Richmond Synagogue

{{Infobox religious building

| building_name = Richmond Synagogue

| image =

| image_upright = 1.4

| caption = The synagogue in [YYYY]

| map_type = Greater London

| map_size = 250

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| map_caption = Location of the synagogue in Greater London

| location = Lichfield Gardens, Richmond, Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London, England TW9 1AP

| country = United Kingdom

| geo = {{coord|51.46219|-0.29967|region:GB_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| religious_affiliation = Orthodox Judaism

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| status = Synagogue

| functional_status = Active

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| leadership = Rabbi Meir Shindler

| website = {{url|richmondsynagogue.org.uk}}

| architect = Stern Thom Fehler {{small|(1987)}}

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| established = {{circa|1700s}} {{small|(as a congregation)}}

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| year_completed = {{ubl|1916 {{small|(Central Hall)}}|1938 {{small|(8 Sheen Road)}}|1987 {{small|(Lichfield Gardens)}}}}

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The Richmond Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at Lichfield Gardens, in Richmond, in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London, England, in the United Kingdom. The congregation had 250 members and is a member community of the United Synagogue.{{cite web |url=http://www.theus.org.uk/communities |title=Richmond |publisher=United Synagogue |work=Communities |access-date=18 March 2015}}

History

A Jewish community is known to have existed in Richmond in the late 17th century. King William III dined with Solomon de Medina, a Jewish businessman, at his country house in Richmond in November 1699.{{cite journal |title=Sir Solomon de Medina of Richmond |author=Greenstreet, Anthony |journal=Richmond History: Journal of the Richmond Local History Society |year=1998 |volume=19 |pages=32–35}}

Until 1916, Richmond's Jewish religious community was known as the Richmond Hebrew Congregation. From 1916 to 1938, as Richmond Associate Synagogue, it met at Central Hall, Parkshot, Richmond,{{cite web |url=http://www.jtrails.org.uk/trails/richmond-and-south-west-london/history?page=10 |title=Richmond & South West London: History |author=Roberts, Marcus |work=jtrails.org.uk |access-date=13 August 2012}} a building opened on 28 June 1916 by Leopold de Rothschild, the then-President of the United Synagogue. From 1938, the renamed Richmond District Synagogue met at a converted chapel at 8 Sheen Road, which was compulsorily purchased by Richmond upon Thames Council to make way for a Waitrose supermarket and multi-storey car park.{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/london/richmond/index.htm |title=Richmond Synagogue |publisher=JCR-UK |date=1 March 2015 |access-date=30 March 2019}}

Designed by Stern Thom Fehler Architects,{{cite web |url=http://1049180847.test.prositehosting.co.uk/?portfolio=new-synagogue-in-richmond/ |title=New synagogue in Richmond |publisher=Stern Thom Fehler Architects |work=Portfolio |access-date=12 September 2016}} a new purpose-built synagogue building at Lichfield Gardens was opened on 8 March 1987 by Chief Rabbi Sir Immanuel Jakobovits and Rabbi Moshe Barron. A rabbi's house was later built on part of the synagogue's car park.

Clergy

Richmond Synagogue's rabbi, since June 2016, is Meir Shindler, who was previously at Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue.{{cite news |url=http://www.thejc.com/community/community-life/159935/minister-stabilises-ton-richmond |title=Minister stabilises ton-up Richmond |work=The Jewish Chronicle |date=1 July 2016 |access-date=8 July 2016 |author=Jackman, Josh}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/14593909.Richmond_Synagogue_celebrates_100th_anniversary_with_the_induction_of_new_Rabbi/ |title=Richmond Synagogue celebrates 100th anniversary with the induction of new Rabbi |last=Odling |first=George |date=3 July 2016 |work=Richmond and Twickenham Times |access-date=25 September 2017}}{{cite news | url=https://www.thejc.com/community/community-news/richmond-selects-its-leading-couple-1.59101 | title=Richmond selects its leading couple | work=The Jewish Chronicle | date=1 October 2015 | access-date=7 January 2018}} Previous rabbis have included Maurice Ginsberg (1922–61), Yitzchak Schochet (1991–93),{{cite web | url=https://www.shul.co.uk/rabbi-yitzchak-y-schochet |title=Rabbi Yitzchak Y. Schochet M.A. |publisher=Mill Hill United Synagogue |access-date=8 December 2015}} Jonathan Hughes (2013–15){{cite web | url=http://youandus.theus.org.uk/news/richmond-united-synagogue-welcome-new-rabbinic-couple/ | title=Richmond United Synagogue Welcome New Rabbinic Couple | publisher=United Synagogue | work=News | date=20 March 2013 | access-date=28 November 2015}}{{cite news | url=http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/10844927.From_Reading_Football_Club_to_Richmond_Synagogue/ | title=From Reading Football Club to Richmond Synagogue | work=Richmond and Twickenham Times | date=30 November 2013 | access-date=2 December 2013 | author=Dyduch, Amy}}{{cite news | url=https://www.thejc.com/community/community-news/poaching-row-over-radlett-s-rabbi-1.67784 | title='Poaching' row over Radlett's rabbi | work=The Jewish Chronicle | date=23 July 2015 | access-date=7 January 2019 | author=Rocker, Simon}} and Yossi Ives (2003–12).{{Cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/richmond-rabbi-uses-israeli-knowhow-to-aid-the-world-1.27182 |title=Richmond rabbi uses Israeli knowhow to aid the world |last=Rocker |first=Simon |date=1 September 2011 |work=The Jewish Chronicle |access-date=28 September 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/474621.Welcome_to_Richmond__Rabbi/ |title=Welcome to Richmond, Rabbi |work=Richmond and Twickenham Times |date=26 March 2004 |access-date=16 February 2015}}

Notable members

Eldred Tabachnik
Lord Woolf{{cite web |url=http://www.richmondsynagogue.org.uk/?page_id=8 |title=History of the Richmond Jewish Community |author= Savinson, Richard |date=4 June 2013 |publisher=Richmond Synagogue |access-date=16 February 2015}}{{self-published-inline|date=April 2024}}