Ginsbury

Rabbi M.S. Ginsbury, the son of Rabbi Philip Ginsbury, was brought up in London and studied at yeshivah in Israel where he attained semicha in 1982. After he married Judy in 1982, he continued post-rabbinic studies in Gateshead and Liverpool Kollel and gained ministerial experience at Childwall Synagogue, Liverpool, followed by his appointment as minister of Prestwich Hebrew Congregation, Manchester (1985-1999). From 1999 to present (March 2021), he has served as senior rabbi at Hendon United Synagogue, London. Rabbi Ginsbury serves as principal of Hasmonean Primary School and is also director of P'eir, the United Synagogue's in-house training, support and networking facility for rabbinic couples. (JYBs Who's Who and profile on the United Synagogue website.)

Rabbi Philip Ginsbury
(26 March 1936 - 20 June 2023)

London-born Rabbi Ginsbury spent part of his childhood in Slough in Berkshire and Ilford, north east London. Attending Jews' College, London, he obtained a BA with 1st class honours through the University of London in 1956 and MA in Hebrew and Aramaic in 1958. He obtained his semicha at Jews' College in 1963. Rabbi Ginsbury's ministerial career was in south London, where for almost half a century he was in turn, minister and Rabbi at Streatham Synagogue (1959-1966); Brixton Synagogue (1966-1982); and finally South London Synagogue (from 1982 until his retirement in 2007), the last mentioned synagogue having been formed in 1982 by the amalgamation of the two synagogues previously mentioned. Rabbi Ginsbury conducted a weekly Talmud shiur in south London for over 60 years, until 2018. (See "Recollections of the South London Talmud Study Group 1986-2019" by Bernard Enlander.) He was also Chairman of the South London Rabbinical Council from 1987, chair of the United Synagogue's Rabbinical council, chaplain to Brixton prison and lecturer at Jews' College. Co-author of Phases of Jewish History (2006), later re-titled Tragedy and Triumph. He was the nephew of the Rev. Moses Joseph Wolman and father of Rabbi Mordechai Ginsbury. (JC obituary 4 August 2023, various JC reports, on-line profile.)

Rev. Abraham Gittleson
(1915 - 1983)

Rev. Gittleson (m. Celia) was born and raised in Dublin and studied at Gateshead yeshiva. He returned to Dublin and from the early 1940s for over 40 years he performed many congregational roles in Dublin as a mohel, shochet and teacher.  He served at the Lennox Street Synagogue in about 1941 and in about 1948, he was appointed as second reader of Dublin's United Hebrew Congregation, Greenville Hall, and continued to serve the congregation in such capacity or, later, as first reader (though not necessarily continuously) until his death. He became principal shochet for the Irish Board of Shechita and as well as his formal duties, Rev. Gittleson was noted for visiting the sick. The new synagogue in the Jewish Home of Ireland, opened in 1991, was named in his memory and a scholarship fund in his name was established to assist in the education of Jewish children in Dublin. He was the uncle of Rabbi Arnold Saunders of Manchester (Ray Rivlin's Jewish Ireland - A Social History (2011); JYB listings; JC obituary 16 December 1983 and reports.)

Rev. Mendel Marks Glaser
(c.1875 - 24 February 1927)

Rev. Glaser (also Glasser, Glazer or Glazier) (m. Rachel Lipschitz) was born in Zeimiai, Lithuania and trained as a shochet prior to his arrival in Britain in 1895. He served as reader and shochet possibly in Huddersfield, Yorkshire (1903) and then at the Grimsby Hebrew Congregation, Lincolnshire, in 1903/4. In 1905 he was conducting services at the Freckleton Street Hebrew Congregation, Blackburn (1905-1906), a breakaway congregation from the Blackburn Hebrew Congregation, and officiated at the siyum for a sepher torah there. He then served as reader and shochet of the Dundee Hebrew Congregation, Scotland, reportedly for some four and half years (about 1906 to about 1909), and as minister at the West Hartlepool Hebrew Congregation, County Durham, for about six years (about 1909 to about 1914) and was possibly also at Exeter, Devon. He was an assistant reader at the Great Synagogue, Duke Street, London from 1918 until about 1921 and officiated at the High Holydays services at the New Synagogue, Egerton Road, north London in September 1921. He died in Stepney, London, and is buried at the Edmonton Federation Cemetery. ("Story of the Grimsby Jewish community" by D and L Gerlis; "From Poland To Paradise Lane and Other Journeys" - a history of the Jewish community of Blackburn, by Hilary Thomas, 2018; olles's Encyclopaedia of Chatanim; communication from Rabbi Meir Salasnik; JC reports, JYB listings.)

Rev. Gershon Glausiusz

Rev. Glausiusz (m. Irene) was amongst a small proportion of Hungarian Jews who in 1944 were deported to Austria for agricultural work rather than to Auschwitz where most of the community perished. He and other family members were then sent to Bergen Belsen in December 1944. He survived a deadly forced march in 1945 and was liberated by the advancing Russian army. He returned to Hungary but left in 1949 due to increased restrictions on religious life. He studied in Israel for three and a half years. In 1952 Rev. Glausiusz came to the UK to continue his studies. He was later minister at Cricklewood Synagogue, London (c.1990-1999) and was religious advisor to the Jewish League of Women. In later life, Rev Glausiusz spoke about his experiences during the Holocaust and he also created an exhibition, "The Road to Belsen", which was displayed at Brent Town Hall. He retired to Israel. (Various JC reports and video of Rev. Glausiusz speaking about his experiences in the Holocaust.)

Rev. Morris Glazier
(c. 1902 - 24 March 1975)

Russian-born Rev. Glazier (formerly Moses Glasser) (m. Katie Kaitiff) lived in Bolton, Lancashire, for some years, where he was actively involved with the Bolton Hebrew Congregation and also taught in the local Hebrew classes. He moved to Southport in about 1940, where he served as second reader and shochet for the Southport Hebrew Congregation and taught in the Southport Beth Hasefer for twenty years (until the 1960s) He died in Southport and was buried in the Duke Street Hebrew Cemetery. (An Industrious Minority, a history of the Bolton Jewish Community by Hilary Thomas & John Cowell.)

Rev. Abraham Glickman
(c.1871 - 1942)

Russian-born Rev. Glickman (m. Sarah) was a founder of the short lived Jewish congregation in Armagh, Northern Ireland (1895), of which he was elected treasurer. Following which he moved to Dundalk, Ireland, where another short-lived Jewish community had also recently been founded. By 1903, he was in in Dublin, where he was shochet for twenty years. He was then a shochet under the Manchester Shechita Board for some twenty one years and served as president of the Agudas Hashochtim (association of kosher slaughterers), Manchester. He also conducted shiurim [religious classes] at various synagogues in Manchester, including the New Synagogue and the South Broughton Synagogue, and was respected for his piety and Talmudical knowledge He was the father of Rev. Lawrence Glickman. (JC obituary 26 June 1942 and census results.)

Rev. Lawrence Glickman
(c.1896 - 16 March 1965)

Rev. L. Glickman, the son of Rev. Abraham Glickman, who was born in Armagh, Northern Ireland, was a noted cantor and Hebrew scholar. In 1919, he was appointed choirmaster of the Dublin Hebrew Congregation, Adelaide Road. From the early 1920s he served for about a dozen years as first reader of the Oxford Road Hebrew Congregation, Manchester, until about 1934, when he was appointed chazan of the Holy Law Synagogue, Manchester, serving also headmaster of its religious classes. In 1928, he was winner of the Cantor Solo Competition at the Jewiish Chronicle Music Festival and in 1942 he obtained an MA degree from the University of Manchester in "the use of musical instruments in Jewish and Assyro-Babylonian religious ceremonies compared". During World War II, he was active assisting soldiers and their families and was appointed honorary chaplain to the Forces in the North-West Area. He retired in 1950.  (Jolles's Encyclopaedia; and JC reports.)

Prof. Lewis H. Glinert
(b. 1950)

Prof. Glinert was awarded a B.A. from Magdalen College, Oxford in 1971 and Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University (Linguistics), in 1974. He served as minister of Watford Affiliated Synagogue (c.1980-c.1984) and subsequently pursued an academic career in Israel, the UK and USA. He has authored books for general readers, including The Joys of Hebrew and The Story of Hebrew, as well as extensive academic publications. (JYB listings; profile at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire.)

Rabbi Herschel Gluck, OBE

London-born Rabbi Gluck, son of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchok Gluck, studied at Yeshivos in France (including eight years at Brunoy, Paris), Canada and the USA. He was a teacher at Lubavitch school, Stamford Hill, and was appointed rabbi of the independent Walford Road Synagogue, Stoke Newington, London (1986-c.2007) (after previous support for the community) and served there alongside performing a number of other public, private and charitable roles. Rabbi Gluck is reported to have revived the flagging congregation and in 1993 introduced Sunday morning classes for children. In 1991 he spoke out at the wider Jewish community's neglect of social and economic deprivation of Jews who live outside of "bourgeois" and "Becky" north west London. Rabbi Gluck was director of Lubavitch Eastern Europe, set up to support the revival of Jewish life there. In 1994 he visited Europe and North Africa approximately 150 times to support small and isolated communities, and also ran a business alongside his duties at Walford Road. He is chairman and founder of the Hackney Muslim Jewish forum. He was awarded an OBE in 2013 for services to interfaith understanding. From 2015 he has been President of North London Shomrim, a Jewish volunteer neighbourhood safety group. (JC various reports and JYB listings. Photo courtesy Adrian Cohen.)

Rev. Isidor Gluck
(18 April 1923 - 21 February 1997)

Born in Halmin (today Halmeu, Romania), Rev. Gluck (m. Rochel (Rosalia) in Hungary in 1947) was educated at yeshivot and musical academies in east and central Europe. He survived various labour camps during the World War II. He was a cantor in Kleinwardein, Hungary (c.1945-1948), at the Rashi Synagogue, Paris (1949-1950), Hendon Adath Synagogue, London, (1950-1951) and was chief cantor of the Dublin Hebrew Congregation, Ireland (1951-1964). From 1964 to 1989 Rev. Gluck was chief cantor of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, Australia and was remembered as a particularly hard working and committed chaplain to hospitals and prisons in Sydney and rural districts. He was father of world renowned Cantor Johnny Gluck, Rev. Nathan Gluck, Joseph Gluck (part time cantor at South Head Synagogue, Sydney, Australia) and Rev. Harry Gluck, educator and minister at St Kilda Hebrew Congregation, Melbourne (1989-1995) and Melbourne Hebrew Congregation (1996-2009). (JC obituary 14 March 1997, appreciation by Rabbi Dr. Raymond Apple.)

Rev. Nathan Gluck
(b. 19 February 1962)

Dublin born Rev. Gluck, the son of Rev. Isador Gluck, was educated in Australia. He served as second chazan (reader) of the Great Synagogue, Sydney (1982-1884), chazan of Port Elizabeth Synagogue, South Africa (1985-1987) and chazan of the Sandton Beth Hamedrash, South Africa (1988-1995). He was then appointed as chazan of Golders Green Beth Hamedrash ("Munk's Shul"), London (1995-at least 2018). (JC reports and JYB listings.)

Rev. (later Rabbi) Joseph Dov Glushak
(15 March 1858 - 18 October 1939)

Rev. J. Glushak (also Glushack) (m. Alida) was born in Vitebsk (now in Belarus) and served as a reader in Leeds (by 1900) and as chazan of the Grimsby Hebrew Congregation, Lincolnshire (1900-1903) and the close-by Hull Old Hebrew Congregation, Robinson's Row (1901-1903). He moved to South Africa in 1903, where he officiated at the Roeland Street Synagogue in Cape Town until 1906. He then served as minister of the South Portland Street Synagogue, Glasgow and was appointed headmaster of the Talmud Torah School (1908). By 1910 he had emigrated to the USA and was installed as the rabbi at Adas Israel Synagogue in Washington DC. Rabbi Glushak would go on to serve congregations in St. Louis, Missouri, Detroit, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey. He is buried at New Montefiore Cemetery on Long Island, New York State. (Online biography; Jolles's Encyclopaedia; and JYB listings.)

Rabbi Refoel Godlewsky
(b. 1960)

Rabbi Godlewsky (m. Sarah) became part time minister of the Ohel Jacob Beth Hamedrash, Gants Hill, northeast London (known as the Ilford shtiebel) in 1996. He was the first minister to serve that congregation since the death of Rabbi Baruch Salzman in 1983. By 2004 Rabbi Godlewsky was rabbi of the Torah Centre in Ilford, northeast London and from at least 2006 until about 2018 he serve as rabbi of the Edgware Torah Centre, northwest London, providing religious services, adult education and leisure activities. (Internet reports.)

Rev. Sidney Gold
(6 December 1919 - 28 December 2011)

Born in the East End of London, Rev. Gold (m. Betty Haimovitch of Bournemouth in 1944) spent his childhood in Southampton and was educated at Aria College, Southsea, Portsmouth. He went to Jews' College, London, where was awarded the Minister's Diploma and received a B.A. in Semitics through the University of London . He served as minister of several London congregations, Highgate Synagogue, Regents Park & Belsize Park Synagogue and Bayswater Synagogue (c.1951-1960). He was then appointed chief minister of Birmingham Hebrew Congregation, Singers Hill, (see cover page of the service of his induction) of where he served for almost 25 years (1960-1984). Though Rev. Gold officially retired in December 1984, he continued to provide ministerial services in Birmingham until July 1986, when he settled in Bournemouth. For the last three years of his life he was a resident at the Andrew Cohen home, Birmingham. (JC report in 15 August 1986 and Obituary of 6 April 2012.)

Rabbi Alexander Barnet Goldberg
(b. 1974)

Rabbi Goldberg studied at the University of Manchester, the University of Law and Reading University and qualified and practiced as  a barrister. Later, in 2019, he received semicha from the Eretz Hemdah Institute, Jerusalem, and Montefiore College, Ramsgate. Throughout much of his professional life, he has been active in championing human rights. In April 2019, he was the first rabbi to be appointed Coordinating Chaplain to a European or British university, when he became Dean of Religious Life and Belief and head of the College of Chaplains at the University of Surrey, being the Jewish chaplain to the University. In this capacity, he also acted as rabbi to the Guidford Jewish community, where the University of Surrey is  situated, and in May 2024, he was formally asked to become rabbi of the Guidford synagogue, the first official rabbi of the town since 1945. He regularly co-hosts or is a contibutor to a number a BBC radio programmes. Until October 2023, he chaired the English Football Association's Faith Network but resigned in protest at the Association's lack of response to the October 7 atrocities committed by Hamas, but later agreed to return to his previous position. (Online research.)

Rev. Lewis Goldberg
(d. 1858)

Rev. Goldberg served as minister of the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation from 1850 to 1858. He tragically died in office, when attaching a mezuzah to a doorpost at the top of a flight of stairs at his new home, he slipped back, fell down the stairs, and the claw of the hammer entered his temple and caused his death. He left a widow and five children "totally bereft of support" and a public appeal was made soliciting charitable contributions. He is buried in Nottingham's North Sherwood Street Cemetery. (Eight Hundred Years - The Story of Nottingham's Jews (1998) by Nelson Fisher; JC and Hebrew Observer 30 April 1858.)

Rev. Wilfred Goldberg
(14 May 1914 - 13 September 1970)

Sunderland-born Rev. Goldberg (m. Rose Frumkin, 1939) served as joint minister of the Seven Sisters Road Hebrew Congregation, London (often referred to as the "Frumkin Shul") from at least 1945 to about 1948. He was also very active in Cricklewood Synagogue (as a lay officer) and was one of the principal founders of the North West London Jewish Day School. (JYB listings and North West Celebrates 60 by Marian Lebor, 2006.)

Rabbi Anthony (Elchanan) Goldblatt

A graduate of Worcester College, Oxford, Rabbi Goldblatt (m. Nurith) studied for seven years at Mir yeshiva, Jerusalem, where he obtained semicha, before becoming minister to the Hove Hebrew Congregation, Holland Road, in 1983. His resignation in 1985 was partly due to the failure of the local Jewish day school and the rabbi's concern for the religious education of his children. Rabbi Goldblatt was appointed Jewish studies teacher at Menorah Grammar School, Golders Green, London, in 1985 and shortly after became the school's headmaster. (JC various reports.)

Rev. Chaim Goldman
(1895 - 1981)

Rev. Ch. Goldman (m. Gertrude Newman) was born in Bialystok (today in Belarus) and moved to London in 1904, becoming one of the first students at the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in the East End. In 1913 he became chazan-shochet at the Roundhay Road Synagogue, Leeds. Moving to South Wales in 1925, he was minister and mohel at Tredegar Synagogue and to the surrounding communities, including Ebbw Vale and Brynmawr, and was known as "the minister of the Valleys.' In 1931 he was elected shochet to the Liverpool Board of Shechita and the first minister to the Sefton Park Hebrew Congregation, then known as the Hyman and Freda Graff Institute, which in 1936/37 amalgamated with the Hope Place Synagogue to form the Greenbank Drive Hebrew Congregation. He was the first to conduct services for the Childwall Hebrew Congregation over a shop at Five Ways. During the war, in Ormskirk, west Lancashire, he conducted regular Shabbat services for the troops and evacuees, and until 1946 he assisted the Southport Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire. Returning to Liverpool, Rev. Goldman and his family later moved to Allerton and helped found the Allerton Hebrew Congregation in about 1950 by personally collecting a shilling a week from Jewish people in the area and he conducted the congregation's first services. In about 1958, on retirement, he was appointed emeritus minister of the congregation. (JC obituary, 10 July 1981; and JYB listings.)

Rev. Mark Clifford Goldman

London born Rev. Goldman studied at the London School of Jewish Studied where he was awarded a B.A. (honors) degree in Judaic Studies. He served as chazan of Hackney Synagogue, now Hackney & East London Synagogue (c.1987-c.1990) and of Wembley Synagogue (1990-1991). He then left for the USA, where he studied at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York (being awarded a Master of Music Degree in Performance and Literature) and accepted a call to become cantor of a Conservative congregation in Rochester, the Beth El Congregation (1991-1995). He was subsequently appointed as cantor and co-senior clergy of Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El, a Reform congregation in Plantation, Florida (1995 to present - August 2022). (JC listings; online reserach.)

Rabbi Michael Goldman
(b. 1945)

Welsh-born Rabbi Goldman was educated in Birmingham and obtained semicha from Jews' College in 1971. He was the first minister of Newbury Park Synagogue, London (c.1969-c.1973) and was briefly Jewish chaplain to southern Universities in England. He then served as minister of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation (c.1973-1974). (Research by Steven Jaffe and JYB listings.)

Rabbi Dr. Solomon Goldman
(c.1910 - 23 June 1991)

Born in Tredegar, Gwent, Solomon Goldman (m. Sadie Berkowitch from Nottingham) was educated at Glasgow University where he took first-class honours in Semitic Languages and later, as a postgraduate student, he attended the University of Oxford on a Jewish Memorial Council scholarship. He received a doctorate for research on "The Development of Historical Writing among the Moslems of Spain." After studying at Jews' College, Rev. Goldman served the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation (1937-1950) and then St John's Wood Synagogue, North West London (1950-1976). He obtained semicha in 1958 and was chair of the Central Council of Jewish Education (1956 until 1976, when the Council was wound up) and in 1968, the new Chief Rabbi, Dr. Immanuel Jakobovits, gave Rabbi Goldman responsibility for Jewish-Christian relations in his cabinet. He retired to Israel in 1976. He was a cousin of Rabbi Cyril Harris who he helped induct into his former position at St John's Wood Synagogue. Author of Guide to the Sabbath and a contributor to the Soncino translation of the Bible. He died in Netanya. (JC obituary 5 July 1991; Eight Hundred Years - The Story of Nottingham's Jews (1998) by Nelson Fisher)

Rev. R. Goldreich

Rev. Goldreich served as the minister of the Newport Hebrew Congregation from at least 1881, when he welcomed the chief rabbi who was on a pastoral visit there, until 1874, when he moved to serve as minister of the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation until 1876. He then emigrated to South Africa. It is not clear whether he was related to his contemporary, Rev. I.M. Goldreich, of Tasmania and Ballarat, Australia. (Eight Hundred Years - The Story of Nottingham's Jews (1998) by Nelson Fisher; Jewish Directory for 1874 edited by Asher I. Myers.)

Rev. Abraham Goldsmidt

Rev. A. Goldsmidt, whilst living in London, lost all his possessions in a fire at his place of lodging in Bury Street, including all the books and papers required for his candidature as shochet and reader. In 25 September 1857 an appeal was made in The JC to support Rev. Goldsmidt. The Rev. Aaron Levy arranged the appeal which was supported by, amongst others, Lord Rothschild and Sir Moses Montefiore. Later that year, in December, Rev. Goldsmidt was appointed to serve as reader of the Cheltenham Hebrew Congregation, Gloucestershire. However, all did not go well and in July 1858, he was given notice to vacate his position, expiring in January 1859. Nevertheless, following the departure of his successor, Rev. Joshua Levi, in 1863, Rev. Goldsmidt was again engaged by the Cheltenham congregation as reader on a temporary basis, until 1864. (JC reports; The Hebrew Community of Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud by Brian Torode (1989), pp.41/2.)

Rev. David Goldsmidt

Rev. D. Goldsmidt (also Goldschmidt and Goldsmith) served as reader and shochet at the Grimsby Hebrew Congregation from 1892 until about 1899. He was second reader at Leazes Park Road Synagogue, Newcastle from 1899 until at least 1904. ("The Jewish Communities of North-East England" by Lewis Olsover (1980), p.204; various JC reports, Grimsby synagogue minutes, JYB listings.)

Rev. Joseph Goldston
(29 October 1862 - 25 December 1921)

London born Rev. J. Goldston, the son of Rev. Abraham Goldston, trained for the teaching profession, and served an apprentice at the Jews Orphan Asylum at Norwood. He was headmaster of the Jacob Nathan School in Plymouth, Devon, for 27 years and, from 1907, served as minister of the local Devonport Synagogue. He later moved to Swansea, Wales, and served as teacher, preacher and assistant reader at the Swansea Hebrew Congregation from about 1915 until 1920. He died in London shortly thereafter. One of his daughters, Hetta, married Rev. Isaac E. Miller. (Helen Fry's "The Jews of Plymouth", p.38; 1980 souvenir brochure of the Swansea congregation, p.55; and Jolles's Encyclopaedia, p. 514.)

Rev. Jacob Lazarus Goldstone
(b. 1879)

Rev. J. Goldstone (m. Esther) was born in Suwalki, Poland. In 1900 he was appointed minister of the Wigan Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire (now Greater Manchester), serving there until about 1903, after which he moved to Ireland.  He served as minister of Cork Hebrew Congregation, Ireland, from about 1904/5 until  about 1915. In 1916, he emigrated to the United States, settling in Sullivan, New York. ("Wolkowisk to Wallgate and Other Journeys; A History of the Wigan Jewish Community" by Hilary Thomas; JC reports.)

Rev. E. Goldwater

Rev. Goldwater was reader/shochet at Redheugh Bridge Road Synagogue, Gateshead, from at least 1899, although it appears that he subsequently moved to the town's Milling Street Synagogue by 1906. He remained in Gateshead until at least 1908. (JC reports.)

Rabbi Yoni Golker

Rabbi Golker (m. Dina) grew up in Golders Green, northwest London, and spent three years at Yeshivas Beis Yisroel. Rabbi Golker taught for over a decade at the Jewish Free School, where he was head of Upper School Jewish Education. Between 2008 and 2014, he was the youth director at Dayan Ehrentreu’s Shul and from 2013 and 2016, Rabbi and Rebbetzin Golker were the directors of the Ezra Youth Movement and oversaw the educational and social provision and vision and direction of the organization. Rabbi Golker served as assistant minister with Rebbetzin Dina at St Johns Wood Synagogue (2016-2023). In 2023 they were appointed rabbinical couple at Magen Avot, Hendon, northwest London. Rebbetzen Dina is a graduate of Michlalah seminary in Jerusalem and holds a PGDip in Psychological therapy and is a qualified Psychology teacher. She is currently a clinical manager at NOA, a charity which supports girls and young women from the Orthodox Jewish community. (Congregations' websites.)

Rabbi Prof. Sir Hermann Gollancz
(30 November 1852 - 15 October 1930)

Bremen-born Rabbi Gollancz, the son of Rev. Marcus (Samuel) Gollancz, was educated at Jews' College, London and University College London. He was awarded semicha in 1897 in Galicia and this led to a long and bitter dispute with Chief Rabbi Adler over use of the title "Rabbi" (at the time the Chief Rabbi refused to sanction anyone other than himself to use such title) and the need to create additional British rabbis. He served as minister of Dalston Synagogue, London (1885-1892) London and then as minister/preacher of Bayswater Synagogue, London (1892-1922), where he had also served as assistant preacher and preacher from 1872. From 1902 to 1924, he served as Professor of Hebrew at the University College and was the first Jew to earn a doctorate of literature degree (from the same university, at which he was responsible for establishing the Mocatto Library). In 1923 he became the first rabbi to receive a British knighthood. (Reference to Rabbi Gollancz in "Story of Bayswater Synagogue" by C. Roth and "The Dalston Synagogue - An Historical Sketch" by Rev. D. Wasserzug (1910), pp.10/13.)

Rev. Marcus (Samuel) Gollancz
(c.1819 - 7 May 1900)

Rev. Gollancz was a native of Witkowo, Posen, and served congregations in Bromberg and Bremen before moving to Britain, where he served as minister of the Hambro' Synagogue, London (1855-1899). He was the author of Biographical sketches and selected verses, which was translated from German into English and edited by his son, Rabbi Prof. Sir Hermann Gollancz. Another son was Sir Israel Gollancz (1864-1930), English literary and Shakespearian scholar, and the publisher, Sir Victor Gollancz (1893-1967) was his grandson. ("Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History" (2011), p.348.)

Dayan Rabbi Mark Gollop
(10 July 1888 - 4 August 1950)

Russian-born Dayan Gollop, MA (m. Pearl Sharotsky), who came to Britain aged 13, was a teacher at the age of 17 at the Great Garden Street Talmud Torah. He studied at Jews' College and University College London, where he received a BA and later an MA. From 1906 until 1913, he was involved in several social, educational and Zionist movements in London, including the Jewish National Institute, a Young Hebrew Association and the East London Zionist association. In 1913 Rev. Gollop was appointed minister to the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation (SWHC). He became an army chaplain in World War I and served in Palestine, Greece, Egypt and Salonika where he was mentioned in dispatches. After the war he returned to Southend until 1923, when he was appointed as minister of Bayswater Synagogue, London (1923-1930). He was awarded semicha in 1924 and also served as an assistant dayan on the London Beth Din, becoming a dayan of the Beth Din in 1929 (until 1944). In 1930, he became minister of Hampstead Synagogue, London (1930-1944). In 1926 he had replaced Rev. Michael Adler as senior Jewish chaplain to the British Forces and during World War II he travelled to France with the British Expeditionary Force and built up an extensive team of Jewish chaplains. Under huge pressure as senior chaplain in war time, his health broke in October 1943 and he retired in early 1944. He died at Bognor Regis, Sussex. (Profile on the SWHC website by Anne Marcus; "The Hampstead Synagogue 1862-1967" by Raymond Apple, 1967 and "Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History" (2011), pp.349/350.)

Rev. Maurice (Moshe) Joseph Golomb
(28 September 1931 - 27 May 1997)

Born in Brisbane and raised in Sydney, Rev. Golomb (m. Valerie) became one of the first to enroll in the teacher training programme at Jews' College, London in 1958. He also qualified as a mohel and sofer. Rev. Golomb was minister at Sutton and District Affiliated Synagogue, south London, (1962-1964) and Norwich Hebrew Congregation (1964-1967). He was part-time minister of Enfield and Winchmore Hill Synagogue, London, north London for almost 25 years (1967-1991), also teaching Jewish studies at Jewish Free School. Rev. Golomb was then minister at Hammersmith & West Kensington Synagogue, west London (1991-1997) and also acted as the United Synagogue's minister for burials. He died in office. He was father to three rabbis: Rabbi Yoinosson Golomb (of Sheffield); Rabbi Michael Golomb (lecturer at Lubavitch yeshivah in New York); and Rabbi Daniel Golomb (director of adult education and a teacher at Lubavitch schools in Manchester). (JC obituary 20 June 1997; JYB listings; and Jewish News report.)

Rabbi Yonosan Golomb
(b.1963)

Born in Sutton, Surrey, the son of the junior minister, Rev. Maurice Golomb, Rabbi Golomb (m. Faige Rochel in 1985) grew up in London where he attended Lubavitch schools. At 16, he went to yeshiva in Brunoy south of Paris, for three years, returning in 1982 to London where he studied at the newly opened London Yeshiva for a year. In 1983 he joined Manchester Yeshiva and from there he studied in Montreal in 1984-1985 where he received semicha. Rabbi Golomb studied at Kollel in New York, and then at the new Kollel in Leeds, Yorkshire, before his appointment in May 1992 as minister of the Sheffield Jewish Congregation (later the United Synagogue, Sheffield) serving until present (October 2024). (JC report 24 January 1992; and synagogue website.)

Rabbi Ian Goodhardt

Rev. Goodhardt (m. Sharon), a graduate of Birmingham University, served as minister of Luton Hebrew Congregation, Bedfordshire (c.1985-1986). He was appointed minister to the Reading Hebrew Congregation in 1988,  obtaining semicha in 1989 from Jews' College, London. In 1992 he was appointed senior rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregation (UHC), Shadwell Lane, Leeds. He presented the Goodhardt beat on BBC Radio Leeds. After moving to Australia in 1999, Rabbi Goodhardt became Chief Minister of Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and Blake Street Hebrew Congregation. He obtained two masters degrees from La Trobe University, Melbourne in Counselling and Conflict Resolution. He and wife Sharon are engaged in mediation and counselling. (JYB listings; Sue Krisman's Portrait of a Community - Reading Synagogue 1900-2000, p.38; and JC various reports and internet research.)

Rev. Elias Goodman
(1898 - 1980)

Romanian-born Rev. E. Goodman (born Guttmann) (m. Rebecca Starbolski in 1934), son of a senior shochet and itinerant preacher (maggid), attended the Leeds College of Music while serving at the New Central Synagogue, Leeds (1926-1927). He then served as minister/reader of the Stockton-on-Tees Synagogue, Co Durham (c.1928-c.1930) and as reader to the Ceylon Road Synagogue of the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation (c.1931-c.1940). He was subsequently appointed minister, reader, shochet and headmaster at the St. Annes Hebrew Congregation (1944-1946). In 1946, he became a Jewish chaplain to British troops in London and was possibly the Rev. E. Goodman who served the Manchester New Synagogue (Kersal branch) in the 1950s. He was the brother of Rev. Emanuel Goodman. (JC reports and JYB listings.)

Rev. Emanuel (Manny) Goodman
(c.1897 - 17 March 1959)

Rev. Emanuel Goodman (formerly Guttmann) (m. Bessie Isenberg), from Oradea Mare / Nagyvarad (now in Romania), was the son of a senior shochet and itinerant preacher (maggid). He served in the Medical Corps of the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I and served as a chazan in Paris before coming to Britain. He was temporary reader at Great Synagogue, Duke's Place, London, prior to his appointment as the last full timel chazan to the Plymouth Hebrew Congregation, Devon (1933-1959), dying in office. He also acted as mohel to the Plymouth community and generally attended to the religious needs of Jewish families scattered across Devon and Cornwall and was chaplain at Dartmouth prison. He was also chairman of the Plymouth Zionist society. During World War II, he was Jewish chaplain to the Armed Forces in Southwest England. Rev. Goodman is buried in Gifford Place Jewish cemetery, Plymouth. He was the brother of Rev. Elias Goodman. (The Jews of Plymouth by H. Fry (2015), pp. 47/8; JC obituary 27 March 1959)

Rev. Hyman Goodman
(d. February 1943)

Portsmouth born, Rev. H. Goodman (m. Millie of Sunderland in 1905) was educated at Aria College, Portsea, Jews' College, London and earned his degree through the University of London. He served as minister of Hanley Synagogue (later known as Stoke-on-Trent Hebrew Congregation), Staffordshire, (1905-1907) and the Bristol Hebrew Congregation (1907-1916). In 1916 Rev Goodman became minister to the newly-formed Richmond Hebrew Congregation, southwest London, and he launched the Hebrew classes there. However, he soon left Richmond to become a war-time chaplain to Jewish service personnel based in London. From 1920 Rev. Goodman was minister of the Hornsey and Wood Green (Associate) Synagogue, north London, where in 1938 a hall and classroom adjoining the synagogue were named in his honour (unusually while he was still alive). He died in office there in 1943. He was the brother in law of Rabbi Isaac Livingstone of Bradford and Golders Green. (Bristol community; JYB listings, JC report 2 July 1920.)

Rev. Isaac Norman Goodman, OBE

Rev. I.N. Goodman served various Manchester synagogues as secretary. In 1940 he was appointed minister and secretary to the newly-formed Fleetwood Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, where Jewish children from Manchester and Salford and later London were evacuated. In about 1949 he became secretary, beadle and teacher for the Southport Hebrew Congregation. Rev. Goodman emigrated to Australia with his wife in 1952 where his first post was as Organising Director of the Bondi Jewish Day School and Kindergarten and he was later secretary to the Great Synagogue, Sydney. He was awarded the OBE in 1979. (Various JC reports.)

Rev. Yehuda Goodman
(c.1912 - 1991)

Liverpool born, Rev. Y. Goodman (m. Asenath) was educated at the city's yeshiva. He served as minister of the Wallasey Hebrew Congregation, Wirral, Cheshire (now Merseyside), from about 1935 possibly until about 1945. Rev Goodman was a Habonim youth movement leader and was a national education officer with the Jewish National Fund. Following Aliyah in the 1950s, he led the Jewish Agency's Youth and Hechalutz department and was responsible for the Israel tours of tens of thousands of Jewish youngsters from across the world. He helped found Kiryat Moriah, an educational centre in Jerusalem for Diaspora youth. He died in Jerusalem. (JYB listings; and JC obituary of 31 May 1991.)

Rev. M.L. Gordon
(c.1880 - 13 July 1949)

Rev. Gordon (m. Seima) was briefly minister of the South Shields Synagogue (c.1913-c.1914) and served as minister of the Southampton Hebrew Congregation for 35 years (1914-1949) and was is its longest serving minister. He was instrumental in the establishment of synagogues and kosher kitchens on Atlantic liners and figured prominently in the travel columns of the JC to attract and reassure Orthodox travellers who were significant customers of the leading transatlantic shipping companies. According to the paper's travel correspondent: "Hardly a vessel ... left or arrived at Southampton without Mr. Gordon being on hand to inspect the Jewish arrangements aboard and to attend to the special needs of Jewish passengers". For instance, he arranged embarcation by Orthodox passengers on Friday afternoons for ships leaving on Shabbat. He was also a key worker for the Protection Society for young Jewish women who were at risk of international trafficking for prostitution through the port. He was the representative of the London Bet Din who worked with on-board kashrut supervisors. He greeted Jewish celebrities on arrival or departure - a photograph from 1938 shows him with the famous cantorial brothers, the Koussevitskys. His son Samuel secured work as Jewish Supervisor on the luxury liner the " Berengaria" (but died young at 22). During the war Rev. Gordon was bombed out of Southampton and he and his wife moved temporarily to Winchester, where they took in boarders and where he hosted communal and cultural activities as well as for religious services. Died in office in Southampton. (JC obituary and tributes July 1949 and various reports; JYB listing.)

Rabbi Meyer (Myer) Gordon

Rabbi Gordon was living in London in 1934 as a student and recently married. The following year he was headmaster of the Ivrit b'Ivrit Hebrew classes at the Willesden Green Hebrew Congregation, north London. In 1939 he was appointed rabbi, minister and teacher to the newly established Worthing Hebrew Congregation, Sussex. In 1940 Rabbi Gordon was appointed minister to the Regents Park and Belsize Park Synagogue (which later became the South Hampstead Synagogue), then a small growing congregation worshipping in temporary premises. He gave his farewell address to the congregation in 1946. (JC reports.)

Rev. Samuel Gordon

Rev. Samuel Gordon served as reader and shochet to the Stockton Jewish Community from at least 1881 to at least 1883 and is believed to be the same Rev. Samuel Gordon who served as reader of the Darlington Hebrew Congregation from at least 1891 to at least 1892. (JC press reports and 1881 and 1891 Censuses.)

Rev. Avram Gotloib (also spelled Gotlieb)
(c.1892 - 12 December 1958)

Rev. Gotloib (m. Manea Littenberg) was chazan for the Montague Road Beth Hamedrash, Dalston, North London (c.1935-1958) for almost 25 years and served also for a time as secretary to the congregation. He was chairman and, from 1943, president of the Association of Chazanim of Federated Synagogues. Rev. Gotleib was chairman of the Zionist Association of Dalston and North London and chairman of the East London branch of the World Jewish Congress British Section. A hall at the Beth Hamedrash was named after him. He is buried in Rainham Cemetery, Essex (JYB listings, JC obituary of 19 December 1958 and various reports.)

Rev. Berl Gottlieb
(20 September 1879 - 12 April 1937)

Born in Elizavetgrad, Ukraine (today Kropyvnytskyi), Rev. Gottlieb (m. Anua Ziatman) was the son of a chazan and composer known as Yankel der Heizerike, who served at Ackerman (probably Akkerman, now Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Ukraine). To escape the Russian pogroms, Rev. Gottlieb moved to the Austria-Hungary, where he served as chazan in two towns, in Sadagora (later Romania, now Sadahora, Ukraine) and then in Ungvar (later Czechoslovakia, now Uzhhorod, Ukraine) (1909-1922), in which he directed what was regarded as one of the finest synagogue choirs in Eastern Europe. In the course of a concert tour of the UK in 1922 he was persuaded to take up the post of first reader at Leazes Park Road Synagogue, Newcastle (1923-c.1931). He is said to have attracted standing room only attendances at the synagogue. He died in Newcastle and is buried at Hazelrigg cemetery. He was the father of Rev. (later Dr.) Isaac Gottlieb who for a time assisted him as second reader at Leazes Park Road synagogue. (Profile on the website of Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler, based on an article written by Rabbi M.M. Baddiel.)

Rev. Isaac (Jack) Gottlieb
(d. December 1995)

Rev. I. Gottlieb, later Dr. I. Gottlieb, served as the second reader of Leazes Park Road Synagogue, Newcastle (c.1926-1928) assisting his father, Rev. Berl Gottlieb. He then served the Southport Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire, as chazan and shochet (1928-1932). Having moved to London he did not pursue a ministerial career. In 1977 he edited Hakol Kol Yaakov, the musical compositions of his grandfather, known as Yankel der Heizerike, who served as a chazan in Ukraine. Dr. Gottlieb visited Ethiopia in the 1960s and 1970s to study and record the music of the Ethiopian Jews. He died in London and is buried at the Western Cemetery, Cheshunt. (JYB listings and various press reports.)

Rev. Isaac Gould
(1 October 1904 - 1974)

Leeds-born Rev. Gould (m. Rachel, Leeds 1930) studied at Manchester Yeshiva and served as second reader and secretary for the St. Annes Hebrew Congregation (1956-1974) and was Jewish chaplain to the local hospital and prison. (JC obituary of 4 October 1974 and communication from family.)

Rabbi Shaya Gourarie

Rabbi Gourarie (m. Mushky) was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, hailing from a family of Jewish educators. He graduated from Detroit's Chabad Yeshivah, moving on to the Rabbinical College of America and further advanced study at the Chabad Lubavitch international headquarters in New York. Rebbetzen Mushky grew up within Michigan's Russian-Jewish community and completed her studies in Israel. Among other roles, she has worked for Chabad in Anchorage, Alaska. In March 2023 it was announced that Rabbi and Rebbetzen Gourarie would be joining Chabad Lubavitch Brighton, focusing on the expansion of activities in Worthing and elsewhere in West Sussex, as well as cheder and other activities for young people. (JC report of 2 March 2023.)

Rabbi Nathan Granevitz
(d. 11 September 2000)

Rabbi Granevitz (m. Zipporah) was born in Bnei Brak during the British Mandate of Palestine and obtained semicha at a Bnei Brak Yeshiva in 1957. He also qualified in law at Bar Ilan University and practiced in the Rabbinical courts in Israel, as well as working as a journalist and religious educator.  He moved to Britain and served as rabbi to the Belfast Hebrew Congregation (1983-1988). In 1988 he returned to Israel where he died in Petach Tikvah. (Research by Steven Jaffe.)

Rev. Chaim Graniewitz
(25 December 1930 - 31 January 2008)

Born in Morfengen, East Prussia, Rev. Graniewitz went to British Mandate Palestine with his family in 1933. He was active in the Haganah as a youth and fought in Israel's War of Independence, and was held by Egyptian forces as a prisoner of war (1948-9). He came to London in 1958 as chazan of the West End Great Synagogue, Dean street, Soho and was occasional guest chazan at the Central Synagogue in Great Portland Street. In 1973 Rev Graniewitz became reader-chazan for the large Stanmore and Canons Park District Synagogue, London (1973-1995). In addition to communal and youth work in Stanmore, he was a visitor to the residents at the Jewish Welfare Board’s home in Hemel Hempstead. He retired to Israel in 1995 and is buried in Jerusalem. (JYB listings; JC obituary 14 March 2008; Recording; and an online tribute video.)

Rev. Jack Grant (formerly Goldstein)
(c.1907 - 3 March 1993)

Rev. Jack (Jacob) Grant, formerly Goldstein, (m. Hilda, d.2006) was educated at the Jews' Free School and at the Etz Chaim Yeshiva, London. He served as minister and secretary of the evacuee community, Wolverton United Synagogue Membership Group, formed in Haversham, Buckinghamshire, during World War II until about 1946 and was then chazan-shochet to the Swansea Hebrew Congregation, followed by a similar post at Bristol Hebrew Congregation. He served as a part-time chazan at the Willesden District Synagogue and also served at the Ohel Shem Synagogue, Willesden. From 1950. Rev. Grant served as reader of the Kingsbury District Synagogue, London, for almost 25 years before retiring in 1973 and becoming the congregation's emeritus reader. (JC report 24 August 1973; JYB listings; communication from family member.) [Not to be confused with his contemporary, also Rev Jack Grant, who served at Newton Mearns Synagogue, Glasgow.]

Rev. Gershon Gray (originally Grayewsky)
(c.1890 - 25 October 1975)

Rev. Gray, formerly Grayewsky (also spelled Greyewsky), the son of Rev. Pinchas (Simon) Grayefsky, was born in Jerusalem in Ottoman Palestine and educated at the Etz Chaim yeshiva in Jerusalem where his grandfather, Rabbi Hochstein was the rosh yeshiva. He received semicha from Rabbi Chaim Zonenfeld, of Jerusalem, and Chief Rabbi Kook, then in Jaffa. His wife's name was Ethel. He served as minister of Wrexham Hebrew Congregation, North Wales (c.1917-c.1918) and Bangor Hebrew Congregation, North Wales (1918-c.1919). In 1919, he moved to Cardiff and by 1927 was shochet and head teacher of the Cathedral Road Synagogue Hebrew Classes (He was assistent shochet by 1924.) It appears that it was in about the early 1930s that he shortened his surname from Grayewsky to Gray.  In about 1936 he was also appointed to serve as reader to the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation, Windsor Place. He was later appointed to serve the Cathedral Road Synagogue (including following 1942 when it became a constituent of the Cardiff United Synagogue) in a number of different capacities, ranging from assistant reader, reader, assistant minister, senior minister in about 1960 and in the mid 1970s (then aged in his 80s) he found himself the only incumbent minister in Cardiff. In all, he served the Cardiff Jewish community for over 55 years until his death, as reader, shochet and as teacher to generations of Cardiff children. In 1978 a prayer-room was dedicated to his memory at the Jewish Home for the Aged, Penylan House, Cardiff, donated by the Sherman family. He is buried at Cardiff Highfield Road cemetery (view image of gravestone). (JYB listings; and JC reports including obituary of 7 November 1975.)

Rev. Aaron Asher Green
(September 1860 - 19 September 1933)

From a long-established Anglo Jewish family, London-born Rev. Green (m. Ada - d.1930). He was educated at Jews' College, London but was obliged to enter paid employment before he had an opportunity to complete his degree. He reputedly had a beautiful voice and was a chorister at the Great Synagogue, London until the age of nineteen. He was headteacher at Stepney Jewish schools and superintendent at Settles Street religion classes. He was the first full-time minister of the Sheffield Hebrew Congregation (1884-1888), a visiting minister of Hanley Synagogue, later known as Stoke-on-Trent Hebrew Congregation, (1885-1888, supported by the Provincial Jewish Ministers' Fund) and minister of Sunderland Hebrew Congregation (1888-1892). Following the 1889 fire at Krottingen (today Kretinga, Lithuania), from where many Sunderland Jews originated, Rev. Green journeyed there to supervise the distribution of relief funds. He often expressed resentment at the restrictions inherent in the work of a provincial minister and in 1892 he returned to London as minister of Hampstead Synagogue, where he served until retirement in 1930. Besides his congregational work, he became vice president of the Union of Hebrew and Religion Classes, and lectured in homiletics at Jews' College. In 1915 he was appointed an assistant chaplain to the forces, and was chairman of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Dependents' Committee. Rev. Green was among the best known and most outspoken Anglo-Jewish ministers of his day, and for many years had his own unsigned column in The JC, 'In the Communal Armchair'. He spoke often to Church congregations and briefly instituted a class to study New Testament texts at Hampstead Synagogue which gave rise to controversy within the congregation and beyond. The JC charged him with being inconsistent on Zionism, and described him generally as "a wayward genius - a man whose eccentricities were readily pardoned for his charm of manner and his sincere enthusiasm for the cause of Jewry". He was the compiler and translator of a Passover Haggadah and a collection of his sermons was published posthumously in 1935. He was a nephew of Rev. Aaron Levy Green and Rev. Michael Levy Green. (Arnold Levy, Sunderland Jewish Community, Ch.10; JC obituary 29 September 1933, internet research.)

Rev. Aaron Levy Green
(August 1821 - 11 March 1883)

Rev. Green (m. Phoebe Levy, 1844), who was born in London's East End, was educated in the Talmud Torah section of London's Jews' Free School. He served as minister of Bristol Synagogue (1838-1851) and then as second reader of the Great Synagogue, Dukes Place, London (1851-1854). Following the establishment by the Great Synagogue of a branch synagogue in London's West End, which became the Central Synagogue, Rev. Green was appointed as its second reader in 1854 and was elected reader and preacher the following year. At the time the principal Jewish spiritual leader of a congregation was generally referred to as a reader rather than a minister, although Rev. Green was later referred to as minister, and was the first minister of the Central Synagogue, serving until his death in 1883. Rev. Green was one of the earliest English-born Jewish preachers and one of the leading Anglo-Jewish clergymen of his generation. He played a leading role in the establishment and development of Jews' College and the Anglo Jewish Association and it was at his initiative that both the United Synagogue and Board of Guardians established Visitation Committees. He wrote regularly as Nemo for The JC and was highly regarded for his geniality and wit. He was the elder brother of Rev. Michael Levy Green and the uncle of Rev. Aaron Asher Green. ("The Lost Synagogues of London" by Peter Renton, pp.73/6; "Rev Aaron Levy Green" by Alex M Jacob in Transactions & Miscellanies - JHSE, Vol. 25, 1973-1975, pp. 87-106.)

Rev. Michael Levy Green
(1811 - 1876)

London-born Rev. M. Green (m. Rosetta Davis, 1941) was educated at Jews' Free School, London and was later a pupil of Dayan Aaron Levy. Upon the recommendation of Chief Rabbi Solomon Hirschell, he was appointed as minister of the Exeter Hebrew Congregation, Cornwall, serving from 1839 until 1841. He left the ministry after opening a clothes shop in Exeter to supplement his salary, which was in opposition to the wishes of the leaders of the congregation, who presented him with an ultimatum - close the shop or quit. He chose the latter. He then moved to London to continue what became a successful business career. He was the younger brother of Rev. Aaron Levy Green and the uncle of Rev. Aaron Asher Green. (The Jews of Exeter by Helen Fry, 2013.)

Rabbi Shaya Green

Liverpool-born Rabbi Shaya Green (m. Leah) studied in Chabad yeshivot in London and New York, receiving semicha from Flatbush. Following Rabbi Shaya's return to England, he and London-born Rebbetzen Leah worked with Chabad and most recently led their North Harrow branch, covering Harrow, Pinner, Ruislip and Northwood. Following some eight months of working part time with Northwood United Synagogue, northwest London, they were appointed rabbinic couple of the synagogue in July 2023. In July 2024, the Northwood synagogue merged with Ruislip and District United Synagogue to form the Northwood and Ruislip United Synagogue, and they continued to serve as rabbinic couple for the newly merged congregation. (JC reports; and congrgation's websites.)

Rev. Alan Greenbat, OBE
(2 April 1929 - 18 April 2019)

London-born Rev. Greenbat, who studied for a ministerial diploma at Jews' College, London, held a number of senior positions in Anglo-Jewry. These included warden (director) of the Victoria Boy' & Girls' Club, Stamford Hill, London (mid-1950s to mid-1970s), vice-principal of the Norwood Jewish Orphanage (1955-1961) and vice-president of the Association for Jewish Youth (1989-1996). He had a close relationship with the Hackney & East London Synagogue as a frequent visiting minister and serving (c.1997-c.1998) as its part-time minister. He was later appointed director of the Office of the Chief Rabbi (1990-1991) and served as its honorary consultant from 1995 to 2012. In 2000, he was awarded the OBE for services to interfaith dialogue and to young people. (For further background, see on-line obituary by Geoffrey Alderman.)

Rev. Simon (or Simeon) Greenbaum
(c.1827 - 2 July 1892)

Born in Vilnius, Rev. Greenbaum (m. Miriam Crownson) served Merthyr Tydfil Hebrew Congregation, south Wales, and subsequently Bath Synagogue, Somerset, (about 1868). He was reader of the East Melbourne congregation, Victoria, Australia, for 23 years until his death. In 1876 he was named as the only shochet serving the entire community in Melbourne. (JC reports 26 August 1892 and 21 January 1876; "The Jews of Bath" by M. Brown and J. Samuel, online research.)

Rabbi Akiva Greenberg

Rabbi Greenberg served as minister at the West Hackney Synagogue, North London from about 1976 until about 1994. He was later minister at South Tottenham Synagogue from about 1997 to about 2001. (JYB listngs and JC press report.)

Rev. Baruch Ben-Zion Greenberg
(4 February 1911 - 13 August 1966)

Rev. Greenberg (m. Freda Rebecca) studied at Yeshiva Etz Chaim and Jews' College, London. He served as minister at Peterborough United Synagogue Membership Group (c.1940-1945), which he left to become chaplain to the British Armed Forces. He then served as minister to Norwich Hebrew Congregation (1950-1955); Slough and Windsor Affiliated Synagogue (1955-1957) and South-East London Synagogue, New Cross Road (1957-1966). He and his wife are buried at East Ham cemetery, London (view image of gravestone). (JYB listngs and JC press report.)

Rev. Harold Z. Greenberg
(1922 - 1965)

Rev. Greenberg was reputedly (by historian Harry Levine) to have served in Belfast prior to his appointment as minister at the Coventry Hebrew Congregation from late 1954 until 1959. He later served as minister of Whitley Bay Synagogue, northeast England, from about 1960 until 1965. He died in office there, aged only 43. He was the brother-in-law of Rabbi Moshe Turetsky of Sunderland. (JYB listings; JC obituary 12 November and 3 December 1965; Harry Levine, The Jews of Coventry 1970 p.45; and L. Olsover, The Jewish Communities of North-East England (1980))

Rev. Hyman Greenberg
(1837 - 6 April 1861(evening))

Rev. Hyman Greenberg (also known as Samuel Hillman), was the son of Rev. Simeon Greenberg. Rev. H. Greenberg served as reader/minister of the Penzance Jewish Congregation from September 1859 to 1861. He died at the age of 24 and was buried at Penzance Jewish cemetery ("The Lost Jews of Cornwall" by Kieth Pearce, Helen Fry and Godfrey Simmons.)

Rev. Israel Greenberg
(c.1854 - 15 January 1916)

Polish-born Rev. Greenberg (m. Rebecca Hopter) was minister of the New Hebrew Congregation, Charlotte Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, from 1870 until 1872. He was listed as minister for Bath Synagogue, Somerset, in 1872 and by 1874 he was chazan and shochet at Portsea (Portsmouth) Hebrew Congregation, Hampshire. In 1876 Rev. Greenberg was appointed minister of the Wolverhampton Hebrew Congregation and served there untill 1883. Rev. Greenberg was then reader of what was described as some minor synagogues in London. By 1885 he was reader of the Hambro' Synagogue, then in Fenchurch Street in the City of London. He also advertised in The JC his services as a mohel. He was reader of the East London Synagogue, Stepney, for 23 years (c.1891-1914), retiring following a number of years of declining health when he was unable to undertake all his duties. He retired to Brixton, south London, where he died, and is buried at Plashet cemetery. (JC report on retirement presentation 31 July 1914, obituary 21 January 1916 and various reports.)

Rabbi Philip T. Greenberg
(d. March 2017)

Liverpool born Rabbi Greenberg (m. Hannah) was a leader in the local Bnei Akiva movement. He attended Jews' College London and obtained a BA degree. He was for five years a student minister at the New Synagogue, Stamford Hill in north London. Rabbi Greenberg was minister of the Highams Park and Chingford Synagogue, north east London (1959-1968), and then moved to the Nottingham Hebrew Congregation where he was minister until 1972. He was a teacher at the Hasmonean Grammar School for Boys in Hendon and was for a time headmaster of the Woodside Park Synagogue Hebrew Classes. Rabbi Greenberg served at Giffnock and Newlands Synagogue, Glasgow (1982-1998). He retired to London in 1999 as emeritus rabbi. Father of Rabbi Nosson Greenberg of New York. (Eight Hundred Years - The Story of Nottingham's Jews (1998) by Nelson Fisher; JC 19 June 1981 and various reports.)

Rev. Simeon Greenberg

Rev. S. Greenberg is believed to have served the Penzance Jewish Congregation as teacher, and possibly reader, sometime between 1830 and 1842, a period for which the synagogue records are missing. On the gravestone of his son, Rev. Hyman Greenberg, it records that Hyman was the son of "our Honoured Master and Teacher Rabbi Simeon Greenberg".  (Jolles's Encyclopaedia.)

Rev. Solomon Greenstein
(1 July 1912 - 21 November 2011)

Born in the East End of London, Rev. Greenstein (m. Esther Mechulam of Wallasey, in 1952, a primary school teacher) was the son of Rabbi Alter Natan Greenstein. He studied at Etz Chaim yeshiva and served as youth minister at Brixton Synagogue, London, and as minister of Barking & Becontree Hebrew Congregation, London (c.1950-c.1951). He then briefly served the Merthyr Tydfil Hebrew Congregation, south Wales, followed by his appointment as minister of Fulham and Kensington Synagogue (c.1951-1954). He was briefly chazan at the Southport Hebrew Congregation, Lancashire (c.1954-1956) before being appointed minister of Stoke-on-Trent Hebrew Congregation (c.1956-1962). He then served as minister of Coventry Hebrew Congregation (c.1962-1964) and Birkenhead Hebrew Congregation (1965-c.1973) and his last post was at Fairfield Synagogue, Liverpool, where he served from about 1974 until the synagogue's closure (c. 1977). In addition, at one stage he served as a shochet in Cardiff. In his younger years he was a keen boxer and swimmer. He died in Liverpool. (JYB listings; Jewish Telegraph, Liverpool edition, 25 November 2011, JC reports and online profiles.)

Rev. I. Gross

Born in Czechoslovakia, Rev. Gross studied at yeshivot at Presburg (today Bratislava), Munkac (Mukachevo in Ukraine) and Piestan (Piestany, Slovakia). He came to England in 1934, studied at the Yeshiva Etz Chaim and in 1937 he was appointed minister of the Sarah Klausner Memorial Synagogue, West Hampstead, northwest London. After World War II, Rev. Gross became minister of the Kilburn & Brondesbury Chevra Torah, northwest London, and in 1950 he became minister of the Dunstable Hebrew Congregation, Bedfordshire. The Catford Synagogue in southeast London appointed him their minister in March 1953 as successor to Rev. Judah H. Rockman. However, his stay there appears to have been brief as the congregation advertised for a minister and secretary in March 1954. (JC profile 6 March 1953; Jewish Year Listings.)

Rev. Samuel Gross, BA
(c.1892 - 31 May 1924)

Born in London's East End, Rev Gross (m. Millie Joseph) studied at Jews' College, London and was awarded a BA at London University in 1913, where he was Hollier Hebrew scholar. He served as minister of Hull Western Synagogue (1913-1920) and founded the Hull Zionist Association and Hull Young Zionist Society. In 1920 he was appointed minister at Dalston Synagogue, London. He obtained semicha in 1923 but died in office at Dalston the following year, aged 32. The very extensive tributes to Rabbi Gross in the Jewish press attest to his standing in the Orthodox community. (JC obituary 6 June 1924 and various tributes.)

Rev. B. Grossbaum

Rev. Grossbaum served as minister of the Southampton Hebrew Congregation (1872-1874). By July 1874 he was serving as teacher and assistant hazan at the Hull Hebrew Congregation where, in addition the ministerial duties he performed, he was master of the Hebrew schools. In 1877 Rev. Grossbaum was in Sheffield, Yorkshire, presumably at the Sheffield Hebrew Congregation. (JC reports.)

Rev. Moshe (Morris) Osias Grosskopf
(d. 1903)

Rev. Grosskopf served as minister at the Thornton-Cleveleys Synagogue, Lancanshire, from 1941 until about 1947. He later became an educational pioneer and organiser in Mancheste and was a founding governor of Hubert Jewish High School for Girls and Prestwich Jewish Day School. (JC obituary of 8 April 1983 and other reports; and JYB listings.)

Rabbi Grossnass

Rabbi Grossnass was a luminary of the Gateshead Kolel and served for a short period as the rabbi of the Newcastle Board of Shechita. In December 1949 he was appointed minister at the Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation and Beth Hamedrrash, Ravensworth Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. ("The Jewish Communities of North-East England" by Lewis Olsover (1980).)

Rabbi Ephraim Groundland
(1932 - 2009)

Glasgow-born Rev. (later Rabbi) Groundland (m. Chana Warner), was educated at Glasgow yeshiva and at Gateshead where he attended the boarding school and yeshiva. He served as minister at the Stockport Hebrew Congregation, then in Cheshire, (1953-c.1957) and as a reader at the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation (1957-c.1959). He was a minister at the Higher Prestwich Hebrew Congregation, Manchester (1959-1976) followed by Southport Hebrew Congregation, Merseyside (1976-1981). Rabbi Groundland retired to Israel, was active as an international speaker and fundraiser for the Pe'ilim and Yad Le'Achim charitable organisations, and is buried on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. ("Philanthropy, Consensus and Broiges...a history of the Southport Jewish Community" by John Cowell, p.597; JC report 20 February 2009; obituary in ESRA magazine (no. 151); and JYB listings.)

Rabbi Hillel Gruber
(b. c.1979)

Chicago-born Rabbi Gruber (m. Risa) spent much of his youth in Israel. He returned to the United States to study at various yeshivot before receiving semicha from a rabbinical college in New Jersey. He moved to the UK in July 2006 and served as minister to the Welwyn Garden City Synagogue, Hertfordshire, from 2007 to about 2014. Rabbi Gruber has been a consultant in the kosher food industry since 2014 and has studied at Rabbi Schneibalg's Kollel in Edgware. (Online research.)

Rabbi Abraham Gruner
(b.1919 - 28 January 1974)

Rabbi Gruner (m. Klara, d. 1999) was born in Germany and received his early education in Dusseldorf. He then joined the Breuer Yeshiva in Frankfurt-on-Main, but was forced, because of Nazi persecution, to flee Germany and complete his education at Gateshead Yeshiva, where he received semicha. He then continued his studies at the Gateshead Kolel. In about 1963, he followed Rabbi Chaim Feldman as director and rav of the Gateshead Jewish Boarding School (for Boys), serving until his premature death at the age of 54. He is buried in the Old Gateshead section of the Hazelrigg Jewish cemetery, North Tyneside (view image of gravestone). (The Jewish Communities of North-East England by Lewis Olsover, 1980, Book Two, Chapter Two; JYB listings)

Rabbi Asher Grunis
(1877 - 18 July 1937)

Rav A. Grunis (m. Hannah Bailah) was born in Kzarloshin, Poland (probably now the village of Czarnocin), the son of Rabbi Valvella. He received semicha from the rabbinical authorities in Kalisch and was rav in Wilezyn (today Wilczyn), near Konin, from the age of only 16, for 25 years. In about 1921 he was appointed the first rav in Cardiff whose responsibilities extended across the Orthodox congregations in the city. Rabbi Grunis served there until his death. His funeral in Cardiff passed the synagogues at Cathedral Road and Windsor Place, as well as the Beth Hamidrash where he had regularly given shiurim. According to his colleague, Rev. Jerovitch, Rabbi Grunis was grieved at how few questions of halacha were addressed to him by congregants, but while his oratorical skills were "not great", he conveyed great Talmudic learning with an interest in philosophy and history. His Talmudic commentary entitled P'ri Asher (The Fruit of Asher) was published posthumously. He was the father of Rev. Hirsch Grunis. (JYB listings and JC obituary 23 July 1937.)

Rev. Hirsch or Herman (Harry) Grunis
(c. 1906 - 9 February 1963)

Rev. Grunis (m. Nora), son of Rabbi Asher Grunis of Cardiff, was educated at Etz Chaim Yeshiva, London. He served as minister, shochet and teacher at Tonypandy Synagogue, South Wales (from 1929) and then as minister and reader of Bangor Hebrew Congregation, North Wales (c.1931-c.1933). He then took up a position as a shochet in London. and later became a businessman in south London, At the time of his death was a prominent member of Brixton Synagogue. (JYB listings and JC reports, including obituary 1 March 1963.)

Rev. Abraham Gudansky
(1873 - August 1945)

Born in Stocklitsky, Lithuania, educated in Vilna and Berlin, Rev. Gudansky (m. Jane) served the Dublin Hebrew Congregation's Adelaide Road synagogue from 1901 until 1939, first as its chazan and teacher and then, from about 1925, as senior minister. Rev. Gudansky was the founder and superintendent of Zion Schools, Dublin. He was elected Life Vice-President of the J.N.F. (Dublin Commission) in recognition of his work for Zionism. He was initially opposed to the elevation of Rabbi Isaac Herzog to the position of Chief Rabbi of the Irish Free State in 1922, and corresponded with Chief Rabbi Hertz in London on the issue. He served as Dean of Residence of the National University, Dublin, Chaplain to the British Forces (1914-1918), and visiting justice to the prisons. He retired in 1939, being granted the title emeritus minister to the Dublin Hebrew Congregation, and died in Dublin. (JC Obituary 17 August 1945.)

Rabbi Avrohom Gurwicz

Gateshead-born Rabbi Avrohom Gurwicz is the second son of Rabbi Leib Gurwicz, who served as rosh of the Gateshead Yeshiva. Rabbi Avrohom studied in Gateshead Yeshiva and under Rabbi Yosef Dov Solowiejczyk at Brisk Yeshiva in Jerusalem. In 1963, he joined the staff of the Gateshead Yeshiva and was appointed rosh yeshiva in 1982, on the death of his father, and has continued to serve in such post until the present (August 2024). His mother, Tzipi, was a daughter of HaRav Elyahu Lopian ("Reb Elya") and he married his first cousin, the daughter of HaRav Leib Lopian, a son of Reb Elya. (The Sunderland Beth Hamedresh 1889-1999 by Derek Taylor and Harold David, Chapter 6, A pause for Gateshead; and online research)

Rabbi Leib (Aryeh Ze'ev) Gurwicz
(4 March 1907 - 20 October 1982)

HaRav Leib Gurwicz, born Kushelevsky, was born in Moletai, Lithuania, a son of Rabbi Moshe Aharon Kushilevsky, Av Beit Din Maletai, and studied at various yeshivot in Lithuania and Poland (including Mir, Baranovitch and Brisk). He moved to England in 1932 to marry Liba, daughter of HaRav Elyahu Lopian ("Reb Elya"). He served at some stage as the rabbi of the Great Garden Street Synagogue in London's East End. During World War II, he evacuated to Letchworth, Hertfordshire, together with most of the Lopian family, although he would travel by train back to London each weekday morning and would often remain in London over the Shabbat. In 1948, he joined Gateshead Yeshiva, where he served as rosh yeshiva, for much of the time jointly with his brother-in-law, Rabbi Aryeh Leib Lopian. He died in Gateshead, while still serving as rosh reshiva, and was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Avrohom Gurwicz, and is buried in Jerusalem. He was the father-in-law of Rabbi Tzvi Kushelevsky of Jerusalem. (JYB listings; The Sunderland Beth Hamedresh 1889-1999 by Derek Taylor and Harold David, Chapter 6, A pause for Gateshead; Jewish Letchworth by Yanky Fachler; and online research)

Rabbi Ephraim Guttentag

Manchester-born Rabbi E. Guttentag (m. Malki) grew up in Gateshead and studied at yeshiva in Israel, where he received semicha. He was student chaplain for the Manchester region with the University Jewish Chaplaincy service. He was rabbi of the St. Annes Hebrew Congregation (2014-2018). In August 2018, he and Rebbetzen Malki were appointed community rabbi and rebbetzen at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue, London, serving until July 2021. From August 2021, Rabbi and Rebbetzen Guttentag will take up the position of senior rabbinic couple at Whitefield Hebrew Congregation, Manchester, where Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag (whose grandfather was the brother of Rabbi Ephraim Guttentag's great grandfather) was previously rabbi. (JC reports.)

Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag

Newcastle-born Rabbi J. Guttentag (m. Debbie) was educated at yeshivot in Gateshead and Jerusalem, and obtained BA at Jews' College, London. He served as the minister of Southport Hebrew Congregation (1984-1987) and Whitefield Hebrew Congregation, Manchester (c.1987 to September 2020) and was Chair of trustees of Whitefield Community Kollel since its foundation in 1991. He is the father of Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Guttentag and uncle of Rabbi Ephraim Guttentag. ("Philanthropy, Consensus and Broiges...a history of the Southport Jewish Community" by John Cowell, p.649, Charity Commission website; JC portrait 13 March 1987; JYB listings and personal communication.)

Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Guttentag

Rabbi Y. Guttentag is the son of Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag and a son-in-law of the Rosh Beis Din of the Federation of Synagogue, Dayan Yisroel Yaakov Lichtenstein. He studied at Gateshead Yeshiva and Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim and later learnt in kollel in Israel, where he received semicha. In July 2017, he joined the Federation’s kashrus department as Rabbinic Coordinator, with a focus on product certification in the United Kingdom and beyond. (Federation of Synagogues website.)