Golders Green Beth Hamedrash Congregation

Congregation Data

Golders Green Beth Hamedrash (or Golders Green Beth Hamedrash Congregation)

often referred to as Munk's Synagogue or GGBH

Golders Green Beth Hamedrash and Lincoln Institute until 1959⁽ⁱ⁾
(Not to be confused with the Lincoln Institute Synagogue, now the Ohel David Eastern Synagogue)

The Riding, Golders Green Road, Golders Green, London NW11 8HL.

Lincoln Institute, Broadwalk Lane, Golders Green Road, London NW11 (from 1935 until 1959)⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
Sabbath morning services in the Library at King Alfred's School (until 1935)

Founded in 1934 by Rabbi Munk (see below). The congregation initial membership consissted of strictly orthodox German Jewish refugees, and followed the theological approach of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsh.⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Active

Ashkenazi, Strictly Orthodox

The congregation is an independent congregation, affiliated to Adath Yisrael Burial Society of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (UOHC). It is idealogically close to the UOHC and may have been affiliated to the organisation during the 1930s.^(iv)

http://ggbh.info/

Rabbi Dr. Eliahu Munk - Rav from 1934 until 1968^(vi)

Rabbi Chaim I. Feldman - Rav from 1968 until about 2007, and previously assistant rabbi from 1963^(vii)

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Greenberg - Rav from about 2007 until present (December 2022)^(viii)

Rev. Alexander Carlebach - from 1938 to 1947^(ix)

Rev. H. Moscovits - from about 1948 until about 1973^(x)

Rev. Ahrn Mair Lev - from about 1973 until about 1995^(xi)

Rev. Nathan Gluck - from 1995 until at least 2018^(xii)

Presidents: A. Lehman (about 1935-37); Hermann Schwab (about 1938-40); M. Zimmer (about 1945-55)

Hon. Presidents: R. Lincoln (about 1935-37); Hermann Schwab (about 1945-56)

Vice Presidents: W. Hacker (about 1938-39); M. Kahn (about 1949-52), J. Kut (about 1952-56)

Hon. Vice Presidents: R. Lincoln and A. Lehman (both about 1937-39)

Hon. Secretary: Hermann Schwab (about 1935-37)

Secretary: A. Carlebach (about 1937-47)^(xiv); H. Lipman (about 1951-66)

Assistant Secretary: E. Brager (about 1952-59)

Treasurers: J. Feuchwanger (about 1938-39); J. J. Shapiro (about 1939-40); E. Silbermann (about 1945-49); A. Felsenstein (1949-55); F. Steiner (1955-56)

Golders Green, a residential suburb in Northwest London with a substantial Jewish minority, is in the London Borough of Barnet^(xix) and was (until 1965) in the former Municipal Borough of Hendon (incorporated as a borough in 1932).

Barnet^(xx) - Link to Register Office website

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

• (i) The change of name took place when the congregation moved from Broadwalk Lane. The Jewish Year Book 1960 contains first listing with new name. The Lincoln Institute took its name from its benefactor, Reuben Lincoln, formerly Rev. Reuben A. Tribich. ↵

• (ii) YouTube video of inauguration of new synagogue in The Ridings on 20 September 1969. ↵

• (iii) Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History (2011) by W. Rubinstein and M.A. Jolles, p.704. Also, per the congregation's website, GGBH celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2009. ↵

• (iv) Although GGBH was generally listed in Jewish Year Books as an independent congregation, it was, from time to time listed under UOHC, particularrly in the 1930s following its founding, and post-2010, when the list included congregation .affiliated solely to the burial society. ↵

• (v) Reserved.

• (vi) Based upon Rabbi Munk's listing as Rabbi of GGBH in Jewish Year Books until 1969. ↵

• (vii) Based upon Rabbi Feldman's listing as Rabbi of GGBH in Jewish Year Books from 1970 through 2007 and Hamodia obituary dated 27 February 2020. ↵

• (viii) Based upon Rabbi Greenberg's listing as Rabbi of GGBH in Jewish Year Books from 2008 and his continuing to serve the congregation as per its webside, last accessed January 2021. Rabbi Greenberg studied 14 years at Gateshead Kollel. ↵

• (ix) Based upon research by Steven Jaffe of Belfast. Rev. (later Rabbi) Carlebach was only listing as Assistant Minister of GGBH in Jewish Year Books 1945/6 and 1947. ↵

• (x) Based upon Rev. Moscovitz's listing as Reader of GGBH in Jewish Year Books 1949 and from 1951 through 1973. ↵

• (xi) Based upon Rev. Lev's listing as Reader of GGBH in Jewish Year Books from 1974 through 1996. ↵

• (xii) Based upon Rev. Gluck's listing as Reader of GGBH in Jewish Year Books from 1997 through 2011. Thereafter, although the Jewish Year Books ceased listing readers (chazans) of the congregation, based upon advice of a member of the congregation on 30 May 2018 and the congregation's website, last accessed December 2022, Rev Gluck was still in office. ↵

• (xiii) All the data as listed here has been extracted from Jewish Year Books. Where a person is first listed in a year book as holding a particular, it has been assumed that his term of office commenced in the year of publication of the relevent year book (which was generally towards the end of the year prior to year appearing the the title of the year book) and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was vacant (e.g. if he is listed in Jewish Year Books 1951 through 1954, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1950 and continued in office until 1954). However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and accordingly his actual years of office may differ slightly from those shown here. Jewish Year Books were not published during WWII subsequent to 1940 and there were no listings of officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. ↵

• (xiv) As A. Carlebach was listed as secretary of the congregation in the Jewish Year Books both immediately prior, and immediately following, WWII, it is presumed that he continued to serve as secretary during the war years. In the Jewish Year Books 1945/6 and 1947, A. Carlebach has the title "Rev." and is also described as assistant minister. ↵

• (xv) and (xvi) Reserved.

• (xvii) Reports on synagogue membership in the United Kingdom, published by or on behalf of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and which can be viewed on the website of the Institute of Jewish Policy Research. Click HERE for links to the various reports. ↵

• (xviii) Charities Commission's website (in beta trial stage), accessed 29 May 2018. ↵

• (xix) The London Borough of Barnet, an Outer London Borough within the Greater London administrative area, was created on 1 April 1965 upon the merger of the the Municipal Boroughs of Hendon and Finchley and Urban District of Friern Barnet (all of which had been in the former county of Middlesex) with the Urban Districts of Barnet and East Barnet (both of which had been part of the county of Hertfordshire). ↵

• (xx) The former Registration District was Hendon, from the formation of the congregation until 1 April 1999. All registers would now be held by current register office. ↵