Pause here a moment. What if this building could whisper stories of resilience and reform? We are standing before the Liberal Jewish Synagogue. It is a beacon of progressive Judaism in London.
The Liberal Jewish Synagogue has a rich history. It all began in 1911. The Jewish Religious Union opened a prayer association. It was in a converted chapel at 18 Hill Street. Rabbi Israel Mattuck was appointed minister within a year.
By 1915, the congregation grew significantly. It had 416 members. By 1921, it reached 784. A permanent building was needed. Architect Ernest Joseph designed it. The Liberal Jewish Synagogue was dedicated on September 13, 1925. It could hold 1400 people. Leo Baeck served as the synagogue’s president. He was a Holocaust survivor. Lily Montagu was a spiritual leader. She was a member of the LJS Council.
Rabbi Mattuck led services until 1947. Leslie Edgar replaced him. John Rayner became senior minister in 1961. David Goldberg succeeded him. Alexandra Wright took over in 2004. Today, Alexandra Wright is the Senior Rabbi. Igor Zinkov is also a rabbi here.
In 1940, the Liberal Jewish Synagogue had 1622 members. This grew to 2600 in 1954. The membership peaked at 3000 in the mid-1970s. By the mid-1980s, it fell to 2300. Many people had moved to the suburbs.
The Liberal Jewish Synagogue attracts American families. Many rabbis are from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. The synagogue is the flagship of Liberal Judaism. It is close to American Reform Judaism.
Services here follow Liberal Judaism’s prayerbooks. Rabbi Mattuck produced the first prayerbook in 1912. Rabbi John Rayner created a new Haggadah in 1962. In 1973, Rayner made a new prayerbook. It was called Service of the Heart. Siddur Lev Chadash replaced it in 1995. Now, Siddur Shirah Chadashah is being created.
Over time, some traditional rituals returned. Refugees from Europe brought different traditions. The Holocaust and Israel’s creation influenced this change. Conducting the Kiddush started after the war. Friday night services began in 1945. In the 1970s, men started wearing a kippah. Rabbis increased Hebrew in services.
Rabbi Mattuck introduced Confirmation ceremonies in 1912. These were for 16-year-olds. They marked graduation from Religion School. These ceremonies became Kabbalat Torah. Bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies began in 1981.
The original Liberal Jewish Synagogue had six ionic columns. Bernhard Baron donated them. The interior seated 1350 people. Montefiore Hall held another 500. There were classrooms upstairs.
In November 1940, a bomb heavily damaged the Liberal Jewish Synagogue. It reopened in 1951. Structural issues led to demolition in 1984. The sanctuary was rebuilt. The original portico was kept. Flats were built above to fund the project.
Fitzroy Robinson & Partners designed the shell. Kantor Schwartz and Koski Solomon designed the sanctuary. The portico was stored for three years. It was reinstated 1.2 meters from its original spot. The facade replicates the 1925 building. The entrance hall has a Holocaust memorial. Anish Kapoor created a limestone sculpture. The sanctuary is octagonal. The bimah is made of oak. Jerusalem stone clads a curved wall. Amit Schur designed the ark doors in Israel.
The new Liberal Jewish Synagogue was dedicated in 1991. Ruth Gledhill praised its architecture. High-profile weddings increased press attention.
The Liberal Jewish Synagogue supported refugees from Nazi Germany. Rabbi Mattuck raised funds for them. The synagogue helped refugees find jobs. The Women’s Society aided children’s Jewish education. A club for German refugees organized events. They founded Belsize Square Synagogue.
In the 1970s, the synagogue supported Soviet Jewry. The LJS Soviet Jewry Committee sent support to refuseniks. They sent Rosh Hashanah cards and seder services.
The Liberal Jewish Synagogue stands as a testament to faith, community, and progress.