The Sandys Row Synagogue

Latest Name:

Sandys Row Synagogue (sometimes spelled Sandy's Row Synagogue)

Former Name

Sandys Row Associate Synagogue
Parliament Square Congregation (also known as the Dutch Congregation), which developed from
Hebrath Menahem Abelim Hesed Ve'Emeth (Society of Kindness and Truth).

Address and Location:

Sandys Row (or Sandy's Row), corner Middlesex Street, Bishopsgate, London E1 7HW. ⁽ⁱ⁾

This was a converted French Chapel, built 1766, acquired in 1867. The entrance was originally from the alley at the current back of the building, accessed from Artillery Passage which runs along the southern side of the building, and was moved to the Sandys Row side of the building in 1870, at the time of the consecration of the synagogue. The consecration ceremony was performed by the Haham (the head rabbi of the London's Spanish & Portuguese Jews Congregation), as the Chief Rabbi was unwilling to do so (as he was opposed to the establishment of small independent congregation close to the large established City synagogues).

The synagogue is a Grade II Listed Building (number 1260323) designated on 21 July 1987. View description on Historic England website.

Former Address:

The congregation initially met in a room in White's Row, Spitalfields,⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ holding festival services in Zetland Hall, Mansell Street.

Date Formed:

Founded by about 50 Dutch Jews in 1853 as a hebra, which was the first of its kind (although many more were to be founded in the East End during the latter part of the nineteenth century).  A hebra was initially more in the nature of a friendly and benefit society with a small synagogue attached.
The founding members agreed to provide the following:
(i) a benefit of ten shillings during Shiva (the seven day confined mourning period);
(ii) a minyan (the requisite prayer quorum of ten adult Jewish men) during the Shiva; and
(iii) payment for a Rabbi to speak speak at the morning and evening shiva prayers and during the Sabbath through the 30 day mourning period (the Shloshim).
Subsequently, the members decided to utilize the services of the Rabbi to give discourses (derashot) on Sabbath afternoons and, for this purpose the members initially met in the small room in White's Row.

Current Status:

Active

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

Currently unaffiliated, except for an affiliation to the West End Great Synagogue for burial rights.

One of the 16 congregations that attended the meeting on 16 October 1887 to form the Federation of Synagogues⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾, and was the largest of the original 21 or 22 federated synagogues when the Federation was formed on 6 November 1887.^(iv) It left the Federation in 1899.
It was then associated with the United Synagogue for burial rights, and formally became an Associate Synagogue of United Synagogues in 1922, but seceded in 1949.

Website:

https://sandysrowsynagogue.org/

Selected Early Ministers:

Rev. I. Van Praag - c. 1874^(v)

Selected Early Presidents:

Jacob Fontyn - from at least 1896 until at least c.1905 ^(vi)

Membership Data:

1896  -   318 members (Jewish Year Book 1896-97)

1898  -   338 members (Jewish Year Book 1898-99)

1905  -   340 members (Jewish Year Book 1906

1915  -   300 members (Jewish Year Book 1916)

Local Government Districts:

The synagogue is on the eastern side of Sandys Row, which is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (as is White's Row). (The boundary of "the City" of London runs down the centre of the road and accordingly the western side of Sandys Row is in the City of London.)

From 1899/1900 until 1 April 1965, the eastern side of Sandys Row and White's Row were in the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney.^(vii)

From 1856 to 1900, the eastern side of Sandys Row and White's Row were both constituents of the Whitechapel District in the now defunct County of Middlesex.^(viii)

Cemetery
Information:

• Cemeteries of the United Synagogue.

• Cemeteries of the Federation of Synagogues.

• Cemeteries of the West End Great Synagogue