Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue

Wanstead, London E11

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Congregation Data
Name:	Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue (translation: "Shelter of Peace"),⁽ⁱ⁾ from 1996⁽ⁱⁱ⁾
Former Names:	Buckhurst Hill Reform Synagogue (from about 1985 to 1996⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾) Epping Forest & District Reform Synagogue (until about 1985^(iv))
Address:	1 Victory Road, Hermon Hill, Wanstead, London E11 1UL (from about 1995) This beautifully restored building was previously an old chapel building, built in 1861. It is at the site of the old Wanstead Hospital complex and, prior to that, it was the Merchant Seaman’s Orphan's Asylum. The building, together with the adjoining former hospital mortury and surrounding land, was purchased by the congregation in about 1995 and was subsequently renovated and restored.^(vi) The building is a Grade II* Listed Building (number 1200737), designated on 22 February 1979. View description on Historic England website.
Previous Address:	Bedford House, Buckhurst Hill, Essex (from 1981 to 1995^(vii))
Current Status:	Active
Date Founded:	Early 1981. This followed an initial meeting in November 1980 with a view to forming the congregation and a trail service held at the Bowls, Chigwell, Essex on 12 December 1980.^(viii)
Ritual:	Reform
Affiliation:	A constituent synagogue of the Movement for Reform Judaism (formerly the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain).
Website:	http://www.sukkatshalom.org.uk
Ministers^(ix): (To view a short profile of a minister who also served other UK congregations - name in blue - hold the cursor over his or her name.)	Rabbi Howard Cooper - the part-time rabbi of the congregation for some two years during in its early years.^(x) Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah - from 1989 until 1994^(xi) Rabbi Lee Wax - from about 1995 until about 1996^(xii) Rabbi David Hulbert - from about 1998 until about 2007^(xiii) Rabbi Larry Becker - 2008 until 2021^(xiv) Rabbi Tali Artman-Partock - 2021 until present (April 2023)^(xiv)
Membership Data:	Congregation's website 2000 - 160 families^(xv) 2006 - 209 families^(xv) 2015 - 400 adults, 30 associates and 100 children^(xvi) National Reports & Surveys^(xvii) 1983 - 36 male members and estimated 36 female members 1990 - 108 members (households) 1996 - 126 members (comprising 84 households, 21 individual male and 21 individual female members) 2010 & 2016 - listed as having 200 to 299 members (by household)
Charitable Status:	The congregation is a registered charity (no. 283615), registered on 8 January 1982, the governing document being the congregation's constitution adopted 22 July 1981, as subsequently amended.^(xviii)
Local Government District:	Wanstead, a suburb in northeast London, is in the London Borough of Redbridge, an Outer London Borough created on 1 April 1965, within the administrative area of Greater London. However, the congregation's previous address (until 1995), in Buckhurst Hill, was in the Epping Forest District of the County of Essex.
Registration District (BMD):	Redbridge^(xix) - Link to Register Office website
Cemetery Information:	Membership of the synagogue includes burial rights through the Jewish Joint Burial Society (JJBS) at one of its cemeteries, principally the Western Cemetery in Cheshunt. There is also the option (through the JJBS) of a Woodland Burial in Cheshunt or cremation at Golders Green Crematorium.
Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above) (i) This had previously been the congregation's Hebrew name. ↵ (ii) Congregation's website, first accessed 8 March 2015. ↵ (iii) This was the name under which the congregation was listed in Jewish Year Books from 1986 through 1995. ↵ (iv) This was the name under which the congregation was listed on its first two appearances in Jewish Year Books, 1984 and 1985. ↵ (v) Reserved. (vi) Congregation's website, accessed 6 December 2018. ↵ (vii) Congregation's website, accessed 6 December 2018, which relates that the congregation continued to hold services at this address for 15 years.. ↵ (viii) Congregation's website, first accessed 6 December 2018. ↵ (ix) The History of the congregation on its website states that over the years the congregation has been lucky to have had many rabbis working with it, both as students and rabbis. It then lists the following rabbis (apart from those listed here): Rabbi Alex Wright, Rabbi Michael Hilton, the late Rabbi Sheila Shulman and Rabbi Jonathon Black. ↵ (x) Taken from the History of the congregation on its website, although it is unclear as to which two year period this was. ↵ (xi) Rabbi Sarah's profile on Liberal Judaism's website, accessed 6 December 2018. ↵ (xii) Based upon Rabbi Wax's listing as minister of this congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1996. ↵ (xiii) Based on Rabbi Hulbert's listing as minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Books from 1999 through 2007. ↵ (xiv) Congregation's website, accessed 11 April 2023. ↵ (xv) Congregation's website, accessed 8 May 2015. ↵ (xvi) Congregation's website, accessed 6 December 2018. ↵ (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 Commissioners website (in beta trial stage) and open charities website, both accessed 6 December 2018. ↵ (xviii) The current registration district for the previous address of the congregation, in Buckhurst Hill, is Essex, since 1 February 2010, and prior to then it was Epping Forest from 1 April 1974. ↵

On-line Articles and Other Material
relating to this Congregation

Annual Reports filed with the Charities Commission (pdf):
- For years ended 30 June 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Bibliography - London Borough of Redbridge.

List of Reform Judaism Congregations

Jewish Congregations in the London Borough of Redbridge

Jewish Congregations in the County of Essex

Epping Forest Jewish Community

List of Member Synagogues of the Jewish Joint Burial Society

Jewish Congregations in Greater London (other than East End)

Greater London home page

Page created: 16 November 2006
Data significantly expanded and notes added: 6 December 2018
Latest revision or update: 11 April 2023

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