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Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue
Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue
Religion
Affiliation	Reform Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue
Leadership	Rabbi Jordan Helfman
Status	Active
Location
Location	Oaks Lane, Newbury Park Ilford, Borough of Redbridge, London, England IG2 7PL
Country	United Kingdom
	Location of the synagogue in Greater London
Geographic coordinates	51°34′37″N 0°5′41″E / 51.57694°N 0.09472°E
Architecture
Date established	1956 (as a congregation)
Completed	1966
Website
	swesrs.org.uk

Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located on Oaks Lane, Newbury Park in Ilford, in the Borough of Redbridge, London, England, in the United Kingdom. The congregation is a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism.

History

The forebears of the congregation date from c. 1919 when the Oxford & St George's Settlement Synagogue was established in Stepney.^[1] This congregation subsequently changed its name to St. George's Settlement Synagogue and then later to Settlement Synagogue. It was the only congregation that was concurrently affiliated with both the Movement for Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism.^[2]

Founded in 1956 as S.W. Essex Synagogue, the congregation changed its name in c. 1966 to the South-West Essex Reform Synagogue (also known as SWERS), and later spelled as South West Essex Reform Synagogue. In 1997, the congregation merged with the Settlement Synagogue to form the South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue. In September 2023, the merged congregation adopted its current name^[1] (although the change of name is to be a working name and not a formal change of the synagogue’s name).^[3]

A tag line of "Honouring our Past, Building our Future" was also adopted.^[4]

Clergy

The following individuals have served as rabbi of the congregation:^[1]

Ordinal	Officeholder	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
1	Alan W. Miller	c. 1958	c. 1961	2–3 years
2	Dow Marmur	c. 1963	c. 1969	5–6 years
3	Nicholas Ginsbury	c. 1970	c. 1973	2–3 years
4	Henry Goldstein	c. 1973	2001	27–28 years	All subsequently Emeritus
5	Lawrence Rigál	1997	c. 2006	8–9 years
6	Maurice Arnold Michaels	c. 2000	c. 2011	10–11 years
−	Stephen Howard	2011	2012	0–1 years	Interim rabbi
7	Nancy Morris	2012	2014	1–2 years	^[5]
−	Dr. Jackie Tabick	2015	2016	0–1 years	Interim rabbi
8	Lisa Barrett	2016	May 2021 (2021-05)	4–5 years	^[6]^[7]
9	Jordan Helfman	January 2022 (2022-01)	incumbent	2 years, 353 days	Formerly of Holy Blossom Temple,^[8]

Additionally, the congregation has been served by the following, as associate rabbis, Rabbi G.C. Goldberg (c. 1978–c. 1980); Rabbi Howard Cooper (c. 1980–c. 1982); Rabbi Michael Pertz (c. 2004–c. 2011); and Rabbi Lev Taylor (since July 2022).^[1]^[9] Lev Taylor vacated his position with effect from 10 July 2024.^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue". Jewish Communities and Records – UK. JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
^ "Settlement Synagogue". Jewish Communities and Records – UK. JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
^ "A name change for SWESRS!". 18 July 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
^ "A name change for SWESRS!". 18 July 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
^ "South West Essex and Settlement Reform appoints Rabbi Nancy Morris". The Jewish Chronicle. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
^ Rocker, Simon (3 August 2018). "Cash-strapped Essex shul finds funds to save rabbi's full-time role". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
^ "Rabbi Lisa's Farewell Service". South West Essex and Settlement Reform Synagogue. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
^ "Home page". Holy Blossom Temple. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
^ "A New Rabbi for SWESRS" (PDF). 24 June 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
^ "A Letter from Lester Allen, Chair of Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue". 16 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.