The Wimbledon Synagogue Explained

Building Name:The Wimbledon Synagogue
Image Upright:1.4
Map Type:United Kingdom London Wandsworth
Map Size:250
Map Relief:1
Location:1 Queensmere Road, Wimbledon Park, Borough of Wandsworth, London SW19 5QD
Coordinates:51.4392°N -0.2236°W
Religious Affiliation:Reform Judaism
Country:England, United Kingdom
Status:Synagogue
Functional Status:Active
Leadership:Rabbi Adrian Schell
Established:1949

The Wimbledon Synagogue, formally the Wimbledon and District Synagogue, is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 1 Queensmere Road, Wimbledon Park, in the Borough of Wandsworth, London, England, in the United Kingdom.

The congregation was established in 1949 and was based at Worple Road, Wimbledon from 1952 to 1997.[1] In 1997 it moved to its present premises, adapting a 1953 university college building which previously belonged to Southlands College, now part of the University of Roehampton. The building also houses a nursery school, a branch of Keren's Nursery.[2] The congregation is a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism and is led by rabbi Adrian Schell. In 2017, the congregation was described in The Jewish Chronicle as particularly welcoming.[3]

History

The synagogue came into being at a meeting of the local Jewish community at the Wimbledon Hill Hotel in February 1949. In its first year the membership, of 60 families, was little more than one-tenth of what it is now. Services were held in temporary accommodation. The community decided to build a new synagogue on a site at 44 Worple Road in Wimbledon. The foundation stone was laid on 8 April 1951 by Ernest Abelson and Leonard Montefiore (of the West London Synagogue) and the synagogue was formally opened and dedicated on 25 May 1952 by Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck.[4] In September 1997 the synagogue moved to its present site, adapting the former Athlone Hall (dating from 1953).

Clergy

The following individuals have served as rabbi of the congregation:[1]

Ordinal Officeholder Dates in office Notes and references
1953–1974
Hillel Avidan 1974–1980
Daniel Smith 1982–1993
Robert Shafritz 1993– 1996 Died suddenly in office[5]
1997–2002
2003–2014 Job shared[6]
2003–2014
Jason Rosner 2015–2016 [7] [8] [9]
Adrian Schell 2020–present [10] [11] [12] [13]

Rabbi Tony Hammond is the Rabbi Emeritus,[14] having previously been the synagogue's interim part-time Rabbi.[1] [15] [16]

Facilities and activities

the synagogue had 850 members.[17] Services are held every Shabbat on Friday evening and Saturday morning as well as for all Jewish festivals. Services are egalitarian; men and women sit together and take an equal role in the religious life of the community. As well as a cheder and an educational programme for children for young people,[18] the synagogue runs a programme of arts and cultural activities, workshops and talks.[19]

The synagogue houses three book collections. The David Nathan Library has nearly 2000 books covering Judaism, Israel, history, biography, fiction etc. The Harry Urban Holocaust Library concentrates on the personal stories of survivors of the Shoah. There is also a children's book collection. The collections are catalogued using the Classification System for Libraries of Judaica employed by Leo Baeck College.[20]

The community has a monthly membership newsletter, Kehillah.

The synagogue has three sets of stained glass windows. Their abstract designs were made by Graham Jones with Peters Glass Studio in Germany.[21] [22] The acacia wood ark doors, which were part of the 2016 refurbishment, were designed with architect Allan Schwarz, who runs the Mezimbite Forest Center in Mozambique.

Social action

Wimbledon Synagogue is a Fairtrade synagogue and has been involved for many years with the Faith in Action Merton Homeless Project, a charity which works with a range of agencies to support homeless, precariously housed and other marginalised people within the London Borough of Merton.[23] It has also accommodated local homeless people overnight as part of the Merton Night Shelter initiative.

In the media

In 2010 Wimbledon Synagogue hosted the first ever broadcast of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions? from a synagogue. The programme's broadcast coincided with the 200th anniversary of the first Reform Judaism service.[24] [25] [26]

Notable members

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 5 January 2021 . Wimbledon and District Synagogue . Jewish Communities and Records - UK . JewishGen This website is owned by JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain . 20 March 2021.
  2. Web site: Keren's Nursery Wimbledon . . 9 September 2023 . 12 December 2023.
  3. News: 9 August 2017 . Wolfson, Rina . The Secret Shul-Goer No.5 – Wimbledon Reform . . 2 December 2018.
  4. Web site: 2009 . 60 years of memories of Wimbledon & District Synagogue . 30 July 2015 . www.jtrails.org.uk.
  5. Book: American Jewish Yearbook 1998 . . 1998 . 0-87495-113-5 . Singer, David . 247 . 30 July 2015.
  6. News: Sheridan, Sybil . Sybil Sheridan . 10 June 2009 . What future for the Jews left in Ethiopia? . . 7 August 2017.
  7. News: Firsht, Naomi . 18 June 2015 . American is gearing up for Wimbledon . . 4 March 2019.
  8. News: Firsht, Naomi . 29 January 2016 . Synagogue solar panels will take some beating . . 4 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307175818/http://www.thejc.com/community/community-life/152935/synagogue-solar-panels-will-take-some-beating . 7 March 2016. Alt URL
  9. Wimbledon welcomes Rabbi Jason Rosner . 6 November 2015 . . 13 November 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117020137/http://news.reformjudaism.org.uk/press-releases/wimbledon-welcomes-rabbi-jason-rosner.html . 17 November 2015 . dmy-all.
  10. Wimbledon Synagogue appoint a new rabbi . July 2020 . . 20 November 2020.
  11. News: Frot . Mathilde . 8 July 2020 . Wimbledon Synagogue appoints new rabbi . . 20 November 2020.
  12. News: 10 July 2020 . South London's biggest shul says it has found a Wimbledon winner . . 20 November 2020.
  13. Web site: Rabbi Adrian Schell . 15 May 2021 . The Wimbledon Synagogue.
  14. Web site: Rabbi Tony Hammond . 17 July 2023. The Wimbledon Synagogue.
  15. News: Welch . Ben . 4 October 2017 . Wimbledon's wait for rabbi . . 10 December 2022.
  16. News: Welch . Ben . Muslim builds bridges by teaching at London cheder . . 19 May 2017 . 19 May 2017.
  17. News: 19 March 2021 . Minister enjoys serving at Wimbledon . . 20 March 2021.
  18. Web site: Cheder . The Wimbledon Synagogue . 10 December 2022.
  19. Web site: Adult Education . The Wimbledon Synagogue . 30 July 2015.
  20. Web site: Our Library . The Wimbledon Synagogue . 5 April 2016.
  21. Web site: Wimbledon Synagogue . Graham Jones . 3 December 2021 . 7 October 2022.
  22. Web site: Synagogue Windows and Hebrew Writing . The Wimbledon Synagogue . 7 October 2022.
  23. Web site: 27 November 2014 . Wimbledon Synagogue support . Faith in Action Merton Homelessness Project . 22 April 2019.
  24. News: Elgot . Jessica . 21 May 2010 . BBC to host first synagogue 'Any Questions' . . 30 October 2020.
  25. News: 24 November 2016 . BBC Any Questions at Wimbledon . . 25 January 2022.
  26. Web site: 16 July 2010 . Any Questions? . 1 November 2020 . BBC Radio 4.
  27. News: Frick . Evelyn . 11 June 2021 . 18 Things to Know About Jewish Actor Brett Goldstein . Hey Alma . 16 July 2023.
  28. News: North . Nic . 16 June 2022 . Stage star Thelma Ruby lowers the curtain on her sparkling 78-year career with a solo show . . 18 October 2022.
  29. News: Shooting in the dark . . Reuben, Susan . 11 May 2017 . 16 July 2023.