Westminster Synagogue
{{Short description|Synagogue in London, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox religious building
| building_name = Westminster Synagogue
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| image = Kent House 2.jpg
| image_upright = 1.4
| caption = Kent House, location of the Westminster Synagogue
| map_type = Central London
| map_size = 250
| map_relief = 1
| map_caption = Location of the synagogues in Central London
| location = Kent House, Rutland Gardens, Knightsbridge, Central London, England SW7 1BX
| country = United Kingdom
| geo = {{Coord|51.5013|-0.1666|region:GB_type:landmark|format=dms|display=it}}
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| religious_affiliation = Reform Judaism
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| status = Synagogue
| functional_status = Active
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| leadership = {{ubl|Rabbi Benji Stanley|Rabbi Dr Kamila Kopřivová|Rabbi Dr Thomas Salamon {{small|(Emeritus)}}}}
| website = {{url|westminstersynagogue.org}}
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| architecture_type = Town house
| architecture_style = Victorian architecture
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| established = 1957 {{small|(as a congregation)}}
| founded_by = Rabbi Harold Reinhart
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| year_completed = {{ubl|1874 {{small|(as Kent House)}}|1960 {{small|(as a synagogue)}}}}
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| footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/London/westminster/index.htm |title=Westminster Synagogue |work=Jewish Communities and Records-UK |publisher=JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain |date=12 January 2020 |access-date=29 April 2024 }}
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The Westminster Synagogue is an independent Progressive Jewish congregation and synagogue, located near Hyde Park, in Central London, England, in the United Kingdom. The synagogue is located in Kent House, a restored{{cite web |url=http://www.kenthouseknightsbridge.org/history.html |title=Kent House, Knightsbridge |publisher=Kent House, Knightsbridge |access-date=11 December 2012 |archive-date=22 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222195425/http://www.kenthouseknightsbridge.org/history.html |url-status=live }} Victorian town house in Knightsbridge. The building, which dates from the late 1800s, also houses the Czech Memorial Scrolls Centre.{{cite web |last1=Greenacombe |first1=John |title=Rutland Gardens and South Place: Kent House and the Kent House Estate Development: Survey of London: Knightsbridge |page=134-140 |volume=45 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol45/pp134-140 |website=British History Online |access-date=22 September 2021 |archive-date=19 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119125055/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol45/pp134-140 |url-status=live }}
History
The congregation was founded in 1957 by Rabbi Harold Reinhart, who resigned from his position as Senior Minister of the West London Synagogue and, accompanied by 80 former members of that synagogue, established the New London Jewish Congregation. Shortly afterwards it was renamed Westminster Synagogue.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=074-lma4071&cid=0 |title=Access to Archives: Westminster Synagogue |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=11 December 2012 |archive-date=25 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625002716/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=074-lma4071&cid=0 |url-status=live }}
The congregation's earliest services were held at Caxton Hall, Westminster, 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. 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.
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, Westminster Synagogue is served by the Movement's Beit Din and has links with the West London Synagogue's burial facilities as well as strong links with Liberal Judaism. The congregation aims to give equality to all members, regardless of age, gender, sexuality or ethnicity.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Clergy
The following individuals have served as rabbi of the congregation:
| class="wikitable"
! Ordinal !! Officeholder !! Term start !! Term end !! Time in office !! Notes | |||||
| align="center"|{{nts|1}} | Harold Reinhart | align=center| 1957 | align=center| 1969 | align="right"|{{age in years|1957|1969}} years | |
| align="center"|{{nts|2}} | Chaim Stern | align=center| {{circa|1969}} | align=center| {{circa|1971}} | align="right"|{{age in years|1969|1971}} years | |
| align="center"|{{nts|3}} | Albert Friedlander | align=center| 1971 | align=center| 1997 | align="right"|{{age in years|1971|1997}} years | Also Director of Rabbinical Studies at the Leo Baeck College |
| align="center"|{{nts|4}} | {{nowrap|Dr Thomas Salamon}} | align=center| 1997 | align=center| 2017 | align="right"|{{age in years|1997|2017}} years | Emeritus from 2017{{Cite web |title=Rabbi Thomas - Westminster Synagogue |url=https://www.westminstersynagogue.org/rabbi-thomas |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=www.westminstersynagogue.org}}{{self-published-inline|date=April 2024}} |
| align="center"|{{nts|5}} | Benji Stanley | align=center| 2017 | align=center| incumbent | align="right"|{{age in years|2017}} years | Senior rabbi{{Cite web |title=Rabbi Benji - Westminster Synagogue |url=https://www.westminstersynagogue.org/rabbi-benji |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=www.westminstersynagogue.org}}{{self-published-inline|date=April 2024}} |
| align="center"|{{nts|6}} | Dr Kamila Kopřivová | align=center| {{start date|2023|06|08}} | align=center| incumbent | align="right"|{{age in years and days|2023|06|08}} | {{Cite web |title=Rabbi Kamila Kopřivová - Westminster Synagogue |url=https://www.westminstersynagogue.org/kamila-koprivova# |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=www.westminstersynagogue.org}}{{self-published-inline|date=April 2024}} also published her memoir{{Cite book |title=Rabínka v zácviku |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202010646-rab-nka-v-z-cviku |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=Goodreads |isbn=978-80-264-4964-5 |language=en}} |
The community today
{{ref improve|section|date=April 2024}}
Westminster Synagogue is a warm and welcoming independent community, which allows its members to practise Judaism in their own way without criticism or judgment. Their members are culturally diverse and come from many countries. Whilst they may have come from a variety of Jewish backgrounds, in Westminster Synagogue they enjoy a Jewish life that combines traditional roots and a progressive approach.
A key feature of Westminster Synagogue is its founding principles. Their clarity and passion guided the synagogue’s rabbis – Harold Reinhart, Albert Friedlander and Thomas Salamon – throughout their ministries and serve to inspire Rabbi Benji Stanley and Rabbi Kamila Kopřivová in their spiritual leadership of the community.{{Cite web |title=About Us - Westminster Synagogue |url=https://www.westminstersynagogue.org/about-us |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=www.westminstersynagogue.org}}{{self-published-inline|date=April 2024}}
The community strives to be a hub of excellent Jewish learning; of participatory services with a passion for singing; of chesed, care, for the welfare of its members; of building meaningful relationships between its members and between Westminster Synagogue and the wider world. They foster these values through all they do, including Shabbat and Festival Services, Learning sessions for adults and children, cultural and social events, 1:1 connections and more.
There are many groups within the congregation for members to engage with, including Westminster Next Dor, for those in their 20s-30s; Oy Vey, We're Gay, for those who identify as queer and their allies; Chuliyot, for those who enjoy singing in and out of services; WS Czech Scrolls, for those who want to engage with the work of the Memorial Scrolls Trust; as well as Synagogue symposia, bridge clubs, book clubs, social outings and much more.{{Cite web |title=Getting involved in your Community - Westminster Synagogue |url=https://www.westminstersynagogue.org/getting-involved-in-your-community.html |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=www.westminstersynagogue.org}}{{self-published-inline|date=April 2024}}
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 and Moravia during the Second World War by the Jewish Museum of Prague. This collection was acquired by Westminster Synagogue in 1964. A small museum on the third floor of Kent House displays the work of the Trust and tells the history of the scrolls. It is open for viewings by appointment, which members of the public can book via the Memorial Scrolls Trust's website.{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0005_0_04791.html |title=The Czech Memorial Scrolls |publisher=Jewish Virtual Library |year=2008 |access-date=11 December 2012 |author=Leo Barnard | archive-date=22 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522021012/http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0005_0_04791.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Czech Scrolls Museum |url=https://memorialscrollstrust.org/index.php/czech-scrolls-museum |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=memorialscrollstrust.org}}
On 4 February 2024, Westminster Synagogue celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the scrolls arrival at Kent House. The event brought together 56 scrolls and 275 individuals representing communities worldwide, including the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Israel, Canada, the United Kingdom, America, and more. Notable attendees included the Czech and Slovak ambassadors, representatives from the Israeli and American Embassies, as well as the Lord Mayor of Westminster, nearby councillors, and rabbis from communities around the United Kingdom and the world.{{cite news |url=https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/czech-scrolls-60th-anniversary-celebration-at-westminster-synagogue/ |title=Czech Scrolls 60th anniversary celebration at Westminster Synagogue |work=Jewish News |date=8 February 2024 |access-date=29 April 2024 }}
See also
{{stack|{{portal|London|Judaism}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.westminstersynagogue.org/}}
{{Synagogues in the United Kingdom}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1957 establishments in England
Category:20th-century synagogues in the United Kingdom
Category:Houses completed in 1874
Category:Religious buildings and structures in the City of Westminster
Category:Jewish organizations established in 1957
Category:Reform synagogues in the United Kingdom
Category:Religion in the City of Westminster
Category:Synagogues completed in 1960