Maidenhead Synagogue

The Maidenhead Synagogue is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at Grenfell Lodge, Ray Park Road, in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, in the United Kingdom. It serves Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and surrounding districts west of London in the Thames Valley area.^[1]

History

Maidenhead Synagogue originated during World War II when many Jewish families were evacuated to the area from London.^[2] It was initially a community with no dedicated building, meeting for prayer in private houses and served by a volunteer rabbi and lay readers. At the war's end, some of the congregation stayed in the area and established a permanent Jewish community, acquiring a house for use as a dedicated synagogue building in 1953.^[1]

The synagogue became part of the Reform Movement in 1960,^[3] so receiving the services of student rabbis of the Leo Baeck College, among them Jonathan Romain who was appointed as the synagogue's first full-time rabbi in 1980.^[1] The synagogue moved to larger premises in 2001^[1] and the congregation had 1831 members in 2017.^[4] An extension to the synagogue, including a new community centre, was opened in 2017.

Facilities

In addition to being a centre for worship, the synagogue's facilities include a library, a Judaica and kosher shop, a nursery school, a religion school, youth clubs, adult education classes, conversion classes, social activities for adults and children, a café, and a community care scheme.^[1][5]

For members unable to travel to the synagogue, Shabbat evening and Shabbat morning services are streamed live via the Internet.^[1]

All members receive by post the synagogue's monthly community magazine, Hadashot (חדשות).^[6]

See also

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Welcome to Maidenhead Synagogue". Maidenhead Synagogue. Retrieved 3 April 2024.^{[self-published source?]}
2. ^ "Maidenhead Synagogue". Jewish Communities and Records – UK. JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
3. ^ "The town on the front line of the battle for survival". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
4. ^ "Maidenhead Synagogue in The Times". Movement for Reform Judaism. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
5. ^ "Synagogue Directory". Movement for Reform Judaism. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
6. ^ "Hadashot". Maidenhead Synagogue. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2020.^{[self-published source?]}

• v
• t
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• Sir Sigmund Sternberg

• West London
• Westminster

• Leo Baeck College
• Sternberg Centre