The Central Synagogue is an

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

congregation and

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, located at 133-141

Great Portland Street Great Portland Street is a commercial road in the West End of London which links Oxford Street with the A501 road, A501 Marylebone Road. A mixed-use street of residents and businesses, it divides Fitzrovia, to the east, from Marylebone to the ...

, with additional frontage to

Hallam Street Hallam Street is a road situated in the Parish of St Marylebone and London's West End of London, West End. In administrative terms, it lies within the City of Westminster's West End (Westminster ward), West End Ward as well as the Harley Str ...

, in the

City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a London borough with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in Greater London, England. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It contains a large par ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, in the United Kingdom. The congregation worships in the

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

rite Rite may refer to: Religion * Ritual, an established ceremonious act * Rite (Christianity), sacred rituals in the Christian religion * Ritual family, Christian liturgical traditions; often also called ''liturgical rites'' * Catholic particular ch ...

and is a founding member of

United Synagogue The United Synagogue (US) is the largest umbrella body for Orthodox Judaism in Britain. It is structured as a charity which serves the United Kingdom, British Jewish community in the broadest possible way. One of the largest charities in the B ...

. The congregation has been led by Rabbi Barry Lerer since 2018.

History

The congregation was founded in 1848 as a branch of the

Great Synagogue of London The Great Synagogue of London was a former Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Judaism, Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in the City of London, England, in the United Kingdom. The synagogue was, for centuries, the centre of Ashkenazi life in Lo ...

, and was managed and the supervision of religious services were controlled by 'The Great'. Initially described as Great Portland Street Synagogue, or sometimes Hallam Street Synagogue, the name Central Synagogue was not formally adopted until 1869. The following year, Central Synagogue joined with four other congregations (the

, the New Synagogue,

Bayswater Synagogue Bayswater Synagogue was an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue located in Chichester Place, Paddington, in the City of Westminster, London, England, in the United Kingdom. The congregation worshipped in the Ashkenazi rite. Built in 1863, ...

, and The Hambro' Synagogue) to form United Synagogue. After initially worshiping at a premises Wigmore Street, London, in 1855 the congregation purchased a

warehouse A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the rural–urban fringe, out ...

at 120 Great Portland Street and converted it for use as a synagogue. A much grander building was completed in 1870, located at 133-141 Great Portland Street and this building served until

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

when, during the

London Blitz London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on the River Tha ...

on 10 May 1941, this synagogue was destroyed. Once the bombed site was cleared, a temporary synagogue was built in the basement, in use from 1948 until 1956. The current building was constructed in 1958 on the same site as the destroyed synagogue.

References

External links

* * 1855 establishments in England 20th-century synagogues in the United Kingdom Ashkenazi Jewish culture in London Ashkenazi synagogues in the United Kingdom British synagogues bombed by the Luftwaffe Religious buildings and structures in the City of Westminster Former buildings and structures in the City of Westminster Great Portland Street Jewish organizations established in 1855 Orthodox synagogues in England Synagogues completed in 1870 Synagogues completed in 1958 Synagogues destroyed by Nazi Germany Synagogues in London {{UK-synagogue-stub

History

See also

References

External links