Hadley Wood Jewish Community

Name:

Hadley Wood Jewish Community

(sometimes referred to simply as Hadley Wood United Synagogue)

8 Lancaster Avenue, Hadley Wood, EN4 0EX.

The site (then a residential house) was acquired, after a few aborted attempts to acquire other sites, in 2002 and the synagogue was ready for use in 2003,⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ being refurbished and enlarged in 2009.^(iv) In 2018, an extension to the synagogue premises was completed following several years of protracted discussions with the local council.^(v)

Date Formed:

The congregation commenced life as an offshoot of Cockfosters and N Southgate Synagogue, in the late 1980s, when Jewish inhabitants of the Hadley Wood area (the majority of whom were members of the Cockfosters congregation) joined together socially and to hold services. The first Friday evening services, led by Rabbi Fine, the minister of the Cockfosters congregation, were held on 2 June 1989 at the home of Tony Brooks.^(vii) The first Shabbat morning services were held on 4 November 1995 at the home of Stephen Pack,^(viii) later followed by the 1996 High Holy Day services, held at Hadley Wood Primary School, Courtleigh Avenue.^(ix) 

In March 2006, a special Hachnasat Sefer Torah ceremony was held at synagogue attended by the Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, who was visiting the congregation for the first time.^(x) The congregation continued to be a satellite congregation of the Cockfosters and N Southgate Synagogue until it become an independent congregation in 2012.^(xi)

Current Status:

Active

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

A member (constituent) synagogue of the United Synagogue from becoming an independent congregation on 10 December 2012.^(xii)

Website:

http://www.hwjc.org.uk

Ministers:
(To view a short profile of a minister or cantor - hold the cursor over his name.)

Rabbi Yisroel Fine - minister of Cockfosters and N Southgate Synagogue until December 2013, who assisted the congregation as a satellite congregation.^(xvi)

Rabbi Hillel Simon & Rebbetzen Yael Simon - part-time rabbinic couple from about 2002 until no later than 2007.^(xvii)

Rabbi Zvi Wanderer & Rebbetzen Eve Wanderer - rabbinic couple from April 2006 until November 2009.^(xviii)

Rabbi Yoni Birnbaun & Rebbetzen Elisheva Birnbaum - rabbinic couple from April 2010 to July 2020.^(xix)

Rabbi Akiva Rosenblatt & Rebbetzen Batya Rosenblatt - rabbinic couple from August 2020 to 2026.^(xx)

Membership Data:

Miscellaneous Sources

2009 - 80 families^(xxvi)

2012 - 90 families^(xxvii)

2013 - 104 families^(xxviii)

National Reports & Surveys^(xxix)

2016 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)

Charitable Status:

Local Government Districts:

The North London suburb of Hadley Wood is the northwestern corner of the London Borough of Enfield (close to the borders with the London Borough of Barnet and the County of Hertfordshire),^(xxx) and was, until 1965, in the municipal borough of Enfield in the former county of Middlesex.

Registration District (BMD):

Enfield from 1 April 1965^(xxxi) - Link to Register Office website

Cemetery
Information:

For United Synagogue cemeteries, see Cemeteries of the United Synagogue.