North Western Reform Synagogue
| North Western Reform Synagogue | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership |
|
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Alyth Gardens, Temple Fortune, Golders Green, Borough of Barnet, London, England NW11 7EN |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Location of the synagogue in Greater London | |
| Coordinates | 51°34′46″N 0°11′47″W / 51.5794°N 0.1964°W |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Fritz Landauer |
| Established | 1933 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1936 |
| Website | |
| alyth | |
The North Western Reform Synagogue, commonly known as Alyth,[a] is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at Temple Fortune, Golders Green, in the Borough of Barnet, north-west London, England, in the United Kingdom.
Overview
The congregation was founded in 1933. Its building, designed by the architect Fritz Landauer,[2] was built in Alyth Gardens in 1936, on land carved out from the West London Synagogue’s cemetery in Hoop Lane.[3] In 1942, the congregation became a founding member of Associated British Synagogue, now known as the Movement for Reform Judaism.[4] With approximately 2,500 adult and 1,000 child members, the congregation is one of the largest Reform synagogues in the United Kingdom.
In 2021, its members approved a £6 million upgrade to the synagogue building,[5] which is scheduled to be completed in 2024.
Clergy
The following individuals have served as rabbi of the congregation:[3]
| No. | Rabbi | Term start | Term end | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solomon Starrels | 1933 | 1938 | |
| 2 | Maurice Perlzweig | 1938 | 1942 | Also chair of the World Union of Jewish Students in 1933 and had helped to create the World Jewish Congress |
| − | Vivian Simmons | 1942 | 1943 | Acting, on secondment from West London Synagogue |
| 3 | Dr Werner van der Zyl | 1943 | 1958 | Also founder and president of Leo Baeck College[3] |
| 4 | Philip Cohen | 1958 | 1972 | |
| 5 | Dow Marmur | 1972 | 1983 | |
| 6 | Charles Emanuel | 1983 | 2003 | |
| 7 | Laura Janner-Klausner | 2003 | 2011 | Became Senior Rabbi at the Movement for Reform Judaism in 2011[6] |
| 8 | Mark Goldsmith | 2006 | 2019 | Became Senior Rabbi at Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue in 2019 |
| 9 | Josh Levy | 2008 | 2023 | Emeritus; became Chief Executive of the Movement for Reform Judaism in 2023 |
| 10 | Colin Eimer | 2015 | incumbent | |
| 11 | Hannah Kingston | 2017 | incumbent | |
| 12 | Elliott Karstadt | 2020 | incumbent | |
| 13 | Golan Ben-Chorin | 2024 | 2024 | Interim |
| 14 | Nicola Feuchtwang | 2024 | incumbent |
Notable members
- Leo Baeck, a German rabbi, scholar and theologian who served as president of the congregation from 1947 to 1956
- Norman Bentwich, a barrister and legal academic, who served as president of the congregation from 1958 to 1971
- Richard Hermer, Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland since July 2024[7]
- Gabriel Pogrund, Sunday Times journalist notable for reporting on the UK Covid-19 response and Labour Party politics
See also
- History of the Jews in England
- List of Jewish communities in the United Kingdom
- List of synagogues in the United Kingdom
Notes
References
- ^ "About: Find us". Alyth website.
- ^ Herselle Krinsky, Carol (1996). Synagogues of Europe – Architecture, History, Meaning. Appendix I, p. 430.
- ^ a b c "Our history". Alyth website. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
- ^ "North Western Reform Synagogue". Jewish Communities and Records – UK. JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ Toberman, Barry (3 March 2021). "Members approve £6 million upgrade for Golders Green shul". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
- ^ Rocker, Simon (21 July 2011). "Meet the media-savvy voice of Reform Judaism". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
- ^ Harpin, Lee (6 July 2024). "Starmer appoints lawyer who opposed Gove's anti-BDS bill as Attorney General". Jewish News. Retrieved 7 July 2024.