The Westminster Synagogue is a non-affiliated Jewish Reform synagogue and congregation near

Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...

, London. It is located in Kent House, a restored Victorian

town house A townhouse, townhome, town house, or town home, is a type of terraced housing. A modern townhouse is often one with a small footprint on multiple floors. In a different British usage, the term originally referred to any type of city residence ...

Knightsbridge Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End of London, West End. ...

. The building, which dates from the late 1800s, also houses the Czech Memorial Scrolls Centre.

History

The congregation was founded in 1957 by Rabbi Harold Reinhart, who resigned from his position as Senior Minister of the

West London Synagogue The West London Synagogue of British Jews, abbreviated WLS ( he, ק"ק שער ציון, ''Kahal Kadosh Sha'ar Tziyon'', "Holy Congregation Gate of Zion"), is a synagogue and congregation, affiliated to Reform Judaism, near Marble Arch in centr ...

and, accompanied by 80 former members of that synagogue, established the New London Jewish Congregation. Shortly afterwards it was renamed Westminster Synagogue. The congregation's earliest services were held at Caxton Hall,

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...

, from whose location the Synagogue derives its name. In 1960 the congregation acquired Kent House opposite Hyde Park in Knightsbridge. Kent House was built in 1872–4 for

Louisa Baring, Lady Ashburton Louisa Caroline Baring, Lady Ashburton (; 5 March 1827 – 2 February 1903), was a Scottish art collector and philanthropist who had close connections with several artistic and literary figures of the period. Early life Louisa Caroline Stewart ...

. In 1909, Sir Saxton Noble acquired the house: in 1959, his son sold the building, before it was acquired by the synagogue congregation. The building provided room for a synagogue, accommodation for congregational activities and a flat for the

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

. Westminster Synagogue has, in religious terms, remained largely in tune with the Reform movement in Britain. Although not affiliated to the

Movement for Reform Judaism Reform Judaism (formally the Movement for Reform Judaism and known as Reform Synagogues of Great Britain until 2005) is one of the two World Union for Progressive Judaism–affiliated denominations in the United Kingdom. Reform is relatively ...

, Westminster Synagogue is served by the Movement's Bet Din and has links with the West London Synagogue's burial facilities. The congregation does not have a system of seat rentals and aims to give equality to all members. Women play a full part in congregational life. Rabbi Reinhart died in 1969 and was succeeded by Rabbi Chaim Stern. Rabbi Stern's tenure was brief and he was succeeded by

Rabbi Albert Friedlander Albert Hoschander Friedlander OBE (10 May 1927 – 8 July 2004) was a rabbi and teacher. Early life and education Albert Friedlander was born on 10 May 1927 in Berlin, the son of a textile broker, Alex Friedlander (d. 1956) and Sali Friedlan ...

in 1971. Rabbi Friedlander, who retired in 1997, combined his ministry for some years with his post as Director of Rabbinical Studies at the

Leo Baeck College Leo Baeck College is a privately funded rabbinical seminary and centre for the training of teachers in Jewish education. Based now at the Sternberg Centre, East End Road, Finchley, in the London Borough of Barnet, it was founded by Werner van ...

. Rabbi Thomas Salamon succeeded Rabbi Friedlander in 1997. He had previously served as Associate Rabbi at West London Synagogue (1972–1975). In 2014, Rabbi Salamon was awarded a doctorate from the

University of Budapest A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

in 2014. Rabbi Salamon was succeeded, in 2017, by Rabbi Benji Stanley.

Memorial Scrolls Trust

Westminster Synagogue has been closely involved with the Memorial Scrolls Trust, which holds and cares for a collection of scrolls collected from Jewish communities in

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...

and

Moravia Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The me ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

by the Jewish Museum of Prague. This collection was acquired by Westminster Synagogue in 1964. A small museum in Kent House displays the work of the Trust and tells the history of the scrolls. It is open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 am to 4 pm (excluding Jewish & public holidays). For further information about the Trust, a comprehensive website is available.

References

External links

Westminster Synagogue
{{Authority control Synagogues in London 1957 establishments in England Buildings and structures in the City of Westminster Jewish organizations established in 1957 Reform synagogues in the United Kingdom Religion in the City of Westminster

History

Memorial Scrolls Trust

See also

References

External links