JUDAISM.
Like other City merchants, many Jews
bought houses as country retreats. Daniel Defoe
commented in the 1720s that Jews seemed to have a
preference for Highgate and Hampstead. Eliezer
Isaac Keyser retired to Hampstead in 1812 until his
death in 1820, leaving a series of letters about his life
there, and Jewish names were recorded occasionally
in the late 18th and early 19th century, although
there was no place of worship. (fn. 8)
More widespread settlement took place from 1870,
the newcomers being served by St. John's Wood
synagogue, Abbey Road, just south of the parish,
from 1876 until Hampstead synagogue opened in
1892. Hampstead was popular with Jewish scholars
and intellectuals in the 1880s and 1890s, while many
Jews from the City moved into Kilburn in the 1880s
and followed the spread of building north and west. (fn. 9)
From 1905 Kilburn was served by Brondesbury
synagogue, Chevening Road (Willesden). (fn. 10) The
period between the World Wars brought many
Jewish refugees from Europe, especially to Swiss
Cottage and West Hampstead, and several congregations set up their own synagogues. (fn. 11)
Hampstead synagogue, Dennington Park Road,
was founded after a meeting of c. 20 members of St.
John's Wood synagogue in 1889. A second group
held more radical services at West Hampstead town
hall from 1890 and then at Kilburn town hall until
1893. Hampstead synagogue, designed by Delissa
Joseph, was built in 1892 to accommodate 700. It
came under the guidance of the United Synagogue,
but concessions were made to the strong desire of
Jews in England for reform. The number of seats let
rose from 293 in 1893 to 668 by 1900, and membership continued to rise until Hampstead was the
largest congregation in the United Synagogue. Seating was increased in the body of the building, by a
classroom at the side in 1897, and by further additions in 1900-1. Attendance 1903: 898 a.m. Hebrew
and religious classes were started in 1891 at West
Hampstead town hall, later moving to the synagogue,
with 72 children in 1892 and 200 in 1908. Youth
services from 1925 led to the opening of a junior
synagogue in 1935. A community centre was built
1962-4 adjoining the synagogue. (fn. 12)
North-west London Hebrew Institute, no. 1
Minster Road, Shoot-up Hill, was registered for
worship in 1928 and closed by 1954. (fn. 13)
The Beth Hamedrash Kehilath Israel synagogue
was registered in rooms at no. 6 Minster Road in
1938 and had closed by 1960. (fn. 14)
Regent's Park and Belsize Park district synagogue
opened at the corner of Eton Road and Eton Villas
in 1938 and was affiliated to the United Synagogue.
It was rebuilt in 1960 on the same site and renamed
South Hampstead district synagogue. (fn. 15)
The Adath Yisroel congregation registered Sarah
Klausner Memorial synagogue at no. 11 Fairfax
Road in 1943. It moved to no. 33 Compayne Gardens in 1945, to no. 31 Broadhurst Gardens in 1947,
and no. 10A Cranfield Gardens c. 1974. A constituent
member of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, (fn. 16) it was in use in 1985.
Shomrei Hadath synagogue (Beth Hamedrash), a
constituent synagogue of the Federation of Synagogues, was opened 1946 in the former West Hampstead Congregational church, no. 527A Finchley
Road, (fn. 17) and was in use in 1985.
New Liberal Jewish congregation was established
in 1939, and registered a synagogue at no. 30 Buckland Crescent in 1943, moving to its own building at
no. 51 Belsize Square in 1951. Renamed Belsize
Square synagogue c. 1972, it was a constituent of the
Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues (fn. 18) and
was in use in 1985.