| West London Synagogue | |
|---|---|
Hebrew:ק"ק שער ציון | |
 The synagogue, shown from the junction of Hampden Gurney and Upper Berkeley Streets | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership |
|
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 34 Upper Berkeley Street,City of Westminster,London W1H 5AU |
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
  Location of the synagogue in theCity of Westminster | |
| Coordinates | 51°30′55″N0°09′44″W / 51.5153°N 0.1621°W /51.5153; -0.1621 |
| Architecture | |
| Architects |
|
| Type | Synagogue architecture |
| Style | Byzantine Revival |
| Established | 1840(as a congregation) |
| Completed |
|
| Construction cost | £20,000 |
| Capacity | 1,000 worshippers |
| Website | |
| wls | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | West London Synagogue |
| Designated | 7 September 1989 |
| Reference no. | 1247701 |
| [1] | |
TheWest London Synagogue, abbreviatedWLS, and fully theWest London Synagogue of British Jews (Hebrew:ק"ק שער ציון,romanized: Kahal Kadosh Sha'ar Tziyon,lit. 'Holy Congregation Gate of Zion'[2]) is aReformJewish congregation andsynagogue, located nearMarble Arch, at 34 Upper Berkeley Street, in theCity of Westminster, inCentral London,England, in the United Kingdom.
The congregation was established on 15 April 1840. The current synagogue building was dedicated in 1870, and wasGrade II listed in 1989.[3] It is one of theoldest synagogues in the United Kingdom and it was the oldest house of prayer affiliated with theMovement for Reform Judaism, before its affiliation lapsed in February 2023.[4]
On 15 April 1840, 24 members of theMocatta,Goldsmid and other families announced their secession from their respective congregations, theSephardiBevis Marks Synagogue and theAshkenaziGreat Synagogue of London, and their intention to form a prayer group for neither "German nor Portuguese" Jews but for "British Jews", which would allow them to worship together. The Mocattas and Goldsmids had been quarrelling with the wardens and complaining over lack of decorum for years. The new prayer group, convening in Burton Street, hired ReverendDavid Woolf Marks in March 1841. Marks and the congregation adopted a unique, bibliocentric approach often termed "neo-Karaism" by their critics, largely rejecting the authority of theOral Torah. They abolished thesecond day of festivals and excised various prayers grounded in rabbinic tradition. It was only after almost a century that the congregation adopted mainstreamReform Judaism.
On 27 January 1842, the West London Synagogue of British Jews was consecrated in its first permanent building, at Burton Street Chapel. By 1848, it had become too crowded for the congregation. A new location was found, in Margaret Street,Cavendish Square, at a cost of £5,000. It was dedicated on 25 January 1849. In 1867, a new location was required again. Eventually, the current synagogue building in Upper Berkeley Street was opened on 22 September 1870. It cost £20,000 and had capacity for 1,000 congregants at the time.[5]
Marks retired in 1895. His successor, RabbiMorris Joseph, abandoned his predecessor's philosophy, which was never very popular with constituents, and brought West London closer to mainstream Reform by removing from theliturgy its petitions for therestoration of sacrifices in Jerusalem.
Since the 1920s, men and women have been able to sit together during West London Synagogue services. In 1929, the synagogue appointedHebrew Union College graduate RabbiHarold F. Reinhart, who brought it into theWorld Union for Progressive Judaism. In 1942, West London Synagogue was a founding member of the Associated British Synagogues (now called theMovement for Reform Judaism).
In 1957 Rabbi Reinhart resigned as Senior Minister and, accompanied by 80 former members of West London Synagogue, established the New London Synagogue[6] which, shortly afterwards, was renamedWestminster Synagogue.[6]
He was succeeded by RabbiWerner van der Zyl, who served as Senior Rabbi from 1958 to 1968.[7] RabbiHugo Gryn succeeded van der Zyl in 1968, until his death in 1996.[7] RabbiJulia Neuberger served as Senior Rabbi from 2011 to 2020.
In February 2020, after a long-running dispute with the Movement for Reform Judaism (MRJ), West London Synagogue suspended its membership of MRJ. In February 2023, the Synagogue's affiliation to MRJ lapsed after a prolonged period of disputed non-payment of fees to the MRJ.[8]
The synagogue's archives, from 1841 to 1942, are held in theUniversity of Southampton Libraries Special Collections.[9]
The following individuals have served as seniorrabbi of the congregation:[1][7]
| Ordinal | Office holder | Term start | Term end | Time in office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Woolf Marks | March 1841 | 1893 | 51–52 years | |
| 2 | Morris Joseph | c. 1893 | c. 1930 | 35–36 years | |
| 3 | Harold F. Reinhart | c. 1929 | 1957 | 27–28 years | |
| 4 | Werner van der Zyl | 1958 | 1968 | 9–10 years | |
| 5 | Hugo Gryn | 1968 | 1996 | 27–28 years | |
| 6 | Mark Winer | 1998 | 2010 | 11–12 years | |
| 7 | Julia NeubergerDBE | 2011 | 2020 | 8–9 years | Emerita since 2020 |
| 8 | Helen Freeman | 1 April 2020 | incumbent | 5 years, 237 days | [10] |
| David Mitchell |
Services at West London Synagogue follow theprayer books of theMovement for Reform Judaism, which incorporate material from bothSephardi andAshkenazi traditions. A choir and organ, located behind a screen to the rear of thebimah, accompany the congregation in all musical parts of the service except for thealeinu and theKaddish. Men and women sit together during services, and also play equal parts in leading them. Male worshippers are required to wear akippah; females can wear one if they wish to do so.
The current building, dating from 1870, is located nearMarble Arch inLondon. The main sanctuary was built in theNeo-Byzantine architectural style by Davis & Emmanuel.[5] Its premises, which extend intoSeymour Place, also contain offices, a library and various community facilities. Thebimah andTorah ark were built in 1869–70 by Davis & Emmanuel.[11] The synagogue'sorgan, built byHarrison & Harrison, was restored in 2008.[12] It has 55stops on fourmanuals and pedal.[13]
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