Ilford Synagogue
Ilford Synagogue was
founded in 1936, and moved to its present site over 40 years ago. It serves a varied
membership ranging from strictly orthodox to less observant members, but at the same time
having a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Ilford Synagogue is a member of the United Synagogue, a body that was established in 1870 and has now become the largest body of its kind in the world. The United Synagogue also supports the Office of the Chief Rabbi and his rabbinical court, known as the London Beth Din.
Our Building
We are
blessed with a wonderful “1960s Cathedral style” community building. We
are continuing a programme of improvements and modernisation that is
literally “building today for our tomorrow”. So far this has included
major refurbishment of the toilet facilities and a project to make the
vestibule much lighter and welcoming.
However, the work to keep the building and its facilities in a state in which
our users can gain maximum benefit is, as always, an ongoing task. We have just concluded
a major refurbishment of the Mark Lewis Hall and the kitchen. This will
enable us to maintain Ilford Synagogue at the vanguard of Jewish communal life in the Essex
area.
The newly refurbished Mark Lewis Hall
Our refitted Kitchen
Community Life
As a
Synagogue Community, Ilford Shul remains the largest in Essex and one of
the largest in the family of the United Synagogue. It provides a whole
host of services and activities, servicing the needs of our 1000+
households and catering for members and potential members from the
cradle to the grave.
Ilford Shul is the central venue for so many activities, not just for its members,
but for the whole of Essex and North-East London, including:
* Daily Minyanim
* Youth and Young Adult Programmes
* JACS
* AJEX
* Adult
Education programmes
The Synagogue
The Hebrew for Synagogue is Beit
HaKnesset, literally, House of the Assembly.
The atmosphere in the Synagogue is one of informality. Worshippers pray both individually and collectively, and may enter and leave at various times during the service. This may appear strange to anyone used to the decorum and silence in the houses of prayer of some other faiths. However, our Synagogue is really an extension of our homes and we hope that you will also feel "at home" here.
Two prominent physical features of the Synagogue are
the Ark and the Bimah. The Ark is a cupboard at the front of the Synagogue.
It is fronted by a curtain and houses the Sifrei Torah or Scrolls of the Law. These
are hand-written on parchment and comprise the Five Books of Moses, known as the Torah.
Above the Ark hangs the Ner Tamid, a perpetual light, that serves as a reminder of
the lamp in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple that was never allowed to be
extinguished. The Bimah is the central dais from which most of the service is
conducted.
Men and women worshippers do not sit together, as each would be liable to distract the other from their prayers. For this reason, men and women are accommodated in separate sections of the Synagogue and women do not lead the ritual of the service.
Married men are required to wear a prayer shawl, known as a Tallit. This is a rectangular outer garment of wool or silk adorned with fringes at each corner to comply with the requirement in the Book of Numbers. Women who are or have been married and all men are required to cover their heads during the service.
The Kiddush
After the service, the congregation is
often invited to participate in a Kiddush in the adjoining Mark Lews Hall.
This is the Sanctification of the Sabbath day and enables the congregation to enjoy a
glass of wine and a piece of cake or a biscuit.
On every Shabbat Mervorachin there is a Celebration Kiddush for every
member with a birthday or anniversary to join in and the community
celebrates together.
The Synagogue Officials
The officiating Ministers are known as
the Rabbi and the Chazan. The title
Rabbi (literally: my teacher) is given to an ordained scholar whose function
is principally to teach and expound the ways and beliefs of Judaism and to be a guide,
philosopher and friend to all who require help in matters of everyday life. The Chazan
or Cantor need not be ordained and is chosen for his pleasant voice and knowledge of the
cantillation.
Any service may be conducted by laymen and during the rest of the week they usually are. However, on Sabbaths and Festivals the services are usually conducted by the officiating Ministers. The Rabbi will deliver a sermon and chant the weekly Torah portion and the Cantor will lead the congregation in prayer.
The Lay Leadership
The lay leaders of the congregation are
called the Honorary Officers and together with the Board of Management, they are responsible for the smooth running of
the services and the administration and finances of the Synagogue. The Honorary Officers
who organise the service are known as Wardens.
The Tibber Library
Thanks to the generousity of the Tibber
Family, Ilford Synagogue boasts an up-to-date library, named in memory
of Melvyn and Jonathan Tibber. The library
may be found upstairs in
Schaller House, which is next door to the main Synagogue building.
To borrow a book, or to use the reference section, please call in at
the Synagogue Office, which is on the ground floor of the same building.
Chadashot Weekly Newsletter
Ilford Synagogue has a weekly publication, called
Chadashot (meaning 'news'). This includes information on all forthcoming events,
together with any news our congregation may be interested in. If you have any news
to be included, or to let us know your ideas, e-mail us at office@ilfordsynagogue.co.uk.
You can now also find Chadashot on this website by clicking on this link:
Chadashot Online
Rabbi Hyman | Chazan Rome | The Office | Shul Pictorial History
The Honorary Officers and the Board of Management