West Hackney Synagogue

Congregation Data

West Hackney Synagogue & Montague Road Beth Hamedrash⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

West Hackney Synagogue, from about 1957 until about 1996⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Rutzon Tov Synagogue, from about 1951 until about 1957^(iv)

Wellington Road Synagogue, from formation until about 1951^(v)

233 Amhurst Road, West Hackney, London E8 2BS, in use from about 1951,^(vi) although building on the site took place in stages^(vii) and the consecration of the new synagogue by Dayan Morris Swift did not take place until 2 June 1957.^(viii)

23a Wellington Road (which changed its name to Shacklewell Road^(ix)), Stoke Newington, London N16

The synagogue had been largely destroyed by enemy action during World War II and congregation was generally forced to use temporary accommadation for some years until it was able to move into its new premises in Amhurst Road.^(x)

The congregation is believed to have been founded by 1897. However, there are other references to it being established in 1903.^(xi)

Closed about 2004^(xii)

Ashkenazi, Strictly Orthodox

An affiliated synagogue of the Federation of Synagogues.^(xiii)

Rev. Jacob Barnet Levy - minister from 1901 to about 1924^(xv)

Rev. David Wallach - minister from 1924 to about 1931^(xvi)

Rabbi M. Smith - minister from 1936 to 1948^(xvii)

Rabbi Abraham Israel Kon - honorary minister from 1951 to 1954, minister from 1954 to about 1960^(xviii)

Rev. Louis Jakob - honorary minister from about 1960 to about 1961^(xix)

Rabbi Monty Aaronberg - minister from about 1961 to 1962^(xxii)

Rev. Dr. Julian Geoffrey Jacobs - minister from about 1972 to about 1976^(xxiii)

Rabbi Akiva Greenberg - minister from about 1976 to about 1994^(xxiv)

Rev. J. Davidson - reader from about 1935 to 1971 (although possibly not continuous)^(xxv)

The data below has been extracted from Jewish Year Books. Generally, where a first name is given, this has been obtained from other sources.^(xxix)

Presidents

1897-1898 - S. H. Spiers

1902-1903 - M. Freedman

1903-1905 - H. Zender

1906-1908 - H. Klemantaski

1908-1910 - F. Charatan

1910-1912 - I. Solomons

1912-1922 - E. Sacks

1922-1940 - S. H. Spiers

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1956 - A. Petrook

1956-1957 - P. Wein

Wardens

1928-1934 - E. Weinstock

1928-1929 - B. H. Levy

1929-1934 - D. Rurka

1934-1936 - P. Wein

1934-1936 - S. Zeitman

1945-1946 - Mr. Mowshofwitz

1953-1956 - P. Wein

1953-1955 - S. Nyman

1955-1956 - S. Gordon

Deputy Wardens

1953-1955 - S. Gordon

1953-1956 - A. Sobell

1955-1956 - I. Katz

Chairmen

1954-1956 - A. Ash

1976-1994 - C. Pollock

Vice Presidents

1928-1929 - D. Rurka

1929-1934 - M. Simmons

1934-1935 - I. I. Phillips

1935-1955 - B. Davis
(from 1955 Life Vice President)

Treasurers

1928-1937 - A. Petrook

1937-1938 - J. Goldberg

1938-1945 - no data

1945-1952 - M. Eglash

1952-1955 - R. Pressman

1955-1956 - S. Cohen

Hon. Secretaries

1928-1934 - I. Cohen

1934-1935 - A. Caplin

1935-1940 - S. Brenner

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1948 - Rabbi M. Smith

1948-1949 - K. L. Cohen

1949-1951 - M. Jacobovitch

1951-1975 - M. Jacobs

1975-1977 - A. Marcovitch

The north London districts of Stoke Newington and West Hackney are in the London Borough of Hackney, an Inner London Borough created on 1 April 1965, within the administrative area of Greater London.

Shackleton Road (formerly Wellington Road), which is in eastern part of Stoke Newington, and Amhurst Road were previously in the former Metropolitan Borough of Hackney (established 1900) in the former County of London (established 1889), both of which entities were abolished in 1965. (The western part of Stoke Newington - Stoke Newington proper - was in the former Metropolitan Borough of Stoke Newington.)

Hackney - Link to Register Office website

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

• (i) Reserved.

• (ii) The congregation was only listed under this name in Jewish Year Books from 1997 until its closure, although the Montague Road Beth Hamedrash had merged with the congregation in 1981 and it is therefore probable that this name had actually been in use for a number of years before its listing by the Jewish Year Book. ↵

• (iii) The congregation was listed under this name in Jewish Year Books from 1958 through 1996. ↵

• (iv) The congregation was listed under this name in Jewish Year Books from 1952 through 1957, such name being adopted by the congregation on its relocation to Amhurst Road in West Hackney. ↵

• (v) The congregation was listed in Jewish Year Books under the Wellington Road name, from its first appearance until 1951, notwithstanding that the name of the street had been changed some years earlier. ↵

• (vi) This was the address listed in Jewish Year Books from 1952 (although until 1999, the number was given as 233A). ↵

• (vii) The Jewish Chronicle report of 20 August 1954. ↵

• (viii) The Jewish Chronicle report of 18 June 1982. ↵

• (ix) The change in the street name appears to have taken place during or shortly before World War II. The Jewish Year Books 1945/6 (which followed the break in publication during the war) through 1949 incorrectly gave the new name of the street as Shacklewell Lane, instead of Shacklewell Road. Until the 1928 edition no street number was given for this congregation in the year books. ↵

• (x) The Jewish Chronicle report of 20 August 1954. The listing of the congregation in the Jewish Year Books of 1949 and 1950 was without an address. ↵

• (xi) A congregation in Wellington Road was listed in the Jewish Year Book 1897/98. However, it was not listed the following year and it was not until the 1902/03  edition that the congregation in Wellington Road re-appeared. The Jewish Year Book 1950 states that the congregation was founded in 1903. ↵

• (xii) Based upon its last listing in Jewish Year Book 2004. ↵

• (xiii) The congregation was at all times listed in Jewish Year Books under the Federation, including its appearance in the 1897/98 edition (except for 1928, when the congregation was not listed at all). Until the Jewish Year Book 1948, all Federation synagogues were shown in a single list (which were, in 1945/6 and 1947, possibly erroneously, referred to as constituent synagogues. Thereafter, the listing separates constituent synagogues from affiliated synagogues and the congregation had always appeared in the latter list. ↵

• (xiv) Reserved.

• (xvi) Jewish Chronicle of 5 December 1924 reported on his retirement. In most instances, the Jewish Year Book did not list ministers and officers (other than president) of Federation synagogues prior to about 1929. ↵

• (xvi) Jewish Chronicle of 5 December 1924 reported on his induction as minister and reader. Rev. Wallach is listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1929 through 1931. ↵

• (xvii) The Jewish Chronicle reports of 10 July 1936 and 23 July 1948, which were consistent with Jewish Year Book listings. ↵

• (xviii) The Jewish Chronicle Report of 20 August 1954 and Rabbi Kon's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1955 through 1957. ↵

• (xix) Based upon Rev. Jakob's listing as honorary minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1961. ↵

• (xx) and (xxi) Reserved.

• (xxii) The Jewish Chronicle report of 2 March 1962 and Rabbi Aaronberg's listing as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1962. ↵

• (xxiii) Based upon Rev. (later Rabbi) Dr. Jacobs's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1973 through 1976. ↵

• (xxiv) Based upon Rabbi Greenberg's listing as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1977 through 1994. ↵

• (xxv) Rev. Davidson was listed as reader for the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1936 and 1937 and again from 1945/46 through 1972, and it is uncertain (though probable) that he also served the congregation during the intervening years (late 1930s and early 1940s). The Jewish Chronicle of 30 July 1971, which reported on his appointment as emeritus minister of the congregation, mentioned the 40 years' service that he had given the synagogue. ↵

• (xxvi) and (xxix) Reserved.

• (xxix) Where a person is first listed in a year book as holding a particular office, it has been assumed that his term of office commenced in the year of publication of the relevant year book and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was vacant. Year books were generally published towards the end of the year prior to the year appearing the title of the year book. For example, if an officer is listed in Jewish Year Books 1935 through 1938, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1934 and continued in office until 1938. However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and, accordingly, his actual years of office may differ somewhat from those shown here. The Jewish Year Books were not published during World War II and ceased providing details of lay officers (other than secretaries) after 1956. ↵

• (xxx) 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. ↵