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Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue
Religion
Affiliation	Reform Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue
Leadership	Rabbi Mark Goldsmith Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich Rabbi Roberta Harris-Eckstein Rabbi Daniel Smith (Emeritus)
Status	Active
Location
Location	118 Stonegrove, Edgware, Borough of Barnet, London, England HA8 8AB
Country	United Kingdom
Location of the synagogue in Greater London
Geographic coordinates	51°37′08″N 0°17′19″W / 51.6189°N 0.2887°W / 51.6189; -0.2887
Architecture
Date established	2017 (merged congregation) 1934 (Edgware) 1949 (Hendon)
Completed	1950s
Website
ehrs.uk

Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 118 Stonegrove, Edgware, in the Borough of Barnet, London, England, in the United Kingdom. The congregation is a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism and was formed in 2017 as a result of the merger between the Edgware and District Reform Synagogue and the Hendon Reform Synagogue communities. The merged community is located on the site of the former Edgware and District Reform Synagogue, and it is the largest synagogue in Europe; with a membership base of 2,500 families.

The senior rabbi, since 2019, is Rabbi Mark Goldsmith.

History

Edgware and District Reform Synagogue

Edgware and District Reform Synagogue originated in 1934 as "Edgware and District Progressive Jewish Fellowship" and in February 1935 became “Edgware and District Reform Synagogue”.

In late 1934, a temporary committee was formed to discuss the establishment of a new Reform congregation in London, and the next three months saw a furious rate of activity. Committee meetings were held every few days, a variety of problems being addressed. At an early stage it was agreed that the new body would be called “Edgware and District Progressive Jewish Fellowship”. At that time the only Reform congregations in London were the West London Synagogue in Upper Berkeley Street and the North Western Reform Synagogue in Golders Green. The West London Synagogue and its minister, Rabbi Harold Reinhart, had been very helpful in advising the Edgware committee about setting up an independent synagogue, and in December 1934 Rabbi Reinhart had addressed a public meeting in Edgware on “The Problems of Judaism Today”. In January 1935 the West London Synagogue offered practical help by way of taking the Edgware children into its religion classes, without charge, provided that the children could be delivered and collected. Matters approached a climax during the first week of February 1935. Discussions had been held with officials at West London Synagogue on the practices of Reform, and the new body in Edgware decided to become a part of the Reform movement.

On 12 February 1935 it was formally decided to form a synagogue to be called “Edgware and District Reform Synagogue”.

Hendon Reform Synagogue

Hendon Reform Synagogue was founded in 1949 and its first building, in 1955, was at 1 Danescroft Avenue, Hendon. 1 Danescroft Avenue

The congregation of Hendon Reform Synagogue began to meet in 1949, though meetings were held in the homes of the founder members until the first synagogue, now the Kingsley Fisher Hall , was built several years later. Services were held in the Methodist Meeting Hall in the Burroughs and as the congregation grew, in other local halls whilst they dreamt of having their own building. In 1950 a disused tennis club became available and was purchased for the sum of £2,600 with funds raised from donations and social events, and at last HRS had a plot on which to place a building. Work was completed in 1955 and a consecration service for the new synagogue building was held on 6 March by the late Rabbi Dr Arthur Katz who had been Minister from the "dream's" beginning.

The congregation soon outgrew the original building and so after a further programme for fundraising, construction of the annexe which became the synagogue began in 1965. Two inspiring walls of stained glass windows were commissioned and then offered to congregants to donate in memory of their late loved ones. These magnificent windows depicting both Judaica and biblical scenes together with the marble walls surrounding the handmade ark provides the warm and serene backdrop of the synagogue. A consecration service, attended by 500 people, took place on 14 January 1968.

Up until its merger, the congregation's senior rabbi was Steven Katz, who succeeded his father, Arthur Katz. The synagogue building was closed after its 2017 merger.

The merger

In 2016, after a series of meetings in both HRS and EDRS, members overwhelmingly voted to merge. Over the previous year, both communities had drawn closer, including the incorporation of HRS's cheder into EDRS's and holding joint Purim and Shavuot services. A new entity, Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue, was formed on EDRS's former ground, and the inaugural service on Saturday (Shabbat) 15 July 2017 was attended by a huge congregation and also by civic leaders of the local community. The new community is named Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue in English and LeDor Vador in Hebrew (the latter also being the name of its monthly magazine). The merger brought changes to the community, as aspects of the former Hendon and Edgware communities were incorporated.

Notable members

• Sam Little, a professional golfer

See also

• History of the Jews in England
• List of Jewish communities in the United Kingdom
• List of synagogues in the United Kingdom

References

1. ^ Tessler, Gloria (20 July 2017). "My synagogue is closing, and there's so much to miss". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
2. "Edgware and Hendon Reform appoints new senior rabbi". The Jewish Chronicle. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
3. ^ "Edgware and District Reform Synagogue". JCR-UK. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
4. "Our history and merger". Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
5. "JCR-UK: Former Hendon Reform Synagogue, Danescroft Avenue, Hendon, London NW4, England".
6. "History of HRS". Hendon Reform Synagogue. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
7. ^ "Hendon Reform Synagogue". Synagogue Directory. Movement for Reform Judaism. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
8. ^ "Edgware and District Reform Synagogue". Archived from the original on 25 October 2000.
9. "Rabbi Steven Katz". Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue. Retrieved 22 July 2017.

External links

• Official website

v t e   Reform Judaism in the United Kingdom
Rabbis	Living Tony Bayfield Miriam Berger Barbara Borts Helen Freeman Laura Janner-Klausner Deborah Kahn-Harris Nicholas de Lange Josh Levy Jonathan Magonet Nancy Morris Julia Neuberger Jonathan Romain Sylvia Rothschild Sybil Sheridan Jackie Tabick Mark Winer Historical Leo Baeck Charles Berg Lionel Blue Curtis Cassell Albert Friedlander Hugo Gryn Arthur Löwenstamm Philip Magnus Ignaz Maybaum Harold Reinhart Sheila Shulman Werner van der Zyl
Lay leaders	Sir Sigmund Sternberg
Communities and synagogues in the Movement for Reform Judaism	London Bromley Edgware Finchley Hendon Hatch End (Kol Chai) Harrow (Mosaic) Ilford Redbridge (Sukkat Shalom) Temple Fortune (North Western/Alyth) West Hampstead (Shir Hayim) Whetstone (Sha'arei Tsedek: North London) Wimbledon Manchester Manchester Reform Whitefield (Sha'arei Shalom) Sharston (Menorah) Elsewhere Blackpool Bournemouth Bradford Brentwood (Tikvah Chadasha) Brighton and Hove Cambridge Cardiff Cornwall Coventry Darlington Glasgow Harlow Hull Isle of Wight Leeds Liverpool Maidenhead Milton Keynes Newcastle Radlett Ramsgate Sheffield South Hampshire Southend Southport Totnes Weybridge
Independent communities and synagogues	West London Westminster
Organisations	Leo Baeck College Sternberg Centre

v t e   Synagogues in the United Kingdom
England   London Barnet Belsize Square Bevis Marks Bromley Reform Central (East London) Central (Great Portland Street Edgware & Hendon Reform Finchley Progressive Reform United Golders Green Beth Hamedrash Golders Green United Hampstead Kol Chai Hatch End Kol Nefesh Masorti Lauderdale Road Liberal Jewish Machzike Hadath Mill Hill United Mosaic Reform New London New Stoke Newington New West End North Western Reform Ohel David Eastern Richmond Saatchi Sandys Row Sha'arei Tsedek North London Reform South London Liberal Oaks Lane Reform Stanmore and Canons Park Sternberg Centre Sukkat Shalom Reform Wembley United West London Western Marble Arch Westminster Wimbledon Former: Bayswater Dalston Dollis Hill Fieldgate Street Great Great Museum of Immigration and Diversity Shir Hayim West Central Liberal Wlodawa Elsewhere in England Berkshire Birmingham Central Blackpool Reform Bournemouth Hebrew Bournemouth Reform Bradford Brighton and Hove Progressive Brighton and Hove Reform Bury Cambridge Cheltenham Coventry Darlington Exeter Guildford Heaton Park Hull Isle of Wight Kehillat Kernow Lincoln Liverpool Reform Maidenhead Manchester Reform Menorah Milton Keynes Middle Street Montefiore Newcastle Reform North West Surrey Plymouth Portsmouth and Southsea Princes Road Radlett Reform Seven Hills Sha'arei Shalom (Manchester) Sinai (Leeds) Singers Hill Southend Southport & District Reform South Hampshire Reform South Manchester Thanet & District Reform Tikvah Chadasha Former: Blackpool United Brighton Regency Brunswick Terrace Old Canterbury Falmouth Greenbank Drive Jesmond Leazes Park Lincoln (Jews' Court) The New, Leeds Manchester Sephardi Northampton Medieval (remnants) Nottingham Severn Street Sunderland Wilson Road
Northern Ireland   Belfast
Scotland   Aberdeen Edinburgh Garnethill Giffnock Glasgow Reform Former: Dundee Langside South Portland Street
Wales   Cardiff Reform Cardiff United Former: Merthyr
History Category Former list

• 2017 establishments in England
• 20th-century synagogues in the United Kingdom
• Edgware
• Hendon
• Jewish organizations established in 2017
• Reform synagogues in the United Kingdom
• Synagogues completed in the 1950s
• Synagogues in the London Borough of Barnet